Loud! Fast! Philly!

Dean Sabatino aka Dean Clean/May 19, 2014

Joseph A. Gervasi interviews Dean Sabatino, better known under his nom-de-Milkmen Dean Clean. Dean was born in Camden, NJ, but grew up in a rural area outside Philadelphia. By the early 1980s, he was in the two-person band Narthex and playing shows in Philadelphia, including at the (in)famous Hot Club. Upon the demise of Narthex, Sabatino joined The Dead Milkmen as their first and only drummer. We talk about Dean’s young life (where he was a fun of progressive rock!) and his incremental move to Philadelphia, where he ultimately lived with the three other members of the band for some years. The Dead Milkmen’s surprise hit song “Punk Rock Girl” earned them play on MTV and got the band a Club MTV in a performance (with a bemused and abused Downtown Julie Brown) that must be seen to be believed (but for the benefit of those who haven’t seen it, Dean discusses the performance in detail). Since Dean was the last remaining living original member of the band I needed to interview, we also talk a bit about the sad demise of Dave Schulthise (aka Dave Blood), the bass player in The Dead Milkmen who took his own life in 2004 at the age of 47. Despite breaking up for several years, The Dead Milkmen are back and continue to record and perform. Dean Sabatino is genial and thoughtful throughout the interview and I know any fan of the band or individuals curious about Philadelphia’s underground music scene of the 1980s will enjoy my talk with him.

The Dead Milkmen website

Vern Laird/May 15, 2014

Joseph A. Gervasi interviews Vern Laird. Vern was just about to turn forty at when this interview was conducted. He was born in Philadelphia and spent his early years in NW Philly before moving to South Jersey in high school. As a kid, Vern was introduced to his two biggest passions by one person and at the same time: skating and hardcore punk. For Vern skating comes first and everything else after. While Vern is best known for being a skater (he now has his own Philly-themed board!), shooting skate videos around the world, and working in the industry, we mostly talk about the HC punk scene of Philadelphia and NJ in the late ‘80s and into the mid-‘90s. From venues like Club Pizzazz, the Unisound, the Harwan Theatre, Revival, the abysmal Bonnie’s Roxx (that extra “X” denotes even more rock), to sub-scenes like hardline straight edge and Krishna consciousness, dealing with white power skinheads at shows, and through his time as the third and final singer of the band Point of View, we have a rollicking time talking about the scene in its glory and its absurdity. For skaters, we do talk about skating a bit, including the homophobia still endemic to the scene and what a public figure like Vern does to speak out against it. This is one of the longest interviews of the series, though it seems jet-propelled thanks to Vern’s considerable enthusiasm. At age forty and having worked nearly his entire life in the skate industry, Vern remains both vegan and straight edge and glows with positivity and passion.

Bones Bearings

Joey Jap (guest interviewed by Stacey Finney)/May 4, 2014

Stacey Finney guest interviews Joey Jap of the band Blessed Muthas. Joey Jap was born in Philadelphia, where he spent his early years hanging out in what was known as the “Badlands” of the city. This was a heavily drug infested, high crime area of North Philadelphia targeted by the police and DEA through Operation Sunrise during the mid 1980s and early ’90s. Joey’s childhood led him through the dark underbelly of drug abuse, crime, hanging on street corners, and fighting with other youth. Through his discovery of punk music, Joey found his way off the street corner and into the thriving Philly music scene. Joey spoke candidly about  his early years of growing up, robbing trains, being shot at, and eventually overcoming his addiction to heroin. He also discusses his experience of the Philly hardcore music scene and how he came to know the infamous John Kennedy Brubaker III. In the late ’90s, Joey started his band, Blessed Muthas, with whom he is the lead singer. His band opened for Ruin at the pre-reunion show in August, 2013 at JC Dobbs. The band continues to play gigs and they hope to record more songs in the near future. Joey is also currently involved in recording power pop music with other local Philly musicians. You will hear a very heartfelt and honest account of someone born into a rough way of life and how he found his way out. The human quality of this interview is one not to miss. Joey Jap openly talks about the loss of his parents and other loss he has encountered over the years, as well as his own brushes with death. Joey’s warm and lovable personality exudes throughout the interview. Hopefully you hear it in his voice as I did throughout our chat together.

Blessed Muthas on Facebook