Make Way For The Smoke Bombs!

The Smoke Bombs smash and grab fistfuls of British Street Punk in one hand and early 1980’s Southern California hardcore in the other. They then take it to an old abandoned warehouse downtown where they mix it up and add some secret ingredients. They then stuff some ping pong balls full of it and create a device that emits a dense, hard hitting brand of punk rock into the atmosphere immediately upon ignition. They hurl these handmade concoctions at unsuspecting audiences and it causes the foundation beneath the arid desert floors to quake. So remove any loose articles of clothing and strap your shoes on tight, The Smoke Bombs have arrived and the room you’re in is about to turn upside down!

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on July 21st, 2014

Interview by J Castro

Introductions! Please tell us who you all are and what’s your function in The Smoke Bombs:
LAYTON: Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

BRANDON: I’m Brandon Meunier and I play guitar in The Smoke Bombs.

JASON: Jason Stone - Drummer/Cheerleader

TODD: Todd Joseph: Bass


What’s the conception story of The Smoke Bombs? How did you all meet and decide to play music together?
LAYTON: Bored with my last band Asses of Evil. I wanted to start something different. I got Jason our drummer and Todd from AOE. Jason suggested Brandon for lead guitar. I knew him from his work as a guitar salesman, and liked him a lot. Never had heard him play but hired him over the phone because I liked him, turned out pretty well.

BRANDON: I met Jason (our drummer) through work. I told him I was looking for another band. A few weeks later he was asking if I’d like to try out with Layton and Todd.

JASON: My world changed in like a 30 day period, got fired from a band, lost my wife, son, house and my studio in one big fat Fuck You from the World. I ate as many pills as I could afford, apparently not enough? Next Day, I got a call from Layton to start something new.

TODD: Layton and I were in the Asses of Evil and then split and formed The Smoke Bombs in the wake of the Asses.


When I hear your music, I get a street punk vibe. I can hear elements of Cocksparrer, Sham 69, and Stiff Little Fingers. Were any of these bands influences to you guys growing up and do you remember who got you into punk rock in the first place?
LAYTON: I am not so much into those bands as much. Brandon really likes that kind of stuff. I like the 80’s southern California stuff, Circle Jerks, Descendents etc. I also was a huge fan of Todd’s first band Junior Achievement, as well as all the great hardcore bands in Arizona like JFA, Mighty Sphincter, Soylent Greene, Conflict etc.

BRANDON: Yes it’s a huge influence for me even still. Those are three of my favorite bands of all times. No one really got me into it. Punk itself got me into it. With the few friends I had I was able to meet people who I’d trade music back and forth with. It’s been that way since day one.

JASON: Stiff Little Fingers for me. 1st punk band I was turned on to was Junior Achievement “TJ’s band from the 80’s.” I had an older guy next door to my parent’s house that was SICK and TIRED of hearing R.E.M.’s Green while I rode my skateboard. He charged over and said “TURN THAT SHIT OFF!!!!!!” I thought he was going to kick my ass! Instead he handed me Junior Achievements 12” and a cassette he already made.
I never looked back, that was 1985.

TODD: I grew up on The Clash, Generation X, The Damned, Sex Pistols, and SLF. I’m also a big CA punk fan: T.S.O.L, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Adolescents, and Shattered Faith.


I see you guys play out fairly regularly, how would you describe the music scene in Phoenix/Tempe?
LAYTON: Too many bands. It seems like since Nirvana broke, and Guitar Centers were put up all over the place, everyone thinks they can do a punk band. I have been doing this since 84. It used to be that when an out of town band came through either JFA or Junior Achievement, ONS, would get a gig opening for a big band. Also everyone went to one show, wherever it was Tempe/Phoenix. Now there are too many shows competing against each other on the same nights for a dwindling amount of punk rockers.

JASON: Strong, easy to bash the scene but it’s easy to bash any scene. Phoenix is full of good people and it’s not hard to find them if you look & listen.

TODD: It’s pretty good! Good local bands to play with. The Clubs/Bars are pretty accepting of loud music. It could always be better, but it could also be a lot worse. When the weather gets cooler the scene gets better!

You guys are playing (and have played with) some pretty big names in punk. Some of your upcoming shows are with Rikk Agnew Band (Social Distortion, Christian Death, Adolescents, D.I.) and Eddie and The Hot Rods here in Tempe, AZ. How do you feel playing shows with such influential bands?
LAYTON: The best chance of getting a good draw is having a good headliner. These guys are just like us, but came together in the right time and place to get big. I don’t mean to say our music is as good as this classic stuff, but Todd and I talk and feel like if we were together in ‘84 playing Mad Gardens we would have gotten some notoriety, more than we get now.

BRANDON: It’s awesome!

JASON: Honestly, it’s just another show. The thrill is standing in the crowd watching the “influential” band. The bummer is after it’s over I have a car load of gear to take home. I like meeting the heroes / legends, I don’t take much seriously anymore so if the hero is an asshole, whatever.

TODD: I love it, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been able to play with The Bad Brains, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, T.S.O.L., Shattered Faith, Crucifix, Youth Brigade, on and on it’s always a blast!


Speaking of playing live, do you guys remember the worst show The Smoke Bombs ever played and tell me about what made it such a disaster?
LAYTON: Not really, all in all we have had some good shows. Weeknight shows are pretty pathetic. We have had some low turn out shows with Dime Runner, and Black Irish Texas which were weekday shows.

JASON: I played one high on cocaine, that didn't go so well, won’t do that again.
I like them all; we haven’t really had a disaster show. It would have to be pretty bad for me to call it a disaster. I like playing drums as long as nobody dies, it’s good.

TODD: Maybe the time we played with Scorpion vs. Tarantula up in Cottonwood. We played OK, but the crowd was weak. We had fun anyway, we always do.

What sorts of things typically influence your music? And can you remember the most unusual thing that inspired a song?
BRANDON: Lyrically: life, the day to day. Nothing is that unusual anymore really. Musically, it’s when I get around my gear I just want to hear it. I’ll start riffing around and that’s that.

JASON: A hot October Night. Hey, I’m just the drummer I follow along to what the boys write.

TODD: Most songs are spontaneous; they just come out with all of us adding our input.


I was watching an interview with Fat Mike and he was saying he regrets writing some of the early NOFX songs, he went on say that change of mind is a sign of intelligence. What do you think about that quote and have you ever written any songs you regretted later?
LAYTON: Not a NOFX fan. I know they come from the old school, but just never got into that kind of music. I can’t remember regretting anything I have written.

BRANDON: I think everyone regrets early material at some point. It doesn’t bother me really. I’ll reflect back on it and pull ideas out. It is what it is and it always makes you a better writer.

JASON: Not in this band….

TODD: Sure, but I don’t dwell on that. The more you write the more you improve. I don’t really regret anything; it’s all in good fun.


What sorts of things do you enjoy doing other than playing music, any hobbies or anything like that?
LAYTON: Hanging out by my pool drinking beer and listening to ‘80’s hard core.

BRANDON: Honestly this is all I do. I collect musical gear and listen to and write music.
Those are my main hobbies.

JASON: Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Bicycles I dig all that shit. Go fast and take chances.

TODD: Art, skateboarding, partying, picking up chicks, eating.

What are some records you like putting on that can guarantee to lift you up when life’s kicked you down?
LAYTON: I don’t know that music does that for me. I just listen to it when I fell like it. Toxic Reasons Kill by Remote Control comes to mind.

