RMP Magazine #19 by RMP Magazine

THANKS TO

Executive Staff

Writers

Kenny Leys // CEO

Cameron Smith // Copywriter liaison

David Marote // Managing Editor

Dave Gilmore

James Cross // Photo coordinator

Jesse Mouart Holly Reijs Nicky Boes

Design Jolien Krijnen // Chief designer

Editor Frederik Geuvens // Editor in chief Suzanne Gielis // Editor

Photography Daria Colaes Lisse Wets Carl Battams Greet Druyts

www.rock-metal-punk.org 2

RMP Magazine #19

Arjan Van Geel

CONTENT

I n t e r v i e w / / John K. Samson

Inter view//Bowling For Soup

6 I n t e r v i e w / / Dragged Into Sunlight

18 Inter view// Jeff Rosenstock

Album r eviews

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THE EDITOR

A W

FROM THE EDITOR

Hello again!

Hello there, Long time, no see. It’s mostly our absence that has left you hanging on, wanting some fresh intel on what’s cooking in the music business. First off, we at RMP Magazine want to apologise to our loyal readers for this unannounced break. Life just got in the way. Since RMP Magazine thrives on volunteers we needed to restack the deck of cards, take some time off and prepare ourselves for a comeback. Today is that day. RMP Magazine is back with new contributors and a whole bucketload of fresh interviews and hot topic reviews to get you back in the saddle. A lot happened since our last issue, a huge part of it was good, some was questionable and there was even some straightforward bad shit going on but life’s too short to let that keep us back. So what about it, back to business? Winter is nearly done, so time to get out of our shells we call homes. Groezrock recently announced a whole bunch of new names to get psyched about and every single day we are treated with new bands announcing their presence at our favourite festivals and clubs. Even with ‘De Schuer’ who startled the whole festival community earlier this year by changing the date of his world renowned festival Rock Werchter to one week earlier. A decision that effected many music lovers, from bookers and bands to fans and volunteers who needed to reschedule a part of their summer because a certain band was only available then. WTF? Luckily there are still tons and tons of shows happening soon to forget all those first world problems. So goals are set, calendars marked and our crew is getting prepped to report all turmoil that will go on in our world ablaze.

David Marote

Managing editor RMP magazine

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YOU MAY WANT TO LIS

STEN TO... Fat Mike and Friends – Home Street Home “Home Street Home, original songs from the shit musical”, is the title of the latest Fat Wreck release. Those who have read my banter before in previous issues already noticed that Fat Wreck and NOFX hold a corner of my heart and with “Home Street Home” its position just got anchored for eternity. This album is the soundtrack to the punk rock musical that Fat Wreck honcho Fat Mike has been plotting on for years. The story behind “Home Street Home” is of a 16-year-old runaway named Sue who ends up on the streets and finds a new family in other teenage dropouts on the streets. Along the musical and album we are dragged along into Sue’s habitat by the cornerstone of any musical: songs. These are written by Fat Mike, his life partner up and above, Soma Snakeoil and Jeff Marx, alongside the experience of director Richard Israel and performed by NOFX and many more Fat family members such as members of Lagwagon, Descendents, Mad Caddies, Frank Turner and the late Tony Sly. It still breaks my heart to hear Tony’s voice and one more song just doesn’t cut it. The songs featured on this release can be interpreted as listening to a musical play, lyrically you get sucked into the middle of the story and one follows first-hand Sue’s experiences from her haunting past to her liberation and empowerment amidst her new friends. Musically it swings from acoustic, folky material featuring many different instruments to raging punk rock tracks and even some known NOFX songs. “Home Street Home” is the future for cultural punx.

T h e C u r s e O f M i l l h a v e n – Ve s t i b u l e O f H e l l l The Curse Of Millhaven is a ‘new’ band that started in 2012 out of the ashes of Fatal Recoil, another H8000 metal band now defunct. “Vestibule Of Hell” is their debut album that was released this summer on Belgian label Genet Records. Hearing the terms ‘H8000’ you might already know what to expect, but there’s more than expectations when it comes to “Vestibule Of Hell”: ten raging tracks of blasting beats and sonic madness. “Vestibule Of Hell” is based on the dark trip Dante Alighieri and his sidekick Vergil pursued through the nine layers of hell. Let The Curse Of Millhaven be your companion through your descent into these ninefold depths.

T he Dwar ves

– Gentleman Blag

The Dwarves are on Fat Wreck Chords! Hell yeah, the legendary Chicago punks just released a full length this summer on Recess Records but they still got some juices left to pop out those four blasting tunes. “Gentleman Blag” is the opening track of this Fat EP that features frontman Blag as a real stiff upper lip gentleman amongst two scarcely clad women in high heels only. With other words, a typical Dwarves record cover for those familiar with them. Straight to the point, The Dwarves don’t hold back and prove the choice of Fat Wreck Chords for this song. Harmonic and fast-paced, just the way the SF crew likes it. Following tracks “Trisexual”, “Kings Of The World” and “Stuck In The Void” are regular Dwarves material that devourers of OG punk rock will saviour. Four tracks that will lead to instant sing-alongs, leg thumping and head bumping. Glad this came in just in time to get my adrenaline pumping again after hearing too much ‘white noise’ lately in the avalanche of releases we put ourselves through.

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John K. Sam 6

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Writers // David Marote and Arjan Van Geel

mson F

or those who actually read my interviews and reviews, you might have noticed certain favourites of mine over time. Fat Wreck and its band roster are along of my pet peeves, so is H8000 hardcore and related styles. But one band/artist that has been an all-time favourite for long is John K Samson of The Weakerthans. This Canadian singer-songwriter is my personal favourite when it comes to lyrics. So when John K recently did a small European solo tour it was time to speak with the man from Winnipeg himself. From the first show in Belgium to the one in the UK, we took the time to pick John K’s brain on his past with The Weakerthans, his solo material on “Provincial Road” and of course his future plans.

