Mary Bielich
Mary Bielich is a name that has become well known throughout the underground scene the past 10 years. Her most recognizable project was Mythic, a band who's entire existence lasted no more then 2 years. She was also part of Pittburgh punk legends Wormhole. Mary moved from Pittsburgh to Chicago after that and joined such bands as Em Sinfonia(which featured Broken Hope guitarist Brian Griffin) and Novembers Doom. Mary Eventually decided that life in Pittsburgh is what she wanted and came back to us. Since then she has become part of legendary doomster Penance and now the political punk band Behind Enemy Lines. If your unfamiliar with Mary until now, read on and see her side of the story....
INTERVIEW BY JOSH ANXT
How are you enjoying life back here in Pittsburgh?
I'm happy to be back. I've always loved this city and it feels great to be
here again. Pittsburgh is a wonderful place to live if you want maintain a
homestead yet love to travel. I've always felt that Pittsburgh gives its
inhabitants the opportunity to have the best of both worlds, you know? I
also have to admit that it's exciting seeing Black and Gold every where I
look again, you know? Let's go Pens....Here we go Steelers....Yep, I'm still all about the teams, yinz guys.
Why did you decide to move back from Chicago?
Chicago was actually a great place to live. I'd recommend Chicago to anyone looking to relocate to a big city, hands down. You can't beat it as far as big city living goes. I just think that Pittsburgh suits me a little
better, though. Pittsburgh has pretty much everything that I need in a more
confined space, and I love the conveniences that the city offers to people
like me. I've always loved the people here and I think that the local music
scenes are diverse and wonderful. Pittsburgh is a great home base for bands that like to play out of town a lot -- Being within a reasonable driving
distance of cities like NYC, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, DC, Toronto,
Baltimore and Buffalo gives the bands here the opportunity to easily move
their music about this part of the country. At times I think it was worth
moving back if nothing more than to get to see bands like Submachine,
Motorpsychos, Selina Catalina, Crooked Grind, Modey Lemon, Aphasia, Zombie, The Johnsons Big Band and Microwaves (among many others) on a regular basis!
Are you still involved with Martyr music/ Hammerheart America? What do you do with them if so?
Penance is on Martyr Music group and Maria is my good friend, so yes, I'm still involved with Martyr in lots of ways. I did help out with sales at
Hammerheart when there was a US office, but that was quite some time ago now. My time with Hammerheart was brief and I no longer have anything to do with them.
I wanted to know if you could answer something about a release that label put out. I recently went in search of the Ravenous-Assembled in Blasphemy disc which is on Martyr/Hammerheart. All I could find was some bullshit version of it with a black cover instead of Paul Booth's original cover which is now in the inside dish. It upset me and I'm sure many others that we have to settle on this substandard issue. Why the compromise on the art?
I wasn't there for the release of that CD, but my guess would be that it
probably had something to do with distribution. I don't know if someone
complained about the cover art or not, but it may have been a decision that
was made to ensure more distribution / accessibility to people on the
release. I DO know that Hammerheart did offer the original version (It was a digi-pack) as an import for people who wanted to own it with that cover art. You may want to check and see if they still have it. I know that a few of
our local stores had copies of it a while back...
Since your return to our city, you have joined doom legends Penance. Recently you lost a member. Who has left and why? Also, how much will this hold Penance back?
Terry Weston is not longer with the band. Of course he will be missed by
everyone (INCREDIBLY, I might add), but we all respect and understand his decision to move on and do other things. We are in the process of finishing up a new record (some of Terry's work will be on that release, actually) and we're REALLY happy with the results so far, so we have no plans on slowing down just yet, even with the loss of such a key member.
In addition to the doom legends, you and Matt have recently joined up with the political D.I.Y. band Behind Enemy Lines who are also somewhat a legend due to certain members previous bands like Aus-Rotten and the Pist. Its good to see you back in your punk roots. How is that going for you?
Why, thank you very much, Mr. Josh! I'm having a really great time playing
with them. I've always been a fan of their other bands and I'm psyched to be playing alongside of them, to be honest with you. I've loved punk rock music since I was a kid and had some of my best days playing in punk bands, so it feels damned good to be back. I consider myself lucky to be doing it again...especially with such an inspired group of people.
