Wakefield’s punk scene just got a hell of a lot louder with the release of a blistering double-single from the explosive two-piece, CLASS TOURISTS. Dropping today on all streaming platforms, “R.Y.A./GENOCIDE” is set to shake things up with its raw energy and no-holds-barred political commentary.
Formed in late 2022, the duo consists of Tate (lead vocals, guitar) and Lu (bass, backing vocals). These two Yorkshire natives have carved out a niche with their unapologetic anti-establishment stance and lo-fi hardcore sound.
“Our influences are Crass, Dead Kennedys, Negative Approach, GEL, Rudimentary Peni, Penalty Kill and JFA” – comments the band.
R.Y.A. is a raw, high-energy blast of frustration at the dystopian state of the world and the elite’s indifference to the common people’s struggles. It’s a call-out to politicians who prioritize their own gain over the well-being of society.
GENOCIDE condemns the Palestinian genocide, drawing parallels to historical atrocities and criticizing the false narratives and manipulation by world leaders. It’s a harsh reminder of the horrors that occur when people turn a blind eye.
“R.Y.A. is a basic idea of what we’re about. It’s a short, blunt, high-energy lo-fi hardcore song.” – says the band.
“I don’t recall any of the writing process. I guess our lyrics are just our own streams of consciousness, and this song has a lot of frustration at the state of the world, thanks to the elite.
Things are getting fucking dystopian, and I suppose they’ve been like that for years and years. I guess this is my reaction to getting to an age where it’s sinking in. Politicians are not governing for the sake of people. If they were, people wouldn’t have to choose between hot water or food, while Tory MPs get 5.5% pay rises.
Governments are much more interested in censoring free speech and investing in conflict abroad. They would rather create anti-homeless infrastructure and criminalise the homeless than invest any time in tackling the causes of homelessness. They’re out of touch. Politicians are con artists, who are deaf to people’s social and economic issues but will fund/start a war at the drop of a hat. Their best interests are not you; it’s their own financial gain.”
“Guess what this is about? We’ve made our stance on Palestinian genocide well known and I think it’s because we all learned about the Holocaust in school.” – continue CLASS TOURISTS when speaking about the other song, ”
GENOCIDE“.
“We learned just how bad things can get when people look the other way and how systems try to justify abhorrent acts of violence, genocide and ethnic cleansing.
It started with displacement, ghettos, hateful propaganda and government manipulation, it’s no different to what Zionists are doing to Palestinians.
They’re portraying a false narrative in the media to try and mask the reality of what they’re doing to people over there. World leaders deny and gaslight us while we can blatantly see what they’re doing, thanks to the internet.
The craziest thing about of this is that we evidently haven’t learned from what happened to the Jewish people in the 1940’s. It’s happening once again. It’s sickening, and it/s all you need to never trust a politician again.
All Eyes on Rafah.”
CLASS TOURISTS’ debut EP “NATIONALISM/TRADITIONALISM” is already making waves on Noise Merchant Records, available exclusively on cassette for those who crave that analog grit.
“Our goal is to use music as a outlet to express our views and anger on a lot of political and social issues. We encourage people to at least question authority and consider that following morals is more important than following certain petty laws. To consider that you are an individual and your life is for living, not for serving a faceless and empty promise of idealism.”
Don’t miss CLASS TOURISTS live at Parish, Huddersfield, on Saturday, June 8th. They’re set to tear the place apart alongside SKITZ WIZARDS, U.T.I., TRANSISTRRR, and SHREDS.
