An interview with Catch 22 featuring Kevin-trumpet and vocals, Ian-trombone and vocals and Ryan-saxophone and vocals...
There are times when an “opening band” steals the show, no offense to the Suicide Machines, this January Catch 22 took over the State Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida and completely ripped it up. The place was packed to capacity, hotter than hell (they actually ran out of water) and Catch 22 delivered an extra long, high energy set. I didn’t stop moving until they left the stage. As the crowd attempted to disperse I heard someone say “oh, my god, that was the best fucking show I have ever seen, I have never had that much fun at a show before”. The guys friend laughingly agreed and said “Just wait, the headline band hasn’t even played yet.” That about summed the feelings of everyone there that night...
When the Suicide Machines set was over (and they were pretty good live, too) and I was soaked in sweat through and through (and dripping) Derek and I decided it was time to get down to business and find, and interview Catch 22, cuz that’s why we came. So we had to find Kevin and we were told he was hanging out outside, so that is where we headed. I was pretty wore out, dehydrated and generally feeling old and out of shape, so we had a seat in the parking lot. Thats okay cuz Kevin was out there, but was busy holding court. He was surrounded in a circle by about 15 people who stood in awe as he regaled them with tales of the Warped Tour and the free booze that Me First And The Gimme Gimmes had on stage. People wanted him to autograph everything they could think of (including their tits) Kevin actually obliged one fan and signed his bouncing boobs (yes I said his). In between panting and gasping for air I laughed pretty hard about this punk rock idol worship and soon it reached its peak (of patheticness). Around the corner a teenage boy came running and hit the ground right in front of Kevin. “Whoa, what the hell are you doing?” he said. The kid explained that he wanted to kiss his feet. Well, Kevin was not down with that idea at all. The kid got up missing the chance to totally degrade himself and disappeared. As funny as this all was I had to break up the party cuz I was getting antsy to start the interview. We jumped right into a conversation about the ridiculousness of these “groupies” and how he didn’t understand why someone would rather kiss his feet than try and have a conversation with him. Just then a kid was trying to get Kevin to check out his girlfriends “fuck me” tattoo (tribal right above her butt crack). Yeah, and she was probably 16, Kevin informed me that they all were. He seemed relieved to escape that teenage circus and we talked more shit as we made our way inside. Kevin told me he had to do things two things. One was this interview, which was about to happen. The other he couldn’t think of until we were about to start the q & a session. Oh yeah, “I’ve got to find the club owner so we can get paid”.
Wow, you guys get paid?
“Yeah, we did it for free for so many years...” Kevin replied as he handed us off to bandmates Ian and Ryan. Accepting the blowoff, Derek and I trekked up the stairs to the balcony where we would do the interview with the band’s other two brass player/vocalists-a pair of ultra-mellow guys whose soft-spokeness (and clean shirts) made me wonder if these guys were the same ones yelling, screaming and jumping about an hour ago...
Anyway, the interview commences:
Sink Hole Zine-How long have y’all been in the band?
Ryan-Since 1996
SHZ-So pretty much since day one?
Ryan-yeah
SHZ-And you?
Ian-I’ve been in the band for about a year and a half
SHZ-how did you hook up?
Ian-I was in another band called Edna’s Goldfish for about 2 years before that. We were lucky enough to tour with these guys. well, they liked me, because they’re all gay, and they let me join their band.
SHZ-You know Ryan, it really blows my mind that you guys were so young when you started the band and your still going. I know Kevin was 16 and you were 17. I mean I think of the bullshit I was doing when I was 16 and I was a totally different person. it just seems that to be in a band for nearly 6 years is a pretty long time.
Ryan-you know when we started we just played in our basement. our old bass player had shows in his basement, too. Neighborhood kids would come, we’d have like 100 kids there. From that we went on to play little clubs and some bars. Back then we were a lot slower. Kind of swingy and jazzy, ya know, not as much punk rock. It went over good at bar crowds. It was good times, but I guess we’ve changed some, too.
SHZ-How was it playing bars when you weren’t old enough to drink?
