ISSUE 3
BROKEN FRAMES WITH ALEXIA & ANISSA RODRIGUEZ & GREG KERWIN JAY AND OSCARS DOUBLE HEADER FROM
&
WHAT IT’S ABOUT WITH
JAKE CASUALTY
SPECIAL ISSUE
EDITOR NAOMI KELLY PUNK ROCK ZINE
designer JASON BOLDUC
REVIEWS ANNIE RIOT
COLUMNISTS JIM SMITH JASON BOLDUC MIKE McCARTHY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Jennifer Emily/Horror in the Hammer Mike Magee / Stomp, The Union Label Group
Paul Desormeaux Right Out Beyond the horizon Right Out Beyond is my friend
Right Out Beyond where water meets land Right Out Beyond where maples stand Right Out Beyond our reach for a time Right Out Beyond is a friend of mine Right Out Beyond all that we hold Right Out Beyond the stories told Right Out Beyond friendship, more fraternal Right Out Beyond Because It's Eternal Right Out Beyond
TILL NEXT TIME
ROB CAMpBELL It doesn’t matter what everyone thinks it only matters what you think. Who the fuck cares about what everyone thinks of you or what they have to say. Am i here to give a shit or something, Am i supposed to impress you? The truth is the people that’s honest enough to say it to your face and not give a fuck. People in general are fucking stupid all they care about is themselves and their stupid little worlds. Some day it’s all going to burn down to the ground and i’ll be there smiling when it does, Just to say “I fucking told you so”. Live life not to worry about it,but to remember it and everything that comes along the way. And most of all “Blahhhhhhhh”.
AUGUST 10 2010
Keith Maurik / Epitaph Records
James Wright / Kerosene Media Ramon Gonzales /Old Shoe Records Jose Martinez / Earshot Media Natalie Camillo / Adrenaline PR Bari Lieberman / MSO Bethany Watson / MSO
BANDS The BOUNCING SOULS EYES SET TO KILL
The SPARRING FAR FROM FINISHED
The CASUALTIES IN FEAR AND FAITH
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 12 19 24
THE
BOUNCING SOULS EYES SET TO KILL THE SPARRING FAR FROM FINISHED THE CASUALTIES
AFTER LIFE
2009
Anna Taylor (Christina Ricci) is a young woman with a distraught personal life after the death of a mentor. Taylor’s life takes a twisting dramatic turn for the worse. Awakening on a cold mortician’s table Taylor startles herself to her realization that she is dead. The strange funeral director Eliot Decon (Liam Neelsen) indicates she is in purgatory trapped in the land of the living, and needs to prepare for the transition. Taylor, unable to deal with the reality of her consquences, denies Eliot’s explanations of death, and tries to convince herself she is still alive. Taylor’s grieving boyfriend Paul Coleman (Justin Long) starts to have delusional visions of his departed love. Putting the pieces together Coleman tries desperately to resolve the mystery behind Taylor’s passing. Jack (Chandler Canterbury) who was in Taylor’s class at school, becomes inquisitive in the roles of life and death, wondering on the meaning of passing. The strange funeral director Decon explains his moral opinions to Jack on the judgement of the living. After realizing there is nothing left worth living Taylor accepts her darkest fears and accepts her fate and begins to prepare herself for the transition. Coleman, who is relentless to give up on accepting Taylor’s passing, progressively suspects Decon is hiding something. Under scrutiny from Coleman, Decon challenges him to find out for himself. This movie has some great scenes of embalming and preparing the body for Funeral rites. Taylor is often left unclothed as she is represented as a corpse, with a slight scene indicating Necrophilia. There was no direction from the accident itself only glimpses of what actually happened to let us assume a twisting plot line of something more sinister. Could have used more suspense and shock in the scenes and a little more character on Deacon’s personality. “Life is the symptom. Death is the cure”
5 /10
THE
SHITLIST Nick: So something that pisses me off is Underground Network Records what the fuck happened? First of all the Independent self press industry is fucking dead. As cool as it is to have a do it yourself Label, it’s just not feasible as such in today’s modern information highway. Unless Big Brother figures out a way of streaming information directly to the cortex by means of ultra sonic frequency, I would suggest supporting local independent creations. Unless of course you’re willing to pay exorbitant sums of fucking money for a marked up cd. In reality the band gets maybe enough money to actually buy a beer. In the end it is exactly just that - a source of income. Adapt or die. Krystal: What the fuck is with the Buses? Like what the fuck? Hey where else can you make money for expressing Road Rage? The constant chatter of false teeth, dirty adult diapers, whining unattended kids and the occasional pop tart that just has to put her game face on. After all, the perks of all that change, who needs coffee money or a retirement funds? And the benefit of driving at night you can just stop the bus take your time chain smoke some fuckin cancer sticks and blame it on traffic. After all it is H.S.R ( Hostile Street Racer). Jake: What the fuck is with ass rashes is it back to front or what. Is that wrong? Your significant other must love the Salad, Fresh herbs with a slight sprinkle of nuts. Seriously I suggest the circle if you’re unsure, followed by the two finger peanut butter dip. This method works fantastic if you’re under pressure hiding behind some bushes fertilizing someone’s garden. For the rash I highly suggest “Coppertone” Sunblock, a high S.P.F is highly suggested.
Kim: What the fuck is with all these fuckin skids riding around on all these fuckin scooter bike things...what do they think it is, a Harley? Fuckin skids? For a moment there I thought we were back in the sixites with all these “Tree Huggin” dirty fuckin hippies. Hey I’m all for saving the environment and all that shit. But hey, Skid plate, can you gain enough intelligence to Learn the Rules of The Road. It appears people that are too fucking stupid to obtain a license can buy one. I personally think it should be a new game “Doorprize pinball”. Open your door on the way by like a pinball flipper to see if you can unlock multiball.
THE BOUNCING SOULS Greg Attonito, Pete Steinkopf, Bryan Kienlen Vans Warped Tour,Arrow Hall ,Toronto,ON / M.S.O July,09, 2010 Interview: Jason Bolduc , Jim Smith JB: So your wife makes the ties?
Greg: Ya she made this one but she doesn’t make all of them.
