Hi! What`s up? First of all I would like to ask you when was the last times you laughed and what was it about?
Hi, Marcin! I’m totally fine, thanks! Today I went to the tattoo studio, and we have lot of fun in there, but i can not remember what it was about for sure, to be honest).
How long have you been involved in the scene now and what was the reason to get involve yourself?
I’m into hardcore for 6 years (i guess?). The reason? I don’t remember)) It was really fun to hang out with that people at that time, so i gues this is why i’m into hardcore currently.
You have a 2 releases except the new single. Could you tell me about your opinion about this stuff? How could you compare your first and next release?
Yeah, there was our debut self-titled EP in 2010 and full-length in 2012. Our EP was the first recording experience for all of the mambers in that days, so it really sound kinda .. lame, i guess. There are not enough attack, not enough passion mainly because we’ve been really shy during the recording sessions and didn’t know many of things, which can make record better. So i think you understood, that i personally think that our first EP nowadays sounds a lot like disaster)) But there are some people around band, that keep telling me, that it was the best we could personally do, so i think it has some weight for the local scene. Our first album, "Warning Shot", was a long-awaited child. We’ve been into recording sessions for around a year and a half, so we’ve tried to polished it as much, as we can. I think, that this release is a lot much better that the previous one. All songs came through a long-long way, so mpost of them has been tested by time a lot. A bit latter "Warning Shot" has been released physicly via "Rise and Fall" records. Someday Dima – owner of this label – just wrote me "Hey, dude, this album is AWESOME! I want to help you releasing it!". And it’s all happened!
Your music is a nice mix of aggressive hardcore with beatdown elements and melodical moments. Which bands are your best inspiration?
As for me, i describe our style simply as newschool hardcore. All of our past and present members has different kind of inspirational bands, but mainly it was Have Heart (damn that’s a greatest modern hardcore band!), Comeback Kid, Stick to Your Guns, Verse, Rise of the North Star (this french kids are the best nowadays, i think!), Terror and many others, which i can not remember now… We are mostly the "new school" kids. Also there was a lot of punk bands in favorites of othre members, than me, but honestly i don’t know much about that bands))
Do you have any split CD’s, 7′ or other releases in the works?
Yes, we’re plannig some releases in 2014, but i can’t say now, in which form you will hear it. But there will be more stuff from Your Choice this year, that’s for sure!
What’re your personal favourite track of Your Choice and why?
Oh, my favorite track is "Не Верю" (I don’t beleive you)! That’s because lyrics for it was written really fast, driven by huge inspiration and anger. I don’t beleive to many people around me just because they don’t even see or understand moments of their lies. They have no idea that sometimes they’re talking such bullshit, that i want to smack them as hard, as i could. Many of them say one thing and do the exct opossite. And that’s what really pisses me off! So that track is all about them.
I noticed that a large role in your music plays lyrics. You have lyrics in both English and Russian. I pointed out that the Russian texts are more insightful and richer. Harder to sing hardcore in Russian or English?
It’s a lot harder in russian, i think. Russian language is WAY more complicated, than english, so when you trying to write a really good hardcore lyrics in russian, it takes so much more time and energy… Also i think, that hardcore is a genre, which definetly should be english-speaking, despite of country you live in. Yes, not everyone in Russia knows english pretty well, but hardcore was borned by english-speakers! It’s was "designed" for that language and not for others! I like my naative language, it really shines in poetry or in books, but not in hardcore songs, as for me.
One of the themes that appear in your texts are animal rights. What can you say about the popularity of vegetarianism in Russia? Are people therefore completely neutral, or perhaps increasing consciousness?
There are quite many veggie-kids in Russia! And the counter keeps growing! Ofcourse many others (especially elder people, which was borned and raised in USSR) keeps telling me "you must eat meat to be healthy! You are man, and man must eat meat! blah blah blah". But you can simply ignore them – most of them want to raise themselves above me, but by ignoring i don’t let that happen, and that pisses them off %) I love that, haha!).
Do you believe that humanity is able to come to the moment when the suffering of animals will be kept to a minimum? Do you think vegetarianism should really contribute to improve the fate of animals or simply it is a more passive action in form of the cut-off from the crap, what is industrial farming?
Yes, i trully believe that moment will come. I think, there are 2 possible ways of achieving that. First way is to increase our technology and knowledge base, so more and more people could understand, that eating meat and wearing fur is totally useless! And second way – one day humanity will die and all other creatures on Earth would be free of our tirany. It’s not the best way for humanity, of course, but the goal would be achieved, so why not? (just kidding, ha!).
Do not you think that people are too caught up in fighting between each other within their own species, to think about the needs and rights of animals? If you look at the poor Asian countries where vegetarianism is on the agenda, we can easily notice that people’s attitudes to each other and lifestyle is quite different than in our culture.
Nowadays vegetarianism because mostly mental necceserity, not physical. And as you know, many asian countries has a lot bigger impact of philosophy in society. So my guess is that is the main factor. It’s a really tough question to answer, but i guess you understood my point! We’ve got many things to learn from Asia.
In your texts often you use the word "freedom". What is for you and what kind of freedom you sing about?
