-Hey Tonia! To kick this thing off, can you please give us the best background you can on your musical endeavors? How and when you started playing music, when you realized this is something you wanted to take seriously, first bands, all of that fun stuff. I was so distracted by the desire to pursue music that I dropped out of community college. One drunken night a friend caught me singing and encouraged me to play open mics with him. After I knew that I actually didn't suck at singing, my next task was to be able to perform on my own which meant picking up an instrument. It’s practically a rule that if a white girl plays any instrument that one of them be a ukulele so one day after I got so drunk the night before that I called into work I went and bought myself a ukulele. I was 21 at that point. Every night after work I taught myself how to play with the power of Google, learning covers of songs by The Cranberries, Against Me!, Bomb the Music Industry!, etc. for HOURS it was so much fun. I couldn't be stopped! In an attempt to wrap this up the following few years included: open mics. Lots of open mics. Writing my first songs!! Weird talent show thing? Invited to play first house show. Meet future band mates. Start duo with one friend. Play many shows. Quit that. Play more Tonia Bug shows. Have the unshakable urge to rage on stage with a band. Start a band. Get super fuckin' lucky and essentially achieve my dream of being a feminist punk rock goddess. Realize that it's not for me LOL. Floats in space for rest of existence. JK!!! Now I'm taking it easy and basically only playing solo when I really really want to which is awesome. :) -What draws you to the ukulele as opposed to a guitar? It’s just easier. The only reason I learned how to play an instrument was so I could sing and write on my own as opposed singing along to whatever someone else was playing. -Of course there’s a distinct power in your voice that’s very much become one of the signatures in your music. Have you ever had formal singing lessons or voice training? And is there like a voice maintenance routine or something you do? I’ve seen you sipping honey on stage before. What’s that about? The extent of my training dates back to middle school choir lol. Honestly, I should probably be taking better care of my voice considering the amount of belting I do but at the very least I warm up before performances with lip roles and scales...which are actually fun and annoying. As far as the honey goes, it supposedly lubes you up but I'm not super convinced. I think it's soothing more than anything plus it tastes good! -If I’m not mistaken, other than a couple loose tracks, the last release under the Tonia Bug name was The Sad Girls Club Demo from I wanna say summer 2014… correct me if I’m
wrong. That was my first taste of any of your music. There’s a cool balance of urgency and fun in those songs that carried over into The Lippies. Were you surprised how seamlessly things went from that album to The Lippies EP? You are correct! On one hand, I was not surprised because I was so eager and bursting at the seams to write with a band that I think I could have made anything work. Although, I am grateful that it happened with The Lippies. On the other hand, it was incredibly surreal to have what sounded like a more complete sound to back up my lyrics. So not very surprising, just surreal and relieving.
-Also really quick, my favorite song off that project (the demo) was “How You Make Us Feel.” Especially the Cozy Couch Session you did of it. Do you ever play that one live anymore? And if not, please bring it back, haha! I do every once in a while but I'm a bit insecure about some of the lyrics because I wrote the song when I was 22. I have been reworking that it though...with you in mind funny enough! I wanted to include a line like “all the kids who can't make it to the basement show” to address the inaccessibility of certain shows and to show that I have everyone in mind when I sing that song. This has motivated me to put that back into my normal set rotation again though so I will work on it! -Any plans for a new solo album? And if you do record something new, will it have that same bedroom-pop lo-fi feel or do you think you’ll do it bigger? Yes, but I’m taking it very slow while I get my shit together. I want the recordings to be better balanced and that’s all I know for sure. I hear some of my songs as full band performances in my head but I would like to keep several others simple like the originals. I will have someone recording me for the most part but would also like to include some self-recorded material.
It's probably going to be messy and mixed up like myself. But good. I hope. Lol. -Not to beat a dead horse here, but what was going through your mind when Hayley Williams pulled you onstage during that Paramore set a few years back? Every once in awhile I’ll come back across the video of it and can’t help but think it was more than just coincidence that she chose you. Tyler. You know those moments where you feel like the stars have aligned for you? Like you can tackle a seemingly unachievable task because you have believed in your heart for I don't know let's say 8 years that this moment was supposed to happen? Well it was like that. I have so much respect for Hayley Williams and I sort of feel like she could sense my confidence when she chose me to come up. We totally connected. At least in my mind! Maybe not though lol. Either way it was a huge check off my bucket list.