Ryan-In California they were really strict about that. We couldn’t go into the bar. We really had to wait outside until it was time for us to go on, then they would kick us right out when our set was over. Whatever.
SHZ-Thats so fucked up
Ryan-I’ll go on the record saying that California pretty much blows.
SHZ-I hate California, I have nothing but bad memories of that place.
Ian-San Diego is fucking awesome. It’s my favorite town in the world.
SHZ-So did you think it was a joke when Victory Records called up and offered you a record deal way back when?
Ryan-Yeah, it was kind of weird, and they were the ONLY label that called us back and we sent out a lot of fucking demos. We didn’t even send them one which made it weirder that they called us back. We sent them out to alot of smaller labels. There was this one label from Florida that we sent one to. It was Sean Bonner’s and it was basically just a metal label (Toybox Records), but he had put out some Less Than Jake 7 inches. Anyway, we sent him a demo Is for the hell of it-just to see what was up. Well, he moved and he ended up working for Victory Records and once he was in he hooked us up and that’s basically how it started. But yeah, it was strange, weird, but really exciting. We were 18 years old and we had a record contract with Victory-a really cool hardcore label with a lot of cred.
SHZ-But your a ska band on a hardcore label...Is that a good thing cuz of crossover fans or is it just weird?
Ryan-Yeah that helped us get some exposure to a lot of kids who wouldn’t normally listen to ska. Alot of hardcore kids who were into other Victory bands came out for us when we were in their town and that was awesome.
Ian-And we’re not the only ska band anymore cuz they have River City Rebels.
SHZ-I don’t think they like to be considered a ska band.
Ian-They may not like it, but...
Ryan-Thats become the definition of a ska band now
Ian-If you have horns...
Ian-I think at shows now we get a good mix of different kids. I think we really owe alot of that to Victory because they do so much promotion. It’s really great to see a bunch of different kinds of people who all know our music.
SHZ-So you guys are going to do the Victory tour soon?
Ryan-In like a month or so.
SHZ-Now this is the first “All Victory” tour, how did you end up on it-did you have to beg?
Ryan-They asked us to do it. Us and Grade are co-headlining. I think its something they’ve thought about doing for a while now. They just said, lets put together a good mix of bands and do it. They’ve been signing a lot of different types of bands like Student Rick and Thursday which is a really great band. I think they finally just have enough bands to do a full tour and wanted to get us all out there.
SHZ-So the last 4 years you guys have had a release in the fall of every year-is that gonna continue?
Ian-Well, it hasn’t been albums necessarily, but I guess if you can count 7 inches we have.
SHZ-There’s been some kind of release every freaking fall.
Ryan-I think its good to keep it fresh. We want to try and keep the hardcore fan base, too. We don’t want people to get bored with the same old shit. Ya know?
Ian-We just want to keep on making new music, keep expressing ourselves.
SHZ-Do you ever have a bad day, fight with your girlfriend or what ever, and just not want to play happy, peppy music?
Ryan-Thats a hard part of it. I don’t know how many of the kids who are at these shows realize how crazy every day is for us. I mean we’re in a new city everynight. It can be a grind.
SHZ-I know how hellish the road can be, but at least now your selling out places and not just driving all day to play to 2 people.
Ian-Still, there are nights when its not a great show and everyone’s in a bad mood, but we still pull through.
Ryan-Small shows are really cool, too, though. You can really get personal with everybody at the show. It’s a touchy subject to talk about, but with all the younger kids at the shows just wanting autographs and stuff. I mean we’re just used to it. We’re used to just hanging out and talking. I mean everybody at the shows used to be our age, now that we’re older, it’s not like that anymore. I would never tell someone who asked for an autograph “no”, cuz I’m not gonna be a dick. I mean I appreciate that they look up to us or dig our music or whatever.
Ian-The important thing, I think, when we do talk to kids is to instill some sense of this is how things should be. Like, hey, you can do these things yourself. I’m not gonna say we’re nothing special, but we’re really nothing special. I mean a lot of these kids have as much important content to say as we do. They need to express themselves also and not just get caught up in wanting to be someone else.
