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Pat Flynn - Have Heart, The Straight Edge, Pos, ... Beano!?!?!?
  -- Monday, April 02, 2007


"My favorite 7 Seconds shirt getting destroyed"

Pat Flynn is a dude. In every sense of the word. I first learned about Pat Flynn a few years back. I had got an Action Taken demo and was pretty stoked. Then I began hosting a website for this new band called Have Heart. After a while, they moved on to this new site called MySpace, but for a while, it was great hosting this positive, straight edge band's site. During their tenure on HYE, they boosted the hell out of my site stats. Now Pats all grown up (haha) but definitely still young til he dies. When you see Pat at the next show (because he goes to every single one, and is always up front singing along), make sure to say what's up and give him a pat on the back. The following interview is filled with some random, funny shit. Enjoy. Please note, all captions by Pat Flynn.

Yo, Pat Flynn, how's your edge?

-dude, my edge is almost too strong. people might start thinking im taking artificial enhancers for my edge. rest assured, this edgeman is all-natural.

How did it all begin for you?

-I was born on july 6th, 1985...everything from then until i was 13 or 14 is completely meaningless. thats because during that time i was what one would call a "norm", aka, didn't know what hardcore was. I think it was the summer of '99 I went to my first hardcore show in New Bedford, MA at this sweet place called "Reflections". I believe the lineup was Beyond Authority (feat. Joseph Hawk of RnR fame, sweet, right?), Before I Break, All Chrome and Grey Area. Not exactly a show of the most well-known bands, but that show sent me spiraling down a path of righteousness (aka hardcore)

"This is my ipod that I'm trying to sell because i dont believe in technology. I'm a Luddite and I need money"

When did you fully realize what straight edge was? And what does it mean to you now?

-my Mother actually got me into straight edge. Which I'm sure sounds like the lamest possible way to be introduced to straight edge. But how it went was my mother showed me an article of "skate-boarder-looking guys" who didn't do drugs. The article was of TYF and In My Eyes actually. At that point (as a serious 12 or 13 year old punk rocker) I knew that Minor Threat had a song called 'straight edge', but I didn't know there was a culture in existence (o' how lost i was). So anyway, like 8 or 9 years later I'm still straight edge. I look at it in a way in which my edge is the only one that matters. Of course I will curse the fakes to a doomed life, but I won't exclude non-edgemen or edgebreakers who smoke weed for medicinal purposes.

Let's talk about the Action Taken. Who was in that band and what did you guys do?

-The Action Taken was a band from New Bedford, MA who played there, and only there every weekend from 2000 to 2002. I think we played ONCE outside of MA in Rhode Island. The band consisted of Me and Ryan Hudon (fellow HH-man) on vocals and three other members whose names were once on the HYE Edge-Break list...never knew who put them on there, hm. Anyway, we were an uber-youth crew band in the peak of our glory. The soon-to-be edge breaks wanted to start playing other styles of music though, and Ryan and I were eventually given the serious boot. Ryan and I had HH in the works, so all was well. And since the ugly demise of TAT, all former members are at ease with each other. Our claim to fame was our review in the highly praised 'Hows Your Edge Review Section'

"Mr. Ryan Hudon and I shredding the mics when we were 7 years old."

What bands get you psyched these days? Psyched on the edge and psyched on the core?

-Psyched on the core in general, I find myself anticipating the arrival of the WASTE MANAGEMENT demo. Its features righteous gentlemen of the NBHC and Say Goodbye. So far I have heard practice space recordings and seen one performance. The word 'raw' comes to mind when I think of them. Stripped of a lot of that hardcore BS. I like my hardcore slow and heavy, I also like it fast and heavy as well. So I look forward to WASTE MANAGEMENT pleasing my taste for fast, raw, intense, and heavy hardcore.

"The soul of all souls, Mattdude of Soul Control singing for HH"

SOUL CONTROL is another new hardcore band that gets me stoked. They're the kinda band that makes you turn the treadmill up to 10 mph when you already feel 8 mph is enough, ya know what i mean? I thinks its the combination of their lyrics and music that's making me run so much faster these days. A band that gets me stoked on the edge (perhaps most important piece of the core), hands down I have to say DOWN TO NOTHING. They come from the Richmond, VA straight edge scene. Seeing them play anywhere is fucking great. Always energetic, positive and fun. BUT, seeing them play in RICHMOND, fuck...great straight edge scene they got there. Best straight
edge band around. DTN always X's up, keeps straight edge in the wholesome fashion, supports the core and other scenes. More bands need members like the guys in DTN.

