An interview with Mike Yannich (Psyched To Die)

(originally from May 21, 2009)

Mike Yannich (formerly Mikey Erg) is the current singer/guitarist of Psyched To Die, and has also played in numerous other bands, most notably The Ergs. He took the time to answer some questions, which will additionally appear in this year’s Insubordination Fest Zine.



David: First off let me say your music has brought me much enjoyment. I was sad to see The Ergs breakup but at the same time I love the direction that you've taken with this new band. Psyched To Die is an obvious departure from The Ergs. I mean The Ergs had some fast hardcore influenced songs, but nothing like this. Why did you decide to start a band like this instead of following a similar sound to the other bands you play in?

Mike: I was working with Brian one night and he turned to me and said, "let's start a fast punk band". It's basically that simple. At this point the Ergs were still together and I thought it would be cool to do a band that was just Snotty and Punk Rock.

David: When exactly did you guys form Psyched To Die?

Mike: Our first practice was the first week of December 2007. We didn't add Frump and start playing out until summer of 2008 though.

David: Where did Frump come from, what band was he in before Psyched To Die?

Mike: Frump was in a band called Fast Times, which was one of the first local punk bands I ever saw. I didn't really know him then. I first met him a couple years ago because he started taking pictures at shows and he handed me a disc with a bunch of Ergs photos on it. Around the time we recorded the demo and decided we were ready to start playing out, we asked him to play second guitar to fill out the sound of the band.

David: Has their been any sort of backlash amongst Ergs fans for your new music, or has everyone found the tradition to hardcore punk easy?

Mike: People have been pretty open to it actually. People do tell me that I should do another poppy band at some point and I'm sure I will, but the reaction to PTD has been very positive so far.

David: What types of crowds have been showing up for Psyched To Die shows? Is it some sort of a mix of people who know you from The Ergs or The Unlovables, and then at the same time hardcore kids who never followed your other stuff but saw the band open for say the Cro-Mags or whomever else you've played with?
Mike: I've noticed that it's a lot of the same people that would come to Ergs shows. On tour, the best nights were the cities that the Ergs did really well in. We're still fairly new so I'm sure once we play out some more it will start to become a mix of both.

David: So you're playing Insubordination Fest with Psyched To Die, as well as a bunch of other bands you're in (how many?), anyone at this years fest that you're particularly psyched to see play?

Mike: I think I'm doing 6 sets this year. Crazy. As for bands I'm totally stoked for, I'm really excited to see Boris the Sprinkler, Egghead, Spodie, Dead Milkmen, D4, Toys That Kill... I'm pretty much into every band playing so it will be an exhausting weekend for me.

David: You got Brian Gorsegner formerly of For Science as the drummer for Psyched To Die. His old band broke up around the same time as The Ergs, but under some much odder circumstances, with the singer breaking down on drugs and moving to Hawaii. Have you or Brian talked to him since? Do you know if he's doing okay?

Mike: Yeah, He's doing fine. He apparently got really sick while he was in New Orleans but he's all better now. He's working on some solo stuff that I'm sure will blow minds.

David: And concerning your bassist am I correct in assuming J Nixon is an homage to Greg Ginn's alter ego Dale Nixon?

Mike: Actually, as far as I know J Nixon is his real name.

David: Speaking of Greg Ginn, Psyched To Die is clearly influenced by early Black Flag and other SST stuff. If the band continues will the music start to mix in other styles outside of hardcore like Black Flag, the Meat Puppets, Husker Du, and the likes eventually did? You could say The Ergs were pretty well known for doing this.


Mike: Our Newest 7" Scatter Brained is a bit different. On the title track there's some more singing and its a bit longer than most of our other stuff. The b-side of the record is closer to the songs from the demo. The Ergs kind of made it a point to throw every style under the sun into our music. PTD started as more of a "let's do this one thing" kind of band and then morphed into "Let's do whatever we think sounds good." I'm sure we'll evolve even more on our next few releases.

David: Do you expect the band to grow lyrically as well as musically? Will the focus stay on pessimistic,nihilistic, death themed songs?

Mike: That's one thing that I think will stay the same. The music will evolve
however it does but I think the constant will be the dark lyrics. I think that's what makes Psyched to Die Psyched To Die.

David: You have a very diverse taste in music, what got you into all these different subsets?

