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1. Kto ste, čo robíte a čo vás najviac zaujíma práve v týchto dňoch ?
Marek: Som chalan z Petržalky, mám za sebou zopár rokov v médiách a aktuálne sa rozkukávam čo ďalej. Akurát riešim dosť naše koncertovanie, novú nahrávku, chodenie po pohovoroch a čítanie kníh, ktoré som roky odkladal. V Astris hrám na gitaru a vrískam.
Richard: Som chlapec zo Žiliny, ľúbim hudbu a hľadať porozumenie v tomto chaotickom svete. Študujem Učiteľstvo a hrám Warcraft 3. Poslednou dobou sa prevažne venujem bežným veciam študenta. V Astris hrám na basu.
Danko: Som chlapčisko z Bratislavy, zaujímam sa o psychológiu, zatiaľ iba stredoškolsky, a primárne sa venujem hudbe. Rád si občas niečo prečítam a chodím na koncerty. V Astris hrám na bicie.
2. Kedy a ako vznikol Astris Lapsus a čo znamená názov kapely?
Marek: Bol to máj 2017. Na tento názov poukázala moja expriateľka (ahoj Karolína 🤪), počas toho ako sme išli vo vlaku z Prahy a čítala časopis. V jednom z článkov sa vyskytol tento názov v úplne odveci kontexte.
Bolo to tam z latinčiny preložené ako ten, čo spadol z hviezd, ale pravdepodobne lepší preklad je padajúci k hviezdam. Ukázala na to, že aha, toto by bol dobrý názov kapely, a ja že hej. Odvtedy som sa toho držal, a aj v čase bez kapely som na to skúšal vymýšľať logá atď. Dokonca som si aj bookol bandcamp :D
Tú stránku z časopisu mám dodnes doma.
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3. Predstav čitateľom členov kapely, aké majú hudobné korene a odkiaľ sa poznajú?
Marek: Už od mala som žral hudbu, trávil hodiny pri cédečkach a veži, hudobných staniciach atď. Už jak totálneho sopláka ma z telky bavili Linkin Park, System of a Down, Nirvana alebo Slíže. Vlastne vždy som chcel mať nejakú kapelu, ale bola to dlhá cesta.
Niekedy v dvanástich som objavil punk a to bol úplný gamechanger. Veci zrazu začali dávať zmysel. Prepadol som tomu a úplne sa v tom našiel.
Neskôr sa na to nabalili aj iné žánre a niekedy po strednej aj emáčiny a shoegazy. To bol taký posledný zlom a odvtedy som takýto.
Od začiatku roka hráme v novej zostave a som za chalanov strašne rád. Dobre sa mi s nimi funguje a čakal som na takéto niečo veľmi dlho.
Riša som spoznal ešte cez Eversame a Dana mi odporučila bubeníčka Speechless Dominika 😅
Richard: K hudbe ma dostal otec, keď mi nanútil gitaru do ruky a naučil ma Come As You Are od Nirvany. I keď prvý krok do sveta muziky bol “nútený”, do týždňa som bol absolútne závislý. Neskôr som zakladal už teraz etablovanú kapelu Eversame a od Decembra 2025 hrám s týmito bláznami.
Danko: Do hudby ma vtlačili rodičia keď som mal 6 rokov, chcel som chodiť na bicie ale nedovolili mi to tak som na zuške chodil 3 roky na klavír. Keď som mal 9 vymenil som klavír za bicie a odvtedy “hrám” na bicie, no aktívne som začal hrať až v roku 2024, kedy som sa pridal do mojej prvej kapely mezokayn. V Astris hrám od začiatku roka.
4. Pri čítaní referencií v spojení s Astris Lapsus si všímam košické kapely nabosoposkle a Tvoi Postoi! Čím u vás obe kapely zarezonovali a ako došlo k spolupráci?
S Naboso máme (zatiaľ) virtuálne splitko a Postoiáci ho nahrávali. U nich v najlepšej skúšobni na svete hore v košickom Collosseu.
