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A: Through jazz
Q: Tell me how PUNK IM POTT became what it is? How did you come up with the idea to set up the festival and what highs and lows have there been so far?
A: The now 15-year history of the festival is associated with so many highs and lows for me that I can't summarize it in a few sentences.
I organized the festival for the first time quite naively at some point and since then it has been there.
We have experienced so many great things with bands, even back then in the Zeche Carl
in Essen. The aftershow parties at the legendary "Hotel Zum Scheideweg"
are legendary. The first “Punk im Pott“ in the Tubinenhalle, back then still on the
other side of the hall was unbelievable.
There was also a lot of stress. But that's probably normal when you organize a punk festival.
I will soon write down the history of the festival in detail and publish it; it will be quite a novel.
Q: There was also the PUNK IM POTT in exile. The festival took place in Berlin. How did that come about and why was it moved from the Ruhr area to the capital?
A: Punk im Pott was banned by the city of Oberhausen six weeks before the festival in 2008. At that time, there wasn't a single alternative venue available in the entire Ruhr area, so I had to relocate the festival to Berlin at short notice.
We had a few sleepless nights to manage that, but in the end, we pulled it off.
The venue in Berlin was a complete fiasco. Everything that was promised to me by the landlord was not kept.
We then rented an office (which turned out to be the office of a porn producer) on site for three days to organize everything.
There wasn't even heating in the hall (in December), and we had to
borrow a tent heater from a circus at short notice.
The doors were welded shut, and to be honest, it was a disaster.
After that, there was a months-long legal dispute with the city of Oberhausen, and eventually, we reached an agreement. Since then, everyone looks forward to “Punk im Pott“ in Oberhausen every Christmas.
Q: How do you choose the bands for the festival?
A: It varies. Some I really want to have, some I let myself be talked into, and others play every year anyway.
Q: At PUNK IM POTT, punk bands from the early days also play again and again. How do you manage to win these bands for the festival and how important is it that such bands (e.g., Blut + Eisen, Emils, Boskops) are involved?
A: To be honest, it always just works out.
Q: You have labeled the performances of Abstürzende Brieftauben, Mimmis, and Schließmuskel under the title "Festival of Volxmusik"; why?
A: I found it funny.
Q: Which bands are you most looking forward to at PUNK IM POTT 2013?
A: I usually don't have the time to watch a band in peace. I'm looking forward to meeting individual people who are close to me again.
For example, I'm looking forward to cross-pissing with Claus, Hasan & Achim from Knochenfabrik, having a beer with Gunnar from Dritte Wahl, a rum with Troopers Atze, a joint with Schlaffke from Schliessmuskel, and a line of coke with the Boskops.
Q: How do you see the gray zone debate that has been going on for some time, and what impact does this discussion have on the PUNK IM POTT festival?
A: I can't hear that crap anymore. The real problems on this earth are different, and not all bands labeled as gray zone are Nazis. This discussion has no impact on the “Punk im Pott” festival at all,
because I find most of the bands that are so-called "gray zone" to be crap anyway.
It simply takes place outside of my taste horizon.
Q: How do you see the punk scene in the Ruhr area? What has changed in recent years?
A: Everyone has gotten older, at least most of the people I deal with.
Q: What are the prospects for PUNK IM POTT in the coming years? Are there any special ideas/plans?
A: When I started in 1999, I never thought that the festival would still exist 15 years later. I hope it continues for a long time. There are always many ideas. Some can be implemented, and some are just pipe dreams. Perhaps in 2014, there will be a total innovation; I have a vision for that.
But whether that is just a pipe dream will still be seen ...
One thing that is not a pipe dream is that PUNK IM POTT has high-profile bands again this year, such as Abstürzende Brieftauben, Schließmuskel, Die Mimmis, Dritte Wahl, Troopers, Loikaemie, Los Fastidios, Rawside, Normahl….
All information and ticket sales can be found at: http://www.punkimpott.de/de
Have fun at PUNK IM POTT 2013 wishes ramtatta.de
For everyone who can't be there in 2013, there will be a detailed report from our reporters Lizal and Donald.
15 years of a festival that has chosen a great time between Christmas and New Year. Between Christmas roasts and fireworks, there is punk rock and also Oi.
Alex Schwers, who founded the festival and has continuously developed it since then, took a few minutes of his precious time to answer my questions.
