Named after a late seventies cannibal exploitation film, Trap Them have come to trap every listener with their mind-blowingly explosive blend of d-beats, blast beats, Swedish heaviocity and American rawness. Formed by Ryan McKenney (ex Backstabbers Inc.) and Brian Izzi (ex December Wolves ) back in 2005, Trap Them never attended the school of "verse, chorus, verse", released three kick-ass records in 2007, pull no punches and plan on invading as many continents as possible next Fall with a brand new LP under their belts.
- What's Trap Them?
+ Us: Metallic punk band influenced by the classic Sunlight Studio sound.
The film: Eurocult at it's finest.
- What does Trap Them sound like?
+ Brass fucking balls smothered in distortion.
- You've released three records in 2007. What was it that fuelled this past year's creative surge?
+ I think we were just full of creative expression that needed to be released. We are very happy with the music we write and it kept coming out. There's no reason to stop writing just because you release a record or two... if we're inspired and the songs keep coming, we don't plan on stopping. I'd like for us to release at least two recordings a year on whatever format and length we can.
- What is it that fuels your musical "fire" in general?
+ I'm an angry guy. I also don't feel comfortable enough to handle most everyday regularities... 9 - 5 jobs, social interaction, etc. This band is where I get to express myself in the truest, rawest form. I feel pretty lucky to have the opportunity to do this in front of a room of onlookers.
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Where is this "thieves paradise" you refer to?
+ In a sad little town called Barren Praise.
- Do you feel that you're "cut from a different soap than the rest" of your fellow Americans? Where does this show?
+ I'm thirty years old and live most of my days in a van. I get out of the van and for twenty five to thirty minutes a night, I get on a glorified soapbox and scream at people. I've lost most of my teeth, I'm bipolar and at the end of most tours I look like I got in a fight with a weedwacker. Whether I want to admit it or not, I'm most certainly cut from a different soap than the rest.
- Are the Trap Them releases some kind of musical diary? I am asking this since the songs are presented as days in ascending numerical order.
+ The days have to do with the overall lyrical approach. No specific song is its own body. Every song has the same thematic elements of depression, desperation and blasphemy and, in turn, is not limited to a specific starting or ending point. The days will continue. I'd explain the whole idea, but then I'd have to kill you. Really. It's kind of like the
three producers that know what the ending of LOST will be. I'd tell them, but only if they told me everything I want to know. You do watch LOST, right?
- Your lyrics run as straight, flowing scripts without easily memorisable choruses? How come? What are the kids gonna sing along to now?
+ I write lyrics the way they come out. I've never attended the school of "verse, chorus, verse". Not because I don't like it, but more because it never felt right coming out of my head. Breaking down songs into verses means you're kind of working with boundaries. I'd much rather write what I want to write and then attempt to fit in what I can. If there is leftover words/phrases, that doesn't mean you throw them away. I write all the lyrics before the music is made. By doing this, I separate the lyrics from the actual body of music and the band has three versions of a song/record: the lyrics, the music, and the music with lyrics.
- How come you named your band after a cannibal exploitation film? Are you really into that genre? Are there any special symbolisms behind the name?
+ Because that film is awesome. Exploitation is a genre that pretty much parallels the depravity of real life. All fiction is non-fiction somewhere.
- Will you vote in the upcoming US presidential elections? Why? Why not?
+ Absolutely not. Why? Because they're all crooks. I don't care how punk or un-punk this opinion of mine is. It's how I feel. Until there is an option more than voting for the lesser of two evils, you won't find me near a ballot box.
- Do you support any of the candidates?
+ None. We're all fucked.
- Are the Democrats better than the Republicans?
+ Assholes are assholes and committing to a specific political party won't change that. Saying that, I generally find myself relating closer to democrats than republicans.
- If you had to rate America's contemporary, every-day problems, which one would you consider most important?
+ I'm an average man living on day to days. What I consider the most important problem is nothing I feel like discussing in an open forum. I burned my pointing stick a long time ago and I keep to myself as much as I can. I'd rather kids form their own views separate from the opinions they read from an interview with a singer of a band they are somewhat
familiar with. I'm in no position to influence anyone's world view more than I already do through the music and lyrics.
- Do you feel that free downloads are threatening music in any way?
+ I think it does hurt some smaller labels. Though, more and more labels (Deathwish and Trash Art! in particular) have begun including digital downloads when you purchase the vinyl version, which I think is fantastic. As more labels do this, I think the worry of losing money on downloads will become more obsolete.
- What's the best thing that has ever happened to rock n roll?
+ Iggy Pop, Michael Gira, and Nicke Andersson.
- Future plans?
+ We will write and record the new LP in May and June, lay low for a bit of the summer and then invade as many continents as possible in the fall. Starting sometime in early September, chances are that wherever you live, you'll see us within the following months. We don't plan on stopping. Thanks very much for the interview.
LINKS: Trap Them, Deathwish Inc., Trash Art!