Straightedge metalcore sensations Bleeding Through continue their mission to rock your face off and implode ear drums while doing so with their latest release Declaration.Combining heavy metal, death metal, punk rock, and even a little black metal, Bleeding Through has their own unique style that is just brutal, and that is an understatement.Having been around since 1999 the band was labeled one of SPIN’s 2003 “Artists To Watch” as well as have been featured in a Revolver “Future of Metal” article.This is the band’s third release once again on metal label Trustkill Records.
Formed by members of other heavy acts such as Eighteen Visions and Throwdown, the band caught my ears when I heard This Is Love, This Is Murderous, the band’s first release with Trustkill Records.I will never forget that day as my ears were introduced to just pure fury.I had just finished up a day at the record store and I was cleaning up getting ready to go.My friend asked if I wanted to hear something heavy and of course I told him to go for it.The moment he hit play on the CD player I was hooked.
This Is Love, This Is Murderous was in heavy rotation on my playlist for years.I was highly disappointed with their next release on Trustkill called The Truth as perhaps I was expecting more from such a strong intro to the band in This Is Love This Is Murderous.I can not say I was that pumped to hear Declaration as I was afraid that their sound may still not compare to taste I enjoyed but that all changed once I finally checked out the CD.
The opening of the CD “Finis Fatalis Spei” was a black metal, evil circus sounding, melodic introduction that set me back for a second until a quote from the movie 300 ended the intro with “Tonight we dine in hell!”From there the CD was an all out mugging on your ears with “Declaration (You Can’t Destroy What You Can Not Replace)”.Death metal, heavy metal, black metal, and even speed metal combine for a powerful first song on this album with Pantera guitar hammering moments thanks to help from As I Lay Dying’s Tim Lambesis.
“Orange Country Blonde and Blue” followed continuing a insane death punch to my ears.Again I can not help me being reminded of Phil Anslemo and crew in this track as well as 90’s metal bands with the chorus.“Germany” really reminded me of Bleeding Through’s earlier years with just non-stop drumming and almost so much guitar that I felt as if the song flew by way too fast.
“There Was A Flood” slowed things down a notch at the beginning with a track that really set well with me.Musically the song was something along the lines of a slower Cradle Of Filth song but I assure you as soon as the song started it seemed to put me in place.Lyrically the song spoke about checking on a mistake from the past and reiterating the high hate for that mistake.For the first time on the CD lead vocalist Brandon Schieppati sings for a moment on the track but is fast to get back to Mastodon-like vocal shredding.
“Reborn From Isolation” has it’s head banging moments until the song actually started making me want to swing my arms carelessly about and attack the air with my fists.It’s songs like these that make me happy I no longer stand in the pit at live shows because I am pretty sure others feel the same way about this track. “Death Anxiety” had that same fight everyone and everything around you feel. If you were a fan of This Is Love, This Is Murderous, you agree that this song sounds like it was left off that album.
“The Loving Memory Of England” took a break from the others and had kind of a Pantera “Planet Caravan” moment.The song not only gave me a chance to let your heartbeat settle but it also proved the band has a softer side.“Beneath The Grey” soon dismissed any chance that the CD was going to end mellow with a full blown hard beginning that made me take a second listen when I discovered that the song that had a guitar solo from No Use For A Name’s Dave Nassie.
Closing the CD was “Sister Charlatan” one of my choice cuts on the CD.With a well orchestrated introduction the song still kept with the heavy and has a It Dies Today similarity with a nice mixture of death screaming and harmonious singing.Add intense guitar solos, double bass drumming from hell, and even some beautiful piano playing over a thunderstorm, the song made me feel like I was a schizophrenic with the change ups.
Declaration is everything I was looking for in a Bleeding Though CD including the loud screaming, forceful drumming, and vicious guitar playing combined with enough force and hate to push you down to the ground.Don’t look for this band to clot or heal up anytime soon as there is just too much flowing out right now.If you like your metal loud, heavy, and most of all fast Declaration needs to be in your collection.
