Bloodtype interview

Bloodtype is a New Jersey band that plays 80's style youth crew hardcore, but with a grimy, basement DIY kind of edge to it. The band is on a bit of a break, so until they get to touring, check out the demos and EP's they've got up (a bunch are available for free on their Myspace). They've put out 7"s on Cowabunga and No Reprieve Records (split with Injustice System, killer Tampa fast hardcore) as well as a demo tape released on Bleeding Edges, a label run by their vocalist, Jeff, who this interview is with.

What should kids who haven't heard Bloodtype expect?
Maximum Rock N Roll described us as "youth crew played by punks," and
I think that makes the most sense.

Who are a few bands you'd site as influences for the band?
I think the original idea of the band was to do something like Youth
of Today, but w/o the lame posi crap (kinda like what the Repos did to
WNITA). Basically sound like an 80's HC band, so the main influence is
NYC hardcore like the Abused, Agnostic Front, Antidote. Also the
original DC bands like Minor Threat and Boston bands like SSD / DYS.

I'm not straight edge, but I've got a ton of respect for the kids who
have been in it forever and are keeping it alive. What are your
thoughts on the current straight edge scene?
There's been a lot more awesome more punk sounding sXe bands like
Coke Bust, Sick Fix, Poison Planet, Noose, RazorXFade, and a bunch in
the mid-west right now. I'm real stoked on that type of stuff.
Hopefully more early 80's influenced edge bands continue popping up.
Overall though, more than half of the bands that use sXe as a gimmick
totally suck.

On that note, why did you become straight edge and what encourages you
to keep it up?
I really just have no interest in drinking, smoking or doing drugs.
I'm kind of a social reject, and don't have many friends. I'd rather
spend my night listening to records than hanging out at a bar. I don't
really feel like getting drunk will make my life any better, and I
will all of a sudden become popular. If that's your thing, that's
cool, but it's not for me.

Bloodtype plays a style of music that's becoming less and less popular
- at least where I come from. Do you feel a divide in the scene
between faster, punk hardcore and heavier hardcore bands?
Most definitely, I mean there will occasionally be heavier HC bands
that will play w/ more fast bands, but it's rare and depends who books
the show. A lot of those bands are in a different league with managers
and big labels backing them, helping them to tour, etc... The heavier
HC bands appeal to a much broader range of people, where a punk/hc
band will mostly appeal to people who love the original early 80's
style of HC. Look at how many people go to fests like United Blood,
This Is Hardcore, Sound & Fury, etc; versus how many people go to No
Way Fest (which was canceled last year).

What's the New Jersey scene like right now? What Jersey bands should
everyone be checking out?
It's been better to be honest. There's not really many bands that
play early 80's style hc/punk in NJ. Right now there's not any
consistent real venues, aside from basements which come and go in
waves. Most touring bands I want to see will skip NJ, and just play
Brooklyn instead.
As far as other bands, aside from bands we share members with, check
out Outlast (youth crew revival type HC, like In My Eyes) and Night
Birds (like a pop-punk version of Agent Orange). Both are pretty cool.

I read a review for a record of yours in Maximum Rock N Roll that said
something along the lines of "people who hate Have Heart will love
this.," which I loved. Any comment on it?
Haha, hell yea, that was awesome. I always found Have Heart kind of
boring, and I assume that's what the reviewer thinks as well. The only
connection between us is that both bands are straight edge, but other
than that we sound nothing like them. I'm sure Have Heart isn't gonna
be bummed about that comment.

Anything else you wanna add?
Thanks for the interview. Members of Bloodtype also currently play in
Wormeaters, Phibes, Black Kites, Natural Law and Hubris. Bloodtype is
more like a side project, but we'll do more in the future.