Here's another stellar mail interview for a zine I did called False Pseudo. FP was the first zine I started, at the age of 16. It started off as just a zine full of opinions on music, the town I lived in, some music news (culled from Flipside, Okie zines, and whatever they said on "Fear Of Music" and "My Tunnel" (radio shows on KGOU) at the time), and comic strips about fighting jocks, rednecks, and metalhead. Very much a product of its environment and times. Surprisingly, despite there being no punks at my school, I had a few subscribers. This zine never made it out of Oklahoma, and maybe had 10 copies of each issue printed at the time.
The issue that the N.O.T.A. interview ran in caused a bit of a stir for the printing company I took it to. This was while I was still living in Moore, and across the street from the main post office was a print shop that offered cheap copies (opposed to the 10 cents a copy I was paying at the library!). I dropped the master copy off there and started my lunch time fasts to raise money for the printing. A couple days later I get yanked out of school, my mom is enraged and saying some shit like, "I can't believe my own flesh and blood would do this to me.."
The copy shop read over my zine and decided they did not want to print it because it was "against God, disrespectful of authority, and pornographic." I remember walking into the shop and the owner is pissed off. He threw the masters my way and told me he never wanted to see me in his establishment again, and told my mom she needs to do a better job of raising me. And some shit about how he should call the police on me. Whatever...
The only pornographic thing was the ad for the A.S.F. "A Sure Fuck" EP and shirt which has a man with an erection and three spurts that have A.S.F. written in them. Then there were drawings of cop cars on fire, "I hate all cops" written in the borders, and shit like that. Not to mention stories about fighting rednecks and jocks and my complete disdain for Oklahoma in 1985. My mom gets home and reads it. "I can't believe such filth is in my house! What kind of son have I raised?!? I don't even know you anymore!" She then starts ripping the master pages up. From that day forward all my zine activity was completely hidden from view and never mentioned around my family ever again. I think I made about 5 copies at most of this one. They were all sold at Starship Records in Tulsa, OK.
N.O.T.A. were, and still are, a favorite band of mine. The fact that a band that awesome could come out of Oklahoma was something in itself. It actually gave one hope. The majority of the world thought we were all a bunch of assbackward people and living out in the sticks (I have letters from bands asking if we had running water and indoor plumbing in 1985, and if we have much trouble with the Indians!). So, in some way bands like N.O.T.A. were de facto ambassadors of the state.
"TOY SOLDIERS" EP COVER. RELEASED ON RABID CAT RECORDS.
Who are the members of N.O.T.A., and how long have you all been playing together?
Jeff - N.O.T.A. is Jeff (me) - vocals, Bruce - bass, Russell- guitar, Bob - drums. We've been together since April 1980. Russell joined in June 1982.
Who writes the songs and where did you get the ideas for them?
Jeff - Russell and I write the bulk of the songs, but everyone contributes and Bob and Bruce have both written lyrics.
"TOY SOLDIERS" EP LYRIC SHEET
What is the name of the new album and when will it be released to the public?
Jeff - It doesn't have a name, just N.O.T.A., and it should be out around September 15.
Do you have any tour plans for the album?
Jeff - Yes, we're planning a tour of all points east of the Mississippi starting around October 1.
What do you think about bands such as Suicidal Tendencies putting videos on Mtv?
Jeff - I think it's great! Otherwise that channel is a total piece of shit. Let there be more.
In your opinion, what do you think of the scene in Oklahoma?
Jeff - I wish it was more steady and contained fewer "tribes". We need to have a scene first then we can all find shit to fight about.
Is there anything you would like to say to the people of Oklahoma, and where can people write to you?
People can write us at PO Box (invalid at this point I'm sure), Tulsa, OK 74157. Anyone that's been around already knows us so I guess there aint much to say except COME OUT TO THE SHOWS AND SUPPORT THE SCENE YOU MAGGOTS!!!
"MOSCOW" EP COVER. RELEASED ON UNCLEAN RECORDS.
THIS IS THE FIRST PRESS BACK COVER OF THEIR "MOSCOW" EP. THE FRONT COVER IMAGE IS THE SAME ON THE SECOND PRESS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE ON THE FRONT COVER OF THE FIRST PRESS AND SECOND PRESS, IS THE MARGINS ARE THINNER ON THE SECOND PRESS. ALSO THE FIRST PRESS IS ON NON-GLOSSY PAPER, WHEREAS THE SECOND PRESS COVER IS PRINTED ON GLOSSY!
THIS IS THE BACK COVER OF THE SECOND PRESS OF "MOSCOW".
3 comments:
Do you have pictures to go with the interviews?
Unfortunately not. I might have some for some other interviews I did though. If anything, I'll scan flyer and record art for future installments. Thanks for asking though!
Hey Matt, I was also part of the early-mid eighties Oklahoma underground scene (Tulsa) I read your zine, False Pseudo, back then and even still have a copy of #2. I'm moderating a discussion group on Facebook about the underground scene back then, and I wonder if you'd consider joining us and sharing a few stories about your experiences in the scene? If interested, let me know the best way to relay further details about the group. Best, Cynthia
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