Unquestionable Taste

Author Bio: Christopher Gutierrez - 2008

2008-07-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

In the same fashion Do-It-Yourself punk bands have built their fan base for the past 30 years, Chicago author Christopher Gutierrez has carved his own niche into the literary world relying on that same aesthetic. In the span of three short years, Gutierrez has gone from sporadic zine publisher and part-time blogger to full-time writer and public speaker, self-releasing 3 books, a spoken word CD, a live DVD, several mini-books and fanzines all under the umbrella of The Deadxstop Publishing Company.

Since the release of his first book On the Upswing of Life, Love and Regret in 2005, Gutierrez has built a strong foundation of loyal readers garnering over 10,000 hits a day on his popular Livejournal.com blog 'Askheychris.' The advocacy of his readership helped him sell two pressings of the book with no major distribution, land him a feature piece in the Chicago Reader and a sponsorship as in-house spoken word artist by Myspace.com on the Vans Warped Tour. His work ethic and online presence also earned him a position as a staff writer and guest blogger for popular social-networking site Buzznet.com.

June 2007 saw the release of his second book A Life Deliberate, a personal collection of memoirs as humorous and emotional as they are uplifting. Following the release, Gutierrez set off on a full US tour including dates in Canada and a stint in The UK spanning England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These dates documented the beginning of what would become his third book, Notes from the Deep End: A Year in the Life of a Touring Author, a collection of journal entries spanning his initial tour dates following the release of A Life Deliberate, a Northeast tour with friends and fellow Chicago natives 2*Sweet and his speaking engagements at Rutgers University, The University of Massachusetts, The University of North Carolina and the University of East Anglica in England and many others. The Chicago date was filmed and released as the "Live from Chicago" DVD.

This past year has been a busy one for Gutierrez with no indication of slowing down. Notes from the Deep End was released in June and once again he immediately followed up the release with a full 6-week tour of the U.S. He has also been hosting his own three-hour online radio show through Fearlessradio.com aptly titled This Deliberate Life and making plans for future visits overseas. Though he isn't a household name, Gutierrez continues to inspire thousands of people with an uplifting message and a DIY attitude.

Author Bio: Christopher Gutierrez - 2007

2008-07-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

Though many are just discovering his work, Chicago native Christopher Gutierrez has been penning narratives for 12 years in his self-published fanzine, DeadxStop. Initially, the zine was little more than a forum to discuss and promote hardcore/punk bands, but as the years passed, the themes of love, loss, family and friendship became more prevalent and the zine more personal.

In 2003, Gutierrez took his do-it-yourself zine aesthetic to the Internet and began posting memoirs and opinions on his blog, "Askheychris." His unique voice, brutal honesty, sharp wit and endearing storytelling ability garnered instant readership. Continuous word of mouth expanded the blog to over 3,500 "friends" and countless unique anonymous visitors, making it one of the most widely read blogs on the popular site Livejournal.com. At the prompting (and petitioning) of readers, his vision of The DeadxStop Publishing Company expanded two years later with the release of his first book, a collection of memoirs and journal entries entitled On the Upswing of Life, Love and Regret. On the strength of a small, but loyal fanbase, the first pressing of 1100 sold out within six months. Word of mouth spread and landed Gutierrez a speaking engagement at Adams State College in Colorado, a sponsorship as in-house spoken word artist by Myspace.com on the Van's Warped Tour and a feature piece in the Chicago Reader.

November 2006 saw the release of his first spoken word CD, The Dirt of an Electric Boy. It is a 21-track collection of old journal entries and new statements on life in a decaying world. In the first week over one-third of the press was sold.

In early 2007, Gutierrez released Bulletproof Hearts: A Guide To A Deliberate Life, a minibook of self-penned words of wisdom, a precursor to the June 2007, release of his second book, A Life Deliberate, which has recently been re-released in a second pressing. In addition to releasing his second book, Gutierrez repackaged, reprinted, and re-released On The Upswing Of Life, Love, and Regret in a hard cover version which included additional stories and a Making Of CD.

With two books, a spoken word CD, and a successfully completed U.S. speaking tour under his belt, Gutierrez is poised to begin a second speaking tour across the U.S. this fall followed by speaking dates in Canada and the United Kingdom. 2007 certainly is shaping up to be an ambitious year for Gutierrez. Like always, integrity and passion will continue to outweigh the quest for money and status. And though his name is not on the top of the New York Times Best Seller List, if it ever ends up there, a punk rock, do-it-yourself ethic will be the reason.