Here is the video for “Death Anxiety”:
Did you know that Bleeding Through was featured on Inside Edition report years ago? It’s true. The band was on tour and was involved in an accident while traveling. The band was on their way to a show in Colorado when the bad’s van hit ice and crashed into an already disabled vehicle. The whole accident was captured on a police cruiser dash-cam as police were on location tending to the previous accident. Luckily no one was hurt.
When I hear the term “Girlyman” I immediately think of a certain Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit featuring Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon playing Hans and Franz the Austrian bodybuilders who where said to be cousins of action bodybuilder superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger. I still laugh at those skits…
The Girlyman I am referring to though is not associated with SNL or even the current governor of California. Instead I speak of a three piece folk act originally from New York City. I was introduced to them through my wife who has a love, almost obsession, for them. She shared them with me one day after saying “We’re still making payments on the cannon” and I had no idea what she was talking about. After giving her a puzzled look she told me about the Girlyman band. She sampled some songs to me and I found myself quite interested in them.
Girlyman is a trio of harmonic performers, rather best friends, who have stated they play “harmony-driven gender pop” featuring “leading edge three-part harmony folk-pop”. Consisting of Nate Borofsky, Doris Muramatsu, and Ty Greenstein, the band has a huge following with their “gender pop” music.
Gender pop? That’s right folks all of the members from this band are involved in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community one way or another. Don’t let that hold you back though because if you do you are missing out on some amazing harmonic folk music with heavy doses of comedic interludes, especially when seen live. Think Rupaul meets Simon & Garfunkel with more folk harmony then you have ever heard before. Where a lot of the songs are fun, many have meaning about life, love, and living but all with perfect collaborated vocals from all three members.
Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Doris Muramatsu, the “tootsie roll center of Girlyman”, who has the duties of vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo in the band. The multi-talented musician was more than kind to answer some questions for me.
Doris + Ty + Nate = Girlyman
So what exactly is a Girlyman?
A Girlyman is whatever you want it to be, just someone who is nontraditional in some sort of way or like to play with gender roles or isn’t afraid to have a sensitive side.
How would you describe Girlyman to someone who has never heard of you before?
We’re a folk pop trio of almost lifelong friends who sing traditional and nontraditional three part harmonies and play multiple instruments and like to laugh and be ourselves on stage.
When you started creating music was it clear you all wanted a more folk sound? Was the harmony always there between the three of you or did it need some fine tuning? I have to admit your combined harmony is all so appealing.
Ty and I started singing harmony when we were 12 years old and have always been fascinated by the beauty of interweaving voices. Our voices blended very well and we knew we wanted to write and sing music that was harmony-based. When we met Nate his voice seemed to naturally blend with ours, so it was a go. Of course there is always fine tuning whenever harmony is involved, for instance, we have realized that if we all don’t sing a certain vowel in the exact same way it will sound out of tune, so we’re always examining how the lead person is pronouncing that vowel.
Who/what are your influences for the music you create?
I understand that you and Ty have been best friends since elementary school. When did the two of you decide to start your first band The Garden Verge?
We officially started up the Garden Verge out of college although we had been signing together as a duo since middle school.
How and when did you meet up with Nate?
We met Nate [during] our sophomore year at Sarah Lawrence College at a cross-dress cabaret [that was more] like a talent show with more gender-bending. He was backstage [while] Ty and I were singing an Indigo Girls song to warm up. He came [up to us] and joined us out of the blue. We were insta-friends.
How was it being cramped up in NYC trying to start a band? Where are you currently residing?
It didn’t feel cramped at first. [It was] mostly just really exciting and creative time for us all. Of course our first rehearsal for Girlyman was scheduled for September 11th [and] after witnessing the events of that day we were shocked and speechless. We didn’t really know what to do but all that felt right to do was to be together, make music, and share it. So that was the birth of Girlyman; formed in the spirit of upliftment.
After seven years of living together and touring together, however, things did start to feel small and cramped. We were basically living on top of each other with no privacy and the need for expansion, both creatively and physically, became paramount. Nate and Ty moved to Atlanta in 2007 and I chose to stay in Brooklyn [NY] for another year but [soon] joined them in 2008. We all live separately now but happily see each other practically every day.
