B.A.P.! & Tortura Sistematika (Brigada Criminal #4)

“I want to be a free man”

I’m into hardcore/punk since ca. 1982; still am. My zine Brigada Criminal lasted 4 issues. It was very typical for these times; the first issue being basically promo-stuff put in a zine. Issues 3 & 4 were a little more elaborated and a bit better but I don’t see it like something “essential”, one more of the many zines that floated around at the time. I choose the name of my zine ’cause Brigada Criminal (“crime squad”) was the title of one of my favourite ‘R.I.P.’ [punk band from Arrasate, Euskadi] songs; it sounded very ‘punk’.

I live in Zarauz, Guipúzcoa [Euskadi; Basque Country autonomous region in Spain]. Luckily for me there’s a very active ‘gaztetxe’ (youthcentre) here where there’s many, mainly HC (but not only) gigs. So it kept my interest going and has been easy to keep in touch with the HC/punk scene. [If you master Euskara (the language spoken in the Basque Country or Euskadi), check out zaratazarautz.eus]

The ‘M.D.C.’ interview in issue #3 was a translation of an article that appeared in M.R.R. #9. I, myself, did very few interviews, mostly translations. And there’s some bits where the band sent me stuff and I would “put it together”. The only interviews I did were in issue #4. For the chats with ‘B.A.P.!’ & ‘Tortura Sistematika’: I only mentioned their answers, not my questions. I also did a mail-interview with ‘Mob 47’ but it has very simple questions and even more simple answers. A friend of mine did the one with ‘Inferno’ and that was a lot better!!!

‘Richard Hardcross’

Richard provided the last 2 issues of his zine. #3 (1984) had info/bio’s of ‘Disorder’, ‘Slips y Sperma’, Bad Compilation Tapes, ‘Upright Citizens’; an interview with ‘M.D.C.’ and a Finland scene-report (‘Lama’, ‘Kohu-63’, ‘Rattus’, ‘Kaaos’, ‘Terveet Kädet’, ‘Bastards’); plus a piece on squatting in Denmark, etc. #4 (’85) contained interviews with ‘B.A.P.!’ & ‘Tortura Sistematika’, ‘Inferno’ and ‘Mob 47’; a manifest by the Barcelona squatting collective, and more.

‘B.A.P.!’ is an acronym for ‘Brigada Anti Polizialak’ (“anti-police brigade”) or ‘Babarruna ta Aza Popularra’ (“popular beans and cabbage”). They were a HardCore band from Euskadi, the Basque Country. They formed in 1984 in Andoáin (south of San Sebastian; in the Spanish province Guipúzcoa) and dissolved in 1996. The members were: Eneko Abrego (vocals), ‘Jomes’ (guitar), ‘Drake’ Xabier Olazabal (bass) & ‘Txanpi’ Luis Javier Saiz => Mikel Abrego (drums).

‘Tortura Sistematika’ (Tolosa, Guipúzcoa, Euskadi) were Joxi Ubeda (bass), Eneko Abrego (drums; ‘Txanpi’ Luis Javier Saiz in ’85), Lamberto Perurena (guitar) and ‘Dr Magma’ S(h)anti Iribar (vocals). Lamberto & Shanti were later in ‘Ruido De Rabia’, after ‘T.S.’ quit. Their music was described as raw and extreme hardcore-punk and proto-grindcore.

The gaztetxe (“autonmous youthcentre”) of Andoáin was actually a squatted social centre. A lot of touring HC/punk bands from the European mainland played there when touring Spain…

Brob

[Translation below; with help of various friends]

BAP!: The reaction of the audience has been good, in general, except for some concerts where people were just simply standing, staring. We would like people to respond to our music by dancing and having fun. Some people cheer up because the lyrics (some of them) are in the Basque language Euskara, are vindictive and so on. But it’s good that they take notice, learn. There are people who like hardcore and others who don’t. What can you do.

Although we don’t talk about sexism or violence in our songs, we’re against any discrimination and violence when it’s used in an absurd way.

T.S.: The reaction of the public, in general, seemed a bit cold to us; although there have been exceptions such as at the concert of ‘B.G.K.’ in Andoáin and the one in the youthcentre of Azkoitia. But at least there haven’t been any incidents at the concerts and that’s very important. We would like people to dance and jump around, as long as it happens in a friendly atmosphere.

