One of the tracks written with Trippin’ in mind was “Don’t Waste My Time”. Originally demoed in Finland, but later re-record in the studio sessions in London. We had overrun our allocated time, but dedicated to the cause I made the engineer who seemed to have been named after a Nacho takeaway to stay for a little bit longer. I was determined that I had a great track in hand. Almost like a mellow AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” reworked in a style the laid back approach Rancid had experimented with around their “Life Won’t Wait”-era. At the time little did I know that the completion of these tracks would take longer than expected…

Few years down the line after a couple of long train rides and a very persistent Scottish trainbunker later I found myself at the train platform in Whitby, Northern England in the birthplace of Dracula. I was trying to find my way to the Bram Stoker film festival for the UK Premier of Trippin’ with two fellow horror film fiends I had befriended on the way up on the train. Few familiar faces were found looking at the city map – Elisbeth and Brenda Fies. We’d met at Devi’s flat at a screening of Trippin’ in LA during my visit across the pond.

While the rain was beating the naked shores of Whitby Killing Joke echoed the Gothic landscape and set the soundtrack for the weekend. When not getting our headgear blown away by the wind we spent the long weekend watching great films from all around the world – including the Fies Sister’s cult film the Commune and Darin Read’s excellent Up Under The Roof along with eating the best fish and chips that the country has to offer, watching zombie strippers and sipping Butterscotch Martinis.

The Fies Sisters picked up one of my music samplers and not long after returning to the Big Smoke I received and e-mail from them saying that “Don’t Waste My Time” would fit perfectly their short “Faux”, which was part of a bigger piece called “I Hate LA”. I was of course more than happy to follow Danny P. Harvey’s footsteps, of Headcat fame, who had contributed amazing music for the Commune.

Watch “Faux” online

[opening with "Don't Waste My Time" (instrumental version) by Spider's Sideshow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzZo8X2_52Y

While majority of the London Trippin’ sessions still in the vaults the Rancidesque semi-love song “Punk Rock Girl” (Yours truly on guitar and backing vocals, Baz from Cavity Search doing lead vocals, Paul Maguire on drums [nowadays in Low Rollers], Mark Nicholls on bass and keyboards [formerly of the Hydropaths]) appeared on a punk and ska compilation titled “This is London”, which quickly disappeared after the few shows promoting it. Maybe we’ll hear some of these gems in the sequel… hint hint.

Hopefully in the not-so-distant future I’d be able to do some recording and writing focusing Devi Snively’s Paige and Hadley… and in case you’re a film maker and you feel a tingling sensation do not hesitate to get in touch (spideremail [at] googlemail.com or via facebook) in regards to working on your film.

My other work with the Fies Sisters

T is for Torture

[featuring music by "Spider" & Juha Kataja]

College Girls Road Trip

[featuring "Blind Scum" (instrumental version) performed by Condition:Dead]

PS. Why post this now? “Joining” the 27 Club.

It was a particularly hot summer of Zero Nine. I’d spent the beginning of the year in the studio with Ratbags recording our debut album, which was planned to carry a title inspired by the public transport of London: “Sorry, Out of Service“. Devi had already fallen in with a rough mix of Walking Dead, which was among the first patch of songs to be recorded and Charlie Harper from the UK Subs had heard a song off the album, which he had described as “Great stuff!”. So we were on our way…  if it would not have been for the endless arguments over the mixing of the album and the various versions of the songs. Walking Dead ended up in Trippin’ and on one of the trailers as well, while rest of the album would be locked away in the vaults.

