Now semi-new LP “Millions of Damn Christians” available on R Radical records. Upcoming LP pressing of first 2 out of print singles. Int with mic man Dave Dictor.
MJ: So is the band lineup the same as on the last LP?
DD: Nope. Gordon left the band. You’re the first to know actually. We recently got back from Europe and he’s no longer with us.
MJ: What happened with Gordon?
DD: Well, it just wasn’t the right band for him. He didn’t really like the road. He was just with us a year and a half and now no more. He was saying, “Let’s wait like 6 months” and we were saying let’s not wait. He still comes over and jams and everything. It’s just that the road is tough. You never know what’s going to come at you. But MDC isn’t planning on breaking up at all so we just didn’t delay. We like the road a lot.
MJ: So who’s in on guitar now?
DD: Eric Calhoun. He was in an old band called The Witnesses (also Lethal Gospel – MJ). He’s been a friend for a long time.
MJ: Is Colorado a possible stop on tour?
DD: We’d sure like to play Colorado…we’re really into playing. I just got back from this protest I was involved in…there’s this drug called AZT for like AIDS victims and it’s very expensive. We marched 15 miles and the place eventually got closed down. But it’s always good to do something political. Though life’s pretty good now. Getting together with people. I mean a lot of people, even old people are speaking out against war, and realizing that billions and billions upon really trillions of dollars are just going in the toilet and that we’re blowing our own resources. We all feel strong though. Yesterday I listened to the new album and I liked it. Sometimes you listen and you’re just ahh…and you don’t really like it.
MJ: Anything you want to say about “Damn Christians?”
DD: Not really, other than I liked it. We got to play for the pope though when he was here. He was by Mission Dolores, which is right where we live. We went on the roof and were playing. We played “This Blood’s For You” and we were gonna do some Multi Death Corporations stuff too but they came in and shut us down. How was Europe? Well Europe was great. It was really like the roots of our culture and the young people were really cool and everything. It was easier. Just less fights per square inch, less skinheads, you know just less problems per square inch. We played some great places as well like Monaco and Denmark. I know it’s an old term but patriarchy sucks. You should be who you want. People shouldn’t be into “being a man” so much and following pre-established rules. Just be yourself.
MJ: With your new guitar player do you plan on expanding still or going back…
DD: Pretty much do it all. When we jam, we’ll play like 3 straight hours of thrash. Then the next time we’ll play like jazzy, funky stuff. I’m not sure. I think we’re enjoying being versatile. M.D.C. has got about 65 songs written, which is good, and the new guitar player has some. There’s some slow and some thrash. The next album will probably be the same type of thing as the “Christians” album. Like one side thrash, you know like Black Flag, DOA, Dead Kennedys. Then the other side being kind of offbeat from the M.D.C. characteristics.
MJ: Was there even a conscious change between albums at all?
DD: Hmm…interesting. Well it was like with the “Smoke Signals” LP having 5 or 6 different guitarists, and pretty much forcing it out or not put out anything, if that makes sense. Meaning there was a lot from the old guitar player. Between 84-85 we, as a band, didn’t really do anything. And that album just had different sounds, different feels, different people involved. It’s like saying, “Yeah, ‘Smoke Signals’ was your ‘hippie’ album.” And it wasn’t as though we were trying for that. We’ll just have one side of powerful songs and the other side just do whatever. That’s where songs like “Sexy And Christian” and “Police Related Death” come in. Yeah, and the song “Politician” was just a jam song that we enjoyed playing.
MJ: What’s the deal with your 7” EPs?
DD: We’re going to just make it one album. We had been wanting to then not wanting to on and on for about 6 months. But it should be out in about a month. It will have our first two EPs, and the respective posters on one huge one. It will also have the “John Wayne/Born To Die” single as a sort of bonus. You should ask the next question before I sign off.
MJ: Would you care to add any closing comments?
DD: Not really…just be loving and be creative.