Darker My Love - 2

2008-07-09T15:49:00.001-07:00

Darker My Love
2
(Dangerbird Records)

On their aptly titled sophomore LP, 2, Los Angeles’ Darker My Love return with 11 new tracks of their heavily distorted, drugged out brand of neo-psychedelic rock. Staying true to form, 2 is full of great, riff oriented songs like the album opener “Northern Soul” and the up-tempo rager “Waves”, but the most stand outs moments are when they slow it down and bring the vocal interplay between guitarist Tim Presley and bassist Rob Barbato to the forefront. On tracks like “Two Ways Out” and “Even in your Lightest Days” the influence of 60’s vocal psych-pop groups comes through and adds a dynamic element previously uncharted on previous releases. As a whole, 2 is a more interesting and varied record than anything in Darker My Love’s discography, proving it’s possible to blend two different eras of psychedelia in such a seemless fashion.

M83 - Saturdays=Youth

2008-03-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

M83
Saturdays=Youth
(Mute)

Anthony Gonzalez has always had a knack for weaving cinematic soundscapes into relatively straightforward dream-pop songs, but on M83's latest record, Saturdays=Youth, he takes that idea to the next level. Set against a backdrop of 80's synth-pop, massive reverb and heavy doses of vocal melody, Gonzalez lyrically and musically captures the essence and pays tribute to uncertain teenage emotion with each track. This record is a concept of sorts, each song a chapter in the densely layered soundtrack to individual moments in adolescent life – falling in love ("Dark Moves of Love"), going out and doing drugs with your friends ("Couleurs"), alienation ("Graveyard Girl"), fear ("Kim and Jessie") and escape ("Highway of Endless Dreams"). With Saturdays=Youth, Gonzalez has created one of the most conceptually transcendent records in years because, no matter what, everyone was a teenager once and experienced the highs and lows that go along with being young.

Punk Planet Reviewer Spotlights

2007-12-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

After lurking the blog of my email pen pal (and former Punk Planet colleague) Eric Grubbs, I've decided to post my reviewer spotlights from my tenure at PP. I was on the reviewer staff from December '05 to June '07. Toward the end I grew lazy and discontent writing about bad demos and other undesirable records, but now that Punk Planet has folded and I've distanced myself, I do miss it. So, for anyone interested, here are my spotlights. As you can see, I missed a few issues.

Unbroken - Life. Love. Regret.
Issue #72

Out of all the records released in the 90's, few have made more of an impact on the current state of hardcore than Unbroken's 1994 release, Life. Love. Regret. Prior to this record, Unbroken was just another heavy hardcore band like all the others of the era. However, in the process of making this album they took their collective influences and created something so vibrant and different from what their peers were doing that it has taken on this legacy all its own. Every aspect of this record is a piece that completes the entire package. The album cover consists only of three simple stills from the film Swing Kids and the words life, love, regret, unbroken. Inside, the liner notes read like a zine of journal style pieces about suicide, love, fear, and the uncertainty of growing up. Musically, Steven Miller, Robert Moran, Eric Allen and Todd Beattie set the backdrop for David Claibourn’s harsh vocal delivery. Miller and Andrew’s guitar tones are dark and heavy and though the songs aren’t the most technical, each riff captures the overwhelming current of helplessness that emanates through the album. The lyrics for “End of a Lifetime,” “Curtain” and “Final Expression” (and on the whole record for the most part) are bleak and frequently touch on the subjects of suicide, lost love and dying alone. Life. Love. Regret is catharsis for anyone who has ever been on the brink of disaster or felt the depths of depression. I know first hand the comfort and exhilaration this record can bring and I only hope that everyone can experience it first hand when they need it the most.

Chamberlain, The Moon My Saddle
Issue #73

In 1996 Chamberlain re-released their now classic LP, Fate’s Got a Driver. It was originally recorded and released a year prior under the bands former name, Split Lip. The change in name signified a turning point as they shed the skin of their former sound and look and grew into one shaped dramatically by Southern Indiana life. From that point the days of stage dives were replaced with cowboy boots and a self-awareness only matched by a few. The Moon My Saddle was the first proper Chamberlain full length and it reflected the years of hard work and growth of the band enormously. The lyrics, musicianship, artwork and recording form a cohesive package exemplifying the beauty and desolation of life in the Midwest. The punk rock foundation of earlier efforts was replaced by a strong backbone of American rock and roll, soul and blues. Vocalist David Moore put himself out on the line even more as an author writing tales of late nights, long drives, empty streets, open skies and a silence that only inhabitants of small towns know. I know the majority will always say that Fate’s Got a Driver is the superior Chamberlain LP, but as someone with roots grounded in central Illinois, I think I will always relate to The Moon My Saddle more.

