Inventing Punk Rock; The Astonishingly True Adventures of Other Men My Age

So what happens when a group of musicians from the mid-west (mostly Ohio), who are used to being surrounded by a tight-nit community of art-school students and D.I.Y.-minded musicians remove themselves from said environment, and become Northwest transplants. Are they swallowed whole by the cut-throat Portland, Ore. scenesters union? Nope, seems those guys are too self-involved. Do they rest on their past laurels; the serious waves they made the art-punk and hardcore bands Harriet the Spy, The “New” Terror Class, Armstrong’s Secret Nine, and Three Studies For A Crucifixion? The recent release of their very different, yet strangely familiar Imaginadium says no. Do they trade an appetite for basements, dank bars and Pabst Blue Ribbon for a red velvet booth and martinis at Portland’s hottest night spot? Not likely.

Other Men My Age have stuck to just playing music. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve heard they also like to eat sushi and sing karaoke. Preferring tongue-in-cheek humor over buzz and pretense, though OMMA have physically relocated, their mind-set hasn’t changed much. They’d rather keep it low-key, in the company of friends, then travel with an entourage, and they’d rather write music and tour in relative obscurity (on their own terms) than trumpet the arrival of their band.

Well, Bettawreckonize isn’t above telling it like it is: OMMA will have your ass. Their debut, which dropped on Luminal in late 2003 is a seething combination of moody, agitated punk guitars, deadpan vocals, jarring rhythms, and edgy keying – and its one of the best debuts I heard all year. Why? Because in a time when punk seems to be losing it’s edge, OMMA’s music still feels dangerous. Don’t get me wrong, OMMA are the same science and art nerds that the football team clothes-lined in the halls of high schools in Ohio. In all likelihood, they’re still probably taking those kinds of hits while navigating Portland’s exclusive music scene. But don’t underestimate these guys, underneath those wiry and awkward exteriors, there still exists a biting-wit and a stinging musical sensibility that should have jocks and scenesters watching their backs, and makes those of us they left in Ohio proud.

Interview conducted via e-mail by Tim Anderl. Pictures provided by OTTM and Mark Mondo.

Band: Other Men My Age
Names: Shaine Edwards, Ken Myer, Dave Neeson, Richard Coss

Bettawreckonize: Under what circumstances did Other Men My Age start playing together?

Shaine: Richard and Ken started messing around a while back when they found out that they both lived in the same city. Dave moved here soon after, and the three of them played some good songs at some good shows. Eventually they got sick of not having a science department, and after failing to find anyone who could play keyboards with both hands, they settled for anyone who could play keyboards with one hand. Somehow that hand got attached to me.

BW: Did most of you already know each other from playing in bands in Ohio?

Richard: Affirmative. Dave was in Harriet the Spy, I was in 3 Studies For A Crucifixion, and Ken was in Armstrong’s Secret Nine. We’d all played shows together and even joined forces on a mini tour.

BW: Is Shaine originally from Ohio? If not, where did you guys pick him up?

Ken: None of us could actually pick up Donkey Kong. Maybe Richard?

R: I believe Shaine is strong enough to pick up himself.

BW: You've done a few small tours now right? About a year ago a friend said he saw you play in a basement in Northern, California and you've just been out with label mates The Prids. How were those experiences?

Dave: At last year's house show (in Northern California) I got really drunk and told everyone I invented punk rock, taunted the other bands, and did skateboard tricks on a paper plate. I don't think anyone watched us, and I'm sure we were no good. The next show was a snoozer at a Christmas bar. This most recent trip with the Prids was fiscally and promotionally un-necessary but I believe we all had fun.

R: Ah, those were the days. Some pictures of Dave skating the paper plate are on our site, I think.

BW: You guys are no stranger to touring, having done so while in The “New” Terror Class, Harriet The Spy, Three Studies, and AS9. Are you still into heading out for some long stretches or as you're getting older do you find that there are more reasons to stay home or keep treks a little shorter?

K: We'll be out for a few weeks on the east coast next summer to promote a full-length release. Meanwhile, we're auditioning stunt doubles to head out in a 1984 dodge conversion van to lip sync and play air guitar in front of cardboard amps. It'll look pretty good in the right light. Where are my stress tabs?

D: There's lots of places one never needs to revisit, even in a new band.

R: The east coast and Midwest were easier. Out here the next large city is a trillion miles away. You have to be more selective and smarter about when and where to play.

BW: How did your relationship with Luminal come about?

D: He knocked us up, and did the honorable thing in putting out our record.

R: Actually, If you were to do a DNA test I’d be the one responsible. I just crossed over my tracks enough to somehow lay the blame on Luminal.

BW: How long had you had the material for Imaginadium together before Luminal released it this fall?

K: A while. The EP is the exorcism of our formative material. The point where your sound comes together, we've figured it out...up-up, down-down, left-right, b, a, select, start...we nod. We move forward, unlimited lives.

D: I think "together" may be a generous appraisal of that material.

R: I wrote all of my fuck-ups in the studio.

BW: One thing I've noticed about Imaginadium is that it is an altogether different outing for each of you individually since none of your bands have ever done this sound before. But the guitars also give it that unique Kent, OH sound. Do you guys hear these similarities?

