From the depths of Oakland’s underground, CHOKE emerges as a weapon, fueled by pure hatred for injustice and an unfiltered disgust for the world.
Their music isn’t just brutal. It’s a full-frontal attack on complacency, a war cry against the rot of humanity. With a blend of grindcore, powerviolence, and hardcore, CHOKE just isn’t here to entertain you. They’re here to make you uncomfortable. In this interview, they lay it all bare – no compromises, no sugarcoating, just raw fury.
Hey guys, is there any sunshine in Oakland?! Who is CHOKE? Your music is an absolute explosion of rage and energy. Are you this furious and intense in everyday life, or is CHOKE more of a release valve for everything that surrounds you?
Gregg: Oh yeah, it’s California so we have plenty of sunshine & now with all this global warming, we have much more than we are used to. Our forests and water reserves are drying up at substantial rates.
CHOKE is: Gage= Vokills / Mike C= Guitar & Bass / Gregg= Drums & Vokills. We had a few lineup changes these past two years but have finally got it dialed in. CHOKE has been a passion project from day one & is the first band where I have had a direct musical visual political ethical and moral vision of a band that I wanted to achieve. Yes I wake up and go to sleep each & everyday beyond fucking furious with the knowledge of all the atrocities past, present and future that humanity has inflicted and continues to inflict on eachother. The torture,rape,abuse & murder of all innocent living animals. The destruction & pollution occurring at a rapid pace on this planet. CHOKE is just a glimpse into my madness.
Gage: Hi! Thank you, first and foremost for reaching out. I really appreciate your thoughtful questions. 😊
It’s almost always sunny in Oakland, CA – the best city in the bay. I have lived in Oakland more or less since I was 17. I’m just a queer weirdo that felt suffocated in my small hometown of Davis CA and couldn’t wait any longer to bust out and get away from family trauma.
Oakland has always felt like home.
CHOKE lyrics def say the “quiet parts out loud” and articulate those darker feelings, rooted in the exquisite rage of injustice and pain.
Mike: I am definitely not an explosion of rage and energy but we take the topics that we present seriously. Having a message with the music is an important part Choke and comes a lot from Gregg’s approach to songwriting.
How many times have people asked if you’re CHOKE from Japan, Brazil, or some other band with the same name? Or has anyone ever thought you were a new project from Choke, SLAPSHOT’s singer? The real question is – why did you choose the name CHOKE in the first place?
Gregg: Yes, it is definitely not an original name by any means. As far as I know there are a few CHOKE bands out there. Actually, we are linking up with a straight edge band called XCHOKEX (https://xchokex.bandcamp.com) to do a split release soon. This is my first time ever being a vokillist / songwriter in a band & so I wanted the name to represent how I feel in this world on the daily basis. Also wanted just a one-word name. CHOKE was the perfect name for what I felt was the shit hand of humanity around my throat.
Gage: There are def a LOT of bands out there called CHOKE or some variation of it and have been asked or messaged. Haha We are talking to one of them currently and discussing a split because that would just be fucking awesome.
You blend hardcore, grindcore, and powerviolence into a truly uncompromising sound. What are the main musical and ideological principles that guide you when writing songs?
Gregg: The power of cannabis & the hatred for all of humanity (including myself).
I was born & raised in Providence, Rhode Island & with being geographically central to so many major cities in all these different states I had the privilege to be exposed to all types of individuals and so many forms of music. CHOKE is inspired by a handful of certain bands: DROPDEAD / PUBLIC ENEMY / APT.213 / INTEGRITY / NEGATIVE APPROACH / BEHIND ENEMY LINES / DISRUPT / SHEER TERROR / NAPALM DEATH. All of these bands are important & influential musically, morally & politically. All the music for CHOKE is written strictly by feel. What feels right and what sounds right to us is all that matters. There is not any specific formula.
