Hailing from the South Coast, Outlive play their New York inspired style of beatdown out of the Brighton Hardcore scene. They are also part of the wonderful people over at the BN1 Collective and bring that groovy sense of style synonymous with the collective.
There debut 5 track EP Blood4Blood was released last summer to great reviews and great opportunites to play some amazing shows. Over the past 6 montsh however these things have changed, with members of the band moving away, having other commitments; the usual things where our adult lives take over. Outlive had to take a step back.
Now! Vocalist Fen is back with an updated Outlive line up. So what’s next for Brighton Beatdown?
I know one thing, they’re only just getting started!
Over the past couple of months I’ve been speaking to Outlive vocalist Fen about his time within the hardcore scene and what it means to him, from Outlive, to shows to the people we meet along the way.
FIRST OF ALL WHERE ARE YOU GUYS BASED & HOW DID YOU ALL MEET?
All of us are currently based in Brighton (BN1 BN1 BN1) we all met through different means, I (Fen) met Baxter through going to shows in Brighton, he’s always been an extremely approachable and genuine guy who will do anything to make newcomers in the Brighton scene feel comfortable (unless you’re in the pit with him then he’s a menace haha) and Harry (drums) joined the band half way through last year when we needed to find a new drummer, Lilz (our old bassist) has a mate who is Harry’s partner and hes become an extremely reliable and important part of the project! Harry is originally from Norwich having moved here for Uni and just never left!
We originally started with a completely different line up, unfortunately Matt (old guitarist) who wrote the first EP had other things going on in his life he needed to put his attention into and Lilz has moved out of town making it unfeasible for her to carry on with the project, we met through mates of mates, Ethan shout out No Relief, put me in contact with Matt and Me and Lilz were mates from shows.
We played our first show in June 2024 after one practice so that’s probably around the time we formed.
WHAT WAS THE SCENE LIKE WHERE YOU WERE GROWING UP ON THE SOUTH COAST & HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN IT?
I grew up in Eastbourne which didn’t really have a dedicated hardcore scene. There was HEHC (Hastings Eastbourne Hardcore) back in the day but it was mainly just a few hardcore bands playing with other local bands rather then a fully hardcore dedicated scene.
I’ve always supported the local shows over big shows. I didn’t really have the money for traveling to London/Brighton growing up. I was regularly sneaking in to venues at 14/15 years old, bands like Brutal Regime, Let’s Talk Daggers, Leech Seed, Illusions, The Barracks and The James Cleaver Quintet played regularly.
I personally discovered hardcore by a mate getting me in to metal and showing me Hatebreed, then it evolved by getting piercings done by Steve Barry, shout out Harrowed, he would have bands like Gorrilla Biscuits, Minor Threat and Merauder playing so I’d just ask questions and he’d give recommendations.
Heavier stuff came from working with one of my best mates James, shout out @jameshatetattooer, who’s an old man that loves Hardcore and would show me Walls Of Jericho, Comin Correct and Bury Your Dead.
I know Harry comes from Death Metal which is why he’s such an insane drummer, his first introduction to hardcore was actually filling in on drums for Outlive when we played with Blood Gutter at the Star in Shoreditch through Cut N Run, he’s been hooked ever since.
He also recently joined Blood Gutter on drums he’s fully invested now!
Baxter has been going to shows in London and Brighton for a long time, he’s been around a while and has stayed dedicated to the scene a long time.
Shout out the Pit Call x Baxter interview!
THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A DUMBASS QUESTION BUT HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME OUTLIVE?
The bands named after the greatest album ever written. Outlive by Guns Up!.
When we were coming up with names I just took the lead with it and named it that haha.
For me it’s a good representation of the meaning behind the band, to OUTLIVE all the bullshit that happens with politics and discourse. To just stay true to who you are and the name reflects that.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND TO SOMEBODY WHO HASN’T HEARD YOU BEFORE?
I would say New York inspired heavy hardcore with a BN1 groove and flavour.
BN1 Beatdown style!
WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE BEEN FACED WITH?
We have had a few line up changes, I refuse to let this project die haha, I was so gutted when Matt left the band he was the brains behind the band and I felt like we had become really close, unfortunately life just gets in the way sometimes!
Other then that so far we’ve not faced too many obstacles, touch wood!
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR ALL TIME FAVOURITE ARTISTS?
For me personally, Bun Dem Out are the goats, I remember being told to check out Knuckledust at about 15 years old and going down a Rucktion rabbit hole.
All those bands, everything they’ve done for UKHC and staying real makes them untouched.
Special Move, Crippler, 50 Caliber, Proven, Kartel, Ninebar, Idle Hands, Prowler and so on also Tempers Fray and Your Demise 04 have been keeping it real for a long time.
