Interview: Boulevard Trash, Tulsa's pop up punk shop

PiOK: First off, introduce yourself if you’d like.

Boulevard Trash: Boulevard Trash is ran by Michelle Martin and Tony Cozzaglio. We live in Tulsa, OK and hope to be able to boost the scene by making what you love more accessible here in Tulsa!

PiOK: What exactly is a pop-up shop?

Boulevard Trash: A pop up shop is another word for a "mobile" store!

PiOK: Will there be a physical location where people can go buy stuff?

Boulevard Trash: We plan on having a physical location later on down the line. We hope to be able to find an easy downtown location with lots of foot traffic.

PiOK: What locations do you plan on setting up at?

Boulevard Trash: We plan on setting up at any punk/hardcore shows around Tulsa. We are hoping to target all ages shows, especially!

PiOK: What sort of merch will you be selling? What is the price range for stuff? Can punks expect to see a little higher prices since you’re essentially a vender?

Boulevard Trash: We will be selling shirts, patches, records, pins, and more. We plan on keeping our prices very fair and inexpensive. Because we will only be a pop up shop, we won't have other Business expenses (bills, etc.) this is a great way for us to keep our prices low for everyone to be able to afford what they want!

PiOK: Where did you get the idea to do a pop-up shop? Is this more common in bigger scenes?

Boulevard Trash: Yes, vending at shows is definitely not a new idea. It is common in a lot of other areas! We thought this would be a great way to start having a small business carrying products we actually care about here in Tulsa. It will be easy to get our name out there while supporting the scene at the same time and having our shop open at local shows.

PiOK: Will you have anything from local bands? If so, how can local bands get their stuff sold through you?

Boulevard Trash: We definitely want to carry local bands merchandise! We encourage bands to send us a Facebook message, or email us at boulevardtrash@yahoo.com with their wholesale prices.

PiOK: Will there be any smaller batch or custom made items (like hand painted or printed shirts)?

Boulevard Trash: The amount of things we will be getting our hands into will only grow with time, so far we plan to stick to pretty traditional merchandise, but not to say we never will have custom items.

PiOK: I saw you mention that you will be doing online ordering, but it will be a smaller emphasis. Why not focus on online orders?

Boulevard Trash: There are TONS of online punk stores to order from, and we don't want to be like everyone else. We want to focus on Tulsa and making people more aware of the music scene here. We will have a website up and working very soon, and we will still have our merchandise available for mail order.

PiOK: Will you be buying and reselling used items? (Ones that don’t fit anymore because nobody told some of us that beer makes you fat when you’re 26)

Boulevard Trash: Yes, definitely! As long it is in good condition still, we would love to resell used punk clothing, patches, records, anything you want to get rid of.

PiOK: When do you expect to have everything rolling?

Boulevard Trash: We plan for opening night to be on January 8th 2014. We will be set up at the Neutron Rats (NewYork) show at the Creative Room. Stay tuned for more information on that show! It will be a good one.

PiOK: Anything else you’d like to add?

Boulevard Trash: We would just like to add that we are open for any and all suggestions on what you would like to see in our store. Come January 8th, if you don't like what you see, or if you'd like to see something else, let us know! We want to provide what people want to have, even regarding scenes and genres that we aren't fully aware of. Hope to see you out and about soon!

Fuck You We Rule Ok festival announces 2014 dates and bands

The Tulsa, Oklahoma punk festival Fuck You We Rule OK has announced dates and several headlining bands for their 2014 festival. The first event was held this past July at The Vanguard in Tulsa. FYWROK will return to the Vanguard July 4th, 5th, and 6th in 2014.

Here is a list of bands who have been confirmed to play next year:

The Virus
Blanks 77
Krum Bums
Street Brats
The Broadsiders
Wyldlife
The Chernobyl Babies
Violent Affair (OKC)
The Shame (Tulsa)

The festival is once again being put together by Tony Cozzaglio and Ryan Richard.

Interview - Night Birds' Brian Gorsegner

Night Birds have been quickly taking over the Northwest Northeast (oops) hardcore punk scene over the past 4 or so years. It should be no surprise to anyone who listened to Riot Radio or reads this site that the jersey hardcore surf punks are currently one of my favorite modern punk bands. Singer Brian Gorsegner was cool enough to take some time to answer questions. Enjoy...

PiOK: Let’s start with the basics. If you look at the song writing credits, it seems like you and Joe both write a lot of the lyrics. Could you walk us through the typical songwriting process?

