This is not just a new video from Slaine - backed by Teddy Roxpin - but a cut off of the LEEDZ Ent comp, Eastern Standard.
Slaine has had many killer verses. And as quickly as you can point to bragadacious bars that will silence any MC; or Slaine's vividly descriptive tales of crime, drugs and guns - all while hammering multi-syllabic bars relentlessly; he is stunning when he turns his words towards the world of politics.
SLaine continuously expresses honest vulnerability and exposes regrets; turning his hard road into parables of experience. But going back to his verses on "Man Made Ways" from DC The MIDI-Alien's Avenger Airwaves compilation, East Coast Avengers "Lady Liberty", or on Virtuoso's "Fahrenheit 911", Slaine rips through the bullshit and pierces the veil of American social civility.
Diamond Media 360 offers Slaine's explanation of this joint. "We seem to have this human condition where we seek power and validation from outside sources when really we have the ultimate power in and around us at all times,” states Slaine. But do mistake Slaine for some generic motivation meme. As Roxpin's drums pound toward a finish line, Slaine spits,
“Is it fear that we suffer from or lack of it?/ Where do we go now? Who do we turn to?
When does it slow down? Who do we learn through?/
Through a history of imperious acts/ I still move with my spirit intact.”
This messaging reflects back to Slaine's verse on "Lady Liberty" in fact. He deconstructs and demolishes both left and right, media, and America's egregious hypocrisies. But he ends with:
Who do we trust now when we can't even trust us?
There's no peace we can find, there' ain't no justice
Just a war going on against each of us
We need to reach down deep and start speaking up
Cause everybody's illing when the buildings blow up
But what's gonna happen when our children grow up?
But back to "Source of Power" - examining personal motivation of the beaten and disenfranchised and the greed of the wealthy and privileged the hook boasts: "hunger, vision, fury, discipline - survival, resilience, shine to a brilliance"
Slaine paints pictures - "ice in my veins, Hell in my eyes" - with mesmerizing imagery; playing with words like Mozart did notes. Slaine's lyrics bounce and punch as Roxpin uses echoed/big drums, played nice and loose. A high register note dances within its spectrum to add contrast while staying rough and raw.
Director, Ben Proulx, for Project 2 Studios, illuminates the conflict inherent with confrontational visuals. Disturbing and challenging images extrapolate the words of Slaine in a necessary exposition.
In addition to Slaine, the compilation features a sick 1-2 punch with Blacastan and Marvalyss on "Mechanical Movement" on a hypnotic tonal gem. Check Chris Rivers and Rite Hook on a raging track, "The Motions". Natti and Deacon The Villain (both of CunninLynguists), Rite Hook and B Dolan combining that MA/RI connection - with a Hammond heavy, harmonica and piano popping bluesy joint - Soulful!!! Chris Orrick on a nostalgic trip as he often does over a captivating beat, and Granite State showing up again. Spose kills it with a dope beat and a hilarious but down to earth track about the struggles of underground rapper. STL GLD, Mega Ran, and many others validate this 21 track, 75 minute compilation.
Bitter End Illusions of Dominance
Deathwish Inc
New Noise Interview with Jacob Henderson by hutch
This is an email interview with guitarist Jacob Henderson of Bitter Mind. It was answered around the second week of May 2015, right before BNB Bowl. Solid, down to earth dude. I have been into these dudes since they started. They stick to their guns and make kick ass metal tinted hardcore. The lyrics - and the artwork - represent views on a chaotic world. I am used to more general replies responding politics. I tossed an umbrella softball question re: Middle East and this intelligent man called me out on it. If this was a phone interview, we could have elaborated. Great to see smart people wwriting relevant, informed lyrics. I got this digital promo. After a few spins, i ordered the vinyl from DW inc. Had to support this band. I suggest you do the same.\
I have been listening to you guys since Mind in Chains. I think Guilty as Charged was your best,
carrying the momentum of prior releases and years. And then… What happened?
