Dany Laj and the Looks front man Dany joins us to chat about Canadian punk, touring, power pop, relationships, the current album 'Everything New is New Again', and a whole lot more. Check out this episode!
Canada’s Corner Boys are in love with ‘70’s punk and
power-pop. The band pulls, most notably, from Irish bands like Protex and Rudi,
but adding in Simpletones energy and a love of obscure one-release wonders.
Corner Boys, like the boys dealing in The Wire, will be hanging around your
brain long after listening to their brand of infectious power-pop.
by Ed Stuart
Who’s answering the
questions?
This is Patrick Bertrand.
Who is in the band
and what instrument do they play?
There’s three of us. I play drums, Joel Butler plays bass,
and Wade Connor plays guitar. We all sing, but I sing lead most of the time.
Give us the band’s
origin story, some other bands the members have played in and currently do play
in?
Corner Boys started in spring 2016 when Wade asked me to
play drums with him. I hadn’t played drums in more than 5 years at that point so it
was kind of like learning from scratch again. We wrote together with a few bass
players and singers but nothing ever felt right, so Wade and I practiced as a
two-piece for most of the first few months. Joel Butler “retired” from music
after his previous band Nervous Talk ( https://hoseheadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nervous-talk-2
) broke up, but it only took me six months of bugging him to play bass with us
until he finally agreed in November 2016. We played our first show in January
2017.
In addition to Corner Boys, I play in a band called Chain
Whip
( https://chainwhip.bandcamp.com/album/chain-whip ), as does
Joel. Wade also plays in a band called Puritans (
https://puritansband.bandcamp.com/ ).
Describe the band’s
sound in 20 words or less.
Happy sounding sad songs played by brat little brothers.
Where did the band
name Corner Boys? Is the band name from the book, Corner Boys?
A corner boy is a troublemaker. It’s old slang for someone
loitering, usually up to no
good. It’s in the song Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=024UcB1m7Do ).
What bands did you
have in mind when starting this band?
We all love late 1970’s punk and power pop bands that
released one 7” then faded into obscurity. At our first show, we covered The
Speedies - Let Me Take Your Photo, and The Simpletones - TV Love. Add Protex
and Rudi to that mix and those were the reference points we had from the start.
In a previous
interview, the band stated “First wave Canada will always have a
place in my heart,
but no one played power pop in the ‘70’s better than the Irish.” What makes
Irish power-pop/punk so special?
Whenever I read about the troubles in Ireland I’m blown away
by the fact that a bunch of kids could write love songs as well as they did. I
think there’s a kinship between countries like Ireland and Canada. We’re both
stuck beside influential countries that have all the spotlight. We’re defined
more by not being something than what we are. It’s a terminal uncool that I
think levels the playing field for people to write music. Check out releases on
Good Vibrations Records and Rip Off Records both from Northern Ireland.
Corner Boys seemed to
get noticed due to the original demo that was posted on Bandcamp. So, did
Drunken Sailor approach the band about putting out the debut 7” or was the band
sending the demo to labels?
We put the demo up on Bandcamp and posted about it a bit on
social media. It had pretty good legs and a few labels reached out to us, but
they wanted us to pay to press it as a 7” on their label. Julian at Drunken
Sailor reached out a bit later and asked if we were going to record more,
because he wanted to hear it if we did. We did another session with Jeffrey
McCloy (Tranzmitors, Fashionism) and sent the tracks to Julian, and that became
the Just Don’t Care 7”. The demo did eventually come out as a tape through Flo
at Trapdoor Tourz in Germany.
How you the band hook
up with Dirt Cult?
I’ve known Chris and Lizzie at Dirt Cult for a few years
through doing my own label
Hosehead Records. Chris got a hold of me a few days after
Drunken Sailor did and asked to do a 7” as well. Rather than do a split release we
decided to do two 7”s. The next batch of songs became the Love Tourist 7”.
With a zillion
digital avenues presented to musicians nowadays (Bandcamp, blogs, Spotify,
YouTube, etc.) what do you feel are the best parts and worst parts of these digital
avenues?