Suppose I gave you a straight edge, hardcore time machine. Which show would you attend and why?

a) Oct 17, 1999. Karma Club Boston, National Edge Day
b) A show featuring YOT, Judge and Bold at the Anthrax
c) May 8th 1998 @Reflections New Bedford Mass: Smacking Isaiah, Grade, All
Chrome, and Hot Water Music, where kids were stage diving and moshing for HWM

-Well, I have pretended to be at shows A) and B) so many times in my room by moshing and diving on to my bed that I feel like I can actually say that I have been to those shows so, I have no option but C, but not by default. I live for HWM, if it wasn't for them...I don't think I would have facial hair.

What was the band Beano all about? How many shows were played? Any releases to look out for?

-Beano was about expressing yourself through terribly played music by 12 or 13 year olds who didn't know what guitars or drums actually were, but knew they LOVED Blink182. Look out for the split 7" of Beano / 4 Bob Doles (feat. Sean McCentury of Shipwreck/GU fame and Dan Dole of GU fame). To be released Edge Day 42.

"Me, Jim from Champion and JD from Shipwreck in Seattle. Thats my roomate Sean McCentury from Shipwreck in the background. He's not a singer so he wasn't included in the cool singer guy photo."

What was your favorite show to play, and why? Also what about your favorite to attend?

-To Play: It's a tie between 11.12.06 in California and 3.2.07 in Boston. The show in Boston was with BANE and just felt like one of those classic Boston-Bane shows. And I have loved me some BANE my entire life, so to play a show in Boston with kids going fucking nuts the entire show, feels like some type of achievement. The show in Cali was perfect. We LOVE Cali. The kids out there are the fucking best....animals with stage diving and sweet moshing. I remember at one point when the kids were all on stage singing along completely forgetting I was the singer of the band and thinking I was singing along to some other band with other kids. That spirit of hardcore is what I love best...the interconnectedness of the kids and the bands.

"Reflections revisited circa 2K6. Thats me being a total pussy in a Down But Not Out shirt...i suck."

To Attend: I like shows to be eclectic. If I can get a good thrash band like xfilesx playing with a perfect youth crew band like In My Eyes, and throw in a heavy band like Shipwreck, with kids going off the whole time. Then I'm siked. I'm even MORE siked if there aren't any mo-mo's who show they have something to prove by shitting on all the bands playing or punching attentive by-standers in the face, or anywhere for that matter.

Have Heart has been having a great run. 2007 seems like it is the year for Have Heart to blow up big. What's scheduled for the upcoming year? Big plans?

-I graduate from college this semester and the other guys are down to fuck their jobs and semesters and tour for a loooong time. We're going to Japan in May. Then we head out with SOUL CONTROL and SINKING SHIPS for the first half of the summer in the US, and then with Rise and Fall for the second half. Then we go back to Europe with Bane. THEN we go to Brazil and Columbia , and then do ANOTHER US tour, and we then go to AUSTRALIA. This will span from May 23rd to December 24th with some off-weeks in between. Lets hope we don't end up dying somehow in the process.

"Ryan and i giving a mannequin some shit in London"

Where would you like to go with Have Heart going forward? And not just in the sense of tours, but releases and attitude too.

-I know we are going to write a second LP that will hopefully be out summer 2008 and at least a split with a sweet band. As for attitude, PMA my friend, PMA.

Which would you rather?

a) Own a blood stained knife?
b) Own a tmobile sidekick?
-Does the knife have the blood of a sidekickER on it?

a) Break the edge?
b) Punch a baby for giggling?
-Is the baby an edge breaker?

a) Text message a friend from a show?
b) Say something negative about a band while on stage?
-Is the band Nickelback?

a) listen to Nickelback?
b) listen to Youth Of Today?
-Hey, just because a man jokingly knows every word to every nickelback song ever written doesn't make him a fan. Nor does going to see them live or buying their new record and condemning all his friends that condemn them. I don't know why such a question would be posed.

Is it true, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?

-To make sure no one thinks I broke edge in Vegas I will answer this. An ex-girlfriend/best friend + friend who still likes his ex-girlfriend/best friend + extra money from tax returns + a night in Vegas with NOTHING to do + a good sense of humor = a joke but yet real Marriage in the same chapel Britney Spears was married in. Which ULTIMATELY equals a legal divorce and a reformed relationship with ex-girlfriend/now-current stellar girlfriend.

"this is my girlfriend meryn with her mentally retarded friend charles"

What music have you been giving a lot of play lately? How (if it does) does it get shifted when you are chilling with a special lady?

-As of late NO COMMENT has been receiving a lot of rotation, along with I RISE. When my special lady comes around, I'm sure a little bit of Odetta and Billie Holiday may get some play, hopefully Pat Flynn will too.

How important is a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle in terms of the hardcore scene?