BRIAN: We work together most of the time... I will write a chorus, Joe will help out with a verse, or vice versa. Sometimes I'll just have a riff, or a lyrical idea, and Joe will take it from there. Sometimes we'll write a whole song by ourselves. But even when we write a whole song by ourselves once it gets brought to practice everyone has say in it if we want to change a part, or suggest doing something different. We're really brutally honest with each other, all we want is to write the best song possible so no one gets hurt feelings or any thing like that.

PiOK: You seem to have a lot of different directions in songwriting: movies, murder, daily life, prescription drugs, and a wide range of other topics that a lot of punk bands don’t touch.  What pushes you guys have such a wide variety of subjects in your songwriting?

BRIAN: I guess just not wanting to be bored with what we write. No reason not to touch on as wide a variety of topics as you can. A lot of our songs are just our own social commentary... We are like the SEINFELD of punk rock lyrics... OK, that's giving us way too much credit. 

PiOK: How many songs have you written based on b-movies?

BRIAN: Oh man, no idea. 

PiOK: After I listened to Hoffman Lens I went out and bought They Live. I’ve always been curious about some of the other references you make, especially in Midnight Movies. What obscure films would you suggest for the readers to go check out?

BRIAN: Let's see... "Midnight Movies" references Eraserhead and Pink Flamingos... The song Bad Biology is about a Frank Henennelotter film with the same title... Triple Feature reference 3  Frank Henennelotter movies, hence the title; Basket Case, Frankenhooker, and Brain Damage. 

PiOK: The biggest comparison I usually hear for Night Birds is that you sound like Dead Kennedys. Obviously this is meant as a compliment, but do you ever get frustrated to hear that comparison?

BRIAN: Not frustrated at all, though it seems a bit lazy sometimes. I don't put us in the category of bands like Bl'ast where there one goal is to sound like Black Flag... Or a band like the Queers who just want to sound like the Ramones. We draw from all over, and I think if you listen to a lot of music like we do that pretty easy to see.

PiOK: You seem to get paired up playing with older bands like The Dickies and Zero Boys. Do you draw a lot of influence from the older sound of bands like them?

BRIAN: Yep for sure. That's the stuff we grew up on and love.

PiOK: What modern bands are you most into right now?

BRIAN: Give, Culo, Nervosas, Tenement, and Big Eyes are some of my favorites at the moment.

PiOK: Up to now, your full lengths and Fresh Kills, Vol. 1 have been released on Grave Mistake Records. This summer you released the Maimed for the Masses 7” on Fat Wreck Chords. Do you feel like you are 

getting to a point where you could see yourselves signing with a more prominent label? (No disrespect 

meant to Grave Mistake, they seem like a great label)

BRIAN: It's not out of the question. We love Alex and we love working with Grave Mistake, so I really have no idea at this point. Luckily BORN TO DIE IN SUBURBIA is brand new so we don't have to worry about that quite yet! Next on our plate will be an all surf instrumental EP on WALLRIDE RECORDS.

PiOK: From an outside point of view, the band has always seemed very self-sustained. Every time I order something, it comes with Joe’s return address on it. One time I got a Night Birds hoodie shipped in a Black & Decker iron box. Would you say you are a fairly DIY band?

BRIAN: haha, glad to see Joe is recycling! But yea, we like to be in control of every aspect of the band. It's more a quality control thing than it is some DIY warrior type stuff. If someone mail orders from us we want to know it's getting done quickly. We wanna throw in extra stuff and let them know we appreciate them buying from us. We also make most of our money as a band through tee shirt sales, so you really shoot yourself in the foot by having an outside merch company handle that for you... granted it takes a lot of time and work to get it done, and can often be a pain in the ass trying to find time between regular jobs and regular life shit, but it's going that extra mile that makes it more rewarding.

PiOK: Is it getting to the point where it is getting overwhelming to do it yourself?

BRIAN: In some aspects, yes. Actually, as of Jan. 1st 2014 we are bringing on a booking agent for the first time. Ron who sings in FINAL CONFLICT does a booking agency called CRAWLSPACE BOOKING and he will be taking over Night Birds booking duties come the start of the new year. He books some cool bands like Cock Sparrer, The Dwarves, Meatmen, Negative Approach, Giuda, The Casualties, etc... I have always been the main show / tour booker for the band, but with my wife and I having a baby in the new few weeks I really don't think I'll have the time to do it correctly so we are going to give it a shot.

