Scoop! My prediction: You will hear a lot more from this band.
I saw a lot of bands at the Vans Warped Tour Sunday, August 3, 2004, but the one that really grabbed my attention was River City Rebels.
photo by Bill Ectric
They are an old-school punk party band in the best sense of that phrase. Fun, outrageous, and sounded good as hell. I've got to brag on myself, too, because I singled them out before I knew that former New York Dolls guitarist, Sylvain Sylvain, was producing them. Even more reason to check out their CD!
You know how some punk bands sound the same, grinding out one-dimensional fuzz chords? The Rebels' chords have that spectacular sonic color that you almost forget exists until you hear a band like this. Check out No Easy Way Out, the second song on their 4 song CD, Hate To Be Loved. Oh, man! There's some Ian Hunter-Mott the Hoople-type vocal going on, and the rock-hard rhythm of the bass & drums, the glorious guitar sound, all topped off with some funkelastic sax and trombone flourishes.
Lead singer Dan O’Day, in his plaid hat, put me in mind of Slade's Noddy Holder. He looks like he's rocked a few pubs to the ground. He said he was arrested the last time he was here in Jacksonville, FL, but the way he tells it, it wasn't his fault. Something about exposing something onstage – we’ll get back to that in a moment.
photo by Bill Ectric
After their set I had a chance to speak with Brandon Rainer, who plays trombone and sings backup and has the look of a young Peter Wolf/Iggy Pop hybrid.. He gave me a copy of the 4 song CD, Hate To Be Loved , which I've been listening to over & over for days.
It was a hot, hectic day, so I waited until later to interview them, over the internet:
Q: What part of Vermont are you from?
A: The band was formed in White River Junction, Vermont. Most of the members are from the upper valley… our horn section was imported from NY and Mass.
Q: What's the music scene like there?
A: Very cool music scene. The Rebels definitely got the ball rolling in the valley… setting up shows and bringing in regional touring bands to local roller rinks and VFW’s... eventually the valley kids jumped in and started bands... there have been some great punk outfits from the valley... such as the Foodstamps which morphed into Bombs Away... the first version of the Yarbles was fun.. Burlington, always some hardcore bands going... My Revenge being the longest running and most successful.
Q: How did you hook up with Sylvain Sylvain?
A: Sylvain's name came up in a brainstorm last fall while on tour. It was time to start planning out Hate to be Loved and we tossed some names around. Sylvain was at the top of the list. Rylan made like 40 phone calls and eventually got him on the line. Bopper sweet-talked him and it was a done deal. Sylvain is a sweetheart... and has a great ear for melody. Rock ‘n’ roll runs thru his veins.
Q: So why exactly did Dan get arrested last time you were in Jacksonville?
A: The arrest was ridiculous. We played some huge club with very few in attendance. Bopper (Dan) had been getting naked all summer... which usually flies in the northeast... you can't even get arrested for it in Vermont. but Florida is another story... some kid's mom called it in.. Next thing you know, Dan and Rylan are in the back of a cop car. Rylan got pulled in for taking pictures of the whole arrest. They let him go, but Bopper spent 23.5 hours in a downtown holding cell with some hard knock kids.
Q: Maybe you should have played Freebird, hehehe. Sorry, just kidding. So, who does the writing?
A: Bopper is a hit factory. Almost every Rebels song on the last 2 records are his. Patti comes up with tasty riffs, but lyrics and progressions are Bopper’s. The band usually arranges under Boppers direction. Brandon and Rylan come up with horn parts. Once in awhile bopper comes with a complete song and that’s that.
Q: I really like the home page of your website, with all the girls. I recommend everyone check it out. Did you have fun at that photo session?
A: The photo shoot was alright. CJ hated it... and it totally shows in the photos. Bopper was drunk and belligerent. But it was alright... I think Jungle Face Jake and Patti liked it the most. Erik got really drunk and had to be dragged out.
photo by Bill Ectric
Q: Is there anything else you want to say to my readers?
A: Buy our record ya creeps!! For real... Hate to be Loved comes out September 21st and it’s fucken solid gold!! Thanks bill!
Bill: Thank you, River City Rebels!
Bill Ectric’s two books, Time Adjusters and Space Savers, contain short stories that blend the genres of mystery, humor, horror, science fiction, satire, and psychological drama.
On the web, Bill’s work has appeared on SearchWarp, Literary Kicks, Dogmatika, MysteryIsland, Syntax of Things, Empty Mirror Books, Lit Up Magazine, and Zygote In My Coffee.
He lives with his wife in Jacksonville, Florida. By day, when not writing, Bill mows the lawn and complains about the heat. By night, he sneaks around in the back yard, convinced that the garden gnomes are “up to something.”
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
photo by Bill Ectric
photo by Bill Ectric
photo by Bill Ectric