What types of venues did you first start playing at? Did you have success from the get go or was it more of a slow start?
We played at little coffeehouses and churches as well as some lunchtime college gigs. We just kept building out audience from the get go and even though we didn’t shoot up into massive fame, we definitely started climbing slowly but steadily.
Girlyman
Your live shows are full of humor and fun, especially in between songs. When did live Girlyman shows turn almost into a stand up performance or has it always been like that?
I have always been a pretty shy person in front of large crowds and I think it was hard for Ty and me [as Garden Verge] to be as funny as we are in private. When Nate joined the group he added an element of humor and improvisation that allowed us all to be more relaxed and silly together. It’s a strength in numbers thing I think. I also thing it keeps things interesting for us to do or day things on stage that makes each other laugh because then every show feels like its own thing. We need to keep things light and fresh in order for the [live] show to feel fun for us too.
In 2006, OUTmusic awarded Girlyman for the OUTSong of the year for “Young James Dean”, how did this make you all feel?
We were really honored! It always means a lot when something you’ve created reaches people and speaks to them in a significant way.
What can you tell someone about OUTmusic who has never heard of the organization before?
OUTmusic is a wonderful organization that connects [the] lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual musicians, composers, producers, and artists [together]. It works to create opportunities and tried to raise awareness for the growing number of us [LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)] out there.
I understand you are currently touring and will be performing at a couple of folk festivals as well. Having sold out venues before how exciting is it to be on the road?
We love being on the road and we love being at home too. It’s a balance but we are doing exactly what we want to do and have so much fun doing it. Sure being on the road has its challenges, like endless drives and late hours, but when we’re on stage and connecting with each other and the audience it is always worth it no matter now many people show up. It’s the energy from the audience that really helps us keep going.
How long have you actually been touring now?
We have been touring since 2001 when we first became a band.
Do you prefer festivals or venues?
I prefer venues because I find it’s easier to connect with people. Festivals are fun because there’s a feeling of celebration but I also get distracted by all that’s going on… like all the funnel cakes and hot dog stands!
Where is your favorite venue to play? Is there a favorite city you all enjoy?
I love Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Old Town School of Folk in Chicago, Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, CA, but there are so many! We love New York City of course, and the Bay Area, but Atlanta’s pretty great too.
How are the lodging arrangements when you travel? Have you ever crashed in the van?
Thanks to Priceline.com lodging is fantastic! We often stay in three star hotels which makes us feel rich and comfortable. We don’t stay overnight in the van though we have a loft and a refrigerator set up in it. It’s too small for all of us [to sleep in].
Who usually takes up the driving duties on the road? Is there anyone in the band who is not allowed to drive?
Everyone takes turns driving although I can’t parallel park the Sprinter [van] for the life of me [as it’s] 21 feet long. Ty is not allowed to drive at night because she usually falls asleep.
Girlyman
Any crazy touring stories you want to share? Maybe a run in with the law or just something drunk and hilarious?
Well, the scariest thing that happened on the road was when we hit a deer at two in the morning in the middle of Wyoming and the Sprinter broke down. Nate and I didn’t have cell[phone] service but Ty thankfully did; but only when she stood a few feet from the van. We had to get towed 200 miles to the nearest Dodge dealership in Montana. When the tow truck came and started towing us it broke down too, so we had to wait until [the tow truck] got fixed.
Finally after a scary drive where the driver [of the tow truck] kept falling asleep and running [over] all [of] the rumble strips on the highway we arrived in Billings, MT at seven in the morning. We had to stay there for a couple of days while out manager found a U-Haul truck that could fit three of us in the cab. [We] then made our way though treacherous, snow-covered passes in Washington state [on the way] to Seattle. We were [all] totally traumatized by the whole experience.
You’ve been in Cleveland a few times now. Just curious what you think of the city as it is my hometown. Any favorite memories?
Our favorite time in Cleveland was when we played at Cleveland Pride. They put us up in a fancy hotel and we shared the stage with Rupaul.