JB: So these are probably the same questions you guys have heard over and over again. You guys have been around for a really long time. “94 was the first time I saw you guys.
Greg: Of really, where was that?
JB: Stateside. The next time I saw you, you opened up for The Descendents. I was so ill the guys dragged me to the show and said “oh no it’s for the cause. Go into the pit” I said “but no I really have to puke, I need to go and lay down”, and they kept pushing me into the pit, “no it’s for the cause! It’s the Descendents, man!” .
Bryan: Well after all it is the Descendents. Greg: Well did you puke? JB: Ya man and I hurled.
Bryan: Did you puke on people?
JB: Ya I was in the pit! I’m off to the side and the guys were like, “just puke on someone”. “No I’m not going to do that, what ‘s wrong with you?” So they kept pushing me into the pit, in and in, puking on the way.
Bryan: That’s the way it always is, just sweat it out and feel better. And sometimes not so much. Greg: That’s for sure and then it’s everywhere. JB: so how did your sound start off, it was a college thing, playing in a college town?
Pete: It was a promotion for parties at a New Jersey State University I guess Rutgers Records. Bryan: Rutgers Located in New
PETE STEINKOPF:PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
Brunswick ,as a band just out of high school, Greg: We thought there was a music scene there . Bryan: We were starting out as a band a year and a half of college, going down to shows. Greg: Back then there was a different kind of scene, it revolved around university. JB: back in the day the start of the scene was really up and down, it’s not like it is now.
Bryan: It was a lot of action, three dimensional, physical flyer handing out, a lot of word of mouth, now it’s just a click of a button on the internet now. JB: A whole new world on Myspace.
Greg: You can find out when any band is playing now. Bryan: Ya it’s true, It’s handy now for sure. Greg: The internet in general, it’s been pretty good, in the sense getting to communicate with everyone, but I think the balance is finding the charm that we lost in having the internet which is like, handing out flyers, buying music at a record store, discovering those things or seeing a band and then never being able to see them and then being able to watch them on you-tube you know what I mean and you can see that band and you’re like,I can’t see a dvd or a video until they came back or like whatever.You know what I mean?.That was a charm to it, I remember being at shows and was like “what?” Pete: It’s like being just more of a huge experience to it, major fan excitement. Greg: That moment was more special and, I think, that charm and that’s the negative or one of the negative sides of the internet. Bryan:But you really kinda can lose the charm about things. Greg: But it’s the way that we communicate. Bryan: It’s great for spreading the word for sure Greg:And you can find anything for free so.. JB: So what do you think of the whole change of the industry for downloading and everything?
Bryan:Ahh that’s never getting too huge of a thing with the Bouncing Souls. Either way you know we didn’t live or die about record sales any way were like just ties back into BRYAN KIENLEN:PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
what Greg was talking about. I think the Live show experience, I think, is like our greatest asset and emm all the rest of it is whatever were just watching things change and changing with them and not sweating it too hard either way. JB: are record sales really that high?
Greg: Just general reverse Records don’t sell much as they used to at all. Bryan:The true fans I guess are the ones that will go out and buy it,we all have true albums at home, right. There’s still a lot of people that love holding a record you know checking out the art work,bringing it home and playing it. JB: The sleeves and everything that’s what it’s all about right?
Bryan:For a lot of people it’s still the same Pete:The whole experience of it you know just opening it up, looking at the words listening to the music.
Jim: Does it make you feel better though knowing that more people are listening to you because they are getting it from the internet? Like you were saying word of mouth kind of.
Bryan:If anything it’s better for bands like us you know it’s leveled the playing field and it’s all in the others hands you know you can put music out and it’s directly available to kids without being a lot of bullshit.Without big industry people getting in the way. JB: Do you guys ever regret not doing the school thing?. I mean working on the band rather than the higher education thing, I noticed your merch guy is a hundred and ten thousand dollars in debt?.
Bryan: I wouldn’t change a thing, there’s just no substitute for the experiences that we’ve had. We lived the shit out of life, we’ve seen the world and done everything. and have done everything we’ve ever wanted to do up until this day you know. And it’s something we even take for granted often because it’s so awesome that the band gets this opportunity to just sort of be ourselves and hold on to those ideals we had in highschool.Without compromising them you know, it’s been awesome. JB: I don’t know about the States but up here in Canada we have this thing now in Colleges and some universities where if you have enough life experiences in doing what you were going to school for in some careers you can receive a honorary degree.
BRYAN KIENLEN:PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
Greg:Really? JB: Ya
Bryan: Canada is so cool,so fucking cool
JB:Ya it’s goes to show you don’t have to spend all that money just have to learn it and work hard. There’s people here that spend fifty thousand dollars on school to work at a Mcdonalds. And then the standards of living goes down because you have such a huge debt load.
Greg:How much do you think it cost to get your life experience Degree here in Canada? Jim: I went to a school here for studio engineering and there’s only 2500 hundred jobs total in Canada.
Bryan:Well man just open up your own studio and start recording small bands.
JB:What do you guys think about off the floor recordings? A lot of bands are doing that now
Bryan:It’s Cool.
JIM:Back to pro tools? And the basement recordings
Bryan:Pro tools has changed the world
JIM:Have you guys heard the difference between digital and analog sound and which do you prefer?.
Bryan: I would buy into that theory I think there’s some kind of difference I mean if you listen to “Anchors Aweigh” compared to …Is “Gold Record” all digital Pete? Pete:Well yeah. Pete: We did “How” too, you know we sold it on tape and then flew it in to pro tools. Adding in drums and bass,you can argue about it for years you know but in the end it ends up all digital. You do so much now with so little a lot it’s a good place to have that money, a lot of bands don’t have the money to do it so you know. JB:So lyric wise do you guys feel you have really changed from that happy party sound to more of a in depth meaning?
Bryan:ahh Changing of life I guess, changing as we grow up, it’s about the life skills man the life skills. JB:More meaningful compostision in the lyrics I guess
Greg:Ahh you know every now and then we have fun spotaneous lyrics that pop up,like on the new record “Badass”,is a good example of that. It’s like a silly...like a East Coast Fuck You kinda of song. But ya we really don’t kinda think ahead we just write what we’re compelled to write.
