OPPOSITION OF ONE - December 2004
interview by David Stapel

Here's an interview with German hardcore band Opposition Of One, who recently got signed by Strike First Records. Benjamin "Benson" Pozsgai (guitar) and Daniel Paul (vocals) found the time to answer some questions for us.

Hi guys. First of all, congratulations with your deal with Strike First Records in the States ! How did that deal come across ?

Benjamin: We always felt like Facedown/Strike First would be the perfect label for us, if we would ever make it over there. They were also the only US label we've ever sent our songs to, so this is kind of funny that it really worked out. I know Jason who runs Strike First/Facedown for years and we cooperated in several ways in the past, and we`re super excited about the opportunity to become a part of the Family. As it seems right now we will play Facedown Fest in March '05 which is just "wow"! We feel very blessed and the whole situation is very confirmative for us as a band.

You just released your debut full length "In The Line Of Change". I noticed on the Guideline site that you previously released a split 7" and an EP respectively 3 and 2 years ago. Has the band's sound changed in the meantime, or have you been playing this kind of hardcore right from the start ?

Benjamin: Hmm, when I think of our song of our first 7" then this has nothing to do with what we sound like today. I guess we changed a lot since our last release but it was more a natural process. Not in the way that we really switched over to something different or more "trendy " or so. It was just that we grew more together as a band, and I guess that we became better musicians too. Our tour with Figure Four in summer 2002 was important for us to really get figured out what we wanted to do with this band. For us, "In the Line Of Change" feels very much like what we ever wanted to do musicially.

Do you think putting OOO in the category "moshcore" does the band justice ?

Benjamin: Sure it depends what bands you think of when you hear the word "moshcore". But when you think of bands like Hatebreed, Born From Pain, Until The End when you hear "moshcore" then we´re totally down with this description. But I think we are not a band with typical moshcore trademarks. Maybe because of the fact that my personal main influences are all mid 90's HC bands like Turmoil, Strain, Strife, Earthmover or Earth Crisis.

How did you guys come together ? Benjamin, I know you used to play in Snubnose, but did the other bandmembers also play in other bands already ?

Benjamin: It was back in summer of 1999 when I drove to Freakstock Festival with the bandvan of my old band Snubnose. Daniel drove with me because he knew a guy who was asking me if I could take him and two other guys with me to Freakstock. So one of those guys was Daniel and we had some cool conversation during the drive, and then on Freakstock too. We talked about how cool it would be to start a Christian hc band. This was and still is one of our main intentions to make music. As you have already mentioned I was playing in Snubnose fulltime so there was no time to start another band. One year later it was clear that we would break up with Snubnose so I called Daniel. He knew other guys that joined the band and so we had a complete line-up at the end of 2000. Some years ago we had our first line-up change and now we are a 4 piece.

What are the future plans for the band ? Extensive touring ? I ask that because I believe that your previous bass player Benni couldn't combine the band with his familylife anymore ?

Benjamin: Yes, that's right. We talked about the whole situation, how serious everybody in the band was about it before we started to record our album. We all agreed that it should become the best record we would be able to record and that it would need lots of live shows to promote the record right. We put a lot of money, sweat and time into it. Benni knew that he, as the one who already had a family wouldn't be able to combine that any longer. So he decided to quit the band for good after the recordings. This years' Freakstock Fest was his last official show. It was a cool change without any drama and there was enough time to teach his younger brother David who`s now playing bass. We want to tour more then we did in the past. I think it`s more important to tour than just practice to become a good band. Anybody who can help us out with shows is warmly appreciated. Please get in contact with us through info@oppositionofone.com if you want us to play your town. And like said we might play at Facedown Fest in the States so we definitely want to tour over there too.

The lyrics of most of your songs are taken from personal issues and experiences, and also explained as such in the booklet (e.g. Decision, Failure Permitted, Dishonest, Silence). When I looked for who actually wrote the lyrics, it just said "all songs written by OOO". So the subject isn't always the same person, or is it ?

