The legendary punk band Swingin’ Utters is back! It’s been seven years since the band’s last release, and they’re excited as hell to rock again. The guys just put out a 7”, Brand New Lungs, featuring three new songs; the EP is a teaser for Here, Under Protest, their upcoming full-length album which due out this fall. The band, made up of Johnny Peebucks, Darius Koski, Greg McEntee, Spike Slawson, and Jack Dalrymple, formed over twenty years ago, breaking out of the Bay Area punk scene in the late 80s.
Recently, Darius was kind enough to answer some questions for OCMM. I didn’t touch a thing; the answers are straight from the man himself. He’s seriously legit, and I greatly respect the honesty and sincerity that fill his responses.
Swingin Utters
Laura: What was it like to be a part of the Bay Area music scene at the time you guys got together? What were your feelings about it, or other bands? Was there a feeling of unity?
Darius: We had a really good time. I’ve always been under the impression that scenes are generally always the same—that there are always gonna be great bands locally, shitty bands, great clubs, shit clubs… just an endless cycle… but maybe I’m wrong? I don’t know. We bonded with a bunch of bands back then (in the early-mid nineties), and I met tons of people I’m still really close to. I guess the main thing about the scene back then was that punk rock was still punk rock. In other words, Green Day hadn’t broken yet. I’m not slighting Green Day or anything, but things have changed. The whole definition of what is and what’s not punk rock is pretty vague for the masses right now. I think only the real punkers know what’s up with that… anyway, back in the stone ages we’d be playing Gilman the same night that Green Day would be playing the Berkeley Square, and we’d be bummed because our show was gonna suck, since everybody was gonna be at the Green Day show…
Laura: You guys have been on the scene for over 20 years now, and have gained much respect in the punk rock community by bands and fans alike. But you still hold down day jobs to support your families. And it seems that aspect of working hard has always been incredibly important. Would you say these jobs keep you grounded? Don’t let you take anything for granted?
Darius: I personally don’t really know if my job keeps me grounded. I hate working. I wish I could make a living playing music. Touring, making records, posing for fucking pictures. I have no desire to be a plumber, just as I had no desire to be a butcher, a pizza delivery driver, a cashier, a laborer… so this whole “working class” stuff is complete bullshit to me. I’m not waiving a fucking “working class” flag, and I never have been. It’s not something I’m ashamed of or anything–the fact that I am pretty much the epitome of working class, as far as my work history goes—but I’m not exactly “proud” of it, either. It’s just simply the way it is, but I don’t like it. I don’t choose or prefer it, let’s just say. I think there is absolutely honor in working hard (physically) to earn your pay, but there’s also something to be said of the dude who gets a degree and doesn’t have to abuse his body like I have.
Swingin' Utters.
Laura: Given that you guys have families, how hard is it to go on tour? Or find time to focus any attention on your music? Is that work/family/passion for music balance tough to achieve?
Darius: I love touring. It’s my favorite thing to do, along with being in the studio. I just really love being in a band, and the fact that we’re a signed band and have the ability to make a record and tour and actually make a little bit of dough because there are people out there who give a shit about us—that’s just really lucky. We are lucky people. When I started going out with my (future) wife (in ’94), we were in the studio making our first record, and a few months later we hit the road for our first tour, so my wife has been with me through my entire career in this band, really. The whole record-making, touring part at least, this has been our life for a long time, and when we just recently decided to get really active again, she’s been nothing but supportive—and to be honest, I would expect her to be. She knows who she married. Of course it’s hard, especially with kids, but we made the choice to lead this life, and we deal with it. I think my kids like the fact that I’m in a band.
Laura: How old are your kids now? What do they think of the type of music you play?
Darius: My two boys are 9 and 11. My 11-year old (going on 12) is pretty much going on 17 right now, so he’s begun really getting into music (lots of hip hop). I’ve put lots of the essentials on his iPod. He likes the Ramones, and he likes all of my bands. He has to, right?
Laura: Your fans already know you started out covering late 70’s Brit punk bands, like Buzzcocks, The Clash, and Sham 69. And The Pogues were a big band for you as well. What are you guys listening to these days? Any newer bands catching your attention?
Darius: I don’t listen to tons of new punk rock, really. I think it takes a lot for me to listen to a new punk band. I don’t think being a good punk band is that easy. It may be easy to start a punk band and to be a punk band, but I’m not really satisfied with mediocre shit, I guess. I’m a fucking huge snob when it comes to music. As far as new punk bands I like the Cute Lepers a lot. And Boats! is good, too. Of course the Re-Volts are amazing, and that’s not self-promotion, because I don’t really play with them anymore. I listen to a lot of older music (pretty much every genre) generally, but the more contemporary stuff I like is Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Elliott Smith, Steve Earle, Antony and the Johnsons are amazing, Outkast, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, MIA, The Shins, Rufus Wainwright, Supergrass… I’m really more likely to be listening to Bowie, The Kinks, the Beatles, Heatmiser, and fucking Fiona Apple than anything else, really. Sorry.
Laura: Did you guys have a goal when you formed the band? Send a message to people? Or was it more for the fun of it? And how might that goal be different for the Swingin’ Utters of 2010?
Darius: More of the fun of it, and just our love of music. We just wanted to be the Clash. We still are doing it for the love of making music. This is how we express ourselves, period. Music is the most important thing in our lives, and that’s why we’re doing it. That’s always been it, really.
Laura: Tell me about Brand New Lungs and Here, Under Protest. What does the new stuff sound like? Subject matter?
Darius: Subject matter’s just what it’s always been, whatever that is… We don’t really operate under any central themes, ever. Whatever comes out comes out… It sounds like the Swingin’ Utters, I guess. Nothing ground breaking, unfortunately, but I think it’s all really solid and I think it’s all really good. We’re all pretty amped about everything right now.
Swingin' Utters.
Laura: I noticed you guys haven’t updated your website in a few years. Has the Internet revolution been more helpful to you all as a band? Or just a big pain in the ass? And what about the music downloading aspect of it?
Darius: The reason it hasn’t been updated is that I was in charge of doing that, and I’m not good at doing that, because it’s tedious and I hate tedium, and the site was made in 1998 or ‘99, so it wasn’t as easy to deal with, technically…. whatever. We’re getting a new site worked on right now–a friend of ours is helping us out big time, so that’s gonna be an improvement… I think bands should be paid for songs that are downloaded, and I think anything else is basically theft. Others in my band may disagree with this, but I definitely feel this way about it.
Laura: Does Swingin’ Utters have anything else in the works? Very excited about the new website! What will it offer the fans or anyone else who stumbles upon it?
Darius: It will offer endless joy. We have lots in the works, mostly to be a “working” band once again, making records way more than once every 7 years, and touring every year. Hurray!
Catch the Swingin’ Utters on the first three Vans Warped Tour dates, or in a town near you! They’ll be playing across the U.S., Canada, and Europe pretty consistently until the end of the year. Be sure to check out their MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/SwinginUtters, and be on the lookout for a brand new www.SwinginUtters.com!
**Big Thanks to Darius Koski for taking the time to work with us, as well as the rest of the Swingin’ Utters. And another Thank You to Vanessa Burt at Fat Wreck Chords for everything!
