Geek Weekly #4

record except for this one. This is the first record that the timing for everything of this pretty little package and all that crap is working perfectly. S: How big of a concern is this to you - MTV and promotion in general? Tony: Promotion is absolutely important for us to step up anywhere, but MTV is kind of-Marcellus: It'll bring people to shows. We despise MTV just like anybody, but if you have videos on there, and you show what you can do, I think people will tune into it. Tony: And half of them may be idiots, and half of them may not be. S: The reason I was asking about that is because Marcellus's lyrics are very referential to the band and to the music business, and I was wondering if that's why - frustration at your label, or the way you make your living in general. Marcellus: I don't know if that's why - not any kind of frustration but just because it's things that are going on. I don't think it's just musicians that are talking about the money you made on your advance, it's subject matter for people to talk about. I think it's kind of weird to talk about it, so I thought it would be even weirder to sing about it. I just think that in the sixties, people weren't talking about how much money Elvis was making. They weren't that critical of the industry itself. I don't know if they should be or shouldn't be, but it seems to be like the thing to do nowadays and it seems kind of warped compared to the past. Tony: People are more articulated about it now, but do they need to be? Marcellus: I think if you write about your record contract in your songs - I thought it would be funny because I thought peoples ears would go "record contact?" Dave: Yeah, that's what they really want to hear about. That night's show was a blast - indoors at Emo's, he heat and noise making us just uncomfortable enough to really enjoy ourselves, we rolled about and hollered. Then at the end, the drunken drummer from Steel Pole Bathtub showed up, fresh from an opening gig with Faith No More. He tried to crawl across the stage andd then Tony sat on him. He didn't even stop playing. Railroad Jerk Interview 47

Comic Text:

"I love you Trevor" "I love you, Su... BLEEH!" Alcoholics + the women who love them... Don't let it happen to you!

by Trevor Wallace

the Motards

March 21 El Paso @ The Attic 22 Albuquerque @ Joe's Greasy Spoon 23 Albuquerque @ El Place 24 Phoenix @ Toxic Ranch 25 Las Vegas @ Party 26 San Diego @ The Casbah 28 Los Angeles @ Jabber Jaw 29 San Francisco @ Purple Onion 30 San Francisco @ Kilowatt

April 1 Sacramento @ The Loft 2 Reno @ House Party 3 Portland @ EJ's 5 Seattle @ My Suzies 6 Seattle @ Lake Union Pub 9 Spokane @ Ichabod's 10 Missoula @ Jay's 11 Boise @ Crazy Horse 13 Denver @ TBA 14 Lawrence @ Replay Lounge 15 Denton

Susan interviewed the combined members of the Teen Titans and the 1,4,5s in April 1995. Teen Titans: Dean Hsieh: guitar Phillip Niemeyer: "vocals" Anna Vinegra: bass El Diablo Robo: drums

1,4,5s: Travis Higdon: leader Dean: guitar Anna: drums "Hey" Gavin Scott: Bass

This is their story.

GW: Travis, I always thought it was a joke when you said you were going to grow up and rule the world, but tell us about being a garage rock mogul -Estrus is distributing your seven-inch. How'd that happen? Gavin: Travis is a genius. Anna: We're damn lucky. Travis: When it first came out I sent one to Estrus and I sent one to Greg Lowery, and I hadn't heard from either one of them until right before the Rip-Offs show. Greg wrote me a real quick note that said he liked it and that it soudned like Supercharger, and it was just a real quick note 'cause he said he didn't want to see me at the show and me say, "Where the fuck is my reply?" I talked to him at Sound Exchange and he said he liked it, and he gave me some names and phone num-

(Picture)

Dean and Travis at the Peek-A-Boo Bicycle Rodeo release party

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bers of people at Estrus and other record labels. So I called Dave from Estrus on Monday night and asked him if he had listened to it and he said that he had a whole stack of records that he hadn't listened to yet, and maybe he'd get around to it, and if so, like maybe in a couple of weeks he might give us a call if there was something he thought he could do for us. And then the next day he called me and said, "Can I have a hundred of your records?" GW: So are y'all gonna let this go to your heads? Dean: Yeah, we're pretty jaded. Travis: 'Cause we're (Travis and Gavin) the ones that are totally eager and do all the footwork and get all the shows and are really excited about it and y'all don't even want to record and show up right before the show and don't ever practice. If I didn't do anything, then we wouldn't have sold a hundred records to Estrus. And I'm gonna reap the benefits. I get all the profits. Will: It was your money in the first place. GW: Okay, now I've got that out of the way. Which of y'all were in the original Three Lesbian Folksingers? Phillip and ... Anna: Phillip and Dean. Dean was a Lesbian. I converted him. Phillip: Hey, leave this out of the interview. GW: Before this goes any further, Phillip and Travis, this is all on the

(Picture) Anna Vinegra, the rhythmic sould of both bands.

record. There will be no phone calls telling me not to print anything. When did you become Three Lesbian Folksingers? Phillip: I don't want to talk about that. I liked the music, I'm just embarrassed of the name. For the record, I liked the band, but I hate the name. That's the reason I'm embarrased, because at the time we thought the name was really funny because we were really immature college students, but now I think the name is potentially offensive and I'm PC. GW: Yeah, and "UTPD Killer" is within the realm of PC. Will: Well, that's a social statement of rebellion. GW: What was the genesis of the Teen Titans? Dean: Well, the Folksingers broke up and me and Phillip wanted another band. Phillip: We made Anna play bass and she learned how to play over the summer. Anna: They gave me a bass and said, "Here." And I said, "Okay." Phillip: And my friend Darren was gonna play drums but he was really shitty and me and him got into a big fight. But that's all in the past now. Will: So I was the only guy they knew that actually owned a drum kit, that would actually be willing to do it. Travis: Not that he knew how to play it, though. Will: Not that I'm actually in the band, it's just that I was the only guy they knew with a drum kit. Phillip: I wish Will was in the band. He has lots of rhythm. GW: Phillip, why do you always rub your dick on the mic when you're performing? Phillip: Do you mean for the song "Serpenteena"? That's to make fun of my friends. 'Cause in the Three Lesbian Folksingers and the Teen Titans I'd do it to a really humorous effect, 'cause it seemed like a really dumb thing to do, and then they made fun of me for it, so I always do it and look right at them, cause they think it's really funny. Will: It's actually becasue the mic isn't grounded properly, and it shocks him, so he likes that. Dean: It's known to lengthen your penis size. Phillip: Yeah, mine's all the way up to three inches now. Dean: That's great, Phillip, keep at it. GW: Do you have a mission? You're pretty much a recreational band

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