My freedom is a personal freedom. It’s a TOTAL freedom of choice and beliefs. Freedom from unnatural responsibilities. When nobody would judge you for doing something in other way (but still ethical way, though). My thoughts on freedom mosly matches anarchic point of view, but without that small bit of utopism.
Do you feel free in your country? Are you pissed off because a form of government, which is celebrated in Russia?
To be honest, i don’t feel such pressure of goverment, as you might think. Yes, i am agree that our goverment is really full of shit and corruption, but hey, there are a lot of fools and selfish people in many other fields of our lives. And politics is not exception. I am a positive thinker, i always seeing mostly good things in my life.
I know that you are also involved in the straight edge. Do you often hear some biting comments about the fact that you do not drink alcohol, etc.? How do you spend the parties with your friends, where probably is drinking a lot of vodka? What prompted you to abandon drugs and alcohol?
Hahaha, yep, there are a lot of drinkers around me)) There is a small issue about being a edge guy: most of the times you’re not invited to friends parties. It bothered me for a while, but know i understand, that i’ve got so many things to do beside parties and wasting time on drinking and having drunk fun! I’ve got a small company of (almost) sober guys (lets call them that way, ha), with whom i can do a lot of crazy things beside drinking and taking drugs, and that’s fine for me Straight edge always was a part of my life (even when i doesn’t know meaning of this term): i’ve never drinked a lot, i’ve never smoke and never used any kind of drugs (except for videogames!). Mostly that’s because of my family: they’ve just raised me that way, giving me a clear sight that alcohol and drugs are not necessary part of any adult life. In the age of 15-16 i thought something like "i’m growing old! I definetly should drink, like my other classmates!". I tried, and all of the times that was awful. Last glass of wine i’ve drank sometime around 2008, and since that day i’ve decided to call myself a "Straight Edge". Yes, that’s a "label", but any philosophy has it’s own name.
How would you convince those who destroy your body by drinking and doing drugs, in order to forget about all the shit that surrounds them?
No. It’s their choice, not mine. They are free in that field and they can do anything they do. I’m not a "militant" or "preacher" type of sxe-guys, i’m just living my life that way, that’s all. When i’m asked about that – i could give a full and clear answer about being a sxe. But i’ve never seriously conviecend anyone about drug using or alcholo drinking. "It’s Your Choice", you know.
Ok, let`s return to music now What kind of audience comes to concerts in Russia hardcore? Are there more old fans or rather younger team rather? What do you think is particularly attractive to people in this type music?
Most of harcore shows public are under 25 (with a few exceptions). The average age, i think, is something around 21-23 years. Lots of youngsters, which loves any type of shows, as it describes their "freedom". The most attractive part in hardcore for me is a strong and emotional type of speaking. When you hear a sinere hardcore lyrics, then you get it, that feeling of hardcore. Sadly, many of russian hardcore bands making tracks about things that should be used in a hardcore-themed genres: about their friends, families, hypocricy and stuff. To be completely honest, i’ve been that kind of person on our first EP, but as days goes by, i’m trying to be as sincere as i could and to write lyrics only about things that really bothers me.
If you could have anybody, living or dead, hear your music, who would it be?
I guess, anyone who really wants to listen to the music i do, can or would do this. In this world, or in another. Also i’m a bit shy about things that related to my music.)
Could you recommend me any movie that you liked recently? What about your opinion about "Stalingrad"? Have you seen it? I prefer rather old version of this movie.
Recently i’ve re-watched "Contact" by Robert Zemekis. This movie is based on a Carl Sagan’s book, and i think, that he was a true genius of our age. Also the last movie, that really touched me, was "Drive". It’s simple, it’s interesting and it’s really unusual. Also "Terminator 2: The Judgement Day"! This movie has a greates plot twist of all the times (bad robot in 1st movie became a hero in the 2nd one – it’s just… wow!). Modern russian cinematography are trully awful. Most of the directors are trying to copy huge Hollywood movies, and after all they’re getting a huge abd empty mistake. But USSR classics are the best, in all the ways. Especially USSR comedies! There was a great russian actor – Yuriy Nikulin. I definetly recommend you to watch his movies, they are great!
You are from Chelyabinsk, so could you tell me from your perspective how looked like a meteorite crash in your vicinity? None of you have not hurt then?
Hahha, meteore city, right)) It was early in the morning, sometime around 9 a.m. Me and my girlfriend has been sleeping, when we’ve heard a huge series of explosion sounds. It’s sounded like it’s been really near our home, so we’ve been trully terrified. A bit later we understood what have happened by internet. This event does not change a single thing Everybody was fine, nobody got hurt, just some broken windows and doors, that’s all. But now i’ve definetly have some stories to tell to my future children!)
Ok, to the end of this interview could you tell what are your goals from now on?
My goals are simple: i want to travel a lot, i want to make really good music, and i want to keep my family and friends happy. Simple as that.
Anything you’d like to add to conclude this interview?
My message would be simple: be positive, think outside the box, read a lot of books, listen to a lot of good (!) music and just keep doing whatever you like. That’s the true happiness, i think! p.s.: also we (Your Choice) would like to tour around the Europe, so if you’ve got some offers – i will be glad to hear it https://www.facebook.com/yourchoiceofficial?fref=ts
