Interview Maniac - Morkke

You can download photos in high resolution HERE

Description of you?

My pseudo is Morkke.

Listening extreme musics since 1990, I’ve started by collecting CD ! There was boxsets everywhere in my bedroom…  At that time, we used to have a good distro in Le Havre, named PUTREFACTION RECORDS. They produced MORTEM for example. It made me think about all those metal bands coming from nowhere ! How can Mortem be supported by a little distro in Le Havre ??? What ? There was correspondances, letters, demos, promo stuffs ???? Time has changed now and of course PUTREFACTION RECORDS has closed down ! From that moment, I sold most of my CDs and restarted  my metal studies. I wrote to many bands and several months later, I received at least several answers.

I started trading and bought original LP nears the bands. Finally, my relation with Black Metal changed in 2004 when I met Nocturno Culto before the SATYRICON/DARKTHRONE live in Wacken Open Air (Many will say that it wasn’t Darkthrone but Nocturno Culto and gnagnagna, just go fuck yourselves !).

Back in France, I started investigating black metal history band by band.

I travel to Norway as soon as possible and I’ll return in Oslo in coming February.

Collection?

My collection is made of several cd, many lp and rarities.

There is the Mayhem world : early shirts signed by Euronymous and Dead, signed Lp, promo tape by Dead, letters, documents, demos, Maniac stuffs, … Slayer Mag promo stuffs, …

Then come Emperor, Immortal, Burzum, Mortiis, Dimmu Borgir, Ancient, Watain, Amon Amarth, Darkthrone of course ! Satyricon, Enslaved, …

I also used to have LLN stuffs but sold everything. I had Mutiilation signed demos, LLN recruitment letters, Belketre demos, …

My collection is displayed by lot or handmade presentations to protect the tapes, records.

My preferred items are :

My Peter Beste book signed by many friends but I still need to complete the missing signatures from Taake, Gorgoroth, … The book has spent a year and a half in Norway and Enslaved returned it to me just before Hellfest 2012. I’m thinking about taking it with me in Oslo in february and let it again for a year or something like that. Funny because when I went to Hellfest last june, I saw a guy with the big version of Peter Beste book whereas I’m using the small one in collector box… At least there are competitors ;-)

Pure fucking demo 2^nd press by Euro with mini typed letter promoting Merciless and Leipzig + org flyers.

 

Helvete documents

Dead’s own tape for live in Leipzig. The letter once folded is the tape cover.

Aim ?

My aim is to feel good in my extreme world. At a time, I wanted to create a BM museum (unrealistic!) and today I only want to have in a near future a dedicated room where there can be a little dust, an old sofa and my vinyl/tape deck player. Rarities would be everywhere around on the walls. I imagine having a break on the sofa listening to music while raining outside… Ah ! Maybe a little fridge would a good idea for the beers !

Today I try to aim at small things. Last months, I’ve stopped all relations with bands through social sites, no more facebook but just simplicity ! Can look like Egoism but as Fenriz wrote me on a LP : “First rule of posers is to let music come second!”. For years, collection came first and music second… and I had decided to change that !

In some rare occasions, I appreciate to share a little with other metal fans. Even this “interview” will be the last. Ahaha who cares ? Potential buyers ? There is nobody around… Le Havre is invaded by rap, techno, … musics… Living in Le Havre doesn’t provide a lot of Metal opportunities since Wolverine, Fatal and Vickings&Celts  ended up their short career.

How did I get rare or promo stuffs ?

My first answer would be “luck” maybe…

I have been in touch with a first artist who introduced me to other ones, etc… Trading also ! I got many stuffs directly from Mortiis which permitted me to study the roots of Emperor for example.

Also going to Norway every 2 years give me opportunities.

Also look for old metal fanzine owners and try to contact them… In the 80’ et 90’, they were receiving so many promo stuffs. Sometimes (I got this luck…), all the stuff is stocked in parcels for years and you can try… I got many things like that; buying 100 euros a big parcel made of tons of flyers, letters, posters, boxsets, lp signed, demos…

Also when you receive the parcel at home, that’s x-mas before x-mas !

Methodologies ?

Well ! Ok ! It depends of the bands of course !

Norwegian or Scandinavian bands in general will appreciate a true letter, not a poor mail. It remember them so many things and mention in the letter your email address for lazy contacts or broken bands ;-) .

That’s also reality. Handwriting will tell them more on who you are and often they will respect your effort. Adapt your communication depending of the bands’ age and pay for shipping.

During festivals, wait in the queue, don’t ask for anything and just shake their hands and wish them a good show ! Then contact them by mail, they will remember you !

A last example, more and more bands have their own shop. 
For some of them, the band is really doing the work behind so just ask, discuss, … give a call… (Try with Ancient, Watain, … ;-)   )

Let you imagine other scenarios, I can’t reveal everything after all !

For sure, don’t ask directly !

Website ?

I have one since august. It’s not complete but I will continue a little.

Nobody reads it ahahahah ! But we must let a trace of some demos, rarities for what we think could contribute as a little piece of metal history…

Here it is for the interview and sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy the Behemoth promo lot as I did before.

Autumnal regards

Morkke