By Jhoni Jackson
The bill at the EARL this Thursday is practically a sonic rejection of Valentine’s Day traditions. None of these bands are going to croon the soundtrack to your candlelit, arm-entwined sip of wine. More likely they’ll score your evening of white-knuckled can-crushing and drunken ex-bashing. The anti-cupid sentiment will abound—or at least the casual refusal to partake in an annual forced celebration of love. Either way, no band better fits that distaste than Brooklyn’s K-Holes.
Despite that two members are a married couple, there’s not a whiff of overly perfumed pop to be sniffed here. Dismania, the outfit’s latest album, is rancid with squealing sax and formidable screeches. The sound is garbage made melodic, the grotesque turned rhythmic, panic embraced. Things get ugly, almost frightening. But somehow, the stench the K-Holes waft is addictive, almost sweet. Like gasoline.
The whole gang responded to our 5GB series. See their answers below, and watch their video for “Rats,” from the Dismania LP.
What’s the first gig you ever attended?
Jack Hines: The Pink Lincoln’s at the wreck room in Atlanta.
Zumi Rosow: Pointer Sisters. Cameron Michel: Melvins/Primus behind Lakewood Amphitheater
Julie Hines: Beach Boys at Lakewood Amphitheater.
Vashti Windish: David Lee Roth at Busch Gardens, Florida. I thought he was satanic so I was scared and excited.
What is the best gig that you ever played/performed?
Jack: Too hard to say. Maybe in Ann Arbor, 2011with Call of the Wild and Gardens.
Zumi: I was in a band at Bard and I don’t want to say the name, but I wrote a song about a switchblade and I sang while wielding a switchblade and people went wild and tore the ceiling down.
Julie: Alphabets at our house on my 23rd birthday. It was wild. Cake everywhere.
Cameron: Golden Triangle at Monster Island for one of our block parties. It was insane, people were crowd surfing everywhere…running into art.
Vashti: I had an awesome time in Ann Arbor both times we played there! But man, the Monster Island shows for both K-Holes and Golden Triangle were really hard to beat. The energy was so hectic and crazy every year.
What is the best gig you have ever seen?
Jack: Probably the Cramps, Guitar Wolf and Demolition Doll Rods at the Roxy in Atlanta circa 1997. Or Tom Petty.
Julie: Yeah we went together to the Cramps show and it was completely mind-blowing. The Doll Rods were almost naked. Guitar Wolf’s energy and the Cramps were more than I expected. Lux’s voice was amazing.
Cameron: Nine Inch Nails at Hi-Fi Buys. I was on stage doing video projections. Trent Reznor grabbed my feet, screamed into the mic, pissed in his pants [and] destroyed most of their gear! There were 20,000 people going nuts.
Zumi: Prince, when he did the 21-day tour at the Forum in LA. It was unreal. He is from another planet and I never thought I would be able to see him but tickets were really cheap, he did like 9 encores and said he would keep coming out until everyone left the venue. He is a shredder.
Vashti: The Cramps with Bomboras in ‘96 at the State Theater in ST. Petersburg, FL. I was hooked after that. The Bomboras were a cool surf instrumental band out of San Diego and for their last song they set their instruments on fire. Then the Cramps came on and shattered all my ideas about what it really meant to lose yourself in your art. They were always great but it being my first time [seeing them] it sticks out the most. [Lux Interior] kicked people in the face and stomped on people’s fingers with his high heels! Plus, the sheer coolness of Poison Ivy’s stone cold demeanor. Lux Interior is the reason I wanted to be a performer.
What is the gig you would most like to play?
Jack: Open for the Stooges.
Vashti: Open for the Stooges and do an encore together on the moon to a small group of people and live broadcast to the world.
Cameron: K-Holes headlining at Madison Sq. with Cash Money Records and Hanson.
Zumi: Dead Moon in a cave somewhere with all of the hottest babes that can squeeze in. Bats would fly around and drop drugs in people’s mouths.
Julie: K-Holes Half-Time Superbowl. Pyrotechnics and all!
What would be the lineup for your dream gig?
Jack: Stooges, Howlin’ Wolf, Charley Patton. Vashti: Stooges, Gun Club, the Doors and Angelo Badalamenti at Zumi’s cave!
Julie: ‘56 Elvis, late ‘60s James Brown live at the Apollo, the Pagans, early Black Sabbath.
Zumi: Suicide, Gun Club, Stooges, Crass.
Cameron: Beatles with the first drummer when they were like a punk band. Fela Kuti. Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett and Crass.
K-Holes play the EARL on Thursday, Feb. 14, with WYMYNS PRYSYN and Call of the Wild.