K spolupráci vlastne došlo na Ffude 2024, kde sme obe kapely hrali, a slovo dalo slovo, že toto by bolo treba. V januári ‘25 sme hrali ešte s Davidom a Oliverom v Colle, spolu s Naboso a Pipesh, a v ten istý víkend to aj zbúchali. Aby sme sa voči Naboso nezahanbili, na splitko sme vybrali tie najväčsie nájeby z repertoáru.
5. Ako dlho trvalo postaviť D1 Emo connection a ktorý úsek bol najkomplikovanejší?
Marek: Ani sme netušili, ako moc bude tento “joke” relevantný. Plán bol vydať to fyzicky, na bandcampy sme to šupli v apríli 2025, je október 2026 a tento úsek sa ešte ani len nezačal riešiť 😀 Myslím ale, že to niekedy dáme. Myslím, že pred dostavaním skutočnej déjednotky.
6. Keď sa povie emo, časť ľudí si predstaví americké kapely z deväťdesiatych rokov, iní screamo, ďalší komerčnú vlnu po roku 2000. Čo znamená emo pre Astris Lapsus? Je to hudobný žáner, spôsob vyjadrovania, alebo skôr komunita ľudí s podobným vnímaním sveta?
Marek: Ja si predstavím vlastne všetko z toho, možno okrem tej komerčnej vlny. Ale najmä si predstavím kapely ako Rutka Laskier, Viva Belgrado alebo nejaké zlomené midwesty.
Je to vlastne taký label, nálepka, ktorá popisuje, že tá kapela celkom žmýka. A môže žmýkať aj v cruste (Habak), v indiečku (Turnover), v alternatívnom rocku (Jimmy Eat World) alebo v nájeboch (pg.99 a pod). Niekedy fajnovo vyžmýka aj pop (Kelly Clarkson - Since U been gone :P).
Richard: Určite do škatuľky “emo” patrí množstvo kapiel z ér vymenovaných vyššie, avšak vo mne to najviac rezonuje potrebu vyjadriť zo seba spektrum emócií, ktoré je škodlivé držať vnútri. Ale samozrejme, milujem tú chytlavosť smutných riffov, vyvoláva to vo mne niečo s čím sa dokážem stotožniť. Takisto mi to práve pomáha prechádzať ťažším obdobím, než aby ma to hádzalo hlbšie do depiek.
Danko: Keďže vnímam veľa vecí hudbou, emo si spájam hlavne s hudbou, primárne emoviolence. Emo pre mňa znamená to ako sa ja hudobne vyjadrujem.
7. Akú históriu má podľa vás emo a screamo na Slovensku? Dá sa dnes hovoriť o samostatnej scéne, alebo ste skôr súčasťou širšieho DIY punkového podhubia?
Marek: Nepomýlil si sa? Čakal by som, že sa budeš pýtať ma budúcnosť :D Každopádne, u nás celkom slabú, v Čechách je o inom - Thema 11, Balaclava, Rutka, Esa, Lakka, a tak dále. Určite to nie je samostatná scéna a nikde podľa mňa ani nebola. Vždy to išlo v undergroundovom balíku popri iných hcpunkových kapelách a podobne.
8. V skladbe Utiecť spievate o potrebe mať domov, úkryt a miesto, kam sa dá vrátiť. Zároveň však zaznieva aj motív úteku pred sebou samým. Mávate niekedy dilemmu či ostať alebo újsť a ako ju riešite?
Marek: Super otázka. Mávam ju často. Riešim ju podľa pocitu - niekedy je proste lepšie odísť a neostávať. Ak je to nevyhnutné, aj tresknúť dverami.
9. V skladbách Utiecť a Steny sa opakuje potreba bezpečia, ale zároveň aj pocit, že prostredie, v ktorom sa nachádzame, nás ohrozuje. Vychádza pocit ohrozenia z fyzického miesta alebo je to skôr o pocite alebo myšlienkach, ktoré existujú v hlave?
Marek: Ono v skutočnosti platí oboje. Často je to iba o myšlienkach a mentálnom nastavení v hlave, ale ak už ani to fyzické prostredie nie je bezpečné, tak ťažko to bude v hlave inak.
Pred časom som si uvedomil, že tento motív bezpečia sa u nás celkom cyklí - bude to prítomné aj na albume (ktorý bohviekedy vyjde). Asi je to pre mňa téma.
