The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new track from JK Flesh. “Poundland” comes off the new split EP See Red, which features two new tracks from JK Flesh and 2 tracks from Monrella. Both Justin Broadrick (JK Flesh) and Mick Harris (Monrella) have been active for multiple decades, first coming together with legendary metal outfits Napalm Death and Scorn and then embarking on near mythical odysseys with Broadrick’s Godflesh and Harris’ Lull and Fret among countless other projects. Few have had a similar impact across genres as these two artists and when I saw they were releasing a split techno EP, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

See Red delivers just what we all want - a crushing, industrialized sound that obliterates boundaries and is seething with anger and destruction. “Poundland”, our premiere today, proves once again JK Flesh remains at the top of the class when it comes to unrelenting, punishing sounds. To mark this excellent release, I had the honor to speak with BOTH Broadrick and Harris for an interview about the EP, 2020 and more. (see below).

See Red is out January 18th on digital format. Visit Avalanche Recordings for more.

-JRS

The Brvtalist: See Red is described as “no nonsense techno crushers dedicated to a Birmingham originated life of anger management.” So how angry or frustrated has 2020 made you?

Mick Harris (Monrella): Very angry. It's been one big bastard spanner in the works.

Justin Broadrick (JK Flesh): Shocking and frustrating, still reeling now, like everyone is. See Red is a document to us both acknowledging our anger issues, which for both us are born from off the scale anxiety problems, anger often being the result of this anxiety and panic, and of course ultimately can often be self destructive.

TB: More than a normal year?

MICK: I was about to do live shows as Scorn again after a 9 year break. I also found an agency I felt comfortable with and over the course of the year, 15 dates had been booked. Then came that bastard Covid-19... I had built a new live set inside the MPC live and was really ready to go blast and rhino charge some PA systems. The only plus side is it gave me some time to make new music. I haven't made so much new music since the mid-late 90's.

JKF: The year turned everything on its head, and for me as an artist who lives solely from music, losing approximately 70% of my overall income has been devastating. I’ve luckily just about kept my head above water, but it’s been a struggle and it will continue of course. The positive has been being able to spend time exclusively with my family instead of consistently performing, also resulting in more work on the music. Social distancing is fine for me; as my friend Brian Lustmord said to me during this, "I’ve been practicing social distancing for years!" Also, my family and I live in an isolated rural spot which suits me entirely.

TB: You both have a long history together with bands like Napalm Death and Scorn. Tell us briefly about when you started exploring electronic music? Was there something that inspired or triggered that at the time?

MICK: For me I guess electronic music came from listening to John Peel BBC radio in the late 70's. I first ventured into punk and hardcore and alternative/indie/experimental/dub etc. You could say I started working with electronic music when I got my first sampler 4 track recorder and reverb box in mid '89 and started making loops and playing about with intros for Napalm Death shows - Coil and Skinny Puppy were influences. Justin is also very responsible for turning me onto many good artists via some of his killer all night smoking and listening sessions hahahahaha classics!

JFK: Like Mick says, it was similar for me; John Peel introduced many of us to all forms of subversive music, electronic being one of them. I was lucky also to have a step dad and mom that were into fringe music, and my step dad had early records with primitive electronics that I was transfixed by - records by Brian Eno, Can, all of which included synthesizers. I found synths as a kid magical, endless, mythical instruments and absolutely out of reach being raised by a poor family on a council estate in Birmingham.

I then was an avid follower of early records by The Human League at school late 79/80, that eventually led to Kraftwerk (I recall being transfixed by Kraftwerk performing "The Model" on the British show Top Of The Pops (it was a video). I also loved early synth based music like Tubeway Army/Gary Numan, and then the records that abused synths - early industrial music like Throbbing Gristle and Whitehouse. Like Mick says, we had sessions where I played some of this stuff to Mick, but also distinctly remember Mick being the first person to play me Jeff Mills' Waveform Transmission Vol. 1 upon it’s release in early '92 which immediately impacted me as much as when I first heard Throbbing Gristle and Whitehouse and became another influence. Mick always wanted to explore electronic music just like I did.

TB: How did See Red come together? Are you both in touch a lot about tracks or was this something planned far in advance?

MICK: Justin and I have been writing each other since 2017 just after I had played my first show as Fret at Berlin Atonal. I wrote a long personal mail to Justin and he replied with an equally personal mail that made me feel good. Justin is one of the few that gets Mick Harris and understands me, doesn't question me, etc. Anyway, Justin put it to me over a year or so ago about doing a split on his Avalanche label. Justin likes my Monrella output and asked if I wanted to drop 2 tracks. I made these 2 tracks just after Christmas 2019 on the MPC.

JKF: Yeah it was natural that Monrella and JK Flesh should have a split. It makes so much sense on many levels. We’re both still exploring and championing a period when ‘techno’ loosely speaking, was still subversive, intense and raw, and both feel these qualities in techno have been somewhat lost over time and the music is mostly safe and conservative. We see it as an extension of punk. It could’ve been a split with Fret too, but personally I felt that Monrella hasn’t got the props it deserves, and of course Mick delivered blistering tracks for this Avalanche release, so I found and reworked tracks that felt appropriate and would compliment Mick’s tracks. I sit on a lot of music until I feel it is appropriate for a release, and then often rework that music.

TB: Tell us where you both have been during the pandemic and how the isolation process has been for you. What are some things you’ve liked about it as well?

MICK: Like I said I really mis the gigs. I really wanted to blast Scorn on systems again. Fingers X'd for 2021. I don't socialize outside of my part time job at the City Media College where I work as tech support. I dont go out other than shopping for my family and going fishing. Ive been isolating all my life hahahahaha! I have one pal who comes to see me and my partner for a catch up and listen to some techno once a month or so but other than that no one and even family is kept limited. The plus side like I said above was I have been able to make lots of new music ready for release 202. I also bake some mean cakes....

JKF: I welcome isolation, so that aspect did not bother me at all. Although when restrictions have been lifted momentarily I’ve struggled to go outside my property. I didn’t leave my property for 4 months at one point, my partner did and my son barely. So, just like Mick, isolation is a gift, but unfortunately I’m not good at cooking nor eating cakes.

TB: So what's coming up next?

MICK: For me:
JKF/Monrella split
Scorn EP Ohm Resistance Records
Monrella remake Kwartz Trauma Collective Records
Lull LP Ohm Resistance Records
Fret ten track LP L.I.E.S. Records
Im going to bring back the Hednod project next year for Bandcamp. I miss those hiphop noddin minimal beats

JKF: Lots of music as always and attempting to survive from the music without paid performances.