As a long time member of Melbourne’s punk and grind scene and having played in bands such as Agents of Abhorrence, Internal Rot and new project Faceless Burial, it makes sense that Max Kohane a.k.a. Crumbs has titled his latest release Vomiting Human Remains. Only the new EP sounds nothing like the aforementioned bands. His last album as Crumbs was named after a hanging pot plant. There's beats here, sure, but definitley not of the blast beat variety.As Crumbs, Kohane arms himself with an MPC2500, a SP404, Tascam CD drive, and a laptop with Logic (and maybe a small shrine to Dilla) and creates delightful and playful tracks such as “Big Love” and “Crack Your Teeth With a Stick” that we are premiering below.Available for free download, Vomiting Human Remains can also be purchased for a name-your-price deal where all proceeds will go to Be Part of the Healing, a campaign that supports community-driven solutions to end indigenous self-harm and youth suicide.We had a chat to Max about the new record and his current beats.Noisey: Vomiting Human Remains sounds more suited to some of your other grindcore projects. Where did the name spring from?
Max Kohane: I’ve always liked the titles, themes, and art of metal and grindcore records. Not that it has anything to do with my solo stuff. But generally speaking, it’s a lot more fun and interesting for me. Abbreviated, it could end up as Very Huggable Rainbow if one felt repelled by the visuals of regurgitating a corpse.Internal Rot and Agents still play the occasional show and you have a new project Faceless Burial but what has been going on with Crumbs? This is your first release since Maidenhair.
It’s been fairly quiet for me output-wise. Generally I’m always sitting on a large amount of unreleased loops, beats, drums, and random sounds. Culling them or finding a home for them is the tough part.You are putting it yourself. Was it going to be on a label?
Initially This Thing and Polyester were scheduled to release it as a seven-inch. It got as far as test pressings but there were a few holdups from my end and eventually it got shelved. New things became old.Are you planning on playing more live shows at Crumbs?
Maybe a few. It tends to be a fairly boring experience for everyone involved unless the place is well equipped with a good PA and a dark room though.I know you are a big fan of rap. Who is floating your boat at the moment?
Definitely. New stuff coming from Roc Marciano, KA, $am Hill, Action Bronson, Ill Bill, Your Old Droog, Tragedy Khadafi, Sean Price, Freddie Gibbs, Gangrene, Strong Arm Steady.What about production wise? Was there anyone you were listening to around the time of making Vomiting Human Remains?
I’ve always incorporated my own drums into my music. But I thought the way Karriem Riggins did it on his record was particularly well done and balanced. I had probably finished most of V.H.M before his record came out but it gave me confidence to keep doing it. I also listen to what the people around me are doing—Dylan Michel/Wooshie, Galapagoose, Electric Sea Spider, Skomes, and Silent Jay.The record was mastered by Mikey Young who you credit as “the greatest man alive." Are you and Mikey still doing stuff together? Will there be another Brian Children record?
Yeah we are always meddling with each other's music. Sending rough demos back and forth. Maybe one day something will click and about 10 LPs worth of our crud will come out. I’ll find a way to tarnish his solid reputation.Until recently, North Carlton has been your home for most of your life. The area has changed a lot in that time but how does it feel now to have lost this space and place?
Yes. Most of my life and connected to my family since the 1920s. It’s definitely a bit strange—the heart has its own memory. It does get a bit tiresome hearing complaints about the gentrification of our inner cities. Our energy is best spent on other things and let the place be what it wants. I’ll miss what it was though, for sure.All proceeds from the EP will go to three charities that help with Aboriginal youth. Why did you choose these particular charities?
The idea came to me on Australia Day. I thought it could be more helpful then preaching to the choir around me about this regressive and tactless day of celebration. My EP is free to anyone, but If someone felt obliged to pay for the music I thought it should go somewhere positive.
Advertisement
Max Kohane: I’ve always liked the titles, themes, and art of metal and grindcore records. Not that it has anything to do with my solo stuff. But generally speaking, it’s a lot more fun and interesting for me. Abbreviated, it could end up as Very Huggable Rainbow if one felt repelled by the visuals of regurgitating a corpse.Internal Rot and Agents still play the occasional show and you have a new project Faceless Burial but what has been going on with Crumbs? This is your first release since Maidenhair.
It’s been fairly quiet for me output-wise. Generally I’m always sitting on a large amount of unreleased loops, beats, drums, and random sounds. Culling them or finding a home for them is the tough part.
Advertisement
Initially This Thing and Polyester were scheduled to release it as a seven-inch. It got as far as test pressings but there were a few holdups from my end and eventually it got shelved. New things became old.Are you planning on playing more live shows at Crumbs?
Maybe a few. It tends to be a fairly boring experience for everyone involved unless the place is well equipped with a good PA and a dark room though.I know you are a big fan of rap. Who is floating your boat at the moment?
Definitely. New stuff coming from Roc Marciano, KA, $am Hill, Action Bronson, Ill Bill, Your Old Droog, Tragedy Khadafi, Sean Price, Freddie Gibbs, Gangrene, Strong Arm Steady.What about production wise? Was there anyone you were listening to around the time of making Vomiting Human Remains?
I’ve always incorporated my own drums into my music. But I thought the way Karriem Riggins did it on his record was particularly well done and balanced. I had probably finished most of V.H.M before his record came out but it gave me confidence to keep doing it. I also listen to what the people around me are doing—Dylan Michel/Wooshie, Galapagoose, Electric Sea Spider, Skomes, and Silent Jay.The record was mastered by Mikey Young who you credit as “the greatest man alive." Are you and Mikey still doing stuff together? Will there be another Brian Children record?
Yeah we are always meddling with each other's music. Sending rough demos back and forth. Maybe one day something will click and about 10 LPs worth of our crud will come out. I’ll find a way to tarnish his solid reputation.
Advertisement
Yes. Most of my life and connected to my family since the 1920s. It’s definitely a bit strange—the heart has its own memory. It does get a bit tiresome hearing complaints about the gentrification of our inner cities. Our energy is best spent on other things and let the place be what it wants. I’ll miss what it was though, for sure.All proceeds from the EP will go to three charities that help with Aboriginal youth. Why did you choose these particular charities?
The idea came to me on Australia Day. I thought it could be more helpful then preaching to the choir around me about this regressive and tactless day of celebration. My EP is free to anyone, but If someone felt obliged to pay for the music I thought it should go somewhere positive.
“Vomiting Human Remains” is available now from Crumbs’ bandcamp.