Tag Archives: 2018

Interview

A Protest Music Interview: Lee Reed

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Cover photo by Tony Hoang

“This microphone kills fascists”. That’s how Lee Reed blasts off on his song This Microphone from his 2015 album The Butcher, The Banker, The Bitumen Tanker. It’s been three years since the Hamilton, Ontario native, hip hop veteran released a full length and the resistance has been waiting.

For 23 years Lee Reed has been making militant boom bap radically raising his fist on tape and video and shouting messages of anti-capitalism, anti-police and equality. After touring with Sage Francis of Strange Famous Records he signed with the label for his newest release called Before & Aftermath.

Still militant, still relevant, Lee rips the society apart exploring its faults and looks for ways to puzzle it back together again.

“military grade shit/cops play war with certain populations/state sponsored it, racism faceted/blood and honour and ku klux closeted” Lee raps on ACAB which, unfortunately, is bound to never hit mainstream radio stations.

I contacted Lee via email and asked him about his new album, what set it apart from some of his more independent productions, his activism and organising and his dream roster of politician bandmates for a fiery bus crashing super group.

First of all, for those not familiar with your work, who is Lee Reed?

I’m an MC from Hamilton Ontario Canada, that makes far-left radical HipHop. I’m an outspoken supporter of organizers and organizations fighting for social and environmental justice. And I’m 23 years in the HipHop game in 2019. 

How did you get into making music?

I started messing around with music and song writing in my teens. I played guitar and I did rock and blues type jams with pals.  We would do covers and write some original material.  Nothing serious though really. 

And then, I started writing rhymes and rap in my 20’s. Inspired by other cats around me doing it.  I’d always listened to and loved HipHop but, didn’t really try writing and performing it myself until I was a bit older.  

Has your music always been political?

Yeah. Even when I was I was just getting started, I was always trying to ‘say something’ with music.  I was young and didn’t have the greatest grasp on politics and articulating big ideas but, there was a serious anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist streak in my writing and thinking, right from the jump. Music with an expressly revolutionary message or that celebrated working class struggles and power. had always inspired and drawn me in. Public Enemy, BDP, KRS, later on into Rage Against the Machine, The Coup, Dead Prez. Or punk bands like the Dead Kennedy’s, Minor Threat, And was always was drawn to the underlying politics of HipHop and Punk in that era. Even bands that weren’t expressly radical, had decent politics woven through their songwriting. Or would have some ‘message based’ songs on their records. That really inspired me, and definitely shaped me as a songwriter.

You just released a new album, Before and Aftermath (Strange Famous 2018), but you’ve been making music for quite a while. Did you experience something new during the creative and production process of the new album?

Well, truthfully, this was the first time since my old band Warsawpack (1999-2004, G7 Welcome Committee Records) where I knew, going in, that a label would be carrying the work. I had been talking with Sage Francis about releasing it on Strange Famous Digital (SFDigi), and I knew if I crafted a great record that they would run with it. So, that kinda forced me to take the project a lot more seriously.  To get a lot more perfectionist about it. I spent way more time scrutinizing the process. I cut more songs, changed more songs, and did a lot more fussing about this record than anything I’ve ever worked on. 

Do you consider yourself a musician only or an activist or both? Do you find it hard to draw the line between the two or should there not be any line there in the first place?

Well, there’s a couple of layers to that.  First, if you mean is my music itself, on its own, a form of activism? I would say maybe, but in a very sideways and hard to quantify way. The song itself can act in the way a pamphlet or zine might, spreading radical info and awareness about something. There is that. But, I think, for me, the true crossover of music into real activism/organizing comes when artists give and use their music for the material benefit of a struggle.  Use their performances and recordings to bolster the work of frontline resistance and sites of struggle. Like, running fundraisers for organizations. Selling recordings where the proceeds go to radical organizations and campaigns.  Donating music or songwriting for a campaign site or video.  Using music as a spectacle for blockades and occupations. Using music and concerts to help refuel and invigorate organizers in the trenches. That sort of thing. I think when you can use your music to support struggle, in meaningful and material ways – you are properly using your art AS activism. And I’ve always worked hard to do that. 

