Lots of Reading Material Here
Hey all you Coolgrrrls… All is well in my world. I’ve had so going on (as usual) since I last wrote an update. I have gone off on my own from Boobie Trap and I am going solo! I am currently putting together another project, not because I dont’ love Boobie Trap- but because it is just time to grow musically. I’ve handed over my crown as “Queen of Punk” to the next in line. I’ve got some good people on my team and cannot wait to let you guys hear what we’ve been working on! I’ll keep you updated on that. Thanks for the support that I’ve gotten from you all who have written me. Yes, it will be great- and as full of as much energy as I’ve brought forth in the past.
I got to sit down recently and talk to Heather Lindburgh, owner of Staur Gurl Clothing Company. and I am excited to say that my next write up will be all about Staur Gurl clothing- as well as an interview with Pennywise, and Wax Apples review!
This Tuesday: Look out on E! Entertainment TV where yours truly will be hamming it up on Wild on E! with Barbie and Kastle. Premieres: Tues., Jan. 21, 10 p.m….. Encores: Jan. 25, 12 a.m.; Jan. 26, 2 a.m.; Jan. 28, 12 a.m.
Drum roll please………. and without further ado… let’s move on to my article!
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I’ve been cheatin’!!!
Dear SxDx:
I know boys, I have been a loyal fan for a long time. You have comforted me when I was a teenage girl full of rage & alcohol. You soothed me when I was angry, sad, and just plain demolished. You have never let me down for as long as I’ve been a fan of yours. Your music has been the backbone of my spirit for many a long years now. And I thank you truly from the bottom of my heart.
But I have to tell you, I have been cheating on you lately. And I feel like I have found someone new. They are tattoed, talented, and yummy! They are called the Bar Room Heroes. And I think I’m in love. Don’t worry, you will always be in my heart, and I will always remember you as the one of the best bands of all time, some of the best music I’ve ever had the pleasure of screaming and singing to. But please understand, when I put the Bar Room Heroes into my CD player instead of yours, it is not because I don’t love you, it’s only because you have made me love this kind of music so greatly that I cannot help but let my ears stray. I cannot help but play these guys over and over and over (and over, oh yes!) again- I think I’m obsessed! Thank you for my love for music. And the inspiration you have given to the musicians of today.
I will always love you,
Fx Mx
(wow, that was a hard letter to write-)
Okay Coolgrrrls readers! Nice to have you back. As you see above, I have found a band that I would feel pretty damned guilty about keeping all to myself. They are called the Bar Room Heroes. I got the pleasure of interviewing them last weekend in the comfort of my own home. I usually write out a story after I interview a band, but this time, I felt it my duty to print this interview exactly as it went down. 9 o’clock in the morning with me sitting in my pj’s. By the way, the lead guitarist for the Bar Room Heroes, is my very own guitar player from Boobie Trap! I’m not biased, cause if anything I should be jealous of his project, but I have to give credit where credit is due…. so….. Enjoy!
BAR ROOM HEROES
Franki: I’m here with the Bar Room Heroes and we are all sitting in my garage. How do you like that? I’ve got 3 nice looking men sitting in my own home garage. (I yawn… cause I just pulled myself out of bed)
Franki: So I’m gonna ask you guys some questions, for the ladies of Coolgrrrls, what are your names and what do you do in Bar Room Heroes?
Chris Jones: I play guitar and lead vocals
Busby: the last name’s not important…I play bass and back up vocals; Scott.
Atkin: I play lead guitar back up vocals
Franki: How long has Bar Room Heroes been around, I’ve known of you for about 2 years or so.
Chris: 3
Busby: No, 2 years… right when I got out of prison & I’ve only been out a little over two years. (I’m thinking to myself, got out of prison? hmmm… is this a group of bad boys?)
Chris: Right, well I mean… Bar Room Heroes, it stems even before that… (at this point they start mentioning other people and discussing between them who was in the band before them- I feel the need to jump in and bring a little order… hehe)
Franki: With you guys in the band… I mean, cause we really don’t consider them the Bar Room Heroes…
Chris: yeah, um 2 years…
Scott: Was that in Folsom, or out? (everyone laughs… I laugh, cause they are and I don’t want to look dumb- but I think I know what Folsom is… I’ve listened to Johnny Cash!)
Franki: Scott, how long have you been with the Bar Room Heroes?
Scott: Jeeze, probably about eight months now.
Franki: And… Oh yeah, you guys have a drummer too, what’s up with him? Where is Lucky?
Chris: He’s a tattoo artist and he’s at a tattoo convention.
Franki: Where does he tattoo out of?
