Old Knife is a trio from Northern Virginia that plays music influenced by NY and DC hardcore, post punk, no wave and metal. Maddie Franca (bass) and VJ Hyde (guitar/vocals) have been playing for around 3 years after working together at a summer camp. VJ asked Maddie if she wanted to join his band and she answered, “sure but I’ve never played bass.” VJ replied, “don’t worry I’m a music teacher” and the rest was history. She was a quick learner and Old Knife started playing all around the DC area shortly thereafter. Their third show was the at the historic DC summer concert series, Fort Reno. They were all set to record their first album at Inner Ear Studio with Don Zientara (Dischord Records) when their first drummer fucked around and found out, Vitriol style. So Maddie and VJ parted ways and VJ enlisted his old pal Devin Ocampo (Faraquet, Medications, Smart Went Crazy) to play drums on their upcoming debut EP “Slam the Door.”

Maddie and VJ still needed to find a permanent rhythm section to continue composing and playing live shows. That person turned out to be Ella Gallogly who is the front person of DCs post-prog dark metal band, Lud Roes. The three had met previously while sharing a bill engineered by Ryan Parsons from local garage rock band, Gas Station Dick Pills. Unlike boner pills purchased at Chevron, the chemistry was instant and the trio have been melting faces ever since. Old Knife is wrapping up their EP for release in early 2026. They will be playing around the DMV and out in VJs hometown (NYC) during the winter/ spring as well.

Can you elaborate on the genesis of Old Knife? How did the shared experience at summer camp eventually translate into the decision to form a serious musical project?

Old Knife formed during the dog days of the pandemic. We weren’t bleaching our toilet paper deliveries anymore, but we were also still a few months away from a vaccine. VJ’s old friend and occasional band mate, Dave Mann (Anocean, No One Sphere) reached out and invited him to a drummer’s house in the DC suburbs to jam. The plan was to play masked up in his garage with the door open and just make some noise to get a feeling of normalcy for the first time in too long. VJ showed up but Dave couldn’t make it. Marty, the drummer, and VJ had very similar tastes in music; namely hardcore and post-hardcore bands ranging from Madball to Trenchmouth to Jesus Lizard to Fugazi (DC-area prerequisite) and beyond. They didn’t do the typical futzing around with covers but went straight to improvising and jamming out some songs VJ had written while working as a music teacher in a local public school. It was a refreshing experience and they decided to make it happen again, next time, hopefully, with Dave. Unfortunately, Dave was only able to make it out once or twice as he had a lot of other musical commitments on his plate so VJ and Marty kept it going as a duet. As songs started to form they would occasionally leave the garage in the midst of a practice and run out to local open mics to see what responses strangers might have to our developing sound. It was invigorating but we knew we needed to get some bass in the mix to fill it out. That summer, while working at a local summer camp, VJ met Maddie for the first time on a Zoom call and noticed a guitar behind her head. He took note. As they got to know each other over the coming months Maddie was the only other person on the staff that VJ felt a kinship with. He could tell she was an artist and to put it simply, a bad ass. When he asked her to join and she mentioned that she never played bass, VJ assured her that he is a music teacher and could walk her through it. Maddie, the bad ass that she is, showed up at the next practice and needed very little coaching to find the pocket and killed it. With the addition of her tone and style we knew we had to move the project to the next level as soon as possible. That next fall, NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest came out and we decided to put one of our tunes out there for the world to see, which gave us a good spark to start the engine.

Your sound draws from a potent mix of genres—NYC/DC hardcore, post-punk, no wave, and metal. How do you manage to synthesize these distinct influences into a cohesive and original sonic identity?

VJ Hyde, guitar/vocals: those are the styles I grew up listening to since I was little. They’ve always been a part of my musical identity. Our songs are primarily a channel for catharsis. Given that the world is so fucked in so many ways, these genres naturally lend to expressing the range of emotions from major depression to blood rage and everything in between.

Maddie Franca, bass: I pretty much just channel it from the ether.

Ella Gallogly, drums: Each of us brings our own fingerprint to the writing process and so I think the music tends to reflect our influences and experiences just by participating and by being genuine. Within that there is trust in each other's authenticity, and also being vulnerable and trusting in the process of expressing ourselves.

The split with your initial drummer was clearly tumultuous. Can you provide some insight into that situation and the process of bringing on a seasoned musician like Devin Ocampo to complete the "Slam the Door" EP?

