PuNkZine

january 2011

Inside:

Pennywise

The Max Levine Ensemble Municipal Waste/The Dopa mines Red Tape Parade NOFX Against Me!

#1

NEVER TRUST A PUNK

Back With Epitaph Records

Pennywise 2

INTERVIEW TO PENNYWISE'S GUITARRIST FLETCHER DRAGGE Bobby: Starting with the basics, you guys are about a week into this tour with Authority Zero and Riverboat Gamblers. HowŠs that going so far?

Fletcher: Really good. It's been an interesting little tour. I think it's a good combo. Authority Zero are old time friends of ours. Riverboat Gamblers are a really cool band. Big Wig was supposed to be on this tour but they pulled out at the last minute. We donŠt even know why.

Bobby: I think they're still in the studio. They extended their studio time to finish their new album.

Fletcher: Oh cool. I've heard the new album is supposed to be pretty good. But yeah, we're having a great time. We've toured a lot with Authority Zero. They're a good band to party with, good friends of ours. The crowds seem like they're loving all the bands, so it's a pretty good line-up.

I mean, there's a lot of bands on tour right now.

Strung Out's up here, Against Me!'s up here, Millencolin's up here. I know Bad Religion are here.

Bobby: Now, in February you guys announced that Zoli Teglas of Ignite would be taking over for Jim as a permanent member. How have the fans reacted? Have they finally gotten over the whole "Pennywise is nothing without Jim" mentality now that it's been a few months?

Fletcher: I mean, you know how it is on the web.

Most people on the web are pretty negative people in general. I'm not a guy who goes and posts blogs or has the patience to sign in and do all that kind of shit or post comments. You have your people that say "oh, Pennywise is nothing without Jim's they should break up. They should start a new band with a different name.

They should do this. They should do that." Zoli's great, he's going to be awesome.

But to the people who say we're nothing without Jim, then I will tell you this: Pennywise was a band for about two years before Jim got in the band. Me, Byron and Jason. We had another singer, and another drummer before Byron. But me, Byron and Jason were playing shows and parties ourselves as a three piece, with Jason singing. When Jimmy got in the band, we showed him our songs and said "here's what we're doing, here's how the lyrics go." So he walked into a situation that we were already involved with.

Obviously, he had a great deal to do with developing our sound. I mean, we heard his voice and said "this is fucking great."

Now, when it came time to our first tour in Europe, he refused to go. On our first album. Seventeen, eighteen years ago he said "I'm not going." We said "well, why not?" He said "because I have a job and I'm getting married." We said "well, this is what we've worked for our whole lives: to go on tour. We're getting six weeks in Europe" and he said "I'm not going no matter what." It was more important for him to stay home and do whatever it was he wanted to do, play house or whatever. We said "fuck off you're out of the band and we called up Dave Quackenbush and we went to Europe with Dave Quackenbush.

Now, the reason I tell that story is because the idea behind Pennywise is that we don't stop for anything. Me and Jason sat down over a case of beer, we built a garage, I carpeted it with my brother, I put my guitar in the corner. I looked back, I walked out the door, and I said "okay."

I called Jason, Jason came over. I said "hey Jason, we should talk about this. I know you from around town and I want to do a punk rock band.

I want to do this." We agreed we don't stop for anything.

"We're gonna be successful, we're gonna tour, and we're gonna have fun."

So it wasn't even a question.

When Jim said he wasn't going to go to Europe, it was like "click", hung up the phone and called Quackenbush. We kept going. We went over there, we paid our dues without Jim. We came back, we wrote Unknown Road without Jim. The entire record. Jason moved over to vocals and Randy played bass, so Randy was in the band. He played on Unknown Road, I don't know, fifteen years ago or whatever it was. When we were done with the record, I said "Hey Jim's way better than you Jason. We gotta get Jim back, we gotta see if he wants to come back" so we talked to him and said "we want to tour, we want to do this" and he said "okay." He was out of work at that time, so he came back and wrote a bunch of lyrics.

Jason and I had already written the lyrics for the album but he came in and re-wrote lyrics for like half of it. Recorded it, did an amazing job and then we started touring.

Now, Jason dies; you think that©s the time to hang it up. One of the main song writers, the kind of driving force behind the positive attitude of the band, the lyrical genius and it was like "no." Me and Jason said we don't stop for anything. We need to keep playing Bro Hymn, we need to keep playing these songs so we continued on.

Pennywise over the last years, it's been more and more obvious that Jim doesn't want to be in the band. He's not having a good time. He doesn't like being on tour. He doesn't like being away from his family. Constantly threatening to quit the band if we go too long or if he does this or that or the other. Fair enough you know, he wants to do all these other things. We tried really hard to keep him in the band; we offered to pay for a live-in nanny for his wife because he said he wanted that, out of our own pockets.

We said we'd keep the tours two weeks long because that's how he wanted it even though we wanted to do a month in Europe or we wanted to do whatever. We tried everything and it just wasn't good enough for him. He didn't want to be in the band anymore.

Now, because one guy doesn't want to be in the band "does that mean we should stop the band?

Because one guy" If you have a business that you love and a job that you love and one guy wants to quit, do you close down your hamburger

stand? You and your friends are having a great time. You fucking find a new French fry cook and you fucking go.

Of course he was a huge part of the band, of course he was a great song writer, of course he was a great front man; but he didn't want to be here and he wasn't having fun and he made us know that all the time. It was obvious, sitting on the bus with him; it was obvious that he didn©t want to be here.

People say "start another band." Why? I spent twenty years of my life playing in Pennywise.

I wrote the music to Bro Hymn. I wrote the "woah©s". I wrote Fuck Authority. I wrote these songs that I love and I want to play them for our fans. I'm not the guy who said I didn't want

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to play in the band. The thing is, a lot of people don't know that although Jim wrote a lot of songs, me and Randy wrote a lot of songs. We write lyrics, we write music, we write melodies on all the albums. Jim is probably mostly responsible for half the album and me and Randy are responsible for the other half kind of.

Some are different than others. I mean, I wrote ninety percent of the music on Unknown Road. I wrote eighty percent of the music on the first album, whatever. Everyone contributes. So as far as writing a Pennywise song, I can show you one right now. "He picks up the guitar that is plugged into a mini amp and starts playing a new Pennywise song for me" So I donŠt think 'm I going to have any trouble writing a new album. I mean, I might've written a couple songs. This is what I love to do, this is what Randy loves to do and this is what Byron loves to do. So basically, everyone's better off. He wanted to leave, do his own thing, be with his family. The problem we have now, I guess it was all a lie.

We felt like he was

turning his back on us and Pennywise fans. We were a little disappointed in that but we accepted the fact that he wanted to stay home more and stay with his family and find a different job. He told us that "if you want to make Pennywise a priority and touring with Pennywise a priority and you don't want to find day jobs or others. income, then you need to find a new singer and I'm totally cool with that. Or if you want to do it how I want to do, where I want to do it, when I want to do it; I'm cool with that.

Now we're a democracy.

Everyone gets paid equally on everything. Everyone has a voice, everyone has a vote on the songs that make the album, the t-shirt designs, and all stuff.

Jim was recently in an article saying democracy couldn't work for him. It was a clich and three votes against his one, that situation didn't work and he was forced to be an asshole.

He also said, in the same article, "things couldn't be better. I'm calling all the shots now. I write every guitar note and every drum part." That's what he wanted. He wanted to be his own boss.

Bobby: He wanted the control.

Fletcher: He wanted the control; and for Pennywise it wasn't about control. A lot of times people say I'm the big guy who yells and screams and stuff but it always comes to a vote on stuff; and I never force people to do things they don't want to do. So it was kind of weird to hear him say all these things because he wrote all these songs about democracy and freedom and then he's basically saying "I want to be a dictator" in a way.

Like I believe in our lyrics. I live by Pennywise's lyrics and motto. I mean, I'm not perfect. Like anybody else, I have done wrong in my life and I will continue to do wrong but this shit means a lot to me. Somewhere, I feel like he lost sight of it, you know? It's always about the family and all that stuff" okay great; well he started the band immediately after. He started a new band, everyone knows about.

You know about it right?

Bobby: The Black Pacific, yep. only did he Fletcher: The Black Pacific. Not he released song t firs the start a new band, . I mean, our song song e ywis Penn a ally basic was guitar and starts goes like this©. "he picks up the Long As We As It's playing As Long As We Can" last album. our from song t firs the Can; it©s the System ing play ts star "He Here's Jim's song". exact same thing. the It's fic".

Paci k Blac The by it on the last Note for note. I mean, I played guitar part that te album so I know. He wro a good guitar he's ted gran m, albu last on the in the balls to player but it was a real kick e song and have have him go steal a Pennywis Like if he had try to do Pennywise by himself. rent, I would diffe was put out an album that . that respect to a Pennywise Bobby: But it is very similar album. , actually, the Fletcher: And the thing is' well a couple songs only e's ther is way I look at it he put those and that sound really Pennywisey; Pennywise the all g brin and try out first to ments that com some read fans to the table. I've whole album, the d hear I've that now , say "hey ywise and I'm this has nothing to do with Penn change Pennywise glad he quit and didn't try to g to take it to a to this sound." Because he's goin t place; and we adul e mor more poppy place and fast shit like I the to back it take to like would you. to was just playing

some of those I haven't even counted lately; away we're not ed push been ady forty have alre g to work on goin not going to use them, we're e just trying we'r and s song of lot a them. It's t having an abou it's me, For to find a direction. rying about radio wor not and m albu e essiv aggr or any of that shit. m and trying to It's about doing a Pennywise albu ly passionate. real s Zoli' , keep it real. You know causes we do, he same the of lot a in ves belie He crazy as a mother has the same mentality. He's and he feels what fucker but he©s a good guy; the songs. He wants ng singi as far as we're doing part of the be to ts to be here and he wan It's really good, not ght. toni it see ll You' ily. fam really good to to throw dirt on Jim, but it's ts to be here wan have a guy in the band that ten percent and red hund a in put to ts and wan e also able we'r now and e; and goes up on stag we haven't played that s song of lot a play to controlled the set for fifteen years because Jim want to play ld wou list as well basically. We t to do it wan t didn' he if and s song certain be too hard ld wou It it. do vocally, he wouldn't ndable. You're rsta unde is h whic e, voic his on play something getting older, if you want to it's hard to do. ago, you wrote twenty years e out of tour; voic your blow to t wan You don't ones with est hard the all but Zoli's able to do er. bett the er, hard The . ease

lict where I think So there was always that conf e old school mor bit e we wanted to be a littl e bit more... littl a go of kind to ted wan and he word? the that Is cial? mer I don't know, com first show is the Bobby: Maybe. Well, their very em and...