Me and Baxter have a very similar taste in hardcore, we seem to agree that Rucktion bands are untouchable and a few of Harry’s favourite artists include Necrophagist, Obscura, Symphony x, Death and Cryptopsy.
Outside of the UK as mentioned before Guns Up! are one of my all timers, bands like Irate, Shattered Realm, Madball, Terror, Buried Alive and Sick Of It All top the list.
As I’ve gotten older to be honest all I really listen to is BN1/LBU bands and Sabrina Carbenter, mainly bands that I see play regularly, outside of that obviously all homies bands are insane.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SHOWS YOU’VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING A PART OF & DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE VENUE?
We were super gassed to be apart of the BN1 Collectives last show.
Desolated are a band that always stuck with me, The End is an absolute golden album in my opinion.
We played with Your Demise 04 who were my first proper hardcore show and one of the bands that started my love for hardcore so that was pretty insane!
Playing The Black Heart with False Reality for their first release show was insane, Camden is iconic and that venue is one of my favourite venues, I also fucking love False Reality, awesome band and awesome people. They deserve all the hype they’re getting.
The Underworld is a venue that’s obviously on top of the list of to do for sure. I really want to do a hardcore show at Thekla in Bristol which is a fucking boat converted to a venue. Bobby, Connor. Make that happen please we will play for free hahaha
Shout outs to Green Door Store, Daltons and The Prince Albert in the BN1.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM TOUR TO GET OUTLIVE ON?
Man that’s a hard question!
I’d love to do a run of shows with Bun Dem Out, something with them on it would be insane!
I really want to do a weekender with Low Life those guys are the realist and one of my favourite bands at the moment. Obviously like most people in UKHC I’d love to play with Knuckledust.
As a dream tour I’d love to get the best of the heavier side of the BN1 on a big tour, bands like Tempers Fray, Exhume and Blood Gutter to name a few, BN1 hostile takeover type beat.
WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES YOU’VE HAD TOGETHER?
Soul Purpose took us to Scotland with Bathed In Sin which was awesome, it was a great experience to play so far from home.
Getting to do the majority of the weekender with Mile End and Rust was also awesome, they are so nice it’s insane that we can now say we have homies in Canada halfway across the world, that’s what hardcore is about!
We also love Bristol, they just beat fuck out of each other when we play there and that for me is what it’s all about, fun with mates and being silly.
No ego, no bullshit.
Shout out Blow Out Nights and Foe Fest.
HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE HARDCORE SCENE IN BRIGHTON CHANGE IN RECENT YEARS?
I feel like the scene has grown so much since Lockdown so many youngsters and new heads going to local shows, people seem to care so much more about grassroots music at the moment! Myself included.
I’m not going to pretend I’ve been going to hardcore shows in Brighton religiously for the last 15 years, I went to a couple when funds were available or it was a show I couldn’t miss but I personally didn’t travel much for shows outside of my home town until Joel started No Relief.
I feel like the affordability has really helped with the rise in local music especially when companies like ticketmaster are doing their shady bullshit with ticket pricing which in turn has made people realise that they can see, imo, better and harder bands with a much better show on their doorstep.
Brighton has always been an extremely inclusive city and I feel like the majority of us keeps that same ideology in the hardcore scene which is such a good thing to see.
YOU’RE PART OF THE BN1 COLLECTIVE, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT & WHAT IT MEANS TO THE SCENE OF BRIGHTON?
Baxter was a huge part in what made the BN1 collective so great, those lads had such a good impact on the Brighton scene bringing everyone together and just putting on insane shows that everyone felt welcome at, bare love for those boys. Joey, Baxter and Conz made me and many others feel welcome in the scene.
They’re all super supportive of the scene and the bands that come from it.
The BN1 is a huge constantly growing community of people from different walks of life from all over the UK and beyond, this community means a lot to me and I would do anything to keep this a safe space for the people involved which I think is extremely important especially in HC, the majority of the Brighton scene is constantly delivering on this message.
I fucking love our scene.
HOW IMPORTANT IS REPRESENTATION IN THE HARDCORE COMMUNITY?
I just want to acknowledge I’m answering this as a straight, cis, white male so it’s not really something I can give a 100% clear cut opinion on I can just speak for me, Baxter and Harry, our feelings towards this and how we carry ourselves.
Representation from all different people whether that be culture, race, gender, sexual orientation etc. is extremely important in our community, for us hardcore is about being inclusive, calling out bullshit like abuse, racism, homophobia, trasphobia etc. and standing up for what you believe in.
Surrounding yourself with different kinds of people helps you get a better understanding of what they go through and how to make them feel more comfortable.
