In the vein of local music, arts and entertainment we are glad to debut our first local film related interview at hurdcore.com as we discuss the upcoming premiere of Saving Winston with director Shane Hawks. Saving Winston is a family-friendly drama about a troubled teen that finds redemption through her faith in God and the rehabilitation of a rescue horse. The film was shot and produced locally in Eugene, Oregon and will premiere Friday, October 21st at First Baptist Church of Eugene (3550 Fox Meadow Road).

When you attended school at the U of O, did you set out with the goal of getting into movies?
Shane Hawks – Director I’ve always loved movies. When I was 8 years old, I found out that there was a person called the director who made the movies. From that point on I knew what I wanted to do. I graduated from Oregon with a degree in Telecommunications and Film and for almost 20 years I’ve been pursuing this dream.

Do you remember the first film(s) that peaked your interest in pursing film as a career path?
SH Two films definitely had the biggest influence on me. For my 8th birthday I saw Star Wars for the first time in the theater in 1977. It of course had a huge influence. But when I was 12, I watched 2001, just on my family’s TV with commercial breaks and everything. This was when the light really turned on, I finally realized that films could also be works of art.

Your first films are in the horror genre, what about your process makes your perspective in this domain unique?
SH My early projects where all very surreal and “artsy” horror films. They never really found an audience, mainly because they were too “artsy” for the horror crowd and too horrific for the art house crowd. But I did learn how to make films on a small/micro budget.

The core of the story of “Saving Winston” intertwines the lives of a troubled teen girl and a rescue horse, how much of the background for the story is based upon real characters/experiences?
SH Jodi Johnson wrote the screenplay and she had experience as an actual horse trainer. So as we were working on new drafts of the script, I was encouraging her to put in as much of her real horse training knowledge as possible. That type of experience is priceless for a script. As far as the interpersonal relationships go, I believe Jodi based the ideas loosely on a few experiences she had, but probably 90% was created.

How did you come across the script and at what point did it become clear that this was a movie you wanted to be involved with?
SH This is a very long answer, so I’ll do my best to give you the shortest version possible. My wife and I were living in L.A. and my last film “Naomi” (which we put all our own money into) did nothing to improve my filmmaking career. I figured I would never make another film again. So when I hit rock bottom, God was there for me. I came to the realization that if I ever had the chance to make another film, it would only be for His glory. And not 3 weeks later, an old friend of mine who is also an aspiring script writer, Jodi Johnson, contacted me to let me know she was finishing a new Christian screenplay. That was 3 years ago and the script was Saving Winston.

Who are the key players in getting this movie off the ground?
SH Jodi, not only because of the screenplay, but also because she had contacts with people that owned horses and horse stables (all used in the film). My wife, Carrie who also served as a producer. Without her support and faith, Saving Winston would have probably just stayed on the page. Our investors who believed in our abilities enough and the message we were promoting to get involved. Victoria Emmons and the realism she brought to Ashley’s character. The list can go on and on. This might sound cheesy, but the biggest player was the Lord. This was my 4th film and I know what can happen to derail an independent film from ever being completed. We had countless miracles happen that not only allowed this project to be completed, but to also succeed.

“Saving Winston” is a family friendly film which is a little bit of a step away from your previous films which are notably darker, what is most important to you when writing, directing and/or producing a film?
SH When you make low budget films, you have to wear a lot of different hats. I’ve been lucky and learned how to not only write, direct, and produce, but also shoot, edit, and (for my earlier films) do special make-up effects as well. But I always felt that if I could only choose one, it would be to direct. I really feel that is my strength.

There is a certain stigma that comes with “Christian Films” which many writers, actors, directors and producers are making great strides to overturn, what have you seen in regards to the obstacles that positive movies face in the current entertainment climate?
SH I really feel the tone of Christian films is the biggest obstacle to overcome when trying to reach a bigger audience. It seems a lot of people feel Christian movies are just silly. Because my past films dealt with serious subject matters, I did my best to keep the tone of Saving Winston serious and as realistic as possible. It does have a happy ending but we didn’t shy away from the realism of a troubled teen’s journey.

