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S.O.B.'s are A
o.k. Bitchin' is probably the best way to describe these
S.O.B.s. What's that? Do I hate them? Oh no - you've got me all wrong! I love
these S.O.B.s... Their full unabridged name is 'I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In
the House;' a kick-ass rock and roll band from Portland, Oregon. As the S.O.B.s
embark on a nationwide U.S. tour; Celebritymate takes on their controversial
frontman and lead singer Mike D., starting with that bitchin' name...
Celebritymate: 'I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House'... A testament to your ass-kicking abilities, or just a cool name for a band? Mike D.: It's the name of the autobiography of the 20th century boxer, John L. Sullivan - the last bare-knuckles champion. I also used to box in the Army and a couple of years in Vegas when I got out... I still feel it in me, yet I knew I would never beat a Tommy Hearns or a Marvin Hagler, so I made a career change. I knew the name was going to be a pain in the ass for writers and folks who put up the marquees... Please forgive me. When I was a kid I got handed many beatings at school and home and when you get older it's like - 'this shit is coming to an end, I ain't gotta put up with it no more. Look I can punch back....' The name has made folks want to hear the record instead of just shooting it in the garbage. The name is also a kind of 'fuck you' to the major labels. We are saying, 'We don't need you, nobody needs you. We can have a career without your big monster ass. We will be noticed without you.' This record will be sold, if need be, one at a time... CM: It surely must be one of the longest band names around. How would you abbreviate your name? 'I Can Lick' or 'S.O.B.' or...? MD: We call ourselves 'Sonofabitch' or 'S.O.B.' for short. I don't suppose it's any longer than "And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead." Man, that is a wicked band name!! It takes awhile to make it stick in your head. I've heard people say 'ooh, you're in that "I can kick any mother fuckers ass" band' and I say, 'yeah, that's it'. CM: How does your new album 'Put Here to Bleed' differ from your debut release last year? Has S.O.B. 'grown'? And, if possible, got even wilder?! MD: The first record ('Creepy Little Noises') was acoustic driven, whereas 'Put Here to Bleed' is big guitar rock. The first record was recorded, mixed and put out in about 3 weeks. 9/11 had just happened and there was a desperation about getting it done. Like the world wasn't going to be around for long... On 'Bleed', it was a band effort and we took twice as long to finish it - about 6 weeks... We have grown as a band in the last year from the touring... we are tighter musically and spiritually. As far as wilder - we just let it all hang out live. We spill our guts every show. If it's just chairs and bartenders at the venue, they are gonna get our insides all over them. CM: 'Put Here to Bleed' has many awesome tracks and despite some of the aggressive titles ('American Fuck Machine', 'Twerp'), I'd say it's fairly easy to listen to... I even relaxed to it. Am I insane? MD: Man, I can relax to 'Black Flag'... Are you insane? I'm sure you are - being a rock writer has got to be a pain in the ass... I mean, on our level, without ya'll we are screwed... If a review is negative, I can learn from it. I'm like, 'yeah, I can see your point'. This song sounds similar to this one... Ya'll give me another perspective. It's got to make you insane dealing with rockstar assholes all the time... CM: As I understand it, some of the songs have strong messages... 'American Fuck Machine' is directed at President George W. Bush and 'Dear Mr. Heston' at Charlton Heston. Do you ever worry that your outspokenness will get you in trouble? MD: 'Fuck Machine' is directed at Dubya and every Toby Keith/Travis Tritt asshole that says to you 'love it or leave it', or 'with us or against us'. Now is the time to question what's going on. It is our right to speak our minds without fear. I just call it like I see it. No threats. Just calling an asshole an asshole... I'm sure I'll be called a few things before it's all through... but I don't think we will get in trouble. Those cats that keep track of all the big brother shit have got their plates full with Steve Earle, Michael Moore and those radical Dixie Chicks! Jeezus. CM: In an attempt to stimulate further outspoken comments from you, we'll play a quick word-association game... please just say the first thing that comes into your head when I say: Martha Stewart..... MD: .....Joan Crawford of the kitchen CM: James Dean............. MD: ...I hear he used to turn tricks in Hollywood before he got famous. CM: Mickey Mouse.......... MD: I have loved and will love Annette Funicello till the day I die... CM: Annnnddddddddddd Jon Bon Jovi..... MD: .....I got off on it a few years back when he tried to pass himself off as a serious songwriter. I wonder if he knows who Guy Clark or Robert Earl Keen are? CM: And, you mentioned that you served your country? You were in the 101st Airborne/Air Assault? How did that go, and would you ever considering 'fighting' for America again? MD: I joined the Army to get away from a fucked up life. I was living back and forth between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Oroville, California. I stayed in California with my Daddy and he was a violent drunk sonofabitch. One night, he got up in my shit after supper and push come to shove and I laid into his ass... He gave as good as he got and after living all my young life in this kind of drunken, hateful bullshit - I was fed up. My parents were both fucked up... I walked my ass into town, and it was a long walk. I was at the recruiter's office when they opened. I had just turned 17. The recruiter said Daddy would have to sign for me to get in. He drove me to my house, and it took about ten minutes to get the papers signed... After a couple of 'fuck yous', I left for good. I took a test the next day and got on a bus to the Oakland Army base. I was on a plane two days later to Ft. Dix. I remember being so godamned hungry. I got to Dix about three in the morning and they had hamburgers and pork & beans. I had found my home... I loved it and took to the life like a duck takes to water. Hell yeah, I'd fight for something I found to be a just fight... This Iraq 'war' was about the rich getting richer. Ask people who got their arms and shit blown off if they feel any more free, if they are glad we are occupying. When (Bush) stepped out of that plane in his flight suit, it was sickening... He disrespected every young man who was getting shot at. His military record speaks for itself. Where are the WMDs (weapons of mass destruction)? Where is Hussein? Where is Bin Fuckhead? CM: Ever thought about writing a song directed at Saddam Hussein? MD: Most of the shit I write can apply to him as well. A bully is a bully no matter what country they are from. Where is Bin Laden? I'd love to see his head on a stick - but where is his ass? We can turnout a whole country in a couple of weeks, but can't find one man or shut down his crew? There are way too many unanswered questions about 9/11. Iraq wasn't about a peoples' freedom or even payback. I'd still like to see some payback for being attacked here. Rather than go after the bastards who planned the 9/11 massacre, they declared war. They unveiled an enemies list that includes the entire Middle East, except Israel, and a clamp down on personal liberties... We have deficit as far as you can see. CM: Where can I see 'I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In the House' on tour? MD: We are playing with 'Slobberbone' and then on tour in the summer - down to Texas and the Midwest. We will hit the East coast come fall and just keep touring till Jesus comes over the mountain... I want to be in Australia come next summer. Get in the house with the S.O.B.s by checking out their touring info at www.icanlickanysob.com and ordering their CD on-line at www.inmusicwetrust.com |
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