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THE BIG SHINY PRISON Takes On Metal DIY Ethosc/o Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
In penning the book 'The Big Shiny Prison,' Ryan Bartek yearned to smash every stereotype about the metal subculture. «As a music fan and individual, I've always leaned toward the metal scene as 'home base' while solidly retaining the DIY punk spirit at core,» Bartek told Noisecreep. "'The Big Shiny Prison' is aggressively tailored to communicate that DIY ethos to the metal community in the most relevant way I could possible conjure.
«Extreme metal, as a subculture, is the most ripe for direct action. For instance, you go to Seattle/Portland, Ore. and the punks have taken over the city every street has a house venue, printing press, record label, a 'crust barracks.' Yet in the metal world, most are still pissing around with pay-to-play gigs, 'battle of the bands' contests, FM airplay attempts, know-nothing local 'managers' or just waiting for the magical label deal that will somehow book all their tours for them. Well, sorry, but that world is dead and never coming back-and all that remains is The Cyber Wild West and your own two hands.»
Bartek explained «nobody makes any money doing this s--, so just drop it.» If you want to tour then you're going to have to live like land pirates in a van for weeks on end.
«You perform because it's what's inside of you, and you create your own reality from scratch,» Bartek said. «That's why guys like Lamb of God and Mastodon are huge. They weren't manufactured-they built their own DIY network from the ground up. They actually willed themselves into global success through Neitzschean stealth alone. So to provide direct example, my book thrusts all underground scenes into a blender, showing how each conduct their business. The reader therefore walks away with their own impressions and interpretations.»
Bartek describes his book as a panoramic study of American counterculture that combines underground music journalism with classic autobiographical road novels by the likes of Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and Henry Miller.
«Having no desire to plagiarize my influences I approached this through multigenre fusion, and the result is a work many have deemed an 'extreme tour diary,'» Bartek said. «In short, years of experience and influence exploded like a volcano, sending me flying off like a cannonball. I'd reached age 25 and realized that it was now or never, since my situation was so hopeless in Detroit.
«Since I'd secured the gig writing for Metal Maniacs as well as Amp, Hails & Horns, Pit magazine and dozens of print/webzines, such exposure had upped my credibility to a staggering degree. I was well aware that digital media was taking over and that this opportunity wasn't going to last forever, so in December '06, I declared via press statement that I'd embark on a nonstop road book throughout 2007. Two frantic weeks later I'd quit my band A.K.A. Mabus and hopped a Greyhound for San Diego where I knew some Michigan expatriates.»
He used that «commune» as a base and worked in a kitchen for two months, hoarding every penny. Bartek then hit the road for months until he was broke.
«The campaign lasted from Dec. 21, 2006, through Oct. 13, 2007, having traversed 32 states and spending an estimated 606 hours on Greyhounds, all while interviewing hundreds of musicians/artists. I finished the rough draft on March 3, 2008, and then headed to Seattle to begin a new life.»
Of the bands he interviewed for 'The Big Shiny Prison,' Edwin Borscheim from Kettle Cadaver was the «most intense.» However, an interesting interview was also Columbine survivor Eric Parsons.
«I was the first journalist outside a German TV crew ever allowed into [Borscheim's] compound, and they paid him $1,000,» he said. «He lives in this 'Devils Rejects' fortification where he has guys fighting in dog cages like a corpse-painted Manson Family. He's digging through this cupboard and he's like 'this is the board I nailed my cock to, this is the barb wire I was wearing while playing live naked,' and there's like hunks of dried flesh clinging to it and dried-blood hypodermic needles littering the floor. That guy was hardcore as they come
«Meeting Columbine survivor Eric Parsons was interesting. I know that many kids have this silent hero worship of Klebold/Harris, or wear offensive T-shirts making light of the shootings. Well here's a guy with a red mohawk and thrash metal tattoos, and they nearly killed him, too. That never dawned on me, that maybe Columbine wasn't this purely 'redneck/meathead jock' atmosphere I also want to add that at no point did I ever pimp my 'zine credentials when contacting bands. I made everyone think I was just some nobody writing some random book, because I only wanted to work with the sincere. So it's funny that all these huge bands were super accommodating to a total stranger, yet literally hundreds of nobody locals were too lazy to drive 10 minutes to meet for coffee or simply return an e-mail. And you know what? They're all crying now.»
