Channel 3

     What is there really to write about Channel 3 that hasn’t already been written? Classic Southern California punk band, check. Wrote classic punk song, You Make Me Feel Cheap, check. Released two classic LP’s Fear of Life and After The Light Go Out, check. Had those classic LP’s released on one of the most famous punk labels ever, Posh Boy, check. This would be the beginning and end to a band career that most punk bands would dream of, but the story doesn’t end here for Channel 3. After the band went on hiatus in the 90’s, Channel 3 had a return to form with the CH3 release a few years back. Now with the recently released Land Of The Free on Hostage Records, the band’s classic combination of melody, punchy guitars, and catchy choruses are back at the forefront.

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions?

Mike Magrann here!

Where is the band from?

Famously and originally from Cerritos, CA. Though now we are all based in OC/Long Beach area.

Who is in the band and what instrument do they play?

I sing and play guitar, Kimm Gardener on Guitar, Alf Silva on Drums and Ant Thompson on Bass.

Can you give a brief history of the band up to this point?

We started playing in 1980, recorded the first EP on Posh Boy in 1982, started touring then, and after going through a ton of different record labels, band members and hairstyles, we arrive in 2013.  Still recording, still touring, so not much has changed!

Describe the lasting power of Channel 3?

Mainly, our lasting power comes from never breaking up!  Seriously, we just outlasted a lot of other bands (and a lot of the fans) out there, and they just have to accept you'll be around at some point, yeah?  It is difficult at times, to maintain the band when we've come to this level--not the headliner at the festival, not the youngest band on the bill or the hardest touring band on the road.  But people do have to respect that you survive, and there has to be some sort of commitment and passion to the thing if you can still do it!

How important was Robbie Fields to the band? He produced the classic LP’s Fear of Life and After The Lights Go Out as well as the Mannequin/Manzanar single.

We give Robbie so much credit for getting us into the studio and guiding our career in the early days.  I think he saw a potential in the band we really didn’t see ourselves.  We basically made a demo tape in a garage, he heard it through a friend of a friend, and we were recording the first EP in a couple weeks--and this was before we'd even played our first gig!  We may have made it to the clubs and records eventually on our own, but then again we might still be in the garage and backyards if Robbie didn't make the call...

As I was reading through interviews, it just seems like overall the band has a really positive attitude even when talking about period of the band’s history that might not be flattering. How does the band keep this attitude?

I assume we are talking about big hair and cowboy boots?  hah! Well, I think compared to some other bands that don’t really like to talk about embarrassing periods in their careers, we don’t have regrets of that time.  Sure, the photos look silly out of context, but we weren't really doing anything that was insincere.  The packaging and image was poofy, to be sure--and that was indeed involved in trying to break out of the punk mold--but we stand by those songs.  And when we play them live now, without the classic 80's production, the shotgun snare drums and soaked vocals, they just sound like CH3 songs, ya know?

After listening to Whom It May Concern: The 1981 Demos, I found it interesting that I Wanna Know Why was written and ready to record, but didn’t make it on any release until Airborne. Was there any reason it wasn’t included on either Fear of Life or After The Lights Go Out*?

Whoops, got ya there mate--it was indeed of on Fear of Life.  It was written but not recorded for the first EP.  It was probably the second song we ever wrote, and Robbie in his wisdom held us back from releasing it on the first EP, as it would've certainly softened the hardcore introduction to the band.  We just re recorded it -unnecessarily-when we got on Enigma to hold a bridge to the past, I think.

In the early 2000’s, the band releases the CH3 LP, which is a return to form. After starting as a punk band then venturing more of a pop-rock sound especially on the Airborne EP and Enigma years of Last Time I Drank, why the desire to go back to punk?

It was really just how the album naturally came out.  I hadn’t written songs in a good decade, so when you pick up the guitar in your room once again, you go to what comes naturally.  I'd be lying to say we weren’t aware of the great old school punk rock renaissance of 2000, but we did what felt natural, ya know?  It was at this time we started to produce ourselves for the first times, me and Kimm, and it's what we learned from Posh and Jay Lansford and Ron Goudie, all those philosophies combined .

*(interview note: On the Cherry Red released version, which I own I Wanna Know Why and Stupid Girl are omitted.)