PiOK:This is somewhat of a random question. I have seen a lot of your fans use the phrase “we don’t need a joke” but I just can’t figure out what that means. Where does that phrase come from?

BRIAN: This guy MITCH CLEM does comic strips and he did one about us in 2011. That is where that comes from. 

PiOK: Was there one match or instance involving Mick that made you say “this guy needs a punk song”?

BRIAN: No, just his general attitude about his passion. It's about loving something so much and working so hard for it that you will put it above and beyond your personal well being. Tossing yourself into barbed wire, jumping into fire, all in the name of putting on a good show.

PiOK: I read that Foley likes the song. What did he have to say about it?

BRIAN: He messaged us and said "Thanks for the tune! That's a big honor for me. I really like the song."

PiOK: Thanks again for your time, and I know there are people who really hope you make a stop in Oklahoma on your next full tour. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

BRIAN: Thanks for the interview! Now have some OK pride and go listen to NOTA's "toy soldiers"!

Punk is OK previews three new tracks from Violent Affair's "Cockroach Theory"

I was lucky enough to get a preview of three upcoming album tracks from Oklahoma City punk band Violent Affair, two of which are unreleased anywhere. “Cockroach Theory” is the upcoming album that many punks and former punk radio DJs have been waiting years for. The band’s first album “Stand Trial” showed promise, their most recent single “A Call to Arms” and EP “The Pressure is Rising” showed the talent was there; “Cockroach Theory” seems to be the sign that everything is coming together for the band. I listened to all three of the songs a few times. Here are my first thoughts.

“Destroy Society” is one song that has been available online for a while, but I have to admit that I only really listened to it a couple times. After listening to it again, it surprised me how pogo-y it is. The lead guitar winds up and down the root notes as the rhythm guitarist provides a catchy riff. Dave’s street punk style vocals seem a little out of place when you first hear the song, but the more I listen to it the more I feel like it works for this spikey sing-along. One thing this song reminds me of is how much I like the interplay of vocals on recent Violent Affair releases. The variety of voices makes it feel like the gangs all here.

The next track I opened was the unreleased title track “Cockroach Theory”. The song intros with a stutter that reminds me of “Generator” era Bad Religion, and jumps into the steady street punk beat backed by Ryan’s no-bullshit drumming. The politically charged punk winds up and down in tempo before ending abruptly. This song feels straightforward at first, but the second time through, you start to notice all of the space in this song. The guitars, vocals, beat, and bass all go in and out to give the song a really different feel than your standard street punk track. Harmonized guitar solos and riffs make it a little reminiscent of the metal influence in old VA tracks. It is pretty easy to understand why this is the title track.

As a bassist, I am a sucker for a simple bass and drums intro. “Stronger Than Before” gives me a tingling feeling within the first 2 bars. Zach’s bass riff just sounds mean, I don’t know how else to put it. The line isn’t anything technical, but the tone and notes just make me want to clinch my fists. This track is probably the most recognizably Violent Affair sounding of the three I have, but it still has its share of breaks, guitar riffs with space between notes (ie not just constant strumming), and winding solos. The aspect that stands out for this track is the gang vocals. I can see the fists being raised live every pre-chorus.

These are just three songs from “Cockroach Theory” but they really show a developing sound for Violent Affair. Violent Affair has added a bit of originality to the street punk scene. It almost feels a little risky to step away from something that has been proven to get people moving, but the added creativity and variety in their emerging sound works. With these tracks, and plenty more that I haven’t got a chance to hear yet, I think Violent Affair is starting to come into their own. With the talent there, the songwriting solid, and the studs aplenty, who knows how far these guys can go.

Album Review: Night Birds - Born to Die in Suburbia

People who swear off of punk because “all of the bands sound the same” are lazy. Simply put, they’re lazy. It is easy to find 4,000 bands that sound alike; but if you dig deep and get lucky you might find a band like Night Birds. I was lucky enough to stumble on them just as they released Fresh Kills Vol. 1 on Grave Mistake. Since then I have pretty much drooled over anything they have released like it was an old Bad Brains album I’d never heard before.

Night Birds return with their second full-length record “Born to Die in Suburbia”. It is hard to believe that this album is only technically a sophomore release, following four EPs and their debut LP “The Other Side of Darkness”, also on Grave Mistake Records. Born to Die sounds like the band is hitting their stride nicely. Fresh off a release with Fat Wreck Chords for their Maimed for the Masses EP (of which the title track about wrestler Mick Foley also appears on this album), it would seem that they are headed in the right direction of gradually gathering fans while sticking to a sound they have developed.  