Photo by Robbie J. – still from ‘This Microphone’ video

When it comes to your lyrics, do you ever find it hard to balance between the right, smooth flow and the precise political point you want to get across?

Definitely. And that’s something I fuss over continuously. The message is important but, you gotta sound smooth saying it. Or folk aren’t going to listen. 

What is wrong with this world and how can artists be a part of the change?

I think the problem is capitalism, and the way life is organized to put the needs of business over human beings. I think art can definitely help people see through that, and help articulate/envision something better. I think that approach is different for every artist.  And there are an infinite number of ways that art can make meaningful change. I guess I would just say, artists need to think about their relationship to the world and how their art affects and interacts with it. Is their art just a commodity, or is there a deeper significance to it, culturally, politically or socially? What does their art ultimately stand for?  Realize all art has a ‘politics’. Often that politics is ignorance, it’s a celebration of opulence or drugged up abandon or hate or something.  It might not have an overt ‘message’ like we think of with protest music. But it still stands for something. It still has a message.. it’s just getting whispered.  

Do you partake in activism outside the music?

Yes, as much as I can. Most years that’s just playing a supporting role for campaigns, organizers and organizations that I know. Attending rallies and actions. Helping run or promote events. Playing shows or events. Turning up and being present mostly. But some years I get deeper into the organizing work. This past year has been the busiest ever for me, in that regard. I belong to a tenant solidarity organization, here in Hamilton, and we have spent most of this past year working with a tenant committee in the city’s east end, supporting a rent strike. Its been over 8 months of regular meetings, door knocking, hearings, actions, events, fundraising, etc. Was often 4-5 nights of my week spent on it, at its peak. It’s definitely the most involved I’ve ever been in that ‘real work’.  It’s been one of the best experiences of my life. And I’m constantly inspired by my comrades in the struggle.   

How is the protest music scene where you are from? Are people using their voices and talents in protest?

Well, if you look at Canada as a whole.. and across genres.. there is lots of great protest/radical music, or artists that are pushing the political boundaries in a good direction. We have a lot of great rap and punk that talks good politics. My comrades Test Their Logik, Kay the Aquanaut, Mother Tareka, Praxis Life (who are part of a collective I work with called RHYMETHiNK), other talented rap pals I know like Emay, Kimmortal, Cheko Salaam, Micros Armes, garbageface, Jesse Dangerously.. OG electro soul hop pals Lal.. punk acts like Propagandhi, Action Sedition, Union Thugs. 

One big thing of note.. there’s been a surge in great Indigenous artists that have brought a strong voice for Indigenous issues, at a deeply divisive point in Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people. Canada’s colonization is ongoing. Genocide is ongoing. The rush to develop and sell tar sand bitumen.. sinking so much of our country’s economy into that venture.. and trying to force tankers and pipelines over Indigenous lands and waterways without proper consent. has brought the colonial legacy to the forefront of a lot of Canadians’ minds.  And I think artists like A Tribe Called Red, Tanya Tagaq, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Mob Bounce, JB The First Lady, Ostwelve, Quantum Tangle (to name a few), are helping to articulate the Indigenous struggle and share its story. It’s inspiring.

How about your own influences, whether they are protest musicians or not? And are you following any socially conscious contemporary artists you want to recommend?  

Well, I’m always looking for good revolutionary music. I follow all the names I’d mentioned above in Canada.  But, outside of that.. some HipHop favourites of recent years would be.. Savage Fam, Ant-Loc, Bambu, Sole, Sima Lee, Mic Crenshaw, Skipp Coon. On the more mainstream side.. I’m into Vince Stapes, Earl Sweatshirt, Kendrick, Run the Jewels. There’s some good, inventive HipHop coming out these days.

