Adaje || Harrowing Sounds from the Ravine
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Adaje || Harrowing Sounds from the Ravine
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INTERVIEW: Lizards Have Personalities
Adding to our impressive array of interviewees, I was lucky enough to interview Andrew of the great ‘Lizards Have Personalities’. Discussing some cool news from the LP along with the addition of John Crogan (of Age Sixteen), and some other fun and tantalizing topics. It is one righteous interview. Check it out by clicking READ MORE.
Real Screamo: To start things off, how did the legend of ‘Lizards Have Personalities’ begin?
Andrew: Paul and I had gotten assigned to be roommates randomly in the college dorms while attending the University of Kansas. We didn’t really talk for the first month or so, I think. One day I heard him listening to some awesome screamo music (I think it was the Thursday / Envy Split?). After that we realized that we both liked a lot of the same music, so we decided to start Lizards. Shortly after, I wrote In All Honesty. We recorded it with my friend Kerry and, since we didn’t have a drummer, we programmed most of them (that’s why they sound kinda funky). Our friend Joel joined our band after that and played drums / co-wrote some for Snows of Kilimanjaro and all the material up to the Adaje split. Unfortunately, he had to move away for graduate school after our 2011 tour. We picked up our friend Patrick, who played drums for us on the Adaje split, but he had to quit after because of time issues and other commitments. Since we have mega back drummer luck, I just played drums on the Real Screamo comp song.
RS: How did you settle on the name Lizards Have Personalities? Did you have any other ideas on names at the time?
A: When we were looking for a name we wanted something unique and memorable. After a lot of bad ideas, we were inspired by a scientific article published entitled “Social Personalities Influence Natal Dispersal in a Lizard.” The paper is one of many articles that hypothesizes that ‘human’ personalities are also characteristic of animal behavior. Although a lot of people think the name is ridiculous, we think it fits us a lot.
RS: Your music includes a snazzy blend of post-rock and screamo. Who were some of the influences that helped you create such music?
A: I listen to a huge variety of music. I think LHP is kind of a genre fuck because of that. But I’d say bands like Suis La Lune, The Fall of Boss Koala, If These Trees Could Talk, Sed Non Satiata, The Kodan Armada, and Tristan Tzara mostly influence my guitar style for LHP. For any musicians, LHPs discography has been entirely written in Drop D guitar tuning (DADGBE). I use a carbon copy analog delay pedal, which I have grown to adore greatly!
RS: In the 3-4 years LHP has been active, what has been the highlight of the band’s existence?
A: I’d definitely have to say all the amazing bands we’ve gotten a chance to play with. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are: Adaje, Calculator, Crime In Stereo, Hostage Calm, La Dispute, Pianos Become The Teeth, Burn Idols, Prawn, Guidelines, Old Gray, Orion Pax, For Want Of, Perfect Future, Sleep Bellum Sonno, Warren Franklin, Dowsing, Droughts, My Fictions, Featherweight, Zona Mexicana, Ape Up!, Empty Houses, Footnotes, Close to Me, Duck, Little Brother Duck!, Living & Wrestling, We Were Skeletons, Innards, мища, Cloud Mouth, and Diving…plus a lot of rad local bands!
RS: According to your Facebook, it says the band is stationed in Lawrence, Kansas. For those not too familiar with the area, what is the music scene like there?
A: I live in Lawrence, KS and Paul lives in Lexena, KS (close to Kansas City). There is a house in Lawrence called the Overlook. Nick and the rest of the crew have done an amazing job at making DIY punk accessible for the Lawrence community. The Kansas City scene was once thriving, but has taken a huge blow due to the demise of suitable places to have shows. I try to stay involved in the scene as much as possible, but it’s really hard to LHP to be a part of it since we haven’t had a drummer in so long.
RS: There are times where you incorporate the French language into some of your songs like ‘C’était hier l’été … voici l’automne’ and ‘Je suis fait d’ombre et de marbre’. Not too common with American bands, what made you write songs entirely in French?
A: I took French language when I was in high school. When I graduated, I lived in France (specifically, Paris / Lyon / Saint-Étienne) for a couple of months on a study abroad program. Put together with the fact that some of my favorite bands are screamo influenced (Sed Non Satiata, Daïtro, The Third Memory, etc), it made sense to try to compose some music in another language. Joel is also a francophone and he helped me a lot with the grammar to those songs.
RS: Recently, you announced that John Crogan of Age Sixteen fame would be drumming for your upcoming full length. How did this arrangement happen?
A: Dude, you have no idea how stoked I am for this. John is one of my favorite people. I originally met John when he joined Perfect Future (who probably just released the album of the year, “Old Wounds: Warmth in the Winter of 1914-1915 “, on Count Your Lucky Stars / Adagio830). I totally was a total fanboy that night. Anyway, since we don’t currently have a drummer, I thought it’d make sense for us to collaborate and see what happens! We’re lucky that he was happy to contribute.
