The following interview was conducted with Rok from legendary Aussie Death Metal band SADISTIK EXEKUTION.
Satanik Hailz
ROK!!! Tell us a little bit about your art and what inspires you to create such
morbid illustrations? Also, how would you describe your style? Are you able to
make a living from your art?
I have been drawing since way back when I was just a little kid in the 70s. In fact I still got a drawing I did when I was about 5 years old. Also I remember being attracted to monsters evil things since I was a little kid, so it’s funny I’ve actually been drawing similar things my entire life, skulls, devils, monsters and so on. Since those times I have also been attracted to weapons of war, mainly tanks, machine guns and military aircraft. So I have combined those themes in my art also throughout my life. I don’t really know how to describe my art. There are so many artists all around the world, especially tattoo artists that also do lots of skulls and evil stuff. But one thing that’s important to me when I’m making my art is that it must look angry, threatening and more like your enemy, not your friend! I see lots of supposedly evil art out there and when you look at it in fact it looks more friendly and almost happy. What some people or I should say what MANY people think looks evil or morbid, I think looks happy and nice. So yep, it’s important that my art does not also look happy and nice.
Am I able to make
a living from it? Sure, almost every day I get people asking for this or that,
but more and more I’m having to tell them that I have already too much art to
do, so the waiting list is getting longer and longer. Of course, I’ve not been
doing the artwork full time for very
long, so it’s only been the past year or two that it has become a full time
job.
What are some of your favourite pieces you've done that you are most proud of? Furthermore, are there any other artists' work that you are fond of and support?
Well it’s hard to say. I’ve always liked the Sadistik cover paintings for KAOS and FUKK II more than the other Sadistik covers. They have some elements of weapons, machine guns which is maybe why I like them. Mostly though, after I have finished a painting or drawing I tend to look back and think how I could have made it better or I pick faults or problems with it. I suspect a lot of artists think like that also. As for other artists, well people often mention Away from VoiVod and how my art is similar or ask have I been influenced by his art. The answer to that is no. I like his art but in reality I don’t think I’ve been influenced by it at all. My influences have come more from stuff like war, occult imagery, horror movies and my own mind. But I do like other artists and the great surrealist painter Salvador Dali is one I maybe admire the most. I also see many great artists on Instagram these days and it’s inspirational to look at their work.
Can you share some anecdotes about some of the craziest gigs you've played with Sadistik Exekution? Have you ever been sober on stage?
Almost all the old Sadistik shows were totally fukked and stupid. Right from the first live gig we did in 1991 until the last in 2009 there was major problems and stupidity with all of them. Some that come to mind as I type my answer now are the third gig which I think was late 91 where I was on LSD and was throwing out pigs feet and fish heads into the crowd. Well I didn’t realise while onstage at some time during the ‘show’ I shit my pants, so I’m telling you for real I had shit in my pants I had to clean off after we got off stage! Another one that was never caught on video but I wish it had been, was another local show here in Sydney, maybe 1995 where I had collected bags of garbage, as in directly from some friends trash cans. I took the bags of garbage on stage and half way through the gig I ripped open the bags and tipped it on myself and all over the stage, as I was yelling out THIS BAND IS TOTAL FUKKING SHIT….
There were some
really bad ones with equipment failure and I mean guitar amps blowing up and
things not working. Perhaps some of the shows we did in Europe in 1995 were the
worst for that sort of stuff and also I completely lost my voice while in
Europe that year. Sadistik was the exact opposite of a well rehearsed,
professional sort of band. The truth is we were TOTAL FUKKING SHIT.
How do you reflect on the legacy that Sadistik Exekution left behind and what is your opinion about all the poofters who misunderstood what Sadistik Exekution was about?
I simply care
nothing about it. I wish that we could have played in Europe again or around
the USA or other countries and on much bigger stages, in front of a lot bigger
crowds. But what happened is what happened. It’s all in the past now and
whatever people think of it doesn’t bother me. Things are very different now
and I’m glad we existed more during the late 80s and through the 90s than being
a newer band that formed in the post 2000 era.
What's 10 records you can't live without?
That’s hard to
say. There are probably more like 20 records and I may have a slightly
different answer each day, but this is what I would say on this day right now…
Black Sabbath –
Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell, Venom – Welcome to Hell, Venom
– Black Metal, Deep Purple – Deep Purple in Rock, Judas Priest – Screaming for
Vengeance, Judas Priest – British Steel, Judas Priest – Painkiller, WASP –
WASP, Celtic Frost – Morbid Tales
I've noticed you tend to do a lot of artwork for lessor known bands, which is an attitude I respect very much. Do you consider yourself a supporter of the underground and are there any new bands you enjoy?
I’m definitely a
supporter of smaller or lesser known bands who I believe are true metal and
stand up for real metal, rather than being just a new trend sort of thing. Ok
so most bands will say they are real or true or whatever, but I know real metal
when I see or hear it. I know who is true and who is false. If people think I
am childish or stupid for saying such things than that’s their problem, not
mine. If I sound like a 16 year old who has just discovered early Manowar than
so be it. I’d rather people mock me or misunderstand me rather than me just following
trends or trying to be cool or fit in with the masses and their shitty
opinions, like blind sheep.
Although I think
there are way too many bands around these days and most of them are trend
stupidity, there are also lots of truly great bands and bands that I like and
believe in. Just off the top of my head, some of those are Australian project
band Orbyssmal, Wraith from USA, AKU from USA, Emetophilia from Mexico and
Asian band Exhumation and of course there are more…
What is your opinion on the crybaby mentality in metal nowadays, with the rise of social justice warriors calling out “bigots” and how they try to enforce their moralistic views? Do they belong in metal or not?
DO I NEED TO SMASH THEIR FEEBLE FUKKING HEADS WITH AN IRON AXE????? FUKK THEM IN HELL
Your opinion on the following:
Norwegian Black
Metal:
Norwegian Black
Metal is a good thing BUT the blind TREND KVLT masses who follow it and try to
be like it can eat their own shit and die.
Censorship:
Human stupidity
Metallica:
Would have been
great if they stopped after their first three albums!
Abrahamic religions:
The biggest
problem of the world today
AC/DC:
Legends who
should have stopped around the late 80s. With Bon they were great and they
gradually got worse after about 1987
What are the main differences between your eponymous solo project, Rok, and Sadistik Exekution? Also, what inspired you to write music under the Rok banner? Will you ever record another album?
Ah, the really
big difference is the musical style. Sadistik obviously is or was much much
more extreme and over the top insanity. But me being such a big fan of simple,
straight to the point metal like some of the old NWOBHM bands and stuff like
early Venom, early Bulldozer and early Sodom, I just wanted to make some songs
that had more of that sort of theme and also just a lot of ideas kept coming
into my head that weren’t suitable for Sadistik, so eventually I used them for
my two Rok albums, This is Satanik and Burning Metal. I do play guitar and bass
and sometimes I make up new songs or ideas for song titles, lyrics and themes,
but I really don’t think I will ever make any new recordings. I think now as
can be seen, my main focus is on my art….
Thanks Rok!!! I wish you all the best with your future activities and artwork. If anyone reading this wishes to contact you, how should they do this? The last infernal words are yours.
If anyone reading this wishes to contact or just see my latest art and activities, just look me up on Instagram. FUKK YOU ALL IN HELL – KILL THE FEEBLE TRENDS AND BE YOURSELF, NOT SOMEONE ELSE!