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Houba is a
really good czech punkband and Martin took his
time to answer these questions from me just
before christmas in the pandemedic year of 2020. Please tell
me a little bit history of the group?
Have you been starting to play again or
why so long between the records? -We started
to play in June 1995 as a group of 4 friends at
age between 14-18. We loved it, made rehersals
every day 3 hours. That was really important in
the early years. Last 25 years we played about
50 – 85 gigs every year. And about our records:
We were really active in 1995 to 2007. Than we
were quite busy cause finishing our studies on
Universities. So we made split album with Punk
Floid in 2010, than we recorded an album with
the artist Tom77 in 2012, than we made single in
2014. And last 5 years we were plying live a
quite lot. Not so much time to make a new record.
So we released our new album in 2019, but we
started work on it in 2017. Please tell
me a little about every member in the group
right now, age, family, work, interests and
something bad about everyone? Earlier bands?
Other bands on the side? I´m Martin,
i´m bassplayer, i do management of our band, I
made our last album mainly (lyrics, music). I´m
a teacher on high school (we call it Gymnazium
in Czech), I teach geography, geology,
cartography. Our guitarist is Jirka, he is a
chemistry engineer, he is concrete specialist.
And he made a lot of music and lyrics on our
older albums. Our singer, Majkl, work for the
czech railways a an geodet. He is abstainer now,
but he was the reason why we did not play about
half a year in 2014/2015. Our drummer is
technician in gas detection and he played with
me (Martin) in the band No Sympathy (www.bandzone.cz/nosympathy).
Our newest member (2006) is Mira, guitarist. He
works for a small family company called
Delibutus. They make organic cosmetics. I can hear
much different influences but mostly old punk
and some hardcore? Favorites from the past?
-Ok, I dont
think you are right. We started to listen to
czech punkrock in early ninetees, but mostly of
that czech bands were much influenced by old
british punkrock. We also listened to some
hardcorebands but it wasn´t so much important to
us. We wanted to play punkrock and we tried what
we can do :) We loved for example Spermbirds, I
liked Driller Killer for example. Maybe also
some mainstream bands like Green day, I listened
to Bad Religion and many many more Houba
are you satisfied with the name? How did
it came up? You weren’t afraid that some other
band would be named like this? What does it mean?
Which is the best bandname you know?
-We are ok
with the name. Why not. It means mushroom in the
czech language. And its czech name for drink
cola+red wine. We are quite well known in such a
small country like Czech republic so I hope
there won´t be any other band with this name.
And we also don´t care. We don´t have any „best“
name bands. It´s not important. I love Against
Me! What´s the
best thing with playing live? When was the last
time you did it? -I like the
atmosphere. Which is unique. Cause it´s true
people are giving you energy. Thats why it
impossible to go to sleep less than 2-3 hours
after playing a concert. And I like it –
afterparties are the best. We played 4.9.2020
the last time. So it ok. And where is
best to play? And the worst place? -Best place
to play are small, dirty clubs and the worst is
supercool big festivals with a stage 20x20m and
where the people are 20 metres far from you. We
play, but we don´t like it. How is to
play this sort of music in Czech republic right
now?
Which types of bands do you have concerts
together with?
-Right now
it´s complicated cause covid, but normally it´s
fine. We have enough clubs or places to play. As
I wrote, we are quite known in punkrock comunity
so we play about 50 gigs per year (we have about
100 offers per year). We usually play with
punkrock bands, only during the summer there are
some festivals which are mostly about mainstream
rock but they choose some punk bands every year.
We love to play with The Fialky. I think now
they are our best friends to play with. But our
autumn tour was cancelled. That´s sad. How would
you describe your music in three words?
-Simple punk
rock. What does
punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a
lifestyle?
-I think
it´s about your thinking. Of course it can´t be
only a word. And for me punkrock means you want
to introduce to the people some opinions, some
lifestyle, way of life. That makes punkrock
unique. Cause for example mainstream bands in
Czech don´t want to represent any opinions or a
way of life. They just play music for fun. We
play for fun but there is also our view – that´s
what makes punkrock so different. Which
song/album or group was it who took you into
punk/hardcore? -E!E
Poslouchej. Czech punkrock band. What shall a
young guy do today to shock their parents as the
way we did when we were young? They have already
seen everything ;-)? I dont think
it´s neccessary to shock. And maybe – some
people can have a shock because of your
opinions. Because of tolerancy, respect.
