Meet The Band When Death Becomes You! October 28, 2009

Posted by Cody Ammerman at October 28, 2009 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

The winter season is just around the corner, and there are already places getting covered in snow. The answer of how to melt that snow—METAL! Okay, metal music won't really melt the snow, but I know of some fellas in the Southwest that really don't have to worry about seeing snow. My pals in the band When Death Becomes You have been a part of peta2's Next Big Thing for quite some time now, and their help with getting people to sign petitions has been greatly appreciated. To show how thankful we are for their hard work I asked Alex, the singer, some questions about their involvement with peta2. Check what he had to say, and let me know what you think of their music!

Name of band: When Death Becomes You
Band members: Alex Camacho, Justin Castro, Mike Beats, Noah Van Haren, and Stephen Hernandez.
From: Willcox, AZ

1. Where does the band name, When Death Becomes You, come from?
The band name came to us from a movie, Death Becomes Her, we watched a couple years back when we were much younger. So, while we were practicing one day we tried coming up with different band names, but none would fit to our style except that one. So we thought we would make it our own and just change it up a little bit, so we came up with "When Death Becomes You." So far that name by itself has gotten us a whole bunch of recognition and the crowd loves the performances we put on at our shows, and we love them back.

2. What inspired the band to contact peta2 for petitions, literature, and play investigation videos at your shows?
Actually, that is kind of by fate. I know it sounds pretty corny, but one day we were sitting at home practicing and all of a sudden I was like, 'hey guys, you want to help out peta2?' I told them they didn't have to stop eating what they eat to help (because that's what they thought at first). Most were like 'I love meat but I hate the way animals are treated and if we could help then we shall do so.' So it took me a while, but finally I contacted Cody without knowing who he was, and he was such a cool guy. He also guided us through every little bit of info. We don't think animals should be treated unfairly and we love the idea that we could get others at our shows to reach out to peta2 and help the campaign against cruelty to animals.

3. What peta2 campaign(s) have When Death Becomes You helped with, and what made you want to pick the campaign(s)?
We have helped with the Meat's Not Green and McCruelty campaigns. So far we have picked up more than 300 signatures. I know it's not much, but we will continue spreading the word at our shows and get more followers, and I know we can because most shows we play are filled with vegans and vegetarians or people just really against the cruelty towards animals. We have passed out DVDs, and people come up to us at our next shows to tell us 'thank you' for showing them the reality of this world we are living in, and how not even animals could live a peaceful life. Most people even cried while watching the videos with us. We love peta2 and will keep supporting for years to come.

4. What advice do you have for other bands that want to spread the word about animal rights at their shows?
Please, if you want to spread the word about peta2, and the cruelty done to animals, make sure you talk to the crowd as much as possible about it. Sure, there will be some haters at your shows and some who will help you out, but even then, you should still be polite to your crowd and ask them for their support. Even if they don't want to stop eating flesh, if someone is rude to you don't be rude back because we know that two wrongs doesn't make a right. Also, make sure you have some peta2 videos to pass out at shows and some stickers and fliers, etc. Please keep supporting peta2 because they are a great group of people. If you help them out they will do so back, and be polite to the peta2 person you write to or talk to.

There you have it folks! Go check out their music, and if you're in Arizona head out to one of their shows!

Pillar of Autumn Show in Detroit on September 5th! August 31, 2009

Posted by Cody Ammerman at August 31, 2009 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Listen up those of you in the Detroit area! Since today is Monday, school is starting, and you're making new friends, I have the perfect event for you this weekend! Our friends in Pillar of Autumn have a big show on Saturday, September 5th for you all to hit up and check out some brand new songs! They're one of the most talked about bands from Detroit and put on an intense live show that'll make you want to scream 'I love these guys, and I'm Not A Nugget!' Pillar of Autumn also has a great reputation for helping peta2 out with campaigns like McCruelty at their shows so more and more people become more aware that McDonald's suppliers are cutting the throats of chickens while they are still conscious. Check out the flyer down below, peta2's MySpace page, and/or Pillar of Autumn's MySpace page for more information about the show!

