It’s the little power we do have, and as artists or whatever within the smaller more independent media we can say these things. PB : And George W is a dick because… ? Not trying to rag on your president here by the way! He's good because it’s so easy to see how evil he is. He doesn’t even have to believe them himself. RR: Because his lies are so thinly veiled. People ask questions and people really want to know like what is it like living there at the moment. PB : Have you thought more about politics since being outside the US?ĭS : I’ve thought about politics a lot more since I left the States. I’m not the sort of person to stand on a soapbox and tell everyone they have to believe what I believe, but I’m starting to see there’s a lot more for us to say. So if someone does something like that from seeing us then that’s great. The people there already know, but the more I see, the more I think maybe some people don’t. RR: I have been wanting to take down more States, but playing live in the US underground it becomes assumed, like playing at a warehouse in the middle of downtown, you're probably not supporting George Bush. I feel that playing the way I do it says that what I believe in, that you don’t have you to follow a trend.ĭS : Yeah there’s no "take down the state" or anything.
My guitar playing is personally political. RR : Personally political yes, like in what you do everything is a political gesture in some way. Would you describe yourselves as being political? PB : Punk rock and politics in music seem to go hand in hand at the moment, with so many bands making a point of their political stances. We do stuff ourselves we don’t rely on managers or labels ('Erect the Youth Problem' is released on Dean Spunt's own Post Everything label-Ed). Maybe the idea that you do stuff yourself, I think that’s what it was all about. RR : I’m not quite sure what that was referring to.
PB : Care to elaborate? How does a band become that punk? PB : You were described by a well-known music magazine as “so punk… PB : Fans of what bands would like yourselves?ĭS: Newer bands like the underground bands and the more arty sounding bands and that kind of thing.ĭS : For me a lot of the American punk bands from the 80’s and that whole hardcore scene. RR : We’ve released two 7-inch records and one full-length album, 'Erect the Youth Problem', which we’re touring with at the moment. We are enjoying it though, and yes it is our first trip this way.
It's fun.ĭS: Yeah, it’s great but you do miss all those at home who you love you know. RR: 6 weeks and 6 days, not that I’m counting. RR : We agreed to be in a band about four years ago, but it took us about a year before we really had any songs and played our first shows. PB : How long have you guys been together? RR : We’re the Wives and we’re from Los Angeles, California. While in their tour-mobile I talked to the band about music, George W, limb loss and the eternal question, what is punk? No green rooms here! The band consist of guitarist Randy Randall, bassist/singer Dean Spunt and drummer Jeremy Villalobos. After some polite introductions, the Wives took me out to their car where the interview took place. Eventually three tired, but very cool looking guys entered the room. “Which one?” came the reply from someone who was quite clearly not American, but more local.
It somehow felt a little like a cowboy film, only with bands instead of sheriffs…and bouncers in suits instead of Indians…you see my point. I saw a bunch of friendly looking young scamps by the bar in the venue. All I knew was that they were American and by all accounts very punk. I entered the venue without having any idea what the Wives looked like. I had the pleasure of joining them in what is their car,tour bus and home for the next few months before they went onto destroy Sunderland and leave everyone wondering “What was that?” and all who witnessed them realise that they may never see anything so unique and wonderful again. I’m happy to report that, although very punk, they are a great bunch of guys. They were recently described by one music mag as “ So fucking punk it hurts” Now I wanted to see how much pain seeing them would cause me, and also just how torturous an interview with them would be. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will. The evening also included sets by two local bands as well as the Wives, who are one of the hottest new bands to come out of the American underground scene. Tonight’s was their first in Sunderland, and what a great first night. They played at the new live music venue in Sunderland, Chambers Nightclub, at an evening set up by Black Glass, who are an independent group who are putting on such shows and club nights across the North East. American band the Wives recently played a gig in Sunderland as part of their first European tour.
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