Lower Class Brats Interview

Interview by: Stephanie M.
Big Wheel Senior Staff Reporter

As Lower Class Brats are about to embark on a tour with Vice Squad, we recently caught up with them to ask them some questions and get updated on the latest with LCB.

What is the band's main inspiration at the moment, and how has it influenced your music and lyrics?

Bones: I think that the real inspiration right now is in a changing of the guards in the band. Having Marty and myself backed up by Johnny O. and the Kid is great.
Marty: First and foremost it has to be for the fans!  The enthusiasm and devotion that our fans show us just reinforces what we know to be true! We will continue to focus on the best parts of Punk and rock 'n' roll and music in general in everything we do!  It's what we live for!!  Individually, each member has different influences, both musically and otherwise and that's the magic recipe that makes LCB what it is!!
Johnny O: I am drawing influence from a book called the Encyclopedia of Russian Prison Tattoo’s. There way of tattooing tells a story about your life. Like a crucifix isn’t religious it means “Thief In Good Standing”.  I think Marty and I are also using a lot of early punk and 70’s rock and roll to influence our riffs. We are also looking at older Brat’s songs and kinda going back to the earlier style, but with a new sound.


What is the most difficult thing to endure when you're on the road?

Bones: Stolen gear, falling asleep in bathtubs (thanks nic), fighting w/ your girlfriend on the phone, asshole cops, fuck-head promoters, the list goes on and on...
Marty: Other than just missing home, all the downtime between shows drives me insane!  I pretty much live for performing, but that's barely one hour a day so everything else is a big letdown. When the boredom sets in, one tends to get sidetracked and that can lead to all kinds of bad stuff!
Johnny O: Each other, hahaha. Really tour is great as far as new cities, new people to see and meet. The tough stuff is little sleep that affects everything. The hurry up and wait. You know you gotta drive 8 hours to get to a club by 4pm, then you get there set up, sound check, and then you don’t play till 10- 11PM. Also you gotta check your attitude, your living in the equivalent of a large bathroom, not even a studio Apartment with 5 dudes. Nowhere to go when you are mad or bummed.


What is the craziest most memorable moment that has happened at a show?

Bones: We had this huge dildo that we had gotten from Cheap Sex while on tour. It had to be at lest 18" long. We put an L.C.B. button about 5" down the shaft, and set it on the merch table. If you could touch the button w/ your lip, you would get a free t-shirt. I wish I could find my disposable camera from that night! HA!
Marty: Where do I start?!?  We've lived through everything from gigs being shut down by soldiers with machine guns in Mexico -that was a riot, LITERALLY!!- to crazed fans stealing our personal belongings -NOT COOL!!  We've been stiffed by Russian mobsters in the Czech Republic, it only gets better!
Johnny O: There have been many remembered, some not remembered that where probably really good, haha. One that was really random was our old drummer Clay, he decided to stage dive when we were touring with the Circle Jerks. He comes out of the crowd and says, “I think I hurt my finger”. His freaking finger is pointing side ways from the middle joint!! We had to get him to the hospital to have his dislocated finger put back in place. A lot of the memories come from how cool a headlining band is. We just played with Cock Sparrer and they were the nicest, coolest guys ever. You don’t know what to expect from bands that have been around for a while and then they are awesome.


Do people ever recognize you guys when you go out to do domestic things like grocery shopping?

Bones: At times. It usually ends in an autograph or a Billy Idol reference.
Marty: Every now and then.  It always seems to happen at the strangest times like shopping for underwear at the mall with my mom or buying hemorrhoid cream at CVS -ok, I made that one up!!  I've had kids come into the restaurant where I work and freak out.  They can't seem to understand that we work regular jobs like everyone else!
Johnny O: Yeah it happens. I really like when people always ask “You guys in a band?” When you are at a truck stop getting gas. Then you tell ‘em and they are like “Never heard of you”, I always get a kick out of that. Or the people who ask, “You gotta a CD” like you can just open up the trailer and get it for ‘em.

