INTERVIWED 29TH DEC. 2001
1.What is the main reason to start Grunt & Freak Animal? Was there any bands, person, etc.that you were very interested in at that time?
-When I started Grunt in '93, I didn't yyet know of existence of actual noise "scene". I knew some small tape bands and few who even did 7"s, and some bigger musical industrial bands like Swans, Godflesh or E.Neubauten, but as I didn't know any noise listeners and never seen any magazines of such style (and internet wasn't yet popular at all!), I had no idea of bands such as Whitehouse, Hijokaidan, etc. I made couple first tapes, mainly influenced by other Finnish noise which came out in 91/92. First releases I put out under label "Nykto-tapes". Suddenly I heard of existence of actual noise scene and things started to happen really fast. I just gathered knowledge and releases of all noise I could find. It's soon 10th anniversary of Grunt, but I must say couple early years was just trying to find the personal style. When I decided I will put out vinyl records I changed name to Freak Animal. It was '94. I think it was good that I didn't know all the bands when I started. These days bands start and just begin to make "noise like Merzbow" or "power electronics like G.O." or something. I started from clean table and only created noise what naturally came out and not trying to sound anything particular artist.
2. In your former e-mail you wrote Grunt has changed its style from Harsh Noise to Power Electronics. Why did you change your music/noise in this way?
-Well, it's not actually true. There is no change - or there is constant change. When I started, I was making most of noise from guitar, which had strings so low tuned, they hardly hang on the guitar, so they only did noise. It didn't sound much like guitar. Just low rumbling. '93/94 Grunt stuff is more industrial noise, with rhythmic metal percussions and primitive junk noise. I also used screaming. 94/95 many of Grunt materials sound like prototype of old power electronics. I connected equipment with wires and modified internal feedback so it sounds like analog synthesizers. I finally blow out my stereo equipment with these connections. 95-96 I did more of harsh noise, but it was never "typical" harsh noise. I always used screaming and different effects, some say it actually sound more of old Ramleh type of stuff. In early Grunt I used to have lyrics and vocals, but in 95-96 it was mostly just violent screaming. Nobody ever could understand if I tried to say something, so I decided to stop actual lyrics. But major change came after this. In 97 and after it all Grunt material was much more focused. Not only sound, but lyrics of personal interests and meanings. So this can be considered as change from "noise" to "noise with content". But of course early stuff is very important to me and it has a lot of meaning. Still today I do pure "harsh noise", but in same release might be songs of power electronics or rhythmic stuff. I don't strictly follow any genre. Grunt is always the "same" - diverse fusion of noisy styles and many different sounds. Most of stuff I have created, could be released now, and it would not sound like different band.
3. Also we have agreed with each other on what's going on in this scene, ie everything becomes shallow and superficial. Personally I think no one can stop this, because Noise and Power Electronics is getting more attention from listeners than before. How do you think about it?
-It happens with all the music. Most of underground music styles have exploded with tons of bands and "artists". Many have nothing own to give. They are fans of some bands, and want to start doing similar material. I think it becomes little lame when same people are doing many different projects only because they want each one to follow directly to their "idols". People are afraid to mix noise to ambient or rhythmic power electronics. Instead they need to have project what sounds like "Genocide Organ" and project which sounds like "Yen Pox". It never becomes anything else than clone or worship of the idol, when "artist" does nothing own. I know I have done also side projects. But with those focus is some different theme. I have used almost same themes with Grunt, but it's different approach. With project I want to create different atmosphere to individual release. None of those bands are made to follow music style. Often same music could fit into Grunt as well.
Also I dislike when bands are not deeply into something. There is so many of bands who pretend to have "content" and feel superior to pure noise, but in fact, the so called "content" is only superficial copy of their idol bands image. I'd hope to see people who are very dedicated and even obsessed with what they do. If you just name a few, Streicher, Taint, Slogun, Con-Dom, etc etc. All of them are so deeply in subject matter they deal with. It's honest and true. But then there is examples of bands who just pop up suddenly and have 100% standard p.e. image, and they can't really say anything about it, and often they quit in couple of years. And some people even "worship" them. I rather listen good pure noise which is only obsessed to loud sound, than noise which focus on superficial content and then no value at all!
4.Is there any criteria to be released from Freak Animal?
