martes, 12 de noviembre de 2013

Interview with Justin Grind (Gore Obsessed/Surgical Infection)


From the first time we hear Gore Obsessed, Laura and I have been thinking (and hoping) to interview this unique and endearing guy we know as Justin Grind. Then came to our ears Justin Goregrind project, called Surgical Infection ... which also we became fans. Well, it turns out that between Justin and we there is a relation almost of friends, so of asking for an interview him to doing it there was an just a step. It goes without saying that the interview was great, all thanks to the Great Justin Grind, one of the favorite musicians who make Puro Ruido.

Puro Ruido: Hi Justin. Greetings and thanks from Cordoba, Argentina! How are you?
Justin Grind: Hi Manel and to all the Puro Ruido reader and Argentinos fans!
I'm good! I’m busy working on new musick for various projects.

PR: 3 eps so far this year, one better than the other. Where do you get so much creativity? Hahaha. Let's talk about Splatter! Horror! Gore, Bite It, You Scum: A Tribute to GG Allin y The Basement Tapes Part 2: Die When You Die!, When and how did you record that contains each of the eps, which seal the edited, etc.
JG: I don't think you can call it creativity.
The tracks for these EPs where recorded at various times through the year, some of the tracks where written one or two years ago. I always have tracks written or recorded that haven't been released (some tracks need lyrics or vocals, others need to be recorded). Once I have an idea for a new EP and the tracks I want to use, then I start mixing all the tracks together. It normally takes me a LONG time to get the mix and mastering done because I am never happy with the sound. Eventually I get so pissed off and tired of mixing and listening to the EP tracks that I release it so I don't have to listen to them anymore haha!



PR: The first album I heard from Gore Obsessed was Tales from The Crypt, split edited by Torn Flesh Records, and involving Blasphemation, and a group created by you and Eric from Blasphemation: Gore Blast. Tell us was Gore Blast born. Will you do something together under that name?
JG: I liked what Eric did (and still does) with Blasphemation and I had some tracks recorded, I asked Eric if he was interested in recording the vocals (he also wrote the lyrics) for the tracks and he was. We are busy with some new Gore Blast tracks. The tracks have been recorded and are almost finished being mixed so there will be a new Gore Blast release, it will be a split with Vomitomb, a new project of Eric.

PR: Justin, what was it that drove you to create Gore Obsessed? I'm not asking you to tell us the biography of Gore Obsessed because that can be read it on your website. But we'd like you to tell us what were the reasons that pushed you to give life to a project so cool
JG: I wanted to record sick Death Metal music with lyrics about horror movies but I didn't want it to be technical because I can't play guitar for shit haha! I also didn't want any Swedish Death Metal or Cannibal Corpse style DM (even though the band name is the same name as a Cannibal Corpse album, the band name is NOT a tribute to them. It just fits the horror theme of the music perfectly). While I was listening to Impetigo albums on repeat I found my inspiration and after that I started adding more punk to my music. I want Gore Obsessed to be a mix between early goregrind and early hardcore punk or Impetigo meets GG Allin.

PR: Recently on our Facebook account, we posted the cover of the EP Blood, Boobs and Gore.
In that post was put together a little debate about the girl who is on the cover. Is Jayden James, the porn star? I've never seen that picture is it a photo made especially for the cover of the EP? Or did you have to ask permission to use it?
JG: Yeah it's Jayden James and I definitely did not get permission to use it! I found photos of her shooting guns in the desert, when I saw that photo I though it would be perfect for a cover in the style of Russ Meyer movie posters. I want to do another cover in that style in the future, hot naked woman are always great for cover art!

