Introduce yourself…
Hi, we’re DEFECATION AREA. We’re a sleazy, hot and sexy punk´ n´ roll band from Duisburg Germany.
Alex: My name is Alex, I am the singer and guitar player of DEFECATION AREA. I’m 35 years old, carnivore and I dress to the left.
Marc: Hello, my name is Marc but you can call me Malle. I’m the 30 years old bass player of the band.
Alex and I started the reunion of the band in 2002. So I take part in this adventure since about 9 years.
Daniel: My name is Daniel, I’m 24 years old and play drums at DEFECATION AREA for over 6 years.
How did the band start?
Alex: In 1998 my old friend Sven and I decided to found a band together. We had some problems to find a common music style, so the band split of after the first show in 1999. When Marc and I met for the first time in 2001 we realized very quickly that we had to continue the idea of having our own rock´ n ´roll band and playing music we both really like. The problem was to find the right constellation. Marc was a guitar player too and had no idea of playing bass guitar at all. Other problems were finding a drummer who really fit in and based on many neighbour complaints- finding a proper place to rehears.
After advertising in a local musicians- magazine, Daniel showed up in 2005 and became a fixed member of DEFECATION AREA.
How did you come up with the name?
Marc: This emanates from Alex´ diseased brain. You had to ask him!
Alex: After a really intensive nightshift with a lot of booze and beer Sven and I drove back home by train and Sven looked out of the window and said: “what a shithole we’re living in!”
So I thought the only name a punk rock band from this town should have was DEFECATION AREA!
Who would you say are your influences?
Alex: That’s not easily answered…I grew up with a lot of 50´s R´N´R music, 70´s rock and punk music. But my favourite bands when I was 14 were AC/DC and ALICE COOPER. Later on I discovered a lot of punk bands like THE RAMONES, THE DICKIES, THE TOY DOLLS, BLACK FLAG and ANGRY SAMOANS. In the 90´s I was thrilled by bands like BAD RELIGION, NOFX, or GREEN DAY. I have many, many musical influences but I can’t list them all!
Marc: Because of the fact that all members of the DEFECATION AREA are of another age, the influences are also widespread. I am personally influences by Bands like DROPKICK MURPHYS, THE BONES, NOFX and RANCID. Where in this case sometimes the level is very high when you think about the skills of Matt Freeman for example!
Daniel: We’ve got all our influences from so many different bands and different kinds of music, we’re all listening to so much music from rock to punk rock, hardcore, ska, reggae and so on, so we can’t say just one band that we got our ideas to play songs from...
What is the punk scene like in Germany?
Alex: Very German…
Daniel: I think the punk scene is a cool scene in Germany, we got many punk rock bands here and many people who’re really interested to do something for that scene, still got really huge punk rock festivals a few times here in Germany and still got a lot of shows if you know where they are...
How do you feel is has changed?
Alex: Recently the DIY- scene grows more and more and I really have respect for those bands or people that work their asses off organizing shows, writing fanzines or bringing their music out to the people!! But sometimes it’s very hard to carry on because it’s no fun playing in front of 3 or 4 jerks that really don’t give a fuck about what you’re doing…
Daniel: It has changed in many different ways, and I’m really sad about that. We had a good and big scene a couple of years ago but you have to notice that times are a changing. In our hometown Duisburg for example there aren’t so much people left who join this scene. This commitment and the solidarity isn’t the same as in the days I started listening to punk rock. Some of the locations we played in had to close because of neighborhood complaints. And sometimes there are just a few people coming to the shows. That’s really sad!
What is the song writing process?
Marc: To be honest Alex does the main part! He writes all texts and excogitates the melody. So when he comes to the rehearsal room with a new song a big part of the work is already done. Finally we develop the exact structure together. This means the placement of breaks, guitar solo and so on.
Daniel: The songwriting process for me is a really lazy part, Alex writes the songs at home, shows us the songs and if they’re bullshit we just throw them in the garbage or we
try to check them out, build breaks, speed changes, solo parts and some other gimmicks, till we think it’s a great song and we can show it to the crowd on the shows..
Alex: I write all the music and lyrics. Marc and Daniel have to like them or I beat them up…
You first released 'No Pride, No Style, No Values', tell us about the EP...
Alex: In 2004 Marc and I had some songs finished and thought it was a good idea to record them so that they ´re not be forgotten. (I forget all things after 2 beers) The problem was that we had no drummer so we asked all the bands we knew to lend us theirs. The songs were great and the recording was DIY.
Daniel: It was the first EP they ever released. I’m really sad that I joined the band a year later and didn’t play the songs on this EP. It was not the best sound on this EP, it was a self recorded but the songs are very good and a few of them are still my favorite DEFECATION AREA- songs
In 2006, you released your first album 'Stiff Middle Fingers', tell us about the album...
