D.C. natives Magrudergrind have been pummeling their brand of grindcore across the globe since forming in 2002. However, the trio are about to embark on a tour through more familiar haunts, up and down the East Coast, alongside Despise You. Right before heading out on the road, frontman Avi Kulawy spoke to Revolver about the tour, how the D.C. music scene has changed, and their passion for street art.
REVOLVER You’ve recently done a bunch of shows over in Europe. What are you looking forward to most about touring the East Coast again?
AVI KULAWY Seeing all our friends up and down the coast. We haven’t played Florida in years and I’m really excited for this. Stoked to hit up the beach down there and also stoked to eat some good Carolina BBQ.
What should people expect at your upcoming shows with Despise You?
Expect it to be rowdy. The “grind entourage” is gonna bring the brutality in the form of noise and party.
You will be playing with a lot of other cool bands at various dates. What bands are you looking forward to playing with most and why?
There are so many… I’m really eager to play with Floor and Suppression in their respective hometowns, Florida and Richmond. Getting the chance to see these bands jam in the home-turf is going to be epic. We’re also playing with a bunch of our friend’s bands including Shitstorm, Defeatist, Asshole Parade, Backslider, Cannabis Corpse, Callous, Primate, Cellgraft, Man Will Destroy Himself, Draize, etc. Looking forward to seeing all of them.
Are you working on any new music?
We’re writing new material for our next full-length record. It’s coming along relatively slow, but moving forward nonetheless. Since I moved to Brooklyn and we all picked up concentrating on the other parts of lives when we’re not touring, writing has become somewhat complicated. That said, we’re hoping to further marginalize ourselves with it sometime in 2012.
Since you’re back in a home mindset, how have you seen D.C. change—musically or otherwise—since you started up?
As I previously mentioned, Brooklyn is my home now. But that makes this question more relevant because when I go back to D.C. I can track the changes more so than others who live there though. Aside from the endless supply of straightedge hardcore bands and false activism, the scene is changing as a result of the venue supplies diminishing. The D.C. area is about to lose, in my skewed opinion, one of the most important houses that has hosted shows in the area for some years. The Corpse Fortress in Silver Spring, Maryland, right outside D.C., is a venue that has hosted tons of touring bands from an extremely eclectic mix of genres. Many of my friends have lived, and still do live, there over the years. Magrudergrind has played there and they have had some of the craziest parties I can remember. It’s very unfortunate because this is yet another important asset being plucked from the already acute D.I.Y. music scene in the city. There are less and less small-scaled, D.I.Y. spots for bands to play and this is detrimental to keeping the D.I.Y. scene thriving.
Graffiti has always been a big part of Magrudergrind’s ethos. Have you gone “heavy bombing” lately?
I have not painted in some years. Graff and street art are as much an element of our music as the hip-hop samples we use. We all love hip-hop culture. By using imagery, samples, and lyrics we convey this interest in our aesthetic.
Magrudergrind/Despise You tour dates:
09/09 Washington, D.C., St. Stephens
09/10 Cambridge, MA, The Democracy Center *
09/11 Brooklyn, NY, Shea Stadium ^
09/12 Philadelphia, PA, The Barbary w/ Backslider, Callous
09/13 Richmond, VA, Strange Matter %
09/14 Raleigh, NC, Kings
09/15 Atlanta, GA, WonderRoot #!
09/16 Tampa, FL, Transitions Art Gallery #
09/17 Gainesville, FL, The Atlantic #$
* = w/ Vaccine and more
^ = w/ Defeatist and more
% = w/ Suppression, Cannabis Corpse
# = w/ Shitstorm
#! = w/ Shitstorm and Primate
#$ = w/ Shitstorm, Floor, Asshole Parade
Brandon Geist
Editor in Chief
Meshuggah, Obzen
“We’re working on a ‘nu-prog’ roundup story for Revolver, and a shitload of the bands covered in that cite Meshuggah as a primary influence. That inspired me to brush off my copy of the Swedish math-metal maniacs’ last album, and damn, it still crushes. ‘Bleed’ and the title track, in particular, are among the heaviest songs they’ve ever laid down.”
Jesu, Ascension
“Godflesh are one of my favorite bands, and as loyal fan, I’ve followed main man Justin Broadrick into the more mellow territory of his current project Jesu. I’ve liked a lot of the Jesu shit in the past—the Heart Ache and Silver EPs, and the split with Envy come to mind—but this new one is just boring and doesn’t really bring anything new to the formula. Focus on a new Godflesh album, J.K., and bring that band to the U.S. already!”
A Pale Horse Named Death, And Hell Will Follow Me
“The way I consume music is I usually latch on to a particular band or album and listen to it pretty much nonstop for a few weeks until it makes me physically nauseous to hear it again. Two weeks and counting on this one.”