VJ: Splitting up with our first drummer really sucked and was not an easy decision for so many reasons, but there was a level of manipulation and verbal abuse that was not tolerable. Full stop. Playing music in this band was and is one of the only positive releases available so when it became so toxic so quickly it was a rip-off-the-bandaid moment that had to happen.The timing of it wasn't ideal because I had set up studio time with Don Zientera at the historic basement studio (Inner Ear) where bands like Minor Threat and the Slickee Boys recorded their first albums. Maddie and I were not going to postpone this opportunity because of BS so I came up with a short list of drummers I knew could sit in and kill it in a few takes. We did have to truncate our expectations of recording an LP to just a few choice tunes. When I first moved to DC from Chicago in 2005, I had the grandiose dream of working with Devin Ocampo (Faraquet, Medications), one of my musical heroes. The nice thing about the DC music scene is that the vast majority of influential musicians are down-to-earth people who are all about making music for the sake of music. In 2006, I had the opportunity to record my old band Go Home Robot’s LP with Devin as the engineer and producer. In time he became an occasional band mate and buddy so when I reached out to him about Old Knife’s dilemma he didn’t hesitate to help out. It‘s always an honor to know that musicians like Devin are willing to give their time and talents to the projects I’ve been involved in since settling in DC.

Ella, coming from the front-facing role in Lud Roes, how does your approach to drumming and songwriting differ when operating as the powerful backbone for Old Knife?

With Lud Roes, I tend to write with the drums and meter of the song in the forefront of the process, so writing with Old Knife feels very natural from the drum kit. There’s plenty to work with creatively in the rhythm and structure of the music that VJ and Maddie create. Their melodies and song structures really hit home with me, and so, although I’m always encouraged to participate, and certainly feel heard, I rarely offer melodic input. I do like a drum line that has a little “hook” within the song, and these tunes provide that space for me to get creative.

The story of meeting Ella is quite vivid. What was it specifically about the first jam session or collaboration that immediately confirmed she was the permanent component Old Knife had been seeking?

VJ: When we first met Ella we shared a bill with her band Lud Roes and I was floored. She was so amazing and her original music is so heavy and original I fell instantly in love. When I found out she was a drummer and interested in playing with us, I was all in. Beyond Ella’s sick chops and intense energy behind the kit, it was her openness, relaxed vibes and overall wonderful personality that clinched it. She is so gracious and chill and in addition is such a driven artist/musician that gives her all to our writing and performing.

Maddie: I first met Ella at a Punk Rock Parking Lot show at Fats in Fairfax and I just thought she was insane cool. Fast forward and she’s rehearsing with us: and the energy was just so perfect, it was like she was always supposed to be drumming with us.

Playing a venue as venerable as Fort Reno so early in your career must have been impactful. Describe the feeling of that third show and how that experience shaped your understanding of Old Knife’s place in the DC music scene.

VJ: Playing Fort Reno is most DC-bands’ annual wet dream. It holds a legendary status in the scene so to be able to share that stage and get that experience early on is really cool to say the least. Given that it was our third show definitely put the pressure on in a general sense because you immediately get a larger audience and recognition level that demands a solid performance. Then when you add Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Minor Threat) standing front row center during your set creates a surreal exigency to the whole experience. The whole thing makes it seem like an invitation to a historic club which always gives me goose bumps when I look back on the 40 years it has been running.

Maddie: This was such a cool experience for me, I had only ever been on stage twice before. And having the opportunity to play Ft Reno just feels like such an honor.

Maddie, considering your prior lack of bass experience, what was the most significant hurdle you had to overcome in becoming the band's low-end anchor, and how did VJ's guidance as a music educator facilitate that rapid learning curve?

I don’t think I ever would have picked up the bass if it weren’t for VJ. Which seems silly because I love it. The universe has funny ways of facilitating what she wants. VJ is an awesome teacher and bandmate, he crushes every single “I can’t” that leaves my mouth. My biggest hurdle? Probably fear of being genuinely perceived up there.

When performing live, what primary emotional or physical reaction do you hope to elicit from the audience, and what is the overarching philosophy behind an Old Knife set?

VJ: The overarching philosophy of an Old Knife set to me is to create an intense emotional dialogue between the band and the audience. We don’t hold back on delivering the messages embedded in the music to the audience. People will sometimes tell us that our shows are cathartic, art meets music meets theater meets group therapy. I want people to leave an Old Knife show having felt something whether positive or negative - I want them to have a reaction they experience in their core.

Ella: I was completely engaged and moved during the performances I saw prior to joining the band. It’s nice to think the audience is moved too. Our band and the audience are having a little shared moment together.

Maddie: Angry. We sing about things that should unsettle you. Make you mad, but like also dance.

The name "Old Knife" suggests something sharp, potentially dangerous, and enduring. What meaning or metaphor does the band name hold for the three of you?

