On the back of the Agenda’s new CD, Start the Panic, it states, “We don’t believe in the future! We live for the moment! Dance to the sound of right now!” in bold, white capital letters. The Agenda worships the basic primal energy of midnight alley sex via loud rock ‘n’ roll. When they performed last Friday night at Revolver, the band’s “howler,” Justin, bent his slender, black-outfitted body over amps and other objects that were quickly sucked from my memory.
Unfortunately, the early turnout was just as slender, and half as energetic. People shoe-gazed as the band pumped through its self proclaimed “mod-core” – staring at Justin like an indifferent, television video. He jumped around nevertheless, mic grasped, voice addictively raspy. For what it was worth (let’s say the estimated price of admission plus three beers) they rocked the house so viciously.
This is a Life & Art interview with the Agenda’s guitarist, Ryan, who co-runs their up-and-coming label, Kindercore Records.
Q: What is the agenda of the Agenda?
AG: To sum it up in a nutshell – rock ‘n’ roll.
Q: You guys have been touring non-stop. Don’t you have day jobs that miss you?
AG: Well, I (Ryan, guitarist) also run Kindercore Records. This is a side project and we’re having a lot of fun. But yeah, we’re taking a break soon. We’re due for it.
Q: Since many people claim rock is back, and you and I know it never left, are you hoping to ride on the tidal wave of success paved by other bands I won’t name?
AG: That’s actually the nicest this question has ever been phrased. A lot of people compare us to the Hives, Justin especially because he jumps around when he sings. But so did Mick Jagger. And just to compare us to the Hives because we wear black is stupid. I like the Hives though. I like all that stuff. And I got bills to pay. When I was younger, when Nirvana was coming out, it wasn’t cool to sell out. Not that it’s cool to sell out now, but I need to take care of my own. If some major label offered us a deal now that wasn’t ridiculous, I’d take it. Why? Because I got bills to pay. Maybe selling out was pass