Name:Reinhard

Age: 23
Location: close to Vienna

translated

How long are you sober ?

More than 4 years.

Why did you decide to be straight edge ?

Soon after my girlfriend became Straight Edge I decided to choose this path, too. Straight Edge was a well knowen thing for me for a long time , because I knew it from bands like Maroon. I always regarded sXe as a very positiv and good thing

Furthermore my brother decided to live a „drug free livestyle“ some time before this (heself doesn't call himself sXe).

The main reason why i decided to live sXe, is that i'm fed up with booze drinking (i never took “illegal“ drugs). I didn't see any sense in boozing and loosing control. I just wanted to be clear minded and putting my energy in usefull things.

That's why sXe is a logical step for me.

Now I can't imagine why drinking was such a cool thing for me.

How long are you vegan ?

Almost 5 years.

Why are you vegan ?

The band maroon is part of it again ;)

I got knowen to such topics as veganism and animal rights through the lyrics of Maroon, thus i reflected my own consum and its outcome. I informed myself more and more about veganism and animal rights on the Internet and decided to become a vegetarian when i turned 18 with the goal to reach veganism one day. After 6 months, soon after i watched “Earthlings“, i prompt decided to live vegan. My parents tried to talk me out of this decision, but i never let mislead myself and stayed on the path i choosed. But i'm not angry, because they just worried about me, they never been confronted with such a situation and these topic.

My younger sister was such a big support for me, because soon after me she decided to became vegan, too. At the time we wrote many e-mails and were outlets for our frustation and anger about humanity.

To step back to the essentials: I'm vegan because i love animals. I realy don't want to support this insanity against the animals and I want to set a sign.

What do you think about „edge breaking“ ?

In the past I often wondered, why someone decide to break the edge, but now it's different. Everyone can live his or her life as he or she want to. If the decision to stop being edge is set, than it's ok for me. Everyone knows, that opinions change over the years. I don't care about drinking, smoking or drug use, except a third person is harmed. At this point I care realy much.
 

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

Just great! It dosen't matter if it's fanzines, shows, shirts, recods or what ever. My brother set up free DIY shows in our rehearsaal room . And i started my on zine (the Worlds Havoc).

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

I have a vegan tattoo on my chest. Sometimes I x'up (especialy on shows I play) and I have enough shirts, which say, that i'm vegan and edge ;)

I want to make the people think, especialy in terms of veganism!

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

Yes, i play drums in a band called Charly Bone. We are not a sXe Band, but every member of Charly Bone is vegan and this is very important for us. We write songs about it and we try to give speech about this topic on every show. I have the feeling, that the idea of veganism gets lost in the hardcore scene more and more and the animal rights are forgotten (not as in the past). We try to spread a positive message of veganism and being throug this a voice for the animals, which are tortured, killed and exploited day by day.

Animals can't speak, so we have to be the voice of the voicless.

We have to fight for their rights.

But we aren't a band, which beats someone, who isn't vegan. We want to inform the people. It's the greates success, if someone starts being vegan or vegetarian through us.

We are a bunch of friends (respectively brothers), who love to have a good time together, too.

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

Well, in my area isn't a hardcore scene. There are some people, who are interested in these kind of music and come to the local shows, but i wouldn't regard them as a part of a scene. There aren't many vegan and edge people around, too. But I'm a little dreamer and hope that I'm able to set up a local scene in my area.... But time will tell. Hope dies last ;)

The Vienna hardcore scene is a lil bit bigger. There are many shows and some vegans. Straight Edge was a bigger thing years ago, but this is now past.

But even the Vienna hardcore scene is divided. And it's definitly the smaler part, which is interested in conciousnes.
 

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

If violent dancing means moshing, then yes. But I try to be considerate and I'd never hurt anyone on purpose. Sure, there are many idiots, who punch others... but I would't hasty doom moshing, a moshpit, where everyone is respecfull is much fun, even if it seems for strangers aggressive.

It's fun for me, I don't want to harm anyone and everyone, who knows me, knows, that I just want to have fun and don't punch someone in his or her face.

What are your 3 favourite straight edge bands ?

 

Casey Jones

xKingdomx

xBishopx

What are your 3 favourite bands ?

Maroon

Earth Crisis

pppfffff.....that's difficult...it changes quite often.....at the moment I'm very into Cradle of Filth ;)

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

Yes, I watch very often TV. It's just entertainment for me and doesn't influence my thinking or my attitude. But I think TV has a huge impact on the people, as well as other medias like the Internet. This is very alarming, of course, but I think the problem is rather the influenceability of the people (religions, dictatorships, and so on).

The people have to start question everything again and learn to seperate reality and the illusory world.

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

Every action is some kind of politics, even if we don't realize it. Straight Edge is certainly a political statement, but for me it's a personal thing.

 

What do you think about the hardline movement ?

Absolutely idiotic! It's a good thing to take a stand for animal rights, but to connect it with homophobia and sexism is absolutely wrong.

 

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

Pro-choice! But to prefent an abortion: safer sex. It's clear, that you can get pregnat, even if you contracept. This happens often enough, but there are enough people, who fucks mindless arround.

What do you think about religions ?

I think religions can be something very dangerous, many wars are fought in the name of religions. People belive in sexist, racist, speciesist words and books, which are several thousands years old.

You don't need religions to belive in something. I just belive in myselfe, not in any god.

Any shout outs ? Things to check out ?

Cookis with chokolate and peanaut butter is the best thing ever! If you come to a Charly Bone show, then bring some vegan sweets. Question the system. Listen to Maroons album “When worlds collide”. The second edition of my zine “the worlds havoc” will be released in january or february 2013. Never punch a thin rehearsaal room wall two times (if you know what I mean Mike?). Visit Fluff Fest and eat there 20 vegan burgers, 10 cupcakes, 8 softice and enyo the best festival of the world! Thanks for the interview! SHOW SOME HEART! GO VEGAN!

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