You can listen to anything at absolutely any time. It’s an
ultimate convenience that makes it impossible to make any waves. 99% of the
time when I listen to music it’s on vinyl at home. Unless it’s a super rare KBD
single and I can’t afford it, then I just listen to it at Josh from Chain
Whip’s house.
What are some the
band’s favorite shows they have played?
We recently played a show with Mike Krol and Swearin’ and
that was a really good time. We all like playing in Victoria, BC, which we’ve
done twice now. Our US shows have been a lot of fun as well, Portland and
Seattle. I’d like to play more down there.
What are some of the
Vancouver bands that people should be checking out?
We often play with Sore Points (
https://sorepoints.bandcamp.com/album/dont-want-to-7 ) and Fashionism, both of
which are a pleasure to see. Necking and Lié are also great.
https://fashionism.bandcamp.com/
https://lievancouver.bandcamp.com/
https://neckingband.bandcamp.com/
When not playing
music, what does the band like to do?
We’re usually watching old horror and sci-fi and challenging
each other to eat really spicy things. We all ride bicycles a lot too.
Where can people hear
the band?
All our stuff is on Bandcamp first and foremost, but also
iTunes, Spotify, and possibly Youtube. If you like it, please support Dirt Cult
Records in Portland, or Drunken Sailor Records in the UK by buying it on vinyl.
https://dirtcultrecords.wordpress.com/
http://www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk
What’s next?
Debut LP out 2019 on Drunken Sailor Records. Ideally a European tour to
follow.
Lead singer/rhythm guitarist Blonde Dave from Vancouver's The Fatalz took some time out to talk to us about Van Halen, hot dogs and answers the burning question; what exactly is "vest rock". Read it all right here, only in the illustrious pages of Audio Ammunition! Interview by J Castro
Who is currently in The Fatalz and what does
everyone do in the band?
Rob-Drums, Vocals
Tim-Bass, Vocals
Christian- Lead and
Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Blonde Dave- Lead Vocals,
Rhythm Guitar
Can you remember what
band or musician inspired you to want to pick up an instrument and learn to
play and/or write music? Tell me about the first time you heard them and
how it made you feel.
DAVID: We discussed this as a band and thought Tim’s experience was the most inspiring.
When Tim was 11yrs old his parents sent him to visit his uncle who lived in
Ontario. Tim doesn’t remember which day or month it was but remembers that it
was an especially hot day. Tim’s uncle took Tim boating where he proceeded to
get so wicked drunk to the point that he could no longer operate the boat. Tim
was promoted to captain and given the responsibility of driving the boat so his
uncle could have a “rest” in the back of the boat. As Tim drove the boat into
the sunset the song blasting on the radio was Kim Mitchell “go for a soda”
The Fatalz are described as “70’s punk inspired
vest rock”. Tell me a bit more about this “vest rock”.
DAVID: The idea of vest rock was inspired from the sci-fi/action movies of the
1970/80s which I like to think sets the stage for our music, but it was really
just hot arms that brought the idea to life.
Your band is currently based in Vancouver,
BC. As everyone knows, some government must have been conducting secret
experiments up there in the 70’s that gave everyone super magical musical
powers. Is it tough playing shows up there and getting people to come out
and take notice with so much radness going on?
DAVID: There is a lot of great support for the local scene in Vancouver. However
depending on what’s on the CBC can sometimes determine turn out of the show.
What sorts of things
typically inspire your song lyrics? Are there any subjects in your songs that
you try to stay away from?
DAVID: Typically all songs are either about making out or spinning subjects to
stay away from….hmmmm, nope none
Have you ever heard a
song that’s so good you wish you had written it?
DAVID: Probably “Panama” by Van Halen
What records do you listen to that you think
Fatalz fans would be surprised you own and like?
DAVID: Kick Axe, Max Webster, April Wine, Loverboy
If you were shipwrecked
on a deserted island and you had only: (A) one person with you, (B) one record
to listen to, and (C) one meal to last you for the remainder of your life, what
would each of these be?
DAVID: hot dogs and Kim Mitchell
What’s the best piece of
advice that anyone ever gave to you that you still follow to this day?