Mike: I've just always been into all kinds of music since I was very young. If it sounds good to me, I'll listen to it. No matter what genre it is.

David: So how did you get into punk and hardcore?

Mike: Of course, Green Day and Rancid played a huge part. The thing that got me into the underground was the first Punk O Rama comp. That got me into NOFX and Down By Law. Then I started reading MRR. I would just randomly order 7"s and stuff that looked interesting from ads. It all kinda snowballed from there. I just went to a ton of shows and got involved.

David: How long will Psyched To Die last? Is this just a one off side project so that you can play a different type of music, or are you in this for the long haul?

Mike: It started as a side project. All of us were in more serious other bands when we first got together. By the time we started playing out all of our other bands broke up. At that point we made the decision to take Psyched To Die more seriously. You can never tell how long a band will last but I’m pretty sure we're all in it for the long haul.

David: Would you classify Psyched To Die as your "main band"?


Mike: I suppose I would. It's definitely the one I'm most creatively involved in at this point.
David: I'll end with some quick questions concerning the 80s hardcore sound the band is based on, Decline Of Western Civilization or American Hardcore?

Mike: Decline. No Contest. My favorite thing about Decline is the musical performances. I'm just glad there's a visual document of the Chavo-era Black Flag.

David: What about Keith Morris or Henry Rollins?

Mike: Keith.

David: Did Rollins ever hear Pray For Rain? Did you have to pay him for using a sample from his audio book?

Mike: I don't think he has. When the Ergs were on tour supporting dorkrock, we played a club that Henry was going to be playing a couple weeks after we were. I gave a CD to the club owner and asked her to give it to him. Moments later I realized "fuck, there's that unauthorized sample on there!!" I ran back to the club owner and told her to keep the cd for herself. Hopefully she did.

David: DOA, DRI, DYS, JFA, MDC, SOA, or SSD?

Mike: SOA, definitely.

David: The punk episode of CHIPS or the punk episode of Quincy?

Mike: Quincy All the way.

Screeching Ringers

(originally from March 19, 2009)



In the last few days it has come to my attention that Screeching Weasel will be reforming June 19th to play a show at the famous club in Austin, Texas, Emo's. My first reaction to this was excitement, however as more details came out excitement turned to disappointment. No, it's not because it turned out this show is a hoax, Emo's website confirms it on their calendar, as does the Screeching Weasel myspace page, and while a band billed as Screeching Weasel is scheduled to play, the Screeching Weasel that people know and loved may not. Throughout their history the band had an ever-changing line-up, but two members remained constant, frontman Ben Weasel, and his right hand man, guitarist John Jughead. Ben and John formed the band together, played on every recording and every show together, and broke-up the band together (three different times). They complemented each other well, both musically and personally. Ben's persona (whether it be true or not) was the large fan bases, and being seemingly oblivious to any sort of existence of an
cocky abrasive loudmouth who was a friend to many and enemy to many more, mouthing off in his Maximum RocknRoll column. Jughead was the nice quiet guy, who stood by Ben's side, the bands voice of reason, who said in his book, Weasels In A Box, that as a child his mother would get frustrated because he literally would not hurt flies. The two were the closest thing punk rock had to an Axl and Slash, the abrasive controversial singer, and his guitarist who shut up and played, hiding behind his long hair and goofy hats.

Without Jughead there was never a Screeching Weasel, but on June 19 that may not be the case. Ex-Weasel guitarist Phil Hill has confirmed that he, bassist Mass Giorgini, and drummer Dan Lumley, all members of the bands last incarnation, would not be participating in this show. He also added that Jughead did not want to talk about the subject of this show with him, doubting that Jughead himself will participate in it (Phil has since said Jughead was not even told about the show). The only other ex-member likely to be guaranteed to play with "Screeching Weasel" is Dan Vapid, who is currently playing with Ben in the recently reformed Riverdales (the Riverdales are scheduled to play Emo's the next night).

Screeching Weasel essentially had two core line-ups. They recorded My Brain Hurts, Wiggle, Anthem For A New Tommorow, Bark Like A Dog, and the Ramones cover album with Ben, John, Dan Vapid, and Dan Panic. When Vapid and Panic left they recorded, Television City Dream, Emo, and Teen Punks In Heat, with Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley. During these times there were various additional guitarists coming and going, and at one point Vapid left, was briefly replaced by Green Day's Mike Dirnt, and rejoined again. While this core of the band existed, and while Vapid, Panic, Mass, and Lumley played important parts, their roles where always replaceable. Jughead's wasn't.

