Midnight Funeral.

So this interview was conducted with Craigos from Midnight Funeral Records or xClagsteinx from the internet. Usually when I look at bands or people I want to do interviews with I pick them on the basis of, are they of interest to myself, will other people find them as interesting as I do. But with this interview I really couldn't care if no one else read it. Its one I have wanted to do for a while. I think Midnight Funeral is probably one of the most exciting labels currently putting out records. Why? Because Craig only puts out amazing bands and the records are always exclusive to vinyl. While there are many that say vinyl is a dead format, Craig is probably doing more than anyone else in this country to try and get vinyl back up on its feet. And really, at the end of the day, who buys CD's anymore?

Hey man. Can I grab your name, what you do at Midnight Funeral and what is the most exciting record you have purchased recently?

My Name is Craig Wainwright, but most people know me as Craigos. I run Midnight Funeral Music. The most exciting record I have bought recently is “Refused – This just might be the truth”. I actually did not know that this was ever pressed onto LP, and I always thought it was just a CD, as I had never seen or even heard of it in a vinyl configuration. I spent way too much on it, but I am stoked, as I seriously don’t know if I’ll ever see another one.

This isn't the first label you have run, you used to have another (the name escapes me) but that label kind of slowed down and eventually died. How come you decided to start up a fresh label instead of picking up the old one?

My Wife and I used to run a label called “Sightline Records”, but working with bands that you are mates with doesn’t always work out the way you plan it to.

It was a proper label (Not that Midnight Funeral isn’t a proper label, but it works very differently) in that we had full Distribution, and we put a fair bit of money, time and effort into helping bands to master their records, make sure they still owned all their own music, and if they wanted to release it on other formats or in other countries, we did everything we could to help them out. We also booked tours and shows and did what we could to get the bands onto international supports, but seeing as it was all very business like, some of the dudes in the bands decided that were too good for what we could offer, and bailed last minute on some releases, just as we were starting to pump some money into them. I know it sounds kinda weird, but that’s how it was, contracts, money, the whole kit and caboodle, and some bands/dudes were just being total fuckheads, and really left us in the lurch. So we ended the label and moved on to other things in life.

I started Midnight Funeral as an idea with my mate Shane (Seduction), that we would release a 7 inch of a band we liked, in a short run (approx 150-200 copies), and then once it had sold out, we would move on to the next band/release. Shane kinda lost interest, but I still wanted to do a Vinyl only label (Although I have since moved on to doing a tape or two also). I heard the I Exist demo online, got super stoked on it, rang a mutual mate and tee’d up a conversation with Aaron, and the rest, as they say, is Histroy.

I just want to do short(ish) runs of records, try and have the artwork be an integral part of the package and just try and have some fun with it.

So what is it about this label that you want to do differently to your previous effort?

See the above answer for some of it, but I also wanted to something where I did work with my mates, and there was no bullshit, no money being talked about (Don’t worry, I still pay my bands!), and just try and have some fun with it. I don’t have the band sign anything, I don’t give them instructions, and if I can afford what they want to do, then we do it. The main problem with some of the ideas I/The Bands have is, because we are in Australia, and everything is so much more expensive to do here, or to get shipped to here, it can be very hard to do super slick and gnarly packaging. But I do try my best. Also, because I do it all on my own, shit can take a bit longer than anticipated sometimes… But more on that later.

Having spoken to a few other guys that do labels, I have been reassured that if you think you will make money on releasing a record, or even breaking even, 9 times out of 10 you are going to be disappointed. But Midnight Funeral's first release I Exist 'Three Nails And A Book Of Flaws' sold out its first pressing! Was that a bit of a shock?

It was a bit of a shock. I thought it was going to do ok, but not as good as it has. I have about 10 copies left all up in a box in my study, and people still buy one every week or so, so it won’t be long until they’re all gone.

As for making money on releases: You’re right in that breaking even on a vinyl release is pretty hard sometimes, but I try and do a release that will sell pretty well, then one I really want to do but won’t do so well in sales, and then one that will do okay again. You just try and do the best you can I guess.

MFM002 (Seduction - Black Cranes) however wasn't quite as smooth though... I ordered that record and remember it took ages to be posted. What went on with that record?

Dude, so much went fucking wrong with this release. First up, the band fell apart. It’s pretty fucked up, but we had pumped all this money into this release, blew every budget we had, booked a tour and then one of the dudes in the band didn’t want to do some of the shows, we all had a big fight and the band ended there. But I had just ordered 500 7 inches, that had been pressed and were on their way.

Then, the band had originally agreed to help me print all the covers (2 colour screen print on hand assembled chipboard covers), and then help me put them all together (cut up the patches, burn the CD’s, print and cut the inserts and then glue all the covers together), but after the band broke up, shit got kind of weird with one or two of the dudes, and I ended up having to do the whole lot myself, which was fine, but it was a shit tonne of work, and I had a short amount of time to get it all done.

