Defiance Magazine recently did an interview with Label 56. You can read that interview on their site here

Defiance Magazine appeared online maybe 2 -3 years ago and they have made a name for themselves with some excellent interviews with many bands and people involved in our cog wheel of music, media and more. They recently did a short upgrade to their site and have also posted several new interviews (which also includes an interview with Label 56 ). View their new website here. Statement as posted about their new design below-

The web needed the major re-doing so here we go. Still it’s not perfect, and there are some things still in progress, but at least – and for a time – we have web which we are quite satisfied with. As you can see, there is one fundamental and important change. I really wanted to print the 4th issue of Defiance and finally to give you a real magazine – not gonna happen, unfortunately, well…at least not now. We have discarded the PDF netmag for a while, the reason is – we cant get all the stuff in time people are busy, we are busy, there is always something. So its gonna be a webmag…DEFIANCE webmagazine…welcome.

Middle Class At A Crossroads

Original Article posted on American Free Press Here

As the divide between the haves and the have-nots continues to widen, there can be no doubt that those caught in the middle—the group of Americans collectively known as the middle class—have suffered greatly as a result of the economic downturn.

This week, AFP takes a hard look at who they are and what it would mean should the heart and soul of America be sacrificed for the benefit of globalism and the moneyed elite.

What is the Middle Class?

By Victor Thorn

With so many analysts and commentators proclaiming the death of America’s middle class, it’s worth asking the question: Who exactly makes up the middle class in 2012?

On May 3, this writer interviewed one of the most often-cited writers today, Michael Snyder of the popular website The Economic Collapse.

When queried as to how he’d define the middle class, Snyder said: “If you asked 10 different economists, you’d get 10 different answers. When growing up, my way of thinking was that somebody would be middle class if they were working to make payments on a home, had one or two vehicles and could afford the basic things of life.”

Snyder added: “Being middle class meant pursuing the American dream that arose after WWII from the 1950s to 1970s. During that era, people didn’t live in poverty, but they weren’t tremendously wealthy either. Most importantly, people were independent and not reliant on the government.”

However, as Snyder wrote in a Dec. 30, 2011 article, “Once upon a time, the United States had the largest and most vibrant middle class that the world had ever seen. Unfortunately, that is rapidly changing before our eyes.”

Snyder told AFP: “It’s different today. To live the American dream, a lot of people have to work two jobs. Plus, globalization has forced those in the U.S. to compete with workers all over the world, especially ones earning ‘slave labor’ wages.”

Outsourcing has proven to be a major factor in eroding the American middle class, as Snyder so adroitly conveyed.

“Big corporations setting up operations in the U.S. pay $15-20 an hour, plus benefits,” he said. “On the other side of the world, there are fewer regulations and benefits, in addition to no minimum wage or environmental concerns. If you only pay workers $1 an hour, all the rest is profit. Many huge corporations only care about the bottom line and don’t hold any personal feelings for employees, so they increasingly view workers as a liability. We need to face facts. Big business doesn’t have to hire U.S. workers anymore. The power structure has changed, and labor has been devalued. Therefore, incomes aren’t rising for middle-class families, and they’re being forced to move toward lower-wage jobs.”

If that weren’t bad enough, technology is making humans expendable, if not obsolete.

“Nothing can alter that reality,” Snyder stressed. “In the olden days, factories were labor intensive. But with robotics, computers and automation, the labor market is decreasing.”

It doesn’t stop there.

Snyder continued, “If an American company moves their factory or office overseas, Wall Street rewards them because stock prices shoot up. It’s a bad deal for American workers, particularly when U.S. politicians keep piling on more regulations, red tape, paperwork and taxes. U.S. workers are at a tremendous disadvantage. Unless we fundamentally change our policies, it will never again work out for the U.S. middle class.”

This symbiotic relationship between big government and big business has created a situation where both forces benefit, creating what is known today as the one percenters.

In addition, a strange phenomenon has occurred today wherein propagandists working for big business utilize a divide-and-conquer strategy among the left and the right that perpetually fuels partisan animosity.

Stated differently, whereas liberal Democrats mostly blame greedy Wall Street bankers for America’s problems, conservative Republicans point to bloated government and unions as the source of our woes. So, while Republicans and Democrats tear each other apart, the elite one-percent in Washington and New York City continue to get wealthier.

What the mainstream media refuses to illustrate is that both of these seemingly disparate factions work together. They’re on the same team. They belong to the same club.

It’s like the joke says: A corporate executive, a tea party member and a union worker are all sitting at a table when a plate with a dozen cookies arrives. Before anyone else can make a move, the CEO reaches out to rake in 11 of the cookies. When the other two look at him in surprise, the CEO locks eyes with the tea party member. “You better watch him,” the executive says with a nod toward the union worker. “He wants a piece of your cookie.”

Throw in politicians who are funded by Wall Street and big business, and it makes for even more trouble for Main Street America.

Snyder agrees: “Government and Wall Street feed off each other. Businesses make donations to politicians, who in turn write laws that benefit corporations. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

Snyder said that our country, at its inception, frowned upon such government enablers.

