Bootlicker - Vancouver's Sleazy, Dirty, Rough, Hardcore Attack Squadron...

That, or just Hardcore Punk

Welcome, welcome. How is it going through Vancouver’s icy lands? Let us start at the beginning of everything: who are the BOOTLICKERS, where are you going and how much destruction will accompany you?

Bootlicker is made up of people from all over the province of BC. My name's Lewis, I write the music and do vocals in the band, Athena plays guitar, Josh plays guitar, Mark plays Bass and Lucas plays the drums. 

What is the concept behind the name? Bootlicker is a bit shocking, isn't it? Ahahah

It’s a slight homage to Sweden’s Shitlickers. I think we lucked out on the name though, pretty classic sounding sex and violence punk band.

"Bootlicker" is scheduled to come out June 18. Did the creation and recording process that resulted in this work take place during 2020, or already in 2021?

Some songs were written prior to 2020 but the thick of it was done throughout quarantine. I was off work so I ate lots of mushrooms and worked on music. Me and Lucas demo tracked it in May and recorded everything proper later that summer. 

How is, by default, the creative process/production/recording of a Bootlicker album?

It usually starts with a release concept, sometimes based around art or lyrical concepts. Next, we sort out if its and EP or and LP and then I start writing for the appropriate length.  A lot of the time we will spend a year working on 10-12 songs for an EP that only has 6. We’ll trim it down and demo track everything, sit on it for a bit and fine tune parts, then track it “proper” with Trevor Robson. Will Killingsworth has been our mixing/mastering wizard since the beginning so we ship it off to him for the real artistry.

I have read several descriptions of your music where the D-Beat label comes up. Still, it seems to me that it is quite reductive. There are details of British Punk, for example. But yes, there is (healthy) violence, it is true! How do you categorize yourselves (if you do)?

Yeah that's always tricky, and I know just saying “hardcore” is pretty vague. That can mean anything these days.  People say tons of different weird shit, some of it’s on and some of it seems off to me but at the end of the day it's all up to the individuals learned experience with music. I don’t care to get into it much. The most common ones are “UK82/Scandi punk with Midwest/Eastcoast American Hardcore influences”.

With labels come - in this case - influences. What are the influences that have a direct action on your music (musical, lyric, etc.)?

Absolutely everything.  The biggest influence above all is just the common experience of the human condition.  The name says it all.  The song titles tell the story.  The lyrics show the process.  Musically it’s kinda all over, but predominantly the UK’s punk and hardcore from almost every decade.  You can hear bits of Japan, Scandinavia, the US, and Canada as well but that goes without saying.

What about the message? What message does your music carry? "Music is Music, Message is Message", or should Music have Message?

If a message is relayed through our music I think it would come across as negative to the uninitiated listener. But those who find solace in aggressive or ugly music know how much positivity and fulfillment it can give us.  Sonically I think it’s really militant and rigid, which ultimately feels oppressive but that’s the point. Within that the message is the story of subservience and complacency.    

How is the Hardcore Punk scene in Canada? Does the southern border bring you winds of inspiration, or is the Atlantic side more "pleasant"?

Haha, it’s all really pleasant. There’s a handful of great groups from the east coast of Canada that get me excited, but I think the US wins this one just by numbers.

What was it like living a year like 2020? How did this mess with you, as individuals and as a band?

It really sucked not seeing the others but I think we all needed the “break”. The lot of us haven't taken a breather from music related projects in years and I think not touring and doing more self-care was needed, at least for me. I’m eager to get back on the road nonetheless.

What can we expect from Bootlicker for the year 2021? More music?

Our LP comes out on Neon Taste and Static Shock, and we’ve got 2 new tracks on a BC Bovver Compilation coming out on Last Years Youth and Rebellion later this year.  Lastly, were putting together a compilation of our first 4 E.P.s but that could be a ways out yet.

Thank you so much for the opportunity. Day 19 I send you our interview ahahah was a pleasure, just as it is a pleasure to enjoy your "sound beating session".

Hey thanks a lot.  Appreciate your interest, and hope to see you down the road.  Cheers!

Bootlicker Official Bandcamp