PLUS PLAN 37 and THE YOUNG ROCHELLES
EDITOR
Jason Bolduc
COPY EDITOR Naomi Kelly
PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Bolduc Jim Smith
COLUMNISTS
THE TOWER
Hamilton's Anarchist Social Centre 281 Cannon St. E Hamilton, ON L8L 2B4 Hours: Sundays 11am-5pm* Mondays 2-6pm* Thursdays 12-5pm* http://the-tower.ca/
Jason Bolduc Jim Smith Juana Luck Mike Mccarthy
REVIEWS Mike Mccarthy
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mike Magee/Stomp Records Melanie Kaye PR Inddor Recess inc Epitaph Records Skull Skates Records I Scream Publicity Mike cubillos/Earshot Media Piston Head/Brutal Brewing My Fingers My Brain Reords GREENWAY RECORDS
7 9 15 21 32 35
UKE HUNT/SPIKE SLAWSON HUGO MUDIE/POUZZAFEST 5 SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB THE ALMIGHTY TRIGGERHAPPY
PLAN 37/ CINDY AND SHAWN THE YOUNG ROCHELLES
CONTACT
withinpunkzine/facebook 26 Houghton Ave N, Hamilton , ON L8H 4L2 www.withinmagazine@hotmail.com
INTERVIEW WITH SPIKE SLAWSON BY EMAIL APRIL 11/2015
COURTESY OF MELANIE KAYE PR J.B: So Uke-Hunt is actually also a social media platform for musicians to learn the art of the ukulele and the according proper techniques? SPIKE: That’s what I understand. J.B: Is that what kind of inspired the name of the band? SPIKE: No, the old Mike Hunt joke is what inspired it long before I had ever heard of the site. “Say, as long as we’re in Des Moines, let’s look up Mike Hunt.” My mother told me that joke. J.B: What inspired you to learn an instrument most often regarded by technical musicians as the “Thing that should not be”? SPIKE: So called “technical musicians” and the look on their faces when you succeed beyond their wildest dreams. That’s what inspired me. J.B: The Ukulele has its roots both in the Portuguese culture and later brought to the Hawaiian culture where it is most recognized today. With more musicians diversifying into less known instruments and the rise of Folk into Punk more out front these days do you feel that the four strings was an easy choice to keep with the three and four chord style? SPIKE: Honestly, I only chose the instrument to suit the name of the band. 3-4 chord folk/punk is not really our thing. J.B: Which is the style you normally use Baritone, Concert, Soprano or Tenor? SPIKE: I normally use White Crane style, but in a pinch have resorted to Eagle Claw Fist, or even Gangnam style. J.B: Being from such an iconic punk cover band is that why you chose to do the cover songs on the release?
SPIKE: Yes. J.B: Folk has some really deep roots and cultural heritage. Was it inspired at an early age to you? SPIKE: Yes. J.B: You chose to go with some well-known classic pieces from “Jackie DeShannon’s Needles and Pins” to “End of the World”. Some really old vintage in there but with a new interpretation. What inspired your selections of the tracks? SPIKE: Needles & Pins was actually co-written by Sonny Bono, a great American and a pretty decent skier. Jackie DeShannon’s version is cool, though. I cover what I dig. J.B: You cover across genres on this one with Depeche Mode’s ”Enjoy the silence” to The Kinks “Animal Farm” along with a David Bowie track. Is the album U.K inspired? SPIKE: No. Porter Wagoner, Michael Jackson, Barry Manilow and the aforementioned Sonny Bono are all great Americans. They are a shining example for the world to follow. J.B: Do you feel it hard to break away from that tongue in cheek form that you have mastered to a more relaxed vibe? SPIKE: No. My vibrator has many settings. J.B: The album is a nonstop feel good vibe. Was there a process of recording in analog to give it that sound it needed? SPIKE: Yes, in fact. We did most of it to a Tascam 388 1/4” tape machine. J.B: What would you consider to be the ultimate Tikki lounge drink? SPIKE: Being from Pittsburgh, I’d have to say a Zombie. J.B: The tour so far seems to be at some smaller cafes and pubs. Is that for a more fitting personal experience? SPIKE: Yes. J.B: Are there any future plans of playing larger venues or festivals this year? SPIKE: Yes. J.B: I always end with a famous quote or inspirational book. Is there any that come to mind? 04/23/15 05/27/15 05/28/15 05/30/15 06/01/15 06/02/15 06/03/15 6/04/15 06/05/15 06/07/15 06/09/15 06/12/15 06/13/15
San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge Cincinnati, OH MOTR pub Indianapolis, IN Melody Inn Lansing, MI AlbaniaThe Avenue Cafe London, ON Canada Call The Office Toronto, ON Canada Bovine Sex Club Montreal, QC, Canada Bar Le RRitz Quebec, QC, Canada L’Agitée - Bar-coop Ottawa, ON Canada Ritual Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Lanes New York, NY Bowery Electric Philadelphia, PA Milk Boy Philly Pittsburgh, PA 31st Street Pub
POUZZAFEST 5
INTERVIEW WITH
HUGO MUDIE
@ THE BOVINE SEX CLUB
APRIL 25,2015
COURTESY OF MELANIE KAYE PR
HUGO MUDIE
J.B: Hey this is Within Punk Zine and I’m sitting here with Hugo Mudie and we’re talking about Pouzza Fest which is in its 5th year. So when Pouzza Fest started did you hear voices kind of like “Field Of Dreams” If you build it they will come? HUGO: Ah kind of. My band, the St Catherines, we used to go to the Fest in Gainsville to play a lot and we always liked the vibe of it and we thought
that would be really cool to do in Montreal and people like to visit Montreal and there’s lots of things to do and cool venues and bands. But I couldn’t do it because I wasn’t working I was just playing shows so I couldn’t do it so then I when I started working and running a company we decided to do it and when we did it five years ago people were like, fuck finally something in Canada. So it was kind of like Fest was the thing we really liked to go to but ya it wasn’t something that we really thought about we just do it and hope that it’s fun. J.B: Montreal is known for its scene and it’s quite strong there and a lot of good bands are coming out of it and Stomp Records which is a big part of the festival and supporter of Pouzza. I noticed there’s a huge roster of bands from it this year as to corresponding years, Do they have a big influence in it? HUGO: Well we are friends with those guys and they are partners