At various times Ben Weasel stated Screeching Weasel would always be him and Jughead, the band wouldn't exist if both of them weren't playing together. Throughout the bands history this rang true. When they broke up for the second time in 1994, Ben, Vapid, and Panic continued playing music together, but as the Riverdales. When they broke up for a third time in 2001, due to Jughead's frustration over a lack of touring, Phil Hill suggested they bring back Dan Vapid to replace John and continue on, but Ben wouldn't have it. He would team up with Vapid, but to record his first solo album. In both of these situations he could have cashed in on the Screeching Weasel name and continued playing under the name but he didn't, because Jughead was not there, and therefore Screeching Weasel was not there. So why now in 2009 has he changed his mind?

For the record all my experiences with Ben have been positive. From meeting him at a show, email, and even him taking the time to comment on my very first blog entry (which was inspired by his call for more punk-related blogs) he is to me, a well-grounded and nice person, far from the rockstar jerk that some people make him out to be. I will always be thankful for him, for taking the time to communicate with fans like me, and will always enjoy his music. But now every time I think about Screeching Weasel, I think about them a little different. This is similar to way the Dead Kennedys and Misfits will always have the faux reunion messes hanging over them, popping up in the back of my mind when I listen to them.

Ben Weasel has changed a lot from his Screeching Weasel days. The kid who was expelled from three different high schools, who left his home to live a life touring with fellow miscreants across the country in a beat up ride, playing on stages naked, and sleeping at overcrowded punkhouses and strangers floors, is no longer a kid. Today Ben is a John McCain supporting, church-going family man, living on a farm in Wisconsin with his wife, an expecting mother of twins. While by no means a
member of the religious right, or a yuppie, his transformation is nonetheless prevalent, and a testament to the fact that overtime people, and the values they hold, can change.

So has Ben Weasel abandoned the morals he once had about Screeching Weasel always being him and Jughead, all in order to cash in and help put his kids through college? Or is he just continuing to go against the grain and living up to the Ben Weasel persona by making enemies, and pissing people off, by doing whatever he wants?

I know people will argue that music should stand by itself and ones opinion of what the artist does outside of the studio/stage shouldn't matter, but that’s hard to do. When you invest so much time into, and have such a great time listening to a band you like it's almost as if you've developed a friendship with someone you've never met, but have a pre-conceived idea of who they are. Having Ben go against what he once said his band stood for, him and Jughead playing together, and going against the integrity I thought he had, in order to make more money, feels the same as a friend stabbing me in the back.

Ben Weasel is Ben Weasel, at the end of the day he decides what he wants to do and think. But I am I, and also decide what I do and think. I think playing without Jughead comes off as a cash-in that hurts the bands legacy, and I think Screeching Weasel is not Screeching Weasel without John Jughead.

Punk Rock And The Bush Presidency

(originally from January 19, 2009)



Tomorrow marks the final day of George W. Bush's presidency, eight years which most American's categorize as a step in the wrong direction to say the least. Newsweek columnist Jacob Weisberg commented that "It remains a brainteaser to come up with ways, however minor, in which Bush changed government, politics, or the world for the better". While Bush may not have changed politics or government for the better, his presidency has inspired a great number of punk songs, albums, and bands, for the better.

In the early 1980's with the Reagan presidency, a slew of political punk bands rose to greatness. The punk scenes popular nihilistic themed bands from the late 70s like The Germs, Fear, and The Heartbreakers, were replaced with politically conscious bands like the Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion, MDC, Reagan Youth, and countless others. Sure there were popular apolitical bands like The Descendents or Misfits, but punk, particularly hardcore, become more synonymous with anti-Reagan politics.

