This article is going to start the same way Night Surf‘s 2017 debut EP Blasted! does; straight to the point. The opening song “So Long” just fires into this EP while painting amazing apocalyptic imagery, which I am a huge sucker for. Call me old fashioned but heartfelt descriptions of the end of the world […]
This article is going to start the same way Night Surf‘s 2017 debut EP Blasted! does; straight to the point. The opening song “So Long” just fires into this EP while painting amazing apocalyptic imagery, which I am a huge sucker for. Call me old fashioned but heartfelt descriptions of the end of the world shouted over catchy pop-punk guitars just gets me fucking jacked. The execution in “So Long” is so perfect that you can’t help but scream along:
And I want you to know That I don’t need to go And we can stare at the dying sun and wait for nuclear winter! As long as you’re by my side I’ll be ready when it’s our time to die Say so long to the falling stars So much for being so lucky!
Yeah. That hits the spot. Thankfully, there’s more where that came from. “This Is What It Takes” follows up with the same raw energy that’s felt throughout the EP. The harmonized shouted/sung vocals fit so well together and give a very sincere feeling to the albums’ lyrics.
“Straight To” continues with the directness and just blasts open. There isn’t any time to relax during the opening 3 songs on this EP. I mean, if your trying to relax and looking for rest periods between songs, an album named Blasted! is probably a bad place to start. That should be a given, really. But I digress. They all hit one after another and, along with their shorter run time, it adds to the chaos presented by the lyrical content. It’s so good to sing along to!
And I’m alone in an echo chamber Living completely under the radar And if I escape I hope I never See your face again.
My hope is wasted on you!
Alright. I have to keep it down. My wife is trying to sleep and all of my shouting is getting the dogs all riled up. Whatevs. This EP rips. The closing track “Lungs and Throat” finally gives you a moment to catch your breath before it goes on another tear. It feels like the final act compared to the blistering and slammed opening track “So Long” and gives the album a feeling of closure and completeness. Bleak closure and completeness. Not triumphant but defeated yet accepting.
So far from home Hoping for the best all alone I’ve lost my direction I gave up the ghost I’m waiting for this moment to go. With no one around to hold my hand I’m heading to the dark all alone. I head into the dark all alone.
And now you die alone!
Fuck it. It’s too good not to scream along to and I don’t care if it’s late. I’m screaming Night Surf in my office and I will apologize to no one!
This was a self released EP by Night Surf in 2017. I can’t remember exactly how I found it but I was hooked on it the first time I heard it. Since Blasted! was released in 2017, they have released 1 EP and 1 full length album. Blasted! is the perfect introduction to this Brooklyn based pop-punk band and is an album punk forgot.
Sweetie is a Chicago-based lipstick-punk band with a femme fatale ferocity and a French influence. Voted a Top 5 Punk Band in the Chicago Reader two years in a row, Sweetie has found a niche in playing shows in the punk scene and drag shows alike, including venues such as the Metro, Green Mill, The […]
Meet Sweetie.
Joe
Bass
Birdy Vee
Guitar and vocals
Ryan
Drums
Sweetie is a Chicago-based lipstick-punk band with a femme fatale ferocity and a French influence. Voted a Top 5 Punk Band in the Chicago Reader two years in a row, Sweetie has found a niche in playing shows in the punk scene and drag shows alike, including venues such as the Metro, Green Mill, The Egyptian Theatre, Reggie’s, Cobra Lounge, Last Rites and Liar’s Club.
Dying Scene is thrilled to interview this local band and talk about drag queens, the queer community, new music releases and some hard-hitting questions that you do not want to miss.
What do you love most about being in Sweetie?
Joe: Honestly, I enjoy the spectacle of our live show. The band is always pushing ourselves to perform our very best and engage with our audience. So many rock songs are pretty simple 3 or 4-chord progressions, but it’s all about the raw power that you play those chords. And raw power is something that Sweetie brings to the table in spades!
Ryan: All the fantastic folks! Making friends with all these incredible bands, venues, and not to mention Birdy and Joe has been an absolute pleasure.
Birdy: I love the wide variety of opportunities to express myself creatively. Writing music is one of my favorite creative outlets, and it is an even bigger high when you take that song you wrote and perform it with your bandmates for the first time. The feeling of that tiny idea turning into such a big sound gives me goosebumps! Also, I ADORE performing. I really love being on stage and interacting with the crowd.
I also love finding new and creative ways for Sweetie to perform. We often perform in spaces that can be considered atypical for a punk band. We’re the house band for the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Dekalb and have performed at countless drag shows. I really like to find ways to take the idea of the typical punk show and elevate it: collaborating with a different variety of artists and performers and giving it that variety show feel.
I also love the connections I have made with people in the scene! I have made some really wonderful friendships with other musicians and performers in the scene, many of whom have been so supportive in so many ways. Sweetie would not exist today without the care and support of these people. AND I LOVE connecting with new people at our shows. I am a huge people-person and love to meet new folks.
How would you describe the music you typically create?
B: If Edith Piaf was reborn as a punk musician, that would be Sweetie. Our music is hyper-emotive, almost to a fault, and is often about love and longing through a female lens, with nods to subculture, queer culture, and the underworld nightlife. All just completely smeared in red lipstick.
Ryan, you were a music major with a heavy background in jazz music…did you ever picture you’d be playing in a glam lipstick punk band?
R: Well, I knew some type of rock band was inevitable, as that’s what came first in my life. I’ve been a jazz guy since high school, and I think that’s really influenced the way I play all styles of music in terms of style, phrasing, improvisation, etc.; so as far as the punk aspect goes, I see the jazz background as an asset to my playing. As far as the “glam lipstick” aspect goes, that’s a new one for me but I’m diggin’ it!
Birdy, you spearheaded the amazing local music fest Hands Off Our Fest (H.O.O.F.), can you tell me more about it, and will we expect it to come back in 2024?
B: Hands Off Our Fest is a music festival celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the Chicago punk scene, featuring a drag show consisting of some of the area’s finest drag queens, kings, and things. I created this festival to help the women, femmes, thems, and queer folks in the local punk scene to bond with one another, network, and to create space. I have often felt stifled and uncomfortable as a woman in the punk scene, and the feeling can be very isolating. Also, there are so many local femme and queer acts locally that so often get overlooked and replaced with these cis-male fronted bands. I wanted to create a fest to celebrate these amazing talents and voices, while also just having as much fun as possible. The festival was such a success and every time I bump into a fellow HOOF performer when out and about, it’s always such a treat! I’ve definitely made many new friends as a result, and I ABSOLUTELY want to keep this festival going in the years to come. You can DEFINITELY expect HOOF to return in 2024.
Joe, you use an electric bass for your other bands but an upright bass for Sweetie. Any reason why?
J: One of the most important things that I have learned as a hired-gun/studio musician is that you should always serve the song. While there is definitely a level of flash to showing up to a rock gig with an instrument almost matching the size of the drum set, my intention is not to draw away from the songs and compliment them the best I can. I originally joined the group as a “fill in” for a few gigs for the band. When I was sent over demos and videos to learn the songs for these upcoming shows, Birdy was playing a 335/semi-hollow style guitar. This sound instantly brought me back to the classic rockabilly and Elvis records that I loved as a kid, while still being punk rock!
Of course, I showed up to the first band rehearsal/audition with all the songs learned on the electric bass, but I asked about what Birdy thought about me playing upright the next time we got together. I’m pretty sure that her response was, “I’ve never thought about how that would sound, but sure”. I fully believe that she was thinking that I was planning this only for the upcoming show to make it a large surprise spectacle, not that I was dead serious about taking the bass role on this instrument. I also don’t think this instrumental change took too much convincing after hearing it in application and has absolutely shaped some of our own Sweetie sound (even if Birdy changed over to her Flying V guitar).
