‘It’s a Combat Sport’: Aussie Hardcore Legends SPEED on Moshing, ‘Infrared’ AM90s, and Pushing the Air Max DN to the Limit
SPEED’s breakneck ascent through the ranks of Aussie hardcore still has our ears ringing. Surging in popularity during lockdown, the five-piece band stormed music venues with a vengeance, quickly becoming one of the must-see live acts Down Under.
Sydney is hallowed grounds for sneakerheads, and it has been turning up the volume of culture for decades. With the next evolution of the Air Max empire upon us, we caught up with SPEED’s Aaron Siow and Josh Clayton to chat on one of the Swoosh’s loudest, most in-your-face members yet: the DN.
What’s up, guys! We’re stoked to link-up. Let’s start by hearing about how SPEED came together.
Josh: Well, it all began with Aaron’s brother Jem, who started the band. He played in another group called Endless Heights, which was more alternative rock. We all grew up listening to hardcore and were very involved with the scene. Jem always wanted to play in a band with his brother and the rest of us have been super tight for a long time. The goal was always to start a really good, basic hardcore band that would open shows in Sydney. There weren't a ton of hardcore gigs happening around us at the time, and things snowballed from there.
What’s changed in Sydney and why is the city such fertile ground for hardcore?
Aaron: Sydney right now has a lot of energy. But I don’t think what’s happening in Australia is necessarily unique. Just before COVID-19 hit, there were a lot of bands all over the world, primarily in America, that were popping off at the same time. Throughout the pandemic, people obviously couldn’t go to shows. Not being able to go to live performances – you miss a lot of that connection and those moments you share with other people. But the energy in Sydney and Australia is certainly buzzing right now. It’s going from strength to strength.
Josh: I think it’s interesting if you put it into context with underground culture in Sydney. Things have really been stifled over the last 10 years or so. As a reaction to that, it forced subcultures to bloom, and hardcore is definitely one of them.
A really common notion that we hear from people that come to shows is that they grew up listening to hardcore but that they grew out of it. But this hardcore renaissance that we’re experiencing right now has brought them back in. The pandemic was definitely a massive catalyst for that. It forced people to reflect on who they were, what their identity is, and what shapes them as people. For a lot of people, that was hardcore. Now we’re in this period where you can be 30 or 40 years old and proudly be into hardcore, whereas it used to be something that you kept a little bit closer to your chest. It’s drawing in the older people but it’s also bringing in that younger generation. That’s happening all over Australia – not just Sydney.
This speaks to me as a 35-year-old [laughs]. It must’ve been a really unique experience having blown-up during lockdown…
Josh: In a weird way, I think COVID was actually a real advantage for our band. We started at the end of 2019, and we played like five or six shows before we went into lockdown. Up until then, we were so full of enthusiasm, as we could see that hardcore was about to hit this period where it would resemble what it was like growing up. Since we had nowhere to redirect that energy during COVID, we spent that time thinking about why hardcore is important to us and communicating a lot with each other and with our friends. So many new bands also started because people were sitting at home with their guitar writing riffs. I think the bands that started just before or during COVID are now the biggest bands in the world. All these bands could almost be categorised as COVID bands. They seem to be the ones touring the most and getting the most attention right now, which is really cool.
It’s nice to see something so positive sparking from such a tough circumstance. Can you tell us about your connection to Air Max culture growing up?
Aaron: The only time I was able to get sneakers as a kid was when I went back to Malaysia with my family. I would get mad sneakers because I’d go to the markets and pick up all the bootleg stuff. At that time, it was mostly and As I got older and could afford my own shoes, I was exposed to that Air Max culture. One of my first jobs was at a sneaker store, and I met a lot of dudes who were very into sneakers. I guess that’s where my ‘education’ began. I remember my manager at the store had his garage full of sneakers. He was like, ‘Man, I bought this really nice car, but I don’t know what to do because my sneakers are in my garage. Which one do I put in there?’.
Josh: I got into streetwear and sneaker culture through hardcore. I remember when I was 16 or 17, sneakers became a real force within hardcore. Back then, the ideal ’fit would’ve been a Supreme five-panel, North Face jacket, Japanese denim and I wore that shoe every single day. They were completely beaten up by the end of it. I specifically remember seeing someone in the ‘Infrared’ colourway and thinking, ‘Fuck, I need those’.
The ‘Infrared’ AM90 is a legendary colourway. What is it about sneaker culture and hardcore that inspires such fervent fanbases?
Aaron: If you’re looking at parallels between sneakers and hardcore, I think a lot of it is about exclusivity. Hardcore – especially in the past – always had this air of exclusivity to it. I think it comes from being an ‘outsider’ subculture. It’s not for everyone. People who are into it tend to be really into it. Back in the day, you had to dig around to find it – old records, merch, CDs. There’s a lot of history behind it. In that way, it’s similar to sneaker culture. For sneakerheads, I think it really comes down to the exclusivity and the stories behind the shoes. You have to dig to find those stories.
Josh: I think when you’re bonding over something so niche, you can really relate to each other a lot better. A lot of the people that I know through hardcore are people I never would have encountered in my life were it not for the fact we had this common interest. I think if you see someone wearing a pair of really rare sneakers it’s a similar experience.
The historical roots run deep in hardcore and sneakers. Do you associate hardcore with a particular style in terms of apparel and sneakers?
Josh: Sneakers and hardcore are very closely linked to each other. A lot of people within hardcore are really into their sneakers. When I was growing up, getting into hardcore 16 or 17 years ago, the big thing was Nike Dunks. That was the most common shoe that you’d see people wear. Hardcore fashion trends tend to be very global. If you go to Europe, people are generally wearing really similar stuff to people in Southeast Asia and America.
But the one thing Australia has is that it’s very influenced by street fashion. are more popular here than say the States where people are more likely to be wearing Dunks.
Aaron: A lot of our friends in the US might wear and sneakers like that, which you wouldn’t see as much here. Hardcore has always been synonymous with sportswear. It’s just very easy to wear, which makes sense for the live performances.
It’s reassuring to see sportswear actually used for physical activity. Can you see the Air Max DN slotting into the hardcore environment? Of course, SPEED’s live shows are a significant workout, so what are you looking for in terms of footwear?
Josh: Comfort is huge in hardcore. As soon as I put the Air Max DN on I was like, ‘Shit, these feel good’. Moshing is like a sport. You’re dancing. It’s important that you feel comfortable.
Aaron: It’s a combat sport [laughs].
Josh: These are honestly the most comfortable Nikes I’ve ever worn. I think TNs and 97s are really comfortable, but these feel really good.
Aaron: The TN is the top shoe in Australia, for sure. Whether it’s in hardcore or anything tied to streetwear or street fashion, it’s top-tier. A lot of people are into the TN 3 here and the DN is the next evolution of that.
Okay, it’s time to get out your crystal Air Max bubble: what’s the future of hardcore Down Under?
Josh: As a culture, hardcore always ebbs and flows. We’ve lived through it, having been into hardcore for so long now. It’s definitely experiencing a massive boom at the moment and it has been for a few years now. What is encouraging me is the fact that there’s a new generation of hardcore kids in every city. I can name a band from every single city in Australia at the moment, all made up of young people taking the flag and running with it. That’s been our goal as a band – to help promote that kind of energy. Whether there’s 200 people at a show or 1000, hardcore culture will stay alive.