Oi! on the East Coast of the USA has its own heroes and history. At the same time, new projects are emerging, and one of the most notable is definitely Shaved For Battle. Stylistically, it’s pure Oi! without compromise and without hardcore influences, carrying a proud stance. We spoke with Curtis, the main face and driving force of the project, about the band, the scene in the USA, personal experiences, and the role of Oi! today.

When and how did the idea of starting Shaved For Battle come about?

The band started in 2009 or 2010 with myself (James) and a friend, but we couldn’t find members so it was put on hold for a long time while we did other projects.  Eventually we got back to it around 2021 and started recording. Then that friend left the band and I recruited a bunch of other people to play in the band. Currently we have 7 or 8 people that are members of the band, but only 5 of us play live at a time, so we have people that back up the others so we can play more.

How did the name Shaved For Battle originate, and what does it mean to you?

The album „Shaved for Battle“ by Stars & Stripes was one of the first Oi! records I ever bought.  I had no idea what a huge influence that band would be on me and I still love that record today.  I think it’s a great name, because it’s a skinhead band playing skinhead music that pays homage to the past.

Did you have any experience in other bands or projects before this one? If so, how did that influence the formation and direction of the band?

We have all been in many different bands over the years.  The current drummer and I played in a band together back in the late 90s/early 00s and are glad to have the opportunity to play together again.  I had always wanted to play in a straight Oi! band, and I’ve played drums in a few, but never was a singer so I thought I’d give that a shot. I put together all of the Shaved for Battle records up until now, but the guys in the live band are helping to write the new record and it’s sounding really good so far.

In what other bands or projects are your members currently involved?

There are a lot of bands that we are all in, but just to name a few: U.S. Violence, Burial Ground, Helicopter Chase, Anti-Heros, American Justice, Hanging Judge, Justice Served, Harsh Consequences, Violence & Justice, Hard Luck and several more.  We all keep busy and many of these bands share members because a lot of us play every instrument.

Why is the East Coast of the USA a good place for an Oi! band to emerge?

I would say the East Coasts has always had a really strong Oi! scene since I’ve been involved.  There’s been so many great bands up and down the east coast, from the Anti-Heros and Patriot in the south to the Templars in NY, to the Wretched Ones and Niblick Henbane in Jersey, and then of course Boston which has had so many great Oi! bands.  It seems that everywhere we go there’s a decent turnout on the east coast and there’s even newer kids getting involved in the scene which is great.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard Oi!?

I would probably say it’s like stripped down rock and roll played by a bunch of middle aged guys with shaved heads and a bad attitude.

You play pure Oi!, without hardcore influences – how important is it for you to stick to that „traditional“ sound? What do you think of bands that mix Oi! with hardcore?

I’m glad you recognize that there is not hardcore mixed into this band.  While I love hardcore and have played in many hardcore bands myself, I personally do not want to mix hardcore into this band. I definitely like certain bands like CMI and Haywire, and I definitely respect the fact that they are bringing in a whole new crop of kids to shows, but as far as my personal taste and music I want to make, I’m a bit of a purist with this band at least.  Some of our other bands have more of a hardcore influence, but I feel like Shaved for Battle MUST keep the traditional American Oi! sound alive and never stray too far from that sound, because that’s what I wanted to do when I started it and I hate bands that change their sound most of the time. I’d rather just start a new band if I want to go a different direction. Shaved for Battle is and always will be an Oi! band.

Do you feel musically more connected to the European Oi! tradition than the American one?

I like a lot of European Oi!, mostly from the 80s and 90s, but my heart is with American Oi!.  I grew up listening to all this music but always took special pride in the fact that I felt some of the best bands to ever make Oi! music are American.  I’m sure some would disagree, but that’s my favorite sound, especially the late 80s/early 90s American stuff, that’s what I really wanted to do with Shaved for Battle.

What, in your opinion, makes a good Oi! song – simplicity, lyrics, catchy chorus?

I’m not really sure, I always just try to say what’s in my heart and be straight forward.  I feel like some bands take it way too far and call themselves Oi! but if you strip it down it’s nothing more than pop punk with tough guy vocals.  Even worse is bands that are basically just pop punk but wear skinhead clothes or use skinhead imagery and really have nothing to do with the scene.  I think a good Oi! song is genuine and played from the heart, something that people can relate to, and something that feels like it comes from the same place I do. That’s just my opinion.

