Along with A Strength Within and Light It Up, No Turning Back and Anchor are embarking on the second True Spirit tour. Make sure to check all bands at a show near you. Check all dates here.

Please introduce the other band…

NTB: “Anchor from Sweden, they started in 2007. They have been playing countless shows since the start and it took them all over the world. It’s a band that breaths the True Spirit of hardcore and we are happy to have them on the this tour.”

A: “No Turning Back, the kings of Brabant – the relentless worldwide touring hardcore machine!”

Who is the main musical influence of the other band?

NTB:  “Well it’s a blend of hardcore with some metal influences. Bands that comes to mind are Judge, Verse, Trial but also Entombed from their country. Maybe a little ABBA and Roxette here and there?”

A: “NYHC – Madball, Cro-Mags, Breakdown, all that good stuff that we all love.”

Name the main non-musical influence of the other band…

NTB: “IKEA and lots of Knäckebröd.”

A: “The Duchy of Brabant, perhaps? Are circle pits a musical influence? NTB are the masters of the circle pit. Everyone who saw them on Fluff Fest will agree.”

What’s your best tour experience till date?

NTB: “The first edition of the True Spirit tour has been the best experience to far. Going on tour with five bands and becoming so close with each other is unique. We booked, hosted and headlined this tour, it was good to reach out a helping hand and represent European hardcore without support from overseas. The turnout was great too. We are really proud that we can pull this off a second time, with the third tour being planned as we speak.”

A: “Touring South East Asia and South America. It’s very different because it’s so far from home, but we all share something through music. Every tour is special in its own ways though. I’m sure the True Spirit will be a time to remember!”

Can you describe some memories of your first show?

NTB: “Our first show as No Turning Back was Sunday the 21st of September 1997. It was a local show that had free entrance and the place was packed. We made one shirt to give away to the person who made the sickest stagedive and Joost, the bass player of our befriended band Antcow won it. Last year he gave the shirt back to me and I framed it. So every day I see the shirt hanging on the wall it reminds me of that first show.”

A: “I wasn’t in Anchor when the band first started out, but I filled in whenever they needed me to, for weekends and such. However, my first show where I thought that “maybe I got the gig, maybe I’m in the band now” was three years ago in Western, MA in the US. A couple of weeks prior to that Claes had called me and said “Hey, we need a guitarist, do you wanna go to the US?”. I thought about it for about half a second and then agreed to do so, and I’ve been with the band ever since.”

What does an ideal show look like on the True Spirit Tour?

NTB: “A small venue packed with hardcore kids that go off, singalong from the first band till the last. A true hardcore experience from the first to the last band.”

A: “Small venue, packed with kids ready to go off, stagediving and singing along. Everyone having a good time, taking care of each other in the pit. If someone is selling vegan cupcakes, that’s even better!”

Name your top 5 releases of 2013..

NTB: “2013 is still not over yet but these come to mind that will make it in my year list:

For The Glory – Lisbon Blues
Redemption Denied – Nothing Remains
Risk It! – The Only Thing
Strength For A Reason – Through Cold Eyes
Down To Nothing – Life On The James”

A:

Kvelertak – Meir
Nails – Abandon All Life
Angel Du$t – Xtra Raw
Coliseum – Sister Faith
Title Fight – Spring Songs

Why should kids come out to the True Spirit Tour?

NTB: “If you claim to love hardcore you should come out to this tour. The True Spirit tour brings back hardcore as it is supposed to be. No big sponsored event to make money, but hardcore as we would like to see it and the way it should be. No barriers or bullshit rockstar demands and attitudes, no people pretending to be important. Just hardcore the way it started out, one big family going off and tearing down venues all over Europe. For kids/friends who are not familiar with hardcore this is the ideal way to introduce them and let them fall in love with it. Every band on this tour represents the real deal. Hardcore is more than music. True Spirit!”

A: “Because, like the name says – it’s the True Spirit of Hardcore on display for everyone to see and participate in. There are loads of bullshit bands that claim hardcore as a label because they want to rep the underground, but in reality they have no connection to it. We see through that marketing scam, and we’ll do it the way we know it – true hardcore, by the kids, for the kids.”

No Turning Back: Facebook / Website / Order No Regrets
Anchor: Facebook / Bandcamp
True Spirit: Facebook / Facebook-event

Interview by Tim van Reyswoud