Canadian Skate Punk Legends Belvedere released their fifth studio album ‘THE REVENGE OF THE FIFTH’ on 5th MAY 2016 via LOCKJAW RECORDS (UK), and in celebration we decided to have a little chat to see how things have changed since their last record all the way back in 2004.
It’s been 12 years since your last album, and you’ve come back onto the circuit with an absolute blinder. How does it feel to be back in the game?
Thank you so much. So glad you like it. It’s great to have some new music out and to hear positive responses to it. We’re so happy to already see people singing every word of the new songs at our shows.
You must have missed that feeling. Was it easy to settle back in to recording after so much time?
Yes it was great to play these reunion shows but it’s even better when it’s with some new tunes. Recording was pretty mellow. We took our time and recorded over 2.5 months in little 2-4 hour sessions at our drummer Casey’s studio.
What benefits did you find came from recording in that mellow way, in a familiar environment, that you might not have found otherwise?
No pressure and thus no fighting! Also, it gave us a chance to really listen to everything and make changes as needed. We demoed most of the album in advance so we knew what we wanted going into the real thing.
Going back to the DIY roots in a sense?
I have no idea. All our albums in the past were done quickly and with little planning. We’re fortunate to have a drummer with a real studio. Once tracked we went to the Blasting room in Colorado for mixing and mastering.
Wow. Sounds like the perfect arrangement. So what changed to mean you had more time this go around?
We had no deadline and no tours to have a record out for. We couldn’t record full time for a month anyways with families and jobs. It had to be this way or it wouldn’t have happened at all. Once we had everything written , we could then book studio time and tentatively place release dates and tour dates.
So the record is entitled The Revenge of the Fifth. Can you tell us a bit about where that name came from?
Revenge of the fifth was a riff that Scott emailed to me on May 5th last year. The name stuck so we carried it forward to the title of the album. It worked out pretty well.
And you released this record on 05/05 as your fifth studio record with a title of five words. What’s with that number?
Just the way it worked out. We were looking at beginning of may to release so we went with the 5th just to be mildly clever . It wasn’t that clever haha.
Well I like it. Nice touch. So as a skate/music magazine were interested in your background. When I first heard of Belvedere you were called “skate punk pioneers”, how did those things come together for you? In short, where did skating fit in to Belvedere
I think it’s more of a music class than a way of life. A few of us skate here and there but Scott is the only one who is any good. Our music is fast and aggressive and pairs well with skating. Just like wine with cheese, haha.
I agree dude. What does being a skate punk mean to you guys then?
It reminds me of playing people’s backyards, basement shows, skate parks and any where kids were hanging out. We played any and everywhere through the 90’s and met some great people throughout the punk hardcore and skate scene. I don’t know if we should be called pioneers as we followed in the footsteps of many but we certainly appreciate the nod.
It says on your wiki page that you had initially planned on not playing shows, is there any truth in that?
Well I had a label called hourglass records. In ’96 I was putting out a 4 band compilation: I was jamming with some guys and had a name called belvedere. We had a few song so I thought it would be cool to try and record for the comp. I didn’t think we would do anything as our bass player was filling in as a favour and was much more of a jazz bassist. Then the comp was coming out and well I thought why not play a show? We did and we were awful but I loved it. I haven’t stopped loving it.
So from playing friends houses and skateparks to getting on the bills with Groezrock and Warped Tour. Do you ever miss those first steps and do you ever get to play those smaller DIY shows nowadays?
I appreciate everything we’ve done but I don’t miss sleeping on floors all the time. We still play small shows, basement shows here and there and small clubs. It’s not all big festivals. We still sorta see the whole spectrum of venues.
That’s good to hear dude. The skate scene has changed a lot since the 90s, particularly in how commercial it’s become. I’m intrigued to hear whether you’ve noticed a big difference in the people who come see you play? How is it to be a skate punk band in 2016?
I don’t know I feel it’s gone the other way. I mean you saw a huge surge of people in the mid-nineties come to shows when punk blew up. It stayed steady for a long time but most of that age group has gotten older, had kids, can’t get a babysitter 2 nights a week and many have given up on the scene. I’m not sure it’s popular for a 20 year old to listen to our kind of music. Maybe that’s why now when people come to our shows they’re really passionate about being there and they truly love the music. Some travel a long way for shows and sacrifice time with their families to spend their evening watching our band. We’re lucky to still have that type of underground fan base.
I think so. By commercialised I meant it’s less about DIY and more about big companies. So you don’t see bands like yours come out of the woodwork anymore.
Well I don’t know how many big companies are pushing punk bands. We’re not completely DIY, we work with a wonderful group of people including indie labels, promoters, bookers and other helpful individuals. They do everything they can to get our words and music out there.
That said I’m sure there are hundreds of kids out there looking to start their own punk bands and play each other’s houses and shows. What would you say those kids?
Do it. Make music you like and make a demo and force everyone you know to listen to it. Play shows work hard, you’ll get better , you’ll see the world. There’s nothing better.
Haha sound advice. So what’s on the cards for Belvedere now? Seeing the world again on tour with this record?
Slowly but surely …and likely on long weekends. It may take 5 years to do it all but we’ll try. Haha.
There’s that number five again!
Haha you bet. I can’t stop.
Well dude, I hope I’ll see you at a show soon! Is there anybody you want to thank?
I want to thank you and your readers, Bird Attack Records and Lockjaw Records for being awesome!
Thanks for talking to Skateism, dude. Keep pushing…
Check out Belvedere and get The Revenge of the Fifth today.
