DETONATE RECORDS interview 2011

Kyushu, Denmark? Yep, you got it right. It might not be around for a long time and it doesn't have a lot of releases under its bullet belt, but the chainsaw logo is already synonimous of high quality hyper-distorted punk-hc mayhem in my book. Definitely a label that will get a cult status in a not so near future. Interview conducted with label's head honcho Lasse during August '11 and originally featured into PM#7.

Perro: Hi Lasse. Let's start from the beginning: how, when and why did you decide to start Detonate Records?
Lasse: Detonate Records was started in early 2007. I got the inspiration for my label after being into japanese hardcore punk alot, but not many labels in my area was focusing on these bands. Rather than just releasing bands from Scandinavia, I got in touch with Disdomestic Violence and asked if I could release a record with them. This happened after their first debut 7inch, which I personally thought was an amazing record. As it was my first release, there was alot of stuff I did'nt have a clue about. I did'nt know how to prepare the artwork for print and so on. I learned alot from that release.

Perro: It's 2011, people barely buys records anymore and there are way too many labels out there. But Detonate seems to do pretty well for a relatively young label, with a good portion of your releases that went sold out pretty quickly. What's the secret for running it "successfully"? Why do you think Detonate is doing better than other bedroom based hc/punk labels?
Lasse: For me it is important to release something you really like. All my releases means alot to me, both the music but also the people behind the bands. I believe most labels release records with bands they like. Atleast I hope they do. For a longtime I only wanted to release one record at a time and make sure to break even, before releasing a new record. I know it's different now, as I have more projects going on, but I have become better to work on more projects too.

Another important thing is the distros and stores that carries my releases. I have worked with many of them almost since I started. It seems japanese people will support their own bands alot, which is good.
I do agree that it's become harder to release vinyl. It just means pressings of records will become smaller. I will keep releasing records as long as I feel like it and as long as I work with bands that supports what I do. There is no heart in digital music. The process of making a record has alot heart I think. Both the process of making the record, but also the cover and so on. Something that you won't find on an mp3 downloaded from a blog.

Perro: Is there any record label that you admire or consider a font of inspiration for the way your run Detonate? If there's any, how do you think they have influenced you?
Lasse: Well I got the inspiration for releasing records from Kick N' Punch Records, but also Overthrow and New/Bad Smell Records. Personally I think Tommas and Jacob from now defunct Kick N' Punch, did an amazing job. They kinda put Denmark on the map again. Tommas was kind enough to help me out with info on how to press records and so on. Overthrow for releasing stuff I always thought was amazing bands, but not always easy to get. Especially here where I live. But most labels out there is doing an amazing job. Releasing music at least some people will appriciate. It's never easy to release a record that suits everyone and therefor it's great people will release records that means something to them personally.

Perro: What's your daily routine with Detonate? How many hours does it stole from the rest of your life? Did you ever feel tired/ disappoined and started thinking to stop doing it?
Lasse: It depends. I spend a great amount of time on each release by listening to the music, editing artwork and so on. I really have no clue on how much time I spend on each release I do. I love releasing records. I never really thought I would stop releasing records, but I sometimes feel I need a break from some of the stuff I do. Another reason I now release stuff through Dead Section.

Perro: Detonate catalogue is almost all japanese bands. Sometimes it's hard to communicate with them due to language barriers. Does it ever happened to have some difficults to get in touch with one particular band that you wanted to release on Detonate badly?
Lasse: Yes, I would lie if I told you, it sometimes was'nt a problem. In the end it still worked out great. I always thought it was pretty easy to work with japanese bands. Google Translate works alright, I guess :)
 

Perro: All the stuff you've released since now fall strictly in the Kyushu sound category and so what's coming out soon. Will Detonate always be devoted exclusively to this sub-sub-genre or will we see also burning spirits hc or something else released under the chainsaw label?

Lasse: The last release on Detonate was Nü-kl?-?r Blast Suntan - Arms Of Static 7". But to answer your question. No, I don't stricly release noise punk, I release whatever I really like and think deserves a slap-o-wax, so to say. Detonate will not be devoted to any specific sub-punk-genre, no. However, Detonate will be the primary label of mine to release hardcore punk. That being said, I really appriciate all the Kyushu bands and I think they were a huge inspiration to the japanese punk sound. Many bands are heavily inspired by Kyushu bands still now. Amazing. 

Perro: You've released three Noisecat eps and another one is planned. There's some sort of mistery that surrounds that band and you know I've even failed when I've tried to interview them. Can you enlight us a bit more about them?

Lasse: Noisecat have decided to be an anonomous band. I can't and won't change that. The fourth record will released later this year. It will probably be the last Noisecat record for now?

Perro: There's a bunch of Detonate releases planned for the future that are quite intriguing. Can you tell us something more about them? I'm particulary curious about VA - HAKKYO HAKAI COMPILATION 12": how long till it will see the light of the day?
Lasse: It's been almost two years, since I first agreed to release a record with Caravana Anarquista, a very noisy punk collective from Japan. It will finally happen very very soon. About Hakkyo Hakai comp it will feature bands from Nagoya and my good friend Jun from Attack SS, is the mastermind behind this project. It will feature D-Clone, System Fucker, Attack SS and Folkeiss. All bands I really love and admire. They all manage to add a very harsh noisy feel to their destructive music, that I just love. This 12" will be released later this year. As mentioned already, a Noisecat 7" will be released and a reissue of the Massgrave tape. The 7" will include 2 bonus tracks.

Perro: What's your opinion about all the reissues that are coming out these days? Is Detonate ever going to put out any reissues?
Lasse: I really like the reissues. It just means we can get our hands on records, that is very hard to come by. So no need to spend alot of cash on originals, even though, as a collector, I find it special to hold an original record in my hands. But for the music, a reissue is great idea. I'm a fan.

Perro: Recently you've also started another label, Dead Section Records (cool name, by the way). Why simply not releasing that stuff through Detonate? I mean, I know it's a bit different, but at the end it's all too noisy stuff that most people don't get...
Lasse: Alot of people asked me, why I formed another label. Simple because the stuff I release via Dead Section is not really suited via Detonate. I like black metal, noise, drone and so on and just don't want to mix these genres with Detonate. I wan't to keep Detonate "clean" and only do hardcore punk through it. I guess it's like having a 2nd baby. So far I have released two releases and two is at the plant. The genres is really very different from the stuff i've done in the past through Detonate. I like it to be separated. Logic or not, I like this way better.

Perro: It's record nerd time. Please gimme your top 10 japanese hc/ punk releases ever, both for full lenghts and singles...
GISM - Detestation LP
Zouo - The Final Agony 7"
Barigade - Dust Hero Flexi
The Sexual - Suicide Flexi
Death Side - Bet On The Possibility LP
Gauze - Kao O Aratte Denaoshite LP
Nightmare - Give Notice Of Nightmare LP
Bastard - Wind Of Pain LP
The Swankys - The Very Best Of Hero LP
Chicken Bowels - Keep Our Fire Burning 7"

Perro:   Thanx for you time, Lasse. Feel free to close this chat with whatever nonsense you feel to add...
Lasse: Thanks alot, Raffa! Kudos to the people that supports good music and supports their local record shop/distro.