How do you think, what music plays the band which name is Meatlocker 7? Goregrind? No way. Brutal death metal? Nope. Hardcore? Don’t think so. Mike Selman, lead guitarist of the band, provides some interesting information on the group, including absolutely amusing story about the origin of the name «Meatlocker 7″, some thoughts on crossover styles in today’s extreme music, and other worth-while things. Fasten your seatbelts, read on and don’t forget to thank Steve a.k. . Mr. Hell, another Meatlocker 7 inhabitant who handles the bass-guitar, for his invaluable help with this interview!

- (AK) What would you like to tell our readers about the history of Meatlocker Seven and its musicians?

- (ML7) Well, we formed in 1995, and shortly thereafter Steve joined on bass. We have been through two drummers and three vocalists since then, and have yet to put out a product with the new line-up. Chris Lorette replaced Dave Askins back in 1999 and Bram Harvey replaced Quin Mculloch on vocals about a year ago.

- (AK) What meaning the name of the band has for you. Who came up with it?

- (ML7) Only me and Tony were in the band when we came up with the name. We were actually jamming with a couple of other buddies when Shredfest 2 was announced. It was Metal and Punk bands at an all weekend outdoor fest, with bands like the Dayglo Abortions and Caustic Thought (now partially SYL) on the bill… so of course we were jacked to play our first show there. But we didn’t have a name, or anymore than about five tunes that are since long gone. We were jamming in a old meat storage plant that was 85 year old, meatlockers converted to jam spots, and we were in number seven. We used it only as a way to submit our «demo» with no intentions of keeping the name, but it stuck and here we are.

- (AK) Were you trying to convey a particular idea or image to the fans or you took the name for any other reasons?

- (ML7) See above! Once the name caught on, and people liked that it was sorta unique, we kept it!

- (AK) It’s hard to speak about stylistic classifications in these days of shocking crossovers of styles and even genres, but anyway — how would you describe your music to a person who never heard you before. Do you consider yourselves playing any particular style?

- (ML7) We have discussed this alot within ourselves. A tag for our style. We can come up with «metal» easily enough, but it’s so hard to attach anything to it. We are all so heavily influenced by such a wide variety of genres from old school death metal to black metal, to thrash, new death, new metal, hardcore and punk, you name it… many of these influences come out in various songs. We never actually sit down and consciously say, «Let’s write a death metal song» or, «Let’s write a ballad» we just write, elaborate on what we’ve written, improvise it a bit, and if someone can still remember it by next jam then its probably destined to be a new song!

- (AK) What music has inspired you to create the band? What are your musical influences and what music do you like to listen to in general. Anything particular outside metal/hardcore genres?

- (ML7) As I said we are all heavily influenced by metal as a whole. We are all old enough to remember the Banzai Records era quite well and all were into old school death metal back in the 80’s when it was still uncool, even amongst the Maiden/Priest fans. Since then we have kept up with the various scenes that have come about, and are now still mostly into listening to newly released metal than the old stuff. We will never forget our roots, but damn, it gets boring unless you expand your horizons… and metal is so much better these days — especially production wise.

- (AK) Can you please tell us your comments on every Meatlocker 7 release? What releases do you like the most and why, and what you don’t (and why)?

- (ML7) Well, our first release, «Corrode», while accepted by most as a good album, wasn’t exactly up to par with what we wanted. Our vocalist at the time, Aaron Clark, got married halfway through production, and it was only a matter of time until he quit. Needless to say the vocals weren’t up to par, and we had quite a few issues with our drummer at that time too!aSince then we haven’t really done any major recording, but have done some jam spot demos (the ones on mp3.com)… again, these are far from good quality, but they give the fans an idea of what our new vocalist is capable of. We are in the process of recording a full length though. I find that people don’t feel the real energy of Meatlocker Seven unless they see us live. That’s when we impress.

- (AK) Who are the main songwriters and who’s handling the lyrics?

- (ML7) Generally Tony and Chris write the newer songs on guitar and drums… then we as a group come in and structure the riffs and maybe improvise on a few to change things around. This method seems to work well. I wrote more of the material on Corrode, but the stylings of that album were far different from what we are doing now. Bram tends to write the majority of the lyrics with Steve occasionally helping out.

- (AK) Speaking of lyrics — I haven’t had a chance to look them through, what are they about? Are they as important as music or you just view vocals as another instrument?

- (ML7) Another instrument. I don’t know if Bram is preaching a message so much as fitting his ideas of life/society etc. into our instrumentation. In other words, he doesn’t walk around telling people how much he hates them in real life! Although he does have a bit of road rage. He-he…

- (AK) What do you like more — to tour or to work in the studio?

- (ML7) Tour!

- (AK) Can you tell us about the direction of the band’s further progress?

- (ML7) We just want to enjoy what we do. If it becomes a job, then it better pay. Although I’m sure we will settle for gas money and free beer!

- (AK) What bands do you like most in the current extreme music scene. What bands you would like to tour with?

- (ML7) Personally I’ve been getting into alot of euro-thrash a-la Soilwork, Opeth, Dark Tranquility, Ebony Tears. I really dig the new Dimmu. New Children of Bodom rips on guitar.

- (AK) Back to one of my previous questions — what do you think about the tendency to mix styles in modern extreme music scene?

- (ML7) I’m down with it. It’s the only road to progression of the metal scene. I know guys that are still stuck in the early 90’s. Anything since then they do not like. I don’t want to be like that in 5 years. If there wasn’t mixing and change then the scene would start to get stagnant again.