-If you can remember, what was your favorite show you played during your time with The Lippies? Mine was the Thanksgiving Eve 2015 show at Mulligans! The crowd was like a big giant happy family. I met a lot of great people and reinforced many friendships that night.
Awe dude I’m glad to hear that. We weren’t perfect but dammit I felt such a sense of community at our shows in GR. I think my favorite Lippies show was our full-length album release show at the Pyramid Scheme. I was overwhelmed with the support and so grateful for everything and everyone that night. So thankful to have a platform to express my gratitude and I really felt like the crowd sincerely respected each other. It was perfect. -Something I notice at Tonia Bug live shows is the sense of respect and space among the crowd even toward the front where it’s usually quite dense. Is that something you see as well? Yesssss...When I have my eyes open at least. Funny what people will do for you if you just ask and thank them! -What feelings do you hope people get by listening to your music and attending your shows? To keep it short, I just hope that I make people feel like they aren't alone in their struggles. ALSO I hope I make people feel that there is power in showing vulnerability and that they don't have to deal with oppressive bullshit. -Aside from doing it all on your own now, are there any differences in your songwriting process for your solo project compared to the stuff you did with The Lippies? Yup. Any good solo song I've written was created during a moment of inspiration (usually highly emotional times)- The music as well as the melody and lyrics. The majority flows out and then I just have to fill in the gaps. It's difficult for me to write any other way on my own without getting stuck. With the band it was much easier producing final products because they are better with instruments than I am. They would give me the bones and all I had to do was fit my thoughts and melodies into the structure. -How about performing solo as opposed to with a full band backing you up? Do you prefer one to the other? There are pros and cons to both. The pro to performing alone is that I am the only person I need to depend on. The con to performing alone is that I am the only person I need to depend on. I enjoy them both! Whether I prefer one over the other depends on how I'm feeling that day. -What do you think the chances are that we’ll see you as part of a band again? When? Soon? Please? Just playing, keep doing your thing. You’re doing great. Lol your guess is as good as mine. Sometimes I think about being in a band again but get scared that no one will want me because of how abruptly I canned The Lippies. Then I remember that I need to relax because music is supposed to be fun and I did what I needed to do. I will tell you that whatever band I’m in next will move much slower than my first band!
-Is there anything you’re currently working on that you’d like to share with the readers? Anything cool planned for 2017? Anywhere you're hoping to go? All I plan on doing is continue working on myself and maybe go back to school? Just try to be happy for myself and lay lowish. -Other than Paramore/Hayley, who would be your dream band or artist to perform alongside in the future? ANYTHING KATHLEEN HANNAH IS DOING -We lost way too many musical legends in 2016 (sign of the apocalypse much?), but there were a ton of great releases as well. Would you agree? What was your favorite album to come out in 2016? 2016 was too much. Way too much. But I gotta say I really ate up PUP’s new album. It was sort of relatable for me and has offered me some comfort whenever I am feeling residual sad feelings about the breaking up the band. -The last word is yours. Thanks Tonia. You're the best. Tyler you rule so hard and I am so happy I've been able to get to know you. Thank you so much for everything you do and for including me! Love you buddy :)
-Hey guys! Please, introduce yourselves and your roles within the band a bit. Dan Smith - Lead vocals and guitar Derek "Phatty" Blossom - Lead guitar and back-up vocals Don Carlisle - Bass and back-up vocals Midhat - Drums -When and how did Bet On Rats become a thing? Your Facebook alludes to it starting by happenstance. Care to elaborate on that? Don and Dan got together to record a solo demo for Dan’s personal use and it turned into Don joining the band. Derek came along for two reasons, he was a good buddy of ours, and his guitar style was something we knew was going to benefit our sound. Midhat found us when we were between drummers, but after one short practice session, we knew we found our rhythm section. -Have you played in other bands in the past? Have you played in any together before this one? Don and Derek both played in Pearl Snap Western Brown and the Jub Jubs together, Midhat use to drum in Ape not Kill Ape, and Dan was in a punk-esque band called Bitter Apples where he did lead vocals and guitar. -What or who would you say are some of your biggest influences? You’ve described your sound as a new take on folk in punk-rock fashion, which I can totally see. Bands like Harley Poe definitely come to mind, but are there any that might surprise people? Don - YES, King Crimson, Charles Mingus Midhat - Tool and Primus, Swans and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Derek - Johnny Mahr of the Smiths & Refused Dan - Tiny Tim, Freddy Mercury, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Bleeding Gums Murphy -Dan, I know you sometimes play solo as “Dan On Rats.” Is that reserved for other, separate material you’ve written or do you also play Rats songs? For you, how is that different from playing with the full band? Dan - Dan on Rats is purely Bet on Rats without the other guys. It’s like Bet on Rats but much much less hahaha. I enjoy playing solo, but playing with a full band gives me more energy. I feed off of them like a parasite, but I’d say it’s more symbiotic than that.
