Google yourself, it's not a sin!
I googled myself as many single guys do when they become bored and I found an article that I had written for AMP magazine in 2004 that I didn't even realize got published. The band, xHit the Deckx had a connection at the mag and asked me to write the article, which I did, then forgot about. Now, three years later, I find it online: My AMP magazine article
. I don't expect anyone to be interested in a story about a hardcore band but I am posting it for the heck of it anyway since I spent a lot of time writing it.
xHit the Deckx
by Chris Francz
“I'm just wary that we're establishing rules and borders concerning open forum and that is what I want to go against,” says Jordan Darby, vocalist for southern California hardcore band, Hit the Deck.
When I heard this Ventura, CA band's cover of “I Hate the Kids” by the classic DC band, S.O.A.(State of Alert), I was immediately impressed in almost the same way that I was impressed when I heard The Ataris reference Black Flag in their Top 40 hit (note: S.O.A. and Black Flag had the same vocalist). S.O.A. seemed a little more obscure to me than Black Flag though so I wanted to dig my heels in and get down to the nitty-gritty. It's easy to just try to sound cool by name-dropping a classic but seemingly-forgotten-by-most band, but to actually cover one of the band's songs was taking things a bit farther. Was the cover a novelty or a tribute?
“I don't want to romanticize the past, especially since I wasn't there, but there was an urgency in early 80's hardcore,” Jordan Darby, the band's vocalist told me. “So, is Hit the Deck an old school rip-off band or are you the real deal?” I asked. “We aren't a rip-off band. We are doing what all of the bands that we like did and the bands that we like are now doing which is to play music that we see fit to play.” Darby responded. “I like the early idea of hardcore, where (hardcore came) fresh out the punk rock movement, kids starting to ask 'why?' to everything - to drugs, pop culture, religion, sexuality, everything,” stated Darby. “I think that now, hardcore is settling down as it's own comfortable genre and I don't know if that's good or bad, but it just is. I don't know if I like the fact that you can go into any chain store and buy Barry Manilow, Britney Spears, and any given hardcore record. There's just not that secret urgency and hatred anymore. But at the same time the exposure of the music to kids everywhere is priceless. It's accessability give us an easier way out of the 'normal' world,” Darby explained.
Back to S.O.A. - I asked Darby if he felt some kind of connection to the 1980 DC hardcore scene and the whole Flex Your Head sound that occured in those crucial years in the development of hardcore? “I am in love with the DC hardcore scene from 1980. I would kill to be able to attend one '80-'83 matinee. There was just something about the creativity and energy that really inspires me and it is hard to duplicate that. I also know that that period is long since over. Hardcore is definetly great now, but it's just wrong for me not to take my musical cues from those amazing bands. It's definetly a catalyst of artistic expression for me, said the vocalist. “Musically, we get held up to Minor Threat or whatever, and that is more than an honor, but when I listen to our stuff I can't really say that it sounds like any one particular band. Of course hardcore in itself is fairly limited so I am probably wrong. Some old-time record collector could probably tell me exactly who we are 'ripping off' but I feel that we are fairly unique,” added Darby. Referring to my question about being a rip-off band or the real deal, Darby asked me: “What is the 'real deal'? Is it something (music) that is birthed out of a creative situation and inspiration? If so, yeah, I guess we are the real deal. If it's stuff like complete originality and insane talent - then I guess that we are not so 'real deal' (laughs).”
When I intially contacted Darby about writing a story about Hit the Deck I was surprised that he remembered me from a while back when I did a zine called The Crucial Times. Darby wrote: “You seem like you are into legitimate hardcore.” “What is 'legitimate hardcore,'” I asked him. “That's a broad definition. There is a plethora of amazingly talented bands, but the energy is limited,” said Darby. “Okay, then, what is illegitimate hardcore?,” I asked. “When a band is together for completely non-hardcore reasons - - fashion, popularity, getting girls, money, etc. I'm just a kid so I am not justifying what is hardcore and what is not, but if those things are 'hardcore' I certainly wasn't drawn to those aspects when I first got into it,” Darby said.