-I have to like it. Nothing else. Althouugh, often I work with people I have similar tastes also besides the actual music. Or they are Finnish bands.
5.About Finnish scene, I have found a lot of good bands in Degenerating Finland and there are some good underground Black Metal scene like Northern Heritage. Could you elaborate a bit about Finnish Noise,Power Electronics and Black Metal in Finland?
-I usually don't want to crossover noisee and black metal. I think scene is different. For me it is mostly same, but many people have different motivations.
Finnish noise scene, I personally divide it to 2 things: 1) styles/bands/people related to Freak Animal and Kaos Kontrol labels and 2) other stuff like lo-fi, experimental, free jazz, "techno-noise" etc. I personally listen some of latter categories, but this scene has very little to do with Freak Animal. Many are offended by ideas what are supported by Freak Animal and I have even heard some people "boycotting" me because of some things. Many of these noisy-music listeners hate pure noise. It's too abstract and loud for them. Japanese noise had it's popular moment in mid 90's, but now same people who admired it back then, are bored and never listen such material. It shows difference between "real noise fans" and those who like noise only because of it's "weirdness". In Finland most people who I know are listening noise are also making it. I think many of those have similar background as me. They don't have much expensive equipment and they don't follow exact limited style, so I think most of Finnish bands are very good and interesting as they have to use creative mind to be able to do good noise with poor equipment.
Finnish black metal scene is also two different things. Finnish mainstream is very boring, standard and commercial. But from underground there is several good bands, which don't sound so totally similar & unoriginal and trend following like majority of bands. I personally like bands who do things by themselves. Record at home studio and stay on small labels and never lick ass of mainstream business. In black metal attitude and ideology is the most important factor. Often people in metal scene are just "heavy metal fans", so it's not very interesting. Black metal often gathers such elements which I find supportable and interesting, but it's also more and more crowded with people who pollute scene with ideas which aren't good for it.
From noise scene it's easier to find likeminded "freaks", as it's little older generation. Many metal listeners in Finland are very young. Freak Animal is partly financed with money what better selling metal records give me.
6.About your self and Grunt. You seem to be involved in hard core porn. Do you have any favorite genre, actress, and book/film makers? How do you get Jap.porn in Finland? And do you think porn has some effect on your music/noise?
-I have some specific styles which I colllect more than others, but in general, I'm open to any bizarre sex. I like very much 70's/early 80's bondage & abuse, hardcore s/m, bestiality, throat-fucking and cum-orgies. I watch all types of stuff, shit, piss, transexual, teen, fisting, vomit, rubber, leather, other fetish, etc etc. I collect books/magazines, vhs/dvd (just got dvd player) and 8mm/super-8 film loops. I have sold away most of my "normal" porn. I take normal stuff only in 70's film loops and very old magazines.
Good Japanese porn is quite difficult to get. I have Japanese bondage books/magazines and maybe close to 100 videos, mostly bukkake and bondage/sm, some bestiality. I was doing video trading with some foreign collectors and got a lot of this stuff as vhs copies. If there is some Japanese bizarre sex freaks who want trade that stuff (videoCD, vhs (copy ok), magazines) against noise or black metal records, contact me! I make photo/video/drawings and written porn. And also act in photos/videos. It's more like hobby for me. Maybe it'll grow to real job later, we'll see. I work with only limited number of mostly amateur actors. I have lately concentrated on creating material and during 2002 I will start releasing more by myself. Erotic Perversion magazine should be out during January, 2 versions, English and Finnish. It's black/white style underground publication.
In Finland porn business is very small as our population is only 5 000 000 people in whole country! There is only couple established porno companies and they make VERY little of films. Only couple in a year. So despite I just make this as hobby, I'm not SO much behind them.
Porno has effect on my music, as I always create music which is related to my own life and interests. But Grunt doesn't have such pornographic lyrics like "get on you knees & suck my cock, bitch!". Grunt has different approach, which is more about viewing the issue as social / real life perspective, not about making pornographic music. I used other projects for creating pornographic sex-noise.
7.My friends thinks Clinic of Torture is you. Is he right?
