Sector 4

Well, let’s start. Introduce yourself and your band.

~~~my name is Paul Suhor, drummer for band "sector 4". its now spring '06 and i'm in USA, traveling around in my little car. every summer i teach spirituality in the form of meditation, Yoga and Interfaith. so this year i'm driving for 10 months and trying to save the earth by building spiritual community. and that's where i am. travelling and giving talks about this.

Here in Russia not so many people heard Sector 4. Tell us about your sound, please. How you can characterize it?

~~~Sector 4 is from 1981 to 84. we were in florida usa and were young teenagers who barely knew how to play instruments. my dad is a jazz drummer from new orleans, so i already knew something about drums, Greg and Neil (guitar and bass) were just a little older than me (18) when we got together as a band. our sound is described as very musical the lyrics are intelligent and really do stand for something, and the sound comes at you like a cross between a 747 plane and a bumble bee.

You played in the ’80. What do you think about modern punk rock? What changes have happened in music?

~~~Punk to us in america, changed when it became heavy speed metal, or death metal. that music was a sell off tipe of "spin-off" of punk music. it was like fast hardcore/punk merged with big money heavy metal "glam rock" and became speed metal, or death metal. as far as i'm concerned, the original roots of punk were in british "oi" and from there merged with already existing scenes in New york and Sanfrancisco California punk. i think it was british punk that was a catalyst to punk's hard pesronality edge. thats just my opinion.

Can you point out some bands from modern scene?

~~~i dont listen hardly ever to other bands. i play acoustic guitar and spend alot of time singing to the "Great Spirit" out in nature. as a drummer i did appreciated other bands, and sector 4 was able to appreciate these bands too. those bands were somthing like, minor threat, DRI, Black flag, etc (who were contemporaries that we played with). also i liked early circle jerks, and the awesome drumming and lyrics of the "Germs" on their GI album. but to be honest, even though our sector 4 music was truly my favorite band, my second favorite all time band was bob marley and the wailers.

Tell us about your discography, please.

~~~we fist went on to a compliation EP called "we cant help it if we're from florida". then we came out with our own EP called "disc lexia" which is what put us on the map. our recordings went on and on, as we were going to releast a full size record. however, i quit the band before those could be released. so we have this other material, and hope to release it soon and do a "retro-tour". maybe i cand send you the mp3 files for the rest of our music. you're welcome to print it up there in russia.

Do you have ideas to re-release your recordings? And what are the plans about future of the band?

~~~I'm sure that our message would fit so well with current day world situation. we sang about "big brother is watching you", "concentration camp", "war in the middle east" and how the "earth is being killed". we also sang about "go with the force, use the force", like in star wars, a good message. so its up to Greg (guitarist) if we are to release that material and do a tour. i plan to go see Greg in seattle this summer. we plan to do some gigs with this other bass player. it will be a small sector 4 tour. our sound is extremely vivid and genuinely 80's hardcore punkrock. the message is up to date and conspiracy theory oriented. it seems our theories from 1983 are coming true. its up to Greg to make most of the record re-releases happen because i'm doing my spiritual quest to help and work with the counter culture revolution in the world. he's living in the west coast in a good area, and he's also better at all that technical gig stuff, as well as making a record or CD release happen. i'm detached, and ready. so we'll see what happens! if someone reads this article and wants to bring us over to russia, we'll be glad to rock it out over there.

When and whom did Sector 4 toured with?

~~~Ah, i've already answerd this kind of,but in the early 80's we toured alot in the southeast usa, mostly florida. we played in cities like atlanta, miami, tampa, gainsville, orlando, ft lauderdale etc.. we played with bands like DRI (who stole a part off of a bass drum pedal i had), Black flag (henry), and Minor threat (ian). when we did a show with minor threat, "maximum rock-n-roll" did an interview betwen Ian McKay (vocalist for m/t) and myself. that was a fun interview. they said in that article to "look out for these guys" (sector 4). they liked our sound. this was not long before we were going to make our next album and head up to NY. we were already well established in the southeastern usa. but before we could do that, I quit the band because drug needles were appearing in our arms, and Neil, who was the bassist (and who stopped talking to the band after i quit) had differences with me. its hard being in a band for a few years. its like a relationship. you really have to get along. Greg and i made up the actual "sound" of sector 4. we can get a bassist anywhere. so we hope to revive the band.


What do you think about anarchy? What are your political views?

~~~Anarchy has an element of ignorance to it, but as governments rape the earth and mislead people, it's inevitable. my hope is that the spiritual people, who therefore do not think in terms of the body (racist etc..) will have enough knowledge to help the world before it collapses. also i like the idea of communities in nature. an amazing way to do this is egalitarian style of living. it is almost the best of all things, anarchy, community, etc.. but it has an intelligent approach. just add the interfaith spiritual ideals in there then it would be perfect.

