Interview by Wilhelm January 2008…

Nuclear War Now! is a very dedicated record label made by one singularly devoted underground man. One of his first releases was none other than the Canadian chaos legends Blasphemy. What better foundation to build up your label with, I ask? Yosuke has garnered the respect of the scene in a few short years and spread the music he lives for, far and wide around the globe. We here at Canadian Assault were honoured Yosuke could spare the time in between preparing rapid fire releases and grace the pages of electronic tomb.  Read on...

 

 

W: Tell me something about Nuclear War Now! Productions. What was missing in the metal scene that needed a label like Nuclear War Now! Productions?

I started out doing tapes for my shitty black noise project called Erebus.  That project didn’t last very long and I was more interested in releasing other people’s music as I’m not musically talented. In 2001 I was fortunate enough to witness a live ritual by the mighty Blasphemy in Vancouver and recorded it with my MD player.  I later got permission from the band to release it on vinyl and that’s how the label started.   

W: I’ll have a complete NWN! discography posted at the end of our chat so we shouldn’t need to list it now, but do give me a break down on some of the key NWN! releases and what’s special to you about each one. That is, including your personal favorites.

Some of my personal favorite releases are ones where the band cooperated fully with the project. I really enjoyed working on the following in recent years: 

Death Yell "morbid rites" DLP:  I met Andres from Death Yell while traveling in London so it was cool to finally do this release. I think the release came together perfectly in terms of music and layout.  

Sarcasm "crematory" LP:  I got in touch with these guys about two years ago when I ordered their CD.  I later contacted them again to release their 1989 cassette album on vinyl format.  The band liked the release so much that the drummer sent me his original tape version as a gift. I really like the way the back cover came out on this.  

VON "satanic blood angel" DLP:  It took a while to track down KILL’s contact information.  I was so damn excited when I heard that he had unreleased stuff to put on the record. I’ll be working on a repress of the double LP in 2008.   I can go on and on about this so I’ll end it here.

W: Will that Von double LP repress include the supposed "Lost demo"
that didn't see it on the first pressing?

No there will not be any additional material. The lost material is really lost forever.   

W: Have you done a release that you’re now not fond of, or wish you hadn’t done altogether? Why so?

Those damn Erebus demos suck. I regret doing them.

W: You've experimented with some unique formats in recent times, including one release with analog grooves cut into a CD disc for use on a record player. I don't think this will be the end of your pushing the envelope so what would you like to do next?  

This was originally supposed to come out as a regular 5” record, but GZ was not able to press it as such. They gave me an option to do a CD record and I agreed.   The end result was pretty cool looking. I’m not really looking to do anymore weirdo releases like this unless I can do it for the same cost as regular LPs or 7”s.   

W: Sometimes I think you have a factory solely for the production of NWN! Productions releases because every five seconds there seems to be a new LP or CD or whatever and the funds to keep pumping these items out would seem to be astronomical. Do you really make enough money from each release to keep going like you are? How much do you usually spend on each release (production, printing/pressing cost) and how much can you make in return?

Time is the only limiting factor when releasing records these days. I could sell more records if I had the time to put into promotion and shit like that.  I also have a real job that takes up most of my time. These days I’m able to sell enough records to release several releases at a time. I also have a bad habit of taking on increasingly more projects every year, hence the onslaught of NWN releases in 2007. It looks like 2008 won’t be much different. Most LPs costs about $6 to $8 per copy to press these days and I sell them for $13 to $15 depending on the final manufacturing cost.  This is including band copies and recording fee. It’s not so bad now that I’m pressing CDs.

W: How many units (CDs, LPs, other) do you estimate you can move
of a release within the first few weeks or month? 

It depends largely on the release of course.  Without counting the copies for the band, I can usually move about 100 copies the first week if the band is known.

W: What’s been the best selling, and most popular, NWN! prod release so far? For instance I heard one of your Blasphemy records has sold for over $200 at eBay or whatever. That’s hot.

