Get Hyped! A conversation with Kill Lincoln’s Hypeman Drew Skibitsky

Ya know, what makes a Kill Lincoln show so damned good? It’s because the band is so damned great and know how to throw a party. Hypeman Drew Skibitsky is a huge part to kicking off the party. With the DC outfit preparing for their new record No Normal (out 27 September on Bad Time Records) we wanted to get to know the man behind the dances and learn a bit more about what hypes the hypeman. Check out our chat below.

Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congratulations on the upcoming release of  “No Normal”!  The album’s bandcamp lists you as Hype. What can you tell me about your role in the band as hypeman?  How 
did you get involved in the band?

I first saw Kill Lincoln circa 2008 in DC. Mike (Sosinski: guitar/vox) and I connected through the NJ ska scene as teenagers so when he started a new band in DC I was all too excited to check them out. I continued going to their shows and always tried to bring the same energy to them that I had found in the NJ ska/punk/hardcore scene that we grew up in. 
In 2012, Kill Lincoln was doing a long weekend trip starting in Baltimore, going through Rhode Island, Brooklyn, Atlantic City, and one last show: a DIY South Jersey gig on Sunday afternoon (16 bands, 2 stages). At the final show, the promoter wouldn’t let me in without paying doors. They said “only band members get in free”, and they knew that I wasn’t in the band because they checked the Facebook page to get all member names in advance. Mike opened up his phone and added me to the band roster on Facebook then and there. The band hasn’t been able to get rid of me since!

What was your role throughout the recording process of No Normal?

My job responsibilities change by the day, by the hour. In regard to supporting the recording process, it’s pretty light duty. Of course you can hear some hypeman in the gang vocals, but for the first time I was given my own solo – you can hear it on the 2^ND single we released, “All Worries”. Besides that, my favorite studio duty is helping make sure we eat! I’m our band expert when it comes to Google reviews. It’s a lot of responsibility, but also a lot of fun being the person figuring out what we get to eat! Food goes a long way towards keeping the vibes positive in the studio or on the road. 

There’s a long history of hypemen in music, from Kidd Creole to Flava Flav or Avail’s Beau Beau to the Bosstones’ Ben Carr.  Where do you draw you inspiration to hype up the crowd?  Do you have a Mt Rushmore of Hype?

Yes! IYKYK – hype is a crucial component! 
Though there is a tradition I’m stepping into, my inspirations are so much more personal. Between my east coast roots plus all the touring we do – I’ve seen SO many incredible dancers over the years – those are the people who inspire me the most! Josh in Baltimore, Megan in Atlanta, the legendary Kevin Hay and everyone else I grew up dancing with in Jersey! 
We recently ended a tour with Hey Smith. Everyone thinks their sax player, Mitsuru needs medical help while he’s performing, but to me he’s just an incredible performer who totally understands showmanship. His erratic, unpredictable, behavior is electrifying. 
Every scene, every subgenre, every era has its unique style. Pulling from the people around me is where I find the best moves. Thankfully nobody has come after me for it yet! 
As for my Mount Rushmore of hype? I’m going to keep it all in the ska/punk family: 
Ben Carr (Bosstones)
Beau Butler (Avail)
Officer Bradford (Masked Intruder)
Drew Skibitsky (Kill Lincoln)
I’m including myself not because I’ve earned it, but because that’s the only way I can figure out to get stoned with Ben, Beau, and the most respected officer in modern punk rock. 

I’d say we’ve become fast friends here, so I don’t mind admitting that my old ass is likely to pull a muscle just watching you move, dance and have a blast during a Kill Lincoln set. What does your pre-show warm-up look like? Do you have a stretching regimen that you work through?

Hahaha! Okay, well the first secret is you can’t stop! Whatever you do at shows now, skanking, moshing, dancing, whatever you call it. Don’t stop! I’ve been dancing at shows since I was 14. If I stop now, I don’t know if I’ll be able to start again. 
I try to do a lot of hot yoga (“Hot 26” is my go-to) both on and off tour. That helps keeps my body cared for in a fashion less destructive than running or performing with Kill Lincoln. It’s also a great way to hone your breathing. I know that sounds kind of strange but most of the time we as human beings don’t think about our breathing. Focus on breath and energy is crucial to peak performance on stage and in life.

Beyond the physical, there has to be a mental side for you to get in the mood to be so exuberant on stage.  Especially during long tours and trying days, how do you get yourself into the right headspace to get your energy up? What hypes the hypeman?

Yes, for sure, it’s very much mental. The type of music KL plays is very high energy, very danceable, it’s got engaging sing-a-longs. For someone like me, my brain goes crazy hearing all that! It set me off and provides a rush that delivers the performance you see at our shows. 
From my experiences in the audience, you always look like you are having the greatest time possible on that stage, but how do you know if your making the connection?  What are you looking for from the crowd or your bandmates throughout the set to know that you are enhancing the show?

I’m looking for an increase in energy at worst, and I’m looking for a chaotic circus at best. Every night is different. We’re on tour right now and we’re playing Chicago where we’ve done over 10 shows as a band – yet also hitting cities like Buffalo where we’ve never been before! Obviously, I don’t expect the same sort of crowd engagement between those two places. So you kind of have to temper your expectations based on certain factors. No matter what though, I want people moving!

I won’t call it a ska revival because ska is something that’s never gone away, but there is a massive rejuvenation of the scene with We Are The Union, Catbite and, of course, Kill Lincoln.  What is going on out there that has gotten so many people back on their boards to ride this latest wave of ska?

I think it’s NEW again! That tired cliché of “ska is dead” is really an outdated kind of “boomer” mentality. The people we see at shows these days are the die hard fans from the past combined with the new generation who doesn’t even know what “ska” is!
For the bands that you mentioned here, putting “ska” in their description is almost an unnecessary barrier to entry for most of the public. If you like ska, you might like some of those bands. However, if you have no idea what ska is, you’re just as likely to enjoy Catbite as someone who is a genre expert! It’s important to support the ska scene, yes. However, it’s crucial that we do not live in a vacuum. That is bad for the genre and the community. Inclusivity extends to people outside of the ska scene. 

Thank you again for taking some time to chat with me.  Was there anything else you wanted to mention to our readers, or any information I missed that you want to touch on?

I’m on tour with Kill Lincoln throughout the rest of the year. Our new record, No Normal, totally rips and it comes out everywhere on Friday, 9/27. We’re throwing the party of the year at the 9:30 Club this November. Hope to see you there, if you can’t get to our show, get out to live music elsewhere – there is nothing like it!!