Michael Thorn of Stockholm Syndrome Talks About New Death Watch Complete Discography Vinyl Re-issue (The Witzard Interview)
Stockholm Syndrome was a short-lived Bay Area Thrash and Punk/Hardcore unit only active from about 2001-02 'til 2004. Now, nearly 20 years since their dissolution, Stockholm Syndrome has partnered with YOFC & 625 Thrashcore to jointly re-release their complete discography packacged as Death Watch. Side A features an unreleased studio session from 2004 and Side B contains the full recording from their debut 2004 EP, One Way Out. Featured across both sides are members that also played in BAADER BRAINS, xINEPTx, YOUNG OFFENDERS, CHARM, VULGAR PIGEONS, SPAZZ, and many other notorious Bay Area bands. Death Watch is strongly recommended for fans of fast, straight-forward Hardcore Thrash, like RIPCORD, DEAD NATION, and DS-13.
This special vinyl re-issue package includes a gatefold poster insert and artwork by the indomitable Tommy Wilson. It's limited to 540 copies with 215 on red vinyl and the remaining 325 on standard black. We recently got a chance to chat with the band's former guitarist Michael Thorn about Stockholm Syndrome's Death Watchh re-release. Thorn is a guitarist, photographer, and former coordinator of MaximumRockNRoll 'zine, who is the current publisher of Razorblades & Aspirin 'zine. Thorn has been a member of Architects of The New Christ Rebellion, xINEPTx, Kill The Man Who Questions, and War All The Time. So, go purchase a copy of Stockholm Syndrome's Death Watch LP from 625 Thrashcore & YOFC and check out our interview with Michael Thorn down below the break, It has been lightly edietd for general clarity.
I. Who was part of the line-up of Stockholm Syndrome when Death Watch was created?
Michael Thorn: It was myself (Michael Thorn,) Max Ward, Spencer Rangitsch, and Tim Brooks. Originally, we had Chris Graber from Scholastic Deth on second guitar for a while, but he had left the band to move to LA before we ever recorded. If memory serves, Max, Spencer & I decided to do the band while shooting the sh*t after a Tear It Up show. We looped in Chris and away we went. Tim joined a little later—after we had a solid bunch of songs together and we had decided we needed a singer because none of us wanted to take on that role. My guess is we didn't play our first show until at least six months after we started—I mean, we practiced about once a week for a couple years, but played less than a dozen shows. The goal was to always be tight, fast as f**k, and as loud as possible. We once had Dave Ed [Edwardson] from Neurosis comment that we were "too loud"—I took that as a compliment.
II. What made you guys decide to re-issue Death Watch on YOFC/625 Thrashcore, now nearly 20 years after its initial release?
Thorn: We had released the single and demo way back when, but there was a whole other bunch of recordings we had done, which never saw the light of day and in some ways, for me at least, it just felt like the band wasn't properly bookended. We didn't do a last show [and] didn't really formally split up, it just sort of stopped; hearing those songs again for the first time in decades, it really made me personally regret that they hadn't ever seen the light of day.
III. What are the origins of the various recordings and bonus material that can be heard across the Death Watch re-issue?
Thorn: We did two recording sessions—one, with the legend Bart Thurber at The House of Faith [Recording Studio] and the other, with Craigums [Craig Billmeier]. The demo and EP recordings came from the House of Faith session, while the Craigums tracks are the stuff appearing for the first time ever to the greater world. This has every song we ever practiced or wrote, aside from some covers we would do in practice from time to time.
IV. How does this new re-issue of Death Watch differ from the originally released recordings of both the One Way Out EP & Deathf**kers cassette?
Thorn: Well, there are six previously unheard songs on Death Watch—we remixed and re-mastered all the songs. It sounds fuller and louder than the original version—it was nice to be able to go back and tweak some things a little. I think it helped to hear these things with fresh ears, rather than the way it was done at the time where it was, more or less, like "record one day, mix the next, and send it off to press the day after that."
V. When ordering a copy of Stockholm Syndrome's Death Watch LP from either 625 Thrashcore or YOFC, what can fans expect of the re-released vinyl packaging?
Thorn: Tommy Wilson did the layout—it keeps the same thematic elements of the [One Way Out] EP, but looks a little corroded and worn. Some copies will come on red vinyl, most won't, and it comes with a 12x24" poster lyrics sheet with a photo/flyer collage.
VI. Do you guys still talk, communicate, and hang out? What's the likelihood of a proper Stockholm Syndrome reunion?
Thorn: We started emailing again when this started to come together. It's hard, I mean, I live in Richmond, [Virginia,] Tim & Spencer in San Francisco, [California, and] Max is back in Japan, so hanging out and communication is a challenge. Life moves on, you know? While I was, personally, pleased that I still remembered how to play all these songs, the chances of a reunion is slim to none. I think all of us would rather focus on current projects than trying to re-create the past—this record is more of a document of a moment in time.
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