Bad Religion: The Book of Caffeine and Naivety

Bad Religion emerging
from the valley of shadows

by Christine Leonard

BeatRoute Magazine, no. 70, October 2010


Having added terms such as “rectilinear,” “Diogenes” and “entropy” to the punk rock lexicon, the band that wrote the book on anti-establishmentarian hardcore has come to a personal crossroads. With some fourteen studio albums ensconced in the hallowed halls of music history, So-Cal rock legends Bad Religion must face their own music and address the burning question they posed to the world so many years ago: quality or quantity?

“It’s always a good thing to venture into new territory. We like to hit the reset button once and while,” affirms founding member and bassist Jay Bentley. “We’re always looking to the next project because we view every album as a plateau: making this record took us into the unknown and that was a huge learning experience. Whenever we put our heads together over a record, things inevitably come down to the question, 'How do you define power?' There’s always going to be another punk band out there who’s louder and faster and is bound and determined to try and prove it. We’re more concerned with sharing ideas. That conveyance can be achieved in many ways and in the end, those interactions are the longest standing. Even things that seem diametrically opposed to one another can be quite powerful."

Fuelled by a lethal combination of “caffeine and naivety,” Bad Religion set off album number fifteen with a bang. Bassist Jay Bentley, along with bandmates singer-songwriter Greg Graffin, guitarist Brian Baker, guitarist Greg Hetson and drummer Bruce Wackerman, celebrated guitarist Brett Gurewitz’s 48th birthday in true punk rock fashion by heading into long-time friend and collaborator Joe Barresi’s studio to lay down some tracks. The ultimate result of their labour of lush, The Dissent of Man, resonates with three decades worth of political unrest and social turmoil with a peppering of midlife pith thrown in for good measure.

“The days of the late nineties were about the deepest valley we ever entered as a band,” Bentley admits. “There were moments when we thought quitting might be justifiable, but going through that experience of being humiliated made us appreciate all the things that we’ve been given in life. That was the point where we knew that we either had to dedicate ourselves completely to the craft or just stop doing it all together. In times of doubt, it’s often best to move along from your comfort zone. If you settle in, you’ll never know what’s out there waiting for you to find it.”

A fitting follow-up to The Empire Strikes First (2004) and New Maps of Hell (2007), both also produced by Barresi, The Dissent of Man is an album that can stand on its own merit despite being dubbed a thirtieth-anniversary release by some punk rock pundits. As far as the band is concerned, this new effort is a fresh attempt at getting closer to the truth behind the fleeting human interactions that motivate them to create their indelible audio art. From the bleak urban unrest of “The Day That the Earth Stalled” to the cathartic mockery of “The Devil in Stitches,” it is abundantly evident that Bad Religion has spent the past three years thumbing the scales in their own favour without short-changing the little guy.

“I believe that we’ve struck that awkward balance between ego and taking pride in our work,” postulates Bentley. “Truly, we are humbled that anyone even pays attention to what we have to say. Finally, we’ve just settled into this area of gratitude and as we move into the future our focus is placed on pure enjoyment.”

MELVINS - Interview with Roger " King Buzzo " Osborne by Christine Leonard

Sledding with the Melvins

Grunge's Godfathers finally crack the Billboard Top 200

"Grunge is the ring around my bathtub." ~King Buzzo

The problem with achieving fame and fortune overnight is that it comes with a certain set of expectations that often leaves the artists in question scrambling to top their earlier success. Luckily, this has never been a problem for the much-overlooked hardcore musical act known as The Melvins — until now. Launched last month, the band’s latest album, The Bride Screamed Murder, defied the odds and startled the band by claiming the inglorious last spot on the Billboard 200 pop chart.

“It charted on the Billboard charts at 200, but the amount of records sold wasn’t that many — like 3,000, which we joke is about the number we used to give away and send out for reviews,” says Melvins frontman Roger “King Buzzo” Osborne with a chuckle. “It just means that bad things are on the way and you’d better watch out for other plagues, too, because the end of the world must be nigh. But we’ll be OK — we’re like cockroaches and Tupperware.”

The Melvins have certainly absorbed and digested the slings and arrows of an outrageous 25-plus-year career in the music industry, but King Buzzo is anything but jaded, especially when it comes to finding new and interesting material to conquer. Mining its collective experience for new ways to express its groundbreaking metal-meets-punk-meets-hard-rock sound, the band dug deep to carve this 20th studio outing into something out of the ordinary.

