Owlbear, Hyperspace VII, and Record Store Day: a mixed bag all round (but Owlbear rocks, so there's that)

Lots one could say about people lining up overnight to get the first shot at RSD official releases... some of whom are simply capitalists looking to score things to flip, competing with actual fans. 

That does appear to be really a thing (and not just a paranoid hate-fantasy fueled by people who resent not having got the last copy of the thing they crave, wanting to blame flippers and not fellow fans): There are albums people bought yesterday that are now being sold on eBay for multiple times what they cost. Someone has Air's Moon Safari up for $640 today; it's on the list of titles that Neptoon, for instance, got in at $37. There are also people selling it for $40 or $50USD, so I'm not clear who is buying it for $640, but that's true of several sellers: A Grateful Dead box set that cost $155 CAD at Neptoon yesterday is now -- not the same copy, mind you, but still -- selling on eBay for $399 USD (with multiple other listings at lower prices, mostly in the $250 USD range). There's a Chet Baker live in Japan album that some lucky soul bought yesterday for $70 that you can now get for $394.99 (or for $94.98 if you look for a minute). 

The economics of it all are a bit dizzying, and I can see how someone who coveted any of those items for the music might resent people who coveted it for the resale value, if they knew for a fact that the person who bought the album was one such flipper... double the resentment if they lined up at 2am (or earlier) to get their hands on it... luckily for me, I don't care that much! The one time I lined up for RSD, just to have the experience, the item I was keenest to get was the Meat Puppets' Live in Montana, which I'm guessing wasn't an RSD exclusive (you can still buy it today) and which was easy to find the next day, the next week... it's true that there was something I missed out on yesterday, the Ian Dury Live in London double-vinyl, but there were only a couple of copies that made it into town, priced so highly ($74.99, imported from the UK I guess) that I'm just fine on having missed out... 

But the stuff I care about most that came out on RSD is stuff like Deja Voodoo's Cemetery, which no one is bothering to flip on eBay at all, and which, if you want it, you can probably STILL SCORE at Red Cat or Neptoon or such; it likely hasn't sold out of any store it came into. That's usually how it works for me; the coolest releases aren't the ones that people are lining up for! I kind of equally fail to understand the people who stayed up all night to get the Steely Dan RSD release (Alive in America) for $54 CAD or the people who immediately posted it on eBay for $100 USD. I guess my lack of interest in truly popular music insulates me...? 

Anyhow, I can totally understand why some record dealers have gotten disillusioned with the whole limited-edition RSD exclusive feeding frenzy. Johnny Matter at Matterhorn had a big sale yesterday, but brought in none of the exclusive new stock. There's definitely a case to be made for that mode of participation, and I'm pleased to hear he had a successful day doing that. Johnny's right, the whole manufactured-rarity/ capitalist-feeding-frenzy attribute of it is kinda bullshit...

But there WERE a few things I wanted this year, only one of which--the Dury--I could not get. The coolest turns out to be the Neil Young and Crazy Horse one pictured at the top. It is not being widely noted but "Be the Rain" on As Time Explodes was recorded at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, one of two songs off Greendale that the Chrome Hearts did that made me a fan of that album, which I'd previously neglected. I was there both nights, so though it does not say which of the two dates it was recorded at, I was in the audience regardless, so I'm super-happy to have that song represented -- a live recording of a Neil Young song I did not know previously, taken from a show I was actually at, and now in my record collection. That's a pretty fuckin' great souvenir! 

That album was sold out in a couple of places but they had copies at Audiopile last night, so it may not be too late, if you are now coveting it too.

With some work, I also got the too-expensive live XTC album -- which has a great cover, compared to the Dury -- plus Camper Van Beethoven's complete cover album of Fleetwood Mac's Tusk, and a Marshall Crenshaw bootish thing for David M. (he's reimbursing me). That's more than enough -- usually there's between 0 and 1 items that I am excited about, so it was actually kind of a rich RSD for me, getting three records for myself. Not bad for a guy who was working the whole day, who lined up nowhere, nohow...