-In terms of the hardcore scene, I'd like to think that it has the potential to make the scene a little bit more conscious caring, rather than being kinda directionless or apathetic. There are other avenues to stay active, but the vegetarian lifestyle certainly help fuel an active scene.

"This is me and Dave from DTN sharing a stage dive together @ TIFY Fest in Florida. We also shared the pain of people stomping on us after the 'duet-dive' attempt failed miserably."

Personally, how important is it to you? When are you going veg again?

-Haha, I'm what a vegetarian George Bush would call "a flip-flopper". But I haven't really considered myself a vegetarian since like 2001. I just practice the diet every 4 or 5 months. I'd like to master it. I find myself feeling really healthy when I'm in the prime of my vegetarian periods...but alas, i usually fall prey to the smell of chicken. But so much meat out there just ain't good for you in most of the ways it's cooked, so hopefully one day I can master the trade.

For those that don't know, can you explain the significance of the "Hardcore > Shoes" record release shirt HxH made?

- Our good friends made a JOKE T-shirt that had a bunch of nike-dunks on the front and on the back of the shirt it read "shoes > hardcore". So for our record release, WE decided to make some shirts that had classic records from bands like the faith, infest, yot, outspoken, bold, unbroken, void, minor threat, citizen's arrest, etc. on it, and have it read "Hardcore > Shoes". GU found it funny, kids hopefully checked out some of our favorite bands, mission accomplished.

"This is Kei Yasui and a diseased leper"

Top 5s

a) Current Releases
1) soul control "demo"
2) waste management "the practice space records that i have heard so far"
3) verse "from anger and rage"
4) i rise "demo"
5) ceremony "violence, violence"

b) Pre 2005 Releases
1) 7Seconds "walk together, rock together"
2) Minor Threat "out of step"
3) Youth of Today "WNITA"
4) In My Eyes "the difference between"
5) Outspoken "the current"

c) Current Bands
1) down to nothing / verse
2) shipwreck
3) ceremony
4) soul control
5) step forward

d) Broken up by 2005 Bands
1) count me out
2) what feeds the fire
3) champion
4) mental
5) blink 182

e) Shirts (any era)
*not a huge shirt guy, but i have three favorites:
1) in my eyes ''est. 1997''
2) 7Seconds 'walk together, rock together"
3) embrace 'weird little design thing'

"Me pretending to be Sweet Pete at the last Guns Up show"

Which end of the Mic do you prefer to be on? It seems that at every show, you are frequently on both ends. How do you keep your enthusiasm level so
high?

-You just gotta actually LISTEN to the bands. Most bands at first aren't all that great. But if you take a small amount of time to really appreciate what bands are writing, you'll its something worth moshing/diving for. I have no preference as for what side of the mic I'm on, as long as I'm in a room with a mic, hardcore kids, instruments, then I'm set.

Any closing thoughts, shout outs or positive mental attitude statements?

-I sat down to write my senior thesis paper, instead I did this interview. Why? because I've been reading HYE since I was like 15. So Brian Murphy, thank YOU for giving me a reason NOT to do my work that I'm probably continue to procrastinate on doing for the next 4 or 5 hours. It really is...a healthy obsession.

Editor's Note: Thanks Pat!! And ps. Pat sent me all these pics. If you took one and want credit, get at me and I'll credit you.

Editor's Note Pt 2: I asked this question of Pat, but received no response.

Who has a more ridiculous (lack of) haircut? Briggs or Nicky I Rise? Would Have Heart be interested in playing The Haircuts for Hardcore benefit?

"Briggs and Ryan in all their long-haired glory, off-setting the extreme YC of my IT'S OKAY...shirt. Fuck."

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Toby Morse - H2O, Hazen St, SEOG, NYHC, Youth Crew ...
  -- Friday, February 02, 2007

Toby H2O, Toby Hazen St, Toby1, Toby SEOG ... He goes by many names, but his message is universally themed: true till death, don't forget your roots, drug free youth, young til I die, ... Cliche phrases to some, but for Toby, hardcore is a way of life. Check this interview for a snapshot into Toby's life. Pics borrowed from MySpace and NikeTalk.


HYE? - Yo Toby, how's your edge?

Toby1 - My edge is great! 36 yrs going strong!

HYE? - Let's start with the basics. How did it all begin for you? How were you introduced to punk and hardcore? Similarly, how were you introduced to straight edge?

Toby1 - My older brothers would take me to shows when I was 12 (1982), my mom was always working trying raise 3 boys alone. So my bros would take me out to shows in providence, ri (prolatarit, idle rich, vicious circle, descendents, impact unit, the FUs etc) were some of my 1st shows. I heard of minor threat when they came out, and I had never tried anything as far as drugs, alcohol etc before them anyway, I just sk8ed everyday and read thrasher mag. But when I heard this amazing hxc band and the fact that they didn't party like me, I was like holy shit! I'm not the only person who doesn't want to drink and fit in.

