Though It May Seem the World of Hardcore is Getting Nicer, Hoods is Just as Scary as Ever

I remember being at a Hoods show back in the ’90s, watching some unfortunate kid getting the shit kicked out of him. For some reason, I stood against the wall, laughing. The poor guy was really getting it bad—Doc Martens to the face and everything—and there I was, giggling like an idiot. That is, until a fist flew out of nowhere into my nose, snapping it clean in two. It must have been some sort of punk rock, karmic retribution. There was blood. Lots of blood. My white T-shirt turned crimson. Nobody came to my rescue. The show went on. I woke up the next morning, proudly sporting one of the most prolific black eyes I’d ever worn. I couldn’t breathe through my nose that had swelled up overnight three times its original size.

Those were the days. Hardcore isn’t like that anymore. Sure, there are some scary bands, but the live shows don’t seem to have as much rage. Maybe people aren’t as angry as they were 20 years ago. Back then, all we had was Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and dial-up Internet connections. We were pissed. The point is that Hoods is still a scary band, maybe even scarier now that singer/guitarist Mikey Hood started drinking and smoking a bunch of weed. In fact, the new album, Gato Negro (Spanish, I think, for “We’re old, but we’re still going to fuck you up”), is just as brutal as their debut Once Again and even heavier than the celebrated Victory Records release Pit Beast. Gato Negro teeters on the edge of metal and hardcore, but ends up somewhere along the lines of street punk. Songs like “Middle Class Wash Out” have just enough melody mixed with brutality to show listeners that these are musicians who know exactly how to make fucked up music that jumps out of nowhere, punches you in the face and breaks your nose when you least expect it. It’s the best kind of nostalgia.

I got a chance to talk with Hoods vocalist/guitarist Mikey Hood about his old venue Westcoast Worldwide, cutting hair, fighting, tours, and, of course, weed. Lots of weed.

Hey.
Sorry it took so long to call you back, but we got home and got stoned and I was like, “Shit, I know I’m supposed to do something very important.”

Ah, the fucking weed. So do you miss Westcoast Worldwide?
Yeah, of course. We’re looking at opening a new one probably next year some time. It’s going to follow suit with rehearsal studios and stuff like that. I definitely want to do a live venue, but I want to do it with four or five people as a collective. Doing it all alone drains you. It’s like having an extra job on top of what you already have to do in life to make it.

What have you been up to the last few years?
We’ve been touring still. It’s just we haven’t been touring in the States. To play locally, people in your hometown don’t appreciate you as much as they do in other spots because they have the opportunity to see you. So we stopped playing all the time and then it started creating normal draws again. We did Europe for almost a month and we flew to [Philadelphia] and did Tsunami Fest and that was pretty cool. We played with Cro-Mags, Sick of it All, Obituary, All Out War.

Was it pretty crazy?
I missed it. I had an allergy attack, but everybody else loved it. I could hear it from the van. I made our set and then nearly collapsed.

Are kids different now at shows?
Yeah. Somewhat. The older dudes are still kind of nutters, but the younger kids … it’s more like a popular thing to be into hardcore now, as opposed to something you have a passion for. It’s cool to act tough when you don’t have to even be tough. You can just be a nice dude.

I used to be scared going to hardcore shows.
Now it’s kind of like a bunch of clowns doing karate moves. It doesn’t seem like they really feel it anymore. It’s kind of good it’s not as violent, but at the same time it took a lot of the realness out of it, I guess.

How was Europe?
Really good. We did 22 shows pretty much in 22 days. We played Finland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Austria and we did a bunch of shows in France. The shows were really good, but the country’s a little bit suspect.

Really?
They’re fucking assholes. Fuck it.

Why do you say that?
I don’t know, man. The kids at the show are cool, but when you have to deal with somebody in public they’re fucking assholes. As you go southwest, like to Bordeaux, the people are really cool, but some of the people in Paris and Marseille, they’re just really arrogant, man. If you ask them something in French, they’ll just look at you like you’re fucking stupid. It’s like, “I’m going to slap your fucking face with a baguette. You’re lucky I’m an American because if we didn’t help you in World War II, you’d be speaking German.”

So have you chilled out on your fighting ways?
Man, I didn’t know I really did get in a lot of fights.

Really?!
I don’t know. I guess … I don’t know. Did I?

Maybe it’s just a Sacramento legend. Those legends don’t even have to be true.
Dude. The thing is I haven’t been in a fight since—shit, no, actually can’t say that, but I haven’t tried to get in any fights in years. I don’t think we really ever started fights. I guess I was a little aggressive, but when I needed to be.

When did you start smoking weed?
Check it out, when I was 35, I was going to go back to college and try to finish up my A.A. degree. My friend’s like, “You gotta get this Adderall shit.” And I tried that shit and took it for three days. That shit kept me up for a fucking week. I got a lot done. I cleaned the house at least five or six times a day. I changed the oil in my car and sent all my old postage out. So it wasn’t a total loss I guess.

