Wrong Answer

So, last week I have the opportunity to go and see Cruel Hand play the Firestation in Windsor. You might have read my review of it, if you did, you’ll know that it was a pretty sweet night. What I didn’t mention in the review was that initially, I only went to see two bands, Thrones and Cruel Hand. I turned up thinking that seeing anything else good would be a bonus. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I liked support band Wrong Answer (who played just before Cruel Hand) so much that I ended up, spur of the moment, asking for an interview over the merch table. Forty five minutes later, with no Dictaphone and only some gig flyers to write notes on, I was sat opposite Wrong Answer’s lead vocalist Justin, my ears still ringing, trying to think of something coherent to say.



Now if you go onto the band’s Bandcamp page you’ll find they are currently offering up 2 free EPs/Mini-albums to download. You won’t find many bands doing that, especially bands that are successful enough to be on a co-headlining European tour that covers Sweden, the UK, Germany, Spain, Portugal and France. That alone tells you quite a bit about Wrong Answer to start with. They want you to hear their music, and they don’t seem to care that you don’t have to pay for it.

In a way it’s surprising the band are at the stage when they can tour like they are, because although Wrong Answer has existed since 2006 the band was, in Justin’s words ‘a side project’. It wasn’t until mid-2009 when ‘the other band’ folded that Wrong Answer took off, writing and record material and playing shows. Less than two years later they’re in England supporting one of America’s best hardcore bands. Whatever you think of their music, you have to give it to them, that’s some solid work.

Concerning the music itself, if you like hardcore, then you’ll love this band. Chaotic riffs (that’s no bad thing) with solid chugging bass and some mighty fine vocals that sound a bit like Terror’s Scott Vogel if he was a bit less like bear growling. Think classic ‘80s hardcore brought up to date a tad and you’ll be along the right lines.
Of course, written down that could be a dozen other good hardcore bands, but give them a listen (and see them live if you can) and you’ll see that they’re a bit more than just another ‘edge hardcore band.

Influences might have something to do with that. Justin name dropped The Dead Kennedys and The Sex Pistols as bands he was into from a young age, before getting into ‘bands like Gorilla Biscuits’ when he moved from Canada to America. So far so standard punk. But when I asked (in a particularly music nerdy way) what five bands he would like to see play on the same bill the list was pretty revealing. The Smiths, Wu Tang Clan, Judge, Coheed and Cambria and Turning Point. Sure, having Judge on that list is no surprise, but this is not a guy who just listens to obscure punk all day, which may well be why the band are a touch above ‘generic hardcore’.

More than anything though, the interview showed the band’s desire to play shows, if that was in doubt having just seen them rip it up in a half filled basement in a town were big bands don’t come to play. Justin enthused about every other band on the bill and seemed fully stoked to be touring outside of the US. When asked about touring ‘Anything that gets me out of my flat is a bonus’ was how the reply started and, having just seen the band live, I genuine believed that to be true. Philadelphia (where the band now all live) it would seem is not a place where much fun happens.

So in the end, not only did I get to spend my Wednesday night at pretty sweet show, I also got to sit down with a really nice guy from a more than promising hardcore band and have a chat. There may be better ways to spend an evening mid-week, but I can’t think of any. Check this band out, and if they play anywhere near you, go watch them.



(Wrong Answer are currently on tour with Guilty in Europe, be a babe and go ‘like’ them on Facebook yes?)