hen you watch a band tour constantly for 11 years turning themselves into, whether consciously or unconsciously, giants in the scene, you perceive them in a certain way. When you look at a band who were writing music and playing shows before you even attended your first, you build up an image of that band in your mind, a fear, a sort of respect, but mostly a picture of them being waited on, only stepping off of their massive tour bus to grace the stage and then return again to pure luxury. Kings of sorts.
As I talked on the phone to Thrice front-man Dustin Kensrue, and as he dodged a Boston aquarium waterfall and screaming children while juggling the duties of dad and husband and being on the road, a lot of that stigma began to fall off, and what remained was a new found respect for a man that understands what is important in life, who has walked the block a few times, full of the wisdom gained from that, not hidden on some imagined tour bus heaven. He was real and he was honest, bearing his emotions, the bands’ victories, and their short-comings-And it is healthy. At first I was afraid to have my bubble burst, but when you can see one of your favorite bands in this new light you can connect with them... or finally allow them to connect with you. They succeed, they fail, they take their kids to the aquarium. They are you and me. Meet Thrice.
First off, with this new album Beggars Thrice seems to be heading in yet another direction. Can you tell us a little bit about what went into making this album and some goals that you had with these songs?
Dustin Kensrue: The big thing with a lot of it was us getting back into the studio and not having a big goal or real direction. We just started playing kind of unconsciously. It was less directed. We weren’t trying to make Air or Water or whatever. We just started playing together and they all started to have a certain gritty quality. It’s just a little more natural.
How did you feel when the album leaked, and so early? Is that something that you guys take seriously or is it a bit of a compliment that fans wanted the new material so badly?
DK: No, it definitely wasn’t a compliment. The guy stole it and it was pretty malicious. It wasn’t just that it came on the Internet early it was that someone stole it before we even had copies of it. It’s frustrating. I have no problem with people hearing it early and I think a ton of those people are big enough fans to realize that its extremely helpful to a band to go out and buy the record and support them in that way.
The jump that Thrice made from Vheissu to The Alchemy Indexes was quite a leap. What happened in between those two albums that you feel like contributed to the drastic change and where you see Thrice as a band now.
DK: I don’t really see a big change there other than just choosing to make that record the way we did. I think the bigger change was between Artist and Vheissu. But I think that there is a large sonic difference because The Alchemy Index was planned out and came from these different kinds of places. It really had to do with the content itself.
I remember speaking briefly with you earlier this year about your loyal fan base and how that may have changed when The Indexes came out. Do you feel like you alienated some fans with those songs? How did that affect Thrice personally and your writing for the next album?
DK: We’ve been alienating people for five or six records now (laughs). I think Vheissu was kind of the biggest place where people were really weirded out or bummed out and I think most of the fans who stuck on past there were just big fans of the band itself and music in general, not just one sound. When Alchemy came out the response was much better initially than Vheissu because I think people were expecting this band to do what they want, they are trying to do something different and exciting to them and they were going to check it out and listen to it for what it is and not for what they want it to be. And I think with Beggars, it was a better initial response than either of the past two records. We’re really happy with it and it seems like other people are too.
Do you feel like your evolution as a band into some different waters has been natural over time? Or do you feel like changing fads, listener expectations and tastes play a part?
DK: I think it’s pretty clear that we’re not writing for what people will enjoy (laughs). I think that it’s never been something we’ve particularly thought about. I think that it’s something in the back of your head at points in any one’s career. But I feel like the past three records we’ve pretty much eliminated any of those back of the head thoughts. We just do what we want and that’s the only reason we’re still making music. We’re satisfied in trying to create something that’s exciting to us. It would be dishonest toward ourselves and our fans to do anything else.
Why did you want to shoot for a more raw organic feel on this record?
DK: The tones are all very different too aside from just the vibe of the playing. I think there is kind of an arms race of sound and the way records are made these days…you know super compressed, or the loudest or perfectly in time but it just starts sounding not like people playing music anymore but for some reason that’s what sells. It takes the person out of the equation. We just had had our fill on being on the fringes of that and we were excited to make a record that just sounded like people playing instruments and it’s raw and it’s not all perfect. Music’s not about perfection, especially rock music, it’s about a feeling, a vibe and energy. So we wanted to make sure that was kept.
You stated on your website that Beggars is largely centered around the idea of what we don’t see as gifts given to us and that our circumstances are beyond our control. Can you expand on this idea?
DK: Not the whole record but the song Beggars especially is the idea that, especially in Western society and America in general, we look around and say look what I’ve accomplished, look what I’ve done, look at how I’ve succeeded. The flip side of that is looking down on people who are in worse circumstances for whatever reason. I think there’s a blindness there too to the amount of things that are out of our control; where we were born, who our parents are, what natural talents we have, our intellect-just so many things that you have no control over. You can build on your gifts, you can build on things that are given to you and that’s great but at the core of it we need to take a step back and see where all the roots of this come from. I would argue that whether you believe there’s a god that has given them to you or you think its blind chance, I think that’s something you need to wrestle with. It changes your perspective on your own accomplishments and your own life and then also for other people, I think it can give you a great look into those circumstances.
