Heatwave Magazine - Issue #4 - Spring/Summer 2017

Issue 4 - Spring - Summer 2017

Heatwavemag.com

Issue 4 - Spring - Summer 2017

W

elcome to Issue 4 of Heatwave Magazine!

We started the year with a bang and we’re hoping this year is going to get a lot better musically, because 2016 fucking sucked.

Unfortunately, what has not gotten better is the political landscape, with the right rising to power, affecting the future for everyone, and stopping musicians from spreading their work around the world. From all of us at Heatwave Magazine - we condemn racism and inequality. We will not stand for hate crimes.

It is inevitable that new kids will be creating a new sound and new scene, and we can´t wait to hear all about it. In this issue, we will introduce you to some fresh bands from across the world that you should definitely check out.

We explore the scenes in Japan and Mexico and catch up with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jacuzzi Boys and many, many more.

We would like to thank all of our readers, musicians, sponsors and all our friends that are helping us to keep afloat. We hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as we enjoyed making it for you.

-The Editorial team

Contents New Beats From The Street

-Sievehead

-Blue Carpet Band

-Bad Nerves

-These Foreign Kids

-Nave Nodriza

-Biznaga Jacuzzi Boys Billy Miller The Jackets

4

10 12 14

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Generacion Suicida Phil Robles (Phillustrate) Protex The Briefs The Mexican Scene Popcorn Chokers The Weird, Strange and Beautiful Garage Rockin’Craze Top Ten records - Todd Novak from Hozac Records

16 18 22 24 27 30 32 34 38

Editorial Department Founder/Managing Director—Neus Ruiz Editor—Linsey McFadden Creative Director—Adrian Alfonso Contributors Laurie Jane Nick Kuzmack (Nix Beat) Emily Slupecka Marko Petrovic Justin Crumpton Frieda Strachan Penelope York Bazooka Joe Adam Fisher Ana Karen Vargas Illustrators Lluis Fuzzhound Georgios Katapodis Ika Lesniak Francisco Salvado Bone LID Special thanks to Todd Novak from Hozak Records and to Phil Robles for Contributing his artwork to our magazine.

Cover Design “The Eyes” Ika Lesniak Layout Design Adrian Alfonso Printed by Mortons

3

New Beats from the Street Sievehead

S

Laurie Jane heffield punk band, Sievehead, often get compared to bands like The Wipers, The Estranged, Killing Joke and Joy Division.

But they still manage to have their own distinct sound, which combines post-punk and hardcore, that’s both brooding and energetic.

Their music always catches you by surprise. A song may start out as a moody instrumental, with plaintive lyrics eventually layered in over a rhythmic drone and then suddenly have the tempo accelerate into something fast, raw and heavy.

Singer and guitarist, Dave Walker, bassist, Joe Singleton, and drummer and backing vocalist, Bry Suddaby, got together in 2014 and put out a demo tape shortly after.

©Jamie Morrisson In 2015 they released a self-titled EP, Kids of the Lughole, and their debut album, Into the Blue on Evil Hoodoo Records and Milk Run Records.

Last year they also put out the EP Buried Beneath on Static Shock Records. Fans of the trio are eagerly awaiting their next release.

T

They attribute part of their success to having access to DIY spaces in Sheffield like the Lughole, where they were able to practice and then eventually play to audiences.

The band recently toured the US and Canada at the end of 2016 and often play in the UK and in Europe.

Next up is Berlin’s Nothing Nice to Say Festival on the weekend of April 20.

Blue Carpet Band Penelope York

he Blue Carpet Band are classic through and through, and so they want to remain. Born in North London and tired of the mainstream, they wanted to bring out the rock n’ roll of past eras.

Their high-octane energy, well seen on stage, is focused on good old-school garage and dirty rock n’ roll, with a bit of blues-rock and late 60s protopunk, all mixed up with a fair portion of punk attitude.

Strongly influenced by The Stooges, Dead Boys and The Cramps, their sound is truly familiar, giving us that warmth and non-stop foot stomping that we know so well.

I love to discover new sounds, but classics will always be classics. And The Blue Carpet Band are on a very serious mission to bring out classics, born today. I welcome their tenacity and beg for more. © Blue Carpet Band

Heatwave

Nerves BadMcFad den Linsey

T

he Bad Nerves are a new Londonbased band, creating songs that are so infectious you’ll be stuck wanting to listen to them on repeat after the first time you hit play..

The band consists of Bobby on guitar and vocals, Will on guitar, Jon on bass and Jordan on drums.

The band started when Bobby and Will started hanging out in Bobby’s garage one summer. They started writing songs and jamming out, with nothing but drums, guitar and microphones at their disposal.

“The original point of this project was just to write and record an album ourselves, print it to vinyl and be done with it, couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of putting a band together,” Bobby said. “But once we had an album’s worth of songs we changed our minds and thought, ‘fuck it, let’s do it live,’ so we instantly called Jon, cause we were certain he’d be into it, which he was.”

The three spent the next six months searching for a drummer capable of playing how they wanted at the fast pace they wanted. Finally they found Jordan and the band was fully formed and ready to play live shows.

“We just wanna play and keep playing.

Shit gets real fucking dull when you’re not doing shows,” Bobby said. “I’d almost succumbed to that dullness before this band, but if I can put that off for a few more years that’ll be great.”

Bobby said they all grew up playing in bands, but had never played together on a project before forming The Bad Nerves. The four crossed paths naturally in their local music scene at shows and studio sessions and got to know each other that way.

Despite the fact that the guys had never played together prior to their current project, their chemistry and musical cohesion is obvious in the way they play.

“You know the kind of friendships where you’ve known each other for ages, but not really? Kinda like that,” Bobby said in

©Bad Nerves description of his band mates.

So far, they’ve only put out two songs, ‘Wasted Days’ and ‘Can’t Be Mine,’ but those two tracks alone are enough to make you want more from this new four-piece.

everyone else kinda rolling their eyes.”

If you’re wondering when you’ll finally see some vinyl from this band, word has it that their 7-inch will have hit the streets by the end of March, so if you missed the release, now’s the time to run out and grab it.

On the track, ‘Can’t Be Mine,’ in particular, they’re channeling some heavy Jay Reatard and Marked Men sounds, two bands they admittedly love.

Bobby said bassist, Jon, managed to catch Jay’s London gig at the Underworld before his death and it ‘blew his mind.’

The new 7-inch will feature two brand new tracks. In addition to the release of the much anticipated 7-inch, the band already has more singles in the works, so make sure to keep your eye on their social media for more info.

“I think we must have worn a hole in Blood Visions, the amount that has been spun, same with Marked Men and Radioactivity’s LP’s,” Bobby said.

“We don’t want that first album to have a single second of filler and I feel like we’re on the track to achieve that, which is great,” Bobby said.

In addition to the influences listed above, Bobby said the band is influenced by acts such as The Ramones, T-Rex, The Clash, David Bowie, Teenage Head, The Stooges, The Saints, and Supergrass – with emphasis on their first record.

As of yet, the band hasn’t played many live shows, much to the chagrin of members of the London music scene, but that’s about to change very soon.

Despite the slow release of tunes, the band hasn’t been short on positive feedback from listeners.

By the time the first track went up, The Bad Nerves already had an album’s worth of songs, but the staggering of material has allowed them to create newer, better tracks, which really gives current and would be fans something great to look forward to.

“It’s really cool the feedback we’ve had from those two tunes, it’s probably the first time I’ve felt that people like them as much as we do,” Bobby said. “Normally it’s just me thinking, ‘fuck yeah, this is sick,’ then

For those of you that may have gotten the chance to catch The Bad Nerves opening for the American band, The Mystery Lights, at their sold out London show, you’ve already gotten a great sneak peak into what the rest of us are in for this coming spring.

But for those of you that have been wondering when you’ll finally get a chance to see this band hit the London punk circuit full force – the guys will be hitting Some Weird Sin at the Nambucca on April 28 and they’ll also be playing London’s best free music night, Garageland, at the Unicorn later this year.

5

Those Foreign Kids Penelope York

T

hose Foreign Kids aren’t foreign in the Netherlands. Marijn Westerlaken and Teun Heijmans, now based in Haarlem, grew up together.

By age 16 they had decided to create a band from nothing. No music background, no direction, just the desire to thrive.

Today they have an impressive discography, filled with anything, but ‘nothing.’

Their sound is a fusion of noise-pop, post-punk and shoegaze noise, all wrapped up in punchy psych-garage anthems.

From a philosophical perspective, they still focus in nothingness though. I love their last album’s name, Oh, Nothing.

So much attitude towards society in two mere words. Go listen to their meaning of ‘nothing’ and let us know yours. © TFK

Nave Nodriza

© Bratto

N

Laurie Jane

ave Nodriza, which translates to ‘mothership,’ is a threepiece garage punk band from A Coruña, Spain.

They kinda sound like a Spanish Teengenerate and at least two-thirds of them look like The Ramones.

Angelito, on bass and previously of Vacuums and Tropicalianegra, Victor on drums and vocals, also in Srasrsra, and Álvaro ‘Bikes’ on guitar, have been playing together since 2014.

So far they’ve put out a split EP with Srasrsra, the limited edition flexi-disc Bicicletas, and more recently in 2016, an album called Apesta (Stinks) on Grabaciones de Impacto.

Nave Nodriza write songs about goofy things like Teletubbies, Alf and bikes. Even though most of their tunes are around twominutes, each one is power packed with boisterous and catchy riffs.

Next up for the mothership rockers will be the punk festival, Nothing Nice to Say, in Berlin at the end of April, as well as some dates in The Netherlands.

Heatwave

New Beats from the Street

Biznaga Penelope York

Madrid is definitely not “Una Ciudad Cualquiera.”

There’s a lot happening there and a lot of bands are true gems.

Biznaga is most certainly one of them.

Biznaga - facebook

B

iznaga is a punk band par excellence with the gift of It’s hard to believe in anything these days. Without loudly expressing themselves like true poets, while disdainfully expressing our doubts, we could never hold onto any glimpse of spitting at the system. hope.

Perfect! With the founders, Jorge Navarro and Álvaro García, My favourite album, from a pure sound-based perspective, is being as deep and energetic as their sound and lyricism, so is the their first. Centro Dramático Nacional is crude, less polished, name they have chosen. filled with aggressive punk riffs and straightforwardly angry. But

They come from Málaga, where they have a traditional jasmine Biznaga is way more than their first album and they show exactly flower arrangement called ‘Biznaga.’ It’s also a cactus, by the that in their second one, Sentido del Espectáculo. way. One of the word Biznaga’s other meanings, in my language, In Sentido del Espectáculo, they haven’t lost their essence. If Portuguese, is ‘a water pistol to have fun with.’ anything, they refined it. They have matured, not only in their lyrics, Instead of water, imagine the pistol is loaded with assertive riffs, now more poetic and thought-through, but also in their sound. mid to up-tempo melodies and furiously stunning lyrics. I’d love It has clearer rhythmic structures, the pop within the punk is such a pistol and it’s totally appropriate for this band too. more notable now and the production is notoriously more defined.

