Ask Kurt Ballou from veteran Massachusetts bruisers Converge about the band’s early days and you can almost feel the wince of embarrassment down the phone line. Forming the group as a teenager in the early 90s with vocalist Jake Bannon, they performed Minor Threat and Suicidal Tendencies covers before eventually mustering enough gumption to pen their own material, songs perhaps better left unwritten, according to Ballou.

“We started writing our own songs which were God-awful,” laughs the guitarist-producer, convalescing at his home in Salem having just completed a US amphitheatre tour with The Bronx. “We went through a lot of different styles and if anyone out there ever gets hold of our first 7″, it’s the worst piece of shit ever made! Haha!

“We spent a long time trying find ourselves and we went through a lot of different members. There wasn’t really much of a sense of purpose to the band back then other than just beating the crap out of our instruments after school. We were angry at stuff but we weren’t sure what, haha, so it was born out of a lot of teen angst.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the first 7 or 8 years of the band we were God-awful. I wasn’t really proud of our records until Jane Doe in 2001. I think there were some good songs and ideas prior to that but it was the one record I’m totally proud of. Having the new drummer helped a lot in giving the band some focus and there are other factors as well.”

In the days before metal-core became a buzz word for today’s disaffected youth, Converge’s pioneering hardcore on indie label Equal Vision carved itself a lasting niche now revered by the band’s cult fan base and beyond. Not a bad effort for a bunch of mid-teen misfits who never could quite perfect those Slayer riffs.

“We’ve kind of always done everything by ourselves and figured out everything on our own which is great because we’ve developed our own identity,” says Ballou on behalf of Bannon, bassist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller. “But everything takes a lot longer that way and you don’t benefit from learning from the mistakes of others, you just make all those mistakes yourself.”

“I think we developed pretty independently. Even the other bands that do influence us, I think it’s hard to get a direct influence from them because I’ve always been really bad at mimicking things. Like when we do covers, I’m bad at nailing the vibe of a cover. I sort of have to do my own thing, which is a blessing.”

Not surprisingly, a hallmark of Converge’s latest album No Heroes, the quartet’s second release for Californian label Epitaph, is an original blend of high-adrenalin metal and pre-dawn hardcore.

“When I set out to make a record I don’t set out to achieve anything in particular other than something that satisfies me musically and artistically,” says Ballou, who produced the album at his own God City studios using a mix of Pro Tools and an old school desk console. “On this record I was just trying to continue the path of writing songs that are both aggressive and innovative and trying to keep it within the confines of Converge. I wanted it to sound like a Converge record but it also needed to be new and exciting and that’s really what I’m in music for - to be excited.”

“We recorded it pretty quickly in a professional recording studio and there wasn’t much of a differentiation between the writing of the songs and the recording of them. We didn’t really practice them, we just wrote them and recorded them. There was no extended period of time of getting to know the songs or play them out. We just went for it and that’s what we’ve always aspired to be - a raw honest band.”

It pays to read the fine print. Just ask Unwritten Law, the veteran Californian rockers whose 16-year, six-album career make them ideal candidates for a greatest hits package. But having weathered four line-up changes and tenures on as many record labels, the / San Diego quartet found organising a ‘best-of’ collection more complicated than they anticipated.

Stymied in previous attempts by various former labels - notably Interscope who own the master tapes to the group’s most successful albums, 1998’s Unwritten Law and 2002’s Elva - singer Scott Russo says the band decided to carefully re-examine their legal contracts and were pleasantly surprised by what they found.

INTERVIEW WITH UNWRITTEN LAW By Steve Tauschke

So why the decision to re-record your own best-of material … did you feel it was justified given the line-up has changed so much since the early days?
“Well obviously everyone gets paid the same for each song but the reason we re-tracked it and wanted to put out a best-of record was to connect the dots for people who knew the songs but didn’t know who the band was. And this is our fourth label and because we couldn’t get OK’s from all the old record companies to release it we looked into our contract and we found there were no re-recording clauses on two of the labels. So rather than try to battle and get our songs back off them, it was a lot easier to just re-record them.”
 
What did you think of Interscope’s ‘unauthorized’ greatest hits?
“The funny thing is, when we were going to these labels asking if we could use the songs, Interscope said a compilation was a really great idea and that they’d love to put it out. So they made us an offer which just wasn’t feasible for us so they said we couldn’t use the songs. So we re-recorded them and now we own these new masters. They own the old masters and they put out their own best-of.”
 
You’ve slimmed down to a four piece now … can you shed some light on guitarist Rob Brewer’s departure?
“Well, we really don’t like bringing that stuff up. We’re over that whole thing, it was two years ago. So I’m really sorry but we don’t talk about it.”
 
