100 for Haiti

 

We're playing this benefit show in Tacoma. Greg Bennick is looking for donations, this show is one way to help. Check out the website. Get more involved.

100FH from Greg Bennick on Vimeo.

Healing Crisis - LIVE @ React! Showcase

Our song Healing Crisis being performed LIVE at the React! Showcase. Looks as sounds great.

Also, our tour with Secret People was awesome. Those dudes are great and the shows pretty much all killed. At the very least made better by them being with us. Our friend Dan who filled in also killed it on the bass every night. Thanks to those of you who came and hung out.

We have a show on December 1st in Tacoma with Gravemaker, Sojourner, Oblivion, and Wreck. Should be great. Then on December 5th we're playing Seattle at The Black Lodge with Run With The Hunted, Envision, Olde Ghost, and Breaga Naofa. Come hang out if you can, we haven't played much of the Northwest since August/September.

Stay well!
NSC '10
XXX

The "NOT SECRET" West Coast Banger 2010

This is what tour looks like.
Come hang out!

Fri. Nov. 12th - Berkeley, CA
@ 924 Gilman

w/ Secret People, Cruel Hand, Backtrack, and Crucified

Sat. Nov. 13th - Fresno, CA

@ The Bell Tower Haus, 69 E. Belmont Ave.

w/ Secret People, Xibalba, and more


Sun. Nov. 14th - Pomona, CA
@ Casa Jimenez, 280 W 3rd St
w/ Secret People, Rotting Out, Soul Search, Knife Fight, and Sleepwalkers

Mon. Nov. 15th - Isla Vista, CA
@ BIKO House, 6612 Sueno Rd.

w/ Secret People

. . . then after a grueling 16 hour drive . . .
Tues. Nov. 16th - Portland, OR
@ A Basement, 5744 N. Moore Ave.
w/ Unrestrained(pdx) - NO Secret People

We'll have this merch with us:

i wish they all could be california . . .

Our trip down to California is almost all complete. We kind of got a late start getting shows together, but so far things have worked out pretty well. The only days we're still holding out for are Nov 11 and Nov 16. If we only end up with 4 days, oh well . . . just the way it goes I guess.

In other news, the records are at the pressing plant and we should be receiving test presses within the next few weeks. If they sound good, we'll look into setting up a record release show. Not sure where it'll be or who it'll be with, but rest assured something will happen . . . sometime.

In case you didn't hear, we're on facebook. CLICK! CLICK! BOOM! Peace.

- NOT SORRY CREW

not secret west coast banger - fall '10

Hey California. We're coming to see you. In just under a month we're playing 5 shows there with Secret People from San Francisco. Most of the shows are confirmed, we're just waiting on the specifics. Check out the Upcoming Gigs section for more specifics.

After that we've got a show in Tacoma on December 1st and then one in Seattle on December 5th. We're going to work on setting up a record release show, but we'll at least wait for the test presses to come in before we move much further into that territory. It'll be somewhere between mid-December to mid-January as long as all goes well with record pressing, covers, E . . . T . . . C.

Lastly, we entered the social networking game. You can "like" us over here.

When we have more info on all the goings on, we'll let you know.

Carry on . . .

-NSC '10

our choices (song posted & lyrics)

We finally posted a new song up on our myspace. Head on over there to check it out. It's called OUR CHOICES, here are the lyrics:

OUR CHOICES
We live each day thinking only of ourselves.
Our world of excess robs people of their needs.
Decisions we make affect others every day.
If we used our foresight, would we even change?

Pay no thought. Pay no mind.
To how our choices affect their lives.

Live how you wish just consider the impact.
We always have the option to pick a better path.
There's nothing stopping us from living another way.
When will we learn that we can't afford to . . . 

Pay no thought. Pay no mind.
To how our choices affect their lives.

In the end, they have to live with.
Our choices.
In the end, they have to live with.

They have to live with. They have to live with.
Our choices. Our choices.

They have to live with. They have to live with.
Our choices.

Guest spot by Señor Bubbles of Get The Most fame.

it's coming down

Quick update, more indepth one coming soon.

1. Our new record is mastered and being sent off to the pressing plant. Pre-orders go up October 18th. Mark your calendars. This is not a drill people.

2. This is the cover art, done by our man Shaun "the African" Nel. Legit dude.

3. We're doing some shows in California with Secret People from November 11th to 16th. All the shows but the last one will be in CA and with them. The 16th will be us solo, hopefully in Portland, OR. We'll see how that pans out.

4. I just ate a great sandwich made with Field Roast and avocado's. Sandwiches can be totally mediocre, but when they're good, they're really good. Go eat one now.

Support the Sea Shepherds!

Peace.

