Change

Change is the new band by Aram Arslanian (of React! Records, Champion, Betrayed, The First Step, and tons of others, fame), that recently released their debut full length ‘Closer still’. Aram is one of the key figures of the hardcore scene since the early 00s and I was more than happy to sit down (metaphorically, unfortunately) and talk with him about Change, straight edge, his involvement in React! Records and today’s scene. He was super nice to do so, while facing a serious family problem, and I really appreciate that. Wish him all the best, too. ‘Closer still’ is one of the most important records of the last years, so you better do not sleep on it!

Pictures by Anna Swiechowska.

changehardcore.bandcamp.com www.instagram.com/changehardcore

Hey Aram! Thanks for your time! Congrats for ‘Closer still’, definitely one of my favourite hardcore albums of double twenty.

Thank you! I’m psyched that you like it and I appreciate the interview.

Who’s in Change? How did you decide to play youth crew hardcore in the era of the return of chugga, crossover and 90s NY hardcore? There’s only a handful of bands still playing old school / youth crew these days…

On the record, Change is me on vocals, Dave on guitar, Carl on bass and Alex on drums. Live the band is Chris and Mike on guitars, Matt on bass and Jeff on drums. Throughout the bands I’ve been in I’ve always wanted to do a classic sounding Straight Edge band that pulled from

my favs like Youth of Today, BOLD, Sportswear, Uniform Choice, INSTED, Turning Point and Gorilla Biscuits, while also adding in elements of Embrace, Verbal Assault and 7 Seconds. I like all kinds of HC (and music) but the bands above represent the kind I’m the most drawn to playing. After The First Step spilt I started writing some songs that were intended to be my next thing, but it wasn’t a consistent effort since I was focused on my career at the time. So, I just wrote whenever I had the time and slowly built up this set of songs over the years. Eventually I recorded them with the guys I mentioned earlier, but then things got really dark for me for a few years and the songs ended up sitting unused.

You’ve been a prolific figure in the post-2000 hardcore scene. Having played in bands like Champion & Betrayed and running React! Records for years, how did you decide to get back on the map and form a new band?

I’d been totally obsessed with HC from the age of 15 and put most of my energy into bands and the label until around 2011. At that time, I started to focus more on my career and didn’t

have as much free time. I was still playing in bands like Keep It Clear and Union of Faith, but both were very low-key so I could keep creative and involved in the scene while also building up my career. Like I mentioned earlier, I eventually hit on some hard times and had to focus on getting through them, and at that point music totally dropped off. I hit a real bottom in my life and started working with a therapist to process what was happening. Playing in a band was the last thing on my mind, but I had mentioned to my therapist offhand I had a bunch of songs with no lyrics or vocals. He was the person who suggested I go back and finish them and encouraged me to treat the record as a therapeutic exercise, so I started writing. At first the songs were super self-indulgent and a complete mess. I hadn’t written lyrics in years and I was basically just writing out raw emotion on paper. I cringe when I think back to those first attempts, but it was definitely something I needed to get out. After a while I got back my focus and was able to get ideas on paper that I felt represented what I was feeling in the right way. When I started tracking the record, I was anxious about it, but it ended up being very healthy for me. Those recordings are someone working through a lot of personal stuff. I’m not a natural singer so I had to work at it, push myself and leave it all on the field. I didn’t have plans to release the LP at all, the band didn’t even have a name. Finishing it started to represent closing a chapter of my life, and I didn’t have any ideas for when I got to the end. So, when it was finished, I was a little like, “Huh, what do I do with this thing?” I sent it out to some friends and got a lot of support, and it was really the people in my circle that convinced me to put it out, especially Gabi, Allan, Chris, Robert, Evan and Espen. REACT! and Refuse were immediately down to release it, and once I knew it was coming out, I asked my friends to be in the band and the rest is history.

Is straight edge still an important movement for you? How did it help to shape your own life? Did it affect your daily job and relationships? How do you see today’s straight edge scene?

Straight Edge is very important to me. I can comfortably say that the idea and the community definitely set me on a better path in life. I grew up in an unstable environment and used alcohol to deal with the consequences of that. By my early 20’s I’d developed a drinking problem and had all the issues that go along. I knew I needed to quit, and sxe seemed like the right commitment to make. After being sober for a while I started to find my voice, my people and my vision for how I wanted to live my life. There’s no way that would have happened at that age without sxe. I’m not sure if it saved my life, but it definitely gave me a new lease on it. It’s definitely been very positive for my daily job and relationships. At this point it’s not something I go out of my way to talk about, but I’m certainly comfortable with the label. In regard to today’s sxe scene, it’s great! I like a lot of current sxe bands, especially Odd Man Out, Inclination and One Step Closer.

