The humorous, but still serious crusty love-child of PV fans from Tucson and Phoenix. The band is about as in your face as it gets. When friends Luis (Lois), Austin, Josh, and Matt came together it was in an effort to create something fun while contributing to a scene and culture they love. It was great to have a chance to sit down and hear some of the members perspectives on hardcore punk, messages in music, and writing. Here's what we talked about:
What message or point do you hope to get across to listeners?
Lois: To be honest, I didn't have any intention of spreading a message or anything like that when I was writing lyrics. For the most part they’re just some of my observations/gripes I wanted to get off my chest. Articulate and solidify them as ideas. Unfortunately I’m pretty pessimistic (or realistic) about most things and doubt my lyrics will do much for anyone.
What influences do you cite as a band?Josh: Personally it’s mostly Weekend Nachos, Magrudergrind, and Dead In The Dirt.
Lois: Magrudergrind is my personal all time fav for Grind/Violence but I also had some ideas inspired by Full of Hell and Dreamworks’ 2001 Shrek soundtrack
Austin: Insect Warfare, Infest, Pig Destroyer, Converge (Poacher Diaries), From Ashes Rise, Lack of Interest, Tragedy
Considering the sound, tempo, recording style and editing, there seemed to be many different influences as well as different entry points for the band members. The guys were all more than happy to share which bands they love and at what point they were introduced to hardcore and punk.
Which bands got you into hardcore?
Josh: The first hardcore and hardcore adjacent bands I remember listening to were Comeback Kid, Cruel Hand, and about every band on Facedown Records in the late 2000’s.
Lois: Trapped Under Ice and then a lot of straight edge bands that would be considered metalcore by today's standards. Seventh Dagger Records particularly circulated in my highschool so bands like xAFBx xRepresentx xTyrantx Barcadia
Austin: I started out with a Converge CD I got at the library in middle school. I got into more mathcore type of stuff for a while which led to a few different genres. “Stay Cold” by TUI was the first more standard sounding modern hardcore record I was into.
What was the writing process like with this release?
Josh: Austin had a bunch of songs written and we just sat down and practiced them. Some were just ideas that we finished off. Luis wrote all the lyrics.
Lois: Yeah, we’re split between Phoenix and Tucson so we had like 2 practices to create and finish songs that weren't already in Austins arsenal. I wrote and jammed all the lyrics at home using rough scratch tracks. Then we spent one day in Phx recording all the drums and another recording vocals. Since then, we’ve jammed like 2 times and might jam one more before our first show.
Austin: I wrote a few of the songs 4 years ago for a fun personal project. Lois approached me asking if I wanted to start a powerviolence thing and I said sure. He ended up liking the idea so we decided to expand on it and make it more of a (somewhat) serious thing and wrote more to go with it. I’ll drop the link if anyone wants to hear the old versions
https://wiggleroompv.bandcamp.com/album/wiggle-room
What are the bands plans for the future, any further releases, tours, upcoming shows?
Josh: We’re definitely going to continue writing music. No tours planned but things could change and as of now our only show in the books is March 14th we are playing with Sex Prisoner and Beyond Pain in Tucson.
This release has some great humor to it, while also having a fairly serious message as well. How do you think humor, seriousness, politics, and other ideologies fit into punk music? Or do you feel there is even a place for these types of ideologies?
Josh: I think it’s important to have a message you’re passionate about but at the same time you got to have fun and not take yourself super serious. People go to shows to have fun.
Lois: I feel like there’s this paralyzing effect from how many social issues are thrown in your face constantly. People get overwhelmed because social media, or the news, are just making it seem like everything’s going to shit. Which in turn just turns a certain amount of people apathetic. I personally find a little respite in humor especially when I’m feeling overloaded with negativity. That’s why I like what we got going on in Groin. We’re able to dish out some heavy stuff, give you a little break to catch your breath, then throw your ass back in the deep end, and you’ll still have some energy by the time we’re done.
Austin: I think it’s important to laugh at everything even if it is something serious. It can help you cope with your problems when you realize you don’t need to take everything so seriously and nothing really matters in the end.
What have been your favorite experiences in playing music?
Josh: The people you meet.
Lois: Played a shitty house show once in my old band Chaos Ladder and a local rapper Filly Fee started fighting his own friend in the pit but because they were super faded it ended up turning into a glorious ghetto WWE match. Wayyyy more entertaining than our shitty set.
Austin: I love that music has allowed me to travel and meet so many of the great people I know today
What are some bands, books, or other mediums you’ve enjoyed recently and feel that others should pay attention to?
Josh: “Every Movie is Good” podcast is tight for movie lovers, “Demolisten” podcast is tight for fans of hardcore. Obligatory shoutout to all the local bands in Arizona too. Decided Advantage fanzine. Chris has some stuff in the works too.
Lois: I’m not that cultured so I’ll just shout out all of AZHC, but especially War Prison, Concrete Evidence, Get A Grip, Troubled, and Crossfire.
Austin: Check out Viacom, Hydraulic Press Channel, Henry’s Kitchen, Oats Studios, Denis Villeneuve, Larian Studios, Blackbird Haus, 48vault and of course Groin
Overall and honestly this band is fun loving and heavy. It is the type of aggression you'd want when watching a crazy riot scene in a movie, or when dealing with the murderous tendencies that can creep up when dealing with the most incompetent individuals on the planet. Groins Greatest hits scratches an itch for hatred, anger, humor, and sarcasm that any guitar music fan could ask for.
Follow the band on social media:
Bandcamp: https://groinaz.bandcamp.com/releases
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groin.az/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GROINAZ/