in the festival to some extent for sure and for me when I was growing up the Planet Smashers were one of the bands that inspired me and I looked up to and I really like and still listen to them and think they are a fantastic band. We’re friends with those guys and they have a sound and style that they represent and do really well so it’s all part of those things that I want to have a part of Pouzza. You try to have some involved and some are and some don’t care but people like Stomp Records do care. J.B: Do you find it harder to obtain some of the bigger headliners or do you kind of catch them as they go through on tour sort of and are some more interested in playing? HUGO: When we first started we asked all the bands that we played with during the St Catherines days and those were the first bands that we asked. When they accepted and played then more bands started to hear about it and more booking agents started to get into it so there’s not that much competition we are a super small company and we have to deal with Rockfest and Heavy Montreal and that booked a lot of the same bands and are much larger companies. But we try to focus on smaller bands and more of a niche and more of just punk bands that people like. J.B: I’ve noticed that Rockfest and Heavy T.O are starting to get more government backing and support and that’s great but it’s also a direction you don’t want to go into because it’s limiting to what you can or cannot do right? So are you in a position now where you’re trying to gain more ground and get it out there enough to support it? HUGO: Ya but it’s just a different way of doing business in general like either you want to be as big as possible and please as many people as possible or you want it to be something very precise which is what we want to do. I mean there’s already a Rockfest and already a Heavy T.O and all those big festivals and it’s something I’m not interested in and something I don’t want to be better than it. We do our own little thing and people like it and it’s fun like that and we don’t want it to be bigger we just want it to be better not bigger. J.B: So coming back to the Stomp Records - do they have the morning after hangover breakfast? HUGO: Yep the hangover breakfast! J.B: But there’s also a rumor about a street hockey game going to be going on? HUGO: Yeah there is a rumor about a street hockey game possibly on St Catherines street and we’re talking to the city about that and it’s
something we wanted to do since the first year but it’s pretty hard to get the permits and the permission and all that, and legally you have the police and fire department and all that just to play Hockey for an hour we haven’t done it yet but we are hoping this year it might happen! J.B: Fire department for a Hockey Game? HUGO: Yeah security and whatever... J.B: So the lineup I’ve been keeping track of some of the interviews and questions people have been asking you and what bands you want to see but when I looked at the lineup what I saw was Holy Shit! - Municipal Waste, 88 Fingers Louie and more importantly the Dwarves because Montreal has a crazy sex fetish scene that normal people don’t know about. HUGO: (laughing) J.B: So did you have to get a crazy rider for Blag Dahlia? HUGO: No not yet I haven’t seen his record yet but we have had the Dwarves play two or three years so far at Pouzza and they played and it was one of the best shows that year and I really like them. It’s something that I care about to cover as much of the punk spectrum as possible and for me some of the stuff that is playing Pouzza for me isn’t exactly what I feel as punk but others think it is so I’m open about it. I try to cover as much of it as possible, I try to get crustier stuff and oldschool bands, hardcore bands and ska bands and they all deserve a space and I’m all against the divergence of the punk scene there’s no room for that. The Dwarves are great example of that and I know there’s probably a lot of people that are pissed about that but they should not go and see them and just go somewhere else and see something else. J.B: But they are notorious of their shows right? HUGO: Exactly and when I was young that is what I liked about punk you know that it was obnoxious and scary and punk and it’s something that I want to see and something that I am curious about. J.B: So coming back to that you have Joey Cape? HUGO: We always have Joey Cape. J.B: Yeah he’s one of the wickedest people always there and you have a great line up for local talent also and you also have some older bands like the Muffs? HUGO: The Muffs is one of my favorite bands that I like to see and grew up to listening to also and I’m very excited about it and this is the one for sure that I am going to see. Whatever happens during the Festival if it’s like burning or whatever I will be watching the Muffs play for sure.
J.B: The hotsauce? HUGO: Yeah...(laughing) J.B: You used to make the logo’s - I have a bunch of hot peppers growing in my basement seven of the world’s hottest and I condense it into a sauce and I call it Satan Spit - but you design the logo for it every year but this year you did a contest. What is the hot sauce? HUGO: Ahh it’s called Danny Cash it’s a company out of the States I think it’s the fifth year that we do a hotsauce and usually I design the label but this year we did a contest to design it and I talk to him about how we make it and we do a special recipe every year. And I have to drive to the States to get it you can’t cross the border with Hotsauce in the mail, so I have to go pick it up every year. J.B: Yeah I can only imagine customs having to test it out (Laughing). HUGO: It’s pretty crazy you can cross a lot of things but not the hotsauce. J.B: Raygun Cowboys, Resignators, Teenage Bottle Rocket, Knapsack the list goes on and on it’s too big to mention are there any other smaller bands that you haven’t mentioned that you want to hear that you haven’t seen yet? HUGO: There’s a local band out of Montreal called “Barrasso” they’re like kind of hot like snakes and they sing in French and it’s a band that I’m excited to see how they do. J.B: So it’s a general bar hopping back and forth good time that it’s known for but at the same time it’s also about food... are there any restaurants that stand out that might be mentioned? HUGO: I only have one answer because we have a sponsor and that’s called “Frite Alors” which is like a Belgium fast food place and that’s where all the bands go to eat and we have shows there like acoustic shows everyday unitl 3 a.m and you can get anything there like Veggie burgers and all that. J.B: There’s two new things this year - Punk Rock Karoke? HUGO: Well it’s the band Punk Rock Karoke which is composed of members of Bad Religion and Nofx and all that. They’re going to be like the closing band on Sunday night on the main stage, so people can go and sing songs with them and stuff and classic songs. You can go if you want it’s fun.. J.B: I’ve done it before but I was all chewed out and I didn’t make it very fa... it was at Warp tour and I was like this is fucking awesome! then I hit the ground. HUGO: So you didn’t make it very far you didn’t make it to the stage.
