Saturday, September 25, 2010


Full name: Gavin O

company name: Still Proud Clothing

important links:
SP clothing
bigcartel



What was your inspiration to create a clothing line?

The inspiration for Still Proud came out of my love for independent music and discontent for the corporate lifestyle. Besides the 9 to 5 hustle I wanted to have something of my own that would allow my ideas and creativity to flow. I was attracted to clothing because of its close relationship to music and the fact that it’s such a direct medium of expression. SP is very much influenced by many of the ideals within hardcore, the street appeal of hip-hop but also an element of self-empowerment.

I've heard you say "Still Proud will always be a brand rooted in the Hardcore and Independent Hip-Hop community" can you elaborate on that?

Sure, I’ve been involved in the hardcore scene for the greater part of my adult life (bands, journalism and booking) and have thus been fascinated by the ideals within it. Integrity, inner strength, nonconformity and a DIY mentality are what I’m referring to. Indie Hip-Hop also embodies these ideals and is another genre I’ve been a fan of for some time. These ideals have not only influenced my life but also what I wanted SP to represent, so whether it’s the artists we work with or the themes running through our designs, we’ll always have a foundation in these subcultures.

What are your plans for the future with your clothing company?

From hammering down a 3-season release schedule, expanding our product line and also looking into some retailer distribution, these are my goals at the moment. As for the greater picture, I really feel like the sky’s the limit for SP so we’ll have to see.

What is the deal behind the "this world is mine" hoodie that was limited to 50?

It was actually limited to 25. The hoodie is all about holding your own and not letting society dictate to you what you can or cannot accomplish. The diamond represents prosperity while the dice stands for the gamble of life. Put them both together and you have the sacrifice that it takes to succeed.
Are you going to print some more designs for back to school? Seeing as school has already started and our new line’s about to drop, I’d say we’re a little late. 4 new tees, 3 tank tops and a b-ball jersey are set to drop next week, be sure to stay tuned for the announcements: www.stillproudclothing.com

What’s the hardest part of owning a clothing line?

So far, it’s just been keeping a consistent release schedule. When you’re a one man team, there are many things that you have to juggle between design, production and then of course building the community around the brand so that the designs move. Throw into the mix working a full-time job and you can imagine how crazy it can get. It’s easy to look at a clothing company and not realize that there are many factors involved but I’ll be one of many to tell you that to believe this is to be very mistaken.

Friday, September 24, 2010



Full name: Joshua Kelting

Band: Expire

Important links:
Expire





Who is the biggest influence in your musical career?

Anyone who's ever told me to grow up.

What is your favorite part of playing shows?

Kids singing along, definitely. There's no greater feeling than knowing that those kids can somehow relate to something you wrote.

Do you any plan to be going on any tours?

We leave in mid-October for a 3 week jump with Rotting Out and Soul Search. We have a few things in the works after that but nothing is nailed down yet. We will definitely be keeping busy.

What was your inspiration to write your album " grim rhythm"?

The title Grim Rhythm was something that came by chance, it was just a name that we really liked and fit very well with what we were doing and writing at the time. Groovy stuff with a lot of dark undertones of misery, guilt, violence, sex and suicide. So I'd say it's inspired by all of those things.

What was your inspiration for writing the song "3:56"?

Just when life stalls out and you're at a crossroads, and the frustration that ensues.

Can you tell us some more about the second pressing of the grim rhytm 7" ?

Well the first press came out in March and sold out after our May tour so doing a 2nd press was an obvious decision. The 2nd press came out at the begining of July and is about half gone. We couldn't be happier with how the record is moving.

Sunday, September 19, 2010



Name: Matt Darando

band: Stand Your Ground

Important Links:
Stand Your Ground











Who is the biggest influence in your musical career?

There is a lot of people that have helped me, from family to vocalists in other bands. But i think it is my brother since he got me into the music i listen to today.

What is your favorite part of playing shows?

My favorite part of playing shows is just getting up there and flipping out and having a great time, Everyone in the band really has a good time when they play and it is awesome.

Do you any plans for the future with upcoming shows?

Well we have 2 shows this month which i am very excited for and well probably get on a few more this year. Were just focusing on writing a 7 inch right now. Hopefully we can go on tour a weekend in the spring or summer.

What inspired you to write the song broken pieces?

What inspired me to write broken pieces was all the fakes and lairs i had dealt with over time. The people who you think are you best friends but could really care less about you.

Saturday, September 4, 2010


Name: Abbas Muhammad & James Aloisio

Band : Scourge

Important links:
Scourge
Demo 2010




who is the biggest influence in your musical career?

All of us, having been in bands of various genres, our biggest musical influences are varied, ranging from Madball, Integrity, Cro-Mags, Pantera, and Hatebreed, to bands such as Isis and Megadeth, among others of course.

what is your favorite part of playing shows?

Our favorite parts about playing shows are meeting new people and exposing our music to these people. Also, the connection between the band and the crowd is indescribable.

do you any plan to be going on any tours?

In the future, we would like to go on a weekend tour or even a small east coast tour. However, our ages are holding us back from touring. We are definitely interested in making this possible though.

How did your last show sept. 3rd go with Anguish?

Unfortunately due to inclement weather, we had to drop our September 3rd show with Anguish (this was actually the first show that we had to drop on such short notice). We do plan on making up for this after we complete recording our EP, which should be done in a few weeks.

what was your inspiration for writing the song "on your own"?

James: Honestly, that song isn't one of our favorites. It was put together in the first couple of weeks of us being together, but, my inspiration was everybody telling me for the past couple of months/years that I basically had to become more independent. It's about doing things by yourself, for yourself, and that you can't be babied. You have to grow up sooner or later.

Friday, September 3, 2010


Name: Jeff Casazza

Record Label: Run For Cover

Important Links:


RFCRECORDS










What is your biggest influence in your career with owning a record company?

Probably all my favorite records growing up until now. Hearing a band that I instantly connect with is what makes me want to release records. Luckily most of my current favorite bands are on my label!

what is your plans for the future months with the bands?

To just keep releasing records. We've put out way more records this year than last year so right now I am trying to relax a little bit and do the best work I can for those releases.

Can you tell us more about some of the upcoming tours and releases on the label?

Right now Fireworks, Transit and Man Overboard are all out together which is awesome. I was out for about ten days on the tour and it was great. Title Fight just left for Japan with H20 a few days ago as well. As far as upcoming releases, we have the Tigers Jaw LP, the Memorial LP, and a bunch of other stuff!

How has Warped Tour been going for you guys and how long is your merchandise
tent there for?

We were on Warped tour for about 2 weeks. It was great! A lot of things can go wrong on Warped Tour especially when you're in a van but this year went really well for us. It was a lot of fun.