Anyways, as it stands, I couldn’t afford to buy all 500 of the covers, so I got about 220, and I have about 20 left. After that, if people still want to buy the fucking thing, I have no idea what to do about it, as I can’t afford to buy the rest of the covers from the dude who had them all cut. It was a fucked situation, and it really upsets me, as I truly believe it is the best piece of work I have ever been involved in, and I don’t know if I can ever top it lyrically. It sounds fucking top notch, and I am as proud as shit of it, but it leaves a super bad taste in my mouth.

The Suffer LP went pretty smooth in comparison to that one…

What other hazards have you encountered with putting your records out?

I have just found out that there has been a major fuck up with the Defeat 7 inch, and I need to change plants. Which fucking shits me, because I have waited 8 weeks for the fucking thing, and it was never pressed. I can tell ya, I won’t be using those fucktards again. Other than plants fucking with you, The laws are different in each country in regards to actually pressing records, and in some US states you need written contracts and shit to press a record there, and it would just cost too much for a little label like mine to run that shit, so I have had to find other plants to suss my stuff. Pirates Press have been awesome to me for the first 3 releases, and the next 3 will be with Vinyl Factory in Sydney. I am super glad to be using an Australian Plant for pressing, as I do love to keep the money here in Australia. It can be hard though, I have tried to use a plant in Melbourne, but they never answered my emails…

Releasing a vinyl record can't be nearly as easy as releasing a CD. There is the choice of what colour wax, gatefold or sleeve, screen printed artwork or just normal ink and many other options in regard to layout. Does taking all of these things into account and having to work out costs, time frames before the master is even sent to the plant just seem like too much of a hassle at times?

I guess it can be a major pain in the ass, but at the same time, I am a nerd when it comes to pressing and vinyl, so I really don’t mind all that much. I usually do all my packaging stuff here in Australia, so I can still support some Australian businesses, (I actually did the whole lot on the Suffer LP, bacuase it was just a fuckload easier to do it that way). I also screen print a lot of the covers myself, as I like to be involved like that. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I have my garage floor covered n 7 inch or LP covers that have just been printed.

I really wish I could afford to do all sorts of crazy shit, but it just costs so much in Australia. Gatefold Sleeves and shit like that would be sick, but would push every single one of my costs just that much higher, that the product would be too expensive. Much like the recent Amity LP, which will look fucking awesome, as it cost a mint to make I am sure, but it also cost an assload to order.

Not only are all of these things a hassle but printing a record is substantially more expensive than printing a CD. Kind of the reverse of how it was in the 1980's. Do you make it your mission to find the cheapest way to get the records to print?

You’re always going to try and make what you do streamlined, but I don’t know if there is a cheap way to do this really. While I do like to save a buck or two, I think I prefer the easy and quick option over super cheap. I am currently working with a couple plants and I have also found some good suppliers of paper stock, so I can print shit a lot cheaper.

You do some of the screen printing yourself and invest quite a lot in the label. Is it just for the love of vinyl that you run this label and put so much of yourself into it?

Pretty much. There is very little cash in doing just vinyl, and if I didn’t love it, it would drive me fucking insane.

To be honest, I love the whole process. The pressing, the printing, the putting everything together, all the way up to packing the records for posting. I love getting records in the mail, and I am super stoked to give other people that experience.

Actually speaking of screen printing, do you do that at work (Is that your job)? Or do you have a set up in you garage or something?

I just have a little set up in the garage (The Midnight Funeral Parlour). It does the job for now.

Running a label is pretty time consuming. You have a job, band, wife. Do you find it hard to devote time to all the other aspects of your life outside the label? Or is it the opposite? Are there times when the label suffers due to not having enough time?

I am lucky enough to have a wife that is supportive of what I do with the label, and as is the case with all vinyl pressing, there are always delays, so the time pretty much ruins itself. Hahaha.

So these are just some quickies to wrap up with.

Its well known that you're a record buff. So lets talk wax.

The one record that will be never be sold?

Darkest Hour – Undoing Ruin Test Press LP. Limited to 5 copies, signed by the whole band. I’m going to be buried with it.

The one record that you most regret selling?

A Mindsnare record that was a gift. That’s all I’m gonna say, because it constantly bums me out…

If you had to give give up your entire collection in trade for one record what would it be?

Shit, I have a good collection, so it would have to be a low numbered copy of the first Nirvana Single, signed by the band. A pretty tall order, but fuck, 600 records is a big deal…

How many records do you own?

About 600 at the moment. Split pretty much half LP’s and half 7 inches.

Do woman understand record collecting?

Some do, mine does a little bit. But it does seems to be a male thing more so.

Whats the obsession with red wax?

I just like Red. It looks nice. No other reason really.

