interview with Surrogate Prey

Have any of you played in other bands?
Rallye: I was in Religious Nightmare (grindpunk) and Isvarah (hardcore) but they no longer exist. Right now I only play in Surrogate Prey. I do have another 
band called Shaman's Bud (psychebluesrock) with Bobby. 
Allan was/still is (?) with Rust Phantom (grind).
Gani was formerly bass player in Loss of Control (death metal)
How is it that you started playing music? R: Music has been my main hobby since my teenage years. I've been playing music with my friends since high school.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
R: 
Gani - drums
Bobby - guitar / vocals
Allan  - guitar / vocals
Rallye - bass / vocals
I'm 40 years OLD 
Have you had other previous members? R: Our guitarist Albert left in 2007 to live in the USA.
Did you make music even when you were young?
R: I learned on my own and made (bad) riffs on my crappy guitar and amp and would record it on cassette. I would jam with friends and learn from playing with 
many other people. 
Where are you from? R: Philippines.
What year did the band form? R: October 13, 2004. But the other guys have been jammin on this music since late 90's to early 2000 era.
What's your style of genre? R: Sludge / Doom Metal
What inspires you? R: many horrible realities, total negativity. But also good times as well. 
How often and where do you reherse? R: we try to jam at least a few times a month at our drummer's house / studio in Quezon City called MRS.
How have you developed since you started with the music? R: Very slowly, but surely. We take our time and don't hurry and let everything develop naturally. 
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? R: family, work, day job; collecting records, comics, toys, watching films; cannabis, psychedelics, beer, hanging out with friends, live music
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? R: in our country not really, but probably when we do get an offer to play outside the Philippines, we would need that. Who do you recommend? That would be great.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?
R: we are signed to Singapore's Berdugo Records, and have our own cassette DIY label called Camellinggus. It's hard to do and accomplish, but it is very rewarding
to do it on your own terms. But it takes a lot of time and effort as well.
What made you decide to make this music?
R: we are all fans of sludge and doom metal for a long time. It's not a popular style but we love it. all of our previous bands are gone and this is the only one
that stayed alive. This is because we are friends and we understand each other and compromise to make it work. When you are passionate about your
music, you make it work no matter what the outside world is doing. You stick to your guns and stay true.
What are your songs about?
R: most of it is inspired by the negativity of this world. It's also a reflection of some of the most negative and bleakest parts of our heads.
Life is mostly meaningless and hopeless for we are nothing but dead end existences. It also comes from living in a horrible place called the Philippines. 
Instead of letting it get to us we use all of that into our music and lyrics. 
The negative energy we create is released every time we play and record and it goes to our listeners' ears and bodies. It's a mind and body transferral thing
they just don't know it. Some of our songs are also inspired by sick art and bleak, depressing movies as well. 
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? R: all of us contribute, however I have the least contribution to the riffs so far, heheh. I write lyrics, so does Bobby, and Allan.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? R: Music first through hours of jamming. Sometimes I already have lyrics and then I apply it but this is rare. Most of the music would be Gani, Bobby, Allan. 
All lyrics in the old stuff was done by me.
Do you compose in a certain inviroment? R: we only jam at Gani's house. There are spirits and energies there that assist us achieving certain sounds and atmospheres. But the riffs and lyrics are made
on our own. 
Have you done any covers live? R: yes, Eyehategod, Ramesses, Black Sabbath, Sleep, Cavity are some of the bands we cover.
What language do you sing in? R: English, and some old Latin and occult from lyrics we got from an old lady sorcerer / healer. One very old song was in Tagalog / Filipino.
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?
R: we've played to 5 people and also to a maximum of a hundred people, but that was rare. We're not a popular band liked by everyone and we are sure some of 
those who have seen us were bummed out and had no choice but to take it and endure it. Often they just find it too loud, too slow, and too irritating. 
Not everyone will get it and you can't please everybody. 