What advice do you have for young musicians who want to use their voices in protest?

I would tell them to get involved with some real organizing. Find a group that’s doing work on an issue that concerns them or their community, and get involved in the fight back. They’ll be inspired in a way that reading and theorizing just never could.  They’ll understand, and be able to articulate the fight in a way that watching, reading and thinking about it just can’t. Get down.  

If you could invite 4 politicians, living or dead, to form a band with you who would you choose?  Haha. I guess Trump, Justin Trudeau, Doug Ford (our Province’s Premier) and Putin. We could die in a fiery tour bus crash.    

Image automatically generated by the Shouts machine 

What is on the horizon for you?

I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing. Old timey boom bap hip hop, with a batshit radical leftist lean. I’m going to hit the road again in the spring. In Canada, and then Europe. And I’ve got some new writing on the go. Should be a pretty productive year.  

Thank you for participating and for your music. Anything else you’d like to shout from the rooftops?

Naw, I think we covered it! …easiest way to find all my music, videos, shows and new is to hit my website.. www.leereedrevolt.com 

Thank you for the thoughtful questions, and fist up!

Interview

A Protest Music Interview: Tina Mathieu

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Cover photo credit: Schultz Media

 

When an armed young man decided to take 17 lives away from their families, in what we now know as the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in the United States, the tragedy hit strong and personal with musician and activist Tina Mathieu. As a former alumni of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and a published musician, Tina now writes more and more protest songs as well as participating as an activist in the country’s fight for gun reform and voter registration initiatives. In this latest Shouts protest music interview Tina tells me about her recent protest songs, her upcoming debut solo album (which drops in December 2018) and how she recognises her talent and uses her voice for those who don’t have one.

 

First off, for those not familiar with your work, who is Tina Mathieu?

“Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this amazing platform. My name is Tina Mathieu and I am an alternative soul singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles. I am also an activist involved in America’s common sense gun reform and voter registration initiatives.”

When did you realise you could use your music to make a positive impact?

“Early on in my songwriting, I tapped into the ability to tell the truth in a way to which people could relate. To me, relating to someone is extremely impactful. It’s what music and lyrics are all about. I’ve always been drawn to and soothed by emotional, introspective songs. I tend to write about my relationships, heartache, anxiety, injustices, etc. I think my music has had a positive impact in a way of letting others know that they aren’t alone in their pain or sadness. Especially In this current climate of America, I have turned to my music as a way of expressing what many of us are thinking and feeling and it has been beautiful to see it bring people together.”

Tina Mathieu Quote 1
Photo credit: Myke Wilken

Your debut album A Safer Place is set to be released in December 2018, but you’ve been working in the music industry for longer than that. Can you tell us a bit about the creative process behind this debut solo album and how the process might have changed since you started out?

“I spent the early part of my music career gigging around New York City as a solo artist and as a member of the indie pop rock band, Under the Elephant, before moving out to Los Angeles a few years ago. Finding the right producers and musicians who understood my vibe was really important to me. Once I surrounded myself with the right people, my sound really began to evolve into what it is now.

My biggest influences are 90’s alternative and R&B artists like Sade, The Cranberries, Erykah Badu and Alanis Morissette. I decided to lean into those instinctual vibes and create the music that comes most naturally to me. A Safer Place started to take shape after the devastating reality that my marriage was ending. Feelings of anxiety, abandonment, sexual trauma and depression were very real for me. The only way I could cope was to write it all down and sing about what I was feeling. The whole process was extremely cathartic and ended up becoming a beautifully dark and emotional body of work. I’ve recently released two singles from my upcoming album; a hauntingly uncomfortable tale of infidelity, RING OFF, and the most recent, a vibey reminder to break unhealthy cycles, TOUGH LOVE. I’m so excited to share the album as a whole. It’s been a long time coming!”

Being based in one of the more abundant and diverse music scenes out there, Los Angeles, how do you feel people are receiving your protest music?

