No Silence!

I went to a show last night and Bob was there so I interviewed him real quick about some stuff. Check it out!

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No Silence Zine!: State your name and what you do in Native.

Bobby Markos/Native: I’m Bobby Markos and I play bass and do vocals in Native.

NS: You’re currently writing for a new album. Tell us a little bit about that.

BM: This is technically our third release, but it’s our second full length album. We’ve been writing, and we’re a little more than half way through it. Um, we’ve written a lot of songs for it but we’ve only kept like, four. Just because we’re really picky on how we want it to come out. I think we really..you know. We want it to be the best thing we’ve ever done. We all want it to be something we can go back to a year from now and listen to and be really happy with, which we haven’t really had much luck with up to this point, so we’re hoping this time will be a lot different.

NS: You’re not happy with your first two releases?

BM: Oh, I mean. I can go back to ‘em now that it’s been some time and listen to them and be like “Okay, there are parts of this that I am really proud of.” But there’s a lot of it where I feel like, you know. To the standard we’re on today, I don’t feel like it’s up to that standard. But maybe a year ago it was. Standards always change within a band, you know, you always progress. So it’s hard to hold stuff you wrote a year ago to where you are today. So, I feel like where we are today…the old material doesn’t live up to it. But like I said, there are aspects of it that I am still really proud of and I’m really glad we wrote. We set out for Native to be a band where we write music that we can listen to. You know, we’d write music that we want to listen to. And I feel like there are times where I’ll put We Delete; Erase on or I’ll put Wrestling Moves on and I’ll be like “Okay. I can listen to some of these songs and be really happy with them.” But, you know, there are always moments where you’re like, “Man, I wish we would’ve done this differently.” Or wish that we would’ve taken more time writing these songs.

NS: There was sort of a change in style going from We Delete; Erase to Wrestling Moves. You got heavier, or something. Can we expect an even heavier album this time around?

BM: Yeah, I think what we’re really concentrating on is writing really “full” music. Like, I like the technicality in We Delete; Erase, I feel like those songs were really well written ‘cause we kinda just had to play jazz. We just kinda had to invent it as we went. There was no real “map” of how to write a song, a really technical song like that. But unfortunately, when you write a song that is so melodically based, a lot of times you’ll lose an aspect of fullness to it. And we listen to a lot of bands like Breather Resist or Converge or Young Widows and those bands, when you listen to them, it’s just like a wall of a sound just hitting you, you know? And I love music like that, where I can just feel the force on my chest as I listen to it. Another good example’s Caspian from Massachusetts. Their music isn’t like “Wow this is so loud, it hurts my ears.” It’s like, “Wow this is so powerful, I can really feel it.” I think we try more and more not to write songs technically in the thing where it’s technical like “Yeah, there’s a lot of parts, there’s a lot of notes there.” But more like technical like “Wow, this is technically a very well-written song. Very well put together.” There’s heaviness and it’s melodic, like they compliment one another. So, I think with our new material, we’re not necessarily setting out to write the heaviest album ever. I think we’re more so concentrating on dynamic much more now. You know, where it’s like “Okay, we want this part to be especially quiet. What can we do to make it that way? Oh yeah, well, have a really heavy part before it.” You know like, concentrating more so on dynamic than we are how heavy we can make something. But like, with the music we listen to I think we’re more inspired to write heavier music. And the emotion behind it is naturally a lot heavier. So, I think people are going to hear a definitely heavier album, but it’s not gonna be like, intentionally so.

NS: I’ve been a fan of your music for years now, I’m pretty sure I saw you guys at your third or fourth real show. I just want to say I’m really proud of how far you’ve gone with your music since then, you’ve really blown up as a band. How do you avoid letting it all go to your head, or do you? 

