Young Poor & Angry Press

What are your musical influences?

Soul, Motown, Stax, Early Heavy Rock, Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Faces, the Stones

How did you come up with the name Dirty Sweet?

It seemed to fit the sound and the concept of the band. We play heavy rock as well as Soulful folk style songs.

What do you listen to on the regular?

Ipod playlists that consist of all styles of music really

New album coming soon, tell us what we can expect from DS?

Full sounding, complete rock album touching on many styles and genres of music that influence us. All across the board, no two songs sound the same.

You’ve got an eclectic sound. Some tracks sound like folk rock and others like metal aka Maiden. Does that allow you to reach a broader audience?

I think so. It shows in our audiences that come out. We have all ages of music fans, music geeks and young new listeners.

What are your plans for 2010?

Tour the states, Europe. UK and write songs while doing so. This is already happening. We are about 1/2 way there for a 3rd album.

Favorite thing to do while touring in the van?

Listen to stories about past tours and the people we have come across.

Any misadventures while on the road?

My life wouldn’t be the same had I not been in this band. I have done and seen things that most only dream of. Theres really too much to tell. Its always ups, downs, and the occasional drunken mishap. At the end of the day we are all brothers who love making music with each other.

Favorite material possession?

My Albino White Buffalo head

Please state your name and location for the record

G from Setback, NYC

So how long has Setback been a band?

We started somewhere around ‘92-’93 then in 1997 we took a 13 year vacation and got back together for the 2008 Black ‘N Blue Bowl (Superbowl of Hardcore)

How many line up changes have you guys seen since your inception?

We had a few line up changes, but the line up we have now is solid and stronger.

How do you feel about the abundance of crews out there giving the fact we have crews in hardcore a bad name?

Only one crew that counts- DMS

You guys aren’t a violent bunch, but what really sets you off?

No one really is a violent person, it’s just people don’t respect people’s boundaries . Not everyone wants to be talked to or to be a social person, If you don’t know the person, don’t try to be their friend….

How is the New York Hardcore scene grown over the years in your opinion?

The Hardcore Scene is the biggest I’ve seen in the past 10-15 years. Lots of more kids are catching on to the music. Younger kids are starting bands and start playing out in the local area, where the live, helps to introduce other kids to the scene. A big plus is that more girls are coming to shows.

On Unfinished Business there is a track entitled Client 9. Tell us the inspiration for that?

Governor Spitzer inspired Bundy (Vocals) to write those lyrics, I guess he was upset that Spitzer was doing corrupt things. You would really have to ask him - unfortunately, he has moved on and is no longer with us.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

Just all music. It’s hard for me to try to pick a favorite band, it goes from Phil Collins to Madball, Killing Time, Carcass, Machine Head…

What has kept Setback going strong over the years?

When we first started out playing in the 90’s, we had a good buzz, but for some reason I can no longer remember in ‘97 we broke up. I think it had to do with us having kids and getting married. We ended up taking a 13 year break, but my singer and bass player wanted to play the Superbowl in 2008, so we got back together. We started playing and the new songs just started coming easy to us.  We got the groove back and wanted to release a quick EP of 7 songs. We’re working on a full length to be out early Summer 2010. We, also, have a new singer (Tony Enz). We feel strongly about the change, it’s giving us a new sound and approach to writing.

How has the heavy music scene changed in your perspective over the years since AF and Rejuvenate?

Bands are trying to come out with the best, the hardest, breakdowns, grooves they can. Bands want to make you get on the floor and let everything that you’re holding back out on the floor.

You guys are in NY. Tell our readers some of the places you like to hang out, get tattooed, etc?

What can I say? NYC, depends on what you’re into. For mainly hardcore scene kids, hang out in the lower east side, and if you want to get tatoo’d in New York go to New York Hardcore Tattooss 127 Stanton St, in Manhattan

Setback preaches a lot about having heart in this scene, do you feel that’s something lacking now a day?

We preach a bout being a person and having respect for other people, but people nowadays have lost that concept. No one respects other people’s personal space, as if the world revolves around them. I feel like the people within the Hardcore scene still have that respect and understanding.

With places like the Bridge 9 message board do you think that the shit talking online thing has gone a bit too far?

I’m too old to play internet games, if anyone has a problem with another person they should be able to say it to their face.

Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?

Skarhead, Brick by Brick, Pitfight, RBHG, Wolverine, and I hope more bands to come.

Any shows or cities that stick out?

The one that sticks out the most is our comeback show at the Superbowl. Not playing a show in 13 years and getting back to action, won’t forget that.

Why do you think these kids days walk around acting “gangster” when about 10 years ago there wasn’t that same sort of “tough guy all the time” attitude?

I don’t have an answer for that, I guess kids are confused to who they are.

You recently got a new singer, tell us how that is working?

We had Bundy on vocals, but due to an unfortunate reason, he could no longer play. Now we have Tony Enz on the mic. I think the new vocals are giving us a new direction in writing. We are trying for a more aggressive now.

