MuD interview

by marcs77

If you’re up with what’s going on among the European hardcore scene chances are you may have stumbled upon the name MuD, and perhaps, you’ve already got to attend one of the hundreds of shows this four-some played, in their country and around Europe, over the years, since band’s inception, in 2004.
Straight-forward hardcore/metal MuD hails from Teramo, Abruzzo, Italia and last fall put out their latest fatigue, and third full-length; the uncompromising brutal new album “The Sound Of The Province” –hardcore punk, metal and extreme underground music finest products don’t always come from the big cities but from the most forgotten areas.
I emailed Mauro AldoHC (vocals) –the current line-up of MuD is completed by Frankie (guitar), Pinto (bass) and Lucone (drums) –a battery of questions about their new record, the featuring of Raw Power’s Mauro Codeluppi, the cover of Impact’s “Solo Odio”, Straight Opposition calling it a day, “Head Down” music video and much much more.
Let the Sound Of The Province hammer you down to get back up stronger than ever!

STRAIGHT OPPOSITION interview

by marcs77

After the "Fury Stands Unbeaten" Italy’s angry old school hardcore combo STRAIGHT OPPOSITION is back with a fury related record-title "The Fury From The Coast", and this time around, this fury, represents the one bursting out of the centre of Italy’s regions -these guys hail from Pescara, Abruzzo- and their strong and proud people struggling and fighting hard for living a normal life in an ill-fated territory that over the recent years, 2016 and 2017, has been badly struck by some devastating and deadly earthquakes. In the aftermath of the seismic activities, a high toll of deaths was claimed, buildings and historical monuments got toppled and damaged, leaving entire towns and areas with the problem of housing people, temporarily, while waiting for the long complicated re-building to start up; a re-building being made longer and complex due to those who, to aquire personal benefit, abuse of their power and public resources.
Straight Opposition have always been straightforward while addressing these issues and aren’t definitely some unheard-of-newcomers among the Italian and European hardcore punk scene being the four-piece formed in 2004 and counting under their belt several record releases (the new album "The Fury From The Coast" marks their fifth full-length), and tours both in Italy and Europe, which got hit more than a few times.
I emailed these questions to Ivan Di Marco (vocals), last December, when they had just headed out with their van, on the “Populism Is Cancer” tour, destination Europe.
Read on the answers from Straight Opposition…

THE LILLINGTONS interview

by marcs77

Scene's veterans THE LILLINGTONS are not just your average punk rock band. They may have not reinvented the wheel, music-wise -actually you can clearly and easily pick what the main influences behind their sound are- but the Wyoming based four-piece has released some very fine buzzy punk pop-tinged music jam-packed with lotta sci-fi, UFO, outtaspace, spy movie, weird and mystery imagery and tales –recently, they wrote also some stuff more centered around secret societies, astrology, and the occult.
Known by many for their ‘99s opus “Death By Television”, the band went on indeterminate hiatus, because of members other music related commitments, in 2006, after the release of their record “The Too Late Show” to return this year in the stores with a brand new full-length effort, out through Fat Wreck Chords on Oct. 13th, 2017.
It’s taken 11 years to get to listen to the new material that makes up “Stella Sapiente” but we do believe it’s really worth the long wait –and, in my book, the addition of new-wave sounds, they threw in the mix, gave a new unexpected dimension and value to a few new songs.
Thanks to Vanessa at FAT we’ve got Kody Templeman (voice / guitar) answer a bunch of questions about the new album, HP Lovecraft, song titles on insects and the Lillingtons’ whereabouts.

