When I was still living in Europe, the only link I had to the U.S. was the internet. What I found will probably ultimately dictate my musical tastes for the rest of my life. Luckily for me, while I was in Europe, a band called The Combat Junkies were finding a place on the blossoming community of mp3.com radio stations devoted to Christian punk.

For those of you who don't know about The Combat Junkies, there are only a couple of things to mention as an introduction: A)They play old school punk B)They have a cd out now and C)They flat out rawk.

Pop-punkers might not get this band right away, especially if your knowledge of punk is limited to Relient K and MxPx. (I'm not bashing those bands, by the way) But please, give old school a chance. It will grow on you, I guarantee it. Take a minute, listen to The Combat Junkies, you wont be dissapointed.

As you can probably tell, I have nothing but good things to say about them. It was about the time I was creating the interview section that I was thinking of bands who deserve more exposure. First band that popped into my head? The Combat Junkies.

So, in the spirit of broadening your horizons, here's an e-mail interview the guys were gracious enough to help me out with.

Q:So, first things first, how did you guys end up a band?

A: (This is Kevin, the lead singer/guitarist) Uhm....I met the drummer, Brian, when we were kids, played youth rec ball together and then after i got saved I saw him at Subway and stuff. He had been a Christian even when we were kids. I talked to him about playing drums with us and he said sure, he wasn't doing anything at the time. Adam, the bassist and I skateboarded together a lot and after our original bassist quit, we ask him to join. We then started playing out and doing what every other band does, make demos, etc.

Q:Knowing what little I do about North Carolina, It seems to me starting a punk band of any sort would be a challenge. Do you think It's been harder because of the lack of a big-time scene here?

A:Nah, at first it kinda was. But bands are sprouting up and the scene is really growing. We have a really cool scene, the people aren't jerks in the punk scene like most towns.

Q:The band does a fair amount of touring in-state as well as out, what are your favorite places to play in-state, and out?

A:In state, definitely the Ark in Wilmington, we have made a lot of friends there and tons of kids come out and are real responsive. And our hometown is really cool to play now, even though the kids have never heard punk rock before, they know all the words to our songs.

As far as out of town goes, gotta be Elizabethton Tennessee. That place rocks. We have several friends in bands out there and the kids are awesome. And don't forget the Showcase in Corona California, that place is out of control.

Q:I've noticed that the band has had mp3s on mp3.com for quite a while, do you think services like that ultimately hurt or help bands?

A:Well, for us it seems to help. A lot of people know about us and know our music through that. It helps the underground scene. I mean, burned cd's are cool, but there is no substitute for opening up a fresh cd for the first time, it is like being a kid at Christmas. The people that burn stuff, probably wouldn't buy your record anyway. For us it has done nothing but help.

Q:I hate to break out this question simply because of the amount of times you've probably been asked it already, but what is everyone's take on being a Christian and a punk? Is it possible?

A:Well, we are Christian's that's what we are. We play punk rock/rock'n'roll influenced music. We really don't want the label as "punk rocker", "old school punk", "street punk," "crust" or whatever. Punk rock's energy and never give up attitude is what really draws us in, and as a Christian, we are to fight this system of defiance in uncompromising faith, so we rebel as do secular punks, but against a whole system different from what they are fighting. But yeh, I think that a Christian that is in to punk rock knows about not compromising and non-conforming. My dog has sex, anyone can drink a beer. But try to fight this world while in this world and that is a real fight. No man knows how hard temptation is, until he overcomes it.

Q:What is your ultimate goal as a band?

A:Well, to do this as long as we can. We have been doing it for about 2 1/2 years and hope to continue. Touching people's lives for the glory of God, helping them see His plan for their life, that He cares and that they can live a life of freedom and true liberty.

Q:What kind of responses have you gotten from the non-Christian fans who attend your shows?

A:They really like us. It is weird, but really cool. And that is ultimately what draws us out on tour time and time again is seeing those kids sing those songs and reaching them.

Q:After Screaming Giant went under, how did the band get hooked up with Clumsy Records?

A:Mikey, that runs Clumsy was in X-Conformist, a band from Illinois and was doing a comp, and wanted us on it. After the departure of SGR, we still needed our album released and he wanted to do it. We figured we could help each other out, promotion wise. He is a really cool guys and works darn hard at that label.

Q:Do you have anything in the works right now besides the tour dates in June your fans should know about?

A:Yeh, the album, definitely...."The War Inside" 12 song LP, but we will be playing twice at Cornerstone Music fest this year and will have an EP, surprise kind of, for the tour. The tour this summer is called "Abandon All Hope in this World" Tour (john 12:31) w/ Showbread and we will have a 4 song EP, with brand new stuff for that tour. Check out our website combatjunkies.com And all the tour dates will be up on Clumsy Records site and our site too.

Q:Last, but certainly not least, who is God to The Combat Junkies?

A:He is our everything, without Him, we would be nothing. Heck we could barely play an instrument when we started, Adam, had never played bass and now he is pulling off Matt Freeman type stuff. He is ultimately and only expressed as Jesus Christ. That is who God Jehovah is to us and who He truly is. John 14:6

Thanks a lot man for the interview.