Ryan-I’m so surprised sometimes at things that 14-year-old kids say to me. Its like shit, you just blew my mind.
SHZ-So basically your saying you’d much rather have someone come up and shoot the shit rather than ask you for an autograph and leave...
Ian-Yeah, it’s definitely more gratifying for everybody and you can still get an autograph after a conversation.
Ryan-Some people will come up and jive with us, and then there’ll be these people waiting and grinning without saying a word with a marker and a tee shirt in their hand.
Ian-It’s kind of insulting, I mean they want a signature, then their gone, thats not what our music is about. You know you feel like kids aren’t actually listening to the music, they just get caught up cuz it’s a big show.
Ryan-You know the scene never used to be like that. I guess we’re getting older and the older kids in the scene aren’t taking the younger kids under their wings and showing them what’s up. I wish the older kids in the scene talked more to the young ones...
Ian-Share the wisdom!
SHZ-So whats the scene like in Jersey and what do you like best about it?
Ryan-You know its cool, there’s a lot of stuff going on. Ummm. we’ve done some shit with Bigwig and those guys are really cool.
SHZ-I don’t see much Jersey pride in front of me.
Ian-Well, your really asking the wrong people since neither of us are from Jersey. I’m from Long Island and he’s from Manhattan. There’s a lot of punk and core bands coming out of Jersey right now, but the ska scene has died off.
SHZ-Yeah, right now you guys are the flag bearers for ska in the northeast.
Ian-It’s only for a time. I have a strong notion that ska is going to come back in a couple of years. There will be a whole new crop of bands, we’ll be outdated.
Ryan-But that’s the way the ska scene has been, going in circles for the past however many years.
Ian-We’ve had 3 waves already.
SHZ-Are you guys gonna stick it out to the next wave?
Ryan-As long as we’re happy we’ll keep on doing it.
SHZ-Are any of you guys in any other bands?
Ryan-No we’re all pretty much full time here. I mean we do different things, some guys are into recording and we all play guitar. I mean we all just like making music.
SHZ-Scott, the trumpet player from Reel Big Fish told me people are always asking him to help out with their bands cuz horn players are in short supply. I guess he’s helped out on tour with Green Day, Goldfinger, etc. Do you get asked alot?
Ryan-Reel Big Fish is awesome, but we really haven’t been asked at all. We did some stuff on OS101’s last album, but thats it.
SHZ-Green Day hasn’t invited you out.
Ryan-Hell, the Suicide Machines haven’t even asked to come out for a song.
SHZ-Oh well, sorry I asked, I didn’t mean to bring you down.
Ian-We might not be the best horn players in the world, but we do the best that we can.
Ryan-Ya know, I don’t really like being on stage with other bands. I mean, it is fucking cool, but at the same time I just think “man, what if I fucking blow it and ruin this song”. Then they’ll say that it was their worst show ever and it was my fault.
SHZ-So have you guys ever been to band camp?
Ryan-No, never been to band camp.
SHZ-Never shoved a flute up yer pussy?
Ian-If I had a pussy, I would definitely jam a flute in it.
SHZ-So, are there any bands out there that you still haven’t had a chance to play with yet that you want to?
Ryan-There are way too many to list. I mean we tour so much, it’s like we just go out there, we don’t care who with and plus we don’t get asked much.
Ian-There’s a lack of respect for us. We’re used to it, so we don’t get pissed-we accept it.
Ryan-We’ve done some real good tours man. We did Suicide Machines before and we’re doing it again. We did Reel Big Fish. Our best one was in Europe where we got REALY hooked up. We got on the Deconstruction Tour over there with a shitload of great bands. Pennywise, Avail, Bouncing Souls, Boy Sets Fire, Sick Of It All, man it was crazy.
Ian-It was real crazy cuz I really look up to a lot of those bands-I couldn’t believe we were out there with them.
SHZ-Would you call that your best tour ever?
Ian-It’s in the top 2.
Ryan-Yeah, we did the last leg of the Warped Tour this year and that was fucking awesome too. I mean we just like a week, but hopefully we’ll get more next year.
