Interview by Ryan Pangilinan
Tagged 2006 hardcore melodic hardcore punk rock revelation records seattle bands sinking ships
"There is an undeniable honest in hardcore. That is what makes it such a powerful and unique form to be reckoned with."
- David Woods, Sinking Ships Fan
Hardcore culture has been welcomed into the mainstream with open arms as of late. Or, at least, a convoluted version of hardcore has. "Screamo," "metalcore," and other ridiculous buzzwords have been floating around local high schools and malls across the United States, resulting in an increase of anchor and nautical star tattoos.
Unlike some of the faux-goth vampire bands that most non-informed kids think of as hardcore, Seattle's Sinking Ships does not rely on make-up, demographics, or being sponsored by Verizon. Not unlike past genre stalwarts, such as Kid Dynamite, Dag Nasty, and Undertow, Sinking Ships can play in a club or in a basement and exhume the same amount of energy.
"Their sound exhibits a healthy respect for the legends that have paved the way for them, without stagnating in nostalgia," explains David Woods, a Western Washington University student and Sinking Ships fan.
Forming in 2004, Sinking Ships' origin can be traced to Auburn, WA, a Seattle suburb, best known for its self-christened Supermall and nearby race track, Emerald Downs.
Danny Hesketh, Paul Bettinson, Collin Horn, Andy Rice and Roger Kilburn completed the band's line-up, most of whom had spent a majority of their time in the Northwest living outside of the vapid Seattle scene. "When the band started, I was living in Tacoma and Collin and Danny were both living in Auburn, and we practiced in Auburn, so we felt the need to rep the South end," says guitarist Paul Bettinson.
Stemming from the South end's notoriously tight-knit community, Sinking Ships' new track, "Auburn," has a singularly-worded title that sums up the band's musical urgency and modest success. They are still as approachable as they were when they began playing basements, which is why a random person wouldn't know that they have had an album that's been released (
Meridian on Run For Cover Records), a few tours under their collective belts, and a deal inked with legendary California label, Revelation Records, who has slowly been rebuilding their roster as of late, signing bands such as Shook Ones.
"[Revelation] is not trying to be a strict ‘hardcore' label, but just the label they always were," says Bettinson, "a good label that put out bands with roots in hardcore."
"There is an undeniable honest in hardcore," comments Woods. "That is what makes it such a powerful and unique form to be reckoned with. There will be always be audiences looking for music that transcends the superficial nature of fashion and trends…."
The trends mentioned include the chaos-induced, dual-squawking introduced by bands such as the Blood Brothers and the now-defunct A Kiss Farewell. Sinking Ships has taken a more traditional, yet refreshing, approach to their sound.
"If [the Blood Brothers sound is] what kids are into, that's what they're into. Personally, it's never been my thing," admited Bettinson. But, if, because of us a few kids start digging bands like Turning Point, Dag Nasty or In My Eyes, that's cool by me."
Equally cool is that the band has a new full-length, Disconnecting, set for release in July, followed by a summer full of touring, as well as an opening slot for Gorilla Biscuits, an integral hardcore band. All of these events are large enough to make any normal kid's head spin around Linda Blair-style, but for Sinking Ships, it's the result of hard work.
"[The South end] breeds a different kind of kid than ones that come out of the city – kids who are more used to working to make things happen as opposed to waiting for things to be handed to them."
If there was a ridiculous subgenre tag to tack onto Sinking Ships, "Working Class Core" might be the way to go.
what do you think?
