Poor Devils is a really great punkrockband which have been singing both in English and german through the times. They were so nice to me so they answered a lot of questions from me in September 2014.

Please tell me a little bit history of the group?

-We’re founded in the mid of 2011 in a town by Wuerzburg (Germany). So the band exists nearly 3 years now. We are playing dirty, pissed-of Punk-Rock mixed with angry Old-School-Hardcore. All of us are close friends and we know each other since childhood. Therefore Simon, Doom and Thomas played in the Hardcore-Punk-Band KAMUTZI UTZI which was formed by us as young teenagers. After Daniel joint the band we’ve decided to play some new kind of Punk-Rock and we’ve founded The Poor Devils.  After some rehearsals Domi completed the band. We write quickly a couple of songs and played our first show after a beer hike. That was quite funny cause we was part of the beer game before the show…haha. We played till 2012 some more shows and released our Demo in June 2013.

In October 2013 we’re played with the Russian Punx from AGITATORS our first tour. In December 2013 we’ve released some songs from our Demo with German lyrics. So we have rather two demos…one in English and one in German. Since now it happen much for us in the year 2014. We’ve played a lot of shows with bands how Agnostic Front, Madball, Peter Pan Speedrock and Old Firm Casuals, which was always a big experience for us. We’ve released also our debut album ‘TOWER OF STRENGTH’ on Puke Music for some weeks.

Please tell me a little about every member in the group right now, age, family, work, interests and something bad about everyone?

-The band consists actually of 6 Persons. Simon (Vocals), Doom (Bass), Daniel (Guitar), Thomas (Drums), Domi (Guitar) and Fred which are play a lot of shows on Guitar for Domi. All of us are unmarried and like doing sport…besides Doom he hates it up to drinking sport. Simon and Daniel are 24 years old and both are student. Simon works besides in a gas station and Daniel as postman. Thomas (23) is carpenter and attending since August exactly likes Domi (20) further school. Fred (25) starts an education as lumberjack in September…before the education he shaved his wonderful lumberjack beard…really, really bad! Doom (22) is an old people nurse. In his spare time he played Pokemon all the time. Alongside he’s eating Pizza, drinking beer and watching anime like One Piece. So girls if you have the same interests call Doom!

The name Poor Devils how did the name came up??

-Good question…the name of the German Punk Band EISENPIMMEL already exists and we have found nothing better. Perhaps we’re feeling often like poor devils…

German is my favorite punklangauage, why do you sing in English?

-We’ve often asked this question on beginning if we should sing in English or in German. Actually we want to make English and German songs, but in the end it was all English. Perhaps the reason for this is that it’s often easier to describe in English as in German. Also the lyrics are universally comprehensible. We released our demo also in both languages…maybe we make the same with our 1st album or make new songs in German. Let’s see…

What´s the best thing with playing live?

-Playing live is like a big family meeting. You get to know new people which have the same way of life as you. You meet old and new friends. Playing live is also a stage to say what you like to say with your music. You can share your opinion, can share what you like and especially share what make you sick. You can be what you are…raw and uncut.

And where is best to play?

-It’s always cool to play. Of course it’s cool when a lot of people visit your show. Personally we like shows in small location. So everybody is a big part of it. Especially we like as well as band and visitor our home locations Stattbahnhof in Schweinfurt and Immerhin in Wuerzburg. 

How is it to play punk in Germany?

-Cool! But sadly there’s often a too big separation between Punk-Rock, Hardcore and so on. Also there are not so much Punk-Rockers in Punk-Shows since for some years ago. Therefore are not so much Punk-Shows. It’s getting often more and more commercial. Many people can’t afford to play 20 € and more entrance to see a band! But there are also people which throw smaller shows. Often these shows are the best. It’s important to visit local shows to keep real Punk-Rock alive!

How would you describe your music in three words?

-Dirty, angry, loud.

What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?

-Punk is much more than a word! If Punk is just a word nearly everybody is a Punk-Rocker with the whole commercial shit. The industry recognizes that Punk is a profitable “market” for them to making money. You can buy a Ramones T-shirt nearly in every cloth store. Stars wear studded leather jackets and spike their hair. FUCK OFF! FUCK THEM! Punk-Rock is a way of life which comes from the heart. Punk is too say “no” when the mass they “yes”. If you don’t like something you don’t make it. Punk is direct and unvarnished. Punk-Rockers are maybe the honestly people…even if some don’t like it.