So as I was saying it was a particularly hot summer of Zero Nine. I was very inspired by Devi’s enthusiasm and also her talent. So I’d worked on some exclusive tracks for Trippin’, initally starting off in Finland where one of the instrumentals for the film was recorded and then relocated back to London to record a bunch of tracks under “Spider’s Sideshow” with some good friends of mine who’d been in such bands as Under the Gun, the Subzeros and Cavity Search. We entered a cheaply priced, good sounding yet badly organised studio in East London to with the intention of recording a theme song for the film among bunch of other songs and a ska punk ditty drawing inspiration from years earlier unimaginatively named Punk Rock Girl. As history would have a sudden deadline would appear and due to complications during the whole process these were never finished on time. Friend of mine who had been photographing the sessions at the studio sang the chorus line of Punk Rock Girl to me months later and I realised what a catchy number we had there. Another friendly musician who’d been in the Hydropaths entered my home studio giving help with a proper bass reggae line and Hammondesque organs. We had a uplifting song about a lost girl lost in the world, but I was equally lost what to do with it. A lot of songs had to be hidden in the vaults.

Got tipped off about a London based punk and ska compilation the following summer. Sent a track from upcoming Condition:Dead album “Famous… for fuck all”, which ended up carrying Active Distribution catalogue number 21. On top of that I ended up sending Ratbags’ Walking Dead and Spider’s Sideshow’s Dead Kennedys influenced Too Fucked To Drink along with Punk Rock Girl as I couldn’t decide which one to send.

Earlier this month it came to my attention that all three groups would be featured among the 20 odd artists selected for “This is London” compilation released on this very day.

London town – london diehards
Final straw – punchpuppet
You’d like to know – debt collectors
Search party- ten o sevens
Drop dead 2 – dilenquents
Punk rock girl – spiders sideshow
D list celebrity stalker – monkish
Paint th town dead – antibodies
You ain’t no fidel – griswalds
Another – condition:dead
Jäger song – Tmf
Law n order – minimal damage
Whiskey on the wounds – jack brews
Poetry of protest – jackal
Put ur boss in th bin – raw poo
Walking dead – ratbags
Bank job – sterilizers
Monkey food – bogus gasman
Flick knife – unreleasables
Billy bonds – hammered mother fucker
I put my foot in it – millwall dave
Cocaine – noxious toys
Tom – scaredy cats
Friday night feeling – tommy k
Bring on the weekend – uppercuts

So if you feel like hearing a little bit of what’s going on in London today getting hold of these mysterious lost gems you can drop us a line on spideremail (at) googlemail.com and get a copy for 10$ including postage and packaging worldwide.

Well it was a beautiful sunny day in Los Angeles – isn’t it always? – I arrived to LAX airport after spending what seemed like a lifetime on the airplanes. As I was putting on Sid’s padlock, adjusting my studded belt, putting on the wristbands, putting the skull hankie on my back pocket, getting more tattoos – wait a second that didn’t happen outside the airport arrivals?

I got picked up by our beloved directrix Devi and one of the stars of Trippin’ Kenny. I’d never been to States and little did I ever realise I would under these circumstances. After a brief catch up Kenny decided to join me for a gig at Redwood Bar & Grill in downtown LA. What would an up to no good punk rocker like me wanna do on his first night in the city of angels? See US Bombs’ vocalists Duane Peter’s Gunfight! For those who don’t know him probably have not have been fully acquainted with punk rock or skating…

There was no doubt whether Duane Peter is Mister American Punk Rock himself and I’d like to thank their drummer for letting me buy an over-sized t-shirt for $4! The supports were also more than excellent street punks White Flag Down fronted by droog Coop complete with his clockwork orange eyeliner tattoo. What set the tone (or should I say tune?) for the holiday – sorry vacation – was A Pretty Mess. This is the new Distillers and even better as it is an all girl band. Not only were they great to look at they sounded the dogs bollocks as well!

Not long after I found myself having a drink with Dora from A Pretty Mess at their gig in Torrance, California. Glad I had no sense of geography of California as I otherwise wouldn’t have bothered with the excruciating bus journey. Not only did I witness another blinding gig from them but also from another melodic street punk talent the Outskirts fronted by the wild cat Charlie DeKay. Before ending up somewhere in Hollywood playing cards with Charlie and the bassist of the band Will I encountered the singer of Tonya’s Disorder. Along the line I had a fair few pints and even with the low price tag of £3.5 the bill came to over $60!

