Strife is a very hard hitting band in the same vein as Snapcase and here´s an interview done with Andrew Kline done in august 2001. Rick Rodney sent me some answers too and they´re written in red.

History?
-We started the band in 1990... I met Sid through his neighbor, and we knew
Rick from going to shows. We all loved hardcore, so we decided to start a
band.  Over ten years have passed and I cant believe all the things that we
have done... We have released three full length albums, three seven inches,
and have had songs on numerous compilation albums.  Our fourth album is
going to be released in October... We have toured all over Europe, Japan,
Australia, and the US.  We will continue to tour to support our new
release...

-Really quickly... Strife started in january of 1990 under the original name "stand as one". We played a few shows with that name, and then changed it about six months later to "strife".

Please tell me a little about every member and age, work, family and
something bad about ever one?
-I (Andrew Kline) am 25... I sell clothes to the stars, go to chool, Dj , and
make music in my spare time.  I would have to say that sometimes I am a  big
jerk (sorry). Rick Rodney is 28... He is married, and he also sells clothes
for a living.  He is into progressive hous music at the moment... He is very
talented, but doesnt push himself to succeed.  Sid is 28... he is married as
well... He manages a skateshop... Sid is very grumpy.  Chad is 26... he is
engaged... he is a loan shark... he doesnt always speak his mind...

-Andrew plays guitar, is 24, and works at a famous clothing store. He lives with his girlfriend Alice in Los angeles. Chad, plays bass, is 24(?), and works at a bank. His girlfriend, Dalyn and he like going to shows a lot.  Sid, plays drums. He works at a awesome skate store called chaos, and lives with his wife Becca. My name is Rick, and i am the vocals. I work for a clothing boutique and live in los angeles, with my wife melody... something bad about everyone? that should be easy i suppose, but i can't really think of anything right now. I guess we're all guilty of spitting on each other while playing. We don't really mind, but the crowd doesn't like it much when it hits them. oh well, sorry to everyone who has ever gotten spit on.

I have Truth through defiance,In this defiance and One truth, have you
done anything more and if you have how can I get it?
-We have released three seven inches... one on New Age, one on Indecision,
and another on Victory... The first two are out of print... try EBAy.

-There's nothing else that we've really done. There is a tour video that came out a few years ago. plus, the "California Takeover" comp.. And a few little things here and there. Everything should be available from the Victory catalog. Just contact them at victoryrecords.com 

You sound very angry, is it a way for you to get rid of all your bad
thoughts to play hardcoremusic, other people rob banks and shoot
down people in schools and so on?
-I have always been a fan of Agressive music... I dont know why.  I am not a
very angry person... I just feel that hardcore is a very moving form of
music.

-It is the best release for me. As A get older, so many things seem to get to me. Things like what you mentioned. There are so many things that go on in this world that i question. Right now, i seem to have all these questions, and not of answers. That's troubling to me. Some questions i think can't ever be answered. No matter how i much i try to find them. Why is there so much violence in a so-called "modern" time. War,racism,sexism... Too many things. Playing music is one of the only ways i can deal with these questions. 

We have got that problem with gang shooting and similar things, is it
violent to live in USA?
-In certain parts it is.  I actually witnessed a drive by shooting tonight..
I was eating dinner, and my girlfriend wanted to get a pack of cigarettes
froma convenience store... We got her wallet from my car and began walking
towards the store... We heard three gunshots and saw 3 kids hit the floor
for cover... We ran to my car and took off... If we were 30 seconds faster
we may have been caught in the crossfire... Scary...

-It seems to be violent anywhere. Big cities have a lot of violence. But there are so many wonderful things as well. Culture,art,music,are also a part of Los Angeles,New York,and other major metropolitan cities.

What´s the best and what´s the worst of living in USA?
-California has the best weather... practicallt everytype ofenviornment can
be found... The beach, the snow, mountains, deserts, forrests, etc.

-One of the best things is freedom. Freedom to choose from so many diverse things (music,art,etc.). I myself love New York more than anywhere else. It has a an energy i haven't found anywhere else. Los Angeles has the potential, but hasn't got it yet. It's much cheaper to live in L.A., and that's why my wife and live here. I was also born and raised in southern California. It's a great city for it's diversity. But there is also a problem with crime, injustice, and other things that are found here. There are so many starving people that live here. There is a statistic for the u.s.: "6% of the population, own an estimated 80% of the wealth". That is so sad to me. I wish that figure could be drastically converted. Greed is a grotesque attribute, that a lot of people acquire. I want nice things, I want my wife and I to have a comfortable life together. but i couldn'! t live in some huge house happily, when I knew there was someone on the corner begging for money to eat. It isn't human... but then again, i suppose it is. sad. 

