Grandmother Is Dead interview!

Lets meet Josef Pernikl, member of the checz band with weird name called Grandmother is Dead. It is basicly a one-man project releasing special materials every 2-3 years since 1997, musically its influenced by militarism and history. I got many questions in my mind, I was curious about many topics, lets see how the conversation was managed to be done! Just funny…

Lets start with the name, why is it „Grandmother Is Dead”? You might mean the historical eras which would be forgotten after her dead but taking her place by you would recall them… Whats are your goals? How old are you anyway and how came up you started this project?

I’m 37 years old and with grandmother I’m began sometimes in the year 1996 and we’re always together. If don’t die … so with her I’ll go on :))) Ok seriously now. Grandmother Is Dead hasn’t any special meaning, but my granddad survived both world wars and he stood couple of metres from Adolf Hitler and when I was small boy, he told me stories from wars. Perhaps therefore is that “Grandmother Is Dead” and about wars. And what are my goals ?

There were many people helping you, are they all guest musicians only?

They are my friends and are only guest. I like the sound of violoncello and it is perfect to music as is Grandmother Is Dead. I cannot play on cello so I had to call my friend Miša Dostalová. She very good played on album The Book Of Legionary. For new song Trust Christ Today am needed child’s roar so, that I called my 8 years old nephew and I think that he made good work. On new CD also roar my friend from Lobotomia.

All of your albums can be downloaded for free, were any of them released officially – can people actually buy any of them?

Everything I recorded at home in my home studio and is this my big hobby so a therefore I don’t want CD sell. Im glad that it can anybody download and listen and I pleased that my music to someone like. But my plan is to the future, perhaps next year, give up special edition and officially CD , where will play live drummer as well as some best off. Everything I’ll do and pay alone , so that the it’ll go slowly.

Please talk about your former project called Lobotimia!

My first band was D.O.D. (drink or die) with friends sometimes in the year 1987. We played hardcore. And maybe you know, it was time, when sound of electric guitar was like god. We were not able to play much on guitars and tune guitars as far as we’re learn something play so we’re establish in the year 1989 group LOBOTOMIA and played Thrash Metal in the style of KreatorSepulturaSlayer. We played be right and hard and have had super concerts but were we’re young and much drunk beer and singer passed over after beer on LSD and it eliminate him. Next singer we already could not find so we’re finished. We made 2 demos and 1 split CD.

In what kind of ring of genres could you close the Gradmother is Dead‘s style? Has the conception any connection to the Second World War or the likely soon happens Third World War?

In one music magazine wrote is that a szinpadi doom metal. So perhaps I play scenic doom metal. Im not worry with my music style. I Like music, where always something action. I can tell the I make music as movies without picture. Picture of madness and despair. War is inexhaustible theme and biggest horrors mankind and Grandmother Is Dead is about it.

What do you think about the economical crisis, who are the guilty ones in your opinion? Can you see the changes in your environment (or in yourself)? What is your profession?

I See changes largely in work. No overtime work , less money, no bonus. I work as logistic ovet 10 years with firm from Austria. We Lend formwork and already we’re had to several employees fired. Bus it is not so bad, dead grandma will survive it :)))

Although you are a czech, my next question is: wine or pivo?

Surely pivo:)), but maybe you will surprised, my favourite mark is Heineken now. When I was younger I much drunk beer. Keep in mind record 27 beers behind evening. But after nothing didn’t remember :))

Please choose some favourite musical genres and enumerate their best 5 albums according to you!

I listen much music from Jazz to Death Metal every day. I like hardcore bands D.R.I. ,Wehrmacht, Municipial Waste… and classic Thrash Metal bands from Germany; Kreator, Deathrow, Darkness, Assassin, Destrucion, Sodom …or from Brasil; Chacal, Sargofago…, but I listen also softer musis as Anathema, The Gathering, Pink Floyd, Serj Tankian and many more…

It is difficult to choose only 5 albums for me. So, my best 5 all time are: ROGER WATERS – Amused To Death, SEPULTURABeneath The Remains, KREATOR – Extreme Aggresion, DEATHSymbolic and ANATHEMAJudgement. My favourite albums for this year are: OBSCURACosmogenesis, KREATOR Hordes of Chaos, GORODProcess of a new decline.
Not long ago I discovered very interesting band from Hungary KEEPER OF DREAMS , their album Taste Smashed To Pieces has very good sound like DEATH. And when I speak about Hungary also band WATCH MY DYING is very good. I like Progressive Death Metal.

Which bands of the czech metal scene are worth to check it out in your opinion?

A like czech hardcore bands Status Praesents and Lvmen.

Have you got a message to the readers of the Fémforgács webzine? Closing words?

Listen death metal and everything will ok,. So, when you will feel so mutch bad , listen to Grandmother Is Dead. You will feel worst:))

Thank you for the answers and the opportunity, long live the dead grandma, haha!

I was pleased and will say hallo to dead grandma from you.

Josef from Grandmather Is Dead!

Akela, Jó’vana Akela, Jó’vana
április 05.