Ep. 161 - Sam McPheeters

Sam McPheeters was the frontman behind the infamous New York City based hardcore punk band Born Against. These days he is known as a writer, having authored books such as The Loom of Ruin and Mutations, as well as many articles across multiple national magazines.

The lore and many stories surrounding Born Against aside, I was fascinated by Sam after discovering his amazing article on Vice, “The Troublemaker,” which is an astonishing interview with Doc Dart of the Crucifucks. Sealing the deal on becoming an enthusiastic devotee of his work was reading Mutations, a book that feels flat out dedicated to someone like me.

Sam is a man praised by friends and peers who are diehard devotees of punk, yet also painted as the villain in many stories from more accessible hardcore lore such as the infamous Sick of It All debate on “Crucial Chaos.” I was interested in getting to know who Sam McPheeters really is, and I was not disappointed.

We met up with Sam at an IKEA in Pomona, California, where we conducted this interview in one of their mock up living room setups. We discussed his childhood, Born Against, the good and the bad, his young adult years living in New York, his life after being in bands, his life today, and much more.