Bonjour Monsieur Chaussinand.

Esta es una entrevista de un amigo que vino en junio del 2008 de gira con Trample y Gator Bait (Florida Hardcore) y este amigo se llama Charles Chaussinand. Actualmente, es el guitarrista de una gran banda de hardcore melódico llamado No Harm Done y de Offsides, y es el dueño de Get Outta Town Records. El interview está en inglés, asi que perdonen las faltas en inglés que hice en algunas preguntas de seguro.

1. Where are you living now and what's your job?

I live in Winter Park, Florida and run an audio mastering studio and independent hardcore record label.

2. How was/is your experience touring with your bands (No Harm Done, Offsides, Make or Break...)?

Touring is probably my favorite endeavor I get to be a part of. Traveling the country/world and getting to meet new people everyday is a feeling that nothing else I have ever done compares to. The dynamic of relationships within the bands certainly can effect the way a tour goes and if tensions are high between members, it can take it's toll while on the road, especially since you're stuck seeing that person all day long for how ever many days you're out for. It takes a certain kind of person to go on the road. You need to be ready to handle situations when they arise, but know when to just relax and let things unfold as they will. Everyone in No Harm Done and Offsides have very much those personalities for the most part. Make or Break was a bit of a different story and we eventually broke up, in part, because not everyone was wanting to make the commitments to touring that the band was then requiring. As I said, I love tour, but it isn't for everyone.

3. Well, NHD's album "Escape" was an honorable mention for the Best of 2008 in Pastepunk.com, how would you describe the sound of your band for those who don't know?

I like to think of the band as having a more melodic punk/hardcore sound, but with the full mentality of a hardcore band. The way we play, our stage presence, mind set and general actions that go into us being a band are all the same things I have done with my more straight forward hardcore bands. I like having the mentality of hard work and "do-it-yourself" ethics while opening the sound up to a larger audience. For like bands, I would say we're similar to Strike Anywhere, Rise Against and Lifetime.

4. Who are your biggest influences?

My largest musical influences in general would be a lot of the "classics". I love Fastbreak, Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, Descendents, CIV and the like. For No Harm Done, I try and listen to albums that put me stylistically in the frame of mind to write our style of songs, so I will listen to Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Shook Ones and things along those lines, but I always throw in something that I feel could be on an In My Eyes or Shelter album when I can.

5. The most incredible show in your life?

This is actually a very easy question for me. On May 13, 2007, I was lucky enough to see the last Kill Your Idols show ever. After some problems with the original venue being shut down half way through the show, Kill Your Idols moved the show to practice space. About 200+ people drove to the parking lot of a building used as a practice space and Kill Your Idols set up and played. It was the most emotional I have ever felt at a hardcore show. This band was one of the largest influences to me at a musician and just to be involved in the hardcore scene in general. I was lucky enough to really become friends with these people and even got to be part of the band's history by releasing a 7" box set of their music. I have a tattoo to commemorate the day of the last show on my arm as well. They played seven songs and that was it. There couldn't have been a more perfect ending to the band. I can't see myself ever having an experience like that again.

6. Now something more personal: How did you discover hardcore music?

June 26, 1996 was my first show. I was 12 years old and it was a show at a community center on the other side of town from where my parents live. I saw a few local bands and then a band from about a hour and a half away (Miami). One of the bands, Esteem, I actually later joined. After that show, I decided I wanted to learn how to play guitar and I wanted to be very active in the hardcore scene. The internet wasn't as prominent as it is now and things were much more a "get out there and do it" mentality, which I think is what is really missing a lot in the scene now. After that, my now great friend Larry Scott (Flame Still Burns, Esteem, Think Fast! Records) made me a mix tape and from there I was pretty much just sold on it. I had never drank or done drugs before, but never heard the term "straight edge" before, and after seeing people that shared the same sentiment as what I already knew I felt, I claimed that day and never looked back.

7. What's been your best experience in music?

Honestly, getting to play in Central America was the most incredible thing I have ever been a part of. Meeting people not only outside of the immediate United States, but of such a different culture. I got to climb a volcano in Speedos, see ruins, eat some awesome food and make some incredible friends. Hardcore is such a powerful medium. There isn't anything else I can see bringing people together in that way. I am so lucky in my life to have had any of the experiences that have resulted out of music, and I think that getting off of the plane in Guatemala and walking into a room full of kids was really the apex of that.

8. Do you like to go to play Europe (or The World???) in the future?

There is literally no where in the world that I don't want to visit, and getting to travel there and play music with my band would be perfect. Traveling is something I enjoy so much and being able to pair that with playing in a band is the ideal situation. I am hoping to get to play every larger country at some point with a band I am playing in. My father is from France, so going to Europe would have an extra special place for me since I have relatives and whatnot there. I have been a few times and always love it. Australia and China are two places I really would like to play in my lifetime.

9. Any message for the readers of this interview?

Anyone reading this involved with the hardcore or punk scene, or wanting to be involved, please keep just keep trying. Never let yourself settle. I guess that is really more a statement for life instead of just the hardcore scene, but for purposes of this interview, we'll apply it to hardcore. I can say with all honesty that one person can make a difference if they want to. I would also ask for everyone to check out my label, Get Outta Town Records (www.getouttatownrecords.com). Thank you for reading anything I have to say and if you have any additional questions or want to know more about anything I have going on, please email me anytime. I love getting mail and talking to new people. (Offspri841@aol.com)

-Charles


Escuchen sus bandas:
NO HARM DONE: www.myspace.com/noharmdonefl
OFFSIDES: www.myspace.com/offsidesct

Gracias a Charles por haber dado su tiempo para responder todas las preguntas.