1.Hello my friend! Please introduce yourself to the readers.

Hello Adrian, how are you my bro’. Hisham Uglysmokers Tapes from Shah Alam (Malaysia) here and I’m 24 y/o and still going strong and nice too and Big respect to all diy punk/hardcore people in Philippines

2.Can you tell us about UGLYSMOKERS? When did the label start?

I’m doing Uglysmokers Tapes since 99/00 after I have receive lot’s of master diy master tape from all over the world and with BIG help from another the oldest distro from KL called Kontrabrawl Distro (rest in peace) and after that I start a first mail-order list with lot’s of goodies to sell or trade for the kids here, after that we (Uglysmokers / Kontrabrawl) cooperate together to re-release back Indonesia grindcore band Extreme Decay “ Social Warfare ” Tape and it’s limited for 300 copies and sold out now and then release 1 split diy  tape from my hometown band called PENGHAPUS/DISGRACE (raw punk / d-beat attack) but also sold out too, and now I already re-release ANJING TANAH ( Indonesia fastcore ) ep cd-r and INFEST – voice your opinion tape. Keep in touch with me if you wanna have the copies of both stuffs and trade are welcome too.

3.What’s with the label’s name? Is there a special meaning to it?

I think is no special meaning about it, just give it from my friend after see me smoking cigarette like an alien ha ha, by the way I like this name so much coz it’s look so cool for me.

4.Your first release was Anjing Tanah’s EP, how do you find their music? What factor of the band made you want to release their EP?

By the way, Anjing Tanah ‘s Ep cd-r is not my first releases (Oh sorry. I thought it was, coz in his letter he told me that AxTx ep is the 1^st release-Ed.), Please see Question 2 for more info, first I like Anjing Tanah music and lyric so much, it’s totally thrash for my ear’s and political/sarcastic too. One from my friends from Indonesia are friend of the AxT members and both of them also do a Pepaya Records (The label release AxT Ep Tape in Indonesia) and give me a permission to re-release back their EP for kids here and worldwide too, till now I already sold/trade more than 300 copies. Anyone out here if you want a copies please keep in touch with me coz AxT is a fuckin’ killer band in Asian hardcore scene right now, believe me …

5.Are there any other releases so far?

Again, please refer the question 2 and a new one is INFEST – Voice your opinion Tape (pro – done Tape/sleeve) and it’s Bootleg tape with limited for 500 copies with hand number. 200 copies are sold/trade by now.

6.What other DIY projects are you into right now?

Very soon, Uglysmokers Tapes will cooperate with Karatecore Records (another cool records label from Kuala Lumpur) to release Discography of Vitamin X (with their newer stuffs) and maybe will out in 2 month from now, and I’m waiting the artwork sleeve from NoiseKontrol Art n Design (my drummer label and artwork design, also he’s also release lot’s of cool extreme hc/punk tape and cd-r and edit a Detention zines)

7.About UGLYSMOKECORE zine, how’s the zine right now?

Yeah, 2 issue is out (and sold out too) and I’m now busy to collect all material for issue 3 with lot’s of I/v with Gride, Cthuwulf, Dickless Tracy, Hewhocorrupts and many more also lot’s of scene report, column and review too. Maybe out in this June - July 2003, I’m still looking for contribution from Philippine’s diy people and news too. Keep in touch

8.Back to your label, why did you decide to run one? Any problems you might have encountered?

I decide to do a tapes label because I like collecting a diy tape from all over the globe and I choose to do it coz I think it’s easy to communicate from label/band/zines or maybe a people if you have a label. I have communicate with lot’s of people and trade stuffs with them (just like you keep in touch with me right) The problem if you done a label if someone told you a rip off person even you already sent your stuffs to him but he/her don’t receive the stuffs. I got lot’s of problem of this, if someone wanna keep in touch, please send me your current/clearly address and it’s nice too if you send me some extra money for register your package (another way if you want your stuffs safely) and to do a pro tape or sleeve is totally expensive here and take more money if you make some color sleeve, that’s why some other diy pro-tape here use blank/white cover than color, but I’m still looking alternative for that, wish me good luck …

9.How are things running right now in the label? Any problems? How do you manage keeping all your projects up?

So far so good by now but not all diy kids here (Malaysia) buy or trade with my stuffs, but I don’t care it at all coz I love what I do and what I choose. I’ll do my entire project if I have all my money back and rolling again to do a new stuffs and my girlfriend help me a lot’s (money/moral support)

10.What are your criteria in signing a band? What aspects are you looking for in a band?

I’ll release or re-release the stuffs from band I like and if someone want me to help to release the stuffs here, I’ll help the band as I can, depend about my money or time, but I still looking forward any good Asian Grindcore/Extreme hardcore to release in my label, if you’re in the band, just send me your demo to me and maybe I’ll do something for your band in my label, who know …

11.Are there any new bands in the UGLYSMOKERS roster? What’s the latest release?

