So A389 is back! When did you make the decision to resurrect the label, and what projects are you most excited about?
I started doing the label again a couple years ago when I had the opportunity to handle Cold As Life’s catalog. Those releases meant a lot to me growing up and I wanted to make sure they got the proper care and attention they deserved. After the ball was rolling I got hooked up with the Dying Breed guys and am working on their stuff as well. Other than those two bands, it’s also an avenue to release my own projects into the world and get them out there. So far I did demos for End Reign and Permanent Mistakes, both of which I’m really happy exist. Thing I’m most excited about is launching the children’s books I’ve been working on with my oldest daughter. Our first one should be out later this year.
Please tell me more about the children’s books! What is the division of labor between you and your daughter, and what are some themes of your first few stories?
Our first book is about fun things my son and I do together. It started as a birthday present for him and came out so good that we decided to have a go at it. Our operation started with me pitching the stories and Reagan doing the illustrations, but it turns out everyone in the house has great ideas so we have a lot of great storyboards for future books … a lot of which involve cats haha. Also we have Linas Garsys helping us make the final product look pro.
When can we expect the Dying Breed re-release and how did that come about? Any chance they might play some shows?
The Dying Breed release will be available to order later this year, but realistically won’t be in hand until early 2023. It’s a great package that has Take My Soul … Give Me Grave, the demo tape, comp songs and a few unreleased live tracks of songs that never got recorded. Reesh from 100 Demons put in a good word for me with those guys and the rest was easy. We’re all pretty relaxed and eager to do the best possible job with it. As far as shows go, I know there has been interest but I’m not in a position to speak on anyone’s behalf. Maybe when the record is out, we can make something happen.
Back to the early history of A389 – what was the impetus for starting the label? How did you get the idea to do the magic eye glasses
and cover for the Everyday Dollars 7″?
When I started A389 I was in a band called Slumlords. We were playing a lot of bigger shows and I thought that starting a label would be a cool way to use that reach to help out bands that couldn’t get out there. It started as old style bands that couldn’t really tour but had awesome songs … in hindsight it sounds like I’m describing the movie Cocoon … but for hardcore bands. But yeah it quickly flourished into a huge catalog of bands that I liked and thought people should hear.
That Everyday Dollars cover was awesome! It was the first time I tried to do something unusual with the packaging and it turned out great. I don’t remember where the exact idea came from but I loved the 3D glasses/movies from my childhood (Amityville 3, Friday The 13th 3 etc) and Laura who was doing my graphic design at the time figured out a way to make it happen on a record cover. Years later we had elaborate die-cuts, pop-ups, holograms … it was a lot of fun. The one idea I wish came to fruition was pressing ANNE – Dream Punx on the hard bubble gum you get in packs of hockey cards. Like a flat circle of that gum with grooves. Would have been wild.
New York has always appreciated Baltimore bands and vice versa. What are your favorite current bands from each city and the greatest Bmore show you ever attended?
Baltimore Current: End It, Neolithic
NY: All Out War, Warthog
Wow … greatest Baltimore show I’ve ever attended? Any A389 Fest, but especially the Integrity/Melnicks set, Left For Dead and Thor’s Teeth years. The 2006 Gut Instinct/Next Step Up reunion was great too. Thinking back to when I first moved here in like 2001 and remembering the Stout shows from that era is making me smile too. Lots of history in this city.
I still have the sampler that has the cat on the cover and appreciate that you are a fan of cats. What riffs or songs were written when there were cats in the room, and what classic riffs were maybe never written due to cat interference?
I have so many cat stories that it could easily derail this interview into a totally different direction. 99% of any songs I’ve ever composed were done so with a cat in the room. If there is a cat, we’re hanging. On a related note, one time Integrity played a fest in Mexico City and Joshy (drums) and I were outside the venue running through the set. Except we didn’t have instruments and we rehearsed the entire set in a cappella meows. We got less weird looks than you might imagine …
Out of all the bands you’ve played in, which one featured the most cat owners, and the most cats?
Probably Integrity or Pulling Teeth. My all time-record is 4 cats in addition to Sexman’s 2 puts Integ in at 6 total cats. Pulling Teeth is a little more of a grey area because once again it was my 4 cats … BUT Mike Riley lived in a warehouse that had 2 cats, but I’m not sure if they were communal cats enjoyed by everyone that lived there … so prob Integ.
Since I always ask this on Serve ’em a Sentence – how many library cards do you have, and what is your favorite library – or your kids’ favorite library?
I only have one Library Card for the BCPL system where I live … it satisfies all my needs. As far as everyone’s favorite Library in my household is, definitely Towson Library. Worth it for the dragon mural alone.
I enjoyed the birthday haiku for Josh from Stout, as well as the one for Roy from Cold as Life. When did you start doing these and which is your favorite? (I had some “hardcore haikus” that were supposed to be in I Question Not Me #4.5 but they got lost when I moved. Plus another set about the Five Fingers bands that did not turn out well. EGH was the only good one.)
I love writing haikus for my friends. It’s the best way to express how I feel without overdoing it. I couldn’t pick a favorite, they are all so specific!
How did you get the idea for the Slumlords shorts and what is the most creative merch you have ever done as a band or label?
I think it came from seeing girls at the mall with sweatpants that would say dumb stuff like ‘juicy’ or whatever on their butts. It just seemed like a good idea at the time … people liked them. As far as creative merch goes, the best idea always came in the form of record packaging. The Pulling Teeth hologram LP will always be my favorite. But as far as creative merch, it’ll never be better than a Humanity Is The Devil beach towel … so why bother. Honorable mention to the yellow Nothing umbrella.
Thank you for doing this! Anything else you want to cover, or upcoming projects you want to hype?
My pleasure, it was nice to hear from you Becky. Anyone can check out (THE) END REIGN and PERMANENT MISTAKES on whatever streaming services you like to use. E/R has a new flexi in the fall and an LP early 2023. P/M has a 7″ coming in the fall and some new stuff in the works as well. I have some other new bands in the works too. Stay tuned.
END REIGN
https://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/end-reign-mmxxii-single
PERMANENT MISTAKES
https://a389recordings.bandcamp.com/album/permanent-mistakes-demo-2022