Decisión Final (interview in English)

Interview with Jambavan Das, vocalist of Decisión Final, conducted on September 13, 2022, and published in the fanzine Go Ahead! #3 in august 2023.

Nitaï: it's a pleasure Jambavan to do this interview together. I'm contacting you to learn more about the band Decisión Final from Lima, so let's talk about the group, the recent concert you just had, your music, and the Peruvian scene, if you're okay with that :) As I've been in Peru for 5 years without the opportunity to attend concerts, I'm really curious now! So, can you introduce yourself a bit more?

Jambavan: Hello! Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to be here in this interview. Decisión Final was born in 1989. Initially, it started as another musician's project, and I joined it at his insistence because we were very good friends. He invited me to play with him even though I didn't play any instruments at the time. He told me to buy a bass guitar, and he would teach me. After much insistence, I bought one, and he taught me. We began to make music, and essentially, my friend was the singer, guitarist, and songwriter, so we were a trio. After 8 months, he abruptly left the band, and Alfredo (the drummer) and I (the bassist) were left hanging. Alfredo told me, "Now you'll have to compose and sing." Without ever desiring or planning for it, I started singing and playing. That's how Decisión Final was born at the end of 1989. We are a melodic hardcore band, and in 1990, we released our first demo called "Uno más". It was after this release that we started receiving invitations to play in underground concerts. Before that, we were completely unknown. The band has had its share of instability over the years because members didn't stay for long. That's why, in 33 years, we've only had 5 productions. Just this past Saturday, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the band's self-titled album with an incredible concert. The venue was packed, and there was a very special vibe.

Nitaï: Yes, it's often the most challenging thing with many projects, to stay stable and keep going for years. But with Decisión Final, it's great that you've been playing for 20 years. I may not know all your albums, but we'll talk about that later. So, how was this recent concert? I've seen some videos on the internet, and it looks great. The kids in Lima seemed to know the lyrics and were singing along. Where was the concert held? Did you organize it yourselves?

Jambavan: Yes, in reality, the band is 33 years old. So many generations have passed, and now it's the teenagers who follow us. The band is old, but its members are young, except for me! The concert took place at a venue that hosts medium-sized concerts, located in the center of Lima. Yes, the concert was organized by the band. We actually have a manager who takes care of all these aspects, as well as the work of producing the band's T-shirts, reissuing albums, and so on.

Nitaï: How many people attend a concert in Lima? Just to give me an idea of the hardcore punk scene in Lima. I'm interested in knowing which are the current bands and the places to see punk rock in Lima.

Jambavan: That depends. If it's a festival with big bands, it can have up to 5,000 people or more, but those only happen once a year, and they're special festivals. The concerts on weekends have a smaller audience since it depends on where in the city they are organized. We played at a venue for 300 people, and it was full, even though there were three other concerts happening in different parts of the city that day.

Nitaï: Ah, that's great then! Sometimes in France, we have fewer people attending concerts, you know!

Jambavan: I think people here are more enthusiastic about concerts now because we spent a long time locked down due to the pandemic.

Nitaï: Right, it hit Peru hard, I remember. In Lima as well, so being stuck in the city must have been challenging.

Jambavan: Yes, there were a lot of restrictions.

Nitaï: During the pandemic, I was in La Convención, in the Peruvian countryside. I know the mountains of Peru much better than the cities like Lima, and it seems quite different...

Jambavan: Yes, there's a big difference between Lima and the provinces. Culturally, there are differences between the coast and the Andes.

Nitaï: Do you ever go there? Are you familiar with the underground scene in Cusco? Perhaps Decisión Final has played in Cusco?

Jambavan: We haven't played in Cusco, but we've been to other places in the Andes like Ayacucho, Huancayo, Arequipa, and Juliaca. I've been to Cusco many times, but only as a tourist.

Nitaï: I mentioned it because I know you're a backpacker and you enjoy traveling!

Jambavan: I really enjoy trekking in the mountains. In general, I love to travel, and I've been to many places around the world, and I continue to do so. It has helped me look at my country in a different way.

Nitaï: Peru has beautiful but challenging mountains too. I was working a lot with farmers growing coca, coffee, yucca, maize, etc. Working in those conditions is tough, with heat, flies, and steep terrain. It shapes the spirit! Now with covid, it's even harder in those areas because they rely on tourism. Did you observe any impact of that in Lima?

Jambavan: Yes, the geography here is challenging, but the government doesn't invest in improving infrastructure, like roads and highways, etc. I think they want things to remain unchanged. Covid essentially caused the economy of people here in Lima to decline. The majority of the population works informally, and not allowing them to go out made their conditions worse. To this day, there are still some restrictions, but nobody follows them anymore. During the pandemic, the band had time to compose, and that's why we are in the process of producing a new album that should be released early next year.