“I’m pretty new to the protest music world. I wrote my first real protest song in February 2018 after the shooting at my Parkland alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. My song, One Step Closer, came as a surprise to me. It poured out of me in minutes after watching Emma Gonzalez’s emotional cries of “BS” as the March for Our Lives movement was born. With the way the country is today, writing protest music has become a big part of my process.

I recently released a live video of my newest protest song, America the Beautiful, which questions the apocalyptic nature of the issues that plague the USA right now. Singing these songs at rallies, protests and marches is very emotional. I cry pretty much every time, whether it’s before, after or even during my performance. I’m usually sharing the experience with people who feel similarly. Whether that’s angry, sad, frustrated or helpless, they look to me in hopes that I’ll move them in someway. It’s a big responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

However, performing my protest music at artist shows is much different and sometimes almost more important because I’m playing to mixed crowds. I find that audiences are surprised by it. Most people go out to see music to forget about our country’s problems so often my call to action is unexpected. The MOST rewarding part is when the songs actually hit them in a way that makes them feel like they want to be involved in making a change. If just one person hears a song of mine and because of it decides they want to pop their bubble and be a more involved citizen, that’s a huge win, not only for me and them but for us all!”

 

Is there a strong scene of like-minded musicians and artists using their voices in a similar way? 

“YES! There are so many amazing musicians and poets on the activist circuit. It’s a beautiful thing to see artists creatively channeling their hopes and fears to inspire and comfort one another. With issues ranging from sexual abuse to the destruction of our national parks, I have heard incredible musicians share their personal experiences and move a crowd to tears. I love being inspired by artists who use their platforms in a socially conscious way.”

You recently released the single One Step Closer. Can you tell us what it is about and why the subject strikes close to your heart?

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m a former student of MSD High School in Parkland, Florida. For those in other parts of the world who may not know what happened there on February 14th 2018, I’ll fill you in. On Valentine’s Day of this year, a troubled, young white male entered his former high school armed with military style weapons and an abundance of ammo and wreaked havoc. He brutally murdered 17 individuals, 14 of those young, promising students. The trauma this caused to my beloved hometown is indescribable. The ripple effect of the pain has reached people not only all over the country, but the entire world. Unfortunately in America, mass shootings are happening just about EVERY day and it could only be a matter of time until your community is next. Our gun laws have very little to do with safety, protection, and common sense and have everything to do with money, power and privilege.

The NRA (National Rifle Association) currently has the wherewithal to control our elections with money, thus bribing politicians to keep gun laws in the interest of their pockets. People with violent histories, mental health issues, and even people on “No Fly” lists have full access to legally own military grade weapons in this country with little to no background check or wait time. For those who care about the safety of our citizens, this makes little to no sense, but if you follow the dark money it all becomes very clear. Money and power are at the crux of most, if not all, of America’s biggest issues.

 

I wrote One Step Closer for the March for our Lives movement, which advocates for common sense gun reform, but really it can be applied to so many issues that we face. Leading a country to make major changes can be an extremely daunting task. In a time when we are constantly being fed distractions and lies from our administration, it is so easy to feel defeated. But with every march we attend, every vote cast, every civil conversation we have with someone on “the other side”, we are One Step Closer to making a difference in America… and in the world. We can never stop speaking up, no matter how hard it is.

I’ve comforted gun violence survivors. I’ve hugged the parents of these dead children. I’ve laid on the ground in protest pretending to be a dead body. I’ve spoken to scared school children to remind them that they have a voice and they aren’t alone. I have decided to devote my life to this cause.

I released One Step Closer with a music video created by fellow MSD alumni that captures moving footage of the brave and inspired people who took the streets to March for Our Lives all over America, along with a memorial for the victims. Proceeds from One Step Closer go to the March for Our Lives Action Fund. You can download, stream, and add it to your protest playlist and be a part of the change we are all creating!”