“If you watch The Who documentary The Kids Are Alright, there’s a version of ‘My Generation’ that’s not too much different than ours — and that was our inspiration to do it,” Buzzo says of the new album’s standout tribute. “We thought it was odd that they’d do a cover of their own song and do such a different version of it, you know? We were playing that live a couple of years ago on tour and we’d get our two drummers Dale and Coady to sing the song; we thought that’d be something interesting that we hadn’t done before. It came out good, so we decided to use it as the centrepiece of the new album and pretty much came up with the other songs around that.”

Geared up and ready to face another sweltering summer festival season, the Brillo-tressed Buzzo and company are eager to bring their slothcore goodness to Calgary audiences at Sled Island. Slated to take to the Olympic Plaza stage with a roster of sonic giants including Dinosaur Jr., The Bronx, NoMeansNo and Hot Water Music, The Melvins relish the opportunity to kick out the jams and upend the honey bucket.

“That’s it! That’s the cowboy’s outfit!” says King Buzzo; instantly drawing the parallel between The Melvins’ album Nude with Boots and Sled Island’s unofficial Cowtown-on-the-lowdown dress code.

“We haven’t been up to Calgary for a while, so we’re looking forward to it. It’s at the Saddledome right? Our booking agent said we were playing the Saddledome and that it was some kind of rodeo. I hope so, ’cuz we’ve worked out a special set just for the occasion; including ‘Okie From Muskogee’ and ‘Bob Durkee’s a Dick.’”

~Christine Leonard
Originally published in FFWD Magazine July 1, 2010

Chron Goblin interviewed by Christine Leonard

Staying in tune and on top of the chaos

Calgary’s Chron Goblin keeps control of its punk-metal stoner-rock

Chron Goblin is set to perform with Chakobsa & Illuminated Minerva

It’s a classic springtime scenario: You meet up with someone you know through friends of friends, you hit it off and before you know it, you’re off making beautiful music together. Well, that’s pretty much how it happened last April for Chron Goblin vocalist Josh Sandulak and drummer Brett Whittingham, who soon met their match in guitarist Devin “Darty” Purdy and bassist Richard Hepp, both formerly of the Calgary metal act Teitan. United by mutual enrollment at the University of Calgary, as well as a shared love of hardcore music, the quartet worked around its studies in order to put out an EP within a year of forming Chron Goblin. Buoyed by the positive reaction to its self-titled five-songer, the band is more energized and motivated than ever to deliver its homegrown strain of punk-metal merriment to the public.

“We’ve always taken the DIY approach, so we’re really happy with what we’ve achieved,” confirms Sandulak. “Now that our first album is out, our focus is renewed and our approach to the songwriting process is more cool and collaborative than ever. We may have come together during our university days, but it’s friendship that has carried us on to this point. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that we actually wrote the song ‘Walk With Me’ the very first time we jammed; it just turned into this other thing. I don’t think any of us expected the band to take off like it did. Now, we jam two or three times a week. We’re like family.”

United by the ties that bind, Chron Goblin also looks to its bindings for musical inspiration. From the sheer reflective glory of “Mirror” to the heart-pounding intensity of “Flat-Footed Hypocrite,” Chron Goblin loves to lay down a heavy foundation while scoring big points for its crowd-pleasing technical style. The band was both surprised and thrilled when snowboarding company Somewon Snow out of Revelstoke, B.C. used its thrash-worthy tune “Awkward Endeavour” on the soundtrack of a recent video production.

“We had no idea that our song was being picked up by them until someone told us,” says Sandulak. “Of course, we were totally into it as we’re all skateboarders, and Brett, being from Invermere, and I have been into snowboarding for years. We even have a little half-pipe ramp set up outside of the garage where we jam. Anytime you want a break, to clear your head, you can grab a board and skate ramp. It’s ideal.”

Having recently returned from an eye-opening trek to India, purportedly an acronym for “I’ll never do it again,” Sandulak looks forward to filling Chron Goblin’s summer with blue skies, cold brews and as many gigs as he can book. Weddings, bat mitzvahs, anything — this band is down for a good time. Musical adrenaline incarnate, Chron Goblin naturally jumped at the chance when Somewon Snow called for the lads to entertain its party guests at a local shindig last month.