Daniel: Normally I write our lyrics, except of "Three Nails" which was written by Benson and "We Will Not Be Stopped" which was written by Dodgin'Bullets and those hiphop guys "Vereinte Kräfte". And then there's "No Fool" which I found in combination with some things of Jim Elliot. But all the other lyrics were written by me. Some are about very personal experiences and others are about circumstances I recognized in the hardcore scene, which I wanted to write about and hoped that there will be people who feel the same way.

You mentioned "No Fool"; it is written in memory of Jim Elliot, a missionary who was killed by the Auca tribe in Ecuador back in 1956. Any specific reason ? I mean, there have been many "martyrs" in history of Christianity, so why specifically him ?

Daniel: Yes, you're right there are so many martyrs who could be mentioned but when I read something about the story of Jim Elliot I was very impressed and touched in my heart. You know, he was murdered by the Auca tribe, but then two years later his own wife went back again to tell these people the gospel. I can't understand the love she had to have for those people. But this is a thing that only God can make. So for me it's a very important story about God's power and strength and his possibility to change everybody in a way that we can never imagine.
The second thing is the motto of Jim Elliot: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose." Since I heard this sentence and the story of Jim Elliot it became a very special and important meaning for me. It shows that we cannot keep anything in this world and nothing is more important than to be touched by God's love. To stay in His presence and trying to bring this Love to the people around us. I know that God is with me on my way and he is my Father now and forever. It is my daily basis that I'm accepted as sinner, and be loved at any time. So that is my personal story about Jim Elliot, and I hope that everybody who reads this interview has a similar person who encourages you to belief and to spread the gospel.

Benjamin; a couple of questions about Guideline Records. On the homepage of your label it says that it's "a way to speak your minds… the chance to make a statement about making things better… being a platform for artists that have these same intentions". That sounds very noble. Except for having bands with a certain message, what are your ideas of getting a message across with a label ?

Benjamin: I don`t tell my bands what to say and I don`t give my bands a vision or something like that; that`s their job to do. I just want to help to keep them in line. First there are tons of bands that I could mention who began as very message orientated bands but then there were some cool opportunities to gain more succes and at the end there was a succesful band with unfortunatly nothing to say. There are so less good examples of bands that grew bigger and bigger who don`t compromised themselves for sold records. I want to have bands on Guideline who are good examples. This does not only affect Christian bands you know. I don`t have any problems with Christian bands getting big, but when it's because the price you pay means sell out what you once stood for, then this really hurts. The other problem is that it seems like everybody looks to the US. Let me provoke a little bit! Just imagine somebody would say Guideline Records is the best Christian European hardcore label!!! Would you agree? I would agree but it would not make me happy. It just would say that Guideline is the best label because it is the only label which started with deeper spiritual intentions than just selling records. That`s sad man. Listen, if you feel a calling in your heart to start a band so get up your butt and start it. If you are wondering why no bands play shows in your area start booking shows.

Are you keen on not being labeled as "Christian record label" ?

Benjamin: "Yes" and "No". Well you know I think it`s stupid when a label like Solid State says that they are not a Christian label, because they definitely are a Christian label. But I also understand their arguments. When there would be a Christian baker and you would buy bread at his shop, would you then eat Christian bread? That makes no sense, right? So when it comes to art that always transports a message things are a little different. Guideline is not a Christian label in the meaning of "signing Christian bands", what normally the definition of a Christian label is. The fact is, that Opposition Of One is the only band on Guideline Records that is and claim to be a "Christian band" and I am a Christian, as the founder of the label; if that makes Guideline a Christian label I am down with that because I don`t want to hide anything. But I want Guideline to be a "good label" that has good bands with good songs, and records that are well distributed and promoted and everything. Unfortunately the term "Christian label" usually is only good for the fact that somebody can say "I don't have to check out records of this label because I don`t like Christians", and that`s not what it`s about, you know.

Any concrete plans for new signings or releases ?

Benjamin: I have finished school last week, so from now on I will have more time for the label. So I guess 2005 will become important for Guideline and I will also sign some more bands in the next few months. There are some European newcomers I could really imagine to sign but there`s nothing offical yet.