RAGINPIT MAGAZINE

Marcin "Novy" Nowak - Former bassist of bands such as Vader and Behemoth

Year - 1992. Back then I was in my first band using an instrument made in Russia and an old radio which served me as an amplifier. Head full of dreams, plans, and passion - rehearsing for 6 hours a day in friend's basement. The only dream I had at the time was to go on tour one day and play on big stages for a great audience around the world. It was only a dream and I worked hard for many years to make that dream reality.

So, one day...

Darkness prevailed in the bus; there were no windows where the beds were and someone yells, "rehearsal in 15 minutes, get up lazy asses." I looked at the watch and it is already 5pm. I'm not surprised since I go to bed after 9am - like every day. I hear the drummer next to me trying to get out of bed with a bit of trouble. His size always made this task very difficult for him; not without reason, we were calling the beds "tanks" or “sarcophaguses.”

In the narrow passage, it is hard to get yourself up. There are shoes, clothes and objects of unknown origin and destination everywhere. We exchanged some obvious observations with the drummer, not sparing the evilness - we're friends and we both know that we can afford saying it. It is the perfect antidepressant. There's nothing like a friendly cursing first thing in the morning. Right away we were in an excellent mood.

The first step is finding anything to drink - I always wondered why I was always so thirsty when I woke up on tour - LOL.

Leaving the bus - traditionally, we do not know what place we are at nor the country nor where the entrance to the club is. Well, “the rhythm section” is the reason there are so many jokes about us.

Completely confused, I looked for the backstage. I took a sandwich in one hand and my technician pressed my guitar into my other hand screaming to go on stage to set up. I had the impression that I was in this club before... or it is very similar to one... It's hard to say. It's the 50th day on the road and everything merges into one and there is still a month of touring ahead of us.

There were times that I stood alone on the stage as the sound check was cancelled because someone from the band did not show up or someone decided that it did not make sense to do one.

After a dose of bangs, screams and checks of the monitors, the strength and clarity of mind comes back. Now I can calmly go eat "breakfast," but by now everything has been eaten and I have to wait 2 hours for the dinner. Will have to wait. The best thing in such a situation is to find a shower and you need to do it quickly. Showering on the tour is a great challenge and luxury. I could never understand why, in the clubs that hold several shows per week, there is always problems with the shower (if there is one at all). If I'm lucky there is only one, but if there is only one, there are probably 20 people waiting in line and knowing the realities of the tour – most likely there is no hot water anymore. (F!@#... who makes water tanks for showers for bands?!?!) Oh well, even though it's winter outside, even the ice-cold water is better than smelling like a pig. The tour is no vacation – it's a "war." It happens that there are places without a shower at all, so you are left with a public toilet and you need to hurry to take a "shower" in the sink before they let people into the club, I used to give autographs to fans with one hand and shave with the other.

The free time before the show begins. It is probably the most hated period of time on the tour by the majority of musicians. You can do what you want, but the problem is that there are not too many options. If you're in a nice place, you can walk around or do some sightseeing. It sucks when you know that you're in a nice city, but the downtown is 30km away or so and there is nothing else, but emptiness and some factory buildings around you. In this case a walk around is out of the question and the only thing left is a detailed tour of the club or some completely unproductive occupation.

Over the years of touring I have learned not to waste this time, I'd rather practice on the bass. Maybe I can find a place to do that.

I took my guitar, cables and headphones and I looked for a quiet place to play. I found a cozy and quiet place with a label on the door - "Danger – Do not enter.” I decided that this is the perfect place for me. Inside looked like a nuclear power plant, as for me, it was very good – industrial looking place with a lot of power - I can play here. Unfortunately, after 30 minutes my hair got all electrified and began to spark. At the same time some guy came up and started yelling at me in some unknown language. I didn't want to upset him.

One of the bands is already on the stage, the place is full of people. It is probably time to go and say hello. Tons of familiar faces, tons of stories where they saw us last time, tons of memories, photos and autographs. Such meetings are pleasant and positively affect our morale. It is because of those people that I am here and do what I do. It is them who drive me, who give me the power and motivation. Even when several drunk fans look at me with a great surprise on their faces when I refuse to drink vodka with them - gentlemen, I do not drink before the concert, but after… with pleasure. It's hard to convince them that I always play my shows sober – come on, they say, it's a rock'n'roll concert and he does not drink?!?!

I think it's time to evacuate. Sometimes the friendliness of people may be a little bit tiring and a man on the tour is getting a bit uncivilized. And sometimes it is hard to talk intelligently with normal people, especially if on the bus we use some primitive slogans which sometimes even we do not always understand.

I see that I not only got the idea of walking among the audience, the rest of the guys are standing beside our merchandise, it's a good place to stand and observe... sometimes there is something interesting to look at... Traditionally, we all stand side by side – we call it "break in the heap," I do not know where it came from, but it looks funny, as if we were afraid that someone would beat us.

I guess it's time to go see a new band that joined the tour this morning and is playing now. I hope that they are some nice guys, it's always some variety. They play massively and with passion, the sound is OK and lights are good too... it will be a good show today.

I guess it's time to head backstage, just need to pick our stuff up from the bus. Concert clothing is something that can not be easily described. It is a biological weapon and a living being in one. After a week it is full of salt stains, after 2 weeks it is like a rigid plate, and after 3 it is better to wash it or something bad may happen - for instance, a band-mate on the stage may puke on you because of the stench. There is a special place for it in the bus. It's in the trunk, next to the engine. It's warm in there, and everything is dry. The worst thing that can be, is to put 2 weeks old clothes, damp, smelly and icy... unforgettable experience. There are times where less experienced bands, that are not aware of the tour realities, would dry their cloths between the beds in the bus... for something like this, one could kill someone after a month of touring.

