Playing fast, emotive hardcore with an unmatched energy and lyrical poignancy, San Diego’s Bent Blue marry art and activism with music that addresses the injustices and inequalities rampant in today’s world and challenges listeners to not only examine the deeply flawed social and political systems all around us, but to also look inward at the role we might each individually play in creating positive change. If it is the duty of the artist to provoke critical thinking and challenge accepted norms, Bent Blue have embraced their role as provocateurs as they urge each of us to think and take action to better the world around us.
On October 25th Bent Blue will be releasing their debut LP, So Much Seething, on Indecision Records, and it’s not to be missed! Coming straight out of the gates with the single “The Pearls You Clutch,” (streaming now), a straight up hardcore track that takes direct aim at the moral hypocrisy of the disingenuous and self interested bad actors amongst us, Bent Blue return true to form, but have clearly grown and pushed themselves to a new level, both musically and personally, with this release. “We’re all a bit older now and have had a lot of ups and downs in our personal lives over the past four years, “ notes vocalist Tony Bertolino, “A lot of the lyrics and the general feeling of the record reflect the output or analysis of those experiences.”
So Much Seething is available for preorder now through Indecision Records and will be available to stream everywhere on Friday, October 25th! The below interview with vocalist Tony Bertolino and guitar player Diego Montoya first appeared in Today Forever Issue 2. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed getting to learn more about an awesome band whose music and message are inspiring all those around them!
*The original text for this High Vis interview appeared in Today Forever Issue 02 in February 2023.
**All text copyright Today Forever 2023, please do not duplicate without expressed editorial permission.
Photos by: Greg Flack – www.gregflack.com
With a brand new EP, Where Do Ripples Go? and coming off your first East Coast tour, it’s an exciting time for Bent Blue. Let’s start at the beginning – when did Bent Blue come together and who’s in the band? Have any of the members been in any other bands? Did everyone know each other prior to forming Bent Blue?
DIEGO: The Band came together some time mid-2019. Shane (drums) and I (Diego-guitar) were playing in an indie project, but we would talk about hardcore after every practice until we decided to start a hardcore band. First, we wanted to find a singer/front man since [we] already [had] guitar and drums. We put an ad on Craigslist and that’s how we found Tony (vocals). We had a similar idea of what we wanted to do, which was basically take a bunch of old school hardcore influences and make it sound a little bit more modern. We agreed on learning a couple covers for our first practice and the rest is history. There was really good chemistry since day one. Then, to complete the band we needed a bass player and we went back to Craigslist and we found our perfect match…with our first audition. Alex (bass) was perfect for the project.
Bent Blue is a very distinct name. What’s the story behind naming the band Bent Blue and what does it mean?
TONY: Naming a band is a strange process because until music is out in the world, it sort of feels like playing pretend. I usually keep a small Moleskin style notebook around me, and when we were first practicing I would jot things down that came to mind. I had a small list of names, and Bent Blue was something I had written down totally at random. I think the name Bent Blue is open to interpretation. Bent to me could be angry or frustrated, intent on doing something, or nonlinear. Blue could represent a range of emotions or an allusion to the melodic style we like to incorporate in our music. I also liked the alliteration and the four letter, one-syllable promptness of each word.
You just released a new EP, Where Do Ripples Go?, on WAR Records, however your relationship with WAR actually began with the rerelease of your original demo, Between Your and You’re. How did you connect with Andrew Kline and WAR Records?
DIEGO: I think our first contact with Andrew was pre-pandemic, thanks to our friend Javier Van Huss who recommended us to contact Andrew for show leads in the LA area, but that ended there. When we released our demo [in] early 2020, Tony was very diligent with sending our demo to people we thought would enjoy it. At that time, the lockdowns were starting and Andrew offered to release our demo with WAR Records through a series of cassette demos he was releasing to support bands during the hard times. We continued writing music during the pandemic and it kind of felt natural when we spoke to Andrew about recording and releasing the new music with WAR.
Rooted in the same melodic and emotive hardcore of Between Your and You’re, Where Do Ripples Go? demonstrates the growth of your sound as well as a newfound confidence to experiment within the genre that comes through loud and clear. What was the process of writing for this record like? To what would you attribute the more eclectic and diverse approach you took to songwriting this time around?