How is it to
live in Czech republic right now? Politically?
Fascists?
Covid? You were celebrating the
disapperance ff covid in june and now it´s
really bad or? -I think
it´s ok. Yes, of course, all government sucks.
Thats true. We have a corrupted primeminister,
but I think it is a problem worldwide. The
biggest problem for me in politics is that in
politics are same people like before 1989.
That´s a problem. Problem is also poverty of
Gipsy people here. Nobody care about that and
many people are racsists. Covid problem is
worldwide. In April, May – it wasn´t any porblem
here. We had no covid. Thats why it was ok to
live normally. And I´m happy, that our
government say „live normally“. In
october/november it was not so good, but our
health system is
one of the best in the world. So it
wasn´t problem to get to hospital when you have
problem. Now it´s ok, we also offering places in
hospitals for other countries. Is there any
good bands from Czeck republic
right now?
Is the punkscene/metalscene/hardcorescene
big? How is it in your hometown? -In Czech?
Yes, a lot. Right now i can say Blank Out, Bez
Šance, Burning Steps. Scene is quite big, a lot
of bands. I can say many in styles you mentioned,
but there are more than 20.000 independent
bands/artist in Czech. Our hometown is quite
poor. We have several new punkrock bands formed
by young punkrockers, but not many – maybe 3-4.
We have one squat/independent place, where we
usually played our gigs last years. What do you
know about Sweden?
Have you been here sometime? You have
already heard of Skruttmagazine…sounds good. I´m a
teacher of geography, I know a lot about Sweden.
I have been there many times. Especilly in late
ninetees, cause we had connection with band
Article Nine, Radioaktivita Räker, Driller
Killer. I was also in the north of Sweden with
my wife, in Kiruna, also in Kiruna Ore mines, I
have walked part of Kungsleden in Abisko
national park. We were in Stockholm, I remember
one of my favourite painter Nils Dardel
exhibition in Stockholm – it was one of the best
made exhibition I ever visited. We were also on
Öland. And of course, I love swedish punkrock
bands. I have listen to Millencollin since 1995. Have you
heard any good bands from Sweden? -Yes, of
course. Your scene is very strong. I love for
example Randy, Millencolin and many more. Your lyrics,
who does them and what influences you?
Never in english? Any covers you play? -It´s quite
complicated. In the past, many of our lyrics
were quite funny stories. In the last years,
especially on our last album is quite politic,
critical, social. No, we have never sing in
english and we will never start. We have some
covers, but no famous bands. On our last album
we do a cover song of The King Blues (british
band) from their album Punk and Poetry. Is there any
subject that you never will write anything about? -I don´t
think so. Politic and
music, does it goes hand in hand?
Which is your most political song?
Is it important to get out your opinions
in music? -Yes, it´s
neccesary. I always say, that punkrock music
must never resign himself to political and
critical texts. Its the reason, why we are other
than mainstream music. Our very politicasl songs
are on the last album – Svoboda 2015, Slabá
místa (dedicated to anticommunist protests),
Špína a prach (cover of King Blues) and
Povolební kocovina. Best
political band/artist? -Don´t have
one. Do you think
that music(lyrics and so on) can change anyones
life, I mean people who listens to music? -Yes, of
course it can. We have met many people on our
concerts whohave
told us, that our lyrics completely
changed their lives, helped them from drug
addiction etc.
Your
favorite recordcover alltime?
Who does your recordcovers?
And do you have any good recordstores in
your hometown? -I love
Nirvana – Nevermind. Our record covers are
ussually painted by our guitarist Jirka. But we
have prepared our next cover. It will be a photo.