The songwriting is a mix of angsty songs about self-loathing and hating Christmas gatherings, surf-punk instrumentals, and tracks about pop culture (the continued references to John Carpenter don’t hurt a thing). The album as a whole feels more hardcore influenced than their previous works since it is much more driven by the vocals. That being said, the guitar work is still just as catchy as ever.

There are a few things that have unjustly pigeonholed this band since “Killer Waves”: the fact that East Bay Ray was somewhat influenced by surf guitar, causing everyone to compare them to DK; and the fact that Joey Erg is one of the founding members, forcing the comparison to The Ergs. This album will hopefully cement Night Birds as a band of their own, not one defined by their influences.

Born to Die has some of the same surf punk influence that helps set the band apart, but reaches a bit further to include a large variety of songs. The fast songs are much more aggro than any of their previous releases. The vocals go over the top with energy and anger. The slow songs bring on feelings of angst and tension, before releasing it in the first few beats of the next track.

If someone tells you that punk is dead, I would suggest that you hand them a copy of this album. It is somehow a perfect mix of modern and old school. To me, the biggest downside of the album is that there are only 14 tracks, and two of those are instrumentals. I would love to have a longer album to see how deep the band can really dig when writing songs. That being said, “Born to Die in Suburbia” is not for everyone. It isn’t spikey punk, but if you’ve ever enjoyed 80’s hardcore, Dick Dale, or good loud fast music, give it a listen.

The album will be out tomorrow (July 8th). 

Interview: Fuck You We Rule OK Fest Organizer Tony Cozzaglio

Oklahoma has wanted and needed a punk festival for years. Lots of people in the scene have bounced around ideas, but nothing ever took off. Until Tony Cozzaglio and Ryan Richard announced the first lineup for Fuck You We Rule OK, most people would have said that a punk fest in Oklahoma would just be a waste of money. Bands, like The Krays from New York, are coming from across the country to play for OK punks. The lineup includes bands that are difficult to see live anymore, like Brassknuckle Boys, Adolf and the Piss Artists, and an Agrestix reunion. Local punk bands weren't left out, including Violent Affair, The Shame, and Streetlight Fight getting on the bill. I got a chance to talk to Tony Cozzaglio about the festival.

PiOK: Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you decided to start the festival?
TONY: I've Played in several different hard working punk rock bands over the past years (Al and the Black Cats, The Chernobyl Babies, etc.) and have always been involved in my local and regional punk scene's putting on shows. Over many years a hand full of my close friends have taken turns setting up festivals each summer always in different cities with a wide range of names but always in the mid west. And this year when I heard most were planning on taking this year off I decided it was my turn to do so.

PiOK: Have you worked with any festivals in the past, or is this your first time putting one together?
TONY: I’ve been close to the organization of other festivals in the past helping friends and such, but this is my first time being point man for one. That being said I’ve organized many concerts and shows in the past. As well as organized many tours so being involved in show organizing behind the scenes is nothing new to me.

PiOK: What made you want to hold the fest in Tulsa, Oklahoma?
TONY: I moved here a year ago and since then have organized several shows. I guess the main reason I did it here is because this is now my home! Why would I organize it anywhere else!

PiOK: What Oklahoma bands do you have on the bill?
TONY: Violent Affair, The Shame, Streetlight Fight & it will be the first show for a new band I’m starting here The Wheelz

PiOK: You have bands coming from New York, Atlanta, Colorado, Philadelphia, and all over the States. Why did you decide to make FYWROK a national thing and not an Oklahoma festival? TONY: Why not, when people across the nation hear "Oklahoma" punk rock is probably not the first thing they think of. And it seems many bands avoid playing here even though there is an audience. Maybe it’s time people’s minds are changed.

PiOK: You recently added a third day to the festival, and announced the Krum Bums, Adolf and the Piss Artists, and Brassknuckle Boys will be playing. Each time you say that there are no more surprises. Are you really done with the surprises? Is there anything else you’d care to leak about the festival? TONY: hahaha no I promise we're done this time! haha

PiOK: Are there any bands you are personally looking forward to?
TONY: All of them! Sure there are some more than others, I've never seen Brass Knuckle Boys so I’m excited to FINALLY see them, as well as The Krays. Haven’t seen Victory yet or Sniper 66. So I’m pumped for them, then there’s a LONG LIST of friends bands I can’t wait to see again! I haven't seen PONX ATTAX in years! And I’ll be playing guitar in the Bad Engrish at this show so that will be fun! I’m excited for everyone. If I didn't like a band, then why would I book them!? haha

PiOK: How did The Agrestix reunion come about?
TONY: Jermz been a friend a mine for a long time, and it was about time they did one anyway!

