Hey, guys. This is Frenchy (David Broadway). He plays guitar and sings in The Goddamnditchdiggers. Besides that he runs his own label, Ditchdiggin' Records. The band and label are from Longview, TX. Frenchy was in the band Swine System previously, which has a release on Ditchdiggin' Records. Other members were in the bands The Sore Losers, with a release on Ditchdiggin' Records, and American Nightmare, both from Longview as well. This interview is an attempt to get to know Frenchy in more detail, to find out a few things about his band and label that aren't already posted on his website and to air this information to people who otherwise might not check out their site or recordings. Oh, and by the way, yes, he is french.
(Chuck) What obstacles has there been for the band and for the label?
(Frenchy) Money and dedication mostly...Since we're all kinda lazy,it's hard to get anything going, specially when we spend all our money on beer. But we still manage to do more than talks and put out stuff, even though they're far apart,time wise.
(Chuck) What long term goals do you have beyond releasin your 1st album and putting out the comp. singles?
(Frenchy) I hope the band will keep on playing for ever,and that the label will grow along with it. Hopefully,if we start making a little bit of money out of it,we could start putting out records of different bands than us...Stuff that we like.
(Chuck) Have you received a bunch of good music from bands other than the ones on your webpage?
(Frenchy) Oh yeah,I just haven't found the time to post them in there yet.
(Chuck) How have others helped you guys out band and label wise?
(Frenchy) We try to be self reliable and depend on nobody,so we don't really ask help from no one...except when i asked you to record us on cdr,that's it.Thanx again by the way.
(Chuck) Anytime, of course.
(Chuck) How can people further help you guys out, other than the obvious, buying your merchandice?
(Frenchy) Well,We're allways looking for the best deals as far as mfg records or printing covers,this kind of stuff.So if anyone can hook us up on some good deals,we would appreciate it.
(Chuck) What are some bands that people should check out that aren't too publicized already and aren't listed on your webpage?
(Frenchy) Lowlife uk is real good,also Poop anxious(one man band),Aaaargh!(from france),the indifferents,the bomars,the goiters,and a lot more i can't just recall right now.
(Chuck) Will the comps. be an ongoing thing or are you just doing a certain number of them?
(Frenchy) I'm putting out 45's right now by lack of funds,but i would like to make some full length albums as soon as i got enough bands and cash.
(Chuck) How do you feel about shows? What runs through your mind the night of the show, before, during and after?
(Frenchy) I love playing gigs...allways looking forwards to it.When i play,i black out from everything and just get into it.But for some reason,i'm never satisfied at the end of a gig...i allways think we sounded shitty.
(Chuck) Do you think it's 'cause of equipment, or you guys not playing too well together? Too much beer in you guys or maybe not enough?
(Frenchy) No,it's just me...I'm allways full of beer or licor when i jam,so this is not the problem,plus people seems to get into it too,so i guess the sound is good too,it's just me...I don't know why.They say that you are your own worst critic and i guess it's true.
(Chuck) How have sales been so far on merchandice? Do you sell much at shows or by mail? How does it differ?
(Frenchy) All the stuff we have put out so far have been used as promotional items....we sold a few at gigs but most of it has been given away to people who like our stuff...To big of a heart to run a business,i guess.
(Chuck) I can relate. I've given out so much. I know Mik wants to buy stuff from ya. It's seems easier and like you are accomplishing more, faster when ya give stuff away. But, it's hard on the musicians. Do you agree?
(Frenchy) It's hard on the wallet,but what the fuck...it's part of it.
(Chuck) Any good stories to tell, for example, about shows, being on the road or whatever?
(Frenchy) Not really...mostly bad shit happens to us,like the bus breaking down and we have to push start it.But we met a lot of cool people around too.
(Chuck) So do you feel like you win over a lot of fans playing shows?
(Frenchy) I don't know if they should be called fans, but people allways ask us to come back.or if we have some shit for sale.
(Chuck) What's a typical day or week like for you?
(Frenchy) I work nights,so...I get up around 6pm..fuck around,go to work...I have a pretty gravy job where i sit on my ass all night,so i can take care of most of my Ditchdiggin' Records' business at work,then go home,drink a few beers and crash...The week end,we all go to Will's to get fucked up and jam.
