Dysnea Boys

Berlin's Dysnea Boys play relentless, hard hitting punk rock as if they were in Southern California and it was the Reagan years all over again.  The band recently answered some questions for us about how they all got together, what the band has coming up in the near future, and what exactly is a "Dysnea" boy!

Interview by J Castro

Who are the folks that make up Dysnea Boys and what do you all do to earn your keep in the band?

C.C.: I’m the bass player, and I do my best to keep up my chops so the guys don’t kick me out of the band!

JASON: I sing, do the words. Love to do graphics too.

CHRIS: I play guitar

TOM: I play drums and I am needed to counter the West coast with some basic south Germanism.

Dysnea Boys are currently based in Berlin Germany, but some of you aren’t originally from there.  How did you all meet and decide to play music together?

C.C.: None of us are form Berlin actually, but most of us have spent a good number of years here

now. I’ve just put in my 5^th year. Although Chris is also from Vancouver, we didn’t meet until living here through mutual friends. Jason and I met at a party in my first week of being here. He was talking about the Germs and snorting a vodka shot. I knew I wanted to be in a band with him immediately. Tom and I work together and met there. 

Jason. Moved here about fifteen years ago. Two kids and a tone of other music too. I’m from near San Jose, California.

CHRIS: C.C. and I wanted to get a band started pretty much as soon as we started hanging out here in Berlin, had a few jams with Tom and shortly after tricked Jason into singing for us.

TOM: I guess that´s how it happened. For me it´s great that I was lucky enough to have run into people that still appreciate the Punk and Indie stuff we all grew up with but on the other side are totally open (and able) to create our own sound.

What band or musician would you say has been the biggest influence on you?  If you can recall, tell me a bit about the first time you heard them:

C.C.: I had an older cousin who introduced me to AC/DC and Van Halen when I was really young. Those were my heroes as a kid. It wasn’t until the 8^th grade that I heard punk, and that was life changing. Obviously we all traded tapes and got our hands on everything we could, but SNFU at that time was my favorite band. I can still sing every word of their first two albums.

JASON: .The Who, Zombies, Beach Boys, 70s rock stuff, Germs, Fall, oldies and cruise music. As a kid I loved watching little RnB groups jamming in the band pavilion at Flea markets. Guys my age actually pulling off listenable music. I’d get over that later.

CHRIS: hmmmmm... so many bands...

  

You recently released the Find Water 7” earlier this year.   Can you tell me a bit about the making of the record and what led to the decision to release it yourselves?

C.C.: We recorded it at the school Tom and I work at! It was recorded and mixed by Brodie White (from Berlin’s The Sun and the Wolf) 

JASON: Compulsive need to give birth to music and songs. Get them out there in the world. Sonic messages in bottles. Who’s gonna respond??  What opportunities will be created?

CHRIS: Releasing it ourselves was the fastest way to get it out there.

You guys did a video for the B-Side to that record, a song called “Mind Stories”.  What was your experience like making the video, were you pleased with the end results?  Where were the live cuts of the band filmed?

C.C.: Jason made this one happen!

JASON: Bryan Ray Trucotte in LA did that. The guy from Kill your Idols who published Fucked up and PhotoCopied. Punk is Dead Punk is Everything. Live footage is from Schockoladen here in Berlin. That other stuff is stock US advertising and Natl Geo stuff he’s been sitting on since God knows when. We had nothing to do with the editing process;  that was his Frankenstein. I’m fine with it. Time to get some together for the other songs.

CHRIS: the live footage was filmed by Derek Howard at a Berlin venue called schokoladen.

You also just released a split 7” with a band called Jiffy Marker on the Canadian label Debt Offensive Records.  How did you end up pairing up with the Jiffy boys and Debt Offensive?

C.C.: The guys in Jiffy Marker are long time friends of Chris and I. Chris played in bands with some of the guys and everyone in that band has a long resume in the Vancouver music scene. 

CHRIS: Yeah, longtime friends. So great to be on a 7” with such swell peeps!

What sorts of things typically influence your song lyrics?  Is there any subject out there you try to steer clear from in your songs?

JASON: Try to steer clear from?  Um, no…. Intentionally stay away from???  No.

On the contrary, I hyper focus on things I’m obsessed with, stuff that I really really really only want to sing about, Atmosphere, quest, emergence, redemption. Trying to carve out a space through voice, word and song.