How do you see on downloading, mp3 and that stuff?

-The development of the internet and the social-media-stuff had favored the downloading of songs enormously. We personally like when I have something physically from a band. Julian and Simon are little vinyl junkies. Tapes are also nice. Of course it’s always cooler to have the record from a band than just download their music, but that’s time of the internet. When you have a LP, a Tape or a CD you’re automatically busy more with the band and their music. It’s just a complete different positive style. The artwork with the lyrics, the medium and so on. You could skip through the songs so easy so you hearing them. Then you can really judge if you like the record or not.

How is it to live in Germany now? Politically?

-Living in Germany is not the worst place to live in the world. There are too many countries where the population must suffer on poverty and starvation. Of course in Germany this is also a problem but the main mass has enough to live. A big problem is that the middle class are bit by bit extinct. The rich become richer and the poor getting poorer. Some political parties make us worry. An example is the election in the German federal state Sachsen in August. The AfD-Party get 10 percent in the state election. AfD is a new founded party with make hide right-wing populist politics. Before people elect a party they should inform better about them!

Is there any good bands from Germany?

-OF COURSE!  There are besides the old Punk legends how Toxoplasma, Rasta Knast, Schleimkeim and Slime a lot of younger Punk/Hardcore-Bands which are fantastic. Kotzreiz, Pestpocken, Scheisse Minnelli, Derbe Lebowski, Dr. Hell and Absgturzgefährdet , are just a few.

What do you know about Sweden?

-Sweden = Ikea? Haha. Sweden is also other than Germany a monarchy with a king and has as currency the Swedish Krona instead of the Euro. We also heard that the alcohol should be quite expensive there. That’s maybe the reason that when we meet just drunk Swedish people in Germany.. haha. When we hear the Sweden we first connect it to 90s-Punk-Rock. Bands like No Fun at All, Millencolin and Randy are big idols from our time as teenagers. We grow up with bands like these. We also like the older style of Sweden Punk. Anti Cimex, Wolfbrigade, Shitlickers and Asta KasK were all killer bands! It’s amazing how many good Punk-Bands Sweden had and still has!

Your lyrics, who does them and what influences you?

-All lyrics are from Simon. The rest of the band come with ideas for new lyrics and Simon write them. The influences are always personnel things, things about life which are important for us to be said.

Do you do any covers when you play live, which(if you do) ?

-Yes, we cover often “So What” from ANTI NOWHERE LEAGUE and “Blitzkrieg Bop” from THE RAMONES

Politics and music, does it goes hand in hand?

-Of course. Every act in your life is a little bit political. Political is a big word with a far-reaching meaning. Often the meaning of politics is overrated. Making Punk-Rock is a statement about your opinion, so it’s always some political. It’s important to take clear their point of view…this should be always against capitalistic, homophobia and racism bullshit!

Best political band/artist?

-There are too much. We like the German Band GUERILLA. AUS-ROTTEN and ANTISCHISM were also awesome.

Do you think that music (lyrics and so on) can change anyones life, I mean people who listens to music)?

-It may happen. If you hear a song and the lyrics express a statement or an opinion that you can sign. Most of us came to Punk-Rock-Music about hearing the music in the youth center.  First you like the songs cause they are something new beside the Pop-Bullshit. Short and fast songs. When you like the music you busy some day with the lyrics. If the lyrics speak to you it’s may a booster detonation for a life change. Also you find new friends on shows. Most of them share the same opinion and have the similar way of life. So the music, which is the reason why you visit a show and get to know new people, changes your life.

Have you done anything more than Tower of Strength? If you have how can I get it? Is Broken Silence a good label?

-Yes we have two demos before Tower of Strength. One in English and one in German. You can download both for free on our bandcamp-page (https://thepoordevils.bandcamp.com/) or you can buy both at our shows. Our Label is Puke Music which is based in Berlin. Broken Silence is just the distribution. Puke Music is a very good label! Bernd, the founder of Puke Music, is a very funny and nice guy. We’re very happy that we’re a part of Puke Music, just because we are not a typical “Puke Music Band”. Most bands are Punk or Skinhead Bands with German lyrics. We’re a little bit an exception.

