It won’t have escaped your attention that the world has been experiencing a certain amount of political and social upheaval of late. With Trump’s increasingly-sinister Administration looming large over America and Brexit plunging the UK into stark division, it’s easy to feel that society is traversing uncertain times. That’s where Eat Dirt come in. They’re pissed off – really pissed off – and they want as many people to know about it as possible.
“I’d given up on music. I wasn’t really angry enough,” the band’s unnamed frontman - more on that later - explains. “I had nothing to sing about anymore. Then the whole Brexit thing happened. I’m mad at people. I’m mad at the world around me. As a group, we need to vent. Eat Dirt is that release.” As you can imagine, the result is a blistering collection of furious hardcore punk which takes its cues from Fucked Up, The Bronx and Sick Of It All, while pointedly taking aim at the failings of modern society.
Below we catch up with the band - all of whom have relinquished their identities in favour of being able to say exactly what they like - about the band, their EP and what they have lined up for next.
Who are Eat Dirt?
“There are six of us in Eat Dirt, [and we] have known each other for about five years or so. We all met touring in other bands on the road, [then] we became best friends – we go to each other’s kids’ birthday parties, [have been] best men at weddings, etc – so we finally decided to make some music together.
What’s the story behind the band coming together?
“We started around the time of the EU referendum – we started doing some demos over email and then got in the studio with Justin Hill to get the EP finished. Our other bands have toured the world, supporting the likes of Stone Sour, Slipknot, The Used, CKY, Death By Stereo, even Black Veil Brides; we’ve seen the best and worst of the music industry. Eat Dirt is different because we don’t go into the rehearsal room looking to write a hit, or make a song that’s going to be played on the radio. We’re not looking to make something that’s gonna please people, or make us money. We just want to enjoy what we’re doing, and make music we want to hear.”
Can you describe your sound in three words for people who haven’t heard you before?
“Three words… Faster, harder, faster.”
What’s the story behind the EP?
“We wrote the EP in about 4 weeks, recorded it in Acton with Justin Hill, then we released it ourselves. We wanted to make it free download only, but people don’t consume music like that any more. So we had to get it out there on the streaming services, too. I just hope people enjoy it, theres no real message other than we’re being fucked with, and we need to realise not everyone in power has our best interests at heart; not everyone in your friendship group is there just for the friendship… Some people are just looking to get ahead in life, and will tread on you to get to what they want. We’re currently writing the second EP, [which] should be out in January.”
What’s next for Eat Dirt?
“Eat Dirt are going to play our first gig with Fights And Fires at the Sebright Arms, London on 30th July, and then with PEARS at New Cross Inn, London on 4th August, after that we’re going to concentrate on our next record. We’re not looking to tour a lot, we’re all parents and have jobs now. Eat Dirt is for us to blow off some steam and have some fun.”
Eat Dirt’s self-titled EP is available now.
