Interview with Nicktape of Coke Bust

Coke Bust interview

1.      When did the band begin to take form?  How did you come up with the name of the band?  Did you take a Mrs. Doubtfire- like approach to the name?  What bands inspired you to play that sound that you do?

The band started in 2006 when my friend, Parsons, and I wanted to sound a band that sounded like SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. That didn't work out, but the addition of Chris on drums really sped things up. All of us (except Chris at that time) loved youth crew. He was more into grindcore, fastcore, whatever. The mixing of preferences made a somewhat unique blend I think.
The band name is stupid. Our friend jokingly suggested it and we were too dumb to think of a better one. There is no meaning behind it. Youth of Today, Heresy, Ripcord were the three main influences.

2.      Who is in the band?  Where are you guys from, and how does that play into the day-to-day aspects of the band?  Have you guys been in bands before this?  What were they, if any?

We are all from DC. The band right now is me (nicktape), Chris (drums -also in SICK FIX / MAGRUDERGRIND / DOC). James - Guitar, Jubert – Bass (also in MISLED YOUTH). I also play in SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. I was in the following bands: NO MINION (guitar), RATIONS (bass), BAIL OUT! (vocals), and GRIPTAPE (vocals).

3.      Where do you get your lyrical inspiration?  Where do you guys stand, politically and philosophically?  Why did you become (and remain) straight edge?

Lyrics come from whatever I'm feeling at the moment. Every once in a while something will come to mind and I'll feel strongly about it… whether it's personal, political, social, whatever... I'll write it down. When it comes time to write lyrics I just use that stuff. There's no real contrived motivation behind the lyrics. I keep it natural. I think that's the best way to go.  Politically we are more or less the same I guess. Anti war, pro legalization, pro choice, anti imperialist, etc. We probably disagree on some economic issues but socially we are all 100% on the same page. Fuck drugs. They ruin people's lives.

4.      What are some of the better bands you've gotten to play with?  Where have you toured to and from?  Do you have any upcoming plans for tour or a new record?  Can you discuss any of those possible details?

We have played with too many great bands to keep track of and name! We have toured all over the united states from Portland to Miami to Vermont to LA. Done a few shows in Canada. We've played all over the UK and Europe. We have a split with Vaccine coming out and we're doing an INSANE European tour this summer :)

5.      What are some of your hobbies outside of the band?  Are there any stories behind them you'd like to tell (I noticed you, Nick, are a Redskins fan)?

I fucking love the redskins! I love to work out, cook food, and do healthy stuff. I collect stamps. I love to travel (touring counts and doesn't count at the same time, ya know?). I run my own business, too. Between my bands and my work there isn't a lot of time left though, to be honest. I'm OK with that. I like what I do. Stories... hmm... I don't know. I went to Puerto Rico with a few friends last summer and we went kayaking in a bio luminescent bay. THAT was awesome. In the fall I love to cook awesome food with my dad and watch the Redskins lose :/

6.      What is the D.C. scene like?  Where are some places to play on the regular?  Who else do you like to play with at home?  Are you as popular (so to speak) at home as you are elsewhere?

DC is cool right now! Lots of younger kids. We have a few consistent venues. Everything is more or less all ages which is AWESOME. Good DC bands: SICK FIX, MISLED YOUTH, MINDSET, DOC, etc etc. There are lots! We aren't popular, but any show we play in DC at this point will have between 50-100 kids. SO that's nice. We definitely draw bigger crowds in other
certain cities though. Some cities don't care about us at all though... and that's cool too haha.

7.      What are some differences between the punk scenes in the U.S. and Europe?  Do you think one could take inspiration from the other and better their respective scenes?  If so, how?

In the US things seem a lot less serious than in Europe. That can be good and bad, but it's mostly bad. Gigs are much more like clockwork in Europe. PA is never a question. Food is always at the gig. In my 9 weeks of touring experience in Europe I've never been with a band that was paid poorly. All the shows had much more consistent attendance and there was never a question about having a place to stay. Bands are taken care of better, for sure. I think we could learn a lot from their organization and dedication. You see a lot more older punks in Europe too. It's a great place.

8.      What are your feelings on vinyl and cassettes?  Are they just a dying format or a viable source for music that will resurge if and when digital formats fall?

I think in punk vinyl is alive and well. I have mixed feelings on cassettes. Some people are into them. Some aren't. We make them because people want them. I personally like vinyl the best. Digital formats will never fall. I'd be willing to bet that for every physical coke bust record, there are 10 digital versions on hard drives haha. Think about all those kids in Southeast Asia! For the record I 100% do not care about people downloading our music. Go buck wild. If you bootleg it I'll be pissed, but share away. We do this because it is fun. If you like us and want to support us, paying for the digital download is a nice way of saying, "awesome" and thanking the label for putting it out.

9.      What's the importance of the DIY network to current bands?  Do you have any problem playing a bar?  Is connection to DIY related to passion for one's band?

DIY is definitely important. It's the only way I know when it comes to handling band business. So in that sense it's tough to really speak on. I've been involved with DIY hardcore since I was 14. I have mixed feelings on bars. I definitely wouldn't want to ONLY play bars, that's for sure.

10.  Why do you feel many bands stick to the East or West coasts when touring?  Is there a way to change this prevailing mentality?  Why not/ how so?

I think that more and more bands are choosing to do short weekend tours over huge national tours. This is, in my opinion, for a few reasons. More and more people are doing like... 5 bands at once. Lots of side projects. This means that people have to spread their time very thin. People are less dedicated to their bands and the overall quality suffers. People don't take their bands as seriously. Bands split up as fast as they come. It bugs me. All I can say for you in Detroit is to keep doing your thing. Start bands, do rad shows, get kids involved and CREATE your own scene. Don't rely on LA, Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco to come to you. Go to them and show them what you are about.