(Chuck) That's the kinda job to find. Taking care of personal business and getting paid to do it.
(Frenchy) Hell yeah.
(Chuck) Who's in the band and who plays what?
(Frenchy) Will's on drums,Noah plays bass,Allen plays guitar and I play guitar.We all take turns at singing.
(Chuck) What guys were in The Sore Losers and were they still in that band when The Ditchdiggers was started?
(Frenchy) Will and Allen were in the Sore Losers. Their band was officially still together when we formed the Ditchdiggers,but because of differences between their members,it went to shit so they stuck with the Ditchdiggers.
(Chuck) Who was in American Nightmare?
(Frenchy) Ben,our ex bass player played in American Nightmare.
(Chuck) Very basically, how and why did The Ditchdiggers start?
(Frenchy) well...Swine System(my old band) wasn't playing anymore,and the Sore Losers weren't doing much either,so me and Will and Noah decided to start a band together...Kevin,the old bass player of the S.L was playing with us,then Ben Came to take his spot.
(Chuck) Briefly,how and why did Ditchdiggin' Records start?
(Frenchy) It started when I got tired sending tapes left and right to a bunch of different labels and nothing came out of it,so I decided to put our stuff out myself.The Swine System tape was the first thing out,150 copies.
(Chuck) That stuff is incredible! I can't believe labels would pass that stuff up. What dumb asses! Did you hear back about comps at least? How about Goddamnditchdiggers stuff? I know labels are generally slow to respond, but, have you heard from any? I know you guys are gonna be on the Rejected Records comp.
(Frenchy) Yeah,fuck them,that's why we started our own thing anyway.But we still appreciate the ones that want to help us out...Usually small independent,up and coming labels like ours .
(Chuck) How would you discribe your music?
(Frenchy) Psycho,punk
(Chuck) Yeah, that's fitting. You guys have excellent melodies in your songs yet, it's raw and wild, I think. It's like you could humb the melodies and they'd sound sweet but they are screamed along with raw guitars. It's excellent song writting with over the top performances. Classic Punk!
(Frenchy) Thanx,dude,we try our best to sound half way decent.
(Chuck) So far who has written the music and lyrics in The Goddamnditchdiggers.
(Frenchy) We all pitch in at writing songs,and we all sing.
(Chuck) What are some pros and cons about shows? Do you lose out much money wise?
(Frenchy) We stay in the hole all the time...That's our motto. Ditchdiggin'records,the label that stays in the hole!!
(Chuck) Do you guys have any certain methods to songwritting. For example, do you all just get together and jam and come up with musical pieces that way or do you guys write at home and bring it to rehearsal and add to it?
(Frenchy) Both...sometimes we just jam and something comes up that we decide to keep,or sometime someone goes to practice and say;"Hey,check this shit out!!!".Most of the time,I find inspiration on fridays,after work,with my paycheck in my pocket on the way to the beer store.I get all excited thinking of all this beer i'm gonna get and I come up with shit in my truck.I forget most of it though,after a couple.But that's one reason why we have so many beer songs.
(Chuck) Any problems or dislikes in the punk world or in general that you'd like to comment on?
(Frenchy) The new scene has lost all the sense of humor that used to be a big part of punk back in the 70's/80's.They all get offended by words such as faggot or bitch or whatever...These are just fucking words and nothing more...All their pc bullshit can go to hell.Some of them even try to fight you because you drink beer or smoke weed.Stupid idiots.
(Chuck) Any other styles of music that you or your band mates are into other than Punk? I'd guess that you like some old rocknroll 'cause of the Gene Vincent remake on the Swine System tape and rock a billy sounds here and there.
(Frenchy) I like 50's rock'n'roll,some others listen to some blues,reggae,even some country(old kind).I think it all shows in our music.
(Chuck) What influence do you think the internet will have on the Punk music biz? It's becoming more common.
(Frenchy) I think it's ok...Now,everybody has a chance to get heard all over the place for not much money.It's easier for contacts too,if you're into the D.I.Y thing.
(Chuck) Do you think music reviews and radio will become obsolete since bands can have their music on the internet for people to select and listen to?
