Band of the Month : New Mexican Disaster Squad

Everyone who has met or seen or heard these guys has a special place in their heart for that which keeps all of traditional punk alive in music today, and in turn, a place for NMDS. From singing anthems about jobs or bosses, friends or lovers, to politics and government, the New Mexican Disaster Squad has got something legit going on. They've put out 5 records. Their last being "Don't Believe" just recently, on Jade Tree. See, when your music and personalities draw inspiration out from others, I feel you have truly succeeded. So whether NMDS strikes your fancy, or others, sells 30 records, or 30,000- they have already succeeded in doing more than they will ever know.

This is my tribute to my very good friends in the New Mexican Disaster Squad. While their name may possess no meaning, their existence does.

So, the other night, I had a three-way with Richard and Alex. ;)

This is what they had to say during:

Veronica: So, where you at right now?
Alex: DC... 9:30 club. We're on tour with Less Than Jake, Catch 22 and the Loved Ones.
Veronica: How is that going?
Richard: It's going awesome, there's a lot of little kids and some nights they tear it up and others they kinda just look at us in amazement cause we can't help but shred their faces off!
Alex: Pretty rad so far, We only have 3 shows left.
Veronica: Hahahaha!!
Alex: I think it's a little weird for some of them to see a super pissed hardcore band on a ska tour, but the kids have started to come around and circle pit and get a little wild.
Veronica: What is the most positive thing you gain from touring?
Richard: Money.
Alex: Chicks.
Veronica: You fucking assholes
Richard: Yeah right!
Veronica: Ha ha.

Alex: Not really, it's fucking amazing to be able to bring your songs to people and actually have them give a shit.
Richard: We get to meet a ton of new people, and we get to see most of our friends.Oh, and we eat awesome food!
Veronica: Wait, did you say "yeah right" to being an asshole, Richard? Or yeah right to getting chicks from it? Hahahaha!
Richard: pssssh!
Alex: Like us being in Paris and kids singing our songs was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I mean, English isn't even their first language and here they are shouting along.
Veronica: That rules! You just got back from Europe, right? With, I think None More Black?
Alex: Paint it Black actually, but I understand the confusion.
Richard: No! Paint it Black! The other black band!
Veronica: Fuck. (what a fucking moron.)
Veronica: Okay, so then, None More Black...
Alex: NO! Paint it Black
Veronica: Hahahahaha! Wooooow. (I almosted opted to edit this out. But, I thought it was too priceless that I literally said it twice. Without even realizing it. Send... Help... )
Richard: We had a fucking blast! It ruled so hard! We brought an American flag with us and waved it in everyone's faces just to show how awesome our country is!
Veronica: Do you really feel our country is awesome, Richard? That's kinda real...
Alex: No, but it was our second time over there, and we had an amazing time. The kids remembered us and were stoked even though we haven't been there in almost 3 years.
Richard: Well, considering I'm an outsider, yes.
Veronica: Burritos?

