Nick Jones mini-interview: Of the Pointed Sticks and the Avengers (Wednesday at the Rickshaw)

So as a physical product, the new album by the Pointed Sticks -- Beautiful Future, the third full-length they have recorded since reuniting -- is mostly sold out. A handful of copies trickled into Noize to Go, where Dale snapped my photo holding one, but the vast majority were brought to Europe with them on tour and there shall remain. But Nick Jones assures me there will there be approximately 20 copies at the Rickshaw on Wednesday. If you've been following the Pointed Sticks output, note that "for the forseeable future," there are no plans to manufacture more of these for sale in North America. Once they're gone, they're gone. Billy Wilder fans note: Gord and Nick wrote a song about him! (My favourite on the album is still "Pessimist's Son," though). 

Of course, the band will be sharing the bill with the Avengers, a legendary San Francisco punk band who have been nowhere near as prolific since their heyday, and whose best-known album only recently got reissued. They remain revered by those who were there for songs like "Cheap Tragedies" -- covered by Randy Rampage on his solo EP -- "Uh-Oh," "We Are the One," "Car Crash" and "The American in Me

I took a minute to chat with Nick about the show, and about a previous time they shared the stage with the Avengers, on September 17, 1978 at the final location of the Quadra Club (which later became Club Soda, then the Starfish Room) on Homer. 

"The show we did with the Avengers made a huge impact on us," Nick writes. "They were so cool, and had so much swagger that we thought it might be best to temper our previous comedic impulses and take ourselves a bit more seriously. Three weeks later we won the battle of the bands, which probably would not have happened without the attitude adjustment that they provided. Grateful for that. Also, Jimmy became a friend. RIP."

It's actually been awhile since I caught the Pointed Sticks. Bill Hemy was last seen by me ripping it up with Corsage at the Khats fest, and I was struck by how potent his playing was (he's "releasing his inner wildman," Nick quips). People like me, contemplating going, should avail themselves of the opportunity -- they should be in peak form.

"Well, we're certainly rehearsed for it," Jones observes. "17 shows in 23 days will do that."

The Pointed Sticks and the Avengers play the Rickshaw on Sept. 27. Read my interview with the first band on the bill, Night Court, here. Event listing here!