RETTSOUNDS - OMEGAS

Montreal’s Omegas are a rare breed of hardcore band as far as things in my rinky dink little world are concerned. On paper, the elements they use to achieve their sound shouldn’t be compatible, but through some sort of crazy magic they make the merger of late 80s NYHC meathead mosh and early 80s Midwestern outsider ’core seem both natural and uncontrived. And certainly not nostalgic. Speaking as someone with a tattoo of Jon ‘Bowzer’ Bauman on my left ass cheek, I think I know a thing or two about nostalgia.

Check out the band's recently released Blasts of Lunacy LP on the Parts Unknown label and go watch their mayhem when they roll through your American town on their "Wacky Time Playhouse" tour starting today. And feel free to read the interview below at your leisure.

VICE: Why is your singer's name 'Hoagie'? Why not 'Grinder' or 'Sub'?
Hoagie (vocals): Because my fucking parents named me that and I HATE IT.

Also, what's with all the chains he sports? Is it some sort of homage to 'Old New York'?
Dan (drums): I don't think so. If that were the case, they'd have to be worn around his waist with construction glove accessories. Instead, he typically wears one glove in homage to Michael Jackson. However, it's an ill-fitting leather glove, so the homage might actually be to O.J. The chains are more likely to be in honor of the Junkyard Dog than old New York.
Hoagie: If I wanted to pay homage to 'Old New York' I would've just dressed up like Fiorello LaGuardia and screamed about how great Tammany Hall was. Have you ever seen Jason Takes Manhattan? That was a wicked movie. The part where that black guy gets his head punched off by Jason or when those punks and skinheads wimp out at the sight of his grody face… Total New York style: wimpy and fuckin you-know-what.
Tony (guitar): The chains could represent 'the chain of unity.' Each link represents a piece of our identity as well as our differences.
Yan Moore (guitar): Oh come on now. We're just a bunch of idiots who like to play with chains once in a while. What's the big deal?

I think the LP sounds like a cross between early Die Kruezen and Outburst. Do you agree with that comparison or do you think I'm trying to butter your muffin?
Dan: If you were to ask me what we were going for, I'd say something like "If Vinnie Stigma were the guitarist for the Amboy Dukes" or "If the Germs were a band from Astoria and on the New Breed comp" or, if I were being real ambitious, "If Soft Machine were skinheads and they were called Hard Machine." I don't know if we achieve any of that, so I can live with Die Kreuzen meets Outburst, even if you're buttering my muffin.
Spoiler (bass): I'm sorry, what? I'm just picturing you buttering Dan's muffin, if you know what I mean.
Hoagie: I think YOU sound like a cross between the kid in that Almost Famous movie and Barbara Walters… NOT!
Yan Moore: I think it sounds like a cross between cheap pizza-induced diarrhea and a demolition truck. I wish I was having a muffin right now.
Tony: It depends what aspects of it you are referring to. I like both of the bands you mentioned but I would say that our spectrum of influences is too detailed to allow us to be specifically categorized.

What's with the obsession with the late 80s NYHC band Inside Out? What makes them better than the Cali Inside Out? Why didn't you score an opening slot on their reunion show last summer?
Dan: Are we obsessed with Inside Out NY? And how do you know we didn't play that show last summer?
Hoagie: More like Turned Inside Out by Obituary. I saw footage of the reunion show. Looked like a real party, baby.
Spoiler: Inside Out NY were not better, but they were cooler. They accused people of shopping at the beatest malls, while the Cali one accused people of being a pebble on a beach. Do you know what I'm getting at here, Tony? Either way, members of both bands attempted a career in rap, so I can't choose one over the other. We were actually supposed to play that show, but then none of us confirmed, so we didn't play. Then Nic the Weasel was going to come sing a song with us in Brooklyn, but we didn't have time to learn the song. I guess we hate them after all.
Tony: We all like them, but I might be the only person in the band who thinks the Cali band is as cool. I mean de la Rocha played in Hard Stance. Spoiler, I know but we can't quiet the undertone.
Yan Moore: I'm wearing my underwear inside out.