Um, that's it man. Is there anything you would like to plug before we finish up?

Shitloads. Cheers for everyone who supports the label and local Hardcore/Punk/Metal music, and the labels behind them.

Check out myspace.com/midnightfuneralmusic because I have some kickass records coming out:

Mid Youth Crisis – Happiness and Authority LP

4Dead – Blood and Piss LP

A Secret Death – S/T LP

I Exist – I: A turn for the worse LP

Abraxis – S/T LP

Risk and Reason 7 inch EP

Party Vibez – S/T 7 inch EP

Buy Vinyl. CD is a dead format.

This man speaks the truth. CD's are dead. Wax or bust. If you don't own a record that Craig has put out then finish reading here and go to his link and buy something. The guy puts so much money and time into helping bands get a release out and the least you could do is throw $10 at him. It really helps, more than you know.

News.

I have been meaning to do some form of news update for this for a while. But I really have just been to lazy to get around to it. But I figure now is a good time.

Item 1. What am I doing with this zine? Good question, I have no idea. I am not really sure why I started it. Nor do I know how long I will do it for. But I do know that there is a tangible copy of this zine coming October(ish). A lot of the interviews I conduct for this (web)zine will be with Australian bands or smaller international ones. The print version of the zine however, is with international bands only. The interviews the print copy contains are not being published online. I have currently completed 3 of the 10 interviews. Stay tuned.

PS. This October deadline may not happen. I am pretty slack with how I run this zine. I could probably run it better. But sometimes I really just cant seem to find the effort.

Item 2. You said you would post record reviews and good vegetarian food recipes. What gives. I really would love to do this. But I would really prefer it if I could take photographs while I cook. Makes the post a little bit more interesting. As for records, you have to take pictures of records if you review them. The idea of owning a record is to appreciate it as a package. From the artwork, to what its printed on. Gatefold or just a sleeve? What colour the record itself is and any other goodies that come with it.

My excuse. I used to own a digital camera. Pretty sure I left it in Japan. My phone 'had' an excellent camera. But I dropped my phone in a bucket of paint 9 months ago. Not only does the camera on it not work but the phone barely works itself. I have to put up with it for a further 12 months before my plan is up. My girlfriend has a an iPhone. But lets be honest the camera's on those thing are less than perfect. I don't think the camera on one of those would really do some of the records I own justice. Artwork needs to be appreciated.

This problem might be resolved around christmas time. If I get lucky with a new camera. Maybe.

Item 3. I have a Facebook page for this blog. Whenever an interview is posted here I post a link to it on that page. So if you are at all interested in following this blog, 'like' the page. Suggest it to your friends etc etc.

Cheers.

Legions.

Without a shadow of a doubt, I would have to say that the S/T release Josh talks about in this interview is probably the one record to be released this year, that I am really hanging out for. It is really rare that I band will come along and blow you away with a demo. But Legions have some how achieved this. At least on myself. For such a young group of people they are really quite incredible. Both in song writing and in maturity. I wouldn't go so far as to say that there is 'hype' surrounding this band, but there are definitely great expectations and they have in no way grown arrogant due to all this new attention. I'll stop sweating them now. Have a read.

So can I grab your name, what you do in Legions and roughly how excited are you to see Death Before Dishonour?

Josh, vocals. I won’t lie- I’m not a huge DBD fan per se, I mean I am pretty psyched on a few tracks and I’m looking forward to checking them out. But I’m mostly looking forward to seeing Relentless play some new stuff, the couple of tracks I’ve heard are dope.

Lets get straight into it. You guys have a 7'' coming out on Arrest Records. How is that coming a long?

Pretty shockingly, haha. We’ve been recording it ourselves, and because of that we’ve been able to scrap tracks and re-record them over and over again. We’re all perfectionists so naturally, we keep delaying it. Sorry if we’ve kept anyone waiting!

How did that actually come about? Did Greg approach you or was it the other way around?

Greg showed some interest in us when we put our demo out, and when he started Arrest he approached us about putting a record out with him. We hadn’t really even considered what the next step for us was at that point, and seeing the things he’s put together since starting the label pointed us in that direction when the time came for us to start putting our own release together.

Are there any details you can give in regards to the EP? Date, title?

We don’t have a definite date yet, but the 7” is four tracks, self-titled, available on vinyl hopefully with digital download.

You put up a new track from that 7'' a while ago. How have people received it so far?

It’s been real good, I mean, this was the first track we did with our new guitarist Owen, and he wrote a majority of the riffs (I wrote most of the riffs on the demo). I think we’ve pretty much sorted out what we’re doing with sound now, and Owen had a big influence on that. We’ve had nothing but positive feedback about it, so we’re stoked.

From talking to friends, people on the internet, you guys are gaining quite a following. Is this surprising at all? People taking such a liking to you before your first release?

