Punch interview

I first heard Punch when they toured in support of Ceremony last year. Unfortunately, some tour complications occurred and they couldn't make it to the Tampa date of the tour. A couple months later, I wandered into a house show in downtown Gainesville and to my surprise, Punch was raging to a sweaty crowd packed into a living room like sardines. An incredible set ensued. Maximum Rock N Roll described their music as something along the lines of "powerviolence youth crew" which I think sums it up really well. Blasts beats, 1000 mph riffs and tons of feedback but also those octave runs and chugging parts that bands like Judge or Youth of Today made famous. Screeching, screaming female vocals run the show and make for a very chaotic experience. They just got signed to Deathwish so keep an eye on this band.

Who are you and what is your part in Punch?
Meghan - Vocals
Val - Drums
Dan - Guitar
Keeth - Guitar
Brian - Bass

What's the word on the new 7" Nothing Lasts? Any big changes since the
last release?

V - One major change that we went through during the writing process
for the new 7" was that our guitarist Dan moved to Germany. Dan was
still active in writing the 7" and would meet once a week via Skype
with Keeth to go over guitar parts. When it came time to record, the 4
U.S. members of Punch recorded live in California then Dan recorded
his guitar parts separately in Germany. It was wild, but I think it
came out great and am excited for everyone to hear it.



There's a bit of a running theme with your album artwork involving children. The kid on the new album cover actually looks just like the sad kid sitting down on the s/t album. Care to explain?

V – We’ll let Keeth explain that one (or not explain…) since he does
all the album art.

K - No, I don't (want to explain). Musically, lyrically, and
artistically, Punch means different things to different people, and I
don't want to tarnish that with my own interpretations. However, if
you really feel you're groping in the dark, I might suggest it more
fulfilling to investigate intra-album relationships.

What I appreciated about Punch's music is that it crosses boundaries. There's chaotic death-grind sections followed by upbeat Youth of Today style parts. Is it safe to say you guys are doing your own thing
rather than shooting for a specific sub-genre?

K - Thanks, that's something i appreciate about our music too.
Personally, I wouldn't define our music as sharing any novel
characteristics with death-grind beyond being fast paced and
overdriven. That being said, yeah, we just do what we do, that is, pay
homage to a rich heritage of punk and hardcore bands through the years
by sullying appropriated riffage.

BK - Well to be fair Dan's stage name is Corpse Grinder II, thats
pretty death grind...


Tell me about the bands that Punch's members have been in or are in now.

V - Keeth was in another 625 band called Doppleganger where he did
vocals. Then he played guitar in another fast hardcore band called
Beforeafter. Dan played guitar in Under a Dying Sun, End on End, and
Bullets In. Brian and Val both play in Loma Prieta and Val plays drums
in a new band w/ members of Skin Like Iron and Look Back and Laugh
called Living Eyes.


I'm sure every interview Punch does brings up a question about having a female vocalist so instead of asking about that, I'll ask who your favorite female vocalist is for a punk band past or present?

Val - Tie between Tobia from LBAL and Andrea from Death Wish Kids

Keeth - Ann from Pink Turds In Space, Poly Styrene, and Annie Saunders
from This Is My Fist!

Brian - our friend Tara Jayne is in a band from Australia called
Circuits and her vocals are crazy brutal. Also Sam from Glasses. Both
are total rippers.

Meghan - Corin Tucker from Sleater-Kinney. Also Tobia from Look Back
and Laugh and Eva from Gather were a major influence in me fronting
this band


Since the blog is out of Florida and you guys will be here for The Fest in October, what's your take on our glorious state?

V -Florida is hot and sticky in the Summer. Florida is also home to
our good friend Matt Welch whom we met totally RANDOMLY (as in, not
asking him to book a show for us at his gallery) at Trang Vietnamese
restaurant in Tampa on our first US tour in '08. Also, just remembered
that we had a major blowout on that tour in Florida. Our tire blew up
and us being from the mean streets of SF thought we were being shot
at, hit the deck, and got soy yogurt all over the inside of the van.
Florida

Meg- In my defense I was in a deep sleep and dreaming when the tire
blew which is why I hit the deck. Props to Val for keeping the van
upright despite the fact he was texting at the time of the blowout.
Also Florida is the state in which our former guitarist Jeff went from
being vegan to 'human' after purchasing an alligator hand back
scratcher. He would later use this terrible implement to scratch the
tooth of our sleeping roadie, sparking a heated rivalry.


Anything else you wanna add?
V – Yeah, check out our tumblr: http://punchcrew.tumblr.com

K -The kids will have their say.