Talking Horror with Take It Or Leave It (Interview – Written)

Take It Or Leave It is a punk band based just outside New York City, blending high-energy hooks with emotionally sharp lyrics and a healthy dose of unfiltered shenanigans. Self-recorded and self-managed, the band built their sound in basements and shaped it onstage, evolving into a project that values honesty, chaos, and connection in equal parts. Their self-branded genre “Pasta Rock” is punk that feels like comfort food: familiar and exactly what you needed.

Take It Or Leave It is made up of Craig Chalfin (bass, vocals), Mario Frascone (guitar, manager), Devon Beuschel (drums), and Nick Correa (guitar). Just because Craig’s the vocalist doesn’t mean nobody else has a mic, they all can’t help themselves. The gang vocals and harmonies make for a dynamic sound that shifts from raw to melodic without losing its punch.

Their debut EP Tunnel Vision dropped in late 2024, with standout tracks like “Run” and “Some Things Never Change” capturing both personal and political tension. But their reputation as a band to watch comes from the live show, where the setlist changes on the fly and the audience is always part of the experience. Whether it’s props, covers, or spontaneous requests, no two sets are ever the same.

When they’re not on stage, Take It Or Leave It keeps the chaos going on YouTube, where their live streams bring the full DIY spirit to screens everywhere. Fans can explore the band’s music and content through their Linktree, which includes streaming links, merch, and all major socials.

1. What’s some of your earliest memories surrounding horror films and at what age do you think you experienced your first one?

Craig: I was scared to death when my dad played the video for Michael Jackson’s Thriller when I was a toddler and it traumatized me until I was around nine. Then I rented Monster Squad and Ernest Scared Stupid when it first came to video on VHS. Then I was hooked for a while.
Devon: I was prolly 9 years old when I saw House on Haunted Hill. My parents rented it from blockbuster and I was supposed to be asleep but I snuck into the back of the living room and watched it from behind the loveseat.
Mario: One of my biggest horror film memories was when I was 12 (2003). My friends and I saw a double header in Warwick NY at the drive-in. We got there early to see Jeepers Creepers 2 and then Freddy vs Jason back-to-back. Seeing a horror movie at the drive-in definitely hit different.
Nick: I remember as a kid every time we went to my aunt’s house, my brother and I would always watch Halloween 2 since it was one of the few interesting movies they had on VHS. I was probably around 7 or 8 years old. Other than that, I remember watching Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Fly, Child’s Play and not sure if they count as horrors but Alien, Aliens, Tremors, Gremlins and Lost Boys.

2. What effect do you think it had on you, either positive or negative?

Craig: Ernest had a positive impact on me because it was more or less a gateway to other horror films.
Devon: Hard to say, probably positive.
Mario: It made me really appreciate the environment when you watch a movie. Being outside on the hood of a car watching a scary movie in the dark in a rural town definitely made the movie even scarier. I definitely carried that experience through my life, because I always like to make sure the vibes in the room match the movie we are about to watch.
Nick: I definitely think it had a positive impact on my life because it’s good to get out of your comfort zone every now and then. Lost Boys began my love for vampires as a kid before they became cool.

3. Do you have a particular moment in horror, be it a specific film or even a scene, that defined your childhood?

Craig: I was a nervous kid.
Devon: Jaws really kicked off my love of sharks (and crippling fear of open water).
Mario: The Descent made me never want to go spelunking, not that I really wanted to in the first place but now I definitely never will. Dark, unexplored cave? Nope. Not happening.
Nick: I don’t think there is a person alive who, when they were young, could sit through the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s obviously not a horror movie, but man the face melt scene always had me shutting off the TV as quickly as I could.

4. What used to scare you?

Craig: Mirrors. They still do.
Devon: Everything lol. Skeletons, ghosts, monsters, the dark, you name it.
Mario: I was never afraid of the dark but I was a bit spooked by shadows. When I was younger living with my parents, my room was separated from the rest of the bedrooms, so a freaky breeze would make a shadow in the window and give me a good jump.
Nick: I think things like Jason, where no matter what you do, they keep coming after you. They don’t stop, they don’t quit and sometimes, they don’t even die. Also, supernatural things or things that can’t be explained.

5. How did your early experiences blossom into a love of all things horror?

Craig: Getting over my own fear had an adverse effect. I enjoyed seeing the different ways people use make-up and special effects.
Devon: There was a cocktail of fear and intrigue that I developed a taste for as a kid. However, as I was scared of everything, it’s kind of matured into a general fascination with new things that might otherwise be scary or intimidating.
Mario: Those early horror films actually pushed me into really enjoying the hype of zombie media that came out as I got older. The Walking Dead was a weekly ritual for me and my friends in college, all huddled in a dorm room and running to get beers during commercial breaks.
Nick: I think it helped desensitize gore and stuff like that. It doesn’t really bother me much in horror and sometimes it can be downright hilarious if it’s one of those “good” bad horror movies.

