Dwarves; A short Q and A with Blag Dahlia (Calgary Punk Shows)

Whether you have just begun to listen to punk rock, or have been for a couple decades, there is no denying, whether you love em or hate em, you have heard of The Dwarves. Hailing from San Fransisco and bringing their own kind of gnarly and vulgarity to the scene for years now, The Dwarves are a force not to messed with. Loud proud and fantastically obscene, Dwarves pummel all predictability with their act on record, and on stage. I was able to have a chat with Blag about the new record, The Dwarves Invented Rock and Roll, shows, album art, and what's next for them. 

Blag also wanted to make sure that we had a chance to have a read about the radical Islamists hacking into their website which you can read about here. Its a great take by Blag on the whole situation and a reminder of the privileges that we enjoy through our right of freedom of speech in our countries, when so many are oppressed and silenced, all in the name of a fanatical view of their religion. Its a great read, I highly recommend it. 

Read on for the interview:

Jay: Thanks for taking this time to chat with us Blag, we appreciate it! You guys are rolling through town next week for a back to back performance at Morgans. You must really love us Calgary fans to bring your awesomeness two nights in a row. Why are we the only town you are doing that for?

Blag: Philly Roch said we should do 2 shows in Calgary and if he’s paying, we’re playing! It’s also fun to do a bunch of different songs for the second show, mix it up and get some seldom heard stuff going.

Jay: Your latest album The Dwarves Invented Rock and Roll which was just released in September has been getting great reviews all around. How's reception been out on tour for this album? I would imagine fans are stoked!

Blag: Fans seem to love this new record, it’s not quite as experimental as the last couple, back to basics and featuring all the Dwarves past and present. We’ve been doing Get Up & Get High and Sluts of the USA live and they seem to be crowd pleasers.

Jay: Dwarves style has been called many different things punk, garage, hardcore, bum punk, dirt punk. Can you agree with that nowadays? Is there really one specific sound that can describe you guys?

Blag: No!  We started out as a garage rock band, got kind of psychobilly, played pop punk and hardcore, and then we went crazy with drum programming, noise, surf- everything.  That’s the fun way to make a record for us.  Live we just crank out punk though, otherwise it gets too arty.

Jay: I think we can agree that the lyrical content can be at times controversial. Is it the potential shock value behind the writing of such songs that's the driving force? Or does that even matter when putting the songs together?

Blag: Most bands censor themselves before the song is even written. We just write about the sick shit in our heads and let it all flow out. Before you know it, squares are shocked!

Jay: Your album covers no doubt can raise a few eyebrows for sure. Out of curiosity, who gets the final say when choosing a face to the album? 

Blag: I personally inspect each and every breast and vagina to make sure that nothing but the finest quality oozes through onto those covers. For the Gentleman Blag 7” we even threw my cock on there just to prove we aren't sexist, just really disgusting around the edges.

Jay: After this tour, what's next for The Dwarves?

Blag: We want to get high and fuck some sluts! Then we’ll spend the year celebrating 25 years of Blood Guts & Pussy live with HeWhoCanNotBeNamed. It should be a wild show…

Jay: Thanks again Blag. Looking forward to seeing you guys next week. One last question: Is there anything that shocks you anymore having the rap as shock-value-kings?

Blag: I’m shocked we still get paid to scream fuck and mock everything that moves!  

-Dwarves play Morgans Pub in Calgary tonight May 13th and May 14th for a double bill.

-Jay Caption

The Mandates: In the Back of Your Heart (Album Review)

The Mandates are back with another killer endeavor in their latest album, In the Back of Your Heart. If you have not had a chance to give the album a listen, you can do so here.

In listening to the album, I found myself feeling reminiscent of times past when I was younger sitting in the back of my fathers Valiant cruising down the highway listening to classic rock tunes. The Mandates have infused their own raw form of punk rock and blended it with an in your face rock and roll sound that is sure to keep you tapping your feet to the rhythm.