You’re still friends with him though?
“We haven’t spoken in a while but you know I’ve known the guy for more than half my life so he’s still like family to me. He’s like a brother I don’t talk to anymore. I’ve briefly talked to him on the internet and that’s about it. It’s a totally sad thing on all sides to all members.”
 
You co-wrote some of the lyrics to Here’s To The Mourning with your partner Aimee .. tell us about how you came to collaborate with her?
“Well, we write together all the time. We have a band together as you probably know, Scott & Aimee, and we just released a record called Sitting In A Tree. She’s a dope lyricist and when we got together we started writing songs for that band and we write really quickly and really well together so we just sat down and banged out the lyrics. She’s been a singer-songwriter her whole life .. and she’s actually recording another solo record right now. So, between me and Aimee things come really quickly and easy – we finish each other’s sentences.”
 
How would you contrast writing with her and with Unwritten Law?
“Well the band doesn’t really collaborate a lot on songs. I write all the lyrics and then a majority of the music but we never come together and write songs. Steve or PK might come up with a song musically and then I write to that or I’ll write them on my own, that’s just kind of how it works.”
 
You’ve included two new songs on The Hit List, are they indicative of your next studio album?
“We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from Oblivion and a lot of people are saying it sounds like classic Unwritten Law, like from the black record. And Shoulda Known Better sounds just like music should be, just fun and entertaining. But I don’ think those two songs will necessarily sound like the new record. They’re just two songs we happened to write and put on the compilation. I think for the next record we’ll jump to a different place. I really want to create something is really fun and true entertainment. Something out of the norm that is a true piece of art, I’m not sure if we’ll take it in an electronic kind of way or more of a Violent Femmes kind of thing, I’m just not sure … I just want to create something I’m proud of and I don’t want to write the same thing twice.”
 
So, is the SoCal punk thing as meaningful to you as it used to be?
“Well, I grew up on that music and I still love it but obviously the kids are into all kinds of shit now. For a while there in the late 90s that kind of music ruled the rock world but now you have hardcore bands and dance bands like the Killers and all kinds of shit, so music, like anything else, must evolve. As an artist and as fan of music I can’t do the same thing over and over again. Pennywise and bands of that nature can do that and that’s good for them and the fans love it and we’d probably do a lot better if we did that too but I can’t sacrifice my art for anyone. I wouldn’t be satisfied. If you’re a painter, you’re not going to paint the same fucking thing 20 times, you know what I’m saying?”

UK punk gov’nors Snuff discuss disposable income, hangover cures and “rocking like little donkeys on a footpath”.

Interview by Steve Tauschke with vocalist-drummer Duncan Redmonds.

You’ve just toured Japan… any interesting stories to share with us?
“We’ve eaten rotten squid in its own guts, pig colon, fish testicles. Lee impersonated the WALK signal nearly killing the promoter who stepped out thinking it was the real thing and Jerry heard the doorbell and answered the phone.”

Are the Club Quattro’s uniform throughout Japan?
“Not really, they have different capacities and layouts.”

Last year, you covered the Pirates of The Caribbean jingle from the famous ride at Disneyland for a Japanese compilation. Have you noticed more adults than children at Disneyland?
“I’ve never been to Disneyland so I can`t really say. But grown-ups do like to revisit their childhood.”

Can you recall the most pathetic lyric you’ve ever written?
“Rhyming ‘pray with day’. And many, many more that never made it because they were written at the end of a drinking session and were complete drunken nonsense.”

What’s your favorite Snuff record and why?
“The next one, because the process of writing is the most rewarding.”

You’ve called the new album Disposable Income .. what’s the silliest thing you’ve
ever wasted money on?
“A wind-up plastic SUMO on a skateboard.”

The album is distributed in the through Canada’s Union Label Group. What
happened with Fat?
“Fat are a great label and were interested in picking up the next record, but we wanted to do it ourselves. There is no bad blood and the door is open for future projects should we change our minds.”
”
So will your side project Guns n’ Wankers be resurfacing considering Axl Rose’s reappearance?
“The truth is that we only got our name because the drummer refused to be known as Cunts and Wankers. It was an accident; we never meant to parody Guns & Roses. It`s unlikely we will get together but it`s not impossible.”

What are fellow Englishmen Consumed up to?
“We just did a tour with them, and they`re still bloody great if not a bit smelly. And fuck me, do they whinge - and they can`t play cricket. But their record rocks like little donkeys on the footpath!”

Does Snuff have anything in common with the 80s cult film Withnail & I?
“Not really but Lee will happily recite the script when asked.”

What’s your most effective hangover cure?
“Cup of tea and a wank.”

Did you weep when Joe Strummer died?
“Yes, it is a sad loss. The Clash were a great band and a big influence. R.I.P JOE.”