-Again, Dan, how was the recent mini midwest “TORE Tour” you went on with other Grand Rapids favorites Thomas Gun and JOE? And if you don’t mind me asking, what’s it like returning to regular ol’ real-life after being on the road with your buds? Dan - The TORE Tour was crazy, man. Mainly the guys I went with (JOE and Thomas Gun) were just so much fun to be on the road with. We got to hang out, play some great music, and just goof off for the weekend. I can’t wait till I can go back on the road with either of them again. Coming back to work was really hard. To be blunt, it sucked. My job isn’t exactly the most exciting, and the idea of being able to jump from town to town making just enough for gas and eats is far more enticing to me. It’s a priceless experience that I hope to revisit really soon, and hopefully with the full band. -This next one’s for Don. Dude, how the heck do you have the time to balance running sound at Mulligan’s, playing in Bet On Rats, and doing everything at your production studio, Knavish Audio?! Color me impressed because it’s all top notch. Don - Thanks! It’d be impossible without Google Calendar, but I have plenty of time open in January and February, so hit me up! I’ve been working on Scants, Fire Kitten, The Quirk, Sorry Honey, Just Luckies, Discycle, and The Westside Rebellion just to name a few, but it’s been nice to do music stuff for a living! -Actually, while we’re on the subject of Knavish Audio, what’s it like as a band to have easy, I’m assuming constant, access to a studio and to have such a good sound engineer right there in the band? Midhat - If you can find a guy that knows the technicalities as well as being a good musician, that’s amazing. A person like that who has pre-existing knowledge can be very beneficial. Don has expanded on what he has learned by what he’s done with other bands, and used that knowledge on every recording since. Dan - We’re spoiled to say the least.
-Devil’s Night (2016) at the Pyramid Scheme was a special night. I’m glad I got to witness it all. I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like to play that show. Can you explain what it meant to you guys and how your night went? Feel free to mention your costumes and favorite moments. Midhat - Personally, the atmosphere and the crowds you can get are great at the Pyramid Scheme. Devil’s Night was one of my favorite shows so far with Bet on Rats. Being able to share our new record with people was a privilege, and the fact that we were Turtles was just fantastic. Don - The Scheme is the best. They provide you with delicious coffee and also beer. So it’s always a joy to play there, but the crowd was pretty awesome that night. Dan - I’d say the crowd for sure. My absolute favorite part of the night, is when I heard people singing along to our songs. It’s a great feeling when you hear people screaming lines that you wrote one night in your room. -You released your new album, Braille that night and it’s one of the best things to come out this year. A definite progression from your already solid Easy Now EP from 2015. Was there a difference in writing and recording this project compared to the last one? Don - Braille was written pretty much the way we write all of our stuff, Dan brings songs and we expand on them. But the recording was a whole endeavor. We switched drummers, we had guest drummers, and we found a new drummer. Ryan Schubert from Antilogical drums on Familiar Feeling, I drum on the next 6 songs, and then we found Midhat, and thought, this dude needs to be on our album, so he did the drums on the last song on Braille, “Gravestone”. So that was a thing! I had to practice my ass off to get decent at drums, then we luckily found Midi Bego to drum for us. The rest of the album was pretty fun to record, but drums are the hardest to get right. Definitely looking forward to doing the next record and having things just go super smoothly, and have them not take, like a year to make, haha. -From where did you draw inspiration for the lyrics on the new record? Dan - It's hard to not sound typical, but the truth is that my lyrics come from a lot of different sources. Most of the lyrics are about the more disappointing side of the human race. People are unpredictable, which can be a very good or very bad thing. I don't hate people, so don't get me wrong! But more often than not, I end up shaking my head at the decisions and
words that are made and spoken by the masses. My lyrics are my way of shaken a pen at the populace, showing my irritations with the ink I scribble on scraps of paper. -Who did the art for Braille? They did a killer job. Did you have an idea in mind of what you wanted the cover to look like or did you just let the artist do what they felt was best to fit with the music? Our good friend Nadja VanPelt graciously bestowed that artwork upon us, and gave us what we consider to be a hell of deal. We asked her to depict one of the lines in the titled track “Braille” - “…now you’re searching for your diamonds in the snow. All will be in vain, as we curse the same name, as your hands to frostbite fall.” She nailed it with the first draft. It really shows how greed can and does consume people. -The album is still brand new, but that hasn’t stopped you guys from sharing video clips of even more new songs on your social medias. I don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves here, but could there already be a new project in the works or are those clips just for fun?