An energetic start to the album, "Something Wrong" and "Messing Around" are great songs to introduce In the Back of Your Heart. Here, we have fast, clean and warm tunes to set the stage for the rest of the record. I love the way the vocals sound on this album. The doubling up on these songs makes it feel like you are listening to AM radio with a way more polished feel to it. 

"Saturday Night" is a fantastic song, packed with great lyrical content and excellent instrumental work from the boys. That is something that cannot be overlooked. The Mandates deliver on a tight set together on this album. The guitar, bass and drums are always working together and are consistently complimenting each other as the album plays on. A great example of this is on the track "Lookin' Up" which I highly recommend. 

Nowhere on this album do you feel like you are getting any less than the best from the boys from The Mandates. To close out the record, we have "Not My Problem" and "I Got Eyes" which are nothing short of excellent. Really, if you are looking for an album that you can play over and over and have fun doing so, then In the Back of Your Heart is for you. Steady, catchy tunes, The Mandates are the choice to make if you are looking for true, honest rock music to listen to. 

Check in with Calgary Punk Shows and your local listings for when they might be playing near you.

-Jay Caption

Reminder: Of All The Things You Are (EP Review)

Canadian rock group Reminder have released a new EP entitled Of All the Things You Are. Having come from different backgrounds in the alternative rock scene from the Greater Toronto Area, the boys have developed their own sound and begun to make waves in the Canadian music scene.  

Of All The Things You Are takes a different approach to a few different genres of the alternative rock scene and blends it together. At times leaning a little more towards the melodic punk rock side, the songs also touch on elements of ska, emo, and at times hardcore. 

Reminder does not hold back from delving into different sounds even within the same song. While many bands have successfully bridged the gap between different punk sub genres within their music (Propagandhi comes to mind), Of All the Things You Are does come up short at times trying to pack in too much for one song, even sounding vaguely familiar to Jared Leto from Thirty Seconds to Mars, which you can hear on the track Head over Heels. 

However, where Reminder does excel on this EP is the harmonies and the melody. The guitars compliment each other quite well, and songs like Think Back is a great example of their utilization of vocal range and instrumental harmony. Other tracks, like Honest Things give us a dose of fast raw punk rock chords delivered powerfully. You can listen to the EP on bandcamp here.

With this latest release, Reminder has plans to continue performing live and being out on the road. Check your local listings for wherever Reminder is playing a show near you.

-Jay Caption

Masked Intruder: A short Q and A with Jays Topics (Calgary Punk Shows)

We were able to catch up with the boys from Masked Intruder recently and Intruder Blue filled us in on some touring, mask wearing, girls and of course about their current US/Canada tour that they are on with Strung Out. Making waves in the pop punk world, Masked Intruder is an act not to missed. Be sure to check your local listings for a show near you.

Jay: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! We know you've probably been busy getting ready for this tour you just started on. In light of that, how do you prepare for a tour like this? You guys gotta practice your on stage moves right?

Blue: To get ready for tour we usually get a couple of big bags and draw dollar signs on the side of them with sharpies. It can be hard to find a loot bag on the road, and you don’t wanna be caught trying to run with a buncha stolen loot without a cool looking bag to hold it. Other than that, you know, we don’t do much to prepare. We don’t really need to practice our on stage moves; we got that shit down.

Jay: You'll be joining Strung Out on the 9th of this month along with La Armada playing in San Francisco then coming up into Canada a few days later. We were wondering, have you been keeping up on your Canuck lingo? You'll need to brush up. Especially for the Saskatchewan folk.

Blue: Oh yeah? I mean, we know a couple things I guess. Like, we know the difference between a loonie and a toonie, and we know about poutine and denim jackets. Canada is cool.

Jay: We're super excited to see you roll through Calgary next week. What can fans expect to see at the shows upcoming? We know it wont be your faces!

Blue: Fans can expect to have a good time. And, if they don’t, they can expect to get hassled by officer Bradford, our court appointed chaperon. His mustache makes him look like a real asshole, which, you know, he is. 

Jay: Lets talk about outside the band for a minute. On an average, how many times would you say the masks get you pulled over? That's gotta be a drag eh?