DIEGO: I think you said it right, we felt more confident with the final result of the demo and then we found a path to create our sound. However, I feel like we are still walking that path and finding inspiration constantly. I personally think that there wasn’t a specific approach because we all bring different influences and ideas whenever we are writing new songs. One thing we have clear when writing is that we didn’t want to write songs with the typical pop structures, we kind of let the songs talk to us, and in some cases, like “Halfway,” we jammed a riff once and the rest came naturally. We basically kept the structure how it happened the first time, jamming one riff.
Bent Blue is never shy about posing thought-provoking questions about the social and political climate in America and around the world. The title track of your new EP takes a philosophical look at the power of each individual to create ripples in the ocean of society, and the question of whether we cast the weight of our actions and opinions in vain, or if one ripple may ever become a wave of change. Is sharing these, and other opinions, in a public artistic platform your attempt to create waves? In sharing your views and music through Bent Blue have you found more like-minded individuals and managed to create dialogue and change where perhaps you felt some needed to exist?
TONY: I think it’s one small way. I think everyone has different ways they can speak up on things they find important. It could be through direct action, writing, documenting, designing, organizing, etc. Being in a band that writes aggressive music seemed to us like a good way to share our feelings on current social and political conditions. We’ve met a lot of people from attending, organizing, and playing shows and have had meaningful and tough discussions with people that both agree and disagree with our views. I don’t know whether it’s made an impact, but that won’t ever keep us from trying.
The fourth track of Where Do Ripples Go?, Commodified Existence, speaks to the unbridled capitalism of 2022 America (and beyond) that seeks to place value on human beings simply by commodifying their societal contributions. Do you feel that, as society seems to navigate closer to a greed-based value set, the arts and other creative elements of humanity are being suppressed or even brushed aside? Do you find it disconcerting to be artists in a time of capitalism gone mad?
TONY: I can only speak about the arts and creativity as I see it in the United States. I do think the idea of art and creativity, free of any kind of capitalistic intent, has become less attainable at scale. For instance, much of what we’re taught about creativity in the US education system is through the lens of resumé-building and employability. The end goal is to get good enough to get hired. Artistic ability and/or creativity equals survival. As we’re living through a cost of living crisis, historically high gas and inflation rates, and an impending recession, the weight of a capitalist system makes creating for the sake of creating an even less appealing endeavor to pursue; I’d add that’s even more true when those creative projects are intended for a larger audience. That’s why I believe communities like hardcore have so much power. Bands, photograph[ers], zines, and everything else involved in fostering the community come from a place of cooperation and contribution without much intent for anything in return beyond eyes and ears. I find capitalism incredibly disconcerting, but I believe that creativity has so much potential to help change hearts and help push against capitalism and its fucked up byproducts. I love the quote from radical artist Toni Cade Bambara where she says, “The role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible.” We can speak up and recognize that we can make cool shit that helps other people.
Bent Blue is often compared to the Revolution Summer bands born out of Dischord Records in the 1980s. While I can see the validity of the reference, do you ever feel that the comparison pigeon-holes Bent Blue’s sound when there are clearly other influences at work, as well?
DIEGO: Yes, you are right. There are a lot other influences that you can hear on the EP. However, I feel the Revolution Summer bands were the common denominator when we started to talk about our main influences as a band. We all listen to a wide range of music genres and hardcore branches, but Dischord bands were always the most talked about in our conversations. We consciously let other influences filter in order to build our own sound while being careful not to sound like a worship band copying the style.
Bent Blue recently finished up your first East Coast tour. How was tour? Was playing for East Coast audiences any difference from your experiences playing on the West Coast?
DIEGO: The tour was a great experience. It was actually our first time out of California. Playing to the East Coast audiences was incredible, we met a lot of great bands and show goers that were stoked with our sound and supported us with kind words and [by] buying…merch. We felt very comfortable playing the shows. Some of them were mixed bills with heavier bands, or more alternative/experimental bands, which has been our experience while playing here in the West Coast, too.
How did you connect with Stand Still to put the tour together? How does it feel to be back playing shows and touring after an uncertain few years during the pandemic?