Richard: That was a huge wall for me to jump over!
Veronica: Ha, at any rate, it must have been awesome to experience. How long have you guys been together? What keeps you going?
Richard: Making new friends and getting to write new songs.
Alex: We've been around for like 7 years, I've been around for 5 of them.
Veronica: So that would make you like... 12 when you joined the band, Alex?
Alex: What the fuck! I'm older than you, Vaginica.
Richard: We are actually into the music we play so we have some longevity. Ha! You gots played honey!
Alex: I was like 19 when i joined up.
Veronica: I was bustin ye' balls
Alex: We didn't start doing serious shit really til' a few years ago, though.
Richard: Thanks to Strike Anywhere and other big bands, they pushed us to get out there a lot more and they helped expose us.
Alex: Yeah, we've gotten help from a lot of really great bands who have shown us a lot of support, and motivated us to keep it alive.
Veronica: In May, JadeTree put out your newest album - "Don't Believe". Describe the album to us. A lot of really awesome bands put out records through JadeTree on the way to making their mark. How does this make you feel about NMDS? Oh,band what the hell does New Mexican Disaster Squad even mean? I mean, sure, Richard's parents are hispanic. =)
Alex: We were stoked to work with Jadetree because they have definitely put out a bunch of my favorite punk records in recent years.
Richard: We feel honored to share the same label with those bands, and we feel that they truly understand where we are coming from and that we are not doing it with the intention to sell a ton of records. They put no pressure on us for that.
Veronica: Can you tell these folks the word up on some of those records?
Richard: Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Strike Anywhere, etc.
Alex: As for a description of the record... it's pissed, catchy, a little dark at times, and it pretty much shreds.
Richard: NMDS means nothing
Veronica: Nothing?
Alex: It was just some bullshit Sam thought up 7 years ago, and now we're stuck with it.
Veronica: Well, what the fuck was going through Sam's head? Pretty random, aye
Alex: Who knows? That dude's cranium is so big... a fucking meteor could be rolling around in it.
Richard: Very True. It's a long obnoxious name.
Veronica: So I take it Sam writes most all of the lyrics? And probably... Alex writes the music?
Alex: Almost all of them, yes. Sam writes about half the music as well, I take care of the other half, and he does all the lyrics and vocals, and then tells me what to shout in the background.
Veronica: Cool. So it seems to be common that people interpret your music as punk, having melodic anthems, with hardcore influence. What would you classify yourself as? What are some of your influences?
Richard: Dag Nasty, Hulk Hogan, Bad Brains, Adolescents.
Alex: I mean, we're a hardcore band in the old sense of the word. Not this "new metal" influenced nonsense. Minor Threat was hardcore, Bad Brains was hardcore. Those are some of the bands that influence us for sure.
Richard: We sound like early 80's hardcore.
Alex: By today's standards though, we'd be considered a punk band I guess.
Veronica: You can go ahead and just say... real hardcore, basically.
Richard: With a twist of nuclear skull bashing.
Veronica: Not washed out, filtered, generic hardcore, right?
Richard: Yes.
Alex: Yeah, but if you tell some 16 year old kid that you're in a hardcore band, he's gonna think you sound like Underoath or some shit.
Veronica: Well you'll just have to let him know what's up. People never know until their told, sometimes.
Alex: Yeah, but we don't wear eyeliner or anything, so they think we're just bums working at the show to clean up.
Veronica: Sucks that music today is so fucking hard to even classify as even if you just wanted to know where your cds can be found in a fucking music store.
Alex: No joke, V.
Richard: true.
Veronica: Or at least, without starting a riot over it. Fuck, we could be responsible for the next boston beat down here. I'll move on
Alex: Haha.
Veronica: Is there any particular message your music is trying/succeeding to/in convey?
Alex: I mean, we deal with a lot of shit. Political shit in a more socio- political kind of way. Like how the situations in the world effect us as kids and young adults.
Richard: More situations that affect our everyday lives, for instance, friends, bosses... etc.
Alex: Sam also talks a lot about his fucked up brain and anxiety issues.
Veronica: Do you hope that in someway people might feel more inspired to educate themselves about these matters?
Richard: Totally, people aren't aware enough of their surroundings and how much they have control of their own life.
Alex: Not just educate themselves, but find someone out there that is feeling the same way they are. I know there's got to be thousands of kids that feel the same way we do.
Veronica: For sure. I've always kinda felt like kids were maybe scared to learn about it. Maybe more pressure to grow up or let go, etc.
Alex: It's a scary world, but like G.I.Joe says, "Knowing is half the battle".
Veronica: I think it is definitely important that musical influences in people's lives make it heard that it is possible to know, make a difference.
Richard: And, like He-Man says "By the power of gray skull, I have aids" or something like that.
Veronica: hahahaha!! Oh shit!! What does he really say again? It's bumming me out that I can't remember.
Alex: Yeah, everyone gets in this lazy mode where they're all "One person doesn't make a difference". But, one person does, and one person can educate another person and it builds on itself. Oh, and he says, "by the power of grayskull, I have the power".
Richard: I need to go shit, I'll be right back. Salsa and chips are running for the border right outta my ass!
Veronica: Not to knock LA or anything (roots, roots), but it seems like a lot of the educating anthems, or need to belong/inform through music come more often from those that live and breathe the East Cost. Do you see that as true? I mean, as far as education of your surroundings. Not education of how to pimp a hoe.
