Orchestral Manoeuvres in Punk

Rip It Up, Issue 243, 1 November 1997, Page 8

Orchestral Manoeuvres in Punk

ven though the Epitaph label has broadened the scope of HL JI their signings of late, most people | QI still associate the Epitaph sound with fast. West Coast pop-punk; ra W B bands such as Bad Religion, <4|| Pennywise, and early Offspring. Vo ■ But Dennis Jagard, vocalist/guitarist of Ten Foot Pole, I Al isn’t bothered when people say nil he’s in ‘an Epitaph band,’ because RMBHr along with the others mentioned ■ <g> jl above, they once constituted the entire Epitaph roster. J “At one time, when people thought of Epitaph, they thought IV 11 of bands that sounded like us. The I I challenge now is to make music Btßtb that stands out, there are a million bands playing Californian melodic hardcore,” he says, during a break IL -41 from touring during which he’s ■ jHH reorganising his Southern ILT 1 1 Californian home. “Basically, I just I' X consider our music‘fast rock,’and even that’s evolved a bit, because r all the songs start off as folk songs. I asked Brett [Gurewitz, Epitaph boss and former Bad Religion guitarist] about it once, and he said all the Bad Religion songs started out as acoustic folk songs as well. To be honest I’m kinda tired of listening to punk rock.” Obviously is constantly exposed to punk when touring with the Ten Foot Pole (except in the van where he chooses to listen to Radiohead’s OK Computer for relief from the constant pounding of drums and guitar squalls), I but during down-time he works as a ’ front of house sound engineer, and

then it’s an entirely different story. “I do sound for orchestras, symphonies, and I did Evita and A Chorus Line. I’ve also mixed Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles... and I’ve done sound at jazz festivals.” And when there’s no soundwork, Jagard works as a substitute school teacher. Very renaissance man — anything else? “The only other thing I wish I’d tried was hockey. I think if I’d discovered it when I was younger, I’d be a professional by now.” Which could’ve left Ten Foot Pole in a similar situation to the one they found themselves in two years ago. Their previous vocalist Scott Radinski had to leave the band as it was clashing with his day job as a major league baseball player. Jagard took over on vocal duties as well as the guitar playing. They didn’t encounter too much opposition or backlash with the change, but he says it’s strange that people still consider him the ‘new singer.’ When Ten Foot Pole embark on a North Island tour in mid November, playing (mostly) all ages shows in small venues, they’ll be road-testing a new bass player, as original bassist Pete left to attend college. Jagard says they’re really looking forward to the week they’ll be spending here — but don’t ask him to participate in any dangerous sports while he’s here, as he has a history of accidents. He might help you with your homework though.

TROY FERGUSON