Kultura Nekategorizirano ZP Izdvojeno

Hrvoje Bubić | Interview with Jason Robert Rodger Potbelly

Hrvoje Bubić

 |  tra. 27, 2017

I would to know were are you coming ,how did you began with music and what was your influences, and how did you get a nickname Potbelly?

I was an angry violent youth. I needed an outlet. I was only 12. A friend’s dad was in a garage rock band in our neighborhood. I used to go watch the band practice. At the time I was court ordered to anger management. Watching the band always put me in a good mood. And ultimately led me on that path. I started a band that was pretty awful in 1989. We only played one show. But I was hooked.

Potbelly, how was started it,how long you guys were on scene,did you ever been in Europe, what bands/artists that you tour ,collaborated like split singles and EPs?

POTBELLY started in 1995. I was 17 at the time. In the early 90’s I was in a crossover band called XENN. Ken Ball, and Curtis Jay were in a crossover band called GRUMBLE THORP, when both bands split up, the three of us started POTBELLY. Curtis is no longer with us. He passed away. Over the years Ken and I went through lots of members. So Thier are a lot of records with different line ups. But it’s always been the same idea. Today we have a great line up. Boner on drums. And Christen Ogden on guitar. Touring is the easiest it’s ever been. As for splits, we’ve put out a lot. DOA, MDC, THE ACCUSED, BUTT TRUMPET, FANG, just to name a few. And we’ve been on compilation records with such bands as DI, THE MISFITS, SUBHUMANS, the list goes on.

You also run an indie label Pig Records, how is actually run an indie label, what are good and bad sides,how do you signs the bands,what kind are the criteria to sign it?

I don’t run p.i.g. records. Though I do help when I can. The genius behind PIG, EVER-RAT RECORDS, and SUBCORE RECORDS, is David Portnow. POTBELLY signed to PIG. I ran PB RECORDS for eight years. I sold weed and worked long hours to release records. I never signed anyone. I did small runs of 300-1000 records. Gave the bands as many as I could. And helped book tours. I never set up a distributor. When pot became legal, I could no longer afford doing it. So for now Pb is on hiatus.

How is underground scene in US today, what are your impressions about underground scene today and back 20 years before, and what is the difference between underground scene of Europe and US?

We’ve never been to Europe. We’d love to. But we don’t get paid much. So far we haven’t been able to afford it. The scene here has gone up and down multiple times. But in the end, at least in my observations, it hasn’t changed much. I get into less fights on the streets from rednecks then I used to. I guess punk is more socialy exceptable now. When I was a kid, I was “Hay faggot”, to most locals. Now, Thier are punks pretty much everywhere. So violence against us is way less. In our small town of oak harbor Washington, the scene is at a low. A few years back it was awesome. But I’ve watched the scene rise and fall many times over the last 28 years.

Among the music, I notice that you also acting, so what movies did you act, and is there more like producing,painting etc.

I did do a single film called Gospel Truth. It was a short film for film fests. But that’s all. I’d love to do more. But, POTBELLY is very time consuming. And I need time for my wonderful wife and son as well.

For end, what is new for Potbelly & Pig Records, I notice you guys are on tour would be ever be show in Split and what would you like to say to someone who is in band struggling for a record deal?

Ya, we’re on tour now. I’m the only person awake at the moment. We slept last night in an apartment above the club we played last night in Pacifica CA. The tour has been a blast. We’re on the road with NOT A PART OF IT, from Eugene Oregon. When we get home, we’re back in the studio as much as possible. We’re releasing a four way split 7″ with THE DWARVES, NOT A PART OF IT, and DOA. And three split 7″s are in the works, with CAR 87 from Canada, THE ANGRY SAMOANS, and KNOW. Both hardcore punk ledgends from LA. As for advice… There are literally 1000’s of great bands out touring. Do yourself the favor, save a release things on your own. Put out compilation records. Help your scene. Become something your area needs. Help other bands. Don’t be competitive. Punk is not football. By doing all of this for years to come, labels will notice you. But ultimately, just do it yourself.

Hrvatski prijevod…

Volio bih da nam kažeš odakle dolaziš, kako si se počeo baviti s glazbom i koji su tvoji utjecaji te kako si dobio nadimak Pottbelly?

Bio sam ljutiti,nasilni mladić. Trebao mi je ispušni ventil. Imao sam 12. godina. Očev prijatelj je svirao u garage rock bendu u našem susjestvu. Gledao sam ih kada su vježbali. U to vrijeme išao sam na tretmane. Gledati bend kako svira dalo mi je dobar osjećaj. I to me ultimativno odvelo na ovaj put. Osnovao sam bend koji je bio veoma očajan 1989. Svirali smo na 1 showu. Ali ja sam se zakačio.

