MediaJust Click on a song, video, or interview to listen/view it. If it doesn't work on your computer then click here to go to another site where you can listen and/or watch. "Essential Freedoms" Live @ The Showcase Theatre, Corona, CA
Footage from our Recording
all or nothing hc interview By Mike Senyo of Big Wheel Magazine 1.You went to Paul Miner in order to capture your old school hardcore sound, why did you guys feel like you lost that sound?We went to Paul Miner because he played in hardcore punk bands and is experienced in recording bands with the "old school hardcore punk" sound that we also have. We never "lost" that sound. We were excited to work with a recording engineer who knows how to capture the "live energy" of a hardcore punk band on a recording. Paul's great to work with and we're very happy with the recording. 2.A lot of your lyrics deal with the current political stage, do you think that some of your songs date your album in a negative way? I guess what I mean is do you feel that when people hear that song and see it as a political statement will people just write it off as, "oh that's what happened such and such years ago." "Courier New"">Since my lyrics deal with human rights, women's rights, disenfranchised people's rights, environmental issues, peace activism, animal rights, positive energy, immigrant rights, fighting ignorance, fear and hatred, staying true to yourself in the face of oposition, and friendship issues, I do not feel that any of our records are dated. I never mention "names" in my songs, although I am inspired to write songs by the current political landscape. The personal is political and the political is personal to me. I cannot separate the two. For the record though, some the the most influential records in my life are those that are political and can be dated and traced to their origins of inspiration and protest. I do mention the names of my heroes in the lyrics. 3.As a girl how did you get in to the hardcore scene? The first punk/hardcore show I went to was when I was fourteen. It was at a park off of "Courier New"">La Sierra St. in Riverside. The park had some kind of recreation hall there. The bands that played were White Flag, Uniform Choice and 7 Seconds. I geuss that show hooked me. I loved the freedom and empowerment of the punk scene. I still do. Hardcore has been a natural progression. I love the punk and the hardcore scenes. There are elements of both I could do without: racism, homophobia, and mysogynism. The scenes here in California are a little more broken up into genres of punk than they are in other states. When we're on tour we see many hardcore, rockabilly, punk, crust, grrrl bands play altogether, like a more united overall "punk" scene. The population of kids into all genres of punk is so large that it can be more segmented here in. 4.There aren't many hardcore female lead singers, how do you feel as someone to look up to for younger females? That's a two parter. Actually, there are many hardcore female lead singers...you just have to look hard to find them. There are many talented female fronted hardcore bands as well as playing instruments all over the world. That's exciting to me. As far as being a "role model," it's a very high compliment. I am always thrilled when a girl or a woman tells me that I've inspired them in some way, wether it's to play music or empower themselves. Fucking beautiful...that's what it's really all about..connecting with other humans, sharing humanity and inspiring one another. When they tell me that I've inspired them...well I get even more motivated and inspired to continue to create and perform so it's a perfect cyle. I have had many role models in music. Women like Exene, Souxie, Becky Bondage, Debbie Harry, Dinah Cancer instantly got my attention and made me want to sing too. Peers like Kirsten (Naked Aggression), Cinder (Retching Red), Jenny (Midnight Creeps), Kisston (Help Me, Help Me I Can't Breathe, Erica (Profits), Rachel (Gruk) Adri (Voids), Candice (Walls of Jericho) Kathleen (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre), Peaches, Princess Superstar, Bruised Violet, Riot This, the gals in Socialized Crucifixion and Suicide Scandles, etc. inspire me. I love seeing women empowered and owning it in a positive way. All of the aforementioned women (and more I've absent mindedly omitted) do so in various ways. 5.The recent album dealt with such political agendas as Roe v Wade, as a woman how do you feel about abortion? It doesn't matter how I feel about abortion, what's important is that the Supreme Court has given women reproductive ownership and rights through Roe v. Wade. Unfortunately, the Anti-Choice movement is in bed with the current administration. All over the United States women's reproductive rights are being taken away from them. Many women live in states where more than 50% of the women live in counties with no abortion provider, and state laws including counseling and/or wait time. Many states mandate parental notification. Many states restrict insurance coverage for abortions. Many states have senate bills which allow pharmacists and other health care providers to refuse to participate in a health care service, including despensing any drug, device or medication that violates their conscience. This means that many local pharmacists in these states can refuse to fill birth control prescriptions, etc. [All of these facts are from www.agi-usa.org ; www.plannedparenthood.org ; www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ .] Please read "The State of " by Daphne Adair in issue #71 of Punk Planet. It is a very well written and researched article on the current daily deterioration of women's reproductive rights. Anyone who cares about access to birth control and other reproductive services should educate themselves on the issue and support pro-choice organizations and activism. On a personal aside...if men could get pregnant there would be an abortion clinic on every corner. 6.Can you explain why you chose the title All of These are Days of The Dead for the record? The title is actually "Todos Son Los Dias De Los Muertos/All of these are Days of the Dead." It's a tentative title, but we like it so far. In Mexico and Central America you celebrate El Dia De Los Muertos/Day of the Dead once a year on Novemember 1st or 2nd. It's a day that is one of grief and honoring the dead in celebration. As I started writing lyrics to this record I was watching the devestation of the Tsunami, the constant war, death and famine in countries in Africa, the Palestinian/Isreali conflict, the war in Iraq, the flooding of New Orleans and more constantly broadcast on CNN and talked about on NPR. All I could think of was that all of these are days of the dead. The best way of honoring the dead is to try to keep others from dying senselessly or needlessly. I consider myself an activist and that will come through in the lyrics. People should write about what they feel and what they know. I started out at UC Riverside as a Spanish major with a minor in Latin American Studies. I love the Latin American culture and certain traditions. I write songs in English and in Spanish. Hence the the Spanish title too. 7.As a politically motivated band what is your feeling about bands such as anti-flag for example, signing with a major corporation when they blatantly speak out against corporations in their songs? "Use your freedom of choice..."-Devo |