Crayon

Three young punks from Washington state call themselves Crayon and make music so innocent it can't help but rock. Their off-key antics represent all things good to come out of the collision between punk and pop. Granted, it's a bit disarming to hear 25 year-old guys singing about algebra and Chutes 'n' Ladders and making out. What may be even more scarey is how familiar it all is. We know these guys - they just don't sound like this.

The Triangle was blessed with two Crayon shows, both with the Softies (guitar duo with Rose from Tiger Trap and Jen from Portland - rockin!). Though unfortunately timed for SF! purposes (i.e. days before deadline and damn little space left), a few thin gs to mention: 1) Jeff wears a lion suit whenever he drums, for practices as well as public performances. 2) Sean isn't as snotty as he sounds. 3) In the tape deck of their rental van were truckin' tunes and everyone sang along. 4) They love Southern Cult ure On the Skids and trivia games ("name all the Eddie Murphy movies" . . . Rose came close, she got about seven). 5) In person, they're every bit as playful and artless ("lacking guile") as their music. Live, they're just as playful, and a good deal slop pier. I was giddy the whole night.

Our interview took place well before the show via U.S. Post, which should help account for the choppiness.

The band has an amazing debut CD, Brick Factory, out on Harriet Records ($7 postpaid, Box 649, Cambridge, MA 02238). There are also a bunch of singles and compilation appearances, but I'm out of room. Crayon rocks! (Carrie McLaren)

How did you guys get "into" music?

B I went to a show with my punk rock friend in 1988 with Beat Happening, Screaming Trees and Girl Trouble. It was at the Capitol Lake Park in Olympia. I liked Girl Trouble, thought Screaming Trees were boring and couldn't believe what Beat Happen ing were doing. I though they were a sham! But I couldn't get over seeing Calvin dance all weird while seeming to improvise all this cool word play. I saw Soundgarden play at the park later that summer (they're cheesy now, sure) and it totally converted m e to heavier sounding music. I guess I still lean to poppy stuff, though.

S The summer between sixth and seventh grade my family's paperboy gave me a cassette of the Clash's first album. That changed my life.

J I started with the ABC's of rock. AC/DC, Blondie and Cheap Trick. My cousin turned me onto Devo when I was still impressionable and its been an alphabetical slide from there.

When did you start playing together? Any previous bands? The highlights.

B We just went out to this practice space and it began there. No one knew how to play except Jeff, but we all began on different instruments. I used to really hate the guitar.

You all are separated now, with Sean and Jeff going to school in Seattle while Brad's in Bellingham. How do you manage?

S We don't practice all that often. We seem to play out pretty often though, so it's not that big a deal.

What are your day jobs?

S Kinko's.

J I worked for a printing company and go to a dental school run out of a basement.

B I have a stupid, degrading food service job that I don't want to talk about. I'm a college drop out. I deserve it.

Does Crayon have any long-range goals?

S I'd like to play in Europe.

B No! I don't want it to last more than one more record.

Really? Why?

B I'm just terrified of becoming one of those sucky bands that doesn't know when to quit. I've followed music closely enough to know that this just happens and you can't control it.

How long had Brick Factory been in the works?

B We've been recording here and there for over a year at Yoyo, with Pat Maley. It's named after the game Ramona, from the Beverly Cleary books, used to play.

What's with Jeff and Sean's side project, Six Cents and Natalie? Are there any other side projects or collaborations?

J I finished a track with Wimp Factor 14 around Christmas and a track with Six Cents for the Yoyo Studios comp to come out soon.

S We have a couple 7"s coming out soon and a new full-length cassette as well.

Do you have any favorite unsigned and/or local bands?

S The Crabs!!!

B The Bellingham band scene is pretty stagnant right now. Newish bands I like are the Crabs, Thirty Ought Six and . . . also Helium, the Mountain Goats, New Bad Things, Icky Boyfriends, the Three Suns, Elvis movies, Martin Denny, Unwound and Vers us.