Emin 182, EpiCentre show with Blink Fletcher: Kiss. r one. Speaking Bobby: Kiss. Yeah, that's the othe ol, I know you scho old about going back to the m right now. albu new a on king wor are guys s that you had Back in July you told New Time written and I know forty to fifty songs already or sixteen songs. in February you demoed fifteen the harder, to back g You said, you were goin stuff can you tell r olde the of some and er fast many songs are us a bit about that? And how y back in July? you at now if you were at fift . I probably have "I Fletcher: I mean, I don't know have probably ten I lot. a have we " know don't one I was just right now in my head, like the It's just a lot of playing you, ready to record. out there real songs; you kind of throw them us of it and if chor e, vers quick. You just do a king on it. wor inue cont you then , good s it feel

different reach Bobby: Yeah, Zoli has a very higher in some even go can he s case and in some new album and the cting affe places how is that writing process? song the to ging brin he is t wha that because Fletcher: He's bringing some of the last years. over Jim with y awa t that wen ms, that there albu the in it I think you can hear e playing we'r wasn't a lot of high stuff. Like the forces nst agai rage will I ight Searching "ton tonight that ing play of fate!" [singing] "we©re t Time. It's Abou or le" Circ Full off 's and that that now. We're like we're able to go back to f stuf high the hit to able which I feel has a lot of energy for the band.

So we aren't going to be ignite by any means, but he's finding here his voice.

All that I ask of a Pennywise fan is to understand, if someone's reading this or whatever, is that it's important to understand what this band's about.

It's about brotherhood, camaraderie, friendship, about doing what you believe in, following your heart and not taking shit from anyone, and not telling someone how to run your life; and Jim tried to tell us how to run our lives. He could say the same of us, we wanted him to go to South America and we wanted him to go to Europe and Sweden and Norway and Portugal. He can say that we're trying to run his life, but that's the responsibility of this fucking band. To come here, once a year and play in Canada, every city. Not once every three years, not every seven years.

Bobby: I think, not counting Warped Tour, you were last here in 2006. So it's been basically four years not counting last August.

Fletcher: Yeah; and so I feel like if you're a fan because I am a fan of a lot of bands and I grew up the fan of a lot of bands "I'd buy the Minor Threat record and I'd sit in my house waiting for those fuckers to come; and when they come, I'm there and I'm loving it. That's my day, that's my year. I remember the first Minor Threat show like it was yesterday that I went to. Black Flag, whatever, TSOL. That's like stuff that sticks in your mind, as a fan, for your life. We were depriving our fans and the only reason we were depriving our fans was because Jim didn't want to go on tour. So now we have the opportunity to come and do this and have somebody that really wants to do this; it's really important for us to come and do this and it's really cool.

So I'd say to Pennwise fans, we're practicing what we preach; and we're still united. Three of us are still united. One guy quit. He quit us as friends, he quit us as band members, he quit us a family and he quit the Pennywise fans. I can't look at it any other way. I was blown away that he walked away from this great thing. I wrote him a letter, saying "hey man, are you crazy? This is the best thing in the world. We have the best job in the world; we have the best fans in the world. You better think about this. You better rethink this. This is a mistake." I told him also in the letter "you won't make me throw away twenty years of hard work and make me throw away my dreams. If you fucking quit, we're getting another singer."

I mean, he told us he wanted us to get a new singer. He told us he wanted it to be Zoli. He said "my number one choice is Zoli." When it was kind of still cordial; but then he said all these things andstarted saying things about the band and about us as people and we're like "wow, okay." We still tried to keep it above board but now that he's got this other band, it's kind of like the gloves are off.

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So for Pennywise fans, I say, we're still here.

We do this because we love it. We're not doing it for the money. We're not doing it to get famous.

We're not getting any younger and we just want you guys to come out and have a good time because we respect you. We're not trying to hold the pieces together. We're fucking giving a hundred percent because this is what we do. It's not like we're grasping at straws here, hanging by a thread. We're fucking doing it and the people that want to come and be part of it, come be part of it. The people that want to hate us because Jim's gone, go listen to Black Pacific. See if you like that better; but you're going to find that the true spirit of Pennywise is still alive and well, sitting on this bus or on the stage. We started this man, we'll finish it.

Bobby: Just one or two quick questions. This new album, is it going to be out on MySpace Records or is it going to be out on Viking Funeral or what?

Fletcher: Epitaph man.

Bobby: Oh, so you're back on Epitaph?

Fletcher: Sure.

Bobby: That was one of my other questions.

When you think Epitaph bands, you think you guys, you think Bouncing Souls, you think Bad ReligionŠ.

Fletcher: We were the only one who consistently stayed on Epitaph.

Bobby: Until MySpace.

Fletcher: Until MySpace, yeah. And the MySpace thing, just to be clear on that, was we gave that record away. So we went to Brett, and we said "Hey Brett, what do you think?" He said "oh, no, no, no, fuck no, not MySpace." And we said "well, take a look at this idea" and he said "oh, holy shit, this is great. This is a great opportunity, go do this; whatever we can do to help." I mean, Epitaph co-released that record with MySpace in Europe and Australia. A lot of people don't know that. We still worked together, just not in the States.

So it was really cool to be able to give away the record. It was really cool to be able to do something cool for the fans, get some new fans.

We negotiated a one record deal. We knew that that record company was going to be under in a year. We're going to be able to get that record back from MySpace now and probably put it out on Epitaph; and we were able to utilize that corporate machine.

You think we're fucking fans of Fox? You know?

I mean, MySpace is a great vehicle don't get my wrong. It's a great place to hear music and meet people and keep in touch; but we went in there and said, in the contract, that we can sing about whatever the fuck we want to sing about, we can talk shit about whoever we want to talk shit on however we want to talk about in interviews. We can say "fuck Fox Media." We have said that. I can say that right now. They're fucking pumping bull shit down people's throats.

We said it after the album was released. The guy who ran the label just said "don't get me fired, man." We said "we wonŠt get you fired, but we're going to do what Pennywise does." We used that like a Trojan Horse; we used the corporate machine to get our message out to five hundred and fifty thousand people."

Bobby: And you're not going to censor yourself just because you're on MySpace.

Fletcher: No, absolutely not. It was really cool and now we're ready to go back to our home, Epitaph. It's always been our home. It's the greatest independent record label in the world.

Brett's the greatest fucking label boss there is. He's a punk rocker, he knows how we think, he supports Pennywise a hundred percent and he feels like "I'm here for you guys." The first thing he said when he heard Jim was gone.... "cool, I'm here for you. Whatever you guys want to do.

So, I think people will be interested to hear the new record and hopefully we'll write a good one.

Bobby: Is it still planning to be out in early January.

Fletcher: Hopefully. I mean, we're not going to rush it because we want to make sure we're going to put our best foot forward and we have to find our place. Obviously, it's not going to sound like. I mean, it's going to sound like

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Pennywise musically because we©ve written a lot of the music. Vocally, I don"t really think Zoli sounds like Jim. I mean, he can sing the songs well, our old songs; but it©s going to have a twist.

Bobby: There is a difference between the two voices.

Fletcher: Yeah. But I think song writing also comes into play because when people hear the songs they'll say "oh, that sounds like Pennywise.

That sounds like a song Pennywise would write."

The melody and the music combined, I think people are going to be pretty stoked on it.

We're just trying the next generation. Like it, hate it, fucking whatever man we©re doing this because we love it and hopefully our fans will stick by us and ride out the next years with us and keep it rolling.

Bobby: Awesome, thank you very much.

Fletcher: Thank you.

h4HEÒ4HIRDÒ2AILÒOFÒ,IFEi Joey Cape (Lagwagon) sings on the song “Anything Else is Progress ” “The Red Tape Parade song I sang on is called h3ONGÒ i ÒWHICHÒ)ÒTHINKÒMAYÒJUSTÒTHEÒµLEÒTITLEÒ)ÒRECEIVED

not the actual song title. Not sure. Usually when someone ask me to sing on their song, I just re-­sing ORÒMIMICÒWHATÒEVERÒTHEÒSINGERÒOFÒTHEÒBANDÒSANGÒ ALREADY Ò-OSTÒOFÒTHEÒTIMEÒITÒISÒNOTÒALLÒTHATÒINTERESTINGÒORÒ CREATIVE Ò2EDÒ4APEÒ0ARADEÒWASÒVERYÒCOOL Ò4HEYÒGAVEÒ MEÒANÒENTIREÒVERSEÒANDÒ)ÒWASÒALLOWEDÒTOÒWRITEÒNOTÒ ONLYÒTHEÒMELODY ÒBUTÒALSOÒTHEÒLYRICS Ò)TÒWASÒFUNÒANDÒAÒ NICEÒEXPERIENCEÒBUTÒ)ÒTHINKÒTHEYÒSHOULDÒCHANGEÒTHEIRÒ name to Red Tape Party. ” -­ Joey Cape What is it like to be German? Bavarian?

Oise: Can ’t really talk about being a German since i am not a German. But i will try to to explain to you what its like to be a Bavarian. Being Bavarian means BEINGÒCONSTANTLYÒINÒCON¹ICTÒWITHÒYOURSELF ÒYOURÒVALUESÒ and your emotions. On the one hand we are the MOSTÒFRIENDLY ÒWELCOMING ÒPROGRESSIVEÒANDÒGOODÒ hearted people. On the other one we are the most GRUMPY ÒSCARED ÒCLOSEDÒMINDEDÒMEANÒBASTARDSÒONÒ THISÒPLANET Ò)ÒTHINKÒIÒKNOWÒNOWÒHOWÒ,UKEÒ3KYWALKERÒFELT 0ARTÒOFÒBEINGÒ"AVARIANÒALSOÒMEANSÒTHATÒTHEÒRESTÒOFÒTHEÒ WORLDÒTHINKSÒYOUÒAREÒAÒDRUNK ÒLEDERHOSEN WEARING Ò FOREIGNER HATING ÒWIFEBEATINGÒINBREED Ò7HICHÒISÒPARTLYÒ true though... Being called Germany ’s “most racist PARTiÒBYÒ&ATÒ-IKEÒONÒYOUTUBEÒDIDNgTÒHELPÒMUCHÒEITHER 7AUZ Ò$IDÒYOUÒACTUALLYÒCALLÒ"AVARIANSÒhPROGRESSIVEi Ò Oise? That´s like calling the Ku Klux Klan a Black 0OWERÒMOVEMENT Ò)FÒYOUÒTAKEÒALLÒTHEÒNEGATIVEÒTHINGSÒ

/ISEÒLISTEDÒ THEÒMOSTÒGRUMPY ÒSCARED ÒCLOSEDÒ minded mean bastards on this planet) times 100 you´ll get a good idea what it was like to grow up in a SMALLÒTOWNÒINÒ"AVARIA HAHA SEE Ò/ISEÒHASÒAÒLOVE HATEÒRELATIONSHIPÒWITHÒ"AVARIA Ò)ÒHAVEÒAÒHATE HATEÒ relationship. And Germany is just Bavaria ’s bigger and dumber brother.

7HYÒAREÒYOUÒGUYSÒ 2EDÒ4APEÒ0ARADE ÒNOTÒ'ERMANS Ò so angry?

Oise: I don ’t think the word “angry ” really describes US Ò)ÒTHINKÒhBITTERi ÒhBURNEDÒOUTi ÒhSARCASTICi Ò hDISILLUSIONEDi ÒhBROKEiÒANDÒhUNSUCCESSFULiÒAREÒWAYÒ MOREÒACCURATE 7AUZ Ò!NDÒhNOTÒFUNNYi Ò7ELL ÒATÒLEASTÒTOÒOTHERÒ people. I think we are hilarious but no one else laughs at our jokes.

