Please introduce yourself to people who don't know you yet and tell something about your work to those who haven't been honoured to notice it yet...
Ok... my name is Jaromir Bezruc and I am 26 years old eh eh... why the hell do I start like this... I am an ordinary mortal with an immortal soul... the nickname Deather was given to me by Juraj Grezdo (Thalarion) sometime back in '91... I simply try to do what I like. It is listening to music, creating 'zine, drawing my ideas and living as I like.
When and why have you started to create your drawings?
I have always enjoyed drawing... ever since my childhood. I am a self learner... I started drawing those little monsters, film heroes etc. back when I was an apprentice... I met Juraj Grezda in the army, he had already played in some local bands, which didn't probably have any demo at that time. So I was drawing all this nonsense for him. I also got to know the starting Immortal Souls 'zine in Slovakia, where I was doing my military service, and Immortal asked me for some pictures. Then it was Darkness Actual, Scabbard demo... And why? Why are you running Silence Diary Marek? Eh eh, I enjoy it very much... I can release my feelings of gloominess, sadness, suffering and pain. Feelings of bloody lust. It is a connection between good and evil, I try to put these things together.
Magic, fantasy and by the way also passion, that's what can be felt from your pictures. What do you think about it? Where do you usually find inspiration for your creation?
The sources of inspiration vary. I live in my own world and anything I see reflects in my mind a bit differently. Mare details, small things have a tremendous power. Simply everything I see in films, magazines, when I walk among people I notice the positioning of their bodies, heads... strange, isn't it? But sometimes I have the feeling I see just innards instead of the clothes people wear to differ from each other. Mostly I experience visions that touch me strongly. I take my dreams very seriously but I am also curious about other people's dreams, my wife Alena's and my son's. Children have an incredible imagination...
Are the women you paint real or are they just created by your fantasy?
It depends. When I want the anatomy to be exact, I take some magazine where I correct my ideas. I have to get back to my wife, who is very enigmatic, she is virtually full of mystery... don't paint such beauty... she has been "used" many a time for my creations. But there are many characters in my mind just waiting to be embodied.
It is no secret that you are the editor of the fabulous underground magazine called In Deed Hell, which ranks among the best Czech metal magazines. Tell us more about I.D.Hell and your other activities.
I appreciate your words! In Deed Hell was never meant to be, it was a big misunderstanding. I used to help a guy who did Moulder Flowers 'zine. But my helping turned into a total burden, I did simply everything, I was supposed to only paint, but I was doing interviews etc... my colegue was for instance at home for a month and he didn't do anything and I did all the work and then he would come to concerts and act like an underground saviour. He lied to bands, to me and to people who were close to him. He would undersign my articles etc. so I left him... I had already had the In Deed Hell in my mind for some time, RA and Dave Mikala helped me with printing... and that was it. It was meant to be the last issue as well, I wanted to show the idiot that you can do it if you want... we spread about 400-500 copies and it all began... bands began to contact me... but also labels like Repulse. I said, hey, why don't I try another one with better lay-out and more pages. When it was out a virtual hell began, it was a work I enjoyed and I still enjoy. I don't regret! At the present time I co-operate with loads of editors, bands, labels, distributors... the thanxlist would go on forever! I was hiding my language difficulties behind what I was best at - painting. Thus I also became a famous painter. I think I still have much to learn and I haven't reached anything yet!
You have recently started organising a metal fest called Nuclear Storm, where also big names from abroad perform, tell us who have you already brought to the fest and who you would like to invite for example this year.
Ooh... I have to correct you, I am not the organiser of Nuclear Storm, Lada Pukys organises it, he is more than a friend of mine and I help him. In he past years the bands were brought by Pedro (Krabathor management). I keep trying to push what I like - Sweden! We keep trying as much as possible, but it is very expensive to bring bands here, no fun! The final nerves whether the bands come are horrible! Nuclear Storm keeps growing stronger every year, that's true. Bands like Sinister, Flashcrawl, Judgement Day... praised this festival. It will be at the same place this year - Slavicin-Hradek - 23-24. 7. The final decision about bands hasn't been reached yet, but we can expect Vader, Krabathor, Scrails (girls' death metal from Germany), Soul Demise, Nyctophobic, Soilwork... All of you who try to help the metal scene (mags., 'zines, labels, distros...), even if you are from the end of the world... write for a back-stage! We want Nuclear Storm to become famous also among fans abroad!
Which qualities must a band have to get onto the pages of I.D.Hell or to be invited to Nuclear Storm?
If a band, a label... send me their material, they will be fairly presented, that's obvious. If I like the recording and the people are willing to co-operate, there is no problem to do an interview afterwards. The same goes for the festival. But Nuclear Storm is not supported by media, it is not so rich to afford to invite a lot of famous foreign bands... although I believe we will achieve that! Everything takes some time... there are some things where haste is no good!
You have painted for a lot of local fanzines and you have also created lots of logos for local bands in the past. I have noticed that also people from abroad are interested in your work recently... Where can we see your contemporary creation?
You are right, more and more people begin to be interested in my pictures these days. Yperamo, Blackend, Black Sun, Pagan, Dark Horizon, Deadsun, Redblack and other labels... unfortunately I can't satisfy everybody as I am only two handed. Some of the above listed think it is easy to paint a couple of covers and moreover, some of them want it for free, eh eh. Therefore I prefer co-operation with bands like Cirith Gorgor, Abyssos, Regurgitation, Entrails, Godless Truth etc. At present I am working for an austrian label NSM, Deadsun, Redblack, something is rising with Dark Horizon and Blackend. By the way some pictures were included in a great Italian magazine Twilight Realm (greetings Simona!), in Fadeless Records catalogue, in Pernicious... to be honest Marek, I am losing the track eh eh... But I am really glad!
