Please give a brief history of the band, including current line up.
MDC originally formed out of the Stains in Austin in 1979/19080.
We went out to the west coast in 1981 and met the LA Stains when we both
opened for Black Flag at the Cookoo's Nest in Costa Mesa south of LA.
Well,
the line-up is me, Dave Dictor, on vocals, Matt Van Curra on bass, John Soldo
of Crackdown fame on drums and Eric Mucho on guitar...my thoughts were that
Al, my lifetime drummer, was gonna' join us out here but he never made it...he's
in Portland, Oregon which can be a vortex kind of town...
Discography
Now More Than Ever (Millions of Dead Cops Anthology) LP
(newest album - new one in 2004..?)
Hey Cop, If I Had A Face Like Yours (Millions
of Dead Cops II) LP
Millions of Dead Christians : This Blood's For You LP
Millions
of Dead Cops (self-titled) LP
It is the second time you have been across to Europe this
year - how do you audience compare with the States and do you think your
lyrics are as meaningful to non-US fans?
Yeah we just did a 25 date tour. We started in the UK
,where we played the Hits Fest in Morecambe on the northwest coast (check
www.holidaysinthesun.net), and on the mainland in Holland, Germany, Croatia,
Czech Rep., Austria, France and Spain. The squats in Germany along with Croatia
and Spain were especially fun for us.
The typical American is less aware of
what is going on around the world. I would say the U.S .in general has a
less sophysticated political culture.than Europe, which has a larger tradition
that is more memmorable with the French Communes, the Russian Revolution
as well as the rise of fascism , two World Wars and a recent Cold War that
divided Europe in half and would never let one ever really stop thinking
about politics and events. Many, especially young Americans, don't know the
difference between World War One and Two. Or even who was on who's side.
It's a kind of a chik thing to say I don't think about politics. And on the
other hand I have heard people actually say they think they are being political
by wearing a Greenpeace button.
What gig has been the highlight of the bands history and who
else was on
the line-up?
Lot of cool gis through the years but going into the
way back machine ...Rock Against Reagan in Washington Dc with the Dead Kennedys
, DRI, The Crucifucks and many others was an intense day that combined political
action and punk rock music. There really was a special feeling in the air
back then. That was the orininal lineup an 1984 except out original original
bassist was also in the Offenders and we only made it out of Texas with him
for the '81 tour and later for 5 gigs in '89.
How has the unplugged tour come about and do you prefer
touring to being
the studio?
The Unplugged tour was kindof a whim now that MDC this
past 8 months has been living on 3 continents...That way only Ron Posner
the original guitarist had to join me which made logistics easier, which
made door prices easier....we worked on the new MDC album on the tour. It"s
also way groovey to play a lot of the MDC songs in a countrified ,blues ,
folk way.
I have read you have a new track out called '"Sick
Of It' - I have yet to hear it, so can you tell me what inspired it and what people can
expect?
Pretty much Political hardcore....maybe its a little
on the melodicore side....Its on the AntiFlag label and is a Left Over Crack
benefit CD for this kid in trouble with the law in New Orleans.
You have recently had some personnel change - how has this come about? And
if you could have anyone one in the band from any band, past or present
would it be?
Well Brendan dad has cancer and he wants to not tour
for a year or two. As well Ron the original guitarist came back ....it was
an easy transition. Al Batross wanted to leave, I believe ..because touring
in a band is really pretty hard..the first tour or two is fun ... but face
it .....it's hours of travel for weeks in a row, most of the time sitting
up in a van with seven or eight other people, if your particular about your
food, good luck, if you don't sleep well in strange places it gets miserable.
That one hour on stage a night is the big pay off. It's either worth it to
you or it's not.
Al and Brendan are great guys....
I played with Yom Pig in the Submissives and on 3 mdc songs in the mid ninties...I
love Tom Pig.
What are the most poignant lyrics you have ever heard and who are they
by?
Biafra certainly has some as does Crass, I love Bjork
and the new Johny Cash box set Rick Ruben is involved with....Black Flag
can certainly sock yopu in the gut....Circle Jerks is witty as hell.
Plans, gigs and releases planned for 2004.
MDC is doing a new album ...recording this May ...touring
Europe June-July and the USA this Sept- October all this 2004.
Any final comments?
Enjoy yourself, your health, be true, be blue, it's your
life, you get only so many minutes. Don't get old before your time, stay
an artist and a free thinker, dream of a better place than this, and kill
the cop in yourself. Hopefully, sooner of later, the rest will follow.
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