I'm A Person Just Like You (the MOTOR FEST 2010 wrap up!)

This is Motor. Last night he played his last show with all his bands before him and his wife move to Southern Ontario. He's a righteous dude and one of the nicest people I've ever met. We got to play his going away show, aptly titled Motor Fest, last night. Start to finish the show was a straight up banger. People drove up from as far away as Olympia and Vancouver Island to get sweaty in a hot little room known as Casa del Artista.

The show opened with Consequence Crew, a new band featuring dudes from Circles, Keep It Clear, Vacant State, Instride, Damages, amongst more. A little inbreeding going on up there in Vancouver in the band department. Total Boston style hardcore. Looking forward to what they do next. Damages and Circles played next (both featuring Motor). Both bands are awesome and definitely offer something a bit different than your average HC band. Damages totally on the Jesus Lizard/AmpRep/weird-guy-hardcore tip. If you can dig that sound, check them out. Circles on the other hand is pure Dag Nasty/Rev Summer worship. A big step from Blue Monday who 4 out of the 5 members were in. Oh also, Damages covered Six Pack and killed it. We played next and had the best Vancouver gig to date, possibly the best non-fest show to date. We covered Straight Edge, and it went over well. Keep It Clear (also featuring Motor) played next and opened with Where It Went. It was tight. Last up was the show headliner, one time reunion of In Stride (yep, Motor played drums for them too). They were the band I suspect most people rolled up for. Their set was wild for sure. After some amp set backs, they played a crazy set. Seeing them in their heyday probably would've been tight. Glad we got to see them last night. They did a Blue Monday cover mid-set that was awesome. The show ended with some Motor chants, and then Motor giving a speech.

Overall, a great night and a show that had everything a HC show should have. Mainly a variety of HC, people traveling, wild sets, a cramped space, lots of sweat, and Motor playing drums in 4 bands. Long live Motor!

Peace.
NSC
xxx

i like food food tastes good. (pt. 2)

One of the reasons we started this blog for the band was not only to share with you what was going on with us, as a band, but also to pass along information that we feel is important and could potentially be empowering.

I was recently sent this article and felt that it talks about a lot of things I am currently very interested in and wanted to share it. Food is an integral part of our lives and culture. What we eat, how much we eat, and where the food we do eat comes from is very, very important . . . or at least it should be.

Not everyone can afford to buy everything organically, and that's not what I'm advocating. But I do think as a culture, we need to learn how to get back to the kitchen and cook good wholesome food for ourselves. Less "food" from boxes, more food from fields!

WHY QUICK, CHEAP FOOD IS ACTUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE
by Mark Hyman, MD

I was in a grocery store yesterday. While I was squeezing avocados to pick just the right ones for my family's dinner salad, I overheard a conversation from a couple that had also picked up an avocado.

"Oh, these avocados look good, let's get some."

Then looking up at the price, they said, "Two for five dollars!" Dejected, they put the live avocado back and walked away from the vegetable aisle toward the aisles full of dead, boxed, canned, packaged goods where they can buy thousands of calories of poor-quality, nutrient-poor, factory-made, processed foods filled with sugar, fat, and salt for the same five dollars. This is the scenario millions of Americans struggling to feed their families face every day.

Read the rest of the article here. It's important, and food security is something we all have the power to do something about.

One last thing, I recently got a copy of John Joseph's new book 'Meat is for Pussies.' Check out his website.

Yes, the title is a bit much and is clearly there for shock value. But now that it's gotten your attention, crack it open and read it. For some of you it may cover well worn territory, but I'm willing to bet for a fair share of you, it may expose you to some things you might not have known about or expand on stuff you've heard rumblings of. It reads as if you were talking to JJ himself. It also proves that you can live a compassionate lifestyle and still be "manly." Yeah, he pushes the vegan/vegetarian thing hard, but he also talks about informing yourself and the importance of eating whole foods and not just processed crap (attn: junk food vegans). This shit is vital. He's also included some cool recipes (note: mentions he's coming out with a cook book, that should be a real banger), a 7-day work out routine, as well as books, documentaries, and websites to check out. Love him or hate him (seriously, how can you hate him?), he's passionate about this stuff and is getting his voice out there one way or the other. I think it's worth paying attention to.

Peace.

- John
NSC '10
xxx

i want it to fade away . . .

We've got this show coming up next week. Should be a lot of fun. I had fun making the flier.



We do legitimately have stuff to update on here. It'll happen soon. Oh, we finally mixed our 7" today. It's almost done, that was until I showed up and said a song needed to be fixed. I'm a terrible person. Nothing new really.

Going camping tomorrow.

Stay punk!

