Tobias Jeg (Red Scare Industries)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2017? (In order 1-5)
The best album of 2017 was The Menzingers - After The Party.
Hands down, no questions asked, NOT alternative facts, undisputed champs, etc. Beyond that I made a list of "Ten NON-Red Scare punk(ish) songs from 2017 that are pretty good, in no particular order," and here it is:
Wheeler Walker Jr. "Fuckin' Around" (Pepper Hill Records)
Rixe "Tenter Le Diable" (Le Vida Es Un Mus)
Worriers "Future Me" (Side One Dummy)
Dave Hause "The Ride" (Rise Records)
RVIVR "Shaggy" (One Brick Today)
Peter and the Test Tube Babies "None of your Fucking Business" (Arising Empire)
Bloodclot "Kill The Beast" (Metal Blade)
Seaway "Something Wonderful" (Pure Noise)
Propagandhi "Failed Imagineer" (Epitaph)
Matt Pryor "Risk" (Equal Vision)
2. What band did you discover in 2017 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
I've known about Guerilla Poubelle for years because their singer, Till, is the go-to dude for getting shows in France. All our bands know him from touring over there and he has the reputation of a real sweetheart. When Guerilla Poubelle hit me up about working with Red Scare I was honored because I love their politics and they sorta have a Hot Water Music meets Tragedy vibe, which fits right in on the label. Plus, I get to siphon some of their punk cred. High five!
3. How will you remember 2017? (In terms of music)
I don't get Mumble Rap. I read that Warped Tour created Emo, and that was weird.
What else... I saw some good shows and I saw some hard working friends get some much-deserved attention. There were three or four Red Scare-related acts who made a lot of progress in 2017 and I'm very, very happy for them. For real.
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2018?
Red Scare has new stuff from (in alphabetical order) The All Brights, The Brokedowns, Garrett Dale, Elway, (maybe) Brendan Kelly, MakeWar, a Sicko collection, and probably something from Success. Oh, and hopefully we'll find some new folks to work with too, because that's always fun. Are you reading this, Jason Derulo? I'm a fan.
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2018?
Our old friends The Sidekicks will have a new one coming on Epitaph, and that should be terrific. I was excited to read that Dead To Me is doing new stuff. Hmmm, I guess I'll listen to a new Major Lazer record?
6. For most, 2017 will be remembered as a year of political and social conflict. How does that cultural atmosphere influence your own music or artistic life?
The scene is pretty weird. Call-out culture is popular and unity is not. The knives are out and it seems like people are more concerned with scoring points on the internet than actually making things better or bringing people together. I think it's going to become increasingly important to ignore the noise of the slacktivists and keep your nose to the grindstone. Do-ers need to keep on doing, because winning arguments on Facebook ain't worth a squirt o' piss in the Age Of Trump.
