[INTERVIEW] RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS: HEARTBREAK AT A BREAKNECK SPEED

Photos & Text by Mia Palau

If there’s anything these five Texan dudes are really, really good at is playing sweaty,  ultra-catchy punk rock anthems at lightning speed. Well, that and climbing up speakers, hanging from light racks, and breaking bones and teeth during their high-energy live shows. The Riverboat Gamblers visited Barcelona, Spain last November, brought by the Eastpak Antidote Tour to debut their fourth LP, “Underneath the Owl”, a whirlpool of visceral punk rawness and beer-soaked heartbreak.

We sat with Mike Wiebe (vocals), Fadi El-Assad (lead guitar), Rob Marchant (bass), Ian McDougall (guitar), and Sam Keir (drums) and we chatted over some cervezas about their new album, touring with MC5 and Pennywise, Dragon Ball and the dang hard task of becoming a full-time punk rock band.

INTERVIEW: JESSE MALIN

FROM GLAMOROUS PUNK TO PROLETARIAN FOLK

By Mia Palau

Jesse Malin. Photo: Desi Estévez.

Welcome back! How’s Spain treating you?

Jesse Malin: Thank you! I always have a good time here. All Spain’s been pretty great. I think today we’ve got here like at five o’clock… so you drop your bag, you’re on and off, and come down sound check. So maybe later tonight, it’s a Sunday, I’ll try to see some stuff. Everybody went out last night and got crazy, but tonight… I have five shows to do and

INTERVIEW: HARD-ONS

HORNY WITHOUT A CAUSE

By Mia Palau

Peter “Blackie” Black, the charismatic guitarist and leader of Australian punk legends, the Hard-Ons, talks about their new record, the release of his first solo album, Keish, Ray and their adventures on their international tours. With a prolific career spanning almost 30 years —and a sole, short split that resulted in the departure of one of the most beloved drummer/singers in the punk scene, Keish De Silva—, Hard-Ons have always stayed true to their rebellious spirit, which has rendered them one of the most famous and (truly) independent, self-managed punk bands in the world, with a rather large, hard and sweaty cult following. Their new album, “Alfalfa Males Once Summer Is Done Conform Or Die” has just dropped and they are about to take the road for their upcoming European tour.