As a writer-director, who/what do you see as some of the greatest impacts in the world of independent films with a positive message?
SH It’s almost impossible to not mention the Kendrick Brothers and what they have done to elevate the independent Christian market. I would also like to mention Terrence Malick and his new film Tree of Life. It is truly a masterpiece and a must see for anyone who considers themselves a film lover.

Whether films or any other line of business, budget is always a concern. What do you believe are the key lessons you have learned in making a quality low budget film that carries a positive message?
SH Use new technology. Just a few years ago, the equipment I used would have cost over $250,000. Today you can get a great HD camera and editing system for around $10,000. It’s still expensive, but not out of reach. I shot Saving Winston with the Canon 5D camera and it produces some of the best looking HD images I’ve seen. For the first time in film history, technology has leveled the playing field. So now it’s one’s own creativity that is the biggest obstacle.

The premier for “Saving Winston” is this Friday at 7pm at First Baptist Church of Eugene, where else can those interested see or purchase this film?
SH This is the only local screening we are planning at this point, but if successful, we may have others. Saving Winston was released on DVD early this month. It is available right now on amazon.com and most other Christian and Non-Christian websites that sell DVDs. For more information, please visit www.savingwinston.com

What other projects do you have in the works and when can we expect to see your work on the screen again?
SH We have a few ideas in the works right now. I’m working with Jodi on a new script called The Eddy Line. It’s a story of redemption that takes place in the world of recreational rafting and kayaking. We hope to shoot it on the Rogue River. But at this point, we’re not quite sure where the Lord will lead us next.

Saving Winston from Pure Flix Entertainment starring Victoria Emmons, Meghan McCabe-Habrat and Austin Kearney is directed by Shane Hawks, written by Jodi Johnson and co-produced by Jodi Johnson and Carrie Hawks. Find out more about the movie and how to get a copy at www.savingwinston.com

Fans of BTA will recognize Clifton as the face of your ASG “Beard Skull” guitar, but for those who don’t know, how/when did Clifton become a part of the band?
Count Seth – Guitars & Keys Clifton’s origins are part of a cloudy history. It’s difficult to cut through the legend and myth that surround him and come out with a clear grasp on the truth of who Clifton is or where he comes from. His involvement with the band started during our “Bring Your Own Beard” Tour, for which he allowed himself to be on the poster. After that, we seemed to just get along and we’re very thankful he chose us to represent to the world.

Is there any fear that Clifton needs to settle down, that he may get a big head after all this exposure and go diva on the band?
CS Not at all. It’s inherent in beardskulls to maintain humility even in the most glaring of spotlights. Beardskulls are by nature hardworking, magical, humble and terrifying. Clifton couldn’t rebel against those elements of his nature even if he wanted to. That’s why he’s a perfect fit for us: he’s teaching us how to be what we should be. One could say that he has become the archetype, while we are still just Becoming The Archetype, haha.

In addition to your input on the design, what components did you select to go into this guitar and why were they important to you?
CS One of the big elements there was the ability to get the guitar with EMG pickups. I’ve played active EMGs for the vast majority of my time with BTA and I think they give a great sound for heavy music, especially through a 5150-style amp. A lot of the other elements are standard to ASG models. But part of the reason we agreed to do a model with ASG was their commitment to quality and style. I particularly like their headstock. At this point, creating a unique headstock that doesn’t look ridiculous is very difficult. But they did it and that impresses me.

Do you remember your first guitar-lust moment, when you saw the guitar you just had to have?
CS Haha, that’s happened a couple times. When I first started my other band, Anchors, I was jolted with a passion for hollowbodies. I remember walking through guitar stores on the road and picking up Gretsch after Gretsch and playing it. But those were always too expensive so I had to settle for an Ibanez artcore series, which are good hollowbodies for the price.

