Nežfaleš is a czech group which makes me happy when I listen to them and I wanted to know more about them and I was „forced“ to do an interview with the group. February 2015
Please tell me a little bit history of the group?
The history of the band began in a some prague restaurant, where me and my friend from the neighborhood founded it. Basically because our previous band’s attempts didn’t work and we wanted to create and play a music.
Please tell me a little about every member in the group right now, age, family, work, interests and something bad about everyone? Have you been in any other punkbands before?
This is like a questionnaire. 🙂 We all have our civilian job, one of us has a wife, someone of us love someone… Age between the oldest member, who is me and the youngest, who is our guitarist is 10 years. So iťs like a father and son relationship. 🙂 Some bands passed more or less all of us, Kráťa has his „child” called Brain drain, our bassist Moucha played in a punk „legend“ Úklidová četa and our drummer Peter, which is probably the most interesting thing, played for several years in a black metal group before joining us. 🙂
It’s a little bit different to compare you with some special band but you don’t sound odd? How come do you think? Which bands are you being compared to?
You’re right, iťs hard to say. We never want to compare with anyone knowingly, music is not a race and I like the bands just for their personality and individuality. But I can mention, with which bands we are frequently give together and with whom we always like to play. And I can also call them our friends – of the old groups should be mentioned N.V.Ú. or SPS and as the newer ones The Fialky, Staré Pušky, Degradace or Muerti. Neither these bands are not a beginners and they’re formed of the really punkrockers!
Nežfaleš…are you satisfied with the name? How did it came up? What does it mean? Which is the best bandname you know?
Name Nežfaleš I invented myself, more or less out of necessity before the first show and I never really wasn’t happy with it. But we know, that there is surely no other band named like us, because the name means nothing neither in czech. Iťs just a pun out of touch from the phrase like „nothing but falsity.“ Years spended in music have convinced me, that the name doesn’t matter so much, if people like your songs. And they get used to the name, howevwe if iťs stupid @
What’s the best thing with playing live?
The best thing about playing live is clearly contact with the audience. Full club that sings your songs, thaťs why people do it!
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
Everywhere, where come cool people, who wants to enjoy the evening, is the best place! Worst place I can’t even tell you, I think, I probably haven’t played there yet @
How is to play this sort of music in Czech republic right now?
Punkrock has the power to attract young people and in the Czech Republic has a strong tradition, so his position there was and will be always good. There are a number of traditional events or several major punk festivals. Of course, there are better and worse times, but people go to concerts and in higher post than on most other genre events.
How would you describe your music in three words?
Life – honesty – perspective.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?
It depends from which side you look at punk. Music is one thing, there I was fascinated by punk in 14 years with the Green Day album „Dookie“ and immediately afterwards with some unofficial live record of Ramones from New York. On the other side I perceive it, as the right to an opinion of our own, the right of everyone to doesn’t catch every shit that throw us, because even though consumerism, none of us can avoid, at least is important to use your brain!
How do you see on downloading, mp3 and that stuff?
I don’t mind. Rather the contrary. Right, upload of every song is worth something, but if I take it from a fan-perspective, I enjoy that. Thanks to increased need to download from bands gestures like „Free download of our unreleased song“ and something like this. Of course, the age brings a negative aspects too, such as a certain disrespect for music, because everywhere is a lot of it and iťs easily accessible, so you don’t appreciate it as much as anyone of my generation, that worshiped each painstakingly gathered tape in a poor quality. But it would be a longer debate.
How is it to live in Czech republic now? Politically?
Our president is a drunken clown, one of the most influential politicians in our country manages everything from bakeries to the media, but we must endure it . It’s a peace there and this is the main. When you look around the world today, you will find, that on this planet is a lot of sadder places and it makes you appreciate, where and how you can live.
Is there any good bands from Czech republic now? Is the punkscene big? How is it in your hometown?
The scene is as large as it’s adequately to our country. I think, that there’s enough groups. In every subgenre associated with punk you may find both, good and worse. Some of them I have already named a few questions above, so I won’t repeat. There’s still plenty functioning old legends, maybe the worst situation is among the Young bands, not many of them slightly protrude at least. My hometown is also our capital city, so there is the biggest offer of bands or concerts.
What do you know about Sweden?
Hockey and Swedes on Charles Bridge. 🙂 Also I know about a sex combination, which is called „the swedish threesome“ but I do not know, whether is this translates globally or whether came Swedes really first with it. 🙂
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
Sure! In my childhood, I loved Roxette. 🙂 And then, of course, I like listening to Perkele or Backyard Babies. It would be still more.
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences you?
I write the lyrics, only me. My life affects me. Whether personal stories and opinions or something that I hear about it. Sometimes it’s just only a question of go into the streets and observe and listen. The second thing is, process it well. Thaťs actually only a craft, but perhaps at this moment, I’m in the phase, when I don’t know which topics to grab and how. So, don’t write anything is better.
Is there any subject that you never will write anything about?
