Hi! This is Myk Jung, vox of Testify, answering your questions:

Tell us a little bit about the history of Testify?

Testify was founded in late 1992, as answer to the fluffy band we had before, the name of which is lost in total oblivion - Right from the start Testify was being planned as something vulgar, stinking, rotten. I think we managed that, at least. First releases we had in 1993, nowadays all in all two full-lentgth-works, one Mini-album - the last of these releases was the MMMYAOOOO-Album, brought into the world by Van Richterwwwwwww

How did you meet up with Van Richter?

Van Richter licenced the old Testify-material in early 1994; since then we are comrades in insanity.

Has the union with VR been good for the band to this point?

Van Richter seems to be quite enthusiastic about Testify and does good work for them, which is astonishing since all Testify'lers are beneft of all reason and wits, nobody else seems to be willing to give them a chance; so the other labels seem to be less insane than Van Richter - not to work with idiots like Testify...

What do you find appealing about the smaller labels, such as VR?

There is a more personal contact between label and artists, if you are on a small label - the result of which is for example that Testify and VR are insulting each other all the time...

How do you feel the web presence of VR and the band have been beneficial?

Of course it has, in these modern times of computerized constructs

Do you think in any way it has been a detriment?

Are there any detriments in the phenomenon of web presence? Hmm - Probably there are some, but I just don't figure out which they might be

Describe a little bit of what was involved in putting together your newest offering?

Do you refer to our latest album MMMYAOOOO? Or are there any other even newer offerings? What was involved? Testify's sick attitude to the world of human beings, which is even more sick, was involved; a lot of concentration boring work; the help of Adam Grossman of Skrew, the hate between the Testify members - all that was involved.

What was most aggravating about the process?

That it took so damned long, to put this weird shit together

Are you pleased with the final results, or are there some major changes that you wish you could make?

I am still very pleased about the results; I only wish for the next records to leave me that complacent as well...

What was the general state of affairs in the industrial scene when you got into that kind of music?

When Testify entered the scene some milestones of Industrial creation had not even been released, like Psalm 69 of that band the name of which I can't recall for the moment being.

What attracted you to the industrial scene?

This is the scene of the Scream For Relief; and that's what Testify is all about

What are some of the icons in the scene that you looked up to then? Now?

Definitely not The Fair Sex(joke) Now we look up to Nice Gods Bleed, harr, which is still an unknown phenomenon in the States

Can you remember the first song you ever put together?

Yeah. That one was the title entitled "Testify 01", the very first Testify- construct, which the title of the title already may express, and "Testify 01" is the last title our first full-length-thing - and this was a kind of sentence of repetitions - cool, eh?!

What type of progression and maturing musically have you gone through over the years?

The guitars have grown thicker; the lyrics have grown more sick.

How do you feel about the progression and diversification of the industrial scene over the years?

We don't observe the progression of the Industrial Scene; which is probably the reason for our being that obsolete. Perhaps we should change that; but I am not totally sure about that.

How do you think the blending of industrial with metal has benefited both scenes?

It has benefited the metal scene. Because it was finally something that brought fresh air into something dusted, idiotically bound to standards... And I think it has benefited the Industrial scene, because finally the Industrialers learned how to record guitars.

What do you think has been lost over the years?

All those centuries since "Satisfaction" there has been the loss of original ideas - the not robbed wrath-ideas - All is so foresee-able, totally boring. Including Testify, of course, which is the peak of all foresee-ableness. Weird shizers they are, to be honest.

Where do you hope to see the scene going, and where do you really feel it is headed?

Let's go on with Marylin Manson; and not switch back to Eightes-Metal - that would be my personal wish - hope it won't be the other way

Does it bother you that the popular scene in North America is reluctant to support heavy music, and even less willing to support the industrial scene? Why do you feel this is case given that industrial music does relatively well and there are many big names coming from North America?

I don't bother to think about why people might refuse Industrial - it would only drive me mad thinking about it. For it's better than anything, this Industrial crap - did I mention that?

Well thank for very much, Neil St. Laurent, Tracks Of Creation, for your interest greetings Myk

TESTIFY PAGE | NEXT INTERVIEW