We are working on a new album as we do this interview! We want to capture what our sound is like presently. Braille was recorded during a transitional period for us, and we’d like to capture that raw live sound, and have the next album be more like what you hear at one of our shows. But there will be plenty of more clips online and soon. They’re always fun, and it’s great to share with people in social media what we are up to. -I’m always curious what songs are a band’s favorite. Do you guys prefer playing any songs specifically over any others? For the record, my favorite is “Attraction To Reaction” and my brother’s is “Familiar Feeling.” Derek - I like being able to celebrate my loud side and quite side, and I feel like “Salt and Vinegar” and “Norma’s Home Invasion” are great for that. Dan - There’s a new song we are working on right now called “I Will Crawl” that I’m really into making the guys play at least 3 times in a row at practice. But out of our current releases, I like “Isms”. It’s just a driving tune with a message I feel pretty strongly about. Don - Playing new material the best, but I’d have to say “So the Sun May Set”. It’s dynamically all over the place, with a few tempo changes thrown in there, and the bass line is just fun to play. Midhat - I’ve always liked playing "Gravestone on the Hill”, not just because I did the drums on the album for it, but I like it as an ending for the album. -My younger brother loves you guys by the way. He doesn’t even like punk-rock but he’s obsessed with Bet On Rats, haha! Tell him thank you! We will be getting that shirt to him soon. -And finally, I’ve always been curious, what made you decide to use a stand-up bass in many of your songs and live setting? I dig it. Don - I had always wanted to learn double bass and cello, through Guarneri House, I was able to spend a little time doing both, their both on the new album, too. You can’t do the same things you’d do on upright that might come easily on an electric bass. So, that forces me to write smarter parts and fill a more foundational spot where as on electric, I’ll play way up on the neck and do lots of chords. -It’s been real, guys. I genuinely enjoy every interview, but yours specifically has me super excited! I guess you could say I’m all about Bet On Rats right now. You’ve quickly become one of my favorite bands over this last year, so thanks a lot for taking the time out to do this. Keep in touch. Thanks Tyler! You're a fantastic human being, and I can't thank you enough for including us in this bitchin' zine!
Review of Stucky Lucky 2016 (Stucky Lucky, 2016) By Ty Dykema Here in Michigan, I personally know something like 10 people that even know who Stuck Lucky are. That’s... not a lot, but every single one of them considers the band to be legendary. However, there are many similar little pockets of people dedicated to them across the country. Cult status anyone? For whatever reason, Stuck Lucky has never shot into the stratosphere like other bands with similar or worse work ethics. They’ve been around since the early 2000s, have released a number of albums and EPs either by themselves or through DIY label, Community Records, and have seemingly endlessly toured the US brandishing their one-of-a-kind, awesomely weird blend of ska, pop-punk, and thrash to whatever size crowd will lend them a stage and their ears. There’s something to be said about their persistence, consistency, and the dedication they return to their fans. Amidst the chaos, 2016 promised a new Stuck Lucky full-length album and I’m happy to say that in November, the promise was cashed in. And it is glorious. The album’s first song, Fear Drunk, opens with a blast that immediately gets you banging your head. It’s a protest song against corrupt, hateful politicians and with lyrics like “if I had a gun with your name on it, I’d still stab you in the neck so I could smell your sweat,” it’ll get your blood pumping and rightfully so. The next track, Ever So Gently, has a hypnotic, pessimistic feel to it featuring this line, “what’s the point of growing up when the world is fading out.” There’s also these epic drum fills that carry over into several beat changes on Light In The Dark. It’s here that I have to point out how great the contrast is between the shouted lead vocals and the sung bridges and choruses. Masking begins with this really cool building sound on the guitar until there’s a huge crash of horns and a noticeable shift in tone lyrically when it’s said that “my lust for life cannot be contained.” This track also features these weird spoken verses that remind me of Rob Zombie or something and at first I didn’t think it worked, but it’s grown on me by adding even more variety to the sounds on this record. Up next is Isolato which is easily my favorite song on this thing. It’s so dancy and easy to sing-along to that I wonder just how fun this would be to see at one of Stuck Lucky’s signature live shows. On the next song, Never Gonna Die, I asked myself how in the heck do these guys get shouted vocals and horns to work so well together. Most other bands would fail so hard at what they’re doing, but on this, their self-titled album, they’ve mastered their craft. The Tilt is the other song I’d most like to see live just for how catchy and fun it is. After a quick interlude to catch your breath, we get W.O.S. which is probably the heaviest song on the
