...Whatever That Means

Last updated
...Whatever That Means
Whatever-that-means-jeff-moses-trash-daehanmindecline.jpg
Seoul punk band ...Whatever That Means perform in Thunderhorse Tavern on 28 May 2016.
Background information
Origin Seoul, South Korea
Genres Punk rock
Years active2009–present
LabelsWorld Domination, Inc.
MembersJeff Moses, Trash Yang Moses, Bialy, Woojoon

...Whatever That Means is a South Korean melodic punk band based in Seoul, South Korea. Alternative Press called them the "pop-punk face of the Korean music scene." [1] The two key members are married couple Jeff and Trash. Both are promoters who have organized concerts and brought foreign bands to Korea. They organize annual Halloween shows and previously managed the monthly 2nd Saturdays concert series. [2] They have been associated closely with the venues Club Spot, Ruailrock, Club SHARP, and Thunderhorse Tavern.

Contents

They run Thunderhorse Studios with Thunderhorse Tavern ex-owner Kirk Kwon. They featured prominently in the 2014 documentary Us and Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-Pop World. [3] They also appear in Ken Robinson's documentary film Ash. [4] Their influences include Gob, Face to Face, Descendents/ALL, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, and The Ataris.

Origins

Jeff and Trash got married in Seoul on February 28, 2009. After, they had a concert at Club Spot. Jeff had wanted to perform, but didn't have a band or a name yet, so the poster was designed by artist and original guitarist Ric Comly, to say "Jeff ...whatever that means." [5] Trash later joined the band as bassist and they continued performing as ...Whatever That Means.

The Purge Movement

In 2010, ...Whatever That Means formed a coalition with other notable Korean punk bands Rux and the Swindlers to create the Purge Movement, aimed at fighting gentrification in the Hongdae area. Referencing purging of gentrifying factors in the area including repetitive, uncreative street performers, [6] they organized concerts in Hongdae Playground. They also intended to raise awareness of non-mainstream music and support live music venues rather than compete with them by getting more people interested. [7]

World Domination, Inc.

The band toured the US in 2011 and 2016, using their label World Domination, Inc. to promote culture of Korea and its punk scene abroad. [8] The 2011 tour was a precursor to a hiatus, while Jeff earned a master's degree in Pennsylvania. [9]

For both tours, they released compilations titled "Them and Us." [10] The first compilation was recorded on the stage at Club Spot, and the second was made in Thunderhorse Studios. [11] Both compilations contain around 10 bands performing an original song and a cover from a bigger band, a strategy to encourage US listeners to give unknown bands a try. They were given out for free on tour [12] Moses also helped fellow Korean bands Full Garage and Skasucks tour the west coast US. [13]

From the tour, they made contact with US punk band Burn Burn Burn, recording a split album together. Burn Burn Burn came to Korea for a tour managed by World Domination, Inc. [14]

...Whatever That Means toured Malaysia and Singapore in early 2015, [15] where they made connections with the local music scenes, facilitating exchanges and bringing bands to Korea, starting with Iman's League. [16]

On August 1, 2019, the label released "World Domination Vol.1, a four-song compilation of bands from four countries. The four bands are skatepunk band Sidecar from Busan, emotive punk band Social Circuit from Malaysia, power punk band Mable's Marbles from the U.S. and dirty rock 'n' roll band DFMK from Mexico. [17] Hints were given that the second volume in the series would feature ska. [18]

IT'S A FEST!

