Life And Death To Me

Not many people know that i have this tattoo. I got it after one of my old bands (Last Nerve) toured with Terror in 2003(fuck, that was 5 years ago?) It looked fucking awesome the week i got it, but then it kinda ran, i guess it was the red ink?, anyway, Terror came along at a time in my life when i was starting to lose interest rapidly in hardcore, i had even begun growing my thick as fuck hair out (after touring with SOIA my nickname became wig it was that bad) and was wearing jeans way more than any kid that lives in Australia should.

I remember the first time i heard Terror, it was in Adelaide at my brother Dan Smith's place.

He had just returned home from the states and was raving about how good they were and he showed me their demo. I'm not sure why, but i wasn't instantly into it. I dubbed a copy of the demo and over the next few months it was all i listened to.

Not long after that"Lowest Of The Low" came out, and it was then that i was fucking hooked.

Not only was the music fucking hard, but the lyrics were right up my alley. It was like someone had  crept into my brain when i was asleep, stole my thoughts and used them, haha.

And then after touring with them, it further cemented in my mind that this band was the real deal. They were hardcore kids playing hardcore music, nothing more nothing less. The years (and some members) may have passed, but nothing has changed.

They just released a new record, "The Damned, The Shamed" and its fucking great, go out and get it and keep an eye on this page for a review soon.

But while I'm on Terror, i want to talk about the early musical collaboration that formed the band and wrote their first songs. Nick Jett, Scott Vogel and Todd Jones. These 3 dudes are not only (i think) 3 of the best at what they do  that have come along in the last 10 years (forever?), but they are/were all on the same page not only musically but mentally. The lyrics to any of the songs on "Lowest Of The Low" (esp Keep Your Distance) could of been written by any of these dudes. 

Both Nick and Todd have also written a song for No Apologies, and i only just thought about this but the songs both start with the same first 2 notes. Coincidence or not, the dudes are on the same page.

(Edit- I know this blog is meant to be all about the 5 q's, but i havent had time lately, plans are in place for some fresh new ones though, questions will be sent soon)

Seekers Of The Truth

In Febuary of 2003 i and 3 of my friends (Graham, Ricky and Dave) toured Australia with a line up of the Cro-Mags, JJ was singing and thats all we really cared about anyway, but the band ( AJ Novello and Rocky George on Guitars, Franklin Rhi on Bass and G-Man on the skins) were fucking great though and seeing those songs played night after night with John singing was awesome.

This tour was a huge turning point of my life. On this tour i met my partner, who i am with to this day and cant see ever not being with, i (and Graham)turned vegetarian (thanks to John and his knowledge on the matter)and i decided that i was going to spend the next few years of my life doing exactly this, touring.

That is not what this post is about though, iam going to steal Chuckys idea here.

I feel this shirt and the story behind it are far to good not to be made public.

So here goes.

Throughout the tour John and i regularly discussed training/boxing/personal fitness and said that if we had a chance anywhere that we would hit a gym and do some training.

Half way through the tour we had a day to kill in Melbourne so we decided to make it happen.

Graham drove me to the hotel in St Kilda where the band where staying, the tour was super budget so we werent even staying in a hotel(from memory we slept on someones floor?), but their hotel looked fucked up anyway, there were junkies hanging around out the front and the place was fucking shot(quite fitting i guess)

John met me out the front and we went to his room so he could grab his bag and get changed into his training gear. He took his shirt off and put on the above shirt and as soon as i saw it i was like "aaahhhh fffuuuccckk", John told me that the Rock Hotel used to print up shirts for when they had a good show on and only give them to band members/crew, and in the same sentence said "here you go bro, its yours", and took it off and threw it at me.

I couldn't believe my ears, but that sums John up in one sentence, the dude would give you the shirt off his back, literally.

It was a large and a little big at the time, but i still wore it (of course).

A few years ago i got my cousins wife to take it in and it fits great now, but maybe a touch too long, but its still def wearable and i plan on bringing it back into rotation with a bunch of older shirts that i have had in retirement for the last few years.

Oh, and yeah we trained that day, at some trendy fucking gym on the water at St Kilda that charged us $100 each (John paid and wouldnt let me pay for myself no matter what i said) and i can tell you, John must be one of the fittest 40 something year olds going around.

He by his own admission was a little out of shape, but i was glad, cause if that was him out of shape, i dont know if i would of been able to keep up had he been in shape.

He took me through a whole lot of the Navy Seals training he had done, plus weights and to finish we had a nice leisurely jog on treadmills next to each other which turned into us both sprinting from trying to outdo each other by turning up the speed on each others machines.

John ran every day on the tour i did with him in Europe in 2006, and i didnt go once, i didnt have runners plus i was still asleep in my bunk probably hours after he got back(i wasent getting to sleep most nights until around 4am) but i wish i went every day.

Maybe next time...