DAVID: “The Lord loves a
working man, don’t trust whitey, see a doctor and get rid of it”
Vancouver’s Pill Squad just released their
debut EP earlier this year and along with many of their Canadian counterparts
helped set the bar pretty high for 2015 early on. Their EP has shadowy
reflections of rock n’ roll bands from days gone by: The Jam, Velvet
Underground, and Blondie all pop their heads up from out of the trenches at
various times. That’s what makes it so difficult to pigeonhole a band like Pill
Squad. They play what they actually like and are influenced by and they sing
about what they know. Now today’s musical groups are being categorized and
stereotyped from their conception, which makes it easier to package and market
their music for quick and uncomplicated consumption. If only more artists
across all mediums would just do what comes naturally, the landscape of pop
culture would be far more exceptional and not the cringe worthy punch line to a
flatulence joke that it’s become.
Interview by J Castro
Who is in
Pill Squad and what does everyone do in the band?
SCOTT: Tracy Brooks is the singer, Tim Chan is the
guitarist, Gord Berry is the bassist, and Scott Beadle is the drummer.
How did
you all meet and decide to play in a band together?
SCOTT: Tim and Scott were in a local band Full Leather
Jacket; Gord used to be in Tim’s other band China Syndrome; and Tracy and Scott
used to play together in the Hip Type (1986-88) and Infradig (2000-2001).
TIM: I loved the Hip Type back in the day. I played
their demos and single a lot when I did a campus radio show at the University
of Victoria and saw them when they played in town. It's so cool I ended up
being in a band with two of the members.
TRACY: I am only in bands when someone tells me
“you are in this band.” I am far too unambitious to ever make a band by
myself. Basically, Gord bullied me into it.
GORD: Love it, glad I’m in this band! C'mon we're
happy.
The band
is currently based in Vancouver, BC. With so much going on there musically,
does it make it difficult to play shows there or get noticed?
SCOTT: I don’t think it’s too hard, you can find a
niche or a “scene" based around some bands, or a couple of venues, and
make your inroads that way. It certainly wasn’t hard for us to get shows,
because we knew lots of people from different scenes and cliques (partly simply
by virtue of being older). It’s probably harder for raw newcomers, but we’ve
played with young bands, and we’ve seen local venues give youngsters a shot. I
also think social media has made it easier, because it’s easier for venues and
bookers to hear and access your stuff, in theory anyways.
TIM: We're fortunate that, as Scott says, it's not
too hard for us to get a gig as we have a built-in "scene" through
some long-term associations and social media. Our next goal is to be on a bill
in a larger venue with a compatible touring band--for instance, we will be
lobbying hard if Buzzcocks ever return to Vancouver!
TRACY: Oddly, we are very noticed. People
seem to like our persona.
How would
you describe Pill Squad’s sound to someone that’s never heard your band before?
SCOTT: That’s hard, because if I said we’re influenced
by people like the Damned, Clash, Blondie, Cramps, the Kinks, T-Rex, David
Bowie, Velvet Underground, etc., you might expect us to sound like them, but
it’s much less obvious, and much more mixed up. The simple answer is that we’re
a punk rock band, but that’s a problematic answer nowadays, because now “punk”
refers to a much narrower scope of music, whereas “back in our day” (sorry) it
was a much more musically-inclusive term, that embraced not just the “harder”
punk bands, but also bands more influenced by sixties garage bands, and
seventies glam-rock, and classic power-pop, and post-punk bands. Because we
have a female singer, people will inevitably reference bands like Blondie, X,
or the Avengers — although we hardly sound like those bands. Choice of cover
songs always gives some clue: we’ve covered songs by the Sonics, Blondie,
Buzzcocks, Undertones, Girls At Our Best, Big Audio Dynamite, Elton John, and
the Bay City Rollers at various times in our sets.
TRACY: Don’t listen to what he said; we are punk
rock.
GORD: Don't listen to what they said, we're strangers
on the town
Photo by Erik Iversen
You list
old movies, books and comics as personal interests in your Facebook bio. Are
these the sorts of things that you draw inspiration from in your lyrics? If
so can you tell me about the most unusual book or movie that inspired one of
your songs?
SCOTT: That’s Tracy’s department. She’s our lyricist
and she’s a connoisseur of B-movies and so-called “trash” subculture.
