Q: So The Culprits played their last show around 2004-2005, when did the band get its start?

A: We started working on the songs for the Culprits in early 2000, at that point we were in a 3 piece ska-punk band called Slushball Derkins that was winding down. I’ll never forget the night we decided ska just wasnt working for us anymore, it was January 3rd, 2000. We were playing a show at Carpenter’s Home Church in Lakeland Florida with saGoh 24/7(Anberlin) and Cool Hand Luke. SD had played Lakeland tons of times over the course of 3 years and always had a good response, but that night we opened the show and everyone looked at us like we were aliens or something. No noise in between songs just dead silence, crossed arms, and icy stares. Granted we were a little out of our element at that show but after our set we knew we had to change or we wouldn’t be long for the scene. So the very next day we sat down and evaluated where we were going what we were doing and how we could do it better. We all still loved ska but figured if we can’t go full fledged horns and everything we would focus more on the punk side. So we talked about favorite bands favorite songs and kind of came to a consensus on what we wanted to play. It turned out we all had good memories of albums like Let’s Go, Out Come The Wolves, Maniacal Laughter, and Dookie. We saw that the Christian scene at least in Florida was lacking any kind of good punk rock with a positive message so we set out to change that. As I’m going back through old cds I’m finding out a lot happened in a short amount of time in 2000. The first set of songs that would later become the foundation for The Culprits first album were released on a 4-song demo by SD called Cry Freedom in April 2000 and by the end of that Summer/early Fall we had made the transition to The Culprits and were recording FifteenThirteen our first album.

Q: What is the significance of the name The Culprits?

A: I’d love to tell you there’s some deep meaning behind it like because of our sins we are all culprits in the death of Jesus, but it’s just a name I came up with late one night after seeing the word somewhere, checking to make sure no one else had it as an AOL user name, pitching it to the band and everyone thinking it was a good name.

Q: So we know that The Culprits have members that were in Since Remembered, and a more current project Wolves&Wolves&Wolves&Wolves, can you give us a timeline of how all these bands are related and the order of their existence. Also what other bands have members (or ex-members) been in?

A: The running thread between all these bands and many more is mostly me (Brian) but my brother Kyle has been in all the same bands whether voluntarily or reluctantly. It all started with a band called The Swifties (Kent, Brian, Kyle, Tylere, Joel) in 97-98 which after the lead singer quit became Slushball Derkins (Brian, Kyle, Tylere, Joel & later Danny) 98-2000 which after a couple member changes and a bad show became The Culprits (Brian, Kyle, Sean, Danny – later Brian, Kyle, Ben) 2000-04ish. The Culprits never had a proper last show partly because me and Kyle (bass and vocals) ended up moving to North Carolina Ben (drums) stayed in Florida so it just fizzled out. About a year after that The Culprits first drummer Danny contacted me about starting back up a high school band we had been in together called XNeverAgainX but this time we would call it Since Remembered (Danny, Brian, Mike, Kyle) 2006-07. We sent demos and lyrics back and forth via email and whatever and put together a solid demo which got us signed to Blood and Ink (where the Culprits released a cd). That fell apart in less than a year for reasons I won’t go into which I’m kind of sad about because I thought we had some good days ahead of us. From 07-08 I tried to get a new band going 4 different ways, the same band but different lineups and it never gelled. Finally in 2009 I gave that up and worked on something brand new and that ended up becoming Wolves&Wolves….. which is still going strong and about to release our first cd. I’ll never remember all the bands everyone before or after The Culprits has been in but a small list would go like – Fit For Rivals, The Making Of, The Essex, Black Hand, blkmsk, Catch Phrase, and a ton more

Q: So what is everyone in The Culprits up to these days?

A: From the original line-up – I’m living in Winston Salem working on Wolves, Kyle is also in Winston playing drums in Wolves and working full time at his t-shirt printing business Machine Gun Graphics, Sean is living in Florida and celebrating the birth of his first daughter, Danny is in Tennessee working as a tattoo artist, our last drummer Ben is living in California somewhere near the corner of Hollywood & Vine playing music and cutting hair.

Q: So The Culprits put out a few albums, I know of “Nora”, but there is also an album called “FifteenThirteen” that you mentioned. How would people even get their hands on either of these recordings today? When I listen to “FifteenThirteen” it has a bit more punky feel to it than “Nora” which is a bit cleaner and more produced. Are these the only albums you guys put out or are there other recordings? (any plans on releasing Slushball Derkins? LOL)?

A: We had a small handful of releases, first a 5 song demo in 2000 limited to about 50 or so, only 2 full length albums 1513 was first, self released in late 2000, then by a label in 2001.  Nora was released in 2003 by Blood & Ink Records who I would later work with on Since Remembered’s album. We did a self released 7″ titled “The Sinking Spell” in 2004 that debuted at Cornerstone which ended up being one of our last shows. It’s unfortunate the 7″ never got heard by many people because we were producing some amazing stuff at that point that could have had a pretty big impact. We were on a few compilations, one a central Florida sampler which we were the only punk band on, one was Boot To Head Records Sampler 2 which was huge for me because I ate up everything Caleb put out and wanted to be on BTH so bad, and we had an exclusive song on Tooth & Nail’s I’m Your Biggest Fan Volume 2 which was another big deal because volume 1 was my high school soundtrack. We also did another 5 song demo “Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust” that had a couple songs from each album and a rerecorded version the song we did for Tooth & Nail that was limited to 50 copies and we sold on our 2002 Fall tour. 1513 was pretty raw but in a good way, we were 4 kids writing music together and having fun it was good times, but a lot happened between the 2 albums, I got married, our guitarist quit (but would later rejoin as our drummer in 2002 only to quit again), our drummer was engaged and quit the band, and the whole thing almost ended. I had moved away from home with my wife and was pretty much on my own writing at that point so I was coming up with different sounding music that had us morphing from a Rancid style street punk band into a Nerve Agents/AFI horror hardcore punk band. A LOT of people would come up to us after Nora and ask why did we change our style, and I’d understand why they felt that way but we never stopped playing the songs from 1513 or acted any different onstage so I would just tell them were writing new stuff and it’s gonna be different because we won’t write the same songs over. We were a progressive minded band if we weren’t moving forward stylistically I felt like I was just treading the same water over and over again. You can get Nora probably until the end of time at bloodandinkrecords.com, I still have tons of copies of 1513 and the 7″ that I can get to people who want it. Me and my brother keep talking about going back and re-recording some of the old stuff and putting it up for free download or whatever but I don’t know if we should go all George Lucas on the old songs, and there’s been an ongoing discussion between me my brother and our last drummer to get together and write some new material but who knows if it’ll ever produce anything. As for the SD stuff I’ve been working on remixing remastering and in some cases restoring the entire catalogue but it’ll only be given to members of the band and close friends who were around at the time.

The Culprits “Johnny Bombs Away”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: The Culprits have been around for a while, and I bet that you guys have shared the stage with a lot of bands that are considered “legends” of the Christian hardcore/punk scene (along with you guys), who were some the bands you guys shared the stage with over the years that were your favorites? Who might we never have thought you might have shared the stage with?

A: We played shows with just about anyone you can think of, Underoath, Anberlin, Showbread, Headnoise, Officer Negative, The Deal, One21, The Havoc, The Last Hope, OCD, FBS, Flatfoot 56, The Decoded, Seventh Star, Sleeping By The Riverside (Adam Warshowsky sang on 1513 and is still a good friend to this day), Gunwale Under, and any Facedown band that came through Florida we ended up playing with. We actually ended up hopping a small swing of dates with Officer Negative in Florida, we played a show with them in our hometown one night in 2001 and we bonded pretty quickly and ended up playing all the rest of their shows in Florida, they asked us the next year to tour with them from Cornerstone to California and it was the most fun I’ve ever had. They were by far my favorite because they were just fun to be around and awesome people. I got a lot of good marital advice from Chad that I’ll never forget and will be eternally grateful for. We also played with a bunch of secular bands in Florida just because we ended up getting a good following in central Florida from non-Christians because we were never preachy, we got the opportunity to open for The Unseen, The Virus, Endless Struggle, and more.

Q: What was the purpose of The Culprits?

A: It was to show Christ’s love, not preach it or just speak it but to SHOW it. We ended up getting a good reputation around central Florida for being the Christian band everyone could like. We tried to never judge anyone because of what they believed or didn’t believe, and we tried not to preach from the stage. I dont feel I was ever called to be a preacher, I’m a musician, so I would go onstage to play music. That didn’t go over too well with some of the established bands and people in the scene but I never felt led to turn a mosh pit into an altar call. Now I’m not saying that other bands should have done the same as us because it’s not my place to say and I dont know what they were called to do but for me it was always about the one-on-one conversations. That’s where I felt led to be, talking and showing Christ’s love on a personal level. If I could talk to one kid after a show and make a positive mark on their life then I did my job. Most of the time when I would talk to people after the show I would end up just listening, not because I didn’t have anything to say but because most of the kids I met never had anyone who would just let them speak. They were so beat down by people shoving things down their throats they were happy someone was just there paying attention to what they had to say and I would never cut them off even if I didnt agree with what they were saying, I’d let them know where I stood and why, but I did my best to never condemn someone because they wouldn’t immediately sway to my point of view. I’ve had many conversations with people where neither I nor they changed their point of view on an issue but we both walked away respecting each other for being able to talk and disagree CIVILLY. I knew I would never be able to change everyone I spoke with’s mind but if I showed them the love and respect we were commanded to show them, God could take that and make a difference.

