Originally published in Verbicide issue #8

Critically lauded and enthusiastically supported by a dedicated fan-base, Olympia, Washington’s Bangs have staked their claim as one of today’s premier rock acts. Forget the excessive and unwarranted comparisons to other Northwestern female-fronted acts — Bangs have a sound all their own, powerful and catchy guitar-rock that transcends gender and geography. With a new drummer (Peter David Connelly) and the services of a new studio, Bangs recorded and released their third album through Kill Rock Stars in the fall of 2002, a six-track EP entitled Call And Response. Sarah Utter (guitar, vocals), Maggie Vail (bass, vocals), and Connelly graciously took the time to address a few queries regarding the new album, snake-suits, and the Seattle Mariners.

I’d like to start by asking about the newest Bangs album, Call and Response. I think, production-wise, it’s the best-sounding Bangs record to date, and I noticed that you switched to a new studio and producer. What was the motivation or reason behind the move?
Maggie Vail: I agree with you about that. We would’ve switched regardless, but the place where we recorded our previous two albums, Moon Music, closed down. We thought about trying to record with a bigger name producer or in a fancy Seattle studio but the idea of recording here in town with someone we’ve known for so long really appealed to us. I think it worked out great.
Sarah Utter: Moon Music packed up and moved to Sweden or Norway or something… We had talked about going up to Seattle to record with John Goodmanson (he did Bikini Kill’s Reject All American LP, among many others). But this being an EP, we decided to try out a much cheaper, local Olympia option: The Farm! Formally known as Magrecone, it’s the studio that Unwound built to record their Leaves Turn Inside You album. Its in the basement of the house Justin Trosper lives at, and I think the stuff they have recorded there sounds really awesome. It was also less stressful to record with a friend in a casual atmosphere, and I think that’s really important for our band, as we’re kind of socially awkward people. And I totally trust Justin’s taste in music and recording.
Peter David Connelly: I think the decision to use Justin as the producer was mostly made by the other two, but I thought it was a great idea because he’s very considerate and obviously someone we all admire in an artistic sense, as well as being someone we’re all comfortable with on a personal level. I also was impressed with how the Unwound and Replikants albums sound, and the sonic ideas contained therein.

I think that Bangs have staked a claim as a powerful, high-energy band, but there is a remarkably aggressive, almost angry tone in some of the new songs and lyrics (“New Scars,” “I Want More,” “Dirty Knives”). Do you agree with that assessment, and have their been any specific motivating factors behind this approach?
Sarah: I agree — I think “aggressive” is the word that suits it best. The song on the album that was definitely most inspired out of pure frustration and “pissed-offness” was the title track, “Call and Response.” I’m not very good at letting out anger in any other atmosphere besides music, so its an outlet (albeit a very public one) for the things that are driving me nuts, like getting cat-called everyday by boys or feeling like a guilty participant in the gross consumer culture that America has created. But, there is also a very nice and pleasant song, “Kinda Good,” so it’s not a totally dark record. There are pretty parts.

Any specific reason that you chose to release an EP rather than a full-length?
Maggie: With KRS’ new distributor, Touch and Go, it is necessary to record the album at least five months or so in advance. We were really hoping to put out something next year, but what with Kyle quitting and it taking a few months to find Peter, we didn’t have time to write a full-length. We were so happy with those songs that we were writing, we decided we really wanted people to hear them and get started on the new chapter with Peter. I’m super happy with the decision; I think those songs shine together and in a short format.
Peter: And the snake-suit guy looked better on a 10-inch.

What was the inspiration was behind the artwork, and who is dressed up like a snake guy on the cover?
Sarah: It’s a picture I’ve had for a while from this catalogue that sells promotional items to high schools. The snake is from the mascot costume section. I thought it really perfectly captured the idea of Call and Response. The rest, as far as color and font and layout is concerned, is just me playing around with our friend, Pat, who is really good at translating the ideas in my head onto a computer screen.

Now for the new drummer question you’ve been answering for years: how’s the new drummer working out? Is he “the man?”
Maggie: He’s pretty amazing. Super solid, and a great songwriter to boot. Plus, he’s a nice guy.
Sarah: Peter is an awesome drummer. He totally gets what I am thinking when we write new songs…I’d like to say he’s a keeper.
Peter: Oh sure, I think he’s better than Kenny Aronoff.

