If I’m not mistaken, GRONE was formed a long, long time ago - back in
1987… however, the first-ever CD by GRONE was released only ‘bout four years ago...

- We were called SUICIETY from 87-94 and we had several demos under that name. We changed the name to get a fresh start and we were getting sick of the name.

Furthermore, all of your efforts appear as self-financed ones! Therefore, I have few questions here… First of all, what kind of musical metamorphosis have you endured throughout your band’s career?

- Just alot of growing up I guess. I think we’re been building on the same theme for a long time and we’ve just gotten better at getting what we want from the music and the recording. Certainly some of our early recordings (88-92) were not nearly as heavy or raw as we would have liked. Our early recordings were subjected to the engineers we were using and many of them really polished our sound which wasn’t what we were trying to accomplish.

Secondly, what stopped you from unleashing anything in the shape of
‘official’ CD or LP in the late eighties and beginning of 90’s? Also,
I’m a bit surprised to see that you’re still an unsigned band…

- First off it's hard for us to get signed now because we all work and we can’t chase labels around (the few that are left) and still have a life outside music. We came close a couple of years ago to getting signed, but screwed up because we gave the label an unfinished CD to listen to that was rushed and had alot problems and they killed the deal. The CD was going to be called “X plus None” and it was never finished.

There’re three albums behind your band: “Stains And Omissions”,
“Lesser Trials” and “Chucklepatch”. Please, introduce each of them to
our readers…

- “Stains And Omissions”... This was the only demo SUICIETY did that I really liked. It was supposed to be released 3 years ago with Wild Rags but it never came out (I don't know why). It will probably see release on my label this summer (the 7 original songs and probably some new stuff too).
“Lesser Trials” was supposed to be a 7 inch on another label but I got frustrated with them so I released it myself on CD. I got a lot of good reviews on this despite the fact that it was rather short. It's also the first recording we did at our own studio and it was great to finally control everything. “Chucklepatch”... This is our first true full length Cd (71 minutes). And again I’m real happy with it. We’ll be releasing a new CD some time in the summer which I think everyone will really like.

The lyrics weren’t included with “Chucklepatch”, so what about them?
Such titles as “Freaks And Mommies” don’t suppose them to be a stunning poetry, heh heh…

- We just could not afford to have the lyrics printed (and keep the price at $5), sorry.  I don't think we're trying to be poetic but it's not meant to be silly either. All of our songs are based on life experiences and personal shit really. You can see the lyrics at
http://www.abundancenet.org/grone/lyrics.html

Do you have any definition for GRONE’s style? In my opinion, it’s some kind of a weird and anxious cross between death metal and industrial, however you might have your own point of view when it comes to this subject…

- No not really. It kind off changes depending on our mood. I guess a brutal industrial, very angry and at times very strange ("Chuckelpatch" also had a heavy doom influence).

Let’s discuss a bit your latest CD’s design and the art it features… I bet, there’s some kind of a certain meaning that hides behind those illustrations, eh…?

- I can’t speak for Chris C’s paintings, but I don’t think there’s any “meaning” in bullshit Soho sense of the word. My painting are more like weird scenes, or characters. I guess It’s more about mood with me.
 
Also, why did you decide to put there a pic with masturbating man? Just to shock some ‘vulnerable’ soul?

- The masturbating man is Chris C.'s brother and Chris caught him sleeping with hands down his pants (so I’m not sure he was necessarily masturbating). It was just a treat for anyone who knows him.

Among others, your thanks list features “Montegomery and Sparky, whom
despite being treated like crap keep on coming back for more”… Strange statement. Strange, because, if ears still serve me in an appropriate way, there’re no live drums on “Chucklepatch”!

- Sorry inside joke, you’re right Monty any Spanky are drum machines. "Stains..." has a live drummer and so did everything prior to that. Unfortunately we got to a point while looking for a drummer that it came to a machine or nothing.

What was the reason for choosing “Gomek” as your label’s name and what does it mean? I mean, I wonder if it means anything in English, because it is “faggot” in Russian…

- Lovely, I’ve learned something new today (is that Russian slang?) Anyway, yes Gomek was the name of the worlds largest alligator. I saw film of him while it was thinking of a name for the label and it impressed me because he just sat there like the godfather of the swamp.

