A Chat with Knife Crime (04.09.24)
Coming at you a million miles per second with head-whipping, soul-stirring, heart-pounding, high-voltage music, listening to Knife Crime is entirely unforgettable. A band that knocks your socks off while you’re taking that shot of vodka with a tequila chaser, you’ll love the band for the enthusiastic experience but hate them for the hangover. We speak with the UK-based punk band about their debut EP Bare Racket, what music means to them, gigs and much more.
OSR: How did Knife Crime come about? What drew all of you to music and each other?
Knife Crime: I (Geordie) was looking to do a dirgey Bleach-era Nirvana / Melvins-style band; as tuneless and obnoxious as possible. I asked John and Sam Bicknell to join as I had been impressed by their stage presence and ability in other bands and knew they could deliver. I didn’t know either of them particularly well; it was built on real awe for their talent and taking a leap of faith with new people. We had all been on the scene forever in bands for years and years in and around Birmingham, UK (Trivial Dispute, The Starries, Wrapped In Plastic, Shana Tova, Sunset Cinema Club, The Fairytale, Guerilla Monsoon, Palomar 13, Tian Tian etc etc). Music was and is all-consuming.
OSR: You recently released your EP Bare Racket. What can you tell us about it? Is there a particular theme or story?
Knife Crime: It’s out on Noise Merchant Records on cassette and download. It’s our 4th release. The overall theme is what a terrible place the United Kingdom is to live in, due to corrupt politicians openly mocking the public’s trust and cooperation, stamping on those that see through their facade. Bare Racket refers to the wilfully abrasive noise we have released which forsakes most of our previous good intentions to write catchy songs. This is venting and primal.
OSR: Creating an album must be stressful. What were the greatest challenges you faced when creating Bare Racket and how did you overcome them?
Knife Crime: The album wasn’t stressful: the pandemic was the main challenge. Whilst the world stopping allowed Geordie time to keep writing the tunes, we couldn’t get into a studio to finish them. After emerging from lockdown we were proper psyched up to move forward but our previous bass player kept turning down shows and wasn’t even turning up to band practice as his priorities had understandably changed during the COVID crisis. Sam Bayley from Coke Rodent volunteered to help us out playing bass at a show and that didn’t go down well with the original guy so we went our separate ways, after which the gigs started flowing naturally and the new songs formed quickly with Bayley, which is what we wanted. Mr Bayley even initiated two of the tunes so making this album was actually pretty easy once we had got past global viruses and defectors.
OSR: What about the most exciting thing about creating Bare Racket?
Knife Crime: The songs were recorded live in the studio so that created plenty of adrenaline and dopamine. The sheer bludgeon of the production taking shape was powerful, man. We admire the chaotic energy on albums like Bushcraft by Baptists and we managed to bottle that vibe which, when combined with the lyrical rage, knocks you right over.
OSR: I think some people would describe Knife Crime as a hardcore, crazy punk band. How would you describe yourselves?
Knife Crime: We’re way way more than just a hardcore band. Bands like Terror are immense but I could learn one of their albums in a few hours, but trust me you could not replicate what we do. We’re a one-off. It’s hard as titanium nails but progressive as fuck as well. Riffs, man. Impenetrable riffs. Personally, we’re flawed but essentially alright blokes. The unchecked leering, teeth-baring genuine anger of the tunes, directed at selfish and amoral people who exploit others and their position, is where the ‘crazy’ is at.
OSR: Performing live is a transformative experience for any musician. Do you have a favourite gig to date, and why that particular gig? Also, what is the best and worst thing about playing to a live audience?
Knife Crime: We have played some humbling shows for great causes and with truly superb bands who have mastered their craft like Drug Church, Going Off, Fair Do’s, Johnny Foreigner, Omega Tribe, Bruise Control etc. Our favourite show was one we did at The Peer Hat in Manchester with Tramadol because it was raising awareness and support for hunt saboteurs, it was packed to capacity and all the bands were ripping the roof off.
Best thing about playing to a live audience is the people shouting along and being involved in the show. Worst thing is dragging heavy guitar amps and bits of drumkit into and out of venues. Fuck that.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Knife Crime: It’s a quest, man. You make discoveries, gain experience; it’s like one of those Dungeons and Dragons games, innit. But it never ends. There’s no final boss. It’s just new tunes forever and ever, always searching for that performance that makes you stop and go “woah” – all genres welcome.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music, and what do you take from it?
Knife Crime: People need to properly stop and listen and make their own minds up on what it means to them because there’s a lot of quality musical manoeuvring going on and the lyrics are worth a read too, trust me.
What we get out of it?
Catharsis.
Confidence to speak our minds.
Strength to confront societal wrongs constructively.
Cultivation of individualism.
Interest in global awareness and solidarity.
OSR: What can we expect from Knife Crime in the future?
Knife Crime: More noise, I reckon.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Knife Crime: Listen to our tunes. Support activists. Support local artists of all kinds. Equity for all! Be fucking kind. Cheers and say hello next time you see us.
Many thanks to Knife Crime for speaking with us. Find out more about Knife Crime on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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