THE OBLIVIANS

turn tables

by More Betty

Photo by Jamie Harmon

There is a bit of a garage punk renaissance every time folks rediscover the Oblivians' records. Turn the clocks forward to summer 2013, the release, Desperation hits the decks. And despair not, as trash rockers Greg Cartwright, Jack Yarber and Eric Friedl still defy any singular explanation with their revolving performances and their first studio album since 1997.

“You are really getting three different perspectives,” explains Cartwright. “Three different singers and three different songwriters. I would play drums on a set, Jack would play drums on a set, Eric would play drums [and we] all take turns on the lead vocal.”

The trio found themselves back in the driver’s seat, after taking their road show out for a spin.

“At first it was fun enough to play those old songs and relearn them and find those grooves again,” says Cartwright. This Memphis band rediscovered their chemistry after a tour in 2009, with their Detroit musical soul mates, the Gories. “Then we realized we wanted to keep playing, but we didn’t wanna keep playing those old songs.” With a tank full of creative fuel, they deliver 14 new vibrant tracks. “I am not afraid to bring new musical ideas I have into the thing. Cause I know, once they are computed into the Oblivians' machine it will come out like an Oblivians song. That’s a really cool thing to have. You can hear some of the Reigning Sound in my songs, some Tearjerkers in Jack’s songs,” adds Cartwright. “We’ve each had our own style of songwriting and, if anything, it’s just grown over the last few years. I didn’t know how much I missed it till we started playing live.”

Mr. Quintron’s “Call the Police” jumped out from a collection of New Orleans hip hop zydeco music. “It’s one of those songs that just burrows into your head and you can’t get it out,” he says. With a twist of fate, Quintron had a live date while the Oblivians were recording in Nashville, so they called him up. “He said yeah, I’ll come over and play on your track if you come over and play with me, the night of my show.

“A happy circumstance,” says Cartwright. “We were at the same place at the same time and we recorded the same song twice. One for his live album and one for our studio album within 24 hours.”

Desperation was recorded with a Scully one-inch eight-track from a '60s Electrodyne console.

“I love the directness of recording on to old gear. The great thing about analog is [that it’s] all tubes,” he says. With a guitar, guitar, drums, and vocals set up, the three just went in and cut it. Working analog to tape as a direct print of the process. “It might not be perfection but the Oblivians are not perfect and it works to our advantage,” he laughs. “You don’t have to second guess yourself. You don’t have any opportunity to change it anyway. There is not going to be any endless tweaking. I wanna mix with my ears, not my eyes,” he explains. “Back in the day, people had to know exactly how a song was going to be played and finished. Now, when people go in to record, it’s a drum track and then endlessly layered guitars and keyboard. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. It’s a whole other art form that I’m just not any good at.”

Hailing from the musically resilient Memphis, TN, their recordings were noticed much later after the original releases. “It makes me happy. It lets me know that those records have longevity beyond when they were made,” he says. For a whole generation just hearing these for the first time, it’s an incredible break. “An awesome opportunity for them,” says Cartwright. “But an awesome opportunity for us to play for them! We get to run around and pretend we are a rock band even in our 40s!”

Seize this rare opportunity as The Oblivians play the Rickshaw Theatre on July 11.

SNFU

trouble to prove

by Jason Kolins
Photos by Cat Ashbee

Speaking from a toilet stall in Vancouver’s Pub 340, Mr. Chi Pig, the charismatic lead singer of legendary Canadian punk band SNFU, is full of emotion as he discusses his band’s much anticipated new record, Never Trouble Trouble Until Trouble Troubles You. “That title comes from a fortune cookie that I got from the Double Breeding Wonton house,” recalls Chi about his favourite Edmonton “haunt” after band practice. This studio album will be their eighth and first since 2004, a record that many doubted would even happen due to the front man’s very public history of mental health and substance abuse issues.

“A lot of people thought I was down and out and that I couldn’t do it, but I knew better. I knew it instinctively and distinctively,” he explains. “I knew it all along man. I certainly did.”

The bed tracks were done in Vancouver and the vocals were recorded in Chi’s native Edmonton with friend and producer Steve Loree. “I got away from the dangerous distractions of life here on the downtown lower east side. I decided to come to Edmonton. My family and friends are there,” he says. “It made perfect sense.” There, the 51-year-old focused, drew pictures, wrote lyrics and played some live acoustic shows.

“I felt very lively, creative and vibrant and it worked out perfectly,” he says. Chi’s vocals took four 12-hour days to complete and though he felt no pressure. It took hard work and determination. “I‘ve done this for 34 years of my life and it still was a task, but it was a task worth taking,” explains Chi. “When I heard the final product, I was so fucking proud!” Since the SNFU lineup transformed, there have been naysayers who claim that without either Belke brother in the group, it’s not the real deal and just a Chi Pig solo band. However, the vocalist feels differently. “No, it is SNFU. It’s not an egotistical thing, man. There has only been one member that never quit, that never failed and that never gave up. And who is that person? That’s me. I am SNFU. I designed those concepts, came up with the logos, wrote those words, sang those songs and I did it and am still doing it,” explains Chi.

