LA hardcore band Internal Affairs discuss new discography comp on Safe Inside Records
LA hardcore band Internal Affairs were initially around from 2003 to 2009, with releases on Malfunction Records, Deathwish Inc, and Resist Records, and they included members who also played in Carry On, Terror, Berthold City, Piece by Piece, Betrayed, The First Step, Collision, and more. They released two full-lengths and a handful of EPs/splits/demos during their run, and now they’re teaming up with Safe Inside Records for a full discography compilation, No Way Out, which will be a 51-song double LP with a 16-page booklet designed by Jonathon Buske, remastering by Terror/Piece by Piece’s Nick Jett, and artwork by Malfunction Records co-founder Linas Garsys (who’s also worked with AFI, American Nightmare, Ceremony, and more). Pre-orders launch today (11/17) at noon Eastern at Safe Inside Records’ website, and you can stream the remastered title track below.
“It’s always interesting to think back at the music we made,” vocalist Corey Williams tells us. “It all started when Piece by Piece was put second in line to Terror, no complaints because that band is incredible! With Nick Jett (singer of PBP) missing in action, Shaun and I started working on Internal Affairs. We weren’t the world’s greatest musicians but it gave us the freedom to do what ever felt good without the worry if people were going to like it. At first the lyrics were over the top, tongue in cheek, of rage and anger. Typical hardcore themes delivered in the most to the point way possible with not so typical song structures. Then as the band developed into something more serious the songs expanded to serious ones as well as more ridiculous ones.”
“I don’t think we ever tried to write music to fit into any particular style of hardcore, we just kept it fitting to how we delivered it in the live setting,” Corey continued. “I always felt the energy was best felt from the stage – the way hardcore is intended to be experienced. As for the impact it left, we were inspired by so many incredible bands that were either fast or angry or both. At the time I had been listening to a lot of AF, Infest, YOT. We weren’t the first to do it; just prior to us you had bands like Floorpunch, 97a, Lifes Halt, Final Exit to name a few and then we got to see bands like Ceremony, Trash Talk, Bracewar, etc play amazing fast wild hardcore.”
“The idea for the discography was all Burt from Safe Inside Records,” Corey added. “He’s an old friend that I’ve known since the mid ’90s and saw every time we would visit San Diego. Him reaching out with the idea was great and brought back so many amazing memories and feelings. He basically offered to do it and asked how I would want to deliver it. Somewhat of a tall order since we had so many releases to consolidate. Linas Garsys had done the artwork for most of our releases so luckily he was able to make time to continue the tradition of our friendship. With 51 songs, we had to find a way to make them fit onto a lyric sheet. No better way than to get our good friend Jonathon Buske to design us a booklet. He has done so many incredible layouts and really knocked this one out of the park. Once word got out that we were working on this release, we were bombarded with positive feedback. With a gatefold double LP and a 16 page 12″x12″ booklet, there is plenty to look at and relive with photos and flyers. We never planned on reissues or reunions when we broke up in 2009; nearly 13 years later we are excited to find that we are still relevant.”
Burt from Safe Inside Records adds, “I’d have to put Internal Affairs in my top 10 hardcore bands of all time. The lyrics just connected with me at the time as well as the music. I have always liked faster hardcore bands and just felt connected to IA. I love doing discographies for bands that I love. I was fortunate to work with Scott Vogel on the Despair discography and also put out a Slugfest record. To me, doing a discography is the ultimate tribute to a band — who doesn’t want all the music of a band they loved packaged all in one with a killer booklet!?”
“I have known Corey the singer for 25 years and just hit him up one day and was like ‘hey let me do a IA discography,'” Burt continues. “It’s funny because he was already thinking of doing something along that line, so we got to work on it I am so stoked it’s finally coming out soon. Who knows maybe they will play a few reunion shows… Internal Affairs FUCK YEAH!”
Stay tuned to see if those reunion shows actually come to be! Meanwhile, listen to the remastered “No Way Out” below and pre-order the discography here, starting today (11/17) at noon Eastern.