Biznaga features Álvaro García on vocals and guitar, Jorge However, the anti-everything attitude is still very much there and I Navarro on bass and backing vocals, Pablo Garnelo on guitar and sure like that. And the lyrics? They have reached the level of true backing vocals and Jorge Martinez, aka Milky, on drums. poetry. For those who don’t understand Spanish, go grab a friend They started in 2011, introducing themselves for with a demo to translate it for you. Rápido.

in 2012, followed the year after with a self-titled EP, before finally “I like a group independently of their lyrics, but if you take care releasing the album, Centro Dramático Nacional, in 2014. of that section, it’s a plus that sets you apart from the rest,” said With the brand new album Sentido del Espectáculo, released in Jorge, the band’s lyricist. “It’s a tool, in my view, sadly forgotten, January 2017 on Slovenly Recordings, they assured their rightful because in the end you have the opportunity to make a speech place as one of the most important punk bands in the Spanish with your music and you don’t know how powerful a word can be in the right phrase with the right chord at the right moment.” scene, grabbing long well deserved attention across borders.

Now, isn’t he absolutely right? We can all sing about lost loves In both albums there’s a constant sense of urgency. Biznaga proclaim themselves as anti-everything. They’re not cynics, they’re and drinking buddies, and that’s necessary too, but the world is realists who use their music to exorcise their sceptical view of the getting pretty messed-up, man. And how better to fight these motherfucking demons we have to carry every day than to shout world. I’m with them.

7

© Iñigo de Amescua it out? World, I am infuriated, you hear me?! This world has gone mad beyond repair.

Revolution times never felt this real... Not for us at least, our generation has never encountered such dark times like these before. And Biznaga are very aware of it.

Their lyrics reflect their militant social criticism, against consumerism, social network passivity, loss of values, beliefs and willingness in a nihilistic way that brings us back to 70s punk, where everything seemed lost and everyone felt lost.

But make no mistake, this is not a reminiscence. It is our damned reality now. We are lost. More than the kids ever were back then.

Biznaga portrays our reality perfectly.

The more I listen to them, the more I get enraged. We were dormant for far too long. I’m just waiting for the moment we’ll finally burst. For we will burst!

This, and more, is what Biznaga do to me when I listen to them, and I truly thank them for it. For I need this anger, we all do.

The crying world is outside, waiting for salvation. Yet, while I still don’t know what the fuck we should do, what we can do is use what we have, here and right now – our words, our music and yes, our growing rage.

Well, ladies and gents, as you see, I particularly chose not to just talk about their music. I chose to write about what Biznaga represents to me, not only because this is not a review per se, and so far I’m still in a free country, but also because now more than ever this is what music should do to you. It should twist your guts, burn your mind and turn your world upside down.

Heatwave

New Beats from the Street

Jacuzzi Boys Laurie Jane

© LID

S

ince 2007, Miami’s Jacuzzi Boys have been making the kind of poppy and energetic rock n’ roll that feels like summer is never going to end. Along the way, they’ve put out five albums, 14 EP’s, toured around the world, been featured on a movie soundtrack, started their own record label - Mag Mag and can even claim Iggy Pop as a super fan.

While the band is known for their take-no-prisoners, reverb heavy guitar sound, catchy melodies and dreamy vocals, they’ve also continued to experiment and evolve over the last ten years.

On the heels of their recent album Ping Pong and US tour, we caught up with singer and guitarist, Gabriel Alcala, drummer, Diego Monasteri and bassist, Danny Gonzales, to find out what’s in store for the band as they start the next decade.

Heatwave: How are you guys doing? Freaked out about Trump like we are over here?

Heatwave: One other change is you’ve now started your own record label, Mag Mag. Aside from your own material, Gabriel: Yep. It’s still really surreal… Like we’re in some sort of do you have any other upcoming projects in mind for it? alternate reality. I’ve learned to not let the political climate bum me Danny: Yeah, we definitely plan on releasing other out so much though. It’s important to stay positive and creative artists, as well as our own stuff. We’re gonna start with in times like this. a series of single-sided flexis and take it from there.

Heatwave: 2017 will be your ten-year-anniversary as a Our first scheduled release is really exciting and special, but gotta band right? Does it feel like it’s been ten years since you keep it a secret for now. first started out?

Heatwave: I’ve been digging Ping Pong since its release last October. It’s got that Jacuzzi Boys gig energy to it, but the production comes across as quite polished. What was the inspiration for the record?

Danny: It’s funny, we were just talking about that today. I’d say overall it doesn’t really feel like ten years have gone by, but when you think of certain early shows or our first tour or something like that you kinda go… “Whoa, that was a long time ago!” Gabriel: We wanted the record to be pretty I guess that’s a good thing. Haha. stripped down… Just us and minimal overdubs.

Heatwave: What do you think has changed the most since It was recorded it in Downtown LA, which I think added a vibe to the record… Some bizarre stuff happens on the street out there. you first started playing together?

Danny: I think we’ve gotten slightly more proficient on our Danny: I wish the record was even more ‘polished’... Like Steely instruments and we’re basically willing to try anything now, where Dan! as in the past we might have felt like certain things were off limits or not the right vibe or something.

Heatwave

Heatwave: What’s the general process for you guys on your albums? Do you start writing and working on songs and wait until you have enough material for it to happen or is it something else?

Gabriel: Yeah, we basically work on songs together during practice and the batch that survives will be the material we take into the studio to record. It’s a pretty organic process of elimination.

Danny: Yeah, it mostly comes from jamming together, but one or two songs on Ping Pong were kinda pieced together in the studio… We haven’t done much of that, but it can be pretty fun.

Heatwave: I think I saw on your bandcamp page that you guys wrote all the songs except ‘Gamma,’ ‘Seventeen,’ and ‘Easy Motion.’ Who did you collaborate with on those?

Danny: Yeah, Eric Hoegemeyer, who recorded and mixed the record. He helped with certain ideas and parts and might have even played on some of those.

It was pretty fun and easy to work with him. The exact contributions tend to get a bit blurry, but we all felt like he deserved a writing credit on those

© Carla Salvatore

Heatwave: How was your most recent US tour this past Diego: No plans as of right now, but hopefully we can make it autumn? over later this year.

Gabriel: Pretty fun! It went by a lot quicker than expected, which Heatwave: Also, last question… I just discovered, and is always an indication that we’re having a good time. am loving, your public playlists on Spotify. Are you all Danny: Yeah, it felt good to get out a do the full loop. It had been contributing to those? a while!

Danny: Thanks! I’ve made the two that are on there, but hopefully Heatwave: Are there any places you enjoy going to on tour there are more to come. more than others or any that you don’t like?

Danny: I always like it when there are new spots we’ve never been to… We’re playing Pittsburgh and Rhode Island on this upcoming tour, really looking forward to that.

And we’ve had some nightmare shows in certain cities, but they’ll remain nameless so we don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

Heatwave: I think I saw somewhere that your last tour date was in Miami at the infamous Churchill’s Pub. Is that right? It’s good to see places like that still around, with so many great music venues getting torn down in other cities for new development.

Is that something you’ve experienced in Miami too?

Danny: Yeah, absolutely. Lot’s of venues have come and gone, but it feel’s like Churchill’s has always been there. That place is beyond special… surely one of the best clubs in the country.

Heatwave: You always seem stoked to live in Miami. Do you guys ever see yourself living anywhere else?

Diego: We all love Miami very much, so I don’t really see us moving anywhere anytime soon.

Heatwave: So what’s on the agenda for Jacuzzi Boys in 2017?

Gabriel: We’re going on a small east coast tour in March and working on some new songs.

Danny: And heading out west over the summer. Just trying to stay busy really Heatwave: I saw you when you played in London the last time you were over. Any plans to head back over the pond to Europe again?

11

Rehearsal and Recording studios are now in Homerton We have 17 years experience and are here to help. · Brand new rehearsal rooms with air replacement system– no more stale sessions · Solid soundproofing with spectrum analyzed acoustics · Great price 3 hour evening slots · Really affordable- book on the day rates · Large 7x7m multi use room · Recording studio with 12 channel Neve desk Give us a ring for a chat 0207 923 9533 or have a look on our website http://www.gunfactorystudios.com

© Francisco Salvado

Bazooka Joe

T

he music world was dealt a crushing blow on November 13, 2016, when Kicks Magazine and Norton Records co-founder, Billy Miller, checked out on us at the age of 62. It’s a loss that I deal with painfully everyday, living in a depraved world that’s slipping further and further away from a bygone era when rock n ’roll and rhythm & blues was fun, outrageous kids’ music that was enthusiastically promoted worldwide, yielding countless savage records and supremely cool dance moves, like the Wombat Twist.

If you’re reading Heatwave, but have yet to be initiated into the raucous universe that he and his wife, Miriam Linna, set forth with Kicks in 1979, then it’s time to dig in and get hip to where the loud sound abounds!

In the mid-90s I was just over 21-years-old and hanging out at the Underground, a microscopic garage-punk specialty store in Las Vegas, where I was discovering Norton archival releases like The Junior Raymen, featuring the crude 1966 recordings of Link Wray’s pubescent nephew covering a few of Ol’ Uncle Link’s hits. Another of their releases that had me scratching my pomade saturated coif was an LP of local 60s Vegas teen surf swingers, The Teenbeats!

My mom grew up in The Valley at the same time, but she never told me about them. There was even a brand new band that

Heatwave

sounded straight outta some lost Ray Dennis Steckler flick, The Phantom Surfers, with their 18 Deadly Ones LP – one of the select few non-original surf platters that still matters.

It was at this same wax hut that I found my cherry-breaking issue of Kicks Magazine (#4), which had been released years prior, but was being sold used. It opened with Billy’s regular Kickoff column where he told the story of his transformation from suburban New York jailbait to slobbering rock n’ roll addict.

“When I was just a little snotster the O’Dells lived in the house behind ours and I remember their daughter Lynn throwin’ a backyard shindig for her teenage pals, complete with records spinnin’, barbecue smokin’ and those Japanese lanterns glowing all around the patio,” he said. “Like a hunter peering through the underbrush at some undiscovered tribe I gazed in amazement at this ‘older crowd’ dancin’ and laughin’ and suddenly all singin’ along to ‘Alley Oop’ when it came on. Right then and there I knew – THAT’S WHAT I WANNA DO. So here’s the new ish, big and fat as your Aunt Agnes.”

He did it as declared, and he did it right. It’s one thing to cull and present stories of forgotten musical artists, it’s another thing to do it exhaustively, and it’s still another to do it with the humour and enthusiasm that made Kicks the undisputable bible of the rockin’ ape set.

When douchebag supreme, Stink, wrote a foppish letter to the

New York Times protesting their raving review of Hasil Adkins’ latest Norton platter, Billy reprinted it in Kicks and annotated with brilliantly juvenile quips: “You patronise Hasil Adkins because he is inept,” Stink said.

“He who smelt it dealt it, chap,” Billy replied.

