Interviews: Burker

We have had the opportunity to interview the Death Metal band Burker from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or come out just like that?

Matt: We had been trying to come up with a great band name for a couple of weeks, scouring medical dictionaries, looking up medieval torture devices, and different terminology for the process of decay. Everything was taken. Even really obscure and disgusting medical conditions...taken. So Jameson jokingly suggested putting our last names together, and one day out of boredom, I threw our names into a word scrambler. Burker was one of the words that came up, so I looked up the meaning and it meant "to kill by strangulation so as to leave little evidence behind, or to conceal". And I thought, "that's kinda metal". So I told Jameson and we agreed to call it that.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Jameson: We all share a love for this type of music. When I was a little kid I found Metallica's Ride The Lightning tape in my dad's truck. When I listen to it it completely changed my life. I have been addicted to the metal genre ever since. The more heavy and brutal the better for me.

Matt: Ryan and I grew up playing metal together in various bands.

Ryan: One of my favorite styles. Gets aggression out in a really productive way.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Jameson: Matt and myself are both coworkers in a welding shop. We knew each other for a year or better before we had the idea to start a band.

Matt: Right, and obviously Ryan and I are brothers.

Ryan: No.

4. Each band member favourite band?

Jameson: Pantera.

Matt: Black Sabbath.

Ryan: Depends on the genre and when you ask. I have been really into Infant Annihilator lately.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Jameson: I guess from wanting to be in a band since I was young. It's hard to answer that because of the type of music we write. It's a release for me, and a good way to realize anger and stress.

Matt: I've always been artistic, and I first picked up the guitar at ten years old, so I've gravitated toward music since then. Playing with various bands and other musicians over the years has always been very inspiring for me. Most of what I know about music, I picked up from people I've played with.

6. Where was your last gig?

Jameson: We haven't played live yet.

Matt: For the time being, we're purely a studio band. We'd love to get to a point where we are playing shows, but currently we're just enjoying writing and recording singles to release every couple of months.

7. Where would you like to act?

Jameson: Somewhere on a stage with a lot of people to witness.

Ryan: Europe Gyro.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Jameson: Phill Anselmo would be really cool.

Matt: Being featured along side any of our heroes in the genre has always been the dream. Really, though, it would be nice to make friends with other bands on a local level and support each other in the scene.

9. Whom not?

Jameson: Five Finger Death Punch.

Matt: Haha, yeah...

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Jameson: I suffer from stage fright and have never played live before so I'll let you know how it goes when I get there.

Matt: I use to suffer from it big time. For me, I just had to keep playing lots of shows. It also helps when you play for bigger crowds, believe it or not. Between not being able to focus on individuals as much and the adrenaline from playing to a bigger crowd, it's somehow easier.

Ryan: Yes. You just have to get over the fact that mistakes happen. The more you get up there and do it, the less pressure you feel.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Jameson: Dying fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Hate, Vader, Obituary, and the list goes.

Matt: Black Sabbath, High on Fire, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Mastodon, etc.

Ryan: Today is the Day, Crowbar, Down.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Jameson: We don't have too many fans yet.

Matt: In one of my older bands, we had some people ask for our autographs before. I was like, "We're not famous, we suck"! But I obliged, anyhow. It was pretty cool that at least some people were into what we were doing.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Jameson: What fans we do have, I love them to death! The positive feedback that we get from them is what keeps us going.

Matt: Definitely. It doesn't matter if we have ten fans or a thousand. If our music resonates with anyone, we're doing something right.

14. What do you think of our site?

Jameson: I love the site I think it's fantastic.

Matt: Agreed. You guys are great!

15. Something to add?

Jameson: Check out our music and please leave feedback whether you like it or don't like it. Follow us on our social media's and thank you very much for this opportunity!

Matt: Yes, thank you very much for the interview!