Toxic Holocaust "hell on earth" sold really well and so did the Blasphemy LP you mentioned.  Some releases like the Sarcasm LP sold surprisingly well for an unknown band.  Some releases like the Cult of Daath DLP sold really badly despite them having some roots in the black metal underground already.  I don’t really know what makes a record sell well.

W: Is there something trendy or gimmicky that dictates what people will like and what people won't? For instance do "scene politics" keep certain bands afloat while keeping others down, even if they're really good? 

Scene politics change all the time.  NSBM was really popular in the late 90’s and now it’s religious black metal. I don’t concern myself with what’s popular in the scene. I just release what I like to listen to. 

W: What's been the hardest NWN! release to put together?

The Root boxset was the most labor intensive project by far. I had to drive all the way up to Seattle to pick up the boxes and drive them back in a shitty snow storm. The booklet also took for eternity to put together.   

W: A few years ago you hosted Sabbat as they toured here in the states. What was it like meeting this infamous Japanese black metal band and helping to promote them to the American audience? Are they really as cheesy as a Japanese metal band should be? Is there anything crazy enough about the experience which would make for a good story?

That tour was fucking amazing to say the least. I should clarify though that the tour was organized by Stan from RIP so he should get most of the credit for his hard work. I was involved in organizing the San Francisco gig only. Nothing really crazy happened except not enough people showed up to the Toluca Mexico gig.  It was only the band members and their friends that showed up to the gig. I think there were only 10 people watching the band!!   

W: At some point in your life you shaved your head, renounced your given birth name and were inducted into the black metal skinhead cult under the moniker “666 pieces of raw sushi & tofu induced gastric upheaval”, probably inspired by the band Blasphemy with which you are still friends with today. When did you first establish contact, and meet up with this legendary Canadian band?

I’ve been a fan of Blasphemy for years so it was natural for me to shave my head. Besides my hair gets out of control when it’s long. I end up looking like the Holocausto guys from the back of the Campo LP jacket. Brazilian afro eternal.    

W: What would we know about Yosuke if we lived with him, slept in the same bed with him and shared the same toilet with him that we wouldn’t know simply by ordering from NWN! productions? Are you really nothing more than a Jap national that swam the entire Pacific Ocean just to come to America to rob rich White youth with your fancy releases?

I am powered by natto for breakfast and vegan tofu steak for dinner. You would hate hanging out with me because I smell like natto.

W: We heard you're recording with Erebus again and doing a tribute album to PETA. When can we expect to get our hands on this herbivorous masterpiece?  

Erebus is dead as it should be. That shit sucked ass.   

W: When and why did you first get into metal? Did you have a view of life that turned your against mainstream society and onto the metal subculture?

I heard Napalm Death and Minor Threat and liked what I heard. I got into punk/hardcore when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I later got into more extreme metal in middle school and high school when I started hanging out with Mexican metal heads.

W: You have a certain affinity with extremely harsh sounding bands like Proclamation, Blasphemy, Sarcofago, Von, Sadistik Exekution + others like them. Is there something that necessarily attracts you to this variety of violent and primitive music?

I like what I like just like anyone else right? I tend to like simple, chaotic music that does not fool around with too much melodies and the like. Maybe it has something to do with my affinity for old punk/hc.   

W: What have been some highs and lows of your experiences with underground music? Do you have any regrets or unfulfillments, perhaps something you’re seeking to accomplish that you haven’t done so already?

I am not the type of person to dwell on things I wish I could do. I usually find ways of doing things that I want to do and not waste time on shit that’s out of my control. That said, I’ve experienced a ton of annoying stuff through the label like getting ripped off every year, losing money, getting fucked up products, etc. It’s just part of life and I take it as it comes. 

W: There's a kind of Bermuda triangle in certain parts of the world where packages seem to get lost, or arrive in completely foul shape. Are there countries that you refuse to ship to and would recommend people avoid dealing with?

The UK has been my nightmare in 2007. I also don’t like sending anything to South America because of their corrupt customs agents. I once had a parcel from Colombia arrive with all Cds scratched up on purpose by the Christian customs agents.   