- (AK) What do you think of the bands that use gory lyrics and gory imaginery. Do you think that it’s simply immature or you think that such lyrics and imagery might bear some symbolic meaning?

- (ML7) I guess it’s whatever you’re into. I have no problem with it personally — it’s just another style that adds to the diversity of the scene. I love going to gigs where the band is covered in blood and guts, and are getting it into the crowd.

- (AK) What was the most shocking listening experience you’ve ever had?

- (ML7) Terria [Steve adds: it's a product of Vancouver BC's prodigal son, Devin Townsend —AK]

- (AK) What are your favorite modern musicians?

- (ML7) Well, Devin is pretty damn good. It’s hard to say though. There are so many. I can’t choose!

- (AK) What music styles are you following? Industrial? Black metal. Grindcore. Ambient. Something completely outside of extreme music area?

- (ML7) I’ve been getting into the melodic death and euro-thrash lately… subject to change though!

- (AK) Do you approve or disapprove playing drunk and/or stoned. What are your thoughts about narcotics and drinks in general? Is it possible for a musician to create a fine piece music without using some «creativity steroids»?

- (ML7) I drink and smoke pot. But we don’t play drunk, except at parties maybe. We can smoke weed and still perform, but drinking, no. We get too sloppy… it might work if we were playing a different form of music, but not this stuff. Our goal is to be at the top of our performance each and every show. As for hard drugs, we generally steer clear of them and the people that do them (although that isn’t necesarily true!). We have composed many a fine piece whilst high on BC Bud though!

- (AK) What do you think about the current state of death metal/grindcore scenes? Do you care about politics?

- (ML7) Politics… no. Although I think there are some good words being spoken in metal these days. I just listen to what I like usually. If it catches me, I listen. If not, I don’t. I’m not gonna force myself to like something I can’t stand just because I agree with the message. Hey! I agree naked hot chicks should blow me daily and take it when I say, but that doesn’t mean I like rap!

- (AK) What are your thoughts about the Internet. Does Internet help or hurt the bands. What do you think about mp3s and Napster?

- (ML7) Helps them!aNapster was a great service to metal. I’ve been turned on to so many new underground, and even well known bands that I would never have had a chance to hear before. I also try hard to purchase albums if I really like them.

- (AK) What do the band members do in their free time. Do you rehearse a lot?

- (ML7) Rehearse, computers, hockey, soccer, camping, fishing… all sorts of outdoors stuff. Hey, we live in an outdoors mecca! [You're lucky — I'm used to actually seeing the air I'm breating. —AK]

- (AK) Is it possible for Meatlocker 7 to earn their living by only playing the music?

- (ML7) I think so… at least enough to continue paying for a tour. We could never earn locally like that though. We’d have to get out and tour a few times first to gather up a following, but I think people dig what they see when they watch us live.

- (AK) What do you think about the future of the extreme music?

- (ML7) I see it just getting better and more accepted by a wider audience, therefore generating more cash flow and allowing more bands to successfully tour.

- (AK) Do you think that the creator can do everything that is okay with his inner sense?

- (ML7) Play from the heart!

- (AK) Judging by your site, you guys aren’t afraid to openly show some nice sense of humor. Do you think that the modern extreme music scene is too serious and adding some humor won’t hurt it or you think that there’s no place for jokes in extreme music? Isn’t it ironic that the more extreme the music gets, the more «merry» and humorous the musicians become?

- (ML7) Well, I see alot of people, especially on the net, who have this persona of «I’m so br00tal, and you are so unTr00″ and I think it’s fucked. Half these guys are probably boring loners with no life anyhow. Well, not all of them, but we are just always joking aound and heckling people in real life, and we are all very social. We love to party and have a good time. If we are drunk, don’t let your guard down, because we attack as a group!

- (AK) If you were told that there are 24 hours left before the end of the world, how would you’ve spent these 24 hours?

- (ML7) Playing Unreal Tournament and smoking cronic!

- (AK) Your dearest dream?

- (ML7) Well… I don’t want to offend her. [That's what I call "conceptual humor". —AK]

- (AK) What do you know about Russia? What Russian bands do you know?

- (ML7) I don’t know much really from that scene. Why is it that we get all this Scandinavian stuff and yet the Russian scene is so much harder to find? [First: different mentality, second: we were almost completely "closed" from the world's cultural (and musical) evolution, and third: horrible state of economy that prevents most good musicians (outside pop-music) from doing something serious and big because of the lack of money. —AK] I know it’s a great country that has a very turbulent past, but a very interesting past too, with a wide variety of cultures. I hope that they can come back into the world scene as far as being a productive superpower. And they kicked Hitler’s ass! [That's right, we did. Too bad that boneheads here don't give a fuck about it. I guess the saying that hair lenght is proportionate to host's IQ might have some truth to it after all. —AK]

- (AK) If you would have ever had a chance to go back and change something that happened or not happened, what would you have changed in the history of Meatlocker Seven?

- (ML7) I wouldn’t have wasted all our time trying to find Bram!aWell, I am still good friends with all former members, so it’s hard to say, but if we had this lineup 5 years ago I wonder where we would be now.

- (AK) How would you like the fans of Meatlocker Seven to remember it?

- (ML7) Heavy, in your face and full of energy… a blast of metal!

- (AK) Thanks for the insightful and interesting interview, we wish you less line-up changes and more good music! Good luck!

Visit official Meatlocker 7 site @ www.meatlockerseven.com

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