PiOK: Where did the name for the fest come from? Is it a reference to the Last Resort or Oxymoron songs?
TONY: I love oxymoron and yes! It is! To be honest we didn't come up with it, we just posted online that we needed a name and people more clever than us came up with it! (we being me and Ryan Richard whom I’m organizing this with)

PiOK: For those who have never been to a punk show, the list of bands could be intimidating. Would FYWROK be a good first punk show for someone? TONY: Absolutely!! I truly hope this will be many young Tulsa kids first punk show!

PiOK: Do you plan on making this a yearly festival, or is this a one-time event?
TONY: As long as it goes well and doesn't turn into a riot I see no reason not to do it each year!

PiOK: What has been the most difficult part of putting FYWROK together?
TONY: hum, I really don't know, I guess just that we put Fuck in the name probably made it difficult to promote publicly, but that’s our own damn fault haha

PiOK: How big of a turnout are you expecting?
TONY: I really can’t say, all I can say is the more people who come out the more likely we'll be to do it again next year and the bigger it will be in the future!

PiOK: For those who are interested in going, how can people get tickets?
TONY: Tickets are available pre-sale at http://fywrok.limitedrun.com/ and we urge people to buy them pre-sale, we expect the venue will be sold out! But we'll also be taking up the hunt club and their outdoor patio. It’ll be half a block of punk rock!

PiOK: Thank you for your time. Would you like to add anything else?
TONY: yeah for up to date info find us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/events/119389468241541/?fref=ts and please help spread the word, invite your Facebook friends to this, share the flyer! Tell people about it! And I’ll see you there for a drink! Cheers!

EP Review: Night Birds - Maimed for the Masses

Fat Wreck Chords have introduced Night Birds to a little bit more of the world with their new EP Maimed for the Masses. This is inevitably just another step toward the band’s complete world domination. I can’t think of a band to come out of the past 5 years that I have liked more, and everyone who listens to them seems to be getting just as attached as I am.

With Maimed for the Masses they face one of their first tests as a growing band: being released on a bigger label. Whether you call a band “sell-out” or not, it is hard to deny that bands tend to change their sound when they get the opportunity to spend some money on recording and post-production. The first thing I was very happy to hear was the gritty reverb-tinged lead guitar line that has come to be Night Bird’s signature sound. As the full sound kicks in, the title track “Maimed for the Masses” feels just as energetic and catchy as “Killer Waves”.

The intensity gets kicked up on the second track “Barred Out”, a song about being on the all –too recreational prescription drug Xanex. This second track is full of energy, anger, and angst. This track is a juxtaposition of every person I have ever met who does bars. The lyrics aren’t anything special, but the music makes me want to get up and break stuff. I think that this is the only thing that saves the song from being just alright. Then again, I have never done “zanies”, so this song just really doesn’t speak to me from the start, probably one reason why it was cut from the full album.

“Last Gasp” brings the Birds’ surf sound to the forefront with a winding guitar rif, whammy bar, and enough reverb to make your brain to feel like it’s shaking. Once again, this song feels a little bland for Night Birds, which explains why it is a B-side on an EP of songs that didn’t make the full length. There just isn’t much catchy about the song. The way I hear it, the emphasis of the song is placed on the reverbed staccato guitar hits that start the song and separate the verses.

The EP closes with a raucous instrumental surf song like Night Birds tend to close with. This track is good. If "Boat Trash" is the instrumental they dropped from the full length, I can’t wait to hear the ones that made it.

Overall, this is an EP leading up to an album, so you can’t put too much pressure on these songs. After all these were the songs that didn’t make it on the LP, but if you give it a few listens you really don’t get that from it. It feels like a standalone release. The single “Maimed for the Masses” is a great song, the B-sides don’t let you down, and the instrumental just kicks ass. This is a good way to get the public ready for their upcoming album.

written by Tip Toasty

Photo Set: Frank Zito and the Mannequins House Show

House shows are what built so many punk bands coming up in the 80's and 90's; and it is good to see them still happening in 2013. In a time when everyone is afraid to annoy their neighbor after 10 pm, sometimes it takes a trailer in the middle of Eastern Oklahoma to bring out the best in a band.

