Leftover Crack seems to be one of the most interesting bands in the punkscene because their music doesn´t is stucked in one musicstyle . Stza fom the group took his time here and answered my questions in the middle of august 2003.
History?
-Me & the bass player Alec started as No Commercial
Value in NYC,1990. then Alec left the band & while
searching for a new bass player I ended up with a new
drummer as well & our other NCV singer (Olivia) left
for the west coast, so with a new band, I decided on
the name Choking Victim. C.V. was me, Sascha Scatter &
John Dolan for half a year, then Skwert replaced J.D.
and then six months later Alec replaced Sascha after we
had recorded our first 7" & 9 song demo "The crack
rock steady"E.P., for the short while Álec played at
this point we recorded the "Squatta's paradise"7"
which included the song "infested" which ended up on
Hell-cat records Give 'em the boot. Pezent Shane
joined up & we then recorded "No Gods/No Managers for
Hell-cat in 1998. The band immediately broke up & when
I got enough songs together & had taken a couple of
years off, I started Leftover Crack with Alec, Brad
Logan(F-minus)&Amery(AWOL) from Suicidal
Tendencies/the Beastie Boys.Now the line-up has a drummer named Brandon & Ezra on gits.
Please tell me a little about every member, age,
family, work, interests and something bad about
everyone?
-I don't know about this question, it seems like you
want me to do a lot of work & then have band members
pissed at me.
Their names are Alec, Brad, Ezra, Brandon & I am the
Stza, we are all 26 & we all don't work unless you
consider playing music, which we do sometimes, we are
all interested in men & something bad...we all hate
human-babies, unless they are dead.
I have the latest Fuck the world trade and Mediocre Generica, have you done anything more?
-We put out a record called No Gods/No Managers as
Choking Victim & we did a split with F-Minus called
Baby jesus, sliced up in the manger as the Crack Rock
Steady 7
Where does the ö coming from in your name?
-Because metal bands use that to make their names sound
more evil & we thought it may work for us.
I think youre one of the most interesting punkbands right now, I write in my review that youre a mix of deathmetal, gothmetal , folkmusic, hardcore and punkrock, why are you so difficult to put in some special style?
-Because we listen to so many different types of music
& we often find bands that can be defined as only one
pure form of music very boring sometimes.
How would you describe your own music in three
-Words? political grind pop
How is the indiescene in USA right now, is there any good bands there now`?
-I really love a band called 1905 from D.C. & a band
called Defiance,Ohio from Bloomington, Indiana (Axl
Roses birth-place)
What do you know about Sweden?
-There are a lot of "garage" bands & The u.s. television always has beer
adverts with a group of women called the swedish
bikini team & also you have Red-Gummi Fish that we
call swedish fish here.
Have your heard any good swedish bands?
-I used to really like the Refused & ONE Millencolin
song, otherwise I can't say that I have.. OOOh, I Love
ABBA, aren't they swedish?
There are new terroristthreats now, how does people in USA react on that? Do you believe that theyre true, the rumours?
-The people here react as the media tells them. so they
are always scared, I don't believe that any of the
information given to the public by the government,
through the media is true, they are both notorious
liars.
Have the terroristattacks some years ago changed your life?
-Yes, in a way they have.
Do you think that music can change anyones life?
-Most definately. especially well informed political
commentary over awesome music & beats that people
can't resist, regardless of poitical affiliation.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?
-I think punk to most people is a fashion & attitude,
but I like to think it is an aggresive radical
political opinion
How how you changed your style since you began to play?Is there any difference of playing nowadays if you compare with then you started?
-I used to play alot more ska songs and I think that my
lyrics were much less informed than they are now.
Which are the advices you will give to a new and young band, which traps shall they not go into and so on?
-I don't know, I guess be very careful about what you
sign, because in ten years you will realize that, for
example Hellcat/Epitaph/Burning Heart is ripping you
the fuck off.
Please rank your five favourite records, five favouriteconcerts and five most important things in life?
-I like Dead Prez's first record & Reagan Youth
vol.1 & Heartbeat city by The Cars & PURPLE RAIN BY
PRINCE & I don´t know ny favorites change a lot and I´m just trying to remember stuff that I have always
listened to. favorite concerts? I don't know, I saw
Siouxsie & the banshees once in the early 90's and
that was really good & one of the most important
things in my life is my bicycle.
First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-The first record I ever had was Ebony &
Ivory by Stevie Wonder & Paul Mccartney & then I got
a 45 of "Jump/Panama" from Van Halens 1984, the last
record I bought was from a nyc band called "Bent
outta'shape & I've never payed much for a record.
Most embarrassing record in your collection?
-I don't have a "collection", but I'd have to say
anything by myself, those songs embarass me when I
hear them sometimes.
Which is the record you bought only for the cover and you get so disappointed when you listened to it?
-I don't know, this is a long time ago, I think I
bought a record for like a dollar by Brian Ritchie,
cuz he was the bass player in the Violent Femmes & I
used to love them & when I heard it, it was just
fucking awful.
How do you get the time going when you´re out on
tour, and then I mean in the tourbus and so?
- I read alot of books & pretend I'm not in a
moving jail cell.
How is a good gig with you? Is it violent, beautiful or how is it?
-I guess it's a little violent, cuz when no one dances,
then we have a bad show.
How does the average Leftover Crack fan look like?
.I guess they are between the ages of 15 & 23 & they
have punk & political patches, but they are stuck on
with safety pins instead of sewn on.
Do you have good contact with your fans, in which way?
-Yeah, I think so, if anybody wants to ask me a
question or just talk about stuff in general, I'm
usually totally down. I will sometimes fulfill some of
the more outrageous requests made of me.
What´s the best and what’s the worst of being in a band?
-It's great to travel & meet people easily, but it's
hard to give all of my energy every single night & try
to make every show special & different in some way.
When you do music which is most important, is it to have a good melody, a good lyric or to have a refrain that people remembers?
-I think the things that you mentioned are the only
three important things to consider when trying to
write a good song.
Is Alternative Tentacles a good label? In which way?
-Yes, they back our politics with the most important
thing in the world, they acknowledge our right to
free-speech & accept that we will not be controlled by
an out-side party.
Do you care about reviews, have you ever changed anything after a bad review?
-No, we have rarely ever gotten any reviews anywhere &
we would never change to please some critic, we
understand that that is not how these things work, it
has more to do with your luck in getting a reviewer
that appreciates what you do.
Which is the most peculiar review you ever have got?
-Like I said, reviews I have read of bands I have been
in are far & few between, so I cannot remember, we are
always happy to get any mention at all, bad press is
good press.
Futureplans for the band?
-We will tour the states this fall & Europe in
november.
For yourself?
-Fuck World Trade, your "leaders" are war criminals &
environmental rapists'
Wisdomword?
-Get out of the system as quickly as you can.
Something more to add?
-Jesus-fuck...NO.