GREG ATTONITO :PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
JB: you guys already answered this one in a previous interview - “Letters from Iraq” - are you guys still in correspondence with the guys?
BRYAN:Ya those are our friends ya. GREG:Ya we get letters from them every now and then, they are from the Denver area so when we play there their friends come out so we play it in Denver. JB: I used to have a different opinion that until jim’s stepdad here showed me some shit and made me change my perspective.
GREG: It’s kind of a loss ‘cause we felt inspired about it and really wanted to write about it but it was atrocity glossed over kinda over publicized and then reading Garetts lyrics and just blowing it out of the water. PETE:Yeah JB: So he’s doing good now though?
GREG: What’s the organization he’s with? IVAW it’s “IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR” and he’s pretty much like running things back there for the organization. JB: Do you guys support organizations like that?
BRYAN: Ahh we do things with Garett sometimes other than that we really don’t stick our noses into really hardcore political shit. We kinda lean more to things like causes that are charities like breast cancer and things like that. JB: Do you guys ever do any kind of charity shows?
GREG: We get offered those things and sometimes we do them or sometimes were not able to do them but were always up to things that are really cool like that. It’s just a matter of making it work, it’s technically scheduling. We are always up for something that is a good cause though for sure. JIM: When you guys coming back to Hamilton?
BRYAN:We are due for a cross Canada tour soon I think. Are we coming back up here with Bad Religion? Toronto or Montreal though, I think? GREG: The Toronto scene is pretty good though from what I’ve seen. BRYAN: In the States it’s hard because of the economy so... JB: Has the economy really screwed up that much?
BRYAN: Oh ya the economy really made it hard for everybody across the board I think,it’s that big of a recession you know. JB: Like the G20 - let’s spend a billion dollars instead of feeding the homeless.
BRYAN: Yeah the G20, it’s always a riot literally.
JIM: Yeah they burnt cop cars up.
BRYAN: Yeah it’s such a contrast of lIfe.
JB: So in the long run, what’s the plans?
BRYAN: Ironically we’re not a bunch of long run planning type of guys you know! GREG: Always stick to within six months or a year and don’t really kind of plan beyond that you know. PETE: Yeah like the five year plan, the guys used to always say that we need like a five year plan. GREG: But that all got changed to the six month plan of always staying within the six month plan to a year. Going with the six month to a year plan you always keep things going you know.
JIM: Because there aren’t too many bands that make it that long you know and then after a couple of years you know it’s’alright we’re done’.
GREG/BRYAN/PETE: Yeah that’s not us!
HORROR IN THE HAMMER
The Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn N, Hamilton,ON
EYES SET TO KILL ANISSA,ALEXIA RODRIGUEZ , GREG KERWIN
Vans Warped Tour, Arrow Hall Courtesy: Kerosene Media / James Wright
M.S.O July 09, 2010 Interview: Jason Bolduc , Jim Smith
WITHIN PUNK ZINE JB: So how are you enjoying the tour?
GREG: Amazing. So much fun.
JB: Three albums in three years. Not too many bands power through that, that’s incredible.
GREG: We like to write. ANISSA: We have a lot of time, on this tour it’s really scheduled and busy but on normal tours we have 6 hours of doing nothing so we try to write a lot.
JB:
Did you find it hard to get into the scene?
ANISSA: In the beginning it was hard because we’re girls. When we first started it was hard to even find members, because they were like ‘oh you guys are girls, you don’t know how to play music’. ALEXIA: It’s been better though now, since there are a lot of bands now that have
ALEXIA RODRIGUEZ : PHOTO JASON BOLDUC girls, people accept it more. ANISSA: Especially with the type of music that we play.
JIM: Do you guys come up with all your songs together as a band?
GREG: Well Alexia and I started writing the guitar together and she has a book of lyrics and the rest of the band, they write their own little two cents into it and we work on it more and more, that’s how it usually works. JB: Do you do any poetry?
ALEXIA: Well sometimes I write poems and just take lines out of it. JB: So what influenced your sound now?
ALEXIA: Thrice…. all of us really love…Thrice and Blink 182 of course…. GREG: Pretty much the same thing, Blink 182 got me into music, Thrice, but I really don’t listen to all that much music to be honest with you, what I used to listen to was more blues than anything. JB: I grew up to country, that’s where the base roots are, any old school punk will tell you ‘oh ya, country, hillbilly’ or I would put on Pepsi Power Hour and there would be Overkill…and then a transition from death metal to a whole scene evolving into a post hardcore, the grindcore, the metalcore, it’s breaking down into so many little categories, back in the day it was like Slayer, Megadeth.
GREG: Unfortunately there’s a lot of bands that try to copycat other bands, that’s why I don’t like listening to new music because it feel like everyone’s trying to be that one band. There can only be one Slayer, can only be one Blink 182.
JB:
Do you think that if you do listen to newer bands, it might influence you more?
GREG: Well there’s definitely a lot of newer bands that are doing innovative stuff… mostly when I hear new bands it’s on tour, I probably own 10 CD’s that I actually do like.
GREG KERWIN : PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
JB: it’s cool that you’re all metal; a lot of female musicians are more oriented now on the pyschobilly scene. when it comes to women vocalists for heavy bands, I mean for me I grew up around equality but for the industry it’s still stuck in the fifties and sixties frame of mind when it comes to women artists. I guess that’s why it was hard for you. Seeing everything go mainstream now I mean a lot of it used to be the progression and creation of the rifts I mean the categories seem to be there. it shouldn’t be that you guys are two women blazing metal trying to get onto the scene and because you are women you are portrayed subjectively, it shouldn’t be about the looks it should be about the music right?
the ability to give it. I guess it comes down to labels…it seems it’s easier now regardless of gender. Are you guys happy with your label right now?
ALEXIA: Well actually, we just finished a new record, the last one we did for the label. GREG: We’re currently free agents, so we did 3 records with them that was the contract, so we’ll see what happens now. JB: Any ideas?
GREG: Honestly, we’re going to focus on this tour and then after we’ll figure out what’s going on. JB: It does seem that a lot of bands are going to Victory Records, but I hear a lot of horror stories about that, that people are not really happy with that label.