HYE? - It's obvious that Straight Edge is important to you. Can you picture where you would be today if you had never considered a drug free lifestyle?

Toby1 - I have an ocd personality. So my friends always say if I drank I'd be a alcoholic! I'd be fucked up for sure!

HYE? - You started a company in 2006 called Straight Edge OG. For those who don't know, break it down for them, and tell us the current status of the brand. Check this pic someone posted up on the WDYWT thread on NikeTalk.



Toby1 - SXEOG (means sxe original guy or old guys hahah) Basically besides porcell, civ, steve ready, sweet pete and a couple other old youth crew cats, NO one is sxe anymore. We are the OGs from the Youth Crew 80s days! And its just fun mock designs some original too.

HYE? - A lot of older dudes in the scene are bummed on streetwear's emergence in a lot of the current hardcore merch. Most long for simple schism styled shirts. You however have gone the opposite direction and have embraced the street wear scene. Can you describe your feelings on the merging styles and how you came to be hooked up with The Hundreds?

Toby1 - Man, people starting their own clothing companies is like people starting their own record labels and fanzines back in the day, it's the way people are expressing themselves and being DIY (believe it or not) most of these small comp are starting with a couple people that have passion, vision, artistic skills and some good connections. Its dope! I back it 100% anything to go against the 9 to 5 life! That's hardcore to me.

HYE? - What's the current status of Hazen St and how did it come about? How did you get all those hardcore dudes to sign onto such a project, and what was the intent of the band (blow up, chill with Kurt Loeder or was it just playing music)?

Toby1 - Me and chad just were talking about writing some songs together and I asked him to think of some people that he'd love to have play with us (like a wish list) and he did and I did and we made some calls, some demos and everyone was down. Just for fun, nothing more. Everyone started flying out to l.a and wed fly to ny and we started writing and rehearsing etc. Made a demo that got into the hands for GC twins and the rest is history (I guess) making that record with everyone was one of the best times and experiences of my whole music career. I love and I'm very proud of that record and everyone in HS, everyone worked hard on it. We did some crazy tours GC, Warped, SOTY, Japan (NFG & Yellowcard) and P.O.D. Real fun diverse crowds.

Current status is that we played 2 shows in 2006 and they were fun. Hopefully we'll record something new in 2007.

HYE? - As H2O blew up on an international level and Hazen St went big time, do you think you ever lost focus on Little Johnny Straight Edge and 14 year old Sue Hardcore? Did becoming a huge sensation cause a disconnect between you and "the scene?"

Toby1 - When h20 started touring 200 shows a year and never being home, I think we had our own scene whatever town we were in that night. We always repped nyc where we went and when we played at home we our h20 scene. You gotta remember h20 started in nyc, but none of us were born there, like a lot of the nyhc bands actually.

But we always went to shows when we were home supported younger band and still to this day, I have every piece of fan mail I have ever gotten and I have responded to every person. We were and still are about the kids (not fans) and that to me was more important than the scene (which came and went every summer)


1988: No For An Answer; Toby, Nicole Sxe, Chris Daly, ...

HYE? - Here's a deep one. On the first H2O lp, there is a skit about how hardcore is more than music, "it's a way of life." I'll agree to a certain extent. Punk is definitely a lifestyle, but in my opinion, hardcore has always been "an experience." Go to a show, listen to a record in your bedroom, hang out with friends and discuss hardcore ... Hardcore to me is experience first, music second. The music takes a back seat to the feeling of stage diving or just screaming along at the top of your lungs while you bedroom mosh. Would you say you agree with that?

Toby1 - I agree, but being in a band for 11 yrs is different then going to the shows and getting that experience until the next show. We lived & breathed it every night in japan, europe, south america, usa, canada etc playing 20 shows in a row and having h20 become our life, missing peoples weddings, funerals and peoples relationships ending cos of a tour, its was our lives and still is now. We never went to college. I started going on the road with bands in 89, GB, SOIA, Killing Time.

Fuck yeah, the smell of a sunday matinee, diving, singing, creepy crawling made us feel more alive and when I saw GB last summer, I felt like I was 17 yrs old. You can't get that feeling from anything else. For me that's the closest I've prob come to feeling high! I always say hxc ruined my life joking with my boys, but in reality I met my wife at a hxc show, I traveled the world, people have h20 tats worldwide, a kids parent put my lyrics on there sons grave stone (that's fucking nuts) I get the most sad and inspiring emails and messages everyday from kids. Since h20 started there hasn't been one day that hxc hasn't been a part of me and my life.