No, we dont have any punkrock/independent record
store in our town. Is it
important to get out physical records of your
stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette, what
do you prefer if you could choose whatever? -Of course
it is and we do it. We produce vinyls, cassettes,
CDs. Our last release is re-edition of our two
album from 2002 and 2007. It was released in
november 2020 and we sold more than 80 pieces
first day. Now the re-edition is almost sold out
on vinyls. I prefer online music right now, but
i´m buying also CD´s to my old Toyota. Please tell
me a funny thing which have happened during your
career and under some gig? -It´s so
complicated to choose one. We have played 25
years without any break. How does
your audience look like? Which people do you
miss on your concerts? Which is the biggest band
you ever have played together with?
-Our
audience is the best of course. In the first
years, our audience was quite young. Now, in the
last years we probably are more „punk“ than we
used to be. So it´s changing. I can say the
average is 30-35 years old people, still
punkrockers who cares about lyrics. We do not
miss any people on our gigs. We have young, old,
boys, girls. It´s fine. We do not play many gigs
as support of famous bands. I dont´ know why,
but we dont care. It´s not important for us. Please rank
your five favoriterecords, five favoriteconcerts
and five most important things in life? -Me, im
Marticek. I can´t say „bands“ favourites. Against Me!
– New Wave
1.
Against Me! – New Wave
2.
Bambix – Club Matuchek
3.
Ine kafe – Bez udania dovodu
4.
Davova Psychoza – Antropofobia
5.
Bad Religion – Stranger than fiction If you ask
me tomorrow, it will be different.
Health and family
Punkrock music and band
Travelling
Work
Free time First, last
and most expensive record ever bought? -None Is it boring
with interviews? Is it much interviews? -I like to
make short interviews
J We don´t have
not so much, maybe 5 a year. Do you care
about reviews? Which is the most peculiar you
ever had, with this band or any other band you
have been to? -Yes, of
course. We care. But we never change our music
according to reviews. One review was really
pelicular. It was concert review in 2010, we
supported the slovakian band Ine kafe in sold
out shows in Prages for 1000 people. And we
played quite good supporting gig with 2 bonus
songs. So the audience liked it. And there was
some 19 years old girl written that review. And
wrote that everything with us was bad. I think
it was her first and last review for that
magazine and maybe ever
J Which bands
do people compare you to, is it boring that
people compare you to other bands or is it
understandable? -I really
dont know. But I would like to know. If you could
choose five bands from the past and the history
and nowadays and both dead and living bands to
have a concert together with your band. Which
five have you been chosen? -We haven´t
such dreams. Is music a
good way to get out frustration and become a
nicer person outside the music?? -Yes. I
think so. For us it´s love, hobby, entertainment,
parties. It´s a life thing. We love to play for
full club. We love the energy you have after the
show. The feeling that you can´t fall asleep
after good show. Which is the
most odd question you ever have got in an
interview? -I really
don´t remember. Which is the
question you want to have but you never get.
Please ask it and answer it? -I like your
question „which bands do people compare you to“.
I don´t know the answer but I would like to know. Futureplans
for the band? -Yes, 11.
12. 2020 we made livestream. It was quite good,
1339 people watched it online. It´s good. We
also did a new musicvideo for one of our songs
from last album Niceho nelitujem! We will finish
it in March 25th. It will be dedicated to
Belarus antigovernments protest which are
probably the longest in the history, more than
100 days right now. March 25th is Day of liberty
in Belarus. We plan to play 2-3 illegal gigs in
covid times for 40-50 people. The entrance
tickets will be antigen covid test negative. We
will be recording this situation and plan to
make small movie about it. I hope we will play
gigs in spring 2021. We have 3 new songs and
waiting for time to record them to make a single. For yourself? -In these
hard times it´s complicated to plan anything.
I´m working a lot right now on my high school,
where I teach geography. I´m looking for new
possibilities for students, we are making online
discussions with interesting people. Last month
we discuss with my friend from Bangladesh, we
plan to have discussions with friend sfrom
Japan, Uganda and more. I love this job and to
work with a clever young generation. With my
family, my 3 years old son we plan to travel to
US in summer 2021 to visit our friends in
California from bands like Foxy, Lonely Streets
and more. Wisdomword? -Do not
regret anything. Something to
add? -Thanks for
such a nice and long interview and sorry for my
delay. I have been really busy last 2 months. |