Do you feel like music is as much of an influential force to young people in this age of instant accessibility and excessive consumerism as it ever has been?  If not, do you think it ever can be again?

JASON: Music’s role in my life has changed drastically several times. I’m going to go with the notion that this happens to most people. At first it might be aegis and kinda like a life preserver. Then it becomes a social tool to help you rediscover and invent yourself. Maybe even show you why you behave the way you do. Music then might turn into a spring board to help hurl you into all kinds of other arts and forms of expression. I’m hoping that’s what it can do for someone.

CHRIS: Depends on the kid I guess... there's definitely a lot of distractions in the world today but I would like to think being a music fan runs a bit deeper than apps for your telephone. Also, these days anybody interested in music has access to pretty much everything, usually for free or very cheep. Music fans are just as crazy about music as they ever were.

TOM: Music is still really present in young people´s lives. Festivals are sold out, everyone is hanging on earphones. There is still a lot of great and shitty music out there. 30 years ago too. Anyone who tells me that nowadays it´s so hard to find great music just hasn´t checked properly. Maybe the great amount of choices and the unlimited accessibility makes kids like their stuff for shorter periods, but there are still lots that become seriously interested or even part of a fan/sub- culture.

Like me, I’m sure you remember the days before Social Media.  Do you feel like it’s become an essential part of promoting shows, records etc..?  Do you think promotion can still be done effectively without it?

C.C.: I think there are negatives and positives. I’m grateful that I played in bands back when records still sold, and little labels could support bands on tour, and with distribution and promotion. These days with less and less money coming back from music sales, I think social media is where promotion can be done cheap, or free and bands and labels have to be fairly tech savvy. That’s where we could use a little help!

JASON: Had a talk with a guy a couple weeks ago who I believe was born in ‘96 or so. He asked me how we booked tours way back then without computers. I told him with a straight face,’’ Telephones, post cards and moms cooking in kitchens next to phones scribbling and dictating messages spoken by distant voices down on sheets of paper. Sometimes that paper might have been pink or even yellow with thin blue lines placed horizontally. It was best if you wrote between the lines. Then I might call back and in turn give someone else a message if the person I needed to speak to wasn’t there. We handled tons of dates like that. Vast tours. Worked just fine.  Bet you could do it with a cell phone too.

CHRIS: It's definitely a good way to reach a lot of people at once, we still make posters and hand bills for every show. There's a lot of people that have nothing to do with social media and prefer to find out about gigs via more classic means.

Tell me about the name Dysnea Boys, how did you come up with that?

JASON: I liked it because I thought it was an homage to the Bruce Johnson Beach Boys song Disney Girls (1957). Thin White Rope has a track called that as well. Chris came up with it.

CHRIS: it's a reference to a song by Blue Orchids. We originally spelt it like the corporation does but figured we could avoid legal action if the spelling was different. Now it reads more like dystopia and nausea, perhaps a little closer to the shady dealings of the magic kingdom.

Where can people go to hear Dysnea Boys and to buy your music?

JASON:  Contact us and order a 7 ’’ Find Water” b/w “Mind Stories”. There’s the split 7’’ as well but it’s extremely limited from what I understand.

CHRIS: Bandcamp would work. Your local record store hopefully!

What lies ahead for the rest of 2015 for the band?

C.C.:  We have a new full-length record completed. We recorded in Berlin with T.V. from the Radio Dead Ones. It was mixed in London by Andy Brook, and was mastered by Daniel Husayn at the North London Bomb Factory. We’ve had some great people work on it, and we’re super happy with the result. Now we’re looking for the right label. Hopefully we can announce that soon. 

JASON: Yeah, our album’s done. Call us to come play your town!!

CHRIS: Gigs! Traveling! More rekids!

Follow Dysnea Boys!  

www.facebook.com/dysneaboys

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Nikki Corvette

     Nikki Corvette’s music has been described, quite accurately I might add, as the perfect blend of The Ronettes and The Ramones. Garage bands around the world have been trying to imitate her sound ever since her debut album Nikki and the Corvettes came out in 1980 on Greg Shaw’s legendary recording label Bomp! Records. Although her name didn’t attain the household status that some of her peers achieved, it didn’t make Nikki’s music any bit less relevant. In my opinion, she hit all the marks a lot of her fellow lady rockers of that time missed. It’s more playful and light hearted than Joan Jett’s first records and less of a show boat than Blondie’s Parallel Lines and Eat to the Beat LP’s. Nikki Corvette continues to play her unique brand of sharp, sassy, and fun Rock N’ Roll with as much charisma and bounce as she did back in 1980 with a new crop of musicians she helped inspire. How’s that for the ultimate homage!

