Interview with WIZZMAKIN
!!!HARD 'N HEAVY METAL FROM POLAND!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about WIZZMAKIN (Members, Starting Year etc).
Kuba Oktaba: Hi! My name is Kuba Oktaba and I am the guitarist and currently the vocalist of the band. Wizzmakin was founded in 2022 when I met for a first time the legend of the bass (He forced me to write this, help!) Michał Stokarski. My mission since I was just a little boy was to create the best band in history!!!
Kuba Saganowski: I'm Kuba, I'm a drummer. I like loud, fast and angry music. I like writing lyrics too. I joined Wizzmakin in October 2022, after reading the announcement on the website. From the first rehearsal, I fell in love with the music, got into the style and started reworking the drums in the pre-made numbers in my own way. Soon after, we had already started creating new things together. I think that stylistically I differ from the guys the most (I'm a big fan of punk rock), so I had to learn a lot from them.
Jan Makulec: I’m Jan – keyboardist. I joined Wizzmakin in November 2022. 2nd November my friend Jerry (drummer), who played with Kuba (guitarist) and Michał, showed me a record from their rehearsal and invited me to next. I remember, it took me an hour to get there by bus, but it was worth it. Apart from ,,Wizzmaker” we play something to break the ice for example ,,Light my Fire” or ,,Perfect Strangers”. After 2 weeks we changed the drummer and second Kuba joined us.
You have recently released your album ''It's Time E.P.''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
Kuba Oktaba: Overall, I think our mini album was quite well received. Maybe it’s like that because we make a type of music that is not very renown among modern metalheads and we positively surprised them a bit, just my thoughts. People like to compare us to Scorpions with Uli Jon Roth or Rainbow during the Joe Lynn Turner era. It’s very kind, this bands were making great music and really good shows and of course these bands had my favorite guitarists.
Kuba Saganowski: So far, the reception has been very positive. Our friends knew the songs from concerts, but I think that presenting them in the context of the E.P. was something new for them. It certainly was so for us. We are getting very encouraging feedback from people who heard us for the first time, including critics. These songs were created over the years. Each of us added something of our own to them, and I think this can be heard very clearly. The 4 songs we chose for the album are the songs we are most proud of. We are happy that we could show them to the world and like them. And that the world doesn't hate them.
Jan Makulec: Feedback is very positive, not only from our friends who knows our songs from concerts, but also from people who don't know us, what is very nice.
Label or DIY and why?
Kuba Oktaba: Currently we are unsigned, for now we must focus on making a bigger recognition to do better deals with labels. Really I hope that this year will be that year for the band.
Kuba Saganowski: I don't think it's a choice. Rather, the stages of natural growth of the band. Of course, I would like good music to be the only thing you need to make people listen to you, but it's not like that. The label helps you break through to a larger audience. I think you can manage on your own up to a certain point, but eventually you have to decide to take that step.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Kuba Saganowski: The drummer had a difficult time with recording, so we talked shit about him, without knowing he can hear us on talk-back… so that was kind of funny.
Jan Makulec: It took me half an hour to record my part. No one expected me to record it so quickly, haha
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Kuba Oktaba: This may be a shame, but I’ve never listened music on vinyl. There was never a chance to do it. However, I know the difference between CD and digital format, and it’s colossal. So you know I will always prefer the tangible version, it’s a great feeling to take out the CD and start listening to it on good quality speakers.
Kuba Saganowski: I would say I have always been a huge fan of CDs. It's not just the quality of sound, although of course that too, but mostly the enjoyment of having the physical thing. You can look at the cover and capture details, read lyrics from the inside, add CD’s to your collection. It’s all the little things that that make up the ritual of listening to the album. I love it. Vinyls are overrated as fuck.
Jan Makulec: I’m a collector, so Vinyl is my first choice. This is a kind of ritual when you take out a record from your collection and wipe it every time before putting it on the turntable. Then place the cover so that it is visible. You sit comfortable and listen. Whoever owns vinyl has class. There are those who think CD is better (sigh), poor fools.
Your music style is Hard 'n Heavy Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Kuba Oktaba: We try to learn from the best in the business, not only musically but also in showmanship, because without that elements it’s impossible to create good catchy show. Bands like Europe, Deep Purple, Rainbow or even my personal idol Yngwie Malmsteen are the first things that come to my mind when me talk about inspirations. The old stuff is still unmatched, and we try to do music just as well with a lot of power with great melodies.
Kuba Saganowski: My favourite drummers who have greatly influenced my style are Dale Crover from Melvins, Alex Van Halen and Ginger Baker. Each is amazing in their own way in their understanding of rhythm. I used to be a super-fan of Steven Adler.