J.B: The other one is Pouzzasana that Miguel Chen is putting on this year so that is exciting? HUGO: Yeah the Yoga is crazy actually he approached us about it and I thought it was a crazy idea and it’s a contradiction to all the fast food and beer and things going on so it’s a good thing though because I like Yoga and I like contradiction. J.B: So you have the morning after Breakfast and then Yoga to sweat it off? HUGO: I am actually really curious to see if people are actually going to do it? HUGO: Will you wear those Yoga pants and everything I’m interested to see if all those self-coconscious punks will get into it? J.B: Yeah but last time I checked it was well over 200 people! HUGO: No it’s bigger than that it’s like over 500 people and I think we are giving out free yoga mats and stuff I’m going to go for sure. J.B: I always end the interview with a famous quote or a famous book anything come to mind? HUGO: My favorite book for the last couple of years have been “Playing with fire” the Theoren Fluery hockey player about his recovery from child abuse and I think it’s an essential read for people that have been through that and care about human beings.
SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB INTERVIEW WITH
SLIM CESSSNA BY EMAIL CORTESY OF
MELANIE KAYE PR
J.B: So growing up I had the privilege of being around back country folk - since it’s my heritage - Corn roasts and Bluegrass, wild bonfire jams with the good olde White lightning. Is that kind of the inspiration in your music that you guys play? SLIM:I think we are more inspired by the American West, Colorado and western music. Did you know the pearl snap was first introduced to western shirts by Rockmount Ranch Wear in Denver, Colorado? J.B: Would you say pure Shine is better than barrel aged whiskey? SLIM: I like a nice glass of cheap scotch with two ice cubes. Dwight likes a nice local IPA. Danny likes two beers placed on his amp before each show. Rebecca usually brings her own special Tequila. Peeler drinks Jim Beam, but only after the show. Munly drinks anything with fruit and an umbrella. J.B: I noticed the context of Religion in your lyrical content. Is that a focal point or is it homage to your roots? SLIM: Yes. J.B: I’ve had the opportunity to view many religions and many rituals and ceremonies. To this day I have seen speaking in tongues and faith healing. Your live performances give a bit of feel to that. How did that become to be? SLIM: We try very hard to put on a good rock show. Sometimes the stories we tell call for theater. J.B: You have that folk/country/Bob Dylan meets Tom Waits feel. What bands inspired you on your musical quests? SLIM: I love all these things. American folk music is the root of our songs, but then we let them breathe and grow into their own. I like to think we are equally inspired by the landscape of Colorado. Everyone
in the band may be influenced by different things - and each are given an equal voice.
JAY MUNLY
J.B: Is that how you explain lyrical content, a mix of thought and inner voices, penning thoughts to words? SLIM: Munly has been writing the songs for quite some time. He would be better to answer this. I think he’s an amazing story teller. J.B: The album was previously released on Glitterhouse but that didn’t seem to work for spreading the good word and now
you created your own label. Do you feel in today’s modern world of social media and digital releasing it’s better to try something new? SLIM: We are still very happy with our German label, Glitterhouse. We made our own record label because no one wanted to release the album in North America. We will continue to work with Glitterhouse for all of Europe. SLIM CESSNA’S AUTO CLUB J.B: Jay Munly plays a
role in being the secondary voice and also input for some of the songs, whether it be collaborative writing or ideas. Do you feel you guys are in sync with the direction you’re trying to obtain? SLIM: Munly Munly plays much more than a role. We should probably rename the band Munly Munly’s Auto Club. I should also mention Lord Dwight Pentacost has been named the bands MVP every month for 15 years. That’s a SCAC world record. J.B: Has there been any kind of show that you’ve played that really stood out as “Okay that just happened” type of scenario? SLIM: Yes. In 1997 or so, we opened for Johnny Cash in Las Vegas. I still have a difficult time believing it. It did nothing for our career, but looks so great on paper. J.B: So this album ‘An Introduction for young and old Europe’ is a collection of many tracks over the years that is just remastered and finally on a full length? SLIM: Yes! J.B: You have a lot of bluegrass and folk instruments going on from banjo to spoons and harmonica. What’s the process in finding what works? SLIM: I don’t think we’ve used spoons. I’ll look through my files to check on that. I am blessed to be surrounded by very talented people who are able to play so many wonderful instruments. I can pretend to play three cords on the guitar, but that’s as far as my talent goes. We asked Rebecca Vera to learn Pedal Steel for a show with a months notice. She nailed it! J.B: The main tracks “How we do things in the country” “Pine box” and “32 Mouths gone dry” have been promoted for the album. What would you say is your favorite track on it? SLIM: I love them all. I have no favorites. J.B: Anybody that knows United States politics knows who ever controls Denver is pretty much going to win the race. What are your thoughts on Hilary Clinton running for election? Do you think she can turn it around and get out of the recession?. SLIM: I hope we stay in an endless recession. Rock and Roll is so much more effective that way. J.B: So you’re starting a tour in South Dakota and then going through the Northern States, up through the lower lakes into Canada then hitting the Eastern cluster then back to the West upper coast and then straight down to the desert into Texas and back ending at Muddy Roots? SLIM: Yes!
