You know that part in Jurassic Park when they realise the dinosaurs have started to reproduce? When life, uh, found a way? I had a similar feeling watching the '3am in Southport' video. At last, beatdown hardcore had been combined with Aussie drill. Life found a way.

Now we all have to deal with the monster of Deathrow. Nambour in particular will when they play here as part of the Nambour Market Day Fest. Bought to you by Queens of the Pit, Anti Vision and Bad Habit. We sent some questions about crime, masculinity in hardcore and UFOs. Here's the answers.

BAD HABIT: 10 or so years ago, I saw this news story about a maniac robbing a servo on the Gold Coast. In the footage, old mate had thongs on and some bubble wrap over his head with eye holes cut out. I was just like fuck, the GC is another world. Nek minit Deathrow bring out 3am in Southport and it’s all trap/beatdown/criminal biz insanity. What is it with the Gold Coast being this criminal haven? Where does Deathrow fit into this world? Can you sort a bag when I come down for that big Toe to Toe show at Vinnies?

DEATHROW: The GC is wild. I’d have to attribute its reputation to the fact it’s the party capital of Australia. You aren’t going to find more bars, clubs, pubs, brothels and a casino located in such a small area anywhere else in the country, making it rife with crackies and degenerates. You put enough of those characters together and you’re bound to end up with chaos.

Was having a quiet lunchtime beer at SOPO on Christmas Eve 2022 when some crackie wandered in with a Coles bag and asked for a sip of someone’s beer. After being told to fuck off he pulled a machete from said Coles bag screaming “how bout now dog?” Never a dull moment.

The last two Deathrow EPs were written from experiences seen and heard by me in the pubs and bars of Southport, and the Southport Courthouse. A lot of the blokes I’ve met around the GC are either addicts of some sort, dealers, runners, bikie connects (or so claimed) or just adrenaline junkies. For instance, one bloke who was well off for money decided to take up a career calling for meets with dealers to mug them. Not because he needed the money, but for fun. He’d make me sit at the window seat of the street view window at the pub so that I’d be his “human shield”, as he was concerned that someone could roll past for a drive-by. Insanity if you ask me, but it made for good stories.

Get to know me better and you’ll know why I’m not going to comment on that last question in writing haha.

BH: Speaking of Vinnies, from a distance it seems like such an important part of the underground culture landscape. It’s like the freaks’ clubhouse. How important is that place for Deathrow and the GC in general?

D: Vinnies is without a doubt our home and the heart and soul of Gold Coast hardcore. Freaks clubhouse for sure. But that’s because anyone is welcome from all walks of life, unless they’re a grub and want to fuck around and be sorted out by the locals. The owner and staff are legends and it’s the easiest and cheapest venue (from what I’ve seen) in the country to run shows from. If you take away Vinnies, you may as well say goodbye to Gold Coast hardcore.

You won’t understand until you’ve been to a Vinnies small room show with us, Entrapment, Crave Death and Cold Blood. Shit’s off tap. Bodies everywhere.

BH: I wanted to talk about masculinity in the context of hardcore. It’s a current issue in the mainstream, young men falling into this manosphere, toxic, Andrew Tate or whatever world. I think hardcore provides this other path that’s "Masculine" but it still enforces a level of responsibility and some gentleness to the community around you. It allows young men to be leaders but also pushes to elevate those who struggle to find their voice. Of course there’s so many flaws and these ideals aren't always adhered to in the best way. It can be messy. I just wanted to ask what your thoughts on all this? Have there been times when you've had to check yourself, or got a tap on the shoulder by someone and thought, man, I wish I'd handled that in a better way.

D: Being in a likeminded community that preaches acceptance can definitely empower people that usually wouldn’t speak up, to speak up. The community has also done a decent job at creating a culture that lets people who want to act like cunts know that they’re not welcome and won’t be accepted.

Hardcore should be the perfect place for positive masculinity, a place where you can fight for what’s right, express yourself and be yourself without belittling others. There’s definitely people that take the “callout culture” idea too far. And there’s still a lot of behind the scenes bullying and exclusivity, particularly from bands that have their own weird cliques. They think they’re better than everyone else because they play in a biggish band but at the end of the day, and to normies, they’re just weird cunts like the rest of us. I’ll never understand where they get their egos from.

I personally haven’t had many issues within the scene or with accepting anyone and everyone, but I’m not perfect by any means. I’ve been pulled up in the last year or so in my private life, as sometimes I act in a way that makes it seem like I don’t give a fuck about anything or anyone but myself. This has never been my intention and is something that I’m really trying to work on. I think all we can do as people is acknowledge our wrongdoings and strive to be better, and that’s something I want to delve into in future Deathrow releases.

BH: Alright, that last question is a big question really, so we'll wrap it up. What can we expect from Deathrow on the Nambour show? What’s the next move for the 'Row (please please please let there be a full length that finishes with a ballad). Do you believe in UFOs? They say Nambour is the UFO capital of Australia.

D: Nambour can expect nothing less than our staple unrelentingly aggressive live show.

One thing I used to notice at our shows was everyone standing around with their arms folded waiting for the mosh part. Made me wonder why we don’t just write the best bits and cut out all the filler riffs. Now no one in the room gets a chance to catch their breath or drop their guard during a Deathrow set. Haven’t played an all ages show in years, so I’m keen to see what the youth mosh style is doing. Best keep your chin tucked.

We’re dropping a split EP with our Queanbeyan brothers Born2Lose early June with that Southport Beatdown aggression. Then we’re bunkering down to write our debut LP. Expect the Deathrow sound you know and love with some added flair. Actual music haha.

We also have something special dropping in between releases.

You’re an idiot if you don’t believe in UFOs. Hope we can catch one outside Black Box.

Cheers for the interview!

BH: PS - Deathrow just dropped a split, check it here.

Catch Deathrow at the Black Box Theatre in Nambour on Sunday 29 June.

BAD HABIT RECORDS, ANTIVISION AND QUEENS OF THE PIT present a multi stage mini alternative fest, at The Old Ambulance Station and Black Box Theatre. 

The day features a free second hand/vintage/art market hosted by Bad Habits, held in the Old Ambo's Gallery Space, next to the Bad Habit shop. The Markets will start at 9am and proceed to the afternoon.

14 bands will perform throughout the day, starting from 12.30pm with sets alternating between the Black Box Theatre (hosted by Antivision) and the Ramp Space  in the Old Ambulance (hosted by Queens of the Pit). The killer lineup of punk, hardcore, rock and metal includes...

ENTRAPMENT, DOMINANT HAND (NSW), FLAIL, VIPERSNATCH, DEATHROW, BRAWLIST, WHOROBOROS, LOBOTOMY GIRL, XNCHOODSX (NSW), NO HARM, NOT TELLING, FREYA WILCOX AND THE HOWL, PSYCHLONE AND LAVENDER THREAT.

All Ages – strictly no BYO.

Tickets are $30 – get tickets here

Come celebrate a day of alternative culture and experience the finest of the Nambour underground experience!