(Frenchy) No...I mean,you can't stay your whole day with your ass in front of a computer,and every body likes to have music wherever they go.Radio will stay,so are zines.
(Chuck) What do you think is in store in the future for Punk Rock? How would you like things to be?
(Frenchy) I watched punk evolve since'79,going from real good(77)to good(Oi!),to pretty good(hardcore punk)to kinda shitty(metal mixed shit),to real shitty(pop punk,rap/metal/punk hybrid music).I know we can't change evolution,but i don't want to think about its future.Or maybe i have just become an old fart with his head stuck up his ass.
(Chuck) What bands from the past are your personnal influences?
(Frenchy) Plastic Bertrand was the one who got me into listening to punk.I also love the pistols and the damned,gbh,exploited,blitz,all this shit...and french bands like komintern sect,reich orgasm,the trotskids.
(Chuck) Do all the different guys in The Goddamnditchdiggers listen to way different stuff?
(Frenchy) Yeah,and we allways fight about it everytime we get together...Everybody is like...Let's put my tape first...no,mine...fuck you,it sucks,...no fuck you and your shit!!!
(Chuck) Is there anything that we haven't covered that you'd like to go over?
(Frenchy) No,not really
(Chuck) You think you guys will be able to record more soon? Will Will's little finger chopping episode hold ya back much?
(Frenchy) No...we'll probably go record in january.
(Chuck) What's the idea or ideas behind the name Ditchdiggers or Ditchdiggin Records? Does it have a lot of personal meaning to you and the band?
(Frenchy) We've all dug ditches for a living at a certain point of our lives.We still have blue collar jobs,factory jobs mostly,and callouses all over our hands.We talk about this shit in our songs because it's a big part of our lives,unfortunatly.We're all working class people and we thought that will fit us the best.The goddamn part of it comes from some ass holes with the same name threatened to sue us if we kept the ditchdiggers name,So we went ahead and called us theGoddamn Ditchdiggers.They can't do shit about it.
(Chuck) Who did the new picture on The Goddamnditchdiggers site with the new logo, skull and members photos? Who did the Ditchdiggin' Records emblem with the skull, miners pick, shovel and printing?
(Frenchy) Brian,who played bass with swine system,took that picture of us...I just cut around us and taped it on a postcard,that big skull,that a friend sent me from Croatia, where it was supposed to have been dugged out of a mass grave.Then i stuck a sticker on the side of it.the shovel and pick comes from the side of some kind of pick up truck.This is the cover of our first 7"
(Chuck) Yeah, I saw an old SUV type vehicle called a Prospector that had that pick and shovel emblem.
(Chuck) Do you still have any stickers left?
(Frenchy) We have a shitload of them but save them to put in the records sleeves,as a present.
(Chuck) How did you discover the bands listed on your site? Did they just find your site and send material or did you have to do a lot of diggin'?
(Frenchy) Some of them got in touch with us,and some of them I got in contact with them...
(Chuck) So Ditchdiggin' Records is now gonna distro international stuff due to trading with labels?
(Frenchy) Yup..and I think it's pretty cool too.Lots of Americans are like horses with "side blinders" next to their eyes...I'd like to show them that their is lots of good shit coming from overseas that deserves to be heard here to..The language shouldn't be such a barrier as long as the music is good.
(Chuck) Here's an off the wall one but it says something of you if I remember this one correctly. What is the name of your dog?
(Frenchy) His name is Oi!,and he's a good boi...but we mostly call him yoyo around the house...jumping all the time.
Well thanks a lot for your time, patients and input, Frenchy. Great interview. Everyone, you need to check out their stuff! Write: David Broadway, 14151 FM 968 W, Longview, TX,75602, e-mail: mongoloid69@yahoo.com or check their website at: https://www.angelfire.com/tx2/ditchdiggin
Interview by Chuck Stillborn 12-99
PS
Ditchdiggin' Records now has a venue in Longview, Texas. That's north eastern Texas. It also contains a record shop, shirt shop, skateboarding shop, skate ramps, practice space for bands, ect. This is truely a great facility for punks. Please visit their site linked here for more info and to just muck about.
