INTERVIEW: Mike McColgan talks about FM359

FM359 is a new project from some punk rock heavyweights, including current and former members of Street Dogs and Dropkick Murphys. I got a chance to exchange a quick email interview with singer Mike McColgan and learn a little bit more about the new band. 
 
Ramble and Roll: For those who have not heard about the new project or don't know many details, could you maybe say a little about the band, the music, and the members behind FM359?

Mike McColgan: FM359 is me, Johnny Rioux, Rick Barton, Halston Luna, Hugh Morrison and Pete Sosa. Musically the project is a folky keltic Americana romp. We had a lot of fun making this record. 
 

RR: Were there any factors aside from the Street Dogs hiatus that lead to forming FM359? 

 

MM: The hiatus was not the main reason for the formation of FM359. For quite some time me and Johnny had talked about doing another project beside Street Dogs and FM359 just happens to be said project. FM359 also just happened in a sense as it wasn't very planned. We all sat down and just wrote songs and tracked them straight away. There was no rehearsal of the songs prior to tracking. It just all happened very quickly and sometimes that is better than methodical preparation.

What would you say to someone who thinks that FM359 will just be a re-hash of the Street Dogs, considering that you guys have all collaborated before on the Street Dogs previous albums?

 

Well I would say that this project is completely different on a number of levels. Earlier I spoke of the quick and rapid nature of FM359 and Street Dogs is more rehearsed, planned and worked out etc. FM359 also showcases an amazing new guitar talent in our buddy Halston Luna who in a lot of ways unconsciously drove the project. Hugh Morrison our squeezebox player in FM359 takes on a more prominent role as well with the writing of three songs on the project. Sound wise , feel wise and direction wise I also feel like this project is much different than Street Dogs.

Any plans for more gigs or tours after the Pirate's Press anniversary celebration? Perhaps having some of you guys pulling double-duty on tour, like when the Street Dogs went on the road with Murder The Stout? 
 
It's safe to say FM359 will most likely do more dates in 2014 and that it is quite possible potentially at times that they may coincide with Street Dogs shows.

How has the hiatus from the Street Dogs and the pursuit of this side project benefited you as musicians?

Although that hiatus was quite shorter than we had anticipated it has in fact aided and abetted the writing and tracking of the FM359 project.
 

How did it feel working on material for something other than the Street Dogs? Was it a welcome change or did you have to make a conscious effort at writing something different?

It felt different for sure but at the same time not weird or too far out of my comfort zone. There also was no conscious effort whatsoever to write anything completely different than SD. As a lyric writer I respond to what the band plays. That is what occurred during the making of FM359 and it was also more spontaneous and less thought out. It was a very liberating process all in all.
 

What are some of the influences and themes you guys have tackled in writing these songs for FM359?
 

Truth, love, and liberty just like the title of the album. Those are the prevailing topics on the album. We cut down to the marrow of our bones on this one so to speak. This is deeply introspective and also a look out glass onto the streets in a sense as well.

If you only had one minute to pitch the full length to someone who had no prior knowledge of the band, what would you say to sell them on it?
 

Come lend your ears to a sonic,  folky walk down truth, love and liberty boulevard. As it is told by a handful of legitimate troubadours.You will not walk away disappointed. 

Now that the Street Dogs are back in the saddle, will we see more releases from FM359 in the future?

Both bands will release new material in the future.

To close, is there one thing you would like to leave our readers with that we have not touched upon yet?

Please give FM359 a listen and thank you for your time.

A downfall of email interviews is they're usually a little one-sided. For a more in depth talk with Mike McColgan, check out my buddy Nick's interview with him here.

Buy the FM359 7" at Pirates Press Records 

FM359 on Facebook 

INTERVIEW: Eric Petraroia and Matt Di Guglielmo of The East End Radicals

I recently got the chance to exchange emails with two friends of mine, Eric Petraroia and Matt Di Guglielmo, of Montreal's East End Radicals. Topics covered range from their debut album on Stomp Records, their musical influences, songwriting process, and everything in between. They are currently on tour with the Pyschobilly band The Brains, from Montreal, so be sure to check the dates after the interview!