Hum - Downward is Heavenward
Issue #74

In the mid-nineties when A&R people had their sights set on finding the next Smashing Pumpkins, their view landed a bit south of Chicago to the sleepy college town of Urbana, Illinois. It was there that Hum was born and uncovered long enough to land them a mini-hit in the single “Stars” off of their third proper full-length, You’d Prefer an Astronaut. However, after the gaze of record labels shifted, Hum was left to fend for themselves like so many other “one hit wonders.” After their brush with radio-rock fame, they faired well on the indie circuit and began to write what would become the best record of their career. Everything that You’d Prefer an Astronaut lacked (which wasn’t much to begin with) was more than made up for on Downward is Heavenward. Songs like “The Inuit Promise,” “Green to Me” and “Comin’ Home” exemplified the tug of war between devastatingly heavy and hauntingly melodic Hum always toggled with. “Ms. Lazarus” and “Apollo” showcased how a few simple riffs in the clean channel can still be as crushing as a song written in drop tuning. Like with all of their records, the themes of space, science, mathematics and nature run throughout the record as metaphors for life, love and dreams that have yet to be realized. Unlike many of my favorite records that have specific seasonal memories, I can listen to Downward is Heavenward any time of year, at any time of day, for hours on end and still not get tired of it.

American Nightmare - S/T
Issue #76
Before the name changes, inflated merch prices on Ebay and legal battles, American Nightmare were just another hardcore band from Boston. They had some buzz early on, but this seven song 7” is what really catapulted them into being one of the biggest bands in hardcore. The music is fast, well-written, straight forward hardcore, but what captured everyone’s attention were singer Wes Eisold’s lyrics. At the age of 20 he articulated his thoughts on love, friendship, depression and growing up in descriptive metaphors and imagery in a fashion not typically seen or heard in hardcore. It was honest and interesting and spoke volumes to kids like me who felt the same way. In my opinion, this 7” is one of the most important hardcore records of the past six years not only because of how good the songs are, but for the impact it’s had on hardcore since. Eisold’s influence can be seen in the sea of bands that came after this record, but also bands like Bane who existed before them. And though it is my favorite American Nightmare record, it was merely a stepping-stone for the boundaries they pushed and the band they became.

The Magnetic Fields - The House of Tomorrow
Issue #77
A few years before Stephin Merritt composed his three-disc opus, 69 Love Songs, he released the frequently overlooked House of Tomorrow EP. In comparison to his later work, the five songs here are hardly as grand or ambitious, but they are warm and endearing. Each song is roughly two and a half minutes of looped sampler beats and sporadic instrumentation with Merritt’s trademark baritone as the guide. In fact, if it weren’t for lyrical variation the songs would go nowhere as there is no musical transition. Like most of his records, the subject of love is predominant throughout the record and Merritt’s metaphors and poetics are at a peak with lines like, “You and me in the waiting room, of a disused railroad station, scavenging for a few antiques. We’ll make a fortune just have patience. If we find an old signal box you can write your dissertation.” House of Tomorrow is not the crowning jewel of Stephin Merritt’s prolific career, but it is a diamond in the rough worthy of discovering.

Paleo - Carpet Samples from the Song Diary

2007-10-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

To say that Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Paleo is prolific and ambitious is a gross understatement. In addition to having a rigorous tour schedule, he’s attempting to write and record 365 songs in 365 days. In early anticipation, he has self-released a ten-song sampler to showcase what he’s been up to. Through out the tracks his voice is gruff and weathered, sometimes barely audible, sometimes screamed and cracking through the microphone, but always endearing. His idea and sparse songs benefit from the lo-fi, home recordings and on “In the Dark, The Dark Dark”, the sound of a freight train in the distance leads me to believe he’s seen some desolate towns through the past year. Paleo is FOUR DAYS shy of completing the project and judging by the songs on Carpet Samples, the end result will prove as interesting as the idea itself.

http://www.imposemagazine.com/mag/?p=349

Watch Yourself: The End of Chicago's Industrial-Metal pioneers

2007-09-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

After nearly three decades of writing, recording and touring, Chicago industrial-metal legend Al Jourgensen stated his latest album, The Last Sucker is the final chapter in the Ministry legacy. Although this is the end of an era for Jourgensen and his fans, it marks the dawn of an even more prolific time creatively and professionally for the 48 year old musician, record label owner, producer, wine aficionado and Chicago expatriate.

