MAXIMUMROCKNROLL-236 2003 By Brace Paine MRR: List your ages. Anne-Marie (drums and backing vocals): I'm 21. Justin (bass): Nine years old. Kathy (electric guitar): I'm 22. MRR: How long have THE RIFF RANDELLS been a band? Anne-Marie : We started in '99 with a male singer. We kicked him out, and have been a three piece since '00. Kathy: He quit first, then we kicked him out. Our first band practice was in February of '99. I think we just sat around 'cause we were shy. Then we started butchering cover songs. I think the first was "I Love Rock and Roll" and some Pointed Sticks song. MRR: Where have the Riff Randells been to? Kathy: We've done three cross-Canadian tours-the furthest east was Halifax- and we've gone to California, too. On our way back from the East coast we played New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis. We almost drove into Mexico when we were searching for a Target store, but that doesn't count as band related. We're going to California in November again. MRR: What is your favorite RAMONES song? Anne-Marie : "53rd and 3rd", because of the part that Dee Dee sings!!!! I love that part! Justin: "The KKK Took My Baby Away". Kathy: "Beat on the Brat", 'cause I want to beat up a few people. You know who you are! MRR: What is the connection between THE RIFF RANDELLS and THE INFLATABLE BOY CLAMS? Justin: The Inflatable Boy Clams are our mother band. They reproduced through binary fission and we were formed.They are the best band on Earth!!! Kathy: Plus they are hottt. MRR: TEMPLE OF THE DOG versus MOTHER LOVE BONE, who do you love? Anne-Marie : Temple of the Dog are the champions. Mother Love Bone were hippies! Justin: Mother Love Dog. Kathy: Temple of the Dog all the way. MRR: When will we see a RIFF RANDELLS LP be released? Anne-Marie : Once we record it, and decide who will put it out; early next year is our goal. Kathy: Yeah. It's kind of taking us a while due to distractions. We have a 10" record coming out any day now on Alien Snatch Records from Germany. Check that out. It's got seven hits and it's on pink and purple vinyl. MRR: Tell us about the infamous DEE DEE KING/RIFF RANDELLS show that took place in Thurston Moores' basement 5 years ago. Justin: That show was insane! DeeDee King was amazing! He played all the hits! We opened up and did an all left handed improv set for 13 minutes! MRR: Anne-Marie, your drumming has been described as a robotic Keith Moon, just where do you get all your power? Anne-Marie : I get my power from my arms. They aren't human arms. I have robot arms that make me drum like a drum machine. Justin: A drum machine on steroids! Kathy: Don't piss her off. I did one time. MRR: Did you meet in high school? if so, what classes did you have together? Anne-Marie : Me and Kathy met after high school. We met Justin at one of our shows. Justin: I was homeless in Vancouver, and looking for something to do, so I went to their show. I thought they sucked. Kathy: Yeah. Justin was pretty mean when we first met him, and homeless, wearing only tattered rags. But we're not judgemental or anything, so we let him play with us, rags and all. MRR: Justin,is it true you were supposed to be in NIRVANA but Dave Grohl snagged your place? Justin: Yeah, that is true. It's kind of embarrassing. Right before "NEVERMIND" came out I had tried out and was accepted. To celebrate, that night I went out and got drunk; and had a nasty fall which split my head open in three different spots. I had to wear a head cast for a year, and at that time it was not "cool" to wear casts so I was replaced. MRR: What's it like being a Canadian punk band? Anne-Marie : It's fine. It's just like being a punk band anywhere in the world, I guess. It would be easier for us if we were American though! Then we could tour easier and a lot more. Kathy: I love Canada but I also really don't like it sometimes. There are only like six cities worth playing-depending on the season- in this huge country. Plus there's this major inferiority complex going on in a lot of people's minds, where Canadian bands that totally suck are worshipped by people here just 'cause they are Canadian. It's weird and lame at the same time. I prefer playing in the states. MRR: If you could play with any band ever (broken up or still together) who would it be? Anne-Marie : I'd want to play with Nikki and the Corvettes, The Neo Boys, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the Dishrags. We missed playing with Nikki Corvette in Minneapolis by a few days on our last tour. It was really sad. Justin: My dream show would be Devo and the Jingle Cats playing at the exact same time as Whitehouse. The Jingle Cats are my favorite all-cat band, ever! Kathy: The Ramones, The Runaways, Nikki and the Corvettes, A&TC. The Mini-pops circa '83 with rosy cheeks. This is a hard question. The Pinkz! The Shaggs! MRR: What are your feelings on Destiny's Child? Who is your favorite member? Anne-Marie : The women of Destiny's Child are all awesome, but Beyonce is my favorite. She writes the songs, produces, and is an excellent performer. Justin: Beyonce Knowles! No contest! Kathy: I like Destiny's Child. I bought Anne-Marie the Beyonce Barbie for Christmas last year. Now she has two. My fave is probably Kelly. It's a tie between her and Beyonce. MRR: Bill Clinton is supposedly a big RIFF RANDELLS fan, would you ever consider playing in the Whitehouse? Anne-Marie : Sure, we'd play the Whitehouse, if Bill Clinton still was the president. Justin: I would love to do a Riff Randells/Bill Clinton collaboration or split 7" with us playing our music and him playing saxophone. Kathy: No, thanks. MRR: THE RIFF RANDELLS currently have one CD, a 10" and three 7"s available; what is it that is so appealing about seven inches? Anne-Marie : They are cool looking, a good size, and are fun to collect. We love 7"s. Justin: They're the perfect length, and they make good Frisbees. Kathy: I dig the size and the squareness of them. MRR: What is your favorite thing about Canada and Kathy, why do you live in Calgary? Anne-Marie : Canadian beer? Kathy: I don't know why I live there. My favorie things about Canada are Eskimos, igloos, and Bryan Adams- seriously. Justin: My favorite thing about Canada is how you can commit a serious crime and be let free practically the next day. MRR: What is your favorite food? Anne-Marie : Nachos, sandwiches, pizza, burritos, and just about anything that has cheese in it or on it. Justin: Sushi with cheese on it. Just kidding; PIZZA!(with sushi melted on it). Kathy: Microwaved burritos are really good, and so are crunchy spicy tuna rolls. MRR: What does your family think about you being in a punk band? Anne-Marie : My family thinks it's cool. They're really supportive. My mom sends our 7"s and CD to her relatives. I think they think I do bad stuff when I'm on tour though, because they're never excited when I tell them we're going on tour. Justin: Since I don't go to school, my parents are glad that I'm doing something instead of nothing at all. Kathy: My mom is ashamed and thinks we are not very good. She hid in a tent when we played at a festival this summer. MRR: What does the future hold for you? Anne-Marie : We REALLY want to go to Japan, so we're going to work on that next year. We're also going to put out a full length. Kathy: Yeah. We are hopefully gonna tour in Japan and Europe and all that stuff. I guess we need a full length first, so that'll come soon. I think the future holds a lot of shopping for the Riff Randells and lotsa dance parties. Justin: I will probably get kicked out in the near future.