BB- Whats the situation with your drummer? Have you worked out something with Freddie from No Holds Barred or are you still looking for a full time drummer?
FRANK- If all goes well, Dooley (who is currently living in Ohio), will be moving to Atlanta in August to be our full time drummer. Freddie will then move to rhythm guitar to fill out our live sound. We get along really well with him and don't want him leaving the band.
BB- "Justice isn't always Fair" came out in 2000 since then you've been keeping a low profile, whats coming up?
FRANK- That whole damn drummer thing kept us down for a while. We've got the split CD with No Holds Barred on Reality Clash records coming out in a few months. It's all been recorded and sent off to be mastered. Right now we need to get the artwork together. We also plan to release a 7" on TKO Records in the not too distant future.
BB- What can fans expect from your split with No Holds Barred, as far as your songs (style amount of songs etc), and what does No holds barred sound like?
FRANK- Each band is doing 6 songs. We re-recorded Kids in America, and 5 new originals. I guess it keeps in line with our previous stuff, but I think we've gotten a bit better at recording and as musicians. Still angry stuff with a bit of hope. No Holds Barred are really good! If you like the Main St. Saints and old Dropkick Murphys stuff you'll like these fellas for sure! Good gruff vocals and catchy choruses.
BB- Wes played both bass and drums on the new recordings, do the rest of you have any hidden talents, or just Wes?
FRANK- Wes played bass and drums on 4 of the track, plus the Fulsom Prison Blues on Punch Drunk III. Freddie Played drums on Kids in America, and Set Me Free. Freddie (as mentioned above) can play guitar, I can kinda play guitar and bass, and Guillermo can work a barbeque grill like a champ!!!
BB- "Folsum Prison Blues" (on Punch drunk III), was originally supposed to be on an Oi! tribute to Johnny Cash, the rumor was Flat was going to put it out, whatever happened to it?
FRANK- I had gotten ahold of Kenny about it and he was all for it at first. I think he just got too busy to get around to doing it. It's a fun song to play so we didn't want to waste it.
BB- You're pretty heavily influenced by AC/DC what other rock influences your sound?
FRANK- Hell I don't know. I listen to all kinds of music and so do the other guys. I don't look to any particular band and say I want to sound like them. Our music just sort of comes together, with all of us putting in our 2 cents worth.
BB-How'd you end up with TKO; as opposed to hometown label GMM?
FRANK- I've been in contact with Mark Rainey since he started TKO. TKO wanted to put out our record. GMM didn't seem interested, and had so much to release already our CD would have come out waaaaaaay later than it did.
BB- "Thank You" is a pretty bitter song, whats the story behind it?
FRANK- It pretty much goes out to everyone that's too stuck on themselves to worry about anyone else. The actual inspiration came when we asked someone for a simple favor that would have taken about 20 minutes of their precious time, and they agreed to help us out, but then blew us off. I won't get into the details because it doesn't really matter. I'm sure everyone has had something like this happen to them.
BB- What is your connection to Crash and Burn?
FRANK- I started the shop about 11 years ago in Florida, and then I moved up to Atlanta about 8 years ago. I'm the owner, cashier, janitor, secretary, etc. etc. etc.
BB- At what point did you decide to make a living out of punk rock?
FRANK- I was about 20 years old when I opened up the store. The job I had sucked. The people I worked for couldn't look past my appearance. I figured I had nothing to lose. If it didn't work out I'd go find some other shitty job working for crappy pay and be unappreciated.
BB- Crash and Burn started as a store/mail order how did the internet affect your business? Do you see internet sales as having a negative effect on independent stores?
FRANK- The internet helps I guess. It's a necessary evil. I put off doing a website for a long time because I didn't want to have to rely on someone else to work on it. Finally, after a friend of mine set up the initial site, I sat down and figured out how to do it. I think people still like dealing with someone that is a real human, and not some big machine. Especially with subculture stuff. You want to support the people that support you.
BB- In the liner notes of "Justice..." you thank your dad for finally understanding, care to elaborate on that?
FRANK- Holy shit! You actually read that???? WOW!!! I you're the first person to ever ask anything about the liner notes!!!! He's been sort of a distant prick for the most part of my life. He was an absentee father. He didn't think that I could amount to anything. I didn't live my life the way he though I should. Which is pretty funny since he wasn't around so who was he to try to give me advice? After many years of no contact we sort of met again for the first time. We keep in very loose contact but I'm not expecting or looking for anything more than that.