BRANDON: The Crack – In Search Of…

JASON: NOFX - The Decline, Freeze - Talking Bombs, Malignus Youth - ALL OF IT,
The Clash – Supermarket, AC/DC - Sink the Pink (Makes me Laugh every time)
William Shatner - Common People, U.S. Bombs - That’s Life, Frank Black & the Catholics - I Want Rock & Roll, Black President - Not Amused, Etta James - In the Basement, Alkaline Trio - Maybe I’ll Catch Fire, Plump Tones - Fire Chicken

TODD: Whatever I’m into at the moment. Right now, it’s The Horrors, Jason Isbell, Temples, Dum Dum Girls, and Drive-By Truckers.


What do the Smoke Bombs have in store for the remainder of 2014?
LAYTON: We just finished recording our first full length album. We’re getting the artwork together to have it pressed, should hit store shelves by fall.

BRANDON: New album coming out very soon and continuing to write more material.

JASON: New record coming VERY soon.

TODD: Finish our record, do a video for one of the songs, write new songs, play a few gigs, party!

An Interview with The New Rochelles!

What makes a good pop punk band? Surely it’s not musical skill; The Ramones have been hounded for years over their technical simplicity and yet they remain kings. It most certainly isn’t lyrics; most pop punk bands use the simplest of words to describe everyday mundane events, love, hate and every emotion in between. What I feel makes a good pop punk band is the ability to emotionally throw yourself into your music, admitting imperfection, vulnerability, and most importantly, just have pure, unpolluted fun. Long Beach, NY’s, The New Rochelles take all of these qualities, stuff them into very loud amplifiers and blast it at you like confetti cannons. What makes most grownups so boring? Whatever it is listening to the New Rochelles will help in steering clear of it!

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on July 24th, 2014

Interview by J Castro

First off, who’s all in the band and what is everyone’s function in The New Rochelles?
RONNIE: I'm Ronnie Rochelle. I'm the singer and I play guitar.
RICKY: I’m Ricky; I play drums and sing backing vocals.
ROOKIE: I’m Rookie; I play bass.


How did you all meet and decide to play music together?
RONNIE: Ricky and I have been playing music since the dawn of time, we found Rookie on a street corner somewhere and he was eager to downstroke with us.


As kids, who or what inspired you to want to learn how to play or write music?
RONNIE: I learned how to play music just to pick up girls.
RICKY: I recorded a demo cassette at home with a childhood friend. We had no real instruments but we made a bunch of sequenced sounds and I was drawn to that. Then another friend and I wanted to start a band at age 13 as a social thing, so we bought drums and a guitar and began to play.
ROOKIE: It seemed easy enough.


Do you remember who first introduced you to punk music?
RONNIE: I was fooling around in the neighborhood one day as a kid; I found a duffel bag full of beer, porn and some Screeching Weasel cassette tapes. The rest is history.
RICKY: My friends and I stumbled on it together at the end of Jr. High School. My dad bought Ramones Mania right after Joey Ramone died, that’s how I got into the Ramones.
ROOKIE: My Dad grew up in Rockaway Beach, so The Ramones were always on in the house growing up.


You guys released a split 7” with Austria’s Dee Cracks last year on Swamp Cabbage Records. Tell me a bit about the song “Cuidado”. Was it inspired by firsthand experience?
RONNIE: “Cuidado” is inspired from a true story involving me, the US border patrol and one fine Mexican mamacita. I can't go into much detail as legal issues are still pending.


I don’t hear any politics or heavy social issues in your lyrics. Is this a conscience decision? What do you guys’ think of MRR and the punk rock political correctness police?
RONNIE: I wouldn't be able to tell you who or what is going on politically in the world.
People just write about what's on their minds. For me, pizza and other stupid shit is always on mine.
RICKY: We’re unaffiliated with MRR and the punk rock police.
ROOKIE: Politics are dumb.


When you guys aren’t playing or listening to music, what will people typically find you doing?
RONNIE: When I'm not playing music I'm usually at the beach, cracking a cold one. I also like old Nintendo games.
RICKY: Working a job and hanging out with my girlfriend. I'm easy to please. You can find me playing Game Boy and drinking beers while she watches some television show about snobby housewives or families with 38 children.
ROOKIE: You can find me watching whatever baseball game is on or picking my nose, sometimes both.


There is documented evidence that the U.S. Government has used Van Halen and Skinny Puppy to torment prisoners. If you were in charge of selecting the music to use to torture people what songs would you use? Give me your top five.
RONNIE: If you turn on top 40 radio right now for about an hour you'll hear the same 5 songs about 30 times. So, that seems pretty torturous to me. Is torturous a word?
RICKY: Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, Aerosmith.
ROOKIE: Nirvana, Sublime, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and Led Zeppelin.


I read that out of all the art forms, music has the power to change a person’s mood the fastest. Do you agree with this? If so, are there any records you put on that will almost always ease you out of a bad day?
RONNIE: Nothing beats putting an original Ramones record on a turntable; much like prescription narcotics, its mind altering.
RICKY: Tie-dying T-shirts always does the trick for me.
ROOKIE: I only listen to the McRackins, what mood am I in?


Can you tell me about the most memorable New Rochelles gig, good or bad, and what made it so?
RONNIE: Every New Rochelles gig was a blur. I think one time we played with Green Day?
RICKY: We played a Halloween show as the Ramones a few years back. There was a great crowd and it ruled.
ROOKIE: I think one time we got through an entire set.


Where can people go to hear or buy your music?
RONNIE: Ask Rookie about where to buy our music, I seriously couldn't even tell you. Do we even have stuff for sale?
RICKY: I’m sure they’ll figure it out.
ROOKIE: You can hear/buy our music including our debut 7-inch “It’s New!” and our split 7-inch with DeeCracks “The Smile Of The Tiger” at https://www.facebook.com/thenewrochelles or http://thenewrochelles1.bandcamp.com/. Coming soon our split 7-inch with Windowsill on Swamp Cabbage and Lost Youth Records and our complete discography “It’s New, Too!” on Kid Tested Records.


What lies in the near future for The New Rochelles?
RONNIE: Who knows what the future holds for The New Rochelles. I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow.
RICKY: It's a secret.
ROOKIE: More debt, more dependency, more fun.

Record Reviews!