To Chi’s credit, fellow punk veterans Jon Card on drums and Ken “Goonie” Fleming on guitar join him in the current incarnation of the band. Card’s resume also includes DOA and The Subhumans. Goonie was in Winnipeg’s The Unwanted, amongst other notable groups. Not only have both done time in the band in years past, but both have contributed to songwriting as well. Card has played on a full-length and several releases. Second guitarist Sean Colig, though decades younger, is not a new kid to the scene, having played in Minority, Side 67 and Savannah before joining SNFU in the summer of 2012. He adds a bit more perspective to joining the band. “It sucks to listen to people saying, ‘well if Marc’s not in it, then I’m not interested,’” explains Colig. “I’ll give it a chance. When Goonie took over to get Card back in the band, I believe he got Marc and Brent [Belke’s] blessing. I know how they felt. Nobody wants something that they’ve worked hard for all their life to be dragged through the mud and I knew that it wasn’t going to be.” And it wasn’t. With the absolute solid roster of musicians behind him, the unit has recorded an album well worthy of the SNFU name. This time, their characteristic sound, catchy choruses and Chi’s trademark vocals are all present, as are the intensely personal lyrics by Chi. The bulk of these and with songs like “Voodoo Doll Collector” are dealing with his trials, tribulations and his demons over the last few years.

“I included myself into that song. I made a voodoo doll of myself and by the end of the song, I’d tortured myself. [It’s] about self-discovery and that pain… those times when you’re on fucking pins and needles, which I did to myself,” he reveals. “Morley” and others are about friends that helped him and saved his life. “Ashes,” according to Chi, is a very cryptic song. “It’s almost like ‘Fate’ Part Two.” Written about an experience, while looking at a crematorium through a window at class, back in the school days. “The students are looking at their future. And what do they see? They’re gonna see ashes,” he says and “you know you’re gonna die. And you’re gonna wind up right there … you’re gonna be in that chimney and your smoke signal is gonna go up.” Of course there are also some ‘not so serious’ numbers like ‘’Speed Weenie.”

“It’ s about doing hard drugs like crystal meth or speed and you can’t find your dick!” describes Chi.

Don’t miss out, the new album drops this September in Canada on Cruzar Media!

Catch SNFU live at Thrashers a.k.a. Funkys Friday, July 12.

THREE WOLF MOON

set the controls for the heart of the fun

by Heath Fenton

So let’s get this straight. The bulk of new bands that form have members that have come from other bands that have broken up or had someone leave. There are rare exceptions when a band may start from scratch. For instance, when a few friends in high school decide to form a band, but other than that, most bands are comprised by seasoned, experienced musicians. So with that theory, the majority of bands could be affiliated with the term “super group.” However, in the music world those two words do have a dirty feel. And I am guessing it’s because they are used more for media hype for bigger acts. So let’s just call Three Wolf Moon a conglomeration of members from some awesome bands comprised from local heroes such as We Are Machines, Black Wizard, Hugenelk and The Best Revenge. If you are familiar with any of those bands, you might think Three Wolf Moon straddles that line between barnstorming and Oh Henry heavy. It would be a safe assumption, but nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality they are the complete opposite

Three Wolf Moon would be the perfect sound track to a backyard BBQ featuring some laid-back bocce ball and badminton tournaments. They come across with some sandal-wearing psychedelic jammy looseness that doesn't come across like any of their other hard rocking projects. Members of Three Wolf Moon are like most musicians of any genre; their musical palette spans many genres and playing this type of music came with ease for the boys. "I think with this band, because we all play in edgier bands, this is almost like an escape from that. It's really refreshing not to have to play like that all the time." guitarist/singer Adam Grant explains. "It's a '70s style with a modern twist to it."

Coming together at Bullys rehearsal studio in New West about a year and a half ago, Three Wolf Moon also consists of Adam's brother Max Grant on drums, John Sayer also on drums (yes! a two-drummer band!), Evan Joel on bass, and Tyler Maynard on keys. They are just starting to gather speed one show at a time and turning many nodding heads during the process. If people aren't familiar with Bullys, it is a famed New West rehearsal studio that is sort of musical bawdyhouse for local band sluts in the burbs of Vancouver. It provides a natural "buddies basement" type feel with many friends from like-minded bands coming through each day. And it was from this cool brotherhood atmosphere that Three Wolf Moon was born. "We all jam here and it's like family, we all know each other and play with each other's bands," says Joel. It was also the place they recorded their upcoming self-titled debut album that will be out in late August or early September. Will the members then find some time to tour in support? According to Adam they are looking at late summer dates. "We’re working out an August tour and just do an Edmonton, Calgary type thing. This started as a side project but I don't consider it a side project anymore. It would be nice to get it on the road as much as possible.

