|
Tim KERR |
|||||||||
|
_____________________________________________________ |
|||||||||
|
interview conducted via e-mail by A square 333 and Bruno (may 17, 2000) |
|||||||||
|
( Big Boys at the Ritz- photo - IdleTime ) Performer with Big Boys, Poison 13, Bad Mutha
Goose And The Brothers Grimm, Jack'O'fire, and currently
Lord High Fixers, King Sound Quartet, Monkeywrench
… producer / sound engineer with Sugar Shack, Mooney
Suzuki and loads of other bands… |
|||||||||
 |
" We Are All Very Proud Of That Record "… that's what T.Kerr says about it I add that you can just accept the obvious : That's Furious Texas Punk at its best!!! |
||||||||
|
The Interview State/Meant
: TK : It has to have soul! The rules : no rules. |
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
TK: The local label here in Austin that both those Poison 13 records were on got in touch with Music Action. I’m not sure how he knew about them, or who contacted who, but it might have been that he worked at the alternative record store here, and also Dino Lee (from Austin) was getting noticed in France. |
|||||||||
|
Were these two albums successful in Europe ? How many did you sell of each ? Did you do any gigs in Europe to promote the albums ? |
|||||||||
|
Well… (smile)… first off I never have any idea about record sales etc...thats not why I do what I do. I’m not saying it’s bad to be aware of that stuff, I’m just not. I have a regular day job so that I don’t have to be concerned if my self expression is generating any income… (smile)… Poison 13 really only played in Texas and Cal. In Texas we were not really liked because it was right at the height of fast hardcore and here we were playing really slow (at times), really drunk (always), really loud, and to top that off we were playing blues...a nono for an Austin Texas punk band at that time. Hated and proud! |
|||||||||
|
Who is Spot, credited as producer on the first album, and featuring in the credits on the sleeve of the second ? |
|||||||||
|
Spot is the one who produced most if not all the SST stuff...Black Flag, Minutemen, Hüsker Dü, Meat Puppets, etc. He is a really great friend. We met when he came here to record the first band I was in, the Big Boys. He moved to Austin in the early 80s and we are still great friends today. We recorded and mixed that first Poison 13 record all in one nite, and that’s counting the couple of hours we spent drinking before we started rolling tape. I have really learned a lot from him. |
|||||||||
|
Are there some unissued tracks of Poison 13 ? Why is the second Lp so short ? Did you play any other covers on stage than the ones that we know on the albums ? |
|||||||||
|
Most everything recorded is out now between the Sub Pop reissue and the Estrus double 7’. I think the second Lp was in reality supposed to be an Ep… (smile)... We used to play Stooges, Johnny Thunders, Joy Division, and assorted odds and ends...some we knew, some we didn’t… (smile) |
|||||||||
|
How and when did your association with Mark Arm and Steve Turner from Mudhoney turn into The Monkeywrench ? |
|||||||||
|
I went to see Mudhoney play here in Austin and we met then. They were big Poison 13 fans and when I told Mark about a bunch of songs I had that we (Poison13) never recorded because of breaking up... he went into action, and those songs were the first Monkeywrench record. We just recently got back together and recorded another record and are doing shows. |
|||||||||
|
Are the Lord High Fixers going to play in Europe ? No...the Lord High Fixers played their very last show in march almost to the day of our first. What do you think of the "Who will save rock and roll" quest? I mean, nowadays a lot of groups are playing good music with a lot of high energy and guts AND a well produced sound. |
|
||||||||
|
I think you need to do what it takes to save yourself... but if you are not putting 110 per cent into it then whats the point ? Any project with In The Red Rcds ? |
|||||||||
|
There will be one more Lord High Fixers record that will come out on in the Red... a kind of part two to " Is your club a secret weapon ". Its already been recorded, I just have to put it together. I am also doing something with Alex (Blacktop, King Sound Quartet) and Lisa from the Bellrays singing called the Now Time Delegation. Larry is also putting out a Monkeywrench single. |
