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diversions
Black Rebel Motorcycle
Club revs it up
By Alex Roman
On-line Forty-Niner
Some bands wait
for success to come to them; others get off their behinds
and make it happen. Taking their name from a Marlon Brando
film, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club would fall into the latter
category, having played almost non-stop for the last year
in support of their self-titled debut album.
"You know we went out pretty early before the album even
came out," says B.R.M.C. bassist Robert Turner. "We
all believe that touring is what we should be doing and not
sitting on our ass. So, we just went straight out there and
never really stopped."
Turner and bandmates Robert Hayes (Guitar, bass, vocals) and
Nick Jago (drums, percussion) are currently doing what they
feel they should, touring. In fact, Turner is doing this interview
via cell phone from Detroit despite suffering from a 103-degree
temperature.
"It's just my ears and voice," says Turner. "Unfortunately,
I usually rely on my ears and voice, a lot."
B.R.M.C. originally formed in San Francisco, decided to move
to Los Angeles to see what was going on. It was then that
they began to make their break and eventually toured with
the Dandy Warhols shortly after finishing their album.
"We were evicted and we made an album in San Francisco
that took all of our money," says Turner. "If we
didn't find some company or someone that would get us some
time in the studio or what not, we'd be out of everything.
So, L.A. was like the last chance."
Their last chance would lead to a big buzz that began up north
shortly after being reviewed in BAM magazine. The band, however,
hasn't completely relocated, nor does it seem as if they will
anytime soon.
"I love the people there, I just don't like the scene,"
says Turner of Los Angeles. "I think Peter said that
it's an office space; our existence in L.A. is an office and
San Francisco is our home."
Northern and Southern Californians have a long history of
dislike for each other, but Turner was quick to point out
that the band's feelings for Los Angeles has nothing to do
with this hostility.
"I actually love the city, but there's something weird
that happens to us every time we get there," says Turner.
"A couple of times that we've spent maybe a bit more
time than we should have getting in trouble and that's when
things begin to fall apart. It's good to get out though, it's
like leaving the scene of the crime sometimes."
Now celebrating their first full year on the road, B.R.M.C.
is at a position where they could either blow up huge or get
left along the wayside.
The band's new video for "Whatever Happened to My Rock
'N' Roll (punk song)," typifies what they are all about
-- both creative and in their own right, artistically innovative.
But the band is relying solely on their music and not the
image that video gets across, they are simply trying to maintain
their own identity.
"In some way the idea is not to distract from the music,
I guess it's as simple as that," says Turner. "You
don't just jump up there in a pink jumpsuit if that's not
what the music is about. It's pretty easy because we are who
we are and the image we portray is kind of what we're about.
We're not forcing anything, this is the music that we want
to play and it seems to flow and it's pretty honest, I hope."
Sometimes you hear stories of bands breaking up after spending
too much time on the road together. With B.R.M.C. spending
so much time on the road, it is possible to get on one another's
nerves. Turner is confident that the road only has a few minor
setbacks.
"It's kind of maddening after a while," says Turner.
"When we have bad days we kind of respect what that guy's
going through that day and we just leave him be or give him
a hand."
After touring through January, B.R.M.C. will go overseas for
the first time to tour the United Kingdom, Italy and Greece
just to name a few places, that is, if Turner and his mates
can clear up the red flags on their passport.
In the meantime, the band is just trying to carve out their
own unique niche in a rock world that is only diverse if you
take it upon yourself to dig deep into the underground. With
all the live gigs under their belt, Turner feels the band
is traveling the right path.
"I think we're still about as nervous as we ever were,
but it doesn't translate as much and it doesn't affect the
music as much," says Turner about being on stage.
"It's like you're still going through the same crap in
your head, but what your hands are doing and what you're singing
is kind of doing its own thing, you just step up and do it.
We've gotten so much better than how we started off, we're
playing everyday and everyday we learn something new, so it's
really good."
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Virgin
Records
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club continues their
tour in the United States through January.
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