At your show at The Metro with The Lawrence Arms, you brought out a drag performer (who was fantastic!) and I’ve noticed Sweetie does a lot of stuff related with drag performers. Any reason why?
B: That was my drag mother, Sindy Vicious! Since really early on, Sweetie has been collaborating with drag performers as often as we can. It all started out when we had a residency at a queer comedy variety show called T-Time at the Comedy Shrine (Rest in Peace Comedy Shrine). This was run by Penelope Torres and was a quarterly variety show that featured queer stand-up comedy, drag performances, and music by Sweetie, the resident band for this event. At our very first show, we met drag performer Sindy Vicious, who later approached me with an idea for a music video for our song ‘Devil Girl’. Her and I immediately began working together and this formed a creative collaboration and friendship that has persisted ever since. I am actually in the Haus of Vicious now (a Haus being a drag family in the community) and Vicious is where the Vee in Birdy Vee originates! She directed and edited the video for Devil Girl, Mamma, as well as the music video for our new single, Showgirl. The video also features drag performer and my dear pal, Kai Valentine. I love performing and collaborating with the drag community and hope to continue to do so in the years to come!
You are about to release a new single! What’s the inspiration behind the song?
B: The new single is called ‘Showgirl’, and there is so much inspiration behind this song. Firstly, the title is a nod to the movie Showgirls (1995) which is one of my favorite cult films of all time (after the Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course). At the time that I wrote the song, I was starting to feel the isolation and frustration that can come with being a performer. You are putting your whole heart and all of your energy into this thing, pouring your guts out on stage, and then when it’s all over, what’s left? The song also parallels a relationship that is in the same vein- something that you are pouring your heart into and from which you are getting very little back. But in the song, there’s also that tone of resilience, with a focus on women in the music industry. The stress that women in the music industry are under, and well as the constant criticism that they face can be shattering. The statement of ‘this will not break me’, which a lot of times is easier said than done, helps the song end on a high note. Ultimately, ‘Showgirl’ makes it through and comes out stronger in the end.
When can we expect the next album?
B: The new album is called La Vie en Rouge (which means Life in Red), which is a reference to Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en Rose’. The song La Vie en Rose is about being in love and seeing ‘life in pink’. The idea of La Vie en Rouge takes that idea but intensifies it. When you’re seeing life in red, there is passion, there is rage, there is fire. That is what I’m trying to channel in this album. Also, Sweetie’s most recognizable color is red, so the album title is a nod to that as well. We are so proud of this album and it is projected to come out in June 2024.
Now for the hard-hitting questions…would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
J: While I would ideally not like to cause any harm to these proposed majestical creatures. My gut instinct would be to choose the 100 duck-sized horses to see if we may be able to reach some sort of diplomatic resolution without violence. But on the other hand, a horse-sized duck head would look pretty sweet mounted over a fireplace mantle…
R: Horse-sized duck is out of the question. I’m already afraid of geese and they’re not much larger than ducks. On the other hand, what’s a duck-sized horse gonna do? Kick me? Okay.
B: Do I get some sort of weapon? I’m pretty sure I could fight off 100 duck-sized horses with a broom or a hammer or something. But one horse-sized duck? They’ve got all those little teeth and they can fly and hunt you down… But then the 100 duck-horses could kick you to death with their little hooves. If I get a weapon, I’ll choose the little duck-sized horses.
Lastly, if you went on a national tour, how many pairs of pants would you bring with you?
J: My serious answer would probably be 3 to have a solid rotation, but I would be an advocate for shorts (weather dependent) to require less fabric to dirty up and for a higher level of comfort.
R: We don’t believe in that sort of thing.
B: No.
Anything else you want us to know?
B: Women, femmes, thems, and queer folks in the punk and alternative communities need to take up more space in our scene. Keep punk rock queer.
Check out the gallery below for more live photos of Sweetie and be on the look out for their new song release and album!
Reporting by Dying Scene Staff Members, MerGold, Jay Stone, Rae, and Nasty Nate Dying Scene staffers are fans of “The Beautiful Game,” and we are not alone. Some of your favorite punk musicians from all over the United States and internationally discuss the game they love and what they are looking forward to as World […]
Reporting by Dying Scene Staff Members, MerGold, Jay Stone, Rae, and Nasty Nate
Dying Scene staffers are fans of “The Beautiful Game,” and we are not alone. Some of your favorite punk musicians from all over the United States and internationally discuss the game they love and what they are looking forward to as World Cup 2022 kicks in to action in Doha, Qatar. The selection of Qatar as the host nation the subject of FIFA itself, has been rife with controversy from the get-go. Some of the musicians don’t mince words about these issues. Indeed, many of us are also torn over the question of whether to watch the World Cup or not in light of the deserved criticisms. That’s for each of us to decide as individuals. However, in response to our questions about the World Cup and the sport in general, here are the answers from the participating musicians. Also, for newbies to the sport or those needing a refresher course here is a guide from The Athletic for World Cup 2022 viewing.
Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers is a living legend. Burns, now living in Chicago, is unafraid to be blunt when expressing his views, whether in song or any other form. Here, he tackles the elephant in the stadium straight on.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
JB: “Nothing. Seriously. I cannot ever remember NOT caring about the World Cup since I was transfixed by the great Brazil team of 1970. I was 12 years old and marvelled at the mercurial Jairzinho, the only player to score in every round. The selection of venues for the last two World Cups stinks to high heaven. (See the great Netflix documentary “FIFA Uncovered”.) However, there was some footballing merit on the tournament being awarded to Russia last time around. This time, there is none. To move the tournament from its usual summer schedule to the winter just to facilitate it being played in the desert is only one reason to ignore this travesty, perhaps the least salient reason in fact.”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
JB: “I spent the longest period of my life living in England and, obviously I’m most familiar with those players so, insomuch as I will be rooting for anyone, that’s who I will be pulling for. It’s also great to see Wales there after a huge absence. As a fairly recently minted American citizen, I also hope the U.S. do well. As to who will win it? Brazil. Not a particularly brave call on my part, but I think the temperatures will suit them more than any of the European teams. And, IF they play to their full potential, I honestly think England can make it all the way to the final.”
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s))/player(s) in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
JB: “Newcastle United. A team that for decades was mired in unfulfilled potential. As a one club city, Newcastle has long been one of the many “sleeping giants” of English football. A recent takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, for which read “Saudi Arabia” (honestly that “PIF” stuff is fooling no-one), has led to renewed investment both in staff and facilities that might, finally, see the Toon realize their vast potential…albeit at the cost of a considerable part of their soul.”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from the area?
JB: “I lived in Newcastle for about sixteen years. As I said, it’s a one club city and if you don’t follow the Toon, then you don’t talk to anyone, at all, about anything!”
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
JB: “Every kid in Britain or Ireland at one point fancied themselves a footballer, but as my eyesight was rubbish from an early age, I always sucked at it. So, no.”
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
MP: “The Qatar thing is sketchy I’m not saying I’m looking forward to drama but there’s gonna be drama. I’m ACTUALLY looking forward to seeing the US back in the mix. The collapse in qualifying last time was brutal.”
DS: Which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
MP: “I want interesting things to happen, go underdogs! Often the further in your go the more boring and predictable the teams get. An Argentina Spain style final would be lame. Snore…“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s))/player(s) in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world? How did you become a fan of the team if not from the area?
