Updates as they happen on May 27, May 28, May 29, May 30 with Laneside Reports – Photos – Video

Welcome to the home for coverage of Punk Rock Bowling 2011

-Check back for updates throughout the 4 days will be HERE

Punk Rock Bowling 2011 will take place in Las Vegas on May 27, May 28, May 29 and May 30
Just like last year, this will be the place to go on the web for all the coverage of Punk Rock Bowling 2011 as it is happening. Be on the look out for video and photos as well as updates through out the day while the event is going on right here or via the Big Wheel Facebook (www.facebook.com/BigWheelMagazine) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/bigwheelmag).

Bookmark  www.bigwheelmagazine.com/punkrockbowling  NOW so that you will be ready for all the details on this years Punk Rock Bowling leading up to the event as well as when the event is unfolding in real time.

For coverage from Punk Rock Bowling 2010 …. Go HERE

(Photo: Winners of the 2010 Punk Rock Bowling Tournament – The Pin Ladins)

 

Interview with JFA – Jodie Fosters Army

Interview by: Sarak K.
Big Wheel Staff Reporter


In the world of Skate Punk a name that is at the top of the list that really eclipses all the others associated with this off the rails brand of Punk rock is JFA. Shows that are always a ton of fun with high energy and non-stop stage diving, JFA shows are some of the best ones to attend regardless of where they play. JFA has been responsible for countless nights of good fun, so catching up with Brian Brannon and Don Redondo of JFA for an interview without the chaos of a show is such a treat!

 

First and foremost, how does it feel to be such a vital part of "Skate Punk" history?
Brian: I'm just stoked that it's still going strong. We're thankful for all the good times and good friends we've had and all those yet to come.

Bands that are part of the realm of Skate Punk put skateboarding up front as an equal part of their vibe along with the music, versus other bands that may be skate friendly, but don't make this a big part of their band's identity. It what way do you feel makes a Skate Punk a different than perhaps a skate-friendly band?
Don: A long time ago it was a big deal to be a skate band because skateboarding was "dead" and you were really taking a stand for what you did--uncool as it was. Nowadays, with skating so huge, it is less of a big deal to the point where I think folks downplay it (even if they are avid skaters). Skate-friendly to me means you don't skate, but aren't anti-skate--so the skaters can still pay to come see you play anyway. Here is the bottom line: everybody has owned a skateboard in their lives so many can CLAIM skateband status (a lot of 80's bands did this), but are you actively looking for new spots everywhere you go (behind buildings, looking at ditches for tranny, pipes etc.)? I still do. I always will. And when I find a place (with a reasonable chance I won't get arrested) --the board comes out of the car and it is on!

Brian: Damn right, we're skaters and Punks and proud of it, but that doesn't mean we can't skate to something like The Adolescents or The Damned, even though they aren't skaters. Heck, I've been known to play "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by Bach during a pipe session or two.

Who are JFA's major influences?
Don: Way back when (we started in 81) the Damned, Clash, Pistols etc. and then more contemporary American bands like TSOL, etc. So, those are the bands I liked, but not really influences because every time I write a song it sounds like a "Don" song no matter what bands I happen to like. Growing up in So Cal my friends were in some pretty cool bands (TSOL, China White, Vandals, Crowd, Flyboys etc.) so I got exposed to some pretty cool stuff, but when we got out on the road, my eyes really opened up (bands like the Big Boys, Dead Kennedy's, DOA etc.)

Brian: Darby Crash was a big influence on me. He was one heck of a lyricist and about as Punk as you could get as a singer.

Where did the name Jodie Foster's Army come from... what was the genesis for that name? .... and of course share with us what Jodie Foster's reaction to the name was.
Don: The name is from a song linking the movie Taxi Driver to some really bizarre real events (that could only happen in the USA). One of my friends at the time goes "man she has her own gun club" and I replied "no more like an army" as they were investigating some other gun nut who was writing her besides Hinckley. No comment from her - the whole song is more about stalkers and Taxi Driver then her anyway.

Brian: I've seen photos of her skating though. She's got steez!

You guys released the album "Speed of Sound" not too long ago. How did you guys come up with so much material? ... Or are there even more JFA songs that we don't know about?
Brian: I've always got new ideas floating around in my head, especially when I'm skating or surfing. The trouble is that I usually can't remember them. The really good ones however tend to stay with me and those are the ones we make into songs.