7HATgSÒYOURÒFAVORITEÒDESSERT /ISE Ò0RETTYÒMUCHÒALLÒDESSERTÒISÒµNEÒWITHÒME Ò4HEÒ SHINERÒTHEÒGLOSSINGÒ AMONGÒMYÒFAVORITESÒAREÒPINK Ò baby blue or acid green) and the crazier the cream µLLINGÒTHEÒBETTER Ò4HEÒONLYÒTHINKÒ)Ò2%!,,9ÒDONgTÒLIKEÒISÒ THISÒhHEALTHYiÒDESSERTÒSHIT Ò)ÒMEAN REALLY )ÒWALKEDÒINTOÒTHATÒVEGANÒCAFEÒHEREÒINÒ-UNICHÒTHEÒ OTHERÒDAYÒANDÒAÒSIGNÒRIGHTÒNEXTÒTOÒONEÒOFÒTHEIRÒCAKESÒ PROUDLYÒDISPLAYEDÒTHATÒIT ÒhDOESÒNOTÒCONTAINÒSUGARi Ò 7HYÒINÒDOGgSÒNAMEÒSHOULDÒ)ÒEATÒTHATÒTHINGÒTHEN Ò)TÒ ISÒAÒDESSERTSÒ$549ÒTOÒMAKEÒYOUÒFATÒANDÒMAKEÒYOURÒ TEETHÒROT Ò)FÒIÒWANTÒSOMETHINGÒWITHOUTÒSUGARÒIÒORDERÒAÒ BOWLÒOFÒSOUP ÒGODDAMMIT 7AUZ 7ELL Ò/ISE ÒTHATgSÒWHATÒYOUÒGETÒFROMÒLIVINGÒINÒ -UNICH Ò(EREÒINÒ"ERLINÒYOUÒCANÒGETÒALLÒKINDSÒOFÒAWESOMEÒ VEGANÒDESSERTSÒTHATÒCONTAINÒINSANEÒAMOUNTSÒOFÒSUGARÒ ANDÒLOOKÒLIKEÒTHEYÒAREÒMADEÒOUTÒOFÒRAINBOWS

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Patrick  Kindlon  of  End  of  The  Year  sings  on  the  song  ““-­10  on  the  care-­meter”â€? .OTE Ă’4HEĂ’TRACKĂ’DEALSĂ’WITHĂ’THEĂ’SHOWĂ’CANCELLATIONSĂ’ONĂ’THEĂ’%/!9 Red  Tape  Parade  tour  2010  due  to  sexism  accusations  against  0ATRICKĂ’+INDLON Ă’WHICHĂ’YOUĂ’CANĂ’READĂ’ABOUTĂ’HERE

  ÒÒh)ÒGOTÒINVOLVEDÒINÒPUNKÒBECAUSEÒ)ÒWASÒTIREDÒOFÒ BEINGÒJUDGED Ò)MAGINEÒMYÒDISAPPOINTMENTÒWHENÒ)Ò FOUNDÒOUTÒTHATÒPEOPLEÒAREÒPEOPLEÒNOÒMATTERÒWHATÒ SUBCULTUREÒBANNERÒTHEYÒWAVE Ò)TÒFEELSÒLIKEÒWITHINÒPUNKÒ ANDÒHARDCOREÒTHEÒANIMALSÒHAVEÒBEGUNÒWALKINGÒONÒ THEIRÒHINDÒLEGS Ò)SÒITÒPOSSIBLEÒTOÒGOÒSOÒFARÒLEFTÒ THATÒYOUÒENDÒUPÒBACKÒONÒTHEÒRIGHT Ò9ES Ò)Ò HAVEÒEVIDENCE iÒ 0ATRICKÒ+INDLON )TÒSEEMSÒTHATÒMANYÒ%UROPEANSÒ PREFERÒTOÒSEEÒ!MERICANÒ BANDS ÒASÒIFÒTHOSEÒ bands  are  somehow  more  credible.  As  AÒBAND ÒDOÒ YOUÒ¾NDÒ%UROPEÒ limiting?

Oise:  As  you  may  have  experienced  on  your  touring  through  %UROPEĂ’THEĂ’ under ground  music  scene  here  is  (%!6),9Ă’ INšUENCEDĂ’ by  North  American  SUB CULTURE Ă’ Nothing  wrong  with  that  but  we  reached  a  level  where  people  will  discuss  on  message  boards  what  the  SINGERĂ’OFĂ’SOMEĂ’ generic  Boston  hardcore  band  HADĂ’FORĂ’DINNERĂ’ last  Sunday  Or  a  dude  with  a  steady  income  living  INĂ’SOMEĂ’CLEAN Ă’SAFEĂ’ German  small  town  will  live  INĂ’SOMEĂ’FANTASYĂ’WORLDĂ’WHEREĂ’ there  are  ““hard  times”â€?  or  he  wants  to  give  somebody  ““street  justice”â€?.

Being  a  German  band  in  Germany  is  sometimes  NOTÒVERYÒREWARDING Ò.OÒMATTERÒHOWÒHARDÒYOUÒTRY ÒNOÒ matter  how  good  you  are  or  how  much  heart  you  PUTÒINÒITÒ ÒYOUÒWILLÒNEVERÒGETÒTHEÒLOVEÒORÒATTENTIONÒAÒ BANDÒFROMÒTHEÒSTATESÒWOULD Ò"UTÒWEÒDOÒNOTÒCAREÒTHATÒ MUCH Ò)TÒISÒWHATÒITÒIS Ò)FÒMAKINGÒFANSÒORÒBEINGÒLIKEDÒBYÒ people  would  be  the  motivation  behind  this  band  we  would  have  stopped  a  long  time  ago.

It  is  not  limiting  though  since  we  have  no  goal  with  this  band  besides  writing  music  that  we  would  enjoy Â

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hearing  ourselves.  We  are  also  guilty  ourselves. /URĂ’BANDĂ’ISĂ’NAMEDĂ’AFTERĂ’AĂ’3EAWEEDĂ’SONG Ă’WEĂ’ MAINLYĂ’TOURĂ’WITHĂ’!MERICANĂ’BANDS Ă’7EĂ’SINGĂ’INĂ’%NGLISHĂ’ Ă’AĂ’FACTĂ’THATĂ’ATĂ’LEASTĂ’ALLOWEDĂ’USĂ’TOĂ’TRAVELĂ’ANDĂ’PLAYĂ’ OUTSIDEĂ’OFĂ’'ERMANĂ’SPEAKINGĂ’TERRITORIESĂ’ SOMETHINGĂ’ almost  impossible  when  singing  in  your  native  tongue).  I  enjoy  meeting  other  German  bands  and  HANGINGĂ’OUTĂ’BUTĂ’MUSICALLYĂ’THEYĂ’OFTENĂ’LACKĂ’PLAYINGĂ’ SKILLS Ă’PERSONALITY Ă’STAGEĂ’PRESENCEĂ’ANDĂ’OFTENĂ’AREĂ’JUSTĂ’ CHEAP Ă’CRAPPIERĂ’IMITATIONSĂ’OFĂ’ALREADYĂ’CRAPPYĂ’BANDSĂ’ on  bridge  9  records. !SĂ’AĂ’BANDĂ’CLEARLYĂ’ROOTEDĂ’INĂ’PUNK Ă’DOĂ’YOUĂ’THINKĂ’THATĂ’ label  comes  with  real  responsibilities  in  the  year  2010?  Or  has  that  line  been  blurred  past  RECOGNITION Ă’&ORĂ’EXAMPLE Ă’WOULDĂ’YOUĂ’OPENĂ’ FORĂ’2OBBIEĂ’7ILLIAMS Wauz:  One  responsibility  I  can  think  OFĂ’ISĂ’ TOĂ’KEEPĂ’ITĂ’FROMĂ’STAGNATING Ă’!NDĂ’ how  do  you  do  that?  By  chal LENGINGĂ’YOURSELFĂ’ANDĂ’BYĂ’ challenging  others.  There’’s  nothing  really  challenging  about  p  laying   basements  or  squads  while  on  tour  with       another  punk  BAND Ă’3URE Ă’ITgSĂ’ LOTSĂ’OFĂ’FUNĂ’ and  there’’s  nothing  I  love  MORE Ă’ but  you  gotta  admit:  it’’s  PRETTYĂ’SAFE Ă’ People  know  what  to  expect  most  OFĂ’THEĂ’TIMEĂ’ANDĂ’ so  do  the  bands.  Touring  with  Robbie  Wil liams  on  the  other  hand  would  be  a  real  challenge.  Not  only  FORĂ’USĂ’BUTĂ’ALSOĂ’FORĂ’HISĂ’ AUDIENCE Ă’)Ă’MEAN Ă’WEĂ’ WOULDĂ’GETĂ’BOOEDĂ’OFĂ’THEĂ’ STAGEĂ’WITHINĂ’SECONDS Ă’BUTĂ’ITĂ’ would  still  be  an  experience  worth  to  BEĂ’MADE Ă’2OBERĂ’!NTONĂ’7ILSONĂ’SAID Ă’h)TĂ’ONLYĂ’ TAKESĂ’ Ă’YEARSĂ’FORĂ’AĂ’LIBERALĂ’TOĂ’BECOMEĂ’AĂ’CONSERVA tive  without  changing  a  single  idea.”â€?  and  I  think  he  pretty  much  nailed  it.  To  keep  punk  relevant  in  2010  WEĂ’GOTTAĂ’REFRESHĂ’THEĂ’IDEAĂ’OFĂ’ITĂ’EVERYĂ’ONCEĂ’INĂ’AĂ’WHILEĂ’ ORĂ’DRAGĂ’ITĂ’TOĂ’PLACESĂ’WHEREĂ’ITĂ’HASNgTĂ’BEENĂ’BEFORE Ă’!W Ă’ FUCKĂ’IT Ă’)Ă’DONgTĂ’WANNAĂ’SOUNDĂ’ALLĂ’SERIOUSĂ’ANDĂ’GIVEĂ’YOUĂ’ THATĂ’CLICH”ÒSPEECHĂ’OF Ă’hBRINGINGĂ’OURĂ’MESSAGEĂ’TOĂ’AĂ’ BROADERĂ’AUDIENCEi BULLSHIT Ă’)Ă’WOULDĂ’DOĂ’ITĂ’FORĂ’THEĂ’GOODĂ’ LAUGHĂ’WEĂ’WOULDĂ’GETĂ’OUTĂ’OFĂ’DOINGĂ’IT /ISE Ă’)Ă’THINKĂ’THEĂ’RESPONSIBILITYĂ’OFĂ’BEINGĂ’AĂ’PUNKĂ’BANDĂ’ shows  in  how  you  do  your  ““band  business”â€?  not  WHOMĂ’YOUĂ’PLAYĂ’TO Ă’LOOKĂ’ORĂ’SOUNDĂ’LIKE Ă’&ORĂ’MEĂ’BEINGĂ’

