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1) To start could you tell us a bit about your band and its members and past bands any of you have been in the past?
Vasko:Here is what others say about us:
Macedonian band BERNAYS PROPAGANDA could be shortly described as danceable newwave/post-punk band with charming and attractive female vocal. But don’t be misleaded, we are talking here about extremely political band influenced by a variety of bands, from Submission Hold over Fugazi all the way to the Gossip and Gang of Four. Firm drum beats accompanied with thick and groovy bass lines are the base upon which layers of funky and broken guitar chords are placed, and above all comes unique, strong and remarkable female voice as a cherry on the top. Were lunatic enthusiasm, bursting energy and catchy atmosphere already mentioned?(Maybe because BERNAYS PROPAGANDA is deeply rooted in d.i.y. hard core scene).
I can just add that we are playing from 2007 under this name and we’ve released our debut album this year on Moonlee records.
We’ve been part of the tones of hard core bands in the past and we are still part of hard core bands.
2) You name comes from Edward Bernays correct? He was the writer of the book Propaganda and delt manipulation of public opinion and felt it was necessary in any form of democracy correct? What made you decide to name your band Bernays Propaganda and how does this influence your music?
Vasko:Yeah,our name comes from Edward Bernays. He wrote book PROPAGANDA in 20’s and established new world order with that. Just see documentary movie CENTURY OF THE SELF and you will get the point.
Here is what Wikipedia says about him:
Edword Louis Bernays (November 22, 1891 – March 9, 1995) is considered one of the fathers of the field of public relations along with Ivy Lee. Combining the ideas of Gustave Le Bon and Wilfred Trotter on crowd psychology with the psychoanalytical ideas of his uncle, Sigmund Freud, Bernays was one of the first to attempt to manipulate public opinion using the subconscious.He felt this manipulation was necessary in society, which he regarded as irrational and dangerous as a result of the ‘herd instinct’ that Trotter had described. Adam Curtis’s award-winning 2002 documentary for the BBC, The Century of the Self, pinpoints Bernays as the originator of modern public relations, and Bernays was named one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century by Life magazine.
One of the most influential Americans of the 20-th century by LIFE and he is still much unknown. Does this fact supports the fact that politicians are just a puppets in someone’s hands, which makes us their third rate puppets?
3) With your last release “Happiness Machines” the album came with a rather in-depth booklet. Could you describe this to our readers?
Tina:The booklet that we released with the album can be seen on the first sight, as a separate story , digression from the album and from the Edward Bernays’s concept of “Happiness machines”, but on the other hand is pretty much connected with the raised questions in some of the songs. “No translation”- the last song from the album is the real beginning of the booklet. Actually the real provocation and reason for writing an essay on the subject of Violence towards animals (and the question of human violence in general) were the billion stupid and unanswered questions that are thrown into the face of every person which decided to be vegetarian or vegan because of ethical reasons. And it’s a compilation of many references and strong arguments said by very clever people. In few words, it’s trying to investigate (or “fight” with) the most common alibi’s that are used by the people who are eating, torturing, molesting or killing animals. The two most popular arguments that are used when animals are being killed are: 1. the humans have this right because they are the homo sapiens (they are the intelligent creatures with brain, mind, reason), and the second argument 2. The humans again have the right to kill the animal because they are on the top of the food chain (so now they are creatures that are following their natural instinct to kill the subordinate members of the “chain”). And this is 100% absurd situation– but anyway people are constantly and schizophrenically using the both arguments even they are contradictional (the one is excluding the other one), if we say that we torture the animal cause we’re driven by the Instinct to do that, than we’re admitting that we’re not driven by the Reason, and so on, and so on… million excuses to hide the everyday butchery…in the name of hedonism, greed, laziness. Whatever, we’ll think of some excuse - we are the brainiacs, not them.
4) Why did you decide to add this booklet with the albums release?
Tina:Starting from the personal experience, when I’m listening to some record I always pay special attention on the lyrics and I’m extremely happy when I see that some band spent a minimal energy and effort to include the words in the artwork. Of course If I take a record from Beyonce I wouldn’t expect that J but when I listen some diy band, I am one of those naïve and romantic persons who believe that when you’re part of the diy anarchist scene, putting an accent on the ideological part of your music is not a stupid cliché obligation or duty, but it’s a personal need to express your vision. Having your own vision, that’s the point. That’s why we released a booklet with the album. It’s our imperfect perspective for the perfect reality. I’m constantly listening comments that 90% of the bands are repeating and copy/pasting the same lyrics, the same rhetoric, the same colors. But blank pages or being ignorant is not helping at all. If you think that it’s boring to sing again and again against corporations, governments, laws, anti-world, anti-everything, then – choose another way, be more creative. That’s even better! On the cover of our first EP we wrote: “Never forget to Ask. If you don’t ask that means that you know everything. And if you know everything, do not expect an answer from me. Cause this EP is not a therapy. I don’t believe in Happiness machines. And I don’t see the things clear neither.” - I think that’s the point on the end – We’re not the privileged ones, we don’t have the cure for depression, swine flu or aids, and we don’t have all the answers, we are just stubborn enough to ask. The Wo/Man who is curious is the opposite from the Edward’s yuppie humanity formula. That’s a good start. If we were on the same side with him, I would be worried.
5) In your press release and on your myspace it says you are from Macedonia which was a part of Yugoslav. I honestly can’t say I have ever heard of the country before hearing about you. What is the country like politically, and what is the punk movement like out there?
Vasko: We are small and young country. We’ve been part of Yugoslavia from 1945 ‘till 1991(part of the communist system as well).In the last 18 years we are witnessing criminal privatization under the name of the transition to a capitalism. So, we are stuck between crazy system changes, non stabile social and political situation and crisis of identity. We can’t speak for punk movement. There are just dedicated individuals hitting their heads against the wall. But, feel free to write me if you need some contacts from this area. Somehow, foreign touring bands are playing here and there is small d.i.y network here.
6) Is your band ever considering visiting the United States for a tour, or have any of your past projects brought you over to the United States?
Vasko: I’ve been 2 times denied with my old band FxPxOx.
7) I love hearing new obscure bands from Europe and other parts unknown. Are there any bands that you love and want to share with the rest of us to check out?
Vasko: Sure. There are plenty of great bands. Check: Backstab Warning, Smack Attack, Junk Messiah, Final Approach, Aktivna Propaganda…
 What are the social movements like in your part of the world and which ones do you as a band support and try to help influence as musicians?
Vasko: There is bunch of stupid neo liberal or right wing/religious movements here but we prefer helping anarchist/feminist and other human rights movements.
We support local animal rights movement aswell.
9) Any final comments you want to share with our readers?
Vasko: Punk dies when someone is not thinking with it’s head.
Thanx so much for your support.
Feel free to contact us on: bpropaganda@freemail.com.mk
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