SIDESTEP

Answers by Nils, Guitar

Q1. Could you please provide some background information on the band for those readers who may not be familiar with you—where you’re from, when you formed, etc.?

All of us are from around the Gothenburg area in Sweden. We actually know each other from being part of the competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee scene, attending local tournaments and meetups. The name “Sidestep” is taken from a move in the game (also called spotdodge, which doesn’t sound as cool though).

The first seed for the band was planted when I asked John, the drummer, if he wanted to jam around early 2018. I was into metal, and I knew he was obsessed with this niche punk subgenre called “hardcore” which I agreed to playing. Eventually he came up with the idea that we should form a band consisting entirely of smash players, and so we did. It wasn’t very serious to begin with, and most of us were newcomers to the punk scene.

We recorded a demo in our rehearsal space and released it in 2020 just before covid hit. When we started playing local shows after the restrictions were lifted the scene in Gothenburg really started popping off, and we realized that we had the potential to actually be a serious band and not just a fun project. Since then we’ve been fully sucked into the hardcore vortex.

Q2. How would you describe the band’s sound? Who are some of your primary influences?

Madball was definitely the main influence in the beginning. It’s one of John’s all-time favorite bands and was my first proper introduction to hardcore. We ended up with a groovy sound which wasn’t very prevalent in Swedish hardcore at the time. Since then we’ve added more and more of a hip-hop influence which is largely due to the fact that the singer, Hugo, is a huge old school hip-hop nerd. Our music has also been influenced by hardcore bands such as Trapped Under Ice, Cold World, and Fury of Five.

Q3. What was it about hardcore that attracted you to it?

The largest thing for me was definitely the live shows and sense of community in the local scene. Shows are always crazy, everyone involved are dope, and people really care about the scene and writing good hardcore.

One thing that attracts me musically to hardcore is the conciseness of the music. Hardcore bands often understand not to overstay their welcome, both when it comes to the length of individual tracks as well as live performances. With Sidestep we think a lot about how we can make the songs “all killer no filler”, without any boring bloat.

Q4. Talk to us about the new record—what was the writing and recording process like, what themes do you explore, what can people who haven’t heard it expect?

The riffs are pretty much written 50-50 between me and John. Songs are often completed in our rehearsal space, where the band collectively discusses how the songs should be put together and what the lyrics should be. After we had all songs lined out for the record, we reiterated everything for a while, making minor improvements here and there. Then we booked a studio time at Hoborec and went on an intense and somewhat anxiety-ridden rehearsal grind to make sure we were good enough. Recording was very fun but also nervous. We recorded everything in four days, living and sleeping in the studio. At the end, we were definitely satisfied with the result.

Lyrically, a lot of songs are just about hardcore being sick as fuck. Others are about dumb topics such as Gothenburg being cold, or not being able to decide what food to order. The song “Muscle Memory” is homage to our roots, Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Musically it’s mostly very groovy with quite a lot of hip-hop influences. Lots of 2-step with some heavier mosh parts spread out. We also venture outside our comfort zone with some songs, such as the punky “Fuck You (Not Me)” and the positive “Hoodie Up”, which is basically a pop song. Overall, I think it’s a pretty “wide” record that still has a unique identity.

Q5. What would be your dream lineup of bands or artists to share the stage with that you have not had a chance to?

TUI and E-Town Concrete.

Q6. Do you feel like hardcore is in a good place right now? Are there some bands from Sweden or beyond we should be looking out for?

I feel like it’s in a very good place. The Gothenburg scene is bonkers, and there are tons of great bands globally. From Sweden, you should especially look out for Bulls Shitt, Speedway and Xiao, all of which have upcoming LPs around the corner. There’s also the band Pipe Dream in which I’m the singer, which will soon release its debut LP of heavy metal-inspired hardcore.

Q7. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions! Any last words or a parting message for the readers?

Thanks for having us! Don’t forget to check out all the sick Swedish bands. And if you’re on tour, you should hit up Moral Panic and come play in Gothenburg. You won’t regret it.

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