IN.SI.DIA interview

by marcs77

You’re free not to share this view but Italy has had its fair share of good heavy metal bands over the years since the obscure times when the term was invented.
IN.SI.DIA from Brescia, Italia, is a thrash metal band -that’s the scene where they moved the first steps back at end of the 80’s early 90’s- that after reuniting a few years ago, following an indefinite long-standing hiatus, has recently managed to work on and write a bunch of new tunes and hole themselves up into the studio to record and produce the new full-length album “Denso Inganno”.
I’ve been a fan of this band since the early times I was gonna get introduced to the heavier and more underground music and I’d never thought to be here, 20+ years later, and get the chance to interview Manuel (Manny) Merigo, guitar player and founding member of the Italian metal combo, for our webzine.
Let’s read on what Manny had to say to gotanerve-zine and check out their new album, out on Miagliano (BI), Italy based metal imprint Punishment 18 records, if you haven’t yet.

gan: Hey IN.SI.DIA how’s life treating you?

FLATFOOT 56 interview

by marcs77

Are you into Celtic/Irish punk hardcore and folk tinged tunes and you only know the likes of Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly’s The Real McKenzies, perhaps The Tosser, The Mahones and a few others? Well, write down this name, FLATFOOT 56. The Chicago homed five-piece isn’t really a newbie among the punk rock scene and last April, on the 28th, the bagpiped punks released their record no# 8 –their very first release being a demo EP out in 2001- entitled “Odd Boat” via Sailor’s Grave records. Read on what Tobin answered to our questions and go listen to anthemic and powerful songs like “Penny”, “The Trap”,  “Ty Cobb” and the album title-track “Odd Boat”, or the heartfelt and Bruce Springsteen-ballad-esque “A Voice”.

VLADA INA interview

by marcs77

After having had to go through quite a few email exchanges and countless phone calls, with managers, PRs, you name it, we have finally somehow managed to get hold of the up and coming and hottest a cappella boy-band from Leipzig, Germany. The stylish tanned boys named themselves VLADA INA and while gracing the stage, wearing fresh-from-the-runway looks, they’ll be moshing your asses up with their sounds; ah, these dudes don’t lip-sync, ok?. The Vlada Ina’s are addicted players of Pokémon and all things Pokémonian and, thus far, they have two recordings out; the latest being entitled “True Chill” and out through Toxic Tape records, on cassette, and on 7” vinyl via Powetrip records. Well, here we are, some of above facts are true but a good bunch of other stuff is totally false bullshits. So, read on what Max had to reply to our questions and discover yourselves how to tell the truth from complete falsehood about Vlada Ina. Have a good read!

gan: Hey VLADA INA what’s up?

LESS THAN JAKE interview

by marcs77

The older among our readers, those who were young kids and living the punk rock scene in early/mid 90’s, certainly will remember that Ska-2-tone sounds got their bit of renaissance (somebody labels this revival as third-wave or even post-third wave being the ska-2-tone style first making its splashes in the 50’s) and lotta cool bands from USA and different corners of the world came out and started writing music definitely drawing influences from ska genre's classics but that got brilliantly fused together with punk rock and its attitude and urgency; this new soulful bouncing sound soon after got labeled as Ska-Punk or Ska-core.
GOTANERVE-ZINE got to email a few questions to Gainesville, Florida's LESS THAN JAKE, one of those 90’s bands still rock n’ rolling and doing strong 25 years and 9 records into their career, and that has a new EP, titled “Sound The Alarm”, out now on Pure Noise records. Vinnie Fiorello (drums and founder member) took some time out while on tour with his band to answer. Read on…

GUTTERMOUTH interview

by marcs77

Do you remember of So Cal, Huntington Beach resident, punk rockers GUTTERMOUTH? You definitely should because the band has been around quite a long time now –’88 early 90’s– but perhaps you’re just too young and the name doesn’t say you that much as it actually does for the generation who was in their teens in the 90’s.
After 10 years since their last full-length release the guys are back with an EP doppietta; the first EP “Got It Made” was release last July and the second one, to be titled “New Car Smell”, is scheduled to drop on November 25th 2016 –both records are out through Bird Attack Records and Rude Records.
Years passed by, line-ups changed but Guttermouth didn’t lose any inches of their irreverence, sarcasm, wittiness and are still here to keep old punk rock spirit alive and kicking.

