GURKKHAS - Enjoy The Violence ! (Death-Metal - Interview with Jeff)
- Hi Jeff! How are you? How does it feel to FINALLY get back to work with GURKKHAS and do the promo?
Hi Fabien ...The label is doing 90% of the promotion and I'm involved from time to time because I've got a small stock of promo CDs here. It feels strange, it takes me back many years in fact, it's very pleasant.
- Well - first of all, let's start at the beginning... the band first existed from 1999 to 2003... At the time, things were looking good: 2 albums on decent labels, one or two tours if I'm not mistaken... and then the band's demise... what were the reasons at the time? And how did you cope with all that?
Our guitarist decided to stop playing in Gurkkhas and that put a stop to everything. This band was really my whole life, and it was all I did 24 hours a day, so you can imagine what it did to me. Quite simply, I left Brittany ..... and moved to the south of France, about 900 kms away. It was violent, because we were on our way up. I also know, having spoken to them about it later, that it was just as hard for Nico and Romain, who were also very involved in the group. We all know that a group has to give up life at some point, but not like this.
- When you look back in 2025 at the 2 albums released “Engraved...” and “A Life Of Suffering” at the time, what do you think - objectively? If you had to do them again today, would you leave everything as it is, or are there things you'd change?
I love these albums, but I can't be objective. The only thing I'd change is the drums. Back then, the same riffs with a drummer of Nico's level would have changed everything.
- What are your best and worst (or strangest) memories of that time? You'd played just about everywhere I think in Europe, but were there other, less “usual” countries, and what was the reception like there?
You mean the Death Metal scene I had the honor of playing in? The countries? If so, I think it was Honduras when we toured Central America, and we played with the Military Police on stage, kalashnikov in hand, hahaha ... I'm laughing now, but at the time it felt really weird. One thing I remember, because at the time I felt like an “idiot”, was when a guy came up to us after a concert and showed us his shoulder, because he'd got a tattoo of our logo. Honestly, when you see that.... It leaves you speechless. In fact, we've been given a great welcome everywhere. Sometimes, of course, the atmosphere can be all over the place, but in general, wherever we played, it was great... It has to be said that, at the time, the band had a sulphurous image, you know, with our aggressive look, we were a bit “under surveillance”...
- Back to the present... what brings GURKKHAS back, 20 years later? What triggered it? Was it something you had in mind for quite some time?
The fact that a label was interested in us, the fact that we were recognized at gigs, and above all that feeling of something fucking unfinished, you know? We haven't released a CD with this line-up, so we decided to remedy that by coming back with this “best of”, produced by GREAT DANE Records - Hello Raph ! ;-)
- Can you tell us about the current line-up? I notice that at the moment there are only 3 of you... Vocals, guitar, drums... no bass player... do you have any leads or do you prefer to keep it that way and eventually find musicians for the live shows?
Nico on drums, Romain on guitar (he used to be the band's bassist)... and a bassist in the pipeline, whose name we can't mention because nothing's been decided yet.
- How did the press and fans react when you announced your return? How did it make you feel?
It caused quite a stir, actually. A lot of people thought it was a fake, because I don't know if there's ever been a Death Metal reformation after 20 years.... When I saw the feedback, I thought “Fuck, they remember us...”!
- After that, did you get any offers from labels, and how did the deal with GREAT DANE Records for the reissue of “A Life Of Suffering” come about? Did they come to you? Who came up with the idea for this reissue? How has it been received?
To be honest, I was wondering how the “scene” was going to discover “or rediscover” the Best-of and then... it's been pretty crazy, dozens of e-mails, reviews, interviews all the way to China, well for us, at our level it's crazy, especially since we're talking about tracks that were released in 2001 for the 1st CD and 2003 for the second, we were hallucinating. The truth is, when someone tells you that it hasn't aged and that it's a real blast, you can't help but feel a sense of pride. Especially when it comes from so many different countries.
And yes, it was Raph from GREAT DANE Records who came to us. Great welcome, as I said before.
