Rockezine.com interview with Miscreants on Aug 27, 2007

with Geert van der Velde on Aug 27, 2007

A few weeks ago Let It burn Records released an MCD called Welcome The Miscreants. It was a pleasure to listen to the songs; so time for us to ask vocalist Geert some questions.
		Can you say something about yourself and the band? My name is Geert van der Velde. I handle vocal duties in Miscreants. We’re a bunch of friends who play in a metal band and like food a lot. We also like punk music and we grow moustaches for fun only to shave them off once we’ve grown them. I can’t grow a moustache so I encourage everyone else in the band to grow them for me! Also, everyone in Miscreants, except for our guitar player, goes to college. We read books there and play with pen and paper sometimes. It’s fun! We think we’re pretty smart because of that but that’s only because we don’t know any better…
		You started as a five piece band called The Architect. Now you’re a band with four members called Miscreants. Why did you change the name and what happened with the fifth member? The name change was a decision of the five us. We didn’t want to get lumped in with all of the other bands called Architect or Architects or Architecture in Helsinki or My Mother’s Architectual Sexcapade. Though brilliant bands, especially ‘My Mother’s Architectual Sexcapade’, we wanted a name that wouldn’t make people confuse us with them. They are them, we are us. So, we wrote down long lists of bandnames, philosohized for hours on end and then couldn’t decide on anything. So, we picked Miscreants because it was in our EP’s title and because we’d rather be confused with the old death metal band Miscreants from Sweden than all the Architects out there. As far as Rick leaving the band. After we changed the name and released the EP with Let It Burn records as Miscreants we had to re-establish our priorities and commitment level to the band. We came to the conclusion that it was time for him to leave , on good terms, because it was putting a strain on our friendship with him. We’re still friends with Rick now and hang out with him and drink beers and stuff. Beer is pretty tasty and Rick likes beer.
		Are you looking for a new guitar player? No, we may have found a replacement already who also likes beer. We’re keeping his identiy under wraps for now so that we can confuse people more. This is our main goal with Miscreants: to confuse people. Until we’re completely sure that we cannot confuse people anymore we’re going to keep doing it. It’s been awesome playing with the new guitar player though. He’s a very good beer drinker and we’re having fun, which is what’s most important. He also uses all 6 strings, which is pretty impressive.
		Why did you release your EP on Let It Burn records? Because they were the only “serious” label interested in us. We felt bad for ourselves so we decided to release the album with Let It Burn Records to feel less bad. Oh, and also because Let It Burn is an awesome label with a hardworking, honest, no bullshit owner who likes music.
		In almost every item about Miscreants they speak about Shai Hulud. Is that annoying already or do you think your current success is because of Geert’s duties in Shai Hulud. So what? We like Shai Hulud and I was their singer before. Is it only okay to mention that you were in a previous band if that band is not well known? I spent nearly 6 years of my life playing in Shai Hulud and touring with them. I worked hard with that band. I played hard with that band. I’m still really good friends with them even. I made many friends and met many fans through Shai Hulud. I am proud of that, not ashamed of it. There are many people who liked my voice in Shai Hulud. I don’t think my voice is anything special but there are people out there who are fans of it. People who loved the intensity and energy that I had on stage. So, it’s only logical for Miscreants to mention that I was in Shai Hulud. We do not claim to be Shai Hulud’s heir. And, we do not mimick Shai Hulud’s sound. The only thing that is the same is that I was in Shai Hulud. Of course, it’s a “selling point” to some people that I was in Shai Hulud. Again, I don’t see a problem. I earned the fact that people think me being in another band is worth checking out through lots of touring and recording. Why should I not use that reputation for a new band that I am in? It’s the one good thing – or bad depending on how you look at it – that I can bring to the table. I spent years living just for the music that I was making with Shai Hulud. I gave up everything else in my life to do that. I moved from my apartment in the Netherlands, gave up my college education for a mattress on a floor in the US with no work visa, very little money and just my drive to play in a band that I believed in. I didn’t just join a band and got big off of their name. When I joined Shai Hulud there were only 2 members left; Matt Fox, the only original member, and Matt Flecther. At that point in Shai Hulud’s history, Matt Fletcher had only been in the band 6 months longer than me. I helped re-establish and build Shai Hulud back up. I helped write the next album. I am proud of that and I am proud of everything I did with them. The same goes for Miscreants. They were a band before I joined. I brought my intensity, work ethic and the experience I gained from being in Shai Hulud. Whatever “success” we’re having with Miscreants now stems from the fact that Miscreants all work hard together, play hard and put their heart and soul into the band. If anyone has a problem with that or thinks Miscreants does not deserve to be successful they can stick their “holier than thou” pointy fingers in a dog’s ass. I don’t care what they think.
		What’s the biggest drive to keep this band going? Our friendship and our shared love for (heavy) music.
		Are you a miscreant? And what do you guys mean with the name? Miscreants to us means “outsiders”. Most of the guys in Miscreants have pretty crazy histories. Some of us have been through a lot. So, to us that is what the name means. It’s a “badge of honour”, a reference to our lives and a reference to the music we make. Nothing more.
		What can we expect in the upcoming months? Shows all over Europe.
		How long will it take to prepare the new album? Probably another 6-8 months before it is finished completely; recorded and all.
		Is there something I forgot to ask or you really want to say to the world? Nope. Just a big thanks for those of you reading this and thanks for all the support we’ve gotten from everyone who cares!
(Jeroen Habets)