Konkrétne text Utiecť je podľa mňa aplikovateľný aj na vojnovú situáciu, ale aj na inú ťažkú situáciu v živote. Táto textová univerzálnosť ma všeobecne veľmi baví, príde mi to také “inkluzívne” - mnoho ľudí sa v ňom dokáže nájsť vo svojej situácii.
10. Čo sa skrýva za názvom Smútok '97? Je rok 1997 konkrétnou spomienkou na určité obdobie alebo udalosť?
Marek: Je to vlastne odveci. Pred rokmi som bol v galantérii na Fedinovej v Petržke a je to tam čistý “socik”. Tak nazývam miesta, kde sa desaťročia zastavil čas. Bolo to niekedy v čase lockdownov, keď som sa tam motal, a presne toto slovné spojenie mi tam napadlo. Zapísal som si to, a povedal som si, že to musím niekde použiť.
Tento song má taký nostalgický vajb a ja na takýchto miestach cítim istú nostalgiu. Je to tam možno vlastne už aj trochu smutné, ale možno preto, že z toho cítim detstvo a spomienky na early 00s, mi to príde také príťažlivé.
11. Ktorý postoj je vám bližší — „I Wanna Be Me“ Johna Lydona alebo „I Don't Wanna Be Me“ Petra Steela? A prečo?
Marek: Musel som googliť kto je Steele :D Je mi bližšie to prvé. Čo je viac ako môcť byť sám sebou?
Richard: Ja by som sa na druhú stranu priklonil k druhej myšlienke pretože mám problém sa spoliehať sám na seba, keď vidím svoje nedostatky. Avšak, obe môžu byť pravda ;).
Danko: I don’t wanna be me.
12. Slovenčina vie byť pri vyjadrovaní veľmi osobných pocitov nepríjemne priama. Je pre vás jednoduchšie kričať vlastné myšlienky do mikrofónu, alebo ich potom čítať napísané na Bandcampe?
Marek: To je pravda, podľa mňa aj preto mnohí volia tento skrývačský útek do angličtiny. Lenže podľa mňa aj viacej PREhováraš “tým ľudom”, ak sa im PRIhováraš v rodnom jazyku.
Inak na otázku príliš odpovedať neviem.
13. V čom je podľa vás slovenčina silná pri písaní temnejších a osobnejších textov? A kde naopak narážate na jej limity v porovnaní s angličtinou alebo češtinou?
Marek: Viď odpoveď vyššie. Pri slovenčine ideš s kožou na trh. Prehováraš priamo, bez motaníc okolo. Viac riskuješ.
14. Ako vnímajú slovenské texty ľudia zo zahraničia - máte vedomosť o tom, že si ich prekladajú alebo idú skôr po hudobnom feelingu?
Marek: Na Bandcampe máme texty, ale nepreložené - to dnes už nepredstavuje žiaden problém pre toho, koho bude preklad zaujímať.
Podľa mňa idú skôr po feelingu, veď to aj domáci - na koncerte aj tak rozumieš prd. Ale napr holka z Viedne napísala, že nerozumie ani slovo, ale že to totálne cíti.
Tiež si idem nejaké kapely, kde nerozumiem že nič, ale dotyční mi hovoria z duše.
15. Keď vzniká nová skladba Astris Lapsus, čo je na začiatku - gitarový motív, text, spoločný jam alebo nejaká emócia, ktorú sa snažíte preniesť do hudby? A ako spoznáte, že je skladba hotová?
Richard: Máme vcelku bežnú formulu, drvivú väčšinu času Marek príde s riffom a ideme okolo toho. Ale je pravda, že s riffom častokrát od Mareka prichádza aj text.
Marek: Väčšinou mi riffy dlhý čas hnijú v telefóne. Niekedy nejaký na skúške vytasím, a buď sa ujme, alebo ne. S textami najmä v poslednom čase strugglujem, som na seba kritický, leze to zo mňa nejako ťažšie. V minulosti som ich niekedy vyplul v celku, ale možno sa už nemám tak zle alebo čo..:D
Často text pasujem na hudbu, ale už to bolo aj naopak.