RS: What else can you tell us about the future of LHP and the upcoming LP?
A: I’m not too certain on the future of LHP right now. That will have to play itself out, I think. But I can tell you a little about the new LP for sure. I’m really excited because this will be our first full length. The artwork is being design by Dominic from CleanDemon. The front cover is finished and you can see it here:
I’m about 90% done writing the album currently (mostly just lyrics remain). There are 10 songs but solid no tracklisting yet. As per LHP, the last song is a 14 minute epic. The rest of the tracks are a mix of chaotic and post-rocky jams with some emo love in the middle. I hope everyone will love the direction of our sound. When I wrote the album, I listened to a lot of Suis La Lune, Envy and La Quiete, to give you an idea. I hope to feature some guest vocals on the record too, but those details are still being worked out. I’m not sure about the physical release. We want to release it on vinyl obviously, but we need to find some labels that are interested!
RS: When you’re taking a break from ‘skramz’, you have a side project called ‘Emo Side Project’. How did that project come to be?
A: ESP has been around since ~2002, while LHP has been around since ~2009. I started ESP as an outlet to do whatever I wanted musically and it still serves that purpose today. Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time on ESP musically. I just released two splits: a 7” with Joie de Vivre and The Please & Thank Yous (help put out by It’s a Trap! / Carucage) and a CD with Little Kingdoms. I’m really stoked on these and you should go download them for free if you like twinkly jams. I’m almost done writing a new LP for it as well. I am insanely stoked that Keith from Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) will be playing drums on that record! ESP is a completely different beast lyrically and musically than LHP. I use a lot of different guitar tunings and such, so it’s good to have two contrasting musical projects to keep things challenging.
RS: And when you’re taking a break from ‘emo stuff’, you also have a record label called ‘Sea of Tranquility Records’. What made you start the label?
A: I was inspired by some of my friends who have labels (Keith from Count Your Lucky Stars, Bobby from The Ghost Is Clear, Brendan from Live Together Die Alone). I started with releasing the epic Lizards Have Personalities / Caitlyn Bailey / Viceversa / Orion Pax split on CD. After that, I think it became an addiction, which was bad news for my wallet. So far, some noteable releases are: Foxmoulder – Hindsight on CS (Matt from A Mountain Far’s band),What About Your Friends (A Tigers Jaw Cover Comp), Slurred Speech / Twin Cyclist Split, and the new Perfect Future 12”. In the future, I’m releasing a 7” for Old Gray!
RS: Awhile ago, you posted a video called ‘My Top 22 Screamo Moments’, featuring an impressive array of bands like The Hope and The Failure all the way to Last Days of a Kamikaze. When and how did you start getting into screamo music?
A: I don’t really remember exactly when I started listening to screamo. I started getting into most of the “big name” bands around 2005ish, I think. I think the band that bridged the gap between emo and screamo for me was I Hate Myself, and of course Saetia. It wasn’t until around late 2008 that I really started listening to that type of music daily and getting into more “obscure” bands. There are so many bands that come into and out of the scene all the time, so you really have to work to stay on top of things. In addition, a lot of the music is pretty hard to find. It’s getting a lot worse with the demise of file-sharing platforms too. But the music scene is general is alive and fucking well right now.
RS: In a previous interview (done by a different blog), you said one of your hobbies is that you collect records. Do you have a record in your collection that you would consider your ‘pride and joy’?
A: My favorite screamo records that I own are: Daïtro / Sed Non Satiata split 12”, Sunny Day Real Estate – Diary 12”, and Cocteau Twins – Treasure 12”, and Portraits of Past – Self-Titled 12”. If anyone is interested in checking out my collection (small but growing), it’s catalogued right here: http://www.discogs.com/collection?user=fadingthekisses
RS: Would you rather live in the world of Dragon Ball as a Saiyan or begin your journey as a Pokémon master in the Pokémon world?
A: Because he died for us and resurrected to save us… WE LOVE YOU GOKU.
~I also wanted to take the time to thank you / Real Screamo for taking the time to think up these questions, for putting together a really awesome compilation and letting us be a part of it, and helping spread the word of punk music. <33
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Lizards Have Personalities || The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Lizards Have Personalities || The Death of Ivan Ilyich
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We Had A Deal "Dialectics" LP out now!
Hi!
We got the copies from the first label’s release, the new We Had A Deal’s Lp, a four-piece whatevercore-band from Germany that combines Hardcore, 90ies Screamo and a bit Punk. White vinyl in hand-screened jacket with a 12-pages booklet.
