Me and Timm have tried to do this interview for quite some time, and due to some unfortunate problems with the Panic Records website, shipping orders and such the interview first came through about a week ago. This interview, however, is worth the wait if I may say so.
I talked to Timm about Panic, hardcore in general, records and especially the new Another Breath record.
Enjoy!
First, I want to congratulate you on the things you’ve accomplished with Panic Records and with finally having the new Another Breath record out the way it was supposed to be.
Thanks. Seems the record was cursed and wasn't meant to come out. Seems as though Jan from Assault Records (Vinyl Pressing in Europe) also suffered some set backs on the record and it was delayed for him as well. Like I said, a cursed record, but man prevails and the record is out. One of the best records in recent hardcore history in my opinion.
A quick one… Who is Timm MacIntosh: how did he get into hardcore and which bands has he played in?
I'm just a kid that loves hardcore. I got into hardcore/punk around 1988/89. I would attend punk shows at a place called Second Level in Sacramento California, where I grew up. I was just a metal head that stumbled onto bands like DRI, 7 Seconds, Agnostic Front and then got more and more into that sound as I moved along. I had a friend that lived down the street from me and I am pretty sure it was the same for him, though he was a year older than me and stumbled onto more punk/hardcore and gave me a lot of stuff that I was really psyched to hear. I grew up in Sacramento, going to shows in Sacto and heading to the bay area (Berkeley) to see shows at Gilman as often as I could get over there. I was definitely excited about it all and in 1994 I moved to Seattle and started a band called Trial with Greg Bennick and Derek Harn. I also played guitar in Champion and sang for Wait In Vain. Right now. I just run a record label and get excited about new bands. Outside of the usual hardcore thing. I enjoy hanging with friends, movies and playing baseball. That's really it, I'm a simple man living a simple life (sometimes).
Could you please give a brief summary of how Panic Records was born?
I started Panic Records in 2005. Though I had always wanted to do a label and was going to attempt one in 1992 to release a friends band on 7". I got information from people that were already doing labels and found that it was a lot of work and the potential to lose a lot of money. At that time, I wasn't really financially stable enough to throw away a couple thousand dollars, I'm still not...but...fuck it. In 2005 I started up Panic to re-release the earlier Trial recordings since they had been out of print for so long and people always asked where they could get them. A remedy to their search was to release it myself. I didn't plan on releasing a ton of records, just whatever I enjoyed. If a band was filled with good people playing music that I loved...then I would help them out. Here it is 5 years later and I'm still putting out records that I think are great and have made a lot of great friends throughout the process, in that regard, it's pretty rewarding.
Why did you want to start a label?
I love music, have always loved music since a young kid. Any way I can be a part of music, I want to be a part of it. Listening, playing, putting out, producing, anything music related, I want to do it. There's absolutely no way that I could survive a day without listening to music. Starting a label just seemed like a natural thing.
The roster of your label contains other than just hardcore bands at the moment. With bands like Make Do And Mend and Man Overboard, and on the more melodic side of hardcore: Hostage Calm and Set Your Goals, was it your intentions to have such a diverse roster from the start when you first released the Trial record?
Most definitely. The label started with Hardcore bands because that's where I'm from. It's easier to deal with people that are on the same level as you. They understand there's no money in this. We're not going to get rich, we can't expect it. I would love Panic to get to a point to release any sort of record that I wanted. I listen to everything, all genres of music. Just because the label started as a hardcore label, doesn't mean that was the intention. Panic is whatever I want to put out. I don't expect that a kid into Another Breath or Trial is going to be into Man Overboard or Set Your Goals. It doesn't matter, it's what I'm into. If I can help out friends bands with their records and I like their band, then that's the way it is. The problem is, well for example...I'd love to release a record for a band that sounds like The Smiths or Stone Roses. I don't know if that will ever be possible because bands like that (indie rock bands) have this idea that they're going to be rockstars and expect a label to shell out thousands of dollars. There's no possible way for Panic to do something like that, so...Punk/Hardcore bands are where I'm at. Probably better that way. The guys in these bands are more modest and understanding. Kids like to steal music from artists and small labels and the money just isn't there to support their egos.