HYE? - Time to back off the serious tip. Here's a few of "which would you rather" questions. If you feel strongly about your answer, go ahead and elaborate.

Which would you rather?

a) Get a Boston red sox tattoo on your neck that will ensure the Yankees win the next 10 years of World Series?
b) Get no tattoo and ensure the yankees lose the next 10 years, while the Sox win them all?

Toby1 - B. Hoya would kill me!

a) Mosh with Michael Rappaport at a Slipknot (not Rev) show?
b) Hook up my unemployed actor friends with Michael Rappaport's contact info with the phrase, "Tell him Toby sent you?"

Toby1 - A. We'd wear masks for sure

a) Play to a packed venue in Spain?
b) Play to a half packed venue in NYC?

Toby1 - A. I love spain (not as much as NY of course)

a) Have a SEOG shirt spotted in a very infrequently played Heroes (NBC) commercial?
b) Have a SEOG shirt spotted on Nicole Ritchie as covered by every blog and trashy newsstand journal?

Toby1 - B. Except we don't make infant size in our t shirts

HYE? - 2006 seemed like the year of year for reunions. What is your take on old bands reuniting? What were you feeling when the Gorilla Biscuits took the stage at CBs?

Toby1 - GB never toured on Start Today, so it was about time even if it was 20 years later (you know I sang back ups on the whole record). I lived in the GB house in jackson heights, queens in 88 (best times). I got goose bumps when the horns started! Felt like I was 17 again. They were incredible man, best reunion ever!



HYE? - There is a very short list of people who have been "straight edge" for 20+ years. How come so few people actually hit that milestone? I'm sure you are the opposite of "Hardline" but what's your take on edge breaking?

Toby1 - I always have said the ones that preached and pointed their fingers and judged others and were so militant fell the hardest! They usually go from the most sxe to the most heroin addicts! Pretty sad. I'm drug free for me! Never gave a fuck what people thought. I grew up with people who drank, smoked weed & did coke and I still do. To each his own!

HYE? - Any final thoughts or parting shots?

Toby1 - Check out myspace.com/straightedgeog.

HYE? - [Editor's note: This last comment wasn't part of the interview, but it's amusing so I'll include it.] ps. Thanks for kicking me off of the loft spot at CBs during the last GB reunion show. hahah. That would have been a prime spot to see HR do his thing. And of course, GB.

Toby1 - Sorry man, civ only wanted friends and fam on the stage. Hope you got a good spot off stage.

Or you were diving all night!

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Aram Arslanian - Champion, Betrayed, Edgeman, Swatch Guard Wearer ...
  -- Tuesday, September 19, 2006

What can be said about Aram that hasn't already been said? Plenty, I'm sure, but none of it would be true. This dude is just down. Down for the core, down for the edge. What else could you ask for? All right, here's a story.

Back in 1999, Aram was playing with a band called Face Tomorrow. Now, I recall at the time, that was a little controversial because one of my good friends, Joey C, had a zine called Face Tomorrow. Regardless, I saw these guys play one hot night at the Palladium in Worcester. After the show, they needed some place to crash out for the night. I lived 5 blocks from the Palladium so offered up my apartment.

Leaving the club that night, Aram tells me, "Ok, we don't have any headlights, but since you live so close, it won't be a problem." We stuff way too many people into a van with way too few seatbelts and head off. Literally a block from the palladium, I see a cop aiming right for us. I tell the band to take a turn in hopes of avoiding them a ticket. Doesn't work, the cop goes right for us. Flashing lights, the whole works. And still, only a block from the Palladium. I'm sure kids were thinking, "jesus, those canadians are a rowdy bunch ..."

The cop checks out the van, sees the people sitting on the floor, and hears the sob story about their headlight situation. I tell him they are going to my house which is right up the road. He thinks it all over, and then does the unthinkable. He offers us a police escort back to my house. Off we go, like foreign diplomats of high importance.

They crash out at my house, kick back and watch movies (Aram will later claim that they found mad sketchy porn at my house, but he is confused. No such sketchy porn existed). I tell them I have to break out early the next day, and to just lock the door on their way out. Seems real hardcore of me to invite complete strangers into my home with valuable records, stereo shit, a million shirts, computers, ... But that's what you have to do for a touring band.

I break out the next day and when I get home, I'm convinced they had stolen one of my super rare Swarm shirts. I was furious, I was heated, I was pissed. I was thinking, "Canadians love canadian bands. Of course, they are going to steal my rare canadian merch. Those assholes." For months, I stewed over Aram and his band. Waiting for retribution.

