July sees one of my personal favorite festivals in Europe, OBSCENE EXTREME in Trutnov in the Czech republic , and we felt it was time to round up some questions and go looking for answers where they could be found without too much hustle (red: research ). So I contacted CURBY, the man behind OBSCENE EXTREME, and asked him a few questions.

OBSCENE EXTREME, Could you please provide us with a brief overview of the history of this massive festival?

Ufff…where to start? I always wanted to do big grindcore festival…there was nothing like that back in 99 when I started with Obscene Extreme…my big influence was Fuck The Commerce festival, I was there in 98 and it was simply an excellent festival, and it was one of that things that kicked my ass to do something…My first idea was doing just one festival for my 25th birthday but the reactions after the first volume was so great from both – fans and bands that I had to continue! Now it’s an everyday work, all year long, but I don’t regret all the time of mine as each festival gave me back more…that friendly atmosphere, all those fans going from far away, it’s simply unique chance to meet grindcore fanatics from all over the World in a single place and enjoy some really fine bands, legends of grind music but also promising new bands! And so far we had like… bands OEF…

To make all this come together one would probably need more than one body and more than one mind, tell us a bit about the crew behind the festival, how do you make this all happen?

Yeah, true!!! But I want to control everything so I really do most of things by myself…I process all ticket orders, talk to all bands, order their flights, hotels, all crew working at OEF, all that  small things that do good festival, also some layout/desing ideas…of course I have big help in Martin who cares about website desing, e-cards, banners, posters, merchandise etc. He is a cool dude who can even draw by himself and it’s very useful! Also Luis from NASHGUL works for us as an illustrator, and now also Arif from WORMROT has just drawn one of the t-shirt desings…we have also a cool dude and a great friend for social network promo Ritchi… and Sobi who takes care of the English version of our website… so we are a small group but a very devoted one to our music!!!

We were present at last years edition of OEF and was blown away by the sheer atmosphere of the festival . Are you at all worried that this will grow out of proportion?

Coooooooooool!!! That’s what I’m talking about all the time…OEF is totally different, something unique and it makes me very happy and proud of it!!! No, I’m not worried…we do still our thing…we like grindcore and all extreme styles (except for black metal) and grindcore festival can’t be a popular or a really massive thing…you need black metal, heavy metal, maybe hard rock bands to do BIG fest…see Wacken, it’s a different story…we like our family size of our festival…all those crazy freaks from every corner of this planet…it’s simply cool and we keep grinding this way!!!

Booking bands could be a problem for any organizer, with a festival like OEF I suppose this is not a relevant issue, or is it?

Nono, not really, we are respected now…and believe me bands all around the world know us…I think I’m very fair to every band and I really care…they’re my guests in the Czech republic and I do my best for them even with limited budget we have for our fest. Especially in the last few years it’s very easy to book bigger bands…guys like Danny Lilker, Kevin Sharp or Shane Embury are talking about OEF with other musicians so when we ask some bigger bands to play they know exactly who we are…and it’s almost always the same… "Yeah Danny, Kevin or Shane told me about this crazy fest." hahaha…

What is the top ten moments of the festival thus far?

Hard to say, I have so many good moments…also some very difficult…I think one of the best shows I have seen in my life was in 2001 when we had a big storm in Trutnov and we had to stop playing for 2 hours, make a smaller stage and then EXHUMED came on the stage and it was a slaughter!!! It was really a totally extreme show!!! People went totally mad!!!

And another example crazy stage diving on MUNICIPAL WASTE in 2009 or that great joke when ALIENATIONAL MENTAL’s guys came on stage one year and all of them put my picture like a mask on their faces and started to play…it was hilarious!!! Or DISMEMBER show in 2006!!!

Have you suffered, like so many other festivals, from the financial crisis that struck Europe like a brick wall? If so, how?…if not, why not…?

No, we don’t have big sponsors, our fans are the only big sponsor, they always supported us thru the years…and I think it’s great…everyone knows that metal/punk/hardcore fans are very dedicated and I’m always trying to do best possible line up for them and so far they enjoy it and support us!!! Thank you all!!! In my opinion it’s really healthy…of course all that festivals with lots of sponsors have big financial problems now…it’s easy to organize a fest when you have everything paid upfront by sponsors…

Any dream acts past or present that has still to be on stage at OEF?

BOLT THROWER and ABBA!!! Hahaha, what a mix, isn`t it? I like them both, could be great!!! Also REPULSION, I have been talking with them for many years but so far no luck at all…also LARM, IMPETIGO, DISCHARGE, CARCASS, and lots of more…and you know dreams come true sometimes hahaha…

Extreme Metal  has once again grown in popularity during the past few years, any thoughts on the matter?

Well, hard to say, I think when you like exreme music then you like it forever…like me…it’s not a trendy thing it’s a matter of the heart…so I’m not surprised that metal bands still sell lots of their records even without big advertising… Fans understand they support their  favourite band, their favourite music!!!

What do you think is the benefit for any given band to play a venue like OEF?

