Grab your s’mores, your bug spray, a shot of Malort and pack your bags as Riot Squad Media is returning to Northeast Pennsylvania to take over the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert, PA with Camp Punksylvania! The 3-day festival with multiple stages and amazing national and local acts like 7 Seconds, The Bronx, Less Than Jake, will take place from 5 July until 7 July tickets are available here. CJ and Grason of Racist Kramer, have joined TGEFM to discuss this year’s festival for the latest installment of our Camp-centric interview series: Happy Campers. Check it out below and I’ll see you at the campfire!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! You’re gearing up for Camp Punksylvania soon, you’ve played the fest before in 2022, What made you want to come back and do it again?
CJ: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our music with more people. We take every opportunity we can to go anywhere together. We truly enjoy one another and being on the road gives us a chance to reconnect. Playing music is always a good time but the time together is what I cherish most these days. My father passed away while we were doing some road dates a few months ago. Having my bandmates there for me through one of the most difficult experiences of my life makes every single show we’ve played (sometimes for nobody) completely worthwhile.
Grason: First, I definitely think the community involved with the event makes it worthwhile. They’re insanely hard-working and amazing people. I also believe that we’ve seen a deterioration of institutions that many of us cherish, such as live music, so seeing this DIY fest that is not only amazingly fun but truly unique is a must-do.
How has it felt being able to watch this thing grow from the inside?
CJ: It is admirable to watch people who grew up in the warped tour era come into their own and create something because of the inspiration they took from the shows and festivals that they went to as kids. I walked around camp and was so impressed by everyone’s shared passion for the music and culture that saved my life
Grason: I feel very lucky to get to see all of these incredible people come together and give us all a safe space to enjoy what we love. As someone who has been in bands for almost 30 years, it’s inspiring to see what Laura, Terry, and Vero, and others have put together.
What does the festival circuit mean to Racist Kramer and bands like yours?
CJ: It’s a good opportunity to throw our hat in the ring in markets in which we have no presence. Going and playing dives is fun, but getting a spot on a festival like Camp Punksylvania gives us a chance to share our music with people who otherwise might not have ever heard us or gone out of their way to come to one of our own shows. Having the chance to meet new friends is also really neat.
Grason: It means a lot in the sense that bands may get an opportunity to showcase music in front of new audiences. The tough part about it is we have so many amazing young, upcoming, or unknown punk rock bands that so many bands won’t get an opportunity. It’s time to accept and showcase new punk rock. We also need more people like the Riot Squad/Camp team bringing us new and better places to play.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst? On the flipside to that one… Who are some non-Camp bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
CJ: My big brother was a pro wakeboarder for 20 years and would be on x-games and other intensity sports that always had highlight videos with awesome music. When he was 19 I stole his cd’s and Goldfinger self titled really just got to me. Then later they were on the Tony hawk game when I was only in 3rd grade, I started telling people I was gonna be in a punk band. Saw Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish in 6th grade and immediately begged my parents to help me buy a guitar. Went through a prog rock emo phase in high school, then met Cheech and got reconnected to NOFX and Bad Religion and Lagwagon, more of my older brothers music and that’s when we decided to go back to our roots and play fast loud fun music.
Grason’s other band Restroyer is a lot of fun. Check them out.
Grason: I grew up in the late 80’s/early 90’s so punk rock was everywhere. The Tony Hawk soundtrack and the XGames were huge in introducing me to new music. That’s where I learned about Millencolin, Refused, Screeching Weasel, Circle Jerks, and tons of others.
As an angry, depressed outcast, punk rock was a great way to not only lash out a little but to take out my aggression in a positive, creative way. I also will always remember when I heard “Matchbook” by Strung Out for the first time. That song was my inspiration to write better music.
Check Out Pirates of the Promised Land from SLC and The Frickashinas from Denver. Both are incredible bands.
What does Racist Kramer have planned for us beyond Camp Punksylvania?
CJ: Hopefully we can all keep spending time together and if more people get a hold of our music and create a higher demand for us, we will do our best to accommodate that. But we’re not so delusional about what this really is. Rk could pivot and become a book club next week, and we would still love and show up for each other as much as we do now. Hype about our band is neat, but we really get excited when our drummer Cheech finds a good breakfast joint.