““punk”â€?  does  not  mean  being  an  elitist  asshole  that  only  wants  to  play  to  the  same  20  people  that  ““get  ITiĂ’ Ă’WHICHĂ’WAYĂ’TOOĂ’OFTENĂ’JUSTĂ’MEANSĂ’hPEOPLEĂ’THATĂ’ THINKĂ’LIKEĂ’)Ă’DOi Ă’)TĂ’MEANSĂ’BEINGĂ’FAIR Ă’BEINGĂ’REASONABLE Ă’ NOTĂ’RIPPINGĂ’PEOPLEĂ’OFFĂ’ANDĂ’MOSTĂ’IMPORTANTLYĂ’NOTĂ’USINGĂ’ THISĂ’GREATĂ’COMMUNITYĂ’ASĂ’AĂ’STEPPINGĂ’STONEĂ’FORĂ’YOURĂ’ childish  rockstar  dreams. )FĂ’SOMEBODYĂ’GETSĂ’SOMETHINGĂ’OUTĂ’OFĂ’OURĂ’MUSICĂ’AND ORĂ’ lyrics  they  are  more  then  welcome  as  long  as  they  KNOWĂ’HOWĂ’TOĂ’BEHAVEĂ’ANDĂ’TREATĂ’OTHERĂ’MEMBERSĂ’OFĂ’THEĂ’ AUDIENCEĂ’WITHĂ’RESPECT Ă’7EĂ’AREĂ’NOTĂ’EXCLUSIVEĂ’ Ă’BUTĂ’ having  too  many  people  into  our  band  was  never  a  PROBLEMĂ’FORĂ’USĂ’ANYHOW Ă’HAHA

About  doing  something  as  crazy  ASÒOPENINGÒUPÒFORÒ2OBBIEÒ7ILLIAMS Ò(MM 4HEREÒISÒ NOÒBLACKÒANDÒWHITEÒFORÒMEÒWITHÒSTUFFÒLIKEÒTHAT ÒMANYÒ THINGSÒWOULDÒHAVEÒTOÒBEÒDISCUSSEDÒBEFOREÒMAKINGÒ AÒDECISIONÒHERE Ò7OULDÒITÒ¾NANCIALLYÒMAKEÒSENSE Ò)SÒ it  worth  our  precious  time?  Does  doing  drugs  with  AÒMANIC DEPRESSIVEÒPOPÒSTARÒOUTWEIGHÒTHEÒFACTÒTHATÒ ÒOFÒHISÒFANSÒWILLÒIGNOREÒAND ORÒTHROWÒSHITÒATÒUS Call  me  naive  but  what  do  we  as  a  band  have  to  give  to  an  audience  like  this?  Would  we  be  allowed  TOÒBRINGÒPEOPLEÒFROMÒANIMALÒRIGHTSÒORGANIZATIONS Ò PRO CHOICEÒACTIVISTSÒORÒPROGRESSIVEÒPOLITICALÒGROUPSÒTOÒ hand  out  pamphlets  at  the  merch?  What  good  could  WEÒDOÒBYÒGOINGÒOUTÒINÒFRONTÒOFÒAÒCROWDÒLIKEÒTHATÒANDÒ SPEAKÒOURÒMINDS Ò7EÒAREÒNOTÒ#ONSOLIDATED Ò2AGEÒ

Against  the  Machine  or  Seein  Red.  We  don’’t  have  a  political  agenda  the  whole  band  agrees  on  so  it  WOULDĂ’BEĂ’HARDĂ’FORĂ’USĂ’TOĂ’TALKĂ’ABOUTĂ’THATĂ’ASĂ’WELL )FĂ’ you  get  a  chance  like  this  I  think  you  gotta  use  it  and  try  to  send  those  people  home  with  something  more  THANĂ’AĂ’ Ă’SHIRTĂ’WITHĂ’2OBBIEgSĂ’HANDSOMEĂ’FACEĂ’ONĂ’IT 3OĂ’ Ă’STILLĂ’UNDECIDED Ă’PLEASEĂ’TELLĂ’-R Ă’7ILLIAMSĂ’TOĂ’BEĂ’AĂ’ LITTLEĂ’PATIENTĂ’WITHĂ’US What  is  the  worst  sexually  transmitted  disease  Oise  has  had  to  struggle  through? Â

$IDÒANYÒOFÒYOUÒFEELÒBADÒ BYÒBEINGÒINÒAÒVANÒWITHÒHIM Ò)SÒITÒSAFEÒTOÒSAYÒYOUÒ WOULDÒNEVERÒSHAREÒAÒTOWELÒWITHÒHIMÒFORÒFEARÒHEÒDRIEDÒ his  genitals  with  it  and  you  may  contract  something?

7AUZ Ò)SÒANSWERINGÒTHISÒQUESTIONÒTHEÒBIGGESTÒCOCK BLOCK ÒEVER Ò$OÒGIRLSÒTHATÒWANNAÒHAVEÒSEXÒWITHÒ/ISEÒ read  Punknews?  Whatever.  That  guy  hangs  the  MEDICALÒCERTI¾CATESÒOFÒHISÒ34${SÒONÒHISÒBATHROOMÒ wall  like  others  do  with  their  diplomas.  So  what’’s  the  WORSTÒONEÒYOUÒCANÒHAVE Ò7ELL Ò)gMÒSUREÒITgSÒUPÒTHEREÒ ONÒTHATÒWALL Ò4HEREÒAREÒAÒFEWÒRULESÒWHILEÒTOURINGÒWITHÒ 2EDÒ4APEÒ0ARADE Ò$ONgTÒLETÒ/ISEÒDRINKÒFROMÒYOURÒ BOTTLE Ò$ONgTÒSITÒWHEREÒHEÒHASÒBEENÒSITTING Ò.%6%2Ò USEÒTHEÒSAMEÒTOWEL Ò)FÒYOUÒGOÒBYÒTHATÒRULESÒTHEREgSÒAÒ good  chance  you  won’’t  get  sick.  But  Oise  and  I  are  MARRIEDÒONÒFACEBOOKÒ ANDÒTHATgSÒTHEÒONLYÒLEGITIMATEÒ WAYÒTOÒGETÒMARRIEDÒNOWADAYS ÒRIGHT ÒANDÒHEÒ DEMANDSÒSOMEÒTENDERNESSÒONCEÒINÒAÒWHILE ÒSO

e t s a w l a p i c i n u m NICIPAL TO NY FO RE STA OF MU N CHUCKE R WA STE INTE RVIEWS JO MINE S LEWIS OF TH E DOPA Ok so both of our bands are playing the Fest this year. How does this make your balls feel?

It makes them feel like breeching the crest of the first hill on a rollercoaster. Either that or similar to getting them sucked like two jawbreakers.

That's disgusting. I have no clue why I asked you that. What bands are you looking forward to seeing that weekend (if you don't say mine I'll cut you)?

Well, I suppose I can't wait until the very last set of the Fest on Sunday to rip my face off, but shit dude, I'm excited to just be there. This year I'm going to just hop around every venue and see a bunch of bands I've never seen before. Last year I rooted myself in one spot every day and it was fun. But other than a handful of bands I am required to see (ahem, Municipal Waste), I'm going to stumble all over Gainesville this year! Any suggestions?

I'm really excited about seeing Tiltwheel and Hard Skin. I've yet to see those bands and I dig them a lot. Ok, so your Expect the Worst has been out for a little bit now, have you guys started writing any new stuff?

Yeah, we've got like 7 or 8 jams in the bank right now. We're recording in early January, not sure whether that means a new LP or EP, or 7's or whatever. Maybe a Municipal Waste/Dopamines split?

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You dudes are too heavy for us. You guys ever do a joke band? It seems like every band has one. What is the Dopamines joke band?

Well Jon and I used to be in this Sloppy Seconds'ish punk band called Two Inch Winky, that was pretty sweet. After every song Tom the singer, would scream, "FUCK YOU!" I'll get you a copy. You've got Cannabis Corpse right?

Oh Cannabis Corpse is not a joke band, Phil takes that shit very seriously. What band out there would you guys consider to be your, "sister band" and why?

Well, I think a better phrasing would be, What do people consider your band to be the sister to?" because we sound a lot like The Copyrights, which I disagree with the more releases we put out. I don't think we're popular enough to inspire any more drunk assholes to play shitty pop punk.

Ryan's Hope said that they were going to start a pop punk band because of us. They did, The Reaganomics, and they rule. Super awesome dudes too.

That really was not a better phrasing but let's just move on. What are your upcoming touring plans?

We're doing a few weeks with Banner Pilot to and from Fest, then we're taking a few months off to write because we're not good at doing two things at once, like shooting whiskey and riding a unicycle. Also we're pretty poor, and we usually need some time off to save more money to waste on this band.

What's the deal with Mikey Erg? Is he in the band? Is he not in the band? Do you just put him in your videos because he's

like super hot and you want to gain a New Found Glory type following?

We've always welcomed friends to hang out and play second guitar. Mikey showed interest, so we we're like, "why the fuck not? At the very least we'll probably sell a few more records." Turns out Mikey is a pretty good fit overall, so he's been sorta permanent? He's in a lot of bands these days. Like a Jason White of sorts. That's what he's called on the website. You know, the second guitarist of Green Day, and member of Pinhead Gunpowder (for those not familiar). As for the video? He was in town, so, "Why the fuck not?"

I notice when you play that sometimes you do head windmills even though you have short hair. What the fuck? Are you clowning us long hairs?

I've been rocking the windmill for a while now, and I really don't know how that started. I sing a lot, so I don't get to jump around and fuck off like I used to in other bands. So during the few moments I DO get to fuck around, I tend to do some pretty wacky shit. So does Jon. I suppose a pop punk band with short hair would look wacky rocking the windmill. I've been trying to grow my hair out for a while now but things keep coming up, like my wedding for instance, and cutting the hair is an unspoken requirement, although my wife was upset that I cut my hair and my beard.

Such is life. But NO, I'm not clowning the long hairs, I'm promoting Metal moves!

Oh yeah, congrats on getting married! Ok, let's get serious here.

What's you r fav orite Metal alb um?

Tough one. Metallica And Jus tice for all.

That was the firs t metal alb um I ever heard. When I started listening to metal more I really fell in love with 3 Inches of Blood Advance and Vanquish.

I also quite like the Ramallah record Kill a Celebrity.

What's the song Cincinnati Harmony about?

That is my jam by the way. I was working at a pizza place and my boss was always bragging about how much money she made and all this shit that she bought her kids. I think it was because she had no friends and is a piece of shit. Just a theory.

It got pretty annoying after a while so the idea for the song came from that.

It developed into hatred toward all the people who are so eager to tell you how great their lives are, and they act like they care about what you have going on so that they can feel better about themselves.

I've been tossed around a lot by past and present employers, and kind of betrayed by what is considered a career and all that bullsh it. So yeah I found out a beer and some friends kinda takes the sting away from that. The title of the song came from Roger (one of 2 dudes who recorded our record) made fun of us because sometimes Jon and I like to do dual vocals without harmony. Roger calls doubled vocals a "Cincinnati Harmony", which is mildly funny because all the doubled vocals have harmonies in this song.

Tell me about the Cincinnati punk scene?

I haven't been there in a while. What the hells going on over there? What bands should we be looking out for?

I don't feel like answering this questio n.

I love Cincinnati but when we're in other cities with a bigger history of music it makes me wish we had more going on now to push the scene. We do have a lot of great bands and venues here though.

