Interview by Holy Mountain
Generic introduction questions: how long have you been together and what do you do in the band?
Worn Out has been together since April of 2011, although Harold and I (Chap) have been playing together since we were practically in diapers. As far as our roles in the band — I play guitar and do vocals; Harold plays bass and does vocals as well; and Rutger plays drums. Non-music duties are split up fairly evenly – with equal help from each member in producing all of our art, music and releases.
I loved the 2011 demo available on the Worn Out Band Camp page. Is there any plans to release this on vinyl? Also being that this is a 2011 recording how far are we away from new material?
Funny you should ask. We do have plans to release the demo on vinyl down the road a bit but, more importantly, we are soon to release a split 7-inch with Shackles from Australia. As you said; it’s been a year since our last release so, in an effort to get things rolling, we are doing a limited cassette run of the aforementioned split which will be available on our upcoming tour in a little over a week.
Full interview after the jump…
Sighting no musical references describe your sound?
It’s actually fairly funny how our sound came to be. Our 2011 Demo started as a handful of hardcore songs which the three of us wrote under the moniker of Cold Hearted back in 2010. Rutger had some medical issues and moved away just before we were going to record the songs we’d written. In his absence Harold and I dissected each song, reworked them and added some much-needed speed and aggression. Really, we’re nothing more than a few guys with more anger than we know what do with.
Your lyrics perfectly match Worn Out’s furious sound, where do you draw the inspiration for your lyrics?
For our demo, most of our lyrics came straight from our everyday experiences of living in a giant, corrupt city and the frustration that comes along with it. Chicago has a way of making you feel defeated and even more so isolated. It seems like living in a big city among ten million people would have the opposite effect but in actuality it makes you feel like you’re nothing more than another number. A nameless face. The lyrics on our upcoming split have moved into a more self-loathing, pessimistic standpoint. Like the demo was about us trying to survive and on the new stuff we’re already dead.
“Existence is Futile” paints a more pessimistic world view than a lot of bands treading similar lyrical territory. Do you see any hope for the future or is Worn Out the soundtrack to the done deal that is our demise?
As much as I hate to say it, I really don’t feel like there is going to be much of a future for our society. As our lyrical themes have trended lately, I think we’re on the path to the end. We just hope we get to see that day when it comes.
You have a couple of songs with a critical eye aimed at the culture of alcohol. My question is how can we smash the system and overturn the government without a couple of kegs?
We feel that the alcohol has no place in the advancement and future of our society.
Addressing the lyrics to “Jesus S(L)aves” if we can get by without the keg party how will we overcome our adversaries without god on our side?
We feel that the religion has no place in the advancement and future of our society. Haha
If Worn Out could do a split 7″ with any band unrestricted by time, if the band still existed or any other shackles of reality who would it be with. Let’s go with a top three.
Three choices, three members. Perfect. Harold: Warscars (France). Chap: Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition, if they hadn’t ever released that garbage “Sheep ‘n Guns” album. Rutger: Martyrdöd (Sweden).
A couple of your members have another band called Men As Witches who I think would be the perfect side B to a split 7″ with Worn Out. Any plans for something like this down the road?
You know, we had honestly never thought about that before. You sir may just have a great idea. Some thought will definitely go into that…
You guys and Men as Witches are both bands I am currently stoked on. What are some local bands in Chicago that you guys are stoked on?
We’re blessed with a pretty awesome hardcore/grind/pv scene here. Sea Of Shit, Consent, Sick/Tired, Minimum Wage Assassins, Like Rats, Cülo, Iron Cages, Lord Snow and Weekend Nachos to name a few.
Worn Out has an upcoming tour shortly. Where are you headed, who are you playing with and how can people find out the details?
We’re starting off in Chicago on September 12, then heading to Cleveland, two nights in Philly, DC and finally Boston. We’re really excited to play with Grin and Bear it in Cleveland, Backslider in Philly, Battlemaster in DC and fucking Beartrap in Boston.
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