1. Yo, how’s your edge?
My edge is good man. Its one of those things where I am constantly learning more about myself. I am very happy that straight edge has been a big part of it. I’ve learned over the years you have to rely on yourself, when it comes to things like straight edge, the only person that can ruin it for yourself, is yourself.
2. How did it all begin for you? Straight into SXE hardcore, or jump started on skateboarding, metal or punk rock?
I never go into Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer or whatever was popular when I was a kid. My older brother got me into Metallica and Guns ‘N Roses when i was 6 or 7. From there I got drawn into bmx biking, and got pretty serious into that. From watching bmx videos and hanging with my peers I got into Hot Water Music and The Misfits and other various punk acts. One of my idols and best friend’s Ben Pritchard, got me into hardcore and straight edge through Side By Side. From this band I got into the early Revelation Records catalog. From there it was Minor Threat, and then I discovered the San Francisco Bay Area had/has a local music scene, and from there the rest is like everyone else did and its a great experience.
3. When did you learn about straight edge and when did it start making sense for you? When did you become “Chucky Edge” or Chedge? Who first called you that?
I learned about straight edge my freshmen year of high school when I was just drinking and doing whatever just out of curiosity and boredom. My friend Ben who was previously named, told me about straight edge, and was straight edge at the time. It made sense to me the first time I heard “You’re only young once” & “Break down the walls”. I just knew it was something that fit who I was, and where I wanted to be. The early Rev catalog, like I said before, was and is my bread and butter. Hell, the later on Rev stuff too had a huge impact on me.
Chucky Edge: I was going to a “troubled students” school and some crust punk peers of mine would see me at gilman st going to shows would call me “chucky straight edge” at school, and then later on “chucky edge”. And from there the name stuck.
Chedge: If memory serves me correctly… Greg Willmott and Nicole Deathwish both started calling me it the same week. And they both have rights to the nickname.
4. Which is better? Inside Out NYC or the Inside Out from Cali? In a semi related note, which is better: Buried Alive or Terror? Raw Deal or Breakdown?
Hmmm… I’ll go with my favorites on this one. I don’t know much about musical notes and chords and whats innovative, I just know what I like. So here it goes.
Inside Out CA: Solely because the 7″ is on the revelation catalog and I heard it first. Im not the biggest Inside Out fan tho. But they both are pretty cool tho.
Terror: Terror has put out more stuff, and I have seen them live. I never got to see Buried Alive. Lowest Of The Low is a really good record too. One With The Underdogs is more diverse tho, and has my favorite Terror songs on it. Always The Hard Way is rad too. There are some definite hits on that record. The new one is gonna be cool too.
Breakdown: This is really really really hard to choose. the Raw Deal Demo is retardedly good, and the Breakdown ’87 Demo is next level. Im gonna go with Breakdown though cause I like the ’87 Demo a little bit more. Merch wise… thats a whole other interview. Either side of the fence you sit on, your a winner tho.
5. You’re life is touring. When was the last time you were “at home” for more than 2 weeks? What bands have you been touring with lately? What tours do you have upcoming?
The summer of 2006 was my tour-a-thon. I went on tour with Blacklisted, Shipwreck, Guns Up!, Have Heart, Down To Nothing, Bracewar, Have Heart, Ceremony, and back to Blacklisted. I was gone for the whole 3 months of summer. 2005 was a big one too, I did Verse tour with Bane, and then a Guns Up tour 3 days after. I took off a lot of down time in 2007 to fix my teeth and to try to do speech clinics in California. I still got to clock in a lot of time on the road. 2008 has been pretty busy doing a week with Trash Talk on a Bane/Outbreak tour. And doing the Earth Crisis tour with Down To Nothing, then having 3 days off at home and doing a Blacklisted tour for a month. Well see what comes up in the rest of 2008? who knows?
6. Suppose I let you borrow my time machine for two trips.
Trip 1: what show, any show, would you go back and see?
Hmmm… as cheesy as it is, I would love to be at one of those Cro-Mags gigs from the We Gotta Know video. Those look like a good time. And the ever-so-popular Breakdown Tompkins Sq show from the home video. But then again a lot of those Live CBGB recordings sound like really cool shows. To go back and see a show I already saw is kind of spoiling an already good memory…
Trip 2: what tour would you want to relive again?