“I just see these bands hanging on way too long and making crappier and crappier music and just doing it for the money. I just didn’t want to go that route,” said Jourgensen of his bands demise. His decision comes at an appropriate time, as The Last Sucker, the final Ministry album and third in a series of releases (including 2004’s Houses of the Molé and 2006's Rio Grande Blood) attacking the Bush administration drops on September 18th, 7 days after the anniversary of 9/11. “I really feel we are doing our best work, if not ever, at least in years and years with the new line up we’ve had over the last two records,” said Jourgensen of the album. Much like the last two records, The Last Sucker is a politically charged manifesto as crushing and abrasive lyrically as it is musically, rarely taking a moment to slow down. Throughout his career, he has experimented, grown and changed, but the end result of a tried and true Ministry record are all here - insanely heavy riffs, danceable electronic drums, and driving rhythm, all held together by Jourgensen’s trademark guttural scream. Tracks like “The Dick Song,” “The Last Sucker,” and “End of Days Part 1 and 2” chastise the Bush/Cheney administration correlating their war agenda directly with the destruction of not only the United States, but the world, in a detailed account of apocalypse. It’s a suitable end for a band whose career has spanned four presidents, two wars, terrorist attacks and constant global unrest.

The Last Sucker also marks another release for Jourgensen’s constantly expanding record 1abel, 13th Planet. Initially a vehicle for his projects, the label has morphed into a full-fledged machine complete with recording studio and practice space which he owns and operates. The shift from musician to producer and entrepreneur is a welcome return to his days of owning Wax Trax!, the visionary industrial label that also spawned the Chicago record store bearing the same name. “Ministry takes up a lot of time,” said Jourgensen. “Between 2 months of talking to you knuckleheads, 7 months of touring and 7 months in the studio, it takes a year and a half for me to get through a Ministry cycle. I could be doing 6-7 projects in a year by doing other stuff.” Currently, he’s finishing up production the final Revolting Cocks record, getting ready to release the new Prong album Power of the Damager and working on Burton Bell of Fear Factory’s latest ambient creation, Ascension of the Watchers. In the coming months he will also begin composing the soundtrack of a horror movie entitled Wicked Lake and to coincide with Ministry’s final shows in Chicago, an album of cover songs is being released. “I enjoy working with other people so doing all these other side projects and production is great for me. That’s what I want to do anyway,” said Jourgensen.

In his spare time, Jourgensen is something of a red wine connoisseur, a passion he unearthed while recording in El Paso, TX after kicking a lengthy stint of heroin abuse. “The owner of the studio was a complete red wine connoisseur. I had finally kicked my heroin habit and was pretty clean and didn’t want to relapse so he suggested I try a glass of red wine with dinner every so often. He really taught me the finer points of it and it’s worked out well ever since,” said Jourgensen. “I’ve never relapsed, but now I probably spend more money on really decent wines than I ever did on heroin,” he said jokingly. Though he only periodically collects bottles of wine, there are some he feels are truly worth the money. “An affordable, really good bottle of wine is a French wine from the Bordeaux region of the year 2000. It’s probably the best year they’ve had since about ’75,” he said.

Although the The Last Sucker signifies the end of Ministry, it is by no means a death rattle for Jourgensen or the band that’s been the primary focus of his life for the past 26 years. Rather, it’s an explosive finale of a legendary band retiring at the top of their game. And instead of offering statement as defiant as his bands swan song about the legacy he’s left on Chicago music and the genre he helped shape, he casually responded with, “I don’t know, ask me in about 10 years, I’m still right in the middle of it.” – Stephen Kane

108 Feature for Impose Magazine

2007-05-19T16:09:00.001-07:00

108

by: Stephen Kane

In recent years, a plethora of bands from hardcore’s past have gotten back together. Some appearing to “cash in” on the current popularity of hardcore, others for charity and in the case of 108, the answer is unknown, even to the band. However, after speaking with guitarist Vic Dicara, it seems the overwhelming reason for their reunion is the desire to play and connect with listeners again.

“We don’t really know what put the spark into us (to reunite). Sometimes things click for no apparent reason, maybe it’s destiny or it’s the stars or maybe it’s just chance,” said Dicara. Roughly a decade after their last show, seminal New York hardcore band 108 met up again to play Hellfest 2005 in Trenton, New Jersey. The festival was plagued with legal problems and cancelled before doors even opened, but the seed of rebirth had been planted and the demand for another 108 show was in the air. Last minute preparations were made and the band played two sold out shows in Philadelphia, one being a duel reunion with old friends and New Jersey hardcore/punk icons, Lifetime. The shows lit a fire beneath the band to forge ahead and resurrect the corpse of 108 completely. “Both shows were so cool for us as people that we were like, “this is dumb, we can’t stop doing this.” So, we decided to start writing new music because we didn’t just want to be opening up a coffin and exhuming bodies.”