NOT
SORRY
CREW
2010

police & thieves in the streets . . . oh yeah!

divine thing

A great band from San Francisco called SECRET PEOPLE has a new 7" coming out very soon on Downsided Records. It's available for pre-order NOW. Check out this video clip of one of the songs.



Now that you've heard how awesome it is. Get to orderin'.

See you at Sound & Fury!

NOT SORRY
CREW 2010
XXX

ps: Listen to Teenage Fanclub

updates

'Sup.

Our record is getting mixed very soon. React! will be taking pre-orders sometime in August, along with a new Remission 7" and a Common Cause 7". Both are sure to be great.

We are playing Sound & Fury next weekend. That should also be great. We get to hang out with our friend Kate all weekend. Very cool.

The weekend of July 30-August 1 we are playing 3 shows with Police & Thieves from Washington, DC. The shows are all in our 'Gigs' section. Come hang out. After that, we have a show in Seattle with Ceremony, Punch, Nails, and Power. Probably going to lay low after that until the new 7" is out.

Other updates are coming. Just have to find time to sit down and post them.

Thanks for paying attention.
- John
NSC
xxx

let's lighten the mood

It's not too often that I'm impressed by bands blantantly aping the alternative/college rock sound of the 80's. That was, until I heard SO ADULT. Dudes from Bellingham, WA just playing tried and true alternative rock. It's catchy and hook laden and I listen to the 4 song demo religiously. I know they're currently laying down tracks with 11 new jams. I'm extremely excited. You should be too. Here's a video they made of a song off their demo. The video is cool and the song rips. Listen up world!



Not our usual post, but more people need to listen to these dudes. They're playing in Bellingham next week (the 2nd of July I believe) with our dudes in Envision and MourningsideAD. We're playing Seattle the next day with those bands as well. Check out the shows and get down. Don't sleep.

xxx
Not Sorry Crew
2010

what we stand to lose

This is the Ho Rain Forest. It's part of the largest temperate rain forest in the world, which stretches up from northern California to the southern end of Alaska. Having moved here from the East Coast, I had never seen anything so awe-inspiring like this in my life. My girlfriend and I spent some time walking around part of the Ho Rain Forest last fall and it is humbling to say the least. If any of you are ever in the NorthWest for a period of time, I highly encourage you to vist this National Park. It's worth your time and energy, now more than ever.

See, I've spent the last few weeks fighting off the feeling of desperation. There are a lot of things I see wrong with the way we live our day to day lives. The products we purchase, the food we eat, how we get ourselves from place to place, how people interact with each other, or the growing lack there of. It seems as if we're intentionally working towards our own end. I am by no means perfect, so this is not me pointing fingers without pointing one inward as well. I try to do the best with what I have and work with the tools I'm afforded. And through it all, I have always been able to cling to the hope that we can and will turn things around. Collectively we'll work towards a common good. We'll consider the impact we have on the world, the people around us, and most importantly ourselves. Then the "oil spill" happened in the Gulf of Mexico. At first I didn't pay much attention to it because things like that happen from time to time. Not that I chose to ignore it, but I wasn't in a position to do much about it and while it would have a lasting effect, overall it'd get "cleaned up" and "taken care of." So here we are, almost 2 months later and the oil is still pumping into the Gulf with little to no signs of stopping and it just continues to grow. To put it in perspective, the spill would currently cover a large percentage of the state of Washington, the Ho Rain Forest included. How do we turn around from this? The hope that I cling to is quickly fading and I'm terrified. Will it stop? Even if they can get it to stop, what effect is this going to have on the oceans, let alone the rest of the planet? I can live as positive and least damaging a lifestyle as I want, but is it really going to matter? I know I can't change the way people live, but will others see that our never-ending demand for oil and getting what we want when we want it is part of the reason this happened? I'd be lying if I said I didn't believe this disaster is a direct result of our lifestyle. The cars we drive, this computer I'm using, the records we all know and love . . . all made with some sort of petroleum product. Could we live without all those things if we HAD to? What about the environment, can we live without that? Is the trade off worth it?

Again, I'm not trying to sit on my high horse looking down on how everyone else lives. I know I can be better, and I do legitimately try to make better choices every day. Choices that I hope will make it easier for others to live. But is it enough? I'd like to think it is, but as I said, for the last month I've had this overwhelming feeling that this is the beginning of worse things to come . . . I hope I'm wrong.

/apocalyptic live journal hippy rant.

"Live how you wish, just consider the impact."

- John
NSC

coming soon . . .

We've got a few things in the works blog-wise:

1. We'll be posting up the artwork for the cover of our upcoming 7" on React! It was done by a local tattoo artist, and more importantly friend, Shaun the African. We're very psyched.

