diction are a hardcore band from Croydon. They have had a fair bit of controversy, have played with some stunning bands and are making a hell of a name for themselves.
Interview conducted at the Method of Muder / Ninebar / Bogmonsta/ Aside/ Diction show in Croydon by Martin Brown

Introductions...
Nick: OK I'm Nick Diction. I'm 20 and I'm the vocalist. Then there's Chris Wildstyle, the guitarist, or "main guitarist" as he likes to say! There's Steve the 2nd guitarist aka Hooter from Raw Poo. And there's Matt Jessop who's on the drums. And Ian, who we like to call Kim, cos he looks like he's on Chaemotherapy. (Ian skates up) and he's coming right now! And he's how old?
Ian: 19!
Nick: Oh yeah and Matt's 18!
Matt: That's right. The baby.
How did the lineup actually happen - there was another guitarist before, right?
Chris: We'll have to make this quick, cos Aside are playing.
Nick: Shit, yeah - can we cut it off and finish it later?
No problem.
Nick: Diction started out as hip hop / hardcore and that all went dead; all the members left and I thought I should turn to my real mates who I have a good time with, and that's how we've got the setup now.
So what would you say to someone who's just heard "Dont Stop Tha Slam" on "Top of the Pops Rejects"?!
(the band break out into hysterics)
Ian: That is a pants song!
Nick: Yep! The lineup change from there was just one guy, a guitarist James. I don't want to give his surname, but basically I got rid of him because he was kinda racist.
Matt: He was racist to me.
Nick: Yeah cos Matt's Italian and he was saying really nasty stuff about Italy so I got rid of him.
Fucking hell. How do you define "Diction"?
Nick: Well it's a choice of words. It's about how I choose my words and my feelings about unity and stuff. I really concentrate on the lyrics. That's why some of the songs don't actually have many lyrics! I don't want people to turn round and go "Oh yeah Diction, good heavy music, good to mosh to" - I want people to actually pay attention to what I say. So Diction is a choice of words.
Cliche question then; what exactly is the band's outlook in that respect?
Nick: Errr...
What's yo flava!?!
Ian: Girls...!
Nick: My flava? Strawberry ribbed!
Ian: Curry!
Matt: Chocolate!
Ian: Mango Chutney!
Nick: (to Ian) Fucking hell man, this is an interview, mate!
Don't worry, I've had far sillier than this! Moving on, Croydon's been taking off over this Summer hasn't it?
Nick: Yeah well I don't see Croydon taking off yet. I think it's got another year to go. I think everyone needs to concentrate on it because it's starting to happen.
Ian: There's a lot of talent.
Nick: There is. It's just that bands expect people to come and stuff. But I mean I used to do that before I realised I've got to get off my arse and make it happen.
I've interviewed a lot of "emo" bands and the subject of stigma to the UK emo scene has come up on numerous occassions. Hardcore... well it's x10 isn't it!?! Do you think that that could hinder someone trying to get into it?
Nick: I see what you mean. It depends. Some people will look at it and think "great; tough guys, let's get into it". But some people have realised it's not a lot different and changed to emo. I could talk about a band like Sad Origin, who were emo and changed to tuff guy. Plus other bands who were tuffguy and went emo - it happens. I do see there's a problem in the way you're saying. Everything's visual. People go "oh it's tuff guy, we've got to walk away." But if they look and see no-one's getting hurt - well if they are, chuck the fucker out. But people have to pay attention to it and not just walk out. Don't judge a book by its cover. There's a lot more to it. UK hardcore is good - there's a lot of bad stuff in it, but... it'll be sorted out. Stay positive.
How's your promotions company Keepin Together going?
Nick: Amazing. It's improving step by step - we're getting more bands coming down...
Ian: Ninebar are playing tonight. That's cool. Always wanted to see them.
(pause)
Nick: Uh, anyway...!!!!
Chris: (to Nick) Aside will be on in a couple of minutes, man.
Nick: Can we cut it for the set then?
Chris: Well are you gonna be around mate?
Yeah fine
Nick: Sorry about that mate!
No problem!
At this point we all filed back in and saw Aside's set. Coming back with Nick I put the record button on again...
What just happened, Nick?
Nick: I got kneed in the back. Watching a youth crew band. The guy didn't understand. He forgot what it was about and didn't listen to the song.
What was the song about?
Nick: Straight Edge
Anti violence.
Nick: You think? But he seemed just to hear the noise and react. It sucks.
What was that you were mentioning onstage though man? About beating up muggers and paedophiles? Was that a joke?
Nick: Well no, because I'm against muggers and fucking paedophiles, mate. I had a little niece who got touched about by a paedophile who was supposed to be my brother's best mate.
I'm sorry and I appreciate that, but you don't think paedophiles are ill people and the provision of treatment is more pressing than launching some kind of vigilante gang thing onstage?!
Nick: Well if the guy is sick he should go and get fucking help!
But if you adopt that kind of harshness then won't someone be afraid to get help for fear of getting chastised?
Nick: It shouldn't. The doctors are professional and you should be able to get help before you draw the line and do something like that.
It does scare people to go and get help though.
Nick: Well as I say, the doctors are professionals.
This is going off the subject.
Nick: It's cool though - it's about beliefs. But yeah.
