Slamdance and Straight Edge With Korean Hardcore Vets The Geeks at the 7th Chinese Hardcore Music Fest

While hardcore scenes have been thriving in cities like Washington, DC, New York, New Jersey, and Boston since the late 1970s and the early 1980s, eventually making its way to Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and inevitably the rest of the world, hardcore didn’t resonate in much of Asia until much, much later. Twenty years ago in Korea's capital of Seoul, a group of friends came together and began to voice their message through a mixture of screaming verses, chanted choruses, and raw instrumental prowess. They were The Geeks, and are credited by many as the pioneers of hardcore in Korea. Not only did they put Seoul hardcore on the map they’ve also toured around the world with such giants as Down To Nothing, Bane, and No Turning Back, and have helped establish a network for hardcore bands coming through Korea.

This weekend, as part of the Chinese Hardcore Music Festival, held at 13 Club (moved from Yue Space) on Sep 22, The Geeks will have their China debut. I shot the band some questions about their impact on the scene, their experiences touring, and staying straight edge in the world’s booziest nation. 

What was the hardcore scene like in Korea when you started almost two decades ago? How was it changed over the years and what has had the biggest impact on the scene since then? Where is it now?
Twenty years ago… Wow, it is still surreal to hear that we have been around that long! It was very small, full of pure energy. Remember, this was before globalization. Korean society was closed and a lot of “cool foreign culture” only had a limited exposure. But it really made us hungry, wanting for more. Everyone was excited to find out what punk and hardcore were and were dying to dive into it. And a sense of pride that we were building it from nothing. I still miss that era…

It’s now changed a lot in line with growing maturity and changing trends in the hardcore scene globally and locally. Then add to that technology and the rise of the PC and then mobiles, which also contributed significantly. 

From that perspective, the biggest impact that was overlooked was “the PC” era – it was the first generation that really connected people early 2000. We benefitted from it tremendously. Then rise of MySpace and Facebook, as well as YouTube, all changed the landscape forever.

You’ve toured around the world and have embedded yourself in hardcore and punk scenes just about everywhere – what are some of the biggest differences you notice in how music communities operate in other countries? What’s the one thing everyone has in common? 
I honestly think the passion and lifestyle of hardcore and punk rock kids are essentially the same. If "the same" is too strong, let's say it's similar, because at the end of the day, it is all underground music. Our tiny sanctuary. We got involved for the same reasons and they are still in it for the same reason. The bond of friendship and belonging is forged right there. Of course, local social and societal changes and maturity of the scene itself define how vital the scene is.

As a positive straight edge band, how has Korean culture had an impact on the band and the music to creates –  particularly in your lyrics? What issues do you try to address in your music that’s specific to Korean culture? 
Yes, constant pressures on conformity and disrespect toward any culture were real and intense. Study till death, work till death, no harmony in life, can’t speak up, can’t play, army, erase your own self to conform etc. As a result, the entire nation was lost. The good thing is that all of this also inspired us to create our music so as to help change the perception of life and to give you a sense of choice. There’s more to life. "Open Your Eyes" was a good example of this; our counterpunch to the Korean education system.

As the voice of the band, I also emphasize on general life inspiration messages depicted in our tunes like "Every Time We Fall", "A Light In the Dark", and "Staring Into the Sun". My only goal is to give one kid enough inspiration to find his or herself and have a better life, whatever it is.

Drinking culture is omnipresent in Korean society. How did you reconcile with this growing up and later on as a band? 
I confidently believe Korea has the worst drinking culture from the perspective of social and peer pressure. I just want to set the record straight (I read an article a while ago in which Korea ranked #1 in average drinking consumption, even beating Russia!).

It's the same thing. Oppression was there. But I didn’t want to give up nor give in. This is my life. If I want to have a life without drinking, I can live it. I have a choice. In short, it really only made my straight edge belief stronger. There have been countless stories where heavy drinkers forced me to drink, I refused, and they weren’t happy. Great thing is that I have these unique social skills to become friends with them. My view on drinking or any other things that are considered essentials in your life are overcome with persona. It is okay to drink and it is also okay not to drink. It’s your life. It’s your choice.

How did hardcore music and a straight edge lifestyle impact my life personally? The hardcore scene is inclusive and there’s always non-straight edge as well as inspirational friends who always welcome me and hang out with me. It really allowed me to see more and experience more with an open heart and a clear mind. 

You will be traveling to China as part of this year's China Hardcore Festival – how did you guys get involved? Will this be your first time in China? What are your expectations? What are you most excited about? 
Yes, this will be our first tour in China. Oh my god, I am just so excited… I’ve been to China before a few times for vacations and I really enjoyed my time there. Culture and friends. Can’t believe it’s taken 19 freaking years for us to go to China despite a geographical advantage. Now I’m told that China hardcore is stronger than ever! The music, the vibe, new friends. What more can I ask for? 

My small wish is that we get to inspire at least a few Chinese hardcore kids with our music. In the end, that’s all that matters. And I look forward to getting inspiration in return from them. It will be a driving force in my life.

What kind of message do The Geeks want to deliver to their fans?
We were, and still are, nobody. We were just kids who loved hardcore so much thanks to its messages and lifestyle. We’ve achieved what we’ve achieved through two things: unwavering belief and hard work. It’s a formula for anything in this world. We weren’t special. We just wanted to do whatever we felt like was right for us. You can do this. Even better than others. So go out and do more! 

My last message is this: After all these years, we are still married to this noise. That’s our life. We aren’t stopping. Our new album will come out soon and new songs are really great – our best work yet! Please support us when it’s out so that we can come play for you in the future!

Windmill like a madman alongside Beijing's hardcore kids when The Geeks play at 13 Club at 7pm on Sep 22 alongside 10 other hardcore acts. Tickets are RMB 180 on the door or RMB 150 advance. Click here for more information.

Never miss a gig: click here for a huge list of live shows in the city, updated daily.

Images courtesy of The Geeks, the organizers