Interview with Comeback Kid

Comeback kid are a true and authentic hardcore band, which gave a great show during Punk Rock Holiday. Here’s my chat with Jeremy, guitarist of the band.

 

I: What’s your impression of the festival? It’s the first time for you here, right? So what do you think about all of this?

J: I wish I were awake when we arrived here. We did a long overnight ride to get here, my head was all the time, bang-bang, on the window, so, it was not pleasant and I was asleep when we arrived. So, I didn’t look outside! But when we get here, I was yeah, that’s so cool! And I have to say one thing, people are picking up the trash! There’s a lot of other festivals where you can see beer cans everywhere, and here people is taking up their shits. The river is not full of cigarettes butts. It’s so great! [There’s] A lot to learn from this place!

 

I: And what do you think about the ‘no barriers’ policy?

J: I love that! I hate barriers! This is the environment we were looking forward. Feeling each other energy. I understand some festival’ reasons, insurance… but, in the end of the day, punk rock hardcore is… in each other’s face, right?!

 

I: So, maybe do you prefer to play in smaller clubs? Where you can still play on the ground…

J: Oh yeah! Like, I mean, I understand the benefits of playing in big festivals, you know what I mean, people that know the name and then, oh here they are, now I know how they look like. But, we are at home in a small club where there are 2oo sweaty kids. You can feel the energy.

 

I: What is the best thing that happen to you on stage, and the worst one?

J: Mmm… The worst thing. I don’t know. Some shit that doesn’t work! Especially when you are on a time limit, you can’t figure out what is not working, and you get nervous, there’s people in the back waiting… So, for me, that’s my personal anxiety. But the best thing is: sometimes you can see that one person, which maybe came at the show without friends, and they are just absorbing the music. Sometimes, that person, that kid come to you to say, thank you, because your music help me when I was in school. That makes everything so worthy for me. Because I was that kid. So for me, I’m in my 40s now, but being a musician and being able to have such an impact on someone else’s life, helping to get through the day, that’s the best moment.

 

I: You had a great impact on the punk hardcore scene in the last years. What’s your opinion of the punk hardcore scene of the last years?

J: It’s different. It’s more mainstream. But at the same time, it’s like I try to keep the attitude ‘people like what they like’. And if it is more mainstream and there’s more people that like punk music, there’s no reason to go against it. As long as it is not super trendy, which can complicate thing, as long as you stay true to what you love and… everything will be fine. It’s like a flow, sometimes there’s many great bands around, so a lot of people are going to like it, sometimes those bands fade and there’s something else right? So just to hate those bands because they are trendy, it doesn’t make sense… hating something that you actually love. Things change, things move. I love the idea of the early days of punk rock, the DIY scene, but it was impossible to stay like that forever. So, if you feel something, just embrace it.

 

I: Well, at a certain point, even if you are mainstream, it is the attitude that makes the difference.

J: Exactly. Now I make my living playing with this band, but I still have something inside. Otherwise, if I were interested only in money, I would have start playing something else. At a certain point, we were a young band, two records out, and there’s this question: are we going to continue this or we break up and we go to find a proper job? I wanted to be a musician since I was a kid. I am fortunate enough to play a kind of music that I love and I can also pay the bills at home, I have a kid. Life take a different meaning when you get older but I think that you can still hang on those important things in your youth.

 

I: Just stay true to yourself. Are you staying here the whole festival?

J: I wish! We were on the river today and we were saying, if we are invited again we want to have a clear schedule, bring our families…

 

I: And enjoy the holiday!

J: Exactly! We have a completely different kind of festival tomorrow in Czech; it is called Brutal Assault, which is somewhat more metal festival. So going from punk to metal, but we are a hardcore band so, somehow, we can always fit in the middle!

 

I: Are there some bands you want to see today?

J: Well, Terror, they are our friends, I mean, we started around the same time, early 00s, but it will be still cool to see bands such as the Mad Caddies. I just want to experience the festival, it doesn’t matter who’s playing, I just want to feel the vibe.

I: Do you have some kind of preparation before going on stage?

J: I… well, I just try to do some sprints, you know, like before running a race? I want to have some oxygen in my body. Last night, I was running in a small alley. And then… I feel the energy!

 

I: Your band changed during the years, but you’re still great. And what are the plans for the future?

J: We have some tours, until the end of the year. And then we going to take a break because… I have another baby coming!

 

I: Oh, congratulations!! (That’s the point when I got emotional…)

J: I have a boy, and now I will have a little girl. My band is super supportive… we have no plans for the next year… we will be ready to write some new material, and then again tour, maybe to come back here.

 

I: With all the family!

J: Oh, that will be my dream!

 

Let’s hope so Jeremy! Thank you again and keep listening to Comeback Kid!