Do you think the folk festivals may help recruit new fans who may not necessary be involved in the LGBT community?
Some of our fans are part of the LGBT community, but just as many are not. We have a wide range of fans of all ages and identities.
Not everyone is accepting of the LGBT community unfortunately, have you ever had problems with people while out on the road?
It’s funny, we have a lot of people who, not knowing our music, initially feel put off by our man, but then when they hear us they immediately get over it or feel surprised that they actually like our music. Other than that, I think we’ve been lucky that we haven’t had many incidents being a queer band.
Tell me about your “Girlyfans”.
Out Girlyfans are our best support network. They are the ones who help promote us and bring new people to our shows. We couldn’t tour and do this for a living without them.
Can you tell me about the Brauner VMA that many of the Girlyfans helped raise money for you all to acquire? It looks like a masterpiece of a microphone. How is it working out for you?
It IS a masterpiece of microphones. It’s a handmade microphone from Germany and sounds out of this world. We are really happy with the sound quality we’re getting out of it.
When can your fans expect some new material to be released?
We are hoping for a fall release of our new studio album, although we’ve been playing out a lot of our new stuff at shows.
What’s next for Girlyman?
More of everything! We love how life just presents us with the next logical stay and that we’re brave enough to take it.
Just one last question… Are you still making payments on the cannon?
Of course!!!
-For more information about Girlyman check out their website.
-Girlyman is still on tour and will actually be making a pit stop in Ohio at the Oberlin Folk Festival.
UPDATE: Concert ended on 03/18/2009. Thank you to all who entered!!!!
Well I think today is a good day to start a contest. FREE STUFF. Keep reading…
Recently I was given some copies of the new Fountains Of Wayne live DVD for a giveaway of sorts thanks to my friends at The Syndicate. I tried thinking of some witty contest to have people enter to win one.
Before I do that though I just wanted to talk about Fountains Of Wayne for a moment… I know I know…bare with me. Free stuff soon.
“Stacy’s Mom” is indeed the song that Fountains Of Wayne will be labeled with forever. As amusing as the video was for the song I never cared for it and regretfully assumed that all other material that this band created sounded just like that song. I wanted nothing to so with it so I never looked into their catalog.
I missed out.
In 2007 I attended the Virgin Mobile Festival with my pals Matt and ((RAD))am. Matt kept talking about wanting to see the Fountains Of Wayne set and I thought he was joking or had a guilty pleasure I was not aware of. I mean, Matt is a huge music lover and all, but a pop punk band? Matt proceeded to correct my judgement of the band and told me to at least give them a shot.
I checked them out and loved them. I was so missing out on this band and could not believe how great they were. Why do I keep judging bands based off of one song? Because that is how I am. I’ll try anything once and usually it is the first taste that is a deal-breaker or not. If not I have the tendency of spitting that initial taste out and never returning to it. Fountains Of Wayne, I apologize. You all taste just fine.
Win a copy of this DVD - See below for details on how this can happen...
So recently a Fountains Of Wayne DVD was released through Shout Factory Records called No Better Place: Live In Chicago. This is the band’s first DVD to be released and features 80 minutes of live footage including live performances and even some extra goodies in there. The concert was shot in front of a live audience in Chicago and was even recorded in 5.1 Surround.
So are you still hanging in there trying to figure out when I am going to tell you how you can win a copy?
I’ll tell you in a second…maybe…as in….right now.
Ok, I have 3 copies of this DVD for giveaway. I could be easy and just say the first three people to comment get one but that is not far for people who may be away from the internet or who were too tired to read all the way to this point.
So here is the contest:
I have pet peeves. I have a lot of them. I can’t stand it when people do not use their turn signals while driving, it drives me mad (no pun intended). I can not have the tag of a blanket be near my face when sleeping. I hate when people type your and mean you’re… The list continues. Enough about me though. What about you?
I want to know one of your most random weird pet peeves of yours.