The initial result of their return was a ten-song demo featuring seven new tracks, a 1995 demo of “Blood’ from the Threefold Misery sessions, a Black Flag cover of “The Bars” and a cover of Bad Brains “Coptic Times.” With these songs in tow, the foundation was laid for what would become the fourth full length in their 15-year history. Some time past, the band played some shows and toured Europe and in February 2007 they entered Kurt Ballou’s God City studio to record a new LP entitled A New Beat from a Dead Heart for their new label, Deathwish Inc. Ballou was a natural fit to spearhead the project. His background in noisy hardcore and engineering prowess was exactly what the band was looking for. “We’re not really a fan of the newer production of hardcore which is really thick and super moshy and heavy. We wanted it to sound fucked up and cracked and broken and weird with a lot of strange noises going on.” Ballou captured the spirit of the band and created the most powerful sounding 108 record to date. “He’s a great engineer and a great co-producer,” said Dicara. “We really killed the guy and made him bend over backwards and jump through hoops and he was more than gracious about doing it every time.”

A New Beat from a Dead Heart is an emotionally turbulent 13-song journey of spirituality, hope and redemption. Just as the band wanted, it sounds dark and fragile, broken and unstable, always feeling like the next song might be the last before the emotional weight is too much to bear. Songs like “Our Kind,” “American Dream” are a bold commentary on the United States as it relates to consumerism and the pursuit of happiness through unfulfilling means. Other tracks such as “Martyr Complex,” “The Sad Truth” and “Guilt” are a direct reflection of the bands personal experiences and what time has done to them. Of course the concept of faith and spirituality are always present, but Dicara says none of the songs are specifically about religion or Hare Krishna. “108 was never a band about religion. We never tried to get people to be a particular religion. Even 10 years ago people didn’t believe us when we said that.” At this point in time Dicara and vocalist Rob Fish no longer subscribe to the organized Krishna doctrine they used to, but the songs and the individuals creating them are as in tune with their own spirituality as ever. “I think every song on the record is spiritual, to me every step that I take is spiritual and I don’t see the point in doing anything in my life that’s not spiritual.”

Things have changed for the members of 108 since their first time around. Now in their mid 30’s, families and responsibilities have taken precedence over a life on the road, but touring is still a priority said Dicara. “The record comes out June 27h and the very next day we have three shows in America to celebrate. The day after those we leave for Europe and we’re doing three weeks there, then we get back and play the Sound & Fury Fest in California. After that we’re doing some dates with Converge.” As far as US touring is concerned the band will organize some 4-day weekend trips periodically, but nothing that will keep them away from home for too long.

“Some people think teenagers are more appropriate for punk rock, but it seems that my level of frustration and confusion about life has only gotten more serious as time goes on,” Dicara said. It’s that toggle of emotion that fuels 108 to create and reinvent their craft, channeling past regrets, triumphs and tragedies into the band they’ve become. And while the sewing circles of hardcore are on the sidelines debating whether or not the bands return is genuine and the members are still Krishna or straight edge, Vic and 108 will be doing what they love: sharing music and experiences with anyone willing to listen.

Hail Social - Modern Love and Death

2007-05-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hail Social
Modern Love and Death
(Self-Released)

The cover of Hail Social’s self-released second full length Modern Love and Death resembles something from the age of Atari and Lite Brite; an intriguing, brightly colored font set against a dark backdrop that the music within. Their songs sound dated and almost campy, but with each listen my interest grew to the point where I would wake up with the songs stuck in my head and have to listen to them as soon as I got in the shower. I’d play Modern Love and Death for friends and without fail they’d laugh a little at lines like, “All night, we can listen to the radio (all night),” but after some silence would ask, “Who is this? They’re pretty fucking good.” And they are pretty fucking good. The key to Hail Social’s fusion of vibrant synth-pop, droning indie rock and 70’s am radio is their natural ability to make over-the-top things like falsetto vocals, vocoders and exuberant lyrics about “being a modern man” seem cool without being ironic or a mere throwback. (SK)

Blacklisted interview

2007-04-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out my myspace inbox and I found this interview with George from Blacklisted dated Nov 24, 2004. Obviously, much has happened with the band since this was conducted, but I thought I’d post it for anyone interested. Enjoy.

Although you guys are a fairly new band, you've made a lot happen for yourselves; Tell me a bit about how Blacklisted got started and what happened to your old band No Rights.