J.B: When you record do you prefer to use analog to capture that true sound or do you prefer digital? SLIM: We’ve done it both ways and I can never tell the difference. J.B: I always end with a famous quote or verse or book that inspired you. SLIM: “Bye bye shadow lands. The term is over. All the holidays have begun.” CS Lewis
SLIM CESSNA AND JAY MUNLY 5/13/2015 Spearfish SD The Legendary Back Porch 5/14/2015 Fargo ND Aquarium 5/15/2015 Minneapolis MN Indeed Brewing Company 5/16/2015 Chicago IL The Abbey 5/18/2015 Grand Rapids MI The Pyramid Scheme 5/19/2015 Cleveland OH Beachland Tavern 5/20/2015 Hamilton ON Casbah 5/21/2015 Toronto ON Horseshoe Tavern 5/22/2015 Ottawa ON Ritual 5/23/2015 Montreal Qc Divan Orange 5/24/2015 Québec QC L Agitée – Bar-coop 5/25/2015 Burlington VT The Monkey House
5/26/2015 Boston MA Great Scott 5/27/2015 Providence RI Columbus Theater Club Venue 5/28/2015 New York NY Mercury Lounge 5/29/2015 Brooklyn NY Rough Trade 5/30/2015 Baltimore MD Metro Gallery 5/31/2015 Washington DC Hill Country Live DC 6/2/2015 Pittsburgh PA Club Cafe 6/3/2015 Cincinnati OH MOTR Pub 6/4/2015 St Louis MO Firebird 6/5/2015 Kansas City MO Riot Room 6/6/2015 Omaha NE Slowdown
THE ALMIGHTY TRIGGER HAPPY
INTERVIEW WITH
AL NOLAN
@ THE BOVINE SEX CLUB
APRIL 26,2015
COURTESY OF
MELANIE KAYE PR J.B: So we’re sitting here with Al Nolan and the boys from Trigger Happy. Or is it still “The Almighty Trigger Happy”? AL: Well it’s mostly Almighty well kind of mighty mostly ‘Who can we get this week Trigger Happy’. No really I always said if the band gets to the twenty fifth year (which it’s approaching) maybe by name maybe not together. Then it would kind of cool, a Canadian version of Bad Religion where various dudes come in and play and various legends “Sure I would love Brian Baker to come and play for Trigger Happy”... It’s very sad, I don’t want to use this as an excuse but the reason why we haven’t done anything lately is because our guitarist Mark Gibson passed away almost two years ago. And about a month after his passing we decided we wanted to get together for a reunion since it was the twentieth anniversary and stuff coming up and you know the writing is on the wall. It seems a lot of peers that we’ve known and admired from the 90’s were either still playing or getting back together to play, so we said fuck we might as well get back together, then the son of a bitch died. Which is kind of weird which really pulled us apart, you see there is no real original members of Trigger Happy it’s always been just me and Mark, we’ve always had a revolving door so it made you tough and it made you a fucking prick and it’s the thing that bands do. They say things to people and they don’t mean it to them it’s to see what kind of reaction they can get out of them. Basically “Everyone in this band is replaceable” that’s a horrible thing to say but I’m so guilty of it. I must have said it a million fucking times. Knowing that there’s one thing, there’s no fucking way you’re replacing me in this band. And so you know you can’t replace me because it wouldn’t sound right and you can’t replace Mark because it wouldn’t sound right because no one has fingers like him. No one has a deviated septum and breathe out of one nostril and fucked up
AL NOLAN /PHOTO J.B
cracked up teeth and no one else is going to sound like that so we have that going for us so that’s good. J.B: Yeah my friend Carey played for you guys. AL: Yeah well you see Carey is an interesting story. Carey passed the ultimate test you see. If you’re going to join Trigger Happy and be a guitar player - because we have so many revolving guys - if you’re going to be a guitar player you have to learn where you stand. So
if you showed up and you knew the Misfits version you were in, but if you showed up knowing the Iron Maiden version you were in, If you showed up knowing both then fuck ya, you’re in. So Carey showed up and were like so you know both, okay you’re in - being the nice guys we were. And it’s a horrible thing to say that you’re replaceable because nothing is ever the same so here we are in 2015 and the original members of Trigger Happy didn’t want to be involved in it so they all have a hard on for me and they don’t like what I’m doing or they think I’m exploiting the death, like they carried his coffin but you won’t play his fucking songs, you all hated him when you were in the band. I’m the only one that was honest with him about his fucking feelings but you know people’s interpretations are different than other’s. So, happy to have our most competent bass player Kevin James who is playing with us tonight and we’re lucky that other dudes that are in it were huge fans of it and you can’t go wrong that way. My guitar player Adam opened up for us it was his first time ever, same with Mike and Chris boneless our drummer - his first band ever opened for Trigger Happy, it’s just kind of neat. The thing of what it was like when we first
KEVIN / PHOTO J.B
started - and notice I haven’t talked about songs, it just about how mental it was - we were such a contained unit and you couldn’t touch us you could say whatever you wanted say about me but if you said anything about him I would fucking kill you. He’s the best guitar player in the world even though I hate him and he’s in my band and that was the mentality it was survival mentality. So every time somebody liked us we didn’t trust them it was like ‘what do you mean you want to sign us? Fuck Off ’ Nobody can tame us right? So then all this shit started happening out of nowhere, so we were on this label in Sweden
even though we were on Raw Energy and even though everyone could name check if you could name five of our songs you were a real fan right. You could always know where we were, what we were going to do but you couldn’t name any of our fucking songs right? So I would start fights at shows and Mark would spit on kids and we would fuck them over and our drummer would play naked while he sat there and his cock would be hanging out and teenagers would be like “What the fuck”? When we became a professional band we were young kids and by the time we considered ourselves punks Black Flag were already in their mid-thirties and those kids are all scary men now right? So he’s a fucked up kid and now he’s a scary man. So we get signed and recording to these American records and things start getting fucked up and what
