With a name like Glitter Dick, a band isn’t likely to get much commercial airplay. However as Albuquerque’s newest glam-trash group, “Glitter Dick” is, uh, on everyone’s lips. Figuratively speaking of course. We planned to meet early on St. Patrick’s eve, converse over a few drinks and beat it from downtown before Albuquerque’s Finest took issue with all the faux-Irish revelers clogging the streets. The plan was sort of accomplished although our dialogue rapidly degenerated into unsavory topics such as losing one’s virginity at 23 and necrophilia (which fortunately turned out to be unrelated).
One might wonder what life experience makes three men appear in public slathered in glitter and mascara while one woman takes the stage pantless. As usual, it’s the people with normal backgrounds you really have to watch out for.
Frontman Kendall Killjoy begged his mom for piano lessons in the first grade but after hearing The Jackson Five cover of Bobby Day's Rockin’ Robin switched to guitar. After playing in several high school thrash bands he now only sings because, “I want to be able to jump around and not worry about making mistakes.” Speaking of which, I made the observation that his strategy for Glitter Dick appears to be acting outrageous enough (splashing beer everywhere, stripping various articles of clothing, handing out penis-shaped cookies, hanging from the club’s lights) to be bounced from every venue in town. His reply ? “If you haven’t been banned at least once you’re not in a real rock and roll band.”
photo by Paul Blackburn
Oddly enough some of Killjoy’s old “punk” cohorts don’t quite approve of his latest incarnation which leads one to believe those kids don’t know their history i.e. the antics of pre-punk bands like The Stooges and The New York Dolls from which Glitter Dick takes its cue. With GD guitar player Magnum P. Nye, Killjoy’s previous outfit was Ass Cobra in the style of Norwegian “deathpunk” band Turbonegro. Also a precocious piano student, Nye was later the self-described “house bassist” for local metalcore/crust bands such as None Of The Above, 666 and Stabbed in Back.
As luck would have it, drummer Suzi de Sade is also a Turbonegro fan. That – and her expertise in applying makeup on the boys – clinched her entry into the band. Her past musical highlights include playing flute in the Pojoaque High School Marching Band and napping in the now defunct Line Camp while her hippie parents watched hippie bands. A year ago she caught an afternoon flight to into Albuquerque from Los Angeles to drum at a midnight show for The TeenageWerewolves, a gig which was her premiere with that Cramps tribute band. Compared to L.A. where she lived for a few years, De Sade prefers Albuquerque “because people are much more open and actually dance.”
Bass player Dee Dee Ramen (aka Kenta Henmi) phoned in from the Cheap Trick show but since barely a word he said could be heard, we quickly hung up on him. From there, my prepared questions were brushed aside. The members of Glitter Dick asked and answered their own.
Killjoy: “ My musical ambition? To get drunk every practice to make sure we stagnate.”
De Sade: “ I want to get big enough to have roadies so we never have to set up early ever again. And to get laid more.”
Nye: “ I want to play in a Turbonegro cover band.”
Killjoy: “I want a band to cover us!”
Nye: “Terri Schiavo Dance Party already did.”
Killjoy: “ Oh right. Simmer Dick!”
Nye: “ I want to start a band , like, if Ted Nugent got it on with Greg Ginn.”
Killjoy: “ I want to piss off the hardcore guys.”
De Sade: “And get laid more.”
And so on.
Just as Glitter Dick trashed this interview, expect the band to visually and sonically trash everything at this (and every) show. Just don’t take it too seriously. Except for the rock and roll.
CLINK CLINK BOOM!
A musician receives rewards both passionate and artistic but monetary ones are few and far between. A small portion of every dollar you pay for a download, CD or cover charge ends up in the pockets of the people that actually make the music you enjoy. That undersized percentage must go towards instruments and repairs, amps and power cords, strings and picks, sticks and drum heads, gas for the van, rental fees for practice space and recording costs and that’s not counting rent, food and daycare. A local show may cost you five or ten bucks and you think , well, that band’s getting a pretty good deal for forty-five minutes work. But that three quarters of an hour takes many more of creative time: writing, honing, fine tuning and practice, practice, practice.
When the chips are down its time for you--the music fan-- to step up. I’ve only been following the ‘Burque music scene since 1995 but can’t tell you how often I’ve marveled at the fine guitar work of Amy Clinkscales. Many times she answered a last minute call to fill in at a gig or add her smooth Neil Young meets Mick Ronson lead guitar to a flagging band. An abbreviated list of groups she’s played with over the past decade and a half: The Stumpjumpers, The Skirts, A Band Named Sue, Ash Wensday, Blame It On Rachel, The Jenny Clinkscales Band, Greek The God, The Hopefuls, Gamelan Encantada and Mother Death Queen.
Despite an extremely serious (and costly) medical condition that was recently diagnosed, Amy is keeping her commitment on Friday April 6th and playing with her hard rocking band Mother Death Queen. Also on the bill is the powerhouse pop Red Light Cameras, the trashy Glitter Dick, the unabashed punk rawk Icky & The Yuks, the delightful indie Pancakes! and the roaring Demons. In reaction to the hard news, all the bands and the host venue The Launchpad are donating the night’s take to her. Come out and support Amy and all her friends that are supporting her. After all, she’s supported our music scene all these years by being an integral part of it.
Red Light Cameras
Glitter Dick
Icky and the Yuks
Mother Death Queen
Demons
Pancakes!
Glitter Dick
Icky and the Yuks
Mother Death Queen
Demons
Pancakes!
Friday April 6, 2012
Launchpad
618 Central SW
7pm doors
$5
this originally appeared in slightly different format in the Weekly Alibi
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