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INTERVIEW // JOHN K. SAMSON

Welcome to Belgium John! First time in Belgium or have you graced our land with a visit before? I don’t think it’s my first time. I believe I’ve played here before, but it’s been some time for sure. I believe The Weakerthans performed in Brussels, ten years ago perhaps. But I’m excited to be here. It’s the first day of the tour. That’s always fun, but scary. So today is the first day of a small European tour, this tour is revolving around your 2012 solo album “Provincial”. To a certain degree, I’ve been playing a lot of Weakerthans songs as well. And some new songs I’ve been working on. There were a bunch of places I didn’t get over to when I came over with the

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Provincial band. So I thought I would just come back and do some spots I didn’t get to. And to start this tour you are playing the N9 venue today in Eeklo, Belgium. Did you know that the venue is named after the provincial road N9 that runs from Brussels to Ostend, so today’s show fits perfect with the theme of the album. Oh, I had no idea. That’s superfitting, I like that.

“Provincial” is a thematic album, the songs all deal with small town communities in Manitoba. What drove you to put the stories of these towns onto paper? I guess I really wanted to have an excuse to drive around my home province of Manitoba.

I had this idea in my head that I would choose four roads and write songs about each of those roads. I’d try to write something historical and something about the landscape and something contemporary. And then at the end I would have all these songs. So this happened and at the end I had twelve songs. I took me a lot longer than I thought it would. It took three years to write and record. It was an enjoyable process. Kind of like a snapshot of the place that I’m from and its surrounding areas. You performed intensive research for this album by visiting those towns and by digging into their background and history. Did this research lead

â&#x20AC;&#x153; I 'd try to write something historical and something about the landscape and something contemporary.â&#x20AC;?

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INTERVIEW // JOHN K. SAMSON

to new insights about your province? Absolutely, It did. I felt like just the amount of history contained in any one place can be really profound. There’s a lot under the surface of things. So much has happened wherever we find ourselves. It’s kind of our job or our duty as citizens to become aware of those histories that are beneath our feet in a way, to respect them and learn from them. I was really interested in the lives in small towns. Right now it seems to be a very interesting time to live in a small town, I don’t, but I know a lot of people who do and I spend a lot of time in smaller towns and the way that the internet is changing these small towns so that people can

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become connected to other places but they are still living in these small communities with some real kind of community traditions. And it’s that I’m interested in. The internet is both harmful and helpful in that regard. It’s bringing people together and pushing people apart at the same time. I really wanted to explore that. That’s why there are a lot of video games on the record I guess. You mentioned Grand Theft Auto in the song “When I Write My Master’s Thesis”. What inspired you to bring ‘the new world’ into your songs? Well actually The Weakerthans drummer, Jason Tait, used to play Call Of Duty, which is the other game that comes up on the

record. He played it online with other people all around the world, they play on a team. I thought that was superinteresting; all these people playing a game together from all over the world. I never heard of this before. That was really cool. I never thought that was possible. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m of the generation where video games cost like a quarter and you had to go to arcades to play. I missed gaming entirely; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not part of who I am so I find it weird, fascinating culture. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really interesting and I think there is a lot to be said for it. Like that people are sort of collaborating on the projects across vast distances and culture

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INTERVIEW // JOHN K. SAMSON

but also that it’s a great way to waste time. That’s always going to be the case. I guess you could do the same for music, I think video games get a bad reputation. A place that holds many different and small communities is the internet. How do you feel about the internet and music nowadays? Is it easier for bands to spread music all over the world? I think the internet has been both wonderful and a problem for musicians. It puts the means of production into the hands of the worker. Straight-up economic Marxist sense, it’s a good thing I think. All these artists that weren’t able to record before can now. I think I would spend a 100 dollars a day on recording on something I could do with

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" I missed gaming entirely; it's not part of who I am so I find it a kind of weird, fascinating culture.” this now. [Pulls out his iPhone]. It’s crazy to think that 20 years ago we all would have thought it was a bonkers idea. I have a really conflicted idea and relationship with the internet. I’m not on the internet anymore, which is weird. I stopped. I don’t have social media, I just use

e-mail. I feel a bit like an outsider now that I’ve stopped. I’m kind of missing out or I get it later because I read newspapers and watch television or listen to the radio but those are my main sources of news now. For me it’s been an interesting experience to try and stop. Not to be moral

about it, I think the internet is a wonderful thing but I think what it does to my specific brain is wonderful. As an artist I find it difficult too; there’s so much opinion on the internet, so much criticism and I feel it’s hard for anyone to develop as an artist if they don’t pay any attention to that. I feel like a whole bunch of the musicians that we know and love and made music in the 80’s could never make music nowadays. They could never get past that social part of the media where you to have to be friendly and open and encouraging. I think there are a lot of phases in an artist’s life where they can’t be that. They should just be in a room somewhere locked with their words and their song. It’s really complicated

and there’s no turning back. I’m still waiting to see what really sticks and what falls by the wayside. So I’m fascinated by what happens next. I kind of the weird by-product of this advancement is that everyone seems to go to shows nowadays. More and more people are going to shows, more and more musicians are playing shows. That’s where to connect with people in real life. That’s where they can make a living. I feel like 20 years ago the live show didn’t seem to be the future for anyone. Now live shows are the future. I happen to love live shows so I’m pleased about that. Your hometown of Winnipeg is of great influence to your lyrics. What makes Winnipeg so enclosed in your heart?

I guess it’s a really unique place and also a really normal place. It’s right in the middle of North-America, almost dead centre. It’s a city of about 800.000 people and I’ve been living there for almost 41 years now. It always felt like a place where people felt that life was elsewhere. So it felt to me in the beginning, when I started reading and listening to artists from Winnipeg, like a real liberation and exciting to hear people speaking about that place. It’s a place where people grew up and left. I wanted to stay and explore that place. It sort of became my main theme in my writing life.

