This was before they Treb left the band, and for those who still doesnt know they are now ripping it with their new front man Carlo Boy from old Legendary Cebu bands Mea Culpa and Maximum Tolerance.now they ar in the studio finishing their new record SouthSide Kings under Railroad and One Voice Records. Enjoy!!!1. First and foremost, how’s life treating you guys? What have you been up to these past few days?
Howell – being alive is such a sweet thing. Its all great and well with us here. Thanx for asking bro. We are busy preparing for the HONGKONG’S HARDEST SHOW. This will be a blast!
Johner - life has been great to us. We have our own respective things go in on that actually fuel the drive that we need to do the shows and be able to finance the band. Its been awesome to play a lot of shows and the most glorious thing would be that we overcame some of the major roadblocks the prevented us from going to tour and record our stuff.
Reggie - WORK...PREPARING FOR THE HONGKONG'S HARDEST GIG...FAMILY...
2. Could you tell us little something on how PILEDRIVER was born?
Reggie - PD IS JUST A SIDE BAND...BLAH BLAH BLAH...
Howell – Yeah, PD was just a sideband before from the guys of Children of the damned and Homecide who loved to play Madball covers. It all started over there.. a very tragic incident happened in 1999 while we are skating we became a victim of a drive-by shooting and Gerrymar Yap (Children of the damned / Piledriver guitarist) was hit badly and he didn’t make it. That was the saddest day in my life, loosing a friend in a very non-sense way was so hard to accept. 2 bands was left by Gerrymar Yap, around year 2000 Treb gave me a call he wanted to continue Piledriver full time and he asked me if I’m cool with the idea, I said “let’s give it a try” and the rest was history..
Johner - as you all know the band is a living tribute to former guitarist, Gerrymar yap who was stolen to us by a senseless violent killing spree. On my part, I joined the crew on 2003 and the crew was already an established outfit by that time. they just needed a little nudge coming from a dedicated guitar player ... ahem* ahem* ahem* but seriously, those days were more of the carefree days of the group to a point they managed to not really delve in to making the unit into a fervored hardcore band. I got in and made it much more "steadier"
3. I know that you may have a lot of influences musically but could you tell us some?
Howell – Biofeedback and Tame The Tikbalang was the bands that really get me into hardcore. From the first time I saw them live I said to myself this is where I want to be and be involved with. Then I start listen to Sick of it all, Madball, Agnostic Front, IGNITE, H20, and tons of other New York Hardcore bands.
Johner - on a nostalgic standpoint, I listened to a lot of the alternative rock stuff and grunge in HighSkool until I came across 90's crossover stuff like cromags, leeway, SOD and the like which gradually introduced me to both sides of the opposite spectrum of crossover's roots, namely hardcore and metal. I actually admit to have the same fundamental metal roots spewed by bands like Death, Carcass, At the Gates and the melodic metal fold and the like. However, the common ground for us is we all love listening to the tunes of Agnostic Front, SOIA and Madball, which is the main vein that was struck.
Reggie - NEW YORK HARDCORE MOSTLY...
4. The STA ROSA CD was a success bro; I mean lot of people I know had really put it in their daily play list. How was it? Would you consider it a successful one?
Howell – yeah bro! I can’t explain the feeling when kids know all the words of our songs and they get crazy with our set in every city we tour, giving back the energy we need in every shows. Bro that is enough for me, and plus seeing you guys singalong with us in Cebu I can really say that the Santa Rosa City CD reached far as expected..
Johner - yup, I consider it a success cuz we where able to finally put out our own cd through our own efforts, the main deal with it being a success is that most people (even those outside the scene) know the words to the songs in the album. that is success right off the bat for me. it such a flattering thing to have your material wanted, despite the locality of the area be it as far north or down south.
Reggie - I THINK SO...MANY OF OUR LOCAL KIDS...KNOWS THE LYRIKS...AND WE THANK THEM FOR THE SUPPORT.
5. Lots of your songs are about reality and what in actual fact happens around, what do you think is the reason behind it? And should we be expecting the same type of topics on the next PILEDRIVER offering?
Howell – Since day one PD is all about everyday street life reality. It really reflects in our lyrics, straight to the point no bullshit kind of delivery. Yes, expect the same thing but we will give some twist to it lyrically and musically in the next PD CD.
Reggie - PILEDRIVER IS ALL ABOUT REALITY..HOW WE SEE IT...AND EVERYDAY LIFE
Johner - because we are not a sugar coating band that will be cryptic ... we never have been a band that will beat the cr@p out the bush before making our point. we attack the point directly to convey that message. yup, as far as I know, treb's gonna do a more straight forward lyrical style with the next album
6. You guys had been around for quite sometime, and I know you notice that HARDCORE is getting bigger. How do you feel about it?
