BAD SECRET
(Interview with Beau Basement)
I know you as Beau from The Suck, and also as someone with whom I share a love for traditional old school pop punk, among other interests. Could you give the readers a more proper introduction?
I’ve been playing in punk rock and rock ‘n roll bands since 1995. Currently, I’m the drummer of the SUCK, and the voice of Bad Secret. I get tattooed. I sling pizzas. I can drink a lot of adult beverages, with varying results.
What is your musical background/band history and when did you start writing your own songs?
A couple bands you might know (STRIKEOUTS, LEBOWSKIS, FIRST IN SPACE) and most you probably don’t (MONTY BELMONTS, DEL PHANTOMS, SPEED LIMITS, BASEMENTS). I’ve also put out a couple of records as Beau Basement & The Razorblades. I started writing songs from day one, and I fashion myself as a singer/songwriter hiding in a punk rock band.
When The Suck came along, I was delighted because it seemed the perfect continuation of a renaissance of Weasel/Queers style Ramonescore bands and labels that has revitalized the scene over the past decade or so. What was the mission statement of that band, and how influential was HEAD?
If the SUCK had a mission statement... it would have to be that “we only give 25 percent.” Seriously. To give anymore completely takes all of the fun out of playing in a band. HEAD? We are HEAD. No one told you that? Smile!
I knew nothing of Bad Secret until I saw some posts featuring the Metallica-style logo and some interestingly dark imagery for the cover of Demo I. Can you tell us more about Bad Secret? In ways does it differ from The Suck and other music you've done previously?
I’ve always wanted the dark imagery of being in a metal band, without actually playing in a metal band. I’m a Ramone at heart. I started writing the songs for what became Bad Secret in January of this year. My songs are dark. All of them. Always. Why shouldn’t the imagery also be? All of the songs center around the theme of vandalism. I had the thought that one can vandalize anything and everything. The breaking of things. That appeals to me. The burning of every bridge, just for the fuck of it. And rather than put out another record under my own name, I decided I would hide behind a band name. • It differs from the SUCK drastically. That’s pretty obvious. I drum in the SUCK, but I don’t write the tunes. It’s all still punk rock. You can enjoy both.
We briefly chatted about our shared appreciation/love for old school pop punk, but also a shared concern for writing lyrics that aren't the same old tired/uninspired subjects that have been rehashed for decades. What is your philosophy of pop punk, and in what ways do you bring your own identity into this style?
I really have no philosophy on “pop” punk. I enjoyed it when I was in high school quite a bit, but as I got older I really couldn’t relate to it anymore. Especially the lyrical content. I still love all of those bands from a nostalgic point of view, though. And I revisit them often. I’m in the camp of thinking that punk rock should be a little dark, and a little violent. But I listen to all kinds of punk rock. I don’t prefer any one sub-genre to another. I love all of it. With that said, lyrical content should be a top priority. Say something that rings true for you. If it’s bubblegum, leather jackets, and Chuck Taylor’s... that’s great. You do you. I just prefer getting dark, and staying dark. Life is difficult. I’d like to think that the lyrics I write reflect that. I enjoy the struggle. One isn’t any more valid than the other. It’s subjective, just like all music.
I've seen a pretty impressive release bundle that's up for pre-order now? Tell us about the physical goods that will be made available, and also how you ended up working with John Proffitt, Jr. (of Mom's Basement Records) on this release.
“DEMO-ONE” from Bad Secret was always meant for a cassette release. It is a demo, after all. Because, metal. John Mom from Mom’s Basement Records thought a compact disc should be an option, as well. And the t-shirt for the preorder bundle is killer looking! Three of my favorite things in the world represented... RAMONES, METALLICA, and MOTORHEAD! I guess they could technically sue me, but whatever. • After the Bad Secret record was finished, I sent it to John Mom. If he couldn’t/wouldn’t work with it, I would have just released it myself. I wasn’t planning on shopping it around. Luckily, he fit me in, and his Mom’s Cellar Dwellers imprint worked perfectly for how I envisioned this release. Cassette. Demo. John Mom is a great dude, and he runs what I consider a perfect punk rock record label. I’m extremely grateful he’s hanging around. He’s done so much for the SUCK and for me, I’ll spend quite awhile trying to repay him back.
Do you foresee this project being your main priority going forward? How do you prioritize your musical output, and what's your approach to creating/achieving goals for your own music?
