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Interview
by SashaS
16-7-2001
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| OPM: From movie-pit to mosh-sensation |
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Skate-den of iniquity
Skatepunk gets a Latino and dub-based makeover from OPM, the latest crew of Stateside mentalists to thrash their way into the UK charts...
The second Sunday in July saw OPM rocketing into the UK charts at Number 4 with their infectious single 'Heaven Is a Half Pipe'; the following Wednesday saw them taking to the stage at London's Garage and leading the audience over the brink of apeshit-delerium; on Thursday they taped a raucous appearance for Top Of The Pops and on Friday faced deo2.
The Californian trio (two live in Los Angeles, one in San Francisco) issued their album 'Menace To Sobriety' last September in the States but their brand of hiphop/rock/Latino/reggae/dub crossover is yet to infect American youth (although the three try to impress how satisfied they are with domestic attention) who's interest comes nowhere near the levels of Krautadulation, or their burgeoning UK fanbase.
OPM's current single isn't about some herbal vibe, although Amsterdam is their favourite city in the world and they confess that when touring, the holy-trinity of 'Sex, Drugs & Rock' has the last two parts on 'overtime'. In fact, 'Heaven Is A Half pipe' is actually about skateboard 'king' Christian Hosai who went down for smuggling thousands of speed pills into Uncle Sam's paradise. As they point out, you can kill a woman and get off Scot free if you are a famous football player OJ Simpson anyone? In keeping with this, the guys currently have a charity project to raise funds for Hosai's appeal. Half pipe itself is slang for a skateboarding ramp.
Speaking our lingo...
Waiting for the interview to start your correspondent overhears their lunch order: sandwiches without butter and mayo, no cheese, or anything approximating a dairy product; quite un-American and 'au contraire'to Prez Bush's carnivorous policIes. More the American way was OPM's formation in Las Vegas: John, an Island Records employee at the time (which explains the reggae element in their music) and Geoff met at a Bartenders' Convention where they were accompanying their girlfriends.
The three princIpal members, vocalists/rappers John e. Necro (Edney,to his Mom) and Shakey Lo The Kreation Kid (Matthew Meschery), plus guitarist Casper (aka Geoff Torney) like to string us along with fabulous tales, getting to the truth takes patience.
"We thought we'd break England first," bottle-blond skatepunknik John offers, "and were very surprised that Germany was the first country to pick on us, and now England... But, playing Germany, Austria and Switzerland is not as much fun because the audiences don't really understand what we are saying, so the jokes are wasted. But, because of that, we managed to have a hit with 'Stash Up' and find it excIting to hear it on the radio."
The album's opening song is a fest of f-words. Although it's a catchy tune the record company is brainstorming how to edit the vocal to make it radio friendly but there is doubt it can be achieved with integrity I'll start believing in miracles and the tooth fairy.
Walloping amounts of energy pervade their show - a melange of rap, pop, rock, funk, Fun Lovin' Criminals, The Presidents Of The USA (well, more like '... Of The Latin Americas') and John McEnroe; the latter as in "You cannot be serious!?" There's a method to OPM's madness although, at times, dipping into reggae/dub comes across as laboured as the raps don't gel with the beats. Stil" you get the sense they'll eventually manage to work out this symbiosis to produce a kicking formula.
Arrested development
Guitarist Geoff 'Casper' is quiet in person, blaming it on a "Muthaf**ker-sized hangover", only perking up to recount taking a sneaky shot of a bra-only AFKABS (Artist Formerly Known As Baby Spice) Emma Bunton, in Germany.
"She was in a [TV studio's] dressing room next to ours but I had to climb to the skylight to get a picture. Unfortunately the flash bounced off the glass and it's not really clear. I'm planning to give it to my computer friends to clean it up and enhance the image... She thought we were real fans and offered us autographs but we wanted something else... She looked fine, really, really fine," Geoff concludes foaming allover his goatee.
Rest assured they've got my e-mail and when I get a copy the tabloids will have to beg.
"We are punks!" backward baseball cap-wearing Matt exclaims, adding they prefer the real Manson, the mass-murdering Charles to the 'fake' Marilyn. Thanks for sharing that. I excuse myself and make haste to the chemist to collect my prescription of lithium.
Tour dates:
21 October - Ambassador, Dublin
22 October - Lomax, Liverpool
23 October - Irish Centre, Birmingham
24 October - Pyramid Centre, Portsmouth
26 October - UEA, Norwich
27 October - University, Leeds
29 October - University, Newcastle
30 October - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
31 October - QMU, Galsgow
02 November - Astoria, London
03 November - Rock City, Nottingham
04 November - University, Manchester
05 November - Arson Rooms/University, Bristol
SashaS
16-7-2001
Guest editor: Deirdre Molloy
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