In a Razorcake interview, Mike had stated the band got back together by “playing every Christmas at Linda's Doll Hut. We played for free so nobody could accuse us of "selling out." The next thing we knew, there was a benefit with TSOL. Then The Misfits called and they wanted to do a show with us in Vegas. The Angry Samoans called. There were all these great shows being offered to us and we did not want to keep going out there unless we had some new material.” What was decision to have new material and why did the band feel it was important? Nowadays bands are touring just playing LP’s in their entirety. Buzzcocks did it and so has Devo.

Hell, the people that show up would indeed be happier if we just stuck to the Posh Boy catalogue in our live sets, so I can understand why bands honor those classic albums.  But in So Ca especially, we have this unique biosphere where all the bands are still playing, everyone looks great, and the bands that are really into it are still creating.  I know that there are audible groans when you announce this next one’s off our latest album, but if you can’t still create you can just become a cover band of your former selves, ya know?  And even if you don’t even play the new songs in your crusty set list (guilty!) a band thrive and grows on that creative process.

How did you connect with Hostage Records?

Speaking of new songs!!  We'd met Rick Bain many years ago through his photography, and were always aware of the quality releases from Hostage.  We happened to run into Paul at Record Store Day 2012 and we started chatting about a possible release.  Well, turns out we'd accumulated almost an album's worth of material in the last few years, so they released the Land of the Free single with the 8 song download card.  It was a real treat to release songs in a new format and to see how that goes.  We've really come full circle now!

Has the band view about music changed at all or does the band feel the same way about music in the same way as when starting out? In the Razorcake interview, Mike stated “We have no illusions about becoming rock stars anymore.” What other views might have changed?

Well, I guess at 50 now we can reconfirm we aren’t holding our breaths for the major label contract, eh?  But then again, what does a major label deal even mean any more?  The classic music industry is in such a fucked up state nowadays, which I think thrills most punk bands and labels.  It's like the world had to catch up to the DIY recording and promoting that the punkers had to embrace for the start, yeah?  So if anything, we are more reassured than ever that we are in the right place, making music that matters to us and our small but loyal group of chums, and get out there and play it worldwide on a shoestring budget.

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water for free, now people pay for water and get their music for free. I know as part of the Land of The Free 7 inch there is a download card with extra songs. In a way the band is doing both. How do you think this affects music in any way?

It is a shame that people have no qualms about buying goddamn five dollar coffee and then scouring the internet for illegal downloads!  But, I don’t really blame people as thieves, it's just that for better or worse the internet has become such a wild west of content, and the way music became available was really one of its revolutionary components.  A child of the 60's. I saw 8 tracks (hell, 4 tracks) to cassettes, CD’s to downloads, so it's been a wild ride.  One downside is the instant gratification aspect, where kids find the top 3 songs of the artist and just download those, no more sifting through cool b sides, no more rolling joints on the 12" sleeves and pondering the lyrics on the liners.  And what of the art of song sequencing, deciding which song is second track side 2?  So for the very convenience we paid a price and I guess that's what the vinyl rebirth is all about.

Mike and Kimm are both parents. How do your kids view the band or your kids’ friends?

The kids are all getting pretty old themselves now, so they seem to view the band with a bemused smile, Dad's softball team is going on the road again this weekend, ya know?  It is hilarious when they come home and tell us about seeing strange kids at the mall, flying CH3 patches, as if that is finally validation of the band in their eyes, not the goddamn albums lining the hallway or the 6 dozen tour t -hirts in the back of their closets.  You know kids--Dad's always a dork.

Does Kimm still have the CH3 stencil guitar?

Don’t we wish!  Our great pals used to work at the famed Charvel factory out in Sam Dimas, and we used to drop buy and get handfuls of San Dimas Charvels for a tour, then we’d destroy them or trade them for amps or something. Those things would be worth a fortune today!  They will probably start turning up on Ebay once Kimm or I die or go nuts or get elected to Senate...

What’s next for Channel 3?

We’re gearing up now for an August European tour.  We're looking forward to meeting a lot of old chums out there and playing some cool festivals.  Lots of fatty snacks and cold beers, business as usual!  Cheers, MM

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Love Me Nots

What can I say about this band that far more skilled writers haven’t said already? A band that has been a Phoenix area pillar of Rock ‘N’ Roll prominence for quite a while now, they’re working on their sixth LP!  For those of you who have yet to delight in the sounds of The Love Me Nots, I shall attempt a brief description.  A lead singer that prowls around the stage radiating Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Chrissie Hynde, while pounding a keyboard so fervently as if attempting to exorcize demons from within its mechanical bowels.  Then there’s that tall, ominous guitar player that’s relentlessly hurling down sonic depth charges at the hapless spectators.  Not to mention a rhythm section sturdy enough to keep this out of controlled freight train on its rails and on a collision course straight towards your soul!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?