Listen/Download:walkingisstillhonestdiy.bandcamp.com
Orders (9 € + shipping): walkingisstillhonestrecords.bigcartel.com
for more info check: walkingstillhonest.blogspot.com
Distros/labels get in touch for wholesale or trades!Walking is still honest records
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RELEASES: Heart On My Sleeve - Stand-By, We Are Going In For Life
Stockholm based screamo quintet Heart on My Sleeve is only a year and a half old but things are already starting to move. The band features members from former acts such as The Hope and the Failure and Followed by 37 Seconds of Happiness. With their emotional lyrics and melodic yet classic screamo sound it didn’t take long before they created a buzz in the screamo community and gained a true hardcore fan base with dedicated followers from all over the world.
The female fronted band began their journey in late 2010 and has since recorded two four song digital EP´s and one digital split with the Russian post-hardcore project состояние птиц.
Heart On My Sleeve is characterized by its melodic structure, epic harmonies and emotive screams. Be sure to keep a look out for future releases as the band is in process of putting out freshly recorded material.
Remember these guys/girl from the second compilation? Well they have finally put out some new material, self-releasing their newest 10” ‘Stand-By, We Are Going In For Life’. For fans of: The Hope and the Failure, Ravachol, Mahria, Lord Snow.
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iseliaband: Pre-orders for our 12” split with Foxes will start...
Pre-orders for our 12” split with Foxes will start on August 13th through Dog Knights Productions! If you would like to review the split or do any interviews with us or Foxes, be sure to e-mail us!
Iselia: Sibooking@yahoo.com
Foxes: foxesperth@gmail.com
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thingsfallapartohio: 08.17 - Huntington, WV - The Elimination...
08.17 - Huntington, WV - The Elimination Chamber [event]
08.18 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Mr. Roboto Project [event]
08.19 - Sanborn, NY - Walmore Inn [event]
08.20 - Medway, MA - VFW [event]
08.21 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Artspace Gallery [event]
08.22 - Allentown, PA - House Show [event]
08.24 - Richmond, VA - TBA - help?
08.25 - Greenville, NC - The Pool House [event]
08.26 - Myrtle Beach, SC - TBA
08.27 - Social Circle, GA - House Show [event]
08.28 - Knoxville, TN - The Longbranch Saloon [event]
08.29 - Bowling Green, KY - House Show [event]
08.30 - Columbus, OH - 15th Haus [event]
08.31 - Kalamazoo, MI - Wayne Manor [event]
09.01 - Lansing, MI - TBACome out and support working class emo! and if you want to keep updated on TBA dates just attend the tour event.
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Would you consider posting a side project of a band who was on one of your comps?
Sure man! As long it has something to do with ‘screamo’.
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Not Ok. || Far From Okay
Not Ok. || Far From Okay
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interskramz: http://interskramzrecords.storenvy.com/products/487...
http://interskramzrecords.storenvy.com/products/487838-interskramz-skramz-wars-t-shirt
Shirts now ready for pre-order
they’re more expensive than our other shirts, unfortunately, but it’s the price we have to pay for awesomeness and badassery
I designed this. Pre-order and embrace the force because there is no happy here.
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The Pessimist Hangs the...
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are you in a band? If so, when do we get to hear? Will it be on another compilation? Will it get it's own compilation?
I’m in a band, but we don’t have anything recorded. Still writing and trying to find a good name.
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Shizune || Days of Væstena
Shizune || Days of Væstena
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I Spoke || Is Dead
I Spoke || Is Dead
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The Third Memory || Il A Fallu Ne Rien Dire
The Third Memory || Il A Fallu Ne Rien Dire
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DOWNLOADZZZZ
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statefaults: Hitting the road Sept. 21st-Oct 5th! if you live...
Hitting the road Sept. 21st-Oct 5th! if you live in Southern California, New Mexico, Arizona, or Salt Lake City hit us up! Looking for some tour help! Shoot us an email at statefaults@gmail.com! Please and thank you, we love you folks!
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Circle Takes the Square || Same Shade As Concrete
Circle Takes the Square || Same Shade As Concrete
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Sed Non Satiata || Des Ruines
Sed Non Satiata || Des Ruines
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interskramz: The album that started it all, interskramz Volume...
The album that started it all, interskramz Volume 1
I put this album together half as a joke, all bands that friends of mine that I had met through a screamo group on facebook were in, or projects that they had.
A few months later, I decided to do Volume 2, which then resulted in starting this label, and then it just kind of grew quickly from that, to my complete surprise
Check it out, listen to some cool bands, and support them, maybe like them on facebook or something
Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement and kind words so far, we’ve been able to do some cool things and work with some amazing bands with some really rad people in them and we’ve met plenty of cool labels and fans, and I’m glad that I decided to do this, and I want to continue to
Keep on the look out for new cassettes and hopefully soon, some vinyl releases
/end sappy rant post
-Dandy
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