Is it important to release your records as “real” records??

-Yes! We would never release our songs just for download. Tower of Strength is actually just release as CD on Puke Music. We’ll also release Tower of Strength on the Moscow label Engage Records as Tape in the next time. Releasing the record on vinyl at any time would be fabulous.

How does your audience look like? Which people do you miss on your concerts?

-Our audience is wild mixed. A big part of our audience are Punk-Rockers, some hardcore kids, some Skinheads. Often also “normal” people who want just listening to the band, or some soccer ultras.

We miss sometimes some more girls...haha.

Please rank your five favorite records, five favorite concerts and five most important things in life?

-Simon: Uff. Difficult…I think my favorite records are these, because I’m hearing them maybe most often: 7 SECONDES – The Crew, THE CASUALTIES – For the Punks, BOUNCING SOULS – Hopeless Romantic, THE RAMONES – Ramones and BLITZ – Voice of a Generation.

My favorite concert was my first Punk-Show in Age of 14 in Stattbahnhof Schweinfurt with THE EXPLOITED and DRITTE WAHL in the year 2004. Also a blast was THE CASUALTIES in Frankfurt 2006.

As Band our favorite show was in August this year with AGNOSTIC FRONT. Also the Tour with AGITATORS was memorable. Family and friendship are for me the important things in life.

Julian: English Dogs (Forward Into Battle), Blitz – Voice of a Generation,  Antidote – Thou Shall not Kill, and I like many other Punk and Hardcore Bands like The Casualties, Discharge, Black Flag, Disclose, Rancid, Toxoplasma …

My favorite show was a THE UNSEEN concert 2007 in Nuernberg. Also I like every Endless Summer Festival.

Daniel: A Get Dead and a Less Than Jake show was the two best for me. The five records I like most are following:

Bouncing Souls – How I spent my Summer Vacation, Rancid - …and out come the Wolves, The Rabble – Life is a Journey, NoFX – Punk in Drublic and Get Dead – Bad News.

Fred: Rancid - ...and out come the Wolves. Distemper - All or Nothing, The Clash - London calling. Black Flag – Damaged,  Social Distortion - Prison Bound.

The best show for me was Tarakany! at AK47 in Dusseldorf 2011. The most important things in life for me are making music and drinking.

Domi: My favorite records are following:

Metallica - Ride The Lightning, Rancid - And Out Come the Wolves, Terror - Keepers Of The Faith, Deez Nuts - Bout It, Lionheart - Welcome to the Westcoast.

Watching Rancid 2012 on the Groezrock-Festival was the best for me!

Thomas: My all-time favorite show was the same as Simon’s…The Casualties in Frankfurt with Riot Brigade and Pestpocken. I don’t really have five records that I like most. I like the elder Casualties Records same as the newer. I also like listening to Hardcore-Bands like Heart in Hand, Madball, Your Demise, Stick to your Guns or something like that. Often also to Melodic Hardcore.

Your music is really angry sometimes, is that so do you think that people who is in band gets out their anger in the music and don´t go and fight in the streets etc??

-You can package your feelings easy in music. If you want to say somebody “I love you” you make a slow, boring song. But we mostly want to say “Fuck you” so we make an angry, pissed-off song. We are not from the scratch angry people, but there are sometimes things that pissed us off. We are also not violent, but there are some things that must be said. We think every person has any anger inside that must be out at one day. Some people going fighting. And these who were fighting are often innocent. Of course a fight can be funny if somebody earned his fists seriously.

Do you understand that reviewers always compare bands to other bands? Is that disturbing when you try to do something own?

-No, on the contrary. It’s interesting how other people see your music. Often you don’t notice that you sound like another band. That’s quite funny.

Futureplans for the band?

-In the near future we want to play of course further more shows. Also a tour in the beginning of 2015 outside of Germany is planned. Also maybe recording some new songs for an EP.

For yourself?

-Simon: I don’t have any plan for something!

Julian: I don’t plan my future.

Wisdomword?

-Dadi Dau!

Something to add?

-We would like to give thanks to everybody who visit our shows and support us. OUTLAW CREW you’re the best. Stay rebel cheers TPD.