The Goo 1
Scene News AUG-SEPT 23 NIALL MCGUIRK THE GAKK TRA
P GIRL INTERVIEW - THE GAKK Dundalk punk rockers The Gakk are releasing their live album - Live at the Grand Social - with a special gig in the same venue on September 1st. How did the idea for releasing a live LP come about? How many new songs are on the records? We've always wanted to release a live album but never had a good enough recording but thanks to Peter Jones (Paranoid Visions/Rotator Records) it actually happened. The recording comprises songs from our three previous releases, the 2008 self-titled EP, 2010’s LP This Band Will Self-destruct and our 2018 LP Take A Look Around, plus one new song 'Save Your Army'. The release of this 'live' album is perfect timing because it captures the history of the band and also leads us into the release of our next album. You have a few different shirts available from your website. More shirts than records, is it a conscious thing to bring out different T-shirt designs? It's very difficult to fund a DIY punk band or any type of band for that matter unless you have a 'fat cat sugar daddy' or music label behind you. So you just have to do it yourself hence the term 'DIY'!!! When we printed our first run of t-shirts almost 10yrs ago we sold out quite quickly and we realised that this was a great way to help us fund what we wanted to do with the band. People wanted to buy our t-shirts, they wanted to spread the word by wearing our t-shirts and they also wanted to help us fund whatever future endeavours we sought, and for that we're eternally grateful to them! You’ve played a few gigs outside Ireland. How difficult is it for you to travel and meet your costs with uk gigs? It's not easy for a DIY band to meet costs, but it's all down to merch sales and gig money and paying for everything out of the 'Gakkpot'. Lyrically it seems like each song is a statement in itself. What are the kind of issues you sing about? The lyrics in all our songs are self-explanatory really, each song is of course a statement in itself. We sing about all types of issues that are relevant today and that have been relevant for years. I can give you many examples such as social demonstration (Big Street March), mass emigration (Side of the Road), civil war (One by One), futility of war (Charge of the Light Brigade), the plight of illegal Irish in America (Illegal), and they're just to name a few. Is there a reason for putting music to these things? Yes! Of course there is a reason for putting music to these things, otherwise the world would be totally awash with 'Hipster Drivel'!!! The Gakk launch their new album - Live at The Grand Social - on Sept 1st at the same venue. RECORD OF THE MONTH Trap Girl - Divas Inferno 4 pissed off musicians with an aggressive hardcore streak. It doesn’t get much more in your face than this. At times it makes for slightly uncomfortable listening, you can’t really sing along to “he drugs, rapes me, says he’ll never let me go”. With the attitude of Bikini Kill and the menace of that first Suicidal Tendencies album this is not a hark back to an older era, it’s a path to the future where people are ready to stand up and sing for what’s right and wrong. Desperity - Beyond Recognition 5 tracks from new (to me anyway) punk rock grunge metallers Desperity. The song titles are all monosyllabic, I guess it makes it easier to scream in choruses. 11 minutes later it’s all over. Interesting stuff. Chrononaut - The Fly The Dublin 4 piece’s new single rocks a bit more than it punks out but it carries a nice riffy feel throughout. It has a similar riff-like feel to their last EP and Hutchy’s haunting vocals add a great layer to it. UPCOMING GIGS August has been a pretty quiet month for DIY and punk rock gigs but there are seeds blossoming for later in the year. Dutch punks Youth Deprivation and Front Sector are touring around Ireland this month. Southern Lord experimental noiseniks Big Brave are playing the Workmans Cellar on Sept 7th with fellow Canadian Jessica Moss (also in Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra). Some big gigs also on the way include Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Bob Vylan, Ruts DC, The Members and 2 US hardcore legends Slapshot and OFF! along with the rearranged Discharge gig. BIG BRAVE JESSICA MOSS PAGE 39