I've sent some questions randomly to several persons. Here's the answer of 'em all! Many thanks to them for participated. Thank you once again!

1. Who are you?
Elang: I'm erlangga Mohamad student from indonesia.
Jeremy Othmer: Im Othmer from the Dead Chretiens, a drunken punk outfit out of the asshole of Canada!
Dre: I am a hedonist, narcist, etc.
Daniel: Daniel.
Aedie Azrul: My name is Aedie Azrul, just finish my study as a fine art student in local uni somewhere in shah alam. Now i am a fulltime artist. Editor of "Think 's' Hit n/l, and "Forwards" zine.
Man: Hi nama saya Man.
Zeezam: hi. im zeezam. 24 years old, male, jobless at the moment. a lil' bit blur person. sometimes my brain didn't work well. i'm sorry if my answers sucks. its all i can think rite now. please excuse my poor english.
Pam: My name is Pam.
Sonia Randhawa: I'm Sonia Randhawa.
Lisa Oglesby: Lisa Oglesby
Isma: isma.. just nobody who try to live in this world.
Alex: I'm Alex, 19 yrs old, 3rd year nursing student.. I play guitars and shouts for Friendshipx7, 2-piece SxE crustcore outfit...my big bro PO1 Philip plays the drums and also shouts...I also do a zine called WHY SIT DOWN? which by now, I've already released the 2nd issue.
Mack: My name is Mack, I wrote a book titled Evasion which was released by Crimethinc. The book is my account of life as a voluntarily unemployed 20-something hitchhiker, dumpster diver, and adventure seeker. I'm currently working on my second book, finishing 3 zines, booking a 6 week book/film tour of only small towns, and listening to the straight edge band Undertow.
Matte: I am Matte, from Sweden...
Erik: My name is Erik. I'm 25 years old. Living in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

2. What are you doing?
Elang: answering this?!
Jeremy Othmer: Replying to these questions somebody sent me.
Dre: I do something that make me happy [happines is more than just hangin on the club, sometimes happines is reach by doing a resistence, but right now happines is a cute woman that I love and some cold beer in the bathtub]. Happines is relative depends on what I need
Daniel: Sitting at a university computer attempting to answer the unbelievably huge amount of email in my inbox, and revelling in this needed distraction from personal correspondence, while listening to the last HIS HERO IS GONE LP and feeling somewhat technophobic. If you're asking what am I doing in terms of the DIY hardcore punk scene: later on this afternoon I'm going to start writing a little about CATHARSIS and THE STOOGES for #5 of 'ON FIRE', a DIY hardcore punk zine I publish, and then next week I will possibly have band practise for THE PLAGUE, a band that I sing for, which is basically an ugly, distorted mess of hardcore punk noise.
Aedie Azrul: Now i just spend my holidays take photo where ever i go. Do some painting and stencil art. I took Street as my canvas.
Man: Sekarang kerja kontrak residensi pelukis di sg buloh.
Zeezam: im doing nothing at this moment. just staying at home, eating, sleeping, reading, listening to the music that i love and sometimes watching t.v if my super-boring stepfather not at home. besides that, im running a very small ditributions called +FORSAKEN+. just started early this year(2004). im trying my best to distribute stuffs (cassettes, cds, fanzines etc) from other places for all my friends here. not just distributing it, i hope that they'll get something from what they read/listened.
Pam: Operating small independent and community-based bookstore with my several friends; raising my little lovely child as best as I can; work as a freelance artworker in a local social-analysis foundation; as a volunteer in a local Food Not Bombs; reading a lot of good books, watch good movies, hear some good records; write some articles, essays, etc, for friends' independent media.
Sonia Randhawa: Trying to set up an independent radio station.
Lisa Oglesby: There are a lot of ways I can answer that question.. I assume you mean which projects are you involved in or what job you do. In that sense, I am the co-editor of HeartattaCk 'zine and I work full time at Ebullition Records Distribution. I tend to be a busy person. There are lots of things I do half assed because there are so many things I want to do. I try to get involved in my local community and the punk scene here as much as I can. Goleta is a small town, so you really need to take part in what is organized and help make your own fun.
Isma: I'm studying at some place in here.. watching people around me.. every people are very interesting to know..
Alex: What? Right now? Answering this shit and hoping to see banilyn soon...
Mack: Right now I am currently writing the next Evasion book, which is my account of 6 months spent living in an abandoned broom closet on the campus of a major univeristy.
Matte: I am doing a zine called Dödscell and i play in some bands: Personkrets 3:1 (crust) and Social Sterility (grindcore)
Erik: I study economy at a university here in Stockholm. I think i recieved these questions because i'm a member of the music-collective Bingo. Except for music i'm helping out finishing a book about Israels building of the Apartheid wall together with some other people from the Swedish International Solidarity Movement (more info about the ISM Palestine go to www.palsolidarity.org)

3. Do you satisfied in what you have got?
Elang: what do you think?
Jeremy Othmer: NO, I wish I lived in California with a ex-porn star as a wife with big ass fake tits. I also have unlimited amounts of beer, and BC chronic. With a clean bong of course.
Dre: sometimes yes sometimes not
Daniel: No, I am not. Who is?
Aedie Azrul: Do i? Might Be yes n might be no, depends on the on what kind of achievement that i receive. Probably no.. is the answer...
Man: Ya dan tidak juga. Sukar untuk berpuas hati dalam apa yang telah diperolehi.
Zeezam: no, not really. i always wanted more but because of im a lazy person its all always ended up like that. nothing's really work out.
Pam: Absolutely.
Sonia Randhawa: Hm. I'd be satisfied with a bit more money so I can get the station up and running, but am confident that I will get it soon, so I guess yes I am. I'm certainly happy with what I personally have, even if my company could do with a bit more!
Lisa Oglesby: Quite. I have it pretty good. I enjoy my life and all the people in it. There are things about my life that are hard, but I try to consider them challenges of living. I try to overcome difficult things and really make the best of what life I have left. Sometimes I fail, but plenty enough I make my life the way I want it. And I have fun!
Isma: i guess.. i am pretty much satisfied with all corrupted system we live it.
Alex: Yeah most of the time, but sometimes I think that I really want to have lots of money you know...
Mack: If you are asking if I am satisfied with my life, then the answer is not summed up in word. I'm satisfied with much of what I've accomplished, and my immediete living situation. However I find I am best served taking hard looks at what I haven't done rather than what I have, and this will guide me to a more accomplished future. I wish I had spent more time working on my social skills, that I was more outgoing. I wish I had taken more chances, crossed a few more lines. I wish it had not taken me so long to finish my second book. And I wish Undertow had not broken up, because I am reminded right now what an impassioned and underrated band they were.
Matte: Hmm, I am not sure what you mean here actually... Satisfied? Well, yeah I guess, sort of...
Erik: For me personal - I definitly am!