I’m pretty excited that people are getting into us, and hopefully that will only increase when we hit some other states this summer. I still sorta feel like people are judging us a little based on the fact we’re young kids, but it doesn’t bother me a whole lot.

You're all a pretty young bunch of guys. I was actually really surprised when I heard your demo and then the new song (which is rediculously good). How the hell are all you guys such good song writers at such a young age?

Ripping off riffs helps. Nah haha, I think we just have a good process of writing songs where we all have an input.

Speaking of song writing. How do you guys put together all these tracks together?

Rather than going ahead and trying to figure out a song in the middle of practice, we sit down together and put drum parts to riffs that any of us, but usually Owen, come up with at home. We think about ways to improve it and try out different things, and record a draft with midi drums and guitar software and shit, and I take a copy of that and write my lyrics over it.

I tried to book you guys down for a show a while ago and it sort of went no where due to school commitments. Eventually you guys played at Morgans house. When is everyone due out of school? And do you plan on maybe trying to tour on the back of the 7''?

Me and Elliott (drums) are the only ones left in school. Brandon (guitar) is at uni and Tiernan and Owen are working. Me and Elliott finish our exams in November, so we plan to tour as much as possible. At the moment, if all goes as planned, we should hopefully be doing an east coast tour off the back of our 7”.

These are just some quick ones to finish up on.
Who is a good up and coming band you guys have have stumbled across lately?

To be honest, there isn’t a whole lot of new bands around lately that have caught my attention. Warbrain are relatively new and their demo is fucking great, and they’re even better live. Helta Skelta from Perth are also an awesome band. I’ve heard good things about a band from Melbourne called Rainmaker. I’ve been listening to the Elegy demo a little, great stuff. Our friends Endless Heights, Phantoms, Relentless and Fixtures, while they aren’t necessarily new, are definitely my four favourite bands in Sydney.

What record is getting a regular listen on your ipod lately?

I don’t have an iPod but I’ve been listening to Africa – Toto on repeat a fair bit, the new Daylight record, new Bitter End, some Elliott Smith, Righteous Jams demo, and I predict I’ll be giving the Dead End Path 7” a thrashing this week.

What is one thing you hate about being in a band?

Arguing with dudes in the band sucks. Also, we don’t drive much so getting to shows that are a little out of our way is difficult. But there’s nothing I really ‘hate’ about being in a band, I don’t think I’d waste my time with it if there was something that really bothered me about it.
Thanks alot man!

Due to the fact that I have no idea when this record will be appearing, I am to say when to head over to the Arrest Records web store to grab it. But you should definitely keep an ear out, because I don't think this is a record that you will want to miss. It is also good to see that another up and coming band's record will pass through the hands of Greg Bower. This guy is probably doing more for Australian hardcore at the moment than anyone has done in a long time (Graham Nixon and Nigel Melder aside).

Legions

Dogfight Records.

An interview with Pilks from Sydney's Dogfight records and No Love Lost. A good little insight into what it takes to run an emerging label. Also, pretty sure I got the exclusive on exactly what is going on with his old band. For fans of No Love Lost, there is bad news ahead.

What’s up man, would you be able to tell everyone your name, what you do at Dogfight and are you happy to finally have the new Shinto Katana record out?

Well I’m Pilk’s. Trent and myself pretty much share the load at Dogfight and work out all the distro and promo stuff for the albums as well as helping the bands with any tours or band related stuff that they need help with or advice with.

Yeah mate really happy to finally have that one out, its been hanging around for awhile and we were keen to get it out so people can finally hear it.

I heard you had some trouble getting that record out. Issues with distro?

Yeah lots of hassles there mate haha.

We had something lined up with Stomp for a distro deal and then there was a re-structure over at Stomp and they had to put it on the back burner, which put us in a spot because both Shinto and us at Dogfight expected it to be distro’d thru an actual company rather than the DIY stuff that myself and Trent were already doing.

With the amount of time, effort and money that Shinto spent on this album it sent us into overdrive to try and get something worked out to get some type of distro before its release.

Obviously the goal of all record labels is the same. Get their signing’s record out. But not all offer the same benefits or services as each other. What do you do for the guys that you have at your label?

Well I'm not sure what the other labels do to make us different from them so I cannot really say. But apart from releasing the record’s and promo, we like the bands to come to us with stuff they need help with, anything that comes in to the normal band organization which could be from hiring vans to merch designs, we are here to help them. We really like them to know that they can ring us for everything and anything.

What actually made you want to start a label to begin with? As I understand it, running a label isn’t all that profitable. Obviously riches and fame weren’t factors.

Trent and I just wanted to be able to do something for a lot of the bands out there that maybe weren’t big enough to get on some of the major labels. Kind of like a stepping stone for bands to move to those bigger labels and that’s what set the ball rolling on what Dogfight is today and yes it surely isn’t profitable, I’ve worked a lot of Saturdays to get extra cash for Dogfight haha

How did you get up in the beginning? Was it hard?