But time is running out - you have to dress up and warm up the fingers before the concert. Again I forgot to take one shoe from the bus, I have to go back - guitarist is shouting that he forgot something too - I will bring him that. 20 minutes left till the show and I am fighting with all my strength not to fall asleep. I was wondering for years why I do not ever have jitters. It turned out that my stage-fright reveals itself as an extreme urge to sleep, haha. I know that as soon as I stand on the stage it will be the death and destruction.

The intro starts playing, it's time to check cables and switches, I get a stupid idea in my head (as usual, moments before going on stage) and I start to sing some awful, stupid stuff to the intro. Then we get the signal to get going - heart begins to beat, blood in veins begins to boil, people start to scream at the sight of us - I know that tonight belongs to us. The first count punched and the machine of destruction starts. You can't compare it with anything else, it is basically a massacre, pure adrenaline, excitement, power, madness, the death, destruction and pathology. 1.5 hours on the stage of total madness. I can see that the crowd is participating in our mystery and it made me even more wound up.

Between the songs people are chanting our name. I'm beating on the bass with the drummer in the rhythm of the screams. We never finish together, but today we somehow managed. I turned around to him and we both started to laugh out loud. I think that we are completely fucked up in our heads, but I like this state.

Sweat pours from me like I fell into a pool. I can not hold the guitar because everything is wet and slippery. The show is already ending, we are leaving the stage. Catching a quick breath, a sip of water and we hear the fans tearing their throats, demanding more. We can not disappoint them, they came here for us. We must crush them with all the force at the end - let people come out totally stunned and hungry the next performance.

Finally, the bow with full respect for the audience, high fives with people close to the stage, but you have to be very careful. Excited people pulled me twice already from the stage, broke my wrist and took what I had on my hands and fingers.

Now to the backstage, cold beer and a cigarette. It's a ritual, a great moment. Blood almost boiling in the veins and I have so much power that I want to scream or smash something. This feeling will last for few hours.

Now you can go to the fans and friends, it looks like it is going to be another long evening. Standing at the bar with a drink I'm talking to many people about today's concert, performances from years ago, about the bands, funny stories, people, music, virtually everything. I like it a lot, contact with people who have respect for you and for what I do. It is something that I have worked for many years and sacrificed everything else.

I guess it's time to go to the bus. Everything is packed and we have to leave soon. The next concert is tomorrow and we have 1000km to drive. After many farewells, assurances that we will play here again, and few extra drinks we can evacuate, but this is not the end. The whole team is quite wound up. We have a new team on the bus and it's only 2 am, we still have plenty of time. On the bus it's all noisy and clamour, as if the entire club came over to us. Guys from the new band want to drink with us and become our friends. We are definitely not stubborn in that regard.

In the "living room" on the lower deck, 2 different concerts are playing on both TVs. Every minute there is a different song playing on the CD player, everyone wants to listen to something else. The “living room” on the upper deck is already full. There go those who prefer to drink strong liquor and there is also some concert and music playing separately. On the lower deck also stay those who prefer beer and the “green gifts of nature.” After some time it no longer matters, we all go up and down, singing, shouting, even "playing" concerts. There is smoke everywhere and out the window there is beautiful night and a panorama of some city. Knowing life, I will see the sunrise again. However, this does not always mean that it is time to go to bed. Sometimes; however, you have to say “STOP.” I've been on the road for over a month and there are still many days before me. Concerts are the most important so you have to keep some power for later. There is no reduced fare for fans, if you play badly they will take it as a lack respect for them. No matter if you have a fever or you are hungover or simply no longer have power, you have to give everything and even more. It is METAL, not some Britney Spears fan club.

We have witnessed a number of bands disband on tours, sometimes we have contributed to that ourselves. Someone cried that he wanted to go home, someone else that he misses his girl, and another that he does not like it anymore, and all this after only 2 weeks of being on the road. Well, gentlemen, we either play metal or deliver milk.

Once, delving into a conversation, we came to a conclusion that we are the right people for the flight to Mars. The bus is a very small space where over 20 people live. Everyone is annoying in their own way, everyone upset with something else - like a space vessel. I remember I used to kill our acoustic engineer because he was picking his nose. I was killing him in my thoughts several times a day, it was a "nice" feeling, haha.

Despite this, we all found our own way of life on the tour. Each of us could be completely isolated from the rest, although in such circumstances, there is no such thing as intimacy. But when the time for a gig comes or a common event, we become one united machine of death and destruction.

It's dawn, time for bed, I wonder where will I wake up tomorrow (today).

The tour is an amazing challenge. It's a very hard work and an unusual adventure and experience. You can't just tell about it because every day brings something different. It is impossible to simply say what it is so extraordinary about it. People for sure, fans for whom I play the music live. Songs that arose in my head, now played at concerts arouse so much excitement and pleasure for me and for others. A concert is a dose of emotion, strength and motivation still to do this and do it better.

Tour is an adventure, a challenge, a test of abilities and strength, the passion that can destroy you or make you someone special. You meet hundreds of new people every day, get to know new places, cities and culture. You learn the world and this is one of the best life experiences. The concept of racism or intolerance becomes completely obsolete when you see how dozens of different nations combine the passion for music at a great festival.

And when I come home after 2, sometimes 3 months of playing, exhausted, emaciated and chaos in my head, I know that I have to go back there again and as soon as possible. This is the essence of my life and I will not stop doing this as long as I can breathe for myself, for you and for the music...

http://www.novy-bass.com/