Antilectual played their release party for the new & second record 'Testimony'. They play a melodic kind of punk with a political edge on it. Check them out!

Biav: Explain to us why we should listen to Antillectual
Antillectual: Tough one! It’s very hard to “sell” your own music. If you like music that is energetic, melodic, intense, sometimes not too simply arranged, has a political message, can be aggressive but also rocking, you most likely like the music we like; and that is the music we try to make. Or maybe you want to support a (local) band that does its best to see what they can do with the band and what all this leads to? But see for your self if you like what you hear from us. Check our Myspace or come visit us at a show?

You guys are often referred to as "the Dutch/European Propagandhi". How does that make you feel? Can you live up to that reputation?
It makes me feel very good when I hear that! Propagandhi is my number 1 favorite band and it’s the biggest compliment you can give me. People actually ask us when Propagandhi is coming back to Europe, when their next release is due, as if we have some sort of secret connection with them. I wish! I really hope they come to Europe soon, and if we could share a stage with them I’d seriously re-evaluate the purpose of keeping this band together. Just kidding. Still I hope people don’t think we’re a Propagandhi rip-off or anything and enjoy us for our own skills and qualities. Because even though I understand the comparison I really think we have a style and content of our own.
We can never live up to that reputation of course.

Your lyrics are politically inspired, how true are you to your own ideals? Ever been to MacDonalds?
In fact we have a contest among each other of who can go to the MacDonalds the least! It’s a very difficult contest, because – as we discovered - MacDonalds is like everywhere around you, whereever you go. It’s hard not to walk into a MacDonalds and buy some deliciously tasting flesh.
But seriously.
It’s impossible to rate how true some one is to one’s ideals. I think it shouldn’t be a competition of who can be the most true to his ideals, or of who can live the most politically correct lifestyle. Lighten up! What is most important to me is if I (or someone else) feels comfortable in being politically active or aware. Political awareness or activism shouldn’t be forced upon someone but should be a positive choice taken in full awareness and with someone’s 100% support. I feel very comfortable taking a dump in MacD’s or using their free internet connection from time to time, you should try it yourself!


You guys toured all of europe now, how was that? What country is still on your "to discover" list?
Touring is the best a band can do without recording their own music. Being on the road and playing shows everywhere is the main reason for being in this band, it’s why we’re in this band. If you don’t tour, your music will not get spread across as many people. On our to do list in Europe is pretty much all countries in Eastern Europe, we’ve hardly been there, and Ireland and Scotland are still Virgin Islands to us. Luckily we get to go to Scandinavia next month since we’ve never been there either. Should be very good, it’s the source for a lot of extremely good punkrock.

We heard of your precautioned way of crossing borders (you guys took only one guitar to avoid problems with customs). How was that minimalistic touring? Did you have the proper equipment every night? Isn't touring bad for the environment?
We did the American tours together with American bands (Hypatia and Static Radio) whose backline and instruments we could use. Without that it would have been extremely difficult to arrange equipment and transportation. But for Static Radio we did the same when they came over to Europe, they used our stuff and transportation. Thank god for a DIY scene that this kind of events can actually take place.
Touring bad for the environment? Of course it is. Basically living is bad for the environment. Does that mean I think everyone should kill themselves? Nope. Again, if you can justify touring for yourself you should do it. I know we’re trying to keep down the pollution we produce when touring, but if you want to prevent pollution 100% you can’t do anything. Well-considered compromises in my opinion. Besides, I have the idea that through touring we can spread our “political message” among more people in more places, so that is a way of contributing something positive even though touring pollutes. That is a positive contribution that we could make if we decided to stay at home
I have to add that we actually did the first USA tour in a van that ran on vegetable oil we took from the waste cans from restaurants. Recycling to the max and cheap as hell!

