Mark catchin' some air!

This is an interview I recently conducted via email with Mark Conforti, editor of Guerilla Warfare Video Fanzine, musician and long time supporter of the hardcore scene.  Mark has some very insightful, intelligent AND angry answers here.  Intelligence, insight and anger.  For me, that's what hardcore is all about.  In this day  of commercialized punk rock, with ten million little mall hoppers flocking to hot topic for the latest "punk"  fashions, the scene has been watered down a bit.  Its guys like Mark who keep the spirit of HC alive.  Check out this interview and then check out Guerilla Warfare at: www.gwvf.net
   

Chris: You've been very active in the hardcore scene can, you give the Wasteland readers
some background on the various things you've been involved in (bands, promoting shows, the video zine)? 
Mark: I first got exposed to hardcore/punk around 1980 when I was about 12 yrs old through my older brother Dave who discovered it through skateboarding/BMX. My first band playing guitar was The PERVERTED NERDS (1987-1988) which evolved into EMOTIVE DRIVE (1988 - 1993).  I didn't have a band for a few years after that while I was getting my MA in psychology.  In 1996 my brother Brian and I started IMPLODE in which I sang also after our singer left and that lasted up until 2002.  Each band never got real far due to constant changes in members and no touring.  I've also been playing guitar on and off in FLAT EARTH SOCIETY until they get a second guitarist.  I promoted only a few shows with Scott from Flat Earth Society at The Garfield American Legion and with Gordon from Flash Productions in Elmwood Park.  We usually end up losing money because we make sure we pay every band, get a good sound system, and usually have old school hardcore type bands which are outcasts in the Northern NJ scene in terms of having somewhere to play and drawing big crowds.

Chris:  What made you decide to start the Guerrilla Warfare video zine? Did you name it after the Implode song?
Mark: I hit my 30's (I'm 33 years old now) and my bands kept falling apart, but I wanted to continue doing something positive for the hardcore scene and to give back a little of what I've learned through my experiences. I tried promoting shows, but that's a big headache and I couldn't afford to keep losing money and didn't want to worry about fights or people getting hurt and suing me. I figured by doing the videos it's like promoting bands and shows by bringing the show to your home. I also felt like the mass media watered down everything that meant so much to me and I wanted to provide an alternative outlet for people to be exposed to real hardcore. The song "Guerrilla Warfare" by IMPLODE totally sums up my feelings. That song describes how I am totally against several things including:

a)  The media (MTV / corporate radio) taking what they believe is the next big thing and playing the shit out of a song until you can't stand the fuckin' band anymore; and record labels then signing clone bands, playing the shit out them, and ultimately dropping them for something else.  I despise the fact that people are influenced like sheep to what the new thing is.  It's like they can't figure out what they like for themselves without that radio/television feeding it to their brains. It's really fuckin' pathetic how people are so easily influenced - whether it's music, fashion or anything. The same can be said about college radio stations like WSOU who have their "regular rotation" bullshit where they repeatedly play the same crap over and over again telling us these are the "top" new bands.  People should just play whatever they want, whenever they want.  I'm sure they're all getting kickbacks and favors from the labels and managers for pushing their garbage on the public. 

b)  I've seen some heads get big in the hardcore scene when a little success creeps in.  They start rationalizing about making money off the scene and they give up control of their creative process by signing to a label in which the bottom line is profits. I'm all for bands getting paid, but I think they should do it on their own or with a reputable independent label.  Every hardcore band I know that signed to a major label ended up getting fucked in the end and put out shitty records. The band members don't go to smaller shows any more; yet they get on a pedestal and say "support the scene."  You're lucky if you see them other than on the stage at a show. They don't respond to emails asking if they'll play hall shows or they ask for a ridiculous amount of money.  And then when the labels drop them, they're back out there trying to support the DIY thing.  My advice - Fuck off  and get a real job. Once a band loses their integrity it all becomes meaningless.  I don't care how good they are musically.  But that's just my opinion.  To each his own. Rather than criticizing, I prefer to just do things my own way if I'm not happy with what's out there.  