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INTERVIEW // JOHN K. SAMSON

It’s something I feel I still haven’t figured out yet. It’s a problem I can’t solve. You’ve toured the world, both with the band and solo. Right now you’re doing a solo European tour. As you often write about places and landmarks at home. Any plans on writing songs inspired by your travels in Europe? Absolutely, I weirdly feel that makes me want to write about Winnipeg even more. Just being away gives you a different perspective on where you are from. I like coming to a place like this that I’ve never been before and discovering the unique things about this place and that to me makes me think about the place that I’m from in a different way. I do have one song that is set in

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London; that is interesting for me. Maybe I’ll do more European cities. As a writer, language must mean much to you. How do you feel on the current status of language? I mean like phenomena such as ‘texting’ abbreviations, or just the decline of spelling and grammar in general? I just read something in the newspaper this week about Finland planning to cancel writing from their schooling program because everyone is using computers nowadays and nobody seems to write anymore. Well, I think weirdly, that’s another thing the internet has done, it made us all readers. People read all day long on their screens everywhere. And on those screens there’s like text, the written word, and it still has great power to influ-

ence and change and do what language does; this incredible act that it does to connect people. I feel actually more hopeful to language than ever because it is everywhere and people are doing interesting things with it. It does spook me that people won’t write anymore. I’m okay with it. I do most of the writing as a typist now anyway. It was the only thing I learned in high school, it was how to type. And I’m glad I did, I was of the generation where boys didn’t learn to type. I was like the only boy in my grade ten typing class. I’m really grateful I learned how to do that. It’s the one skill that I actually use. The output of your work is rather laidback.Your writing process leads

up to something of three or four songs a year. Do you consider your lyrics as babies that need to be nurtured? I like spending time with them. I like the process of writing a song, I like worrying at it, just poking at it until it’s ready. I’m down to one or two songs a year. I’ll try to make that better in the new year. Maybe one of these days I will write ten songs in a week, part of me is, I like the process. I was just reading this book and a character in it said ‘You should write songs, just not too often’. If I would write too many songs, it would get annoying. And once you release the songs onto the world, are you happy with them or do you feel like they are still works in progress? I do feel there’s still a

work in progress to all the songs. The great thing about playing live is that songs do different things when you are playing them in front of different people and each night is a room full of different people. I feel a great privilege and really lucky to go around the world and do that. To me I feel the songs are at their best when I’m a room with other people in it. And now the question everyone has been waiting for, the obligatory Weakerthans question: are there any plans to release new material in the nearby future, or even new JKS solo material? Or even a Weakerthans European tour? I don’t know frankly, I’m not sure. We’ll see, the songs will kind of dictate what will happen. All those guys

are doing things right now for the foreseeable future. I’m doing other things but I would never say never. It could happen. For those who want more, we also filmed the full interview and full set at the Eeklo show and it’s available on Youtube (courtesy of my good friend Ihearttheweakerthans, go check out his YT channel for more).

Ihearttheweakerthans Youtube extended interview with John K Samson + new songs : youtube.com/watch? v=rAMfsSg-YF4 facebook.com/johnk samsonmusic

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Entrepot Bruges 2015, Belgium Photographer // Daria Colaes

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BOWLING F O R SOUP T

wenty years and twelve studio albums... quite the accomplishment! Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite Texans decided to mark this phenomenal milestone by releasing a compilation by the name of "Songs That People Actually Liked: Volume 1 (1994-2003)". It is packed with hits, from start to finish. We caught up with the guys to talk about the record, the years on the road together and whether they ever did get the girl all the bad guys wanted!

Interview // James Gilmore RMP Magazine #19

INTERVIEW // BOWLING FOR SOUP

Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to talk to me! How’s 2015 going so far? Things are great! We’re really excited about upcoming stuff! What was the main reason for deciding to stop touring? Was it something that you’d been thinking about for a while? We haven’t stopped touring at all… In fact, we are booking US dates as we're speaking… We just need a break from the international stuff, being gone for a month at a time, when you are where we are in our lives it can be really gruelling… That said, we will be back!

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What’s the main thing you have learned from twenty plus years of touring? Beer is good!!! If you could be in any band other than BFS, which would it be? People on Vacation or Jarinus!

Haha…Dreams come true!!!

What's youre favourite place in the world to play? I love Manchester, UK… The crowd is so amazing and the show always has the best vibe. After twelve studio albums and twenty years as a band, you have quite a catalogue to draw from, did you ever get tired of playing the older songs? There are a few that we have shelved for a few years. That said, you’ve got to play what people want to hear. Bands that don’t play their hits are dummies! Are there any current bands that particularly inspire you? I LOVE Frank Turner. He makes me love

" B a n d s t h a t d o n ’ t p l ay t h e i r h i t s a r e d u m m i e s ! " music for so many reasons! Do you still want the girl all the bad guys want? Or are you looking for someone more conventional? That girl is a bitch! Have you got any plans outside of Bowling For Soup? If so, what are you planning to do? The new People On Vacation album just came out there today and we

leave for tour in the UK in a few weeks. Then I will start touring with BFS again. Shit never stops! Thanks for talking with me. Have you got anything to say to your fans? Thank you! And yes I do! Thank you for giving BFS a career. We will see you soon!

New Album : “Songs People Actually Liked, Vol. 1 - The First 10 Years (19942003)” Out now!

facebook.com/bowlingforsoup

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Brielpoort Deinze 2014, Belgium Photographer // Daria Colaes

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Writer // David Marote

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ragged Into Sunlight hail from the underground of the UK extreme metal scene, maybe they even are their own unique scene. Grim, dark sound and aesthetics are the thriving force in this arcane outfit. That is usually disguised from the outside by balaclavas and almost no communication to the world outside. Spitting their bile upon the world through sonic annihilation and dissonant rhythms, Dragged Into Sunlight are men of words. But we at RMP got them to share some thoughts with us regarding their band and mission.

