Surf Enthusiast and BitchBoys Fan
David Yanez interviews Robi Biloderic
November 2004

 

David Yanez (DY): Ok, here’s a warm up question, how and why did The Bitch Boys start?
Robi Biloderic (RB): It was like in a fairy tale ha ha—I stopped playing with The Lollypops & The Greasebillies (A Rockabilly band) and Dado whom I knew from another band—The Starrebeles, wanted to learn a few chords and melodie…he played drums and that was something really fresh for him—so we did it! At first he played chords and I was on lead guitar…and what else is more appropriate than surf???

DY: How and when were you guys exposed to the wonderful sound of SURF?
RB: I was familiar with surf ever since I started to listen rock and roll and all its sub genres…it was long ago…but really hadn't thought I’d be playing it some day. I had a dream of singing in a doo wop group—well I am still dreaming!!

 

DY: Who influenced you to play surf, and any favorite modern surfbands?
RB: Like I mentioned—it was a strange coincidence—Dado and me and guitar lessons…and than Murki came to my work and mentioned that they were composing some surf tunes in their punk band (Virus)…he joined the two of us and later brought his drummer, and BitchBoys were born!! My favorite modern surf bands are Bambi Molesters, Satan's Pilgrims and Space Cossacks.

DY: Why SURF music? Is it the REVERB?
RB: We love it and I believe we know how to do it! And yes—Reverb—that strange deep "tunnel" sound is really some kind of magic and I am definitely reverb-delay addict.

DY: What other genres influenced you guys?
RB: They say we're influenced by rockabilly and ska, but I don't buy that. We also like other kinds of music and sometimes we compose such songs…I wouldn't say they are influences. I love teen and doo wop and sometimes write a nice teeny-weeny ballad and hope people would play it.

DY: How would you describe the BITCHBOYS sound?
RB: Fast and furious ha ha… just kidding …or maybe not? Powerful rhythm section and tons of reverb and delay on lead!!

 

DY: What kind of gear do you guys use? Mostly fender?
RB: No, mostly non-fender, first because we haven't sold enough to buy jazzmasters ha ha, and on the other hand because we love the sound we have with our "strange" guitars. I LOVE RARE & UNKNOWN GUITARS!! And so do the rest of us. Well to be honest, each of us has at least one or two of fender guitars (I have a Jaguar), but maybe The BitchBoys sound is provided with non-fender gear. But I must also say, when it comes to reverb—fender reverb tank is the one!! There's no doubt about that!!

 

DY: What’s the music scene like in Slovenia?
RB: I'd say the same as 99% of the world—MTV is No 1 ha ha… we're underground together with the rest of rock and rock & roll bands. But I must stress that the scene is getting better and better!

DY: Are you guys big in Europe, America or just in the Surf underground around the world?
RB: No ha ha, but we are definitely more popular and respected in the rest of the world than in Slovenia! But still like I said, the scene is improving and we started the surf culture in Slovenia and more and more people are aware of that plus some really cool new bands have surfed on the scene—The Bananas and The Tubestone!

 

 

DY: Is there a difference between American surf and European surf?
RB: I was just asking a nice friend of mine from the group (can't remember, will late you know!!) about a difference between east and west coast surf. If there is a difference (at least I can hear it) I'd say we are more west coast oriented…I don't really think that there is a "European" surf style unless we are talking about neo-Shadows sounding bands which I don't consider surf. I believe every band has some magic inside, different visions on arrangements, different approaches…each (surf) band is unique and I don’t really think that anybody can say where some band is from and which style they play unless it has something to do with some national cover song but again, we covered a Bosnian song on our last album, but we are not from Bosnia…but again it we might be influenced by that ha ha.

DY: Ok I love the BitchBoys but what’s with the name, do you dislike the Beach Boys?
RB: No, that wasn't the point. I actually have all their first releases and like their really early rare work (also under the other name, which I can not remember at the moment, but they recorded the song Barbie which I really like and has nothing to do with their later work!!) The suggested name sounded cool and naughty and we agreed to be seen under that name!!

DY: Do you or have you guys actually surfed?
RB: No, our bass player had a chance 2 years ago in France but they didn't allow him because of the big waves…

DY: Lets talk about the albums, the first “In Heat” was a bunch of original material that was highly praised by surf listeners everywhere. The next album “BitchBoys Present: Behind The Hound Dog Walls” was mostly a cover cd. And now the new album ”Ride the First Wave" (which I love) is another mostly cover album. Do you guys enjoy covering songs, giving them that BbitchBoys twist more than writing original material?
RB: Well a lot of people asked us about that, but if they knew the reason for it everything would be clear. We have a plan to release more albums with our originals—definitely—but always something appears and we need to prepare for some other project! We recorded Hound Dog CD just for fun—to have those songs for THE Bitch music archives… however many people suggested we need to release it officially so we did!! Mel Spinella liked it also and invited us to record something similar for GOLLY GEE RECORDS with carefully chosen first wave and rather rare and obscure surf songs! To all of our listeners: WE WILL RECORD A NEW ALBUM WITH MOSTLY ORIGINAL SONGS SOON…unless something new appears.

 

DY: Which covers are you guys most proud of?
RB: I'd say all ha ha—each has something new that we put into the song. But if you really want to ask me about my top 3: Snowman, Not So Quiet, Tamburalo momce uz tamburu. The thing is we received such nice reactions and written responses for the first two…I really think those are really marvelous and almost "angelic" surf delights.

DY: What do you enjoy most about writing and arranging music?
RB: To see and hear that idea on a record!

DY: What other bands have you guys played with? Good friends with any other modern surf bands?
RB: We played with many, but as my memory is not the best I definitely remember Slacktone, Bambi Molesters, Lost Acapulco. Well I thought we would have became good friends with the Bambis since we live relatively close but it turned that we are friends with all of them- we definitely can’t go for a beer every weekend but we communicate via e-mail or even phone! I would love to go for a beer and a gig with The Nebulas!!

DY: What are your daytime jobs and hobbies?
RB: I am a high-school teacher, Murki is kindergarten teacher, Markan is specialist for the female gender (he is a M.O.C.—Master of Clitoris), and Dado repairs small machines.

 

 

DY: Since you guys like music from the past what do you guys think of music of the future?
RB: As I see it we will have two big blocks- the "old schoolers" which play classic instruments, amps, live performance and the others who will only need a big computer to make, perform and present music!

 

DY: Are you satisfied with your music?
RB: Yes, remembering all the nerves in studio…

DY: What are your favorite films? Spaghetti Westerns? Spy films?
RB: I love old Yugoslav comedies, mob movies (Godfather, A Bronx Tale) and new European delights Taxi, Snatch,…

DY: And last but not least any plans to tour or move to America? Just curious.
RB: Ha ha—if all of you who have been asking us about that had donated 5 bucks, we would be able to buy us 1st class tickets….but now we only can wait for someone to invite us…

 

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