Listening to the bands recordings as I began to write this article I was impressed that there were absolutely no metal overtones to be found. “If we were talented enough, I'd like to start a metal band to raise money for charity or something, maybe buy my folks a nice house. Other than that, I am wary of anything that is metal-tinged. There are plenty of great metal-influenced bands, but I don't get the same catharsis from that as I do when I listen to straight up hardcore. There's just something about it...there's something to be said for the short, fast, loud, and sometimes seemingly talentless because of the heart behind it all - the message that it brings to you just slaps you right in the face. I love it,” explained Darby.
I asked the vocalist what he thought was most lacking in today's hardcore scene. “I think that the most cliche thing to say would be 'unity' so I will say that. Kids today have trouble busting out of bias and tradition so there are still alot of barriers. I still don't feel comfortable bringing my ideas to the table in hardcore even though that's what I fell in love with...this gathering and having an open season on everything. Every given used to be questioned...” said Darby.
Whether it would make the singer feel uncomfortable or not, I had to find out exactly what he could feel uncomfortable about “bringing to the table” in the hardcore scene. After all, hardcore is supposedly about open-mindedness and the free exchange of ideas and thoughts. I do feel the need to qualify that statement a bit - I have never really believed the whole “open-mindedness” bit because from my observations over the past 18 years I have come to the conclusion that the “open-mindeness” is mainly relagated to a strict set of “do's and don'ts” and new-comers be warned - adhere or be cast out! “Religion, for instance. It's such a taboo subject but personal belief is so tightly woven into hardcore that I think it's valid that I am 'religious' and 'hardcore' at the same time. I get the impression that religion doesn't belong here or possibly worse, that kids just don't care. Back in the day - look at bands like the Bad Brains. They bought something that challenged the general mode of thought in punk even if they did get whacky towards the end. It's exciting to see what other people believe in, what they hold dear to their hearts because that's what makes hardcore something really valuable and honest. I am just wary that we are establishing rules and borders concerning an open forum and that's what I want to go against in a sense,” explained the vocalist.
Mixing hardcore and religion is a good way to get ignored in the hardcore scene. “I think that as a hardcore band, we have some real value even if people think that we are wrong. At the very least we are testing the waters and questioning 'why are we wrong?,'”said Darby. I couldn't help but agree. “Conformist” is an overused word in the underground music scene but it's a word that is usually used to describe those outside of the underground scene, but you know what they say, “One finger pointing at you, four more pointing back at me...”
The band's vocalist explained further: “I think that it's understandable that hardcore kids are wary of religion in many ways. The Church has a ton of blood on it's hands and that is hard to reconcile. So, as an institution, it's failing to gain credibility in the underground. The ideas of organized religion have much potential and much truth. There's a lot of fruit in what the Bible has to say, what the blood of the martyrs represents.” If so, why the almost-utter rejection of it all then? I asked. “I think that people just shut out anything (if it's) uncomfortable to discuss and if it causes a direct lifestyle change and goes against societal norms. Those excuses are wearing thin. The scene willingly ushers in worldly things like drugs, drinking, the party scene in general and still calls for change within. Does that makes sense? Somethings got to give if real progression is to be made. That's what I believe that the heart of hardcore is aiming for. Look at straightedge,” said the vocalist. “The status of religion has been severely damaged in this country by stupid, old white guys. That's the reason that we're a band - to stand up to that and say 'we're not like that!' We're saying that there is a truth - it's changed our lives. We want there to be no mistake, we are a Christian band, but we don't operate much in the Christian scene, our band ethics are more in line with a secular band on that level, but definetly, let the record show that we are Christians,” concluded Darby.
I really can't help but root for a band that is willing to stand up and face the winds of opposition and doing so with such a simplistic musical finesse really makes me love them even more. When it comes to hardcore, this journalist has become very cynical and weary over the last decade. I mean, show me the original spirit of hardcore! Show me some true grit, not a 24 track over-produced piece of plastic that masquerades as “hardcore”! We need to spend less time chasing after big name producers and worrying about slick CD graphics and more time writing honest and quality songs that will stand the test of time and incite a new generation of hardcore kids to pick up the torch. Hit the Deck may not incite a new generation of kids, but their debut on Strikefirst Records has certainly reminded me of everything that I love about this crazy form of music called “Hardcore.”
