Interview | Choice to Make

featuring Caleb Hartnett & Nate Preschutti

What are some of the factors that have contributed to the onslaught of good hardcore/alternative music that has come out of the SWB in the past 10+ years?

CH: At this point, I think it’s about keeping a strong local tradition alive. We all grew up seeing amazing bands play in/come from this area, and if we were to let that die on our watch, it would be a hard thing to live with. We’re also within a 5 hour drive from Baltimore, NYC, Philly, DC, Boston, etc. so it’s easy to gain influence from the scenes in major cities all around us. Those of us that had grown up at the age where the current bands playing in SWB were Title Fight, Tigers Jaw, Captain, and the Menzingers were lucky enough to have that generation of punks push us to start our own bands and support us. Hopefully we can keep that spirit alive. 

NP: There’s always been good hardcore/underground music coming from Nepa for a long time. So having a firm foundation from bands like strength for a reason who’ve been doing it since the 90s and cold world since the 2000s makes it easier to keep the house standing for a long time. We had the first hardcore fest in the form of posi numbers before every city had one, so that also had an influence that led to bands like title fight which leads to bands like one step closer. A real each one teach one mentality. - 

What does the having a sense of unity within a local scene mean to you? 

CH: Just like in any other scene, there’ll be petty bullshit. Maybe it exists even more so in an alternative music scene, since it focuses so heavily on expressing emotion and unapologetically being yourself. But my idea of unity in a local scene is seeing past the petty bullshit and working towards the bigger picture. You don’t have to like everyone in the local scene, but for fucks sake don’t let that ruin it for everyone. Just like in the local skate scene, even if you have different opinions, perspectives, styles, you’re all there cause you love skating. Same thing goes for punk music. Bottom line, who’s gonna look at a scene where everyone’s bickering / talking shit on each other and think “ooh I want a piece of that!” ?… Not me.

Best show you’ve gotten to play recently?

CH: End of Summer Skate Jam! Vibes were right, beautiful summer night in Wilkes Barre, right under a bridge after a long day of skating. All our friends were there, our set was on point, and kids were popping off. Hands down, most fun I’ve had playing in a while.

NP: Syracuse was super sick , small spot , lots of people, not a ton of room to move so 4 people  going off at once makes it feel wild . Small venues and DIY booking is the vibe. Also the skate jam was awesome last summer.

Personal favorite track from “Nature of Mortality” and why?

NP: No coming back. I was introduced to suicide at a young age , and it’s been a reoccurring theme in my life as well as many others. A lot of people deal with suicidal thoughts on a daily basis, and usually if they take a breath and fight for a minute that moment will pass and they can try to keep going. It’s a hard struggle. 

Who is behind is From Within Records how did you get started working with them?

NP: Carter who sings in statement of pride runs from within, he’s always been about choice to make and was down to have from within do the record so it just lined up time wise. One scene unity.

What are you still trying to develop a band?

NP: The mosh pit.

Name a video or two from the Feet First Productions channel that best capture the vibe of a show in the NEPA scene. 

CH: Stick Together - For Myself (live at Redwood) - SPOILER ALERT - it’s 6 seconds long, cause our friend John Reilly kicks the camera out of Jeff’s hands. That or Bad Seed Slambfest ‘08. Our good friend Brendan Morrison filmed it. Some serious NEPA HC history right there.

What do y’all have on tap for the rest of 2024?

CH: As far as I know, we have a show coming up in NJ with Crime in Stereo at Salty’s and a local gig with some good friends (Dimension 6, Backlash, and Negative Force). Aside from that, it would be great to get a weekend or two in this summer with bands we all like. I love a little lowkey fun trip.

Photo: Spencer Chamberlain

Originally published in Issue 3 - May 2024