Don: I am always writing (have three songs right now). The real challenge is to break everybody out of the routine of just practicing the set for the next show so we can sit down and learn/remember the new songs. It takes time. We held up in Corey's house in Long Beach from about May to Oct 2009 learning and arranging the songs before we went into the studio (we don't write in the studio - too expensive).

What drew JFA to the label, DC Jam? ... tell us a bit about DC Jam.
Don: Brian will have to field that one. My only criteria were that he (Darron) be cool to work with, have the ability to actually distribute the product and let us record/produce the disc (including artwork). He came through on all three.

Brian: Darron actually has his shit together and seemed like a trustworthy, down-to-earth guy and that's the kind of person we always like to work with. So after we did our live album "To All Our Friends" with DC Jam, we turned around and did a new studio album.

"We Know You Suck" was put out by Alternative Tentacles records; what was it like to work with Jello on the release of all that stuff that up to then was only on vinyl?
Don: Tony (our old manager/Placebo records) knew Jello from booking the Kennedys way back when, so he set that one up. To re-release our old stuff, we wanted to go with somebody legit (like AT) who would actually pay us. It worked out for a while, but like all things Punk rock, it eventually petered out (no more checks, no returned phone calls) so we pulled out. I don't think Jello even knew we were getting blown off. As to vinyl, all of that stuff was out for a brief time in the 80's on CD from Placebo records, but went out of print in 88 or so.

Brian: A good thing about "We Know You Suck" was that it had our entire catalog of material from 1981-1983 on it. So on one CD, you have everything from our formative years. After not being available for more than a decade, I was really glad to see that get out and I think it helped us get a whole bunch of new fans. Now we just need to get everything from the following eras out as well!

What do you think has kept JFA fans around more- the acceptance of Punk music, or the acceptance of skateboarding?
Don: I think it is the acceptance of fun (the music and skateboarding are both parts of that). Our shows remind me of the old Big Boys shows I looked so forward to where it is a like a bunch of friends getting together vs. the whole hate/violence deal you see at so many shows.

Brian: I'd have to agree with Don. Our shows are like family get-togethers with tons of your best friends that you don't even know. It's just like the old days, people having fun, getting crazy and no bad vibes or dudes trying to show how tough they are.

What's the craziest thing to happen to the band at a show?
Don: Brian has been knocked out several times, broken his collar bone at least once - stuff like that.

Brian: Yeah, I think we started out our 1984 tour with me being knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital on the first song. Some dude was stage diving and clipped the back of my head with his steel-toed boot. In Arizona a couple years ago I went for a stage dive and the crowd parted like the Red Sea and I took the concrete straight to the melon. Got knocked out on that one too, with a pool of blood on the floor like an assassination. So yeah, I've had a couple injuries, but when you consider all the shows we've played and all the mayhem that's gone down, I actually have a pretty good track record.

Because it's a festival dedicated to the combination of skateboarding (at least way back they had more of a focus on a skate contest format) and music, what's your opinion on the Vans Warped Tour?
Don: I am all for it. Back in the 80's, we were the Warped Tour --we would bring our own skaters and/or the guys in the band would skate in the demos, we would play at ramp contests etc.

Brian: Haven't really paid much attention to that. We've never been invited to play and I've never been to one myself, so I really can't say.

How do you think the skate scene is now compared to how it was back when you were younger?
Don: A lot more street. We would never spend time on a curb when there were pools or ditches to be had.

Brian: In a lot of ways it's still the same. Just kids getting out there and pushing the limits of whatever they have in front of them. It's progressed to a whole 'nother level, but going fast and skating powerful will never go out of fashion. I'm just glad to see that it's back to where all types of skating are respected and people aren't stuck in different ruts. Being in cliques is for preppies, not skaters.

When it comes to a place to skate, what is your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice?
Don: Pipe, ditch/banks, pool.

Brian: Depends on my mood. Downhill is good, but then you have to decide if you want to bomb a nice smooth mountain road like Hummingbird Lane in Arizona, do slides on a street board down Backside 9th in San Francisco, or go off ledges down the line in the Avenues by Ocean Beach in SF. Pools? I like 'em big with plenty of transition. Got a little spoiled with all the backyard bowls to choose from living in Arizona so I don't mess around with harsh trannies. Ditches? They make 'em pretty good in New Mexico. Long, smooth, downhill-you can't argue with that logic. Pipes? That's a definite. Heck, I'm even down to hit a parking block at a gas station when the spirit strikes me. So the answer to your question is yes.

