Question: How did it all start?

Steve Risteen: It all started with late night food shopping! I was going to an all night food mart and kept seeing Choke who I did not know as a friend at that time but Mark knew his girl friend very well. Choke was asking Mark to do a band but Mark was not sure if he wanted to be in a band with him. Me and Mark were playing together but not really doing anything so I talked him into it and talked to Choke. That is how it started.

Question: Why the band name? Did you have any other ideas for the name?

Steve Risteen: The name is from a hockey movie. When we knew we were going to do the band for real we needed a name that is a hard thing to do so Choke started to go though movie names. as soon as he said Slapshot that was it. It fit us. The movie is a joke movie about violence in hockey. I went out and made a sweatshirt the next day and the name stuck.

Question: What was your musical influences?

Steve Risteen: Bad Brains! All the Boston bands SSD, DYS, Jerry's Kids, Gang Green. Boston was our main thing we wanted to bring back Boston. There was nothing happening.

Question: Did you play in any other bands before Slapshot?

Steve Risteen: Before Slapshot me and Chris were in a band called Terminally Ill, Mark was the Hank of that band [you must know who Hank is from Slapshot]. We were all around 16 when we started that band only played a few shows. When I was in Slapshot I played in a band call Jones Very for a short time.

Question: Was Slapshot an all Straight Edge band?

Steve Risteen: Through all the early day yes, after Jamie left and people who replace Jordan and me no.

Question: What was Boston like in those days? Where did you hang out?

Steve Risteen: The main place was at shows there was great show all the time. Me, Chris and Mark hung out at Dave Smalley's radio show all the time. And just all round Boston [it is a great city].

Question: Where there a lot of fights back then?

Steve Risteen: Some. There was always 2 or 3 ambulances outside of the big shows.

Question: How was the relations with New York really like?

Steve Risteen: I was not there for the big Boston Crew and NY shit. The Slapshot NY bad relation was really just with a few bands. We were friend with a lot of NY bands. It's the city itself. It was a fun place for a short time but did not like to be there for long.

Question: How was the relations with Washington DC?

Steve Risteen: The same as NY I was not there in the very beginning but Slapshot had little in common with the Washington DC thing. We have a lot of friend there in bands. Slapshot always got respect for being from the older day with all the older bands.

Question: How many tours have you done with Slapshot? What is your best tour memory?

Steve Risteen: I did 3 US tours and one Europe tour and a shit-load of one offs. The Europe tour was great but all my tour memories are great I loved to tour. I had a blast when thing sucked on the road. I meet so many people and saw so much shit.

Question: Did you ever get to see Negative FX or Last Rights? If you did, what did you think?

Steve Risteen: Yes, I saw both of them [I think Last right only played one show] they were both awesome bands and really great shows.

Question: What reactions did you get when you played out of town with Choke, the singer from Negative FX and Last Rights, in the band?

Steve Risteen: Good and bad. People love him or hate him.

Question: In an interview with Jonathan Anastas he says that back in the days everybody had MC-boots in Boston. Why?

Steve Risteen: Just Jon. I don't know why Jon said a lot of things.

Question: Why did Slapshot do Negative FX and Last Rights covers?

Steve Risteen: We only covered one when I was in the band [maybe two] they were good songs and needed more good songs.

Question: Why did you quit the band in 1992?

Steve Risteen: I was kicked out! They said I was holding the band back. I think there was a lot more to it than that but fuck it.

Question: Do you still hang around with guys in the band?

Steve Risteen: I have not spoken to Choke or Mark for almost 8 years. There was a lot of backstabbing and shit. I have no respect for them at all. I still hang out with Chris and Hank a lot. I played in Chris' band Bitter for a short time too. I just went to California to see Jamie a short time ago. I talk and e-mail him a lot.

Question: There's some rumors going on about Slapshot over here, maybe you can tell me if they're true. Is it true that Choke played hockey?

Steve Risteen: He played back in school.

Question: Is it true that Choke is an hairdresser?

Steve Risteen: Yes.

Question: Is Choke still Straight Edge?

Steve Risteen: Not really.

Question: What kind of a guy is Choke?

Steve Risteen: I don't want to say no more on this one. I said enough.

Question: Do you have any projects yourself nowadays?

Steve Risteen: No, not now. Always talking about doing something with Chris again [Bitter always gets brought up].

Question: What are your favorite bands?

Steve Risteen: Bad Brains! They are one band that just fucking rock.

Question: Which one was your favorite Boston band when you played in Slapshot? [Except for Slapshot.]

Steve Risteen: I loved most Boston bands. The Outlets [a member of the Dropkick Murphys' old band] was always one of my favorites. All the old bands.

Question: Which one do you think is Slapshot's best record?

Steve Risteen: "Sudden Death Overtime" by far. I love that one. I think it was Slapshot at its peek.

Question: You where supposed to play with Slapshot again on their 1999 tour, why did you and Chris Lauria decide not to?

Steve Risteen: Choke asked Chris to do it. Said he did not want to do it without him. He said he would not do it with out me. Choke said yes. I started to e-mail with Mark started to get it all together but then they just stopped talking to me or Chris and did not tell us they were going to do it with out us. So it was them. We were ready to do it.

Question: How is the Boston scene nowadays?

Steve Risteen: I'm not relay a part of the scene of today. I go and see the bands that are still together that I became friends with over the years. Or so big shows.

Question: What do you think about Hardcore bands today?

Steve Risteen: Look above. I'm going to see the Bad Brains tomorrow I can't wait for that.

Question: What do you think about the Spice Girls? I saw them last summer. [Really!]

Steve Risteen: I don't really think of them.

Question: Last words?

Steve Risteen: I have nothing to do with Slapshot from the time I left. I have no respect for Mark or Choke. That is between them and me. I don't care to be name-calling like a little kid. The time I was in Slapshot was some of the best in my life I put my heart and soul in that band. I hope the old Slapshot keeps a place in Hardcore history. Thanks, Steve Risteen.