Out of Wilmington, North Carolina, The Speed Kings shout a rebel yell which combines punk and rock-n-roll, drawing from old influences. The current line-up is Axl- Vocals and Guitar, Spike-Vocals and Guitar, Will- Bass and Backing Vocals, and Jeff- Drums. You can check out their music at http://www.myspace.com/thespeedkings. I got a chance to ask Will about their music and inspirations.”,”Axl- Vocals and Guitar.

The Speed Kings interview by Roya Butler

You call yourselves a rock and roll punk band. Explain that further.
Will: well, really all punk is a stripped down form of rock-n-roll, with a little more edge and rebellion thrown in for good measure. We’ve got some songs that are straight up punk rock, and then others that have more of a 50’s rock-n-roll feel to them.

What made you decide on making a band in this genre of music?
Will: basically, it’s just what came out when we started playing. We like to draw on old influences because we want to make music that will stand the test of time and not fade away like most trends in music today.

What are your musical inspirations?
Will: The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, Johnny Cash, Ramones, Link Wray, Social Distortion, just to name a few. We all draw from a lot of different artists, in a lot of different genres.

What inspires your lyrics?
Will: Cheap Booze, Expensive Women, Fast Cars, Loud Motorcycles, & Dirty Rock n Roll!!

What’s your song ‘hold fast’ about?
Will: I don’t know…you can probably get different messages from it. For me, I think it’s about living your life day by day because the worlds a fucked up place. You should live each day like it’s your last

How’s the rock-n-roll/punk scene in North Carolina?
Will: the North Carolina scene has never been at a loss for great bands, but like any other scene it kind of comes in waves. 2008 is looking like a great year so far. We just played a show in our home town Wilmington with the US Bombs and Far From Finished. That show was on a Tuesday night and the place was fuckin packed. It just showed me that the scene is definitely alive and well.

How did you meet your band mates?
Will: we’ll Jeff and I started jamming with some other dudes about 3 years ago. I had been seeing Jeff around town and at shows for years but never really knew him. I had been introduced to Axl a few years back by a mutual friend. Axl had just moved to Wilmington from Miami where he was playing in a punk band called The Hangovers. I thought that they had a great sound and immediately thought of him when we were looking for a new singer and guitarist. Spike just recently joined the band, but has been a friend of all of ours for years. He’s been in a ton of great bands over the years. We’re all into the same shit like old hotrods and choppers so we all get along great.

What are your favorite venues to play?
Will: in Wilmington, we love playing at The Soapbox. Their sound is the best in town. Also, for pure dirty rock n roll vibe you can’t beat the 42nd St Tavern. As far as outside of Wilmington, I think the best place that we have played has been Abbey Lounge in Boston. They all greeted us southern boys with open arms!

Influenced by bands such as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Pantera, and Johnny Cash, Devildriver was started by Dez Fafara (former Coal Chamber frontman) and Evan Pitts. Released through Roadrunner Records in 2003, their self-titled debut album focused on black, death, and thrash metal. Their second album, The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand, released in 2005, was greatly influeced byScandinavian death metal, specifically in relation to the guitar work.
Touring the United States, Europe, and Australia in support of their album, DevilDriver played with headliners In Flames, Fear Factory, and Machine Head. They also headlined in the Burning Daylight Tour. The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand was re-released as a Special Edition in 2006 with three additional studio tracks, three live recordings of previously released material, and a DVD of all of their music videos to date.

Their third album entitled The Last Kind Words was released mid-June in Austrailia and the UK, and will be released late July in the US. Devildriver promoted their album in the UK at the Download Festival, alongside headliners Linkin Park, Iron Maiden, and My Chemical Romance.



Interview with Dez Fafara - vocals, Devil Driver by Roya

Tell us a little about your re-release:

Dez: It’s always a good thing when the record label wants to do a special re-release. It shows they have faith in the band for the long haul. The special edition is real cool; it has different cover art, inside liner notes, all the videos, as well as extra tracks. It’s perfect if you’re a fan and you want something extra between records.


Tell us about the DVD.

Dez: It’s not really a DVD, in the proper sense, it’s really just a gathering of all the videos, some that have been shown on MTV, or in the case of Europe, some that haven’t seen the light of day, again another cool thing if you are a fan of DD.


How was it recording The Last Kind Words?

Dez: We recorded in ElPaso,Texas, a mile away from the Mexican border,on a 1400 acre pecan ranch.The gear was incredible,the food was amazing and the accommodations were unbelievable !There was nothing to do but make music and shoot guns. PERFECT !


How long did it take to record?

Dez: We finished in about 3 weeks with the final fourth week in Santa Barbara, CA, to wrap some vocal stuff.


How does this album compare to your previous albums?

