Question The Answers

Rachel Taft is the founder of the Baltimore based non-profit Feed The Scene.  For over a decade, she and a small (but growing) group of people have been supporting the independent music scene by providing a place to sleep for artists traveling through the greater Baltimore area at her home, which can hold upwards of 20+ people.  Feed The Scene also provides meals to these artists, which for anyone that has experienced life on the road is always such a welcome treat as there is not always a guarantee that venues will provide food.

Born out of a turbulent time in her life, Rachel has been able to house well over 1700 different artists/bands over the years, often times having multiple bands of varying genres in her house on any given night.  Everyone from The Jukebox Romantics to Joey Cape & Chris Cresswell to A Wilhelm Scream have stayed at her house, often on multiple occasions.

Beyond the housing and feeding, Feed The Scene are also promote shows in their area.  All-in-all, Rachel and her crew have become an integral part of the Baltimore music scene. As we discuss in this episode, it's a labor of love that she has embraced, and as was part of her main goal, was a way for her to get through some tough times by doing something incredible positive.

You can find out more about Feed The Scene at their website: https://www.feedthescene.com/

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU​​

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label.

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com​​ | @selltheheartrecords (IG)

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com​​ | @thebadcopy (IG)

Audio Karate made waves as members of the Kung-Fu Records roster back the 90s/early 00s.  During their initial run from 1995-2005, they released two full length albums and toured heavily to support those releases with the likes of The Vandals, Tsunami Bomb & more in the U.S., Europe and Japan.  

Fast-forward to 2018, the band announced that they were going to be re-issuing their debut album Space Camp via Wiretap Records/Hidden Homes along with a string of shows with The Descendents and appearances at Fest.  Not long after that, they announced a new album, Malo, which was released via A-F Records/SBAM/Wiretap Records.  Additionally, they recently self-released a re-issue of their sophomore effort, Lady Melody, to much fanfare.

On this episode, we discuss their time as a band and what it was like to come back after such a long break.  We discuss their experience being a Chicano band and why they chose to self-release their latest vinyl reissue.  And they give me their 5 desert island albums  

Check them out there: https://audiokarate.bandcamp.com/​ 

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU​​ 

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label. 

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com​​ | @selltheheartrecords (IG)  

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com​​ | @thebadcopy (IG)

This week, Mateo Campos and Alex Botkin of the band Sarchasm visit the show.  Sarchasm, a self-described 'Bummer Pop' band from the East Bay area, met when they were still in junior high.  Brothers Mateo and Stevie joined forces with Alex as teenagers, initially starting off as most bands do performing covers of their favorite bands, going to shows together, and slowly but surely integrating themselves into the scene.  Fast forward 10+ years later, and they've now released multiple albums, been on several tours, and are starting to make quite a name for themselves in the independent music scene

Their most recent self-titled album was released via Asian Man Records.  As the band points out, becoming part of that roster of artists was both a surreal and validating experience, noting that it's a label that they grew up following and admiring.  Along with other Bay Area upstarts Grumpster, Get Married, The Moore Family Band & Small Crush, Sarchasm represent the 'new guard' of artists on Asian Man, continuing in their tradition of working with great bands.  

Outside of the band, they keep busy as long-time volunteers at The Gilman Street Project in Berkeley, the storied co-op that has hosted just about any punk band you can name and then some.  Along with that, they have their own label called Lavasocks records, who have released albums from the likes of Lousy Advice, Slumped and Danger Inc., and have also produced re-issues of classic Lookout! Records albums from Tilt and Corrupted Morals.

To hear more from Sarchasm, visit their Bandcamp page here: https://sarchasm.bandcamp.com/

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label.

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)

Ricky Schmidt has been a busy man.  On top of being a member of the bands Western Settings & Hey, Chels!, he managed has officially entered the world of solo artist with a new album, Palm Trees, that was released in 2020. The album is certainly much different than the aforementioned bands, blending a bit more garage-pop, surf and noise elements into the fold.  

As is discussed in our episode, Ricky found this to not only be a way to use his newly found extra time to it's fullest, but also gave him an opportunity to really flex his artistic muscles a bit and explore new ground.    

Ricky moved around a lot growing up, but settled in San Diego, and has lived and worked there for many years now.  A staple in the local music scene, he is a staunch champion of his peers during this episode gives shout outs to many of them along the way.  

You can hear songs from all of his projects at the end of the interview, but to hear the whole solo album go here: https://rickysmusic.bandcamp.com/releases 

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU​ 

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label. 

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com​ | @selltheheartrecords (IG)  

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com​ | @thebadcopy (IG)

This week, Tristan & Hunter Martinez of the band Decent Criminal are our guests.  They recently announced a new EP, which is set to come out in early March of this year via Sell The Heart Records (US) and Gunner Records (EU).  The EP is a testament to the band's willingness to evolve their sound and incorporate new approaches to songwriting.  That being said, it still retains many of the same qualities that fans have come to love about the band.

Decent Criminal got together a little over 10 years ago, and have seen a steady growth in their fanbase along the way.  With a a few lineup changes over the years, the band now consists of brothers Hunter and Tristan on drums & guitar/vocals respectively, along with Brian Gellman on guitar/vocals, and Jesse Hernandez on bass/vocals.  

2020 was going to be a HUGE year for the band, with appearances at Punk Rock Bowling & Pouzza Fest, along with tours with the likes of Dead Bars, Ariel Salad, and more.  They managed to weather the year away from touring by continuing to write new music and it's likely that we'll see another full length from them before too long, but this new EP will be a great dose of new tuneage from them in the meantime.  