BM: Well, first of all, thank you. I really appreciate you saying that. There was definitely a time where I think we kind of…we’ve been talking about this a lot lately. Especially with younger bands, we’re friends with a lot of younger bands and they’re all starting to gain some attention and get some great opportunities really young. For example, our good friends Code Orange Kids from Pittsburgh, they’re starting to get some really great opportunities. And I think back on it and we were very, very young when we signed to the label we’re signed to now. And I think, when you’re that young, without thinking, you let things go to your head. I think eventually we just sort of started expecting things. We just were expectant of things, for whatever reason. We just got lazier as a band. I think we had really bad attitudes about a lot of things, I think we got really jealous and, I don’t know. It was all really weak. There was no reason for it. And we all kind of woke up simultaneously, it was really last summer when this happened, we all kind of woke up and were like..”We’re not going to get anywhere like this. We got to where we are from working hard and earning things.” It wasn’t like expecting people to hand things to us, you know? Like, that’s not how it works. You earn things by working hard, and if things don’t work out, you still work hard. You know, that’s the point. You’re doing your band for you, you’re not doing it to reap the benefits or to be rewarded. It’s not like “We wrote this album so we should expect this reward.” No, it’s like “We wrote this album because we want to write this album.” So, I think we all got re-centered, and we went on some really great tours this year. I think we realized how much this band means to other people, aside from us. And I think we kinda got back in touch with who we are. Take that as it may be. If we are humble people, that’s who we are. I never want to be a band where we’re so cocky and so unapproachable that a kid is afraid to talk to me. You know? I’d rather be the kind of person where any kid can grab me at a show or grab me on Facebook or whatever, you know. Add me on Facebook, I don’t give a fuck. Just add me anywhere, I’m really no one. I mean, you’re sitting in my hometown right now. I don’t live in some guarded community. I’m not making seven figures a year…I’m not. I’m just a kid from Portage, Indiana. And my bandmates are just kids from Indiana, too. That’s all there is to it, we’re not this unapproachable band. We love talking to kids. We love talking to anybody about anything. I think we realized that that’s what this is all about. It’s all about this community. And it’s all about making yourself available and making yourself approachable. There’s no reason to walk around with this false sense of entitlement. No one should have it, no one’s done anything that great. I can see it if I was walking around with a mantle full of Grammys or something…then maybe it’d be different. Stay true to yourself and stay humble. Work hard. That’s how good things happen to you. You meet great people like that, and that’s why we got into this was to meet great people and to write music that meant something to people. So, like I said, we all came back to that and that’s where we are right now. We all feel very good mentally. We’re all in good mental health about Native and our surroundings, and I’m so excited to be out talking to people and doing things the right way.

NS: I remember seeing you guys what seemed like every other weekend when I was like fourteen. And all of my friends and I would come out to your show and dance to your music and do whatever we wanted and it was fucking awesome. We’d hang out after the shows and everyone was like a big, happy family. Do you miss the tiny shows you’d play in basements with your friends or do you prefer the shows you’re playing now with big-name bands?

BM: There is good and bad with all. With basement shows and living room shows and things like that, they’re still so great and they’re still such an important part of a band’s growth. You know? You can’t just start a band and be like “Okay, I’m going to go play Congress Theatre in Chicago.” It doesn’t work like that. Coming up honestly, and working your way up, and playing wherever you can play, wherever people will see you play, that’s what it’s all about. I do miss how unpredictable a house show or something was. ‘Cause you never knew what to expect, like, for example playing Duffy’s house in Goshen, Indiana, you never knew what to expect. It was like “Man, I know there’s going to be people there, I don’t know what’s going to happen.” It was just like, so off the wall. And, you know, playing the church in South Bend, Generic, and everywhere..I still really enjoy it. But the problem is, with those communities, I feel like the sense of community is so fleeting. It kind of comes and goes. You’ll have your really ON shows there, where everyone is on board and everyone’s all about it and, like you said, it’s a really big, happy family. And then the next week no one goes. You know what I mean? No one gives a shit. It’s so hit or miss, and I don’t know what it is, but there’s something that doesn’t keep kids there all the time. It’s very rare, I’ve only seen it in like two or three places where like every time we go there, it’s good. But then talking about the bigger shows, you know, we’ve done some bigger tours this year. For us, what it’s gotten down to is, it’s not like a big tour vs. a little tour. We can mix dates everywhere. We just did our tour with Thursday and on our off dates we played little shows at like coffee shops or bars. And to us it wasn’t like “Oh shit, we were in an opera house last night and now we’re in this little bar.” It was like, we played a show here and we played a show here. We’ve kind of gotten past that, which I’m glad ‘cause a lot of bands can get hung up on it. But for us, what it’s gotten down to is, we need to play wherever kids will come to see us. That’s the purpose, you know? You should never be going through the motions one way or another. Like, we’re going on a tour and we’re only going to play house shows. But there’s not going to be anyone there. Or, we’re going on a tour and we’re only going to play venues but there’s not going to be anyone there. You need to be like, “Okay, we’re going to go on tour. Who wants to see us play?” And then you find out who wants to see you play and where, and that’s where you play. That’s what it’s come down to and I think we learned that the hard way. You go into it with this mentality like “I’m only going to do this because this is cool.” It’s like, you have to go where you’re wanted, pretty much. So, I definitely miss how unpredictable and how wild some house shows can be. And we’ll always play house shows whenever they’re available, but at the same time I miss the sense of community. And whenever a place claims to be DIY, it’s just a label. It’s a cop out. It’s like, you’re DIY certified, okay I’ll go to your show. No, it’s like, do you take care of your bands? Do you promote your shows? Do kids go out? I don’t want to play a house show for the sake of playing a house show. I want to play a house show ‘cause I know kids that want to see us are going to be able to see us play there and we’re gonna be able to have a good time. Same with a venue. I’m not going to play a venue because Nirvana played there. That’s great, but, are the shows well promoted? Are the bands taken care of? That’s what matters- how well the bands are taken care of and how well the kids that come to see the bands are taken care of. We’re not going to go out to a place based on reputation anymore. It doesn’t work like that anymore.

