With a new EP under their belts, Sacred Life is trying to overwhelm the Netherlands with their catchy melodic punk rock these last few months. One concerts follow after the other and sales are brisk. The brothers Lucas and Helmert Reinds are more than willing to tell their tales, with tongues firmly planted in their cheeks. Read the unsalted story of men in scary suits, letters containing bullets and the tour with MxPx...

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You've got a new EP. What do you think of The Evil And Insane Asbest Man?

Lucas: Well, in any case it's much better than last time, especially production wise it's much better. Songs are constructed much better. We are quite satisfied.

Helmert: Yeah, I think it's the best CD Sacred Life ever made!

Yeah, with only two CD's that's easy to say! You recorded the disc in Utrecht in the Mailmen Studio with Martijn Groeneveld. How was that experience?

Lucas: Yeah, it was great especially because Martijn knows very well what he does since he has experience recording with other bands. Yeah, it was just relaxed to have a whole week which was more time we had compared to last time. I'm not sure if you know the studio of Martijn but it's absolutely relaxing to be working there. Really great. And very cosy as well. Great guy.

How's the feedback to the EP so far?

Lucas: Positive. People heard the first EP and had their own thoughts about it. Most of them think this one's better. There are a few negative responses in the same line and it's there that we want to do our best a little more next time. Overall people are surprised. So, great!

And what are the negative responses like? What should I imagine about it?

Lucas: Last time there were no lyrics in the booklet so people couldn't find out through the booklet we're a Christian band, so to speak. Now we realize that some reviewers simply put this in the dustbin just because the lyrics are there and they find out it's Christian. That's one thing. And besides that there are some minor mistakes production wise. Some parts of the vocals could've been better. I as the lead singer can do something about it. On some parts we could've done the production of the drums differently. But that's not really disastrous or anything like that.

You were already talking about the booklet. The booklet contains a so called comic strip. How did you come up with that idea?

Lucas: We were thinking what kind of artwork we would attach to the new CD. Because it's great to put down something that you could use for the website too, as well as the promotion and the other stuff we release. Near my school building and near our home they're quite busy building and pulling down houses. There were men walking around in quite scary suits with masks over their heads. They were walking around all day. And I was wondering what was really happening. They said some asbest (certain material containing cancerous fibers) was found. But we really had the idea there was much more behind it than we could think of as human beings. That's why we started doing investigation. And then we made some remarkable discoveries that we wanted to share with you in our first comic strip.

Thrilling adventures!

Lucas: Yes, very thrilling.

I hear all kinds of noises on the background on your side of the telephone line as if someone's breaking down a house, or am I wrong?

Lucas: No, that's Helmert who's...

...bored!

Lucas: ...it's true that the line's tapped. Because we made all these discoveries. So, we've got to have our own methods to come across to you.

Do you get letters containing bullets?

Lucas: No, though we do get a letter every once in a while. Because we're not at home, and then we are supposed to collect the bullets at the post office. Because, when no one's at home the package doesn't fit into the letter-box and then you get a notice saying you can pick it up at the post office. But then we simply don't go there.

So, when it doesn't fit into the letter-box, the package doesn't contain bullets but shells, I reckon!

Lucas: Yes! We didn't dare to look so far. We'd rather stay away from the post office. Then it should be alright.

When I look at the comic strip, I get the impression you've been doing this before, because I think you've made it, Lucas?

Lucas: Yes, right! I draw a lot. We also do a lot of artwork for other bands and music related stuff.

Different subject now. You did a small tour with The Almighty Kingpin. Was it a good experience?

Helmert: Yes, definitely. They are great guys to be with. It was fun.

It's also ideal to get feedback from the fans. How was it in this respect?

Helmert: How do you mean?

Well, the response from the fans. You get the first experience with playing the new songs to the crowd.

Helmert: Oh, that's what you mean! Well, they thought we've progressed a lot as it comes to playing tight. They said it was much more tight. On previous occasions we also got a lot of broken strings. But that doesn't happen as much anymore.

Lucas: Practically never. It's going much more tight. Half of the CD we've been playing live before, the other half was entirely new. We've been concentrating more on the show before and it was bad for the tightness of the playing but that's much better now. And, of course, that's great to hear because it's important.

You sometimes hear of bands touring they get to know each other much better, also in a negative perspective. I was wondering, is there still a chemistry between you?

Lucas: Uh, yes. We did happen to have a freak in Amsterdam one time who kicked a dent into the bus. And then Gijs, who is the singer for Kingpin, was so chagrined as he had to arrange it all with the guy who was hiring the busses to us, that we preferred staying away from him. But then we could comfort him and we're still in touch.

So, the next comic strip is about this?

Lucas: Well, yes, maybe it has to do with it that this guy wanted to threaten us. I'm not sure. We're still trying to find out.

The asbest manufacturer...

Lucas: Yeah, something like that (laughs).

I read on your website that the show in Barneveld was an acoustic one. What is such a show like, Sacred Life unplugged?

Helmert: Well, then we play the same songs. Then Lucas and Willem both play acoustic guitar while I stick to drums. We don't play the faster songs. And the less fast songs we do.

Lucas: Or we play the fast songs a little bit slower.

And do you do other things around the show as you've probably more contact with the audience?

Helmert: Yes, Lucas makes lots of jokes and it's always a great time.

Lucas: It's really great because we had tapes from The Crutch, I'm not sure if you know that band?

I do.

Lucas: We saw a lot of people wearing The Spirit That Guides Us long sleeves and Minco who's the drummer for TSTGU, had given us a lot of these cassettes to sell. We gave them away. Thus you've got an entirely different evening than we would've gotten with a normal set.

Okay. To promote the EP you're doing a lot of shows. And now I'll start thinking really big. Suppose you've got the chance to do an American tour with MxPx, or, a European tour with The Spirit That Guides Us, what would you choose?

Helmert: An American tour with MxPx?

Or a European tour with The Spirit?

Helmert: I think the first one.

Lucas: A tour with MxPx.

Explain!

Lucas: The Spirit That Guides Us is a different style. Even though they are great friends. But they make an entirely different kind of music so I don't think that'll be easy to combine. Then you'll get a different kind of audience. And MxPx is in our style...

...a dream?

Lucas: It's not that we're all such fans of MxPx. But MxPx does do very well and I'm definitely interested in their next album. If we had the chance to promote it, we've made it, so to speak. That's just completely different.

We're at the start of 2003. What may we expect from Sacred Life this year?

Lucas: There will be a reprint of the new CD. That's the new of last week. The CD just sells very well. When I look behind me I see there are only a few CD's left. Well, there are quite some though, but they sold so fast these past few months that we think a reprint is necessary. Also because our distribution in the Benelux is arranged through Sonic Rendezvous we expect that it will be much better. With the reprint we also want to look for a label more specifically.

Finally I have one question left. You're selling shirts with the logo of the band printed on it. Will there be other designs as well like shirts with the cover of the new CD on it?

Lucas: Yes.

Helmert: That is being worked upon. Lucas is working hard on ideas. This week the first ideas have been considered and some of them are really interesting. Now the reprint of the CD is coming up, we have to postpone it because there's no money.

Lucas: As we've decided in our last meeting, there will be new shirts in time for the summer festivals and perhaps some other surprises as well. But you'll see that!

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