Billy Talent released song with Ukrainian combat. Interview with frontman punk band Beton
Before February 24 Бетон (Beton) was quite a successful, but still local punk band mostly known in Ukraine. Now, they frontman Andriy Zholob serves as a military surgeon on the front lines, appear to SNN and releases feat songs with Billy Talent.
Andriy Zholob — vocalist and guitarist of the punk rock group Beton, radio host and traumatologist, husband and father of two daughters, who changed his civilian life for the sake of protecting the Motherland. More than 7 months, he served as a combat paramedic on the southern front of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Anaid Agadzhanova spoke with the musician about the changes the war brought to his life, how military service influenced his musical preferences and cooperation with world-famous punk rock stars.
This interview was originally published in Ukrainian at the beginning of December 2022.
— You entered military service much after the full-scale invasion began. Tell me how you made up your mind and why — at the end of May.
— Yes, I was not that very brave volunteer who rolled his sleeping bag, picked up his backpack, and went to the military office after the full-scale invasion began. I still worked at a hospital, was concerned about injured servicemen, and took the first waves of immigrants who were packed at train stations — they were carried to Lviv from the East and the South of Ukraine — particularly, from Mariupol.
And when I got drafted, I came to the military office — they told me to be there the day after tomorrow with a backpack. And I went. It was on my wife’s birthday, on May 20th. A present indeed.
— Since the beginning, you (just like me) worked live on radio Lux FM Lviv as a long-term presenter. How did it feel to host a military broadcast?
— I was at the radio Lux FM Lviv when the full-scale war began, we were on 24-hour duty, and changed the broadcast. This was not something new — I remember doing the same thing during The Orange Revolution, and then the The Revolution of Dignity. It was similar in mood and in being like a thin red line that connects the realities of both war and the rear.
Those broadcasts were so responsible for me. I understood that people needed to feel more alive as on the Revolution’s eve — like at the war’s eve — there was a feeling of loss and despair for some time. But then we spread our wings!
Andriy Zholob telling CNN about his war experience
— Not so long ago you posted on social media you had a dream of playing on one stage with Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello. And I remembered how we had fun at his performance at ZAHIDFEST. Do you wish to collaborate with him in real life — by releasing a song or performing together?
— You know, this dream with Hutz was not the first. I dreamt about collaborations with Guns N’ Roses and drinking whiskey with Lemmy of Motorhead in the changing room. After the official cover of The Clash’s "London Calling" was recorded, we released it like "Kyiv Calling" (the video with events appeared on YouTube on March 20th, 2022)...
— …and I played this song regularly on Kyiv FM.
— I understand there’s nothing impossible. Cooperation with famous musicians and producers is brewing ahead of us both in mind and reality. So much in fact, that it’s mind-boggling.
So I believe that dream with Hutz is vicious as I do want to perform with him, to record a track. People that give everything and more on the stage have my deepest respect. Eugene Hutz is one of them — he doesn’t just perform, he’s enjoying the moment. He’s not just a musician but an artist — it’s 10 out of 10 for me.
— As for myself, Eugene Hutz is a very special, iconic, and important artist. And I also have a dream both professionally and privately — to interview him.
Right now you are in the liberated part of the Kherson region. Have you been there before? Did you have some personal stereotypes about this region or you imagined it like it is in reality?
— I’m on the southern frontier — Mykolaiv, Kherson. And I’m saying straight away: my stereotypes were gone here. I believed everything here was russified. But no — villages and small towns are full of Ukrainian language! And, you know, a very distinct Ukrainian language, with a touch of russian slang. But whose language is ideal? Not even the people of Lviv with their Polish words are ideal in speaking.
So my stereotype was false. You can hear "Slava Ukraini!" everywhere.
There are some pro-russian towns, though. Even locals from nearby told that a particular village helped russians, and collaborated with them. And later I see that in the same village, a mayor or village senior was arrested for collaboration. But overall I was pleased with the South.
— All of a sudden, you recently recorded a joint track with Lviv band Green Silence, dedicated to Crimea. What’s its background?
— To be fair, this text about Crimea was written earlier, in 2015. It was a part of preparing the cooperation with the Crimean punk-rock band. The idea was to record a song with them but it didn’t happen. I saw this text randomly on Facebook memories and posted it again.
It was seen by Yurko Roketskiy (Green Silence’s main man) and picked up. On the next day, he sent me his version where he sang it with acoustics. I listened to it and said: "That’s so sick". And one and a half months later he sent me documents from Moon Records that they wish to support the track’s release. So that’s how it happened.
I’m deeply convinced there is nothing random. And that story is one such piece of evidence.
— At the beginning of November, a veeery intriguing collaboration announcement appeared on the "Beton'' profile page. There was no artist named, but you hinted at some stars from the West. Can you share the news with us?
— Absolutely! It would be real cooperation and not another random coincidence. We've met with a Canadian producer Darcy Ataman — a guy who worked with Sum41 and Billy Talent — via Instagram. Darcy has Ukrainian roots and came from a Ukrainian immigrant family.
He was captivated by our struggle, our protest, and our cover, "Kyiv Calling", and suggested we work with Billy Talent. Billy Talent's guitarist, Ian D'sa, is working on our collaborative songs right now.
There will be a couple of famous tracks, released earlier, where he will add his guitar parts. And one new track as well — he composed and mixed it personally, and Darcy will produce it.
As of now, the track was already released
— But at the end of October you ironically posted a moment where, as I understand, you were pissed about entertainment in the rear. What did you feel back then?
— And that was the first sign of my PTSD. It happens when you think that war is the only truly black-and-white job where all is honest and true. And I felt the same during the revolution. I thought that only here you can do the right things, and others can afford to hold the wedding, go to the sea, ski, drink, visit gigs, and so on.
