Thug x Life Bandcamp
How did thug life start? and
who is in it so far?
The band started in April 2010. We knew each
other before (from shows etc.) and after talking about it for some time one
thing led to another, we started playing together and it all worked out well.
For me the funniest thing about it all is that it took me „only” ten years to
come across the right people who also wanted to start an old school band but I
managed to do it. So here you have a real proof that you should never abandon
your dreams. As for the people involved, we started with Wilk on vocals, Jerry
on bass, Rumcajs on drums and me on guitar, but after our original drummer
moved to London he got replaced by Kuba and we're playing with him now.
And one more thing, the name's THUG X
LIFE...always withe the „X” in the middle : )
Now that the 7'' droped whats next for
you guys?
At the begining of September our new song is
going to see the light of day. It's included on the „Very Cool, Very Core”
compilation by Ratel Records ( you can get it here www.ratelrecords.com).
Our EP "All eyez on you" will be re-released on xMore than inkx
Records on tape! We are very excited about that too.
We already have some new songs that we want
to record and then maybe put them out as a split with someone, but will see how
it goes.
Apart from that we're preparing ourselves
four a couple of shows outside Poland at the end of September. Pretty excited about
this as it will be our first time to ever play abroad so it should be fun. So
as you can see things are looking good.
How did you guys come up with the name
thugxlife?
Our vocalist Wilk came up with it during one
of our rehearsals. If you'd ask him now he would probably disagree, but we all
remember well that it was him. We had a vote and I was the only one against it.
So as you can presume I'm not the biggest fan of it, though I grew into liking
that name in a strange way through those 2 years, since one thing is sure...it
really stands out from the more „standard” ones that you can come across. And
when you take under consideration that we're all against though guy, macho
mentality, and try to speak about positive things, and how using your mind can
lead to positive changes in life, then it adds a little controversy to it all.
So I guess it's punk all right.
What bands influences you guys?
Ok here's the deal, I always wanted to say
this but no one except my girlfriend seems to believe me...I honestly believe
that when it comes to influences one of the biggest ones for me is JAWBREAKER!
It might sound strange at the beginning but it all makes perfect sense after
you get to know me. However, when it comes to more direct and contemporary (I
won't mention the 70's and 80's bands as it's too obvious that they do inspire
me) influences then it's just all about good bands: Carry On, Floorpunch,
Mindset, Get the most I could listen to those bands for hours and they always
get me pumped up. Although, I don't stick to one genre in particular, I'm into
ska as much as I'm into 90's hardore so the list could be endless I guess.
How did you guys start getting
into hardcore/punk and straight edge?
I can only speak for myself, and the answer
is really simple: skateboarding. Pretty trivial but still that's how it was.
Started skating when I was 14, grew up music-wise watching a lot of 90's skate
vids at that time, heard Minor Threat, Black Flag and Fugazi and I was hooked.
As for straight edge it happened quite simultaneously. I grew up with a bunch
of junkie friends who went from smoking pot to getting morphine injections in
their asses and eventually got in trouble with mafia guys because of drug
dealing. Such things get you thinking pretty quick and develop a certain way in
which you perceive the world. That's why even when I was younger I wasn't into
drugs, drinking etc. so after hearing about sxe I just embraced it since that
was already what I more or less believed in. Fifteen years later I still have a
huge smile every time that I x-up so I guess I've made the right choice. Guess
that with that sort of experience I do have some arguments when coming across
people who claim that I should keep my mouth shut just because I was never
drunk in my life and therefore don't know shit.
Hows the scene in poland?
It is very much alive and kicking. After a
little slow down at the beginning of the 00's (at least from my point of view)
it looks amazing right now. There's a lot of awesome new bands. One of the best
shows that I've been to the past few years where those played by polish bands.
I have a feeling that almost every month there's a new zine being made. New
records are being put out all the time some DIY and some by small record
labels. Kids at the shows don't have that “try and impress me” type of look in
their eyes that you sometimes can see elsewhere and instead just sing along and
mosh to the music that they like. But the best way to experience how's it like
here is just coming and checking it out for yourself.
Any plans on touring the U.S.?
Honestly we would love to do so, but without
getting much into politics, the U.S. policy towards polish people who want to
travel to the States is so fucked up that I doubt that it could be possible at
the moment. We'd have to get visas, which you don't necessary get after a
really humiliating visa interview in the embassy, which looks more like a cop
interrogation if you ask me. And even if you get a positive review and get one
it's still not uncommon to be denied entry after you land at an American
airport. You don't even have to be given a reason. So with all that I doubt
that we'll ever come to the US as a band. The funny fact is that I guess it
would be easier for us to play a gig somewhere in Cuba than for instance New
York.
What was your favorite show thugxlife
ever had?
We played a lot of great shows so far but
two stand out from the rest as far as I'm concerned. Our recent show at
Straight Edge fest in Warsaw was a blast, first time that that many people
actually sang and moshed to our songs. Simply if someone starts to move around
with your first chord and stops only after the last one, you know that it had
to be something special. What makes it even more special is the fact that it
was the first edge fest in our country since 1997 so it makes it even bigger
for us. The other show that's one of my favourite is the one we played in a sort of a garden shed, next to
our friend's house in Czestochowa. Literally no place to stand, people diving
of each other, I spent the whole set with my back leaning against our vocalist
so that we didn't all crash into drums and to top it all off a lot of our
friends also got to be there. Definitely a time we'll remember.
Bands you support?
Since the polish scene seems to be a little
underrated I'll mention only polish bands. Last Dayz, Government Flu, Outbound,
Iron To Gold, Calm The Fire, We are idols...these are definitely worth checking
out. Each one plays a different style of hc/punk so I guess everyone can be
satisfied with this pick. Although there are many more good bands over here, so
I encourage anyone to do some research on his own.
Last words?
Dare to dream. If you want to do something
than just do it and don't look back. If you're 30 and always wanted to
skateboard then just go for it since it's never too late to pursue your goals,
even the smallest ones. Starting your own band, making a zine, whatever else.
Anything that comes from your heart and is all about passion is always worth
doing!
Thanks a lot for the interview. Honestly
it's not a thing that you expect to get when you first start a band and every
time that someone supports us in anyway and is interested with what we do I
really appreciate it and feel truly amazed.
Skate straight!
Take xxx care.
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