What’s your relationship with punk rock – do you see it as Oi!’s older brother, or as a completely separate genre?

That’s a great question – I have actually thought about this and haven’t really come to a conclusion.  In a lot of ways, Oi! is just punk rock, and some of those older bands could be classified as either in my opinion, but as far as style and lyrical content goes, I see it as a completely different genre. I can’t relate to some guy singing about spiking his hair and upping the punx, because that doesn’t translate to me in my life, especially in my 40s.  Skinhead style is much more realistic in my opinion.  I also can’t stand the politics of most „punks“ these days either.

How did you personally get into the skinhead scene? What was your first contact with Oi!/skinhead music?

I personally got into the scene through punk rock. I had spiked hair and all that when I was about 14 or so, then a girl I was seeing turned me on to Oi!.  At the same time, a lot of what was happening in mainstream at the time was considered punk rock, which made me not want to be a part of it.  I went to some more underground type shows around this time, and met a bunch of skinheads.  When I figured out what this was about, I immediately ditched the punk gear and started sporting boots and a crop.  That was around 2000 or so, and I’ve never really looked back.

What album or band first made you say: „That’s what I want to play too!“?

Well I would say a big influence before I got into the Oi! scene was bands like Gorilla Biscuits, Good Riddance, and faster hardcore/punk.  Those bands made me want to play drums and guitar.  When I started my first band, the drummer for Shaved for Battle was in it, and he left his drumset at my house, so I just naturally picked it up in my spare time.  I had always wanted to do an Oi! band, but like I said I couldn’t really find the members.  Around 2010 or so I finally saw Cock Sparrer live, and that was a turning point for me, that was when I said to my friends, I HAVE to start a skinhead band. So I did, and played around in a few, until I formed Shaved for Battle in 2021.

Besides Oi!, what other music genres connected to the skinhead subculture do you respect? (ska, reggae, rocksteady, glam, pub rock…)

I listened to a lot of Judge Dread and Clancy Eccles when I was younger, a lot of ska and reggae from the 60s and 70s, but also some newer stuff was very influential to me too like Inspecter 7, Skoidats, Hub City Stompers, and those bands.  I still listen to some ska, but not as much as most of it really sucks these days.

Do you listen to music outside of this scene that has influenced you?

I listen to a lot of music outside of the skinhead scene. For example, I have a darkwave project called Burial Ground which is not Oi! at all. I listen to a lot of coldwave/darkwave stuff, lots of hardcore, some punk, and a lot of hip hop, especially 90s stuff like Gravediggaz, Big L, Kool G Rap, and stuff like that. I also listen to a lot of folk and country stuff too.  One of the guys in Shaved for Battle has an acoustic folk type thing that’s really great called Keystone Grit.  Check that out.

Do you feel that Oi! in the 1980s and Oi! in 2025 are still the same genre?

I think there’s a lot of stuff that’s changed for sure, but there are some bands still carrying the torch of that sound.  I think some of the stuff that’s passed as Oi! today would have been laughed at in the 80s, but I wasn’t there so what the fuck do I know?

If someone released the very first Oi! record in today’s world, do you think it would have the same impact?

I don’t think so at all honestly.  People are so much better at their instruments than some of those older bands nowadays and make everything sound perfect.Some of those first Oi! bands were not exactly world class musicians, but that’s probably why it stuck out so much back then, because it was the idea that anyone could do it as long as it had heart.

Nowadays, when so many people work in offices and aim for the middle class, can you still sing only for the „working class“ in the USA, or is that just a traditional phrase in the lyrics?

I think it’s a traditional phrase in American culture and means something much different than it used to. I would say that anyone that works for a living and provides for their family is working class.Does working in an office mean you can’t be a skinhead or can’t play Oi!? I think anyone that has ambition and works their ass off to make things better for themselves and their family has a right to claim „working class“.  If you want to work in a factory for the rest of your life just so you can be a proper skinhead, you may want to reprioritize what’s important in your life.

What does being a skinhead in 2025 personally mean to you?

