Underground Railroad to Candyland interview for MRR to come out soon...

[Get the MRR print version for photos etc! It should be out in April.]

These times we live in are complicated. We are living through a time of war. These times are hostile, full of a lot of dudes trying to kill other dudes while everyone else grumbles, ducks their heads, and tries to avoid the crossfire. For people who like their music to be aggressive, to question and shake up the power structure (as punk, particularly the kind of punk MRR likes to cover, often does), these times are kinda lean. Most of the people listening right now to thrash, grindcore, hardcore, metal, angry punk, etc. are probably doing so at the helm of a tank while they keep an eye out for IED's on the side of some artillery-scarred Iraqi highway. Meanwhile, a lot of people back here at home are dressing up like dumb hippies, listening to innocuous acoustic "psych" music and/or slavish Grateful Dead ripoffs, doing mushrooms cut with whatever, and then pretending to be innocent and naive ostensibly so they can block out the ugliness of the world. All cheap euphoria with no recognition of the world around it, a false narcotic of escapism like the American Idols and Jet Skis these "hippies" ostensibly roll their eyes at. They are acting a lot like the hippies 40 years ago, and the punks tend to hate them just like the real activists hated the hippies in the 60s. Also just like the 60s, a lot of the punks are listening to some of the same records because, well, the punks need to unwind sometimes with some euphoria, too.

But you know what is nice? There are some bands and records out there that can have that soothing quality, that euphoria, that balm of happiness without sacrificing some awareness of reality and the essential elements that make them, well, punk. The best of these in existence RIGHT NOW is The Underground Railroad To Candyland, no goddamn doubt about it. URTC have a rich history of deviant behavior, ideas, and music stretching through their old (great) bands and musical scene up to the present. In this, they are much like Devo, who were a punk band mistakenly identified by the general public as a new wave band, who started confusing audiences in the very early 70's after they emerged as disillusioned ex-activists fresh from the Kent State shootings, and continued to do so well into the peak of their popularity in the 1980s - and URTC are smart guys who revel in this confusion, just like Devo.

Central URCT mastermind (and Recess Records "mogul") Todd Congelliere has traveled the punk DIY pathways in both the spastic/hypercatchy teenage punk band F.Y.P. to the punk/rock powerhouse Toys That Kill, and, much like Jerry Casale did in the brink-of-nuclear-war early 80's with Devo's unlikely pop masterpiece Freedom Of Choice, it took Todd well over a decade to come up with an ensemble that produces a perfectly distilled euphoric blend of the best parts of their past endeavors, replete with a deliciously bitter aftertaste of weirdness that undermines all attempts to classify it as the supposed pop narcotic. Nor do they actually sound anything like Devo. Rather, URTC's music is like the actual experience of drugs themselves, as differentiated from the cheap escapist facsimile of being high provided by both true pop music, badly done ripoffs of 60's psychedelic rock, or the various strains of techno shoveled down our throats in car commercials and on dance floors alike. URTC will provide you with that pure euphoria, but like ecstasy and/or a handful of vicodin and adderall, there is a creeping edge that you know is as pure and real as the euphoria itself and that you have to embrace as part of the experience. You have to dance to it, and dance HARD, but there is no funk, there is no thrash, there is no unwieldy grafting of disparate styles upon a core substance. No, Underground Railroad to Candyland is PURE in the most basic definitions of that word; clear and true, absolute; utter; sheer; ceremonially or ritually clean. They make me glad to be alive.

Interview by John No, photos by Shanty Cheryl.


1. Okay, gentlemen...Names, job in the band, favorite San Pedro landmark, favorite San Pedro band. Jack Doyle, you can substitute San Diego if you want for this part.

Jack Blast: Action chorus. Favorite landmark. My picture I painted on the sewer right by the beach. also suken city and ports of call. Favorite San Pedro Band of all time Black Flag, also F.Y.P. and the Leeches. Favorite Band right now anything Jessica Feeney is involved in, I would give you a band name but she's probably changing it as I speak.

Todd C.: Todd C-guitar sing. My favorite SP landmark has to be sunken city, not only cos its sunken but because my more "responsible" friends can be caught down there with a hookah!