Are you as political as the rest of the band? I mean, Dave as we all know, is a political madman. Are you on the same level of thinking on this as him?
I would say that Dave and I are certainly on the same level of thinking in
MANY ways. I believe that political and social beliefs should never be
compromised under any circumstance, and I don't think I could be in a band with such an outspoken personality if I didn't agree with what he says.
Dave's a person who knows what he believes in, why he believes in it, and
certainly makes no bones about for what it is that he stands. I have total
respect for the guy.
Why does Behind Enemy Lines, past and present, have the need for so many damn people with the name Matt? haha!
It's for those of us in the band who are bad with names. Having multiple
Matts puts less pressure on the rest of us when we have to address each other by name.
Favorite B.E.L. song from the album and why? Personally I love Why Does She Stay? and Setting Things Right Again because its got that little blast beat to cure the metal madman in me.
I have to say that my favorite song from the LP is "BEHIND ENEMY LINES." It was the first song that I ever heard by the band, and it blew me away upon the first listen. You know, it still blows me away -- When I put that record on and that first chord hits, I smile and think to myself, "DAMN, that's intense!"
For those who are trapped under a rock, you were part of the classic death metal act Mythic. That band was around for a very short time. Barely more then a year I believe, and that was over 10 years ago. Why do you think there's still a huge interest in this band that only officially released a 3 song disc on Relapse and was together such a short time?
Man - Your guess is as good as mine. I wasn't aware that many people (aside of those who were into that kind of underground music in the early 90's) were familiar with that band. If there has been some sort of resurgence in interest, I can only assume that it's due to that "metal cycle" that comes full circle about every 6 or 7 years. You know -- Periods of time pass and, seemingly from out of nowhere, a lot of new metal fans surface and actually make the effort to research the older acts from before their time.
Have you spoke to Terri or Dana from Mythic in recent years?
Terry, yes. Dana, nope.
Dana Duffey is selling Mythic merchandise on the Demonic Christ website. I thought that was funny since up until a few years back she wouldn't even respond to questions about Mythic. Not that its any of our business, but has she given you your cut for this stuff or pocketed it all?
That is funny, Josh. Whatever she's been doing for the past decade has been a mystery to me -- and no, she hasn't offered anything to either of us.
I found an interview with Dana where she said in her words, not mine, that if she could change one thing about planet earth it would be to "get rid of all the niggers and spics". This statement shocked me since I am totally non-racist and I am not only a Mythic fan, but a Demonic Christ fan too. Was she that type of person when you were involved with her?
I haven't been in contact with her for at least 10 years, so I wouldn't even
attempt to try to guess what that comment means . She wasn't like that when I knew her years ago. I guess a lot can change over a decade --
Unfortunately, sometimes things don't always change for the better.
Do you have any interest in playing some death metal stuff again? Why or why not?
Not at all. I'm perfectly happy right where I am. I'll leave the death
metal to those who do it well and with gusto!
We talked last night about how its great you and I know each other because of the fact that I can go to a full on metal show like Arch Enemy and see you, then the next night be at Mr. Roboto and see you again at a punk show. In addition to underground forms of music, I also like a ton of other stuff like jazz, oldies, folk, etc. What other forms of non underground music do you like?
Josh, we are birds of a feather. I love lot of underground and
non-underground genres of music: jazz, oldschool rock-and-roll (oldies!),
rockabilly, punk, psychobilly, mod, soul, garage, big band, swing, "classic" rock.. I'm actually not too well versed in the realm of popular music, so I'd say I like a little bit of everything except most of the overblown "pop"
stuff.
For a while you were involved with Em Sinfonia, which is led by Broken Hope guitarist Brian Griffin. How did you hook up with him and why did you leave?
Novembers Doom did quite a bit of recording with Brian in the past, so we had already formed a nice relationship with him when he asked Paul and I to play in his band, Em Sinfonia. As time went on, Brian wanted to invest a lot more time into Em Sin and it got to the point where Paul and I just couldn't offer the time necessary to participate in ND and Em Sin at once. Brian eventually found other members that had the proper time and attention to give to that band, which was most fair to the project.
