image and interview by tiina liimu
A sobering ride with Car 87 proves it
takes more than a mutual name with the VPD intervention response
vehicle to fuel hardcore punk. Real life evidence occurs with Bryce
on vocals, Mike on guitars, Dave on drums and Wayne on bass as one of Vancouver's newest punk band called Car 87. With years of experience playing in Thought
Crime, Remedials, Caught in the Act, Lupus, Execution 66, Uptown Riot
and the Real McKenzies, the four members share a respect for '80s
hardcore and sobriety. This is made clear, "When I played with
Bryce the first time and heard the lyrics for ‘Shoot up and Die,’
I said to myself, Yeah! I'm in the right band!" Dave exclaims.
Skinny: Great name BTW, why did you
call yourselves Car 87?
Bryce: Mike came up with the name, but
being the only non-addict, he is the only one who has never been in
car 87.
Wayne: Ha, ha! I think the rest of us
have gotten a ride in car 87.
Dave: I agreed with everyone about the
name ‘cause I have lived it. 20 bucks, ten minutes and I could make
all that mental pain go away. Or I could hit my drums as hard as I
can hit drugs or alcohol and stay out of that car.
Mike: We liked the name because it had
a local connotation and represented what we think is wrong with this
city. The criminalization of poverty and mental health issues, and
the passion this city has for trying to sweep its problems under the
rug rather than deal with them.
Skinny: What brought you all together?
What keeps you so tight?
B: Mike and I had the idea to start a
proper hardcore band and none of this D-Beat or sub-genre bullshit.
Figured there aren’t many straight-up ‘80s style bands out there.
Then I heard Dave bitching about how he was sick of playing with
wasted and fucked-up people at an AA meeting. After a few bass
players, Dave found Wayne and he fit perfect.
W: A mutual love of fast music and
trying to stay sober.
M: I think all of us being a little
older, wiser and having played in a lot of previous bands has taught
us all how to play as a unit, and also because there is no "leader"
or "centre" to the band. Each part is just as important as
the next. Probably, also a little luck that we all enjoy playing
together and our approach to the music works well together. Like I
said, we come from a pretty broad background as a band, but I think
it's the common hatred of what watered down hipster bullshit passes
for punk rock these days that keeps us focused and influences us the
most.
Skinny: What influences stand out, like, life and music? There was a similar intensity and gut reaction with first listen to Car 87 as with the
first glimpse of the band OFF! Thinking, the summer 2010 show when Keith Morris (Circle Jerks)
introduced his new project to the Vancouver audience. Yeah, the same energy level!
B: Well, addiction/alcoholism,
depression, a desire to stay sober and '80s punk rock.
W: Too many to list and they change
week to week.
D: I always liked the drumming from
Rocket from the Crypt, so that’s funny you mentioned OFF! They’re
so fuckin’ tight and on that it’s crazy. I like playing clean as
well. The buzz and adrenaline is fuckin’ a hundred times better
being clean. What is also funny is that people think I'm drunk too,
even in everyday life. Like for instance, at a drive-thru a month ago
and the drive-thru people thought I was drunk and called the cops.
They pulled me over with my work crew in my truck and demanded a
breathalyzer test. I got one of the crew members from my work to film
it on my phone. Then again I got a call from a blocked number and it
was the RCMP calling. Someone from a gas station had phoned me in as
well. I told him that I cleaned up January 11, 1999 and to add it up
because that is 13 years. Then I said I guess I give that impression,
being punk and all.
Skinny: Do you have any releases coming
up that we can look forward to?
M: Finished the recording of our first
7-inch and it should be out by the summer on vinyl only.
B: I'm working on the artwork and stuff
for our 7-inch, also recording another split with Wauzted from
Squamish.
Look out for regular western Canada dates and their first vinyl release coming autumn 2012.