CONFRONT STAGE

HELL´S FRIENDS ZINE: INTERVIEW WITH CONFRONT STAGE (2020)

01. TELL US ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF CONFRONT STAGE?

The origins of the creation of the band Confront Stage began from the time when I lived in Ukraine.
Just when I announced the termination of the existence of my first Ukrainian punk band The Ahineya at the end of 2012, right after that, I decided to create a new project, a new powerful band.
I think you also heard about my first band - The Ahineya. Is not it? In addition, at the same time, I understood and felt that my songs and music were becoming tougher, and I can even say that they are gaining a higher level. Thus, the idea came up with a new idea for new creativity, for a new message to the people. The name of the band in itself somehow suddenly came. And on January 15, 2013, the first rehearsal of the newly formed band took place. By the way, the audio recording from this rehearsal has been preserved. This day became the official birthday of the Confront Stage. We then, I remember, rented a room at some machine-building plant and equipped the room for a rehearsal point. At that time, I was able to purchase inexpensive musical equipment from my friends. It was an inexpensive device, but it sounded very good. It is a pity that all this remained in my homeland, in Ukraine. This fucking war ...
This damn war, which began in 2014, destroyed many lives and destinies. Many, like me, left their homes, left their belongings and left forever. We managed to record our first EP in the studio before the start of this war in 2014. Initially, we planned to record a full-length album at the studio, but in connection with the impending events, we still recorded a short album “Slave Work”.
After all this, life changes dramatically. Songs from this album were included in Brazilian and American punk compilations and began to sound on some foreign radio stations. The fucking war began. We parted. I left Ukraine for Russia, where a new story began, and the new path of the Confront Stage band.
FUCK THE WAR!!!

02. HOW TO DEFINE THE BAND´S SOUND?

We sound powerful, audacious. Maybe somewhere there is some kind of dirty sound. The main thing is that music reflects the meaning and message of the idea of songs. Each of our albums can sound differently. It all depends on the concept of the whole album. We can play street punk, hardcore punk, and we can play metal or hardcore music. When I write new songs, I already imagine how they will sound, how to sing them.

03. WHAT´S THE ANARCHO-PUNK?

If we talk about anarcho-punk as a musical direction, then this is a direction in which sharp, radical and sharp social texts are discussed that carry the ideological concept of anarchism through punk rock. The real ideology of anarchism. And this must be understood.
If we are talking specifically about the movement itself - then this is a movement of direct action. This is a direct action against state lawlessness, capitalism, nationalism, fascism, social inequality and other shit that falls on us every day. Anarcho-punk is a punk that carries the direct idea of ​​anarchism, through active actions to implement it. Since, in fact, this is the only sound ideology, teaching, salvation for the entire population from the capitalist plague. We can talk about this for a long time ...

04. WHICH ARE THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION TO WRITE YOUR LYRICS?

I draw inspiration from everywhere. I write about what I see, about what is happening both in our country and around the world. This very worries my heart and soul and it is simply impossible not to speak about it. I am very worried about what is happening around. This is all wrong; this is all from the devil. And when you understand that all politics in the world is based on lies and blood, it is very terrible. I try to convey my feelings and opinions to my songs. Books are also inspiring. I really love to read.
When you write music and a song, you understand that you are doing a certain mission. Of course, I am just a vessel through which information comes from above. Like any other creative person - he is a vessel of information, which other forces, higher forces, serve him. I believe that we all have one mission - to protect the planet and all humanity from global evil. And while most of humanity is drowning in deception and in ignorance - we are those who show them the way. The path to salvation. It is not in vain that artists, poets and musicians appear in this world. Each of my songs and poems is a loud scream, a pain ... Yes, many of my songs are written in my native Russian language, but nevertheless, through the presentation in my voice and music, you can feel what I described in the text itself.

05. INTRODUCE THE BAND MEMBERS AND WHAT THEY DO IN THE BAND?

The members of the group are changing. Of course, each time it is difficult to find new musicians and play the same songs with them. But don't give up. For example, the new album "Not Human" was written with a guitarist who left the band after recording. He wrote drums and guitars, and I already recorded the bass and my vocals. Also, my friends who decided to support the band and the album took part in recording the album as backing vocals. It happens that I have to do something myself. Hard times, but that does not mean that we stand still. Never!!! Now new guys have appeared in the band.
Vitaliy is on the guitar, Sergey is drums and I am on the bass, vocals and author. We have already started rehearsing together, but the fucking crisis and pandemic do not allow us to go forward. The main problem is that not all of us have the financial ability to conduct rehearsals. It is very difficult to find a job. It is possible that I will write the next album with session musicians, with friends.
Let's see what happens next.

06. WHO WRITES THE MUSIC? LYRICS? AND WHERE DO THE LYRIC IDEAS COME FROM?

I am the author of all songs and music, but it happens that we write music as a whole band at rehearsals.
I am for that, together we came up with something cool. In the album «Не Человек» (Not Human),
the whole band invented most of the music for the songs. And in my opinion it turned out great. Regarding the emergence of ideas for writing songs, I answered above.
I will not repeat, I guess.