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the label and band, as well as the marriage of Jeff and Trash, WDI announced a free two-day underground music festival to be held June 15 and 16, 2019, at Hanagae Beach on Muuido, and introduced a crowdfunding campaign on Tumblbug to support the festival. [19] [20] [21] [22]

The lineup included Galaxy Express, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, 57, Green Flame Boys, Talkbats, Burning Hepburn, A'Z Bus, Gumiho, Winning Shot, Drive Shower, Smoking Goose, Shin Hantae & Reggae Soul, Romantiqua, Sidecar, Lazybone, and WTM. Foreign acts include Singapore's Iman's League, China's The Sino Hearts, and Malaysia's Half-Asleep. [23]

The second year of the festival was scheduled for June 20 and 21, 2020 but needed to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The cancelled lineup included foreign bands Green Eyed Monster and Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, both from Japan, and Social Circuit from Malaysia. Local bands included Crying Nut, Galaxy Express, No.1 Korean, National Pigeon Unity, Burning Hepburn, ...Whatever That Means, Chain Reaction, Daddy O Radio, Shin Hantae & Reggae Soul, Ultralazy, Winningshot, Gumiho, Jonny'spark, BEACON, and 444. [24] [25]

Post-Pandemic, IT'S A FEST! returned to Muuido in June 2023. Like 2019, the main festival ran all day on Saturday and Sunday. The lineup included 19 punk, ska, and hardcore bands from Korea, Japan, Singapore, and France. The festival also expanded to include an acoustic night on the beach on Friday night to work as a soft opening for the fest. IT'S A FEST! will be returning as a yearly festival at Hanagae Beach on Muuido.

Recording Studios

Jeff and Trash were involved in Thunderhorse Studios, co-owned with Kirk Kwon who owned the former venue Thunderhorse Tavern. [26] On August 19, 2019, Thunderhorse Studios announced its closing at the end of September. [27] Since then, Jeff has opened his own recording studio named Binary Studios. Binary Studios originally began as a home studio, but in 2022 Jeff opened Binary Studios in its new location in the Mangwon neighborhood in Seoul. Binary Studios has worked with many bands from the Korean scene such as Green Flame Boys, Beacon, WinningShot, Monkey Gang War, Sweet Gasoline, and more. The studio has also engineered and produced albums for Iman's League from Singapore.

SHARP Ink and Rebellion Ink

Trash was a tattooist at SHARP Ink in Mangwon-dong, run by Ryu Jinsuk of Skasucks. She tattooed "Jeff sucks" on a member of Burn Burn Burn after receiving a donation from punk zine Broke in Korea. [28] In November 2019 she opened her own tattoo shop, Rebellion Ink.

Members

Past members

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NOFX</span> American punk rock band

NOFX is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Bassist/lead vocalist Fat Mike, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every release by the band, although Sandin departed briefly in 1985, only to rejoin the following year. El Hefe joined the band in 1991 to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the best-known iteration of the lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samiam</span> American punk rock band

Samiam is an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California, active since 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muuido</span> Island in South Korea

Muuido, also known as Muui Island, is an island in South Korea. It is a small island located south of Yongyu Island, which was joined with Yeongjong Island when Incheon International Airport was built. Muui Island measures 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) long and 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) wide. The island is visible from the airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying Nut</span>

Crying Nut (Korean: 크라잉넛) is a punk band from South Korea. They are often credited as being pioneers of the Korean punk and indie rock scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Brain</span>

No Brain is a South Korean punk rock band widely considered one of the godfathers of the Korean punk scene. Originally part of Korea's homegrown underground punk movement, known as Chosun Punk, in recent years the group has enjoyed mainstream success both with their music and their emerging acting and hosting careers. Their name comes from their desire for concert-goers to leave their rational minds at the venue doors.

Korean rock is rock music from South Korea. It has roots in American rock, which was imported to South Korea by U.S. soldiers fighting in the Korean War and stationing in U.S. military bases in South Korea after the war. Around the U.S. military bases, local musicians could have opportunities to learn American rock music and perform it on stage for U.S. soldiers. As a result, many Korean rock bands, called Vocal Bands or Group Sound, started their musical careers in the 1960s. Under the military administration in the 1970s, rock music and its subculture were classified as a depraved youth culture and restricted. After the Korean Fifth Republic, the censorship policies under the military government were abolished and rock music became a mainstream genre in South Korea until the end of the 1980s. Today, rock music is not the main genre in the music market in South Korea, but it still occupies a big portion of music consumption in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AJJ (band)</span> American folk-punk band

