This article originally appeared on Boston Band Crush ). The New Alibis are playing tonight at MidEast Up with Jeddo Stars, Televandals, and The New Collisions – don’t miss it!
Are you excited to be participating in the 31st WBCN Rock ‘n’ Roll Rumble?
Drew Suxx -Absolutley This will be my 2nd as I was in it one year with Lost City Angels. Looking forward to this year some great bands have been asked to play.
Julie Two Times – Very much! Our first show was just in November of 2008 so we were definitely surprised and honored that they would have thought of us for this years rumble. We won’t disappoint!
Jesse Von Kenmore- Oh hell yeah. This is my 4th rumble . I totally back it..It’s a great tradition..a ton of fun, and a pretty good payday if you get through the 1st round. It’s always a bit of a crapshoot . Where else can 3 really good bands go out and all deliver killer sets and get beat down by a comedian? Some people love to rip on it. But, very few cities have a local music scene(s) that is existant at all, let alone one that’s as vibrant as Boston’s. BCN’s support of that over the years through the Rumble matters. It’s a good thing, and the only thing that goes against it is when bands take it to seriously. Fuckin A..Ya get paid, ya get to play with and in front of pepole you ordinarily might not…it’s a tradition that goes back 30 years. Try that in Buffalo or Miami or LA , ya know. I’m really excited for Paul and Julie ’cause this is their 1st time playing it and that’s a cool thing too .
Are you afraid of the Rumble curse?
Drew –I think is a sham. Being in a band is a very difficult thing to do at any level. Whether you win or not, you’re cused just by being in a band.Julie – That sounds like something you‘d pick up in Mexico. I try not to believe it as every band has drama/breaks up eventually…but the more I hear about it, the harder it is to ignore.
Jesse- True, every few weeks it makes ya want to put a gun in your mouth. But whenever I try not to be in a band I’m so fucking miserable I want to put a gun in my mouth and see if i can pull the trigger twice every fucking day.
Do you plan on doing anything special or different for your set?
Drew- I plan to make elf riding unicorns and rainbows shoot from the speakers as we lay down some Rock n Roll magic!
Julie- Smoke machines and clam cannons. Just waitin’ on the stimulus check….
Jesse- I plan on giving Julie Two Times a different set list than the rest of us have and seeing how that works out. That, and shaving my eyebrows , rocking a beret and a John Waters moustache and screaming a lot of french stuff. Should be pretty epic.
How far do you think you’ll progress in the competition?
Drew- As far as the gods of rock will allow.
Jesse- The Rock Gods are all knowing.Julie- Who knows? We have a very varied sound from song to song so I think we’re able to please a lot of different tastes. Obviously, every band would like to get as far as possible. As long as you’ve got faith in what you’re presenting, you’ll have a good shot.
What’s your bet on who will make it to the finals?
Jesse- If we told you we would have to kill you.
Drew- You don’t want to be a scarifice to the rock gods. Or perhaps you do?
Julie- Mollusks aren‘t betting creatures.
Are there any bands you would have picked for the line-up this year that didn’t get in?
Drew- Doggfight U.S. The Alrighters. Pulp 45. Death and Taxes. Dear
Leader (so amazing)
Jesse- I dunno who was asked and couldn’t do it this year. But I will say I’m surprised not to see Black Fortress Of Opium, The Scars, and The Throwaways (I guess they didn’t put a record out in 08 though), and where are The Spoilers and The Tenafly Vipers? It’s always like that. Every year it seems that some bands you’resure are shoe ins ain’t and other’s ya never heard of are.
What band is your favorite past winner?
Drew- The Amazing Royal Crowns, Darkbuster The Gentlemen.
Julie- Gotta give it to good old Darkbuster for sure.
Jesse- I have to agree with those picks and add The Neighborhoods and The Bags. I’ve got to add Cracktorch and The Dents for 2 of the best runner up sets I ever saw. Though I will say the single greatest hiest and epic robbery in rumble history was 1986. That was the year Gang Green tore the shit out of it, smashed a synthisizer with a green sledghammer on the stage of the Orpheum and stole the whole thing in the name of bad behavior and punk rock, and drank like Vikings from the trophy with all of us. It was glorious.
What past competitor do you think was most robbed?
Julie- Nepotism possesses me to say The Marvels, Shake the Faith and Fingerpaint had all been equally robbed….Outside of that, The Dents. But sometimes, the crowd and the bands know that just because someone else technically got the crown, it doesn’t mean they won the most amount of people over.
Any final words or smacktalk before the battle begins?
Julie- ACHTUNG! Ich bin die Klamm……
Photo above by Mike Byrne