SATAN'S CANDY BASKET I've been tape-trading with Burt for about a year now. You've probably heard of him or his `zine, his distro label, or perhaps his former band FAMILY OF FREAKS. You've probably been deluged with his flyers in any mail you receive from your underground contacts. He's every where these days and now….he's in this `zine!!! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha (cue Diabolical laughter) Interview with Burt Wolf It seems like I've been hearing your name for centuries in the underground. Are you like some kind of ancient god? Or maybe you're just really old? B: No, I'm not some ancient god or really old. If I was, I sure as hell wouldn't waste my time on this shit hole planet we like to refer to as planet Earth! I've just been busting my ass since the time I stepped into the underground to make sure everyone knows of me and my products. I'm surprised everyone isn't sick of me by now! Are the `zine/distro the only things you're doing from now on? No more bands? B: As of right now my `zine and distro are the only things I'm doing. I also do a trading service with a certain few people. If anyone has anything to trade, send a list and maybe we can start trading. My old guitarist Chris and I are throwing around the idea of starting a new band. He's buying a house soon, so we will have a place to practice then. Speaking of your old band (Family Of Freaks), why did they break up? B: FOF just ran it's course. There were a lot of problems within the band. I won't go into details, `cause it's in the past and I'm happy with what I'm doing right now. We had a lot of personal and band related problems. I felt we all wanted to go separate ways and were just forcing something with staying together. I called it quits and the band disbanded. What issue of Satan's Candy Basket are you working on now? B: Well, I'm at the tail end of finishing up issue #4, which will be out by the time you're readers read this. Issue #5 is already being worked on, so everyone send your stuff my way. Which bands will be in issue #4? B; My fourth issue is going to be my best issue when it comes to bands. I have a great line-up for this issue. The bands featured are WASTELAND (Germany), BESEECH (Sweden), FALL OF THE LEAFE (Finland), KRABATHOR (Czech Republic), EXHUMED (US), MALEVOLENT CREATION (US), CRYPTOPSY (Canada), NILE (US), SPINESHANK (US), ARGOSLENT (US), THE GREAT KAT (US), DISARRAY (US), SLUDGE! (US), DISEPTIKON'S (US), SOILENT GREEN (US), SEPULTURA, HATESPAWN `ZINE (US), and more… How are you finding doing a `zine? Harder or easier than you expected? B: It's incredibly hard doing a `zine! I never thought it would be easier at all, but I never thought it would be this hard. I totally enjoy doing the `zine and supporting the underground scene. I just wish I could get issues out quicker than three to four months. When you work a full-time job, have a girlfriend, have family and run a distro and trade service, plus have tons of snail mail and e-mail to do, it's amazing I can get an issue out at all. Are you the only one working on your mag? Do you feel it's better to do a `zine by yourself or to have partners? B: I basically run it by myself. I do the majority of the writing, all the editing, the layout, finance the whole thing and do all the contacts. Evan from INSATANITY does some reviews, my girlfriend Mia dictates all the interviews I do over the phone or at shows. My friend "DOG" has started doing some reviews now too. What do you feel your `zine brings to the underground compared to other `zines? B: I think I bring a little positivity to the underground scene. A lot of bands and `zines are trying to be as gory or evil as they can be. I love that stuff as much as anyone else, but it doesn't always have to be that way. I try to be positive in my magazine. I also try to mix up the styles of music covered in the magazine as well. I like to expose bands to people who normally wouldn't check them out. I also do this by putting bigger name bands in with the lesser known bands. Every little bit of exposure helps, good or bad. Which band have you most enjoyed meeting? B: GWAR! Of course! They're my favourite band! I also liked doing the FEAR FACTORY, GODFLESH, EXHUMED, NILE, POWERMAN 5000, SNOT, and the other interviews too. Which is your favourite label? Distro service? `Zine? B: My favourite labels at the moment are Relapse and Pavement Records. Both labels have been signing great bands and releasing lots of great CDs. Distro service? I'm not sure, I like Brutalized, cause Phil always hooks me up with bands I've never heard of before. Abound, Blood Soaked, Assault, Mutant Records are good distros too! Favourite `zines are Hatespawn (love that humour and hate combo), Brutalized, Intellektual Spew are both well done `zines, Corrosion and Unrestrained and Earsplit are good `zines that mix up styles of music (which I love too). Of course my `zine too. Gotta like what you're doing or why do it? How are people responding to the `zine so far? B: People have been responding very well to it. It's selling like crazy, which is really nice. I have a lot of distros picking it up also, which helps get the word out. One thing that surprised me was that even people who don't like the bands I feature still like my `zine. Thanks to everyone who has picked it up. Do you plan to ask every band that you interview the question "What do you think about GWAR and INSANE CLOWN POSSE"? Was it intentional in this issue (#3) or did it just happen that way? B: Yeah, now I will do that. That has turned into an on-running thing with me. Both bands are my favourites. I know a lot of people don't like them, but I like to see what people think. I didn't plan it that way, but it just started with one band and just GWAR, I then started asking everyone and added I.C.P. too. It's amazing how many people either don't like them or never heard of them, `cause every time I go see both bands, the shows are sold out! So, I take it that Mia doesn't like QUO VADIS? B: No, I think that was a misunderstanding of what she meant. You featured so many different bands, labels, distros, `zines and everything in your `zine. She was implying that "Everyone needs the exposure" and your mag does that for them. Your `zine was one she actually liked a lot! I really enjoyed the short interview with Bruce Campbell. Are you planning on continuing to interview movie stars in upcoming issues? B: I would love to be able to interview at least one movie/tv star in each issue. I just have to find out how to get a hold of these people. How did you get the interview with him? B: I read an interview with him and he said he answers his own e-mail. I was e-mailing him and just asked him to do an interview and he agreed. Will you continue doing the glossy cover with newsprint on the inside? Are you thinking of going all glossy? B: For now, I will be continuing with the newsprint and glossy cover. This is the best and closest to being as professional as I can. I would love to go all glossy but it's hard when you're new, don't have the money and have to pull teeth to get people to purchase ad space. My rates are majorly low and it's still hard, people just want exposure, but don't want to help out to get it! Which bands should we check out? B: ALL BANDS!!! Every band deserves someone's attention. Some bands I recommend are CARDIOVASCULAR SUB-HYPOTHERMIA, SLUDGE!, WASTELAND, FALL OF LEAFE, KRABATHOR, OBLITERATION, DISEPTIKONS, and more. Check out any band, anywhere. Everyone needs support! Any set plans for the future? B: Well, I just hope to continue down (or should I say up?) the same path I'm going with my label and the `zine. Making improvements and decisions along the way. After my girlfriend and I get a house, we will open our own store and hopefully start our own label. Hopefully I'll start up my band and do some CD compilations for my label. Any parting words? B: Yeah, thanks to you, Jim for this great interview! I really appreciate it. Good luck with your `zine and distro. Both are very cool. Thanks for all the cool trades we did. Let's hope it continues. Thanks to anyone who has supported me in any way. Everyone write me! BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS / SATAN'S CANDY BASKET `ZINE c/o Burt Wolf, 644 E. High St., APT 2B, Pottstown, PA. 19464 U.S.A. phone: (610)718-9863 e-mail: beowolfco@aol.com |