Three Wolf Moon is simple easy listening with some wacked-out keyboards much like the bands Lucero, Dessert Sessions or Clearlight with excellent grooves and a friendly '70s beached-out hippie approach. So pack your hacky sack in your fanny pack, grab a cooler of beers and come chill sometime with Three Wolf Moon.

Check in for upcoming tour dates and catch a taste of upcoming releases at their Bandcamp

STILL ABOVE SNAKES

Not dead yet

by More Betty

Still Above Snakes unites three generations of hardcore punk. By June of this year, they had their first live show, a completed recording under their belts and five of those songs head straight to an EP release, which is out in the streets and online by July.

There is more to their sound than just a rehash of the old. “The music is a culmination of anger, heaviness, speed, energy and groove,” explains vocalist Jason Kolins. He describes their influences as classic hardcore, such as Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, Agnostic Front and Sick Of It All. But there are many elements including metal and punk. “Thrash metal in the riffing, some leads, separate guitar parts and a bass player that actually plays bass and isn’t just an extra rhythm guitarist,” he says.

Kolins formed this band in March 2012 and his former projects include Burden, Pressure and Abstain. Deon Malloy plays guitar. Stefan Nevatie is also on guitar and hails from Ninth Hour, Self Regime, Cum Soc, and Myopia. Bass player Dan Walters has played in Fratricide, Death Sentence and Head First. The missing piece was a drummer so, by April 2013, Ottawa native Derek Hill joined the group.

Still Above Snakes is a curious name initiated by a phrase found in an urban dictionary. “Above snakes,” explains Kolins: “means ‘still alive’ or ‘not dead yet.’ As all of us have had a lot of years pass since our last bands. It’s been nine years for myself since Burden’s last show and it’s been sixteen years for Dan.” There is a good spread of generations with this group. “Aside from our drummer, who is in his late twenties, we’re all in our thirties, except Dan who is in his forties,“ he says.

The bass player held a noteworthy role documenting Vancouver punk, with a printed fanzine called Terminally Stupid. In 1984, he started talking to local bands by phone. He obtained copies of MRR and Flipside by trade, which led to mail interviews. After Walters’ first punk show with the Exploited, Dayglos, Death Sentence and the Fitz, he would interview touring bands.

“What a great way to learn about this fairly new thing called hardcore,” explains Walters: “All the bands were easily accessible with no rock star bullshit. I’ll quickly say that thanks to Facebook and Kim Kinakin’s file service, a visual account of most of the more memorable punk/hardcore gigs of 1985 in Vancouver [which] will soon be shared with the world. It was a great year for the scene.” The same Kinakin of Vancouver’s post hardcore band Sparkmarker.

“We call this O.G.H.C., Old Guy Hardcore,” jokes Kolins, “but age is just a number!” Walters, the eldest member certainly has a close history with Vancouver HC.

“The only thing that never let me down was playing music and that was missing from my life for too long. I met Jason through his Vancouver old school punk, hardcore and metal group. When I heard he was jamming with some other scene vets, he invited me out. The closest thing to sanity was restored!” exclaims Walters.

Lookout for upcoming Vancouver, Okanagan, Vancouver Island and Alberta dates.

Still Above Snakes joins Vancouver’s SFNU and The Living Deadbeats at Funkys, July 12th

SKELETONWITCH

Skeletonwitch - Biltmore Cabaret - June 10, 2013

It was a Monday night that Skeletonwitch’s headlining tour touched ground at the Biltmore. It was well put by singer Chance Garnette when he yelled into the crowd that it “feels like a fucking Friday!!” And I’d say that judging by the mosh pit’s reaction that the crowd was putting their best Friday foot forward.

PIGGY

punks and rockers celebrate a shake down

by More Betty

With a relentless train of punk rock dates, the only way to catch Ron Reyes was to move fast. Tracking him down to the Black Flag tour van, headed for the next venue. There he brings us up to speed on the terrain of his Vancouver project, Piggy, a rock ‘n’ roll band with a debut album.

“I wanted to do something I never did before and that was lead a band from the position of guitarist,” says Reyes. “So I dusted off an old guitar and started writing [what] would end up as Piggy songs.”

The first sparks flew when he caught Lisa Furr Lloyd playing bass for the East Vamps and she was an immediate recruit. By summer 2010, a landmark birthday fete for Reyes became a catalyst. Not only was there a surprise appearance with Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn, reuniting old friends, but this event organized by Doug Smith also lit another rock ‘n’ roll flame, igniting Piggy.

Smith did a brief stint as the band’s keyboard player and took on an administration role when they first got off the ground.