PR: Speaking about films, I suppose that you are a follower of Troma's movies. In fact, one of the songs of Gore Obsessed that more I like is “The Toxic Avenger ". What kind of horror movies do you prefer? Class B or more underground even?
JG: Hell Yeah! I LOVE Troma movies! They’re some of my favourite movie. Silly stories with loads of gore and nudity!
I'm into horror movies from classic Hammer horror to Italian Giallo, 80's Splatter to modern gore like August Underground.
I am also a big fan of Bill Zebub, he makes awesome ultra low-budget DIY films which are filled with comedy, violence, making fun of religion and a lot of full on nudity. I recommend his movies!
For newer horror, I like horror movies that are made with a DIY Punk kind of ethic, ultra low budget horror made by a group of people running around with loads of fake blood, cheap gore FX and fun exploitation stories. The budget "Hollywood" horrors and re-makes don't interest me...just like technical or progressive music doesn't interest me haha!
Grindhouse horror and Grindcore musick! (That should be the title of a new Gore Obsessed EP)

PR: Correct me if I'm wrong did the first album you edited by Torn Flesh Records was Last Cannibal World? Why did you choose to Torn Flesh Records to edit your work? It has something to related to your posture to do everything in the DIY way?
JG: You're correct, that was the first Gore Obsessed EP TFR released and since then I've released almost all my recordings through TFR. I did 2 split releases that were released by different labels on CD and a few compilations released by other labels. Sam who runs TFR does an amazing job and created the best netlabel around and has always provided great underground music for free. I'm very proud to be a part of that and find it the best place to release your music free even though streaming sites and bandcamp have become more popular. Torn Flesh Records has a great DIY ethic and as you know DIY or DIE!

PR: By the way, would you change the freedom it gives you to do all the DIY style just to have more publicity and greater public outreach? Personally, and I'm considering Punk, I love the way you work.
JG: I would not want to change. It would be cool to have an independent label put out a Gore Obsessed album but it won't stop me from releasing free tunes. We all know this music isn't about getting rich and famous (even losers who sold-out can't make money off record sales anymore haha!) Its clichéd but it really is for passion. Not everyone can afford to pay for music so why not supply some that's legal and free.

PR: Each cover you do is a real tribute to the groups you admire. All these covers are very well done, and always choose songs that fit perfectly within the schemes of Gore Obsessed. You have done covers of Impetigo, Blood Duster, Mortician, Gut, Jungle Rot, Waking The Cadaver, GG Allin. Any other cover in mind?
JG: Thanks for the kind words! My versions are terrible compared to the originals but it's my small way of saying thanks to those great bands and songs that inspired me. The only one in the list you mentioned that I don't remember doing is 'Waking The Cadaver' haha! You might have meant NunSlaughter :) (NdR: It´s true, i´m wrong: Justin never recorded an Waking The Cadaver cover). I need to release an EP with all my cover versions.
I've recorded the music for a Ramones and a Dead Kennedy cover but I still have to do the vocals. I'll definitely record more in the future, which ones I have no idea yet. I don't plan them, when I'm in the mood I think fuck it I'm going to cover that song. The song also has to be easy enough for my shit playing abilities haha!

PR: Is Society's Victim still active? Before was called Razor Sharp Daggar, certain?
Which are the principal differences between Gore Obsessed and Society's Victim?
JG: No Society's Victim is DEAD! It was called 'Razor Sharp Daggar' then 'Society's Victim' and finally 'Subhuman Noize'...I should never have changed the name. The idea with Society's Victim was to be more social political Grindcore meets Anarcho Crust Punk, a cross between Agathocles, Extreme Noise Terror and Subhumans.  I released 2 EPs as 'Razor Sharp Daggar'. I think the only release under the 'Society's Victim' name was a 2 track EP. Finally I released a split EP under the 'Subhuman Noize' name, and then I lost the drive to continue with the project.  
At the moment I'm only carrying on with Gore Obsessed and Surgical Infection (and smaller projects with other people like Gore Blast).

