Protest Urban

Many American metalheads might be surprised to know that extreme music is thriving all over the world at this time. Many underground bands are making their presence known on a worldwide basis and the nation of Romania is proving to turn out a fair share of great, sonically diverse acts. Among them is PROTEST URBAN, a group fronted by Florian Rachieru. Rachieru expresses a great deal of devotion toward both his music and his fans. His band has been featured on Romanian MTV and performed at some of the most important extreme music shows of 2005 in their homeland, now the band is branching out across the European continent, bringing sheer sonic intensity and their eclectic songwriting style directly to the people.


The Gauntlet: Tell us about what it is like to be a band in Romania...

Florian Rachieru: It's strange I guess! We are the only band playing this genre in Romania, and that makes us different from the other bands from Romania. Strange and cool I guess! I want everybody to listen to our music! Hehe!


The Gauntlet: How is metal perceived there?

Florian Rachieru: Metal rules here! Everybody loves \m/. But something's strange because we use alternative in our music, but just here or there, not a lot, so the metalheads kinda hate us for that. But we make what we really like, combining what we love. There are tones of metalheads to support the metal scene here, many bands, lots of shows, it's cool but at the same time they are lasy! Hehe! Helloween will come soon to play here! Good times!


The Gauntlet: Tell us about the musical experience of each of the musicians in the group.

Florian Rachieru: Well long stories. Hehe! I started playing in bands at the same time with my life buddy Marian. He is the drummer. The others two are brothers, Mihai and Cristian. Mihai was actually playing bass in the band but we had some line up changes and he moved his fingers on guitar for the last year and he is doing that very very goooood! Cristian is actually a contrabass player. We also play in other projects, all of us! I'll speak about my project a little. The others are not interesting! Hehe! I have a project in which I play some trip hop alternative whatever music, trying to combine Massive Attack and Depeche Mode, two of my favourite bands. The project is called The Flood Speaks. I will put online a song soon. Check out soon this address: http://www.florianpr.com/thefloodspeaks/


The Gauntlet: How did the band come together? How did you form?

Florian Rachieru: Me & Marian used to play in our first band. I don't remember its name! Hehe! Or I just don't want to and then Marian searched for new mates and he found the fat man Mihai, great guy but he eats our meal. Hehe! At the beginning was a different line up, different style but in time we found what we really liked to play. Right now we are perfect! I like the line up, I like everything!


The Gauntlet: What do you feel have been the 3 greatest achievements of Protest Urban?

Florian Rachieru: Three? Well lots of cool friends, an album out, shows we enjoy to play.


The Gauntlet: Tell us about the first show you ever played together. How did you feel afterward?

Florian Rachieru: The first show was awesome. We had a big crowd for a first show, like 350 kids. It was splendid but we did not played the same style as now! We are more evil now but we felt like stars actually! Hehe!


The Gauntlet: Which writers influence you as a lyricist?

Florian Rachieru: I enjoy reading lyrics of bands. I am not into books! I hate books. I prefer movies instead of stories! But regarding lyrics I am not influenced by anybody, but I use the same subjects (love, God, murder) as my heroes: Johnny Cash or Daniel Weyandt! I like writing about life in a dramatic way! That's life all about, right? Here are some lines from Johnny Cash that make me shaking: 'When I was just a baby, my mama told me, "Son, Always be a good boy; don't ever play with guns." But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.'


The Gauntlet: How is Protest Urban most different than other Romanian acts?

Florian Rachieru: Just because of the genre. That's all! We all play music that we enjoy but there are bands that definitely play music for money. Romanian artists are living from music. The industry is a bitch here like everywhere else on earth. Good for them! I don't care!


The Gauntlet: Tell us about writing the lyrics to 'Murther'.

Florian Rachieru: Oops! I forgot the lyrics. Let me find them! Hehe! Here they are:

'This world is not against us, this world is us. You drown all our hopes, you murtherers. I'll cut off your head to perceive with the eyes how much bloody misery lives within. / I discovered my end in your broken heart. Kill me when you won't need me anymore. / Can I hold you while you're dying? You murtherers.'

As you can see it's a short song! It's a three-part song. In the first part it's about our leaders�kill 'em. The second part is personal one and has a connection with the 'I Will Burn' song and in the third part I get back to our friends, the leaders!


The Gauntlet: Tell us about recording the new CD, "The Only Problem In This Case Is The Solution." What kind of an experience was it for you to create this record?

Florian Rachieru: Well we recorded it in about one year. We started last year on December 1st, 2004, and soon again on 1 December 2005 will be the release of the CD. It was fun to record the album, many hours spent in our rehearsal room. We had not recorded in a profesional studio or something like that. We did everything in our own knowledge, know what I mean? And, we really like what we have done. Hopefully next time we will try to record in a real studio.


The Gauntlet: What was the most difficult aspect of making this record?

Florian Rachieru: Learning the programs! Ha-ha! We did not have the time we needed to concentrate more, to experiment. The time was a big problem for us, but we'll record soon again, and do our best again. We'll see this time if in a studio with a producer or something or in own new studio that our manager build for us. It's cool but we really need a 'teacher', maybe somebody like Adam D. or Andy Sneap. He-he!


The Gauntlet: Name two bands that have had the most influence on you as a musician.

Florian Rachieru: There are too many bands but I will name two that really influenced me in the music I make: Pantera and Zao!


The Gauntlet: Tell us about the way in which the band goes about writing a song.

Florian Rachieru: Mihai starts the song. Marian puts what kicks best! Mihai again is doing the bass parts and then I come with the lyrics, sing, and then a new Protest Urban song is out!


The Gauntlet: Why did you choose to sing in English as opposed to your native language?

Florian Rachieru: Because I hate Romanian singing! That's the truth! English is great!


The Gauntlet: What has been the live performance by the band that sticks out in your mind the most?

Florian Rachieru: I don't know. Maybe the performance from the MTV Romania show or from a fest we played a few months ago when there were so many hip-hop bands and alternative bands and we were so chaotic on stage! Ha-ha! It was awesome! At every show we had fun, man! All were awesome in their ways!


The Gauntlet: How can listeners get a copy of the new CD?

Florian Rachieru: They can get a copy through our website at http://www.protesturban.com/ and from our shows! This how they can get a copy of the album!


The Gauntlet: What is your ultimate goal in the year ahead?

Florian Rachieru: To have those two shows with Undying and Sunrise in Slovenia and Austria and everybody to have our album!





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Tags:  Protest Urban  , Florian Rachieru, interviews

EF    November 09, 2005