Cwill

answered by Peter, Except question No.4, answered by Thom

First, tell us about the history of your band.

With CWILL we started in late 1993. Out from the ashes of WORNOUT, the Band from the bassplayer and me before we started CWILL. So this is the 9th year of CWILL right now. We changed the lineup for the first time in February`99. Our old guitar-player pat moved to Berlin/Germany for study, so we get a new CWILL-member: Dave. He lives around 120km away from us, so you see it was not so easy to find a cool guy, which can play with us. In summer 2000 we also got once again a new member, for the 2 guitar. He was playing in PRAY SILENT before, and after they split up he was coming to CWILL.
We have four records with CWILL until now (beside a lot of songs on different compilations); the out-of-print 10"LP from 1994 (d.i.y.), the 7" from 1996 on SACRO EGOISMO, the "Beyond Reality"-LP/CD on PRAWDA-RECORDS (1998), and the new 10"/CD called "Nations" (2002), also on PRAWDA, which is my own label by the way. So we work still as D.I.Y.-Band!!
Our line-up is:
Harry (33 years) = Bass
Christiane (32) = Violin
Dave (32) = Guitar
Etienne = Guitar & Vocals
Thom (30) = Vocals
peter (34) = Drums
so we are all old fartzes, but still full of energy, aggression and hate, haha!

Maybe you hear this question very often... Why do you have not much
releases? Why there was a gap between "Beyond Reality" and "Nations"?
We don`t have so much releases cause we just go in the studio when we think we have enough really good songs to make something new. We have no pressure from anywhere to make every year a new Album. I think it`s shit otherwise, you will burn out very fast!! See all the major-bands. Do you know any Band on a Major who kicks still the same way after 5 years?! OK, I personally don`t know any major-band who kicks, but that`s another story... The gap between "Beyond Reality" and "Nations" was for sure also cause we changed our Line-Up. And we just had not the feeling that we have enough good new songs before we entered the studio in summer 2001. For us this is no problem, that`s the way we like to do it! If we have new cool songs in half a year, we will have a new record in early 2003. If we have no new cool songs, it will be later. That`s for sure also one of the reasons why we are still together after such long time; we do what we want, and we only release new stuff when everybody in CWILL likes it very much.

You know, I like your music, but I was confused when decided to identify
it. Unbelievable aggressive HC plus melodies, absorbing in the soul, plus gothic
atmosphere plus really punk-moments. (In russian this sentence is more
logic...) Speaking about gothic I mean not satanic shit! So, how did you come
to this style? What bands influenced on you?
First I think it`s really cool that you can`t identify our music so easy! That shows me that we have our own style it seems. Generally I can say what you hear from us is the product of 6 different people with the same ideas about how to life, and with near the same kind of music we all like.
Hard to say which bands influence us... I would say when we started we had no big influence, we just tried to make the most aggressive and most "feeling-music" we can. Of course we had some bands back this days when we started, which we all loved very much, and they had for sure some influences to our music. To mention just a few; CRUCIFIX, ABC DIABOLO, old INTEGRITY, ACCUSED. Today we all listen to Bands like HIS HERO IS GONE, FROM ASHES RISE or TRAGEDY, but we also like Bands like BLUT & EISEN (old German Punk-Band, 1983) or also TRIAL, and so much more. You see it`s a mix from everything, but at least it`s CWILL I think. We don`t play any songs and think "cool, sounds like the Band XYZ", when we do new songs we just play, and then it kicks, or it kicks not. And when it kicks we start thinking about making a new song out of that.

There are always very primitive and silly texts in HC music. But it is not so
talking about you. And besides, (it killed me! - in a good sense) the song
"Death Alone" on Pablo Neruda's lyrics!!! It is fucking great by many reasons.
May be you can tell about your literature tastes? (And who is Erich Fried?)

this question is answered by vocalist Thom, cause he write all lyrics and can it better explain:

"Cwill's (Thom's) lyrics started with a very political
content on our first 10'' and the 7''. They are about
the problems in our society caused by capitalism, not
only in the third world, but also here in Switzerland,
one of the richest countries on this planet. The
effects of capitalism are visible everywhere. As a
libertarian communist (I'm not talking about state
capitalism!!!) you get a totally different view on
history and daily politics. The effect that fascism
had on a part of my family (my mother is German) and
the effect that capitalism has on my family's life is
enormous and is one of the main reasons why I raise
my voice against this decadent rotten system. This
world totally turned into a living hell and the reason
is mainly because of capitalism, that can only lead to
imperialism, war and the total enslavement of the
human race. But there are also lyrics that are very
personal. They are about feelings that lead to fear
and depression.
hardcore/punk is nothing if there are just nice
sounds. If the bands have nothing to say, then it's
just music, just another product. Punk was always a
rebellion and a big ''fuck you'' to everyone. This
spirit got lost already a long time ago. What we have
nowadays are mostly stupid mindless rockstar wannabees
who are in the scene just because it's trendy. I'm
thankful that there are still a lot of people who stay
away from major labels, who support d.i.y. And see
hardcore and punk as a way to spread a political
message which is necessary more than ever.
The reason I take poems from authors as lyrics is
simply because they are way better writers than me.
It's hard to write lyrics especially in a different
language. That's why I wrote my first lyrics in German
and I think I will start doing that again. a part from
that, I think my lyrics aren't really good, the words
are too simple. But they say something, at least I
try.

erich fried was a writer from Germany who had to leave
germany because of fascist regime. He mainly wrote
political poems. Pablo Neruda is a writer from Chile.
He was communist and he mainly wrote love poems but
also a lot of political poems."

What is your political credo? What do you think about anarchism?
Anarchism would be the best for everybody. But; look around you and you will see very fast there is no chance for that. But that doesn`t change that anarchy is something which is worth to fight for.
It is difficult to write that in a few words, and in a language which is not mine... Generally our "political credo" is what people call "left-wing". we fight against every kind of racism, we hate capitalism, 5 from 6 CWILL-members are vegetarians. Not very special for a HC-band, this is what HOPEFULLY most of all HC-Bands thinking. This world is wonderful, but most people and systems on it sucks. Especially in so called "civilisationed"-nations.

What's your attitude towards the antiglobalism movement?
We support that the best way we can. In April 2001 we played 3 shows for the "Anti-WEF-Meeting in Salzburg/Austria". Was really cool, cause beside our shows it was also possible to see videos and read books there about that theme.
Generally it would be great if the world would come more together. But; I think needless to say; the global-movement is not interested in the people, they are just interested in making money. It`s just that the business will have no longer borders. I think most of you know what`s wrong there. But it`s really great to see that so much people are seeing behind that wall of lies and corruption! The Anti-Globalism-Movement is the strongest protest in the "civilisated" states ever! It`s bigger than 35 years ago the Anti-Vietnam-Protest! And if you see how many people visit the Contra-Meeting in Puert Allege, so I really "see a light"!! You know we are very close here to that shit, I just say "Davos", where more or less everything started with that commercial meeting bullshit from WEF, Worldbank, etc.

Many american hc/punk bands say in their interviews that they don't know many
about European scene. What do you think about that?
Yes, that`s sad. But that`s a general problem in the USA; people there only know the USA. Ask them about Switzerland, they say "yes, Sweden is a cool country, all the mountains..." Switzerland/Sweden..., they don`t care! And that`s also in most of the punk/hc-bands there. But it`s cool there are others too; Greg, the vocalist from TRIAL (R.I.P.), or a guy like Jello Biafra, or Brian from CATHARSIS! They are very interested in the politics here, what`s going on, etc. But most of the people don`t care, you`re right. As told; I think it`s a part of the US-des-interesting what`s going outside of their country.

What do you think about the hc/punk scene in eastern Europe (Poland, Czech,
Belorussia...) and Russia?
Unfortunately we don`t hear too much about all that scenes! I`m afraid it`s a bit cause of the same stupid thinking like the USA has on western-europe, as wrote in last question. We planned several times to play in the countrys you wrote, but always it doesn`t happened cause of several reason. But in autumn it seems we will really play in Hungary and also in Prague. What I know from Russia is the NOW AND THEN-Zine, and all the bands which are the RUSSIAN PUNK CANNONADE-CD. But I also heard a lot rumors about that comp., so I`m really not sure what I should think about that. I also know we are with CWILL on the new part of that Comp., and people wrote me also bad things about this comp. I just can say; if this is really Nazi-Shit; be sure we have nothing to do with that!!! We fight against every kind of racism as told. If you like to get more info, if you also think why are CWILL on this comp., so feel free to write us. And I will explain it with more details!!
But to come back to your question; it would be cool if the western part and the eastern part of Europe can come closer!! Especially in the HC/Punk-Scene!!