Danko: Marek vytiahne riff, ja tam niečo zahrám, Rišo podporí rytmus, a máme songu. Samozrejme venujeme sa songom dlhšie a nikdy to nie je jednoduché ale proces tvorby v Astris je pre mňa veľmi naturálny. Dobre si hudobne rozumieme.
16. Ako vnímate súčasnú bratislavskú DIY scénu? Máte pocit, že prichádza nová generácia ľudí, ktorá si buduje vlastné kapely, koncerty a priestory, alebo stále stojí veľká časť undergroundu na ľuďoch, ktorí ho organizovali už pred desiatimi či dvadsiatimi rokmi?
Marek: Absolútne to prvé. Po covide to dosť vybuchlo, viď účasť deciek na Garážach. Podľa mňa tesne pred covidom bolo problém vidieť takého učebnicového pankáča, ale covid ich vytvoril. Zároveň vtedy vzniklo kopec mladých a popiči kapiel, ktoré hrajú tak, že neveríš, že toto sú decká.
Ťažko hovoriť generalizovane, že čo tvorí DIY scénu, ale platí, že u nás to neni len o starých. Nie všade to tak majú. U nás prídeš na gig a je to tam mix - a je to tak správne.
17. Už ste sa dostali s koncertmi aj za hranice Slovenska. Aký rozdiel vnímate medzi domácou a zahraničnou DIY scénou? Sú viditeľné rozdiely medzi slovenskou a rakúskou prípadne chorvátskou scénou a organizáciou koncertov?
Marek: Podľa mňa nič hmatateľné. Ale na Balkáne sú ľudia všeobecne viac srdciari a cítiť to aj v scéne.
18. Čo si myslíte o hudobníkoch, ktorí prechádzajú z jednej subkultúry alebo žánru do druhého? Je podľa vás prirodzené, že človek časom opustí hudobnú identitu, s ktorou vyrastal? A stalo sa vám, že vás kapela z úplne inej scény nadchla natoľko, že ste začali uvažovať o zmene vlastnej tvorby?
Richard: Je to úplne prirodzený vývoj umelca a človeka ako takého, keby mám všetok čas na svete, tak by som mal rôzne projekty (stoner, eggpunk, hip-hop…). Popri kapele som bol zakladajucim členom kolektívu Torture Session s ktorým už dva roky organizujeme raves v Žiline, Bratislave a pomaly expandujeme na východ Slovenska a do Česka.
Marek: Súhlasím s Riškom. Tiež pre mňa žánre a subkultúry neznamenajú nejaké stopky.
Danko: Ako bubeník viacerych kapiel je pre mňa žánrový prechod veľmi prirodzený. Mimo Astris sa venujem žánrom ako mathcore, skramz a shoegaze.
19. Mám pocit, že pre staršiu generáciu undergroundových fanúšikov bolo dôležité jasne sa identifikovať s jednou subkultúrou. Dnes mladí ľudia často počúvajú všetko možné bez potreby niekam patriť. Vnímate to ako oslobodenie od žánrových hraníc alebo ako postupné vytrácanie subkultúrnej identity?
Marek: Súhlasím, mňa ešte lízla doba, kedy bolo subkultúrne vymedzenie ešte celkom bežné. Dnes už je to taký všežravý všehochuť mix, ale to neznamená, že to je zle. Ale o to viac ma poteší, keď vidím mladých ovešaných streetpunx 😀
Žánrové hranice sú ok, ak chceš, napr hrať pure d-beat albo pure thrash. Nás sa ale ale žánrové hranice netýkajú. Papáme všetko.
20. Čo si myslíte o mikrolabeloch, kazetových vydaniach - sú v dnešnej dobe ešte relevantné?
Marek: ťažko povedať, ale cením každého, kto to robí. Napr Filip z ex Z-Tapes (teraz start-track). Potrebujeme takýchto zanietených fanatikov do dobrej veci. Nahraj mu či požičaj.
Richard: som fanúšikom fyzických nosičov, sám ich pomaly zbieram a teším sa, keď ich raz uvidia moje deti a budú mať možnosť sa trošku viac vžiť do môjho života.