2. I plan on posting lyrics for all the songs and talking about them each a little bit.

3. As you can see up at the top, we have a new header and separate pages. We'll be updating a discography page and a page with some personal info. Maybe more as time rolls on.

Thanks to those of you who pay attention to this.

Peace.
- NxS Crew '10

uppin' our blog game

Last night we played our first official Canadian show (the flier is a few posts below). It was a lot of fun and we appreciate everyone who check us out. Before the gig I was updating the blog for the store I work at and saw that blogger has lots of new features. So sometime this weekend this thing is going to get a serious over-haul. Stay tuned.

Listen to Master of Puppets!

- NxS CREW

have you seen my

Some dudes on the East Coast (namely Ev from Mindset, John from Give, and Stephen TFS) started a zine/blog called THINKING CAP. It's currently just interviews, I'm sure it'll be more over time. There are 2 issues posted so far, the first with Andy from Praise and the second with Packo from True Colors. Both interviews are great. If you're feeling savvy, you can download the issues and hand them out at local gigs. Pretty righteous. Make sure to check it out and spread the word.

Peace.

oh! canada.

We're playing in Vancouver in a week. Pretty killer line up. Our weekend with Police & Thieves is coming together too. We are doing a local show at the Black Lodge here in Seattle on June 25th, then playing with Envision and MourningsideAD on July 3rd at the Fusion Cafe. Sound & Fury is in July too. Kind of a busy summer. New 7" is almost done . . . honest. Peace!

- da' NxS Crew

who? where? why?

Rain Fest starts tomorrow around 5PM. Show up on time to catch all the bands. Our dudes in GBNF are playing early, so Bubs thinks. Also, Soul Control and Rotting out are playing on Friday, so it's sure to be a good time.

Currently, I'm sitting in my living room, in basset hound pajamas, listening to my new Jesus Jones LP. Yeah, my life is good. I'm awaiting the arrival of Chuck SS and Kelley Maria. Speaking of which Black SS plays on Saturday. You don't want to miss their set. It's sure to be a rager. Other bands to check out on Saturday; Like Wolves (our dudes from back home in NY), Keep It Clear, and Losing Skin. All great bands. Either way, I'm really excited for Chuck and Kelley to be here. They've never been to the NW and it's been 6 months since I've seen them and even then we didn't get to spend all that much time together. This week should be great.

We play on Sunday, along with Mindset, Terror, Power, and Another Breath. It's been quite a while since I've seen AB . . . looking forward to seeing them and hopefully picking up their new LP. Lastly there is a little after party gig going down at the Black Lodge in downtown Seattle after Saturday ends. It's gonna be late, but all Rain Fest attendee's get in for free. The line up consists of CYCLES, FOR THE REJECTS, and WYLD TIMES . . . these may or may not be fake names. We'll let you decide.

This has been kind of a random post, but what the hell. Listen to Jesus Jones, consider the impact of the giant fuck up that is the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and make sure to be nice to animals.

Peace.
xxx

- John
NSC

one step forward, two steps back

I wanted to post 2 pictures real quick.

The first one:
Today's Man with what has to be one of the most commanding mustaches I've ever seen.

The second one:

This is The Nugget. Those of you who knew Adam and I when we were in How We Are may have seen this van. It was our singer, Rory's van. You may also recognize it from recent Soul Control tours, as they adopted it when they adopted Rory.  I received this picture in a text this morning with the letters "RIP" . . . I spent about a year in this van on various trips after my van died in Western Maryland. I felt that a little tribute was due. When my van died on said HWA tour, it was a weird time cause I had spent so many hours and miles in it. Your van sort of becomes a part of you and a part of your band, especially when you've had one for as long as Rory had The Nugget. Those of you who have toured extensively and owned your own vans will know what I'm talking about. So this is for Rory and The Nugget!

RIP - NUGGET

Peace.

- NSC

keepin' it simple . . .

As mentioned, the following is the interview I did with Andy (aka: Today's Man) from Keep It Clear. For those not in the know, these dudes hail from Vancouver, BC and play straight forward hardcore, akin to Floorpunch, Ten Yard Fight, and Right Brigade. It's hard, fast and uncompromisingly straight edge! Now you know the fuckin' deal.

Obligatory first question, who is in Keep It Clear? I know you've got a slightly different line up now than when you started.

We've been through a few members but currently Keep it Clear is Dave on guitar, Aram on guitar, Motor on drums, Carl on bass and I yell into the mic and aim to entertain.

For those out there not familiar with "THE DEAL", could you elaborate a little more?

While it's also the same title as the Brotherhood song, "The Deal"- our deal, is that Keep It Clear is a straight edge band. We take this shit seriously in our approach.