Ramble and Roll: How did you guys get into punk rock/start playing music?
 
ERIC: We all started playing pretty early. My personal influence started back when I was like 9 years old following the footsteps of my brother. I’d hear him playing his bass to his Metallica records and it influenced me to pick up an instrument of my own and do the same. Eventually I started to hear about different genres of music and different bands which lead me to find my own taste and preference in music. Rock, punk, metal and everything in between has always been the music I admired most but punk rock will always be my number one. The one record that really opened the door for me was …And Out Come The Wolves by Rancid when I was about 13. Ever since then, music has never left me.
 
RNR: How did the band come to be?

ERIC: Me and matt were trying to get a punk band together for the longest time, but we were never able to find any bass players or lead singers. We tried putting ads all over town asking for bass players or guitar players to contact us. We even tried putting ads up on the internet countless amounts of time and it never seemed to work. We had friends as well as strangers jam with us to see if there was any chemistry or potential in possibly forming a band, but nothing ever worked.  Finally with a “let’s give it one more shot” attitude, me and Matt posted another ad on Craigslist. That’s when Scott and Brent answered and they were in the exact same position as us. Brent played bass. Scott sang and played guitar. They were both friends and they were looking for a guitarist and a drummer who loved punk. It was a perfect match. You can say luck or you can say meant to be!

RNR: What are some of your favourite bands or bands that have influenced you as musicians?

ERIC: As I mentioned before ...And Out Come The Wolves by Rancid is probably the reason why I play punk the way I do, so Rancid is definitely the main influence of it all. It goes for the rest of the band as well, as we are all huge Rancid fans. Of course I thank the godfathers of it all, like The Clash, Sex Pistols and the Ramones. The list can go on forever if I named every band. We also tend to incorporate some folk/ Celtic influence into our music since we are all huge fans of bands like Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, Flogging molly etc. We don’t only listen to punk though… if someone were to hop in our van and head on the road with us for a few hours, they’d be sure to hear punk, metal, rock n roll, reggae, ska, country, and Celtic music coming out of the van’s speakers. We basically just appreciate good music, whatever style it may be. if the tune kicks ass, then we like it. As for our own music…whatever we think sounds badass, will be recorded!

RNR: You've toured across Canada with the Real Mckenzies as well as on your own, plus countless other shows on top of that. Do you have a favourite show or a show that stands out to you? 

ERIC: There are definitely a few stops that are better than others. I won’t go ahead and say which ones aren’t so good but I can tell you some that rule. We’ve played Ottawa a few times and it always kicked ass. Whether it was a packed house where kids were going crazy the whole time or a semi-filled room with nothing but good friends, Ottawa was always a good spot. Big thanks go to the bands The Scally Cap Brats and Machine Gun Dolly who are 2 great bands from Ottawa.  They definitely helped us achieve the audience we do when we play there. Another good spot is Sept- Iles Quebec. Kids go nuts there all the time. We were already headlining the show when it was only our second time there. Rouyn-Noranda , Quebec is another great stop where the kids love us. They try to book us at least once a year. We are heading out to western Canada in just a few days and I’m pretty stoked to see how our return to these cities will turn out. 

RNR: Carry On! Has been getting a lot of good reviews and a lot of attention. What's it been like supporting the album, being on the Stomp Records roster, and what are your own thoughts on the album?

ERIC: We are super stoked to be a part of the Stomp Records family. They’ve helped us a lot and anytime we have something we’d like to talk about or any goals we’d like to achieve, they help us get there. Releasing CARRY ON! on Stomp Records was also a huge help for us. It helped us get the supporting spot on tours for great bands like The Brains and the Real Mckenzies for example. It feels good to see how many records sold. We worked hard for it and were glad that it’s slowly but surely paying off. We heading into studio very soon and we will be releasing album number 2 in no time.  We have high hopes for it and it we cannot wait to get started. We’re bringing it on even harder this time!