What can we expect from Setback in the future?

Look out for the full length out this time 2010 sometime late Fall early Summer. Go to www.setbacknyhc.com for any information.

Any shout outs?

Shout out to everyone, you know who you are.

Desert island, what three people would you bring with you?

Doesn’t matter, all three would die.

What three albums?

Demonstrating my style, Age of Quarrel, Unfinished Business

Biggie or Tu Pac?

Biggie

Agnostic Front or Madball?

Good question.

East Coast or West Coast hardcore?

Hardcore.

Iron Maiden or Juda Priest?

Judas Priest.

Whether it’s rocking a 40 hour work week, going to shows or creating clothes Gavin SP is one hard working cat. We caught up with the Florida native recently to discuss the inspiration behind his new spring line. The clothes are extremely hardcore and hip-hop inspired without being carbon-copy rip-offs of labels like Ed Hardy (which, lets face it are just rip offs of traditonal tattoo art a lot of people already sport anyhow…permanently.)  As well as the line Gavin is in the band Palestine (yes that crazy hardcore band with 5 singers that shreds.) Hard to figure out how one man can do it all…but somehow he does.

What inspired you to create the Still Proud line?

My main inspiration came from my involvement in the hardcore scene. Over the years I’ve played in bands, booked and promoted shows and did a bit of journalism in college, but by default I was drawn to clothing. Clothing has the ability to convey such a strong message in a very direct way and being that I’m an opinionated person with something to say, I decided to explore the world of “fashion” by starting Still Proud Clothing.

What is the theme of the spring line?

The central theme behind SP is to wear your pride on your sleeve and to stand up for whatever it is that motivates you in life. In the beginning, I set out to encompass the diversity within both the hardcore and hip-hop scenes but as of late I find myself leaning towards a broader vision, which can be evidenced via our latest line titled “Swing at the World.”

If you’ve seen the new threads, you’ll see a theme of self-empowerment intertwined with SP’s typical bold delivery. We all go through life constantly told to grow up, go to college, get a job etc. and somehow along the way we set aside our passion in pursuit of what the world thinks we should do. For instance, this is how a kid who may have a strong entrepreneurial side and loves hardcore music ends up being a lawyer or someone who’s naturally gifted at crafting skateboards ends up giving up and going to college to become a doctor.

My point with these 2 examples is that 90% of the public does not follow their passion. Instead, they opt for the path most traveled which often leads to a lot of should haves and could have beens and less happy, productive individuals. The name Still Proud represents holding on to what makes each of us unique and there is no telling exactly where we are going to go with each release, and I like it that way.

What drew you into the hardcore scene?

I was initially drawn into hardcore because it was music that actually stood for something. It was not concerned with radio play, selling records or making a career, it was all about the message, music and the fans. In my opinion there is not a genre of music that has as much sincerity, conviction and community bond as hardcore, although naturally things have changed a bit. There is a level of commercialization that has come into some factions but I think as a whole, it is certainly alive and flourishing and I’m stoked to still be a part of it.

Tell us about some of the bands you work with?

The bands I approach and work with are ones that I’m personally a fan of and have some semblance to our message. I have personally known Knock Em Dead and Thick As Blood through playing with them in mutual bands over the last 5 years, so it was a given that we would work together. Outerspace came into the fold as I’ve been a fan of theirs through their affiliation with Army of the Pharaohs/ Jedi Mind Tricks fame and they are a solid testament to independent hip-hop. The Legacy came into the picture as I’d been listening to them for years and approached them; sadly though they are no longer a band.

As for the other two, Pay No Respect and Lionheart: PNR was recommended to me by one of their friends and I was immediately blown away by their sound and the fact that they are unsigned. Lionheart, I had been in talks with the boys over the last six months. I was drawn to them because of the mentality that they convey and the seriousness of their work ethic. I aim to work with bands who are pushing the envelope in their respected genres and who are not just looking for handouts but want to build a mutually beneficial relationship, that’s very important to me.

Tell us about your band Palestine?

Palestine started off as a group of nine friends looking to have a lot of fun. Little did we know that it would draw a pretty big crowd and allow us to play with the likes of Madball, Death Before Dishonor, Sworn Enemy and Hoods to name a few, but I guess when you’ve got 5 singers, people will be intrigued. As of late though we are not really doing much as 1/3 of the band has gone in other directions but you may see us pop up on a couple of shows in the near future, stay tuned to our MySpace.

The “Can’t Stop/Won’t Stop” shirt, is that a Madball reference?

Madball is one group that made the statement but I’ve heard it from hip hop legend KRS One as well. I like it because it has footing in both genres and represents the mentality that you must have to be successful in life. No matter the odds or dirt being thrown at you, you have got to keep it moving.

Who are some of your favorite hardcore bands?