It wouldn’t be fair to pit one outlet against the other. The burgeoning Norton Records empire was just as ornery and you could dance to it.

I was DJing at a Vegas college radio station, KUNV, and spied a peculiar and hilarious looking LP called Sophisticated International Playboys by The Untamed Youth lying in a ‘light rotation’ bin. It was a Norton release by some goofy Midwest kids who were hopped up on 60s surf and garage music.

I played it every week for months and it helped me on my path to rebelling against all the ‘alternative’ crap that was being forced on the DJ’s, so the music directors could chart it and get sucked off by the big record label executives at their shitty industry conventions.

By 1999 I was a full-blown Nortonian, and that year a miracle happened – a garage festival called Las Vegas Grind, named after the incredible Strip Records compilation series, was coming to town. The Trashmen were playing.

The Phantom Surfers backed Davie Allen, the undisputed king of the fuzz guitar. Screaming Lord Sutch, The Fabulous Wailers, and my personal heroes, Thee Mighty Caesars were all there in my town and turning it on its head!

But for me, and most importantly, was meeting Billy and Miriam at a day show at the Double Down saloon. I was DJing, and they were dancing. They had no excuse not to shake, since I was playing some of their very own releases.

A few years later I wound up in New York and was working at Wowsville Records in the East Village. Billy stopped by and was eating chicken tacos, lettuce falling out of his mouth while he rapped. It was the first time I’d seen him since 99.

He and Miriam welcomed my then girlfriend/now wife, DJ Xtine16, and me into their home and lives.

Admission to that exclusive world was the greatest gift bestowed upon us since birth. Lovelier people barely exist, and their coolness is practically peerless.

New York in the 00s was exciting as hell thanks in large part to their tireless promotion of the label and their own band, The A-Bones, could be caught ripping it up regularly.

As permanent teenagers themselves, they’d even share bills with actual kids like The Black Lips.

We left New York in 2007 for Pennsylvania, catching up with Billy and Miriam a couple times over the years. The last time I saw Billy was in a motel room in Allentown in 2014.

He was selling records ahead of the annual record fair, and in his sales box was a copy of an all-time favourite compilation inclusion of his, The Mexican Stretch by Tommy Bee and the Juareztones.

I had limited funds, so he cut me a deal, generous, as I’d always known him to be. I thanked him and left him alone in his room, a picture that I’ll never forget. I continue to play that 45 at parties everywhere in his honour.

13

The Jackets Nix Beat

h 70s g of freakbeat sounds infused wit The Jackets are the mutant offsprin era Tor k y are Sam Schmidiger on bass, Jac inspired primitive garage punk. The drums. lead vocals and Chris Rosales on (aka Jackie Brutsche) on guitar and

B

ased in Bern, Switzerland they have been wreaking havoc across Europe since 2008. The Jackets were originally a two-piece group, with Torera and Rosales, called The Trash Department. Feeling the need for a bass guitar, a former bandmate of Rosales’, Servin Erni, was added, making the group a trio.

Renamed The Jackets, they began playing gigs in January 2008. Unfortunately this addition was short lived, as later in 2008 Erni quit the band to focus on family life.

Torera is also a member of The Sex Organs, a garage punk duo that dresses as a hairy penis with a huge bulging eye and vagina with sharp jagged teeth. The theatrical side of the performance has always been something that has appealed to Torera.

As luck would have it, the same night that Erni announced his intention to resign, The Jackets met Schmidiger. As a promoter, Schmidiger had booked that gig and ended up hanging out with The Jackets as they mourned the loss of their bass player.

“For me as a woman in the rock n’ roll world and as a performer I always liked to play with masculine roles like wearing a moustache on stage or dark eye makeup,” She said. “Style is not something you think about or you choose, it comes from a feeling inside and the life you live. I think that’s the same feeling that helps you find the best band members and friends that share the same feelings and state of mind.”

A few days later Torera bumped into him at a bus stop and found out that he played bass. Schmidiger was invited to a rehearsal and showed to be a perfect fit. He joined The Jackets and played his first show with them in November 2008.

Despite being in a smaller city, because of Switzerland’s geographical size touring to countries like France, Germany and Italy is rather convenient. Bern has a rich musical history and quite the thriving scene.

The Jackets were hugely influenced by garage bands from the mid 60s such as, The Music Machine, The Seeds and The Monks. They also have a sincere appreciation for garage-rival groups from the 80s like The Miracle Workers, The Gravedigger V and The Lyre.

According to Rosales, this is largely because of the Reithalle, a renowned autonomous cultural center and music venue that has been around since the mid 80s. Another reason is also because of Voodoo Rhythm Records, a label started by the infamous Reverend Beat-Man of The Monsters. Bern is considered to have a music scene that is open to creativity and experimentation.

With such influences, The Jackets boast an impressive sound and have the aesthetic to match. On stage they present themselves in jet-black shirts under detached white collars.

“When we’re wearing ‘the costume’ we are The Jackets, we are a group. Three parts of the whole programme,” Torera said. “It gets us in the right mood and I think the audience feels that too.

We wouldn’t have the same energy if we were wearing blue jeans and band t-shirts. We’re bringing a sound and a feeling and how we present that is important to us.”

Heatwave

“In small towns, music scenes are not closed, fashion feels less important and everybody has played in a band with each other at some point,” Schmidiger said.

For their first record, Stuck Inside, The Jackets started out with Subversiv Records. Stuck Inside was financed and produced independently. Subversiv Records acted as a distributer to get Stuck Inside in stores throughout Switzerland.

By the time Way Out was ready to be recorded, The Jackets had made significant headway in the European garage punk circuit. The Jackets met Marco Traxel of Soundflat Records. The label is known for putting out new garage, beat and rock n’ roll bands throughout Europe, so at the time it felt like the right fit.

© alvarocastillophoto.com

When it came time for recording Shadows of Sound, The Jackets set their eyes on working with Voodoo Rhythm Records.

Conveniently located in Bern, The Jackets are also close with the labels head, Reverend Beat-Man. “We were always interested in doing something with him and the label, we were just waiting for the right time,” Rosales said.

Reverend Beat-Man, in turn, was enthusiastic to get involved.

The Jackets even sent him their demos to get feedback.

“During mixing he listened to every version and suggested what elements we could push and he even designed the record cover,” Rosales said. “Voodoo Rhythm has been incredibly helpful in so many areas and we are really happy that we finally hooked up.”

Shadows of Sound was released in September 2015. With Way Out The Jackets were more involved with the producing, mixing and designing aspects.

In comparison with Shadows of Sound, they were able to stand back and concentrate on the musical side of things. This was due to being involved with Reverend Beat-Man and Jorge Explosion at the analog recording studio Ciro Perrotti in Gijon, Spain.

The Jackets had followed Explosion’s work with The Cynics, The Fleshtones, Wau Y los Arrgghss, The Staggers and The Urges with great interest. After Explosion saw The Jackets set at Funstastic Dracula Carnival in 2013, he invited them to record at his studio.

The Jackets did all the tracking, overdubs and vocals in a week and left Jorge to mix on his own with his Telefunken V-800. At times, Explosion had to hit the Telefunken V-800 with his fists to keep it working properly. If changes needed to be made to the mix, he had to start from scratch.

Admittingly, this was a bit frustrating and perhaps showed one positive thing about the digital age. If something needs to be done over again, all one needs to do is hit save and then proceed.

In the end, though, The Jackets were quite pleased with how Shadow of Sound turned out.

Each track is defined by The Jackets signature garage punk meets freakbeat sound. The Jackets sought to capture the energy of their live performance in the record.

Its music to make one succumb to fits of gyrating spasms as if being under some sort of spell.

“A Jackets show is an unpredictable and theatrical spectacle!

Jackie loves to play with clichés and to destroy them when you don’t expect it,” Schmidiger said. “And we love to dance and go wild that’s what we want to share with the audience.”

One can hear this in songs like ‘Living In The Past,’ which comments on not always looking back and missing out on the present. Another, ‘Hands Off Me’ is about a girl who sees through the guy who is talking complete bullshit to her.

Thanks to the help of Voodoo Rhythm Records, The Jackets have been able to extend their reach and have seen positive responses from the US, Australia and Japan.

15

The Jackets are enjoying the success with their latest album and don’t show any signs of slowing down.

They’ve played across Europe with other garage legends The Anomaly’s, Weird Omen, Magnetix, Trashbones, Baby Woodrose and others. The Jackets have set their sights on Canada and the States, with possible dates later in the year.

They are even planning another album for 2018. Until then, you can check them out on Facebook and bandcamp.

© LID

Emily Slupecka

C

ould you ever imagine what it is like to be on the road touring nonstop, or what it is like to make nine, nearly ten magnificent records in three years?

It seems hectic, doesn’t it? Well, not for the Australian band, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Lord, what a name!

“King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard was the name for one show and we probably just thought it was the most ridiculous, the silliest name we could probably think of at the time,” said vocalist and guitarist, Stu Mackenzie. “For some reason, it stuck, and that was the one. Probably because it was the most absurd.”

The band is composed of seven members in total including Stu Mackenzie, Cook Craig on guitar, Joey Walker on guitar and bass, Lucas Skinner on bass, Ambrose Kenny Smith on keyboards, harmonica and vocals, Michael Cavanagh on drums and Eric Moore on drums.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have gone from being an underground sensation back home to one of the most talked about bands around.We heard the band is working on their next, tenth record, so we gave Stu a quick phone call.

Heatwave

Heatwave: How did you start being a musician? What did you listen to while growing up?

Stu: Well, my parents, they listened to cool music. They kind of liked early rock n’ roll – I guess through there, introduced to the Stones, go deadly on Lionel Richie. Kind of cool stuff like that, as well as Neil Young. A lot of music I still love.

I guess I got older and started making music with my friends and it became a social scene. And I got into, I don’t know, garage rock and jazz.

All the guys in the band, we were friends before we made music together. Some of the guys have been making music since we were 16 or 17. The music is kind of social thing to me.

Heatwave: I heard it’s common for everyone in Australia to play in a band. And not just one band, but multiple bands!

Stu: Yeah, I mean, for sure that’s a common thing. I just play in King Gizzard now, but I used to play in a few other bands. Ambrose and Cook play in The Murlocs. All the other guys play in other bands, but it’s very normal. Its kind of what we all did.

Heatwave: What instruments do you play and how many instruments can you play?

Stu: (laughs) how many instruments do I play or how many instruments do I play badly or well?

Heatwave: Both!

Stu: I guess I feel the most comfortable playing the guitar and that’s kind of what I’ve always learned and played on. That’s the other thing that I play well and probably not that THAT well. I put a lot of kind of wind instruments and things down. I play the flute a little bit, probably not as much as I should.

I don’t know, tricky question. I tried to play whatever or everything, but it doesn’t mean I play it well. I mean, you can pick up a drumstick and whack a drum, but it doesn’t mean

you can play the drums.

the time, often just one or two people.

We had the acoustic guitars and wind instruments, that was layering, and that was loose, not rehearsed actually.

Just working things out bit by bit.

