Als »German Suplex« bezeichnet man eine Wrestling-Taktik, bei der der Gegner aus dem Stand rückwärts über den eigenen Kopf geworfen wird. Die Bandkollegen Eli Livingston (Gitarre/Vocals), Nat Hilton (Bass) und Duncan Livingston (Drums/Vocals) ließen sich von Wrestler Brock Lesnar und dessen beispielloser Ausführung dieses Moves zum Namen ihres Noise-Rock-Projekts inspirieren – »because it had a nice ring to it«. Das in New York City ansässige Trio veröffentlichte im August sein soundgewaltiges Debütalbum »Anonymous Tip-Off«, erweckt darauf erzählerische Lyrics durch kreischend übersteuerte E-Gitarren, prägnante Basslines und washy Cymbals zum Leben und lässt hinter all der Grobschlächtigkeit noch Raum für Witz und unbefangene Intuition. Duncan Livingstone, dem man gar nicht glauben mag, dass er sich das Schlagzeugspielen selbst beigebracht hat, sprach mit uns über die noch junge Bandgeschichte und darüber, wie bedeutungsschwer ihre Lyrics wirklich sind.
skug: So, first of all, how did you guys meet and when did you decide to form a band?
Duncan Livingstone: Eli and I are related via the same parents. My friend David introduced me to Nat at a bar one time. Nat and I had lived in New York for a while, but Eli was still in Missouri, in a band called Theme-Black. They’re my heroes. He moved here one fall, and we started playing in spring.
Can you tell me more about your dynamics? How does each member influence your sound as a group?
We used to have a different drummer who played our first couple practices. He just played blast beats the whole time, and then he said he didn’t want to be in a band. Eli, Nat, and I decided either one of us has to learn the drums, or we could hire a guy. I took the fall. I think my lack of training might help guide where the songs go. I just steal songs, but I can’t play them as well. Once I play a beat over and over, it’ll end up sounding alright, I think. Nat’s like a genius. Usually, Eli and I bring a couple ideas, and then Nat jerks off until something he ends up playing sounds really good. Eli, however, is incredibly courageous.
Your debut album was released on August 18th, the first single »10 Car Pile Up« is out since February 19th and was released as a split EP with Roving. It seems to be about a car crash? What can you tell us about it?
Ding! That came together in maybe twenty minutes at one practice we had. That old drummer we had hates it, but it’s our sweet brainchild. Thank God he ended up putting out the album. It’s just about a car accident this drunk guy causes. It ends up with a little baby going to heaven. That’s what we tell ourselves the second half of the song is about.
Tell me more about the artwork for the split, it’s sick!
It’s a painting Nat made, depicting the Taliban.
The album is full of dystopian lyrics, betrayal, mistrust, and violence, but also often comes up with historical metaphors like »John Singer Sargent« about the infamous artist, or the song »Wunder von Grotenburg« about a soccer match between East and West Germany in 1986. What do you use these metaphors for?
Most lines are from either things we had all written down somewhere, or lines ripped from the Bible with a couple words changed. Otherwise, there are a couple lyrics we came up with when recording vocals. None of it really means anything, I don’t think. Eli and I also really like soccer, and Nat also really likes painting. He says it’s ironic or something.
How do you come up with lyrics in general? Does everyone contribute?
We all have something to say.
Living in the US right now must feel uncertain as the country moves towards totalitarian practices with its mass deportation and display of police force. Is that something you process with your music, and especially with elements of noise rock and post-hardcore, which is often used to express conflict inside and out?
Yes. We are very paranoid.
What are your future plans with the project? Do you have a tour coming up?
We just toured with a band called Eso. They’re seriously the greatest. It’s like those Instagram videos where some guy lists two bands and another guy picks one until there’s a winner. Eso fucks everyone. We have an EP coming out this winter, and then we’ll write and tour a second album next summer before our ultimate demise.