MATT: Being on the Stomp Records roster is awesome. It's a label that really does care about underground music so we we're extremely excited when we found out they were going to release our first record. It definitely feels more like a family than anything else, all the bands on the Stomp roster are genuinely nice people and talented musicians.

Supporting the album has been great! We we're lucky enough to do our first western Canada tour with none other than The Real McKenzies which was an amazing experience. We we're able to play in front of large crowds every night which really helped us showcase our music in a way that would not have been possible if we went on our own.

I think the album has great, honest songs on it. There is definitely more of that coming on the next album!

RNR: What's the songwriting process like for the EER?
MATT: We are very democratic when it comes to writing, haha. We all write songs on our own and then bring them to practice for the rest of the guys to hear. If we all think it's something we can work with, we'll start working on it until it's to everyone's liking.

RNR: Many of your songs are politically themed or tackle social issues. What role do you think musicians should play in regards to political and social awareness?

MATT: I think it is a musician's duty as an entertainer to talk about real social issues in their songs. With so many songs on the radio today only talking about how much they wanna dance all night and how much sex they wanna have it doesn't leave much room for people to think about what is really going on in and out of our community. Underground music has always been a place where people can talk about these kind of issues openely without having a major label forcing you to write a hit record with simple, meaningless lyrics. It is a place that allows you to speak your mind and exchange ideas with people that are as pissed off as you are about our economic situation and other social issues. If pop culture won't do it, then someone has to.

RNR: What are the future plans for the bands? More tours? New album?
MATT: For touring, we are about to leave for our second western Canadian tour with The Brains which we are all very excited about. We have been writing for the new record for a few months now and we will continue once we get back from tour in November. The plan is to record a new album in January and if all goes well we'll release it on Stomp Records in early 2014!

RNR: Any final words?

MATT: Yes...Mike Franey is one handsome devil. That is all.*

*EDITORS NOTE: I contemplated removing this answer but in the end I thought I'd leave it in for the sake of journalistic integrity. 

EAST END RADICALS ON FACEBOOK 
EAST END RADICALS ON TWITTER


The East End Radicals are embarking on a tour of Western Canada with their label-mates from Montreal, The Brains. Check out the poster below for the dates!

 

Interview: Eric Mueller (Pirates Press Records)

San Fransisco, California's Pirates Press is about to celebrate their 9th anniversary in business with a series of shows over the weekend of November 1st-3rd. Bands who are set to play include the Street Dogs, FM359, Bishops Green, Harrington Saints, Downtown Struts and more. I got a chance to exchange emails with founder Eric Mueller and discuss Pirate's Press role in manufacturing records, running a record label, and the company's past, present, and future.

Ramble and Roll: Pirates Press is about to celebrate it's ninth year in business. How did it all come to be and did you ever expect the level of success you have achieved?

Eric Mueller: From a manufacturer's standpoint, I started pressing records for another company straight out of college and learned "what not to do" in so far as keeping customers and employees happy, and after being fed up with the feeling of knowing that it could be done better, we started Pirates Press. It was relatively easy to see that our model worked, and our model was expandable in a way that could provide for more people and make a bigger impact on the story of vinyl. We turned our confidence in that, and our desire to treat people in the way that wanted to be treated into a lot of strong relationships that have continued to grow, and give us something we're unbelievably proud of! 

From a label's perspective - you can only press records for other people for so long before you get the itch, and have to press some for yourself. The records we choose to be involved with are all favorites in the office, friends of the Pirates, and bands we can collectively stand behind. Lots of Pirates have brought different projects to the table, and that's the thing we love most about our label. It's a reflection of lots of the tastes in our office, and also in many ways all of the super high-end and collectable products that we can make. We're happy that other people are enjoying our releases as much as they are, and hope that we continue to have the privilege and honor to be a part of so many amazing records, and the careers of so many legendary hard-working bands!

RNR: How do you think the role of a record label has changed in the digital age? What are some of the pros and cons of running a record label with today's technology?