GREG: The record label that we were on was a really, really good record label, they supported us 100%. I do hear stories about labels that are complete dicks to bands….but they were really awesome to work with. JB: You guys were with the USA Today thing, what’s up with that?
ANISSA: It was actually an article about Tish, she owns Daisy Rock and she was named best new entrepreneur and we were one of the newest acts that she started sponsoring. It was awesome. JB: Are you guys happy with what’s going on in the states right now and stuff? JIM: You mean like the war and stuff? JB: What do you guys think about politics? You know like Health Re-
form?
GREG: Well For instance like in Arizona.
ANISSA RODRIGUEZ : PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
JB: Well Arizona is a hot
topic though. JIM: Ahh yeah that whole stuff is pretty screwed up
GREG: Ya I don’t agree with that stuff you know like immigration for example, they actually changed the bill, they can actually profile anyone looking Hispanic, pull you over and not even ask you for ID and just tell you to put your hands up just for looking a certain way. JB: Yeah it’s all over the world actually racial profiling.
GREG: Yeah we run into a lot of that stuff just because of the way we look you know, especially in Arizona. Ya we run into that a lot because of the way we look, we’re definitely profiled a lot, I’ve been pulled over a lot in L.A., just driving down the road, pulled over, got put in handcuffs and the cop told me I was on heroin – and I don’t do drugs man, I drink beer and smoke cigarettes, that’s all I do. You know just because of the way I look so you know Arizona definitely… ALEXIA: Driving through the desert in Arizona actually we got pulled over… We all had to get out the van and stand against a fence there like we had to put our hands behind our back and it was like “why are we doing this right now, we didn’t do anything?” GREG: That’s one thing that really pisses me off it’s profiling it doesn’t matter what you look like doesn’t mean you’re a bad person you know what you look like it really shouldn’t matter you know. You know the nicest guys I know are completely covered in tattoos and would do anything for you and would never hurt a fly. And for some reason it’s completely different in Arizona the two different languages are Native and Hispanic. JIM: So you see yourself getting profiled a lot then? You know just by everyday people then you mean?
GREG: You know well sometimes that happens, but now with that law they can pull anyone over just for looking Hispanic.
JB: It’s a definate invasion of the Charter of Rights, Or in your case The American Convention on Human Rights basically the San Jose Pact. I mean basically it was one of the last remaining constitutions that they needed to overcome to be able to incarcerate anyone with no given reason and take away all rights and freedoms that were written in the Declaration of Independence. I mean it’s weird how many countries are starting to go that way now.
CISKO MIRANDA: PHOTO JASON BOLDUC
GREG: Ya..
JB: Well except for Canada all we care about is Bacon, Maple syrup and of course beer.
GREG: I wish life was that simple in the States JB: So what about touring so much, is it hard?
GREG: It’s definitely a lot of fun. Ya I guess you know you’re working everyday as a band, you know for months at a time, but it’s what we want to do in our lives. It’s like what you want to do, live your dream right? JB: So do you guys have a whole collection of songs planned out is that how you did three albums, all out shortly one after the other?
ALEXIA: I don’t know I think we just wanted to keep evolving, so like we’ve been through a lot of
members. ANISSA: I think we wanted to find ourselves. I think the new album Broken Frames is exactly what we wanted ourselves to sound like. It’s getting to that final sound or the final product. GREG; And kids you know they really forget it’s hard you know, to grab their attention. It’s hard you know, you’re hot and on top for two months then you’re not, so you got to keep up and give them something to like and relate to. JIM: Ya you don’t want to be known as the one hit wonders.
GREG: Ya exactly we want to slowly grasp our fan base and hopefully one day be over the top you know.
JB: I noticed on your blog Anissa that you said good bye phone service? Do you not get reception up here or something?
ANISSA: Ahh no..Actually I turn it off because of the roaming charges and people call me all the time so would owe so much money. JB: So what do you guys think about the all mighty downloading? GREG: ah what? JIM: The loss of record sales in comparison to online downloading?
GREG: Well I can only say if our music is out there or music is out there, people are going to hear us one way or another right? ALEXIA: You know I mean they’re still going to come to the shows GREG: Ya they’re still going to come to the shows, buy the shirts you know, as long as we spread our music that’s all we care about JB: So do you think there’s been a change in the industry because of that?
GREG: Well not necessarily I mean definitely there’s been a change in the industry. like, I’ve noticed in the industry you know, doing 3000 CD’s four years ago was really shitty, but a thousand CD’s in the first week, now that’s really good you know. So you know it’s whatever I really don’t care you know. JB: So what do you think about the booze?
GREG: The booze? ANISSA: No we haven’t tried it yet, what should we try?
JB: LABATT FIFTY! JIM: Man not every punk rocker or metal head drinks that you know! JB: No just “The Proud The Few” JIM: Well there is “Canadian” “Coors”
GREG: Ya I had like Blue… JIM: Labatt Blue? GREG: Ya
JB: So Break Silence? Moving on are you done with them after this Album?
GREG: I mean not necessarily we are on contract so we are happy with everything they did.
JIM: Are you guys happy with analog recordings or digital? JIM: Would you rather record on pro tools? it’s a little bit more sharper sounding?
GREG: Well I guess it’s better sound under Analog so I’ve been told, I know that “Underoath” recorded under Analog. ALEXIA: It’s cool that you can record tracks on your own though.
JIM: It has a nicer softer sound to it though; the difference between Adat and Pro tools is huge. The next time you’re recording ask to hear the difference. JB: Have you guys seen anything on the tour yet that has inspired you?
ALEXIA: I think we were in Europe before this and that was inspirational, we didn’t know how the kids were going to react to our shows. It turned out that the shows were always packed and everyone getting involved. ANISSA: And Ya I mean kids that didn’t even speak our language were there giving it everything they had trying to sing along to our songs, it was truly awesome in a lot of ways. JB: Well thanks guys for the interview. hope to see you on the next Canadian Tour.
