MADBALL Matt Henderson, Hoya Roc
8 min read
MADBALL deliver New York hardcore with a streetwise intensity, combining grinding riffs, heavy grooves and Freddy Cricien’s unmistakable bark. What began as a side project involving members of AGNOSTIC FRONT has developed into a formidable band in its own right, with Cricien following his older brother Roger Miret onto the stages of the hardcore scene. The early releases "Ball Of Destruction" and "Droppin’ Many Suckers" laid the groundwork, while last year’s debut full-length "Set It Off" sharpened their attack into short, explosive songs. With lyrics rooted in loyalty, confrontation and everyday struggles, MADBALL give their music the urgency of experience rather than observation.
Jump to a question (8)
“Dynamo was fun. Playing in front of 100,000 people, who wouldn't want to do that?”
Hardcore bands generally aren’t used to playing to audiences larger than 300 people. What was it like to play in front of 120,000 people at this year’s Dynamo festival?
Matt: It was crazy. While I was up there I just had no time to think about it. We’d never played on a stage that big; my cord wasn’t even long enough to reach the microphone. We just walked out there and I saw all these people jumping around. I know we were there, but looking back and thinking about it, I can’t believe we played in front of all those people.
Hoya: For a band like us, playing in front of 2,000 people is like, ‘Wow, what the fuck?’ Now we’ve got, who knows how many, about 120,000 people. The good thing is that people support all the bands that have been on. You’ve got all the different styles: metal, hardcore, crossover bands. They could never have something like this back home.
A band like yours is used to having friends and fans on stage, but at Dynamo everyone except you got kicked off during your performance.
Matt: We weren’t aware of it before we went out. If we had been, we’d have done something to change it. We got up on stage and played. A couple of our friends were there, but not many. We had no time to think about it; we had to play. It all went by in a rush. After the show they told me they’d been kicked off the stage. Even people playing that day and the day after got kicked off the fucking stage while we were playing. That’s wrong. We want people to come on stage and have a good time.
Maybe hardcore bands should generally stay away from big festivals like that, or is it something we shouldn’t worry about?
Matt: It’s a good experience. I had fun doing it, but it’s one of those things you’ve got to be careful with. I’m telling you, AGNOSTIC FRONT broke up because of the music business. It became too big a factor in our lives, and we’re not a group of people who are very into business. It’s easier for us just to do what we do, play our music, run around like jerks or whatever and have a good time. When it comes to the business side, where lots of other people try to get their fingers in, things get a little touchy. I hope that doesn’t start happening. As I said, Dynamo was fun. Playing in front of 100,000 people, who wouldn’t want to do that? But not every night! We’re more at home in clubs.
What about the tour in general? Are you satisfied with how it’s gone so far?
Matt: No. I wish I could say yes, and there are a lot of kids whose support I really appreciate, but things are getting fucked up over here. In many ways it’s turning into a big business thing. I don’t know exactly what’s going on; maybe I shouldn’t call it big business. But there are so many bands touring here at the same time, and everybody’s trying to grab something until there’s nothing left. We should all slow down a little before the whole thing gets too commercialised.
Just to be clear, there are a lot of good people here who know what hardcore is about. I do enjoy playing here for the shows themselves. It’s good to see people coming out to support the bands. MADBALL definitely appreciate all of that.
Do you think the US scene is taking any influence from the scene here in Europe?
Matt: The US scene is going back to the old ways, to what Europe has right now. At one point Europe was better than the States because there wasn’t a scene in the States anymore. It was scattered, had died out; it was dead. Europe was really grassroots, and still is, with people putting out their own zines, which keeps the scene alive. It’s moving back in that direction, which is really good to see. So maybe in a way, because bands like us go to Europe and come back and tell people what’s going on. It’s coming back.
While the situation in the States is improving, things here might move in the opposite direction. Won’t Europe eventually choke on the masses of bands coming over from the US?
Matt: I hope not. It can happen; it’s what happened in the States. A lot of labels are trying to push bands over here now, but I think people are getting smart at the same time. It used to seem that any band could come here and play to a few hundred people if they said they were from New York. But people here are starting to sort things out and notice things, which is really cool.
MADBALL always support bands with a very distinctive sound, like the BRUISERS or CROWN OF THORNZ, by bringing them over here. What do you think of CROWN OF THORNZ, who came with you this time?
Matt: I’m really glad CROWN OF THORNZ are out now, because a lot of bands sound the same. The music gets very generic. CROWN OF THORNZ have a really unique style. Even I wasn’t sure what to make of it when I first heard it, because it was something I wasn’t used to hearing at a hardcore show. It was different and really stood out. They’re a great band, and it’s good they’re out now because they’ll open things up to more styles. There’s no question they’re hardcore; it’s just a different style of music.
There have been widespread rumours about members of MADBALL committing acts of violence against other people. Did something happen, or is it just another rumour?
Hoya: Something did happen, but it was just me. Some guy had written something about my friends back home. He said we were fascists, we were this and that. These people don’t even know me. I’ve got friends in jail for life. They don’t know what it’s like to fight racism; I do. These people sit at home and write about it, and they don’t do shit. I’ve faced it. I’ve got friends in jail for fighting against it. When people disrespect that, they’re not even disrespecting me; they’re disrespecting my friends in jail. That really bothers me, and I punched him in the mouth. I could have done worse. I told him, ‘Now you can write shit about me, because now you have a reason.’
That’s one thing: if somebody’s my friend, I’ll jump in front of a bullet for him. Even if they said MADBALL suck, fine, not everybody can like you. But he’s talking about something he knows nothing about, and that really bothers me. A lot of people talk shit about this and that. I punched him in the mouth, but right before I did it I told him, ‘This has nothing to do with MADBALL. This is Hoya.’
I’m a pretty easy-going guy. If somebody bothers me, it really has to be something. If anyone comes up to me or anybody in the band, I’m the first to hang out with them. I like laughing and hanging out. I just want people to respect me as I respect them. But these people talk about something they know absolutely nothing about, then call you a racist or a fascist. I’ve fought racism; I’ve been in this shit all along. They can’t tell me anything about it. If somebody wants to know about me, I’ll hang out with anybody. I treat you the way you treat me. That’s the bottom line.