And then there was the Hyperspace VII festival, which I went to (after a pitstop at Audiopile, since they still had that CVB album, which Red Cat and Neptoon did not) after my shift at Carson Books and Records was done. I'd written about Owlbear for the Straight; I'm happy to see (as of writing the first version of this around midnight) the story is the #1 piece on the Straight website (which it still is this morning, which I'm also happy to see). I mean, I'm guessing it's all just tonight's Hyperspace nerds coming home and getting online, but there was only maybe 120 people there, so...?

Anyhow, glad that happened. Sad that Owlbear had hassles at the border and that they couldn't bring up vinyl -- customs must have their due. I had coveted a signed Feather & Claw more than any of the RSD releases, with Yannis' terrific artwork (WITH NO A.I. INVOLVED, though, heh, Owlbear should realize that the person they said "fuck you" to in the interview, for guessing the art was A.I., was among my first invites for my plus one. Alas, his girlfriend was sick and he couldn't make it). 

My friend who couldn't make it requested I shoot vid of people in wizard costumes (one emblazoned with cannabis leaves), who were a,steady presence in the pit, doing that circle-pit thing, waving pool-noodle weaponry, smashing their noodles against their cardboard shields, and even swordfighting.  You get glimpses of it in both Witchkiller's "Day of the Saxons" and Owlbear's "Altar of Earth." (I also shot "As Arrows Hail" from right up front, but did not turn around to capture the action behind me). Pretty hard not to love that kind of thing (not that I'm much tempted to do it myself). I joked with Katy afterwards, "Wizards in the pit are NOT the norm up here, just so you understand." 

I enjoyed Owlbear's set. There's something quirky about Katy -- her comments in the interview about not wanting to be credited for playing guitar, for example, or about being a hater (which I've seen no one ever put forth as a badge of honour before) seemed kinda self-deprecating and cynical, if taken at face value, which is odd for someone fronting a band whose songs have a heroic, uplifting aspect; in my old days being trained in Life Skills counselling, someone would have said she was not "congruent". 

She also waxed a bit cynical, maybe with her tongue-in-cheek, in telling people not to come talk to the band at the merch table (by way of inviting people to do exactly that, of course: it was sort of a "come see us at the merch table but don't talk to us" message). She further instructed the audience especially not to thank her for "representing" them. I guess she's had some unwanted weight on her; I can't really say I know what that's like, actually, but I suspect anyone who takes the stage is going to have SOME stuff projected upon them, and that there are some communities out there that really want and need to have heroes and heroines onstage, for obvious reasons. Suddenly it all starts to seem like material for a fantasy novel... Does Katy fit a "reluctant hero" archetype? Or perhaps she's more of an antiheroine...? 

Mostly it seemed like the people in the audience (or at least the ones who weren't there to dance around in wizard costumes) were just there for Owlbear's music, rather than what Owlbear represents, which was true of me, at least . I'm glad to have focused on that in the Straight piece, and guess I shall continue to do so. I mean, life is complicated, but fuckit, I got to dance a bit to "Crawl from the Carcass," the song Katy wrote about getting the fuck out of Pittsburgh. My own carcass (Maple Ridge) was different but I sure can identify with the sentiment (and yes, I pointed out the Straight piece to Rodney DeCroo, who hails from those parts).  

My dancing was pretty inhibited, in fact, compared to some nights, but it's hard to compete with wizards.

I had already talked guitar in the Straight piece but the other observations I had last night were that a) Leona is a hell of a bassist (playing a hell of a bass!) and that b) she reminds me of a headbanger I know named Allison, who I woulda shared my plus one with if I'd thought of it. 

  

All pics by me

Much as I enjoyed Owlbear, there were other miscues in the night, like full white stage lighting beteen their songs, and repeated technical difficulties with the drum kit. Event organizer Joey also said from the stage at one point (allegedly by way of introducing Owlbear, though he forgot to do that part) that it was probably going to be the last Hyperspace, at least for awhile. I would have maybe bought a T-shirt, to at least have Owlbear's name on something, but neither Hyperspace nor Owlbear had any that fit -- at least Owlbear had the excuse of border hassles. The bands with the best merch were Void Chaser and Witchkiller, but I'm not going to go around in a Witchkiller shirt, and I didn't like Void Chaser's music at all (even less than I liked Artificial Language; the best progressive band in the whole affair that I caught was Phaeton last week, by several miles). 