“As you would expect of a stoner-rock outfit with a lot of punk and metal influences, we have quite a reputation for going crazy and taking the crowd with us,” Sandulak explains with a knowing chuckle. “We just played a Somewon Snow BBQ at a private home known as the Mouse House, and it got a little out of control. People were falling in the fireplace and trying to mosh all over the place, and we wound up standing on the couches while performing. When you’re playing a show like that, you’ve just gotta do what you’ve gotta do to keep it together: Stay in tune and stay on top of the chaos.”


by Christine Leonard

Originally published in FastForward Magazine

June 17, 2010

DRINKING GAMES: IRON CHEF / DEADWOOD / SOA

IRON CHEF AMERICA

(to be played with warm sake or scalding hot green tea)

1. Be sure to yell "Kanpai" – a Japanese toast meaning "Drain the cup!"
2. Chairman Kaga’s nephew and host of Iron Chef America Mark (The Crow) Dacasos announces the theme ingredient by bringing his hand down in a mighty karate chop motion. Take a shot.
3. When the theme ingredient is either endangered, extinct or genetically modified. Take two shots.
4. Alton Brown shares one of his coveted unusual food facts (i.e. "Annatto is the poor man’s saffron"). Take a shot.
5. Iron Chef Mario "Testarossa" Batali’s signature shorts, sneakers or Crocs are shown on-screen. Take a shot (grappa may be substituted for sake in this instance).
6. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s high pitched Mickey Mouse voice is audible. Take a shot.
   Iron Chef Bobby Flay drops, burns, electrocutes or stands on something. Take two shots.
   A knife or burn wound is sustained by a kitchen assistant or challenger. Take a shot.
   A knife or burn wound is sustained by an Iron Chef. Take two shots.
7. Tasting Round: When tasters use one of the following terms in describing the dishes: subtle, profound, texture, emphasizes, compliments, good or home cooking. Take a shot.
   Final judgment a.k.a. "Whose cuisine reigns supreme?": Take one shot for every point separating the victor and the defeated.

~~~

DEADWOOD

(to be played with whiskey, or sarsaparilla)

1. Saloon owner Al Swearengen says the F word, take a shot. (That should pretty much take care of business!)
2. Doc Cochran says something along the lines of "Don’t tell me how to do ma job!". Take a shot.
3. On-screen opiate use. Take a shot.
4. Implied sex act? Take a shot.
5. On-screen sex with a saloon whore? Take two shots.
6. Someone takes a shot, take a shot.
7. Someone gets shot, take a shot.
8. Bodies are dropped off at Mr. Wu’s pigsty. Take a shot. Bacon vodka is recommended. But eating bacon is okay, too.
9. Cemetery burial with weird funeral proceedings by Rev. H.W. Smith, take two shots.

~~~

 
SONS OF ANARCHY

 (with whiskey, beer, or tequila. Cigars/420 optional)

1. Someone says "SAMCRO" take a drink/shot.
2. Burning out of TM as a posse on wheels (4 or more riders) take a shot.
3. Piney takes a shot. Take a shot.
4. Club House meeting at the original Redwood table? Everyone drinks in unison upon gavel banging.
5. Someone says "Blowback." Snort splash from the upturned bottom of a shot glass.
6. Visiting Cara Cara Studios?  Body shots for all!
7. Tig/Trager admires something in a sexually-creepy fashion. Take a stiff drink.
8. The first one to spot a new tattoo on any cast member can command everyone else to take a drink.
9. Every time someone lights one up. Light one up.
10. Official removal of SAMCRO patch or tattoo! Peel the label from your bottle in one piece, or you'll have to drain the whole thing in one mighty swig.
11. Big Otto appears on screen? Open a screw-top beer with your eye socket and drink it before the scene ends.
12. On-screen death of a club member? Everyone drinks, and then pour one out for the fallen.

 
by Christine Leonard

 

Infected Mushroom interviewed by Christine Leonard

Hybrid strains

Infected Mushroom cultivates its dark atmosphere

Crawling with the fungus ~ DuvDev (l) and I.Zen have already spawned a global dance fever.

