Who makes up Lighten Up?

Perry on the mic...Mike plays bass...KevSomm on guitar...I'm Andrew and I play the drums.

How and when did the band form?

When I joined what was formerly known as Stu-Gotts, the group became Lighten Up. That was in the spring of 2004.

What was the deal with the Stu-Gotts, and has anything changed since then?

I consulted Perry for this one, and he's a talker, and was also taking a shit while he was on the phone with me, unfortunately adding to the length and the content of the conversation, so here is the abridged version: "Mike and I started playing music together in George Washington High School, and we decided to start a band. We went through a few drummer/singer changes, until eventually the lineup was what it is today except for Andrew. We had a guy named Pip playing drums and recording us. After struggling for a long time trying to get down the right style we wanted, it was finally coming along, but now Pip was not really 100% into it. So KevSomm went to his former band mate from Two Out Threat, Andrew. Andrew takes over on the drums and Lighten Up is born. Lighten Up is different in that we are free of the limitations that Stu-Gotts experienced, and hopefully free of the image of being just some crappy high school band.”

(Back to me) Renaming the band “Lighten Up” was Perry’s idea (I think). The name is a direct reference to a Beastie Boys song. We aren't a positive acting teens club or something, we get that a lot.

How did you get into hardcore, did someone expose you to it or was it something you stumbled upon yourself?

I have and aunt and uncle who got me into punk music at a somewhat early age. Ramones, Dead Milkmen, The Clash...I started listening to that stuff when I was 13-14. That same uncle also played drums in a few bands in the Philly area, and I learned to play through him. But anyway, in my first year of high school I remember hearing Minor Threat...and not knowing what the hell to think of it. I'd never heard anything that fast, I guess. Then I quit listening to bad third wave ska, as certain unnamed individuals in my school had already strongly suggested, and got with the program… So from there I went on to Bad Brains and everything else out of DC, and discovered Black Flag and SST, and it all went from there, I suppose.

The year is coming to a close, what are some of your favorite records that have been released thus far?

This is a little hard, actually; I'm not too good at keeping up with things. Did that Pissed Jeans record come out this year? Or maybe it was 2005...well, I like that a lot. Chicago Underground Duo put out a cool record this year...Oh yeah, there is a group I saw this year, from Maryland, I believe. They're called The Johns, and they've got an amazing demo.

When you're not playing in the band, what do you do.. go to school, work, beg?

I work for a bakery in Chestnut Hill and I go to school in Jersey. The rest of the guys all go to college and work as well. This passed summer was unusually eventful for me...I was playing in another band in addition to Lighten Up, and got to tour all over this great nation. Other than that I continue to try to maintain a vow of silence, and periodically check Lighten Up’s myface.com website.

There are a lot of great bands from Philadelphia, any favorites?

Uhh…well in terms of hardcore-related music…I personally favor F.O.D…Paint It Black…and the almighty MUSCLEBOUND. Outside my old apartment in West Philly, every now and then there was this dude who would stand in the intersection of 46th and Kingsessing and shout and sing into a bullhorn about Jesus Christ…it was probably the most interesting thing remotely musical I have seen in Philadelphia for a few years.

How did you guys get hooked up with Brain Drain Records to release the new 7"?

Bill and Jay have been friends with Perry for awhile, and when they started their own label they knew we were anxious to release the new things we had recorded. Yes.

What does the future hold for you guys?

Uhh…look into my nipples of the future? I don’t know; I’m not a psychic. BUT we are trying to play more shows outside the immediate area, ‘cause I got this van, see, and I want to put it to good use, ya know? Primarily weekend journeys right now due to our full time school and work schedules. But when the summer of 2007 rolls around, look out daughters and wives of America- KevSomm is pummeling through. And Lighten Up will be with him for musical accompaniment, as well.

Well, that's all she wrote. I'd like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Anything you would like to tell the ladies and gents?

Not really. But I will take this opportunity to thank Mike Drelling for his contributions since we forgot to do so on the record…oops.

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myspace.com/lightenuphardcore