c)  There was a time when people just played music to express their feelings, to ease their pain, or to celebrate life.  Do we really need all these fuckin' lawyers, managers, booking agents, promoters, labels, distributors, radio, video, security, etc?  Just give me a guitar, an amp, and a plug and stay the fuck out of my way.  It's way too complicated today and it sucks the fun out of it all.

d)  The song suggests taking violent means to counteract the media flood of the music industry.  I didn't go into detail in the song and I won't here - use your imagination.  I relate it to the American Revolution where the smaller less powerful group with more heart rebelled and toppled the king's empire.  The video zine is a voice for all the "underdog" bands and will hopefully spark thought and encourage rebellion against the music industry.      


Chris:  Punk is again a commercially viable music genre. For me this is both good and bad.  Good because I enjoy some of the bands (Sum 41 for example), it has helped a interest / resurgence in the faltering hardcore scene and BAD because it cheapens and commercializes the whole hardcore / punk ethic  What is your opinion on the state of punk rock / hardcore today? Where are we headed?
Mark: I personally hate the current "MTV" punk of today.  I think once a band is appealing to the majority, they lost their edge.  I always felt this music was for the kids who don't fit in.  Once everyone else is into it (including all the assholes), where does the outcast have to turn to?  Musically "MTV" pop punk is really lame too.  The bands mostly sound the same with slight fake English accents or nasal NOFX voices, and shitty lyrics about nothing meaningful.  The whole punk rock fashion thing is fuckin' stupid at this point too.  20 years ago, a kid would be beaten up for having colored hair, now he/she is applauded for having "style".  I can't stand these X-Games type shows either where the announcer is some young alternative looking guy/girl trying to use all the hip lingo.  All this media bullshit has softened the underground scene and is probably one of the my main motivations for doing the video zine.  Musically and visually there may be similarities between popular hardcore/punk, but true hardcore/punk has more heart, depth, and courage to go against the mainstream.  This shit will die out again (maybe emo will replace it for awhile), but true hardcore/punk people will continue with or without the media attention.  This music to me is an individual experience that gives a person courage and insight to face the world and their own personal demons.  Whether it's accepted by the masses or not is meaningless to me.  I don't think true hardcore will ever have the same popularity as punk because there's a danger level and aggression the average person can't handle.  If I ever had the chance to be on MTV's TRL, I'd smash my guitar over Carson Daly's head just to make a point.  Sometimes I think it'd be better if the scene became smaller with less shows and bands because I think it would weed out the weak-minded people and the true hardcore folks would stick together and support one another more.   

Chris: The reason behind a label's signing of any particular band, or the attention some bands get form mainstream publications / media seems incomprehensible to me, since so many sucky bands get so much attention.  Any opinion on why so many good bands (especially in NJ!) are ignored by the music industry? Will Guerrilla Warfare help offset this by giving exposure to great bands that would otherwise be ignored?
Mark: I'll guess I'll continue my angry sentiments here.  Fuck the labels and fuck the mainstream.  Fuck the independent labels that are no better than the majors with monopolization of radio, video, shows, and street team propaganda telling us who is the "in" band today.  There was a time when bands put out their own records and did well. (Ex. Minor Threat - Dischord; Bad Religion - Epitaph; Dead Kennedys - Alternative Tentacles; etc).  Some of these labels grew into something bigger.  Bands seem to get signed after they bust their ass getting a following on their own, or if they follow some formula by ripping off the "flavor of the month".  This goes back to my earlier sentiments where I feel that about 75% of the kids into hardcore/punk today are heartless and will probably move on to the next trend when it comes along.  So some shitty bands may draw big numbers and have mass appeal, but look at their crowd and ask yourself if these are really sincere hardcore kids, or just a bunch of mindless sheep at a social event trying to be a part of what they think is the cool thing to do. All the blood, sweat, and tears of the underground pioneers have been desecrated by the media and the majors who have depleted the hardcore punk movement of all that is meaningful for commercial profit.  I hope GWVF will increase exposure to bands and individuals with heart out there busting their asses and losing money for their love of the music.  I give exposure to bands I like whether they are popular or not and I'm not backed by any labels trying to push their bands onto people.  If I influence a few people I feel I've succeeded, and I hope more video zines begin to crop up as a result.  The underground media can be a stronger influence than the mass media if people take their time to put out quality sincere zines.  Why are so many shitty bands popular? Well let's face it, the majority of people in this country are trendy, superficial assholes - so who is going to appeal to them the most?     