KIC - Viaduct - RainFest '08

I've found as I've gotten older, straight edge actually has become more important to me. Has what straight edge means to you changed at all over time? Now versus when you first got into it, and if so, how?

Well I grew up in the suburbs on skateboarding and punk rock but didn't claim edge till I was 22 probably because I didn't get more into hardcore until I was about 19. I was a victim of the same peer pressures that most kids face. I started smoking cigarettes when I was 13 and didn't quit till I was about 21. I was smoking pot and drinking within my first week of high school and kept those activities up until I was 22. Prior to quitting smoking and drinking I discovered the Vancouver hardcore scene and was influenced by some of the postitive lifestyles I found in some people that i met. I was growing bored of getting drunk and high and a drug free life made so much sense to me. After waking up one morning after a night of heavy drinking I decided that enough was enough, and I decided I was going to quit alcohol and drugs for good. I haven't looked back since. I'm 29 now and coming up on 7 years edge in May. I honestly think its the best decision I've ever made in my life and I feel it only grows with age. I work in construction and there's not too many people I meet that don't drink but then again, outside of hardcore I meet even less people who don't drink. I've found usually people who are off the sauce are recovering alcoholics or religious. I am neither. It's such a social norm to drink, but I'd rather have a clear head 110 percent of the time. What straight edge means to me hasn't changed all that much over time because I made the choice at a mature age after I had experienced enough of life with drinking and drugs. I was at the point in my life where I needed the change and since then I feel like I've always been keen on the edge. If anything its the strongest it's ever been. I am a rock.

I know back when you were in Get The Most, you did a weekend with The First Step. Did anything bizarre or ghostly happen on that trip?

Hahaha. Well John, it is very eerie that you should ask about any bizarre or ghostly activity on that trip because I did indeed see a ghost driving a car in NYC in the early AM. You can ask Bubs, he's my witness. Everyone else was passed out in the van. Anyways, Get The Most was on our way to stay with a friend in Brooklyn and we had just finished playing in Connecticut. I think we had just dropped someone off at the airport and some of us were just delirious. I remember Aram calling our friend in Brooklyn to get directions but the directions must've been pretty shitty because we just kept circling the whole city for like 2 hours. I wasn't driving or too overly concerned about the matter as i was in a back seat enjoying some late night Kyle Deville comedy. If you know him than you know he is just hilarious. Anyways, I think Aram was getting pretty pissed off on the phone with our potential host for the bogus directions, but I just happened to gaze out the window and noticed a car driving beside us but NO ONE WAS DRIVING IT! I told Kyle and he saw it too. We couldn't believe our eyes. The Big Apple is a wild place!

The First Step/Get The Most East Coast Weekend

I think as hardcore ages, there are more people sticking with it further into adulthood. Hardcore and punk has always been a youth oriented style of music, but it seems now more than ever, not only are people sticking around longer, but not feeling as they don't have to compromise their beliefs because their in their late 20's/early 30's. At 29, do you ever feel that you're out of touch with what's going on currently or that it affects your work and social life negatively?

Good question, especially about hardcore affecting my work or social life negatively. I'll get to answering that after though. When youre talking about being out of touch with what's going on currently, are you talking about life outside of hardcore? I mean some of my friends are married, with kids, and have a mortgage or two. I guess I'm not there yet as I'm still collecting old hardcore tees and pre ordering records. still watching items on ebay, contemplating spending stupid amounts....but is this what youre talking about? or do you mean out of touch as far as hardcore goes, being an older dude? Cause I think I'm pretty on my game with new bands I'm into and what not.

As far as hardcore affecting my work or social life negatively, I think it has definitely affected my work life because I don't identify with a lot of people I work with. I mean, I get along with most people and am quite personable, but when it comes to topics like my own personal life choices such as straight edge or vegetarianism, i keep those things to myself. Based on past experience, it seems to me that in too many situations, people I know outside of hardcore get on the defense when they find out I don't drink, do drugs or eat meat. They may want to either debate it or make a joke out of it and try to make me feel like less of a human because they feel awkward that i live my a different way than they do. I don't give these people my time anymore. Some people just aren't worth it.

I was mainly speaking about within hardcore. More so, how being involved in a youth dominated culture affects your adult life too, if at all. Cause like myself, you're in a bizarre place. You're almost 30 years old and you probably don't identify with most norms who are 30, and yet, how much can you identify with the culture you're immersed in that is predominately 17-22 year olds.

I find that I can actually identify with both worlds in different ways. I feel responsible because I have a career, I am getting married this fall, and I have a bright future ahead. On the other hand I am still very much involved in hardcore with playing in bands, going to shows and hanging out with my friends. I can relate just as well to a lot of people my age as I can younger hardcore kids.

