The Spears ‘People Are Bad’ 7” review

The Spears ‘People Are Bad’ 7” review


The Pink Lincolns were the first band (at least that I am aware of) Chris Barrows fronted, and in their tenure, the band penned some highly snotty, catchy punk rock tunes that were highly enjoyable. Hated Youth too was sarcastic and snotty, but the purity of the 80s hardcore sound may have distracted from this. Respectively, the singers of these two Florida punk bands, Barrows and Gary Strickland, would find themselves together in rock-influenced punk band the Spears (with Barrows again on vocals and Strickland on bass guitar), and soon released this 7” on Choking Hazard Records to an interested crowd of listeners, eager to hear fast and snotty punk like the former bands of these two men. What the public got was a rock-influenced snot-punk band with a quicker pace.

“People Are Bad” is a teenage anthem of inward social loathing of humanity, all too painfully accurate in the increasingly self-centered and entitled society of the United States. The song grooves to a simple, catchy riff, beating in the background dually with Barrows’ cutting, high-pitched snot-spewing singing. “Upset Down” is another isolation-laden track that includes rock riffs over social anxiety squeaked out with former D.R.I. guitarist Sam Williams’ guitar and Barrows’ voice. Finishing the very short slab of plastic is “Bulletproof”, unquestionably a misanthropic song that could (and maybe should) be a school shooter’s theme song. The pulsating beat of the drums is the sound of bullets flying, the guitar the ripping of these bullets into innocent victims’ flesh, and the vocals the catcall of cynical Columbine youth as they exhort their frustrations on the world at large. The sound on this album is particularly grabbing and gritty; one wonders why the band changed the sound for their album. Definitely one of the best 7” records I’ve heard yet.

-Aunty Social

Interview with the Spears

The Spears interview

1. I know you guys are a bit of a supergroup, but how and when did The Spears itself form?
We started a few years ago. Hunter Oswald was our first drummer. We all pretty much knew each other.
2. How would you describe your sound?
We are just trying to do our own thing, whatever that is.
3. Has the band ever toured outside of Florida? If so, where?
We did a quick southeast run last October , but it was just a couple Florida shows and a couple Georgia shows. so far we've had limited time as everyone is in other bands or busy.
4. What is the Florida punk scene like, to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?
It's probably like any other scene anywhere else. Good bands and shitty bands.
5. Have you hosted touring bands? Who were the best of them, if any? Would you consider hosting bands now?
We've done that a couple of times, but it's only if they are good friends of ours.
6. Has anyone ever requested, or have you ever played, a cover from one of your old bands?
7. Do you have a particularly memorable show that you played? If you did, what made it so memorable?
(Pink Lincolns). We played with Screeching Weasel and the Queers so it was almost appropriate. It was a cool show.
8. What material have you released so far? Where can you buy it?
We have a 7" on choking hazzard recs, a cd (and limited vinyl) on jailhouse recs (it is called "shove"). We also have songs on a few comps.
9. What are the bands’ biggest influences, music or otherwise?
As far as music, I like a lot of stuff. the germs, descendents, Otis Redding, Bowie, Saccharine Trust, Black Flag, old Stones, Wire, Stooges, Gerardo Ortiz.
10. Are you on a record label or are you independent? Do you think that this predicament helps or hurts you? Why?
We put our 7" out on a small label in Canada, our CD is on a small label in Virginia. It's more realistic than trying to get RCA or Sony to think we can sell more CDs than Justin Timberlake.
11. Have you ever been banned from a venue? If so, which one and what happened?
Not as the Spears, not yet, but give us time. There's a place in Tampa and a place in St. Pete that won't book anything I'm in because of things in the past.
12. On a side note, what is the economy like down in Florida? Can a low-skilled, 20-something get a sustainable job?
Florida is a "right to work" state- i think it has something to do with minimum wage, or something. Yes, come on down- you don't need training or experience to be a doctor, lawyer, or animal trainer.
13. Is skateboarding popular in your area? Do you guys skateboard?
There are skate parks here, so it must be. I don't skate (I have a car).
14. What are your thoughts on the dilemma where a lot of hardcore originals (i.e. people who played in the 80s when it started) are still going at it?
I like how you call it a dilemma. My first thought would be that they look a little older nowadays.
15. Does any squatting take place in your area at all? If it does exist, how common is it?
I'm not sure how common squatting is here, but there's a lot of homeless people. Not sure where one stops and the other one starts.
16. Do The Spears have a logo? Can it be spray-painted?
We don't have an official logo , but our shirt has a jesus fish with a spear thru it. I think it's funny. Some people don't.
17. With a relatively unique sound, do you listen to a lot of different music or do you forego any music-based influences altogether?
We individually listen to a lot of different stuff. Most bands want to fit neatly into a category, or want to sound like other bands. We aren't that worried about that stuff.
18. Are there many venues to play in Florida? Where are they?
Yes. They are in buildings on streets.
19. Are there any record stores to go to in your area?
There is a store in St. Pete called Sound Exchange. New and used, and they have lots of cool stuff.
20. If anything, what else would you like to add?
Most people are liars.