Post a comment with your submission and do not forget to enter a valid email where it asks you to so I can contact you should I find yours hilarious. Once a winner is chosen I will email you for shipping info and boo ya, you have a Fountains Of Wayne DVD. This contest starts now and will end on 03/18/2009. Ready. Set. Go!
DVD info:
Performances:
I’ve Got A Flair
Mexican Wine
Janice’s Party
No Better Place
Denise
Hackensack
Hey Julie
Valley Winter Song
Sick Day
Red Dragon Tattoo
Stacy’s Mom
Bright Future In Sales
Maureen
Radiation Vibe
Survival Car
Sink To The Bottom
Extras:
(All-New, Never-Before-Seen Acoustic Performances from their 2007 release Traffic & Weather)
It Must Be Summer
Someone To Love
I-95
Joe Rey
Fire In The Canyon
I just received word that Akron, OH’s DEVO has announced that they will be working on a studio album for a Fall 2009 release!
Direct from the email I received:
What the iconic new wave, art punk pioneers cautioned us about almost 30 years ago is no longer a humorous theory. It’s pretty much fact–we now live in a devolved world that’s getting wackier each and every day.
The fall of 2009 will bring a new DEVO studio album, their first one since 1990’s Smooth Noodle Maps. It’ll mark their first new music since the strong fan reaction that greeted the 2007 single “Watch Us Work It,” their first new song in 18 years and one that was produced by Sweden’s TeddyBears (Robyn). They’re now in the studio putting the finishing touches on their new album (title TBA).
The five-piece–featuring co-founders and songwriters MARK MOTHERSBAUGH (lead vocals, synthesizer innovations) and GERALD CASALE (lead vocal, bass) and rounded out by BOB CASALE (guitarist), BOB MOTHERSBAUGH (guitars/vocals) and JOSH FREESE (drums)–are set make a special U.S. appearance at SXSW this year including a press conference (4:00pm) and keynote panel (5:00pm)–moderated by radio veteran Nic Harcourt–set for Thursday, March 19 at the Austin Convention Center (500 East Cesar Chavez St.). They’ll follow that up with a Friday, March 20 one-night-only SXSW concert at the Austin Music Hall (208 Nueces St.). Pre SXSW, DEVO fans in Dallas can catch a special one-off show on Wednesday, March 18 at the Palladium Ballroom.
In May, DEVO will head to the United Kingdom for a series of dates. On Wednesday, May 6, DEVO will perform their debut album, the seminal Q: Are We Not Men, We Are Devo! in its entirety from beginning to end at London’s Kentish Town Forum. Released in 1978, the seminal album produced by Brian Eno and recorded in Germany features such notable tracks such as the band’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Mongoloid” and “Jocko Homo.” Next up on Friday, May 8, they’ll headline the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Somerset at the Butlins Holiday Centre.
Formed in 1972 in Akron, OH, DEVO–short for “de-evolution”–began as an art project cautioning that humans were devolving and regressing into a herd mentality of American society, not evolving. A conceptual band from the beginning, DEVO were ahead of their time, incorporating elaborate aesthetics into their live shows and seamlessly combining their music with visuals years before MTV or any music-video culture existed. Indeed, the group’s first appearance at Kent State University in 1973 was recorded with a black and white portable video system. Societal satirists, DEVO’s lyrical mix of comedy and quirky wit, warned of the dangers of rampant capitalism in “Whip It” and “Freedom of Choice”, and the devolution of society in “Jocko Homo” and ”Beautiful World.“ Onstage in their early incarnation, the group began with a mixture of synthesizers and rock instruments; as they developed in the late seventies and early eighties, DEVO became one of the first American acts to perform using only synthesizers. DEVO have now returned with an evolved look, ready to impact the vastly devolved world we now find ourselves trying to navigate.
Hardcore punk rockers Propaghandi may be getting up there in age but have no intentions of slowing down.On the verge of releasing an all new album entitled Supporting Caste, the band continues to spread their thoughts through song on real causes that actually mean something.Focusing on real current events, the band are more activists over performers.Having been around for over twenty years it is nice to see this band continue on with what they love to do.