A similar thing has happened with the Bush presidency. At the start of the new decade the most popular punk bands were MTV-approved apolitcal ones like Blink-182, Sum41, and New Found Glory. As Bush's presidency continued anti-Bush political bands like Rise Against, Anti-Flag, and Against Me, rose in popularity and eventually all signed on to major labels. Popular bands that once wrote apolitical songs changed their tune, such as Green Day, Sum41, and especially NOFX. Fat Mike organized the punk voter project, and put out the Rock Against Bush albums, in an effort to help defeat Bush's re-election. While Bush was narrowly re-elected, the number of youth voters, punk voters target audience, increased and many of those first-time young voters, voted again and helped Obama get elected in the last election. Punk voter didn't succeed in getting Bush out of office, but I believe it succeeded in planting seeds in people who had previously been uninterested in politics. If anything Bush has helped re-associate punk with politics, and to quote NOFX, "if you think punk rock doesn't mix with politics you're wrong."

I'll end with a list of the essential anti-Bush Administration songs from this era:


*Jello Biafra & The Melvins- McGruff The Crime Dog
Jello's 2003 album "Never Breathe What You Can't Say" is to me the definitive political album of the Bush administration, hell it's probably the best album in general to come out in the Bush years. Starting out with the lyrics, "Thank you, Osama you are the savior of our economy today", the song is inspired by the wire tapping brought on by the Patriot Act. It is based around the idea of hiring a half of the country to spy on the other half making sure everything they did was desirable for the government.


*Bad Religion- Let Them Eat War
After a series of unimpressive and poorly selling albums from the late 90s Bad Religion had somewhat of a ressurgence, artistically and commercially during the Bush era. Their 2003 anti-Iraq War album aptly titled, The Empire Strikes First, featured Let Them Eat War, one of the best songs in their lengthy career.


*Green Day- Holiday
A song that would sound much more at home on a Bad Religion album, Holiday proved to be one of Green Day's most popular. It isn't often that there is a hit song on commercial radio that takes direct aim against the Iraq War, American homophobia, and John Ashcroft's censorship of the Spirit of Justice monument. The song's line "a plastic bag on a monument" I've always assumed refered to the former Attorney General's orders to place curtains over a famous statue, the Spirit of Justice, because it depicted a women's breast.


*Cobra Skulls- Charming The Cobra
Could the Cobra Skulls have made an album like 2007's Sitting Army or a song like Charming The Cobra without the inspiration of a rightwing government in control? Perhaps, but its hard to think that it could be as good.


*NOFX- Franco-Unamerican
NOFX's 2003 album The War On Errorism rivals The Empire Strikes First for best anti-Bush administration album title. The albums version of Franco-Unamerican is good, but the version of the song that the band played on Conan O'brien with the addition of the lyrics, "We all know George Bush is an imbecile, he love's Dick but he hates homosexuals", is the best.


*Chris Phillips- The Decider
This song appeared on the Comedy Central show "Lil' Bush". Based around one of Bush's more arrogant quotes about him being "The Decider". I'm not sure who Chris Phillips is, but this is a great song. You can download it for free
here.


*The Mighty Mighty Bosstones- This List
A song about the casualties of the Iraq War, and the politicians who started it. "So go on give in and get ‘em out,
spin it anyway you want to we know what you’re all about, saving lives instead of young face there might be one small saving grace, if only someone kept us safe from you."


*Rise Against- Blood Red, White & Blue
Another great anti-war song, Rise Against deserves all the success they have gotten. The song brings up a good question "Would God Bless America?".


*Leftover Crack- Super Tuesday
If the cover of the 1981 Alternative Tentacles compilation, Let Them Eat Jellybeans, which depicts Reagan giving a thumbs up to the backset of an upside down American flag is the definitve cover-art from the anti-Reagan era, then the cover of Leftover Crack's Fuck World Trade, showing Bush pouring gas over the World Trade Center, may be the definitive cover-art of the anti-Bush era. Sure Leftover Crack's political views are a lot more extreme than the other bands here, but Super Tuesday, a song about how the United States deserved 9/11 because of their support for free trade, is still a good song, and presents a unique perspective to say the least.


*American Steel- Sons Of Avarice
A Clash inspired song that like Green Day's Holiday covers a variety of complaints with the government, from the war, to Bush dodging the draft, to the low pay of teachers and soldiers, to the genocide in Sudan.

There you have it. Here's hoping the Obama years will see success, but still bring a healthy questioning of government, and good political punk.