One day we were sitting in Jay Pepito's (our old guitar player) room and we decided we wanted to be just a heavier NYHC influenced band, more on the lines of the music that we really liked. No Rights was more for fun and Blacklisted was a little more serious. So, instead of keeping the same name we just started a new band, with me, Tim Jay and Zach. Robby, the bass player from No Rights went on to be a chef or something.

How did you get hooked up with Stillborn Records? What was it about Stillborn that made you pick them over any other label that was interested in you?

Jay Reason approached us to do a record, he worked things out with Bobb Macc and we were signed. We kind of just went for Stillborn once they showed interest. We really didn’t think things through.

One thing i really like about your band is that even though you play heavy NYHC influenced hardcore, your lyrics are more personal and varied than a lot of bands of a similar style... when you write, what is the thought process like? Do you take pieces from journals and fit them for specific songs?

Well, for our EP, a lot of things were happening to me on a personal level with someone I cared a lot about, so a lot of the songs are (as cheesy as it sounds) me venting about a specific person. I wish I would’ve written more about stuff that matters, cause wasting your time on one person or one thing is just hurtful in the long run. Our LP will be more understandable lyrically, but still have a little of the same feel… not my just experience with one specific person, cause that is kind of lame. At the same time it is something that everyone goes through, so hopefully someone will be able to take something from it and feel like at least there is one person out there that understands.

What influences Blacklisted outside of hardcore and outside of music?

Music is pretty much our every day lives, I’d say. If not my life, it’s one of the only things I care about. The same could be said for hardcore. I mean, anywhere I go or whatever I do in life, when I wake up I’m gonna be me and those two things play a HUGE role.

What is one of your favorite records of all time? What about it makes it better to you than tons of others?

Supertouch - The Earth is Flat, is a big one. That record is so heavy, but not in like a heavy metal or hardcore sense. It is just heavy when listened to. It’s deep and it just has a feeling to it I can’t explain. This is just one of many records I love, without giving the obvious answer of Age of Quarrel.

To you, what are the elements of a really great song? A great record?

I think it all has to do with how everything fits musically and lyrics are a big thing. You have to be able to feel what is being said and maybe adapt it to your life. I love a lot of old punk records and stuff, but a lot of things they talk about i.e drinking, politics and stuff of that nature, I can’t relate to. So, I’m into it on a different level than I am with some other music. You gotta be able to feel it I guess.

Why do you think so many hardcore bands fall into the problem of putting out a great EP, but a mediocre LP?

I think when bands put out their EP, it is fresh and when the LP comes out your used to the sound, so things might sound repetitive; so you write it off sooner then you would if it were a new band with only a six song record out.

Philadelphia has a rich history of being home to great bands(ink & dagger, shark attack, kid dynamite, conviction, turmoil etc); What is it about Philly that seems to spark something in people? What Philly bands (past or present) do you think never got their due?

Philly sucks.

When was the last time you felt truly afraid and what was the situation that caused it?

I was in an abandoned mental institution and there was a person chillin’ in there just staring at my friend and I when we put our flashlights on him. I ran away.

If you could play with any four bands from any time period of any genre, who would they be and why?

Killing Time, Sheer Terror, Cro-Mags, Merauder.

What is one reason you wake up every day?

I mean, I just try to be at peace with myself. I’ve learned you gotta do what you want to do and live or your gonna be miserable. Once you come to terms with who you are, life seems like it might be much easier to live. So, I’m just trying to do that; find my place in society, where do I fit in, keep my head above water and just keep moving on. I hope to just be happy and have a positive influence on someone, so with that thought, I have a reason to wake up everyday.

What is in the horizon for Blacklisted?

Touring, Touring, TOURING, write an LP and tour some more.

Image taken from: http://www.myspace.com/blacklisted

Death Before Dishonor interview in the May issue of AMP Magazine

2007-04-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR by: Steve Kane

Since the release of 2004’s Friends, Family, Forever, Boston’s Death Before Dishonor have been touring relentlessly in preparation for the next chapter of their history. Now, five years after their inception, the band is releasing their first LP and most accomplished record to date entitled, Count Me In. Here is what Vocalist Bryan Harris had to say about hardcore, touring and their new album.

After two EP's and five years together, you are finally releasing your first full length for Bridge 9. Was it a conscious decision to wait on writing a full length?

No, not at all. After the first EP, Friends Family Forever came out on Bridge 9, we hit the road pretty much non-stop and when you're on the road that much, before you know it a year and a half go by and you're like, "damn, we need to write a new record." As much as it would’ve been nice to release a new full-length last year, we got to grow as a band. All that time on the road helped us become a lot tighter and it shows on the new record.