Mike: My main contribution comes in the form of getting a loud brutal sound, and playing in a way that locks in with Gregg’s drumming and Gage and Gregg’s vocal delivery.
Your compilation, “The Industrial Revolution and Its Consequences Have Been A Disaster for The Human Race,” carries an incredibly strong message. What inspired you to explore this theme? Is the reference to the Unabomber purely coincidental, or was it intentional?
Gregg: That is just the title the label gave it from the image I sent them. Originally this comp was how this was supposed to be released as a full length but we committed to do a few splits without having material so we chopped this up into the three split cassettes. The label then wanted to put out a new release for us but we had nothing so they offered to release it in its original format.
Yes, ALL of CHOKE’s imagery is very intentional. The art / images should hit just as hard as the music & lyrics. I grew up during the time of the UNABOMBER and remember the bombings. Doing research into the reasons why the Bomber did what they did, I could relate on some level. Seeing the destructiveness of technology and the greed it produced in humanity only fueled that similar hatred and disgust in myself for all of humanity and the path it was on.
Grindcore and Powerviolence often carry strong social and political messages but also mix serious topics with a dose of dark humor or absurdity. Is CHOKE more focused on delivering a direct message, or do you like to incorporate sarcasm into your lyrics? What issues affect you the most, and what do you try to shed light on through your short, fast, and brutal songs?
Gregg: We don’t make records for people to come and love them. We make ugly art. We really don’t want you to like it at all. We want you to be affected by it. (Chuck D. / Public Enemy).
I saw this quote the other day and it could not be truer of a statement especially for CHOKE.
CHOKE is hardline and militant on our morals ethics & where we stand politically & socially.
There is no room for humor when there is nothing to laugh about. Each of us in CHOKE are products of our own abusive and broken homes. Grindcore & Hip Hop to me is the only true form of protest music. So many grind & hip-hop bands have introduced me to worldly issues I had no idea were happening and also gave me the strength & empowerment of using your own voice, music & art to stand up against any and all injustices I witness in this lifetime.
Gage: We aren’t the “fun” party band – we want you to be angry. For all the right reasons.
The lyrics are a sincere war cry. Meant to be direct, no metaphors. Keep the lights on; I want to make uncomfortable eye contact with you while screaming facts about the sources of human and animal suffering.
Mike: I’d say the songs are pretty direct and intentional in their themes and messages. There’s no sarcasm or ambiguity. They’re often speaking directly towards the perpetrator(s) implicated in the song. The songs are short and brutal because our messages should be loud, to the point, and easily relatable.
Your DIY approach to releasing music and playing shows is quite evident. How difficult is it to remain an independent band in today’s underground scene? Would you ever consider signing with a major label for a set number of albums or years?
Gregg: It is extremely easy to remain independent / DIY when there isn’t anyone knocking down the door. I have had the experience of playing in bands with major touring recording and contract obligations only for it all to go to shit and have the possibility of being finically responsible for it. We stay DIY because we have complete control over what we do and how and when we do it. We are not obligated to anyone or anything. This is love. This is passion. This is art.
Fuck a major label!!! What can they do that you cannot do for yourself and not be indebted to someone else?
Book your own shows & tours. Create your own label. Put out your own art. Don’t let others profit from your hard work and dedication to your craft.
Mike: What is a major label? Warner Brothers? Relapse? Prosthetic? An independent diy approach is part of how I came in to music so it’s just the natural way of doing things. There are labels that exist that could be great to work with while still retaining ownership and control of the music. Do I ever care about getting signed to Universal or Sony? No.
How often do people ask you if grindcore and veganism can go hand in hand, and how do you respond to that?