-Yes. It's such project I mentioned in eend of previous question. It differs from Grunt as it's like spontaneous s/m session, all recorded studio live and without strict plans, only "musical" transformation of feelings of old school s/m & torture. Name is chosen from harsh Dutch genital torture video and I have used direct dialogue / screaming soundtrack of hardest German / Dutch s/m films and sounds of film loop projectors while it is actually playing little malfunctioning 70's bizarre sex loop. Methods of creation was important due the spirit of the this recording, despite people might not hear big difference. Originally it was not supposed to be released at all, but I loved so much the final result that I decided to release it on CDr. LP I recorded year later in similar session. It would be interesting to do actual recording of s/m session, but that can be too much of work to arrange.
8.Grunt's latest 7ep is titled Welfare. The record jacket and title itself are very meaningful,I guess. If you do not mind please show us your idea behind the "Welfare".
-It has two tracks. 1st expresses my hattred towards junkies. People who make never take responsibility of themselves, but expect others to take care of them in the end. 2nd is very similar. It's my disgust towards people who can't live their lives, only rely on welfare system and help of others. Finland is full of people who have no mental abilities to do anything, they just live like parasites. Northern europe style white trash scum. I don't mind people abusing welfare system. I do it as often as possible, but if reason is utter weakness and subhuman mentality, you know what I think. Lyrics for this, and many other Grunt releases (as well as other FA releases) are available if someone writes and ask them.
9.Freak Animal has also released bands from Germany, Australia and Usa etc. How did you get contact with them?
-Many people probably don't understand tthat Finland is utterly small country and we don't have such radio or tv culture like in many other countries. Basically it used to be 3 national tv channels and couple national radio channels. There is no such things ad "collage/university radio". Despite there exists Finnish avantgarde noise since late 60's, it was never very big thing. Also there is no good market for Finnish written very marginal magazine. Finnish written noise zine would probably sell 30-50 copies at maximum. And as all Finnish cities are small, it's not possible to have any "noise shops". So before getting in contact with bands, you have to find out there exists such thing as "noise"! I was born and living first 18 years in city with 30 000 people. It was hard to get even mainstream metal or punk records there. It all happened usually by accident, I think. Even 10 years ago, all we had was post system and foreign flyers/catalogs as information, it was much more difficult than today.
When I got deeper in noise scene, I just got some record from a band, and then I just contacted those I liked via post and suggested for release. Now when we have e-mail and internet, it doesn't really matter where bands are from as you can establish contact as fast as to local bands. You can discuss with the band and find out if they are good one to be released etc. Early Freak Animal releases included many split 7"s which was made together with other people. Cosmonauts Hail Satan, Hermit, Love Hole, etc. all those splits are financed together with other band. They are just people who I got in touch way or another. Many contacts was made because of Freak Animal magazine. I made interviews with good bands and when I found out they are really nice people and good attitude, I also wanted to release record for them.
I get some promo material too, but most of releases are done after short or long friendship. I have some new artists under consideration. Even last year I released debut release of unknown bands. I'm not only looking for "big names". When I'm certain that band or artist have such values and interests that they are not in big conflict with my view on label policy, then I might do something for them.
10.Future plans for Freak Animal and Grunt?
-There is a lot of plans for Freak Animaal. There will come Irikarah/Strom.ec split LP in late January, and Pain Nail LP later in spring. Then comes CD's of Control, Macronympha, Incapacitants, Nicole 12/Taint, and more! I plan to do more CD's in future, so I can have lower price for customers and easier to do trades. During recent years it has been difficult to arrange good distribution as sending trade/wholesale records has become so expensive that I have had to avoid trades to overseas. When using CD format, it will change.
With Grunt there is couple compilation tracks. One song for Maruta Records LP or 2x10" compilation and one track for Hospital Recordings big multi cassette compilation box. Also just released is V/A Porno Hurts CDr on Taint's Biteworks label. There is couple CD's which has been recorded years ago and still not out yet. Split CD w/ Cloama is from '98, very good material! Collaboration w/ Cloama has been under work since 99 and we'll finish last tracks in early 2002. I hope these would finally be released and maybe then I can focus on new full length CD.
There is also some re-release suggestion. French label should do LP format of "Someone Is Watching" tape and Freak Animal might re-release some old tapes on CDr format.
I get much more suggestion for releases what I can accept. I have to turn down many offers. I have intention to do most of Grunt material for Freak Animal.
11.Any final words?
-Thanks for interview!
Contact: FA P.o.box 21 15141 Lahti Finland fanimal@hotmail.com www.wavenet.ws/mikkoa/FArecs.htm