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| Bad Move, Space Cadet! |
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I had seen videos of bands like Green Day, Rancid, and the Offspring on Mtv during the punk revival of the mid-90's. They were kinda catchy and raw, and had more energy than the other bands on the tube. But they were bands that I saw on t-shirts and stickers on skateboards of the clique of kids I hated in early high school. They called me "jizz-king" and laughed at my clothes. Sure, I was fashionably inept and on the basketball team, but I didn't provoke anyone. They were just assholes "trying so hard to be different". May I remind myself that I was getting grief from all sides, not just the kids with goofy hair. I had one friend all freshman year and he listened to rap music. I didn't know shit about music, so I listened to the freshest alternative hits of the 90's. Something had to give. |
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| Then I moved. Then I made new friends that were into punk music and goofy hair and band shirts, airwalk shoes, getting inebriated and skipping class. The first wave of punk music that I was introduced to at this time was Rhythm Collision, the Lillingtons, Face to Face, Welt, and the whole Hopeless Records roster. And a band called Zoinks!. Zoinks! were the musical equivalent of a soulmate I had searched for all my pathetic, musically inept life. The marriage was quickly complicated when I stumbled upon the Gamits debut 7-inch titled Come Get Some. However, Zoinks! epitomized to me what punk rock was all about with their earnest pop-punk gems. |
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| Confidentially, I avoid studying what my favorite bands mean to me and why I enjoy them in such heightened ways. Sometimes the music just "clicks" with you. It gives you "goose-bumps" when you absorb key changes, relatable lyrics, or just a great hook. Memories and their subsequent nostalgia, is formed around certain songs that served as the soundtrack to your past experiences. Zoinks! most certainly fulfilled each of those characteristics for me. However, I've learned to understand why this band meant so much to me, outside of nostalgia. With millions of highly talented musicians, rockstars, classical composers, and jazz hounds in the world, Zoinks! were just a simple band with simple songs, living out a dream. And those songs spoke to the distraught, socially frustrated, and emotionally wounded high schooler in me. Seeing an unfashionable band from a small town, who didn't have the most talent, good looks, or the adoration, gave me something to champion. Despite their flaws, they still found a way to tour, get signed to a respectable record label, and put out meaningful records. Not only did I find that profoundly inspiring, but it gave me hope that I could one day leave my small town behind and make music that others could relate to, despite my demonstrable flaws and lack of talent. |
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| Today, most bands appear incapable of functioning on a personal or intimate level with their audience/fan-base. Mainstream rock bands tower above on a 15 foot high stage, only to disappear behind the curtain to a buffet of hookers and blow. Most indie bands only care about their hairstyles and seem content on turning their backs to you onstage, while they emote for half an hour. Pop-punk has been hijacked by Blink 182 suck offs who lack creativity, intellect, or relevance in any scene. |
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| But the Zoinks!... |
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| Man, they were one of a few exceptions. They were down-to-earth guys you could talk to after the show and feel like you were on the same level. They weren't the most talented band in the world, but punk rock was never about egos or competition. And while pop-punk bands like Green Day, NoFX, and Screeching Weasel achieved different levels of fandom and commercial acclaim, Zoinks! showed them all up with heart, wit, and a sharp melodic sensibility. They found a way to break free from the typical pop-punk arrangements and forged their own definitive sound. Underrated and under-acknowledged, they fit comfortably amongst peer acts like J Church, Discount, Sicko, Chisel, and the Gamits. |
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Discography
Hailing from Reno, Nevada, the Zoinks! managed to fit 3 albums, an EP, and a handful of singles from 1992 to 1997. |
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Bad Move, Space Cadet Released April 7, 1995 Dr. Strange. Recorded by Kevin Army.
The first album is a little rough around the edges and includes filler tracks toward the end. However, the guys lay down some blistering melodies over tongue-in-cheek subject matter. Songs are short, smirky, and gallop to the finish line without looking back. Probably more for obsessive fans only. |
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Stranger Anxiety is a collection of singles from their early years and released Sept. 10, 1996 on Dr. Strange.
A great place to start for those unfamiliar with the band. The album jumps right out of the gate with "Dirty Underwear", a guitar driven, energetic romp against apathy. "Page Five" is a three-chord breezy valentine, followed by "Roid Rage Talkshow"- a jab at daytime television. The album moves on to explore self determination, memories, and trying to make things right. "Not as If" is a stirring diatribe to the punk scene, where Zac honestly pines about his own motivation for being in a band. |
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| Stranger Anxiety trails off toward the end (perhaps after the 12th song), as more earlier and underdeveloped songs mix into the fray. However, the album showcases the burgeoning talent of a band capable of rewriting pop-punk in the 90's. |
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| Well and Good Released in April of 1997 Dr. Strange. Hands down, my favorite album. After Zac left the band to pursue time in Screeching Weasel, the rest of the guys picked up the pieces and forged ahead with their most underappreciated and fully realized album to date. This is the sound of a band giving it their all to write the best record they possibly could. The songs have more emotional depth and a timeless quality that combine just the right amount of distortion, energy, and sincerity that insinuates of possible genius. Arne and Rob trade off vocals, while Bob lays out sharp beats and great fills. A masterpiece of pop-punk bliss, no filler, no pretention. |
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| The band called it quits after a cdep and a split with another great Dr. Strange band- Whatever. And when the news trickled in to my isolated island in rural Wyoming, I felt the loss of knowing their potential and seeing it die as a sea of generic pop-punk bands took to the mainstream. |
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| Since the demise of Zoinks! in early 1998, Zac has done time in Screeching Weasel, manned the helm of Crushstory, had a short stint in Common Rider, and now has finished his second LP with Big in Japan (featuring ex members of the Gain) on Honest Don's Records. Arne rejoined forces with his old band, Underhand (which is now defunct). Bob and Rob both relocated to the Bay area to pursue careers in non-music related fields. They both got married, and the four of them formed a group- Prima Volta (also featuring ex members of Lookout! artists- Uranium 9 Volt). Prima Volta isn't very active, but has played a few shows in the past few years. Bob ran a label called Second Guess and wrote for Punk Planet for a while, but has since abandoned those projects. |
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| Zoinks! are: Bob Conrad (drums); Zac Damon (vocals, guitar); Rob Borges (vocals, bass guitar); Arne Cherkoss (guitar, vocals) |
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