KIC - Gilman - React Showcase

What does KIC have planned for 2010? You've obviously got the straight edge on lock? I would like to think you're writing new songs, anything you're trying to tackle lyrically?

For 2010 Keep It Clear plans to record a new EP, songs which are written and we've started working on as a band. I'm really amped on the new songs. More short, fast and hard. You know you don't fuck with a good recipe. I've barely started with the lyrics and don't want to talk to much about topics I'm trying to tackle lyrically in case I change my mind and scrap the idea. I do however have some ideas in mind that I'd like to try out. It's just the whole lyrics process is something that takes a bit for me to really get into before I start producing material I'm happy with. As far as touring, we don't have a lot planned other than the REACT! Showcase but I'd like to do another west coast trip. We'll see.

Two records people would be surprised such a crucial edgeman as yourself gets down with on the reg?

Um. Besides hardcore and listening to top 40's pop stations in my car, one band I'm really into is the Byrds. Everybody knows the song Turn, Turn, Turn, but I checked them out beyond that song about a year ago when I picked up their 20 essential hits cd. I was first inspired to check them out because I'm also a fan of Ride, who's Carnival of Light record has a heavy sixties psych rock feel to it. I will also say that while Carnival of Light may not be as celebrated as Ride's earlier material, I think it's a great record and very underrated. Anyways, back to the Byrds. What else is there to say? I think they're great and I can see myself digging deeper into this genre/era. I also just realized that I already named two records. The Byrds, who may be unusual to some and Ride, who I feel is not that obscure among hardcore kids.

You're vegan correct? What's your main motivation to keep up with it and do you see a point where you'd no longer live that lifestyle?

Okay. I'm not vegan. I've been Vegetarian for about 8 years and Vegan on and off. I believe in being Vegan but am currently eating eggs and cheese. I know its bullshit and contradictory to my beliefs but this is where I'm at right now. I will likely go vegan again but I don't see a reason why I will ever feel the need to start eating meat again.

Honestly I see nothing bad about only being vegetarian. In fact, if you are healthy about it, it's probably better than being a junk food vegan. This is something I think about regularly and really take issue with. A lot of time I think peoples only criteria for what they eat is just that it doesn't have animal products, with no concern about all the horrible chemicals it does have. Do you think that veganism should be more about what you ARE eating rather than just what you're NOT eating?

Veganism should definitely be about what you are eating. Being vegan, you should not only be concerned with not consuming using animal products but you should also be concerned with the environment and especially your own health.  I know that when I was vegan I was a single dude living with other roommates who were dudes. Lets just say that there was a lot of veggie dogs, burgs, rice and pasta consumed. Of course I also ate fruit and some greens too. It was super easy to be vegan but really boring and not all that healthy at the same time. I didn't enjoy cooking or really care to try my hand at it, and I was feeling pretty weak and low energy so I started eating organic eggs and cheese. I've been vegetarian for over two years since then and I feel great health wise but I battle with conviction all the time. In my heart I know I should be vegan and I am striving to be a more righteous dude. I think another conscious vegan effort is due. This time around I'm going to be more concerned with overall health and well being as well as not consuming animal products.

KIC - Gilman - React Showcase

The React showcase came and went, it was a wild time, especially the drive down there and back. What were some of your highlights of the weekend?

Man, the React! Showcase weekend was so much fun. Not only was I in total vacation mode and chillin' hard in the Bay Area with friends both old and new, but the showcase itself exceeded all expectations. I wasn't sure how many people would show up because the bill was comprised of mainly youth crew type bands, but having 7 Seconds on the bill really helped the draw of people. When they played, Gilman was jam packed with punks, skins and core kids. Every single band that played killed it. I'm not just saying this. Anyone who attended the showcase will tell you the same. Mindset were Incredible. Definitely at the top of their game and one of the best bands going in hardcore right now. True Colors were one of the greatest live acts I've ever witnessed by a hardcore band. So much energy and crowd interaction plus their frontman had all the Cappo moves to boot. ON was great and surprised everyone with 3 consecutive Bad Brains covers. The place ignited more and more with every BB song they played and bodies were diving everywhere! They played Right Brigade and the place just exploded. I love being a part of hardcore with weekends like these. I got to hang out with the Common Cause dudes and talk about Oslo and places that I've been when I was there to visit several years back. I also enjoyed the van ride with all the top Seattle/Vancouver band dudes. It's always a great time when I can hang with and enjoy the comedy of my good friend Kyle Deville.

Final thoughts, words, ideas

The new Get the Most LP is really great, you can pick it up at Revhq or from React! Records. I play guitar in a new band called Narrow View, a New York Hardcore style band out of Vancouver, BC. You can hear most of the demo on our myspace. Demo tapes are at the plant and will be available really soon. Thanks a lot for the interview. It was pretty fun. Live the life that makes you happy.

look what we've been up to

It's been a minute since we've posted anything. We're going to have a Keep It Clear interview up soon. Just waiting on the last few questions to be answered. Stay tuned!