AJJ is an American folk punk band from Phoenix, Arizona, originally formed in 2004 as Andrew Jackson Jihad. Their lyrics handle themes of shyness, poverty, humanity, religion, addiction, existentialism, and politics. Singer/guitarist Sean Bonnette and bassist Ben Gallaty co-founded the band, and have remained its only constant members throughout. The band has released eight studio albums to date, with their most recent, Disposable Everything, having been released on 26 May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Touché Amoré</span> American post-hardcore band

Touché Amoré is an American post-hardcore band from Los Angeles, formed in 2007. The band consists of vocalist Jeremy Bolm, guitarists Clayton Stevens and Nick Steinhardt, bassist Tyler Kirby, and drummer Elliot Babin. Among other releases, they have released five studio albums: ...To the Beat of a Dead Horse in 2009, Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me in 2011, Is Survived By in 2013, Stage Four in 2016, and Lament in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noise by Numbers</span> American pop punk band

Noise By Numbers is an American pop punk band featuring Dan Schafer, Jeff Dean, Rick Uncapher, and Jimmy Lucido. Their sound has been described as reminiscent of Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, Dinosaur Jr., Naked Raygun and the Effigies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston Rudieska</span>

Kingston Rudieska(킹스턴 루디스카) is a nine-piece South Korean ska band formed in 2004. Their sound is mainly influenced by first-wave Jamaican ska, as well as other Caribbean genres including reggae and calypso music. They are heavily influenced by the Skatalites and frequently perform Skatalites covers. Many of the members are jazz musicians, and their sound is heavily influenced by ska jazz, with band members frequently performing solos during performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skasucks</span>

Skasucks is a ska punk band based in Seoul, South Korea. They are heavily influenced by ska-punk as well as 2 tone. Formed in 2006, they opened for The Slackers in 2007 and the Chris Murray Combo in 2008. They are known for their lively stage presence. Their lead vocalist Ryu, who also works as a tattoo artist, has become a prominent organiser of the Korean punk music scene. After the lead singers of Rux and Suck Stuff stepped down, Ryu took over Korean operations for the annual Korea/Japan Punk Festival. Ryu also runs the live music venue Club SHARP and tattoo parlour SHARP INK in the same building.

Messgram (메스그램) is a Korean rock, post-hardcore band based in Seoul. Formed in the winter of 2011, the group was founded by Lee Soo-jin, who is a drummer in the band, with a goal of creating high quality rock and metal music in Korean indie music scene. They released their first EP, This Is A Mess But It's Us, on April 8, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turnstile (band)</span> American hardcore punk band

Turnstile is an American hardcore punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2010. They have released five EPs and three studio albums. The band's third album Glow On was released in 2021 to critical and commercial success; the songs "Holiday" and "Blackout" earned the band three nominations at the 65th Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seoulsonic</span> Annual concert tour

Seoulsonic (SEOULSONIC), is an annual concert tour in the United States and Canada, organized by the DFSB Kollective with support from the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), which began in 2011 in an effort to introduce South Korea's indie music culture to the West. The tour includes annual stops at SXSW in Austin, Texas and the Canadian Music Week in Toronto, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trash Boat</span> British punk rock band

Trash Boat are a British punk rock band formed in St Albans in 2014. The group consists of Tobi Duncan, Dann Bostock, Ryan Hyslop, James Grayson, and Oakley Moffatt (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idiotape</span> South Korean electronic music band

Idiotape is a South Korean electronic music band. They released their debut EP 0805 in July 2010 and their first album 11111101, a year later, which won "Best Dance & Electronic Album" at the 2012 Korean Music Awards. They have performed at multiple music festivals at home and around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drinking Boys and Girls Choir</span> Three-piece punk band from Daegu, South Korea