So what do you see coming up for Diction and Croydon?
Nick: The same really. We want to have a good time. We don't want to make any money. We want to create a scene, perform and have a good time.
So now Chris and Matt have come and kindly joined us! Matt, what was that you were saying to me earlier going into the Aside set?
Matt: I was just talking about why I play hardcore. It's because it's hard hitting and makes me feel good. It's because it's so fucking... punchy, jumpy, beatdowny, punky.. I just can't describe it.
It pushes your buttons!
Matt: Yeah, it does. And it's just a case of me enjoying the music which is what it should be about. That's what I've always believed.

Chris, why do you play hardcore?
Chris: Everyone knows hardcore is not just about music. (shrugging) Hardcore is a way of life. For me it's got so many positive things. There are a lot of negative things which people need to wake up to. I think I'd like to challenge it. I mean, the whole hardcore 'intelligentsia' have judged me for what I wear, don't like me...
Well how can they be the hardcore intelligentsia in a genre dominated by not making judgements of people?
Chris: Exactly. They think I'm a rudeboy!
Matt: One trouser leg up and shit!
Nick: Bandana round the mouth; hood up...
Chris: The thing is, it's got so many contradictions. It's preaching to the converted, which people don't realise. But I love hardcore. Even if it just helps a few kids through - that'll do for me. Hardcore's never gonna change the world because it's not accessible enough, and people need to wake up to that otherwise it's never going to change.
Do you think you're trying to make it more accessible?
Chris: I don't think so, but we're just trying to break down some barriers. You don't have to be straight edge, vegan, whatever; as long as you're positive. We all like to have a good time and we don't care how we get it.
Nick: I know this might sound egocentric, but the song "Love For Hardcore" - I know it's a bit cheesey and that, but it's not a case of "You love hardcore, you must love this song". It's not that at all. Hardcore is not a real tag. The song is about anyone diverse who can have a good time. (to Chris) What would you say?
Chris: I mean, we're not anti straight edge, even though we're a bit of a beerfest!
Matt: We are the pissheads!
Chris: Straight edge is a cool choice, but you shouldn't be preaching to it. If you do, the next thing you're going to be doing is wearing a black shirt and red armband with a swastika.
Ian! Haven't heard much from you! Why do you play hardcore?
Ian: Beatdowns. (laughter all round). Blatantly! (sheepishly) They're my favourite! (Nick has started manically shaking his head) No, because when I was into metal, my favourite songs on albums were the ones with beatdowns.
Chris: Slow bits.
Nick: Grooves.
Ian: Yeah, grooves, absolutely.
Nick: Thing is, he's a kind of funky hip hop bassist. So he likes beatdowns. But (grits teeth at Ian) I don't think it IS why you got into hardcore?!?! (laughter). But hey, you're talking to a guy with a Minor Threat album. (to Ian) Why do you like Minor Threat?
Ian: Well I don't know.. I heard a song on a skate video and thought "hey that's good" and bought the album. And I love the song "Minor Threat" because it's just fucking insane...
Chris:..which we intend to cover at some point!
Brilliant!
Matt: Yeah, it's funny how we've worked out. When I joined the band I wasn't into hardcore at all. I was walking to the offy once with my ex girlfriend and Nick skated up. He said he needed a bassist and a drummer and my ex girlfriend said "he does both - he can play drums for you". I was like "okay fine"! But they were stuck for a bass player. I knew Ian through my sister and he's a slick arse bassist, so I thought "fuck it!". And it just fucking moulded. We're good fucking mates and it's such a good feeling playing together, cos we feed off each other.
Ian, why the move from a 4 string to 5 string bass?
Ian: Well I got offered it at work. This bloke asked if I wanted to buy one and it was 90 quid so I couldn't turn it down!
Do you prefer 5 string?
Ian: It's harder. But I do like it. I don't use the bottom string much though unless I'm slapping.
Loads of hardcore bands seem to be using lots of strings on their basses.
Chris: I think its for the metal edge; you want some bottom end for that.
Ian: Yeah some deeper tones.
Any messages to the readers?!
Nick: I just want to say: don't be afraid to come down to Croydon.
Croydon is getting better.
Nick: A lot of the problems are getting solved.
Like people who turn up, mosh to their mates' bands then talk over the others.
Nick: Yeah, that and I mean... people are like "Urgh, Croydon!"
Chris: A lot of people are like "well Croydon's where I live; I can just go up to London and see Slipknot"! At the end of the day hardcore means something. This is the sort of thing that can get us through. We all have the general day-to-day crap we have to go through and we all know that. You're never going to get anywhere with something so superficial. We're trying to do something good here - we love anyone who takes interest in that. It's not about changing the world - not to me anyway. I used to think it was, but it can't. It's about helping a few kids through, and if even one kid makes it through it is happy and positive about his life and does something positive for the world, then I'm happy.
Nick: I mean, I was brought up on Biohazard. If they were playing Brixton Academy for 15 quid, and there was a hardcore gig on, I'd go to the 3 quid hardcore gig, where people sell zines, distros, etc. Cos my mates are there, you can socialise more, and it's a nice, unified feeling.
Chris: I think Ninebar are playing, so we'd better go.
Nick: Yeah, cheers.
OK. Thanks a lot!