Mike Colussi

Mike Colussi is a son of a bitch

Gateway punk bands

Call them mainstream, mall punk, or sellouts; I believe large popular punk bands serve a purpose.
Lets face it, virtually no-one is born with a Nausea tattoo (I say virtually because there are some pretty messed up punk rocker parents out there). If I use myself as an example, the first punk bands I listened to were Green Day and the Offspring. Granted at the time, I didn't even know they were punk bands - It was just music I listened to in order to get pumped up for hockey games. Later on via much music airing the video for Time Bomb, I, like many other young teenagers, fell headfirst into Rancid and from there the Clash, U.S. Bombs, Choking Victim.. yadda yadda yadda, on into punk. From this, I also learned of other people interested in the same type of music, and eventually the local Sudbury punk scene.
Wearing Rancid or the Clash t-shirts would prompt someone at school or downtown to say something along the lines of, "Hey, do you like punk?" - to which I would answer "yes" and I would be handed a hand bill to a local punk show. My first punk show I believe was Belvedere at elks lodge or elm tree, I always forget.
Either way, I use those same tactics today to let people know about cool punk shows going on in Guelph, however it seems most people already know due to the internet.
However, many a time I've chatted up someone wearing a Rise Against, or Me First and the Gimme Gimmies t-shirt, and then later seen them at a show.
Bigger, catchy, "pop" punk bands allow people to get a taste for what punk has to offer. It sucks them in, gets them interested, and then gets them involved.

Which is why Against Me! is so frustrating. Here's a band that has made it big, and had a chance to suck people into the whole Folk Punk scene that thrives in the U.S. and elsewhere. Instead, they release another shitty album of quasi dance tunes with complaining for lyrics.

What do I want? I want some good, fast, aggressive punk bands to take the helm of the next wave of punk popularity - get kids tuned in to what's going on in Canada and in basements and dingy clubs everywhere.

DIY - the spirit of motivation

Time is the most valuable thing you can give, take, use, waste, etc. etc.

Enter punk scenes and the division of labour. Often to young scene members, the community may consist of:

Bands
Friends of bands
General Audience
Promoters / Sound Guy / Venue staff

Which in most cases they do, but ofthen these lines can be blurred, and wonderful things can come out of them. Every person that goes to shows whether to play, watch or organize, has skills and connections that can be put to awesome use if they have the motivation. What better motivation than to create something unique that you and your friends can be a part of, and have memories to inspire further generations by?
The more people use their skills, the more originality comes forth and the more distinct and regional a scene can become; based on the people in it.

I find the internet homoginizes a lot of aspects of regional scenes - everyone is hip to every band, people can buy their clothes off the internet, all knowledge is readily accessible and thus not always really passed down through verbal/written dialog between punk "generations" (this isn't always bad at all, and thank quark for the internet)

Thus, I find it exceptionally cool when different punk scenes have their own personal characteristic. Maybe one kid is a whiz with a sewing machine, and can make virtually anything - their friend might be a great artist and have a flair for fashion, so together than can make some really cool clothes - and if they're tuned to their scene, they can reflect some attitudes and styles already apparent

Someone is a good artist? they can do band art, and further their own style, as well as creating a regional style for the bands.

I can go on and on, you know what I'm getting at. If you've got a skill, try to get involved. Doing things, "work", on your own time, without getting paid (sometimes it leads to money) is really rewarding, and often helps out your friends in the meantime.

Punk rock and popularity

Before I begin, when I make reference to "punk bands", I'm going to be including bands that are of the usual fare, aggressive, not overly complicated, emotionally involved and high energy, while usually kind of melodic. There are a lot of bands right now under realms of hardcore, indie rock, metalcore, etc. etc. etc. that really still are the "punk bands" of our day. Back in the 70s, the X-ray specs, Clash, and later Crass were still just called punk bands, regardless of how different they were. With that understood, I'm still going to reference "punk" how it normally is today, or what may be called "hardcore melodic punk" or whatever. My band probably tries to capture that early 90s feel, but we get called "Thrashy oi oi punk" anyway. Shit. Onwards, with hopefully less quotation marks.

Jump back to say, 1996, when I first became aware of something called punk rock. Why did I become aware of it? Because punk was popular. Green Day, Offspring, Rancid et al. were all over the place and as much as people would like to call them all sellouts, that's how half of us got into this damn mess. I think you need the big names to lend popularity to the small ones.
I started going to local shows in 1999, because to me they embodied more personal versions of the bands I listened to (see above) when gearing up for hockey games. Not to mention, the DIY ethic and community involvement of punk are aspects that I always have found incredibly intruiging. I grew up in a small town outside of Sudbury, and it was awesome to meet and hang out, and watch bands with people who kind of saw the world in the same way - people who wouldn't beat me up outside a hockey arena because I had some band scrawled on my shirt.