Dez: The record is tighter, faster tempos, more solos and guitar work all around. It’s full of hook and groove with a powerful live feel–that’s a punch in the face.Working with Jason and Mark was killer, and they got the best out of every player; I want to work with them again.They knew how to capture an intensity and lay it down to tape without loosing the vibe.We know that this is our time to do the opposite of whats popular in metal. The fans want it kicking and heavy, so here we come with it!

How was the European leg of this tour?

Dez: Touring festivals is always a good time! Summer camp everyday with all these bands and crew runnin around.The European run was fun as all hell!


“”Horn of Betrayal”" was your debut on Sirius Satellite’s Hard Attack channel–how was the response to that?

Dez: The response has been huge on this record, but we owe a special thanks to Hard Attack and Jose for blowing it up man! It’s humbling when the heaviest radio station on the planet supports your band , UNO!


Tell us about the back up growls your 9-year son, Simon added to the album.

Dez: He recorded some final vocals in SB and he came in after school one day, picked the phrase ,”"You will live below angels and above beasts “” as a line. He listened 2 times put on headphones, I held him up to the mic and he busted out a corpse style growl that made me jump back like …:WHAT THE FUCK !”"………..pretty good debut for the kid !


How does it feel to be dubbed by Phil Anselmo, the former Pantera leadman and current Down lead singer, as the next Pantera?

Dez: As far as that goes..”"That’s my brother,I would like to see where and when he said that”",you got to give me a source before I can comment on trying to fill the largest shoes in metal.


I heard you wont pinpoint the exact genre of metal that DevilDriver play…why? tell us about that.

Dez: It’s hard to categorize us man…..we just got our own sound ! We will continue to define it over the years.


Why did you change your name from Deathride to DevilDriver before your first release.

Dez: Simple…..The label couldn’t nail down copyrights and things so we had to let it go .


Anything you’d like to add?

Dez: To anyone that supports what we do thanks so much ! See ya on the road !

In late 2006 Oakland California’s collaboratively-minded quartet The Matches issued their experimental second album Decomposer. Discussing it with Truepunk is drummer Matt Whalen.

Interview by Steve Tauschke with drummer Matt of The Matches.

Can you cite a couple of important things your music has done for you?
“One of two things would be the creative aspect and the second one would be the fact that we do get to travel all over the world and see so many cities and different places we would never get to see if we weren’t doing this. So that’s definitely a huge benefit and part of the fun of doing this.”

Was any of Decomposer written on your travels?
“Actually yeah, the song ..Furniture and another one we originally demo-ed in Sydney of all places. We had three days off in the middle of the tour and we decided to go in and knock out a demo so that we could hear it. We got a rehearsal space somewhere in the suburbs and we did a demo with a guy named Lachlan who’d produced the Something With Numbers record at the time. It was all very spur-of-the-moment but it worked out. So we ended up working on that song and a couple of others in Australia too. Some didn’t make the album but that trip to Australia definitely had an influence on the album.”

It’s obvious you didn’t want to repeat yourself on Decomposer?
“That’s something we don’t want to do but it wasn’t like a conscious thing. What happened was we toured the first record for so long and we were constantly writing, even when we were at home between tours, and when we demoed them and listened to all of them we thought ‘wait, this is a lot different to what we were doing before’. So it just kind of happened that way. It was organic, just from all the touring we’ve been doing and all the music we’ve been exposed to and each individually listening to the past few years.”

Do you feel so much touring can sometimes accelerate your growth in that regard?
“Oh yeah definitely, because in our first year of touring we ended up being in Europe and Japan and literally all over the world and getting exposed to other cultures and music is way different to how things happen in the States. That’s, for instance, how we came up with the vibe for the song You Don’t Know Me on the record, just from observing punk kids in the UK and how they react to the music and that’s rubbing off on us. I would say that all four of our tastes have changed and evolved. We’re all pretty diverse with the music we listen to but in the past two years of touring – because one of the things you do in the van to kill time is to listen to music – I think we all went through big musical growths and expanded our tastes.”

Were there any arguments in the studio over Decomposer’s musical direction?

“No, we’re pretty much all directionally on the same page. Sometimes little things come up but we’ve never been a band to have fights about anything especially with music, we all have the same vision and want to do whatever’s best for the song rather than what each individual person wants. That’s kind of our underlying philosophy and I think when you’re in that mind frame it’s easy to get along musically and to figure things out. Making music as a band is about compromising and working together for the same goal.”

You utilised nine producers on the album including Tim Armstrong, John Feldmann, Brett Gurewitz and Mark Hoppus to name a few … how did you keep the sound cohesive?
“From day one we talked about the multi-producer approach and we didn’t want a disjointed album so that’s why had one person mix the whole record, all the songs except the two John Feldmann produced, they were mixed by our friend Matt Radosevic. So that helped ensure the record had some continuity. The mixing was huge and I would argue that it was as important as the recording because it brings out all the stuff you’ve done and emphasises it.”