Favorite things to do outside of music?

S Television, letter writing, and swimming.

J TV, camping, driving away, driving back.

B Watching movies, bike riding, sleeping, buying books and never getting around to reading them.

How long have you been doing your zine, Thrill?

S Since Crayon began.

What would you do if a friend of yours was in a shitty band and wanted you to write about them?

S Most of our friends know we . . . or at least I am going to be pretty honest.

B I've adopted a policy of not reviewing local bands (just mentioning them). Sean, however, feels the need to attack people that I have to share a town with.

Would you guys call yourselves feminists?

J We did but then we changed our name to Crayon.

S Yes.

B I don't know . . . I guess. I like females better than males definitely, so I guess I'm a supremacist! All of my close friends are girls. Most of my guy friends, even though I like them, are too socially uptight (always trying to put on this bu llshit "cool" demeanor. I'm guilty of it too in certain situations, but fuck, I try to avoid it!) Girls seem to have a better, less selfish sense of humor.

What do you mean?

B They don't do something to say "look at me." It's more like sharing . . . OK, I guess I'm generalizing a little too much. But the people I like to hang out with have a good sense of humor and they aren't too concerned with what people think of them. And yes, they are mostly female.

You think girls are less concerned with being "cool?"

B In my experience, I have to say yes. Why? I don't know.

The pop aesthetic of labels like K seems built around a sort of idealized childhood. Do you think the kiddie thing prevents some band people from acting "adult?"

B Of course, but, really, what is "adult?" Being responsible is all I would call it, but then it also has connotations that seem forced and fake. Like it's something you declare yourself to be all of a sudden so you can put your past behind you. It's almost like when people get out of elementary school and force themselves to get rid of their toys, even though they still like them, because it's not appropriate for someone in middle school. They all seem like unnecessary stages of denial.

Could it also be a reaction against punk maybe?

B I think it could be that being "cute" now has the same effect as being "scary" (Big Black, Scratch Acid, Butthole Surfers) had ten years ago. Most people don't like it. It amounts to a big fuck you to mainstream listeners. The bands that suck a re the ones that take it seriously . . . like the Melvins put children and bunny rabbits on their album covers.

But do you think they're really taking it seriously? What makes you all less serious?

B That's just it. We aren't self conscious about it. Our songs feel natural to us and we hate being cute, but we can't help how we come across and we hate it - hence dynamic tension! . . . The "kiddie" cute thing bugs the hell out of me . . . As if it's cool to have the mentality of a child or even a teenager. I hated being a teenager! But I guess I can't deny that some of that is part of us. A small part I hope.

Any particular comments about format or new technology? Do you prefer vinyl or what? What about cassettes?

S I love vinyl. It just seems like the market is flooded with 7"'s right now. People found out it wasn't that hard to do. What I really hate, though, are bands that put out 7"'s who don't even buy or own vinyl (outside of their own record). I thi nk record collectors have earned the right to put out records of their own. Manufacturers should do background checks or something.

B I try to ignore technology. It bores me and I don't understand it. Ideally, I'd like to record live, but I've been outvoted on this.

Discology:

A Cartwheel For A Kiss cassette (out-of-print. 100 made.)

"Matchbox" 7" (Harriet)

Momminland EP 7" (Harriet)

Split single with Grover (Gritty Kitty)

Split single with Veronica Lake (Cher Doll)

"The Snaptight Wars" 7" (Harriet)

Brick Factory (Harriet) CD/cassette

Compilations:

One Last Kiss (Spinart) CD

Throw (Yoyo) CD

Julep (Yoyo) CD/vinyl/cassette*

A Love Like Lead (Lionhead Fountain-Japan) cassette

A Day In the Park (The Now Sound) CD/LP*

Phantom Channel One four-band-split 7" (Cher Doll)

Go to the next article: Rodan - Interview by Tim Ross and Jay Murray

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