A lot of your lyrics come from a very spiritual place. Can you talk to us a bit about what role your faith plays in your life as well as in Thrice?
DK: I’m a Christian and I say my relationship or whatever you want to call it is central to where everything in my life flows from that, or at least ideally it does. That affects the kind of husband I am, the kind of dad I am, the kind of friend I am and the kind of person I am in this band. That’s not to say that I’m perfect in any of those ways but that’s where everything flows from. I think that even if someone doesn’t realize it, everyone has a world view that dictates how they see everything and for me that’s my world view. It greatly affects how I write music and the things I choose to write about but I don’t approach music as a way to try to change people’s minds about various things. I try to write about things I care about and naturally the things that are close to my heart are going to come through in the music. I think that any good art is honest art and for me to do this any different would be any dishonest. In the same way as me trying to write music that people might like or what I think they might like or write lyrics that are so bland that they won’t offend anyone but I’d rather write things that are engaging whether you agree with them or not. I think there is definitely a need for that. I think there could be more tolerance for discussion there. Real tolerance is disagreeing with people but accepting them as equal and being able to dialogue. I think tolerance has been distorted in modern uses; it’s come to mean that you’re not supposed to disagree about anything but that’s not it. It’s that you think you’re right about something but you tolerate other views and I think that’s healthy for growth. I listen to bands coming from all different places and I’m intrigued with what they think about things and I hope that the reverse it’s true as well.
Since Thrice is a band that is constantly changing and evolving, where do you see yourselves doing this for the next 10-20 years?
DK: (laughs) Man, I have no idea. I didn’t know I’d be in a band for eleven years. It’s been a really cool journey and something I never planned on in the beginning so I’m very open to playing another twenty years and I’m very open to stopping next year if that’s what happens. I don’t worry about it too much. Its gone on just naturally so far. We never had big plans or anything. We just make a record, tour, make a record, tour.
us (laughs)."
Looking back at your old albums now and seeing how much you have changed do you cringe a bit or do you just see it as that’s what was on your heart at the time and you’re still proud to have done it?
DK: There’s cringing but there’s also looking back in fondness and even being proud of certain things for what they were at the time. We talk about it as a snapshot idea sometimes like if you ever look back at a picture of yourself ten years later there’s some nostalgia but also comes cringing like “oh look at that hair” because styles change. I think now though, we strive to create something that is more timeless and better than what we did in the past, something that will stand up over time. The reason that we don’t play a lot of old stuff is there’s a fair amount of new things that probably provide more nostalgia for other people than for us (laughs). We try to mix it up as much as we can but the other main reason we don’t play older stuff is that as we get more and more songs it’s hard to fit things in and make the set flow as nicely as possible without jumping back and forth between time periods.
That being said, who influences you now?
DK: I don’t think any of us could point to a band that is actively influential. We just listen to a ton of different music. Usually our demo process is like writing little things that pop into our heads. Everyone has their own demo style too. I usually come with full songs.
Tell us a bit about your current tour.
DK: We’re out with Brand New but that ends on Saturday. We’ll be heading back west fairly quickly just covering some ground and playing some shows in California. It’s a really brief run on the way back. The market is really clustered touring wise right now so we’ll be hitting the west coast then heading out again in the spring.
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our favorite band lists them as one of their biggest influences. If you feel like that is a blanket statement then do some research and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Rising in the 90’s, Living Sacrifice is back to do it again. During preperation to drop a new album on us, lead man Bruce Fitzhugh took some time to talk to us about the past and present of Living Sacrifice, the new record and whether or not they are here to stay.
Talk to us about the reasons for your break up in 2002 and then your decision to return to it in 2008.
Bruce Fitzhugh: Initially, I talked to the guys about really not being able to go out on the road anymore just because we weren’t making a decent living at it and we all had families. We were basically all in the same position and also it was kind of starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth where I didn’t have the right attitude about touring or playing or whatever. So I talked to them about that and we had a new record coming out so I pretty much knew we were just going to do limited touring and festivals and that was going to be it. For a brief time Lance wanted to keep the band going and get a new singer. Cory from Norma Jean was going to sing for the band. That didn’t work out that well, not because of him, but mainly because of other issues within the band. There was family stuff that came up and it was one thing after another so it felt a little more reasonable for us to kind of lay everything down for awhile and call it quits. At the time I wasn’t really thinking I’d ever want to do it again. I had other ideas for music and things like that but then I got more involved in the business side of things over the last several years and I haven’t been playing music at all.