Which of your successes do you pride yourself of most and what else would you like to achieve?
I have no specific goal... I would like to do the work I enjoy doing... perhaps to gain higher respect for the Czech Republic... There are also great bands, magazines, concerts and painters... eh eh... here. My greatest success? It is hard to say... it is funny to remember that I, as an adolescent, saw a video of Root on TV and I have just painted a cover for them. I would never dream of one of my pictures going to Andreas S. to Sweden or to Ben to the USA... it doesn't really matter if a picture is made for a Czech or a foreign band, I respect all of my works and I try to do as well as I can.
Do you divide the scene to the underground and the rest? Where do you think the boarder is?
It is very hard to tell the boarder between UG and the rest. One thing is sure, even the most orthodox ug maniac without money... Money is everywhere, it runs this world. Whether you run a mag, a label or have a band. If a band is famous in Europe it doesn't mean it is famous in the USA and on the contrary. It is difficult to answer. Where "theatre" has more importance than music it begins to smell... the label knows they are assholes who can't play, but they are interesting for their appearance or abnormalities... so in order to hide the musical imperfections the label does mass promotion, praising leaflets, a video after another is put on TV, radio etc... this doesn't seem very underground to me. I met a lot of people who are pretending to be ug and they are not even able to answer your letter and then there's a big band you don't even expect to answer and they call you and thank you for your support! Marek, it is difficult to tell the difference and I am sure you have rich experience with the UG and non UG people, don't you?
Do you read fanzines and magazines? Do you think that the 'zine scene will die one day and will be completely replaced with either big magazines with CD's or for instance by Internet 'zines?
Yes, I read everything I get in mail. I don't have much time to go to the concerts or hang around the city... so what I don't get I don't have. I enjoy magazines like Novum, Vox Mortis, Morpheus, Twilight Realm, Brutalized, Satan's Candy Basket, Thrash 'em All, Rest in Pain etc. What I love about 'zines is the enthusiasm, originality and the will to work. I like fanzines and I read them all no matter what the quality is! I don't think it ever happens... 'zines have always been, are and shall be! Rather magazines with CD's keep dying as far as I know.
I nearly forgot to ask what has brought you to metal music. When have you started being actively interested in this kind of music and what bands attracted you?
A loong time ago. I first got in touch with metal in the apprenticeship, because it has a tabu here for a long time. It was Manowar, Metallica, Slayer, AC-DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard... but when I heard "Scream Bloody Gore" from Death, then "Leprosy", Master, Carnage, it was decided! Death metal is immortal! Metal is the sort of music that will never stop attracting me and I could listen to it for centuries. Take for instance some disco lover... he listened to something last summer and now it's not modern anymore and he says "How could I listen to something like that?" laughing. I can always listen to Slayer, Death and I experience great moments, I feel the same I felt back then. Moreover, I love my collection! Metal is eternal! There are thousands of bands I respect!
I know this is a morbid question. Name 10 CD's you would like to take with you to the grave. Which song would you like to be played at your funeral ceremony?
It is indeed. You don't even realise what you've done. I wouldn't like to offend the others I leave out, sorry. At The Gates "Slaughter...", Hecate Enthroned "The Slaughter...", old Gorguts "Considered...", Death "Spiritual...", Vital Remains "Forever...", Cryptopsy "None...", Soilwork debut, Dark Funeral "Vobiscum...", Danzig IV, Braveheart soundtrack, Saturnus all. It is difficult! It is difficult, I don't wish for my funeral! My body will turn into dust that will be spread by wind while one of the Braveheart soundtrack songs will play... Freedom! James Horner created excellent melodies here... melodies worth dying for! The same goes for the latest Saturnus album!!!
You have surely met a lot of people of various qualities during the time of your underground activities. Which people do you respect most and who would you like to emphasise here?
You are right, the qualities differ... it is difficult... it is like with the bands... maybe those I'm in contact with and those who help me... please don't ask, I wouldn't like to leave anybody out!
Which human quality do yo appreciate most and which quality do you loathe?
I hate lying, false pride and back stabbing. I like people of moderate nature, who want what they want... friendly people I can rely on. I would gladly die for such people, but people I can rely on are very few.
If you could set off for a journey of your dreams, where would you go and who would you take with you?
Do you mean philosophically or really? If you mean philosophically, I would go to my own world which is far away, yet so close, it is a world where people are not estimated by the money they have or by their sex, where good is connected with evil, where people do what they want and don't pretend. It is a nonsense, isn't it? In reality... I love northern countries, I have a deep sympathy for Sweden, I have been observing lives of people from these countries, I like their pride and conviction. Who would I take with me? It is clear, my wife Alena and my son who's really important for me! Maybe also Alena's frined Zdenka eh eh eh...
We're approaching the end of the interview, if you have anything to say to the metal fans world-wide, now's your chance.
I wish you Marek and your readers that your dreams come true. Thanks for the place in Silence diary and thanks for your words! I am glad you all could touch my work, that you sensed my breath and my thoughts became yours at least for a while. That's what it's all about - understanding - and maybe all around us would look different. Greetings and thanks to my friends from labels, 'zines, bands and my readers! And believe things are never what they seem to be... a monkey in a suit will always be a monkey! Deather. Contact: I.D.Hell, Jaromir Bezruc, Charovska 15, 749 01 Krnov, Czech Republic