1- Ok, In My Eyes, you guys did what not many hardcore bands can pull off, skipping the EP format and going straight from doing a Demo to an LP(The Difference Between), which ended up being one of, if not the best core records of the 90's. Was this a conscious decision, and a firm belief and confidence in what you guys were doing? or was it just that you had enough songs and thought lets do it?
I am glad you asked this. We wanted to do a 7” first, but Revelation asked us to do an LP as the 7” format is hard to make money back on. We were a little hesitant to do an LP as we did not have enough songs, but we got talked into re-recording some of the demo songs for the LP. In hindsight I wish we did not redo those demo songs as I feel they’re much better on the demo than on The Difference Between. The one thing I hate the most is my voice on the version of ‘This is Our Time’ on the redone version on the LP. That was the last song we recorded vocals for and it was 3am and I had been singing all day. I really just wanted to go home and do that song later, but we had to have it done that night, so I just said “Hit record and I’ll do it in one take and that’s that.” If your readers do not know or have not recorded, you usually do ‘punch ins’ on vocals that do not sound right or you actually do a few lines at a time and then take a break and do more so that you do not have to just belt out an entire song at a time. I was so tired and wanting to go home that I just did that song all at once in one take and did not even listen to it as I just went home. When I heard the vocals I was pretty upset with how weak they sound, but it was my own fault for being stubborn/tired and wanting to go home.
2- I remember when "Nothing To Hide" came out, hearing stories of a backlash of sorts from kids in the states saying that "the mosh parts" were gone and that it was a "rock" record. Is there any truth to that?
Nothing to Hide is a 100% Straight Edge HARDCORE record. People can have their opinion on if there is enough MOSH or if it is ROCK, and that does not bother me. We (IME) set out to write a record that we liked and would listen to. We did not set out to write a ‘rock’ record or let’s lose the mosh. We just ended up with songs that we liked and put it out there with no expectations. We knew it sounded a little different than our other stuff, but we never thought it was so far off that people would say it was not a hardcore record. We heard a little here and there about it being too melodic, too little mosh and whatnot, but it was 95% positive response we got for the LP in reviews and live when we played the songs. To this day it is almost split 50/50 between people telling me that The Difference Between is better than Nothing to Hide and vice-versa. Mostly people tell me that they love both LPs, but they like ___ one better. I am happy with everything IME put out and I can say it was always Straight Edge Hardcore no matter if it’s the demo, TDB or NTH.
3- Looking back at the legacy that In My Eyes has left are you 100% happy with everything that you achieved? Are there any regrets? and would you do another band again? or is it true what you told me that you would never do another band again because nothing would be as good as your time in IME?
I am 100% satisfied with what IME did. Could we have done more? Sure. Could we have done another record? Sure. Do I have any regrets that we did not? No. We started out 5 friends playing straight edge hardcore and ended 5 friends playing straight edge hardcore. We toured as much as we could, made some good (subjective) music, met a lot of cool kids all over and I made friendships that last until this day. Kids still email me, talk to me at shows about IME and I see IME shirts being worn all over the world. That blows me away and the kids have no idea how happy that makes me. I am not jaded like “Oh, that little band I did 10 years ago *yawn*” I will talk about IME to any kid that wants to as it was a big part of my life and one I am proud of. There are still tour stories from IME that to this day I can think back about and laugh or enjoy retelling to anyone who wants to hear. I still talk to all the guys from IME from time to time and we are still friends to this day. That is the most important thing. As far as doing another band that is pretty much out of the question. I loved doing IME and think I did and said what I wanted in a band and now it is time to go back to just being a kid at shows. I was into HC for over 10 years before IME started and it is coming up on almost 10 years since IME broke up that I am still involved in HC. I just really have no desire to be back on stage. I never really miss it as being in a HC band is not like being a rock star, so I get the same feeling of being at a show as I did on stage. Singing along in the crowd or stage diving is the same to me as being on stage with a mic in hand. I love touring and have been touring the world since IME broke up with bands like Mental and Have Heart. I have toured more since IME broke up than I did when we were around. I love going around the world and meeting hardcore kids as we all share a special bond that can not be described to the outside world.
4- Have Heart, the younger generation of Boston Straight Edge keeping the flame alive. When you’re on tour or just at a show with those guys do you feel like a father figure? haha or just another one of the guys?
I just feel like one of the guys. They never treat me any different or like an elder. I not only tour with those guys, but they are some of my best friends and I hang out with them in Boston all the time too. I may be way older than them, but when we hang out it is not different than peers hanging out. Have Heart are not only a great band, but great kids too and for anyone who may wonder if they live up to what they portray in their music, I can 100% tell you they do and then some. They are some of the most sincere and genuine kids I have ever met in hardcore. I can’t say enough good things about this band and what they have done for Boston hardcore and straight edge hardcore in general.
5- You’re an older guy(sorry, haha), but you are still siked on the edge and core, what keeps you involved in this crazy thing that is the hardcore scene? and how long can you see yourself at shows stage diving?
Hardcore was and is my family. I feel in love with hardcore at a very young age and growing up without a dad and then having my mom die when I was in my teens it made me turn to this alternative family that was the punk/hardcore community. I still get the feeling inside seeing a good band play today that I did when I first went to shows in ’83 and ’84. As far as straight edge is concerned I just see what drugs and alcohol does to people and I want no part of that in my life. I have no problem with people doing what they want, but being drug and booze free just works for me. I was into hardcore for a few years with the message of straight edge around me before I really thought about it and decided it was for me and the way I wanted to live my life forever. How long do I see myself stage diving? Hmm….well, I hope forever. Shit, I will be 40 in January and don’t see myself ever stopping going to shows or stage diving. Hell, I had a kidney transplant in 2006 and my doctor told me that I should not skate or have any hard contact (sports) for a few years. I was skating and stage diving again 3 months later. It was to the point where Pat from Have Heart and Sean from Verse took me aside and were like “Dude, we know you love to stage dive, we just don’t want to see you die at one of our shows” You can’t keep me from stage diving for 2 years. Fuck that! I’d rather die at a show doing a dive than sit around and feel the music inside and not get that release of diving. Most people think I don’t mosh anymore and sure, I am not on the floor as much as I used to be, but if you catch me in the right mood I can and will hit the floor. I have pretty good cardio and can mosh a whole set for a band if the mood is right.
XXX
