Attack Webzine Interview ATTACK Fanzine is one of the best (i mean is my fave and informative) online fanzine nowadays on the web. So, why I'm very happy to received this interview done by me (of course) and answe#000000 by Mathias a.k.a. Krogh. To know more about this swedish fanzine read this and find more... Hi Krogh, could you introduce yourself and what you are doing right now. Hi Joselito. Well, I'm 23 years old and am living in a small town here in Sweden. Been into punk and hardcore for 9 years now and have been running a label/zine in some form since 1997. I'm still doing it although I've stopped doing tapes now and am focusing on vinyl and an occasional CD-R. Maybe there will come a CD in the future as well, how knows. I've also just started my own business in merchandising called Toxic Scandinavia, so there�s not so much free time anymore. Well basically, mostly what band do you prefer to interview and also did you interview some other people like from record label, zine editor, etc... Of course I prefer to interview bands that I like myself. Bands with kick ass music and who also has something to say, that makes the best interviews. It doesn't have to be fast, raw hardcore - but it helps. I haven't interviewed a zine editor yet although I sent some questions to Colin of Hell & Damnation a long time ago. I have interviewed labels though. Hardcore Holocaust and Havoc Records, which are two of my favorite labels at the moment. Also if someone in the band I interview runs a label or a zine or anything I try to shed some light on that too. I'm also planning an interview with Swedish label Really Fast as we speak. Do you have any preparation before you start making an interview into a band or others? Did also first listen to their records, read some other interview with the band, etc... Well, normally I just sit down a listening to records and think "damn this is a great band, I have to interview them". And then I get a pen and paper and start making questions. Sometimes I can sit for like 20 minutes and have the whole interview complete, and sometimes it can take days. Listening to their records, reading other interviews with them and checking their website can help a lot. Like when reading an interview you can sometimes find a subject not looked into properly and then I try to did a little deeper. Or maybe you can ask the band what they think of certain subjects today compa#000000 to when the other interview was done (if it was some time ago) and so on... Do you have any basis of choosing a band you are planning to feature or interview on your fanzine? Also do you minimize the style of music you are reviewing i.e. pure crust/hardcore band only and you don't accept street/oi punk style of band and music (...to review) As I said earlier I kinda need to like the band myself to make an interview, otherwise it won't end up being good. When it comes to reviews, I accept everything people wanna send me. Although hardcore punk/crust/whatever is what I listen to so a street band might not get the best review. I do like some rock n' roll though like Electric Frankenstein, Zeke, Puffball, Accidents and stuff like that. What is your view about NOISE artist/stuff? I mean is into making of noise by the used some scrap material, computer devices, electronic devices, etc. (harsh, industrial, ambient, etc..) I can't really say I like it myself. Me and a friend had a noise project once called Jennys Kocki (www.mp3.com/jennys_kocki), but that pretty much sucked. We only did it so we could laugh or asses of anyway. Strongly influenced by the Finnish madmen in Matti Nyk�nen. But I have to say no, I don't like noise, ambient, industrial stuff. Are you a fave of this kind of artist/project or not. If yes tell me some of your favorite... Well, see above. I've found out that you are also doing ATTACK newsletter. Could you tell us more about this and how it is start, and if there is any difference between the two versions. Also who start came out, the online version or printed version? It all started back in '97 sometime. I was thinking about doing a zine and a while later the real crappy #1 came out. Only in Swedish. I started to work with #2 which was supposed to be a split with another Swedish zine but that never happened. About the time I got to know that the split wouldn't happen I'd almost finished #3 so I decided to make a split with my own #2 and #3. But that never happened either. When I realized that the zine never would happed I decided to put it all on the internet, 'cause I felt like I was screwing the ones who had sent in stuff for review otherwise. And I really liked having a webzine. This was around '99 or something and I'm still going strong. After a while I began to miss to layout part of a paperzine so I decided to start ATTACK! the newsletter. There are no differences between that and the website, only that there's more stuff on the website. But with the newsletter I try to reach more people who don't have access to the net. I�m working on the 7th and final issue of the newsletter at the moment. I have way to much stuff to do to be able to keep it up and maintain it good so... Rather stop now than keep going and end up making crap issue after crap issue. Producing this printed material are came from your own expenses or do you have some contributors or donators to produce this stuff. How do you handle this kind of financial situation in your life. I take money from my own pocket to do this. It's costs a lot in sending out copies, the newsletter is free, but I don't care. It's fun, and I also get a lot of great records to review so it evens up. But as I said, the last issue is coming out soon. How I handle the financial situation? I don't! I have way too much expenses, and when I get a little left over I buy records. When there's no money left for food it can be a bitch, but I don't regret anything. Are you also attending gig or participating some demonstration rally just to have a report for the next issue (how often?), or buying stuff for review (how much do you spend?) or what I mean is how dedicated you are to your fanzine? Saving money is one way to survive or to support any activities you have, most especially for me coz I'm not rich but setting aside other things like watching movies, dating with girls, buying beer until you drunk, are you doing that just for your punk life activities. I don't attend gigs that often actually. I really don't have a good answer to why not, I guess I'm lazy and comfortable being on my own. I have a hard time meeting new people, I'm really uncomfortable with that. The same goes for