Interview by Jay Castro

You started writing and performing songs with one time guitarist for The Romantics Peter James. How did you meet him and was it him that inspired you to want to write and perform music?
I met Pete when I was 16, his best friend was dating my best friend and we dated for a while. We both liked the same kind of music and went to every concert and show possible. I learned a lot about music from him, but I always wanted to sing in a band. We stayed friends after we broke up and then started Nikki Corvette and The Convertibles together and co-wrote all the songs so he really helped me realize my musical ambitions. Our very volatile relationship did inspire the lyrics for “You Make Me Crazy.”

Nikki Corvette and The Convertibles were formed in a bit of a hurry due to the fact that you had shows booked but no band or songs. In retrospect, do you wish you would have had more time to rehearse and maybe gather your thoughts a bit, or do you feel you benefited by having your career starting off with a bang and not over thinking things?
I was friends with this guy Skid Marx, he played bass and was booking a club called The Red Grape and I was always saying I wanted to be in a band so one day he told me he booked a show for me. So Pete, Skid and a drummer, Bob Mulrooney, aka Bootsey X, put some songs together including a couple I had written with Pete and we did the show but we never rehearsed, just learned the songs separately. Not only was the sound check was the first time we ever played together; it was also the first time I ever sang in a mic!! The show was packed, everyone I knew was there and I knew after the first song it couldn't ever be worse then that!! We got booked every weekend for the next 3 months from that show and we still never rehearsed! It's really hard to say what would have happened with more time to practice, etc, it might have been great but I think the way it happened was best. It was crazy and spontaneous and scary but with time to think, I might not have jumped in; I wasn't a great singer and that might have stopped me. I believe it was fated to happen this way and I'm glad it did!

From what I gather things became a bit romantically complicated with you and some other Corvettes, former boyfriends, etc. Do you feel like this contributed to the breakup of the band in '81?

Like I said before Pete and I dated when I was in high school and his next girlfriend, Lori Jeri joined the band about 6 months after we started playing and that was never a problem. Most of the girls in the band had musician boyfriends who weren't always happy when their girlfriends went on tour, but I don't really think that had anything to do with the band breaking up. I think it had just run its course although Pete, Lori Jeri and I continued to work on other projects together over the years.

To me, the first Nikki and The Corvettes record on Bomp has a sort of sweet sunny disposition to it, a bit more of a West Coast feel and less of what one would think of as a Detroit or New York resonance. Did you have a particular sound you were shooting towards or was it more of a feeling or a 'vibe,' for lack of a better word?
Nikki and The Corvettes had so many influences and inspirations and wanted to be like all of them. I always wanted to be more punk and Pete wanted us to be more pop. The album just ended up being our combination of all of that but my voice was just kind of cute and girly and plus I've always been just super happy and excited about life so that was probably more the sunny West Coast feel, plus I love California, lived there for 24 years, so I'm very much a Detroit California girl. I don't think we tried to sound a certain way, it's just what evolved, what we had to work with, doing the album ourselves and who we were.

In 1997 you published a book called Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven. What is it about and what led you to want to write a book?
It all started as a game Lee Childers, photographer, manager for Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers and Levi and The Rockats, part of the Bowie, Mainman, Warhol crowd and on and on, and I used to play when we were bored at work. We would try to list all the dead Rock Stars we could think of and I decided it would be a great book for all the crazy people like us. I had wanted it to be an encyclopedia of dead rock stars, how they died and where they were buried; a lot of my friends and I like to visit their graves but didn't know where many of them were buried. In the end, I had to cut in down drastically because of time issues, deadlines and the overwhelming scope of it but it's still my dream to publish the definitive book of rock star deaths and a map to their graves.