So it was kind of an odd night all-round, really -- but I hope Owlbear will come back at some point. I didn't enjoy them quite as much as I enjoyed Maiden back in 1983, when I was 15, but I don't regret making the comparison. 

(tho' incidentally, for clarity, I wouldn't describe myself as a "disciple" of Maiden's, which is what it says in the Straight piece; I believe that was my editor's liberty, amping up the religious angle. I see what he was doing, and I don't mind, but if I'm going to be a disciple of any heavy metal band, I'll pick the Blue Oyster Cult, thank you. They're just a bit less front-and-centre about the twin-guitar-wank aspect -- other people in the band play guitar, but with them, it's really all down to Buck, innit?). 

I don't have much else to say. Witchkiller, band name aside, were pretty good, but not entirely my thing, either; but I was still pleased to see how happy Gerald was to scoop their setlist. He's known them for 40 years...! 

And apologies to Sanctuary: I neither wrote about you nor stayed for your set, but y'all sounded good too. I had simply reached capacity. Too bad the Rickshaw hadn't! 

Young Fresh Fellows SHOW REPORT! Plus Tranzmitors, Smugglers, Like Whatever, and some BUM Stuff!

Sometimes I peek at things and accidentally get information that I regret having. Which character dies in Season Three, that kind of thing, when I was only trying to find out what new cast members were added, say. Then I have to watch the rest of the season while keeping my mouth shut so as not to spoil it for Erika, you know? She always gets annoyed when she finds out that I knew what was coming: "You peeked!"

Tonight, I really only wanted to see if the Tranzmitors were going to do "Weight of the Watching World" so I could shoot a clip of it, when I leaned over to photograph their setlist, and instead learned that the show closer was going to be "Stay With Me."  And suddenly I spent the rest of their set, up to that song, expecting a cover of the Faces' song of that title, which I was having a hard time imagining (but it coulda worked). 

On the way to that song, I had a startling revelation about my slow progress as a Tranzmitors fan. Years ago, when I first saw them at a Scratch Records anniversary event (when they were still a five piece), I only loved one song they did, "Look What You're Doing to Me", which remained my favourite Tranzmitors song for years, until I heard "I See the Writing on the Wall". But since then--this is what I realized tonight--I have come to like so many Tranzmitors songs now that when they got round to "Look What You're Doing to Me", it was no... longer... my favourite... song... on the set!

I think my favourite song last night was actually their opening tune, which I happened to shoot vid of, which then blended into the second song off their set, which appears on the setlist to be "Post Atomic"; it must be a new one, because I can't find it on their bandcamp.  

During one transition between bands, Grant Lawrence very likeably brought his son's band onto the stage, briefly! Which led to a silly thing later: I thought his son was standing right up at the front of the stage, so I tried taking a shot (thinking of Grant) with both his son and the Fellows in it. Then I realized that it was just a small woman in her 60s who was kinda Blue-Jay-Valley height.

Oops! 

Speaking of the Faces, I chatted a little with Rob Frith about Rod Stewart (he's met him, of course!). He gave me his unwanted french fries (he doesn't do fries, they'd come with his whatever-he-had-had, and so he just offered them to me, and... once I started I couldn't stop. Thanks, Rob!). He also poured me a glass of white wine, which was also most welcome. I kinda wanted to find out if he had a "cutoff date" for liking Rod Stewart (for me, his "Downtown Train" is a wincefest; the Tom Waits original is good, and I admit Rod sings it well, but he also makes shmaltz of it. I'm with him up to, I dunno, "Gi' me Wings" and "Passion" and even "Young Turks," though none of that touches the Faces; that first Faces album he's on... which I know as the last Small Faces record... is particularly marvelous). 

