Interviews and Reviews

Amen are a punk/hardcore band from America with a back catalogue of five studio albums, released through various record companies.

After overcoming several set backs and despite being marred by prolific rumours on the Internet, Amen have finally arrived in the UK, on the 'No Barricades & No Bullshit 2007' tour, support from The Inbreds and DJ $peedranch.

I caught up with indestructible front man, Casey Chaos, after a set at Riffs Bar in Wiltshire.

Then yet again, unfortunately, you encountered further set backs because of financial difficulties, due to the postal strike and subsequent prolific rumours, are you glad to finally be touring in the UK?

Well anytime in the UK is a better time than any part of life for me. I love the UK.

What was it like playing at Damnation Festival?

Very good, to be honoured to play the headlining act, on the secondary stage for someone like me, to play second to Kreator (a German thrash metal band), come on that’s an honour.

Amen have gained notoriety in countries such as the UK, I was surprised to hear that Amen are viewed predominantly as an underground band in America?

I'm an underground band. I am not famous. I am nothing. Me and you we are the same. I am just like everybody else, we are all flesh and blood. I just try hard and do what I can and when I feel like destroying everything someone like Henry (Rollins) comes into my life and has me be one of six bands that he gets to chose to be on a serious show.

That is just such an honour, that, ok I am going to go for a little bit longer. It has been like that in my life.

How do you view the music scene today, do you feel music has become more of a 'fashion accessory'?

We are living in the age of record companies and record stores closing and it really makes me sad. I met all my friends in record stores. They were buying the records, I was buying. These were friends that lasted my lifetime. They were the people that I connected with.

You can't meet friends through the Internet like that… When I was a kid and I got to see Black Flag, that was life changing and I will never forget it. Those were the important times. It’s not about what you sell.

It's not about what you make. As far as money or as far as (Nielsen) SoundScan, all this bullshit people are telling people to pay attention to. It’s about what you make in your soul and are happy with.

As a man who has overcome great hardships in life and has subsequently achieved so much, what advice would you give to the youth of today?

(laughs) I can't even pay my electricity bill! I have achieved so much, I have got riches with working with great people, no doubt. I have had a fortune in being able to work with people that are absolutely the people that changed music.

I would say in this climate of music, destroy everything that you read and follow your heart. That’s the only thing you can do with music, is follow your heart and not listen to what the radios play and not listen to what people say is cool.

Listen to what your heart tells you. Hopefully you'll be the next David Bowie. You'll be the next Johnny Rotten. You'll be the next Henry Rollins. Someone that can make a change with power.

I don't have that. I get black listed because I am too dangerous, I have too many problems and people don't want to hear it. It’s cool, I still do what I do.

Obviously you’re here to promote your greatly anticipated next studio album after the success of 'Death Before Musick', what can fans expect from the new album?

It's what I wanted to do when I was 12/13 years old. Music that was primitive and very, very, very aggressive but I never had the balls to do it. Now I don't care. I want to make music that is the music that inspired me. I wrote 68 songs. I recorded them and I hope to release two albums this year.

One of them for free on the Internet and one of them through a record company. It is honestly just what I grew up on, I hope. I hope it inspires people the way that I was inspired by Black Flag, Minor Threat, Conflict, Discharge and The Adverts, all the true bands that really moved me when I was a kid.

That’s what I tried to do with this new record, so it sounds sonically a little different.

Amen continue to tour the UK until 22nd November, playing a myriad of intimate venues, and are not to be missed.