An interview with The Ills!

This interview was originally published in Audio Ammunition on May 29th, 2013

When I first started hearing about the Ills, I heard comparisons to bands like The Spoiled Brats and The No Talents. So, when I finally got a chance to hear these Iowa City monsters, they did not disappoint! Those influences are indeed there, but the Ills have taken that sound and stuck their own brand on it. It is theirs, they own it now, and lucky for us they are sharing it with the rest of us lowly dogs!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?
Danny and Erika

Who is in the band and what instrument do they play?
Erika Ebola - Vox
Danny Dysentery - Guitar
Molly Marburg - Bass
Tommy Tinnitus - Drums

Are you all originally from Iowa City?
None of us are. Tommy Danny and Molly are all from different areas of Iowa, Erika is from Texas and Iowa.


How did Rip Off records find their way into your hands in Iowa?
Danny: When I was a kid, Iowa City record stores carried a lot of punk and garage punk records. I would make trips to Iowa City to go record shopping. I had heard about The Rip Offs in Maximum Rock 'n' Roll and spotted their LP at a local record shop and bought it and I loved it. When I met Erika she was into it too, and we started obsessing and collecting a lot of that kind of stuff, like the No Talents, the Drags, the Statics, the Makers, The Registrators etc.

Erika: I first heard about this stuff when I was a kid in Texas. I was kind of on the hunt for female attitude and vocals that kind of matched how I felt. I loved those classic grrrl bands from Olympia labels (like Bratmobile and Bikini Kill) and those awesome women fronted bands from the early LA scene, (X and the Bags etc.). A friend had this Spoiled Brats song dubbed on a tape and made a joke that no one could like this, except probably me! So, it was played for me, and I instantly fell in love with it! Which lead to you know all that stuff, girl and guy, and then I ended up in Iowa.


Does the band play shows a lot in Iowa City? Is there a scene out there that the rest of the country should know about?
Erika: We play a lot. There are a lot of cool and different punk bands in Iowa City, but there’s not a scene of bands that sound similar. Everyone is doing their own thing. It doesn’t really create a cohesive scene “sound” but I think that's great because that would be boring. There are a lot of really cool bands here if your into different kinds of punk, like Lipstick Homicide, Slut River, Conetruama, NERV, Big Box, and a lot more… and they are all doing their own thing from straight up pop punk to black metal hardcore.
Also, it’s a very academic town. It has the highest percentage of the adult population holding a bachelor's degree or higher in the US, yet, it is still very small. Maybe this has an influence on how stuff end up playing out here, I dunno.

Danny: What she said.


Your newest 7” is on No Front Teeth records, how did you get involved with that label?
Erika: It’s kind of a strange circle. Jim from Rapid Pulse Records originally pointed us in their direction. They heard some demos of ours and were interested and put out our first 7”. Our new EP Get It is actually coming out as a split release between the Canadian label Shake! Records and No Front Teeth Records. We played a show with the Ketamines last year and their drummer Ryan (who is also in Fist City) helped connect us with Shake! Then, Shake! reconnected with NFT for this release.


The Ills did a pretty cool video for your song Total Dick. Was that fun to make? Where and how did that happen?
Danny: Erika made it. We filmed it in a local junk shop owned by our friend Brian who’s a big fan of the band. I think Erika did her part in the bathroom of our apartment.


People have compared the sound of your band to the glory days of Rip Off records and bands like The No Talents. Bands I’m pretty sure are integral to your sound. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill! Do you feel any pressure because of those comparisons? Are the almighty Ills up for the challenge?
Danny: In the beginning it was kinda more of a “let’s be this kinda band”, and I still love them. Now we are not trying to be one kind of thing anymore, we’re just mixing all our influences and everything together. But those comparisons are flattering and kind, and we do love rip off records, but we’re nowhere as good as those bands!

Erika: It is flattering that we have those comparisons. They are a part of our influences. But, we would never try to or want to fill their shoes. They are pretty fantastic at what they did and got that covered. Plus, we gotta do our own thing! I think there may have been a moment of pressure to self-edit to keep within that expectation. But that’s all self-inflicted pressure that we said, “ehh, forget about it”, to a long time ago! We have a lot of different influences and I think our music will continue to reflect that.


