Ruined Families is one of Greece’s best upcoming hardcore / punk acts. They combine their Cursed influences with a lot of Integrity / Rise & Fall parts and some 90s emo stitches. ‘Four wall freedom’, their first LP, is about to be released in mid-July. I had an, all-around, interesting conversation with T.Z., Ruined Families’ vocalist and lyricist. Enjoy.
Ruined Families is one of Greece’s best upcoming hardcore / punk acts. They combine their Cursed influences with a lot of Integrity / Rise & Fall parts and some 90s emo stitches. ‘Four wall freedom’, their first LP, is about to be released in mid-July. I had an, all-around, interesting conversation with T.Z., Ruined Families’ vocalist and lyricist. Enjoy.Hey guys! Wanna introduce your band to Hardboiled readers?
We are Ruined Families, an aggressive musical collective from Athens, Greece.
Are your families ruined or something? Why did you choose such a name and what’s the meaning behind it?
As a matter of fact, none of our families is ruined. Ruined Families is a name we came up with that we believe it reflects the band's sound and aesthetic to the world that surround us. It's a reaction to the society, the misery and the happiness, the security that is offered for free to some and taken violently from others.
You are about to release your first full length, called ‘Four Wall Freedom’, as far as I know. Give us all the useful information for it please.
Four Wall Freedom is our first music endeavor. It's the first 8 songs we wrote as a band. It's a record written in winter. The title itself is a paradox. Privacy is really important and sometimes what we do in four walls might never be achieved in huge spaces in modern cities. Four Wall Freedom is the secrecy, privacy, actions, words and worlds held inside four walls that each one of us creates.
Musicwise, I dare to say that Cursed are a big influence for you. Which artists (not just musicians) do you admire and why?
Without a doubt, i could say that Cursed is a huge influence for all of us as a band, a purely amazing band. If you asked this question to each one of us, you would receive 5 different answers. All I could say is that we're influenced by good music, but, as well by ideals and aesthetics of bands and artists.
Here are some names:
Nirvana, Francis Bacon, Celtic Frost, Interpol, Paul Thek, Guy Debord, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Jawbreaker, Jim Carroll, Orchid, Modern Life Is War, Jim Carroll, Jack Kerouac, Coen Brothers, Integrity, Woody Allen, The Smiths, Kiki Dimoula, Ryan Eggleston, Danzig, Friedrich Nietzsche, Dadaism, Catharsis, Charlie Kaufman, Sonic Youth, Poison Idea, Louis Althusser, Jacques Lacan, Lightning Bolt, Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, Infest, Socialisme Ou Barbarie, Darkthrone, Benedict Spinoza, American Nightmare, Cat Power, Trial, Pyotr Kropotkin, Unbroken, Rosa Luxemburg, The Situationist International, Black Flag.
There’s a philosophical / poetic approach in your lyrics. What issues do you cover and what feelings do you wanna arouse to your listeners?
As a lyricist, I try to do an observation in the world. Paradoxes, the study of the obvious, the uncommon familiar, privacy, losing faith in man, love and god. The world is full of things we see, but, don't pay attention to; it's full of ideals, situations, looks, silences that can't be captured. What I try to do is to reproduce these moments with cheap grace.
Do you think that today’s hardcore scene is way too safe & predictable? What’s your opinion about all those overhyped bands and the non-ending clichés surrounding our movement?
People divide themselves, categorize and watch selectively. In our selective vision, we set microcosms that are mostly often bigger than the rest of the world to us. There are always right and false leaders, but, I believe that this only affects the masses. There are always masses even in subcultures, minorities and movements.
And after all… is hardcore / punk a movement? Or is it just another outlet for 18years old kids to unleash their frustration & energy and then throw up their ideals and follow the ‘tie & suit’ way?
Hardcore/punk is like a cave. A cave can provide you a shelter, some place to sleep and some place to rest. A cave also may be wet, cold, may be dark or may have wild animals willing to eat you.
If you want to enter the cave, you might not know what you will face, but, it's always an unpredictable place to explore, rest or breed -an interesting place- but, it always contains the element of danger and uncertainty.
What matters is how you get out of the cave, if you manage to do so.
The financial crisis in Greece is almost at its peak. Why do you think that this happened? And what’s the solution you propose?
The situation in Greece is really sad for the citizens. Unfortunately, we are all to blame, everyone in a different level of course. Politicians have taught the people how to act, then people act like the politicians themselves, but, in their own smaller worlds. It's a really difficult situation and it will get even more difficult. People need to get together and organize.
By the way, what’s your opinion about the Greek hardcore / punk scene?
Hardcore and Punk in Greece has some really good bands and people trying for the scene. Everyone who gives a slight inch for this scene deserves credit. Of course there are people bringing this back with attitudes, but, as a matter of fact everyone that helps, loves or hates in any way is always doing something.
Even if you are a brand new band, you will tour Europe next month. You are playing in Fluff fest, as well. Which countries are you going to visit and what do you achieve with this tour?
We are siked to do this tour. It's a first time experience for us and we're playing shows with some great bands, as well as Fluff Fest. This would never be possible without the help of some amazing friends. What we really want is have a good time and meet new people and places.
Thank you. Any last words or closing comments?
Be humble, be conscious, educate yourself, talk when you have something to say, say thank you.
Thank you.
For more info:
www.myspace.com/ruinedfamilies
www.ruinedfamilies.blogspot.com
The interview was conducted by: Apostolis - World’s Appreciated Kitsch
Photography: danai | icon – www.pictureperfectsmiles.blogspot.com