In 2003 you released the "Love Me" b/w "What's On My Mind" 7” on Rapid Pulse Records. The first record that was released that marked an end to your recording hiatus.  How did that project come together?
After a long hiatus from music I started playing again occasionally with a young all girl band called The Pinkz. I got a message from Russell Quan, Bobbyteens, Flakes, Mummies and too many other bands to name, that a friend of his wanted me to play his festival called Rock Action in Minneapolis. I called his friend, Travis Ramin, intending to tell him no but he somehow convinced me to do the show with him and some local musicians. The show was great and Travis and I became really good friends. Next thing I know he wanted to write and record some songs so we wrote 2 songs over the phone, I was in LA, and we recorded them in Minneapolis. Pretty soon we started doing mini tours, East Coast, Midwest, West Coast and then Japan and eventually decided to make a real band of it and we became Nikki Corvette and The Stingrays recording several more records together.

In releasing the Wild Record Party album in 2005, you covered the gamut of pop music, everything from late 70's Punk to late 50's Rockabilly and Doo Wop. Is this a sort of homage to your influences or are these simply songs you've always just wanted to let loose on?
It's kind of a combination of reasons. Some are songs I had always loved and covered in the past, some were songs I just wanted to record and most of them were either a direct influence or representative of my many varied musical influences. There were also a few that were requests of other band members and a few that were compromises between us. It was just a fun record for me because I'm just a true fan, always have been, always will be and it was the chance to do a lot of songs I wouldn't normally do but that I was a fan of.

You have records on many different labels and collaborated with a lot of people through out your career in music. Have you ever thought of compiling your music into a sort of career spanning 'Box Set' collection?  Because that frankly would be super fantastic.
I hadn't really thought about it until I read this question but I kind of love the idea! There are a lot of records, especially the Japan only releases, which a lot of people haven't heard and there are some songs on those I'm quite proud of. I think it would be interesting to do, especially to re-release some songs I'm really proud of that were only released in Japan. Some of the recent work I've done is more grown-up and I'm trying some different styles of music and I'd like people to see another side of me. What do you guys think???? I would love to get some feedback!

There have been a number of books and memoirs written about the NYC music scene in the mid to late 70's. You were right there in the middle of it. There's even a story of David Johansen writing an English paper for you when you were in high school! Have you ever seen a passage or read any book that just completely misrepresents those times or anyone you've known from back in the day? Anything you that's made you think to yourself "that guy has it all wrong!"
Although there is nothing I can think of offhand, I am absolutely sure there are many instances I have thought this but that doesn't mean it didn't truly represent what the writer felt, it's all relative and personal to everyone in a different way. I have found in talking to people about shared experiences that we viewed them very differently even if we were together and I'm sure I've said stuff about things that happened, that someone else said "No, that's wrong." As far as the Johansen story, I was a college freshman and had stayed up all night hanging with The Dolls, I had an English paper due in a couple of hours on Desire Under The Elms and Johansen actually did help me write it. I got it turned in on time and gave him credit for the help.

You've been involved throughout the years with many young artists, everyone from Amy Gore to LA's The Pinkz, who I saw open up for The Real Kids and totally held their own, and The Donnas. Have these collaborations been a key factor in keeping you inspired to continue to play and write music?
I really love working with different people because they open me up to different styles of music and yes, they very much inspire me to try new stuff and keep me fresh. I'm a little scattered/ADD/easily bored so all these people keep me excited.

What does Nikki Corvette have in store for us in the near or not so near future?
I have so many projects in the works it's insane!!! I am currently working on songs/singles with Hunx from Hunx and His Punks, Kepi Ghoulie from Groovy Ghoulies, Morten Henriksen from The Yum Yums, Kevin Preston from Prima Donna and King Khan as well as writing songs for an album with my band The Romeos. Some Rock N' Roll Art shows with this amazing San Francisco artist Dirty Donny, a book project in the very early stages I will be doing with Deniz Tek, Radio Birdman as well as a mini West Coast tour this winter and tours of Japan, Spain and possibly more of Europe and hopefully Australia next year. I just released a single “He's Gone b/w Rockin' Romeos” with my incredible Italian band The Romeos, right before our last European tour, it's sold out but hopefully we will repress it soon. I have 3 songs I co-wrote with producer Mike E. Clark as well as some vocals that will be on his Zombies Rule record later this month. I am constantly finding new projects and beyond what is already in the works, I'm not even sure what's in store but I will keep working, playing and rockin' as long as people are interested and I'm having fun!!!

