Posted on December 7, 2009 - by Editor

Supporting Cast? Propagandhi’s Todd Kowalski & David Guillas

Propagandhi's Todd Kowalski & David Guillas © Imelda Michalczyk

Propagandhi, are a punk rock band that I often hear talked about and obtained punk media prominence with their tabloid like spat with Fat Mike in the US election run up of 2004 as he tried to publicize his support of the Democratic party and the  “Rock against Bush” campaign.

Musically the band that has been together in different forms for 20 years has seen its recent records move towards a heavier and heavy metal-influenced sound and earlier this year the quartet release “Supporting Caste” which has received much acclaim from critics and fans alike.

The arguably less well known half of Propagandhi, bassist Todd Kowalski AKA ‘The Rodd’ who joined in 1997 and rhythm guitarist David Guillas AKA “The Beaver” who joined in 2006, made some time available to us at the bands show in London and spilled some bans on judging crowd reactions, the new record and new material as well as highlighting some causes of personal interest.

After chatting briefly about my lack of knowledge of the band, in terms of not being an ardent fan and not seeing them play live before, we also briefly talked about Koko as a punk rock venue and my reservations on that.

Steve: So thanks again for taking the time to chat to us, and like I said even though I don’t know your music that well, I have spoken to friends that are big fans, this is the first day of your UK tour right?

Todd: Yeah this is first day of the UK tour; we were on tour in Canada before this.

Steve:  And I’m told you prefer shorter tours, what’s the reason behind that?

Todd: Yeah, well so we can go hard every night not put on a little act or anything ya know (mimicking puppet strings).

David: And It maintains the lives at home ya know.

Both are very polite and considered when answering y questions, and with a distinct Canadian twang in their accents. Propagandhi are a band as well known for their tough stance on a range of issues as their progressive punk rock; political, animal protection, capitalism and human rights to name just a few.

Steve: You are obviously involved in other projects & work besides the band?

Todd: Yeah well I did. I was doing work with Refugee Kids; an after school program but we have been on tour too much this year so now I’m kind of doing volunteer work whenever I can when we are back, it’s not a job but….

Steve: And even though tours are short compared to a lot of other bands, do you enjoy the touring side of things or can it be a pain?

Todd: I don’t think it’s too much of a pain as long as we play good we are happy and don’t suck.

Steve: So how do you know when everyone is happy, far more talkative and buzzing?

Todd: Um well we are never really talkative (smiling).

David: I think it’s rare we are unanimously in agreement on a show, someone might think it’s an ‘A’ and someone else will give a it a ‘C’.

Steve: Some quiet discontent in the camp then. (me grinning and David laughing).

Todd: We are usually half all right, we have never tanked like the good old days, or not so bad where you are so mad at yourself. Well sometimes we do, it’s not as obvious to the crowd I don’t think?

Todd Kowalski © Imelda Michalczyk

Steve: Do you often get an opportunity to interact with the crowd or to engage with your fans, as your message and what you have to stay is arguably as important as the music itself?

Todd: Generally sure we will, and are out there outside and say hi. But a show like this with a barricade I and don’t know what the security is like, like we have come back from shows to our room and security has already wiped the place, in that case we don’t talk to anyone!

Steve: For sure. But do you get to take on board your fans viewpoint on social issue you discuss; I mean do you take much notice in what they have to say?

Todd: I can’t say ever recalling having someone say something, like a conversation at a show that will spark lyrics or something. But it inspires in a way to see who is listening. Like what you are saying is encouraging so you don’t feel like some putz just sitting in a basement with a guitar, although that’s the reality.

Steve: Is it difficult to fight so many battles at once in terms of what you address, can you sell yourself a bit short in that way?

Todd: I don’t think that’s our concern as much. There are only so many things you can write about. Like how do you do it successfully in song; lyrically etc, not just the run of the mill like “we will we will fight this” and… (sarcastically)

Steve: Like run off a shopping list of things you are against?

Todd: Yeah and something has to touch you in way, like every day something will shock me in a way and I think I can write a song about that, but except I can’t. I have no way to make each one successful and resounding. You keep plugging away until you find something that works.

Steve: And what happens when you do come across something that touches you in that way, do you get on the phone to the guys or talk about it at the next practise?

Todd:  Well we see each other every day so if someone came up with a song about how we love Hitler, it’s not right, so we know when it’s on or not.

Steve: Otherwise it will be a quick exit from the band! (both guys laughing).And in terms of the records themselves- when I say I don’t know your music that well, my introduction to Propagandhi was the earlier Fat stuff.

Todd: Well don’t judge us on that now.

Steve: No, I have heard the past two records, and I’m not here to say what is better or worse, but there is a definite shift, with more metal. So when you started out why didn’t he band start at place, or was it an evolving process?