Beach Blanket Bongout proves to be a favorite among fans; why do you think that is?
Don: I have no idea! Only a small portion of our audience should be able to relate to tensions between skate Punks and (hippie) surfers that happened in the late 70's, but there you go...

Brian: What's not to like?

How did the Charlie Brown instrumental come about being added to the JFA repertoire?
Don: It just sounded like the right thing to do. Love that song - it is the pure little kid happy song!

Brian: Plus, it gave me a chance to bust out the ol' piano to mix things up a little.

Is it correct, JFA's first gig was with Black Flag. Can you tell us more about that experience?
Don: Negative, JFA's first show was with The Crowd (from HB).. we played about 10 songs. Played with Black Flag shortly after that (Dez singing) - they were the coolest low-key funny guys until they got Henry (who was all about acting heavy).

Brian: Depends on how you look at it. Our first show was with The Crowd, but at that point we were called The Breakers. I liked the name because it could have a surf meaning like breaking waves or a Punk meaning like breaking bottles, breaking coping, breaking the rules, etc. Turned out there was another band by that name in California, so we changed it to JFA for our second show, which was with Black Flag at the Knights of Pythias hall. So our first show as a band was with The Crowd but our first show as JFA was with Black Flag.

Is there a band that JFA has never shared a bill with that you really would dig on playing with?
Don: In the 80's I wanted to play with New Model Army (they had a great bass player at the time). Bam nixed that one.

Brian: I would have liked to play with the Germs when they had Darby, but that ain't gonna happen. But we did play with pretty much everyone else, so I ain't complaining.

The band is playing Gnarmageddon Fest later this June in Pomona. What drew you guys to play this festival?
Don: I think we know the guy putting it on. He came to see us in Long Beach.

Brian: Plus DOA is playing, so there was no way we weren't going to show up.

Is there anything about JFA that no one knows and you are gonna disclose it for the first time during this interview?
Don: JFA really owes everything to DOA. I was working on MIke C. (original bass player) for months to start a fast/tight Punk band, but he was into his other band at the time. We both went and saw DOA (Hardcore 81 tour) and two songs into their set he looks at me and says "I'm in."

Brian: Here's one a lot of people don't know because people are always asking about where they can get our old boards: Factory 13 has been making JFA boards for a long time in the original sizes. Look 'em up on the internet and tell Danny that Brian sent you. He even custom makes them in different sizes shapes and colors. Good for everything from 215s to 139s. Hand made in the USA. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks guys for taking out some time out to get us caught up with the fans out there.


Visit the JFA homepage at: www.jfamusic.com

Visit DC Jam Records at: www.dcjamrecords.com

 

 

 

 

 

Stench Radio music play list for the week of May 22, 2011

Top 25  - In no particular order -

ANTiSEEN - Exploding Barb Wire Match
Gang of Four - What We All Want
ANTI-SEEN W/Joe Buck Yourself - Black-Eyed Suzy
Clan Of Xymox - Mucovite Mosquito
Adam and the Ants - Antmusic
Rezillos - 2000 A.D.
China White - Daddy S Little Queen [Live]
Cell Block 5 - Dead and Gone
Genocide - Sociopath
The Rattlers - I Won't Be Your Victim
Mickey Leigh - Outsider
The Dicks - Lifetime Problems
ATWAR - Survival of the Fittest
Joy Division – Atrocity Exhibition
Electric Hellfire Club - Devil's Whorehouse
Impaled Nazarene - The Day Of Reckoning
Bitchfits - Angelfuck
Joey Ramone - I Couldn't Sleep At All
Joe Buck - Drug Train
J.F.A. - Guess What
Youth Gone Mad - Okie Dog
Haunted Garage - Welcome to Hell
Toxic Reasons - Riot squad
The Gears - The Last Chord
Crankshaft - Life Is Getting Faster

The above list are some of the top played songs on Stench Radio.

 

 

Download the above songs HERE at the iTunes Music Store

 

 

 

 

 

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Shows and events calendar for Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura, San Diego, San Bernardino, California and states all over the United States and the world. Complete and extended listing covering Punk, Indie, Rock, Psychobilly and more.