So what was the turning point where you all decided to rejoin?
BF: Because I was away from it for awhile it helped me clear my attitude about it and allow me to come at it with a different perspective. For awhile, that’s all we did to make a living-it was our job and we were dependent on playing shows and touring. If we didn’t go out on the road we didn’t make money and having two small children at home-that gets tough after awhile. I guess the change for me was that I had established myself in this other business so my income is not determined by the band anymore. Because of that, I feel like I can come at it out of the love and passion for the music rather than us having to go on the road to make money. That, and everyone was available. Rocky had joined Evanescence and then quit. Lance was available and so was Arthur. That’s really what made the most sense, we were available and we could devote time to it.
What did you do with your time off? What was it like going from being completely immersed in the band to just being at home?
BF: I was so busy starting this other business that I didn’t notice it as much. I have a merchandising company called Zambooie.com which I started with two other partners and I put a lot of time into that. I also moved from Little Rock to Nashville so I was just really busy. Since that is doing what it’s doing now, creatively, I just started feeling like I wanted to make music again. It made the most sense to do it with these guys because they’re amazing musicians. I couldn’t really see myself in another situation.
I caught you guys on tour with Demon Hunter and personally, I was blown away. What has the general reaction been so far?
BF: That whole tour was amazing and I think it was just the right fan base to go back out and also fans of our band were stoked to see both us and Demon Hunter. They were probably already fans of them. I think Demon Hunter fans are fans of our style and our sound. I felt like it was great. Pretty much every night we were being asked for an encore. There may have been one or two nights out of the tour where that wasn’t the case but just judging by that I feel like it went really well. A lot of people had never heard us and we had people come up to us on that tour that had becomes fans of our band since we’d broken up saying “Man, we just got into you guys a few years ago and I never thought I’d see you play live”. It was a lot of that kind of thing but people who did know who we are really liked the new stuff.
What do you see as the biggest change in the metal scene since you were last immersed in it?
BF: Oh golly, there’s a ton. There are so many big bands now. When we left the label we were the biggest band on Solid State, we were the main band. Since then, bands like Demon Hunter, Norma Jean and Underoath have just blown up way bigger than we ever were, sold way more records and created huge fan bases. I think metal in general really had a surge starting around 2003 because you have bands like Killswitch Engage going gold in that time period and things like that. That was unheard of. There were no huge metal bands at the time other than like Hatebreed or Metallica or Slayer or something like that but for mid level tier bands, there was nothing like that. There was no Unearth, they were around but nobody was selling records like they are now-As I Lay Dying completely blew up. We quit right around 2003 when there was no such thing as MySpace or iTunes so yeah everything has changed pretty crazily since that time. MySpace might have been around but it was very young but bands weren’t using it like they are now.
Talk to us a bit about how it was getting back into the studio with these guys after taking a break for a few years? Did things just automatically click back into place or did you have to work at it?
BF: Everything clicked totally. When we started pre-production we were kind of a bit limited by time as Rocky was still on the road but Lance and I had a lot of songs we had been working on together. He came in a week or two before we went into the studio and we wrote five or six more songs so we were really able to pick and choose what we liked. It’s interesting, we all have a certain style of things that we put together on our own but when we get in a room together things just come out a certain way and have a certain sound, it sounds like us. I thought it was great mainly because we were able to do so much in such a short amount of time. The ideas were there but when it came down to it there were still a lot of songs that had to be worked out before our studio time was to start. It came together well. Even in the studio we continue to change the songs and tweak what needs to be.
What do you feel you did differently on this new record? Did you try to follow some new trends or stick closely to your roots?
BF: We pretty much stuck to what we know. I don’t listen to a lot of newer stuff. If I listen to metal I listen to older metal like stuff I grew up on. It’s great that bands appreciate us but it’s not stuff I go out of my way to listen to. That’s not to say its not good, there a lot of great bands and great musicians out there. Everybody has a specific time period where they grew up and music really impacted them in a major way and for most of us that kind of wanes a little bit later on in life. You have other things that are important to you in life like family or whatever. I’ve kind of heard what’s out there so when a band comes a long that is doing something completely mind boggling and innovative, I can hear exactly where their influences are coming from and I just prefer the old stuff (laughs). All that to say that we really didn’t approach this with any preconceptions other than “Hey this is going to be a heavy album, this is going to be a brutal album”. We’re not worried about any type of audience; we just wanted to put out something that is devastatingly heavy within our style. We’re not going to jump on any kind of bandwagon or anything like that. It sounds like us but probably the heavier elements of Living Sacrifice. I will say this; there is definitely more a thrash feel to this record than the last two.
How do you feel when you hear people say that Living Sacrifice are pioneers? That you paved the way for huge acts like Underoath and As I Lay Dying?