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INTERVIEW // DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT

In 2012 you released “Widowmaker”. The opening track “Part I” is an almost 15-minutelong track of ambient sounds and violins. Not really what many expected from Dragged Into Sunlight. How has the response been to the album and that track in particular? Dragged Into Sunlight is without doubt a selfish endeavour, and so, we create as we wish to create, drawing from such a vast pool of influences that the outcome is virtually unpredictable. If it is what those involved wish to listen to at a particular point in time, then so be it. “Widowmaker” is new flesh to an existing body of sound and as such Dragged Into Sunlight meanders and twists as it sees fit, without limitation. We definitely do not work within the confines of expectation.

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For what it is worth, however, “Widowmaker” was, in all, well received. Dragged Into Sunlight plays a heavy mixture of doom, sludge, black metal, even some drone sounds used now and then. Do you feel these certain genres to be the best to express your music? Dragged Into Sunlight does not work within any particular genre. Genres in the most part are for those who wish to feel safe and unchallenged. Ultimately, a label or description, makes little difference. It is quality that underpins any description. Dragged Into Sunlight is an affliction born from negativity, best expressed as creativity without limitation, everything louder and everything heavier than everything else. Dragged Into Sunlight was formed in 2008

out of the ashes of other defunct bands. So far you released a demo and two albums, and the first month of 2015 has already passed. Any plans for new material? There are always plans. New recordings will be forthcoming, when the time is right. In the video for “Boiled Angel”, one of the songs on the 2009 release “Hatred for Mankind”, there is a piece featuring Charles Manson. Why the choice for Charlie and what do you think about his music (folk) a part that not many know of Charlie? Manson’s words and demeanour resonated with the theme at that particular time and place. Manson, like any being, is able to create music, relatively good music even, the particular style is somewhat irrelevant however as any creative outlet is most definitely

“ D I S i s a n a f f l i c t i o n b o r n f ro m n e g a t iv i t y, b e s t e xp re s s e d a s c re a t iv i t y w i t h o u t l i m i t a t i o n , e ve r y t h i n g l o u d e r a n d e ve r y t h i n g h e av i e r t h a n e ve r y t h i n g e l s e .”

overshadowed by the media frenzy and the ideal of Manson as a cult serial killer. The travesty is in fact just that we live in a world where ideas and depictions are planted and derived from media coverage rather than facts and an accurate knowledge base. Everything is based on perception. And in contemporary society

perception is easily manipulated for any number of reasons and to satisfy any number of agendas. There are without doubt, many facts relating to Charles Manson which will remain buried as they do not fit those ideals or agendas portrayed by the media, those unknowns serve only to create an inconsistent story and a percep-

tion other than that established by the media which focuses on the crimes alleged to have been committed. Very rarely is Manson acknowledged for academic commentary, and in fact “Boiled Angel” voices some of those theories directly from the horse’s mouth so to speak.

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INTERVIEW // DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT

Dragged Into Sunlight hails from Liverpool, home to The Beatles. You guys have a different sound compared to them but do you consider them an influence as well? Or does the Liverpool-Beatles connection mean anything to you? That is a common misconception. In fact, those involved in Dragged Into Sunlight are from all over the UK and congregate in Liverpool as a convenience. Both bands are however products of their time and marked by personal experience, hence there are both cultural and ideological differences. That said, the connection means very little unfortunately. The image of the band is quite dark and occult at times. You all wear balaclavas (ski masks) on stage and smoke is

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in abundance. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it get sweaty with the masks? And what does occult mean to you and how do you connect it with the band and its message? Balaclavas are used in photographs only, suffice to say, there are no smiles for the camera. Dragged Into Sunlight appears in person on stage without any mask, so in answer your question, of course it gets sweaty, but not due to masking, just from exhaustion. The occult and supernatural are of no great significance. No one is bringing anything back to life here. There is no worship of deities or anomalous entities created from the imaginations of ancient sun-blasted shepherds and madmen. The notion of cult, family and following, a sense of devotion to a particular theme,

manner and belonging are however of interest, and are connected to the band and any message. You recently did a European tour in November 2014. The biggest part of your shows take place in the UK. How was the response of the European crowd? There were two UK shows in London and Bristol at the outset of the November tour, both of which were busy with solid line ups including 11 Paranoias, Ghold and Hooded Menace. Shows such as Berlin, Prague and Utrecht in particular were highlights. Europe has some great crowds, mostly due to the ethic which is few and far in the UK unfortunately. The underground extreme music scene and thriving DIY ethic which subsists, as well as some truly

exceptional promoters always provide for a good experience during performances in Europe. Last summer you toured Japan for the first time, a country that has quite different cultural standards opposed to our European customs. How was the experience? Japan is a very different culture. Politeness is inbuilt and extreme music appeared supressed to such an extent that it became a nocturnal activity. Like any pressure, it builds up, and requires a release. In Japan, the latter was best demonstrated by the opening bands, who offered a level of aggression and exertion that UK bands would be pushed to deliver on any day. The experience was certainly enlightening. Bands to check out

include our friends in Zothique, Coffins, Nola, Endon and Self-Deconstruction. I notice that in your merch section you also provide Dragged Into Sunlight skateboard decks. Did members of the band skate or whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the connection with the band to make this merch? Occasionally. Holy Mountain Printing was keen to pursue skate decks and the design by Comaworx worked well. The occult and satanic imagery has become approved by the masses, everyone knows of Anton Lavey and Aleister Crowley or ever Charles Manson and the Family. But where do you draw inspiration from? And whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your stance on cults and the occult? It has been said before

that the occult and religion hold little value. There are no abstract realities here, just one reality, the same reality which continues to suffocate and force feed on a daily basis. For the most part, that frustration results from the throes of everyday existence and continues to present the difficult decision as to whether problems are best resolved with a rational mind or a nail gun. Most days tend to favour the latter. Any last words you want to share with our readers? Watching. Waiting. Visible.

www.facebook.com/dragged intosunlight

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Trix Antwerp 2015, Belgium Photographer // Lisse Wets

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eff Rosenstock is ready to bomb the music industry again with some new awesome music and sounds on â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Cool?â&#x20AC;?, his first release on Side One Dummy records. That even managed to crash their website when the pre-order went up. Time for us to have a chat with Jeff in his NY hometown of Long Island about the new record and all the amazing stuff surrounding this release, from bathrobes and bubble baths to working with AJJ and TSSB. Time to find out if we cool with Jeff.