The Ergs! (2000-2008)

(originally from December 14, 2008)



If The Ergs! never reunite they will likely go down with Operation Ivy as bands who achieved most of their recognition after they broke up. In the time after they announced they were calling it quits they were already showing signs of this, I saw kids at school who got had t-shirts, and the band got on a tour with Less Than Jake. Even days after they broke up I noticed that the band got a posthoumus wikipedia article written about them. I'm guilty to getting into the band late myself. The first Ergs song I heard was"Kind Of Like Smitten" and based on that I wrote the band off as another cheesy pop punk band. But it was their set at the 2007 Insubordination Fest that won me over, when the band better showcased more of their catalogue. Their performance of Most Violent Rap Group/Pray For Rain was probably the best performance included on the Insubordination Fest DVD.



Here it is so you can see it yourself, I love that kid in the yellow shirt at 3:01 into the video, who's throwing his hands up and screaming the "how everything's gone wrong" part of the song. There's obviously a big emotional connection between the lyrics and the fans.

Eventually I bought The Ergs! first album Dorkrockcorkrod, and was not disappointed. The album is has the most heartfelt and emotional, songs about life's relationships since the Descendents or Green Day's first album and early EP's. Dorkrockcorkrod was like emo minus any whining.

Before their breakup I always thought the band was the best out of that whole New York/New Jersey underground pop punk scene, and of all the bands who frequented the pop punk bored, were the most likely to get signed to a major, or at least get a deal with a large minor label like Fat Wreck. Obviously this won't happen now, but It'll be interesting to see where the band members will go from here. Much like The Damned broke up in 1978 and re-formed within the next year, I could see The Ergs! doing the same thing. There is already a large amount of fans including friends of the band trying to get them to reform for this years Insubordination Fest. But if The Ergs! don't reunite any time soon all eyes will be on the bands singer/drummer Mikey Erg. In the past Mikey has stayed in the background and drummed for lesser bands like The Unlovables and Short Attention, who's goofy songs come nowhere close to those of The Ergs! Hopefully instead of keeping stuff like this up Mike will soon front another band, but until then we'll have The Ergs! catalogue to listen to.

An Interview with Dangerous Dave

(originally from August 18, 2008)



So a few weeks ago I wrote an article about The Bugs, and Dangerous Dave was kind enough to drop me a comment. Dave was then kind enough to answer some questions, so enjoy this interview with the guy who's brought us hours of entertainment with The Bugs, The Queers, and John Cougar Concentration Camp.

David: The Bugs are based in San Diego, and The Queers in New Hampshire, is it hard to juggle between two bands on separate sides of the country?

Dangerous Dave: No not at all. The Queers tour a few times a year and The Bugs will begin touring soon. That might be a little hard but whatever.

David: How'd you hook up with Joe and become a member of The Queers?

Dangerous Dave: There was a couple open spots around late 1997, Chris (of John Cougar Concentration Camp) had been on a previous tour that year and recommended me, which was a smart move.

David: You left The Queers after Pleasant Screams, what was the reason for this, and what happened that made you rejoin?

Dangerous Dave: There was a bunch of shit going on behind the scenes that I really can’t get into. In short, Joe and I didn’t talk for about four years or so and now I’m back.

David: Prior to The Queers you were John Cougar Concentration Camp, which has to have one of the funniest band names I've ever heard, who came up with the name?

Dangerous Dave: Chris came up with John Cougar Concentration Camp. Great fucking name.

David: Did it inadvertently attract the nazi punk crowd?

Dangerous Dave: No however, we were playing the Whiskey in Hollywood one night and they had our name on the marquee. Some bitch that worked at the Holocaust Museum drove by and tried to get it shut down. She went up to us and confronted our roadie and started shouting out “Racist! Racist!”. He replied “I’m a fucking Mexican you dumb bitch!” It was pretty funny cause he is.

David: How long were you with JCC did you play on their song for song cover album of Too Tough To Die?

Dangerous Dave: I played on all the full length albums, the 10” and Too Tough To Die. I sang Warthog and Endless Vacation on that. That’s also my jacket on the cover!



David: Why did you choose that one out of all the Ramones albums? Right now Too Tough To Die is my favorite album of theirs, but a lot of people don't consider it all that special.

Dangerous Dave: We picked that one cause it was the next one in line. At that time Screeching Weasel, The Queers, Vindictives and MTX had done earlier ones.