Q: So, rumor is that The Culprits might be doing some reunion shows, is that true? Where might we see you guys playing?

A: A reunion has been in discussion for a couple years now but something always came up to prevent it from happening, never anything major we just never got the timing right. We’d love to do something around Halloween like a Fall tour, maybe a week or a couple weekends back to back. The fall was when we started getting things together in the beginning and our imagery fit perfectly with the season so I think it’d be the most fun. We always did a big Halloween show every year. I’ve sketched out some tour plans and there’s always places we would love to get back to but it always ends up that Florida, North Carolina and Virginia were the places we were most attatched to. Tampa, Orlando, Melbourne/Cocoa Beach, Savannah Ga, Raleigh area NC, Richmond and Roanoke VA are our targets for a tour. If it only came down to being able to do one show it’d probably be Orlando or Tampa.

Q: Are you guys going to be putting out some new material?

A: Ive got a treasure trove of never before heard material from the old days and some newer songs that would fit where we were headed around the time of the 7″ so I wouldnt rule it out, it’s just a matter of focusing our efforts to do it. With Wolves&Wolves…. getting ready for a tour later this year and everyone being so far apart it’s more likely we would just get together for the shows and to play the old songs again.

Q: What do you guys think about Cornerstone calling it quits? (in case you didn’t hear, this is the LAST Cornerstone Festival)

A: I think it’s unfortunate, one of our biggest goals as a band was to be able to play C-stone and we achieved it pretty quickly. We played the Underground Stage, Steel Roots Stage, and a handful of generator stages in 2002 and had a great time. Sadly that was the last time we were asked by the fest to officially play. We ended up playing 03 and 04 thanks to Blood and Ink Records getting us spots on smaller stages. I know a lot of behind the scenes info about C-stone and it doesn’t shock me this is the last year, I’m honestly a little surprised it didn’t happen sooner but I had a lot of fun and made a lot of great memories and friends that I’ll never forget over the 4 trips (3 Culprits, 1 Since Remembered) I made to that corn field. I hate to think that kids won’t have that in the future, but time brings change. and I really hate I’ll miss the Squad 5-0 reunion.

Q: What are some of the fondest memories as a band? What shows or interactions have had special meaning for the Culprits?

A: The entire Officer Negative/Culprits tour in 2002 was a blast start to finish. Chad, Casey, and the guys will always be some of my favorite people and musicians of all time. I dont think there was a moment on that tour I wasn’t having fun or didn’t have a smile on my face. One time in particular that sticks out, after Cornerstone that year was over we were meeting up with ON to start West at a hotel in Macomb which just happened to be where most of Tooth & Nail and Facedown Records were staying. Chad had organized a heading separate ways prayer with ON, The Deal, One-21 and another band I can’t remember, but asked us to join. We had played with The Deal a couple times in Florida and I think One-21 was confused as to who we were but being able to share that moment with 3 bands we looked up to was awesome. One other thing that jumps to mind was that same year at Cornerstone we were setting up our merch booth the first day and realized we were right next to Poor Old Lu, a band I have always loved. We get our stuff straight and are sitting around talking and next thing I know Jesse sprinkle is walking to the table with a box of stuff and all I can do is sit and stare. I know it freaked him out, I had my mohawk cut off shirt bondage pants and combat boots and I’m just staring at him. Over the course of the day we both caught each other staring, me out of admiration, and him I’m sure out of concern. I never worked up the nerve to start a conversation so I feel like I missed an opportunity to let him know he influenced a street punk band.

Q: When might we see The Culprits officially get together and announce these mini tours you reference above?

A: Sooner rather than later I’m hoping, it’s all depending on work schedules, tours already in place for our current bands and a few other factors. We’ve pretty much got the lineup set and the songs we wanna play picked out, it’s just a matter of everything coming into perfect alignment.

Q: What message do you want to send the hardcore punk scene as a whole?

A: Don’t limit yourself. Don’t just listen to one style of music. It’s ok to listen to things others don’t approve of. Be open minded and you’ll be surprised what you find.

Q: Feel free to give any shout-outs, share links to bands & ministries, etc. Thanks for the interview and look forward to hanging with you guys in Raleigh!

A: To be honest we’ve been out of the Christian scene so long we have very few contacts anymore. Off the top of my head Blood & Ink Records carries our old CDs and are always putting out amazing stuff, great guys great bands; theres a praise and worship band called Ascend The Hill, we go way back with Joel the singer solid dude; I play hockey and hang out with Dusty from The Almost so check them out; and of course wolves&wolves&wolves&wolves not a Christian band but that’s what me and Kyle are doing now.

Band: Jump Ship Quick
Music Style: Punk
Facebook

Q: Where and how did Jump Ship Quick get its start?
A: Jump Ship Quick began in about 2004 but the story goes back 10 years earlier to Jeff and J playing in a skacore band in college. We enjoyed playing together and have continued over the years producing demos that we figured no one else would ever hear but we just loved jamming and kept going despite not really even having a band. Slowly but surely God put more pieces together to get us to the point of being able to record our CD.

Q: Who all is in the band and what do they do when they are not playing?
A: Jeff – Guitar Jeff is a school teacher in Medicine Hat Alberta Canada
Harry – Vocals Harry is a career counselor helping people get jobs in Abbotsford British Columbia Canada
Dave – Guitar Dave works with a christian organization helping troubled teens in Denver
J – Drums J is a videographer/editor working for a small production company based out of Houston

Q: Who do you guys compare your musical style to?
A: Our style is mostly influenced by old school straight edge bands of the early 80′s such as Gorilla Biscuits, 7 Seconds, Minor Threat, Youth Of Today. We also have a poppy-er sound with influences like NoFX

Q: Have any members been in other bands that we might know?
A: Jeff played in several bands from the Orange County hardcore scene. Before he was a Christian he played in No For An Answer, Half-Off, and Straight Arm. After he became a Christian he helped form the band Focused. One of his songs was on their debut CD Bow called “Walk Beside Me”
J helped form the band Ultimatum but left before they released their first demo Fatal Delay.

Q: You guys put your faith right out there in your music, you are obviously a Christian band, what does being a Christian band mean to you guys?
A: First and foremost we won’t be one of those bands that you can’t tell what we are about. We feel punk music is the perfect place to boldly tell our story. We desperately want to point people to Christ and be salt and light in a dark place. Our name Jump Ship Quick came from the idea of jumping of the ship of our current world view and having some urgency about it because one day it will be to late.

Q: Generally how does the punk/hardcore music scene accept that you are a Christian band?
A: We feel the secular side dislikes our stand but likes our music.  We have had reviews that were negative on our lyrics but did enjoy the music. We think that is a positive. The bible says if we make a stance we will be hated. We are certainly OK with that. Being disliked because we take a stand for Christ is more than acceptable and is sorta the ultimate compliment. We are all older guys who have lives outside of the band. We have jobs and don’t make a living playing.  We have the luxury of saying and doing what we want.

Q: You guys been playing shows?
A: No, we have never played a show yet. Matter of fact we have only had one practice and that didn’t even include Dave because it was over a year ago before he joined.  We were trying to tighten up the songs we decided to record. We do however want to play shows but the fact that there is so much distance between us all has made it very hard to do. We all were hoping to get in some shows this summer and play a couple fests but no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t seem to make it happen. We all sat back and began looking for God’s direction because nothing was happening. We have all become comfortable where we are and just hope God gives us the opportunity to play in the future. This whole band and recording really was God at work. We could never have orchestrated this whole thing and how it fell into place. To look back at the last couple of years we all have been in wonderment of how amazing God is.

Q: Might we see Jump Ship Quick on tour anytime soon? You guys playing any fests?
A: Jump Ship Quick will never officially go out on a real tour. We have jobs and families and responsibilities that will never allow for that kind of freedom. All the guys are very family oriented and our family is such a high priority to us, that touring goes against our convictions on being dad’s who are around and a part of our children’s lives. As much as we would love to do a 50 city tour, we have so much more of a responsibility at home. We do hope to play some weekend shows and maybe next summer do 3 or 4 shows back to back.

“I Defy” by Jump Ship Quick

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: What bands are you guys listening to that we should check out?
A: We are all really getting into the Thumper Punk library. Notably the Old Timers, they just put out an album that resonates well with us as we are all old timers too.

Q: Where does Jump Ship Quick pull most of its inspiration from scripture?
A: I don’t think we could single any portion out. We are all over the bible, from old testament to new. Some of our songs aren’t super biblical but they still have biblical slants. Bottom line we all realize a couple of important truths. We are all sinners, we all need grace and mercy and Jesus paid a debt that we can’t pay. In the end it all comes to those fundamentals anyway. It doesn’t matter how fancy you get that is the bottom line. In the end that is our story. We were all missing the mark we were all wrong with God and Jesus stepped in with grace and mercy and fixed our relationship with God.

Q: Which songs that you have hold the most meaning to you guys?
A: For every member there is a different song. No of us agrees on the one song that means the most.