But even before that, I do remember having a love for Jackson guitars. The reversed headstock and EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose bridge w/ whammy bar. That was certainly guitar lust. But it’s now nothing but a memory because I’m not that fond of Jacksons anymore. BTA plays ESPs and they’re great, so I have no reason to want a Jackson. But I still love hollow bodies and I still pick one up sometimes and play with it and imagine the spirit of Brian Setzer oozing out of the f-holes and working it’s magic on my strings.

When in the studio, do you assemble the same menu of guitars that you use for live performances or expand everything to achieve various sounds?
CS We use a pretty vast array in the studio. We usually use Gibson Studios to record rhythm tracks. They’re just really beefy and solid. The the lead guitarist (whether it was Daniel or Jon or Alex) would use their favorite personal guitar for the solos. I used a couple different things for the parts I would play. On Breathing Light, I used a Telecaster. I enjoy those things as well. Loads of fun. Live, we use nothing but ESP and they’re great.

With the pursuit of the ever deepening sound in your genre in particular, what adjustments are you making in the equipment and writing process to keep the balance between heavy and crisp?
CS We always remind ourselves that the brain is the best tool you’ve got for achieving excellence and crafting beauty. So we rely on our mind a lot, but we also depend on our producers to give us good advice. That’s a big reason why Dichotomy and Celestial Completion sound so good: Devin Townsend and Matt Goldman were invaluable in knowing which amp to pair with which cab and microphone to get a great tone. Then we’d mess with string size and occasionally which delay pedals or whatever that we were using. Because we know what’s good on stage and we’re learning what sounds like us in the studio, but a good producer knows how to get the sound you’re looking for and we’ve been very fortunate to have those producers for our last two albums.

ASG is making custom guitars at an affordable price, do you have any words of wisdom for fans of yours that will grab the “Beard Skull” and lock themselves in the basement to try to become the next shred master?
CS Haha, yeah I believe I do. Mainly, every guitar player should remember that playing solidly is the most important thing. Anyone can play fast. If you don’t believe that, look up the thousands of youtube videos of 12 year old kids sweep picking their brains out. Playing steady and staying in the pocket is much more difficult because it requires discipline and not just frenetic energy and muscle spasms. Also, pay attention to tone. Don’t go onstage without understanding your amp and pedals. Make sure you’re getting the best possible tone out of your gear. And finally, BE CREATIVE! Yes, you can learn from others and follow in their footsteps. But then use what you’ve learned and make it your own. That’s where you can find fulfillment in music.

There seems to always to be a deeper meaning to everything you do as a band, with the recent release of the video for Magnetic Sky how happy were you with the finished product for your elaborate concept?
CS I’m extremely pleased with how everything turned out with Celestial Completion. Both the music, the lyrics, the production, the flow of the album, the photo shoot, the concepts of the two videos (The Magnetic Sky and Breathing Light) and all the interviews I did in support of it. It was a well-planned and coordinated effort to pull off an interesting and true image of ourselves. I began thinking about all those things while we were in the studio and as I saw how the lyrics were coming together and how we all felt as a band, I started crafting a concept of what we could wear, what theme we could do for our photo shoot and what concept we could pull of for our music video. It was a lot of fun and I think people saw that. We wanted our music to be heavy and intense but still retain the energy and fun that we had in making it. People seemed to feel that. We’re humorous people that don’t take ourselves too seriously and we wanted that to come across in everything related to Celestial Completion. That’s a big reason why Clifton has stuck with us for so long now.

Your latest release, Celestial Completion (Solidstate Records), overall is perhaps your most expansive as far as incorporating your diverse tastes in music, what feedback are you getting from fans as to how they are enjoying the diversity in sound?
CS Our fans understood the diversity for the most part. We had a couple people that kinda balked at the ska section in Cardiac Rebellion, but other than that, our instrumentation was accepted very well. We like to roll the dice sometimes and put bits of ourselves into the music that may not normally go into heavy music. We’ll always be an experimental and musically diverse band, but I think CC is about as crazy as we’ll get with world instruments. Our next album is going to be a lot of experimenting with sounds on guitar and keys. We’ve realized there’s a world right there in our traditional instruments that can be explored and we can discover some incredibly unique sounds right there without having to bring in a sitar and trombone. So look for that on the next album: interesting, fun sounds on the guitar and keys and vocals mixed with our progressive metal base. Oh yeah, and go buy “Beardskull!” right now!