EYES SET TO KILL
Broken Frames AVAILABLE ON
MEGA PIRANHA September 12 8:00pm - 10:30pm
$
5
BUCKS
Staircase Theatre (www.staircase.org 27 Dundurn St N, Hamilton, ON
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm to 8pm Closed Sunday and Monday
124 Ottawa St.N Hamilton,on 905 543-8286
WWW.LOCOTATTOOS.COM
DOUBLE HEADER
THE SPARRING , FAR FROM FINSIHED Jay and Oscar Vans Warp Tour/Arrow Hall, Toronto,ON COURTESY: OLD SHOE RECORDS/ M.S.O JULY 09 2010 Interview: Jason Bolduc , Jim Smith WITHIN PUNK ZINE Jay from The Sparring & Oscar from Far From Finished
JB: So Far From Finished, Boston scene and The Sparring?
JAY: Orange County. From the West coast to the East Coast
JIM: Both on the same Label. you Guys sharing a bus on the tour?
OSCAR: Old Shoe Records Fuckin Kicks Ass “It’s the shit”.
JIM: How long have you guys known each other for now?.
OSCAR/JAY: Ahh Year and a Half now maybe Two Years. Fuck maybe too long.
JIM: So you guys know each other then pretty good and have toured together before?.
OSCAR/JAY: Ahh we have done a couple of shows together i guess. Ya never really
toured together. (Jay) Ya this is our first tour, you forgot we are on the Warp Tour. OSCAR: Oh shit I guess this is a tour then, I stand corrected this is our first tour together. OSCAR: Is it actually happening right now?
JIM: Ahh yeah it really is happening right now this is pretty fuckin real. JB: So you guys have different sounds, The Sparring is hard fast punk. Far From Finished is catchy upbeat Boston sound, Do you guys influence each other in a way?.
JAY: Actually this guy influences the shit out of me, I love his shit. I have to be honest with you extremely I was a fan of Far From Finished even before I met the guys. I’m the type of guy where if meet the band and they were asses then it ruins it for me. Then i actually met the guys and it worked out. OSCAR: They influenced us to ingest alcohol every night, it’s pretty good it’s like a symbiotic relationship there. JB: Jim Siegel?
OSCAR/JAY:OHH MAN,OH JESUS CHRIST “Craziest man in the universe possibly”. “Have you ever seen Rain man”? JB/JIM: YA! OSCAR: He’s like Dustin Hoffman on speed. He’s got crazy ears, he has special powers that receive tones and stuff that other humans don’t hear and never will.
JB: So many bands have gone through him and he purely is magic well worth it?
OSCAR: He wouldn’t let me listen to the album until I paid the man for his magic and let me tell you the man is worth the world. So I asked him well are there any changes that need to be made? And he said “Nope I’m done with your Project” And that is part of the magic, what you get is a true visionary creation one of a kind production. In this day and age it is a honestly a privilege to have him work with us. OSCAR: And we were like okay listen to it and yeah no changes, you really shouldn’t second guess absolute perfection. OSCAR: When we recorded “Forgettable” The Studio got all closed off so we had to hold up for awhile. (Girl Walking by) JAY: I’ve touched myself...(Singing) I just can’t help that i touched myself OSCAR: Do you know who that is? JIM: Isn’t that those two twins?
OSCAR: Are they legal “Can They Do Anal”? Lol JB: You’re really on the Anal thing huh?
OSCAR? Is that true that your guys are from Canada is it 19? To drink And be Legal, and 16 For Consent to Anal? JB: Ahh they changed it to 14 now actually way back in the day but its older now I think. OSCAR: !4 For “Vag”! What really?” Wow” you guys are hardcore here. JIM: Actually it’s 18 in Quebec to drink.
JAY: YA! my Bass player is really excited both for the “Drinking” and the “Vag” JB: Have you tried the Beer yet?
JAY: I haven’t tried it yet but planning to! OSCAR: Gotta say big fan of “Molson Canadian” been drinking this shit all day and gotta say it beats “Budweiser” for thirty days straight! OSCAR: What do you guy’s drink?
JB: LABATT FIFTY! JIM: Every punk around here drinks that donkey piss but I don’t!
JB: Cause you’re a skid, not a punk! JIM: Just walk into a beer store and look at them and say “fifty”.
OSCAR: So you gotta say it like that? “Stomp your foot on the ground and shit “FIFTY” Looking at them with one crazy eye and all! JB: It’s the only way!
JAY: Dude I wanna shot gun one of these high percentage beers. Actually right after this! JB: So what bands influenced you guys?
OSCAR: Scott Weilend, ahh Britney Spears, JAY: For our band, Scott Weiland, Alex what’s his name, Britney Spears…..no uh, Gallows and Bronx, they have so much stage presence so, we’ve only been the band 9 months now, we both talked about a band that put a lot of energy on stage and that the only thing we base the band around, to give the person a show. If you don’t have a show and they don’t know your songs, I don’t want to be statues up there. JB: Then you’ve only been around for nine months then?
JAY: As a band ya , I was in actually two bands. One was called “Emergency” and both bands weren’t going anywhere and we started up “The Sparring”. Me and Joel were both playing drums in other bands so we both knew how so he decided to be the front man. JIM: So nine months and you already have a release that’s not bad!
JAY: Ya they can really throw one together pretty fast these days.
JB: There seems to be a lot of Post Hardcore on the tour?
JAY: Ya..I don’t know why.
CONTINUED PAGE 22
Crash Landing is a Punk Rock shop in the east end of Hamilton, it first opened in the summer of 2006 and since then has grown a lot. We carry tons of Band T’s, Horror Movie T’s, Bondage Pants, Custom Furniture, Jewlery & Studs, House Accessories, Belts & Buckles, Hot Rod Shirts, and lots more. Read more: http://www.myspace.com/ crashlanding_store#ixzz0wuSjhuw7
1
189 OTTAWA ST. N
HAMILTON, ON
905 548-0039
OSCAR: I hate those classifications.
JB: It seems everyone is jumping on stage right now.
