Will Butler (To Live A Lie Records/Oxidant)
1. What are your top five albums that were released in 2017? (In order 1-5)
- Exit Order - Seeds of Hysteria LP
- Neanderthal - A History Of Violence LP
- Haram - When You Have Won, You Have Lost LP
- Aggression Pact - Instant Execution EP
- Gets Worse - Struggle LP
2. What band did you discover in 2017 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
I do this every year in these posts, I discovered a lot that wasn't punk this year... listened to a lot of Drab Majesty, Black Marble, Hoops, Turnover, etc. Discovered some folk stuff like Uaral. Just a good year to spread out musically. I have also finally tried to make a plunge into jazz and have found Yussef Kamaal and some other amazing artists. I tend to drift through genres at different points in the year when I have time because I have a firm grasp on hardcore punk and powerviolence but there is a world of music I haven't fully heard and every new genre that strikes me is a whole new surface to break through. I think Drab Majesty resonated the most with me in 2017.
3. How will you remember 2017? (In terms of music)
2017 will be the year that punk got angrier.
4. What can we look forward to from you in 2018?
Oxidant is recording with Mike Dean from Corrosion of Conformity for a yet-to-announced release. TLAL will be releasing the new Sixbrewbantha LP, a Sex Prisoner split with Harm Done, a Godflesh worshiping project by Kyle of Sex Prisoner called Realize's demo as an LP, a new Brian Walsby art zine, a new comp, and the ACxDC/Goolagoon split.
5. What records are you looking forward to most in 2018?
I've been running as fast as I can to catch up in 2017, I'm not sure what is on deck for 2018. I saw that my friends in Mammoth Grinder and Genocide Pact both have LPs coming out in 2018. Body Pressure LP will be amazing. New Joy LP will be great.
6. For most, 2017 will be remembered as a year of political and social conflict. How does that cultural atmosphere influence your own music or artistic life?
It has been an awful year both politically and socially but also in regards to natural disasters. I think politics influence my band a lot and my label even more. The final TLAL comp I have focused on having bands with at least a female/queer/non-binary member because it is a day in age where their lives have become significantly harder.
