INTERVIEW
Interview from Non Stop Banter 6 (May/June 1986). Interview by Peter, photos by Naomi Campbell.
The Effigies are a Chicago rock band. They are the Chicago of Carl Sandburg: dynamic, sturdy, careful, and careless. Frustration and the persistence that has allowed them to endure it have molded them into a serious band playing for those who care. Unfortunately, the number of people who really do care is much smaller than it should be. Alternative music is supposed to be just that; an option apart from the shit played on prog-rock radio stations. It's supposed to be sincere music for people who are concerned with sounds, and not visuals. However, the visual aspect is becoming more important for most people, and hence, the musical revolt of "punk and new wave" has become a subset of corporate music for the most part. The revolt is near dead, but the Effigies are still fighting.
The original Effigies (Paul Zamost, John Kezdy, Steve Economou, and Earl Letiecq played their first show six months after forming in 1980 at Chicago's now legendary Oz. They continued with this line-up until 1984, releasing two EP's (The Effigies and We're Da Machine) and one LP (For Ever Grounded). At this time, guitarist Earl Letiecq was asked to leave the band due to, in the ambiguous words of vocalist John Kezdy, "musical and personal differences." The resulting line-up with new guitarist Robert O'Connor released the great Fly on a Wire LP last year on Fever Records. Along with this record came a new sound from the Effigies; a more refined and subtle, yet still hard and powerful, set of songs.
Non*Stop Banter: On Fly on a Wire there is a more subdued and moody guitar style...
O'Connor: We did that basically to break away from the old sound. We didn't want to come out and sound like the old Effigies with me trying to clone Earl.
NSB: How do you view the record in relation to older records? Do you discount them?
Kezdy: It was important to make a break from the older stuff, not because we disown it, we don't. People never gave us credit for being more than a thrash band. We had a lot of things to prove with that last album. We're the type of band we want to be now.
NSB: You seem to be more comfortable in the studio now, while on For Ever Grounded some of the synthetic claps sound contrived and almost used as a gimmick.
Kezdy: Yeah, we are more comfortable. We cut records for less than most people cut singles for. When we get into a studio, we work; we have definite ideas about what we want.
NSB: What do you think of this reckless view of life a lot of these bands have adopted today?
Kezdy: It's real adolescent when you work it down. We know a lot of people that are dead from doing stupid things and, looking back on it, it's childish. Some people just don't care; you hear a Sex Pistols song like "No Feelings" and it's meant as a joke, but when you meet people who really have no feelings it's really spooky. A lot of these kids, especially on the West coast...they're really nothing; just hollow.
Economou: There's no fulfillment; it's just self-destructive.
Kezdy: They are the inheritors of this great country (sarcasm); it's the next generation.
NSB: Do you consider your music hopeful?
Kezdy: Absolutely. That's another big turning point you have to make: when you're playing punk and you're an absolute nihilist, it gets to the point when you have to decide what are you going to do. Are you going to die or are you going to do something else? The only reason anybody should preach anarchy or destruction is to build something new...and a lot of these people don't because they don't have the slighest idea of what is new or good.
Zamost: A lot of these punk bands just point out the problems and never want to think about the solutions.
NSB: I think the Dead Kennedys are the prime example of this.
Kezdy: Absolutely. That whole axis of Maximum Rock'N'Roll bands--they're absolute destruction, tear down this system. Where's the alternative? Is there anything positive in any of this music? No, the minute you take away what they rebel against, they're nothing. We'd be what we are no matter what. I've got a lot to bitch about, everyone does, but that's not the reason we're in a band.
NSB: It must be frustating to see so few people caring.
Kezdy: They don't (emphasis) give a shit. There's a new wave of kids who don't even know who we are, but people go spend 15 bucks to see some arrogant British band play for 15 minutes and think it's the greatest show in the world. I've already been through that phase; I just know these bands stink, and if America's got such a slavish attitude about English music, there's just no hope. A lot of them can't play either...they know exactly what they're doing when they come over here; they know everybody's gonna lick their ass.
Zamost: I remember Captain Sensible of the Damned came here and said, "We're only here to fuck you women," and he meant it (laughs).
NSB: Would you sign to a larger label than Fever if given the chance?
Kezdy: Yeah, but I don't believe in this selling out crap like SPK putting out industrial death noise one minute and then disco the next. We're gonna keep cranking out records whether we do or don't.
NSB: Are there any other independents you'd consider?
Kezdy: No, to us it would be like moving sideways.
Economou: We want to stick with Fever because it's got Enigma's great distribution.
Kezdy: Even Slash Records is a puppet to Warner Bros. Major labels are run by CPAs, lawyers and statisticians.
NSB: When's the next album going to be out?
Kezdy: It should be out in May, but there are always delays. We'll be touring in the summer.
NSB: Is there a tentative title?
Kezdy: Ink. I-N-K.
NSB: What's the significance?
Kezdy: It hit me after I saw the movie "Mishima." It was just like the writers art with ink; that's all it was. That and blood...there's a connection. I'll wait till the album cover comes out to explain.
NSB: Is the sound similar to Fly on a Wire?
Kezdy: No, it's a synthesis of our old stuff and Fly on a Wire...more power; this album rips.
NSB: Do you think it is more accessible?
Kezdy: Yeah, I kind of got sick of people coming up to me and thinking the lyrics are too cryptic, so I went in with the idea of being more clear.
Economou: It's a lot more spontaneous.
NSB: From being a music director at a carrier current station, I can kind of empathize with no one caring.
Kezdy: Yeah, no one cares, which is actually what drives people out of music because if you have any kind of integrity, there's no place for you. But we're going to keep going.
NSB: Do you think the Chicago scene will break?
Kezdy: It will break; it's got to break. All the right personalities are here so that it'll happen. It's got to be cooperative...you gotta have people forcing things to happen--not just waiting. You have to be a fanatic because no one helps you.
The Effigies have been at it for six years and they see going at it for another six. The attitude and material of the band is the strongest it's ever been and the potential for more growth is apparent. Listen, instead of laying down ten dollars to watch the backs of the Jesus & Mary Chain for less than half an hour, spend less money and get a hell of a lot more for your money from people who don't care about your money.