A trip to the grindcore with Rato Raro
RATO RARO is one of the most senior and respected bands of Spanish Grindcore. Since its inception in 1992, its members have changed and have only been in the band from the beginning Toño (growls and vocals) and Raul (drums) (both brothers), and after Visy (guitarist) was joined to the band, who recorded their second album titled "Acidethc", released by the label Xtreem Music last year. They were the creators of the concept PRODUCCIONES RARAS, who provide help and support to all the bands of the scene and organize the annual festival BRUTOLOGOS in Spain. They have organized concerts for bands like AVULSED, SQUASH BOWELS, INQUISITION, NASHGUL, MACHETAZO, GROG, RECTAL SMEGMA, FERMENTO, LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER, PESTA PORCINA, CARNIVORE DIPROSOPUS, GORE AND CARNAGE, MIXOMATOSIS, ROMPEPROP, DIFENACUM, HAEMORRHAGE, HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL, VELOCIDAD ABSURDA, DEMENTOR, PULMONARY FIBROSIS and many more. Its crazy vocalist answers our questions.
Hell-o Toño, how were born and when you started with PRODUCCIONES RARAS and RATO RARO?
It all starts at 1992, the truth is that then we realized that now after 19 years has meant Rato Raro in the iberian underground, including our own lives, creating the concept of Rato Raro. There are not many bands were formed in those years and that puts us in the center of the target.
The beginnings were the usual I suppose, people who come together with a common and explicit in some respects, make noise, drink a lot, experimenting with drugs and have fun. The usual places without ventilation, full mold, dirt and shit, no water or toilet paper, lol, but still your little private hell where you can express yourself, between live and dead rats, rotting or damp basements full of infamous.
Everything is fine when you follow a path even if you know it, the start was good, paying attention to what it has meant, no doubt, it is clear that the best is the "way" to go. It is important that we continue to my brother (Raul) on drums, sometimes creating music and I (Toño) on vocals and creating concepts and lyrics, that's the best, we are brothers (and we got it bad, lol ), in addition to having shared the stage in many cities and many international bands and mythical legends, is also friends with many volunteers and fans of the concept Rato Raro.
Producciones Raras comes from the experience of many years intervening in Fanzines, Ruido Underground (radio broadcast for 10 consecutive years), DJ in bars, as a reporter, writer and concert photographer and many more... but always from the lowest point Underground unchanged. Producciones Raras was a project I had in mind always, to producing records and concerts. Following minimal assistance creating the concept of Brutologos (our annual music festival), people from the old school who attends almost fixed and faithful to all appointments. People fireproof the passage of many years and enjoyed as never has been spreading all kinds of bands have passed through our hands.
There are many bands who have made a radical change of their original sound, following the idea of "renewed or die". Your band still playing the same style and your fans appreciate it. What do you think about the bands that change their style and the bands like you that continue doing the same?
Normally, the radical changes are due to changes in the formation or the tests with new styles that affect the minds of participants. Depends on the intention of the band (or the mess of their mind, lol).
We always liked to do all it saw fit without departing from any sound, style or influence and with an explicit basis in its essence, brutality, that's what makes a band is maintained over time and the people who follow and listen to know what's going to find, see and hear. That leads to a concept, which in this case is Rato Raro. What we think about the bands that change their style is indifferent to us, every one should know where you are, what you want and feel happy and proud of what you done without expecting applause or herds of fans, lol. Those things could indicate to us that we will in the wrong way and we know without hesitation that Rato Raro sounds totally different.
Been a long time between jobs of RATO RARO, does that is due to difficulties or do you prefer to take your time? We must to wait long to see completed the trilogy that began with your album entitled "Acidethc"?
Yes, lol, time goes too fast that's the worst of all, there are many difficulties and will continue having it, but rather we take it quite calmly. Regarding the trilogy is almost complete, we have a total of 25 songs plus some rarities that will be distributed between "Acidethc" and "Acid-2 (Dedos en dos)" and completed with "La Toxidelia (Venenoso Blotter)". Now only review the layout and see the possibilities of negotiating a publishing label. The music label who launch our album "Acidethc" are the spanish label Xtreem Music.