Nicole Laurenne

Who is in the band and how do you earn your keep in it?

Nicole Laurenne – organ, vocals
Michael Johnny Walker – guitar

Sophie O – bass, vocals

Jay Lien - drums

Are all of you originally from the Phoenix area?

I grew up in the Chicago area. Michael and Jay are Phoenix natives but moved in and out of state occasionally. Right now Jay lives in Brooklyn, NY.

What is the bands origin story, how did you all come together?

Michael and Jay played in The Sonic Thrills, a great trash-rock band here in Phoenix, and Michael was looking to start a side project. He was shopping around for singers when came upon my old new-wave band, Blue Fur, and came to see a show. After the show he asked if I might be interested in fronting his new project. Eventually we got it together and Jay signed on. Christina Nunez from The Madcaps was our first bassist, followed by Kyle Barron from The Dames, and Sophie took Kyle’s place a couple of years ago. Jay left the band for a little while, replaced by Vince Ramirez from Flathead and then by Bob Hoag from Pollen, but when he came to a show of ours in Brooklyn, he decided to come back on board and we were thrilled to have him back.

A couple of you have another musical endeavor called Zero Zero, which is more electronic.  How did that project come about?

Michael and I write a lot of other styles of music on our own, for licensing projects and whatnot, and I especially have a good time writing electronic-based pop. When The Love Me Nots decided to take a hiatus after touring and recording for about six years straight, we decided to pull together some pop tracks and put them out as a side project called Zero Zero. Michael and I did all the performances and recording on it in our home studio, so it was a real labor of love and a nice change of pace while the garage band was taking some time off.

With a line in the sand being defined clearer and clearer every day between electronic music and rock n roll, do you feel like electronic music really is taking over with younger audiences?   Being on both sides of the fence so to speak, I feel like you guys have a unique perspective on this.

No, I think people still like great music, regardless of the genre. That may sound naïve, but when you talk to people about what they like, they usually have a pretty wide range of styles on their ipod playlists. In Zero Zero, we’ve tried to blur that line a little bit, with rock guitars over electronic-sounding stuff, and people have really responded to it. If you pay attention to what people are listening to on their own time (not fed by media sources), I think there is actually a wider tolerance for variety than ever in the US population.

With your style lying heavily in the 60’s with hints of New Wave and Punk, It’s hard to pinpoint obvious influences.  What were some of your musical role models and why?  Who inspired you to learn how to play music and pick up an instrument in the first place?

I studied classical piano from an early age and played competitively for many years. I didn’t really fall in love with pop music until later in life, although it was always around and I had some favorite pop tracks over the years. I liked Blondie, The Cars, Sinead O’Connor, Nirvana, The White Stripes – good beats, good melodies, not too complicated. When I met Michael, he introduced me to The Sonics, The Animals, The Seeds – blues-based garage that was deliciously primitive, huge and even lo-fi at times. It was like a light bulb went off in my head. I think until that moment my role as a keyboardist in a rock band seemed a little dull compared to everyone else jumping around on stage. Listening to those 60’s garage bands gave me all kinds of inspiration I didn’t have before.

If the band could tour with any band/musician from times gone by, who would it be and why?

The Animals. Elvis wouldn’t be bad either. I think those fans would really get what we are trying to do, and they wouldn’t have heard decades of garage yet so we’d have a real chance at making an impact on them. Plus, I would give my left foot to sit in the front row and listen to 60’s-era Eric Burdon sing “Inside Looking Out.” I figure I could make that happen if I was on tour with him. I’m sure I don’t really have to explain the thought of being on tour with Elvis. I think he would have dug The Love Me Nots as an opener.

I recently read that out of all different art forms, music has the power to alter a person’s disposition the fastest.  Do you agree with this?  Do you have any favorite music that you can put on that will always lift you from a slump?

Absolutely. Music sets the scene more than anything else, even more than the lighting or the company. At our house we usually find ourselves putting on vintage tracks, like Chet Baker and Billie Holliday, or just basking in the negativity and putting on Nick Cave. But when I’m ready to jolt out of a slump, I think early records by The Hives and The Makers will usually do the trick.

What is the relationship with Atomic Au Go Go?