11.  Is there anything we didn't cover that you would like to include or say to your fans and/or my readers?

Just want to send out my love to everyone who has ever helped us out as a band. Thanks so much.

11.5. What inspired you to respond to e-mails so quickly?

I link up all my email accounts... band, personal, business, etc. I sit behind a computer 10 hours a day between working, band stuff, and dicking around. I always like fast responses, so I try to give them :)

Thanks David!

House Shows: WTFH (What the Fuck Happened/ Where’s the Fuckin’ Houses?)

How did unpopular bands of kids, young adults, and those of the straight-edge brood get their start?  They sure as hell didn’t start by playing the Royal Oak Music Theater, St. Andrew’s Hall, or the Fillmore.  Some bands had an “in” and were able to play their local bars, such as notable Detroit groups Cinecyde and the Sillies with Bookie’s in the mid-to-late 70s.  However, those that didn’t were out of luck for the longest time.  Finally, someone, somewhere (be it John Brannon in Grosse Pointe or John Lydon in the motherfucking OCEAN) decided that there had to be another way.  Bars, shady promoters, and a general lack of autonomy finally created a real underground, one that had not been touched by the hand of subversion.  There WAS another way:  Abandoned buildings with generators, a closed business with an empty basement and access to legal electricity, a rented community center/ VFW hall, or maybe, given the right people in the right place, a house.

Collectives are not nearly popular or relevant enough to generate a mention, because here in the United States, we are too individualistic and money-minded to successfully run a collective for very long (the ones that do, like ABC No Rio and 924 Gilman St. are the exception, not the rule).  With that being said, a house of composed of a relatively limited number of residents is an ideal place for a local show.  No a band like the American Anthrax, the British Subhumans, or Blood for Blood is not best suited for a house, living room, or a basement.  These bands draw considerable numbers, but only with the assistance of a good local promoter; some fans are not in touch their music scene, and only pay attention and go see their favorite bands if it’s advertised in the local alternative paper; for Detroit, it’s the Metro Times and Real Detroit Weekly.  Old metal-heads and punks who went to shows in their younger days may be preoccupied with the rest of their lives (or just plain LAZY) and only come around for the big-name bands at the well-known bars/ venues, and frequently but get drunk, sing along for a few songs, and go back to their life as though nothing happened.  From an American perspective, I do understand why it is so with them; however, as a contributor and a dogged pursuant of new, fresh music within and separate from the local music scene, I too can condemn this apathy without being hypocritical.  Perhaps it can be nailed down to priorities; many of us, young and old, have jobs that take up our time and energy, sapping s of the ability to find and listen to new music.  Regardless, even with a 40-50 hour work week, there remains plenty of time to invest in local music, an evening to visit a local house show (the information for which needs to be made available as public domain, be it by fanzine or locally-run website) or even a bar show with local bands.  At some point, the problem is NOT door cover, lackluster promotion, or preoccupying circumstances of life.  In the end, some of these patrons, regardless of who they are, simply do not care, at least to get out more than a couple of times a year to throw on a denim jacket and be your fucking metal or punk self.

The problem of powerhouse shows and apathetic fans is intertwined; when a show passes through, a band or two that’s local will play first and possibly second, then the touring group goes on, and those fans go crazy for the touring band(s) they came to see, maybe buy so merch, and go home, ever forgetful of that opening group they sort of liked.

With this, it’s simply more profitable to play a bar, cater to the lazy fans, sell merch, and move on to the next town to it again; after all, bars offer better guarantees, promotion, and sound systems.  However, not only does this not cater to the high-potential, low-profile local scene, it undercuts the underlying point behind music, which is a personal, intimate expression of one’s ideas and thoughts to an audience of people.  Here, a house show is merely a representation of music being played as it should be, and as it is best understood by the fans who enjoy it.  It is a scenario where people are forced to be right up front, to REALLY listen to what is being said, and it breaks down the walls (in the kids’ eyes) set up by big venues, like security, regulations, raised stages, time limits, and content control.  What it does is gets to the heart of everything music is about and sheds the frills that can unnecessarily accompany it.

In addition to this, house shows require some effort to discover and plan out; those who partake in house shows are inherently have-nots, lacking the promotional ability (or money) to touch the fan base of the proles and the know-nots.  It seems as though all the odds are stacked against houses that host shows, at least business-wise.  Considering these points, there still exist benefits that will always trump bar shows, or things that bar shows will never have, and vice-versa:

       I.            No/ fewer rules, more personal contact with the band and venue “management”, fewer guarantees/ hoops to jump through to book a show, and ultimately, let’s face it, it’s just more fucking FUN.

    II.            In contrast, the inconveniences of difficulty in information availability, less readily available parking, smaller capacity, lack of immediate availability of alcohol, and a weaker sound system are things to consider.

However, given all of these pros and cons, ultimately DIY house shows are more inclusive, less restrictive and correspondingly, more FUN.  Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter if it’s my favorite band or some local band that has energy, I will still have ten times the fun than if I’m stuck in some urine-infested, alcohol-infused shithole filled with 70% people I don’t’ like.  Even if it’s just 30-40 people for a house show, it doesn’t matter; those people are new friends whom you can share a mutual memory with in the future and build a community.  When 1000-1200 people show up for a show at the Majestic or the Fillmore or wherever, it’s routine and boring; when it becomes primarily about the earning potential and gets away from the music, it quits being fun.  When it becomes primarily about getting drunk or high and gets away from the music, it stops being fun.  Coke Bust, an awesome D.C. fastcore band, put it best:  Fuck Bar Culture.

-Aunty Social