album followed by Paycheck which is sure to be a ska classic. Seriously, it sounds like something you’d hear on a Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtrack which is about the highest praise I can come up with. At The Seams, which was originally written by fellow ska band, Las Cabriolas, notes a hopeful ending to the album. This lyric, “someday you’ll wake up from this dream, when we get up off our knees, we will live, we’ll live in harmony” is happy and uplifting but along with the instrumentation will make you wanna shake your booty too. Wish You Worst caps this project off the way Stuck Lucky seems to know best - fast, loud, and fun. “I wish you worst in the best sort of way.” I’d hardly call this a concept album or anything but the themes are very clear. In 12 songs, Stuck Lucky brings us dancing along through experiences many people have had throughout the entire year of 2016, an absolute garbage heap, while trying to put a smile on. The album is abrasive as it should be considering the world we currently live in and goofy fun when the listener needs it to be a friendly shoulder to rest on. It’s pessimistically reflective but hopeful for a brighter future. Meanwhile, Stuck Lucky has crafted their best music to date and wants you to experience it with them, that is if you want to. Either way, they’ll keep doing their thing whether 10 people are jamming to it or 10,000.
-Hey, how’s it going?! Please, start off by introducing yourself to the readers. I’m Kornie Boi. I sing and play guitar. And I’m actually writing this alone haha. -Let’s be real. Your band name is goofy as hell, haha! That’s a good thing though and I’ll tell you why I think so in a second, but first I gotta know how you came up with it? Lol you'll never know >:) -I heard about you guys from my friend Jake from the band No/Breaks. He linked me to your bandcamp and was like “yooo, you gotta check this out!” I seen your name and thought “what the hell is this gonna be?!” A couple seconds later I was vibing hard to “I Wish I Could Ctrl+Alt+Delete My Life” and the rest is history. But it was your name that hooked me initially into wanting to hear your music. It’s an attention grabber for sure. Was that intentional? That’s definitely an upside to it for sure. It’s a real easy name to Google. People see the name and immediately think we're mad men or something, but we're just chillin. -We’ve been comparing your sound to if PUP and Lagwagon had a depressed baby. You’re their depressed baby. But in the best way. Is that cool? I’m very cool with that. PUP is one of my favorite bands and Lagwagon was in Pro Skater 2 I think. So yeah, I’m down. -With that being said, who do you consider to be some of your biggest influences? My influences are probably so obvious to anyone who has ever listened to a single song I wrote. Green Day, Weezer, Bomb The Music Industry. -So I did some slight digging and found a flyer for this past summer’s Vehicle City Fest in Flint, MI. My buds Bong Mountain and The Vulnerable played too. That’s tight. What was your experience like at Vehicle City Fest and here in Michigan in general? Any plans to come back? We’d love to see you in Grand Rapids. Let’s hook it up! Vehicle City Fest was fucking awesome! Tons of sick bands and friends and such. We'd love to come back to Michigan anytime! We'll be back soon I'm sure. Expect us passing through in March maybe???
-In fact, it seems like you’ve been pretty much constantly touring all year. You’ve been everywhere. How has that been for you? I hope you’re not getting burnt out. Can you talk about some of the bands you’ve been roading with? Naaaaaaw, we aren't getting burnt out at all! We are just getting started!!! Touring is a lot like vacation for us except, for some reason, we feel productive while on the road haha. And as far as bands we've toured with, I really only have positive things to say about all of em. We haven't went on a single tour so far where everyone involved didn’t become best friends. I would give lil shout outs but i don’t wanna accidentally leave anyone out, haha. But we all talk on the reg! Legit some of my best friends in the world. -I seen you guys played Fest 15 too! That must have been nuts. How was your time at Fest? I seen photos of your set, it looked pretty wild. Did you get a chance to catch any other sets that stuck out as especially sick? That was my first fest ever so it was pretty mind blowing. It was one of the craziest weekends of my entire life. There's constantly something going on at Fest. So many friendly faces. So many bands. We just camped out in a parking lot the whole weekend and set up a little HQ. Shit’s wild. The best set of Fest was most likely PUP. They are true rockers. -Are you looking to tour pretty heavily again throughout 2017? And if so, where to? That’s the plan! Gonna try to hit most of the country again before the year’s over!!! -How’s the scene doing over in New York? I always find it interesting to hear about the differences and similarities among various punk scenes and how we can be doing better in our own. How about you?