NS: What are you most proud of having accomplished with Native?

BM: Um, that’s a really good question. I think that I’m most proud of whenever a band that I really enjoy happens to enjoy Native. For example, I’m a huge fan of a group of hardcore bands from Montreal. One of which being a band called Kraken. And the last time we played Montreal, the guitar player was there. And when we set up to play, he was right up front to watch us. And I was just so damn stoked. You know, it was a great show and there was a lot of people there and it was really fun, but the fact that that dude was there, like right up front…I was like “Wow this is so, so cool.” That, to me is just the biggest deal. Whenever you like a band, you kinda look up to them. It’s not an intentional thing, you just kinda look up to them. And whenever they happen to like your band it’s not like, “Oh, this person likes my band, I’m going to like their band.” It’s not like that, it’s like. Oh, I happen to like your band, too. That, to me, is a huge deal. And there have been some other instances with that. And another thing is whenever I hear that like our band influenced someone to do something. For instance, I know some kids that were in metal core bands that played your local metal core shows and then they came to a Native show and they saw how things were there and how different things can be and that inspired them to try something new and now they’re in like a post hardcore band and they’re doing things way differently. That to me is a huge deal. That is why people do art. You do art to leave your mark. You want to change something, you want to make things progress with your art. And I feel like going in a band that gets popular and then just burns out and is done with like a year later and no one ever hears from you again, that, versus being in a band that just eats shit night after night, but, ten years from now five kids have your record and they’re like, “I want to start a band like this.” That, to me, is the ultimate goal. I think about a band like Kill Sadie, who just ate shit probably their whole career, and, you know, that band’s album basically started Native. We started Native and we wanted to be like Kill Sadie. That was ten years after the fact. That, to me, is really important. Or bands like Breather Resist or These Arms are Snakes, those bands led a hard life because they didn’t get blown up-popular over night. They definitely were successful, but they weren’t like HUGE. They weren’t making a living off the band, you know. They weren’t eating caviar and driving around in buses, you know like, they ate shit. Like bands should. Honest bands eat shit, that’s just a part of life. But those albums live on to stand the test of time. Those will be important albums for as long as you can think. You know, thirty years from now, kids will be starting a post-hardcore band because they heard These Arms are Snakes. That is what matters. Writing something and being in a band that actually matters to people and leaves a mark on the face of music, that is what matters. Not to the point that I’m satisfied with, but to an extent we have done that. And I’m very proud of that, I’m proud to inspire people to join into something like a greater cause like I feel like our community holds.

NS: You tour all over the place, all the time. Do you have a favorite city to play? Favorite venue?

BM: Let’s see. I think Montreal is like our home away from home. There’s something so special there, the people there really care about Native. And um, we have like a really special relationship, it’s like a family there. And every time we go back, it’s better and better. There’s not really a specific venue we play there, you know, we kinda play somewhere new every time. And it’s always really fun. And then, a favorite venue would have to be the LEMP Neighborhood Arts Center in St. Louis. Just because it’s like a fortress for punk rock. The guy Mark that owns it, he’s had it there for years and years and years and it’s stood the test of time. And it’s just an ultimate staple for tours. Whenever you play there you know you’re gonna have a good time. It’s so community-based and the kids belong to the art center and they know when the shows are coming through and they go and support all the shows. You’re always treated so well there. It’s nothing, really. It’s just a floor and a PA system, but it’s great. It’s always a really great time. It’s really inspiring how great the sense of community is there. So, I’d have to say Montreal is my favorite city to play in, but, my favorite venue is the LEMP Neighborhood Arts Center.