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Peach Kelli Pop

     Peach Kelli Pop is the kind of sugary bubblegum pop that just might give your ears cavities, if ears could actually get cavities. If she looks familiar, that’s because Hanlon is also the drummer in the White Wires, but PKP is not a side project by any means. Hanlon is a one woman band that writes and plays every instrument herself on Peach Kelli Pop’s two LP’s, the latest being Peach Kelli Pop II, released late last year on Burger. Currently, Hanlon is busy taking Peach Kelli Pop’s lo-fi basement Shonen Knife, girl-group, garage surf sugar pop to your town as we speak opening for Kate Nash.

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions?

Allie Hanlon                       

Where is the band from?

I, Allie Hanlon, the songwriter and only permanent band member, am from Ottawa, Canada and relocated to California last year.

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

I write and record everything and have different friends play with me live. The most recent tour had Wyatt Blair on bass, Mandy Mullins on guitar, Rachel Hortman on drums and I also played guitar and sang.

How did the band start?

The songwriting started before the band. Once I had recorded Peach Kelli Pop songs, I taught them to whoever was playing with me at the time.

In the about section of your Facebook Page, there is a review from Rocotober stating Peach Kelli Pop “[m]inimalist bubblegum/pre-Chysalis Blondie/Japanese cartoon pop/zero-grit sandpaper punk perfection! This White Wires side project (though this joy bop music is more of a mutiny than a side project by comparison to WW’s garage purity), PKP is more thrilling than PCP!” Do you really feel this a mutiny more than a side project? How does it feel to be more thrilling than PCP?

I don't consider either White Wires or Peach Kelli Pop a side project, they are both equal in importance and completely different from one another. It feels fantastic to be so thrilling, especially in the eyes of Roctober.

How do you meet up with Burger? Had they heard the first record? Did you send them a demo? Seems like they have a real community of bands on that label.

We were fans of each other: Me, of the label itself and of the Sean and Lee's band, Thee Makeout Party. Burger was familiar with Peach Kelli Pop and the White Wires and it was a pretty natural decision for us to work together. I think they asked me if I'd be interested in them putting out my newest album. I obliged for a bunch of reasons. I would argue that Burger is the most innovative and hardworking label going right now. They have been a pleasure to work with. They are supportive and positive and we seem to be very likeminded in our priorities.

What bands did you have in mind when starting this band?

I didn't have any bands in mind. I didn't even know that my songs would be played live when I started recording songs. I know now that I want to create songs I would want to listen to myself - ones that are catchy, satisfying and fun to see live. If I had to choose a band that inspires me, I'd say The Lovedolls, a fake band from Dave Markey films. I am inspired by different aesthetics and outlets that are associated with music - like cover art, stage shows, fashion, and attitude.

Now all the music is written and performed by you on the LP’s. So how do you choose which friends become your touring band for the upcoming tour? Is it friends who are in other bands that have downtime?

It is actually very hard to find people that have the time to go on tour, can afford to take off work, an so on.  I try and pick people who I think are talented but also who are balanced emotionally and mentally enough to be able to handle going on tour. Touring is great but also exhausting and difficult, so I try hard to find people who are laid back, positive, and don't have substance abuse issues (too badly, at least).

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

I think music is vital in the way it affects people and the way it makes people feel. There is a lot of disposable music in existence currently because creating music has become so affordable and accessible (something I think is great in a lot of ways)

While there are heaploads of musical trash nowadays, there are also brilliant jewels of bands that exist; two examples being Detroit's The Go! and Conspiracy of Owls; bands that leave me in awe with their timeless sound, perfect songwriting and incredible production. Another high-quality band that constantly leaves me awestricken is Tucson's Lenguas Largas, whose music is haunting and beautiful.

How much time on the road do you spend each year?  Between Peach Kelli Pop, White Wires and drumming for other bands.

It changes all the time depending on a few things (like finances, personal life stuff, whether any new material has been released at the time) The new PKP album just came out so I am riding that wave right now. I'll do a couple more tours and then probably hold off until I am releasing something new again. Hopefully White Wires will tour a little more in the future.

How was it playing both SXSW and Burgerama this year?  Also this year PKP had a track featured in Spin Magazine as part of Burger’s upcoming releases with a picture of PKP. What are your thoughts regarding that?

We actually only played Burgermania (Burger's showcase at SXSW) this year. It was probably my favorite show of our month-long tour. A lot of my friends and people that I admire were in attendance, I thought we played well and the crowd was very enthusiastic.

