>>PREVIEW
D.O.A.
Wednesday, June 6
The Distillery
A busy Shithead is a happy Shithead. Just ask Joe "Shithead" Keithley, the man who’s fronted infamous punk rockers D.O.A. for three decades. Not only were they originators of the term "hardcore" in reference to punk’s most aggressive subgenre, but they instigated and are still staunch supporters of the do-it-yourself ethic where anyone – band or otherwise – takes sole control over their own destiny. This mindset has seen D.O.A. through more tours, releases and uproar than an orphanage/rest home has diaper changes. It’s kept them edgy, creative and sharp since disco was new but still sucked anyway.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Keithley has busied himself yet again with not one but two releases – "pseudo-solo effort" Band of Rebels and a brilliant CD compilation of D.O.A.’s entire seven-inch catalogue ingeniously dubbed Punk Rock Singles, both available through his own Sudden Death Records.
"I had to (cut loose)," notes Keithley in reference to Band of Rebels. "I’ve written 300 songs over the years, not all in one style. Some could have fit D.O.A. while others couldn’t. I figure (Band of Rebels) is an offshoot or side-project of D.O.A., but I wouldn’t call it the same thing just to rope in fans. Some kids won’t like it if it’s not straight-up punk. I think D.O.A. fans are open-minded and they’ll like it ’cause it’s different but you don’t want to pull the wool over their eyes. It’s a different project."
Infusing elements of Keithley’s other beloved musical genres (for as he notes, well-roundedness breeds creativity), Band of Rebels finds him knocking musical boots with some favourite contemporaries, a troupe he refers to as the "Dirty Dozen." They are comprised of Randy Rampage (D.O.A., Annihilator), Kevin Kane (Grapes of Wrath), Jessie Zubot (Zubot And Dawson), The Great Baldini (D.O.A., Dog Eat Dogma) and more.
"I just had a bunch of musical pals come in and play," he says. "It took a hell of a long time but we came up with a style that doesn’t sound like D.O.A. but is still rockin’. The songs range from punkabilly and upbeat ska-reggae to rootsy punk… slightly punk rock but without heavy, blazing guitar. This album has acoustic guitar, horns and keyboards. It’s not as screaming musically but lyrically it’s what you’d expect from me, ranging from political to fun – a leopard can’t totally change its spots, y’know."
Referring to Band of Rebels loosely as a "musical anarchist collective," Keithley hopes the effort will not only satiate his desires to expand outside punk rock’s finite borders but will entertain and enlighten others as well. If not, well, they can always delve into the aforementioned – and highly anticipated – singles collection, a comprehensive 26-track disc amassing the band’s entire seven-inch single output since 1978.
"That CD almost didn’t happen," chuckles Keithley. "I couldn’t find all the tapes. I did up all the art, wrote the liner notes, wracking my brain trying to get the facts together and find funny stories that made it interesting. Then I realized that I couldn’t find all of the songs. I had to go to the mastering session and I was scrambling around trying to find them. We ended up taking them right from the seven-inches, CDs and DAT tapes."
"But we did it," he continues, "because it all hadn’t been compiled together (and) people have asked for it for years. Personally, I think some songs could have been better and I’m not entirely pleased with everything but we’ve got every song D.O.A. ever released on seven-inch there, no qualifications or taking anything off."
Punk Rock Singles has given Keithley time to reflect on his recorded past and note its current impact. He is already happily penning new songs that "might be D.O.A. songs or Band of Rebels songs… I don’t know until they’re done.
"I think (Punk Rock Singles) is interesting to listen to. It’s very raw. There’s no honing everything to the point of being dead. A lot of music today is worked to death. In those days, it might have been rough but there was a natural feel and sense of urgency to the music that’s missing a lot today. It had – still has – spirit." |
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