MP: “I’m a Declan Rice, West Ham guy. I definitely got into West Ham via the punk scene. I got to see them at Upton Park years ago when they were down v Rotherham. I think West Ham’s biggest name that year was Marlon Harewood so I can say “I saw Marlon Harewood live!” Lol
The Chicago Fire once had a THRIVING supporters scene that was heavily influenced by the punk rocks. Years of failure and overt front office hostility eventually chased it away. It still exists but isn’t welcome anymore by the organization.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
MP: I grew up in a blue collar suburb of LA in the 70s and soccer wasn’t really available to us, you had to move to a fancier neighborhood for that, it was all baseball and football near me. I did play bar league for the Delilah’s team for a couple years back in the early 2000s. It was hilarious, a bunch of hungover punk rock types up against folks who had played in college, were fit and hydrated. We had the most tattoos of any other team and eventually even won a couple games.“
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
MP: “Obviously my favorite punk soccer song is the Chicago Fire goal song Deal’s Gone Bad recorded back in 2002. They used it for like 15 years and it was always a trip to hear myself on ESPN.
In all seriousness I think my fave punk soccer song isn’t really explicitly about soccer but it captures the spirit of the whole scene and the vibe that makes it so exciting – “If the Kids are United” by Sham 69.”
Vee Sonnets presently performs with Park in the Crombies and formerly with him in DGB. He also leads The Sonnets.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
VS: “All of it.“
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
VS: “I’m rooting for my team Ecuador but it’s looking like Qatar is gonna run away with it.” [DS note: Ecuador beat Qatar in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup]
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s))/player(s) in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
VS: “Tough one but I am rooting for [Lionel Messi. He deserves to win one.
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from the area?
VS: “Nationality.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
VS: “Yes. H.S. and pick up games throughout my life.”
Jordan Salazar of Vultures United is such an Association Football fan he has favorite clubs from almost all of the most prominent leagues around the globe.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
JS: “Just the whole thing. It’s like a month-long gift”
DS: Which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy?
JS: “Rooting for Mexico then Portugal then the US. Fighting at the end? Argentina, Brazil and France.”
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer, or any other leagues around the world?
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
JS: “For Manchester United, it was all Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez. He came up in Mexico and played for Chivas, who are from the town my Dad and uncles grew up in. So Chivas and Mexican International Soccer was the first sports teams I was exposed to as a kid and just never stopped following them from then on. Oddly enough, out of all teams mentioned,Manchester United is definitely the team I care and pay attention to (and suffer with) the most.”
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
JS: “I play 1 to 2 times a week with an adult league team or pick-up soccer with friends (our pick-up group has been doing it for 15 years!)”
“I’m part of an adult club team still called Green Valley Football Club.”
Singer-Songwriter Sam Russo is as hardcore soccer supporter so he’ll be keeping his eyes on the matches. Russo will also be on the lookout for commentary by his Red Scare Industries boss Tobias Jeg.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
SR: “The thing I’m looking forward to most about the World Cup is watching England win the World Cup. Also, Jeg on Twitter defending the refs.”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
SR: “I’m rooting for England, and I’m pretty sure Germany will be hanging in there at the end as usual. I follow all the Italy games because my family is Italian, and I always root for Mexico, too.” [DS note: for the second consecutive time Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup.]
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
SR: “I support Ipswich Town – the Tractor Boys. My favourite player in the Premier League is a guy called Robin Koch. Great punk name.”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
SR: “I became a Tractor Boy when I was a kid because Ipswich were the only team we could afford to go watch play. Me, my brothers and my Dad used to go to every home game. We had awesome seats because nobody went. It was great!”
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
SR: “I play 5-a-side with a group I’ve been playing with for over ten years! It’s the highlight of my week and I love those bellends.“
Sam Russo says about the photo he included with his answers:
“Yeah! This is me and my team from an 11-a-side match before the pandemic – WE ARE THE SMSC! On yer touch! Shoutout to the excellent humans I play with, they always support my music and we have a bloody good time on a Friday!”
Ryan Packer of Slapshot, is a massive Chelsea F.C. supporter (as are my cousins; I am a long-time supporter of the current EPL-leading Arsenal FC.). So naturally, he, along with Jake Burns, was one of the first people I solicited for this piece. I recalled the photo I shot of him in his Chelsea kit as he worked producing a Boston punk rock weekend several years ago.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
RP: “I would obviously like to see the US make a round or two. That’s all we can hope for with that squad.”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
RP: “The last two cups I was lucky enough to be in Europe. I have some great memories of Belgium advancing. Maybe they can put a couple of wins together.”
[on what is one of the best aspects of the World Cup] “That’s what’s great about the tournament it can go a million different ways.”
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
RP: “Premier league I’m a Chelsea FC supporter. I have to support the hometown team so I also back the [New England] Revolution.”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
RP: “I became a Chelsea fan by going to a local bar that a lot of supporters hung out at Saturday mornings so I became a fan.”
For Felipe Patino, from SACK, disappointment struck during the Qualifiers. His native Peru’s national team did not qualify for the World Cup. Still, he will be cheering on one team in particular.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
FP: “Argentina winning.“
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy?
FP: “Rooting for Argentina and France.”
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
Pedro Aida, of Fire Sale, does not have a particular bar or spot on his couch from where he’ll be watching the matches. But he still plans to watch as many as he can.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
PA: “I’ll be on tour in Europe for most of it with The Iron Roses and I’m looking forward to the experience of watching some of those matches in that environment. All but one of the countries we’re performing in is in the World Cup. Additionally we have some time off so I’ll be in Paris for the semis and London for the final. It would be a dream if France or England were in those matches.”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy?
PA: “Since my home country of Peru missed out in the playoff I’ll be pulling for the Yanks. My final four bracket is Argentina, Germany, France, and Croatia with Argentina winning the cup.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s))/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
PA: “Fulham FC from the Prem. Tim Ream is my guy, excellent defender and will be holding down the backline in Qatar for the US. I’ve forgiven him for being a former [NY] Red Bull (barf).”
“The team I’ve been watching and supporting since I was a teenager is D.C United (VAMOS UNITED). Grew up watching Ben Olsen play and then coach for DC. Named my first born Olsen.”
“My local home team is The Richmond Kickers in USL League 1. My guy Emiliano Terzaghi, an Argentinian striker, just took his 3rd League MVP in a row. #UpTheRoos!”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
PA: “I’ve been a casual Fulham supporter for about 20 years since they brought in Brian McBride and are known for bringing in Americans well before it was common to see Yanks in European football.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
PA: “Played as a kid and through high school (rec). Didn’t really play regularly throughout my 20’s. In my 30’s I dove back into it pretty seriously in adult rec leagues here in Richmond. I’ve been taking it easy this past year with touring and stuff ramping up, I can’t risk getting injured.”
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
PA: “Not so punk but it’s Men Without Hats “Pop Goes The World”. I could say something by Cockney Rejects or The Business but they don’t represent any of my clubs.”
Dying Scene’s Nate Kernell has curated a special playlist for the World Cup. Check it out here and let us know what tunes should be added! Also, stay tuned for more installments of (World) Cup The Punx!
