Walter Schreifels of Rival Schools is a rock star. Not in that good-looking, sings-to-the-camera, ladies’-man kind of way—although this writer finds the first to be true. Instead, he is the kind of rock star that has vision in his blood and determination behind his eyes—undoubtedly the product of a 15-year music career.
Last Friday, Schreifels sat down to share his history and discuss his musical resurgence and latest appearance on the scene. His new project, Rival Schools, is a genre-bending punk band. Its members, including Schreifels, hail from influential former N.Y.C. hardcore bands. However, their similar backgrounds manifest themselves little on United By Fate, their first full-length release. And although other band members boast interests in reggae, jazz and tropic?lia, this album is not an amalgam of these different styles: It’s a rock album, plain and simple.
Yet Schreifels’ background is essential to understanding his charisma. After the initial explosion of hardcore in the mid-1980s, largely attributed to D.C. bands such as Minor Threat, Schreifels joined Gorilla Biscuits, a straightedge hardcore band, in his late teens. Then a young and enthusiastic guitarist, he quickly found himself amidst nationwide underground acclaim.
In the interview, he noted that his decision to form a band was rather obvious. “Instead of being in the audience, be on stage. I know how to play guitar, so why not me? I got some friends together and it just became part of the fun: make a song, hang out, laugh and have a good time, and then before you knew it, people liked what we were doing. From that point on that’s basically what I’ve been doing.”
And he has been doing it well. Breaking onto the airwaves with his second band, Quicksand, Schreifels solidified his stage and musical presence, churning out alt-metal anthems unlike any previous band. However, Quicksand’s commercial success was short-lived, and Schreifels experienced a self-described musical low for the five years following the band’s 1995 breakup. It was this break that strengthened today’s headstrong Rival Schools frontman.
Although Schreifels failed to delve into his whereabouts during his five-year musical hiatus, it seems to have been a self-awakening, allowing him to explore music that he previously overlooked, having “settled into what [he] already knew.” The rapid rise and fall from fame left him apathetic toward the music scene, but as he paused to take a break, he renewed his musical passion. Some might say he has softened, as he lists early Pink Floyd, My Bloody Valentine and “early psychedelic stuff” as his recent influences. Schreifels, though, sees his new musical interests as much-welcomed growth.
Not only did Schreifels expand his musical horizons during the latter half of the ‘90s, he also found solace in the producer’s chair, collaborating with Florida post-hardcore band Hot Water Music on its 1998 No Division album. Perhaps a natural tendency for the eager frontman is to produce a record, to have total control over a work of art, to be completely responsible for the end product and, when producing other bands, to contribute to the creative process. “I like being in control of things when I think I know how they should be,” Schreifels remarked. But he also noted the dominant, omnipresent qualities a producer can have. “There’s a sort of a cop element to a producer in a way, to ensure you don’t go off and make some fucking crazy record that the label can’t sell,” said Schreifels, who compared a producer’s job to an editor’s job, noting, “You’re lucky if you get someone who improves upon your work.” For a strong personality such as Schreifels, what starts as collaboration can soon become head-butting.
This might make one wonder why Schreifels chose to sign to a major label such as Island, when a smaller indie label might allow for more creative expression. As Schreifels himself noted earlier, the producers often constrain artists at a label’s behest. So why put oneself in the position to have one’s creative vision altered? To Schreifels, the answer is simple—he wants to “strike a chord in people,” and signing to Island allows Rival Schools to reach this goal, which Schreifels feels is inaccessible through any other means. Though one might cite the DIY success of Fugazi, perhaps the major-label experience is the only thing that Schreifels knows, having been on majors for 10 years with Quicksand. Still, this is not the only option, as one rarely finds creativity in comfort.
Regardless, Schreifels seems to be at peace with his decision, saying “It’s not for me to protect or care about anymore; it’s out there and I can let it go.” This newfound nonchalance has scored Rival Schools a six-month national tour with a decked-out tour bus (even if the couches were red velour and clocks substituted for artwork). And although he professed much gratitude for what has come his way, there is no doubt that deep down, Schreifels is nothing but a rock star. Last Friday at the Black Cat, Schreifels took the stage under flashing spotlights and encouraged a clap-along. Call it a showman’s confidence if you will, but perhaps his own lyrics from “High Acetate” sum it up well: “I bet you never thought your movie would turn out this way / Can’t take it, it’s mine.” Schreifels saw an opening and took it—no regrets.
Even from the very beginning, Schreifels has had no expectations of success, longevity or creativity. He has simply made what pleased him, and has been lucky enough to make a living off of it. His latest effort with Rival Schools, though debuting at the top of the College Music Journal charts on its release, was born under the same expectations—none. Said Schreifels, “This record is just going to exist, and that’s all that I can promise anybody.” Not much of a promise, but what else would you expect from a rock star?