And then when the rave-up finally happened, at the end of the night, with Andrew Molloy and Grant Lawrence trading off lead vocals and Beez, liberated from bass duties but very much present, cheerleading and providing background vocals, while the Tranzmitors covered the instruments, it turned out NOT to be the song by the Faces, but a cover of the Dictators-- a song I didn't even know. I had to ask Eric Lowe, sitting beside me. I begged him to forgive me for not knowing the Dictators so well, and he did: "You don't have to know everything! It's impossible!" (Stephen Hamm, reading this on social media, rather disagrees and "dictates" I play catchup. He was also at the show, of course!).

Eric Lowe, meanwhile, further observed that "half of Victoria is here", including (that I saw) Kev Lee, Tim Chan, and Pete Campbell, who actually HAD NOT KNOWN THE SHOW WAS HAPPENING. He had heard about it but blanked on what night; if I hadn't emailed him, he would have missed it!

So I gave Pete an extra ticket I had. I am very glad I thought to check in with him; I would have felt like a real idiot afterwards to learn that he missed the gig.

He was pretty pleased Kurt remembered him...

Anyhow, not only did I not know the Dictators' song, I heard the lyrics wrong. "My heart is calling,won't you stay with me" became "My articles are all in, won't you stay with me," which I think must have been my subconscious dropping a reference to the three articles I wrote about tonight's show: Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch, and Nick Thomas. People have no sense how much work that took, I don't think! 

Both the Tranzmitors and the -- BUM Smugglers? Tranz-BUMSmugglers? Smugglebummitors? -- were delightful. "To Serve, Protect and Entertain" off Selling the Sizzle! was the first Smugglers song we heard; they also did "She Ain't No Egyptian" off that album. Super-cool vinyl reissue, if you've missed it (I wish I'd gotten Beez to sign it but he was long gone by the time I was shlepping around my Sharpies. Grant, Nick, and Bryce will have to do!). 

And the funniest bit of stage patter came from Nick, who quoted his mother-in-law as saying, when he talked about Andrew Molloy joining the band onstage, that he was going to do "two from the BUM."

Everyone I talked to, myself included, enjoyed Like Whatever, the openers, who did a fabulous original about not wanting someone to interfere with your sleeping in, "Sunday", which reminded me of Erika, and was probably my all-round favourite tune of the set for that reason, but they also did a wholly unexpected cover, given their other songs, of Iron Maiden's "The Trooper." Which Riley, the guitarist, blessed me to put online. 

Pete likened them to the Enigmas, and that's kinda reasonable, but their music seemed more varied. 

I liked the singing sax player's crazy pink ponytail. It matched her shoes! Gord McCaw got some great shots of her. Erik Iversen had come, too, but sans camera; I gave him my other extra ticket, which he gave to John Clark (the two of them may or may not feel they owe something to Bob Hanham!). 

I felt so excited to see the Young Fresh Fellows. Their set was marvelous and lengthy and went all over their career, including the tune Neko Case does on Loft, "Destination", which made me realize: hell, I'm a Vancouver music writer and I wrote three articles involving that album and never once did I mention that Neko Case was on Loft. She isn't even in the unused material. I mean, I actually don't pay Neko Case any mind, musically, to be truthful -- just not my thing -- but still, I kinda probably should at least asked about her! Ha.  

The two standouts for me of their recent stuff were (Loft's) "I'm a Prison" and "Never Had It Bad", off Toxic Youth. But "Killing Time in Union Square" has really grown on me; "Three Gasconading Saints" was fun live and made me glad I had put it in the artlcle. There were a few songs I didn't know, from the years I missed out on, and some cuts they probably could not not do ("Get Out of My Cave," "Where is Groovy Town," "Rock'n Roll Pest Control",and most surprisingly, the sweetest, saddest of deep cuts, "Backroom of the Bar.") 

Oh, and they did the Kinks' "Picture Book" and closed with the Sonics' "Strychnine."

