Name: Mike

Age: 24

Location: close to Vienna

How long are you sober?

Since more than 5 years.

Why did you decide to be straight edge ?

First of all, I've never decided to be SXE and I've never called myself that way. I just had enough of losing control. And I don't become sober from one day to another. At first I stopped to drink alcohol but not because of I've heard about SXE, just for myself. It took almost a year to stop smoking after I’ve finally stopped drinking. To be honest, when I started to get sober, I thought to be SXE is something different than I know today.

How long are you vegan?

Pppffhhhuuu… I can’t really say how long. I started as a vegetarian and then I became step by step a vegan. I think between 2 or 3 years now.

Why are you vegan?

 My brother and my sister have paved the way for me. My Brother was the first vegan in my family and my sister followed him soon. They have opened my eyes, especially my brother. He is the “VeganMan” of my hometown and inspired a lot of our friends to go vegan. Like a good friend of mine said before: he is a hero! But basically, we are all vegan for all the innocent creatures which are slaughtered day by day, which the mankind tread like machines, toys and as an entertainment medium. We are not the crown of creation and this is something I also had to learn. I’m so thankful that my siblings have shown me the “right” way. And at this point I want to tell every reader of your blog: please inform yourself about what is happening around you, don’t close your eyes in front of the brutal truth. Inform yourself about all the products you are consuming. I know, it seems to be hard to choose his own way in this manipulating society/system, but every single one can make a difference. I’m not the one who’s telling you what you have to do or how you have to live, I just want you to think about how you act in your life. “As long as humans think that animals don’t feel, animals have to feel that humans don’t think”

What do you think about „edge breaking“?

I don’t care about. Every single one is responsible for him or herself.

What's your opinion about D.I.Y.?

I think D.I.Y. is one the most important things in my scene. Nearly all good shows are D.I.Y. I’m also trying to set up shows for touring bands. What I love about D.I.Y. is that these shows are always cheap or for free. When I set up a show, I always try to make it for free. I think everyone has to be able to visit a good hardcore/punk/metal show, no matter if he has money or not.

Do you show that you are vegan edge ? Do you x'up or have edge tattoos?

Like I wrote at the second question, I don’t even call myself SXE. But I’ve two Vegan tattoos, one on my right arm and one on the back of the right foot.

Do you play in a band ? Is the band vegan edge ?

Yes I sing in a hardcore/punk band called CHARLY BONE (don’t care about the name; we will change it anyway in the next year). The band is vegan but not vegan edge.

What's about your local scene? Many vegan edge people around? Many shows (common and vegan edge)?

We have a small but great scene in Vienna. In Lower Austria, where I’m from, there is nothing that I could call a scene. There are a few people who love the same music like I do, but the most of them are not vegan edge. The most shows are in Vienna but I wouldn’t say that there are especial “vegan edge shows”. But in Vienna the vegan scene is much bigger and that’s great.

What do you think about violent dancing ? Do you practice it ?

I think it depends on how you define “violent dancing”. I was at a lot of shows in Austria and also around of Austria and the crowd always moshed, danced, moved differently. I have seen stupid ignorant fuckers which used the “mosh pit” to show how cool they are and to hit people with long hair (or even people which don’t look like the same way these suckers look like) into their faces and so on. This is not “violent dancing”, this is just stupid. I love the movement on a HC-show. I love crowd surfing, the sing-alongs, the gang shouts and I personally love to mosh. You can call it “violent dancing” but I’m one of those who always tries to keep care about the people around me. But on a HC-show you have to expect that the crowd goes wild. So if you get hit by someone, please don’t get aggressive. There were a lot of cases that people didn’t understand what and why HC-kids move that way and these people can ruin the whole HC-show. My advice: When you don’t want to go wild on such a show and the mosh pit is too close to you that you can’t enjoy the show, just take a step back or hide your face and genitals with your hands hahaha…

What are your 3 favourite straight edge bands?

Currently: Wolf X Down, Set it Straight, xKingdomx

What are your 3 favourite bands?

Donnybrook, Maroon, Deftones

Do you watch TV? What do you think about it?

Haha yeah I think I watch too much TV. But I’m not watching every bullshit that is coming on ATV hahaha. The things I really like to watch are Simpsons (but just the old ones), Family Guy, American Dad and South Park (the best animated series ever). But I hate all this “Saturday Night Fever fucking your brain up bullshit” no matter if it’s on German, Austrian or English TV. And there are these stupid commercials… aaaahhh… can’t write more about… I think TV has become much more manipulative than it was already in the past. Young people orient too much on what they get to see. It’s true when a lot of people say: TV is making us stupid. Unfortunately I’m in that way also a rather bad example.

What do you think about the quote „Straight Edge is politics“?

Yeah…. I think I can’t answer this question correctly. I’m sorry ;)

What do you think about the hardline movement?

Nothing… Every single one has his own life, all your actions/decisions you make are for yourself, so, for me, it doesn’t make sense to be a hardliner. If this is the way of life that you have chosen you don’t need to be a hardliner, because it’s your way and you can lead the direction wherever and whenever you want to. But honestly I’m not so much involved in this so-called “movement”.

What do you think about pro-choice and pro-life?

Wow this is a hard question and I’m sure that I can’t answer this question correctly. Don’t get me wrong but I think in both topics are some good and some bad things. To put this now on a scale and find a clear, satisfactory answer isn’t possible for me. I’m sorry.

What do you think about religions ?

I don’t like them. Don’t get me wrong, to believe something isn’t always wrong or a failure. But religion is the wrong way to practice his believes. Why do we all have region education in all our schools? Why did we become baptized when we were babies or little kids? We didn’t get a choice and that’s wrong. Religions have caused wars, which aren’t over until yet (think about this). No, religion is not good for us. But this is just my point of view and I could write about religion so much more but I think this few sentences are enough as answer ;)  

Any shout outs? Things to check out?

Thank you for this interview. I hope your blog is running for a long time.

Please check out: http://www.peta2.de ; http://www.vgt.at ; http://www.seashepherd.org ; http://www.tierbefreier.de ; http://www.animalequality.net ; http://www.peta2.com

And also this amazing bands from Austria: DEMONWOMB, HEAVEN RISE, SAIL THIS SHIP ALONE, IT’S A TRAP, MANTAN…..

Never forget: Knowledge is the key – no one is free until the animals are free.

Peace