'The Big Shiny Prison' - which is available for free download proves, Bartek said, that all art/music scenes are a loosely interconnected worldwide movement.
»[I] feel very strongly that every subculture represents but a splinter within a larger counterculture framework,» Bartek said. «True, there are distinctions, but 'fashion' or 'musical style' are utterly moot points. The bottom line is that no matter our differences, by design we are the black sheep of a herd world that spares little room for the artist.
«My overriding goal with 'The Big Shiny Prison' was to branch into every subculture possible and unveil the inherent common threads. This is why you will find that virtually every 'character' in the book repeats the same essential notions. My sincere hope is that anyone who reads this book walks away with a broader understanding that we are all part of something larger, and that communication is the absolute key to strengthening our collective voice and moving toward a greater sense of mutual proactivity.»
(http://www.noisecreep.com/2010/02/12/the-big-shiny-prison-take-on-metal-diy-ethos)
AOL NOISECREEP Full TranscriptSo tell me a little about the book. How would you describe it to potential readers?
THE BIG SHINY PRISON is a panoramic study of American Counterculture that combines underground music journalism with the classic autobiographical road novel (i.e. Kerouac, Hunter Thompson, Henry Miller, etc). Having no desire to plagiarize my influences I approached this through multi-genre fusion, and the result is a work many have deemed an extreme tour diary. In short, years of experience & influence exploded like a volcano, sending me flying off like a cannonball. I d reached age 25 and realized that it was now or never, since my situation was so hopeless in Detroit. Since I d secured the gig writing for Metal Maniacs (as well as AMP, Hails & Horns, PIT Magazine + dozens of print/webzines), such exposure had upped my credibility to a staggering degree. I was well aware that digital media was taking over and that this opportunity wasn t going to last forever, so in December 06 I declared via press statement that I d embark on a non-stop road book throughout 2007. Two frantic weeks later I d quit my band A.K.A. MABUS and hopped a Greyhound for San Diego where I knew some Michigan expatriates. I then used that commune as a base of operations. I d work a kitchen job two months, horde every penny, then hit the road for months until broke. The campaign lasted from December 21st 2006-October 13th 2007, having traversed 32 states and spending an estimated 606 hours on Greyhounds, all while interviewing hundreds of musicians/artists. I finished the rough draft on March 3rd, 2008 and then headed to Seattle to begin a new life.
What was the impetus behind the book?
As an individual I ve long been enamored by punk/metal/industrial/rock/etc I am DIY to the core, and a cultural radical in full. I view all art/music scenes as a loosely interconnected worldwide movement, and feel very strongly that every subculture represents but a splinter within a larger counterculture framework. True, there are distinctions, but fashion or musical style are utterly moot points. The bottom line is that no matter our differences, by design we are the black sheep of a herd world that spares little room for the artist. My overriding goal with THE BIG SHINY PRISON was to branch into every subculture possible and unveil the inherent common threads. This is why you will find that virtually every character in the book repeats the same essential notions. My sincere hope is that anyone who reads this book walks away with a broader understanding that we are all part of something larger, and that communication is the absolute key to strengthening our collective voice and moving towards a greater sense of mutual proactivity.
It's been called a «music journalism expose.» Would you say that that's accurate?
Partially, though deceptive. While the book is littered with musicians, rarely is music ever the topic of discussion. Of course there is such commentary, but once the basics are established every interview soon heads into more important territory. Being a road book the interviews are meant to be read as the dialogue of a linear narrative, since I m framing character portraits in a fictionalized manner. You are then reading the soliloquy of a character, not the divorced input of death metal guitarist A, B or C. However, I do not tamper with anyone s words (though I obviously edit down responses). This is where I deviate from my predecessors. For instance, both On The Road and Air-Conditioned Nightmare are products of personal recollection and artistic license. And as much as I hero worship the career feats of Hunter Thompson, the truth is that Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas is a hoax. Half the book is entirely made up or vastly exaggerated, which even the good Doctor himself freely admitted. Thompson pretended this happened in 3 straight days, when in reality they were three separate days over the course of a year. That broke my heart, like finding out there was no Santa Clause. The Vegas book was what made me want to become a journalist, and as a journalist I ve lived up to the Gonzo code. True to my word, THE BIG SHINY PRISON rages onward for 297 days straight and every sentence is absolutely true. I may tongue-in-cheek exaggerate certain things, but a bologna avalanche it is not.
