Warbrain Interview

This interview is with Lloyd from Melbourne's Warbrain, they have a new 7'' dropping really soon on Trial and Error records keep an eye on http://trialanderror.limitedpressing.com/ for that as well as leaving to tour with East Coast with AYS from Germany and The Hollow from Newcastle. Tour dates are here
Thu April 28 - Melbourne @ NEXT 18+ w/ COLOSSUS
Friday April 29th - Melbourne AA Wyndham Youth Centre Hoppers Crossing w/ CARPATHIAN
Sun May 01 - Canberra @ Morgans AA
Wed May 04 - Gold Coast @ Shed 5 AA w/ GHOST TOWN
Thu May 05 - Brisbane @ X+Y Destroy All Lines Club 18+
Fri May 06 - Sydney - @ The Sando 18+ w/ RELENTLESS
Sat May 07 - Newcastle - @ The Loft AA w/ TAKEN BY FORCE


Again if you like what you read you can pick up a copy of not just issue one but all three issues of It's Still Ok Not To Drink for only $11ppd at www.waitingonrevolutiondistro.bigcartel.com
Enjoy.

Hey, First off could you introduce yourself and what you do in the band?

Sure, my names Lloyd and I sing. 

Where does the name come from?

 The name was hard for us, as it is for any band. The actual name is actually the name of an old Alkaline Trio song, and everyone in the band loves those guys, but it had an extra meaning to us in so much as there is a feeling of confusion in many of us from our generation. Confusion and also doubt about the things we were all told growing up and took for granted, as well as day by day, and to quote the great mobb deep "there's a war goin on outside," as there is in our heads.  

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

I guess fast and heavy with bouncey parts would be a simple way to describe our sound. 

How did the band form?

The band started with Josh and I writing a bunch of riffs, trying to do something a bit different to what we had been doing, and perhaps closer to what we grew up on. Kain our bass player is one of our good friends, so he was always going to be a part of it, and I guess Tim and I have wanted to do something together for a long time so it all just fell into place from there.    

I’ve read that you’re a straight edge band, any truth to this? Or just a band full of straight edge dudes?

A bit of both actually. Everyone in the band is Straight Edge and as a band we definitely promote a Straight Edge lifestyle, but I don't feel the need to use those two words in the lyrics I sing per sé. I have to be careful of what I say here but I feel that Straight Edge has been played out by so many bands and not promoted enough as a legitimate option for kids coming up in the scene. So I guess we definitely do not want to be known for that, because I for one know we wouldn't be having this conversation right now if It wasn't for Straight Edge. To say that it changed my life is an understatement. 

You feature members of some pretty well known bands, is this a hindrance or a help for you? And how is the difference for you personally?

Well it hasn't been a hindrance so far and I can't really imagine it would be. I mean there's always going to be some haters, but they just hate because they can, right? That being said, we are definitely not trying to ride off the backs of any other bands we might be associated with. We always wanted to do this as something separate. For me personally, it's great to be in a band where everyone is in the same headspace and has the same idea of what direction we want the band to go in. 

You recently played with Ruiner, how’d that come about? Last time they toured you played in your old band Break out, what’s up with them? Can we expect you to have a new band the next time Ruiner come?

Haha, you've got some knowledge man! I'm not sure if you were at that show or not, but it was kind of a last minute thing. The guys in hopeless had like half an hour till they played so they asked us to get up and play a few songs. It was fun! Yeah Breakout, damn... I dunno dude. I guess the same thing happened which has happened to a lot of bands from Geelong way, dudes fell off and got real jobs or whatever... Our singer Woka and I still hang out a bit but I'm not sure what the other guys are up too these days. Hopefully I won't have to have a new band next time!!! 

What was it like playing your first show at a ‘punk’ nightclub?

Oh yeah I've heard a bunch of people were talking shit about that actually. It wasn't too bad really, it was pretty much a hardcore show, the rest of the line up were hardcore bands anyway. I would have maybe preferred to kick it off somewhere else, but we got offered that show last minute and the date ended up being earlier than our planned "first show".  

What’s future plans for the band next?

Well we're writing some new material at the moment, but I think the major goal we have is to get interstate. We have a lot of friends in bands on the east coast as well as Adelaide so we're itching to do some shows outside Melbourne.

What legacy would you hope to leave as a band and as a person?

As a band, I mean we're still only in the early stages, but I would say that we would want to be known for being unbiased when it comes to the shows we're offered and we will try to stay relevant to the next generation of hardcore and fans of hardcore. As a person I definitely would want to be known as a genuine dude and I'll do my best to uphold that. 

Any shout outs you want to send out or bands we should know about?

I want to give a shout out to our homies The Hollow from Newcastle, Phantoms and Legions from Sydney and Inside from Japan. Also if dudes are into fashion please check out my label Strangers at

wearestrangers.wordpress.com

Purification Interview

I thought I'd post two more of the interviews from our first issue of It's Still Ok Not To Drink for people to read.
This one was with Italian Vegan Straight Edge old men Purification, they have a new full length out later in the year and a South American tour so be sure to check that out.
If you like what you read you can pick up a copy at www.waitingonrevolutiondistro.bigcartel.com

Hey, first off could you introduce yourself and what you do in Purification?