W: I know your “other” job (that is when you’re not robbing from the White Man, you sick fuck you) as a CEO for Tofu Industries of America has take you to some exotic places around the globe, and so you’ve probably seen aspects of metal culture unique to those parts of the world that we wouldn’t know about here. Tell me something about it. Are South Americans and S.E. Asians really as fanatical about extreme music as Americans or Europeans are?

I’ve only been to Mexico, Canada, India, Japan, and some countries in Europe. I would say that Europe has the best metal scene in the world with Mexico City coming pretty damn close. The US has the shittiest scene unless you’re in Chicago. That place is keeping the US from sinking deeper into commercial shit metal.

W: I'm sure like me you have a few holy grails as far as collecting things; maybe a demo or a recording of some kind that you've been searching for, or even something that "doesn't" exist but then again DOES in fact exist if you know what I mean. 

VON “backskin” demo of course is one of those elusive recordings that will never be found. I still like to pretend that VON/GOAT will crawl out of the cave one day to present me with this demo.  I’m mostly looking for old death metal demos and 7”s these days.   

W: Death metal is a genre of which I predict will overtake black metal in the future as the biggest trend in the underground scene. At least now there is a resurgence of killer, unholy death metal bands playing in the old style from Incantation to Rotting Christ. What are a few bands people need to hear about? Is the comeback merely a coincidence or has black metal run it’s course?

I’m not sure if I agree with you about black metal losing the trend battle. I do see a resurgence of interest in old school death metal sound and aesthetics. Labels like Nuclear Winter, Blood Harvest, and Sepulchral Voice are leading the way with great death metal vinyl releases. I’m also working on some good death metal stuff for late 2007 and early 2008 with bands like Ignivomous from Australia, Martire from Australia, Dead Congregation from Greece, Sacriphyx from Australia, etc. I would also recommend Anatomia from Japan. These guys play some of the best Incantation/Autopsy inspired doomy death metal ever. Check out their CD on Necroharmonic!

W: I've noticed a lot of experimentation in both death and black metal, namely the mixing of one or both with ambient or industrial music- while not new- is becoming more prevalent now than it was several years ago. Why are things changing?

Maybe people are bored and they want to experiment with non metal elements. I personally hate anything with anything non metal mixed in except for some punk influence in metal. 

W: You're famous for your Zen like descriptions of proper packing and shipping methods because you know how people feel when they get an item that doesn't look like it's been belly flopped on by a sumo wrestler. What do most people do wrong when sending an item through the mail and what do you do differently than they do?

Most people think Lp mailers are enough to send LPs across the Atlantic. I fucking hate LP mailers because they do nothing to protect the LP jackets from getting mangled by the postal workers.  At least double box the damn thing so there is a bit more protection. I take pride in every single copy of the record I press and I would hope that other label owners think the same about their releases. To me each release represents months of preparation and hard work so they are not a mere commodity to be sold and shipped carelessly. 

 W: What bands would you like to work with in the future?

Anatomia would be amazing. Other than that I’m already working with plenty of great bands so I’m okay for the moment. I don’t think there’s enough hours in a day to take on anymore projects. 

W: Are you renting a warehouse to store some of the NWN! Prod releases?

No I have everything in my living room and garage that I rent. I hope to buy a house one day with a proper warehouse attached to it.  

W: What’s going on right now at the NWN! Productions pressing plant that we don’t know about?

These are currently at press:

Nocturnal Graves LP, Ignivomous MLP, Damaar MLP and some ildjarn ambient album LPs that I’m doing with Hearse Records Italy. Next up are Dead Congregation LP/CD, Blasphemophagher 10", Pagan Rites/Evil Wrath split 10", Exterminate 7", Anal Vomit second album LP, etc. I always have shitloads of stuff in the works.

W: Most labels don't know who to turn to to get what they need for a release so they usually end up going through some over priced professional printer/plant and end up paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars more than they really need to. Is there a way to get good results without having to spend all the money?

You can find plenty of resources in the underground if you look hard enough. I know this is nerdy, but there is a thread on my message board that deals with underground resources for anything label related. You don’t have to go to the most professional print house to get a good looking product. You can also get a lot of printers to do weird shit if you ask. For example, Imprint is switching the spot ink color for 200 out of 1000 7” covers they’re printing for me right now. 