Jack Doyle: Jack Doyle. Bass and back vocal (un poco harmonica)…favorite san pedro landmark would be the sign that says 'Welcome to San Pedro'. The first time I came to pedro I was going to a show at 4th street with San Diego people and I didn't know where we were going. Seeing the sign brought on an immediate emotional swell because I'd found out about the Minutemen while I was growing up in Nebraska and always fantasized a about what type of place pedro must be considering it was the physical and cultural surrounding of their legendary sound. It also sort of signified an arrival of sorts in my life because it meant that throughout my travels, aspirations, and bad decisions I was able to randomly visit the so cal hometown of a band whose music was a symbol of the greatness and inclusiveness I didn't always experience in the music scene over there. Fav pedro bands: Minutemen, Toys That Kill, Killer Dreamer, Can of Beans duh

Jimmy: I am jimmy jackets, and play the drum set. There is this smoke pole that vertically says san pedro on it sitting right off the 110 freeway (110 ends in pedro) When I used to live in LA and first started coming to Pedro in mid 2002 I started noticing it more and more, and eventually it became a symbol of all the good times I've had there. It's a good pole.


2. I'm just gonna jump straight into the music...You guys seem extremely aware of exactly what it is you are doing and how to do it; this seems like a very deliberate band with a specific, focused vision even while retaining a feeling of organized party-band chaos. Would you say that is true? If so, is it a result of a full-band collaborative process? What is your writing process like?

Jack Blast: Misunderstandings from being really high. Like did you just say that? no.
but those would be good lyrics.

Todd C.: I never ever sensed any sorta focus with this band. We all have ADD! And our personalities show. I pretty much have songs that I made while my cat was being lazy around me and bring them in and everyones creative input turns em into what you hear. If it was with any other people the songs wouldn't of came out that way for sure! Its not so much that we are focused but more that its just personalities shining through assertively. And we are very passive people! Ha!

Jack Doyle: I would say that, yes its been deliberate as far as we wanted to jam out, play shows, travel etc. As far as specific focused vision that would be something that wasn't ever really discussed. I mean, I think the band came from Todd and Jack Blast spending inordinate amounts of time together smoking pot, watching sports, eating candy and coming up with hilarious ideas that ranged from puppet shows to songs with lyrics like, "Big marcus, little marcus, fat Charlie, REGULAR Charlie!". Todd is a songwriting machine and at some point he asked me to play harmonica and Jimmy to play drums in a new band and we were down. I remember we had a some shows before we practiced and todd and I talking about ideas through email while I was in france. Once we got together we had to hustle because we needed to get ready so there wasn't much time for discussion. We pounded out the songs real quick and maybe stopped a few times at most to re-organize or arrange. We are all tight friends who love music and listen to a lot of the same things so it all came out pretty seamlessly. As far as arranging and adding little things to the songs we've always been real collaborative. We all like what each other's personality brings to the band so it was pretty open. Todd though, as I said before, is the song-writing machine who comes in with the lyrics and basic structure. The songs are easy to rock out and have (mostly) simple structures but Todd's creativity is really inspirational and anything but run of the mill. If anything the simple structure is allows for the big explosion and layers we look for when we play. That has been even more true as we've had people playing keyboard and extra drums for the past few months.

Jimmy: As a band, we're buddies first. We like each other a good deal and we know each guy is as goofballish as the next. Still we all want to be proud of what we do so I think that motivates us to get better both as a band and with our respective duties. Don't wanna let the other dudes down, basically. That seeps into the music but it's not where it starts. Todd comes in with sometimes fully written songs and sometimes a rough idea of a song and we all work it out. It's pretty amazing; I have a lot of respect for Todd in general but more specifically with his writing talents. I trust him completely and like I said earlier I've been playing drums with him since 2002 when I joined TTK and he's really never let me down. Jack Doyle has really proven to be a stand out bass player. I think him and I are starting to really understand each other, as rhythm buddies we must! As for jax, him and todd have these crazy chocolate eating, weed smoking, game watching sessions where they work out the vocals. I don't think body of the bird would have happened if it weren't for those sessions, ha but I could be wrong.