A little recap, we rolled down to the Bay Area to play the React Showcase a month ago now . . . doesn't seem that long ago . . . anyway, it was most of the Seattle/Vancouver bands along with Common Cause in two 15 passenger vans and one cargo van. We left around 9:45pm the night of the 8th. The ride down was wild, we listened to a fair amount of Bon Jovi, where Ace and Russel were truly amped. They're pretty reserved dudes, so to see them get ragin' like this was a sight. Met up with CC in Portland, OR where we hit up Voodoo Donuts. A good amount of sitting around waiting for the 3rd van to arrive so we could spread people out a bit more. The sitting arrangements weren't much better, so the next 3 hours were pretty uncomfortable. All in the name of a good time though, right? We did some rearranging somewhere in southern OR and I got to sleep on the floor between some bench seats. Seriously. Better than sitting upright.

Rolled into Redding CA around 9am. Some dudes hit up Denny's, others hit up Del Taco, the rest of us with a sense of rationale went to Jamba Juice. I got a pomegranate smoothie and some organic steal cut oats. Killer. I drove the rest of the way to the Bay area, where we arrived around 1:30pm. Not a bad drive overall. We kicked it at a hotel most of the crew was staying at until we went to Gilman. We arrived, ate pizza, put together records and box sets and just hung out. Show started on time, Damages opened and killed it, bands raged, tons of people showed up, and fun was had. The Not Sorry Crew met up with our friend Karen, went and got some burrito's, then went to sleep. We lucked out and got to stay either in beds or on couches. Not a bad deal. Day 2 started with a top notch breakfast at this place called Herbivore. Pretty earthy vibe which I dug. Good food, good coffee. Walked around a bit, met some dudes at the Ben Sherman store, bought some choice polo's, then headed to the gig. Secret People opened and were awesome. Total Minor Threat vibe. We played 2nd and got a great reaction. We were all psyched. The rest of the show went off like clock work. 7 Seconds got there early, hung out and watched all the bands. It was very legit. They got up on stage and had a blast. Sounded awesome and played everything you'd want to hear. It was a great ending to a great weekend. We went and got more burrito's and did more chillin'. Very cool and very sleepy.

We (read: my lady and I) lucked out and got to roll back to Seattle the next morning with Jim from ON and his lady friend. The rest of the bands packed up and drove back right after the gig. Harsh toke. We stayed with Karen again, then went and got breakfast. Just north of SF, we stopped at a Best Buy, bought some movies and a portable DVD player. We watched some movies on the way back, which allowed the time to pass pretty quickly. Made it home safely around 2am or so? Not a bad drive really and we got to return the DVD player the next day. Our plan worked perfectly. Best Buy didn't suspect a thing!

Overall, the showcase was a smashing success from my perspective. All the bands did great, the crowd was awesome and there was a true sense of community and sharing of ideas, as well as moshing and stage diving. A great mix of all of it. Really exemplified what hardcore could and should be like. I was glad we got to be a part of it. Here's hoping there will be a showcase in 2011.


Up next we're playing Rain Fest, Memorial Day weekend. Tons of great bands are playing. Black SS being the ONE band I'm most excited to see. Not much else is happening in June, then in July we have a show with Mourningside AD and Envision, Sound & Fury, then a weekend with Police & Thieves from DC.

Outside of shows, our record should be done soon. Will hopefully have all the vocals finished up by Rain Fest weekend. Fingers crossed.

Peace.
- NSC
XXX

ps: If anyone has pictures of us from the React Showcase, please contact us here: notsorryxxx@gmail.com. We're working on the layout for the new record and could use some new photos. Thanks.

hear me now

First up, the new Mindset joint "Time & Pressure" is tight as hell. Do yourselves a favor and pick it up. I'm sure most of you have already.

I've been recording vocals for our new record, "Our Choices" and they're coming along well. Two songs mostly done, doing a couple more on the 23rd. Should be good. Phil the Line is a marvelous human being and he's doing a bang up job. Big ups.

Next week, we have 2 gigs with Rotting Out from LA. Awesome band full of righteous dudes. Tuesday is in Tacoma at the Viaduct and Wednesday is in Bellingham at Jinx Art Space. Creatures, Ruckus and Expire are also with them. As well as White Wards, who's only playing the Tacoma gig.

Lastly, big thanks to everyone who bought shirts while we had them marked down. We made enough to cover most of our recording costs and get some new gear printed up for the Showcase. 1 new shirt, 1 reprint to come. Watch out.

