DOA Live
MM: First of all thanks for taking the time out to do this Joe, much appreciated. How ya doing?
JK: No sweat. I’m busy , but things are going well here
MM: Its pretty much 10 years since I last interviewed you for Mass Movement zine upstairs in TJs in Newport; are you surprised that we’re both still here doing what we do?
JK: I remember TJs and that whole scene in Newport , it as pretty cool( I hope it still is). It’s not surprising when people still stick at something when they have strong beliefs in the first place, so I guess we both fit that category
MM: Has the last 10 years passed as quickly for you as it has for us?
JK: Time always goes by quickly; I rarely find a day that drags along, that probably because I am doing what I like to get by in life, which really is the key to happiness I would say.
MM: What have been the most significant changes you’ve seen in those 10 years in terms of punk rock and music in general?
JK: Punk rock is an established genre of music now, so it will carry on with many mutations for the next 50 years or longer. To me the difference between now and when I started, is that punk rock was seen as a threat to society. There are lots of good D.I.Y. type people still involved in punk that carry on punk best ideas, but it is not the same threat as it once was. Not that people can’t still stir up a lot shit! They can!
MM: And politically/socially? Does it frustrate you that we still seem to be fighting the same evils maybe even losing ground after so long?
JK: When I started out at this, when I was a young man, I knew the world was a screwed up place, I just never realized how screwed up it really was. So, you have to keep on fighting the good fight an never give up hope
MM: Has the commercialisation of punk rock been a factor in you branching out into other forms of music such as folk, ska, rockabilly etc on your solo albums?
JK: No, not at all, I love all sorts of types of music, it always great to use a different form to get your point across
MM: The last time we met DOA had brought DBS out on tour and released their I is for Insignificant album on your record label, Sudden Death; is it important to you to bring on the newer punk and hardcore bands?
JK: Depends on the band, sometimes it’s really fun to play with some of the older bands, it’s just depends if they have anything to say anymore.
MM: Do you see this as the primary focus of Sudden Death or is it to maintain control of DOA’s back catalogue and future releases?
JK: I started Sudden Death to put out music I like and I think has something to say, so it really just depends on what comes along, that determines the focus of the label.
MM: It must be one of the longest running independent labels in the world by now?
JK: It’s been 30 years off and on, the last 10 years have been very serious, we up to release # 73 this year.
MM: Is the continued existence of Sudden Death and DOA down to sheer bloody mindedness or do you still enjoy doing this as much as you did back in ’78?
JK: Its definitely sheer bloody mindedness, combined with fun, that’s a winning formula.
DOA
MM: Can you ever see yourself packing in music, moving into politics perhaps?
JK: No, I will be involved in some way or other till I pass on from this place. I have thought about running for the Mayor of Vancouver, but not for another 10 years.
MM: Have you been disappointed by the general swing to the right in all the main political parties in Canada?
JK: The pendulum always swings back and forth. After all, our neighbours to the south just elected Barack Obama, a good thing indeed, although he is really up against it.
MM: You think the USA will change under an Obama presidency?
JK: Well it can’t get worse! Things should get better after about 2 years, there will be some common sense happening in Washington.
MM: Do you still support the Green party in light of its refusal to back a withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan and increasingly conservative fiscal policies?
JK: I never renewed my Green Party membership after the last time I ran for them in 2001. It is a disappointment that they are not as cool as they used to be.
MM: Coming back to the music, DOA are pretty much recognised as one of the originators of hardcore along with Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat etc; why do you think DOA has managed to continue and retain its integrity when most of the other bands from that era fell apart or made serious lapses of judgement?
JK: It’s usually just one person in the band that makes the wrong decision and ends up dragging everybody else down with them. With DOA we have kept functioning with most of our brain cells still intact and still having focus, probably because we have changed the members a fair bit. DOA’s always been like an ice hockey team, we change the line-up periodically but we are always keep our focus and our basic philosophy, which is: Be your own boss, think for yourself, try to effect some positive change in this world
MM: The line-up has been pretty fluid over the years; are you difficult to work with?
JK: I think I am easy going, but there is a DOA code that is part of our trip. Also people change as time goes by, so if people in the band have differing goals that doesn’t work.
MM: If you had to pick a high point of your musical career, what would it be?
JK: I am still working on it
MM: And the low point?
JK: And trying to forget that! But seriously I would think it’s the comrades that have passed away.
MM: You personally and DOA as an entity played a significant part in Steven Blush’s ‘American Hardcore’ book and film right?
JK: Well we did a lot to push the term” hardcore” into the common vernacular, being the 1st to use it in a band context.
MM: Were you happy with the end result?
JK: It was relatively accurate, especially how the scene fell apart after the influx of crossover in 1986. But it really missed not having the Dead Kennedys in the film.
MM: I felt it focused a bit too much on some of the personal politics of the era and over emphasised some acts who maybe merited less attention than they received.
JK: Oh for sure, but there will be other film covering that era.
MM: It was a good book and film for somebody who arrived too late to experience those early days of North American hardcore.
JK: Yes not totally accurate, but worth reading for sure.
MM: Do you think people are too nostalgic for those halcyon days of the early 80s?
JK: Yes, it is better to live in the present.
MM: You must get a pretty big buzz when Duff McKagan says that when he first met you in 1980 he was totally shaking?
JK: I never really thought about it.
MM: The latest DOA album Northern Avenger’ was produced by Bob Rock, more noted for his work with Bon Jovi and Metallica; can we expect any power ballads or string arrangements?
JK: Fortunately no. Bob’s a cool guy and a great producer. He gets the sound that the bands want at the time. I just asked him to help us make a really powerful album and he did.
MM: How did you find working with him?
JK: We had a lot of funny banter back and forth in the studio and some good laughs.
MM: What has he brought to the DOA sound? Many are saying this is your strongest album since the classic Something Better Change and Hardcore 81 albums?
JK: He gets a real clear, yet driving sound, that’s what I like; my fave track is Human Bomb, that’s why I put it first.
MM: The band has recently played their 30th anniversary show and released a new DVD; so no signs of slowing down yet then?
JK: There’s still a lot of life left in the band and the band’s ideas, so it could go on another 10 years easy. After that, tell people to come and visit me on Saturday nights at my local pub in Vancouver, I will probably be down there playing for beers.
MM: Parting shots or comments?
JK: Just that we will be in Europe March 30 to April 20th but no UK dates this time, so our apologies for that. We will try to get back for some UK dates in the fall.