JAY: Trends. OSCAR: If you trying to please someone else, it’s never going to fucking work. I mean it may work in the meantime, and you know you might make the fucking kids coming out to see those bands happy but it doesn’t make anything for longevity or honesty. If you’re trying to please somebody with your music “Fuck Off” it’s not worth it right off the bat. “You have no chance of being a geniune person” JAY: And it has to go for every single person in the band “Love it and go with it”. JB: You guys are doing the Barbeque right?
JAY: YA it’s a lot of work but it’s worth it, like it’s a party every night. It’s working off of tips every night. JAY: OSCAR helps out with it. OSCAR: Oh Ya a little bit of stroking and little bit of “sucky” “sucky” and a little bit of “Whiskey”. JAY/JIM: ‘GOTTA LOVE THE WHISKEY” JB: Do you guys have a bus?
JAY: I Have a Van dude and I pull the barbeque, that thing over there that looks like a giant “PABST” can is actually a Barbeque. OSCAR: Can we do a pig on that thing?. JAY: Fuck it let’s do it. I’m sure we can on that grill! OSCAR: Maybe we can do a pig right in front of the Pita Place. Maybe we can throw our pipe player in there. He’s kind of pig-looking. He’s a big round guy JB: So what do you think about our Canadian Women?
OSCAR:I have been hitting on every single one that walks by me and I haven’t had one that acknowledges me yet, but they haven’t been past sixteen. But now that I have found out about the law hey it’s all good. JIM:”If there’s grass in the field play ball!”
JAY:”If there’s not grass in the field move over and play in the mud.” OSCAR: It is a rainy day today after all! JB:Is there a Bus Call?
JAY: Ahh Ya it’s pretty much the venue telling you to “fuck off” but we are pretty much gone to the next venue. OSCAR: We have a cool driver for our bus and it’s non stop party, no worries we sell our own merch and make sure we play then it’s all bets are off, do what we want. I don’t even know when he sleeps, he’s all about the punk rock. I swear the guy is a machine. JB: So what do you think about the world and all the shit?.
JAY: I don’t know what the fuck is going on with all these nonprofit organizations, but hey right on for trying but it’s only going to get worse. OSCAR”: Fuck that Shit” JAY: Ahh I don’t really know where this interview is going but just wanted to say we are looking for a Canadian label. JB: Just like to say “ Stomp Records” or Union Label group.
“They all fall down” CD RELEASE PARTY OCT,15 / The Phoenix Concert Theatre 410 Sherbourne St , TORONTO ,ON
AVAILABLE OCT !5,2010
Jake Casualtie Vans Warped tour, Arrow Hall, Toronto,ON July, 9 2010 Side One Dummy Records Courtesy of M.S.O Interview Jason Bolduc ,Jim Smith
WITHIN PUNK ZINE
JB: So it’s always been around, the old school sound, what do you think of the new sounds, the post hardcore, a lot of emo bands on this tour, a big mix of everything. A lot of people think that Warped tour used to be a lot more punk rock when it first started. Jake: Since we’ve been doing it it’s been the same, I feel that 80% of stuff that I feel is like, garbage, but then there’s a couple of really good bands, like the Sparring, my long time friends the Bouncing Souls, I like Alkaline Trio, there’s a couple gems. I haven’t checked out all the bands yet, but it’s always been a mix like that, you gotta have those mainstream bands pulled in for the crowd – and then hopefully you can turn some to the dark side you know what I mean. So yeah, Warped Tour has always been a mix, I mean there’s no Bad Religion or NOFX this year, but they can’t do it every year so. JB: Very true. Even NOFX says ‘oh this is our last album’ and they keep just throwing them out. I mean, it’s four chords, there’s only so far you can go until you hear the same shit. it’s hard to come up with something fresh, a lot of it is going more metal flowing into the punk rock scene. Jake: I would agree definitely, even on our new record we have like a couple faster songs that are thrash influenced but yeah it’s true, we’re on our seventh album right now, I mean like that’s like, stuff we do is different but also keep the band interested and not alienated. It’s interesting, we think about the stuff that we record but it’s a fine line, we like don’t get too weird for the sake of just doing something different, but you have to write music for yourself too. Jim: We’ve heard that a few times today, it’s not necessarily to keep in with the fashion of the music, it’s to keep yourself, like this is your art form that you’re sharing with other people. Jake: Absolutely and now that record sales don’t matter at
all anymore, it’s cool, you don’t have that p getting shelved or something for what you JB: One of my favourite sounds is the Unse bumper to bumper and Toronto is rated wo Jake: Oh Ya Wow I did not know that. JB: …Yeah, everyone just cuts in front of yo like the rich think they have the right of wa minivan? Do you find that in the States? JIM: Well they get out of my way Jay becaus Jake: I live in Jersey City, right next to New know I don’t even need one, so I don’t have next to the main hub for pretty much every tattoo shop right in the city that I work at an so I don’t really have to drive anywhere so get real bad with road rage and stuff too, it’
pressure of worrying about your record decide to come up with. een, every day I’m in rush hour traffic, orse than LA…
ou, all these BMW”S and everything, it’s ay, it’s like I’m a piece of shit ‘cause I’m in a
se I drive a big fuckin orange jeep. w York City, I don’t even own a car, you e any of those expenses, I live almost ything for my life anyway. I have a little nd I go there when we’re not on the road I don’t encounter that, Because I would ’s like, you want to drive up and see what
that person looks like because you want to kill them. JB: That’s the thing, I find that if I lower my windows and I got something crusty going on I just kind of give them the stare and they’re gone right, it’s kind of funny how people react. So we’re from Hamilton and it’s always been a old school scene you know. We’ve always had some good old school bands put these shows on that were legendary and shit would always get trashed you know. Bands like “Dirty Bird” “The Goalies” every now and then some good old “Dayglo Abortions”. Jim: The scene’s dying though JB: The scene’s dying in Hamilton, last time they had a good show, the cops came in and pepper sprayed everybody. Jake: It’s just silly ‘because they’re just killing it for everyone. JIM: They see a bunch of Old School Punks and they think they are all skinheads actually so they respond with brutality. JB: Ya that’s the thing we’ve been asking everyone. Do you think there’s more of a buildup with the skinhead movement incorporating the movement into the old school scene I mean thinking there are meanings behind the lyrics?. Especially in the Hardcore stuff you know?. Jake: Where are you picking that up though? I don’t see that where I’m from at all, it’s totally dead, the punk scene’s pretty healthy, it’s not as bad as it was a few years back, it’s definitely getting better. JB: So would you say that Jersey is an influence for you? Jake: Well out of every one in the band I was always the dude from Jersey, everybody else was from New York City. JB: So a lot of DC sound? Jake: Ya definitely, the east coast, all those sort of bands, but I even like “Death Sentence” from Canada and like . Everything pretty much, in the early days of the Casualties was the east coast hardcore but also UK82, all those bands that you can only find little 7 inches of. And you know that’s all they did was those seven inches. JB: In Hamilton they have weird shows every now and then, you know who played recently was Forgotten Rebels,(JAKE:OH YA YA..) it was $40 – they did a 20 minute set for $40… Jim: Ya Mickey didn’t want to do it, he didn’t want to play but he did… Jake: How’d he do, was it a good show, did anybody talk about it? JB: Apparently a lot of people weren’t impressed with it; his voice is raspy now from constantly drinking and getting old he mostly just kind of slurs the words out..You know but it’s Mickey. JIM: Didn’t he hang out in the Underground before it shutdown. JB: No man he was always hanging out down at this shithole gutter punk bar J.P Grumpys. If you were lucky enough someone would slap a song on the jukebox and watch him smile.