21. Ktorý film a kniha vás naposledy nadchli?
Richard: Z filmov určite Green Book, videl som to znovu asi po 5 rokoch a pohltilo ma to viac ako predtým. Pri knihách to určite je Give Me An Answer - Cliffe Knechtle
Marek: Fu, no bolo treba popremýšlať. Nie som veľmi filmový, no pozerám veľa dokumentov. Fakt si neviem spomenúť na film, ktorý tu že musím spomenúť. Naposledy som ale pozeral film Berlin Calling, príbeh jedného rave DJa. Ale dokumenty, to hej - napr. Balkán v plamenech, Ikony, Fetiše socializmu, Noc v archíve, a rôzne iné, čétédvojkové, estévédvojkové, jutubové, či netflixové..
Zo seriálov si dlhodobo idem napr. South Park - aj ten nový. Alebo ma Netflixe ma odjebal seriál Sobík (Baby Reindeer).
Z kníh moc nečítam beletriu, mám rád literatúru faktu - z prostredia politológie, sociológie, rôzne biografie... Veľmi si idem podcasty, najmä od nášho, či českého rozhlasu.
Danko: Kniha čo ma nadchla, a jedna z mojich obľúbených kníh, je kniha Neznesiteľná ľahkosť bytia. Nie som moc filmový človek.
22. Koho by som mohol vyspovedať pre JDØS?
Marek: Shorty a.k.a. Motko, Mezokayn, kafka., Sorry Holka..
23. Motto alebo dobrá rada na záver?
Marek: tak jak to bolo kedysi, teraz a potom, ja neriadim sa mottom, ani kokotom, ale rozumom, a životom som dotovaný, nadopovaný hip-hopom a ne reklamným spotom
Richard: Každý deň hustle
Danko: Život je life
1. Who are you, what do you do, and what's keeping you busy or interesting you the most these days?
Marek: I'm a guy from Petržalka. I've spent a few years working in the media, and right now I'm figuring out what to do next. These days, I'm pretty busy sorting out our gigs, working on a new record, going to job interviews, and reading books I've been putting off for years. I play guitar and scream in Astris.
Richard: I'm a guy from Žilina. I love music and trying to make sense of this chaotic world. I'm studying to become a teacher and playing Warcraft 3. Lately, I've mostly been dealing with the usual stuff that comes with being a student. I play bass in Astris.
Danko: I'm a lad from Bratislava. I'm interested in psychology, although so far only at high-school level, and music is my main focus. I also enjoy reading something now and then and going to gigs. I play drums in Astris.
2. When and how did Astris Lapsus come into existence, and what does the band's name mean?
Marek: It was May 2017. My ex-girlfriend (hi, Karolína 🤪) pointed out the name while we were on a train from Prague and she was reading a magazine. The name appeared in one of the articles in a completely unrelated context.
It was translated from Latin as "the one who fell from the stars," although "falling towards the stars" is probably a better translation. She pointed at it and said, "Hey, that would make a good band name," and I was like, "Yeah!"
I've stuck with it ever since. Even when I didn't have a band, I was already trying to come up with logos and stuff for it. I even reserved the Bandcamp page!
I still have that page from the magazine at home.
3. Could you introduce the band members to our readers? What are your musical roots, and how did you all meet?
Marek: I've been obsessed with music since I was a kid. I spent hours listening to CDs on my stereo, watching music channels, and all that stuff. Even when I was a little brat, I loved watching Linkin Park, System of a Down, Nirvana, and Slíže on TV. I'd always wanted to be in a band, but it was a long road getting there.
I discovered punk when I was about twelve, and that was a complete game-changer. Suddenly, things started making sense. I fell head over heels for it and really found myself in that world.
Later, other genres started creeping in, and sometime after high school, I got into emo and shoegaze as well. That was the last major turning point, and I've been like this ever since.
We've been playing with a new line-up since the beginning of the year, and I'm incredibly happy with these guys. We work really well together, and I'd been waiting for something like this for a very long time.
I met Rišo through Eversame, and Dominika, the drummer from Speechless, recommended Danko to me. 😅
Richard: My dad got me into music by practically forcing a guitar into my hands and teaching me Come As You Are by Nirvana. Even though my first step into the world of music was "forced," I was completely hooked within a week.
