SKY

***“Every person I know and interact with regularly has the means and ability to be vegan. You can either love animals in theory or in practice. Put your money where your mouth is.”***

Hi! I’m Sky. I play in the bands Level, Sacred, and Legendary Weapons and have played and filled in for a handful of other bands.

What was the moment or experience that first pushed you toward veganism?
I have had vegan friends since I was in high school, but two things that come to mind that pushed me to finally go vegan at 21 were the documentary “Blackfish” and the “Unnecessary killing is unjust” quote on the back of the Earth Crisis animal liberation shirt.
Did your path into veganism come before or after getting into hardcore / straight edge?
After. I have been claiming straight edge since I was 15.
Was there a specific band, record, or scene influence that opened that door for you?
Earth Crisis, Refused, Gorilla Biscuits, and Trial have always been some of my favorite hardcore bands. Their lyrics pushed me towards veganism and leftist politics.
How did your friends, family, or local scene react when you made that shift?
Many of my friends had already been vegan, and many more went vegan after me, so it wasn’t a challenge socially. My family didn’t really “get” it, but most of them have come around, and I don’t buy animal products when I take people out to eat or allow any in my house, so when people visit they are eating vegan.
Was it an immediate commitment, or something you grew into over time?
Immediate. I had Denny’s the night before I went vegan and quit eating animal products all at once.

For you, how connected are veganism and straight edge—are they inseparable or distinct choices?
I think there’s a Venn diagram sort of thing with radical sobriety and veganism. Many substances are not vegan whether directly because of animal products/testing or ethically speaking. You can’t be vegan and be doing coke.
Do you see veganism as an extension of straight edge ethics, or its own independent stance?
Veganism is absolutely the logical extension of straight edge and harm reduction. You don’t HAVE to be vegan to be straight edge, but if you aren’t, why?
How do you respond to people in the scene who embrace one but not the other?
Every person I know and interact with regularly has the means and ability to be vegan. You can either love animals in theory or in practice. Put your money where your mouth is.

What role did the hardcore/metal scene play in shaping your beliefs?
I was homeless for a couple years as a teen, and without hardcore I’m not sure how I would have turned out. The straight edge most specifically at that time made me feel a sense of community even if I didn’t know that many straight edge people in my social circles at the time, but I eventually found many of my best friends and my wife through hardcore, straight edge, and veganism.
Do you feel like the scene today is more or less aligned with vegan values than when you started?
More and less, if that makes sense? I definitely know more younger people that are ABOUT IT politically: building community, looking out for each other, making DIY ethics integral to their piece of hardcore. I also see the broader “hardcore” scene reaching a wider audience than ever and in the same sense that there are Republicans who would cite Rage Against the Machine amongst their favorite bands, I don’t think every single person “gets” it, and naturally this attracts people that are getting into hardcore for the wrong reasons. Silver lining is that they’ll either learn, or see themselves out eventually.

What kind of impact do you hope your band has on listeners?
I play music for myself more than anything, and I think that’s an important place to start. Lyrics are important, but I think who you are when you’re not playing is just as, if not more important than why you are as a performer. I hope that anyone that finds the stuff I make finds connection and community through it like I did when I was younger.
Have you ever heard from someone who changed because of your music?
I have been told that either I or a band I played in was the reason someone went vegan or claimed/found straight edge a handful of times. If ONE person connects with something I’ve been part of in that meaningful a way, I think that’s more than enough to continue doing it.
Do you think music can genuinely shift people’s behavior, or just reinforce existing beliefs?
Both absolutely. To quote something a friend said recently that was both funny and poignant, “I just don’t want to do anything that would disappoint Raybeez.”
Do you see veganism as inherently political?
Yes. Removing the politics from veganism, only being vegan as a dietary choice, etc is just eating plant based. Sure, that’s still appreciated and impactful, but veganism is in line with leftist politics even if leftists at large don’t want to acknowledge that or would rather shrug it off as an inconvenience.
How do you balance music with direct action or activism, if at all?
Paraphrasing a smarter leftist than I: It’s more important that you’re here to continue fighting than risking it all and losing. I’ll always encourage direct action, but don’t risk your life and freedom if not absolutely necessary. A vegan bake sale for an animal sanctuary is probably going to do more than getting arrested for gluing your hand to a Starbucks counter.
What issues within the broader movement do you think aren’t being talked about enough?
Veganism gets a lot of political pushback from leftist infighting. A lot of leftists will default to the “no ethical consumption under capitalism” argument or some equally lazy bullshit to excuse themselves from the conversation. Meat and dairy production is fucking up the planet, plenty other things that we can hardly opt out of are as well, but why would you stop yourself short of trying to do better? Also, animals are sentient beings and breeding them into existence only as products for slaughter is the farthest thing from total liberation.

Looking back, would you approach your message differently?
Hell no, if anything I’d have gone vegan sooner and be way more annoying about it.
What keeps you committed when it gets difficult or isolating?
The worst feeling as a vegan is when you are planning something with family or friends or coworkers and there is nothing for you to eat. I’ll say I’m fortunate to rarely have this come up anymore, but when I see it coming I just eat in advance or pregame with some snacks. If you’re young or new to veganism or anything like that and this stresses you out, remember that EVERYONE can eat vegan but you can’t necessarily eat everywhere. Hope that your social group is kind enough to choose accordingly.
Where do you see the vegan / straight edge movement going in the next decade?
Hopefully veganism continues to become more and more accessible and available. Hopefully more straight edge kids find their way to veganism as well.
What would you say to someone on the fence about embracing these ideas?
Come on in, the water is fine. You might have people around you that are weird to you about your choices, but you’ll find out a lot about yourself and about the people around you when you choose compassion for animals.

Final Thoughts:

First band that made you think differently:
Refused!
A lyric you’ve written (or heard) that still hits hardest:
“We consume to satisfy
We do not kill to stay alive
As a race we torture and we kill
In the name of a god given will.”
One non-negotiable value:
Listen to Earth Crisis.
One thing the scene needs to do better:
Besides anything I’ve talked about, we could all be better allies. I’m writing this on the first day of pride month, 2026 and I know that as a white man in a straight marriage, I could be doing more to support women and queer folks in my scene. To tie this into veganism and straight edge, it is imperative that you support people as much as you must support the animals.