But I realize that if we do suck at our job, at the frontier, the rear wouldn't be like this. So it's mostly a sign of our good work and also a sign of battling PTSD from now on.
"That state when you try not to turn into the offended soldier like "go, everyone mobilize, don't play concerts and don't take pictures in a happy mood".
It's actually temporary, it will be gone by tomorrow)"
— What is the profession you miss the most? How much do you miss making music and doing everything with the music?
— I miss Beton as much as my wife and kids. You see, the older I become, the more I realize: I'm a musician.
Everything else — medicine, radio — is mostly my hobby. But inside I'm a musician. I desire music, I am dreaming about music. And as we speak, the war is raging a few kilometers away from us. While I'm sitting and looking at the reviews of guitar amplifiers and new pedals.
I live with music. With every cell of mine, I'm a rock musician and I'm going mad with not playing music. At least I have guitalele, and, you know, I can both perform in front of comrades and rehearse.
On his page, Andriy constantly shares photos from everyday war life
— How did your music preferences and choices change (or not)? Was there something you rejected or accepted in music this year?
— To be fair, I listen to death metal like back in the day. With pure and big joy and excitement. Especially a new material by Obituary.
Also, I totally love to listen to my favorite Incubus. It’s made me so relaxed a couple of times during the rocket attacks, you can’t even imagine!
What’s surprising — I started to listen to soul music. I dig it when people, no matter the genre, have mastered their vocals. Growl, clean voice, scream — whatever the case. I truly admired the vocal parts.
They say a person should grow up to jazz — and it is still beyond me. I doubt I will be ready to listen to it, not many people are able to do so. Few managed to grow up to classics, but few managed to grow up to death metal either.
The latest album by Beton band
— 5 songs you’ve listened to in 2022 and why:
— So, let’s see:
- Incubus — Pardon Me
That’s a song of my alco-youth, my remarkable skiing trips to Slavske. When we skipped all subjects, managed somehow to reside there for 2-3 weeks without money and skied without a bother. We skied without helmets like daredevils. Those were unforgettable days.
I tell you now — we are still going skiing in the same squad as in the past. I have good friends, incredible ones! And our trips still have the same music.
- HYPOCRISY — Roswell 47
A track I listen to frequently and confidently. The music of high spirits for me. One of those clips that turned me into an artist, a musician with a such staged look, highers, and so on. It was my top dream and I suppose I realized it in the end.
- Slayer — Angel Of Death
I think if their cameraman got his way to the war, he will struggle to switch the camera off. All events at the frontier perfectly connect with this music. And the track is like a banner. Overall, it’s the main band for me. Band of the bands.
- IGNITE — The River
That’s a song from their last year’s album. Incredible, vocational, skillful, and unconventional punk rock. With a new lead singer, Ignite was reborn. They impressed me with their update.
- Pantera — Walk
It’s like a hammer to your head. It’s like when you have no power, no will, but you bring them together and do it anyway, Respect yourself, do your work — there’s a lot to do at this war.
— Tell me about the musical preferences of your comrades.
— What my comrades are listening to there, at war? Sometimes it’s like a future bus driver maturing. Imagine — we ride in an armored vehicle but with wedding songs on full blast! And the man who turned them on is 25-26! And he totally digs them. But it’s his choice what to listen to.
To be honest, I am fighting a lot against a russian musical shit. It helps when you’re a commander — you have some influence on people. But I fought against it before becoming a commander. And it’s done now. Our battalion doesn’t listen to any russian music. We don’t listen to this mainstream of Tsoi and Chaif.
We still fight against it here. And we need to do something until the next generation will embrace it.
— How do you rate the fact that Ukrainian artists’ gigs have more attendance than ever before? Our music created after 2014 got this demand right now.
— Ukrainians have a habit — genetic or distinctive — that they act only if they’re fucked. Otherwise, they’ll criticize, slag off, lambast, continue to reject homemade, etc. But when it’s all bollocks — they turn into patriots, become interested in a home product, and learn the language. As cruel as it may sound, we needed this war to somehow transform the mass mindset, especially culturally.
"A patient with an operated arm carries a patient with legs amputated at hip level in a wheelchair. Suddenly he stops, smiles and says:
"Kolya, I'm running for cigarettes, wait here and don't go anywhere".
Both laugh"
— You’re dealing with death for half a year, non-stop. And, according to your Facebook posts, you still manage to keep your dark humor and irony over this bloody reality. Sooner or later, I hope, this war will end, and you’ll return home — to your family and music. Do you think you’ll manage to keep this vibe (of dark but still humor) and bring it to music? Or do you feel that it’ll be risky for your music to become, maybe, heavier, or gloomy?
— I work as a doctor since 2004, had an experience in rock climbing and ski camps — I’m used to injuries. I’m used to calming people when they are hurt, and giving them first aid. Thus our music since "Abu Kasim Shoes" and partially because of me shifted more to hardcore punk.
I don’t think I want to change something in our music — it’s still nuts in a good way, and I love it.
About the heavier sound — I already tried to bring my experience and skills of playing in metal bands to punk rock. I mean, I dig this crossover the most: we have the possibility to express ourselves via music as we want. And I won’t even try to shift towards the noise, grind, etc.
We play the exact same music as we always wanted to. As you remember, Motorhead once said: "We are Motorhead — we play rock-n-roll". It’s the same here: "We are BETON — we play punk-rock".
Find out more about Beton band:
https://www.instagram.com/betonbanda
https://soundcloud.com/banda-526919780
https://betonbanda.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/betonpunknroll
Translated by Yurii Lishchuk