Recently I had the chance to chat it up with the bassist of Propaghandi Todd Kowalski.He was more than happy to answer some questions for me.
You guys have been around since 1986 right? How challenging has it been to be a punk band for over 20 years?
I joined a mere 12 years ago but I’d say despite wanting to bite each others eyes out a few times we’ve been ticking along pretty good. I think the fact that we all like the songs we’re trying to make is a big factor in it all working. if we didn’t like what we were hearing it would turn us into pustulous blobs with fangs.
How long did it take for Propagandhi to start touring outside of Canada and around the world?
I think the first Propagandhi tour to the U.S. was around 92. They went down to the west Coast.
I remember it clearly but wasn’t in the band yet. Our friends Regal and Keith were the roadies, those guys had the van. I thought that was so cool that they all went on tour. I never knew anyone who traveled with their band before.
Who are some of your favorite bands you toured with in the past?
My favorite was Los Crudos who I played four or 5 shows with in about 95 they blew my mind!! This wasn’t with Propagandhi though it was with another band [I was in] called I Spy. It’s all the same to me. We’re all friends playing music.
When you were just starting to play punk rock music, who were your musical influences? Has that changed today?
Today my biggest musical influence, Sacrifice, just sent me two new songs off their upcoming record. They haven’t recorded for about 18 years. These songs blew my head right off my shoulders. They are the best band of all time! Besides them I was in [to and] am still 100% into SNFU, RAZOR, Nomeansno, Voivod and DEATH. That hasn’t changed at all. I like new bands too but these bands have been on rotation for 20 years non stop!!
When did you start becoming move aware of your surrounding and stepped up to spread to the close minded?
I started to slowly become aware of things over a long period of time. I was very, very much a part of the small city mentality growing up. I had to see people get hurt and upset by certain things first hand before I started to wise up. I think the punk bands that I started to listen to when I was in junior high slowly helped me make sense of what I was trying to figure out. It’s been a slow ongoing process .
Your high level approach at everything that goes wrong on this world opened up my eyes when I was younger through your music and from just reading about what causes you were involved in. Was there anyone who helped turn you into an activist of sorts?
As far as bands, I’d say MDC, C.O.C were the biggest influences for a while and later I was really influenced by Born Against, Maliftingbanner, Los Crudos and bands like that. As far as people I think it was a lot of people including my Mom who would always go out of her way for people. I always appreciated that.
I understand many of the band follow a vegan lifestyle. How tough is it for you when touring the world to keep to it?
It’ s generally really, really easy. There is a million [of] choices of things to eat besides meat and dairy and crap like that. It’s well worth the small effort. We end up eating way better than if we were stopping and eating burgers and fries everyday. The hardest place for us was Japan just because we couldn’t decipher the ingredients to things we were looking at. That’s our own problem, though. The food was available.
Were any obstacles ever thrown in the band’s path that make you ever want to give up?
The main obstacles are the frustration at momentary or lengthy lack of ability to achieve our personal visions [with] a lot of this being due to a bit of a lack of natural talent. We work hard to get where we’re trying to go.
Propaghandi has a new album coming out this month called Supporting Caste can you tell me about it?
Yeah, We’re really excited about it. There’s 14 new songs of different types. I think it’s our best effort yet. We worked hard to improve our skills and write the best songs we could. I think it turned out pretty good. If it’s no good it’s certainly not because of a lack of effort!
Recently on your website a couple of MP3’s from the new album were offered for legal download in exchange for donations for as little as $1.00 that will go towards worthy causes. Your request for donations was quite bold almost commanding fans to do something good in return for a sample of for what is to come. How was the response to this?
That’s turned out really well so far. We’ve raised a lot of money for those organizations and they seem to appreciate it. We’re hoping people check out what they’re doing and learn something about it. That’s the real point of it (laughs), yeah it’s bold, and we like insulting our listeners but everybody knows it’s a joke. Those who don’t get mad and amuse those who do. We all win!
You are slated to play the Harvest Of Hope festival in Florida this March. How does that make you feel being a part of this important benefit show?
