With song titles like "Drunk Ta' Hell" and "Drank Up The Rent," it's not hard to tell that Milwaukee's thunderous Sh*t Outta Luck is a band that likes to have a good time.
Formed last year by former members of metalcore band Wings of Scarlet and death metal outfit Die Alone -- both of which had national label deals -- SOL spent this past summer writing and recording its debut disc, "Family Tradition," with former Die Alone guitarist Tim Bleske. It's out now on Chicago-area Organized Crime Records.
The seven songs on the 30-minute disc are built on razor-sharp guitars and a bombastic rhythm section and, as the band's one sheet promises -- if you like Motorhead, Clutch, The Saints or Blood For Blood -- you'll definitely find kindred spirits in SOL.
We asked singer Shawn Page -- who was previously lead singer of Wings of Scarlet -- about the band, about the record and about the hardcore scene in Milwaukee. Here's what he said:
OMC: Can you tell us about the history of the band?
SP: We started this band last year 2006. It began as a backlash to the dying Milwaukee hardcore scene. We have all played in hardcore, metal, punk bands before but wanted to start something new that we all loved.
OMC: We hear you play a lot of non-traditional venues. Tell us about your gigs here in Milwaukee.
SP: We play all ages shows, bars, strip clubs, tattoo conventions, and biker pig roasts. I think we are a bar band and that's where we belong. I don't think there are a lot of bands like us here in Milwaukee so it's hard to find a home in any of these venues. I simply think the older guys and gals get us, so the bars are where it's at for us.
OMC: Have you found a lack of traditional venues for hardcore bands?
SP: We try to stay clear of such venues and bands. I don't think "hardcore" kids here get us. We have to go to Chicago for that. The venues are here, basements, legion halls, etc. But the kids are different these days. The kids here would rather pay $20 to go see an MTV hardcore band than pay five bucks, hit up a basement, and rock out.
OMC: How vibrant is the hardcore scene in town these days?
SP: There are a lot of kids that go to shows here. It's just kids I personally don't want to play in front of. It's an MTV, A.D.D., MySpace generation. They don't give a sh*t about the music. It's a fashion show social event.
OMC: Tell us a bit about recording the CD. Did you do it all in one furious go or did you spend some time honing it?
SP: This is all new to us as far as the style of music we are playing, so we took our time with it. We have recorded before with our good friend Tim Bleske at his studio. So, it was a relaxing. take your time, get drunk and just jam recording.
OMC: Presumably you've heard that Miller and Coors are merging. What do you think about that? Only Sprecher in the van from now on?
SP: It doesn't mean that much to me. I drink anything! The rest of the dudes in this band are pretty serious about their beer. They drink the good sh*t. I just hope good people don't lose their jobs over this.
OMC: Speaking of vans, will you tour behind this record?
SP: I would love to tour again. It's not as easy as people think it is though. We are all blue collar guys so our jobs are pretty important to us and taking off work to screw around in a van for a few weeks isn't the first thing on our list. I also think it would be a nice break and to see what the rest of the country thinks about us.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