When I moved out of the apartment at the end of the summer, I found the shirt wedged into a trunk that it didn't belong in. No idea how it got there, but I suddenly became ashamed of my malice towards Aram and Face Tomorrow. Fear not, I immediately discarded the voodoo dolls, and called off all curses.

Yeah, that's Aram to me. One of the best dudes around.

1. Dude, how's your edge?

- My edge is hard and sharp. I just turned 32 been sXe for over 10 years and I've never felt better about The Straight Edge

2. How about a little background? How'd it all begin for you: metal, skating, ...?

- I grew up in Calgary Alberta which is right above Montana; its pretty isolated so growing up there wasn't a ton of bands coming through and not a lot of great record shops so you really hard to work for it if you wanted to learn about bands. I was a skater and read Thrasher religiously so I'd always check out the bands they'd interview or review and whenever they put out one of their Skaterock tapes I'd make sure to get it and that's where it really started; it was through the whole skate scene that I started to listen to bands like Minor Threat, COC, DRI, SNFU, The Accused, and then later start to discover bands like Uniform Choice, 7 Seconds and YOT. I did a lot of tape trading back then and was always looking out for new bands and trying to spread the word about bands I was into. Back then it seemed like every week I was discovering another great band.... that was a great time of my life. One crucial band for me was a local called Beyond Possession, they had a self-released EP called "Tell Tale Heart" and a full length on Metal Blade called, ".... Is Beyond Possession" all of which is now on one CD called, "Repossessed"... this one of the first bands that really made an impact on my life.

3. What about the edge? When and where did you decide that it was the right way for you?

- Well back home there wasn't a Straight Edge scene, at points there was a really huge thrash scene, but nothing that had anything to do with sober living. All we did was skate, listen to music, get into fights with head bangers of jocks, and get wasted all of which was great at the time until we started to get a bit older. In our late teens/ early 20's it all took a turn for the worse and we started spending a lot less time on skating and music and a lot more on drugs and alcohol until we wouldn't do any activity unless some kind of substance was involved. At that point things started to really spin out of control in my life, I had a lot of anger about my family and my childhood, a lifestyle that revolved around getting wasted, a dead end job, and a shitty relationship and I didn't feel that there was anyway out so I started to drink really heavily just to be able to deal with my life.

I was still really involved in HC during this period but because the local scene had died down so I had to travel pretty far to get to see bands so I did a lot of flying out to Vancouver and road trips down to Seattle. In those trips I got to know a lot of people who were involved in Straight Edge and they gave me a whole new perspective on the lifestyle; up until that point the very few people I'd interacted with who were Straight Edge were pretty in your face about it, but dudes like Greg Bennick and Dave Larson were just down to earth guys that believed in the ideals and were down to talk about it without being judgmental. The time I spent with those guys was pretty pivotal in my life because for the first time I realized I had a CHOICE... I didn't have to be this person, I didn't have to use a bottle to deal with my life, and I didn't have to live a life that I hated. I know it sounds weird to say that I didn't realize that I had a choice, but growing up in Calgary drinking and drugs... that's just what you do, so to NOT do it was something that was almost alien to me. I gave it a lot of thought and after a few more months of really struggling to get a grip of my drinking I just decided to give it up entirely. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but it was the thing that allowed me to actually take control of my life and live it to the fullest.

4. Are you Canadian or just a Northwestern US man? What's up with Canada anyway? Speaking of Canada, what current Canadian core should I be spinning?

- I'm indeed Canadian and what's "Up" with Canada is that we're literally "up" above the US and holding it down for the core. There are some great bands in Canada right now like:

Final Word (or if you're like me and enjoy swearing then Final Fuckin' Word) from Montreal are awesome, have a NYHC vibe to them, and provide a good mosh... they have a killer EP on Indecision Records so check it out

Risky Business, a Lockin Out style band from the Halifax and have a record on Rock Vegas Records that's great

Go It Alone, fast HC in the vein of Count Me Out and Battery... some of the best dudes around and have an LP and an EP out on Rivalry Records that people should check out.

Get the Most, this Vancouver unit my new Canadian favorite and they provide some crucial Youth Crew core in the vein of Insted and have a great new EP coming out on Crucial Response Records

In Stride, Vancouver band that rocks a mix between early American Nightmare and Right Brigade. They have a brand new record coming out on Bottled Up Records which is Jeff from Start Today Fanzine so you need to order it!

Comeback Kid, love them or hate them, but you can't deny that this Winnipeg band has left an impact in the core that time will not erase. Great guys, great band

Fucked Up, I've never heard a Fucked Up record but everyone loves this Toronto band, they're on one of my favorite labels (Jade Tree), and have been at it for a quite a few years

Keep It Up, another Ontario band that rules, fast HC with great breakdowns... I know that's the worst description ever but this band is GREAT

About to Snap, new EP out on Specimen 32 Records.... Negative Approach style hardcore with great lyrics.

