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| Donnybrook Interview w/ Still Believe 'zine (November) |
This interview was conducted by Jeff Leibbrand of Still Believe 'Zine with DONNYBROOK guitarist Martin Stewart...
Still Believe: Ok, so how is everything, man?
Martin: Everything’s great as far as the band goes. Things are rolling along really smooth.
SB: For those that don’t know, what does donnybrook mean?
Martin: "Donnybrook" is a word used in hockey to describe a huge fight where both teams benches clear and all the dudes are fighting on the ice at once. It originated from a town in Ireland known for this carnival where mass amounts of drunken riots would happen...but we don’t care about that, we’re not Irish.
SB: But you guys have been in other bands, right?
Martin: Me and my brother Dre have been in handful of Trash/Power Violence-type bands in our highschool days, but they always only got as far as playing sketchy neighborhood backyard parties. Me, Dre and our drummer Nick were also in a band called Hurricanrana which was infamous for trashing a few clubs, having mad fights during our sets and being banned from virtually every southern California venue. But enough about that. ‘Rana is dead...The Brook has slain that beast.
SB: You’re on 1917 records. Tell me about the label?
Martin: Definitely the dopest new label around. It was created by our good friend Sean Riley and one of our vocalists Bo Thomson. They’ve given us an unbelievable amount of support in such a short period of time and I see great things happening with this label in the future. They’re currently on the lookout for good new bands, so any bands interested should definitely drop them a line. Check out their website for info: www.1917records.com ...or just check it out for the hell of it to see what the labels up to. And that reminds me, we just got new label mates Life Or Death from Fallbrook, CA...we’re planning on taking over for real.
SB: Any future plans of working with other labels?
Martin: I would say we do have plans for that. We've talked to a couple of really good labels already, and 1917 fully backs us moving on to a bigger label. You know, whatever’s the best thing for the band.
SB: The meaning of the title of your CD is pretty self explanatory, but in your words can you tell me about it?
Martin: "There’s No Love for the Insincere" is just a personal opinion of ours that attacks greedy hardcore bands that are doing anything they can just to make some heartless cash. Every band is entitled to their own and we fully understand that money is necessary to keep a band going, but I just have no love for those that put forth an effort to make themselves fit into the mainstream and drop all their previous ideals to move on to "bigger and better" things. It’s not saying that any band making some cash doing what they do is insincere, I just feel that if you’re gonna change your sound based solely on the fact of reaching the mainstream and completely drop all your concerns for hardcore, then you should stay out there in the outside world and not come around here dragging your watered-down version of hardcore with you.
SB: Since you guys play real hardcore, tough old school style, how do you feel about the "big comeback" of the aforementioned style?
Martin: It’s like this: I’ve been hearing that a lot from people these days but I really can’t see the logic in it. We just play hardcore as we’ve known it for so many years now, and hardcore as we know it has never gone anywhere. To call it a "comeback" would be to say that at some point it had faded away, but that never has and never will happen.
SB: You know? Like kids that were doing their hair and wearing tight shit are like now wearing jerseys and camos. Weird huh?
Martin: If what you’re wearing to a show is your top priority, then in my opinion you don’t belong here. Wear what you will, although dudes in women’s clothing is pretty fucking weird, just don’t burden the rest of us with your shallow minds.
SB: I’ve seen you guys play a few times. There is a huge amount of support out here for you guys. Are you at all surprised about how much kids have been going off?
Martin: To see large amounts of people receive what you’ve created in such a positive way is more than incredible. But I have to admit that when we finished our first demo and I took the first listen, I though to myself, "man, if anyone has the same taste in music as I do, then they’re really gonna dig this shit."
SB: What was the funnest show so far?
Martin: Definitely our first show. All the pressure of having to live up to all the hype I had created about the band and then noticing that we were actually pulling it off was awesome.
SB: So are you guys planning on doing any shows out of California?
Martin: Most def. We hope to be touring by at least next summer.
SB: What about a full length? When?
Martin: A full length will hopefully be coming next year sometime if all is still going well. We got new songs ready for one, it’s just a matter of means to get them recorded.
SB: If you could play with any bands, past or present, who would it be?
Martin: Well for me personally...a band from the past I would have to choose Warzone. A band from the present I would go with Madball. And on the in between tip, I’d choose Merauder, 'cause I’m not really sure if they no longer exist or they’re still doing it.
SB: Alright. I’m going to wrap this up I guess, so last question. What do you want kids overseas to know about the band?
Martin: We’re a hardcore band playing hardcore music for hardcore kids...plain and simple. Pick up the EP and give us a listen. Check out our site: www.thabrookfamily.com and of course our labels site once again: www.1917records.com.
SB: Thanks a lot Martin.
Martin: Word. Thanks a lot man. Shouts go out to my entire D.F.T. brigade.
To set up an interview with any 1917 band, please contact us at riley@1917records.com.
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