(From Ian C. Stewart's AUTOreverse Independent Music Magazine, Issue 12, Spring 2001)
YOU CAN'T DANCE TO PBK
Interview subject: Eric B.
Age: 25
Appearance: Young, white male, blonde hair in a crew cut. Slender build, lots of scars on his face and arms. Blue eyes.
Pertinent Information: Eric was participating in "Stout Street" work release program. For a short time the factory I work at employed people from this program. He was serving 6 years for felony menacing.
Musical Tastes: "Oldies, 50's & 60's classic rock, anything really, I like some country... heavy metal..."
Subject was exposed to a few minutes off of the first side of Die Brucke by PBK. He listened with wide, somewhat frightened looking eyes, a look that remained throughout the interview.
Describe what you've just heard. "Like thunder, and maybe subconscious... subconscious type music."
How did you feel listening to this music? "Yeah, kinda anxiety. Anxiety and nervousness."
What do you think the person who created this music intended? "Anger."
Is it music? "Doesn't really sound like it. Doesn't sound like music."
What's the difference between this and music? "Music has like a beat to it, this... doesn't seem to have a beat. Honestly, actually it kinda makes me feel like uncomfortable kinda. No offense or anything, I don't mind being around it, it's just that, just it's kinda like..." (long pause)
You're uncomfortable because you've never heard anything like this before? Maybe. I've never... I mean, I've listened to some wicked... I've listened to, like, Slayer and stuff, but this kinda seems like it's putting a message into your head or something."
How would it do that? This music doesn't have words. "Subconsciously. With... um... um... subliminal messages. Is... is it sending subliminal messages?"
Um, I really don't think so. It isn't? Hmm..."
Afterwards, Eric asked me if I was "into Satanism", which I answered "no" to, but I got the impression he really didn't believe me. He pretty much avoided me for the next few days, and then he was transferred out of my place of employ for being scary and weird to one of our female employees. I later heard that he'd escaped prison and hadn't been found.
