Got-A-Nerve?

04/05/2010 | Have you guys ever heard of Nardcore sound? No? Actually, I haven’t too! (but maybe the older readers may know what I’m talking about). Nahh…it’s nothing to do with a new fashion in hardcore music. Nardcore is a powerful music movement erupted in late 1970’s early 1980’s in Oxnard California. Nardcore’s aggressive sound and socially conscious lyrics quickly grew into the voice of displaced young people in Oxnard and its surrounding communities. A lively scene that featured bands like Aggression, Dr.Know, Ill Repute, Stalag 13, RKL (to name but a few) who helped melding hardcore punk ethics with skate attitude paving the way for many skate-punk acts to come -if you wanna have a taste of the bands of that era you can try and find the "Nardcore" compilation released by Mystic records in 1984 or get a copy of "Nardcore 30 years later" compilation through www.myspace.com/vanardcore30yearslater to know what's going on today.
A long time has passed since then but in the Oxnard area sounds like there’s still a scene going strong and GOT A NERVE! got the chance to interview one of most promising acts working their asses off to keep their local scene alive. Ventura based quartet WAGES OF FEAR are featured in the Break Out III compilation out through Niestroy/Cut Out records and about to release their debut full-length. Read on this Q&A about their upcoming full-length, Ventura’s scene, thrash punk revival and more.

GAN!: Hello guys how’s all in life?

Good
Fine
Plenty
Swell

GAN!: First off, please introduce your band to the readers of GOT A NERVE!

Keeping the beats is our drummer Brosif. Shreddin’ Eddie is our guitarist. The funkster Aaron is on bass. M2 spits out the vocals.

GAN!: What do you guys have out thus far?

We are on the Break Out III compilation that Niestroy/Cut Out Records put out. You can gobble up a copy at: www.myspace.com/niestroybremen or http://cutoutrecords.bigcartel.com/.
We are also gonna be on a comp supporting the Haiti recovery effort that Gazz from Ungovernable Resistance DIY Radio is spearheading with help from Screaming from the Gutter.

GAN!: You told me that you’ll be out with a full-length soon. How is it titled, who will release it and how the new material compares to the old shit?

We got our first full-length, a full 25 minutes ha ha, comin’ out in April 2010. The title is “Broken System” and we are stoked about it and the artwork. We will leave that as a surprise! It’ll be out on Bite Me Records with support from Give Praise Records. We wanna thank both of those labels!

GAN!: What does the name Wages of Fear means to you? Any hidden meaning behind it or just a cool band name?

We got the name from an obscure 1953 French movie that most people have never heard of, including us before we picked it. We viewed it and found it to be an intense movie for it’s time. Kinda like a modern day Rambo:-) Also we believe in taking risks like the dudes in the movie so the name fit right in. You only live once, make the best of it!

GAN!: I learned off your myspace that you guys hail from Ventura (California, right?). How’s your local scene like and what other bands work they asses off to keep it alive? Any funny rumour or stories related to your area?

Yeah, our practice digs are in Ventura, California. We gotta couple of members from Ventura and a couple from Oxnard, California (the Nard). The scene in this area is Nardcore dubbed from Ox(Nard) since the late 70’s/early 80’s. It’s also referred to “The Land of No Toilets.” The scene is surviving due to the Nardcore loyalists and bands like Ill Repute, Dr. Know, Global Warning, Dogends, etc…, and of course us, ha ha...

GAN!: Do you have any plans as to come to Europe in the near future? And what European kids should expect from a Wages Of Fear show?

We are hoping to land in Europe in the summer of love, 2011. The European punks can expect complete and utter insanity at our shows. Lotsa fun and pit action!

GAN!: When you’re not dicking around with the band what do you guys do? Both for a living and during your free time.

Well, we go to a lot of local gigs and slam our brains out! Most of us are unemployed or unemployable, ha ha… We pick up odd jobs here and there to survive.

GAN!: Let me test a bit you punk hardcore knowledge. If I mention the following song titles can you come up with the band who play the tune?

-Feel The Darkness - Poison Idea

-Possessed to Skate - Suicidal Tendencies

-Six Pack - Black Flag

-Street Justice - Cro Mags

GAN!: What are some of the bands that inspired you forming a band in the first place?

Marvin Gaye (digging the “Let’s Get It On” song ), ha ha… Let’s be serious now kids, Wages of Fear, Kiss, Agression, The Kinks, D.R.I. and some others.

GAN!: In the last few year it seems like there’s been kinda revival of 80’s thrash punk sounds? What do you think about bands like Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, SSS. Do you think is just another fashion among hardcore punk scene or is there something more about it?

We do like the 80’s thrash punk sound and it is always good to see new bands revive it and do it well!

GAN!: What do you guys talk about in your lyrics? I saw there are some with titles like “Egg” and “Fritos and Bean Dip”. Where do you pull inspiration for lyrics from?

Our lyrics talk about daily life, past experiences and food.

GAN!: Give us the Wages Of Fear Top 5 must-have bands on the van stereo...

M.D.C., Excel, Cro Mags, S.N.F.U., Chuck Berry

GAN!: And finally the obligatory end of interview question; do you wanna add something? Shout outs? Plugs?

We wanna thank all the DIY radio shows that play our tunes including Ungovernable Resistance, Jack and the Punk Rock Demonstration, Guardian Demon, The Grind and Kamikaze Radio. We also wanna thank Punk Rock, Hardcore and Ska Music Resource n Review, Schizofrehn Fanzine, The Nightmare Continues Fanzine and of course Got a Nerve! We also wanna shout out to all of our supporters and the Nardcore punx! THANK YOU!

Check: myspace.com/wagesoffearband

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Category: Interviews
Posted by: marcs77