Chris:  What can people in NJ who own labels, play in bands, do zines, or even just go to shows do to help keep the scene alive?
Mark: That's hard to say, because it takes a lot of time and money to do these things and you get to the point where you say "Fuck Everybody" if they don't give you a chance or just don't care about what you're offering them.  I think the best thing to do is network with people who are on the same mental level.  By this I mean go to each others' shows (whether you're in a  band or a promoter or even like a band), buy shit from the kid walking in the crowd trying to sell his zine or cd (who can't spare a few bucks?); also - be yourself and you'll naturally create something original (don't follow some old formula whether it's song writing or a zine format), and more than anything get out there and talk to people.  My perceptions of bands I've interviewed have changed dramatically from what I originally thought they were like.  Once I get to know a band, I hear their music differently because I understand where they are coming from.  Communication also leads to friendships and makes going to a show a less lonely experience. I'm probably not the best person to answer this question because I don't particularly like most people including the scenesters.  It's my love for the music and my hate for the media that keeps me involved. 

Chris: What do you think of bands like Thursday who have seemingly crossed the barrier between hardcore and commercial success?  Are bands like Thursday the wave of the future for hardcore?
Mark: I like Thursday.  They appeal to the mainstream because the guy has a pleasant voice and the music is talented and not too dangerous. I don't like the fact that I asked them to be in my video and they didn't have the decency to respond with a simple yes or no.  And the same thing when Scott FES asked them to play a benefit show.  There's already a ton of bands that sound like them which is silly because there should only be one Thursday.  I think their style appeals more to girls, and guys are motivated to get girls so they emulate that style.  I hope it's not the wave of the future of hardcore because I think everyone should be doing their own thing and creating something unique to themselves.  I can only speak for myself when I tell you it's not a wave I'm riding in my future for my self expression. 

Chris: Back to the Videos. 
Do you focus on any particular geographic area, like  NJ, NYC etc.. Or will cover the entire scene in upcoming editions?
Mark: The first release was mostly Northern NJ and the second is NY, NJ and a little bit of PA.  This is based on me living here in Northern NJ.  I tried contacting bands from outside the area on tour here, but they never responded so fuck'em.  Being in bands myself, I always answer people's questions and I lose respect for bands who can't give a simple response.  I also tried to get kids from around the world to submit scene reports, but no one followed through. As far as I'm concerned, we live in the hardcore capital of the world so I don't mind limiting my coverage to this location.

(Implode at Connections, Clifton NJ)

