Long-running Vancouver punks D.O.A. have announced they will go into the studio to begin recording their 13th album, This Machine Kills Fascists, this Saturday (January 23). The first single, "The OH-LIMP-ICS Can Go to Hell," will be released on iTunes on February 9. And if you just can't wait that long, a video for the single will be up on YouTube on February 1.
"This was actually the last song written for the album," says D.O.A. main man Joey "Shithead" Keithley of the single in an interview with Exclaim! "I wrote it on January 1. I really love sports and I hope the Canadian athletes do great, but VANOC [the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games] and IOC [International Olympic Committee] have been pissing myself and half the city off with their mini-Hitler-esque way of pushing everybody around. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they sent out a 'politeness' guide in all the major newspapers to the locals."
Given D.O.A.'s history of being an outspoken political band, this is just same old shit, different stench. The band have always tackled political issues, that's nothing new; what is new is how this album was written. Keithley says he usually starts writing songs a few months ahead of time, but this time the writing process came quickly.
"The writing process was really compressed, which I kind of enjoyed," says Keithley. "I had about 100 musical ideas that I had archived over the last while, so I went and pared them down to what I liked, even if it was just part of a chorus riff, then I made a list of what I wanted to write about - burning issues, funny stuff, etc. Then I came up with chorus lyrics and figured which musical bits matched up to the spirit and sentiment of the lyrics."
Perhaps because of this different writing process, Keithley says that the upcoming record has "the feel and sound of D.O.A.'s early punk rock albums," news that should please old-school fans. "There's also one song that is a little Neil Young-like, called 'I Live in a Car.' The second single is called 'The R.C.M.P.'; it's scathing. We also do a ripping version of 'The Times They Are a-Changing.'"
Politicos and music geeks alike will notice the name of the album, This Machine Kills Fascists, is a famous slogan that political folkie Woody Guthrie wrote on his guitar years ago. Keithley says that Guthrie has been an inspiration since he was a teenager.
"I figured it was time to pay tribute to him and let new generations understand his message," explains Keithley. "And his message is very similar to what D.O.A.'s been talking about for 30 years - with struggle and hard work, we can change this world into a better place."
This Machine Kills Fascists is to be released on May 1 on Keithley's Sudden Death Records. D.O.A.'s last studio album was 2008's Northern Avenger.
As if recording a new album wasn't enough, the band will be playing some dates in BC in January and February and will also pay a visit to some of our neighbours down south for a couple gigs.
Tour dates:
1/28 Nanaimo, BC - The Queens
1/29 Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
1/30 Cumberland, BC - The Waverly
2/12 Seattle, WA - El Corazon
2/13 Portland, OR - Plan B
2/20 Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw Theatre
"This was actually the last song written for the album," says D.O.A. main man Joey "Shithead" Keithley of the single in an interview with Exclaim! "I wrote it on January 1. I really love sports and I hope the Canadian athletes do great, but VANOC [the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games] and IOC [International Olympic Committee] have been pissing myself and half the city off with their mini-Hitler-esque way of pushing everybody around. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they sent out a 'politeness' guide in all the major newspapers to the locals."
Given D.O.A.'s history of being an outspoken political band, this is just same old shit, different stench. The band have always tackled political issues, that's nothing new; what is new is how this album was written. Keithley says he usually starts writing songs a few months ahead of time, but this time the writing process came quickly.
"The writing process was really compressed, which I kind of enjoyed," says Keithley. "I had about 100 musical ideas that I had archived over the last while, so I went and pared them down to what I liked, even if it was just part of a chorus riff, then I made a list of what I wanted to write about - burning issues, funny stuff, etc. Then I came up with chorus lyrics and figured which musical bits matched up to the spirit and sentiment of the lyrics."
Perhaps because of this different writing process, Keithley says that the upcoming record has "the feel and sound of D.O.A.'s early punk rock albums," news that should please old-school fans. "There's also one song that is a little Neil Young-like, called 'I Live in a Car.' The second single is called 'The R.C.M.P.'; it's scathing. We also do a ripping version of 'The Times They Are a-Changing.'"
Politicos and music geeks alike will notice the name of the album, This Machine Kills Fascists, is a famous slogan that political folkie Woody Guthrie wrote on his guitar years ago. Keithley says that Guthrie has been an inspiration since he was a teenager.
"I figured it was time to pay tribute to him and let new generations understand his message," explains Keithley. "And his message is very similar to what D.O.A.'s been talking about for 30 years - with struggle and hard work, we can change this world into a better place."
This Machine Kills Fascists is to be released on May 1 on Keithley's Sudden Death Records. D.O.A.'s last studio album was 2008's Northern Avenger.
As if recording a new album wasn't enough, the band will be playing some dates in BC in January and February and will also pay a visit to some of our neighbours down south for a couple gigs.
Tour dates:
1/28 Nanaimo, BC - The Queens
1/29 Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
1/30 Cumberland, BC - The Waverly
2/12 Seattle, WA - El Corazon
2/13 Portland, OR - Plan B
2/20 Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw Theatre