Where have you guys been?
We have been right here! It is so awesome that you have been listening to
us since Mind in Chains. We have
consistently been playing shows, fests, touring, and writing a new LP. It has
been five years since our last release, which in hardcore, or music in general,
can be the equivalent of a lifetime. So many bands have formed in that five
year time frame. It is only natural that attention will be focused on the newer
breed of bands. In music, you have to constantly be putting out new material
and promoting in order to keep that momentum. Also, the everyday demands of
life often get in the way of our ability to tour as much as we would like. We
might not have the same hype or attention as we did when we first started. But
for over a decade, we still write music, we still play shows, and we still
doing it.
Can
I have a present line-up? How does it differ from Guilty?
Currently we have Daniel on vocals, Shane on guitar,
Sammy Pain on bass, Ethan Mania on drums, and me (Jacob) on guitar. It is
different than the line-up for Guilty as
Charged. However, this for the most part, has been the main touring line up
for the last few years.
This
album is heavy… tell me about the songwriting. Does the metal to hardcore ratio
have a formula? *like “oh shit – we haven’t done a fast part
in a few…”
Everyone in the band loves all different styles of
music. We incorporated all the different genres, bands, and styles that we
listen to in this record. Bitter End is above all else a hardcore band. There
might be some parts on the record that deviate from a traditional hardcore
sound, but I think that just makes the record sound more interesting. I think
we created a great blend of different sounds for this record. We have some fast
parts, mid-tempo upbeats, heavy parts, musical parts, mellow acoustic parts…we
have a good combination of just about everything.
Not
super technical Revocation; but you are not shying away from guitar solos…but
it feels woven into the songs – not the metal showcase of: “oh that was the
second chorus, solo insert here.”
I’m so happy that you said it feels woven into the
songs! Ethan, Nick Jett, and I took a lot of thought in the structure of these
songs. I didn’t want any of the leads or guitar solos to seem forced or
unnecessary. My intention with the guitar solos was not “hey look at me shred
like an asshole.” With every track I wanted the flow of the song to be the
focus. I think all the guitar leads that are on this record just add to the
song structure. Inserting leads are a good way to break up vocal lines and move
songs along to the next verse or chorus. After we demoed our songs, I would
record guitar leads at my house on my iPhone using garage band. I wanted to be
sure all the leads were dialed in before I went to record with Nick. I am not
much of a “guitar shredder” and I tend to favor simpler guitar leads. I wanted
the leads to sound catchy, almost as if they were a chorus. Some of my
influences were leads on Integrity – For Those
Who FearTomorrow and even Tom
Petty. Simple, memorable, effective, and catchy.
Tell me about the recording of this
record? How was working with Nick Jett? How long did it take?
Working with Nick was such a great experience. The
whole experience was really a dream come true for me. I flew out to Los Angeles
to record an album with a person who has been a huge influence on Bitter End
and to me as a fan of hardcore. We had been writing these songs for a quite
some time. Some of the riffs and ideas I had for this album started a several
years ago. Nothing is more infecting or aggravating than an idea. Finishing
this record had become an obsession for me. And like any obsession, it had
started to make me a little crazy. I would be driving on the highway thinking
about different song structures, riffs, or drum beats and would go off in a
sort of daze. The next thing I knew, I would be miles away from where I was
going. My experience of being lost on a road due to my obsession became a
metaphor of my life for the few months leading up to finally meeting with Nick.
All the songs and parts were there, but he really helped clear my head. We did
a few rehearsals before recording and he helped with the song structure and
validated parts that I had doubts about. Once we started recording everything
started clicking. There was a creative atmosphere and everyone was throwing
around some great ideas. It was very rewarding being able to finally hear the
finished products of all the songs I was obsessing over. Even though it made me
slightly crazy, I had a lot of fun writing and recording all the music. Hopefully
everyone has fun listening to it.
What
is up for 2015? Tours? Fests?