BF: Just honored. I’ve known both of those bands for years when they were playing really small clubs and they’re all great dudes. For those guys to say those types of things is an honor and really kind. If that’s what we were there for, then that’s awesome.
That being said, what do you think of the idea of “Christian” bands crossing over into the secular realm? Or do you think that there is no need for that distinction?
BF: I think it’s really great. It’s really the only way a lot of these bands can do as well as they do. If you look at the album sales of some of these guys, its not all Christian metal people buying these records, its everybody that likes metal or heavy music like Underoath. Without that cross over I think a lot of these bands would be more limited like we were because our fan base then and probably now. We definitely had respect in the general market but the majority of our fans definitely identified with us, not only because of our music but because of our faith. As far as the distinction, every band is different and has their own label that they accept or don’t accept.
Upon the January release of your new album, The Infinite Order, what will the future hold for Living Sacrifice? Are you guys here to stay?
BF: Yeah we are! We plan to play some shows here and there as much as we can. There should be a short tour not long after the record comes out then we’ll be putting out another record sometime in 2011. After feeling like this record came out so well and really enjoying it, I want to keep writing songs and coming out with new things and hopefully what we did and what we do was missing in the market out there. People will either hear it for the first time with fresh ears because they’re young and they’ve never heard our style of metal before or they’ll hear it and remember when bands sounded like this. I’m not saying we’re super dated or anything but since 2002 when we left the scene metal or metal core, whatever you want to call is just very different.
For sure, and I know you guys have been so influential in this scene and I think we’ll see a resurgence of that after this release.
BF: That’d be awesome. There are some people out there doing something along these lines like Impending Doom.
The new Living Sacrifice album The Infinite Order is set to release on the 26th of January, so get set and be sure to get out and grab yourself a copy.
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es, we realize that summer is far from near but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some sunshine inducing tunes while you’re cuddling up around the fire. In fact, pop on QU, the latest from MySpace favorites Sherwood. The California boys are back with their second full length release and the smiles just keep on coming. Often compared to The Beach Boys, Sherwood can’t help but turn out pop gem after pop gem-this record has it all. We talked with drummer Joe Greenetz just weeks after the album’s release to get his take on how Sherwood came to be your new favorite band.
We just wanted to get a little background info first. Tell us a little about how you came to be on MySpace Records?
Joe Greenetz: It was kind of a bizarre story. One day in 2006 we got a message from Tom Anderson, the founder of MySpace and basically it said “Hey I’m starting a label and your profile says you’re unsigned, is that true?” And we were like “Uh is this a joke?” It turned out it wasn’t a joke and he had heard of our band and really liked us and wanted to sign us to the label he was just starting. We were one of the first artists signed. It’s been a great relationship. MySpace has evolved a lot over the last couple of years, they have changed their focus a lot but MySpace Records has been consistently a great location for us. The staff is great, they are very knowledgeable and experienced. They have a lot of support from MySpace corporate as it is a profitable business. Its been great for us.
Now did they bring in people that were already label savvy or are they just learning as they go?
JG: Tom hired a bunch of people who had years and years of industry experience at other labels and brought them all under MySpace Records.
of the songs."
What were some of the influences that went into this record and the meaning behind the name QU?
JG: Some of the influences that went into the new record...Oh man. We as musicians and as people have a really wide variety of music that we’re into so everyone brings something different. Every song has five different influences. There are only a few artists that we could point to and say this person’s music is apparent on every song or even most of the songs. A lot of people have drawn comparisons to us and The Beach Boys because of our emphasis on melody and song structure and vocal harmonies. We have taken a more modern approach on this album but that is not to say that we have left behind the things that are signature sounds but we have matured a lot which I know is a cliché thing to say but we went through an incredible amount of songs that we finally put on the album. It was a long painstaking process involving a lot of refinement but in the end it created a better album and we’re very happy with it. The name QU… it’s complicated to explain. It doesn’t really have a meaning other than the title of the album. There’s no back story behind it. It’s a simple name that’s memorable and it gets people talking about it and asking about it. It doesn’t give the listener any preconceived notion as to what the album is like.
What has the response been from this record so far?
JG: We’ve had a very positive response from pretty much every avenue, whether its our fans, our critics, our friends and family. Basically everyone has been really touched by the album; we’ve had nothing but great responses from the album.
I heard that you guys rented out a house for a long period of time and wrote 80 songs while preparing for this new album, can expand on that a little?
JG: We decided that if we’re going to outdo ourselves on the new album we need to put in a lot of work because we spent so much time after the previous album just touring and not having a lot of time to write and demo new songs. We basically took about a year off and did some tiny tours here and there but for the most part we lived in an apartment together in Oakland, California just writing and recording in the rehearsal space there. Like you said, after 80 or 90 songs it became very long and tedious. Even after that we went into the studio for two months and we were still writing material and refining things and in the end we were able to cut out 80% of the songs and get to the twelve best ones.
need to go."