Well every tour is different and special in its own way. So like going to a show I’ve already experienced, I already have good memories from those. So the next thing to do is go somewhere I have already been. I really want to go back to europe, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The grand canyon is like nothing else I can explain, its soo scary at first. Then you cant stop looking at the vastness. Europe is cool cause its different than the US. Don’t get me wrong the USA is cool. But different scenery is refreshing.
7. You’re the author of pretty successful blog, http://whatchedgewears.blogspot.com. What compelled you to start this blog and how do find time to post EVERY day?
I was up at the Deathwish Inc. office back in November helping pack orders and hanging out. And Tre brought up “blogs”. I had never read a hardcore blog (sports blogs mostly) and was curious as to what I could write about. I brought up that I have a lot of shirts, and tour stories, and both Jake and Tre kinda gave me the first nudge to doing the blog. Im pretty happy with how its shaping up. It sucks when i don’t write a lot cause I feel like im letting people down or something? But my blog is like my life… sometimes I have bad days and I’ll write a sentence… and then other days I will bear my soul.
if anyone has criticism about the blog please let me know. it helps me know what works and what doesnt. making it interesting and fresh is sometimes hard, life is full of challenges.
8. You’ve received a few amazing mosh injuries over your lifetime. Please recall some of your injury “highlights” for us. How many times have you proclaimed to be going into “mosh retirement” only to start moshing again during the next band?
I think I have only “muttered” those words 2 or 3 times, and yeah… it lasted a few shows and then I got back to routine. I have had a lot of concussions due to playing lacrosse for a large portion of my life. And at shows I am pretty accident prone. I think in 2006 after a bad concussion I was taken to the hospital and then told me to “NOT” get anymore concussions or else… And there has definetly been a couple incidents where I got close to getting KO’ed. I think im around 5 concussions at shows, but thats probably too little of a number. My elbow took 4 stitches in 2005 at a guns up show right before end of summer jam 1 in new england. uhh… a monitor fell on my head at sound & fury 2007 after a stagedive during Rise And Fall. I try to not remember the injuries, but its hard not to.
9. What’s worse: kids who stage dive terribly or kids who mosh terribly? What are your thoughts on choreographed or synched moshing versus synched stage diving or head walking with perhaps a high five in the middle?
Kids who stage dive terribly is worse because your putting people more at risk of injury. When kids dive feet first and/or run super fast and just jump it can seriously hurt someone. Whereas some “pitboss” who is moshing terribly, though hard to look at, he poses little injury factor. Yeah he can try to mosh on the side of the pit, but usually those kids are pussies.
I think that “moshing” should definetly reflect the music or part of the song being played. So when there is a skank part, do what you gotta do. Its all about getting positive aggression out at the end of the day. I can definetly respect a good choreographed dive by 2 friends, and sometimes you gotta go for a high five to keep it alive. I’m definetly getting more and more into diving, its hard when your 6’4″ and 195 pounds tho… you gotta try to be “graceful”.
10. What jams are getting repeat listens on your iPod currently? When was the last time you toured with someone who still used a discman? Do girls jogging with a discman bum you out?
I have a very addictive personality so when I get “on a hit” with a record or band, I will usually play it on repeat till I can’t stand it anymore or Ihave found something else. Lately I have been on: Red Hot Chili Peppers-Greatest Hits or Californication. The Loved Ones- Build & Burn. Chuck Ragan-Feast or Famine. Hot Water Music- Till The Wheels Fall Off. And Trapped Under Ice- Stay Cold.
Last time I toured with a band who used a discman had to have been 2005 maybe? soon the art of touring without a gps will be gone and out of hardcore. thats kinda wierd. girls who jog with discman’s should be given an award for being stubborn when it comes to technology. Thats not very common in 2008.
