INTERVIEW: Sins Of The Flesh - "Nuclear Bull Christ" Zine

The following is an interview taken from the 8th issue of NUCLEAR BULL CHRIST zine that came out in early 1988.

Sins Of The Flesh were interviewed after another exciting show at The Place in Davis, CA. Sins Of The Flesh are Kevin, Rich and Ken and were interviewed by Slack.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OUR PRESENT GOVERNMENT?
Kevin: Ha, Ha, Ha. I don't like government but I know it's a necessity because there are people who would abuse what they thought was freedom. Goverment is oppression!

DO YOU THINK ANARCHY COULD WORK, I MEAN TRUE ANARCHY?
Kevin: You got to look at it on a personal level. Each person has to live their life to the best of their ability. I'm not naive enough to believe there could a system or non-system, as long as there are humans on Earth there is going to be fighting. The minute you put yourself one notch above someone else then there's an absence of anarchy. Personally, I try to take my ego out of every aspect of my life and be true to myself. Be true to yourself.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE CAN DO TO LIVE BETTER TOGETHER?
Kevin: Love one another. Look and see where we are all the same because if you really think about it the things you hate about other people is a direct reflection of the things you hate about yourself. I think its important to work on yourself. You feel you need to do something, you need to go protest against the government, the best thing you can do is work on yourself. Became a perfect example.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Rich: We've got a record coming out but were stuck in the channel of putting it out. In other words to put out a record really takes a lot of work and a lot of dedication from people that are into your music. Tom Street is producing it. First there is the recording, the art work and all the preparation to put it out.

Kevin: Big thanks to Tom for funding the whole thing and it will be out in it's own time.

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL OPINIONS ON APARTHEID AND U.S. INTERVENTION IN CENTRAL AMERICA?
Kevin: Myself being white, Anglo-saxon, middle class background third generation dude, I feel a lot of guilt. When I see people that don't have...I have almost everything I want, it makes me feel guilty. When I see a white minority ruling over a mass of people in South Africa who don't have a say in government it really makes me said. But things will take their course.

DO YOU THINK THIS CHANGE WILL BE FOR THE BETTER?
Rich: One way or another it's going to change.

Kevin: In history, every big empire has killed itself off. Those people who refuse to live by the empire's rules are going to survive because they were true to themselves.

Ken: In this case, if things don't change for the better, destruction could be the only course.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE PART OF THIS COUNTRY?
Rich: I feel like part of the world because as long as there are borders there will be conflict.

YES, BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE GOVERNMENT IS YOUR GOVERNMENT, YOUR COUNTRY, AND IF SOMEONE SAID IT WASN'T YOU WOULD STAND UP AND PROTECT IT?
Ken: I can't be a part of a government that carries out the action that this one does. You talk about superb Israel and Palistine, you talk about Nicaragua. What the people did to the people of Hiroshima and Nagisaki, slavery... I can't put myself with that. It's hard to think I live on someone else's land, but it's true, it belongs to the indians.

Kevin: This is my homeland. I feel an attraction to it but I don't think our government is the true America our forefathers set out create. There is so much shit you can get caught up in. You got to live your life and ignore the laws that conflict with your beliefs. Don't ever ssay this is the law, and even if you don't agree, obey it, cause you will die inside.

WHAT IS THE BASIC MESSAGE AS A BAND?
Kevin: Love yourself!

Rich: There is room for everybody in this world and it's like there is plenty of food for all and people shouldn't be deprived of things that should be part of life.

Kevin: You see poor people on the streets and it just makes you want to lash out against the government.

Rich: Yah, poor people when the supermarkets are stocked with food.

Kevin: Stop creating violence, stop creating hatred and just give what you do have.

HAVE PEOPLE EVER CALLED YOU HIPPIES?
Ken: Yeah, I think a lot of people try to make an analogy between people who are trying to do something and the 60's. But when you look back in history there have always been people trying to do something about society. The 60's is just when everything got in the forefront and its what people remember.

Kevin: There is this old drunk that comes into the bike shop where I work and he says, "Look at Jesus Christ, he was the nicest motherfucker on earth and look what they did to him, they killed him." That about says it. You can't change peoples attitudes, you got to change yourself and they will follow.

WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE YOU DOING BESIDES THE BAND?
Rich: I'm trying to follow the norms and go to school. You can make a difference by educatiing yourself. If you just bum around the streets and never express your feelings you're not going to get anywhere.

Ken: I'm trying to keep myself at a educational level where I can be effective toward the movement. I also belong to a revolutionary organization call All-African Peoples Revolutionary Party and we are trying to promote general education to get the word around. I think we all try and promote peace in our own way.

Rich: We don't agree on everything but were open-minded to learn. I learn things everyday.

Ken: Me and Rich stay out for hours arguing over things and it just makes us want to know the facts. We will go rad and look up things to prove the other guy is wrong. Its part of self-education.

SO BASICALLY YOU FEEL WE ALL NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES?
Kevin: Never assume you know the truth because things are going to buckle in your face.

Ken: If something happens today and there is a change and people are not educated the change will not be real. The government can also rake everyone into a hold but if the people are educated and they see a dictator coming they can say no man.

YOU SAW THOSE GUYS AT THE SHOW STARTING A LOT OF VIOLENCE, WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
Kevin: A lot of people were getting really worked up about that, and fighting back. That's exactly what they wanted. You can either do that or bow down and say i'm not going to fight you, you silly. It takes the wind out of their sails.

Rich: Communication and education are the answer.

Kevin: Fear perpetuates violence. You got to sit down and decide what you fear and erase it. So after what it is you are afraid of and turn your fear into love for brother man.

ANY LAST COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS?
Ken: My conclusion is that in the last couple of years has caused me to grow a lot because I've been around people who operate on the same level....we're trying to move in the same direction and make society better.

Rich: I'm in the band because I love music and because of what we sing about. I'm tired of those top 40 bands singing about lust and sex. We're trying to express our opinions in music and put backbone into it. More people want to listen to music than learn so if you have the right combination you will accomplish both. Teach through music.

Kevin: Well, I don't have as many frustrations since I joined the band. But I would like to see people get out of there cars and get a job they feel good about. And maybe ride your bike to work, slow down and take a look at the people around you. The main problem is the morning rush hour traffic. Also, contact us at (ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER DELETED) and talk about anything. We play anywhere.

Here's some scans from the actual zine:
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Cover