Grason: Who knows? We’re all getting old…, and we all have careers and less and less time for the band. However, we have been recording some new stuff, and we are all excited about the possibility of playing some new cities next year. We’d love to get the invite to play Punk Rock Bowling/Fest or Pouzza next year.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
CJ: When we were booked by a high school to play their battle of the bands, despite being 21-26 years old at the time. We were all drunk, on drugs, and not in high school. We have played pretty weird places I guess. We played and then were told by the band after us to leave, at an anarchy collective all vegan pot luck. Strip clubs. Basements. A really fancy wedding. An all girl-band show that was promoted as such? There are weird times, good times and hard times. I think what’s weird is how things aren’t so weird. I think we can all agree that what’s been most unexpected has been the gratitude for each other as well as for and from people that like our music. We have really become sentimental about our Christmas charity fundraiser every year called Friendsmas. We try to raise money to benefit the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition every year. If I had to guess I think in the past 10+ years we’ve raised almost $70,000. Their efforts as well as the families they help are very important to us. The value and purpose we find in that has been most unexpected.
Grason: Pretty sure some of our shows would make a great movie. I honestly think playing Warped Tour on the Kevin Says stage was a big one. We got a lot of reminders that day that what we were doing was affecting other people in a positive way. I also think it’s pretty amazing that we’ve been able to share the stage with the amazing bands that we have. Playing with Pennywise and the Bouncing Souls will be shows I’ll always remember.
Regarding live shows, what are you most excited to bring to the Camp Punk audience? What do you want the campers to say about your set when they write home from camp this year?
CJ: Dear Mom and Dad,
That band racist Kramer who’s name you laughed about just played and they weren’t as bad as we all assumed they were going to be. They themselves also said that they played great. I’m super glad I spent all that money you gave me for college on their dumb t shirts cause they were actually nice people and they traveled a really long way to be here.
Anyways camp went off with minimal bullshit and everyone had a good time. No one’s feelings were hurt and the cops didn’t come
Love, your kid GJ Allen
Grason: I want people to be scared… and turned on. The perfect combo.
Actually, a successful show for us is just having the audience enjoy our show without someone getting overly sensitive about our name. So we promise we’ll bring the energy and we’ll give you a show to remember.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
CJ: No regrets that are too heavy I believe it all works well because of what we all went through to get where we are on a personal level. A lot of In Redemption is what it is because of the growth it took to be this ok with one another. We have not really had to tour together full time. So I don’t want to act as though we’ve been tested the way other bands probably have. But we are proud of the punk rock culture that was carved out of the mountain side in Utah that a lot of people look past. I’m proud to be a part of that tradition. I could choose regret for not taking more risks, or I can be grateful that we’re all still alive and we are able to still play music together.
Grason: I’m not a big regret person. So I don’t necessarily feel regret about anything we’ve done, but I really wish we would have been able to tour and play more shows in the past. It’s just not very possible anymore. That being said, I’m perfectly happy with where we are and what we’ve done.
The punk and ska scenes have almost always been at the forefront of inclusion and diversity within the music scenes. The flipside of course is that the gatekeeping in the scene is also very prevalent? Why do you think the genre brings in such a welcoming community and is so happy to let everyone in and also seems to shut the doors so quickly behind themselves?
CJ: I wouldn’t pretend to know. We have friends in the industry that are on the festival and live production side of things and they are always doing all they can for us all the time. But my concern is writing music with my friends and having fun doing that. I really appreciate and look up to all the great bands all the industry legends, promoters, producers, label people etc. especially those responsible for music we love and those that directly helped us in any sort of way. Punk rock to me is a tradition that we just want to carry on for our own personal benefit of having fun creating art together. It is profoundly cathartic and I will do it whether anyone shows up or not. I’ll put out records cause I enjoy making music and I like showing it to my loved ones. I appreciate that people like it. A few of my friends, my mom, my girlfriend, maybe 3 of my brothers and a couple band mates have said that a song or two is good at one point or another. That means something to me.