Not much else to report. Life keeps rollin' on . . . try and keep up.

-NSC
xxx

ps: My dog rules!



pps: Pick up the new Common Cause LP and a copy of Effort Fanzine featuring yours truly over here. React! just keeps churning out the hits.

what i choose is my choice

Merch is still on sale for one more week. Check it out here.

We start tracking vocals this week at the Dangler.

Our tour with Black SS is no longer happening. They are still coming out to play Rain Fest, that in and of itself rules.

Our shows with Rotting Out are in 2 weeks. Show with Mindset and the Showcase in 3 weeks.

(artwork by evset. what a guy!)

Lots of things happening with the Not Sorry Crew.

React! Crew on top in 2010.

Stay tuned.

- NSC
XXX

on our way

Heads up!

We finished tracking all the songs for our new 7". Our man Jackson did a bang up job so far and we're real psyched with how everything sounds. We have to lay down vocals at the Dangler and then do some mixing and we'll be on our way. Gonna be a little bit still, but we're moving along. We took some pictures, but they're still on our camera's. Easy Rod, they're coming.

In other news, we got added to two shows at the Viaduct in Tacoma, WA. The first is on March 30th with Rotting Out and a bunch of other CA bands. The second is on April 30th with Ruiner and Gone But Not Forgotten. Both should be pretty bangin'.

Lastly, April 9th and 10th at Gilman in San Francisco we're playing the REACT! RECORDS Showcase. All the current React! bands are on the bill along with Punch, Nails, Secret People, True Colors . . . AND 7 SECONDS!!! Seriously it's a stellar line-up. Check out this poster:

So that's that for now. We'll have some pics and a Keep It Clear interview up soon.

Peace!
-NSC
XXX

everybody loves me but you

Yo!

Topics:
1. Played a grip of shows. Some fliers to prove it.
2. Recording. New jamz.
3. Some upcoming gigs, possible tour.
4. New interview getting posted soon(ish).

1. I had an update all typed up, but found it was far too long winded, so it got scrapped. We played some shows a few weeks back. Our first since we were out East in November. Here are some of the flyers.

Oct 31 @ W. Seattle Legion Hall

Forfeit it an awesome band from the East Coast that you should check out. Vacate and Sojourner are locals that were doing their thing. Both bands were pretty good. Outbreak was . . . well, Outbreak.

Feb 6 @ Casey's house in Bham

We also played Kyle's (from Get The Most) birthday soiree in Bellingham. Keep It Clear also did their thing. Both bands sounded great and the show was a smashing success. I celebrated Kyle's birthday 3 times that week . . . and he only turned 29. I better start warming up for his 30th . . . it's sure to be a total banger!

Oh yeah, the new Get The Most LP "Together" is seriously awesome. If you dig Insted, Uniform Choice, Gorilla Biscuits, and Get The Most, there is absolutely no reason for you not to dig it.

We also played a gig on February 10th with The Helm, Defeater and All Teeth at the Fusion Cafe in the Downtown YMCA. Mad heads rolled out. It was shocking. We were shocked. All Teeth was pretty decent. Defeater is not my thing. The Helm sounded huge and their new record is crushing. It's called HOME. Hex Records from Syracuse put it out. Vinyl's hip these days, pick it up. It's also on CD for those of you not into being retro.

Ok, moving on . . . (pun intended) . . .

2. Starting this Sunday, February 28th, we are headed to Two Sticks Studio's here in Seattle to start laying down tracks for our new 7". It's going to be titled OUR CHOICES. Really looking forward to getting this moving. 5 brand new songs, lyrically all dealing with . . . you guessed it, our choices and how they affect us. Should be good.

3. We have 2 shows on March 30th and March 31st with Rotting Out. We're playing Tacoma and Bellingham on those dates. April 7th we're giggin' with Mindset, True Colors, and Common Cause. April 9th and 10th, we play the React! Showcase and then come the first week of June, if everything goes according to play, we're doing a week long tour down the West Coast with BLACK SS! When I have a better idea of the routing, I'll post it and maybe some of you can help us. It'll be their first time leaving the East Coast, so we plan on showing them an awesome time. Knowing them is to know how utterly bizarre that tour is going to be . . . seriously, unreal. Like, the opposite of real.

4. Up next we'll have an interview with Canadian sheet metal worker, smelly soap connoisseur, and ultimate edgeman, Andy Patillo (aka Today's Man) from Keep It Clear. Stay tuned, that interview is shaping up to be pretty righteous.

This is me not being long winded? Yep.

- NOT SORRY CREW '10

ps: If anyone out there has any Juliana Hatfield records that you're looking to let loose, please get in touch. Thanks.