-Dan: Well, over the summer we decided that Oaf (ex-bassist) was going to remain in the band, even though he would be two hours away at college. He goes to Illinois Weselian University, next door to I.S.U. and he plays football there. So, he missed a few shows and basically we didn't want to have to slow down every year during his football season so we asked a friend of ours, Mando, if he would play bass for us permanently. We didn't even need an audition. His band, The Kopouts, broke up a while ago and they were fucking awesome. So the decision to have Mando in the band, we feel, was definitely a smart move.
-WCWZ: How did your tour go this summer? Any good stories?
-Dan: The tour was great. We left Chicago not knowing what to expect and we drove for 24 days, played 14 shows, and met countless amounts of cool people. On tour I realized the power of the punk underground. It is a network of people who dedicate a lot of their time to set up shows, give bands a floor to sleep on, go see shows, and play shows. Many people say "punk is dead", and I guess that has become some stupid catch phrase that whiny little shits like to say to act cool. But, for real, touring as a band that not many people outside of Chicago know about, it can be disheartening if you do it for the wrong reasons, such as money, fame, sex, or drugs. Those things are fringe benefits of being on the road and should not be abused. As far as funny stories...one time we were partying in Philadelphia and some guy drank too much and fell asleep on a chair in the middle of the party! So I took a boa constrictor snake out of it's tank and wrapped it around the guy's neck. It took him a few minutes to wake up and throw the snake off himself. I have photos to prove it!
-WCWZ: What makes the Chicago scene standout from the other scenes you played to on tour?
-Dan: Chicago has so many shows that it is not a big deal when bands play here. Shows happen every day, and GOOD shows happen maybe once a week or more. But in smaller towns, shows are not as frequent, and there are less and less places to play. Chicago punks, I guess, can be more picky about what shows they go to see. In smaller towns there isn't too much choice and often times kids will support the bands even if they are unknown bands, which I think is cool. But in Chicago too many people bitch about "the scene" when they don't contribute to the betterment of it. The power of the underground is a not a force to underestimate. Set up shows, promote these shows, write sincere lyrics, and then you will be a success. This is our scene, all of us together, and when one branch is cut, the whole tree suffers.
-WCWZ: I heard that a couple of the guys in SAB are putting out a compilation. Can you fill us in on it?
-Dan: Yeah, its been pushed back a few times to wait for some bands to give us their music, but hopefully it will be out within the next few months. It will be a CD titled "Sink or Swim" out on LungButter Records, the label we started to promote ourselves. A bunch of great bands, lots of different styles, ranging from patches-and-pins punk rock to hardcore/metal to pop-punk to crusty punk to skater punk, and bla bla bla. The CD will have at least 16 songs on it and we will sell it for cheap. Anyone interested in distro or wholesale should contact us through email at secretagentbill@hotmail.com.
-WCWZ: Describe how your sound has progressed since you first started SAB and how you would describe your music now.
-Dan: When we first started the band we were a four piece and we played pop punk. We had three chord songs, whiny vocals, and we played really sloppy stuff. Over time, with a few lineup changes, we progressed into the more melodic hardcore punk sound that we have today. We have grown tremendously as musicians and as friends so the chemistry between band members is good. We try not to imitate the California punk sound of Pennywise and NOFX because there are way too fuckin many bands that suck those bands' dicks. We are influenced greatly by The Clash, Metallica, reggae music, hardcore, old school punk rock, jazz, latin, funk, Frank Zappa, Ween, and lots of other stuff. We have very diverse tastes in music and it all is shown in bits and pieces in our music. Lyrically, poetry is a big influence on what we do. Ben and I both do spoken word, so it is definitely shown in our lyrics.
-WCWZ: What side bands are you in and what other projects (ie. zines, radio, record labels, etc.) are you guys involved with?
-Dan: Wow, what a great question....where do I start? First of all, I will talk about myself a little bit. I am a DJ at WZRD 88.3 FM on tuesdays from 4pm to 8 pm. Also, I play guitar in an instrumental band called The Sycamore Trio. We rely a lot on improvisation and have an almost psychadelic/fusion sound to our music. It's hard to describe. I also do spoken word and read at various open mics. Stefan, drummer, plays congas in a latin jazz ensemble called Nuevo Ritmo. The group consists of some of the hottest up-and-coming latin jazz players in town. Chris, guitar, although not involved with other projects, studies music vigorously. He is quite an accomplished musician already and is a student of one of the best guitar teachers in the city, Frank Rumoro. He spends many hours a day pouring over charts and music books, which all influence his playing style in Secret Agent Bill. Ben, vocals, is a spoken word master. He has been a featured poet at Heartland Cafe and is one hell of an actor too. Mando, used to play in The Kopouts, but they broke up due to people moving away from Chicago. Now he also plays guitar in a band called The Blues Balls and they jam a lot in his garage. Among other things, S.A.B. members are always trying new things, exploring new worlds, and are very open minded towards new experiences.
-WCWZ: What is your take on being politically correct? Do you think the Chicago scene is to PC or not enough?
-Dan: I think a lot of heart and effort are put into political involvements by people in the Chicago scene, but the results are never extraordinary. When a benefit show happens, people come for the bands, and may only browse at the literature tables or whatever. Is the chicago scene too political? No, not really. Not many people are willing to go out of their way to stick up for human rights and animal rights. As far as S.A.B. is concerned, we smoke pot, drink beer, eat red meat, wear leather, and hide nuclear weapons in the attic. That's all about that.
-WCWZ: What releases do you have out now and is there anything to come?
-Dan: Right now, we have two CD's. "War Against The Idiots" has 13 songs and although the recording quality ain't that hip, the music is hip to the hippie's hip. It is so hip, you need a hip replacement after you listen to it because it eats your hip. Order it for $8ppd. Also, we have a CD e.p. "Sick Of Being Blind", which has 9 songs. We recorded it with Chuck Uchida at Attica Studios in Chicago's scenic "Wicker Park" area, home of yuppies, crackheads, and miscellaneous starving artist types. Chuck recorded Oblivion, No Empathy, Blue Meanies, Mushuganas, and tons of other great bands. The result is pure punk power and most of the stuff we recorded in one or two takes, no bullshit, just the good shit. Get it for $6 ppd. Also, that compilation ("SINK OR SWIM" on LungButter Records)I mentioned earlier should be out within a few months, so keep an ear open to the streets. Get in touch with us at secretagentbill@hotmail.com or by mail at P.O. BOX 34796 Chicago, IL 60634. Well, thanks for the interview. I'll see ya in the pit motherfuckers!!!!.....or at a poetry reading.....