Blue: Surprisingly, not often. We are pretty good at getting away from the cops, so it’s not like we would stop if they asked. But, as it happens, they don’t really ever hassle us. I guess it’s cause we’re white, and they’re racist, cause they’re cops.

Jay: Your latest album M.I was released last year through Fat Wreck Chords. We think its awesome. Are you finding the fans are digging it? Do you get more requests to hear the new or the old?

Blue: Thanks! Yeah, fans seem to have responded super well to it. As far as requests, it’s pretty split down the middle.

Jay: Back to the masks for a sec. You guys must reel in the ladies non stop! I know if we tried that with ski mask's, we'd somehow end up on in jail. How does that work? Is it the color? Is it the musty tour smell? What exactly do the ladies want guys??

Blue: I wish I knew! If we had any luck with the ladies, I would be happy to share the secret. I say that, but I actually probably wouldn't. If we got the girls, we would probably be too busy making out to do interviews.

Jay: You guys seem to be the experts on public ski mask wearing. Can you recommend a good place to be seen in public with a ski mask? My suggestion would be for somebody to withdraw money from the teller, but that's just my opinion.

Blue: You know, you’d think that you would be able to bank in the comfort of a ski-mask, but not so much. We like to think of our modern society as being all enlightened, but we face discrimination every single day. Try wearing a ski mask into a bank and you’ll see what I mean. It’s all “ahhhh!” and “he’s waving a knife around!” and we’re just like, fine, we’ll take our business elsewhere. You can’t let haters get you down.

Jay: I guess we should talk about music for a bit too. Are you guys working on new material while on tour? I would imagine you focus alot more on a killer set every night. Is there even downtime to write at all?

Blue: We don’t work on new material much on tour, that mostly happens when we are home. On the road, we’re more focused on the show, and then partying our faces off. It’s very absorbing work. 

Jay: You guys are playing at The Republik here in Calgary on the 16th. Should be a blast! I expect we will be having a good ol Canadian Beer together. What are we drinking??

Blue: Sounds good! We love beer! All of us except officer Bradford. He’s more of a whiskey guy.



-Masked Intruder plays The Republik with Strung Out Thursday April 16th-

Teenage Bottlerocket: Tales From Wyoming (Album Review)

Keeping things new and fresh can be a challenge for many musicians these days with the amount of bands flooding the internet every single day. Whether it be punk, pop punk, street punk or whatever other sub genre pulled out of the air to justify somebody's sound is currently the trend, putting together an album you can sit back, throw on repeat and still enjoy the third time around is no simple task. 

However, it is a true testament to these guys with their recent efforts in putting together a killer record. From beginning to end, you cant help but try and sing along even if you don't know the words having heard these songs for the first time. I actually found myself listening to "I Found the One" a few times before moving on to the rest of the album just so that I could try and learn the lyrics. 

Teenage Bottlerocket blow the doors off with their latest release Tales From Wyoming available online and in stores March 31st 2015. You can order the album along with other merch here. 

Once you press play, you are once again front row and centre to a solid album that makes you feel like you are in the room watching these boys rock out. The introductory track "In My Head" gives Tales From Wyoming a powerful start to the record that only promises to please fans from beginning to end. Ray's voice punches through and brings us back to familiar territory with Teenage Bottlerocket, yet the album offers a crisp and polished new sound. The distorted guitars and Miguel's deadly bass lines set up the listener to some of the best we have received from the boys yet.

The album is not just a re visiting of previous releases, nor is it a departure from those endeavours either. Tales From Wyoming gives us an earful of songs that do not stray too far from their early roots in the punk rock scene, however does touch on some subjects that will be new to fans. On one of the tracks called "TV Set", you can hear Teenage Bottlerocket's ability to delve into more serious subjects without becoming overly preachy and still keep a tone that is both sombre and enjoyable to listen to. Its a refreshing approach to singing about the worlds current state of affairs few bands are able to hone without sounding pompous.

Teenage Bottlerocket. Photo used with the permission of Miguel Chen.