SHZ-Is that a goal?
Ryan-Yeah, man hell yeah. I mean in the summertime, unless your going the complete opposite direction, you can’t tour against it. It eats up everyone.
Ian-$20 to get in....
SHZ-Try $30. plus $5. for a drink and if you want merch...
Ian-Right, if your a kid that’s your one show for like a month or more.
SHZ-Fuck the kids, if your a working person, that kills the budget for the whole summer.
Ian-No, I know what you mean. Man, when I’m at home, I hardly get to any shows. Unless I get in for free, I just can’t afford to see all the bands I want to see.
SHZ-Are there bands out there that you would pay to see?
Ryan-I go to alot of shows, especially if my friends are playing. I have a lot of friends in bands and I always want to check them out when I’m home. I’m gonna pay to see NOFX at Irving Plaza.
SHZ-Ya know ska punk is kind of a specialized field-I mean you guys play brass instruments in a punk band. Theres probably 100 (or more) punk guitarists out there for every horn player. What got you guys into ska and what made you want to learn to play the instruments and be in ska bands?
Ryan-Obviously, Operation Ivy was a huge influence, not just for us but for everyone. I mean I listen to probably the same bands as every kid who reads this and is into ska punk.
SHZ-What was your first exposure to the genre?
Ryan-It was a Moon Ska compilation. Something(?) 3rd wave. Bim Skala Bim, Slackers, Spring Heeled Jack... It was fucking great music. When I first got into ska it was hard to find comps and stuff cuz there weren’t any. In the next couple of years there were tons and they all sucked.
SHZ-So who named the band and what’s better-the band or the book?
Ian-The book easily...I think the Tomas (original singer) dubbed the name.
Ryan-Personally, I think the book sucks.
SHZ-Not a big Heller fan?
Ian-I think we’re kind of divided about it.
Ryan-Yeah, I pretty much hate the book, hate the name. We’ve thought about changing our name. I mean there are a lot of bands out there called Catch 22. We actually played with another Catch 22 in Florida once before.
SHZ-Are you guys still looking to hire a full-time dedicated singer?
Ian-I’m not. Maybe some other guys might be interested because it would make their lives easier, but I’m not. I feel like we’re more of a family now.
SHZ-I like it with everyone sharing the singing duties. I mean you all CAN sing, it gets everybody involved. When someone else has the mic, your pipes get a rest, but you stay busy.
Ryan-We had open tryouts for a while and a lot of people came out, well, maybe not a lot.
Ian-There was at least 40.
Ryan-It was weird man.
Ian-Ya know there were 2 or 3 people who definitely could have done it. The feeling was, at least it was for me, they wouldn’t have added as much as the group was already capable of without them. So, I guess the contribution they would have made wouldn’t be that apparent.
SZH-Speaking as an outsider, of course...It seems that if you guys are capable, which you are, it would be fucking stupid to add a singer right now. I mean it makes the van more crowded, it splits the pay checks up more...
Ian-Yeah, there’s logic in that, too. Basically, for me it just doesn’t make sense and I would say that the “active search” is over.
Ryan-I guess that if something fell in our lap, we might take it, but I’m mostly pleased with the way things are.
SHZ-All right, say you could take your pick. Not just singers, but anyone. If you could add anyone, alive or dead to the band, who would it be?
Ryan-Joe Strummer.
SHZ-Can’t argue with that at all...
Ian-Savian Glover. He’s a tap dancer. He’s fucking awesome. He did “Stomp”.
SHZ-That would open you up to a whole new audience.
Ian-Man, punk rock and tap dancing. Imagine the possibilities.
Ryan-Yeah, come to think of it, we really need a tap dancer. Mr. Glover, if your reading this. Go to our website and get a hold of us and we’ll give you a job.
Ian-Coolie Ranks would be another. He actually recorded one of the new songs with us on this album, he did a song with us. He was in The Pilfers and The Toasters before that. He is an incredibly talented guy.
SHZ-Is that the start of something? Are you planning more guest vocalists on upcoming releases? I mean it’s got to be great to team up with a legend like Coolie Ranks, but there are so many more out there?