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Heathers or Pump Up the Volume?

I've never seen these two movies, and I don't know if that makes me cooler or more lame, but I'm not very cool as it is so it's a moot point really. But Christian Slater's only worthwhile acting effort was that Robin Hood flick, which is funny because that's Kevin Costner's only good flick.

Well maybe he did a few good movies but neither of them have actual functioning dicks unless they are in eye shot of each other. I can't stress it enough how useless Christian Slater is. Did you see that Alone in the Dark flick? I'd rather eat my own feces.

the ground, . An other one threw a brick through a window at the house and an oth er sta bbed a kid. That was pretty fucked up .

The show was great though. My worst tou r experience is the fir st time we've ever played Richmond, odd ly enough. Short ver sion is that we got ou r window busted out, GPS stolen, I got food poi soning and sh it all over the floor of a hotel bathroom.

Yeah, that sounds lik e a normal nig ht in Richmond.

JON CHUCKER LEWIS OF DOPAMINES INTERVIEWS TONY FORE STA, OF MUNICIPAL WASTE

YOWSA! What was the all time worst Dopamines gig? Spare no one.

Hmm. Well one time Michael got real high and convinced himself that one of our songs ends one minute earlier than it really does.

That wasn't a bad show though, that was just funny. Well one time in Columbus some Juggalos (who were really into us) ended up starting shit at the show and one of them pulled a gun out and fired it into

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When we were hanging out in Richmond, I recall a mutual friend telling a story about you guys, "eating someone's rent money" in Gainesville back in the day. I didn't get the whole story, but it seems like you guys probably have your share of insane tour moments. You can't escape this interview without recalling at least one......go!

Oh man that story is really old. So old I can barely remember. I may fuck the facts up on this one but here it goes... We used to be hated in Gainesville. Not by everyone but there was a lot of people that wished we didn't exist. This was in the Waste Em All days. We were a younger more reckless band and Gainseville was a different place 10 years ago. That 90's PC shit was still very prominent in the scene there and a lot of people wanted to have drawn out discussions about the "dick and fart" joke you just made. We made it our point to terrorize these poor folks as much as possible.

One night after we played a gig at the Ark with Tragedy we decided to head over and crash someones acoustic show down the street by running in screaming/moshing and wrecking stuff. Basically just making jerks out of ourselves. So of course we got kicked out in a matter of seconds and we retreated back to our old VA friend from Swanks house (Tony Winebender) and proceeded raid his and his roommates fridge. I eventually passed out but from what I gathered the

next day that said refrigerator also contained a shitload (I mean A LOT of mushrooms that belonged to one of Tony's roommates. Anyway, from what I recall the next morning I wake up to a bunch of people yelling and my band mates are all sitting around me still awake tripping balls poking my head and telling me we need to leave. I think one of the things Tony's roommate yelled was, "Dude you guys ate my rent money!"

I thought those guys hated us for years.

Tony didn't give a shit. So one of our first times ever in Gainesville we had to flee town because we ate all of someone's drugs.

Slayer record What are your thoughts on the ly... wise wer Ans ?

God Hates Us All entire alb um.

Honestly, I've never heard the and I mer sum We played with them last t song tha into ed kick remember when they that use ld wou I ded deci I r late 40 seco nds ntly rece just I time to go get another drink. its in ven Hea of h saw them perform Sout one of the entirety and it was honestly . I fucking live seen ever I've gs thin best most about me to love Slayer. What appeals everyth ing like s seem it t you r band is tha t I believe tha g thin some est, hon is fun and any band. in g is most important when bein s, how guy you ut abo ect Assuming I'm corr yth ing ever d ecte aff t's tha say would you recording, from you r sound to tou ring, opportunities etc.

Hmm thanks! I that's one of the things I like most about you guys as well. Something about Ohio bands are super real and honest and I think you guys bring that too. The honesty thing goes a long way. There are a lot of bands that put up this, "I'm better than you," front especially in metal and I never really understood that. We've always tried to stray away from that and just be ourselves. We also use those ethics in our business practices. We have always been good about paying our debts whether it's from labels or touring etc, even if it has left us hungry in situations.

band's ever What's the greatest thing the money while d ban collectively bought with on tou r? n. I would Damn this is a great questio owed 1,500 borr We say our old van "Pa blo". ght it bou and Erin nd bucks from my frie They s. ines bus ping dsca lan l from a loca led smel It it. used to store lawnmower s in side The ss. gra and gas , like dirt, body odor and n't) does l stil (and k wor door didn't ce. The van it had dents all over the pla a champ. like ran was so fucked up but it nd the arou g thin t tha ing We ended up driv s used it ones Bar n Eve s. time 5 over country van like 7 for a U.S. tou r. We bought the run s great. l stil g thin years ago and the he still and it ing buy up ed end Landph il That rs. tou uses it for Cannabis Corpse thing's a beas t.

You've just purchased a new house! Any chance of making it haunted or perhaps metal for this upcoming Halloween?

Yeah I just bought the crib that you guys got trashed in during BFD remember that night?

The house is over a 100 year s old b ut unfortunately no ghosts yet. I was planning on murdering a pop punk band in it someday to maybe conjure up some evil. So if you guys ever need a place to crash again while you're in RVA hit me up bro!

r set at The Some bands dress up for thei are playing. you Fest in Gainesville, which Maybe a r? gea r's Gwa Any plans to steal scoo p? the t's Wha nic? chro of giant bud really are Halloween shows for the Was te oween Hall y ever big important. We try to go et secr top are ns pla Our that we play. unaware we this year. But if people you with our ous age usually get pretty outr no exception. be ld shou year costumes and this few years ago I don't know if you recall a Klux Klan Klu but I dressed up as a gay played at we n whe ume mem ber for my cost silly... I ty pret was t Tha nds.

Common Grou mask and n Kla had a sweet rainbow striped hoping ly real e wer We I looked like a jerk. nobody but le peop t igh upt to piss off some laid so is even gave a shit. Gainesville say that my back nowadays. I will have to in cost umes up sed dres t fav orite band tha when Dear for the Fest that I've seen was ead thing. oneh d/C Landlord did the Skinhea d. crie ost alm I I laughed so hard med. But I missed that and I was so bum and I set the r I saw Brett right afte nehead. d/co hea skin good a e thought he mad years red Alice Cooper now spends his reti 's wife my with golfing and drinking tea l. meta very be to this ider grandmother. I cons red reti y man What are your thoughts on the r hobbies? legends of rock/metal and thei is the best.

I think Bruce Dickinsons hobby pretty bad t's Tha s!

747' kin' fric Dude flies in Aerosmith hole ass. Much better than that dick guy. t tha Fuck . hosting American Idol opa mines) Both bands (Municipal Was te/D ion, ract inte d seem to thrive on crow and shit g owin thr , beer ly inv olving most some of are t Wha d. crow the with fucking n MW set to you r "go to's" during any give tion. erac /int tion assist in crowd reac

We still do the, "Wall of Death" a lot. I know it's pretty played out and about 8 million shitty bands do it nowadays but it's just so damn fun. Me and my band mates have the best seats in the house as well. It's so fun night after night to stand up there and watch people in the audience fearlessly wreck themselves and each other.

I take about 10 NOFX shirts on tour, kind of a tour ritual thing, and to piss off Jon W. Now I also never leave for tour now without a poker set. Do any of you guys have any creepy/interesting tour rituals?

The Gwar dudes always bring a poker set!

I've played some real fun poker games on the road. The only actual ritual that has been consistent that no matter what tour we go on, whether it's flying or driving somewhere Dave always brings a really strong/fancy beer that he cracks open in the van (or vehicle we are in) the second we leave his house. He shares it with the rest of the band and it kind of sets the mood for the fun to come. It almost puts you in a mind frame like a vacation's about to start.

Given your reputation, I bet you get a lot of requests for good horror flicks. What's your favorite romantic comedy film?

Hmmmm, I would have to say Captain Ron because it has Kurt Russell in it.

What's the one record that you guys did like that everyo ne expects you to like?

Everyo ne assumes I love Megadeth and I know that people will hate me for saying this but I don't. I'm not really sure why but I just can't get into it. Maybe because I hate the vocals, not saying that I'm a great vocalis t or anything but that is just what I listen for when I hear a band.

Megadeth just seems more guitar driven to me. I will say that after seeing them play Rust in Peace I just recently went back and gave Peace Sells a listen again and I admit I do like it more than I did back in the day but I would much rather hear Fistful of Metal or some Violence.

Would you agree that most contestants on The Price is Right need to fuck right off?

Drew Carrey can kiss my ass in the crack.

I never though he was funny. They need to get Patton Oswalt really drunk and have him host. On a similar note, did you know that Bob Barker makes million s of dollars selling low cost toiletries to prisons all over the country?

Apparently he has a nearly a monopoly on the market and there's some really shady stuff going on with his business practices. So fuck that guy too.

Update us with what’s happening in the world of the Max Levine Ensemble?

David Combs: We’re going to the UK for the first time. It’s a big deal. For us.

Is there anywhere that you’re particularly excited about going to?

Benjamin Epstein: I’ve never been there. So anywhere we go.

Combs: Last time I was in England doing a solo tour we met this guy named Tom. Who is really into having fun and really into punk rock and he got the nickname Punk Rock Tom, and the Sunday we were hanging out together we decided it was Punk Rock Sundays with Tom. We went out of our way to go to two different punk shows that day and then said we’d rendezvous again at The Fest. Then at The Fest a few weeks later Epstein: On a Sunday Combs: On a Sunday – I made up flyers that said “Punk Rock Sundays with Tom” and passed them out to everybody at The Fest.

The flyer said “If you see this guy give him a drink or a hug or a high-five.”

Successful?

Combs: Yeah, I started passing out the flyers on Friday and then by Sunday Tom was like a celebrity. The flyer also had a picture of him so people would be like “There’s Tom!” and coming up to him and giving him high fives left and right. Anyway, so when we get to Manchester, that’s going to be a Sunday and Tom’s going to be in attendance and we’re going to rejuvenate Punk Rock Sundays with Tom in a big way.

Epstein: That’s the highlight of the tour.

That sounds great. Is he coming to The Fest again?

Combs: I would be surprised if he didn’t. In England he’s know as Fest Tom also because he’s always so excited about The Fest. I’m also excited about the London show, because the day after we play is the London Anarchists Book Fair, which interests me.

All the shows are going to be great. We’re playing with Onsind, which is a really awesome folk two-piece with really smart lyrics.

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So in the past two years you’ve released two seven inches, are you planning on doing a full-length anytime soon?

Epstein: Yeah, we’re in the process of writing and putting together songs. We got a bunch of things that have been sitting on the back burner that we’re trying to craft into really awesome songs and eventually we’ll put it out as a full-length. We also have a separate project where we’re basically updating a bunch of our older songs that we recorded when we were like in high school and didn’t do a very good job on them and making them more relevant to how we sound now. We’re excited to get those two things done at some point in the near future.

When can people expect to hear thesethings?

Epstein: Oh man.

Combs: The re-release of re-recorded old songs should be out by January. In December we’re celebrating our tenth year anniversary, and we wanted to have a big anniversary party in December, but that’s probably not going to happen so we’re going to do it in

January. So we thought that would be an appropriate time to release songs of recordings we did a long time again.