 

4. Finally we've got ourselves here in Malaysia our own version of National Service starting early this year 2004, so how you define this agenda and what do you think about it? Also there's ANSARA seek funding to help poor student in getting education easier, but the ironic side was why there are millions buck been feed towards National Service program, instead of should be giving it to the education itself in the first place? is military service more important than education itself? Or is it in the next near future education based on military purpose will be the main target for all young generation? Need your further view upon this matter.
Elang: I don't know about this. Sorry, i can't answer this Q...
Jeremy Othmer: Well thats a hard one Zaki! Its like here in Canada out natives get free education, and a lot of them piss it away on beer, and drugs. So its a catch 22, if you give kids a free education a lot will take advantage of it and make something out of themselves. Some will do the same that is going on in Canada right now. I think it's great they have a foundation in your country to make it easier for people to go back to school, cause I know I cant afford to go back to school and I should because the TV industry riht now is really slow. Although I cant afford to attend another college or University its a game by the banks, they want to loan you money, then when you are done school you owe all this money.. Its all a Catch 22, and nobody will help anybody nowadays unless there is something in it for them, so all in all it sucks!
Daniel: Military service is more important than education in modern society. I don't agree with this; it's just a fact. Education does little for the defense of each particular state, and having a strong army / whatever is probably the most important thing for most modern states. Personally, I think they're both just lubricants for the social machine, as I sit here in this institution of higher learning, but one is particularily more suited to the kind of violence most societies are geared towards. I think I could have worded this a little better, but I'm sure you understand.
Aedie Azrul: Well for the "Ns" i think it is another government propaganda... There now that kids nowadays are more radical and can define "words" yes and no. So that's why there start the "ns". Because they now that what happen in this country is just another "drama". So when they start doint this thing kids can be CONTROLLED, For the "ANSARA" answer, they need miilion bucks to educate kids that what they are doing is good, so they give them free stuffed and what so ever. Shame on them, lack of support for the 1st coz don't have enough $$$. Military service? well i don think kids so excited to join that.. its just that they are afraid to be caught.. so they join it. Military = Strict? what they wanted to do is they want people attention... that so called goverment is take a good care of a "children of the millenium"...
Man: Nampaknya NS banyak membantu Bn menang pilihanraya 2004. Agenda untuk anak² muda sering mendapat tempat di hati masyarakat "prihatin" yg amat risau akan masa depan. Dirogol, mati, selepas ini apa lagi yg nak dirahsiakan lagi.
Zeezam: i think the national service is really sucks. they (government) forced teenagers who born from year 1986 to join the national service. i think the government had realized that there's a threat to fight against the government by the young people (and old.. of course). so they created these stupid national service to brainwash all the young people to make sure that they not fight against the government.they dont care much about education itself cos they know all parents will send their childrens to school or they will be penalty if not doing that. what they (government) really care nowaday is to recruit all the young people to "love" them. they only care about themself, their name and money. i also heard that in the next near future there will be something like pre-national service will be teach in school. ohh.. that was so horrible! more power to young people! (also the old one..hihi..). RESIST AND EXIST!
Pam: In this age of neo-liberalism, there are two categories to define the states based on economy system: the so-called First-World Countries and Third-World Countries. Malaysia and Indonesia categorized as the second type, who have to obey what First-World Countries want. There are no needs for the Third-World Countries to educate their own people as long as they can supply the First-World Countries with 'good workers' who willing to work on their factories and corporations without any complain. If in some cases there is a resistance, the state need a 'good dog' to protect the corporate interest. It will take a long article to explain this thing, but I hope I can short it out with my answer.
Sonia Randhawa: I'm ideologically opposed to national service as an infringement on the liberty of the draftees. We are not in any way under emergency conditions, and even then any restriction of liberty or increase of state power should be considered very carefully. Look at what's been happening under BUsh, where horrible domestic legislation has gone practically unnoticed because everyone's too busy watching the fireworks in Iraq. On the specifics of how the money is spent, this is an obvious and easy point to pick on. More interesting would be to look at how the wealth of the nation has decreased over the last 20 years. Then we had a massive, renewable source of national funds in the form of rainforests, oil, fish etc etc. We've built up some infrastructure (roads), mainly through tolls though, and we've improved our education system to a limited extent. But where's the rest of our money? Literally billions has disappeared.
Lisa Oglesby: Let me start my saying that I don't really know much about this situation. We don't have any real national service in the USA, but I am familiar with how many countries need their young people to populate the programs (so they set them up). In the USA, we have plenty of people in the armed forces, so it is highly unlikely that there will be another draft of citizens. We DO share the same problem of money being spent on military rather than education. This a problem that speaks to the very core of the world. Why is it more important to point guns than share ideas? When it comes to being afraid of our neighbors, we seem to be able to spend with reckless abandon while people go without other basic services. It is a shame that the only national service most countries have is one based on defense. I would be in support of a national community service, where young people were encouraged to do good works for their country, enhancing and enriching their neighbors' lives. It is truly unfortunate that the world's priorities seem to go against human enrichment.
Isma: first they try to afraid the people about singapore, then you have national service. I think it's all about politics and profit. Just imagine how many they will get from the day they start it from tax payer money. what a waste!! luckily i'm not a tax payer.. i heard there are many rape case from it thanks to those idiot on they're stupid cozy chair.. about the ANSARA thing... just imagine.. if they help the poor kids to go to school.. they wil not get any cash.. because the money will be given to the poor and that is. But, if they use the money for National Service.. they will get some cash from National Service organiser.. the truth is they don't care about people or education or whatever... all they think is how the cash will be flow into their pocket..
Alex: Yeah! I share your sentiments regarding doing service or any of that crap. I don't believe that thousands of people should be forced to work especially if it is for war just because two people are in misunderstanding or whatever. By the way, the funds should go directly into something useful.
Mack: The specifics of the question are not quite clear to me, however I think you are asking my opinion on miltarization as opposed to education. I think the answer is obvious. We need to be building ourselves up instead of tearing our world down. It is yet another symptom of our detatchment from the earth, our world of mediated experience and cumbersom abstractions. So long as "science" prepetuates it's myth as a field that moves our world forward instead of into the planetary grave, we will move in the direction of further domestication of the earth and it's resources. The military is one symptom of this.
Matte: I dont really know anything about this, but it sounds interesting... In countries like Sweden, everyone have to do their military service for like a year, and the reason for this is that the swedish political wiew is that everyone - rich, poor, black or white - should do their part. That way, it is more "equal" between the classes... In other countries -like the UK, USA and so on- they use the working class as soldiers. Its not the rich Americans who fight in Iraq, it is the american workingclass that kills, and getts killed, for oilprofits and global domination... "is military service more important than education itself?" - hell no.
Erik: I don't know much about your education system or National Services. Generally i think taxes and welfare politics thru the state is a good way to give people more equal possibilities.