ASG aka Artist Series Guitars is now taking reservations for the “Beardskull” guitar starting at $449.00 ASG has partnered with bands the likes of Becoming The Archetype, Demon Hunter, Bleeding Through, Asking Alexandria and more to provide guitar enthusiasts with excellent playability, custom features, unique designs at an affordable price. Click “Beardskull” now to get your Clifton inspired Becoming The Archetype Custom Guitar on reserve today!

Redemption Rocks! Concerts announces: Esterlyn – Benefit Concert for the Egan Warming Center

Tuesday, November 15 · 8:00pm – 11:00pm
at New Life Church
2080 19th Street – Springfield, OR

Special Guests to be announced.
Tickets 7$ before Oct. 15th
9$ OCt. 15th – Nov. 14th
$12 at the door.

Please bring clean socks, sleeping bags, paper goods, towels and such to donate for the Egan Warming Center and a Women’s recovery house. Get your tickets 2 ways – charge by phone: 800-965-9324 or online @iTickets.com.

The Egan Warming Center is a coalition of community members representing service providers, nonprofits, faith and social activists communities and local government who have come together since 2008 to ensure that homeless people have shelter during extreme cold weather. Named in honor of Major Thomas Egan, a kindly gentleman who froze to death during a cold spell in 2008, the Warming Center mission is simple: to ensure that homeless people in Lane County have a place to sleep indoors when temperatures drop to 30 degrees or below between November 15th and March 31st.

[from our friends at The Syndicate]: California outfit, Lightfighter has released their debut s/t EP for a FREE download. The group which features ex members of A Midsky Surrender and Hello Astronaut deliver what they self deem as “Metal Step” which blends screamo melodies with a multi-layered electronic tempo.

For more info on the band, visit: Facebook.com/LightfighterCA

Hurdcore.com reminds you of the opportunity to get some FREE hardcore, metal and rock music from two of the premiere West Coast indie music outlets. Solid State Records and Facedown Records have both made their 2011 heavy music samplers available in their entirety for FREE via “like” and download from their Facebook pages.

10 Song Sampler available for FREE from Solid State Records with songs from August Burns Red, Haste The Day, Underoath, Demon Hunter, Living Sacrifice, My Children My Bride, The Showdown, As They Sleep, Wolves At The Gate and To Speak Of Wolves. Get the full “I Am Solid State” sampler for a taste of the 2011 lineup from Solid State Records by downloading at Facebook.

12 Song Sampler available for FREE from Facedown Records with songs from Ace Augustine, Hope For The Dying, Onward To Olympus, My Epic, Call To Persevere, Overcome, Altars, We The Gathered, Ark Of The Covenant, Dynasty, Hands and Gideon. Download the Facedown Records Summer Sampler 2011 from Facebook for a FREE upgrade to your heavy music library.

Solid State and Facedown have both put forth offering that span some of their established artists as well as introductions to bands who are just beginning to make their mark in the hardcore and metal scenes. You can’t beat the price (FREE) but you will also be hard pressed to beat the value as these aren’t rough cuts from garage bands but well produced tracks from some of the up and coming bands in the heavy music industry.

On Tuesday, September 27, 2011 Mike Thrasher Presents welcomes We Came As Romans, Miss May I, Of Mice and Men, Texas in July and Close to Home to the WOW Hall in Eugene, Oregon.

Tickets are $16 in advance, $18 at the door, available from WOW Hall and TicketsWest. Doors open at 6:00 pm and showtime is 6:30.

Review the hurdcore.com interview with We Came As Romans Guitarist Joshua Moore from 2010 – HERE.