Potbelly, kako je osnovan,koliko ste dugo na sceni, da li ste ikako bili u Europi,s kojim bendovima ste radili turneje,surađivali kao split singlovi,EP-ovi?

POTBELLY je osnovan 1995. Tada sam imao 17 godina. Ranih 90’ih bio sam u crossover bendu XENN. Ken Ball (basist) i Curtis Jay (bubnjar) su bili u crossover bendu GRUMBLE THORP, a kada su oba benda raspala, nas trojica smo osnovali POTBELLY. Curtis više nije s nama, preminuo je. Tokom godina, Ken i ja smo prošli kroz razne članove pa tako su razni albumi s različitim postavama, ali je uvijek je bila ista ideja. Sada imamo najbolju postavu: Boner na bubnjevima, Christen Ogden na gitari. Turneje su laganije nego što su bili prije. Što se tiče splitova, izdali smo dosta toga: DOA, MDC, THE ACCUSED, BUTT TRUMPET, FANG, još par nekoliko. I bili smo na raznim kompilacijama s bendovima kao DI, THE MISFITS, SUBHUMANS, tako da ta lista ide dalje….

Takđer ti vodiš nezavisnu izdavaćku kuću P.I.G Records, kako je to voditi nezavisnu izdavaćku kuću, koje su dobre i loše strane, kako dovodiš bendove te kakvi su kriteriji?

Ja nevodim P.I.G Records, premda uskoćim kada im zatrebam pomoći. Genij koji stoji iza PIG, EVER-RAT RECORDS, and SUBCORE RECORDS je David Portnow. POTBELLY je potpisao za PIG. Ja vodim PB RECORDS već 8 godina. Prodavao sam travu i radio duže kako bi izdali albume. Nismo nikoga do sada potpisali. Napravio sam malu distribuciju od 300-1000 albuma. Odustao sam od bandova čim sam mogao i pomogao srediti turneje, nikad nisam bio distributor. Kada je trava postala legalna, više to nisam mogao priuštiti, pa je sad PB na čekanju.

Kakva je underground scena u SAD-u danas, kakvo je tvoje mišljenje o underground sceni danas i prije 20. godina te kakva je razlika između undergrounda SAD-a i Europe?

Mi dosad nismo nikako bili u Europi, voljeli bi doći,ali nismo dovoljno isplaćeni, pa zasad to nemožemo priuštiti. Scena je više puta se digla i pala, ali na kraju, s moje strane gledanja, nije se puno promijenilo. Manje upadam u tučnjave na ulici s seljačinama s kojima bi se prije zakačio. Mislim da je punk danas više društveno prihvatljiviji. Kada sam bio mlađi, bio sam „Hej pederčino“ od lokalnog stanovništva. Sada je pankera sve više, pa je nasilja prema nama je manje. U našem malom gradu Oak Harbor, Washington, scena je slaba,dok je prije nekoliko godina bila je sjajna. Ali dosada sam vidio kako se scena diže i pada već 28 godina.

Uz glazbu, primjetio sam da se baviš glumom, u kojim filmovima si glumio te imali još nečeg kao slikarstvo, produciranje itd.?

Snimio sam samo jedan film koji se zove Gospel Truth. Bio je to kratki film za filmske festivale, pa je to sve, volio bih da toga ima više, ali Potbelly zahtjeva više vremena te trebam vremena za svoju predivnu ženu i sina također.

Za kraj, što ima novo za Potbelly & PIG Records, primjetio sam da ste na turneji , pa hoće li biti koncert u Splitu i što biste preporučili nekome tko je u bendu koji se bori za ugovor s diskografskom kućom?

Da, mi smo na turneji, Ja sam jedina osoba koja je trenutno budna. Spavali smo prošlu noć u stanu iznad kluba gdje smo svirali zadnju noć u Pacifici,CA. Turneja je bila razbijačina. Sad smo na turneji s NOT A PART OF IT, iz Eugene Oregona. Kada se vratimo kući, odmah idemo u studio čim je prije moguće. Izdajemo četri split 7” s THE DWARVES, NOT A PART OF IT, DOA i tri split 7” s CAR 87 iz Kanade, THE ANGRY SAMOANS i KNOW. Sve hardcore punk ledgende iz LA. Što se tiče savjeta: tu su doslovno preko 1000 sjajnih bendova na turneji. Učinite sebi uslugu, izdajte sami svoj album. Izbacite kompilacijski album. Pomozite svojoj sceni. Postanite ono što treba vašoj sceni. Pomozite drugim bendovima. Nemojte biti konkurencija jedni drugima,punk nije nogomet. Radeći sve te stvari narednih godina, kuće će vas primjetiti. Ali, ultimativno, uradite sami.