Basically, it took me ages to listen to Cloak/Dagger. I don't know why. I didn't go to any of their live shows because they toured with Life Long Tragedy (not as a protest, but I didn't think I'd be into them). Then a few months later I noticed that they'd done/were doing stuff with GRAVE MISTAKE, and realised that I should probably check them out. I bought the 7"'s and it started from there. 'We Are' was re-released on vinyl a few months ago, and it really is an awesome record. They were definitely a band that I wanted to explore further, so I sent Jason their vocalist a bunch of questions.
Here they are:
Nick: So, 'We Are' just came out on Grave Mistake on wax. Was a vinyl version always the intention from the start?
Jason: It took close to a year after the CD was released until the vinyl came out and we wish it would have come out sooner. There was even talk of Darren Walters ressurecting Hi-Impact to do the vinyl but we are happy that it came out with Alex and on Grave Mistake. We worked with Alex on our first release the Pinata 7" and then again with the Kamikazes 7" which had an unreleased song off of the LP so he was down to press th
e vinyl for the LP. The record sounds a lot more gritty and dirty which I think works well for the songs.
Nick: You did a tour of the UK with Life Long Tragedy, how did that turn out? Itwas kinda weird for you guys touring with a headline band that are largely musically different to you? How did it come about?
Jason: I talked to Avocado about coming over before the CD on Jade Tree was released. We just wanted to tour as much as we could when the record came out and they suggested Life Long Tragedy since they were looking for a band to tour with. We knew they had been over seas before and we were ready to go. It ended up being good because we all got along well with their band but the shows were strange for us to say the least. It was mostly core kids there definitely to see Life Long Tragedy and then there would be a couple kids with Fucked Up shirts or Career Suicide patches at every show and we would know oh ok they are here to see us. I don't think we won over any one on that tour.
Nick: On that note, word on the street is you're coming over again? When will that be, d'yknow?
Jason: Right now we are putting wheels in motion to come over there in November and we can't wait. We toured Canada in March but that's the last time we have done longer then a few dates and it's going to be with The Computers which are more our speed.
Nick: There's a load of good labels, which seem to be putting out some good records, and I keep seei
ng flyers for a bunch of gigs that make me weep that I don't live in the US but How healthy is the US live scene at themoment? And are kids buying lots of records or is it pretty apathetic?
Jason: It depends what kind of show it is. There are a lot of good bands in the US right now and sometimes there are shows that have awesome line ups where there are 200 to 300 people there and there are times where some good line ups only draw 30 or 40 people. We have a lot of shows in Richmond at a bar that holds about 60 people and it's usually packed and we just had No Way Fest here and Best Friends Day is coming up and those are fests that draw a lot of people from all over so I'm lucky to be in a city that has that going for it. Kids are definitely buying vinyl in a big way. Alex is almost sold out of the We Are lp's after a few weeks and we are running out of our copies fast too and people are always trying to keep up with new bands so we aren't that jaded over here. Every now and again there will be a show I know I should go to but end up staying home and I suck for that but there are a lot of shows here.
Nick: I don't know how aware you guys are with tours over here, cus prices arereally high at the moment, and it seems like a lot of bands avoid the UK unless they're with some booking agency like Avocado so they can safely tour with a guarantee, because it's so hard to break even. I think Loser Life came over and to break even they needed something like £250 ($500) every night...to break even and some kids lost a bunch of money on it. Is there a general impression of that in the US of the UK? And did you experience any problems when you came over at all with LLT?
Jason: Definitely. The UK killed us money wise on the last tour. It cost money for the work permits, the ferry over and for gas and food while we were there and we had a couple shows fall through so it left us in bad shape. We lost money at the end of that tour and it's unfortunate but bands need guarantees to make ends meet these days. There is gas, plane tickets, merch, food, driver, van rental, equipment rental and if you're lucky enough to cover that you still don't have money for rent or bills when you go home. Well some bands do but not at our level. All that aside we had a great time in the UK eating cheaper food and hanging out.
Nick: Are any of you guys in any projects/bands outside Cloak/Dagger that are going to be making an impression soon?
Jason: Not at the moment but I think there's things in the works.
Nick: Any awesome bands from the Richmond area we should be checking out?
Jason: The Ladies is a newer band from Richmond that rule. Wasted Time and Government Warning but I'm sure every one knows them by now.
Nick: Finally, GG Allin or Amy Winehouse?
Jason: I'm going Amy on this one. She smokes crack and keeps that glamour look, GG just throws shit and his songs are better but image is every thing.
Nick: Thanks to Jason for these questions. 'We Are' is now available from www.gravemistakerecords.com
86 Mentality are probably one of my favourite bands, at least in recent years, and this Final Exit 7"/CD is the ultimate mark on their existence. Six tracks of British Oi inspired hardcore punk (with an extra track, and six live songs from a live show in Lintfabriek, Belgium) sits on this record so brilliantly.