There cannot be freedom without equality; therefore sexism is against freedom and it’s necessary to put an end to it. For a long time a series of behavioural patterns have been imposed on each sexe/gender that have limited the freedom of the individual, especially of women who have been degraded to domestic work, or selling their bodies, always under the yoke of males who want to dominate them, according to sexist patterns/schemes. There will never be a change in society as long as women are not totally emancipated, have the same rights. Men and women united and with the same rights will be able to fight to change the system. We must put an end to sexism!

We’re against violence because it is something that goes against the freedom of others, but nevertheless we do not reject violence as self-defense, in the broadest sense of the word.

The police and the army are those who conserve the ideas of the state through repression and terror; they impose them on us in a dictatorial way, they are the armed tentacles of the state. As long as the police and the army exist there will never be freedom. Their superiority is based on weapons. The state drafts you into the army to use you. The state represses you because you are a potential danger. No more armies, no more police, only then there will be freedom.

Jefes Militares [“military leaders”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, Demo #3 1984]

The military leaders smile / while you die / to participate in their game / You have no brains / you can’t think / you function like a robot / with the order to kill / Patriotic phrases / they bang your head / as you smash the heads of children / you just want to be full of ribbons / on corpses / drenched in napalm

BAP!: Punk, here in Euskadi, is getting better and better. The main problem continues to be the masquerade [?], but it’s necessary that people get more into it, it’s not just buying fanzines, going to concerts and getting drunk; and that’s it. For example, go to an anti-military demonstration and you only see four or five punx; and there are a lot of punx, where are they? You have to do things. Go to your city, get together with other young people who think like you and create alternatives.

We get along well with the people of the gaztetxe [autonomous youthcentre], and there aren’t a lot of punx. Us punx aren’t in any ghetto. We get involved with other people; it doesn’t matter how they dress, it doesn’t matter that they’re not punx. It matters how they think.

The place where things are happening is the gaztetxe, an abandoned house. We asked the city-council for it for almost a year they didn’t pay any attention to us, in the end we went in, and started to paint it and fixed it. Now we’ve been there for several months and we’re going to let them throw us out, although we haven’t had any problems either (until now). If you’re going to occupy a house, keep in mind that if it’s a private house you will get dropped quickly. If it belongs to the town-hall, it belongs to the people, etc. And if you are working in the house, there’s more points in your favour.

Unión Y Ocupación [“unity and occupation”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #3 1984]

Thousands of houses are empty / housands of houses are waiting to be occupied / We have a right to housing / we must demand a place to live / we don’t want jail / We just want a house / Union and occupation, squat! / Union and occupation, squat!

T.S.: There is a housing-problem. Housing is currently a luxury item. Young people don’t have places where they can meet and do something constructive, and don’t have to be exploited in bars, discos, etc. They fall prey to drugs out of apathy. While all this is going on, there are thousands of houses that are empty, not being useful to anyone. The speculators demolish the old houses and in place they put up concrete beehives at exorbitant prices. The only solution to this is the occupation of empty houses. We have to create our own squats, as what has been done in many places. Self-managed places, places to live. Unity is necessary so that we’re abe to occupy houses, therefore: unity and occupation! Squat!

Justice is something that, as an institution, is contrary to the proper meaning of the word. The state imposes its own justice, which is always in favour of the ruling classes. A poor person can do little against the anti-human machinery of justice. Those who possess money are the ones who in fact dictate their idea of justice. It’s a lie that all men are equal before justice. Let’s fight for true justice. Politicians are anti-freedom. Their only obsession is to get more and more power, to rule more and more people. Their job is to steal and kill, as discretely as possible. They think they are superior so they can rule us? So: they don’t believe in equality. Their words drown in the reality of things. They will never be a true representation of the people.

BAP!: From the moment you get on stage and sing songs against the government, you’re being political in your own way. When you start to do anything, one way or another you enter into the field of politics, but then you realize that it’s a disgusting fuck-up. But it’s clear that our songs have some politics in them. We don’t want to convince anyone of anything, we just want to make people see that it’s better to do things than to be vegetating in the fucking street. Doing things is good and if you do things against the system, it’s even better.