EM: You simply cant look at it the same - it's a world of difference from the days when downloads just didn't exist. In many ways, lots of labels, include many elements of ours simply try to break even. We're lucky to be in a position that we don't have to rely on the label to pay our bills. If it did, we would not be releasing the type of records and the amount of records that we are. We hope to show people who do it for the passion though, that it is possible - real music fans will always want to tangibly support their favorite artists, and the punk scene particularly so. While we include digital downloads in most of our vinyl (and do sell some CD's and normal download options), we try to give people a reason to collect VINYL. 

RNR: What do you look for in bands when you're deciding who to work with?

EM: See above. It's stuff that some, or all of the pirates fall in love with and get behind. Some bands involve Pirates, some are friends of Pirates, local favorites, and of course lots of bands that we simply stand behind and want to help get their music to the masses.

RNR: How has the resurgence of vinyl affected your business and the way you do things?

EM: It is the only reason Pirates Press exists.

RNR: You guys have done a lot of unique items and limited pressings. What has been your favourite special release so far?

EM: That's too tough to call... but I'd have to say if I HAVE to choose, it's still a tie: The Cock Sparrer boxset and the Rancid boxset w/ Louisville Slugger.

RNR: Is there a special or limited release you've always wanted to do but haven't had the chance yet?

EM: Would love to do a CLASH ESSENTIALS boxset and donate all the proceeds to STRUMMERVILLE. (...if it weren't for all the legal hoops we'd have to jump through! )

RNR: Having been introduced to a lot of my favourite music through compilations like “Strength Thru Oi!” and “Oi! The Album”, I was a big fan of your own compilation series “Oi! This Is Streetpunk”. How did the idea for the compilations arise and do you have plans to release any more volumes or other similar compilations?

EM: We needed a way to get a lot of these new bands' music out to the masses, and really show how strong of a resurgence that Oi! and Streetpunk were in the midst of - and what better way than a comp. We invited lots of our friends and got more songs than we could use - so we started compiling another but needed some more tracks. We did the same thing and the same thing happened again... hence, V3!  Aiming to put out Volume 4 in April. Stay tuned!

RNR: Before internet people would buy albums based solely on the label putting it out (Like Fat Wreck, or Epitaph). I find that Pirate's Press has become on of those labels where I can pick up any record you've released and have it be a quality record. Is that something you strive for does it happen naturally based on the bands you work with?

That is our biggest goal with the label for sure. We try to hold ourselves to high standards and a bar for packaging being set higher and higher, and we hope that people continue to see that we put a lot of care into each release, and try and give those bands that we love the opportunity to have some killer merch, and a little bit of extra promotion for all their hard work! 

RNR: What are you plans for Pirates Press going forward into its tenth year and beyond?

EM: Lots in the works still for the rest of this year - but we have some goodies we're working out for the new year. We're really excited about FM359, and seeing the impact that they can have (in more than one scene/genre) - the band is brilliant and the full length is unreal - We're so excited to be involved in bringing that whole package to the table, and really looking forward to seeing their LIVE debut this November in SF! 

Pirates Press 9th Anniversary Weekend. Nov 1st-3rd

Pirate's Press 9th Anniversary Weekend 
Pirates Press Records Official Site 
Pirates Press - Independent Custom Manufacturing
Pirates Press On Facebook 

Band Profile: The Hexbombs (Kalamazoo, MI)

I was recently sent three releases by The Hex Bombs, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to review and I thought they would be a great band to start off a series of profile's I've been planning to do. In these profiles I'll go through a bit of a band's history and their discography in order to give you a full picture of the band instead of a lone review of a single release. I figure this will be a good way to introduce people to a band they may have otherwise known nothing about and give them a broader sense of what any given group may be about instead of just my own thoughts on a sole record or CD.