This weekend we are playing the Black and Blue Fest
in New York City which I am very excited about. We have plans for some fests in
early Fall and we are trying to make plans to tour Europe again and hopefully
(fingers crossed) Japan.
Not that you guys were singing about
sunshine and rainbows before, but the lyrics feel starker and deeper on this
album. What has been going on in your lives that created these lyrics?
Older, Colder, Crazier. I think that kind of sums up
everyone in the band. I’ll answer this question by telling you about how I feel
in my life at this moment. Keep in mind, my experiences and thoughts might be
different than someone else’s When I was in high school I remember reading an
interview with the singer of Good Riddance. He said that being a punk at 29 was
a lot different than being a punk at 19. I wasn’t really sure what he meant by
that at the time, but now that I am older I think I’m beginning to understand. With
each phase of your life you start to see the world different and you start to
see yourself different. Being in a band or even just listening to hardcore is
incredibly rewarding but it can also be painfully lonely. Everyone in the band
has normal “average joe” lives outside the band. It is very difficult to relate
and interact with people who haven’t experienced what it is like being in a
band, or never traveled to go see a show. When co-workers or just ordinary
people find out we are in a band they will call us something generic like “rock
star” and then laugh. How can you explain to them what it is like seeing the
Cro-Mags in Germany in front of 1000 people? You can’t. How can you tell them
what it’s like to drive 20 hours to play a 20 minute set? You can’t. It is a
balancing act trying to juggle the reality of growing up, with the desire of
doing what you love. I think these feelings of frustration combined with our
tendencies to over-think, over-analyze, and over-obsess contributed to the
starker feeling of the lyrics on this album.
Any thoughts on the continuous wars – Syria, Iraq III, etc…
I have a lot of thoughts. This question is difficult
to answer because you didn’t ask anything specific and these conflicts are very
complicated. I’ll try to answer the best I can though. The Arab Spring gave
hope that there would be positive changes and reforms to countries that have
been ruled by dictators. However, the end result has been violence and
conflict. There seems to be no real solutions, answers, or end to the
conflicts. Any sort of intervention by the West has had negative consequences. The
West intervened in Libya to get rid of Gadhafi and now militias are battling
for control of that country. As a result of the breakdown of authority in Libya,
smugglers are taking advantage of Eritreans, Somalis, and Syrians trying to
make their way by boat to Europe. The U.S attacks ISIL in Syria which benefits
Al-Nusra. The U.S condemns Iran for backing Assad but then attacks ISIL targets
in Syria which helps Iran. Iran and Saudi Arabia are fighting a proxy war in
Yemen. Foreign fighters joining ISIL and supplies make it to Syria through
Turkey, even though Turkey is a United States ally. Turkey is very vocal about
removing Assad. It is all just a complicated mess. With all these struggles of
power for territory and influence the civilians are the ones getting caught in
the cross fire. Hundreds of thousands have been killed or displaced in Syria
alone. This has led to the overcrowding of refugee camps in small countries
such as Lebanon and Jordan. It is also the reason why civilians are so
desperate to escape that they will risk drowning at sea in overcrowded boats
just to make it to Italy. There is going to be an entire generation that will
be uneducated because schools have closed due to conflict. It will also be a
generation suffering from emotional and mental issues due to the stress of
witnessing extreme violence.
Watching Baltimore explode the past few
days – care to comment?
Explode might be the wrong definition to use. Inequality, poverty, policing
practices, extensive prison sentences, and discrimination are all contributing
factors to what we have seen in places like South Carolina, Ferguson, and now
Baltimore. These issues have been occurring for a long time and there needs to
be a national dialogue on how correct these problems. I don’t claim to have all
the answers and I only know what I am talking about around 20% of the time, but
this practice of revenue policing, to me, is completely un-American. This
notion of increasing a cities’ revenue by issuing out tickets and warrants to
people in a low-income area only creates a cycle of poverty. This revenue
policing practice occurred in Ferguson and certainly occurs in other areas of
the country as well. It makes me sad that the United States has the largest prison population in
the world, a disproportionate number of which are black or Hispanic. I do have
some hope for the future since there are discussions about reducing prison
sentences for drug offences or even decriminalizing drug possession. However
change can move slow, and there are lots of changes that need to be made.
