WHO is Punk'n? Click the link and find out: http://www.punkn.org/
The time is September 2008, the place is the electronic realm we all know and love and the subject matter is “Punk’n,” the semi-underground rockin’ experience provided by Gary and Josh Forney. This interview follows a hugely successful concert 9 days ago in Washburn Iowa.
Tony Downs: So, what is the next step for “Punk’n?”
Gary Forney: I don't really know. We are already booked into Chicago almost a year in advance. We might play three places over one weekend, which will be a record for us. We are lucky to perform two places in a year, so multiple bookings is pretty amazing. It seems Punk'N is taking off a lot faster than the IMT ever did. I think it's due to the blues material, which people understand. Almost everything IMT did sailed over people's heads. They just didn't get the surrealism, the art, the satire. There was the Gilbert Shelton tribute in “Chicken Insurrection,” The Doors quotes in “Three-Eyed Boy,” etc. Anyway, getting back to Punk'N; I guess, for the next step, we'd like two things. One is to leave the IMT behind. The other would be to do another film. A film would help things right now.
Tony Downs: Sounds like a great line-up of plans there. It seems that, from what I’ve read, the Washburn concert was rather different from the rest in some ways. What made the Washburn concert unique?
Gary Forney: Actually, I made a little geographical error. The concert was in Waterloo, Iowa. See, Washburn is a suburb of Waterloo. The roadhouse we performed at was on the border I guess. Maybe it just depended on the side of the street it was on. The main thing unique about the Waterloo/Washburn concert was the plans to document the entire event. We hired a professional photographer to take photos of the entire event. We hired our usual studio to record us live. Our resident videographer also video-recorded everything. A great last minute surprise was when Jeff Isaac, our producer, showed up for our show. Jeff had a massive stroke in late 2006. We hadn't seen him since. It was great to see him doing well, and lending us support. The hall had great acoustics too. So many halls don't. The concert was also very rare for us. We don't perform in Iowa often. We get offers, but somehow seldom play in our home state. I think the last time was October of 2005 with the modern day black-face act Leslie Hall and the Lys.
Tony Downs: That reads like a world of pluses there. Speaking of “pluses,” financially this time, do you have any new merchandise on its way to the market?
Gary Forney: Not yet, but soon. Due to the heavy documenting of the last show, we should have some new stuff soon. By the first of October (2008) there should be a "live" CD! There are also plans for a photo-journal. There will most likely also be a new video or two. There are some vague plans to film another “Punk'N The Movie,” or maybe assemble a documentary. The main new merchandise will be the new CD. It will feature us during a full half hour show. A few new songs too.
Tony Downs: People, LOOK for that and buy it when it’s released. You won’t regret it one bit! Well, to side-step the average questions here: If you had a dream concert, a Lollapalooza-style event, what other artists/groups would you like “Punk’n” to appear with?
Gary Forney: I'd love to perform with Robbie Fulks again. I also think I'd love to gather a few of the "outsider bands". I am a big fan of "The Legendary Stardust Cowboy", and "Crazy Amy" (Hasil Adkins' "widow"). There are a few others too. I would love to play for a few thousand drunken people in a football field sized arena. People who wouldn't catch the vibes, or understand them. It would be interesting to bounce our music off their heads, like a full can of beer.
Tony Downs: For those that don’t know:
Robbie Fulks:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=74605989
“The Legendary Stardust Cowboy:”
"Crazy Amy:"
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=120072829
Tony Downs:Moving on with the interview here: An odd hypothetical question here: If it were possible for there to be a “battle of the bands: Iowa Mountain Tour (you and Josh’s former musical incarnation) verses Punk’n;” who would win?
Gary Forney: The IMT had a very limited song list. You have no idea how many "concerts" amounted to us just doing one or two songs. The IMT had an interesting acoustic sound though. Josh used to play 12 string. Some of the influences are still there. Punk'N is a lot harder rocking blues band. Since we added our drummer, Dr. Rhythm, it freed Josh up to float some amazing riffs over the drum sounds creating a great new sound. So, I would say Punk'N would blow the IMT off the stage! Actually, we have already started blowing other bands off the stage!!
Tony Downs: That’s great! I had heard that Punk’n had stepped up the game. In fact, I heard through the net-vine that you have completely technologically upgraded your stage show and media-accumulation entourage. Could you tell all of us a little about that?