That’s our label. Michael and I started it up back in 2006 just to put out The Love Me Nots’ first record ourselves. Since then we’ve branched out in association with other labels (Bad Reputation, May Cause Dizziness, Project Infinity) for various releases, but we still basically do everything ourselves for the band and the label.

Your albums have been produced by Detroit producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Dirtbombs, Fleshtones).  How did your relationship begin with him?

We liked his early White Stripes recordings and wrote to him out of the blue one day in a fit of courage. He listened to our demos and told us to come out to Detroit and do a record with him in four days flat, for a pretty reasonable fee. So, we did. And we never looked back. We count him as a good friend now, even taking him on tour with us to Europe once.

If a year from now you were celebrating the best year The Love Me Nots have ever had, what would you be celebrating?

A hit song.

What music have you unleashed on the world and where can people hear it or buy it?

We’ve released five albums: In Black & White (2007), DETROIT (2008), Upsidedown Insideout (2009), The Demon and The Devotee (2011), and Let’s Get Wrecked (2011). (The last one features essential tracks, remixes and French-language versions). It’s pretty easy to find them all on iTunes, Amazon, CdBaby, and the band’s own store site www.thelovemenots.com. Pandora and Spotify are popular places to find us these days too. We also regularly stock small record stores around the world when they come asking for a supply – Greece, Seattle, South Africa, Paris, Boston, all kinds of random places.

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

We are busy writing a sixth record right now, and hope to get back to Detroit this fall to record it with Jim. Before we record, we’ll schedule some US shows to get our blood boiling again. We’ve taken almost a full year off, so we’re all chomping at the bit to get back at it.

Photo by Clint Kirk

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Transistors

     I first saw these guys open for Rock ‘N’ Roll titans Guitar Wolf in the fall of 2012.   I had never heard of them prior, but after listening to some of their songs, I was looking forward to seeing them just as much as the headliners, and they did not disappoint.  Three young guys from New Zealand that play punk rock music that sounds considerably better the higher the volume gets.  Its fast, extremely catchy and they seem to be having the time of their lives doing it, which in turn makes anyone listening to it have a blast as well.  What more can anyone ask of a stellar punk band?  It’s a little Ramones, a little Angry Samoans, a little Buzzcocks, and a whole lot of fun!

Interview by Jay Castro

Who’s answering the questions here?

James

Who is in the band and what instruments do you play?

Olly plays drums and sings, Colin plays bass and sings a little bit and I play guitar and sing.

What parts of New Zealand are you all from?

We originally hail from Rangiora which is a small town in North Canterbury on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. We all live in Christchurch which is about half an hour away from Rangiora and is a big small town.

How did the band come together?

We all met on the first day of school at Rangiora High and we were in the same class. We started playing music a few years after that as a means of getting out of class and escaping small town tedium.

What music did you have in mind when starting out the band?             

When we first started jamming in Olly's garage we thought we were playing sixties influenced pop music, The Kinks and The Beatles were some of our earliest influences but it turned out that the music we were playing was pretty rough sounding (due to our overwhelming lack of musical prowess), we got into punk and other weirder sounding bands pretty quickly and went from there.

What non-musical influences inspire you?

Lots of things really, people we know, relationships, getting older, crummy jobs. All the classics...

I know very little concerning New Zealand’s current cultural affairs I’m afraid.   I know Flight of the Concords, and The Cramps concert video Rockin’ and Reelin’ in Auckland New Zealand.  Is there a lot going on there musically you wish more people knew about?

We actually know two guys who were at that Cramps show! They said it was amazing. FOTC and Lord Of The Rings were the two things that were probably brought up the most about New Zealand while we were in the states and we were kind of expecting that but interestingly a lot of people would come up and ask us about Flying Nun bands, so that was pretty cool. When we played in Portland the singer of Mean Jeans hugged me when I told him I knew Alec Bathgate, because he was such a big Tall Dwarfs fan haha. There are a lot of sweet bands around at the moment that everyone should check out, some Christchurch bands off the top of my head would be: Salad Boys, Teen Fortress, Zen Mantra, X-Ray Charles, Ipswich. Up north there's Street Chant, The Situations, Rackets, Shaft, Beach Pigs, No Aloha, God Bows To Math...I know I'm forgetting a bunch, sorry guys...

I saw The Transistors when you opened up for the infamous Guitar Wolf last year.  How did you guys land that prime position?