What is more important to you? Playing for 10 guys that don't enjoy themselves and getting paid, of playing for 300 people who are having a ball and get jacked by the organizer and ending up without cash?
I’m glad we don’t play a lot of shows like the two options you describe above. I mean it’s great to have a big crowd and to get paid properly, but not in the wrong combinations. So in response to your question I would say “none of the above”. The perfect show is when both the organizer, the audience and we ourselves are having a great night. People don’t have to pay too much to get in, and both the organizer and we are making some money out of it to cover our expenses, bills, invest in future projects and what not. It is most satisfying to see people have a blast because of the show you play, but in the end we need money to pay for recordings, tours, merchandise and all. And if organizers lose money on shows, they will stop doing it, so it all works multiple ways.

We know Propaghandi is your major influence. What other bands get your approval?
Difficult question, there’s so many great bands these days, also a lot from our own European scene. But “bigger” bands that really do a thing that is inspiring to us are bands like Strike Anywhere, Hot Water Music, Alkaline Trio, A Wilhelm Scream. Melodic, energetic, music preferably with a political or at least serious, authentic edge to it. In Europe there’s really a good streak of new bands coming up. Rentokill and Astpai from Austria, Insane from Slovenia, and Smash the Statues from our own Holland are doing very inspiring stuff.

The world is a weird place, what is the weirdest shit that happened on tour?
Touring itself is such a weird experience. You’re locked in a van with a couple of guys for some weeks. You feel “excluded” from what is going on in the world around you, since your surrounding is changing from day to day. The only constant factors around you are your band mates, the van and your instruments. That results in some strange experiences, especially when you get back to your own home and the people there, it’s getting used to that again. Other than that we’re a pretty boring band, some drunk parties, meeting interesting people from over the world asking us if Holland is far from Amsterdam and stuff like that. On the last tour we “found” a box of potato chips that were just out of date, but of course still good enough to eat. That was a nice surprise, even though we weren’t able to finish 30+ bags of chips in 10 days ... strange.


If you guys aren't playing shows, or protesting the G8, where can we find you doing what?
For me the band is a full time activity, I don’t have a day job or study that occupies my time. We’re really happy with how things are going for us, we are touring very frequently and we’re very ambitious in what we want for the future. So a lot of time is going towards the band. On the side I have some shitty jobs to cover my expenses. Riekus, our drummer, works (free lance) as a website programmer/designer (I don’t know the specific terms) and is officially still studying. Yvo has just graduated and is finding a way to combine his parenting, with playing in the band and making a living.

Silencing Civilization was a rough diamond, but really rough, is the follow up smoother, or did you guys keep the rough edge?
I think production wise this album may be smoother and more or better produced. But the songs themselves are still raw and edgy, not too poppy or something, but still accessible and melodic. I think the new sound suits us better and fits the new songs better. I think over all it’s a more mature sound and the same goes for the song writing. I think the new album is a likely successor to our previous album. It’s the same style, only better! Nico van Montfort did an excellent job on the album and we’re extremely happy with the result.

When will you guys sell out?
Typical, we get that question a lot! I think it’s the destiny of a band that is identified as a “political band”. Because you are not supposed to become too big even though that might be the natural evolution of a band. People have asked if we’ll sell out if we had the chance like Rise Against, Against Me, Boy Sets Fire, Anti-Flag. All bands with political aspects that signed to major labels, “sold out”. As I said before if I can justify signing to whatever label towards myself, my ideals and my ideas of how I want to make, produce and distribute music; why not? In essence there’s nothing wrong with living from the music you make, better than “selling out” through taking a corporate 9-5 job and adapting to “the system”. Wouldn’t playing in a band with a political edge to it and living from that be a more “punk” thing to do?


Any last words?
Thanks for the specific questions, and the interest in our band. We hope to play in Belgium soon and as much as possible. We actually have shows at the Off shore Fest in Blankenberge in August and on the Funtime Fest in October. If you’re interested in our music check www.antillectual.com and www.myspace.com/antillectual. And you can order it from www.theshieldhardcore.com. Hope to see you sometime soon!
Thanks!

Thanks a lot for your time!

" If you like music that is energetic, melodic, intense, sometimes not too simply arranged, has a political message, can be aggressive but also rocking"