Atlantic Thrills – A Day at The Beach 7” (Almost Ready Records)
According to the bands bio, this Providence, RI band can play anything from full blown nuclear mushroom cloud garage punk to fun in the sun drenched surf ditties; let this record stand as exhibit “A” as evidence to why the above statement is 100% truthful. The A side, “A Day at The Beach” is the perfect soundtrack to a warm day on the sand, dancing, frolicking about and even playing volleyball with an oversized beach ball. The B Side, “Hold Your Tongue,” is a 1960’s garage Rock N’ Roll stomp-o-rama similar to The Monk’s song “Complication.” Atlantic Thrills effortlessly deliver the goods . . . and then some! – Jay Castro

Ausmuteants – Amusements LP (Goner Records)
Dusty Australian synth-punk band of apocalyptic doomsayers Ausmutants bring us songs pieced together with duct tape, scrap metal and ultra melodic hooks all wrapped in shell casings of bleakness and urgency. Ausmutants immediately remind me of contemporary bands like Miscalculations and Sex Crime with hints of bands from the way back machine like Screamers. This long player delivers songs that are short, sharp, and dark. Ausmutants aren’t a carbon copy of the above-mentioned bands make no mistake about that. They push and shove their way right to the top of their game and stand side by side next to the genera’s best. – Jay Castro

The Reigning Sound – Live at Goner Records LP (Goner Records)
This record was recorded June 26th, 2005 and was originally available only as a limited edition CD, until now that is! If any of you aren’t familiar with The Reigning Sound, I have but one question: WHY NOT? Greg and the boys deliver some brilliantly melodic, well-crafted punk Rock N’ Roll tunes that ooze warmth, charm and style that is nearly unsurpassed by any of their contemporaries. This record is as good a place to start listening to this band as any. The sound quality is excellent plus you get a sample of the oomph that Reigning Sound brings to the stage. In the land of Rock N’ Roll, The Reigning Sound is giants among men. – Jay Castro

Hard Girls – A Thousand Surfaces LP (Asian Man Records)
The San Jose, CA power trio’s second album has songs that are tightly packed with their unique brand of melodic, intelligent ferocity. To me, the qualities I hear in this band are similar to the ones I love in bands like Jawbreaker, J Church and Superchunk. A swirling blurred force of guitars and drums whisking quickly and violently around you with honest vocals that serve as the anchor to keep everything from getting too out of control. On the band’s Facebook profile they list “havin’ fun” and “gettin’ over depression” as some of their interests. Thankfully we have bands like Hard Girls that makes those things easier for the rest of us to get through! – Jay Castro

Stalins of Sound – Tank Tracks LP (Slovenly Recordings)
Stalins of Sound hurl dark and damaged punk rock that rides a black sound tidal wave of synthesizers and anxiety. The name of the band and the cover photo of the record, that shows a tank on a busy freeway mowing down motorists, pretty much sums up their music. These San Diego residents deliver the soundtrack to the harsh reality of when (not if) the machines finally take over and humanity’s days are numbered. The human race resists their extinction agenda however, and a rag tag crew of cold, calculating militant types band together and fight back. The Stalins of Sound are geared up for the first strike against the enemy stronghold. – Jay Castro

Wavelengths – S/T LP (Rubber Brother Records)
Wavelengths summon up the fun, lighthearted spirits of the 1960’s and manage to funnel them into your speakers and into your uptight cranium. Enjoyable tunes of loose psychedelic, kick back lounge and garage splatter about. I am certain this record has been specifically written to raise your good time mood to a near uncontrollable level. Never taking themselves too seriously, which is a good thing with song titles like “Take It Sleazy,” and at the same time deliver some straight rock right outta the garage with songs like “I Don’t Wanna.” Wavelengths keep the rock rollicking throughout the album’s duration. – Jay Castro

Los Puchos – S/T Cassette EP (Rubber Brother Records)
Jordan of Petty Things along with his brother formed the heart of this now defunct Tempe, AZ band. “Puchos” is what the Argentineans refer to as cigarettes, in case anyone is wondering. This cassette reels out some easy going summer lazy tunes that remind me what it would be like to take the mule ride down the Grand Canyon: fun, moving, spiritual, but by no means in any hurry. In my opinion, the standout tracks are “Victoria” which blends what the Puchos do best plus add some garage rock stomp and strut. The other being “Joanne” which reminds me of something Van Morrison could have written. When all is said and done, Los Puchos graced us with an absolutely solid release, a shame that the band called it a day. – Jay Castro

Durban Poison – Thunderwolf Cassette (Shake! Records)
The Thunderwolf is a mythological creature that seems to exist in different cultures. To the Japanese, the creature is a white wolf wrapped in blue lightening and is said to be pretty calm and harmless except when there is a thunderstorm then it becomes agitated and leaps all around in trees and rooftops scorching all it touches. This same reaction also comes from listening to Durban Poison brand of high-octane music. The Victoria B.C band of ladies and gentlemen shoot bolts of melodic, aggressive punk Rock N’ Roll out of their fingertips that causes one’s soul to stir. Like the Thunderwolf creature this cassette will leave scorch marks on your tape player no matter what the weather condition. – Jay Castro

Primitive Hearts – High and Tight LP, (Resurrection Records/FDH Records/P-Trash Records) & S/T 7” EP (Resurrection Records/No Rules! Records)
These records came out last year but they just recently arrived at the drawbridge of the Audio Ammunition secret mountain castle/fortress. We played them (a lot) and loved ‘em so we want to share the experience with you, our friends. Just because they came out a year ago doesn’t make them any less relevant by any means. Primitive Hearts play a kind of pop punk/power pop hybrid that not a lot of bands have been able to pull off: The Yum Yums, The Basement Brats, and The Parasites are just a few that come to mind at the moment. They sing about loves won and lost, the good times of yesterday and the ones that are yet to be had. Primitive hearts are the band you put on when your best lady stomped on your heart and when you’re getting psyched for the big Saturday night. – Jay Castro

Cat Party – A Thousand Shades of Gray 7” EP (Resurrection Records)
This band is a current band from California, but sounds like they came from England in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s marching with the likes of The Cure, Echo and The Bunnymen and Joy Division. Although they share a dark romanticism with the above-mentioned bands, Cat Party put a bit more velocity behind it. Unlike a lot of bands that share the same influences, when you listen to Cat Party their music doesn’t just make you want to listen to the originals, their music makes you want to listen to more Cat Party: melodic, melancholy with just a hint of late 1970’s punk bubbling beneath the surface to keep things moving. Me being a huge fan of this type of music (yes, I’m a lover not a fighter) I cry brilliance! – Jay Castro

Honey Badgers – Buena Park LP (Resurrection Records)
California’s Honey Badgers bring forth a brand of catchy, fun, ferocious, Billy Childish influenced garage Rock N’ Roll to us in matching black suits and skinny ties. This album is a bi-polar rollercoaster ride of emotion; from playful little ditties like the song “Funky C” to full swing garage mayhem demonstrated in the songs “Bumstick” and “Bone Zone” where you can almost feel the lead singer screaming at you two inches away from your face. The band does employ keyboards, and it is utilized in some songs way more than in others, but it doesn’t by any means take away from the 1960’s garage kick that this record was meant to be an homage to. I think the forefathers would be proud. – Jay Castro

The Shrills – Melt Down LP, Pink Hotel Cassette EP, Ghoul Kids Cassette EP (Resurrection Records)
The Shrills fire away cannon blasts of lo-fi, trashy Rock N’ Roll chaos with slathers of 1950’s rockabilly and doo-wop incased in bombshells of 1960’s garage pandemonium. Imagine if Flat Duo Jets and Supercharger came together in a remote part of the universe like some sort of unstoppable Rock N’ Roll Voltron robot but instead of a sword is armed with a keyboard. Now it heads towards earth on a strict mission to rid the world of all that is dull and tedious in contemporary music. This gives you some idea of what I’m trying to keep from exploding my speakers for the last few days. All three of these releases contain the same high proof mixture with little to no let up! – Jay Castro

