Dead Rats News

As always, check for upcoming shows in the Antelope Valley on www.slackershows.com website.

04/16/2005 07:00 PM - The Trap
2822 East Ave. I, Lancaster, CA 93534, - 5 dollars
Featuring HOOMDORM DEEMED USELESS BUBONIC NATE AND DEAD RATS MIDNIGHT LAZERBEAM (Los Angeles)

02/05/2005 7pm - The Smell
3rd st, Los Angeles, CA 90001, - 5 dollars
BuBoNiC NATE and Dead Rats, BABYLAND and Midnight Lazerbeam.

The new album has arrived! BuBoNiC NATE and DEAD RATS new release Our Evolution is now for sale. Join us for BuBoNiC NATE'S Birthday Bash and the LA Record Release Show on Dec 11th, 2004 @ The Tempest in Hollywood. Dead Rats will be going on around 8:30-9pm.

We will be giving a 2 dollar discount to anyone who shows up with a copy of the flyer for this show - you are more than welcome to print/copy one for yourself (just use the graphic above) and bring it to the show.

Antelope Valley's Bubonic Nate and Dead Rats make the kind of smart, funny, angry Punk that used to make the rubes afraid of devil worship and call Congressional hearings. In a blistering 25 minute set, they dropped metal rockers and classic punk simplicity on a crowd of loyal supporters, and bar regulars largely accustomed to house bands and classic rock. Screaming songs with titles like “Love is Dumb”, “Omaha”, and what ought to be the highlight of every high school dance for the next 10 years, “Sweet Columbine”, and an unexpected Fugazi cover, they ripped the place to shreds.

Recalling entertainer-demagogues like Jello Biafra and the Vandals, the 4 piece display overt leftist politics and a sense of showmanship missing from Punk since the early 90s. Matching Office-drone white shirts and black ties, elaborate facial hair, and the comic timing of stand up comics, they kept the show moving unrelentingly. Even when halfway through their set, guitarist Chris Constable was forced to retune, Bubonic, Drummer Qumar Sheikh and Bassist Dave Snipes busted out (hilariously bad) improvisational rap and a string of “Thanks Ladies and germs” yuks, only to resume screaming bitterly without missing beat.

Great melodies buried under layers of irony and fury, no-frills guitar heroics and driving, angry counter melodies, Dead Rat rocked balls and gave the closest thing anyone's going to see to an old school punk show for years. They will own you.

RCN: Hello, we are here with BuBoNiC NATE and Dead Rats a local band from Lancaster , and they're lead singer, so we're going to find out a little more about what makes them tick. . .

1. RCN: What type of band are you?

We are a band with many different facets - when asked you classify our music we have come to use the term multi-punk. We play hard songs, we play funny songs, we play poppy songs and we play experimental stuff as well.

2. RCN: Tell us the brief history of your band.

We;ve been around for about 7 years now - we've played just about every spot you can in the Antelope Valley where we reside - as well as a couple places you can't! We play in LA often times at the Cat Club or Univeral Bar and Grill. We are one of the founding bands on the AV's No Exit Records - just about the only indie label in our home town.

3. RCN: Who are your musical and non-musical influences?

The Germs, Epitaph bands like Bad Religion and the Humpers - KISS - Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart.

4. RCN: What are your dreams and goals?

We want to conquer the universe and win the game.

5. RCN: Who writes the songs, what are they about?

I do (BuBoNiC NATE) the songs range from political to mundane - I write about whatever I'm thinking about at the time.

6. RCN: What's your opinion of George Bush?

He is a chimp.

7. RCN: How do you promote your band and shows?

We have a mailing list of about 600 people and have found a program that will send out emails to people on the list individually... we also do all the other typical stuff like call people, pass out flyers and the like.

8. RCN: Describe your show, visual and musically

We are high energy and no bullshit. We have some pretty technical songs - being influenced more and more by Math Rock lately... We are pretty down to earth people who just like playing in front of people.

9. RCN: What do you think about downloading music online?

Rock on! www.noexitrecords.com

10. RCN: What's your outlook on the record industry today?

It sucks... no fucking shit.

11. RCN: What's your claim to fame?

Inventive songs and great lyrics.

12. RCN: Tell us a story about a day in your life.

Wake up - take medicine for my allergies - go teach The History of Rock and Roll at the local Community College - then drink some beer and play a show somewhere.

13. RCN: What inspires you to do what you do?

My head.

14. RCN: What advice would you give to fellow bands?

Fuck art and kill. (sound familiar?)

15. RCN: What are some of your pet peeves?

People who go to shows only to see one band that night.

16. RCN: How does music affect you and the world around you?

It teaches it to sit and beg.

17. RCN: What's new in the recording of your music?

We are finishing a new album to be released in a month or two.

18. RCN: What are the biggest obstacles for bands?

Fans and the music industry.

19. RCN: What's the best and worst thing about playing clubs?

The best part is plaing for people (why else would we leave our garage?) The worst part is that murder isn't legal.

20. RCN: Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.

We are playing tonight at Mr T's Bowl around 11pm... and this Saturday in Victorville - you should be there because its what you want - and if you don't then piss off.

RCN: Thank you for your insight and time. We'll look forward to hearing your music and seeing your next live show . . . Later gator.