11. Who is the best stage diver you know? In the history of stage diving, who do you think is the best?
Ryan Hudon of Have Heart / Step Forward had some good dives in his time. Maine crew has some of the best divers around in current hardcore. At the Suicide File reunion bane show thing at the ICC in 2005 I saw some great dives from some old boys, that was a treat. I’d have to say Rat Bones or some shit might be the best diver? I don’t know he is an old dude from NYC so that kinda makes sense? Current hardcore is lacking a lot of good divers, they are few and far between.
12. Which would you prefer: 20 years of medicore at best pizza daily or one and only one slice of heavenly pizza once a year for 20 years? What state has the worst pizza? Cici’s or pizza hut?
good question! I am going to go with 20 years or mediocre at best pizza daily. I eat at Little Steeve’s in Boston so that shows that I have an iron stomach for ‘za. Don’t go to steeve’s in the day unless your good for it. Pizza is pizza sometimes, I just really like it. I think it would be great everyday. Once a year would be too little. California has some bad pizza, when I am there I usually eat mexican food tons and pizza maybe 4 times a month maybe at most… I am going to go with Little Caesars for my favorite fast food pizza or TOUR PIZZA. you cant go wrong with a 5 dollar hot and ready large pizza on tour. cici’s is cool but i feel obligated to eat too much and the worst people eat there. pizza hut is cool but not enough choices. ill just go plain jane.
13. Top 5s
a) Top 5 shirt designs (ill just go with my favorite, i know there are better, but this is my preference i guess?)
– Raw Deal (with the dealer on it.)
– Floorpunch smorgashboard rip off anything. (made the classic design even better. “the best”)
– Warzone iron cross american flag dont forget the struggle dont forget the streets. plz sell me this!
– Guns Up! Crew Elk Shirt (hey i made these, i take pride in my work.)
– Stop And Think longsleeve (wore it for maybe 20 shows after i got it.)
b) Top 5 lead singers (dudes i’ve seen live, never got to see a lot of bands, IE: warzone or YOT)
– Freddy Cricien (set it off)
– Scott Vogel (lots of years on the mic, and still puts in 110%.)
– Pat Flynn (gets mauled by kids and still looks good doing it.)
– Greg Willmott (being a youngster in cali seeing mental was great. held it down until the last gig.)
– George Hirsch (seen him sing maybe more than any other band, ever.)
c) Top 5 sophomore LPs (hmmm… really good question.)
– Best Wishes (really got into this when i matured, and opened my mind.)
– Five Deadly Venoms (pokey from leeway on drums, find my way, final war, tons of hits.)
– Nothing To Hide (ime, without this band, i wouldnt be who i am today.)
– Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God (what blacklisted sounds like.)
– some hot water music record. (im bad with hwm timetables and that band does it for me.)
14. One time I saw a Champion (the band) tshirt that said “Drug Free” on it. When I asked Aram why it didn’t say “Straight Edge,” he told me that not all their shirts could say “straight edge as that gets old” Or something like that. Is that fucked up or what? How would you respond to his remark?
I constantly battle this argument in my head. I personally don’t really think the “drug free” thing is something for me. I have always been a straight edge or no straight edge kinda dude. the shade of grey just isn’t something that I thought would work for me. Drug free is shit that people can half ass so they can fit in with straight edge, and then not fully commit and then follow some trend of something else next thing. I don’t know thats just been my experience with “drug free”. Repetition and band merchandise is always a hard thing to deal with tho, its hard to get refreshing designs but still staying true to your band image or whatever. I don’t know? haha.
15. Tank top or cut off sleeves?
Well, tank tops are great cause they are nice summer apparel. Cut off sleeves are also cool cause you can make an ill-fitting shirt happen. Shirts with bad sleeves will most of the time get the ol’ cut. Im still trying to perfect the “deep cut” sleeveless. Tank tops are few and far between so its ok.
16. That about wraps it up. Any closing shout outs, words of wisdom?
Thanks for the interview. Its really cool to answer these, and sorry it took a little bit. I get in a good mood and I jump on this interview to try to come up with cool stuff. shout-outs to boston, san francisco, and nowhere usa. have fun, enjoy life, eat pizza, and listen to hot water music bands or whatever came out of that band.
xxx.
Photo credits to “some people.” Sorry, I’m not sure who took what pics. If it was you, let me know. Zac Wolf should be an obvious one, though.