Now that it's all done, how do you feel Count Me In differs from Friends Family Forever and True Til Death?

I know every band probably says this, but I think it’s a step up from our last recordings. With every record we do, we grow a little and it shows on Count Me In. We have a 2nd guitarist now and that alone helped our sound overall and added more to our song writing. All the songs are catchier vocally and musically and in our opinion it is the best Death Before Dishonor record we have done.

What was it like working with Jim Siegel and recording at The Outpost?

It was great. We have worked with Jim a few times in the past, but with this full-length we were able to spend more time in the studio with him. Jim always seems to capture the way hardcore should sound and knowing that makes it easy to record with him.

In your eyes, what is the greatest thing the band has done to date? What do you want to accomplish this year?

Being able to go out and tour a lot of the world is an accomplishment. We have been fortunate enough to play places I never thought I would ever travel to. We were also fortunate enough to tour with Agnostic Front for a few months and for me growing up they were one of the most influential bands I listened to. As for this year, touring Japan and Australia would make 2007 for us.

Hardcore is big enough at this point where certain bands can make a living off it. Do you think making a career off hardcore takes something away from the spirit or the community aspect?

I don’t think so. As long as the bands are staying true to themselves and don’t forget where they come from I don’t think it takes anything away. Who doesn’t want to be able to pay their bills playing the music they love? Look at Hatebreed. They have been a band for over 10 years and they went from selling demos at basement shows to playing the main stage at Ozzfest and yet they never forgot where they came from. Jamey is always helping hardcore bands whether it's putting out a record, taking a smaller band on tour, putting on shows, or just going to hardcore shows.

If Death Before Dishonor could tour with four bands of any genre from any time period, who would it be and why?

Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, Sick Of It All and Blood for Blood because those are four of my favorite bands and what hardcore kid wouldn’t want to see that lineup?

In the past few years violence in hardcore has escalated to new heights, even resulting in deaths at shows. At what point do you feel it's a bands responsibility to step in and say something?

Hardcore has always had a violent side, I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but its always been there and nowadays its hurting hardcore more than ever with less places wanting to do hardcore shows and more kids scared of what might happen at a show. With that said, I think a band always has some level of responsibility as does everyone involved in a show. Whether it’s a promoter, security, bands, or just hardcore kids that go to the shows, everyone needs to make a conscious effort to keep things under control.

At any given point people in hardcore will complain about how "it's not like it used to be." What keeps you excited about hardcore after all these years? What current bands are you psyched about?

Every generation is going to say “it’s not how it used to be” and I even find myself saying that sometimes. In the end it just shows that times change and it’s part of life. No matter how much hardcore has changed, it’s not always for the worse, I play and go to plenty of shows and see a lot of kids that still have love for hardcore and their beliefs are no different than people that went to shows in the mid 90's. There are plenty of great hardcore bands out there that keep hardcore alive and are at the top of the game such as Terror, Blacklisted, Death Threat, and there are a lot of newer bands like Colin Of Arabia, Shipwreck, Energy, and legendary bands like Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, and Madball out there and that’s just naming a few.

You tour a lot so I'm sure you have some great stories to tell. Anything you'd like to share?

We were on tour in Europe with Agnostic Front. We get to some club in Germany early and there is a piano in the back room. Our bass player Frankie starts playing it and starts playing AF songs. Roger gets the idea to bring the piano on stage and have Frankie play piano for AF. So it happens, Frankie on piano and Roger singing. Who would ever think they would hear AF playing “Gotta Gotta Go” as a piano ballad?

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for taking the time to interview us. Our new record Count Me In will be out May 22nd and we will be on the road all summer so check us out.

Image taken from: http://www.myspace.com/deathbeforedishonorbhc

Isis - In the Absence of Truth

2007-03-23T03:35:00.000-07:00

Isis have come a long way in their 10 year existence. Originally starting as little more than a Neurosis clone, they’ve come to be almost as influential in their seemingly endless vision of heavy, experimental music. Now off an arena tour opening for fan-mocking, prog-metal pioneers, Tool, they’ve hit a level far bigger than I anticipated. However, on In the Absence of Truth Isis seems to be playing it by the book. The songs are epic and full of sweeping, beautiful crescendos and the production and arrangement are excellent, but nothing on here floors me. It seems they set the bar so high with their 2002 opus, Oceanic, they may never be able top it. With that said, this record will go down as another triumph for the rabid Isis fans and I can understand that. Even when Isis is not at the top of their game, they are still leagues above their peers in terms of what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve yet to do. Regardless if mass appeal is on the horizon or not, they’ve built up a diehard fanbase of bearded men anxiously awaiting the next bong ripping riff and the chemical induced calm that takes over once the smoke clears.