We also get a taste of the regular goods in songs like "Haunted House" and "Too Much La Colina", bringing Kody to the front of the vocal delivery. The lyrics are catchy as hell, the guitar riffs so infectious that you find yourself unknowingly nodding your head along as you listen. 

When its time to shake up the tempo of the album, we have "I Wanna Die" which gets gritty right from beginning to end. Its raw, fast and ultimately a good time to listen to and again proof that the boys dont just stick to one formula of getting things done and aren't afraid to kick it into high gear. 

"First Time" gives us an opportunity to listen to Ray's vocal ability and songwriting talent. It is perhaps one of the most stripped down and honest tunes we have heard on a Teenage Bottlerocket album about a subject that is clearly close to the chest. I have to say this was one of my favourites.

Tales From Wyoming is witness to some of the best songwriting performed by Teenage Bottlerocket. In having steadily become a staple in the punk rock world, this latest release leaves us wanting to listen to it over and over again. This record is sure to become a fan favourite and is a true display that these boys have carved their way into the roster of essential punk rock bands that will be sticking around with no real end in sight.

Teenage Bottlerocket is currently on tour in support of Tales From Wyoming and if you have never had a chance to see them live, do yourself a favour, check out your local show listings and check them out. They are one helluva good time.



Teenage Bottlerocket plays the Ship and Anchor with The Copyrights June 10th in Calgary.

Misused: Out for Blood

Hard working and playing gig's at any opportunity, the boys from Misused have no doubt made a name for themselves in the local punk rock music scene. 

Their latest release "Out for Blood" carries a unique sound blending elements of riffs familiar to the horror punk scene, as well as old school street punk sounds carried by bands like The Casualties. Misused spends no time wasted... Well when playing music that is. 

Once the album starts playing, you can hear the energy that is delivered during the recording process that can also be felt once you have had the opportunity to see these guys live. You can listen to "Out for Blood" here.

Calgary based, this horror punk quartet promises to deliver a fun, fast and killer time. Songs like "I turned into a Cannibal" and "Mr. Bill" give music fans a taste of what Misused could be known for, catchy rhythmic chords, raw fast tunes. Honing their own melody as they go, Misused has captured a sound with staying power in this ever changing landscape that is the Calgary Punk Rock community. 

If you have not had a chance to see them live, check in with Calgary Punk Shows. They are sure to be playing a show near you real soon. 

Misused is set to hit the stage again on March 27th at Dickens Pub.

-Jay Caption

Calgary Punk Shows: Underground support for Calgary's punk scene

Julius Sumner Miller Band of Calgary AB. Pic by Mark Preston

For just over two years now, Calgary Punk Shows has been a force in the promoting of local punk rock talent. On occasion also posting for hard rock or thrash metal, the aim since the beginning has been to promote Calgary's loud and proud bands, primarily focusing on the Punk Rock scene. 

From the obscure to the well known local talent, Joel Threat, the founder of the Calgary Punk Shows facebook and Twitter page, has always tried to keep content current and up to speed. 

I recently had a chat with my good friend about why he decided to start Calgary Punk Shows.

"Originally, it was just a page where I could throw up posters of shows that I knew about so that friends of mine could know about the shows that were going on that I knew about, and at the same time they could do the same so that we all kind of knew what was going on at the time. Then it just kind of caught on publicly, and more and more people knew about it."

That wasn't the whole reason however. Joel continued to share with me his discontent in the support for underground talent:

"Whenever I would go to a show, I found that there was all these awesome bands, but never alot of people at the show. Like this one time I saw a band called Streetlight Saints and I thought, 'Man these guys rule!' but there was like 2 people watching them. There were people in the bar, but they weren't there for the Saints, and I thought a band this good needed way more support than that. Maybe its not a lack of promotion, but not enough of it. So that's the other reason I started the page. To help out with that" 


Streetlight Saints of Calgary AB. Pic by Mark Preston

Joel feels that while there has been a small turnaround in the support of providing venues for punk rock shows, Calgary still has a steep hill to climb.

