Interview with Besieged

This is the Interview with Pukey, drummer of this young and excellent Thrash Metal band from Canada.

1.- Brutal regards guys, how are you? Could you tell us the meaning of your name “Besieged”?
-Hey man, I'm doing good. thanks allot for getting in touch with us for the interview. To be honest about the name it was kind of a weird thing, way back in the day when we first started we called our self "Manifest" with our first guitarist jordan rubel. That whole time was just pure sepultura/slayer worship for us(of course we still love those bands) we'd sleep by our drum set and amps just so when we got up we could start jamming right away, no time to waste. We ended up writing a couple songs during that time as you've probably heard "visions of Pain" and "savage life", but besides that we'd just be ripping the covers out all day. But of course, we had been doing our cover bands for awhile playing in our basement and having kids over. Most of the time when you would cram 30 kids in a little basement, you had them flying through the walls and shit. But eventually we put on our real first show, we basically rented a community centre and lights and fog machines and all that good stuff, told a bunch of people we we're playing there. The word got out and we ended up with a good 80 people that showed up and didn't even have a clue what we we're about to be blasting into their heads. At the end of the show I think there was 3 people still there, and we just trashed the shit out of the whole place. But, we had so much fun we decided to really start our own band and of course we needed a name that would be perfect for us. I think we were playing some war video game on the playstation or something and the level was called "Besieged". Me and Nolan kind of both just thought that sounded good, being 13 and 14 at the time we really didn't care what we called ourselves, we just wanted to play some fast and heavy music ahaha.

2.- How is the Extreme Music scene in Canada, i mean do you have a good relation with other Thrash, Death, Black Metal bands?
-We used to try and get to know all the bands we were playing with and just hang out and drink beer, but after awhile you realise that people really don’t give a shit. It’s all about who’s band is more popular or what fucking gay new trendy style of metal is in today rather than the actual music itself. I can easily think of some bands here in Winnipeg that need to drop the big shit ego’s, after all. We’re all still playing here in the same fucking city, we should be supporting one and other instead of talking shit.

3.- Is there any band or album that have been influenced you in a really important way?
-For me, I’ll always say Sepultura – Schizophrenia was my most influential album. When I first heard that CD i don’t think I took it out of the Cd player for a year straight. That is some powerful music.

4.- Your demo “Visions Of Pain” is a fuckin angry, violent Thrash Metal, how was the process of composition and recording?
-We recorded it at a really cool studio here called Studio 11, basically we had a few songs written and we wanted to get them out there for people to hear. So we called up the studio with pretty much no money, asked them how much for a 2 song demo(which by the way was a ridiculous amount) It was pretty much just a big hang out spot, we had all our buddies come down and just watch us record all day which was a fun experience for us. But when it was time to work, we definitely did so...I think it came out on the tracks. There pissed off songs, we were pissed off, we ARE pissed off...we just want to record fast and heavy and angry fucking tunes for people to fuck shit up to. I think we did a pretty good job.

5.- In your own words describe Thrash Metal.
-Fast, Heavy music.... That people can get together for, and beat the shit out of each other to. But at the end of the day, it’s what we all eat and breath and live for anyways. It’s a lifestyle as well as a genre of music, we live for this stuff man.

6.- Now you are independent or you are already sign with some Label?
-Independent, if you want to sign us....please do.

7.- Have you suffered any kind of misfortune on stage?
-When we play live we try and make it as fucking crazy as possible, once the kids see us going crazy that normally starts all the shit. But we always have something fucked with our equipment every show, whether its the cords or the amps or the kit. Or Niklaus Wolf trying to kick Nolan in the head because he’ runs around stage like he has ADHDx30. Hahaha, which really is quite fun to watch if you’re watching us play. ENERGY man, that’s something we have tons of and let it all out when we get on the stage.

8.- By the way, how is the crowd in Canada, crazy as hell?
-I think Winnipeg is just a little spoiled as far as metal shows, they don’t appreciate their local talent as much as they should. I mean, even when we drive 3 hours out of Winnipeg to play a little city, the kids love it man. They don’t get lots of shows often and finally when some bands from our city play there, it’s just mayhem every time. I’m sure there are alot better places for us to be playing than buttfuck Manitoba, but that would take a label to send us out on the road.

9.- Do you have plans for touring or record another album this year?
-Definitely, touring would be great. We are really looking to plan a tour for the summer, I think that would be fucking brutal. We just love playing shows man, touring would be amazing. As far as a new album goes. It’s being written right now as we speak, we’re always writing music. It’s what we love to do, Basically next time we all get together for jam we will be putting together hopefully a couple new songs. Then if everything goes well, hopefully by July we could be in the studio.

10.- Razor or Sepultura?
-Depends which Sepultura you’re talking about haha.

11.- I hope see you some time in Mexico, do you know some Mexican Metal bands?
-I hope so to, I’ve been there many times. Allot warmer then Canada! Haha, Yea I’ve heard many bands from Mexico. But personally have never talked to them.

12.- For last anything to say?
-Stay true, no matter what people say. If you’re doing what you want to do, that’s all that matters.
Drink beer, do drugs, smoke cigarettes and BANG YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE STAGE. SPREAD THE FUCKING WORD!!!THRASHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check this guys on http://www.myspace.com/besiegedthrash