To tap into the present moment while simultaneously avoiding its pitfalls is no easy task, but on their debut LP Echo Planet, San Diego’s Negative Blast make it look easy—This debut LP is a fully realized, layered, and expertly crafted slab of hardcore punk that is both unconcerned with convention and deeply reverent of the genre’s roots.
Recently we had a talk with one of the band members, Patrick Callaway. He gave answers to a few interesting questions regarding the band. Take a look at the interview below:
How many gigs have you played so far? Which one brings you the fondest memories?
We’ve only played out maybe 15 times or so. This band started as a COVID project between friends, and we just wanted a creative way to pass the time. Our main focus has always been getting together every week to hang out/have fun and see what music comes out of it. It’s turned into a really fun outlet for our need to play loud music. Shows were kind of an afterthought initially, but they’ve been great, and we’re really stoked people seem to like it.
We want to get out and play as much as possible. For me, the most fun I’ve had so far was an all-ages show up in Sacramento w/ M.U.T.T., Holehog, and Hookups at Cafe Colonial. Amazing energy. Amazing bands. It reminded me of shows I went to in high school when I just wanted to see anyone and everyone playing underground music and just forget about the school/work week at a wild show. No sense of jaded old dudes, just people hanging out and excited to thrash together. All-ages shows always end up being more fun.
How would you define your genre? Who writes most of the music/lyrics in the band?
We started calling it “psych rock,” but as in psycho rather than psychedelic. Psycho-Rock. We try to incorporate layers of random stuff we like into this hardcore punk thing. The idea has always been to do anything if it works. We like bands like Le Tigre, No Knife, Mrs. Magician, but we’re huge hardcore fans too and love classic Minor Threat, Black Flag, Bad Brains, etc. too. We’re fans of music in general and just throw stuff out and see if it works.
This is a very collaborative band. Alex is the main riff guy generally. His brain thinks in riffage. I’ve written some stuff, but Alex’ brain is like a library for heavy guitar stuff. Rain writes all the lyrics and vocal patterns 99% of the time. That can sometimes be collaborative too, but he writes the bulk of it. He played drums on Echo Planet and thought of all those drum parts. He’s a constant release of total raw, creative output. He fronts another band called Yujin 13 that he writes everything for and plays everything on the recordings.
Do you have any influence from Lewd Acts and Hour of the Wolf on your songs or would you say that the songs are entirely unique?
I think there is some influence from those bands because that’s just us, but that’s just what we were doing at that time. Those bands were different groups of people, so it was different. None of us in this band have stopped playing music, and we just like seeing (hearing) what sounds good when we get together and play loud. It’s probably similar in ways, but also very different. Different group of people, but similar ideas.
How long did it take to write Echo Planet? Was it a smooth journey? Do you have a favorite track?
Echo Planet took around 6 months to write and record. In comparison to past bands, it was a very smooth process. It was never difficult with previous bands either though. It’s never been a headache to play in a punk band because it’s what we like to do. It’s what we all love doing. It’s just always different in one way or another making a record. Even in the same band. Alex is a recording engineer and runs Sunsick Studios in La Mesa, so we’re able to try out and record anything we want to, which is a huge luxury that I’ve never had in previous bands. I like playing all of the songs on Echo Planet, but my fave is probably The King in Vancouver because it’s just a lot of fun bass parts to play and it makes me want to stage dive.
Watch the video for the single “Trauma Bond,” here.
How did you link up with your label Quiet Panic Records?
We got an opening spot for a Filth is Eternal show, and Mike who runs Quiet Panic and also manages Filth is Eternal was there. After our set, he asked us if we’d be interested in releasing something on the label. We already had Echo Planet recorded at that point and thought it would be awesome to put something out on the label and we were stoked on the idea of having it on vinyl. Quiet Panic has put out music from some really great bands from all over, so we were stoked for the opportunity.
Can you share your experience of making the music video of “Trauma Bond?”
I’d asked my good friend Sam Rich if he’d be into flying out from Austin to play drums for some local shows we wanted to play. Rain was playing drums and doing vocals for recording stuff, but we needed a drummer for live shows. This is what led us to asking Mario if he’d be down to play, but that’s another story. Sam was into it and has come out a few times to play drums. He’s also a film guy and has done a bunch of videos for bands. It was his idea to do all those shots just for fun. At the time, we had no plan for a video. He recorded that stuff, and when we decided to do a video, we thought it was cool, rockin’ footage to use.
How was your hometown show at The Casbah on February 9? What upcoming shows are you looking forward to?
That show was really awesome. Unsane absolutely ripped. Deaf Club was amazing. We’ve been wanting to do a show with Deaf Club for a minute. Incredible live band. We have a show coming up with Project Sellout, Slugger, The Third Estate, and Nowhere Safe at Fraternal of Eagles in National City on April 22. All ages. It’s gonna be fun. Looking forward to that one.
Lastly, what future plans do you have for the band? Any dream tours you’d like to experience with Negative Blast?
We have a split record coming out soon with Sweat from LA on Vitriol Records. We have a handful of new songs we’ll be recording in the near future. Hopefully hitting the road this summer for some out-of-town shows. Dream tour in an alternate universe would be Black Sabbath, The Stooges, Black Flag, Ramones, and Negative Blast. Dream tour in the real world would be Black Sabbath, Unsane, Deaf Club, Warthog, The Chisel, The Monsters, Botch, Amyl and the Sniffers, Spiritual Cramp, Filth is Eternal, and Negative Blast. World Domination Tour.
Echo Planet was engineered and mixed by the band’s own Alex Jacobelli at Sunsick Studios, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and will be released on Quiet Panic Records on February 10th, 2023. Order the album here.
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Photo courtesy of Becky DiGiglio