Recently we saw the end of Vancouver's Blue Monday who was one of the great bands of our time and I'll miss the hell out of them but you know that great new bands will rise up from the break up and that Canada will rep the core to the fullest.

5. I read the Champion 1998-2006 article in At Both Ends. That turned out real well. Were you all psyched on it? Also, should I know the dude who writes that zine? He keeps going on tours with Bane, but I have no idea who he is (and after all, I am Mr. Bane*)

* Trademark Dylan Press

- Yo, Mr. Bane you're slipping.... The 411 is that ABE is done by Steve Fallas, an all around solid dude and current tour manager for BANE... get your shit together man! Yeah I was psyched on that article, I really felt that Champion ended on the best terms and I'm super happy that our friends cared enough to be involved in that article... its definitely a time we'll remember

6. Have you seen Tre's beard lately? What the hell is up with that?

- Tre is gross

7. What's up with the sudden end of Betrayed?

- Todd and I have been friends for a long time and the band was just an extension of that. It got to a point where we wanted to do different things and it was just better to end the band rather than let it cause stress between us. I'm happy with what we did and I think we made a difference.

8. What do you think about the merger of the WB and UPN into the CW? Do you think they'll really bring back 7th Heaven?? Let's pray they don't.

- I back that... in fact lets get together with Sweet Pete and Pike and have a prayer circle

9. Are people ever intimidated by your baldness? What band were you playing in when you last had an unshaved head?

- My head causes a glare when I'm sweating and there are lights on the stage so maybe people taking photos are bummed out, but no one in the crowd has recoiled in horror yet. For about a year I was in denial that I was going bald so although my head had been shaved since I was 17 I decided to grow it out... this was about 4 years ago when I was playing in Champion and there are definitely some shots that reveal a) how fucking stupid I look with hair and b) how fucking stupid I look with shaggy dyed black hair with a bald spot in the back. True story.

10. Champion was a hard working, ever touring band. Of all the places you have seen, what was your favorite? Likewise, what place left a sour taste in your mouth?

- Japan was definitely my favorite with Korea being a very close 2nd. As for least fav... sorry Denmark but I won't be rushing back into your cold awkward embrace any time soon.

11. Along those lines, how did you manage to keep Champion together for 7 long years and maintain a position at the top of the pile? It couldn't have been easy as a full time touring, straight edge hardcore band. What were the high points? What were the low points?

- The thing about Champion is that we really believed in our band and our message so there was never a time when we wanted to do things half-assed. Putting out a record meant touring hard, and touring hard meant giving it 100% every night... there was no middle ground and I think that intensity and conviction is what made us be able to carry on for so long because we were always striving to take it further. High point would be going to Korea because I felt like we were actually really making an impact in those kid's lives. Low point.... Getting "milked" by the Prebosk... you'll have to get Steve TFS to fill you in on that one

12. One time I went to California and hung out with Todd Jones. Every restaurant he took us to was a chain restaurant (California Pizza Kitchen, Baja Fresh, Baskin Robbins,...). I'm curious, have you ever eaten a meal with Todd that didn't involve a chain restaurant?

- No I never have, TJ actually has an inked agreement with the multinationals that own chain restaurants so he legally can't eat anywhere else. Again, true story.

13. Speaking of Todd Jones, how is he to work with him as an "artist?" Yeah, that comes of sounding super douchey. How about this instead? What's a funny Todd Jones story? How did you meet this fine fellow?

- Todd and I met in 1999 in CA when my band Face Tomorrow was on tour. Carry On had just recorded "Roll with the Punches" and my mind was instantly blown; those guys didn't try to fit in with anything that was happening on the West Coast at the time and were arrogant as hell.... So I instantly decided that they were my favorite band and throughout the years became really tight with him and Corey. We'd been kicking around the idea of doing a band forever and it finally came together in the form of Betrayed; working with Todd musically can be the most amazing thing of all time because he has vision. He understands how to make a song work from front to back. Working Todd can also be non-amazing if your ideas of how a song should work conflict with his ideas... either way it's an interesting ride.

A funny Todd Jones story is when we were recording Substance in January in MA. It was freezing cold and for some reason all he brought out from CA was a hoodie. It was cold as hell but he didn't want to buy a coat so he borrowed a ¾ length tan leather trench coat from Kurt Ballou and had to wear it where ever he when for the next two weeks.... He looked like an arctic pimp.

14. How much do you love Starbuck's? Any funny, possibly foreign Starbuck's stories? What are your thoughts on Dunkin Donuts? Is it too blue collar for you?