Post a comment to let us know if you're heading out to it and make sure to comment on their picture in the Next Big Thing photo album!

Ready For The Scare? March 19, 2009

Posted by Marta at March 19, 2009 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Last week I brought you This City In Collision and this week I would like to introduce you to some more awesome people. The Scare (Peter Sawyer, Scott Andrews, Nikhil 'Nerpal' Potdar, Billy Doll, and Jack Chavez) hail from the Washington, DC, area and play some of the catchiest music that makes my ears wish they could smile. If you like AFI, I have a feeling you might begin to fall in love with these folks! Here's what Scott, Peter and Nerpal had to say when I had a chat with them:

Where does the band name come from?
Peter: The word Scare conjures up a lot of different fears and meanings, so there is power and depth behind it. But the real context of the name is how a scare is always present. The first example that comes to mind is that of many religions/ideologies. You can look at one dogma and learn that if you don't believe in their God, you will be sent to Hell. When people are afraid at that level, they are desperate and thus easier to take advantage of. Obviously this could easily be applied to a lot of things, but without going into tons of specifics, the word conveys fear, and holds some mystery as well. Also, with a band name like The Scare, it should also give you an idea of what kind of band we are and what our aesthetics are like. Plus it's more fun to tap into the darker side of things.
Nerpal: We also are all big fans of comic books and horror/Sci-Fi movies—being in a hardcore band doesn't always give you an aesthetic to play with, and we thought it would be a rad opportunity to put interesting spins on the art we grew up with

What inspired you to contact peta2 and to get petitions, literature, and play videos at your shows?
Nerpal: I think philanthropy in punk is a responsibility of ours, as a socially/politically/ideologically subversive culture. Altruism is inherent in community, and being a part of your local punk/hardcore/DIY scene is really an empowering experience—and I don't mean socially, I mean as a means of advocating and creating! Taking part in the process is as simple as making a zine at Kinko's, putting on a show, or engaging your friends in dialogue about stuff like veganism, straight-edge, atheism, etc—whatever you stand behind. There's truth to the axiom "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything"—and I don't mean just shopping for a crew/identity card; there's a ton of diversity in subculture, and many schools of thought that challenge/question the conventions of modern life!

What is your favorite vegan food?
Scott: I'm going to name a bunch, so try to keep up:
My homemade lasagna and my wife's spaghetti; anything at Bodhi in Sydney, Australia; cheesecake at Vegan Treats in Bethlehem, PA; chicken in Peanut Sauce with Fried Spinach at ChuChai in Montreal; combination Lo-Mein at Grasshopper in Boston; Dante's Cuisine at Red Bamboo in NYC; donuts at Mighty O in Seattle; Falafel at Maoz in Amsterdam, London, Philadelphia, etc.; Fighting Dog at Gianna's in Philadelphia; pancakes at Pick Me Up Cafe and Shakes at Chicago Diner in Chicago; Summer Rolls at Harmony Cafe and Mac and Cheese at Soul Vegetarian in DC; and Vege Chicken Nuggets and Thai Iced Tea at California Vegan in Hollywood.

Crazy good food mentions and crazy good music! Want to know something scary before I wrap this up? Every minute an area of the rain forest the size of seven football fields combined is destroyed to make room for grazing cattle! If you still don't know what's up, check out our Meat's Not Green campaign!

- Cody

Can We Get A Heck Yes For New Music? March 11, 2009

Posted by Marta at March 11, 2009 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

When I first started Street Teaming for peta2 I was always eager to listen to the awesome bands that support animal rights. I loved checking out bands like Paint It Black, Good Riddance, AFI, and Lifetime. I still look up to all four of them and listen to them often. With that being said, I want to introduce you all to a band that will be the Next Big Thing: This City In Collision.

This City In Collision consists of compassionate fellows Jeremy Guzman, Danny Lopez, Edgar Rivera, Zack Bradford, Donny Hampson and Alex Castillo. You can see them rocking peta2 shirts at shows in the Las Vegas area and possibly in your area sometime in 2009!