|||||||||
|
|
Lord High Fixers March, 2000 (last show) Austin,TX/Thirty-Three DegreesMusic scene) |
||||||||
|
Who's doing it on stage these days and which albums have impressed you ? Things I’ve recorded are the Mooney Suzuki. They are really great, kinda like if the Makers had gone more the Who Live at Leeds route. Fireballs of Freedom are really great. There is a band from Italy called 2 Bosmaniacs that are cool and the Fatal Flying Guilotines. Things I haven’t recorded that I am playing a lot of is the Art Ensemble of Chicago, lots of soul 45s,John Coltrane, Mudhoney Retrospect, Soledad bros., and the Horrors. Live show ? Mooney Suzuki, Fireballs of Freedom, Arkistra. |
|||||||||
|
The new Lp was released in 1999. At that time the Lord High Fixers were paying tribute to a lot of different kinds of music. Right…? Did LHF turn into a whole new thing ? |
|||||||||
|
Not really...for people that know us /me this record made complete sense. It was like giving you the whole picture. |
|||||||||
|
Do you think that it's just the perfect album to reach the largest public as possible? |
|||||||||
|
I really like it a lot, but once again it was a self expression thing that wasn’t done with sales in mind. My point of view is to just keep doing your best and by all means keep pushing your expression. If people like it, that’s a great bonus. |
|||||||||
|
It contains various spoken words from well known black and white American revolutionaries and talented black musicians. What's all this saying ?… |
|||||||||
|
It’s just comments on keeping wide open in music and life. You dont have to do what everybody else does and once you realise that it frees you up to be yourself and express yourself in your own way. |
|||||||||
|
In the 90's Poison Idea recorded "Harder they Come" and a lot of other cool covers in the great "Pajama Party" album on Tim Kerr Records( and BTW, thank you Mr Kerr), then Antiseen covered C.Mayfield 's "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go" and Sun Ra 's "Space is the Place" and the King Sound Quartet played Sun Ra 's "Space is the Place" on the whole of the B side of "The Get-Down Imperative"LP. So is there anything special going on out there ? |
|||||||||
|
Well first of all, Tim Kerr Records is not me and there has been a lot of confusion from this in some ways, fueled by the label itself. Some of the bands on the label thought it was me ! As far as the covers...those are great songs and pretty much blow that myth out of the water that if you are in one "tribe" you only listen to that particular style of music. Once again its much healthier and fun to listen to all kinds of stuff and find the connections.the sounds with true soul will ring out loud and clear ! |
|||||||||
|
About these guys, Antiseen and the Confederacy of Scum, do you know them ? |
|||||||||
|
No, not really... Antiseen played with a band I was in, Bad Mutha Goose and the Brothers Grimm in Philadelphia. They were nice guys and asked me about Poison 13 and Roky Erickson. |
|||||||||
|
What is The Young Lions Conspiracy ? What does the Young Lions Conspiracy "do to participate" ? A group that promotes an attitude of diversity in sound and life. What do they do to participate ? Plant seeds !… (smile) Your best moments with LHF ? Playing places for the first time and people being caught completely off guard ! One show only making it through 4 songs before all the equipment was destroyed.... The worst ? Fixing equipment after every show… (smile)… |
|
||||||||
|
What scares you the most in the world ? Souless bullshit music, and the attitude that goes along with it is pretty scary |
|||||||||
|
Now that you've put yourself on the line and that you're on the way to hell because when push comes to shove you have to choose and save just one of your favourite albums. Which one ? John Coltrane... Africa sessions DO something! participate! Start a band, a fanzine! breathe! Live! |
|||||||||
|
Thanks Mr Kerr. T.Kerr's latest release with Monkeywrench : "Electric Children" ( Estrus records-2000 ) A Square 333. |
|
||||||||