Haifa-bred electro-psych-rock phenomenon Infected Mushroom is usually the closely guarded brainchild of DJs Erez Eisen (a.k.a. I.Zen) and Amit Duvdevani (a.k.a. Duvdev), but the duo’s latest project, Legend of the Black Shawarma, is all about collaboration. After a decade spent thrilling crowds with releases from its groundbreaking and dancefloor-shaking 1999 debut The Gathering through to 2007’s Vicious Delicious, the jet-set turntablists have settled in L.A. where they continue to devise the evolution of their celebrated Goa beach-party vibes.

“Usually we are very closed to advice,” says Duvdev of Infected Mushroom’s standing policy on recording sessions. “But this time around, we were fortunate enough to work with Paul Oakenfold. His experience in giving direction as an executive producer made for a great collaboration. We really respected what each other had to say and he was extremely helpful, as were all of the people we brought in on this record.”

Taking their unique Tel-Aviv trance sound to the next level, I.Zen and Duvdev have added elements of North American heavy metal and punk rock to create their genre-bending September release, Legend of the Black Shawarma. Augmenting the exotic Arabian-Nights-on-mind-altering-substances soundtrack with darker rhythmic elements, the pair devised the shocker “Smashing the Opponent” with the aid of Korn’s Jonathan Davis on vocals; meanwhile, Perry Farrell stepped to the mic to deliver a chillingly excellent vocal performance on “Killing Time.”

“The whole concept was to bring those raw heavy metal influences into what we do, and we were just so lucky that artists of such calibre were able to fit us into their busy schedules,” Duvdev says. “Moments like that are so hard to obtain — it’s so amazing to me that Legend came out just as I had imagined it last year when I was listening to all this fantastic hard rock. Every time we make a new album, it comes out closer to what we had intended; the transfer from mind to hand is always getting better. Paul’s Perfecto label was absolutely the right choice for this record. Some people say that we’re perfectionists; that’s because we always want the best sound possible.”

Renowned for their innate ability to herd throbbing hoards of revellers with a well-timed flick of the wrist, these globe-trotting playboys are more famous for being individual DJs than they are for being a band — a current DJmag poll of the world’s Top 100 DJs lists I.Zen and Duvdev at No. 9 overall. High praise indeed for accomplished violinist Amit and pianist-guitarist Erez, who spent the past five years building Infected Mushroom into a full-fledged live music act. American guitarist Tom Cunningham and Brazilian drummer Rogério Jardim add flavour and flare to the group’s expanding multi-ethnic mix. Melding psychedelic-electronica and classical Middle-Eastern melodies with hypnotic results, Infected Mushroom’s live shows explode with vivid bursts of instrumentation, all overlaid by Duvdev’s rich and emotive vocals. Hitting the stage about 120 times a year, the ensemble has spent 2009 stirring the pot at Coachella, the Virgin Festival, OMIX, Brazil’s Ipanema Beach and Melbourne, Australia’s Metro Club, not to mention the massive Ultra Music Festival in Miami, which attracted some 100,000 attendees.

“Our working formula is to first try our studio tracks out on a live audience before we commit to them,” Duvdev explains. “Sometimes things you’re convinced will be a surefire hit will fall flat in the clubs. You never know what’s going to excite the people. To tell you the truth, I got bored of the whole DJ thing and really backed away from it over the past two years. Now that I’ve had a chance to play my own music, I feel like I’m ready to enjoy just DJing again. I love to share both the music I’ve created and the music I’ve discovered. We believe in evolving our tastes, in keeping pace with our audience; we’re excited about what the future holds.”

Infected Mushroom with DJs Dom G, Yanko & Meitro at Whiskey, Sunday, December 20.

by Christine Leonard

Originally published in FFWD Magazine December 17, 2009 

REVEREND RON REMEMBERED

Reverend Ron Tribute

In memory of CJSW DJ and Bluesman Reverend Ron a loving tribute in the words of his friends

Calgary lost a great friend on November 12, 2009 with the passing of one of its most unique and dynamic philanthropists Ron Predika, aka the Reverend Ron, host of CJSW’s Blues Witness. Ron’s family and friends remember the venerable “mojo navigator” as a colourful character who loved music almost as much as he loved the people around him. His passion for the blues never wavered, from the early days of Calgary’s King Eddy scene, when Ron interviewed every blues musician that came through town, to his recent years spinning the best of the his preferred genre every Wednesday night at CJSW radio.

