Kill Me In My Face!

When Kill You in the Face contacted us here at Hipsters Eat For Free to see if we could help promote their huge upcoming show, I jumped at the chance to sit down and chat with these fine fellows. With a name like Kill You in the Face, I was awaiting some sick ass stories about fights, rage and drugs but those things were not in their agenda. Instead Mike Romeo (guitar), Alejandro Torres (drums) and James Saul (keyboard) let me see what normal, down to earth guys they really are. I was amazed at how connected they all seemed to each other, finishing each others sentences, laughing simultaneously or even saying the exact same thing at the exact same time! Like, Siamese twins.

Of course we talked about their show this Sunday night at Kung Fu Necktie with Twin Thousands and what a huge deal it is that Gretta Cohn formally from Cursive, is in Twin Thousands but we also talked about my favorite three things; music, hipsters and Philly. I met up with them at their practice/living space in South Philly. Nelson, their feline friend made himself comfortable on my lap and we got started.

HEFF: Can you guys tell me a little bit about your creative process?

MR: It’s mostly really pretty collaborative. Like someone will start playing a riff and someone else will embellish upon it and someone else will be like oh that’s pretty cool.

HEFF: And where do they lyrics come from?

MR: Lyrics always come last. We kind of work the lyrics around the music. I know a lot a lot a lot of other people do it the other way… cause we have parts of a story that we are telling and we sort of fit chunks in where we can.

HEFF: What are you guys in the process of now?

MR: Now we are starting to plan spring and summer. We’ve got a big show in a couple of weeks. In March we’ll be in Danger Danger (Gallery). We are going to try to do some regional shows.

AT: A lot of new songs too.

MR: We just recorded a song for the label we are on Punk Rock Payroll. They are putting out a comp and we recoded a new song for that and then we are going to have like some B sides and one of the songs from Mighty Atlas on there.

HEFF: Any possibility for a full length coming out sometime soon?

MR: That’s what we’re working on.

AT: We have about six or seven new songs so far. We are constantly working on new stuff. We have a lot of ideas for some new songs. But we are all really pushing for a release regardless. I feel like most likely it will happen no matter what.

HEFF: Is there a time frame?

JS: No, not really. Plus, we also want to work on the stuff a little more and make sure it’s really good.

MR: And figure out the packaging (laughs)!

HEFF: I am excited for the next great packaging idea. (They give me The Mighty Atlas ray gun.) Did you make these yourself?

MR: Yeah. We make them here.

HEFF: How did you decided to make the ray guns?

MR: Um how did we? Oh! Alright. Pretty much we were thinking a lot about how we wanted to do the release because we did the split and that was the board game and The Extraodinaires area always doing their books. So we thought okay how are we going to do this? And with this story that we are telling we started kicking around the idea that it would be cool to start like vinyl toys and try to sell them at the merch table and just do something collectible like that. And that started to morph into well what if the toys were the album and then it just rollercoastered from there.

HEFF: I assume this is coasting you a lot of money to make?

MR: Yeah (laughs). I mean we don’t have as good of a profit margin as most other bands but I mean it becomes worth it.

JS: I feel like it’s really unique and awesome. I can’t believe it happened.

AT: To see the faces of the happy people.

MR: Like when we go to a town we have never really been to before and we set up merch and we play and people wonder over and they’re like “ Well what the fuck is that?”

HEFF: I know that The Mighty Atlas has a story that it portrays. Will the new album follow suit?

MR: It’s going to be the same. Everything we do is just sort of pieces of a bigger story. Should we go into the story?

HEFF: Yeah!

MR: Well the title The Mighty Atlas is about our main character, Atlas. This is set in the semi-near future. Basically it’s a unified earth, but we’re invaded by alien forces and Atlas is a turncoat and his son is basically the leader of the earth rebellion. They come down and blind sight us and they win. Humans are in camps and there’s a revolution and stuff like that. You know there are some of those themes on the EP here but I think the full length and a lot f the songs we are doing are really focusing on Atlas’ past, his failures, his victories, his woman, Helena.

AT: Pretty epic.

JS: We haven’t written any lyrics for the songs yet we just know what the story is going to be about even though we just have the music now. It totally feels right.

AT: The first song will be the song from the compilation.

HEFF: I like the way you guys seem so in tune with each other.

MR: We do. We work really well, for the most part. You know there are rough days. Like we’ll start working and I’ll be crabby and short with Adam or we’ll start practicing and Ale will come out of the room be like “let’s get this shit over with.” You know but it is what it is. For the most part we have a good dynamic and a good balance.

HEFF: Where did you get the name for your main character?

MR: The Greek mythology. I read somewhere that a common misconception is that Atlas is holding up the earth, which is what I thought but it turns out he’s actually holding up the sky. That’s his punishment from Zeus for rebelling. Then when we started really hashing out this idea, that came up. And that it would be kind of cool if Atlas was our character because now he is that separation between the aliens (the sky) and the people of earth (the earth).

