from kickstand #5
Track Star
If you check out one new band this month, it's gotta be Track Star! Their 10" is the only thing I'll listen to lately, and that's saying a lot, because I just bought all this new stuff. They are every positive adjective I can think of. Plus, they sent me a glue stick (mine has been dried out for months)! Their music is loud and quiet, slow and fast, but always great! Ripping off the Silver Girl ad, "Track Star are a truly unique trio of San Franciscans full of ideas about why boys and girls fall in and out of love. And what to do about it." Yeah!
* Matthew plays guitar and sings * |
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What is one thing everyone should know about you? Matthew: Wyatt is a Libra, Todd is Aquarius, I'm a Libra. Wyatt: We're only tough on the outside. When did you start Track Star? Did you do anything musical before? Wyatt: June 1994. Matt and I had been putting songs together for a while earlier and by the time we found a drummer and were pretty well rehearsed we booked a small tour of the Pacific Northwest. Those were the first shows we ever got: Juanita's in Chico, California, the X-Ray in Portland, Oregon, and the Capitol Theatre in Olympia, Washington. Nobody would book us at home, but these nice folks said, "sure, c'mon up!" Anyway, a few weeks before we were supposed to leave, our drummer decided to move to Los Angeles. We called on an old buddy, Todd Sullivan, whom we had learned just recently moved to San Francisco and was playing drums in some sort of garage outfit. As we had no intention of cancelling our Northwest domination tour, we asked Todd to fill in. He agreed, we pulled it off with style and flair, and by the time we got home he quit his band and donated his soul to Track Star. Yes! That tour was in June of '94 so we begin our history there when Todd joined. If you could tour with any band, who would it be? Wyatt: We get to tour the West Coast this April with Stereolab and that's pretty much beyond all of our wildest dreams. There are too many bands for me to list otherwise, maybe Tom Petty. Todd: The Ghetto Boys. Matthew: I would like to tour with Baboon (Texass rockers). We've played some shows with them before and well, you know, they're from Texas and are awesome. Also, Pee would be fun to travel with. They are nice folks and a rad band. Maybe we could hook up with some kind of hip-hop gig-tour thing. Do you read zines? Which ones do you like? Wyatt: I like Beer Frame, Grundig, and People. Todd: Kickstand [you sweet-talker! -Ed.]. Do you have any new recording plans? An LP? Wyatt: We're kind of always recording. I work at a movie theatre called The Gateway which was built in the 60's and sounds amazing. The boss lets me go in with bands after closing and record so we do that on four-track every few months. Everything we've ever recorded has been on four-track, although recently I've aquired this incredible eight-track machine and we're really looking forward to fooling with that. The tentative plan is to do an LP in early fall and another 7" in the meantime. Were any of you actually track stars in high school? (My dad was the state wide champ!) Matthew: I played tennis in high school. I was gonna do the track thing, but the uniforms made me a little uncomfortable. That's why I stopped wrestling. Todd: I did track to get out of P.E., and I was the freak of the football team for a couple of years. Wyatt: I played baseball in high school one year. While I love baseball, I hated the school team. I had kinda long hair so the coach affectionately referred to me as "Hippy-ass Faggot." I called him "Slim." He was a fat guy. Have any of you ever won any awards? Wyatt: Last year I received a certificate commemorating National Secretaries' Day. Todd: My soccer team once got first place when I was nine. Matthew: I used to get penmanship awards (believe it or not). I got a medal once--"Most Inspirational." Awesome. If you were suddenly the kings of the world, what would you do? Todd: Share the kingdom with all. Wyatt: Just kick it. Matthew: First, I'd get rid of all vehicles made after 1972. Then install a Dick's Burgers in every town [Yeah! -Ed.] Force Run DMC to make a comeback. Maybe refret my guitar. What kind of music did you listen to in the 80's? Matthew: My first tape was "Adam and the Ants" (kings of the wild frontier). The Smiths rock. Lots of heavy industrial stuff. Todd: Everything [I bet he's just saying that because the truth was too embarrassing!]. Wyatt: Speed Metal. Your favorite TV show ever: Wyatt: Tie: Charles in Charge/Jeopardy. Matthew: What's Happening. It's Your Move. Good Times. They should bring back The Ben Stiller Show. Yeah! Who are you crushed on? Wyatt: Don Knotts [you are not!]. Todd: Victoria. Matthew: I feel a little paralyzed with fear on this one. Last messages for Today's Youth? Todd: Knowledge is power. Matthew: Fight the power. It's all good. Wyatt: The good lord loves a workin' man. |
| See the Track Star page. |