“Our Founding Fathers were suspicious of anyone trying to concentrate power,” he said. “Not only did they place limits on central government, there were also strict limits on corporations. The biggest danger to the middle class today is any form of concentrated power. I don’t think it’s surprising that the three counties surrounding Washington, D.C. are the three wealthiest counties in America.”

Whereas Barack Obama symbolizes massive government and Mitt Romney symbolizes big business, neither one of them has any incentive to alter the status quo. Why should they? It benefits their supporters, who epitomize the one percent. In this regard, Obama socialists and Romney capitalists are more than content to let the middle class founder as long as they remain in the upper tier.

Or, as Snyder said: “There’s more wealth and power in the hands of a few. The only way to alleviate this situation and allow small businesses to thrive once again is to break up the size of both government and corporations.”
Middle Class in a State of Dependency

By Victor Thorn

When viewing our country’s decline, the repercussions are already being felt. In an April 16 article, Michael Snyder summed it up: “Millions upon millions of middle-class Americans have been systematically turned into government dependents.”

As it stands now, 47M Americans collect food stamps, a rise of 15M since 2009. With one in seven U.S. citizens now accepting food  stamps, the number is even higher for children: an alarming one in four. Moreover, 49% of all Americans live in a household that receives  some form of government benefit. In 1983, that figure was less than one-third.

With more people filing for disability under Social Security, not to mention unemployment benefits that sometimes extend three years, Snyder  worries, “We’re training an entire generation to think that the government will take care of all their needs.”

Yet, when asked what America would look like without its extensive safety net, Snyder answered: “Much worse than the Great Depression. We’d see unbelievable despair and despondency.”

During the Clinton and Bush administrations, a cabal of bankers and politicians temporarily hid this pain by giving home loans and credit cards to anyone that could sign their name on the dotted line.

“The housing bubble was a big part of what happened to the middle class,” said Snyder. “Anyone breathing could get a home loan in those days, and as house prices kept increasing, people used their residences like ATM machines. But many of these individuals couldn’t afford the payments, and once the houses were foreclosed on, those people lost their #1 financial asset.”

Further weakening the middle class is what some have called a “man-cession.” The continuing economic downturn has affected men more severely than women, especially in the manufacturing sector.

“Blue-collar layoffs hit males the hardest,” Snyder said. “Now we have millions of men sitting at home watching TV, wondering why they can’t find a job. It’s soul crushing, especially if their wives are working. These men can’t feed the kids or pay their mortgage, so it eats away at their self-worth.

Snyder added: “In the 1950s, a man could get a job anytime he wanted. Today, only 65% of all working age males are employed. This brings  in another level of instability, and it is further causing the American family to crumble.”
Young Americans See Daunting Future; Seniors Look to Keep What They Have

By Victor Thorn

Although it hasn’t been a pronounced aspect of the Occupy Wall Street movement, there exist definite hostilities between today’s youth and America’s aging population. This conflict hits right to the core of who will be America’s middle class  in the future. As the American dream continues to slip away from the younger generation, will “ageism” become the rift that tears the nation apart at the seams?

According to a Nov. 28, 2011 article by economics writer Annalyn Censky, the average net worth of households led by someone 65 or older  is 47 times larger than the median net worth of households led by someone 35 or younger.

“The young feel the system is failing them,” said Michael Snyder, who runs the widely read website The Economic Collapse, “and it creates  a great deal of resentment when viewing higher unemployment figures among their ranks.”

Housing and education debt are two critical issues facing younger people today, but these are not the only pitfalls.

Snyder told AFP: “Credit card debt for the young is a very real problem, plus couples starting out are strapped with underwater homes or  even foreclosures that have completely wiped them out. This age group has been hit disproportionately worse.”

The matter of Social Security must also be addressed. Snyder speaks for many in their 40s and younger: “I’m convinced I’ll never see a single penny of Social Security. I don’t believe it’ll be around in the future, or it’ll be so devalued as to be almost worthless. We’re paying tremendous amounts of money into this fund, with more and more of a burden placed on younger workers, but we may never get anything out of it in the end.”

Snyder cites our government’s irresponsibility: “Passing a $15T debt on to future generations is a horrible legacy.” And then there is the estimated $200T worth of unfunded future mandates that include Medicare, government pensions and other social safety nets.

“With a 105%-national-debt-to-GDP ratio, I see an economic collapse before we ever get to the point of paying out these unfunded mandates,” he said. “I’m talking about a global collapse that will require tremendous restructuring. When things blow up, it’s difficult to envision what will happen. We’re at a point of crisis.”

Will these factors compel youth, who have nothing to lose, to turn on the elderly, especially those who reaped the benefits of more successful times in U.S. history?

“If the world loses faith in the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, we’ll collapse under the weight of our debt,” Snyder said. “To compensate, the government continues its policies of overspending and printing more money, with the result being massive inflation and a debt that swamps us.”

If Americans feel the middle class slipping away from them now, try to imagine how younger generations feel in terms of their inability to pursue the American dream.

——

Victor Thorn is a hard-hitting researcher, journalist and the author of over 30 books.

Hey Josh, the debut cd for 96 Brigade- Revolution For Dummies is due out next month. We have been getting a ton of good feedback from the sample songs we have been promoting and wanted to give you the chance to let everyone know more about the cd.
First can you tell everyone the meaning behind the name 96 Brigade?

