1. So at first can you introduce little bit yourself (hobbies, age, work...)?
Hi my name is Mano, 31 years old and I do customer
service, webcare and some other things for a national energy company. Next to
that I do the promotional work for Rebellion Records and Strength Records. Main
hobbies are music and everything that it involves, football, travelling and
video games.
2. When and why came
decision to start the web American Oi! and why did you choose this name
(because you are from Netherlands I think..)?
I made the Facebook page about American Oi! about two
years ago. Mainly because almost every country in the world seems to have their
own page about punk and Oi! music on there, but I couldn’t find many at the
time strictly about American Oi! music. With that being said I didn’t do much
with it the first year and half or so, but then I got more involved in it and I
got more and more likes on a weekly base. I thought with so many people liking
the page it would be a shame if I didn’t do anything else with it so I started
the website www.american-oi.com. Altough the main focus of the site are
American bands I also do international stuff, but on the website only.
3. Was the page run
just by you or do you have any other people in redaction?
I run the website. I pretty much run it all. The site,
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter… I got some help from Raphael who also did some of
the reviews on the website. To be honest, I could pretty much use all the help
I can get, especially when it comes down to interviews. So if anyone is
interested…
4. It seems that your
page become very famous, record labels are sending promos to you...how did you
make it ?
That’s the power of Facebook I think. People who like the
page have friends who see their friend liking stuff on my page and they start
to like as well, and so their friends… I think you get my point. I don’t say
it’s an easy way, because if you only post shit no one will like it, but it
became much easier than let’s say 5 to 10 years ago when you had your online
zine and that’s it.
I guess labels see that your website gains more attention
so they are getting interested in getting their stuff reviewed. Besides that I
know a lot of people who know a lot of people so it’s easy to get in that loop.
5. Are you focusing on
new bands or do you prefer classic ones (80´s, 90´s)?
I always focus on new bands, I love to explore new music
and it’s fantastic to hear that a new band like Noi!se or Bishops Green can
still blow you away in a subculture that’s been alive for over 30 years. But
the classic bands are well, classic, that made you got into this type of music
in the first place so you can’t deny them.
One of my favorite classics is of course The Bruisers,
and while I’d prefer to interview bands that are still around I just HAD to
interview them and it turned out pretty damn good. I was stoked to interview
them, even though it was through e-mail. Anything you want it’s all right here!
6. Is this your first
experience with writing reviews or doing something for the rest in the scene
(like organising gigs, playing in band...)?
No not really. I used to have another online zine, used
to be called Boots & Braces (as well, haha), but I changed it to Street
Soldiers, but that’s old, maybe 10 years ago, and there was some shady shit on
it so I took it offline. I wrote a few months for Up Magazine which is a glossy
music magazine where they used to press 5000 copies or so for I think and I
wrote for a Dutch punk site called punx.nl which in it’s heydays had over
20.000 members.
Besides writing I also used to be in a band called The
Lager Louts. Nothing special, but we had fun and played over 40 gigs in
Holland, Belgium and Germany in less than two years. I saw you liked one of our
songs “True Friends” on a Riot Company album haha, they covered it for a split
that never got released.
7. Do you have any
other ideas how to improve the webpage (like pictures of tattoos, forum, gig
reports, etc...)?
Yeah I need to add more content to it, pics and gig
reports would be great. But since I don’t live in the US myself I’d need people
who live there to contribute those gig reports. As for a forum I think the
Facebook page works fine. People can post and react freely as long as they
don’t post bullshit.
8. Why do you choose
the web form of the zine instead of printed one and are you supporting the
printed zines?
It’s easier, it’s free, it’s cheaper… When I got a review
or interview done I directly want to publish it, if I did a printed zine I probably
have to wait months and months before it’s finally out. Sometimes I have the
time to do and work out 5 interviews a month, sometimes none. Same with
reviews.
But I’ll be honest, printed zines will always be better
than online zines, it’s more fun to read and when you own a printed zine I bet
it will make you feel real proud when a new issue finally comes out. I am
actually thinking about releasing the content of the site in a printed issue on
a yearly base, I think that would be a fun thing to do.
9. You came from the
city of Rotterdam can you describe it from the tourist and skinhead tourist
point of view?
Rotterdam is the most beautiful city of The Netherlands!
That should be enough reason to come here, but perhaps it’s not as attracting
as other Dutch cities. Probably because the city had to be rebuild after the
World War II bombings so it’s a pretty modern city compared to others. A while
ago I walked out the Maastunnel (long tunnel under the River Maas) on the
Rotterdam South side where I live and when I walked out I saw the SS Rotterdam
(big old cruiseship), the skyline and the whole Rotterdam atmosphere and I
thought to myself goddamn I love this town!
As being a skinhead, punk or hardcore tourist there isn’t
that much here anymore. Back in the day Rotterdam was THE place for punk,
hardcore, Oi! and psychobilly shows but now there isn’t that much, a few shows
a year but I think that’s it. Still some great bands come from here like The
Firm, The Patrons and The Stealers who impressed with their releases so far!
10. Are you following
Feyenoord Rotterdam?
Yes! I grew up with Feyenoord and altough I have been to
plenty of other matches while living in other parts of the country they will
always be number 1 to me. Me and some friends got seasontickets and we pretty
much go to all the home games. Away games I avoid, too much of a hassle.
11. How do you know
Backstreet Battalion and what
do you think about it?
I don’t know how I got to know about your website, it’s
been around for a while! I like it, I like the interviews and got introduced to
new bands through it. I also like how fast you got your reviews done,
especially the promo’s I send you haha. It’s a well known name, keep it up!!!
12. Do you like some
Czech bands or do you have any contact with scene there?
Michal from 4Subculture and Vinyl4Bootboys introduced me
to some Czech bands, but I don’t think I ever actually heard any band from over
there which is kind of weird now I think about it because I got records in my
collection from Brasil to Poland and from the USA to Malaysia, from all over
the world! One of my favorites is without a doubt the one you play in now
though, The Riot!
13. Your top 5 records
from the 2013?
Tough one! I’m actually making some “Top 10” lists for
the website and this year it’s just hard to make up a list because so many good
records got released! Absolute favorites are without a doubt Noi!se, Badlands,
Bishops Green, The Rival Mob, Lion’s Law, Marching Orders but with records of
RazorCut, Drink And Destroy Crew, Toughskins and Fatskins to be released
nothing is final yet!
14. Plans for the
future...
AMERICAN Oi! RECORDS catalog number 002!!!
15. Last words....