THE PRIM - To The Very End ! (PowerViolence/HardCore - Interview with Stefan).
- Please introduce yourself and let me know how it all began with the band ?
Hey, I'm Stefan, the guitarist of The Prim. Thanks so much for having me! Our band came together back in 2015, following on from our previous project, Barren. Barren was a vegan straight edge hardcore band that channeled the spirit of the new school bands we loved as kids, like Snapcase, Unbroken, and Chokehold. However, we eventually wanted to push our musical boundaries and explore a wider range of noisy genres like Powerviolence, Fastcore, and Grind, which led us to form The Prim.
The Prim started with three of us from Barren—myself, Mark on drums, and Robert on guitar. I was also playing in a band called Luciente at the time, where Ronny was on bass. We brought him over to handle bass duties for The Prim as well. Anny, our first vocalist, caught our attention when we saw a clip of her guesting with a Doom/Post-Metal band, and she totally blew us away.
Like many bands, we've had some lineup changes over the years. Now, it's just Mark and me from the original crew. Fossy joined us on bass in 2021, and Dennis came on board soon after as our new guitarist. Christin had been helping us out whenever we needed and thankfully joined permanently this summer. I have to say, our current lineup is absolutely fantastic—everyone is incredibly dedicated and brings so much creativity and energy. I couldn't be happier with where we are right now!
- Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
I believe our sound is a powerful blend of ’90s Hardcore and Powerviolence, infused with elements of Noise- and Grindcore. If you listen closely, you might also pick up on some non-genre influences, like Sonic Youth and Lightning Bolt. Hopefully, we’ve piqued your curiosity! :)
- Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
Lyrics play a crucial role in our band, as our musical style is deeply rooted in political punk. However, much like our musical goals, we wanted to explore something different. Being a bunch of nerds, our lyrics are heavily influenced by comics, science fiction, and fantasy stories. We take themes from these genres and weave them into political or social contexts. For example, our song "Sonikku Za Hjjhoggu" features lyrics about Sonic the Hedgehog, where his obsession with the rings serves as a metaphor for compulsive behavior.
- About your latest release ?
Yeah, we recently released a split EP with the amazing "1st Class Collapse." It took us quite a while to get these songs out into the world. We actually recorded them back in the summer of 2021, but with the pandemic and lineup changes, we were a bit lost on how to proceed. Thankfully, things have finally started to get back to normal, and our guitarist Dennis reached out to 1st Class Collapse to make this split happen.
- Future plans ?
We’re currently in the songwriting process and have already completed four new songs. Most likely, we’ll head to the studio in early 2025 to record our next split EP, this time with a band from Malaysia called "Kolbenfaust." Once that’s finished, we’re hoping to return to Southeast Asia. I’d love to play in Malaysia again, but hope we may add gigs in Singapore and Indonesia too!
- Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Haha, that one already came true - playing a tour in Japan. That was amazing, insane and overwhelming. (I do believe you - Ed.)
- Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
I honestly can’t recall any truly terrible shows. I do remember one in Berlin where my car broke down on the way there. We made it in time, but the following day was a nightmare; I had to navigate local trains and buses to get my car back from the repair shop. Despite that hiccup, the show itself was amazing!
As for the best show, there are just too many to choose from! One that stands out was in Borneo, Malaysia, where we played in the middle of the jungle in a small house. It was an incredible experience—the kids were so passionate!
Overall, all our shows in Asia were fantastic, but that one really took me back to my own upbringing: whenever there was a show nearby, you'd throw on your coolest, most underground bootleg shirt and get hyped already while the band just started doing soundcheck.
- Next live-appearance(s) ?
Next show will be in Dresden on the 23rd of November, afterwards we play in Limbach Oberfrohna on the 7th of December. I guess this will be the closing show for 2024. We already have some festivals and shows confirmed for 2025, but yeah there can always be more.
- Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
Our local scene here in Thuringia, Germany, is quite small. It stagnated a bit over the last few years, but it seems to be getting back on its feet again. We have some great bands in the area, like Kellerasseln (a mix of supersonic speed punk and almost Grindcore! :) ), Deaftrap, which features our guitarist Dennis, Caca de Luna, and many more. I’d also recommend checking out 1st Class Collapse and Facepalm Nation. While neither of these bands is from our area, they’re definitely worth a listen!
- Last word is yours..
Make music, support the scene, stay grounded even in such frightening times, books over TikTok, fuck the factoids, checkout our music, see you at our gigs :D
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