Change is not the typical youth crew hardcore band; all the ‘clichés’ may be present, but you dare to expand your music boundaries a lot, you even have a dub / reggae part in the record. What influenced you while writing ‘Closer still’?

Thanks for saying that! I drew from a lot of different sources for this record and tried to weave that into the writing. I was pulling inspiration from metal, thrash, reggae, R ‘n’ B and 80s pop music and focusing on how the bass and drums move together. I wanted each part of the record to have something to say lyrically and musically, and I put effort into pushing my comfort level. I would never have done this in earlier bands, and I guess the thing that made this record different was a lack of fear. I’ve been a part of a lot of records over the years, some are good, and some aren’t. I’ve gotten comfortable with both the good and crappy stuff I’ve recorded on so I’m not too worried if something I do at this point is embraced and I definitely didn’t write this record for a scene or an audience. Instead, I just wanted to write something that was I personally into and that I would listen to. However, I’m also very appreciative that people seem to be into it. It’s cool to write something for yourself, but it rocks when people actually like it!

What about the lyrics of the record? What issues do they cover? And why did you choose single-word titles for all songs?

I’d like the lyrics to speak for themselves. I

worked hard on them and tried to say a lot with a little – the economy of expression. I also tried to write them on two levels: a more general HC level that has one meaning, and a deeper personal level that has another. Both meanings are valid, it’s just that one is very much about me trying to work through my own stuff. Anyone who knows me knows what each song is about on that more personal level, and beyond that I like to leave them open to the interpretation of others. I picked single-word titles because I was doing a lot of reflection on my life and how I move through this world, and the starkness of single-word titles seemed to fit with that.

The last song of the record, which is actually a spoken word outro, deals with the topic of Life & Death. What’s your take on the subject? Do you believe in life after death? And do you follow any established religion or religious movement?

I don’t believe in life after death, which is exactly why I wrote those lyrics. I don’t follow any religion, and I don’t look down on anyone who does. My take is that we live in a world that’s always focused on the next horizon, the next thing and even the next life. That kind of thinking can cause you to miss out on the now. For me, the finality of death, and that there’s nothing after that, is the best reminder to live now.

‘Closer still’ was released in US by React! Records and in EU by Refuse Records. How did you decide to co-operate with these 2 labels? You used to run React! till 2013, do you feel nostalgic of that era? Would you start a record label now if you were young? What are the pros and cons of running a hardcore business?

Both Evan and Robert are good friends, and it was an easy decision to work with them. The reason for both is that I wanted to capture the same feel as the pairing of Revelation and We Bite back in the late 80’s. I liked that the YOT and GB records had these different layouts and colours on the European label, it made them such awesome versions to hunt down. I wanted to create that same vibe and hopefully we pulled it off.

I loved running REACT! and I definitely have a lot of great memories of that time in my life. I stepped out at the right time for me, but I’ve actually been involved a bit in the past year and that will likely continue. Evan and I are looking at releasing more records together on the label and have a few projects we’re working on now, so that’s something that I’m excited about. I guess that kind of answers your question about starting a label, since I’m back involved in one again. But yes, I would definitely start a label again from the ground up if I was younger and I encourage more people to do it. Running a label is a lot of fun, you’ll likely lose money and get a little jaded, but overall, you’ll have a great experience. The only real con I can think of about running a HC business is if you’re trying to make a living off of it. Once your art becomes your living, making decisions based on getting income can impact how you follow your passion. Both are essential, but only one makes us happy and it’s very difficult to balance the two.

How do you see today’s hardcore scene? Any favourite bands? Which was the best show you attended in 2020? What do you miss the most when it comes to shows?

The current HC scene is great from my perspective. I’m not as deep into it as I was when I was younger, so I can only speak to what I know and it’s awesome. My favourite bands now are Odd Man Out, Punitive Damage, Chain Whip, Scowl, Pillars of Ivory, Berthold City, One Step Closer, Inclination, Line of Sight, Praise, Life Force, Sunstroke, End of Dayz, Chain Reaction, Death Threat, Smash, Speedway, Perfect World, Outright, By All Means, With x War, Weight, Dying for It, Scowl, Retaliate, Spirit Crusher, Appraise, Dregs, Rejection Pact, Chopping Block and Mindforce. The best show I attended in 2020 was definitely Can’t Keep Us Down fest in Barcelona. Seriously the best vibe of any fest I’ve ever attended! What I miss most is seeing a band get up on stage and tell us what time it is. All respect to the bands that are out there finishing the masterpieces of 2021 and I can’t wait to hear some new music and see you play.

Thanks for the interview! Let’s hope we’ll see Change in Europe in 2021, fingers crossed!

Thank you again! Check out the new By All Means songs they just put out because they rip!