Scott quipped at one point that with the brick wall behind him, if the room were smokier, he'd think he was in the Town Pump again. Multiple references to 40 years having passed since some of the songs were recorded; I can't believe it's been that long, either. I don't recall most of what he said about the whole then-and-now of it, but at one point, sipping a Phillips' Iota, Scott observed that one thing that's changed is that the de-alcoholized beers keep getting better. I also really like Iota! I hope they can get it down south of the border. 

Afterwards, I had to check in with Scott about his having (at least) three different versions of "I'm a Prison" and he really kinda affirmed what he said in the Straight piece, that he liked augmenting and adding to the song. Which, if you think about it, is kind of a mean thing for a guy who has some stroke-born language issues to do to himself: having three very different sets of lyrics to choose from makes things that much worse for him. I realized this myself in trying to sing along (or at least mouth the words): which words was he going to do? There are so many to choose from!

But maybe that was the point: I wondered if maybe the multiple variants would liberate him from having to remember exact verses-- with no one set of words to remember and the audience not really knowing what to expect, he could just make stuff up on the spot, which, in fact, he did do for parts of tonight's performance of the song; but he responded that he doesn't WANT to be doing that. It wasn't something he'd strategized for. It just ended up being what happened!

Didn't mind at all. 

The Fellows, late in their set, also got unexpectedly and directly political with a song of Christmas wishes, but it's probably best to leave those undocumented. They involved the future health of a certain American personage, put it that way. 

Mostly I danced. I did not take notes. I did shoot a couple of clips ("Get Outa My Cave" and a twofer of "Hang Out Right" and "How Much About Last Night Do You Remember" -- I just couldn't resist the classics). And I took lots of photos. Mostly the photos will speak for me! 

One thing they clearly say was that Kurt Bloch was the most fun person to watch last night. Just crazy-enthusiastic, and what a great guitarist!

Afterwards, I gifted Kurt a 7" of the Spores' "Narcs in my Pants" because I thought he'd dig Sandy Beach's guitarwork. I also gave him a Polly CD which I hope he will listen to! (It was hard to convey over the DJ set that was going on that the song I had mentioned to him in the interview was on that disc, "Put a Little English On It.").

People hung out pleasantly late, dancing to a set DJ'd by Mike of the Tranzmitors. While other people danced, many things got signed, including some things of mine. And Scott gifted me a Loft T-shirt! 

There were people I'd thought I would see there who I didn't, including a few folks who got siphoned off by the Bad Beats, but one person I hoped to see, but didn't, was Nardwuar. Apparently he was there! (I didn't get to say hi to Doug Smith, either). During the interview with Scott, Scott had mentioned hoping Nardwuar was going to be there, too and said something about how he and Nardwuar used to talk mostly about music, now they just talk about having had strokes. 

I'm getting that way with my friends who have cancer! (And wondered if Kurt Bloch and Joe Keithley have ever talked jowls: I have been trained by Joe to weed out the photos that are unflattering on that count!). 

Boy, I bugged Kurt to sign a bunch of stuff, though the person who got the most requests from me was actually Jim Sangster, who had not been here with the Minus 5, so I hadda pester him to sign the stuff I didn't get his scrawl on then, plus the stuff I have acquired since. 

I was the Gerald of the night, in short (just as well that Gerald wasn't there: two of us would have been too much. One of us nearly was!).

Anyhow: it was a marvelous night, all-round. I've been hoping to see the Young Fresh Fellows since the 1980s, so this was a very fulfilling experience. And Nick of the Smugglers/ Tranzmitors was very appreciative of the feature on him, as were his bandmates. Excited about the new Tranzmitors album! (And got one of their records signed, too).  

Thanks, guys, for coming up here, and thanks to Nick and Grant for having put the show on. And thanks for the Loft shirt, Scott! I'll be wearing it to my bookstore gig today. Great record, to be had in a few of our better stores at the moment. And one of two records where I could get all four members to sign it (because Tad Hutchison was not here, though at one point Scott did make a joke about "how young Tad looks now," gesturing at John Perrin). 

PS: the American doesn't have a great rep, soundwise, but I thought the sound last night was just great!

Young Fresh Fellows tonight!!!

