9
Band: Rotting Out, Photographs courtesy of Catherine Varela
Rotting Out is a hardcore punk band from Los Angeles. There shows tend to be intense but are very loved by many of their fans. Rotting Out has a strong message behind their music and focus on getting it across to others. “We’re not afraid to say or be who we are and neither should anybody else. No matter what we still push each other in the right direction and encourage people to do so as well. For some people life is hard and it’s really unfair but our message is clear that your life is yours and you make it what it is,” says guitarist Benjamin Ruiz. They usually get stereotyped but they don’t seem to care because what matters the most is the music. “Music feeds my soul like food fills my stomach, like a book fills my mind. Being able to play it our own way is the reason why we’re still doing it,” says Ruiz. Being involved with the hardcore/ pop punk music scene brings both positive and negative attention to both the band and fans. People usually make assumptions about this scene especially since it is very different from your typical music. “They think I’m a devil worshipper and satanic” says Cal State Fullerton student Cristina Lopez who has been a fan of this scene since she was a freshman in high school. Hardcore music usually comes off pretty aggressive because the vocalist uses different ways to sing. They come off screaming but those screams have an intense emotion. What others don’t listen to are the actual lyrics and emotions behind them that mean something to the bands themselves and their fans. Blake Johnson a supporter of this scene for over 6 years used to be put into stereotypes by many people because of his taste in
music. They believed he grew up in a bad environment and was angry at the world. “They think it’s unintelligent pissed off music,” says Johnson. People assume that these shows are filled with violence and hate towards each other. There’s more than just anger in the lyrics there’s a powerful strength to them. Aside from enjoying music people use it as a way to become closer with others and gaining a sense of belonging. There’s a different atmosphere at these shows. Johnson was at a show a few months ago and he was short $10 for a shirt he wanted to buy and a random stranger he never met before gave him $10 without the need to be repaid. “The bond you guys share brings you all together,” says Johnson. Music automatically brings friendship upon many people. There are many venues around this area that bands come to play at but the most popular is Chain Reaction in Anaheim. All bands from different genres come to play at this spot and it’s a crowd favorite. Aside from Anaheim there are local venues in Pomona, LA, Fullerton and Orange County. Johnson describes shows as “A home away from home.” These shows have the power to bring strangers together as one and turn everyone into a family. Without this music scene a lot of people wouldn’t be the same. They have been greatly impacted and changed for the better all because of the music.