Q: Jump Ship Quick is signed to Thumper Punk Records, how has that been for the band?
A: We are just so appreciative of Thumper Punk. The label took a chance on a band who has never played together and nobody knew who we were. We just sorta showed up. The coolest thing is getting to know some of the guys in the other bands on TPR. Everyone is very cool and it’s so great to be able to talk with them. Also, we do want to mention that this CD was put out by 2 labels which is Thumper Punk and Punk Roxx Records. Punk Roxx Records was the first part of the team to talk to us. They were the label that really didn’t know what to expect. All they heard was some really bad demo’s and to our complete surprise said they wanted to put us out. By the time TPR got into the mix our CD was finished so they had the ability to hear finished work instead of going on poorly produced demos. Nonetheless we are just so appreciative to both TPR and Punk Roxx. Who else would take a chance on us? Probably no one and for that we are forever grateful! One other great thing is, neither of the labels control our music. We decide how, when and what. They give us guidance and help us along the way but they leave us to take our journey they way we see fit. Plus, we don’t get into big financial contracts so we retain our song rights and don’t go into debt to record a CD. Both run their labels as a ministry and they look at it that way, so pressure to tour, sell CD’s and perform are just not there. These labels actually get it and I am glad to be a part of what they are doing. They don’t have the big PR machine but at the same time we as a band don’t have to pay for the machine to keep running. We are free and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Q: What are future plans for the band, are you guys planning on putting more albums out in the future?
A: Right now we have 11 songs that we are working on. We are hoping if all goes well we will be trying to get in the studio this time 2013. The beauty of our band is that we are all friends who are dedicated to each other and our families. We will probably play together till we can no longer play. What that looks like as far as CD’s and playing shows who knows. We just have so much fun doing this and it’s on our terms so we don’t see anything stopping us from continuing on.

Q: What message to you want to leave the scene with?
A: As older guys we see young people out there selling out to much. We aren’t even talking about musical style. We are talking about your stand. We to often hear about not wanting to offend people. All we can say is don’t fall into that. Be bold, be courageous, be different the world will think you are a fool and that’s OK.  When you look back you will be glad you did because it is the ones who stand out that truly make a difference in people’s lives. God uses the foolish and weak things to confound the strong and wise. He wants to use you. Are you ready to be used?

Q: Any shout-outs, links you want to share, message
A: We want to shout out to:
Bill from Punk Roxx Records  www.punkroxxrecords.com
David from Thumper Punk Records www.thumperpunkrecords.com
and you guys thanks for allowing us this time to tell our story. We are so deeply appreciative of what you guys are doing to help grow the Christian hardcore/punk scene. It’s really awesome to see.

Here is a little teaser from the first day:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We are also working on some interviews, so stay tuned and I promise we will get some stuff cooking!

Josh and the gang!

By the way, this guy <– rocks.  Daniel (the guy behind Blood & Ink Records) did a killer job putting together and running the Stand Together Fest.  Make sure that you thank Daniel if you know him and tell him that he should definitely do the fest again next year.  Since Cornerstone is going away, this would be a good way for our small scene to keep together and catch up.  Again, many thanks Daniel!  Make sure you go and buy all the Blood & Ink records.  There is going to be some really good stuff coming out in the near future (at least from what I have heard!!!!  shhhhhhh………

• Sean and Daniel from Blood & Ink Records (we love you guys)

• Kevin from Beacons (we both live in NC and have to go to TN to hang out?)

• Jesus Steph

• The With Increase posse (and Doug, if he is coming….)

• Our homies in Venia

• Matt B from Carrying the Fire (coming out of mosh retirement?)

• XLooking ForwardX – let’s talk about Cormac McCarthy books please!

• Debater (aka Debtor) – bring me a cheese steak please…..

• Cool Cough – John & Harbor – can’t wait to hang again buddies!

• Strengthen What Remains – Joshua and crew – Miss you guys!

• Fravel – nuff said

• John Jackson – keep me from getting into trouble (he helps out at HXCChristian.com)

• FF56 – hope we can hang and finally get some kind of interview

• This Moment in Hardcore Crew (Matt and Nick)

• Clint (from Jawbone) and his wife Heather (YES I WILL FILM THE JAWBONE SET THIS TIME PROMISE)
• Friends – I loved you guys at Cornerstone last year, can’t wait to see you guys play again (and I need to pick up your album)

• Grumpy Old Man – Will he show up? Will he provide a PSA on stage during the fest? We’ll see….

I am sure that I forgot some people, and if I did, sorry, catch you at the show.  John and myself (Josh) are staying at the Marriott downtown.  I am flying in and get to the airport early on Friday morning, I will be around to hang out and do interviews if any bands are interested in doing a fun video interview or goofing off.  (you bring the goof, I’ll bring the camera).  Hit me up on facebook (if you are friends with me already), or email me at josh @ HXCChristian.com if you want to hang or setup a video interview and I can give you my cell number so you can text/call me.  We would love to meet you if we don’t know you already (or even if we do).

See you there!

Hit us up if you want us to play your band! josh @ hxcchristian.com

Grace and Peace!

Band: Saint Hooligan
Music Style: Punk
Home Town: Burlington/Greensboro NC
Facebook Reverbnation

Q: Where and when did Saint Hooligan get its start?  Have any of the band been in other bands?

Marc: Started in the summer of 2009 after the breakup of Travis and my’s first band together, Chucksilver. We’ve all been in bands before.

Travis: For me it was the day we wrote ‘Circles.’ It was the first punk sounding song we had. Right after that point Chucksliver dissolved and Wham-Bam, Saint Hooligan erupted. I have been in numerous bands over the years. From cover bands to punk/ska to indie rock.

Andrew: I don’t know. And no I haven’t

Q: How about the Greensboro/Burlington scene.  Good, bad, big, small, good venues?  Do you feel your beliefs affect your acceptance in the scene?

Marc: There’s some good venues that are great for punk music. Not very big, but big enough for a circle pit. Hasn’t affected our acceptance yet.

Travis: Burlington sucks for music, unless you’re into to jam band cover song crap. Greensboro on the other hand has great venues and accepts the punkers. Our beliefs haven’t affected us I think because we don’t shove it down people’s throats…we love them for who they are and where they are at in their lives.

Andrew: Ehhhh it’s okay. Could be a lot better

Q: I see in the liner notes that at least two of you qualify as “Punk Rock Dads”, how does that workout?  Any challenges?  Any weirdness with schools/their friend’s parents?

Travis: Well…I have a 8 year old daughter and twin boys that are 6. It works out pretty well. They love music and punk music the most. Some challenges are them knowing most of the words to Rancid’s, “And Out Come The Wolves” album. I’ve had to go into some of the songs and remove the explicatives or mute the parts when we’re in the truck. I’m kinda like the FCC. The oldest of the twin boys has rocked out a full mohawk for about 2 years now and my daughter has a leather jacket with studs, Roger Merit and Rancid patches on it. I do get some looks from the school parents when I show up in a “Swingin’ Utters” t-shirt! I’ve got a lot of weirdness going on and I love to push the salmon-nella envelope.

Marc: I have a 13 month old, so no school wierdness yet. It can be tough getting up early the next day after a gig to wake up to take care of her.

Andrew: C&B

Q: What does everyone do when not being in the band?

Marc: Work and enjoy the family.

Travis: I sell landscaping, collect vinyl records, design flyers for shows, modifying effects pedals and cooking. I also enjoy long walks on the beach and world peace (haha).

Andrew: Constantly trying to get better at the drums

Q: What are the origins of the name?  How about the skull logo, which, incidentally is really cool?

Marc: The origin is from the recesses of my cranial cavity. Just came to me seemingly out of thin air. Liked the oxymoronicness of the name. And Travis came up with the logo.

Travis: I love skulls! I have numerous ones all around the house. A skull to me is intriguing because it is the holding cell for the mushy matter that runs all parts of the body. All emotions and decisions go on inside there. I hope one day to own a real skull. I love telling people the name of our band. It always get a wonky look on people’s faces.

Andrew: I have no idea

Travis: Sorry about Andrew, all he wants to do is bang on the drums all day!

Q: Tell me about the music influences of the band members.  Do you have one cd/album that you consider as most influential or one that really opened your eyes to something new? (For me, I can still remember when I first heard the opening part of Slip It In by Black Flag, totally blew me away).

Marc: My influences are: Creedence Clearwater Revival, AC/DC, Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, early Led Zeppelin. The opening riff for Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Up Around The Bend” gets me every time. I love raw, wide open, raunchy-riffed rock n roll without a bunch of fluff.

Travis: Operation Ivy, Rancid, Have Nots, Minor Threat, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Wes Montgomery, Joe Strummer, Jack White and The Kinks. I am a punk and blues sponge. My Dad listened to a lot of ‘Oldies’ when I was growing up. I still remember the first time hearing “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks. It blew my mind the sound those kats had. I still to this day love the guitar solo on that song, dirty and simple. The most influential album would be “And Out Come The Wolves” by Rancid. (For the all the real punkers, check out Plastic Bertrand’s – “Ca Plane Pour Moi”, it’s punk at a different light)

Andrew: My favorite bands are Angels and Airwaves, and Blink-182. CD wise it would be I-Empire by Angels

Q: Describe the song writing process for Maniac Punk.  Was it music first, lyrics first, who did what, how did the songs come together?  Any good stories behind some of the songs?