Gary Forney: Well, we went completely 60's retro at our last show. Rather than laser lights, we used a 3-M projector, antique clock crystals, colored oils and water. We did use a modern fog machine, but it was used sparingly. For our main "Fog," we used the old method of dry ice in hot water. It creates a truly great effect that a fog machine just can't. We also have speaker stands now. We use a stand for our P.A. system head, etc. A few other colored flashing lights. Don't look for us to drag it all to Chicago though. We might lug some of it, but not all of it. Maybe when we are big time enough to have a roadie crew or something. I don't see it in the near future. Look for it on the new video!
Tony Downs: That’s cool that you’re going back to the “old school” realm of stage-effects. Too many groups rely on the same ol’/same ol’. Well, just for another path to take here. You mentioned Chicago, and the media’s been pushing Chi-town community organizer Barack Obama for president, then on the other side you’ve got McCain/Palin…and then somewhere in the middle you have a lot of the country distrusting every bit of this “political show.” Speaking from the “middle ground;” how do you feel about the “9/11 Truth Movement?”
Gary Forney: I am not sure what you are referring to. I am not really very political. I do wonder why I hear the Bush administration had memos 3 months before the attack warning him about the possibility of an attack, then they did nothing. I also wonder why high ranking D.C. military officers were warned not to fly that day. I am also very suspicious of how easily both buildings just collapsed. The whole 9/11 thing is just too immense to really get into. I hope you spell check this! LOL
Tony Downs: I always run spell-check…If I didn’t my interview questions would read like a 4th grader wrote them…and I like to keep my work on that ‘slow 7th grader level my readers expect of me! In fairness, here’s some links to help y’all make up your own minds:
Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com/
9/11 Truth Movement: http://www.911truth.org/
Tony Downs: From what I’ve read and from what reveals itself in the media, I have less and less faith in the political system. I don’t 100% believe in a “shadow government,” but there seems to be a growing validity that such a thing does exist. Do you believe that an “illuminati” or “New World Order” exists and affects us all?
Gary Forney: Why are we getting so political all of a sudden? The hidden eye that watches us all? Big Brother is here! He was busy in 1984 preparing his arrival is all.
Tony Downs: Why am I getting political? Well, I had to be selfish and indulge my own interests for a minute…and continuing on that path…On religion: Do you believe in the “End Times?” If you do, do you believe we are currently living in that time-frame?
Gary Forney: No, I don't! There have been dozens of "End Times"! The plague wiped out over a third of the world. Outside of on commercials for insurance, when was it you last saw a cave man? Their "Doom Clock" struck the midnight hour, but life went on. How about the Aztecs, Incas, Sioux, etc? There have been countless cultures and peoples who have faced their final hour. We might be in the fall of the Roman Empire now, but life will go on. Maybe in a Mad Max kind of way. But, it will probably go on.... without us!
Tony Downs: Interesting perspective, breaking down the “end times” into compartmentalized eras that do less to effect a ceasing of the Earth at large and more to do with the extinction of specified cultures/nations. That makes very logical sense and I agree on the “Mad Max” style future. Never seen it? Check out this clip from “JimLad800” of Youtube:
More about the “illuminati:”
http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/
More about the “End Times:”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_times
And for the record, Wikipedia can be a helpful resource, but the entity is ran by absolutely unprofessional web-nerds with an axe to grind against anyone that does not march in lock-step with their nerd-dom. For more information on why I type that, email me at: internetjunky1975@yahoo.com or look up Gary Forney on the web and ask him.
Tony Downs: A truly historical piece of morbid 1980’s action cinema…Speaking of history: If you could have been any historical figure, who would you have been?
Gary Forney: Hmm. I like being me. I hope I will emerge as a historical figure. If not, maybe a hysterical figure? Let's see... Edgar Allan Poe! I like him. Or Omar Khayyam. Maybe even Emily Dickinson...I think a poet from the past.
For those that don't know:
Edgar Allan Poe: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/130
Omar Khayyam: http://www.okonlife.com/poems/
Emily Dickinson: http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/
Tony Downs: Speaking of the physically dead that still speak to the masses: If you were to have a séance, who would you try to contact and why?
