I do like that there isn’t pressure to come up with lyrics on the spot, as I would when playing in bands locally. I like to read about world events and how systems work, so the space lets my thoughts breathe and grasp of topics widen. I think my lyrical themes have been able to develop deeper, having creative isolation from everyone else. There have been times when every book I read lets me speak up about something different happening in the world.
Category: Punk
HEZ – BASTANTE MENTALES. PUNK DE PANAMÁ. <ESP>
Hoy día, solo tenemos dos personas para esta entrevista: yo (José, bajo) y Alex (guitarra). Nuestro vocalista, que empezó la banda, y el baterista fueron deportados al llegar de los Estados Unidos. Nunca hemos podido estar completos de la banda en una gira.
EXTA – CÁRCEL MENTAL // TRACK BY TRACK. CDMX PUNK <ENG>
Punk, I feel like it’s a more binary place, more for men. And I mean, it’s been a little difficult to take space in spaces that normally belong to men, right? I can tell you the truth is that they’re not willing to let go. So, obviously, if you as a dissident go out and challenge that and do whatever the f*ck you want, there will always be people who won’t agree. It’s a super stupid cultural thing. But that’s why we’re punk, because there are things to protest about and punk’s about speaking your mind.
EXTA – CÁRCEL MENTAL // PISTA POR PISTA. CDMX PUNK <ESP>
Tenemos una cancion que se llama Narcoestado, que habla de la violencia de crecer en Sinaloa. Yo soy Sinaloense y Sonorense, mi familia está distribuida por esos dos lugares de aquí de México, que son en el norte del país. Y ya sabrás todo el mundo que son lugares violento de donde era El Chapo. Cuando era chica crecí muchos años en el sexenio de Calderón, que fue súper violento, güey. Lo vi muchos cuerpos colgados, cabezas cercenadas, brazos, patas, así en el día a día.
INQIRAD – THERE’S NO GOOD KING.
In Arabic, we call the word resistance intifada. Punk is the essence of the word intifada. This is what the Arabs need – we need punk.
FUSION BABIES – SACRED ANGER.
From our performances, I hope people take away that it’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be sad. I hope people can think and rethink the things we need to do to make the world a better place for all of us
MAKING HARDCORE A THREAT AGAIN! UNTUK PALESTINA. <ENG + IND>
Just like Punk which was born from resistance, we feel it is important and necessary to “do something” about what is happening in Palestine. And this attitude of resistance is the spirit of punk itself.
ABYECTA <ENG>
The exercise of thinking and feeling from the individual to the collective is more important than ever. There is a lot of talk about individual empowerment, but how does that contribute to everyone else?… I say this because really, yes, I enjoy playing and traveling, but that doesn’t changes anyone’s life – the world is falling to pieces and the only thing that makes sense now more than ever is solidarity.
ABYECTA. <ESP>
El punk y las escenas funcionan distinto en todos los lugares del mundo, no? Y en Sudamérica funciona a de otra forma, el hazlo tú mismo funciona distinto a como funciona de Europa/Estados Unidos, porque obviamente hay más recursos. Uno en Chile, toca con lo que puede, toca con lo que hay. Y toca feliz igualmente.
ZANJEER زنجیر.
According to Europe, I’m a “person of color,” “Pakistani,” “Muslim,” “brown male” and various other identities that mean nothing to me. Meanwhile in Pakistan, I had other identities to contend with regarding the linguistic backgrounds in my family, the province I lived in, religious sects… But really, I could care less about these things. I’ve always identified as an outsider and an outcast. Thus every sort of identity feels like a burden on me. There are more fluid and interesting ways to understand the diversity of human cultures and groups that exist… Let’s deconstruct this sh*t.