On your webpage you state that you use your “music and voice to speak up for the victims who no longer have a voice of their own”. There is a striking resemblance here to some codes of ethics of journalists. In journalism its an age old dilemma; the balance between journalism and activism. Do you find it tricky to balance between art and activism or is it blatantly obvious to use the music in this way? 

“96 Americans die every single day from gun violence. There are 17 people from my hometown who no longer have a voice or a vote. I speak and sing for them. There are plenty of artists who have strong political opinions and choose to not bring it into their music because it could “turn people off” or they may lose fans. To each their own. For me, it’s blatantly obvious to use my music platform for something bigger than me. The balance isn’t tricky at all because I’m not a journalist. I’m an artist so I get to infuse my perspective. My music is all about truth, whether that’s being cheated on in a marriage, children dying at the hands of our country’s twisted policies or the racism that is sewed into the fabric of our everyday life. Truth is truth. Speak it. Share it. If people are uncomfortable with that, it says much more about them than it does about me. Luckily, I am able to shape these messages into digestible pieces of music that we can all sing along to!”

Do you follow other current protest musicians? How about some older inspirations?

“I definitely have some favorite musicians, some of them great friends of mine, who use their platform for socially or politically conscious activism! Some of my favorites are Milck, Pussy Riot, Raye Zaragoza, Anthony Federov’s Voices for Change and Tennille Amor. I love artists like Charlie Puth, John Mayer, Andra Day and the Dixie Chicks who seamlessly interweave bigger messages into their mainstream pop music. I created a One Step Closer: Protest Playlist on Spotify that highlights all of these artists.”

What’s on the horizon for you?

“These next few weeks and months will be very busy for me. I just released America the Beautiful and it is making a huge impact! I will be performing at voter rallies, college campuses and election parties to remind people why it is imperative to vote in our upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 6th… and to stay involved thereafter! I’ll also be in the studio putting the finishing touches on A Safer Place EP. I’ll be continuing to volunteer for NextGen America and Moms Demand Action. And of course, since the news cycle never stops, neither does my brain, so I’ll be writing, writing, writing!”

Tina Mathieu Quote 2
Photo credit: @shinyfilms – Greg Bartlett

 

Thank you for participating and for the music! Anything else you’d like to shout from the rooftops?

“Thank you so much for creating this platform! The fact that my protest music reached your ears across the world, which led to me sharing this message with your audience means more than you’d know. I love that there are so many like-minded people around the world who actually care about humanity and justice for all. As world citizens, we need to continue to shine a light on those who are willing to stand up and speak loudly in the face of the injustices of the world! I’d love to connect with anyone reading this and listening to my songs. Music is such a personal experience and I would love to get to know the people I’ve touched or inspired. To connect with me, follow me on Instagram at @TinaMathieuMusic or visit my website, TinaMathieu.com.”

 

 

Interview

A Protest Music Interview: Racetraitor

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In 1998, when performing songs off of their debut album, hardcore veterans Racetraitor regularly created both controversy and critical debate with their brutally honest shows. Racism, white supremacy, sexism, the prison industry, religion, their own privilege – nothing was off the table. When ‘Burn the Idol of the White Messiah‘ came out, 20 years ago, guitar player Dan remembers that the lyrics and ideas behind the album sparked conflict. Today on the other hand he recognises more of a longing from the audience for such a political debate. I spoke with Dan and bass player Decker about the band reentering the hardcore scene (with a new album that just dropped and is a gargantuan banger) and how things are different for them as artists now, both on and off the stage.

What made you step back up onto the stage?

Decker: The climate around the 2016 elections was the motivating factor for me. Don’t get me wrong, all of the previous US presidents have been illegitimate and served the interests of the white ruling class. Obama, who was the best president we will ever have, is a fucking war criminal. There just seemed to be something else opening up in terms of outright fascist and white supremacist thought which felt different. I mean now 2 years later we see things like the immigration policies which are literally referred to as the “Muslim ban”and it is completely normalized. We have always seen punk and hardcore as cultural resistance and we wanted play our small part.

