Bozo Brigade

Here's again with Bozo Brigade, a cascadian folk punk band. I had the great opportunity to talk with Rattsy, the musical saw of the band, and this is the result.

Me: Hi Rattsy! Thanks for your time. At first tell me something about you and your band, if you want!

Rattsy: I've been part of a few bands. Mostly small short lived projects with people I've traveled with. The most serious project I was part of was called Bozo Brigade. We did a West Coast tour, recorded a short ep, and played Tochtli Fest this year. Currently I'm looking for people in Richmond to start a new band with, and my fiance and I are working on a duet project with banjo and musical saw.


Me: I know you started a community of folk punk, tell me more please!

Rattsy: I started the online community DIY Folk Punk a little less than a year ago. It was sparked by a bad experience I had with a similar group. My solution was to create a new online community, which is how DIY Folk Punk was born. I wanted to create a group where people could share similar interests while feeling safe and respected no matter who they are. Inclusion is a very key part to the diy community in my opinion. Now the community has almost 4,000 members and is very active in sharing music, art, and writing, setting up shows, and giving people advice on projects they're working on. My hope is to keep growing the community and offering more helpful resources such as a diy venue list to help musicians set up shows all over
the US and in other countries.


Me: What are the opinions of your band?
Rattsy: I think we all have different political opinions, most of which follow anarchist ideas. Our music reflects this and personal experiences from our lives.


Me: What about the scene in places where you live?

Rattsy: As for the scene in my town and city, there's a lot to be done to expand it. Virginia has the potential to have an amazing scene, but seems to struggle attracting bands. Richmond, the city I live in, also has this problem. I think one of the problems is the lack of venues putting on shows regularly. That's why my fiance, JimboSlice, and I are in the process of saving to buy our own house. We plan on using it to put on shows weekly with local and traveling bands of a variety of genres. We also want to help our local community in a variety of ways such as food distribution, music workshops, and block parties. We want a space that helps bring more folk punk and diy culture to our city along with many other things.

Me: Finally I must ask you what is for you the meaning of  Folk Punk.

Rattsy: To me folk punk is about going back to the roots of music. I love that it's often comprised of old time instruments and very personal lyrics. Personally I love being able to play a weird but traditionally folky instrument like musical saw. Many of my relatives come from the application mountains, which is where the instrument may have originated. I think this connection makes me love playing it even more.


Me: Really thanks for being part of this.

Rattsy: See you soon!

listen


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Pat Atho

Here's again with Pat Atho, a street musician of Italy. The bassist of the hardcore band Gli Ultimi plays a sort of storytelling acoustic punk WITH ACCORDION (because i love accordion) and I like so much!
Luckily I talked with him and this is what came out.

Me : Hi Pat Atho! Thanks for this opportunity! Would you like to talk about your project?

Pat Atho : My name is Simone aka Pat Atho , I started to submit some songs i wrote in the last years , outta my band's records , in september 2012.
The lyrics talk about my life , personal lyrics mixed to social anger , love words , sorrow ones , other about politics ecc.... by now i have no limits about writing songs .


Me : Do you think Italy is ready for street musicians maybe antifascist like you?

Pat Atho : I think it is possible but i don't see it happen .
As far as i can see there are other types of musicians , tied to pure esthetics or singing covers , i don't think i've ever seen story-tellers talking about everyday life at street corners … when it happens i really love it , more than one time i stepped down from the stage to play down on the street level , or straight on the sidewalk.
The managing is DIY at all , because there's no booking companies cehind me , just a phone , a pc and a notebook full of numbers .
Sure , i organize tours , i don't move without knowing , when i do is for pleasure , some unplanned gigs happen... i like to play anywhere , pubs , clubs , squats , streets , bookshops , stores , vans , private houses , at my house ….

Me : Tell us great news please!

Pat Atho : My first real Lp was released in 21st of january , a took it everywhere on tour in a month... i really love the sound.

Me : And in the future? What we have to expect?

Pat Atho : Projects are infinite , do not sleep at night . I'm planning and organizing various tours and dates with other people , for example Jenny Woo and Punkabbuskers , a session of a well-known Italian piece of music coverd with text dedicated to a well-known hero of Italian history , a tour with my girl carrying around a photo exhibition + live , a new group with trends punkrock rock / songwriting 70 years ....and then maybe a live album , various merchandising ...

I'll have ' much to do really!

Let the music feel for you..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zkl6ab1sd8


Wait!
Before finish listen to this... Nana + Pat Atho... and dream

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