Well there I woke up in the nicest apart I’ve seen a punk rocker to live in. Spent the afternoon jamming with Will and Charlie before visiting the Hellcat/Epitaph records house and crashing out again…

Next thing I knew I was on a bus towards Disneyland. Well I was heading to Anaheim to check out the new tunes that Tonya had been working on. I was blown away by the heartfelt gretal (as she calls her type of grunge metal) the new Courtney Love had to offer. Little did I realise that she had been a well known folk singer just ten years down the line. You couldn’t recognise her from the old album cover anymore. You live the blues and then you play the blues. Cups of tea later we found ourselves tapping along to the Clash tunes in Pike Bar, Long Beach, CA run by former Social Distortion drummer…

And then my time was running up. I had to head back towards Hollywood pick up my stuff, get a lift from Dora to the tube station. As I was having my last drink in LA I knew I was coming back…

On my return to London it rained, the train was running late. Got back to my tiny flat where the mould keeps me company only to find out that the bathroom ceiling had leaked and the credit card bills were waiting. I mean what the fuck am I doing here?

Another year and another album. We were sitting in the van cruising down some unknown streets and listening to new mixes from the latest studio sessions. I wasn’t pleased with the mixes, but in typical fashion the rest of the band didn’t share my opinion. I was happily sitting in the back seat sipping a lager and twiddling with something more highly valued in the market.

It was an all day ska festival and we couldn’t be any more ill fitted on the bill, but I was then advised to go and give out free badges to girls I fancied. My attention was taken by an architect student from Norway. By this time I had already finished my duties (or so I briefly thought) and I was free to get engaged into a conversation about taxes, foreign policies and my relationship to domesticated household animals. She had no interest in music. We happily occupied the damp basement and spent a pseudo-romantic evening together. About 3am I was apparently staggering on top of an amp in the basement with my lips having turned blue. It was time to go and play another show.

You could say that this location was slightly less upmarket and audience was acting accordingly. I was in a similar state and the sound check mostly consisted of me giving abuse to the soundman. Didn’t know what songs we were playing. I couldn’t think that the audience even realised. Beautiful images flashed through my eyes in the cacophony before it all went blank…

The next morning I woke up in a freezing cold van in a location that was completely alien to me. Had lost half of my clothing, keys to my flat, my travel card and everything of any value, apart from my loyal guitar of course. As I was wandering down the street wearing the drummer’s oversized hoodie I was thinking if there would have only been one gig would I now be on my way to Norway to become a fisherman? While the fjords echoed her name I remembered I had a gig to play…

How did you get involved in Trippin’?

Jeff: “I was over at Mick’s having morning cocktails when Stevie shows up with Christine and Lindsey. It’s pretty clear they’ve been up all night, and Stevie starts talking about how she had another one of her crystal visions, and Mick says he can’t deal with her crap on only half a bottle of scotch.  Stevie starts crying, and Lindsey says “Look, we’re only here because this indie horror director wants one of our new songs for her movie, and I think it could be just what the band needs right now”.  Christine cuts him off with “Horror movie? I’ll tell you what’s horrific, your stupid solo album!”  And then they’re having the same old fight with Lindsey saying how “Honey Hi”ruined Side 4 of “Tusk”, and Christine calling him a pretentious control-freak asshole.  Christine yells “Fine, why don’t we just give it to the stupid Pleasure Kills!”, shoves the contract at me, grabs a bottle of vodka and storms out the door.  Lindsey throws a glass through Mick’s kitchen window and Stevie’s still crying, so I just get out of there as fast as I can!”

That’s intense. How do you think that “Dancing On My Bed” would represend the band in general?

“Lydiot wrote the lyrics.  If I were dancing on my bed, I’d probably fall off and hurt myself!  My wife, Meg, thinks the song is about masturbation.  Lydiot laughed when I told her, but she didn’t deny it!