TRACY: He’ll look better (when he’s dead) was
partly influenced by a huge crush I had on someone but also by a very trashy
book I bought called “The life of the Jaguar Princess.” The cover was priceless;
it was a very buxom woman in a tiger skin bikini wrestling a jaguar. Apparently,
it was the true story of a girl who had been deserted in the jungle by her
parents and raised by a tribe of Jaguar worshippers, almost well
written. Illumination is about my cat. I am also a long-term
psychotronic film junkie which, as you know, changes the way you look at
everything.
And
speaking of Facebook, you posted a pretty heartfelt tribute to Partridge
Family’s Suzanne Crough. Why do you think so many people are still into and are
still getting into pop groups from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s? What elements do
you think pop songs had back then that today’s lack?
SCOTT: Oh gosh; simplicity, straight-forward-ness,
brevity, actual pop craftsmanship. People sometimes laugh or cringe at
bubble-gum or pop music from that era, but to me it’s way more honest and
sincere than so many of the new bands that I read hype about, and then I hear
them and I feel like I’m being pranked. Breathy, whispering navel gazing
folksingers or pompous histrionic “affected” vocal stylizations; I hate that
stuff. Bubblegum is like an antidote to pretentious self-absorbed
fake-intellectual bullshit artists. It’s no coincidence that so many classic
late-seventies punk bands covered bubblegum songs (as well as neglected sixties
garage rock nuggets).
TIM: All members of our band are (ahem) a certain
age, and that's the music we lived and breathed when we were growing up. A lot
of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s stuff continues to be appealing because it still sounds
good today -- the songs are timeless. But I still try to keep up with some of
the current stuff; we especially have some very fine local bands. But will new
bands stick with us as long as the old bands have? Time will tell.
TRACY: To be perfectly honest, I basically
stopped listening to music in 1981, which makes me old. I used to sit in
the back of my parents’ Ford Falcon and listen to AM radio, I kind of learned
about life through those songs.
You
list Blondie, The Velvet Underground, The Clash and The Cramps as influences on
your music. All of these bands have very charismatic and captivating front
men and women. What in your opinion makes an outstanding front person and
in your opinion have there been any in the last 10 – 20 years that you would
put into the same category as Debbie Harry, Lou Reed or Joe Strummer?
SCOTT: Hmm, my snap reaction is no. The problem is,
everyone I see or read hype about is so obviously copying someone that I
listened to when I was younger. That’s one of the problems of being older, ha, ha.
There’s a real “been there, seen that” reaction to a lot of the media darlings
that are offered to us as music fans. And not good copies, either, like real
shitty ones! I’m trying not to sound like a cranky grandpa, but sometimes it’s
difficult. I like other local Vancouver bands more than most new international
acts I hear about.
TIM: To me, an outstanding front person is one that
gives their all night after night. It doesn't matter if there are 10 people in
the audience or thousands of people. They connect and engage with the audience,
but sometimes they can be detached too, that really works for some performers.
Natural charisma certainly plays a part, too, which unfortunately is something
you either have or don't have. One of the most unique front people I've seen
recently is Samuel T Herring of Future Islands; this might sound weird but he's
kind of a combination of Marlon Brando and Roland Gift of the Fine Young
Cannibals. His performance on the David Letterman show last year was just
incredible. Locally, I always love seeing Paul Leahy of Polly; he's David Bowie
and Mick Ronson rolled into one person, an amazing performer!
SCOTT: Oh I agree about Paul Leahy, he’s great. I also
like Jeffrey of Fashionism and Marc from the Vampire Bats; they’d probably be
rock stars if they were in a major media centre market.
TRACY: Outstanding front people have to be
honest. I don’t mean they can’t lie, because I lie onstage at all times,
but they have to be true to themselves. Lou Reed, Lux Interior, they were
just being themselves. Nowadays I think there is a lot more copying. I
don’t want to be like anybody else, I like myself just fine.
Photo by Erik Iversen
Do you
think the popularity of downloads and MP3’s have made music more disposable to
people? Have you ever felt like kids don’t emotionally invest in music
like they use to when you had to physically go and hold a record in your hand,
buy it, bring it home and stare at the liner notes, cover art and band
pictures?