Nah. I can do whatever, whenever. I love the SUCK and Bad Secret equally. Bad Secret has given me an itch to scratch creatively, and the SUCK gives me a reason to hang out with my core group of dudes that I’ve known for over 20+ years. It’s a win-win. And in Bad Secret, I get to hang with my dudes Johnny Stanec and “Metal” Don Egan. Two of the best musicians I’ve ever worked with. And better dudes, you’ll never find. I think that answers all three questions, really. I don’t have any goals.
We're all getting older. Most of the old school pop punkers are now actually old - in our 40s and beyond. How long do you think our style of music can remain relevant? Do you see it as being a timeless genre that could carry on despite the change in musical landscape and culture?
Everything comes full circle. I already see a bunch of kids in their late-teens, early twenties, playing mid-90’s Lookout! Records style punk rock. And they’re pretty killer, actually. What I really want to see is a new group of kids doing their best GROOVIE GHOULIES impression. Now that would kill!
What are your ultimate goals as an artist and musician? How do you remain inspired while juggling the other challenges of your personal and professional life?
No goals, just expectations. I want my songs to get stronger as I continue to write them. Lyrical content, especially. The message is always more important than the delivery. • I remain inspired by all the other music that’s out there. All genres. I still love music as much as I did when I was a kid. I’m always looking for new bands to listen to. Let’s be honest... I sling pizzas for a living. I’m Peter Pan in a punk rock pirates outfit. I’m essentially the same asshole now, that I was back in the mid-90’s. I can’t help it. Stunted adolescence, as a rule.
What are your top 5 favorite heavy metal releases of all time?
METALLICA “Ride The Lightning”. • The perfect thrash album. My first love, long before I ever heard “Leave Home” from the RAMONES. •
DANZIG III “How The Gods Kill”. • Dark, for the sake of being dark. •
IRON MAIDEN “Powerslave”. • The best NWOBHM album, and a band at the top of their game, in my opinion. Still the best live band I’ve ever seen. Perfect precision. •
WARKINGS “Reborn”. • The best of the new crop of power metal bands. My preferred sub-genre of heavy metal. Huge songs, with perfect imagery. •
BLIND GUARDIAN “Nightfall In Middle-Earth”. • My favorite heavy metal band of all-time. Fantasy driven lyrical content (not unlike what I’m going for in Bad Secret), from the greatest power metal band ever. “Huge” doesn’t even begin to describe how powerful this album is. •
Honorable Mention:
Every MOTORHEAD album. Are they metal? Or Punk rock? Rock ‘n Roll? Answer: yes.
I’ve been playing in punk rock and rock ‘n roll bands since 1995. Currently, I’m the drummer of the SUCK, and the voice of Bad Secret. I get tattooed. I sling pizzas. I can drink a lot of adult beverages, with varying results.
What is your musical background/band history and when did you start writing your own songs?
A couple bands you might know (STRIKEOUTS, LEBOWSKIS, FIRST IN SPACE) and most you probably don’t (MONTY BELMONTS, DEL PHANTOMS, SPEED LIMITS, BASEMENTS). I’ve also put out a couple of records as Beau Basement & The Razorblades. I started writing songs from day one, and I fashion myself as a singer/songwriter hiding in a punk rock band.
When The Suck came along, I was delighted because it seemed the perfect continuation of a renaissance of Weasel/Queers style Ramonescore bands and labels that has revitalized the scene over the past decade or so. What was the mission statement of that band, and how influential was HEAD?
If the SUCK had a mission statement... it would have to be that “we only give 25 percent.” Seriously. To give anymore completely takes all of the fun out of playing in a band. HEAD? We are HEAD. No one told you that? Smile!
I knew nothing of Bad Secret until I saw some posts featuring the Metallica-style logo and some interestingly dark imagery for the cover of Demo I. Can you tell us more about Bad Secret? In ways does it differ from The Suck and other music you've done previously?
I’ve always wanted the dark imagery of being in a metal band, without actually playing in a metal band. I’m a Ramone at heart. I started writing the songs for what became Bad Secret in January of this year. My songs are dark. All of them. Always. Why shouldn’t the imagery also be? All of the songs center around the theme of vandalism. I had the thought that one can vandalize anything and everything. The breaking of things. That appeals to me. The burning of every bridge, just for the fuck of it. And rather than put out another record under my own name, I decided I would hide behind a band name. • It differs from the SUCK drastically. That’s pretty obvious. I drum in the SUCK, but I don’t write the tunes. It’s all still punk rock. You can enjoy both.
We briefly chatted about our shared appreciation/love for old school pop punk, but also a shared concern for writing lyrics that aren't the same old tired/uninspired subjects that have been rehashed for decades. What is your philosophy of pop punk, and in what ways do you bring your own identity into this style?