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Writer // David Marote

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INTERVIEW // JEFF ROSENSTOCK

Jeff, congratulations on your new solo album, “We Cool?”. When the pre-order went up recently, it crashed the website instantly. How does that feel? Honestly, I was just worrying, because I wanted people to be able to get the record. At first I thought ‘ah cool, that means people are interested’ and then twenty seconds later the part of me that worries too much was like ‘oh shit, now people can’t buy it anywhere. That sucks!’ It was nice and it’s now available on a website that can’t crash. Everything is back up and running now. You have some unusual merch on sale for this release, from a Jeff Rosenstock bathrobe to a teddy bear. Are you starting an imperium ? Well, at first I think Side One Dummy went to have some preorder stuff and I think

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“WE HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS ON THE RECORD.” the first idea I was coming up with was: what would you want when you’re having a sad night alone in your house drinking ? Stuff we were thinking about were bubble baths, we were trying to figure out about having bottles of wine and then Christina at Side One came up with the bathrobe, she said

‘Rosenrobe’ and I wrote back ‘Robenstock’. And then it went real. Sean Bonette of Andrew Jackson Jihad drew up the shirt for “We Cool?”, epic as always of course. Were Sean or other friends involved on this record? Sean didn’t play on the record but he came

along on tour for a day or two with my other band Antarctigo Vespucci; just to hang out because we are buddies. He’s just drawing in the van in this little notebook and all of us were like ‘holy shit dude, you’re good at this’. I can’t process how Sean is so good at so many things. So we asked him to do a shirt design for us. He sent me a bunch of stuff and that ended up being the one.

sang some backing vocals with me on the record. Bob from Shinobu played trombone on it. I did a thing on Twitter and Tumbler to find a clarinet player and a cellist. We had two strangers, who are no longer strangers now, to play cello and clarinet on the record. I know it was Scott that played clarinet and Sarah that played cello. We had a bunch of people doing all kinds of things on the record.

There are a bunch of people on the record. Mike from Hard Girls and Shinobu played guitar on it, alongside me. John from Bomb The Music Industry played bass on it and Kevin from Bruce Lee Band played drums. It’s a solo record, but all four of us made the music. Then there’s a bunch of other buddies who were cool and sent some other music in. Laura Stevenson

Since you’re tired of discussing the future, let’s talk about now, how has the response been to your recently released video for the album track “Nausea”? It’s looking good, it’s cool and everybody told me it’s going good. People who have seen it and gotten in touch with me say they really like it. So I’m pretty stoked about it. I haven’t got numbers but they’re telling me

it’s good. My dad saw it and asked ‘what is your target audience, suicidal people?’ I even got my dad bummed out, so it’s good. It’s a weird ass video.

“We Cool?” is the full album that’s out in March. You recently released a track of it, “Hey Allison” on 7” through Side One Dummy Records. It was your first release with them. How was it? Really great, they are all really nice. It’s a different experience to work with a label that has an office. They have a whole thing going on there. When I mostly do things myself or with Mike who still runs Asian Man Records out of a garage or a basement. It’s different to do stuff like that, but they are all really cool and it’s nice to have new people to help me out.

RMP Magazine #19

INTERVIEW // JEFF ROSENSTOCK

Would you like to elaborate on the new song “All Blissed Out” ? It has quite a different sound I can’t totally place. Can you help me out? This record especially is faster and louder than anything I have done in the past few years. So this stands out as one of slow-building, quiet ones. It came through a thing I was playing on my keyboard at my house where I sampled a harmonica, played it through and reversed it and just screwing around with it. And then one day I came up with the main melody and that other stuff that is in there. I was stoked to have a song on the record that was like super quiet and that got super, super loud. That’s extremely dynamic. You produce a lot of bands too, for instance the recent release

RMP Magazine #19

of The Smith Street Band. What was it like working with the Smithies? They’re the best. They’re my favourite. We were good friends before the record and we are good friends now. It was really fun. I’m super thankful for them, I hadn’t done much of that stuff for other people on a large scale before they brought me up there to do that. I got to stay in Australia in the woods for about a month. That was fucking cool. They’re just a great band and it seems they keep getting bigger. So fuck yeah. You’re starting an American tour with Andrew Jackson Jihad, The Smith Street Band and Chumped. How did this line-up come forth and how excited are you? I’m really excited. Firstly, it’s the first tour I’m doing since 2012,

if you don’t count going to Australia. It’s been a really long time. It’s really good to get back into it with three bands that are really close friends. Andrew Jackson Jihad and I have been friends for ten years now. We’re just superhuge buddies. Chumped lives in Brooklyn and The Smith Street Band obviously, I’m pretty close with them after and even before the record. It’s going to be a real fun time. I’m hoping to get to Europe somewhere by the end of the year. I’m psyched to come to Europe. With Quote Unquote Records you have your own unique record label, a donation-based label. People give what they want for the music. Any plans in that department? I just put out Sean from Andrew Jackson Jihad.