While nothing ever seems to come from writes ups like the one in Spin, I appreciate any publicity that might expose Peach Kelli Pop to someone new.

Does living in both the US and Canada affect your songwriting at all?

I have lived full-time in the USA for a year now. Moving to California from Ontario, Canada has probably affected my songwriting since I am generally happier and more inspired here.

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?

I don't really think about that kind of thing too much. 50 years ago I wouldn't have been able to create music the way I have now.

Where can people hear the band?

You can go to our bandcamp site or see us play live.

What’s next?

We are doing a West Coast USA tour with UK's Kate Nash this May and playing 1-2-3-4 Go!s fest, 

the Go!Go! Fest. Check out my blog for more details: peachkelli.blogspot.com

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Crazy Squeeze

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions?

Johnny Witmer

Where is the band from?

The band is based out of Los Angeles, CA. The band members are from different parts of the country, world including Cleveland, Portland, Chicago, Boise and Vietnam.

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

Johnny Witmer: Lead Vocals/ Lead Guitar

Johnny Sleeper: Lead Vocals/ Drums

Frankie Delmane: Lead Vocals/ Guitar

Dat Ngo: Bass

You guys have a pretty impressive roster of previous/current bands (Stitches, Teenage Frames, Superbees). How did the band get together?

Sleeper and I were playing in a band with Jimmy Greco (pro Skateboarder) and Francois (Motorcycle Boy) called The 10'ors in 2007. We did some shows, lots of practice and even recorded a few songs (still unreleased, but amazing. Someone should put this out wink, wink...) we all sang in the 10'ors so you had four different styles. Other members had some other stuff going on, plus Sleeper and I had a bunch of rehearsal time booked, so we split from the 10'ors and just started a writing session.

We messed around for a few months looking for people. We ended up getting Logan Graham (original guitar player from The Stitches), and Tara (Ciril) on bass in 2008. Logan had some issues, and left. We were always interested in Frankie Delmane (Teenage Frames) as a replacement, and he wanted to do it. We carried on with some new Frankie Delmane songs added to the mix. Tara left in 2010, and we got Chris B (Richmond Sluts) on bass. He stayed for a little over a year, and then now we have Dat Ngo (ex-Superbees). We even had world famous DJ Mark Weddington on keys for a few months.

How influential is living in Hollywood to the band’s sound? I ask this because on the Facebook bio it reads “Living life loud 'n fast, with a unique mess of star studded filth, Hollywood grind, and a nasty habit of producing heart [throbbing] hit songs.”

We love Hollywood, because it's always been dirty & sleazy. I've lived in Hollywood since I moved to Southern California in 1993. Even though most of the underground music scene has moved to downtown LA, Hollywood is still Rock ‘N’ Roll town #1 in the world!

What led to the decision to put out the debut 7 inch on Rapid Pulse?

Jim Budds is amazing! He's run Underground Medicine mail order for years. He was always a fan/supporter of The Stitches. He sent me a text (or maybe I sent him one), but we agreed to do the debut 7" on Rapid Pulse and No Front Teeth records. Jim did a great job getting the record pressed, and Marco (No Front Teeth) did the fabulous artwork!

Explain the monkey character. Most bands just have the name as the logo, but for a while it was incorporated into the logo.

We still feature the monkey in one way or another on all artwork. I'm like a Silver Back Gorilla; Sleeper is like a giant skinny orangutan. Frankie is like a sophisticated chimpanzee, and Dat is like a tall spider monkey! Ape is the plan, and we're here to prove it!

50 years ago people use buy music and get their water for free, now people pay for water and get their music for free. How do you think affects music in anyway?

Water is still free at a lot of places, and people still make records, and CD's. At least we don't have 100,000 shit bands making indie 7"s on purple vinyl anymore, but now they all have YouTube videos. File sharing/ streaming is just technology. Hopefully it will attract more fans for good bands, and you'll see more people at your shows. You don't have to know a cool kid, with an awesome record collection to make you a tape anymore; you don't need to buy the magazines to find out the latest craze. Everything is online, and everyone is a writer. You see nine million posts from people from Facebook to blogs. Most of it is crap, but there are some people out there with great taste. Those people should like the Crazy Squeeze...

Where can people hear the band?

www.facebook.com/thecrazysqueeze or type in Crazy Squeeze in a search on www.youtube.com

What’s next?