Well, the 96 brigade was a volunteer unit in the revolutionary war. I felt that it was fitting to give homage to a more unknown group of the revolution. In my personal opinion, some of the greatest heroes of wars and conflict are those with the least written tales.

Speaking of which, the cover art is the Betsy Ross flag draped over a battlefield with dead soldiers. Can you tell us more about the cover and why you chose it?

Again, going back to obscurities. The picture is rather famous…its from the civil war. Many people don’t realize that is a picture of four brothers who fell in battle less then ten feet away from one another. Combined with the colonial flag, I thought that it was a good representation of the concept of the album.

The lyrics on this cd are very patriotic, but instead of the blind patriotism of what America has become, it is a call to restore our country to the ideals of our founding fathers. Would you like to explain more?

Our governmental structure has been allowed wiggle room to continuously revoke freedoms from us. These are freedoms that were given to us by smart men. Men with foresight enough to draft a document that adapts to any generation.
I say in one of the songs “The best generation raised the worst”. I hold true to that. Our most industrious, and ingenuous generation in history gave birth to the most lackadaisical, unmotivated generation yet. Its funny when I see 40-50 year old people complaining about the state of this country. Its almost as if they fail to realize that we are living in a pot of their filth. We are forced to reap policies that they allowed to happen,….because allowing the government to decide for them was easier then taking personal responsibility for things. I wanted to illustrate, that for the most part, our obstacles as nationalists really have less to do with the black, or the jew……..our obstacles are/were created by the very people we put in charge to protect our country. And I believe that they have failed in doing that by selling out our interests for a buck.

The lyrics touch on many of the hot topics in America today including our right to bear arms being taken away as well as our constitutional rights in general being eroded, illegal aliens flooding our borders and amnesty, fortune 500 companies that pay off politicians, etc. It is easy to see how far this country has degenerated from what our founding fathers intended it to be. The left is determined to continue turning this country into their own demented idea of a Utopian society and use their control of the media and higher educational systems to infest Americans with their agenda. What would you say to Americans, and White European Americans in general about why we need to stand up and preserve our country as it was intended to be?

I would say that unless you intend to have to fight like our fore fathers, then you might want to stop the happenings now, before they get any worse then they already have. Companies are only as strong as they are because people spend their money on them. Politicians are only as strong as they are, because the people allow them to operate unchecked. Just because you vote a person into office, it doesn’t mean that person is incapable of being selfish. I think that people need to demand the things that are given to us in the constitution. Nothing more, nothing less. They need to demand the rights afforded to us, and give back all the extras. Laziness has bred most of our issues. When the people became too lazy to ask questions, or to defend themselves…that is when the government was given more power then it deserved. Politicians are sneaky…they do things when people don’t have the strength to be able to defend themselves against it. Look at our current situations. We have politicians pushing through policies en-mass during a time when the American working class is more worried about how they are going to feed their families. Our founding fathers knew that corruption could and would occur if not checked properly, and they wrote counter measures into our constitution for those events. The thing now is simply the question of whether or not the population will enforce them.

Recently an organization that has done good things for the anti illegal immigration side backed out of supporting Arizona`s laws. I found this particularly disgusting because the reason they did so was that a pro illegal communist group informed them that a white American who wants to preserve his heritage (they call these people white supremacists) was involved in some aspect or other. Because of this they cowardly turned on their ideals and let those who are diametrically opposed to what they stand for dictate their agenda. I know you support the tea party`s and the organizations that work for restoring America`s sovereignty and our rights as citizens, but what thoughts go through your head when these people will still run away from supporting activities that may or may not involve those who openly proclaim their pride as White Americans?

Well…there is a fine line there. I can’t respect the idea, as a majority of their supporters are proud white Americans. I personally don’t like the hyphenations of heredity. I`m American, my family were European. I have a proud lineage and family history, but part of that is the continuation of our blood line on American soil.
I can support the concept of those organizations. Their endeavors for the American people are priceless….but when they retreat before even really being confronted with anything, other then a report of someones associations, it makes them look weak and fearful.
I personally think that these organizations need to concentrate on the fact that they have support from Americans…regardless of what their political affiliations might be, they are Americans, and they deserve their voices to be heard. Our country was founded on the rights and freedoms to believe and practice what ever you choose fit. Disregarding their efforts in a conflict like illegal immigration is just wrong.