Brett Gurewitz must have been to work with?
“With Brett he demoed the song and he liked it and he told us to listen to David Bowie from the 70s before we came into the studio so we had that vibe in our minds. And we went in and spent 5 or 6 hour sessions and worked out the parts. Brett was really solid on getting the parts right and then we just put it all together. I mean if you’ve heard Bad Religion you know that they’re vocals and backup harmonies and stuff are a big part of their sound so he had some great vocal ideas that he brought to the table. And he’s just fun to work with.”

And how did you come to collaborate so closely on songs with your manager?
“He kind of found us when we were toiling away in our garage right after high school. He’s the reason we decided to pursue this full time because he saw that we had potential and had some songs that were worth developing and recording and so it naturally evolved into a co-writing relationship. He’s taught us a lot about songwriting and stuff from the 70s that we hadn’t even heard, important stuff. He’s like the unofficial 5^th member of the band almost in terms of his input and what we go to him for. He’s been there from day one.”

The powers that be have, ironically, made life easier for Anti-Flag as Truepunk discovers from bassist Chris #2.

Pittsburgh punk protagonists Anti-Flag owe much to the American Warped tour, the popular annual music festival with which the veteran quartet has virtually grown up.

Interview by Steve Tauschke with bassist Chris #2 of Anti-Flag.

“We played two shows on the Warped tour in 1999 on small side stages and the next year we were a second stage band,” says Chris #2 (born Chris Barker) on the phone from Pennsylvania, “so I felt we were really starting to have an impact and gain some ground as a band. It’s an eye-opening experience when you see a tour where five to ten thousand people were coming out. And it wasn’t just one person walking away from the Anti-Flag show energized and empowered but a lot of people were connecting with our music and our ideas in the same way that we do. We are back again this year so we have a lot of history with this tour and a lot of landmarks in our ‘career’ have been defined through it.”

The ever-expanding Warped caravan has in recent years provided Anti-Flag with an ideal platform from which to voice their dissenting views, albeit via an old school punk soundtrack. The group’s latest album For Blood and Empire certainly tackles with aplomb what they regard as the underhanded forces of global ‘evil’; the CIA, 10 Downing Street and most topically, their interpretation of American colonial militarism.

“Any time through history where you have a war or a conflict of human interest whether it be through violence or political policy, then that’s going to influence art whether it’s painting or music or poetry - and I think that’s going on right now,” says Chris. “We’re seeing more and more artists come out not only standing against this war in Iraq but around the world. I think that’s the silver lining. It’s a total cliché but sometimes shit needs to get really bad before it gets any better and I think that’s where we’re at, another paradigm shift in our world’s history.”

Inspired by the explosive punk template of the Dead Kennedys and The Exploited, Chris, vocalist-guitarist Justin Sane, drummer Pat Thetic, and vocalist-guitarist Chris Head believe this nation’s foreign policy needs a rethink, citing local comedian David Cross’ satirical observation that ‘a war on terror is like a war on jealousy – you’re never going to end it!’.

“It’s unfortunate but in America we live in a country full of misinformed people and the reason they’re misinformed is because they watch network news everyday,” says Chris. “And that makes them afraid and once they’re afraid they can’t help but continue to watch and have that cycle of fear over and over. We as a band are trying to break out of that and say ‘you don’t need to be afraid all the time, you can be constructive and find out what’s happening in this world for real’.”

In their early days, Anti-Flag found themselves lumped in with the so-called unpatriotic minority. Now the tables seemed to have turned.

“It’s definitely far easier to be in Anti-Flag today than it was back then,” says Chris with a touch of irony. “With September 11 they – and I mean the people in power in the world – have made their bed, and in fact made it easier for us to be in a band. The error of their ways has been brought to life and frankly the chickens are coming home to roost.”

So does the fight ever wear you down?

“It doesn’t wear the four of us down because we love what we do, we love this band and the music we create and our artistic outlet. Beyond that, the celebration of all the people coming together at any show we play is more than we could ever ask for. I feel the band today is bigger than it’s ever been maybe because of the political landscape - or maybe because people just like the way it sounds.”

Throughout rock history, from “OK Computer” to “War” to “London Calling”, third albums have defined careers. With the bombastic, breathtaking Cities, Anberlin’s cohesive and adventurous new album, the group puts itself in some esteemed company with a modern classic that uplifts as much as it initiates thought and elicits emotion. The Winter Haven, Florida-reared quintet — who have watched its career rise while touring with everyone from Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance to Yellowcard and Hawthorne Heights — doesnt just build on the energy and determination of recent singles like “Paperthin Hymn”, “The Feel Good Drag”, and “A Day Late”. Instead, Anberlin expands its grasp of what a rock record can be with the Aaron Sprinkle-produced Cities. Be it the huge-sounding, memorable roar of “Reclusion” or the bright, infectious “Adelaide”, the writing team of singer Stephen Christian and guitarist Joseph Milligan drives Anberlin - which also counts bassist Deon Rexroat, guitarist Nathan Strayer and drummer Nathan Young - as it retains the airwave ready allure that earned the band a pair of radio hits last year. But, with the sprawling, epic “Fin*” and the gorgeous, lighter-ready “Unwinding Cable Car” the group vastly widens its musical boundaries on Cities. Expect Cities to light up the globe in 2007.

