BMA Magazine Interview 2023
How did the band decide which music videos to select for the Rage guest programming?
The method in the band is full democracy, so it was 12.5 songs each for the programming. For every video that Gordy and Dal chose, there were extensive notes to read out. Jay mentioned that while Gordy picked bands like Carcass, Dal picked Boxcar Racer, which Jay had to introduce while feeling like he was filming a "hostage video".
What characterizes "The Glenno Years" of Frenzal Rhomb?
The Glenno Years refers to the three most recent albums—Smoko At The Pet Food Factory, Hi-Vis High Tea, and The Cup of Pestilence—which all feature striking illustrated cover art by Sydney legend Glenn "Glenno" Smith. This era also marks a significant sonic shift, as the band began traveling to The Blasting Room in Colorado to work with producer and pop-punk godfather Bill Stevenson.
How did your relationship with producer Bill Stevenson begin?
The band had played shows with the band All in the past and knew Bill from that. When the No Sleep festival came up and the Descendents were playing, the band approached Bill to see if he was interested in working with them. After the recording of Smoko turned out so well, the band was hooked because the studio makes them sound much tougher than they actually are.
How did the studio recording process work for your new bassist, Dal?
Dal was the top pick to replace former bassist Tom Crease, who had to leave due to hearing problems. When Dal arrived at the studio with his own bass, Bill Stevenson took it away and provided a different bass and amp that the studio engineers knew would work best for the album's sound.
Why did the band decide against using EverTune guitars?
Jay believes EverTune guitars, which stay perfectly in tune, are the "death of music". While they save time in the studio, the band chose not to use them because guitarist Lindsay McDougall has a "wild" rhythm with signature bends. Avoiding EverTunes allowed the record to keep natural "microtone parts" that make it more exciting.
How fast does Gordy Foreman record his drum parts?
Gordy is described as an "insane" drummer who can record his parts for 18 to 19 songs in a single day. This efficiency allows him to spend the remaining 21 days of the studio session focused on his goal of drinking.
Can you explain the "punk rock spreadsheet" method of selecting songs?
The band writes too many songs for each record, so they created a spreadsheet to choose the final cut. They list 60 or 70 songs, and everyone—including their manager—votes on them. Any song that receives three votes makes the record. This process involves internal "lobbying," where members might vote for someone else's "shit" song only if that person votes for theirs.
How many songs were considered for The Cup of Pestilence, and do you ever reuse rejected tracks?
There were 60 songs entered into the spreadsheet for the new album. The band demos every song with full intent, including vocal harmonies, to see if it works; if it doesn't, the song is binned. Jay refuses to recycle songs from previous bins because he believes if a song didn't make it once, it isn't good enough.
What is your favorite part about touring with The Meanies?
Jay is most excited about playing with The Meanies for 15 weeks in a row, as they are a huge influence on him. He joked that the worst insult he ever received was from Meanies vocalist Link, who told him that Frenzal Rhomb sounds nothing like The Meanies, despite that being Jay's primary goal.