Once, we played to 10 people, and by the time we're done, the only person left was a guy in front who was an alcoholic. He had passed out with about 20 bottles
of red horse beer. we love that guy.
What ages are most of your concert attendants?
R: mostly younger punk, hardcore and metal kids and people. Most of the people who see us though are people from the art scene, artists, painters, etc.
and many non metal, non-punk or hardcore people. This is due to our ties and connection to the Quezon City art scene. 
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? R: We always mix it up, even though some people think all of it is just too slow and too long. 
Do you have a regular place you play live often? R: not really, but we always play mostly in Quezon City, our hometown. It's also easier to get home too.
What was your first gig like?
R: It was very memorable. We played a lesbian bar called "Fluid" in Malate, Manila on July 26, 2006. We partied a lot and were carrying bags of potent 
marijuana and lots of pills. After the show, we made a wrong turn downtown and ended up meeting cops in a checkpoint. They arrested us when they saw we had tons 
of weed and pills. But they made us a deal to just pay them because they realised we were not criminals but just a band. 
They made fake negative drug test results from a hospital and didn't put us on the police blotter. They talked to us and told us stories about listening to 70's 
rock and smoking weed when they were younger. Our friend, actor Dennis Trillo helped us out with the money. And after we paid the cops, they brought us to their 
breakfast buffet at the police canteen and let us eat everything we want and then they said goodbye to us.
What was your latest gig? R: December 2, 2017 at the launch party of Malantot Comics issue #9 by Gani and friends at the Skunk#20 green and organic store in Quezon City
Have you had to cancel a gig? R: a few times yes. sometimes due to personal problems, family duties, and other unavoidable stuff.
Where have you played live this year? R: shows mostly around Quezon City
Where do you plan to gig the comming year? R: we'll see. don't have any new plans yet. we'll know when someone offers us a a gig.
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?
R: a few years ago, we started selling demo cassettes, and our split CD with local doom metal pioneers Death After Birth. We also have shirts, tapes,
demo CDs available. but ask first because they're very limited.
Where can people buy your merchandise? R: get in touch with us at https://www.facebook.com/SurrogatePrey/
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?
R: it's a good way to get your music to as many people as possible with no effort. However some people just download it but then again we don't really care about
sales. We do sell merch but it only covers mostly band and operational expenses anyway and we don't profit from it. If you want to support bands buy their stuff and go to shows.
If they like it and want to support us they can buy the physical copies if available. Our music is free for download and stream at: 
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? R: Distribution and promotion has become so much faster and effortless thanks to it.  
What do you think of my work? R: very helpful to bands and the international music scene. Thank You.
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? R: So that doom and sludge metal listeners can enjoy our music. And so we can input negative energy and nightmares into other people's brains. We don't really think of the music business or industry. We play music because we like it 
and it's our passion. If there are any after effects from it then that's good. 
Do you have any role models or idols? R: our favorite bands, artists, film makers, directors, authors, writers, people we know in real life, etc. They directly and indirectly inspire us to be better at our art. 
Why do you think that they exist? R: they were placed here on earth to inspire and create timeless art for people to enjoy and learn from. That is their mission and they accomplished it.
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? R: Definitely older bands. 
What have been your biggest obstacles? R: Money and time sometimes. sometimes unsupportive people close to us who resent you and your art. some authority figures. sometimes cops haha.
What advice would you give other bands or artists? R: Be true to yourself and follow your own path rather than imitate. Don't do it for money or fame because that's not art or passion. and have fun.
How do you get psyched for a gig? R: we jam and relax and listen to the other bands we play with. have some beers and hangout and catch up with each other, hear funny stories from each other.
Do you have any new material? Yes, we will be recording this year for our new album.
What are your web sites?
How can people reach you? R: leave us a message on our Facebook page. or email [email protected]
What are your plans for the future? R: record more music and play shows. watch out for our new recordings. 
Do you have something to add? R: Thank You Robex, all the best to you.

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