Kory Grow
Senior Editor
Primate, Draw Back a Stump
“Brandon shared this with me because he knows I’m a major fan of Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth fame. At first I wasn’t too impressed with it. The group—which also features Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher—plays kind of sloppy first-wave hardcore. But on that same note, the track that’s making me come around to it is their cover of Black Flag’s ‘Drinking and Driving.’”
Jane’s Addiction, Ritual de lo Habitual
“I’ve lately been pretty excited about hearing the forthcoming Jane’s album—mostly because I hope it’s better than their last reunion album, Strays. As such, I recently revisited Ritual, which was one of my favorite records when it came out. No band since—including Jane’s Addiction—has found the sweet spot between hardcore, metal, reggae, hippie jams, and pop heard here. I’m just happy this still holds up, and I’m cautiously optimistic for their new album.”
Merciless, The Awakening
“One of my all-time favorite death-metal albums. This was the first release on deceased Mayhem guitarist Euronymous’ Deathlike Silence label. It kicks off with a song called ‘Pure Hate’ and only gets more pessimistic. It’s too bad more people don’t know it—this record ranks up their with early Morbid Angel and Obituary releases, as far as death metal goes, plus the lyrics sound genuinely threatening.”
Josh Bernstein
Creative Director
Sucking the ‘70s, Parts 1&2
“This is a great stoner-rock compilation that came out a few years back. Easy concept: Take killer ’70s songs like ‘Working for MCA’ and ‘Honky Cat’ then make it heavy as shit. Sold! Definitely good driving or sitting on your couch music.”
Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
“The DK’s first and arguably their best record. Spy guitars, manic rhythms and Jello’s enraged vocals still sound as fresh today. Why aren’t bands this upset anymore? There’s way more bullshitty political things going on now… Speaking of bands that need to come back and get super angry…”
Rage Against the Machine, The Battle of Los Angeles
“This is their last record of original music and it is much more accessible and crushing than I originally remember it. Nice to dust off some old records and hear some real hidden gems like the songs found here. Maybe in some weird alternate universe Rage and the DKs can play a double bill together…”
Josh Hart
Web Producer
The Ruts, The Crack
“I could probably list this one for most weeks out of the year. One of the best punk records ever? Without a doubt.”
Wire, Pink Flag
“Saw them live at the Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday night and have been listening to Pink Flag ever since…mainly because I didn’t hear any of it on Wednesday.”
Queens of the Stone Age, Rated R [futureusgalleryDeluxe Edition]
“What more needs to be said about this one than: ‘Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy, and alcohol’? I’ll tell you what: ‘C-c-c-c-c-cocaiiiine’”
Stephen Goggi
Art Director
Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
“They are the best alternative band to come out of the ’90s. Better than Nirvana, better than Pearl Jam. 1979? Yes, please.”
The National, High Violet
“I’m a bit late to this album, but better late than never. Stroke my inner hipster.”
Mineral, The Power of Failing
“Because my pussy hurts.”
Emily O’Neill
Marketing Coordinator
Guns N’ Roses, Use Your Illusion I
“I was madly in love with Slash as a child..xoxoxo.”
Black Dahlia Murder, Miasma
“Love this album!!! I’m shocked that someone who looks like Trevor can sound like this.”
Metallica, Garage Inc
“My favorite cover ever is ‘Whiskey in the Jar.’”
Jimmy Hubbard
Photography Director
Bloodlet, The Seraphim Fall
“Been a huge ’90s hardcore kick this week! A lot of Deadguy, Kiss it Goodbye, noisy stuff! But Bloodlet were such a different brutal band, techy, evil, intense, and just kind of weird. I loved the previous album, Entheogen, and was initially thrown of by the production of The Seraphim Fall. But it’s a great record, stands up still!”
Tombs, Path of Totality
“New record out this June, angry, noisy blackened metal with some great dark almost gothic parts, but still with a New York hardcore attitude. Best record they have done. On this release, they really come into their own!”
Graveyard, Hisingen Blues
“I’ll be honest, I did not think I was going to like this record. I love a lot of the ’70s metal/rock throwback stuff like Witchcraft (also from Sweden), Witch, and Blood Ceremony, but just kind of thought the new Graveyard record was going to be ‘meh.’ But it’s great: awesome production, great songs, memorable melodies, and great playing and still heavy.”
Cody Thomas
Editorial Intern
Deathspell Omega, Paracletus
“I’m not a huge black-metal fan, but these French dudes do it different. It’s like if Gojira went black metal.”
Alban Berg, Wozzeck
“I saw this atonal Austrian opera at the Met on Wednesday. Unbelievable music. It drips with unsettling atmosphere.”
Behemoth, Demigod
“After Wozzeck, I had this weird urge to listen to Behemoth. Both seem to blend dissonance and sensuality so well.”