Harder they come
When writing articles for GR, I don't always get to meet the subject. For example, I didn't get to visit or even do a phoner with one of my favorite bands, the Hard-Ons, because they’re from Australia. Everything was arranged and executed via email. It was a pain in the ass to coordinate, but totally worth it. I gave four pages and two sidebars (one with the band's old singer and another to Rollins, who sang for them on a 7" single) to a band that most people have never heard of!
So when I found out the band would be playing at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood last night, I was stoked. I haven't seen the band since '93 or so, the group has released a ton of great albums since then, and I could hand them a copy of the mag with the intervew. (I had it sent to their U.S. label, but who knows if it got forwarded.)
I fully expected the Hard-On's set to be awesome. They play an awesome mix of catchy punk and crunchy metal, both styles with an impeccable sense of melody. The sound is more complex and layered than it was 15 years ago--partially due to the departure of original singer/drummer Keish De Silva. Pete "Blackie" Black has taken over the vocals, and his delivery is smoother. Bassit Ray Ahn still lends the harsh metal vocals. The new drummer, Pete Kostic, is solid as shit. The last song was a full-on rock jam that went on forever, and I didn't want it to end. It was funny and epic at the same time.
What I didn’t know is if they liked how the interview turned out, even remember it, or, worst of all, be dicks about me bugging them after the Queers finished their set. (For the record Joe Queer and his new crew played a great set, with the band's own classics “Born To Do Dishes,” “Love Love Love,” “I Only Drink Bud,” and their version of the Beach Boys' "Don't Back Down," in addition to choice covers like the Ramones' “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,” The Undertones' “Get Over You,” and the Mr. T Experience's “And I Will Be With You,” with another Ramones song, “Slug,” for good measure.) Unfortunately, I missed the openers, Toys That Kill...
When I handed Blackie the old GR with their interview, he was really cool. He remembered the interview and was stoked.
The guy he was talking to looked familiar to me, so I asked him if his name was Mark. Yes, it was. Holy crap! I told him I was a big fan of his old band, Big Drill Car. I used to see them all the time on bills with ALL and the Chemical People at the Anti-Club way back when. (I saw Jaime from the Chems/Punk Rock Vatos/45 Grave at the show, too.) Mark gave me the lowdown on the group, how he’s doing sound for the Lemonheads on their next tour and BDC's singer Frank now lives in Bloomington, Indiana. Apparently there are BDC songs on iTunes, so hopefully the generation of downloaders will discover songs like "16 Lines," "In Green Fields" and "Restless Habs."
But back to the Hard-Ons. Ray emerged from backstage, and he was really cool, too. He totally remembered the interview and said he got a copy of the mag when he was in the States. We talked about movies, music, and the tour. I got their emails and said we'd keep in touch. Hopefully, some smart U.S. record label (Sub Pop, Touch and Go, and Alternative Tentacles--are you paying attention?) will pick up the Hard-Ons so they can come back soon.
So when I found out the band would be playing at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood last night, I was stoked. I haven't seen the band since '93 or so, the group has released a ton of great albums since then, and I could hand them a copy of the mag with the intervew. (I had it sent to their U.S. label, but who knows if it got forwarded.)
I fully expected the Hard-On's set to be awesome. They play an awesome mix of catchy punk and crunchy metal, both styles with an impeccable sense of melody. The sound is more complex and layered than it was 15 years ago--partially due to the departure of original singer/drummer Keish De Silva. Pete "Blackie" Black has taken over the vocals, and his delivery is smoother. Bassit Ray Ahn still lends the harsh metal vocals. The new drummer, Pete Kostic, is solid as shit. The last song was a full-on rock jam that went on forever, and I didn't want it to end. It was funny and epic at the same time.
What I didn’t know is if they liked how the interview turned out, even remember it, or, worst of all, be dicks about me bugging them after the Queers finished their set. (For the record Joe Queer and his new crew played a great set, with the band's own classics “Born To Do Dishes,” “Love Love Love,” “I Only Drink Bud,” and their version of the Beach Boys' "Don't Back Down," in addition to choice covers like the Ramones' “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,” The Undertones' “Get Over You,” and the Mr. T Experience's “And I Will Be With You,” with another Ramones song, “Slug,” for good measure.) Unfortunately, I missed the openers, Toys That Kill...
When I handed Blackie the old GR with their interview, he was really cool. He remembered the interview and was stoked.
The guy he was talking to looked familiar to me, so I asked him if his name was Mark. Yes, it was. Holy crap! I told him I was a big fan of his old band, Big Drill Car. I used to see them all the time on bills with ALL and the Chemical People at the Anti-Club way back when. (I saw Jaime from the Chems/Punk Rock Vatos/45 Grave at the show, too.) Mark gave me the lowdown on the group, how he’s doing sound for the Lemonheads on their next tour and BDC's singer Frank now lives in Bloomington, Indiana. Apparently there are BDC songs on iTunes, so hopefully the generation of downloaders will discover songs like "16 Lines," "In Green Fields" and "Restless Habs."
But back to the Hard-Ons. Ray emerged from backstage, and he was really cool, too. He totally remembered the interview and said he got a copy of the mag when he was in the States. We talked about movies, music, and the tour. I got their emails and said we'd keep in touch. Hopefully, some smart U.S. record label (Sub Pop, Touch and Go, and Alternative Tentacles--are you paying attention?) will pick up the Hard-Ons so they can come back soon.
posted by gr at
11:51 AM
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