This album definitely has a bigger sounding feel to it than the last. Was that something you were consciously striving for?
JG: I think there are a few songs that are bigger and more rock sounding. Our attitude is basically lets get the best songs and follow them to where we feel they need to go. Some songs ended up being way mellow and some ended up being big rock numbers. For example the last track on the album, “No Better”, that went through several incarnations. When we went in the studio it was going to be the loudest heaviest song on the entire album but we decided after a few days of working on it that it just wasn’t working with the lyrics and the melodies. We re-thought it and it ended up being the softest song on the album.
You guys have a great live show. How do you keep your energy up night after night?
JG: That’s a great question. I think the older we get its becoming a little more difficult to keep doing it for months and months on end. When we first started out we’d go out for months and months just doing insane drives and playing shows and have to sell CDs at malls to make money. We had a seemingly endless reservoir of energy but now that we’ve gotten older and we’re on tours like this that will last two months, we’re really tired and really exhausted and ready to be home and be with our families. We’re ready for a break with all the things that come with it, playing shows, doing press and interviews etc.
Mike’s video for Band in a Box was hilarious and seriously accurate. Does it frustrate you when you see more and more bands becoming overnight hits when other bands have been at it for a few albums and don’t see that kind of recognition?
JG: I think it’s a bigger issue. We’re friends with a lot of band that would fall into that category and in a way we’re just poking fun at them. It’s nothing really personal; it’s more of an artistic thing. I think no matter what time or what era you’re living in within the last 50 years of popular music there’s always been some kind of popular sound that comes with a lot of hype and that is trendy and there is some good stuff in it. People will hear that kind of music in ten years and say “Oh that is from this time”, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We’re not necessarily upset with people like that but I think we’re a little tired of the hype.
So the album is out, it seems like you’re getting a great response. What is up next for you guys?
JG: We’re going to take a little break. Our guitar player Dan is getting married so we’re all going to that. We’re going to do a short west cost promotion tour to do some meet and greets for the new record, we’ll go around to radio stations and stuff like that. Then we’re taking a break for the holidays and early next year we’ll probably be either headlining or opening for a bigger band.
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On The Side
w/ Legionnaire Clothing
Give us a background how on Legionnaire got started, why you partnered with Mike and what the early years were like?
Joe Moxley: Mike and I started talking about starting a clothing line early 2007. At the time I had a clothing store and a clothing line and Mike was touring with MxPx. I knew by using Mike’s ideas and our designs together we could really come up with something that not only we would wear but also our friends and family would be into. Mike came up with the name Legionnaire, we both started working on new designs and Legionnaire was born. In the early years, well these still kind of are the early years, but when we first started we had such a great response. I believe it was due to all the devoted MxPx and Herrera fans. I’m thankful to say we still have all those great MxPx fans and now Tumbledown fans and we have also introduced Legionnaire to many more. Having Mike as a business partner really helped out a lot because he is definitely a perfectionist! When it came to designing he pushed us as a company to keep putting out better designs and taking the brand to the next level.
What are some current goals of Legionnaire?
JM: To keep growing and improving. We really want to get the name out there more.We will be attending more concerts and focusing on getting Legionnaire into more stores. Just getting out there and meeting new people and seeing what they think of Legionnaire and what we can do to better ourselves.
What kind of support have you seen from musicians aside from Mike and the guys?
JM: Musicians have been so great to us. It’s nice to see a band rep your clothing line because they truly like the designs and what we stand for. I won’t say what band on Taste of Chaos came up to us and told us they had a paying clothes sponsor but would much rather sport Legionnaire. Sure enough the rest of the tour that’s just what they did. We are so thankful for bands like Kutless, Say Anything, Amber Pacific, SATORI, TallBoy and so many more. They not only wear Legionnaire, but also help spread the word about us. They are true friends and it’s easy to say we would not be as far as a brand if it were not for them.
What would you say sets Legionnaire apart from all the other indie clothing companies out there?
JM: That we will not cut corners as a company and that we remain a DIY company. From designs to printing we do all of it. We take pride in the product that we put out and want our friends, family and customers to take pride in wearing Legionnaire.
How does the design process work? Do you two do all of them yourselves?
JM: We have had a few friends come up with some designs for Legionnaire but other than those few it’s Mike and I coming up with them. I must say we also get a lot of help from Jason at Guru Screen Printing. Guru and Legionnaire share the same warehouse so we’re always pushing each other and lending a helping hand when needed.
What inspires you guys while you design? Where do your ideas come from?
