Sam Crocker - Antagonist A.D
Questions: Stuart Millen

New Zealand’s Antagonist A.D are a hard working bunch. Formed in 2005, the band have toured the world with their own brand of metalcore. They speak their mind too, with lyrics ranging from human and animal rights to political and social commentary. Their fifth and latest release, Nothing From No One, was released mid 2012 and the band will be back in Australia at the end of this moth for the Destroy Music mini festival with friends the Ghost Inside as well as Emmure and Hand of Mercy.
Having just returned home after touring the US, vocalist and founding member Sam Croker spoke to Caught in the Mosh about recording the new album, the internet's influence on music and NZ's music scene.
You’ve just finished a tour of the US. You're now home for a small run of dates before nine shows in Australia at the end of May/start of June. You’ve then got two weeks off before a stack of shows in Europe with Parkway Drive. You guys sure are busy! While playing shows almost every single night must be exhausting, are you still having fun on the road?
Yeah! We're always having fun! That's why we do it!! When it stops being fun that's when we will stop. Sometimes it can be pretty exhausting, being stuck in the van all day, but I'd rather be doing that than real life haha...
You released your latest album Nothing from No One last year. I’ve read that you took more time with this record. Did that help make the process more relaxed?
It was cool. It made us rethink our direction and question our writing... We sat down and talked about what we liked and what we didn't going forward, so we got a lot of cohesion going into the writing process. We took our time not wanting to rush anything so we'd be happy with the final product. So yeah, we had a slow relaxed writing process. Which we learnt a lot from. The biggest thing was making sure we had a lot of fun writing the album which we did.
Having just returned home after touring the US, vocalist and founding member Sam Croker spoke to Caught in the Mosh about recording the new album, the internet's influence on music and NZ's music scene.
You’ve just finished a tour of the US. You're now home for a small run of dates before nine shows in Australia at the end of May/start of June. You’ve then got two weeks off before a stack of shows in Europe with Parkway Drive. You guys sure are busy! While playing shows almost every single night must be exhausting, are you still having fun on the road?
Yeah! We're always having fun! That's why we do it!! When it stops being fun that's when we will stop. Sometimes it can be pretty exhausting, being stuck in the van all day, but I'd rather be doing that than real life haha...
You released your latest album Nothing from No One last year. I’ve read that you took more time with this record. Did that help make the process more relaxed?
It was cool. It made us rethink our direction and question our writing... We sat down and talked about what we liked and what we didn't going forward, so we got a lot of cohesion going into the writing process. We took our time not wanting to rush anything so we'd be happy with the final product. So yeah, we had a slow relaxed writing process. Which we learnt a lot from. The biggest thing was making sure we had a lot of fun writing the album which we did.

The new video for Paul Allen has just been released. It’s pretty intense! It works extremely well with the lyrics of the song. What was the song’s inspiration?
Thanks heaps! The concept/reference of the song has a lot of reference to American Psycho, so it was only natural to try and pay homage. The song's inspiration literally came from me watching American Psycho on the couch while writing the lyrics for the last song written for the album. The song is heavy and empowering, tied in with some disillusioned lyrics - (feel of no control / unemphatic / not quite there with reality). Seemed to move in nicely...
Can you tell us about the NZ music scene? Is it difficult to gain exposure? You’ve toured relentlessly over the years. Has that been a necessary part of the process to get to where you are today?
Of course. It (touring) should be a necessary part to any band's life. The NZ music scene is very small. It ebbs and it flows but has a very nice family type of feel. We are generally free of a bunch of dumb shit that can go down in other scenes (violence / racism etc)... When we started out, we played (and we continue) to play with bands of mixed genres to try and play too as many people as possible.
You just played the three-day New England Metal and Hardcore festival as part of your US tour. The festival had an insane lineup! How was that experience? Did you get to stay around and catch any favourite bands?
It was awesome man - such a good experience. We stuck around and watched Hatebreed kill it. It was so good seeing them play their old classics. We passed through the city the festival was in on Sunday as well which was the third day of the festival. We didn't make it inside though unfortunately but we would have loved to see Trapped Under Ice & Remembering Never.
Thanks heaps! The concept/reference of the song has a lot of reference to American Psycho, so it was only natural to try and pay homage. The song's inspiration literally came from me watching American Psycho on the couch while writing the lyrics for the last song written for the album. The song is heavy and empowering, tied in with some disillusioned lyrics - (feel of no control / unemphatic / not quite there with reality). Seemed to move in nicely...
Can you tell us about the NZ music scene? Is it difficult to gain exposure? You’ve toured relentlessly over the years. Has that been a necessary part of the process to get to where you are today?
Of course. It (touring) should be a necessary part to any band's life. The NZ music scene is very small. It ebbs and it flows but has a very nice family type of feel. We are generally free of a bunch of dumb shit that can go down in other scenes (violence / racism etc)... When we started out, we played (and we continue) to play with bands of mixed genres to try and play too as many people as possible.
You just played the three-day New England Metal and Hardcore festival as part of your US tour. The festival had an insane lineup! How was that experience? Did you get to stay around and catch any favourite bands?
It was awesome man - such a good experience. We stuck around and watched Hatebreed kill it. It was so good seeing them play their old classics. We passed through the city the festival was in on Sunday as well which was the third day of the festival. We didn't make it inside though unfortunately but we would have loved to see Trapped Under Ice & Remembering Never.