Dan: For me the most pressing piece was the continued incidents and footage of black being ruthlessly murdered by the police. This wasn’t a foreign idea having done activism with black communities in Chicago, and having heard these accounts, and worse for years. There was something about seeing it, this wave of incidents. I think if you’re not experiencing that reality, no matter how much you try to stand in solidarity etc. it is hard to grasp the brutality without seeing it. For me seeing this re-sparked a level of outrage, and we had this vehicle that gives us a voice to reach more people. It seemed wrong not to use it. Selfishly, it also served as a productive emotional outlet. Add the Trump campaign to that, the reemergence of unapologetic fascism, racism, jingoism in mainstream politics,and the liberal lefts typical weak response. It felt musically and politically relevant.

Dan quote
Photo by Eduardo Ruiz – IG: @mylegsgavein

The band being active in the 90’s and then stepping back onto the stage now, because of the current political climate, must give you an interesting feel for the scene. How are people receiving your political talk on stage differently now than before? Has much changed?

Dan: We didn’t really know what to expect or how we’d be received. First time around these ideas and politics were much more unfamiliar to the scene and generated a lot of conflict. This time around people seemed to almost be looking for a rallying point for these types of politics. It’s been a warm supportive reception so far with some online trolls here and there keeping it “interesting”. We’ve been able to connect with some bands with similar politics and missions and it’s been overall a very inspiring and humbling experience.

Decker: We spend more time talking about what topics will be addressed in between songs than the actual setlist. We feel a responsibility to clearly communicate the more nuanced content of the songs. I think Mani has done a really good job of personalizing some of the issues in a way that makes it relatable for people who might be hearing these ideas for the first time.

What do you hope to achieve each time you have the stage and an audience in front of you?

Dan: If we inspire others and ourselves to look at how we can be effective instruments of change and action the mission’s accomplished. Again we want to continue to expand ours and others’ awareness of the brutal conditions oppressed communities experience and look at how we can use privilege and access to destroy systems of oppression.

Decker: We are all part of this weird hardcore/punk community, I mean I can literally connect with someone who I have never met before over the first Earth Crisis 7 inch and be friends for life. We hope to play our small part in inspiring this community to be its best self and support each other to be active in whatever way makes sense.

It seems like some people don’t understand that no matter how ‘radical’ any sort of activism can get, it always pales in comparison to how radically horrendous this world can be. How does it affect you when someone says you are ‘too radical’?

Dan: “Too Radical” is an interesting notion. I think what may seem radical to one person, is not that radical to another. We have all personally explored some pretty radical fringe stuff, so in some ways, even though our message is the same, from my perspective we’re being pretty reasonable now hahaha.

In the States I think there is a severe case of historical amnesia; segregation, slavery and lynchings weren’t very long ago. These are institutions that have long lasting effects on the Psyche of communities and huge economic repercussions that are long lasting and still effect people’s lives today. And of course these institutions still exist in different forms today.

So my opinion is we aren’t saying anything that “radical” we are talking about historical and current realities of the political and economic systems and they way the impact human beings. Nothing we’re saying can’t be empirically substantiated. Part of the problem is American society is constructed in a way to keep people practically functionally illiterate, inundated with work, sub-par public education and overwhelmed with consumerism. Add the flood of information from so many varied sources, and people haven’t learned to differentiate what are legitimate empirical sources, it is difficult for people to have a reference point or context for what is happening around them.

Do you have any bad or weird experiences with the audience’s reaction to what you have said on stage?

Decker: When we first started in the 90s there was way more weird reactions from people at the shows – to be honest we caused a lot of it. This time around we have been way more in community building mode than calling people out. I think some people have been disappointed that we aren’t calling everyone crackers.

What advice do you have for young artists who want to use their voice to spread political/activist messages through their music?

Decker: I think you just can’t listen to the cynics and their apologies for this white supremacist capitalist system within our scene. They will always have a reason why you shouldn’t do or say something. It will never look cool. It is important that you are connected to real communities and real work to inform your art or music.