PR: Let's Talk About Surgical Infection, your Goregrind project. I've only heard the split with Hydropneumothorax. You recorded something else? There is new material on the way?
JG: As Surgical Infection I've released 3 splits and 2 EPs. There's the split with 'Hydropneumothorax' and a split with 'Leptospirosis' which are available for free download from Torn Flesh Records. I also did a 3 way split with two awesomely sick Italian Goregrind bands which was released by No Tomorrow and Neurotic Anger Prod as a limited CD-R. The 2 EPs are of course free to download from TFR. Right now I'm busy finishing off new material which will be used for a split with 'Pyemesis' (Eric from 'Hydropneumothorax' new raw Goregrind project) and another EP.



PR: In “Demented Sexual Killer” there is a song called Fulci Lives!, And even the cover is a
tribute to a Lucio Fulci´s film (The Beyond). It amuses you that directors like Fulci, Ed Wood,
Ze do Caixão and Herschell Gordon Lewis has been bastardized by the industry for so long,
there being mainstream filmmakers who are unable to create climates as dark as that created Fulci, Ze , Wood and Lewis? I mean, these directors have many more ideas and were more original than many directors accepted and respected by the industry!
JG: Fulci will always remain one of the greatest creators of Horror! The atmosphere he created cannot be repeated. I totally agree! Those directors created some of the most memorable movies in horror something Hollywood has just about never been able to achieve. Even when Hollywood tries to re-create great horror movies with their shitty remakes they fail. I did like 'Cabin in the Woods' that was a fun movie and at least it's not another remake. I don't pay attention to all these fucking Hollywood re-makes anymore, if I want to watch ‘Maniac’ or ‘Evil Dead’ I'll watch the originals and not waste time with the remakes!

PR: Justin, what are, for you, the best albums of Death and Grind in history?
If a newbie asks you you recommend bands and records of Death and Grind, which would you recommend?
JG: That's the hardest question to answer without getting carried away so this is going to be a long answer haha! Here goes; first...IMPETIGO! 'Horror of the Zombies' that's my all time favourite album and after that every other Impetigo album!
'Haemorrhage - Morgue Sweet Home', 'Oxidised Razor - ...Carne...Sangre...' and 'NunSlaughter - Goat' all great albums and bands that influenced me a lot. 'Dead Infection - Surgical Disembowelment' guess where I got the name for 'Surgical Infection' lets keep it goregrind for now with 'Regurgitate - Effortless Regurgitation of Bright Red Blood', 'Blue Holocaust - Twitch Of The Death Nerve', Stoma and of course Last Days of Humanity. Also the great Spanish bands 'Gruesome Stuff Relish', 'Altar of Giallo' and 'Machetazo' fucking awesome!
For some good old grindcore I'd say 'Rot - Cruel Face of Life', 'Agathocles - Razor Sharp Dagger' and 'Grossmember - Leave Us Alone'. 'Hemdale' and 'Dahmer' are also great bands.
I also really love Malignant Tumour's side from the split they did with Squash Bowels, brilliant stuff! But I'm definitely not a fan of their newer work. Now lets talk 'Carcass - Reek of Putrefaction' a masterpiece but I can't tell you how much I hate everything they did after 'Symphonies of Sickness'. After 'Symphonies' forget Carcass and go listen to 'The County Medical Examiners' they carried on where Carcass pussied out. Have to Mention 'General Surgery' and 'Impaled' too.
Let me mention a few more albums that are in my favourite list:
Extreme Noise Terror - Damage 381, Jungle Rot - Dead and Buried, Dead - V.I.P, GUT - Odour of Torture, Doom - Police Bastard, Plasma - Creeping! Crushing! Crawling!, Catasexual Urge Motivation - The Encyclopedia of Serial Murders, Mortician - Hacked Up For Barbeque, Necrony - Pathological Performances.
It’s not Death or Grind but everything GG Allin ever did! And the previous two albums by the Murder Junkies. ‘Road Killer’ is absolutely brilliant!

PR: Ok, Justin, that's all. Many, but thank you very much for your time.
If you want to add something, do it freely
JG: My Spanish is no bueno but Muchas gracias to you, Manel, for the interview and to all the sick loco South Americans for their interest and support in my shitty musick!



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