Hipster Tax - The Alternative Price of McFashion

It seems to be common place that things can just be ingested into the mainstream. It would seem we live in a paradoxical society which embraces nostalgia yet has no respect for legacy, that the origins of something is beyond inconsequential all in the name of being ‘cutting edge’. Its all fair and well trying to be educated and diplomatic about this issue, but the brass tax of it is simply people couldn’t give a fuck about anything, they’re just interested in looking good and being a cut above the rest.

When I was growing up, I suffered for my cause. I took on the ridicule of my peers and my superiors all in the name of exploration, searching beyond was presented to me as ‘normal’. Wearing a band t shirt was once considered at threat to society punishable by being branded a social outcast, a viewpoint rooted in the simple human idiosyncrasy that we fear what we don't know, fuelled by unwanted and unfounded mass media attention. Now not only is is socially acceptable but the nature of expressing your tastes through fashion has become diluted beyond the point of recognition. This is a difficult issue to tackle without treading into the realms of snobbery, but I think you should defend something you are passionate about when some choose to abuse it. 

The example I always find myself using as a 'go to' is The Misfits. 

The Misfits have the unique accolade of becoming something much greater than its initial components. It wouldn't be unfair to brand The Misfits ascetically as a gimmick in any musical context. But consider the notion that they cut their musical teeth being fully embezzled in the Hardcore Punk movement of the early 1980s, responsible for some of the most vocally and physically opinionated and hard to please fans music will ever see.  No one in the world would be considered foolish to think that The Misfits wouldn't have lasted too long in such a high standard environment, but amongst their compatriots and the millions of people around the world who have embraced them they are considered one of the most influential bands alternative music has ever produced. 

Tell all this to the girl in Topshop wearing the famous Skull logo T shirt, or that faceless neanderthal  on T4 with a 'Walk Among Us' shirt on during some equally faceless 'music festival'. Not to judge above my pay bracket but I bet dollars to donuts they look at you like paint drying.

I am perfectly aware that some of the responsibility lies with the bands, they don't necessarily have to shill their merchandise. But these bands have spent years scraping together every available penny they could muster all in the name of making music, so I think you'd have to be pretty unsavoury to deny them the opportunity of the pay cheque. Plus, if they can take advantage of the morons willing to shell out hard cash for one of these shirts (or various other pieces of merchandise) all in the name of social politics then more power to them. The availability isn't the issue, if anything we fully embrace the idea that you can walk through the hight street and pick up such items, the problem is when they are used as tools of ignorance and arrogance. 

The toughest pill to swallow amides this generation of vapid hipster types is their inane arrogance to try and shun away the people true to the cause. The idea that a chosen few dictate what is and what isn't. The same people that a meer ten years ago looked at you from their nose for being what they are trying oh so hard to be now. You need only look at the legion of Converse, Vans and TUK you see in every day 2012 to understand my position on this. 

We obviously don't expect everyone to understand the inner workings of alternative culture, our cause isn't one of didactically claiming this is something only for the initiated, we openly embrace anyone to get into the bands, fashion and lifestyles that comes with the endeavours we put our name to. We simply ask that instead of using it as a crutch, you actually embrace the culture and the history that brought it to your doorstep. 

INTERVIEW - WE CAME OUT LIKE TIGERS

We Came Out Like Tigers are one of the best bands in Britain.

I realise that a statement such as that sounds immediately childish and uneducated. But after having these guys on my radar for the last few years, I only find myself more and more impressed with their output and am yet to see an argument to the contrary. Now that the dust has settled on their debut album 'Agelessness and Lack' I had a chance to speak to Singer and Violinist, Simon.

Its been just under 2 months since the release of your debut album, how do you feel about how its been received?

We have been overwhelmed by the response to this album, we couldn't be happier. We have heard loads of different interpretations of the themes and songs, some of which we intended and some of which we didn't, but it's amazing to see people connect so emotionally with songs we have written. It has really opened up new possibilities for us regarding tours and labels, things I can't announce yet but some of which are a dream come true for me. We never expected this to be anything more than a few songs between friends and the occasional show here and there, so to see people regard you as a 'real' band is indescribable.

I've seen you a multitude of times live and I genuinely believe you get better every time, how difficult was it to translate that energy to a studio album?

It was something that we were concerned about, as it is always hard to take a live show which is a multi-sensory experience and lay it down as a single audio track, but we were happy with how it turned out. Lyrically there are a lot of things on there that I am angry about, and these songs were all pretty new before we recorded them so even singing them into a mic in a studio, it still felt current and real and honest. To get this album out felt like a huge push, it is such a big undertaking and I have a new found respect for anyone out there that has recorded a full length, so I think when we went into the studio we were all aware of how important it was. Again, to get the chance to do an LP is a big deal, so I can say with confidence that we all pushed ourselves as hard as humanly possible to get the best from it all. Tom Dring at Vagrant Recordings who recorded us is incredible too, he knows heavy music inside out and was perfect to record with. I would work with him again in a second.