Then you started smoking weed?
Oh, yeah. I smoked weed for about five years. It’s funny, because everybody who knows is like, “You fucking hate hippies.” But actually I’m kind of a hippie. The only difference is I take showers and go to work and shit.

Do you ever smoke weed and trip out on your straight edge tattoos?
Oh, dude, no way, man. Straight edge shit’s cool, man. That shit kept me out of jail. Actually, if I was smoking weed, I probably wouldn’t have gotten in as much trouble, but it wouldn’t have been as fun. Yeah, so fuck it.

How’s your barber shop going?
That shit is fun as fuck. I like going to work. It’s a good job, too. You don’t get bored, man. You get like at least five to 10 dudes a day coming through all with different stories. Your day changes drastically from haircut-to-haircut. Most people hate their jobs. I actually like mine.

Let’s talk about your new album.
You already got a copy?

Yeah.
I honestly haven’t even heard the final product yet. I’m hella excited.

Well, it’s good.
I like that song “Gato Negro.” It’s the one we’re going to do a video for.

It’s got a cool melody.
It’s more like street punk-ish.

You know when you hear a new hardcore record and you’re worried that it’s going to be all soft and boring?
Oh yeah, this one had a while to bake in the oven. I’ve been writing some of these songs since Pit Beast came out. I’ve had about six of these songs for two years, at least, and then I kind of just rewrote them. I wrote a couple songs on the spot. I wrote the “Gato Negro” song on a “verse/chorus/verse/chorus/done” and we did it the next day in the studio and it’s like my favorite song off it. Sorry, I’m stoned. I’m getting off track. I think people are going to like it. And if they don’t I don’t care because my cats will like it.

What’s your most fucked up show story?
The tour was called Street Brutality Tour. It was Hoods, Shattered Realm and Donnybrook. It’s kind of like if you picked out the more thuggish kids in hardcore and put them on tour, this would be it. It was L.A., Sacramento, New Jersey, New York—so we covered pretty much every region. It was fucked up. There was a lot of tension that tour. To say the least, some kid got killed when we played at Skrappy’s in Tucson, Arizona. That was the same period when Dimebag Darrell had gotten shot on stage. I lost some friends that year. That made me not want to play music any more because when motherfuckers are coming to shows with AK-47s, that tough guy shit’s out the window. That’s when it gets really real. I don’t know about you, but I got shit to lose and I’m not trying to fuck around with being on some crew shit. It was stupid then, and it’s even stupider now.

Tell me about your walks that you take.
You’ve seen The Evil Dead, right?

Yeah.
You know when he’s walking out of the forest at the end and the thing comes and kills him?

Yeah.
The death walk is like that, but in the motherfucking pitch darkness. We get hella stoned. We get zombie, Cheech and Chong stoned and then we go on the death walks. You got to walk through. It’s maybe a third of a mile. It’s like a trail. There’s raspberry bushes and all this overgrowth shit. You can hear noises. There are some transients that live in there. So we call it the death walk. It’s pretty cool.

That sounds horrible.
Oh no. It’s healthy. You burn calories when you’re scared.

Hoods’ Gato Negro will be released Nov. 25, 2014, via Artery Recordings. Five days later (Nov. 30, 2014), you can celebrate its release at Blue Lamp. The show gets underway at 7 p.m. Check out Bluelampsacramento.com for more info. Mikey’s shop, True Blue Barber and Shave Parlour, is located at 1422 28th Street in Sacramento. Stop by and say hello!

Havenside fights to project the right kind of image with its new album Nemesis

With a vision of creating a musical outfit, Havenside founder and vocalist Brandon Wells began the process of recruiting a group of musicians who shared the same desire of performing in a gritty hardcore metal band. In 2006, Havenside was born and began cutting its teeth with a full lineup intact. When asked about the inspiration for the name of the group, Wells mentioned, “I wanted a name that represented where the band was from. Before the band started, I was driving around one day and drove past Havenside Street in the Pocket area. I always liked the name and it stuck with me.”

Six years later the band remains in tact with a few lineup changes over the past few years. One thing crucial to Wells’ personal ethic is to let the music do the talking.

With two records already under its belt, the group has recently put out a third album, Nemesis. Released on prominent Sacramento-based hardcore metal label Westcoast Worldwide Records, the band drew inspiration by digging deep to describe pain, hatred and betrayal experienced in their lives. The rawness of Nemesis certainly speaks for itself. Songs such as “Dreamkiller” and “Vengeance” paint a graphic picture of how life can deal you a wicked hand and send a message that you must fight back at times in order to get what you want in this world. Guitarists Casey Mann and Nik Santos pump heavy down-tuned guitar riffs into the listeners’ dome, leaving your head banging on “Snake” and “Lowlife” while Wells’ mighty, aggressive vocals remain resonating in your mind.

Tour experience combined with sharing the stage with bands like Evergreen Terrace and Earth Crisis has most likely humbled the group, keeping its members focused on their goal of playing heavy music without compromising an ounce of intensity and aggression. Submerge sat down with Wells to discuss Havenside’s new album, trends in the hardcore music scene and finding a home at their record label.