HEFF: Do you guys ever write about life experiences?

AT: I think it definitely reflects on our stories. We try to be as emotional as we can you know to sort of evoke the emotion of whoever we are talking about in the story.

HEFF: You guys are fairly new in the grand scheme of things. How are you planning on defining your sound?

JS: I feel like it’s coming out a lot in these new songs, just the way we are playing.

MR: And I think that’ll be the definition of our sound, that we don’t always necessarily fall into a sound. If we start writing a song and it’s a little bit heavier and has breakdowns, we’ll do that. Or like the song we just recorded is super poppy, like very Reggie and the Full Effects. But it doesn’t matter. We would never stop ourselves and be like “no that’s too this or it’s not that enough.

AT: And it’s funny because I wish that people could hear the other stuff we’re working on. It’s so different, so much heavier…

JS: It’s still cohesive. Like we are starting to think of some order of like what’s happening on the full length. It’s good the way that the songs, they do have all these different kind of feels to them in some way but they are also together. Like it sounds like we’re writing an album and it’s really cool.

HEFF: So, you mentioned that you all have different musical backgrounds. What are they?

MR: I grew up on a lot of punk and hardcore.

HEFF: There is a lot of clear hardcore influence.

MR: Yeah, like when I grew up there was a lot of bands with breakdowns and a lot of heavier stuff and then I leaned a little more on the punk side of things where I feel like you (AT) were more metal minded.

AT: (laughs) I love heavy metal. Death metal.

JS: I like heavy metal too. Like, Iron Maiden. I love Iron Maiden. We all kind of like brutal music and break down kind of stuff. We definitely all have a love for breakdowns.

HEFF: It is definitely evident in your music

MR: And even beyond that when we started to get a little older we started falling more into Cursive …

AT: The early Emo.

MR: Built to Spill.

JS: D.C. hardcore.

MR: Q and Not U

JS: Rites of Spring

Simultaneously: Fugazi!

JS: Oh and I’m obsessed with the new Beach House Album

AT: I love dance music. Pop Dance

JS: Michael Jackson

HEFF: In every interview and article I read about you guys they mention your somewhat misleading name.

MR: We actually got a really shitty review one time because our name was misleading.

JS: The late Steve Wells. He said that our name should be Mouse Cock (laughs).

MR: Or Fussy Eaters. That was another one.

JS: Or Three of Us Wear Glasses.

MR: If you look on Philly Weekly.com, it’s on there.  We got like a really good article in the Weekly and then a week later we got this other one. Same publication. The dude was so pissed off.

HEFF: How do you guys take bad reviews?

MR: That one was a little rough. We remember it really well. But that was the first really bad one. But afterwards it was more funny than anything. And I would like to start a side project called Mouse Cock.

HEFF: I would support that.

MR: But Steven Wells, goddamn him (laughs).

HEFF: What do you guys think of the Hipster lifestyle that has kind of taken over the world right now?

AT: Some would say we are hipsters.

MR: I Don’t know. I don’t feel particularly hip (laughs).

JS: Why can’t I just like records and record shopping?

MR: Well, you know as far as like the term hipster, I think it’s, I don’t know I think it’s a little funnier than it is actually serious.

AT: It sort of alienates you a little bit. You know? I feel like I can get down in all different sorts of situations.

JS: Yeah you don’t want to be pretentious.

MR: I mean I am pretty snarky but…

AT: People are judgmental by nature. It’s just the way it goes.

MR: If you are okay with that then you are a hipster.

HEFF: And if you wear tight jeans.

MR: My jeans are moderately fitted… and I am wearing this hoodie sweatshirt (laughs) But I don’t wear neckerchiefs!

HEFF: Then maybe you’re not a hipster.

MR: well, to old people I am.

AT: I eat meat!

HEFF: That’s a big no-no if you want to be a hipster.

JS: I am vegan.

MIKE: Me too.

HEFF: Me too.

MR: Hipsters unite (laughs)!

HEFF: So are you guys super excited to play with… (Twin Thousands)

AT: YES!

MR: Oh my god yeah!

JS: Dude!

MR: It’s really crazy. I feel like whenever I talk about it I am on the verge of gushing and I don’t want to be. I want to be cool and collected about it but I am really excited about it.

AT: I’m mainly concerned with hammering out the songs and just being very tight. I can’t wait to practice tonight.

JS: It’s going to be great!

AT: It’s going to be a great show.

HEFF: How did you come in contact with Twin Thousands?

