Kids Like Us is from the West-Norwegian seaport town of Stavanger. Kids Like Us rose from the ashes of Frame, a metal-style HxC band from Stavanger. One Saturday night in September 1997 some former members of Frame drove to a show together, and were discussing the possibility to start a new project, to start something they all were more into. Out of this discussion Kids Like Us was born. All four band members, around that time varying in age from 17 to 24 and all straight edge and vegetarian or vegan, had played in several other bands before, so were experienced as musicians. Singer Steinar, who writes all the lyrics, also does the 'Guerilla Boyscout Manual Fanzine' and has run the Soberside distro until 1999.
After playing some shows, Kids Like Us recorded a demo in March 1998 - a demo with melodic, energetic and fast old school hardcore, inspired by bands like Turning Point, Youth Of Today and Atari. The well-written lyrics tried to put a message of positivity and respect through, but at the same time left room for people to make up their own mind about the meaning of the lyrics. The demo was very well received and in the spring of 1998, Commitment Records offered to put out a 7" for them, to which Kids Like Us gladly agreed.
In November 1998 Kids Like Us entered the studio to record 6 songs for a 7" and some songs for some compilations - 4 news song were recorded and some songs of the demo were re-recorded. The 4 new songs and 2 of the re-recorded demo songs were going to end up on the 7" on Commitment Records, while one of the other re-recorded demo songs was supposed to appear on the international Straight Edge compilation 7"-box that Commitment Records was planning to put out. Kids Like Us was going to represent Norway on that compilation.
Unfortunately, both band and label were not totally satisfied with the the original mix of the recordings, and it was decided that the band would remix the recordings. In the beginning of 1999, Tommas and Kristian decided to give up the edge, as many other people in Norway did around that time. This decision did mean that the participation of Kids Like Us in the international Straight Edge compilation had to be cancelled.
The remix of the 7" was done in March 1999. The layout of the 7" was done by the band themselves, and the frontcover featured 12 small photos: 1 band photo and 11 photos made by drummer Even. The 7" was finally released on July the 1st, 1999.
Since the 7" came out, Kids Like Us played some more shows, mainly in Norway. Because Even, the drummer, moved to another city, it became difficult for the band to practice regularly, so the band was not playing around as much as when the band started out. But this didn't prevent them to do an one-week Scandinavian tour in the Summer of 2000, playing shows in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Most band members were also playing in various other bands around the time. Singer Steinar recorded a 7" with garagerockers Drid in 2000, guitar player Kristian was in Crash, and Even played drums for Damage Control.
Kids Like Us record for a 10"/MCD on the Norwegian label Primitive Records in May 2001. Two of these songs were released on a white cover/white label promo split-7" (with The Team Spirit, also from Norway), to be sold on their first European tour, in the Summer of 2001. Although some shows on this tour were cancelled, and due to problems with finding a driver for part of the tour they did not play in Southern Europe, the tour was a big success. Probably the best show was that on the Fluff fest in the Czech Republic, with many kids singing along and dancing during the show. Two weeks later they also played on the Ieper fest in Belgium.
In the beginning of 2002, the band added a second guitar player, Jone. In the spring of 2002, the 10"/MCD on Primitive Records was finally released. In the Summer of 2002, Kids Like Us did a second European tour that bought them all over Europe.
Due to the other activities of the band members taking up more and more time, and some of them moving to other cities, the band decided to call it quits in the beginning of 2003.
Line-Up
Steinar - vocals (1997-2003)
Kristian - guitar (1997-2003)
Jone - guitar (2002-2003)
Thomas - bass (1997-2003)
Even - drums (1997-2003)
Discography
My hands will break everything that comes IN MY WAY! demo (self-released, 1997)
Myself. Friends. Family demo (self-released, 1998)
Truth Alone Triumphs 6-song 7" (Commitment Records, 1999)
Promo Split 7" with The Team Spirit (Primitive Records, 2001)
Self-titled 10"/MCD (Primitive Records, 2002)
Compilations
...And they had tears in their eyes LP (LilacSky, 2001)
Stand Up + Fucking Fight For It - Queers In Hardcore + Punk (Agitprop!, 2002)
Forever In Our Hearts 7" (Commitment Records, 2004)