Here are some shots from the Frank Zito and  the Mannequins house/trailer show on 5/11/2013.

 Chuck

 Frank Zito and the Mannequins

 Living Room Pit

 Rowdy

 Bob

Go to www.facebook.com/punkisok to see more pictures from this show.

Tulsa's The Shame to be Included on Upcoming Compilation

Oi! the Boat Records have announced round 2 of their VOi!ce of America series, which includes Tulsa Oi! punks The Shame. The four band compilation is available on 7" vinyl this spring.

The release also includes Colorado Springs skinhead band 99 Bottles, Denver pogo punkers The Bad Engrish, and Seattle Oi! band Noi!se. Pre-orders start May 10th at http://oitheboatrecords.limitedrun.com/

Celtic Kings of Oklahoma: Interview with The Righs

The Righs are one of those bands who have been around for a long time, but you really don't hear enough about. If you're not from the Oklahoma City area, there is a slim chance you've seen them live.But this Celtic punk outfit is well worth the effort to see live. I was lucky enough to find this band my band opened for The Toasters in Tulsa around 2010, and they kicked off the show. After watching their energetic set, I couldn't help but wonder why we they weren't playing right before the headliner. 

Jump to 2013, the band is in the process of recording their third album. The whole band was kind enough to spend some time answering questions.

PIOK: Could you introduce yourself and tell us what you play in the band?

NATE: My name is Nate Williams. I play acoustic guitar and am one of three lead vocalists (along with Jack and Omid).

JOHN: Sure thing... John Slawson - bass.

JIAN: I am Jian Azimi and I play the fiddle!

JACK: I'm Jack Smith, and Omid Nowrouzi and I play whatever's necessary. 

OMID: Balls.

RONNIE: Yeah, man! I'm Ronnie Meyer. I play the drums.

PIOK: How did The Righs come together?

JOHN: “Hey, I play and you play so let’s play? Cool.” “Oh, you want to play too? Cool.” Bam.

PIOK: I have heard the band’s name pronounced several different ways, what is the proper way to say it? What does it mean and how did you decide on it?

NATE: This is something that we’ve been correcting people on for years, but we kind of brought that on ourselves by picking a weirdly spelled name. It’s pronounced “rigz” with a hard “g.” A lot of people pronounce it as “rise” when they first say it. Righ is a modern spelling of the Gaelic word Rí, which means “king.”

JOHN: We picked it because our previous name ended up belonging to another band overseas. 

PIOK: You’ve been a band for around eight years now, right? How has the band changed from when it first started?

JACK: We started by figuring out some sort of base to build the band on, then skewed way away from that, and now I feel like we've come back a bit wiser for it. 

JIAN: There’s a lot of input that comes in now from all sides. Omid has taken a larger role in writing songs that have a different mood and feel than what Nate and Jack provide. The drummer position was also a hard one to nail down. I can’t even keep straight how many we've had… Four? Five? Anyway, when Ronnie came on board, the relationship of the band as a whole got tighter, and I think we enjoy playing our music even more.

PIOK: You are currently working on your third full length album, how is that coming? Can you give us some details on the album itself?

JOHN: I think that, the first time, we sank into the swamp, and the second time we burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp. But this time... well, it should be good to go.

NATE: I will say that we’ve got a great engineer/producer, Jeremy Ralstin, we’re working in a really high quality studio, and we’re recording songs that people have been bugging us to record for years. We’re feeling pretty confident that, no matter what form it takes, this is going to be a great release and we’re hoping to turn some heads.

OMID: Mary Tyler Moore.

PIOK: I think Omid hit it right on the head. Is this album much different than your two previous offerings? If so, how did that difference come about?

JACK: It's somewhere between the first two. Like I said, we came back to our roots a bit more on this one.

PIOK: What was the process for writing this album?

JOHN: The process for this release has been much like it’s always been. Typically, one of us will write the basics of a song, the lyrics, chords, maybe a melody or two, and then everybody else contributes their own ideas on how to make the song better. While we may still say “That’s Omid’s song,” or “That’s Jack’s song,” the reality is that we have a very collaborative songwriting style. 

PIOK:The most common description of your sound is Celtic-punk. How did the Celtic sound develop for you?