I would say to me it’s about brotherhood.  I can go anywhere in the world and find people that think and feel the same as me.  We all come from the same backgrounds, all share similar values, and all know what it means to earn your pay. I’ve been involved in the scene for so long that it’s just a part of who I am, I don’t really think about it that much.

How do you perceive the current Oi! scene in the USA? Do you think the American Oi! scene has its own typical sound or character?

I do think there is a typical American Oi! sound, but I’m probably the only one that hears it that way. When I think of American Oi!, I think of the Bruisers, Forced Reality, New Glory, Anti-Heros, Moonstomp, Stars & Stripes, that type of sound. I think it depends when you got into the scene and what bands you liked at that time.  Those were all introductory bands for me into American Oi! and I feel like that sound just can’t be beaten.  Lots of bands try to do the catchy chorus stuff poppy sound, but nothing really hits me as hard as those bands from the late 80s and early 90s.

What are your favorite bands from the American Oi! scene in recent years?

Some of my favorite Oi! bands from the current scene are Battle Ruins, Burden, Usual Suspects, BadTerms, Bomber, Loosey, Hanging Judge, and many more.  Mostly bands that are either really hard sounding or write really good songs.  Loosey for example, is just absolutely phenomenal live, not really even an Oi! band, but certainly influenced. I was very blown away when I saw them play.

What do you enjoy most about today’s scene that you didn’t experience before?

The ease at which people can communicate is awesome. We used to have to book tours using stuff like BYOFL and it was tough to get into scenes that you were not an active member of.  These days, people can communicate via the internet and it’s easier to set up shows and make travel plans.  Also, if you never had to drive around on a tour using an actual map or mapquest printed out directions, you have no idea how bad it sucked.  GPS is probably one of the greatest things that’s ever happened to touring bands.

How has the energy of live shows changed – fewer fists, more phones?

Yeah for sure things have changed and I’d say for the worse.  When I was young, we used to go to shows just to check out bands we didn’t know.  Now people can check everything out with a quick internet search and decide to just watch the show on YouTube after someone uploads it.  It kills some of the energy because not nearly as many people come out to shows, but at the same time, it’s cool to be able to check out some bands that I’d never get to see, especially foreign bands that don’t tour.  There are definitely fewer fights too, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because for a while things were pretty foul.

Which U.S. bands are you closest with?

There’s a ton of bands we really like to play with, I would say DHS is one of the bands we really enjoy playing with a lot.  BadTerms are great guys as well, same with Bomber, Cry Havoc and a whole lot more.  Some younger bands we are friends with and you should check out are Off the Top from Connecticut and Charged Youth from Washington, DC.

Is it difficult for you to find an audience in the USA when you play „pure Oi!“?

Yes it is, we usually get booked on mixed shows with some hardcore bands or some punk bands.  That’s fine, but I always love a pure Oi! show which are usually our best shows. One my favorite shows we played was a super stacked lineup of mostly Oi! or Oi! influenced bands, which my wife booked.  It was XL Bully, DHS, Harsh Consequences, Poor Impulse Control, and Shaved for Battle. All skinhead bands, it was a great night.

What are the biggest challenges for an Oi! band in the USA?

Our biggest challenge is really booking shows. Some bands won’t play with us because we are patriotic. We’ve had shows cancelled because of some ultra left wing groups trying to pin the racist label on us, which is just moronic. With that being said, we’ve played some really awesome shows with the most diverse group of people you’ve ever met.  We let the trash talk roll off our backs and just continue doing what we are doing.  If people don’t get it, good, fuck them.

How has the scene changed compared to when you first got into it?

I would say besides the things I’ve already mentioned, the political landscape has changed so much for the worse.  It used to be that everyone involved in the U.S. skinhead scene was patriotic and hated communism, at least in all the scenes I ever played or hung out in.  It’s much different now, and politics are everywhere.  Mostly, if you are not an avowed left wing activist, then you are considered right wing. It’s really dumb and corny.  The guys in Shaved for Battle have many different viewpoints on politics, but mostly we don’t discuss that shit, and if we do, we respect each other’s opinions. Nobody is even close to an extremist though. That’s what used to happen in the scene and I feel like with the push towards everyone conforming to a side, it’s very difficult to find common ground unless you share the exact same views. It was a lot more fun when you could actually have discussions about things rather than crying about it on the internet and trying to get a band’s shows canceled.

