The New Threat Interview
How did The New Threat get started? We all played in different area bands and decided to start one together.
Were any of you in bands prior to The New Threat? Yeah, Nate and Scott were in the Liquorheads, Adam was in Alias Clark, Johnny was in Playground Heros and I (Geoff) was in The Dead Bombers.
How would you describe TNT to someone who had not heard you before?
Old school hardcore punk for the most part.
Your songs have those older, late 80's true punk sounds, who are your influences?
Scott: Sick of it All, Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law
Adam: Guttermouth, Beatles, old Green Day, Ignite
Geoff: Descendents, Social Distortion, Dag Nasty, Bad Brains
Nate: Bad Religion, 7 Seconds
So you're about to kick off an East Coast tour, what are you looking forward to and what are you dreading?We’re looking forward to hitting the road and meeting all the kids and bands. Dreading the drive and the price of gas.
Your music is full of emotion & energy, how do you continue to keep that same level of energy at every show? We just all love music and playing live is what matters the most to us....and lots of DNA energy drinks!
Personally, I love the fact that you are keeping to the true, in your face, punk rock, fuck you attitude (that's how I grew up). Does this cause any problems for TNT booking shows or with people at the shows? Actually we’re doing this interview from the Hardrock Live, which doesn’t allow the kids to slam. Ironically, we just had to sign forms saying we wouldn’t incite moshing which is pretty fuckin weird. We did get banned from a venue where we live cause the kids got a bit too nuts but as a band we’re super respectful to the venues but our kids can get nuts at times.
Favorite place to play and why? Small, sweaty, all ages venues where there's a shitload of energy. The Social and Backbooth are 2 great venues where we live.
Funniest thing you've seen at a show? Two things we can think of. We saw a guy wearing Ram horns standing in the middle of an off ramp on I-95 doing the full booty dance deal...pretty fuckin random. The other is some guy pissed in a milk jug at our show and then drank it.
Most bizarre place you've played a show? We played a country club once and played at a church (which we didn't know until we got there). The church was pretty weird cause we didn't know how they would react but we just did our thing and they ended up being pretty cool.
Describe Jailhouse records and how you got involved with them? Jailhouse is the label we’re on right now. Dave, who is the owner, seems to really care about punk rock and takes care of us. He gives us room to do what we think is right but also has a bunch of good ideas. We did a split with a band called Our Time on Jailhouse and Dave asked us afterward if we wanted to sign on as one of his bands. We were pretty pumped on how he handled the split so we signed on with him.
Who are your favorite bands right now? There are so many great bands but I would say Street Dogs are definitely one. We have played with those guys a few times and besides putting on a great show they are all down to earth.
Who writes your songs and what fuels the writing? It’s pretty much a group effort. Whatever is on our minds at the time is the fuel.
What's your favorite song that you play right now and why?
Adam: Steadfast and Choices
Johnny: Suicide Today
Nate: Here's to You
Geoff: Probably Suicide Today, cause it’s a new one.
Scott: Come out Swinging and Suicide Today
What do you do when you're not playing music? Work to support our losses as a punk band!
What is your evaluation of the current punk scene? There are pockets of kids who are in it for the right reasons. Where we live there's too much division in the scenes for the most part but it seems to be getting better but there's always gonna be kids who are into punk rock.
What are your general thoughts on the world today?
It’s fucked. We just do our thing.
Any bands you really want to do a show with and why? We’ve been lucky to play with some great bands that we have grown up on. There are just so many good bands out there, that’s a tough question.
Who's the wildest band you've ever done a show with? Probably the Phenomanauts(spelling?). They have a pretty crazy set.
Anything you want to add: Our web is www.myspace.com/thenewthreat you can also go to www.jailhousedistro.com for info
Anyone you want to thank?
The kids who come out to shows, the bands we have played with and the venues who have had us. Jailhouse Records www.jailhousedistro.com and DNA energy drinks for keeping us fueled on stage.
