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Interview: With Mike McColgan of The Street Dogs – GOP 7″ Press Release

October 23, 2012

Interview by: Jo Problems
Big Wheel Journalist


You'd be hard pressed to name a band that works harder than the Street Dogs. This year alone they've toured the US, Australia, Russia, and Europe, band members have spent time on the streets for Occupy!, and now they're releasing a new single. But this isn't just any single, this is an updated version of Menace's classic "GLC", re-written to express the band's feelings about the GOP and the current political climate in America. And they're not just recording it and hoping you'll buy it. Working with Pirates Press records, Street Dogs have pressed 20,000 flexis with the single, and are relying on the Street Dogs army to hand them out at political rallies all over the country in the weeks leading up to the election. We sat down with frontman Mike McColgan for a little more insight. 
 

Where did the inspiration come from to update and Americanize Menace's classic "GLC"?

We were on tour in Europe, and it was after the show and [bassist] Johnny [Rioux],me and [guitarist] Marcus [Hollar] heard the Menace  GLC song. Johnny hatched the idea that we cover the song, but with a twist. Hence GOP was born.

Why the cover/ re-write, and not something wholly original?

We all love the original song, but we felt we needed to make the cover more relevant to the now and also let loose how we feel about politics right now.

Your band has always loudly and proudly stated your views, and backed them up through your actions. Do you ever worry that that will lose you fans, or help divide people?

We are totally willing to deconstruct our band to make the music we want and to say what we want. Unlike other bands of the day we do not play it safe or straddle the middle. We pick a side in the fight and back it up. People do not have to think like us or agree with us and we can and do agree to disagree with fans, friends, enemies, or jaded broken bar room-dwelling Punk rock experts from today and yester year. We are not in the business of preaching nor are we in the business of singing about trite or insipid shit.

Tell us a little about the flexi promo you're doing with Pirate's Press. What's the MO, what impact do you hope to have?

The MO is hand these flexi's out to ANYONE who is actually willing to listen to them. The impact we want to have is to make people actually think!

Is there still time for people to get involved? How? 

Yes, go over to http://thegopisfullofshit.com/ for all the info

You've had a pretty consistent schedule of releases, is this the first taste of a new album to come?

No, this is a separate project and the new album will be super angry it appears. We are currently working on record six and look to release that next summer. Stay tuned for more........

So there you have it. Street Dogs once again putting their money where their mouths are, and standing strong for what they feel is important, while bringing Punk Rock back to the fury from which it was born. 

You can join the effort at http://thegopisfullofshit.com/, or get a copy of the actual record HERE

 


 

 

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