Gregg: Not often enough honestly. GRIND IS PROTEST!!! Grind to me is not conforming to any part of “normal” society and their ignorance. Plain and fucking simple if you say you have any love compassion & empathy in you heart mind & soul and yet you torture rape abuse & murder millions and millions of innocent animals for food clothing or science then you are a fucking hypocrite of the biggest form. The fact that people will justify the slaughter and then the consumption of a carcass is far beyond comprehension and that is something I will never understand. THE TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH IS THE CORPSE ON YOUR BREATH. (Bob Otis / Dropdead)
Gage: I think veganism is part of an existing spectrum of human rights and environmental rights messages that have been preached for many years by every genre of music.
Mike: Never, but we did have great vegan food at a grindcore coffee house in south Philly.
Oakland has a long history of metal, hardcore, and punk bands. How do you see the local scene today, and where does CHOKE fit into it? Are there any bands you hang out with or enjoy playing alongside?
Gregg: CHOKE does not fit into the local scene honestly & I feel quite frankly does not fit into any scene period. We are not grind enough, not punk enough, not powerviolence enough, not hardcore enough. I feel if it wasn’t for 510GRINDSHOWS (Gage & myself bookings) putting us on shows then we wouldn’t play locally at all. The issues & topics we address with our music & lyrics most people don’t want to fuck with it. I am very hard lined on issues I DO NOT stand for and WILL ALWAYS stand against. As stated before, CHOKE is not a feel-good band.
And yes if and when we do get an opportunity to play live we love being able to share the floor with the homies in : POSTNASAL DRAINAGE / THROAT RIP / GEORGEXCRUSTANZA / ANINOKO / MERKED / LUV / SILAKBO / GODSTOMPER / PISS BAPTISIM / XHOSTAGEX / GOSH (rip) / DOTCURSOR / FAILED SUN / IRRITANT / TERMINATOR / LAS RATAS / ONORTHOCHRASAEI
Gage: Oakland is such a mixed bag musically at the moment. CHOKE in general doesn’t really “fit in” anywhere. A lot of people go to shows to get fucked up and forget; we are here to remind you what world still waits for you at home. Unchanged unless we get angry enough to do something about it.
Strictly thinking of HEAVY and or politically focused bands from the bay to Sacramento: SILAKBO, ANINOKO, LUV, PISS BAPTISM, COCKRING, TERMINATOR, GOD STOMPER – oh man, the list goes on…Out of state fam in the same vein: INFURIATE, PILLARS, BODY FARM and SLUT BOMB
Mike: We have played with lots of local bands and have great friendships throughout our little corner of whatever the scene is. Some of us play in other bands here too.
Your EP, “Hatred Smile,” was released a month ago, packed with rawness and fury. How has the audience reacted to it, and how does it compare to your 2018 demo?
Gregg: The response has been nothing but positive and supportive by those who appreciate what we are doing. Hatred Smile was our first release in almost two & a half years. It is also the first release with our new line up. Hatred Smile honestly compared to anything and everything CHOKE has released is by far the best and true representation of what CHOKE sound have sounded like all these years. The delivery both GAGE & MIKE did with each of their performances far surpasses anything on all previous recordings. Honestly if this line-up was on each and every recording the band would have been even more ferocious than it already is.
Gage: I am so proud of HATRED SMILE; the lyrics and music have evolved so much since the last release. As far as I know, people are diggin’ it 😉 Previously my only recorded track with CHOKE was “BATTLEFIELD” off the DOPEMESS split. My vokills have come leaps and bounds since then and I’m really happy about it (haha) It’s a lot of pressure to try and keep up with seasoned awesomeness like Gregg and Mike.
Mike: I think the reception has been good so far. There’s still a lot we can do to get it out there more. It represents just the first batch of new Choke material that we are working on. I have been playing in Choke for a few years but this is the first recording that I am on.
In the past few years, you’ve released quite a few splits. Do you have a personal favorite, and how do you decide which bands to collaborate with?
Gregg: Each split is a favorite. Unfortunately, I feel like the splits did not get the promotion or consideration that they deserved. As stated earlier the newest splits comp lp out on RSR was originally going to be our next full length but we got asked to do a few splits and wanted to commit to the homies that reached out to us, but I feel like cutting the record up for splits didn’t due anyone justice. Wish I focused directly on each split individually more to give them more independence from each other. We worked with the bands first because they were homies & second we respect and appreciate them as artists and humans.