Have you participated in any DIY projects? Any zines, squats, etc.

~~~Greg is very radical in his thinking, but because he's in famlily life, it's not as easy for him to get free. i spent many years as an easter monk, and now i teach yoga, meditation, martial arts, and do interfaith work, so since i have no kids and since i'm free as i was when i was a teenager, i do associate closely with people who are in these radical circles. zines are for speading knowledge. i spread knowledge of what i think is the highest thing to help the planet earth. squats are for free living that goes against the current political and social structure. both are aimed at building some type of community that offers hope beyond what the current system has to offer. my aim is to be close to nature and live free. i spent two years with a team of mules so i could learn to grow food, be near clean water, live like a Yogi, simple living and high thinking. we are all here to help start a revolution. there are some principals that the ancient gurus have taught that actually make any kind of community more peaceful and fully successful. i'm taking time off to travel for the next year to help bring these intelligent aspects of life to intelligent anarchists who want to be above the political agitation while building their communities. let me know if there's anyone in russia who wants to learn and help with this! either way, the world systems will collapse soon. so lets get the best and brightest prototype established so that the light of knowledge is in the mix, to bring the world around to a better position after babylon falls down.

What do the members of the band do now?

~~~we were a 3 piece band. Greg sang and played guitar, i wrote music and lyrics with him and played the drums, singing some lead vocals and all backup vocals. Greg lives in Seattle and has a teenage daughter. he paints houses and had a teaching degree which he doesn't use. He was an ardent meat eater, but recently his new wive, he and his daughter became vegans after seeing some of the videos put out by PETA. this was a good move for him, and he feels 100% better. his house is paid for, and his wife works. his daughter is into sector 4, so all of this adds up to the possibility that we can tour.

I'm just aloof, still free, trying to find justice in this rotton world of waste and exploitation. i've put in many years since, trying to be intelligent, but i still am not satisfied with the world situation. playing punk music was the only thing i could do as a teenager to try and make a difference in the world. i suffered growing up as a child, and could only take refuge in mother nature. punk was a way to scream out my frustrations. i gradually have tried many things, very intelligently and steadily. i'd like to share all of these things with your readers some time, but in another interview or article. needless to say after almost 18 years of seeking, preparing, and applying many different ways to help the world, i've found a forumula that i am now sharing. its ancient as can be, but it fits modern times profoundly. so that's what i'm doing, just taking a year off to travel. i've been invited to share this message and play my current acoustical music in germany, australlia, and new zeland, but i cannot afford to fly anywhere, just put petrol into my car and go from one city to another. i'm like a wandering mendicant. shaved head and cloth.

Some people think that punk rock is music for the teenagers. What do you think about this “old-man”? :))

~~~My earth suit may be a little older than other's, but my heart is carrying it's purity and with it, my inner child is more accessable. so, to answer your question, punk rock that is intelligent, will stimulate anyone's mind who has a genuine need for expression, truth and answers, no matter their age. stupid people who use punk to hate, or expand their ego, or controll others, may as well be wearing diapers, or be thrown into a cage with animals. human life is meant for more than eating, sleeping, fighting and mating. if we just sing about those things, we're no better than animals. for this reason, intelligent punkers, anarchists or whoever can be free from political agitation and actually get more of what is needed accomplished, if there is a little help from a higher intelligence. i call this "punkligthenment"

What do you know about Russia and Russia music scene?

~~~i think russia's music scene has a great impetus and benefit. america is evil, but more-so is russia's corrupt political structure, and the human race (probably the animals too) is struggling and suffering more over there. music will come most strongly from the hearts of people who feel the most suppression and suffering. we are lucky in america. though i'm poor, i can still get by with probably less than 1/4 of the difficulty as someone in your country. i really feel for you all as my spiritual brothers and sisters because we are all brothers and sisters deep down. it doesn't matter what your body is, what your age is, what your country is, we are all the same inside. according to the ancient science of reincarnation (from India), if someone hates another gruop for the color of their skin, that hateful person will become that color in their next life, and will be attacked by a skinhead or whoever he was in his previouse life. if one's third eyes is open, you will see that we have to come above the body and go to the soul, not think like demons, but like compassionate beings that do not judge others. only this person is genuinely happy. so, in your russian punk, i would like to hear translations of your lyrics. musically i'd like to listen to drummers. but more than anything i'd like to read in english your best lyrics of the day. what the kids are saying, what is the message, the thirst and hunger for justice and truth. if there is any intelligence to be found in the youth, it would be in those who are most detached and seeking justice and truth. not those who are just happy to try and be like everyone else.

Can you say some words for the last? May be I forgot to ask you something important? Say some words to out readers, please.

~~~music never dies. i did other bands after sector 4. bands like "squid rowe", "pigmy runt", "psychic sinatra", "Vishnu 7", "lotus feet" and "Harley Krsna". some of these had lyrics about Karma, reincarnation, and the essence of all existence. now i'm recording in more in "mother nature" and also this Interfaith Mantra movement to help save the world. i urge your readers to get seriouse from now on, and take help from the highest source and try to not waste years and years (doint nothing). i've been teaching at gatherings of 30,000 people for the last 17 years about earth changes, revalations and prophecies, especially from India, and have found many interesting answers far above the conspiracy theorists. for those who are positive people want to ask quesitons, please email: garudadasa@yahoo.com

2006.