European tour, a new singer, NYHC is made up of bitter old men and a new record about David Rubinstein. In an interview with Paul Cripple he talks candidly with us. Read the interview with Paul and the Reagan Youth European singer Max Motherfucker, who is also writing for AWAY FROM LIFE, to find out more.
Interview with Paul Cripple and Maks Motherfucker of REAGAN YOUTH
Reagan Youth don’t do any soundchecks, we just plug in our amps and crank out the songs, punk rock style.
AFL: Hey how are you? You will come in August for some shows to Europe. You’re looking forward? Do you know when you were last time in Europe on tour?
Paul Cripple: The last time was two years ago and we only played Germany, but those were a lot of shows. At the last show Tibbie (the bassist) and I met Maks Motherfucker from Christmas. We were impressed enough to know that the nest time we came; we’d want Maks Motherfucker to sing for us on our next European tour.
AFL: So Maks of CHRISTMAS will be replace Trey as singer on the Europe tour. What about Trey?
Paul Cripple: Trey decided to leave the band and embrace his addiction to crystal meth. It saddened us but he was of no use to us when he was smoking crystal meth because it hurt his lungs as well as his brains. We hope Trey gets the help he needs.
AFL: Will you practice in your new formation together before the tour starts?
Paul Cripple: Met Maks on the last show of our last European tour and we knew he was the best punk rock singer I ever heard in Germany. Of course we will practice before but we are a punk rock band so practice is a bit over rated, like sound checks. Reagan Youth don’t do any soundchecks, we just plug in our amps and crank out the songs, punk rock style. We ain’t no metal band, PUNK ROCK.
AFL: Maks how is it for you to go with REAGAN YOUTH on tour? How came the contact between you and the band?
Maks Motherfucka: The first time we met was when my band Christmas supported them in Saarbrücken two years ago. Tibbie and Paul started a conversation with us and we stayed in touch since then. Tibbie also spoke the intro of the latest Christmas record, she has another band as well called GASH. Check them out on YouTube, they got a pretty amazing live show, a bit different from other bands!
AFL: Are you a little bit excited? I mean you played never with the band before and you’re a little bit younger as the rest of the band.
Maks Motherfucka: I’m pretty excited about this! Singing in one of the most important influences for the music that I love feels amazing! I love this oldschool sound and really look forward to this tour! Yes, the other ones are a little bit older than me, Paul could be my dad, but what means age in the world of rock n roll?
AFL: About which cities, venues and things you’re looking forward specially by tour?
Paul Cripple: I love England because most of the bands I grew up listening to came from England. Yet it’s been Germans that always tell me „Reagan Youth is a very important band for Germans and Germany“ so the shows in Germany are the ones I am most looking forward to. Those are the shows I want to play my heart out for.
AFL: Is there a specific band that you’re looking forward to playing / seeing with this tour?
Maks Motherfucka: In London we play with the Weirdos, an amazing oldschool punkband that sounds like the tunes from the „Trasher skaterock“ tapes. At Rebellion I’m looking forward to see Discharge and at Ruhrpott Rodeo Turbonegro is playing. It’s always great to play together with your favorite band. Near Amsterdam we play a show with the Dwarves, I love this band as well!
Paul Cripple: I love seeing bands I have never heard or seen before and a great example is Maks band Christmas. I hope to see some new bands that show me the spirit of true punk rock is still alive and well in Europe.
AFL: It´s been over 30 years that your debut LP has been released and that isn’t a short time. Do you have a secret to keeping your music so energetic? And do you have an Idea why so many other bands lose their feeling for their roots?
Paul Cripple: I believe it’s the way the band was built around our musical philosophy. Dave insurgent and I come from a 70’s background so though a band like Crass is a big influence with their lyrics, message and especially the artwork. When it comes to musical influences it’s Hendrix, Zeppelin and Uriah Heep. As long as we play the songs they were meant to be played, then the performances will be justified.
NYHC is a lot of bitter 30, 40 and 50-year-old musicians who have never left a mark.
AFL: What plans have you next with REAGAN YOUTH? Have you plans to release a new album in the future?
Paul Cripple: One last album about the life and times of Dave Insurgent which will include not only Dave’s life, but New York City during the 80’s, Reaganomics and how no matter how much things seem to change, they seem to remain the same.
AFL: You played often in SS and KKK uniforms. Where there sometimes problems with visitors or foreigners?
Paul Cripple: That is just not true. The compact disc cover is nothing more than cutouts that Dave pasted together. so please understand that Reagan Youth has never, and will never wear KKK outfits or Nazi memorabilia. Maybe sing about them in order to expose their evilness, but never, ever have we dressed like them.
AFL: Ok; than I must correct the German Wikipedia article about you! As you said you plana record about Dave’s life. Have you some more details about it?
Paul Cripple: Only details I have is that it’s 75% written and the reason it has taken so long to record is that the band mates I have played with these last ten years are either too intimidated to do it or have to make it about themselves and not the most important band member this band ever had, namely Dave Insurgent. But I am not giving up because I know it will be a worthwhile concept album with great songs that will fit in with the songs the band made back in the 80’s.
„You do not start a hardcore punk rock band for the money, but because you actually believe in what you are doing.“
AFL: What are your favorite bands and records at the moment? Have you any inside tip from your home?
Paul Cripple: I’ll say Demons and Wizards by Uriah Heep, Are You Experienced by Hendrix and Tarkus by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. From NYC, there is a band Anasazi that is worth searching out and from the West Coast the band Side Effects has impressed the fuck out of me. One last band from the Pacific Northwest is a band called The Insurgence. All great stuff
AFL: Do you still have the same feelings as in your beginnings as musicians, when you are today on stage?
Paul Cripple: Because I took an 18-year hiatus I believe that has given me an approach similar to when I first started playing, which is „I’m just happy to be playing with three other musicians that are locked in tight“. No better feeling than that and I don’t want to ruin that with ego trips and money grubbing. You do not start a hardcore punk rock band for the money, but because you actually believe in what you are doing. So yes, I still feel like a kid when I hit the stage
AFL: How do you see the current NYHC scene? Can you give me a tip for some cool venues or clubs? You’re still active in NYHC?
Paul Cripple: A lot of bitter 30, 40 and 50-year-old musicians who have never left a mark. The youngsters, the bands that are in their teens or 20’s have a real sense of playing music for the love of music. Bands like Perdition and Short Fuse are no longer together, but they showed me the scene in New York still has some great things to offer.
AFL: If you could choose with which band you can go on tour, which band would you choose and where would you play these tour?
Paul Cripple: Crass because they are so important to the development of Reagan Youth, or Maks’s band Christmas because they sound amazing.
AFL: Thanks for the interview! Do you have any last words or something to add?
Paul Cripple: Yes, may there be PEACE UNTO US ALL.
REAGAN YOUTH Europe Tour 2016
04. Aug. – Underworld, London, UK
05. Aug. – Rebellion Festival, Blackpool, UK
06. Aug. – Ruhrpott Rodeo, Hünxe, Germany
07. Aug. – AK44, Gießen, Germany
08. Aug. – Die Kieler Schaubude, Kiel, Germany w. The Casualties
09. Aug. – Hafenklang, Hamburg, Germany
10. Aug. – Patronaat, Haarlem, Netherlands
11. Aug. – SO36, Berlin, Germany w. The Casualties
12. Aug. – Goldgrube, Kassel, Germany
13. Aug. – Club Vibes, Rotterdam, Netherlands
14. Aug. – Ieper Fest, Ieper, Belgium
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