NS: Do you have a favorite band to tour with?

BM: Favorite band to tour with…um, that’s a good question. I really like touring with La Dispute, we’ve toured with them a lot. But, I really like touring with them for like the sense of conversation. You know, those guys are really great to be around. They’re really inspiring to watch because they’re so on top of their game. They’re like a machine. Night after night, they just bring it and bring it and bring it. I also like touring with Former Thieves just because I connected with those guys, like, I’d stay up having a conversation with any four of them until like six in the morning every night and you wouldn’t even realize it. Watching them play every night is amazing. But the band that I was most excited about that we toured with this past year, and we’ll be touring with them again this year, is that band I referenced earlier, Caspian. I think we learned so much from them about being a band and talking with them and being out, experiencing things with them, and watching them play..You stood there and your jaw dropped, it was really an incredible experience. And I really look forward to getting out with them again, so. I don’t think we’ve ever been on tour with a band and it was like, “Man, that sucked.” You know, I’ve always had a really great experience, for the most part, with everybody. And I can’t really think back and truly regret touring with any band, but, those bands stand out the most that I really enjoyed being out on the road with.

NS: What do you guys like to do together when you’re not playing music?

BM: We love going to eat. Going to eat and Native is like the biggest deal. I think that might be even a bigger deal than writing music. No, not really. But like, we all get together and then there’s a whole period where we gotta decide on where we’re gonna go and it’s a big deal. But, we all love going to eat, we all love watching movies. Um, when it’s warm out, we usually hit like a mini golf place, and do the batting cages. We all love listening to music. Mostly going to eat and watching movies, I’d have to say. That’s like our main jam. We make a big deal about going to dinner and dinner with a movie.

NS: Any chance of side projects coming out of the band any time soon?

BM: Well, I know that all of us are writing music but I don’t know how organized it is. I know I’m always writing and recording in my room, but I think that’s more so just being in the practice of writing and recording so like. You know, music is just like a sport. The more you practice it, the better you are at it. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a side project, I write and record by myself in my bedroom, Dan always writes by himself, and I know Ed and Nick work a lot but they play all the time. I’ve done some bass tracks on friends’ projects. Like my friend Zach has an electronic project from Chicago that I’ve done bass tracks on. But none of it really constitutes as a side project. I don’t see anyone being in another band on top of Native. Just because Native is so time-constraining. We’re constantly…your mind is constantly in the game with Native. You don’t have any time to think about anything else, unfortunately.

NS: Is that why Stay Ahead of the Weather didn’t work out?

BM: Yeah um, Stay Ahead of the Weather, I went in and played with them on their first album, their 7”, and played a show with them and it was pretty open-schedule. But as it turned, the year turned, and it became 2010, Native had three months of touring lined up right away, and I was gonna have to miss shows and miss recording. Owen, their new bass player, was readily available so it worked out. Plus he’s in Chicago right there with them. So it worked out easier for them to do it that way. I had a great time with Stay Ahead, those dudes are really talented musicians so it was an honor to play with them. But with Native’s schedule, writing and touring, there was no way to pay as much attention to Stay Ahead as I wish I could’ve, so it just didn’t really work out.

NS: Aside from the full length, what can we expect from Native in the future?

BM: Pretty much, after this album, we’re gonna go record it. I think the most full-time you’ve ever seen us, we’ll be out touring. We’re really putting all of our chips into this basket, like. Finish the album and tour on it for as long as possible. So, like I said, we’ll have a really full-time schedule touring, that’s gonna take us everywhere and we’ll just be playing on this album for as long as possible. We’d all really like to do some split projects where like we actually write a split and it’s not like, “Hey we happen to have a song, let’s throw it on a split.” I’d actually like to write a split with a band where the two sides coincide. So you might see that down the road, but mostly like all efforts are being put into this album right now. So that’s what we’re really concentrating on.

NS: Alright, well, thanks for letting me interview you!

BM: No, thank you for doing this!

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Bob and the boys are awesome. Go catch them on tour and check out their new album when it comes out. Go like them on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/nativein