Silver Rocket

Rozhovor s ANARKUSS: "It's a two-piece punk rock band without electricity..."

Aran 5. 8. 2021

Anarkuss jsou dva lidi (Al a Anne) a jedna akustická kytara z Berlína. Al hrál třeba v Milemarker a vydával kultovní fanzin Burn Collector. Anarkuss budou hrát v září pár koncertů v Česku a je skoro jistý, že aspoň jeden z nich budete mít blízko. Anarkuss znějí TAKHLE. Protože Anarkuss nejsou moc na internetu, zeptal jsem se na pár věcí. Odpovídal Al.

Proč Berlín?
I moved to Berlin because my mom lived here. Anne was born here. 

Proč akustická kytara?
Acoustic music has advantages. It's very adaptable to different situations. It can connect you to music ideas and traditions and feelings from before recorded music, or before electricity. You can practice in the park. Tim Remis once said, "if you can't play it on acoustic guitar and it would sound like anything, what is it? It's not really a song." I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I see his point. 

Proč skoro žádnej internet?
There is a simple answer and a complicated answer. The simple answer is that we're not very interested in the internet. Neither of us has a smart phone. Neither of us is on facebook or instagram. It's just not a big part of our lives. The complicated answer is that the internet is evil. The evidence of all the negative effects it is having on human psychology, destroying democracy, surveillance, working against freedom and human rights, is plain to see. So why does our band have a bandcamp page, and why am I answering these questions by email? Like I said, this is the complicated answer.     

Popiš Anarkuss fanouškovi Milemarker...
It's the opposite, technologically. Milemarker was very concerned with being loud, using electronics, and experimenting with recording techniques. Anarkuss is a lot simpler. What we have in common is the DIY attitude and the spirit of adventure.    

Popiš Anarkuss pankáčovi...
It's a two-piece punk rock band without electricity. 

Popiš Anarkuss ostatním...
It's two human beings trying to express their experiences, desires, and frustrations. If you can relate, let us know. 

Vymyslel jsem pro vás nálepku "combat folk" - jak se vám líbí?
I like it quite a lot! I think it fits us well. Most people think of folk music as soft and easy to listen to, we try to be more aggressive.  

Jakou knihu by měl fanoušek Anarkuss URČITĚ přečíst?
No no, I have the opposite question. What books should I read? One of the many nice things that happened to me on milemarker tour in CZ was that someone gave me a copy of "I Served the King of England," and introduced me to the writing of Bohumil Hrabal. I really like him, and Karel Capek too, and even Milan Kundera is OK. There are probably other great and less known Czech writers who have been translated into English? Maybe some women writers? Let me know!  

Proč je živá muzika jednou z nejlepších věcí na světě?
Music speaks directly to our emotions and short-circuits all the ideological bullshit. The people in charge in the USA hated rock n' roll in the 1950s, because it challenged the ideology of racism and segregation without making any arguments, simply by having songs that everyone wanted to dance to. Music erases our divisions and brings us together in the common bond of humanity. And live music is the most real and pure way to experience that.     

Popiš koncert Anarkuss...
Come on, just go see it!

Anarkuss v Česku:
Sep 1 – Kutná Hora
Sep 2 – Tábor (Tabook)
Sep 3 – Lysá nad Labem
Sep 4 – Otovice
Sep 6 – Praha
Sep 7 – Jihlava
Sep 8 – Třebíč
Sep 9 – Brno
Sep 10 – Písek (festival Cool v plotě / Al Burian solo)
Sep 11 – Batňovice (festival Na Vartě)