Alex: I mean, not to knock the west coast, but I definitely sensed a stronger bond between activism, education and music on the east coast for a long time.
Veronica: For sure. West Coast had some good rap and hip/hop. We'll give credit where it's due.
Alex: It might be that we spend way more time on the east coast though since we live here and all. But I've also noticed an increase in an awareness out west even more since the first time we've been there.
Veronica: Yeah, but I'm not talking about place of residency. I'm talking about you just so happening to live there, and every other powerful, informative band happening to live there, too. What do you think being from the east coast might have to do with that?
Alex: Well, thanks for saying we're powerful and informative. I think you're just hating on the west coast since you live there.
Veronica: Definitely not hating. We've got Snoop, fool. Step.
Alex: I mean, California is one of the more liberal states, which is amazing. Even though you have that shitty governor.
Veronica: You mean The Governator. What a fucking joke. Anyway...
Alex: That's the guy. Love his movies, hate his shitty republican agenda.
Richard: Ok, I'm back. Whoo!!
Veronica: Did you blow some sweet ass, or what? So, basically you're avoiding just looking smart and talking about how it is possible that the east coast might be more affected based upon the fact that the US started on the east coast, in colonies, breathed slavery, and ultimately the east coast and some of the southern states are haunted by harsh decisions made in the past?
Alex: Ok... say we said that.
Veronica: Ok.
Alex: Fucking A, the south is all fucked up.
Veronica: So, if you could put your lousy band with any bands, and make the most epic show ever, what bands would you choose? Where would you play?
Alex: Shit... this will take some thought. The old "dream show" question.
Veronica: Well fuckin a, a fucking huge-ungoid band definitely chose you, so you must be doing something right. 3 bands. Why. Why, would it be the best show ever... what would each band bring to the table... the dynamic?
Alex: Jesus, stop changing the question!
Veronica: I'm not. Go. Talk Richard.
Alex: It would be us, Bad Brains, Ramones, Adolescents at CBGBs in 1980. At the time, I would still be a little sperm hanging out in my dad's sack, but that would be amazing.
Veronica: Where the fuck is minino? (That's Richard's last name for all you stalker-types out there...)
Alex: He left. hahahahahahha.
Veronica: Are you fucking for real? That bitch.
Alex: Hey, he's coming back
Veronica: 10 song playlist in the van, while on the road. GO!
Alex: Descendents- I'm Not a Loser, David Bowie- Rebel, Rebel, Germs- No God, Circle Jerks- Deny Everything, and 6 Screwdriver songs. Not Really. But you get the picture... we like punk.
Veronica: Yeah, you guys are punk as fuck. <3<3
Alex: Haha, dick!
Veronica: For reals!
Alex: Save the sarcasm for the real bands, we're your friends.
Veronica: Dude! I'm being real!!
Alex: Hahaha.
Veronica: Anyway...
Veronica: Speaking of Circle Jerks...
Alex: You wanna do one or what?
Veronica: Oh, fuck off. Have you seen American Hardcore, yet?
Alex: Nah, we have been on tour for the past month pretty much.
Veronica: Do you think its gonna rule?
Alex: I know it will. I read the book years ago, loved it
Veronica: It's basically the fucking bible. =)
Richard: I'm back coochie breath.
Veronica: Coochie breath?
Richard: Sorry.
Veronica: Does my breath smell like coochie?
Richard: Just kidding.
Alex: Some of my buddies in New York were bummed that the NYHC scene didn't get much respect in it, but I'm amped as hell to see it.
Veronica: So, where are the other dudes?
Alex: Hanging out behind us, trying to tell me to type ridiculous shit
Veronica: Real.
Richard: Sam is talking to Brian. About real real shit.
Alex: No, really really real shit.
Veronica: What do you guys do when you're not ruling the world vicariously through NMDS?
Alex: Fucking deliver pizzas. Sam works in a screen printing shop, and Brian works in a grocery store.
Richard: Well, I deliver pizzas and do tons of new art stuff for bands like shirts, posters and cd layouts. I have a website coming soon. For now you can check it out on myspace at myspace.com/horsebites (Dead to Me, Strike Anywhere, Less than Jake, etc.)
Veronica: So, when all is said and done, and you're old and grey, what do you want to have earned from this experience?
Richard: Hopefully I won't be alive when I'm old and gray but, I would really like to still be in contact with most of the people I met on the road and through my art experience. I don't care if anyone remembers me, I just don't want to regret the way I lived my life. Alex says: He's killing himself when he gets old so it doesn't matter
Veronica: Why? Is it because of his female-caused anxiety due to dashing good looks?
Richard: Ha! No. It's because he's scared of getting old and turning into a bitter old man. I would be too.
Veronica: Haha... too late for bitter... cough... rc cola... cough. =)
Richard: HA!!
Veronica: Shout-outs?
Richard: Uh, yeah. Buy our record and come to our shows and rip some shit up!
Veronica: I already have your record. Ball busting. Anything you want to ask me? Like how I stay so god damn sexy? Hahaha, i'm totally kidding.
Richard: Wow. Wow. Who's interviewing who here?
Veronica: Ok, but really... anything you'd like to ask me?
Richard: What's the next band you have to interview?
Veronica: Tomorrow night, I'm going to see a GoBettyGo! show and i'm reviewing it, possibly interviewing her there, too, if not then later, I'm really stoked to get females in this industry onto our site content.
Richard: Well tell her we said hi, and that I hope she doesn't get asked the same stupid questions we got asked.
Veronica: Fuck off.

Internet hugs to those guys. They rule.