What got you interested in starting This City In Collision and speaking up for animals?
We were all in different bands throughout the beginning of the band, this was more like a side project which started due to our other bands lacking in self drive and dedication. Most of us have been vegetarian for awhile and what influenced us to speak up would be seeing videos and pictures of the treatment of animals and what they go through to be served on more than 1,000,000 people's dinner plates a year.

For all the other fairly new bands reading this, do you have any advice on how they can get more active for animals while being so busy?
Yes, even if you aren't vegetarian or vegan take some action in the right for animals, seriously it isn't as time consuming as you may make it out to be, get involved do some research, read up on things we promise you will find your reason to help such great organizations like PETA and peta2!

You're in the running to play an event called the Extreme Thing which includes bands like Bad Religion and Silverstein. How can people help you get on board for the event?
People can get us on the event by voting at: http://xpozlv.com/helix/members/battleofthebands.php?lS=5. We are one of the newest bands in the area and we have accomplished so much more than any other project we have been in. We feel like we finally deserve to play for a large concert and increase our fan base. It would be such a blessing and it definitely would not be able to happen without our fans!

Now you got some fresh tunes to check out and why not help our friends in This City In Collision with some votes? Let me know by commenting below if you voted for them!

- Cody

5 Questions with... The Red Paintings! October 15, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips at October 15, 2008 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

I'm back with another installment of our "5 Questions With" blogs! This time, it's with the up and coming art-rock band, The Red Paintings, a new personal favorite of mine! Check them out, and if you want a great place to talk about all aspects of animal rights, visit their message board! - xo, shan

Photo courtesy of Gee Greenslade.

NAME OF BAND: The Red Paintings
BAND MEMBERS: Trash McSweeney
SOUNDS LIKE: Orchestral Art Rock

How long have you been vegetarian/ vegan and what made you start? I have only been a full-time vegetarian for the last six months, although I have been challenging myself to adopt a vegan lifestyle. I have found that veganism is a lot harder to maintain in Australia due to a lack of vegan restaurants and products.

I have been holding "Animal Rebellion Marches" in Australia over the past two years but it was not until our recent U.S.A. tour that I realized how important it was for everyone to stop eating animals. On that tour I met a lovely lady named Susan Weingartner who is actually on the Board of Directors for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. They are well-known for their work with rescuing whales from slaughter. I spent a few weeks with Susan in L.A. watching many animal rights films including "Earthlings" and "Lolita". We went to a farm sanctuary called "Animal Acres" to meet animals that had been rescued from cruel farming conditions or had been dumped on the streets.

Since those experiences my life has never been the same. Through Susan I was able to meet many animal activists and they helped me to see the animal holocaust around us and it is a very frightening realization.

Now, I feel it is my duty to speak up for all animals as they can not speak for themselves. The most effective and simple way to stand up for animals, I believe, is to stop eating them.

What's your favorite vegetarian/vegan meal? I was taken to some amazing vegan restaurants in L.A. I recall eating an incredible vegan pizza, but my favorite vegan food would have to be vegan burritos. I was lucky enough to have one recently, when I was invited onto the "Steve Irwin" Sea Shepherd ship for a vegan meal. It was great to spend quailty time with the crew on board and they seemed like such lovely, hardworking people who dedicate their lives to such a great cause.

Everyone involved in animal rights has an issue that really sticks out for them. What is that issue for you? I feel strongly about all of those issues, but the issue of factory farming has probably created the most impact on my lifestyle choices to date because it has made me stop eating animals for good. Of course, I am still learning so much every day about all of these issues and hopefully, in due time, I can help others understand these problems as well. It is important for us all to be more conscience of the effects of animal cruelty - not only on animals, but on people and the environment as well.

If a fan came to you with advice on how to get involved with animal rights, what would you tell them? Engaging in conversations with people about animal rights issues is so important for any action to occur. Whether a person is a highly experienced animal rights activist, or is thinking about these issues for the first time, it is through the exchange of their own knowledge, experience and ideas with others that instigates them to do something more.

