answers by Domas
Well, classic a question. When did you to begin form, your line up (some about history - how long do you play)?
the band was started in 1996 in Vilnius when guitarist Mindas tried to play some skanky guitar. everybody liked it and the idea about a new band was born. we've never wanted to play only punk or hardcore. from the very beginning we like to mix various styles - at the moment everything is based on ska, but dr.Green isn't ska band at all. we have started as four piece band. all of us played in various punk bands before (WC NEWS, TURBOREANIMACIJA, VARNŲ VĖJAS). we've played live for the first time during the traditional punk festival "Ship of Fools" in May, 1996. later two sax players joined us and dr.Green consists of 6 freaks: Domas (vox), Mindas (git.), Ve (bass), Saragosa (drums). Gedas (alto sax), Konanas (tenor sax).
Are some Skins or Punks in the Dr. Green?
well, I think all of us are punks in our minds, but not so much in our image. some of us probably look like skins, but that is only outfit. wedon't want to stick ourselves to one or another movement - bright mohawk doesn't mean you are a punk and dr.martens and baldhead doesn't mean you are a skinhead. the main thing how and what you feel inside. we would like to see ourselves and dr.Green as a part of worldwide underground movement.
And something about your title Dr. Green. Probably it“s mean Marihuana, isn“t it?!
yes. we like to smoke cannabis stuff and it's silly that this natural product is forbidden while alcohol and tobacco are legal and even supported by government as a profitable business. there are thousands of death from alcohol and tobacco and none from cannabis and still - it's forbidden. we like green colour in general. some people say it's even more healthy to live in green room - it's good for your eyes. I don't know.. later we found out about dr.Green in British comics. at the moment dr.Green is just a name of a band without any deep meaning.
How many ska bands are in your country? And which ska bands?
at the moment - none. there was a band called TAI KA? they played melodic 2-Tone style ska/rock, but some time ago their singer moved to London. he is going to come back in autumn, but I'm not sure, will he be able to reform his band. ex-TAI KA? sax player Konanas plays with us at the moment. before dr.Green was started nobody knew about ska at all, maybe some young bands play ska in the basements, but I didn't hear them yet.
How many stuffs (CD, LP, MC) did you recording? And which labels?
we have recorded two albums "Ska'n'go" and recently "The Sound of Black & White Radio". the first one was released by "Zona rec.", but the only thing they did - helped to make covers and tapes. our guitar player worked then for "Zona", so it was kind of trick to release the album under quite known "Zona" label, so it would easier to distribute it. but "Zona" collapsed soon, so we sold everything by ourselves. there was sold more than 500 copies of the first album. the second one "The Sounds of Black & White radio" was released last May by local DIY label "Kablio muzika" (www.hardcore.lt/kabliomuzika) and re-released by "Rock'n'Roller" (Poland) and "Brew records" (Finland). as far as we know Czech rep. underground shops should be covered by Polish label, so try to contact them. Finnish "Brew records" also released our EP "He Perdido" with some songs from "Ska'n'go". English "Ripping Trash" released our split tape with Lithuanian emo-hc act INVAZIJA. some our tunes were included in various compilations.
Which another zines are except "Nepasiduok" in your country? Publishing somebody Ska zine?
unfortunately there no special ska zines, but "Kablys" zine (www.hardcore.lt/kablys) publish some ska bands interviews and albums reviews. at the moment it is the most popular zine in Lithuania, covering mostly hardcore stuff. "Sperm Oil" zine is published in Lithuanian province. it's radical anarcho zine with lots of ideological stuff. there few zines more, but they are not very active and I haven't heard from them for the ages.
Where did you to play - which countries? Did you make some tour? And you want to play in Czech Republic. Tell me something about it. What do you know about our country?
we've toured abroad 3 times already. the first one was in 1997. we went to play in St.Petersburg (Russia) and Minsk (Byellorussia) clubs. in 1999we have play in Poland (including their famous festival "Afryka" in Torun) and Austria (wonderful gigs in Linz's "Kapu" and Wien's "EKH"). last spring we had three weeks tour through Poland, Germany, Ireland and Austria. our last gig of the tour shoud be in Prague's Ladronka, but because of demo preparations we only ate tasty food and listened to demo activists talks. later we went to our beloved Zizkov district to have few beers.
of course we would like to play some gigs in Czech. I'm sure we will sometime. maybe even this year during our so-called "south tour" in November.
we know quite a lot about your country, especially about beautiful town Prague. our bass player played there with TURBOREANIMACIJA, Mindas and me (Doma) lived in Ladronka for some time, drunk beer in r.i.p. "Propast" and hang around.
well, everybody in Lithuania sees Czech rep. as an example of E.Europe progress in political and economical spheres. all the time lots of tourists go to Prague to spend their money. for Lithuanians it's quite cheap and beer for 1,30 kr. is very cheap, because it costs 4-6 kr. in Lithuanian bars. our bass player can prepare very tasty "smazenyj syr".
I listened your tape with the name "SKANGO". It“s very good. Is it your a new stuff? When do you want to recording some a newCD or LP?
as I said before, "Ska'n'go" is our first material. our last stuff "The Sounds.." was recorded in the end of 1999 and released in early summer. there are 4-5 new songs and they sounds more raw and intensive.
And what do you tell me something about your texts?
almost all the texts are written by me (Domas). there is a song about cannabis smoking, next one is about everyday apathy, next one is against army service, then against racism, there some ironic songs about love. one the most popular our songs is simply ironic story about the guy who wanted to see the sea, but when he saw it, he didn't know what to do. there are some words even about your country in our song called "East Europe Ska". it says: "swingin basslines with Hungarian wine, mixed with Czech and Slovakian beer, makes you jump over Yugoslavia". we try to see the world through irony glasses.
Your opinions on the scene in your town (country). What do you think about skins and punks united?
everybody should be united, no doubt. it may sounds like hippy shit, but we don't need any violence and destruction. there are not so many punks and skins in Vilnius (and in Lithuanian even less) to hang around in diferrent gangs. almost all people from underground community hang around in the only underground club "Bombiakas".
I see the Vilnius underground scene as crowd of friends. there more or less radical persons, but that is normal. all the bands knowns each other and even share their memebers often. the most interesting bands at the moment are TORO BRAVO (oi punk), BRAMBORAK (vegan metal hardcore), VONIA (freak-core), LMP (honest punk reggae), KLAUSTROFOBIKAI SPINTOJE (melodic punk).
Some last messages for Ryt?ø“s readers or for your friends?
"what is inside your head is much more important than what is on the top of your head. don't bee just dump consumers. do something!" - OI POLLOI