Kalamazoo, Michigan's The Hex Bombs

Founded: 2006
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Label: East Grand Records


Members

Mike Mann - Vocals
Jake Carrack - Lead guitar, Vocals
Darryl Arning - Bass
Nathan Garman - Guitar, Vocals
Greg "Vinny" Stevenson - Drums, Vocals

Formed in 2006, The Hex Bombs describe themselves as "a unique brand of proletariat punk with a classic punk rock revival attitude." The band's releases include two albums, an EP and a 7" single while their influences are listed as The Ramones, Dropkick Murphys, Against Me!, Bouncing Souls, Social Distortion, Hot Water Music, The Misfits, and Street Dogs. Unfortunately I do not have their first album, entitled "We Are Rock and Roll" so I will move on to their second album as my starting point for this profile.

"Get Back To Work" - 2011

"Get Back To Work" is 9 songs in total, clocking in at just under 25 minutes. The album kicks off with an infectious guitar riff on the song Passion & Pride, setting the bar high for the reast of the album. Immediately you get a sense for the band as the listener is introduced to their catchy guitar leads, their well crafted choruses, andtheir  lyrics for the common man (or woman). Though the songwriting felt a little repetitive at times, the album overall is a strong street punk effort comparable to the Street Dogs and early Dropkick Murphys. If I had to pick a few stand out tracks they would be the album opener, Passion & Pride; the catchy sing-along anthem, The Hammer; and Stand Up And Fight, which features some of my favourite lyrics on the album.

"The Hexbombs" EP - 2012

The second release I was given, 2012's "Hex Bombs EP", starts off strong once again and it sees the band building on the potential they established with their previous album. While it's not a groundbreaking idea for a punk band to sing about unity there is an undeniable quality to the first track, aptly called United, which boasts a great chorus and guitar work once again. This trend continues on the tracks Your Generation and Midwest Punk. The latter being a raucous track speaking to their midwest roots, and though I've never been there myself I can't get enough of this song as tnere is something I love when bands sing about their homes. The EP ends with a pleasant surprise in the acoustic number Mad Jack Churchill. Having stumbled onto Mad Jack's story a number of years ago it was a nice to see a song written about him (though to be honest I'm a little jealous they beat me to it!). The song in itself is a nice break from the fast paced punk rock of the 3 previous tracks though it does not lose the trademark anthemic quality that the band seems to bring to every song. If you haven't heard about Mad Jack Churchill then I suggest you read up on him. The guy was seriously a consumate bad ass, registering the only kill with a long bow in WW2 and retiring to become a surfer in Australia with a whole lot of other craziness in between.

"None Shall Be Forgotten" - 2013

 Fnally, the last release I was given to review was the 7" single "None Shall Be Forgotten". The title track, featuring Mike McColgan of the Street Dogs, was actually my first exposure to the band and the song that turned me into a fan. It is on this single, in my opinion, that we truly see the band at their best. None Shall Be Forgotten is a song for veterans, singing of their struggles and sacrifices as well our need to remember them for it. In a time where many veterans can't put a meal on their table or a roof over their head this song really hammers the harsh reality of the situation home. On one level it is a great punk rock tune and on another level it is a haunting reminder to the oft forgot sacrifice of America's veterans. The b-side to the single, Destination, USA, is an in your face indictment of America's current state. Lines like "First in guns, last in science, we can't read but we love our violence" succinctly sumps up the band's opinion on their country's current priorities. While it's only two songs, I'd have to say they're two of my favourites by the band and two of the best punk rock songs I've heard all year. This single is definitely a good sign of things to come as the band continues on.

You can listen to the title track from the single here...

 

In closing, you may have noticed the common theme of anthemic choruses and catchy guitar riffs. I'd have to say on first impressions of the band that those two qualities are definitely their trademark. Coupled with their lyrics and a solid rhythm section to hold it all down, the band has the total package of in your face punk rock that the world is sorely in need of. To new fans I recommend starting with their newer EP or 7" single to truly get the band at their best before delving into their back catalogue.

THE HEX BOMBS ON FACEBOOK

 EAST GRAND RECORDS WEBSITE

INTERVIEW - Rick Barton of Continental

I had a chance to catch up with Rick Barton of Continental and ask him about his songwriting process, his favourite bands, touring, his new side project and more!