Marc: Both. Some were music first, others lyrics first. Travis and I flow very easily together creative wise. Either Travis would get a riff in his head, we’d flesh it out, and I would write the lyrics. Or I would have lyrics written, come to Travis with a sense of the direction musically that I feel the song should go. Or he’d have a riff, and lyrics I wrote three weeks earlier fit the feel of the riff. We write very quickly. Usually one, sometimes two, practices to write a new song. When the juices are flowing, we ride the creativity till it dries up. Maniac Punk (the song) is based off of Travis’s own maniac punk experience.

Travis: Story behind the song “Maniac Punk” – I was at a Have Nots/Flatfoot 56/Street Dogs show in Charlotte. I have always been one in the circle pit first so I was that night. Long story short, I came out of the pit with scuffed up checkerboard shoes and a bleeding busted lip!

Andrew: Most of the songs were already written when I got here, so~

Q: What would be your favorite song on Maniac Punk (and why, of course…).  How about the rest of the guys?  What song is your favorite to play live and which one do the crowds seem to connect with best?

Marc: “Spoil the Cynics” is my favorite off the cd. Just dig that opening riff. Live? Either Battle Hymn or Maniac Punk. Love cranking up the speed on the chorus of Battle Hymn and enjoy the craziness of Maniac Punk. The crowd gets into that one.

Travis: “Deserts and Wastelands” is a special song to me from the album because I think it describes the brotherhood, love and crap Marc and I have been through together pushing Saint Hooligan forward. For Live – the pit usually gets going on “Maniac Punk.”

Andrew: “Battle Hymn” because the whole dynamic going from the verse to the chorus is just awesome

Q: Why did you decide to submit Spoil the Cynics to the Punk Never Dies comp.?  Have you seen any interest from that?

Marc: It was the first one done for our album, but also it’s got our signature sound. It’s kinda our standard by which we measure our other songs we write.

Travis: Definitely have gotten some interest. I’m not to sure if Brandon from Indie Vision was to keen on us at first. A lot of our lyrics don’t scream Jesus but are positive and about life. Brandon is a really cool guy and is doing great things with Indie Vision. I’m not drinkin ‘hateraid’ but I have a different idea of punk music. I would have to say we are one of the few really punk bands on that comp. But like Tim from Rancid says, ”who am I to say who’s punk?’

Andrew: Yeah…we’ve gotten a record deal out of it

Q: Have you toured before and if so how does that balance with families?  Any touring plans coming up?  Want to go to any festivals? (Love to see you at Cornerstone!).

Andrew: No because 2/3rds of the band are too weeny to do it. No big deal though.

Marc: Have not toured yet. Would love to do some mini-touring on weekends, so in the process of getting shows set up.

Travis: I’m sure it would pull a little on my lovely wife and kids but they are behind me in my musical journeys. I’d love to do a Cornerstone Fest but I’m not sure if they are privy to the straight forward raw punk style. I guess if I was 18, grew my hair out in front of my face and we could write some Emo songs we might get an invite?

Saint Hooligan – “Spoil The Cynics”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: If you could assemble a tour package, who would be on it with Saint Hooligan?  Any bands you play with often right now?

Marc: Would love to play with Flatfoot 56, Dropkick Murphys, and The Rabble. The Nondenoms (local punk band) we have played with twice.

Travis: I love to be on tour with Rancid, Have Nots, The Nondenoms. That would cover veterans and newbies to the punk world. Hey bands, you can learn a lot from the dudes that have gone before us!

Andrew: The Nondenoms for sure

Q: Guest vocals seem to be a pretty big trend right now, who would you want to be guest on your next cd?  Whose cd would you want to be on?

Marc: I would want Matt Freeman from Rancid or Ken Casey from Dropkick to sing with me. It’d be cool to sing on Dropkick’s cd.

Travis: I would have to say Tim Armstrong (Rancid) and Matt Pruitt (Have Nots).  I would love to be on a CD with the Have Nots or The Hoax. A deep dark secret of mine is to sing a duet with Joan Jett

Andrew: C&B

Q: What do you see as the purpose for the band?

Marc: To go to the dark places and change the atmosphere by who we are and Who we carry in us. We are the same on and off the stage. We were called to the sick, not the well. We also want to build relationships with other bands and sow into them.

Travis: Yes, other bands are very important to me and the friendships with them.  I think as a band we have been sent in to destroy religious bullcrap that oozes from the pulpit and media. I’m not hopping on a soapbox here but you can check out Mark 7. I’ll have some bread.

Andrew: To reach as many people as possible.

Q: Where in the Bible do you draw inspiration from as a band?  Any favorite verses/stories that really hit home?

Marc: I draw inspiration from the honest rawness of David in the Psalms. Matthew 9:11, 12 is a verse we have discussed extensively as a band. Any of the stories of Jesus or the apostles reaching out to the dirty of the world hit home.

Travis: This may be a shock and my answer may get pulled on this but I don’t draw inspiration from the Bible per se. Now before all you Tim Tebow fans start chunking rocks at me listen first. To me it’s a daily relationship with my Papa that I draw inspiration from. God’s happy and He’s in a good mood! The constant conversation I have with Him drives me personally and musically. But if you have to have a scripture to make it official it would be Hebrews 12:29. (And yes, I do read my Bible)

Andrew: Romans 12:2

Q: Any bands that you’re currently listening to that we should know about?

Marc: The Rabble and the Street Dogs.

Travis: Have Nots, The Hoax, Big City Bombers and The JB Conspiracy (if you like ska)

Andrew: Nondenoms

Q: Tell us about the acoustic shows at coffee houses.  How are you received there?  Do you do those with mohawks up/same attire as playing a punk show?

Marc: We have been well-received at the coffee houses we played at. People like the acoustic versions. We go in whatever we feel like wearing that day.

Q: Tell us some crazy story about the band or a something that happened at a show?

Marc: Two years ago, since we were drummer-less at the time, Travis and I spent three months playing to a drum machine in his basement. I also hadn’t learned bass yet, so it was just Travis with his guitar, my singing, and the incessant drumloop. If you can live through that, your band can survive anything.

Andrew: Travis rubbed my leg

Travis: One of my favorite’s is being on the 11:00pm spot but not playing until 1:30am. People are torn up drunk by then so it makes for a very fun time. And about the leg thing…it was an accident!

So, some people may stumble upon a clip of us in the studio with a pentagram on the drums and I figure I better explain that before anyone jumps to conclusions.  We recorded this album at Jerk Music Productions in Burlington NC that my friend Cody owns. At the time our drummer didn’t really have a great set of drums that he wanted to record with so (site unseen) we used a studio set Jerk had. It just so happened to have a pentagram on the front of the head. I first did a double take when I saw it and my ‘Christian-ese’ slipped up on me. I thought, God, how is Andrew gonna play on these? Then I was prompted inside myself that this was nothing more than a symbol, just like a ‘fish’ on the back of a car, and it wasn’t any stronghold or demonized drum set. Andrew recorded and the cd was released and has been a success for us. The video was filmed just for studio footage to use later but Cody made it into a video and put it up on his YouTube site. There will be an official Spoil The Cynics video up on our site in a couple of months.

Q: What is one of your favorite cd’s that you’re embarrassed to admit you own (any/all band members)?

Marc: I have Monster Ballads. It’s a collection of  ’80s big-hair, arena-rock love songs.

Travis: Lionel Richie’s Greatest Hits…I love me some Lionel!!

Andrew: I am very proud of all the music that I own

Q: Any shout-outs you’d like to make?

Marc: Thank God for Pop-Tarts. Without them I wouldn’t have survived college.

Travis: SKA music – it still lives! My wifey and kids, sushi and PB&J. Dave from TPR..thanks for taking this behemoth on! Blahhhhh!

Andrew: Mom and Dad! And my C&B

UPDATE:  So in the process of us interviewing Saint Hooligan – unknown to us, they were signed by Thumper Punk Records.  The following questions are in regards to their signing with Thumper Punk Records.

Q: So, about the signing to Thumper Punk, how did this all come about, especially since Saint Hooligan is so geographically distant from the rest of the Thumper Punk family?  Any plans to get out to the West Coast and have label mates journey to the East?

Travis: Well I’d have to say it all comes down to us being featured on the “Punk Never Dies” comp. That’s the first place I think Dave ever heard us. He just sent a simple email saying “ Love your sound, keep it up.” From there I shot Dave (I shot Dave??) an email to see if there was any interest in us. Something happened and it never got to him or something. Couple months later, I found The Hoax online and was listening to them and saw they were signed to TPR. I sent another email to Dave and the rest is history. No plans yet…but it will happen.

Q: How does it feel to be described as a “behemoth” in the press release?  Any story behind that or is just good press?

Travis: The “behemoth.” Hahahaha! I love us being referred to as a behemoth. I believe that comes from the sound that is projected from a 3 piece punk band. The way we write, play and record is simple but produces a big sound. But I will say that we have good press too! (wink,wink)

Q: I’ve seen on your Fb page talk of more tunes, any recording plans coming up?  How about the sound, still straight-ahead punk or are you cashing in and aiming for clean vocals and multiple breakdowns? (ha).