Gone are the days of decent all ages shows and venues for the kids of Calgary to congregate on a weekend to enjoy some excellent punk rock music. To search and (even harder) to find such an event has proven to be daunting. This is something that Joel hopes, with enough exposure and the right type of promoting, club owners and others alike may open up their doors, not only to the underage crowds, but all who enjoy some fun live music.

A few venues around town have already been making headway for some time in the way of supporting the scene, and the hope is to see more. Venues like Night Owl, Ship and Anchor, Dickens Pub and Tubby Dog already host shows on almost a weekly basis and Calgary Punk Shows advertises these venues regularly on facebook and on Twitter so the fans do not miss out on the latest and loudest our city has to offer.

In addition to posters and shout outs to many of the local talent, Calgary Punk Shows also runs a Podcast currently hosted through Soundcloud. You can listen to the latest, and previous episodes here

While the focus of the podcast has always been local, the mix is truly fresh and never repetitive, with the exception of a featured artist music being played throughout. (Listen to the Darius Koski from Swingin Utters episode here). The podcast also features bands from around the world that may have not been heard on Canadian soil before, or seldom heard entirely, as well as staples in the punk rock world such as Bad Religion, Good Riddance, The Bouncing Souls, Propagandhi to name a few.

Along with playing music and highlighting local music, the Calgary Punk Shows Podcast has also been recently interviewing Canadian, as well as international musicians from the scene, and promoting tours coming through town. 

In connection with the support in Calgary of the punk rock scene, Calgary Punk Shows asks artist and fans alike to share and promote the facebook page and podcast to "spread the word" as Joel puts it, so that others who may not have heard about whats going on, are afforded the opportunity to join in.


The Mandates of Calgary AB

"The support for the scene is lacking in our city. We need people to come out to the shows, and to spread the word about what's going on. If you are a band, and have a show coming up, or you want us to play your music on an upcoming episode, send us a message, and we'll do that for you. We WANT you to be heard."

Head on over to the Calgary Punk Shows facebook or Twitter page to check out whats going on this weekend in our city.

-Jay Caption-

"Coming Home": An interview with Gerry Hannah

For years now, the idea of composing a solo record is something that has gained considerable momentum in the music industry. From Punk Rock, to Hip Hop, Soul, Folk, it seems that at least one of the members from any given group will inevitably depart from the pack to piece together something personal, different, raw, unique to the artist, at some point in their musical career.

However, Gerry Hannah is no stranger to writing song material away from his fellow musicians. 

When active with the members of Direct Action (otherwise known as The Squamish Five), Gerry was subsequently arrested and imprisoned for 5 years. During this time, he wrote and recorded a more folk sound than would be familiar to fans of the influential Vancouver band, The Subhumans. 

In speaking with Gerry, he commented that these recordings are virtually impossible to get, and in his words, "Production wasn't all that great" so only a handful of people have them. Fast forward to 2014 though, and some of these songs from his previous projects have made it onto Gerry's new solo album "Coming Home", available through CD Baby via hardcopy or digital download.

 Inspired to connect..

When I asked Gerry what his initial inspiration for making this album was, he cited the book Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer, saying: 

"There was a lot in it that made me think 'well I haven't been doing anything musical for a while, but I have all these songs I have been sitting on that I haven't released but have always wanted to release.'"

Gerry goes on to comment about how Joe Strummer was in The Clash, and then after the disbanding of the group, went through a phase where he [Strummer] was lost for a number of years in terms of a definite musical direction. 

"After the Clash, [Strummer] didnt really have a direction, he dabbled in this and that. Then finally, he decided to start writing again, and get another band together and to give it another go, and thats what he did by putting The Mescaleros together"

"It was a revitalizing experience for him [Strummer] and anyone who liked him as a musician and as a person. That was quite a bit of an inspiration to me."

One of the things throughout this interview that I found interesting was that Gerry did not feel at all uncomfortable to be as open and vulnerable as some may feel when taking on a new direction artistically speaking. Here is where he allowed himself to get very personal. He went on to say:
 
"The other thing [That inspired me] is that I would go sit in a coffee shop where I live, and I would read a good book or whatever, and I would hear music. Often folk music, or folk rock or whatever, and I would really feel it speak to me. It really kinda felt like the artist was touching me and opening a door inside of me that I didn't know was there, let alone did I know there was  a whole room behind that door to be explored"

"I decided that I wanted to connect with people that way too. I hadn't done that  before and I really wanted to."