happens? We stop being angry at the audience because we needed them to buy the shirts and the albums and the merch like I became a fucking Vegan for better fucking relationships and Jesus Christ this is ridiculous. J.B: Just like when you were starting out you had that stage presence. Were you ready for it? AL: Oh fuck ya I was all ready for it I wanted to be the villain, I wanted to be Don Rickles, I wanted to be Han Solo the scoundrel, the one you knew you couldn’t trust but he would be there for you. That’s the thing I always wanted to be Mark was going to be the good looking one and I was going to be the fucking asshole right? So instead of turning into the audience like you said we changed and I like to weave into fear and he was my favorite guy - call the audience names and homophobic slurs and whatever. I would recall them but I know we’re being interviewed so I have to maintain. I wanted to be that “Arrr” fucking competition guy so when we lost that element with the audience we turned on each other and all of a sudden “You’re a junkie!” no “You’re a Junkie” no “You smoke too much weed”! “Oh you’re starting to do coke now fuck this!” and that’s when things started to happen and people started saying everyone can be replaced. When we went to do our very last album “I Hate Us” I went through a very serious break up and so all these songs I had written for this album - which were over fifteen songs - I decided to take them and throw them out the window. I was way too angry I can’t sing this shit so I get there and this is the bullshit survival mentality that bands have - if you’re in one yourself, I don’t know if you are or not... I showed up to the studio and I told those mother fuckers I didn’t have anything written for those songs. And they all look at me and Mark starts yelling at me and I was dying of anxiety at the time and I wasn’t taking meds or anything like that and I’m smoking too much pot and I’m fucking crying at the studio, and then they turned to me and were like ‘go and see Good Riddance and Sick of It All’ down at the Opera House and go get some inspiration. So as I’m leaving and standing in the door way collecting myself and wiping the tears off my face I was losing my shit and I heard Mark say “Fuck it he’s out of the band, I’m going to sing the songs on the tour” so this is the kind of band we have. But it was a bit of a contradiction because when we were on stage we could count on Mark to do this and Mark to do that they knew they had the best front man and vocalist to take the audience by the throat or by the scruff of the neck and not control them but to entertain them
and that’s what we have always been about it’s been such a fucked up mental trip. So sometimes our songs didn’t match up to our heaviness. People would be like ‘why are their songs so pussy but they are so mean? J.B: I don’t think so! Al: Well the earlier stuff was pretty light! J.B: There is a difference between Killatron and “I’ll shut up when you fuck Off ” ! Al: Wow you know the stuff! I never had an interview like this before. J.B: And songs like “In Hate” and “Think” or “Shit for dessert” and you guys had a transition there and a reference to what was going on at that time? AL: Well that’s because all the bands became hardcore guys like “Good Riddance” and they became faster and harder and were from Toronto, I mean western Canada had a more S.S.T California mix and it was a shorter drive to California. Where we had everything we had S.S.T, we had Dischord, we had every major band come here because it was a good market but it was a pain the ass to get here. I remember sitting in my parent’s basement and watching Bill Steveson being interviewed on the steps of the Concert Hall for Flag playing there and you know what they were saying “Punk Rockers are the dumbest most narrow minded people in the whole world”. And there’s all these hawks standing around and this is back in the day when Flag was dropping acid in the back of their truck and that’s including Rollins - you know what happens is when you start something and what happens are two different things. I stopped Trigger Happy because I stopped a kid in the crowd and said do you know who Bon Scott is? And he said no and I was like I’m out of here! And what was he supposed to do he was like fifteen, the biggest band that kicked his ass was like Lagwagon sorry Mel no offence. J.B: So you guys did a lot of tours and then you would do a lot of skate and snow shows? AL: I used to work for a skateboard distributor and I’m from Pickering and that’s where the first Vans and Powell distributor was from. So when I got a job there I was like ‘hey you guys use your product’ and I started a sunglass thing and sponsored every band that Melanie Kaye worked for and we gave them sunglasses and we actually had five different shoe companies and like six different snowboard companies and there was a time when I didn’t have to buy anything I had stuff in boxes and wrappers still and I was like ‘I think I will wear this today’ and
took it out of the wrapper and my girlfriend at the time was a model too so she was having a great time. So then we took it into the scene and S&J would start doing the Snow Jam tours and that’s were Adam would come to see us play and we would go all over the country and that’s where we met Tony Sly “No Use For A Name”. We used to joke and say we wanted to change our name from “Trigger Happy” to “Launching Pad” or we were going to cover the song by Morrissey “We hate it when our friends become successful” because every time I would come home there’s this band that opened for us and now they’re fucking huge. J.B: You’ve opened up at a lot of great venues and for me it was the Towne House in Sudbury! Al: Yeah that’s a great fucking place. I watched the Hardcore documentary to get inspired for this weekend and there’s this thing that Curtis Tang said and that’s “You know I knew nothing about geography in this country until I started listening to Punk Rock” because when you listen to 7 seconds you think of Reno Nevada you don’t think about gambling. When you think of New York you think of Sick Of It All, Boston you think of Gang Green and D.O.A you think of Canada. So I didn’t know anything about this country until I started working for S&J and Sudbury was skaters. (Melanie) Yeah that was my introduction into California was through the skate scene. So in Canada it was this Ramones effect you would go and see a band and they would have 3 songs and the next time they would have over a thousand songs. So I used to throw Trigger Happy cassettes and C.D.S into the orders that would go out into the stores so they would go all over the country. So this was before West forty-nine and that oldschool skate shop and double tape deck mentality. When I first heard Strung Out and Lagwagon and the Fat and Epitaph stuff it reminded me of the Iron Maiden stuff and that guitar awesomeness. So when we got into it back when we were called “Kingpin” we opened up for Bad Religion back in the day at the Rivoli! And I was watching Brett Gurewitz roadies trying to take my bass drum gear and I was like ‘I don’t care who the fuck you are! give me that fucking thing’. And then within four months of that we recorded an album with Stephen from the Descendants and then three months after that I was on the phone with Brett and he’s like “I really like your album” and I was like ‘what, you don’t remember trying to steal my fucking drum shit’! J.B: So Adam how does it feel to join the iconic chaos that is the “Almighty Trigger Happy” ADAM: Ah how do I feel? well... is that Sea Shepherd shirt? J.B: Yes!