Getting started wasn’t the hard part for us, it was more so understanding and getting our heads around the in’s and out’s of what running a label means. Lucky for us good friends of mine, Craig and Cassie, had already been through the same stuff setting up their own label, Sightline, (Craig now runs a label called Midnight Funeral) and myself and Trent spent many an hour on the phone to them picking their brain on everything to do with record labels and they helped us get it all started.

Graham at Resist also helped us understand a lot of stuff and pointed us in the right direction with a heap of things.

Without Craig, Cassie and Graham it would have been a much harder exercise for us then what it was.

I’m sure people reading this would have heard of both labels, but if not check out www.myspace.com/resistmusic & www.mysapce.com/midnightfuneralmusic

You are pretty established now as a label now, being quite well known through out Australia. Now that you have established yourself what is on the cards (Bring a band over from the states, sign a foreign band)? Or are you just going to keep on with what you are doing?

We are getting to the point now where things are running really well and smoothly and we have been talking more and more about bringing bands out from the States and also signing or releasing some bands from overseas. So I think that is going to be on the cards for us for this year or next.

We would also like to maybe do some 7” releases at some stage and maybe even start doing a yearly Sydney compilation CD where we can get all the Sydney bands on one release to help promote the scene here.

Is the fact that your label is fairly well known a shock at all? Did you expect your initial signings to do well and establish such a good base to build from?

I’m actually quite shocked about it all and how fast people have recognized the label. I think we have been very lucky with the first few bands that we signed. All their releases did very well and all the bands helped us a heap in the beginning to promote the label as much as possible. With them as well as a lot of our friends promoting the labels name, it really helped us get our foot in the door.

No Way Out have done two records with you, Shinto Katana are literally days away from number 2, Relentless are looking at doing their second record with you. Is it a good feeling to know that these bands were happy with their first round with you and want to come back?

For sure mate, it definitely makes us feel like we did something right with those first few releases. At the time it was a gamble for both us and the bands, and I’m glad it worked out well for everyone and that they were happy enough to come back to us a second time.

The impression that I get from the label is that Dogfight is more or less a family. A group of dudes that hang out, play music and just have a good time in general. Is this something that’s important to you?

That would have to be the most important part of the label for Trent and myself. We want the label to be fun first and business second without compromising what we have to do for the releases.

Having the bands able to ring us for advice and to get along with the other bands on the label is the main thing that matters to us.

First and foremost this is a hardcore label and hardcore to us is more than music, it's friendship and being able to do something positive. Having our bands tour around the country and know that the guys from other bands on the label will go out to the shows and hang with the guys on tour and put them up or lend them gear is what this is all about and I reckon this would go for a lot of other labels too.

I’m just going to finish up some short questions

Favorite record you have released so far?

Um hard question, but would have to be the new Shinto record as well as the new Relentless one which will be out soon. Both these records blew me away the first time I heard the finished product and got me really siked on releasing them.

Anything exciting planned for 2010 that we don’t know about yet?

Well there is a few things in the works in the way of tours that haven’t 100% been finalized yet so I cant say to much on that haha. The new Relentless album will be out in August, which everyone should check out.

We have also been chatting to the Hand Of Mercy guys about releasing their new record so if all goes to plan we will be putting that out at some stage over next few months.

No Love Lost… What’s going on haha?

Haha mate if I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked that question I could actually retire I think haha

Well ill finally tell the full story of what’s going on, here goes haha

Well we were all set to record the new album and two weeks before we were meant to record we lost two guitarist and a bass player but seeing that we had the pre production all done Tom and myself still wanted to give it a crack, so I rang Roman and filled him in on the situation and he said that he could play the guitars for us.

We spent the first few days tracking all the drums from the songs we had from the pre production at Romans Complex Studios and then came the guitars.

Well because of the fact that working out all the guitars was taking ages we scrapped that idea.

Roman had the idea that Tom and myself can tell and explain to him how we wanted the guitars to go in each song and he will pretty much write the guitars on the spot with the help from Jon.

So Tom and myself spent like three days making guitar sounds with our voices and explaining how we wanted the guitars to be while Roman and Jon recorded guitars to the drum tracks.

At the end of it we had a record that we all love, but all fool us that we didn’t take into consideration that the two guys laying the guitars are in the Red Shore haha

Now we have an album that despite our best efforts can't seem to find anyone in Sydney who can actually play it hahaha

So it looks as if one day there will be a final show when we can get Roman and Jon down to play the show.

If anyone hasn’t heard the album its up for free download so try and download that anywhere you can.

