Scallwags from Germany have done their first LP
in 12 years and celebrate 25 years as a band.
Here have Thomas been so kind and answered a lot
of questions. May -2022
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group? It took 12 years between Rock n roll
crash course and the new LP 25? What happened?
-We are Scallwags, a punkrock band from Germany.
Founded 1996, we released 6 records, two bestof
on vinyl, several songs on compilations in
Japan, Spain and the US and played countless
concerts. Last year we celebrated our 25th
anniversaries with the second best-of LP "25"
with two new songs. Rock'n'Roll CrashCourse was
released 2009. It took us 9 years two finish the
follower Rock'n'Roll Requiem, basically due to a
lack of time to write and rehearse new songs. I
got two kids, we live far scattered in Germany.
So we concentrated on playing a live shows.
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Earlier bands? Other bands on the side?
-Thomas (vocals, guitar): 45, married, two Kids
Other bands: Pigs in Green, Motherwell Park
Christian (vocals, drums): 47 Other band:
Sinnfrei Former Bands: After Midnight
Alex (guitar, vocals): 47 Former band: After
Midnight
Michael (bass): 32 Former bands: The Rambles,
Rick Tick Evil
I can hear much different influences but mostly
older punk? Favorites from the past?
-We have different influences from punkrock,
rock'n'roll to hard rock. If we look at punk
bands from the past we could name The Ramones
and The Clash.
Scallwagon are you satisfied with the name? How
did it came up? What does it mean? You weren’t
afraid that some other band would be named like
this? Which is the best bandname you know?
-Scallwags or Scallywags is an old English term
for rascal or brat. We chose the less common
form without the Y which is good because there
are a few other bands named Scallywags. But
Scallwags is unique. If you look at our logo you
will find the Y as the slingshot
What´s the best thing with playing live? Have
you done any since the covid came?
-Directly interacting with fans, sweat, energy
and loads of fun. We just did one show since the
covid restrictions. So we are really looking
forward to play shows again this year.
And where is best to play? And the worst
place? Or isn´t it any bad place….
-We prefer small clubs where the audience is
packed and the sweat drips from the ceiling.
How is to play this sort of music in Germany
right now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with? Which is the most
peculiar band you have been played with on a
concert?
-Germany has a vital punkrock scene with s lot
of great bands. Although I have the impression
that the bands are getting older and not so many
young bands are coming up anymore. But maybe
that's because I got old, too. We play with a
lot of different bands, not only punkrock bands
which is often exciting but I don't remember an
especially peculiar band. But the Gang Green
guys were kinda strange. ;-)
How would you describe your music in three words
to people who never have heard you?
-Punkrock & guitar soli
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle? Have it changed through the
years?
-Punk is not just music it is also a mindset and
a lifestyle. It surely has changed through the
years as many facets were added. So no matter
how people exactly define punk, for me the
common basis should be an anti-racist,
anti-fascist attitude. And a certain fuck you
spirit.
Which song/album or group was it who took you
into punk/hardcore and into music and play
yourself?
-Guns N' Roses made me start to play music
myself. Rancid and the Fat Wreck bands, first
and foremost NOFX brought me to punkrock.
What shall a young guy do today to shock their
parents as the way we did when we were young?
They have already seen everything ;-)? Or isn´t
it any idea to shock your parents?
-A certain rebellion against the parents is
quite natural and an important part of growing
up and one's own development. But I was never
specifically out to shock my parents. Now I'm a
father myself and on the other side, so to
speak. Let's see what my kids will do.
How is it to live in Germany right now?
Politically? Fascists? Antivaxxers? What do the
german government says about the war in Ukraina?
-Our live in Germany ist quite privileged when I
compare it to a lot of other countries. For the
fact that people are doing very well for the
most part, we have a lot of discontent and a lot
of whining. And yes, we have fascists, we have
vaccination opponents, we have a lot of idiots.
But the majority is ok but unfortunately too
quiet. And so the idiots get much more space and
attention than they deserve. We are all shocked
about the war in the Ukraine. The German
Government absolutely supports the Ukraine. But
they often seem to discuss too much instead of
acting.
Is there any good bands from Germany right now?
Is the punkscene/metalscene/hardcorescene big?
How is it in your hometown?
-There are a lot of good bands in Germany. Metal
is also quite big in Germany although I don't
know that much about it. It seems to be an
active and loyal scene. The Punk scene is ok but
it seems to me that it is no longer as alive as
it once was.
What do you know about Sweden? Have you been
here sometime? What is typical Swedish? And what
is typical german?
-I have been to Sweden once as a child with my
parents. Typical Swedish for me (besides Ikea
and Knäckebröd ) is the really good musical
education you have which fosters the development
of great bands.
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-There are a lot of great Swedish bands. Besides
the American Fat Wreck bands we grew up with all
the Burning Heart bands, e.g. Bombshell Rocks,
Millencolin, No Fun At All or Randy. Or more
rock'n'roll bands like Hellacopters. And
certainly ABBA.
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences
you? Never in german?
-I write most of the lyrics. I am influenced by
what happens in the world. We never did a song
in German because I actually don't like to sing
in German. But there a really good bands that
sound great with German lyrics.
Please tell me a little about the following
songs
-No Pasaran No Pasarán! (Spanish for "They won't
get through") is a quote from a speech by
Dolores Ibarruri, who used it to call for
resistance against the fascists under Franco in
1936. Our musical middle finger to all
right-wing idiots and an appeal to all the
indifferent to be loud and get in the way. So
that they don't get through, neither with words
nor with deeds!