Therefore, if a fan came to me with advice on becoming more active, or I was to give a fan advice, the best place to begin would be to share our thoughts. This is something I have hoped to achieve on my band website's forum where we have begun discussing animal rights issues with fans. The discussions have been quite productive with people sharing viewpoints from both sides and has also given the forum a lot of new energy and purpose. We are always looking for new people to join the discussions so please come take a look: http://trpboard.proboards24.com/

What's next for The Red Paintings? For the remainder of 2008, I have just locked the band in to playing our first animal rights festivals around Australia. But, I think our biggest achievement will be the Sea Shepherd benefit/farewell show in Brisbane, Australia. It is taking place a few days before they take off to tackle the Japanesse whaling ships. I'm a big supporter of what Captain Paul Watson and his crew have achieved in the oceans over the last 30 years, saving the lives of many whales. I am disgusted, however, that our Australian Government is charging the boat over $400 a day in berthing fees during its time in Brisbane before they leave on their next campaign against Japanese whalers. My aim is to hold a free event for the Sea Shepherd to help raise public awareness of the fees imposed on them and to raise funds for their cause.

Come 2009, we will be releasing our new album, "The Revolution is Never Coming", with many surprises in store.

www.theredpaintings.com
www.myspace.com/theredpaintings

5 Questions with... Teen Hearts! October 9, 2008

Posted by Shannon Phillips at October 9, 2008 6:06 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

Have you ever read one of those quick "5 Questions With" features in a music magazine with an up and coming band? Whenever I read music magazines, these are usually the first things I look for. I'm always really excited to stock my iPod with new music, and I'm sure you are too. Imagine though, if... (drumroll please) you could read one of these features and know that every band you read about is involved with animal rights? Well, now you can! Check out peta2's new "5 Questions With" blog, featuring Teen Hearts, and let me know what you think! (be sure to check out their sweet video too!) - xo, shan

NAME OF BAND: TEEN HEARTS
MEMBERS: Kelly Orr, Matt Moody, Charity Gant, Max Cuzor
SOUNDS LIKE: Metro Station, Cobra Starship, Hellogoodbye

How long have you been vegetarian, and what made you start? I've been vegetarian for 8 years now. To be completely honest, I was persuaded by some of my favorite bands back in the day. Alkaline Trio, Goldfinger etc. I remember going to Goldfinger shows and hearing all about vegetarianism and how you can be just as healthy without eating any sort of meat. I did a little research and found out about SOOOOOOO many alternatives to eating meat. I was shocked at how many companies were out there that provided meat substitutes for vegetarians and vegans. Some products at first were a little weird and chewy but after a week I seriously grew to like the substitutes more than actual meat. And sadly I found out about all the awful things that happened to these poor little animals behind closed doors. I will NEVER go back!! YUCK!!!

What's your favorite vegetarian meal? Hands down my favorite vegetarian meal is the salisbury seitan meal from Real Food Daily but instead of the vegan caesar salad I substitute the salad for black beans!! OH MAN!!! I'm so going there for lunch :)

Everyone involved in animal rights has an issue that really sticks out for them. What is that issue for you? Ya know, there are a lot of issues that really stand out to me, but I really don't like to bash people over the head with my beliefs and tell them what's right or wrong. I have friends that wear clothing made of animals or eat meat on a daily basis but I can't control them. I think it's something you need to figure out for yourself and realize that eating meat is not the best thing for you. I think the main reason people eat meat is because it's simple and always everywhere you go "convenient". So many people are lazy and don't want to put any effort into eating healthy.

If a fan came to you with advice on how to get involved with animal rights, what would you tell them? First off I would tell them that it is the best decision I ever made. Secondly, I would tell them to make sure it's right for you and find out for yourself. There are some awesome books (Diet for a New America) and I would also suggest some organizations to check out (PETA) but most importantly find out for yourself and do the research.

What's next for Teen Hearts? Our debut EP "The Heart Beat EP" will be released digitally October 21st. November 3rd - 21st we will be touring with Jeffree Star and Brokencyde. So come and hang out with us!!!! We also printed 1,000 copies of our EP to sell on our online merch store, so you should probably head on over there and pick up some awesome t-shirts and some sweet tunes!!! WWW.WESTASPENMERCH.COM/TEENHEARTS

<3 Kelly and TEEN HEARTS!!!