V/A – No Rules! No Fun Compilation LP (No Rules Records)
Holy Smokes, this is one of the best comp records I’ve heard from beginning to end in a really long time. It’s as if they had Audio Ammunition in mind when the fab folks over at No Rules concocted it. The fun starts off with Oakland’s Top Ten and their cover of The Real Kids “Hit You Hard” sung with female vocals, which adds a new twist to an already killer song. The record keeps up the pace with some of my already favorites like Youthbitch, Primitive Hearts, Mean Jeans, and Chemicals just to name a few. Bands I discovered on here that I now love are Piss Test, Huff Stuff, and Perfect Look. If you’re a fan of fun pop punk that’s high on the melodic side and bursting with energy, then you owe it to yourself to get this record NOW! – Jay Castro

The Shanghais – Pretty Mean 7” (No Rules Records)
The parade of fantastic releases just keeps coming from the lads at No Rules Records this time with this EP by these Oakland, California girls (and boy) The Shanghai’s! What we got here is (and I wanna add that’s it’s not nearly enough) some cat claw catchy, pop punk with thick buzz saw guitars and furious drum bashing accompanied by melodic female vocals and on occasion some doo wop-y backing vocals. The production on the record is just minimal enough to give the songs that edge and abrasion that music of this sort needs yet isn’t so lo-fi that it blocks the melodies from beaming through. I look forward to living in a world with a band like The Shanghai’s walking amongst us and making music. – Jay Castro

Sex Scheme – S/T 7” EP (Puppet Combo Records)
Brooklyn, New York’s Sex Scheme scruffily thrust at you some brutally blown out, lo-fi, broken blues, with harmonica and all. Supposedly the band spent 60 dollars recording this record. Not that it matters; hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent to produce absolute rubbish. When playing this record however, be warned that the humidity level of the room suddenly rises to the levels that are unmatched by the southern states of the union in the middle of the summer months, the room you’re in suddenly has dirty maroon shag carpeting and the paintings on the wall turn into velvet renditions of what they once were. Turned up, sleazy out, and fuming all around: this is the order of the day for the band Sex Scheme and they execute this order quite well. – Jay Castro

These record reviews were originally published on Audio Ammunition on July 10th, 2014

The Yum Yums are here!

In a perfect world, there would be a tribute statue erected in Norway with the likeness of Yum Yums front man Morten Henrikson. For years he’s been strumming away writing and performing glowing pop songs, just the way the Norse God of pop songs intended. Songs that are so jam packed with guitar hooks and genuinely heartfelt lyrics that you instantly feel a connection with them. Sometimes I feel like maybe that's why bands like The Yum Yums aren't as popular as they should be; it's almost too emotionally “real” for most people to take. That's why all these disconnected theatrical rock star puppets rule the airwaves. So where is this Norse God of pop songs and why isn't he striking down all of these fraudulent poets of musical swill you ask? Why he's too busy writing songs for his band The Yum Yums!

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on June 17th, 2014

Interview by Jay Castro

What is the origin story of your band Morten? I know you have had a lot of people come and go, but with the original line up: how did you all meet and decide to form a band?
Morten: The Yum Yums was my idea from the start. My former garage band The Cosmic Dropouts had just broken up and I wanted to start a light hearted pop-band with punk energy to stand up to all the grunge, black metal and "beats per minute" crap that was out there in 1993. I wanted a band like Paul Collins Beat, The Barracudas, The Real Kids and of course The Ramones, plus more "modern" bands like The Queers, Psychotic Youth (Swe), The Vacant Lot and Sonic Surf City (Swe). A band like The Devil Dogs was also a HUGE influence. Still is! I basically recruited guys I knew were into the same music I was, regardless if they were "good" musicians or not.

As a kid, do you remember what band or musician made you want to pick up an instrument and want to write your own music?
Yep: The Monkees were my favorite band when I was 4. My mom bought me Monkees singles after we watched The Monkees TV show. Later I got obsessed with the British glitter and glam pop wave of the early 70's. Slade, Sweet, Suzy Quatro, Gary Glitter, Mud… you name it! They were all gods! Then Kiss, The Ramones and punk rock. Later I started digging backwards for ‘60's garage rock, surf, girl groups and bubblegum, even 50's Rock N' Roll, R & B and rockabilly.

What is life like for a power pop band in Norway? Are there some other similar bands to play with out there right now?
We have actually been pretty much alone, doing the kind of Ramones-y power-pop that we do. Norway is such a small country, so the bands we like to play with and hang out with are bands of various genres. Lately some new punk / power pop bands have turned up, though like Sugar Louise, The Promdates, The Whipshades, The Hallingtons. Other bands to check out would be Peter Berry and The Shake Set (‘60's beat), Los Plantronics (spaghetti-instrumental), Gringo Bandido (Intense Greg Cartwright-style pop rock).

On the new album …Play Good Music, the subjects of the songs run a full emotional spectrum of relationships, everything from being happy in love to being happy without it. Are all of these songs about the same person or are you able to look back and tap into emotions from your past?
The angry bitter and hateful songs are mostly about my ex girlfriend Caroline (of Caroline & The Treats), who had dumped me right when I was writing the lyrics for the album. Not a happy time, but good for inspiration I guess. The happier songs are either written before the breakup, or are about what life and love could or should be like in a perfect world. The album is actually still kind of hard for me to listen to. Oh well… these days I am writing songs for the next Caroline & The Treats album, which I also will record and produce. She writes her own lyrics though.

Aside from the obvious power pop influences, the song on the new album “And a Whole Lot of You” has an almost Motown intro like “Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops. Are you a fan of Motown and groups like these?
There are a lot of different influences on the album. The main influence for “And A Whole Lotta You” is however bubblegum pop. No particular song. But I am of course a fan of the Motown stuff and bands / artists like that too. There were a lot of Motown influences in Bubblegum music too.

Although Yum Yum’s lyrics aren’t always happy and sunny the music that accompanies them usually is. Do you have any music that you put on when you’re down about something that can brighten up your mood?
Any Rock And Roll, baby! All kinds! As long as it rocks!

Where are the best places for people to hear or buy your music?
Anywhere we play, I guess. My favorite place to play is always at the Wurlitzer Ballroom in Madrid. We have a fantastic, faithful gang of fans there. Always a party! Where to buy our records? Any well-stocked records store, iTunes Store, or directly from me: mhenrik@online.no

What does the band have in store for us in the near or not so near future?

I have written A LOT of new Yum Yums songs, and we are planning to record a new album this summer / fall for release later in the fall. I guess I need to find another girl who can break up with me, so I can get the lyrics going. Lyrics are always a hassle! I hope we can release a new single shortly. I wrote a summer-song last summer called "Summertime Pop". It's about guys who spend their days and nights indoors playing their "Perfect Summer 45's" instead of going to the beach.

The Cheap Cassettes Interview!

In the late 1990’s, The Dimestore Haloes, along with a handful other bands were the soundtrack to my young adulthood. I felt a connection with a lot of these bands not only because of their greatness but also because they were all around the same age as me. Then suddenly they all started retreating back to the corners of the country from which they all came. This was now the mid 00's, a time in underground punk that I call “the dark times.” A time when good bands and labels were few and far between, compared to the salad days of the mid to late 1990's that is. But now it’s 2014 and the genre is experiencing a resurgence of sorts and Chaz and Kevin of The Dimestore Haloes are back, this time as The Cheap Cassettes, a glam, power-pop powerhouse that hits you like a pair of difibulators to the chest. The Cheap Cassettes are here to send Rock N’ Roll energy back into the pulse less hearts of America!

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on June 17, 2014

Interview by Jay Castro

First off, I want to thank you both for taking some time here for us, we appreciate it!
CHAZ: No worries, I’ve got the day off work and I was spending it watching old Kix videos on YouTube. In my underwear, trust me you are not interrupting anything important.