Around 2000-2001-ish, if my memory serves me correctly.. punk started getting unpopular. Ska all but had dissapeared from the scene, and domination from really poppy sugary "punk" acts made way for ultra-sweetened emo, and far worse, screamo, metalcore, etc. music.
Everything just started to suck. Everyone I idolized in the local scenes had grew up, moved away, or stopped caring.

(side-note: For some reason, when ultra-visible punk rocker type people started donning more 'regular type folk' clothes, for some reason it really got to me. Christ I mean, they just wanted to stop having to put up their mohawk, but for some reason deep down I felt as if they were giving up. Really lame, and I know better now, but hell it was hard to get over as a kid. I think that's why the Casualties still do it.)

Cut to now, 2007. Punk is, well, is really fucking dead. There are a handfull of decent punk bands around ontario, and a lot of them going relatively unnoticed which is MIND-BOGGLING.
If you get a chance, pick up Hostage Life's "Walking Papers". Every goddamn song is great - I don't know how kids can justify to themselves buying the U.S.A. metalcore bullshit, when a band pumping out catchy, down to earth punk music is treading water in Toronto.

I don't know how at all, so this is what I'm figuring.
Many things in life are cyclical. Fashion is cyclical, music is most often cyclical.
Punk is going to come back in a BIG way - I don't know when, but I'm feeling it soon, its in the cards.
1977, 1982/84, 1992-1996 , 2008/9-?

Those dates may be a little off, but goddamn it I'm waiting for the revolution here people.
Each time bands listen to the "generation" before them, get influence, take influence from elsewhere, and then you get a ton of kick ass bands all coming out at the same time that kick ass.
There are great punk bands happening all over the US and Canada, and its only a matter of time before more mainstream outlets pick up on it, and the kids are back hip.


Listening to: Candy Snatchers (I hate those "listening to" things, but I wanted to do it just once)

The Summer

Punk Rock summer means house shows and festivals and sleeping in parks and hanging out by rivers. Well in guelph at least, for me. My fantasies when I was 16 involved listening to cocksparrer, and gettting worked up at a raucus and rowdy party in a city with a river, and maybe lakes, and lots of big trees; passing out in a field and waking up to walk home the next day.
If anything Guelph has more than been adequate in that department, and I find myself riding the wave of summer, filled with shows and fantastic nights with friends and acquaintences.
If anything I think I've met more friends and punk"contacts" in the summer than any season, but I mean that makes perfect sense.
Two summers ago was Unity Fest in Montreal, which (other than the lame name) was completely awesome and I wish the organisers got their shit together enough to have another one. The Adicts are one of the best bands I've ever seen live, and I urge anyone to see them before monkey calls it quits. Any of the "old bands" who are still going should either hang up their boots, or bring their game up to the Adicts levels because there is NO EXCUSE for not putting on a lively and energetic show. This is a direct call out to THE FORGOTTEN REBELS and THE CANADIAN SUBHUMANS (The UK Subhumans were also great live), who while were awesome and really nice guys.. just never impressed me incredibly live - the energy and passion I associate with punk rock was just missing, and I felt pretty disillusioned while watching their sets.

So to wrap that up, I'll include a list of things you should, or shouldn't do, if you're an aging punk icon band, in order to keep your fans' expectations and fantasies:

1. Don't just stand there
- Get involved with the audience. Move around. Check out the stage. do SOMETHING other than awkwardly shout out the lyrics to long forgotten songs. You need to get by on more than just memories, you need to be a good band by today's status, regardless of age.

2. Don't get too drunk
- Yeah it happens, but when you're that old and some kid who's been idolizing you since he was in grade school wants to hear how the recording of the new album went, being a fucking mess is just sad. Get drunk later, stay sober for the show, and rip it up for him/her. Also, being someone's shitty deadbeat dad is exactly the reason half of us became punks in the first place: Congrats if you became something you hated, that's the BEST.

3. DO try to get the original/best lineup
- Its just cooler ok? DOA with Randy Rampage is the best lineup I've seen in years

4. Play killer gear
- If anything you can impress people with your awesome vintage guitars/amps. You kept them right? RIGHT??!

5. Don't overprice your merch
- Its just pathetic, get real jobs and let kids buy your t-shirts for $10, once again, its part of the founding principles of punk

6. Care
- Its hard to do, you can't teach it, but if you got it, you're gold.

This is all easy enough for me to say being in my early twenties, and not under considerable debt of sorts, but I guarantee if you do any of the above, and more - (plus release a new, great album) - people will give a shit about you again. We want to, just give us a reason.