INTERVIEW WITH ANBERLIN Floridian punkers Anberlin tackle the big issues: religion, poverty and eating ribs with N’SYNC. Interview by Steve Tauschke | steve@staff.truepunk.com | with Anberlin’s Stephen Christian.

“This band and our faith are two separate things,” asserts singer Stephen Christian on the phone from Springfield, Missouri. “When you label yourself a Christian band you can usually only tour with Christian bands and you only get opportunities to do the most remote things.

“We’ve been on the road with Fallout Boy and My Chemical Romance and we would never have gotten those opportunities if we’d labeled ourselves a Christian band. Sure, we believe in Jesus Christ but I don’t think that comes into play on stage. We’re not preachers, we’re entertainers.”

In his teens, Christian sang in various groups including Anberlin precursor Saga, performing mainly in churches in and around central Florida due to a lack of venues in the area. Fast forward a few years and Anberlin are selling out sizeable shows in advance and earning high praise from a diverse demographic, including the odd celebrity.

“We were in our home town Orlando and we played two sold out shows and the kids were going crazy and afterwards a guy walks up to us and says ‘hey, I’m a personal assistant to someone famous but I can’t tell you who it is, but he wants you to come over to his house’,” laughs Christian. “We were all a little sceptical about this guy wanting us to come to this house.

“But it turned out he was the assistant for Chris Kirkpatrick who used to play in INSYNC and he wanted us to hang out with him. We nearly died laughing but we all went and had so much fun, partying with the guys from INSYNC. It was a million dollar house and he had ribs and a giant waterfall in his backyard and you could see Disney World right across the lake. We stayed there until 3.30 in the morning goofing off at his home theatre. He’s a huge fan of our band. I couldn’t believe it.”

After impressing fans with their 2003 debut Blueprints For The Black Market, Anberlin shifted up a gear on 2005’s follow up Never Take Friendship Personal, produced by Aaron Sprinkle (MxPx, Acceptance).

“We wanted someone to even us out,” explains Christian. “We’re not rough but we’re a very raw band and very energized and what we knew Aaron could bring to the table was a kind of pop sensibility without taking away the rugged rock sound. We’d heard an EP that he did with a band called Saosin on Militia Records and when we heard that we were sold. He kept the heavy guitars and yet made everything sound so smooth so you could hear every note that was played. We knew that’s what we wanted.”

“It was a very laid back atmosphere too. It wasn’t rushed or pressured and Aaron used his creative mind to manipulate the songs for the best. He would take out excess parts and add in a couple of melodies he thought would fit. He works around the musicians because he’s a musician himself.”

It’s no secret Anberlin’s affection for 80s sounds has rubbed off not only on their approach to songwriting but also in dealing with the industry.

“There’s something so innocent and pure about the 80s,” says Christian, “and maybe that’s why so many bands look back to then and think that’s when music had meaning and depth. It wasn’t all about the tours you got on and how big you could get or if your video was on MTV. It was about the music and about creativity.”

“One thing I don’t enjoy about American bands is that we’ve become such a marketing tool or a product placement. It seems to be more about having good looking band members and you have to dress just right and you got to look the part to sell records and I don’t understand that.

“If you look back to the 70s and 80s, these are the ugliest men alive but they had the best music. Look at Robert Smith, he was never the most attractive man in the world but his music just exemplifies sex. I think that’s one thing the Europeans have on us, is that they’re all about the music - just music, not glitz and glamour and stardom.”

And archivists can count Anberlin as another group in today’s youth brigade keeping the Smiths’ flame burning. Christian himself cites Morrissey as a huge inspiration.

“He comes across as relating to everybody that listens to him,” he says. “His stage presence, I take a lot of notice of what he does, I see what he does live and he’s not a Mick Jagger up in your face. He has a very humble way of expressing and he’s very witty, not too egocentric but very confident. And lyrically, every song could be a coming-of-age book.”

“I think that what we are trying to break a lot of stereotypes within the indie world,” says Christian. “Previous to maybe our generation, I think a lot of bands were out there for the whole sex, drugs and rock n’ roll and now I think maybe our generation is pushing that away and saying ‘I don’t want to be egocentric, it’s not just about me’.