JM: We think of shirts that suck and try to come up with something opposite (laughs). Our designs come from everywhere, music, tattoos, art etc or we spend a lot of time just coming up with something fun or a play on word. For everyone one design we come up with we toss about ten away. Many times it looks better in my mind then it does on a shirt which is just yet another advantage of owning your own print shop. If it does not look right we start over. We make sure the products we put out we would also wear ourselves.
Who would you most like to see wearing a Legionnaire tee?
JM: The owner/buyer of a huge chain store (laughs). We take a lot of pride when we see a musician or celebrities wearing Legionnaire but feels just as good seeing a stranger sporting it and becoming part of the family.
Thank you so much for your time and helping us spread the Legionnaire Love!
ho doesn’t remember wanting to dye their hair blue, grab your skateboard and head to a punk rock show? Okay, so not everybody had these punk-like urges but I guarantee that, just like me, you all grew up on MxPx in some way or another. A few months back I sat down to finally scribble out my first (and hopefully not last) interview with well known front man Mike Herrera. The questions came from my fingers furiously and little did I know, that Mike would answer back just as quickly and succinctly. So here now is a minute with Mike Herrera.
MxPx has been going for about 17 years now, turning out album after album pretty consistently despite label changes. Was there ever a time in your near 20 year career that MxPx seriously thought about hanging it up?
Mike Herrera: Yeah, we have and still think about it from time to time.
I’m sure a lot of people still ask you this, but does your faith still play a part in your music making?
MH: It does, but it’s evolved since we were kids.. yes.. evolution (laughs).
Obviously a lot has changed in all your lives since the band first started. What’s it like having wives at home and touring as much as you all do?
MH: Well, we just don’t tour as much. I guess I do since I have another band called Tumbledown. Between that, MxPx and my solo shows I’m pretty busy.
Considering you’ve been doing this since high school, would you say you have a somewhat normal life?
MH: I think it’s not normal compared to some one in town with a 9 to 5 job, but there are many people who travel and entertain in the world. We’re one of many in that regard. It’s normal to me.
Can you tell us a little bit about growing up as a songwriter over the last decade plus?
MH: I get to document the good and bad times not only in my own life, but the lives’ of others and of our society. It’s pretty amazing to think about how our world has changed since I started writing music.
Can you look back at albums like Pokinatcha or Teenage Politics and still get into it? Or are they a bit like embarrassing old photos at this point?
MH: Yes, it’s much like an old photograph that sings to you out of key. That was all pre-computer!
Are there some songs that get requested often that you’re just done with?
MH: Only a few. Not too many.
Tell us a bit about Monkey Trench?
MH: That’s my recording studio in Bremerton, WA. It’s been around for about a year and a half. I produce and record other bands as well as my own.
You have been touring with Tumbledown quite a bit. Is TD something that you can see yourself doing long term?
MH: Yes. We are starting to play more and get out across the earth more often.
Country isn’t exactly something you’d expect to come from a punk rocker. Where did your interest start and who are some of your influences?
MH: I started writing Hank Williams-esque songs around 1999, 10 years ago. I quickly grew out of that and into my own writing style. I just love the genre, it’s really a hybrid of punk and American roots.
I remember you telling me awhile back that Tumbledown is country that is more about drinking and gambling, just good old fun country. Do you see any sort of backlash from this from your more conservative fans?
MH: No, not yet. If I did that would mean that TD was getting a lot of exposure. Those types of people don’t really like MxPx much either.
Tell us a bit about Legionnaire Clothing?
MH: My buddy Joe Moxley and I started a clothing label. He does most of the real work. I do promotion when I can. The designs are really great. Check out www.legionnaireArmy.com
Do you feel like punk has begun to fall by the wayside? Where do you see it heading?
MH: Like all things it’s up and down but we don’t care. I love punk rock.
Who are some up and comers that you have been impressed with lately?
MH: Andrew Anderson. Great songs and great performances. He lives in Austin,TX
What is next for MxPx?
MH: We have a Christmas Album coming this holiday season called Punk Rawk Christmas and also the Left Coast Punk EP dropping this year as well. For more info follow us, @mxpx and me @tumbledown.
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Take It Back! | Raw and Authentic
his band has been receiving quite a bit of notice over the last year, and with the mid-November release of their sophomore album, Atrocities, they are sure to continue to make their way on to your tour fliers, magazine articles and eventually, if not already, your iPod. Get to know these guys.
Thank you guys for taking some time to answer a few questions for us! We are from out west, and I think readers would be interested, so tell us a bit about the Arkansas scene and what it was like coming up in it.
Nick Thomas: Coming up in the Arkansas scene was really fun. Shows were very diverse. Most shows had just about any style of band you can imagine from pop bands to hardcore and metal bands. Everyone got along really well though so it was a blast.
There are a ton of labels these days, and I could tag you with a bunch of stuff, but how do you most like your sound to be described?