Jan Makulec: My favorite keyboards players are Jon Lord, Keith Emerson and obviously Rick Wakeman. When I was 5 and my dad showed me Deep Purple I was impressed how Lord played and I wanted to play like him. I love listen to progressive rock, so Richard Wright or Tony Banks be in my inspiration too.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
Kuba Oktaba: First of all, I think that the most important thing is patience and persistence. Before I started Wizzmakin, I probably played in five other bands. They all no longer exist due to laziness and changes of direction of their leaders. I don’t think you have to sacrifice anything, in my opinion belief in your own ideas and self-confidence are the key to success.
Kuba Saganowski: It’s impossible to be in the band half-way. Sacrifices are naturally part of it. It’s often that you hear musicians doing say “main and side projects”. I think it’s bullshit. I’ve learned it a lot of times. If you want something to succeed, you have to invest all your creative power in it and (this is the wild part) you steel won’t have it guaranteed. You have to play everything on one card. That’s the hardest part.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
Kuba Oktaba: Big stage, a lot of reflectors, full venue of people that enjoy our music and that’s it for me, I would be content. Maybe this year will that happen, who knows?
Kuba Saganowski: My ideal show is when everything works
Jan Makulec: At this point, the ideal live performance is one where people, which are responsible for sound rise to the challenge.
What attributes do you think that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Kuba Oktaba: I won’t say anything special, appearance is still the most important thing in this business. People prefer to look at how you present yourself and then listen to your music, it’s painful but true. You have to be someone eccentric, not a gut who looks like he dropped out of high school ten minutes ago. But even if you can dress well and present yourself on stage, without skills and charisma you will achieve nothing.
Kuba Saganowski: I think the key is diversity in the band. In a way, I'm a supporter of the end of history theory in music. We have unlimited tools to do something new (not unique) but for some reason we limit ourselves. One of the worst things happening for heavy music right now is classism. Mixing styles in my opinion the only way to find identity in a world that has experienced everything.
Jan Makulec: Agree with the drummer. Diversity is the key. In our band everyone of us likes something different and everyone introduces something different (Drummer likes punk rock, Guitarist likes heavy metal, Bassist like Eurobeat and me who likes prog rock).
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Kuba Oktaba: We live in terrible times for musicians, no serious record company will be interested in you if you don’t have enough views on the internet. Platforms like TikTok are not bad in themselves, it’s up to you what you post there. We simply need to be more open to the world around us. So yes, definitely digital platforms are helpful. Apart from that, good music will always do the trick.
Kuba Saganowski: Of course. Otherwise you wouldn't listen to our music. Releasing music on youtube and streaming platforms is very important, but in the case of metal bands it is equally important to play shows. The Internet is a kind of extension of the audience.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Poland (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Kuba Oktaba: To be honest, it’s very bad. 90% of their work has no music itself. Troglodytes for troglodytes, that’s what I call it. Senseless headbanging to unnecessary noise. This is not my musical target, of course not. I think is another problem with those bands. 5 years ago black/death metal was popular, now it is classic heavy. All these bands started playing this second trend, they are not real in what they do for me. I would like to be wrong. The situations with clubs is tough also. Renting a venue is really expensive, and usually it’s a dingy den. Unfortunately, I don’t read magazines, there’s no band that interests me yet. Which probably speaks for itself. I hope that better times will come.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Kuba Oktaba: I know the guitarist named Gus G, but I don’t know whether he belongs to the Greek or world scene. I’d love to learn more about you and it would be great to play a concert in your country!
The last 3 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange & new situations in our everyday life (covid, lock-down etc.) Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Kuba Oktaba: Not for me, I assume that everything that happens to us has a purpose, maybe without covid there would be no Wizzmakin?
Kuba Saganowski: It was a very unique and abnormal time, which, in my opinion, contributed significantly to the emergence of new music. I think that for the next few years we will collect the fruits of the creativity of people locked inside four walls.
Jan Makulec: I’m still waiting on concert, which was supposed to take place in 2020. In April it will be 4 years, it is madness.
What are your future plans?
Kuba Oktaba: Do more good songs and shows, we are not stopping, we have a lot of big plans for this year.
Kuba Saganowski: To blow your fucking mind with 80’s metal.
Jan Makulec: Do more awesome shows so more people can enjoy our music.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Kuba Oktaba: First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to do this interview. I really hope that this year will be better for all of us in any case. Follow us on our social media and check what we are preparing for the future. Once again, thanks for the interview, it really means a lot to us at the moment. Remember, play music loud! Bye!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
WIZZMAKIN CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/Wizzmakin/
https://www.instagram.com/wizzmakin/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5q27i1BCLOHU1nbQx228c0
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0CLMG4ZQV/wizzmakin