I also hear a lot of people say they aren`t against illegal immigration because they aren`t “racist”, that they only oppose the illegality of it. They say that if they were made legal they could pay taxes and help strengthen our country. These quotes from your song Break In The Dam sum it up.-

we got cries of fuckin amnesty, excusing them for acts of war and setting all of them free giving them equal rights to vote, when Americans lost that right to felonies for defending their homes

they act submissive, and lower their heads for all the media cameras but when behind closed door, getting more then our poor they spit on this fucking country swinging sickles and hammers

A lot of White Americans don`t realize that Mexicans see America as their own land and are using immigration as a reconquista from the gringo`s who they say stole it from them. Along with the fact that “La Raza” thinks racially, can you explain to White America why becoming a racial minority is not in our interest

I can partially agree with both sides. The problem with amnesty movements is that these people have already proven that they don’t desire to assimilate to our way of life. So what happens when they gain amnesty….we still have to cater to a mass of people unwilling to learn the English language, and unwilling to support American politics as they should be supported.
Politicians are only concerned with the voting numbers. They don’t think about the over all problems…because in reality most of those are left to independent regions to have to deal with. The politician responsible sits on capital hill and claims a victory over the illegal population.
Now although it will probably rub people wrong, I am equally as offended by Europeans who come to this country under the radar and rape the services that we have. Now statistically the numbers are staggeringly smaller, but they are existent. That is where I can agree with the “I`m not racist, just don’t like it” crowd.
Our existence in America is supported only by the population that lives here. If we have a subversive population of people that are given citizenship simply because of the fact that they are a problem…..well then we have just created a generation of people with absolutely no interest in the survival and existence of our nation. Our country was founded by Europeans…with European principal. What I mean by that is we were founded under the conditions that we would continue to support individual rights, the pursuits of technology and education, and the industrialization of the region. Those are European concepts because Europeans are the cultivators of those sciences and ideas. There is a reason that we have such a large flood from the third world…..those people have absolutely no interest in continuing sciences or technologies, they simply want to leach off the available sciences and technologies here now.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Aside from the lyrics, how would you best describe the music of 96 Brigade?

Its fast, mean, and aggressive. I didn’t hold back any punches with any of the content. My hopes are that it might allow a young skinhead, or even just some kid somewhere, the ability to make a more educated decision on politics. If I had heard something like this when I was a young skinhead, it would have changed my perspective on things. I spent a lot of years just putting the blame where ever I saw fit. In reality, we were victim to politicians………the peers of our grandparents. Minority interests are always going to be an issue in our society, because they are cash cows. These politicians don’t give a shit about any of these people in real life, they are numbers on paper…..they make their budgets larger. As long as we have politicians that are more worried about their budget sizes, we are going to have corruption and will be faced with revocations of our rights as Americans. I did my best to illustrate those thoughts with every song on this album.

You actually touched on a couple topics in that answer I want to address. First I fully agree that we need to take responsibility for the actions of our own people. When we continue to blame everyone else we are deflecting the need for our own people to better themselves. Secondly you mentioned you wish you had heard something like this when you were younger. One thing I try and do with Label 56 is promote a more “mainstream” and positive image for our youth. There are many impressionable people out there and I do not want to put out something they will take to heart and then go do something that will get them put in jail for a long time. I also feel we need to find a middle ground where we can interact with those who may be on the fence, to get involved with “politics” and not completely alienate ourselves from the rest of America with symbols they can`t relate to and harsh negative rhetoric. The 96 Brigade cd does exactly that- it puts aside a lot of the stereotypical lyrical content and is a cd that any conservative American can listen to and enjoy and hopefully inspire them to become more politically minded. With all of that being said is there any advice you would like to give to those looking to get involved in our particular movement, whether it is a young skinhead or whomever?

I think that the best advice that i can give someone, is to just find what is most productive for them. Let me explain that a little.
Lets circumvent the fashion, lets circumvent the music, and lets even circumvent the politics. What do you have left? You have personality. A person needs to address whether their personality can even be applied to certain things. I think that in general, most of the skinhead scene has been saturated with people who’s personalities never even fit the idea…..because not everyone is meant to be a skinhead. Its been popularized, though, by old men who sit in their homes and preach rhetoric….and even worst, its been pushed by federal entities so they can forge the next generation of inmates.
I don’t think that I personally would have done anything different in my life, other then focus my concentration on more Volkish ideas, rather then what black or Jew was responsible for the decline of the world. I mean, retrospectively, being a skinhead was never an attempt to be the “social elite”. We were a youth sub culture, and an answer to situations.
Recently, we have been seeing more mainstream politics that are answering powerful questions in society. And they are political moves that benefit us as a whole. I think that is important. I think that as a whole, the youth of today….especially the children of the white working class, need to become more supportive of the continuation of their homeland…rather then trying to recreate a mythical government, that in reality could never even work here.
I believe in fascist government……and I wish that fascist government could be implemented with a strong nationally minded leader. I know, in reality though, that is probably not an option…not now at least.
In my adult life I have found more productive methods of reflection. You said before, we suffered alienation as kids for what we believed in…I don’t think that 90% of that benefited us, in reality it ostracized us more and more….and today we don’t even have a voice.
Going back to what i said in the beginning, take time and decide where exactly you want to stand with things…..because let’s face it, a father who teaches his children the importance of cultural heritage so they can teach their children, is far more valuable then someone who lands themselves in prison for the rest of their lives because they felt they had something to prove.

I agree. And yes I agree we have a long way to go in order to establish a governing body that would protect our self interests as a people. Looking at our “scene” now it`s easy to see it has really started to take a step into a more positive and constructive direction that can be built upon to do so. What do you see as still holding us back?