-Desperate Lullaby A fictional lullaby for a
child on a refugee boat. Dedicated to Alan
Kurdi, the Syrian toddler whose pictures went
around the world in 2015 when he washed up
drowned on the Turkish coast. In the pictures,
it almost seems as if the three-year-old is
sleeping on the beach. The video for this song
was created in collaboration with Sea-Watch and
calls for donations for the organization. Video:
Scallwags - Desperate Lullaby (Song for Alan)
-So pretty Not everything is as it seems. A song
that was created under the impression of the
nightlife in the red light district in Bangkok.
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about? Or isn´t anything sacred?
-I can't think of any topic right now that you
couldn't address. It always depends on how you
approach and realize a topic.
Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?
Which is your most political song? Is it
important to get out your opinions in music? Or
is it OK to play music and not sing about
politics?
-It is absolutely OK to not sing about politics.
We do not always sing about politics. But
politics and music can perfectly go hand in hand
and music helps to address topics to a broad
audience. For us it is especially important to
speak up against fascism and racism. So our most
political song is "No Pasarán!"
Best political band/artist?
-Propaghandi
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can
change anyones life, I mean people who listens
to music? Do you have any example?
-Yes I am pretty sure that this happens from
time to time. Music has a lot of power.
Your favorite recordcover alltime? Who does your
recordcovers? And do you have any good
recordstores in your hometown?
-I don't have a particular favorite record
cover. Maybe the White Album of the Beatles. For
our record covers we work together with some of
our friends, who are artists. In our hometown we
unfortunately don't have a cool record store for
vinyl at all.
Is it important to get out physical records of
your stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette,
what do you prefer if you could choose whatever
? The latest record came on only on vinyl or?
-Up to now we released all our records
physically. I like to hold something in hands.
We used to make CDs of our regular albums and
vinyl for the two best-of records. Vinyl is the
most beautiful way to release music in my
opinion. But the digital/streaming channels play
an important role now, too. I find it
fascinating that people all over the world have
easy access to our music.
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened
during your career and under some gig?
-Some really crazy thing…. We once had a naked
fan hugging our bass player during a concert.
That was pretty strange. he had slight problems
to continue playing the song ;-)
How does your audience look like? Which people
do you miss on your concerts? Which is the
biggest band you ever have played together with?
And which is the biggest band you once have as a
supportband?
-In the meantime, we have several generations at
our concerts. From new young fans to the older
ones who have been with us since the beginning
and now sometimes even have their children with
them. Biggest band to play with is about to come
this summer: Social Distortion We had no really
big support bands so far.
Please rank your five favoriterecords, five
favoriteconcerts and five most important things
in life?
-Records 1. Guns N' Roses - Appetit for
destruction 2. Social Distortion - White light,
white heat, white trash 3. Rancid - and out come
the wolves 4. NOFX - Punk in Drublic 5. Bad
Religion - The dissent of man
Life 1. Family 2. Friends 3. Health 4. Peace 5.
Music
First, last and most expensive record ever
bought?
-First: MC Hammer - Please Hammer don't hurt em
Last: Bad Religion - Age of unreason Most
Expensive: Guns N' Roses - Picture LP
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-We don't do that much interviews, so it's not
boring yet.
Do you care about reviews? Which is the most
peculiar you ever had, with this band or any
other band you have been to? Have you ever
changed anything after a bad review?
-I like to read reviews and find it interesting
how other people perceive our music. We mostly
get good reviews, which is great. There were
surely also critical voices over the years but
nothing that stuck in my mind or that would have
moved us to act immediately. We've always done
what we want anyway ;-)
Which bands do people compare you to, is it
boring that people compare you to other bands or
is it understandable?
-I think people need comparisons to classify
music. So that's fine with me. Over the years we
got compared to Bands like Rancid, Social
Distortion or Randy which are bands we really
like. So that's rather an honor. But the best
comment was that we can't be compared and have a
special style on our own. Which is fine after 25
years.
If you could choose five bands from the past and
the history and nowadays and both dead and
living bands to have a concert together with
your band. Which five have you been chosen?
-For me it would be especially interesting to
choose bands that don't exist anymore: The
Clash, the Ramones, Turbonegro (with Hank), No
use for a name, Nirvana and there would be many
more.
Is music a good way to get out frustration and
become a nicer person outside the music?
-Definitely. Making music is also a great way to
blow off steam and clear your head.
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?(Except this one)
-I was asked during Corona what I would do if I
were the Secretary of Health for a day. I said I
would probably be sick for that specific day.
Which is the question you want to have but you
never get. Please ask it and answer it?
-Would you like to tour Sweden? Yeah sure, when
should we start.
Futureplans for the band?
-Start concerts and have fun on stage and
backstage after the long Corona break.
For yourself?
-Stay healthy and happy.
Wisdomword?
-Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a
banana.
Something to add?
-Not at the moment.
One more question…. Beerfavorite sort? If you
did a beer which sort would it be and what have
it been called?
-In Bavaria we have so many great sorts of beer.
I like the beers from small local breweries in
Franconia. E.g. "Spezial" from Ulrich Martin or
the great sorts from Pax Bräu. If we did a beer
I would probably call it something with
Rock'n'Roll. I love the Swedish word for beer so
let’s call it rock’n’rÖL