Jake: Toronto has always had a pretty good punk scene, we used to come and do the punk down shows back in ’95, but I don’t know, what was her name, Kate, she used to organize shows and I haven’t heard from her in like 15 years….. JIM: Nah I don’t remember that.. Jake: Yeah they use to do that spider pass and everything.. JB: Yeah they used to have a scene in Hamilton for quite some time. It went from “The Queens” to “The Corktown” where it was always a good fucking show you know. They use to have wood chairs and those got launched and then plastic chairs and those got thrashed. Jake: Oh Ya they still have shows there? JB: Ahh no it got shutdown right after a Riot Star, Haymaker show. Just was insane. Same with “The Underground” you know it got shut down and it seems every good punk club seems to go that way. Jim: So you how do you like being on Warp this year? Jake :Ahh you know it’s good I’m having a good time, you know, I’m happy we’re still relevant to be asked and I’m just happy to be here and it’s great to be on tour. It’s good when you know kids buy our shit and stuff you know it really helps us man and we’re still stoked to be asked to play in a big tour. JIM: Is there any plans for a Canadian Tour? Jake: Yeah we’ve always liked it here in Canada we’ve even gone to Timmins once. JB: That’s fucking pretty far north man. Jake: We’ve gone to Halifax once it’s hard to go that far and it’s a small turn out its like okay we would like to come back but its hard. We try to go a least one time to a lot of new places. But were always going to hit like Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec city, even London usually “Call the Office” we haven’t been there in quite awhile actually. Ahh it’s the thing you know like even Edmonton and western like Calgary and Vancouver, but yeah I mean so were going to do this tour then come back with Gwar. And then probably get back up here next summer sometime. Early 2011 to do our own headline. It’s hard to avoid getting the all ages club and it’s getting hard to do that in Montreal and even harder to do that in Toronto. JB: Well there are some clubs that still do that. depends on the promoter. Or you can have both right, all ages and 19 plus. But that’s the thing it’s hard to sell I mean a 19 plus show is always better right. The Opera house in Toronto still does that sort of thing. The Reverb used to be the greatest fucking bar you know, Dungy, holes in the walls, poster and flyers plastered everywhere dripping pipes, cheap beer, and floors that you thought were going to cave in. Jake: Hahah yeah that’s like my C.B.G.B’s JB: Yeah I heard its shut down now though. Jake: It was cool there. I used to spend my whole Sundays there. When I was younger we had nothing to do so we would just go down there and sit there, even fell asleep down there sometimes. JB: Do you enjoy playing in small venues like that?
Jake: Yeah when it’s properly run ya, and it’s JIM: Do you think it’s more personal to the fa good show fucking right. Jake Yeah.. yeah, It’s like we turn some heads us before that’s the point that’s what we do yo ested and rattle those dudes you know that kin but then it’s forced upon them (Hahah). JB: Do you think it’s become a trend right now Jake: I think it’s like, now I don’t think peop thing to do, I mean it’s because it’s been a par bands that are caving into it now it seems. JB: It’s not like it was back in the day of “Fuck JIM: It’s not anymore it’s commercialized JB: Are you pissed off about the commercializ
Jake: There’s two ways of looking at it there’s looking at it like the availability to the masses. You know hasn’t been that way for awhile already, there’s always going to be the kids that are like the Old Schools. Then there are going to be people that are really into it you know. We used to say that a younger dude can’t be as true as we are. JB: Yeah I’m glad it kind of went mainstream so it’s more understood now. JAKE: Yeah “PUNK IS THE CELEBRATION OF THE INDIVUAL RIGHT” so I hear dude, I mean it’s always like when I was younger. I felt that the generation before me was tougher. And now you know, I feel now that I’m older that the generation under me is not as tough. JB: It’s not like when we grew up you know our parents were like “Shut up or I’ll give you something to really cry about” The good old backhand you know, now all the kids get is “go stand against the wall” you know. It turns out now they don’t give a shit about anything you know. Jake: Maybe they need to get smacked around you know. JIM: I got smacked around as a kid too man. Jake: ( Laughing) Yeah and we all appreciated it man. JB: What do you think of the new direction? JAKE: Of us? JB: Yeah JAKE: We might do something and it will be just that good you know. Ahh you know we might get a little bit heavier and bolder, we might throw a wrench into the gear and like bust out a reggae tune in the new record you know. The” Tombs” is basically a precinct of cells that’s all underground and they call it the tombs. And me a Jorge used to spend most nights in there so we wrote a song about it. JB :Care to relent on why it was that you were in the tombs? JAKE: Ahh nothing bad you know just the usual antics you know.. just being loaded. JB: Yeah that happened once I spent 8 hours hanging upside down from the bars acting like a fucking monkey, till finally they got tired of me. JB: So what do you think of the States you know, where the country seems to be going?. Jake: I don’t know you know, right now I’m bummed out about the oil spill. Everyone’s like ‘get rid of British Pelike no frills it’s cool. troleum’ but America uses up half of the world’s oil. We’re ans walking by and going hey wait there’s a all to blame in this and just as much of anything all those companies should be doing what they can to make that end s with some kids that might not have known and clean that up you know. I get angry just thinking about ou know, we get people involved and inter- you know so...I think Obama is better than Bush. You nd of like punk but they haven’t seen us yet, know if I was in there dude and it was me I would totally be like Stalin. No more plastic shit, be like back in the day w? Or do you think it’s back again? when you rinsed out your jar for other shit. ple are into punk right now because it’s the JB: Here in Ontario we recycle everything we even have rt of them. There are a lot of mainstream green carts for recycled organics. So basically there is no need for garbage if you pay attention to it. k Everything”. Jake: Yeah I agree with you there’s no need for it you know. All these Green Cafes around and they don’t even zation of it all? recycle - how can you call yourself a green anything?