There origins and influences of the band/artist?

“Nicky Chinn, Nicky Hopkins, Nick Knox”

A lot Nicks there. Nick Cave? Would you generally say that your main influences would be more in the 70s and even 60s?

“Nick Cave’s never done it for me, but there’s good music and influences everywhere–I don’t discriminate by decade!  Check out that Washington Phillips album on Mississippi Records for some good 1920s
tunes!”

The great big plans for the future?

“I need to get to the store this week to buy some food for our cats. Meg gave them wet food last night, but I don’t want them to get fat and always be begging, so it’s back to the dry food for them!”

Would you feed stray cats as well – like Brian Setzer?

“I saw The Head Cat play last year.  That’s Lemmy and Brian Setzer. Really!  Motorhead, The Stray Cats, The Head Cat–get it?  Those guys must have thought they were really clever when they came up with that one.  Truth is stranger than fiction!”

Talking about Motorhead… highs and lows - of your career that is?

“Career?  Is that what this is?  Oh man, am I in trouble.”

I’m sure that at some point one of you has said in school when asked about chosen career paths that you’d be a rock star…

“Anyone considering the rock star career path should read “Rock Stardom For Dumbshits” by The Phantom Surfers.  It’s brilliant, and will tell you everything you need to know!  It won’t be published until February 2010, but you can order a pre-release copy now at www.rudosandrubes.com !”

What drug would you be?

“I like helping people, so I would very much enjoy being penicillin!  I also enjoy nature, polar bears, and world peace.”

I think we got a lot of penicillin users on the film soundtrack as the Rainman Suite went also for that. You wouldn’t wanna go for painkillers to help to rest of us in the morning?

“I recommend a big bowl of menudo as a hangover cure.  Good stuff!”

What Trippin’ related tattoo would you get and where?

“A unicorn jumping over a rainbow into a beautiful field of dahilas!  Bangkok!”

Impressions of the directrix Devi Snively in one sentence?

If Dr. Frankenstein made a creature out of parts from Stuart Gordon, Jean Rollin, George Romero and Dante Tomaselli, that creature would be almost as cool as Devi Snively!

When she makes it BIG what classic book or comic she should go and adopt for the silver screen?

“Aura by Carlos Fuentes.”

Are you generally interested in latin American literature or do you think the projections of an 109 year old widow in the book creates more of the attraction?

“I don’t know much about Latin America literature, but I’m happy to read high quality, creepy, dream-like horror novellas from any culture that cares to provide them to me!”

What film character would you want to have join your act?

“I had a good time on Halloween this year.  I went trick-or-treating with my three year old niece Kate (”three and a half, Uncle Jeff!”), had a totally rocking guitar and keys music jam with my brother-in-law, drank too much beer, and watched “Cemetery Man”, which I always enjoy!  Kate makes a very cute princess!  I tried to scare her with my zombie costume, but was unsuccessful.”

We’ve had Freddy vs Jason and Alien vs Predator, what should be next?

“Santa vs Easter Bunny”

This could be a tough one. Would Santa be able to use chocolate bunnies in order to fight the Easter Bunny or would they automatically team up with the other bunny?

“I’ll have to ask Kate about that.  I’m sure she’ll have a strong opinion!”

Who would win in a street fight the Sex Pistols or the Ramones?

“Locket Love is a very good song, and perhaps a bit under-appreciated.

Another brilliant composition by Dee Dee. I’m sure Sid wouldn’t argue.

“Hard to argue when you’re dead!”

Definitelly makes it harder. What’s the question that you think should be asked in interviews, but never is?

“Where should I send the check?”

This one is on us.

How would you end the sentence: “Kids, do not take drugs…”

“to excess.  You’re a good kid, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you, and you can do some pretty stupid stuff when you’re high!  People really do get addicted to coke, and it could mess you up.  It’s tough to find the balance between having fun and not losing control, so err on the side of caution, be safe out there, and always know your
dealer!”