Drinking Boys and Girls Choir is a punk rock band from Daegu, South Korea, made up of bassist/singer Meena Bae, drummer/singer Myeong-jin Kim, and guitarist/singer Megan Nisbet. The band's name reflects their love of drinking, their youth-oriented fashion style, and their gender inclusiveness. The band is active in the LGBT Pride community in their mostly conservative home city. They cite the Japanese bands Hi-Standard, Dustbox, and Judy and Mary as influences, as well as the Korean bands Crying Nut, and ...Whatever That Means.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DMZ Peace Train Music Festival</span> South Korean annual music festival held in Cheorwon

DMZ Peace Train Music Festival is a music festival held in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. It is held close to the border with North Korea, and is intended to promote peace and unification at a place symbolizing division of the Korean Peninsula. It was held as relations between the two Koreas warmed up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bamseom Pirates</span> Defunct South Korean grindcore band

Bamseom Pirates (Korean: 밤섬해적단) was a grindcore band from Seoul, South Korea. Their work is marked by satire, and they frequently parody South Korean and North Korean governments and ideologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zandari Festa</span>

Zandari Festa is a three-day music festival and showcase held in various live music venues and other locations in the area around Hongik University in Seoul.

References

  1. ↑ Hunt, Nikki (December 2011). "...Whatever That Means". No. 281. Alternative Press.
  2. ↑ Redmond, John (10 January 2017). "'2nd Saturdays' concert to kick off Saturday". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ↑ Epstein, Stephen. "Us and Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-Pop World". The Asia-Pacific Journal. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ↑ Twitch, Jon (2017). ""Ash" Versus the Evil" (PDF). Broke in Korea. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Twitch, Jon (2009). "Married to the Band" (PDF). No. 10. Broke in Korea. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (12 September 2017). "Hongdae Playground through ages". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. ↑ Twitch, Jon (December 2010). "Purging in the Park" (PDF). No. 11. Broke in Korea. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ↑ Oliver, Jaiden (21 July 2016). "Seoul Punks ...Whatever That Means Embark on Stateside Tour". Groove Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  9. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (22 February 2013). "Stephen Epstein: Korea's indie rock scholar". Korea.net. KOCIS. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  10. ↑ Osborne, Graham (9 November 2011). "Punk rock at crossroads in South Korea". Yonhap News Agency . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Oliver, Jaiden (29 June 2016). "'...Whatever That Means' Playing Seoul Gigs Before American Tour". 10 Magazine. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  12. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (5 July 2016). "Korea's punks launch world domination plan". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (18 July 2017). "Korean ska-punk band performs in US cities". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  14. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (12 September 2017). "US punk band to burn through Seoul, Busan". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  15. ↑ Redmond, John (13 January 2015). "Local band to perform in Singapore, Malaysia". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  16. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (1 December 2015). "Singapore punks Iman's League will tour Korea". The Korea Times . Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  17. ↑ Moses, Jeff (25 July 2019). "New WDI International Compilation Series" . Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  18. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (20 August 2019). "World Domination album connects east, west". The Korea Times . Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  19. ↑ "Korea Launches FREE Punk Rock Festival – It's A Fest!". Unite Asia. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  20. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (19 February 2019). "Local punk band introduces big plans for 10th anniversary". The Korea Times . Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  21. ↑ Moses, Jeff. "바다캠핑음악-무의도 락 페스티벌 IT'S A FEST!". Tumblbug. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  22. ↑ Dunbar, Jon (11 June 2019). "Beach punk festival takes over Muui Island". The Korea Times . Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  23. ↑ Moses, Jeff (29 May 2019). "IT'S A FEST! Announces Full 2019 Schedule" . Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  24. ↑ Moses, Jeff. "IT'S A FEST! 2020". WDI Korea. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  25. ↑ "Korean Punk Festival IT'S A FEST! Back for 2020". 24 February 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  26. ↑ P, Chris (5 July 2016). "Interview with ...Whatever That Means". Korean Indie. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  27. ↑ Kwon, Kirk. "Thunderhorse Studios". Facebook. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  28. ↑ Moses, Trash. "Jeff Sucks". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 27 June 2018.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.