Look, we live in a deprived situation with our rights and freedoms…..not just as Americans, but as white nationalists.
Trust me, you can’t go make a point with anyone concerning racial topics without your own political views being tied into it. I think most of it is due to these retarded ass dress up groups that run around trying to make themselves the face of the white nationalist.
There is more to the 14 words then just wearing a t-shirt that has them on it. It might actually be better for us as whites if half these people that call themselves “the master race” just didn’t breed anymore.
If your a youngster reading this right now…and you want to know what you can do to help your Volk, and secure our future……..DON’T BECOME A STEREOTYPE.

You mentioned earlier you support a fascist government. Fascism, just like the word racism is used in horror by those in the media establishment to demonize anything that doesn`t fit their liberal agenda. Because of that many only get a one sided view of such things. Can you tell us what a Fascist government means to you, and also why when they say they oppose it, that those in the liberal establishment are actually fascist with their own censorship of ideas.

Well its not hard to imagine why Fascism is used with such a negative context. Its the same reason nationalist, pride, white, and anything else you can think of that might show adversity to degenerative ideals is used in a negative context.
I think that most people fear a fascist government because they aren’t able to choose their leader, and that leader will make decisions for the benefit of the nation.

The thing is, I`m realistic. And although I would love to see a nation led by a strong and capable leader, it`s probably not a reality for America. Honestly, it`s not the end of days….just something that I have to deal with.

The left in America is completely fascist, and it`s almost amusing how hard they throw the word out, but are guilty of the ideology. Their attempts at militaristic policy enforcement, their censorship of media outlets, and the perversions of information are all products of a over zealous fascistic mind. They do the things that unsuccessful fascist governments did. They were unsuccessful because they did these things without the benefit of the nation as a whole in mind…they did them simply for the improvement of one class.

Getting back to the band a bit, I have been asked by a couple people already when 96 Brigade will be playing a show?

Well, I produced the entire cd myself but I am looking for talented and dedicated musicians who are able to travel to do live shows. If any of you out there are interested send us an email at The96Brigade@yahoo.com

Aside from the guitar, etc., you actually play quite a few different musical instruments. Would you care to give us a background of your musical history?

I was fortunate growing up. I had pretty supportive parents with my musical adventures, and I started getting into the concepts of music at a pretty young age.

I have always been a fan of rock and roll..I actually grew up listening to guys like Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, Bob Seger. Those guys are true relics to rock and roll. Their music helped fashion my love for all of it. When I was middle school age, that`s when I really started getting into punk and hardcore.

I still find myself listening to classical music quite a bit….its all that plays in my car while I ride around. I can find a lot of influences for any of my musical projects from classical composition.

What about your involvement in bands. Have you played with other bands?

I have been really fortunate with some of the bands that I have had the chance to play with full time, or stand in with for a show. Music has been really satisfying for me.

I have been in quite a few mainstream projects. Some of them were somewhat successful, some not so much. But that’s the beauty of music, its all just a learning game.

As far as nationalist projects I have done….I played with Patriots Call and Force Fed Hate. I have also had the honor of making stand in performances with Razors Edge, Chingford Attack, and The Blackshirts.

In our musical scene, it just depends on how motivated you are. There are a lot of avenues for people to take musically. I would encourage anyone to pursue any direction they find comfortable for themselves…and lets bring skinhead rock and roll back!

A special thanks to Josh and 96 Brigade for a great cd and interview. You can contact the band at The96Brigade@yahoo.com

Hey Brent, thank you for doing this interview. Hopefully this one won`t take 4 years to finish ha ha ha. Seriously though it`s good to be back in touch with you guys. I have been a Definite Hate fan since before even your debut split with Riot Wing was released when I picked up your demo on cassette. Unless they have been living under a rock I`m sure everyone into our music scene knows who Definite Hate is, but for those who may be new to it can you tell us how long you guys have actually been around?

Thank you Rick, Definite Hate started in the summer of ’98. It has been 12 years for the first round of DH.

The band has gone through several changes since then as far as members. Are you the only original member and can you give us your current line up?

Brent (Rhythm and backing vocals) and Dave (bass) are the original members, the current line up includes Andy (vocals) Ozzie (drums) and for the first time in our 12 years we have a lead guitarist – Wade.

The music of Definite Hate has also changed a bit. Your first cd (split with Riot Wing) was a bit heavier while your debut full length was a bit more Oi influenced. Then the new song I heard you play at the St Patty`s Day show was very heavy. Was this due to the input of the varying members? I guess more specifically I am asking about the writing process and how the songs are created. Is it a group effort or mostly one or two guys? As an original member do you have a sound you prefer that you wanted Definite Hate to be?

Our new sound does have a lot to do with the new line up. We all come from different musical backgrounds. Ozzie being a killer drummer and from an old school metal band, he brought the drumming and we decided to go to a heavy and hard core sound. We all contribute different ideas and then work it out together. We’re all happy with the direction of the new sound – Heavy, Hard, and Hatefull!

The lyrics changed as well from your split cd to your full length, going from very in your face lyrics to more of a want for preserving our heritage. Was this on purpose or was it due to the strict anti free speech laws of the country that the label was in who released it?