The letter enclosed with the CD I received, says that you still don’t have any sort of distribution… however you have a label – and even if Gomek release only GRONE’s efforts, it is still a label. Sorry, but there’s what I cannot understand. Is it so difficult for you to find the distribution service you need? It seems like there’re hundreds of distros in USA…

- A friend of mine is looking into underground distros right now. I’ve sent it out to some of the bigger labels without response. The sad truth is that I don’t have the time to right now to take my label where it needs to go. Any there are probably less then 10 volume distributors that deal with stuff as heavy (or non-commercial as we are).

The world becomes more and more hi-tech nowadays, and that makes me
frightened a bit… For example, let’s take computers. Perhaps, it’s just my paranoia, but I’m strongly convinced that soon all of the networks and the Internet itself will be controlled by the government and the patterns like FBI and CIA and their analogues in other States…  Moreover, don’t you think that our governments try to erase the direct intercourse between us, by using computers and making them more accessible to the usual people, limited in their budget? Such things as various chats, ICQ, etc… A certain person, who fears to be told to fuck off in real life, doesn’t have to fear anything sitting in some kind of chat and associating with different individuals… Unfortunately, lots of people become withdrawn “thanks” to the computers, these machines “save” them from the immediate action…

- I try to stay out of the political thing because I don’t have the time to keep informed yet it would seem to me that everyone gives the government(U.S. at least) more credit than they deserve.

Any comments when it comes to show-business and it’s severe laws? Lydia Lunch once said that such freaks as RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS spend more money in order to record their regular CD than she earned for all her twenty-years career… That seems to be devilishly unjust, however I believe that one should earnestly think of his further fate before entering this bloody circus…

- We bought our recording studio (used) and released our CD for less than it costs to heat their pool so what do I know? I don’t see us as ever becoming mainstream so we probably don’t have worry about it. If the RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS want to blow their money I guess it’s their right.

Please, tell us of your literary source of inspiration… What would you say regarding those writers, who deconstruct their own individualism experimenting with the text’s form, f.ex. such as William Burroughs?

- Never read him. Saw "Naked Lunch" (the Movie) and thought it odd but yet again I never had the time too get to deep into it. I did alot of writing in school, but I must admit being a fan basic story telling. with the lyrics one also doesn’t have the freedom that one would normally have with fiction.

It is said that each person should possess both, male and female sides of temper, in order to reach intellectual perfection, however they shouldn’t quarrel with each other. What about you? What is “male” and what is “female” inside of you? Besides, what is your view on the theory mentioned above? Do you agree with those who say that we could have less complicated life as a biological specie if just these ‘sides’ won’t be in state of war inside of us…?

- Is this cause Gomek might mean something else in Russian? (just kidding). I think gender behavior is learned. I feel pretty much at peace with myself (the rest of the world however is another story) I’ll also say that I believe we are unique onto ourselves, and to our particular environments. And I think making blanket statements becomes increasingly difficult the more diverse we become.

Do you believe in the power of word? If we would recall ancient Hellenic orators, and take their power of ascendancy on the crowd as an axiom, the answer might be “yes”, but… there’re some of us who think that counting on our language, on the word itself, we limit our ability to express anything essential, since the world around us, the so-called environment, is limited by the human tongue and language… “Sometimes words can not say what the heart feels. Music can express the things that our language cannot”.

- It’s 2:40 am and I can’t believe you’re asking me philosophize at this hour! Anyway, I think Music is alot more abstract and thus inherently universal. Words are powerful but they’re just a tool. And I’ve never found them to be limiting.

The current day will pass, and another one begins… Is there anything
definite you see in a coming day, Chris? (that was meant as a typical
question regarding your future plans, heh heh…)

- As for the music I want to get our next CD done this summer, And I’m doing everything in my power to make it the heaviest yet. I’d like to do more painting and Chris C and I have been talking about doing a comic book.

I hope I didn’t bore you too much with my questions… Anyway, even if
“yes”, here’s your deliverance – the interview is finished and it’s time for the final words of yours…

- Well I’d like to ask that interested people get in touch at GroneNJ@AOL.com or Grone PO Box 271 spotswood NJ USA. The "Chucklepatch" CD is only 6 dollars US which includes shiping. Our vist our sight to see more Art and lyrics at http://www.abundancenet.org/grone/lyrics.html

GRONE contact -
Email: GroneNJ@aol.com