BB- In the last few years Atlanta has produced a ton of great bands, why is it that the scene exploded overnight and whats it like right now?
FRANK- I think Atlanta has had alot of good punk and oi bands going back to the 80's. The Anti-heros, Jack the Lad, Dead Elvis, the Kicker Boys, Time Bomb 77, Brickwall United, and loads more that I can't think of. I think things just kinda go in cycles. A band or two start, and that inspires more people to start their own bands, and then everything just grows from there.
BB- What do you guys enjoy doing when you’re not working or playing?
FRANK- Sleep would be nice once in a while. Eating is a great pastime too. There's this expensive restaurant here in Atlanta that has all the beef, pork, and chicken you can eat. And I'm talking about the best damn filet you've ever had. It's called Fogo de Chao. It's a Brazilian grill. MMmmmmmmmMMmmmMMmmm that's some good stuff. I've only been once, but I'm saving my pennies to go again! Let’s see, hobbies huh? I like working on cars and stuff like that. If my computer wasn't from the stone age, I'd enjoy that a whole lot more too. I like quiet walks on the beach, fruity drinks, working out at the gym and buffet restaurants, but most of all the odd chance I get to hang out with my wife, Hilary.
BB- You've been able to play with some legendary bands, do you prefer being at shows as a member of the opening band, or just to be entertained?
FRANK- I love playing shows. It's so much fun. It's a great release. It's like being 15 and going to shows all over again. I like to think that maybe I'm giving back a little bit of the fun.
BB- As far as I know you haven't toured that much, why not and are you looking to change that?
FRANK- We all have jobs and responsibilities that we can't really take off for a couple of weeks. We do weekend stuff here and there. I'd like to play out of town more, but the bills got to be paid!
BB- Got any crazy Terminus City stories you'd like to share?
FRANK- Oh yeah, this one time... At band camp. Oh, wait I can't talk about that. Nothing too crazy from a bunch of regular joes.
BB- Anything your sick of being asked?
FRANK- Why we aren't on GMM.
BB- Anything you wish people would ask more often, and whats the answer?
FRANK- I guess, people reading the lyrics, (or liner notes) and coming up with some questions about that. Or just some off the wall stuff.
BB- Alot of your music can be described as angry or coming from negative experiences (Kellners Song, Thank You, My Castle, Punks not Debt etc). What are some of the positive experiences that have shaped your music and life?
FRANK- Having survived all the negative experiences is a pretty positive thing. To come out of something bad and to be able to pick yourself up and keep going and not lose track of where you were trying to go, that means you've won. I guess I might seem to have a negative outlook on alot of things, but ask the guys in the band, I'm also the big optimist too. I'd say my wife and my two kids are the most positive thing that have ever happened to me. They keep me thinking and give me a reason to keep going. The experience of hearing punk music when I was about 14 really shaped my life. For the first time I felt that someone else out there knew how I was feeling and was just as sick of everything as I was. Going to shows and jumping around like a fool was a positive way to release the negative energy from everyday life.
BB- What is it like to juggle a family, a band and your own business? What are some of the values you'd like to pass on to your children?
FRANK- I've got two boys, ages 3 and 7. They are awesome. It's alot alot a lot ALOT of work, and you just have to realize that not everything you want to do will get done. Like right now, I just looked at the clock and I'm about to be late for work. Damn... I hope that they will grow up being able to think for themselves and to be able to stand up for things that they believe in, and not just follow along in life like sheep. Hopefully they won't be as maladjusted and pissed off as I was either. It's looking good so far.
BB- Since 9/11 everyone has been jumping on the patriotic bandwagon, how do you feel about that?
FRANK- Hopefully it woke people up and made them realize what they were taking for granted. Give it a year or so and see who is still waving the flag.
BB- What cans we expect from Terminus City in the coming year?
FRANK- The split CD on Reality Clash, a 7" on TKO and hopefully alot of fun shows.
BB- Anything else you want to add?
FRANK- Thanks for the interview!!!! I've got 5 minutes to get to work....
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gotta run. Thanks to everyone for reading this, BYE