I think it’s a great experience for everyone, for the "big" band, the same for the "small"one …all that crazy stage diving, freaky masks, atmosphere, people from all around the world (I have just sold tickets to the Republic of Korea, Kazakchstan, Estonia, Moldavia, Mexico, simply the whole Europe)…you can meet old friends, find new ones…it’s more like a big party and the music we all love than a music festival only…and of course, we have lots of followers in the countries like South East Asia, South America etc. that are not so lucky to have enough money to go to OEF but they anyway check our website, listen to the bands we add to a line up every year and simply follow what we do on youtube and so on which is great I guess!!!

For 2011 what are YOU looking forward to the most?

I would love to see machete in the work hahaha, so BRUJERIA, I can’t wait for ENTOMBED as well, my very favourite grind band ROTTEN SOUND, I will surely check some old school death metal like INTERMENT, BENEDICTION or ENTRAILS, and VARUKERS!!! I saw them last time on tour with BOLT THROWER maybe 17 years ago!!! LOCK UP is a cool band too, what a drummer!!! IMPALED, THE ROTTED, MAGRUDERGRIND, PSYCHO, SKITSYSTEM, GRONIBARD, VISIONS OF WAR or even small bands like CHIENS or FEASTEM!!! It’s lots of things to come and see!!! And of course I wanna see crazy stage diving, all that smiling faces all around!!!

Any last words of encouragement as to why people from Norway should journey to Truthnov this year OEF?

Join us in the grinding madness!!! You’ll enjoy 69 killer bands and this will be one of your best fuckin’ weekends in your life, I bet!!! And of course especially for Norwegian fans it’s all here very cheap, beer, accomodation, ticket…it’s like paradise for you guys!!!

Oh and just to piss some editor off… What is your favorite choice of cartoon character, and why?

Simpsons, they are great, they don’t give a fuck and do everything they like!!!

Onsdag 6. Juli 2011

12.00 – ??? FREAK festival

Torsdag 7. Juli 2011

14.00 – 14.20 BUT

14.30 – 14.50 IDIOT CONVENTION

15.00 – 15.20 ZEITGEIST

15.30 – 15.50 JACK

16.00 – 16.25 ANOTHER WAY

16.35 – 17.00 HEADCRASH

17.10 – 17.35 ATTACK OF RAGE

17.45 – 18.10 VON BOOM

18.20 – 18.45 FEASTEM

18.55 – 19.20 NAPALMED

19.30 – 20.00 PANDEMIA

20.10 – 20.40 SQUASH BOWELS

20.50 – 21.20 GRIDE

21.35 – 22.45 ENTOMBED

22.55 – 23.35 MAGRUDERGRIND

23.50 – 00.40 BENEDICTION

00.50 – END HELL show

Fredag 8. Juli 2011

10.00 – 10.20 AGGRENATION

10.30 – 10.50 FATAL NUNCHAKU

11.00 – 11.20 ATOMCK

11.30 – 11.50 DISLIKE

12.00 – 12.25 NOMINAL ABUSE

12.35 – 13.00 GUTSLIT

13.10 – 13.35 RAZOR RAPE

13.45 – 14.10 ENTHRALLMENT

14.20 – 14.45 LAUSTRUMER

14.55 – 15.20 FLESHROT

15.30 – 15.55 D.I.S.

16.05 – 16.35 RECTAL SMEGMA

16.45 – 17.15 ENTRAILS

17.25 – 17.55 EXTREME SMOKE 57

18.05 – 18.35 LAST DAYS OF HUMANITY

18.45 – 19.15 PUTRID PILE

19.25 – 20.05 THE VARUKERS

20.15 – 20.55 SKITSYSTEM

21.05 – 21.55 ROTTEN SOUND

22.10 – 23.20 BRUJERIA

23.30 – 00.10 IMPALED

00.20 – 00.50 GRONIBARD

01.00 – 01.30 INTERMENT

01.40 – 02.00 CHIENS

02.10 – 02.30 REPULSIONE

02.40 – 03.00 GORE AND CARNAGE

Lørdag 9. Juli 2011

10.00 – 10.20 THE AFTERNOON GENTLEMEN

10.30 – 10.50 BRUTALLY DECEASED

11.00 – 11.20 KOMATOZ

11.30 – 11.50 REPROACH

12.00 – 12.20 HAEMOPHAGUS

12.30 – 12.50 UNKIND

13.00 – 13.25 COMBAT NOISE

13.35 – 14.00 COLLISION

14.10 – 14.35 ASSESSOR

14.45 – 15.10 WRATHCOBRA

15.20 – 15.45 ONANIZER

15.55 – 16.20 MESRINE

16.30 – 16.55 VISIONS OF WAR

17.05 – 17.30 ZUBROWSKA

17.40 – 18.05 INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL

18.15 – 18.40 PSYCHO

18.50 – 19.15 INHUMATE

19.25 – 19.55 ISACAARUM

20.05 – 20.35 THE ROTTED

20.45 – 21.15 DEBUSTROL

21.25 – 22.20 LOCK UP

22.35 – 23.35 BRUTAL TRUTH

23.45 – 00.30 DROPDEAD

00.40 – 01.10 LE SCRAWL

01.20 – 01.50 MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM

02.00 – 02.30 MINCING FURY

02.40 – 03.00 GRUNT