 My name is Andrea (a.k.a. Monster), I am the guitar player and main song-writer. I am also the founding member that gave the name to the band.

Could you describe what Purification sounds like to someone who’s never heard you? And could you also describe your message?

 Well we started in 1996 when the “hybrid” of music called metal-core was just surfacing. I think that we were a good mix of metal and hxc elements, and throughout our lyrics we promote a cruelty and drug free lifestyle.

How did you come to decide on reforming the band again now?

 We felt the urge of having a militant vegan sxe band back on the map since this is what the hxc scene is missing nowadays; we saw too many bands now with meaningless lyrics and a lack of attitude.

This was the mean reason we decided to reform the band, plus we miss the touring life and the chance to travel the world and have some fun.

Since this is a straight edge zine, I have to ask how long have you been straight edge? And what motivated you to want to walk this path?

 I’ve been sxe for two decades (I’m almost 37 now), and vegan since the age of 17/18. My main motivation back in the day to become sxe was to emancipate myself from the “environment” I was witnessing everyday, being a student of a private high school for middle-high class kids I was surrounded by a bunch of drug addicts, party people and heavy drinkers, I was horrified by the moral degeneration that was going on around me.

  

And what helps keep your edge sharp after all these years?

 Well, I think that as I became older, it just made me more mature and critical about my beliefs, reinforcing my faith and discipline.

What were your major influences when you started the band?

 Definitely Vegan Reich, Raid and Earth Crisis. Those bands had a huge influence on our attitude and sound.

Have they changed over time, and if so what are they now?

 They are the same nowadays for sure.

Seeing as though the band started in 1996, can you tell us about the changes you’ve personally witnessed throughout your time as a band, both in the music scene and the people who come to see you play?

 There’s a huge difference since back in the 90s. Kids were more aware about veganism and sxe because they were the popular issues of that time. Whereas now, everything seems to be more oriented on the musical part of it and less on the lyrics and attitude.

Honestly, we stopped playing shows in 2004 so now that we’re back I have no idea of what I should expect, but I’m curious to find out. ;-)

You were a band that was never shy to talk about what you believe in, do you still hold the same views or have things changed over time?

 Our beliefs are the same since day one seeing as they were the foundations of the band, but of course now that we are in our late 30s we have a more critical approach to the whole vegan sxe movement. Let’s say that we’re not here anymore to “convert” people to the vegan-edge lifestyle. When we were younger we felt like we were on a mission but right now I know that we can just show people that a different and compassionate lifestyle is possible, but at the end you can’t force your opinion down the throats of people.

A few other older bands are starting up again now, for example Earth Crisis put out a killer new cd and Vegan Reich are meant to be rehearsing for a new album, what do you think of this?

 I’m happy about it because those bands are not only our influences but also good friends of our. Honestly I’m not a big fan of the last EC cd, though that it’s a pretty solid release ;-) and I can’t wait to see what Vegan Reich will come up with.

You’ve been a band for a long time now. What have your favourite bands to see or play with?

 Back in the days we played lot of times with our buddies in Reprisal. We shared some hilarious moments with them. ;-) They are for sure the band we enjoyed sharing the stage with most.

How’s the Italian scene in respect to veganism and vegetarianism?

 I think that politically there’s still a bunch of people that are working their asses off to promote it, as well as good organizations involved with animal and human liberation. But of course we’re talking about a very small niche, sad but true…

What kind of legacy if any would you like to leave as a band?

 From Russia to Brazil, from Japan to USA and Europe, there’s people from all over the world that still listen to our music, or wear our shirts or have our “iconography” tattooed on their bodies. That shows clearly that our legacy lives on and on.

 Any shout outs or bands we should check out?

 I would suggest you to listen to the “classics” from the 90s (EC, Vegan Reich, Abnegation, Day of Suffering, Raid, etc.) since any modern hxc since then is a big cesspool of crap in my opinion ;-)

And why after all this time are you still drawn to hardcore?

 Honestly I’m still asking myself about it. I mean I’m too old to be driving for hours in a rusty van and sleeping in the same crappy sleeping bag for years, playing shows for few bucks etc. But at the end, this is what I love the most and I won't trade it for anything else ;-)

Hxc has been a huge part of my life and I feel that it will continue to be!

Thx for the interview and for more info about us feel free to check:

http://www.myspace.com/pvrification

http://pvrification.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pvrification

Or get in touch via mail:

purification@email.it

-----------------------------------

Andrea Campanelli

PURIFICATION - guitar player

http://www.myspace.com/pvrification

http://pvrification.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pvrification

Email: purification@email.it

New Stock update soon.

On Monday I'll be adding four records to the distro:
Punch - Eyeless 7''
Die Young - Loss 7''
Disengage - Look Back 7''
Force Fed - Five Song EP 7''

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Remember to check out www.waitingonrevolutiondistro.bigcartel.com for these and other great releases.

Thanks for reading.