3. The lyrics are often very dark in contrast with your feelgood "I got what I wanted for my birthday!" hypermelodic punk rock euphoria ecstasy party anthems. Why do you think this is? Todd, is it simply a coincidence that in this band your lyrics have gotten increasingly bizarre as the music you play is distilled to what I hear as its least
melancholy state from all your precious (excellent) bands, or is there some logical purity of dual contrast going on here that I don't quite understand? Is it like a punk version of the Brian Wilson "the demonic voices in my head must be silenced by a chorus of pure angels" thing?

Todd C.: I will be the first to admit that the lyrics are riding the gibberish line to people who I don't explain it to. "Yuppie hip hop ad" is a result of sitting around and watching TV. I know its not punk but it is what it is. "No way miss USA" is me being totally disgusted with this world that people would let something like this happen, but I didn't wanna go beyond that. Plus it would've ruined the song.

Jack Doyle: Todd loves Brian Wilson and, as far as I know, his songwriting seems to be gaining speed!


4. What kind of dead bird was it that you found downtown, exactly?

Todd C.: There was a rumor, within the band, that it was about a dead hooker that
was found in a bush on 4th st & pacific. This is just not true!

Jack Blast: The bird was a man. Todd still keep him in his closet. That fool smell though.

Jack Doyle: Dead Bird? We're all alive! And we're going downtown to hang out with you!


5. Does it make you feel weird to hear that your band would be really great to take ecstasy to?

Jimmy: That's kind of a bummer, cause I think we are more of a mushrooms kinda band hah. Even though when we try to play on it we play like scared deer.

Todd C.: That's actually a great compliment! Ecstasy makes people tell the truth
about how they love things even if they are lying.

Jack Blast: No. Somebody actually asked me if it would be good. I said why don't you try it. He said he would and get back to me. So Ill keep you updated. Maybe it'll be the new pop rocks and soda.

Jack Doyle: Well, ecstasy supposedly makes you want to party. Partying can be really important if it's connected to productivity. Really, in this day and age, what is more important or revolutionary as a 30 plus year old than to have the time and the wherewithal to party? So, no, it doesn't make me feel weird. I've never done ecstasy though.


6. Jack Doyle, who is your main inspiration as a bassist? Obviously San Pedro has Watt, but who does San Diego have for bass legends that you feel deserves their due? Do you think the kids you teach at middle school would like URTC? Do you think your music might get them to try ecstasy?

Jack Doyle: Its weird because although I undoubtedly love bass I've never set it on it as my instrument…its just what I usually play…does that make sense? My main inspiration to play it comes from Todd, Jimmy, Jack, Joel, Baby J and Chachi. Kids at the school would like the fact that Jimmy is a great drummer and the songs pretty much dance around. You know kids though, they seem to like shit that seems so far away. Kids will do what they do and ecstasy is likely in the forecast for some of them, along with failure, success, kids, murder etc.


7. Jack Blast, you rock it like a cheerleader in URTC, kind of a mix between Flavor Flav and Beau Beau from Avail but much taller, and you thoroughly work the audience. Being the classic MC that you are, what is the best reaction you have gotten from a crowd at a show?

Jack Blast: I consider myself more of front action chorus. In somewhere near chicago the crowd lifted me from the ground up. The crowd were floating each other all night long. I think I even say the bartender floating. That was a fun show but most are shows are fun if I see people moving around or dancing or just straight up feeling it, or making bird sounds or singing along it makes it all worth it.


8. Jimmy, How would you contrast your drumming in Toys That Kill with your drumming in URTC? Do you aim for a higher level of danceability (obviously NOT bad disco-punk style), would you characterize the approach as similar, or would you say a different thing entirely?

Jimmy: Obviously the songs Todd brings in are adding to that, he knows my drumming style, and what I'm capable or incapable of doing, so he accommodates that pretty well, also Doyle's bass playing is different than Chachi's. Where Chachi is more groovy and trippy, doyle is more poppy and melodic. Both are great and I'm pretty lucky to get to play 'em. I don't know if I try to make it dancier but sometimes I find myself dancing while playing, hah.


9. Is Hamiltron [Fleshies] considered to be a full member at this point, or at least a permanent touring addition? I know I'm biased, but Hamiltron's fun corner (featuring floor tom, keyboard, and tambourine) kicked ass on that last tour. How did you guys come up with the fun corner, and how did Hammy end up doing what he did in the band?