Chris: Good Time Charlies & Tattoo Land in Anaheim, CA. (I’m getting little thoughts about getting to be good friends with Lucky.. always good to have a friend who tattoos.. hehe)
Franki: So you’re keeping this line up… what made you settle on this particular line up after all the changes?
Busby: Well me Chris and Lucky worked out great, as a 3 piece we were really good.
Franki: Yeah you were…
Busby: But we were always lacking just the meat with the leads and everything so, we were always searching for that one person with leads.
Franki: Oh, and you found “MY” Boobie Trap guitarist??!! (everyone laughs) I don’t know about this!!! ( I try to act all mad… but they don’t buy it)
Chris: No dude check it out though (yes they call me dude) we had like, auditions, we auditioned people, we had Roger Ramjet from the Smut Peddlers playing with us for a little while but like.
Busby: No one was dedicated.
Chris: Yeah, we wanted somebody that first of all loved the music and second of all loved to play rock n’ roll.
Franki: So how’d you guys find Scott? (trying once again to be tough…hehe)
Chris: Well, we were playing in Anaheim together.
Franki: We, as in you guys and me with Boobie Trap?
Chris: Yeah
Franki: Don’t worry guys, they all know about Boobie Trap on the website, so no worries if you mention it…
Chris: Okay, we were playing with you guys at some benefit show and we played and Scott came up to me and said, where’s Roger? I thought he was playing with you guys, and I said well we kicked him out and he asked to try out for the band, so I said, yeah sure.
Franki: OH!!!! So it was HIM that asked to try out for the band? Huh? (I give evil eyes to Scott… Scott looks back at me with that “I’m so innocent, love me” look) (we all laugh) But you guys got him and it’s such a good mix, I mean visually, you’re good to look at- all of you guys… the music is just to die for.
Chris: It’s fun too, It was great cause we knew that Lucky, Busby and I had a chemistry that clicked, we all got along, we went on tour, no one bitched and it was important for the next guy that came along for it to click like that, and when I met Scott- it just fell into place immediately. I gave him the CD and said “learn it” I mean you have to learn it like yesterday. We didn’t have time to wait 6 months like we had before with others. BAM! Next practice he had it down, it clicked. We’re all good friends as well, which helps.
Franki: Yeah, you can tell, and you seem to be writing a lot of new music since Scott came around.
Chris: Yeah, it works, one of us will bring something to practice now, and say- here, check this out and we’ll spend the rest of practice puttin’ glue on it. It’s amazing how it can just go like that. It takes work, and we definitely don’t write it and play the new song at the next show (I look at Scott and start laughing hard- cause that was what we used to do when we played together).
Chris: Even though Lucky wants to do it… Lucky’s like “I LOVE IT…LET’S DO IT!!!!” (laughing) And I’m like telling him, I DON’T HAVE WORDS TO IT YET… and he’s like, “So what!”.
Franki: (still laughing) I’ve made up the words on stage!
Chris: Yeah (we both start singing inaudibly… blah blah lauuu lauu-making up words- everyone is laughing)
Franki: Yeah, you’re sitting there singing “blehh, la di du du” and sing the whole song that way, and everyone comes up and said, what were you saying? That was SO cool?
Chris: Yeah, you tell them… it’s private… can’t tell you. (we all laugh).
Franki: Let me work it out.
Chris: Yeah, I’ll tell you later.
Franki: You guys are the epitome of Orange County Music, I have to say that you have a very “Nessish” voice, as far as bands, who are your favorite OC bands and why?
Busby: OC bands? Local bands?
Franki: Yeah
Chris: Local bands like now? Or in the past?
Franki: Both
Chris: I have to say, of course Social Distortion, they’ve been one of my favorite bands for a long time, I have a lot of respect for Social D. They’ve made it through ….
Franki: Everything
Chris: Yeah, and they’re still alive… you know what I’m saying? There’s something to be said about that.
Franki: You know they’re aging now…
Chris: Yeah… and we’re coming up the back… (laughs)
Franki: I’m telling you, you’re the second round Social D…
Chris: Step aside Grandpa… (we all laugh)
Franki: But we still love you Mike… we totally love you.
Chris: Yes we do.. but for me, all the Orange County bands influence me, I started listening to punk rock when I was about 12 or 13… and I thought I wanna dye my hair, and pierce things and slam dance!
Franki: I don’t see any piercings Chris!
Chris: Well I’m getting older as well. I’m not as punk rock anymore, it doesn’t change on the inside though.
Franki: That’s where it resides anyway.
Chris: I had to get a job.
Franki: Oh, so you got domesticized? (like that word, huh?)
Chris: Exactly
Franki: Busby?
