Kings of punk ride again
"Mötley Crüe wrote books about abusing women and shit, we could just write a book about abusing each other," says Jerry A. of Poison Idea, their long-standing front man. He sheds some light on the infamous Portland, Oregon hardcore punk band, their sordid history and lineup changes. Still active and significant since the band’s 1983 inception, the singer has a lot to say.
Resilient and more serious than perhaps ever before, they’re driving down the rock ‘n’ roll highway like two tons of steel at a hundred miles an hour. “When you’re young and indestructible you always expect it to end, it’s romantic. But it doesn’t happen, you just turn into a heap of busted up shit,” says the front man.
Two 7” recordings came out this year, with one on Voodoo Doughnuts Recordings and a split with Pantera for Record Store Day. A self-released LP is in the works for November, featuring Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust on the board. It’s the first since 2006’s Latest Will And Testament and, incidentally, the final with legendary guitarist Pig Champion, before he passed away.
This current tour introduces a new guitar player, Brandon, 27, from the Portland hardcore punk band Reactor. An undertaking, filling the 400-pound spot of Pig Champion, one of the most impactful American hardcore guitar players. “We tried out a buncha people and he had the closest thing to Pig’s right hand, the heavy strumming chunky hand. We had some people who were technically flashier, but it’s not about flash. It’s about being solid and having the right attitude and he’s got it,” he says. Demonstrating that Poison Idea is still in touch with their local DIY punk scene.
The line up is made up of Portland punk veteran Chris Kerry on bass and the return of Eric “Vegetable” Olson, who played on the band’s second 1987 album, War All The Time. “As soon as he got back in the band, the songs started flowing, like he never left,” adds Jerry A.
How has Poison Idea has remained a steady soundtrack to the chaos for 30 years? “Our music has always been kinda dark and shit like that, but it’s always had a funny kinda comedy edge to it. You think of a funny punk band, you think of NOFX and that’s fucking like clown rock. Our songs have always been [about] true real life stuff, like ‘Mario the Cop.’ People aren’t stupid. People know that shit’s burning, so it’s good to put a crazy spin on it,” he says.
The band has cooled off on the past drug abuse and alcoholism, which contributes to their recent surge of productivity. “We did that long enough where we just got bored with it, and said that’s enough, it is time to start writing songs again and rocking,” explains the front man. “That’s what I was doing when I was 13. I wasn’t getting loaded outta my head, I was trying to play those Ramones songs, and I got a huge boner doing it! So that’s what I’m trying to do now, play those Black Flag songs that I love so much.”
With many bands past their prime, trying to rehash songs they wrote 30 years ago, it isn’t easy to stay relevant and sincere. Despite the few black marks in Poison Idea’s history, Jerry’s passion for punk hasn’t changed. “Some of my favorite bands to this day are Lama, Terveet Kädet, Finnish bands, The Stalin, Japanese hardcore shit, and Swedish like Rossvet, there is just so much shit out there and I’m talking about hardcore punk and it still makes my fucking toes stand up.”
“Fucking Howlin’ Wolf is probably the baddest motherfucker in the world. [He’s] just from the goddamn soul, from the heart,” Jerry says, enthusiastically, “I think most honest punk rockers have that in their heart. I couldn’t see any of the guys from The Casualties doing that.” Nonetheless, regarding their own new songs, “you might dig it, you might hate it. But it’s honest.”
Many bands wear Poison Idea’s influence on their sleeve, like Portland’s Long Knife. “I don’t think they can help it, ‘cause we all live in the same city, and we’re all influenced by the same shit, I mean its the home of the Wipers and we got the same stuff going on, they like European punk rock, I like European punk rock, and I know the guys and they’re not bullshit artists, they play it straight forward and so do we. It’s a compliment when bands cover your stuff,” he says.
This is their first Vancouver date since 2001. “I can’t wait to kill Nardwuar,” says Jerry A. For this night there are no advance tickets and it’s first come, first serve, and this will likely sell the fuck out.
Poison Idea play Funky’s on October 3rd.
- FOAT