Infest – voice your opinion tape is a new release from Uglysmokers Tapes and it’s u$3 for Asian kids or fair trade and Vitamin X – Discography Tape split release with Karatecore records, also 2 other stuffs is coming up like HeWhoCorrupts Tapes and Verge On Reason – Grind over Malaysia tape will be out after Vitamin X tape, just keep your eyes open.

12.How do you work with the bands? Do you have contracts or any other forms of arrangements?

I’m just promise the band, I’ll do a 300 or 500 copies of tape and the band will have their royalty like 50 copies or more, that’s all. NO shit contract or bullshit arrangements …

13.About your band, could you tell us some news? The current line-up? Is there any stuff you want to promote?

I have a rawest grindcore band called SelfMadeGod and now we already release 14-track demo tape and 17-track demo cd-r (with same song on demo tape plus 4 extra live song from our 1^st gig) plus re-release back in Indonesia, Germany and Brazil and soon we’ll split tape with A friends For Life (old school hardcore from Indonesia) Desmaad (crustcore mayhem from Germany) and Hate Corrision (brazil crazy ass grindcore) and some other compilation tape and cd. If someone interested about our demo cd-r, just keep in touch with me thru my address or email first. We’re looking forward to split with any grindcore band from Philippines! The line –up till now are Sham – mouth, Wan Hazril – Axe and Husni – bacteria. After that Wan Hazril is Bassist of Nyi Blorong (catchy New school hardcore) and Husni is vocalist of Holokrust (mangel raw punk) both band already have a demo. Then I’m ex-vocalist of Opprobrium Adornment (RIP) (harsh power violence grind with already out a split tape with crusty hardcore punk - Melarat) and Banzai 606 (hardcore grind with already have 1 ep tape and 8 way split cd under rottenness records from brazil)

14.Let’s know more about you. What are your influences? Your favorite bands? Give us your top 5 grindcore releases.

I’m 24 years old kid who love extreme hardcore/grindcore scene since 98 and till now, my influences is more to my diy friends all over the world and as you know maybe I’ll be listen grunge or techno music if my drummer (Husni) not sending me a Agathocles tape to me and start from that, I’m searching more stuffs like Agathocles and here we are now, My favorite band is Mass Separation, Gride, Mrtva Budounost, Quattro Stagioni, Infest, Man is The Bastard and billion others, Here is my play list of grindcore selection till now:

1-Quattro Stagioni – self title tape

2- Gride/See You In Hell – split cd-r

3-Comrades – The early days of masked bunch Cd

4- Rot – old dirty grindcore Cd

5 – Cripple Bastards – everything and lot’s more …

15.You must be always busy with all of your projects. What do you do in your spare time? Do you have a job? School?

By the way, I’m still jobless now and I’m work for Uglysmokers tapes till I have a good job soon (and still looking a job now, wish me good luck), I’m spare my time 50-50 for Uglysmokers and friends, girlfriend, family and go to gigs or everything, I’ll do Uglysmokers if I think I have to do something new releases to do it … no big deal here…

16.Can you tell us about the scene in your area? How are the activities over there? Any problems in the scene like non-cooperation and other indecent acts?

My hometown? Shah Alam is a little big scene since 98-01 but now lots of band, label, and zine are gone with the wind now but we here got lots of cool band like Dirty Dog, Disgrace, Disgruntled, Banzai 606, SelfMadeGod and lot’s more with I don’t know their name but still good to check it out.all the band I mention is already put 1-3 releases till now and also here we have lot’s of zine scene like Detention, Apoqohell, Uglysmokecore and more …and most active label/distro like Ungrateful Bastards, Noisekontrol, Disarmement, Pissart and Uglysmokers itself, all band/label/zine are co-operation together each other and we have no big problem here seem we’re all friends from long time ago …

17.Thanks Hisham for this interview. Good luck! So, any last words, stuff to promote, etc.? Thanks again bro!

Yeah, Thanks Adrian, this is my first interview for my shitty label and first time from oversea too, tough question too heh … people out there if you want release or re-release back your stuffs in Malaysia or Asian, just keep in touch with me and maybe I can help to make something here, Very soon I’ll release Vitamin X Tape with another fuckin’ cool label from Kuala Lumpur KARATECORE records and after that’s I’ll release 2 stuffs like HeWhoCorrupts and Verge On Reason (who will tour Malaysia in 2004) and lot’s more killer stuffs and so on and more stuffs from SelfMadeGod too, ok Adrian, hope you like what I’m answering here with my fuckin’ shit English, keep up the good work kid, hope you can make something for your scene soon, wish you good luck with your activities. Thanks brother … let’s the grinding continues …

HISHAM,

Or uglysmokecore@yahoo.com And please visit www.oocities.org/noisekontroll for more news update from Uglysmokers Tapes, NoiseKontrol Records and SelfMadeGod