What about the new president GW Bush?
-I am dissapointed he was elected president... I excercised my right to
vote... so many people dont realize the importance of voting... It is a
priviledge that many other people in other countries do not have.  This
election shed some light on the corruptness of out government... Their were
so many shady things going on during the election...

-He's a politician... he's a liar, he's a cheat, he's the last person we need in office... he's a politician. 

Does politic and music goes hand in hand?
-Sometimes... Though it doesnt have to.  Music is a forum where you can
express yourself... much like poetry or art... anything on your mind can
comeout... sometimes politics does. I dont think we are an overtly political
band...

-Music and politics can go hand in hand. Music is one the most powerful tools that can create change. but I also believe that music can, and should, be used for pure enjoyment. In the end, a political choice should be left up to the individual. But the stage is a profound platform. and if it is important to a band to utilize that platform for political influence, than it should.  

Any good political lyric writer you like?
-Noam Chomsky is amazing... He is a political writer that is extremely easy
to read, funny, and entertaining... If you have not read any of his work I
reccomend that you do so.

When you do music, which is most important to have good lyrics, a
good melody or to have a refrain which people remember?
-A good combination of both is the best... A good song cannot have one
without the other...

-I think all are as equally important. I usually get into the music first. Then I check out the lyrics. If I don't like the lyrics, I usually don't enjoy the song as much. Lately, I have been listening to a lot of electronic stuff. There are no lyrics most of the time, but i still love the emotion of all those sounds. Sometimes, just the music can set a powerful mood. That's what i love... the different moods that can be created just by listening to certain things.  

Who does the music, are you doing it together or one and one or how
does the whole thing comes through?
-I write the majhority of the music and then we all spend time arranging
it... Sometimes another band member will come up with a riff and I will take
it and turn it into a whole song... Not everything is used however.

Andrew usually writes the music. Then as a band, we'll arrange it. And after, I write all the lyrics. I have been writing some stuff on my computer as well. It may, or may not, make it onto the new album... we'll see.  

You´re on Victory Records, is it a good label? What do you like the
other bands there?
-For an independant harcore label, Victory is the best there is... They have
been very supportive, and they are extremely excited about our new release.
I like Integrity, Snapcase, Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, etc...

-Victory is great for what it can do. It's the largest independent label of it's kind. That's good for the bands on Victory, because it means better exposure. Better exposure means more people to play for in more places. They work really hard for their bands, and that is something most big (corporate) labels won't do.

Any good bands in USA right now?
-There are many good bands all over the world.

-I still love bands like: Sepultura,Slayer,Aick of it all,At the drive-in,etc. The last hatebreed album rocks. There's a band called Living Sacrifice that is amazing too. The last Tool record is one of the best things out. Deftones are awesome. plus, stuff like: Autechre,Mogwai,Radiohead,Slint,Karate,Mastadon... the list could go on forever. (laughs) I actually didn't think i liked that much stuff. (laughs) oh yea, Sqarepusher is crazy too. Go on-line and download everything i just mentioned. burn it all on a cd, for a sick comp..  

How much do you sell approximately?
-I guess our combined record sales is somewhere around 100,000 copies...

-What? I guess you're asking about records. I'm not really sure to tell you the truth.

What do you know about Sweden?
-We have played in Sweden a few times with Abhinanda, the Doughnuts, and
refused.   There are alot of good bands coming from that area... It is
cold...

-I've been to Sweden once. On tour in '95. We played with Ahbinanda,Refused,and the Doughnuts. It was great! It was a really positive vibe. Good kids, doin' good things. The last Refused record is so fucking good. Those boys rocked! 

Have you heard any swedish bands?
-Sure aside from the above... INC,Fireside, Millencolin, Satanic Surfers (we
played with them in Australia), etc...

-The one's I mentioned are the best I've heard

How is a good concert with Strife?
-Very energetic... we put 100% into our live shows... lately we have been
incorporating triggers and samples to add to the chaos...

-No fights, good sing-a-longs, and a lot of kids piling on stage. That is what hardcore is about. 

What´s the most peculiar which have happened on stage or in the
audience during a gig with Strife?
-People have been knocked out... One time I hit a kid in the face with my
guitar (it was an accident0, and I broke his three front teeth!

