Metal hails brother! How is your week going so far? Please tell the readers a little about yourself.
Hey Patrick, things are going good this week. I’m a one man deathmetal band out of Southern California. I’m into Mixed Martial Arts, video games, hanging with my wife and two dogs, Family Guy is my favorite TV show, and I’m a die hard deathmetal fan!
What age did you first start listening to metal? Who were some of the first bands you listened to? Who are some of your "current" favorite bands?
I was about 10 or 11 when I started listening to Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zep, Iron Maiden…bands like that. My buddy picked up "Show No Mercy”, the first Slayer album, in ’85 and my music life changed forever. I was the guitar player for a punk/hardcore band for many years and I still listen to some punk. I just love any music that is fast and angry. Now I listen to all forms of metal, Vader, Deicide, Bowel Regurgitation, Sikfuk/Kretan, Woundeep, Despised Icon, Suture…bands like that…way too many to list here.
When did you get the idea to create/form Volksmerink ? How did you come up with the band name? Does it have a special meaning? For the readers who have never heard the band's music how would you describe it?I got so burnt out on playing in bands with other people who didn’t care as much as I did. I took a few years off of the whole band thing and was just a 40 hour a week worker bee like everybody else. Volksmerink first started as a means to practice my guitar soloing. It gets old for me to just sit in my room playing scales and shit over and over, so I started writing backing music to play to. I began working on how to write drum patterns, which took about a year for me to get to where I can write the type of drums I want to hear. It all kind of stemmed from there.
The Name Volksmerink was my family’s last name before coming to America from Germany . Volksmerink = Vollmering. Sorry, no hidden meaning…that I know of…I keep expecting someone to tell me that Volksmerink means "asshole” or something in German! Haha! I write fast aggressive deathmetal…catchy old school type of stuff.
For those who don't know Volksmerink is a one-man band. When you started this band did you plan to keep it a one-man band? Are you currently looking to add more members?
Yes, I did intend to keep Volksmerink a one man project from the get go, and no, I’m not currently looking for any new members…I’m enjoying being a one man band. Maybe in the future, if I start playing live shows, then I might look into getting some other dudes, but no plans as of yet.
If you had the chance to work with any musicians {past or present} who are some musicians you would like to work with? Also what would you say are the advantages and disadvantages to being a one-man band?
I’ll start with the advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that I can play, practice, write and record when I want and how I want, with nobody to slow my processes down with their bullshit, girlfriends or egos. The disadvantage is that I have no outside input or anyone to bounce musical ideas off of. I often say the best thing about being a one man band is there’s nobody telling you what to do and the worst thing about being a one man band is there’s nobody telling you what to do. J As far as working with other musicians, I have done songs with Nik of Sikfuk and Derek of Bowel Regurgitation and I would love to work with those guys again. They both are great at what they do and are two of the best one man bands out there...not to mention two of the coolest people I have met.
Since you handle all the instruments yourself for the band. I was interested which one was the hardest one to learn? Which one was the easiest?
I’ve been playing guitar since I was a little kid so I would have to say that is the easiest…at least I don’t stress it as much. The drum programming would have to have been the hardest for me to wrap my brain around…tons of trial and error. Once I got it, I just locked in on it and now it is much easier for me to write more complex drum patterns.
You also do all the vocals yourself. When did you start singing? Is Volksmerink the first band you have done vocals for? Do you anything special to keep your voice/throat healthy? Who would you say are some of your influences/favorite singers?Yeah, singing for my Volksmerink music is the first serious singing I have done. I was stressing out before recording the vocals for the CD and complaining to my wife about it. She got tired of hearing it and said "Grow some balls and just do the shit already!”…I recorded "Gods of Pain” the next day…and just keep going from there. I do some vocal exercises regularly and I always do vocal warm ups before recording my vocals. Mostly I just open up and do them. I try to stay in my natural range so I don’t have problems hitting the notes…I don’t want to "blow out an o- ring” or anything! I love Peter of Vader’s vocals…they are so raw. Glen of Deicide is another big influence.
You recently sent me a copy of your new CD "The Suffering of One". How long did it take you to write and record the songs for this release? Are you happy with how the songs turned out?
The CD took me about a year to complete while working a forty hour a week job. I think the process of writing lyrics took the longest amount of time. I found it very difficult to write words that make sense and mean something, while still going with the flow of the music. I’m pretty happy with how the CD turned out…however, I think anybody who writes music, or creates artwork, feels that there’s always something that could have been done differently in the end. With that being said, I think it’s a kick ass CD and I’m pretty proud of it.
When you start writing a new song how long does it usually take to complete? Which usually comes first the music or lyrics? Speaking of lyrics what are some topics/subjects you write about?
I write the music very quickly. I sit down and start working out guitar riffs, then piece them together. Once I decide which riffs work where, I start writing the drum track. I get extremely focused while recording…once I get rolling on a song, I don’t stop until it’s finished…no matter the number of takes, or tracks I have to lay, or how long it takes. The music always comes first for me. As far as lyrics go, I write about a few things, like setting hookers on fire for their own good, or crooked, money-grubbing clergy, but mostly I seem to write about my hatred of liars, thieves and bullshitters. The majority of the lyrics are very close to me and express my feelings on things I hate. I found writing the lyrics to be very therapeutic in dealing with things I was going through at the time I was writing the CD.
In your opinion what is the best and worst thing about the underground scene? And what does the term "metal underground"mean to you?
For me, "metal underground” translates into brutal tunes. It encompasses a huge range of unsigned, independent artists and bands…many of which are completely sick. The best thing about it is the diversity that’s out there. The worst thing about it is trying to get noticed amongst all that diversity.
Are you currently working/playing with any other bands or projects? If yes please tell the readers a little about them.Yeah, I have another project with Jay of Perverse Molestation called Infected Epididymides. I wrote and played all the music and Jay laid his sick ass vox on top. It’s more of a grindcore style than my Volksmerink music is. We are going to have guest vocalists, including Derek of Bowel Regurgitation and Som of Lacerated, among others…it should be very sick! I also have a song on the Pocket Pussy Hash Pipe project with Nik of Sikfuk, along side of other brutal bands like Butchered Beyond Recognition, Compulsive Mutilation, and Testicular Seizure, among many others…your readers should pick up a copy of that CD when it comes out…it promises to be one of the sickest comps ever! On a side note, my Volksmerink music is being used by the fighting organization King of the Cage….so keep an ear out for my music on their pay-per-views, DVD’s and TV/radio commercials.
Well, brother we have reached the end of the interview. Thanks a lot for taking the time to fill out this interview. Do you have any final comments for the readers?
Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this and all the people who have shown me support…feel free to stop on by the website say "Hi” and get your hands on some merch! J Last but not least…thanks to you Patrick for all of your killer support and for doing so much for the metal scene. RESPECT to you Bro! Keep it heavy!
Interview with Chuck Vollmering all instruments, vocals for Volksmerink.
Done by Patrick.
October 2009