Quarters was made with all of us, but the songs were structured. They were rehearsed, but each time we played those songs they were wildly different. So, we wanted to just capture a take that was beautiful of each song. That was more about capturing the energy rather than a planned out thing. You know every record is different, and it’s been part of the fun.

Heatwave: What’s the story behind the name King Gizzard? How did you guys come up with it?

Stu: Early on, it was a very open-ended loose jam band, in a way. The songs didn’t really have structure, the lineup was changing, we had songs that only had one or two chords, we didn’t have to rehearse, so we just kind of played and yelled shit into the microphone.

It was obviously the band that didn’t really matter that much, so we could have a few different names. I think we maybe changed it pretty much after every show.

And then for whatever reason King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard was the name for one show and we probably just thought it was the most ridiculous, the silliest name we could probably think of at the time.

For some reason, it stuck, and that was the one, probably because it was the most absurd. It doesn’t have any meaning.

It just kind of represents what we were at the time.

Heatwave: There’s so many of you in the band! How do you manage to organise all of this together? Do you record live or do you record every instrument separately?

Stu: It’s been different per record. Nanogon Infanity was a pretty live record so was In Your Mind Fuzz. A lot of albums were made, you know, not everyone features on it in every recording. It’s just whatever suits each record. But often it’s been a very different kind of process to what a live show is like.

Heatwave: What inspired you to record Nonagon Infinity as 41-minute live performance? It’s much heavier but still hypnotising in a way.

Stu: We wanted to make the heaviest record that we ever had, and I guess that’s the way that the live show was leaning. It was getting heavier and songs started bleeding to other songs.

We had begun doing a jam, sort of nonstop show kind of thing. A lot of the songs were joining and we got a little bit in the past as well. But we wanted to take it a little bit further this time. The songs, we were playing them live in these underdeveloped states, and they were still working themselves out. They were changing. We were finding pieces of this

Heatwave: What feeds yourimagination to create these sick videos?

Stu: I can’t take too much credit for that stuff. It’s all from the mind of Jason Galea.

Heatwave: Yeah, I heard! How did you start working together? song ending up in a piece of that song.

It all just because, one blurry big 360 degrees landscape. I suppose that kind of idea of a beginning and never ending record came from. Instead of the song, instead of the linear - kind of beginning, middle and end - it was just like scenery.

It was just a scene.

Heatwave: How do you go about figuring out the style changes between each album?

Stu: I guess it has been a jump off point, an idea to get started, an idea to be inspired by making music.

Heatwave: You guys are going so quickly. You working on your tenth record, am I right?

Stu: I think so...

Heatwave: What can we expect? The single seems a little um... electronic?

Stu: Yeah, we’re working on a few different things at the moment. It’s going this way and that way, but every record ends up with it’s own personality.

That’s part of the fun!

Heatwave: Looking back on the writing and recording process of your previous albums and the new one, how did they differ?

Stu: Definitely, it’s been different for every record. Nanogon like I said was made in very loose, live soul sensed. Paper Mache was made in the shipping container inside of the farm with like max four people at

Stu: We’ve been working with him for years now. We actually share a studio.

It’s like a very thin wall between him and I. We’ve always worked on stuff together.

Heatwave: What’s your favourite song you have ever written and why?

Stu: I don’t know! I think that’s a question that’s too hard. I guess they all mean different things. They represent different things. It’s just too hard to choose.

Heatwave: Are you excited to go on the next tour and play Coachella?

Stu: Yeah. I’m always excited to go on the tour. It’s gonna be a good one I think.

For me it’s always fun to just get out and about, play music and see the world.

Heatwave: What’s your favourite place to play?

Stu: I don’t know, probably somewhere that I’ve never been before. For me, it’s always exciting to go and explore.

I’d say anywhere fresh!

Heatwave: What’s happening next for King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard?

Stu: At the moment we are just hanging out, making records and trying to record stuff, rehearsing a bit. We’re playing a tour in Australia at the moment. We’re going to the States in a while for a little bit.

17

GENERACION SUICIDA Nix Beat

G

eneracion Suicida are a Mexican-American punk band hailing from a primarily Latinx area of South LA. They are Kiwi, on drums and vocals, Tony on guitar and vocals, Mario on guitar, and Elias, on bass.

Since their formation in 2010, they have boasted an impressive melodic sound that blends the vibrancy of electrified punk rock with the urgency of late 1970s hardcore. It’s a style that invokes a certain fondness for attitude of those found within the grooves of the Killed By Death Compilations.

In 2016, Generacion Suicida released their newest album, Sombras, on Going Underground Records in the US and Vox Papuli in Japan. They have also just returned home from a successful UK/Ireland tour.

Wanting to know more, Heatwave caught up with Generation Suicida to explore their new album, what’s life like in LA, the dangers facing DIY spaces, and their future ambitions.

Heatwave

Heatwave: How Suicida form?

did

Generacion

Heatwave: What are you drawing from on the track ‘Criminal?’ What about Generacion Suicida: GS was formed with the track ‘La Sociedad?’ seven years ago by a small group of friends. Generacion Suicida: All of our songs are We’ve all been involved with various other written with the hood in mind. Where we punk bands before this one, so we just come from is a different reality than most got together and started jamming one day. people that we know.

We’ve been playing ever since.

A lot of people shudder when they Heatwave: What kind of music are hear the name ‘South Central’ or have you drawing from when creating this image of nothing but a bunch of thugs or violent criminals living in the Generacion Suicida’s sound? area. The truth is, that is not the case.

Generacion Suicida: Nothing more than A lot of the people here are working class punk really. We all have a wide range of people that have been disadvantaged in influence and we just play however we life. Everyone is just trying to survive here. feel like. Sometimes we want to play The law is also incredibly harsh on the with a more hardcore tinge and that’s people here, especially the youth. how you end up with albums like Todo When you make a mistake at age 15, Termina. Sometimes, we feel like getting a you don’t get a slap on the wrist. You get little bit darker with our sound and that’s punished to the fullest extent. why Sombras came out the way it did. It’s easy to see why people would turn to Regardless, the foundation is always punk. crime in order to survive, especially if that’s Heatwave: What’s the music scene the only choice because you can’t find a job due to your record. It’s actually really like in South LA? fucking ridiculous…

Generacion Suicida: These days, it’s not as thriving as it once was. This is totally Heatwave: Generacion Suicida just just our experience though. It may have completed a UK/Ireland tour. How did just driven itself deep underground. We it go and where was your favourite just hope there are some kids out there place to play? doing their thing and keeping punk alive in Generacion Suicida: It was sick. It was all the backyards, parking lots, abandoned probably one of the easiest tours we’ve ever houses, and wherever else they need to done. Everything was really well organized turn to in order to play shows and express and all the people were really cool. themselves.

Hard to choose best place, but really dug Heatwave: Your latest album Sombras Norwich and Dublin. Dublin reminded me was released on January 18, 2016 via a lot of home actually and the people that the Japanese label, Vox Papuli. How I met there reminded me of friends back home as well. did you get involved with them?

Generacion Suicida: Sombras was Heatwave: On Generacion Suicida’s actually released by Going Underground Facebook I came across the Go Fund in the US first only on vinyl. However, vinyl Me page for the Richmond, California does not sell well in Japan, so when we DIY space, Burnt Ramen, and the rally. organised the tour for Japan, Vox Populi org support page for Bridgetown. approached us to do a release for tour. It Why do you think DIY spaces are was released on CD only in Japan through threatened in California, and how can Vox Populi, and it’s the only CD we’ve ever we support them? released.

Generacion Suicida: DIY spaces are Heatwave: How has Generacion currently under attack by the far-right Suicida’s sound evolved in Sombras in the US. Mainly because they see DIY spaces as places where radical leftists from Todo Termina? can organize. It’s also hard to have a DIY Generacion Suicida: We did more space in California because the housing experimentation with pedals, have a market is so expensive. If you live in the darker sound, and moved away from the Bay Area, an apartment may cost up to slightly hardcore style of Todo Termina. $3000 a month, so it makes sense to rent We focused more on our playing than on a huge warehouse and live with ten other speed for Sombras. Overall, I personally people and do shows at the space in order think that Sombras is my favourite album to make it sustainable. of the three.

Squatting is also not really a thing, in California at least. We know that in Europe and most other places that’s something that can be done, but here in the US I’m pretty sure that kind of stuff would be crushed by the police. Support DIY spaces by attending their shows or sending money to their fundraisers.

Heatwave: Do you think this threat to DIY spaces extends outside California?

Generacion Suicida: Yes, especially with the current trend of rightwing organising that we have been seeing.

Heatwave: On February 3, 2017 the music website bandcamp (along with Generacion Suicida) stated that all it’s proceeds would be going to support the ACLU. Why did Generacion Suicida support this fundraiser?

Generacion Suicida: While the ACLU does have its problems and is not perfect, at the moment it seemed to be the only organisation with the power to fight back against the government’s agenda.

Personally, we’d rather support grassroots movements, such as the various antifa movements that are doing all the work in the cities across the US, but that day we just thought we’d give a collective ‘fuck you’ to government’s agenda by joining bandcamp for the fundraiser.

Heatwave: Generaction Suicida has done some extensive touring in Latin and South America, as well as Canada and Japan. How does President Trump’s immigration policy affect future tour plans?

Generacion Suicida: Since we all have US passports, I would hope that touring wouldn’t be a huge issue. Though, to be honest, we already get fucked with when we cross from Mexico to the US or from the US to Canada. Things are simpler when we cross south or fly over the ocean.

Heatwave: Does Generacion Suicida have another album in the works?

Generacion Suicida: Yes, we hope it will be released in time for our next tour, which we hope will be in September. The way it takes forever for records to be pressed though, I wouldn’t hold my breath for that.

Heatwave: What’s next for Generacion Suicida?

Generacion Suicida: Another album, hopefully by September. Hopefully this year we get to tour Europe again, followed by South East Asia. That’s if the world doesn’t blow up by then…

17

Phil Robles

Linsey McFadden

T

he Jam as seen on pages 20 - 21 is a digital portrait by LAbased illustrator and designer, Phil Robles, of the definitive English band of the same name.

The Jam never achieved the wide-scale success in the US that they did in the UK, for obvious reasons. The band is very quintessentially British, but Phil, an American artist and musician still describes them as one of his all-time favourite bands.

It’s no surprise that he would draw such influence from bands.

Phil has long been an active member of the LA music scene. He was a member of punk band, Cheap Sex, during the early 2000s and much more recently the powerpop band, Three Two One’s.

Even though Phil may not be directly acquainted with the working class British lifestyle, his art seems to have really been impacted by these influences. His artistic styling and colour palette have a very British feel to them, not just in this piece, but also in so many of his other works, such as his award winning painting of The Clash, done on a wood panel with acryla gouache paint.

“The appeal to me as an American that doesn’t shop at ‘Tesco’s and Woolworth’s,’ is in the bleak view of mundane British life

by Paul Weller, The Jam’s frontman and chief songwriter,” Phil said. “He can extract depression and sorrow out of mediocre observations like people feeding ducks in the park.”