"I WAS STOKED TO HAVE A SONG ON THE RECORD THAT WAS LIKE SUPER QUIET AND THAT GOT SUPER, SUPER LOUD. THAT’S EXTREMELY DYNAMIC.”

RMP Magazine #19

INTERVIEW // JEFF ROSENSTOCK

He made a solo EP of cover songs, songs that you have seen in skateboarding videos. All the money is getting donated to the Skate After School program, that gets kids into skateboarding. That is the last thing O did. Quote Unquote is a really funny thing, you know Bandcamp just pretty much made that this thing can do anything, I think it’s great. It’s a slow-moving donation thing, like if a friend of mine has something they need a home for. I haven’t been seeking things actively for a while now, letting it do its thing. So if you have any time left after all those activities, touring, recording, producing, you even submit songs for movies. Any successes lately? It’s been fine. I get things through my publishing place,

RMP Magazine #19

they are like ‘write a song that sounds like this’, or ‘write a party punk song’. I never hear anything back. I guess they're not good enough. It’s a fun thing to do. I scored a documentary some time ago. That was cool, I’m just stoked I get to do

all those things. It gives me a different perspective on all those things. Any last words? If we make it over to Europe, we don’t speak English well and we don’t understand any other language, so

don’t yell at us because we don’t understand what you’re saying. Please come say hello to us, teach us funny things to say. When I was in Brazil the only thing I learned to say was the only thing all old Brazilians say, which was basically

saying ‘that’s a nice meatball’. If somebody could teach me something like that in every country we go to. And that’s all I know to say I think it will be fine.

New Album : “We cool ?”

Out now !

www.facebook.com/jeff rosenstockmusic

RMP Magazine #19

Kavka Antwerp 2015, Belgium Photographer // Greet Druyts

RMP Magazine #19

TOP THREE EVENTS

Three of the biggest events taking place over the next couple of months Do all those concerts and festivals make you feel dizzy? Don’t you really know where to start or do you just want to try something new? No worries, we’ve put out some of the top upcoming events that you sure as hell don’t want to miss.

MARK THE DATE!

Photographer // Carl Battams Writer // Jesse Mouart

RMP Magazine #19

TOP THREE EVENTS

GROEZROCK 2015 (BE)

// Meerhout, 1st and 2nd of May 2015

We are getting excited about the start of the new festival season. As usual in Belgium, the big kick-off is given by punk and hardcore festival Groezrock. Even though the line-up isn’t completed yet, we see some amazing names. Let’s start off with this year’s heavyweights: Millencolin, Refused, Pennywise, Lagwagon and last but not least the legendary Social Distortion. We are very pleased to see the latter for the very first time on this festival. These old farts made punk rock what it is today and were an inspiration to all what falls under this subgenre. Talking about legends, the other well-known subgenre of hardcore can welcome Agnostic Front and Bane to the stage. Both staying true to the real hardcore code, they are an enrichment to this year’s edition. Although Bane announced their end in 2014, they’ve past through Europe a couple of times. Nevertheless keep in mind that this could be the last chance to see them perform. Some other hardcore bands that will roam the festival are Comeback Kid, The Ghost Inside, Stick To Your Guns, Turnstile and Obey The Brave. Groezrock has a bit of everything, so if you are more into metalcore and deathcore, you will also be in for a treat. First we can welcome back Unearth to the festival. They were quiet for a while, but now they are back with a brand new album, “Watchers Of The Rule”. We can also welcome Carnifex, Suicide Silence, Emmure and the amazing Whitechapel. Whitechapel doesn't visit Europe often, so Groezrock is your chance to see them perform live. Another band you have to see is Masked Intruder. The colourful bandits are playing Groezrock for the second time.Their punk rock sound really killed it last time. Another is the Boston-based hardcore band American Nightmare. They exploded in the beginning of the millennium. After a name change to ‘Give Up The Ghost’ and excessive touring, the band sadly burned out quickly. In 2011 they started doing reunion and benefit shows. This way American Nightmare stayed alive and is now ready to tear down the Groezrock tent.

RMP Magazine #19

TOP THREE EVENTS

IMPERICON FESTIVAL 2015

//Europe, starting 24th of April till 4th of May Seven different stops, with seven different line ups in six European countries: this prestigious project is the Impericon Festival. This nomad festival is becoming the European smaller nephew of the American Vans Warped Tour and is really pulling some huge names to their poster. Some of the bands will be playing every single stop of the tour, others will only pass by for one or two gigs, so be sure to double check your city’s line-up. Carnifex is in for the whole ride. Their last record “Watch Me Die Without Hope” did very well in the charts. And after a break for almost a year, it has put them back into the fight to defend death metal. We will also be seeing Whitechapel on every stop of the tour. This band took deathcore to another level and they have been able to keep renewing and reinventing themselves with every single album. For many of us Whitechapel will be the treat of the evening due to their low touring in Europe. Other than that we have Obey The Brave Form Canada. Their most recent album “Salvation” hit like a bombshell and definitely made them a force to be reckoned with. Stick to Your Guns will also be present during the whole tour. Having the reputation of never being boring live and carrying a strong message to the world, we are sure these guys deserved their place on the tour. They’ve also just released a brand new album called “Disobedient”, together with a new metal attitude: the RMA (revolutionary mental attitude). Fuck the message, it is time to act right now! LA-based hardcore band The Ghost Inside is headlining some of the evenings on this tour. They’ve had some criticism to deal with, for example for being not ‘true to hardcore’. Whether this is true or not, they tend to give great live performances and therefore they are suitable as a closing act. Suicide Silence will also be ending some of the evenings in brutality. A band that has survived after the death of a frontman and has the ability to come back as strong as before doesn’t deserve, but demands respect. Let’s get mental on their deadly grooves, because they are in for the whole ride! One of Germany’s best export products must be metal music. One of the biggest names in German metalcore is the beloved Caliban. They will definitely be destroying their two headline shows! But unfortunately these two will be the only thing we’ll see of Caliban on the Impericon Festival.

