"Im out eating. I'll be back in 20 minutes or so. Meet at the merch table maybe?"
This is how my interview with Darius Koski started out last Saturday November the 15th, when music veterans Swingin Utters and Lagwagon filled the halls of Flames Central with fans of raw, fast and honest 90's punk rock.
As the crowd begins to grow within the building, my anticipation for this short interview grows.
As does my anxiety.
Now, Im normally not a nervous person. Meet new people? Great. Interview with punk rock pioneer? Fantastic. For some reason, receiving the text message that indicates the extra twenty-ish minutes of wait instills a small measure of panic that maybe, just maybe, I might blow it this time. After all, Darius Koski is an international touring musician. This is no basement project we are talking about.
As I am about to finish the Pilsner I have chosen to be my aid to stress relief, I see him walk in. Darius is dressed sharp, and unassuming. We meet, shake hands, and we are off to do the interview in a quieter area away from the repetitive club music that fills the air.
His demeanor put me instantly at ease. He was laid back and very approachable. Under the Gatsby style hat and behind the frames, is a man who is clearly not the type to shy away from a conversation yet is ready to tell you what is on his mind whether you like it or not.
And so it goes with the interview. To the point, short, free of any falsified illusions of grandeur, Darius laid it all out on the table.
So just how does it feel to be somebody who has been a part of the punk rock scene for 25 years? Just how does your perception of music change if at all?
" I just like what I like, you know what I mean? I cant stand some garage bands, or rap artists, but i really love other ones. I dont listen to music by genres like alot of people, I think, do. Unfortunately alot of punk rock people, will listen to punk rock and thats ALL they listen to. I dont really understand that"
It becomes clear that Swingin Utters takes no shame in drawing from other styles of music and that Darius could genuinely care less for genre specific definitions about his music.
" I think the street punk moniker, in general, is just kinda silly." he says when asked about their Street Punk Status.
And with the release of "Fistful of Hollow" Swingin Utters has ventured once again, into different and fresh territory. With songs like "Spanish", "Napalm South" and "End of the Weak", the latest full length from Swingin Utters delivers musicianship with a crisp and raw new approach, where we can still hear the familiar tones of steady rock riffs, with a mix of warm and catchy chorus lines like on "Agonist".
But Darius doesn't stop there.
On the topic of his solo project he elaborates:
"Its almost done. I mean, its all recorded, but there's like a day worth of mixing. Hopefully, i'm assuming it will be out for late spring."
Coming back to the newest installment from Swingin Utters, Darius comments on what fans can expect from "Fistful of Hollow":
" Its a little bit different than the last. I mean, our whole goal has always been to make each record sound different, even though there's obviously a thread that runs through it all. Whatever we sound like."
He goes on.
"I dunno, I keep hearing that everybody thinks its different, it's a departure' and that's good. Thats exactly what we want to hear, and that's what we heard from the last one too. I mean, Miles chipped in this time and he hasn't done that before, so him and Johnny (Peebucks) did four songs that dont really sound like stuff we've done before. So its kinda headed in an even different direction. But it's not like a Jazz Odyssey or anything. Its still us. We love the way it turned out."
One thing is for sure. If the fans don't keep an open mind, they will miss out on what Swingin Utters has to offer now, and in the future. The Utters will continue to branch out and mature in their sound as they have on their latest release.
So as fans and listeners, do yourself a favor and pick up "Fistful of Hollow" and allow room for what might be unfamiliar.
You will enjoy this one.
-Jay Caption-