ADAM: Well I always wanted to be the drummer for Trigger Happy I remember opening up for Trigger Happy back in the day and that’s how I first met Al and Mark and I was around for like fifteen years and I skated with them and then Mark passed and I was offered to join. J.B: So is it still the Almighty Trigger Happy? ADAM: It will be until this guy leaves (pointing at Al) J.B: So any famous quotes you have that comes to mind, or books? Al: Ya well I used to put a lot of quotes on our albums actually when I first started hanging out down here and I was trying to survive on instincts. I hung out with some Tattoo parlor guys and they read a lot of Charles Bukowski and you know when you’re a young man and
you’re living it and even though I didn’t drink or do drugs back then (I didn’t become that person till way after the fact) I started identifying with him. We’ve used Charles on “I’ll Shut up when you fuck off ” and then on the last one “I Hate Us” we used another quote from “Rumblefish” which is one of my favorite books by S.C. Hinton and there’s a song that’s one of my favorites and that’s “Classic End”, that was about my girlfriend leaving me and she went down for a modelling job in California and never came back. And there’s a quote in it that Mickey Rourke says to Matt Dillon as he’s bleeding and says “Hey man did you see the ocean? No why not? Because California got in the way”! J.B: One more thing - I know you’re going to tell me the weirdest thing that ever happened? AL: Okay so here’s something that I shouldn’t be saying SNFU was in Europe and Curtis played in Trigger Happy and SNFU and we were out in Vancouver and Dave that managed us and SNFU at the same time said you can go stay at Ken’s house, he’s away. KEVIN: Shit we were touring with you with “Bender” AL: Shit hold on! We score this acid over at the Hungry Croc or whatever the local town pub was called. I hated Vancouver anyways, Dave like ‘you can go to Che’s and stay there but listen you know what Che’s like just don’t touch anything and don’t be weirded out by anything’! So we get there and we’re like let’s just eat the acid and we’re like, ‘it doesn’t seem to be working let’s go get something to eat’ - we haven’t even been to Ken’s house yet. So I’m like Mr Cereal guy so I get a box of Shreddies and Milk and I’m like ERRRRRRR and Curtis and Mark get Burger King or something so we get to Kens house and we can’t get in so we’re like what the fuck are we going to do? Mark’s like ‘I’m from Mimico’ (Click) and we’re in and we open the door and it’s this fun park to the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen, of course he doesn’t have this shit now but he had this basement apartment that had from corner to corner these weird statues from a tikki thing like that to a giant rubber bat. And then up top were all these rad postcards and action figures and then - I’m terrified of spiders - and I realize where we are so. I’m standing there saying ‘fuck you guys I want to finish my Cereal and this acid isn’t working’ and cereal makes you tired and want to pass out.. KEVIN: Boring! Al: No let me finish my story so fuck off! So I fall asleep to Shreddies and I wake up to (Farting and Sharting sounds) So I’m like what the fuck are these guys doing and I don’t know if you’ve ever taken acid but it really affects the bowels. So Mark is in his boxer shorts going (Prttttt)
and Curtis like a muppet is in his bowling shirt going (HEEHEEHEHE Fart) and I’m like “What the fuck guys, your acid isn’t working” And then all of a sudden I’m like “WHHAHAHHAHA” I’m so fucking high and full of Shreddies I run into the bathroom I sit down thinking something’s going to happen I’m in Che Pigs house! I grab the shower curtain doing the Kramer thing, ripping the shower curtain down and I start hurling, there’s fucking Shreddies everywhere. So I put the curtain back up turn the shower on and lean against the wall and I turn around to adjust the shower and there’s this big fucking spider! So I freak the fuck out and Mark bust in with these dreads up looking like his sister who was a reporter and we used to bug him about it - being Mark in drag. So I’m lying on the ground he looks at me and says “Face your Fears” and then flicks the spider at me. I clean my shit up and head out to the room and the guys are laughing like Beavis and Butthead and I need some water so I walk over to the fridge and I open it up and in the fridge are these Husky guys mens mags which are Ken’s choice so I turn to the right to the sink to get water and there’s this mason jar and in that mason jar are about thirty live fucking spiders, and I lose my shit and on the jar is a sticky note “If you kill any spiders put them in the Spider jar” So I was like fuck it I’m out and slept in the van but that only lasted ten minutes and that was that.