RMP Magazine #19

TOP THREE EVENTS

SILVERSTEIN: DISCOVERING THE WATERFRONT 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR //In Europe, starting 8th of April till 18th of April

Not all bands have been announced yet, but we already know that Beartooth is one of the special guests. Ex-Attack Attack! frontman Caleb Shomo founded this band and created a sort of playground for himself. Their blend of metalcore with some obvious punk rock elements comes straight from Shomo’s heart, something that is very noticeable in their music. Hands Like Houses is labelled as a metalcore/post-hardcore band. The clean vocals are very prominent, true, but this band is so much more than that. When you hear this description you obviously think about the cliché core-breakdowns, but their music is much more subtle than that and the breakdowns are more camouflaged. They’re a welcome change to music in our opinion. The least you can say is that Iron Lung is different from the rest of the bands. Their hysterical music definitely contains some grindcore elements. The fun part is that all these violent punkish sounds are made by only two men. Hide the energie drinks for these guys, they have enough energy without it! Major League will bring us some heavy-hearted punk rock. Last year’s departure of their vocalist was a hard one to swallow for the fans. Fortunately Major League pushed forward and today they are standing strong again with new frontman Brian Anthony Joyce. We are eager to hear what this new guy can do. Silverstein is celebrating the tenth anniversary of their album “Discovering The Waterfront”. They will be playing the entire album, which was the beginning of their current sound. Ten years and five albums later, they are still going strong and are selling out venues as we speak. After their world tour they will be releasing a brand new album called “I Am Alive In Everything I Touch”, a treat that we're eagerly waiting for.

RMP Magazine #19

PERSISTENCE TOUR Brielpoort Deinze 2015, Belgium Photographer // Daria Colaes

RMP Magazine #19

ALBUM REVIEWS

NOFX Backstage Passport Soundtrack

NOFX have got a new record! Or haven’t they? Well, not really. “Backstage Passport Soundtrack” is actually a compilation album featuring some B-songs, live skits and theme songs to their “Backstage Passport DVD” featuring their shenanigans during their tour through the exotic world of sketchy promoters and uncharted territory for punk rock. Many NOFX aficionados have heard most of these tracks before or even own them on some obscure bootleg or exclusive boxset. So it is without say that this was in need of some spicing up. So they threw in some new tracks that will appear in the second release of the “Backstage Passport” documentary. Yep, it’s happening, “Backstage Passport II”! Long-discussed on various fora of the World Wide Web, yet another NOFX side project that got completed in the end. So this is NOFX’ “Backstage Passport”, but honestly this appears a bit redundant to me since I would prefer hearing those tracks while watching the documentary.

By David Marote

RMP Magazine #19

The Wrong Kid Died Away With Traitors

Every once in a while we stumble upon a young band that definitely has potential. The Wrong Kid Died started their journey in 2012 and is now releasing their first full-length album “Away With Traitors” under Clenched Fist Records. They are opening their album “Skrillex-wise” with a dubstep intro, not too renewing in deathcore, but definitely a party starter. If you don’t like these futuristic noises, don’t be afraid, they are not using it in an excessive amount. In fact, it is a nice build up to a very hard-ass opener: “Faceless”. Starting from this song it becomes clear that these guys know what they are doing when it comes to transitions. Their fast riffs are seamed together by strong buildups, nice fill-ins and are tapped off with the occasional breakdown. Their strongest song is the title track. It’s the perfect example of what these guys can do. The negative part, which is also utterly normal, is that you can hear that this is their first album, which makes it sound a little colourless. It misses that vibe in which a lot of DIY albums are left wanting. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any beauty in their debut album. This is a diamond in the rough. We are sure we’ll be hearing much more of them.

By Jesse Mouart

ALBUM REVIEWS

Cavelara Conspiracy Pandemonium

Attila Guilty Pleasure

Attila has been on stage for almost ten years now. Originally from Atlanta, GA, they have already toured the whole world with bands like Crown The Empire and I See Stars and they played multiple times during the Vans Warped Tour. Attila is most known for its song “Rage” and frontman Chris “Fronz” Fronzak. Fronz is one of those singers that everyone knows and has their opinion about and Attila is one of those bands you love or hate. One positive fact about them is that they sound pretty amazing live. They announced their new album “Guilty Pleasure” as ‘the best album of 2014’. It already shows one important fact about Attila: you shouldn’t take them too seriously. Their lyrics are filled with sex, boobs and beer. It’s rarely ever that you can listen a full metalcore album with a smile on your face, but “Guilty Pleasure” made it happen. The first track “Pizza, Sex and Trolls” actually describes the whole record. The sound isn’t that new. It’s a bit heavier in comparison to the previous records, but in general it’s more of the same familiar sound that we know from Attila. The rap influence is something you like or not, but if you do, “Guilty Pleasure” will be a great new record to listen to!

By Nicky Boes

Every time the Cavalera brothers release an album it is repeatedly compared to the siblings ‘other’ band. This is perhaps understandable if not tiresome nearly twenty years after the fact. However with “Pandemonium”, Max and Igor have done nothing to silence the critics who yearn for that near mythical reunion to happen. The latest release under the Cavalera Conspiracy banner is by far the heaviest thing either man has penned since perhaps Soulfly’s “Babylon”. This is something of a double-edged sword. For the majority of the record, its aggression and brutality is used at the expense of memorable song-writing and hooks which seems like a missed opportunity for guys with such a great legacy. The record is not without its moments, “Scum” and “Apex Predator” are pounding, tribal slabs of metal that hit you straight in the gut. But are rare on a record that fades into the background all too often. The majority of the tracks are uninspired and forgettable. Sadly “Pandemonium” feels like it's trending water rather than pushing the boundaries.