So there you have it. As much as it is disappointing to here that No Love Lost will be no more, it was good to find what Pilks has planned for the future of Dogfight. Relentless' new album Set In Stone will be Aug 13. Which is only 3 weeks from now. So get excited. They will on be on tour with America's Death Before Dishonour, in the first week of September.

Dogfight Records

Warbrain

So last week I was able to get Lloyd from Warbrain to answer some questions for me. This band is easily one of my favourite Australian groups at the moment. They have only got a four song demo but when this 7'' happens I will buy the shit out of it. They are that good.

Hey man, can I grab your name, what your do in Warbrain and does stuff you say on the internet count in real life?

My names Lloyd and I sing in Warbrain. Umm, well, pedophiles get arrested for trying to chat up innocent children on the internet all the time so I guess the answer would be yes....

Who else makes up Warbrain?

We have Josh on drums, Kain on bass and Tim on guitar.

Warbrain is a pretty new band. I caught you guys for the first time about a month ago in Morgan’s basement. How did you guys get together?

Yeah that show was a lot of fun actually! Basically Josh, Kain and I started writing some riffs trying to do something a little different from what we had been doing, and perhaps closer to what we grew up listening too. Tim was almost an automatic in because I had always wanted to do a band with him, and we have all been mates for ages.

Tim has Hopeless, you play guitar in Carpathian. The other guys, I don’t actually know anything about. Do they have any other bands?

Yeah Josh also plays in Carpathian, and Kain has filled in for us from time to time. He is now also playing in the Melbourne Straight Edge band Frozen Over.

Comparatively speaking, Warbrain and Carpathian are really different bands and the riffs that Tim writes for Hopeless are quite different to what he writes, for you guys. What made you guys want to go out and do something different to the music you were already doing?

Well like I mentioned before we have all talked about doing a band like this and it kind of just happened that we were all in the right place to do a new band at the time we started Warbrain. And that being said, if you listed to bands Tim and I have played in previously, its not that much of a transition.

What made you want to do vocals instead of guitar?

Josh and I were originally both going to play guitar, but then we had no drummer or singer so Josh put his hand up for drums which was cool because he fell right into it. We still didn't have a vocalist after a while and couldn't think of anyone we wanted so I said I'd give it a go because it was always something I'd wanted to do. I demo'd some vocals, everyone was into it and we went from there.

When you listen to the demo you can hear two guitar tracks, is there a plan to maybe add a second guitar at some point?

Yeah, I think there may be, but its hard to find someone who will fit in with us and be able to commit to putting 100% into the band. So we'll keep it a 4 piece for now.

What is the overall goal of the band? You guys have got some pretty important stuff on outside of Warbrain. So are there going to be more recordings and more shows? Or is this just a bit of fun?

We all have a common goal for this to be full time when the other bands aren't doing anything. So as soon as Carpathian gets back from europe we are pretty excited about going in to record some new songs for a 7" that will be out hopefully by the end of the year or early 2011.

A week or so ago you guys posted on your Facebook that you would be playing your last show for while. Whys that?

Because both Carpathian and Hopeless will be on tour over the next month or so its a little hard to try fit in any shows. We probably won't be playing again until mid September, so its not that long really, hahaha.

Just some quick questions to finish up with man
How good are Legions?

Legions are sick. I haven't been that impressed by young band with such good influences in a long time. They have a really positive attitude toward hardcore and are just stoked to play whatever shows they can. I respect that. They can only get better from here as well.

How do you find writing lyrics as apposed to riffs?

It depends how you look at it. I can spit out riffs like it's nobody's business but that doesn't meant they're good, hah, so it's nice to be able to take my time on something, and on top of that I really enjoy it.

Have you read John Joseph’s (of Cro-Mags fame) new book ‘Meat Is For Pussies’? I ask this because heaps of people have said its shit. I haven’t read it yet.

No I haven't and I haven't heard any reviews either. I usually like to decide on things like that for myself.

So that 'last show for a while' has been and gone. So I guess you will have to till Carpathian are back from Europe till you can see Warbrain again. If you haven't already done so. Go to there Myspace and download their demo from Mediafire. Pretty sure they have shirts up for grabs as well. So message them about that. Enjoy.

Warbrain

Relentless

A few days ago I was able to talk to Dennis from Relentless. Or Dcold from the internet. Whatever you please. Either way, he was able to give a good update on what is going on within Relentless. Talking about the new record, Hardcore 2010, Dogfight and the Lakers.

Hey man, can you let every one know your name, what you do in Relentless and who is going to win game 7 in the Lakers - Celtics finals?*

Yo wassup man my name is Dennis aka Dcold haha, I play bass in Relentless and then there is steve, trent, mitch and dean. And yes I am confident the lakers will win the finals, were playing at staples (home) come on... Nah it should be a good game though.

You guys went to record at Electric Sun a few months back to for your new release. How is that coming along?

