What the... ?

Looking back, looking forward...

Fen life.

So, for those of you who didn't hear, I just spent my summer in the Alaskan Tundra, kicking it in fens and bogs, in search of hydric soil and hydrophytic plants. Helicopter fly time was manadatory, and so was a tight edge. Check and check. Now I'm at my new home in Utah, getting ready to become a true eco-crunk.

While I was up there, I didn't see too many hardcore kids and it kind of had me going through withdrawals. Where were the tattoos, workout stories, parking lot mosh, crucial haircuts and pizza heads? Not in moeffin' Fairbanks, not this year. I was straight rolling on my trusty Swobo - 30 or 40 miles a day, and had a lot of time to think about hardcore things in my past and plan one in the future.

Del Norte at the Game Refuge

On one particularly long ride from Ft. Wainwright to Ester, I was thinking hard about my good friend Steve Fallis and At Both Ends fanzine. When I first planned my move from Cleveland to Seattle in 2005, I remember meeting several people remotely who would become and remain good friends. Steve was one of those friends holding up in the upper Northwest. A BC native, Steve had toured the world with Moneen and was a Bane and Avail super fan. He had just finished up a few issues of his zine, A Bond Still Strong, which would become At Both Ends. I remember calling Steve and chatting about where he was coming from and where he was going.

Steve (left) and OFAF in Olympia. Note the diversity of postures

He told me that was doing a tour that summer down to Sink With Cali with Las Vegas' Of Faith and Fire and planned to do some photography and writing for At Both Ends. This corresponded amazingly well with Names for Graves planned west coast tour. I emailed with Bobby from OFAF and it was on - we were playing in Vegas and Steve and I would meet and talk zines, HC and my usual digs, politics and the environment.

SWC III - Marco moves merch and debates the moon landing.

That weekend, Names for Graves ran around with Bobby and the OFAF crew, slip-n-sliding in some park at midnight, staying with the family of Kristen from the OG Tower 2012, playing a beach-themed record release show with the Answer and OFAF, and eventually headed all the way to Redondo Beach for Sink with Cali 2005. We had some fun and did it riding in a PT Cruiser - serious ill vibes all around. Steve headed north with OFAF after Sink with Cali, and upward to my then future home in Seattle.

Either way, during the first leg of that tour I had plenty of time to hang and catch-up with Steve and get some insight into how tightly he captained the ship that was At Both Ends. He ran that zine more tightly than the average investment bank, and built a huge following. Hows Your Edge always gave Steve rave reviews, and issues generally sold out as soon as they came to market. Hell, even Lambgoat liked ABE!

At Both Ends was a zine that interviewed tons of bands that you would expect, but Steve always went out of his way to find local bands, up and coming bands and bands that were great but not of the 2005-era NWHC sound and vibes. He also reviewed every damn record that came out for about three years - often saying what we all thought (this suuuucks) instead of the "good dudes, check it out" that finds its way into many rags or the anonymous shit-talk of the interwebz. It was a tasteful declining of bands and records. It wasn't the slap beer out of their hands answer to "Do you drink?" More like the, "Naw man, that's whack - not my style." I know that to this day several people still hold Steve's honesty against him (thinking of a certain Allegiance review...), but I always appreciated his tell-it-like-it-is mentality.

Die Hard Movers?

At Both Ends closed up shop last year after 10 issues, but the archive and website live on. Because hardcore seems to dwell on the past, I spent a bike ride a couple years later thinking about how well Steve's zine captured the better part of a decade with slick layouts, relevant content and some unique columns and insights. The collective scene of 2003-10 was better for Steve's efforts and dedication. I just found out that the final issue, a double volume with a matching double 7" that features Bane, Between Earth and Sky and Grade is still kicking around. I highly recommend pulling up an issue before it's too late.

Because living in the past is a bit of a bummer, I hope to see many fresh and seasoned faces at the React! showcase this month. Get the Most is playing their last show at 924 Gilman with the rest of the React! bands and our homies in On, Keep it Clear, Not Sorry and Police and Thieves. Please make sure that Bubs, Ole, Beej, AO, and Eric/Today's Man get the send-off they have earned over the last five years.

*Download the free React Showcase sampler for a taste of all the React! bands making appearances.

SHOW SHOW SHOW SHOW

RIGHT IDEA WILL BE PERFORMING LIVE AT LAKEWOOD'S BEST DRINK-A-TORIUM, "NOW THAT'S CLASS" THIS SATURDAY EVENING (TOMORROW JULY 2ND). PLEASE JOIN IN AS RIGHT IDEA WILL BE SHOWCASING BRAND NEW SONGS OFF THEIR NEW UP COMING SPILT 7" WITH _______________. SHOULD BE A GRAND OLD TIME FOR ALL.

POSSIBLE NEW SHIRT DESIGNS FOR SALE AS WELL. (LARRY?)



THIS IS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT TO THE RIGHT IDEA'ERS SERIES... PROBABLY NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE, ONLY AT SHOW ON SATURDAY!! ONLY 30 WERE CREATED FOR THIS EVENT!

SEE YOU X'ED OR SLOPPY! IT'S ALL LOVE.

Shaved for Battle

Rearranged has a new record!

I remember talking to Senor Bubbles of Get the Most when we got back from our Euro tour last summer and just ranting about how good Rearranged (Moscow, Russia) is. As Bubs cut my hair (the tightest fades at Acme Barber Shop in Seattle), I basically lamented how good, tight and sincere these dudes are. We played with them almost half of our tour and it was a total blast every night, no matter where we were. Well, good things happen to good dudes and they're now dropping their new record on our former label, and I think it's a great match. Be sure to check out the songs and add them on the FB. Good luck to the Rearranged crew and Moscow HC!

Recording

Went into Negative Space studio Saturday night with our good friend John D (above). A weird experience for me (in that Hess, Nate and Chuck weren't there) -- but still awesome to be recording Right Idea songs again.

I feel like we've grown, taken a step back, and got super-awesome all at the same time. . . in this "next chapter" that is this group of 4 new tracks.

The songs ripped in practice, I can't wait to hear 'em all finished!

Geoff and Eddy

The Cat and My Chuck

Camp

I never went to camp. I hate camping.

I guess this is different though.

We are on bandcamp now. Go to http://rightidea.bandcamp.com to stream the "Our Way EP" and even buy it if you want.

More recording, and some shows this summer.

SWEHC.COM

Im pretty sure everyone who reads this blog has already seen the footage from the YOT show in Oslo but i keep going back to swehc.com to watch the vids. so im just going to post this one in particular. we met the front man of giant in oslo along with the kids from evolve and troiger (sp) and they are all in this vid. so in respect to them and being young and wanting to be edge ill post this. giant sounds good. id like to here more!

Giant - Don't Stop / Straight Edge Revenge (Feat. Porcell) from Ola Waagen on Vimeo.

also our boy kalle from malmo is in a new band. i might have mentioned it in the past but i cant remember. i think he told me it translates from harda tider to hard times. here is a vid from swehc.com as well.



dont be a bum, put it on 1080 hd and wait for it to load...


i will post photos from the first ever VICE show soon. check back for those... as well as a show review. haha

mosh

I have an academic blog...

Everybody get their mothafuggin' log on.

I have a blog on non-music things. Check it out if you like ecology, environmental policy or water-dependent ecosystems. I will also retain my University of Washington website for a few more months.

RIGHT IDEA - 18/07/2010 - Hamburg/Germany

Here's a late-surfacing video from Face the Show in Hamburg, Germany. Thanks for throwing this up on the 'tube!