Holy Fuck

3 Posts in one night! I'm going crazy! haha

I just found these and i cant believe my eyes. Bad Brains Vans!?!

I am by no means a fashionable guy and i dont usually spend shit on clothes/shoes/etc but if any of my american friends see this, feel free to go down to your nearest Supreme store and get me a pair of these suckers (Size 10 thanks)

Mixtape Madness

I'm crazy, I'm the kind of person that when they get an idea in their head i HAVE to do it and i HAVE to do it RIGHT NOW. So i guess thats why for the last 2 hours i have been making Ricky a mix tape (yes, an actual cassette tape! remember them? fuck itunes for making shit so easy, actually sorry i take that back) to show my appreciation for him making me that tape all those years ago.

It also got me to thinking, where in my life would i be if Ricky never gave me that tape, or basically if i never "found" Hardcore. I dont want to get to deep on this but through hardcore i met my partner, met most of my friends, have travelled around my country more times than i could count, have travelled overseas, have grown as a person, etc, etc.

Hardcore really is "my life", as fucking cheesy as that sounds it is true.

Here is Rickys new playlist, you will notice that it is made up of all current core bands (pretty much), this is because Ricky has grown a little tired of the core of late and i think he just needs a little reminder as to whats out there, and how fucking good hardcore is right now.

Side A is made up of mostly American and some European bands.

Side B is made up of Australian bands(Get in touch with me if you want to know more about any of these bands they are all rule) and then the World Collapse ep to finish the tape off.

SIDE A

Bitter End- Climate Of Fear

Blacklisted- Memory Layne

Ceremony- Living Hell

Guns Up!- Outlive

Have Heart- Watch Me Rise

Rise And Fall- Live In Sin

Shipwreck AD- Squall

Terror- Rhythm Amongst The Chaos

Internal Affairs- No Good Game In Hardcore

Iron Age- We're Dust/The Violator

Comeback Kid- Broadcasting

The Hope Conspiracy- Sadistic Sacred Whore

108- Three Hundred Liars

Down To Nothing- Along For The Ride

Ringworm- Razor's Line

The First Step- What We Know

Trapped Under Ice- Soul Vice/ Reality Unfolds

Trash Talk- Lepers To Feed The Lepers/Kill The Snakes

No Turning Back- Take Your Guilt

Betrayed- Bring It To Life

SIDE B

Bad Blood- On Your Own

Blkout!- Unlock A Path

Extortion- H5N1

50 Lions- To The Test

Jungle Fever- Stayin Alive

Her Nightmare- Class War

Meatlocker- Destroy Hoxton

Miles Away- Brainwashed

Mindsnare- Turn You Inside Out

No Apologies- Survival

Parkway Drive- Carrion

Samsara- Hatred

Thrush- The Quarrel 

Worlds Collapse- Deutschland, Deutschland! Into The Night ep

Thanks Ricky

Last week one of my best friends in the world, Ricky Taylor, moved back home after living the past 2 and a half years in Canada. Its great having him back and hanging out again, and it got me to thinking.

He is the person who first got me into hardcore, and he did that the same way alot of people show others music, by making me a mixtape. But this was not just any mixtape, i have reason to believe that this is the greatest hardcore mixtape in the existance of hardcore mixtapes. 

I still to this day have the tape, and i will to the day that i die. Alot of the bands on the tape are still my favourite bands, and it was such a great introduction to the world of Hardcore.

So thanks brother, i can safely say that the cassette tape you gave me all those years ago actually changed my life.

Here are the songs that when combined join forces to make the greatest mixtape of all time.

SIDE A

Breakdown- Sick People

Negative Approach- Ready To Fight

Underdog- Say It To My Face

Raw Deal- Brightside

Darkside NYC- Clawing And Tearing

Breakdown- Safe In A Crowd

Rest In Pieces- Stark Raving Nude

Sheer Terror- Here To Stay

Side By Side- Backfire

Crumbsuckers- Shits Creek

Breakdown- Life Of Bullshit

Negative Approach- Fair Warning

Underdog- True Blue

Token Entry- Look Around

Negative Approach- Dead Stop

Rest In Pieces- Balls N All

Side By Side- My Life To LIve

Breakdown- Vengeance

Rest In Pieces- Bittermind

Breakdown- You Gotta Fight

Breakdown- Kickback

Breakdown- Labelled

SIDE B

Cro-Mags- We Gotta Know

Cro-Mags- World Peace

Bold- Wise Up

Nausea- Fallout Of Our Being

Warzone- As One

Warzone- Escape From Your Society

Gorilla Biscuits- Better Than You

Gorilla Biscuits- Forgotten

Trip 6- Back With A Vengeance

Youth Of Today- Together

Youth Of Today- Understand

Sick Of It All- Politics

Sick Of It All- Pete's Sake

Krackdown- Ignorance

Youth Defence League- Blue Pride

Supertouch- Searchin For The Light

Slapshot- Back On The Map

Slapshot- Whats At Stake

Slapshot- Fire Walker

Token Entry- Revelation

Token Entry- Think About It

Token Entry- Actions

Not bad right? Trust me, when a 12 year old plays this tape and hear's these songs for the first time, planets align.