If
not yet – breakdown the themes of Illusions of Dominance?
“An epidemic of violence, men born into chaos,
intoxicated with illusions of dominance.”
What
do you want an audience to get from a BE show? What do you want to see?
I want them to have fun. I have been going to shows
since I was 12, and I still go to shows at 28. Shows and concerts have been
such a big part of my life and I feel blessed I am able to play music that
people enjoy. I want to see people having a good time and I want them to drive
home safe. Thanks for having us do this interview, I really enjoyed it.
Interview with Mike (vocals) and Tim (guitar) by hutch
Hard Left are: Mike: exhortations Donna: bass, vocals Tim: guitar, vocals Stewart: drums, vocals
In case you are unfamiliar with the skinhead subculture, or
at least the full spectrum of the scene, a common mantra is “no politics”. As
skinheads represent the working class of every country throughout the globe,
this minute microcosm is colored by every brush of the political palette.
Often, at gigs or fests or pubs, politics are eschewed in order to avoid
conflict. And, to clarify, if ‘skinhead’ triggers an old stereotype, racism is
not politics. The “no politics” agreement is not to encourage non-racists to shove
their head in the sand while their brethren salute the Fuhrer at whim. This understanding
exists so that a skinhead from France and one from Texas can share pints and
discuss important things like first pressings of Alton Ellis forty-five’s or the
pros and cons of different 4-Skins’ vocalists without sliding into disagreeing
on the institution of social medicine. *(this said, most are intelligent adults
who can discuss politics without getting out of control.)
Hard Left throw that cordial oath aside and wave their beyond-liberal
flags on the sleeves. Tim explains how the idea materialized. “Mike and I were
talking that it would be fun. I’d play guitar and he said he’ll sing, which he
never had. But if we would have an Oi band, it has to be left wing. For obvious
reasons.”
However, the reasons were not obvious, as I had not known
these guys. “We’re both left wing.” Mike expands, “our political beliefs were not
a big part in prior bands. This time we want to do more than have great songs
and laughs. The message is important. We love this style of music, but the
scene is stridently apolitical or right wing. We wanted to be upfront about
this.” This aspect has the potential to cause trepidation in the band. “I
already got trolled on facebook.”
Mike was already called ‘oppressive’ by a white power user. Hard
Left simply want to seize the opportunity. “I think it’s great if apolitical
people want to listen. But they will get a message.” Tim adds, “the apolitical aspect
about fun and style is tired for me. We want to put on a different gloss. While
not ‘skinheads’, we are steeped in the culture; the music, the fashion.” Sham 69
and Oi are the basis of the sound. “We are trying to unseat what it means to be
working class. If you want fun and apolitical, you are missing content that
could be there.”
Despite Mike citing that the left wing has a strong long
history with British scenes, the hard kicking music should be heard, and not
always eclipsed by the political stance of Hard Left. It is drenched in Mod and
Pub Rock style. Mike revels in their intent. “We’re old, been in a bunch of
bands. We wanted to be in a band with terrace rocking beats and ripping guitars
full of feedback and anthem songs with great lyrics. This is the band we want
to be in.” Tim shares the elation in the layers and tangents of their musical
direction. Tim guides band decision on what he (and they) would like. “Would we
want to see this? Yes. Let’s do it. Marching in with drums and flags? Check. Fred
Perrys? Check. Anthems? Check.”
This attitude forms one hell of a record, which drops on May
12, 2015. Tim and Mike simplified the formula. Tim pushes, “We kept it simple.