D: It's not an all-together different outing for me. I'm a one-trick pony.

R: A tricked out pony with gold hooves, maybe.

BW: Do you think that people who were into your other bands will be receptive to the changes here?

D: They'll tell us they are and that's all that matters. We pretend to like them, they pretend to like us, keeps things on track.

R: Yes

R: No

BW: What is this I hear about Dave "spiking" the drink of a red-haired indie/mod crooner who shall remain nameless? How did you guys avert disaster?

D: While I spike the fuck out of every drink that passes my lips, I don't believe I've ever tampered with anyone else's.

R: Too wasted to remember, Dave?

S: Dave’s the only one who doesn’t remember

BW: Portland seems to be a hot spot for a lot of up and coming punk bands these days? Do you feel a kinship to any of the other bands in the area? Is Portland a supportive scene?

K: It's a wonderful place. I can't imagine living anywhere else at this point. Unfortunately, Portland is a flood of obnoxious indie cool. There are several places to play, and several bands playing at them every night. Band! band! band! Everyone's talking about bands and their bands. Sometimes I'm embarrassed that I'm in a band. Aren't we all so fucking annoying? Keep it to yourselves... and you, un-named performer from a local sensation, quiet! No talking about how hard it is being a rockstar and being entouraged every time you come back home to Portland. Are you for-fucking-real? You're lucky a lot of people like your crappy band. If anything, the scene is more competitive than supportive. You gotta stock some choice products, put them in a slick package, maybe offer up a warranty, give them what they want. Let me open up a Powerpoint presentation. Oops, I've lost a cufflink...

R: I hate most bands here but I love the city. The scene isn’t a scene, more like an audition for a modeling agency. Lots of bands standing in line waiting for their turn, checking out every other band in line…

S: There’s a handful of really great bands here. I think the sheer number of bands dictates that some of them must be good. But having a million bands in one place does not in and of itself constitute a scene. And things are made a lot more cutthroat as the number of fun places to play dwindles. Most of my favorite clubs have gone belly up since this band has been together. I like to think we’ve been a part of that. Actually, some of the best support we’ve gotten comes from bands outside the indie or punk scenes.

BW: Here's the scenario: OMMA are out doing karaoke at a local watering hole. The karaoke DJ announces that it will be the last song of the night, but the four of you all want to sing one last song. What one song would the four of you chose to do?

D: We'd talk about it until they kicked us out, then talk about forever and never pick one (this has been our ongoing decision making process for playing a cover song).

Editor’s note: I’d heard rumors of another Three Studies For A Crucifixion seeing the light of day sometime in the near future and conducted a short aside with drummer Richard Coss:

BW: On a side note, what is this I hear about another Three Studies For A Crucifixion record seeing the light of day soon?

R: I used to play bass in Three Studies and I hear that Dennis or Matt wants to put out the long lost LP, which in my mind was our best work. We'll see, but rumor has it that not all of the vocal tracks have been finished.

BW: Is this (OMMA) the first band that you've played drums with?

R: No this isn't the first band I've played drums in. I played for a short six months in an Athens, Ohio-based band called Architects Of The New Christ Rebellion. We did a short tour with The Party of Helicopters through the midwest. We recorded one song on a comp. that I'm sure nobody has ever heard.

As far as Imaginadium goes, I think it is the first time for me at least that I've been able to play the type of music I listen to on daily basis versus the type of music that can only be conveyed well live where you can experience the energy.

BW: Any plans for a big Winds of Saturn, Dead Sea, Party of Helicopters, OTTM "Monsters of Rock" tour?

R: I'm not sure about the "Monsters of Rock" tour you mentioned. We have played a few times with POH and together we are a good fit and have a great time, but I'm not sure we are ready to match riffs with Dead Sea or Winds of Saturn. Maybe it would be best to enjoy those guys front and center.

Editor’s Note: As an aside to the aside, a friend of the band provided biographies of each of these guys. I thought they were cool, so here they are.

Ken: Married two years to Janice. He works in advertising (I guess) for a huge company that works with peeps like NIKE, etc. He's really good at his job. He recently designed the new The 6 Parts 7 cover and also designed the latest Party of Helicopters cover (I think that was a joint effort, him and Dave). He is a homeowner and he has two cats: Rodney and Olive. Rodney is the biggest cat I have ever seen maybe. He loves sushi. He loves milkshakes.

Dave: Dave is an apartment manager in downtown Portland (with his girlfriend). He also works in a toy store and a resale store. He just bought a van. It’s awesome. There’s carpet on the ceiling. He does design work whenever he can I guess, and he's also really good.

Shaine: works at a toystore/ice cream shop. Also works the eye opener shift at a shady bar downtown. He goes in at 7:00 and serves old people until the afternoon. He and Richard are in another project called capsule. It’s mostly electronic stuff. They've only played once but there are shows scheduled in the future. Shaine is an artist as well--his paintings are featured in a bar right now. Shaine also loves video games and cheeseburgers and he has recently started smoking.

Richard: Works for the government as a software programmer. He's in three bands currently: OMMA, Damn These Monkey Hands and capsule. He's pretty much working on music every free second of his day. He's a total science geek, and he always wins Trivial Pursuit.