Support your local scene and protect what we all have worked so hard to establish. Hardcore is for anyone but it’s not for everyone.
Evan – BACK LIP
Whenever people talk about Hardcore music one question always comes up. How does one get involved in this form of aggressive music? More often than not, some form of past trauma is the answer. Whether it’s an unstable home life, drug abuse, being bullied or just feeling like you don’t belong. People somehow find themselves at a small show with others just like them. Maybe they get turned onto a band with lyrics that they can relate to and it gets them through another day, or even motivates them to make some positive changes in their life. It’s different for everyone but either way we can all feel accepted among each other and be supportive.
That’s what caught my attention with Colorado Springs Hardcore band BACK LIP. The first time I saw them I was really impressed with their sound and energy they performed with. With their brand of heavy hardcore, they got the crowd engaged and moving. What really stood out to me though was after a couple songs into their set lead singer Evan spoke to the crowd. It was a very vulnerable moment where he opened up and spoke about his own struggles with addiction. Even offering for anyone struggling themselves to come speak to him after their set. That is what this music is really about. Sure we all love the music and want to blow off some steam and release some pent up aggression. But when it comes down to it, the scene is about looking out for one and another. Being a supportive and accepting place where any person can feel comfortable and be themselves. That made me want to know a little bit more about BACK LIP, and offer Evan a chance to share more of his story. It might give someone a little hope or encouragement to reach out if needed. I also wanted to find out what else was in store for the band.
Sound Shots ~ Who is BACK LIP? (members and instruments) How did the band come together?
Evan ~ Right now our current lineup is myself (Evan) – vocals, Sky – guitar, Rice – bass, and Nate – drums. Our bassist is moving to Texas at the end of the month and we are looking for a second guitarist so we will have two new members very soon. Back Lip started last year when I injured my ankle skateboarding and needed a new outlet. We started off just screwing around on Ableton and programming drums before we had a drummer. Me and Sky are the only original members but there isn’t a group of guys I would rather be working with.
Sound Shots ~ BACK LIP is a hard hitting band. How would you describe your sound? What are some of your influences that inspire your sound?
Evan ~ Aggressive and vulnerable are two words that could probably describe our sound. I want to make music that sounds hard but doesn’t perpetuate the “tough guy hardcore” stereotype. I want to encourage vulnerability and share my struggles with addiction, loss, and trauma while simultaneously watching my friends beat the hell out of each other during our set. As far as influences go, I fell in love with hardcore as a kid through the heaviness of bands like CDC, Hoods, and Thick as Blood. Have Heart and the raw emotion of that era of B9 bands have a huge impact on the way I write lyrics too.
Sound Shots ~ You mentioned during your set that you struggled with addiction in the past. How has that played a role in your life and what are some things you do to stay clean and focused?
Evan ~ My struggles with addiction have been a huge creative influence in the lyrics I’ve written for our music. I’ve been clean off of Heroin for over seven years and being able to share my story during our sets has been extremely therapeutic for me. I struggled a lot with vulnerability in the environment I grew up in so being able to express myself this way has been a very positive thing. My favorite thing about playing shows is creating a safe space where people approach me after our set and share their own struggles with addiction and mental health. Skateboarding and expressing myself through music have been huge in my sobriety but the biggest thing holding me accountable is doing service to others. I’ve been a social worker working with addicts in recovery for over three years now.
Sound Shots ~ I really respect how you created something positive out of all that. When someone does come up to you and shares something they may be struggling with, what are some avenues/programs you might direct them to so they can get the help and support they need?
Evan ~ Dealing with addiction isn’t a one size fits all approach so there’s a few different avenues I would refer people too. For those who might not be interested in getting clean and sober, I would stress the importance of needle exchange programs and Narcan distribution. For those looking to get clean/sober, depending on drug of choice and last use I might refer someone to a medical detox to ensure the person would be able to come down in a safe environment. Some common treatment options to follow up with after detox could potentially be referring them to an inpatient program depending on availability. I run a sober living program for the non profit I work for and recognize the value that a stable living environment can provide for some people early in recovery, so that’s another treatment option. I’m a firm believer that therapy works and that the comorbidity of mental health and addiction is alot higher than most people think, so I highly recommend clinical outpatient treatment as well. Peer support is key, so for people who are interested in getting involved with peer run programs such as the various 12 steps, SMART recovery, and peer coaching agencies can make a huge difference too. What’s important is having healthy support systems in place, whatever they may be. We all have a different path to follow. The beautiful thing about sobriety is that we don’t have to do it alone.
Sound Shots ~ When someone hears or sees BACK LIP, what do you hope they take away from it?
Evan ~ I really hope that people listening to our music can resonate with my story and not feel so alone. It’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to ask for help. I’ve struggled with Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, and sobriety my entire life and wouldn’t be here today without the support of others. The hardcore scene has been an amazing support system for me and I’ll do whatever I can to keep it that way for others.
Sound Shots ~ How is the writing process for you guys? Is it a collaborative effort or is there one main songwriter?
Evan ~ Our writing process has always been extremely collaborative between all members past and present. We wrote some of my favorite parts with my friend Michael (Empty Cages, 10TTC) when he was filling in on drums for us and we wrote a lot of great music with other former members as well. I like to contribute more than just writing lyrics so I’ll play drums and write riffs with our guitarist and bassist too.
Sound Shots ~ As a band you have played a handful of shows. What are your thoughts on the current Colorado music scene?
Evan ~ It’s such an exciting time to be involved in the Colorado hardcore scene. So many new people are getting involved and it’s so cool to watch the new kids fall in love with hardcore the way I did when I was their age. These kids mosh hard as fuck and are creating bands of their own and it’s just beautiful. However, there is sometimes growing pains when a scene is getting bigger like this unfortunately. Occasionally people show up who don’t understand hardcore and will start drama but we police our scene pretty well.
Sound Shots ~ What’s coming up for BACK LIP? What can we be looking out for?
Evan ~ We’re currently writing music and plan on putting out an EP in the next few months. We have some out of state shows planned as well so stay tuned for those announcements. We’ve never gone on tour before so we’re all really looking forward to being able to do that.
Sound Shots ~ What would be a dream gig for BACK LIP? Who are some bands you really want to play with?
Evan ~ Honestly being invited to play any fest would probably be a top gig for me. I’ve never gotten to experience being on stage in front of more than 130 people before so that would be the dream. Playing anything down in the South Texas would be amazing too because that’s the scene I grew up in. I haven’t been to a show out there in years. Oh wow, there’s so many bands that I would love to share a stage with but God’s Hate, Mindforce, and Speed are some of the bigger ones.
Sound Shots ~ Any last thoughts or messages you would like to share?
Evan ~ Support your local scene and protect what we all have worked so hard to establish. Hardcore is for anyone but it’s not for everyone. We welcome all newcomers but there’s etiquette involved. Please don’t leave the show after your friends band plays or only show up for the big touring band. Don’t start fights with people moshing and speak up if you see predatory behavior.
The message that Evan and BACK LIP share is exactly what Hardcore is about. Finding the strength to push through life’s adversities. Turning negatives into positives and trying to help those in need along the way. And even though BACK LIP has only been a band for a short amount of time, they’re already making a positive impact on the scene. They have released a handful of tracks that you can check out here. They have the lyrics for each track in the saved stories on their Instagram page so you can read up on those as well. I am excited for the next chapter in the BACK LIP story and see where it goes. It is really encouraging to see this kind of passion and support in the scene right now. Be sure to give the band a follow to see when they play next or when they drop some new music.
PHOTO JOURNAL
Article & Photos by Ethan Cook - @defenderoftheriff
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