NT: I would say that we are a very melodic hardcore.
What are some of your big influences? Whether music or other?
NT: Musically we are inspired by bands like Verse, Have Heart, and Defeater, but we listen to a very wide variety of music. Kings of Leon is one of our favorite bands to listen to in the van if that gives you an idea.
The new album Atrocities has much more of a produced, epic sound to it than Can’t Fight Robots, is that something you focused on when you went into recording? I think that it really bridges the gap for people who may not be a punk/hardcore fanatic...
NT: Well I might disagree with you on saying the record is a little more produced than Cant Fight Robots. I think that this CD has a little bit more of a raw feeling to it. Going into recording this album, we knew we definitely wanted more of an authentic tone on this record. I do think we were a lot tighter as a band compared to the last CD so that might be what you were hearing.
Ya, that is fair (Laughs). All of your songs carry a message with them, without exception. (I have a lot of respect for that) What are your views on using music as a tool to create and inspire change? Would you even consider making music that was just fun?
NT: I think music is an incredible tool for change. I’ve never quite understood what is was that made you connect to a song but when it happens it can be a very powerful thing. I would definitely create music just for fun, but I don’t see myself dedicating as much time and energy into it as I would with Take It Back!.
Tell us a bit about your time spent on Facedown Records.
NT: We’ve been on Facedown for about two years now and it’s been awesome. Jason and everyone are so willing to help in any way that they can. All the bands are great as well. We’ve become really close friends with a lot of the other bands.
You guys just put out your new record on the 10th of November, what are you up to now?
NT: Well currently we are just sitting at home playing regionally, but after the holiday season we will be touring as much as possible.
We look forward to seeing you guys out this way!
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swear this band should come out with The Children 18:3 Experience and rather than Jimi’s purple colors and pretty flowers, the album could be adorned with Calibretto 13 patches, punk/post-ska art (both major musical influences), and live photos of all three of them going absolutely insane. My mind flashes back to Dave and his crazy raccoon eyes climbing across/hanging from drainage pipes in the last underground venue I saw them play. And have you seen the little (ripped) drummer boy?! And the first time I found out that Lee Marie’s initials were “LMM” I knew it was fate – we were meant to be together. You see, my initials are “LMM,” and Lee Marie is beautiful. Every now and then someone might tell me that I’m not too bad to look at… well it’s perfect! That’s got to be a sign, right? Now all I’ve got to do is woo her with my charming smile!
I suppose this isn’t helping my creepy-weird-fan-factor-thing. Don’t worry, I’m not stalking her on Twitter, but it might be a good idea to check out the band updates – they’re doing big things. Seems to me that they’re always doing big things…
“Doing rock ‘n’ roll is a process that you have to work at, just like any career. Getting signed to a record label is just one step along the way (and if that label happens to be Tooth & Nail Records, you’re blessed!).”
I’ve met."
Tooth & Nail hit a home run with a band unlike any they’ve chosen in the past. Children 18:3 gets around, and I mean that with the most upright respect for one of the kindest bands I’ve met. If their music doesn’t go so far as to transcend genres, it is - at the very least - compatible with all of them. “From a logistical standpoint, metal shows are nice because lots of kids come. But some of the most fun times are when we get to play with our friends, whatever genre they may be.” Whether they’re out on tour with Norma Jean and MCMB, Project 86 and Showbread, or doing their own thing, this power trio somehow fits itself into any package, kills it night after night, and treads softly that narrow road of humility through it all – a fact proven through the meekness of their attitudes and the very name of their band.
“I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3
The Children have been touring on their self-titled T&N release for quite some time now. With hopes and aspirations to work on a follow up, the dreams are turning to plans, and I can only see this band picking up their pace yet again. What a crazy thing: to be signed, to be promoted, and become persons with prominence as a band. “Pretty much everybody has their own realm of influence, whether you know it or not. Others are watching. We need to learn to be led by the Holy Spirit in all that we do so that we can be a blessing and help to others, and not a hindrance. So how do we do that? Ask for help!
“No matter who you are, it’s not fun to lay down your life. Every one of us needs help. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us, and incline our hearts after Him. No one can change themselves. All we can do is try to cover up who we really are. We need to ask the Lord to put a desire in our hearts to know Him, to make us hungry, thirsty, desperate.”
It sounds like they’re continually approaching the project from the right perspective… keep an open ear to these kids… it’s amazing what work God can do through the hands of children.
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f you’re an avid reader of this publication then it is no secret that we at Hopecore.com greatly support the ministry of Brandt Russo and Can’t Ignore the Poor. Russo has been nothing but brotherly to us over the past several months and we are so excited to announce the release of his documentary entitled Adopt a Jesus. For two weeks this past summer, Brandt Russo and filmmaker Bob Wilkinson traveled through the south to shed a light on the heart breaking problem of the countless homeless men and woman who are struggling to survive while feeling largely ignored by society. Russo’s plea? Adopt a Jesus. ““The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40.