Later, I co-founded the now well-established band Eversame, and I've been playing with these lunatics since December 2025.
Danko: My parents pushed me into music when I was six. I wanted to learn drums, but they wouldn't let me, so I ended up spending three years learning piano at music school.
When I was nine, I swapped the piano for drums, and I've been "playing" them ever since. Although I only really started playing actively in 2024, when I joined my first band, mezokayn.
I've been playing in Astris since the beginning of the year.
4. While looking into Astris Lapsus, I noticed connections with two bands from Košice — nabosoposkle and Tvoi Postoi! What was it about these bands that resonated with you, and how did the collaboration come about?
We have a (so far) digital split with Naboso, and the guys from Postoi recorded it for us. We did it at their rehearsal space upstairs at Collosseum in Košice — the best rehearsal room in the world!
The collaboration actually started at Ffud Fest 2024, where both bands were playing. We got talking and agreed that we really ought to do something together.
In January 2025, when David and Oliver were still playing with us, we had a gig at Collosseum alongside Naboso and Pipesh, and we knocked out the recording that same weekend.
We didn't want to embarrass ourselves next to Naboso, so we picked the most brutal, full-on bangers from our repertoire for the split.
5. How long did it take to build the D1 Emo Connection, and which section proved the most difficult?
Marek: We had no idea just how relevant this joke would turn out to be. The plan was to release it physically. We put it on Bandcamp in April 2025, and here we are in October 2026, and construction on this particular stretch hasn't even started yet! 😀
But I think we'll get there eventually. Probably before the actual D1 motorway is finished.
6. When people hear the word "emo", some think of American bands from the 1990s, others think of screamo, while others associate it with the commercial wave of the 2000s. What does emo mean to Astris Lapsus? Is it a musical genre, a form of expression, or more of a community of people who share a similar outlook on the world?
Marek: I actually think of pretty much all of those things, perhaps except for the commercial wave. But above all, I think of bands like Rutka Laskier, Viva Belgrado, or some broken-hearted Midwest emo stuff.
It's basically a label, a tag that tells you a band really knows how to squeeze the emotions out of you. And that can happen in crust (Habak), indie (Turnover), alternative rock (Jimmy Eat World), or some full-on chaotic madness (pg.99 and the like). Sometimes even pop can really hit you in the feels (Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone ).
Richard: There are certainly plenty of bands from all the eras mentioned above that fit into the "emo" category. But for me, what resonates most is the need to express the whole spectrum of emotions that would be harmful to keep bottled up inside.
Of course, I also love the catchiness of those sad riffs. They stir something in me that I can genuinely relate to. And rather than dragging me deeper into depression, this music actually helps me get through difficult periods.
Danko: Since I experience a lot of things through music, I associate emo primarily with the music itself, especially emoviolence. To me, emo is the way I express myself musically.
7. What kind of history do emo and screamo have in Slovakia? Can we talk about a distinct scene today, or are you more a part of the broader DIY punk underground?
Marek: Are you sure you haven't got that wrong? I'd have expected you to ask about the future!
Anyway, the history here is pretty thin. It's a different story in the Czech Republic, with bands like Thema 11, Balaclava, Rutka, Esa, Lakka, and so on.
It's definitely not a separate scene, and I don't think it ever really was anywhere. It's always been part of the wider underground, alongside other hardcore punk bands and similar stuff.
8. In the song Utiecť, you sing about the need for a home, a shelter, and somewhere to return to. At the same time, there's also the theme of running away from yourself. Do you ever struggle with the dilemma of whether to stay or run away, and how do you deal with it?
Marek: Great question. I struggle with it quite often.
I go with my gut feeling. Sometimes it's simply better to walk away rather than stay. And if necessary, even slam the door on your way out.
9. In the songs Utiecť and Steny, there's a recurring need for safety, but also a sense that the environment we find ourselves in can be threatening. Does that feeling of danger come from the physical place itself, or is it more about the feelings and thoughts inside our heads?
Marek: Actually, both are true. Often it's just about your thoughts and your mental state, but if your physical surroundings aren't safe either, it's pretty hard to feel any differently in your head.