Are you looking at the European scene? In your opinion, what’s the difference between the American and European scenes?

I do not pay too much attention to the scenes in other countries. I like some of the bands for sure, but I’m not up on the actual scenes. I have heard from many that politics are even worse in Europe though, and certain bands can’t play certain countries because of the same stuff I just mentioned. I’m very hopeful that we can get to Europe and Japan over the next year or so.

Is there any scene or country that inspires you a lot at the moment?

I love the Japanese scene, there are so many good bands historically and currently that don’t get enough recognition in my opinion. I do see the French Oi! scene is really huge right now too, and would love to play for the French at some point. I would also mention that we sell a lot of records in Germany, which is where my ancestors are from, so that is also on my list of places to go play.

How do you view the international connection of the skinhead scene through the internet and social media?

I love it, there’s a ton of bands I’ve discovered and people I’ve met that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to 20 years ago.  The internet has really connected the skinhead scene quite a bit and while there are some downsides, generally I think it’s done a lot to connect people.

Since 2022 you’ve released four full-length records – how do you manage to keep up such a pace?

We have technically released 2 full lengths, a demo, and two split 12″s. We keep up the pace because I have my own studio where I can record anytime I want to. Usually I will have an idea and record it, then the band will come and redo the parts with their own ideas too. It’s a great system for us and allows us the freedom and creativity to do whatever we want without the confines of having to pay for it.

Is your songwriting more spontaneous, or do you follow a clear plan and discipline?

I write most of the songs myself and it’s usually spontaneous, like I will have an idea and run to the basement and record it.  Then I will spend some time fine-tuning it and making it sound the way I want.  That’s what I did with the first several releases in which I played all the instruments.

Which labels do you collaborate with, and what do you value most about that cooperation?

Oi!tism Records is a label that my wife started about a year ago. She has poured her heart and soul into the label and I have tried to help out any way that I can. She does a lot of collaboration with European labels too which is helpful.  We have also worked with Liberty or Death Records, Try and Stop Me Records, Lionheart Records, and several others.  What I really value about these labels is the fact that they are willing to put money into pressing my ideas onto a vinyl record. I never thought that people would care about what I’m doing or what I have to say, and it’s so awesome to see that people actually like it and want more.

What has been the wildest show you’ve played so far?

We’ve played a lot of great shows that were pretty nuts, but one that stands out the most is a show we played in Virginia with Collaps and 45 Adapters. The show wasn’t necessarily wild, but it was in the middle of nowhere, and we weren’t expecting much, then we pull up and there’s just a shit ton of people there, of all ages, young punks, skinheads, and hardcore kids, and they absolutely went off to every band that played. It reminded me most of how shows were when I was young and made me feel very nostalgic for those times. I would also add that any show where someone is singing along with me is just so humbling to me. It means the world to me that people feel what I feel.

What do bands need to do to keep Oi! alive for future generations?

First and foremost, there needs to be more young skinheads that are into Oi!, not just hardcore.  We need to keep the tradition alive and keep the political divisiveness out of our scene. The younger generation has to realize that it’s more than fashion, it’s about brotherhood and tradition, and in order to keep it going it needs new blood that understands what it’s actually about.

Do you think social media has helped or harmed the subculture?

I think it’s helped as far as communication, but mostly hurt the scene. For one, so many people are just a click away from learning about it, which is good in some ways, but allows a bunch of people to get involved that really wouldn’t have stuck around back in the day.  The other big thing is that it allows people to rewrite history and influence the culture in ways that make skinhead look like it was some magical fairy tale of unity and fun, while in reality it was a brutal street culture that got even worse in the 80s. It was a thug culture, and when I came up, that was never sugar coated to make it seem like skinhead should be socially acceptable or make it into some political statement.

What are your future plans – more albums, tours, collaborations?

We are currently working on our third full length record which will come out late 2025/early 2026 hopefully.  We will be playing a lot of shows in the coming year and hope to set up a couple European runs as well.

The final word is yours – is there something I didn’t ask that you’d like to share?