part 2:

INTERVIEW WITH ERIC CASTRO

from TRAITOR 'ZINE #3, issued in early 2002.
used with permission from Sean boy.

First off I Eric I want to say it is quite the privilege and honor to speak with you on NAUSEA’s reformation plans. Very few of "the kids" today know who NAUSEA and MAJESTY (even fucking TERRORIZER now!) were and how  those bands exerted quite a cult influence over the crust/grind scene. So my first question to you is this: Why the extreme delay in getting back together? WHY did you guys originally break up to begin with?

delay man i dont know it just happend maybe all the fucked up things going around us pushed us to do it again..with more balls and effort than ever .the break up ??well it was only an intermission  hahaha!
MAJESTY was the band you guys all had going on before TERRORIZER and NAUSEA, correct? When did MAJESTY end exactly  and what was the reason for stopping that project? Why didn’t you go straight into drumming for TERRORIZER instead of Sandoval filling the seat behind the kit? Now, by the time NAUSEA formed, noise-grindcore was well-established in the scene, but I am curious as how  the heads responded to neanderthalic/ black-metal tinged death metal such as MAJESTY?
yeah majesty was where it all started...terrorizer was a different thing, pete was their drummer (and my mentor hahaha!) majesty turned out to be like a cult thing it was crazy and turned out good i always get prop's for the majesty project. [With due reason, MAJESTY were fucking AWESOME my noisenheimers!  --Se@n]
Now, did NAUSEA form right away from the ashes of TERRORIZER? I believe there was a NAUSEA/TERRORIZER split soundboard rehearsal  released in 1988, correct? Did the two projects exist at the same time or was NAUSEA formed as TERRORIZER looked like it was going to be winding down from being active?
yes nausea/terrorizer were busy @ the same time we would play shows together alot.
Now, the earliest NAUSEA recordings I have are the split bootleg LP with TERRORIZER (I’m assuming they were taken from the same split demo). These recordings are fucking GODLY noisecore witht hat classic late 80s crust tinge…however, by the time the LP came out on WILD RAGS RECORDS you guys had developed a fairly prolific sounding "industrial" type of grind (minus blastbeats). Why was this? Did this feel like a natural progression over writing "simplistic" (but insane and CATCHY) noisecore? There was still this skanky kind of groove (in a good way, not like fucking SLIPKNOT) even with the "slow" trax!
well when we started out we were doin’ crust/core noise and it developed into industrial/grind/crust and still heading the same path.
I think like my 3rd gig was seeing NAUSEA play the infamous WATERS CLUB in SAN PEDRO with ENTETY in 1991 (I was 17…NAUSEA fucking blew me away of course…I still can’t get the images of the huge death-swirl pit you had going on and Oscar’s raped-hag screams)….what I’m looking for in this next question are your thoughts on the old L.A. grind scene (specifically the BACKYARD scene) and how things are now (I know, a generic and tired question but nosy fuckers like me still want to know!). Do you ever get some embarrising props around town or at parties as having played an integral part of the old scene? You guys really made some fuckin’ history you know!!!
for a time the old backyard scene kicked ass chicks/booze/noise/and drugs that was tha shit now is a bit different. [???HOW!!!???  --Se@n]
What type of kit/equipment do you use now/"back in the day." Favorite drummers? Who/what  inspired you to start pounding the skins? How the fuck did you get the nickname "Dr. Blastbeat"???
i play a premier kit with sabian cymbals. fave drummers?? too many to mention it would maybe have to be from pete sandoval to steward copeland, but mainly what inspired me and still does  is my father he's an awsome drummer he is almost 60 and still gigging, he always enncourages me to play I love that kat! dr.blastbeat?? shit i dont know man I thought i was more of an amature gynocologist in a way hahaaha!
I understand you’ve been active with some fairly "mainstream" types of projects…specifically  some reggae-action and dub-triphop  involving noisecore meets scratches?? Tell ALL about these projects and were there any recordings worth mentioning???
yeah after nausea's intermission i wanted to keep busy. I jammed out with different heads to stay in touch with music. I did dub-sessions with some guy eddie dread it was fun no recordings thou,,than "CIRCA" which was great music cross over massive attack/radiohead there were some re-hearsal out recorded but drugs got in the way..also there was RED COUCH alternative punkish project with a demo "dect"and then I helped out some ol' buddies drumming to blues,,but im finally home back were i belong.