Your upcoming tour of Australia is with the Destroy Music mini-festival. You’re playing with mates Ghost Inside, who put you onto your current record label. How’d you meet them?
We met them the first time they came through to Australia. We flew over early to see our friends in I Killed The Prom Queen on there Say Goodbye Tour, We ended up staying at the same place they were staying in Bondi Beach for a few days – got to know the guys from there. Since then we've toured New Zealand together also... We're psyched to be able to play with them again – they're such a good band – really genuine & sincere people.
You' ve played plenty of live shows over the years, with many great bands. Do you have any favourite live moments, either as a performer or fan?
Seriously, it's hard to say just one thing. Playing a show in Singapore to a club full of people screaming back your words always sits with me. Playing Big Day Out in 2008 to 10,000 people. So many things. As a fan, two moments from the Big Day Out are some of my favourites (this is stupid because I hate festivals) but watching Poison The Well play Big Day Out years ago was something else - fresh off GOOD ALBUMS... Playing classics - it was amazing. Seeing Brand New play the same year we played to a pretty initmate crowd - stars out, ferris wheels in the background... It was something else.
File sharing, illegal downloading and digital media distribution has had a dramatic effect on the music industry. There are pros (exposure) and cons (loss of income). How do you see the Internet in relation to Antagonist A.D and your music?
It's amazing because it's meant we've been exposed & instantly accessible to people who wouldn't of otherwise heard us worldwide. I don't believe that is negative – but if someone downloads your album and enjoys it then doesn't go out and actually buy a physical copy or a couple of t-shirts – that's what kills you!! If you come to a show & buy a shirt or a CD that goes straight into our pockets & into our vans gas tank and keeps us out on the road & writing new songs.
I see you have the Old Bones Make New Blooms EP available as a free download on your Facebook page. What was the reasoning behind offering the EP free of charge?
We put up the EP when we signed to Mediaskare Records. It was an opportunity to give people who hadn't heard us before a chance to check us out for free :)
Catch Antagonist A.D at the Destroy Music festival this May and June
We met them the first time they came through to Australia. We flew over early to see our friends in I Killed The Prom Queen on there Say Goodbye Tour, We ended up staying at the same place they were staying in Bondi Beach for a few days – got to know the guys from there. Since then we've toured New Zealand together also... We're psyched to be able to play with them again – they're such a good band – really genuine & sincere people.
You' ve played plenty of live shows over the years, with many great bands. Do you have any favourite live moments, either as a performer or fan?
Seriously, it's hard to say just one thing. Playing a show in Singapore to a club full of people screaming back your words always sits with me. Playing Big Day Out in 2008 to 10,000 people. So many things. As a fan, two moments from the Big Day Out are some of my favourites (this is stupid because I hate festivals) but watching Poison The Well play Big Day Out years ago was something else - fresh off GOOD ALBUMS... Playing classics - it was amazing. Seeing Brand New play the same year we played to a pretty initmate crowd - stars out, ferris wheels in the background... It was something else.
File sharing, illegal downloading and digital media distribution has had a dramatic effect on the music industry. There are pros (exposure) and cons (loss of income). How do you see the Internet in relation to Antagonist A.D and your music?
It's amazing because it's meant we've been exposed & instantly accessible to people who wouldn't of otherwise heard us worldwide. I don't believe that is negative – but if someone downloads your album and enjoys it then doesn't go out and actually buy a physical copy or a couple of t-shirts – that's what kills you!! If you come to a show & buy a shirt or a CD that goes straight into our pockets & into our vans gas tank and keeps us out on the road & writing new songs.
I see you have the Old Bones Make New Blooms EP available as a free download on your Facebook page. What was the reasoning behind offering the EP free of charge?
We put up the EP when we signed to Mediaskare Records. It was an opportunity to give people who hadn't heard us before a chance to check us out for free :)
Catch Antagonist A.D at the Destroy Music festival this May and June
Destroy Music festival tickets on sale now
Thu 23rd May - Perth, Amplifier - tickets from Oztix
Fri 24th May - Adelaide, Fowlers - tickets from Venuetix
Sat 25th May - Melbourne, the Hi Fi (18+) - tickets from Oztix
Sun 26th May - Melbourne, the Hi Fi (U18) - tickets from Oztix
Wed 29th May - Canberra, The Basement - tickets from Oztix
Thu 30th May - Sydney, the Metro - tickets from the Metro Theatre
Fri 31st May - Newcastle, Panthers - tickets from Mosthix and the venue
Sat 1st June - Brisbane, the Hi Fi (18+) - tickets from Oztix
Sun 2nd June - Brisbane, the Hi Fi (U18) - tickets from Oztix