“For me hardcore has always been more of an adjective than a noun. Doing something to the utmost extreme.”
Whether Rivera boasts about his label or not, it’s developed significant reach and influence, evident in its catalog of progressive underground-hardcore releases—including the demo from trans trailblazers G.L.O.S.S. and a Minutemen-influenced funk-punk LP from Seattle band Big Crux. Joining that catalog soon will be a behemoth two-tape compilation that features 90 minutes of music from 45 bands and a pair of zines, each with its own centerfold. NNT#038 G.L.O.S.S. – Demo by Not Normal TapesRivera wants the comp to reflect the politics of hardcore and what being a part of that community entails. Contributors include the organizers of Milwaukee’s Freespace—a venue Rivera describes as “based in hardcore DIY ethics but facilitating hip-hop shows more than hardcore”—and the developers of a community garden in Greensboro, North Carolina. He connected with many of the second wave of contributors while touring with the Bug. Rivera, who also writes a frequent column for Maximum Rocknroll, had hoped finish the comp in time to release it at the fest, but when does that kind of shit ever work out, right?
“From my perspective, all of the bands on Not Normal are on the same level,” Rivera says. “I’m not trying to make a unified sound. I just want bands who want to make something great, and make something that they’re proud of, and make something—I don’t want to sound too hippie here—that makes them whole.”
