Mike Abalienation plays many roles within Toronto's indie scene. As the frontman of the Murder Squad T.O.., and the former lead singer of New York's Abalienation and Bloodsucking Freaks, Mike is no stranger to the hardcore touring circuit. His D.I.Y. ethics and dedication to the scene have compelled him to get directly involved in all aspects of his own bands, and to contribute to building networks among other artists and audiences.

But to many in Toronto '“ particularly the regulars at clubs like the Oasis, Planet Kensington and Sneaky Dee's '“ Mike is better known as a bouncer. And in the relatively short time that he's been in Toronto, he has earned a reputation for being perhaps the friendliest and most courteous bouncer in the city.

Ask him about this reputation, of course, and he'll just blush and tell you he's flattered. His attitude and approach to club security might seem extraordinary when you compare him to the average bouncer. But to Mike, it's all a matter of common sense and common courtesy.

'œI've been bouncing for a long time,'? he says, 'œand even at certain clubs I used to work at, I was very disappointed with a lot of the policies.'? Calling the use of force a 'œlast resort,'? Mike argues that almost every bad situation can be resolved rationally. 'œI try to talk them out as best as possible, and that's usually the best response. A fist to the throat doesn't calm things.'?

Mind you, he did chuckle a bit while revealing a trade secret called the 'œLock and Load'? '“ a hand around the neck and a quick fist to the face. So it's still probably not a good idea to mess around with him.

Mike came of age in central New York state, living just a couple of hours away from New York City's booming hardcore scene. He toured relentlessly during his fifteen years with Abalienation, visiting Canada numerous times. In New York, he says, 'œif you didn't have clout, people didn't give a shit. That's why we toured.'?

In 2000, Mike and drummer Shannon Suicide founded a D.O.A. cover band and called it Murder Squad, after the punk group's hockey team. Before long, they started drawing from thrash and metal influences and writing original material. They would later change their name to the Murder Squad T.O. after learning that members of Entombed and Dismember had formed a side project of the same name ('œthey had more money than us,'? Mike explains).

These days, Mike says, the hardcore scene in New York is 'œpretty much dead. There's hardly any clubs, and they're all pay-to-play. If you don't have 15 or more people saying they're here to see your band, you don't play.'?

By comparison, Mike has found the scene in Toronto to be much more supportive of indie talent. He has had his own great experiences with clubs like Sneaky Dee's and the Oasis, but he worries about the scene being compromised by the same commercial trends. 'œThere's bars [in Toronto] that used to be really good,'? he says. 'œBut then they saw the money signs.'?

He's impressed by the all-ages hardcore scene in Toronto, but admits that there's room for improvement. 'œThere are no legion halls or anything like that,'? he says. 'œBack in the old country, we used to do tons of legion hall shows, because they were all over the place. There's none in Toronto, because it's so diversified. Small towns are more open to it than downtown.'?

When asked about the more unscrupulous elements of that scene, Mike has one piece of advice for young bands. 'œPay attention to everything. Definitely check things out. There's a lot of fine details that get overlooked, and people get screwed for it.'?

But as far as his own career is concerned, Mike wouldn't change a thing. Toronto has been good to him, and although he's not working at Sneaky Dee's at the moment, he still lights up when he talks about his experiences there.

'œI'd like to thank everybody at Wavelength,'? he says. 'œEven though I'm currently retired from Sneaky Dee's, once I get settled I'll start coming in again, just for drinking and to enjoy the bands.'?