HARM DONE interview

by marcs77

I got to know Alexis and the DIY Straight & Alert label/mailorder, and recently zine, when this French guy befriended me on fb and started sending press-releases about the stuff he was putting out through his own label (rather old-schoolish East Coast NY HC stuff indeed including his old band Raw Justice) and then at some point, it was in 2014, like out of a hat-trick I've learned about this new band that named themselves HARM DONE; first thing that caught my attention was the grim blackened imagery of cover artwork and the German Gothic lettering they did choose for their band moniker. What these guys play? Old-school NYC hardcore? Straightedge hardcore? Well, as soon as I listened to their music I understood they were totally about playing some straight-forward, obnoxious, obscure blend of hardcore and everything in between from there to death metal.
HARM DONE is the new band Alexis plays in and their music, including the debut full-length “Abuse/Abused”, has been released on Straight & Alert.

H2O interview with Adam Blake

by marcs77

One of the more melodic “pop” oriented and mentally positive driven bands in the NYC hardcore punk scene released a new album last October the 9th 2015 via Bridge9 records, the label they have been on since closing their short-lived major label stint with MCA, and that put out their successful, heads turning, hearts filling, minds empowering 2008's record “Nothing To Prove”. This band, formed by Sick Of It All's roadie Tod Morse, named themselves H2O back in 1994 and, working their arses off to record music, play shows and relentlessly touring the corners of the world, made it to become a household name in the New York city's boroughs and among the global hardcore-punk scene. Thanks too to the attitude they took; the PMA (positive mental attitude).
2015 was drawing to a close and we did email a few questions to Adam, formerly on bass but currently guitarist for H2O, about “Use Your Voice” (their latest disc), NYC punk hardcore (the scene and the book), growing as a musician and love songs...

RETOX's Justin Pearson interview

by Michela A.

There are at least 2 different ways of being into hardcore punk. One is to take your instrument up, shout it out loud and play around with your band- sometimes it does work.
Other thing is when you put all life into it, absorbing ethic and aesthetic of the punk subculture of the early years and then feeding the scene playing and producing mind-blowing music, pushing traditional HC sounds beyond any conceivable limits. With an ethic– Justin Pearson’s way.

Last year, in April, RETOX were touring in Europe on their new LP “Beneath California” and we had the chance to spend some time talking with Justin Pearson (who's also in the newest Dave Lombardo's punk metal project Dead Cross with guitarist Mike Crain) before Retox show in Berlin. No doubts he is as engaging and true as on stage.
Time has passed «even more because of our lazy editor -editor note», but I guess many of the ideas Justin shared with us are not likely to change soon.
The awesome backstage pictures are courtesy of Sibilla Calzolari who also published a photo-book of backstage pictures; for more details check out http://www.sibillacalzolari.de/.

gan: The first time I saw you Justin on stage was on 2007 in Milan with the Locust. I was there primarily for the comeback of a legendary Italian hardcore punk band called Sottopressione. Then I heard this fast paced, aggressive grindcore delirium and it just blew up my mind! I soon became Locust-addicted and then came the Retox, featuring 2/4 of the Locust. So Retox is your latest project, isn’t it? How were Retox born?

QUESTIONS interview

by marcs77
photos taken from Questions fb diary

Going on 15 years now São Paulo, Brazil's QUESTIONS has come really a long way, especially for a tight bunch of friends hailing from a troubled country, Pablo (guitar) still consider it himself to be a third-world nation (that's really not what media tell us here in Europe, right?...), rehearsing, playing local shows, recording their own material and making their dream to fly out to Europe and tour it more than once come true. All this and much more has been made possible by their endless love for music, the punk hardcore music itself as a means and outlet to express themselves and reach out to other like-minded kids all around the world and some solid DIY ethics that have been the real drive for the four-piece (the band line up is completed by Edu -vocals, Helio -bass and Daz -drums) since day one.