David: You and The Queers did a tour with Marky Ramone what was it like meeting him?

Dangerous Dave: Marky’s a good guy. It was amazing playing with that guy. Like Joey said “He’s the best drummer in the world.”

David: Any one else you've been psyched to meet through playing in a somewhat known punk rock band?

Dangerous Dave: The Queers opened up for Dick Dale a while back. That was awesome. We sat around after the show and shot the shit with him.

David: At what point did you decide to write a song about how lame Dave Navarro's Goatee was?

Dangerous Dave: I figured it was about time someone talked shit about that faggot.

David: Do you know if he's heard the song?

Dangerous Dave: I can only hope. I heard he shaved off his goatee, I like to think it was cause of me but who knows, maybe he wised up.

David: Any other musicians have facial hair that you can't stand?

Dangerous Dave: Charlie Daniels.

David: What does the future hold for The Bugs and The Queers, any other project you're playing in or thinking of starting?

Dangerous Dave: Tour, records, shameless promotion and fucking young girls. I'm too busy with the two bands as it is.

David: What's your favorite and least favorite albums that you've played on?

Dangerous Dave: All the albums I’ve played on are good. I don’t have a least favorite or a favorite. They’re all in they’re own respects.

David: Is it ever uncomfortable when relatives ask what band you're playing in? I'd find it awkward telling my grandmother I was in John Cougar Concentration Camp or The Queers.

Dangerous Dave: My whole family is dead.

Euge

(originally from May 25, 2008)

Ever seen the movie "The Decline Of Western Civilization"? If you haven't shame on you, do yourself a favor and search for it in google video. The movie's a pretty famous documentary that was made by Penolope Spheeris (the same person who directed "Wayne’s World"), chronicling the 1980 L.A. punk scene, and features such usual suspects as Black Flag, The Germs, Fear, and the Circle Jerks, as well as lesser known but equally good acts like Catholic Discipline.

Anyway the movie opens up with skinhead kid identified only as "Eugene" talking about why he likes punk music,

"It's something new and it's just reviving like old rock n roll, and it's like it's raw and it's for real, and it's fun. You know like it's not bullshit there's no rock stars."

He shows up a few more times later in the movie talking about how he doesn't know where his parents are, why he hates living in L.A., and other various topics.

After I watched the movie for the first time I wondered what happened to all the kids who were interviewed for it, particularly Eugene, but didn't bother to do any research on the subject. It wasn't until over a year later when I was reading the book "American Hardcore" that I found out more information on Eugene. Apparently he had burned down a Los Angeles squat house that he had been evicted from, with the attitude "if we can't have it no one can".

Now I was intrigued. I went online and googled "eugene decline of western civilization". One of the firsts things that came up was this site, www.art-for-a-change.com/Punk/pdraw8.htm.



In addition to seeing this cool photo the author drew of Eugene and a friend of his for an L.A. Weekly piece on the city's punk rock scene, I learned this bit of information, "Eugene has been a professional Folksinger for the last 20 years, traveling the globe and producing 3 albums of Folk material."

3 albums of folk material? Now I was even more intrigued, I had to find his stuff. After some searching I found his myspace page, www.myspace.com/theeugecd. Apparently he's now going by the name "Euge", and as for his music, it's good. I highly suggest you to listen to his songs, it's folk music, which I'm not a fan of, but many of them have punk elements to them. My favorite is easily "I'm A Drifter". After searching for the lyrics to the song, and having no avail, I decided to write them down myself, as they were too good not to be exposed to the internet. So here you go the lyrics to, "I'm A Drifter" by Euge:


People like to sing about love you oughtta sing about guns instead
You wanna shake my hand I oughtta hit you upside the head
You wanna save the world you oughtta save your soul instead
The world aint changing only streetlights change
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be
The world aint changing only names have been changed
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be

The world aint changing only streetlights change
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be
The world aint changing only names have been changed
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be

People like to sing about love you oughtta sing about guns instead
You wanna shake my hand I oughtta hit you upside the head
You wanna save the world you oughtta save your soul instead
The world aint changing only streetlights change
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be
The world aint changing only names have been changed
But I've changed my mind about you you're as square as you can be

An Interview with Jason from Cheapskate Records

(originally from March 20, 2008)


Before your eyes is the very first interview I've conducted for the site! I talked with Jason Cheapskate, owner and founder of Cheapskate Records one of the finer and most sincere (all their albums are $8 or under) small labels out there. Enjoy!