We are ok if the “door” stays shut. I think we came to that resolution when we named ourselves Racist Kramer. Popularity and opportunity through the channels of the old guard is not an expectation or goal of ours. We would be really fun at the meetings though.
Grason: I’m really not sure. I think being part of a subculture that is often referred to with negative connotation automatically gives you a sense of community. But no matter what side of politics or religion or whatever else… punk rock brings out emotion and that can lead to some exclusivity. Luckily the people that I play music with have always been open, accepting and amazing people.
Many of the Camp Punx artists have not been afraid to get political, and Racist Kramer is certainly no different. If you had told me a decade ago we’d be looking at a campaign trail made up of a pair of clueless octogenarians set to a backdrop of legal proceedings, foreign wars and record profits I’d have told you there’s no way things could get so bleak…but here we are and it turns out you’d have been underselling the shit show happening inside the dumpster fire of American government. How is the already absurd presidential race and performative legislation playing into your writing, the live experience and your mental health?
CJ: I couldn’t answer this question on behalf of the entire band. Some of us are more outspoken about our political beliefs than others and we value that in and of itself. I will just say that our actions reflect our values. We’re happy to engage in political discourse of any sort, and I encourage people to get more involved in their communities when they feel out spoken in their beliefs. Everything from fundraisers, city council meetings, PTA meetings, caucuses, writing their representatives etc. These are all actions seldom taken after long arguments that lead nowhere. Whatever you feel is of importance or unjust, should be a personal priority and you should live with values that uphold those beliefs. Otherwise it’s just talk. I believe it’s important to be receptive, even when you inherently disagree. That’s more of what I want to tap into creatively. Finding the healthy way to better myself and my loved ones. A healthy spite, and finding a path to a better circumstance for yourself. I don’t want to be a victim of unhealthy American culture anymore. A few of us have found ourselves living very poor lifestyles at different times and have thankfully been able to heal and grow, together and as individuals. The sidecar to the bullshit American lifestyle right now is the way people idolize their clown(s). Leadership should be held accountable and they don’t have to be when they know we are busy sending each other memes and slowly dying from depression. I don’t know.
However, in the tradition speaking out. If I may offer any sort of solution at all.. Our food has been altered and processed, and production has been streamlined for the sake of revenue. But the choice to better yourself and pull yourself out of negativity and the vicious cycles that can lead to mental fragility starts with what you eat, drink, say, and do. Positive choices and actions have lead me to positive thinking. The reparations it’s going to take to fix the country start at home, with constructive and supportive love and tolerance for each other and especially ourselves.”
Grason: I definitely wouldn’t consider us a political band although we don’t mind mentioning things that really need to be taken care. We actually all have differing political and religious opinions so we find common ground which is, we all want to make the world better than we found it. That doesn’t mean we won’t call out the bullshit that’s spewing from Trump or Biden or whoever else’s stupid fucking mouth.
I just want us to all concentrate on realizing that it’s okay to believe in different things, but let’s believe in moving forward, being positive, and helping other human beings have better lives. Any bipartisan bickering is completely useless as we’ll never change anyones mind.
What extra-curricular activities are you most looking forward to at Camp this summer?
CJ: Going to breakfast with Cheech.
Grason: The Misfits Market. There are so many incredible vendors including record shops, custom handmade clothing, food, and all sorts of other things. Tons of great people to meet.
Time for some post-show jams… what song are you playing at the Campfire sing-a-long?
CJ: I didn’t know I would be allowed to play, if I am then I’ll bring my kazoo.
Grason: CJ will probably play Billy Joel or some other garbage
Camp Punksylvania is a smorgasbord of fantastic acts. Which bands are you most excited to see?
CJ: Less than Jake, Diesel Boy, Poli VanDam
Grason: The Riot Stage. All of It. Vulture Raid, The Chemical Imbalance, PWRUP, The Karens, Black Guy Fawkes, and The Punk Cellist. Also stoked to see Codefendents, Poli Van Dam, and plenty of others.
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
CJ: I would like to just say thank you for taking the time to learn more about our band and if you come to camp, be prepared be courteous and kind and most importantly have fun.
Grason: We appreciate anyone taking the time to check us out. We’ll be releasing some new music this year so keep your eye out.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
