News: Punk band AMHERST DRIVE drops debut EP “For Freedom and Democracy”!

Amherst Drive, which formed in Los Angeles in 2017, is the brainchild of experimental multiinstrumentalist Derek KORTEPETER. KORTEPETER uses his lifelong influence of growing up with Southern California’s punk music scene to create a sound that is unique and also true to his roots. 

Amherst Drive recently dropped their debut EP named “For Freedom and Democracy”, that can be found on Bandcamp. About this release, Amherst Drive explains: 

“The debut EP is called For Freedom and Democracy. It is a very socially and politically minded record, I couldn't write songs about things I am not passionate about. Many punk bands have waded into politics and exorcising personal demons in their music, so I am hardly the first (Black Flag probably did it the best). I have, however, something to say about the state of my country and myself. I hope that that message is clear in the album. 

As a socialist, I believe the working class and poor are always under attack and that the government has always been against the proletariat here and abroad. Our Imperialism knows no bounds and goes back much further than the current malicious Trump administration (just look at Obama's civilian massacres via drones and his NSA's mass surveillance, as well as Bush's conquest wars in Afghanistan and Iraq for recent examples). There is a sickness at the core of the System, and that's what Ising about a lot. I sing about the state of the world, drawing from the past and connecting it to the present by showing how messed up it's always been. I also sing about myself and how I fit into it. 

As for being a solo act, I find an incredible amount of freedom in it. My goal, however, is to make Amherst Drive a true band, I just haven't been able to find that right mix of people yet. This music, namely because it's punk, needs to be played live for it to truly take flight. At the same time, as I said, I truly do enjoy doing the entire instrumental parts myself as well as all the songwriting and vocals. To have an idea and be able to execute it exactly as I envision is a gift that I wouldn't trade for anything.”