A while ago, I realised that this theme of safety keeps coming up in our music. It'll also be present on the album (whenever the hell that finally comes out). I guess it's something that really matters to me.
I think the lyrics to Utiecť, specifically, can apply to a situation of war, but equally to other difficult situations in life.
I really like this kind of universality in lyrics. It feels quite "inclusive" to me, in the sense that many people can recognise their own experiences and circumstances in them.
10. What's the story behind the title Smútok '97? Is 1997 a reference to a particular memory, period, or event?
Marek: It's actually pretty random.
Years ago, I went into a haberdashery shop on Fedinova Street in Petržalka, and the place was pure "socialist-era nostalgia". That's what I call places where time seems to have stood still for decades.
It was sometime during the lockdowns when I was wandering around there, and that exact phrase just popped into my head. I wrote it down and told myself I'd have to use it somewhere.
The song has this nostalgic vibe, and places like that always stir a certain nostalgia in me. There's perhaps something a little sad about them too, but maybe it's precisely because they remind me of my childhood and the early 2000s that I find them so appealing.
11. Which attitude do you identify with more — John Lydon's "I Wanna Be Me" or Peter Steele's "I Don't Wanna Be Me"? And why?
Marek: I had to Google who Steele was. The first one resonates with me more. What could be better than being able to be yourself?
Richard: I'd lean towards the second one, actually, because I struggle to rely on myself when I'm so aware of my own shortcomings. But both can be true. ;)
Danko: I don't wanna be me.
12. Slovak can be uncomfortably direct when it comes to expressing deeply personal feelings. Is it easier for you to scream your thoughts into a microphone or to read them afterwards, written down on Bandcamp?
Marek: That's true. I think that's also why so many people choose to hide behind English as a kind of escape. But I also think you can reach people more effectively when you're speaking to them in their native language. There's a stronger connection between what you're saying and who you're saying it to.
Otherwise, I can't really answer the question.
13. What makes Slovak particularly effective for writing darker, more personal lyrics? And where do you find its limitations compared to English or Czech?
Marek: See my answer above. When you write in Slovak, you're really putting yourself out there. You're speaking directly, without beating around the bush. You're taking more risks.
14. How do people abroad respond to your Slovak lyrics? Do you know whether they translate them, or do they mainly connect with the music and its emotional atmosphere?
Marek: We have the lyrics on Bandcamp, but they're not translated. These days, though, that's hardly an obstacle for anyone who's interested in finding out what they mean.
I think most people go by the feeling, and that goes for people back home too. At a gig, you can't understand a damn thing anyway. But, for example, a girl from Vienna wrote to us saying she didn't understand a single word, yet she could totally feel it.
I also love bands where I don't understand a single word, but somehow they're speaking straight to my soul.
15. When Astris Lapsus start working on a new song, what comes first — a guitar riff, lyrics, a collective jam, or an emotion you're trying to translate into music? And how do you know when a song is finished?
Richard: We have a pretty standard formula. Most of the time, Marek comes in with a riff, and we build the song around it. But quite often, the riff comes with lyrics from Marek as well.
Marek: Most of my riffs spend ages rotting away on my phone. Sometimes I'll pull one out at rehearsal, and either it catches on or it doesn't.
I've been struggling with lyrics lately. I'm pretty hard on myself, and they don't come as easily as they used to. In the past, I could sometimes spit out an entire set of lyrics in one go, but maybe my life just isn't shitty enough anymore or something...
I often fit the lyrics to the music, but we've done it the other way around too.
Danko: Marek pulls out a riff, I play something over it, Rišo backs up the rhythm, and we've got ourselves a song.
Of course, we spend much longer working on our songs, and it's never quite that simple, but the creative process in Astris feels very natural to me. We understand each other really well musically.
16. How do you see the current Bratislava DIY scene? Do you feel there's a new generation coming through, building their own bands, organising gigs and creating spaces, or does much of the underground still depend on people who've been keeping it alive for the past ten or twenty years?
Marek: Definitely the former. Things really exploded after COVID. Just look at how many kids started showing up at the Garáž gigs.