Travis: Yes we have plans of getting in the studio soon. You know how pushy TPD (Thumper Punk Dave) is so he’s making us record more. I’m just kidding, he’s not like that at all. We have written more songs since our album release and we are ready to record so look out for a ‘re-release’ of the album with more songs. As for the sound it will still be Behemoth Hooligan punk sound with Marc’s clean-ish vocals and my gruffy ones. No multiple breakdowns because we’re not really good at “picking up change” or “windmills” and it’s hard to run in a circle pit with those but the new tunes will be a little more aggressive!

Q: Any thoughts about becoming a 4-piece?  Do you feel limited at all by being a 3-piece outfit?

Travis: Marc and I have kicked around the idea before but we seem to fit as a 3 piece. Plus it’s a lot easier to agree on and record with 3 folks than 4. Some of the limitations might be for Marc as he loves to be on the mic and be able to move around. But he’s a beast on the bass and does very well with our sound. It sometimes hinders me in writing solos because of one guitar but we not a hair band with 7 minutes solos so I’ll stick to my simple 4 bars.

Band: From The Eyes Of Servants
Music Style: Posi Hardcore/Punk
Hometown: Rockford, IL
Facebook

Q: Where and when did “From The Eyes of Servants” get it start? I had never even heard of you guys….are you fairly new to the scene?

A: Well actually FTEOS first started playing in 2009. They started out as a metalcore/breakdown core band along the lines of for the fallen dreams and Emmure. Eric and I didn’t join the band until April of this year. In April FTEOS lost their vocalist after having lost their bassist earlier in the year. Eric and I felt a clear calling to join the band and totally reinvent the style. From there we all wrote our self titled EP which is a style of music we all enjoy playing. So you could say that we are very new to this scene.

Q: What does everyone in the band do when they are not playing?

A: We all have our things to pass the time. Eric and I are work-aholics. He works temp jobs at factories and I work two jobs right now, one at Hot Topic and the other is for a company called the Prayer Letter Service. We send out letters for missionaries so it’s a lot of envelope stuffing. All of us enjoy hanging out with friends and family and playing video games. We try to work as much as we can while were home cause touring is not cheap! Although we have been very blessed in the past as far as making enough money for gas goes so we are very thankful for that.

Q: The whole Chicago area seems to be a hot-bed of hardcore and punk bands right now, did you guys play in any other bands that we might know about?

A: Chicago is definitely killin’ it right now! Eric and I come from a little known band called Milosny. We were a riff core band and we were actually the first band Joey from Red Cord ever signed. We were never really part of the Chicago hardcore scene though. It’s a hard scene to break in to. Having said that I don’t really consider FTEOS to be a part of that scene since we have never played Chicago and only 2 of us (Eric and I) are from Rockford IL which is an hour and a half away and not considered a suburb. I consider us a Midwest band. If we are playing anywhere in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, or South Dakota I consider that a home show. I hope to expand that territory with much more touring next year.

Q: From The Eyes of Servants is definitely a Christian band, you guys make no bones about it. What is the purpose of the band?

A: The purpose of our band is pretty simple. To bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to our generation and to everyone who needs to hear it. We are not looking to sell a ton of records or become famous. If being famous is what God has planned for us then let God’s will be done and let Him get all the Glory. If He wants us to keep playing small shows for 10 to 20 kids a night then that’s great too! I know God is gonna take care of us either way which is more than I can ask. God is so amazing and we are so blessed to be able to do what we do. The least we can do is give Him the glory!

Q: Where do you as a band get or receive most of your inspiration from in the bible?

A: One thing I love about the bible is how absolutely filled with inspiration and truth it is. You can read one passage a million times and learn something new each time. It’s incredible! It’s the Holy Spirit alive and at work in me and I love it. What I did for the songs on the EP is I Prayed for God to show me what to write about then basically opened up the bible and read through a book or so before I knew what to write about. I wrote the song Endeavor about stuff going on in my life. It’s about struggling with sin and being completely humbled by God’s grace. I knew I wanted to write a song about that so I prayed about it and opened up the Bible. I read through both Corinthians letters and afterwords I had what I needed to write the song. I am so blessed to be used by God for this.

Q: From The Eyes of Servants recently signed to Red Cord Records, what does that mean for the band?

A: Actually, believe it or not, FTEOS already released a full length record of the old style and old members on Red Cord Records. I believe they were the second band to sign to the label. That was back when Red Cord didn’t have a very big audience. Red cord has grown very much over the last year. Our self titled EP which was released in October was our first release of our reinvented sound and we are almost finished recording our first full length with this style. We are very excited to show people the record and we are glad to be part of the Red Cord Records family! The release date is still TBA right now but we will release some info soon!

Q: What style of music do you consider From The Eyes Of Servants, who has influenced you as a band. I think you guys sound a bit like early Take It Back!

A: Genres and styles of music are so relative these days I find it very hard to describe our music by style. If I had to say I would call us hardcore/punk. We definitely take a lot of influence from Take It Back as they are one of the staples of positive hardcore as I see it today. We also are very influenced by Comeback Kid because when Wake the Dead came out it was my favorite CD and it remains one of my favorites today.

Q: How does the hardcore scene accept From The Eyes of Servants? You guys seem really straight forward about your faith and the reason for the band, ever had bands or people hassle you about your beliefs?

A: We have been very accepted in every show that we have played so far. I am very surprised that we haven’t had more hecklers. I like to talk for a good part of our show and it’s cool to see the respect people have for it. We have definitely seen the Holy Spirit soften people’s heart to the gospel. It’s great to be able to do our part. If anyone reading this is in a Christian band and you are scared to talk about faith on stage I want to encourage you to speak out about it and don’t worry what people think of it. Even if they boo you off stage it doesn’t matter. If you are working for the Lord sometimes persecution will come but wouldn’t you rather be persecuted for doing the right thing than be accepted for doing the wrong thing?

Video of “Extrication” by From The Eyes Of Servants

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: Can we expect to From The Eyes of Servants hit the road and tour in the near future?

A: Definitely. We start touring again in January. We are doing a Midwest thing with Steady Hands. It’s going to be a lot of fun to hit up some of the places we have been over this past year. If anyone is from the Midwest you should come hang out with us for sure. Be on the lookout for tour dates to be up on Facebook very soon. we also have things in the works with Day of Vengeance and some Strike First bands. We don’t plan to stop touring any time soon after that.

Q: I think you have a new album that is due out shortly, care to share some information on that?

A: Yeah the new album is gonna be killer. We based it on the fact that we only have one guitarist now so some of the stuff is simpler. At the same time some of the stuff is a lot more complex. I think the new album is a lot more mature than the self titled EP. Its’ a lot of fun and I hope people like it. We just finished most of it. We have a few more things to record and then it will be ready to mix and master. Like I said earlier we don’t have a release date yet but keep checking our Facebook and we will keep everyone posted.

Q: What bands/music are you guys listening to currently, who should we check out?

A: If you haven’t heard it yet you should definitely check out La Disputes new CD. That is my jam right now. Also Close Your Eyes new CD is great. Check out Steady Hands too they are from my home town. They are about to release their first EP called “The Earth Will Eat Today” FOR FREE December 25th. Make sure to download that! It will be your new favorite.

Q: Tell us a funny story about the band or a show that was just plain crazy…

A: One crazy thing comes to mind that happened to us on the last tour we went on. We were in Florida with a week left on our tour. We were trying to get in touch with the venues for the rest of the tour and we realized most of the shows dropped except for one show in Kentucky the following weekend. At that point we were totally burnt out and we just wanted to go home but we didn’t have quite enough money to get there. We decided to cut our losses and just go home. We drove up to Franklin TN to stay at a friends house for the night and during that night I was really struggling with the decision to go home or to stay out for a week until our last show. I really felt like we should play the last show even though it was about 5 hours out of the way. The next morning we talked about it and decided we should try to stick around and play the last show. Our friends from TN were glad to have us for the week and they fed us and gave us our own apartment of the house. When we finally got to the show it was definitely one of the best shows of the whole tour. We made enough money to get home and had a great time. That kind of stuff just shows how faithful God is to His Word! If you are living for Him and doing His will He is gonna take care of you. Even if you don’t make enough money to get home and you have to go into your own pocket, as long as God is glorified you’ve done the right thing.

Q: What message do you want to share with the scene?

A: To the Christians in the hardcore scene: Stay in the Word! Keep praying daily and always grow in your faith. If you are sincere about your faith then Jesus will become more and more precious to you and you will want to become more and more like Him. Pray that the Holy Spirit guides you into situations where you can share your faith and trust Him to give you the words to say. I love all you guys and I will pray for you. Please pray for me and the rest of FTEOS. Pray that we might do exactly what God wants us to do and that we continue to grow in faith daily.

Q: Feel free to give shout-outs, share links, whatever! Thanks for the interview guys!

A: Check out these bands
facebook.com/steadyhandsband
facebook.com/forgerband
facebook.com/withincreasefl
facebook.com/conveyer
facebook.com/dayofvengeance
facebook.com/arkofthecovenant
all great bands and great friends of ours.

http://www.facebook.com/steadyhandsband

Band: ABSOLVED
Music Style: Good Ole’ Punk Rock
Home Town: The 805 Baby!
FACEBOOK REVERBNATION

Jimmy Sisco – lead vocals, guitars
Byron Brumit – bass

Q: Looks like there is quite a history with Absolved, two of the members go back quite a ways and quite a few bands,  give us a quick overview of how the band got started, when did you officially decide that Absolved was for real?