In this song we intend to show that the blame for everything that happens (wars, repression, etc.) is not only on those who order the actions directly, the powers-that-be, but also on those who allow power to continue to exist. Of those who vote in the elections so that they get the power. We’re all guilty in some way. It’s not enough to say that power is to blame for everything.

Todos Somos Culpables [“we’re all guilty”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #3 1984]

A majority blinded by their lies dictates everyone’s future / A majority blinded by bastards gives them power / A power to take away our freedom at gunpoint / No one is innocent / We’re all guilty of their crimes / We have all created a fatal destiny

T.S.: War is a business for the state. The state, in its unstoppable thirst for power, wants more and more. They force us to fight, they force us die at their convenience, hiding their real ideas behind others. War has basically an economic origin. It’s the ultimate proof of the state’s manipulation of the individual. War is contrary to authentic human morality. I will not kill or die for you!!!

BAP!: Our first bassist is doing his military mandatory service. He was in prison for a while. He had been doing a graffiti ‘We want to be free’ and they caught him and put him in prison. The military are bastards. The military is the greatest control over young people.

Punk used to be all about fun and now it’s becoming an alternative. Anyway, from the beginning there have been people who have seen punk like that: as something positive to push for; what happened is that what you heard about, was punks breaking bottles, who hassled older people, who got into fights at concerts, who spat on the bands they liked, etc. The system is more interested in presenting that image, so that there are less people who understand and support us.

Changing the system all at once is very difficult, impossible. What can be reached is to do small things and in the end achieve something big. Like an ulcer that grows little by little and corrodes society. But even if it’s impossible to change it, you shouldn’t stop trying, you don’t have to accept something you don’t like.

Nuklear No!!! [“no nuclear power!!!”] [‘BAP!’, Babarruna Ta Aza Popularra tape 1986]

Antinuclear Movement / alternative Movement / we must resist / to a destructive future / No to the nuclear scum / No to the military race / No more wars / no more Hiroshimas / fighting against death / for a living nature

=> This song is very clear, it’s against the nuclear industry, the military. We want to make it clear that we’re totally against it. No nuclear power!

Derecho A La Naturaleza [“right to nature”] [‘BAP!’, Babarruna Ta Aza Popularra tape 1986]

Everything was silent in that part / there where peace reigned / but one day the speculators entered / smashing their freedom / Evrything became noise in that instant / where the air changed colour / The bulldozers dug their spoons into the mountains / We’re fed up with so many thieves / the only thing they want is to make money / they destroy the whole valley for their profit / We have a government that gives them that right / There will no longer be birds that fly so high / nor animals that run through the countryside / all is lost under the asphalt / all I see are concrete blocks

=> This talks about the exploitation that the environment suffers because of the highways, factories, papermills and more. We ask, we demand, we claim a nature for all humans and non-humans; without exploitations.

Mierda Pa Tu Boka Tierna [“shit on your gentle face”] [‘BAP!’, Babarruna Ta Aza Popularra tape 1986]

We all know / that you don’t care / that as long as you have money / the rest can go fuck themselves / You don’t care what happens / you only think about your wellbeing / you have your future sorted / since your father will give it to you / I would shit all over your face / you just don’t see what’s going on in this filthy world / you only think about fashion, motorcycles and models / while millions of men are being trampled like rats / You’re all slaves / of a consumerist system / where money is everything / and the hungry die / conservative ideas / stuck in your brains / only the call of money motivates you / the day will come / when everything will go to hell / the world will be destroyed / by the madness of man / there won’t be anymore consumption / no more fashions to achieve / only the remains / of a mad race.

=> This is addressed to all the slaves of the system, who live happily. I shit all over your faces. It’s not even worth talking about their fucking shit.

We have another song called Sin Fronteras Mejor [“better without borders”] [‘BAP!’]. Whose nations? Our environment is ours. Why getting rid of it? Better without borders. Borders not only confine a piece of land; they limit ideas, cultures, relations, unity.

Euskal Polizia [“basque police”] & Manifestopena [“show grief”] [‘BAP!’, demo 1985]

This is against all kind of policemen. All the police are the same and we are completely fed up.

