Hey bro I answered between the questions... our line up is actually
Day of Contempt are Ben Coyte (vocals) Tom Deverix & Simon O'Gorman (guitars) Dan Smith (bass) and Steve Davis (drums)
a lot can happen in a few years huh haha...

Which day in particular was it that spawned your contempt?
The day people started to try and pass off indy rock as hardcore... haha

How was Day of Contempt formed? By whom? And What's the average age?
Me and Tommy D are the only original members. It was us and 3 other guys who had been playing in hardcore bands, and decided to get our shit together and do it for real. Now our average age is probably about 22. Simon (aka scraggs) just turned 20, and Tommy D is the old guy - he’s 24.

Also did you guys ever find out where the shadows lie?
They're everywhere. There is no escape. (Title of the bands first recording-Phil)

I know you were stoked about signing to Goodlife I think your words were that when you first got involved with the scene about 5 years ago it was some of Goodlife's bands that grabbed your attention? So what I suppose is the obvious question in that how does it feel? and who were those initial bands?
Yeah I was down with hardcore then, initially I was into a lot of old school shit, and also earth crisis had a big effect on me. Before that I was hard out into punk, and metal like machine head and Pantera back in the day haha. But 5 years ago we started Day Of Contempt I was really into Morning Again and Liar, Congress all that shit.
It was one of the few labels we could get down here that wasn’t just the regular shit, and was loving all that slayer/thrash influenced stuff.

Are you all quite laid back guys? Aside from the band what are you into? Do you all work full time for example?
Yeah we're all pretty chilled out. Dan has the best job; he tattoos down here and does some fucking hard out shit. The rest of us just have regular jobs I guess, get money, tour when we can, you know the deal.

What sort of touring have you done recently and what touring partners have really highlighted the reasons for starting the band?
The last one we did was late last year with Throwdown for a couple of weeks.
It was definitely the most fun we've had touring here. Shows were really good, and they were all rad guys. We've toured with a decent amount of punk bands here, H20 was a lot of fun, One King Down was rad, because it was one of our biggest tours back then, and they had a big influence on us especially in the early days so that was a trip. Real good guys as well.

How is the Australian scene at the moment? Is it healthy and I don't suppose you could add a little depth in the following
Yeah it’s as healthy now as it has ever been. Its been going really well the last few years.
a) What's your local scene like and who are the bands making headway?
Adelaide is going really good. We get a lot of good turnouts here, and a lot of other Australian cities don’t have as many all ages shows, which has been really good for us. Bands like "I killed the prom queen", "embodiment 12:14", "shot point blank", "kill choir project" all do really well. Traditionally it’s pretty much a straight up metal hardcore scene.
b) Who are the whose who of Australian bands and underground labels?
A lot of the main ones come from Adelaide. Mindsnare are the longest running band here, they started early 90's but don’t play that often these days. Queensland and Byron bay are doing really well now, and Perth as well, they're the younger fresh scenes. Resist is without a doubt the main label doing shit here, bringing the most CD’s out, and touring the overseas bands. Trial and Error is the other biggy but there are a few others here and there.
c) Anyway anything I may have forgotten but you feel needs to be included.
Nah

When writing the lyrics are there any particular subjects, which you deal with? And from that in your eyes what's your most emotional song and why?
Most of them especially on the new album are all about holding on against all the shit the world pushes against us to make us give in. Society is geared to force people into living mainstream lives and punish anyone doing anything different. We all see a lot of people come and go to hardcore, and that’s what that shit is mostly about.

I would guess from looking at your lyrics and listening to your songs that some of you are straightedge? I'm probably very wrong but if you are what is it about being straightedge that got you into it?
Yeah 3 of us are, 2 of us aren’t. It’s not something we push as a band at all. When I got into it all my friends at the time were obsessed with drinking, if you didn’t do it, they weren’t down with you.
At the same time I was listening to earth crisis a lot, and hardcore was beginning to take over my life haha. I guess a mixture of all those things pushed me in that direction.