We’ve made it to the knockout round of the 2022 World Cup! So far, there’s been jubilation and disappointment in supporters of various Clubs and a few surprises. Among the highlights: USA followed up draws against the two UK teams, Wales and England, with a win against Iran. Saudi Arabia shockingly beat Argentina; before its […]
We’ve made it to the knockout round of the 2022 World Cup! So far, there’s been jubilation and disappointment in supporters of various Clubs and a few surprises. Among the highlights: USA followed up draws against the two UK teams, Wales and England, with a win against Iran. Saudi Arabia shockingly beat Argentina; before its elimination by the USA, Iran stunned Wales with an extra-time win. THAT goal by Brazil’s Richarlison de Andrade! There were acts of courage by fans and team members; and broken promises by the host nation. Legendary United States Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941) introduced the oft-quoted idea that sunlight is the best disinfectant to counteract negative governance. Hopefully, in the case of the tournament, the eyes of the world that are focused sharply on both the host country and the governing body overseeing the World Cup act as that disinfectant. Punk rock has a long legacy of acting in that same manner whether or not the musicians know of Louis D Brandeis’ and/or his famous words.
Here we present more diehard soccer/futbol fans. Most indicate that they are watching the World Cup with that awareness. One musician understandably chose to boycott. Yet all discuss their love of the beautiful game. Remember, you can read Part One of “(World) Cup The Punx” here and you can check out our World Cup playlist, chock full of all your favorite futbol-related punk anthems, right here!
Part 2 of our World Cup special, as with Part 1, starts with a musician hailing from Northern Ireland. Adam Carroll aka Mad Adam, vocalist and bass player with the band Good Friend, reveals his take on the tournament and which clubs he regularly supports.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
AC: “I’m looking forward to how The World Cup brings people together. Football is on the tip of everyone’s tongue and even people who usually don’t relate to the sport are supporting a team passionately. And there is always drama!“
Carroll adds:
“That’s what sports supposed to be about, right?”
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy?
AC: “As there is no R.O.[Republic of] Ireland or N. Ireland and our usual back up of Iceland also didn’t make it this time round, I’m rooting for Argentina. An England v Argentina final and [Lionel] Messi wins the game with a hand of God. That’s how I think it’s all gonna happen.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
AC: “My older brothers support Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United and rather than swear allegiance to one I wanted a team of my own. I loved how Liverpool played. They were fast and frantic and anything could happen in front of the Kop.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
AC: “I did, I was a right winger and played for a few local teams. I once had an unsuccessful trial for Leeds.“
Kyle Bawinkel, bass player for Flatfoot 56, has worn his Chicago Fire scarf around the world. It’s kept him warm from Murmansk, Russia (Arctic Circle) 2013, (photo on right) and back home on the sidelines of the team’s pitch (photo on the left, below, with Part 1 participant, Mike Park of The Crombies.)
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
KB: “It’s hard to not get excited over the first Poland vs Mexico match. growing up in predominant Polish and Mexican neighborhoods. it’s going to be an all out brawl.” [The match ended in a 0-0 draw.]
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for and which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy and will win that trophy?
KB: “I’m excited to watch this young USA team and think it’s time for Brazil to hoist.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s)in the English Premiere League, United States Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
KB: “I’ve always been a Bundesliga watcher so I followed Breman and St Pauli but favorite player has been Schweinsteiger, so I guess you can say the Chicago Fire was watched a lot as well.”
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from the area?
KB: “I watched the Chicago Fire growing up because they played down the street and watched a lot of Bundesliga on tour. Our driver was a huge Breman fan so I started following them. My first love of Bundesliga though is St Pauli. I’ve played many of their supporters’ events over the years and obviously what they stand for is 100%.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
KB: “I only played pickup games growing up. I was never in an organized league.“
Henrike Baliú (Blind Pigs; Armada) will be experiencing the World Cup with his children. The musician is from Brazil, where the National Team has won the World Cup 5 times. That makes the South American nation the winningest in the tournament’s history. Will 2022 earn the Brazilians their 6th title? Baliú shares his thought on that and more with us.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
HB: “Well, I’m looking forward to Brazil bringing home the World Cup trophy. Not because I care, ‘cause I don’t, but I’d like to see my three sons have this experience. I’ve had it in 1994 and 2002 when football (not soccer, that’s how Yanks call it) was still a big part of my life.“
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there at the end fighting for the trophy?
HB: “Brazil, obviously, even though our national team’s shirt has been stolen by neo-fascists here as their uniform. So, I’ll be rooting but you won’t see me wearing the jersey.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
HB: “I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My dad is Flamengo. It’s like a religion that your dad passes on to you.” [The photo to the left is of a young Baliú, in 1982, sporting a Flamengo shirt for his Angell School portrait in Ann Arbor, MI.]
DS: Favorite Football related punk songs?
HB: “1982” by my band, Armada. It’s about the classic match between Brazil and Italy in 1982 in the World Cup in Spain. I watched it on TV. I was 8. Brazil lost and I couldn’t stop crying. It traumatized me so much that I wrote a song about it decades later.”
Aspy Luison of The Real McKenzies is a diehard supporter and player of futbol but not of this year’s World Cup. Whilst some of us believe eyes focused on the tournament hopefully will lead to change, Luison has a different point of view. He, understandably, believes boycotting the game is the way to avoid rewarding those who deserve anything but.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
AL: “I don’t expect anything at all. I’m not going to watch it and I hope that all of us who love the real football, football with values, please do the same and turn off the fucking TV.“
“I am not going to support a World Cup that the corrupt and mafia-like FIFA gets richer with their shit modern football. Qatar is a country where human rights are violated, it oppresses the rights of migrant workers, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ collective, in addition to preventing freedom of expression.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
AL: “I have been playing football all my life, until I was 16 years old I was a defender (centre-back) and then for due to team needs I have changed to goalkeeper until I was 28 years old.“
“Now I am coach of the women’s team of my town of 4ª division.“
John Payne from Heart and Lung is hoping one of the best players in the history of the sport never wins a World Cup.
DS: What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup?
JP: “I cannot wait for the moment that Messi fails to win in his last Cup ever.” [Lionel Messi’s Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia but it did beat Mexico.]
DS: Which team(s) are you rooting for? Which teams do you think are going to be there are the end fighting for the trophy?
JP: “Viva Mexico! They’re at the top of my bracket, but I think Germany, Brazil, and Uruguay are gonna stick around for a while. Then again, I’m nearly always wrong.“
DS: Do you have a favorite team(s)/player(s) in the English Premier League, Major League Soccer or any other leagues around the world?
JP: “I wake up super early on the weekends to root for Tottenham, mostly because of Son Heung-min. Kulusevski is fast becoming a favorite, though.“
DS: How did you become a fan of the team if not from that area?
JP: “My buddy lived in London for a bit, and when he got back he asked if I wanted to get up early to watch matches with him. I said no. He told me I could get drunk at the bar at seven am. I said yes.“
DS: Did you ever play football/soccer yourself?
JP: “I was on the purple team in fourth grade. My parents neglected to tell me about the traveling team in fifth grade because they didn’t wanna drive me anywhere in the morning.“
Ever-mysterious Soviet Ramonescore troupe Black Russians are preparing to launch their third full-length album – fittingly titled III – this Halloween. Our friends at Memorable But Not Honorable Records (US) and Punk Rock Vinyl (UK) are giving the album an ultra-limited vinyl release, with 100 copies on black wax available to pre-order on their respective webstores. Meanwhile, […]
Ever-mysterious Soviet Ramonescore troupe Black Russians are preparing to launch their third full-length album – fittingly titled III – this Halloween. Our friends at Memorable But Not Honorable Records (US) and Punk Rock Vinyl (UK) are giving the album an ultra-limited vinyl release, with 100 copies on black wax available to pre-order on their respective webstores.