“Smith also suggested Craig McKimm on drums and so we had the band, now all we needed was a singer,” says Reyes. After a session of musical chairs with vocalists, enter Izzy Gibson. With a bold leap of faith, the former drummer auditioned for vocal duties.

“That is when the band really came together and that was just over a year ago,” he explains. Smith steps off as keyboardist, now as a four-piece collaboration, they continue to progress and boldly take on challenges.

“For me it was huge. I have been a bandleader in different ways mostly as a front man or a drummer but never as a guitarist,” he adds.

As for the vocals, there were many exceptional singers vying for the energetic spot, but the challenge remained, coming up with the right chemistry.

“A lot of people ask me how I got this gig and I wish it was more interesting, like; I had to battle sexy female robot ninjas until I was the last one standing [and] then I got to be the front woman for Piggy, but in truth, I just auditioned,” humours Gibson. “I was primarily a drummer and guitarist before, but have dabbled in vocals with small bands in the past. The challenge and joy of doing this is playing with different musicians. No one will play the same song the same way,” she says.

When Piggy hit the studio the vocalists had just switched. “My good and long-time buddy Kyle Nixon hooked us up with Jack Endino to do a quick recording in Seattle,” says Reyes. With Gibson just enlisted on vocals, straightaway they carried on with dates. “In true punk rock fashion and followed through with the two Seattle shows and the recording commitments even though we were not really ready.” So, a decision was made to lay down the vocal tracks in Vancouver under the careful ears of Cecil English. “And then he also recorded one of our Vancouver shows live. So we took 'Jealous Again' from that live session to include on our vinyl,” adds Reyes.

The interaction of Piggy members and especially in the songwriting process is a collaborative one.

“Ron comes up with the riffs and we all ‘kinda’ add stuff along the way,” says Lloyd.

“Then we all sort of mash our thoughts, different riffs, beats and lyrics together around it. Sometimes I’ll write lyrics and we’ll jam something out,” echoes Gibson.

“Most of the songs come from demos I have pre-recorded. “Some have lyrics but I don’t like writing lyrics for singers if I don’t have to. That is their job right!? So many of the lyrics come from Izzy,” explains Reyes.

“I was mostly involved in changing the groove and feel from the drum-machine recordings Ron made, altering arrangements, beginnings and endings, that sort of stuff,” says McKimm.

“Everyone contributes their parts and I will seldom if ever force a part or a beat or a line on anyone,” says Ron and “Craig adds a lot of texture and dynamics with his drumming and often suggests some cool arrangements I really love his contributions,” adds Reyes.

The new release Undignified will be out on pink vinyl. “To me that speaks of doing things in a true and pure, ‘not give a fuck’ attitude,’” he states with emphasis. “It is being pressed as we speak and should be available by the time Piggy joins the Black Flag tour in California.”

“Night after night, Black Flag has been crazy and exhausting. The crowds are awesome and playing again with Greg is like a dream come true,” says Reyes.

Both musical projects can actually be more of a compliment in their direct differences. The process of working with Piggy is a relaxed route compared to the focus of Black Flag.

“Practicing with Piggy goes something like this: Hey are we practicing tonight? Show up late, once or twice a week. Talk, talk, talk, take a smoke break, and drink a few beers. Play two or three songs, take a break … then do it again and again for a couple hours and we somehow manage to get things done so it’s cool, he explains. “In Black Flag we set up and practice several hours a day, every day nonstop once we start. It is a totally different dynamic. I love both styles.”

Many of the Black Flag shows we have played in Europe and the States have been all-ages and it just feels right. It was a tall order to pull it off in Vancouver, but eventually the folks at Arrival put it all together for us,” he says.For the bill local punks, lié are handpicked by Reyes and Arrival Agency recruit Vacant State.

“Piggy will offer up an interesting contrast to Good For You and Black Flag,” says Reyes. Not only is this a record release for Undignified, but it is also Ron Reyes’ birthday party.

“The last time we had a birthday party in Vancouver for me, shit started to happen so I am really looking forward to this!” he exclaims.

Time it right and hop that fast train to the Chinese Cultural Centre Saturday, July 20.

STRUGGLERS, A.W.T., KAREN FOSTER

The Strugglers, A.W.T., Karen Foster - WISE HALL - June 21 2013

The Wise Hall was to be the venue for the long awaited video release of local punk rockers The Strugglers, who are sort of a spinoff of the now defunct Little Guitar Army.  The Strugglers may just be the ugliest band in rock and roll.  “G Tone” the burly bass player looks like he might live in a van down by the river. They have two guitarists, one with the first name “Dirty” and the other is a tall spectacled lankyfreaky looking guy with very horny hands called “Prickish.” The drummer “Jamieson,” just happens to be named after a whiskey.  And “Bertman” the singer isn’t afraid to take it off and roll around with the best of them.  Sort of a PG Allin, if you will.  It’s a good thing that rock and roll isn’t a beauty contest.  And on this night, The Strugglers failed to live up to their name by pulling off a flawless energetic set full of primitive rock fury.  Their set was performed just the way garage punk should be performed.  They let it all hang out and laid it down in a sweaty distorted heap of rowdiness.

