Domenic Romeo interviews Jeff Beckman
Photographs by Ben Pepin
So Pick Your Side is pretty much 4/5 of the lineup that played the last Haymaker show. What made you decide to start this new band instead of continuing as Haymaker? Tell us what’s up with the new LP you just recorded?
I definitely thought about it, and tried to keep Haymaker going, but Haymaker was more of a mindframe. The vibe was a little different, and some of the new dudes just didn’t fit that. Then Biggs moved to the sticks and had another kid. Without him, Haymaker would not be the same…Anyways, a lot of the Pick Your Side stuff from the new LP is stuff I wrote for Haymaker, so the music is very close, and I have no range vocally, so the words sound the same. The new LP we just recorded sounds great, very happy with how it is going. Bauers is a totally different drummer then Curt (Haymaker) was. So between that, and Johnny playing guitar and also writting a majority of shit now, there is a totally different feel compared to Haymaker. We recorded 18 songs, I think it’s like 24 minutes worth of music. I think it’s some of the best stuff I’ve ever had a part of…but we’ll let the shithead kids decide that when it sees the light of day.
Years ago there was talk about a horror movie film you created called Vs. The Dead. For those who weren’t privy to seeing an advance copy, what can you tell us about the movie? Is it going to be released, and if so, how can people get their hands on it?Additionally, what sucked more: Friday The 13th, or the Nightmare on Elm St remake and why?
Yeah, a few friends and I decided to make a movie. Way harder, way more expensive, and way crazier then I thought it would ever be. So six years later, it finally came out. Midnight Releasing out of Arizona picked it up, and it can be found almost anywhere. They are a huge B-rate film supplier for anyone who sells movies, anyone from Wal-mart to Mom & Pop shops. The movie is basically zombie genre, spread through a military mis-que via a sleazy tattoo shop. It has heavy punk/hardcore overtones, classic shirts, soundtrack, lots of little hints through out it to show where we as movie makers came from. Mind you, its a low budget, poorly acted, shitty looking film…but it’s a party flick and has been getting good reviews much to our surprise. To answer your second question, I’d seen Friday the 13th on opening night. I stood in line for two hours, and it was one of the biggest disappointments of my movie-going life. Complete shit. Actually. nothing I could say could would even come close to describing how truly shit it was. Never seen the Nightmare remake, but I bet it is a trophy of dog shit also.
You’ve created the artwork for a lot of cool records over the years. What’s your favorite album cover that you’ve done and why?
I think it’s Pulling Teeth Martyr Immortal. But I like all the Pulling Teeth covers, since they let me do whatever I wanted, and I was lucky enough to create a theme and image for one of the better hardcore bands of the last 10 years. I am not a big fan of doing record covers for bands, just because it takes forever and I am my own worst critic, but I am glad I did those ones for sure.
Being a dude that’s seen more than his share of things in the punk/hardcore scene what has kept you interested and involved for this long?
Power chords and writing music. Plus, there’s always that hope that another great band might just pop up somewhere, and that feeling when you discover those bands…That’s what has kept me around this nightmare of stupid trends and shitty ideas.
What bands are you most excited to see at the A389 bash in January?
That would be a tie between Eyehategod and Gehenna. Looking forward to those for sure.
New Comments