Chris:  Who else helps with the Videos? Also, I know you've played in / recorded with bands, how does the process of putting a video together, compare with recording a CD?   Was it a difficult thing to learn? Did you have any experience in that area or did you just do the DIY thing and just wade right in?  
Mark: I pretty much do everything myself.  I had some friends and family help with the graphics and some violent skits in the upcoming release, but for the most part it's me running around all over the place taping and interviewing; and then editing after work.  Being in a band has helped because each band segment is like a song track that is unique in itself.  I also understand the bullshit that goes with being in a band so I try to bring out positive qualities of the band's message in their interviews and live performances.  Video editing is really easy now with the digital equipment. If you know how to use a mouse, you can edit. Anyone can do it if they are willing to take the time and have patience. I had no experience, I just think like a music fan and what I'd like to see or learn from in a video. I think my current job as a computer programmer has helped because it's very tedious and detail-oriented work.  I basically just videotape a bunch of shows of each band with the intention of using a song from their cd to edit the footage over.  This way I can get a lot of angles and dancing footage.  It's important to use a bright annoying light to get the dancing to look good from the pit.  I do my best to match up the vocal parts as well.  In the end, for example in the EGH segment I just did, I had over 10 shows of footage to edit the best action over a four minute song.  So it comes out more exciting than one show, one angle, and a shaky camera with shitty audio.  I also try to keep it positive without fights and minimal trash talking unless it's constructive in some manner.  To keep up with the zine theme, I include other sections like a book review for example.  And lastly, I try to keep some humor in there because I think it's important to not take ourselves too seriously.  If anyone needs advice about editing, feel free to email me.

Chris:  Can you describe what's in the first release and also what will be in the upcoming video?
Mark: The first release is basically a documentary of a small sample of the Northern NJ hardcore scene.   I always felt this part of the country had a very active and diverse group of people (often aligned with the NYHC scene), but there was nothing bringing it all together.  I chose bands of various styles, promoters of hall shows, distros, record stores, college radio, etc.  I wanted to give exposure to these people and open up some minds to understand, appreciate, and respect what they're about. I also wanted to show that Northern NJ has a lot of creative talent, because it is the cover band capital of the world where there are huge turnouts and paychecks for bands who perform other people's songs while an original band or even a talented jazz musician will be playing down the street to an empty room.  It really sucks. 
The new video "DIVERSITY" will continue on that theme, but the bands are from NY, NJ, and PA.  I don't like the subdivision and labeling in hardcore these days (ex old school, new school, tough guy, beatdown, emo, screamo, punk, etc) and I want this video to break those barriers.  In the early 1980's, every band was unique and didn't follow a categorized formula.  That mentality today really stifles creativity.  I think the interviews will show that all these bands have a lot in common.  There are also other sections including a tribute to old flyers, Noise the Show (1981 WNYU), fanzines, webzines, book review, punk/metal karaoke, and more.  My favorite thing about this release though is that I made a short violent movie that plays before each band segment with themes that tie into each band's name. 

Chris: Where can people pick up a copy of Guerrilla Warfare?
Mark: The easiest way is to get it directly from me through my website.  It's also available in some NJ record stores that cater to hardcore.  I don't like doing consignment deals with distros or stores that are far from where I live because I've been screwed over too many times with my bands' cds. 

Chris: If bands wanted to submit videos to you for possible inclusion, where should they send it to?
Mark: Right now I'm going to take a break from doing the next issue because I've been working on "DIVERSITY" every day for the last eight months.  But I'm always open to someone sending something in to my address in my website as long as they're sincere and original in what they're doing.  But if it's thoughtless and uncreative, I probably won't use it.  I may be looking for help in the future taping and interviewing bands, so if anyone not in a band wants to submit something they've edited, that's cool too.

Chris:  Has the video created a lot of interest?
Mark: I have had mostly positive feedback from those who've seen it.  In my opinion, it's more geared to people in bands and they seem to appreciate it more.  The trailer on my site is constantly being downloaded because it's one minute of non-stop dancing.  I believe the only negative feedback was from kids who thought the trailer represented the whole video.  But it's not all about dancing, there are alot of interviews which I feel is extremely interesting and important in a fanzine.  I didn't promote the first release much and it's only available on VHS (alot of people wanted DVD).  I'm going to promote both releases more when "DIVERSITY" is available (which will be a DVD).   

Chris:  Any last words, thanks or comments?
Mark: Chris, thanks for the support, exposure, and for asking meaningful questions. People like you motivate me to keep doing this shit.   

Chris: Thanks for the interview!