The lyrics were partly a result of the various singers and each of their styles and input. Also, that it was put out on a German label had an impact so that it could be released.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Based on that I have a two part question-

A) I know a lot of people now a days try and put out more of a subtle or positive message rather than one that is more “hate filled”, but for me it was that blatant message of bands like Blue Eyed Devils, the Definite Hate split, etc., that drew me into the music scene. Over the years from talking to your everyday person I have seen that the majority of them are on the same page as us but are actually turned off by a lot of the overpowering negativity. What is your opinion on the blatant message vs the subtle and how does this relate to the lyrics you guys write?

B) Also in relation to that- There is certainly a changing political climate in this country with the tea parties, the anti immigration, the end the fed movements, etc. Even stiIl there are people who say it is a waste of time to try and reach out to the majority of people. What is your opinion on everything going on in this country right now? Do you feel we should reach out to the majority and how are your lyrics going to play into this… or do you just not give a f*ck and will write whatever you want? Lol

A) Subtle lyrics are half ass. We are straight forward and to the point.

B)The Tea Party and other groups are fence sitters, so we just write whatever the f*ck we want to.

Aside from Definite Hate you are also involved with the band 13 Knots. Can you tell us how long ago 13 Knots was started and what led to it`s formation?

13 Knots was formed in 2007 at a point where Definite Hate was on the verge of falling apart, and music is my therapy.

13 Knots has a full length cd as well as a 7″ released. Can you tell us any more about them and what projects 13 Knots has coming up?

13 Knots are recording a 7″ split with Kilgore and a song for the UPRISE compilation.

The record label in Germany that released your stuff was recently raided. Not many people may understand that there are actually very strict anti free speech laws in these “free and democratic” countries. This makes it even more important that we fight to keep the constitutional rights our founding fathers gave us. Would you care to elaborate?

As I respond to this interview I am currently on probation because of what should be “Freedom of Speech” being taken away as a result of the weak being verbally offended.

You mentioned what is upcoming for 13 Knots. Can you tell us what is in store for Definite Hate?

Split 7″ with End Apathy on Label 56, Contributing to the UPRISE compilation, another 7″ on Wewelsburg records and we will be recording our 2nd full length CD later this year.

I want to thank you guys for the interview, and I am certainly looking forward to hearing more from Definite Hate and 13 Knots

Good evening Wade, this interview is long overdue due to my own fault but with all the good stuff going on with your band now I don`t think the timing could be more perfect. I`d like to do this interview to let everyone know about End Apathy from the very beginning up until now. It was at least three years ago when I first got in touch with you after hearing your music on your my space page. Can you give the readers a quick background to End Apathy? More specifically- how long ago did you actually come up with the idea for End Apathy (and why you choose the name End Apathy) and start writing music for it?

End Apathy began in 2005 and the concept was based on trying to figure out what it would take to actually accomplish positive results in society and what is holding us back. A lot of what I realized at the time was that if we could figure out how to end peoples apathetic ways it would be the start towards moving forward. Of course after that it requires discipline, strict discipline to stay the course in our sick society. So, in a sense it was view of psychology and sociology. But I didn’t want to just point the finger at what other people should do, but also I was willing to point out some of my faults on how I was holding myself back. And that is how I wrote the song “Self Destruct”.

As you said End Apathy was entirely your own creation. What was your inspiration for wanting to do the band?

Yes, it was entirely my own idea. The inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole.

The music you write is very clean sounding and to me has an oldschool 80`s California skate punk sound to it. Am I totally off base here? Lol. How would you describe your music and can you tell us why you choose to write in this style?

When I first started writing these songs I didn’t have a set plan on the style of sound, it just came together. I think it is mainly based on the mix of my influences and that is 80′s punk, metal, and Oi.

What kind of topics do you write about in your lyrics?

The topics vary from sociological issues, religion, and how the value of human life has been degraded by being submissive to tyranny and hypocrisy that we are subjugated to.

As mentioned you have been writing music for End Apathy over 5 years but until now it has been a solo project. I`m very happy you stayed persistent with it because I personally love the music style you create for the band. Your persistence has paid off as you now have a complete line up. Can you let everyone know what is going on with End Apathy now?

End Apathy as a band has taken a long time to develop, mainly because it was a one man project. But now there is a full line up with Brent on bass and Ozzie on drums – both from Definite Hate and 13 Knots. We have the luxury of living close to each other and are able to have practice often, as a result we are ready to record our first release which is a 7″ split with Definite Hate, then another song that we’re contributing to the UPRISE compilation and our full length CD will come out after that.

I`m really glad that worked out for you. Just in this short time you have already done a live show playing with Definite Hate and you guys are all practicing together. How long do you think it will be before we will see End Apathy on stage live?

End Apathy will be playing at the Independent Artist Uprise fest, but we will also be playing at some local clubs here in North Carolina and possibly playing the midwest this fall.

You guys are also getting ready to do some recording for both bands. Label 56 will be releasing a split 7″ this summer between End Apathy and Definite Hate. We are also planning to do your full length sometime early next year. Is there anything you want to let the readers know about these. What else do you guys have planned?

Even though End Apathy, Definite Hate, and 13 Knots share some of the same members each band has it’s own unique style and sound. Our main focus is the upcoming recording and playing shows.