 W: You know, I’m interviewing you for this raving Gay guy named Dale Roy that keeps asking me for man-to-man Japanese porn, and since I don’t have any of that, because I’m not gay (closet homos always have to throw that in “because I’m not gay”, to over compensate for the truth ~ Dale), and because I only watch porn with White people in it, I guess interviewing you for Canadian Assault was the next best thing that could happen. I hope you’re not gay either because I wouldn’t want to hear about a Yosuke/Dale Roy porno film; the world’s first Japanese-on-Jewish gay porn flick would be quite the scandalous abomination.... don’t you think?

I’ll leave that job to you Wilhelm.  Good luck with your AIDS treatments!

 

Nuclear War Now! Productions
Po Box 7055
Redwood City, CA 94063
USA

(Email) nuclearwarnow_prod@yahoo.com

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nuclear War Now! Partial Discography 

Abigail (Japan) - A tribute to sigh (die hard) ANTI-GOTH 034 (2006)
Abigail (Japan) - Intercourse and Lust ANTI-GOTH 010 (2002)
Abigail (Japan) - Intercourse and Lust (die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 010 (2002)
Abigail (Japan) - Tribute to NME Anti-Goth 070 (2006)
Abigail (Japan) - Tribute to Sigh Nuclear War Now! Productions (2006)
Abigail (Japan) - Ultimate Unholy Death Nuclear War Now! Productions (2005)
Abigail (Japan) - Ultimate Unholy Death (Die Hard) Nuclear War Now! Productions
Ares kingdom (USA) - Return to dust (picture disc) ANTI-GOTH 046 (2007)
Asunder (USA) - A Clarion Call ANTI-GOTH 016 (2004)
Barbatos/Incriminated (Japan / Finland) - Barbatos / Incriminated split ANTI-GOTH 051 (2007)
Bestial Raids (Poland) - Order of Doom Anti-goth 060 (2007)
Black Goat (USA) - Black Goat LR003 & Anti-goth023 (2007)
Black Witchery (USA) - Desecration of the Holy Kingdom ANTI-GOTH 008 (2001)
Black Witchery (USA) - Upheaval Of Satanic Might OPLP 163/ANTI-GOTH 064 (2007)
Black Witchery (USA) - Upheaval Of Satanic Might (Pic LP) ANTI-GOTH 064 (2007)
Blasphemy (Canada) - Fallen Angel Of Doom... (Diehard - Black Winds edition) ANTI-GOTH 069 (2007)
Blasphemy (Canada) - Fallen Angel Of Doom... (Regular) ANTI-GOTH 069 (2007)
Blasphemy (Canada) - Live Ritual - Friday the 13th ANTI-GOTH 004/WHR 666 (2002)
Bone Awl (USA) - Meaningless Leaning Mess (Die Hard Version) Nuclear War Now! Productions (2007)
Bone Awl (USA) - Not For Our Feet Nuclear War Now! / Klaxon Productions (2007)
Bone Awl (USA) - Undying Glare ANTI-GOTH 058 (2007)
Cult of Daath (USA) - Razor War ANTIGOTH003 (2004)
Cult of Daath (USA) - Razor War (die hard version) ANTIGOTH003 (2004)
Cult of Daath (USA) - Slit Throats And Ritual Nights ANTI-GOTH 055 (2006)
Death Yell (Chile) - Morbid Rites (die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 056 (2007)
Deathchurch (Japan) - Unsilent Hate Anthems ANTI-GOTH 066 & KLX 003 (2007)
Doom Snake Cult (USA) - Love Sorrow Doom Anti-Goth 022 (2004)
Funerary Pit (Australia) - Winds of Hell ANTI-GOTH 077 (2007)
Goatlord (USA) - Reflections of the Solstice (re-issue die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 054 (2007)
