Interviews

Interviews: E Town Concrete

Interview With Anthony of E-Town Concrete.



Smother: Where did the name E-Town Concrete come from and how'd the band start out?

The name e-town concrete kinda came from a joke. The band basically started out as a side project of me and Ted's previous band. The first e-town jam session was just me on guitar and Ted on drums jamming out. Eventually, we asked Dave to join to play guitar and I wanted to do only vox. We got Eric a while after. But we were just trying to think of a name, and since we weren't too serious about the band, at first we were gonna name it just CONCRETE...just to be corny. But I was like, "let's call it E-town Concrete" (b/c e-town is sorta slang for Elizabeth, NJ...where we live) and that was it. But before we knew it, me and Ted's old band was done and we were playing shows as e-town concrete, so it stuck. There was a point when I wished we could have changed the name...but I'm glad we didn't because it's unmistakable...whether you love or hate us, when you hear the name and you know who it is. Now I can't picture us w/ a different name.

Smother: How long have you been together?

We've been together since 95

Smother: What do you think about the overdone 'rapcore' thing going on in heavy music right now and what makes E-Town stand out from the rest?

I think the reason why so many people are burnt on the rap/metal thing is because there are soooo many bands out there who do it but SUCK. I think we do it differently because it's more authentic. Elizabeth, NJ is a very urban environment and I've always played sports so I grew up listening to hip-hop. It was always around me. I've always liked rock and roll...my mom had me listening to led zeppelin, the rolling stones since I was born...but hip-hop had more of a message I could relate to. They talked about things that I saw every day, so I have a real understanding of hip-hop an I think that shows in our music as where it doesn't w/ other bands. I'm not whining and just rambling off words that rhyme over a shitty ass drumbeat. And we are more versatile than that...we explore all types of music w/in our songs (even more so in our new stuff) and the main point is we keep it emotional, our songs make people FEEL something. I think there is a lot of animosity towards us from some of the people who may not like "rap" music...so therefore they playa hate us. But a lot of it has to do w/ the fact that we are on a real shitty label that has no pull whatsoever and does nothing to generate press or anything like that. We are the only band on our label that has sold more than 1,000 CDs...and we've sold 15,000...but yet they still treat us like shit. A lot of it I can't really get into b/c there are legal issues we are bringing about, but it's all good. They will get theirs.

Smother: Some of the people I know who listen to the lyrics to your songs doubt your integrity about the subject matter and/or that you've really experienced what you speak of in the songs. What do you think about that?

Well, there's nothing I really can do about that. I know the deal, I know what I've been through and all I can do is stay true to myself. I write my lyrics for myself, and maybe I put too much of myself onto paper...because I really take it personally if someone doubts my life experience. I've been through a lot of shit in my life, a lot of shit other people didn't go through...and I think that if someone else didn't go through something, it makes it hard for them to picture someone else going through it....especially a WHITE person in a ROCK band, you know?

Smother: What was your life like growing up?

I had a lot of problems growing up. I was a real angry kid...mad at the world. But it always motivated me to succeed. I've had teachers make fun of me in front of my whole class because I was on welfare, I've had teachers...I've had principals pull me aside and call me a loser and tell me I would never amount to anything. I've seen my mom get beat up by drunken or high boyfriends...whatever. But I made a promise to myself that I would succeed in life at any cost. At first it was through sports, and I was offered football scholarships at a lot of division 1 schools, but I badly broke my wrist in the last game of my senior season and the doctor told me that I would not be able to play again. I believe things happen for a reason, so I took that as sign that it was meant for me to make this band work....and that's what we're trying to do now.

Smother: When did you first start playing music?

