Photography by Dan Rawe
RUDE AWAKENING INTERVIEW WITH Vocalist Josh Hynes WRITTEN BY Hutch “This record is our defining sound, hands down. We nailed it,” says Josh Hynes, vocalist of Massachusetts hardcore aficionados Rude Awakening. “Collateral Damage speaks to who we are as a band.” What sets is apart from previous releases? “We spent time writing songs,” Hynes explains. “The difference was Bridge Nine pushing us to demo songs and spend time with them. Dean Baltulonis produced it and really helped with this record. I wanted it to be a real in your face record, [with] thick bass tones. Dean produced a lot of records I liked, albums that were influences to us growing up.” Baltulonis certainly put his stamp on Collateral Damage, as he has with Sheer Terror, Madball, Out to Win, and Righteous Jams in the past. But the accolades still belong to the band. Rude Awakening is still a young band, having formed in 2011. Hynes had played in some killer Massachusetts bands before – DRUGXTEST, Hammer Bros. – but they never accomplished what he thought they could. Now, he keeps the vision focused for Rude Awakening. “We started in a serious manner. In the first few months, we were playing Philly and N.Y. [Our] first year, we played This Is Hardcore, and we played [it again] last week. The focus has paid off. Two years ago, people didn’t know us. This time, everyone knew us. It was a madhouse. The difference was that we focused on touring with a lot of friends’ bands and new bands. Generally speaking, we tour with comparable bands that we enjoy listening to. Sometimes, we go out of the box, with more metal bands. We like different crowds and are not opposed to playing with other genres. It’s a cool experience.” This month alone, Rude Awakening is scheduled for New York and New England gigs, but it doesn’t happen too often. “We try to play things strategically,” Hynes elaborates. “I have seen great
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bands burn themselves out [locally]. People pull a few hundred kids. Then, they pull 50 kids. We find a happy medium. We don’t play too little, so kids don’t forget about us. Bigger bands rest and expect the support. That can backfire.” Rude Awakening will be playing frequently as the year moves toward fall. “We are throwing strong for the next few months,” Hynes says. “We tour in October with Expire. This weekend is the Holyoke show [with Municipal Waste, Ramming Speed, and Madball]. We have a few shows with Madball in Canada. We hit Buxport, Maine, then Long Island for the last Mongoloids show [with Wrong Side, and Death Threat]. We play Back to School Jam with 16 bands at the Jersey Shore. Oh, and the day after, we play [Richmond, VA] with Criminal Instinct, [and] Foundation. Then we have a fest in upstate New York with Sheer Terror.” If you have seen Rude Awakening, you know their delivery is vicious. That acrimonious live display will only strengthen with the material from Collateral Damage. This is one angry record. Rude Awakening ardently emulates the ‘90s hardcore that Hynes remembers well. “This whole record is not PC. It was not written to please anyone. Collateral Damage is the brutal, honest truth. We are cutting ties, and doing so with violence and anger.” Hynes continues with dismissive frustration. “People listen to Cro-Mags all day, “Street Justice.” But if there is a fight, they get up in arms. There are issues I am vocal about. I can’t bite my tongue. I see bands that won’t speak up. People are afraid of repercussions.” Perhaps it’s the influence of social media and its immediacy, that people are
worried that some video clip will alienate them from certain fans? Josh agrees, “100%. With the faceless, nameless rat pack running rampant, people are too afraid of social repercussions from saying what they feel because people will point the finger on the Internet.” If you listen to the lyrics on Collateral Damage, they are not stuffed with meaningless violence. Most of the lyrics are sparks for others to go fight for their values, and for themselves. “We are
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not looking for violence, but we won’t back down,” confirms Hynes. That view seems to get buried in the PC forums of hardcore. “Today, you are scrutinized for sticking up for yourself, which, in my opinion, is wrong. Violence is not a good thing, but stand up. Vocalize yourself. When you find your confidence, run with it. Hardcore showed me that.”
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