Deathcycle

E-mail Interview 04.03.2007
with Guitarist, Gary

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Anglais

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So, first things first, can you please introduce Deathcycle to the Skartnak readers? Who are the members of the band?

Ron sings, Paul plays bass, John plays drums, and I play guitar.

Deathcycle seems to be much darker than your other band Kill Your Idols.
Does it reflect your usual outlook on life or do you have another explanation to give?

I've always been a big fan of metal and punk bands that are obviously influenced by metal, and as of late, I was getting into bands like Skit system and Wolf Brigade. I always loved Nausea too. I wanted to do punk like that and wanted the challenge of straying from melodic type hardcore, which has been my signature for more than 15 years. I knew Ron was the man for the Job on vocals and lyrics, I knew his style from his other band, Leech Implant. I have been friends with ron since KYI started, cuz he was the original drummer. So when we replaced him with a faster drummer, I promised him i would do a band with him one day. So the time came, and I got Ron involved. He shares the same musical tastes as me, and originally we were Sounding more like Inepsy and the Pist cuz Ron was playing drums on our demo recordings...he's a punk drummer! But once we got our existing Line-up together, we took the band to another level. We dont want to sound like any of the bands around right now. We have chosen a more eclectic style...mixing punk, hardcore, metal, and Motorhead tempos mixed with Sabbath style riffing. Each song sounds different than the last. All the lyrics are Socio/Political.

How and when did you all gather to form the band?
Did you all know each other back then when you started?

We started the band in 2003, and we all knew eachother for years. Originally, We had Matt and Jonny from Thought Crime on Bass and drums. we recorded a 7" with them...they left cuz Matt is a full time tattoo artist and Jonny moved to Maryland. So we Got John Lafata on drums. I knew him from Neglect and Mindo over matter. Him and I played together in Sheer Terror in 1997. Then he joined Madball. I ran into him at a show and asked him to join in 2004. Paul has been with me in KYI all this time, and he crashed his way into the band cuz he loved the demo.

I took a look to the lyrics and I found out that they were quite interesting and easy to understand, which is pleasant for me cause I can't stand pseudo-metaphorical lyrics!
So who wrote them?
Are they the result of a band effort or the creation of individual reflections?
And how important are these lyrics?

Ron writes all the lyrics. He writes in a way that anyone can understand so his point comes across, which I like. If you are making a statement, you need to reach people on  "PEOPLE" level. I love Bad Religion, but he is so intellectual in his writing. You have to read his lyrics a few times sometimes to see where he is coming from. Ron doesn't' use big words unless it's necessary.

You clearly take a strong stance against religion. I totally agree with you when you claim that religion is mind control, because I think it cultivates fear in the name of profit and mass control, at least here in the West (Europe, USA). But I actually have a few religious friends and, although I don't believe in any god and really can't relate to christianity, I'm kinda seduced by the thought of having a spiritual life. What do you think?
What are your views and personal experiences with religion?

You'd be surprised, we are all quite spiritual people. Myself, I consider myself Agnostic..which means I don't believe in anything I can't prove...However, I do think there are forces in this life that our small human brains will never understand or be able to justify with scientific observation. I think Ron definitely feels the same. Organized religion is oppressive and it causes almost all the conflicts in this world. People fighting over which god is the greater god or which belief is greater. There are religious people in this world who truly seek peace and understanding. I have yet to know of a war started by a Hari Krishna, or a Buddhist. So it' is not spirituality we attack, but the organized religions who politicize their beliefs and try to brainwash entire societies, and force their will on other cultures. If Christians truly lived by what Jesus said, and if the Muslims and Jews would stop terrorizing each other over the supposed "promised" land, this world would be a lot easier to live in.

Let's talk a bit about the song called "Take your life back", which is certainly the most positive song of the record. The lyricist tried to express that "you can't solve your problems until you get straight". I thought of straight edge at once, but as you have never claimed that Deathcycle is a sXe band, I might have misunderstood you. So my questions are: what are these lyrics about? What do think of Straight Edge in general?

Ron wrote that, and he has been SXE for 20 years...but never wore x's and never really calls himself sxe. He is Straight and chemical free, and is Vegan and eats only organic food. So for him, it's just staying healthy. Paul has never touched alcohol or drugs. He doesn't call himself sxe either. We definitley aren't a sxe band! John and I are drinkers and we smoke herb. But the song is about close friends of ours who's lives are ruined by chemical addiction. They cannot fix their lives by themselves, they need help. It's sad to watch a friends life go down the tubes from addiction. It's sad to loose good friends cuz they can't do drugs in front of you. They go off and destroy themselves with other drug addicts.

Beside your musical projects, what are your other activities?

Ron is politically active. He is the first guy to run out and carry a sign in this band. John and I are family guys outside music. John is married and I am living with my girl. We both work full time jobs. Paul is the most musically active of all of us. He is doing a new project with members from his now defunct band, None more black, and Him and I have another project in the works that is different than we are used to. Music is all our first and foremost love in life though. Going to shows, buying records, whatever.

You support a lot of organizations that fight for worthy causes like bringing back democracy in the US or reestablishing the truth on the 9/11 tragedy. Can you tell us more about these organizations? At least about the one that is the most important to you?

www.infowars.com, www.whatreallyhappened.com, www.wbai.org, www.gregpalast.com, www.democracynow.org, www.911truth.org

Some of you are/were involved in bigger bands that attract larger crowds (None More Black, Madball, KYI, ...). I was wondering: have you ever felt stuck between two worlds? I mean, on the one hand you're close to Sick Of It All and a few other "big" bands, and on the other hand it seems that you're also close to the more underground DIY/squat kinda thing, right? What do you think?

Hardcore has always been of many levels of musical styles and belief systems. Some hardcore is bigger and more widespread. Some is more about Punk. But it's all relevant to us, and we are thankful to be a part of it all these years on all levels. It's an honor to be mentioned in the same breath as the bigger, more influential bands.

Do you read zines? If you do, is there a zine that you would recommend me?

I read a lot of online zines as of late.
www.definethemeaning.com
www.punkasfuck.de
www.punknews.org
www.scenepointblank.com

Do you feel concerned about the struggle for animal liberation?
Are any of you vegan or vegetarian?

I was once vegetarian, but no longer. John is not. Ron and Paul are vegan and vegetarian , respectively. Ron is the biggest spokesperson for animal rights organizations in this band, and we are behind him 100%. Even though John and I are not vegetarians, we are concerned about ecology and animal extinction, and lab testing on animals...humane treatment of animals. We supplied a song for a compilation that put money towards helping pets and wildlife affected by hurricane Katrina, and we played a benefit recently for an animal shelter on LI. So to certain degrees, we all are.

What is your favorite record ever? And why?

Cro-mags "age of quarrel". Most perfect hardcore record ever made.

Do you plan to tour Europe soon?

Hopefully, but no plans yet.

Any last words?

Support your local music scene. We just lost CBGB's, and there is no where decent to play in NYC besides DIY venues...and we miss it. So if you have a great punk rock club that you appreciate going to, don't take it for granted.

Interview : Bastien

More Infos :

Kronik : Deathcycle Album Review

Genre : Crust Hardcore Punk (avec une touche Metal)

Pays : USA

Pour les Fans de : 80's Hardcore Punk comme Poison Idea, Born Against ou Sheer Terror

Label : Chainsaw Safety Records

website : www.angelfire.com/creep/deathcycle0

Myspace : www.myspace.com/deathcycleny

Label : www.chainsawsafetyrecords.com/