Do you think certain aspects of the edge are misunderstood and also don't people who screamed true till death etc look like dumbasses now when they ditched it?
Sure shit like that always happens.

Any thoughts on those who "drop" it? We all know people who have or heard about it, it isn't supposed to happen but then if people are making a natural progression I've always stood by just looking after myself.
Yeah getting too caught up in what other people are doing is never going to bring anything good. Life can be shit and sincere people can get brought down, and yeah people change, but at the same time that shit isn’t inevitable. All you can do is look out for your friends, that is the main thing.

Anyway to take the conversation away from that subject what's the next step for you guys being recently signed to Goodlife I assume your all hoping to be able to play some shows in Europe and possibly the UK?
We're talking later this year, depending on what happens with some plans we've got with the US as well. We’re hoping to knock it all down in the one hit sometime around July - august.
We've got some good friends in the UK as well, so we've got to do it.

How are the next 6 odd months looking tour wise?
Yeah other than that one, we've booked a tour for April in Australia. Its looking good, and we haven’t toured the CD yet so it should be some good times.

Any of you surf I should have asked that in my "what do you do with your lives" clique question but I guess it slipped, being from Australia you must have some mad-ass breaks? (I really don't know the terminology and so end up trying to sound like I know surfing but fail)
Haha yeah I used to back in the day, but I’m useless now. Like I was saying hardcore took over my life haha. Byron Bay every kid in the scene surfs. Its warm all year round and its a small town so there’s not a lot else to do I guess. Those guys are really good though.

Would you describe yourself as a happy person and what 5 words would you sum yourself up as?
Yeah shit is going good. There are always things that can bring you down, but fuck it. I don’t know about describing myself... you'll have to check my makeoutclub profile haha. Fuck that

If there was one thing (anything) you could achieve in your lifetime what would you want it to be? and why?
We’ve met a lot of awesome people through the band, if we can keep doing that shit, and pushing it further and releasing CD’s we're into, it'd be awesome.

I think me and Ben have already talked a bit about this but what was the deal with the trial and error (is that right?) release of where the shadows lie? -which label was it that mucked you around and didn't give you any money?
No, Trial and Error were really good for us here. That CD did really well for us here. A label called Voice Of Life from Germany released it as well and screwed us with it, but shit happens. At least it got out I guess.

Was that a difficult time for the band and do you think you will ever see anything from that particular company? Cause that was a great CD
Yeah it went really good down here, just the overseas shit that we never saw, so it didn’t mess with us.

Who are the most inspirational people in your lives right now?
There are a lot of bands that do it for me. Its awesome that hardcore can keep on coming through with the goods. Without the guys in D.O.C. and my friends, I don’t know what I’d be doing either. They're just regular scumbags, but having good people looking out is awesome.

How would you like to see the outcome of this "war on terror" doe's it scare you about a possible war with Iraq I mean if it was full scale WW3 there would be chaos everywhere?
I’m not into it. There are plenty of fucking idiots out there who are going to fuck things up for everyone else no matter what, so I’m not going to lose too much sleep over it, or move to the country just yet.

Are you too old for a call up?
I’m not in for that shit. I’m 22, so I doubt I’m too old.

Non politically affiliated and moving away but sounding like its still part of the last set of questions in your opinion what is the root of all evil?
I don’t know, but scraggs' ass can gas us out in the van on tour with some shit that’s got to be close.

Do you believe in a god or have religious persuasions?
No

What's your prediction for the band in 3 years time? We’ll be playing in experimental, emo-rock-noisecore side projects and talk shit about maturing from hardcore.

What is your favourite childhood memory and how did that impact you (make a lasting impression) if at all?
I don’t know its 4:20 am here right now, and I don’t think I could remember even if I was awake. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it, probably because I grew up so tough, here in Adelaide haha.

What's next for humanity? and with that I will also ask is there anything else you want to include? and with that I'll round up
I don’t have a lot of hope for humanity, but at least everyone doesn’t have to go to shit, and sink with the rest. Thanks a lot for the interview Phil; hopefully we'll see you guys later this year, so keep an eye out.