Review

3rd Generation Nation (German Fanzine) - Sommer 1998, No. 12

1. It is a real pleasure for us to get an interview with one of the oldest punk rock bands from canada, who still exist. You guys got through a lot of line-up changes over the years. Is that right that only singer Mickey is the last original member of the band? And what is the todays line-up the band? How do you became a "Forgotten Rebel"? And how long are you now in the band?.

Dave has been in the band since 1980, Jeff joined in 1985, Steve joined in 1977 and I started the Forgotten Rebels in Aug. 1977. I was playig rather boring material at the time and wanted to play stuff like Iggy, New York Dolls, Mott the Hoople, and Slade but nobody else was into it. Every time I used my distortion box on my guitar they told me to turn it off. They tol me my original songs were too fast and the lyric were demented and sick. What a bunch of losers. When I heard the Ramones and the Sex Pistols I realized I was already writing songs in that manner so I quit the band. I hung out at the local donut shop(Tim Hortons) where I met Angelo Maddelina and Chris Suicide(Karl Johnson), So Ang, Chris and I started jamming. We ran into Steve Burman at Tim Hortons and he became our manager. The rest is history.

4. Your last record comes out in 1994. What have you guys done over the last four years?

Mickey: Playing around Canada and the U.S. and writing the next album.

Jeff: Well Mickey's been in therapy and he's doing pretty well except for his fear of pigeons. Ha, Ha.


5. Who got the idea to cover "Views" from the Lightning Raiders on the "Criminal Zero" record?

Mickey: Dave our drummer.


6. Which music do you hear today?

Mickey: Today I listen to N.Y Loose, The Muffs, P.J. Harvey, Ramones, Mott the Hoople, and New York Dolls.

Jeff: I like Kyuss, Tool, Social Distortion, Avengers, X, Saints etc.

7. Two year ago I heard that the singer of Teenage Head, Frankie was very ill. Do you know, is he on the way to recovery?

Mickey: I ran into him just a few days ago. I don't ask too many questions but I can see that he is feeling much better. I can't wait to welcome him back to the music scene.

Jeff: ya, I heard he's touring with a heart and lung machine.

8. What do you think about the todays punk rock movement?

Mickey: I think it's funny. Local radio stations like Q107 used to hate us and said punk will never go anywere and they refused to play punk. Now I see there stupid mobile truck parked outside of the Green Day concert begging for a interview.

Jeff: I never thought punk would be top 40 material. Although it's not really punk because the attitude and the raw feel is missing. I still like old school punk better.


9. All the old songs from you are now on CDs. I think only the "This Ainīt Hollywood" album is not obtainable on CD. Do you know, if this could happen in the near future?

I guess the rest of our records are coming out on CD. Tomorrow Belongs to Us was taken far too seriously. It was all recorded as a crude joke and lots of assholes took it a real. You see there are more stupid losers in existance than people can count.

10. Do you or the other guys in the band got all the original records of the band?

I paid for my "Tomorrow Belongs To Us" 12" ten years ago in London about 80 us-dollars.


11. What do you guys make beside the music?

Jeff: We make girls cry.


12. Do you often play shows in canada?

Ya, usually every weekend somewhere. But recently we are just practicing and writing for the new CD.


13. Do you like the idea of "The Pride And Disgrace" album to recording only the drums again for the record?

Dave was so drunk when we recorded that record. We had to carry him out of the studio. Now he had his chance to do the drums over and he did a great job. We tried to keep the drums as close to the origional as possible. Now we are Pround and not Disgraced!.


14. Is that right, that your are working on new songs for a record?

Mickey:Ya, the new songs are great. Every song is like a classic punk anthem. And should be, cause we have been working on it for about 3 years. We've written about 30 songs and through the process of elimination wound up with 10 great songs.

Jeff: Dave will be singing "Dick Wart". A new song we wrote in about 5 minutes. It's funny how some songs come together right away and others take weeks or months. I've always lived by the saying "Less is Best"(applies to music and art only!). Another song called "Dirty Dad" is about the Toronto Maple Leaf scandel, were the maintenace workers were letting young boys in for sex.


15. Do you guys got an video out?

We have many videos out but in Canada, T.V being the corporate entity it is would rather play the Tragically Hip, the Eagles, or the Backstreet Boys than bands like the Forgotten Rebels at this time.


16. Do you know any bands, who cover Forgotten Rebels songs?

Jeff: Yes, I did an interview for a Yugoslavian zine called S.C.A.B. and they told us that a Brazilian band called the Blind Pigs have done a cover of "No Beatles Reunion". Since then we have heard it and we think it sounds cool. legal procedings are underway. Just kidding.


17. Which gig was the last one you saw and which gig was your first one?

The first gig I ever saw was Steppenwolf and the last was the Damned. I wish I saw Die Toten Hosen, they seem cool.

18. Jeff, what was your first step into punk rock?

When I heard the Ramones Rocket to Russsia in my Brothers car. I thought, what a cool sound, so different from everything else and I was addicted. Then I saw Teenage Head in a bar and people were pissing on the floor. Then I fell in love with the attitude.


19. Which one in the band has the most leather-jackets?

Mickey:I guess me.

Jeff: Cows must hate bands.


20. Last words to our readers....

Mickey: Go back to the scene when glamour and sex was the "in" thing. the Dolls and the Stooges, T Rex, Gary Glitter, Mott the Hoople and Slade had the right idea. This drab, dull, unsexy alternative thing is just not exciting enough. Too much negative vibes not enough humour.Its too serius and not hard party material. Mean people suck, work and laugh and enjoy eachother. Your lucky, I haven't written this much since I cheated on my school essays.

Jeff: Stay sick and turn blue. Music is very, very bad.