Yeah it came out exactly how we wanted too. Shane aka Buddah is an awesome dude and is great to work with. He definantly knows his shit!!!! Thats for sure!!!

The new song on your Myspace is nothing short of amazing. A monumental step up from 'Opposition To Control', which itself was still a great record. How did you guys manage to write all this incredible new material? Same as last time?

On our last EP we kinda rushed that one but the concept and production of this record came out well with good time. Basically we all played a part in writing this record. But yeah one of us would come up with something and we would take it to one of our houses or jam space then just jam it out.

Fads come and go in hardcore. Metalcore, mosh, melodic hardcore, crust. With bands like Legions, Relentless, War Brain all doing good things, do you think its NY style hardcore's turn to make a comeback?

Man it has never left ae. I mean trends come and go in hardcore but I guess if your saying that the hard riff style Is “back” it definanty is man! Also suss out our homies in phantoms!

'Opposition To Control' was put about by Pilks at Dogfight. You guys are going to go with him again?

Yeah we are, Dogfight rulez!!!!

Is this record going to have a theme to it at all? The last record seemed like its aim was to make people aware that they dont have to put up with 'the man' and to think for themselves etc.

Not really on this record, however we did tackle issues like racism, depression, society etc.

I guess another big thing coming up is Hardcore 10. You guys are playing on the friday night. Stoked to be playing this?

Hell yeah we are man, super stoked on getting on. A lot of good bands playing both shows also.

Relentless has been around since 2006. And just earlier this year you guys toured with No Turning Back, got asked to play Hardcore 10. Is it a rewarding feeling to know that all your hard work is starting to pay off?

Yeah dogg being on that tour ruled hard and then getting asked to play hardcore got even better. 2010 is going well at the moment.

Just some quick ones to wrap up man.
What is a band to look out for in 2010?

Im not gonna say just one, but check out our good friends in Phantoms they got a new record coming out it is dope. Shinto Katana have a record coming out in a few weeks on Dogfight Records it is killer check that out. Legions, Endless Heights, Warbrain, Against have a new one coming out also, Lockdown, Hand Of mercy got a new one coming out, suss that.. Thats all I can think of for now haha.

Is Pilks' band ever going to play shows again?
HAHA I cant answer this question man your gonna have to ask the man himself. Last I heard they have a band and were jamming so who knows.

Are the Lakers to reliant on Bryant?

Yes and no. Kobe can have a shit game sometimes, even if he is the best player in the world!... But hey there is no I in team haha.

So if you are a fan of 1998, a fan of New York, a fan of getting the shit beaten out of you, you should probably listen to this band. Because they a definitely one of only a handful Australian bands that are playing a sound that hasnt been the 'in thing' for a long time. Not only are they playing it, they are killing it. Head over to their Myspace to check out their new track 'Set In Stone' and if you dont already have it, pick up their old EP from Dogfight Records.

*Since asking this question, game 7 was played. Celtics lost.. Not psyched.

Relentless

Dogfight Records

Promises

So, this is a band that has not been around long at all, but already they are making such a big name for themselves. Why? Because they have decided to go about this project a little differently to bands they have done before and it is without a doubt working out very, very well for them. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on in future.

Hey man, can I grab your name, what you do for Promises and does Morgan (Dead Kings) hide little creatures in his beard?
My name is Zaca and I do vocals. At its' peak, Morgan's beard had enough room for my entire former band to crash in. A warmer sleep I'll never know.

Promises is a pretty new band. How did you guys all get together?
When Vices decided to call it a day, I hit both Case and Nic up to do another band with me, something along the lines of what I had been trying to steer Vices towards but ultimately failed, something with a Dead Hearts/Sinking Ships/Killing The Dream vibe. We sat on the idea for a few months as we couldn't find a solid lead guitarist or bassist. Our mate MC caught wind of what we were doing and told us he was down to play bass, so that was four of five. Joe was a friend of a friend, and he had heard that we were looking for a lead guitarist and came and had a chat to me at a show. I told him to learn a Killing The Dream track and to come have a play. The dude turned out to be a legend and we wrote four tracks in as many weeks.

Who makes up the band? Is there anyone from previous bands people may have heard of?
Nic - drums, Case - guitar, Joe - Guitar, MC - bass, Zaca - vocals. Nic, Case, and I played in Vices For Virtues, and Joe played for a band called Wrecking Ball. Nic also plays for Driven Fear, who have just released solid EP on Pee. Such a good disc.