KEVIN: No problem. Glad to be here.


Let’s start with introductions: who are you guys and how do you help fuel the Cheap Cassettes Rock N’ Roll machine?
CHAZ: I play guitar and sing. I write a good portion of the songs. I play Gibson guitars and I use Dr. Rubin’s hair grease.

KEVIN: I play drums, some of the bass, a little rhythm/lead guitar and some backing/lead vocals. I also ended up doing most of the mixing/mastering/album art.


You guys used to be in a much beloved band of the late 1990’s early 2000’s called The Dimestore Haloes. What led to the decision to put the brakes on that?
CHAZ: It just kind of fell apart in 2003. We had done four full length records and a bunch of singles and had a bunch of different line ups, and it seemed like it had run its’ course. Then Kevin left Boston for Hawaii, so that ended that. I had always kind of hoped we’d do more someday but then after our original drummer, Jimmy Reject died in 2006, it just seemed more definitely over with.

KEVIN: I always end up taking the blame for that one ha ha. Let’s just say that our bass player at the time literally couldn’t play and we had some other issues. That and I followed a girl half way across the world.


I was reading the bio on The Haloes Facebook page and it read “Made some great records nobody heard, played some great live shows few people attended,” do you plan to try a different approach with Cheap Cassettes so that this isn’t the case again? Do you think if social media was as prevalent then things would have been any different?
CHAZ: Well, the thing for me is this; we are from a different generation of Rock and Roll type people, and unlike a lot of kids today, we never learned to be businessmen. We never had a manager, we never had a booking agent, we haphazardly did everything ourselves, and while we were great at writing songs and playing guitars and looking cool onstage, we were not good at those practical, real world aspects of the business. Looking back, I am satisfied that we are still known and remembered by a clued in elite, for lack of a better term, who were very into the more interesting bands from that era. I think those types of people are happy that, unlike the Dropkick Murphy’s for instance who started out in our scene and quite quickly became more of a mainstream thing, the Haloes still sort of belong to the underground. As far as doing anything different with the Cheap Cassettes: probably not ha ha.

KEVIN: I can’t really comment too much about the records and live shows. I think I played on one 7” and the last album? I was just glad to have been part of the whole disaster! To me, the real Dimestore Haloes was always Chaz, Jimmy, Lorne and Marcus so as far as a different approach: I guess the way we are going about the whole thing is pretty unique. If social media was prevalent when I was in the band I wouldn’t have had to mail out press kits and make follow up calls on my land line phone ha ha.

So the collection of songs you have up on your Bandcamp page (cheapcassettes.bandcamp.com) has been a long distance work in progress. Recording took place on the east coast and mid west and then there’s Hawaii? How did you end up there and has it been difficult piecing everything together in this manner?
CHAZ: Kevin has lived in Hawaii since the mid 2000’s, I left Boston in 2011 and have lived in Ann Arbor, Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin since then. We’ve done the record one piece at a time, emailing tracks and lyrics back and forth. We only “speak” via text and email. Neither of us likes talking on phones. We’ve seen each other and hung out a few times when Kevin is on the mainland, but we haven’t physically played together in a little over ten years. So it’s a weird thing, but it’s a great Rock and Roll album that came about in an unusual way. We still rock like murder, as somebody once said.

KEVIN: Like I said earlier, I ended up meeting the love of my life and followed her. We ended up coming back to where she grew up, Hawaii. For various reasons we had to stay. It sounds cliché, but it’s true! Chaz approached me sometime in 2010, I think, about making a long distance record. I thought it was a great idea and we kind of worked out a way for him to send me tracks online. I then recorded my parts (drums, some bass/guitars/backing vocals) at my house and mixed everything down. It hasn’t really been difficult at all. In fact it’s been kind of seamless. The only trouble we run into is that we are both really busy and two weeks turns into two months turns into two years.


I loved that you covered “Happy When It Rains” by Jesus and Mary Chain, Darklands is one of my favorite records of all time! Is there any music that you guys listen to that you think may surprise some of your fans?
CHAZ: I listen to everything from old country and rockabilly to power pop, blues, new wave, heavy metal, post punk...I like guitar music, and I like good songs. Genres and haircuts and shoes don’t really matter, as much to me now as they did when I was a feisty youngster.

KEVIN: I suggested that we each pick a song to cover and I ended up choosing that song. I remember having a list of songs that I wanted to tackle and that one just struck me. I don’t think anything I listen to would really shock any of our fans. I have been listening to The Replacements last two albums non-stop for about two months now, that may ruffle some feathers!

Chaz, I read your post How to Be a Well Dressed Man about Town, Spring 2014 Edition on your blog http://chazmatthews.blogspot.com and I absolutely loved it especially that you kept affordability in mind. Tell me a bit about what led you to write about men’s fashion and have you had any thoughts about a career in that industry?
CHAZ: I’ve always been into clothes, and history, and retro fashion. Even in the Haloes era, I was very into rockabilly and doing the whole ‘50’s thing. It’s evolved since then for me, and a lot of the stuff I’ve always liked is accidentally in fashion now, maybe because of TV shows like “Mad Men” reminding people of how cool people dressed in the ‘50s. I think its fun to write about things I like, that’s what blogging is about I suppose, and one of the things I like is the timelessness of that certain era of style. I also love those old ‘70’s and ‘80’s glam rock looks, but as you get older, those looks don’t age so well. The ‘50s and early ‘60’s look is timeless and it’s also very Rock and Roll. I would include the mod and skinhead fashions with that as well. You can age well in those looks. As for a career in fashion, I wouldn’t have the slightest clue how to proceed there.


Besides the Dimestore Haloes and now Cheap Cassettes, you guys have been involved in a few other musical endeavors, can you tell me about the absolute worst shows you guys played and what made it so disastrous?
CHAZ: Saints In Vain and Streetcar were bands I was in pre-Haloes that never really released anything. All I have for this question is that in the Haloes days, we considered it very punk rock to be under rehearsed and over lubricated with alcohol and that led to a lot of things, some good, some not so good. We considered tuning your guitar to be kind of something fancy rock stars did, and we wanted no part of it. Those were different times.

KEVIN: I wasn’t in any of Chaz’s old bands, so I can’t really comment. I was in a few bands in the mid-late 90’s that nobody has ever heard of though. Sputnic, The Hanks, The What-Nots, Lugano etc. The What-Nots actually opened up for the Dropkick Murphys in 1996 I think. Downstairs Middle East, we sucked so bad. When I was 16, I ran a record label/distro out of my bedroom. I released two 7” records by Sputnic and a cassette tape of a band called Plankton.

There are a lot of retro influences in Cheap Cassettes sound, like old power pop, mod, glam, ‘50’s Rock N’ Roll etc. In your travels, have you found any current active bands that inspire you?
CHAZ: Oh yeah, lots. I love the Strypes. I love almost all of the bands on Wild Records, especially The Dragtones. I love the Crazy Squeeze from L.A., Giuda from Italy, Lion’s Law from France. I like JD McPherson and Nick Waterhouse and John Paul Keith and Nikki Hill. There’s so much, I can’t remember it all.