Stuff relating to my band

A little self indulgent, but still kind of on topic. My band recorded some demo songs up at http://www.myspace.com/thedecay , to be eventually released on a 15-20 song full length sometime within the next year. I think they turned out decent but the mix needs a little work. My rythm guitar sound recorded awesome but its barely audible, so I want to bring that out more.
We recorded for free though so, hey might as well. As such I'll plug Mike Delisle and 4Q studios because his new setup rules. If you're a band around kitchener, check him out

so I spent today painting some stuff for a free demo we're going to give out at our shows in sudbury this weekend, kind of an exclusive to promote buying Living Daylights new 7" (www.myspace.com/livingdaylights) who are friends of ours and totally rule.

Amp ideas and Punk

So often I'll witness punk bands playing and I'll take note of their gear. First there is the song you are playing, and then there is the equipment you play it through. Take the all powerful Fucked Up for instance.. the songs on Hidden World are generally not complex songs. They're a few chords rattled together, but the sound itself is a good one no? I'm not entirely sure what they recorded on, but live last time I saw them they were playing a fender deluxe (deville? I forget) combo and a marshall plexi. Good amps , that'll cost you between $600 and $1200 depending where you buy them etc.
Now I'll witness another unamed band play generally the same structured songs, but they sound awful, thin, brittle .. the guitars don't go with the bass and the cymbals of the drums just cut through the whole melody anyway. Why don't they have nice guitars and amps? well they're just starting, they don't know gear and get ripped off at music stores, or they're poor, or or or.

My band for instance, has never been swimming with cash. For the last four years I've been getting through university paying the highest tuitions of any major at the school.
Still, I've managed to come across enough stuff to make me decent sounding, and you can too if you know how to shop right. Read up on good sounding cheaper amps, find how to build your own, watch for deals, keep tabs on the market.

here's a breakdown of my gear, and what it all cost me:

Main amp: Sovtek Mig 50 - $300 from electrical.com when they were selling off some stuff.
Main cabinet: Marshall 1960BX - $700 from another local band
Main guitar: Tokai Love Rock with bar humbuckers, Phat Cats installed, hardcase - $550
1976 Gibson Marauder - $500
1968 Traynor YBA-1 - $250
1972 Traynor YBA-2A - $100

So right now, a VERY decent sounding guitar rig has cost me $1550. A kid in highschool could make that working at a junkyard for a summer easy.

But here's my idea and what I hope to contribute to the punk scene. Many amp makers have strived to create a great sounding, well built low cost amp.. and hell on some fronts they've succeeded (Working dog for instance), but a lot of punk kids don't know that just from going into a music store.
I want to make an amp specifically FOR the needs of punk bands, however that sound good. Right now, to my ears and ears of plenty, that means tubes. I'd love for amps to be able to do away with the hassle of tube electronics, and be able to confidently use the more power, heat and size efficient digital amplfication, but so far they just can't match it (or so we think.)

There will be a few different models, to encompass the different styles of punk, maybe like:

The power pop
The hardcore
The 77'
The new punk

So to define what these amps would need, lets go over some criteria that punks would want in an amplifier:

The ability to handle hall shows or house shows
- Alright, lets make 'em all about 50 watts with a toggle switch to cut it to 20 watts

The ability to have someone knock them over, spill bear on them , etc.
- build it rock solid and water tight. What's a bit of sealant in the long run? lets do'er

Easy to figure out, hard to screw up
- Everything clearly labelled, and have a great manual that comes with them that doesn't treat the reader like an idiot: "push this button to make your amp scream" .. no, the manual will explain exactly whychanging something affects the sound in a certain way.
Often people dont' let their amps warm up, or they accidently turn them on without plugging them into their cabs .. alright, so instead maybe the amps can have a circuit that won't allow power to be turned on if the speaker cable isn't plugged in. And maybe a timing device that only allows you to play after the amp has been on for a minute or so.

(note*: these ideas can be implemented mechanically so as to not include more circuits which could affect the signal tone)

Look great
easy enough

Cheap - I'd say betwen $300 and $600 NEW.
This is the million dollar question.. can it be done? I guess that will take some research, and a lot of my time and prototypign within the next few yeras, once I get my act together.
I think I'll post some mockup pictures at least to keep myself motivated


epilogue:
(I have a lot of other ideas for mechanical operations on amps, such as a mechanical preamp foot switches and stuff. Reading interviews and postings by Ken Fischer, the maker of amazing Trainwreck amps, and Dr. Z who makes Dr. Z amps; an important detail they stress is to keep your circuit simple - extra elecctronic doodaddery just takes away from the tone, affects the harmonic content. Thus, if you can then have extra amp functions done in mechanical ways, you can reduce the amount of circuitry needed in the amp.)