Gina Scott runs online music zine, www.ewo-punk.com, as well as contributing to various rock magazines, and when she's not doing that, she's touring the states with bands and being a merch girl!

First of all, what have you been up to recently with ewo-punk?

Right now one of our contributors, Gemma, has taken over for a bit. She’s learning how to work it and also keeping it going for the time being. Just now I'm on tour with Lola Ray in the states. We have 2 days off right now in NYC so hopefully i will be able to work on it some more though!

The media influencing young people is a big issue at the moment. How much of an influence do you think music has on today's youth? What kind of influence does it have?

I think it has a pretty big influence. I'm not sure if it does influence people to the extent of something extreme like them murdering people in their schools like some media think but I think it can definitely influence the way people dress (which might be the reason when you go to a FFAF show everyone's hair and clothes are the same) or it might influence peoples attitudes towards other things (people becoming straight edge because a certain band is), which is a good thing to have an example to follow. So yeah, i pretty much agree that it has a huge influence on people, especially teenagers who are still trying to figure out things like if they agree with smoking or drinking and stuff like that.

Have you ever experienced conflict as a result of dressing a certain way/listening to a certain music/being a part of a certain group? If so, what form did this conflict take?

In high school probably, just for the way me and a few of my friends dressed. The conflict came from both teachers and students because no body could really accept a difference in opinion. Outside school, me and all my friends used to go to a club every week called 'The mission'. When we would walk to the club or get the bus home we would get a lot of shit from other people our age that were into totally different things and dressed differently. Sometimes it ended in violence and it’s a shame that because we listened to something different and were influenced to dress a bit different that it had to end in that.

Have you ever been to a show/gig where violence has broken out? Why do you think this violence starts?

I haven’t been to a show where violence has broken out in the show but its like that club example i just gave. Walking back to get the train or bus can sometimes lead to violence from the same kind of people who made fun of us a few years ago.

People are represented / stereotyped in a certain way for the way they dress. Does this 'labelling' also happen to people for the kind of music they listen to? What are your opinions on this?

I think it does. People just take genres and associate them with people they see dressed a certain way because they assume that must be influenced by the music they listen to. Its kind of sad because it doesn’t give the person a chance to be themselves and often you find that people with different tastes often get along just as well.

What kind of music are you into at the moment? Any favourite bands?

A load of stuff. We played a show with a band called mindless self indulgence the other night. A goth techno band and they were amazing. Also the killers, kaiser chiefs, the explosion and Bleed the dream up in my favourite bands right now too.

What have you/the site got planned next?

Before I left for this we had a lot planned about some sponsored nights down south in England. Hopefully they will go ahead when I'm home but for now its more of the usual :)

Finally, is there anything else you’d like to add or promote?

Ermmm, Lola Ray?! www.lolaray.com and www.myspace.com/lolaray4eva. Oh also www.bullyonline.org. Please check that site out, it really makes you think :)

Thanks to all the bands and promoters who have taken part in our 'Punk and Politics' Feature!