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First of all - can you introduce yourself and your band to us?
My name is Steve Moore and I'm a Canadian writer/musician. I am involved with the projects Inner Surge, Post Death Soundtrack and the Unravelling. With Inner Surge I have released "An Offering", "Signals Screaming", "Matrika" and "Solus Verum". With Post Death Soundtrack I've released "Music as Weaponry" and am working on the followup as well as a remix album. With the Unravelling I am currently at work on the full length CD.
Could you describe your opinion and/or views on racism within 1-5 words?
It's a deformity.
What are your views on your own country when it comes to racism? Bad? Worse? Not thát bad? Please explain.
I view it as quite bad actually. One thing I would encourage people to do is never be too quick to pat yourself on the back - or pat a collective on the back, I should say. Keep in mind I have lived for some time in Alberta, which is equivalent to being the Texas of Canada in many ways. There is a lot of racism and general ignorance here that is generational - since many of these individuals grow up with this information and don't read books it's predictable. The education system does not do a whole lot to help. There's still a big influence in history class teaching the views of the Commonwealth, for example. I discovered Malcolm X out of my own interest but he certainly wasn't mentioned in the school system. I've seen racism first hand in the small towns and in the cities - it's prevalent everywhere. This includes the music scenes, especially heavy music. It seems to go against the grain trying to promote progressive (in thought, not necessarily style) heavy music. A lot of people want to hear something about white pride and so forth. Why so proud of yourself?
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?
I think it's a sign of desperation. It's like when John McCain tried to push his "Joe the plummer" campaign. Total desperation trying to connect with the masses in a new way with a very old idea. Racists are trying new names of organizations (The Aryan Love Cult, Rainbow genocide, White Pride and free cake, etc) and of course, they play music like everyone else these days, making music a cheaper, more horrifying endeavor. I'm sure I could start a band based on holocaust revisionalism and very quickly gain a much bigger fanbase across Europe than I do at the moment. Guaranteed, within 3 months of releasing the album. For me, I've never understood why these ideas are so interesting. To understand it, I think you have to grow up with these kinds of ideas - similar to understanding obscure religions. You have to learn it when you're very young - otherwise it's totally unplausable and offbase. You can't just teach an intelligent person these ideas. An idiot or a conspiracy theorist, though, can be taught anything.
Did you witness any racist things during local gigs, festivals, etc? Would you reject an offer to play a show together with an outspoken right-winged band?
I have rejected shows, I won't say which ones, because of racism prevalent either in the venue or other bands. I have also witnessed racism firsthand, and I have said something. This usually leads to a conflict of some sort, which I am ok with. Young people are not so progressive as you'd like to think. Some forward, some backward.
Is there much racism in the music scene in Canada?
It's very prevalent, especially since some of the metal scene models itself after the European metal scene - not just in regards to style but also ideology. That's why the originality can be severely limited at times. You hold onto an idea so tightly and it's hard to be diverse in any way, or even effective, really.
Your band is also a bit political, witnessing some of your lyrics. What point or points do you try to prove, or to spread?
I don't try to prove any points in my lyrics - just express my own truth and put words together in a way that I feel is as effective as possible. You can't prove anything to anyone unless they have room for it. If their head is too fat nothing is going to get in. Not ever. That being said, I tend to sing about situations that are not covered on the news often. I became interested in the phenominon of genocide after studying the Rwandan genocide of 1994 - and with similar violence and atrocities happening in Sudan and the Congo it's very relevant today although we still hear little about it. It definitely receives less than 1/10 the coverage as sexual scandal in the senate or Barack Obama's new puppy, for example. But this is just part of human nature that I'm amazed by. People WANT to know about the new puppy. They WANT to know what Michelle Obama is wearing and how the kids are doing. A war against women across the Congo? They don't want to hear about unpleasant things like that. It's not happening.
Got any final words?
Thanks for your positive work in the heavy music community. For music and lyrics, go to www.innersurge.com, www.postdeathsoundtrack.com and www.myspace.com/theunravellingmusic
Interview by: Gerardo
Answered by: Steve Moore (vocals)
Listen to Inner Surge at www.myspace.com/innersurge
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