PURE IMPACT INTERVIEW NUMBER 16

Could you give us a general introduction to the band?

The band was formed in the year 1984, however I've been on the music scene since 1981. Together with a friend of mine, Key, we formed a band called Los Desalmados. Musically it was similar to the Sex Pistols, just not anarchist. Then we began to play faster music, like hardcore, as there were a lot of homosexuals and drug addicts within the Punk scene, and we didn't want to have anything to do with them. This is why we then, in 1983/84, began to play OI! music. Our lyrics have always remained the same though

What was the cause for the band to split up and reform again? What's the band's line-up now?

As we are a nationalist band, we've always had difficulties, actually performing (due our political stance), and many of our musicians left the band in order to avoid these. We also separated at one point, due to the death of our bass player, but reformed and have been back on the battlefield since October 1991, because we feel that we have got a lot of things to say.

Do you still play the straightforward OI! you used to play a couple of years ago, or has your musical style changued?

Our musical style changued because we have progressed a lot, not just musically, but also our lyrics have improved. Now we have Marcelo, who originally came from the Rock n Roll scene, on guitar, and El Gallego on bass who comes from the Punk scene, just like Topo (drums) and myself. This enables us now to revert to different styles (Heavy, Punk and Rock n Roll), but the lyrics remain very important to us.

What kind of topics do you sing about. Are there any of these topics you feel strongly about?

We sing about the problemes we have thoughout our country, which I think are the same in every big city in the world: unemployement, illegal inmigration, drug pushing (in our case done by 'black heads' from Bolivia) and we especially want to clarify a lot of things people don't know about, simply because nobody voices them, either because of fear or whatever reason, I don't know why. We also do lot of revisionist and pagan themes, and we want to stop certain lies being spread. I'm prepared to risk myself for my ideology. I'm not a child anymore, I'm 29 years old and so, as comrade Ezra Pound say: 'If a man is not ready to take risks for his opinions, then it's because either his opinions are worthless or he is.

Is there any particular reason why your lyrics have become more political over the years?

As I said before, if we don't take risks, no-one else will risk themselves for us. Politics is a risk in itself, nationalism is a risk, your ideals become a risk... we don't want to be just another stupid Rock n Roll band.

Could you tell us something about your past vinyl releases and the reactions to them?

We have got an EP AL K.O from the year 1987 with 4 songs Me cago en la yuta (I fuck the cops), Grito proletario (Proletarian outcry), Carecas do Suburbio (Skinheads from the suburbs) and Kaos (a 4 Skins cover). The 1500 copies sold out in a week, and people as well as the press liked it. Then in 1988 we were on a Punk compilation LP called Invasion 88. The record company (Radio Tripoli) included us because they knew we sold a lot, but we don't actually have anything to do with those bands. We have already had some problems with one of our songs on that compilation Ultimo Recurso (Last Resort), wich says 'No left, no right ... third position'

Are there any plans for the new releases soon? Would it be on Radio Tripoli again?

We have recorder a new demo with 4 songs: Soy de barrio (I'm from the suburbs), El dios del trueno (The god of thunder), Mira y piensa (Look & think), and then a cover of the Cockney Rejects song Fighting in the streets. We are thinking of putting it out independently, either here or in Europe. So, if there is anyone interested, please get in touch with us. Here, the only record company is Radio Tripoli, but they have shamed us, and now they are producing Trash metal bands.

Do you manage to play out a lot in Buenos Aires, or is it hard to get concerts?

We play whenever we can. For other bands this is easy, but we are prohibited.

How's the Skinhead scene in Argentina?

I was the first Skinhead in Argentina and after some time, quite a good scene developed. In 1987 there were between 100-150 Skinheads in Buenos Aires (suburbs), but we had a lot of problems: fights against Punks, heavy's and drug addicts, wich lead to some deaths and that was that really broke the movement. At the time, Comando Suicida was the only OI! music band, but afterwards 2 other bands formed: Doble Fuerza y Defensa y Justicia. The first one now plays soft OI, the 2^nd don't play at all anymore. Other bands around are 2 Minutos, who play proletarian OI! and a couple of other bands are forming. The average age of the older skins is between 22-26 years and the new skins are between 15-18 years old. Comando Suicida hasn't played any concerts at all this year. We're going to see what's happening. Our audience was never less than 500 people in the past.

Are there any Skinhead fanzines in your country? What do you think of fanzines, do you think they have an important role to play?

We haven't got any Skinhead fanzines in Argentina, just punk & trasher zines, because they're more commercial movements. I'm thinking about doing one, which we will be called Ultimo Recurso like the Comando Suicida song. I think fanzines are very important for our movement. I like Last Chance, British OI! and of course Pure Impact a lot.

Is there anything else you wanted to say to close off this interview?

Thanks Peter for your interview, remember us and cheers to all the Skinheads in the world.