Industrialized Metal | Webzine concentrating on Industrial Metal

Index > Media > Anti-Racism Special

First of all - who are you, what's your position on this webzine, and where are you from?
Hi – my name is Gerardo, the founder of this very excellent webzine. I do album reviews, interviews, DJ sets (rarely), local promoter work (even more rarely) and due to staff changes I’m the webmaster now as well! I was born in Amsterdam and lived near Amsterdam all my life, so I’m officially Dutch – as well I have the Spanish nationality, thanks to my Spanish dad. In fact, I’m a latino/cloggs coctail!

Could you describe your opinion and/or views on racism within 1-5 words?
The biggest mental disorder existing.

What are your views on your own country when it comes to racism? Bad? Worse? Not thát bad? Please explain.
Well, it’s kinda tricky to answer this for me. During the latest elections, the racist party got nearly half a million votes – and in the hardcore/gabber scene it’s more or less a ‘trend’ to be a skinhead nazi. But, on the other hand, the other part of Holland’s 16 million habitants are fully against the racist party, as well nobody takes the nazi kids seriously outside their own little pathetic scene. The bigger part of the Dutch society are friendly and open minded people, and this will not be changing ever. Everybody has grandparents or great grandparents that suffered during World War II because of the nazis, which already shows how retarded the skinhead kids really are... “yeah they killed my grandparents, but Hitler wasn’t that bad really, and I support his ideas”... BULL-SHIT!

It seems some kind of sick ´trend´ these days to bring racism into alternative music, referring to terms such as 'nazi-punk', 'NSBM' and 'right-winged electro'. What are your views on this? Do you think it will become dangerous?
Yes, these terms are existing for quite a while already, and from day one there were big contra sounds and voices already. These “subgenres” are more underground than a family grave, and will not ever be getting the chance to step out of it. In a way, it’s very ironic; rock and metal is an evolution of blues music, which was invented by black people... and then, racists start identificating themselves with it... hmmm...

Did you witness any racist things during local gigs, festivals, etc?
Fortunately not, but as I stated earlier; I don’t go to gigs or festivals that include any racist bands or that would attrack some nazi fans... if the atmosphere is bad up front, then I don’t need to be there.

Holland lately came in the news bulletins all over the world when a right winged politician released the "Fitna" movie. What are your views on this all?
Out of curiousity I watched the movie as well, and it was some of the biggest bullcrap I ever saw. Not only did the layout look like it was made with Windows Movie Maker by a 12 year old kid, as well it contained several errors (like the picture of a rapper in stead of the killer of a Dutch director). The movie basically just had images of Muslim terrorism, and lines saying “All Muslims are bad” and “The Islam’s only goal is World Domination”... basically all Muslims were called terrorists, and fortunately the majority knew that this stuff is bullshit. Mister Wilders (who made the movie) seems like an incredibly scared guy... scared for nothing, really.

Is there a lot of racism in the local metal scene over there?
Well – as far as I know there are some bands preaching for nazi sympathy in The Netherlands, but they are the big majority. In maybe 95% of the Dutch metal scene, the people do not tolerate anything related to this sickness.

Got any final words?
All I can basically say is – be able to think for yourself. No child is born as a racist, the only way they become racist is when they got grabbed by fear for the unknown spreaded by other people, the media and disgust for everything that is different from you. Racism is something this world could do perfectly without.