In many ways hip hop has become a caricature of itself, where so many rappers are playing and singing hard but living soft. Not to say that the “hard life” is a desirable style, but it is inspiring to meet someone who has walked the dark roads, found the light and works through music and motorcycles to help others to change course. Whether its hitting the road with the Gorilla Gospel MC, writing rhymes cast in real life for Gorilla Gospel Records, or speaking in venues from prisons to schools with Gorilla Gospel Ministries, Todd G is putting his life story and talents to work to bring good news where it can change lives. Todd G’s latest album, The Light, is available now stacked with 11 tracks of the signature method and message of Gorilla Gospel Records featuring artists such as JB The Don (A.K.A. Preacher J), KB The New, Cool Nutz, Arjay, J-Philly, Michael Kay, Hi-Q and more.

People often hear Christian rapper and are quick to dismiss it as second class to “real rap”, how do you maintain the essence of hip-hop and share a positive message?
Todd G: I have always just rapped about my life and what I am going through. I did that as a secular rapper, and I now do that with the music I make as well. I just put the truth as I know it above everything else and record. Like Cool Nutz once told me, “There is no recipe for being real, you just are or your not.” That’s what’s up.

You are proud and ready to share your life story with others, what did it look like in your life when you first felt God moving in your life?
TG: When God first began to move in my life I didn’t want to move with Him. I had been in a groove of negativity and crime for so long that I was more comfortable there. But, God is bigger than that and had other plans for me. All the credit goes to Him because I pretty much didn’t do anything but obstruct His plans.

How do you keep fresh in your pursuit of Christ and the purpose you believe He has designed you for?
TG: I follow what we call the three legged stool. Three things: Prayer, Reading His Word, and fellowshipping with other believers. I feel like you gotta practice all three with consistency in your life to maintain balance – like a three legged stool. If things start going haywire, I can usually pin point it back to one of those areas lacking in my life. Me, personally, I gotta read my Bible everyday. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. It’s necessary, for me….and as far as His (God’s) purpose, I find that you gotta slow it down pretty often, get away, get in the quiet away from all the noise of the world that keeps us distracted. God will speak to you, it’s our job to get to where we can hear Him…Word?

Where do you draw inspiration from and who keeps you accountable to your purpose?
TG: I have a Men’s Group Bible study that meets each Tuesday. It’s basically an accountability group. I also lift weights with a guy that helps me be accountable in the gym and in life…I get inspiration from Church, The Bible, other believers, and sometimes from music. I just listened to a Lecrae album the other day and it was major as far as getting spiritually “fed”.

Gorilla Gospel is one aspect of what you do, for those who are unfamiliar with these efforts – what is Gorilla Gospel and what are you and your team doing through this medium?
TG: Gorilla Gospel is our ministry, record label and MC (Motorcycle Club). We put out records and the club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity where we ride hard and help our brothers get assimilated back into healthy lives after prison, crime, drama, whatever. It’s a brotherhood for guys like us who are headed towards the right direction and want to make our lives and the world better. Give, rather than take. My Gorillas have done a lot of taking. Now we give back. I still travel and do speaking engagements as well.

You’ve been involved with Northwest hip-hop since 1989, what have been some of the most significant changes you have seen in the scene?
TG: Shoot, the Northwest has went from a few rappers to a few rappers on every street. That’s cool. Although it does tend to get a bit over saturated and at times the over all quality of the music suffers. Home studios were the best and worst invention ever for Hip Hop. But I will say that I love the Northwest and I represent that culture and vibe world wide, literally.

You have performed locally, nationally and internationally, what are some of the fondest memories from touring outside of your base here in Oregon?
TG: My fondest memories of touring are the first time I performed over seas in a huge venue. The crowd couldn’t even speak much English but thousands of kids were chanting my name, thanks to the Norwegian host leading them, and I stood back stage holding my cordless and tried not to cry for real. I was overwhelmed with where God had taken me to share what He has done in my life and I knew in my core I really didn’t deserve it. A second chance, a second life. It was crazy. Then I went out and chopped it up! It was good. My second tour over seas “Gangsta Boogie” with Cool Nutz was amazing. We had so much fun every day and Soren, who was the chief editor of Source Magazine came with us to cover the tour for the magazine…let’s just say before we even touched down on foreign soil, the flight attendants had asked us more than once to quiet down. We argued about who the greatest rappers ever were almost the entire flight! All in good fun though. *Next time you interview Nutz, ask him about turbulence above Greenland. Now THAT’S a story.