SUBCULTURE JULY

I loathe thieves! So touring season is upon us and out come all the 'Bad Luck Brian' stories that plague touring underground bands... Now an unfortunate reason for this is that venues for our subculture usually exist in the less desirable areas of town.... I'm starting to think I need to make a list of common-sense dos and don'ts for band members thinking of visiting beautiful Vancouver with each gig booking acceptance reply...

THE JELLO BIAFRA BIRTHDAY BASH

Ani Kyd and friends celebrate a milestone with the legend himself

By Allan MacInnis

Jello Biafra has somewhat of a reputation for being a “hard guy to work with.” At least that’s the phrase used by Mojo Nixon, who recorded two albums with Jello and then wrote an unreleased song called “Nailing Jello to a Tree,” which can be seen on YouTube. It’s either a revenge fantasy or a metaphor for the futility of life; the normally direct Nixon, author of songs like “Don Henley Must Die,” allows the listeners the option of picking their interpretation. Since Vancouver musician Ani Kyd is a bit of a Biafra insider — she’s acted, sung, toured and recorded with him, directed him in a short film, and counts the occasionally abrasive punk legend as one of her best friends — would she agree with that statement?

“He’s high maintenance. I’ll say that no problem. I’ll say that right to his face!” she giggles. “The thing about Jello is, he’s really, really particular and he’s really passionate about what he does. I think that’s the reason he’s so successful. He has a really definite idea of what he wants, and about what he likes and what he doesn’t like. And I think a lot of big personalities have a lot of stuff to deal with.”

Kyd first met Biafra on the set of the 1999 feature film The Widower, a surreal, locally-shot horror/comedy about a man who refuses to come to terms with the death of his wife.

“I was called in by Marcus Rogers, the director, to borrow this nurse’s outfit that I was wearing on Halloween. I said no problem. And so on Saturday he calls me at 10 a.m. to pick it up and says, ‘Can I borrow you, also?’ ‘Okay, what do I have to do?’ ‘You have to dress really hot and be this mortician’s assistant.’ He also said the mortician was going to grope me and be my boyfriend. I said, ‘Okay, who’s the mortician?’ I thought it was going to be somebody I knew,” since the film features a long cast of noted Vancouverites, including Joe Keithley, Rot N. Hell, Watermelon and Nardwuar the Human Serviette. When Rogers told her that her co-star was Jello Biafra she was a bit freaked out.

“I had never met Jello and I was a huge Dead Kennedys fan. But once I met him, all that stuff was gone and we just became really good friends. By the end of the shoot people were asking me ‘could you ask Jello if he wants some juice?’ or ‘Could you ask Jello…’ ‘Why don’t you ask him yourself? He’s right beside you!”

When Biafra discovered Kyd was a musician, he asked to hear some demos. “I was a little embarrassed. You know, it’s Jello. I was a huge Dead Kennedys fan when I was 18, and the last thing you want to do is…” she adopts a needy, whiny voice, “Oh, yeah, this is my stuff!” But he took it home with him. And never listened to it.” (Jello, for his part, explains that he thought such a “sweet girl” would obviously be singing girl-group bubblegum pop. He had no idea of Ani Kyd’s powerhouse vocal style or the intensity of her songs and was in no rush to hear it).

Some time later, Ani was touring down to San Francisco, where Biafra and his Alternative Tentacles label are based, “and he’d said, ‘Anytime you come to San Francisco, let’s hang out.’ And he thought, ‘well, I better listen to that girl’s CD.’ So he listened to it, and called me back right away and started reciting the names of my songs and going, ‘Oh, the third chorus in “Rejoyce!” and all this kind of stuff. I literally looked around to see if there were cameras on me to see my expression. Not only does Jello Biafra know the names of my songs, he loved them. He was like, "How come I never heard of you?”

The songs off those demos ended up the stuff of Ani Kyd’s solo album, Evil Needs Candy Too, the first and to-date the only project that Biafra produced that was not of his own music, released on Alternative Tentacles in 2005.  “He actually was really easy to work with as a co-producer on my CD,” Kyd remembers. “He had some great ideas, but he never pushed anything down my throat. When we were in the studio, he wrote this part - like, ‘bnyeeeeeeew,’ this crazy little guitar riff  - that was overtop of one of my songs - in his head, and he hummed it to (guitarist) Ian (White) repeatedly, and Ian got it, and it was just brilliant. It was very much a weirdly Dead Kennedys/Jello Biafra type of riff - I think he deserves so much credit for what he does,” Kyd says.

