ARM'S REACH This interview was done with my friend and Arms Reach guitarist Christy-Wayne Tait via the services of Australia Post and made it back juuuust in time to be in this issue. If you don't know who Arms Reach are by now, you must have had your head in the sand for the last coupla years. I'd say they'd have to be the most vital, energetic and powerful hardcore band in Australia today. I wish someone would do a split 7" with them and Toe To Toe… aaaaaaww yeah. Here is a little question and answer session for your perusal… So Christy, Arms Reach huh? Hows it all going?
It's going swell actually Douglas. Um, what do you want to know? We've written 7 new songs which we recently recorded for a Scalplock split 7". Scalplock are a brutal UK band and we're doing an 8 song split 7" on Short Fuse records. Should be out soon I guess. We've been playing a fair bit in Newie and Sydney and soon Canberra and Melbourne for New Years. Jamming heaps and having a ball.
What are your thoughts on the FD split?
I like it heaps. It's sort of like a collectors item cause FD are no longer and that era of AR has past too. A little piece of h/c history captured on vinyl. It's weird listening to the AR songs cause they're old and we sound nothing like that now. It's good to have that recorded though.
When do you reckon the 7" will come out, and what does it sound like?
The 7" is out baby! It's 8 songs and it sounds like an old punk record. I don't listen to it much cause I'm sick of the songs a bit. I wasn't happy with the guitar sound, it's a long story but Amy's axe was fucked with and it wasn't at it's best the day we recorded. Some will love it, some won't.
You used to have meaty, chunky, slowed down, ferk shit up mosh parts, now it’s all brutalfast. What’s the story there?
It's not all brutal fast; we still love our meaty chunks despite most of us being vegetarians. The new songs are all different styles and you can ferk shit up whenever you want to. Don't wait till someone says "bust it up" just go crazy any way you know how.
Can you fill us in on the song dead men dogs don’t rape (shoot is that what its called? It’s been so long since I seen you guys now…). Is this a ‘justifiable violence’ type song?
Sick Dogs Get Put Down is a song that basically reflects our collective opinion that the justice system is useless in preventing crime and rehabilitating criminals. Luke wrote it so I wont speak for him but the song isn't about killing rapists, it's more an outlet for anger and a "fuck you" to people who sympathise with rapists or any other person that inflicts suffering on innocent people eg. Paedophiles etc. I guess you know what I mean as it has the same sentiment as "Rockspider" did. I'm sure you heard a lot of "Child molesters are just victims themselves". I don't accept this as a reason for ruining a life. I guess that song is important for us because of having 2 female members in the band and the odds of women getting raped is something like 1 in 4. It's a protest song.
Do you find it different writing songs without Ben Hard around? Like writing singular vocal parts? Are you still in contact with Ben?
It's not really different writing songs without Ben, it's easier if anything cause you don't have to imagine the song with 2 vocal parts. We haven't changed the way we write songs but now I guess it's easier for Luke to just put some words over the top. We are still friends with Ben Hard although it's hard to see him cause of his rigorous training schedule. He is an outstanding sportsman and shelf packer at Bi-Lo. Oh yeah, he has sexy smooth triathlete legs now.
The new Ben seems like he has fitted in well with the band. How has his contributions changed the bands sound eg writing songs or playing style.
Ben Bass of Death is a treasured member of Arms Reach as his bass playing ability puts us all to shame. He has an awesome beefy bass sound which I love, and his style is sorta technical but relaxed. He just chucks stuff in that sounds mad. He makes us jam hard too, so that's good.
Got any plans for any cool shows coming up soon, like travelling and shit. There was talk of going to New Zealand at some stage…
Shows coming up- Punks Picnic, Balance and DSM shows in Newie and ACT which will be rad, a big Resist show with all the Resist bands and then Melbourne at New Years. We'd planned to go to NZ in January but Balance are breaking up and we wanted to play with them. I'd still like to go but we'll see what happens. My dream is to go to the UK and play with Scalplock, Knuckledust and the Voorhees. In my dreams anything is possible…
What is it with this Newcastle, Wollongong, Sydney trinity? What is your favourite town to play in?
My favourite town to play in is Newcastle fool! Hometown shows go off harder than anywhere in NSW. Blackbox and Hunter on Hunter shows are the life's blood of the Newcastle hardcore scene! We haven't played in the Gong for ages for an unknown reason and Sydney we are fond of cause we get to hang out with all our friends.
What records have you been getting into lately… hc and otherwise?
25 ta Life "Strength Through Unity" – oh my god this rocks my world! Cheesy metal licks and cornball lyrics about unity! What more could one ask for?! Also Left For Dead and Bleeding face – anything raucous. Other than hardcore, Video Smash hits rocks the nation. My favourite pop tunes are by Five, Backstreet Boys and S.O.A.P.
Can you give us your current rundown on the state of affairs on hardcore bands in Australia today?
From my observations things are looking pretty good. There are some new bands on the rise like AVO, Newcastle cheeze units Personal Choice and Straight Forward, Sydney's own Regular Boys Haircut who will be a mad band when James learns how to play the guitar. Looking forward to seeing Age of Distrust and One Step Ahead and The Blurters and if Bleeding Face get a permanent drummer they will be a legendary band. Um, what else? All the established bands are doing a really good job especially Mugshot, my favourites at the moment. I was also fully impressed with the Melbourne lads when they came up – Next Step, Open Wound and Stamanech 640. Aussie hardcore – on the rise!
Anything perceptive and insightful that you wanna add that my probing questions have missed?
Thanks for the interest Doug. As for adding anything it is best to say nothing than to open your mouth and reveal yourself for the fool you are. Don't turn h/c into a battleground of petty words and actions. If you thought the hardcore scene was a threat to society, think again! Don't make me laugh. The only way to change mainstream society is to be part of it and change it from the inside.
One more thing, be suspicious of Pizza Hut vegetarian pizzas. Watchout for those grey meat grissle balls!