Bastard, The Clean and the Quick Death of Chaos In Tejas: An Interview With Timmy Hefner

After it's ninth and arguably most successful year, Chaos in Tejas has called it quits. No drama, no financial backers dropping out, no in-fighting-amongst the organizers, just an un-ceremonious shoulder-shrug of "eh, nevermind" delivered via Facebook announcement. The harbinger of doom is the festival mastermind, Austin resident and booking agent Timmy Hefner, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

After starting the festival as Prank Fest, Chaos in Tejas evolved from a single stage, single day event into a massive four day extravaganza, incorporating everything from 2000 capacity warehouse shows to illegal bridge events, punk brunches, secret boat shows and much much more. The key was in the booking, ultra-rare and exclusive appearances appeared every single year from bands like Bastard, Judgement, Bolt Thrower, Cock Sparrer, The Bats, The Clean, Rorschach, The Marked Men, Moss Icon, Youth of Today and others, drawing audiences from around the world to Austin in June.

And then all of a sudden, it was done. We asked Chaos in Tejas organizer Timmy Hefner about the end of Chaos and some of his memories of the festival.

Framtid at Chaos in Tejas 2013 (photo by Fred Pessaro)

Why this year? Was this something that in the back of your head that had been building?

Timmy Hefner: Every year since I started the fest I debated if would do it again. It's a lot of work and I didn't ever want to do something that wouldn't top the year before. And like clockwork, every year something came up that made me want to book another year of the fest. This was the first year that I tried a few different ideas and nothing was happening. So i figured I wouldn't force what wasn't meant to be.

You've had a fair share of rare exclusives over the years, but what would you consider Chaos's biggest get?

Bastard definitely. Bastard is my favorite hardcore band of all time and the band had never been to the US, was completely broken up and had all moved on to new things. It seemed completely unthinkable, but when it happened, it was a big deal.

Cock Sparrer hadn't played the US since 96, and their appearance was their first in Texas so the room was filled with such positive energy. The Clean had never played Texas.

When you were kind of putting the fest together, did you have an idea to get as large as it did?

I never dreamed it would get as big as it did. It was sort of accidental… it grew and grew. One venue, one stage. Two stages. Two venues. Never really imagined that it would eventually be 18 venues over 4 days.

One of the most fascinating things about Chaos in Tejas is the way it evolved over time and the range of acts that played the fest. What started as primarily a punk festival evolved to incorporate metal, hardcore, indie, electronic, hip hop…

I'd say that basically Chaos in Tejas is my iPod on shuffle, just a conglomeration of things that I like from year to year. People have criticized the direction I took the fest since its beginnings as a punk festival, but to me it was really just about independent music.

Chaos in Tejas has mostly remained an independent music festival in all aspects: virtually sponsor-free, covering a wide range of ideas and styles, and totally, 100% DIY.

The Damned at Chaos in Tejas 2013 (photo by Fred Pessaro)

Many of the bands that you have landed over the years are obscure bands that have appealed to the music nerd specifically, including notable reunions, one-offs and other appearances. That said, who were some of the fish that got away?

Number one on that list is Gauze. They have no interest in coming to the US but remain a current, relevant band, still writing new songs and playing shows since 1981. They would be a dream get, but that isn't going to happen.

I've asked Anti-Cimex several times, but they have no desire to play again. I've also wanted to do shows with Motorhead, No Warning, Mental, The Wipers and Mercyful Fate but they can't or won't happen for one reason or another. While all of these are great reunions or legacy bands, I think that the core of Chaos has always been about younger bands. I've hosted several young bands on larger stages and its been nice to watch them grow as the years passed.

As opposed to most festivals, with 20 band bills on single, massive stages, Chaos has remained a set of larger shows, with many bands playing more than once over the course of a weekend. That said, name some of your favorite individual shows:

Bastard, Marked Men, Subhumans, Walls, The Rival Mob, Kim Phuc, Vaaska at Emo's

Cock Sparrer, Peligro Social, Destino Final, Young Offenders, Obliteration @ Emo's

Framtid, Terveet Kadet, INFERNÖH, Vaginors, Effluxus, Wiccans at Mohawk

The Mob, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Reality Crisis, Criaturas, Crazy Spirit, Bi-Marks, Dawn of Humans at Mohawk

Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, Dropdead, Mind Eraser, Iron Age, Peligro Social, Born Dead Icons, American Cheeseburger, Brain Handle @ Emo's

Kriegshog at Chaos in Tejas 2011 (photo by Fred Pessaro)

So have you abandoned the festival idea entirely?

Not necessarily. I'd still be open to doing a fest if the right ideas came to me.

If Gauze came calling tonight, would there be a Chaos 2014?

Definitely. All of this said, I'll always book shows and go to shows. Lately I've been mostly doing electronic shows in Austin because that's what I'd like to see and there isn't many promoters who are willing to book them. I just want to see bands I like.

And hear them too. What is is slated for 540 Records in 2014?

The Back to Back seven-inch and a repress of a Section Urbane single from 1982 will hit in February. I have a three way split with Merchandise/Milk Music/Destruction Unit due in April. And much more on the horizon.