I really have no philosophy on “pop” punk. I enjoyed it when I was in high school quite a bit, but as I got older I really couldn’t relate to it anymore. Especially the lyrical content. I still love all of those bands from a nostalgic point of view, though. And I revisit them often. I’m in the camp of thinking that punk rock should be a little dark, and a little violent. But I listen to all kinds of punk rock. I don’t prefer any one sub-genre to another. I love all of it. With that said, lyrical content should be a top priority. Say something that rings true for you. If it’s bubblegum, leather jackets, and Chuck Taylor’s... that’s great. You do you. I just prefer getting dark, and staying dark. Life is difficult. I’d like to think that the lyrics I write reflect that. I enjoy the struggle. One isn’t any more valid than the other. It’s subjective, just like all music.
I've seen a pretty impressive release bundle that's up for pre-order now? Tell us about the physical goods that will be made available, and also how you ended up working with John Proffitt, Jr. (of Mom's Basement Records) on this release.
“DEMO-ONE” from Bad Secret was always meant for a cassette release. It is a demo, after all. Because, metal. John Mom from Mom’s Basement Records thought a compact disc should be an option, as well. And the t-shirt for the preorder bundle is killer looking! Three of my favorite things in the world represented... RAMONES, METALLICA, and MOTORHEAD! I guess they could technically sue me, but whatever. • After the Bad Secret record was finished, I sent it to John Mom. If he couldn’t/wouldn’t work with it, I would have just released it myself. I wasn’t planning on shopping it around. Luckily, he fit me in, and his Mom’s Cellar Dwellers imprint worked perfectly for how I envisioned this release. Cassette. Demo. John Mom is a great dude, and he runs what I consider a perfect punk rock record label. I’m extremely grateful he’s hanging around. He’s done so much for the SUCK and for me, I’ll spend quite awhile trying to repay him back.
Do you foresee this project being your main priority going forward? How do you prioritize your musical output, and what's your approach to creating/achieving goals for your own music?
Nah. I can do whatever, whenever. I love the SUCK and Bad Secret equally. Bad Secret has given me an itch to scratch creatively, and the SUCK gives me a reason to hang out with my core group of dudes that I’ve known for over 20+ years. It’s a win-win. And in Bad Secret, I get to hang with my dudes Johnny Stanec and “Metal” Don Egan. Two of the best musicians I’ve ever worked with. And better dudes, you’ll never find. I think that answers all three questions, really. I don’t have any goals.
We're all getting older. Most of the old school pop punkers are now actually old - in our 40s and beyond. How long do you think our style of music can remain relevant? Do you see it as being a timeless genre that could carry on despite the change in musical landscape and culture?
Everything comes full circle. I already see a bunch of kids in their late-teens, early twenties, playing mid-90’s Lookout! Records style punk rock. And they’re pretty killer, actually. What I really want to see is a new group of kids doing their best GROOVIE GHOULIES impression. Now that would kill!
What are your ultimate goals as an artist and musician? How do you remain inspired while juggling the other challenges of your personal and professional life?
No goals, just expectations. I want my songs to get stronger as I continue to write them. Lyrical content, especially. The message is always more important than the delivery. • I remain inspired by all the other music that’s out there. All genres. I still love music as much as I did when I was a kid. I’m always looking for new bands to listen to. Let’s be honest... I sling pizzas for a living. I’m Peter Pan in a punk rock pirates outfit. I’m essentially the same asshole now, that I was back in the mid-90’s. I can’t help it. Stunted adolescence, as a rule.
What are your top 5 favorite heavy metal releases of all time?
METALLICA “Ride The Lightning”. • The perfect thrash album. My first love, long before I ever heard “Leave Home” from the RAMONES. •
DANZIG III “How The Gods Kill”. • Dark, for the sake of being dark. •
IRON MAIDEN “Powerslave”. • The best NWOBHM album, and a band at the top of their game, in my opinion. Still the best live band I’ve ever seen. Perfect precision. •
WARKINGS “Reborn”. • The best of the new crop of power metal bands. My preferred sub-genre of heavy metal. Huge songs, with perfect imagery. •
BLIND GUARDIAN “Nightfall In Middle-Earth”. • My favorite heavy metal band of all-time. Fantasy driven lyrical content (not unlike what I’m going for in Bad Secret), from the greatest power metal band ever. “Huge” doesn’t even begin to describe how powerful this album is. •
Honorable Mention:
Every MOTORHEAD album. Are they metal? Or Punk rock? Rock ‘n Roll? Answer: yes.
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