Needless to say, Rev. Ron’s loved ones and listeners were immeasurably stunned and saddened by this loss. A CBMA Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Ron was a veritable walking encyclopaedia of knowledge, yet he didn’t much dwell on quoting dates and credentials. His informal yet apt obituary described him thusly: a sculptor, comedian, master-craftsman, musician, intellectual, music lover and radio-host, arm-chair historian, bee-keeper, guerrilla gardener, instrument builder, teacher, street-artist, activist, gentle provider to animals, companion, father, but mostly a friend.

Kaitlyn Hatch – Former host Queertopia
“My favourite thing about Ron was his brilliant way with words. The animated way he would exuberantly wave his arms combined with such a blunt and creative description cracked me up. The last time we saw each other was under the beautiful summer sun whilst enjoying music at the Calgary Folk Fest. He had a vigorous hug for me, along with a pat on the back. Truly, he is a fantastic example of how life should be lived and loved fully.”

Taryn Montgomery – Host of Good Character Requirement
“He just couldn't understand how anyone could possibly turn down a good time (particularly one involving "free" booze). I realized that (it) was not the place for me if the people there could not appreciate the awesomeness that was Rev. Ron.”

Peter Maitland – Host of Bikeshevics
“On one of my early dates with my now wife, Marissa, I brought her in to see me in action on the radio. That evening she was wearing a dress and at one point Rev. Ron comes in, looks at her and before even introducing himself says, ‘Boy, those are some hot legs!’”

Christine Leonard – Host of The Nocturntable
“I remember a particularly detailed story he once told me about how mice had eaten out the innards of his favourite handheld Shop-Vac; a trifling matter, except to Ron, the carpenter, who had undoubtedly used it to suck up mountains of sawdust over the decades. To me hearing songs like ‘Ten Toes Up’ on Blues Witness was evidence of Ron’s love of life, marijuana and women, and as for the latter – his hugs certainly made me feel like a real one.”

Greg Chernoff – Host of Airport Bison Radio
“One night, while working a construction job, I was taking a break in the van and I turned on the radio. I had recently discovered CJSW and was feeling my way through the schedule, but had never hit a Wednesday evening before. I tuned to 90.9 in the middle of a Lightnin' Hopkins song, and the honesty and sadness of the tune fit perfectly with my mood. Ron showed me what radio could be, and gave me the courage to speak openly, loudly, and frequently for things that I believe in.”

Laura Glick
“So many good stories but the one I love best is when my show was after his, he would sign off by saying, ‘And now Laura will ruin your night with punk rock.’”

Milan Sveda
“My favourite anecdote as told by Ron about four years ago: ‘Talk about equality of sexes – oh yeah – I tell you. If a guy is getting undressed with window blinds open and a woman walks by, the guy can get himself arrested for being an exhibitionist. And if a woman is getting undressed with window blinds open and a guy walks by, he can be arrested for being a Peeping Tom.’”

Bob Ferris aka Bobby Tubular
“We got to talkin' about Steve Earle and I told Ron what a good song writer I thought he was. He looked at me in disgust and sternly stated... ‘I don't give two shits about the songs he writes... I just like him 'cause he likes to RAWK.’ You will be missed Double R...”

Leah McCartney – Host of Tombstone After Dark
“As a nineteen year old, I was incredibly intimidated by the loud, vivacious, incredibly opinionated guy who sat in on my show after his own, fuelled by his stop at the campus pub (the Den) in between programs. Over the years, the Rev would frequently call me up on air and say, ‘It's all about the groove, Leah! It's all about the groove!’"

Adam Kamis – Host of Failed Pilot
“After a few goes at having an on-air sparring partner and coming off clunky in my efforts, The Reverend left another great CD-R for me in my mailbox and with it a note illuminating me on the finer points of conducting a decent interview. Always mindful of other people's feelings, he concluded his most stirring note by saying ‘...but then again this is coming from an old drunk.’”

Kerry Clarke – Host of Alternative to What
“Two quotes from Rev. Ron: ‘You people know how I hate Kensington.’ And: ‘This show’s the only thing keeping me sane.’ I know there are hundreds of others...”