“Coldplay’s Chris Martin is very involved in free trade and Bono, although not from our generation, is out there fighting AIDS. In Anberlin, I think we’re trying to move away from the egocentrics. We may not be here in five years, or three years, but what will be here is poverty and we want to make a difference while we still can.”

There’s a palpable sense of adventure on Chicago four piece Rise Against’s 2006 album The Sufferer & The Witness. Having recently defected from Californian indie label Fat to major label Geffen, the band’s exploratory song structures and dynamic directional shift has brought a maturation to the sound few could have predicted.
Interview by By Steve Tauschke

Certainly, the addition of a string quartet to the mix has raised the collective eyebrow of the group’s loyal hardcore supports.

“When we first started using strings people were asking if we were afraid our fans would call us sell-outs because we’re incorporating classical instruments but we don’t see if that way,” explains bassist Joe Principe from San Francisco where Rise Against is touring with Thursday. “Something we’ve always been a really big fan of are string instruments and when tastefully done it’s effective. It compliments the song Roadside very well.

“We actually performed it last night with a string section for the very first time and I think the fans responded really well to it - they got something a little different. I don’t think bands should be afraid to try new things as long as you’re sincere and true to your heart as far as song writing goes then there’s nothing wrong with venturing into new territory. I think any band that wants to grow and have lasting stability has to keep things interesting.”

Inspired by this year’s progressive albums from AFI and The Killers, The Sufferer & Witness was, on the advice of their punk rock friends from Good Riddance, recorded at drummer/producer Bill Stevenson’s increasingly popular Blasting Room studios in Colorado, the studio of choice lately for many punk and hardcore acts.

“Bill understands aggressive punk rock, really melodic punk rock and obviously being in the Descendents and Black Flag he’s got the best of both worlds,” says Principe, formerly of 88 Fingers Louie. “He really paid attention to the grit behind our music and he wanted all the tones to be really big sounding and aggressive and I think he captured that. I think my bass sound on the record is one of the best that I’ve done.”

Stevenson, songwriter/drummer with punk-pop veterans Descendents and ALL, worked on the band’s previous album, 2004’s Siren Song Of The Counter Culture hence it’s certainly no major label compromise.

“If anything I think we’ve grown as a band together, whether we were on Fat or Epitaph or Geffen, it didn’t matter,” reasons Principe. “The Suffering & the Witness is just a product of us maturing as musicians and people.”

The Aggrolites came together purely by accident–just five guys having fun in the studio, backing Jamaica ska singer Derrick Morgan. Enjoying the music they created together, they decided to book some shows. They’ve since opened sets for the likes of Madness, Rancid, Floggin’ Molly, The Selecter and Ozomatli.

The band took its name from the 1960s British slang “aggro” which was a term used to describe the tough Reggae sound getting more and more popular in the UK. “The Aggrolites collective goal,” vocalist Jesse Wagner explains, “is to increase awareness of Reggae music–to show American’s especially that there’s a whole lot more to Jamaican music than Bob Marley, ganja and growing dreadlocks. We’d love to put it more on the map.”

With an old-school raw underproduced sound, The Aggrolites reflect their deep love for Roccksteady, SKA and Reggae through their music. The self titled album is dynamic–no songs sound the same, from songs ranging from pure fun, to serious tones on poverty.

I sat down to interview Brian Dixon, rhythm guitarist of The Aggrolites.
Interview by Roya Butler | roya@staff.truepunk.com | with Brian Dixon, rhythm guitarist of The Aggrolites.

How long have you been doing Aggro Reggae?
Brian: We’ve been together for about 4 years. We’re from Los Angeles, where there is a small army of SKA/Reggae musicians; so outside of the Aggrolites, we’ve been playing together in various bands for much longer.

What got you into that British style of reggae?
Brian: To be fair, we are into Reggae (Jamaican music); we also like SOME of the British Reggae that came out of the late 60’s. And actually, you could say that we appreciate the British record labels more. Not for putting out British Reggae, but Labels like TROJAN and PAMA Records re-released a lot of the great Jamaican stuff.

You did a lot at the show tonight, to hit your goal of increasing awareness of reggae music. How do you feel your fan base is growing due to your tour?
Brian: Our fanbase is definitely growing from this tour. It’s cool; we have a small worldwide fanbase of hardcore 60’s Reggae fans. Now we’re reaching people that never considered Reggae anything more than some wimpy, hippy music and we’re on a mission to show that the REAL reggae music is tough as nails!

How do you see your music metamorphasising within the next few years?
Brian: Better songwriting. I think we will also get more comfortable in the studio, which I’m really looking forward to.

What was it like to have Chris LaSalle and Tim Armstrong of Rancid put “Dirty Reggae” on the fourth volume of Give ‘Em the Boot compilation?
Brian: That was GREAT!!! Tim is a BIG reggae fan. He wanted to introduce a lot of people that might not have heard late 60’s Reggae, to our sound; really cool.

