Name:
Jaaron - I'm Jaaron and I play guitar in Nowhere Bound.
I'm Ryan- I sing. Jaaron also is in charge of giving me shit constantly via text message about how I never do anything for this band. lol.
Location:
Jaaron - We are from Chicago and Northwest Indiana (which is chicago suburbs basically)
Active since:
Jaaron - We've been a band for just a few months now, since October 2008...but we've all been around for years and years in a handful other bands including Blood In/Blood Out and From The Chest.
How would you describe the music you play?
Ryan- Suppose you could label it hardcore. But this band has a way different feel than anything else I've been involved with. It reminds me of Cold As Life meets Ringworm meets Wisdom in Chains, personally. I think it's too early to say, though. Dave & Jaaron wrote 2 more songs that I haven't heard. They say it sounds like Bad Religion, which can't be a bad thing. I think the one thing we had in mind for this band was to do whatever WE wanted & not get caught up with what the "scene" wanted or liked, or what anyone expected us to sound like compared to any other bands we've done. They may kick me out soon though, so their next record may be an instrumental.hahaha
What do you have recorded so far?
Jaaron - We've just recorded our first demo 2 months ago. Thats all we have so far.
I’m going to start by asking you why Blood In Blood Out decided to take an infinite break?
Jaaron - well we've done Blood In/Blood Out for like 7 years now and we've been at it pretty hard playing a shit load of weekends and shows left and right, and i guess it took its toll on some of us and our family life. Shit started falling apart for some of us on the home front, and we needed some well deserved time away from the band. And the band was just becoming not fun anymore, and whats the point of being in a band when it isnt fun anymore....so it was obvious we all needed time away from Blood In/Blood Out
Getting back to Nowhere Bound, how did you guys find each other and decide to start a band?
Jaaron - Dave and I were in Blood In/Blood Out together, and we weren't doin' shit anymore really with BIBO so we decided we didn't wanna sit around and wait for stuff to get goin' again with that, so we started looking for a drummer for a side project band. We found this kid, Cary, at a bar at a punk show, exchanged numbers, and started jamming soon after that.
We got to work on songs and a got feel for Cary's drum playing then we started thinkin about who would sing. One night at our buddy's party we asked Ryan, who was a friend of ours that sang in Chicago Hardcore band FROM THE CHEST, if he was down for doin' a side band....and he was down. And Jake, who was in Blood In/Blood Out too but had moved to Denver to play with FIGHT LIKE HELL then to Florida to play in KNOW THE SCORE, he decided to move back home to Indiana and we talked to him about playing in our new band NOWHERE BOUND when he came back,and he was down...so he joined up.
Fight music for the fighters or love music for the lovers – which of these better describes Nowhere Bound?
Ryan- I think fight for what you love fits us best. Although Dave is an extraordinary lover.
How do you think the new band compares to your previous projects?
Jaaron - Well we aren't kids no more, we know what we like and don't like by now. So we aren't wasting time tryin' to find our sound. Speaking from my point of view and my bands I can say that I'm excited as shit about this band. The songs are short and sweet and don't get boring. Prior bands I've been in, songs drag on and there is lots of growing documented in my old bands cds.
Ryan- Agreed. I have no patience. Sometimes I think that's why punk & core appealed to me so much. No fat. Just in your face & then done. That's what's great about NB is I never know what I'm gonna get.
How do you go about writing lyrics? Is there any message you’re trying to present to your listeners?
Ryan- There is nothing worse than some retard with a microphone gracing you with his so called "knowledge" of how life works & how you should live it. Being in a band does not give you the right to preach to anyone. Hardcore to me has always been about struggling to find your way. The band Dillinger Four said it best "in this frustration we find our salvation". I can't stand bands that try to write extra "tough" mosh lyrics either. I can't identify with that. I try to write about real things. Things that might even be embarrassing to admit about choices I've made & how I rose above it...or didn't & lost at the game of life. The demo ranges from songs about organized religion, to depression & feeling downright worthless, to my recent divorce, & ends with a song dealing with abandonment by people who really influenced me & once looked up to. I think people identify way more with a band that focuses on their own struggles, instead of pointing the finger at what everybody else is fucking doing wrong. Take care of your own bullshit. Writing lyrics is more of a self medication to quiet the constant mess in my head.
How many shows did you play already? What is the craziest thing that ever happened at one of your shows?
Jaaron - well this band has only just played our first show recently. but as far as craziest thing ive seen at a show was when Blood In/Blood Out played with One For All and Pride Kills in Arkansas.....Pride Kills played before us and a fucking riot broke out basically. no one was safe at this show. Tables and chairs were flying everywhere. people had bats and were breaking shit. i was like jesus, how the hell are we gonna play after this....so we set up and we started playing, and he Pride Kills guys came right up into the middle of the floor with a cinder block and smashed it on the ground and started throwing chunks at everyone and then everyone started detroying everything once again. craziest shit i ever saw at a show....indescribable really.