demonstrations. I spend a lot of money buying records, but I only review what gets sent in for review. It's not because I'm cheap, it's just that I think it's a fair deal. The price of a record is a cheap price to pay for a band that gets a good review. I only get drunk like 8-10 times a year so it's not very often, I've lost interest in getting drunk. And I had enough beers in my "youth" to cover a few years ahead. Dating girls? Ha! That will probably never happen! It's not like I'm looking for someone, but if I meet someone it would be nice. But I'm not putting any effort into it really. I do watch movies a lot though. Or, I used to do that. Now I don't even have time for that anymore. Until when do you wait just to release the next issue or version? I've already cove#000000 the newsletter part. The webzine is updated monthly, except during summer. The next issue will be online September. Bigger and better than ever before. How can you classify ATTACK FANZINE? Is this a political or music zine or both? Well, now days it's mostly a music zine, but I try to cover some politics as well. But it's mostly music. Do you think what is the advantage and disadvantage of making an online fanzine compare to a printed fanzine. For me it's only advantages. It's cheaper, easier to keep up to date and really fun. I don't know what other people think, but I don't care too much anyway. I hope people like it, and it seems as they do and that makes me happy. But first and foremost I do it 'cause I like it and I would probably do it even if no one liked it. I really like the WEB NEWS section on your fanzine and it's really cool (I guess I will do that also on my own zine - he! but in different way). Mostly what web do you review or it's only more into punk? That section hasn't been too active lately but I'm going to get it going again. I try to cover websites that looks great and/or am really informative. What about IN THE SPOTLIGHT section on your zine what is all about? It's like a promotion of a band, label, record that is just only starting? Tell us... It's a section for everyone! There's a lot of bands, zines, labels, organizers out there who never gets any attention. Well, with the "in the spotlight" section they can. It's like a classified de luxe, haha. A newly started band can tell their biography, discography, link to mp3s, add pics, whatever. Anyone reading this, get in touch. Also tell us about the staff, other people behind ATTACK FANZINE. I guess do you have also some contributors whose not stop sending you some information like scene reports, gig reviews, etc... ATTACK! Have been me alone for a very long time but a few months ago Stefan from Texas, USA joined in. So now we're two people doing it. And there are of course some contributors, but unfortunately not as many as I hope it will be someday. With everything going on in my life, the record label, my business and shit like that I need to get more people helping out. Otherwise the zine will not remain as frequent as it is today. Are you still studying or work? Do you have already your own family? What about band, do you play guitar, drums, or maybe a fucking brutal growling golden voice... As I've said before I'm self employed. Being my own boss, it's great! No family, no band. Who run BLINDED PROD.? Is this your own label? Also ALF Tapes, Resist the System records, what happened to this... Blindead Productions is my label. It's actually ALP Tapes and Resist the System Recs. together under one, better, name. I release vinyl�s and CD-R's, and used to do tapes too. But that's way too time consuming. I putting a lot of energy into Blindead at the moment and have just released a comp.7" together with Halvfabrikat Records. It has one unreleased and exclusive track each from Crossing Chaos, Cluster Bomb Unit, Murder Disco X, Uncle Charles, Human Waste, Coma, Lim and Skitsystem. It's called "More World, Less Bank!" and are a GREAT comp! I've also got a new Crossing Chaos 7" coming up. Hopefully out in September/October. It kicks ass! Here�s some usual questions I always ask but I still keep asking: 1.) How your life there in Sweden, do you wish to be live there or in other places/country? 2.) What do you know about the Philippines? I kinda like it here in Sweden. Yeah we have some shit going on, but it�s still a lot better than many other places in the world. It could be better, but it could also be much much worse. I know very little about the Philippines. It's kinda embarrassing but almost all I know is that a lot of Swedes go there for vacation. I'm sorry for being such an ignorant asshole. By the way, who maintain your webzine? Do you have any knowledge about html programming and designing? I do it all myself. I sit as write codes. I tried Dreamwaver one time but I hated that program so I stuck with the codes. I'm no expert but I know enough to make it look good. At least I think it looks good. Besides the merchandise business I'm running I also work with design and stuff so I like to think I know some shit. Ok, Krogh. That's for all! Thanks in advanced for this short interview. I hope that you could answer this all very well. I can't give you space for greetings, sorry man! He! Just kidding. Ok, even it's very long list you would like to thanks! No problem! Thank YOU for interviewing me. It's very appreciated, nice to answer questions for a change. Good luck with your zine and keep me informed. Thanks list, hmm that was a long time ago. It's too time-consuming to name names, so thank you to everyone who's supported me during these years, the bands/labels whom I have worked with, people buying/trading my releases, Danne for making the comp.7" with me and everyone that's doing something to keep the scene alive. Check out the website at www.attackfanzine.net or contact me at [email protected] It can take a while before I answer sometimes, but I will answer. Right Joselito? Haha.
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  "The first fucking issue" - April 2001 4 full-size pages Interview: Putrid Filth Conspiracy 100 copies made  "The twotiming issue" - October 2001 4 full-size pages Interview: Sewn Shut 100 copies made  Issue 3 "the santanic issue" - December 2001 4 full-size pages Crumbled Criminal column 40 copies - things fucked  Issue 4 - June 2002 8 full-size pages Interview: Havoc Records 150+ copies (some distributors made more copies - no info on how many)  Issue 5/6 - January 2003 6 full-size pages Interview: Vitamin X 150+ copies (some distributors will do more copies - no info on how many)  Blinded Production |
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