What was the first band that really got you into hardcore?
After listing to some local hardcore and punk bands (from HORROR BUSINESS RECORDS) I checked out bands like Minor Threat, Youth of today and Rawside.
How did things get started for your band?
Our former guitar player and Maz (the singer) wanted to start a band and searched for a drummer. One of my friends just started playing drums and then they asked me if I would like to join them to play the bass.
Did you always want to be a hardcore band? Were there ever any other possible sounds you might have aimed for?
I might sound a little bit cheesy, but we weren’t any big musicians. So we just started to play some chords in a fast way and Maz screamed to it.
What’s your biggest influence that doesn’t come from hardcore/punk?
I think the stuff you see everyday influences us. We fell pissed and sad about things and in some way these feelings influence the lyrics and the whole thing we are doing.
Tell me a little bit about Spastic Fantastic. How did you get involved with them?
Maz is a kind of “Johnny on the spot”, he makes some colourful shirts, and puts on great shows with some friends. We decided to record a demo tape. He decided to start a label. So he is running Spastic Fantastic and puts out records.
Maz sells sexy shirts and hot records for fair prices. He will send them all over the world to make you happy!
I've noticed that you are doing a Christmas tour this year. Will that just be taking you around Germany, or are you planning on hitting up some other countries too?
We are trying to escape from Christmas with the punks from Sidetracked. We're playing some shows in Germany.
Have you toured many countries outside of Europe before? Any other tours planned? Any plans to come to the UK?
We've only played shows in Germany. But for such a young band, as we are, we visited some great places and the people who put up shows were all amazing.
When somebody invites us to play a show in his or her country we will get in the van. Fuck the borders.
It seems like German hardcore is an amazing scene right now, with so many awesome bands putting out 7"s or demotapes or whatever. Do you feel like being a part of that has helped you to create your music? Is there a sense of togetherness and community about it?
Yeah, you are right. Many people start playing in bands and they have great outputs.
Previous generations fought for free spaces and a kind of infrastructure and people can use it.
I think through the Internet these developments are pushed. We are kind of part of it, cause we played shows with these bands or Maz and the PollyrocketCrew put up shows for them.
Many people try to support each other and it’s a kind of community with common goals.
How come so many of your songs are in English?
English is understandable by the most, especially when it is such a easy “School-English” like ours.
I also think it can feel strange screaming in German but I cant say it for sure cause I am not the singer.
Do any members of OPD have any side-projects or other bands that they play in?
Yeah, as I told you Maz is doing thousands projects. He is running Razing Nightmare clothing, Spastic Fantastic Records, helps to put up shows with PollyRocket, he plays in a other band called Napoleon Dynamite and he is also programming homepages and graphic stuff as a kind of freelancer.
Our new guitar player Lars plays in a band called DeadEndDavid and I play the bass in Sidetracked.
Do OPD have any new releases planned? Or are you just touring now with the Alarmstufe Gerd split?
Through a line-up change we don’t have any firm plans. But we want to play shows and I think someday we will record new songs.
Any shout-outs or bands you'd like to recommend?
Mh, I don’t know where to start and where to end.
But thanks to the people who keep this thing going and giving their heart in it.
So it would be great when you check out www.spasticfantastic.de and www.majorthreat.de
Any last words, advice, words of inspriation, or messages?
Thanks for your attention and keep running your radioshow!
Check out the stuff we spoke about.
Even in this world of shit there are beautiful flowers.
So try to make a change and take care. Know what I mean?
Thanks very much to OPD for taking part in the interview. Listen in to the Crasier Frane show on Friday (17th of October) at 1pm for a show dedicated to Japanese hardcore.
