SQUALOR by Dead Fucking Serious

SINCE 2006, DFS HAS BEEN AN OUTLET FOR RAW ANGER AND AGGRESSION. IN OUR EARLY YEARS, WE TWICE FAILED TO CAPTURE THAT LIVE ENERGY ON TAPE. WE FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT ON “THE SPLIT” (2012), AND WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT EVER SINCE.

THE GOAL WAS SIMPLE: MAKE THE BEST PUNK RECORD OF OUR LIVES.

CHRIS WILSON, OUR ORIGINAL BASSIST, WAS MOSTLY UNAVAILABLE, SO IT WAS JUST ME AND KELLEN ON THE ALBUM. (CHRIS DID WRITE THE GRADUAL TEMPO CHANGE AT THE END OF “PACIFIED.”) JUSTIN STOPPED BY DURING THE DRUM/VOCAL SESSIONS, AND, WITH CHRIS’ BLESSING, BECAME A PERMANENT MEMBER. JUSTIN WAS OUR FIRST AND ONLY CHOICE.

THE ART IS A GODDAMN MIRACLE. I CONTACTED WINSTON SMITH ON HIS WEBSITE, THINKING THERE WAS NO CHANCE IN HELL, BUT HE LOVED THE DEMOS AND THE NAME “SQUALOR,” OFFERING TO START RIGHT AWAY. WE CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT AND HE HAND-CUT THE COVER COLLAGE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. I ADDED THE FIERY OUTLINE AS AN HOMAGE TO WINSTON’S DEAD KENNEDYS CLASSIC, “GIVE ME CONVENIENCE OR GIVE ME DEATH.”

“SQUALOR” WAS MASTERED BY JASON LIVERMORE AT THE BLASTING ROOM. HE IS EASILY MY FAVORITE ENGINEER AND WAS VERY GENEROUS IN HELPING ME GET THE FINAL MIX RIGHT.

WHEN I PLAYED MY FIRST ROUGH MIX FOR THE BAND, KELLEN ASSURING ME THAT WE MADE A GREAT SOUNDING ALBUM, AND I THINK HE’S RIGHT. THESE SONGS WERE WRITTEN AMID BETRAYAL AND BURNT BRIDGES, GRIEF AND MOURNING, FAILURE AND SELF-LOATHING...

THIS IS SQUALOR

For 25 years, Sammy Warm Hands has paid his dues.

From punk to rap to podcasts, he's one of the most prolific and hardworking artists in the underground.

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