This was done via e-mail at the end of 2000 and appeared in Sink Hole Zine issue #4 which came out in March 2001
In an effort to satisfy our quota of interviewing one west coast band per issue, we hooked up with the pride of Sonoma, California-The Bodies. Their guitarist, Johny, took the assignment of answering our questions. As it turns out Johny is a pretty accomplished and very busy punk rocker. He is the guitarist for two bands, The Bodies and The Trends and he runs Radio Records. His label, which he has operated since 1997, has recently released music from bands including The Beltones, The Shifters, No One's Victim, Bovver Wonderland, The Disappointments and The Trust Fund Babies.
As for his own bands...The Bodies latest release is a 3 song 7 inch on Hostage Records. You should also check out their Self Titled LP and their "Addicted To You" EP as well as "Firepower" which is available on Vulture Rock. You can also hear them, and probably have, on a number of comps, too. They have songs on both of TKO Records "Punch Drunk" samplers and on TKO's "Low Blows and Cheap Shots" collection. They have also shown up on comps put out by Hostage and Outsider Records to name a few.
Johny's other band-The Trends, have their music featured on "American Fight Club", a 4 band LP put out by Outsider Records. Joining The Trends on the record are The Hudson Falcons, The Authority and Chicago's own-Callahan. If you are wondering, The Trends are basically The Bodies, but with Chris from the Shifters on vocals instead of Abe.
For the latest on The Bodies and all their exploits, please read this interview!
SHZ-How did you guys meet, and what made you want to start a band together?
BODIES-We've known each other for years cause Sonoma's a small town. We wanted to start the band because we were tired of listening to the Randumbs every weekend.
SHZ-Before the Bodies, what other bands were you guys in?
BODIES-The Cadavers was the pre-Bodies band and was basically the same line-up plus or minus a member or two. I will be putting out a CD with all of the Cadavers songs, so all people who like the Bodies keep your eyes out for this. It's basically a speeded up version of the Bodies. Yeah, and unfortunately I was in the Undefeated. Scott used to sing for a band called Hood House.
SHZ-Right now TKO has some really great bands, the Beltones, the Forgotten, Reducers SF, etc...How did you hook up with TKO, are you happy and will you be sticking with them?
BODIES-We hooked up with Mark from TKO after he tried to make it to the top with One Man Army. They left for fame and fortune and left poor Mark sitting on a street corner in L.A. He then picked up his chin and signed all the bands you mentioned with hopes of one of them, one day, hitting it big, but unfortunately we were all flops. We are all just huge musical and finacial catastrophies. So we give them credit for sticking with all of us after we ran his fortunes into the mud. We feel obliged as do all the other bands to stay on the label. Also they do treat their bands well, even though we lose them so much money.
SHZ-Will you guys ever leave the state of California to play shows, and do you have anything planned?
BODIES-We might do a couple of weekends here and there. We are gonna come out and do a weekend with one show in Florida with the Beltones, and the next night in Atlanta with Terminus City. Maybe this will happen in April or May, but other than that we have no plans at the moment. Unless people start sending us plane tickets.
SHZ-How do you think that you have gotten so popular all over the world without touring?
BODIES-I don't think that many people like us. If they say they do, well, lets just say there is something wrong with them.
SHZ-If you could choose any 2 or 3 bands to tour with, who would they be?
BODIES-We'd like to go on tour with anyone who likes to drink beer and doesn't take their band too seriously. It's all about having fun and an excuse to get away from the home life. We usually go down south with the Shifters, Trust Fund Babies or Shrinks, or whatever they call themselves this week. They are a bunch of retards like us that like driving 8 hours to play to each other and the bartenders for no money.
SHZ-Has there ever been a more romantic love song written than "Pack Your Bags"?
BODIES-You can just listen to any Lionel Ritchie album and you'll be shedding tears before the end of side one. Abe gets a strong lyrical influence from early 80's pop singers such as Lionel and Hall & Oates.
SHZ-What is the status of the Northern-California scene, both bands and fans?
BODIES-It is the shits. The shows stink, theres no clubs left and no bands hardly ever play. The fans, what fans. the best thing that has happened in the nor-cal scene is that the Randumbs finally called it quits. It has made it better for all the nor-cal bands. cause the Randumbs used to get on all the bills and no one would ever go because of it. Now, with Randumbs-free shows, the crowds are starting to get a little bigger.
SHZ-How would you describe the Bodies-its members, its message and its music?
BODIES-We are a group of morons with no personalities. We don't have a message and our songs are pathetically unoriginal. Every song is the exact same. Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-verse(no singing)-chorus. Its like a mosquito in a tent. There's absolutely no creative juices flowing in this group. Like I said it's an excuse to get drunk and get outta the house.
SHZ-Do you have any recordings coming out or in the works?
BODIES-We have a new LP coming out on TKO probably out this summer. We will also have a few 7"s coming out here and there.
SHZ-I've heard that you guys have some pretty nice record collections...Based on that I have 3 questions...
SHZ-Before Punk and Oi, what did you grow up listening to?
BODIES-My Mom listened to the oldies. So thats what I grew up listening to and still do. Oh, and Van Halen of course, the David Lee Roth-era Van Halen.
SHZ-Do you think to be in a punk band, you should have a grasp on punks roots, history and the bands of the past?
BODIES-No. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. There are a million punk bands out there, lots of them with 14 year old kids that think NOFX were the first punk band. Which is fine but most of them are awful. But on the flipside there are just as many bands with old guys who have been doing it since "the early days" and their bands are worse than the NOFXers. So it doesn't really matter, its all shitty punk rock in the end. It's all about hanging out and having fun.
SHZ-What are your 5 favorite albums of all time?
BODIES-Um, this is too hard of a question to answer off the top of my head but lets see, the first 7 Ramones records, Radio Birdman,"Radios Appear", The Stitches, "8 x 12", Lionel Ritchie,"Can't Slow Down". Um, this is too hard to narrow down. The Kids first record is definitely up there. Early Skrewdriver, Blitz. Theres too many to list.
SHZ-Lastly, I'd like to hear about your label-Radio Records...When and why did you start it and what are your goals with the label?
BODIES-I started it, I think around 1997, cause no one wanted to put the Bodies out. My goals have always been to cheat the IRS on tax day. So far it has worked well.
SHZ-Can you buy Bodies stuff through Radio Records(If not what is the best way for people to buy)? BODIES-Yeah, I usually have most of it here, and if not I know which distributors usually have copies left so I can direct you to the source. contact information :
The Bodies / Radio Records
P.O. Box 1452
Sonoma, CA 95476
http://www2.vom.com/~radio77/bodies.htm
http://www2.vom.com/~radio77/index.htm
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