photos by Valerie Crosby
TRUTH & DECEATS--in which Marie Provost rises from the Hollywood dead to interview Keith Campbell and gets him to do some of her record reviews for her in the process--
As one of my earliest Washington friends and a rock and roll fanatic Keith Campbell has introduced me to a lot of great, important music. He always seems to be up on whatever's happening--it was on his stereo that I first heard Richard Hell, the Sex Pistols, the Jam, and Devo. He's a pop salesperson in one of the more comprehensive catalog record stores in D.C. and his mental backlog of musical facts and trivia well suit him to the job. Keith has also played in bands for as long as I've known him--usually as a strong organizational component offering motivation and dedication to his fellow members. The thing that really sets Keith apart from a lot of other rock guitarists isn't his dedication, his attitude, or even his playing, which has improved drastically in the last three years. Keith's songwriting has always been exciting and impressive--enough to impress Roddy Frantz, who with Keith formed Controls. It has won the band a hard-working manager, an e.p. of originals on Limp records, airplay on D.C. radio stations (and now in Houston and other cities), and the small glimmers of recognition which are currently afforded the band.
With D.Ceats Keith hasgathered some experienced players into a diehard rocking pop unit. At 22, drummer Vic Quick is the youngest and least experienced of the lot. In a descenes profile he revealed a timeless artistic sensibility when he listed as his "likes" "ladies, drums, toy trains, picture discs, synthesizers, and $." In that order, Vic? Harrison Sohmer has been playing bass in D.C. bands since his earliest venture, the innovative punk band Overkill. He has also played in Lifeboat Larry, and in Nice Guise with Keith. Harrison is known for a consistent and unconventional bass playing which provides strong rhythm and color. His stage manner is a strange mixture of ethereal concentration with a Chaplinesque feel for dramatic humor--leading to episodes like a recent uncomfortable night at Mr. Henry's where he stood on tables, ran around the stage with a towel wrapped around his head Arab-style, and fell between two stagefront tables, in which position he continued to play. Life can be pretty frustrating for a rock & roller, these days. Martha Hull became known as one of the forces behind the Slickee Boys' ride to considerable attention in the underground music scene. She has a memorable and original vocal style of the type that divides audiences into two polar camps of Martha lovers and Martha un-appreciators. She can belt it out in the soul tradition when she's going strong and her phrasing one hot night at the Delly was as impressive as her electric performance--Martha was the songs she sang that night. The same girl can put a large-sized lump in the throat with her rendition of "Wishin' and Hopin", a song that seems almost tailor-made for Martha. All four members of the band are learning the tough way that rock & roll is no joke, and they've experienced the punch line. From a gig at Louie's Rock City's Battle of the Bands to an opener for The Clash and jobs in New York, they have played to some tough audiences and seem the better for wear.
With Keith, Harrison and Martha help provide D.Ceats' material and the band is developing rapidly into the powerful showcase needed to put it across. A pop songwriter, a rocker, and a force to be contended with (especially when he plays off key), Keith answers some questions about the state of rock & roll, and the keys to popular success, in the following interview.
INF: How long have you been playing in bands?
KC: The first thing I did was Ventures music; learning out of Ventures songbooks, playing along with the record--and then Beatles music; when I was 13. When I was 15 I was in soul bands in Baltimore, cuz soul took over, Beatlemania was really out, there--I had to conform, but we all liked it--I liked Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, Martha and The Vandellas. We were learning Jackie Wilson songs, and shit--what was really funny was how when the psychedelic thing happened, the same group just turned into a psychedelic band, right from soul--we were doing Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly--
INF: You've been involved in new wave from the start--who are yourfavorite punk rockers?
KC: The first time I really heard new wave music was when Roddy brought a copy of the first Ramones album over to my house to this big party--we blasted it out of this window; and it was like the wildest shit I'd ever heard--I didn't know there weren't any leads in it, cuz the speakers were really distorted. I just thought it was the wildest. The next day when I woke up and put it on I realized "These guys aren't doing any guitar leads!" Being a guitar player I was really appalled, and I said "Wow, man, these guys are just doing chords,and it's the wildest shit in the world." The first new wave sounds that I heard, I guess, were the New York Dolls. At first I was really appalled, too, because they were always out of tune, and they weren't technically great--I was really flipped out, I said "Hey these guys play like I do." It's really funny, cuz I could never get the whole Jimmy Page riff together, anyway.
INF: Another technical type to emulate--
KC: All the singles that first came out were great--before the people made albums. I was listening to Kiss at that time, too--even though it was really heavy metal, I thought it was so wierd, and goofy--and humorous--I really liked it. A lot of hard rock. I liked Cheap Trick, when they first started out--and I've really always liked Dr. Feelgood.
INF: But those bands really play rock and roll--
KC: Well, I'll tell ya--I never really got into new wave other than some of the early stuff--the original bands, like the Ramones, I can't even say the Sex Pistols, anymore--
INF: What do you think of the new wave scene now?
KC: Well, I still like all the great 60s records you have in your collection--they show you had taste before. Uh... new wave is good because it's the only thing that could have happened to rock and roll, to re-vitalize it, when you've got stuff like Pablo Cruise out there, you look at the Doobie (vehemently) Brothers, Clapton, Santana, all the 60s biggies, and its becoming this real pop disco thing, they're hurtin' for the buck, and its making a real mellow scene.
INF: You've closely followed music and the industry--what is timeless music, good music, to you?