Busby: Local bands? I like Smut Peddlers, Pennywise over in the South Bay, I don’t know. A lot of them, I like Offspring when I was a kid and they were coming out, I liked em back then, but that’s pretty much it for local bands, that’s it.
Scott: Where to start? There’s so many. The Subhumans, Dickies, Stitches, Pennywise is the Led Zeppland of Punk rock, Cadillac Tramps, TSOL, the Grabbers, Social Distortion. All the people I grew up with.
Franki: What about the Shrinky Dinks Scott? Isn’t there a little Shrinky Dinks history with you? (everyone laughs)
Scott: (obviously speaking to Mark McGrath) I was looking through my yearbook the other day bro, and it was funny… ahhh haaa haaahaaa.
Franki: By the way, the Shrinky Dinks are now Sugar Ray for those of you who don’t know. Back in the day they were very punk rock..
Scott: Yeah, back in the day, they dominated Orange County. Mark, Stan, Murphy, Rodney, all those guys I love em, just to see a local band from my high school come out and get huge. I jammed with a lot of those guys. As far as Corona del Mar.
Franki: Were you shocked to see them come out as Sugar Ray?
Scott: Yeah, I remember seeing them in High School coming out on stage and owning it, and I was just in awe, everyone’s just drawn to them, the girls…
Franki: THE GIRLS, there’s the honesty! (everyone laughs) You were thinking, you mean I can get chicks? Where’s the guitar!
Scott: exactly! you gotta have game to get a chick in high school, and you don’t even have to really be good looking to get a chick, but beyond the girls, is the passion for playing. that’s where it started for me. Recently we got to tour together (speaking to me- Scott and I toured Europe with Boobie Trap last year together) …it was an unforgettable experience cause they’re so down for you and they don’t even know who you are..
Franki: Yeah, that’s because their hands weren’t working their way down YOUR pants!
Scott: Yeah, they molested you in Milton Keynes (Everybody but me laughs)
Franki: Yeah 400 kids wanting their hands down your pants… OKAY MOVING ON! Categorize your self… what are you? Punk, rock n roll, etc?
Chris: Punk N’ Roll
Scott: Punk n’ roll with pop back grounds..
Franki: And he’s masculine enough to say pop.
Chris: Well, I would say more like “radio friendly”
Scott: Oh, Chris is selling out on me.
Busby: Chris has said radio friendly since the day this started.
Chris: Yeah, let’s not CUSS and say “POP”.
Scott: Power pop.
Franki: I think we’ll stick to radio friendly. Is there a message to your music?
Chris: I end up writing a lot of the songs, I like to stay real, I talk about things that have gone on in my life, real life. I fought drug addiction and alcoholism for a long time and there are a lot of songs about that. That’s when I write my best stuff, when I’m feeling something. I’m kind of making myself write fun rock n’ roll up yer’ ass stuff. Cause I really enjoy that stuff, cause it really doesn’t mean anything but turn up the radio and dance…
Franki: So if Busby were to write a song, lyrically what would it be about?
Busby: It wouldn’t matter cause he would change it all. He might take like the first word out of what I write and then say, “Okay, I’ve taken your song and I’ve …… changed everything so I can sing it, I’ve made it mine, my song, by Chris Jones in the Bar Room Heroes.”
Franki: I like that. That answered my question completely, so Chris writes all the lyrics.
Busby: Chris writes all the lyrics cause he has to sing them so… even if we tell him we want to write about this, he’s like… “Well, no- I’m feelin’ this so”.
Chris: I take it into consideration, I try not to be closed minded, I at least “listen” to what they have to say… (laughs)
Franki: Before you take control?
Busby: Yeah, then he drives away… “fuck that shit, we ain’t doin’ that” (laughs)
Franki: I got a copy of the CD a couple of times, not to mention that these guys are friends of mine and I’m a fan… the first time I heard it I was like, wow- this is a great song. It usually takes me a while to warm up to a new song, but I heard this one and I was like “That is my new favorite song!”.
Chris: Okay well I have to give props to Lee and Pretty boy cause they originally wrote this song, and I can’t remember how it went. It’s nothing like it is now, the only thing they had was the chorus…
Busby: It was a start. Here’s the name and the chorus.
Franki: So, you kept one word and rewrote it…
Chris: (laughs) Well, where the verses are now, they didn’t have anything but a musical in-between and the chorus, and I was like what are you doing? This is the best part right here, you can mix it together and make the song. So, yeah, I took it and made it my own basically
Busby: See- he was doing it back then too.
Chris: It was simple, 3 chords and distortion, it makes it more. It makes it catchy. My favorite music still is simple.
Scott: Less is more.
