In the late 70’s a band called Amebix was one of the first bands to create the crust punk style of music mixed with speed metal. They went on to influence bands like Sepultura and Neurosis among others. Fast forward to the late 80’s and the band was splitting up and three members moved onto starting the band Zygote. The band consisted of Amebix members Spider, George Smutpig and Stig with the addition of Tim Crow from the band The Smartpils. We had a chance to sit down with George and ask him some questions about both bands and the re-release of the Zygote album.
Your original release came about in 1991, definitely a different musical time. What were your influences when you first formed and leading up to this record being written? Personally, I hear a very Lemmy/Motorhead influence but lots of other stuff of that era too, what are your main influences?
George: Machinery, Geordie Walker, 1978/9, year zero attitude, Joy Division, AuPAirs, John McKay, not learning how to play, drugs, Chrome, John McGeoch, youthful pretentiousness, keith Levene, Metallica’s first album, being hungry & pissed off, Daniel Ash, nightmares, Paul Fox, dystopic visions of the future, Steve from the Smartpils, good old JG Ballard, Cabaret Voltaire, Tubeway Army, a love of effects pedals – the more obscure the better, Mick Harvey, Blixa Bargeld, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon… Holst… Everything I’ve bloody ever heard!
So, this is a re-release, what kind of interest has there been in the band over the last 30 years and as music entered the digital age? Was there a time period where the release was completely unavailable?
George: 30 bloody years!!? There’s been little surges of interest… Mostly because of mistaken ideas it was an Amebix sequel. I can understand that, but it was so not the idea… In fact, that never really occurred to us. There have been a few re-releases but they’ve been on the QT. It probably was unavailable for quite some time until the recent past.
How did the renewed interest happen with Pine Hill records and what was the process of getting this out again? Was it remixed or remastered or is this the original recording? Where was it recorded and what was that process like in the analog age?
George: I don’t know – it should be the original recording… I think Stig will probably know more about this… I guess I’m more interested in future projects than past legacys!
Amebix was a pretty influential band, what was the experience like going from that band to starting a new project? How was it received back in the day? How do you feel about being the influence for future bands that had massive careers? Any bands that you influenced that you really admire?
George: I only played keyboards & made weird noises with Amebix… I had a good couple of years and was a part of Arise… I left after that to continue with SmartPils, my real passion at that time. That album for better or worse influenced a lot of bands… Suddenly, metal crusty punk was given a kick start & permission given to ‘rock out’… Which did lead to a lot of shall we say ‘sameness’… It got fucking boring on tour sometimes… Band after band, sounding almost interchangeable…
The band Amebix eventually reunited, how did that go and what was the timeline for Zygote, did you guys take a break to do the reunion and then go back to it or is the band only promoting the one release and not continuing on, I had trouble finding a timeline online? If the band members are in new projects what are they?
George: I had nothing to do with the reunion – Zygote ceased to be in 91 after a European tour knocked the shit out of us [polish vodka had a good go as well]. Most bands would have literally died, but we just went a bit loopy & split.
I’m currently with a nifty outfit Basement Seven https://b7recordings.bandcamp.com/ [which is quite different] after being in a few other bands – EX-Mass, Mass-Ex ,2000DS.
Being around as musicians since the late 70's what do you think of the new music industry that seems to be in direct contradiction to the way things used to be done?
George: The DIY aspect has really come to fruition with the advent of digital recording – it’s fantastic… But the basic rules are the same... Different types of music have flourished & there is a greater access to it… But on the whole, it’s still just showbusiness.
I’ve never been a fan of ‘the industry’ – this is fucking art & politics & real life for fucks sake don’t try & industrialize me!
- Sam Lowry, BMN Contributor