Phil has a BFA in illustration and design and completed a study away programme here in London, which is perfect when you think about it. What better place to study for someone so clearly influenced by British aesthetics?

When you create digital imagery, there’s always the option to select colour options from a menu, but while working on this piece, Phil found how much more natural his work ultimately looked when he blended the digital colours just like you would with traditional paints.

Phil frequently shares updates on his Instagram about pieces he’s working on, allowing followers to see the way he shapes them from initial sketch to finished product.

Of this piece he joked about not hiding certain elements of an illustration just to avoid doing them incorrectly.

“Don’t hide hands in a composition to avoid drawing them, just draw them all wonky on purpose instead,” he quipped.

Aside from dreary British aesthetics, Phil is also deeply influenced by the political landscape within his own country. Phil has done several pieces centred on the US’s incredibly controversial new president, Donald Trump.

A lot of these pieces include overemphasized tiny hands, the likes of which Trump is often mocked for. He’s also done a ‘Little Donald’ series depicting Trump as a child in a schoolboy’s uniform.

More examples of Phil’s work can be found on his website phillustrate.com. You can also buy items such as shirts, tote bags, and prints of some of his politically charged work at society6. com/phillustrate.

Heatwave

CHUCK BERRY’S DING-A-LING Greg Freeman

Halfway through the year I knew I wouldn’t make the grade.

A freezing night in 72, the time of Bloody Sunday.

Tension in Coventry.

But rock n’ roll can save your soul.

‘Johnny B Goode,’ lift me from my misery.

I had nowhere else to go.

The duck walk, ‘Nadine,’ ‘Carol,’ ‘Maybelline,’ and that novelty song that must have eaten half the set.

The wolfish grin, part-shaman, part-showman.

We bellowed as Chuck gleefully short-changed us.

The joke was they recorded it.

Months later top of the charts, hundreds of us on the vinyl.

Number one, ma, that’s me!

Danced out of the Locarno at midnight, past my mates queuing to see the Floyd.

That night was the start of my comeback.

PROTEX: Walking on a TigLinhseytrMcoFadpdene For the first time in over 35 years, Irish punk legends, Protex, have releas ed a full-length LP, featuring all newly recorded content. Tightrope is a differe nt, yet very Protex record.

O

ften when a classic band releases new material, they try of a challenge, so really, the album Tightrope is a response to our to attain the exact sound they had when they were young new and old audience.” and fail or they try to modernise their sound and create Fellow founding member, Dave McMaster, was the one that something that ends up alienating veteran fans. originally had the idea to reform the band a few years ago, but In terms of Tightrope, Protex thankfully choose not to follow today Aidan is the only original member left. either route. This album sounds like Protex, but it channels a much “Myself and Dave obviously came through the early Belfast punk larger powerpop sort of element than the band’s past releases. scene during the Troubles and through the experiences of the Tightrope could’ve easiy been released in the 80s. It really just original Protex,” Aidan said. “Eventually Dave had got what he wanted from it, and sadly for me he retired. I decided to continue sounds like a mature Protex album, which is exactly what it is.

The inspiration to make a brand new LP came when the band with the current lineup.”

While the other members may be new to Protex, everyone in the played SXSW in Texas for the first time a few years ago. After the band played, fans kept approaching the guys asking them when current lineup has been playing their instruments for a long time, which contributes to the band’s musical success. The band gets they were finally going to record some new material. along well together and feel lucky to have the opportunity to carry “At that time, there was no plans for recording anything,” Aidan on with music like this at this stage in life.

Murtagh, founding member of Protex said. “We realised that there “The big difference for me is that when we were younger Protex was a new generation of younger people who had discovered our music, helped along by the release of Strange Obsessions.” was like a committed teenage gang, who did everything together – a solid musical unit,” he said. “We are older now and circumstances The band recorded Strange Obsessions in the early 80s, but it wasn’t actually released until 2010, so while it wasn’t really a are different. Apart from myself, the other current members play in many other bands, which can sometimes present challenges.” ‘new’ album, it was still new to fans. As more and more people started approaching them with their enthusiasm towards the While some things may have changed, Aidan assures fans that band’s songs and the prospect of new music, the band started to the band’s passion for playing and attitude towards music is completely unchanged. pick up on the enthusiasm themselves.

The band maintains a lot of their old influences, such as The “We did not like the idea of being a purely nostalgic band and writing new material, therefore gave a forward focus on everything,” Clash, The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, The Small Faces and T. Aidan said. “It gave an opportunity to be creative and was a bit Rex, but Aidan is interested in a wide array of music, and points out that the music industry has changed a lot over the years.

Heatwave

“

We feel so privileged to get another opportunity to do this so many years on

”

© Ika Lesniak In comparison, when Protex recorded in the late 70s and 80s they recorded at RAK Studios, Surrey Sound, Polydor Studios and IBC Studios. At Poyldor they spent hours and hours in the studio, sometimes working until the early morning hours. At IBC they “The songs are ‘Truth’ and ‘Tightrope,’ both simple statements about politicians and the government in the North of Ireland,” Aidan worked from 9am until 5pm. The band even had one producer that spent a full day just overdubbing harmonies. said. “The other songs deal with relationships, love, emotions and When Protex recorded previous albums they often played in the girls! …Sounding familiar?” studio together as a full band, but with Tightrope once the drums Some fans may have reservations about the current incarnation were captured on a recording, each instrument would then be of Protex, with it’s new members, releasing a new LP, but fans should rest assured that Aidan has gone to extensive lengths recorded in a control room and added to the track.

Aside from that, slight changes from the band’s previous albums are the inclusion of two tracks with a political feel and one about the state of the world, ‘Shining Star.’

to stick true to the band’s roots. As an original member and “I prefer the old process, but I admit we still captured a good songwriter of Protex he went into the creative process knowing sound and feel on these new songs,” Aidan said. “I knew what exactly what the Protex sound was, and knowing that this album sounds I wanted and how I wanted the songs arranged. Protex, this time, had total control. As a band, we all worked well together.” had to maintain it.

“The songs were brought to the band rehearsals to learn, with new players it had to sound great, but also uncomplicated,” he said. “I had to listen out for those things that would never fit into a Protex song… No mad guitar or bass runs, sometimes this can creep in with new players.”

Tightrope took much longer to record than initially expected.

All of the band members have jobs and commitments, making it sometimes difficult to pin everyone down for studio time. Aidan also lost his mother during the recording process, which put the record on hold. Thanks to the help of Elmar at Bachelor Records, everything eventually came together and Tightrope was released.

Soon after the band had learned the new songs and become comfortable playing them, they started recording. They booked According to Aidan the musical process and overall attitude for the three-hour-long windows for recording sessions at Earth Music band is much the same as it always was. The differences are quite Studios in Belfast. There was somewhat of a deadline to have slight and don’t take away from the band’s overall trademark sound. specific tasks completed by the end of each session.

Aidan uses a distortion guitar pedal, which he didn’t use in the “It was short and snappy and captured the feel,” he said. “This past. He said the song ‘Fool in My Mind’ might have a slight was so different from what we did before when sessions were change because he played it using a Gretch guitar with a Bigsby. longer.”

25

“I think it has an early-Beatles guitar-sound, combined with a The band wants to continue playing as much as possible and cowboy twang, but still sits well with the rest,” he said. “I think the encourages promoters to get in touch with them. key thing was to keep the guitar sound and harmonies the same “We are a live band and we all enjoy the experience of playing and get an honest sound. Drumming is similar and solid and the live, it’s great travelling and we meet really good people who we bass playing has a rounded sound.” try and keep in contact with,” Aidan said. “We also enjoy meeting Aidan understands why some fans may have reservations about and listening to new bands.” a new Protex album after all of these years and agrees that some In terms of looking forward, the band intends to see how the bands that get together release some really dodgy material. album goes over while continuing to tour. Aidan has a stockpile of “I would urge fans to give it a listen, as I feel we have not changed new songs and would love to make more records, so go out and too much in sound and the songs still have that power pop/rock n’ buy Tightrope, if you’re interested in seeing more from this band. roll sound played with attitude,” he said. “There are no additions, “We feel so privileged to get another opportunity to do this so no strings, pianos, brass, no flangers, no nonsense.” many years on,” Aidan said. “We will make the most of it, life is too If you’re looking for a few tracks to check out first, Aidan’s short, so we will enjoy it while we can!” favourite tracks to work on were ‘Waiting for the Sign,’ ‘Shining Star,’ ‘Even if I Wanted To’ and ‘Because of You.’ Aidan said the energy in ‘Waiting for the Sign’ reminds him of Slade, The Stones and the 70s.

“It hits me between the eyes,” he said of the song.

‘Shining Star,’ on the other hand, he likes for it’s lyrics, nice flow and feel. Aidan originally had some reservations about another of is favourite tracks, ‘Even if I Wanted To,’ because of the pace, but it ended up fitting and working out on the album.

“It really has a ‘Protex’ sound and it was a joy to get those Everly Brothers harmonies towards the end,” he said. “It has humour and emotion and a ballsy rhythm track.”

Aidan describes his last ‘favourite’ track, ‘Because of You,’ as a bouncy rock n’ roll song with a Buddy Holly feel.

e Mercer

Photo © Lanc

T

Fisher

he Briefs! …Or the reason I had bleach burns on my scalp for most of my teenage years. The Briefs were a rancid breath of fresh air at the time of their inception. Punk rock in the late 90s was a horrible place occupied mainly by NOFX sound -a-likes or macho, posturing bell ends. It took four guys going back to 77, borrowing everything, including Captain Sensible’s wardrobe, to make punk seem interesting and new again…

Strange that.

Heatwave: Introduce yourselves (names, what you do in the band, etc., etc.): Steve: My name is Steve E. Nix and I play guitar and sing in The Briefs.

Daniel: My name is Daniel J. Travanti and I also play guitar and sing in the Briefs.

Heatwave: What made you decide to take a break?

Steve: Amazing women, drugs and motorcycles.

Daniel: So yeah, that, and the burnout that comes from endless touring.

Heatwave: What made you get back together?

Steve: I guess we missed those things.

Daniel: Absence makes the heart not want to kill your bandmates… or something like that. Really, I think once we all had some time to do other things, various other bands, go to the beach, skateboard, finger paint, get some of that out of our systems, we actually felt like playing together again.

The band Foreigner said it best, about it “feeling like the first time.”

Heatwave: You’re making a new record, when’s it due out?

Steve: At some point in 2017. It really is almost all the way done!

Heatwave: How might the new record differ or be similar to previous releases?

Steve: It had been awhile for us, but we started the recording session and listened back to the first couple songs and… yeah!

It sounds like us. We like it. There’s a good variety of songs and it sounds tough.

Daniel: It was a bit of a different process than we’ve done in the past, with us living all over the globe now, far away from each other. Lots of sending demos back and forth before we all met up in Oakland to record.