KEVIN: To be honest nothing new has really grabbed me and shook me in quite a while. I am pretty picky about what I listen to these days. I like to dig back and (re)discover old bands and records. I love The Tripwires from Seattle although they haven’t put anything out in a while. I love when The Figgs release new records. The Swingin’ Utters, The Copyrights. Anything Rusty Willoughby does. The Obits are awesome. Chaz is way more hip to the new bands playing around these days.


What can we expect from Cheap Cassettes for the remainder of the year? Any tours, new albums etc?
CHAZ: The album will finally have a physical release this year. It’s called All Anxious, All The Time, and there will be a CD to buy some time in the near future. We also have a track on the new Jolly Ronnie/Mooster Records compilation CD. As far as live shows, there are tentative plans in the works and we’ll let you know when we know.

KEVIN: All the songs are recorded and I am currently in the process of mastering the album. It WILL be out this year, we promise. I would love to play out at some point. My wife and I are planning on moving back to the mainland within the next year or so, so you never know. I can already hear people going “Ohhh no.”

Interview with Durban Poison

Durban Poison have been quietly stirring an old black cauldron full of high energy, dark, and driving punk Rock N’ Roll in shadowy woods of Victoria, British Colombia since 2009. They’ve obtained an ancient book of black magic spells, reached deep into its pages and summoned spirits through ritualistic ceremonies that have bestowed upon them similar Rock N’ Roll powers as people such as Cheetah Chrome, Dee Dee Ramone, Suzi Quatro, and Scott Asheton. The men and women of Durban Poison now walk the earth with these powers/curses. Their curse comes to fruition when these individuals, that seem normal when they’re alone, gather together and suddenly chaotic, bruises inducing, riff riddled Rock N’ Roll rips from their souls and melts the flesh off anyone who happens to be nearby. Walk cautiously and listen carefully; you never know when these individuals will be gathering in your town.

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on June 11, 2014

Interview by J Castro

Okay Matti, let’s start things off with introductions, who’s all in Durban Poison these days?
MATTI CORVETTE: Well, the current lineup is El Kamino and Me on guitars + an A-list rhythm section composed of Shane Grass (Hot Blood Bombers, Shitty Neighbors) on bass and JJ (DOA, Carpenter) on drums.

How did you all meet and decide to play music together?
MATTI CORVETTE: Originally the band came together from meeting new friends at house parties and everyone just wanting to play music so bad. The first jams were in the UVic art studios until we were kicked out.

As kids, can you remember what band or musician inspired you to want to learn how to play an instrument and/or write music of your own?
MATTI CORVETTE: The Ramones, Joan Jett + The Runaways

I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of people try to describe your sound, but how would you describe Durban Poison yourselves?
MATTI CORVETTE: Rock and roll-y, punk-y, co-ed, fuck I hate describing myself so usually just use what other people have written ha ha, “hi-octane garage rock.”

Your 2011 album Lost In Space has a few nods to one of earths mightiest bands, The Ramones! I get this strange hollow feeling in my chest when I stop and really think about this band being gone. Do you think there will ever be a band like The Ramones that will inspire so many people again?
MATTI CORVETTE: I’d like to hope that there’s that possibility, but I feel it would occur in another genre or sub-genre as the Ramones were that for punk rock. There won’t ever be another ‘70’s punk movement: that happened in the ‘70’s.

Tell me about the cover of the Thunderwolf EP (which I totally love) and what the song is about?
MATTI CORVETTE: The cover was drawn by lead guitarist in the band, El Kamino, who has done a lot of the art for Durban Poison and various Shake! Records releases.
The song was written about a mythical beast, the Thunderwolf. A few years ago were in Northern Quebec for work and my neighbor gave me this really deadly knife with a Thunderwolf on it for my birthday. The song is about a friend wolf that always has your back and shreds your enemies to bits.

What are some of the most common things that inspire Durban Poison songs and do you remember the most unusual thing or event that inspired a song?
MATTI CORVETTE: Sexual frustration, frustration in general. On Thunderwolf, the idea for Demon Magic happened because someone I worked with told me about when they were young one year at summer camp there was this guy who sat up in like a lifeguard style chair and played a 12-string like all summer and the way they described it was “What is this demon magic?”.

If you could tour with any band in the History of Rock N’ Roll from any era in their career who would it be and why?
MATTI CORVETTE: Ahh, uhh, too many to choose but lets say early ‘90’s Hellacopters. Why? Chill, cool peeps that I think we’d get along with.

I hear some Black Sabbath licks in some of your songs, are you guys fans of Ozzy and the gang and other late 1960’s, early 1970’s rock, if so what other groups?
MATTI CORVETTE: I used to listen to a lot of Alice Cooper, Motley Crue & the like and yeah Sabbath. It’s kinda fun to go metal for 20 seconds. I listen to so much music from that era, Jefferson Starship I love, Mott the Hoople, T-Rex, Sonics, and Nuggets/Pebbles/Back From The Grave comps.

What is your affiliation with Shake! Records?
MATTI CORVETTE: I own/operate and go broke for Shake! Records. We’re doing 10 tapes in 10 weeks right now, get em’ while they’re hot!!

Tell me a bit about the Shake/arama Festival:
MATTI CORVETTE: Shake/arama happened as I really wanted to tour but couldn’t get people stoked to go across Canada so thought I’d try to bring all my friends bands here (Victoria, BC) for one giant island party its gonna be a blast: over 30 bands for $30! Coolest and cheapest music festival this city has every seen. Huge shout-outs to Animal Productions and CFUV 101.9FM for being mega helps with putting the fest together!

Where can people go to hear or buy Durban Poison’s music?
MATTI CORVETTE: Take a listen on the Durban Poison Bandcamp or Shake! Records Soundcloud. All the Durban Poison records are available from Shake! Records online store.

What lies ahead for the band in the last half of 2014 any new albums or tours?
MATTI CORVETTE: We’re going to release a split cassette with Grosser (rad Calgary band) in time for the Shake/arama festival and are playing the outdoor Love-In free show at UVic on June 27th .
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/durbanposion27

Here are the Father Figures!

Father Figures play a distinctive brand of tightly coiled, aggressive, trapezoidal post punk rave ups. If you compare Rock N’ Roll to a cannon ball and punk rock is that cannon firing directly at your head, then Father Figures take that cannon and aim it at you at an angle. As their music fires away it wildly ricochets, gaining momentum so you can’t tell where and when it’s going to hit. Way back when piano pounding wild man Jerry Lee Lewis earned his nickname “The Killer.” If you want to compare rock musicians to assassins then Father Figures aren’t the boorish thug hit men with the big loud guns, they’re cold calculating ninjas you won’t ever see coming. Razorcake magazine says they “meld urgency with intelligence, catchiness with dissonance, and sophistication with blunt force.” Now if that’s not the poison dart into the ocular cavity I don’t know what is!

This interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on May 29th, 2014

Interview by Jay Castro

Please introduce yourselves and how you give to The Father Figures:
Tom Reardon, bass and vocals.
Michael Cornelius, guitar
Bobby Lerma, drums


You all have quite extensive musical resumes. Care to give us a brief synopsis of your musical careers including bands you are involved with now aside from FF?
TOM: All of my other projects are in various forms of retirement/death. Most recently, I did a show with Pinky Tuscadero’s White Knuckle Assfuck, which was active from 2001 to 2009. I also did Hillbilly Devilspeak from 1993 to 2005. Both of those I was the primary vocalist for, as well as playing bass. From 2002 to 2008 I played bass in North Side Kings and sang back up. I was there for the Danzig punch. I have also been involved with several other projects (Bourbon Witch and Son of Crackpipe) and filled in on bass for a few stellar local acts like Blanche Davidian and Mob 40’s.