We have a new LP coming out on Vinyl Dog in the USA, and Wanda Records in Germany. Northwest tour in fall 2012, European tour in spring 2013 (if the world doesn't end in Dec.)

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Gish & The Future Project

Interview by Ed Stuart

Who’s answering the questions? 

Mike Holt

Gish (a.k.a Michel S)

Rita Fine

Jerm

How did the band start?

Rita: I guess the band started roughly 2 years ago. Mike and I were already jamming together. We decide to look for a singer and found Gish on Craigslist. He was totally into it. For the longest time we searched for a bass player, just couldn't find anyone good enough. So we decided to contact our old friend Jeremy who had played with us years ago in Ballpit. The four of us just seem to mesh.

Mike: About a year and a half ago Rita and me where trying out singers for a new project and we met Gish. We just tentatively titled the Craigslist ad "Singer wanted for FUTURE Project." So we where trying to think up a name and Gish said, "I like Future Project." We said “Hey what about "Gish & The FUTURE Project" and there it was. So, we just ran with that name & concept.

Gish: So I’ve been a singer songwriter for eons and when I came to Orange County I continued to produce my own music. My music tilts towards sounds like Daft Punk, Imogen Heap, Coldplay, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Beatles, MuteMath, Foo Fighters and a shitload of trance. So the moment came where I felt it was time to start putting a band together so I can play my music live.

         I went on the search. As part of that search, I was like, why not, let’s see what Craigslist has to offer, after all I did buy a road bike from their once; how bad could it be? So, I posted an ad or two looking for guitarists, bassists and drummers. The people writing back were not who I was looking for in their style of playing.

        I was looking for people who knew of bands like MuteMath and other bands that infuse electronic sound with alternative rock sound. This would be the starting point for where I wanted to innovate. I bit the bullet and said why not look for people looking for vocalists and maybe find something that way. So I did. I found an ad posted by a guy called Mike and his music was under a heading called “The Future Project”. It involved him and Rita (drummer).

        After listening to the music and especially the guitar work in one of his tracks, and, how he infused some electronic sound into it, it seemed like we may be on the same page musically; that, and the fact that he was a MuteMath fan.

         So, we got together, and started sharing some music ideas. Both of us started playing each others music to each other and then began to innovate from those ideas sculpting those songs ideas into new songs that started a base fabric for this musical collaboration.

         During this time of exploration, innovation and song building we finally roped in, our now, bass player Jeremy who weaves his bass strings into this musical fabric to contribute with Mike, Rita, and I to build onto this musical adventure called “Gish and The Future Project.”

Jerm: The band had already been together for about 6 months before I joined. I guess Mike and Rita put an ad in a paper and landed up auditioning Gish, and the FUTURE came to light. One day I got a call from Mike and he asked if I would be willing to play bass for them. Mike, Rita, and I have a past playing in other bands together, so I said, “Yes.”

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

Gish: Vocals, Keys

Rita Fine: Drums

Jerm: Bass

Mike: Guitars

Any bands you were listening to a lot while starting the band?

Jerm: NIN and Mute Math

Mike: MuteMath and NIN. I would say these bands are our main influences now, but we are always trying to add new sounds and rhythms to our style. We are constantly looking for new and exciting music.

Rita: For me music is all about "How I am I feeling right now at this moment?” When I’m in a good mood, I listen to bands like MuteMath, and Nine Inch Nails. When I feel mellow, I like classic rock like the Beatles, or some old Aerosmith. When I feel like I need some inspiration, I like to listen to newer bands like White Stripes or Black Keys or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But these are the bands that get me going.

Gish: MuteMath, all kinds of Trance from the DJs of  “Above and Beyond”, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Daft Punk, Imogen Heap, Coldplay, Beatles, Foo Fighters.

Where can people hear the band?

Gish: Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/gishthefutureproject

         Website: http://www.gishfutureproject.com/

         FaceBook:

         http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gish-The-FUTURE-PROJECT/206542739399412

Mike: We are playing Monday Aug. 27th at the DETROIT Bar in Costa Mesa and Thursday Sept. 27th at the TIKI Bar in Costa Mesa also.

Jerm: We go on at 9pm for both shows.

I’m just going to ask to get it out of the way. How are you bringing the future to the present?

Gish: By keeping everything new and fresh. New in + our hearts and minds = New out.

