Pulse
Red Hot Valentine Interview
Sean Loftus
PULSE reporter
If you look at the latest movement of pop rock bands you realize two things, the first being that it seems really easy to put a band of this genre together.
Standard three bar hook, winsome, catchy lyrics and a sweet sixth grade crush to reminisce about. And the second thing, the thing that up-and-coming little-indie-band-that-could The Red Hot Valentines realize, is that while it may be easy to make a pop rock band, it is not easy to make a good one.
These guys have come a long, hard way in the four years that The Valentines have been in cahoots and playing music. With four various EP's and compilations, the band, riding high on its critically acclaimed release "Summer Fling" for their new cozy mega-indie label Polyvinyl Records, these guys are trying to prime themselves for take-off. But before they do, there'll be a chance to catch them live at 10 p.m. tonight at Hangar 9 with The Plus and The Copyrights.
None of their immediate successes have come without the monotony of the recording process, the financial stress, or the inability to just get out there and tour while having to the deal with their self-described "bulls*** job." It's obvious in their interviews and music that these are wary and restless travelers ready for the big time. You can just tell by listening to these guys and seeing what they've accomplished that they are ready to make their music a full-time gig.
You can feel the impatient waiting, the restless anxiety, the tap-tap-tapping of their fingers, waiting for that shot to make it big. These Champaign-based boys of synth-smothered rock will be bringing all of their poppy goodness our way, accompanied by two of Carbondale's best musical acts, The Plus and the Copyrights. At only three bucks a head to attend, this show is the rock act to see in Carbondale this week.
The quintet of players includes the lead crooner and guitarist Toby Kirk, along with guitarist and vocalist Jeff Johnson. The percussion department is filled by Eric Humbert, along with the synth-keyboard royalties bestowed upon Tyson Markely, and last but not least, bass is taken care of by David Gerkin. Gerkin was kind enough to do an interview with The PULSE and give his thoughts
on the band, their past, and the direction they want to take themselves.
PULSE: So, how long have you guys been together as a group?
Gerkin: Well, I guess we have been around for going on four years now. Well, the band itself has been. I'd say our current line-up has been together since around February in 2000. And that was the first show that I had played with the band. So, earlier on I had gotten in cahoots with our drummer (Humbert), and that was basically how I found my way into the band.
PULSE: What was it that got you hooked in and made you want to be part of the band?
Gerkin: Well, it was just really catchy, poppy stuff and it was really easy for me to get into and get excited about and want to be a part of.
PULSE: Prior to your rendezvous with destiny in 2000, did you know or play with any of the guys before you got into Valentines?
Gerkin: Oh yeah, I had played in a band with Toby and this other guy, and we were just some punk band back them. But all of the guys have played with or known each other at one point.
PULSE: Does having that history with the people you make music with make the band better or worse or easier to work with?
Gerkin: Well, it doesn't necessarily make it better or worse but it's definitely easier for everyone because you're all already friends and you're much more attuned to each other's influences that everyone is going to bring to the table. But I don't think you could call it better or worse.
PULSE : What are those influences?
Gerkin: Oh, our influences are just completely all over the place. Jeff is a complete child of the '80s, so he's deeply into Poison. And Eric, gosh, he's a drummer; I mean he listens to about anything. He's currently into Motley Crue and ACDC. Now, Toby's big into Willie Nelson and stuff. And myself, I listen to, you know, classical and the Rat Pack. So, you can imagine the variations of the tunes that are played in the van when we're driving somewhere.
PULSE: In your bio, Jeff says that the Valentines first started as almost a sarcastic slap in the face to the popular rock at the time. So, are you guys trying to walk the line or are you fully embracing the pop rock genre?
Gerkin: I would say that we're definitely trying to be pop. But I really couldn't categorize us as just plain pop; we're definitely more pop rock.
But, I mean, we keep the rock 'n' roll part in there. So, I would give some credence to that quote, but there is a vital rock 'n' roll element to our stuff.
PULSE: So, being steep in the genre, and with some of the band members having wives, steady jobs, and what not, do you ever get tired of singing about all of the cute stuff, summer and crushes?
Gerkin: Well?no, not really. I mean, I don't know, if you look at most of the songs, that's generally what they are about. It's definitely a subject that we haven't seen the bottom of yet. And, I don't know, I mean we do get tired, but not of the music that we play and the stuff that we sing about.
PULSE: So, we shouldn't be holding our breath to see a hardcore death metal record from The Red Hot Valentines?
Gerkin: Oh no way, I guarantee you won't have to worry about that. I know that Toby is really fond of saying that, "We try to be a pop rock band, and we're not angry at people and we just want to write good music."
PULSE: You guys have been scoring a lot of attention with your last record and have been playing with some pretty well-known groups such as Alkaline Trio and Superdrag. Are you guys waiting for, you know, the next big step?
Gerkin: Well, we're always hoping and waiting to make that next jump to take us to the next level. And as far as the bands that we've played with, it's really, really cool. Especially, you know, when it's a band that we really like and are maybe influenced by. But I think we're all a bit nervous around those types of bands; well maybe not onstage or anything. We don't mob them with a million questions or anything like that.
PULSE: You just try to play it cool?
Gerkin: Try to, anyway.
You can see Gerkin and his pop rock brethren, The Red Hot Valentines, try to act cool this Thursday at Hangar 9 with local acts The Plus and The Copyrights to back them up. For information of the band, their label or their upcoming tour dates go to www.theredhotvalentines.com.
The Red Hot Valentines will be performing at 10 p.m. tonight at Hangar 9 with local rock acts The Plus and The Copyrights. For more information on RHV, go to www.theredhotvalentines.com.
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