MVC: The first band I played in that made a record was The Jr. Chemists. They were an arty punk band I was in with some college friends. I started JFA soon after that ended. In the late ‘80's I played guitar in a punkish slightly funky band called Zuwal for a few years. During the heydays of the late ‘80's and early ‘90's Tempe music scene I played bass in Housequake three nights a week in Tempe clubs. In 1997 or so I played bass in a hip-hop, jazz, funk group called Suite Number Three. We started The Father Figures in 2009 after I had a long hiatus from playing in a band.

BOBBY: Some friends at Sunnyslope High School and a thirteen-year-old version of me decided to start a punk band called The Joke in 1983. Later that year, I joined the guitar player and bass player/singer from No Real Attitude and we formed Kluged. Funny, my current band mate Michael Cornelius, produced our tape all the way back then. Then I played with Sticky Thang at the very end of that project, and then moved on to The Voice in 1990. From there I played in the first incarnation of Jeff Dahl’s band here in AZ and (maybe) simultaneously, played in a re-formed Grant and the Geeers. Finally, played in a band called Forty Watt Las Vegas for about six years of so and then formed The Father Figures.


I read that part of the reason you guys named the band Father Figures is that you are all actual fathers. With all of you having a history in punk/hardcore, did any of you guys go through the Other “F” Word syndrome when you had kids? Did you think: “I liked irreverent music and people but I’m not sure I want my kid around that kind of stuff?
TOM: On the contrary, I’ve always hoped my kids liked the weirdest, craziest music possible. I fully support their interest in music, though, in any capacity, even if they like stuff I really don’t enjoy.

BOBBY: I have a six-year-old daughter and she is learning to play the drums and piano. She also wants to learn to play the guitar. I’m covertly, gently trying to expose her to good music and that includes punk rock. A little piece of my soul dies every time I hear her listening to something radio oriented (although this conduit is filtered by us). I want her to be in bands and experience the thrill of creating real music with other real humans. I promised myself I would not force my culture on her, so I just try and plant the seed and step back and see what happens.

MVC: I didn't have kids until I got married in 1998 and by then my teenage stepdaughters were already listening to music that I found offensive. My music was just noise to them for the most part. My granddaughter is a big Father Figures fan.

Both of your albums are on AZPX, a company that is better known for Skateboards. How did you hook up with those folks?
TOM: They are good people to know, even if you aren’t in a band or a skateboarder. The Locker family pretty much rule, so I’m just honored to consider them friends. This would also have to include Pat McG, as well, who is an amazing dude.

MVC: Rob started AZPX to show some love for the local skate and music scenes. I have known Rob for a long time and looked to him to help us out with graphics and t-shirts and it evolved from there.


On the your second LP, All About Everything you gave a song called “Crosstown” that’s about keeping your bravado amongst all the shootings there has been. It reminded me of this article that I read that basically blamed the fact that in society males are told to bottle up their feelings and always be the “strong” ones and it’s these repressed feelings that are causing them to act out in this way. Do you feel there is any truth to this, if not do you think there is any solution curb gun violence?
TOM: Great question. I wish I knew what made people snap and do awful things. This song is more about the idea that somewhere out there is a person who would like to assassinate the listener and how it feels to know that, yet still go about their daily business. I think there is a solution, sure, but it really needs everyone to be open to the idea of increasing budgets for mental health care, increasing empathy, decreasing the availability of guns in general (especially to the mentally ill), and increasing acceptance for people who are not just like you.

MVC: America is a violent society. We accept and glorify violence in so many ways. It's hard to consume any form of media without being confronted with an endless stream of all kinds of violence. There is stuff that's popular that should be totally abhorrent to people like the gory crime shows or Dexter. Gun violence is a direct result of the violent nature of our society and can't be looked at as a separate issue. Until America as a whole is willing to reflect on what a nonviolent society would look like there will continue to be instances of extreme violence.

You guys play music that to me relies more on musical precision and less on ol’ fashioned Rock N’ Roll chaos. As a band, do you guys prefer making records so you can tinker with the songs more and get them to your liking or do you actually prefer the unpredictability of playing live?
TOM: We seem to be more comfortable in the studio and with the whole process of getting ready for the studio. We are a band that needs to practice and “winging it” has not really worked to our favor in the past. Personally, I love the idea of experimentation with sound and just going for it live, but with The Father Figures, that’s not really our forte.

MVC: We all like songs that are concise yet have a lot of movement to them so that steers us to very set song structure.

BOBBY: This is a tough question because I love both. Playing live is a release on multiple levels- plus you get instant feedback for your effort. I love the studio because there’s nothing like hearing your ideas and all the hard work from practices balloon themselves up, the way they (for this band) were meant to be heard – big, loud, and precise. We try and keep the songs repeatable in a live setting, so we don’t add much more instrumentation than what we do in the rehearsal room. We do spend a lot of time on the production side, though (probably 75%). You can hate the songs on a Father Figures record, but you can’t deny that they sound good.

MVC: Thanks to Byron at Villain Recording.


You guys have played with some pretty big names (X, P.I.L.), what’s been the Father Figures most memorable show good or band and what made it so memorable?
TOM: We played show at the George and Dragon during our first year as a band that was really gratifying. The crowd was really into what we were doing and it sort of cemented, at least for me, that we were on to something that I liked doing, and we liked doing, but also something that the crowd seemed to get something out of as well. The PIL show was very memorable as longtime fan of that band, as was our second time playing with X and getting to meet John and Exene. Both of our CD release shows were really great, as well, just being with all of our friends and fans and having a good time.

MVC: I'm really glad we had a chance to play at Hollywood Alley a few times before it closed. Our show in San Pedro with Saccharine Trust was pretty special to me since Joe Baiza is an influence on my guitar playing.

BOBBY: For me, probably the second time we played with X (at the Crescent Ballroom). We were jacked up, the crowd was jacked up and it went off like a gross of bottle rockets in closet.

The band is obviously influenced by the post punk era in rock music, stuff like Gang of Four, Wire etc. In your opinion, what is the most underrated band from that time and why do you feel these people deserve more recognition?
BOBBY: Early “Modern English” is rough edged, jerky, creepy and noisy, killer beginning for a one hit wonder – ultimately, known for the wrong song.

TOM: I think a lot of these bands have gotten their due, especially over the last few years with all of the books and documentaries that have come out celebrating the topic of punk and post-punk. For me, I’d probably have to go with the Proletariat as being one of the more underrated bands from this particular era. They rocked and deserve to be checked out. I only recently gave them any focused attention and I’m glad I did.

MVC: Recently I dug out my turntable and rediscovered a band called Spike in Vain I used to listen to a lot. I also have to agree with Tom on the Proletariat.


There have been reports that the U.S. Government has used songs by Skinny Puppy and Van Halen to torture prisoners and detainees. If you were a government agent, what music would you use to torture your enemies?
TOM: Prove that I’m not a government agent. Typically, I use a combination of the Best of Burt Bacharach and Milk Cult.

BOBBY: “Wham,” or “Flipper.” Same band different approaches.

MVC: Man, I can't even joke about government torture.