She’s speaking here to the controversy - one of the issues when Biafra’s former bandmates sued him for control of the Dead Kennedys back catalogue - about whether Biafra deserves credit for writing the music, when he cannot actually play an instrument. “His true musicianship is pretty incredible, actually,” Kyd opines - something anyone who hears his new album with the Guantanamo School of Medicine, White People and the Damage Done, should have no trouble believing, particularly since all tunes are written by Biafra. “He just hasn’t learned how to play the guitar - it’s not that he doesn’t have the ability in his mind to write these amazing riffs for songs. He has these CDs and tapes and everything of riffs that he’s written in his head, that he hums, and he hums them perfectly, and they’re like, ‘riff #13,’ or whatever; and he has a very, very distinct style of writing. Why people have said that he’s high maintenance or that he’s difficult is because he really knows what he wants.”

Ani Kyd will be turning out to celebrate Jello Biafra’s 55th birthday, June 17 at The Rickshaw, along with Nardwuar the Human Serviette, who is Kyd’s go-to guy to take Biafra record shopping when he comes to town. The event will feature a Jello Biafra spoken word performance, to be followed by sets by Nardwuar’s band Thee Goblins and a new lineup of Fuel Injected .45. Jello will join both bands onstage to sing encores.

“Jello loves Vancouver, he’s thought of moving here a number of times, and there are a lot of bands from Vancouver that have gone on to Alternative Tentacles” - including the Subhumans, DOA, SNFU, Nomeansno, Facepuller, The Evaporators and Kyd herself. “We wanted to do something really fun and special. And Jello likes obscure records, so if you bring him presents…”

There will also be a screening of Ani Kyd’s short film I Love You… I Am The Porn Queen, starring Ani herself, with Jello in two roles; plus a Jello Biafra spoken word. Be sure to come early; Jello doesn’t like to do spoken word after bands play, so his performance will likely be near the start of the evening!

Come celebrate Jello Biafra’s 55th Birthday with Jello and his Vancouver pals on June 17 at the Rickshaw Theatre.

NARDWUAR THE HUMAN SERVIETTE ON JELLO BIAFRA

"Jello Biafra is my number one inspiration"

By Allan MacInnis

It makes perfect sense, when you think about it, that Nardwuar the Human Serviette - media personality, Evaporators and Thee Goblins frontman, and uber-fan, describes Jello Biafra as a “complete template” for himself. Nardwuar - Ani Kyd’s co-conspirator behind the Jello Biafra 55th birthday bash, June 17th at the Rickshaw - tells BeatRoute that, from the way Jello acts onstage (“he’s up there jumping around, and he’s always wearing something interesting”) to the cool inserts in his records “(just like we have the Bev Davies calendar in The Evaporators’ Busy Doing Nothing!”). everything about Jello Biafra is “sort of how I’ve modeled myself. He’s pretty much my number one inspiration, at least in an artist.”

Of course, the relationship between Nardwuar and Jello didn’t start off so well (their first meeting was captured on video).

“In 1989, the first time that I met him, he didn’t like me at all, and said ‘Farewell to you sir,’ and walked away.

Despite that early snub, Nardwuar assures readers that “Jello is not intense and abrasive compared to some of the other people I deal with. I mean, look at Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, destroying a tape of the interview that I did with him, or Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot destroying the interview tape. Jello’s done nothing like that - he’s never destroyed a tape. It’s true he’s written over my face with a black marker - that was in 1989 - but it helped inspire the song, ‘I Got A Rash,’ because my face was completely covered in black marker, so then I tried to wash it off with that - you know that soap they used to have in elementary schools, you know that powdered soap? Like, they didn’t want to put in real soap? I washed my face in it, because they had that at the university at the time, at UBC, and I got a complete rash!”

The now-legendary 1989 snub was sampled on Nardwuar’s first record, Oh God, My Mom’s On Channel Ten! “There was a little interview snippet there, and that’s included on the record,” as a way of turning people on, pre-internet, to Nardwuar’s radio work with CITR. “When I put out the record I mailed it to him and I wrote, ‘please don’t sue me,’ and then he wrote me back and said ‘No, I won’t sue you but send me more of your records! So the next time I met him,” Nardwuar continues, “he was like, ‘where’s the Smugglers 7 inch?’ - like, he knew about the record I’d put out by the Smugglers, on Nardwuar Records, which was inspired by Alternative Tentacles.” The “Cleo” catalogue numbers on Nardwuar’s releases may take their name from Nardwuar’s cat, Cleo 1, but they’re modeled on the “Virus” catalogue numbers on A/T releases. Of course, fifteen years after their first meeting, Alternative Tentacles would be distributing both Nardwuar's records and his DVDs, so everything definitely worked out all right - a testament to the virtue of persistence, Nardwuar-style.