What is your favorite part about touring?

Bones: I really like meeting and having a drink w/ new people. Seeing new cities and countrys!
Marty: The gigs...the fans...the feeling you get from continually blowing the socks off loyal fans who didn't think it could even get any better!  Playing in a touring band, you meet a lot of people along the way, so it's always awesome getting to see all my friends around the world!
Johnny O: Seeing new places, and going to places that you are familiar with. Seeing old friends, and meeting new ones. Not working my shitty job at UPS, and getting to work my favorite job of playing music!!

Ever had to deal with any crazy hysterical fans?

Bones: Not until now...
Marty: Well...you get the odd stalker every now and then, but they're USUALLY harmless.  Like I said before, we've had our jackets and other things stolen from right off the stage!  Sometimes all you want in the world is just a few minutes of peace, without anyone vying for your attention, but you can't always get it!  Like you need to find a hiding place to just chill out and relax.
Johnny O: Sometimes… you know it was worse from like ’99-’03. I don’t know why but Southern California had some crazy fans at that time. I was doing Cheap Sex at that time, and CS and LCB played a show together at the Knitting Factory in LA. While pulling up to the club on Hollywood Blvd a few hundred punks saw us at the stoplight and just swarmed us. They were blocking traffic, hanging on the van. They were screaming and rocking the van, it was nuts.


Joey is fairly new to the band and started off as simply a fan, how did you guys meet him and allow him to join the band, and for Joey, how has the experience to join the band changed you?

Bones: I had met Joey a couple times before Marty took him to the try outs. We had 3 drummers learn 6 songs. Joey was the best of all of them.
Marty: I met Joey years ago at a gig when he was 'simply a fan' as you said.  He already had the LCB tattoos, but he was a cool kid...I didn't even know he played drums!  Anyway, later on when we were looking at drummers, someone suggested him and I was like 'wait...I think I know that guy' and it turns out he's insane on the drum kit. The rest is history!
Joey: I wouldn't say it changed me because I'm the same dipshit before I joined the band. It is a giant learning experience. I've learned alot in the time I have been in the band and it has opened a big world of opportunity for me as it has the members before me. I'm just grateful to be here and doing what I love!  

What city has so far been your favorite to play and why?

Bones: That's a loaded question...
Marty: I honestly couldn't pick just one!  LA is always a blast for us, plus we have a lot of good friends out here!  There's really too many to mention...Chicago, Tampa, Seattle, Paris...Munich and Berlin in Germany!  The list goes on!!
Johnny O: This can be a good/ bad thing you name a city, and then the other cities will be like “Fuck you” haha. I will name some of my favorites how about that. I love Montreal, Chicago, NYC, OKC, ATL, Reno, SF, Seattle, and Orlando. Those are a few of my fav’s I have a lot more.

What's next for the band?

Bones: We are still working on new songs for an upcoming CD. Working on tours for Europe, China, and Japan.
Marty: Well right now we're in the process of writing a new album which will be even better than our latest and best release to date "The New Seditionaries" and that's no easy task!  We will be releasing a two song 7" ep on Combat Rock Records in France as sort of a teaser.  We're about to leave on this West Coast tour with UK punk legends 'Vice Squad' in June/July and will be annihilating Europe once again this August/September!!  Other than that, we're gonna continue writing, performing and kicking ass as we are know to do!!!
Johnny O: We are currently writing a new album, we have about 6 songs in the works. We are about to tour with Vice Squad on the West Coast and mid West during June and July. Then we are going over to Europe for August and September. If you are in Europe you can check out http://www.myspace.com/weirdworldberlin    They have our dates. Then we are taking ourselves over to Japan to tour with the legendary SA (Samurai Attack)!!! That is a dream come true for me, I have been into SA for a long time, and I can’t believe we actually get to tour with them. We are really trying to tour more, and hit places we haven’t.


Stay up to date on all the stops on their tour with Vice Squad, Go and hook your self up as a friend on the bands MySpace at: www.myspace.com/lowerclassbratsrule

 

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