Child Bite proves their ground at HOME Bar Arlington Heights- January 27, 2017
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| Childbite |
photos and story by Aaron Michael Antczak
It’s Friday, we’re all getting off work (well maybe not all of us) and calling out the soldiers to see who’s up for a night of whatever comes our way. What’s do you say? SuperJoint is playin at HOME Bar Arlington Heights? Count me in… who passes up a chance to see Phil Anselmo’s newest creation destroy their ears for an hour or two? All rhetorical questions so don’t answer em.
Being on the other side for so long, I forget there is a completely other world of “Metal” than I’m used. So when I get the chance to see new bands, I had to take it. A few weeks prior I started my Spotify journey into the realm of “Childbite”. A band from Detroit, MI who apparently has been active since 2005. Needless to say they’re entertaining and a blast to watch. I did some YouTubing (I’m trademarking that so you can’t use it, ha-ha... just kidding) and found this little gem from 2014 called “Ancestral Ooze”. It seems like a metaphor about how we keep consuming the bullshit fed to us by the capitalism machine and it’s destroying us from within… I don’t really know for sure but that’s my interpretation… I realized after Shawn replied to my questions I wasn’t too far off.
Here’s what front man Shawn Knight had to say:
Aaron Michael Antczak: Venue… What did you guys think? Being a musician is hard work for sure, I know. The first thing on my mind when I book a show is what it’s like, how big is the stage, who manages the place and can I get a cheeseburger?
Shawn Knight of ChildBite: Ya know what, we are pretty flexible dudes and kinda thrive on the unknown.
Maybe it comes from years of playing basements and dive bars, but I have come to expect nothing and work with whatever I'm handed. If the stage is 2' wide and the PA is broken, fuck it,
I'll do what I've gotta do to put on a show under those conditions. So with that history and mindset, all of the spots we've been hitting on this tour are perfectly acceptable. Don't get me wrong, some of them are shit holes, just a higher caliber of shit hole than we've had to deal with before.
Aaron Michael Antczak: How is it being on tour with Phil (SuperJoint) and the Battlecross family?
Shawn Knight of ChildBite: Touring with Phil is always awesome; his fanbase that started with Pantera is still so strong that you always know there's gonna be a crowd eager to let loose. This is our 3rd tour w/ him, and definitely not our last. When Phil asks your band to go out, you say yes! Battlecross are fellow Detroiters, but strangely we've only played 1 show together before this. They have turned out to be a bunch of sweethearts and they shred like crazy to boot.
Aaron Michael Antczak: You’ve been at since 2005 and seem to have a foot hold in your niche, in your perception when did you realize “Child Bite” was successful?
Shawn Knight of ChildBite: Well, the jury is still out on that. But once we had received Phil's stamp of approval things definitely started looking up for us. We've been doing legit tours for the past couple years now; once that started we definitely felt more like a real band. Even if this shit fell apart tomorrow, I would feel like we were able to achieve a lot of stuff that most bands don't ever get to. Feeling lucky.
Aaron Michael Antczak: Since inception the band has been through some changes. Is there a point in time that stands out to you most? I.e. Band member leaves or tensions rise and you had to part ways.
Shawn Knight of ChildBite: I think 2010 or 2011 was when we realized we were starting a new chapter. The two
Aaron Michael Antczak: Lyrics... What in the fuck is your inspiration and where can I find a copy of the lyrics? Especially “Ancestral Ooze”?
Shawn Knight of ChildBite: A lot of the lyrics are just about topics that flop around in my brain, just like most lyricists, but I do make a strong effort to keep it interesting & find new ways to say the same old shit. So I use allegory and metaphors quite a bit.
"Ooze" is all about how I've decided to not have kids, therefore ending my family's bloodline. Kind of a heavy topic, so I wrapped it up in a fun, neon green package as to not bum everyone out. Those lyrics are in the packaging; might be floating around the web somewhere too but folks can just message us and I'll shoot em some fucked words whenever.
There it is, unfiltered straight from the horse’s mouth. Overall they get some well-earned street cred in my opinion. Their tunes are weird, eccentric, over the top and engaging so check em out!
“Ancestral Ooze” YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz3mYeQ2fog
Band sites and links:
Website: http://www.childbite.com/
On Tour Now - http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/tours
Members:
Shawn Knight
Sean Clancy
Brandon Sczomak
Jeff Kraus
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