Echo and The Bunnymen – at Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA

Last nights Echo & The Bunnymen concert over at Club Nokia proved to be an extraordinary moment in music, a dreamlike affair where one had to be there to fully absorb the magic of the night. The Bunnymen played an unforgettable set made up of the albums Crocodiles & Heaven Up Here back to back followed by chart topping hits that have cemented their place in alternative rock history.If you were one of the many unlucky fans unable to get a ticket to the sold out show, fear not, for Big Wheel was there saw everything under the roof!


Opening the night was solo artist Kelly Stoltz of San Francisco, a singer and songwriter who many Bunnymen fans have come to know over the years for his Crocodiles tribute album. His stage show was very stripped down (aside from xylophone), though it works quite well seeing as his backing band suits his vocal stylings so appropriately. The very 60’s psychedelic rock songs with an indie twist went over very well with the early crowd who were shuffling to make their way to the main pit area. In many ways, Kelley is the perfect opener for The Bunnymen, seeing as both artists draw so heavily from 60’s influence and style; he was a welcomed crowd warmer. As Kelley and his band closed out their set the fans energy levels began to rise as it was only a matter of time before Ian and co were due on stage.

The excitement in everyone spilled over as Ian, Will Sergeant and the band walked onto the pitch black, camouflaged adorned stage before a crowd of 1000 fans. A loud cheer filled the venues air as the eerie atmospheric intro to Going Up (Crocodiles opening track) kicked into full gear. The ever stylish front man that is Ian Mculloch sang his heart out in that way that he does that sets him apart from so many of his era. Most vocalists shy from smoking on tour, however Ian smokes cigarettes in between verses, creating a smoky mystique that lends itself to the Bunnymen’s moody brand of music. The fan favorite Rescue proved to be the biggest hit from their debut album and quite the live hit as well, bringing on the nights first big sing a long. Being the creative group that they are, they threw in a Doors and Lou Reed medley jam during their first set which caused quite a fan uproar.

Both artists were huge influences, and Ian and company paid homage in a most beautiful way. It was the 1985 single Bring on the Dancing Horses that owned the first set though, a classic Bunnymen track that is quite a favorite on the dance floor. The brief 10 minute intermission between sets worked out perfectly as it was time for a beer run and a chance to get closer to the stage before they came back for Heaven up Here in its entirety.

    Part 1 of the video overview


    BONUS: Part 2 of the video overview


The second set of the night saw a more relaxed and comfortable band as Ian often spoke to the crowd and told jokes in between songs. More hits also found their way into the set as Show of Strength, With a Hip, and All my Colours pulled from Heaven up Here were played and sung along to, like a choir ensemble. The intricate stage lighting treated fans to strobe and dark colors that lent itself to the musical aura, a bit of Ian’s cigarette smoke even filled the air in a fog machine like fashion, it was quite haunting and suited perfect for the Goth rock crowd.

The band finished Heaven up Here before coming out for a final encore and nearly blowing the roof off the club with their biggest hits to date. The ever timeless Lips Like Sugar brought upon lots of pogo and crowd swaying with its bouncy beat. Though it was Will Sergeants guitar driven Killing Moon that owned the title as best song of the night. The hypnotic mood it put the crowd in was one that carried out into nights closer The Cutter, which was quite the uplifting jangle pop hit to send every Bunnymen fan off on a very high note. The 2 hour and 20 minute set lasted to what only seemed like an hour as The Bunnymen are able to play hit after hit back to back with such ease. Before we had known, the night was over and all under the same roof had just witnessed a once in a lifetime concert that was brought on by one of the worlds most unique band to ever come out of the late 70’s/early 80’s British invasion of post-Punk bands.

Set list:
Going Up - Stars are Stars - Pride - Monkeys - Crocodiles - Rescue - Villiers Terrace/Roadhouse Blues (doors) - Pictures on The Wall - All That Jazz - Happy Death Men - Do It Clean - Bring On The Dancing Horses - Nothing lasts forever / Walk on the Wild Side
Show of Strength - With a Hip - Over the Wall - It was a Pleasure - A Promise - Heaven up Here - The Disease - All My Colours - No Dark Things - Turquoise Days - All I Want.
Encore - Lips Like Sugar - The Killing Moon - The Cutter

 

 

-Louie Bones-
Big Wheel Music Staff Reporter

                   More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

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Punk Rock Bowling Kick off party with Buck-O-Nine, Johnny Madcap and the Distractions, The Booze Hounds, Punk Is Dead – Majorelle – at The Airliner Club – Los Angeles, CA

The Official Unofficial Pre Punk Rock Bowling Party at the Airliner last Saturday was a BLAST! But of course what else would you expect from a party hosted by Sharky! Downstairs, on a coupla' flat screens over the bar, we got to view "Let Them Know" (the story of BYO!) PBR Tall Boys were served up all night upstairs and down and were in every hand it seemed.

