Reel Big Fish |
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Thu. July 24.1997 11:40 AM EDT |
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No 'Sell Out' For Reel Big Fishby Addicted To Noise's Laura Lee |
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Are these guys sell outs? Band's trumpeter says no, but he's too stoked to argue. |
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If someone wants to call Scott Klopfenstein a sell out, so be it. Not that he agrees with it. He's just not going to argue the point. Even before their signing to a major label, he and the other Reel Big Fish band members were dealing with
But that's not how he intended it, he said. What's important to realize is that "Sell Out," (RealAudio excerpt) which reached #24 on the Billboard charts last week, was written before the band was even signed, Klopfenstein said. "What that song is about, is that kids have been calling us sell-outs for the past four years," he said. "You know, that's just what we've always been called for some odd reason. I have no idea why. We weren't even signed, and now we make fun of it, you know, cool, we're sell-outs if that's what you want to call us and we're stoked!" But there's more to be stoked about for Reel Big Fish. The debut album for the seven-man band, which includes a four-piece horn section, and is best known for their enthusiastic live performances, Turn the Radio Off, captures the band's raw energy and polishes it off with expert producing from ex-Oingo Boingo bassist John Avila. "John's the greatest guy in the world. I love him, he's great to work with, he was like a father in the sound booth," Klopfenstein said. Avila could very well be the band's father, as the four RBF hornsmen (Klopfenstein, Grant Barry (trombone), Dan Regan (trombone) and Tavis Werts (trumpet)) clock in at just 19 years, and the rest of the band, Aaron Barrett (guitar/vocals), Matt Wong (bass) and Andrew Gonzales (drums), are in their early 20's. The young but not so inexperienced band gets to show off its live stuff at this summer's Warped Tour. "We're very much a live band," Klopfenstein said. "I mean the album is OK and stuff and the new one will be better but, yeah, we're happiest live." RBF not only draws impressive crowds, but has become a standout in today's ska-minded, No Doubt-crazed industry. Having been formed early in their high school careers, RBF's colorful live shows are not something that came naturally. "At first, when I joined the band, like nobody did a lot of dancing and stuff like that," said Klopfenstein. "But I started to do a little, and then Aaron (Barrett, guitar/vocals) started and it went on from there and progressed." And the band members aren't the only ones shaking it up during their gigs. With RBF adhering to the policy of encouraging the crowds to dance, not mosh, their fans are responding, creating a sort of symbiotic concert experience for everyone. In addition to "Sell Out," Turn the Radio Off offers up 15 more toe tapping, high octane, danceable tunes. But don't let the title of the hidden track, "I'm Cool" fool you. Reel Big Fish know fully well they aren't bad ass -- no matter how hard they try. "People call us ska-punk or punk-ska or whatever and that's not our deal at all, like we're a pop band, we're ska-pop, we're not punk, we're not punk rock at all. "...You know, we're on this Warped tour and everybody's so fucking tough. We try to be tough, but we're not, we're not," Klopfenstein said, his voice breaking in amusement. While the band may not necessarily be the toughest, they're definitely not playing to the market either, no matter what the kids say, Klopfenstein said. They're doing their thing, just like they always have, and like they always intend to, he added. "You know we've been playing the same damn songs for almost four years now, you know and people have the gall to call us sell-outs," Klopfenstein said. "We're doing the same thing we've always done, just on a bigger scale. We've got better hook ups and chances now. "We can finally rid the world of a little more crappy radio, you know. We wanna take over the world like a cancer. We wanna make everyone in this world, fuckin'..." Klopfenstein paused, searching for the right word, "fuckin' so stoked." |
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