We’re All Gonna Die
The Wreck of the Minot (Underdogma)
An interview with guitarist/vocalist Jim Healey
by Craig Regala
photos by Pia
Okay, here’s a bit about a band you guys are gonna get used to hearing about once the new record seeps into your head. Don’t thank us for bringing the information to you. Thank them for making the music. They can be thanked in beer and cash money.
We’re All Gonna Die is Russ Boudreau (bass), Jim Healey (guitar, vocals), and Scott Healey (drums). Jim and Scott are brothers, and Russ is their cousin. They started in ’98 and remain a solid trio. They maintain a strong sense of tune and melody while driving a clean hard-rock punch through contemporary mall punk’s soft white gut and avoiding the volume-drenched hissyfits of so much nü rock/nü metal piddle. As much as you’d associate these guys with the hard rock/metal lineage, they definitely have a punk sensibility and approach to the general rock culture.
The first record’s been out for what, a couple years? Did you do any singles or put mp3s up previous to it?
Well, we released Go to Hell on our own before Underdogma re-released with new art and a couple of new songs on 1/20/04. Most of the songs on that album had been around for a few years, so they there were up as mp3s here and there. We never released any singles from the album, we just put it out there. Whatever stations picked it up picked whatever song they liked best. We also released another disc on our own before Go To Hell called End of the Line.
You know that old saying “you have your whole life to make your first record and 10 months to do the second?” Any large shifts in style or topics for The Wreck…?
Yeah, I know the old saying, but I don’t buy it. I think The Wreck of the Minot is a better album entirely. Moreso because Go to Hell was pieced together from a few different sessions, and The Wreck… was made as an album. I don’t think it strays too far from Go to Hell other than some of the tunes are a bit heavier. Lyrically, it’s mostly personal shit, but I like to keep the lyrics somewhat ambiguous, so whoever is listening can find some way to relate to them.
Do you ever want to record stuff in the studio you can’t do live as a three piece?
Sure, why the fuck not? I think that when you’re in the studio, there’s no reason not to try and stretch out. And I don’t mean adding shit just for the sake of it… As long as whatever you’re adding is helping the song, then why not try it? It’s a fine line. For the most part, you really should be able to play your shit live. We have a song called “Goodnight, Goodbye” on Go to Hell that’s kind of an acoustic thing that we never play live. But I think it fits well on the album.
There are a bunch of good bands around the Tracktor7 orbit: Are things looking up band-wise in the greater Boston area? Go ahead and name names, if you would.
I agree. Lamont, Fast Actin’ Fuses, Antler, Bury The Needle, Septic Youth Command, Cocked N’ Loaded, Ichabod, to name a few. Boston is and always has been a great place for heavy music. There’s a camaraderie between the heavy rock bands in town that makes it a really cool scene. Speaking of Traktor7, they’re the reason we got signed to Underdgoma. They took a bunch of local stuff out to Emissions a couple of years back. That’s just another example of the good people here in town.
Who are your musical heroes/influences?
Well, personally I would have to say Led Zep and Soundgarden are my two favorite bands. I love bands that aren’t confined to doing just one thing. Both of those bands first and foremost wrote great songs. But, they also could be heavy as shit, or laid back, all within the context of hard rock. I really like bands that focus on writing great ALBUMS, not just a couple of singles and shit songs to take up space. Only Living Witness is a huge favorite as well.
Okay, I’ll list some bands and you pick four songs (or just artists) from the list and I’ll buy a lottery ticket and if God loses his mind and I win, we’ll record ’em, okay? James Brown, Judas Priest, Bo Diddley, King’s X, Aerosmith, SSD, The Specials, Bullet LaVolta, Faith No More, The Who, Agent Orange, Ratt.
Hmmm… okay… Aerosmith, “Last Child.” Great song, too bad that Kid Rock already fucked it up. Regardless, still a cool song. Judas Priest, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.” I know, obvious, but this song made us break shit when we were kids, so it’s on the list. Ratt, “Lay it Down.” Russ loves this shit, so why not? Aerosmith, “Seasons of Wither.” Just a bad-ass song. Old Aerosmith was pretty fucking awesome, so gotta make it two from the hometown boys.
Name three bands from any time in history you’d like to take out on an all-expenses-paid tour of the world (God’s tab, again).
Led Zep, circa 1972. I mean, isn’t that the type of rock craziness that most band aspire to? Metallica, circa 1986. Before Cliff died, of course. The Beatles, circa 1964. I don’t particularly like them, but it must’ve been fucking crazy.
Anything else you wanna say?
Yeah, a couple bands who deserved it and never did tour the world were: Only Living Witness – they were just a great band all-around, especially live – and Wargasm – one of my favorite metal bands ever. Great dudes, too.
Well, there ya go people. Now you know… So spill a little cash and go see ’em. They play the Northeast fairly often. I went up there to see ’em myself, and it was about 900 miles to get there. You can at least jump on the train…
(www.underdogma.com)