We were really lucky to be asked by The Wolf. We had already supported them on their NZ tour in December 2011 and Seiji liked us and was nice enough to offer us the spot on the US tour. He said we should go to Japan but that we "must harden liver first".

Was this your first time in the U.S.?  If so, what did you think?  Where was your favorite place you played?

I had been briefly when I was a kid but it was Olly and Col's first trip over. We loved it and had the best time. It was just the three of us with all our gear in a hired car and nothing but the incessant chatter of our faithful GPS guide, Tom, to steer us in the right direction. We played 27 shows in about 30 days and travelled 12,000 miles across 33 states. There were hardly any bad shows that I can remember but some highlights for me were Minneapolis, New York, Memphis and Philly. One of the best shows was definitely the Portland show and I'm not just saying that. We had a wicked time in Portland and we stayed with our friend Ruban and his awesome family, so that was really cool.

How do American audiences compare to the fans back in New Zealand?

On the whole the audiences were pretty responsive which was awesome, plus we sold a heap of 7"’s. It was cool playing in a place where nobody had ever heard of us or knew what to expect. Having said that, a guy in Bellingham asked why we didn't play Caving In, which is a song from our first record! That was crazy.

I recently read that out of all different art forms, music has the power to alter a person’s disposition the fastest.  Do you agree with this?  Do you have any favorite music that you can put on that will always lift you up from a slump?

Yeah I'd definitely agree with that. Often with certain songs or albums that I put on, I'll be instantly taken back to the time that I first heard them or a period of my life when I listened to them a lot. There are definitely certain records and bands that always make me feel good when I put them on, Wild Honey by The Beach Boys, the first Modern Lovers album, Let It Be by The Replacements are a few that come to mind. I always find the first two Big Star records really inviting, like a warm blanket. The third album not so much haha, I like that for very different reasons, if I'm in a slump and I put that album on I feel myself slumping down further.

Do you think Rock ‘N’ Roll can still be a vital and influential force for kids in this disposable age we live in now?

I think so for sure, I think loud raucous music will always have its place. If you look at any era of music there has always been a huge amount of disposable crap out there but bands have always been there doing their thing as well. I guess nowadays there's just an even bigger amount of disposable crap around.

It sounds very cynical but I feel like the overwhelming majority of kids these days are probably spending all their time on the internet liking their friend's "selfy" photos on Facebook rather than doing anything worthwhile but I'd like to think there are still heaps out there who are using the internet to discover exciting bands and just generally expand their minds. There's a vast wealth of information at everyone's disposal and this is how things will be from now on so I suppose it just comes down to how you choose to use it all.

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water free, now people pay for water and get their music free. How do you think this affects the music industry?

Like I said, there are definite pros and cons with the internet as a means of getting your music out there and it really depends on what you see as being important. The internet has completely changed the way the music industry works now and it'll probably slowly start to kill off the major labels and their whole model for doing things because like anything in evolution, if you don't adapt you die out and so far they seem to have just fought it as much as possible, it must have hurt them already. Smaller labels seem to have a much more sustainable approach and I think bands now more than ever can be their own gods and do everything for themselves. The perceived downside of everything being available online is that nobody's paying for music when they can just get it for free. As a band, we've never really made any money anyway so that doesn't bother me. If someone on the other side of the world can find out about our band and hear and download our music for free then I think that's awesome, I don't think being able to get music for free is necessarily devaluing it. I like how sites like Bandcamp allow you people to 'pay what you want'.

Where can people hear the almighty Transistors or purchase your music or merch?

All our music is available for download at our Bandcamp which is transistors.bandcamp.com

If you're a purist and you want Vinyl or CD’s off us you're best to email us at thetransistorsnz@gmail.com and we can send stuff out.

There are also a bunch of videos and live clips of us on YouTube, some good, some not so good - so beware!

What’s next for the band?

Our second record Is This Anything? is finally due for release soon on Arch Hill Records here in NZ and we're getting underway with demos for our next album too. Hopefully we'll be able to make it back to the states in the near future!

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Youthbitch

     Sometimes half of the battle is too get people just talking about your band and with a name like Youthbitch you might not have a problem. But having a name that garners attention isn’t enough; the band needs the tunes to back it up, which, Youthbitch does. A healthy mix of Exploding Hearts and Dictators got Dirtnap so impressed that they stated “this is the first time we’ve done a 7″ with an up-and coming local band in years.” This was hot off the heels of 2012’s mega output of not one, but two LP’s and their new single, on Dirtnap/Jonny Cat is currently out now. By the end of the year, Youthbitch might have another LP so I would start listening to this band now.

