by Jon Lewallen
Since Founder�s Day is this month, and because everyone insists on getting excited about it, I�ve been pressured decided to interview Ryan Wilkes, piano player for 2Gazi, a Fugazi cover band playing at the Founder�s Day concert with Erica Bell and Grooveasaurus Tex. Here it goes.
YPP: Ryan, thanks for talking with us. You�re playing the Founder�s Day thing. Have you played outdoor venues before?
Ryan Wick: No, usually we just play basement shows, school dances, that sort of thing. It�ll be interesting to see how our music � Fugazi�s music � translates to the larger space.
YPP: I�m pretty sure Fugazi has played outdoors before.
RW: Really? That�s surprising. They always seemed more of an �inside band� to me.
YPP: For those who don�t know, why don�t you explain your group�s sound?
RW: Well, our name is 2Gazi. The 2 is because there are two people in the band [Wick and drum machine programmer Anthony Grant � ed.] The �Gazi� is because we exclusively play the music of Fugazi. Also, 2 rhymes with �fu.� So, 2-Gazi. 2Gazi.
YPP: What made you decide to cover Fugazi songs?
RW: I just like their energy, you know? They have something to say, and they have fun saying it. And that�s what we�re all about, too. So one day I was hanging out with Anthony and a few other people, and there was a piano there. We must have been in the high school band room. Anyway, I had the song �Repeater� in my head, so I sat down and started playing. After a few minutes, Anthony went over to the woodblocks and started playing a really fly drumbeat. The result had such a great sound, I was nearly blown away. I knew he had just bought a drum machine, so I thought it might be cool to do that kind of thing more often. And seven months later, here we are.
YPP: Other than Fugazi, who would you say were your main influences?
RW: As you might imagine, I�m a pretty big Bruce Hornsby fan. I just traded for a live show from 1994 that has this amazing 17-minute version of �Fields of Gray.� Just incredible. The Christopher O�Reilly Radiohead covers are obviously a big influence. I think Herman�s Hermits did some groundbreaking stuff. I�m also listening to a lot of Rock Bottom Remainders right now.
YPP: Isn�t that the band with Stephen King and Dave Barry?
RW: And Amy Tan, yeah. I think Matt Groening plays with them every now and then, too. You know, Amy Tan can really sing.
YPP: Really?
RW: Oh, yeah. She does this version of �Me and Bobby McGee� that'll make you weep.
YPP: I�ll bet. So anyway, are there any plans to take 2Gazi on the road?
RW: I hope so. The problem is that since Fugazi songs are relatively short, it�s hard to put a decent setlist together. So we�re learning some new songs right now, a few of which we might break out at the Founder�s Day concert.
YPP: Any sneak previews?
RW: Well, I�ve been listening to the Argument record a lot, so probably a few cuts off of that. Anthony also had the idea that we could branch out and cover some Evens tunes, and I think it might be interesting to play �Mt. Pleasant Isn�t Anymore� in the style of Liszt.
YPP: Franz Liszt?
RW: Yeah, but with Anthony giving it kind of a dub/reggae backbeat.
YPP: Well, I guess that�s as good a place as any to wrap up. Anything else you want to say?
RW: We�re going into the studio next month to record an EP that we�ll be selling at shows. And our next gig is at Meredith Lexington�s house August 27 at 4 p.m. It�s an all ages show, but we ask that if you�re over 21, you not bring alcohol to the show. There's no need to ruin everyone else's fun.