Jared DuBach
Daily Egyptian
This Guy is a hardcore punk rock act that expresses no acceptance for bigotry and hatred, and according to guitarist John Spomer, fully embraces the time-honored tradition of public drunkenness.
The band, which performs tonight at Booby's Beer Garden, was formed in the fall of 1999 by members Seth Leise on vocals and guitar, Erik Crews on guitar, Sam Brookmyer on bass, and Josh Ingold on drums. John Spomer later joined the group on guitar, allowing Leise to focus on singing, and interacting with the crowd.
According to Brookmyer, he and Leise started This Guy after their previous band, Team AIDS, broke up in early 1999. Team AIDS had been together since 1995, during which time they released the full-length CD, "Earth H.I.V." The title is a play on that of the Misfits album, "Earth A.D."
The group plays a style of punk rock often referred to as "hardcore." The style gets its name by referring to the intensity of the singing and playing of the instruments. Brookmyer goes one step further, and refers to the band's sound as "herpes-core." According to Spomer, the band listens to both '80s hardcore and country. Minor Threat, Black Flag, and Merle Haggard are musicians that influence This Guy.
If there is one thing that doesn't influence This Guy, it's racism. Spomer stated that there is a white supremacy band starting in Carbondale. He said that hopefully the white supremacy band will get the message, and realize that people don't want them here.
"We don't like white power," Spomer said. "We're anti-rock star and anti-white supremacy."
This Guy is a band that doesn't adhere to any actual theme or self-proclaimed motto, according to Brookmyer.
"We don't follow any politics. Any time one of us goes through something, we put it down on paper," Brookmyer said.
This Guy's first release, an E.P. titled "Don't Be-This Guy," released almost two years ago, captures the band's angst-ridden sound prior to Spomer's entrance into the band. Once Spomer came in on guitar, the band began writing new material and honing its synchronically as a band.
"We wrote new stuff, and made a seven to eight song set that we're comfortable with playing," Spomer said. "Before that, each show we played would be a different show."
Leise's stage presence is much more personal because he is no longer hindered behind a guitar. According to Spomer, not only does Leise get the crowd worked-up, but he also keeps them in check if things get out of hand.
"If the crowd's being stupid, Seth is the voice heard more often than not," Spomer stated.
As far as the future of the band is concerned, the members of This Guy are trying to keep things in perspective with their involvement with work, school and trying to do small tours in between major commitments. But despite the attachments to school and their jobs, Spomer and Brookmyer said the band is fully prepared to pursue a life on the road if they get signed to a record label
Spomer said that even though he has been on ten tours in the past with his previous bands, the last tour with This Guy was the best he's been on. But even after a long tour, meeting new people and making new contacts with other bands and label representatives, Spomer and Brookmyer agree that coming back to Carbondale is still a good experience for the band.
"In Carbondale we can do whatever we want," Spomer said.
This Guy is performing at 10 p.m., tonight at Booby's Beer Garden with New Society of Anarchists and Fighting 407.
Reporter Jared DuBach can be reached at jdubach@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