It’s to narrow down which are my favorites, but some of the ones I have found myself listening to a lot recently are With Honor, Hatebreed (old), Life Long Tragedy, Strife, Have Heart, the Carrier, Trash Talk, Trapped Under Ice, Reign Supreme, Terror. It’s getting tough nowadays as there are so many new bands coming out of the US, Europe or Australia that are tearing shit up. It’s certainly a good time for hardcore music, that’s for sure.

Who are some of your favorite hip hop bands?

This the realhard one, but I really like all of the artists affiliated with Army of the Pharaohs (Outerspace, Celph Titled, King Syze, Chief Kamachi, RA), Jedi Mind Tricks, Immortal Tech, Snow Goons, a majority of Rhymesayers artists (Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Gray Skul, POS, Grieves), B Dolan, Dilated Peoples, to KRS One, Wu Tang, Biggie, Big L, the Arsonists, Blackstar, Gang Starr, and the Roots. This is another booming industry right now and it’s refreshing to see such a tight knit group of artists keeping the underground scene alive.

What are your goals for SP in the future?

To me, I really think the sky is the limit but ultimately it all comes down to the fans support. Make no mistake that I have a wealth of ideas that I would love to get out there in as short amount of time as possible. Though my real aim is to grow smart.

For the short term, I’ve been very focused on building a foundation for the brand and a more consistent release schedule. I’m also working on broadening the type and quality of products that I put out, which I have already began to do with the latest release.

Beyond the short term, I would like to look at getting SP into some small boutique street wear type stores and to broaden my sponsorships beyond bands. There are other ideas I’d like to explore but I’ll keep those on paper at the moment. SP’s growth is all in due time though and I’ll take each step as it comes.

What can people expect when they order clothes from you?

Still Proud is an independent company run by one person. There is no huge budget or large profiteering going on here, in fact, most would probably look at the return and think it’s not worth it. To me though, this company is something I’m very passionate about and I have a lot of fun with it.

Besides working a 40-hour workweek I rise early every morning and go to sleep late at night to keep this ship afloat. When you buy from SP your money goes back into the company so that I can keep coming out with dope gear. I try to go the extra mile with each purchase and include promotional materials from record labels and I even scribble a little thank you on each tag, ha. If you have a question or drop us a comment, I’ll always hit you back as transparency is very important to me and I never forget my peoples.

Shout outs?

Thank you so for the interview and for anyone looking to support a DIY company, check the following links:

Blogsite: <http://stillproudclothing.com/>
Store: <http://stillproudclothing.bigcartel.com/>
MySpace: <http://www.myspace.com/stillproudclothing>
Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000221932262>
Twitter: <http://twitter.com/StillProud>

Edited by Stoney Wayne.

YPA Press: When did the tired and true first become a reality for you guys?

Kurt: The Tired and True originally started with Jay and me in his mother’s basement in Clinton, CT. We spent a year messing around with different members and song ideas until my friend Phil signed on as our drummer in the summer of 2009. We’ve just been playing music since we were kids together and our song writing as a band took on a whole new form.

Are you guys all from CT?

We’re all southern CT natives. New Haven area to be exact about it! [laughs]

How has it been working with John from Eulogy?

John has been an absolute pleasure to work with. We’re really excited for our future on this label [Eulogy] and can’t wait for the album to drop.

Tell us the over all theme of the album.

The record we have coming out is called “Scenarios.” My friends and I always seem to be finding ourselves coming up with these crazy ideas and situations. For example: What if today someone walked up to your front door with a million bucks and just handed it t you? Would be pretty cool right? That more than likely isn’t going to happen, it’s a complete scenario.

How is TnT different than some of the other acts of the same genre?

I think what sets our band apart from a lot of pop punk bands these days is our pop sensibility. We’re not as gritty as a lot of these acts out now.

How have things changed for you since signing to a label?

Some people may of seen us as a bunch of dudes chasing an unattainable goal over the past few months now feel kind of stupid. Though I think the biggest change that has happened has been working with Jay Reason. He’s made a lot of things possible for us that we’ve never been able to do on our own.

What are your musical influences?

Definitely Saves the Day, New Found Glory, and The Movie Life.

Desert Island. What three albums would you bring?

Saves the Day- Through Being Cool, New Found Glory - S/T, and Terminal - How The Lonely Keep

What three people would you bring?

Phil, Jay and Pat so we could make some wild island music together.

One food for the rest of your life?

Pizza!!! [Editor's note: As we did this interview I was munching on some pizza unbeknown to Kurt.]

Most entertaining road story?

I think to date one of my favorite nights on tour with this band was last summer in Columbia, South Caroline. We played a sick show at The New Brooklyn Tavern with our boys Aviary Fire. We made a tone of friends and had recently picked up a new skill we like to call the “Aqua Dog.” The Aqua Dog  is basically the art of chugging beer upside down under water. Anyway after the show we made a bunch of new friends and wound up at a pool party. How convenient right? We had a blast that night before being escorted out of the community pool by a few police officers. No worries though none of TnT or Aviary Fire went to jail. But then there was that one night in Hot Springs, Arkansas but that’s a whole ‘nother story.