"I knew that some of my songs that I had written on acoustic guitar, some of them were of a caliber that had more of a direct impact on people on a more personal level than the Subhuman stuff did. So that was another catalyst for getting me to decide 'Im gonna release a bunch of these songs'"

Hard Work..

"Coming Home", as Gerry explains, contains seven songs that were originally a part of his previous project "Songs from Underground" which was recorded during his time in prison. As he explains, he always wanted to redo these songs, and he viewed his new album as the time and opportunity to do them "properly" as he puts it.

"I knew how much work this was, because the last two Subhumans albums that we did, was a Huge amount of work. I knew that it would actually take money out of my pocket, not put money in my pocket. Basically, nowadays if you are an independent musician, and are not playing a lot of gigs or going out on tour, you are usually subsidizing you career from your own pocket. And its probably going to get worse"

These days, it seems that almost anyone can pick up an instrument and make a song that will somehow make its way into everybody's homes. With the amount of independent musicians hitting the scene and everybody clamoring to be heard, Gerry felt that although the competition was fierce, he knew what he was up against, and how hard it would be to breakthrough this time. Would it be easy to find press? Publicity?

Without any doubt, it would be tougher to do so. However, Gerry pressed on, and felt that "Coming Home" was an album that needed to be heard. 

And rightfully so. If you have had the recent pleasure of listening to the record, you will find that the songs emanate the kind of honesty and raw lyrics that you would still find among the punk rock genre. Here in this album, however, we have the opportunity to listen to Gerry's voice from a very different angle. One that is perhaps his most transparent as a musician, and as a person. Head on over to Bandcamp to stream the album online, if you haven't had the chance to hear it.

"The Woman Reborn" is one of my favorite songs off of "Coming Home". It is such a sad yet powerful sound. Venturing into the story of a person becoming a shade of somebody who was once recognized by him, the song talks of a person once dear to Gerry, slowly and desperately doing things they may not have done of their own will at one time, becoming somebody he no longer knew. 

There is one line in the song that says: "Mouth moving by mechanical means, ideals trampled and torn." 


Most times throughout our lives, we strive to do what is right whether in the interests of ourselves, our family, friends, society etc. 
[Unless you are completely devoid of any moral compass whatsoever, in which case I encourage you to visit your nearest psychologist] 
However, how are we to determine whether we will remain faithful to our values? Our core beliefs? I believe this song is a very true and honest statement as to what can happen to us and to the ones we love when they are pressed and bullied, if you will, to satisfy the whims of those in positions of authority.

Getting back in..

When asked whether or not his reputation from being in The Subhumans plays a part in getting his foot in the door to distribute this latest release by him, Gerry had this to say:

"It helps a tiny bit for sure. A tiny bit. It has its disadvantages too. The foot in the door that you mention, allows me to connect with a publicist from punk rock days who was very supportive."

"I hate to say this but I'm on facebook now [laughs] so i'm able to reach out to people through there. And I have alot of people who want to be my 'friends' and why do they want to be my friends? Not because I put out an album called 'Coming Home'  but because I'm Gerry Hannah from The Subhumans."

Gerry goes on to talk about the disadvantages of his punk rock reputation:

"You tend to get slotted into, you know, punk rocker, or post punk rocker category, and that can mean that alot of people dont even bother looking your way twice, because they arent really interested in that genre. So they skim over and say 'oh well i'm not interested in that' and carry on. But there are those that in fact might be interested in folk rock or whatever and will hear that 'Gerry Hannah from the Subhumans' put out a new album and wont be interested because they arent into punk rock, but would actually really enjoy the music"

"It's a double-edged sword I guess is what Im saying. But It does help a bit for sure." 

Not for free..

