MUNICIPAL WASTE

(by Mike Riddick)

Metal Maniacs catches up with metal’s premier thrashers MUNICIPAL WASTE’s skinman, Dave Witte, to talk music, the evolution of the scene and more!

You guys are at the forefront of the neo-thrash movement. Did you expect your retro-throwback style to catch on the way it has?

No, not at all. There was no planning of any sorts like that. We’ve haven’t altered anything from day one.

Why do you think thrash is making a comeback now? Do you believe the market is over saturated with too many bands and for that reason, classic metalheads are returning to their tried and true albums from back in the day?

Every musical style “makes a come back” at one point or another, and this time it just happens to be thrash. Once any style becomes popular there is a swarm of bands jumping on the band wagon to attain “that sound” with hopes of making something of themselves and before you know it, there are a million bands and everyone sounds the same. I think it makes a lot of sense to look backwards into the old metal collection as that stuff can’t be duplicated today, it all stands the test of time and the younger generation actually gets to hear where it all came from, the root. The root is often skipped or over looked these days.

When I heard about the formation of MUNICIPAL WASTE with Dave Witte (ex-HUMAN REMAINS) on drums, I was excited by this news. I remember HUMAN REMAINS really paved a unique path for themselves in the early 90’s underground scene with their unique approach and sound. How do you guys feel about the gradual progression of the underground, transitioning from a photocopied ‘zine culture to a digital age of online web magazines, email, etc.? Can an underground still exist with all of the current communication technologies available to us? Do you feel that your return to thrash metal is a final death cry toward a return to the old school days?

Thanks. Metal Maniacs did a lot for Human Remains and got us a lot of exposure. The underground grew in different ways, a more experimental way and also the traditional. People really stretched the musical boundaries of metal by coming progressive song wise and technology wise (internet) and some kept true to the old way (tape trading), being happy with how they do things. I’m all for individualism and favor both. There are many things to learn from each, mainly progression and dedication. Metal will never go away, it will always be around in one form or another, be it underground or mainstream. I really think the mainstream is an eventual path right back to the underground in the end. So, in my mind there is no final cry, metal will live on forever.

Being from Richmond, are you guys down with some of the other bands in your region? If so, which ones and with whom do you guys regularly play with live?

Richmond has so much to offer! All kinds of metal and a lot of other music as well. There are a lot of really talented people there.
We don’t really play at home much these days, maybe once or twice a year at the most. Over the years we have played with our friends in Gwar, Lamb of God, Darkest Hour and a lot of others that I am forgetting at the moment. Do yourself a favor a look into the Richmond music scene, it was much to offer.

Will there be a tour to support the new album? If so, what can fans expect from you guys at a show?

Yes, we are starting it today actually with the first leg of the Euro tour, a full US tour in Nov-Dec (which is our first headlining run at home in about 3 or 4 years) Fans can expect a bunch of new songs that we are excited about and some really great bands that we are bringing a long, it’s a great package!

What’s your favorite part of Richmond? Do you like Ukrops (grocery store) butter cookies as much as I do? How about their chicken battered potato wedges? They kick ass, huh!?

My favorite part of Richmond is where I live, in Carytown. I can walk to everything I need and there are great places to eat! I don’t support Ukrops, its Christian owned and I think organized religion is crap for the most part, but hey that’s me. Anyway…I support the local, family and small businesses in Richmond. That’s what is important to me and that’s where the best food is made.

The artwork associated with MUNICIPAL WASTE is absolutley reminiscent of old-school thrash. You even employed Ed Repka for some of your latest covers. How was it working with him and how important do you believe art is in respect to how it adds an atmosphere to your music?

Ryan and Tony did the Repka deal. I love what he did for us, he’s a real professional and his artwork speaks for itself. When you see a Repka cover, you know it’s a Repka cover right away. Art is super important and a great way to illustrate a visual for your music. When I was first getting into metal and going to the record store, my friends and I would always go and pick out the coolest covers and that’s how we found out about Maiden, Nuclear Assault, Exodus, The Accused and many others. So Art is real important!

Tell us about the new album, “Massive Aggressive.” What can we expect from you this time around?

The best songs we’ve written together! Expect the same band, only better song writing and a really great production. Same guys, same band, same deal.

Whose idea was it to put together the special edition fan box? What’s inside!?

I think it was Dan at Earache’s idea to make some super sick packing to go along with the record and we are really psyched on how it turned out!! It’s got a bunch of cool goodies inside, pick it up to find out, ha ha. In our minds we wanted to make the packaging as cool as we think the songs are and it’s always a good thing to give your fans a little something extra.

Do you guys have bets on which limited color vinyls will go the fastest? We have 100 copies in purple, nuclear waste green, red, clear and white. Tell us, in order, which will sell the fastest and why. Perhaps we can get confirmation on this later from Earache Records, yes?

The most limited will go first without doubt. Record collecting people are total maniacs and are always on a quest for their collection of the rarest records possible. There is a lot of passion in record collecting, a true love for music and an unhealthy obsession, ha ha.

How has it been working with Earache so far? It’s a huge leap from the old underground days. Do you feel you’ve reached an apex in your musical careers, signing with a major and do you ever miss the pursuit and ambitious drive that went along with being an underground band in the earlier days?

There’s always a push and pull with any label, bottom line. Earache have out done themselves with each release of ours and especially with Massive Aggressive. They are working it super hard and that rules ’cause we put a lot of time into writing the music and that shows real support. Earache isn’t a major and they don’t dictate how we should write our music or where we should go with it, they let us do our thing. There’s that age old tale of when an “underground” band signs with a label that’s bigger than the bands own fan base that the band “sells out” and changes, we’ll that’s not the case with us and Earache, we still work just as hard as we have since the beginning and the only thing that has really changed is that you can find our records easier and in more places.

Why the name Municipal Waste? Who came up with it? Did it have anything to do with the shit factory near South Richmond and the rank smell that enters your vehicle on I-95, headed to Chesterfield?

Ryan started the band and came up with the name before my time. His take on it is we’re the town trash more or less or something like that, ha ha. It’s got a nice ring to it

Have you guys ever played live at a landfill or waste facility?

Not played live, but we filmed our Sadistic Magician video at a Treatment Plant out in CA.

Any closing comments for your fanatic followers?

Check out the new record, thanks for the support and come on out to the shows, it’s going to be fun!

www.facethewaste.com
www.myspace.com/municipalwaste
www.earache.com