Confronting The Avoided

The Avoided are a homegrown, Milwaukee-based group that plays balls-out hardcore punk music. The music is fast, abrasive and, most importantly, genuine.

The band includes Reed, vocals; J, guitar and vocals; Bryan, bass; Ben, guitar and vocals; DB, drums.

The Avoided“s last two CD's, "Nothin' But Class" and "...For A Brighter Future" are available at Atomic Records, Rushmore Records, Earwax Records or through www.interpunk.com. They will be recording their fourth album at the end of March.

Band info and music are also at www.myspace.com/avoided.

Staff writer Rory Sazama had the opportunity to catch up with the members of the band to hear what they had to say on punk rock, Milwaukee“s thriving local music scene and what inspires people who create great music that falls just under the radar of popular culture.

What“s your take on the current state of punk rock/hardcore music?

Reed: Certainly a double-edged knife. In one respect, my outlook is bleak with all of these poser pop bands on the radio and the street. For obvious reasons, we don't need to discuss that any further.

Also the elitism of many scenes is frustrating. Some bands we've played with are just ridiculous. But on the good side, we“ve definitely met a ton of people who feel the passion of punk rock. It doesn't matter to me if you dance or not if the feeling is there.

Ben: I don't listen to that crap.

Bryan: It goes in waves. A couple years ago, there didn't seem to be a lot of people into it. But there seems to be a resurgence of younger kids getting into it in the last two years, which is definitely a good thing for bands like us.

The punk that seems to be doing the best in drawing fans is crust and grindcore, which usually have packed basement shows. Also, punk and some other genre fusion bands are big. Our boys in .357 String Band meld punk and bluegrass. Their shows are always packed and they just got signed. I think it is that their music is a little more accessible than traditional punk “ punks dig it, but so do good ol' boys, and older adults.

Justin: It“s either a daisy land of politically-charged indie bands who read Proudhon, want to sleep with The Ramones and incorporate blast beats into their elitist clique craze; a collective of young fashion models in studded jackets, ice-grillin“ grimaces and persistent dirty words who think people drink because drinking is punk rock (littered with sexists and racists); or small groups of people who enjoy the honesty of anger, the traditional arm n arm of friends, shows for shows“ sake and smiling at the complete negation of all that is or has ever been popular because of its worthlessness to real kids' lives.

Socio-political themes have inherently been imbedded in the lyrical content of hardcore songs. Do you feel that this is as prevalent in modern hardcore/punk?

Reed: As far as my writing is generally concerned though, I have my own demons. And yeah, I really didn't mean for that to sound pretentious.

Justin: The modern hardcore scene is by no means homogenized. Other bands are honest and work toward change, but are usually cooler than you in the process.

Us? We let social processes play out and drink and laugh in their faces. Claiming political as a band isn“t our thing “ it“s the small, unavoidable instances in life that spark songs, (thank you inevitable suffering), and our songs are therapy and not protest.

Ben: I'm not sure. I usually can't understand other bands“ lyrics.

Bryan: I actually wish it was more prevalent in modern punk. Music is such a great vehicle to get a message out and so many f--king bands don't take advantage of it.

Drinking because it is "punk rock" is another one. I'm a heavy drinker and sometimes I wish I didn't have to drink six or seven beers just to fall asleep every night. And how many times can you write the same song that goes, "Drink, drink, drink"?

Socio-political sentiment is definitely prevalent the most in crust and grind. That is actually the sub-genre I dig the most. Punk without meaning bores me.

Do you feel that punk rock is still a revolt against the absurdities of contemporary music, or does it fall victim to what some may refer to as “revivalist” music, simply mimicking the heyday of an era long gone?

Reed: Here's another question where both ends are right. You have to have lived under a rock to think that loud, fast music is really making people question musical integrity anymore. Again, it's really about the feeling and the ideas. This style of music certainly does fall victim to everything sounding the same, but it's not long gone.

Justin: I don“t think it was ever a revolt against the absurdities of contemporary music, but rather a sharp voice against what is presupposed in modern song “n“ dance.

The same still exists. It isn“t so much a rebellion as it is friendships within a certain class of people, understanding certain trivialities to be just that, seeing the worthlessness of a certain kind of morality because of its functions of control and a dance with drugs because of knowing that biting into sickness for a living isn“t a choice we“re willing to deal with (well, unless we all just have felony charges, which may be a factor).

P.S. Drugs and crime are bad. Eat vegetables.

P.P.S. We eat vegetables. This isn't revival “ the same cultural conditions have always catalyzed the same response, and the same “ol geezers still come to out shows, who we love and buy shots for.

Bryan: As I said prior, it is tough to say because the mainstream is calling horrible non-punk bands "punk." Today, it is those bands that are the mainstream contemporary music.

On the other hand to say it is a "revivalist" is the most ignorant and poorly thought-out theory I've ever heard. How the f--k can you have a revival of music that is only 30 years old and the majority of people who avidly play it are in their mid-20s to mid-30s?

What overarching themes can be found in the lyrics of The Avoided“s songs?

Reed: I could go on and on about this, and have no answer. I wouldn't say that most of our songs are really "relevant" to "the people." A lot of them are based around internal struggles. Probably themes would be isolation and hatred for mankind.

There are also songs ripping on people, about being a telemarketer, how annoying the bus is. You name it, not really relevant.

Musically and/or non-musically, what does your group draw influence from?

Reed: Aside from punk rock, I enjoy the blues, old-school metal, soul music, stuff kind of like Tom Waits or old Aerosmith. I have had Maroon 5 stuck in my head all day (not really an influence, but exemplary of the stupid songs I sometimes like).

Together, we draw from a similar sense of humor. Our personality and energy is what makes a good show, I guess. Sometimes I have energy.

Ben: Whiskey.

Bryan: Non-musically? Bukowski, Zinn, Chomsky, Goldman, Kropotkin, labor struggles, hatred of war in all forms, hatred of capitalism, disdain for the police, animal rights/liberation, civil rights, human rights, collectivism and activism.

Justin: That guy over there that can't sleep in a bed, that girl over there who got hooked on crack at 14, that kid with AIDS, that country over there who systematically rips out and spits on the hearts of unsuspecting patriotic trustees and that niche who'll do anything to forget about it for a second and find comfort in the powerlessness that sits at the back of most thoughts these days.

The Avoided have played in what many people may consider unorthodox show settings, for example, the basement shows. Is this a reflection of a DIY ethic you may collectively have?

Bryan: We are though and it more so came out of financial necessity and facility. We can't afford booking agents, tour managers or art and album layout people. We make all our own CDs and packages, fliers, book our own shows and tours, and self-release our own music.

Reed: Yeah, but it's really about who will let us play. It's not like the Bradley Center is knocking on the door and they'd probably get spat on anyway. What's important to me at a venue is whether other people are having fun, that there's not 80 million bands playing, there's no a--hole bouncers telling people to settle down and that I can get drunk.

What are the future plans for the Avoided?

Reed: New album, couple of shows and we need new equipment. This is my only advertising gimmick: Book us some paying shows so we can buy a P.A.! Somebody! It's a noble cause. Help out the local band you've never heard of.

Bryan: I hope something better than working our dead-end, soul-sucking jobs. While it would be nice to live solely off our music, our genre really doesn't lend to that.

We've seen so many sh--ty bands get signed or sponsored or get expenses-paid tours that sometimes we sit back and say, "F--k â?¦ we've been doing this for five years, when is it our turn?" We don't want to get Motley Crue big or anything, but it would be nice to exist a little bit more outside of obscurity.

> Comments