SEND IN THE CLONES FANZINE
Interview w/ Aaron
By: Kalle Garmark
Give me some history to start with, I know you we're in reinforce but what about the other guys? What makes TFS different from your old bands?
What about your demo, did you get a lot of appreciation when that came out? Lot of shows?
Aaron - Ok around 00. A few NC hardcore bands broke up (REINFORCE, UNTIL TODAY and HIGH POINTE). Stephen, Israel and I knew each other from local shows and we all wanted to play the same type of hardcore. Around this time many of the other members of those bands weren't as interested in playing fast Straight-Edge hardcore, and we were still into that - it was just a natural transition.
I guess what would make THE FIRST STEP different than those bands is just that doing this is very basic and second nature to us. It's just what comes natural to us because it's the type of Hardcore we have always listened to. Because of this, things are more cohesive and everyone is on the same page.
Well when the DEMO 2001 came out we weren't thinking in terms of being some "full-scale" band that like tons of people might know about. It was probably a little more than a "project band" in a sense. We just wanted to record a few songs and have fun with some of our friends, and speak our minds just a little. It was really surprising and special the way so many people took to us and were excited about us. I guess we never thought that would happen because we were from NC, or because no one had before? But yeah, so many people helped us out in our "demo days", and actually I would have to say that was my favorite period of the band thus far because everything was fresh and things felt like they were growing! Like every weekend we would just roll in the van and drive and see our friends in places like Maryland, Richmond VA, NYC, NJ, Boston, wherever you know? It was cool, we'd see our old friends and usually make some new ones - it was just real fun man.
What about now, from what I understand you don't live in N.C. anymore, does it still work out fine with the distances and all?
A - No we don't all live in NC anymore. But let me clarify something. When we did live in NC we all lived basically down the street from each other, or at the same college. So it wasn't a rare thing to be hanging out regularly and what not.
Then around late 2001 I ended up moving to Washington DC, for a job. This wasn't a problem because we were still very gung ho, and had a lot to do. Then, this last summer Stephen moved to Boston. Of course we broke up not long after that, but since then we have gotten together to practice more than before and gotten a good bit done, so I think things are going fine really. I mean, I could certainly imagine things being a bit more ideal as far as logistics are concerned; but otherwise as long as the spirit is the same we are fine.
How did you end up on livewire? Did you know them before you were in TFS?
A - Well about the time that TFS was having our first practice, I met Straight Ed at a MOUTHPIECE show in DC. We were just talking straight edge hardcore / DYS; etc. Then a few months later Tim picked up our demo at the first Running Like Thieves show, and sent it over to Ed, who liked it. This was in the spring of 01, and we were planning on going out west in a few months to play a few shows and hang out. There wasn't a lot of time; but when Ed heard about these shows, he offered to press our demo onto a 7". At the time, Ed hadn't really done so much as a label and we hadn't done much as a band so this was all quite a leap. So, we pressed 100 7" on BLACK Vinyl with a hand screened blue and red cover and a paper sticker. Ed used these cool Japanese 7" sleeves as well. It was just really cool - like we didn't have a lot of time and money, but we still made something REALLY cool and we were all really happy. We also made 100 shirts for that trip, which to this day are some of my favorite shirts we did. In addition to this, we were just hanging out, watching YOT videos, talking hardcore, eating, seeing Socal, swimming, it was just like a great time. That time was pretty much when we decided that we wanted to work with LIVEWIRE RECORDS.
How come you broke up and got back together?
A - Well we broke up in May 03. We had worn ourselves out in a sense. A number of issues and pressures had begun to surround the band and it was having a bit of a negative effect on us as a unit. Normally if problems arise with a band you can stick together as guys and work it through. But these surrounding problems began to affect us as individuals we were having a difficult time as a whole, and we weren't progressing. I want to stress that we were all friends and still are to this day. When we started, we honestly didn't think anyone would care about us and we just wanted to do something fun/good/wholesome. But it seemed like for a while ANYTHING we did or DIDN"T do was making a stir for us. It was just exhausting and I quit the band, which disbanded immediately.
This really bummed the other guys out for a number of reasons. We DID want to work through the problems, and we also hadn't really played a "last show". In fact the last show we had played was a bit clouded with drama, and Stephen also sprained his ankle after the 5th song.
Over the following months I spent a lot of time working on myself. I did several retreats at a monastery in upstate NY and took on several new Buddhist teachings. Because I was freed up from being in a band and somewhat repulsed at the current state of hardcore; I was spending a lot of time reflecting on my life and the things I consider to be important, and my friends. All the while I was still in regular contact with Stephen and Iz who were in their own ways working on themselves. We all seemed significantly happier and more content as people. With the band out of the way, we could finally relax with one another and share more of ourselves as bro's. So we began to connect a little more again and we realized that our desire to play hardcore together hadn't been effected by this; we simply had frustrations standing in the way. But with the frustrations out of the way, there was really no reason to stop playing.