Besides a shared fascination for politics and conspiracies, “Jello is a complete music historian” and music lover, Nardwuar says - something else the two have in common. “He loves the 1960’s and all the different types of bands that are out there and always informs me on information about these bands. I’ve tried to supply Jello with records, too - I remember once I gave him a Simply Saucer original pressing from the 1970’s and Jello’s like, ‘nope, I already have a couple copies of that!’ Jello always has a couple of copies of every record. But actually the last time I saw him, he did not have Xaviera Hollander’s record - you know, the Happy Hooker, with Ronnie Hawkins on it? He did not have the record, and he took it from me!” (The brazen theft was also documented on video, here on the set of Ani Kyd’s short film I Love You… I Am The Porn Queen.)



 I was like, ‘Jello, you cannot have the record’ and he was like, ‘look, Snoop takes from you and I’m going to take from you!’ So he did actually take a record from me. I was honoured, actually, in that respect, because I knew Jello would add it to his collection. And a few years later I did find another copy…”

In addition to hoping to do another interview with Jello - it will be his thirteenth - Nardwuar is very excited that his band, Thee Goblins, will be performing with Biafra on the 17th. “I wanted to have The Evaporators play, but it was too quick, and I couldn’t get a hold of everybody, and the guitar guys were away, so it was like - ‘well maybe Thee Goblins can play,’ and then it all just came together really quickly.” Extra Goblins were quickly recruited from The Evaporators’ pool to back up the band when Jello joins them onstage. “Hopefully Jello will enjoy some Acetone organ in Dead Kennedys’ numbers!”

Jello singing with Thee Goblins will be a first for Nardwuar. “It’s very rare when you’re able to do music onstage with somebody you've interviewed," Nard says. "Like, I’ve interviewed Thor, the metal god, and I was able to do music with Thor. I interviewed Franz Ferdinand - and I was able to do music with Franz Ferdinand. I’ve interviewed Andrew WK, and was able to do music with Andrew WK. And I’ve interviewed Jello, and now, finally, this is the moment where we’ll do music with him. Scott, the drummer of Thee Goblins, has called the gig ‘the biggest gig of our lives!’”

More Nardwuar vs. Jello Biafra interview footage can be viewed here:

Excerpt from Jello Biafra’s first letter to Nardwuar, as dictated to Beat Route by Nardwuar:

"Thanks a lot for sending me a copy of your album. No, don’t worry, I won’t sue you over your plagiarizing my voice after you accosted me for that interview. How could I pass up an opportunity to be on the same record as Gerald Ford? Did you send a copy to him? I have also heard a hilarious tale of you going into some rich, powerful businessman’s house with a video camera awhile back. I haven’t actually been able to see that yet, but would like to!” (“That’s me going into Jimmy Pattison’s house for Halloween and Jimmy showing me around,” Nardwuar explains. “I guess Nomeansno must have told Jello about it.”) In return for your stealing my voice, is there any chance you could send me a few more copies of the album, that I could pass on to my weird friends? Peace and sabotage - Jello Biafra."

DIRE WOLVES

Dig deep

Emerging from the West Coast punk scene, Dire Wolves dive headfirst into 1920’s and 30’s era bluegrass, country and blues. “Music that has moved us in some way, we try to pass it on, and hope it grabs someone else like it has us,” explains Blake Bamford, the guitarist, vocalist, and banjo player. “Refreshing” is an appropriate term to describe this experience. “Playing two things that are completely different. The old music has a raw edge to it and I guess in that way, they are similar,” says Woody Forster, who plays mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar, dobro and sings. A like-minded theme amongst band mates prevails. “But the attitude behind the music… it's that genuine raw attitude I like,” adds Devora Laye, backup vocalist and washboard player.

A group of players passionate about learning from and preserving the styles of Piedmont guitarists like Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, the Memphis blues of Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell, country artists like Jimmie Rodgers and hillbilly blues artists like Dick Justice. “After playing banjo in the Whiskey Jacks, I started focusing heavily on finger style blues and ragtime guitar,” says Bamford. Once learning new songs, former bandmates Forster and Josh Doherty joined him to work these out, bringing the three together again. “We had known Devora for years and she came on board with the washboard a couple months before the recording,” he says and “Joseph Lubinsky-Mast we met while we were all playing and recording some tracks with Dylan Thomas Rysstad.“ He holds down the low end on the bass fiddle. “My role in the band is just to round out the sound,” says Mast.

