Интервю с Mitch Harris (Napalm Death)

The interview was taken at ON! Fest, Sofia, 16.09.2011 by Victor (pestilence) from MetalHangar18.

– So, how does it feel, this is your fourth time in BG. You’re probably sick of all these questions, but I’m curious – how do you like it here?

– I’ve always liked BG. Sofia has always been a good show, a good crowd and turnout,good energy. We’re always playing bigger halls, cuz someone told me there’s no in-between clubs – it’s either really small or really big, and it doesn’t help the sound for the style of music we’re playing, but still. It was a good option playing here instead of the Pleven festival, which was cancelled, so yeah, great to be here

– Great to hear that ! So, you’re originally from the US, how did it feel when you first arrived in Britain ?

– I was happy, cuz I came from Las Vegas and there were all these laws for drinking, and pretty much going anywhere, you had to be 21. I had just turned 19 at the time I moved to England and it felt great – total freedom! No troubles with the police. And as I got older it became like home to me, really felt right, but the weather, man, just kills me !

– I guess that’s a bitch, yeah ! You were originally from a band called Righteous Pigs, and aside from that you have a lot of side projects. You and Shane did this heavy metal project – Absolute Power – it is, for a lack of a better term, unexpected. What drove you to making this album ?

– It’s just that a good friend of ours, Simon Efemey, that had the vision for the band and we just put it together in the studio – it took like what, 7 years to finish it, because there was no label support. It was finished, it was just what to do with it, how to finally get it released, but it was really fun !

– So, are you planning a big tour after the release of your next album ?

– Well, we’re still touring for Time Waits For No Slave. We’re going to Russia, we haven’t toured that album there yet. 9 dates for Russia, 22 dates for Canada, and then… i don’t know what we’re doing in November – maybe some South America stuff. But when the album comes out in February we’re gonna start over with this cycle where we go everywhere we can for the next 2 or 3 years.

– Speaking of touring, do you have a specific place, country or city where you feel most at home, apart from Britain, i guess ?

– Spain ! I like how it feels there – they stay late, sleep in the afternoon – good stuff !

– I’m not very good with interviews, so is there anything in particular you’d like to share ?

– Well, I’m pretty excited about the new album, it’s gonna be released in February. Again, pretty extreme, but in a different way, we’re exploring new territories quite a bit.

– It’s still in the same vein as your previous efforts ?

– Yeah, but it stands out from the last four, i think. But in a good way !

– Do you have a favourite ND album ?

– This one.

– Time waits for no slave ?

– No, no. The new one! We haven’t released the title yet, for some reason. But before that, i guess TWFNS and Utopia Banished, although I prefer the sound on Mass Appeal Madness.

– That’s a great record !

– Yeah, that’s probably my first favourite recording in ND, but of course I love the older stuff like Scum and FETO.

– Mine is Harmony Corruption. It was recorded in Morrisound Studios by Scott Burns, wasn’t it ?

– Yeah, that was cool, a great snapshot of what was happening at the time, but not my favourite, neither musically nor production-wise.

– You can hear a lot of death metal influences on that album?

– Yeah, it was just one of the things that was happening while we were doing it. We didn’t say „Let’s make it more death metal“, we were just incorporating different styles while doing it – just happened. It happened more on Mentally Murdered, really, it’s where it all started. The tuning was different on Harmony corruption, it was higher, so it made it sound different, it changed quite a lot.

– When i listen to other albums, produced in Morrisound Studios, i keep coming back to Harmony corruption. There’s a very distinct resemblance, in a good way of course. Would you say that the production had anything to do with you „blending in“ among other bands ?

– No, I mean, Harmony Corruption does sound different to all the other ND releases. We (Mitch Harris, Barney Greenway, Jesse Pintado) had just joined the band and we walked into the studio with confidence, knowing they knew how to record extreme music. It wasn’t about trying to sound a certain way or anything. We didn’t have to say much, Scott had a certain system of recording. Jesse had worked with him before on Terrorizer, and it was just easy-going, he was a great guy and and I enjoyed the whole process. Then when it came out and i heard the final product – yeah, it sounds great in a car, but on a home stereo – not so powerful. So i was thinking, I had a different vision for it, and that vision was the sound on Mass Appeal Madness.

– And what about all the stereotypes and frames? People consider you pioneers of grindcore and geniuses of death metal, but how do you feel ? What would you say you guys play ?

– We just play extreme music, influenced by all other forms of music. It could be anything you heard on the radio. Yeah, grindcore is the word that kinda stuck, but there are limitations to that and to classify ND as grindcore would be the first to albums, and Utopia Banished, and how far does it go … To the point where that’s not grindcore anymore. When you put a limit, or a name, or a classification on creativity … it’s stupid. It’s just limiting, people have certain expectations, and thus you have limitations. We never let that shit hold us back. It is what we make it and if people want to refer to it as grindcore in the next 10 or 20 years – ok. I never refer to it as such – I just call it Napalm. Lots of different elements from different genres aid in creating what we do. People would never know how many different styles, not even connected with extreme music, inspire us.

– Earlier (on the meet and greet) you said you were into Pendulum. Most people would think you get your influences from extreme music, but it comes from pretty much anywhere, doesn’t it ? What do you listen to when you’re at home, or in the car ?

– Well, yeah. When I play music in the car, I play it for my kids. They like certain things that I’ve played since they were born, and they love Napalm Death as well ! And to be honest the only extreme music I play in the car is the new ND album. My kids actually know some of the lyrics, I was tripping out the other day, haha! I’m trying to teach them the words to some Beatles’ songs, since they’re still too young to play guitar, but they do get some drum beats. Trying to brainwash them from an early age !

– So would you say there’s a certain band or style that you wouldn’t want to be associated with ? Something you don’t want to be compared to ?

– No, not really. Because of all different influences – anything from death metal, trough hardcore, and even some alternative and industrial parts that ND have incorporated, and that’s why we can play with a band like Therapy? – it just blends. That’s why we’ve been on all kinds of different festivals, even with reggae bands and actually it was pretty interesting ! Doesn’t matter what kind of fest we play – one time it’s Sziget Festival in Budapest which has an audience of 100 thousand people because of the different genres, and then we can be at Wacken which has 100 thousand people, but all of them are metalheads. I like the mixing with different people and it is interesting to watch different bands. We’re getting to play with Tool and Deftones and stuff, and next it’s Slayer !

– Wow, you really listen to all sorts of stuff !

– Yeah, I prefer music with melodic vocals to be honest. That’s why I like electronic music, drum and bass ‘n shit – Aphex Twin, Pendulum, Squarepusher… I like the melodic element, which, you know, kinda makes it pop, but to me that’s inspiring and interesting .

– Wow, thanks and sorry for your time! Hope we get to see you soon (again), haha! It was a pleasure .

– Thank you, it was a pleasure for me as well! Glad we’re getting all the support we can get !

Mitch и Barney with fans and press