This interview was originally featured on Mangel Was the Case Online Zine, a long-gone crust/thrash/hc zine created by my friend Emil from South Dakota/Minnesota. It was conducted through ICQ on May 5, 2000.
EMIL: Boring stuff outta the way fist. Who are you, where are you from?
STU: I am Stu. I play guitar/bass and sing in Napalmarrea, from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
EMIL: Give me a band history, reasons for starting, also plans, like shows, releases, etc.
STU: Band history: we started in May 2000, but the story begins long before this... each member of Napalmarrea were formerly in a band called Kato. We had some political songs, but were mostly just a streetpunk/old school punk band. We sounded similar to Exploited I think. Then we broke up last summer cause the other guys left town for college/university. I joined Out of Step, but me and the old members of my band decided that we would have to get together and protest. Then they came home, and we practiced some new tunes. Luckily we hit it off fairly quickly. We plan on playing many local benefit concerts this summer, as well as playing some out of town shows. We would very much like to release our stuff, it's gonna be a hard thing to do though...
EMIL: Always wanted to know how did you come up with that name?
STU: Well, it was a juxtaposition of the word "napalm" with the word "diarrea". This is in reference to the intense brand of diarrea that seems to stick to one's ass, and burn. Not only did we find it humourous, but we also felt it could be applied politically. The rich have always been shitting on the poor, napalm and other weapons of war are just another examply of this.
EMIL: What are some major musical/and political influences?
STU: Hmmm, for me, my musical influences range a lot. I love bands like Fifteen, and I also like Amebix. I like Disrupt, and I like Black Sabbath. I like Filth, Conflict, and many others. streetpunk, oi, crust, grind, metal, ska, etc... politically, I have been profoundly influenced by Dead Kennedys, Crass, Conflict, Oi Polloi and Fifteen. I also think Henri David Thoreau is cool, Emma Goldman, and many other anarchist philosophers. Neil likes Snuff, Leatherface, Jesse, amongst many other different forms of music. G$ likes all types of stuff.
EMIL: What do most of your lyrics deal with? Any specific subjects that you stress alot? What inspires your lyrics?
STU: Well, all of the lyrics I write are inspired by living in this fucked up world. Working, censorship, etc... but my main obsession of late is how everything is so fucked up, but no one realizes, and if they do, they are often too conned by the comfort of this society to question it. I write about how it's not only our leaders who are fucked up, the WHOLE SYSTEM IS FUCKED UP. This means democracy is shite. Even after a tyrant is ousted from power, another one is ushered in, who will undoubtedly flip-flop from side to side over whatever issue is at hand... fuck that, I want freedom.
EMIL: So are you an anarchist then? Or do you view Anarchy as too utipian?
STU: hmmmm, I think ideally I am an anarchist, although I still possess some of the fears instilled in me by this society. This results in me being very careful and paranoid. I don't think an anarchist society is too utopian. I do believe, like many others, that much must be accomplished before an anarchist society occurs. A complete attitude change in a great population of people must happen. Even for a milder social revolution to occur, change must happen on the individual level.
EMIL: How many ppl veggie/vegan?
STU: Hmm well, I thought all of us were vegetarian, but apparently Neil isn't. He has drastically cut down in meat consumption though, and this is great for him. I am vegetarian, and intend on becoming vegan eventually, and g$ is vegetarian (I'm pretty sure) and I'm also pretty sure he will become vegan as well in the long run.
EMIL: Why do you think veganism is important?
STU: I think it is the an extension of one's belief that exploitation and torture of animals is wrong and unnecessary.
EMIL: What's your hometown scene like?
STU: Hmmm well, that's an interesting question. It kinda fluctuates in interests. When I (and the other guys in this band) got into it, I was younger, and into stuff like the Exploited, but also NOFX. NOFX style stuff was the big thing. Then a few of us started exploring Subhumans (UK), then Citizen Fish, then Crass, then Conflict... one of us got The Philosophy of Punk from AK press, and learned about a bunch of political bands. I have continued this path since then, while others have got into other stuff, sometimes as well as the peace punk type stuff. Anyway, right now, the two big things are Victory Records style hardcore, and Oi. Lots of kids who were into more old school type stuff are getting into the Oi, while another group of people has been into Victory style HC for over a year now. I got into more crusty stuff a year or so ago, and since then have started distroing with another person here, so others are also getting into anarcho-motivated music.
EMIL: So basically you are the only politically minded band in your scene?
STU: oh, well, not exactly... I am in another band as well called OUT OF STEP and we play oldschool melodic hc. Our lyrics are more of a socially/political nature. They are more positive though, while with Napalmarrea, we/I are/am more angry and gloomy. (another musical influence would be Rudimentary Peni). Also, so far, Napalmarrea is exclusively my lyrics (until we start collaberating a bit better, and getting more stuff), and I write about stuff that gets to me.
EMIL: What do you think of the whole Elian Gonzales bullshit?
STU: Well, I don't really know much about him. After finding out about how his mom was dead and his reletives were basically just holding him, I kinda leaned more towards sending him back to his dad. I don't know, it's a hard issue. I dont think there should be borders. I also don't think that Elian Gonzales should be the cause of a third world war... i dunno. i didn't really pay attention to the whole fiasco.
EMIL: You don't think he'd have a better life here in the US?
STU: maybe, but I know that if it was like that with me, I'd rather be with my dad if my mom died. Also, by what standard? Economically yes, with all the companies, and shit sending them clothes and money, but mentally? who knows. Dad's are sometimes important, even if they are authoritarian.
EMIL: What are some good Canadian bands that you like?
STU: (Good canadian bands... honestly, I haven't heard that many.. but I will tell you that Smear Campaign of St. Thomas, Ont. is making some really cool duel-vocalled crust/grind. Check that out. Um, I hear Black Kronstadt is pretty cool, although I've only heard a bit of their stuff.. I LOVE a disbanded quebec band called DISAGREE. Their split with Ungovermental is available from Blackened Distro. SNFU has always been pretty funny. I guess the BFGs are good but I'm not really into them... Dayglo Abortions. they are classic. (also you might wanna check out DECONTROL, Ed.)
EMIL: Anything else you want to say, or whatever?
STU: To all punx who are not realizing their entire political potential, do not feel intimidated. We can resist this system, and we can make a dent in it's corruption. You no longer have an excuse for your apathy. Come out and stand for your beliefs, with your brethren.