         The future is giving something new that innovates beyond what exists. Innovation comes once we have explored the essences of what exist until we are inspired to naturally and optimally produce something that does not truly exist, but yet can provoke and inspire our-self and others.

        There are no rules; all I know is that I am a vessel and communicator of the universe. Input from one end and output from the other. My vehicle just happened to be music. I did not choose music, music chose me. I’m a singer/songwriter, just as a fish is a fish. Sounds, songs, emotions, desires, and many things will influence me and us as a group, and as a natural reaction, the desire is to “Song” it out.

       “Gish and the Future Project” is an element in the universe made up of strong atomic pieces with strong musical and songwriting agendas. As a musical body we have no choice, but to reformulate and export out the new essences that we experience into new sounds and songs that invoke, provoke, create love, entertain and inspire.

Rita:  Just trying to be original and play for the heart. Have no boundaries.

Mike: We are bringing the FUTURE to the present by introducing NEW sounds & rhythms to the people NOW.

Jerm: We really mix a lot of what people like today, with the influences of the past, and throw in electronica to infuse the FUTURE.  Music is like a living entity.  It has its own course.

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

Mike: YES! If you can write a GOOD song it is just as vital today as it was 10 or 30 years ago. But not many people are doing that or are trying to; they seem to just rewrite a song that is on the radio or copy a sound they have already heard a million times. A good song will have staying power and be just as good a year or so later when you here it, you say "Ow! Ya I love this song!" Then you turn it up and it feels great.

Jerm: Music is the key of life. Everyone one is moved by music. All cultures and all ages are moved by music. People are moving at a faster pace more than ever. Yet, music follows along at the same rate. How many kids do you see these days without ear buds in there ears?

Rita: Of course music is the future.

Gish: Yes, but I think the art form will evolve. It will remain a vital force nonetheless. Singing, and creating music, is a wonderment of the human species. Music plays on the natural frequencies of sound. Until we speak in song, the moment we are born and have a string-plucked sound come out of our nose when we sneeze, putting these natural frequencies together will still remain a beautiful art form that depends on creativity as well as talent. Just as we evolve as a species, we will evolve in how we create songs. We have no choice but to create as a species and thru song we shall continue to create in order to speak to one another in the most beautiful language of all: Emotion.

I know Mike has a recording studio called Drop Dead. Is it open to the public or only for the band? 

Mike: Well we just renamed the studio, since we got the street sign from out front.

It is now called Pepper Tree Studio and no it NOT open to the public. It is for the FUTURE to practice & record there. We do record some friend’s bands and we have done some tracking work for some other people.

Rita: The studio is not open for the public, but [Mike] does do recordings for friends and family. Occasional voiceovers and drum tracks. I have a classic rock band that I play in and he has recorded us before.

Jerm: Just for the band and very close friends. We don’t need the whole world invading the FUTURE. 

When is the debut single, EP, LP coming out? I ask this because the band has easy access to a recording studio and I saw videos of tracks being laid down for recording.

Gish: Soon. Stay tuned.

Rita: We are constantly recording.  An EP should be out soon.

Mike: Well, we have recorded about a full CD of tunes, but we are releasing a 4 song EP at the Tiki Bar show in Sept. We will have a couple new tunes to debut at the show as well.

I saw the band had played some battle of the bands shows. How did those go?

Mike: I don't remember doing that?

Jerm: Umm, I don’t think I was there for that. I always saw battle of the bands was for the High School kids that had their first band, and wanted to show it off.

Rita: I don't think we ever did the battle of the bands. Most of those make you pay to

play and we will never be a band to do that.

Gish: We did not do battle of the bands. We had several gigs though, but no battles.

What’s next?

Rita: Live it, love it, play it good!!!!

Mike: Well with the near conquest and acquisition of Mars we will probably be playing some shows their and bringing the FUTURE to Mars.

Jerm: A beer and a nap.

Gish: I’m going to get a coffee now. But after that I’ll get back to my studio, conjure up something that inspires me. Then meet up with the rest of the GFP band, and jam on some sick sounds and produce something awesome that inspires us, record it and a few more, post them, get people to love it, gig again and again, open for other even more awesome bands that we love, gain a fan base of people who love our stuff just as much as we love our stuff and love to entertain them, become a lead act, become millionaires, save the world. The End.

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