1 - Tell us how
your project(s) were started.
Well, with calamityproject, it was just me wanting to put back into the music
scene that's given me a lot. my intent w/ calamityproject is to be entertaining
and informative, but not to be taken as like some "divine word" of
the independent music scene or anything like that. I just want to provide a
place where kids can come and read about their favorite bands, read some informative
articles (whenever we put them up, that is), hear about upcoming records, and
all that stuff. With my noise/grind project, I Am Genocide, it was more or less
my love for grind and noise and my horrid sleeping habits having me up at 5am
programming all sorts of shit and making really short and abrasive songs. My
friend Josh from Tennessee does the vocals and bits of programming as well.
It's more or less a second project for him, but I consider him a full fledged
member of I Am Genocide, and for me it's my baby.
2 - What does music, in it's entirety, mean to you?
Music has been my life for a long time now. It's what motivates me and gets
me up. Kind of like a pick me up, so to speak. As far as lifestyle goes, I guess
what I love about hardcore/punk lifestyle is that it's got an awesome sense
of work ethic to it. You can't just be lazy and expect everyone to kiss your
ass. You gotta work for it. Even if you're someone like me who writes and records
all his music on his computer, it still requires a lot of work. I think my demo
alone took almost a year to finish. In the end, all the hard work pays off.
I could give you some long spiel about how if you bust your ass, you'll get
respect, but it's been done so much that me saying it would be a bit redundant,
but you get the idea. I guess what I don't like about the scene is the kids
who don't contribute anything to it, but feel the need to nitpick, critique,
and criticize everything as if they were the king/queen of the fucking scene.
These are the same kids who you'll see at shows acting like they're the second
coming of Jesus or something like that. It's music/art, not a fucking popularity
contest, and as far as i'm concerned, if you're not doing anything to contribute
to the scene, don't critique it. I guess just that bugs me about it. lots of
kids who think that since they have a record that's out of print, they can sling
an insult and consider it their contribution to the scene.
3 - What does art,
in it's entirety, mean to you?
It depends on what exactly you mean by art. I'm taking it you mean stuff like
painting, graphics, drawings, and other stuff like that, so i'll speak on that
aspect of it. For me, art's theraputic. When I've got some emotion I wanna pour
out, I do art. mostly graphic stuff since I can't draw to save my own life.
I can make a mean splatter though, haha. Anyhow, it's something that helps me
get the chip off my shoulder, and helps clear my head. What I don't like about
art is those galleries or exhibits or whatever they're called...where people
go to critique your art. I think that's just bullshit. I wouldn't want someone
saying that a piece I poured at lot of heart, soul, mind and energy into wasn't
good enough for them. I think the only aspect about those things that are cool
is that people can see your art, and who knows, maybe someone will buy a piece
or maybe you'll get a fan.
4 - Who is your
favorite author, and why?
To be honest, I really don't read books a whole lot. The last book I read was
Jaws by Peter Benchley. Growing up, that was probably one of my favorite
movies. Still is. I hadda read the book and compare and contrast, because I'm
that kind of guy, I guess. I won't spoil it for you, but it was a good book.
I recommend it. I'd like to check out Stephen King's It as well, but
who knows. like I said, I'm not big on reading books. I'd rather just watch
a movie. In that aspect, I'm lazy.
5 - As your best
friend, describe yourself.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly nice person to the people I care about. I'd do
anything for my friends, and I'm sure they know that. There are times where
people get into fights and all that jazz, but honestly, my friends are a second
family to me. I dunno if that's what you wanted to hear. But yea, I'm nice and
I care about my friends, and I'd do anything for them.
6 - As your worst
enemy, describe yourself.
As an enemy? I try not to make enemies, but if i don't like you, I can be a
real prick I guess. I 'm mean, I throw insults. As a kid, I took a lot of shit
from people and just kept quiet about it. Now, I'll be the first to call you
out on your shit and tell you what a prick you are if you start fucking with
me. I think people should be treated fairly, and not like shit. If you don't
like me, that's fine...just leave me alone. But, if you're gonna fuck with me,
be prepared to get it dealt back to you tenfold.
7 - If your persona
were immortalized as a cartoon character, who would it be?
It would probably be some sort of dancing clown. I don't have a name for him,
but I imagine I'd have "assclown" somewhere in the name. I like comedy,
and laughing, and all that shit, so I guess it'd be fitting for a cartoon persona
of me to be a dancing clown. With a sad face, just because those clowns are
funnier.
8 - Do you think
there are conspiracies against the "everyday person"?
If by the every day person, you mean me, then yea I do think there are conspiracies.
I can't get a date! And I think it's because the government shows women footage
of me trying to look like a big shot by jumping snow mounds, but tripping over
one and falling flat on my face, looking like a total jackass. Oh, and there's
a YMCA here that won't put on punk shows. I think it's a conspiracy in regards
to the public school system. The super-intendent always tried to shut down shows
here when I was in high school. I nicknamed her "Raisin Snatch", cause
I think she really needed a deep dicking, or something like that.
9 - What do you
do with your spare or free time?
My free time is divided into these fun/boring time consuming acts: getting drunk,
watching movies, driving around, recording my I Am Genocide stuff, hanging around
with friends, sleeping, eating, and complaining. Other than this, anything else
I do is probably a special occasion type of thing.
10 - Please give
us your interpretation of "the meaning of life".
I really don't think there is any real meaning to life. Just live it. I tend
not to dwell on such things. My friends do, and try to spark up conversations
about it with me, and I'll just be a dick and say "LOOK DUDE, THE MEANING
OF LIFE IS ABOUT ME GETTING DRUNK" or something stupid like that. I just
don't really dwell on things like that. I took philosophy in high school, and
it just drove me nuts really. To the point where I'd come in hopped up on some
drugs or booze, challenging my friend to a contest of who could take the most
shots to the head with a text book, or who could ram their head into a locker
the hardest. I don't think we were really put on this earth to figure out why
we're here, or what the meaning of our existence is. We're just here, and I
accept that as it is. But if you want a funny/comical answer, you can put "LOOK
DUDE, THE MEANING OF LIFE IS ABOUT ME GETTING DRUNK", or "HELPING
OLD LADIES CROSS THE STREET".
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