One thing that kept us wanting to do things again was the fact that we had a bunch of unfinished songs.
Looking through old posts at the livewire message board regarding TFS it seemed you were very appreciated by the people who were into you but also overlooked by a lot of people since you're playing "old-school" hardcore.
A - Well one of our new songs deals with this. First of all, we NEVER did this band with the intention of "appealing" to people, or desiring good "reviews/ and approval". We just do this because it's what-we-know! If NO ONE LIKED US, if NO ONE CARED, I would still write a HC song when I pick up my guitar; and I would still jam YOT songs with Iz at practice, I would still wear GB sweatshirt - because that stuff KICKS ASS. I think a lot of these critical people BELIEVE that bands have agendas, and something to prove to them, and that couldn't be further from the truth. We are just doing what makes sense to us.
Another note about this is that many people who seem to either like or DISLIKE THE FIRST STEP seem to stop short with the music/looks/style thing. And that is a real bum out to me. We spend A LOT OF TIME on our lyrics; contemplating, rewriting, sharing, arguing, discussing; because we really want to communicate what we are feeling and thinking. I personally think it sucks when I see a BIG fanzine like MRR or PUNK PLANET stiff a band who has something to say when they review it, just because a band has X's on their hands or looks like BOLD. (But over all I do like those zines)
At the same time I also think it blows when kids who might like us, or have a band, don't seem to look further into the message as well. I mean it really is a bum out when you meet kids at a show and they spend all this time getting the LOOK right or going off, but they don't have their hearts and heads with the values.
Phrases that I came across were "you were one of the only bands playing sincere music that was actually 'about something'" and more lines like that. Do you agree with this? How does it make you feel? It seems to me that you're taking hardcore serious (i.e. it's more than music...) since you have lyrics about vegetarianism, about making the most of your life and so on.
A - Well I don't really want credit for that. I mean I think playing music by its nature SHOULD be that way. I mean like true music. I mean I can write MUSIC forever of various styles, but what motivates me to write a song is something more concrete - a feeling, an opinion, a thought. I think the only thing that REALLY stops this creative process is INDUSTRY; playing because you are told to, or out of some machine-like inner compulsion. To "get to the top" or "make some money" or something. Also I think most HC Record labels right now are industry as FUCK.
I mean what makes that sincere isn't the fact that I am singing about "the edge" or something like that, it is sincere because I am only going to sing about the things that I think are meaningful. In that case I don't think I am any more or less sincere than Keith Morris for singing "Wasted" or "Danzig" for singing "Halloween II". I play because I have to put those words in a song, which is very similar to Danzig feeling the call of the wolf! You sing and play because you must!
I was thinking about two lyrics on the seven-inch; maybe you'd like to talk about them (even though Stephen may have written them).
"Will it ever end?" This song makes me think about the American "war on terrorism". I may be way off but this is what comes to my mind. Especially with the line "Our reaction to violence is the same in return".
A - That song was more or less written BEFORE 9-11 and recorded after; and while it could and does apply to that in a sense - it is more about the concept of non-violence. It was inspired by MK Ghandi and his views on non violence as well as those taught by the Buddha. While I am by no means perfect, I don't personally believe violence is in the best interest of humanity and in accordance with our innermost nature. The problem with violence is that it always takes away the dignity of everyone involved. This, of course, tends to instigate a response or reaction. At this point we could respond with violence; if we do - then there is more violence and an inevitable cyclical escalation until we are all consumed. However, the theory here is that this is unnecessary. Violence can only end by practicing spiritual truth, such as patience, or love.
If you are looking for my personal opinion on 9-11 and the subsequent "war on terrorism" they aren't partisan and in "black and white" terms. I simply think it's a great shame. There is immense suffering in the world and this was a spectacular display of just how screwed up things can be. However, as His Holiness Dalai Lama pointed out, these and ALL events of violence are perpetrated and exercised by the human mind. Someone THOUGHT to do all things, and to this day we THINK more wrong thoughts. These were people just like you and I, not super humans. So to counter that negativity, I think we could train our own minds towards truth and peace, and hopefully work with others as well to dismantle a cycle of destruction. It serves to me as a reminder to do what I can to think more lucidly and act more kindly. (These goals are easier said than done)
"When things fall apart" This has kind of a spiritual vibe to it and you and Stephen are Buddhists, how has this changed your life?