JIMMY: In 1999 or 2000, I was in a college class called “History of Christianity” in which Byron, our bassist, was also a student. For odd reasons I was wearing a straightedge t-shirt and Byron came up to me out of the blue and introduced himself and said that he worshipped Ian MacKaye. But I mean, who doesn’t? I had seen Byron around campus before but being the anti-social recluse that I have always been I never instigated any conversations even though he was clearly someone I could get along with amongst the multitude of assembly-line looking clowns that attended the college. Byron and I then started a band called “O.I.N.K”, a name which is totally Byron’s fault and stood for something my old brain cannot recall. We wrote some songs and practiced though we never had a drummer. Byron graduated leaving me all sad and alone but eventually around 2002 we tried the band thing again, this time coming up with the name Working Class. More songs were written (some of which we still use in Absolved today) but we still had no drummer. In hindsight, maybe we just should have done the Godflesh thing and used a drum machine to play live. Byron moved out of state and that was that. Then in 2007 he moved back and he and I decided to try one more time, but this time he enlisted a drummer whom he had played in a band with previously. So from 2007 till 2010 it was me, Byron, and Aaron. I think we always kinda felt this band was legit and that it was only a matter of time till we got some attention from others besides our own families who are kinda obligated to lie and tell us we are good. Last year we added a 2nd guitarist, Bob, who had also played in that previous band with Aaron and Byron. So basically I am the only member to proudly say that he has never ever played in any ska band. Thanks be to God.

BYRON: I saw this guy at Bible College with tats and a Straight Edge shirt.  We spoke and talked about the bands we liked.  Soon we were attempting to put something together.  The very first name of the band….OINK.  Problem was we could never seem to get the timing right, both in life and as well with actually having a drummer.  Fast fwd several years.  I had been living in Washington State and my Dad “Dirty” Jack became ill.  So I moved back to California to be closer to him.  This is when we decided it was time.  I approached Aaron Kelly who I had played with before and well here we are.

Q: What is the significance of the name Absolved?

JIMMY: When Working Class originally didn’t work out, I took 4 of the songs I had written for it and was going to put out an EP on my own and came up with the name Absolved as the moniker. When Byron and I decided to give this another whirl we realized that a few other bands had “working class” in their band name so we decided to go with “Absolved”. Being human, we all falter. The Old Testament is chock full of laws. According to the Talmud there are 613 laws to be exact. It’s impossible for anyone to truly follow so many, and hence people were reminded just how much we were incapable of keeping the divine standards. But thanks to what Christ did for us, we can be absolved of all wrong-doing through our faith in Him and our willingness to change and to be changed. The band name itself mirrors that sentiment, a sentiment that all of the members of the band hold fast to in our own ways.

BYRON: To me the significance is being free of the guilt that we carry as humans.  The hardest thing in life to do is to forgive yourself of your faults and let go. It’s hard to wrap your mind around the idea that a sacrifice was made so many years ago to restore our relationship with God.  Being absolved allows us to be free of the guilt and torment that would anchor us to our past.

Q: What does everyone in the band do when they are not playing?

JIMMY: I’m a school teacher, Byron is a bookkeeper I think, Aaron is an electrician, and Bob works at the airport.

BYRON: I work at a lumber company in Chino.  This takes up a decent part of my day.  When I get home I take Abby out for a walk (bulldog), and then it’s off to Azeroth, or working on something for the band.

Q: What bands have influenced the sound of Absolved (I hear a lot of punk influence, good punk!)?

JIMMY: The funny thing is that I am the band’s principal songwriter and I don’t even listen to that much punk! I grew up in the Bay Area and at a time when the thrash metal movement was blooming and so by nature I am a headbanger. If you listen to our songs, there is always a tinge of metal in there because of that. But at the same time, I was a huge fan of Suicidal Tendencies, Agnostic Front, Agent Orange, DRI, SOD, and other bands that incorporated punk AND metal, so in a way, it was the best of both worlds and in this band I try to do that with our songs as well. The other guys in the band are more punk than me, and so their playing styles and what not make the songs sound like what they have become. We have found a happy medium I guess. Vocally, I used to and still do listen to a lot of the youth crew and straightedge hardcore bands like Floorpunch, Youth of Today, Minor Threat, Better Than A Thousand, In My Eyes, Chain of Strength, and even modern representations like Bane and Have Heart, and I think my vocals have been influenced by all of that which of course lends itself to our old school sound.

BYRON: I grew up on Minor Threat, SOA, Black Flag, Dead Kennedy’s, Rancid, and Descendants….then moved to Officer Negative, Headnoise, and The Deal.  Basically if the bassline is fun I enjoy the band.

Q: You guys are pretty brazen about your faith, real in your face, how does that translate in the punk scene in California?

JIMMY: To be completely honest, I don’t think we really are that “in your face”. We really only have two, maybe three songs that are very explicit about our religious beliefs. But there isn’t a question of who we are and what we stand for, even if it’s not so explicitly stated lyrically. The punk scene is a funny thing: some of the new school kids are a bit more militant while the older guys who have been around for some time understand that there is more to life than “the scene”, and because of that they tend to listen to the music for music’s sake, not for the lyrics. However, no one wants something force fed to them, and if they do they are a sadist. Respect is a two-way street and we have never had any problems with anyone because we give the other bands and the show patrons the respect that they deserve and in turn we expect it back. Christian band or not, it’s just the right thing to do.

BYRON: I remember going into the Christian bookstore and seeing the crazy poster “If you like Metallica you will love Newsboys”. OK it wasn’t that bad but I felt as if there wasn’t the genre of music available to me that I enjoyed.  If I was not in ABSOLVED I would still listen to them no matter which side of the fence I was on.

Q: You guys are obviously a Christian band, where does the band draw most of its influences from in the bible?

JIMMY: My undergraduate major was in the Biblical Languages of Greek and Hebrew, and I have always had a deeper love and fascination with Old Testament studies. Our song “This One’s For The Survivors” even has some Hebrew lyrics in it. Not that the New Testament doesn’t, but the OT has a myriad of stories that are real, honest to goodness stories about heartache, pain, loss, and victory…the kind of stories that we all can relate to on an hourly basis. It shows mankind in its most susceptible state and how much it longed for the Messiah. Whenever I sit down to write one of our song’s lyrics, those types of things are on my mind. Let it also be known that the Song of Songs is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It’s no allegory, people! Three cheers for marriage!

BYRON: I am a Romans fan.  Ever since Mark Duzik’s class at Life Bible College I have been sold on Romans. I also enjoy Psalms, I mean honestly who hasn’t had issues in life and blamed God? I have been so mad at God in the past and then you realize wow, God is good and this is that little extra push we need to take it up to 11 and move forward with our lives.

Q: Did some of you guys serve in the Armed Forces?  Just curious, was listening to your new song Relentless Leathernecks.

JIMMY: I am the resident Veteran of the band. I put in six years in the United States Marine Corps serving as a Field Radio Operator in both artillery and infantry units. Some of the best years of my life. That song is about a famous World War I battle between the Marines and Germans in Belleau Wood, France where the Marines were vastly outnumbered and out gunned, but as we Marines do, we found a way to not only survive, but win. We have another song about the Marine Corps called “The Few And The Proud” which is on our now out of print and hopefully soon-to-be re-released self-titled debut album, also affectionately known as “the red album”.

Q: I am told that you guys have a quite a sense of humor, care to share any fun show hijinks with the general public?

BYRON: I will mostly let Jimmy take this.  Let me say that we all have great sense of humors. Bob and I go way back and seem to feed off each other. We do like to tease each other and I can only imagine that’s what it’s like with siblings who like each other.  Take it away Jimmy “the Tooth”…

JIMMY: I guess any band that writes songs about getting your annual physical and getting vasectomies shouldn’t be taken too seriously. We have an unreleased song too where there are no lyrics, just burps. I don’t know, I think too many bands take themselves too seriously. Must every band scowl at the camera for their official band pics? Scowl at the audience?  Scowl at one another? At themselves? Please. The tough guy posturing is always so laughable. Having been in the military and having a dad that runs with the 1%-ers, I know what tough is, and I see no need to bring that into our music or performances. As for hijinks, I believe that our other guitarist Bob has much incriminating evidence in his camera phone. He always has that dang thing on during band practices and what not. I can’t divulge most of our nonsense because I’ll have to 86 you if I do. There’s also some unfounded rumor that one of us dresses like a giant toothpaste tube and moshes to bands during their sets when we’re also on the bill. What a show of brazen disrespect! How dare he! As for any other behind the scenes pranks…like Dave Chappelle said, I plead da fif!

Q: You guys just played an awesome show at the Stronghold with some awesome bands (the Rekoning, The Way, and The Hoax) how was that show?

