The Spooky Qs formed in 2007 as a three-piece band. Four years later and with a real-live drummer (Chris Oaks), the Q’s have put out 2 records, Winterband and the more recent Rid of You, both of which are available as vinyl record or fee download (donations welcome) on the band’s website. NoC caught up with the band to ask them about their long-planned album of resistance music, rumored to be near the recording stages.
NoC: Have you released Rid of You yet?
Jack Cofer: We have! For free digital download on the web site. Also, we have the vinyl ready, but not their sleeves. Still seeking someone to assist in the printing of those.
NoC: Where are you all in your album of resistance music? When are you hoping to have it completed?
JC: Truthfully, we had hoped to have this completed by….a while ago, but as good prefects go, this one grew and grew and now we are in the stage of rehearsing them for recording.
NoC: You have noted how fun it has been to dig up old resistance songs, most from before World War II. What have you found?
Ondine Quinn: It’s really been a learning experience. We weren’t sure what we’d find. We wanted to try our best to represent struggle and resistance from all over the world and all walks of life. We did research for several months and only ended up scratching the surface. Most Kentuckians are familiar with Florence Reese’s song “Which side are you on,” which we knew right away had to be on the album. We found “Keep woman in her sphere” from researching the women’s suffrage movement in the United States and “Follow the drinking gourd” from our research of American slave resistance. Occasionally we’d stumble upon a real gem like Bessie Jackson’s “B.D (bull dagger) woman’s blues.” We’re also including songs from other countries such as “A las barricadas,” an anarchist anthem from the Spanish Civil War and “Undzer shtetl brent! (Our town is burning!)” by Mordecais Gebirtig about the Jewish pogroms in Poland.
NoC: Why did you want to take on this project? How do you see it as a part of what the Q’s do as a band?
OQ: We took this project on out of a desire to make a kick ass album that also means something. The songs that we chose are all very powerful in their own right and hopefully we’ve made them more accessible to people. We like for our music to be unique but also fun, and we think this album definitely reflects that. Finally, as a band with two openly queer members who both actively work in the community to dismantle oppression, this album makes total sense.
Seith Miller: I think I was attracted to the idea that there isn’t any real difference between something that is new and something that is new to you. I wouldn’t really want to be in or listen to a band that doesn’t change, taking risks is a lot more fun.
CO: When it comes down to it, we pretty much feel like we can do whatever we want. Now is sort of the time to take on interesting projects like this, as most bands are abandoning the notion of just recording a 12 song album and then touring. Its just not mandatory to do that anymore.
NoC: How do you imagine these resistance songs holding up in a live format?
Chris Oaks: Along with our usual live experience, which is pretty loud and intense, a lot of these reimagined songs sound and move differently. Some are folkier, more ethereal, and some are full on dance tracks. It definitely adds some new angles to our sound.
SM: It depends on the song. We tend to play pretty ruckus shows and there are definitely songs on this album that will kick your teeth in.
NoC: Do you have any recent gigs or anything else going on in the near future?
JC: We have two dates with Indianapolis band Hero Jr in November. One here in Lexington at the Green Lantern, and one in Indy.
Leave a Reply