Absolutely. Every scene has its own little way of going about things. It's definitely really interesting to witness other punk scenes in different places and see the different ways they operate. But it’s also interesting to see how similar they are. Like regardless of where you go, it’s still just gonna be a bunch of lit ass kids tryna stay lit and rock ya know? The scene in Albany, NY is actually really positive right now. New houses are popping up and people are really into going to DIY shows it seems. -Who should we be paying attention to from over there besides you guys? Definitely check out Jouska. Shit’s intense. Just got signed to Tiny Engines and they're most likely about to take over the world. -What’s it been like having recently put out your debut full-length LP (I Thought You Didn’t Even Like Leaving)? What’s the reaction to it been like? Mostly good? I think the record is super addicting by the way. I think the reaction’s been mostly positive. I'm happy that it’s out there and people can listen to it regardless of whether they're into it or not.
-Any interesting or funny stories from writing or recording the album? Hmmmmm. While we were recording, Joe Reinhart taught us the phrase "shit your cum" and we use that pretty frequently.
But TBH, we wrote and recorded the record far over a year ago so I don’t even remember anything to be honest. I kind of remember us smoking a bowl and then writing the title track all together and thinking we were THE SHIT. -There are a couple references to video games in your songs. You guys big gamers? And if so, what have you been playing lately or what are you looking forward to playing? Personally, I’m all about that Pokemon Moon right now, haha! It’s so good. Yeah, we are all pretty into playing video games. Me and Zak are like 69% through Donkey Kong 64 right now. Going for that cold 100. Sometimes Cam stands in front of my TV and slaughters everyone in Star Wars Battlefront. And Alex teaches me everything I need to know about Fallout 4. -And just for fun, who’s your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle? Mine is absolutely no question Donatello. I have a mega crush on him. Posters all over my room of him specifically. -Aaaaaand… Doritos or Cheetos? My dudes, we gotta know what your munchies of choice are. Cheetos all the way. Really not even a question. That being said, Jax over Cheetos. -That’s basically it, guys. I just want to thank you again for taking the time to do this. It means a lot. Best of luck to all of you. You’re killing it right now. Keep doing that. We’ll give you the last word if you want it. We’ll be in touch. <3 Anytime! Thank you so much for caring enough about us to interview us :) Means a lot.
-Hey hey hey! What’s going on?! Who the heck are The Scants and what do each of you do within the band?! Seriously, I’m excited about you guys. We’re all excited. It’s gonna be great. The Scants are a power-chord mashing, guitar sagging, no-nonsense three-piece punk band. Imagine if the Hanson brothers from "Slapshot" started a band. That’s us. Darren Graham on vocs/guitar, Colin Blassingame on bass, and Garrett Esper on drums! -When did you dudes start playing music together? We all started jamming together just a few months ago. It was me (Darren) who initially put the project together, after perusing Craigslist for awhile and trying a few different people out, I finally found a lineup that worked well with Garrett and Colin. Garrett had been jamming with some friends of mine and Colin was a friend of a friend. Initially we had another guitarist and were a four piece, but something wasn’t just right. After jamming for awhile just the three of us, it all just kind of clicked and took off from there. -You’re gearing up to release your debut EP, right? I know I’m excited for it. What can you tell us about it? (Does it have a title? Where’d you record it?) Care to mention what some of the songs are about? There’s a song called DRUMPF!! Yeah dude! We are super stoked for it and glad to hear you are too! It's gonna be a 7-song self-titled EP, mostly all of our material we wrote when we first got together. It was recorded by our good friend Don Carlisle at Knavish Audio on the westside of GR. HIghly, highly recommend that place to any other artists in town! And yeah, there is a song titled Drumpf on it! It’s basically an open letter to our next president about how we plan to fight him and all of his hate-fueled policies for the next four years. It’s a very heavy, powerful song! -What has the reaction been at your live shows so far? Has anything particularly crazy or cool happened during one of your sets? As a fast-paced punk band we've definitely played some interesting shows already lol. Of course, as a newer band, you've gotta pay your dues, so there’s been a couple shows at the Workshop for instance where we've had as little as like five people there. One time we played a bill with some gloom metal bands, let’s just say the crowd wasn't really prepared for the energy we bring lol. And of course, we get the occasional throwing of beer cans, mosh pits, and all the other stuff that makes punk shows great!