07. HOW MANY ALBUMS/CD´S HAVE YOU RELEASED?

At the moment the band has in the discography: One EP, five singles, one split album with Bactery (Chile) and one full album “Не Человек” (Not Human). In addition to all this, there are many punk compilations with our participation, including those released on CD and vinyl.
Officially, so far we have not published anything on CD or other physical media. Regarding this, we turn to various labels. So far, foreign labels support us and it is great. For example, our album “Не Человек” (Not Human) was released on CD in Chile on the Espiral DIY label and in Poland on the Cockney Records label. In October 2019, our song “Точки Земли” (The Points of the Earth) was included in the punk compilation «Anger Burning Presents Noise Annoys # 1», which was released on seven-inch vinyl on the British label Chaos Control.
I hope that in the near future we will be able to officially publish albums on CDs and audio cassettes.
It all depends on financial ability. So far, it is very difficult... Many thanks to all the labels and distros that go to our meeting and support us! Thanks a lot!

08. TELL ME ABOUT SOME THE SONGS ON THE LASTEST CD?

Well, so far we have no published our new album on CD in Russia. Only some labels abroad decided to make small print runs in their country. As for the songs from the album "Not Human”, they were written in different years and times.

SONG «CONTRARY»
I and my friend Andrey Pavlovsky wrote the song “Contrary” in 2009. I wrote the main text myself. This song is from the time of my first Ukrainian punk project "The Ahineya". After I created a new band - Confront Stage and I decided to add this song to the track list of my new project. It seems to me that this song is powerful and many people even like it. This song corresponded many times, and only after many years did I reach the sound and energy message in this song, as I wanted before. For the first time, the song “Contrary” entered the Confront Stage playlist in 2014. It was in 2014 that the song entered our debut EP "Slave Work". Later, with the new line-up of Confront Stage, we made a new fast version of this song and in this version it was included in our album “Not Human” and it was played at concerts.

SONGS "STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD", "NOT HUMAN" AND "MONEY AND POWER"

I wrote all these songs from the album from 2011 to 2014. Previously, they did not sound in any of my projects.

SONG "THEY CANNOT BREAK US!"

I wrote this song back in 2010-2011. Initially, she was supposed to enter the set list of my first project "The Ahineya", but in this project, she first sounded only at the last concert in 2012. After that, I decided to add this song with some changes to the track list of the band Confront Stage.

SONGS "THE KIDS OF THE STREETS" AND “SLAVE WORK”

Both of these songs are not my composition. The song "The Kids of the streets" written by the author Maxim Lord BlodyRaven. He gave me the text of this song. I edited it a little and then wrote the music. She also became a favorite song for many listeners. In the album "Not Human" I put this song as a bonus track. This song was recorded at the studio QS Production, in 2014, when I was still in Ukraine.
The song "Slave Work" is the whole work of our old friends from Brazil - Luta Armada. They gave me their consent to perform their song. It turned out powerful. On the record of this song, growl vocals of my first, at that time, common-law wife Irene, who was also a member of my band. The song "Slave Work" was also recorded in 2014 for the eponymous debut EP, later I decided to leave it as a bonus track for the album "Not Human".

SONGS "THE POINTS OF THE EARTH" AND “BRAINWASH FOR WAR”

These are brand new songs that were written in 2018. The song "Brainwash for War" was my first experiment in writing a song in English and being able to transfer the whole meaning of what I wanted to say about militarism. It turned out fucking cool! The song has become very famous for many listeners. This song is on par with the song "Not Human" became, in my opinion, hits from this album.
The song "The Points of The Earth" also does not depart from its rating and adds to the listener. For the first time this song was released as a single in May 2019 and then entered the seven-inch vinyl of the punk compilation "Anger Burning Presents: Noise Annoys # 1", which was released on the Chaos Control label in the UK.

The album also included the speech "About a  Human" by the famous theoretician, philosopher, futurologist and founder of the Project Venus - Jean Fresco. His speech very conceptually approached the whole theme of our album. It was a great man!

09. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIDE PROJECTS?

Yes, there is also my solo project. I occasionally perform an acoustic program myself, and read poetry. There is also a publishing project, in which I design books, publish collections of contemporary poetry and prose. So far, my hands do not reach and there is no financial opportunity to record solo albums. But I think that I will do it soon. Recently, I am practically not writing songs for my solo acoustic project, since I concentrated all my attention and efforts on electricity, that is, on the Confront Stage band.
From 2016 to 2017, I was a member of the St. Petersburg hardcore punk band «Burning Flag», as a solo guitarist. From May 2017 to 2018, I was a member of the rock band «Kolya Plant and Sobranie», as a solo and bass guitarist. From time to time, I take part in concerts with them. I pay more attention to my band.

10. DID YOU HAVE PLAYED MANY GIGS?

No, unfortunately, the Confront Stage has only had three concerts so far. Many concerts broke down for various reasons, but I am sure that everything is still ahead. It is just that the hard time has come and this is the time to work on new material and for new ideas. I am sure that in the future we will have much more concerts. Everything has its time.