To Die For Records is your own label, when did you start TDFD and who do you work with to produce music?
TG: To Die 4 Records was started by me, Balou The Sasquatch and Tone Only back in 1999 to release Lisa Towner’s self titled debut CD. After that, Tone went to prison for murder and we moved out of the R&B game and got back into rap. We knew that market better and we had tried to market a pop/r&b project through hip hop channels and avenues and it quite honestly didn’t work. It was fun though. Then we put out Northwest Game the Compiliation – back when independent records actually sold with very little promotion. The rest is history.

The Light is your latest release dropping in 2011, will this be classic Todd G or do you have some new elements to unleash with this album?
TG: The Light is out now. And it is an album I am very happy with. It is a bit more aggressive in parts, but again, it is very true to where I am at right now. All my records really document the time and season of life I am in. Chopper Music is Gorilla Gospel album #7 and it’s crazy! It’s like hardcore west coast rap for new school bikers mixed with my testimony and our club biz. It’s cool. At least I think so. lol.

What else is in the mix for Todd G in 2011?
TG: This year we are going hard with the motorcycle club. We just got back from the Laughlin River Run in Nevada and we are on a roll. We got a lot of runs and events coming up soon. Check out www.gorillagospel.com for the updates.

Todd G (Hip Hop – Porltand, OR) latest album The Light (Gorilla Gospel Records) is available now at CD Baby, keep up to date at www.toddgministries.com

Hurdcore.com is local music, local art and local entertainment. Local music reviews, interviews, event promotion, art and entertainment collaboration. Whether hardcore, punk, indie or rap. Check in throughout the week, friend us on myspace and join us facebook.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Portland, Oregon based Fallstar takes a unique approach to the heavy music genre, delivering ambient infused hardcore on the very non-traditional label Come and Live Records. Teaming with the likes vision fueled standouts such as C&L and Veil Arms Clothing, the members of Fallstar are giving their music away while still cutting albums, hitting the road and growing a devoted fan base in the heavy music scene. As crazy as it sounds, many bands, fans and businesses want to be a part of something bigger than money alone and in doing so find a way to survive with their art and mission intact. Special thanks to Jameson Ketchum of Cadence PR for setting up this hurdcore.com interview with Fallstar bassist Bryan Ratzlaff as the band releases their debut album Reconciler. Refiner. Igniter. on Come and Live Records.

So every band looks forward to being signed by a label. At any point were you guys thinking, “Yes! We’ve finally been signed by a label – wait, they want us to do WHAT?!”
Bryan Ratzlaff – Bass: Ha Ha. Yes, there was definitely a point where that was going through our minds. But honestly we never worried much about the concept of giving out music away for free. Of course there was the question of, “How are we going to make any money and live on the road if we give our music away as a gift?” In the end we all agreed to go where God wants us, and every one of us felt a heavy push in the direction of Come&Live! If God asks us to go into an organization that asks that we give our music for free then he will make a way for us to support ourselves financially.

What about C&L made this the right fit for you?
BR: The biggest difference in C&L! is that it really isn’t a traditional record label. We learned quite a bit about the music industry and how labels work through shopping out R.R.I. And we found that most times those labels are nothing that we want to be a part of. We as individuals and as a band don’t care about making excessive amounts of money, and for the most part every label we talked to cared a whole lot. Not that wanting to make money is a bad thing, we just believe that the vision of C&L! is much more in tune to the Fallstar’s vision. We want to spread the message of Jesus, and we want to do that by playing music, from the beginning C&L has always wanted to support us in doing just that.