5. What's your opinion to plastic images of models in some fashion magazines that being appeared gloriously to promoting those wasted crap product towards readers/spectators, which is after many years human condition (especially in this globalization era!) being measured by those media that they're not cool enough, not beautiful, not fit enough, not included in 'selected circles', not this, not that etc... so that they (human) will keep consume those product in order to get those cool, beautiful, fit etc just like the images of those 'appealed models' that they've exhibited? Not just the 'normal' people being hypnotized, as we can see randomly there are also have numbers of people in the scene which care too much about what they've to wear, to act etc for their outlook rather than care about the way of their thought which sometimes leads to hc/punk is more likely a fashion show that have a dress code to be followed which I can see is all pathetic. Need your views here.
Elang: there is an advertising. sorry, i dont understand your Q.
Jeremy Othmer: Well first of all, all those stupid mags with stick figure models is all a bunch of bullshit anyways, its not reality! They say to me, Othmer why do you smoke some much weed, will its the only thing keeping me SANE right now! I have come to the realisation that people in this world are really, really STUPID! So its up to yourself to educate youself and not get brainwashed by these multi-billion dollar corps trying to get your money. Because those billion dollar coprs are paying some really smart people into trying to scam the stupid people. Dont be stupid! Dont buy stuff from any American company, dont watch American TV its all one big scam for your money. Those places dont care about you, or if you fit in your your group of people, they are telling you this so you buy their shit! Fuck'em if you need a certin type of pants or shirt to fit in, then you need some new friends. Be yourself be an individual!
Dre: sometimes it's fun sometimes it's sick. Just follow what you want, even you have to break the rule. what does another says about your life is not your fuckin bussines.
Daniel: I agree with you, no one is exempt from the pressure to consume an image, because that's how we all view each other: as objects with particular images, these defining our social identity. I think it's somewhat inescapable; no matter what we choose to look like, we are still putting thought into our image, right? I guess some images are more ethical than others, but, it's all image, and it's all part of this huge spectacle of images, and no matter what image you 'choose' to consume (bohemian rebel or chaos punk), you're still a consumer. And, like you said, hardcore punk has a dress code, and I fit into it, down to the MINOR THREAT patch on my butt. I guess the important thing is to be aware of this, and to raise dialogue about it (like you're attempting to do), but ultimately, confronting the concept of 'image' and 'identity' is fraught with contradictions and complications.
Aedie Azrul: well just a simple words i gonna say is remember "fashion is for safety", The words TRUST means a lot this case... Trust to yrself. No need to follow others..
Man: Tentang plastic images yang dipaparkan dalam fashion magazine di mana mereka bermain dengan bahasa semiotika pada pembikinan society of consumption (keupayaan untuk membeli dan memiliki).Apa yang dipaparkan dalam magazine/ads adalah gaya hidup yang dijual kepada konsumer dengan meletakkan nilai-nilai. Dalam dunia sekarang ini, imej mag/ads yang dipaparkan juga dipanggil "beauty Myth" iaitu memberikan definasi tentang beauty dan perfection, secara tidak langsung/langsung akan munculnya obsession untuk mendapatkan "physical perfection dan flawless beauty" yang memerangkap sesetengah/kebanyakan lelaki/perempuan. Ia terletak kepada setiap pilihan dan pentafsiran individu, maksud aku semua perkara ini adalah soal popular culture, ia akan terus bergerak linear, di sini individu atau consumer seharusnya ada kuasa untuk memilih dan menidakkannya. Orang "normal dan tak normal" adalah manusia yg ada potensi utk dipengaruhi oleh gaya. Bagi aku, ini soal identiti dan trend serta gaya hidup. Ada yang full time dan part time punk rocker, MTV rock star, ...siang ada kerja kat office, malam hang out + jamming + gigs + dialog etc... semua perkara ini amat menarik pada aku, kembali pada soal pilihan masing2.
Zeezam: i think they watch too much t.v thats why they're acting like that. well, its depend to the individu to censor what they had read/watch thru the t.v/magazine etc. there's so many products exist nowaday with so many brands but ended up with only one same product.they'll do anything as long as their products being sold. and the involvement of the media is so important here to help sell the products no matter its true or not. of course they get paid to do the crap. anyone who hypnotized will be the victim forever if they never realize it. now whose to blame? i think its depend to ourselves to make the decision.what's the use of brain if we dont use it to think? some peoples in the scene always like to copy how their favourite bands do. like how they act or dressed.some people like to dressed up too much when they attend gigs just to show to other peoples thats they're the fuckin' true. i think thats funny yet stupid. some dressed up according to the music they like. for example; if you're punk, you must wear like this, talk like this, drink this, act like this etc. these just only the example but this thing is happens EVERYWHERE. like i said before, they watch too much TV. maybe they watch mtv too much, then they mixed up with "wrong person". whom only care the "outside" more than "inside". finally, you know what will happens lah..
Pam: We have to face the reality that almost all of the people around us lead their live in the emptiness and banalities. As the postmodern thinkers said that we're all only interesting in the symbol not on the content in the age of late-capitalism, where capitalism already live on almost every aspects of our life, to reproduce the poverty of our everyday life. So, its hard for me to complain about how the so called hc punk kids tend to be fashionable manequins, its better to start to build a real community that broader than hc punk scene. Communities that communicate with a physical and emotional touch on life, not based on how much money we spend or we got.
Sonia Randhawa: It can take a serious effort to remain unaffected by corporate OR anti-corporate images. Are you goth/ punk/ alternative enough? Never. So forget it. It ain't never gonna happen, you will never be the pinnacle of cool (even if you are the pinnacle of cool, you probably won't realise it). So stop striving for stuff you can't have. Concentrate on doing what you do. If you wear the right clothes, you're as much of an arse as someone who buys designer gear. If you wear your own clothes, that happen to be right, you're in charge of your life, not the fashion victims or designers.
Lisa Oglesby: Is that a question? Well, of course, the things you bring up suck. The pressure of media and our own insecurities will continue to do damage to us on this level. We need to love ourselves for who we are, and many images in media make that difficult. I do feel that people should be able to express themselves through their style in whichever way they want. Though I am only impressed with the ones that are honest, personal expressions. Fashion can be of interest, but I am an addict of function. So my personal style is based on functionality. But that is just me.
Isma: actually i felt pity and sorry for them.. they just want to be accept by the media and other people. they think by consuming they can change they're life. But the thing is... they are dying working everyday and night just to consume.
Alex: the media plays a big part in standardizing our views... Shit coz its all crap... beauty is in the eyes of the beholder... each of us has his or her own concept... so we should not believe any of the crap that the media pulls on us. We should be smart enough not to believe anything we hear or see.
Mack: Much of the punk and hardcore scene has come to mirror the degenerate values of the outside world. We can blame not merely an abstract set of imposed cultural values, but what is missed is that there are indivudual to blame. There are specific people and bands to blame for the onset of fashion over substance, and these bands should be confronted. In the straight edge scene in the US, you have bands like Eighteen Visions and Bleeding Through who have nothing to offer but image. They should be spat on, but instead they are glorified. As for fashion models, we need to stop looking to other people as the shining star through which we will live our lives, through which we will find perfection, through which we will live. They are not the ones living the real lives while ours sit as boring, pale imitations. That attitude is what fills the pockets of fashion and celebrity magazines. We need to recognize our own lives and selves as being things of worth and beauty.
Matte: As long as there have been hc/punk there have been "posers", people just wanting to consume things instead of creating things, if you get my point. I dont care really, I have been involved in hc/punk for like 10 years and I have seen styles come and go... dress codes, asskissing, hierarchies, elitism - these things will always be a part of the scene. Unfortunatly.
Erik: Hehe. that's a interesting thing. Punk/hc could never be anything else than an alternative to the main stream culture (cus if many people like it isn't punk anymore - then it's main stream and the alternative people - god bless em - have to find something else to do) it always contains a lot of peole trying to talk it in to be something more (than music etc). That also makes it quite elitistic - it's mainly for a small group of people. At the same time the main thing about subcultures - especially punk at least - is clothes (or/and music etc). Ironic part: hearing "don't mind how you dress and don't think about your look" and then going to shows where everyone looks pretty much the same (and mostly thinks the same too).