You guys are not a newcomers to the scene. How do you keep from getting burnt out after all these years of playing?
Jaaron - Honestly its hard. Cause i pretty much hate every new band that comes out almost. My guitarist is always suggesting new bands to listen to and i am always saying "Nope dont wanna hear em". I Cant stand these stupid fuckin "hype" bands that come out....like bands that everyone is buzzin about. Usually these bands suck. With all that being said when we meet bands and hang with em at and after shows, i see what kinda people they are and that goes a long way for me. that is what gets me interested in new bands - hanging with em. and that also keeps me into he scene and not burning out on it....the friends we make along the way, the people we get to see from time to time when they role thru our town for a show and get to party with us.
Ryan- I think taking myself less seriously helps me stay focused. You have to realize that all the tough guy attitudes, clicks & scene politics is all bullshit. People try way too hard to be "hardcore". You are not cooler than anyone because you play a basement show on a Tuesday night to 18 people in a shitty neighborhood. File that under no one gives a shit. That takes away from why we're all here & involved. Not gonna get too posi here, but do what you love & appreciate the moment. Question everything. Be able to get hit in the face & laugh. Let's face it...No one involved in hardcore is a normal functioning human. We are all fucked in our own way. That alone gives us a common bond & will keep this shit going.
What does it mean to you to be a part of the hardcore scene? What are the most and least rewarding aspect of it?
Jaaron - To be part of the hardcore scene is awesome....but sometimes it sucks. Cause now its starting to get watered down alot with the popularity of mainstream bands that are calling themselves hardcore and actual hardcore bands becoming popular via the accessiblity thru the internet. Its ruff business to accept people in hardcore anymore when there are so many fly by night people that are just riding a fashion craze or a passing fad. The most rewarding aspect of hardore to me is, like i said before, the friends you meet that you normally wouldnt have met.
When was the last time you heard something that truly amazed you when it comes to hardcore? How do you feel about the current state of hardcore and where do you see it heading?
Jaaron - Truely amazed....hmmmmm....thats tuff, id have to say either when Palehorse - Secrets Within Secrets first came out, or when Death Defore Dishonor - True Till Death came out....both were fucking amazing cds to me tht inspired me to write and made me happy to be involved in hardcore. The Current state of hardcore is scary, but its getting better slowly. For a while here hardcore was getting goofy with the make-up and girl pants and white belts and girl hair cuts. Some of that shit is slowly disappearing. all these kids that do this shit are the same kids who were limp biscuit rap rockers a couple years ago, and then faded into girl pant wearing metal hardcoe dudes....and now they are all fading into thrash metal revival dudes. It makes ya hate hardcore kids sometimes cause they all seem like trend hoppers that just drop yesterdays news and pickup where the new trend is these days. But im seeing more and more kids that seem like they're passionate about doin shows and getting involved with hardcore in general these days. so shits gettin better i think.
Ryan- I'd have to say Blacklisted "The Beat Goes On..." I remember seeing them at The Heist in Chicago 5 years ago. I think it was the 1st time they played here. I picked up "Our Youth is Wasted" after their set & thinking "Fuck, this band could be really important". I always identified with George's lyrics & could feel the self doubt & loathing as if it was my own. I think he takes chances lyrically & puts himself out there. I always respected that. "Beat" is fucking explosive & unpredictable. That's one record that I feel captures that sense of urgency & chaos.
Whats playing on your stereo the most at the moment?Jaaron - right now im listening to alot of Bad Religion, Doomhammer, Negative Approach, Government Issue, Circle Jerks, Operation Ivy, Suffocation, Testament ....to name a few.
Ryan- Face to Face, Jawbreaker, Mouth Piece, Avail, D4, Neutral Milk Hotel.
How do you feel about Indiana hard core scene at the moment? Any bands worth mentioning?
Jaaron - Kids are starting to come out to shows more. Young kids are steppin up and booking shows and doin shit to make the scene better, rather than just sit back and have us older dudes do everything. kids are bringing in good touring bands, that are actually worth a fuck, these days too. bands worth mentioning are Any Given Second, After The Quarrel (Blood In/Blood Out's merch guys band), Choking On Reality, Iceberg, The Rise of The Fallen, The Killer, Convicted, Doomhammer, Chasin' The Dragon, Duress, Harm's Way.
All right, could you give us the rundown, what are your future plans with the band?
Jaaron - honestly i personally have no clue, we are taking this band day to day really....nothing is outta the question. We have a couple of labels we are talkin with now about a release in the future. so as of right now we are writing a bunch of stuff and getting ready to start playin a shit load of shows.
Thanx for the interview, anything else you would like to add?
Jaaron - check out our myspace myspace.com/nowhereboundmwhc for anything coming up with us in the future.