On your bands profile, you list your other interests as Punk Punk Punk. Surely you have some non punk interests? Baking, knitting, sculpting, c’mon spill the beans!
Danny: I really love Italian horror movies, film in general, pretentious art shit, coffee and rock n roll and all music really.

Erika: I collect purses and nail polish and movies. As a band I think we all like drinkin’.


Do you think Rock ‘N’ Roll can still be a vital and influential force for kids in such a disposable age?
Danny: I think on a massive scale, no. On an individual scale, yes. Because like there are teenage punk bands right here in my town that are exciting and inspiring... to see like 14 and15 year old kids taking the time to write songs and learn instruments and put together good bands shows that. But in the mainstream I think no, it’s time has passed. I don’t think there’s gonna be one band that's gonna come along soon that's gonna capture peoples imagination and bring rock back into the forefront. It looks like right pop is here to stay. Is there even big rock band right now? I guess I don’t know and don’t pay attention to even know.


50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water free; now people pay for water and get their music free. How do you think this affects the music industry?
Danny: I don’t know about paying for music, but they charge way too much for water here at the local grocery store. And you have to buy water because the local tap is so fucking nasty you can’t use it. I mean its 29 cents a gallon now... as for music it’s harder to get people’s attention now, it’s not like when you had to read reviews, decide if you wanted to spend your money based on word of mouth, make a commitment and give that record a chance. Now all you have to do is go and click a button and if it doesn’t hit you on a gut level then… bam, yr done. You don’t give it any attention.

Erika: People still buy vinyl and tapes. I don’t know much about the economics of the larger music industry and I don’t think it much affects bands like us. But, you know because everything IS free and easy; it is disposable. It can be strangely difficult to get people to even listen to something that is free and in front of them. There’s no personal investment or connection with a band or record before hearing it. It’s “ill check that out” which translates to, I’ll listen to 10 seconds of two songs and then decide if I’m interested or writing it off entirely.


Where can people hear the band, purchase your music or buy those awesome purple Ills T-shirts!?
You can hear some of our music at sand
http://snd.sc/11Sdz2q
Our 7” Ep Get It should be out in May. It should be able available from: Shake! Records, http://www.experienceshake.com/ and NFT, http://www.nofrontteeth.co.uk/merch.html
You can get the shirts, our old 7” and our newest one (soon) at
https://sites.google.com/site/theillsrock/home/stuff


What’s next for The Ills? Any tour plans?
Getting ready to record our 2nd album! Writing the third! We plan to hit the road soon for our EP and 1st LP that should be out on Big Neck Records this summer!

Sugar Stems Interview!

This interview was originally published in Audio Ammunition on May 14th, 2013

When I hear a good power pop band, my heart feels like jumping out of my chest and doing a dance like John Cusack’s cheeseburger did in “Better Off Dead”. It happened when I first heard Cheap Trick, then with The Beat, now The Sugar Stems! The tunes are memorable, and the lyrics are emotionally authentic, which makes the entire package multi coated; so you never get worn-out listening to it. “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears, ” you won’t be dissatisfied, because this is timeless pop music. I am confident that decades from now, The Sugar Stems will still be in heavy rotation on many turntables, including mine!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?
It's me! Betsy!

Who is in the band and what instruments do you all play?
Betsy - vocals/guitar
Steph - bass
Andy - keyboard
Drew - guitar
Jonny - drums

Are you all originally from the Milwaukee area? How did the band come together?
We were born and raised in various places around the state, but we've all lived here in Milwaukee for a while except for Drew who has been between here and Sheboygan, WI. We've all been friends for many years and have played in different bands/projects together. We all got together to start this band about 5 years ago and everything just kind of clicked. There were a few changes along the way, most recently we added a keyboard player, our good pal Andy Harris, which we are very excited about!

The bands second LP has just been released, are you surprised by the international attention you have been getting? Where has there the band garnered the most interest that’s come as a surprise to you?
It is always exciting to see and hear the response from all of our fans over-seas. It never gets old! I think the response from Japan has been the most surprising, I think because it is just so far away and so different from here. We really want to tour there some day.