Chris: I really like Green Day. I really think they’re super talented.
Scott: they’re geniuses at arranging, it’s like 3 chords, you’re gonna hear the same ones, it’s how you arrange them. It’s good dynamics, that’s what we focus on, especially in our new writing. Not settle, why settle, take a formula, a hook and grind it, and go okay this could go here, but maybe not, keep it open. We’re pushing our writing forward to see how well we can do. Follow up CD’s have to get better, to keep respect.
Franki: To be honest with you, with all the bands around, you guys will be signed, that’s why I want to get an interview while I can. What do you think about that? People are looking at you, and you guys are just like me, and Orange County musician. But the buzz is big right now, things are happening… how does that feel?
Chris: It feels good, of course. It’s like, I’m keeping everything in perspective, I feel like if I get too excited I’ll hex myself, so I’m trying to keep it real. I’m ecstatic about all the opportunities coming up, I’m definitely gonna utilize it, whoever is in the audience, as usual I’m gonna rock their asses off. I love Rock n’ roll and I’m gonna do it for the rest of my life cause it makes me a whole person, if I could make money off of it and I could do it, and all I have to worry about is making the next record. I’m like…ahhhh, it’s a dream come true, so I’m just gonna keep it in perspective right now.
Franki: Do you look forward to getting out of the limo and having to run everywhere you go? That’s a reality.
Scott: It’s a dream, it’s great, and try to stay humble. But it’s still picking up your instrument and doing what you love, I’m complete with it and I’m complete without the money, but to play music with these guys, and be able to tour and do all that fun stuff and get money to do it.
Busby: Bonus
Scott: Bonus. We have the best time at “sound arena” (a local rehearsal studio) you know? My ultimate goal is to be a musician and write music, like here ya guys go, do what you gotta do.
Franki: Ii’m not gonna hear any Sugar Ray stuff in the future from you guys am I?
All: No, it’s not possible, not with Brian… he’s always like FASTER, FASTER!!!
Chris: Brian & Busby lean towards the hard fast loud.
Busby: Harder punk, and he’s the sensitive guy.
Chris: and I’m the tattooed sensitive man. I really like the Misfits, I really like The melodic…
Franki: Like Skulls?
Chris: Yeah, that’s my favorite stuff cause I’m a singer. that’s more my style, but I love the fast stuff too. We kind of like to find the middle.
Franki: Your fans are loyal, and have such a good time at your shows, why is that? Your ego’s can jump in here at any time…
Chris: It’ warms my heart that our music touches people the way it does. Our fans are gonna be our loyal fans as long as we keep making music. There’s something to say about that. I don’t go out and buy a CD unless it’s really good. And then I’ll let the CD flip over in my stereo…
Franki: What’s the last CD you bought?
Chris: I think it was Face to Face it was one of their old albums. The Supersuckers are probably my favorite band in the whole world right now, I go see them every time they play, their music, I can’t h ear it too much, any of their records. They can’t go wrong with me. I’ve met some of our fans and I see the same thing in their eyes like if I was talking to Eddie Spaghetti from the Supersuckers… I’m like “WOW”… I don’t need to be playing the coliseum, if I can just play rock n’ roll and have a handful of people that like my music that much….I’ve let your record flip over, I haven’t taken it out in 30 days…
Scott: Yeah, that’s what amazes me, a lot of people are coming to me from all over- not just Orange County… they like work for the cable company and they tell me all they do is drive around listening to our CD… it makes it easy.
Chris: It makes it easy to do a good show, it’s feeding back and forth, everybody’s into it…They’re so passionate about it. they really love our songs…that’s how the buzz has been created, people catch on to an energy…people look for that, they want it. They want to follow a light, if it’s your music that’s doing it, that’s great.
Franki: What’s great is when you’re driving down the street and hear someone playing your CD next to you. There you go, that’s when you know something’s happening… and you guys are definitely happening. You guys are having a CD Release party… the CD is called Prize Fighter… 13 songs… Favorite songs on the CD?
Chris: I wrote the song Roll with me for my son… You can put anyone in the song, and whoever you love can fit in that place.
Busby: Sick Life… all those we recorded were almost a year ago, I just want the new stuff to come out now… Sick life is probably my favorite, or Love Sick & Tattoos & stories.
Scott: For me most of them are all new, but I do have my favorites, Roll with me, Separate ways… and again I’m excited about the new stuff. It’s hard to put a finger on it, I like them all.
Franki: I know the CD Release is not set in stone, but where should we be looking for it at?
Scott: Lark from the Galaxy is trying to move some dates around, our line up as of now is The Grabbers, Drive by Smile which is Gabby from the Cadillac Tramps new project and Saving Grace…
Franki: I don’t know who Saving Grace is.