Most bands play a heap of little shows. Do a shitty demo. Get on some bigger shows. Do a good demo and eventually release an EP not many people notice. You guys have punched out an EP in roughly 6 months since forming and your first show was supporting America's Shai Hulud. How are you doing so well for yourselves so quickly?
You just described the life of our former band perfectly, and that's usually how it's done, but since we had done it before in another band, we thought we would learn from our previous mistakes and approach it differently this time. We discussed the idea of a demo versus an EP and ended up being convinced that an EP was a more solid idea. You can't tour on a demo, no-one cares about a demo, and we thought the songs we were writing were EP quality and therefore shouldn't be wasted on a CD-R that most people would throw out because they got it for free. Four of the five tracks on the EP were actually written in six weeks, and the fifth was finished a day before we recorded, with the lyrics being written and structured when I was tracking.
The Shai Hulud support was a gift. A mate of ours had the opportunity to throw us on the bill and he took it, and we couldn't have been more stoked to have that as our first show.

Why is that you have chosen to actually go about running the band this way?
We decided to start in the middle because of our experiences in other bands; we knew the mistakes we made and the superfluous activities we undertook and left them out. As I said in my previous answer, we decided an EP was a better idea. And now that we have Pee releasing 'Hopeless Sons', we feel that we made the right decision in doing so.

Were you guys stoked to get on Pee Records for this release?
So stoked. Pete has been the perfect label dude.

I guess a hot topic on the internet recently has been Dead Nation Records. They ripped off Battle Truk. Your old band Vices For Virtues got a pretty raw deal from them. How do you feel about people who jump on the hardcore bandwagon and then try to cash in on something that has essentially a DIY industry since the early 80's?
I'm unsure if Gavin's (Dead Nation) aim was ever to cash in. If it was, it was definitely a long term goal as I saw him lose more money than he made. He's just a liar and basically a little bit useless. I have had experiences with people trying to make a quick dollar by being a 'promoter', but most of them end up in above their heads anyway, which is expected but sad, because without them, shows and venues can be harder to come by, and if you decide to do it yourself, you generally have to come up with a bit of money to secure a venue and sound. It's a little bit annoying to know someone's just trying to make a buck, but I'd rather that than having no shows to play.

You were kind enough to email me a copy of your record 'Hopeless Sons'. So I am going to go ahead and ask about some of the lyrics and themes presented in the EP.
Shoot. I'm an open book.

From what I read, it seems that you discuss a lot of your own short comings. Myself, I discuss none of my failures with anyone. Really just due to the fact that they hurt and can be embarrassing. Yet you have thrown them out in the open for all to see.

Does this make you nervous at all?
I used to be exactly the same. I didn't see any value in speaking of my failures or shining light on what I believed was an inadequacy. I've always been one to appreciate honesty though, and when it came down to it, all I wanted was to be honest when I put pen to paper. I guess when I started to write personal lyrics, I wondered how people would react, but generally, the only feedback I get is positive. I've written some incredibly personal material recently, and my friends and others who read it have been nothing but supportive, so I feel completely comfortable in sharing how I feel about myself and the situations I am in to whoever is kind enough to listen; the fear of being judged has waned. I've always enjoyed listening to personal, emotional lyrics from bands such as Stay Gold and Sinking Ships and I have always respected vocalists who are able to put themselves and their idea of who they are out in the open. It has taken me years, but I'm glad that I am now able to do the same.

You are vegan edge and in the final track 'Forecast' you talk about your convictions and morals and how they mean more to you than most. Do you think too many people take straight edge or veg/veganism for a joke instead of a way of life?
I don't necessarily think that people look at either of these lifestyle choices as a joke so much as they see them as temporary commitments, and this is what I am directly referring to in that line. It seems to be the same with morals also. Too many fall away from what they said they believed in so strongly. Obviously it's none of my business what other people do to themselves and I'm not trying to make it so, but I see both Straightedge and veganism as lifelong commitments, and that view seems to stand in stark contrast to what now seems to be held by the majority of my peer group and society.

In 'Regardless' who are you asking for faith from?

''We are your empty, hopeless sons, put your faith in us''
I am asking for faith from the people who we will inherit the world from: societal leaders, parents, those in positions of authority. One day soon it will be our generation's turn to steer our society and decide its future but it seems there is such little faith in our capability to do so.

To finish up man, just some short questions.

What is best drink to enjoy on a hot day?

Water, straight from the tap.

Where is a good veg restaurant in the Goldy?
Tian Ran and Three Worlds are in Mermaid Beach.
Govinda's is in Burleigh Heads.
Easy House is in Mermaid Waters.

Do Japan really do scientific research on the whales they catch?
As I have done very little research into the topic, this is opinion only. No.

Anthing you would like to say before we rap all this up?
Three things:
Talking shit does not get you anywhere, kindness is not weakness,
and selling out is not growing up.

Thanks for taking the time to do the interview man, I hope you enjoy the disc.

So there you go. The record that Zaca and I were discussing, 'Hopeless Sons', is going to be available this Friday. I will also be posting a review of the record that day as well. You can pre-order it from their label at Pee records. But until then you should get on their myspace and get a taste of what is to come from this really promising band.

http://www.myspace.com/promises617

http://www.myspace.com/peerecords