Meanwhile, your friends at Dying Scene (aka we) are hosting the super duper top secret exclusive premiere of a brand new single from III. “The Burning” is a spine-tingling anthem of revenge that crackles with intensity. Based on a movie of the same title, this single follows a man scarred by a summer camp prank gone wrong, rising from the ashes to claim his revenge with garden shears as his weapon of choice.
Quit fucking around and that shit out below. And don’t forget to pre-order the new Black Russians record! In case you forgot already Memorable But Not Honorable‘s got my fellow statesmen covered while Punk Rock Vinyl will supply the Brits. 100 copies! Black vinyl! Ships October 31st! Black Russians! Fuck Yeah!
This premiere is brought to you in part by Punk Rock Radar. If you’d like your band’s music video to be premiered by Dying Scene and Punk Rock Radar, go here and follow these instructions. You’ll be on your way to previously unimagined levels of fame and fortune in no time!
Ahead of Bradley Riot’s upcoming full-length titled Dark Side of the Road, Dying Scene is pleased to bring you the second single titled “Port to Port”, an introspective tale of a great journey, not across seas to new lands, but of finding one’s self through first giving in to, then later abandoning, self-destructive behavior. “‘Port […]
Ahead of Bradley Riot’s upcoming full-length titled Dark Side of the Road, Dying Scene is pleased to bring you the second single titled “Port to Port”, an introspective tale of a great journey, not across seas to new lands, but of finding one’s self through first giving in to, then later abandoning, self-destructive behavior.
“‘Port to Port” is a song about being stuck in a loop of repeating the same negative habits, specifically when it comes to love. It’s about seeking external solutions for internal problems,” wrote Bradley. “I’d say one of my favorite lyrics in the song is: ‘I’m setting course for blacking out.’ It equates to me completely giving up and leaning into defeat, setting the intention of ignoring the issue instead of trying to solve it.”
One thing that’s become much more apparent since the Covid shutdown, at least in my own musical bubble, is the introspective nature of music both written and recorded during that time. Although as a concept this is nothing new, especially in the realm of punk-rock, when the world is forced into solitude, music lacking outward-looking themes is almost inevitable. I’ve found myself paying far closer attention to this idea, and usually try to question any artist I’m lucky enough to interview (Adrienne Rae of Plasma Canvas, Matt Goud of Northcote). Bradley was no different, and offered some unique insights that most likely resonate with much of what the punk-rock world was struggling with at that same point.
“Covid was definitely a major hurdle,” wrote Bradley. “I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had to postpone recording sessions in order for someone to get well or test negative. It was a massive time killer.”
He then explains some of the other hurdles that were faced in writing and recording Dark Side of the Road, while also dealing with the overarching headache that was and still is Covid. Writing while simultaneously recording was highlighted, something that since talking with Sam King of Get Dead and Codefendants has become a trait I greatly admire. But the third struggle Bradley listed, that of sobriety, was what really amped me up and got me excited to hear the portrayed journey throughout this new record.
“Many of the vocals were sang between swigs of Jameson or after a night of heavy cocaine usage. Sometimes, that made for a fun vocal texture, but, more often than not, it was just problematic. After I decided to get clean, we revisited the album as a whole, took it back to square one, and I re-sang almost every line. Approaching the songs with a different mindset really opened them up and I’m grateful for (co-producer) Kevin Besignano’s compassion towards the process.”
In the short back-and-forth I’ve had with Bradley, “Port to Port” seems like a much more focused, direct version of what the full-length hopes to portray: “the idea of being a victim to oneself”.
Check out the brand new single below, and keep your eyes peeled October 13 for the full-length release of Dark Side of the Road.
Ahoy, comrades! We’re stoked to share another cool new track with you today, this time from Brooklyn’s own Nihiloceros! This punk/grunge trio is one of the hardest-working bands in NYC. They help keep the NYC punk scene together with their heavy show schedule and their relentless support for other bands who frequent venues like Our Wicked […]
Ahoy, comrades!
We’re stoked to share another cool new track with you today, this time from Brooklyn’s own Nihiloceros! This punk/grunge trio is one of the hardest-working bands in NYC. They help keep the NYC punk scene together with their heavy show schedule and their relentless support for other bands who frequent venues like Our Wicked Lady and Arlene’s Grocery.
The new track is called “Skipper,” and it’s a gritty punk tune with dark imagery about an unnamed boat, traveling on the thin line between life and death. Lyrically, singer Mike Borchardt uses classic mythologies to ponder the idea of eternity. Sonically, the crunching guitars and drums (as perfectly captured by Jeff Berner at Studio G in Brooklyn) bring us back down to earth (and maybe even a fun, raucous moshpit).
If you’re in the greater NYC metropolitan area, you can catch Nihiloceros this Friday, March 8, at Main Drag in Brooklyn with Desert Sharks, a Very Special Episode and Lethered.
Dying Scene is fired up to bring you the brand new video from Counterpunch! The Chicago punks put out their latest album, Rewire, last month via Thousand Islands Records and SBAM Records, and today they’ve unveiled the video for the featured track “Judgement Day.” Here’s what the band had to say about the video’s symbolism: […]
Dying Scene is fired up to bring you the brand new video from Counterpunch! The Chicago punks put out their latest album, Rewire, last month via Thousand Islands Records and SBAM Records, and today they’ve unveiled the video for the featured track “Judgement Day.” Here’s what the band had to say about the video’s symbolism:
So when I was writing this song I had sort of a comic book fantasy of what this song would look like and then what actually drove the lyrics. It was something along the lines of a god figure showing up to see what its creation has become. Disappointed, the being is trying to decide if it’s time to hit the reset button. Lyrically I wrote this song based on the observations of how folks engage on social media. Wake up, log on and start judging. What that process does to one’s self and how that same place we use to promote and explore is also being used to blame, manipulate and ostracize. The lyrics describe how that world drains on me mentally. “Defeated, beaten, broken and disturbed.” Asking myself over and over “who will save you now from yourself?” I’m trying to highlight the inner struggle to stay plugged in, or remove myself from that world altogether.
Frank Casillas founded Voodoo Glow Skulls with his brothers, Eddie and Jorge Casillas, along with Jerry O’Neill. He left the band in June 2017, making the announcement during a VGS performance at Long Beach, CA venue, Alex’s Bar. DS: Before we get to your new project, let’s go back to where you left off with […]
Frank Casillas founded Voodoo Glow Skulls with his brothers, Eddie and Jorge Casillas, along with Jerry O’Neill. He left the band in June 2017, making the announcement during a VGS performance at Long Beach, CA venue, Alex’s Bar.
DS: Before we get to your new project, let’s go back to where you left off with the Voodoo Glows Skulls. After so many years leading that band, how did the decision to leave come about at that moment in time?
FC: Well, I didn’t really plan a time and place to leave the band. It just kind of happened at a time when we were doing some weekend gigs here and there along the west coast, close to home, and some incidents that had occurred from within the band (ongoing arguments within the three brothers, differences between other band members, etc.) during this time just prompted me to just quit on the spot.
DS: How long did it take to make the decision to leave? Was there anything in particular prompting it?