- Starbuck's is so fucking good, but I'm trying to stop supporting them.... As a result Dunkin' Donuts has moved up in the ranks for my coffee fix. A non-funny Starbucks story is how gross soy milk is anywhere except North America and how it ruined my Starbuck's experience all over the world... screw you non-North American soy milk, get lost with your non-deliciousness and non-frothiness

15. You know who loves Dunkin Donuts? Matt Pike. That guy was the tour manager for Champion for many years. How did that all get set up? How'd you meet him? Do you have any funny Matt Pike stories?

- Matt loves to yell and has given me headaches but I still love him. We met through AIM when he first asked Champion to do some shows with Bane, and then we became "internet buddies" before we became friends in real life. Pike was actually our booking agent [Editor's note: fuck, that's right. I always get Pike's job confused. I can never keep it straight. Sorry, dawg.] although SKOH did do some tours with Champion. That came together because he loves the Edge and supported Champion and his effort was one of the most important things for our band. It was through him that we were able to get on bigger tours like SOIA and Agnostic Front.

16. People break edge all the time. What are your thoughts on the outspoken edgeman to blatant drunker transformation? How do you feel about edge breaking in general?

- People do what they're going to do. I'd rather be someone that makes people feel good about who and what they are rather than bad about what they're not or who they used to be. As for the actual act of the edge break.... Meh, I just don't see what's attractive about that lifestyle so generally just feel bad to see people enter that world, but such is life

17. What are your plans now that Betrayed is ending?

Work at a job I love, buy a shitload of record, hang out, drink coffee, and get married next year. Just live life and enjoy The Straight Edge

18. One time I guilted Greg Bacon into letting me eat dinner at the table he was sharing with Steb add Aaron TFS. They had an open seat, and I was by myself. Do you think this was a faux pas on my part? How's Greg doing anyway?

No that was a great thing to do, Greg needs to be taught some manners. He's as rude as a German. He's pretty good I think, he just had a birthday and got showered with myspace comments so who wouldn't be stoked?

19. Time for the top 5s.

a) LPs
- Minor Threat, Out of Step
- Cro Mags, Age of Quarrel
- Judge, Bringin' it Down
- Gorilla Biscuits, Start Today
- Youth of Today, Break Down the Walls

b) EPs
- Minor Threat, s/t
- Minor Threat, In My Eyes
- Youth of Today, s/t
- Chain of Strength, True Till Death
- Chain of Strength, What Holds Us Apart

c) Current bands
- Have Heart
- Common Cause
- No Turning Back
- Internal Affairs
- Ceremony

d) Crucial t-shirts
- Chain of Strength, navy blue TTD shirt
- Judge, original white hammers shirt
- Floorpunch, Raw Deal rip off
- Agnostic Front, boots shirt
- Cro Mags, Best Wishes shirt


e) moz or ray cappo

Moz for sure

20. Tomorrow Sweet Pete and I are going to grab some Jordan VIIs. Well, Sweet Pete is. I can't hang with Mist/yellow Jordan VIIs. But Sweet Pete is a better man than me when it comes to things like Jordans. How do you feel about Sweet Pete?

- I love Sweet Pete, if he lived in Canada we'd be best friends and talk about Straight Edge all day long. He's a vegan you know... that's tight. He is one of the true pillars of the Straight Edge community but he has some backwards ideas about Swatch guards.

21. You just joined The First Step a few months ago and you seem to like being in a lot of bands at once so what other current bands would you like to join?

- Have Heart or No Turning Back. I plan on joining about 10 more bands this year.

22. The cover art for the Betrayed LP sure has a lot of x-rated swatches pictured. What's your opinion on the 1987 X-Rated Swatch? How do you feel when you see edge breakers selling them for tons of loot on ebay? Also, don't you think there should be a pact among edge dudes? If you break the edge, you are forced to give your swatch to an up and coming edgeman. I think that should be instated as hardcore law.

- The X Rated Swatch is one of the greatest things that I own... my lovely girlfriend got me one for Christmas and I wear it every day. As for the rest of your question..... THE INSTITUTE FOR X-SWATCH RECOVERY, this is going to happen even if you resist.

23. Ok, let's wrap this interview up. Do you have any final thoughts or shout outs? Thanks for the interview, dude.

- Listen to Resist... that's Wrench's new band and they are awesome. Listen to Guns Up! and mosh hard in your bedroom or at a show... mosh people on the streets. Listen to Have Heart and then think about the lyrics... and then mosh. Even if you are an awful stage diver like myself and B.Murph never stop doing it... fuck style, if you love it then do it. Xing up is amazing, Straight Edge is amazing, and Hardcore is amazing. Meltdown rule. I love Chris Wrenn, and I love Converge. Next time you see Tre mosh him.

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