6. How much capitalist and multinational corporations have invaded your life? How much it has strengthened the value of your life instead? Are you financially ok?
Elang: lots. and i wont to buy it all. because i will do not have time, place, life if i buy it all.
Jeremy Othmer: No, Im an not financially OK! I have a college education with no job. Its funny cause the college promised me a job, they told me it was the best college, and the banks didnt hasitate to give me money, cause I figureed once I finnish college I will have this dream job and paying off my dept will be no problem! hahhaha good one! Every college and University is raping you, and the banks are the ones holding you down while you get raped till the day of graduation with a big smile on your face!
Dre: capital stole my body but not my soul.
Daniel: Capitalist and multi-national corporations have invaded most every aspect of my life. The computer that I type these anti-capitalist messages into, the stereo I listen to my techonophobic, luddite punk rock records on, the bed I sleep in, the food I eat. I am financially OK: Australia has a welfare system to support students with no financial income, and I have enough money to purchase the occasional record and eat well. But the 'value' of my life isn't in my ability to continue living without starving; life's 'value' is defined, I believe, by the strength of our social relationships, and capitalism is dedicated to weakening social relationships that are non-heirarchical, non-economic, non-exploitative. I see punk rock as an attempt to strengthen these social relations between people, to give us some sense of 'value' in life; Australia has had one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the world, and we are not a struggling, 'developing' nation, so perhaps that reveals the extent to which capitalism strengthens the value of life, right?
Aedie Azrul: so much...and i now try to decrease it.....not so
Man: Amat banyak, terutamanya apabila kehendak sudah menjadi keperluan. saya pikir ia saling bergantung antara satu sama yang lain yg saling bergantungan. Value... soal rewards and punishment, the value proposition states that the more valueable people find the results of their action, the more likely they are to perform that action. Duit sekejap ada, sekejap tak ada.
Zeezam: i am always a broke person. i dont buy something thats not so important in my life. when i was still working before, half of my salary i used to support my living. u know, eating and other basic stuff. the other half i used for going to anywhere i want, like attending gigs or just meet friends. i dont buy branded and expensive clothes or shoes or whatever. i dont smoke and drink alcohol or hanging out at expensive palces. i always try to minimize everythings. so, i think its great i dont have so much link to the capitalism and multinationals. i like to wear simple clothes and running simple life..
Pam: I'm financially okay without working overtime, that's why I think I'm lucky enough. But you know, capitalists and corporate interests already invaded all of our life, especially when we have a child to rise. From milk, diapers, drugs, vitamins, educations, toys, and everything almost leave us without choice outside the corporate interests. We have to do more compromise that in a lot of times hurt us so much, but like I said before, almost there are no choices. Except we have a strong community to back up each other life.
Sonia Randhawa: I'm (currently) financially ok. It changes month to month (!). I buy petrol, books and music from large corporations, but make an active effort to avoid them. There are still wet markets around (also good because they have less plastic packaging), herbally Indian places for toothpaste and stuff, most cleaning products and even dog food you can make yourself (although I love Lysol for keeping nasty silverfish away from my books!).
Lisa Oglesby: Well, I am a middle class American living in the USA... so, obviously, the capitalist system which I live in has afforded me comforts. It is hard for me to guess what my life might be if I lived under another system other than capitalism, because there is none other I have been able to experience. I do enjoy the aspects of freedom that we have in this country, but I do not enjoy the damage multinational corporations are doing to our world. I vote with my dollar, by supporting locally owned businesses and groups working outside the norm. I buy all my food at a co-operative grocery store that stocks many local items. I avoid large chains and businesses that impede workers' rights and global balance.
Isma: yeah.. first top capitalist invader in me are DUNHILL!!! sometimes I felt stupid for consume it (I am stupid).. I agree with some people said i am addicted to it... and I guess I am weak to deny the capitalism.. shit!!! me financially ok? i always broke.. my friend.. can you send me a dollar per word i write here? hahahhaha.
Alex: Since the day we were born... all of us were subjected to capitalist exploitation... from the foods we eat to the clothes we wear to the so called formal education we 're supposed to take. I think we couldn't escape from this whole capitalist thing... unless we throw all our possessions away and live simply as a monk...
Mack: No one asked me permission when Kinkos, McDonalds, and Taco Bell built their structures in my neighborhood. The influence is so pervasive I am more taken aback when I am in an environment where these are absent. Strangely enough it has gotten this bad. What corporate America has to offer in no way compensates for the wasted lives, scarred beauty, and enviromental devastation that is left behind. I don't need an electric dog waxer. I'd like my neighborhood back. On the isse of finance, as described in Evasion I have largely taken a different approach to being "financially ok" by being financially non-participatory. I circumvent the use of money altogether in favor of a more direct approach of getting what I need to live. When I need to sleep, I find a place to sleep. When I need to eat, I find food. And so on. Living off the excess of a consumer society is one approach to dealing with the money problem.
Matte: I try to live my life without that shit. I am a vegetarian, i am politicly active (to some extent anyway), i try to avoid unnecesery consumtion... I read books and use my head and I try to turn the fucking TV off as often as possible, hahaha. But offcourse it is hard to avoid this shit since we are living in a capitalistic society. "Are you financially ok?" - well, no. I study at the university, and studying is not cheap, so i also work to get some extra cash. But I dont starve off course, i still have some money left by the end of the month to spend on beer, records and tobacco, hahaha.
Erik: I'm very ok financially. Multi corporations. Invaded... hm well pretty much i guess. I live in a capitalistic economy. Less here than in many other countries but still quite much. Don't know if companies improved things but i wouldn't say that they're the problem neither. Politics is still stronger if it wants to be. No company have their own army or abbility to press their own curency. Just to bad that it most of the time chooses not to be. Private market economy have helped developed a lot of things i enjoy today. It could sure have been done antoher way but wasn't. At the same time the profit seeking and great fortunes in a small group of people causes a lot of problems and is a crappy situation... To long discussion. 