How do you approach the aspect of your lives where you would like to be living off of the music?
BR: I personally am just taking that step by step. I think it would be unwise to count on making enough money to live comfortably just by playing music, but I don’t believe it to be impossible. For now everything that the band makes just goes back into the band, weather it be to pay for new merch, and recording, or paying back band members, nobody is pocketing anything yet. All the guys have some alternate way of making money weather it be a regular job, or selling their blood plasma. Maybe some day Fallstar will be able to pay all of our bills but for now we are all just excited to be able to travel and play the music that we love.

Reconciler. Refiner. Igniter. are all adjectives in reference to Christ, what about these particular attributes stand out to you?
BR: These three words are really the process in which we have seen Jesus come to the aid of people who want his help. First he welcomes us back to himself with open arms, erasing all the bad things we have done and makes us clean. This part is pretty rad, there is actually a physical relief when we come back to God, like you just dropped a set of weights you didn’t know you were carrying. Then we are refined by God, as soon as we come back he starts working on us, straightening out all of the kinks and dents we have accumulated over the years. And finally “Igniter” is describing the way God’s spirit in us reacts with our souls. It is very close to the way a fire consumes a pile of wood, but instead of using us up and turning us to nothing, when God ignites souls we see men and women become something that never would have surfaced without God.

Are you Christians who make music that happens to also be Christian in tone or do you purpose to use your music as an expression of your faith?
BR: We write as an expression of our faith. People usually write about what impacts them the most, many times that will be girls, romantic relationships, politics etc. But what we have seen in Jesus blows all of those things out of the water. We have all seen how knowing God heals hurting lives and fixes broken families and we can’t help but write about that. We would be doing ourselves and everybody a disservice if we were to write about anything less.

How has music been a vehicle for growing in your personal faith?
BR: For me being in Fallstar and playing shows has been my church. The experiences that we have had with other people, and being on the road are what have grown me the most. I worry about very few things these days. I’m not scared about how I am going to make money in the future. I’m not phased when a wheel breaks off of our bus the day before we go on tour. We have had more crappy things happen to us than I can count, but God always brings us out of us in better shape than we were in before. It has been proven to us that we are taken care of.

Did you grow up in church? How/when did Christ become something personal for you?
BR: I grew up going to church. Every single Sunday for 19 years I would go, but my faith only became really my own a few years ago. I wanted to see God for myself, I had heard all about him in church and from my family, but I never really saw or felt anything that I could say was definitely God. So a while ago I decided that I needed to see him for myself. Chris speaks a lot about how each of us in the band had to find God on our own, what I did was go into my closet with all the lights off and started praying, asking God to show up. I resolved that I wasn’t going to leave that closet until I got an answer, and I got one. That is when Jesus became real for me.

Do you remember the first album/song that sucked you into the influence of heavy music?
BR: The Agony Scene – We Bury Our Dead at Dawn. When I was 13 I got a Solid State records sampler when I bought a shirt of some Tooth & Nail band that I really liked. I put the CD in and was blown away. I had never heard anything that moved me the way heavy music does. The level of energy and passion inside of heavy music got me instantly hooked.

What were the events and circumstances that lead to the formation of Fallstar?
BR: Fallstar has a crazy story. There have been more members in the band than I can count on two hands, and looking back, the chances of the current lineup being in same band together are really very low. I didn’t even play an instrument until I joined Fallstar. Jason lived in a tiny town called Monmouth 70 miles away and was told by a mutual friend to try out. Cody met a friend of ours through Craigslist and was in 2 different bands when we met him. Somehow everything worked out to where we can all play music together.

Is there any significance behind the name Fallstar?
BR: The name Fallstar comes from a story about Chris’ and my dad. A few years back he learned some pretty horrible things about his past and his family and really wanted a fresh start. So he decided that he would change his last name to disassociate himself from those things. Our last name is Ratzlaff, which if spelled backwards is essentially Fallstar, which he now goes by. We saw that as a beautiful illustration of how Jesus takes us and changes us and gives us a clean slate to start over.