MR: Frede at the label had been in touch with Steven from Kung Fu Necktie and he was like “yo, we need another band.” And Frede said, “We got one.” And then I got a text message at work: “What are you doing the 28^th?” And I was like “uh I don’t know, something I guess” and then he told us. I am just really excited because you know Greta from Cursive. She played on the Ugly Organ and that album was such a big deal when it came out.

AT: And Twin Thousands are really good.

MR: I was almost expecting like person was in big band and now they are in mediocre band but they’re really good and that makes me nervous… There are always a certain amount of nerves I feel like when we play; the ride to shows, in the van are always a little quite (laughs).

HEFF: Is there anything you guys do before a show to calm yourselves down?

MR: Nah. We pretty much just get there and inquire about drink tickets.

AT: Right before you play it’s pretty intense. People are looking at you, everyone is waiting for you.

MR: Everyone is waiting for you with their arms crossed.

AT: but it doesn’t out weight the feeling that you get. It’s such a great feeling to play.

HEFF: You are the first band I’ve interviewed to admit that you get nervous when you play.

MR: I think anyone who says they don’t is either full of shit or they don’t really care about what they’re doing. I feel like what makes me nervous is just the fact that we are going up there and doing something that we put so much work into and so much of ourselves into.

HEFF: What do you guys think of the Philly music scene and the fans? Is there a special connection?

AT: I feel like you have to make a full connection with the fans in Philly.

MR: It’s a rollercoaster… I feel like Philly is a tough town. The people who come out to shows I feel are a little harder to impress and even if you do impress them I feel like it’s a little harder for them to…

AT: Get used to you.

MR: And be like good show or like uncross their arms. The best part of Philly music is the smaller shows. Like, JR’s Bar and Danger Danger and basements. Even at the R5 level it’s harder for people to warm up to you. But as far as all the other bands in Philly, everyone is so cool… There was a pretty big pop in the Philly music scene and then it sort of fizzled out really quickly. But I realty really think as a city, as a scene we’ve got a fighting chance we just have to be less compartmentalized…

Adam Plante, the bassist enters.

MR: Boy did we slander you (laughs)!

New to the Scene?: Ten bands to expand your mind.

By: Patrick Niederriter

In honor of this new Web site(HipstersEatforFree.com,) I am writing this article for all you who are new to the whole “indie” scene. Maybe you’re just starting college and feel like discovering new music or maybe you are just bored with what you hear on the radio and feel like expanding your horizons. So, I have listed ten bands from a variety of genres for you to peruse to better find your niche. Those of you who eat and breathe underground music may find this list elementary, but it is not meant for you. Still, give it a read. There may be a few gems you overlooked. This list is in no particular order.

1. Fugazi: Since 1987, these D.C. artists have been a major influence on the progression of punk rock and hardcore. Their music is heavy, sometimes droney, and sometimes almost jammy. Be prepared for some quality yelling. They are equally well known for their DIY (Do it Yourself) methods and musical ethics. For instance, they view pricey admissions to shows as unacceptable and prefer that the cost of admission not exceed $5.

What to Listen to: Repeater, Fugazi’s 1990 release is a great album. Also, 13 Songs is a great compilation of their hits and would give you a good variety of their music.

If You Like This: Then you may be a punk rocker at heart. Go back in time a little and look into The Clash and The Ramones. Also, check out Fugazi frontman Ian MacKaye’s former band Minor Threat. Also cruise around the Fat Wreck Chords, Epitaph, and Dischord Web sites. There is a wide variety of punk out there. If you dig this sound, pay some respect to the godfather of punk, Iggy Pop.

2. Dinosaur Jr.: A little more on the alternative side of the music spectrum, Dinosaur Jr., was formed in 1984 by J. Masic, Lou Barlow, and Murph. Over the years, members have come and gone. Recently the prolific band has reunited its orginal lineup. Their music exemplifies the rebirth of the extended guitar solo, without making it sound masturbatory. The lyrics are simple; the sound is often upbeat and it features heavy feedback and the loud-quiet dynamic.

What to Listen to: If you can only get one album, it should be 1987’s, You’re Living All Over Me. It is great from start to finish and has a great cover of the song “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure. Green Mind was released in 1991 and is also very good and 2009’s Farm proved that the band has not lost its talent.

If You Like This: Check out the bands, Pavement and Husker Du. Both are so good they should have made this list along with Guided By Voices.

3. Gang of Four: This post-punk band has seen some musical changes in their lifespan. They are perhaps best known for their mixing of punk with reggae, and funk with a minimalist quality, making music you can dance to. They were pioneers of the dance-punk/dance-pop movements of today. Still, their music often political, offers several levels of listening.

What to Listen to: Entertainment! was their first full-length release and is often regarded as one of their best. However, Solid Gold and Hard have both been ranked in the charts at one time in both the U.S. and the U.K.

If You Like This: The Rapture, Liars, and Bloc Party have all taken musical cues from this band. If you like to dance, give MGMT a try too. Don’t rule out Beirut, their music blends dance-pop rhythms with eastern European folk.