With everything that you've had your hands in producing (the music, blog and the zine) Its always had more than a smattering of your collective belief system and is always delivered without fear of consequence . Have you ever had any real negative backlash because of it?

Incredibly, so far, no. We are well aware though that being outspokenly anti-fascist (in both words and actions) can be a dangerous pursuit at times, as hard line fascism, racism and neo-nazism are often violent ideologies, and heavily rooted in gang culture and football hooliganism. I have seen anti-fascist fundraiser gigs be violently attacked in Liverpool, but we have had no attention of that sort thus far. We have been involved in activism for a while and I have seen the violent side of the police more times than I can count, but this has never encroached upon We Came Out Like Tigers. Regarding other issues, we staunchly oppose a number of magazines that use music to sell pornography and "lad" culture (read: sexism), and maybe for some bands that feels like a criticism of their own involvement in that world, there have also been times when we have called out bands by name for doing things that we think are wrong (TRC amongst others) which may eventually come back round to haunt us. Unfortunately, there are businesses out there that exploit young women for profit, something I see as abhorrent  (we have written a detailed reason why we oppose this in the booklet of Agelessness and Lack) and if opposing something that we believe is wrong will negatively affect this band then so be it, I would rather know I did the right thing by my own beliefs. I think a lot of people see politics in music as a trend or a way to market your band, but I am involved in a protest scene outside of music because I genuinely want the world to be a better place. I want to know that when fascists came to our town to exploit and divide people, that I did my best to stop them. I want to know that no industry that runs on the exploitation of women's bodies ever has the chance to profit from these songs, as they are far too important for that. I want to know that when we had 20 minutes of peoples attention at a show we did our best to tell people that our government is selling the NHS which will lead to worsened healthcare for the poor, ultimately leading to people's unnecessary deaths. If people view that attitude as some how negative or cynical then so be it, but it will never alter our determination to do the right thing for this band and the people around us. 

You never fail to produce fresh music every time I get the chance to see you, How does the newer material measure up to the older stuff? 

I believe that it is a big step forward for us. We are constantly striving to make that perfect album, something we may never achieve but you have to aim high! I hope that we never get to the point in this band where we think we are getting worse, if we do I hope we have the decency to stop! The songs on A+L for me are closer to what I listen to than ever before, lyrically I am more proud of this record than anything else. You always want it to be an uphill progression, and at the moment I believe it is!

Being from Liverpool, what are your feelings on the likes of Liverpool Sound City and other various institutions allegedly designed to give opportunities and showcase bands like yourself? 

That festival is a corporate enterprise that has worked out that festivals are big business at the moment, and will book any band that will make money, as you can clearly see from the bizarre line-ups each year. I have never viewed music that way and find it baffling that people do, so it is not something that we choose to be a part of. For bands that exist in a DIY  scene it can be strange too, every year we are referred to as an 'unsigned band', which although we haven't signed a contract in our lives, we have worked with 5 different labels so far. I think the people that organise such corporate music festivals, every city has one, and they all seem to model themselves on SXSW, they have obviously forgotten why they first listened to music. For me music is my everyday, I obsess over it, my head is constantly swimming with songs, my lifestyle is built around being in bands and buying records, I could not afford to lose sight of the support and happiness that my favorite songs give me, by cheapening it with a music festival set up to market an energy drink. 

Whats next for BRICKFACE?

I haven't written a zine for 18 months or so, but I want to get back into it soon. I think the next move is to release a one off zine that isn't Brickface, that will draw together a number of different zines and projects around the country to do a special one off publication, but it's super secret at the moment! Hopefully there will be another Brickface after that. There are a pile of bands that I want to chat to, and a zine is always a good excuse to do just that! 

and whats next for WCOLT?

We are planning a split with a band we are all excited about, we are touring north Europe with Ruined Families in March, then Ireland with Hammers in April, then back to central Europe in summer, and that's as far as the plans go! We are wanting to release something that is heavier than previous things, and also perhaps do an EP that is a lot quieter... Things aren't set in stone though so I don't want to say too much. I have never been as proud of anything as I am about being in this band, we aren't perfect but we do our best at it, and I hope we will continue to put everything we have into every release. Apart from that, the NF have announced that they intend to be in Liverpool this weekend, so we will do our best to make it difficult for them, there are some exhibitions I haven't seen in the Liverpool Biennial yet, and I'm sure there must be a Critical Mass coming up soon... Live radical

Rather than write about this album, I simply implore you to listen to it. 

'Agelessness and Lack' is available though Dog Knight Productions via the WCOLT Website.