NATE: The big thing is it was a sound that we enjoyed listening to and enjoyed playing. It was a conscious decision, rather than where we ended up.

JACK: Through heritage and research we've tried to create a Celtic yet modern sound that's all our own. 

PIOK: The band lists its influences as everything from Flogging Molly, to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, to Chuck Berry. How did/do all of those sounds come together to form your music?

JOHN: Here’s the thing, our influences change, depending on who in the band you ask. I think that we all have our own personal influences and just choose personally what to bring to the table with this band. 

JIAN: There are a lot of talented people playing in this band, the different inspirations and influences come from each person. At times, when songs are developing, ideas and lines can get crossed and muddled. Fortunately, everyone is receptive to constructive criticism and the songs all work out well.

PIOK: Which local bands do you like playing with the most? Are there any Oklahoma bands who you feel have been instrumental to where you are now as a band?

JOHN: I’m going to sidestep this question and say that it doesn't matter what band it is, or even what genre they play. It’s a good attitude and a sense of comradely that makes playing shows anywhere turn out to be a good time, no matter what the venue is or how big of a gathering. 

PIOK: Where are you favorite places to play live?

JOHN: That depends on how patient and enthusiastic the person running sound is with us, on the atmosphere that the people (including ourselves) bring in, and on the amount of alcohol imbibed. 

PIOK: How many shows do you play a year?

NATE: It varies. With so many of us in the band, all of us with busy schedules, significant others, etc., it can be difficult. I think we've already played more shows this year than we did in all of 2012. Ballpark is probably 20-30 shows a year, normally.

PIOK: Thanks for taking time to answer questions. Where can people go to hear your music online?

All kinds of places!

You can stream both of our first two albums at our BandCamp page – therighs.bandcamp.com – or on Spotify. We've also got all our songs on Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/therighs

You can purchase it from iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, cdBaby, and just about any other digital music retailer as well.

Interview: Violent Affair's "The Pressure is Rising"

When you hear anyone talking about street punk in Oklahoma, the name Violent Affair usually comes up (or at least some variation including a “The” or an “A” at the beginning). The band has gained quite a bit of national notoriety, and even has some international fans. They have toured all over the country, and played with some mainstays of the punk scene.

Unfortunately, Violent Affair runs into the same problem that seems to plague other Oklahoma bands like The Dirty Mugs and The Last Slice; they have not released a full length in about three years. In 2012 they signed to Jailhouse Records, a punk label out of Virginia that has also released bands like Pinkerton Thugs, The Scarred, and Tenebrae. Soon after signing, they released “A Call to Arms” a 7” single that signals good things for the bands future releases.

This June, the OKC punks will release “The Pressure is Rising”, an EP which will lead up to the release of their next full length. I got a chance to chat with Zach, bassist for the band, about the release and their upcoming tour with The Casualties.

PiOK: Your sound has changed a lot from Stand Trial. How has it evolved on "The Pressure is Rising"?

Zach: I think the most interesting thing about following punk rock bands is seeing how they change and evolve over the years. I think we've grown as musicians from playing together all the time. The music definitely pushes different aspects of punk rock that we liked a lot but couldn't express as well before. The good answer is we're angrier than we used to be.

PiOK: What are you angrier about?

Zach: (Laughs) Lots of things. More specifically, other than the blitz cover none of these songs are necessarily upbeat. Each song is kind of about a different issue that really was fucking with us be it a personal song like “No Way Out”, or a kind of rally song like “A Call to Arms”. “Social Disease” is the track we did for “Punk Aid: Indonesia”, “Dead End Nights” is a preview of what kind of stuff is to come for our follow up full length "The Cockroach Theory"

(Check out Dead End Nights, which will appear on "The Pressure is Rising")

PiOK: What made you guys want to cover "Someone's Gonna Die?" What was it like recording it?

Zach: We all love blitz. We got drunk and recorded it. Jesse almost knocked over a really nice microphone.

PiOK: This EP is leading up to your next album. Was it recorded at the same time?

Zach: It was. These are all tracks we did in the mean time for various EPs and compilations

PiOK: So can we expect the sound, not just recording quality but also songwriting, to be a good indicator to what the new album sounds like?

Zach: Definitely. This is a good definite mix of what Violent Affair is doing now. It's more than it used to be.

PiOK: I’d like to switch gears a bit. You're getting ready to head out on tour with The Casualties. How did that come to be?

