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Hrvoje Bubić | Interview with Big John Duncan
Hrvoje Bubić
Big John Duncan
Intervju sa Big John Duncanom, najpoznatijim kao gitaristom The Exploiteda, kultnim britanskim punk bandom osnovanim u Edinburghu. The Exploited je u samom početku njegovao street punk zvuk koji se kasnije formirao u dosta brži i žešći hardcore punk. Prvi je album čiji će naslov krasiti mnoge zidove, zakrpe i torbe diljem svijeta te postati jedna od najizvikivanijih punk krilatica ikad ‘Punk’s Not Dead’.
For start, could you tell me about your music influence, how did you get in punk rock movement, what is your opinion on punk rock movement, could you explain us meaning of Punk82 & OI! ?
BJD: I have many many different musical influences, I started by listening to the music which was in my house, Im the youngest by 10 years and had 3 older sisters, so I was always exposed to everything they were listening to, like the Rolling Stones, Frank Ifield, Engelbert Humperdink, LuLu, Beatles etc, also had a cousin who was slightly more into music so was introduced to things like Bloodwyn Pig, Humble Pie etc, when I got a bit older myself I was into Slade and Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, Allman Bros and Status Quo etc. That was my beginning of my music tastes, then into Bill Nelson’s Be Bop Deluxe in a big way, that was my favourite band when I joined the Exploited … But, during my whole beginnings of getting into and listening to music, I suppose my biggest influence was Blue’s and old Boogie Woogie music, I loved that, Its the first music that turned my head so to speak, made me actually feel something inside … So all this would have been mid to late 60’s, I was born in 1958 … Yes Im that old …
In 1979 I worked in a record store in Glasgow called Listen Records, they opened a branch in Edinburgh, so I moved there to work in the new shop …On saturday we used to play all the new punk stuff, so the shop would be full of punks hanging out … At the time there was a place called “Blair St”, its where all the Edinburgh bands used to rehearse at the time, one night with a few mates we went down to watch the Exploited rehearse, have a few smokes and beers and generally hang out and have a laugh … One particular night their Bass player (Marc Patrizzio) didn’t turn up, so I said, oh I can play the bass for you I’ll just watch and see what the guitarist was doing and follow him … So that was just fine … then they had a bit of a break from the music, so I picked up the guitar, as playing bass is pretty limited, and started to bash around on the guitar … a week later they had sacked their guitar player (Stevie “HayBoy” Hay) and asked me to join the band as the guitar player … the rest is now History as they say …
The meaning of Punk 82 ??? I don’t even know what that means, in 1982, we were in a Punk band playing Punk music and doing Punk things, i.e. : trying to look as off as possible, ripped fucked up spray painted home made clothes, crazy hair colours and styles, and hating everything that your parents liked …
„OI“, I never associated myself with OI, after all OI is actually 01, which is the prefix for dialing London on the telephone, and we were Scottish, so I never had fuck all to do with OI … just a label created to stick on Punks and Skins … actually I think it was more a skinhead thing … I was never a skinhead, well actually I was, but that was in the early / mid 70’s when I was young and stupid and run about in gangs in Glasgow getting into fights and getting drunk, and basically being an obnoxious little shit …
How is Exploited founded?
Exploited was actually founded by Terry Buchan (Watties Wee brother) who then gave it up and his big brother took over …
You released 1st. singles Army Life/Fuck a Mod, Barmy Army?
No, Army Life was on Red Rhino.
Dead Cities via your own label Exploited Recordings?
Not true, Dead Cities is on Secret Records
Then later on Secret Records you release 1st. album Punk’s Not Dead, like the name says reaction on whole music and life situaction (working class, unemployment, Falkland Wars and of course Margaret Thatcher) and it is considered classic of 80’s punk rock, then you were on tour, supported by Anti-Nowhere League, ever been on tour with ANL?
No, we never done any tour with Anti Nowhere League, we done a few gigs with them here and there … We toured with Slaughter and the dogs …We toured with Cockney Rejects …We toured with the Damned …We toured with Anti Pasti …We toured with GBH …We NEVER repeat NEVER toured with ANL …
And you were guest on Top Of The Pops, performing song Dead Cities?
Yes we were. If the deal is to sell enough records, then you go on the show, we obviously sold a lot of records that week … Also we generated the most complaints that the BBC ever had to deal with … ha ha ha…
Which resulted feud with another punk rock band Conflict?