 

7. We take a step into global issue now, and it's getting even cliché then. What's your opinion towards what has happens in between USA and Iraq lately?
Elang: i love//love. not war.
Jeremy Othmer: Well its really fucked up, because the main reason was to stop weapons of mass distruction, when they didnt find any. The mission was to get Saddam, then when they found him the mission was to free Iraq! I say get the americans out of Iraq and let them fit among themselves, but then you get those fucking idiot terrorist bombers all over the world. I mean these people are really fucked up! The US is trying to help them and they dont wanna be helped, so I have kill'em all!! Fuck'em if they wanna live like that, killing people, and everything else fuck'em! I had pitty on them for a long time, I was against all the US invasion shit! But now I just think they are all fucked, and they need to advance in society. Its all one big mess, and I dont know what the hell is in the water in the middle east but it aint good, ohh wait they dont even have water!
Dre: it's just a game of image! but it's sadistic
Daniel: I would say to both nations what George Bush addressed the Iraqi people: "your enemy is not surrounding your country, your enemy is ruling your country".
Aedie Azrul: just another US propaganda... religion is just a words the most of it they want to have the "oily gold in the country"
Man: Penaklukan di Iraq amat memalukan utk sebuah kuasa besar. Baru2 ini apa yg menarik adalah tentang re-designed bendera Iraq yg dpt tentangan dr rakyat mereka sendiri. Simbol sebuah negara kembali dipertikai dan dipersoal serta dipertahankan "kemuliaannya".
Zeezam: i dont know what is really happens rite there. but it seems like USA want to conquer everythings from iraq. from oil to economy. after invading iraq, they now slowly want to reconstruct it. after that they'll send corporate businessman and their company to make some investment in iraq to build factories of their multinational product and force the iraqis to work in the factories with low pay. some of them who work there have no choice 'coz any works that they do before already gone because of war. everythings had been destroyed! they have to do the work to get money to feed their family. and the rich become richer while the poor getting poorer. i dont know if theres a or more conspiracy between bush and saddam, maybe YES, maybe NOT. i'm not sure 'bout that but what i'm really sure is that USA government and their stupid president is really fukkin' GREED!
Pam: Yes, its so cliché including my answer. Its just about corporate economic agenda. Wherever there is a war, there are billions dollar projects for corporations. War is just about profit.
Sonia Randhawa: They have massive problems. What can I do about it? Very little. I can lend support by writing letters etc, but that's it. On the other hand, I have far more direct influence over the torture and abuse that happens here in our prisons, the war-mongering (look at our defence budget!) and passive support the Malaysian government has, say over Burma and in the Aceh conflict. Malaysians for peace, where? Anywhere as long as we can safely condemn others and not examine ourselves.
Lisa Oglesby: It is frustrating for me to have a leadership that behaves with such recklessness on the world stage. The current foreign policy has made us enemies of the world, and for a cause that constantly changes. We threw diplomacy to the wind and rushed in full force. The motives of President Bush's administration are hard to figure out. First they claimed we needed to invade because of the links to Al Queda then the weapons of mass destruction? and neither of those things were true. Currently, they talk about liberating the people of Iraq (which I don't believe was a concern for them). It is a messy, complicated situation that I fear will only get worse in the coming months. I do not believe that Bush's administration has a clear plan of how to handle the mess they have created... and that makes things scary for everyone.
Isma: when this shit are going to stop.. I just get tired... people dying and all they can think is power...
Alex: The US is a fuckin' superpower and its like everyone is afraid of them... Fuck, coz I've seen the footages of the fuckin' abuse and maltreatment of the US soldiers to Iraqui prisoners... the beatings, rape and all... all I can say the US government better take a look at this, they should not tolerate such or any acts of human rights violation...
Mack: I am following the insurgent efforts closely as they offer us both a fantastic case study in direct action, and an inspiring example of people willing to risk it all to fight imperialism. Other movements would do well to learn from their example and grow from their courage.
Matte: 100.000 civilian dead in Iraq, those numbers says it all, right? The war is a war for american imperialism, not for democracy or self defense. See my answer on question 4...
Erik: Fucked up situation! Good that someone finally took out Saddam. Bad that the White House helped him in there in the first place. Bad that the US kills civilians and keeps Iraq under ocupation. Bad that the american public don't realize that there weren't any weapons of massdestruction in Iraq. Good if the Kurds hopefully get a somewhat less bad situation than before.