A few years ago, Russo felt the call to sell off his possessions and truly strive to live how Christ did. This documentary gives people the perfect insight into why he felt this call and what he is now doing to help the least of these. The story follows Russo and a small crew on their veggie oil bus as they dumpster dive, avoid trouble, explain the complexities of finding a bathroom when homeless and most importantly, learn the stories of many folks who find themselves in similar plights. Russo gives great insight along the way by providing a first hand narrative to activities that have now become his every day life such as converting cooking oil to run his bus, jumping into garbage to salvage food that someone else has deemed un-eatable and spending time with those that most people cross to the other side of the street to avoid.
The film’s climax is powerful and greatly moving as the crew heads to Lakewood, a mega church in Houston led by Joel Olsteen. Russo recounts his first visit to Lakewood which drew some controversy as he was searched and questioned, based on his “attention attracting” appearance. Russo has since made amends with Lakewood as is seen at the climax of the film which is too good to give away here. -JK
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ou would likely recognize a tidal wave approaching you. I’d hope that you would notice a raging river that would swiftly carry you off if you didn’t remove yourself from harm’s way. In the physical, it’s not hard to recognize what will most definitely crush us. Why then, in the spiritual realm, which is far superior to the physical (Ephesians 6:12), does it seem that we are all so easily sideswiped? Not just that, but we usually are slow to defend our joy, to stand for our faith, and to guard our love. We give way to the pummeling and then wonder what in heaven’s name just hit us. Recognizing the trickery of spiritual (and eventually physical) theft, murder and destruction is more than half the battle. When the enemy hits us with the full force of his floods, there’s also a heavenly reaction that can be set off in our favor. Our cry (sometimes a prolonged cry or even a fast, see Daniel 10) for help will cause the Spirit of the Lord to come against those floods in swift and violent defeat. David said it this way, “This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” (Psalm 34: 6&7)
We sustain spiritual attacks for a variety of reasons. Maybe, although probably not nearly as likely as we’d want to think, our enemy feels threatened by the call God’s placed on our lives and the reality of what potential Jesus has placed in us. Most of the time, like the remnant of Israel, we’ve simply gone astray. In falling away, we openly welcome the attack. The Confession given by this remnant in Isaiah 59 is all too appropriate for each one of us, especially when we’re overwhelmed by darkness.
We look for justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them:
In transgressing and lying against the LORD,
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands afar off;
For truth is fallen in the street,
And equity cannot enter. (Isaiah 59: 11-14)
First off, there’s genuineness in their confession. You know they mean it. I wonder how often we try to fool God with a quality impersonation of true repentance. I know I’m guilty, anyway. Those times when I don’t really want to deal with my sin or my issues. Sometimes it takes the Spirit of God to viciously remind me of how far I’ve fallen and just how desperate my condition is, but even then He does so with such a measure of grace and mercy. Once I’m serious about confession, though, everything changes. It’s like the light illuminates every ounce of my darkened heart to reveal the generous redemption of Christ. Redemption in Jesus can ever so quickly soak up, like a sponge, the deep regret of a heart living in error.
The beauty of true confession is that it always comes with two very distinct and supernatural works. The first is that it redeems us to our Father through the forgiveness of the Son. (Acts 26:18) Humble and genuine confession prompts the heart of God to take pity on His kids and puts into practice the power of the cross. Secondly, it Heals us. It restores us to a place of worship, experience, understanding, and softness of spirit in such a way that we’re once again set fully free. I’m such a proponent of true confession. I’ve seen it so powerfully at work in my own life but also in the lives of so many others.
This is a frightful but great reminder that when you turn away from evil, and confess your sins, you should actually expect an attack. There’s also a great promise in Isaiah 59:15-19 below.
Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him
That there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies;
The coast lands He will fully repay.
So shall they fear
The name of the LORD from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.
This “lifting of the standard” is also translated as “To put to flight” or “to drive out hastily”. After doing a little research I found a commentary that suggested the idea here was the high rushing waters of the enemy coming down a narrow river canyon, wiping out everything in it’s path and rushing towards you. God, in His power, simply stands with you and breathes out against the oncoming waters. They instantly are forced to retreat back up the mountain from which they came. Amazing.
“The Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,”
Says the LORD.
“As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.” (Isaiah 59: 20&21)
Two things that are with us always and forever. The SPIRIT of the Lord and the words (or Word) of God. My prayer lately has been: “Jesus, I request more of your Spirit and more from your Word, regardless of the cost”. It’s been a dangerous prayer but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Jesus, please come in Your power, and retreat these enemy floods!