I can’t remember that being the cause of the feud … or maybe it was, I think they were a bit jealous of us, cause we were more handsome, and could easily kick their ass … Also I used to call them CORNFLAKE …
Second album Troop of Tomorow continues in that direction with songs like Fuck USA, influenced on bands like Discharge, Agnostic Front, song UK82 was covered by Slayer as LA92 as soundtrack for the movie Judgement Night. The third album Let’s start the war… (Said Maggie One Day) was your last Exploited album but without your name, can you explain why, what was reason you left Exploited and your opinion on Exploited’s legacy?
I left because I was totally fed up being in a band with a stupid pig ignorant singer, who wanted everything his own way, and couldn’t see sense if he was standing right in front of it … Plus all the fun was really out of the band … And I have no idea why my name is not on the album, as I wrote half of the songs, probably Walters idea, as he likes to rip people off …
Later you joined band Square Peg, the bend of your friend Larry (Mr Square Peg) Nicol then Blood Uncles and Goodbye mr. Mackenzie, which totale oppose to the rawness of Exploited, with Shirly Manson, later front women Garbage as lead vocal, also you were roadie for Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Twisted Sister and Ministry, played in movie These Blazeing Starrs. I heard that you met David Bowie, could you tell us and of course collaboration with Steve Aoki (which was mention in interview with Erik Tunison).
Square Peg, for me was never a band, I just helped Larry (Mr Square Peg) Nicol. As he’s my mate, so I went into the studio and recorded some tracks for him to sing over …
Have met with David Bowie a few times over my career, he actually recognised me in a club in London (Gossips) we had been on the front page of SOUNDS (Music Paper), had a good old natter with him, and he also knew what he was talking about, he had obviously listened to the Exploited …
The collaboration was actually with Robert Smit (SICKBOY DJ) he wrote the track … Erik Tunison (drummer DIE KREUZEN) and myself (GUITAR) made the track … Steve Aoki only sang on it, but included it on his CD, so we all went to LA to make a video …
For end, what are your future plans, still active as musician? I heard that you are retired because multiple sclerosis and you love to collect electric guitars. What are your favorite models and would you ever visit Split, Croatia?
Im still active as a musician, but because of the MS, I’ve had to approach guitar playing from a different angle, so Im just learning to make a different style for myself, my right hand is still pretty good, which is great as thats where all the timing is … my left hand is not so good, but I’m simplifying things for myself and getting on just fine … I jam with a few friends for fun, and still have a rehearsal space here in Amsterdam … I love to make noise …
Favourite guitars? Very difficult, I have many fine instruments which come into their own, depending on what sort of music I’m making at the time … I have a Gretsch Silver Jet, which I love dearly, such an awesome guitar, also a Black Gibson Flying Vee which is a very cool guitar … At home I also have a guitar by a company called Italia, and the model is the MODENA, it’s just awesome, but recently I bought my first Baritone Guitar, it’s made by EASTWOOD and it’s the Sidejack Blackout … Its my fav at the moment, I just can’t stop playing it … very cool guitar indeed And of course I’d visit Croatia, why wouldn’t I? Always looking for new experience … Love to travel and discover, love trying out new food experiences from all over the world …
Hrvatski prijevod
Za početak, možete li nam reći kako ste ušli u punk rock pokret, koje je Vaše mišljnje o tom pokretu, te možete li nam objasniti značenje Punk82 & OI?