Is this self-released?

Combs: Plan-it X is doing the CD and No Breaks Records is doing the LP for that.

Did anything every come out of the Ben Weasel debacle after you released your somewhat of a response album entitled Ben Weasel?

Epstein: He hasn’t said anything negative about us since, so I think we won that one!

Combs: He’s been very smart about keeping his mouth shut about it publically because I think that he thinks that would just get us more attention. But privately we’ve been informed by some of his friends that he was real grumpy and thought it was a marketing ploy where we were trying to quote “Ride his good name to the top.”

Epstein: We’ve made it all the way to the top!

How’s it feel at the top?

Epstein: Not really too different.

Combs: Well we’re going to have an interview on punknews even though punknews wouldn’t review our seven inch. So something good.

So also talking about projects, Ben you are a star of a documentary?

Epstein: Oh dear. I am a participant of a documentary which is heavily featuring me.

Combs: It’s called The Bepstein Documentary.

Epstein: That’s a working title.

Tell us more!

Epstein: A friend of mine is making a documentary about a project about several people in Baltimore who are trying to write 30 songs in 30 days and she’s trying to document how that process goes. Unfortunately everyone that agreed to do it, which was like six people maybe, I was the only one who actually did it.

So the focus of the documentary has significantly shifted towards me.

Combs: She interviewed me about his childhood. I’m pretty sure the documentary is about him.

Epstein: No comment.

So how’d it go? The actual project?

Epstein: It’s okay. It has a few hits and a lot of duds, but it’s a fun process. I recommend it. You know, if you write like two or three good songs in a month, that’s usually a really good month. So if I write 30 and only 25 of them are bad, that’s wildly successful month of song writing.

Combs: This is the second time he’s done it also.

Epstein: Yeah.

Combs: Some of the songs from the first time are now Max Levine Ensemble songs in progress.

Epstein: Yeah.

It sounds like a cool project so hopefully the documentary is also awesome.

Epstein: The thing about the documentary is that I make some videos of my own and then people saw this girl following me around with a camera and was like “Oh yeah they’re making a documentary about Bepstein.” And then people ask me “Why are you making a documentary about yourself?” And I’m like, “Nooo! I’m not making a documentary about

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myself! I have nothing to do with this aside from the fact that someone is following me.”

I’m just doing what I normally do.

Combs: Bepstein does have a solo project where he plays in front of a screen with a bunch of prerecorded videos of himself backing himself up so it was not completely out of the realm of possibility that he would be doing something so self-referential.

Epstein: Dude, I sound like a jerk! Anyway back to things that don’t concern me.

Well back to the Max Levine Ensemble, your music has always been politically charged, if there was one cause that you would hope that your fans or listeners would take to heart and take action – what would it be?

Combs: I guess most of the politically charged side comes from my end. So I could answer that more from me than as a band, but as a band I feel like the most important thing is critical engagement and questioning the assumptions that are kind of programmed into you by socialization and cultures that we live in. For myself and for the solo stuff that I do, I think that one issue that I’ve pushed pretty hard is men educating themselves about patriarchy and trying to take action towards eradicating sexism and sexual violence and stuff like that. I’m into anarchist politics and some of that comes through in the Max Levine Ensemble I think.

Epstein: Yes, he hit the nail on the head there.

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This interview is part of a pre-Fest series. So let’s talk about Gainesville for a minute!

Combs: Been there.

What do you think about it?

Combs: As a town?

Yes, do you have any favorite things or not so favorite things?

Epstein: I like the weather.

Combs: We’re really good at trouncing Bomb The Music Industry! at kickball whenever we go there.

Epstein: Particularly in October. We don’t really play them in kickball at any other time of year.

Combs: We might if we were there together at another time.

Epstein: Oh! We like getting Jamican food when we’re there!

Combs: Mmmmm. Reggae Shack. You don’t want to miss that.

Do you have any tales of Fest past?

Combs: Um…we’ve been there.

Epstein: I mean for Fest personally – you drive for like 15 hours to get there. You get there around 5 a.m. Wake up around 10 a.m.

Play a really fierce game of kickball. Then go swimming. Then play a set. Then watch like three or four of your friend’s bands. Then fall asleep completely exhausted and then drive 15 hours back the next day. That’s usually the pattern. And it’s really fun.

Combs: It is kind of a whirlwind for us because Ben can’t really take off work to be there for the whole weekend so we’re just driving down and driving back up. Bepstein usually falls asleep while standing at least once or twice.

Epstein: I’m tired.

Combs: You know you play a crazy show dressed up like scientists or something.

Yeah so it’s Halloween weekend again this year – are there plans for costumes?

Combs: Is it tacky to dress up if you’re playing not actually on Halloween?

Epstein: On Halloween we’ll probably be driving home.

I don’t think it’s tacky.

Combs: Two years ago we were driving through the night on Halloween so we missed it. Last year we played The Fest on Halloween and this year we’re driving back on Sunday and I was hoping I could get back here in time for a little Halloween action here.

Epstein: Candy.

Combs: Last year we had a piñata. This year we haven’t thought about it because we’re not actually playing in Halloween. Is that in bad taste? Should we make a piñata? How did we make that piñata? Did you make it?

Epstein: I don’t know. Magic. I was just kind of under the assumption that if you’re not playing on Halloween you’ve missed your window.

It’s Halloween weekend though. Halloween is on Sunday. There will probably be kids trick or treating on Saturday?

Combs: What? That’s not how it goes. I’m pretty sure that’s wrong.

Ha. It probably is wrong. I’m just sayin’ you probably could dress up and it would be fine!

Combs:Wellwe’reworkonthat.We’lltalkaboutthatat practice today. Thanks for the reminder.

Sowhat’sinstoreforyouguyspostthismonth of touring and Festing?

Combs:Writingandrecording.Buteveryone shouldcometoDCforour10thanniversary partyinJanuary.Ican’treallytellyouwhois playing but it’s going to be good.

Epstein: Yeah, we might be there.

Anything else you’d like to share? Final thoughts?

Epstein: We’ve got that music video coming out! It’s from a video I shot many months ago.

What song?

Epstein: It’s for a song called “My name John.”

It’s on a tape that’s out of print. I’m not sure why we chose to make a video for that.

Combs: It’s got a good narrative.

Epstein: It’s about furniture talking.

Combs: It’s probably the first silly song we’ve done as a band in a long time. But yeah maybe you can help us put it on punknews.org. It features our friend Jack who is the victim of all his appliances in his house coming alive and terrorizing him.

Epstein: In classic 1920s garb. Combs: We aspire to put out more music videos for more songs nobody has ever heard in the near future. Maybe a beach themed song.

Where are you going to do a beach themed video here [DC]?

Combs: The premise of the beach theme is that there are no more beaches and people do beachy stuff in parking lots and things like that.

That would be easier to do here than an actual beach.

Epstein: Kind of a cop out, but it will work!

Combs: Bepstein is a very good videographer.

Is that your day job?

Epstein: Sometimes.

Combs: He’s also the mascot for the Baltmore Orioles.

Is that true?

Epstein: No comment.

Combs: Bepstein is legally obligated not to reveal the identity of the mascot for the Baltimore Orioles.

Epstein: That is true.

NOFX's El Hefe As I mentioned in an earlier post about NOFXs Coaster, NOFX is an important band to me, not only opening up doors to other genres but also different styles of playing that makes someone stand out and aren't normally thought of. I emailed Fat Wreck about an interview and guitarist El Hefe was kind enough to give me the time and answer my questions.

Here’s the interview. I hope you like it.

5th Fret! What was your first guitar?

El Hefe' It was some generic guitar I found in my older brother’s closet. I don't know what brand, I think it was some kind of jazz guitar.

What made you want to start playing?

My best friend played drums, and one day I went to his house to hang out and my other friend was playing guitar, and I said I want to play too. And we started my first band called Jack Attack.

What kind of music did you play?

Classic rock, metal, jazz, blues, reggae and hip hop.

What kind of gear do you mainly use in the studio?

Les Paul, and SG guitars, Boogie, Marshall, and Fender heads.

Is this different from your live rigs?

Yes What does your live rig consist of?

Mesa Boogie head Mark 3, Boogie 4x12cab, Telecaster with standard EMG pickups.

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What do you look for in guitars and amps?

Nice crisp clean sound for the clean stuff, and meaty thick sound for the dirty stuff.

The palming needs to be clear and distinct.

You know...the chunk..chunk...lol Are most NOFX songs the result of jamming or does everyone write solo and bring in their material?

Mike writes the songs, we just add a little extra flavor in the studio.

What about the leads’ Are they more off the cuff or heavily practiced and written out beforehand?

I prefer to make the leads up as I go. I usually make the leads up right on the spot. I’ll do a bunch of takes and use the best one.

You guys have amazing guitar chops anyway, but especially in the punk genre. Do you think this has helped with the band’s popularity?

Yes, that and the chemistry of each character in the band.

Speaking of popularity, how does it feel being part of a band that so many look up to as an inspiration?

I’m very proud to be a part of a world famous punk rock band. I feel fortunate to have had such a long lasting career. I am now producing, and helping other bands that I feel are talented.

Are you working with anyone right now?

Yes, I’m doing the final mixes for the

Expendables. I produced half the songs on the album, and Paul Leary of the butt hole surfers produced the other half. It's sounding awesome.

Did you have a good time recording in the Backstage Pass?

Yea, that was a lot of madness and chaos.

Would you be willing to let the cameras follow you around again?

Sure, they are following us right now.

Is there a tentative release date?

April The leads almost always have an amazing tone that cuts through the mix and really stands out. How do you get that?

You start with a very expensive guitar, with the right head, with the right cab, and record in a great acoustical environment.

The trick is, once it sounds right in the room, getting it on the hard drive with out loosing the quality of the sound. Put an S M57 and a Roye r 12 1 together side by side about an inch from the grill, on axis. Now you have what they call a phase EQ. The 57 will be mostly upper mids, mostly around 3 to 5k, the Royer will be darker, lower mids.

Now just adjust the level of each track till it sounds right in the song.

I Am An Alcoholic? features some pretty great jazz licks. Is jazz a frequently visited genre of you guys?

what if we let Hefe lay down those jazz chords for real! let’s see how that would make the song sound.” and it sounded cool. .

What were you using to get those tones?

I used a fender jazz master, just direct into the SSL board I believe.

Any particular crowd favorites from Coaster?

Hmm, I would say We Called It America, and Blasphemy, oh and Creeping Out Sara.

Any personal favorites?

My Orphan Year.

What is the most commonly requested NOFX song of all time and does it ever get tiring to play?

Bob, and it never gets old.

Well, I brought that to the plate when I joined the band. I played jazz, and blues, and funk before I joined NOFX. That song was not originally written as a jazz song. I was fucking around in the studio. I started changing the chords that Mike wrote, into jazz chords, just for shits and giggles, and our producer Bill Stevenson said,”hey,

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!

E M T S N I A G A

Tom Gabel On Against Me!’s Future: No Label, New Drummer

It's been a hectic couple of months for Florida's Against Me! - they found themselves drummerless and label-less after being dropped by Warners in a short period of time. But frontman Tom Gabel isn't remotely worried.