KC: Well, from the early point, when music got a back beat; the early 50s--I like to hear guitars, yeah, bass and drums--a clean but driving sounding guitar thing; I don't like pounding bass, it should be moving but holding down the bottom at the same time--I think its nice to mix up the beat, within 4/4 time--interesting chord structures--there's nothing better than a 1-4-5 change, which its hard to come up with all the time--its the most pleasing stuff to the human ear.
INF: Like that song that I like so much, "Protection"--is that a "1-4-5?"
KC: Yeah. It's nice, but sometimes it gets too arty, or it can be picked out as being too obvious a change, sometimes--and that's where you reach your balance point--you try to make it really good and catchy but light--something like John Denver's "Country Roads," you know.
INF: Do you know any other good examples of this technique?
KC: Yeah--"Get Off My Cloud," Ithink "Carol" by ChuckBerry, used it in a very unique way; the whole song structure's great. That's a song that's timeless--a guy callin' a girl--not like talking about instant mashed potatoes, that kind of thing's too closed into a certain time. A song with great lyrics will last forever--
INF: What current trends do you note in the music industry?
KC: They're really getting into packaging, which isn't so good. Like Joe Jackson--that mock anger thing; modern lyrics, very similar to Costello, who's been doing it for 3 years now. But its that borderline thing--you can be either great, doing your own thing, or you're an imitation.
INF: Like Joe Jackson because he shows amove back to rock & roll, at least, which I support--
KC: Oh, you're right--I'd rather hear him than Pablo Cruise, right--but the lyrics aren't timeless, like Bob Dylan's--he's talking about fast food shit, and that's like really typical of our time, and why not make it something that works for all time? I mean the Clash do it, in a very good way. If you're not too obvious about it--you know. A certain subtlety really helps.
INF: Who are your fave bands, and why?
KC: My fave band that's going on right now is The Pirates--the 1978 version. They present a real clean, straightforward approach to their music. I think Roy Orbison's probably the best singer of all time. As far as new wave goes, I respect Elvis Costello's songwriting talent.
INF: What kind of music would you say D. Ceats play?
KC: It's been categorised as a 60s sound, but I think what we've done with a certain sound that's related to the 60s is write interesting and unique tunes, and add unique rhythms to the songs. We try to put a little humor into the lyrics and the whole attitude of the band.
INF: Well the humor's more subtle than Root Boy Slim's for instance; it doesn't hit you over the head.
KC: I really have a hard time understanding bands that are playing rock & roll and that are so serious. It just kills me. It's the antithesis of rock & roll.
INF: What's your current fave cover?
KC: Right now it's Flames, by Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera.
INF: Who?
KC: It's not too well known. They're a band who were on the Epic label around 1968--Hudson and Ford were the songwriters. They ended up doing some real bland pop. They had polka dot ties, the real 60s trip, and Hudson and Ford later got signed to A&M. Their 60s stuff was great.
INF: Have you heard anything that you've liked recently?
KC: I like the new Tubes album--that's pretty good--um...uh...
INF: Well, I'll play you some recent singles, and you can tell me what you think of them. First I'll play you the A side of a new single by Bobby Henry...
KC: Well, I thought that was pretty boring. I don't even know why they think that every drunken Englishman can sing--not to mention that the song was stupid, and the only words that I could understand were the title, "Head Case" and maybe you tell me what the hell a head case is--
INF: Here's the B side, "Love is no Weakness."
KC: Sounds like he got the band together that afternoon--I don't know why A&M is wasting their time and money with someone like him--the B side is better than the A side. It shows more songwriting technique and he actually can sing, a bit, but it was just boring. It's not here nor there. Nowhere.
INF: Here's a song off the e.p. that comes with Segarini's new album. It's called "I Want You To Stay"--
KC: That sounds like a cross between Trini Lopez, and the early Guess Who. Like Burton Cumming's early vocals, and the rhythms on Lemon Tree by Trini Lopez--your typical Guess Who back-up vocals, and guitar sound.
INF: Did you like it?
KC: It was Canuck rock.
INF: Here's "I'm Not Your Fool" from the Segarini e.p.
KC: It's pretty good--it's decent, not as good as Costello, for formula stuff--
INF: Here's "My Memories," off a 3 song record by The Tweeds--
KC: I thought that was great. It sounded a lot like early Jay and the Americans--who I really like--and it was done recently, right? I think anyone who can achieve that kind of sound in a studio today is doinga good job--it was good songwriting, good vocals, really pop. I really like that kind of sound--to me that rocked more than the other stuff we've heard because it seemed less contrived.
INF: Now we'll listen to the other two songs on the Tweeds record--"Postcard," and "Underwater Girl."
KC: Once again I thought the songwriting was really good--I love the guitar and I think the vocals are done really well--the whole production is very good. The vocals are audible, every instrument is crisp and clear--not very distorted, but driving music, still. They didn't take too many chord changes to make it sound good, where I felt the other people were struggling with segments of their songs. They've proven on this record, which I'm sure I'm gonna buy now, that they can do everything--from that first ballad type song, to the 2nd, which was pretty rocking, to the 3rd song, which was a good pop song, with a wierd sense of humor--I mean "Underwater Girl"? What's that supposed to mean?
return to d.ceats
Keith Campbell, Harrison Sohmer, Martha Hull, Vic Quick
D.Ceats Disco Dance Party
Reprinted from Infiltrator #2. Without permission. Marie Provost--get in touch!