Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
United Blood This Saturday
Playing United Blood Fest in Richmond, VA this Saturday. The show is sold out but for those who got tickets we'll see you there. We'll be playing songs live as well as more songs.
The line-up:
Cro Mags
Beware
Bitter End
Break Away
Dead End Path
Fire and Ice
Free Spirit
Friend or Foe
Paper Trail
Power Trip
Ringworm
Stick together
Take Offense
Wisdom In Chains
The line-up:
Cro Mags
Beware
Bitter End
Break Away
Dead End Path
Fire and Ice
Free Spirit
Friend or Foe
Paper Trail
Power Trip
Ringworm
Stick together
Take Offense
Wisdom In Chains
Thursday, March 22, 2012
America's HC Interview from MRR #6
Respectfully stolen from Kill From The Heart...
MRR: Why are you called AMERICA'S HARDCORE?
DREW: We wrote a song by that title too, because we've really been influenced by all the bands around the country--MINOR THREAT, BLACK FLAG, 7 SECONDS, LAW & ORDER, NECROS, Boston bands.
MRR: Tell me about some of the songs you feel best about?
DREW: We have a song called "Open Your Eyes". It's directed at the scene in LA, but I've seen it happening other places too. It's to the kids, and it's about the big security guards at shows. When we saw DISCHARGE down there, kids were going up to slam on the stage, to show their appreciation for the band, and the bouncers would grab 'em and throw them out the back door. The band could stop playing, if they cared, and either tell the kids to stop or tell the bouncers to stop... so the song says that these bands have some power.
DANNY: It's the biggest compliment, in my book, when the kids do that.
DREW: Tell them about "Real Energy" and "Use Your Head".
DANNY: "Use Your Head" is about people who always complain about how fucked-up it is, and we're saying 'do something about it, instead of crying about it'.
DANNY: All our songs are pro-attitude songs. Pro towards the scene, to yourself--"get your message across". We're the kids too, we're you! We're always at the shows too, unlike some 'rockstar' bands.
DREW: We try to see all the opening bands, and we want them to watch us too. YOUTH BRIGADE, MINOR THREAT...they're not 'too cool' to just just walk away. They care.
MRR: How is that any different from any other music scene?
DANNY: Punk is closer, between performer and audience.
DREW: There's a lot more of a message to punk. In 'Rock And Roll' they say "baby" too much. Plus, there's a distinction between punk rock and hardcore.
MRR: Make that distinction.
DREW: One is the speed. We play hardcore. It's faster and more positive. Punk was negative and slower.
DANNY: A punk show is where people go to get fucked up and be seen. In hardcore, people go to see the bands and participate.
MRR: I've seen a lot of hardcore shows that are full of fried-out people.
SCOTT: They're Frisco people.
DREW: All the kids up here seem totally into drugs.
DANNY: They like the music, but their attitude seems so negative.
DREW: We have a song called "Attitude". It was really called "Hardcore Attitude". It's about keeping our shit together.
SCOTT: We don't put down bands that aren't hardcore. That's what's good about LA, there's so much variety. I'm not too familiar with DC or Boston, but they seem cool because they're all on the same level, like the same things, don't have to rely on drugs or alcohol. But I think it's also cool not to condemn anybody for doing it either. If you become belligerent though...
DREW: Like the 'straight edge' thing is that you shouldn't be so drunk that it takes over your thoughts and actions.
SCOTT: Plus, it weakens your personality, I think.
DREW: Some people become so dependent in it.
DANNY: People have to drink to talk.
SCOTT: 'Straight edge' has become popularized now. A lot of people have said "it's great." It's cool it they can make their own decision to do that.
DANNY: A lot of people are defensive.
DREW : There's a lot of them who say "don't tell me what to do." I don't think that's what MINOR THREAT meant to do, to preach. They were just stating their point of view. But, most of the problems that happen at shows are caused by people who are intoxicated.
MRR: So what's your final message to the world?
DREW: You should be cool to people that come to play for you. They usually get paid very little, and work real hard. Get rid of the ego-trips and look at what's going on. I went through a phase of having a bad attitude--going around trying to pick up on girls, not paying attention to the bands.
MRR: How did you turn yourself around?
DREW: Started listening to BLACK FLAG again to tell you the truth. I felt like a new punk rocker again.
ALL: Born again...(general laughter)
DREW: So I learned from that. The new kids are the ones that show their appreciation.
MRR: Of all the young bands down in LA, what percentage have attitudes like you do?
DREW: Not too many really. LA can creep up on you. And it's here in SF too.
SCOTT: If everyone would respect each I other, out of town bands, and everyone else's opinions. If you're an old punk and don't like hardcore, try to see what they're doing. Don't knock something that has total dedication and effort. Same thing for hardcores that put down slower stuff. Oh, "what's this junkie shit?" There shouldn't be discrimination.
DANNY: We're dedicated to the kids of today. Our time is now. We're dedicated to...
DREW: Having fun.
DANNY: We make an effort not to contradict what our songs say.