How is it like opening for and backing legendary bands? Is this enough to make you realize how much people appreciate your music?
Brian: Yeah, it’s funny because our biggest fans are musicians. This music is much more difficult to play than it looks. Musicians always seem to appreciate that the most.

I know you were saying something about opening for Rancid again… Is that coming up later on this tour?
Brian: Hopefully in the Fall. We’re just waiting to see what dates we get.

One of your fans in the audience compared you to The Clash… Who would you compare yourselves to?
Brian: The thing I liked most about the Clash, was that they did their own thing. There was no band like them before they came out and no band after. I like to think of ourselves in that light. Late 60’s reggae has really not been played in 35 years and it didn’t have quite the edge that I feel we give it.

Tell me about the organ fiasco you had last night.
Brian: On the last song, one of the tubes on the vintage organ we tour with went out, which knocks some of the notes out of tune. Most people think we’re crazy for hauling a full size console organ around, but NOTHING else sounds like it.

How is it touring with the Aquabats–their fanbase is pretty diehard–do you find their fans to be fans of yours as well, as your music is really progressive.
Brian: We can play in front of pretty much any crowd. Everyone can appreciate quality reggae, in my opinion. Our stuff is edgy, but it’s not abrasive. People young AND old can like it and for different reasons– Reggae is really deep music. It has longevity. It will outlast most bands music.

If you had a choice to tour with any band in the world, which would it be?
Brian: We’re less excited about touring WITH another band. We are more excited about being the backing band for some old school reggae singers. We’ve backed Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan and others. We’d like to back singers like U-Roy or maybe Leonard Dillon (The Ethiopians).

In your album, I noticed every song is different. Some are really fun and melodic and others take a more serious tone. Can you explain this further?
Brian: Great question! We play specifically Jamaican music from 1969 to 1972. Some people have asked if that limits our sound and creativity, but I think it helps us stretch out musically. The unique thing about this era of Jamaican music is that the musicians were experimenting heavily with trying to find a new sound. Tempos, “feel” and groove change from song to song and historically, Jamaican lyrics usually deal with what’s going on in the lyricist lives at that moment in their lives. THAT is our biggest influence. NOT trying to sound like and session band or specific song, but taking the approach of experimenting with different sounds from song to song.

On stage you as a band had so much energy that you could feel it rush into the audience and everyone was moving along to the beats. It was a pretty playful vibe in your songs and presentation and the audience appreciated it–do you intentionally bring that into your set, or is it just a flow from the music itself? Is it perhaps a little of both?
Brian: Both. It’s tough, groovy music. At rehearsals or in the studio, you’ll see us grooving to the music, too.

Tell me a little about how you formed the Aggrolites.
Brian: A promoter in Los Angeles called me in October 2001 to see if I knew of any bands that could back legendary Jamaican SKA/Reggae singer Derrick Morgan for a show. I wasn’t really playing with anyone at the time, so I said, “Let me put an all-star band together!” I called some of my favorite musicians in the L.A. scene to play. It was amazing! Derrick couldn’t believe how great the band sounded. 4 months later, Derrick called me to have the band write and record an album for him. I called the guys up and we did a whole album. The recording sessions went so great and were so much fun for everybody; I asked if the guys would want to do a show, just for fun. We did the show and it was amazing. The next day, another promoter who heard about the show called me up and asked us to do another show. We did and then word got out about the band, that wasn’t really a band, yet! After about 6 months of doing shows, we decided to officially become a band.

Tell me a bit more about working with Derrick Morgan.
Brian: Derrick is really cool. He’s in his mid 70’s now and he’s completely blind, but he’s sharp as a knife. He told us all kinds of stories about the old days of recording and living in Jamaica and about all the old musicians that we love.

Compare your previous record release Dirty Reggae with your new self titled album.
Brian: The first album was written, recorded and mixed in about 10 hours!!! It was recorded live and mostly improved in the studio. Our singer Jesse adlibbed many of the vocals! The new album was done in a similar fashion, but the songs were mostly written before we went in the studio.

How’s this tour been for you in general and what’s your favorite city you hit up on this tour and why?

Brian: The tour has been amazing! No favorite town to play in. Seriously, we’ve gotten a great response at every single show this tour. I did really enjoy Chicago, though. Not just for the show, but hanging out in the city afterwards with our friends from Deals Gone Bad. Also, every show has been great, just hanging out with the guys in The Aquabats and Whole Wheat Bread.

Tell me about Armstrong’s new solo.
Brian: 6 months ago, Tim Armstrong hired us to be his backing band on his new solo record, due out at the end of the year. It’s us playing our brand of “Dirty Reggae” over his songs, with him singing. It’s really good. Anything else?
Brian: Thanks for the interview!!!