Nitaï: We're living in crazy times with many restrictions. Difficult times indeed, as described by the sages in the Vedas as the Kali Yuga. With Decisión Final, are you involved in any social projects or anything like that? What messages do you convey through your music?

Jambavan: No, we don't get involved in social projects. We can play for free at a charity concert or help with a project on a personal level. In my case, I support the distribution of prasadam (food for life). But personally, I don't like to participate in social projects because, in the end, they all end up having a political bias, and I'm not going to do them the favor of wanting to present themselves as great saviors when all they really want is to come to power and steal, just like all governments, whether right-wing, centrist, or left-wing.

Nitaï: Yes, engaging in politics often brings conflict and division, and it's not the way to truly help change things, you're absolutely right.

Jambavan: Our songs focus more on the existential problems that we all have. It's like when one starts to ask, who am I? why do I fall in love? what is death? etc. That's why people identify with our lyrics because at some point in their lives, they have those questions because they suffer. It's just that alcohol, drugs, sex, etc., help alleviate that suffering; they serve as painkillers. I'd say it's like morphine, a way to cope with existence.

Nitaï: Society based on consumption has reached its limits; now people are obviously looking for something more to find happiness.

Jambavan: Just asking those questions is a good start.

Nitaï: Do you address these themes in your songs, then? In the new album you're preparing, what are your themes?

Jambavan: Yes, the themes are directed in that direction. I mean the thematic content. The new album also follows that line. Actually, the lyrics are already defined; what we're working on more is the musical aspect because we always want to show an evolution in composition, production, etc. We're musicians too, and we want to improve in that area as well. "Mahabharata" was our last production (2019), and it was the album that brought us back to the scene, as our previous production had been released in 2004.

Nitaï: Which bands are you listening to now? What are your current influences?

Jambavan: I listen to different styles, even though I've stayed a bit in the past because I like to listen to older bands. From the old bands, I could say that my punk spirit was born when I heard The Exploited and other English punk bands, Spanish bands like La Polla Record or Siniestro Total. But when I started making music, I leaned more towards bands like 7 Seconds, Minor Threat, Bad Religion, etc. I think Bad Religion's album "Generator" shaped my musical style.

Nitaï: Yes "Generator" is a great album; I've listened to it a lot as well. What about the new members of the band, do they also have these older influences?

Jambavan: To some extent, but I think we've also been influenced by newer bands, even by emo.

Nitaï: Are there any current bands you'd recommend? Also, if you could mention a band from Lima or Peru so that we can get to know more about your scene here.

Jambavan: Right now, I'm listening to Japanese bands; I love Shank, Saboten, Four Get Me A Notes... The first band I heard here was Narcosis, and I loved them. Then, I heard G3, a hardcore band that influenced my musical taste a lot. I also liked Voz Propia, which is a post-punk band. Then, when I started making music, I got to know bands I later shared the stage with, like Futuro Incierto, Metamorforsis, Asmereir. There are many bands in the scene, and there's something for everyone's taste.

Nitaï: I mentioned Futuro Incierto in your interview with Dilo Sin Censura. With "el chino," who was initially in Decisión Final, right? Did he leave to start this Straight Edge band?

Jambavan: "El chino" played with them in parallel. When he left the band, he went to live in the United States.

Nitaï: Alright, well, thanks for answering all of that. I have one last question: I've heard several times that punk was born in Lima in the late 70s. Are you familiar with this story? Could you tell us about it?

Jambavan: Haha! What happened is that in 1964, a band called Los Saicos was formed here. They definitely had a punk attitude when punk didn't even exist. However, they only played for two years, and then they disappeared. In reality, they were punks, but they didn't know it.

Nitaï: Live fast, die young! Well, thank you very much for this interview :) Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Jambavan: Thank you for the interview and for inviting everyone to listen to our music, which can be found on Spotify, YouTube, and all internet platforms.

As it's been almost a year since the interview was conducted and published, I went to see Jambavan in August 2023. Their next CD is expected to be released in September 2023, if all goes well. The three unmastered tracks I heard continue in the melodic hardcore vein, with choruses and introspective lyrics in Spanish. There's even a track in Sanskrit with the Bhajahu Re Mana mantra. The album will be called "Visnu," with a beautiful mystical representation against a blue background on the cover.

Discography:

Uno Más – 1991 - Autoprod (cassette)

Rescatados De La Ignorancia – 1996 – Autoprod (cassette)

Decisión Final – 2002 Autoprod (CD) – 2022 Bowling records (reedition CD and cassette limited to 20 copies)

Ciclo ‎- 2005 – Union Discos (CD)

Mahabharata – 2019 - Union Discos (CD)

https://decisionfinal.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/decisionfinal