Meaty post-punk trio Beings was a South Florida rock crew that transcended the micro-genres -- hardcore, No Wave, metal, shoegaze, rock 'n' roll -- that influenced its high-energy, pogo-friendly anthems.
When Beings broke up unexpectedly back in May, the punks, metalheads, and art-damaged fans were all shocked. But percussionist and visual artist Beatriz Monteavaro was quick to unleash her latest musical project, Holly Hunt.
Monteavaro was the original drummer for seminal stoner-sludge band, Floor, and she invokes -- alongside partner and fellow visual artist Gavin Perry -- that same legacy of brutality with her new two-piece drone metal project.
Former Beings members Mike Alen and Ivan Marchena, meanwhile, have been keeping a notably lower profile. So on the heels of releasing a posthumous Beings seven-inch single, "Social Creep," on Discosoma Records, Crossfade shot Alen and Marchena some questions about the new record and the potential for future releases from this short-lived, much-loved band.
Crossfade: Were these songs recorded along with the material that was on Beings' full-length album?
Ivan: These songs were written right after we finished recording the first album. We fleshed them out on tour with Torche and then recorded them a week or so after getting back.
Do these songs stand distinct from the rest of your catalog? Or are they all a part of the same larger suite of music?
Ivan: They were written with the momentum from the first batch of songs. We recorded the songs with a seven-inch release in mind. We wrote a few more songs after that set, but we didn't get around to recording them beyond what we have on practice MP3s.
Mike: It's a document of a different stage for us. We got to play out a lot before this recording and had time to rework some of the songs. "Crowd Clones" ended up becoming a different version live than it is on the record.
Are there more Beings records to be released at a future date?
Ivan: I don't think so. This is going to be our final release for now.
Mike: This is all we have recorded.
What are you up to musically then?
Mike: I want to write a follow up to the Foreign Bodies record, and Ivan and I hope to do something soon.
Beings' Social Creep EP listening party, presented by Discosoma Records. Friday, December 9. Lester's, 2519 NW Second Ave., Wynwood. Group sampling of the new single commences at 9 p.m. and will last until midnight. There's no cover. Call 305-456-1784 or visit lestersmiami.com.
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