Within the last number of years, the landscape of the music industry has changed dramatically. Right from the inception of the file sharing software Napster, music artists and others alike have been at odds in regards the matter of media distribution. Just last year a major case involving the now defunct isohunt.com, was successful in shutting down the torrent hosting site setting the precedent for future file sharing sites like isohunt. 

These days however, there can be literally dozen's of new artists emerging overnight just by using a simple recording platform on their iPad, Android device, or PC to name a few. As a result, the need for easy distribution (and sometimes free distribution) has become a necessity for the aspiring musician hoping to get their sound heard. 

However, the question remains: Should the downloading and sharing an artists music be limited to platforms such as iTunes, Bandcamp and Amazon? Does the convenience of access to online downloading justify the acquiring of an independent artists music for free?

Gerry weighed in on the matter:

"You hear this myth that 'oh yeah, putting out an album has never been cheaper or easier. You can record it yourself on your USB microphone in front of your computer and throw it online, and Bob's your uncle'"

"Thats Bullshit. That's not how it goes at all. If you want to do it right and if you want alot of people to see it and know about it, it costs Money. And it takes alot of work. Alot of hard work."

"It ends up being a huge chunk of money to do it right. I got into a debate with a friend of mine at a party not too long ago because he was happily admitting that he does illegal downloading of music and he thought that I would be fine with that because so MANY musicians have come out and said 'Oh thats OK'.
The musicians that are coming out and saying that's OK, are musicians that DONT stand to lose everything they could possibly make from selling their music."

"The musicians that rely heavily on selling their music to help finance them playing music, and recording music and putting out another album, they're not saying that, ya know? They're not saying illegal downloading is fine. They're saying: 'Hey, if you really like our band as much as you say you do, then why wouldn't you help me put out another record in the future by buying this record?'"

To put things into perspective, Gerry comments what this would be like for somebody at their everyday job.

"Think about your job. Would you do that for free? Say you clean the toilets at the local hospital. That's your job. Would you do that for free? No, you wouldn't do that for free, you expect to be paid right!?"

"If you want artists to keep making art, you have to somehow make it possible for them to do that. The simple way that always used to always work in the past is that you would pay them money for their art. That's how you did it. You want some great painting that took somebody a month to paint, you pay them for it! You don't go into their house when they're not home and steal it and then say 'hey I love your art I stole your painting in fact!' And then the artist is supposed to be flattered and supposed to go 'Oh! Thank you for loving my painting' How does that work!? [laughs] That's my take on it." 

Gerry's feelings on the matter no doubt resonates with many artists who can share the sentiment on buying an independent musicians albums to support them to make more music and being able to share their music live on tour.

I recently saw a quote that read something like this: People have no problem paying $5 dollars for a cup of coffee that costs a few cents to make. But they have a problem paying $5 for an album that cost thousands to create. 

Sadly, this does rings true in many cases.

"People are being ripped off left right and centre. If you really like a musician, then BUY their art. BUY their music. The general public needs to understand that independent music is economically very difficult to make. It's not like it was 10-20 years ago. The expenses are much higher. People need to be aware of that"

Coming Home..

One of the last things that Gerry had to say in regards what to expect of this new endeavour:

"This album is a bit of a psychological or emotional history. It's a chance for me to present one of the members of 'Direct Action' in kind of a human sense, where you become familiar with this person on an emotional level. And its even an emotional historical perspective of something important, I think, that happened in Canadian history. The actions and arrests of 'Direct Action' in this country, is something that's kind of swept under the carpet."

"As with most things in history, I think that this is something that we need to revisit. So this is my attempt at allowing people to revisit this moment in Canadian history and see what it was actually like from a musical perspective if you will, an emotional perspective by the thoughts of one of the people that was involved in it."

You can pick up Gerry Hannah's new album "Coming Home" from CD Baby available for digital download, or physical copy, as well as iTunes and Amazon.

You can listen to the full interview on Soundcloud here

-Jay Caption-


(Note: This interview was done before the passing of Brian Goble, longtime friend and bandmate of Gerry Hannah. Our condolences and fellow feeling to the families affected by Brian's passing)

An interview with Darius from Swingin Utters.

"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-