MAY 22 MAY 25 MAY 26
GSA/FI/AUS/NZ EU/UK U.S/CAN/REST OF THE WORLD
PLAN 37 INTERVIEW WITH
CINDY CARON/ SHAWN @ THE BOVINE SEX CLUB
APRIL 26,2015 COURTESY OF
DOUG LOOSE
MY FINGERS MY BRAIN RECORDS J.B: So I’m sitting here with Cindy and Shawn from Plan 37 at the Tikki bar up at the Bovine Sex Club. So where did Plan 37 name come from? SHAWN: Well it’s because the first 36 didn’t work so that’s how it became to be. Well that’s what we say generally. So John and I started it and we lived at 37 Jones but originally I wanted to call it Plan 37 from Leslieville or something. J.B: So you guys are on “My Fingers My Brain” a small independent label. How does that feel, working with Doug? SHAWN: Oh ya big time we love them and Doug is a awesome dude he works super hard. I’m pumped to be putting out the 7 inch on his label. J.B: So you do have the 7 inches “Exercise and Communication” and most recently the new 7 inch “Space Junk”. Any plans on a full length? CINDY? Yeah for sure big time! Hopefully... SHAWN: Yeah we’re working on getting some info for which studio we are going to in the fall and working on new tracks now. CINDY: The studio is called Green Doors working with John and it looks like that’s where we are going to go. J.B: So you guys did come out with two videos the first one being ‘01010001’ which is hilarious and I laughed my ass off because you’re beating some guy in an alley? SHAWN: Yeah that was me! I was playing mugger number 2. J.B: Yeah the Batman underwear man that’s classic! So the next video is for ‘On the run’? CINDY: Yeah that was something that released only on Bandcamp and that was on the Double Feature. J.B: So what’s the new stuff like that you got coming out? SHAWN: Ah you know we’re staying in the general punk - fast, quick, short and loud. We got one that’s in 6/8 timing just to confuse people
CINDY CARON/PHOTO J.B
though (HA). We got a new track that’s about four minutes long about the “Shock Master”, he’s this terrible wrestler. There’s this epic video on You tube where the guy intros into W.C.W and he trips over a board and his helmet falls off and he’s all sketched out and he just looks like the biggest jackass on TV. So I thought I would write a song about it and the perspective of what was happening in his mind and where he was coming from. J.B: Maybe it was just too many Quaaludes
or juicing going on to be able to understand what was happening? That is wrestling you know so who knows. J.B: So Pouzza again this year for the second year? CINDY: Yeah! This will be our second year and it’s going to be fun for sure for me it’s about hooking up with a lot of friends I know a lot of people in Quebec so it’s fun to discover new bands, meet new friends. J.B: Yeah apparently this year there’s going to be a Hockey game so that’s exciting for sure. CINDY: For real? I hope so I play Hockey every Tuesday so I hope so. But there is also a war between Montreal and Quebec City over Poutine and whose is better! J.B: So you going to do more shows other than Pouzza? CINDY: Yeah we have a couple coming up and something that isn’t confirmed quite yet but it’s in the works. SHAWN: Yeah and our van died so you know we are in the middle of transition and focusing on writing and the album.
J.B: So I always end with a famous quote or a famous book anything come to mind? CINDY: I would go with “01010001” J.B : Well Life is Binary! And I guess that would make sense! SHAWN: That was a great quote a really smart man and woman wrote a great comic book that I just started reading, it’s called Witches Scott Schneider SHAWN / PHOTO J.B writes it.
MY FINGERS MY BRAIN RECORDS
THE YOUNG ROCHELLES INTERVIEW WITH
RICKY ROCHELLE BY SKYPE CORTESY OF
GREENWAY RECORDS J.B: So I’m sitting here talking with the Young Rochelle’s and I’m catching up with Ricky Rochelle. J.B: So you guys are a Ramones sounding band right down to the theme and you all have names suiting the name Rochelles like Ricky, Rook and Randy? RICKY: Yeah pretty much. J.B: So you guys are pretty much a newer band out that’s been around for a couple of years? You started the Rochelles in 2013 and came out full force. How’s that going? RICKY: Ah ya we’ve come out full force and been keeping busy and staying busy with writing and recording and playing shows. We haven’t stopped so we don’t plan on taking a break anytime soon. J.B: So I’ve heard some of you guys play in other bands also. Have you ever tried to tour together? RICKY: Yeah I play with the Isotopes Punk Rock Baseball Club and we haven’t toured with them yet but maybe in the future. J.B: So “Less than Zero” and the “Sorry for keeping you waiting” Methadone’s tribute? RICKY: Yeah the people that released our first 7 inch “Cannibal Island” that also came out on 5 different labels approached us that he wanted to do a Methadone’s tribute album and since we all grew up listening to various Dan Vapid releases it made sense for us to learn and record one of those songs and be part of it. J.B: Same with “Gimme Gimmie Shock Treatment” Ramones cover? RICKY: Yeah that’s one that we just did at practice and felt like it should be done, we played it at practice and during the live sets so we decided
to record it and it seems people have been enjoying it. J.B: You guys are from Long beach,NY. What’s the scene like down there? RICKY: Ah it’s pretty nonexistent and there was a kind of half show we were jealous we didn’t get invited to but yeah anyways there’s a couple of bars in the west end and it’s kind of a surf skate punk scene. It’s super close to Brooklyn and Manhattan so we have a show coming up in Manhattan with the Real Mckenzies that you’ve probably seen on that tour. J.B: Yeah the Mckenzies are a wild bunch of awesomeness so you’re in for a ride on that one. J.B: Except for Boston which is more notorious for Hardcore and not four and four chord punk rock. RICKY: Yeah we haven’t been up to Boston but we are mostly four and four punk rock J.B: Your sound is kind of Ramones/ Screeching Weasel. Any idea of change in the future or are you happy in the direction you’re going? RICKY: Ah you’re way ahead of us Jason, how could we know such things - we could turn into the Grateful Dead at this point, who knows. I have been playing punk for fifteen years so it’s in my nature so “It’s pretty much all I know” that’s coming from the guy hiding in the corner so don’t count on pretty much anything from him! J.B: No I mean are you happy with the latest “Know the code” EP? RICKY: Yeah we are excited about that and the stuff for the future we’ve been working on getting a full length out soon. It’s going to be a best of
