REMEMBERING BRIAN GOBLE

Bev Davies photo

“Wimpy Roy”

We are at a loss for words and would like to extend our condolences to members of Vancouver’s first wave punk rock community, friends, family, fans and colleagues at Portland Hotel Society.

By now the notice of Brian "Wimpy Roy" Goble’s passing has circulated broadly. He had suffered a heart attack December 7, 2014.

Many know him for his antics as the front man for the Subhumans, but also as the bass player for The Skulls and D.O.A.

There has been an outpouring of emotions within the music community and social circles. We extend our compassion and sympathy to those who knew, were inspired by and laughed with him.

Vancouver photographer, Bev Davies has shared two of her memories with us here. Davies is a highly respected documentarian and friend of Vancouver’s early Punk Rock music community.

Wimpy with Dimwit in Rude Norton at the Buddha, July 12 1979, top left.

The Subhumans go to College - Oct 8, 1980 - Bev Davies photo

LIVE NOTES

LIFE AGAINST DEATH - RICKSHAW THEATRE DECEMBER 2014

HELLO FOLKS, well, actually, the volatile front woman here is probably the sweetest person you will ever meet! A moment with Twitch from Life Against Death giving it all. So it goes!

As we finish off 2014, we are busy updating behind the scenes to bring you new albums and formats! We are adding in some extra release reviews as well, focusing on some locals that might get overlooked as everyone flocks to the top ten list.

The 2014 live reviews and photosets are going through a rebuild to accommodate for functionality changes and elements that are no longer supported within our parent host, the old and new. Yes, that is technology for you. Since, advertising dollars does not drive us, things are built in a DIY manner on a volunteer basis. Do bear with us as we swap content around and find a better solution. Some of 2014, 13, 12 live reports are back online as to not leave an empty space. 2014 hopes to finish off with year-end round up as soon as the pieces come together.

ORANGE GOBLIN

Ester Segarra photo

Back in the groove

Stoner rock has become somewhat of a vague term when describing heavy music. Like the weed that gives the genre its name, it has many branches. It’s fair to say though, that the seed was planted with British icons Black Sabbath. So it seems odd that over the years the U.K. would fail to clone similar bands. However, there are a few that have sprouted up and London, England’s Orange Goblin have been smoking grooved out riffs since 1995 – around the time the stoner rock movement began to take shape in the U.S.

SUBCULTURE DECEMBER

I’m not a person that takes to being censored in any way very well. The muckity mucks at BeatRoute don’t like when I go off the musical beaten track in my columns but how can I not when all this shit is happening around us. How many times can I discuss shitty turnouts, poor stage changeover manners or cross booking newbie promoters.

I was looking over all my articles since October 2011 when I started writing for this paper. I touch on political issues a lot. I’m a punk. A lot of activists are punks. It’s my salute to their tireless work. Someone has to give a shit about the ‘man’ running civilization into the ground. I had written about music in reference too. I had lamented about the former shitty DJ at hockey games and people potty training at the bar. I had given up the idea of ever starting the Hellhole in this gentrification-obsessed city and wonder why I can’t sell off the Cobes fixtures I have in storage. I talked about my pickled liver and quitting the booze. I memorialized those that have passed.

MUDHONEY

Pop the cork on pacific punk

Not long ago, Pacific Northwest’s Mudhoney managed to cash in on a more discerning investment, something finer than a gratuitously priced bottle of vintage. This is not about a ‘90s Seattle sitcom or wineglass toting crew of celebrity. Instead, they traded in their full-time “rock star career” stocks for a different set of high notes. You will not find these four glued to the couch or caught up in complacency. By the time the Friday arrives, Steve Turner, Mark Arm, Dan Peterson and Guy Maddison bypass the velvet upholstery and strap on the jetpacks making their way to exotic venues near you. Still poking fun at those day-to-day forces of irrationality with a punk rock stick.

PAMPERS

‘Because Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys was already taken!

It’s true, just Google it. But try searching for the band in question and you get nary a blip on the Internet save for a Bandcamp page. That page reveals a couple of links, one of which is a YouTube clip of the Fat Boys. Where I am going with this, you ask? Well, the plump pontificates are from the borough of Brooklyn, home to the gutter-garage scrawl of Pampers, who assault your ears quite righteously with a din of noise somewhere between the sharp punk jabs of the Spits and the cathartic crunch of the Cheater Slicks; basically a perfect fit for In The Red Records, their present label lair after a pair of now-extinct singles funded by their illegal puppy-breeding business (read: record label) Jack Shack Records.

DIECEMBER FEST 6

A not so silent night

“Burning Ghats has been lucky enough to play every single Diecember Fest! Some of the best heavy bands in the city, blowing your eggnog riddled brain for two nights at one of the best venues in town, all for a great cause. Would you rather be at your creepy uncle's house singing Christmas carols?” jokes Cam Strudwick of Burning Ghats.