My artwork is at: www.chrisfrancz.com
. I don't expect anyone to be interested in a story about a hardcore band but I am posting it for the heck of it anyway since I spent a lot of time writing it.
xHit the Deckx
by Chris Francz
“I'm just wary that we're establishing rules and borders concerning open forum and that is what I want to go against,” says Jordan Darby, vocalist for southern California hardcore band, Hit the Deck.
When I heard this Ventura, CA band's cover of “I Hate the Kids” by the classic DC band, S.O.A.(State of Alert), I was immediately impressed in almost the same way that I was impressed when I heard The Ataris reference Black Flag in their Top 40 hit (note: S.O.A. and Black Flag had the same vocalist). S.O.A. seemed a little more obscure to me than Black Flag though so I wanted to dig my heels in and get down to the nitty-gritty. It's easy to just try to sound cool by name-dropping a classic but seemingly-forgotten-by-most band, but to actually cover one of the band's songs was taking things a bit farther. Was the cover a novelty or a tribute?
“I don't want to romanticize the past, especially since I wasn't there, but there was an urgency in early 80's hardcore,” Jordan Darby, the band's vocalist told me. “So, is Hit the Deck an old school rip-off band or are you the real deal?” I asked. “We aren't a rip-off band. We are doing what all of the bands that we like did and the bands that we like are now doing which is to play music that we see fit to play.” Darby responded. “I like the early idea of hardcore, where (hardcore came) fresh out the punk rock movement, kids starting to ask 'why?' to everything - to drugs, pop culture, religion, sexuality, everything,” stated Darby. “I think that now, hardcore is settling down as it's own comfortable genre and I don't know if that's good or bad, but it just is. I don't know if I like the fact that you can go into any chain store and buy Barry Manilow, Britney Spears, and any given hardcore record. There's just not that secret urgency and hatred anymore. But at the same time the exposure of the music to kids everywhere is priceless. It's accessability give us an easier way out of the 'normal' world,” Darby explained.
Back to S.O.A. - I asked Darby if he felt some kind of connection to the 1980 DC hardcore scene and the whole Flex Your Head sound that occured in those crucial years in the development of hardcore? “I am in love with the DC hardcore scene from 1980. I would kill to be able to attend one '80-'83 matinee. There was just something about the creativity and energy that really inspires me and it is hard to duplicate that. I also know that that period is long since over. Hardcore is definetly great now, but it's just wrong for me not to take my musical cues from those amazing bands. It's definetly a catalyst of artistic expression for me, said the vocalist. “Musically, we get held up to Minor Threat or whatever, and that is more than an honor, but when I listen to our stuff I can't really say that it sounds like any one particular band. Of course hardcore in itself is fairly limited so I am probably wrong. Some old-time record collector could probably tell me exactly who we are 'ripping off' but I feel that we are fairly unique,” added Darby. Referring to my question about being a rip-off band or the real deal, Darby asked me: “What is the 'real deal'? Is it something (music) that is birthed out of a creative situation and inspiration? If so, yeah, I guess we are the real deal. If it's stuff like complete originality and insane talent - then I guess that we are not so 'real deal' (laughs).”
When I intially contacted Darby about writing a story about Hit the Deck I was surprised that he remembered me from a while back when I did a zine called The Crucial Times. Darby wrote: “You seem like you are into legitimate hardcore.” “What is 'legitimate hardcore,'” I asked him. “That's a broad definition. There is a plethora of amazingly talented bands, but the energy is limited,” said Darby. “Okay, then, what is illegitimate hardcore?,” I asked. “When a band is together for completely non-hardcore reasons - - fashion, popularity, getting girls, money, etc. I'm just a kid so I am not justifying what is hardcore and what is not, but if those things are 'hardcore' I certainly wasn't drawn to those aspects when I first got into it,” Darby said.