Today are more and more bands that plays Slamming Brutal Death, Cybergrind and other styles, what do you think of these "new" trends including the bands of a single component?
Personally, nothing seems wrong, the only thing that can never be likened to an old-style band, both in sound and aptitude testing components and people, these experiments come to light. But it is very respectable people with no other possibilities or human disappointments fed into this position to realize their concerns and desires of expression rather than logic. If technology allows, perfect, there's really authentic characters that buzz in the Underground very much, also has merit, no doubt.
With RATO RARO you have done some concerts outside Spain, but often you play around here. Do not you like sightseeing or you feel the missing the spanish omelette of potatoes when you're out, lol?
Honestly, we're a band from the Iberian Peninsula. We especially like to play in Portugal and Galicia, where we receive special support, where our history quite well understood and concept. Although we can not complain about the other places where we play, we always find people who support us and follows us and is interested in our strange lyrics and concept.
For tourism each do on our own, and the spanish omlette don't suppose a problem if we can find the ingredients (onions, potatoes and oil) to do it, lol.
You are being totally faithful to the concept of non-profit, making very low prices to the concerts you organize, it is clear that people who go to those concerts is delighted, but, what's the opinion of the bands that take part in those concerts?
There's not any band that has been left with any doubts. The concert was organized with honesty, experience and humility and with a minimum of courtesy and operation, without them we would not have either begun or continued nor would future of the concerts. We are very serious in those minimums to meet:
Good sound, real promotion, comfortable place to sleep, food, drinks, hot showers and other things to make a good experience for the bands.
There have been bands that have rejected your invitation to perform at these concerts?
Only a couple of them and the reason was "out of enough money to their class." We don't care, we've never worked for others who think more important, and asked for more money for what they do, everything is important, one thing does not work without the other, but there are bands who do not understand or want to understand. Everybody likes earn money, but for that there are percentages or a thousand other ways to negotiate. Then they spent their money paying shit substances or drinking something expensive in any pub at weekend, this is for fun, or we understand in this way. When you go to a big concert as public, the band doesn't give you the money to you for pay the gasoline or beers and doesn't invites you to sleeping in their hotel with the lot of money that they earn (in some cases), are different philosophies in order to see things and we prefer walk in the way of fun, not for speculation or the profit.If we have learned something is that the bands doesn't worth absolutely nothing. Elsewhere, perhaps the name of a band move more people than another, but our experience tells us that the bands do not drag people today, whatever it is, except for very very specific cases. When a band sells merchandise galore, never offered us a percentage by the lot of public that comes to the concert due to our promotion, then either we think that's another part of the support, so we must be honest and not selfish. Sometimes it comes out better, sometimes it comes out worse. The money for us is a mere formality we have to endure as everyone living in this world, even meeting the band and the audience at our concerts has always been a very high level, regardless of fucking money, understanding its shape to resist. We must take it as is, the band must to imagine that goes to a concert but where you do not pay ticket and the entertainment is guaranteed, and other extras (depends on the assistance of public). The fun is priceless ...!!!
It was the seventh time that you organized the BRUTOLOGOS FESTIVAL, which means that you still encouraged to repeat the feat, I mean ... more editions the festival. Do you have planning to organize your festival in the way of Barroselas, Obscene Extreme or other festivals like these or do you prefer make the things in the same way?
Yes, this year 2011 was the seventh edition and think it is a festival to be considered extreme, with no goals to be able to give shelter to so many bands that otherwise often not part of a crowd like that. The last year increased in number of bands and to be open air, but as I mentioned before, no more claims that the fun with our favorite music, being a part of the organization's own bands involved.
A Spanish band "revealed" to his label and released his new album via Internet free of charge to download. A label released an album of EXTREME NOISE TERROR through internet, earning only the money that people wants to pay... As a band, do you think the solution to piracy by lowering prices passes, upload discs online and charge a little for each item to be downloaded or it is best to maintain the usual way?
Piracy affects only the major record labels and everyone who is obsessed with making money on culture in all its forms. Culture should be free in its scope and concept. With an album, a book, an action does not feed anyone, nor save lives ... Is better that the society worry other more serious problems of people. And to hell with all the cocky who call themselves artists and they are a group of opportunists.