Majorelle kicked off the night! (My band! It was fun as hell! What an honor sharing the stage with Buck O Nine!) We had fun.

Punk Is Dead followed. With Christ on drums, I realized why so many people were all still "here" on the day of the Rapture -- Jesus had a show to play! (Phil resembles Christ, as popularly portrayed on candles, paintings 'n' shit. Yeah ...)

PID powered through their set of Grateful Dead covers (done in like a third of the originals' time!) Pretty f'n cool, considering I'm only "kind of" a fan of maybe one original?

Their renditions kick ass! Jeff Wears Birkenstocks and Mike traded vocal duties up front. Loud, fun, fast set! Yeah, we put out their record. So what?! I'm a fan!

The Booze Hounds kept the pace and volume up for sure! What a great band. Yeah, again, I work for the label who put out their record too, but so what?! Wow, fucking wow. What a great set. Check em out! Alright, enough with the plugs ... * COUGH* facebook.com/northeastrecords *COUGH* ...

Johnny Madcap and the Distractions! OK, IF you're not familiar with any of their tunes, you'll surely shake your ass to their covers of "Hang On Sloopy" and Oingo Boingo's "Little Girls." I've known Johnny for over 15 years. It's rad to see him rockin' the fuck out. Great band, fun songs. Just a party; people dancing, singin' along. Just a great time.


Buck O Nine! Dude! Aaaaaaahhhh!!! SUCH FUN! Jon Pebsworth ("Pebs") is that familiar face at all those parties, shows, pubs ... the guy with a lot of pals who's just cool as all hell... and on stage, he's just as F'n rad! The momentum with the dancing and sing-a-longs from Johnny's set carried all the way, and then some, into Buck O Nine's set.

Horns man. Just warm up a room, don't they? The band's presence, their energy and great tunes made me feel fucking great... and apparently it made one weirdo so happy that he went around grabbing boobs. Hmm. But Brian Booze Hound put a stop to that, apparently, when he walked up to the guy and socked him 4 times in the face!

One of our pals pretty much said "that's enough" and saved the idiot. I have no idea how it went from there for that guy, but Brian went back to his business watching the show. Am I an asshole for still laughing about this? What a night. What. A. Night. If this serves as a primer for PRB, bring it on! I can't wait! Thanks Sharky. Thanks Mike Dunn. Thanks to you and all the bands who played this show. Let's do it again sometime!


 

 

 

-Garry Dunn-
Big Wheel Contributor

                   More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

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Swinging Utters – Here, Under Protest

2011 seems to be the year that band's have been releasing their long awaited albums- Screeching Weasel, Face to Face, and now Swingin' Utters. Of course, "Here, Under Protest" was released on Fat Wreck Chords, where the Punk group has remained for years. It's been eight years since "Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass, and Bones", and to be honest, I didn't like the album when I first played it. However, I felt like I didn't enjoy it because I was comparing it to "Dead Flowers" and other great Utters albums; I removed this grudge from my mind and gave it a second chance, viewing it as simply just "Here, Under Protest" itself- and loved it.

"Brand New Lung" starts off the album, which was included on the 3-song 7" inch released in Summer 2010, so this track wasn't a surprise for fans (it's still great, nonetheless). The catchy country/folk/bluegrass influences that the Utters are known for really seemed to kick in on songs such as, "Good Things", "Scary Brittle Farm", "Sketch Squandered Teens", and "Blindness is Kind". Both of my personal favorites, "(You've Got to Give it All) To the Man" and "Heavy Head" are the fastest tracks on "Here, Under Protest", and even managed to impress me on the first spin. "Taking the Long Way" is also a song that definitely deserves a mention- it's fierce chords and melodic Punk sound make for an instant hit, if not classic.

To sum it all up, the album is full of everything Utters fans love about them: a simple, catchy, and refined sound that goes hand-in-hand with straightforward and heartfelt lyrics. Thanks to the above elements, "Here, Under Protest" is destined to be a Swingin Utters classic, if not a Fat Wreck Chord one.

 

 

 

-Sarah K.-
Big Wheel Staff Reporter
 

 

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