How do you see the hardcore scene today? I reckon you have been around for quite some time, so you must have witnessed some changes during the years. Could you tell about that?
Everyone has their own perspective of what the hardcore scene is. I think that has to do with your age. A kid that's around today would say "hardcore is the best that it's ever been" a kid from 1988 will say "hardcore is over, these kids have no clue". I'm probably stuck between the two because I don't think it's the best it's ever been, and I don't think it's horrible either. I see a lot of trends which can be highly annoying and I see a lot of kids and bands that are really inspiring. The biggest difference is the involvment of kids. Seemed as though up until the early 2000's, there was a lot more involvement from people; zines, tables, booking shows, helping bands, causes. The new generation (not just hardcore kids) is very sedate and I think that has a lot to do with the distraction of our modern culture. They're bombarded and their attention spans are limited. There's just so much all the time. Hardcore has suffered dramatically from this and our culture dwindles in the number of kids that are free thinking active individuals.
Of course now that you’ve told about the past, could you perhaps tell about the future for hardcore? Which way are hardcore heading if you were to make a prediction?
Man, I have no idea where it's heading. I hope that it becomes more involved. I just couldn't say though. I'd like to see more positive things coming out of the hardcore scene. One of the best things that I've seen lately is the Enough Is Enough Digital Compilations. That's the kind of involvement I would like to see more of. It'd be great for hardcore bands and kids getting involved in things like this. It's very inspiring and makes hardcore more than just music. If things like this don't continue...then it's really just background music for us to mosh to. I don't even mosh anymore, so I guess that would leave me out.
You’ve toured Europe with Trial and Wait In Vain. How do you see the European hardcore scene?
I toured Europe in 1999 with Trial and it was incredible. There was so much appreciation that was given to the bands. It was the same in the states at that time too. I toured Europe again in 2003 with a friends band and the appreciation was there, but not as much as I had noticed in 1999, could have been the band though. Last year Wait In Vain toured Europe with Outrage. There was a good amount of appreciation, but it definitely isn't the same as it used to be over there. I think it's that same mentality that "oh, another band, no care ever....will be seeing another one tomorrow" that is happening over here in the US. We've just become so spoiled that we don't really care much for a band that is pouring their hearts out, sacraficing their time and money to just reach 1 person and be happy. I'm not saying that we need to love every band that comes through, I know I don't get out to as many shows as I used to. But when I'm at a show, I pay attention to every band that's playing, they drove all the way to play my city, I'm gonna give them a listen for a couple songs at the very least.
Now to Another Breath and the new record. Why did you want to put this out? I remember reading that the album has been ready for quite some time, but they had trouble finding a label to put it out, is that correct?
Why wouldn't I want to put it out? I mean come on, it's Another Breath. I was already into Another Breath from Not Now, Not Ever and Mill City. I thought the band had broken up because I hadn't heard anything about them in so long. I was on a message board and someone posted that Another Breath had a new song up on their myspace page. I checked it out of course and was blown away. They also posted a blog that said they were looking for a label to release their record. This blows my mind because I couldn't believe a band like Another Breath would have a problem finding a label to put out The God Complex. I wrote them an email and just told them that I would LOVE to put out their record if they still needed someone to do it. We talked back and forth on the phone and it just made sense for the record to come out on Panic. They're all great people and I'm pretty stoked that this record is a part of Panic history. I still can't believe that another bigger hardcore label didn't grab this up.
Personally I see The God Complex as a big step forward compared to their earlier work – especially with the lyrics! How do you see The God Complex compared to their previous releases?
I think that Ted really dug into himself for the God Complex. I can't speak for him of course, but I would guess that with the subject matter you have to come strong or don't come at all. Reading the Another Breath blog about the development of the record and the lyrics, it's evident that Ted did a lot of soul searching and questioning of himself and god in general to arrive at the conclusions put forth on the God Complex. I think he did an incredible job. As someone in a band that is always striving to outdo what has previously been created, you are still proud of everything that you've done in the past. It's a part of who you are, so to compare the two, it's just two different times that you can't really compare. I don't think I would do any of the previous work of Another Breath justice to compare them and say one is better than the other. They're all great in their own rites.