A - "When things", was inspired by a book with that name by PEMA CHODRON. When Stephen read it, we were talking about just how often it is in lives of everyone we know, things are falling apart. This is obvious; everywhere I look it seems someone has lost their job, or lost a loved one, or any number of loss. We just can't seem to escape the suffering that comes with impermanence. However, there really is just something dignified about loss when we begin to work our way though things and continue moving ahead.
The cool thing about this song is commonly we will know someone who is going through a particularly hard time, so we will put this song out to them because we feel for them. So it really has meant a lot to be able to offer our thoughts to our friends when they need it. I like that song a lot.
For the record, "yes", Stephen and I are Buddhists and of course that DOES have an influence on THE FIRST STEP, but we are not a BUDDHIST HARDCORE BAND, we are a HARDCORE band who happens to have Buddhist members.
I do consider you a "posi-band", it seem to me like you have a positive outlook on life but in IMPACT#2 you mention that "you are not on a posi or negi trip but that you want to sing about life 'as it is'". But you can sing about life "as it is" in many different ways, both with smiths-quotes and about appreciating things for what they are.
You always hear a lot of people say that writing is like therapy for them but on the other hand I remember Ronnie Little (when he was in rain on the parade) say once that "I don't want to write lyrics that bring people down, there are enough of other things to do that" (May not be a exact quote.) What's it like for you? Do you talk about what you want the lyrics to deal with before you write them?
A - Yes we always take our time when writing our lyrics. We are different dudes with different views, and we want to find some common ground and share that with the audience. As far as positive / negative things go. Life itself is abounding with positive and negative experiences, as I am sure you are aware. However, I think what you are referring to in the question is more like virtue. I personally consider something to be positive if it is virtuous and benefits the world around me and inversely for the negative.
I agree with Ronnie Little on that one, I don't want to contribute to the problems of the world.
However, there is also POSI-CORE. Which tends to describe the style, sound, message of bands like UNIFORM CHOICE, 7 SECONDS, UNITY, INSTED and so on.
These are two different things. One is a philosophy and one is a style. You can have one with out the other.
For example - BL'AST stylistically weren't a positive band in their imagery. They have crazy haircuts, were way moody, Sabbath riffs but their lyrics have a degree of hope and determination. So I consider them positive, and I totally like BL'AST.
The point I am getting at in IMPACT fanzine is that THE FIRST STEP will sing about and do whatever we want whether people consider that to be "by the book" positive or not. Like I said earlier we have to say what's on our minds, because that's honest and music should be honest. But we also will always play positive sounding straight edge hardcore.
If Stephen writes a lyric you don't agree on would you still use it? Is it important that the band is 100% behind the content of the lyrics?
A - We would find the lyrics that best suit us all. I think for a straight edge hardcore band it IS paramount that people share to some extent the same views, because this is music that is SHARED between all the members of the band as well as the members of the audience. You can FEEL it in air when people are solid on something.
On the demo you covered "more than fashion" what else do you cover?
A - We have covered tons of songs, BOLD songs, YOT songs, ANTIDOTE songs, INSTED songs, MINOR THREAT songs. I don't think its right when bands try to cover JUDGE songs or CROMAGS songs because you just can't bring it like those guys. I want to cover UC, and UNITY. DYS rules though.
I don't know what it's like in the states but a not to wild guess is that bands of your kind isn't the most popular with the average hardcore kids, is it still all about GUTG and the wrist-slitting lyrics?
A - Right now I can't tell WHAT is going on with HC in the states. Kids seem all over the map. They seem to be growing OUT of HC, but keeping their noses in it all the while. Kids might start listening to indie rock or techno or rap and become some "neuvo-afficionado of that", and all the while stick around the HC scene and judge and criticize it. I think right now the whole metal mosh/tough guy thing is big, and it seems like it has a pseudo straight edge hardcore influence this time around. That's not really my thing so I don't really know. Shrug, I mean I don't want to put down bands I support the ones I like, but I don't feel I have to support everything or what ever is going on right now.
In general I have seen the overall HC scene be stronger and more ALIVE than I think it is right now. But nonetheless HC still rules.
When we spoke yesterday you mentioned that you hadn't done that many interviews yet you seem to a popular band, which conclusion do you draw from this?
Do you believe it will change after the LP?
Has it been better or worse since you got back together?
A - Well I MIGHT be giving TFS undue credit, but it could be that our lyrics are so straight forward that people tend to KNOW what we are about. There also doesn't seem to be as many zines or a vibrant HC scene as there has been at times. Who knows?
The shows back have been great. Some of course are better than others, but one of the best shows I have played perhaps was our first show back in VA BEACH. It was just insanity. Literally everywhere I looked in the room there was movement. It was overwhelming, but the stage was small and I couldn't jump around much.
What's your take on the current hardcore scene? You said earlier that you thought the kids weren't as "sincere" as they used to be.
