#coastalpigs

[sometimesalwaysmusic]

PERMANENT STAINS

Thirty years in, and Permanent Stains are back at it. We caught up with members Malstain (M: vocals, keyboards) and Tex Styles (T, drums) to discuss their current reunion tour, their beginnings in Ottawa, and their creative use of just about everything during their live performances. Check them out Wednesday, August 9th at Pressed! 

VITALS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepermanentstains/

Web: https://permanentstains.bandcamp.com/

Latest Release: Is Gonna Reign: Permanent Stains’ Greatest Zits (Album, March 2017)

Upcoming shows: Wednesday, August 9 - Permanent Stains, Coastal Pigs & Worn Robot. 8PM. $8. Pressed. Ottawa, ON.

SA: How did Permanent Stains first start as a band? M: I was approached by my two best friends in the hallway in Grade 7. They said “Let’s start a band!” I later found out that they weren’t actually serious, but I totally was. I got really excited and started dreaming about all the stuff we would do. We didn’t even have instruments for the first year or so, then my brother Nick got a drum kit and I got a keyboard for Christmas, we started jamming, and it just kept going from there.

 SA: Who would you cite as primary influences on your sound? M: When we started, the biggest influence was definitely Weird Al. I often cite the Ramones as my transition to punk but looking back, there were a few bands that bridged that gap, whether outright comedy-punk like the Dead Milkmen or bands with a more cryptic sense of humour like NoMeansNo. Over time we started to get darker and more confrontational. I think probably the catalyst for that was when Nick and I saw John Zorn’s Naked City, with Mike Patton on vocals, at a Dutch jazz festival on a family vacation in ‘91. The way they combined jazz, noise and punk, and the way they actively provoked the crowd, was eye-opening.

 SA: You're 30 years in. Thus far in your career, what has been your biggest success? M: We’ve never really had “success” by any traditional definition, but I think we’ve made an impact in our own way. We’ve definitely blown a few people’s minds along the way, and that’s what I’m most proud of.

 SA: Concerning this reunion tour, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? T: Basically getting our act together!  Malstain has really driven the bus on (so to speak) and finding the time and resource to get seven guys in their forties from literally all over the world to the same place at the same time is quite an accomplishment.  It’s so hard that it wasn’t even possible at the 25-year mark! M: Seven guys, two continents, four time zones, five offspring between the ages of 2 and 22, and no money… logistics have been a wild ride.

 SA: How do you guys approach the song-writing process? M: Sometimes I or others will bring songs in written, other times we just make them up in rehearsal. Last year a few of us got together and just improvised for a few hours. Not free noodling (well, maybe the occasional hint), but actual songs that we just made up on the spot. We might do some of that onstage on the tour, we’ll see.

 SA: You guys may have experienced a wealth of different cities now: what are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? M: My impression is that the scene goes in waves every few years - getting really healthy, then going through periods of scarcity. Venues close down, people move away, things quiet down, then others are inspired to fill the void and the cycle begins again. When I started going to shows, it was a very active time with some really cool bands like Neanderthal Sponge, Grave Concern, the Trapt, Black Triangle, FurnaceFace, and no doubt others I’m forgetting… it was typical to have hundreds of kids out for a show of all local bands. I haven’t lived in Ottawa for years, but from my outsider’s perspective, right now seems like a good time with some cool bands and venues.

 SA: If you could narrow it down to one individual Permanent Stains show as being your favourite, which would it be and why? M: It’s really hard to narrow it down to one, but I’d say the SAW Gallery in April ‘93. It was a great show because we had all the over-the-top theatrics, but also actually played well. (It was always kind of a crap shoot how we would sound due to our revolving membership and our aversion to practicing.) When I think of that show or look at the video of it, I just remember the fun of playing together. T: Back in 2001 we played a gig at a sort of concrete bunker behind a strip bar that served as a boozecan/all ages punk show venue in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The audience were complete strangers, mostly drunk kids, and they went apeshit for us. I’ve had a few truly great shows with different bands in my life but that will always be my favourite. It’s great to play for friends and fans but a room of total unknowns getting into you is sublime. And the cops shut it down, which was the cherry on top.

 SA: What prompted the reunion tour and how has it been going so far? M: It’s our 30th anniversary and we haven’t done anything for 10 years! Seemed like the excuse we needed to get off our asses again. As far as how it’s going, you’ll have to ask later - the Ottawa show is the first one on the tour!