I wanna write about everything. But I hit the things, that I don’t dare to write about it. Because I know, that I didn’t do it enough in to the depth. I don’t like, when someone writes a political lyrics and thaťs shallow and you know that the person doesn’t have sufficient overview of the problem. And I want to avoid it, don’t want to skim.
Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?
Sure, the music is a part of life as well as politics. It just has to know, as I said. On the otherside, it’s still only a rock’n’roll and I’m sure, that a fan of the band at a concert, rather hear a couple of more songs than 20 minutes of political speeches. Music can draw attention to problems, may compel the audience to think about them, but for a political speeches we have a politicians.
Best political band/artist?
Bob Dylan, for me.
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can change anyones life, I mean people who listens to music?
Very interesting question. Music can be one of the strongest sources of emotion. it can affect absolutely everyone. VVhen you’ve got goosebumps, music is well done. I experienced that feeling as a listener, indirectly, as an author. What more should an artist want that a feeling, when a man comes to him from the crowd and tells him: „Your lyrics have helped me in a certain situation, or thanks to one of your song, I asked to marry his girlfriend …“ It’s happened to me a several times and you always realize, that you didn’t do a useless thing. Music has a great power, there’s no doubt about that, in the past it was already confirmed many times.
You sing in Czech. And why not in english?
I sing as a beak grew me. 🙂 I never even thought about the English. In the world around is such a lot of punk bands, so I think,
that nobody waiting for us. And I’ve always wanted to give something to the people, who live where I live. In the Czech and Slovak Republics we mean something, in a global context, we have no chance. And iťs necessary to realize.
Is it important to get out physical records of your stuff? Why or why not?
Clearly, now is the „mp3 and everything in electronic form“ time. We have some songs published only on the Internet too. But physical record is something, that give your music the hallmark of authenticity and tangibility. It is certainly good to have it and ľm glad, that our music was released on CD, on vinyl and now last even on tape!
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened during your career and under some gig?
Sorry, I don’t like this kind of questions, so I won’t answer. 🙂 Over the years, many things has happened, of course, lots of witty and it’s hard to pinpoint one thing. Moreover, I think that a lot of the liveliest tales is unfortunately often noncommunicable. 🙂
How does your audience look like? Which people do you miss on your concerts?
Punkrock is a mainstream long ago and therefore, not only punks, but an „ordinary people“ from the crowd too, come to our shows. Plus, of course, skins, classic rockers…I’m glad, that music connects and everyone can find something in it. We had never been an orthodox band, even from that it unfolds. Music that has its roots in punk and rock and roll with lyrics from life of all of us!
Please rank your five favorite records, five favorite concerts and five most important things in life?
Well, truth be told, thaťs probably the hardest. I had heard so much records and seen so many concerts, that is terribly difficult to remember and to choose between all of them. 0.k. I’ll try a few things and I’ll hope, that it will be little varied. l like a lot of Ramones albums, my personal favourite is „Animal boy“ maybe, I know by heart every tone of the album „Shock Troops“ from Cock Sparrer or „Sex, Love and Rock’n’Roll“ by Social Distortion. I can’t forget Sex Pistols of course, their cult is perfect and „Never mind the bollocks“ is the great record! And what about my favorite 1916″ by Motörhead?? Or „And out come the wolves“ by Rancid?? There’s really too much albums, that I love. From the concerts I’ve experienced, I must mention The Rolling Stones in Prague’s Letna or from another side excellent acoustic concert of Honest John Plain, The Boys guitarist. Euphoria was, seen for the first time at club Modrá Vopice Vopice The Adicts! And the great experience was a private concert of TV Smith, right only for us in a small cabin at a festival in Slovakia! Well, the important thing, iťs a classic: love, family and of course a bit of health.
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much interviews??
Just enough to doesn’t bore a man. 🙂
If you could choose five bands from the past and the history and nowadays and both dead and living bands to have a concert together with your band. Which ti» have you been chosed?
I think, I never had a dreams like this. Dreams about play a gig with someone. Actually I don’t know, if I wanted to play before The Rolling Stones or before the Ramones, which I love. For me is much better, be on this concerts in the audience. 🙂
Is punk a good way to get out frustration and become a nice person outside the punkmusic??
From the position of a songwriter, I take music generally like a chance, to get off some frustrations or disappointments. And I always did it in the part of my work. It seems, that you mean the situation, when the one crashes and discharges his energy in a punk concert and then, during a week, he is a nice boy correctly ranked in a society. For someone, maybe it works. I take music as a part of life, just like a going to work. ľm not like Jekyll and Hyde, I behave as same on a concert as elsewhere. And I note, that nicely. 🙂
Futureplans for the band?
There are currently no plans for us, we have an empty diary. After the 12 years of an active carier, we took a break indefinitely. No tour, no composing of a new songs. Everyone must decided to make something by his discretion, the guys had some projects going. Time will tell, if anything will be commit.
For yourself?
Being a good man and develop my personality.
Wisdomword?
Iťs never too late to start doing something! We live only once, so don’t let interfere our lives with anything, what we actually don’t want to! Thanks so much for the interview!
Radek Šedivý — singer and writer of a czech punkrock band Nežfaleš
http://bandzone.cz/nezfales