[Interview conducted 04/30/2009.]
How would you best describe the movement and music scene in Australia?
I shudder at the word "scene." Scenes can be best described as a comedy of errors. Whatever word you can call it, I guess it’s the same as anywhere. It could use this, it could use that, but there are some good people doing good things from time to time; smaller and tight knit would best describe it.
What bands would you site as being the biggest influence(s) of BRE's music?
Ultima Thule, Hel, Amon Amarth, Falkenbach, Enharjarna, Midgards Soner, most decent Viking rock, neo folk and Viking metal as well as most typical RAC bands from the late 80's early 90's. You know, all the usual stuff.
In your opinion, what's the best BRE album released to date and why that particular one?
"Return to Asgard" is probably the most popular, it's kind of raw but still falls in place. "Burning Down the Churches" is more polished, and with the female vocals a lot of people say that one.
I personally like our new one "Divine Providence" 'cause I haven't heard it to death yet and we recorded it ourselves. it has a couple of songs on there I have sat on for years and really worked them out so the writing is a bit better in my opinion and sound wise we were going for a mix of "Return to Asgard" and "Burning Down the Churches" to please the fans. the sound ended up a little boxy, but considering its the first time we recorded ourselves as BRE and released it; it made me figure out what we are capable of in that aspect.
What's your thought(s) on the importance of Odinism and keeping that faith alive?
Well, that’s why we do what we do. A lot of our songs are specific to this topic and we try to sing it historically correct. Any other culture/race in the world is not only allowed in the eyes of normality but actually encouraged to promote folkish ethno-centric communities, faiths and cultures amongst their own. People aren’t taught much in their countries’ schools, at least anything more about their history, outside of a couple of wars.
Our people for the most part have no idea who they are. They have no pride in the fact that we have the greatest history and culture the world has ever seen. The multiculturalism campaigns of the one world Zionists teach people only guilt in being white, yet they aren’t even 100% sure why they should feel guilty. With that and our preferred religious ideologies, we try to blend historical fact, religious belief and modern social observations together to teach people some things they may not have known.
What can we expect from BRE in the future?
We've been taking a break for a while but maybe soon we will begin to rehearse again to record the beginning of what I perceive as our major works; 3 albums based on the poetic Edda. The first volume, which is already written, is titled "Creation." Also I have some more ideas for after/in between these 3 albums that I may have a go at.
We may resume playing live in 2010. If so, we will most likely head overseas again. We've had a few offers for a few different places but we can’t do anything this year as we are all busy with our personal lives. Rest assured, we still have plenty to do for some time.
Would you like to tell the readers about your other projects such as Affray and Honky Tonk Knife Fight? Affray was just an off thing, done by myself. I was just drinking at home, testing my home recording studio and making songs up on the spot. I didn’t want to release it at first but a lot of my friends really liked what they heard. So I did an album of songs that wouldn’t work with BRE. I called it Affray after the charges laid on white protestors at the Cronulla "riots" around the same time.
Honky Tonk Knife Fight is our newest band; I don’t call it a project because it is an actual band that we intend to one day take to the live circuit. It's more of a fun band. Highly out spoken, highly critical of everything (even ourselves) but all done in a tongue in cheek, comedic way. It’s pretty hard to take songs like "Rock and Roll Master Race" seriously, right? We did a 7" on Diehard records which went well and now we're getting ready for an 8 or 9 track minimum release. I'm not sure if we will record that before or after the next BRE. I have a lot of fun in this band. You could say the sound is like some Confederacy of Scum bands; cow punk, garage punk, Redneck rock and roll etc…
Any up and coming bands to look out for on your new record label Heathen Noise Productions? We've had a couple of offers to press various things but we're holding out for now. So, outside of Honky Tonk Knife Fight being a fairly newcomer at the moment.... we also have the lost second album of the great USA band Siege, which absolutely kills their first one. As well as the re-issue of BRE's first album, "The Warrior" EP with a few bonus tracks, coming out later this year—possibly.
Who's your favorite band at the moment?That is hard to say, I like so much different stuff it changes all the time. For RAC, probably Blackout; for metal the new Amon Amarth is ok. Mostly Hank 3, Rebel Son, Peterpan Speedrock, Candy Snatchers, Hammercocks. I've recently re-found The Partisans, one of my teenage favorites. Absurd is always great and Moshpit is probably one of the best bands in the world at the moment; for fans of metalcore/hardcore. Like I said before, it’s hard to say....
Is there anything else you'd like to add?Thanks for the interview, good luck with the 'zine. Thank you to the people who are still buying our records after 8 or so years. If you're surfing the net, check stuff people have posted on YouTube of us, some of that’s pretty cool. Also check out VF International.
Hail Odin.
ROA!
Blood Red Eagle: Return To Asgard
Frankenstein: Eye For An Eye
Disturbed Mother Fucker: Oi! Ain't Dead