Once we got in the studio it was pretty much business as usual though. And plenty of songs to pick from, a nice by-product of the time we’d taken off. In a nutshell, if you like Hit After Hit, then you’ll love the new record. And if you don’t like Hit After Hit, Foreigner might have a new semi-greatest hits LP coming soon and you should go get in line to buy it.

Heatwave: What can fans expect from the Briefs going forward?

Steve: Well, the last few short tours in the US we’ve done have been really good. Us guys in the band feel like we’re in very good form and we’re having a blast playing. We’re on fuckin’ fire, as they say.

Briefs fans can expect more of that, plus new songs, new album, new shoes, new case, neutron bombs etc etc. We’re playing the Fuzzville Festival in Spain in a couple weeks and then we’ll be out doing more touring in the fall when the album is out.

Heatwave: Go any tips on hair bleaching?

27

Steve: It’s fun to do with friends, or alone. Either way you can’t go wrong. Listen to DI Ancient Artifacts while doing it.

A guy I know here in Seattle, named Kevin, has great hair. Like it sticks up just right without looking like he put too much effort into it. His secret…? Cat litter!

Not the clumping kind, the regular kind. You take a handful of litter, so that the dust gets all over your hands, and then drop the litter and what’s left on your hands goes into your hair. I’ve tried it a number of times, totally works.

Daniel: Also, make sure to get the good bleach from the beauty shop. That grocery store bleach sucks, completely low grade. If you wanna look like a proper albino, you gotta go strong.

Heatwave: Seattle’s mainly known for serious bands and a high suicide rate. How did Seattle influence your approach to music and how you do it?

Steve: When we started out we were determined to not be anything like anything that was popular in Seattle. Our influences really were our record collections, which were heavy on early UK and California punk rock.

I kinda hate serious bands. Maybe that’s why I can’t stomach metal and I like The Bee Gees. Those guys had a sense of humour and they were sincere at the same time. Hall and Oats too. We like that stuff.

Daniel: Late 90s Seattle was predominantly dyed black hair and fire antics on stage, you know, like Murder City Devils… real rock n’ roll-y type shit. We didn’t wanna do anything like that.

So we bleached our hair, put on skinny ties, and threw ice at the audience.

There was a small scene starting to happen around then, other people that hated fire I guess, mostly at a club called the Gibson House. Bands like The Spits and, a little later, The Epoxies were part of that. We all played there and kind of fed off what was going on around us.

So it really wasn’t so much Seattle that influenced us, more that little scene in Seattle. I think if any area influenced us it was So Cal, OC, LA, records on Dangerhouse, Beach Blvd.

Heatwave: Any previous bands you played in that should be avoided and why?

Steve: Yes of course. But the point is that they should be avoided.

Daniel: Truth be told, we’ve all played in a ton of bands, some good, some bad. My first band was named The Deprived. Terrible band. My parents used to say, “deprived of musical talent.” They were right.

When I first met Steve, back when I was a teenager, he was in a band called The Really Rottens. Pretty okay, but clearly no Foreigner. Avoid ‘em Heatwave: How has punk rock changed since the band started?

Daniel: Same haircuts, different faces.

Steve: Y’know I don’t think it has changed really. There’s always new kids getting into punk rock and when you get into punk rock you think about the world differently and it sticks with you.

Heatwave: Best and worst things about touring?

Heatwave

image courtesy The Briefs

Daniel: When you’re gone all the time, whatever home life you have tends to fall apart and everything becomes an on-going blur of booze and weirdness.

On the positive side, everything becomes an on-going blur of booze and weirdness.

Steve: For me the best is getting to play with bands I admire and love. Like doing shows with The Damned or The Stitches, and knowing all these weird punk people in scenes all over the US and Europe. Makes me happy.

I just really love punk rock and it’s cool to be able to participate.

Worst thing about touring is feeling fried from too many eight to ten hour drive days.

Heatwave: Weirdest Briefs touring experiences?

Daniel: When you tour seven to eight months out of the year, like we did for some of the 2000s, you get to experience a lot of strange shit – arrests, people getting lost, Voodoo, hallucinations, teeth knocked loose, Mexican restaurants in Germany....

We played a show once in LA and Chris Isaak came to see us.

Turned out it wasn’t Chris Isaak at all, it was Morrissey… was that Voodoo? Maybe.

We did a private show for Jimmy Iovine, the Interscope Records guy… Just us and him at the Viper Room, and that was definitely weird.

Steve: When we were a new band we got a manager and he set us up with another band he managed called Third Eye Blind. Very, very strange. We played with those guys in Spokane and Eugene and those were for sure weird gigs, arenas full of 15-year-old girls who had zero interest in 77 punk or whatever.

We didn’t give a fuck, we just wanted to play shows. We’ll play with Third Eye Blind. Those guys did not keep in touch with us though…

The really weird stuff that happened on Briefs tours involves our road manager, Falcon, and he gets super mad if we talk about anything bizarre and depraved involving him, so I can’t. But I wish I could!

Heatwave: Best and worst gigs you’ve played?

Steve: I like to think we haven’t played our best or our worst gig yet.

Daniel: I agree. I will say that usually the gigs are the easiest part of the day. We definitely have some clunker shows now and then, but for the most part playing is a blast.

Heatwave: What are the perfect pair of sunglasses for The Briefs?

Steve: Free or cheap ones. Square-ish frames if possible.

Daniel: Indestructible sunglasses. The good ones always break.

Lance had a fantastic pair fall off once while we were playing and a guy at the front of the stage ate them. Just put them in his mouth and crunched ‘em up, glass lenses and all.

Heatwave: What’s the last record you listened to?

Steve: Menace Greatest Hits Collection.

Daniel: The Blades Surf City Punkrock. Early So Cal stuff. Really good.

Heatwave: Any other hobbies?

Steve: Tennis.

Daniel: Tennis.

Heatwave: Any bands around at the moment worth listening to?

Steve: Night Birds. Generacion Suicida. Noi!se.

Daniel: Moral Panic is pretty cool. Secret Prostitutes I loved, but I heard they broke up.

image courtesy The Briefs

Heatwave: What’s next for the band?

Steve: Finish a new album!

Daniel: Tour!

Heatwave: Any last words?

Daniel: Drop acid, not bombs – and thanks for the interview.

Steve: Yeah, we really appreciate you guys thinking of us. We’ll strive to come back to the UK in the next year, keep a lookout for us baby.

The Mexican Scene

© Georgios Katapodis

Ana Karen Vargas

This has allowed us to construct the idea of ​​an alternative country, where the concept of ​​a single path in the construction of local identity is denied.

We are living in the era where everyone listens and where nothing has censorship and the artistic scene in Mexico is a sample of that.

In Mexico there is a little something for everyone, if you like aggressive emotions and the sound of do it yourself or DIY. Rebellion, anger and indifference, we have the punk scene, that is very different and at the same time very similar to what can be seen of American or English punk.

If you’re going to a punk gig you must be prepared to get full of blood and bruises, because people in Mexico don’t give a fuck and I’m going to explain you why that is.

Do you know what drives so many people to work their asses off, to the extent of becoming total maniacs, in this wacky world?

The answer is money. And we are super fuckin’ poor and the people who govern us are super stupid, so we need something to get the anger out – punk music.

Joliette, No Somos Marineros, Tungas, Dolores de Huevos, Sheena the Zebra, Barney Gombo, Camiches, Chingadazo de King Fu, Los Bluejays, Gula, Big Spin, Days of Struggle y The Milfs are just some of the new bands that are marking punk in Mexico. And yes I know the Internet serves to know many of these bands, but if you come to Mexico it’s time to go out, lose your electronic devices and live the punk scene.

Jump, push, break, get drunk and have fun to finally exclaim, “I did it for punk rock.”

But, not everyone likes something so rude. For them we have psychedelia, and they are going to love it. With songs that go back to the 60s, these bands combine a visual atmosphere that transports you on a journey through time, with people high on LSD and strange dances.

M

exico is one of the countries with the biggest musical growth - the rock scene, psych, garage and underground punk is proclaimed as counterculture, a type of absolute opposition to the mainstream.

It’s music that speaks of the political and economic backwardness that the country suffers, as well as the resistance to a sick society that is affecting all of us.

In this way, the Mexican underground scene, beyond its musical quality, becomes a necessary phenomenon to analyse to understand the Mexican identity.

With stories that not only make visible the human groups that elaborate them, but also manage to show what the status quo promotes, makes invisible and even seeks to disappear.

When you live in Mexico, you realize that this underground scene I’m talking about is everywhere. People playing in the streets, giant markets where emerging bands promote themselves, surprise concerts on the subway, and many venues that have been around for more than 11 years, places where the music scene began to evolve.

Heatwave

I gladly present the psych bands that you must listen of the underground scene in Mexico – The Risin’ Sun, Cascabel, The Broccolis, Viv and the Sec, Silver Rose, Los Mud Howlers, Tajak, Lorelle Meets the Obsolete, Has a Shadow, Build a Vista y Los Mundos.

Still not satisfied? It is because I have not mentioned the dirty and glorious garage scene of Mexico City. These bands of young people will make you move at full speed, with songs inspired by daily boredom, women and more than anything, fun and excesses – Los Explosivos, Los Cavernarios, Los Headaches and Ex Lovers.

Mexico will introduce you to music that combines a series of themes that wandered between instrumental surf, dirty garage, light touches of rockabilly, western and much rock n´ roll. These bands do not follow any formula, they simply do what they want and make their own rules.

Well, I’m getting tired and I’m starting to babble, so let me just leave you with these final notes – If you call yourself a music fan, but you don’t want to listen the rock n’ roll underground music in my country, fuck you because it’s the best music you’ll hear.

There are just too many bits that don't add up or that just seem so unlikely to happen it's, well, ridiculous. One, Shay hears The Clash – thank god there is a redeeming factor in the film, on his mothers mixtape. He then nips into London from a town outside the centre, I've forgotten where because I was so uninterested in the kid after the first 15-minutes, and meets a punk girl blasting The Clash in her headphones. He asks her about it and she casually brings him to Camden Market to buy what turns out to be the last ticket to their next show.

Later he gets into a riot en-route to seeing them play again and gets arrested, despite being a tiny kid doing no wrong in a crowd of British skinheads and punks. But whaddaya know? He ends up in a cell with Joe Strummer. At that point I felt my stomach pull me into a cringing ball of embarrassment.

Oh, then after that Strummer decides they are mates and invites him to hear his band practice some new material. But really?

REALLY? And of course no one believes him. And to be honest, I wouldn't either.

Popcorn Chokers Frieda Strachan & Marko Petrovic

London Town Frieda Strachan

I

'd heard a little about this film ahead of watching it, but as far as I'm aware there wasn't much publicity surrounding its release. This could be due to the fact the 'stars,’ Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Dougray Scott and Natascha McElhone are all actors who have "had their day.”

That said, they aren't really the stars of the film at all. The film centres around school kid Shay (Daniel Huttlestone), who lives at home with his single dad (Scott) and little sister.

We are initially introduced to his mother (McElhone) via a letter she sends to Shay with a mixtape.

