Named after the distant planet that appears in the Superman mythos, the Last Sons of Krypton were a garage punk band from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, who released a slew of singles in the mid 90s. Playing a bratty but unpretentious style of punk that was likened to Angry Samoans and Black Flag mixed with early Devo, it was perfect suburban teenage asshole musicThough they were known in punk circles, even appearing on the cover of respected punk rock magazine Maximum Rock and Roll, outside of chain walleted dudes, they barely made a dent.But following an inclusion on the recent Destroy All Art compilation they are back with their first release in 18 years, a split with fellow Wisconsinite Rev Nørb and his band the Onions (who also features Last Son of Krypton member Brad X)We had Rev Nørb ask Krypton’s Joe Lambert some questions.Rev Nørb: What the hell compelled you guys to get back together after fifteen years?
Joe Lambert: Brad and I started hanging out again when I moved back to Miami after living in Brooklyn for the last 10-12 years. We started talking about the old LSOK days and asked the other guys if they maybe want to get together and play for old times sake. We got together to play some stuff and it was like no effort and WAY better than we ever sounded together back then. So, Brad and I wrote some new stuff, and set up some shows and the response has been really cool! Most everyone hated us no matter who was singing when we played in '96, now people clap and yell "woo hoo" instead of "Get the fuck off the stage!"LSOK had a different singer in the 90's before you joined, as can be heard on the newly released retrospective album "Teenage Trash." What, exactly, was the Joe Era of classic LSOK all about? What's your legacy?
Brad told me that R.J. just kind of lost interest in the band, and wasn't really wanting to write words to whatever music Brad was writing anymore. Then Brad and Ann we're moving to De Pere, a small Green Bay suburb they came into the grocery store where I was working at a cash register. They brought up a shit ton of frozen French Fries and a jug of oil. I could tell just by how they talked and dressed that we would probably get along, at the time all the kids in my shitty suburban high school were into super typical third wave pop punk cliché crap bands. These two looked like they came straight out of an old issue of Sniffin' Glue. So, I talked to them for a bit and ended up wringing up a bunch of non-existent doubled coupons to get them all their stuff for practically nothing. They asked me if I wanted to come over and hang out after work and so I did.Bellevue, on the outskirts of Green Bay has the only Taco Bell where you can look out the window and see cows fucking. What’s it been like to set up a tattoo shop/gallery/venue there?
Hard, hectic but really fun. I don't think any of us are even capable of giving in to the slavery of modern American life. I have Brad X, one of my best friends as my front desk guy/event coordinator/sound engineer in a shop we built like a Hollywood sound stage! It looks like a high-end tattoo studio and art gallery on one side with a movable wall separating our record store, skate shop, head shop, and tattoo supply. In less than an hour it all moves and converts into an open venue complete with stage and lighting. It is a dream come true, and a ton of work at the same time.
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Joe Lambert: Brad and I started hanging out again when I moved back to Miami after living in Brooklyn for the last 10-12 years. We started talking about the old LSOK days and asked the other guys if they maybe want to get together and play for old times sake. We got together to play some stuff and it was like no effort and WAY better than we ever sounded together back then. So, Brad and I wrote some new stuff, and set up some shows and the response has been really cool! Most everyone hated us no matter who was singing when we played in '96, now people clap and yell "woo hoo" instead of "Get the fuck off the stage!"LSOK had a different singer in the 90's before you joined, as can be heard on the newly released retrospective album "Teenage Trash." What, exactly, was the Joe Era of classic LSOK all about? What's your legacy?
Brad told me that R.J. just kind of lost interest in the band, and wasn't really wanting to write words to whatever music Brad was writing anymore. Then Brad and Ann we're moving to De Pere, a small Green Bay suburb they came into the grocery store where I was working at a cash register. They brought up a shit ton of frozen French Fries and a jug of oil. I could tell just by how they talked and dressed that we would probably get along, at the time all the kids in my shitty suburban high school were into super typical third wave pop punk cliché crap bands. These two looked like they came straight out of an old issue of Sniffin' Glue. So, I talked to them for a bit and ended up wringing up a bunch of non-existent doubled coupons to get them all their stuff for practically nothing. They asked me if I wanted to come over and hang out after work and so I did.
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Hard, hectic but really fun. I don't think any of us are even capable of giving in to the slavery of modern American life. I have Brad X, one of my best friends as my front desk guy/event coordinator/sound engineer in a shop we built like a Hollywood sound stage! It looks like a high-end tattoo studio and art gallery on one side with a movable wall separating our record store, skate shop, head shop, and tattoo supply. In less than an hour it all moves and converts into an open venue complete with stage and lighting. It is a dream come true, and a ton of work at the same time.
The Last Sons of Krypton digitally remastered back catalogue are available for free download.Like this story? Like NOISEY on Facebook.