11. WHAT MERCHANDISE DO YOU STILL HAVE AVAILABLE?

At the moment, we have merchandise available with 25 and 37 diameter badges, which was made in honor of the release of the album "Not Human", and we also have a limited edition of the vinyl 7”of the British punk compilation “Anger Burning Presents: Noise Annoys # 1”. In the future, we plan to release the album "Not Human" in Russia, split album "The Spirit of Decay" and the single "Endless Night" on CD and audio tapes. So far, the album “Not Human” has been released in Chile on the label “Esperal DIY” and in Poland on the label “Cockney Records”. Of course, we want to do many interesting things for our listeners, including t-shirts, etc. But, unfortunately, everything will require some financial investment so that we can do something pleasant for our listeners.
I want to appeal to all the distro and labels who are interested in our work, to help us in the publication of our releases. Everyone can also support the Confront Stage band by any convenient amount on Pay Pal, by e-mail: confrontstage@gmail.com

12. TELL US ABOUT THE SCENE IN UKRANIE AND RUSSIAN?

As for the Ukrainian punk scene, I honestly don’t know about the events right now. I know that now, where I lived, punk disappeared; now there are bands with a miserable resemblance to metal and rock. Where I lived, in the Donbass, rap is more developed. And this, of course, is very sad. As for the whole of Ukraine, I have no idea what is happening now. I do not follow this. While I was living in Ukraine, punk rock was still alive. There were very few hardcore punk bands in Ukraine, for the most part there were more pop punk bands or garage punk bands.
In Lugansk at that time (10-15 years ago) from the punk hardcore bands were only we – The Ahineya, everyone else played in pop punk or garage punk. Of the pop punk bands in Lugansk, there was a great band - Spoiler. We performed together on the same stage in 2009. Then the drummer from this band played in the band The Ahineya (from 2011 to 2012) and he was the drummer of the band Confront Stage (in 2014). Most bands in Lugansk played a miserable semblance of punk. There were few good teams across the country, but they were. Maybe there is now. I don’t know.
As for the Russian punk scene, it is more developed here. There are many bright and talented bands, and not only in St. Petersburg, but throughout the country. A lot of punk concerts take place and very often.
Therefore, in Russia, the situation is different, but it seems to me that the movement itself has become weaker. Sometimes not everyone has the financial ability to go to a concert of their favorite band. In general, punk rock in Russia is more than punk!
If you will be in Russia, then you will understand this and yes, they will be very friendly here. Believe me! We have friendly people.

13. ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY NEW MATERIAL? CAN WE EXPECT A NEW RELEASE FROM YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

Yes, I am writing new songs for the new album. I hope that this year we will be able to record it in the studio. So far, everything is at work. Perhaps first we will release new songs as a single. We will make news about this.

14. TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE BEST TOURS LIVE PERFORMANCES YOU HAVE HAD? DO YOU HAVE ANY AMUSING STORIES FROM WHEN YOU RECORDED YOUR ALBUM OR WHEN YOU WHERE ON THE ROAD?

We have not had any tours yet. So far, we have had three concerts and studio work on the album "Not Human". After the release of the album, the composition of the band changed. A difficult year has begun, but I hope that the concerts of the band Confront Stage will definitely be there and the tours will also be. Friends and acquaintances have asked me more than once about our concerts. While working on new material. We are not going to give up! As for the funny stories during the recording of the album, they seemed to be few. Everyone was focused on working on the album. Now I don’t even remember something...

15. HOW HAS THE FANS RESPONSE BEEN?

If you mean the reaction of the fans to the new album, then I think the album has hooked people. He turned out to be strong and sincere. Frankly, our album and our songs are highly appreciated outside of Russia, namely in foreign countries. There I feel high support.

16. TELLS US MORE ABOUT SPLIT ALBUM WITH THE BACTERY BAND FROM CHILE. ENTITLED ¨THE SPIRIT OF DECAY¨?

We met with the Bactery band on Facebook. They began to communicate closely with me. They liked our songs and our album. And they invited us to do a joint album, which included some of the songs from our recently released albums. At that time, we released the album "Not Human", and they released the album "Inhumano Terror". I came up with a name for the split album “The Spirit of Decay”, and they made the cover. This is such a powerful collaboration, I think so. Very nice guys. They play great metal punk and crust. Today we also communicate, call each other. Recently we recorded a joint song “Endless Night” with them, performed in two languages in Spanish and Russian. A very cool song came out. This song was featured on their new album “Wild Miasma: The Horror From Beyond”. Great album!

17. WHAT´S FUTURE PLANS?

The plans for the future are to record new material, make merch and prepare for concerts.

18. THANK YOU VERY MUCH ARTEMY VOLINSKY. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT. ANY LAST COMMENTS?

I want to wish all readers health, strength, a good mood and always remain punks and opponents of the whole fucking world system. Be friendly, support punk rock and also support young punk bands. Listen to the Confront Stage and have fun!