I just realised there is no AF or Madball on the tape (2 of my fav's), but its still a fucking ripper.

I guess thats why i am more of a NYHC guy than Boston or Westcoast too.

Play with caution!

Frank "3 Guns" Novinec (Hatebreed, Terror, Integrity, Ringworm)

1- Where are you right now?

My sister's house in Cleveland (where i live)

2- You are now a permanent member of Hatebreed, tell us about your first show.

Australia, with Korn, like 10 000 ppl, nervous!

3- Favourite beer?

Budweiser, the king of beers.

4- Out of the bands you have played in, which has been your favourite?

Hatebreed, im having the time of my life.

Tell us a little story about each.

I love them all, Integrity the least, i dont know, Dwid and Chubbie were a handful at times, i love them all though, Ringworm has the furnace, my best friend, so thats always a plus, Terror has Vogel, does it get any better?

5- What was it like getting stung by your first blue bottle on the world famous Bondi Beach?

Fuck that shit, thanks for taking me to the sneaker stores, i love you Pete, shout out to Graham and Resist and all the hot girls in Aussie who are all now my baby mamas.

Chucky Edge (Road-Dog, Blogger, Hardcore T-Shirt Collector/Wearer, Pizza Lover)

1- At a guess, how many band T-Shirts do you think you currently own? and where the fuck do you store them all?

I would like to think that its... maybe 500 roughly. Maybe 40 sweatshirts too? thats a rough guess tho. I had a period where I got rid of maybe 100 shirts thru giving them to friends or ebay. But im back to full force. I store them in the photos I sent you, thats mostly it. The shelf is the shirts im currently wearing, I have wierd trends in my head where Ill change up the selection with very impulsive tendencies.

2- Do you sell old shirts that you may of only worn once or twice, or not at all on ebay?, or do you think that is disrespectful to the person who gave you the shirt in the first place?

I sold maybe 40 shirts on ebay I think in my career. I sort of regret it, but its life, and I dont really do it now. Its funny, I usually give people stuff when they ask me about it, or when someone I know is at my house. Because, we all know the shirts your given from someone, are always the best fitting shirts. I think its disrespectful to sell shirts your given, but at the same time, certain shirts are ebay gold or whatever and its expected. Sometimes a shirt fits bad, and you gotta do something with it i guess? depends on the case i guess.

3- Do you ever get sick of wearing band shirts? LIke you look in your cupboard and all you have is a whole heap of usually bad fitting tshirts with huge prints all over them, haha.

Yes I do get sick of hardcore band shirts sometimes. To fix that tho I will wear a plain white shirt and realize that I dont look cool and just go back to my core gear. Also im getting a lot more picky with shirts, but at the same time I will just rep and XL and say fuck it. XL shirts fit me pretty much no matter what just depends on the undershirt. So im putting more work into my undershirt combos. Triple A shirts fit the best and are the best. I could never get tired of those. Big print is cool, pocket print is cool, I try to mix it up so I dont get tired of both. side or stomach print NEVER fits me good? i dont know why its shocking maybe? I will also wear a couple sports shirts and those are always refreshing. baseball and notre dame gear always spices up my weekly shirt digest. haha im trying new vocabulary combinations i guess???

4- I know you are a baseball fan, so, have you ever watched a game of cricket? i personally hate it, but you might be into it.

I love how im just going question to question, and all my answers for the questions, kind of go into the next question, this might be my favorite interview to date.
I watched cricket highlights on sportscenter once maybe? some dude hit something with a board, and then 2 dudes fell on eachother to get the ball, it looked cool. I would want to watch cricket with and OG fan so he could give me the rundown. that helps with any sport or team. I love watching baseball games with fans of my rival teams. Its always an exciting conversation. And you learn more.

5- Of all the band's you have toured with/seen live, Who would you currently rate as the best/most important band in hardcore?

Lots of bands I have toured with will definetly have an impact on hardcore. Not to "toot their horn" or mine but its just how I see it. I think kids in 10 years will be talking about these bands like we talk about YOT, Judge, and Breakdown. It all for me, depends on if these bands do reunions and other wierd shit like that. I dont know how ill feel about it then, well see in 10 years right? As long as its not embarrassing and ruins the image of the band that young kids have. Underdog reunion videos look cool. Never seen Gorilla Biscuits...
shout-outs: pete for this interview (good blog, good concept, good dude.), greg bacon for the 5 interview zine a little bit ago, hardcore worldwide, baseball, notre dame football, idiots who embarrass themselves on national geographic, hats, shirts, shorts, kool aid, pizza, sound and fury festival 2008, this is hardcore 2008, all the bands ive toured with, dunkin donuts, and... the new batman flick. will see.
thanks again!