 SA: In press material for the band, it mentions that you were originally known for (among many other interesting things!) your 'creative use of kitchen appliances as instruments'. For those of us who weren't at the early gigs, could you elaborate on that one a little bit? M: Yogurt Boy, our mascot and spiritual leader, plays the blender as his main instrument. At various times he also experimented with hairdryer, alarm clock, oversized salad tongs, and possibly some other ones I’m forgetting.

 SA: Lastly, what are the plans for Permanent Stains after this tour? All the best this coming year! M:  I’d really like to do some more recording next, but we’ll see. It’s hard to organize, but we love playing together, so there’s no reason not to. I figure we can keep it going for at least another 20 years. 

[sometimesalwaysmusic]

COASTAL PIGS

Coastal pigs are Jeff Kainz (JK), Scott Terry (ST) and Leigh Newton (LN). They just released their fantastic album, Becomes a scene, becomes the nothing, at House of TARG and we got to pick their brains about their history in the scene, their prolific writing approach, and ideal tour-mates (both local and not!). Read on and give the record a spin!

VITALS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastalpigs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coastal_pigs/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/coastalpigs

Latest Release: Becomes a scene, becomes the nothing (LP, Sep 2017)

Upcoming shows: Stay tuned!

SA: How did Coastal Pigs start, and when did you start playing together? JK: Version 1 existed from June – Dec 2014, me, Scott, Tom Werbowetski (drums) and Paul Stevens (bass gtr). We all lived in Quebec, centred around La Peche. I hadn’t played music for 12 years, this was a good re-introduction, then I moved to Ottawa, followed by this version of Coastal Pigs ending and followed later in 2015, by Scott moving back to Ottawa. By March 2016, I was better prepared to again, try and start a group. It had to be a three piece and wanting to keep playing with Scott, I asked if he would be willing to play bass guitar instead of 6 string. Like the good punk kid he is, he swore and kicked at me, and with a smile said, sure. Leigh, I would see him every so often and would bring up the idea of playing together, which he liked, along with the dormant name. I eventually got to a place where I felt ready and arranged a rehearsal, and it felt right, it felt great, Version 2 began. Having Leigh on board is something special, he keeps Scott and me in line, our attitudes fresh and is musically so smart, it pushes us all. Without Scott and Leigh, this wouldn’t exist.

SA: What bands or musicians would you say are the biggest influences on your sound? LN: I've been trying to take a really different approach to the drums in this band than just about any other I've played in before.  Trying to keeps things really simple, let the song speak for itself without punctuating every little shift in the music with a drum fill or whatever. Influences with regards to that approach would be Joy Division, Public Image, early Cure, Killing Joke, Sonic Youth, Spacemen 3... ST: limp biz........kidding: FAITH NO MORE, KILLING JOKE, SMITHS, MORISSEY, BAD BRAINS, BLACK FLAG. JK: As a kid, I watched The Lawrence Welk Show every week, and that made me want to play the accordion, and I got one, so, that got me into music when I was 6. It wasn’t necessarily about the music, it was the style, the entertainment with a smile. But it seemed like behind all those smiles, there was tension, mischief, secrets & mystery of other lives. I liked that. Smile, have fun, be professional, everything is fine…  I eventually began to play guitar and the first Clash album was a big influence. It sounded bad, in a great way, an honest way, in a way that made it seem attainable to a novice. From there, Keith Levene (PIL), Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), Eric Johnson (Archers of Loaf) and Sterling Morrison.

SA: Thus far in the band's career, what has been your biggest accomplishment? LN: Being featured in Brooklyn Vegan and mentioned on CBC Radio are both pretty neat but honestly, for me it's our high rate of productivity - lots of quality songs in a very short amount of time. I love that. ST: WE WROTE AND RECORDED OVER 30 SONGS IN A YEAR. JK: I would also say our productivity, which isn’t obvious from an outsiders view. Personally, it’s important and really shows off the talent, patience and resilience in Leigh and Scott. And it’s very nice being mentioned in the media, press when that happens. Friends being positive and supportive feels good.

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? LN: The usual - trying to fool people into giving a crap about the band. ST:  THIS INTERVIEW....PREFER NOT TO SAY JK: The internal option of not doing it, not rehearsing, it’s an easy option, but, I’m still drawn to standing in a small room, with friends, turning the amps up loud and destroying my hearing for a few days. It’s an energy, it’s fun, and playing with Leigh and Scott is great motivation to keep producing and not caring too much about what my ears have to say. Playing shows, recording, sending out digital copies of an album, that’s all easy stuff.

