CHOOSE DEATH #1: OAK & BONE INTERVIEW

So OAK & BONE is a new band in Syracuse that’s all the rage! Even though they’re relatively new, they’ve played all around the city this past summer, and if you haven’t heard them yet, you’re way behind the curve! They recently inked a lucrative seven-record deal with local juggernaut HEX RECORDS. This interview was conducted via email with my former roommate and ex-best friend, Weston Czerkies. He sings for the band and puts out the NOTHING SOL(I)D ‘zine, one of the few semi-regular ‘zines in the city. Don’t let what you’ve heard about this band’s fanatical leanings fool you; they’re the real fuckin’ deal!

CHOOSE DEATH: Oak & Bone! Tell me about how ya'll got together, musical influences, shit like that….

WESTON: I think it’s been about a year now from when Drew, Chris, and I decided we wanted to start a band just for kicks. Our separate bands had played together in the past, and we saw each other regularly at OCC. I really wanted to do something along the lines of EYEHATEGOD and BONGZILLA, with just drums, bass, and vocals, and they seemed down for anything. We only had one session like that, and I don’t think anything from it was carried over to any of our current songs.

They thought it’d be cool to bring Jon in on guitar and see what happened. At this point, we really didn’t have any plan for a sound. With Jon on guitar, we just started cranking out songs, and the sound just sort of produced itself. We all had similar music interests (CURSED, YOUNG WIDOWS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, UNSANE, etc.), and so the music we wrote naturally sounded somewhat akin to those artists.

We had a hard time settling on a name and needed one for our first show, so I ended up stealing the idea from Shawn. He wanted to name a band “STAFF OF OAK AND BONE,” and I asked if we could just use the OAK AND BONE part for our band. He was cool with it. Thanks, Shawn!

CD: How'd you personally get involved in the Syracuse hc punk scene, and how do you think it's doing right now as compared to back then? And how do you feel you guys fit into the bigger picture that is Syracuse hardcore?

WE: I spent several years making my way through awful ska and emo/metalcore shows before I began to regularly attend shows that actually encouraged anything positive. Grabbing flyers from tables up front was the first thing I would do at every show. It took awhile for me to become comfortable going to shows by myself, though. There was the awkward period of having my parents drop me off, then cycling through groups of friends to go with when I had my license, to finally not worrying about whether or not I knew anyone who was going.

Eventually though, I found my niche, as I was really enamored with the DIY aspect of hardcore punk: making patches, ‘zines, setting up shows in basements, putting out records, etc. It’s exactly what I was looking for, needed, and keeps me going today.

As far as then and now though, it’s hard to say. I will say that it’s cool to see Syracuse become known for more than just EARTH CRISIS and Hellfest, though. I think we’re getting to the point where people recognize that hardcore didn’t die out here with the loss of those two things. We have a variety of nationally (and some worldwide) known touring bands. We’ve created several of our own traditions (New Years, ACHC Fest, the sing along, Horrorfest, the Halloween show, etc.) through continued support of young and old folks alike that give it their all. For all the bullshit, there are people that have stood the test of time in this city continuing to do what they love, and there are inspiring new faces joining us in building on an already awesome scene.

As a punk band in Syracuse, I think we’re just one of many. If we were all older and without any roots in hardcore, who’s to say we couldn’t just be some bar band, really? For real though, there are so many different, rad bands in Syracuse, and I just think it’s awesome to be a part of that. We’ve gotten a really positive response from friends and critics alike, but it’s just cool to know we’re one of the many spices in the pot.

CD: I finally stole one of your demos from your room recently and got to read the lyrics. You write about a wide variety of things, but one of the songs that stands out the most to me is "Landfill Supreme," which is about how wasteful a society we are. Care to expand on the topic?

WE: Is that why they call you Sneaky Smith? “Landfill” is pretty straightforward. It’s sort of dorky, but I believe the lyrics came about after reading an issue of Adbusters about true-cost economics. Basically, it’s about how the potential damage each product we buy does to the earth, or another person should be factored into the cost of that product.

It got me thinking about how overly wasteful every cheap convenience is. Take getting fries and a drink at a drive-through for example. Two forms of disposable packaging, just for your food, get thrown out, as well as the bag the fries came in, ketchup packets, napkins, etc.