Goatlord (USA) - The Last Sodomy of Mary (die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 057 (2007)
Goatvomit (Greece) - Chapel Of The Winds Of Belial ANTI-GOTH 009
Goatvomit (Greece) - Chapel Of The Winds of Belial (die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 009 (2002)
Hellias (Poland) - Noc Potepienia ANTI-GOTH 063 (2007)
Ignivomous (Australia) - Path of Attrition anti-goth 083 (2007)
Inquisition (Colombia) - Anxious Death / Forever Under ANTI-GOTH 042 (2006)
Inquisition (Colombia/USA) - Anxious Death/Forever Under (Die Hard Version) ANTI-GOTH 042 (2006)
Kat (Poland) - 666 ANTI-GOTH 076 (2007)
Martire (Australia) - S/T ANTI-GOTH 079 (2007)
Mercy (Sweden) - Session 1981 Anti-Goth 059 (2007)
Midnight (USA) - Complete and Total Fucking Midnight (Diehard) ANTI-GOTH 047 (2006)
Morbosidad (USA) - Legiones Bestiales ANTI-GOTH 048 (2006)
Morbosidad (USA) - Legiones Bestiales (Die Hard Version) ANTI-GOTH 048 (2006)
Morbosidad (USA) - Morbosidad Anti-goth 007 (2000)
Mutation (Singapore) - Void of Disharmony (die hard) ANTI-GOTH 038 (2006)
Nifelheim/Sadistik Exekution (Sweden / Australia) - Tribute to Slayer Magazine ANTI-GOTH 049 (2006)
Nocturnal Graves (Australia) - Satans Cross (Die Hard) anti-goth 082 (2007)
Proclamation (Spain) - Advent of the Black Omen Anti-Goth 050 / Command 001 (2006)
Procreation (Canada) - Incantations Of Demonic Lust For Corpses Of the Fallen (die hard version) Nuclear War Now! Productions (2004)
Reencarnacion (Colombia) - 888 Metal ANTI-GOTH 044 (2006)
Resuscitator (USA) - Iniciation ANTI-GOTH 074 (2007)
Root (Czech Republic) - Dema ANTI-GOTH 040 (2006)
Sabbat (Japan) - Sabbatical Satanichrist Slaughter ANTI-GOTH 666 (2004)
Sarcasm (Slovenia) - Crematory ANTI-GOTH 078 (2007)
Sarcófago (Brazil) - I.N.R.I. (Picture Disk) Nuclear War Now! Productions (2004)
Sarcófago (Brazil) - I.N.R.I. (Picture Disk) die hard ANTI-GOTH 015 (2004)
Toxic Holocaust (USA) - Evil Never Dies (DIEHARD Toxic Edition) ANTI-GOTH 013 (2003)
Toxic Holocaust (USA) - Hell On Earth ANTI-GOTH 037 (2005)
Toxic Holocaust (USA) - Hell on Earth (DIEHARD Edition) ANTI-GOTH 037 (2005)
Tudor (Czech Republic) - Ultra Black Metal (die hard version) ANTI-GOTH 02 (2005)
Various Artists (Sweden / Germany / Australia / USA) - Outbreak of Evil ANTI-GOTH 020 (2004)
Various Artists (Japan / USA / USA / Chile) - Outbreak of Evil Vol. 2 ANTI-GOTH 031
Various Artists (Finland / Australia / USA / Finland) - Outbreak of Evil Vol. III ANTI-GOTH 045 (2006)
Various Artists (USA) - Outbreak of Evil Vol. IV ANTI-GOTH 053 (2007)
Villains (USA) - Drenched In The Poisons ANTI-GOTH 068 (2007)
Von (USA) - Satanic Blood Angel ANTI-GOTH 011 (2003)
Von (USA) - Satanic Blood Angel (Colour Version) ANTI-GOTH 011 (2003)
Witches Hammer (Canada) - Death of no Reprieve EP ANTI-GOTH 021 (2004)
Witches Hammer (Canada) - Stretching Into Infinity ANTI-GOTH 036 (2005)

Witchfinder General (United Kingdom) - Live '83 ANTI-GOTH 039 (2006)
Xibalba (Mexico) - Ah Dzam Poop Ek Nuclear War Now! Productions (2007)


 

 

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