Chef Wayne – Host of South Louisiana Gumbo
“I remember his was the only show I'd heard that played jug bands, 1920s Delta Blues and the rough rural blues in any quantity. And his way of introducing the next selection with phrases such as ‘building the Tower of Babel one brick at a time,’ ‘they're over in the Amen corner,’ ‘we're gonna get right church and go on home.’ And the way he often referred to himself in the third person as ‘the kid’ and talked about ‘the miry clay.’”

Daryl Leman – Host of Speaking in Tongues/Folkcetera
“I can’t count the number of times we caught up with one another at a local festival or club, usually with him wearing his trademark denim jacket and his long white hair trailing beneath a Greek fisherman’s cap or some other fetching chapeau, and his side stage dance moves were semi-legendary. Ron would often call up during my own CJSW show to ask me about something I had just played or to make some other comment, evidently just to let you know he was out there listening AND that he was paying full attention. As soon as his booming voice announced itself, I couldn’t help but brighten up. His everyday presence and his annual inspirational sermons at the meetings that immediately preceded CJSW Funding Drives will be sorely missed.”

Bob Keelaghan – Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir
“’Don’t ask me how I’m doing; ask me what I’m doing. That way, you’ll get the truth.’ – Rev. Ron”

Compiled by Christine Leonard-Cripps

Originally published in Beat Route Magazine.

FORBIDDEN DIMENSION: From one ghoul to another

Horror-rockers Forbidden Dimension on the ghastly career of The Misfits

by Christine Leonard

Misfits with Forbidden Dimension & 40 Gun Flagship at Whiskey Sunday, November 8, 2009

October has come and gone, but the creepy vibes carry on as local yokel spook rockers Forbidden Dimension once again prepare to regale Calgarians with another dose of their nigh-legendary horror-rock stylings. Vocalist, guitarist and organist Jackson Phibes (a.k.a. Aleister Hexxx), bassist and Cthulhu-prophet H.P. Lovesauce and percussionist P.T. Bonham have been, in their own words, “stinking up the joint with damn monster-mash crap” for over 21 years. Recently, Phibes was lulled into a moment of nostalgic reverie when Forbidden Dimension was approached to open for his former teen idols, The Misfits, at their forthcoming Calgary appearance.

“I was totally intrigued by them,” Phibes says of his youthful infatuation with the horror-punks. “Apart from an English band called the Screaming Dead, they were only punk band I was aware of at the time [1982] that dealt exclusively with horror subject matter in their lyrics and image. Other bands had elements of it, but these guys were full-on horror punk. The music matched the image and was very dark and powerful, yet was also catchy and melodic.”

With three critically acclaimed (if hard to locate) full-length CDs to its credit on the now defunct Cargo Records, along with a handful of blood-drenched singles on various small labels, Forbidden Dimension’s latest release, A Cool Sound Outta Hell, emerged as a two-sided terror on the Saved by Vinyl label in 2007. Loyal and new-found fans alike were delighted with humour-imbued tracks like “Hatchet Fight in a Mannequin Factory” and “The Night Has a Thousand Tongues,” proving that the long-running garage-bound trio still has the grim task of entertaining the masses laid out before them in perpetuity. Comparing themselves to The Misfits might be a leap, but Phibes certainly identifies with the band’s unconventional creative proclivities.

“I looked at the photos on the record’s inner sleeve and I tried to figure out who the heck these lunatics were,” he recalls. “They looked like a really tough gang of outer space greaser guys. There were also lots of legends and rumours circulating, such as that they’d issued death threats to Jello Biafra, that they smashed up their guitars after every single song, actually robbed graves, beat up half the audience, etc. Great stuff that totally built up their mystique and got the teenage imagination going! Later on when I got more into stuff like the Cramps and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I realized that I needed a slightly more humourous bent to my horror-rock role models.”

Since those teenage years, Forbidden Dimension has become a staple of the Calgary bar-scene, surviving long past its prescribed expiry date and transcending the usual revolving door of local pub acts. Ensuring the survival of its goth-trash genre for future generations to learn from and enjoy is all part of the plan, but what does Phibes really think when he sees a typically sullen 14-year-old at the bus stop wearing a newly minted Misfits hoodie?

“I’m cooler than your parents, ’cuz I was listening to those guys back when your parents were listening to Journey.”