Tell me about the cover art for the new album “Can’t Wait” and the issues it’s caused some people?
We were very excited about it and had a lot of fun making it and putting it together, but we were a little surprised when we read some things online where people were saying how gross it was. I guess they thought it was real worms in the picture. No worms were harmed in the making of "Can't Wait!”

The Sugar Stems had a write up in Spin Magazine where they described your music as having “Golden Retriever melodies”. Do you feel this is an accurate metaphorical portrayal of your music as a canine breed or do you feel it resembles a different variety of pooch?
Ha! I love dogs of all kinds, and as far as canines go Golden Retrievers aren't too bad. They are not the smartest but loyal and playful and often get whiter as they age which I think accurately portrays our band. I guess I'd rather be a Golden Retriever than a poodle or a yorkie or some kind of schnauzer mix that relentlessly humps peoples' legs. My cousins had a dog like that when I was little and one time it was humping my leg and my sister said "Look! look! He's dancing with you!" So I guess for me music and dogs have always been linked... Anyways, I think our third album will have more of a pit bull sound.

You recently opened up for Paul Collins’ The Beat. How was that experience? Were you a fan prior to sharing the stage with them?
Yes we are fans! It was really neat and a tiny bit surreal to play a show with someone who you spent so many years listening to. A lot of his songs are so timeless and catchy and I think that is something that every musician, no matter what kind of music they make, aspires to do within their own "scene" or "genre."

You just played Happenin’ Records “Happenin’ Fest” in Huntsville, Alabama and are about to play the Girls Got Rhythm fest in Saint Paul, MN with legendary ladies like Cherie Curry and Penelope Houston of The Avengers. On top of that you are scheduled to play Gonerfest! How did you get involved in all of these festivities? Do you enjoy playing shows like this with so many different bands?
We do, they are always tons of fun. We like to travel and wish we could tour more, but because of our day jobs it's hard to get away for weeks at a time, so we decided to take as many long weekend type trips we could this summer to help promote our album and play for as many people as we can. We have been so fortunate to have been asked to play all of these really cool events and we always look forward to them. Something about playing a "fest" really makes it feel like a vacation and just makes it a lot more fun.

I read that some of you grew up in households that embraced music. Do you think Rock ‘N’ Roll can still be a vital and influential force for kids in such a disposable age?
I think there will always be kids out there who see and hear an instrument like a guitar or some drums and just have to pick it up and give it a try. Parents just need to encourage their kids to play REAL instruments though and not some stupid bullshit plastic video game version. Oh! That sounded like a cranky old woman, didn't it? Anyways, yeah, kids these days….

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water free; now people pay for water and get their music free. How do you think this affects the music industry?
I don't know fuck about shit when it comes to the music industry. I reckon it's not good though! I am REALLY inspired by all of the independent record labels out there in the world though, especially the little guys who aren't making billions of dollars but are still working super hard to get the music they think is good out there. That's really admirable to me.

Where can people hear the band or purchase Sugar Stems music or merch?
Welllllll, you can download both of our records on this thing called iTunes which I guess sells "MP3’s" or whatever. And you can also download the first album and 2 other singles on Bandcamp.
And of course you can always come see us play live and we will happily sell you records, t-shirts, lip balm, and other misc. merch type things! We'll give you a button for free! And if you just need a hug or some advice, we'll give you that too! For free! At least I will the other guys might charge.

What’s next for the band?
More travels - St. Paul, Memphis to name a few this summer, hopefully a West Coast, Europe, or Japan tour some day. Working on stuff for a third album. After that? Who knows! Video game soundtrack? Nickelodeon show for tweens? Or an animated series? Maybe we'll market a Sugar Stems breakfast cereal? Strange opportunities tend to present themselves to this band so a lot of times we never really know what our next step will be.

An Interview with The Ballantynes!