JIMMY: The show was a ton o’ fun. We finally got to meet some of our label mates and also our label Prez David Aaron for the first time, whom I’m going to call El Señor from now on. El Señor has put together a roster of bands that not only have the music in common, but also mesh so well personality-wise. So yah, ‘twas a fun evening. We’ve played with The Way several times and it’s always fun sharing the stage with them. And they always go on after us which is pretty cool cuz I spit on stage a lot so that means they get to step in it.

BYRON: It was one of my favorite shows.  I live in Santa Ana and commute to Ventura for band practice and gigs.  So to see my crew show up and heckle me and Jimmy (“Put the bag back on!”-Marcu). I mean, that simply made my night. All of the bands that played that night had good sets and had a blast. It felt like a time of worship, we laughed, and enjoyed the time we had together.

Q: So Absolved recently signed to Thumper Punk Records, congrats, what does this mean for the band?

JIMMY: Thanks, man. This means gold albums on the walls, having our CD on Target shelves, and artist riders that consist of a bowl of M&M’s sans the red ones. Other than that, I don’t really know. But with El Señor behind us we will be able to do some things we have yet been unable to do on our own, like, for instance, actually getting shows. It also means interviews like this and a chance to represent old school punk rock to people outside of our own families and our minuscule circle of friends.

BYRON: I hope it means I get a helicopter and my own dressing room and I can be snooty to people.  In all seriousness it means the world to me personally that someone would come behind what we have working on for the last five or so years.  As a band it means that we have confirmation that what we are doing is needed and that we can focus on writing music and obtain assistance for some of the other day to day items.

Q: Will you be releasing a new album on TPR?

JIMMY: We have plans on eventually re-releasing our out of print self-titled debut from 2010 on TPR early next year perhaps, and then around March 2012 our new full length will be released, also by TPR, God-willing.

BYRON: I told David that Bob and I need remote control helicopters.  Until then….we will just have to see.

Q: Tell us about the EP “This One Goes To Seven”  you guys have a pretty interesting thing you do with the album covers, can’t say that I have seen many bands do that in the past….

JIMMY: Yah, our new EP “This One Goes To Seven” is out now on TPR. First off, just the fact we have a Spinal Tap reference as our title means that everyone needs to purchase one of these pronto. The first run of 100 features hand-drawn covers that are drawn and colored by the band members themselves, and no two are alike. That was fun, but talk about tedium! I am constantly trying to think of things that haven’t been done before (or at least, not on a large popular scale) and this was one of those ideas. We have some other witty ideas but I won’t divulge those so that we can use em for future projects and so that bands like The Way won’t steal our insanely rad ideas.

BYRON: I can honestly say I don’t know where this idea came from.  However, I like the idea behind it.  We had 100 copies of the E.P. printed.  Divided up 25 covers per band member and then proceeded to draw each cover by hand.  Bob and I still have five blanks we need to finish, well, I have four. David @ TPR has requested a special item and I shall deliver.

Q: What can we expect from Absolved, will you guys be touring or hitting any of the festivals?

JIMMY: We envision more shows in 2012 than all previous years combined, so that’ll be rad. As for touring, that probably won’t happen for some time if at all. Being that three of us are married with children and we all have full times jobs, that makes it difficult to make any type of touring plans. But we’d love to play some West Coast fests for sure. But who knows. If Rancid comes calling, we’re hittin the road.

BYRON: I am not just a pretty boy who plays bass in a punk band. I work at a lumber yard in Chino by day. This keeps me pretty busy. I would love to go out for a bit this summer. I really want to play Cornerstone.  I really just want to meet more people, to hear their stories and build memories.

Q: What bands should we check out, who have you guys been listening too?

JIMMY: Truth be told, I don’t really listen to any modern music in the punk or metal scenes. Way too over-produced and most of it doesn’t even sound like punk or metal to me. But from what I have listened to, our TPR label mates have some pretty cool and original sounds in their music so check them all out. I’ve been listening to the final Strongarm CD “Advent Of A Miracle” a lot lately. That came out over a decade ago and it still holds a passion and intensity that really none of the bands in the Christian scene today can match. The lyrics are beautifully crafted and well-worded and the music is awesome. They didn’t rely on a lot of the power chords and chord structures that so many hardcore and punks bands use, instead employing a lot of almost-solo type playing throughout each song. That band was amazing. On the more modern tip, I was a huge fan of xDISCIPLEx AD. Their most recent incarnation, Jesus Wept, is really very very good too. I think they have two albums out and both are outstanding. I was also a huge fan of the early Facedown Records releases long before the label branched into the Hot Topic trendy metalcore territory. However, as far as heavy Christian music goes, my staunch belief is that Vengeance Rising’s “Human Sacrifice” is easily the best of the best. That came out in 1989 I think. It rivals any mainstream metal album in terms of its power, aggressiveness, skill level, and overall sound. The great, classic Christian band Undercover had an album called “Branded” which is also simply one of the greatest Christian albums of all time of any genre. Haven’t stopped listening to it since it came out in 1986 or so. The honesty and power of it is still unparalleled, except maybe by LSU’s “Shaded Pain”, which is itself a classic album too. “When You’re A Rebel” by the Altar Boys is also a longtime fave of mine and their follow-up to it, “Gut Level Music”, is fantastic. Funny how all those last few albums I mentioned all came out at around the same time…late 80’s-ish. What an era in Christian music! And man, how I’d love to collab with Ojo Taylor, Mike Stand, and/or Micheal Knott one day. Geniuses.

BYRON: I have been stuck on THROUGH IT ALL.  I saw them several years ago at the Showcase. They had a Christ centered message and basically did for me in the Christian realm what Minor Threat did for me growing up.  They gave me something to look forward to.  You have a mic, stage, and a responsibility to share some insight, don’t blow it.for a bit this summer. I really want to play Cornerstone.  I really just want to meet more people, to hear their stories and build memories.

Absolved – “Relentless Leathernecks”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: What message do you want to give to the punk scene?

JIMMY: To the nu jacks in the scene, don’t forget where your roots are. If it weren’t for bands like ST or Dead Kennedys or Agnostic Front or Rancid or Iggy & The Stooges…or individuals like Ian MacKaye or Henry Rollins or Jello Biafra or Ray Cappo or Roger Miret, there would be no punk rock or hardcore as we know it today. To the old geezers like us still in the scene, keep reppin. To the whole scene, stay real. Punk has always been a genre that prided itself on confronting the status quo, and somehow the scene got hijacked by corporate entities and became what it is today. Let’s take it back. Death to pop punk (sorry Bob)!

BYRON: Go beyond the image and the outward appearance.  If you don’t like something seek a way to change it.  No need to sit back and critique things if you are not willing to stand up and fight for what you believe.

Q: Feel free to give some shout-outs, drop links, etc, thanks for the interview!

BYRON: Thank you so much for the opportunity to do this interview. I strongly encourage you to check out the bands on Thumper Punk Record. Thanks to Dusty at Caustic Fallout who created an awesome page for us. A very big thanks to David Aaron @ TPR who is one of the nicest guys I have ever met.  Check out Absolved on Facebook.

JIMMY: Yah…peace to El Señor David Aaron, peace to our 805 homies The Way, peace to the other TPR bands, peace to the venues, labels, and promoters that still support and cater to the underground punk scene, peace to our brothers and sisters in uniform who protect our freedom, and peace to everyone that has given Absolved a chance. Now your soul is ours. Flawless victory. You can send hate mail to jrsisco22@hotmail.com and you can harass us at facebook.com/absolvedband, reverbnation.com/absolved, absolved.bandcamp.com, and on thumperpunkrecords.com.

OH, and, you can pick up Grave Robber’s new album “You’re All Gonna Die” at Rottweiler Records for $10.99 (worth every penny)!

Band: Grave Robber
Music Style: Punk
Location: The local crypt
Facebook Reverbnation

Questions for Shawn of Rottweiler Records

Q: Can you give a little time-line about starting up Rottweiler Records? When did the idea first come up, was anyone else involved?

A: Basically, I started the label alone when Grave Robber had left Retroactive and had also ended a business relationship with Hairball 8 Records. I was kinda bummed about our situation on tour with no label and no new product out, so I was just seeking God’s will.  Was it time to call it quits?  Suddenly, I realized that everything I needed to launch a label was right in front of my face!

Q: What about the name?

A: Rottweilers are seen as vicious attack dogs when in reality most of them are sweethearts.  I own a very intimidating Rottweiler named Vader.  He’s a wonderful, loyal, gentle, protective dog who loves my family and will go to any length to be close to us.  He’s already shown he will do whatever he can to protect us, too.  It’s just an amazing illustration of how God operates around a family, too.  I’ve been very conscious about the Rottweiler roster being a family, too.  I sorta feel like I don’t “sign” bands, I adopt them into a family that works together to promote each other and do kingdom business.

Q: What’s the experience of running a label been like so far?

A: It has its struggles, but anything worth doing does.

Q: Have there been any big surprises?

A: Yeah, I was surprised at how the market took a huge dump just as Rottweiler was launching.  I knew it was getting bad, but I didn’t realize how bad! Much harder than I expected.

Q: Has there been anyone who’s been able and willing to give you advice?

A: Jason Dunn from Facedown has just been awesome with some pretty invaluable advice!  So has Matt Hunt from Retroactive and Ryan Davis from Hairball 8.  Regardless of ending business relationships, we are still very good friends.  They’ve all said I could count on them for advice or any help they are able to give.  That’s just how it is when you are all ultimately on the same team!  We are all family!

Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge you’ve experienced so far with the label?

A: Money of course!  There’s so much I want to do to get bands bigger exposure, but it requires money. Money comes from fan support.  It’s only been less than a year, so I’m still optimistic.

Q: What direction do you see the label going in the future, what types of bands would be a good fit?

A: I foresee us always being a punk, metal, hardcore, goth, etc label.  Basically bands who don’t fit into what’s popular, yet have a powerful presentation and a desire to minister.  I am only interested in ministry bands who don’t sound “Christian”.

Q: Where do you see the music industry headed?  More digital? Digital only?, Vinyl, cassette?

A: Digital for sure. People like their entire music collection in their pockets.  I love vinyl and would like to see that become more viable, but for now it’s still kitschy and mainly for collectors or people who never grew out of their vinyl collections, like me.  If I were able to, I’d skip CDs and sell vinyl with download cards inside.  I understand how people love their CDs, though.  It’ll be interesting in the next 5-10 years.

Q: How do see being a Christian impacting the business side of things with the label (any specific scripture you’d like to call out?)?

A: It’s everything.  I won’t lie to an artist.  I operate on biblical principals and approach every business decision through a lens of morality, not greed.  Proverbs 11:1 says “The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.”  I run Rottweiler Records as if Jesus himself were standing next to me, because He is with me!  If I run things accurately and with scruples, The Lord will delight in my efforts as is clear in Proverbs 11:1.  Bottom line I want to hear my Father say “well done”.

Q: Signing Soul Embraced is quite a feat for a label that is just getting started, can you tell us how that came about?  What’s it like to work with those guys who are definitely veterans of the scene?

A: That was crazy!!  I saw Rocky Gray on Facebook and asked him to check out Behold The Kingdom in the hopes he could produce them, tour with them, give an endorsement of them, or whatever.  He came back moments later and said, “You have a label?  Do you want to put out the next Soul Embraced CD?”  I was in shock!  Rocky is the real deal.  Great guy, great heart and makes great metal!  You really can’t get much better.  I can’t wait to get this CD out!

Q: There’s been quite a bit of internet traffic/comments (perhaps even gossip?) about bands using the “Christian” label as simply a marketing ploy to get their foot in the door and then stating publicly in interviews that they never were a “Christian” band or even share the beliefs.  Thoughts on this?

A: To be frank, I think that’s crap.  The good thing is that in most cases when bands announce they never were Christians, that’s the swansong of their careers. No one likes a fake. Fake Christians are just as appalling to Christians as to non-believers.  Most non-believers won’t have anything to do with those bands because they lied to their own people they claimed to be a part of.  It’s a lose/lose situation for them because they are exposed as the charlatans they are.  I do however think there are several ways to minister.  One is being bold, and in your face, the other is to witness through lifestyle and relationships.  I’ve gone back and forth over the years, but I’ve come to realize there’s room for both approaches and I respect both.  As long as Christ followers across the board realize our commission to do ministry, works, and evangelism that is the outcome of our faith, I’m good!

Q: Anything else you’d like to add/mention?

A: Go like the Rottweiler Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rottweilerrecords After you do that, make sure you check out the bands on our roster thus far:  Soul Embraced, Every Knees Shall Bow, FBS, Behold The Kingdom, and Grave Robber.  Oh yeah, also check out the Rottweiler Records online store at www.rottweilerrecords.bigcartel.com

Questions for Wretched of Grave Robber

Q: Going back to the beginning, how did Grave Robber come together?

A: In 2003, three of the original members, myself included, were sitting in church while out pastor talked about Romans 6. Y’know?  Being dead and all.  We of course were completely immature and giggling about us being zombies because we are to consider ourselves dead.  Immediately afterwards, we took communion, so here we are alive, yet dead and symbolically eating flesh and drinking blood. On top of that, we were all fans of The Misfits and we all wished there was a Christian band that sounded like them.  After 2 years of prayer, voila, 2005 and our first rehearsal.  The original lineup was Wretched, Carcass, De Muerte, Maggot and Nameless and the first song done was I, Zombie.

Q: Describe the songwriting process for GR.  Do you start with a title, topic, riff, chorus, other?  Does it involve going through catalogs of old horror flicks (kidding)?

A: All of the above.  Seriously.  Usually, it starts with a topic, but sometimes inspiration comes when ya least expect it. It’s funny how movie titles seem to lend themselves to spiritual subjects.

Q: “You’re All Gonna Die” comes out soon (available now on iTunes and CDbaby) and is the first CD with the addition of Grim on guitar.  How has that changed the dynamic in GR both live and in the studio?

A: Well, obviously, we sound thicker and bigger.  It’s nice because we can pull off some guitar parts live that we couldn’t before.  Plus it’s more energy live.  Grim is just someone we all felt we didn’t want to NOT have in the band.

Q: What’s it like being on Rottweiler Records?  I hear the guy that runs the label is a genius but can be a bit of pain to work with (or is that unfounded rumor?)

A: He’s the worst.  He’s a perfectionist and very demanding.  It’s kinda weird because he’s only demanding of me.  Out of everyone on the label, he treats me the worst.  What a jerk.

Q: The last couple of years at the Cornerstone Festival, there’s been a showcase-type GR show that has gotten more elaborate each year.  Do you see this trend continuing?  Will it

Our good friend Micah from The Legacy Stage

eventually involve platform boots and fire breathing or maybe a guillotine?

A: Without a doubt!  we are always trying to outdo ourselves. . .  and Flatfoot 56!

Q: Speaking of Cornerstone, I’ve heard various reports about a big, bald-headed tattoo’d guy with an OT name that harasses you at Cstone?  Any truth to those reports?  Anythingyou’d like to say about this?

A: If you are talking about Micah, yeah he’s a pain in our decaying rumps.

Q: When thinking about how GR is received by audiences, do you see a marked difference between the reception in Christian venues versus secular ones?

A: Yes, Christian ones are more critical!!  haha!!  No, just kidding.  Actually, we seriously don’t focus on that, we just do our thing and let the audience digest it all.  Christian audiences usually have more of a preconceived idea about what Grave Robber does, but we have never once had a situation where we weren’t able to win over an audience.  No matter how big or small.  We just know we have the power of The Reanimator with us and in us, so that’s what we focus on!

Q: What has been the wildest thing you’ve seen/been part of at a GR show?

A: We play lots of secular clubs and bars. . .  I don’t think it’d be appropriate to talk about the wildest thing that’s ever happened!!  Crazy stuff always happens at Grave Robber shows.  Stuff like equipment malfunctions, p.a. going down, people showing up in corpse paint, youth pastors showing up to talk to us about not leading kids astray, satanists being afraid to talk to us, bar owners showing porn on their tvs during our sets, burlesque shows being scheduled right before we go on, drugs and alcohol being present and available.  I mean, you name it, we’ve dealt with it head on.  You know what though, there’s nothing new here.  Nothing we’ve never faced.  Nothing new under the sun.  We aren’t surprised when the world acts like the world.  Again, we know who we are in Christ and we face it head on with the authority He gives us!!

Q: If you were setting up your ideal tour, what bands would you hit the road with and where would you like to play?

A: Rottweiler Records family bands for sure.  If you are talking my ideal dream tour, it would be Alice Cooper headlining, then Megadeth, then W.A.S.P., then Grave Robber opening the show.  All Christian artists!! And, speaking of tours, we are going out with Behold The Kingdom right after Thanksgiving!

Intro from Midnight Show at Cornerstone 2011 and “Fear No Evil”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Q: GR blends well with both punk and metal audiences, do you see any difference in how GR is received, both musically and with the message?

A: Not so much genre-wise.  Punk purists are always gonna whine just as much as metal purists.  We glean from both, so people either like what we do or they don’t.  To some metal guys we aren’t heavy enough, for some punk guys we are too metal.  By and large the overwhelming majority seems to like the combination.

Q: Getting to the message, what is your favorite scripture reference?  Favorite OT character?

A: Romans 7:24 for obvious reasons.  (Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ESV) My favorite OT character would be The Spirit Of The Lord.  Does that count?

Q: What do you see as the overriding message or mission of GR?

A: All human beings are all created for the purpose of rising from the dead so that we can die. . .  to ourselves.  We can find real life in The Truth.  Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add/mention?

A: Visit us online at www.facebook.com/graverobberpunk

10.  Because True Liberty has the coolest touring van on the face of the earth (Lady Liberty – even has a PA system to shoo pesky drivers out of the left lane)

9.  This is the only job that Allen Bays can keep (he is the bass player)

8.  Aaron Liberty does not want to go back to prison

7.  Listening to True Liberty and moshing to their music is way better than rubbing green crisco on other men

6.  Because Micah Gideon says so…..

5.  If you don’t support the band, they promise to become a crappy metalcore/screamo band

4.  Because the band needs and excuse to have green and red mohawks

3.  Your money is better spent supporting True Liberty than buying that These Hearts album you so badly want

2.  Because Cornerstone Festival would be boring…..

1.  And if you don’t support True Liberty, you don’t like America and the terrorists win….

So, I emplore you brothers and sisters, give a few bucks so that we can hear what these guys have in store for us!