Ryan-Its a shitload of fun to work with people like that. He’s a big name and he’s good. It was fun and every little bit helps as far as getting people to listen to our music.
SHZ-So, uhh, what are some of your plans and goals for the near future?
Ryan-We’re doing the Victory Records Tour, it’s gonna be a month and a half on the road. When we get back we’re gonna work on writing new music.
Ian-It’s not that we won’t be writing on the road, we’ll just be able to really focus and put it together once we’re home. Ryan-That’s the biggest goal of mine for the band, just writing the next record. We have a lot of ideas and I’m really excited about it.
SHZ-Who handles the writing, or does everybody share in the responsibility?
Ian-It really seems that EVERYONE contributes. We all have our own little niches. What’s cool now is we have horn players who can write stuff, guitar players who can make it better. An incredible bass player and a drummer that can just go off. It’s an incredible line-up. At least as far as I’m concerned-god knows what everyone else thinks.
Ryan-We sound good on the monitors...
SHZ-So what’s up with Mingus playing the 5-string bass. Is that really necessary?
Ryan-You know what, he uses that extra string alot, for the hard parts, it really works.
Ian-I call it the “Metal String”.
(Ryan says some indecipherable things in a DEEP beyond Barry White voice)
Ian-Besides which, he has so much ability and wants to get so much out of that instrument that 4 strings ain’t enough.
Ryan-He played a fretless before that. I mean he’s just a really great bass player. We’re lucky that we have such a great rhythm section, but they play so fucking fast, I can’t keep up! Have you heard our CD (I nodded yes), how much faster are we live?
SHZ-You guys are alot harder and faster live.
Ryan-It’s hardly even the same songs.
SHZ-I like it better live, sped up.
Ryan-Everynight it’s a challenge.
Ian-It’s a big challenge, a race to see who can end the song first and our drummer always wins.
SHZ-On the road, what is a typically day out for you guys?
Ryan-Well, last night was really cool. Mark, the lead singer from Shutdown, lives in Ft. Lauderdale now and we got to hang out with him. It makes it alot easier when you have friends on the road to hang out with. I guess our typical day is wake up 5 minutes before we have to be in the van to leave for the next show. Get to the venue at 5, thats when it gets fucking boring. Sit at the club. I guess, as far as fun stuff-our day doesn’t start until the show is over. Thats when we get to hang out, make new friends, visit with old ones.
SHZ-Do you feel like a caged animal trapped in the club from 5 o’clock?
Ian-I really used to be...I guess now I’m used to it.
Ryan-You get into a routine with all the shit you know you have to do. We take care of all our shit early, then we just mentally prepare ourselves.
Ian-It’s a Zen thing.
Ryan-We’re hippies, just a bunch of fucking hippies.
SHZ-Hardcore Hippies?
Ryan-That’s pretty funny, I think that’ll be the name of our next album. Thanks man.
Ian-We’ll get you royalties.
SHZ-Yeah, I want 5 cents and I want it now. No, thats cool-I’ve got the early scoop on the new record.
SHZ-So, If you had thought about changing the band’s name-was there any that anyone had come up with, or any strong possibilities?
Ryan-The first name we ever thought about changing it to was Keasby Nights. That was the name of our first album, and the way it was written on the cover, alot of people thought we were called that anyway. So we were almost Keasby Nights.
SHZ-Ya know, that album is recognized by a lot of people as your best work, as well as being one of the best ska records of the 90’s-what do you think when you hear your first effort called your best and does it all feel downhill?
Ryan-I think it happens to a lot of bands.
Ian-Yeah, because when a band puts out its first album it sounds so novel.
Ryan-There’s a sophomore jinx sometimes, the second album gets picked apart more cuz more people hear it.
Ian-I understand and I don’t mind, but I really think that if the albums were reversed and Keasby Nights just came out, people would prefer our “first album” over it. It just happens that way.
Ryan-The novelty hits people with the first album, then by the second everybody is an “authority” and they ney-say, it happens.