The mixing principle was to make the toms loud and add clapping. Make it
anthemic.” Mike agrees, “everything is so pumping. I can’t picture these tunes
sounding any better. I think it’s the best album I have ever heard.” Mike
qualifies this bold statement. “I usually play guitar and I didn’t. So, I am
removed and objective. Our drummer, Stewart , lives in Arizona. He recorded it.
Tim and I worked with our bassist, Donna. We sent Stewart demos with no drums. We went
there and ran through each song, one to two times. He is an amazing drummer
with great concepts. “Stewart is the right man for job. He’s English,” adds
Tim. “He grew up with punk rock and all the terrace glam stuff, Slade. It is in
his musical DNA.”
Mike lauds, “Stu makes it seem effortless. Our sound can be said as, ‘77 punk. But
people only think of the Clash. They’re great, but that’s not our sound. We come
from the football terraces, the early Oi. That stomping punk sound with driving
beats, shouting choruses. But, still, Oi does not tell the whole story.” The
Pub Rock sound of early Who, Cock Sparrer, Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, and
specifically early Cockney Rejects are on target. Punk bands beyond The Clash
like 999, The Ruts, The Damned, and Slaughter & The Dogs fill in the rest.
Hard Left has record release shows soon. San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Oakland are on the list. Stewart will attend those shows as they are planned
ahead. But Hard Left will be on the search for a drummer who is available to
play out of town. Hard Left plan to visit the East Coast and the Northwest in
the summer. They want to go to Europe feeling they “would be well-received,”
declares Tim. “We have made good connects in UK and Germany. Our message and
music will be taken seriously as a provocation in German highly politicized, in
a good way.”
Oakland is the home of Tim and Mike. They find constant
inspiration from their environment. They see it as “unbelievably diverse and
integrated, more so than other cities,” Mike claims. “People tend to live in a
checkerboard. Oakland is, it sounds hokey, but, ‘multi cultural’. The
structural diversity is amazing.” Tim calls it “electric with flavor. The city
is organically integrated, not due to social engineering. It’s real.”
When I think of Oakland, I think of bands like Dystopia and
Neurosis; painting a crusty punk, anarchistic, squat, DIY musical landscape.
Mike notes that the Oaktown is “gnarly and crusty with warehouse parts. Music
is a logical reaction to it environment.” And that is where Mike distinguishes
Hard Left’s music. “We are not reacting against it. We are feeding off the energy
and diversity. Oakland is still a city, gritty.” Tim continues this thought, “There is the Black
Panther history. That flavor still exists. Hard Left doesn’t partake in the
gutter punk thing, or garage-y, which is big here.” So, while the tones and tunes
are executed differently, the message is on par.
“The band is ideologically eclectic.” Tim states. “We lean into
anarchism. People who do work should benefit from it. Tradition and ideological
history which holds a democratic practice is what we support; initiatives that
push people working for their own emancipation. We value Marx, his analysis is
important. But we are Anti-Bolshevic.” Mike explains, “Marx is super relevant
right now. I was at a march the other day for teacher union labor dispute; my
son is a Kindergarten teacher. Communist party was there and I was talking to
them. They are mired in bureaucracy, We come from the bottom up movement and
action is best embodied by anarchism.”
Even the foundation of Hard Left is a statement, just by the
nature of the members. Tim notes quickly, “we have a woman; which
differentiates us from bands in our genre. It is nice to have the songs be less
cookie cutter with her shouts.” It adds a texture to their energetic songs.
Donna is “not ornamental”.
Mike is uncompromising in her pedigree. “She is amazing bass
player, powerful. It’s important, the idea of having a woman in the band.” Tim
appends any notions, “her being in the band is not contrived. But, it’s great
and goes with politics of self empowerment in the band. Women having a voice adds
more diversity. If women aren’t free none of us free.” I note that I feel the
skinhead scene, especially more than metal or hardcore or even pop, embrace the
women significantly. Unless a girl proves herself to be a decoration or coat
rack, female skins get concrete respect in the scene.