Imao sam mnogo različitih glazbenih utjecaja, počeo sam slušati glazbu koja se mogla čuti u mojoj kući. Deset godina sam mlađi od moje tri starije sestre, te sam uvijek bio izložena svemu što su one slušale, poput Rolling Stonesa, Frank Ifield, Engelbert Humperdink, LuLu, Beatles itd. Također sam imao rođaka koji je malo više bio u glazbi pa me upoznao sa stvarima kao što su Bloodwyn Pig. Humble Pie i sl., Kao malo stariji počeo sam slušati stvari poput Slade i Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, Allman Bros i Status Quo, itd., To je bio početak mojih glazbenih ukusa, a onda sam otkrio Bill Nelsonov Be Bop Delux, a to je bio moj omiljeni bend u trenutku kada sam se pridružio The Exploitedu … Ali za vrijeme svih mojih početaka slušanja glazbe, pretpostavljam da je na mene najveći utjecaj izvršila stara bluse boogie woogie glazba, jako mi se sviđala, to je prva glazba koja me pokrenula, učinila da u sebi osjećam nešto … Dakle, sve bi to bilo kasnih 60-ih, a rođen sam 1958. … Da, ja sam tako star …
Godine 1979. radio sam u prodavaonici u Glasgowu pod nazivom Listen Records, otvorili su podružnicu u Edinburghu, pa sam se preselio tamo da radim u novoj trgovini … Subotom smo puštali sve nove punk stvari, pa bi trgovina bila puna punkere koji bi tu „visili“ … U to je vrijeme postojalo je mjesto koje se zvalo “Blair St”, gdje su svi bendovi iz Edinburgha obično vježbali. Jedne noći s nekoliko kolega otišao sam tamo da gledamo probu The Exploiteda, pušiti, popiti pivo i općenito se družiti, nasmijati… Jedne večeri kada im se basista (Marc Patrizzio) nije pojavio, rekao sam im: Oh, mogu ja svirati bas, samo ću gledati i vidjeti što gitarista radi i slijedit ga … To je izgledalo u redu…. Kada su uzeli pauzu od svirke podigao sam gitaru, jer sviranje basa ima svoja ograničenja te sam se počeo zezati na gitari… Tjedan dana kasnije oni su otpustili svog gitarista (Stevie “HayBoy” Hay) i zamolili me da se pridružim bendu kao gitarista … ostatak je, kao što kažu, povijest …
Značenje Punk 82? Ne znam čak ni što to znači. 1982. smo bili u punk bendu, svirali punk glazbu i radili punk stvari, npr. pokušavajući izgledati što je moguće više, pokidano, sje…., sa odjećom koju smo sami radili, sprejali je, sa kosom u luđačkim bojama i stilovima i mrzili sve što se sviđa vašim roditeljima …
OI, nisam se nikada povezao sa OI, OI je zapravo 01, a to je prefiks za biranje Londona na telefon, a mi smo bili Škoti, tako da mi se nikada nije jebalo za sve to sa OI … samo naljepnica stvorena da se označe pakneri i skinsi … mislim da je to više vezano uz skinheade … Ja nikada nisam bio skinhead, zapravo sam bio, ali to je bilo u ranim i sredinom 70-ih, kada sam bio mlad i glup, družio se sa bandama u Glasgowu, upadao u tuče, opijao se i se u svemu bio nepodnošljivo malo govno…
Kako je osnovan The Exploited?
The Exploited je zapravo osnovao Terry Buchan (brat Watties Wee) koji ga je prepustio svom starijem bratu.
Izdali ste svoje prve single Army Life, Fuck a Mod, Barmy Army?
Ne, Army Life je izdat preko Red Rhino-a.
Dead Cities je izdan preko Vaše Exploited Recordingsa?
Ne, Dead Cities je izdan preko Secret Recordsa.
Kasnije ste preko iste kuće izdali i prvi album Punk’s Not Dead, kako i ime kaže kao reakciju na cijelu glazbu i životnu situaciju (radnička klasa, nezaposlenost, Falklandske ratove i naravno Margaret Thatcher) i smatra se klasikom 80-ih punk rocka, onda ste bili na turneji, između ostalog i sa Anti-Nowhere League…
Ovo nije istina, nikada nismo napravili nikakvu turneju s Anti Nowhere Leagueom, s njima smo tu i tamo napravili nekoliko nastupa … Bili smo na turneji sa Slaughter and the dogs, Cockney Rejects, Damned, Anti Pasti, GBH … Nikada, nikada, ponavljam NIKADA, nismo bili na turneji ANL
Bili ste gostujući na Top Of The Pops, nastupajući sa pjesmom Dead Cities?
Da, naš je posao da prodamo ploče, zbog toga idete na televiziju. Očito smo taj tjedan prodali mnogo ploča. Također smo izazvali najviše pritužbi s kojima se BBC ikad morao nositi…. ha ha ha …
A to je bio uzrok svađi sa jednim drugim punk rock bendom Conflict?
Ne mogu se sjetiti da je to bio uzrok svađe … ili je možda bio, mislim da su bili malo ljubomorni, jer smo bili zgodniji i lako bi ih mogli sprašiti … Inače sam ih zvao CORNFLAKE …(kukuruzne pahuljice, op.prev.).
