One of the first aspects of punk that I was thunderstruck by at a young age was definitely the aesthetic side of records, graphics, and bands. That is why when I came across the artwork and graphics of Chris and his diy label Sore Mind, I was fascinated right away. But beyond art there is more, in fact with Sore Mind Chris has released punk bands and tapes worth listening to and supporting such as Siege Fire, Genogeist, Katorga and many others. In this chat with him we talked a lot about his diy label and art, but also more generally about his relationship with the punk music/scene and what being a punx means to him. Enjoy reading! Support not competition, for total liberation!
Hi Chris and welcome to Disastro Sonoro! Let’s start with some biographical notes about you, who are you, how and when did you get into punk in all its forms?
Hey Stefano, thanks for having me! My name is Chris and I’m from a small town outside of Montreal, Canada. I’ve been playing bass and drums in bands for a very long time now, some of those being MUECO, SNARA, DRIP, NO WAR and STREET GLOVES. In 2021 I started SORE MIND. I got into punk around 1998/99, when I was 11 or 12. The first “punk” CD I remember getting was Dude Ranch by blink-182, and it’s still one of my favourite records of all time. That put me on the long and winding trail that lead to bands like Discharge, Amebix, Doom, and so many more. This is something I love so much about punk, how everyone has their own journey starting in different places that eventually lead us all to each other.
When did you decide to start Sore Mind and with what purpose did you create your diy label?
The idea started in 2020 after Covid hit and everyone was in lockdown. The original concept was just an online store to sell my artwork, primarily t-shirts and prints, which I opened January 2021. It was only later that year when the idea to shift SORE MIND into a label happened. Blake from FUZZED ATROCITIES wanted to release a discography tape for my band DRIP, and from that we decided to do it as a split release between the two of us. I don’t really remember how we came to that conclusion but I’m really glad we did. I then spoke with JP from RUNSTATE TAPES about doing the FINAL FUKKER cassette as a split release. FINAL FUKKER was a project JP and I had done in 2016, so it was perfect to release together. As for the purpose of starting a label, Covid had put an end to all my active bands for the moment, but I still wanted to stay involved and contribute something, so a label was a great way to do that. I also really wanted to release music I loved and collaborate with those bands.
How did the idea of producing bands and releasing albums in the tape format come about? What fascinates you about this format compared to others such as vinyl or CD?
It started out of simplicity and I just kinda fell into the routine of it I guess. Personally I prefer cassettes over records and CDs. You can easily stick them in your jacket pocket when buying them at shows, taking them out of their cases and putting them into a tape deck is fast and they’re cheaper to purchase. I do love the large artwork you get with vinyl, but I try to do the best I can with my layouts and concepts to make up for that. I’m not opposed to releasing vinyl eventually, but for now I’m pretty content with cassettes.
You’ve released so many interesting bands in the punk scene, what are your favorite publications or the ones you are most attached to? Would you like to tell us about any tapes in particular?
I can’t say I really have any favourites, each release is special to me in it’s own way and I’m attached to every one.
How do you choose bands to collaborate with and albums to release? What is your relationship with the bands and people you have decided to support through Sore Mind so far?
Primarily if there’s a band I like and want to work with, I’ll reach out to them, however some also come about from submissions and asking me if I’m interested in doing a release. A lot of the bands I work with are already friends, but one of the things I love about running a label is making new relationships with people I otherwise might not have.
One thing that immediately jumps out at you when looking at your publications with Sore Mind is the great commitment and attention to the more graphic and aesthetic side. You are also an illustrator, how important are these aspects in a circuit like punk in your opinion? What can they add to the music?
Thanks you for noticing that! I put a lot of time and effort into the layouts and ideas for each release, so it means a lot when people notice. I’ve always been into art and design so it was just natural to incorporate that into my releases, especially since SORE MIND started as a way to sell my artwork. I also struggle a lot with OCD, which hinders me in day to day life, but has always felt like a positive when it comes to art. I may spend way too much time creating things, but I hope nitpicking over every detail helps to create something special. I’ve always thought artwork was important, especially before everything was digital and you had to flip through bins at record stores and bought things that looked cool. That was one of the main ways you’d find new bands at the time. I also think it’s especially important now that everything is available online that the concept and artwork is interesting, in hopes that more people will want to own a physical copy. On top of that I have a major collector mentality, and hope SORE MIND appeals to other collectors out there.
What are the major influences that shape your graphic and illustrative style?
That’s hard to pinpoint really, I’ve been into drawing and art since I was very young and I’m 36 now. My first major influence was my grandfather, who was a painter and animator. I used to draw with him when I was young. Because of his influence on me I went to school for animation for a bit, but didn’t end up finishing the program. I was always into comics, cartoons, movies, punk, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, skateboarding and many other things that I think all just melded in my brain and created my style.
What goals do you want to achieve with Sore Mind in the coming time? Is there any particular band you would like to collaborate with?
I just hope I can continue having the opportunity to put out music I love, and help contribute spreading it to a wider audience. I also hope to keep making new friendships in the process. There are a lot of bands I want to collaborate with, and there are a lot that are already underway! I also hope to keep reissuing important bands that helped shape me, like DOOM and HIATUS releases.
What does being punk mean to you in 2024? More importantly, why continue to produce punk music, release it in physical format, and spread it everywhere?
This question holds a lot of weight, and punk to me is definitely something that continuously changes meaning as I get older. First and foremost I think it’s about community, support, and standing up for and voicing what you believe in. Punk to me is about being vegan and supporting animal rights, striving to do whatever you can for the environment and the future of our planet in your day to day life, growing your own food, speaking up about oppression and injustices in the world, and being there for each other. It’s about using your life to do something good, and being proud of what you leave behind. Lyrics are very important to me, and even though I don’t believe a punk song alone is the most effective way to change the world on a global scale, I do believe it can be very effective at expressing an idea or opinion that can definitely change someone’s life. For example, I’m vegan because of the song Sick Butchers by Flux of Pink Indians. This song really made me consider my actions and the consequences those actions had. That song opened myself up to supporting veganism and animal rights on a larger scale. This is why I think it’s important to continue producing punk and trying to spread it as far and wide as possible. You can obviously achieve these goals whether the music is released digitally or physically, but I think a physical object in a person’s hands, which includes artwork and a specific aesthetic can greatly help convey an overall message.
Time is up my friend, thank you very much for your answers. I leave this space at your complete disposal, so you can add whatever else is on your mind!
Thank you so much for having interest in and supporting SORE MIND, I really appreciate it! Keep a lookout for the debut ANCIENT LIGHTS release, as well as many more in the works!! Thank you Stefano!! TOTAL LIBERATION