I think that just before COVID, you'd have struggled to spot a textbook punk rocker, but COVID somehow created a whole new generation of them. At the same time, loads of young, fucking brilliant bands emerged, playing so well you can hardly believe they're just kids.
It's hard to generalise about what makes up a DIY scene, but one thing's certain: here, it's not just the old guard keeping things going. That's not the case everywhere.
You come to a gig here, and there's a real mix of generations. And that's exactly how it should be.
17. You've already played gigs outside Slovakia. What differences have you noticed between the local and international DIY scenes? Are there any noticeable differences between the Slovak, Austrian or Croatian scenes, particularly when it comes to organising gigs?
Marek: Nothing particularly tangible, in my opinion. But people in the Balkans generally put more heart into things, and you can feel that in the scene too.
18. What do you think about musicians moving from one subculture or genre to another? Do you think it's natural for someone to eventually leave behind the musical identity they grew up with? And has a band from a completely different scene ever impressed you so much that you started considering changing your own musical direction?
Richard: It's a completely natural part of evolving as an artist and as a person. If I had all the time in the world, I'd have all kinds of different projects — stoner, eggpunk, hip-hop...
Besides the band, I was also a founding member of the Torture Session collective, which has been organising raves in Žilina and Bratislava for the past two years. We're slowly expanding into eastern Slovakia and the Czech Republic as well.
Marek: I agree with Riško. Genres and subcultures don't represent any kind of boundaries for me either.
Danko: As a drummer playing in several bands, moving between genres feels completely natural to me. Outside Astris, I play genres like mathcore, skramz and shoegaze.
19. I get the impression that for older generations of underground fans, identifying strongly with a particular subculture was an important part of who they were. Today, young people often listen to all kinds of music without feeling the need to belong to any particular scene. Do you see this as liberation from genre boundaries, or as the gradual disappearance of subcultural identity?
Marek: I agree. I still caught the tail end of an era when identifying with a particular subculture was pretty common.
These days, it's more of an omnivorous, anything-goes mix, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Still, it makes me all the happier when I see young people decked out in streetpunk gear. 😀
Genre boundaries are fine if, say, you want to play pure d-beat or pure thrash. But those boundaries don't really apply to us. We devour everything.
20. What do you think about micro-labels and cassette releases? Are they still relevant these days?
Marek: Hard to say, but I have huge respect for everyone who does it. Take Filip from the former Z-Tapes (now start-track), for example.
We need dedicated fanatics like that, people who are genuinely passionate about a good cause. Give the guy a hand — or lend him one!
Richard: I'm a fan of physical formats myself, and I've slowly been building up a collection. I look forward to the day when my kids get to see it and have a chance to understand a little more about my life.
21. Which film and book have impressed you most recently?
Richard: Film-wise, definitely Green Book. I watched it again after about five years, and it captivated me even more than the first time. As for books, definitely Give Me an Answer by Cliffe Knechtle.
Marek: Phew, I really had to think about this one. I'm not much of a film person, although I watch a lot of documentaries. I honestly can't think of a film that I absolutely have to mention here.
I did recently watch Berlin Calling, though, a film about a rave DJ.
But documentaries, absolutely! Things like Balkán v plamenech, Ikony, Fetiše socializmu, Noc v archíve, and all sorts of others — whether they're from Czech Television's ČT2, Slovak Television's STV2, YouTube or Netflix.
As for TV series, I've been a long-time fan of South Park, including the new stuff. And Baby Reindeer on Netflix completely blew my fucking mind.
I don't read much fiction. I prefer non-fiction, particularly political science, sociology, various biographies and so on.
I'm also really into podcasts, especially those produced by Slovak and Czech public radio.
Danko: One book that really impressed me, and one of my favourites, is The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I'm not much of a film person.
22. Who should I interview next for JDØS?
Marek: Shorty a.k.a. Motko, Mezokayn, kafka., Sorry Holka...
23. A motto or a piece of good advice to finish things off?
Marek: Just like it was back then, now and in the future, I don't live by mottos or some dickhead's words, but by reason. Life keeps me fuelled, doped up on hip-hop, not advertising spots.
Richard: Hustle every day.
Danko: Life is life.