Fallstar (Hardcore/Ambient – Portland, OR) is: Chris Ratzlaff – Vocals; Jason Brown – Guitar; Justin Hagg – Guitar; Cody Carrier – Drums; Bryan Ratzlaff – Bass. Their debut full length album, Reconciler. Refiner. Igniter. is available now on Come & Live Records. Keep up to date with the band via their facebook and download their album for FREE at comeandlive.com.

Applying the hurdcore.com spin to album reviews, band bios and artist interviews. Covering local metal, hip-hop and indie artists and events from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Illinois and far beyond. Interviews with local bands posted every Sunday, friend us on myspace and join us facebook.

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? - Jesus

[HC:Wire] (May 2, 2011) Veil Arms Clothing Announces RYFO.ORG as their May 2011 INSPIRE, PRODUCE, INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN charity recipient.

(from Cadence PR) Veil Arms is proud to announce that The RYFO Network is May’s chosen organization for its Inspire/Produce/Influence Campaign. The design team at Veil Arms has come up with an exclusive collaboration tee to compliment RYFO that will be available for purchase at www.veilarms.com. The tees are in high demand and are limited to a low number so get your hands on one today! All proceeds of the tees go directly to RYFO.org to help continue this amazing project.
The RYFO Network is a touring band’s best friend. Founder Nick Greenwood has developed a network of people who are dedicated to assisting musicians out there on the road for months on end. They provide housing, food, and any additional support that a touring act can ask for. Instead of spending countless nights in Wal-Mart parking lots huddled together in a smelly hot van, The RYFO Network can find you a roof over your head and good food in your stomachs and best of all its completely free! RYFO host homes must apply to be said housing as well as provide ample information that the house is indeed a conducive environment for the specific needs of touring musicians. Please visit www.ryfo.org for more details on how to help and become a part of this amazing movement in music. Also be on the look out starting in June as RYFO will be launching a brand new web-software platform called “RYFO.ORG 2.0 LITE” which will take everything RYFO to the next level, giving bands and caring fans new functionality to better serve the voices they love.

To help promote this very unique project, here are a small ways you can spread the word and help RYFO.org have a great month.
1. Simply copy and paste this phrase to your Twitter: “Head over to VeilArms.com to see the exclusive collabo tee for RYFO.org. All proceeds of sales go directly to helping RYFO which in turn helps your favorite bands on the road! @veil_arms @ryfonetwork #inspire”
2. Facebook: Head over to Veilarms.com to see the limited run collabo tee with all proceeds going to RYFO.org. Help out your favorite bands on the road! #inspire
3. Post this press release to your blog or webpage!

ABOUT THE INSPIRE. PRODUCE. INFLUENCE. CAMPAIGN: Beginning April 1st, 2011 Veil Arms Clothing will create a limited run of a unique t-shirt design each month that coincides with the theme of the three-month period. 100% of the profits from the tees will go to a charity of VA’s choice. The shirts will be an exclusive and unique Veil Arms design, including the charity’s logo onto the shirt, and will be printed in limited numbers and available for a limited time.

Interviews with local bands posted every Sunday. Hurdcore.com is working with artists, fans and venues to promote music events from Portland to Spokane to Chicago. Whether hardcore, punk, indie or rap. Check in throughout the week, friend us on myspace and join us facebook.

I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough. – Jesus

Our friends at Redemption Rocks! present Kutless, Disciple and Carlos Whittaker

WHERE: Eugene First Baptist Church – Eugene, Oregon
WHEN: May 11, 2011 @ 730PM

From Redemption Rocks! –

The least expensive place to get tickets is from First Baptist (18$ GA individual, 15$ GA groups of 10 or more. #541-345-0341). The next least expensive place is the Tree of Life bookstores at Valley River Center and Gateway Mall (18.50$ GA individual, 15.50$ GA group)

Hurdcore.com is “fans supporting local music.” Reppin’ local by teaming with artists, fans and venues to celebrate local efforts. Hurdcore covers metal, hip-hop, pop and rock from Eugene to Seattle to Davenport and beyond. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook.

The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!” - Jesus