CONTINENTAL - Official Site

FM359 - Facebook

Show Review - Continental, East End Radicals, and The Scally Cap Brats at Zaphods

When I heard that Continental, Rick Barton's new band, was coming back to Ottawa I was instantly excited. I had first saw them a few years ago opening for The Mahones at Mavericks and I had been anticipating their return ever since. If that was not enough my good friends from Montreal, the East End Radicals, were added to the bill. It was then that I realized The Scally Cap Brats had to get on the bill as well, and one email to Eugene from Zaphods later, we were added to the show. So now was I not only getting to see one of my favourite guitarists/songwriters of all time, but my band was going to be opening for them. Just to give you some context, I learned to play guitar and bass by playing along to the first Dropkick Murphys album, "Do or Die", so saying I was excited would be an understatement.

First up to start the night my own band, The Scally Cap Brats, would take the stage. There's not much I can say as I'm not one for bragging or boasting of any sort. One thing I can say is that we had fun and played a tight set, the only two goals we have when we play. The set was a continuation of a streak of good shows that started with string of Ontario dates back in July, which has come as a relief to me after a spate of rough shows beforehand. It seems to me we are really hitting our stride now after a shift in the lineup and things are only getting better as the new roster gels together.

Secondly, we had the East End Radicals. What can I say about them? I could probably write a book praising them but this short paragraph will have to do for now. Their songs are infectious, their choruses catchy, and every song is an anthem in its own right. Their debut album, Carry On!, is a stellar effort front to back and the songs only come off better in a live setting. They blasted through many of my favourites such as Call to Arms, Kicking The Beat, and by special request Dictator's Lap. They also fit two new songs into their set which I can safely say are a good sign of things to come for this young band from Montreal. They started their set strong and finished it even stronger, playing their album's closer For the Boys (A slower paced catchy tune that erupts in to an all out, balls to the wall punk song halfway through) followed by the song Allez (an Ultras Montreal chant turned punk rock song) which is the opening track on the album, but works just as well as a closer.

Lastly we had Continental to close the show. Despite the lacking crowd they put on an energetic and entertaining show, powering through songs that I've come to know from their album All A Man Can Do, some new songs, and the last song Rick ever wrote for Dropkick Murphys on top of it all. Some standout tracks to me include my favourite Continental track A Curious Spell which fetures the catchy chorus, "We had the night all to ourselves / We'd leave our troubles up on the shelf / We had the night all to ourselves / We fell under its curious spell". Other songs included Wrecking Ball, Downtown Lounge and a new one with an infectious intro called 1000 Miles. Every song they played was a testament to their hard work and passion. Rick truly sings from the heart and his songs speak of his own life experience while still being relatable in their themes. Aside from the songs, I was equally enthralled by Rick's stage banter. Listening to his anecdotes and observations can be just as entertaining as watching the band, he certainly knows how to hold a crowd's attention with his songs and his speech. In the end, Continental were all they promised and more. A heartfelt, hard working band who put on one hell of a show and if you were not in attendance it really is your loss as you missed one hell of a treat.

COMING SOON - A video interview with Rick Barton, live video of Continental and East End Radicals

THE SCALLY CAP BRATS
BANDCAMP
FACEBOOK
TWITTER 

EAST END RADICALS
FACEBOOK 
TWITTER

CONTINENTAL
OFFICIAL SITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
 

Introduction

Why hello there, Internet. I've decided once again to make a foray into the world of blogging and I hope it is a more successful attempt than my previous ones. My main goal with this blog is to combine my love of writing and my love of music. I'll be bringing album and live show reviews to the page, as well as interviews, photos, and general writings about music. I may even attempt a few comics now and then though I am rusty in the drawing department. I would like to say this blog will be free of shameless self promotion but I love my band and I love my soon-to-be record label so I don't see that happening.

I am excited to get going with this project and share my thoughts on the music I love with the world. For now I will leave you with a video of the Dropkick Murphys' song "Ramble and Roll" from which I got the inspiration for this blog's name.