TxYxS Interview: Death Before Dishonor

This interview was carried out during the Unlieashed Hell inFest that took place on the 21st of April 2012. Check it out! Next up we got an interview with none other than Terror's Scott Vogel! Thanks to Nick for doing the interview, thanks to Bridge 9 Records for setting it up and of course thanks to Hard Times and Playfalse who did the show! Photos taken at the show.

Interview with Bryan Harris

T.Y.S.: Death Before Dishonor are well known for touring a lot and giving hundreds of shows every year, probably way more that the average hardcore band. Tell us something about this choice of yours.

B.H.: I always thought that it’s important to go out and play as much as you can. Play for as many people as you can. I think that this is one of the most important things of being a hardcore band. We’ve a got a lot of opportunities to play in many different places and it’s good time being on the road so that’s mainly why.

T.Y.S.: So I guess you prefer being on a tour than being in the studio and recording.

B.H.: For me, I definitely prefer being on the road than in the studio but we have to go back to the studio soon.

T.Y.S.: You usually release an album every couple of years but this time you haven’t released anything since 2009, and that’s 3 years already. What’s the main reason for that?

B.H.: Part of it is touring part of it are some line-up changes. Frankie, our original guitar player/bass player, who does a lot of writing he can’t tour anymore, he has a baby now. He is of course still part of the band he still writes with us. So it’s between these two things. Actually, I believe we didn’t even tour a lot last year as we usually do but here are a lot of things that we have been busy with. We’ve got some new songs that we’ve been working and after this tour we will definitely gonna focus on getting a record done. Hopefully we‘ll have it done by the end of this year or at the beginning of 2013.

T.Y.S.: Did those lineup changes, which you just mentioned, had a negative impact on the band?

B.H.: No, not really. I mean, Frankie wrote most of the stuff like forever you know. He did a lot of music, even a bunch of lyrics. I and he always work together. There have been other band members that did some writings but not that much to make a difference. B-Roll has stopped touring, he has some family issues but he still plays with us also I think he's gonna even come to Mexico to play with us. It's kind of weird but I think that the current line-up sounds great. I get along with everybody and I'm absolutely happy with the guys.

T.Y.S.: You’ve been a part of the hardcore scene with DB4D at least, for more than 10 years already. What do you believe has changed since back then to the scene and how do you think that these changes have influenced DB4D.

B.H.: Though we are a band for so many years we have been actually started touring not before 2005. Things has certainly change a lot and you know you can start thinking what‘s better and what’s worst. I think there are a lot more bands right now and it’s easier for them to go on tour. On the past you had to put something out and work harder in order to do that. Now is a lot easier. Anyway good bands will remain,  bad bands won’t. Things change and we try to take the good stuff and do our best.

T.Y.S.: What does hardcore music means to you? Is this all about having some values and a particular attitude?

B.H.: I think it’s just all about how you live your life. It’s hard to put it on words. For me, you know it’s not just the sound or being D.I.Y. or things like that. It’s just the way of life. Some people get it, some don’t, and some people think they got it but then they realize that this thing is not really the thing for them. For me it’s just the way I live my life. If I could put it in words I would say that it’s about being yourself whatever it is.

T.Y.S.: Illegal downloading and music industry. What’s your opinion about it?

B.H.: I mean it obviously sucks. I do it myself sometimes so I guess I’m also guilty. It definitely sucks for bands that work hard. You know some people say that they’re not gonna buy a CD which has been released from a specific label and they might be right sometimes because some labels really charge a lot. But you know, the CD’s we had on tour it was always to help us on tour. If you download it I guess it does screw the band ultimately. And especially hardcore bands. I’m not talking about mainstream bands, that‘s a whole different world. I mean when you take it from a hardcore band it’s a little more personal. We’re supposed to be there for each other.

 

T.Y.S.: What’s your opinion about some bands that upload their albums for free in the internet?

B.H.: That’s cool too. You know, some bands they upload their music for free but they also put out a vinyl and that’s also nice cause vinyl has been a big part of hardcore for many years. I would also be okay doing that, thought that is really up to Bridge9 and we are really happy with them, they really help us a lot. But if for example they were suggesting putting our next album in the web I would be ok with that. Bridge9 has also done really cool stuff on the past, like if you buy the vinyl then you get an access for a free download. And that’s nice cause when you get the vinyl you also get the lyrics and then you also have the mp3 version to put it on your mp3 player. Whatever works for the band, you know.

T.Y.S.: Do you have a weird story that you want to share with us from one of your shows. I guess you’ll have a lot but just try to remember a good one.

B.H.: One time we were about to play at a club, the things were set up, the first band was playing and then the club just burnt down! The whole place was on fire! We had to literally go in and take all of our stuff out while the whole place was on fire. We had to wait like four hours and finally we played a basement show at around 2.00 a.m.

T.Y.S.: Do you believe that the reason that you have a hardcore band is connected to the fact that you come from a place with a huge tradition in hardcore music?

B.H.: Of course it was cool to grow up at a place like Boston and you know all the cool shows I got to see there and all this mix of hardcore, punk-rock and OI music might have affected me in a way. But I certainly believe that I would still be the same person no matter what and I would still have a hardcore band. I don’t even think that the way that DBD sound is really a Boston sound.

T.Y.S.: Tell us something about the bands that you are on tour with this period. I am of course talking about Terror and Take Offense.

B.H.: We toured with Terror a bunch of times before. We are very good friends and it’s really awesome. Take Offense, I just‘ve met them on this tour and they are also great. It really gets along. This tour is just great; we have all become good friends so that makes it easier.

T.Y.S.: Do you want to send a message to your Greek Fans and to the readers of T. Y. S?

B.H.: It’s cool to be here again. Last time we played here it was awesome. We had a really great show. I am really happy to be here again and I am really looking forward to our show tonight.