Aside from your band I`d like the readers to know a bit about you. Not many people may be aware but you used to play with Youngland out in California before moving out to the east coast. How long have you yourself been involved in music and are there any other bands you have been involved with?

I had the opportunity to play bass with Youngland for 2 years back in 2001 – 2003 and during that time I filled in for various bands on guitar and bass including Celtic Warrior, Radikahl, Max Resist, Intimidation One, Aggressive Force, Blue Eyed Devils. I have been playing music since I was 13, off and on over the years.

Are you originally from out in California? How did you wind up moving from one side of the country to the complete other?

I am originally from Colorado and had always been independent, but back in 2000 I set out to get involved and wanted to basically start over. So, I sold everything I owned except for my motorcycle and what I could fit into a backpack and went on cross country trip visiting friends and attending festivals and shows. I went to the Hammerfest 2000 in Georgia, over to North Carolina, up to Ohio, down to West Virginia, and out to California and that’s when I joined Youngland.

What do you see as any differences between the east and west coast whether in the music scene or just lifestyle in general?

In some ways things are generally the same, but each area has it’s own unique style and traditions. Influenced by surroundings and events. The southeast is much more laid back and relaxed with more of a hillbilly attitude and that is reflected in the music. SoCal was more of a fast paced, tense environment and that definitely comes across in their music.

Well I`m glad you have made yourself a home out here and things are coming together for you. I hope to see End Apathy around and making music for years. The closing words are yours.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone at Label 56 for believing in End Apathy and putting out our music!

Greets Stavros, I am writing this interview to ask you more of your new band Spirit Of The Patriot. I have heard the song Future Of Hellas and am very impressed. Can you tell us how long ago you have started the band?

I think I been working on it since around March I guess.

What was your purpose for starting this band?

Well actually it was kind of an accident. I’m not sure if you know or not but I also play drums in Max Resist currently and wrote Future of Hellas for Shawn to sing. Roy convinced me to write another song for Shawn to sing and keep that one for myself. So I made future of Hellas and I was so pleased with the way it came out, and Roy was like “you HAVE to create a side project” and thus, Spirit of the Patriot was born.

 What instruments do you play in the band? Are their others in the band also?

Yea, It’s more of a project that I’m doing rather than a band. I am the guy playing all the instruments except for the song “Future of Hellas”. In that song Roy blasts some really kick ass lead guitars on it, and also some kick ass bass lines.

Have you been involved with other bands before this?

I currently play in Max Resist. I used to play in disorderly conduct outta NYC. I was in a pogo band outta Boston called the Sex Offenders, these punx are still giggin, they just replaced me when I moved. and when I was in middle school and high school I played in a buncha random punk bands here and there.

 The song Future of Hellas was recently featured on the Freedom cd compilation. How many other songs have you recorded and when can we expect more music or a cd from Spirit Of The Patriot?

Theres a bunch that I’m working on. I can promise you that you won’t be disappointed when they are released that’s for sure. There will be a cd coming out around august on Strong Survive records. I’ll keep you guys posted on that one.

I have heard the entire cd will be a concept about Greece. Is this correct? If so what is your inspiration for doing a cd in this concept?

Well, a bunch of the songs will be about Greek related things, but not the whole album. The inspiration began when there was a protest in Athens not too long ago, and me being of Greek ancestry keeps in touch with the Greek comrades. Anyways, There was violence between the nationalists and the anarchists and they were all arrested only to have the leftist government call the police station and have them release the leftists and keep the nationalists in jail. These patriots are trying to keep Greece pure. That is the land that created me, and immigration will destroy us all if nothing is done. These guys are fighting for our continuation, and now they are prisoners of war and my heart really goes out to them. I guess all I can really do right now is create music and spill out all of my heart and soul for my racial brothers. I share their pain, and my tears drop for them and for Hellas.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The very first episode of Label 56`s Indie Radio Show is online now!
Listen Here

The show opens with a song from Will To Survive- the Label 56 pick of the week. Then some discussion about the latest goings on in our music scene including the new releases from Bombs Away and Spirit of the Patriot as well as the excellent new release from Moshpit.

The Greek music scene is discussed which includes talk about our upcoming interview with Kostas who writes for the Terra Patria music blog as well as his musical projects. Their music scene is then highlighted with a 3 song music block.

Afterwards the show is closed out simply enough with some really good music…

Track List:
01. Will To Survive – Our Lives
02. Moshpit – We Carry The Heart
03. Bombs Away – $6
04. Spirit Of The Patriot – NWO (Band Interview Here)
05. Straightline – Walking The Straightline
06. Pride & Pain – Στο Κάλεσμα Τους (In Their Call)
07. Filopatria – Molon Lave
08. Black September – Lord`s Beauty
09. Pure Hate – Stay Alive
10. Tribute To Totenkopf: Choc Frontal- Football song
11. Empire Falls – The Time Is Now
12. Xenophobe- Xenophobe (Demo Version)
13. Still Burnin Youth – Diritto Allo Schiavismo
14. Njord – For Alltid Patriot