Yeah, that’s a good benefit. We’re happy to be a part of it. The vibe and spirit of this festival is so much better than the corporate, crap, [and] useless festivals like the Warped Tour that have been thrown at people. We usually haven’t played festivals but if it’s a good one, we’ll be there!
Are there any acts appearing on the Harvest Of Hope festival you are excited to see or have previously toured with?
We’ve played two shows with Strike Anywhere before. I’m excited to see Bad Brains!! Most of the other bands I haven’t heard before so it should be good!
Propagandhi was one of the earlier bands to start with Fat Wreck Chords. I know that Supporting Caste will be released on the indie label G7 Welcoming Committee Records (that was actually started by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky of Prop.). How does it feel to have been a part of the Fat Wreck Chord family and then move on?
I think we did all we could with Fat. It’s time to start a fresh slate and prepare to go full tilt with people who are on the same page as us. We’re very happy about it.
In April of 2008 it was announced that G7 would cease to release new material and October of 2008 it was reiterated. While still providing downloads it looked as if the label was finished, what was this all about? What happened to change the mind of G7 to release Supporting Caste?
Derek from G7 moved to Halifax and left Chris stewing in his own juices in the G7 office. I guess they figured enough is enough. But we [all] wanted to put out the Propagandhi record, so we did it on G7.
Will this mark the last release for Propagandhi?
Hell no, we’re just getting started!
You have rocked out in the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. Was there a certain decade you favored over the others while performing as a band?
I think the 80’s were the best. Pop music sucked and always will suck but before the 80’s there was no speed metal, death metal, hardcore, barely any punk that interest me, no thrash metal, doom metal, power metal etc.(laughs) That all truly came to be in the 80’s. For my tastes and love of speed it blew my little mind to pieces.
The late 80’s cheese metal and pop and the 90’s sucked total crap except for a handful of bands. Born Against etc… and DEATH were great of course!! I hated Nu Metal, Grunge, Pop punk and all that. What a sickened musical state. Recently there is a lot of bands that I think are great. The new Sacrifice record, Krisiun, Cynic, Immolation, Necrophagist…man, they all rule!!
So what’s next for Propagandhi?
Next on the itinerary is more touring then we’ll work on new songs every chance we get!!! Watch out!!
Supporting Caste will be released on March 10th on G7 Welcoming Committee Records.Make sure you pick up your copy and support this long running punk rock act!
Look for Propagandhi to make a return to the road in support of their recent release. The band just finished playing a slot at the annual Harvest Of Hope Festival that just ended and will continue the US before heading overseas.
The Harvest Of Hope festival, if you have not heard, is a three-day outdoor music festival in St. Augustine, FL that is held to benefit Harvest of Hope: www.harvestofhope.net . The nonprofit organization was founded in Gainesville, FL a little over a decade ago to provide social services to migrant farm workers and their families in the U.S. Since then, HOH has raised and spent over $700,000 to pay for gas, tires, car repairs, rent, utilities, medical services, food, clothing, funeral expenses and educational scholarships in low income migrant worker communities.For more information about the festival itself or on how you can help please visit www.harvestofhope.com
Propaghandi On Tour:
03/08/09 – Atlanta, GA, USA
03/10/09 – Virginia Beach, VA, USA
03/11/09 – Baltimore, MD, USA
03/12/09 – New York, NY, USA
03/13/09 – Brooklyn, NY, USA
03/14/09 – Philadelphia, PA, USA
03/15/09 – Cambridge, MA, USA
03/20/09 – Winnipeg, MB, Canada
03/21/09 – Winnipeg, MB, Canada
04/17/09 – Sheffield, UK
04/18/09 – Bristol, UK
04/19/09 – London, UJ
04/20/09 – Brighton, UK
04/21/09 – Norwich, UK
04/23/09 – Cologne, Germany
04/24/09 – Munich, Germany
04/25/09 – Solothurn, Switzerlan
04/26/09 – Bologna, Italy
04/28/09 – Rome, Italy
04/29/09 – Venice, Italy
05/01/09 – Prague, Czech Republic