-Once, I almost bit my tongue off after our guitar at the time, jumped on my face. At a show in Florida, two kids broke their necks (which is not good). In Denmark, we played a show for about two hundred drunk kids. It was with sick of it all, and by the end of the show, it had become a huge food fight. That was one of my favorite show's ever.  

What´s the best and what´s the worst of being in a band?
-Having to rely on 4 other people is the worst part... Obviously seeing the
world is the best!!!

-Reaching people and traveling to so many places in the world would be one of the best. The worst, having kids talk shit at almost every show about things they know nothing about... that sucks.  

Do you have good contact with your fans, in which way?
-I return all E-mails... we are in the process of designing a website as
well...

-"Fan" is a really strange word for me. I feel that all the kids that come to our shows are a part of our band. After all, with out them, there would be no shows, no great experiences, no band. We'll talk to any one who is interested in talking to us. I love meeting new people.  

How does the average fan look like?
-We have fans from all walks of life... all shapes, colors, and size... The
is the beauty of our band... we appeal to more than just one type of person.

-I would hope there wasn't an "average" look.

What drives you to play music?
-I love to create things... especially things that have the ability to move
other people...

-The new experience of another tour. Getting all the shit that is inside of me out... the energy... 


What does punk mean to you?
-Doing your own thing regardless of what the rest of the world thinks of
you... following your heart and Doing what makes you happy...

-The "Sex Pistols" re-union shows... duh? 

Please rank your 5 best records, 5 best concerts and five most
important things in life?
-I dont know... Hardcore wise... I still love Judge, GB, minor threat,
circles jerks, descendents, Fugazi... etc... my favorite band is definately
the Beatles... I love their later, more experimental stuff...
The best concert we ever played (or at least my favoritee) was opening up
for Sepultura in Prague.  The had just recieved a gold record... and there
were like 12 thousand people at the show...  We didnt think any one would
know us, but when we came out the first 5 rows were all hardcore kids!!! it
was great...

-Right now... they would be: Slayer-Divine intervention,Autechre-Predipatay,John Digweed-Los Angeles,At the drive-in,Mogwai-Come on die young,Radiohead-Kid a. I saw the band "insted" many years ago and it changed my life. Seeing Jane's Addiction (before they broke up). Paul Oakenfold and Dave Ralph in Los Angeles, and Sepultura every night when we toured europe with them... 

First,last and the most expensive record you ever bought?
-I just went record shopping today... I Dj, so I am always buying records...
I just bought a few Jurassic 5 twelve inches, Roberta Flack, LA symphony,
the Chariots of Fire soundtrack, and MAdonna.

-First record? M.D.C.-Millions of dead cops. Last? I'm not sure, I download everything for free. Most expensive? the Misfits-(original) Walk among us. 

Idols when you were small?
-I used to really like Emilio Estevez... I though he was so cool in movies
like repoman, that was then this is now, and the breakfast club... He wasn't
really my idol though...

-The Fonz from an american t.v. show called "Happy days". David Lee Roth from Van Halen. Steve Perry from Journey, and Darth Vader. 

Have you any favorite reading on paper or on the net to recommend?
-Anything by Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, or John Fante is fun to read...
check them out...

-I can't read. 

Any favouritesite otherwise on the net?
-Hotmail... I visit it daily!!!

- www.limewire.com  is the best! 

What do you think about the new way to communicate with email and
internet and that stuff?
-I think it is very good... convenient and quick!!!

-There is way too much information out there for our small race to have... the internet is the beast. (but we like the beast).


It was a while since you put out a record, what happens right now and
how sounds the new stuff you have done?
-OUr new stuff is much more metal influenced... in the vein of Sepultura and
Slayer, while still maintaining a sound that makes it uniquelly Strife... it
is our best release ever!!!

-We're actually finishing our next album right now. It's a little more progressed than the last one. Which has been important for us. As individual's, we listen to so many different types of music. And there is so much influence coming from these types. I'm glad these influences are finally coming out in our music.  

Futureplans for yourself?
-Finish community college and transfer to UCLA... eventually I would like to
start producing music for others groups and musicians...

-Tour, tour, tour.

Futureplans for the band?
-Our album comes out in October... then we will tour alot and hopefully
record again soon...

-Tour, tour, tour.

Wisdomword? -Follow your heart... A thing is worth doing unless you are
doing it for the right reasons...

-"I'd rather be the head of a dog, than the tail of a tiger". 

Something more to add?Thanks... see you in sweden soon... Check out our
new album "Angermeans" on Victory records!!!

-Be good to each other.