Interview: Hue Blanc´s Joyless Ones

Ich kann gar nicht sagen, wie sehr ich Hue Blanc´s Joyless Ones verehre. Vom ersten Moment an, als Peter von P.Trash mir das grandiose Album “Fait Accompli” auf dem Gleis 22- Parkplatz in die Hand drückte*, war es um mich geschehen. Genau die richtige Menge an schrottigen Gitarren und angepisstem, nöligen Gesang. Alles gespielt als sei es komplett scheißegal, aber mit einem Drive, der mich jedes mal wieder umhaut. Umso verwunderlicher, dass in meinem Umfeld keiner diese Band zu kennen scheint. Noch viel verwunderlicher ist allerdings, dass auch das Internet kaum Informationen hergibt. Das kann nicht nur daran liegen, dass die fünf vom Arsch der Welt kommen.

Wenn es nichts über die Jungs gibt, muss man halt fragen. Und das ist das Ergebnis**:

 

Please introduce yourself. Who are the guys in Hue Blanc´s Joyless Ones? What other bands did or do you play in?

Ted – guitar (Knockers, Want Nots), Casey – guitar (Strong Come Ons, Knockers, Tears), Josh – bass (Angina and the Arythmias), Gus – drums (Strong Come Ons, Knockers, Silent Drape Runners),  Michael – drums (Silent Drape Runners, Mystery Girls, Ivan & The Terribles, Holly and the Nice Lions, Tim Schweiger and the Middlemen)

What do you do for a living? I guess you guys can´t live from being in a band?

We all have mundane day jobs: factory, construction, architectural wood door plant (office), convenience store, pet food/animal feed store, etc.

What are your influences? I heard some Fall and Scientists in your songs.

I’m not sure if we’re accomplished enough musically to be influenced in a discernible way by other music. We’re often “under the influence” when writing, practicing and performing …. that may be a factor. I personally listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “Darkness on the Edge of Town” almost daily.

What is it like to come out of a town like Algoma, WI? Is there some kind of scene? Are there any bands you tour or play with? What about the venues?

There is no music scene in Algoma. In the 1990s – early oughts there was a thriving scene in Green Bay, WI which is about a half hour from Algoma.  There was a great all-ages venue and a cool promoter that hosted a lot of important bands: The Oblivians, The Rip Offs (played their final show there), The Neckbones, Spaceshits, T-model Ford, Teengenerate, Guitar Wolf, etc. etc. etc  When that place shut down, much of the scene migrated south to Milwaukee.  Though in Algoma we do have a proud and spartan way of life which counts for a lot.

What about touring in general? Is it more of a sporadic thing or do you do it on a regular basis?

We do a ten day tour every year.  We’ve been all over the U.S.  We’ve toured with Pink Reason several times. Wow, as I get in to answering these questions, I see why it was not an opportunity hard fought over.  I feel like I am still half drunk at the county jail going over the morbid details of a petty crime spree.  ” . . . no officer I don’t remember the tractor …   I don’t know if everybody got out of the car …  I wasn’t paying attention to what Gus was doing . .. ”

Any chance that you guys come over to europe?

We would love to come to Europe.  It’s just so damn far away!  This is something I think we all want to accomplish at some point.  If a charter jet could be arranged that would be a nice start. My (Michael’s) passport just expired as of January 2014.

Are there any other plans for the future?

We have an album coming out on Columbus Discount Records.  It should be out soon.

How did you get in contact with P.Trash? It seems a little bit weird to put out your first record on a label that´s on a different continent.

Peter got in touch about doing a killed by death cover. Correspondences exchanged, yadda yadda yadda, Fait Accompli. Though I don’t think the cover, “Hydrohead” by the Ejectors, was released. Fred from the band heard it and seemed to enjoy it.

I read that one of you wrote a book. What is it about?

I (Ted) wrote “A Fool for Lesser Things” – it’s about 6 degenerates from Wisconsin drinking and fornicating their way across Grand Cayman Island.  If I can get a mailing address, I’ll will send a copy to you. I’m currently seeking publication of my second novel, so if you have any designs on making a splash in the publishing biz, do be in touch.

Who or what is Hue Blanc? Never heard of it before and didn´t find anything on the web. Is it a person? A colour scheme or something?

The original idea was that Hue Blanc was a convicted pederast who was the mastermind/mentor of the Joyless Ones. For a long time it was funny when someone would ask, “Where is Hue? Is he here?” and we would say, “He’s not allowed to leave Kewaunee County …. parole restrictions.” But we’re older now and tired …….. so tired. It seems a long way to go for a joke.

What are your favorite records at the moment? Any bands we should know about that are absolutely unheard of over here?

I (Michael) don’t do as much following of contemporary bands as I used to. All I’ve been listening to lately is Big Star’s “Radio City”, the 3CD “The Monkees Present” boxset I got for Christmas and Pussy Galore’s “Groovy Hate Fuck.” “Beggar’s Banquet” too as well as the usual Zappa.

(Casey) Turtles – Turtle Soup, Talking Heads – ’77, Gordon Lightfoot – Lightfoot, An array of Dan Melchior, Pink Reason and Donovan

 

 

* Eine Szene, die sich ungefähr jedesmal abspielt wenn Peter im Gleis ist: nach der Show, geht er mit vier oder fünf Typen auf den dunklen Parkplatz, öffnet den Kofferraum und nimmt Geld entgegen. Wenn nicht alle mit einer – mehr oder weniger – flachen Plastiktüte abziehen würden, könnte man meinen, dass da Waffen verkauft werden.

** Erstes Interview. Investigativ geht anders, ich weiß. Aber ich bin halt Fan!