Interrogated by DJ Astrocreep
Legendary San Francisco punks The Mutants last month released a new archival compilation album, ‘Curse Of The Easily Amused’. So, what better time to catch up with founding member, guitarist and co-lyricist, Mabuhay Gardens scene veteran and all-round genre aficionado John Gullak, to talk about the release and bring the band’s story smack up to date, as well as chat about his multiple other projects?
As a result of our chat, I still had loads more questions to ask, so I fired off a quick email to John to pick up those loose threads… I started by asking if he still enjoyed a good relationship with the rest of The Mutants, past and present?
Yes, some more than others. We’ve gone through a lot together. We are both family and friends. We have our differences and our agreements.
I enjoy interacting with all the members. I look forward to the time we spend together. Especially working together on this latest project. It has been a lot of work, much more than I had imagined and it’s been worth it.
We spoke about a couple of your gig experiences during the audio interview – are there any others that you would consider either a high point or that you particularly enjoyed?
The Deaf School in Berkeley California for sure. We did two shows. One for the younger children and another for the older ones. I don’t think any of them had preconceived ideas of what to expect from the Mutants. Once we started to perform they all seemed to really get into it. To see these kids that had hearing disabilities moving to the music was, well, moving.
I arranged for the band to perform at my old high school, San Lorenzo High. This was very early on. We performed during lunch in the courtyard. Wasn’t a great reception. I think the students were mostly confused by it all.
Here is an experience outside of our gigs but still relates to the scene:
I had an interesting encounter with Sid Vicious at the Mabuhay. It was a weeknight. I was backstage, pretty much by myself. Sid walked in. I’m a pretty easy-going person but there was something about him that riled me, it was strange. The walls backstage were totally covered in graffiti. Sid started breaking off pieces of the drywall, I suppose as souvenirs. For some reason this really upset me. I walked over and asked him what made him think he could come here from England and start tearing good American drywall off our walls. He asked me what does it matter? I told him I install and finish drywall for a living and he said that was my problem, which is true and even upset me more. I started getting in his face, something totally out of character for me. By then his handlers got between us. They escorted him back out through the club to a waiting car double parked on Broadway.
I followed them menacingly and sneered at Sid through the car window as he sat in the back seat and they drove off. The whole thing seemed bizarre. Looking back on it I still don’t know why I reacted like that. I wish I’d been more friendly, I might have had a more interesting exchange with him.
I remember an incident at the 9:30 club in DC. We were supporting the Cramps in March of ’83. Backstage, Fritz lost his temper about something. He stormed out of the room, pushing the door open wildly and smacking it into Lux Interior who happened to be passing by. For a moment we thought things would lead to fisticuffs. Fritz and Lux both let their better selves emerge and things settled down.
With the interviews you did for No Other Radio Network and Another Room magazine, are there any that stick out in your mind as particularly good, or that you really enjoyed more than some others?
Yes, I had the pleasure of interviewing many really interesting artists.
The poet and performance artist John Giorno in particular stands out. He of course was the subject of Warhol’s anti-film ‘Sleep’. He was in town promoting his ‘Giorno Poetry Systems’ and also performing with William Burroughs and Laurie Anderson at the Strand Theater in San Francisco.
Genisis P. Orridge was fun, also.
Are there any bands you found during your tenures with the above that you became a huge fan of?
There’s probably only a handful of artists that I’m a huge fan of. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t discover a LOT of artists whose music I really enjoyed. There were quite a few.
Debt of Nature from SoCal for instance. I’m pretty sure they’re still active. I know Brad Laner is. In fact, I follow him on FaceBook. When we released their cassette tape on A.R.P.H. Brad was still living at home with his parents. I’d call him and his dad would answer, he’d yell “Brad, telephone!”.
The Problemist is another. William Davenport went on to publish Unsound Magazine and now produces documentary films.
Mike Edwards was super prolific, he sent in a lot of very good home taped music. He hosts a podcast now, ‘In My Room’.
You mentioned during our chat that you had a previous mental institute gig before the infamous Napa State one – how did that first one come about?
No one remembers for sure.
Are there any songs you love playing live, maybe above others?
You know the saying, which child of yours is the favorite? That applies here. Although, our song ‘Tribute to Russ Meyer’ stands alone for the fact that it’s always different. It’s the one song that encourages improvisation and that is fun to see where it goes each time.
Who were the artists that made you want to pick up a guitar and that influenced your writing?
I almost hate to say it, since it’s become such a cliché. The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed. Lou is still in my top five. I won’t apologize.
My super hip cousins in Oakland had the album when it first came out. I was 13 and loved it the first time I heard it. It seemed so dangerous and underground. I was already a Warhol fan and this melded art and rock together for me, very influential.
Then there was Patti Smith with ‘Horses’. That album was a real shot in the arm for rock music. It made it interesting and important again for me. I saw her perform live in Berkeley at the Longbranch Saloon promoting that album and it was exciting.
Of course, the Ramones too. When their first album came out in ’76 most rock music had become so bloated and self-referential it was disgusting. The Ramones brought life back to the music and made it fun again.
Likewise, are they any others you listened to growing up?
A lot. My first single was ‘Wild Thing’ by the Troggs. I was 12. My super hip cousins condemned the purchase. They said it was teenybopper music and had no socially redeeming qualities. I didn’t care, I just knew it was fun.
I had a paper route and spent my money mostly on records and a pretty sophisticated component stereo for that time. I was a Stones and Yardbirds fan, didn’t like the Beatles until after Sgt. Peppers. My brother in-law was very hip also (I mean we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area late 60s) I asked him “what is a good band that no one at school will know?”. He said Paul Butterfield Blues Band. I bought ‘East West’, thoroughly enjoyed it and felt so mature. There were many other favorites including the great San Francisco psychedelic bands like Quicksilver Messenger Service and Moby Grape.
I had quite a record collection. Last year we had to vacate our West Oakland studio of 44 years. I counted approximately 3,500 albums and 2,500 7″ 45s. A small portion of those were my wife’s. I’m currently liquidating them to record stores. Stranded Records, which is owned in part by Steve Wascovitch of Superior Viaduct Records, has bought a bunch.
Was there anyone in the art world that influenced your creativity in regards to performance art, in particular?
I personally didn’t do live performances. I did video pieces that incorporated performance. Some influential artists from that period, the mid ,70s, that come to mind are William Wegman, Bruce Conner, Andy Warhol, Willoughby Sharp, Chris Burden, etc.
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