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What does it feel like for you now, then, to be able to offer a\u00a0protective, sacred space for alienated young people through your own shows? Because I\u00a0feel like that\u2019s an extension of the idea of communally raising young people.<\/strong><\/p>\n I think there\u2019s nothing that I\u00a0am more proud of. We got like a\u00a0couple young cats in CORPUS<\/span> that we train with and make sure that they are on a\u00a0good path, taking care of themselves while staying militant. But also through travelling the world, making real friends and meeting folks who need it. I\u2019d meet a\u00a0young man or a\u00a0young woman and they\u2019d be like, \u200b\u201c<\/span>Yo, this music has been a\u00a0shelter for me.\u201d I\u2019d be like, \u200b\u201c<\/span>Well, then I\u00a0wrote it for you.\u201d One time, somebody said, \u200b\u201c<\/span>Yeah, I\u00a0know.\u201d They looked at me like, \u200b\u201c<\/span>You don\u2019t gotta say it, motherfucker.\u201d It was one of the most wonderful, proud moments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One time we were playing in Dublin. This young kid and he hits me up and he says, \u200b\u201c<\/span>The show is 18<\/span>-plus or whatever, and I\u2019m 15<\/span>, but I\u00a0really want to come to the show. I\u00a0live across the island. But I\u2019ll take the bus if I\u00a0can come to the show.\u201d I\u00a0said, \u200b\u201c<\/span>Of course! Just pull up and say you\u2019re my cousin. You can help me walk shit in.\u201d We get to the venue, and the motherfucker is not only 15<\/span> but like 4<\/span>ft tall and Indian. We walk up to the club. I\u2019m like, \u200b\u201c<\/span>Yo, this is my fucking cousin!\u201d We drank with this kid and we went out all night and fucking got into a\u00a0local scrap with some boneheads, and then we walked him to the fucking bus stop. It was the most lovely thing, to be with a\u00a0young person who needed a\u00a0family and definitely didn\u2019t have a\u00a0crew. He didn\u2019t even know what he was getting into hanging with us. But we had the most lovely time. To be able to share not only kind words, but to share food and the night with one another, it\u2019s very special.<\/span><\/p>\n As you said, through CORPUS<\/span> you\u2019ve offered free martial arts and self defence classes. Why do you think that is important?<\/strong><\/p>\n On a\u00a0surface level, the <\/span>hardcore<\/span><\/a> scene is a\u00a0violent one. I\u00a0spent time as a\u00a0young person at shows literally fucking hiding [laughs]. So when I\u00a0started to cut my teeth, and started to get down when CORPUS<\/span> started, a\u00a0big part of it was to protect one another. We was out writing <\/span>graffiti<\/span><\/a>. We was out at shows. We had to fight a\u00a0lot. So in one sense, I\u00a0want to make sure that young folks in the city \u2013 non-white folks, <\/span>queer<\/span><\/a> folks \u2013 feel safe to go to shows and have each other\u2019s back. That\u2019s one element of it. I\u00a0realised at the shows there was like a\u00a0small clique of slightly younger kids. They were like the CORPUS<\/span> youth, holding each other down naturally. They were cliqued up because they train together. To see that was lovely.<\/span><\/p>\n And at the same time, I\u00a0wish to communicate the importance of necessary violence sometimes. Martial arts can really help you manage violence in a\u00a0serious way. I\u00a0don\u2019t look for it. Especially later in life, I\u2019m trying my best to be a\u00a0good boy. But doing martial arts can give you a\u00a0sense of discipline. It improved my life immensely and changed my life immensely.\u00a0If I\u00a0wasn\u2019t doing martial arts, wasn\u2019t found by David Kaplan and encouraged to train and become militant and become disciplined, I\u00a0would be fucking dead in the dirt.\u00a0I\u00a0was on dust and shit. I\u00a0was a\u00a0fucking idiot. It gave me a\u00a0framework, of not only being militant and knowing that I\u00a0am strong, but also having respect for myself. That\u2019s a\u00a0huge part of it; having respect for ourselves and doing things that make us feel good. And knowing that we have brothers and sisters around us that like to see us do that. We like to see them do that. And we get money [train] together in the\u00a0park.<\/span><\/p>\n The discipline of boxing helps me get a\u00a0handle on other shit, my other vices and stuff. The same goes for being a\u00a0dad. Without the discipline that boxing and fatherhood instilled in me, I\u00a0would fucking just disappear into a\u00a0pit, I\u00a0think.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s still easy to dream of the pit, absolutely. With all this pain and tragedy happening currently, if I\u00a0didn\u2019t have my daughter I\u00a0would\u2019ve definitely made very bad decisions. I\u2019m very blessed to have my daughter. While I\u00a0am protecting her, on a\u00a0normal basis like crossing the street, she\u2019s protecting me in a\u00a0greater way from myself.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n