This interview was originally published in Audio Ammunition on May 10th, 2013

Take some Smokey Robinson, a dash of Dusty Springfield, and a pinch of Punk delivery and you have a Rock ‘N’ Roll band the likes of which this earth hadn’t seen prior to the conception of the magnificent Ballantynes. The band have three 7”s under their buckle on the equally fabulous La-Ti-Da recording label. So, do yourself a favor and partake in the good times that will ensue after you place their records on your turntable. It’s undeniable! It’s unmistakable! It’s the Ballantynes!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions?
Vanessa and Corey

Who is in the band and what instruments do you play?
Jarrod Odell - Hammond/Vocals
Vanessa Dandurand - Vocals/Tambourine
Jennifer Wilks- Vocals/Hammond/Tambourine
Corey Poluk- Guitar/Vocals
Max Sample - Bass/Vocals
Michael McDiarmid- Drums
Trevor Racz- Drums

Is the band originally from Vancouver BC?
Oh ya.

How did the band start and what bands/musicians did you have in mind when starting out?
Out of necessity and cacophony. We all come from varied backgrounds but classic soul, motown, stax artists form common ground between us as well as a lot of punk and garage both contemporary and quintessential.

I saw that the band is scheduled to play the Squamish Music Festival in August, a pretty immense occasion. Will this be the biggest audience you’ve played in front of? How do you feel your music comes across in a festival type atmosphere as opposed to a smaller dimly lit club?
We’ve been lucky enough to play some pretty cool gigs like Victory Square Block party and opening at The Commodore, I guess it will all depend on how many people come and get wild in the wild with us. We will take as much or as little room as you give us but its definitely exciting to get that much room to spread out sonically, it doesn’t happen everyday.

The Ballantynes have a look and sound, which to me, is quite sophisticated and debonair. No easy feat to pull off! Anything other than music influence the band’s musical compositions and appearance?
We all have our comfort zones when it comes to how we dress. It’s actually pretty basic if you think about it. Maybe we all kind of recognized something and gravitated towards each other. Or maybe we all just figured out you can get away with a lot more if you look like you’re put together. Who knows?

The band has quite a robust membership, did the idea of having two drummers, two guitarists, four vocalists etc. develop over time or was this the master design from the beginning?
We’ve always had the same members, and there are definitely things like having two drummers that were decided from the get go. Other things like vocals or second guitar roles fell into place wherever they were needed. A master design sounds ominous.

I got into a lot of older music by way of punk music. I have noticed that you have shared the stage with a lot of more traditionally punk sounding bands. What do you think is the connection between the type of music The Ballantynes play and punk rock?
The connection is probably with us socially. Punk rock is definitely part of our shared histories in one shape or form. Plus, when you run out of bands that make sense together on a bill you just want to play with your friends because that’s the most fun.

With the band’s sound drawing influence from so many different eras of pop music, if given the opportunity, what band/or musician from the history of pop music would you want to tour with the most? Who else’s music/attitude or style do you feel would fit together with what The Ballantynes do?
Can we say ‘The Boss’? Bruce Springsteen though, not Rick Ross. He’s the other boss. We also have to say The Clash. Because Jarrod’s not with us right now. His blood would boil.

I recently read a quote stating that music, above all other art forms, has the ability to drastically change the disposition of a person. I know for myself, a bad mood and a radio playing Sam Cooke’s Twistin’ The Night Away can’t exist in the same room. Do you agree with this? If so, can you think of any examples of what and how certain pieces of music have affected you for the better or worse?
We definitely agree with that idea for sure, especially when it comes to Sam Cooke. At the end of the day music can and will attach itself to moments in your life, some of them good and some of them bad. It’s not necessarily the music but the moments attached to that music that we feel affect people the most.

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water free; now people pay for water and get their music free. How do you think this affects the music industry?
Even if it's a different set of rules, the people who need to make music will still make music. Worrying about it might just give you a headache, it pays to stay thirsty.

Where can people hear the band or purchase your music?
On out bandcamp! Or iTunes! Or latidarecords.com!

What’s next for the band?
Our new 7" Faith/Velvet which is part of the LA-TI-DA Spring Singles Club and a weekender in Alberta! We're super stoked to be back on that side of the mountains for the first time since Sled Island. We are going with Needles // Pins! We've also got a show coming up at The Astoria in May with our friends BIG EYES from Seattle who totally rip, and we'll be back on the road this summer!