Why did you decide to focus on metal?
My overriding goal was to smash every stereotype about this subculture. As a music fan and individual, I ve always leaned towards the metal scene as home base (while solidly retaining the DIY punk spirit at core). THE BIG SHINY PRISON is aggressively tailored to communicate that DIY ethos to the metal community in the most relevant way I could possible conjure. Extreme Metal as a subculture is the most ripe for direct action. For instance you go to Seattle/Portland and the punks have taken over the city every street has a house venue, printing press, record label, a crust barracks. Yet in the metal world most are still pissing around with pay to play gigs, battle of the bands contests, FM airplay attempts, know-nothing local managers, or just waiting for the magical label deal that will somehow book all their tours for them. Well, sorry, but that world is dead and never coming back and all that remains is The Cyber Wild West & your own two hands. Nobody makes any money doing this shit, so just drop it. If you want to tour then you re going to have to live like land pyrates in a van for weeks on end. You perform because it s what s inside of you, and you create your own reality from scratch. That s why guys like Lamb of God and Mastodon are huge. They weren t manufactured they built their own DIY network from the ground up. They actually willed themselves into global success through Neitzschean stealth alone. So to provide direct example, my book thrusts all underground scenes into a blender, showing how each conduct their business. The reader therefore walks away with their own impressions & interpretations.
Who was the most interesting interview and why?
The most intense was Edwin Borscheim from Kettle Cadaver, the Black Metal GG Allin. I was the first journalist outside a German TV crew ever allowed into his compound, and they paid him $1000. He lives in this Devils Rejects fortification where he has guys fighting in dog cages like a corpse-painted Manson Family. He s digging through this cupboard and he s like this is the board I nailed my cock to, this is the barb wire I was wearing while playing live naked, and there s like hunks of dried flesh clinging to it and dried-blood hypodermic needles littering the floor. That guy was hardcore as they come Meeting Columbine survivor Eric Parsons was interesting. I know that many kids have this silent hero worship of Klebold/Harris, or wear offensive t-shirts making light of the shootings. Well here s a guy with a red mohawk and thrash metal tattoos, and they nearly killed him too. That never dawned on me, that maybe Columbine wasn t this purely redneck/meathead jock atmosphere I also want to add that at no point did I ever pimp my zine credentials when contacting bands. I made everyone think I was just some nobody writing some random book, because I only wanted to work with the sincere. So it s funny that all these huge bands were super accommodating to a total stranger, yet literally hundreds of nobody locals were too lazy to drive 10 minutes to meet for coffee or simply return an email. And you know what? They re all crying now.
What was the most challenging part of penning this book?
The Samurai-like discipline that was necessary to endure this campaign, and the brutal aftermath of uncomfortable questions one inevitably faces having grown an entirely new soul.
Have you written any other books and how does this one differ from the others?
PRISON is the 3rd saga in a 4 Volume set. My body of work is autobiographical, though all 4 books are radically different. The first book The Silent Burning was released by Elitist Publications in 2005 a multi-genre anthology presented as one epic poem. I plan to re-release it as a Free PDF this year. Book Two has been complete since 2004, just waiting for the right moment. It s a straight autobiography called To Live & Die On Zug Island about my early years. PRISON is the obvious road/journalism extension, and the fourth book is in creation right now. It s about my life from age 21 until New Years 2009, mixing all previous modes of writing into one mutant strain. It chronicles what led to PRISON and the following aftermath. It s called Anticlimax Leviathan & The Ballad Of Don Juan Quixxxote. As for my major focus I m actively plotting the European sequel to PRISON for Summer 2011. I aimed for 2010, but I m having a hard enough time scavenging food and rent. In the meantime, I ll be forming a grindpunk band in the Northwest for fun (SASQUATCH AGNOSTIC), shopping my 3 (nearly complete) movie screenplays, and (yes) actually attempting school for the first time in over a decade. I m gunning for some kind of reasonable computer tech certification.
Why did you decide to go the route of offering the book for free?
