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| The SPITFIRES loosen things up! |
It's just Rock n Roll, that's all...
So somewhere on the very outskirts of Vancouver, around 1995 some pals got together to make some noise. Out of that clamour, shot out some fast, furious and unabashed rock n roll. Think, Humpers and Pagans. In the midst of post grunge copycats and eccentric indie super tours, their fuelled up and stripped back punk and roll was as refreshing as a can of cold beer. So with packed venues, spilled drinks and broken glass, the good times spread across Canada, US and the UK. After a bunch of touring, they continued to jet away on four-fourteen day blowouts. These days the frequency may have toned down to special occasions, but the intensity hasn’t been diluted. “Now our mission is to get together and hang out like old pals do!!” explains, front man Jay and that they do very well. So with a quick nine-ten question spread, we interrupt the lead singer’s Christmas dinner to find out the status of this fine tooled lot of scoundrels.
T: With this mash up of a gizzilion crazy genres in this millennial teen
[14/15] world, what do you call or how do you describe your music yourselves? I mean for the record, I see you guys as pretty much straight up RNR? Care to dress it up at all?
JAY: Just a rock band I guess? Kinda hard to dress up a pig! We’ve never tried to be anything else that I’m aware of.
T: So it seems you guys never really went away, good and good to see you back off the farm, what brings you guys back over the tollgate for the holiday season? Who twisted whom anyway?
JAY: CC lives in Berlin so whenever he comes out to visit family we book a gig or at least a jam that usually ends up more drinking and goofing on each other, our pal Seamoose @ NYB was kind enough to put the gig together for us at the WISE Hall on the 27th with PIGGY and NIM VIND. The Spitfires (past and present) have always been more about us as friends than anything, my face usually hurts from smiling and laughing whenever we get together so why not get together and play, who cares.
T: You’ve had a few line ups over the years, based on who’s in town, or who is available. Which incarnation of the SPITFIRES are we gonna see onboard this season?
JAY: Shockk, G Donk, Marty P, Jay, CC and whomever else wants to clown it up.
T: Any good rehearsal stories as of late? Or did you even rehearse?
JAY: Ya we got two in, sounded great, we did our homework, our intentions are always to be as tight as we can be but ya never know come show time, a few drinks and laughs and it could easily fall apart but usually fun. We’ve never been a band that has ever taken itself serious, our group motto has always been “who cares…”
T: Releases? Have you guys in plowed the fields for any good new material? In the studio perchance?
JAY: Nope, CC has a new group in Berlin called the Dysnea Boys with Chris Frey from Vancouver and the signer of Social Unrest. Shokk’s slinging guitar for local rockers the Slip-Ons, Marty's busy on the road as a tour manager/merch machine, Graham's on the road a lot as a touring sound guy and I'm busy drumming in LaChinga
T: Will you be re-releasing any of the old classics? There was some sweet material?
JAY: aaaannnnnnd, nope, not yet anyway, a comp of all of ‘em would be ideal.
T: For a newish audience do you have any records that are favourites?
JAY: Our last, Aim Low as a whole I personally like, doesn’t necessarily have our best songs on it, but I can listen to it. I can’t really listen to the others, so I would never suggest them. But most people would say In Too Deep was the best, if any at all. We did do a live record in 2000 that was released in Australia, that I think sums it up.
T: Where the heck can they find these?
JAY: No clue, most of the labels in the mid late 90’s are done, Aim Low should be available on vinyl from Yeah Right records, the other records were released on, Sonic Swirl, Longshot, Junk records, TSB and some 45’s on Estrus??? We will have vinyl copies of Aim Low for sale on the 27th at the WISE HALL.
T: Oh, any favourite beers you guys like, incase folks need buy you some at the gig?
JAY: Ya for sure… open beer is always the best kinda beer!
T: Have they lifted the firehose ban?
JAY: Only if there’s a fire, no one said anything about a pillow fight?
So, there you have it folks. Get your tickets or get there early. The last surprise show overflowed. On the 27th they will pack the house with Nim Vind and Piggy in tow.
The Spitfires play WISE Hall December 27th, 2014
- tiina.l