If Father Figures could be remembered throughout Rock N’ Roll history for one song of your songs, which one would it be and why?
TOM: Very difficult to choose just one. There are several that still make the little hairs go up on the back of my neck. Right now, I’d have to go with one of our new ones, “The Truth is an Odd Number” because I just love its power.

BOBBY: A really big “if” here. I’d bridge the old and new with the two songs that best personify our sound and what we do: “We the Battery” for the new and “Butterfly” for the old. Yes, I know I didn’t follow the directions.

MVC: I can't pick just one either. I remember the feeling I got when we first played the intro to “Switch.” It felt really right and I knew the band was headed in the right direction. I also have to say that “Fix You” is one of my favorites because it really expresses what I want to do on a guitar.

What does the band have in store for us, any tours or new albums?
TOM: We are working a new album right now, which is our third. No title yet but we’re kicking around a few things. We’d definitely like to get out to the coast again and play some more in California. Other than that, though, no definite plans.

MVC: We are still deciding if we want to release the album this July for our 5th anniversary or wait until the fall when we can play more shows to support it. We are releasing an album of studio outtakes and cover songs for Record Store Day on April 19th. It will only be available at Stinkweeds records and we are only making 100 of them.
Band web site: www.thefatherfigures.com

An Interview with The Primitive Hearts!

(photo by Aaron Oxborrow)

For decades power pop and punk rock have had a history together. However, to successfully execute this merger a band needs to possess a sort of X factor, a certain something that allows a person to open up like a dropped book on a busy street and let passersby to peer into the pages of their lives, their souls. To do this well, there can be nothing artificial, the feelings and emotions that come through those amplifiers must be genuine no matter what instrument is being used as the conduit. Primitive Hearts have raw and sincere reactions to the world around them and they present their findings to you in song form and you’ll soon realize that their hearts are far from “primitive.”

This Interview originally appeared in Audio Ammunition on May 29th, 2014

Interview by Jay Castro

First off Paul, I would like to thank you for taking time and doing this interview; I know you are a busy individual, well…. I’m assuming. Let’s start with names of all in Primitive Hearts.
Paul: DANIELLE – Bass and Vocals
PAUL – Guitar and Vocals
TAYLOR – Drums

I know the band started as a two-piece (Guitar & Drums) back in 2010 you and Taylor played a show in Portland as a two-piece. Then Danielle came in and magic ensued. Do you feel 2 piece rock bands lack a bit in fullness or depth in any way? What led to the decision to add bass?
PAUL: I think there are some two-piece bands that can sound as big or bigger than even three or four-piece bands. In our case, though, we never intended to be a two-piece; we just couldn't find anyone to play bass! I wrote all the songs with bass parts and backing vocals from the beginning, so when Danielle got on board, we could finally start playing the songs as they were intended.

The new LP High and Tight reminds me of one of the three Ron Swanson acceptable haircuts for men (Buzz Cut and Crew Cut being the other two). Does film or TV shows inspire your songs a lot?
PAUL: Glad you go the haircut reference. The album title is sort of a play on the words “high & tight,” from both the haircut and a high and inside pitch in baseball. In our case, though, it just has to do with feeling good and shit being rad (aka tight). As for TV/film inspiration, maybe not on individual songs so much, but they definitely inspire the band as a whole. We're all big TV and movie fans, Kids in the Hall is the reigning band favorite. Probably about a third of any given Primitive Hearts practice is filled with KITH quotes and references. In fact, in our video for “Falling Apart,” if you look closely in a few shots you can see “Armada” scrawled on Taylor's bass drum head as homage to Rod Torfulson's Armada featuring Herman Menderchuk. It's still on there...

Can you remember the strangest or most unlikely person or event that inspired one of your songs?
PAUL: Actually, going back to your previous question, I guess I was a little off. A TV show did inspire one of our songs: “Lone Wolf.” It was based on Lenny of Lenny & Squiggy/Laverne & Shirley fame. He has the words “Lone Wolf” on the back of his jacket. I always thought that was rad and would make a great song title. I sort of wrote the song from Lenny's perspective; he may be a lone wolf, but he ain't lonely.

The lyrics for the song “Falling Apart” are kind of a bummer but the music makes it one of the catchiest most up-tempo songs on the record. I have heard some say that writing and playing music is like their therapist. Have any of you felt this way ever?
PAUL: Maybe a little bit when it comes to writing, in that you can vent certain feelings or frustrations, but playing music is definitely therapeutic. For two minutes at a time your only focus is the song you're playing, the people in the room, and having a good time. It's pretty hard to beat.

The reviewer from Maximum Rock N Roll said he hears more power pop than pop punk in your music. I think that’s a huge compliment, do you agree with that description though?
PAUL: Yeah, that's probably fair to say, although it's nothing intentional or deliberate. I can see how some of the songs have that feel, but we listen to all kinds of stuff, so it's all just a mash up of lots of influences. We've never claimed to be a “power pop” band or “pop punk” band or whatever; we just like to play good times Rock N' Roll.

In my opinion I hear both, which is a good thing! Is there any band or musician in either of those genres you feel is grossly underrated and deserves more recognition?
PAUL: Thanks, yeah, there's definitely a little of everything in there! I'm not sure about any “grossly underrated” power pop/pop punk bands or musicians necessarily, but I think the world could definitely use more of both. All hooks all the time!

In yet another write up, Primitive Hearts is described as having influences like The Kinks, Beach Boys, and The Sonics. I got into older Rock N’ Roll by way of punk rock when I was a wee lad. For example, I started paying closer attention to The Beach Boys and The Ronettes because of the Ramones. Was this the case for any of you?
PAUL: I'd say when we were young; it was the opposite for the most part. We all grew up on oldies and whatever our parents and older brothers and sisters listened to. When we got into punk and more obscure stuff, it was easy to see the connections and influences of those older bands.

I was reading this interview with Nick Cave and he said something to the effect that out of any of the art forms music has the power to change a person’s mood the fastest. Do you agree with this and if so do any of you have any favorite songs you put on to help you out of a bummer mood or to help you get all riled up on the way to a gig? Other than High and Tight of course!
PAUL: Yes, music can totally change your mood! There are so many good go-to jams when we wanna get pumped, but some favorites in the van would be anything from Chuck Berry, The Undertones, Equals, Slade, LAMF, Stones, and pretty much anything else that boogies.

With all these comparisons to Rock N’ Roll of yesteryear, do any current bands or musicians inspire you and if so who?
PAUL: Some current bands that totally kill it are Bad Sports, Midnite Snaxxx, Nobunny, The Steve Adamyk Band, Pookie & The Poodlez, The Shanghais, Mean Jeans, and Needles//Pins.

Where can people go to hear Primitive Hearts or buy your music?
PAUL: Our Bandcamp page has all our music and merch for sale, so take a peek:

https://primitivehearts.bandcamp.com/

You can also follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/primitivehearts) and Instagram (@primitivehearts).

In closing on the behalf of all at Audio Ammunition I want to thank you again and wish you the best of luck. What does the band have in store for the remainder of the year, any tours or albums?
PAUL: We're gonna be doing a month-long tour in June with a couple dates in Canada, too, around the Ottawa Explosion Weekend. We're going out with our buddies Pookie & The Poodlez, which is gonna rule. We actually did a split 7” with Pookie that should be coming out soon on Jonny Cat Records out of Portland, so keep an eye out for that! Thanks so much for talking with us!