I started to play music actually because of teddy and David...teddy played bass and Dave always played guitar, so one day Dave came over with his new purple Yamaha guitar and he started playing some metallica and I thought that was just cool as hell. So I eventually got an acoustic guitar and I would always call up Dave and he would be playing nirvana or soundgarden and I would just say, "what's the frets?" and he would hate that...because we didn't know notes at that point so it would take long as hell for him to be like, "1st fret on the 6th string, 4th fret on the 6th string, etc." But those were the days man, on the weekends in the summer we used to sleep over at my grandmother's house so we could jam in her garage...we SUCKED and we would play loud as hell....people used to walk by and scream, "shut up!!" or "go get some lessons" hahaha that was great. (Actually the beginnings of e-town were born there when Dave figured out the music to naughty by nature's "ghetto bastard" and I did the rap...which I also use a piece of in 4 the fame, "some get a little and some get none, some catch a bad one..."). I eventually started doing vox because I had a lot of lyrics written but I played guitar...and I didn't want anyone else to sing my lyrics because they were personal, so I just made the switch. But it's cool like this b/c I still play guitar so I can contribute e-town musically as well as lyrically.

Smother: What do you think about groups like Rage Against The Machine and Limp Bizkit?

I think those groups are doing their thing...I can't knock any band that is successful, b/c this is a very hard business to succeed in. I don't necessarily like some of those bands, but I can respect them. No matter what anyone says, a band has to have talent and has to hustle to make it in music...I'm not talking about these one hit wonder type bands, I'm talking about the bands who put out 3 or 4 successful albums and continue to make it work. Just because a band is blowing up today all over MTV doesn't mean that for the 5 or 6 years before that, they weren't driving 10 hours to play in front of 7 people and getting paid $20...it takes a lot of work to blow up and I think a lot of people take that for granted. So I give a lot of respect to bands who have kept it together through those hard years and are now reaping the rewards of fame and fortune.

Smother: I think that the Hardcore and Metal scenes could learn something from the other. Hardcore has the 'unity' that's lacking metal, but the crowds seem more territorial and violent towards each other, where as in the metal scene, the crowds seem more respectful towards each other, but a lot of the bands act competitively with each other. What are your thoughts about this?

Well, I don't really know about the scene where you're from but as for around here I think that the whole hardcore unity thing is bullshit...I don't see any bands that "keep it real" so to speak. They are just as cutthroat as the metal bands but they put on this act like it's all about unity. At least the metal bands don't front. and what's up with the HC kids always fighting w/ the metal kids at shows? that is stupid...you're both at the same damn show!!! So what if he has long hair?

Smother: Do you like boxing?

I just recently have been getting into boxing...I've always watched the big name fighters fight, but now I sometimes find myself watching these no name people on TV real late at night...those fights are more action packed. But as far as boxers I like...I like Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones Jr., Arturo Gatti, to name a few.

Smother: What do you hope to accomplish through E-Town Concrete?

I just wish that we are very successful and can continue to make music that people love and that we love. Hopefully with that also will come money so that we can all quit our jobs and quit school and focus solely on what we love to do...which is music.

Smother: Do you guys have jobs outside of the band?

Well some of us do, some don't...me and Ted go to school, Dave and Eric work.

Smother: What has been the most intense experience in your life?

When my younger brother got kidnapped.

Smother: What bands would you recommend?

I'd recommend that people open their minds...you never know what you might like until you hear it....but I recommend tori amos, jay-z, bruce springsteen, candiria, deftones, red hot chili peppers, 2pac, tracy chapman....those are just some of my favorites.

Smother: Who would win a fight between Earth Crisis and No Redeeming Social Value?

Hahaha, I dont know....the bassist from earth crisis is kinda diesel.

Smother: What would you do if you knew for certain that the world was going to end tomorrow?

I think at first, I would be very depressed but once I came to terms w/it I would buy a lawnchair so I can relax and watch it all come down.

Smother: What's right and wrong in heavy music today?

I think what's right is that bands are expanding their horizons a little bit...but what's wrong is that there are a lot of copycats out there.

Smother: What advice would you give to someone reading this interview?

Handle your business.