Brian Ready
Introduction
Brian Ready fronts San Diego punk stalwarts everready.
Interview
What is the state of the scene?
Brian: I'd say it's better now than it has been, but I'd still say it's not one that's very good. I'd say it's better than it has been in the past.
Is there anything wrong with punk music in San Diego?
Brian: I'd say the biggest problem is that pretty much everybody sounds the same, like two categories of punk. Actually, I guess there'd be three. You either want to sound like an Epitaph band or Screeching Weasel or you want to be involved in that whole Casbah/Rocket scene. I guess if I had to say, I'd like to see more garage punk bands, but it seems like all that sells right now is Lookout! and Epitaph stuff so it's kind of weird.
What's good about punk music in San Diego?
Brian: We've got some good bands, but besides that, I don't see anything. There isn't really anything. No one wants to do anything, everybody's lazy and there's definitely no message in anybody's music which is kind of disappointing. Whatever.
How do you think people act at shows? Do they seem to be having a good time?
Brian: In San Diego, I'd say they have the biggest problem of worrying about what everybody thinks. It looks like more people are looking over their shoulders than watching the band, whereas if you go to other towns, the kids just go nuts. I guess it's just a point of being spoiled with so many bands coming through San Diego, whereas if you go to a smaller town where they only get so many bands per summer, these kids are so happy to have anyone come to town and play there that they just go nuts and have a great time. Like I said, everybody here is looking over their shoulder and making sure they're not making complete idiots out of themselves or whatever. Do you see any problems with the crowds and the people who go to see bands? Brian: I don't really go to SOMA to go see shows, so I don't know what they've got going on, but as far as wherever I hang out, the crowd's always been pretty cool. I know that's really chilled out a lot, the violence in the scene has really calmed down a lot which is a definite good thing.
What can we do to make the scene better?
Brian: My biggest thing to make the scene better would just be to be diverse and try to get involved because there's a lot more things that a lot of people could be doing. I mean, everybody can join a band, but as far as more zines and getting involved . I don't think I've seen someone actually go out and put on an actual show besides the Soul Kitchen or SOMA, or even the Casbah, for at least a couple of years. It's awkward, which brings up a point about the Che Café, how they only cater to certain people. They don't want certain crowds showing up. It seems like we have this totally segregated scene. We've got the North County scene, the East County scene and the Chula Vista scene, and they're so segregated and they don't want anybody else going to the shows. Someone has to stand up and put up a neutral ground where everybody can go see the bands and start liking more diverse punk rock because there's a lot of good bands that get, obviously, nothing. They can't play to anybody in San Diego.