FC: I had actually been thinking about leaving the band for at least five years prior to me actually doing it. For me personally, I was just burned out on the whole thing. We weren’t really being productive with writing new material, and it seemed like it was taking forever to record a new album. I didn’t really like the direction of the new material either. It just seemed like we were getting further away from the VGS style and sound that we were known for. Since we started the band, I was pretty much the main guy handling just about everything in the band business wise since day one, even when we had high profile management and everything. There’s always got be at least one person speaking for the band and making decisions on behalf of the band, and that was me for the longest time. Not only that, but I wore many hats besides just being the front man. I drove and maintained the vehicles, I was the tour manager, I organized and ordered the merch on top of also being a performer in the band. I also had a family with children, and I sacrificed a lot just to keep the band going when other guys in the band didn’t really care about anything else but playing and getting paid. We were constantly on the road being ran by a booking agent and it just became very routine. After a while, it just sucked everything out of me. Especially the creativity, and productivity aspect. I just wasn’t into it anymore and I felt like the band wasn’t really being productive and progressive like we used to be. I didn’t exactly leave on the proper terms and that struck a nerve with the remaining members in the band and some fans. But then again, I have never really heard of anyone giving a two weeks’ notice when they leave a band. My gut instinct just said it was time to leave and focus on me personally.
DS: Was there ever a time, either in the immediate aftermath of leaving the band or in the years since where you have had regrets about that decision or doubts that it was the best thing for you?
FC: “I helped start this band with my two younger brothers, and a neighborhood friend who was pretty much considered a brother. It obviously wasn’t an easy decision to leave after 27+ years. We accomplished a lot for just being a high school backyard party band that happened to tap into the youth of that era and play music that suburban kids could relate to. It was something that came natural to us, and we were just a product of our environment. It was hard for sure, and yes, for the longest time there were some mixed feelings of regret and guilt for just leaving like I did. But I also had my mindset of just moving on with my personal life and pursuing just me for the sake of the long-term, personal satisfaction, and personal well-being.“
DS: Is there anything you miss about being on the road with the VGS / with your brothers specifically or just being on the road and in a band?
FC: I miss the fans! I don’t really miss the travel aspect, or anything related to that. When you’re young, that shit is cool! But as you get older, it gets harder to accept some of the accommodations that are handed to you on tour. Of course, I miss my brothers. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel some sort of betrayal by them. I fully understand that I didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms. But I wasn’t okay mentally and physically and instead of being concerned about me possibly not being okay, they pretty much slandered me on the band’s social media and made me look an unstable person to our fans. I think that I deserved better than that regardless of the situation. I had done so much for our career, and I feel like my efforts and sacrifices as not only the front man, but a managing member went totally unappreciated and disrespected after all these years.
DS: How aware were you of the reactions from the fans of the band?
FC: The fans have always been great to me. Of course, I got some mixed reactions after leaving. Especially after I was blasted on the band’s social media for quitting. But I still get fans asking me to return. I get feedback from fans telling me that that it’s just not the same anymore without me, etc. There are also a lot of ex-fans who wrote me off. But that is to be expected, I guess.
DS: You spoke of great legacy when you announced you quit the band, how would you describe that legacy?
FC: We started off as just kids learning how to play instruments along with our vinyl records. We managed to tap into suburban kids and relate to their lifestyle through music that was pretty much inspired by our environment. This came at a time when we didn’t exactly have social media or the internet at our fingertips to help get exposure. It was all done organically and by word of mouth for the most part. Not only that, but we managed to transcend underlying racial boundaries and write bilingual ska/punk songs that Mexican, Chicano, and Anglo-American kids could relate to equally. We managed to do that for at least a couple of decades strong. If anything, I’m proud and happy that the band is still going strong without me. They have managed to reinvent themselves with a new front man and continue with their own version of VGS. It’s a different band for sure now.
DS: Please tell us about Tiki Bandits. What was it like to go from VGS to the TB? What were some of the most interesting differences you found, and any similarities?
FC: Tiki Bandits were never really a serious project for me. I started TB with some local friends in Arizona while I was still very active with VGS. It was just a side project for me, playing “punked up” cover versions of 50’s & 60’s tunes and an opportunity for me to stay somewhat creative and keep my musical chops up. I never really compared the band to VGS, as it was strictly just another musical outlet for me to just have fun and play gigs with no strings attached to a record label, a booking agent, or the industry in general. Sadly, we no longer exist as of 2021.
FC: The Hardyville Stranglers are my newest and current band that came together in 2022 between myself and some local friends who share musical interests in Punk Rock music. Nick Fielding, our bass player has a strong punk rock musical history and played in the band Narcoleptic Youth for 6 years before moving out to the desert like me. The guitar players Steve Blanks and Bobby Narmaki have musical roots in the So Cal punk scene and have also played in several local bands. Jose Ibarra, our drummer has played in some local area bands and was also my drummer for Tiki Bandits. Somehow, we all ended up meeting and coming together musically out here in our area where we all reside. We all live in the Bullhead City area, and Hardyville is what Bullhead used to be called back in the old Wild west days. That’s how we came up with the name of the band.
DS: How much, if any, of your work in this band has been affected or influenced by the decades with the VGS?
FC: I don’t really think about that to be honest. My experience obviously helps with logistical things like organizing stuff for the band. But we don’t really consider ourselves a real working band or anything. We’re just having fun making music without any boundaries. It’s a breath of fresh air being able to play music just for fun and without any expectations from anyone. It’s reminiscent of when I first started playing with VGS, and that makes it fun and exciting for me again.
DS: Are there any songs on this record you personally connect with. “Nobody Likes” for instance, is a song I think we all can relate to at different points of our lives. Even if our self-perception may not be accurate.
FC: “Nobody Likes” is just a song poking fun at how it’s so easy for people to just complain about anything nowadays on platforms like YELP or leave negative reviews, and just be a Karen or whatever. No real strong meaning behind it. Just a stupid observation, I guess. Lol
DS: How did some of the other songs on the EP come to fruition?
FC: Nick our bass player had some songs in his back pocket that he wrote years ago, and we brought them to life. That motivated us to start figuring out our own sound and go from there, to write a few of our own tunes collectively as a band.
DS: What was the inspiration for this album?
FC: Just a group of four guys getting together on Sunday evenings to play music and see what comes out of it. That’s really all it is!
DS: What are you looking forward to with this new group record.
FC: We really don’t have any set goals or anything. We can’t really tour extensively or anything because guys have jobs and families to feed. We are doing this just for fun and if we happen to gain some sort of popularity or success with it, I don’t think anyone in the band will be upset.
DS: What has the early reception to the record and the Hardyville Stranglers been?
FC: The reception has been great so far. We all commonly agree that punk rock has gotten soft nowadays. Punk used to be aggressive, anti-establishment a rough around the edges. Now it just seems polished, sensitive, and woke. So that pretty much influences us to just write stuff off the top of our heads and not really care about how it’s going to be received. So far, I think that it’s been working in our favor. We have gotten some good reviews claiming that we are a breath of fresh air for the punk scene.
DS: What is in the immediate or long-time future for The Hardyville Stranglers as far as you know right now?
FC: We are just playing locally right now with no real expectations or plans. Luckily with social media and the internet we can share our music to a much broader audience without having to go on tour or anything else. However, we are not opposed to doing a weekend here and there or traveling if the opportunity is there and most importantly, worthwhile for us.
DS: How has age and family/having children affected your approach to performing and all the related elements of being in a band.
FC: It gets harder as you get older. I don’t see how some of these guys are still out there doing this fulltime well into their 50’s and 60’s. I had small children and a family for a majority of my career in VGS and that made it extra hard to be gone all the time on tour. That was the hardest thing to deal with.
My kids are grown now, and I went through a divorce. I am just recently married again, and I have two step daughters that I am helping raise. I couldn’t see myself being able to leave on tour nowadays. Not only because of my new family, but my business as well.
DS: The final lyrics to “Disappear” are “Don’t Give A Fuck If I Live Or Die, I’ll Drop a Gear and Say Goodbye.” Again a sentiment it seems many people have had at some point in their lives. How do you relate to this sentiment, and does it bring you back to any specific moments or feelings in your life?