8. When speaking about moral, anyone will picture it as something has dealt with good and bad thing. So, how you picture 'moral' by yourself? Is moral actually is a set of mind built by society at large or individual themselves have setting about the level standard of the moral itself? Is it such a collective agreement had been made towards what moral actually is? So what happens to the individuality back then? What's up with the 'immoral' though?
Elang: i always look for somebody moral from his/her behavior. if he/she has a good moral, of course he/she has a good behavior...
Jeremy Othmer: He if you dont know your moral now in life, then you must be a bad person. The only moral you need to know is dont do to others, what you wouldn't done to you.
Dre: I make my own morality. I have my own moral standard. But sometimes moral is the only word that you can't trust.
Daniel: Oh man, you picked a band time to pass this question on, I'm halfway through a dreadfully complex collection of writings by Nietszche on 'morality', and as far as I can tell, it's pretty much fucked my brain on the entire concept. I don't believe there is any universal moral law, or immoral law, that is as much as I can say right now. Morality is a structure used by weak people to defend their power over other people is all I can say right now. I'm too influenced by the Neech, I'm afraid!
Aedie Azrul: speaking about moral? well 1st just be urself and trust in urself and 2nd is the ppl.. try to understand 1st rather then just "follow the Leader"
Man: The Morality Trap is the belief that you must obey a moral code created by someone else... Morality is a powerful word. Perhaps even more powerful is the word immoral. In an attempt to avoid being labelled immoral, many people allow themselves to be manipulated by others. (teks dari The Morality Trap, Harry Browne). Bagi aku, moral adalah satu tindakan yg memberikan kegembiraan dari akibat/kepentingan yang ada. Ada personal, universal dan absolute morality. Personal lebih kepada self-directed, tindakan peribadi, kepentingan dan akibat dari perbuatan/tindakan utk/pada diri sendiri, lebih kepada exploration journey/learn from your own experience. Tak perlukan arahan atau nasihat dari org lain. You are responsible for what happens to you (even if someone else offers to accept that responsibility), because you're the one who'll experience the consequences of your acts. Moral universal lebih kepada pengalaman dari org lain, pemberi nasihat/moralist bertujuan mengingatkan org lain melalui pengalamannya. its like a code of conduct that is presumed to bring happines to anyone who uses it. Ia membuatkan seseorang menjadi takut utk mencuba sesuatu kesan dari akibat yg bakal ditempuh. An absolute morality is a set of rules to which an individual is expected to surrender his own happines. Its comes from an authority outside of the individual, from someone or somewhere more important than the individual him/herself. It proposes that the individual should be "moral" regardless of the consequences to him/herself. In other words, doing what is "right" is more important than one's happines. Seperti dogma agama, rukunegara segala undang2 dari otoriti. There no way someone else can become your authority; ultimately the decision will be yours in choosing the morality you'll live by- even if you choose to site someone else (you've chosen) as the authority of your acts. However, it will be you deciding for yourself whether any of these consequences will result and whether any of them are important to you.
Zeezam: yes. moral is a set of mind built by society at large inherited by their ancients from mouth to mouth story or by book, especially history one lah. from my experience, anywhere i go, i always heard that people easily labeling other people as an immoral (bad) or with moral (good) by the way they dressed, talk or act. they dont know much about them but easily labeling them this and that. for me, moral is something start in mind. the way we think is moral and it will affect what we do then. but i dont think so moral got to do with how we look or wear. people who wear smart (read: with moral) sometimes can be/act immoral by the way of their thinking. for example; politicians and cops. so, its up to you to set your own moral...
Pam: I like to remember what Nietszche think about moral, that everyone have their own morality, but we don't have to force our own morality to others even we must have a will to power to stay alive in this world with no universal morality. That's where individuality lives, but to live with other who have their own morality we need more than a will to power called irony or perhaps let's say dialogue. This is one more question that I think I can't give a short answer; I need a full article to explain this.
Sonia Randhawa: Morality begins and ends when I start causing someone pain, or more specifically pain that they haven't asked for. That has to be regulated. Anything else is my own business, and keep your nose out. Society has no business regulating my sexuality, my health or my tendency to pick my nose. It does have the right and duty to regulate my tendency to pollute, to litter and to chop down trees. But the state is too busy examining who's holding hands with whom to worry about who's killing off our future.