Something to crank up in the stereo while waiting for Santa! Exclusive remix for the website featuring samples from the film.

Ratbags – Walking Dead (Trippin Dub Remix)

 (the link updated on 30th Dec)

Written by Spider

Tripped, screwed & chopped by Spider

Performed by Ratbags: Guitars, Bass & Backing Vocals: Spider / Lead Vocals: Ayumi / Drums: Frank

The band was gearing up to an album release and was in desperate need of exposure. Ideally – like everyone playing a band likes to think – we have just about to release a definitive milestone in the given genre. Or should we just say ANY given genre. The one which is going to be in everyone’s record collection right between Pistols’ “Never mind the Bollocks” and AC/DC’s “Back in Black”.

After getting ready – that is picking up my guitar pick and getting my mohican done – I jumped on a coach to travel to London. I’d decided to travel separate from rest of the band, as I couldn’t afford the more expensive coach. My memory doesn’t recall the reason of not taking my guitar with me, surely there must’ve been a good one as I was meant to play guitar at this festival gig.

Found myself in Camden Town accompanied by another band who filled me on what had happened the previous nights. Out of the planned 3 nights only one had taken place. It had been stormed by the riot police. OK, well there is nothing new here as in the UK “Carnage Nights” take place at festivals on a regular basis. There was a slight problem. As the festival organisers had lost the venue there was nowhere to play – for now.

The rumour was that there was a secured location for the night and it would kick off in style. After milling about for a fair amount of time we got informed the location and headed off. At some point during hour half a dozen bus journey (since we couldn’t afford any other sort of transportation) I got an angry call from the singer of our band. There rest of the band had decided to fuck off and had enough. Well I thought I’d just stick around to catch some of these bands anyway – or more like I had booked a return coach in advance for days later and I had no money to buy another ticket. Slight worry occurred to me as I had no gig to play and I was promised accommodation on behalf of the promoters, who at this point I had seen, or actually even heard from.

At some godly hour in the morning we arrived to what seemed to be a park, which had a huge abandoned warehouse. There was a fair gathering of people, so clearly the underground network did work well. The generators had arrived. As well as two of the three promoters – or so I was told. To avoid of things going too smoothly. There were three  locks on the door and each of the promoter had a key. One of them who was missing. The missing key-holder would be arriving any minute now.

We headed to get a couple of beers while we waited for the off license. On our return still no third promoter. We went to get some takeaways to eat. On our return nothing hadn’t changed. Went to get a few more beers… some more dirty chicken…

Before I realised 3 days had gone past and no bands had played anywhere. The whole time I’d been travelling around London with a band from abroad watching the bassist and guitarist to sweat with their instruments, which they had to carry with them at all times. And was I pleased that for once it paid off to be a badly organised punk rock superstar wannabe.

Of course over the years I’d learn that it does pay off more than once. Just keep betting on that black 13.

Upon arrival back to work the assistant manager then said that I could’ve just been back at work earning money. Right. He is still there pouring espressos to miserable men in suits with his University Fine Art degree. Enough froth?

More Froth?

Not just a bottle of Moonshine, but also a whole band hailing from Modesto, California. We’re catching up with the bad boys of rock and roll and their singer and guitarist Rob of the three piece psychobilly band that hasn’t gone too much astray from the legendary Stray Cats.

How did the Moonshine get involved in Trippin’?

Rob:  “A friend of ours gave us the heads up about Devi looking for music so we contacted her and she like a song and used it.”

Would the song “Keep the Pabst Cold” been the choice of the band aswell?

“Well it’s a personal favorite to play, it expresses our sense of humor”

What are the origins and influences of Moonshine?

“Origins, I guess mothers birth canals and jam fests, influences definitely all over the table: swing, punk, rockabilly, the Pixies and most things in between.”