ONLINE BONUS: Just for fun, we decided to give you Christine Leonard's complete conversation with Forbidden Dimension's Jackson Phibes about The Misfits, homoerotic metal frontmen and potentially embarrasing tattoos. Enjoy!

Who are Forbidden Dimension?

Local yokel spook rockers: Jackson Phibes, H.P. Lovesauce and P.T. Bonham. Stinking up the joint with “damn monster-mash crap” for over 21 years.

How did it come about that Forbidden Dimension was requested to open for the Misfits during its Calgary appearance?

The Union, the promoters of the show, picked up the phone and asked us. Nothing super cryptic.

Were you influenced by the Misfits during your formative years as a young musician? If so, what did they mean to you?

I was totally intrigued by them. Apart from an English band called the Screaming Dead, they were the only punk band I was aware of at the time (1982) that dealt exclusively with horror subject matter in their lyrics/image. Other bands had elements of it (Damned/Cramps/T.S.O.L., etc. in the punk camp, Maiden, BÖC, KISS, etc. in the metal camp) but these guys were full-on horror punk. The music matched the image and was very dark and powerful, yet was also catchy and melodic. At the time, they were very much an exclusively underground punk band. Apart from the Walk Among Us LP, it was really difficult to get your hands on any of their other recordings. Unless you knew somebody who had a (usually fifth generation) cassette of their early singles, you were out of luck.

I was also a fan of Danzig’s next band, Samhain, who weren’t quite as catchy, nor as B-movie oriented, but still had some cool tunes and gory band photos.

As for the Misfits themselves, I looked at the photos on the record’s inner sleeve and I tried to figure out who the heck these lunatics were. They looked like a really tough gang of outer space greaser guys. There were also lots of legends and rumours circulating, such as that they’d issued death threats to Jello Biafra, that they smashed up their guitars after every single song, actually robbed graves, beat up half the audience, etc. Great stuff that totally built up their mystique and got the teenage imagination going! Later on when I got more into stuff like the Cramps and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I realized that I needed a slightly more humourous bent to my horror-rock role models.

Obviously, the Misfits have gone through some changes over the years — can you briefly compare the “Danzig Era” to their current incarnation?

Like I said, the Danzig era was a way more underground cult kind of thing. It wasn’t until years after the band ended that mainstream fans picked up on them (I’m guessing mostly thanks to Metallica). I did enjoy seeing the Jerry Only-led shows when they’d come to town, though. Also, I met Jerry at a Chiller Con in New Jersey back in the ’90s and he seemed like a really nice guy.

Overall, what do you consider to be their strongest release?

I loved the Misfits Walk Among Us album to death as a youth, hands down. However, in hindsight I’d have to say the 3 Hits From Hell EP ended up getting the most spins over the years.

Their worst album?

Evilive! I still enjoyed it immensely at the time, though. I was a sucker for punishment!

Best cover art?

I did spend hours staring at that creepy Earth AD drawing… although, the newer era has those great Basil Gogos paintings adorning the sleeves (he was one of the big Famous Monsters of Filmland cover artists).

Do you think their recipe for longevity is a viable one? Does their endurance as a band/brand give you any insights into how you might like to spend the rest of your musical career?

I think Jerry’s doing it because it’s fun, so good on him. It’s the only reason I’d be doing it!

The group Danzig is often pointed to as an example of homoeroticism deliberately aimed at a straight male audience. What is your appraisal of the whole leather-vest-over-a-well-oiled-chest thing?

I think from an outsider view, all metal posturing has that appearance — and rap too, look at them snaps of Tupac’s glistening, tattooed torso. From a young headbanger male’s standpoint, it has entirely to do with hero worship and role model fantasy. I seriously think you’d be hard-pressed to find any hetero youths lured into spilling their precious seed over snaps of Glenn and the boys. That’s what Taylor St. Clair is for.

Do you think Rollins regrets his Misfits tattoos as much as I regret these four black bars on my bicep?

He probably thinks they’re funny and give him even more old school cred, and that’s what you should think about your bars. As a side note, there are more old Black Flags in the current Misfits lineup than there are old Misfits (although to be fair, Robo did play on Earth AD, so guess it’s about even)….

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you see a 14-year-old wearing a Misfits hoodie?

I’m cooler than your parents, ’cuz I was listening to those guys back when your parents were listening to Journey.