MRR: Practice what you preach?
DANNY: That's the point of the band.
DREW: That's why we like writing songs about what we believe in. It'll keep us to it.
MRR: Why are you called AMERICA'S HARDCORE?
DREW: We wrote a song by that title too, because we've really been influenced by all the bands around the country--MINOR THREAT, BLACK FLAG, 7 SECONDS, LAW & ORDER, NECROS, Boston bands.
MRR: Tell me about some of the songs you feel best about?
DREW: We have a song called "Open Your Eyes". It's directed at the scene in LA, but I've seen it happening other places too. It's to the kids, and it's about the big security guards at shows. When we saw DISCHARGE down there, kids were going up to slam on the stage, to show their appreciation for the band, and the bouncers would grab 'em and throw them out the back door. The band could stop playing, if they cared, and either tell the kids to stop or tell the bouncers to stop... so the song says that these bands have some power.
DANNY: It's the biggest compliment, in my book, when the kids do that.
DREW: Tell them about "Real Energy" and "Use Your Head".
DANNY: "Use Your Head" is about people who always complain about how fucked-up it is, and we're saying 'do something about it, instead of crying about it'.
DANNY: All our songs are pro-attitude songs. Pro towards the scene, to yourself--"get your message across". We're the kids too, we're you! We're always at the shows too, unlike some 'rockstar' bands.
DREW: We try to see all the opening bands, and we want them to watch us too. YOUTH BRIGADE, MINOR THREAT...they're not 'too cool' to just just walk away. They care.
MRR: How is that any different from any other music scene?
DANNY: Punk is closer, between performer and audience.
DREW: There's a lot more of a message to punk. In 'Rock And Roll' they say "baby" too much. Plus, there's a distinction between punk rock and hardcore.
MRR: Make that distinction.
DREW: One is the speed. We play hardcore. It's faster and more positive. Punk was negative and slower.
DANNY: A punk show is where people go to get fucked up and be seen. In hardcore, people go to see the bands and participate.
MRR: I've seen a lot of hardcore shows that are full of fried-out people.
SCOTT: They're Frisco people.
DREW: All the kids up here seem totally into drugs.
DANNY: They like the music, but their attitude seems so negative.
DREW: We have a song called "Attitude". It was really called "Hardcore Attitude". It's about keeping our shit together.
SCOTT: We don't put down bands that aren't hardcore. That's what's good about LA, there's so much variety. I'm not too familiar with DC or Boston, but they seem cool because they're all on the same level, like the same things, don't have to rely on drugs or alcohol. But I think it's also cool not to condemn anybody for doing it either. If you become belligerent though...
DREW: Like the 'straight edge' thing is that you shouldn't be so drunk that it takes over your thoughts and actions.
SCOTT: Plus, it weakens your personality, I think.
DREW: Some people become so dependent in it.
DANNY: People have to drink to talk.
SCOTT: 'Straight edge' has become popularized now. A lot of people have said "it's great." It's cool it they can make their own decision to do that.
DANNY: A lot of people are defensive.
DREW : There's a lot of them who say "don't tell me what to do." I don't think that's what MINOR THREAT meant to do, to preach. They were just stating their point of view. But, most of the problems that happen at shows are caused by people who are intoxicated.
MRR: So what's your final message to the world?
DREW: You should be cool to people that come to play for you. They usually get paid very little, and work real hard. Get rid of the ego-trips and look at what's going on. I went through a phase of having a bad attitude--going around trying to pick up on girls, not paying attention to the bands.
MRR: How did you turn yourself around?
DREW: Started listening to BLACK FLAG again to tell you the truth. I felt like a new punk rocker again.
ALL: Born again...(general laughter)
DREW: So I learned from that. The new kids are the ones that show their appreciation.
MRR: Of all the young bands down in LA, what percentage have attitudes like you do?
DREW: Not too many really. LA can creep up on you. And it's here in SF too.
SCOTT: If everyone would respect each I other, out of town bands, and everyone else's opinions. If you're an old punk and don't like hardcore, try to see what they're doing. Don't knock something that has total dedication and effort. Same thing for hardcores that put down slower stuff. Oh, "what's this junkie shit?" There shouldn't be discrimination.
DANNY: We're dedicated to the kids of today. Our time is now. We're dedicated to...
DREW: Having fun.
DANNY: We make an effort not to contradict what our songs say.
MRR: Practice what you preach?
DANNY: That's the point of the band.
DREW: That's why we like writing songs about what we believe in. It'll keep us to it.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Say It!
Our good friend Mike Fairley (of Toronto/moshing) has been hard at work maintaining the Say It! Fanzine Blog - a collection of contemporary live sets and corresponding write-ups of gig memories. He was kind enough to feature Free Spirit on the blog, which can be found here. This live set features a number of new songs that will appear on an upcoming 12" ep to be released as a joint-effort by Triple-B and Lockin Out Records.
Say It! Fanzine Blog
Say It! Fanzine Blog
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