I’ll roughly summarise the career of Against Me!: they’ve been through a lot of shit, a lot of good times and writ ten some staggering music along the way. Over the last couple of months a lot seems to have come to a head for them - drummer George Rebelo left to rejoin Hot Water Music and they found themselves dropped by Warners, the ma jor label they’d made their home for the last two albums - but the mantra seems to be onwards, soldiers.

Frontman Tom Gabel has always been a good person to interview - he doesn’t give too much away and makes you work for an answer, but get him talking and he’s engaging, funny and honest. In this extensive interview we talked ever thing from what’s on his mind today to how he feels revisiting his past.

Let’s talk about the label issue.

Run me through where you are with it.

“It’s a complicated situation. Our deal

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had run out - Warner had another option but they declined to take the option.

I know there’s differences with Warner UK and Warner US so I’m not specifically talking about Warner UK but Warner US is kinda going under going a massive restructuring. They’re just making mas sive cuts and a lot of the people who are unfortunately losing their jobs are kind of our team at the record label who we’ve worked with on the past couple of records. Kinda like the classic story of you’re signed to a massive label and then your A+R bloke gets fired and you get forgotten about, you know? It’s sad to see the relationship come to an end for sure, but at the same time I feel glad because I don’t think we would have faired very well in that environment.”

When did the rot start setting in from you point of view? Do you think that ‘White Crosses’ was handled as well as it could have been?

“I think that they made some serious

mistakes. It’s one of those things where you cant really point fingers, you know? And again, just to clarify, I’m not talking about Warner UK, I’m talk ing about Warner US. For instance there was a version of the first single ‘I Was A Teenage Anarchist’ that was not a finished version; it had some slightly different lyrics, some of the backing vocals weren’t added in and that we had just sent it in as like, ‘Hey listen to this’ and then once the album came out they started pushing the singles, one of them made the mistake of sending the unfinished version of every radio sta tion in Canada. So every radio station in Canada played the unfinished version of ‘I Was A Teenage Anarchist’ because someone fucked up. And it’s just like, are you sure you’re paying attention to what you’re doing?”

with George again, in the future. At the moment he’s in Australia with Hot Water Music, so he had some touring to do with them and I think they’re gonna be working on a record so it is what it is. He’s the drummer of Hot Water Music you know, so it’s not like us firing out our drummer or anything like that. In the past couple of years I’ve learned I don’t really want anyone to feel like they’re forced to do anything. Like, it shouldn’t be an unnatural relationship or anything like that. I want it to be what’s right and organic in that sense.

So if George has to go and do stuff with Hot Water Music that’s great.”

What was the deal with the line-up change - how come George is no longer playing with you guys?

“We’re not ruling out that we wont play

How did you guys take it as a band?

“Finding someone else is always a worry and you know,especially for some drummers.

I think anyone starting a band will

How long ago did you find out that he’d be leaving? ”About a month ago or something like that. He said he had to go and do the dates.”

tell you there’s more than enough guitar players out there. But finding a drummer is always hard! (Laughs) There’s always that worry where you’re like, ‘Ah shit, is this gonna work out? Are we gonna find someone that’ll fit, that we can click with?’ But you know, we got lucky and Jay’s been awesome to play with, you know, we’ve been friends with him for a while so, it just kinda worked out.”

Had you guys been doing any writing with George?

“No. It’s not like we write like a four

piece you know, it’s not like we did that with George and it’s not like we did that with Warren. The approach has always been I write the songs and I bring them into the band and then we kinda work them out and work out what everyone’s gunna play. So it doesn’t really affect that dynamic.”

So you say you’ve known Jay for a while…

“Yeah, he’s been coming out to shows for a couple of years now and he’d jump up onto the drum kit for the end of the set whenever we played the song ‘We Laugh At Danger (And Break All The

Rules)’ and he’d finish up the set. And we’ve been practicing probably about a week. We’ve just been hitting it really hard and it’s funny because I was kinda stressing we weren’t really ganna have enough time to get things in order for the couple of shows that we’re playing this December. And Jay showed up - I gave him a list of 20 songs to learn and he showed up and knew about 50, so total achiever!”

How far ahead are you now looking with him? Is he contracted into the band for a certain period of time?

“We’re doing a, run of the US starting in early January and then going out with the Dropkick Murphys; and then after that we’re hoping to make up for some of the dates we had to cancel.

I mean, right now we’re planning on him doing the January stuff and the Dropkick Murphys stuff so, hopefully it’ll continue beyond that as well.”

Those cancelled UK shows, was that because of the George situation?

“No it wasn’t.

There were a couple of things going on in people’s personal lives that needed to be dealt with and we were also going through some stuff with our label. And it

was at a point where if the shows had been in the States or hadn’t been shows that required a little more of a financial commitment I don’t think we would have had to cancel them. But unfortunately it just worked out the way it did and we had to kinda pull apart for a second and then re-group.”

It feels like 2010 was a year of real highs and lows for the band – has it felt like that for you or have you just ploughed through and only looked back retrospectively?

“I’ve kinda been aware of it the whole time. Although every time things look like they’re going great you’re just holding your breath waiting for them to start going badly. But it has been just one of those years where there has been some amazing things that have happened, and there’s some sad patches but what can you do you just gotta kinda roll with the punches and keep going on.”

What parts of the year stand out for you most as positives and negatives?

“I think overwhelming positives are definitely in our personal lives. Both myself and Andrew are new fathers and there’s been many things that go along with that that have been really rewarding.

At the time when Andrew’s wife had their baby it was a really complicated birth and the baby was two months premature, so that was a little bit of a scary moment. We were on tour right then and we were playing in Boston and he got the call, like, minutes before we were going on stage that she was gonna have an emergency labour. So we finished the show and then he flew off and that’s one of those moments where no one knows what’s gonna happen; and it kinda puts things into perspective.”

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NEWS AND STUFF Blink To Finish Album In April Or May Blink 182’s basSist Mark HopPus recently posted a new studio update regarding the band’ s work on their highly anticipated new album: “The goOd news is that it’s because we’ve beEn busy with new songs and ideas, and some tracks are very near complete. In rough terms, I’d say we’re working with the betTer part of ten or so songs at this point. There’s stilL a long to way to go before the album is done, but already it seEms like the songs are both taking a step even further than we toOk on the last album, while also going back to the sound of some of the earlier albums. And the ideas keEp coming.

“Yesterday I worked on the basics of an uptempo, catchy progresSion; kind of in the vein of Wendy Clear or Going Away to ColLege. We’lL seE how it comes together… The Americana, country-type song that I’ve writTen about before is now in its third incarnation, and I think it gets betTer with every change. Can’t wait tilL Travis plays drums on it and it goes to a whole difFerent level.

One track that is pretTy much done is an idea that

28

Tom started, and we adDed a bunch of stufF, changed some things, and then Travis put down a beat that blew the doOrs ofF the whole thing.”

Of note, he also speculated about the release date saying: “We have a date for the completion of the album. We want to deliver the record in April or May, for release very soOn afterward. That’s our goal. That’s what we’re alL working toward. That being said, the only thing more important to us than getTing the record out in that time is getTing a GREAT record out.

If it isn’t absolutely ready at that point, we’lL keEp working until it is. But that’s the plan.’”

Blink 182 last released their Untitled record in 2003. The band also recently revealed plans to go to the UK next sumMer. The dates are below.

07/08 – Manchester, UK – MEN Arena 07/12 – Newcastle, UK – Arena 07/13 - NotTingham, UK – Arena 07/15 – Birmingham, UK – LG Arena 07/18 - London, UK – 02 Arena

Agnostic Front Start Recording New Album New York hardcore legends Agnostic Front wilL enter Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida today (Tuesday, November 9) to begin recording their highly anticipated folLow-up to 2007’s “WarRiors”. 15 new powerful and anthemic songs wilL be laid down by Erik Rutan (MadbalL, Goatwhore, CanNibal Corpse, etc.) under the watchful guide of producer FredDy Cricien of MadbalL. This wilL be Agnostic Front’s third release for the Nuclear Blast and second produced

by Cricien.

An early and 2011 release isexpected.

Agnostic Front changed the face of music throughout its 25 year long careEr and the “Victim In Pain” and “United BloOd” records started it alL. On November 17, 2009, Bridge Nine released a CD version with “United BloOd” and “Victim in Pain” combined, and adDitionalLy re-released “United BloOd” on 7” and “Victim in Pain” on 12” LP. “Victim In Pain” has beEn given extra special treatment, with a gatefold LP

cover, complete with a dirty gold metalLic ink and embosSed logo and title. The gatefold opens up to the original handwritTen layout of the first presSing,and the original cover “which was subsequently censored” is printed fulL size on the front and back of the dust sleEve. “United BloOd” has a similar metalLic ink and embosSed logo front cover, and also has the original cover design printed in black and white on the enclosed dust jacket.

Gold vinyl is the limited color, and comes first come first served with each package deal.

Packages include a 12”x18” poster and a limited edition “Victim In Pain” t-shirt.

OriginalLy released in 1983, “United Blood” was Agnostic Front’s first release and was folLowed shortly there after by “Victim In Pain” in 1984.

These albums were a blast of pure New York hardcore that confirmed AF’s status as leaders of the New York hardcore movement alongside precursors the Cro-Mags and Murphy’s Law.

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Social Disto rtion To Re lease New Abum next month !

Social Dist ortion has set an (ofF Mike NesS co icial) rele mMented: ase “It’s date for thei November 9t something I’ r long-await h, 2010 via ve ed new album. al iT wa unes. ys wanted to do The record . is I titled “Har love being d Ti on that side Nursery Rhym mes And of the boar The band ki es” and is d. Even thou cked ofF a due out Febr gh I’ he ve adlining to co -produced alL uary 18, 20 ur supPorte 11 our re of via Epitaph. d

by Lucero an cords, I al After years d Frank Turn wa ys wa of working s th er this month. ere for ever with variou ything. s producers in It just came the studio, to a point Mike NesS toO where I was “Hard Times k on the du like ‘I thin and Nursery ty I want for the firs k Rhymes” trac to try this t time with k listing: , I want their new al to do this ou bum. The ba rselves.’ nd By bein entered a Bu 01. Road Zo g at the he rbank studio mbie lm this in early 20 time alLowed 02. Californ 10 where th so ia (Hustle mu ch ey more and Fl recorded fo focus for me ow) r the next to th e fi ne several mont details of 03. GimMe Th hs in betweE every aspect e SweEt And n spring and of Lowdown it, whether sumMer tour it wa s perdates whic formances, 04. Diamond h in or tones, or In The Roug LolLapaloOza cluded arR h 05 an . Machine Gu ge ments, back and Outside n Blues in g Lands. In ea vo ca 06 ls . ..

Ba .. ke everything rly October rsfield .” the band wrapPed 07. Far Side up recordin Of Nowhere g The firs before head 08. Alone An t single fr ing out for d Forsaken om their falL the album, 09. Writing US tour.

“Machine Gu On The WalL n Blues,” was 10 . Cant Take released on it with You 11. StilL Al ive

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Rise Against in final stages of new album Rise Against have updated their TwitTer with an update on the progresS towards their new album.

