Total Blur was a fanzine from Belgium, written in Dutch. But here is an interview translated to English.
ACID (BEL)
Following the release of their second LP, we also had a chat with the Bruges-based band Acid.
WHO FOUNDED THE GROUP AND IS THE LINEUP STILL UNCHANGED?
Kate (vocals), Demon (lead guitar), and T-Bone (bass) used to be in another band, with which they'd only played a few gigs. We then looked for a suitable drummer, whom we found in Anvill. We rehearsed with this lineup until mid-'81, and after a while, we noticed that our sound lacked a second guitarist. Dizzy Lizzy eventually signed up for this challenging position, and that's how things slowly started to get going in our camp.
WERE DEMOS RELEASED FOR THE SINGLE?
No, but we did record a demo once with the songs 'Heaven Devils' and 'Demon,' but this tape disappeared without a trace and later ended up on Mausoleum Records. How this happened remains a mystery to us.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE REACTION TO THE FIRST LP? IT WAS OFTEN COMPARED TO VENOM.
This was perhaps partly because we were the opening act for these three guys at the time.
HAS IT BEEN DIFFICULT TO MAKE A FOLLOW-UP TO THE DEBUT?
No, because we all have very creative minds, and that's why we already had all the songs ready before recording 'Maniac.'
HOW DO YOU REVIEW THE DEBUT LP, IN COMPARISON WITH MANIAC? We consider the first LP more of a first studio experience, as we'd never actually been in a real studio before. This is partly why the sound quality isn't that great.
A single was also released for the second LP (LUCIFERA/GHOSTRIDERS).
HOW WAS THIS SINGLE AND NEW LP ACTUALLY RECEIVED?
Very positive; we've already received good reactions from both Belgium and abroad. We believe this is because the LP is much more readily available, as Carère now distributes it throughout Belgium. Other companies do this abroad. An estimated 15,000 copies have already been sold, and all of this only in the Benelux (since February). Official figures won't be available until March.
THE FIRST LP WAS MAINLY ABOUT SATAN AND HIS HELPS. WHY IS THE SECOND LP DIFFERENT FROM THIS?
Look, Demon is responsible for the lyrics, and if he wants to write about drinking, he does. He's also inspired by lyrics from interesting books. Incidentally, the next LP will again address the Satanic subject.
IS THERE A NEW SINGLE COMING?
Yes, "Black Car" will be released as a single in early March, and a maxi album with "Black Car" and three new songs in mid-March.
WILL YOU CONTINUE WITH THE MANIAC SOUND IN THE FUTURE?
Yes, but of course we want to play even harder and faster and surpass Maniac.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST SONG YOU'VE MADE?
"Black Car" and "Max Overload" are very good, but we especially like "Bottoms Up." This is because it's a fast song and difficult to perform live. By the way, this song also has great lyrics, which is always a bonus.
IS IT EASY FOR YOU TO GET PERFORMANCES?
It's difficult, because the crisis has also hit the concert world. But generally speaking, things are starting to improve for us, because at the end of February we'll be doing a few shows in the Netherlands, and there are also plans to tour Antwerp, Hasselt, Ghent, and other cities. This will probably happen in May-June.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OTHER SINGERS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, BETSY FROM BITCH?
Sexy!!! It's a shame that in some groups, this quality takes precedence over their vocals. They show their "body" more than their singing talent.
LATELY, A LOT OF BELGIAN GROUPS HAVE BEEN SETTING UP, DO YOU NOT FEEL ANY COMPETITION YET?
We don't think so. Acid has a more distinctive sound, while other bands imitate others. Currently, there are some very good bands in Belgium, such as Crossfire, Killer, etc.