sort of the things done so far so I’m excited for that. J.B: So any plans on a tour yet other than playing the Manhattan and the other shows? RICKY: Yeah were hitting the road for two weeks playing some select shows on the East coast and then the Midwest. And getting out there and playing for some new places. And “Know the Code” is being repressed and getting it back out there. J.B: It’s tough doing Canada I’ve heard. RICKY: Yeah it’s hard getting resources and enough time to get out there, especially to Canada and the West Coast. J.B: Greenway Records. How’s that going, are you liking that Label? RICKY: Yeah! Greenway Records is a great label, it’s named after a street a couple of blocks over and it’s owned by Harry, a great guy. He does everything in a timely way. And he’s actually re-pressed “Know The Code” and for all you cheapos out there who want it for cheaper you can get it here at Greenway Records store this summer. RICKY: We are putting out a couple newer Tributes this summer on 7 Inch and another couple 7 inches that we are working on also. J.B: The video “I need my mom to do my laundry”. Are you doing some more videos for the full length? RICKY: Yeah we’re working on two new videos for the tribute and for the newer release. J.B: So I always end the interview with a famous quote or book? Anything come to mind? RICKY: Moby Dick Herman Melville! “I’m Lovin it” (McDonalds). Dr Frank from the Mr T Experience is writing books and those are cool.
Formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1992, the Real McKenzies were the first group to wed traditional Celtic folk music with the ferocious roar of punk rock, and this is their booze-fueled story. Exhaustively researched and comprised of numerous interviews with not just the bandmembers themselves but managers, friends, booking agents, and associates alike, this action-packed book gives readers an inside view of the innovative and tenacious group. Contains twenty pages of glorious photographs, most of which have never been published.
ANTI-FLAG
“AMERICAN SPRING” AVAILABLE MAY 25,2015 SPINEFARM RECORDS “American Spring” is the continuation of the “Arab Spring” a movement and revoloutionary wave of protest and demonstrations, much like the depth and message of this tenth studio album release from this aggressive critique of the poltical landscape and social injustice that Anti-Flag is welll known for. This album has a new powerful energetic and empowering feel through the direction and sound being produced by Awolnations Kenny Carkeet and Jim Kaufman, who bring a heavier darker tone to the tracks. Lyrically the content is politically charged with deeply personal experiences traveling throughout content and maintaining socio-political values and social awareness. “Fabled World” was their first release track which Anti Flag fans will recognize as the fast paced classic sounding anthem. Followed up with the “Sky is Falling” lyric video and special 7 inch release which is heavier and darker lyrically, indicating the atrocities of the drone program and the killings of innnocent civilians. The more upbeat track “Bradenburg Gate” features Tim Armstrong and deeply touches with a heart felt empathy. “Walk Away” and “Believer” have hug ve personal influences that will resonate inside you to inspire and believe and more importantly leave a lasting message. The song “All of the Poision All of the pain” reflects the atrocities and endless consumption of media distraction and corruption that endlessy alters the truth. The song “Without End” confronts the doctrine of perpetual war” and features the one and only Tom Morello . This album truly is a master piece and a must for those who feel inspired for awareness and change. The most notiable inspiration for this album is simply “Don’t give up / Don’t give in / There’s no peace in the end / The war worth raging is right here.”
DIRECTOR: ADAM ROBITEL RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 21,2015
7/10 What starts as a first person medical documentary about Deborah Logan’s descent into Alzheimer’s disease and her daughter’s struggles with putting up with her mothers conditions,starts to turn into a documented tale of horror and situations that the film crew never expected. Dementia plot twists and frightening events begin to plague the family and crew and an unspeakable malevolence threatens to tear the very fabric of sanity from them all. While weird occurrences start to transpire before the crew can leave they are forced to stay and be part of the transition that they never asked for. Deborah’s condition leads a malevolent force to take over her will and the darkened aspirations start to unfold wondering if the documentary team will make it out alive. The gruesome special effects will keep you interested in the story plot line that has a good ending and will keep thinking twice about the vulnerability of the mind.
“HOME STREET HOME” AVAILABLE NOW
www.fatwreck.com
“PEACE IN OUR TIME” AVAILABLE NOW www.fatwreck.com
“HEADS ARE GONNA ROLL” AVAILABLE NOW
“COLD HANDS” AVAILABLE NOW
UPCOMING RELEASES
FIRE NEXT TIME “COLD HANDS”
STOMP RECORDS MAY 05,2015
FIRE IN THE RADIO “TELEMENTRY”
WEDNESDAY RECORDS MAY 12,2015
MISCHIEF BREW
“THIS IS NOT FOR CHILDREN”
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES MAY 16,2015
ANTI FLAG
“AMERICAN SPRING”
SPINEFARM RECORDS MAY 25,2015
SCREECHING WEASEL “BABY FAT ACT 1”
RECESS RECORDS MAY 26,2015
FOUR YEAR STRONG “SELF TITLED”
PURE NOISE RECORDS JUNE 02,2015
BAD COP BAD COP “NOT SORRY”
FAT WRECK CHORDS JUNE 16,2015
UPCOMING SHOWS
JUNE 18-21 2015
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