Activism - Hello Bastards

I don't make a point of profiling individual bands but for Hello Bastards the politics is central to their philosophy...and too often this is ignored...

"We are from Brazil, Argentina, Poland, Israel and Germany who have been living in London for many years. This band was started to give voice to our views and beliefs, and to encourage punk music to become a political threat again.
Punk nowadays means nothing. It has been dilapidated and absorbed by the system, the threat that was the essence of punk music has evaporated. Most bands do not have a message and most bands have forgotten that punk music is political.

VEGANISM FOR TOTAL LIBERATION

Hello Bastards are a vegan band and strongly support the animal liberation movement. We believe in the liberation of all species, whether that means humans or animals. To us there is no difference and we do not place emphasis on one struggle over that of another, to us all liberation struggles are equal and feel that a holistic approach means a thorough and consistent standard of ethics.


STRAIGHT EDGE

Members of Hello Bastards have been involved in the hardcore punk community for many years. Throughout this time every member of the band has retained straight edge ethics. We feel that straight edge is an important part of liberating yourself from the addictions of society. We understand the history and the importance of the straight edge movement, which is why we sometimes feel so disillusioned with the current state of the scene. To us being straight edge is not about drinking Coca Cola, wearing Nike’s or eating meat, it was never about this but seems to have morphed into some Capitalist consumerist subculture, and this was never its intention. Because of this, we have written a song called “Straight Edge is Dead, you are Next”. This song is not to criticize straight edge people, rather what straight edge has become.


POLITICS

Hello Bastards exists for the sole purpose of spreading a political message. If it were not for this we would not be a band. We do not like to label ourselves after any political movement, however, for the sake of argument; we feel that anarchism is the most natural and innate movement which exists.


OUR MUSIC

Music is the vehicle that we use to express our ideas and emotions. Music without a message means nothing to us. Most of the times, our music is fast, sometimes slow and heavy and all the screams and shouts are directed more to your brain than your ears."