SCOTT: In some cases, yes, it’s inevitable that’s the
case, when you’re talking about digital music, etc. However, fetishism always
tends to find its way no matter what especially in music-based subcultures. So,
despite the widespread “disposability” of culture, young people are investing
in and cherishing 7-inch singles and vinyl albums again. I mean new ones, not
old records. That’s something I never thought I’d see happen; and it’s still
not exactly “mainstream” but it’s a fairly significant subcultural practice.
It’s very interesting to watch that happen, over recent years.
TIM: I think it's fantastic that kids continue to
listen to and be interested in the music we grew up on. I've heard the
re-emergence of vinyl is partly related to listening and sharing music amongst
small groups in-person; it's a social activity. It's like an antidote to MP3’s,
which is usually an individualized experience via ear buds or headphones on
your smart phone or iPod.
TRACY: It’s weird, I have a 17-year-old son and
he is just as invested in the music he likes as I was. He has found his
own way with music. He knows more about Lou Reed than I do. He
doesn’t love him as much as I do, but that is surely a good thing. You
have to be some messed up to love Lou Reed the way I do. As far as the old
time buying a record, reading the liner notes, etc. I mostly loved
singles. I still love singles. I’m not a completist or a collector; I just
want to hear the best three minutes a band has.
I was
reading an interview with Nick Cave and he said that out of all the art forms,
music has the power to change a person’s disposition the fastest. Do you
agree with this? Do you have a particular song or album that you can put
on that can usually lift you up from a bad day?
SCOTT: In terms of immediacy of effect, I agree, music
is the most powerful and immersive of art forms. Personally speaking, that is.
See, this is one of the reasons I love bubblegum and pop music. You put that
shit on; I dare you to remain in your self-pitying goth state of loathing. But
lots of “comfort” music from our youth (or the nice parts of our youth,
anyways) has that power. People have there “go to” Velvet Underground songs or
Rolling Stones songs, or the Beatles of the Kinks. These songs or albums
trigger us, transport us, and remind of how we felt when we first heard or
embraced these tunes. Music seems to be able to do this in a more immediate way
than other art forms.
TIM: I agree with Scott. I also think
"comfort" is why a lot of people our age listen to music. There comes
a certain point where it can be overwhelming to get into new stuff and you tend
to fall back on old favorites. There's nothing wrong with that, and I still try
to do my best to be open to new bands. I have my sweet spots in terms of my
"comfort music" (usually power pop-related or anything by the
Replacements/Paul Westerberg!) but I also try to listen to music with open and
critical ears.
TRACY: Well, mostly I want to listen to music
that sounds like the noise in my head, so The Birthday Party will always trump
solo Nick Cave. I find listening to music a very active thing; I can’t put
something on “in the background” I have to actively be listening, probably why
I like singles so much. That said, The Cure can always cheer me up, even
when they are at their goth-est. Conversely, music can make me feel sadder
than anything else.
Where can
people go to listen to or to buy your music?
SCOTT: Easiest is our Bandcamp page (pillsquad2000.bandcamp.com).
Downloads are by donation, so you can just enter $0.00 if that’s your budget.
The same 4-song EP that’s available there is also available on CD at some local
Vancouver stores.
TRACY: Come see us play. It’s an experience.
What lies
ahead in 2015 for Pill Squad?
SCOTT: Well we want to do some more recording.
Recording the EP was so much fun. We might record songs in dribs and drabs,
like one or two at a time, and just post them online or something. I wish we
had the budget to make a 7-inch record, that would be wonderful. But we’re all
working stiffs, just scraping by. Maybe some small label or entrepreneur would
like to fund something like that for us! Other than that, the plan is just to
play shows about once a month, meet more cool like-minded bands to play with,
hopefully get some gigs at larger venues with touring bands, but whatever. We
didn’t get together to make a career or anything like that, we did it to have
fun playing music together, and on those terms, Pill Squad has been a massive
success.
TRACY: Lots of fun. I have a movie trivia
contest for our next show, great prizes. At the food bank benefit in
summer, I am going to auction off a Quebec Nordiques t-shirt. Also, there
will always be gum for everyone. Can you ask for more than that?