It seems like an enviable setting for a coming of age film, but after an introduction to Shay and his family, which The film’s main selling point is takes far too long, there are too that it features the music of The many points that are missed, or Clash. The coming of age film is lack poignancy because the are set in 1970s Britain in the midst just, okay, unbelievable. of a rioting London.

There is also a montage where the punk girl, who obviously becomes inseparable with Shay and ultimately his girlfriend, teaches Shay how to drive his dad’s taxis in what appears to be a day.

They are both under the legal driving limit, yet it's never questioned how she knows how to drive – remember, she lives in London, where no one drives/needs to drive. Before he memorises the entirety of London's complex city streets, it's also decided he looks older and more convincing as a legal driver if he dresses like a woman. This isn't the case and is just puzzling.

Oh, did I mention that before he gets locked up with him he randomly picks up Strummer and drives him away from the police? Because, yeah.

I’m not going to get into Shay's mother's Cockney drawl – she moved there after living elsewhere and is in her 30s, or her overly enforced nonchalance in regards to her young children and their whereabouts. Shay gets out of jail and she claims he "don't need to explain" to her how it all happened. Yeah, sure.

That said, Rhys' portrayal of legendary Strummer isn't bad. He doesn't over do it, he has got his onstage mannerisms pretty perfect and it's kinda cool that writer, Matt Browne, wanted Strummer to play such an important role.

The soundtrack is of course, perfect, and there are points where the London backdrop pulls at your heartstrings and makes you long to be surrounded by the skinheads and punks and political unrest of the era.

There are allusions to modern day Britain, with references to the National Front, racism and politics, which if focused on more, could have been really poignant. But, they were like London – a selling point, and one namesake, left to fade into the background in place of a half-hearted tale about youth.

If you want to see this for The Clash, maybe just buy yourself the soundtrack and save yourself an hour and a half of your life.

31

Though not cool to say it, I’ve never really been a fan of The Bad Seeds. Like the rest of the world, I’m a fan of that ‘Red Right Hand’ song, “the one he did with Kylie Minogue.” And I am obsessed with Cave’s duet with ex-girlfriend, PJ Harvey, ‘Henry Lee.’ Look it up if you don’t know because they literally fell in love while filming the video.

Other than that, I’m just into Cave’s whole aesthetic. He never smiles, he thinks everything is the worst and he always wears black. He is the world biggest and oldest angsty teenager, something I really like in non-teenagers, and this film allows him to put that side of his personality (ie: his personality) on show.

We are lovingly introduced to his wife, and mother of his children, Susie Bick, who is shy and sweet and clearly grieving their loss.

She is also very tender with and about her husband, who does his best to mask his own grief through his trademark pessimism and sarcasm. It doesn’t really work.

The film was funded by Cave and it could be argued that he did so as a vehicle for his grief – documenting the music that came from his loss. In one scene, Bick and Cave discuss a painting by the son they lost, Arthur, where he drew the place where he tragically lost his life.

Neither cry, but they both seem at a loss as to what to really say about it. They are not in shock anymore, but their disbelief and confusion that the painting exists at all is visible. They are kind to each other and always happy to see each other in the film. It’s a delight to see such warmth in monochrome.

Shining brightly throughout is Cave’s long-time collaborator and friend, Warren Ellis, upbeat, offering tea and creating immense and deep walls of sound in the background. I couldn’t not mention his presence.

One More Time with Feeling (Andrew Dominik 2016) Frieda Strachan

A

beautifully filmed black and white documentation of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds recording their upcoming album.

When I saw the film, it was at a 3D screening at the Rio Cinema in Dalston. One of the first lines was Cave, who acts as a narrator at different point in the film, disparagingly referencing We see him in a taxi talking about how he doesn’t like talking the black and white effect as well as the 3D, calling it out as about Nick, because he is private. Though it goes against the fact ‘ridiculous.’ This was to be the narrative tone of voice for the they have made the documentary at all, it’s obvious that this is entirety of the film. ultimately what Nick Cave is addressing – his private loss.

In 2015, Cave lost his son in a tragic accident, and has been Cave discusses trauma and family vaguely and in a roundabout understandably unwilling to talk to a rabid and story-hungry press way.

He sings his songs directly, lamenting his son’s death and about the incident, or about his feelings. his loneliness. He gives nothing away, while telling us everything.

As we see Cave choose his clothes for filming, the narrative A lifetime of playing the role of dark master of music washes voice claims to be losing his voice. As we see Cave half-heartedly away in flashes of a smile and glimmers of true sadness. This is look for angles and shot-entrances with director Andrew Dominik, preparing to debut himself for the loss of his son, the double how Cave shows himself to us in these fleeting moments where he stops his omnipresent narration and lets down his guard. meaning of the line about his voice isn’t throwaway at all.

It’s a beautiful film. I opened with that, but it has to be said again.

Cave is known for being dark and black, as are The Bad Seeds.

When mixing that aesthetic with their sound, and the history of melancholy and loss, which Cave presents in his music, it’s hard not to become overwhelmed.

Heatwave

The juxtaposition of nothing and everything, the contrast between the meaning in his lyrics and how little Nick wants us to know, the black and white. It all blends perfectly together like Ellis’ walls of sound. I left the cinema appreciating Cave’s music and privacy much more than I did before.

Gimme Danger

keeping his trailer trash bred, humble mentality.

G

The last part of the movie deals with the way the reunion shows of 2003 and onwards came about. Mike Watt and J. Mascis were the key players in that happening and their incentive was absolutely their love of The Stooges.

(Jim Jarmusch 2016) Marko Petrovic

imme Danger, the documentary about The Stooges, works well as an introduction to the uninitiated, but not as much else.It’s basically a long interview with Iggy, the other band members, and the legendary music manager and publicist, Danny Fields, chipping in a bit. It’s illustrated with a little bit of film of The Stooges from the 70s and some Julian Temple style archival footage.

Not so much for the rest of the band.

Even if Iggy would want us to believe that he felt like it was time for him to play with his old buddies again, just read some of the interviews that Ron Asheton gave over the years before the reunion.

Whereas that worked as a functional cinematic treat in films like The Future is Unwritten and Oil City Confidential, here it feels laboured and unimaginative. Sure Iggy is always his funny, engaging and charismatic self, but this version of The Stooges story is politically correct and revisionist.

Everybody’s entitled to their own version of the story, Iggy of course included, but it’s up to the filmmaker to try to bring something resembling an objective and truthful account of the events.

Both Ashetons have sadly passed. Ron back in 2009 and Scott in 2014, but that’s not a reason to gloss over the conflicts that It all starts out interesting in the Ann Arbor Rendezvous Band, and other Scott Morgan were brewing between them and Iggy for of the 60s, with a bunch of high school projects, but none of the wildly uneven solo decades. kids playing in garage bands. Under the stuff by Iggy. No mention either of the fact All in all, if this is showing in a cinema near influence of the MC5, John Coltrane and that it was basically Bowie who made Iggy LSD this bunch of misfits get together and into a star and a millionaire, which doesn’t you bring a few beers along and enjoy the start experimenting, playing weird and rhyme well with his ramblings about him great music and a few funny anecdotes, but uncompromising rock’n’roll. being a communist when it comes to this is not the revealing, earth-shattering movie it could have been.

After making two groundbreaking, but splitting the bands money and always ultimately commercially unsuccessful albums, the band dissolves.

But Iggy does leave an impression on a few cool people in the industry, among them a young Englishman called David Bowie. Bowie invites him to London to record a solo record, but after trying out some local musicians he decides to fly in his old Detroit buddies instead. The Ashton brothers, Scott and Ron, respectively the drummer and guitarist in the original Stooges lineup are joined by another alumni of the Michigan rock n’ roll scene, James Williamson.

This is where the revisionism begins.

Ron Asheton has to move to bass guitar to accommodate Williamson, a move that he wasn’t at all happy about, but that’s left unmentioned in the movie.

Their incentive for doing the album was of course the money, as it would be for the later reunion concerts. After another great, but terribly produced album by Bowie, Raw Power, it’s only Iggy and Williamson that soldier on for a little while longer, culminating in the punk era released material Kill City.

There’s brief mention of Ron’s involvement with New Order and Scott’s with Sonic’s 33

: e z w a o r h C S ’ l n l i o k R c o d R n a e g k a c r o a R G l e v u i f t i i t u m i a r e B AP d n a e g n a r t S , d r i e The W mpton

Justin Cru

This is the best I can do to restrain myself to put what might be the most important rock n’ roll documentary in over 20 years into a nutshell. But I couldn’t do it. It’s longer than that, it deserves more than that. It knows no boundaries – old, middle-aged, and young.

Everyone is invited to this party.

Heatwave

I

t all started with the founder of the Back From the Grave show, their name is based off the compilation series by Tim Warren.

Founder Daddy-O Nov, who is considered to have, along with all the bands that have joined his side over the years, brought forth one of the most powerful and prolific music scenes on the planet – the mighty Japanese garage rock scene.

Nov himself is a strange character. He is obsessed with bikes and racing, participating in marathons and has done many over the years. By the way he dresses you would never guess this dude is considered royalty to the garage scene in Japan. But the amount of work he put into bringing people together and giving so many bands a place to expose and hone their craft is something that’s hard for me to put into words.

Along with former Neo GS sounds-based Twenty Hits member, Jimmy Mashiko, they are the DJ duo that makes up the Garage Rockin’ Craze/Back from the Grave team. They both were doing their own DJ nights in the beginning individually, and then eventually ended up joining forces. Now let me back up for a minute.

Neo-GS Sounds? What’s that you say? Lets go back to around 1966. A sub-genre of bands started up in Japan around that time and were referred to as ‘GS bands.’ This was based around the time The Ventures came to Japan, and The Beatles and Stones thereafter. But there were major restraints to being in one of those kinda bands in those days.

If you signed with a Japanese label, the label had full control over song writing, so a lot of these bands came and went. None were really successful, as the songs lacked substance and basically had no guts. You can find several volumes of the GS comps out there if you do some research. My personal favourite was The Mops. They all had moppy hairstyles and all played Teisco guitars and amps. I had a one of those guitars growing up and I have to say they were just cool. Cheap and lightweight, usually with microphonic pickups, so they weren’t very loud and wouldn’t react the same to distortion from modern amplifiers. They were made for one thing only – FUZZ. So we turn the hands of time to the 80s. It wasn’t till around that time that bands were able to branch out and really do things on their own and tap into originality. This refers to the Neo-GS bands I mentioned earlier. This group of bands included Twenty Hits and Phantom Gift. It was during this period that the evangelist known as Daddy-O Nov got his start in the garage scene in Japan.

It was also during this period that The 5,6,7,8s and Guitar Wolf got their start. Had it not been for those early Garage Rockin’ Craze shows at Shinjuku Jam, the venue many of these events were held at, they would have never gotten the proper exposure that they deserved so much.

There were others though that never quite got the spotlight that others did. Texaco Leatherman, Great 3 and Mad 3 were frontrunners during that time, especially Texaco. They were known for their live shows, high energy and were what was considered to be the best band in the scene for quite some time.