DIEGO: We love Stand Still’s music, and we thought they would be the perfect band to share our first tour [on] the East Coast with. Dillon (yourlifeinamerica 96.5fm) and Nick (New Morality Zine) [each] did their part to make the connection real and that led to [the] start of the conversation and logistics for the tour. It was great to see how enthusiastic people are [in] going back to shows. I feel like people were really waiting for the right moment when it was safe to do live shows and go back to their passion for music. It was kind of always in the back of my mind tho, like what if one of us got sick and had to cancel the tour, lose money etc! But…everything worked out well from beginning to end.
Something I love about seeing Bent Blue play live is that you not only connect with your audience through your music, but also openly reference current events, political ideas, and make social commentary during your set. Is being so openly vocal about your ideas daunting at a time when, with the prevalence of cameras, video, and social media, every public word can be overanalyzed or even taken out of context and repackaged?
TONY: I would say, at times, it’s daunting. I’m not the greatest public speaker, and I occasionally get anxious about speaking between songs; especially in our earlier shows. The anxiety has more to do with being unable to clearly express myself and less to do with a fear of my opinions not being well-received. But I think consistency in studying and learning, as well as the frequency of shows, have all helped bolster my confidence in those instances.
I admire the strong message and social consciousness Bent Blue threads throughout their entire catalogue. Is there a specific foundation that your deep criticism of our current broken social system and political ills are built upon? Was the band originally conceptualized as a way to rally for change in a world gone wrong, or has that message evolved as the band has grown?
TONY: Speaking for myself, I’m an anti-capitalist. As a band, we chose early on to inject socially and politically conscious themes into our music. The band wasn’t conceived for that purpose, but it quickly moved in that direction. For the future, I think you will begin to see themes of self-reflection and internal conflict sprinkled in as well.
You’ve previously stated that Bent Blue had humble beginnings and that your goals were more rooted in having fun than chasing commercial success. Now, with the release of Where Do Ripples Go?, and momentum on your side, is Bent Blue coming into its own? Does the band have any immediate goals or plans for the near future?
DIEGO: Well, I think we’ll be playing [things] by ear. We definitely want to keep writing music, we love the creative process of making new music and sharing our thoughts, so we’re looking forward to starting work on our first LP. We definitely want to keep playing shows, and [to] play at new places we haven’t been to, hopefully play some festivals, etc. Beyond that, I think we are open and grateful to be doing this and having fun in the process.
With the new album released, and tours back on the books, how are each of you finding balancing your day to day lives with the commitment the band requires of you? Several times I’ve seen Bent Blue jump on shows with very little notice and you never seem to miss an opportunity to get out there and play. How do you manage to prioritize the band and still manage your daily lives?
DIEGO: We all have full time jobs and other responsibilities, and at times it can be difficult to manage the time and all, but I feel like we are all on the same page with the band being one of our priorities, and we have been strategic about scheduling shows while keeping up with our lives.
Bent Blue is often involved with socially conscious events, such as the YLIA Fest you recently played that benefited the La Casa Youth Music Program. Are there any other organizations you’d like to draw attention to that you feel passionately about?
TONY: Off hand, I’d love to shout out some Southern California mutual aid groups [that] I respect: We All We Got SD, Feed The Streets, Boards For Bros, and All Power Books.
What message do you have for people who hear Bent Blue and want to start making their own ripples in the world but don’t know where to start?
TONY: We’re all learning and everyone has to start somewhere. If you’ve ever had the smallest desire to pursue a creative endeavor like starting a band, writing a zine, drawing, filming shows, producing records, designing flyers, or anything else involved in this community, the answer is to go for it. You don’t have to be any good. It’s scary and vulnerable, and that’s awesome. You get better simply through doing.
If you want to know more about important issues happening around you, make time to study. Talk to other people about things, and be willing to be wrong as you try to get to the root of things. Building confidence in the areas you want to better understand and influence comes from trying.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to mention or talk about before we wrap things up?
TONY: Thank you to everyone who has given us a chance, listened to our records, put us up on tour, fed us, come to see us at shows, and supported us. We love you. And, thanks to you and the Today Forever crew for being down to interview us. Y’all rule.
