Punktuation-What do you guys call yourselves?
Jesse-d.b.s.
Paul-Hi, my name's Paul and I'm a Pokemaniac [accent aigu over the "e"].
Ryan-Handsome individuals.
Andy-Skids
P-Is there any significance behind the name? ie. any special secret meanings?
J-No
P-d.b.s. actually stands for "Def Poets' Society".
R-Drivin' By Satan
A-Dead On Arrival
P-How long have you guys been together?
J-Since March 92, 8 years.
P-Eight short years.
R-Me in for 2 years now.
P-Who currently plays in the band?
J-Ryan Angus
R-Ryan, Andy, Paul, Jesse.
P-Where do you guys reside?
J-Vancouver
R-I live in east Vancouver.
P-What releases have you guys put out? Is there a certain album that everybody seems to have as their favourite? Why?
J-They all love our most current album the most because we keep gettin' better and better.
P-I'm not too sure what you mean by this question so I'll just answer all posibilities. We don't collectively have a favorite album. My favourite album by d.b.s. is "Some Boys Got It Most Men Don't". My favourite album in general is either Botch--"We Are The Romans" or Neurosis--"Times Of Grace". R-I like Catch 22.
A-I like strawberries.
P-Do you have any favourite songs from any of your albums?
J-My favorite d.b.s. song is "Confusion" off the "Self Exploditory" cassette release.
P-My favorite song of ours is off "If The Music's Loud Enough". It's called "Give 'Em The Musac". I think that song is where our talent really shines through; it sounds like lounge funk music or something... you know, musac.
R-I like kitchen noise.
A-I like our new unreleased stuff the best.
P-Out of all your tours, which cities have been the most memorable to play in and why?
J-I don't even know how to answer that, ummm well some of the European cities were pretty unbelievable, but the Canadian cities we play more frequently are the most memorable. I dunno I don't really have a favorite any more, my brain is too full.
R-Amsterdam, no reason.
A-Every city is a little different.
P-Why were you guys on Crime Stoppers?
P-Actually that was me and a friend of ours, we'll call him Lucifer. We were pretty shit-faced out in Calgary and behind the place we were staying at was this huge open field where a vast suburbia now lies. We decided to go exploring and soon thereafter we found some houses half-built. Next thing we knew... smashy, smashy. Rumour has it we made crime of the month; a nice addition to my resume.
R-Huh?
P-How would you describe your sound to somebody who has never heard music before?
J-Aggitated guitar music.
P-Progressive Grunge.
A-Funk Metal like "Art of Rebellion" era Suicidal Tendencies!
P-Wwhat influences might somebody find in your music, and who inspires you guys personally?
J-Personally I am influenced by Milo Aukerman, the bassmaster general, Allroy, pretty much anything Descendents influences me the most.
P-I often realize that I've been influenced by bands after I've already written something (drum parts). So if you listen closely to the drums you might hear a little of the following: Braid, Piebald, Jawbreaker, Iron Maiden, Hot Hot Heat, Gus (Canada), Helmet.
R-Too many to list but my favourite band of this fine spring season is SUPERCHUNK!!!!
A: Lifetime, Jawbreaker. Blake Schwartzenbach is my hero. And Robert Smith. He's HOT. Oh yeah... Justin Pearson. He's hot too. Oh god so is Rex from Vue!
P-How do you guys come up with your songs and what would somebody find of significance in them?
P-Well, usually Andy writes the lyrics and most of the music. He then procedes to teach Jesse the vocal bit then, if Andy doesn't have a bass melody, we sort of collectively write some thing for Ryan to jam on. Then I write the drums whilst keeping suggestions in mind. Finally, we fuck around with it for a bit and there you have it, a full fledged d.b.s. song.
P-If you had the choice to play a show with your idols what would the bill look like?
J-Descendents, Fugazi, Cyndi Lauper and Jonathan Richman.
P-Iron Maiden, Faith No More, Descendents, Neurosis, Fantomas [put "^" over "o"], and Apocalyptica.
R-Lifetime, Fugazi & Jawbreaker.
A-The Cure, The Locust, Lifetime, Piebald, Braid and Jawbreaker. Wow.. that would be sweet!
P-What is the most memorable experience from playing a show?
J-One time I jumped down onto the dance floor and some moshing meathead stage-dived off and landed on me. My head got bonked down and my teeth got all chipped on the microphone. I remember that show (Trail, B.C.) every morning when I brush what's left of my teeth.
R-Seeing smiles.
P-What is the worst experience you guys have had while playing a show?
J-Same, but the worst memories are often the funniest when you look back on them.
R-Playing to a crowd of silent Dutch people.
A-Word Ryan...That show SUCKED!
P-How was it touring with such bands as Digger, FYP, The Grumpies, etc?
J-We always have a good time with whoever we go out with. Once again I don't really wanna pick favorites, but I love "The Cost", "All The Answers" and we had a blast with "Anti-Flag" back in the day.
P-It's always fun touring with bands and getting to know them. Digger consists of a great buncha guys... well, the current and previous members that I've met anyways. As for FYP and The Grumpies, I hope we get to hook up with 'em again because I didn't get enough o' those crazy kids. I don't know what you mean by "etc.". There isn't really a natural progression in this case.
R-Fun, fun, fun.
A-I don't think we've ever toured with a band that were mean. Except Misdemeanor...heartless bunch of guys. Just joshing!
P-How did you guys manage to do a split cd with Anti-Flag?
J-I'm not really sure to be honest, but everytime we sell one on e-bay I get fifty bucks.
P: I dunno. It was done because we did a tour with them immediately after it's release. Anti-Flag's new album rocks though... I'm listening to it right now actually.
P-How has your music progressed over the years of playing?
J-It gets quieter AND louder, simultaneously.
A-A little more Funk Metal with every song.
P-Do you guys have any special traditions or rituals while playing a show? (ie. pants on backwards?)
P-We used to have matching striped t-shirts that we wore on stage but they got too stinky so we had to torch 'em.
R-If you consider kicking each other as hard as we can in the balls before every show a ritual then yes.
P-What might somebody expect when coming to a d.b.s show?
J-Lots of violence and people killing each other, lots of people requesting "snowball".
P-A short set consisting of three long songs of manical randomness which are actually twelve songs.
R-Fun, fun, fun.
A-We break a lot of stuff.
P-How might they prepare for that?
J-Full body armor, for when they request "snowball".
P-Smoke Marijuana; it will seem longer and and you won't notice the mistakes.
R-BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN, FUN, FUN.
A-Don't bring anything that could break.
P-What is the future looking like for you guys?
J-I've already ordered my teledildonic suit.
P-I never know what exactly is going on but I think we plan on putting out a 7" with some new stuff so we have something new to promote on our travels around North America this summer.
R-FUN!
A-We just take it as it comes.
P-Any final words of wisdom?
J-Don't shit where you eat.
P-SAN DIEMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!
R-Have FUN!
A-I kick ass for the lord.