Hardcore in the UK has always been about and should be about community, loud rooms, unexplainable energy. But while the bands play and the crowd plays their part, there’s a quiet group of people making sure it’s all remembered. Camera in hand, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else, they’re the ones capturing the moments of significance that can live on forever in a new format.
Photography has always been one of the most important ways the hardcore scene documents itself. Photographs tell the story of who was there, what it felt like, and why it mattered from 'behind the lens'.
“Behind the Lens” looks at some of the photographers who’ve made it part of their mission to show UKHC from the inside not as outsiders looking in, but as part of the culture they’re preserving.
INTERVIEW WITH GREG HALL @TOFEELHEALED
@tofeelhealed insta
Q1: What was the moment you knew that photography/videography had really became your lane and is there anything in particular that inspired you to start in the beginning?
There’s been a lot of reassuring moments while pursing photography and videography where it’s felt like something I was meant to do as much as my imposter syndrome tells me otherwise but to summarise it; the trust bands & artists, labels and fests have put in me to produce something that they would use to represent them, their art or event has always been the ultimate form of reassurance that this is my lane.
Anyone can pick up a camera and take a photo or film clips but for people to seek out your art or it’s style or form and allow to it to be a positive part of their image hits me every time in the best way.
I originally started off making short form video interviews talking about veganism and straight edge culture and as I got more confident in my ability, I asked to help film a show my friends were playing and that was 6 years ago. I made the pivot to photography when I was planning on going to go on tour with mortality rate and make a tour documentary of their first time in Europe and they said, “cool you can take photos too” and I had no idea how to take photos so essentially I had to figure out how to in the run-up to the tour. The pandemic put an end to the tour before it even began, and I didn’t want to waste the time I invested into learning how to take photos, so I started taking photos at the shows I was filming.
I’d watch how other photographers carried themselves while shooting to work out how to approach different sets, and how they wouldn’t impede dancers and moshers, it was mesmerising. I was always drawn to style of the early 90s H8000 photographers Hans Verbeke and Onno Hesselink. No fuss, no frills, no gimmicks. Just the ability to capture such raw emotion in a simple format that stylised an iconic era of hardcore and metalcore had a profound effect on me.
Q2: What would you say is the most important thing that contributes to preserving hardcore overall as a feeling and community?
The most important thing? The absence of ego and the presence of respect and clear communication. Treating everyone with respect whether they put on iconic shows over a decade ago or are at their first hardcore show and learning how to dance is vital to keeping a community grounded. We’re all part of this community together and treating people differently because they just wanna dance and hang out with their friends rather than play games or climb the social ladder is counterproductive.
In 2023 Raw Brigade played a show in Glasgow with Hellbound, Riot Conduct and Bleaks and it was the same night The Story So Far were meant to play the Hydro with Blink-182. I remember standing on a stack of chair by the fire exit taking photos of each band when there were whispers of TSSF playing a secret set since they were in town for their show that got rescheduled. People online were saying it wasn’t going to happen while others were making their way to the venue.
The whispers were true; they played two tracks to an already wild crowd and being able to capture moments of people singing inches from a band they only ever see with a barrier nowadays was significant because it wasn’t a right place right time moment. It was a go to shows and support your scene moment because you’ll never know what you might miss out on by staying at home.
INTERVIEW WITH @ESSEXHARDCOREZINE
Q1 :Whats the main thing you think that Essex as a scene offers to the rest of the UK ?
I think we have a lot of sick bands to offer to the scene. All ranging from different sounds. Special Move, Splitknuckle, Raiden, Pointdown, Deathskulls, Mob handed, The Burial Code… Just to name a few. You could say it’s all mostly on the heavier side but we got the variety here.
I’ve picked this photo to keep on the theme of Essex Hardcore. This photo was taken at Splitknuckle’s “Breathing Through The Wound” record release show. This band have come such a long way from the days I saw them at Bart’s Bar (RIP) in Southend around 2014. Fast forward to 2024 and they’ve sold out The Dome Downstairs. There was a massive line outside the venue, which is usually unheard of for a UKHC band, it honestly felt like I was lining up to go and see some huge metal band or something haha. One of the best shows I’ve been to hands down, proud of the team. Essex Hardcore.
INTERVIEW WITH ASH @BASHXPHOTOGRAPHY
Best event I’ve shot has got to be Aggro Fest in Kettering. I’m biased but seeing it start out as a last minute skate park gig to commemorate our good friend Aaron Francis for it to then grow into an all-day event that people from all over attend, all whilst still following that DIY ethos Aaron and many of the rest of us from the KTHC & LCHC scene loved too, it’s heartwarming to see so many people come together for that 1 day in such a small town that doesn’t tend to have a whole lot happen, especially when it comes to underground music.
Q2: How important do you feel documentation is to grassroots hardcore, and what are the things that drive you to contribute in this way?
A lot of people don’t realise how important documenting their local scene is, we all started somewhere whether that’s in a dive bar, a working men’s club or even a basement (if you know, you know), why wouldn’t you want to remember that? I’ve been part of the Leicester scene since 2015, there’s so many photos and videos that have been lost from that era and that’s exactly what inspired me to start documenting the scene myself although I only started out by taking a handful photos at gigs on a £20 camera I bought off of eBay purely as mementos, which to me was just as important; I had no intention of turning into something like it has but I’m grateful for it, not only am I creating something for myself but also for the bands that come through, the promoters and even the gig-goers.
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