2015 saw the band putting out their forth full-length album titled “Pushed Out...of Society”, in Europe on Toanol records and in Brazil last September via Seven Eight Life Recordings.

WALLS OF JERICHO interview with Candace Kucsulain

by marcs77

I hadn't pre-arranged anything for this interview to happen but being at the Radio Onda D'urto show, where Detroit, MI's long-running hardcore powerhouse WALLS OF JERICHO were going up on stage right before the headliner Biohazard, I bumbed into Candace Kucsulain (WOJ's vocals) and jumped at the chance to ask her if she was up for a chat for an interview feature on gotanerve-zine.com. And not much of a surprise she was okay to reply a few questions just informing that she unfortunately had a pretty sore throat and wished to spare her voice as much as she could for the show -fully understandable but, however, it speaks volume about the dedication these guys have to their work and fans.
Read on what Candace had to say and be on the look out for the new album and follow-up to 2008's “The American Dream” to come out in 2016 via Napalm records.

A THEORY OF JUSTICE interview

by marcs77

I remember attending a local Spleen Flipper gig for the release of their latest work “The Will To Kill” and opening up that night was Lodi's quintet A Theory Of Justice. It was a while I didn't catch up with ATOJ and when they started playing I've immediately got the feel the band was heading towards changes in terms of sound, being what I was hearing something more like darker and tense than the new school hardcore meets metalcore stuff included in their very first outing titled “Athena”, and I knew them for.
A few years went by from that show and last December 2014 the guy released a new self-titled EP that only confirmed the sounds they had been shooting for were very different from Athena's.
Their new stuff is reminiscent to me of Trustkill's metalcore as well as the darker chaotic angular math-post-hardcore-metal of bands on Deathwish Inc. records.
I emailed the band a few questions to learn first hand as much as possible about this change in sound, ATOJ (the EP) and get information about The Creature Fest and Clam association, +AMICI -STORIE and more...

DARKEST HOUR interview

by marcs77

Honestly I think I kept this interview lingering I bit way longer than everyone would expect, this being recorded last November in Milan, but, you know, I'm dead sure DARKEST HOUR fans will always be eager to read up what guitar player and founder Mike Schleibaum (he's a real dude!) had to say about the then freshly released new self-titled record, on how he backed my not so concealed critics on their move toward more poppier sounds, and among the other things how Darkest Hour and Machine "Fucking" Head are a badass bill for every metal bangers and diehard fans of these two bands who put their hearts in whatever they do and just rip the stages together.

SAFE interview

di marcs77 / foto Safe

Negli anni '90 all'interno dello straight edge punk hardcore vede la luce del sole un nuovo “sottogenere” che abbraccia la fede, filosofie, consapevolezze e pratiche spirituali legate alle tradizioni della cultura religiosa Induista ed alla devozione a Krishna. Questo stile musicale e di vita, è battezzato Krishna-core, ed ha come iniziatori e principali portabandiera, due combo con base a New York city, gli Shelter (band fondata da Ray Cappo dei seminali Youth Of Today) e i 108 (ci suona Vic DiCara ex Inside Out e la moglie di Steve Reddy). Nell'arco di breve periodo di tempo il genere inizia a raccogliere un numero maggiore di adepti e followers e dalla scena, sia a livello locale che internazionale, emergono nuove bands alcune delle quali pubblicheranno i propri dischi su Equal Vision, etichetta di Albany, NY, fondata nel '91 da Ray e Steve reddy (roadie degli YOT) per produrre gli albums della sua band e di altri gruppi, affini al messaggio e impegnati promotori del cammino spirituale ispirato da Krishna.
Qualche tempo fa, tramite un post su facebook, ho scoperto che anche a Milano, intorno alla metà degli anni '90, hanno fatto parlare di se due gruppi del filone, formati da frequentatori del centro culturale Govinda, che si chiamavano, GHCP (Govinda hardcore project, presenti nella band membri dei Sottopressione) autori di un apprezzato demo e un EP “Il Meglio Dei Due Mondi” e Shaa, che fanno uscire un'interessante demo e un vinile 7” intitolato “Meditazione” -registrazioni di entrambe i gruppi sono ascoltabili su youtube.
I SAFE, la band che abbiamo appena intervistato, nasce negli anni duemila,