JIM: We’re forced to, they won’t take out shit unless we abide by it. We literally have a Blue box, a Green cart and one garbage bag that’s it. JAKE: That’s cool though, I feel plastics bags should have full on ban on them. They don’t break down and there’s a thing in the Pacific Ocean the size of Texas it’s all just fast food products just floating around. There are so many issues that need to be addressed. I mean war, there’s no reason for it, I mean it’s all religious wars and has been for centuries, why are we involved? I mean unless there’s some kind of Genocide happening then it’s different. I just feel there should be just a boycott against it, I mean America is such a heavily armed country. Or for that matter this continent is such heavily armed that no can ever invade it. And it’s just not only the military, it’s every person has a gun. So you would be a fool if you tried and invade this country, but I just think there’s no reason for us to get involved. JB: I think it’s all about the oil man. JAKE: It is all about the oil, it’s such bullshit but it’s all about the oil. You know I don’t even own a car. If they were like ‘hey you’re not going to tour anymore but oil is done’, I would be like cool you know. They need to find a way to make money off of clean products, and go in that direction, that would be cool. JB: What if it was just a Anarchists state? Then there would be no rich, no classes, no control would it be a better world? JIM: THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING! JAKE: Well there would have to be some kind of system, it would be a breakdown on some kind of level. But there would have to be a system where we would have to have a little bit of order. We could get through a lot of different things you know, but it has to be where everybody gets pissed off. And I mean not just punk - what do we make up, just 1 percent not even. JB: So is that the way you describe your guys message. Jake: Well it’s like do you wanna hear some music with meaning behind it or do you just wanna hear some shit and forget about. I don’t know, I feel like I would like a person to listen to something that has meaning behind it. JB: What do you think of downloading and shit? JAKE: I’m cool with kids stealing it because you know our music is getting heard, we would rather you
see us you know, the Casualties are a live band. A band that you have to go and see really, you know, compared to a band that is advertised way too much. It’s like when the Clash was out it was a band that you had to go see. The music is awesome you know, but you have to see it to document everything and appreciate it. It’s even better live you know, you have to go and check the band out. So I feel even if the kids get the music somehow, even if the kids are downloading it illegally then whatever, just make sure to come and see what we are about. JB: Yeah, so do you think a lot of bands just get wired and don’t move around much? Jake: Yeah it’s all about the band has to be into it or the fans aren’t either. It’s like our band, we’re not the first for the sound and hopefully we’re not the last, we’ll just carry the flag for awhile. JB: So a lot old good venues are gone now though? JAKE: Yeah I think some things have to fall in order for it to move on; it’s like an old forest burning down in order for a new one to grow. Just like to say if anyone is in Jersey City I have a Tattoo company “Jersey City Tattoo’s. And the website is Jersey city tattoos.com. If you’re ever in the mood for a tattoo, come and get tattooed!
The
CASUALTIES WE ARE ALL WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON
SIDEONEDUMMY R E C O R D S
Once again New Yorks “SIck Of It All” Keeps the spirit of Harcore alive spreading the message with energy and heart. Not too many bands can throwdown 24 years of Blood Sweat and tears to keep thier message going strong and hard. Sick Of It All ‘s “Based on a true story” Gives hope and courage to find the strengths to move foward in a world that has left many behind. Blazing the orginal kick you in the face vocals and basslines, Based on a true story keeps you wound up looking for more from one track to the next. The same type of anthems and sing alongs that won’t let you down.
“EVERYTHING YOU KNOW”
WISDOM IN CHAINS NEW FULL LENGTH RECORD
AVAILABLE NOW
LISTINGS AUGUST 31
SARAH BLACKWOOD / @ The Casbah
SEPTEMBER 08
HATEBREED With EMMURE, DEAD AND DIVINE, STRAIGHT LINE STICH BAPTIZED IN BLOOD
306 King St.W Hamilton, ON
@ The Phoenix 410 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, ON SEPTEMBER 09
The SUBHUMONS @ This Aint Hollywood 345 James St. North, Hamilton, ON
SEPTEMBER 10 PENNYWISE WIth AUTHORITY ZERO , RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS , BIGWIG @ The Opera House 735 Queen St East, Toronto , ON SEPTEMBER 18
SICK OF IT ALL With SWINGING UTTERS THE MONGOLOIDS WISDOM IN CHAINS @ The Opera House 735 Queen St East, Toronto , ON
SEPTEMBER 19
ANTI FLAG With Lemuria , The Artist Life @ The Mod Club 722 College Street West, Toronto ON
COLLECTIVE CONCERTS
PRESENTS www.collectiveconcerts.com Saturday, September 18, 2010 at The Opera House
SICK OF IT ALL
SWINGING UTTERS THE MONGOLOIDS WISDOM IN CHAINS COPYRIGHTS Doors: 6:30 Tickets: $18.50 advance $20.00 @ the door All-Ages/Licensed Thursday, October 14, 2010 at The Kool Haus
BAD RELIGION
BOUNCING SOULS OFF WITH THEIR HEADS
Doors: 7:00 Tickets: 29.50 advance Door price TBD
370 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V 2A2, Canada 416.598.0720