If somehow you missed it, I have three articles up on the Straight website. Read Scott McCaughey first, Kurt Bloch next, and Nick Thomas third. Show is sorta across from the Cobalt at the American (!?), Tranzmitors on the bill, openers Like, Whatever go on at 8. Do not miss!!

The Exploited at the Rickshaw: Notes, Photos and Thoughts

(Photos by me; Bob gave me his ticket but was not himself there)

There's a lot of stuff that circulates about Wattie Buchan, frontman of long-lived Scottish punk band The Exploited, who performed in Vancouver last night. Some of what is out there may be bullshit, some of it may be partially true, some of it might be completely true; all I know is, I am not prepared to judge him on the basis of who he has had his photo taken with. There are certainly other whispers out there that circulate, which occasionally cause him controversy, like his allegedly having "ties to neo-Nazi groups" like Haggis, but I've never even heard of Haggis outside that article. And what can I say, I have owned a Skrewdriver album once myself (great music, pity about the lyrics and philosophy). I personally have not heard much that seemed Nazi-like from Wattie, but I also haven't heard him interviewed very often, and when I have, I can't understand half of what he says anyhow (also an issue tonight; my Scottish blood is no help.)

In fact, about the worst I've heard pass his lips is calling (murder victim) Nancy Spungen a cunt in the lyrics to "Sid Vicious Was Innocent", but my understanding is, some people from the UK call pretty  much everyone cunts; so I try not to judge there, either. 

There are some things online where he uses racial epithets, too, which appear to be from the 1980s or such. Apparently he once had a swastika tattoo? And may have now had it removed. Sure didn't notice any swastikas on him last night.  

I realize I am opening myself up to some online outrage-merchant one-upping me, demonstrating the moral inferiority of my position by not condemning Wattie sufficiently for such things. I won't defend myself! I honestly don't know what to make of what people say about Wattie. I also don't want to crawl immediately and uncritically on the bandwagon rejecting him based on articles like the one I linked. Nor can I challenge what is written; I can't, I simply do not know what the truth is. He seems a little less uncomfortable associating with neo-Nazis than I'd like him to be. But while I don't know for a fact how much in that Reddit thread is true-- there's also a story about him provoking violence against mods-- there are certainly a few things I know for a fact now about Wattie, that I would RATHER use as my basis of evaluation. 

For instance: He is a charismatic, hard-working frontman, still rocking at 68 years old, despite scars from open-heart surgery. I have never seen those on any kind of singer before, but my mother had open-heart surgery, so I do recognize what they look like. She wasn't fronting any punk bands after her surgery (or before, for that matter); open-heart surgery does take some of the life out of you, traumatizes you enough that you emerge somewhat diminished and never fully recover. Wattie must have had extra life to spare, though. If he is in any way a diminished man, he hides it really fucking well. 

Didn't he just collapse onstage a few months ago? He sure didn't collapse tonight. 

At one point I sent Erika, my wife, the photo above, commenting on how unusual it was to see a punk with bypass scars, and, ever the smartass, she responded that it is also unusual to see a punk in a gnome hat.

Ha, ha. 

Wattie also had an incredibly charismatic stare, an ability to get the crowd singing along even with songs they didn't know that well, and an almost menacing, pacing quality, caged-tiger-like. I haven't been intimidated by many 68 year olds. Wattie is actually intimidating, still. It's impressive. 

Another thing I know: the Exploited wrote two of the greatest punk songs all time, "Fuck the USA" (which, you can imagine, was VOCIFEROUSLY requested tonight) and "I Believe in Anarchy" (which they also played, but I have a real attachment to that song, having bought the 7" at Zulu Records when I was about 15; wish I still had it! The A-side might have been "Exploited Barmy Army", actually. It was among my first 10 punk 7 inches, along with Flipper's "Love Canal," the Lewd's "Kill Yourself", and a smattering of DOA and Dead Kennedys singles). The version they played tonight was significantly heavier, notably different from the studio version, and that was actually hard for me to adjust to, but I was still blown away to actually hear it. They did a few other favourites, too, like their cover of "Troops of Tomorrow" (albeit foreshortened), dedicated to the people who saw them here 23 years ago (at the Cobalt; W13 was on door at the Rickshaw tonight, by the way). They kicked the night off with "Let's Start a War," with the pit erupting and staying in motion for the next hour+. I caught one clip, after I edged my way out of there, of "Chaos is My Life" and "Dead Cities." They also offered a giant communal choral version of "Sex and Violence", near the night's end, with dozens of punks getting onstage with them, before ending with "Was It Me?"