The God Complex to me is kind of a concept-album centered on a topic that has been used a lot and is easily used with less powerful and intense effect. Still, I think Another Breath came out successful and they used this tense relationship with religion really creatively - without comparing - something I’ve only seen Defeater do as good within the last years (I don’t mean the subject religion, but concept-album in general). What are your thoughts on this as a “concept-album”?
I agree that when you get into subject matter that deals with religion, it's easy to lose the intensity by going a certain direction. I think that Another Breath was affectual because they didn't point fingers at anyone, instead delved inside to ask the questions of themselves and where they were coming from. For me, I didn't grow up in a religious family at all. Only went to church with a friend a couple of times, overall, didn't have religion in my life. I of course would question the existence of a god because I wasn't forced to believe there was one. I had the questions and the God Complex resonates with me because of that. I can identify with the record because of this. That makes it a pretty powerful record in my opinion. For a concept album to be relevent, there has to be a journey through it, Another Breath definitely take you on a journey with this record.
Another Breath had to cancel their European tour – can we expect a new one any time soon?
They'll be over there this summer actually. I think the dates are being firmed up right now. (dates are up at the Panic site and AB myspace page, red.)
Another Breath live 2008
What does Panic Records hold for us in the future? Can you give a hint of forthcoming releases, ideas, tours etc.?
The rest of the year is filled with releases. I'm pretty exicited for all of them. There's a new band that I'll be announcing soon that everyone should be blown away by. It's been a long time coming with them and they're finally going into the studio to record their full length. I know you'll love them, they're right up your alley. Make Do And Mend are going in to record their first LP in June. The Effort just finished up thier LP and that will be out in July. The Make Do And Mend / Touche Amore Split 7" and maybe a couple other things in there. So far, it's been a really busy year for Panic and the rest of the year looks to be just as busy. Hopefully everyone is into the records and supports them.
And finally, something I like asking:
Pick 1 band from the 80s era - I assume we're talking punk/hardcore bands so I won't say Bananarama. I'd go with, fuck I don't know. So many great bands from the 80's. Bad Brains, maybe?
Pick 1 band from the 90s era - BURN, hands down the greatest hardcore band of all time. I fucking love BURN.
Pick 1 band from the 2000s era - I really enjoyed Verse. I think Verse would be the band from 2000 - 2010.
Pick 1 current band - Defeater really gets me excited. That new EP is the jam. Of course any band on Panic would be in there, but then I'd feel like a real dick singling any one of them out. I love them all equally. hahaha.
Pick one reunion show you’d kill to attend - BURN, I would kill someone to see this. But it couldn't be someone random, it would have to be someone I didn't like.
Pick you record you’d kill to own - I don't know. I had a lot of records and sold them to start and keep this record label going. The irony right? So I've pretty much owned any record that I would kill to own. There's records that I would never sell because they mean a lot to me. BURN 7" on Pink and Turning Point LP on Clear. Those two records will always be in my collection, even when I become homeless from doing a record label, I'll carry those two records around with me along with my sleeping bag.
Any last comments?
Sorry it took me a million years to do this interview, hope it came out well. I'm not big on interviews, don't know that I am as well spoken as I'd like to be. To anyone reading, if you've supported Panic Records in the past or going to in the future, thank you. It's appreciated more than I can tell you.
Another Breath - The God Complex can be ordered from Panic Records (US pressing) and from Assault Records (Ger) (EU pressing).
Pressing info for The God Complex (US pressing):
Black vinyl Rejected Test Press /15
Black vinyl Accepted Test Press /15
Grey vinyl "The God Reject" /100
Brown vinyl w/ black labels West Coast Tour edition /100
Brown vinyl /100
Black vinyl w/ silkscreened pre-order cover /108
Grey vinyl /200
Yours truely,
Rune.
