What does community mean? N.Y.H.C is an extended brotherhood and family of relentless talented individuals that do not settle. Established and born out of the hardcore punk scene in Washington, D.C by bands such as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedy's, D.O.A and many others in the 80's and 90's.
New York City is the perfect sandbox that enabled such talent to blossom in spite of the everyday challenges that curated the beautiful and orchestrated chaos we choose to sing and dance to.
On December 1st, 2023 we attended a local show at TV Eye a venue located in Brooklyn where our good friends from Combust performed. What followed was an evening of camaraderie. That led to memories and stories that will be told through showmanship, stage presence, and positive impact.
We got a chance to catch up with Andrew and the guys before they head off to their next tour:
What inspired the formation of Combust, and how has the New York music scene influenced your sound as a pillar of N.YH.C?
Me and Dave (drummer) have been playing in NYHC bands since we were kids and this was just a fully realized sound of everything we grew up with I think you know? Just felt normal and organic. Like I had a lot of riffs and the way I wanted the demo to go in my head for years and we just pulled the trigger.
Can you share some memorable experiences or challenges you've faced as a hardcore band in the vibrant and competitive New York music scene?
I mean so many shows were bookmarks for this band in NYC. As far as New York scene being “competitive” I think the biggest challenge was just people embracing an actual local NYC band actually born and raised in the boroughs you know? Not a lot of people see that and the scenes here are so big it’s hard to lock down that main support but we have it now and it means a lot.
"Wise men say fools rush in
Play with old flames just to get burnt again
A cycle we hate but it’s all we know
Trapped under our pain with no room to grow
Nowhere. To turn. Just watch. My world burn
Nothing. To do. They turn. The knife on you
Unlocked the door and saw what I hide
Started a fire and burnt me down in my own mind
Temptation extends its hand again
The knife in my spine- my only friend
Look me in the eyes when you stick the knife through…
Sooner or later their gonna stick it through you"
- Combust, "The Knife"
How do you approach the songwriting process for any project? Are there specific themes or messages you aim to convey through your lyrics?
I have so much shit goin on in my head I just have bullet points of so much shit that means something to me to get down on paper. It looks like scattered thoughts of a person who is spiraling. But we get there in the end.
New York has a rich history in punk and hardcore music. How do you feel the band contributes to or draws inspiration from this legacy?
If you listen to us you can hear every classic NYHC influence in the music and delivery you know? Everything we do is inspired by the legacy and history of the culture. But as far as what we contribute I just hope to be a band kids in nyc can look to and be like “oh I can start a band too” in a time where there were virtually no bands coming out of the city. We book shows out here. We bring current NYHC out to every country and state we can you know? I just wanna leave our foot print as an actual era where NYHC existed made by actual NYHC kids.
In a city with diverse musical influences, how do you maintain the authenticity of the sound while incorporating elements from other genres?
Like I said before you know like we just love NYHC that came before us and you can clearly hear it in our shit. We also of course incorporate things like metal and hip hop but I think that’s also just what the bands we love did when they started as well so we ain’t necessarily reinventing the wheel here.
Are there particular venues or spaces in New York that hold special significance for the band, and why?
Gold Sounds. I legitimately like to think of it as this eras CBGB's. No bullshit. It’s a venue in nyc where the vibe is by the kids for the kids. No annoying security. No big sound check. No nonsense. Just kids having fun in a fuckin room together. That’s hardcore.
Hardcore music often addresses socio-political issues. How does your band use its platform to engage with or comment on current events and social issues, especially within the context of the sandbox we play in and call New York City?
I try my best to get real messages out beyond my own personal problems. I’m not the best at it. But if you read the lyrics you can attain the things I’m trying to get across you know? I’m not the most politically educated and I don’t try harder to go outside my means and I just try to stick to what I care about and what I can write about. But it’s always been fuck gentrification and fuck fly by night transplants who use up New York City for their own weird social agenda and then go home when they can’t hack it anymore. Fuck every little pop up coffee shop and weird little plant store. (Yea I don’t care).
Catch Combust at their next upcoming shows