Texaco were heavily influenced by 60s GS, Pebbles, and hardcore punk. They decided to put those forces together and that’s how they were born. Nov was a big fan of them and decided to put them and Great 3 on a bill together. This was the beginning of bridging the gap between garage and the other genres at that

© Mario Cuzic time. They were weird, outrageous, and they influenced put on a performance that no one could hang with – every band.

Last year they played their first show in over ten years. When I saw the bill I flipped out! I listened to them a decent amount when I was a teenager. I found a few of those comps from the 90s that featured a lot of those bands. So Texaco was very important to me as well. With their return it meant that the scene was very much back on the rise here in Japan, in the biggest way possible.

But there were many, many others to follow in their footsteps.

The Great Mongoose and Jackie and the Cedrics were next in line, in case you haven’t heard them, you should stop right now and put on one of their records. It’s flawless surf stuff. Ventures inspired to a science. Enocky, the frontman, who is a vintage gear fanatic, perfected their sound and it really sounds like 60s surf records. If you are into that sort of thing, definitely check them out. Their shows were also very wild back in the day. From what I remember the drummer used to set one of cymbals on fire and play through the whole set with it was lit. Their contribution to the scene would never be forgotten.

Moving on to Guitar Wolf and Teengenerate. Enocky from Jackie and the Cedrics introduced Sejii from Guitar Wolf into this new world that was emerging. So it was then that Guitar Wolf gave their first demo tape to Nov, and he along with Ronnie from the 5,6,7,8’s gave it the first listen. It was probably at that moment that the garage scene took a leap of faith into the future and never looked back. It was then that Teengenerate and Supersnazz came along. This was around 1989.

Before Back from the Grave, shows in Japan were very segregated along genre lines and if opposing genres played shows together the crowds wouldn’t really interact with one another. It wasn’t until after Back from the Grave that people came together and the, what seemed to be, rival groups or cliques became one.

Thus bringing in a new era.

But Texaco Leatherman’s shows were so crazy, erratic and wild that in most cases things got damaged. Other bands’ gear would be destroyed, stories of smoke bombs, puking into monitors and punching and kicking holes in walls and tearing up green rooms, Texaco Leatherman eventually broke up because they couldn’t play anywhere. This caused sales to struggle and people stopped coming to the shows. Some shows were big and some were not, so Nov stopped putting events on for a while.

After finding a new location inside of an old Thai restaurant 35

called Red Bird in Fussa, on the outskirts of Tokyo, a new scene started to emerge. Bands like Toko Black played there and eventually the 5,6,7,8’s, Guitar Wolf, The Oblivians and even Texaco played there too. It’s like nothing could stop Nov. He really is like a superhero.

© Mario Cuzic

You could put Young Parisian on a bill with anyone really and it would work. They are coming from so many places and take the best of all those worlds and put it into one defined package.

It’s humbling, even for me.

Next I have to mention Vivian Boys, who are one of the new bands that really have a hold on the true spirit of all these Back from the Grave bands. I can’t exactly put my finger on where their influences lay, but I highly suggest seeing them live and getting some of those recordings. Just phenomenal stuff, really.

played many shows with all of The Titans, for example, who those bands as well. wear weird car tire masks play Even the San Francisco there. And The Fadeaways, a bands were involved – The band that deserves so much Mummies, The Trashwomen, credit! Their live shows are The Phantom Surfers, and even unlike anything you will see.

The Devil Dogs. Thousands of They do backflips off their miles couldn’t separate the amps. The also played the likeness between what was Burger Boogaloo last year, so going on in Japan and in the they’ve already tapped into the American market. Yusuke is a States during that time. big Nightmare Boyzzz fan too, It was something truly special. so I had to give him a proper Has it really been reproduced shootout here. since? It’s hard to say. There In addition to this new was no Internet really back then, so how bands kept in touch generation of bands you have with one another is astonishing. Theee Bat, who in my eyes are Booking tour dates would have a modern adaption of Mad 3. been extremely difficult. No Also there is Young Parisian, who is a glam/rockabilly type of e-mail either! thing. It sounds like it wouldn’t Another annual show back work in theory, but if you see at home in Japan that played it live it really does. The sound a very important role was is like that perfect mix of the Halloween Ball, which T.Rex and The Cramps, with originally started at Shelter in elements of true rockabilly in Shimokitazawa. It still is, to this there. It’s hard to judge it too day, one of the best venues for hard. I usually hate rockabilly garage and punk in the entire and especially psychobilly, but city. Trust me, I’ve been there, this is where that scene really and I’ll be going back in a few took off originally. weeks when Baby Shakes What you see in other comes back to play a run of countries are just rip-off bands Japan dates. The first and last of their tour dates will be played of what Japan has been doing at Shelter, if that says anything for so many years. Japanese to the value its importance. bands pull it off in a way where it doesn’t seem cheesy at all, Need I say more? unlike in other places. It feels But to carry things more into original again, like its been the present, the venue is still rebirthed in a way. It’s hard to going on today. Bands like the put into words.

So I had mentioned the rockabilly and psychobilly stuff earlier, right? It’s still going on in Japan in its purest form. Bands like The Drexel, for example, who took influence from more traditional standards, and Los Rizlaz, who are one of the most bizarre. So lets break this down. They are Japanese, but wear all ‘Mexican outfits’ with sombreros and lucha libre masks and guzzle Corona on stage. These dudes are just wild. I really hope to see them live someday. Of all the current bands on the scene there they might be the most unique.

One band that really stood out for me in this documentary though is Mad 3. I didn’t really know much about them prior to seeing this for the first time.

I had heard the name around, but didn’t really get what they were about or anything.

This was around the time when rockabilly and psychobilly started taking a lot of influence there, with bands like Saturns taking the charge. They were a garage band of sorts, but not really coming from any single source. They were very original and were doing something extremely unique for the time – incorporating droning keyboard elements. Maybe its safe to say this is where Thee Oh Sees took a lot of influence? I don’t think John Dwyer would disagree with me.

As with all scenes, they eventually start to outgrow their environments.

Supersnazz, Guitarwolf, The 5,6,7,8’s and Teengenerate started touring America and entered the US garage scene at full force, where they were welcomed with open arms.

One of the more famous fests being Garage Shock in 1992, put on by the owner of Estrus Records, Dave Crider, which caught the attention of many bands at that time. It was similar to the Back from the Grave event style of promotion that had been prominent in Japan for so long. So in a way they took that spirit with them and it began to influence bands in America as well. It even caught the attention of the late Norton Records founder, Billy Miller, and his wife, Miriam Linna, who toured with The A-Bones and Heatwave

The next in line behind them would most certainly be Stompin’ Riffraffs, who from what I gather are quite possibly the best rockabilly band on earth right now. They are what you think of as the quintessential act to the genre.

All wearing Lone Ranger masks and leather – when you think of what a true rockabilly act should look like, this is it.

It’s a genre that has become such a joke, but they have it down to an absolute science.

And most of that stuff is instrumental! This is also a crucial thing I really have to point out. A lot of these bands started out purely that way.

It’s amazing to see a natural evolution.

Another would be The Minnesota Voodoo Men, who’s crazy stage antics with hanging upside down while playing guitar and crazy outfits, its not just about the music. There is a true art form to it. A kind of expression that I think has been lost in other countries.

I cannot leave out Machinacalis. Out of all these bands I’ve mentioned here, they are the most creative, and impressive. It’s unlike anything else I’ve heard in the scene here. Its safe for me to say they are kind of like The Intelligence. That’s the only band that I can really give a reference to.

They are so different that it’s hard to nail them down to one genre, coming from so many places while remaining very simplistic in nature. We can keep going here. Another one is Gasoline, who are garage band with hardcore influences that are drawing big crowds currently. And a girl group called Rock a Cherry that’s Nikki Corvette esque.

So if you’ve learned anything from this, its that the scene in Japan holds something special that many, many people are attempting to replicate, but at the end of the day the Japanese scene holds a place in my heart that will never change.

Since I saw Guitar Wolf for the first time in 2005, I knew there had to be something here that just isn’t anywhere else. Believe me, it was hard for me to put this in words, because to me it felt like I wasn’t giving them the proper respect.

But even they all owe it to Daddy-O Nov. He gave so many bands a chance to express themselves, at a time when there was no other option. And that has transcended into multiple generations and, in my humble opinion, will continue to do so far into the distant future.

s

cord Re c za Ho om fr k va No dd To s rd co Re Top 10

Henry Badowski Baby, Sign Here With Me 7-inch single (1979) Deptford Fun City) – Probably the most cherished discovery of the last five years or so was Mr Badowski. He grew up in Chelsea, spent time in The Damned and managed to record this amazing Eno-style deadpan punk classic, which somehow not many people are familiar with. The Life is a Grand LP is worth tracking down as well.

Nick Gilder You Know Who You Are LP (Chrysalis, 1977) A flat out glam pop masterpiece that you can still find for under ten dollars and it's just so jammed with hits, it'll make your head spin. If drinking champagne can't be your pastime, then making hot love should be your main line.

Snatch All I Want 7-inch single (Lightning, 1978) A perfect blast of bratty female punk from Judy Nylon and Patti Palladin, joined by Jerry Nolan on drums – Just one of my favourite songs to crank.

Left End Spoiled Rotten LP (1973, Polydor) Trashy Youngstown, Ohio Alice Cooper-mockers who laid forth an incredible lunk-head masterpiece with this debut LP. Apparently they fought The New York Dolls backstage in Cleveland once, and that totally makes sense.

The Teens We’ll Have a Party Tonight-Night 7-inch single (1978, Hansa) Impeccable German child glam stars, this is their best and most powerful single. It’s a clever play on the "what night did you wanna have the party?" question. It’s deadly infectious and incredibly minimal.

Thomas Dean Oh Babe 7-inch single (1972, Privelege) Terry Manning and Thom Eubanks bang out the only real example of glam rock-era Memphis slither. A perfect song that graces both sides of this 45, sounding like T. Rex secretly made a recording at Ardent Studios.

Stevie Wright Black Eyed Bruiser LP (1975 Albert Prod) The angsty and wild lead singer of The Easybeats was known for picking fights and getting his ass beat all over town and this LP's title-track is a face-smashing minimalist exercise in rock brutalism. If you're lookin' for a HEAVY TIME....

Joy Ryder & Avis Davis Nasty Secretary 7-inch single (1979, Monongo Music) This song is the epitome of trash and the delivery by Joy Rider is just incredible. The agitation of being angry at your boss and the searing guitar scree and yes, you're gonna need this one too.

Eddie Criss Group Undertaker LP (1980, Orange) Released on David Peel's label and featuring blistering lead guitar from none other than MC5's Wayne Kramer, this came out right around the same time that Peel released GG Allin's debut masterpiece. Luckily ECG scrapes off a lot of the same scabby studio grime on this super-elusive LP. Buster Motor Machine 7-inch single (1975, Bradley's) This mysterious glam throbber always steals my heart. Its pure monotone vocals with those phasers set on ‘stun’ are a quick way to my heart. This one never disappoints.

Heatwave