Scott: Well, they were Primer, but they had to change their name. Cause there was a band in Europe called Primer 55, and they don’t want to be associated with anyone else.
Franki: Okay
Scott: That’s the line up and we’re looking at early March we’ll be advertising everywhere from Bus benches, to the OC weekly & other magazines, and hopefully on KROQ. Cat Corbett from KROQ likes us so we’ll hope she may throw something on the air.
Franki: I’ve heard you may have some special guests so we will look forward to finding out who they are.
Scott: Yeah we’ll have some special guests, I don’t’ think we’ll want to say anything yet, so we won’t.
Franki: Maybe Mike Ness will be there…
Scott: Mark from Sugar Ray, if he’s not too busy doing Dr. Pepper Commercials.
Chris: Or MTV Cribs.
Franki: Seriously though, I would love to hear what the boys from Social D would say about you, because there is such a Nessish sound to it, and a lot of people do categorize you with Social Distortion and you know that. The funny thing is… I don’t know if I should print this but…(this part not printed)…. (everyone laughs)
Franki: So, final stupid questions: ZIPPERS OR VELCRO?
Scott: Velcro, I got my di** caught in a zipper when I was little so I got a phobia for em.
Chris: Zipper
Busby: Drawstrings
Franki: Buttons or Snaps?
Chris: Buttons
Busby: I’d buy snaps.
Scott: I may have been a button guy yesterday, but I’m a snaps guy today.
Franki: Are you touring any time soon?
All: Yes, Westcoast.
Franki: And last question: what is your perfect woman? All of the boys become very serious now…. look at the girl crazy guitar player and say:
Busby & Chris: “Go ahead Scott”
Franki: (in a Scott voice) “She’s gotta have a bagina” (everyone laughs), um all limbs, and teeth, well actually teeth are optional…..we all laugh.
Scott: The perfect woman huh? Wow…
Franki: Keep it to personality Scott.
Scott: Wow, my mind went straight to body parts.
Franki: Let me direct you here… woman want to hear personality things.
Scott: Yeah, um.
Franki: OH NOW it gets hard for you huh?
Busby: (looking at Scott) yeah, cause Scott never gets past the talking part… it’s like, what’s up (claps his hands) “so, let’s get naked” are we done? Get out of my bed!
Franki: trust me, I toured Europe with him, I know… He’s standing there with some Girl in France, and there’s this little red headed girl in France, and she’s like talking to him, and HE doesn’t understand a WORD she is saying, and all I do is watch him listening to her, and mid sentence he just kisses her… STUD!
Scott: Well, I though one of the words was her name so that was a go…
Franki: This guys is a Stud you guys… it’s like “tan man chick magnet”
Chris: I’d say the perfect chick is a chick that is sure about herself, that goes a long way. I mean, if she thinks she’s hot, I probably do too..
Busby: Not so hot to where she’s stuck on herself though, and someone you can talk to… not someone like “oh really?” (in a dingy voice)…she has to have some kind of brains in there… at least a little bit…. enough to be able to hold a conversation with.
Scott: But not smarter than you.
Chris: the more brains, the more apt I am to talk to her after we’re all done.
Busby: Too much brains is an over kill, then they think they’re runnin’ shit
Franki: Oh really?! So you must have brains but no opinion?
Busby: No, an opinion is good too, but not a boisterous opinion.
Scott: I think the perfect girl is someone who’s sure of themselves who can take care of themselves. Some girls are really reliant apon like the old days of like, okay I need a man to get by. I love girls that take initiative towards things, that are creative that are musicians that have talent you know, and exploit it. Everyone’s got a talent but they don’t exploit it though. I LOVE seeing girls on stage. I’ll be honest, that’s my favorite. Any girl that performs in some way is great. You know…
Franki: So you think I’m hot, huh?
Scott: Uh, yeah…
Chris: Everyone does…
Scott: Everyone does…
Franki: (blushing) aahhhh… next topic… (we all laugh)
Franki: I’d love to tell your babies what a great time their daddy is doing… what are their names?
Chris: Slater, Gibson, and Ricki Rae…
Franki: And Gibson?
Chris: I named her after my Gold Top…
Franki: That’s a beautiful thing… you will have her playing that thing when she gets older huh?
Scott: Slater rocks out to us when we’re practicing… he’s already a rock star.
Busby: And I have an 11 week old named Chance, and I also have a daughter named Lauren..
Franki: Well I hope your babies know what great daddy’s they have. I love you guys, thank you so much for coming down . I can’t wait to see what is in the future for you.
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