What do you see as being some of the positive or negative trends in hardcore music today?
I’ve seen a lot of young kids thinking of hardcore as a trend. But in few places kids are getting back to the roots. Not worrying about the “image” as much as the music and brotherhood that is supposed to go with hardcore. Trends come and pass but it’s the true passion that some will stick with and always keep hardcore in their hearts. We hope that really stays around.

Where did you record the new album? Did the band try any new tricks in the studio this time around?
We recorded Nemesis at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with Zach Ohren. On this record we went for a deeper intense sound than the last record. With the rhythm guitar, we ran a [Peavey] 5150 II head through a Marshall cab and with the lead guitar we ran a 5150 II through a vintage 4-by-12 Fender cab. We tried different things with the drums as far as where the microphones were positioned. We ended up using Ohren’s crash ride because it just sounded better on the recordings than Jaramia’s [Bond]. On the bass we decided to run through a DI and mic’d up an 8-by-10 Ampeg as well trying a mix between live and digital sound for the low tones. On vocals I went for a deeper yelling vocal style, contrary to the last album, to express a more angry and powerful sound than before.

Have you found your permanent home at Westcoast Worldwide?
Yes. We love it here. It’s a family. We all work together. You look out for each other; it’s what the hardcore music scene is about. Mikey Hood [label founder] pushes us to be a better band every day. He believed in us when no one did. We can’t thank him enough.

How has it been working with a veteran like Hood?
Great. He has been a great friend as well. He has been there for us through thick and thin. Shown us the ropes. He has been through it all on the road. So having a guy like Mikey Hood to keep us on target is amazing. We owe much respect to him and Westcoast Worldwide.

Do you have upcoming tour plans?
As of right now, no. We are taking care of some things at home that need attention at the moment. But hope to get back out on the road soon.

What is the most exciting show you’ve played and why?
I would have to say Conducting from the Grave’s music video show last year. Some kids were crowd surfing and bouncing on their heads. It was a wall of intensity.

What is the craziest thing you’ve witnessed at a show?
Our friend Mike jumped off the stage at the Conducting from the Grave show last year and somehow broke his ankle. It was so bad that the bone was sticking out!

What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a Sacramento based hardcore band?
The advantage is having the privilege to be involved in the Sacramento music scene. Sacramento has always been great to us. We love it here. I believe anywhere you’re from there are disadvantages of being in a hardcore band, you just have to work hard, look past all the bullshit, be yourself and be respectful to the fact we are all here doing what we love. Music has a power like no other. Support each other. I love hardcore music. It has been there for me on my darkest days and will always be there for me no matter what.

What song on Nemesis do you personally connect with the most? Why?
I’d have to say “Anguish.” There was a time in my life when everything was falling apart for me. I was drinking a lot, didn’t care how I treated others, made some wrong choices back then that I regret. Every time I hear the song it tells me that’s behind me. That song means a lot to me.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the hardcore scene since Havenside began?
Well fewer kids are going to shows these days. Shows prices have become more expensive. I wish we had more $5 shows again. Venues have shut down left and right. So many bands are getting together and then breaking up six months down the road. There is a new band starting up every day in Sacramento that sounds exactly the same as the next band. All I have to say is do it for the love of music not to get popular at your school, or to look cool in front of your girlfriend. Find something else to do with your life if that’s the case. It’s making our scene look bad. Really take the time to make things work as a band first if this is what you want to do before playing shows.

Outside of music, what are your hobbies and influences?
I do Web design for bands/companies called BW Designs. I also do tattooing here and there. My mom is my biggest influence. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for her.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions or stereotypes of the style of music you play?
Hardcore kids wear camouflage shorts and people thinking hardcore music is all about starting fights at shows, being the tough guy and that the music is always negative.

Havenside’s Nemesis CD release show will take place at The Boardwalk in Orangevale on April 27, 2012. Also performing will be Hoods, Hammerfist, Maya Over Eyes and Your Own Destroyer. Tickets are $10 in advance and doors open at 7 p.m. If you’d like to purchase a digital copy of Nemesis, go to http://vibedeck.com/havenside/nemesis.

If there has ever been a show I’ve written about in the past that I thought was important and that I urged you to attend, it more than likely paled in comparison to this one. On Friday, Oct. 7 at Blue Lamp, there will be a benefit show for a young woman named Alicea Peet (Mikey Hood from the band HOODS’ lady), who recently suffered from a kidney failure and had to have a transplant. As you can imagine, the medical bills are insane, so the benefit show (which features some of Alicea’s favorite bands in Kill the Precedent, Black Mackerel, City of Vain and Muderlicious) is aimed to help take a chunk out of those bills, as well as to raise awareness of how important organ donors are. Doors open at 8 p.m., 21-and-over only and it’s $10 at the door.
There are also cool T-shirts available for $20 donations that say Peet’s name and the words “Love Life.” You can send donations via Paypal to Hoods916@hotmail.com. Include size, mailing address and mark the payment as a “gift,” but most of all, come to the show at Blue Lamp and support! You can also make a donation securely at Alicealoveslife.bbnow.org.