The Band of The Week contest in the fourth week of it’s existence was won by the Bulgarian hardcore-metal machines O.H, recently celebrating their thirteenth anniversary. Created in 2001 in Vidin, Bulgaria by Kiki on guitar and Bambi on drums, the band picked their name from the alcohol’s chemical formula C2H5OH. In 2001, after getting together with Anton on Bass and Shtipkata(“The Claws”) on vocals their first LP named “Will you make it…” was out.
Changes in the line-up followed and in 2006 O.H. recorded their second album “Under This Pressure” with a new vocal in the face of Joro.
In 2008 O.H. participated in the huge beach open-air festival “Sprit of Burgas”, which was a total blast! What I truly respect about them besides the kickass music is that they’re a very active band, that doesn’t spend time on bullshit.
In 2009 their third album “Justice” was out too and two years later O.H. won first place in the music contest “4 hats” – the award for which was a release on their most recent album “Изкривен стандарт” (“Twisted standard”). I went to the opening in Sofia’s concert venue “Pork Pie” (situated in let’s say the capital of Bulgaria’s Central Park) and I can claim that they had it all – huge crowd, guest musicians + a bagpipe, enormous energy and fireworks! Check out the official video for the new single from this album “Силата в теб” (“The power in you”).
For this interview I spoke with the drummer and one of the founders of O.H. – Bambi. Interesting – he’s the person I’ve interviewed most in my life – first for the radio classes for my university, then for TV and radio shows in Bulgaria and now again for my blog.
Hi Bambi. I’m so glad to interview you again! O.H. is a band with over 13 years behind it, what does a band in Bulgaria or elsewhere in the world need to keep being on stage for so many years?
The recipe is “persistence, vigor, organization and a lot of playing!” Of course (and unfortunately) not all people involved in music want want to be serious in that, but when the group has at least one “member” (in our case two), who cares and fights about the growing of the band, the things just happen.
In 2011 you won the contest “4 hats” and a year later released “Изкривен Стандарт, what designates it from your previous LP Justice?
“Изкривен Стандарт”‘s main difference is that the lyrics are entirely in Bulgarian and I feeл that our music became more mature, thanks to our newest addition – Busty. The lyrics are stronger, bringing social awareness, which helped us win many new fans. This is happening right now too, because without meaning it we have been prophets of what is happening in Bulgaria at the moment.
How would you describe the Bulgarian metal scene to one New York metal fan, who have never been in Bulgaria?
Generally it depends on what he wants to know. Cause some people want to know what is happening in audience during the concert, others how the bands interact with the groupies, for example. Maybe I would tell him, “Look, dude, if you can – come and see. In your country the music is business, and for us here it’s a way of life with an element of struggle for survival.”
Which are the bands that got you together and you play when you hang out?
The bands that made us start playing together are much softer than our current sound. At first it was Korn, Deftones, subsequently Soulfly (I’m a big fan of Max Cavalera), Slayer, Napalm Death … Sometimes we draw muse, but not music by groups like Chambao. At the moment we are very open-minded in what we listen to, but emphasize on bands like Gojira, Meshuggah, Lamb Of God and others.
Club or a venue you’ve always wanted to play at?
We want to play everywhere! We aim to play at bigger and bigger scenes and it seems that we’re working in the right direction. Still faraway dream for us are festivals like WACKEN and OBSCENE EXTREME
Are you working on something new?
Now is the right time to say that in the O.H. army we have young, fresh and hot blood in the face of the 17-year-old guitarist Vasil Spassov, who took Busty’s place. Currently we’re working on some tracks for for a new album, which we intend to record by the end of this year.
What would be your advice to the newly created bands that would like to have the long life of O.H. ?
Having a serious band is like having a serious girlfriend. You must respect each other, make compromises with one another, but also about gigs, differences in style perception etc. The most important thing is to make everything so the listener believes in you first. When you believe in yourself before the audience believes in you, your band is doomed. And another thing: Never say “I”! “WE” is the correct expression!
If O.H. was a 13 year old boy, how would he look like?
Eager, sometimes a little pushy, feisty young guy with obvious disapproval of the outside world. Strict, but fair. Smiling, but always alert. May be the last two sentences are not suitable for a 13-year old one, but everyone (just like me) has its own world and fantasies!
More about O.H. on Facebook, Reverbnation and MySpace.
Good One.