-As a newer band, what does it mean to you to have the support of the community behind you? Oh, man, it means a lot. I know we may be the ones playing the music up on the stage and what not, but there are definitely some people out there who have done a lot to help us along the way. Our buddy Larry Kole (The Lippies, Shaaaaark, The Bloody Lips) for example has done a lot to teach us about promoting and booking shows. And our good buddy Pat Brinkley did a lot to teach us about the recording process early into making our EP. And the guys from Fennec The Fox, Stubborn Strays, and The Quirk have all been supportive as well. It’s great to know there’s still a very good underground music community in this town with a lot of people willing to pitch in and do their part! -Of course DIY spaces are vital in keeping the punk scene alive and thriving, but please explain how local spots like The Firehouse and The Workshop are important to The Scants. DIY spaces are very important to our scene. They give up-and-coming locals a good place to play without some of the headaches of trying to get into bars and larger venues. There’s a real sense of community that you just don’t get at a place like the Intersection or Orbit Room. And it’s a great time for the DIY scene right now because both our venue (The Workshop) and The Firehouse are great places to throw a show! -Can you talk a little bit about your buds that run No More Records and what they’re doing over there? How did your recent live session with them go? I think it turned out great! Can’t say enough good things about the NO MORE! Records dudes, and in case anyone doesn’t know, they’re the same dudes from Stubborn Strays, another great GR band everyone should check out! But yeah, we had a fun time, we basically loaded our gear in, did our thing, hung out for awhile, and took off. Those dudes really know what they’re doing. Plus they have this little annoying chihuahua named Anakin that Darren basically chased around for the entire "South China Sea" video. It was a lot of fun and the videos are now up on youtube so check 'em out!8
-On December 1st, you played Mulligan’s Pub with a bunch of sick bands. You mentioned that was your first time playing a public venue in something like 10 years. How did that feel, dude? What’s it like for you being back on stage again where you belong? It felt great! As a musician, performing is what I look forward to most. To me, recording, promoting, and all other aspects of it are just means that I go through to help get ourselves on that stage again. I love it. The one place in this world I feel I can be the bat-shit crazy psychotic punk that I (sometimes) am, and not be detained lol. -What band(s) did you play in back then? I was in this craptastic little punk thing called City Train And A Time Bomb. We were all like 17. We barely knew how to play our instruments. It was awesome. -Where do you see The Scants in a year? 5 years? 100 years?! Oh man, it’s hard to say. Right now we're kinda taking this thing one show at a time (Tyler Dykema benefit January 8th @ the tip top ya'll!!) We"d love to eventually branch out and start playing some other cities in the Midwest, but building up the local punk scene is our main goal. And between our band and the DIY space we run, we really feel like we're making a positive impact. So, with any luck in a couple years we’ll be doing bigger and better things here in Grand Rapids! -And last but not least, what is/was your favorite now dead Grand Rapids band from the Skeletones era? Dude… now I miss Skeletones… OFFBEATS, OFFBEATS, OFFBEATS! They were on the bill for the first show I ever went to when I was just 15, and ever since then I've been hooked. I HIGHLY encourage any kid out there right now who may be reading this to look them up. When I was 16 the "For Sale" album came out. I loved that album so much I learned nearly every guitar riff on it. THAT is how I learned to play guitar, not from some
“Great Times With Dead Eye Zack” A special guest article written by C.E. Rhodes It’s Tuesday morning and I am elated. I am sitting at my desk where I will be for the next several hours with a smile on my face. I have headphones in and my eyes are fixed on a computer screen as I analyze unending lines of information and tap my fingers between keystrokes. My music stops. I look down to my phone, that my headphones are plugged into, and start the next set of songs. I am listening to Grand Rapids’ native Dead Eye Zack whose upbeat, soul-baring tunes have me feeling peppy, and free as a bird despite the work in front of my face. My first time seeing Zack Godi’s solo act was last summer when he played a set at Tip Top Deluxe, on Grand Rapids’ west side before local horror-rock/punk band, Murder Party took the stage. He was entertaining and I liked his music, so I picked up a CD. He offered it for free but I gave him five bucks for it and he threw in a kazoo (one of the