In my mind I have a thought that Switzerland is a quiet and kindhearted
country. Can you tell us about your scene? What, where and how do you hold the
concerts? What bands do come? What public do visit them? And generally how does
a hc musician live in your country? In Russia they live very bad and as usual
not for a long time, and then they become "normal" people.
Yes, we know that this might be the meaning which most people have generally of Switzerland. For me it`s that; if you are rich, or if you life for earning money, making a big career in your job, this is maybe the paradise. But if you haven`t money, or if you don`t life for earning money, it is the same like in any other country. Ok, it is of course not so bad like people have it in the 3rd world, but that should not be a reason for stop fighting against all the bad staff we have here! You know, money rules the world, and Switzerland is one of three most rich countrys on this planet, so you can imagine what`s going here, if you take a look on the bank`s and other money-institutes. To wash money is one of less worse things...
But you asked for our Scene. Our scene did really grow up the last 5 years. Well, I would say it is really great today! Switzerland is a very very small country (7 mil. people), but the Punk/HC-Scene here is really very active, also when you compare it with bigger countrys. We have very much cool Bands here, which most are also well-known in whole Europe and the USA. Just to mention a few; CATARACT, KNUT, SHORA, DARK DAY DUNGEON, OPEN CLOSE MY EYES, PREJUDICE, INCURED, BLUE WATER BOY, SUNDOWNER, CWILL and more! By the way; we just released on PRAWDA-REC., together with the people from STAGEDIVE-Netzine, a CD with all the Swiss-HC-Bands, it`s called "ON TOP OF LIFE". There you'll find 17 of our Bands, and most Songs are unreleased!
Most of the concert`s here are on places which do always concerts since longer time. We have good places in Wil (REMISE), Uster (JUZ), Zurich (EGO & more), Bern (REITHALLE), Genf (L`USINE) and many more. If there are shows with swiss hc-bands there are always between 250 -350 people on every show. That`s really cool, cause in the past you had so much people only on shows from US-Bands like SICK OF IT ALL or LAG WAGON. But today there are really a lot of people coming when some of the more wellknown Swiss-HC-Bands are playing. We played last year in St.Gallen (close where we live) on a Anti-Rascim-Concert, and there where 700 people!! It was just amazing! But as told; usually are 250 - 350. Sometimes bit more, sometimes also few less!
Hmm, how does a HC-musician live here?! Not different than most HC-people elsewhere, I think. There is no chance to be able to live from making HC, and that`s good I think (this makes sure you play what you want, doesn`t matter if you earn money with it or not). But it is here the same as you wrote about Russia; a lot people are only involved in the scene for a certain time, and then they leave the scene and are going back to be "normal". I think that`s everywhere the same. But it`s cool, we have here a few people who are into the scene since the same day when I personally came into (1986), and this people are definitely still in the HC-Scene for the next 10-20 years. What can I say; it`s everybody`s personal choice, but for me it`s; if you are for one moment in your life REALLY in that scene, really into the ideas, really into to kind of life, than you can`t leave that, cause it is you!!

What is your attitude towards the pirate's/illegal copying of music and
video products? In Russia it is usual... It is connected with the bad material
conditions of our people.
This is so not so actual here I think. People are also burning cd`s for themselves, but cause most people here have enough money to live, they also have the money to buy the records. If you copy them, you have no cover, no lyrics (usually), so most people prefer to have the original, even it cost`s more money. But I totally understand that you choose the illegal way if there is no other chance to get the music!! If I should say how CWILL are see it for their own records; copy them! No problem (if you do it only for yourself) We like that everybody who like to hear us can hear us! We are not making CWILL for the money. And if you don`t play in a Band for earning money, you can not be against that. It is a bit different if anybody is doing Bootlegs, and selling them. If he is doing it cause he likes the band, cause the record isn`t availabel, or just to expensive, than it is ok too. But if he is doing it just to make money; fuck them!! If there is somebody who should get the money; than it`s for sure first the Band, and not an unknown guy which has nothing to do with that Band. I hope you understand how I mean that?!

Do you have a wish to visit our country?
Yes, of course this would be cool. But I have no idea if this would be very realistic. Russia is so huge, I have no idea if there is any possibility to do a tour without driving 1000km from date to date?! but if you mean your question personally; yes, also the same. I think it would be very interesting to see Russia!!

Some words for our readers...
Thanks to you, Pavel and Olga, for your interest in CWILL!! And thanks to all of you for reading this! Please remind that English is not my language, and I know I didn`t speak it very well. So I hope you understand everything in that sense which it was meaning it. And last but not least; feel free to contact us if you like. HC is communication! And to be updated on what`s going on here, with CWILL, etc.; visit our web-site from time to time! Greetings to Russia from CWILL!!
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Contact: CWILL
c/o PRAWDA-RECORDS
Scholastikastr.24
CH-9400 Rorschach
http://music.ch/prawda

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