Conveniences like this are where all the pollution is really coming from, and we don’t take that into account when we’re spending so little money. Fast food joints are who really need to hop on the “go green” trend. Also, it’s the closest thing I figured I could ever write to a vegetarian song for this band, ha ha.

CD: How about "On Your Own or Not at All?"

WE: This song is one of the few that’s still somewhat relevant but was very specific to a point in time that’s passed. It’s about how I could see my brother turning into a real pile of shit, quite similar to a certain ex-friend of ours.

I also wrote about how I believe he’s allowing himself to become this way because he’s one of many who views himself as an addict, and thus believes he has some sort of disease or ailment. I think the majority of “addictions” exist not because the addict has no control, but because he is convinced he’s an addict. It’s hard to draw a line exactly, but I see many of these situations being mind over matter, and it disgusts me when these people will accept pity but not actual help.

When I wrote this, he was supposedly making efforts to fix his life and become a better person. He failed at that completely, though he had my family fooled for a bit. So the fact that he chose not to put forth any effort and has deteriorated to a lesser person is why the song isn’t as up-to-date. But the facts about my feelings on “addicts,” and overall disgust for what this particular person in my family has become, remain current.

CD: When's the vegan song coming? Or is that out of the cards, seeing as you're in a band with a bunch of bloodthirsty meat mouths? And on that topic, where do you see the veg scene in Syracuse Hardcore going? Can it reach its glory days of old?

WE: It’ll never happen, and, yes, it is because of my band members’ diets. It just wouldn’t make sense. While a lot of my lyrics are personal, and even the more political ones are expressed from a personal level, I just think it would be inappropriate to write about anything pro-vegetarian without the band’s full support.

Veganism and vegetarianism go beyond something I’m into personally; it’s something I think everyone needs to embrace. So while I can write about experiences I’ve had that my band members haven’t, I can’t get up there as the voice of the band and push this idea that I believe in so strongly without them completely backing me.

We all have different personal views as people, and, while they come up from time to time, none have (or should) interfere with our ability to make music. We all love the sound we have, and while part of my contribution to that sound, to this band, is to write about what I want, there are just some topics that are off limits. Having different opinions and beliefs is what punk and hardcore is all about. I’m glad we don’t all agree; there are still plenty of other mediums for expression, and playing in a band is only one of them.

Vegetarianism and veganism in Syracuse have made quite a few strides in the past few years. Places like Strong Hearts and Recess show folks how easy, delicious, and healthy it can be to eat vegan. It’s great to have some places to go where it doesn’t matter who eats what; you can all enjoy awesome food. Every time I travel someplace else, even if the food’s good, I end up appreciating Syracuse more. I think we’re spoiled with options.

It’s also been awesome to see how many of my friends have made repeated efforts to eat vegetarian or go vegan. Instead of picking something off the list of excuses, they put forth the effort to see what went wrong and try again. Seeing stuff like that gives me hope and reminds me that sometimes positive change isn’t always immediate.

As far as being veg in hardcore goes, I think we could use some more work there. Granted, the above-mentioned friends and restaurants are all hardcore-related, but there is a severe lack of outspoken veg bands in the scene. Straightedge bands come and go, but they’re certainly more frequent than vocal veg bands, who all tend to just mimic EARTH CRISIS anyway. Not that there aren’t decent bands like this; it’s just time to see some new vegetarian/vegan straightedge bands with something to say, that don’t just rip off EC. No bands are encouraging kids to look into veganism much these days, participate in protests, or get active beyond their current diet modification. We need an adjustment there for sure. But with the way things are right now, I think we can expect further progress.

CD: What do you guys have planned for the future-- tours, records, etc.?

WE: No big tours planned, but we’d like to get a decent weekend under our belts this winter. It’s been awkward playing other cities so far, and we’d like to shake that off and get out more.

Recording for our 7” should be taking place now, like any day now, which is being released on the indomitable Hex Records. We’re ecstatic about this, since Hex as a dude has always been a big inspiration to us, and some of our favorite records are ones he’s put out. It’s more than we could’ve hoped for this early on, and we can’t wait to get the ball rolling.

The only other probability is that I’m tentatively putting out the 7” as a CD with a couple other tracks under Nothing Solid Records later on. It will probably be only a couple hundred copies and won’t surface ‘til after the 7”. That’s about it for now.