Gary Forney: I wouldn't. The first person that comes to mind is my father, and I don't want to talk to him! If the dead have an issue, I feel they should contact us! Here's the deal, anyone can talk to the dead, but when they start answering I think you have a problem. There is also the possibility of demons or something else possibly evil pretending to be the dead. Don't try to contact me when I am gone. Just let me rest. I would like to know what some deceased people thought or might think now, but I kind of know that if they really had something to say they would have said it while alive. I really don't know what to think of ghosts and spirit orbs though. I have seen both. Are they the dead though? I don't have the answer to every spiritual or supernatural question. To quote the Moody Blues, "I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band"!
Tony Downs: Interesting. I too have seen many unexplainable odd potential-hallucinations or realistic spiritual beings, both when wasted and completely sober. On that: If you could use any illicit substance without any negative legal or health consequences, what would you use and why?
Gary Forney: If it weren't for the legal consequences, I would still smoke pot! Well, maybe not smoke it, maybe eat it in brownies. I am a non smoker. LOL. I would also do LSD or Peyote about once a year. No more than that! Possibly as part of a Native American belief system. I haven't tripped in over 35 years. Don't miss it either. Try reading a book! It's mind-expanding without side effects (sort of!). Reading does lead to thinking!
Tony Downs: Y’all read that, “books! Check ‘em out!” as they used to say on local TV in Wichita way back.
Books, check ‘em out ad:
Speaking of “way back,” let’s cut way back to Punk’n here. Yes, I am the segue-way king!: when is the next installment in the franchise going to be available to the public?
Gary Forney: Look for the live album very very soon.
Tony Downs: We fans’ll do that. Also the possible documentary is in the works as you said earlier. Could you elaborate on that a bit?
Gary Forney: I always hesitate when it comes to announcing projects. I was to work with Troma films. I announced it, and my stalker contacted them pretending to be me and ruined it! I announced my possible appearance on a national TV show, same thing happened. Last summer, a Paramount Films executive, Luke Ryan, was talking to me about a possible project. That one just fell through, I think due to the writer's strike. Anyway, YES! There may be a documentary! There is a ton of video and audio of us dating back years! Right now, we are talking to several producers; yet are also still looking for someone wanting to do the project. Maybe I'll do it. I studied film. Who knows? I do believe there will be a film though. Just not sure when.
Tony Downs: Well, a currently finished project, your recent concert, was just glowingly reviewed by noted musical insider ANGRY FOYER, where you were once again compared to Jim Morrison. Do you ever get tired of that comparison? If Jim were alive now, what would you say to him? If "Mr. Mojo Risin’" and Punk’n were to perform together; what song would you like to perform and why?
Gary Forney: The main similarity between Jim Morrison and me is we are both poets first. We are both blessed and cursed with genius level IQs. I drink, but not like Morrison, wouldn't even want to try. I am all right with the comparison, but there are a ton of differences too. IF Jim were still alive, and he is NOT (get over it ); I would recommend de-toxing and getting away. I read where he did try, but it was too late. It's too bad, but the legend probably wouldn't exist if Jim aged into a fat old drunk... I would like to perform any of the longer songs, “The End,” “When The Music's Over,” or maybe the lesser known "Rock Is Dead." I did the “Celebration of the Lizard” in high school. I'd really love to recite poetry together in a studio! “An American Prayer” rocked! I would want to perform material together that showed us both to be poets first and all the rest after!
Tony Downs: For those that don’t know Morrison’s work (and you’d have to practically be a Commie for that to be the case…haha), check this video clip out:
“Rock is Dead” Jim Morrison, posted by “obrez” over on Youtube:
Tony Downs: Well, in my opinion, Jim Morrison probably would have appreciated that answer above more of the “radio friendly” potential answers, like “I’d like to perform ‘L.A. Woman’ with Morrison…” (or similar). After all, and according to numerous biographical sources, he was a poet first…and, at the end of it all, remained a poet, as evidenced by “An American Prayer.” To close out this interview, I want everybody reading to watch the following video:
“An American Prayer” Jim Morrison, music by the Doors, posted by “shatterdwing” over on Youtube:
Tony Downs: Gary, thanks for taking the time to catch up with your fans. Make plans for a road-trip to Chicago….Do yourself a favor and see Punk’n in 2009….OR BEFORE IF POSSIBLE…For now, plan that April 2009 road-trip...
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