What does the future hold for the three piece?

“The same old, whiskey, dirty clubs and long uncomfortable drives.”

But let me guess. You wouldn’t chance it for the world? Is there any moonshine involved or is it just the whiskey?

“Oh not at all, we definitely enjoy small, tight-knit crowds, usually more excitable. normally just whiskey but just the other night we had a  friend bring us some homemade moonshine, it was tasty, in a firey, gasoline sort of way.”

What would be the biggest highs and lows of your career?

“They both hit often, any electric crowd is a high, any bored one waiting for next band is low.”

Any particular places you think you go down especially well?

“Are hometown Modesto shows where we draw best are usually our funnest shows. Reno is usually a great place, and we’ve had some really good shows in Sacramento.”

We’re trippin’ here. What drug would you be?

“I would be cocaine and booze, Matt would be weed and booze, Brian would just be a beer – he’s not multi-talented”

I’ve just visited States for the first time and it seems that the bands get paid in beer. I guess this is fine with you guys?

“We usually get a little gas money, but I think the older we the more we realize we need less beer and more money. We’ll take a fun show over a lot of money.”

We’ve had Freddy vs Jason and Alien vs Predator, what should be next?

“Michael Myers vs Dracula, it would probably be more of a comedy than a horror flick.”

Very interesting set up. Which one would win and why?

“I think Myers would win, I think they would confuse each other, Michael would just keep stabbing him in the arm or something unable to figure out why Dracula’s not dying. I think Dracula would just hiss at him a bunch. He might get a bite in.”

Who would win in a street fight the Sex Pistols or the Ramones?

“With weapons probably the Sex Pistols, without the Ramones.”

What would you arm the Pistols with?

“Give ‘em a broken beer bottle, that way Sid could cut himself up in the process.”

What’s the question that is never asked in interviews, but should be?

“Okay realistically how my many times have you ripped somebody off?”

How would you reply – honestly?

“Well if you rip somebody successfully, which I think is to basically make it your own to where nobody can really tell you’re ripping somebody off, then you yourself after a while forget that it was a rip off to begin with. So now I would say I’ve only knowingly ripped somebody a couple of times, but I’ve probably forgotten about a couple incidents at this point.”

End the sentence: “Kids, do not take drugs…”

“…from strangers, get them from people you know!”

Make sure to buy the album “Forever’s Just A While” from these strangers and a t-shirt to wash it down with (also got ones for the ladies). Rock onto http://www.myspace.com/moonshine32

Interview by Jyrki “Spider” Hamalainen

Two day punk festival in an English seaside resorted created a backdrop to another perfectly executed musical extravaganza. Not long after arriving to the location that would have fitted excellently in “28 Days Later” I was told that we had agreed to play for nothing and pay for the travelling ourselves. Somehow I failed to see the logic as we’d played here before and got paid for it. Promoter said we would be getting drinks in, so I thought we can even the situation.

In the typical rock and roll fashion we got later informed that the headlining band had overspent their drink budget, which meant that no one else would be getting any drinks. They would also have food specially cooked for them and we could have manky dried sandwiches (probably dated to the heydays of British seaside holiday resorts), plain salted crisps and tea. The rest of the band and entourage was delighted. I couldn’t help feeling cheated.

In the most ordinary way I would then go and befriend the headliners. Them having been in the circuit for years they knew where I was coming from and not long after I was drinking tasty bourbon, finest French wines and having a succulent meal specially cooked for me according to my instructions. In the distance I could see rest of our band being grumpy and looking into their dried cheddar.

Fancy a cuppa?

By the time we hit the stage I could feel the French wine hitting me. The wine glass flew somewhere and the strings broke. Once again the headliners came into rescue with a spare guitar and we somehow, finally, ended up finishing the set, which surely wasn’t much off from the early Ramones gig at the CBGB’s. Once again I was heavily present in the accompanied review. Don’t think we got asked to come back anymore tho.

Under the influence...