Listening to the bands recordings as I began to write this article I was impressed that there were absolutely no metal overtones to be found. “If we were talented enough, I'd like to start a metal band to raise money for charity or something, maybe buy my folks a nice house. Other than that, I am wary of anything that is metal-tinged. There are plenty of great metal-influenced bands, but I don't get the same catharsis from that as I do when I listen to straight up hardcore. There's just something about it...there's something to be said for the short, fast, loud, and sometimes seemingly talentless because of the heart behind it all - the message that it brings to you just slaps you right in the face. I love it,” explained Darby.
I asked the vocalist what he thought was most lacking in today's hardcore scene. “I think that the most cliche thing to say would be 'unity' so I will say that. Kids today have trouble busting out of bias and tradition so there are still alot of barriers. I still don't feel comfortable bringing my ideas to the table in hardcore even though that's what I fell in love with...this gathering and having an open season on everything. Every given used to be questioned...” said Darby.
Whether it would make the singer feel uncomfortable or not, I had to find out exactly what he could feel uncomfortable about “bringing to the table” in the hardcore scene. After all, hardcore is supposedly about open-mindedness and the free exchange of ideas and thoughts. I do feel the need to qualify that statement a bit - I have never really believed the whole “open-mindedness” bit because from my observations over the past 18 years I have come to the conclusion that the “open-mindeness” is mainly relagated to a strict set of “do's and don'ts” and new-comers be warned - adhere or be cast out! “Religion, for instance. It's such a taboo subject but personal belief is so tightly woven into hardcore that I think it's valid that I am 'religious' and 'hardcore' at the same time. I get the impression that religion doesn't belong here or possibly worse, that kids just don't care. Back in the day - look at bands like the Bad Brains. They bought something that challenged the general mode of thought in punk even if they did get whacky towards the end. It's exciting to see what other people believe in, what they hold dear to their hearts because that's what makes hardcore something really valuable and honest. I am just wary that we are establishing rules and borders concerning an open forum and that's what I want to go against in a sense,” explained the vocalist.
Mixing hardcore and religion is a good way to get ignored in the hardcore scene. “I think that as a hardcore band, we have some real value even if people think that we are wrong. At the very least we are testing the waters and questioning 'why are we wrong?,'”said Darby. I couldn't help but agree. “Conformist” is an overused word in the underground music scene but it's a word that is usually used to describe those outside of the underground scene, but you know what they say, “One finger pointing at you, four more pointing back at me...”
The band's vocalist explained further: “I think that it's understandable that hardcore kids are wary of religion in many ways. The Church has a ton of blood on it's hands and that is hard to reconcile. So, as an institution, it's failing to gain credibility in the underground. The ideas of organized religion have much potential and much truth. There's a lot of fruit in what the Bible has to say, what the blood of the martyrs represents.” If so, why the almost-utter rejection of it all then? I asked. “I think that people just shut out anything (if it's) uncomfortable to discuss and if it causes a direct lifestyle change and goes against societal norms. Those excuses are wearing thin. The scene willingly ushers in worldly things like drugs, drinking, the party scene in general and still calls for change within. Does that makes sense? Somethings got to give if real progression is to be made. That's what I believe that the heart of hardcore is aiming for. Look at straightedge,” said the vocalist. “The status of religion has been severely damaged in this country by stupid, old white guys. That's the reason that we're a band - to stand up to that and say 'we're not like that!' We're saying that there is a truth - it's changed our lives. We want there to be no mistake, we are a Christian band, but we don't operate much in the Christian scene, our band ethics are more in line with a secular band on that level, but definetly, let the record show that we are Christians,” concluded Darby.
I really can't help but root for a band that is willing to stand up and face the winds of opposition and doing so with such a simplistic musical finesse really makes me love them even more. When it comes to hardcore, this journalist has become very cynical and weary over the last decade. I mean, show me the original spirit of hardcore! Show me some true grit, not a 24 track over-produced piece of plastic that masquerades as “hardcore”! We need to spend less time chasing after big name producers and worrying about slick CD graphics and more time writing honest and quality songs that will stand the test of time and incite a new generation of hardcore kids to pick up the torch. Hit the Deck may not incite a new generation of kids, but their debut on Strikefirst Records has certainly reminded me of everything that I love about this crazy form of music called “Hardcore.”
My artwork is at: www.chrisfrancz.com