Mitch Olshansky er kær vinur minn og er frá landi hinna frjálsu. Það er leitin að jákvæðari manneskju. Olshansky er alltaf að bralla eitthvað lætur gott af sér leiða á mismunandi sviðum mannlífsins. Nú um stundir er nemur hann næringafræði í háskóla í Baltimore en eftir skóla spilar hann í hljómsveitinni BRICK og heldur tónleika í óháðu listarými sem nefnist CHARM CITY og er staðsett í Baltimore borg.
Introduce yourself, what bands have you been in and what’s your involvement in Maryland hc/punk?
Hi. My name is Mitchell J. Olshansky and I’ve been in 4 actual bands. Forest Dwellers, Surroundings, Mindset, and now Brick. I am very involved in my local hardcore/punk rock scene in Maryland, the best state in America. I play in bands, attend many shows, flyer shows, and when I can I also put on shows now and then.
Do you see a difference in Maryland hardcore compare to the rest of the east coast?
Yes, I definitely do. There is a very distinct vibe in Maryland hardcore that I haven’t seen else in the east coast. We have at least 6 active venues and lots of solid bands full of solid people. The scene used to be pretty divided, and it still is in a sense, but I think things are coming together. A lot of people are friends with each other, and its just fun all around.
Maryland also has a lot more diversity in ethnicities, in my opinion, involved in the core and a lot of ladies participating as well. Its not just all white dudes yelling about their “problems” (at least not all the time haha)
Is it true that there are certain types of crowd that go to Autobar shows vs. Charm City shows? Don’t the two mix? Are there any other venues that are d.i.y. friendly and can bring different people together?
I am surprised you’ve heard about this, but I think you are thinking sidebar vs. charm city art space. Its actually very very silly. Ultimately, the type of venue or venue itself should not dictate whether you see a band you like or not. If you like the band then go support them. If you dont like the band then dont go. Nothing else to say on the matter.
The Nowarehouse in Pigtown has a lot of crust, punk and metal shows. I’ve yet to go there but I hear great things. The Barclay house is a rad d.i.y. venue, I’ve seen all kinds of heavy bands there…black metal, hardcore punk, etc.
What’s you connection with the Icelandic hardcore/metal/d.i.y. scene?
I feel like I have a pretty deep connection with Iceland. I know, weird. I guess that’s best saved for another time though. You know, as crazy as it sounds, I also feel that I’m involved in the local d.i.y. scene over there. I’ve been to quite a few shows of many different kinds of bands. I’m always repping bands from there… active or non-active… everyone from I Adapt to Severed Crotch to Lay Low to Benny Crespo’s Gang to Sigur Rós (one of my favorite bands period). Currently, I am anxiously awaiting material from MUCK. I love the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had. Maybe one day I will move there and start a Left For Dead-worship band.
I definitely notice a distinct atmosphere in the music, heavy or not, that is very uniquely, Icelandic. All the kids seem like they support each other and lots of mixed genres of music on the same bill. Good vibes.
Are you not half the jew you used to be?*
To be completely honest, I wish I was more in touch with my family’s faith. I consider myself Agnostic though I take a lot from different religions and formulate my own ideas. I’m a pretty spiritual dude in ways.
Brick is your new band. How does it musically differ from your previous project as well as how you work as a band?
In these days of Clevo Worship and guitar solo friendly hardcore, what can Brick bring to the mix that sets you guys apart and offers the audience something extra?
Brick is indeed my new band. My most previous project was Mindset, which I played bass in for 3 shows. Mindset is a great modern youth crew band with the sweetest dudes. Everyone should check them out. My main previous project was a band called Surroundings, who are doing their own thing and getting pretty big. Their music goes over the average hardcore kids head, in my opinion though. (which isn’t a bad thing). Surroundings was filthy swamp-core punk or something…blast beats, sludginess, Integrity, His Hero is Gone, etc.
Brick is more straight forward in a sense but I think we are doing our own thing too. We take influences from a lot of places but I think our songs are creative in their own right. The newer material we are writing now that isn’t recorded sounds fucking cool. No lie.
James (Brick singer) writes all the lyrics and the most important thing, he feels them. There is absolutely zero fakeness in his words. I feel like a lot of people can relate to his words and he is a commanding front man.
Beans (Brick drummer) and I are the main songwriters I’d say. The other guys definitely contribute but in terms of actual music/song writing…I feel like Beans and I play off each other very well. Me and him have a lot of different influences and are willing to fuck around with songs.
There are things I’d like to experiment with during recording. Some minor trumpet parts (no lie), whammy bar dives, acoustic guitars, some delay here and there. man Its gonna be cool/whacky, but not in a dumb way…and it wont overshadow our main style and rather, just accentuate it.
I love all kinds of sounds and I really want to experiment with Brick, but still keep it hard, heavy, and pissed.
Also it should be noted that Joe was the main songwriter and the oldest one in the band, now I am the “Joe” of Brick. I’m the oldest one and the main songwriter. Funny how things work out. Joe also influenced me a lot in terms of writing, though he will always shake his head at this.