Zach: We've played with The Casualties a few times now and throughout our growing-up as a band they've been super helpful. They supported us and helped to get our name out and were just all around awesome dudes. They hit us up last month asking if we wanted to do a stint with them around the U.S. and we were like...how are we gonna turn that down? (laughs)

PiOK: No doubt. Now that you have this big tour and upcoming releases, where are you hoping to take the band? How far do you have to go before you consider yourselves successful?

Zach: As far as success goes, I think we're happy with where we're at right now. We all started out as young kids who wanted to be in a punk rock band. Now we get to do that and people are showing up and having a good time. We just want to spread the message to as many people as possible. We'll keep doing this until someone shuts us up, I guess.

PiOK: Thanks for taking time to chat. I just have one more very serious question. What is your current stud count?

Zach: Current stud count is approximately 250 including 2 belts and a vest. It's a casual afternoon.

PiOK: “The Pressure is Rising” is scheduled to release in June on Jailhouse Records. “The Cockroach Theory” is scheduled to come out later this year. Check out a video of them playing Blitz at The Conservatory in Oklahoma City.

New Music: Combat Crisis "No Division"

Combat Crisis just posted a new song called "No Division" from their upcoming album "System Rats" which you can check out below.



Combat Crisis are a street punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The new album is supposed to drop by the end of the month. They will also be playing in Tulsa this summer at the Fuck You, We Rule, OK festival.

Album Review: SIR REG "21st Century Loser"

Celtic punk seems to be one of those genres that people either like most of it, or you don’t like any of it. I’m not talking old Dropkick Murphys style Oi! with bagpipes; I mean Flogging Molly, The Tossers, Blood or Whiskey style where traditional Irish sounds are mixed with punk attitude, speed, and style. SIR REG is one band that both fits into the genre, but seems to stick out at the same time.

First off, the band is Swedish, although it is led by Irish born Brendan Sheehy. When I was first contacted by drummer Erik about their last album “A Sign of the Times” I couldn’t help but wonder why a bunch of Swedes were playing Irish style punk. That album immediately erased that thought from my mind, and their latest release makes me wonder why I ever thought that in the first place.

The album starts off with “Emigrate” what seems to be a personal tale from Sheehy’s past. The rhythm is carried by the staggered beat as it blasts under the Celtic fiddle, acoustic and electric guitars, and plenty of woah-oh’s. From there the album twists and turns through different styles and speeds. Tempo builds on the blazing third track, and single “Til the Dead Come Alive”, then wind down over the next few tracks eventually leading to where Sheehy’s voice really shines: an Irish tinged ballad.

As the album unfolds you get a good mix of fast and slow, punk and rock and roll, Celtic, and straight-ahead. If you are someone who can’t get enough Celtic punk, you will eat the whole album up. On the other hand, if you are a “just the hits” sort of listener, you might find yourself losing interest. If you are one of the latter, the good news is that most people should easily find two-to-five songs they like and can stick with in the first listen or two.

Any time I play SIR REG for someone for the first time, I get a lot of “They sound like Flogging Molly.” While the band admittedly likes Flogging Molly, and has even done a European tour with them, they are not just a Flogging Molly Clone. Their tones lean more toward The Pogues than FM. Stylistically there are similarities in the rhythm, or My point is you won’t confuse the album for one written by Dave King, but you would be proud to shelve it next to one of his in your collection.

The biggest complaint I have about the album is that songs can start to sound the same. This issue really only happens when I use it for background music, though. The first couple times I put it on I had no problem, but by the time I was writing the review and hearing it for the third time though, I got the feeling it was all blending together toward the middle tracks. On the other hand the lyrics are well crafted and have a point, so you probably won’t want to use it for background music too often.

Overall, “21^st Century Loser” packs a pretty solid punch from beginning to end. Even if you aren’t a big Celtic punk fan, give it a chance.  What I like most about it is that it feels genuine. It is not trying to be anything it isn’t, and it doesn’t try to hide anything that it really is.

Punk is OK score: 8/10

Check out the album's first single, "Til the Dead Come Alive"

MDC:OKC

Jailhouse Records has announced that the upcoming MDC tour will include a stop in Oklahoma City. The tour also includes 80's hardcore veterans Verbal Abuse, who had to cancel their last Oklahoma show due to van troubles. Rounding out the lineup for the tour is St. Paul crossover thrash/punk band In Defence.

The show will take place at The Conservatory, which was also the site of MDC's last Oklahoma show a few years ago. At this time The Conservatory has not confirmed the show on their website.