A - Well I don't think sincere is the right word. I think things could be more ALIVE and could be STRONGER. And of course I mean I only go to shows here in the states. And I only go to shows I particularly want to see. So if it's a metal show, or pop punk show, I am not as inclined and I really don't know what's going on in those scenes. I just tend to like Straight Edge hardcore, and that scene isn't as rolling as it has been at times. But again hardcore is a music, not a scene. Straight Edge is a philosophy and a way to live. So even if the scene isn't the best those views are still there for me.
But I do think a few bands are really doing their part. And so I want to take a second and support them. OUR TURN, NO TIME LEFT, CHAMPION, STAND AND FIGHT, STRETCH ARMSTRONG, PAINT IT BLACK, CHARGE, PANIC ATTACK, WORN THIN, really there are a lot of bands who work hard and have things to say - I just wish I could see these bands more.
You're touring
Europe this summer with you friends in Damage Control, what do you expect
from that (not just good sides I guess...)? Have they told you anything
what it might be like?
A - I honestly have no idea what touring Europe will be like. I have a bit of an idea what HC will be like in a few countries because I have seen and listened to bands from there. I suspect Norway will rule because there have been some good bands like ONWARD, SPORTSWEAR, and now DAMAGE CONTROL (who are my favourite current HC band). I liked MAINSTRIKE and REACHING FORWARD so I will be stoked to play Belgium, and I hope we can play with NO DENIAL! I have no idea what HC will be like in UK, Spain and Portugal because I haven't heard many bands from there; but as long as kids are stoked I will have a good time. But the whole thing will be a brand new experience to us all!
Tell me something about the US tour you did with damage control. Any specific moment you remember? (At a show or on the road or whatever…)
A - Well that tour was an interesting time. For like a year before that tour I had listened to "Can't Keep Us Down" and was really stoked to check this band out. I had also been in regular contact with Daniel Frankowski and we got along but I had no idea what the other guys would be like! That tour really opened us all up to each other and we honestly seemed to be "brother bands" with DXC. They were so much like us and yet we are worlds away from each other. I have always liked the bands we have toured with, but those guys were really like us; they just like straight edge hardcore and have something to say and they aren't giving up. One thing I will never forget is Espen and I driving all night to Chicago while the other dudes slept. I think he wrote a song about it actually! This SOUNDS lame… but its just one of those things I will never forget. The sun coming up and we were still driving and when we got out of the vans we were kind of disgruntled and the other dudes were all asleep. He and I actually talked then and bonded. Also I won't forget how beautiful Per Oscar's sister is! It was incredible! I couldn't think straight for like a week! Those are just a few things that came to mind!
What is the biggest strength with The First Step? Weakness?
A - Our biggest strength hmmm… I don't know I suppose we get a lot of attention as a straight edge band right now because not many bands seem to be doing that the way that we are. Our weakness is that we live so far away from each other. And also a lot of people don't look past the surface with us like I said earlier.
Your music hasn't changed that much from the first demo until today and a lot of people claim that hardcore has to develop. What is "hardcore-development" to you? Do you have to be a metal/screamo band these days to get accepted by the kids?
A - We have talked about this. I mean Orthodox Hardcore purists are typically against certain forms of progression, which are usually more "expressive" or "talented". I have no problem with either of those, so long as the music we play is still hardcore. I always considered the best bands to have their progression in their LYRICS and IDEAS. Like YOUTH OF TODAY were totally not THAT talented at the time, yet NO MORE really opened some minds. Same with 7 Seconds, they are just kind of thrashy, especially on the early stuff; but the message is so strong probably one of the strongest. I think that more bands should really question why they are doing music and why they call it Hardcore. It shouldn't be some battle of the bands or some talent show. This should be our chance to say what's on our minds and to express how we feel about it! The better that is -the more HC it is to me! Bust!
How did you get into hardcore? What are your favourite bands and which were the first bands you really got into?
A - I got into HC when I was a kid hanging out with other kids. The first bands I got introduced to… were like CIRCLE JERKS, MISFITS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, BLACK FLAG, and MINOR THREAT - all that stuff. But I used to be WAY into SICK OF IT ALL man! Ummm, to keep a long story short when I got into straight edge I was really into GB and YOT. The fact that they had all the punk energy and ideals - yet were free from all the self-destructive ways; because at the time I was having a hard time with that! I didn't give a crap about drugs, breaking the law, or fighting, I just wanted to make my life worth living - that and I liked to dive and singalong.
MY favorite bands ever in Hardcore… are Gorilla Biscuits, YOT, INSTEAD, UNIFORM CHOICE, MINOR THREAT, 7 SECONDS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, EMBRACE, BOLD, honestly too many to name!