German rock n roll band is touring stages for many years. After last year release of last album – Deep Rooted, the band begins to be well known and album gets great response, but more about band, album and other things is theme of interview with guitar player Schorse.

Hello. Band Engrained has two albums if I wasn’t wrong. When and how was this band created?

Engrained is out there for a long time. We set up band in the beginning of 90´s. In these times, we were active mainly in underground, we played many gigs and we released 4 albums and tons of singles. We´ve done all of this at our own expense. We´ve got plenty offers from various labels, but there was nothing special - we don’t see offer and say “Oh, great. That could make help us a lot.” If I have to be honest…it was mainly about fun in these times. When we put demo on table of label SPV in 2010 – it was the right time. Label was currently planning to release CD “SPV 25 and Alive Sampler” – there used to be many good bands like Kreator, Nashville Pussy, Accept, Rose Tattoo and much more on this disc. They wanted to put new fresh band on this CD and this was time for us. It was big honor to be on this CD with such a great bands. We don’t have much time – just one day for recording and mixing of a song. So, we went to studio and record song for three time, then we get the best version – Hey, That´s Rock n Roll J Later that year, we recorded “Anger, Roots and Rock n Roll” and because of it had great response, we get option to record whole album – “Deep Rooted”. 

Many bands have lots of changes of members. How is it in your band? Are you well-coordinated band or affected by numerous changes of members?

Of course there were some changes but when we look on time we are on scene, I think it´s normal and I hope and know that Engrained is very constant band. We are not just members of one band but 4 friends as well and we play, drink and party together as well. I used to play in one band with ingenious musicians who were incapable as people – this is not fun! For Engrained – friendship of members is very important as well as their capability to play on instruments and I think that if somebody wouldn´t lose any part of his body important for music, this configuration will remain :)

Musical genre you play is mixture of punk and rock n roll. What musicians inspired you in times of your origins?

Every one of us has his favorites. I was growing on AC/DC, Motörhead, old punk heroes such as Sex Pistols, Heartbreakers, The Clash and others.  These times were very creative and every one was doing something – playing in band, releasing fanzines … this has powered me. It was fantastic. Fenne, our singer likes hardcore and everyone brings his style into band. This is why we can´t fit any specific genre and this is great. We really don’t know how would sound next song until we didn’t listen it on CD.

Album “Deep Rooted” was released late last year. How was it accepted by fans?

We got really great response from our fans and very good critics on it. There were bad responses as well, but this is the way it has to be. I think we would be really bored if everyone likes same things :)

Writing new songs is part of one member or matter of whole band?

This is different. Sometimes – Carlos, Fenne or I came with complete song to test room, when we complete it together. Other time – somebody has idea, part of melody in his head and we work on it together. We got no rule “How to make a song”. The one thing important for me is that every member has to have option to be part of making process – we are lucky that there is no dictator in band!

What are you inspired by in writing new songs?

I can´t tell it this way. We work on ordinary things – things that happened around us, things that makes us angry or we make love song for our audience – “Rock n Roll Scrum” – there is no patent for it. Musically – Engrained is wild mix of genres and we don’t like when somebody is trying to put us into any specific genre – the only important thing is, that in the end, it has to aound like Engrained. 

Can we await music video for any of your songs?

Music video is the top of list of what we want to do. We didn’t ever do any professional video and we want to rectify it as soon as possible. There are plans how to make it but we have to look upon realization and upon how to finance it. Nowadays, when labels are in bad situation, not as well as in golden years in 80´s, we have to do something on our own. Many bands out there know what I am talking about. But hello...we don’t want to cry now. Finally, we are accustomed to do things on our own.

Concerts. After release of new album, you played several club gigs. With what bands do you played?

We played with many bands. US Bombs, The Bones, Luatherface, Peter Pan Speedrock, Beatstreaks… Actually, we wanted to make tour with Peter from The Test Tube Barbies in December. Everything was planned well and arranged as well but sadly – cysts on our singers – Fenne´s cords made our plans ruined. It was very unpleasant – we are looking forward to parties with Peter´s band in tourbus, it would be great promotion for our album as well, but who cares now. We can´t change it. It is important that Fenne has absolved operation and he is able to sing again – and lucky that he sound like Fenne not like Russian Boys Choir :)

What is your relationship with fans? Are you talking with them as well or the time before concert is time for consistent preparations?

Well, it is good to sit together as band for 15 minutes before gig and go on stage together but we spend time before it (and after gig as well) with our fans. It is always interesting to see all those types of people. We like our fans and we like to talk with them!!!

Do you have any rite before concert?

Well, no. But we have “10 beer rule” – it means that nobody can drink more than 10 beers before concert. We like to have funJ.

You are playing concerts mostly in Germany. Are you planning to play somewhere abroad this year? 

Because of sickness of our singer, the tour was declined. We want to concert a lot in Germany to catch what we miss but there are some offers from other countries in Europe as well. We will see… 

I hope that we will see you soon in Slovakia as well. In the end of interview, is there anything you want to say to our readers from Slovakia and the whole world?

It would be fantastic to play in Slovakia. It would make us very happy! It is always nice to play somewhere abroad, meet people and have fun with them. So if there is anyone who could help us in this….contact us. We are opened to any ideas.

For everyone out theer – I hope that we will meet soon and party together. Stay same as you are – stay rock n roll – have fun!!