MASTER Frontman: 'Drugs Are Great'

Germany's Metal1.info webzine recently conducted an interview with MASTER mastermind Paul Speckmann. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Metal1.info: MASTER has very socio- and particularly America-critical lyrics which distinguish you from most of the other death metal bands, who have satanic-, gore- or aggression-glamorizing song-texts. What do you think about bands that show this interpretation of the term death metal?

Speckmann: Well, I just say it this way: VITAL REMAINS is a great band and MORBID ANGEL as well, all these bands are really great — and Satan sells, let's just say. Maybe if MASTER was a satanic band, maybe I would sell as many records as they do. But I have a different way of integrity; I like singing about what's really happening in the world and in society, about the problems we face. For me, my lyrics are very important and many of these other bands it's just Satan — and Satan sells, so hey, more power to them! What can I say… [laughs]

Metal1.info: Speaking of successful death metal bands — what do you feel after all those years, when NAPALM DEATH, MORBID ANGEL or PESTILENCE publicly refer to you as having had big impact on their music or when those bands clearly imitate the traditional MASTER style?

Speckmann: I think it's great! More power to them! I'm happy they are having more success than I do and I wish I had the same success - but you can't be jealous about it. It's just nice to know, that these people admit that I influenced them and helped them along. What's really nice is when NAPALM DEATH covered the song "Master" two years ago on "Leaders Not Followers: Part 2". It's like they are sending me a royalty check every six months — and that's really cool! [laughs]

Metal1.info: To get back to politics, tell me your opinion about the current U.S. government and the world-leaders as they appear today. What would you suggest for general improvement?

Speckmann: There is a song on the new album called "Anarchy Nearly Lost". What it basically says is that the youth of today need to get up, make a stand and pull down these powerful political figures. Because if the youth of today don't make a change, in ten years there will be one leader, one dictator ruling the entire planet — and nobody needs George Bush or any other puppet like this guy running the entire world. So I really believe it's up to the youth today to make a stand, and if they don't do it, it's their own fault; it will be bad for the next generations.

Metal1.info: Sure.

Speckmann: Politics and political leaders are shit. They are all making tons of money — people are getting poor and they are getting richer and richer. They are slaughtering innocent people in Iraq… It's sick. It's a sick, twisted society.

Metal1.info: All right, but a lot of metalheads criticize politics in music. Would you define MASTER as a political band?

Speckmann: I would define MASTER as a "life" band. I want to live and I would imagine that other people want to live, too. It's time to get up and make a stand — that's about it.

Metal1.info: I read in the band biography that drugs played a major role in your youth. What's your position to this topic today as an adult?

Speckmann: Drugs are great. Experimentation is awesome. Honestly, I would say that everybody should try marijuana, everybody should try speed, everybody should try cocaine, acid, mushrooms... But the thing is, you just don't want to get addicted to it.

Metal1.info: That's true…

Speckmann: I tried all these things. I'm anti-heroin and against all that really heavy stuff, but in today's day and age marijuana goes along with social drinking. I don't think anything is wrong with it and I think in America, for example, a big problem is that people are getting arrested for smoking marijuana and have to be in jail for five years. Hey, go out and find the murderers! Go out and find the serial killers that are killing thirty or forty women at a time. Don't worry about somebody smoking a joint or drinking a bottle of whiskey... Well, okay, I understand if you are behind the wheel and kill somebody you got to pay for your sins, but for the average person that smokes a little marijuana and drinks a beer — hey, leave them alone. Holland has great rules over there. I really like Holland. I personally gave up smoking marijuana when I was around twenty-five, which is quite a few years ago, now I'm forty-three. I will smoke an occasional joint with the guys on the tour if they offered it me — why not? If I'm in a certain frame of mind, it's okay. Hehe.

Read the entire interview at Metal1.info.