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions?

Stevie

Where is the band from?

Portland, Oregon via flyover country.

Who is in the band and what instrument do they play? 

Nico "No-Good Nick" Suavey plays the fumbly bumbles on the small mouth bass and sings. Joe Benasshole (none of these nicknames are consensual) rocks the skins. R. P. Smith plays the fiddly bits on the lead axe and I play second fiddle and also sing.

How did the band start?

Me ‘n Nico played real shitty stuff when we were 18 and then came Rob and Joe later to make it an actual band. Members were selected in keeping with astrological compatibility and wiener size.

How did the band name come about? From reading different reviews there is a mixed reaction about the band’s name than the band’s sound.

It's from the FBI lyrics to Louie Louie ("hey Youthbitch, hey love maker, now hold my bone"). We were like 18 when we picked it. It didn't seem like a good name at the time and it still doesn't, but we didn't come to give good names, we came to rock.

The band members are originally from Illinois, St Louis, and Idaho. Why the move to Portland? What drew you guys there instead of other big US cities?

Portland's nice and cheap and a great place to ruin your life.

Don’t Fuck This Up was called “It might be the best local document of such a sound since the Exploding Hearts’ Guitar Romantic, and it deserves a vaunted spot next to Gentleman Jesse’s self-titled debut in taxonomies of contemporary classics” by the Willamette Week. Guitar Romantic is arguably a classic LP and one of the best of the last fifteen years. How does it feel for Youthbitch to be held in such high regard with such a review?

It was really nice of him to say that, but it's not such a good idea to take reviews to heart. Let's take a look at some other reviews: MRR says we're a "lame Nobunny" with no hooks. A YouTube commenter says "it sounds like they're playing their guitars with their clitorises" (best one yet). Just the other day some guy driving by in a pickup called me a faggot.

What bands/LP’s influence or have influenced Youthbitch’s songwriting?

I think Sam Cooke was a big part of Nico's songs on the last record. Rob really likes Ross the Boss from the Dictators. One really important song is "All Over Blues Feeling" by Champion Jack Dupree. It's like a Rosetta Sone for all our stupid ideas.

Do you think music can still be a vital force in such a disposable age?

Everyone needs jams. Jams are everywhere now, and some people say that devalues the jams, but really if jams are important to you then it just means more jams.

Youthbitch released two LP’s in 2012, Youthbitch Youthbitch Youthbitch Youthbitch Youthbitch and Don’t Fuck This Up?  Then follow it up with the I’m In Love With Girls single in the early part of 2013. How does the band stay so prolific? Why not wait and give each release a little breathing room? 

I think it's a pretty standard amount of output for bands our age. We had even more stuff that year than those releases, there were releases with side projects and tracks on comps and whatnot, but if you step back and think about it it's not that much. If I were a baker and I only made five pies in 2012, wouldn't this question be more like, "Dude, why are you such a shitty baker?"

What have been some of Youthbitch’s favorite shows? I see the band has played with The Spits and Mean Jeans.

My favorite so far was on tour with Therapists when we played with Primitive Hearts and Shannon and the Clams in SF. Also, SMMR BMMR last year was awesome, Kepi Ghoulie played a set with the jeans, all the beer was free, and Dirty Donny airbrushed my jacket.

How did Youthbitch hook up with Dirtnap? On the Dirtnap site they state, “this is the first time we’ve done a 7″ with an up-and coming local band in years. Once you hear this, though, it will be immediately apparent why we broke our long dry-spell.”

Starting when Nico was 17, he used to go to Ken's store and bug him all the time. At some point over the course of five years I think we started to suck a lot less and he started to like us. He heard our LP on Jonny Cat and wanted to do a split release with the 7-inch.

50 years ago people used to buy music and get their water for free, now people pay for water and get their music for free. How do you think this affects music in any way?  

Buncha thirsty fellas with headphones on having a gay ole time.

Where can people hear the band?

http://youthbitch.bandcamp.com ! That's also how you can make sure we don't go hungry. Get our LP and 7" from the Green Noise website ( http://www.greennoiserecords.com/ ) Lots of videos on youtube too (another one on the way).

What’s next for Youthbitch?

More shows on the West Coast. Someday a van and then more shows everywhere. 

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