Originally published in ‘zine issue #1, 1991
I went down to the thrash band Medussa’s practice space to do an interview, as the band had a few new things going on. The guys in Medussa are easy going, goofy, and angry at different times. The band has a new release, the follow-up to the Fright demo from a while back. So here we go.
D.U.: First off, tell me the inside scoop on the new demo, Convulsions.
Pete, bass: It’s not a demo, to begin with. It’s an actual nine-song cassette album, for only six bucks. And we feel it’s a complete and utter fuckin’ killer bargain, man.
Chris, vocals: Yes it is. The only thing that’s missing from it is the insert, but we’re trying to work out a deal with maybe some record shit. Combat and Priority. But it’s good. You gotta hear it.
So how do you like it as compared to the Fright demo? [laughs]
Gus, guitar: The interviewer laughs!
Pete: Actually, Fright was all Gus’ fault.
Chris: I dunno. You can compare. Take a brand-new, killer, shiny 1991 Corvette, and go look at the mold growing on the wall over there. That’s the difference.
Gus: Even to the way we sound nowadays, that tape is way different too. I wanna emphasize the fact that, okay, this tape was recorded a year ago. It’s only being released now because of budget, bandmember problems, hemorrhoidal tissue in the band, like my friend Pete there. Go see the shows, man.
Pete: We had a revolving door with second guitar players for a while.
So what do your lyrics deal with?
Chris: Stupidity of everything we have to see when we open our eyes each morning.
Pete: And life itself is completely stupid. I hope one day we wipe it all off the face of the planet. Give the machines a chance.
Gus: Bureaucracy in the fuckin’ government, man.
Chris: Alright, Gus has got the floor.
Gus: And four pounds of pussy, that too. That’s all I gotta say.
Chris: It really deals with the things that you encounter. It doesn’t deal with “multi-death, kill again.” No, we’re not just that. Death is neat, but it’s not neat when it’s you. I mean, everybody praises death, but I’d like to see it come to them and watch them praise God as the shadow of death comes over their fuckin’ body. We believe in life.
Pete: The struggle of life is pretty much what it’s all about, man, you know? That’s what thrash is.
How is the Washington, D.C. area scene right now?
Pete: Well, for D.C., I think everything is closed down pretty much to the Bayou. And there’s a couple smaller clubs, but, y’know, it’s hard to get people into the smaller clubs. And the 9:30 Club, the owner really doesn’t wanna deal with any metal or hardcore. A few national acts come through, and he might let a metal band play, but otherwise—
Chris: The scene’s good in D.C., but you can’t play a hundred times in the same [place]. I would recommend that to any band that wants to play out live, play out, play parties—
Pete: They’ll follow you everywhere, basically.
What do you guys think of George Bush?
Pete: [laughs] He’s definitely incompetent. His whole administration is, basically, y’know? We’re seeing political families develop just like royal families.
Chris: I’m probably speaking too soon, but I’ve seen less scandal during his years as a president, at least so far, than anybody else in the last presidencies, you know?
Pete: He’s being blamed for a lotta stuff, too.
Chris: I know that they’re trying to prove that he sold Iran weapons while Iran held our hostages over there.
Pete: To hold the release date until Reagan was gonna go in. I think he should fuckin’ go to [prison] if that’s true, man.
Dave, comment?
Dave, drums: Uh, I dunno. I think he’s a lot better president than Reagan. I like him more than Reagan, but he doesn’t, y’know, cause much waves.
Chris: Oh yeah, we also wanna make it clear that we totally support the growth and consumption of marijuana.
Pete: I think everybody should learn how to drink and drive, personally. I’m serious. I’m a drunk and I hate M.A.D.D. mothers, man.
Gus: Pete’s a member of D.A.M.M. I’d like to say this, man—
Pete: He will, too. I warn you.
Gus: That’s nice, but buy the tape. Go see the shows. Support the fuckin’ scene most of all, because fuckin’ metal is dying out. It is, man.
Are you going to start saying at your shows, “Dial MTV and get rid of the host”?
Pete: Sure. Everybody should do that. Even house pets.
Gus: Headbangers Ball is a fuckin’ joke anyway.
Last comments?
Gus: Like I say, instead of sitting at home, watching fucking Who’s the Boss?, you fucking losers, go to the fuckin’ shows, man. People fuckin’ spend hours and hours practicing at this shit. Fuckin’ go support the scene.
Dave: Ditto.
Chris: When I watch TV, I watch the lower dot on the right-hand side really intently, and I watch nothing else on the screen. That’s all I have to say.
Pete: Machines have rights too, and organic creatures deserve only death. ■
Photo: Medussa (courtesy the band)