Ian-I really believe that if people stayed open-minded and listened to each record objectively, they would hopefully find the records of equal and unique value. Hopefully. And I really hope the next record surpassed the other 2 before it. Thats my goal, thats the idea.
Ryan-I think that musically the 2nd album is better, but I don’t think the vision was there. It was a weird time for us because we had just gotten a new singer. I mean it’s a scary thing putting out your second album with a brand new singer. We had to change our style some to fit with the new singer...
(this subject brought out death looks from both guys-I found this funny for some reason)
Ian-Don’t laugh too hard...
Ryan-No, with all that behind us now-I think we are a lot more comfortable writing and doing everything else.
Ian-I feel like we’re more “in tune” than ever before.
SHZ-So basically, experience, cohesiveness, friendship and no egos make for a good record?
Ian-Its important. We’ve got to look at each other every day.
Ryan-As soon as someone becomes alienated-its the beginning of the end for them. They find every excuse to not have fun, to be upset. They stop getting along with the kids at shows, stop getting along with their band mates. They end up being a depressed mess and it sucks.
Ian-About getting a new lead singer...
Ryan-Yeah, adding that extra personality that isn’t prepared to deal with the ordeals that we deal with on a everyday basis...It sucks sometimes, but this is life in Catch 22. We’re gonna get dissed, we’re gonna get not paid, fucked over, canceled, whatever. It’s not the easiest thing in the world-to some it may seem shitty, but to all of us its worth it and we keep on going cuz we love what we’re doing. We’re creating our own music, we’re reaching an audience.
Ian-It’s every kids dream
SHZ-Every kid, every adult
Ian-Its every 23 year olds dream.
SHZ-Yeah, speaking of dreams of rock stardom...we were outside with Kevin and people are all over him- “sign my tits!” and shit like that...
Ryan-Did he?
SHZ-Well, I think the majority of tits out there were too young to be signed, but there was this one guy...
Ian-Did Kevin sign HIS titties? We’ve talked to him about that.
SHZ-Do you guys get weird requests like that?
Ian-No, not like that...Alot of times people will ask us to play songs from old bands we’ve been in-thats pretty awkward. Usually we say “DICK!”.
SHZ-Do you like requests (song requests)?
Ian-Actually we do basically the whole set by request. We have a general set list in mind-in terms of stuff we like to do at certain points in the set because of chops and rest songs or whatever. Most of the kids are right on with it-aside from the kids shouting “1,2,3,4” the whole night, we do okay. Someone will yell “Play 1,2,3,4!” and I’ll say “we play that LAST!”
Ryan-And 2 seconds later a kid on the other side of the stage will yell the same thing. One kid suggested to me that we just tell everyone at the beginning of the show that “1,2,3,4” would be our last song, that way some people would get the point-we need to try that.
SHZ-What’s the best advice you’ve gotten on the road this tour?
Ian-The other night a cab driver told us we should sell tee-shirts. He was like “you guys could make some extra money selling shirts or stickers when your on tour”.
SHZ-What a great idea!
Ian-Yeah, I was like ‘dude, your a genius-would you be our manager?’
SHZ-All right, its late and I know your anxious to get out and hang with your brothers and what not
Ryan-We’re only missing out on loading the van, so it’s not a big deal.
Ian-Actually-look over there. It’s still sitting right there. I guess their waiting for us.
SHZ-Okay, well you’ve got work to do so I’ll let you go after one last question...Sum it all up for me in 5 words (silence as the wheels turn and their grins turn to looks of disgust at my trademark annoying question)
Ian-Don’t give up on life.
SHZ-There you go, your excused.
Ryan-I just woke up, fuck it. That’s a hyphen by the way, so it’s 5 words.
(sorry Ryan ~ “I just woke up, fuck-it”)
SHZ-Thanks guys, have a great tour, lift with you legs, not with your back!!!
Be sure to check out Catch 22 along with Grade, Reach The Sky, Taking Back Sunday and Student Rick on first ever Victory Records Tour! Oh, and make sure you start requesting “1,2,3,4” the second they hit the stage, then when the show is over, ask every guy to sign yer butt!,
Return To Sink Hole Zine