Jack Doyle: Hammy isn't really permanent because he's already been replaced…by two people! When I was talking to him about playing up there in January he asked about playing and when I told him that we had replaced him and that it took two people he to me to make sure that he, "..did it first. By myself!" And yeah, he totally kicked ass on the tour. One of the great pleasures of my life, spending a month in close quarters with Hammy. As far as how we came up with it Hammy was going to play tour drums because jimmy couldn't but then jimmy could and we wanted hammy to come anyway. voila!!

Jimmy: Dude, having hammy on that tour was great. He's been one of my top 3 drummers for a long time and to have him playing (I must correct you john) the "Fun Station" along side me was great. It all kinda happened on accident. I just got this really solid computer job and when the tour came up shortly after I got it, I told the band I couldn't go. So with that Hamilton was asked to fill in for the tour. Let me just say that at no point was I ever bummed about this. Anyway as I was going through some life changing obstacles one day about a two months before the tour began, I started asking myself why I was choosing this job over being on tour with my friends and playing with a band like The Arrivals every night. I felt bad for changing my mind at the last minute and leaving hammy out of the drum spot. But since there was some double drums done on Square ball and some keys throughout the record; the idea of hammy being the Utility guy was perfect. Thus the creation of the "Fun Station" Since that tour we now have split up the "FS" duties to Joel Jerome from Hawthorn [and Dios Mal Os - ed.] on the keys and Chachi from TTK playing percussion.

Todd C.: Hammy was awesome! He was supposed to fill in on drums cos jimmy wasn't gonna be able to make it. Jimmy came to his senses and we still wanted hammy to come along and we all figured he would add good shit. We now have Joel on organ & Chachi on extra floor tom. It takes 2 people to do what Hammy did!

Jack Blast: It was called the fun station and now and before Joel played with us he is actually on the record. But it was a great pleasure working with Hammy he's a real solid dude. and Chaci plays added drums with us now.

[update: I saw them on like 3 shows with Joel and Chachi, and they thoroughly brought it all the way. TOTAL awesome, and they are permanent members of the band now.]


10. How do you guys choose your covers? Is the cover medley approach patterned after Weird Al or 80's dance clubs or something else?

Jack Blast: Todd and jack doyle decide.

Todd C.: actually this started out as a cover band with a coupla originals. I love 60's music and was almost an attempt to be a band that was typical before Dylan came along where you didn't really write your own songs but played everyone elses. I dunno why in the hell I wanted to tap into that?!?! It just sounded fun I guess. Turns out I ended up with a buncha songs on my little recorder that didn't really feel like Toys That Kill songs. The New Order song (Age Of Consent) was one of the first songs just me and jimmy
practiced. Then Doyle asked if he could jam and we tried "Boris The Spider". The first song on my "list of songs to do in a new band" was "harry Rag" by The Kinks. We never got to that one. We will though.

Jack Doyle: The cover medleys etc. came out of music fanship and dorks spending time together with loud instruments and weed.

11. What are some of your best tour stories? Where have you been, and where do you plan to go?

Todd C.: I always forget tour stories cos were drinking the whole time but we did go to Japan with The Bananas and that whole thing was a highlight. Our tour with The Arrivals was way good. I can pick any day of any of those tours and there would be some sorta highlight in my life but I just cant remember.

Jack Blast: Man there's a couple really good ones. in oly washington I got out of a dui. I had to take a test and when I passed I got back in the van and everybody had open container and started clapping. in Gainesville florida we got out of getting out busted for weed cause somebody in the distance through a rock at the cops shoe and the cop went looking for him. In brooklyn somebody took a piss off this four story apt building and 4 minute later a guy climbed up the fire escape and said Yo! who pissed on me. We are going back to japan cause I love it there even know I don't fit in their buildings. also a micro tour up north.

Jimmy: In our short existence we've been lucky enough to have toured the US and spent a week or two in Japan. One of my favorite memories was in japan when we first played in our costumes we bought at some six story 100 yen store (doyle's pikachu, todds Godzilla and my soccer field). I remember us running to our instruments and all the Japanese were giggling hysterically, after that it was a total blur. Hearing the Japanese chanting SOCCER FIELD SOCCER FIELD over and over was pretty gratifying. Sillyness. Oh and once we were doing this all night drive (which we tend to do too much) where Jax was driving, and at 4 or 5 in the morning I remember waking up to him asking the drive through attendant at mcdonalds something like this:

Jax: Ummm… do you Ummm… have apple pies?