I tried valiantly to get it released. There were dozens of labels/publishers interested from the outset, and I had to keep writing people saying I m still living it. When I actually did begin shopping it they almost unanimously ran screaming. It s not that it isn t quality it s just so raw and out there they had no idea what to do with it, or were simply uncomfortable by the content or political nightmare of promoting other labels bands. Then Wall Street tanked and the Neo-Depression set in I lost my job, Metal Maniacs died So I took a final year off to concentrate on my personal life, because I knew once PRISON got around my anonymity would be blown forever. Not that I m a movie star, but I do have a miniscule cult following and know key people in every USA scene. Since November 09 I ve emailed THE BIG SHINY PRISON to 10,000 people, tagged another 10,000 electronically, and many are chain-emailing it to their contacts as well. So it s germinating, slowly but surely. Still, even if I did have a publisher, I wouldn t be able to sell anything because everyone is financially ruined. Money was never the objective and true to my word I offer this $10,000 money pit free of charge. I don t care about a dime in return I only wish that it be circulated and appreciated.
Did I read that you wrote for Real Detroit? You are originally from Michigan right?
Yes, I was the Chief Political Correspondent and local metal/punk columnist at Real Detroit Weekly from 20012005. I grew up in Dearborn, the Detroit border town which hosts the largest Arab population outside the Middle East. My originating territory is responsible for a great degree of my counterculture views. On the West Coast everything is more uniform, per se as in if you re a punk rocker you should therefore dress the part and listen to a narrow range of music. By contrast Detroiters are passionate and surprisingly open minded, because we lived in a vacuum where if we discovered something legitimately good it was enthusiastically received regardless of genre. The freaks banded together not because of fashion, but because we had no place in the world beyond each other. At the age of 14 I was as much into Sepultura as I was Black Flag or Ministry. I plainly saw that these bands preached similar messages, they just expressed themselves in different ways. I see no hypocrisy in attending a metal show one night, going to a punk gig the next, then hanging at a goth/industrial club afterwards. I m a Pan-Tribal Internationalist, not some cookie-cutter scenester. As an artist and musician, I find value in all forms of expression and I sincerely hope to decimate these silly divisions through my art.
Any final thoughts?
As Americans, we ve hit a pivotal moment of change. I believe that we are entering a period comparable only to the 1960 s, but confronting all the issues the 60 s dodged in a completely reversed spectrum. Instead of Nixon, we have Obama. Instead of MLK, we have Sarah Palin the first major anti-feminist female politician marching endless scores of mullet evangelicals against any health care reform whatsoever. Instead of social revolution, we get the digital revolution. Instead of minority rights, we confront gay rights. The atheist/agnostic movement is coming out of the closet, and the 9/11 Truth Movement is entering mainstream consciousness. Above all, the largest emerging issue will be Neo-Gulf War Syndrome (i.e. the after-effects of Depleted Uranium Munitions). All those Iraq/Afghanistan vets are going to be coming home with radiation poisoning/genetic mutation, multi-form cancer, and an endless rate of flipper babies & stillborn children. The Pandora s Box has already been opened, and this recession is going to last the rest of our adult primes So my message to kindred spirits there is strength in numbers, and that is why I advocate subculture colonization. This is not a dangerous or absurd notion, but rather a positive and necessary ideal that will only contribute to the sustained organic growth of the counterculture movement. In short, my message is to quit duking it out in the middle of nowhere and just relocate to one of many major epicenters of activity. I ve traversed every corner of the nation and the future blueprint is as follows Seattle/PDX in the Northwest, The Bay Area in California, Albuquerque/Austin in the Southwest, Denver in central, Tampa/Orlando in the tropics, either Chicago or Philly in the Midwest, and somewhere strategic in the Tri-State near NYC. Both Detroit and New Orleans have amazing scenes and the greatest potential for rebirth, but you might as well be walking into Mad Max. If you ask me personally hands down the Seattle/Portland Axis is where it s at. All you have to do is show up with a backpack, a few bucks, know your etiquette and be ultra-social someone somewhere will grant you asylum, guaranteed. Just trust me once any serious artist/musician embeds themselves within Seattle/PDX culture, you ll never look back
And such is my rant. Thanks again for the interview.
