Transition

at The Middle East Cafe
by Autumn Ober

Let’s journey back to what was going on Friday, August 26th (yeah, the goin’ on I didn’t get written for issue #9, smartass). Don’t know what I did that night? Sorry, sucker, you missed out large! Greg Ginn and Transition played the Middle East and where the hell where you? Pissin’ in the wind while us in-crowders (self-titled) rocked the eve away to a should-not-have-been-missed show.

Blessed with the perks of being a Lollipop staffer, I even got to hang out with Transition; gleaning inside dirt for you (and you thought I was a braggart bitch?). In case your memory is failing you, their new SST release (their first release ever, as a matter of fact), Spine was reviewed (need I say, favorably) in issue #7 (that’s two issues ago, class). Being a recent import from California and all, it seemed appropriate that I go and meet the boys; they hail from San Francisco. Meeting a band can go a few different ways (now I hate to add more ink to this issue but, YES, even indie bands who have nothing but a CD and a van to ride around in can be obnoxious scenesters who think they are Oh-So-Special), one of them being a bonding experience for the reviewer, letting the band know their job was not a faux career choice. Skipping quotes (Transition’s been misquoted and is accordingly P.O.’ed) here’s the deal:

All four were tired when I met ’em (five tired people, including me). Singer David Benson inquired as to whether I had I read the lyrics, and of course I had (no slacker here). Dave wrote ’em all, & incidentally, they’re excellent; this is intelligent (a word some bands can’t pronounce) music. These boys go back years, guitarist Gabriel Gavriloff has been tooling around with Dave for eternity, as has Chris Bacher (bass player, commentator extraordinaire. Bacher is reportedly misunderstood by wussie reviewers nationwide. HARK! I demonstrated no fear and was entertained by his in-your-face brand of satirical interjections all night, quaking not once and doing Boston proud). I asked drummer Jack Perkinson (hey Trendies, this one’s a Hottie!) about the major label thing, inciting responses from ALL present.

Transition has no qualms about signing, if a major was/is to ask; they view (words of infamy) “selling out” as a loss of creative control rather than loss of poverty-ridden indie-label status. Transition retains musical independence on SST, and if the same holds true in a major’s contract, then bring forth the pen. They want their music heard, damn it, that’s why they make it. Although they originate from the Bay Area, which has a connotation all it’s own, Transition professes not to fit into the San Fran thing musically (not enough politics in ’em or not the right kind?) and are happy to be out and about. Ditto for me and the others who turned out for their opening set, which could have breached perfection had it lasted longer.

Speaking of performances, I would like to apologize to the Middle East for mine that evening. Although it was a shining example of punk reviewing etiquette, (railing about with my pals, the band!) it was in bad taste as a PER-FESS+onal, (though it earned me a T-Shirt)!