The Dire Wolves seem to have very specific instrumentation choices and a familiar trademark appears on the headstock of virtually every stringed instrument they play. “We have developed into a band that plays a lot of Nationals,” Bamford explains. The maker is known for the development of resonator guitars and historically formative distinctive sound. Also designed before amplification and the guitarists needed volume amongst louder instruments. Some of the great players of 20's and 30's: Blind Boy Fuller, Tampa Red, Son House, Bo Carter used them for that. Josh Doherty, back up vocalist, sports a large collection of harmonicas. I've got one for each of the twelve keys and then I have some doubles in different brands that have a different feel and sound to them. Right now I'm really enjoying Hohner Golden Melody's. [The] songs are pretty much in C, G, D, E, Bb and A. Most blues and country tends to hangout in those keys,” says Doherty. Laye modified her washboards attaching cowbells and a mini splash also using various objects to create percussive elements. “I saw a woman play with wire brushes and fell in love with the sound,” she says. This acts as a substitute for the snare for their country and darker blues numbers and uses sewing thimbles for the upbeat numbers. “They have more punch and give me a wider range to play around with,” she adds.

They played as the Alley Bourbon Bootleggers for over a year. “Alley bourbon” is a term for moonshine, notes Bamford and “we realized that our own mothers couldn't remember the name.” The hunt was on. Dire Wolves evolved, which is a prehistoric wolf that also lived in BC. “We figured as far as old timey, prehistoric pretty much trumps anything,” he explains, and so it settled. Their album cover sports a Dire Wolf stuck in a tar pit sketched from an old 'mammals' reference book. “Often the larger herbivores would get trapped in the tar. When the predators and scavengers went to feast on them they would also get stuck. They more they struggled, the deeper they'd sink,” says Bamford.

After recording with Jesse Gander as The Whisky Jacks, it made sense to work together again. “We didn't want something over produced, just wanted to try to capture the feeling of the music, recorded on analog tape all at the same time in the same room.” says Forster. The album was laid to tape over two years ago, but finally released May 2013. They wanted it out in vinyl, so it took time to raise funds for that format. Also, new material is in the works “This time we won't wait two and a half years to put it out.” Stay tuned for a July tour with BC dates booked east of Vancouver already!

Their performances spread word of mouth and promise to be an experience. Records can be found at Audiopile, Red Cat, Neptoon and Highlife or contact the band at www.facebook.com/thedirewolves

- tiina.l

WHO GOT TOONED?

Look who's up on the deck this June? 

Several years ago in Vancouver, a few friends threw Ron Reyes a 50th birthday fete at the Rickshaw Theatre. Local punks and rockers: the Jolts, Little Guitar Army, Modernettes and Braineater played to a full house of fans! Plus a one-time group was assembled called the Ron Reyes Band and Greg Ginn of Black Flag flew in to support an old band mate onstage in the celebration of a milestone.

Fast forward to now, summer 2013. This experience had brought Reyes out of musical retirement. He picked up a guitar, and pulled together a few more Vancouver friends to form a rock n roll band called PIGGY. July 20th at the Chinese Cultural Centre, Ron Reyes reunites with Black Flag members and hits the stage with Piggy for an all ages show.

Artist and avid music scene supporter Dan Harbord sent in this illustration. We had no idea what was coming, a complete surprise! Oh, one more thing, happy birthday Ron, all over again!

MAN OR ASTRO-MAN? - AUDACITY

Biltmore Cabaret - Wednesday May 13, 2013

In 1993, four alien visitors with an insatiable hunger for the music of the Ventures, shockingly bad sci fi flicks and Spam touched down in Auburn, Alabama to begin their quest to conquer Earth with their space-surf sounds. In 2013, twenty years has taught them a lot: Tesla coils make for amazing “international incidents” at major metropolitan airports, sending clones to tour for you allows for more hang time with the relatives and the town of Visalia, California is undoubtedly in the minds of MOAM? the WORST possible place anyone can visit in the world and they spent THREE DAYS THERE.

PIERCED ARROWS

Electric Owl – May 17, 2013

Anything but Main Street and the “one of a kind” garage punk marriage of Fred and Toody Cole is all about momentum and the enduring game of Rock n Roll. Pierced Arrows drew a full house at The Electric Owl. The beauty here is an unspoken code. Energy begets get energy. This vitality is translated through their DIY ethic and playing by their own deck. The devoted audience and local RNR favourites, the Jolts, understand this too. Without further ado, they charge up the stage for the Portland guests. Hats off to Slow Learners for planting the seed that evening.

BLACK ANGELS

Black Angels - Bev Davies photo

Commodore Ballroom - May 14, 2013

Sometimes a show is like a direct electromagnetic shock, but in the best way possible and this was the kind that induced a blurred sense of time.

The summoning drone of the 2008, “Vikings” drew the crowd into the front, while the prismatic “I Hear Colors” expanded the experience. The tone was set with vibrant and chromatic projections filling the stage. A fitting introduction to their new album Indigo Meadow. Fresh from the Austin Pysch Fest, the Black Angels make their way through North America dispensing their hypnotic form of wisdom.