6. Do you have a particular era or style of horror that you deem the best? If so, which one, why, and what are some examples of the best of that era/style?

Craig: 80s to 90s comedic horror.
Devon: I don’t think I’m qualified to assign superlatives, but I think modern horror is great at blending CG elements with practical fx to viscerally disturbing imagery in a way that is more effective than older films. When Evil Lurks, Possum and Terrified jump to mind.
Mario: I really like the old gothic vibes from the early-to-mid 1900s films (think Dracula or Frankenstein) but I think the modern horror movement is actually crushing it.
Nick: I think horror movies from the 80s and 90s can’t be beat. There’s just a certain grittiness to them that you just don’t really see much anymore.

7. How about genres – are you a slasher fan, paranormal lover, gorefest enjoyer, etc, or is a little bit of everything ok with you?

Craig: Zombies!!!!
Devon: I can enjoy all of it honestly, but my favorite is supernatural/paranormal horror because it’s the only kind that scares me proper.
Mario: I’m not really a fan of the over-the-top slasher films. It’s not the gore that deters me, I just want it to feel a bit more real. I’m more interested in movies like Get Out and Us by Jordan Peele, as they create a familiar setting with abnormal events surrounding it. They feel scarier because they feel more real, even if they are just as much fiction as the slasher films.
Nick: A little bit of everything is cool for me.

8. What’s the best horror film to watch alone and why?

Craig: The nudie ones. Hehe. Seriously, it would be Fire in the Sky or The Fourth Kind.
Devon: Something home invasion-ey like The Strangers, something that’ll really get yourself jumpy at every noise in the house.
Mario: If I’m watching a horror film alone, there’s no way it’s going to be legitimately scary. Maybe some jump scares, but nothing that’s going to keep me up at night. So probably a Jason movie or maybe Evil Dead.
Nick: This is a tough one because for me films in general are best in a shared experience. Think about a time something interesting happened in your life, the first thing you want to do is to talk to someone about it.

9. Likewise, what’s the best horror film to watch with a group (beers and popcorn included) and why?

Craig: Army of Darkness.
Devon: Any of them! I’ve been scared more by my friends jumping out of their seats more times than a lot of the movies we watch. If it’s a popcorn flick, it’s more entertaining with friends, and if it’s something cerebral we’ll be talking about it until sunup.
Mario: Is Cabin in the Woods (2011) considered a horror? Because I actually love watching that with friends. It makes fun of all the tropes you and your buddies would normally be screaming at the TV when watching one of the more campy/80s style films. Can easily turn that into a drinking game too.
Nick: Any kind of B rated or “good” bad horror movie is always a great time. Laughing at the bad acting, effects or over the top deaths are always great.

10. What is an overrated film or franchise? Please explain.

Craig: Saw. Too many ways to accomplish the same goals.
Devon: Terrifier. It’s not bad, but I feel like it gets a lot of hype, and I wasn’t blown away. I’m less into slashers as a rule so maybe I’m biased, but it def didn’t live up to the hype for me.
Mario: The Saw franchise is definitely overrated. I felt like the first movie was nearly perfect. The sequel was fun, but it went quickly downhill as the additional sequels churned out. I know it’s a popular opinion that the first was the best, but I just think we overdid it with Jigsaw and the subsequent films oversaturated it and made me not appreciate the first as much as I used to.
Nick: Paranormal Activity. I only watched the first one and was so bored to death that I never attempted any of the others.

11. What is a modern horror film (the last ten years) that you just loved and why?

Craig: The Purge Series.
Devon: Incantation. It’s a great found-footage movie out of Taiwan that’s paced really well, has a ton of tension, and even some fourth wall breaking stuff I thought was really neat. That and anything by Ari Aster.
Mario: I mentioned it before but Us (2019) was amazing. It’s so hard to create original works nowadays because every story has been told a hundred times but this felt like it made its own path. The suspense in every moment really kept me on the edge of my seat. I think we all can relate to having a memory at a location that you don’t want to relive, so it touches a nerve for us all.
Nick: Midsommar is a fantastic horror movie! The fact that 95% of the movie takes place in broad daylight but can still scare the crap out of you is just incredible. Also, finding out that every ritual that happens in the movie was at one point a normal thing that happened in some cultures definitely adds to the horror.

12. What scares you now?

Craig: Pop-fucking Culture and our current political climate. Both are literal nightmares.
Devon: The usual mid 30’s fare, talking on the phone, obsolescence, my aging corporal form, the disintegration of democracy, ya know, fun stuff.
Mario: My wife and I are watching Yellowjackets currently and I think I’m scared of not knowing I’m going crazy. Like being possessed and slowly spiralling out of control. Spiritual stuff more or less.
Nick: Not being able to live a full life and get to see my kids grow.

MEMBERS
Craig Chalfin – Bass, Vocals
Mario Frascone – Guitar, Manager
Devon Beuschel – Drums
Nick Correa – Guitar

Links

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