Drugi album Troop of Tomorow nastavlja u tom smjeru s pjesmama kao što je Fuck USA, pod utjecajem bendova kao što su Discharge, Agnostic Front, pjesma UK82 u kojoj sudjeluje i Slayer kao i LA92 koristi se kao soundtrack za film Judgment Night. Treći album Let’s start the war (Said Maggie One Day) bio je vaš posljednji album sa The Exploitedom, izdan bez vašeg imena. Možete li objasniti zašto? Koji su razlozi Vašeg odlaska? Te kakvo bi bilo naslijeđe The Exploiteda?
Otišao sam jer je glupi, neobrazovani prasac od pjevača htio sve po svome, a meni je toga bilo dosta i nisam više vidio smisao u tome. …. U bendu više nije bilo ni zabavno … I nemam pojma zašto moje ime nije na tom albumu, jer sam napisao polovicu pjesama, a to je vjerojatno bila Waltersova ideja, on voli pokrasti ljude …
Kasnije ste se pridružili grupi Square Peg, bend Vašeg prijatelja Larry (Mr. Square Peg) Nicol, pa onda Blood Uncles i Goodbye mr. Mackenzie, koji su totalna suprotnost sirovosti The Exploiteda, sa Shirley Manson kasnije pjevačici Garbagea, također ste bili roadie za Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Twisted Sestra i Ministry, igrali ste u flmuThis Blazeing Starrs. Čuo sam da ste upoznali Davida Bowiea. Možete li nam nešto reći i o suradnji sa Steveom Aoki (koji je spomenut u intervjuu sa Erikom Tunisonom)
Square Peg, za mene nikada nije bio bend, pomogao sam Larryu (Mr Square Peg) Nicolu. Jer je on bio moj prijatelj, pa sam otišao u studio i snimio neke pjesme za njega …
Susreo sam se s Davidom Bowieom nekoliko puta tijekom karijere, zapravo me prepoznao u klubu u Londonu (Gossips), bili smo na naslovnici SOUNDOVA (Music Paper), imali smo dobre rasprave, a on je znao o čemu govori, jer očigledno je slušao The Exploited.
Suradnja je zapravo bila s Robertom Smitom (SICKBOY DJ) koji je napisao pjesmu… Erik Tunison (bubnjar DIE KREUZEN) i ja (gitara) napravili smo pjesmu … Steve Aoki je samo pjevao, ali ga je uključio na svoj CD, pa smo svi otišao u LA radi snimanja spota…
Konačno, kakvi su vaši budući planovi, da li ste još uvijek aktivan kao glazbenik? Čuo sam da ste umirovljeni zbog multiple skleroze i volite prikupljati električne gitare. Koji su vaši omiljeni modeli i želite li ikada posjetiti Split, Hrvatsku?
Još uvijek sam aktivan kao glazbenik, ali zbog MS, morao sam pristupiti sviranju gitare iz drugačijeg kuta, pa zapravo učim kako napraviti drugačiji stil za sebe, desna ruka mi je još uvijek prilično dobra, što je sjajno jer je ta ruka i najbitnija … moja lijeva ruka nije tako dobra, ali ja pojednostavljujem stvari za sebe i mislim da mi dobro ide … sviram za zabavu sa nekoliko prijatelja, još uvijek imam prostor za probe ovdje u Amsterdamu … volim napraviti buku …
Omiljene gitare? Teško je reći, imam mnogo finih instrumenata koji dolaze na svoje, ovisno o vrsti glazbe koju radim … Imam Gretsch Silver Jet, koju volim, tako strašna gitara, također Black Gibson Flying Vee koja je vrlo cool gitara … Kod kuće imam i gitaru tvrtke Italia, model MODENA, ona je prekrasna, ali nedavno sam kupio svoju prvu Baritonovu gitaru, koju je napravio EASTWOOD i to je Sidejack Blackout … Ona je trenutno moj favorit, jednostavno je ne mogu prestati svirati … vrlo cool gitara zaista …
I naravno da bih posjetio Hrvatsku, zašto ne bih? Uvijek tražim nova iskustva … Volim putovait i otkrivati, isprobavati novu hranu iz cijelog svijeta …