It’s seems just about every music magazine out there has been giving rave reviews to Call And Response, from smaller zines to AP and Spin. Do you feel that this success with the critics will lead to monetary success, at least enough to where you might be able to be a touring band for a while, and make a living at it?
Sarah: Ha! No, I am way too cynical. As a band, we have never been very comfortable approaching the world of business and monetary gain, which I think is a really important mindset to have if your intention is to be financially successful in the world of punk rock. Though we have gotten nice reviews, I don’t think we’re really the kind of band that the press finds “marketable” — that is to say, we don’t have an image or a schtick or a particular angle to work.
Maggie: I won’t hold my breath on that. In my experience, critical success alone rarely translates to monetary success. It doesn’t hurt though.

Do you feel more respected as musicians, in that you seem to be escaping the constant comparisons to other bands based solely on your geographic location and Maggie’s last name?
Maggie: A little.
Sarah: I don’t think that’s true — it seems like almost every review I read drops some sort of reference to the “Kill Rock Stars sound” or Sleater-Kinney, purely because Maggie and I are women playing music. Lazy writers want an easy comparison, so its almost like they don’t even listen to the music, just assess our gender and record label and decide what we have to sound like. I’m also really sick of the Go-Go’s comparison; I know I have a girly voice, but honestly, I relate way more to Toni Iommi than to Jane Wiedlin when it comes to playing guitar.

In my research I found that you, Maggie, are a baseball fan.
Maggie: I am a fan. My grandad lived for baseball, and he and I were close. I spent many afternoons in the Kingdome sitting on his lap while he told me what ERA, IP, BB, etc. meant. I am a Mariners fan, but I have to admit I didn’t follow them as closely last year as I have in the past. It was really hard after the 116-win season.

Any favorite players?
Maggie: I really like Mike Cameron, Ichiro, Mark McLemore, and Jamie Moyer.

Did you cry when Lou Piniella left Seattle?
Maggie: I didn’t cry, but I am definitely bummed.

Any fellow Olympians who root with you?
Maggie: There are many baseball fans in town: most of the Tight Bros, Slim, Jason Traeger.

Why am I thanked in the Sweet Revenge liner notes?
Maggie: That’s my dog, silly!
Sarah: ’Cos you’re such a good dog!

So how many bands are you all currently in?
Maggie: Only one for me.
Sarah: I’m in one other band, “The Arm” with Dave Harvey from the Tight Bros and Peter. We don’t practice very often, though, so we’re not really that active. We’re a psychedelic-art-rock band, or something like that.
Peter: I’m in The Arm with Sarah, and also the “Mona Reels” and the “Bulk Nuts.”

Maggie, is it getting harder to balance being a musician and a publicist, especially since Bangs are touring more frequently?
Maggie: It is a little hard. I am moving on to general manager in a few months so we’ll see how that goes.

Sarah and Peter, what do you two do for a living outside the band? Do you find it’s hard to juggle careers and music?
Sarah: I haven’t had a regular job since May of 2002 when the bar I worked at closed down. It’s really hard to find a decent job in Olympia, especially when you’ve already worked at most the cool businesses in town. I have been an office temp on and off at Kill Rock Stars, sending out promos and stuff like that. I think I’m going to go back to school in the fall, though, so that might affect music more than a job since its kind of a fulltime thing.
Peter: What career? I just collect unemployment checks and whittle!

Are their any plans for a full-length to be released anytime soon, or any other plans for the upcoming year?
Sarah: I would love to say that we have a new record coming out soon, but its just been really impossible to write songs. After we did Call and Response we toured, and then when we got home we were taking a little break until our next tour that was supposed to happen in the fall, but that fell apart due to bad planning. Then Peter moved out of the house we practiced at, so we’ve been without a practice space for a while now. I’ve been finding it hard the last year or so to write songs in my living room by myself; I really need to play loud with Peter and Maggie, so that’s been hindering our progress a lot. We’re touring out to Florida and back in January and February, then we may possibly go to Australia and New Zealand in February and March, but I’m not sure we’ll be able to afford to. We’re playing the “All Tomorrow’s Parties” festival in LA in June, and there’s talk of a European tour with The Gossip this summer.
Peter: I want to record a new Bangs album more than anything in the world. I hope when we finish our spring touring that we start writing a new record immediately, because I just know that it’s going to kick so much fucking ass.