AGNOSTIC FRONT interview

by marcs77

This is not an exclusive interview or whatever of a special deal we've managed to ensure us since Roger Miret (voice) and Mike (bass) will be available for being interviewed to promote the new album starting next week.
Last 3rd August, 2014 AGNOSTIC FRONT, the forefathers of NYC Hardcore punk movement, played a mini festival in Milan with Nofx and Lars Frederiksen's The Old Firm Casual and after a bit of hassles looking for the AF's tour manager in charge and getting in the backstage area we've finally managed to seat down with guitarist and AF's founder Vinnie Stigma for a short chat about their long and eventful career, recalling the release of their very first album “Victim In Pain” dated 1984, and going on with him talking about being a father and family guy who plays hardcore at age 56, his AF's favourite records and what makes Agnostic Front what they've been, are and will be. “They've been true to their way. The Agnostic Front's way”.

THE SHRINE interview

by Michela A.

Jimi Hendrix on a skateboard, recording sessions in dirty dungeons, shows in living rooms... This and more stuff in the nice talk gotanerve-zine had with the longhaired lords of Psychedelic violence rock 'n' roll, THE SHRINE, just before their show in Berlin at Cassiopeia.
With last LP “Bless Off” out on March 2014, the rock 'n' roll destroyers from Venice, CA, are now inflaming stages around Europe playing shows at insane decibels with PA shooting wind like a thousand of hair driers all in one.
Read what they told us just before hell broke loose.

gan: So let’s talk about the band first! How did you get together? How did it all happen?

A WILHELM SCREAM interview

by marcs77

The heroes of melodic hardcore punk with the heart into complexity and technique are back with a new album, their sixth in a career spanning over 14 years, entitled “Partycrasher” -well, sure that's nothing new to most of you guys being the record out since last November 5th, 2013.
As far as Italy goes, and it's really a pity pointing this out, A WILHELM SCREAM haven't made it to breaking in the league of the four-horsemen-of-punk-rock-band-to-be-booked-to-headline-major-gig-festivals (and who are these fab four? Nofx, Rancid, Pennywise, Ska-P) but they get either to open for bigger names or headline small sized venues like it's the case tonight here in Milan, in the smaller dive of Forum's building. Again I know that sucks alot! But who's to blame? Organizers who wanna play safe or kids who don't move to go out to a show where no-big-names are headlining?
We set down with Trevor Reilly (guitar and shredding) before the show to talk about “Partycrasher” and a good bunch of other interesting shit.

"BLACK HOLE: Uno Sguardo Sull'Underground Italiano" interview

by marcs77

What underground means and what's all about? Could it be compared to a black hole? That region of space-time which, because of its strong gravitational fields, absorbs all those subcultures and art forms like music, literature, theater, cinema that are not striving for or will never get the chance to go under the spotlights of mass pop culture?
That was my initial take on one of the likely meanings of title for the book/movie documentary project “BLACK HOLE: Uno Sguardo Sull'Underground Italiano” -Black Hole: an overview on Italian underground.
Turi Messineo, 29 years old, from Palermo, Sicily got started with the hardcore punk in his teens and over these formative years to the adulthood he has put enough experiences, connections and in-depth knowledge under his belt to embark himself into an ambitious yet challenging project to write a book and, with the cooperation of young movie maker Claudio Stanghellini, make a movie about the Italian underground.

This project got finalized into the paper book “BLACK HOLE: Uno Sguardo Sull'Underground Italiano” to be published by Eris edizioni beginning of 2015 and the movie, he wrote and directed, bringing the same title.
We thought now it was the perfect time to interview Turi about “Black Hole” and everything related. Read on what he has to say...

gan: Hey Turi how's all in life?