SA: How do you guys approach the song-writing process? JK: For the most part, I’ll bring finished songs or ideas to rehearsal and we then start playing, that simple, straightforward. We only rehearse once a week, sometimes, every other week, so, not a lot. We’ve become very efficient, and I’ve loosened up a lot from past ways, giving the idea over to Scott and Leigh, let them at it, let them develop the song, it’s a real confidence booster, for me. It’s bouncing ideas around, trying things out, editing out what we think might be dragging a song or passage down. Keeping the lyrics tight, melodic, not overly repetitive. We have to like it and want to play it, or else it’s forgotten about and we move on to the next bits. Scott and Leigh both write songs, music in other projects, so, the 3 of us have a solid understanding of what we want to make happen in each song of ours. We draw from both our shared and different musical tastes, so, there is a good chance that we’ll land on something good. The Process, (insert smile).

SA: You guys are veterans now: what are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene, from your beginnings in it until now? LN: I think it's great. ST: If someone walks into the scene now and says its difficult to break in, it isn't. The folks who whine its non-inclusive are dreaming. And fuck them. Ottawa is strong, inclusive, and very open to new ideas , it always has been. anyone whining has a chip on their shoulder. No one comes to our shows, all of our friends have kids and don't give a fuck. You can't expect to be loved right off the bat, regardless of anything. We've worked hard, we've networked, we've been at shows, we've played festivals. In some cases since the 80's. You can't expect the world to be your oyster if you just storm in with a manifesto. The scene in Ottawa is good, but its fucked. Do we care? No. do others? who fucking cares. Do certain people wish they could make more money off our backs? Probably. JK: It really is great, there is something out there for all tastes. It’s cyclical, all the good, the bad, the ugly, the positives, negatives, the danger, the safety, has always been there and every so often, different elements pop through and get some exposure. I’m sure if you spoke with musicians going back to the club days of the 50s-70s, you’re going to hear a lot of the same stories and issues, maybe peppered with a few more fist fights. Find the good, there is always good out there, and there is a lot more good than bad.

SA: You guys just released "Becomes a scene, becomes the nothing", your debut full length album, at House of TARG. What's YOUR favourite song off the record, and why? LN: On a Map because I think it's got the best vocal of any of the songs on the album. ST: Landlocked, by rivers. CP bottled essence. JK: Today, it’s Cut Gums, it has a great feel and energy and a good chug to it’s rhythm. There’s no place for us to hide in it.

SA: Also on the topic of the live show, what is the band’s favourite song to play live (and why)? LN: I like Skull Fuck Summer (non-album track) because it's easy and a lot of fun. ST: Skull Fuck Summer, it’s fun and catchy and reminds me of my misspent youth, throwing dirt on cars from the side of the Sir John A. Parkway. JK: Kill the Killed, which we’ve only just started to play live. It reveals itself and keeps on revealing itself, it’s a one trick pony with 4 packs of playing cards. And for me at least, it’s a challenge to play and sing. My talent as a young, frustrated accordion player didn’t fully transfer to playing the guitar, the subtlety of picking single strings and notes mostly escapes me.

SA: Now, a question just for fun: Your three dream tour-mates (active or defunct, local or global), who would they be and why? LN: Ottawa's own Expanda Fuzz because they're awesome and playing with them is a blast; No Joy because I think they're one of the best Canadian bands going right now; and then some really shitty-but-popular band like July Talk just to ensure that we'd be playing in front of a crowd. ST: John Coltrane, the music. Bob Weir, seems like a nice guy. Greg Ginn, seems like a total douche. JK: For a tour of the western provinces, I like what Leigh chose. For a few shows around the Newport Jazz festival, 1\3 of Scott’s choices, and for me, a Maritimes tour with Andy Kaufman, ¾ of Fugazi (Guy, Brendan, Joe) and Lester Bangs (all defunct). All of the down time around sound checks would be pretty interesting and fun, something it never usually is.

SA: Lastly, what’s on the agenda for Coastal Pigs moving forward into 2018? All the best, guys! LN: The songs that ended up on the album represent about half of what we've got recorded so I imagine more releases will be on the way. Hopefully lots more shows, hopefully some out-of-towners, maybe a video. We'll see! Thanks Pierce! Always a pleasure! JK: Writing, rehearsing, more releases, album , ep, whatever works. Live shows and some out of town shows would be good. A video? Yeah, what Leigh said! Thanks Pierce!