The band has finished work on instrumental recording and are now finalizing vocals and backing vocals. The band is curRently at The Blasting RoOm working on their next album, expected in 2011 and folLowing up ApPeal to Reason. The new album having released new albums every two years (or lesS) comes after the longest since 2001. They are headed to South America in Febgap in the band’s history, ruary and March 2011

The Ramones are getting a Lifetime Grammy Award On Wednesday, the Recording Academy (wWw.gramMy. com) anNounced its 2011 Special Merit Awards recipients and Lifetime Achievement Award honoreEs, and this year’s group includes: Julie Andrews, Roy Haynes, JuilLiard String Quartet, The Kingston Trio, DolLy Parton, The Ramones and George Beverly Shea.

their own, while cranking out records and non-stop performances.

The band disbanded in 1996 and threE of its founding members — lead singer Joey Ramone, guitarist JohnNy

Ramone and basSist DeE DeE Ramone — are alL deceased.

The Ramones are the only honoureE in this year’s group to have never won a GramMy Award.

The artists wilL receive their statuetTes at an event in Los Angeles on February 12, a day before the 53rd anNual GramMy Awards ceremony is held.

The Ramones emerged from New York’s punk scene in the ‘70s, influencing many others to form bands of

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s w e i v e r c i mus The Queers -‐ "Back to the basement" (Asian Man Records) Back to the basement is the twelfth full length release by The Queers & has been much anticipated since rumors of its creation began. As copies leaked out to different people it was mentioned that Back to the basement was going to have a “harder” pop punk sound, much like older releases such as “Beyond the Valley” and/or “Love songs for the retarded”.

Where there are some songs that have tougher edge to them, there are just as many songs on the poppier side of the spectrum. While I think that Back to the basement is a good album, I sadly can’t say I would consider it great. Of course there are a few gems on the album (Titfuck & Back to the basement), but there are also numerous tracks that are just ok (Don’t touch my hat, Everyday girl, I’m pissed) and just not very memorable. Of course instrumentally the album sounds great and the addition of Alex Rehab (Teenage Rehab) aka Hog Log was a great touch. (If you haven’t heard or seen Teenage Rehab, Alex is one hell of a versatile drummer.) The only complaint I would have instrumentally would be that while the instrumental track “Rollerdog” has a fun 1966 surfy Gidget feel, it doesn’t seem to fit as the opening track. Of the twelve Queers full length albums I would rank this one in the middle of the pack.

Doll & Waterslide Records) The Prozacs/Super White Garlic -‐ "Broken Smiles" (Voodoo I would have to say their songs I’ve followed The Prozacs now for about five years and this split they go back to basics On far! so ent assortm e favorit my be may split this on when they formed. Jay Prozacs voice and have a deeper aggressive approach like they did White Garlic is a band prior Super limit. is at its best when he is pushing it to the ). Initially I wasn’t all that Dawson you (Fuck song one heard only had I to this album they really grew on me. times six or five album the impressed, but after listening to language and at times it is English the s distort really accent s singer’ the Vocally & “Mental”. Super White Garlic has pretty comical, especially in “Thirty age Psychopath” formula with a subtle touch of punk pop usual a simple pop punk approach combining the chord pop punk should three of Fan nce. differe a makes really that vocals female back check this split out.

St. Fall Apart -‐ "Somos Extremos" (Self released) St. Fall Apart are a four piece arrangement of punk rock musicians that fall into the category of bad ass. They have a gritty, but melodic (and by melodic I don’t mean keyboards and tambourines) pushing sounds that musically has the energy and high speed riffs of Off With Their Heads. Vocally and lyrically they aren’t to the level of OWTH, but they do have the similar gravelly approach. St. Fall Apart utilizes gang vocals frequently and does so in a way that makes you want to get involved and sing along with them. While each song is good, I particularly enjoy “Never Shake A Baby Shaker’s Hand”, “Perpendicular Crosstalk”, & “I’m Not Sorry”. I would recommend this album to anybody who enjoys OWTH or that style of music.

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The Sprains -‐ "imitate Art" (Cheapskate Records) The Sprains are a bouncy pop punk outfit from the mold of The Parasites or Squirtgun.

There are parts of the album I truly enjoy, I found myself losing interest very quickly each time I listened to it. It’s strange really, there are all the elements I enjoy in a Pop Punk band (catchy hooks, clear vocals, stop and go riffs, etc) I just could not get into the album at all. I think it might be that this album sounds like so many others I’ve heard just like it? It’s like I want to like it, but my brain is blocking me from enjoying it like I should. The only song that sticks with me is “Secret enemies”, but other than that I forget the song I was listening to before it’s done. I refuse to say this is a bad album, just not one I could get into at all. If you enjoy bands such as Squirtgun, Mr. T Experience, or The Parasites you may enjoy this album.

Black Sails, Western Shores -‐ "Half Way Home" (Death To False Hope)

hmmm….This band confuses the fuck out of me. A times they sound like Nickleback, on other songs they sound like Against Me, and then on a few other songs they sound like a punk rock band. It’s weird but it’s not like they change their approach much differe ntly per song, but whatever it is that they are changing makes the sounds change that much. They are very talented in every aspect of their band, I’m just amazed by how much I dislike a bar room rock sound like in their songs Death in The Family & Shipwrecked!, but enjoy “Lullaby For The Working Class” & “Sinners & Saints”. I could see some of their songs being played on a local grunge rock radio station and being quite popular with the hillbilly

The Crusades -‐ Self Titled EP -‐ (Scared To Death Records ) The Crusades are an underground group of Canadian pop punk mercenaries combining to form a Canadian punk bands’ misfit toys, that will knock you out with musical talent & pure rock-n-roll energy. With members of THE CREEPS, THE VISITORS, SEDATIV ES, STEVE ADAMYK BAND, YEAR ZERO, ZEBRASSIERES how could this band be anything but brilliant? This EP consists of four melodic power pop songs that sound just like you were to combine the great bands aforementioned. If you’re unfamiliar with those great bands, you need to crawl out from under your rock and listen to some of the finest bands to hail from the fine city of Ottawa. All four of the songs are electrified by polarizing vocals & incredible musicianship that only bands with a solid core can possess. The greatest part of The Crusades is that you can hear and feel a small piece of every band the members have been apart of. If you’re a fan of any of the bands the band members have been/are part of you will feel a little tingle in your loins when you listen to this great EP.

Locators -‐ "Self Titled" (Heptown Records) Three piece band with a generic ’77 punk sound. It’s not that they’re a bad band; on this album they don’t differentiate themselves from the other 85,000 garage bands with a similar style. It’s like they’re trying to keep it safe and within the comfort zone of the cookie cutter, so they don’t rock the boat. The Locators just have that sound that is familiar like you heard them before. If this band was to be playing at a bar I wouldn ’t walk out, but I also wouldn’t buy a CD from the merch table either.

Everyone Everywhere -‐ "Self Titled" (Tiny Engines Records) that by the time I got to the Ten songs of melodic indie rock. The CD was so boring fight with all might to stay to had and heavy getting were second song, my eyes lids use this album to get me could I night awake. I guess if I have problems sleeping at table coaster. Not coffee a is for it use could I thing the that than to sleep. Other again. hear to want I terrible, per say, but not anything

The Putz -‐ "Hole in one" ( Spit, Puke And Guts ) I swear I’ve written a review of this album earlier this year, but the guys from The Putz say otherwise.

I apologize to them and you the readers, because this is one fantastic Queers influenced pop punk album. The songs from this album are always in the musical rotation in the Taint Compound, even the little Taints jam out to these tunes. Every song is a bouncy, upbeat slice of pop punk apple pie. The production & mastering is spot on with a perfect blend that allows you to appreciate every aspect of the band. Which all makes sense considering it was recorded and produced at the Sonic Iguana with Phillip Hill (Teen Idols) leading the production. If you’re a fan of bands such as The Queers, Screeching Weasel, or Teenage Bottlerocket you’re bound to enjoy “Hole In One”. Don’t let the cover art scare you off, it is fucking terrible and it looks like a rejected Blnk182 cover. Truth be told, I avoided this album for weeks based solely based upon the cover art alone.

The Black Pacific -‐ "Self Titled" (SideOneDummy Records) first century Pennywise. I guess alternative OH NO!!! It sounds like an auto tuned enhanced twenty imagine this would be it. I sense a new only can I track. sound new a need frat houses out there your trucker hat, hope in your 50 foot on pop So stage. headliner for next years Warped tour main tour. Seriously, the more I listen the t bullshi Vans the for ready ass your get and pick up truck thing. good a not that’s and more they sound like Pennywise

Knuckle Supper -‐ Drew Stepek (Alphar Books) Knuckle Supper takes you into the world of heroin-addicted R.J. the leader of the Knucklers, a ruthless gang of vampires. He takes in Bait a 12 yr old runaway and nothing is ever the same. R.J. learns what it is to care for another persons well being, not just his collection of vinyl. At first I was a little hesitant about this book, because the first few chapters were very slow. Very detailed, almost overly, but slow .But then all of a sudden I couldn’t put the book down. I read whenever I had a chance. This book went from a bunch of drugged up vampires doing their thing to their whole world doing a 180 in a flash. By the end of this book nothing is what it seemed, and friendships formed with enemies. Were they even really vampires? I can’t say this is my favorite book ever, but I sure felt like I knew these characters by the time I was done reading it. This turned out to be a good read.

of punk rock" Cheetah Chrome -‐ "A Dead Boys tale from the front lines I had, I buried my face in its From the day I received this book every open opportunity autobiographies, punk books, in things e favorit pages! This book combines some of my The book starts with an endearing res. adventu g wreckin life of detail c graphi and rock, s brutally honest assessment of forward written by Legs McNeil leading to Cheetah Chrome’ world of punk rock, I look at the in people his life and it’s affects on others. Like many ranks up there with the name His . history MY of piece a as Chrome the name Cheetah Pop, Sid Vicious, Johnny Iggy them), of (All s Ramone immortals of punk rock such as The only mentions those legends of not book This etc…

Bator, Stiv rs, Thunde Johnny Rotten, Cheetah had with each. When the punk, but also great personal stories and interactions groan. However in this situation and eyes my cliché, sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll I normally roll particularly in that order. but life, Chromes Cheetah label to way only the that is truly succeeded to live as have many not but tried, have Cheetah has lived a life that many ed to a character, let alone a true connect so felt I have book a in Never has. he as long nd this book to not only the to life person who wrote an autobiography! I would recomme who roots for the underdog. anyone to but Punk Rock historians & punk rock enthusiasts,

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Issue No . 1

staff:

adriano mescia graphic, typing and editor all the photos came from the official websites of the bands. texts: pennywise - www.ultimateguitartabs.com dopamines/municipal - www.punknews.org the max lavine esamble - www.punknews.org nofx - www.fifthfret.org against me! - www.rocksound.tv news - www.ultimateguitartabs.com reviews - www. punkrockreview.org

rash wasp magazine: Travessa agua da Flor, 9 1200 Lisbon, Portugal

“Old enough to hate tomorrow Young enough not to know where to run There ain ‘t no ro ck and rolL anyomo re Just the music of the young.’”

I.Hunter

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