You think that the fact of living in Palencia, a small city, away from big cities with a history major concerts and festivals such as Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastian among others, is a handicap when it comes to organizing concerts or it's easier because in small places works better word of mouth and wide-spread the news?
Everything has its pros and cons, if you want something work, you must do so regardless of majorities or minorities, who must have really like, as if one day they just 3 to a gig, no matter, go forward and takes full advantage, that's the worst that can happen, "have fun is our motto." But do not pout, because there is no reason, everyone is free to do what you want and go at will. You can not be thinking that this band has more pull than that, no band is worth nothing, as he'll tell you, this is demonstrated by the ability and on stage with a pair of testicles, adapting and carrying out alive. The bands who ask for more things because they think that they are more special than others or whatever, no longer fit. In conclusion we must to adapt and evolve "in the negative".
Lately, in countries like USA, Holland, Russia and the Czech Republic are born a lot of bands that have carved a niche in the extreme scene, how do you see the scene in Spain?
It is normal that leave more and more bands and that's because the concept called underground has consolidated enough, there are still outsiders who call themselves underground, but then unmask themselves and of course we never again have them. I find it disgusting, miserable and despicable to use the Underground to get you the free vacation. In reality, all these bands payroll or calling minimum expenses and other rock star bullshit they alone are sinking, you can sell a season, which is bread for today is hunger for tomorrow.I guess we all know the names of such bands. These bands all they need is to organize themselves their concerts and take all the benefits, They let an organizer do all the work and if it goes wrong (as usual) only the organizer loses his money and they just won and spend the money and effort organizing posh like children without scruples. Rip Offs will always be those who bring them the candy in the mouth, it's clear that they are not underground. Money is necessary for all and if it's used right and do the necessary at the end you are left with the aftertaste of having been there and participating and having so much fun. Underground Underground is underground, submerged, apart from any social roll, contracts, tour managers and various inventions.
Big labels such as Brutal Bands or Unique Leader Records are signing a lot of bands and launch tons of releases. Do you think that is necessary some Spanish labels use of the aforementioned or you believe that spanish labels like Xtreem Music, Hecatombe Records, Dan's Crypt Records or Pathologycally Explicit Recordings are doing a good job with the spanish bands?
Yes, I think they are doing well always, in addition to an honest and clear. We would love to edit in any of these record labels as our future work we've done with Xtreem Music without hesitation as the Iberian Peninsula is a very important point in the Underground.
Some time ago we saw an internet video in which the singer of The Misfits had a backstage fight with a security type. In a concert of Cannibal Corpse in Sala Heinneken, the band withdrew without elaborating on the set and only Alex returned to the stage to greet and sign autographs. Nile threatened to not continue playing when someone threw an empty plastic cup on stage ... Rato Raro enjoy the shows as just one more of the public before and after playing as they did Rectal Smegma and Rompeprop in their concert at your rehearsal room (AT.MOSH.PHERA-ZERO). How do you see the attitude of some famous bands in their shows?
I think that in the underground there's no fans like in other styles of music, but people downloading his thanks to bands like that, asking for a signature, a handshake, take a picture to remember and to comment or ask what they mean in a lyric, there is a fluidity between the bands and the public.Any of these previous band you mention can go to hell with their arrogance and importance of superior beings who deserve more respect than the respectable age important part in this. Another thing is a spontaneous reaction as can be anyone, but do not overdo that.Regarding the concert of Rectal Smegma and Rompeprop, it was good and funny, although we were looking forward to seeing the show complete with costumes and bloodletting and gore everywhere, as promised before closing date with them, again will be, or elsewhere, lol.
Do you would like to add something before the end of the interview?
I think everything has been pretty clear, only add that Underground is anything that is away from the commercial and the support of the fans it's neccesary to keep alive the scene. Our parents said to us "maybe you become a famous" and we like to say "it's better that you don't see to us in the television or the newspapers, because we prefer the fanzines", lol.
You can visit our webpages at http://www.myspace.com/ratoraro and http://www.myspace.com/produccionesraras. Thanks Hijo del Dolor for your support to the scene ever you can do it.
Thank you very much and good luck with RATO RARO, PRODUCCIONES RARAS, BRUTOLOGOS FEST and we hope that all of your projects go forward.