Painful
Erection
Alabama band Pain build
successful career
By Tony Ware
from The Strip
October 99
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is suffering from growing pains. Like an
adolescent's skin, the town and it's university have seen their
share of embarrassing outbreaks. But one breakout Tuscaloosa can
be proud of is that ragtag band of hometown heroes, and
all-around upstanding pillars of the community, known as Pain.
By the end of October, Pain
will have released Full Speed Ahead
(Vegas Records), their third full-length album (excluding their
Limited Edition "demo" Goggins,
never to be reissued, only reinterpreted). On Full
Speed Ahead, Pain
successfully explore new waters and chart new territory. Acoustic
guitars and even accordian dot the album in ways that add, not
take away from, Pain's playful
pogo punk. What would be awkward elements on previous albums now
sit comfortably next to more of the expected agile, 18-and-under
anthems.
And
while the band lineup and arrangements may see the occasional
change, Pain have maintained
the gung-ho attitude they pioneered at the landmark watering hole
the Chukker and, indeed,
plowed full speed ahead toward achieving success on their terms.
The band made of Pose on bass, Dan on vocals, Adam on guitar, Liz
on keyboards, George on drums, Chris on sax, Jason on trombone,
and a pirate known as Stu on trumpet, have eight times the
appetite and drive of practically any other band. But what they
feed on most is the energy of the crowd that their music, a mix
of melody, mayhem, and mocha (or any caffeinated beverage, for
that matter), fuels.
Still, Pain burn for more. In
the last year they have toured both coasts and recorded a song
for a Cartoon Network short
featuring the '70's crime-fighting shark, Jabberjaw
(to be released as a seven-inch single). But, despite their
travels from Seattle to South Beach, Kansas City to Cape Cod and
beyond, they still love the down-home goodness of the South.
"A lot of people are just unaware of music in the
Southeast," muses Pose, 29, about the nation's slow
acceptance of Southern bands. "A lot of things come from
Florida, but that doesn't count as the South. When talking about
the South people think blues or Southern-fried rock, but if
you're different, you don't get attention nationally. So you
pedal twice as hard for the same recognition. But, by the same
token, in the South people are supportive and welcome that
difference. Not a lot of people are as jaded and weird and mean
and selfish about doing stuff in a specific style. So people are
really supportive."
Still, despite being from the South, one of Pain's
strongest points is how they express the energy of the lates 80's
California hardcore scene without the harsh abrasives or
bodybuilding tendencies. Pain
have built a following through persistence and insistence on
following a strict code of constant D.I.Y. activity.
"We're in charge of our artwork, production, our own
CDs," confirms Pose. "We enjoy the hands-on approach of
doing these things ourselves. We do get help, but if you see a
T-shirt or record, that's done by the band. We don't physically
run the printing press, but we do it all up to there."
And Pain do it all for the
kids. Running their own business could result in higher profits,
but it just allows the band to keep prices low. T-shirts and CDs
are still within the reach of the most economically challenged of
fans. Pain shun Puff
Daddy; it's not about the Benjamins. Pain
are a variation on the Roosevelt of rock: It's all about the fair
deal.
"It would have to be a pretty good deal <for us to sign
with a major label>, because we enjoy the hands-on
approach," reveals Pose. "We're careful not to let go.
Big label, small label, it doesn't matter. It's about getting a
fair deal. Small labels can be just as crappy as big ones. It has
to be equittable; the band gets nice things, and the label too. A
good, strong label would have to give support but not require our
soul."
No, despite rumors to the contrary because of sightings of a
flaming big business on stage at several of the past couple
year's shows, no members of the band have done anything with
their soul but put it full force into their music. But now that
they have been given the oppurtunity, Pain
try their best to help others achieve the same success.
"We try to do shows with as many local bands as
possible," reveals Pose, "people we're friends with, or
like and know. That's a nice thing bands can do for each other.
There's so much work you have to do yourself, so there are things
like shows that are really cool when you can help other bands
out."
Out is also where Pain would
like to spread the word, whether by taking it to the streets or
the changing airways of college radio, an increasingly harder
market to crack.
"College
radio is definitely a different game now," laments Pose.
"In high school, I liked college stations because you would
get whatever was on the DJ's mind at the moment, instead of a
playlist. It's more structured than it used to be. But that's
understandable. It's run by the communications department.
They're training people for a job field. It makes it tougher
though."
Sure, it's tough to make your job being in a band. But Pain
are doing an admirable job breaking the industry mold and
compromising to no one but their fidgety fits of whimsey. Like a
crew of dominatrices. but clad in parachute pants, not PVC, Pain
flog audiences with fond memories of the '80's and anxiety. And
with the imminent release of Full Speed Ahead,
more touring, and a possible animated adventure to accompany the
albums first single, the country will surely be made to feel the
burn while boogying to the beat of Pain.
Tony
Ware is the editor of The Scene in Atlanta, GA., and a freelance
writer specializing in proto-punk
