Thu- Jul 31, 2008 – Eddie and The Hot Rods w/ The Joneses,
Primadonna & The Soda Pop Kids – The Knitting Factory – Hollywood, CA

Interview With Darius Koski of Swingin’ Utters

Interview by: Lou Medrano


Back in the early '90s when I was first discovering Punk rock I remember coming across a lot of great bands, but none of them ever had as much of an effect on me as The Clash and Swingin' Utters. To me, there is simply no Punk rock band that even comes close to the amazing songwriting of the Swingin' Utters. Their lyrics spoke to me in so many ways and, like The Clash, they weren't afraid to break the rules and speak their minds. I remember seeing the Utters play live for the first time at a skate park in Santa Cruz when I was about 13 years old. Me, and my buddies had discovered them from a demo tape that I picked up in the used section at Rhino Records in Claremont and from songs like "Sounds Wrong," "Expletive Deleted," and "Could You Lie?" I was hooked.

"We always tried to be as diverse as possible with our music. I love punk rock and we are a punk rock band, but I still like thinking that there is more to us then just that," says Darius Koski main songwriter and lead guitar player for Swingin' Utters. I think most Utters fans would agree that the band goes beyond the punk rock standards when it comes to musicianship and song writing. The members that make up Swingin Utters are so unique and bring so much to the table that its hard seeing the band without any one of them. In the vein of pissed off troubadours like Joe Strummer and Shane MacGowan, Johnny Bonnel's vocal stylings are so rough and intense, mixed with emotions of pain and distress. Then you've got the amazing back up vocal stylings of some of the greatest punk rock singers around—Spike Slawson, Darius Koski, and Jack Dalrymple—and combine that with the rhythmic drumming of Greg McEntee, creating a sonic combination to reckon with.
"I would have to say a lot of our songs are based on a bit of real life experiences mixed in with a bit of fiction. I can't speak for the other band members, but when I write a song it generally comes from another person's story and from there I build an imagination around it," says Koski.

The Utters have always translated very well to their listeners and if you need proof then just look at all the acts that they have inspired and influenced like One Man Army, Rancid, The Casualties, The Briggs, and countless of others. A favorite related story of mine is about two Boston guys who were headed to New York to see a Bruins vs. NY Rangers hockey game and on their night off in New York they decided to go check out this band called Swingin' Utters at CBGB's. These two guys had never heard of the band prior and were amazed by their show so much that it inspired them to come home and start a band of their own in Boston. Neither one of these guys could play an instrument and in fact their first songs as a band were covering Swingin' Utters songs. Still, they ended up creating one of the biggest punk acts around, and after catching just one Swingin' Utters gig. The two guys I'm speaking of are Mike McColgan and Ken Casey, and the band they created, was of course, the Dropkick Murphy's.

"I like to think that our crowd is just as diverse as our music and I enjoy playing to punks just as much as I do to your normal Joe off the street. I want to keep our doors open to everyone to hear our music," says Koski. Over the years I've personally grown very tired of the same old records that I grew up listening to, but the Utters are still one band that I can still relate to as they continue to spark my interest. No to mention that in addition to their regular albums they have spawned a handful of side projects like Filthy Thieving Bastards, and Drug Lords Of The Avenues. I can honestly say that their music has become a part of the soundtrack to my life and many of my friends. If there is one band that can still get my blood pumping and my heart pounding in the pit it's the Swingin' Utters and no matter how much older I get I will always be sixteen again whenever I hear them.

The Utters have remained a staple in the punk scene for many years, and I think a lot of that is due to the fact that they have never exploited or sold out their audiences in ways that other punk acts have in the past. Though, the sad part is that because of this they have yet to really receive the recognition they deserve. I know many people that will argue that Mike McColgan was a better Dropkick singer then Al Barr (vice a versa), or that the U.S. Bombs record, The World was better then War Birth. However, I think very few can argue against the notion that the Swingin' Utters can and always have put out some of the greatest punk records ever. It's hard to choose a favorite when your whole catalog is just down right amazing.
"I originally thought after the last record that we'd be done for a while, not broken up just done. Though, recently Johnny has taken a lot of interest in recording and touring again. So I guess it would be safe to say that Swingin' Utters will record and tour in 2007," says Koski. I think I'd probably just lose all hope if the Swingin' Utters stopped doing what they do best. I mean maybe they don't receive the same paychecks as Rancid, and maybe they don't have the huge fan base of the Dropkick Murphy's, but that's alright with me because none of those bands are the same band anymore. The Swingin' Utters however, are the same five beer drinking, story telling, working class guys that they've always been. In many ways, I like to look at the Swingin' Utters as the Bob Dylan's of punk rock, because they are the voice for the voiceless and they've proven time and time again that they are smarter and better then the rest. In fact, I'm willing to bet that there is some band somewhere out there making tons of cash, and kicking themselves, because they still can't make a record as great as the Utters.

The mid-late '90s we're the golden years of punk rock for me, because that was when the street punk scene was really growing and so many great bands we're coming up. You could go down to the Bollocks club in L.A. on a Saturday night and catch Duane Peters piss drunk and doing summersault's on stage or The Stitches beating the crap out of each other (again). Then out in Corona you might be able to catch all of the O.C. street punk bands like The Authority and Bone Crusher stirring up a full on beer influenced riot or down at the Anti Club you'd have all the crusty punks from Melrose hanging out and drinking at a Naked Aggression or Litmus Green show, but one of the few nights you'd ever see all of these little groups get together was when the Swingin' Utters came to town and that was when all hell would break loose.

"It's hard to say what the future holds for us, and in all honesty I don't really care. There has been many times when I thought will Fat Wreck release this? And every time I'm always surprised when the answer is yes. We appreciate the support we get from our friends and fans, whether it's releasing our records or just coming out to the shows. It all means a great deal to us. I love playing music and its something I will never stop doing because I pretty much live in a studio. Though, I'll say it is a whole lot more fun when you are recording with people like Johnny, Spike, and Jack because they are some of the most creative people I know," says Koski. As always I'm really looking forward to hearing the next Swingin' Utters record, because I know it's going to turn some heads, break some rules, and probably never leave my record player. I'm also equally looking forward to their next performance, because like I said, I may be old but I'm never old at a Swingin' Utters show. I'm just the same sixteen year old punk rocker pogoing in front of the stage and singing every word as if it was the story of my life.

Fri- Jul 18, 2008 – Chuck Ragan (of Hot Water Music)
w/ Josh Hanson “Yellow Red Sparks”
& Charlie Overbey – The Knitting Factory – Hollywood, CA

What we’re listening to: Unseen Force – In Search of the Truth

Finally, this mid 80's Richmond, VA Hardcore Punk Masterpiece sees the light of day again! This was originally released by the band in an edition of 500 copies in 1986. It's very hard to get your hands on the original, so we're here to bring this nice Reproduction! Created directly from the original Masters, you know this one sounds nice! This is a must have for fans of early to mid 80's US HC like CIA, BATTALION OF SAINTS, WHITE CROSS and all the good stuff like that! Hardcore for the hardcore, get in or get out! One time pressing of this one, limited to 1000 copies. 300 on Yellow, 700 on Black. The First 250 orders from us get the Yellow Vinyl. Once it's gone, it's gone so don't let it slip away AGAIN! You can buy this album and more at www.nowayrecords.com