Pick Of The Week 5/6/12: Will To Survive

With all of the new bands coming out today in the hardcore/ metal arena I wanted to make sure one specifically did not get overlooked. Last year Will To Survive had an excellent 3 song ep released by OPOS Records. This is an “alternative” hardcore band and I would describe it as Eternal Bleeding meets Second Class Citizen. There is a rather diverse sound on this cd with tempo changes from melodic (dare I say emo influenced) to heavy, with clean and harsh (yet not too harsh) vocals both backing each other at times. A great introduction to this band and one of the top released recently. I hope to hear more from these guys soon. Recommended for fans of Eternal Bleeding, Second Class Citizen, Moshpit, etc

Track List:
01. Our lives
02. Survive
03. Memory

It seems certain at this point that Golden Dawn will enter Parliament

By Pete Papaherakles

Golden Dawn, Greece’s most-recognized populist political party has the establishment shaking in their pants in fear of a huge victory in the upcoming May 6 elections. Their fast-rising popularity due to a strong patriotic message along with crippling economic woes and massive illegal immigration, has seen the party that was only a grass roots nationalist movement with only a 0.29% showing in the 2009 election explode to 5.5% in official polls; just four months ago they were only at 1.5%. Many feel that their real numbers are much higher.

Although the preferred strategy by the media had been to completely ignore them, their popularity is growing so rapidly that the current plan is to constantly defame and slander them in order to scare the masses from joining their ranks. As is done throughout Europe and the West in general, nationalist groups are routinely portrayed as fascists, Nazis and hooligans. The ultimate big gun of defamation is to compare the party leader to Adolph Hitler. Browbeaten since WW II with horror stories of a monstrous Hitler and his alleged “holocaust” of the Jews, the people are conditioned into a Pavlovian knee-jerk reaction of repulsion to anyone portrayed as a Nazi.

The roughly two million illegal aliens that entered Greece over the past two decades, mostly in the last five years, are portrayed by the media as innocent refugees, although Greece’s crime rate, once one of the lowest in the world, has skyrocketed in recent years exclusively due to illegal immigration. Golden Dawn’s support of the victimized Greeks and their insistence that the borders be closed and illegals deported has been portrayed as fascist and cruel by the mainstream media even as Greece’s 22% unemployment rate is twice the Eurozone average and bare survival is becoming impossible for Greeks. In fact, Golden Dawn alone has provided food and assistance to the neediest Greeks, completely at their own expense.

Even though Golden Dawn’s policies strictly prohibit violence and seek only political solutions to these problems, they are consistently portrayed as violent thugs and are routinely provoked into situations of self-defense by agents provocateurs in order to incriminate them as Nazi thugs in the mainstream media.

Not only are the Greek media and rival political parties pursuing this mudslinging, but as Golden Dawn’s popularity is surging, the international media is joining in this smear. Recently, both The New York Times and Bloomberg News have written derogatory articles about them with constant references to Hitler and “goose-stepping Nazis.” Their ancient Greek symbol of the meander design has been called a “disentangled swastika” by Bloomberg. The leader of Golden Dawn, Nikos Michaloliakos has been accused of being a Nazi for giving a raised arm salute in the Athenian Council in protest to being called a fascist by an adversary. That image has been played over and over again in the mainstream media.

On May 1^st, in an exclusive AMERICAN FREE PRESS interview with Michaloliakos, this writer asked him about the allegations of Nazi salutes and swastika flags.

“First of all we don’t have any official salute of any sort. The so-called Heil Hitler! salute did not originate with the Nazis anyway. The Romans used it and the ancient Greeks used it before them. The same applies to our flag. Those that see a swastika on our flags need to have their eyes checked because what we have is the traditional Greek key design which everyone recognizes as Greek and is on so many ancient Greek artifacts. The swastika, by the way, also did not originate with the Nazis and is again found on many ancient Greek designs as well as Egyptian, Hindu and even Chinese. It was a symbol of the life force that emanated from the Sun. All this is an attempt to scare people with Nazi ghosts.”

Michaloliakos is optimistic about the upcoming elections. Asked to predict what type of a vote share Golden Dawn will get, he replied, ” I feel pretty confident that although the polls give us 5 ½%, we will get at least 8%.”

In Greece’s Parliamentary system it is not winner takes all as it is in the U.S. two-party system. Once a candidate reaches 3% of the vote, the minimum needed to enter Parliament, they are awarded their percentage share of the 300 Parliament seats.

“If we get 8% of the vote, we will have about twenty Golden Dawn members in Parliament,” said Michaloliakos.

That is a huge victory considering that they have never had a single representative there before. Also, unlike the U.S. two-party system, there are currently 16 parties competing in the Greek election. Half will probably enter Parliament with the top ones forming a ruling coalition but all of them having some influence.

What issues will Golden Dawn promote?

“Our main priorities are to expel all illegal immigrants, to repudiate the illegal debt and to massively increase productivity in order to get the Greek economy moving again. Also, we need to restore our national values and bring back justice. Criminals have to be punished.”

Interestingly, Michaloliakos did not feel that exiting the Eurozone and returning to the drachma was the right move at this time.

“First we need to increase productivity and then we can talk about returning to the drachma” he said. “Without a productive economy it would be a mistake to return to the drachma.”

One thing is certain. Golden Dawn will be in the Parliament and it will be a strong force for nationalist Greek interests as opposed to internationalist banking interests.