It’s constantly learning what you can do to help people around you feel welcome and happy in your community and just do better.
As I mentioned before the scene tries very hard to mirror what the city of Brighton is about with its inclusivity, personally I feel like we try our hardest to support the Women, Queer and People Of Colour in our community.
But we can always do better and will always strive to achieve this for everyone within our community. We’re all human, fuck hate.
I just want to shout out a few of people that are the kindest, approachable people you’ll meet in HC. Erin from LEIBNIZ, an insane band also check out Death Before Detransition, Pheobe Bentham who is an incredible producer/sound tech. Rizz at Unite Asia is a G does so much, shout out King Street and Mashaal, just check Rizz’s IG it speaks for itself.
Hassan from Ikhras, Nishat at Do Yourself A Favour, shout out Hercore Collective, Angel at What A Wally/Green Door Store. Loz and Lilz Pit Crew 1312. Real ones.
No egos, no bullshit.
WE MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS SCENE. DO YOU HAVE A GREAT CONNECTION WITH ANYONE IN PARTICULAR AND WOULD RECOMMEND WORKING WITH?
You’re right we do meet a lot of people haha! Hardcore is such a good place full of awesome people at the moment which makes this hard to answer as I don’t want to miss anyone out, it’s hardcore for hardcore always.
I’ve said it a million times, I’ll say it a million more Zoe Smith Media is the fucking GOAT. Book Zoe to shoot your band, hardest mosher in the room and I personally gaurentee you’ll get the hardest shots.
Zoe is an angel.
On the subject of togs massive shout out to Jon Sugden Reprevevision, Mikey Fox, LBphoto.UK, Ze at dvm.jpeg, Greg Hall the Dai Tan Films crew, Sean Pitcam work with all these homies.
We’ve had the pleasure of working with some great promoters that look after touring bands shout outs to again Soul Purpose, Energy Dome both in Glasgow. Less Than Zero in Essex, Cut N Run in LDN but I’m afraid they will probably be done by the time this is out which is a massive shame but check out Smoke Over London Loz from CNRs new promo. Joey SKC and Laurence (King Street, 50 Cal and bare other bands) do Presented By LBU (not worked with yet but hope we can get together!) and Broken Remains.
Over in Ashford hit up Dug Absolute legend will make you chilli ahaha Vae Victus Hardcore Collective. In Bristol hit up Bobby at FOE Fest and Connor Blowout Nights. The young homies in Bournemouth Full Swing Collective. In Southampton you have the GOATs Betrayed By Life Records they’ve been so supportive of Outlive putting out our music and just always showing out for us.
Brighton hit up Pit Crew 1312, Gay Lord Zines, Do Yourself A Favour, Morgoth Presents, Astral Noize, and Stray 4 Life Zine.
Honourable mentions to our homies in the mainland who we’ve not had a chance to work with yet but hope too real soon Shark Attack in Portugal. Road Rage Bookings in Zurich .
Book through all these.
People I have mad respect for and have much love for who deserve a shout out would be Luke Poulton they are a real one, one of the most genuine people in the UKHC scene. Pretty boy Ben from Chained Existence formally in Deprivation of Liberty, shout out all the DOL lads. Murray from Low Life is the realist in the game always stands on business.
Again Joey SKC again real af. All of Southampton hardcore Ed, Jack, Joe, Jake, Cal, Con, Martin, Gigi have all become family. SOHC has been so good to us especially Lu and Lem the big homies.
Frail boys, Warden lads both insane bands and real ones. Scotland hardest Bathed In Sin and Test Of Patients. False Reality homies, Not Without Punishment, Concrete Jungle, Lifecrusher. Xoxo.
Mad love for Prom and How Long You Been Driving are insane musicians and lovely lads.
Chat to these homies and BOOK ALL THESE BANDS.
Can’t be a homies list without Roz mum of the BN1 and Big Conz and all the Tempers Fray lads, Kat and Dai from Dai Tan Films, we’re surrounded by talented amazing people there’s bound to be some I’ve missed but love to all these ones.
WHO HAS BEEN SOME OF THE LARGEST INFLUENCES IN YOUR SOUND?
Pain Of Truth are one of the first that come to mind, Out For Justice, Irate, EGH, Bulldoze, Laid 2 Rest.
WE CAN’T ALL BE MUSICIANS 24/7 SO WHAT JOBS/CAREERS DO YOU GUYS HAVE?
I’m a Body Piercer been doing it for nearly 10 years, Harry works as a cook shout out Lost Boys at The Joker in Brighton and Baxter works in a call center.
HAVE YOU GOT ANY HOBBIES/INTERESTS THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE?