What goals do you and the rest of NAUSEA have to accomplish (musically and lyrically?)? I asked  Oscar how old you guys are and if age plays somewhat of a factor in jamming out some fresh noise before you get too wheelchair-bound to make  anything "worthwhile" (a fact I think is retarded…I know for a FACT I’ll be grinding when I’m 80…I’m pushing 30 now and am still a fucking noisecore weirdo blasting FEAR OF GOD and FILTHY CHRISTIANS at my neighbors).
our goal is to do what we know and enjoy doing which is music for the angry people in the world! age well its only numbers man i still got the anger and energy to do what i want.
Here’s a 180 for you (and I’m gonna ask Oscar the same shit too), I want to get your HONEST opinions on racism in the L.A. area (both against Chicanos/Latinos/Hispanics and also "reverse racism" against  "whites"). I have no idea about your cultural background Eric (are you Chicano? Latino? Hispanic? "Other"??? WHAT???) but I would like to know how it has affected your life since Southern California is such melting pot for said cultures . The reason I bring this up is that I am a Scandinavian person (literally 50% Norwegian) who has entirely lived my life in South Cally, YET I have experienced numerous "soft racial" vibes/comments from the various "indigenous" cultures AGAINST "whites" (even with the family members of the various "Mexican" girlfriends I’ve had) and also against themselves (I.E.: Hispanics and Latins "hate" each other like  Americans and Canadians trip out on each other HA HA!!!). If L.A. is such a ‘melting pot", then why is there such an unnessecary schism amongst the races???
racism sux! but fuck it I dont care what he or she thinks or say's,,that's why I love Los angeles it's so multi-cultured. [And multi-shitheaded.  --Se@n]
How about "hard drugs" (not budz…budz are a vitamin NOT a drug essa!!!)…yer opinions please!!!
I love q's #10 : ), drugs have and do play a very important role in our live's, you just can’t let them control you mentally or phisycally you always got to be in control! I think the world would of been a boring place to be in without the booze [I fuckin’ love this guy...  --Se@n]..the drugs,,,and the women of course!
How does it feel knowing that BILL STEER is wearing a NAUSEA shirt in the LP of CARCASS "Symphonies Of Sickness" LP??? Who sent him that shirt??? What do you think of his new spacerock  band FIREBIRD (I think they ROCK like RICKI RACHTMAN!!!)!!!???
i really dont know who sent bill that shirt? it felt good carcass "was" a great band..firebird?? never heard them. [They’re actually fucking RAD ‘n’ catchy 70s style cockrock-stonercore...COOL shit! I WOZ IMPRESSED!  --Se@n]
Why wouldn’t PESSIMISER records put out NAUSEA material???  I heard (from MAX WARD/625…who I think is a fucking poser dickhead) that Chris/PESSIMISER wasn’t impressed with the THREE LPS worth of material you had??? TELL ALL!!!
Who is pessimiser?? fuck what he thinks or say's! [Chris is a whitezican, though he seems to be a super cool nigga...Max Ward is a putzy shithead worthy of multiple throat-slashings...just for the sheer fact that I have NOW found out that Max LIED about that rumor of PESSIMISER putting yer shit out! I’m kidding, Max would be worthy of multiple throat-slashings REGARDLESS!!!  --Se@n]
What can we expect from NAUSEA in the NEAR future??? GIGS??? RECORDS??? AUTOGRAPHED TOASTERS??? Tell Alll!!! And OH YEAH…leave yer shout-outs and hails my friend!!! ALL HAIL MAJESTY/TERRORIZER/NAUSEA!!!  --Se@n
the future is happening now! more noise for the angry/drug addicts out there ,and yes we are all working hard in the studio making new music,,we will be gigging soon ..also look out for the re-release of "crimes againts humanity" and rare recordings on cd thru Half Life records
[Last minute Correction: now they're gonna be issued on COLLAPSED UNITY records. -FASSBY]
thanx SeaN for taking the time to do this,,thanx to every one out there supporting noise,,long live booze,,chixs..drugs...and doom/crust/core!!! also zup to john "halfLife records"...Rich asprec (stay evil... ) all imported beer..all the strip joints specially  the girls @ sam's hoff brau (I Lust for you all!) and all you drug dealers out there [Even J-SIN???  --Se@n] , thanx for keeping the party aalive! a big fuck you to all the backstabbing hater's out there(you know who you are!) "David Lynch iz tha shyt!!!!!" -- Eric Castro
the end?

 





go back to Nausea Menu page
go to Eric Castro summer 2001 interview (by Pier)
go to the studio photo gallery