FC: I am and have always been a motorcyclist and enthusiast. I currently own three motorcycles and I live in a place where outlaw bikers are for real and part of the history here. That song is a biker song mainly, but it is also highly relatable to other non-bikers, I guess. I never really thought it that way to be honest.
DS: Why Arizona? Specifically, Bullhead? What went into the decision to leave CA for AZ?
FC: I left my hometown of Riverside, California for Bullhead City, Arizona in 2000 mainly so my kids could grow up in a safer and less influenced environment. I felt like California was just getting overpopulated, dangerous and super expensive. Pretty much how it is today! In my eyes, Bullhead City is paradise and still far enough, yet still within arm’s reach of my roots in California. We have the desert, mountains, the Colorado River running through town, and you just have more access for outdoor, recreational opportunities here in general.
DS: What are the differences you have experienced between the two states and the similarities. Same goes for Riverside v Bullhead?
FC: There is quite a bit of similarities between the two here. Most residents here have roots in California and have just ended up here to live by default. I have felt more sense of freedom living in Arizona and it seems like there are far less restraints living in Mohave County. The cost of living here is generally less and you don’t have as many outside influences living in the desert. Even though, things are rapidly changing because of the sudden high influx of people leaving California and moving here. It still has that small town and tight knit community vibe.
DS: You operate a bicycle shop – Rad Stop. Why bicycles?
FC: I grew up on my bicycle and they have always been a passion of mine.
DS: Please tell us about the business? Is there a story behind the founding of the business?
FC: I got my 4-year-old son involved in BMX racing as alternative to organized team sports. He took a liking to it immediately, he became very good at it, and when the local BMX track here in town opened, we had already been racing for a few years in nearby Lake Havasu. Parents at the newly opened track saw that my son was already advanced in the sport, and they started approaching me about helping them get their kid set up with the proper bicycle and equipment. After a few years of doing that, I realized that there was a need for a credible and reliable bicycle shop in the area. The rest is history, and I have been the longest and only operating shop here in my immediate area and within a 60-mile range for over a decade.
DS: Have there been fans of yours not aware that you run this business, come to the shop as customers and what has the reaction been if that has happened?
FC: Yes, it happens almost daily, and I have even had fans come through on vacation just to stop by, say hello, take photos and get an autograph.
DS: How often do you get out on a bicycle, and when did you learn? Do you remember your first bicycle and what kind was it? Banana seat, as was mine?
FC : I honestly do not ride a bicycle very much at all anymore for leisure or recreation. However, I test ride customer bicycles daily after repairing them. But I spend so much time working on them, that it’s the last thing I want to do on my limited spare time. My first real bicycle was a Schwinn Stingray with a banana seat and a stick shifter that I got at the age of 10.
DS: What went into opening this shop up and running it?
FC: I opened my shop on a shoestring budget of one thousand dollars and a plan to set myself up with a backup plan to have something to fall back on after my musical career. I took on a job as a bicycle assembly technician for Kmart during some downtime with VGS and gained most of the knowledge from that, and a friend that was already in the business. I was running my shop via satellite while still actively touring with VGS and relying on others to help. It just never really got off the ground until I decided to leave the band in 2017 and pursue it fulltime by myself.
DS: Is there anything running a business has in common with leading a band.
FC: Yes, you must have leadership, management, and communicative skills to run any business. Being the leader and main negotiator for the band most certainly taught me how to be self-employed and take risks involved with being successful.
DS: You also ride motorcycles?
FC: Oh god yes!
DS: What is your main ride currently?
FC: I currently own 3 motorcycles. I had 5 up until just recently. But my favorite is my 2000 Kawasaki Ninja ZX750R sport bike.
DS: How often are you able to ride and do you take longer trips on it?
FC: I ride at least a few times a week, weather permitting. Which is pretty much year-round here where I live.
DS: Ride solo? How often in a group?
FC: I do ride solo occasionally, and that seems to be the most therapeutical. But I prefer to ride with a buddy for safety reasons, and no more than 2-3 people because group rides can be dangerous in my opinion.
DS: Please tell us anything you want to about family life and what you like to do when away from both music and the shop.
FC: Life is uneventful and slower paced nowadays. My bicycle business is a labor of love and a passion. I get pure enjoyment seeing people react when I can get their bicycles looking nice a working properly once again. As I mentioned before, I am recently remarried, and I am thoroughly enjoying being a family man again. I look forward to Sundays when we get together at my shop to rehearse and create new music with my friends in this new band.
DS: Does your son Cid play music or shown interest in performing?
FC: My son is a very talented independent hip hop artist. He’s a finance manager for FORD and that consumes most of his life and cannot pursue his music full time. But look him up! I have been to a couple of his local shows. El Cid or NTFB, on Spotify
DS: Cid is an advanced BMX rider. Were you a BMX rider at any point in your life?
FC: I grew up riding my BMX bike in the late 70’s and early 80’s when the sport was just getting started. I was fortunate to grow up in the same neighborhood and go to school with a lot of the early pros who went on to become legendary in the sport. My son is a natural and still races at the age of 24. He is a mentor at the local track and in my eyes a local BMX legend.
DS: Thank you.
FC: Thank you.
Hardyville Stranglers performance photos by Stoned Spider Photography LV. Other Frank Casillas performance photo by Dana Krashin as indicated. All other photos courtesy of Frank Casillas.
The first full-length solo album by Gina Volpe, of the seminal NYC punk band Lunachicks, is scheduled for release on February 23, 2024. Delete The World was produced by Barb Morrison, and will be available on all streaming platforms. The first single off the record – “Drink Me” – and its accompanying video dropped on […]
The first full-length solo album by Gina Volpe, of the seminal NYC punk band Lunachicks, is scheduled for release on February 23, 2024. Delete The World was produced by Barb Morrison, and will be available on all streaming platforms. The first single off the record – “Drink Me” – and its accompanying video dropped on November 3, 2023. A second single, “The Plan,” follows on December 1, 2023. I caught up with Volpe via email to discuss her new music, her legacy, and more.
DS:What inspired you to do this album at this time?
GV: I had always intended to record a full-length album. It just took a little while to find the time and come up with the funds. I started releasing my solo stuff in 2017 with a 5 song EP followed up by several singles over the past couple of years. An LP was a long time coming so I’m pumped that I’m now finally able to release a full body of work.
DS: How is this album different from the music in Lunachicks?
GV:My solo stuff is different in that it’s more diverse stylistically and not as easily categorized into one particular genre. Sometimes it’s pop, sometimes it’s punk, indie, retro, or rock. Sometimes it’s more singer-songwriter. I have the freedom to shape-shift and experiment. I use synthesizers, acoustic guitars, and samples – along with heavy guitars when called for, so I get to color outside the lines and be as messy as I wanna be.
DS: Will there be more to come from BANTAM?
GV: We got together last year and messed around in the studio for the first time in over a decade. We even released a single entitled “Yo-Yo.” I’m not sure what the future holds for us though. We’re kind of spread out across the country now but none of us would be opposed to playing some shows and putting out more new music. We left the door open so anything is possible.
DS: How did your work with Lunachicks inform you as a musician and prepare you for solo and other work?
GV:I received a hands-on education coming up in the ’90s with Lunachicks. We started very young so I was able to cut my teeth on writing, arranging and recording songs (as well as learn my instrument) throughout our career. Plus, just watching all of the amazing bands we got to play with over the years really brought so much insight and inspiration to me.