instruments that he plays). A couple of days later, I popped it in the CD player of my car on the way to donate some clothes to a thrift store. It started with a live, and loud track called, Drinkin’. It was a rough bit, fast and hard with vocals like George Thorogood on steroids. It made me think of those movie bar scenes where chicken wire separates the band from the audience to guard them from broken glass. Then, by track two I was really starting to get into it; this music was fun! Zack’s vocal tones were gruff and interesting, sounding like a whiskey driven Popeye the Sailor Man with jaw dropping yells. The fourth track, The Street Rat Strut, was the most fun, so I would end up listening to it over and over again. It was a bouncy wayward anthem of sorts, and it was incredibly catchy. A couple more tracks in and the disc had gotten into some beautiful, folky acoustic guitar, old-time outlaw country songs featuring whistling, the kazoo and some fine banjo picking. I stopped to make my donations and an older gentleman that worked at the store complimented my music and asked who it was. “Dead Eye Zack,” I said proudly. It didn’t take long for me to become simply amazed at how easy and enjoyable his work was to listen to. I was so taken by it that it was all that I listened to for days. The catchy tunes and raw vocals are sung with such natural feeling talent, that they speak directly to the heart. His songs are easy to relate to, edgy with great feels and an unmistakable innate rebellion…the kind of thing that my defiant soul longs for. I liken his style to that of international one band Scott H. Biram, who is a favorite of mine. Zack Godi’s lyrics are classic and fun to sing along with, I more recently had the pleasure of singing along with a room full of his fans at Mulligan’s Otherside in Eastown, when he played the weekend before Halloween dressed as Artie from Nickelodeon’s 90’s series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Zack played a great show and I felt a camaraderie with fellow fans. After his set, I shared fantastic vibes with several people, as we chatted about the talented local musician. I had to know more about this artist, so I asked him for his email and sent him some questions that I was curious to have answers for. Why do you do what you do? That is, why do you write and perform music? Why do you perform solo? Do you prefer playing with a band or solo?
Music has always been a big part of my life and since I started playing guitar it has really become a way to express myself comfortably. Others have shown support and seem to enjoy my music so I end up with shows booked. Playing solo is a total rush, especially when the crowd starts singing along but I've really enjoyed playing in WESTSIDE REBELLION. There is so much more you can do with a band. What do you hope that your audience gets from your music? Hopefully just a good time. My lyrics aren't too deep. Mostly just about drug abuse, Satan and a broken heart packaged in a short, catchy upbeat tune. Just hoping to entertain and party. ha Who are your musical influences? A lot of music influences me and I hope that shows through my music. Some of the big ones are Viva Le Vox, Lou Shields, Goddamn Gallows, OFF! and Django Reinhardt to name a few. Why do you do "name your own price" merchandise? I'm a pretty hard supporter of the DIY scene so I make all of my merch myself which ends up being fairly cheap and I know that a lot of people, like myself, are super broke but also want a shirt or kazoo or whatever. If someone takes the time to listen to my set they deserve whatever they want of mine. Every now and then some people really hook it up which is greatly appreciated but not my intention. Money kinda sucks ha. With his catchy upbeat tunes, it's hard not to have a great time at a Dead Eye Zack show.I've seen him a number of times, mostly solo but also with The Westside Rebellion, a glorious conglomeration of local talent that Zack plays bass guitar for. That project, being a loud hardcore-punk band, is drastically different than the music in his solo project. Zack's talents are diverse, also including yodeling, scat style singing, a great stage presence, and art work. Many of his lyrics are about a darker and tougher side of life, recognizing that circumstances can often be less than ideal. Godi joins those lyrics with his creative singing styles as well as with a fun and excellently played acoustic guitar tune, accomplishing turning woes into a good time. Recently, I passed my four year anniversary of moving to Grand Rapids and finding astoundingly talented musicians, like Zack, and connecting through their music to what feels like the great spirit of this place, makes it feel like home to me. So, got woes? Feeling lost? Are you broke? Listen up. You can hear Dead Eye Zack for free on bandcamp.com. Learn some tunes, come out to a show and experience this cool cat for yourself.