In It To Win It

In It To Win It
By: Chris Acyd

Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll seem to always go together. Straight-laced views about morality and purity were largely discarded in the 70s as hippies took acid and climbed the ‘stairway to heaven’, while UK teens got high on cheap speed and embraced an “anything goes” punk lifestyle. It wasn’t until the beginnings of the hardcore movement in the early 80s that bands like Minor Threat began to push a straight edge agenda, refraining from drinking, drugs, and casual sex, and bringing us the X’s that are still used to mark underage fans at shows.
Two decades later, Sussex County’s In It To Win It maintains the connection between hardcore and straight edge, playing All Ages shows at churches and youth cafes, spawning moshpits in the tamest of crowds with a set that is pure ferocity. Far beyond the simplicity of early hardcore, the band’s metal influences come through with blistering speed and energy, delivered with both righteous anger and a positive attitude that draws fans.

Acyd: How did the band start? How did the band make the decision to be straight edge? Has it been worth it?
Dustin (drums): I started this band in August of 2007 with our guitarist Spencer. We originally planned on writing a totally different style of music but soon realized it wasn't working out the way we planned. A couple weeks later we asked our good friend Woody to join and then realized "Well, we're all straight edge...so why don't we start a hardcore band based upon the lifestyle?" After jamming around a few weekends we got this kid that Woody had been in a previous band with on drums and I did vocals. Played two or three shows I think and realized we had to make a line-up change. We ended up kicking our drummer out and I moved over to drums. Immediately after making the decision I called up my friend Rich, who had been in previous bands with me before. Started practicing, got together a full set of songs and played shows in December. Ever since then we've gotten a great response and our fan base is growing. So it's definitely been worth it!

Acyd: Early hardcore bands denied drugs, alcohol, and, in some cases, sex. In embracing the straight edge lifestyle, how far do you take it?
Dustin: Everyone in the band adopts the basics. "No drugs, no alcohol and no promiscuous sex." I'm the only vegetarian in the band but I don't really relate that to the straight edge lifestyle, it's more of my personal view on animal rights.

Acyd: Like many bands in your particular scene, you play shows at church-based cafes and the like. Does In It To Win It have a religious message, or are you just taking advantage of all available venues?
Dustin: The band does not have a religious message, we are just trying to reach people of all kinds and possibly start a spark in the minds of our generation and so on.

Acyd: There are some who will come up to someone at a show and slap a beer out of their hand. Do you take this militant approach, or choose to lead by example?
Dustin: Haha, no we're not going to slap a beer out of your hand. We have no room in telling you how to live your life. We just want to let people know there is a subculture that embraces these beliefs

Acyd: What are some of your influences, musically?
Dustin: Everyone in the band has different influences. Everything from death metal to pop punk! It's pretty righteous because it's starting to show in the way we write our music.

Acyd: You're just begun an East Coast tour. What are your expectations for the tour, and what are your plans for when it's finished?
Dustin: We've all been so stoked on this tour because we're hitting up some new places and playing some awesome venues.
Everyone in this band loves to tour and personally nothing makes me more happy than being on the road playing music every night with my best friends for the right reasons.
As for when this tour is over, we will be playing shows on the weekends and possibly booking mini-tours here and there.
Other than that our focus is to write new material, work as much as possible and promote the EP we are about to release through 1981 Records!
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While the straight edge lifestyle might be sneered at by some, it's accepted if not always embraced by the uniquely tolerant Eastern Shore scene. Lead guitarist Ben Everett of Queen Anne's 'The Abolitionists' wears the label himself, saying "I wanna try to make a difference and promote change for the good of the common people. I don't think I can do that while I'm getting fucked up. It might work for other people, but it isn't for me. But I also don't care if other people do drugs or drink or whatever, I think it's a personal choice." Easton mover-and-shaker Cody, of Press Black and The International Jet Set, notes that while he's not straight edge, "I think it's great that there are young people who are trying to act responsibly and I think it's great that there are young people getting wasted and having the time of their lives. It boils down to personal liberty...because that's what it's all about right?"