Gage: My fave split was the DOPEMESS split, cause that’s the only other one I’m on. (haha)
How much has the internet helped you in band’s work? Do you rely on any music or social media platforms? What is your general opinion about them?
Gregg: I hate technology and the internet. CHOKE just recently got an IG account after years of being a band. We try to remain DIY and independent as possible. The only platform we have is our Bandcamp page https://choke510.bandcamp.com & our releases are uploaded to YOUTUBE. I feel that too many people rely and depend on Social platforms as opposed to putting in the work at the ground level.
Gage: Social media def helps; we will still hit the streets with flyers but nowadays everything is online. I don’t know that it has done much for us other than typical standard like sharing flyers online, Youtube videos posted or Band Camp…We just got an Instagram for the band like 2 months ago. FUCK SPOTIFY. BandCamp is legit.
Mike: Bandcamp is the only one with favorable terms for bands like us. Other than at shows, that is where you will find our music and merch.
If CHOKE could organize a Sunday matinee festival with three bands of your choice, dead or alive, who would they be?
Gregg: DISRUPT / EXCRUCIATING TERROR / APARTMENT 213
Gage: Man, 3 bands or artists dead or alive to play with…that is so hard. LIMP WRIST, BIKINI KILL, and SISTER ROSETTA THARPE.
Mike: COMBAT WOUNDED VETERAN, ASSÜCK, FRIENDSHIP
What can we expect from CHOKE in the near and distant future? Are there any plans to cross the ocean and tour in another part of the world?
Gregg: We are currently working on our next EP: TIME HEALS NOTHING once again recorded at Blind Spot Studio in San Jose with our homie Dino behind the board. Once this EP is finished we will be back in the studio later in the year to record the last of this new material we have and then combine all three recordings into a full-length LP. All to be released on our 510GRIND RECORDS label. We are looking into possible touring plans for 2026, hopefully a trip overseas is in the works.
Gage: CHOKE has a lot to say and isn’t going anywhere. We are actively writing and recording more new releases for 2025 and after receiving some invitations, ready to tour outside of the US. HATRED SMILE is just the beginning of this chapter of CHOKE…
If you had to choke one thing from the world of extreme music, what would it be?
Gregg: Egos
Gage: CHOKE one thing out of extreme music? EGO. Fuck your racist, sexist, ego centric, narcissistic bullshit. Your metaphorical dick is smaller than my actual clit.
Top 3 USA beers?
Gregg: I have recently gone sober and have a few months under my belt. A good friend of mine said “You drink to get drunk, there is no other reason” So my go to poison back in the day was JIM BEAM / JACK DANIELS. I used to love Crazy Horse & Old English 40 oz as well. Later on I got into more IPA’s and I would have to say what used to be my favorites were #1: Ghost Town Brewing (Any & All IPAS they make) / #2: Trinity Brew House (RIPA) / #3: Stay Gold Deli (Stay Gold House IPA).
Gage: Top 3 *VEGAN* US beers I’d recommend…Shout out to Oakland Brewery “GHOST TOWN”, majority of their beers and some sours are vegan and locally made. GILMAN brewing, next to the legendary “GILMAN” street venue. Lastly, Sierra Nevada beers are a commercial go to for vegan brew.
The final lines are reserved for a message to your fans, friends, enemies, or family.
Gregg: First off we would like to thank you for giving us this amazing opportunity & also I just wanted to extend my deepest appreciation and a giant heartfelt thank you for each and every individual that has and continues to support CHOKE over all these years. It truly means the world to us.
Gage: Thank you to anyone who gives any fucks about what we are doing. I love you.
Follow CHOKE:
Bandcamp: https://choke510.bandcamp.com