I love MMA, I trained BJJ for about 6 years and am about to start going back to training after 2 years off the mats, was very close to getting a purple belt so that’s my goal for this year, personally I’m a big gamer I spend a lot of my down time playing Day Z at the moment it’s kind of taking over my life haha.
I know Baxter has an interest in watching Mauy Thai fights, does Mauy Thai and also loves Day Z he done a charity fight in March!
Harry is also a big gamer, I know he spends all the drives to shows playing Nintendo emulators on his phone, he’s a massive music nerd always writing, playing and listening to new music and he loves cooking, whenever we chat he’s always gassed about new recipes for work.
YOU RELEASED YOUR DEBUT EP ‘BLOOD4BLOOD’ LAST SUMMER. WHAT WERE YOUR INFLUENCES FOR THESE TRACKS AND HOW HAPPY WERE YOU WITH HOW IT CAME TOGETHER?
For me a lot of the influence came from fake bs and calling that out, Matt wrote a lot of it so personally I can’t speak on his inspiration but I know he definitely took a lot from NYHC/beatdown vibes, he wrote all of Misery.
We wrote B4B lyrics together and I wrote No Loyalty on my own which is probably why it’s my favourite tune on the EP, it just resonates with me being the first song I’ve written lyrics for and the meaning of fake people saying one thing and not standing on it, having No Loyalty.
We recorded Drums with Tom @idk_tom, shout out Flesh Prison, then Matt done everything himself, guitars, bass and mix/mastering.
We recorded vocals in the corner of a practice room in Eastbourne hahaha big up Stables.
Artwork was put together by lilski and the concept was Matts idea.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM YOU GUYS FOR THE REST OF 2026?
We have just finished writing a 3 track which was supposed to be recorded literally the day you sent the questions but unfortunately Harry burnt his hand at work.
We have some really cool features from some of my favourite bands in UKHC right now so I’m gassed for it. We’re going a bit harder, a bit more ignorant with it and will probably continue to just get more ignorant as time goes on but keeping the groovy sections that make Outlive what it is!
Hoping to have this out early June/end of May.
We’re aiming to hit the mainland in the summer, talks are being had and plans are currently being put into motion, I’d love to get back to Scotland again see the homies and just head further up north to be honest!
We’ve just secured a new bassist Tom from Flesh Prison, has just joined and is an insane addition to the band.
I’ve known Tom a few years now and it’s awesome to have him involved!
HAVE YOU GOT ANY SHOWS COMING UP THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING?
That Last Breath pre show, was our first headline, shout out Betrayed By Life Records for that. Headlining a show felt crazy!
We just played the black rock benefit show/BN1 memorial for Austen, this meant the world to us as we’ve been using Black Rock Studios for a long time now and Austen was the biggest legend, he was such an important part of the DIY community in Brighton for decades and without him I don’t think a lot of us would be where we are, always providing a safe space for bands to practice, write and play shows all the love to Austen and the family!
We have another few shows coming up in May and July in Brighton and Bristol. We have also just booked a Southern tour with Blood Gutter and Flesh Prison for September so keep an eye out for that!
FINALLY, HAVE YOU GOT ANY OTHER ARTISTS/FRIENDS YOU THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD CHECK OUT?
Aku, Exhume, Blood Gutter, Body Bag, Wise Guy, How Long You Been Driving, Tempers Fray, No Relief, Flesh Prison, Regress, Agency, Chained Existance, Frail, Warden, Low Life, Fear The Lord, Clericbeast, Disarmed, Infinite Wisdom, Borstal, Ironed Out, Mile End, Rust, Bathed In Sin, Test Of Patients, Heel Turn, Not Without Punishment, Not Without Fighting, Concrete Jungle, Curfew, Steel Freight, Long Drop, Kill On Sight, Overpower, Without Blood, Goon, Landmine, x Apothecary x, Leibniz
There’s a few of the top of my head, I could just go on and on and on about bands people should be listening to.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this interview with Outlive BN1, head over to streaming platforms and give their music a spin!
As I do this all on my own whilst juggling work and family life it is a passion of mine to promote the UKHC scene and all our local bands beause that’s what they deserve!
Music is so easily attainable in today’s economy so promoting everyone, buying merch and getting to shows is the best way to support.
So if you enjoy what I put out there please do reshare I would greatly appreciate the love!
Remember to always support local UKHC bands and venues so if you’re interested in checking out their merch and upcoming shows visit the links below!
You can catch Outlive BN1 next at Daltons in Brighton this May 28th at The Grand Return of Blood Gutter with Bodies In Landfill, Wrench & Bodybag for only £8 in advance.
For further show information keep an eye out on their socials @outlivebn1
Tickets are available now through the link below.
THE GRAND RETURN OF BLOOD GUTTER
Until next time, I’ll catch you in the pit!
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