- I imagine the next step is a new GURKKHAS album... Are any tracks already written ?
Yes, we've already got one super-fast, super-powerful track - again, I'm not being objective, haha ! Let's just say that it's pure Gurkkhas, but in the style of Romain, our new guitarist. Every time we compose a track, we really think that it should sound like a charge of Polish lancers or an assault by Panzer Tigers, or a march by Roman legionaries... to give you the mood!
- How would you describe them compared to the titles of the first 2 albums ? Is there any kind of evolution, anything a little different with GURKKHAS 2025?
It's pure Gurkkhas but updated...but not too much.
- When will the new album be released? On which label? Still GREAT DANE Records ?
We'd like it to come out in 2026, so we'll have to wait and see. Who's the label? No idea yet, we'll have to wait and see.
- Any plans for a tour or concert dates? Is this something you're already planning?
We've already got to wrap things up with the new bassist, and then we'll be on the bill at the MUSCADEATH Festival, so see you there!
We're working on our set with our new sound engineer (Hello Jermo Sound !) to make sure we're ready for the Muscadeath Festival.
- What other plans do you have with the band?
It's already something to prepare a new CD and set, and come back “ready”.
- If you had a crazy dream, what would it be?
To sign with a label able to send us on tour!
- After MASSACRA, LOUDBLAST, CRUSHER, MERCYLESS, one could say you're part of the second wave of Death Metal in France - how do you see the current Death Metal (and extreme Metal) scene in France over the years ?
I don't really know. There are a lot of posers, a lot of “tiktok” bands, for whom the number of followers takes over the quality of the music, but on the whole, I think the bands are, from the outset, 100 times more professional than they used to be, and that's great. I also think it's great that there are now so many festivals everywhere, and that's a real pleasure.
- Any recent bands that have made a particular impression on you?
They're not recent, but they kick ass, Benighted, Kronos, Karass, Aborted, Deviloof....
- Even if the quality of French bands is very high, compared to what's being done in Europe and the rest of the world, it's still a struggling scene... Ok... France isn't the most rock'n'roll country, and the lack of infrastructure doesn't help, even if things have changed a bit thanks to a lot of voluntary associations ... do you still hope that, one day, METAL music will be accepted and well represented?
I think it's a lot more structured than “back in the days”, it's weird to see me writing this hahahaha! ...I have no hope, really, neither rancor nor hope, let's just let things happen ...
- And actually, do you think it's necessary ?
On second thought, not really. (We agree - Ed.)
- Another question that interests me... the change in having a band between the 1990's - 2000's and now in 2025... the development of the internet, downloads, all-digital platforms... better or worse? The manufacture of vinyl which is overpriced, CDs which sell much less or very little... The number of followers on the networks, which means that an organizer will be interested in your band to play (even before getting an idea of the music)... In short, do we think it was better before, or do we remain optimistic?
Ha! so I'm not the only one who thinks that about band-followers? haha! Perfect. As far as networks are concerned, they've really helped the scene to develop. Now everything's known in just a few clicks, as I experienced with the reformation of Gurkkhas. Something that would have been confidential in my days ended up in a lot of webzines and paper mags around the world. As for CDs, I don't think it will ever be possible, there will always be enthusiasts, and the same goes for tapes, and for vinyl, the price is only due to the fact that there are only three or four complete presses left in Europe, and that the factories are gorging themselves horribly (and the resellers too, for the most part! Ed.) I'd say that it was neither good nor bad, each era had its advantages and its problems in fact, so let's remain optimistic !
- Well... we've come to the end of this interview, thank you for your time :-) If there's anything you'd like to add, this is your space!
Thanks above all to you, Amigo, for giving us the chance to be in the summary of your webzine, and as I'll say it again and again: “You are the real force that fuels our music and our passion. Every CD you listen to, every T-shirt, every cap, every accessory you wear is a symbol of our connection and gratitude. Thank you for being an essential part of this adventure, and for making our sound resonate! Keep making noise!”
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