DS: The trippy and surreal video for “Drink Me” reminds me of some of the technicolor joy of the 1980’s MTV heyday. Was that intentional?
GV: I came across Stanzii‘s work on Instagram and was immediately drawn to it. It’s very much my same artistic sensibility with all of the bright colors, details, and surrealism she uses. I was so mesmerized by it that I sent her a DM not sure if she would get back to me being that I was a complete stranger. To my surprise, she did get back to me and was totally into making a video for the track. I feel like I hit the jackpot by getting to work with her.
DS: How did the idea come about? Did you approach Stanzii with your own ideas about it or did Stanzii come up with the concept wholecloth? How collaborative was it?
GV: I trusted her to do whatever she wanted. It was important to me that she have the freedom to create in her style and employ the imagery she envisioned for the song. I would put my two cents in here and there but ultimately, I left it up to her to steer the ship. I helped with some of the editing and grunt work – like wiping the greenscreen from the clips and photos but the creative work was all her genius.
DS: Please describe what the video is trying to say, or the ideas being communicated.
GV: The song is about obsession, addiction, and escapism. It relates to the vices we use to check out. Maybe it’s the use of a substance or maybe it’s an addictive relationship with someone who is no good for you but you can’t let go of. I wanted the video to be a trip down the rabbit hole of self-destruction, then coming out through the other side only to go through the whole process all over again. The secondary reference is to Alice In Wonderland. “Drink Me” is labeled on the bottle she drinks in order to make her small enough to go through the door, which is clearly (to me at least) a metaphor for exiting the world and entering into another portal of being.
DS: What is it about NYC, especially at the time Lunachicks was formed, especially the part of NYC from which you hail, that sprouted so many punk legends?
GV:I think what makes NYC so special is the pure infusion of ideas and cultures from all over the world. There is always so much happening here. So many creatives are drawn to this city and with them comes all of the contributions to music, art, performance, etc. that they make continually laying a foundation for the next wave of artists coming in to build upon. There seems to be an endless supply of inspiration due to the sheer number of artists packed into this one crowded city.
DS: Do you see the same spirit there now with newer musicians?
GV: I do and it’s always cool to see all the different generational influences the up-and-coming bands are drawing from. Sure, it may look different from an older generation’s perspective but really, the kids are alright.
DS: I first met you at Riot Fest 2022 . From what I heard around the park so many people agreed with me that Lunachicks were one of the highlights of the weekend [I agree. Plus, I found the band members to all be so nice and fun].
GV: Love to hear that. We had a blast playing Riot Fest. Although it was really hot if you remember [I do recall that it was an absolute scorcher all weekend long]. Chip. our drummer had heat stroke during the set and puked so stealthily in the middle of a song that none of us noticed what was happening lols.
DS: That must feel pretty damn good to know that decades on you are still making such an impact and garnering new fans.
GV:It really is an amazing feeling. We didn’t realize that we had so many younger fans that became aware of us well after we had stopped playing. So for a lot of the people in the audience it was the first time they had ever seen us live even though they had been listening to us for a decade or so.
DS: What was writing Fallopian Rhapsody like, and do you feel it was a comprehensive history of Lunachicks or is there still much to say?
GV:Writing that book was such a great experience. It was hard though and it gave me a newfound respect for authors. It’s a long arduous process and a lesson in patience and grit. In the end though I feel like we got it all in, said what we wanted to say with the expert help of co-author Jeanne Fury and overall I’m super proud of it.
DS: How did you see the response to the book?
GV:We were happy with all of the positive responses we got. People really seemed to enjoy the book whether they knew the band or not. A lot of fans wrote in to say that they identified with a certain story, experience, or feeling and that it impacted them, inspired them, or simply gave them a new perspective to try on.
DS: What has it been like to create an identity outside of Lunachicks with the music you do as a solo artist and with other bands? Of course, even with these questions, there are a lot of references to Lunachicks
GV: Well most people know me because of Lunachicks which is fine because I’m super proud of our band and our history but it can be also tough to get away from that label and just be a solo artist without the qualifying “Gina from Lunachicks” tag. I do understand though that people need reference, they want to know “Who is this person?” and I totally get that. But, my solo music doesn’t always translate over to the Lunachicks’ fanbase, some of my fans don’t even know who the Lunachicks are (most do) but in a perfect world I’d just be able to be me -insert terrible Sammy Davis Jr. impression, “I gotta be me…!” sing-along folks!
DS: How is creating music for a film different from creating music for a more traditional record or band?
GV: It’s certainly a different exercise in that you’re not actually songwriting, there’s no lyrics or any kind of verse/chorus song structure necessarily. It’s also a practice in pairing down and being mindful of where and how you place certain textures and sounds so they don’t step on dialog or feel too intrusive in the scene. I lean towards less happening in a score than more. I’m not a fan of music scores that overdo it.
DS: You played most of the instruments for this record? How is that experience different from playing in a full band or having a full band contribute to an album?
GV:I usually record most of the guitar, bass, and synths in my home studio. Then I bring it all into a professional studio with my producer Barb Morrison and their engineer to finish the track. We do vocals, drums and adding all the cool layers and textures. It’s quite the opposite experience of recording live in the studio with a band. This way I have a lot of room to manipulate the track, try different arrangements etc. and change my mind a hundred times about it all–which is not always a good thing!
DS: Are there newer bands, up-and-coming bands, or artists that excite you at this moment?
DS: Can you see any influence you might have had on them?
GV:Hmmm, doubt any of the bands listed above would have known who we were!
DS: You came up as a musician when there were not as many female-fronted, or mostly female-comprised bands. How much of an improvement has there been in the way such bands are accepted? Is there still a struggle to be known less as a female-fronted punk band and just a punk band. Or is that label something you are ok with?
GV: I’m really glad to see so many more women in bands. It really doesn’t seem to be such a novelty anymore. When we played Riot Fest last year there were some women kicking ass both in mixed-gender bands and all-female bands. But as you mentioned that was one of the things that was the most maddening for us, no matter what music we were making we were always categorized by our gender instead of musical genre. “All girl band music” became the genre we were placed in, what the fuck does that mean?!
Sadly (that) element is present today when I listen to Spotify’s algorithm. If you were to put on a Lunachicks radio on Spotify, the algorithm will mainly stick to suggesting only other female-fronted bands, then conversely, if you were to start a Rancid radio station the algorithm won’t be offering any recommendations for bands with female singers therefore reinforcing this gender separation in rock/punk music.
I am proud to celebrate being a woman and if women and girls (and non-binary people) find inspiration in seeing people up onstage rockin’ out that look more like themselves (as I had when I went to see my she-ros play live) then I am all for it. But we need to do away with thinking that there are two different musical genres solely based on gender.
DS: There is still so much toxicity in the punk scene as we have seen with recent disbandings of decades-old groups. Anti-Flag situation, of course, being the most recent example. How have you tried to confront that? Is it something you have still encountered?
GV: Have to admit that I literally just heard about this, I don’t want to comment until I read more about it. But from what I’ve seen over the years things have gotten better – I mean we wouldn’t even be having this conversation back in the ’90s – or even the ’00’s. And I do believe it will continue to get better and that we will evolve. Sometimes that’s hard to see and there will certainly be setbacks and shitty humans messing it all up but I’m an optimist and I do think eventually we’ll get our shit together, may not be alive to see it, but we’ll get there.
Gina Volpe’s new record will be released in February. A documentary film “Pretty Ugly- The Story of The Lunachicks,” directed by Ilya Chaiken, had its world premiere in NYC in November and just finished an initial online run.
