THIS IS HARDCORE PREVIEW: Kyle Kimball of Beware, A TIHC Veteran.

This is Hardcore 2012 starts Thursday. Last week, Bree Wood spoke with Kyle Kimball, who performs with Beware, Salvation and Night Sins. Beware (above) will perform during day two of the fest, Friday, at the Electric Factory. Suicidal Tendencies and the Cro-Mags are the headliners. See here for details.

What area of Philly do you live?

I live in South Philly. East Passyunk to be more specific.

Do you have a favorite spot to eat or hang?

The places I frequent the most are FDR, Pop’s Skate Park, Los Gallos Authentic Mexican Food, the cannoli place next to my house, Luigi’s Pizza Fresca, Independence Hall, Laurel Hill Cemetery, and The Forum.

When was your first TIHC?

My first This Is Hardcore was the first fest, which was 2006, I believe. I hadn’t realized it but my friend and bandmate Bob pointed out that he and I have played in every This is Hardcore. Only a handful of people have done so, so that’s something. I was also told that Shawn from Blacklisted and I are the only drummers to hold that title as well. So thanks to Joe (McKay) for having me back again and again.

What bands have you been in and what was your role?

I played drums in Mother of Mercy and Let Down. Let Down started in early 2004 when I was 16. We had no intention of ever playing outside of Chalfont, PA. We didn’t know anyone or have any friends involved in the scene, so to speak. Somehow we ended up touring the U.S. a bunch of times and going to Europe, so go figure. Let Down’s last show was, This is Hardcore a couple years ago. Half way through our set, Ryan from Desperate Measures came on stage and we played a handful of DM songs with him singing. Desperate Measures was one of my favorite hardcore bands growing up, so it was really a treat to be able to do that. When I think of Let Down playing This is Hardcore, I think of Bob walking on peoples’ heads, Drew kicking them in the face, Justin doing god knows what, and me throwing up after every set. Something about the drum riser and those lights always got to me by the end. I’m sure this year will be no different for Beware. One last thing I should add about Let Down is everyone in the band is still straight edge. I always say that shouldn’t be some big feat but apparently it is. Kids come and go.

Bob from Let Down and I formed Mother of Mercy near the demise of Let Down. We wanted to play in a heavy band. We recorded two EPs and two LPs in all, and toured the U.S. and Europe. At last year’s This is Hardcore, I had to borrow sticks from someone because I’m truly incompetent and can’t bring sticks to a show in my own city. The sticks I ended up borrowing were too thin, so I had to play them backwards. Playing them backwards ended up really chewing up my thumbs. I looked down in the middle of a song and noticed there was blood all over my hands and the skin on my thumbs had fallen off. I hurled the sticks into the crowd and scrounged on the floor to find new ones. When I got up I saw Joe on stage staring at me like he wanted to kill me for what I had done. I finished the set and walked outside, and I saw Joe following me. I really thought he was going to give it me good for throwing my sticks. I started to try and justify my actions when he quickly told me to  “shut the fuck up,” and proceeded to dump water on my hands and dress my wounds. I never know what I’m going to get when I interact with Joe but that time, luckily, I got the caring nurse, ha ha.

What are you looking forward at TIHC this year?

Crown of Thornz and Negative Approach. I play in a band called Salvation that is also playing a TIHC after-show with RINGWORM. I’m excited for that. And Youth Attack. Are there basketball courts this year? I’ll play anyone one-on-one for any amount of money. Also, Beware’s first TIHC set.

Any TIHC favorite moments?

Probably the smorgasbord of food served at last year’s fest. Also, Sheer Terror’s set and Paul’s banter.

Beware is a fairly new band of yours what’s going on with that?  You had a release around April. Have you started writing anything new yet?

We have a new song on the Triple B comp that’s coming out soon. It’s a ripper. This is Hardcore, obviously. We’re playing a weekend with Mindset in November, Edge Day in Philly, Back 2 School Jam in Virginia, and hopefully we’ll have a new EP out by early next year. There’s a lot on the horizon.

Any plans for tour plans?

Salvation is going on tour in September over to Chicago and up through Canada. We’ve been a band for more than five years but only recently have we started to really play out. This tour starts with the Power of the Riff Fest in Brooklyn. All is nothing. Give it away.

Do you have any other roles in the scene or side projects you are working on?

I do something called Night Sins (below). We have an LP called New Grave coming out on Avant! records in September. It’s the first record I wrote by myself. If you’re into Clan of Xymox or Sisters of Mercy, please give it a whirl.