The Exploited interview

The Exploited have been cranking out angry, explosive punk rock for almost thirty years. I recently got to interview long time drummer Willie (Wullie) Buchan to find out more.



MM-What are you currently working on?

WB-Hi Mark, Wullie the drummer here. We are currently writing songs for our next album which will Be on the Nuclear Blast label



MM-Do you still believe in anarchy? If so then why, if not then do you have different beliefs about society than you did in the 1980’s?

WB-I think anarchy is still alive today. Just look at the chaos in the Middle East and other warzones around the world. Also people {in The UK} need to stand up for themselves more. Show governments that they better fucking listen to the people. A lot of folk seem to not be bothered about the fact that our freedom to privacy and civil rights, to move around the world in general are slowly being taken away.



MM-I saw GBH a couple of years ago and was surprised by the number of kids there that were under 20. Not just that they were there, but that they knew the songs. Do you get many younger fans at your shows like that? If so then does that surprise you?

WB-Yea it’s cool to see a lot of new blood at the show but also we get a lot of old timers too, which have helped keep the scene alive when punk was more underground. If it wasn’t for the punk Fans we couldn’t have kept playing all these years. Thanks guys.



MM-What do you think about the punk rock scene in general today? Is it better or worse than say Twenty years ago?

WB-It’s more diverse now the media have created a huge sub genre of what’s punk. Some of its just pop piss that means nothing to us personally. A lot of it just is bands copying other bands with no originality in their music. Then again you get bands that are striving to get their own sound and try to be more original. I think a lot of bands are scared to try and be different, that’s what’s different about now and back in the late 70's-early 80's.



MM-This band has been around for almost 30 years. Do you still think that your band and what you Are doing is relevant in today’s scene? Why?

WB-We couldn’t care if other people think if we are relevant or not. We do this because we love It. we get a lot of shit from various sources saying we are this or that, mostly from people who have never fucking talked to us or even seen us play...we say hahaha fuck you...keep talkin' shit We don’t care. We know who our supporters are...cheers.



MM-In October of 2003 a concert you had scheduled in Montreal was cancelled. When fans were told they started a riot and smashed windows on cars and stores plus they overturned cars and set Fires. Were you shocked when you heard about this? What do you think about the fans reaction during this incident?

WB-All we can say is if people riot they must be pissed off about something...if you want to use us as an excuse to smash shit up goes ahead, but in reality it had nothing to do with us, we were trying to get back into the states at the time...looked good on CNN tho lol.



MM-When you play live do you still dedicate the song “Dead Cities” to any particular cities? If so Then which ones?

WB-Nope not for a long time.



MM-What’s your favorite Exploited album and why?

WB-Can’t really say. People think our stuff all sounds the same but if you listen to all our albums They are pretty much all different in sound and style.

MM-Since say the early 1990’s there have been long gaps between your studio albums. Why is that?

WB-Because we are lazy fuckin' bastards and we love playing live and spend a lot of time touring.



MM-What do the Exploited stand for today and is it any different than what the band stood for in say the early 1980’s?

WB-As you get older your views change you see something’s differently. And also we have had many band member changes so of course it changes but in general we still have the same attitude towards government war and cunts in general.



MM-You guys have always been known for your energy and your blunt lyrics. Is it as difficult to keep getting fired up for every show after you have been doing it for so long? How do you stay motivated?

WB-Just look at the state of the world then that will answer that question.



MM-What songs are your favorite to play live? Are there any songs that you have gotten sick of playing time after time?

WB-Mine personally are Sex and violence and Beat the bastards, System fucked up.



MM-If you could only listen to three albums over the next month then what would they be and why?

WB-Martyn Bennet- grit-Scottish guy who mixed up traditional Scottish music with electronic stuff, sadly died of cancer a few years ago, but his music’s great. Skindred-Roots rock riot- I just like these guys they rock and they are original sound wise. Suicidal tendencies-Freedumb...just listen to it and you will know why classic stuff.



MM-What would be your advice to younger generations?

WB-Be true to yourself and treat others as you would like to be treated yourself and don’t just take shit, change shit!!



MM-Is there anything else that you would like to say about your band or your music?

WB-We rock,

Cheers Wullie

http://www.myspace.com/officialtheexploited

***Thanks to Wullie for doing the interview.