Lisa Oglesby: Moral and immoral are constructs of the mind and our society. I do not believe that there is an actual right or wrong, but I do have things that I have decided are right or wrong based on my world view. many people get their morality from religion. That is outdated, and of no interest to me. I prefer to come up with my own answers. True, I tend to come up with a morality typical for a liberal westerner, but I cannot totally escape my cultural conditioning. The world would be an easy place if everyone agreed on morality, but it certainly would be a boring one as well.
Isma: I think moral is just the same as ethics. to me.. moral is about our ownselves. it is the way we choose our life.. our behavior.. the way we think.. like.. If the system claim it is wrong to smoke a dope. If you smoke a dope.. it is immoral/unethical for the system but to you it is okay or whatever.. we can set the moral standard.. but we cannot set one moral/ethical standard... immoral.. is depend on you actually.. if you think stealling is immoral.. it is immoral.. if you think it is okay.. it will be immoral to others but it is still okay/good to you.. the point is.. it is you who decide what is good or bad.. just like bush attacking iraq.. it is a good moral for him to attacking people. But it is immoral to me..
Alex: The way we think is influenced by so many things... but primarily by the way we were brought up in our home and the lifestyle we live despite the pressures of society that wants us to give in to shit... For me, morality is relative.. what appears morally right today may not anymore be the case tommorrow so we should all stick to waht we believe what is right and not take all the shiity values that other people think is right. Believe in yourself.. you have the power to change...
Mack: Morality is just as often used to justify atrocity as it is to defend righteousness. Who can say what is "moral"? I generally don't lose myself in such abstractions as "What is morality". The highest example of morality is the person who lays themself on the line, their freedom or their lives, to stop atrocity.
Matte: Hahaha, I am to hungover and tired to answer that question! Sorry...
Erik: Of course i don't really have a clue but ok. Don't know if i could explain this in english. Moral doesn't exist otherwise than as an expression for what we for the moment define as right and wrong. Moral is based on the material situation - not on ideas. Murder as an example. In our time killing of humans is prohibited by laws - 'cus it would mean a greater cost to let people kill each other than not to. In old cultures of the vikings (inhabitants of nordic countries) conflicts could be legally solved by killing one member - or several - of a rival family (or by gifts, cattle etc). It's said that this mostly was accepted as the law - even of the member of the family losing a member. These days these cultures often are spoken about as cultures of high moral. I think this high moral only were those peoples acceptence of the law and of the situation they were living in. Doing otherwise would only lead to problems of their own as few people survived on their own. Everyone had to rely on their family, tribe etc. Breaking the law didn't mean you'd go to prison but maybe that you had to leave your family and the only people that cared for you. Moral today is the same. We think killing people is wrong 'cus it would mean we get in trouble. Of course this is not something we choose conciounsly - we really believe it is wrong to kill.

9. Thanks!
Elang: Sorry my english is getting worst. (yogya_thrash@yahoo.com)
Jeremy Otmer: Thanks Zaki. Check out our site at: http://www.deadchretiens.com" title="http://www.deadchretiens.com" target="_blank"http://www.deadchretiens.com / spunkzine@yahoo.com
Dre: Thanx. (klompen_enterprise@yahoo.com)
Daniel: Thanks again. Cheers. (On Fire, PO BOX U69, Wollongong University, AUSTRALIA 2500. xonxfirex@hotmail.com)
Aedie Azrul: Small matter. (Aedie Azrul b. Ab. Aziz, No 12 Jln Tun Teja 7, Tmn Tun Teja 48000, Rawang Selangor, Malaysia)
Man: Thanks. (paswerd@hotmail.com)
Zeezam: Thanks. Any correspondences please contact me thru: forsaken_distro@go.com
Pam: Thanks. (political_hooligan@yahoo.com)
Sonia Randhawa: Thanks. IF you want more info, ask! (soniarandhawa@yahoo.com)
Lisa Oglesby: Thanks. Take care. (HeartattaCk, PO Box 848, Goleta, CA 93116 USA. heartattack@ebullition.com)
Isma: thanks for the question... (enduprecords@yahoo.com)
Alex: Thanks again guys... you don't know how grateful I am... UP THE PUNX!!! (Alexander G. Garingo, #7 Flores St., Brgy. Espeleta II, Bahayang PAg-ASa Subd., Imus, Cavite, 4103 Philippines. agaringo@yahoo.com)
Mack: Thank you! Anyone can get in touch for any reason at: Mack Evasion, 245-M Mt Herman Rd, PMB .124, Scotts Valley CA 95066, USA. (evasion@crimethinc.com / www.xevasionx.com)
Matte: You´re welcome... (DÖDSCELL HQ: Mattias Johansson, Älvans Väg 246, 907 50 Umeå, Sweden. short_fuse_mag@hotmail.com / http://www.freewebs.com/sotaa" title="http://www.freewebs.com/sotaa" target="_blank"http://www.freewebs.com/sotaa... / http://personkrets.tk" title="http://personkrets.tk" target="_blank"http://personkrets.tk)
Erik: Thank you. Good luck with whatever this was for. Take care. (bingo@xbingox.com / www.xbingox.com).