Alex: We recorded this album in our rehearsal room in summer 2005 in two weeks. We did the mixing by ourselves that’s why the album sounds not very professional. But a lot of the songs we’re still playing on our shows because they work pretty good.
Marc: When Daniel joined in the band we were ready to make our first complete album. “Stiff Middle Fingers” was the result. All recordings were made in our own rehearsal room. It was a typical DIY production.
Daniel: What should I say?! A cool album, I like it a lot. Simple and straight punk rock songs! Just buy and listen to it!
How do you feel 'Alkopop' differed?
Alex: “Alkopop” was our third recording session, so we were better prepared. It was the first time a “producer” took command so it was easier to concentrate on the music. And also the mixing and mastering was in his hands so he had his own idea of how DEFECATION AREA could sound like and he’s done well!
Daniel: Alkopop is in so different from the first EP and our first album, it was our first studio album recorded by our good friend “Sulle” from the great punk rock band THE RICHIES, it sounds really great for our relations. We had so much fun and beer and other shit at the record sessions... But to come back to the question: We were grown up and placed much more
details in the songs. We wanted more sound quality than before and I think if you just check out the two albums you will recognize yourselves…
What was it like working with Karsten of the Ritchies on the album?
Alex: He’s a bad motherfucker and I hate him! He put a gun against my had and forced me to play the same guitar part over and over again. I shit my pants and played the best guitar in my life…Oh sorry wrong guy… Karsten? He’s a fine guy! I adore him!
Daniel: It was a good feeling to work with a friend. It wasn’t all that complicated shit that you have if you don’t know the guy who’s sitting behind the glass and you don’t know how to talk to him so that no one feels pissed up! How I said, it was a good time and I hope we’re working with him again!
You guys have also on appeared on 2 Brown Bag Propaganda Compilations, tell us about the comps...
Alex: Lisa asked me if I could write a review in my fanzine “Out Of Order” and I mentioned that I have my own punk rock band. So I sent her our songs and she put it on 2 BBP-compilations. I really like the idea of these comps because they are international and 100% DIY. So for most of the bands they are the only opportunity to get their stuff out to a lot of people all over the world!
Daniel: Brown Bag Propaganda; I love it! Lisa is so fucking amazing, she’s doing a really great job on that, cares much about the scene and puts so much work in it just for fun and not for the profit! And the idea of these compilations is pretty good from my point of view! Not so much blowed out money, just a simple design and bands from all over the world on this comps! I hope she keeps going with this and hopefully we can be a part of it from time to time…
What else have you released?
Alex: In 2010 we released a 4- bands-split on BBP named “War, Terror and Ice Cream” with The Olympians, Sick and The Living Rejects.
Daniel: We also sell a demo with 3 songs taken from “Alkopop” on our shows.
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
Alex: We played with a lot of bands… some bands you people might know were: LA Guns, Electric Eel Shock,V8 Wankers, Born To Lose, Bambix, The Bibs, The Heartbreak Motel, SS- Kaliert....
Daniel: We played with so much bands... I never cared about who that bands really were. I just care about if they’re cool people who drink as much beer as we do!
Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
Alex: We never had the chance to play large…But we like to play in front of any audience that really knows how to party!
Daniel: Definitely small clubs. The atmosphere is amazing in small clubs with 50 or 100 people making party on the stage. It’s fun playing drinking games with the crowed and so on...
Where have you toured?
Alex: Only in Germany actually…But were planning to play some shows in US in may 2012…
Daniel: In so many different places. We played in Berlin, Koblenz, Mainz, Hannover, Stuttgart… Too much to name them all!
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
Alex: The Dictators!!
Marc: In my opinion it would definitely be a lot of fun to play with The Toy Dolls. And it would be an honor, too!
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
Alex: Anywhere all over the world would be fine!
Marc: Play concerts in the USA, like we will do next year!
What do you see is the future of Defecation Area?
Marc: New Songs, a lot of shows in many different places and hopefully the support of a label!
Daniel: Playing shows, shows, shows! Recording the new songs we wrote…I think we’ll have a good future and hopefully there will be much more people who are interested in that shit we’re doing!
Alex: We’re planning to do a split- single on BBP with TONY JONES & THE CRETIN THREE, an awesome band from Rhode Island.
Otherwise the future will be as it has always been: Three good friends having a lot of fun playing their music together!!
How can people contact the band?
Alex: click on: www.defecation-area.de, www.myspace.com/defecationarea,
Or write Emails to marshallhunter@gmx.de
We’re also on Facebook so search for DEFECATION AREA and let’s be friends!
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