By David Gilmore

RMP Magazine #19

ALBUM REVIEWS

When Cities Sleep What Lies Lay Between Us

Raised Fist From The North

When Cities Sleep is a rather new band from Waldorf, Maryland, but they are becoming popular quickly. They name I See Stars as a big influence and that statement is crystal clear: they're combining the electro sound with the metal sound and screams.

Sweden has roots in big music genres and one of the first bands setting foot on hardcore grounds is Raised Fist. In 1993, Luleå witnessed the birth of Raised Fist through the song “Know Your Enemy” from Rage Against The Machine. “From The North” is their sixth album, which will be released six years after the previous one, “Veil Of Ignorance”.

Singer Mike Garrow's voice can go really deep, and it's really wellbalanced with the clean vocals. “What Lies Lay Between Us” is the band's new record and it seems like a nice entry. The harder parts are balanced with the easy-going vocals. Mix those two together with an electro sound and some nice breakdowns and you get “What Lies Lay Between Us”. The lyrics overall are seemingly dark, filled with talk about betrayal and such. When Cities Sleep seems to want to bring a message to their listeners. Maybe that’s also why they’ll ask during every live show: “Will you, fight for your dreams?”. By Nicky Boes

RMP Magazine #19

They said 'We’re from the North, and we do shit differently. We do it hard, whether it’s on stage or in the studio'. The sound proves what they’re saying. “From The North” is hard and heavy combined with the husky voice of singer Alle Hagman. The sound’s original if you compare it with other hardcore bands, and that’s why you have to listen to it. If you liked their previous albums, you will love “From The North”. They keep true to their style, but it became heavier.

By Nicky Boes

Hybrid Sheep Free From The Clutches Of The Gods France has a lot of great bands, Gojira for example, or Betraying The Martyrs. Since 2008 there is also Hybrid Sheep. Originating from Haute Savoie in France, they produce raw and brutal, yet melodic deathcore. Since 2008 they released an EP, but no full-length album. It took them until 2014 to produce their first full-length album. With “Free From The Clutches Of Gods” they want to launch themselves into popularity. If you like The Black Dahlia Murder, you'll enjoy Hybrid Sheep as well. The sound is rather melodic, but it’s very diverse. Every song has its unique sound, but it still feels like one, complete album. All in all, there isn’t anything that stands out for Hybrid Sheep, but it’s a firm and solid album and it will certainly attract new fans.

By Nicky Boes

ALBUM REVIEWS

RMP Magazine #19

ALBUM REVIEWS

Forever Came Calling What Matters Most

Death Penalty Death Penalty

Gaz Jennings, the criminally underrated guitarist of doom pioneers Cathedral, has finally released his first album since Cathedral called it a day in 2013. This project, the aptly named Death Penalty, is completed by Michelle Nocon and Fredrik “Cozy” Cosemans, members of Belgian doom warriors Serpent Cult and bassist Raf Meukens.

Pop punk four-piece band Forever Came Calling is back with their brand new album “What Matters Most”. “August Is Home” opens the album, and what a track to feature at the beginning. The track explodes in your ears whilst the guitars and complimenting drums are going wild to the beat. The lyrics are intense and meaningful.

This formidable line-up plays extremely well together on a record that harks back to a time when the occult and heavy metal went hand in hand. It sounds like it could easily have been recorded circa 1970. Channelling the powers of early Black Sabbath and Witchfinder General, Death Penalty is a doomy, occult rock tour de force. Nocon’s vocal performance is fantastic and really complements the stellar guitar work of Jennings, particularly on tracks like “Children of the Night” and “She is a Witch”.

Every pop punk album has to have a slow song: “Endangered Innocence” is the song that you have to play over and over again. It is beyond catchy and will stay in your head all day long. Joe Candelaria’s voice is rough throughout, giving the song its full effect. The album is full of energy, and you’ll want to listen to it over and over again. Forever Came Calling isn’t your average pop punk band and this album proves it.

Whilst Death Penalty will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the guitarists ‘other’ work, the album is much more than Cathedral part two. I can’t wait to hear what else Death Penalty has to offer.

By David Gilmore

RMP Magazine #19

By Holly Reijs

ALBUM REVIEWS

Glamour Of The Kill After Hours

Glamour Of The Kill is born in York, UK. The metal band is part of the scene for about seven years now. They started out as a metalcore band with heavy and fast tracks. Starting from their last album “Savages”, they grew to a more clean metal genre. The growls and screams were set aside for clean vocals, with a sharp raw edge. With only five songs, this EP is rather short. But the sound is very different and it’s something more easy-going than for example their record “The Summoning”. Especially “Blood Drunk”, the last track can remind you of their older songs. Glamour Of The Kill has lots of friends in bands from touring throughout the years and that result is seen on “After Hours”. There are guest vocals from Craig Mabbitt of Escape The Fate and Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach. Those voices fit well into the tracks of this ‘easy to listen’ EP.

By Nicky Boes

People On Vacation The Chronicles Of Tim Powers

People On Vacation is a band founded in Dallas, Texas. They are born from the hand of Jared Riddick from Bowling For Soup and Ryan Hamilton of Smile Smile. The sound of People On Vacation is really unique. They sound fresh, young and uplifting. They use the label ‘indie/pop rock’, but there is a lot more to People On Vacation. We're also hearing pop punk and maybe even some country. That’s what you get if you’re from Texas maybe? Their newest album is called “The Chronicles Of Tim Powers” and some songs really show that country feeling. “You may not believe in God” is a fresh song that shows the roots of the band from Texas. The album sounds really uplifting and is has a positive vibe, but the lyrics aren’t always that happy. Sometimes it’s filled with melancholy and the feeling of losing something. “The Chronicles Of Tim Power” is simply a surprising and easy-going album.

By Nicky Boes

RMP Magazine #19