Molested Youth are a hardcore punk band out of Toronto who have started to make a name for themselves by playing shows with the likes of Shipwreck. I was recently able to talk with vocalist Sean Anderssen about the past, the present, and the future.
What’s your name?
(laughs) I’m Sean and I do vocals for Molested Youth.
Who are Molested Youth?
Molested Youth are the compilement of Me, Rich (Bass), Warren (Guitar), and Nick (Drums). We play straight up hard, fast, and energetic punk/hardcore music and try to have as much fun as possible doing so.
What’s with the band name?
Well we were originally actually called Urethra Franklin, which I was thought of believing I was being so innovative, until we found out there were at least 4 other bands with the same name, a website, a blog, etc etc. So we moved on to the name Molested Youth which I suggested. Another idea for a name which we had almost used instead was My War but we had all settled on this one. We liked the name because it had many different interpretations and connotations. It can be taken metaphorically, such as “Our youth has been molested by society and the government and our teachers and our parents rahrahrahrah” or it can be taken in quite a literal form. What I always liked about the name was the imagery of weekly youth group called Molested Youth that would meet every Wednesday at the town community centre next to the library, much like a reform for latchey kids. The name however really appealed to me because I believed it to be enticing and thought provoking yet still bearing a “grab you by the balls offensive” approach that i think our music matches, or at least attempts to. Overall though, a lot of our friends still like our old name over this one (laughs).
Who are your main influences?
Wow it’s really hard to say because I couldn’t possibly begin to speak for the other members of the band. For me though: Energy Drinks, Biking, and Henry Rollins.
How would you describe your band’s sound?
(laughs) I wouldn’t really look that far into it. We just play music for fun and couldn’t possibly look at ourselves as being “dynamic” or successful musicians in any form. We’re just a bunch of kids playing fucking hard and fast and giving as much of ourselves as possible into our music. I think it can all fall into place that way.
Well, to argue that point, I think it’s safe to say that you guys sounds more like 80s old school hardcore punk versus more modern bands. Citing Henry Rollins as an influence only furthers this point. What do you guys like more about 80s hardcore versus today’s hardcore?
I think that I have probably said this before, but I think that especially in music today there is often very minimal emotion that is put in. I feel there is a strong emphasis now of bands creating songs built on a formula stringing predictable breakdown after predictable breakdown and focusing so strongly on their physical appearance as a band to focus on the actual heart that goes into being a band. I think the connotations of Molested Youth being more of a band playing 80s hardcore as apposed to more modern hardcore is that although our songs are simplistic, we put in as much heart and emotion as possible. And I like to think that that’s what hardcore is all about.
So you guys recently released your demo on tape. Why the decision to release it on tape versus a CD?
We just thought it would be fucking sick and DIY to record them all individually on tape. You get a much greater sense of achievement having to sit through our demo 100 times (laughs). All credit going to Warren and Nick.
Does the notion to putting the demo on tape reflect any of your views on the music industry today? I mean, you’re in a hardcore punk band, so you should have somewhat of a strong opinion about it. Stereotypical I know.
(laughs) No we really didn’t put that much thought into it at all. Just thought it would be a kind of rad thing to do, we weren’t really expecting make any political statement (or money).
You guys are currently unsigned. If you could choose a label to get signed to, who would it be and why?
My dream label would probably be Bridge Nine because they seem like really cool dudes and have some incredible bands on their label already (i.e Ceremony, Have Heart).
What records have you been digging this year?
The new Blacklisted blew my mind as did the new Trash Talk. The new Cursed, the new Dystopia. Man umm No Age, Lil Wayne and the soon to be godly new Ceremony album.
Lil Wayne?
(laughs) Yeah i fell into the hype and was actually really blown away by the new one.
Any plans for the future (i.e. shows, recording, etc)?
We’re really trying to take it all in in baby steps, recording a demo and playing shows is still a really big deal for us. We’re thinking of releasing an EP some time in the near future and hopefully pressing some vinyl. Else-wise just more and more and more shows.
Thanks for your time.
No problem man this was a lot of fun (laughs).
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