THE

ISSUE

Interview with Mikey Scars of The Issue
by Janet Pinkham


I met with Mikey Scars, at the makeshift "backstage" at the Blue Nile,
on a sweaty Friday night. It was after he and his band had just finished
their set. Nice guy, that Mikey. We bantered back and forth a bit and
thwarted a few questions of passerbys wanting to know if anything "naughty"
was going on.

Was this band a mutual evolution with others you met, or is
it mainly your own project?
It's pretty much been my project from the
get-go…I formed it about a year and half to 2 years ago…yeah,I'd say
it's my baby.

Any good groupie or ass-kissing stories?
On occasion if another band's heard your name,if there is an ass-kisser
in that band, then they'll come up to you and start talking to you 
but you can identify them right away as people that are just 
self-serving, only saying anything to you because they think you
might be able to do something for them 'cause they've heard of you.

Ride your coattails?
Right.

No good groupie blowjob stories, though?
(Laughter) This is pretty much the wrong band for that.

Okay, what was your main aim regarding message and overall attitude
you wanted to get across with your current cd?
We're not a negative band…I'd say we're one of the most positive punk
bands on the scene…we're about…just being your own person and 
creating your own identity…and when you do that and are able to
find yourself, don't stop caring about people, just keep on having
faith in humanity despite all the ugliness they're capable of.

Pretty positive…so,you're down to a 3 piece…tell me about that
if you will please.
We were a 5 piece for a while, now we're just bass, drums and guitar
and…we previously had a second guitarist and a keyboardist…
they actually left on their own…it was their own decision to leave…
but we actually decided to stay a 3 piece because, somehow we sound
fuller…I don't know what it is exactly, but… I use to add more and
more musicians because I thought something was missing but it turned
out we just needed to simplify. 

Three minute songs…thirteen minute songs…do you believing in
servicing the song no matter how long it takes or do you like a good,
structured, powerful 3-5 minute short songs?
I'm definitely about short music…I don't know, I grew up in a house
where my Dad listened to a lot of Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer…
(laughs)That's why! So I'm just the opposite now, I'm all about the
3 minute punk rock songs…if you can't say what you gotta say in
3 minutes you shouldn't be trying to say it.

Who are some of your favorite local bands?
I know I'm gonna leave people off and they're gonna hate me so I
apologize to them in advance: The Homeowners, Split 66, Candlestick
Ashtray, The Lames, Big Daddy Chrome, The Screws, Latchkey,
oh I know I'm gonna forget people but they'll just have to forgive me
-I know they will. 

Best live moment on stage?
Any time that our friends are out there supporting us, especially
local musicians, 'cause they know hard it is and they also just love
music 'cause that's what they do and it's their passion…when your 
musician friends are out there in particular, it's just such a great
feeling of community and support, it invigorates you and you play
your hardest and you just play your best and give it your all…
and life can't get better. 

Anything else you want to add?
I also wanted to say that the U-Turn is the place that's changing
the DC punk scene the most…that's where the DC scene is now becoming
family again. It's at 11th and U I believe, it's right on an
intersection… 

What is the U-turn? Talk about that a little more.
The U-Turn is a place run by local bands for local bands, and
every Thursday night…they don't always do punk shows but I mean,
usually there's punk bands involved there on Thursday nights, 
and on Sundays they almost always have punk bands in the daytime…
and that place, if you want to see real community and family,
that's where you go, and just look and see what a music scene should be.


For more on the Issue or shows at the U-Turn

Check out The Issue or The Screws