Would you agree with me that the intro bass line to your song "Disgusting Fun" bares a close resemblance to the bass intro from "Straight Edge Revenge" by Project X?
Dan:"Straight Edge Revenge"? No way, it's clearly written to sound like "United Blood" played to the tune of "Sock Woman." Get with it, man.

Where do you think Hardcore stands in 2011?
Dan: Where they used to do the creepy crawl, now they do the blackberry mosh. I'm fine with it. Hardcore's a lot more fun without having to think much about where it stands.
Hoagie: I could answer that question if I was in a hardcore band, but I am not. Omegas are a Freedom Rock outfit.
Yan Moore: In the toilet, where it belongs.
Tony: One word: unity.

It seemed like the LP was being talked about forever. What was the hold up?
Dan: We recorded the LP in our practice space. I could tell you we took our time with recording and mixing it, redid a few sessions here and there… but let me be honest, what really happened was that Rich and Jay from Parts Unknown spent all the money on NYHC flyers.

Why do you hate the human race so much?
Spoiler: I wouldn't say we hate the human race, it's just that we prefer the horse race. Horses are way faster and more fun to watch than humans. It speaks for itself.
Hoagie: We don't hate, we call it as it is.
Tony: It is what it is. Hate is an overrated term these days, I would say that it is more about expressing and understanding.
Yan Moore: Hating the human race would be racist.

Does Omega have any future plans?
Dan: We plan on playing some shows, recording a little music, doin' a little dance, makin' a little love, and gettin' down tonight.
Hoagie: I am going to fucking kill a guy. Not allowed to say who.
Yan Moore: Sounds like fun. I'm in.

Most desired record?
Tony: The Cure's Disintegration. I bought it for someone else but I still don't have my own copy, and I don't want the $40 import/reissue or whatever it is they have at the store now.
Yan Moore: Pfff, records… I don't need them. I just play everything in my head.

Any final comments? Things we forgot?
Dan: Oh, you forgot plenty, bub. Just you wait.
Hoagie: It's over? What the fuck is going on over here?
Yan Moore: Shit, are you serious?

TONY RETTMAN

OMEGAS WACKY-TIME PLAYHOUSE TOUR 2011

May 27 - TORONTO : Rancho Relaxo with SCHOOL JERKS and SUBLIMINAL DECAY
May 28 - ROCHESTER, NY : MK No Cars with SCHOOL JERKS and THE NARCS
May 29 - COLUMBUS, OH : Legion of Doom with SCHOOL JERKS, CÜLO and NUKKEHAMMER
May 30 - CHICAGO, IL : Treasure Town with SCHOOL JERKS, CÜLO, ROPES, and BALD PIG
May 31 - ST-LOUIS, IL : Cranky Yellow with SCHOOL JERKS, CARDIAC ARREST, SWEET TOOTH and LEECHES
June 1 - KANSAS CITY, MO : The Studded Bird with SCHOOL JERKS, NO CLASS, DARK AGES and RAW NERVE
June 2 - DENTON, TX : J&J's Pizza
June 3 - AUSTIN, TX : Mohawk with UNBROKEN and FREE SPIRIT
June 4 - AUSTIN, TX : Emo's with TRAGEDY, MIND ERASER (early show - 2pm)
June 5 - NEW ORLEANS, LA : Nola
June 6 - ATLANTA, GA : Archive and Gallery with PUSHING ON and DEAD AND DREAMING
June 7 - RICHMOND, VA : Gallery 5 with WASTED TIME, KIELTOLAKI, STRIPMINES and BLACK AGE
June 8 - SILVER SPRINGS, MD : Corpse Fortress with KIELTOLAKI and GIVE
June 9 - BROOKLYN, NY : The Acheron with DRY SPELL and MAD WORLD
June 10 - MENDON, MA : Rad Skatepark with KIELTOLAKI, MIND ERASER and SCAPEGOAT