You’ve been sXe (Straight Edge)** for a pretty long time and from what I’ve gathered it’s something you cling to pretty hard and are comfortable with. In a non retarded way, please tell us what effect this has had on your life and how it benefits you as an adult and in the future.
Please elaborate on your now infamous health-nutrition obsession as you seem to be some-what an expert on those matters…
I went sober late fall 2004. Then a couple months later Straight Edge. At that point I’ve had enough of booze (I was out of control and depressed as fuck…alcohol is a natural depressant too) and wanted to be done with it. I’ve found that its given me a different insight on life. Punk rock did that to me as well which I got into way before that. I’m a reasonable edgeman… I don’t look down on people at all about what they choose to do. I am not into this whole marketing straight edge as a clothing company deal either. That’s clown as fuck. Punk rock marketing makes me sick though I think we unintentionally revolve around it at times.
Going back to straight edge, around the time I got into straight edge, I also got into veganism. I was vegetarian for a while before that, and doing those two things made me feel cleaner. I got heavily into nutrition, because of veganism and the idea of putting on muscle mass as a vegan. I was also (and still am finishing up) my Exercise Science degree at Towson University and there was a decent amount of anti-vegeterian sentiment from the bros around me. A total underdog mentality, everything going against the grain, I fell for vegan nutrition/health science so hard.
I didn’t know what I was doing up until a year ago or so really. now my knowledge on body chemistry, nutrition, sports/exercise science is fairly vast. I am no longer vegan, which we can go into at another time, but I still respect it (for a lot of reasons) and eat organic and/or vegeterian when I can. I can see myself returning to it one day. (even as a raw vegan)
Straight edge is just what’s right for me. It may not be right for you, kudos, whatever. but its done a lot for me. Most of my friends are not edge, and I honestly could care less. When you start crossing your own beliefs with expectations of what other people should be like and/or do with themselves, thats when you’re fucking up. I love my friends. Moving on, I cant blame people for wanting to drink, or even to the point of total intoxication. This world is fucked. People cope with failure and escape differently, I cannot blame someone for wanting to indulge and forget about the day before last (in regards to drinking until total intoxication). I also understand drinking as a social thing, sure, duh.
But I can comfortably hang out with my buddies while they kick back a few beers. I dont even think of it on that level. I just think of it as hanging out with friends. I have no desire to do it. If I really wanted to drink or smoke pot, I would just do it. I have little to no interest in it. Its also like…when people are bored they ask me, “yo Mitch lets get some food”, I’m not really hungry but lets kill time anyways. No man, that sucks. There are plenty of things to do and things to see and things to accomplish. I don’t want to eat shitty food when I’m bored, same reason I don’t want to drink when I’m bored.
You have to be a positive role model as you get older. Kids look up to you and you don’t even realize it. I’m not super old or anything, I’m only 22, but I know I have family and friends that look up to me, and I just try to be myself and set an example.
Stay young , kids.
Also worthy to note, red wine is great for cardiac health due to the overabundance of anti-oxidants. Its good stuff, but there are antioxidants in a lot of things.
On to other things. What music is getting your attention these days? Don’t go name droppping all your friends cause they are just that - tell us about bands you are really listening to. And also, books, if you can read, what’s up?
My labtop is broken, my record player is broken. my car cd player is broken, my ipod is broken. the new music i acquire is usually on the radio or by tape. I do check out some bands online though.
As shitty as the radio is, i am loving the new Weezer single. Probably going to pick up the new album real soon.
I’ve been listening to a lot of shitty rap on the local rap radio station.
But actual current bands that i am actively listening to that arent friends bands…hmm…I’m going to have to say that i am currently in love with a pop punk band called the Chinese Telephones. I am also way into the Ergs! right now too. I think the newer Dillinger Escape Plan that came out last year or whatever is really good too in its own right. In terms of the hardcore realm, Iron Age is currently blowing my mind. I need a new full length. They just played Baltimore and blew me away, again. Also everyone should listen to STOUT from Baltimore. I can name drop them, right? They arent really friends per se, kind of like aquantences, sorta but not really haha. I’ve seen them a bunch of times in Baltimore and they never dissapoint. Incredible band. So evil and heavy.
I wish I read more man! I need to culture my mind soon or this thing will melt. I’m way into graphic novels if that counts…Maus, Earth X, Marvels, Chronicles of Wormwood, all that kind of shit.
Any last words, health prince?
Accept peoples differences and be excellent to each other. Peace.
* Skírskotun í texta með hljómsveitinni I Adapt sem í upprunalegu útgáfu er á þessa leið “I’m not half the man I used to be”. Köllum þetta bara tónleikaferðalagseinkahúmor.
** Straight Edge, oft skammstafað sXe, er lífstíll sem einkennist af bindindi - ekkert áfengi, engar reykingar, ekkert dóp og er í lang flestum tilfellum bendluð við hardcore/punk menninguna.
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