1. Hi Cult Of Luna. Can you please tell me about the brief history of Cult Of Luna? What's the meaning of it & who brought up with the name actually? Any line-up changing since it existed? Cult Of Luna now consisted?
We’ve been playing since late 1998, but it became really serious only about 2,5 years ago when we signed for Earache Records. Johannes came up with the name, we tried out some other "luna" names at first, but chose Cult of Luna. Basically there are 4 core members of the band that has been there from the beginning. Johannes, Klas, Erik and me (Magnus)…but we’re three more people now: Andreas, Thomas and Anders. This setup of people is very good, so we will stick to this lineup.

2. Living in Sweden quite cool with many bands like Nasum, Totalitar, Assel, Sayyadina, Asterisk, Filthy Christian, Diskonto, Arsedestroyer, Wolfbrigade, DS 13, Regurgitate, Disfear etc. So do you find it easier for you get a supportive crowd instead of if you living here in Malaysia? 
Sweden has a quite respectable array of rock-bands I guess…the networks for distributing music are few (since there are only 9 million people in Sweden) but good. The Swedish politicians has always been really supportive of musicians…Sorry to say I have no idea how the crowd in Malaysia is, I guess we will have to find out!

3. You've signed a contract with Earache Records. Can you tell me how it has become that way? What do you think of The Locust who signed a contract with Epitaph Records? Tell me your opinion about Relapse Records anyway.
Earache approached us after we released our first album, and after a few months of negotiations we signed the deal…not much more to say really. We got two more records to do on Earache, so we will see what happens.

4. What's Cult Of Luna major influence? Your previous band (Eclipse) had different sound from what have Cult Of Luna been delivered, do you consider yourself as a "sludge" band?
Definitely not, and we’re not "Noise core" either as some people have been labelling us. I don’t like putting labels on band really, but I guess "heavy, emotional and atmospheric music" would do the trick. We’re influenced by all forms of artistic expression, books, movies, music…you name it.

5. Your sound can be described as being cathartic in its lyrical content and has a lot of ambience sound of preference which sometimes got a smiliarity with Neurosis. Is it only coincidence or something?
Yes.

6. Besides doing Cult Of Luna, what have you guys been up to in living this life?
I’m making my living as a music producer, recording bands all over the place…the other guys are either working day-time jobs or studying. So in other words: we don’t make a living off Cult of Luna…yet!

7. Whose responsible for the making of artworks & layouts of the most Cult Of Luna releases? Your favourite artists?
The artwork for "Salvation" is made by Erik (one of the guitarists)…we wanted something bright and stylish, and he did a great job! The previous album artwork are done by people outside of the band, but with full control from us of course.

8. What's "To Be Remembered", "Leave Me Here" & "The Watchtower" all about? Can you please explain it more?
Not sure I understand the question. Those three song you mention are the songs we put up as mp3’s on our website if I’m not mistaken…"The watchtower" and "Leave me here" have videos also, so I guess that’s why we put them up. Lyrics are available at www.cultofluna.com.

9. Are you considered yourself political? Is Cult Of Luna a political band? Your view on DIY activism?
Cult of Luna does not have a band agenda…but the individuals in the band are quite politically aware. And some of our lyrics also have a very strong political content, not in the preaching way though….its more about asking questions than providing answers. People should think for them selves!

10. Anything you know about Malaysia generally?
Yea I know about the twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, those are cool as fuck!!

11. How about political condition in your place when concerning to the cultural activities, daily life, the system, the people etc? Do you find it hard to live in Umeå? Have you been involved in street protest lately?
Umeå is a university town, so its by default a liberal and free thinking town with a very young population. There is a lot politically active groups here, everything from feminism to veganism. The culture here is good I think, there is quite a variety of arts, music, theatre etc….so I’m not complaining. It’s small though, so it has its limitations…

12. How much capitalist & multinational corporations have ruined your life? How much it has strengthened the value of your life instead? Are you financially ok?
???

13. What's your favourite food? Tell me some worth bands to check out from your hometown. Do you like reading books/zines? Tell me your favourite one. I do believe that you have your own favourite bands, mind to tell me?
I love Italian food!!! Some of the bands of listening to right now, is Trail of Dead, Wilco, the Soundtrack of Our Lives, etc etc etc…the new Interpol album is fucking awesome btw!

14. Do Cult Of Luna consume drugs? Beers? Are you guys vegetarian/vegan?
Drugs: No Beers: YES Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes

15. After years get involved in this phenomenon called 'scene', what you've got through this? What you've expected to gain in the first place when you've decided to entered in before? What made you interested to get involved? What's the condition that you hope for to be adapted and to practiced logically/practically in this scene?
???. We just play music man!=)

16. Tell me your opinions about the condition of mother earth nowadays. As it slowly down to rot, what's the thing come to your mind that you think deserved to be heard by all those evil-richness-scumbag that keep continuously sucking those mineral greedily out from the soil?
Kill ‘em all!

17. What's your opinion on marriage and on having children? Did you find it necessary as a bond for a couple to keep on living together? Or is it such a state of mind (or psychology) in proving that they are already shared their life?
Haha, that’s a private question that has very little to do with Cult of Luna. I’ll tell you my views over a beer in a bar sometime!

18. Mind to tell me about your future plan? Future releases?
Well, we are gonna tour a lot during the 1st half of 2005 hopefully! In February we’re doing a European tour that will last for 5 weeks. After that we’re playing a cool indoor festival here called Umeå Open….AND after that we’re going to the US. So we will have a lot to do in the future, maybe we will come play in Malaysia one day, that would be cool.

19. Thanks for the attempt to answer this interview & please state your latest address to be contact. Anything left to say or something to add? We end this interview here. Thank you. Good luck!
Cheers!



Magnus - Cult of Luna :: http://www.cultofluna.com :: cultofluna@hotmail.com ::