During this episode we talk a bit about the new EP and some of the tactics they've been using over the years with their songwriting.  We learn about how COVID-19 has directly impacted them, and we of course go over some of their favorite bands to look out for and their Top 5 Desert Island albums.

To hear the band and buy their albums, checkout https://decentcriminal.bandcamp.com

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label.

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)

Adam Gecking is the founder of Say-10 Records, a mostly punk-rock record label based in Virginia which he started in 2007 as a means of releasing music from bands that he loved.  14 years later and he's still going strong, having released well over 90 releases since the inception of the label.  Recent releases from Will Wood, a split featuring Love Equals Death & The Static Age, Shehehe & even Green Jelly showcase the assortment of styles that the label has to offer.

Beyond music, Say-10 has also released a line-up of skateboards featuring artwork associated with artists ranging from The Lawrence Arms to Lagwagon to Great Apes to Murder By Death.

Recently, Say-10 has started a new project called Get Stoked which involves lathe-cut vinyl bundles in short-runs from a variety of artists, the first of which features The Eradicator, Decide By Friday, and Pedals on a Pirate Ship.  Each volume in the series will have limited availability and will feature brand new artists in each one.

For more info about Say-10 Records & Skateboards, check them out here: https://www.say-10.com/

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label.

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)

This week, Andy is joined by Jack Shirley, owner and engineer at Atomic Garden Studios in Oakland, CA. He has engineered, produced and mastered records for a dynamic group of artists, everyone from Jeff Rosenstock to Deafheaven to Western Addiction and all sorts of bands in-between.

Also a musician himself, Jack cut his teeth in the post-hardcore band Comadre, who released 4 albums in their tenure and toured all over the U.S. and Japan. Most recently, he has been performing with the bands Everybody Row and Dangers.

As a producer and engineer, Jack Shirley tends to take a more hands off approach, not unlike another well known engineer/producer - Steve Albini.  He tends to let the music come together more organically rather than spending a ton of time on production just for the sake of production, though he'll certainly offer his opinion when asked for it.

There have been several albums that he has worked on that have landed on a grip of 'Best Of' lists such as Deafheaven's Sunbather & New Bermuda, as well as Jeff Rosenstock's No Dream & POST-.  Along with well over 50 albums on his resume, he has certainly earned his spot as a highly sought after producer within the punk, hardcore and metal scenes.

To checkout his studio, head to - https://www.theatomicgarden.com/

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label.

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)

This week, Andy is joined by Chris Appelgren. Chris took the reins at Lookout Records in 1997 after founder Larry Livermore decided he wanted to move on from the label.  Having worked for the label for many years and doing artwork for many of the bands on the label, it seemed like a great opportunity.  Under his watch (along with co-owners Molly Neuman and Cathy Bauer), Lookout managed to keep serving up tasty punk rock records from label vets like The Mr. T Experience and Screeching Weasel, to more angular indie-rock bands like Pretty Girls Make Graves and Engine Down.    

Unfortunately, due to a downward trend in album sales, and being unable to fulfill some royalty obligations to some of the label's top selling bands (Green Day, Operation Ivy, etc), the label had to close shop in 2012.  But man, what a run!    Besides being co-owner of one of the most iconic punk rock labels of all time, Chris is also a musician.  He was the front person for The Pattern and The Peechees, played drums in The Potatomen, among other projects.  

Nowadays, he continues to work with bands doing graphic art for the likes of The Once and Future Band, and also has a musical project with friends covering obscure songs from the 60s and 70s.  During this episode, we discuss his time with Lookout Records, as well as his time performing in The Pattern.  We also discuss some of his favorite artists and he gives me his 5 desert island albums.  

You can find The Pattern, The Peechees & The Potatomen on streaming services.  

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU 

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label. 

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)  

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)

This week, Andy is joined by Ray Drunktank, the drummer of Dutch Skatepunk outfit Drunktank, and also the co-founder of Epic Merch Store.    Drunktank have been bringing their melodic metal/punk hybrid sounds to audiences all across Europe, Canada and the U.S since 2003, with several releases under their belts, the most recent being The Return of the Infamous Four.  Citing bands like No Fun At All, Lagwagon, Iron Maiden and 3 Inches of Blood as major influences, they are technical, tight, and really fun to listen to.  They have new music in the works and are hoping to release it when the pandemic is over.

On top of being a musician, Ray is also a shrewd businessman, having cofounded the print-on-demand company Epic Merch Store.  Building off of an already existing model where instead of keeping a large inventory on hand, you instead literally print new merch as orders come in, which can be a huge win for bands that don't have the capital to pay for merch up front or have a good means to store or distribute it.    We talk at length about the band and their history, as well as what they are hoping to do in the future.  

In this episode, we go over what some of the inspiration for starting Epic Merch Store was and where that company is headed, and the importance of paying attention to the business side of the music world.  Ray shares with me some of his favorite bands as well as his 5 desert island albums.  

To hear more from Drunktank, check them out here: https://drunktank.nl/

To checkout Epic Merch Store, visit: https://epicmerchstore.com 

To hear some of the music mentioned on this and our previous episodes, check out and follow this playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3oI01ZU 

Question The Answers is co-sponsored by The Bad Copy and Sell The Heart Records, be sure to follow them as well to stay up to date on music news, reviews, and to check out the releases on our label. 

Sell The Heart Records - https://www.selltheheartrecords.com | @selltheheartrecords (IG)  

The Bad Copy - https://www.thebadcopy.com | @thebadcopy (IG)