Palabras De Engaño [“words of deceit”] [‘BAP!’, demo 1985]

As long as there are people / who let themselves be crushed / the fucking system / will surely stay / millions for arms / pennies for the unemployed / millions for propaganda / words of deceit / and they keep talking / of work and peace / using force / to maintain their society / No more repression / we yearn for freedom / no occupation-forces / Let’s mobilize now! / live according your conscience / don’t be fooled / by dead systems / that will change nothing

=> We want to make clear the lies that the rulers, the presidents, the city-councils, all the politicians and other swindlers throw at us, deceive you with facts. They fool you with paperwork. They fool you with words.

Bhopal [‘BAP!’, Babarruna Ta Aza Popularra tape 1986]

=> Talks about the fucking capitalist enterprises (nuclear power plants, insecticides, etc.).

Tira El Pino [“cut down the pine”] [‘BAP!’]

=> One of the funniest; talks about how we have mountains here, full of pine-trees that on top of fucking up the land, enriche the usual ones. Pine-trees are not originative to this land, it’s a parasite that disqualifies the land, brings diseases harmful to humans and other animals/plants. When you cut down a pine-tree you’ll get a dry land full of brambles and you won’t be able to grow anything for the next 5 years.

Ellos Son El Futuro [“they are the future”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #4 1984]

Our children will learn not to think / Our children will learn not to feel / Our children will learn to breathe poison / Our children will love pain / Our children will hate love / They will be the children of war / They will be the children of hate / They are the future

=> This song wants to express what we are heading for if we do nothing to avoid it. A dehumanized world, empty of feelings, poisoned. Nothing would be the same. You’ld rather be dead than live like this. Think about it and then act to change this dark destiny.

Recuerdo [“I remember”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #4 1984]

I remember the green fields / where now there are / terrifying concrete blocks / I remember the children playing / now I only see / deformed masses of charred flesh / I remember those who spoke of taking up weapons / now it’s what they wanted / Now I don’t remember / now I no longer see / now I no longer feel / Now I’m dead!

=> This song is a call to action but one that must be taken nów, if we want to change something, we have do it nów, we can’t wait until all the good that remains today will merely be a memory. If we don’t want to perish in their hands we must act nów. Let’s act now!

Gritas Anarkia Y Paz [“you scream anarchy & peace”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #4 1984]

You scream anarchy and peace / while you beat up an old woman / and you’re proud of doing it / Isn’t that being punk? / You think you’re anti-fascist / but you’re using the same ways / Oh you’re such a macho little hitler / You walk down the street / with your balls out in front of you / While you drag your girl by the hair / and you look perfect with your image / of violence

=> With this song we denounce all the people who behaving like punks, act as nazis, as cops. These people are only punks aestheticly but reject all its ideas. Using violence for pleasure, sexist pigs without the slightest intelligence. They scream “uncontrolled” but they’re the most controlled. Harming all of us who want to change the world into something better, by painting an image of gratuitous violence. Macho nazi-punks fuck off.

Despierta!!! [“wake up!!!”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #3 1984]

Don’t be fooled / by false visions of progress. / they want you to live / believing in a illusion. / Open your eyes to the world / they have created / one of death and lies / Wake up! / Do not be deceived / by those who offer / a peace based on / fear and repression / When the devastation comes / and you’re a charred corpse / it will be too late.

=> People have to wake up from the hypnotic sleep in which some live, seeing a world in progress, advancing. The reality is very different, a world where hunger and misery are present every day. The world isn’t what they want us to see. Those who are intelligent, see the real world. Wake up or die sleeping. Only by recognizing reality, you can change it.

Goazen Etxera [“let’s go home”] [‘Tortura Sistemika’, demo #4 1984]

I went to Lamberto’s house on a wintery afternoon. He started to play some chords, then Shanti started to repeat what Lamberto’s grandmother – who has troubles with water, used to say. The meaning is whatever anyone wants to give it. Musically it shows that even if you don’t know how to play, you can compose a song.

The two bands put together a fanzine: Peste [“plague”] (‘A.G.R.T.’) and La Pesadilla del Poder [“the nightmare of power”] (‘T.S.’). Write them.