An interview with Wes Eisold.

2006-11-14T01:38:00.000-08:00

I conducted this interview with Wes Eisold (vocalist for American Nightmare/GUTG/Some Girls/XO Skeletons) in November of 2004 via email. Unfortunately, the zine I planned it to be in never saw the light of day, so I figured I'd post it here for interested parties. As you can see it's a bit hardcore-centric, which is something I'd change if I were to do it again. Enjoy!

Steve: Give up the Ghost had a pretty long streak of bad luck towards the end... What were the primary factors behind the bands demise?

Wes: I don't think we had too bad of luck towards the end of the band. It was pretty typical of the band and us, and by that point there wasn't anything that could happen to surprise us. The primary factor in the demise was mental health.

S: You made a statement on the GUTG website stating that you guys won't be playing a last show. What are the reasons for this?

W: I did not make that statement, Tim did actually. We never really talked about it while we were together, it was pretty unsaid, but obvious that when we broke up we wouldn't do a last show. Its cool when bands do that but it just wasn't our thing. I wouldn't want a production to an ending ever, just bring on the end.

S: I hear since the break up you have been working on a solo project called 'XO Skeletons.' How long have you been working on this and what can people expect when it drops?

W: I haven't really been doing anything. I just recorded a few demos, nothing great, nothing worth releasing. I'm getting around to working on it more, but time is a fuckface and I don't have any. I guess its punk or something shitty like that.

S: After four years of constantly touring in a hardcore band, how has your relationship with hardcore has changed?

W: Drastically. I think anyone who does a band, full-time or not, is going to have their opinion on hardcore pretty strained and/or stained. We were pretty bright-eyed and obsessed with hardcore when we started. We were just friends who wanted to do a band. When I got into hardcore it was to avoid assholes and motherfuckers and jocks and bullies. Then you kind of realize that you're surrounded by the same people you hate anyway, and it’s not too different from normal shitty life. Not everyone, of course there are some gems here. But for every one or two gems there are 50 pieces of shit who probably used to whip people with towels in locker rooms. Or they are under the impression that they are 'hard' now because they moshed once or twice, beat up one kid with their other teenage loser fantasy fucks. It just gets super old when you have to see shit like that everyday for a few years. Really old. It kind of loses the sentiment and I'm sure everyone in a band that’s not blindfolded kind of re-defines their definition of hardcore and sticks with that. I still like hardcore, I just think it’s been totally misinterpreted. To each their own.

S: Rumor has it that you have a book coming out in the near future called "Death Beds." Tell me a little about it. How do you think those who are into your lyric writing will relate to the content of the book?

W: Well they should like it as it is primarily made up of lyrical content. It’s going to be a limited press of 1000 I think, released via Deathwish Inc. It’s basically the lyrics in book form with some accompanied writing for the people who may have cared. Yep.

S: What makes you feel alive?

W: That’s a pretty broad question. I suppose there’s many different ways to answer that. The elections made me feel alive. Music makes me feel alive (dead sometimes too). I don’t have a special answer, except for my special friends. Lex, Big E, J. Morgan, F Sean, those dudes make me feel alive.

S: What do you think hardcore could benefit from more of?

W: Brains.

S: What are five records that have influenced you both musically and personally that you think others should know about?

W: Five records? Fuck I’m so miserable at answering questions like this. I really suck at it. Going blank and etc. Sorry I don't know.

S: How has moving from the constantly changing climate of Boston to the sunny weather of San Diego affected you?

W: I don’t get into as much trouble as a result of depressive winters. I don’t really frolic in the sun either. It’s been a good change, I guess necessary. I miss seeing faces and friends the most. Its just life, it doesn’t matter too much.

S: Although Some Girls is a project band now; do you ever see it taking more priority for everyone involved? Also, has there been any conflict or confusion with Juliana Hatfield's band of same name.

W: Well I don’t really think it is a project band. We take it pretty serious, especially as of recently. Okay, it WAS a project band, but now it’s a real band, just not full-time. We recently recorded an ep for three one g records called "The DNA Will Have It's Say." It is by far the best thing we have ever done because we put time into it as a band and wrote real songs.

I guess someone, Rob maybe, talked to Juliana or someone in her band and they knew about us but were not concerned. We're both pretty small bands, even though we are more brutal.

S: When you die, what will be your last words?

W: I've changed my plea to guilty.

S: What is next for Wes Eisold? Anything you'd like to add?

W: I can't look into the future. So I don't know. Shit is too redundant and boring. Fuck that up. Thanks Moz!