4. The Pixies: David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, and Thom Yorke can’t all be wrong. Pound for pound, The Pixies are arguably one of the most influential bands of the past 20 years. Bands like Radiohead and Nirvana have named The Pixies as an influence. Their sound blended punk and surf rock. They were able to be highly melodic and abrasive almost simultaneously. They also were proponents of the loud-quiet dynamic. Lyrically, the subject matter often focused on contreversial topics such as, biblical figures, violence, molestation, and incest.

What to Listen to: 1988’s Surfer Rosa is their most widely acclaimed album, which features the song “Where is My Mind” which had some commercial success via covers and movies.

If You Like This: Since they were so influential, you can find elements of their music all over the place. Look into Sonic Youth and Blur to start and add spice to taste.

5. Joy Division: The sad and mournful vocals of lead singer Ian Curtis coupled with the bands slow drone and sparse music has been an indie mainstay since the suicide of Curtis in 1980. Their sound is rather dark and gloomy but still maintains a high level of emotional energy. The songs often relate to their lead singers battles with depression and epilepsy. An interesting piece of trivia: Curtis allegedly hung himself while listening to the Iggy Pop album The Idiot.

What to Listen to: Joy Division only released two albums. 1979’s Unknown Pleasures and 1980’s Closer. A horse a piece.

If You Like This: Bands like Interpol and Nick Cave’s The Birthday Party have very similar musical qualities. If you like low, somber vocals of Joy Division you will appreciate these two.

6. Heavy Vegetable: Minimalism at its best. Heavy Vegetable is Rob Crowes first real foray into the music world and the music is characterized by simple melodies layered on top of one another. The lyrics are simple if not quaint and the vocal harmonizing is often pleasant. Probably one of the least known bands on this list, Heavy Vegetable features a lot of short, catchy songs.

What to Listen to: This band wasn’t around very long, but their album Frisbie has 28 nice tracks.

If You Like This: Then you will like Pinback and Thingy; Crowes other bands that take his minimalist layering to the next level.

7. Hum: The hometown heroes of Champaign, Illinois, Hum is a kind of space rock band that is best listened to loud. The sound seems to stretch for miles and employs a variety of effects pedals and distortion with almost monotone vocals. The lyrics often use metaphors and similes about cosmic phenomena as well.

What to Listen to: Whether you choose to listen to 1995’s You’d Prefer and Astronaut or 1998’s Downward is Heavenward, you will get a great scope of their music. By this point, Hum had refined their sound.

If You Like This: Dig up some Spacemen 3. If you like that, then try and find some Castor or Centaur, which feature members of Hum.

8. Neutral Milk Hotel: Perhaps you prefer things on the softer, folk side. Neutral Milk Hotel formed in the early 90’s uses skilled and intricate instrumentation mixed with passionate vocals. The subject matter is often spiritually motivated and employs poetic imagery.

What to Listen to: 1998’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, is their most acclaimed album to date.

If You Like This: Then you enjoy the softer side of music. Try Destroyer, Iron and Wine, and Rogue Wave. Each has their own style but keep to folk roots. Also, you will probably enjoy Bon Iver.

9. The Velvet Underground: You’ve probably walked down the street and seen people dressed in the “hipster” uniform. You know, the tight black jeans, a disheveled, sickly appearance, and thrift store apparel. These people, whether they know it or not, are taking their fashion from Lou Reed. It’s been said that only 1,000 people bought a Velvet Underground album, but everybody that did started a band. They have a pivotal influence on all sorts of subculture music like punk and alt rock. Andy Warhol was their manager for Christ sake. The music can seem to be all over the place, but normally employs twangy guitar, drones, and nihilistic outlooks on things as well as a non-apologetic approach to drugs.

What to Listen to: The Velvet Underground and Nico from 1967 is one of their best known with songs like “Heroine”, “Venus in Furs”, and “Waiting For The Man.” 1968’s White Light/White Heat is another great album.

If You Like This: You will like bands that have a retro sound. Give The Brian Jonestown Massacre a try. If you are attracted to some of the more innovative, wild, drug related material, then look into Modest Mouse; especially their earlier albums.

10. Big Black: Steve Albini fronted this experimental, noise rock band throughout the 1980’s. This is a band that is not suitable for everybody’s ears, but if you enjoy brutal, angry vocals and slashing guitar you will more than likely like this band. Its harsh, full of energy, and pushes the boundaries of what some people would call “music.”

What to Listen to: Songs About Fucking from 1987. The name says it all.

If you Like This: Listen to Albini’s Shellac. If you like things that are experimental but less abrasive, then look up The Desert Fathers and Don Caballero.

All said and done, you actually have more than ten bands to look into. Have fun and support local music.