Warped Tour tickets acquired, a new outfit from Incredibly hot Topic, and Blink-182 blasting from your Walkman. That imagery requires millennials again 20 a long time to a superb time when bands like the aforementioned Blink, New Uncovered Glory, and The Starting up Line ended up just having commenced. As was the starting of what would sooner or later develop into For Heads Down. Speedy forward to currently and the German-based mostly band is however providing that basic audio, but on a much more elevated degree. Which their personal Florian “Flo” Steup will describe down below, together with nostalgia-baiting, psychological overall health, and much more like For Heads Down self-titled launch that drops just about everywhere on April 19th.
Kendra: Its been reported that those people who vibed with Tony Hawks Professional Skater 2 will vibe with you fellas. I felt that from the push of enjoy as I was transported again to remaining 18 at my initial Warped Tour. However, yall are more than in Germany, so for you how has the punk scene improved from the early 00s to now the place you are?
Florian “Flo” Steup: We grew up with the seem of the 90s and 2000s. Of system, the usual bands from California or Scandinavia had been a large thing, but there was also a big scene listed here in Germany. Back again then, there ended up a couple fanzines these as Lostandfound or OX Fanzine, which people today utilized to come across out about bands like Pores and skin of Tears, Not Accessible, Beatsteaks, but also Terrorgruppe or Wizo were being extremely thriving.
At that time, there ended up constantly effectively-attended modest punk reveals almost everywhere. All-around 2006, the hardcore scene acquired greater and greater and it became more difficult to ebook reveals mainly because there were only a number of site visitors, but in the past several many years, I have the effect that the scene is acquiring greater all over again. Thanks to lots of tiny labels and bookers, more compact bands like us also get the likelihood to draw in attention.
Kendra: On a far more private level, with over two decades of songs earning below your belt, how does the punk you have been then evaluate to the punk you are now on a artistic stage when it arrives to composing and recording 2024s For Heads Down?‘
Flo: We didnt connect considerably relevance to high-quality back again then. We just wished to make music. More than the yrs, everyones interest in tunes has obviously altered a little bit and absolutely everyone attempts to carry out some of their concepts in the tracks. Our largest emphasis in modern yrs, particularly for the new document, has been on the vocals. We try to get the ideal out of 3 vocals. We often get constructive feed-back for this, specially dwell, and we are proud of it.
Kendra: The online video for the final single from the album was shot at Schellack Musikbar, so if you experienced to assess this information overall aesthetic and sound to a drink just one would get at this institution, which would it be and why?
Flo: Haha okay thats an appealing issue. The temper in the video clip was peaceful. Thats specifically what we desired to attain. In my impression, a superior wine would go finest with it. For the tunes or the sound, theres only one particular drink that fits punk rock very best for me a chilly beer.
Kendra: Right before Fever you dropped two other singles, together with Responsible. Now psychological wellness has by no means been absent from tunes, but now it does experience more normalized. Theres no question people today have and will continue on to link with this observe, but what was the to start with song that produced you truly feel noticed in regards to psychological wellbeing when you were increasing up?
Flo: To be genuine, Ive never ever definitely taken a really serious glimpse at texts. I was normally interested in the new music as a entire. On the past information our singer, Phil, generally wrote the lyrics. On the approaching record, I also contributed a few lyrics. 1 of them is Responsible. This subject matter was very important to me individually, as I see in my setting how todays youth is producing in the age of TikTok, Instagram, etcetera., bullying has just develop into a harmful device.
Young adults in particular are bullied for no purpose mainly because they dont like anything trivial about the person. I feel all of us (even me) have offended or harm someone without knowing it. The track is about the point that quite a few people dont even understand how considerably they could damage someone with a silly remark.
Kendra: Now considering the fact that youve been in the scene for some time, Id enjoy to get your belief on American bands taking part in seriously into nostalgia with festivals like When We Have been Youthful. Do you believe relying on the past serves any intent?
Flo: I observed the lineup and considered, Wow, Id like to go there. I grew up with a great deal of these bands and Im glad that numerous of them are even now energetic.” However, there have been also bands like No Stress, who havent been all around that extensive. There are so numerous great youthful bands that I would like to see on tour far more often, and I would like to see lesser-regarded bands get a likelihood. Bands ordinarily arrive to Europe as a offer. The major booking companies in individual make daily life tricky for numerous of them. Im glad about men and women like Steve from Merit-Centered Reserving. He presents more compact bands a opportunity to go on tour with “bigger” bands.
Kendra: Finally, with ‘For Heads Down’ out on April 19th, what else can enthusiasts hope as 2024 rolls on?
Flo: We have our launch demonstrate in Siegen on April 27th, 2024, and play a stay live performance at a radio station the evening just before. We are now organizing more displays for fall. More information and facts will occur soon. For 2025 we are trying to play some festivals and demonstrates. We comprehend at the time yet again that without a great deal of relationships, it is very complicated to get shows.
The publish Caught Up with For Heads Down appeared to start with on ZO Magazine.