Johner - we are proud that the scene is becoming bigger and we appreciate all our friends who also helped us and kept the scene alive despite its short period of being stagnant at a point. we are just scratching the surface of possibilities for us and we are no longer just local, we are now at reach with our ASEAN brothers in the scene to make HARDCORE a global threat! so if you are a hardcore kid, its time to raise our fists and shout that OUR TIME IS NOW!
Reggie - HAPPY...BUT SOME KIDS DOESNT REALLY KNOW WHAT HARDCORE IS ALL ABOUT...
Howell – Its great to see the Hardcore scene here in the Philippines growing steadily. But you know in every progress you make there will always be a sort of problems that you will encounter. But I guess its already given, I think all we need to do is help and respect each other well. This is our TIME!
7. I know that you had toured already a lot. Where do you think is the best? Any funny stories?
Johner - Cebu would be forever be on top our list cuz it’s our second home. there is no "best" scene nor venues nor places, it would be always the BEST OF FRIENDS and Blood Brothas that will account if your playing a sh!tty gig or the grandest event ever. funny story? I think this would count, I always get my money's worth by crapping my pants off to get even with the terminal fee and travel taxes at airports. ha* ha* ha*
Reggie - EVERY TRIP IS SPECIAL FOR THE BAND...AND EVERYTIME...FUNNY THINGS HAPPEN
Howell –Every place we go is best for me but Cebu is the best place ever! Cause every time we play there is like playing a local show here in Santa Rosa. I can feel home there bro, I know you know what i mean.. Pure Hardcore! We all can’t wait to tour Mindanao bro, we want to experience your scene over there first hand.
8. Could you tell us about the song WHAT WE STAND FOR?
Howell – It represent the Laguna Hardcore scene.
Reggie - 3 MUTHAFU**ING WORDS...HAHAHAHAHAHA
Johner - its not about the music its all about three words which are RESPECT, UNITY & BROTHERHOOD ...
9. Could you tell us what you guys do aside from the band?
Reggie - HOWELL AND I HAVE A SMALL AUTODECALS BUSINESS JOHNER AND TREB WORKS AT A CALL CENTER OFFICE
Johner - I'm a program support email response administrator, proud dad of three kids and a trying to-do good husband.
Howell - Running a small decal business with Reggie. Hanging out, working with Railroad Records.
10. Lets get more personal, Music currently on your playlist?Johner - like right now? Icepick, No Innocent Victim, FigureFour and Terror
Reggie - THROWDOWN....TERROR..
Howell – H2O “Nothing to prove” and TERROR “The damned, The shamed”,
11. Aside from hardcore what other stuffs do you listen to?
11. Aside from hardcore what other stuffs do you listen to?
Howell – punk rock, Grunge, hip-hop, anything that is nice to my ears.
Johner - Jazz men! Jazz! from Pat Metheny to Glenn Miller to Miles Davies and everything in between. I also listen to HipHop, classic, prog, alternative rock and of course metal.
Reggie - I LIKE CYPRESSHILL...PUNKROCK...HOMEGROWN MUSIC R&B
12. I think now is also the time to tell us some of your projects man. Anything you want to promote?
Reggie - 2009 SOUTHSIDEKINGS!
Johner - watch out for our second full length SOUTHSIDE KINGS!
Howell – Yeah, hopefully we can release our 2nd CD “Southside kings” this year. It will be out on ONE VOICE RECORDS.
13. What did hardcore gave to you that you wish you could also broaden to the next generation that is coming.
Johner - being real and not living a doomsday filled fantasy hahahahahaha .... what I mean to say is that HARDCORE made me realize that Life is indeed tough ... but it is how you live that live that will make your legacy something you can be proud of ...
Reggie - RESPECT! UNITY, BROTHERHOOD
Howell – Being true to yourself and R.U.B.
14. When do you think PILEDRIVER will break up? Ha ha ha]
Reggie - DEPENDS IF WE ALL DIE AT THE SAME TIME...
Johner - when Howell becomes an Israeli ,,, cant say for sure and till when the main point is that we still love what were doing and we don’t have any plans to quit any time soon .
Howell – After we tour Mindanao? Hahahhaa!
15. Thanks for doing this interview. Appreciate it! Much respect from your friends here in Durian City! Any last words before we end this?
Howell – Thank you so much Peter for this interview, thanx for the interest and time. We all can’t wait to be in Mindanao and meet you all there. Cya all really soon! Keep it HARDCORE all the time!
Johner - We Are planning to do a CRAZY Philippine-ASEAN wide tour and Davao is one of the Cities we really like to play with! See you then! Keep the flame burning and the faith alive!
Reggie - KEEP IT REAL...STAY TRUE...HARDCORE
good shit playlist: Worlds Collide ' Pain is Temporary, Gardo 'DEMO Roundhead 'Demo DRI 'Definition
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