McDonalds dude: no sir we don't

Jax: ummm, ok.

…then he just drove off. Hahahah whatta weirdo!

Jack Doyle: We almost got busted for being completely stupid behind a club in Gainesville with you [I have a somewhat fuzzy memory of this - ed.] and several other friends. We'd been parked there for about 14 hours and felt so comfortable we were blasting music, drinking and passing weed around. The police came up with the big sweatmobile and were giving us the third degree until some saint (or ghost) threw a rock at one of the cops (right in front of you and I) and their attention was diverted, saving Jack Blast and Todd from having to go to jail. We promptly locked up the van, walked back to the hotel and found a keg party in the pool area.


12. I know you went to Japan. How was that? Is it true that you can get schoolgirls' panties, magic mushrooms, monkey brains, and beer in vending machines over there? Would you say that is a good combination of supplies for a URTC show?

Jimmy: Hah yes! The only thing missing there are burritos.

Jack Blast: I didn't see any of that except for beer in vending machines. Wait was that japan or hammys place.

Jack Doyle: It would seem like that would be a great combination for a URTC show except that experience has taught us we shouldn't do mushrooms before playing. However, mushrooms are encouraged for the real fans. Japan was a 24 hour adult sushi arcade theme park with rock bands and good food.


13. The LP sounds great. Where did you record it and how long did it take to record? Any studio stories? Any more recordings coming up?

Todd C.: Joel from Dios recorded us at his Dumb angel Studio. He plays organ with us now. It was quick,free and totally the best experience ever. He has one of those older Tascam reel-to-reel 8 tracks. I think its 1/4 inch tape. He's got all these good mics and compressors to aid with it all but it was mainly straight to tape. The combination of it all made the recording awesome!

Jack Blast: We record with Joel in el Segundo, he has a studio out there. I was giving shoot outs to bill smith the whole time.

Jack Doyle: As far as I remember: We mostly tracked in one day and then spent the next 3 nights or so mixing and adding vocals etc. Todd did a few guitar overdubs and Joel added keyboard. We have a new song that we really, really like and want to record soon.


14. What other projects are you guys working on these days, individually and as a group?

Todd C.: I got another band with the Dios called The Bible Children. We don't play much at this point due to everyone schedules but its fun when we do. Besides that, just a lotta Recess stuff to work on.

Jack Doyle: I play in Can of Beans with Chachi and Baby J and Joel [I thought it was Laila? –ed.] and I have started a pre Beck 'Odelay' cover band with Joel's brother Keven.

Jimmy: I have an 8-5 job and playing in both urtc and ttk take up the bulk of my time. I'm fairly content with that. If I could not have a full time job and just play music I'd have it made, but who wouldn't want that?

Jack Blast: You might not believe this but I'm still working on full blast. its a slow cook process kinda like chilly.


15. Would you guys describe yourselves as "lifers" at this point?

Jimmy: Hell yes! I'm a pretty lucky dude to have these guys to play with. I feel like we are just starting to scratch the surface.

Jack Doyle: Any talk about the rest of my life includes first and foremost, my wife Vanessa. She's wonderful and in line with the idea that its really important to always continue to have fun through old and new activities and experience. I'm 31 years old now and can't imagine not continuing to play music and being part of being creative with other people. I've never been having more fun in my life than I have right now being with Vanessa and playing in this band.

Todd C.: For better or worse I realized I was a "lifer" awhile ago. I'm just glad i'm not a "jobber". I feel good knowing that I have been playing music with no or little financial success for 17-18 years and it just gets more pleasing everyday. I consider myself lucky and realize that music don't owe me anything. I owe it.

Jack Blast: Yeah I donated my body to art a long time ago.


16. Any further comments/final statements?

Jimmy: Thanks john. Can't wait to play with you guys next week. [yes, it was damn fun. –ed.]

Jack Blast: Do it for yourself. Do something with yourself before life does something with you.

Recess Records
URTC Myspace

The Underground Railroad to Candyland has a killer LP out on Recess called Bird Roughs, get it thru Recess or at one o their shows!!!!