M
TEEL
WOOL
STEEL WOOL
According to drummer Dave
Pelo, Steel Wool has the sound of a
"60-pound wharf rat." So if you
believe him, then a 60-pound wharf
rat sounds like it grew up listening
to punk rock, has an honest ability
to have a good time, a taste for
beer and barbecues, a respect for
the blues, and a sense of humor.
Steel Wool arose from the quag-
mire of the infamous 5th House, a
skater community and party house
in Seattle's Wallingford District in
the summer of '89. Their first show
was a party there with "lots of
skaters present in formal attire,"
says guitarist/vocalist Jon Wright.
"There were skaters everywhere,
makin' life good, and I still couldn't
play drums," adds Dave, who has
obviously learned a little something
since that time.
Like many skaters, Steel Wool
knows when to hold out info that
might ruin a good thing. On their
most recent tour, the guys discov
ered a cool scene while playing a
trailer park in Mississippi. Not one
to divulge privileged information
that might blow it, Steve Dukick,
vocalist, would only talk about the
dinner. "We had an entire meal that
was yellow, it was corn, macaroni
and cheese, and corn bread. Awe-
some!" Dukick also didn't want to
discuss the cool spots in Seattle.
but he did say it's nice because you
can "get out of town real fast and
get into the trees."
Van problems on tour don't even
phase Steel Wool, thanks to resi-
dent mechanic/guitarist Sean Hol-
lowell. What did the van require to
make it across country? An egg in
the radiator to stop the leak and
a potato wedged in the engine.
Tour activities included skating
killer ditches in Texas and a cement
park in Eastern Oregon.
They've got a new album out
called Lucky Boy, and like Simple
Men Who Like Working With Their
Hands, it's a mishmash of sounds
coming together under one big cir-
cus tent, a damn good time sure to
put a spark in your step. And if you
persist in being a grump, move
over 'cuz the keg's been tapped
and the burgers are on the grill
-Wez Lundry
RHEAD
THE
GOOPS
The Goops are best described as punk rock
preservationists. Their very existence proves
beyond a doubt that although trends in music
change weekly, you just can't beat good ol' 1977
style blazing, angry and emotional punk. The love-
ly and charming Eleanora on vocals, Vlad on guitar,
Jeff, known as El Guapo on drums, and newcomer
Jason, aka "Knuckles," on bass are currently churn-
ing out some of the best full-on raunchy rock and
roll going. Formed in 1991, with their hometown
New York City the backdrop for many a song. The
Goops first tour was with The Devil Dogs (literally.
they had eleven people in the van). Lots of gigs, a
few years and a killer self-titled CD later, the band
recently caught many an unsuspecting town totally
off-guard on a quick five-week jaunt around the
United States. The rust belt shows with Rancid
were favorites, especially memorable was Lars join-
ing Eleanora on stage for a poignant duet of the
classic Stiff Little Fingers tune "Barbed Wire Love."
A new single with a rad comic book cover is next in
line, then lots more touring, so no matter where
you are, you should be getting a chance to see
them soon. If you are even remotely interested in
punk rock, then for Iggy's sake, check them out!
-Mike LaVella
IESKER
YOUR MOM
Your Mom rocks on stage. Your Mom kicks
ass at pool. Your Mom even chews tobacco,
well one of them anyway. That would be Conor
O'Neill, the screaming guy. So in case you
haven't gotten it yet, I'm not talking about
your mom, but the four NY/LA bred bad boys
who call themselves Your Mom.
Your Mom's on their first tour. They do prac-
tically everything themselves and rock every
set like it's their last, mostly gigging the all-
ages clubs around the LA area. Live, they're
pure adrenaline. Amid a bass-heavy, loud, fast,
punk rockish groove, O'Neill prowls the stage
and growls in the faces of those who step too
close. "Our songs started out about juvenile
shit," says guitarist Josh Turner. "And it moved
on to experiences growing out of that."
And who was there helping them grow out
of all that "juvenile shit?" Their moms. So what
do their moms think of all this? Do they get it?
"My mom gets it!" laughs O'Neill. "She saw
our first show at CBGB's and sat down in the
front row with her best friend in Channel suits
with their white wine, back from a day of shop-
ping on Fifth Avenue, and was like (O'Neill imi-
tates his mother's voice), 'It's really not my
style of music, but you have a lot of energy-
and you seem to be playing together.""
"My mom hates the fact I'm in a band," says
bummed drummer Alex Gomez. "She's in
another world. She's this designer who deco-
rates shit and thinks I'm a nerd who doesn't do
anything well."
-Sara Tassione