1. Who is in Resistant Culture and what instruments do you play? How long has the band been around and has this always been the lineup?

Anthony –Vocals, chants, flutes, gourds
Katina - Guitar, vocals
Rafa - Bass, vocals
Ben - Drums

Resistant Culture is the current incarnation in a legacy of an idea that started in the late 1980s. Originally called Resistant Militia, over the years the band has metamorphisized and grown in depth in all directions musical, lyrical, philosophical, etc.

2. Why the change of labels for different versions of the "Welcome to Reality" CD? Were you unhappy with the original release?

Actually we were very happy working with Spiral Records. They shut it down around the time the first run of the “Welcome to Reality” CDs had sold out. We decided to do a re-release on SOS Records, which has a wider distribution.

3. When "Welcome to Reality" was originally released was it intentional that the NAPALM DEATH and TERRORIZER connection was never played up in any of the promo?

Our promo and websites have always featured the connection. We read on a bulletin board that we’ve been “a well kept secret”, but we don’t know how that can be. We do extensive outreach via the internet within and beyond the d-i-y punk community. It just seems that actual touring is what will bring the legacy of the band to light. Unfortunately Jesse has died and he won’t be able to join us in celebrating this reunion of punk and metal.

Why the change on an otherwise street punk label like SOS Records for the new version?

As stated above, we needed to re-release the CD since it was almost sold out. We went with SOS Records because of its wider distribution, its roster of anarcho and classic punk, and because we have an ongoing booking relationship with the label through the Showcase Theatre.

4. You describe yourselves as Turtle Island Tribal Grindcrust. Can you please explain what all that means?

Turtle Island is an indigenous term for what the colonizers called “The New World”. There are many oral traditional stories of the meaning of Turtle Island. In our understanding, eons ago there was a great flood that covered the land. When the land rose again it was as though a turtle’s back had emerged. According to the story, the people live on the exposed back of the turtle and thus it was called “Turtle Island”.

Resistant Culture is based out of Los Angeles, California but we also like to use this traditional geographic concept to identify the tribal roots in this land.

Musically we mix traditional indigenous flutes, chanting, gourds, and drum with crust and grindcore, hence the title “Tribal Grindcrust”.

5. Having a name Resistant Culture leaves no ambiguity towards your message - would you say the overt primary purpose of the band is to spread counter-cultural resistance? Why so purposely state your ideals straight up in your name?

Resistant Culture is not just a name of a band. The name itself represents the struggle to survive within civilization. It’s a statement that transcends just music and it provides context for our artwork. We often sell shirts to people who aren’t even punk/crust fans but want to represent the name and art in their communities (cultural gatherings, pow-wows, etc.).

6. Quite a lot of your songs have themes taken from traditional Native American philosophy and spirituality. Do any of you come from Native backgrounds? What has drawn you to infuse such philosophies into your lyrics?

This band was created with the idea of empowering indigenous youth. Two of the members are of indigenous descent, they felt indigenous voices needed to be heard in the 21st century after hundreds of years of marginalization. In the last 515 years so much of indigenous culture has been systematically destroyed, it’s vital that we contribute to keeping it alive through music and art. Part of Resistant Culture's mission is to keep ancient wisdom alive through modern music.

We feel that this ancient wisdom needs to be heard today not only by native people but also by all those estranged from tribal heritage.

7. What was the idea behind the Punk Grindcore Fest held on October 12th. What organizations / groups did the proceeds benefit?

The idea was to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which is an anti-Columbus Day counter-holiday for the reclamation of the truth about the atrocities of conquest. Our event’s proceeds went to Iron Circle Nation, which is an inter-tribal native organization with a mission to preserve and advance indigenous culture.

8. Is the current tour you're on the first time you have been outside the West Coast / Southwest as Resistant Culture? How has the response been?

No, we toured the East Coast in 2006. The response has been awesome. We have had the honor of playing many shows organized by passionate local promoters who understand and respect what we have to share on all levels. We found many pockets of heart-felt d-i-y community that we’re looking forward to working with in the future.

It’s been nice to have people sing along in every city. This shows us that our efforts to use this medium to spread consciousness are working, and people are feeling it. That’s one of the most rewarding and invigorating things a band with a message can hope to accomplish.

9. What are your thoughts on alcohol and drugs within the punk / alternative / radical communities?

Unfortunately, due to the emotional torture of living in modern society, many have become swallowed in the cycle of abuse and addiction. We know that before civilization there was no drug addiction, and hopefully the conditions of balance that used to exist can be re-created within communities that reject the illusion of civilization.

10. When Jesse died was it a tough decision to keep the band going? Has there been a lot of support for his family?

There has been a lot of support for his family from the global grindcore/punk/metal community, both in words and in donations. It wasn’t hard for us to keep the band going because Jesse was a guest member during time off from Napalm before recording the new Terrorizer album. His contribution to the band was in recording on “Welcome to Reality” and in playing several shows.

The hardest thing for us was to lose a good friend. We try to honor him and some of his last musical contributions in our performances.

11. What are the plans for Resistant Culture once this tour is finished?

We have more touring on the horizon with details to be announced soon on our Myspace and official website.

Our main focus now is on finishing the mixing and mastering of our second self-recorded full length entitled “All One Struggle”. We hope to have this album finished and released by Spring 2008.

We’ll continue to play regularly in the L.A. area, along with various other shows in the region.

12. Any final thoughts?

Here’s our mission statement:

Resistant Culture is a collective of dedicated artists who work to create sounds and visuals that reflect a poetic vision of the struggle to survive.

With the world in a state of disorder as a result of the cancerous growth of industrial domination, we are perched at the brink of either great destruction or great transformation. Resistant Culture confronts this critical moment in history with sonic offerings rooted in the resilience of the human spirit.

Peace, love, respect! -Resistant Culture