Same question but take out 'Em Sinfonia' and put in 'Novembers Doom'? I know Novembers Doom was getting quite big for a while, it must have been hard to leave a band on that level.
I had such a great time playing in Novembers Doom. To this day, they are
still some of my closest friends. The only reason why I left the band was
because I decided to move back to Pittsburgh. Had I not moved, I would have remained in ND. Man....The members of that band are talented as hell, and I hope they get the recognition that they deserve.
Am I crazy or are you still playing that same old white bass you used with Mythic a decade ago? If so, is that gonna be your weapon of choice for years to come?
HA HA! Josh! Yep, I will hold on to that bass forever! I do have another
5-string (a Dean) that I'm going to record with on some upcoming releases. I love my old ESP Jazz copy, but since it's 14 years old now and technology has come a long way since that 5-string first hit the market, I think it may be time to finally look into buying that Fender Jazz Plus 5 that I've had my eye on for years. :)
Do you like black metal at all and if so which bands?
Celtic Frost and Venom are great, classic black metal bands. I'm very
unfamiliar with the black metal bands of the 90's - '03. I think that most
of the popular black metal trickled into the genre after my time.
What are some of your favorite all time classic albums, underground and other?
Tough question...How about if I name some of the records that accompany me on my road trips as of late, okay? Here goes: Bobby Darin / As Long as I'm Singing, New York Dolls / S.T., Sex Pistols / Never Mind the Bollocks, Macabre / Gloom, IRON CITY PUNK 1 / Pittsburgh punk compilation, Dixie Witch / Into the Sun, anything from the 60's and 70's by THE WHO, Melvins/ OZMA and Houdini, The Beatles / Revolver and Rubber Soul, Half Life / Never Give In, AC/DC / High Voltage, Toy Dolls / Fat Bob's Feet, Wakey Wakey and Absurd-dities, Trouble / The Skull and S.T., High on Fire / Art of Self Defense and Surrounded by Thieves, Submachine / Live Fast, Die Dumb. I'll have to stop here, or this may go on for pages...
Any favorite movies?
Oh no...This one's just as tough... Hmmmm..... Okay, let me try some here:
Anything from Wes Anderson, anything from the Coen brothers, A CHRISTMAS STORY ("I like the Wizard of Oz, I like the Tin Man!"), all movies from John Hughes, and anything from Tim Burton. I love a lot of films, but I've actually been more of a Spongebob Squarepants kind of gal these days.
Lets stick with favorites. Favorite beer?
Domestic -- Straub and Stoneys!
Imported -- Tennants!
What are YOUR favorites, Josh? Inquiring minds want to know! (Don't give me that crap that you're not the one getting interviewed here, either! HA HA!)
Mary, I dont drink, but if you can roll it in a paper I will smoke it!
Is it true you've been in 35-40 bands in your life? How can that be? That's a ton of projects!
As silly as it sounds, yes, it's true... But a number of those bands were bands that I filled in for on a few gigs / tours at the very last minute because their bass player was sick / had quit / was out of town. So some of those bands I was in for about a weekend and no more. Please also keep in mind that that list covers a span of about 18 years, so it sort of makes a little more sense when you put it in that perspective.
First thing you think when I say Derketa?
I think of Terri and Sharon, and I think of my awesome Derketa 7"s (Seraphic Decay Records) -- I have one on purple vinyl and one on splatter vinyl -- which is still one of my favorite 7" releases to this day.
What the hell does Derketa mean anyway? lol
Why, Derketa was a (Stygian) mythological character -- She was the goddess of death of a blood drinking cult, Josh!
Any last words of wisdom?
Yes sir! Ahem. Always remember that there are 3 sides to every story (Person #1's side, Person #2's side, and the truth), and BY NO MEANS should you believe everything that you read on the Internet! That being said, be safe and take good care, everyone! To quote the movie 16 Candles, "It's really human of you to listen to my bullshit." Thanks for everything, Josh....I'll see you at Roboto! Ha ha!
www.penancemusic.com
www.martyrmusicgroup.com
Return to Interviews