Christmas may only come once a year, but Diecember Fest comes twice and once again the musical underground of Vancouver will congregate for their annual holiday party. This event keeps gathering momentum and has become a tremendous tradition in this city. Johnny Matter from Apocalypse Productions has been at the helm since day one. He created a festival that has gained a life of its own and since then has since enlisted fellow local promoters Crowsnest, Invisible Orange and Nothing Is Heavy. “Crowsnest has been an essential part of the fest for the last four years and NIH has helped out for two. [Working] with co-promotion and getting on board some of the bands they manage,” says Matter. “I wanted to invite Invisible Orange to the promoter roster this year. They book some of the best metal shows this city has to offer and are wonderful to work with.” Add in some of Vancouver’s cream-of-the-crop bands and you will have what they call a plum treat.

OBLITERATIONS

Marc Gabor photo

Strip it down to the wires

First off, lets tear out some of pages from this black book of rock’n’roll and piece together the six degrees of separation between vocalist Sam James Velde, guitarist Stephen McBean, bassist Austin Barber and drummer Flo Schanze. A question still remains in this rat’s nest of punk and metal wires. Which one of these connections will cross and which of these bare cables will burst into Obliterations?

BAPTISTS

Ryan Walter Wagner photo

Lords of the north

Vancouver! Take notice and pay attention, because in local heavy music, lesson number one is Baptists.

“Our label owner, Greg, made me some crazy concoction before we played with Pentagram in San Francisco. I don't know what the hell he put in it, but I ended up smashing a bottle over my head onstage and then crushing some dude in the crowd. I think I got carried back to the van that night,” estimates the Baptists’ front man/vocalist Andrew Drury. That pretty much sums up the agitating menace that is Vancouver’s ‘cleanup hitter’ of heavy bands. If you haven’t already, you might want to take notice and get on board.

RED FANG, WE HUNT BUFFALO, BLACK MASTIFF

The Venue - October 8th 2014 

Vancouverites seem to have a fond liking for Portland and lately everything that has been popping out of its crispy, sweet, music filled city. Red Fang is no exception and people flocked to see them perform at The Venue on a Wednesday night.

We Hunt Buffalo started off the evening right with some awesome rocking tunes. This Vancouver based stoner rock threesome cover their riffs with enough fuzz to make your ears turn into peaches. No complaining here.

THE SONICS, FLINTETTES, THEE MANIPULATORS

THE SONICS - RICKSHAW THEATRE - tiina liimu photo

The Rickshaw Theatre - October 2, 2014

It can be a gamble when you go to see a band play and the youngest member was a full-grown man before you were born and it’s been 50 years since the first single was recorded.

Showing up to the packed Rickshaw, you could see the anticipation in the faces of silver-haired record nerds, young hipsters and aging punk rockers alike.

THE BAD BEATS

Just wanna see you dance

What are these sounds of Beat? Well, you might find yourself walkin’ down a lane, one foggy Vancouver night and suddenly your feet just start to shuffle to some nearby rhythm. It could just be you are passing by the Bad Beats rehearsal garage as they bite through songs like the snotty "She Don't Talk To Me” or the moody “It Breaks Me Down.”

THE LIVING DEADBEATS

Who killed the Living Deadbeats?

With a new EP releasing mid October at SBC and a track in an upcoming compilation, it seems like there is no end in sight. However, this is also their final show.

The Living Deadbeats have been together for six years. They have several tours including a six-week cross-country tour under their belt, one full-length record and a series of smaller recordings and compilations with an EP titled Brain Candy on the way. Their sound and live show defies categories, playing garage shows and punk shows alike to a loyal fan base. With all this, one might wonder why they’ve decided to throw in the towel. Why did Vancouver’s female fronted garage punk favourites, the Living Deadbeats, call it a day?

SUBCULTURE OCTOBER

Every time you turn around online there's a new 27 or 32 ways blog article on reasons to hate either bands, venues or anyone associated in the game of music. What always amazes me in these articles is the lack of understanding on what it takes to be a cog in the wheel and the misinformation that exists between these necessary allies. These two entities need to coexist to make local live music a reality.

People that complain about a venue's booze prices fail to realize that the place has a shitload of fixed expenses.
You pay rent, they pay rent. They also pay for staff salaries, insurance, hydro, all levels of government taxes and licensing, or to fix damage to the premises caused by asshole patrons. How about that $10 roll of toilet paper or soap dispenser refill you snuck home in your bag. That barely scratches the surface.

NIK TURNER'S HAWKWIND, WITCH MOUNTAIN, HEDERSLEBEN

NIK TURNER'S HAWKWIND - VENUE - tiina liimu photo

The Venue - September 26, 2014 

Space Ritualized:

Much to the chagrin of fellow original member, Dave Brock, there have been a few sects of Hawkwind. One of which is Nik Turner’s Hawkwind, not to be confused with "the" Hawkwind (which is fronted by Brock), who played to an eager audience of gamblers. A risktaking crowd, not sure what to expect.

Hawkwind’s backing band starting off the evening aka Oakland California’s, Hedersleben, who were no slouches in the psyche, ambient, space rock realm. When Nik joined these three guys and two girls, magic filled the Venue. Hit after hit from the early Hawkwind albums were assailed onto the startled audience. From classics like “Brain Storm,” to “Time That We Left The World Today,” which sounded bang on, considering Mr. Turner is a 74-year man.