So first off, can give me kind of a rundown about you? What was your role in the scene? What all bands were you in?
Kris: I was a socially awkward headbanger. My only 2 friends had already quit school. I played guitar and had a short run jamming with a few kids who all belonged to the Jehovahs witnesses cult/church which ever term they prefer. Their parents eventually kicked me out I think. I was into Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, The Misfits, Black Flag, Suicidal tendencies etc. There was just no way they were gonna put up with me. Earth Crisis at the time was actually a side project band that the guys in Framework were doing but when the All out war 7 inch came out that was all she wrote. That shit landed and hit harder around here than anything before it and anything ever since for that matter. At that time I was in a band called Soulstice with my good buddy Kris Fuller. We weren't really very good at all but we got to play shows out of town and had a lot of fun. Eventually I quit that band to join who I always thought was the best hardcore band in Syracuse, Infusion. By the time I joined them they had changed their name to Blood Runs Black, but that was the first time in my life that I was really satisfied with the music I was doing. Somewhere around this time Kris started the band Green Rage. I played bass for their first gig. We were horrible. I was sucked into the whole vegan/straightedge cult like so many others and eventually was asked to join Earth Crisis. That was the time of my life back then. Funny to think of now. I think about those times a lot actually. Getting old fuckin sucks.
What bands did you guys draw influence from?
Kris: Well there was definitely the metal stuff that I mentioned earlier, Metallica being the most influential. But even before I discovered metal I was into mostly rock bands from the 70s and early 80s like Bad company, ZZ top, Lynyrd Skynrd, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc. The Earth Crisis guys turned me on to the Cro-Mags whom I immediately loved but other than that there wasn't much hardcore that I was really ever turned on by. I liked Cypress Hill, N.W.A., and The Wu-Tang clan as far as the hip hop scene went. I like all kinds of music.
Can you give me a brief description of what the Syracuse hardcore scene was like at the time? What kind of set the stage for Green Rage/Gatekeeper?
Kris: The scene back then was Earth Crisis. That's all there is to it. Green Rage it seems tried to be the new Earth Crisis but really had no idea what they were up against. Same thing with Gatekeeper. It really became a pretty sad display. I think the mentality was pretty much like, "We're more vegan than you" type shit. You gotta remember though, this is going way back and everyone was very young. The scene in Syracuse got ridiculous and out of control. I personally take the blame for alot of it. I was a punk. and showed alot of disrespect.
So you joined the band whenever they became Gatekeeper, correct? What was it that made you guys make the transition from bands?
Kris: I was never in the band Gatekeeper. I have been associated with the band Green Rage only because I played bass at their first gig.
So who all was in Green Rage and were there any other bands associated with those members?
Kris: Green Rage was Justin - vocals, Dave Maze - guitar, Andy Boac - bass, and Kris Fuller - drums. The band was actually born out of a failed attempt to start a band called Uprising, which was always really more of an embarrassment than a band. Uprising had a song called Green Rage.
What was the reaction from the scene when the Green Rage 7" dropped? Did kids go nuts whenever they heard the intro to Declaration?
Kris: I really don't think that any one around here took it seriously at all. As far as musicianship is concerned they might've been the worst band that has ever existed. If I'm correct, they played 2 shows in Syracuse, one with me on bass that was a total bomb, and the other opening up for somebody who actually drew a crowd. Now the second show, I have to admit was very high energy and definitely cool to watch. For the most part though Green Rage was not taken too seriously around here at all.
Did Green Rage play any shows?
Kris: I'm pretty sure that they only ever played those two gigs.
Can you give me a timeline from when Green Rage was active?
Kris: I can remember being a junior in high school and Kris playing me the demos in the hallway at school so that would make it 94. I don't think that they were even active more than maybe a year and a half.
Reflection Records put the Green Rage 7" out, any info on them?
Kris: From what I remember Reflection was Shane Durgees label. Shane was one of the coolest guys around back then. Last I heard he was out west somewhere.
What was the inspiration for all the different cover artworks for it?
Kris: Who the hell knows. I always wondered that too.
Can you explain why "Fuck Chris Fuller" is engraved into the 7"?
Kris: Before the 7 inch was even out Kris quit the band. We would always bust on him for being in the band and I think that maybe he got sick of it. They hated him for it.
From articles I've read online it seems like Justin O'Hare was kind of hard to work with, why was that?
Kris: Justin was an angry dude. I think he was frustrated with the band scene. He never really had an opportunity to play with more experienced musicians. Add that to the fact that he had a wicked short fuse and he could pretty much kick the shit out of any of us. You cant expect to run a band that way. I hope he's happier these days. Last I heard he was still playing guitar.
What are the guys from Green Rage up to now? Are you still in touch with any of them?
Kris: I text back and forth with Kris once in awhile, goofy shit mostly for laughs. He lives in N.Y.C. I look in on Dave every so often by way of Facebook. He lives in Thailand now. Cant really speak to what the other guys have been up to, best wishes to them though.
Bringing this to a close, the 90's hardcore sound has had a serious comeback in the past few years with so many cool new bands. Do you think the Green Rage 7" really stands the test of time?
Kris: No, I really don't. It's fucking terrible. But, what do I know? I was only there
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