Mani mentioned in a recent interview that the song Dar Al-Harb had some seriously controversial lyrics for its time. Is there anything today that makes you wonder about whether or not to tackle it in lyrics?

Decker: No, I don’t think anything is really off the table. I know Mani had to deal with that song because of his work and I have been asked about the band a few times in my “professional life” but our lyrics aren’t even that straight forward anyway. They are more in the modality of Sufi poetry than traditional protest songs. If we could write a song like Phil Ochs or Nina Simone we would be stoked but I think it just doesn’t come out that way for Mani or I when we write them. It’s these interviews that will get us in trouble haha!!!

You recently released a single, BLK XMAS, off a new LP. Can you tell us a bit about how the creative process has been different now than on for example Burn The Idol of the White Messiah (1998)?

Dan: One thing that has been amazing is re engaging with the band, in some ways feels seamless. I love that the song was fully collaborative. Everyone has a significant finger print on it. The other thing I love about it is the skeleton was completed Xmas eve.

Probably the biggest aspect that has been different on the new material (Invisible Battles…, By the time… and 2042) is technology. A lot of the “skeletons” of songs are demoed with me and Decker in Chicago, on Garage Band, then sent out, and worked over by everyone. Without that we couldn’t have done it. The current technology gives us more ability to continue the writing process in a collaborative way with Andy in Portland, Mani in NY, me and Decker in Chicago.

I think we’re all older, slightly better at communicating (haha) and appreciate each other and the process in a wholly different way then from when we were kids.

Will you revive Racetraitor again in 2042?

Decker: God no.

Are you following any current protest music?

Dan: Definitely Run the Jewels, SECT, HIRS collective, Wake of Humanity, La Armada, and Propagandhi, there is so much good music out there right now it’s hard to keep up.

Decker: Our collective favorite newer band is Redbait from St. Louis. If you haven’t already, you really need to check them out!

Decker quote
Photo by Eduardo Ruiz – IG: @mylegsgavein

Do you feel there is a lot of bands today using their voice responsibly or not enough?

Dan: “It seems there are a lot of bands using their voice in that way. But there is also a lot of music out there, so I don’t know if proportionally it’s increased. Obviously I think protest music is important, but I think music that delves into different and all human experience is important as well.”

Outside Racetraitor, do you partake in your community or activism of any sort?

Decker: “We are involved at various levels in our personal and professional lives. If it was any other way I don’t think this band would work. They range from immigration to human rights to “criminal justice” reform to environmental to community organizing work. I specifically have been very much involved in community violence prevention in the US and Latin America, working to end mass incarceration here in the US, and have long standing work/ties to post-genocide Guatemala. I don’t think any of us in Racetraitor are under the illusion that we are doing enough. What we love about punk and hardcore is that it can be a community that supports each other to be more active in the cities/countries where we live. That’s what we are interested in. Fuck cynicism.”

What is on the horizon for the band?

Decker: “We are putting out the record 2042 on Good Fight this month (October) and will be playing a bunch of shows over the course of 2019. We are also working on a project that is going to combine the lyrical content of the band with short documentary series. The members of the band are actively involved in the issues we write songs about and are privileged enough to have access to many places and people that many do not. The project is our attempt to bridge the two and communicate the larger issues outside of a two minute hardcore/punk song. We will see if we can pull it off.”

Thank you again for participating and for the music! Anything else you’d like to shout from the rooftops?

Decker: “Thanks for the interest and I would strongly suggest that everyone takes a hour of their day and listen to Public Enemy’s ‘Fear of a Black Planet’.”

2042 is out on Good Fight Records on October 12th. Below is the second single off the new album, titled Cataclysm, featuring members of La Armada, Decline, Redbait, LIFES, Through N Through, Malinche and Turnspit. The cover photo is by Eduardo Ruiz – IG: @mylegsgavein