Doomed Confessionary: Rafał, Tetsuya & Filip (AcidSitter)
Photo by Justyna Kaminska
AcidSitter is a musical collective of experienced Polish/Japanese psychonauts based in Krakow, exploring a wide range of psychedelia with rock’n’roll passion and punk energy: Tetsuya Nara (Tumbling Walls), Rafał Klimczak (Neal Cassady, Świniary), Tomek Głuc (Neal Cassady, Nucleon) and Filip Franczak (Fraktale, Tumbling Walls, Kaseciarz). If Roky Erickson were alive, he would have liked it.
AcidSitter released their debut album »Make Acid Great Again« on November 3rd, 2023 via Interstellar Smoke Records, available now on vinyl, CD and digital format.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Rafał: We’re friends having a psych-rock band. AcidSitter is based in Krakow, Poland. 3 of us come from small, Polish towns and one guy is from a tiny place called Tokio in Japan. We all love The Beatles, Indian food, fake fur and psychedelics.
What was the biggest challenge for the band last year?
Rafał: Putting out our debut album. We were trying to do it as pro as we could, with resources we had (not much). Fortunately, we were saved by Interstellar Smoke Records who trusted us and the work we’re doing. Organizing the Baltic States/Helsinki tour by ourselves was pretty challenging too.
What can you be most proud of last year?
Tetsuya: Releasing the first album on LP and CD in addition to the digital version.
Rafał: Playing a show at Red Smoke Festival on the hottest day of the year and not dying! God, that was insane.
What is your biggest regret?
Tetsuya: During our tour, we didn’t have much time to sightsee or enjoy local food. I wish we had more time to explore all the new and wonderful places we were able to play at.
What was the best concert/tour last year and why?
Tetsuya: There were many great concerts, so it’s hard to pick one. The location of the Soulstone Gathering Festival in Krakow was a place where I always wanted to play. Red Smoke Festival was another amazing event, and we had an exciting tour of Baltic countries + Finland tour too. But honestly, each and every gig was great fun, not only the festivals – we met a lot of cool bands and fantastic people in 2023, so yeah… it’s really hard to decide.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Filip: Musically, »PetroDragonic Apocalypse« by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard was a delightful surprise for any psych enthusiast. Even after experiencing genre-blending like »Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Guide To The Universe« by New Age Doom, I was taken aback by the eclectic mix in »Hagata« by TEKE::TEKE. Honestly, I’m still unraveling the mysteries of that album. The latest revelation for me was »Echolocation« by Mendoza Hoff Revels – their seamless transitions between notes and impeccable groove truly captivated me.
Tetsuya: When it comes to the Japanese music scene, »Idol« by YOASOBI ranked high not only in Japan but also in various charts around the world. It was definitely surprising for me
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Rafał: We’re working on it now. We are planning a promotional tour for the LP in Poland in February and March, starting in Poznań. Then we’ll have a short break and we’re gonna play at a festival in Croatia, in June. So there are talks about shows in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary but we need some time to confirm everything.
What are your plans for this year as a band? What do you personally want the most?
Filip: Play, play, record and play!
Rafał: Promote »Make Acid Great Again« LP, play as much as we can. We will continue to work on our next album, we have some cool ideas and a lot of material that’s ready to be recorded.
How can people best support you?
Tetsuya: Listen to our songs and enjoy them. Then if you like our music, spread the word about us, come to our gigs, and buy our merch.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Tetsuya: Thank you all very much for listening to our music. We hope you enjoy it and we can see you somewhere in the world at our gig. Make acid great again! And I personally want to say thank you to our listeners in Japan, for finding us and for their continued support. I’m reading all of your messages and trying to find the best way to play in Japan! Arigatou!
Filip: Don’t brush off the weird stuff happening around you; it’s like ignoring a unicorn in your backyard! Skip the first info nugget you stumble upon – it’s probably faker than a three-dollar bill. Be kind to the folks in your orbit; we don’t need more drama, just good vibes. Let’s not add extra layers to the poop sandwich life occasionally serves!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well