VJ: Something that shows its age but is still able to draw blood and do damage.

Ella: Part wisdom, part nostalgia, some intensity, a little tetanus or lockjaw

Maddie: Do it, with the tools you got.

Can you characterize the overall mood or central themes explored lyrically and musically on the forthcoming Slam the Door EP?

The four songs in the EP were some of the first Old Knife songs we wrote and performed. They are tunes that address the intra- and interpersonal dynamics of struggling with and working through chronic mental illness, pandemic-era hypocrisies, and the wars we fight with ourselves and those who we thought were in our corners. Musically, they are a wide representation of the influences that shape our sound and set us apart in the scene. The title, “Slam the Door,” comes from a sign on Inner Ear Studio’s (aka Don Z’s house) back porch. It felt like a good encapsulation of not only the overarching themes of these four songs but also the events that surrounded the creation of the EP.

With Maddie and VJ having a three-year foundation and Ella recently integrating, how does your current writing and compositional process work? Is it primarily collaborative, or do individual members bring more developed blueprints to the rehearsal space?

VJ: It’s currently evolving. We have some new songs that have popped up organically and almost fully formed during practices while other songs were ideas that developed in rehearsal and then formatted and refined at home. It’s nice to have a mix of composition techniques and approaches. Nothing feels rote and contrived. The music has so far just been what we needed to write at any given moment based on what’s in our heads, hearts and the cultural metastasizing we are witnessing as individuals and collectively.

As you prepare for the early 2026 release, what are the primary logistical or creative tasks remaining to get the EP ready for public consumption?

We are about to finish mixing and mastering the last track which is wrapping up soon. It’ll come out on our Bandcamp first and then pop on on streamers other than the one that begins with S. We plan to get it out in physical media soon thereafter. We will also be putting together a separate single for a benefit comp record being put out by Crooked Beat, a local record store/ label that will be helping out a great animal welfare organization based in NC in the near future as well, so keep your ear to the ground for that!

Considering the rich history of punk and hardcore in Northern Virginia and DC, which current local bands or artists are you finding the most inspiring or feel a sense of camaraderie with right now?

VJ: There is such a vibrant community keeping the legacy alive and active in the area. I love so many bands from so many genres that are inspiring and deserve digging into. Just a fraction of the folks I’m regularly influenced, inspired and supported by are Devin Ocampo/ Jerry Busher, Roscoe Tripp, Nayan, and Lud Roes (our sister band). I also have to give massive props to bands like We Capppilaries, The SleepMarks, Kinda Evil, Tripping Corpse, Dot Dash, Petrichor, Shadow Riot, Bedmaker, Swingamajig, Muscle, Buko Buko, Desolus, ASOA, The Flip Phones, Anocean, Cinema Hearts, Throwdown Syndacite, The Moon Bugs, GiGi Marie, Foxye, Gaspers, AITA, Making Friends As Adults… I’ve barely begun to scratch the surface! I could literally keep going for pages. The scene out here is so sick and full of wonderful people.

Ella: Hungry Bug and An Awful Panic are two faves of mine.

Maddie:Hungry Bug! Buko Buko, Ludroes, Kindaevil. I could go on and on.

You've announced shows in both the DMV area and VJ's native NYC. What are the key differences or challenges you anticipate when playing to a New York audience versus your established local fan base?

NY has changed in many ways since I grew up there but whenever I’ve gone back to play with other acts, the audiences still seem to remain the same. They are typically populated by people who are there to engage with good music, and do so when they hear it. I think we will have a blast!

Beyond the EP release and initial touring run, what is the ultimate ambition or creative direction you envision for Old Knife over the next couple of years?

VJ: The ultimate ambition for me is to continue making music that moves me and hopefully impacts others. I want to keep creating and performing music with my friends while making new ones along the way. Come of it what may.

Maddie: my goals and ambitions with old Knife will always be simple. Coming together with friends to scream and yell about life. And hopefully find some people who wanna listen.

Has anyone in the band ever tried gas station boner pills? What do you suppose is in those things anyway – like just the standard ginseng and ephedra, or something far darker?

Maddie: I knew a guy who would only have sex if he had one. Would travel to the ends of the earth to get one. I dunno

Ella: I haven’t personally tried them, but I’ve given them out as gifts. No idea what’s in those things.

VJ: I’ll try anything twice and have. They didn’t do anything to my recollection so I think it’s just likely caffeine and sugar; although I did hear a story about some brand that got caught putting generic Viagra in their ingredients so maybe it’s worth the gamble if your insurance plan sucks!

Anyone you’d like to thank?

Devin Ocampo, Don Zientara, and Dave Mann.

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