JEFFREY EATON (MLIW) INTERVIEW x GLITTERKIDZ.

The MLIW breakup was surprising to many, the euro tour was blown off out of nothing. Was it really that much of a quick decision as it seemed to be? Was it a tough decision or something you knew in your heart was the right thing to do?

Everything happened pretty fast. Looking back, I started to get the feeling not long after Midnight in America was released and we were out touring on it. I love that album and the process of making it was very fun and fulfilling in a way that none of our previous records had been to me. Tyler (drums) and myself both needed a break and we let the other guys know that and Sjarm and Tim kind of put the pressure on to keep touring and were pissed about taking time off… this was totally justified as they are from Holland and New Jersey and had made Iowa their makeshift home for the sake of playing in the band. Anyways, once I got a chance to sit home and breathe for a minute, I just knew that it was over. It was of course a tough decision. To me it was the most pure thing I could do regarding the way I felt about my friends and the band and music in general. I always told myself that when I got the feeling, I would be done. The reason it was so hard was not because I doubted it to be the right thing, but because we were in a position where we were living off the band and had opportunities to go to places in the world we had never been before and it was hard to throw those opportunites away and go have to get a dayjob. But MLIW meant and still means so much to me. I never wanted to see it be cheapened in any way. I never wanted to get up on stage on not be excited, or not mean every word with every ounce of me. And I never did. And I know it was right and I’m proud of everything we did. Instead of taking a free ride just cause it’s a free ride. That’s not hardcore. Leave that to rock bands.

How have you been ever since? Do you miss the touring? Being on the road and playing every night? Or is it more relieving to be out of that circus?

I am relieved. But I also miss it. Of course I miss it. But my life is still an adventure and a journey that won’t end till I die. I don’t need to be on stage and be written about in magazines to fulfil my ego or anything. It was definitely a circus. It’s easy to get caught up in lots of things you never planned on getting caught up in. I’ll be out there again someday, even if I’m just a roadie for my friends. Going on the road with a band is a fucking blast.

In your blog, manic times, it said that you started working for juice magazine but quit the job two weeks later. What happened?

It just wasn’t right for me. I didn’t like they way they did things and their philosophies. I don’t want to slander them. It was a weird situation and I quit. I think I am going to become a teacher. I’ve always thought about it and it seems like the only job I could do really well and believe in what I am doing.

Well then, what subjects would you love to teach and why?

English and Creative Writing would be my top choices. I think there is a book out there for everyone, and once you find one it makes you want to find more. I really believe that reading helps you grow as a person and feel more connected to other people and the world we are living in. Of course I love to write and it makes sense that if you love to read, you should give writing a shot. Most people find it very fulfilling even if they don't necessarily have the goal of writing a book or getting published. I wouldn't mind doing social sciences like sociology, psychology or history.

How does feel to be a small town kid moving to Los Angeles? Is it like “finally i’m leaving this place!” or more like “oh my god, this place is nuts?!” ?

Both. It has been a good thing for me in many ways. I didn’t want to let any grass grow under my feet post MLIW. I wanted to keep moving, but creatively I need some time and new inspiration. Just driving out here for 3 days all by myself and finding work and a place to live on very little cash was a wild experience. It’s something I have always wanted to do. I dreamed about it when I was very young and it just never went away.

You started a booking and management agency called “devil’s cornfield”, how is that going?

It never went anywhere. Maybe someday. The idea was born out of my desire to help my friends. I wanted to help the Beat Strings, Brooks Strause, Sioux City Pete and the Beggars…these bands that are so fucking amazing and most of the world is oblivious to them. I wanted to take what I learned with my band and try to help them. I guess I kind of realized that for now I don’t want to be on the business side of music. I am on the music side of music and that’s where I belong. The business side of things is fucking boring and very complicated…and often times sneaky and backhanded. I am inspired by Joe Reiman who runs Lifeline Records. He does an amazing job out of his love for music and keeps everything so honest and straight down the line. He’s one in a million. I know its possible, but it’s very difficult for me to be on both sides of that. It was always a strain on my mind during the years of the band, trying to be creative and also trying to get business type shit done.

Reading your blog, one gets the feel that you listen to a lot of oldies, a lot of Jamaican music, folk music, old punkrock and ska. Has that always been your taste or are you just, like many, bored from the scene that’s out there right now?

That’s always been my taste. I just think of all my music together. I was listening to the specials back in high school and they have remained one of my favorite bands all throughout. I really like a lot of bands out there right now. Just recently I’ve been out to shows to see Clouds, Trash Talk, Hot Water Music, Strike Anywhere, Tapper Zukie, Touche Amore, The Aggrolites, The Bug and Warrior Queen, Sister Carrol, The Cool and Deadly. I love the new Fucked Up record. I was psyched to get a copy the new QUICK FIX record. They are kids from Iowa and they played our last show and this is their first record and it rules. If I listened to every hardcore record that came out… of course it would be bored and disenfranchised. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t. I think there are parallels between every kind of music. American Folk, Blues, Soul influenced Jamaican music which influenced punk and brought those great Clash records which morphed into hardcore and Bad Brains…who influence tons of current bands. If you just love and celebrate music and don’t worry about the stupid scene then you’ll never get jaded and you’ll just keep discovering new things in that nearly endless well of recordings of the past, present and future. Music is just sounds and rhythms and words. Find ones that you like or interest you or make you feel a certain way. Then find more. To me, its one of the main things that makes life worth living.

There was an article on you guys in VICE magazine, it was titled “choosing poverty”. Retrospectively, would you say that playing in an even “successful” hardcore punkrock band, it still is “choosing poverty”?

I don’t know. I didn’t really know anything about that Vice thing and then it just happened. Poverty is strong word. I was never going to starve or freeze to death. There is scary and horrible things going on in the world and most of us kids in this scene are fortunate in many ways and we’re doing alright. We are not in Iraq or the Congo right now. I hope that part of this scene is realizing that and being conscious of it and therefore questioning our own lives, religions, economics, materialism and everything else. What we did was not about money, but that headline to that article just made me feel weird. We chose that life over a much more comfortable life and did it willingly so I guess it makes sense, but if your mind is anything like mine you start to read into it and really think about it and then it just seems a little bit foolish.

you just said poverty is too much of a strong word. it probably really is. but would you agree to say that it is an artists job to feel bad? do you think it has to be in an artists nature to live a rough life? i personally feel that the best music is written from rock bottom. would you agree?

I think a lot of great art is created when an artist is at a low point in his/her life...but I would strongly disagree that it is an artist's job to feel bad. Art covers the spectrum of human emotions and desires. I think that's just a matter of personal taste.

i know it's cheesy, but : last words are yours!

Live your dreams. Death is the only deadline. Much love to all the kids all over the world keeping the spirit alive!