This special edition focuses solely on the upcoming Operation Ivy tribute comp Mooorree Than Just Another Comp, due out in April via Sell The Heart Records and Lavasocks Records. Today we are speaking with Justin, guitars and vocals for Neckscars. We rolled a FIVE.
1) Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! The first one I'd like to ask is: It seems that almost everyone I meet has a story about the first time they heard OpIvy. Do you remember yours?
I remember my uncle doing some roof work on my house when I was younger and his buddy was hanging in the driveway drinking beers and blasting Operation Ivy and Dio. I was into punk at the time but never did a full dive into Op Ivy. After that they were on every one of my skate mixtapes.
2) What does OpIvy mean to you in particular, and in the broader pantheon of punk music?
Operation Ivy is everything I love about punk rock. If you put them on at a party, it is just banger after banger with everyone singing along. They've influenced so many bands and were the soundtrack to so many awesome times in my life. They stand as legends in the world of punk rock and rightfully so.
3) Why did you pick the song you chose to do?
“Vulnerability” starts with a cool rock n roll riff which is right in the Neckscars wheelhouse. We have fun reworking covers and this was no exception. This song gave us room to get creative with the different parts and make it our own.
This next question is an either/or. If you have gotten a chance to hear to whole comp, answer question 4A. If not, answer 4B (Justin answered both anyway, so we'll cheat and share both answers)
4A) There are a lot of great covers on the comp. Aside from YOURS, can you pick another track that stands out for you, and let us know what you dig about it?
“Missionary” by the Flying Raccoon Suit makes me wanna party!
4B) A bit of a follow-up to question #3: if you ended up farther down in the pecking order and didn't get your first pick(s), which song did you really want to do?
“Room without a Window” could have been cool. I literally had a room without a window in my parents basement.
5) Aside from the comp, what can we expect from Neckscars in the near future?
Neckscars just recorded some songs that will be out later this year, including another cover! We're going to be playing minimal shows so we can take some time to write our second full length and hit it hard next year!
Mooorree Than Just Another Comp is due out 07 Apr 2023. You can preorder digitally at the STHR Bandcamp. For physical releases on vinyl (inventory is going fast!) visit the Sell The Heart or Lava socks web stores.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A Pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.