David: First of all how did you get into punk rock?

Jason: I was lucky enough to have an older brother that some how got into punk rock. I'm still not sure how he got into it but one day he started bringing home Black Flag and Descendents records, I would go in his room when he wasn't home and spin those records. The first punk albums I heard were "My War" and "I Don't Wanna Grow Up." I heard a lot punk from old skateboard videos as well.

David: Why did you start the label, and what labels did you look to as a business model for your own?

Jason: The original reason for starting a label was to release my own band but the band didn't really do much and for the most part ended when I went off to college. I liked the idea of being able to release my own records. After the band was done with the label idea became more of a way for me to be part of a scene and help out bands I liked. As for labels I looked up, I really liked Lookout! Records because they put out records for so many bands I liked. There was even a point where I didn't even need to hear what the band sounded like before I bought the record - I just bought it based on that goofy Lookout! logo on the back. I also really looked up to Dischord Records and when I started Cheapskate I knew I wanted to do everything in my power to keep my prices low.

David: Who was the first band that you signed?

Jason: The first band we technically signed was The Carpet Patrol from MA. We put two of their songs on our first release V/A "How To Stretch A Dollar" and planned to do both a 7" and a full length CD. Neither the 7" or CD became a reality and I was pretty disappointed that we didn't get to release them.

David: How do you find the bands you sign? To they send you demos, our do you find them yourselves at shows?

Jason: I've come across bands through demos, finding them at shows and just through other bands I've worked with. I try not to base a band on just the demo or just how they sound live. It should be a combination of the two.

David: What's been your biggest selling release?

Jason: Biggest selling release, that's a tough one, it's probably a toss up between Rydells "Go Mental", The Leftovers "Party Tonight!" and The Guts "Sometimes You Just Can't Win."

David: Are there any bands you really wanted to sign but they opted for another label?

Jason: I really wanted to release the For Science "Way Out Of Control" CD but It's Alive is a great label so it all worked out.

David: Some of your bands like The Guts and The Leftovers have become big among the underground pop punk scene, do you have any resentment for them choosing to release their new stuff on Rally Records?

Jason: No, there isn't any resentment at all - I mean it happens all the time, especially these days, that bands move from label to label or even release things on multiple labels. I still have a good relationship with both the Guts and the Leftovers and the Guts will be releasing a 7" on Cheapskate so I still consider them part of the family. Plus I like to think that at least in some small way I helped them get "big" as you put it.

David: Last year the label was one of the sponsors for Insubordination Fest and some of the bands played the fest. Will this happen again this year?

Jason: I'm hoping it will happen again - I haven't heard anything yet about sponsoring but once I'm asked I will say yes! The 2007 Insub. Fest was a lot fun and I was glad to be a part of it.

David: What are some of the releases the label has for 2008?

Jason: We are working on a lot of releases for 2008. We've got the Guts 7", Sugar Eater 7", Rydells "Rock N Roll Is The Answer" LP and another Dispense This! compilation hopefully all coming out this spring. We are still working on and determined to get the Grandprixx CD out this year. Plus we've got a McRackins CD and a Fake Boys CD coming out in the summer.

David: What's up with the band Nothing Famous? When I talked to you about a year ago you mentioned that they were planning on getting back together to do another recording. Did this ever happen?

Jason: It never happened, I wish it did. Or I wish it would. I would love to see Nothing Famous properly record the last batch of songs they had because they were really progressing as a band towards the end. Being really close friends with them I was lucky enough to hear the newer songs live but a lot of people never did. It would be nice for those songs to see the light of day.

David: What are your feelings on file sharing? A lot of people say it doesn't effect the small labels because the fans are more loyal, the artists aren't rich, and people want to support the band and label, do you think this is true?

Jason: I'm sure file sharing does affect the smaller labels but probably not in the way that the majors are affected. I haven't come across people sharing Cheapskate stuff but I also don't really seek it out. I would like to think that people are loyal and would be willing to pay for a release especially at the low prices I offer but really no matter what you can't compete with free. It is cool that people still do buy records and CDs... or even pay for a download.