The setlist was similar to this one, but maybe a couple of songs shorter. Many songs I did not know, and a few songs missing that I do know and love (like "Psycho" off Let's Start a War). 

The only thing Wattie said tonight that *might* be controversial to some people out there was "Fuck Israel," and that was in the context of introducing "Fuck the USA," with an intro that began with him dedicating the song to "that orange gibbon-faced bastard in the White House" and ended in the statement "Fuck him and fuck Israel!" (I am not, myself, saying "Fuck Israel" these days, nor have I ever, but I do understand that there are some pretty striking circumstances, globally, which make people want to say those words of late, so again, Wattie gets a pass; I ain't thrilled with Israel myself).

Oh, and the other thing I noticed was: The Exploited's new drummer is a black guy, Garry "G-Man" Sullivan, mostly known for his work with the Cro-Mags. I can certainly see his skin colour being a possible political motivation for hiring him, allowing the band to play the "See, we aren't racists!" card, but that's really kind of unfortunate, because THAT MOTHERFUCKER CAN PLAY HIS INSTRUMENT.

Wattie made no mention of race tonight at all, but he did invite us to boo in a good-natured way that Garry is from America. But American or not, it's rare that I come out of a show talking and thinking about the drummer, first and foremost. Wattie is a hell of a frontman, but the best musician on that stage tonight, I believe, was Garry Sullivan. He MAKES the band. He was ferocious!

The double-kicks made me wonder if his background was more in the realm of metal, in fact. He was wayyyy more proficient as a drummer than we generally have the right to expect a punk drummer to be! Irish Rob (bassist) and Steve Campbell (guitars) were both totally fine at what they did, enjoyable to watch and hear, but G-man had a certain HOLY SHIT LISTEN TO THE DRUMS quality to his playing. Did he really play with Johnny Fucking Thunders? How young was he, then?

Anyhow, thanks to Bob Hanham for the ticket. I missed Extensive Slaughter, only saw about half the Dayglo's set (though it was ferocious). They have a great new t-shirt and are on tour across Canada, I believe. Got Bob a shirt! 

I also enjoyed Bootlicker's energy (but find their songs a bit too hardcore, as I do with Josh Nickel's other main band, Chain Whip; good bands but not my cuppa). Saw a bunch of people I knew: the crowd was packed. The pit was exuberant enough that I got out of it after a few songs, but that was mostly so I could take a few photos without my camera being jostled. I kind of enjoyed the jostling for awhile, otherwise...

As for the Exploited, I cannot vouch for Wattie as a human being or political thinker or a man of discerning taste in friends. He might be a thug, a dummy ("a bit of a fuckwit", someone uncharitably observes here), and he might have Nazi pals, for all I know (long discussion about that here with Wattie's brother involved). I have not come here to defend him (or attack him). He might also have grown up a lot over the last decades, having had multiple surgeries and been on the receiving end of a few internet dogpiles. If you want to ostracize the guy, if you worry that it's wrong to give him your money, that's your business--dig around online and make your decisions. (Here's an interview with him, if you like, where absolutely none of this stuff is discussed!).  

But whatever else he may or may not be, he's one hell of a frontman, and the Exploited are one hell of a band. People had a really good time last night -- it was a long, powerhouse set and Wattie seemed tireless and focused and having fun. It must be a gas, at age 68, to see a full house of kids moshing to your music and singing along.

I'm glad to have seen them, finally. 

Got Bob a Rickshaw shirt, too! New design apropos of their anniversary: there were a few upstairs left in the coat-check area.