Todd: Well if you go back to the old stuff like when Chris (Hannah) and Jord (Samolesky) started the band 20 years ago, it sounded like more like what we sound like now.  I don’t think it was intentional but their demos seemed more Fat Wreck sounding at the time. But those recordings were unintentionally more polished up to sound more like Fat stuff, and on “Less talk, more Rock”  John Samsons (former bassist) had some weird songs and off the edge stuff, and none of us are really interested in that now, so how we sound now on “Supporting Caste” for me is how the early demos sounded like.

Steve: Ok but changes in the group obviously bring changes to the band and the sound, so what would you say individually you have bought to the band?

Todd: It’s a good question: I think I bring some kind of musical aggression and chaos- I thrive on that.

Steve: What were you listening to growing up, where does that come from?

Todd: Oh like old thrash metal, I just liked everything faster and heavier; Napalm Death, I liked it all.

Steve: And you? (nudging David) What would you say with this record and how comfortable the band is with the sound?

David: I don’t know, I guess more atmospheric and textural, I don’t know if my influence is as big as Todd’s.

Todd: I would agree with the texture and depth which I try to bring through on bass too.

Steve: And on the last record you worked with Bill Stevenson, who is well known. How was your experience working with him, was it drastically different to working with anyone you have previously?

Todd: I think it’s his commitment to some kind of wild work ethic.

David: Crazy detail to all these little edits.

Todd: Like “play that again, play that again, play that again” (mockingly so).

David: And that’s playing wise too!

Steve: Does that get tiring, like “Bill that’s enough we can stop now!”

David: Kind of, more a knock on the confidence cos you feel useless and you can’t play your songs you know? (Nervous laughter).

Steve:  But overall, now the record has been out for a bit and I’m not sure  how often you listen to you own records, but you are happy?

Todd: Oh yeah!

David: I think it’s our best sounding album for sure, and a good learning experience too.

Steve: In what way best sounding?

David: Um, well sonically, it’s just the best sounding, sounds like the best Propagandhi album to me.

Todd: And intense too.

Steve: Do you get from fans that they have a sense of what you are doing and latch on to it quite quickly with new material?

Todd: Yeah well I was watching a band Decrepit Birth the other day, playing with a bunch of other death metal bands. The crowd was rocking harder during the other bands cos it’s easier, but with Decrepid Birth they were just standing there watching; but as soon as they are done, the crowd are like “well that’s way better!” But fuck if I was in that band I would have thought they didn’t like us! So you can never really tell. Or if you are geared to it. Like sometimes you think you are fucking great just cos you put a microphone out (mimicking holding out to the crowd for a sing along); any child performer can do that. Get a bunch of kids “Like lalala lalala” (in mocking sound).

Steve What about London, I’m not originally from London, and I don’t mean to stereotype but they can be a bit stand offish?

Todd: For us they have been good. Last time, I broke a string, had a broken peg on my bass playing with three strings, like “fuck this is terrible!” but people were still enjoying it. In terms of our London shows that was the worst one but generally they have been pretty rocking.

Steve: A common question, do you see any similarity between crowds, a lot of American bands see similarities between Canadian and European crowds.

Todd: It’s tough to generalise, it’s more show by show.

David: Yeah it will vary through Canada a lot.

Todd: Even playing the same people the same place it can vary being good one show and bad the next.

Steve: Doesn’t that leave bands to scratch their heads if that happens and go, “I thought we were good last time?”

Todd: Well I think there may actually be too many bands that suck and they come to London and people look at them and go “these guys suck” and then the band gets mad at them.

Steve: Well London is spoilt for music, so it’s a nice barometer to tell good bands from the not.

Todd: I always try and never blame the crowd unless it’s the PA or something and if they (crowd) are not feeling it, and we are kind of aware of a good PA or not. But if it’s not a good show or not I blame us cos we are the one’s not making it a good show. The crowd doesn’t get paid to dance in front of us. (David laughing at this).

Steve: Do you come hard down on yourself if that happens?

Todd:  It depends. If it was us playing well and the crowd didn’t get into it, I don’t care as much but if we play badly or lame, like sometimes we are too lazy to say “hey how are you doing” and fans turn against you.

Steve: Can you shed any light in terms of the next record, as I have read that things are in the pipeline which for Propagandhi is quick work.

David: We have no concrete plans; we are just working on things.

Todd: And still without lyrics which is the hard part. We have a bunch of things written down but to get lyrics into a song for us is the challenge.

David: I think we are all motivated to get it going as quick we can, we are excited to write more songs.

Todd: And we have lots of music and a long way to go!

Steve: Do you both find it helps with Chris and Jord, not more committed, but with more time invested in the band; with

Chris Hannah © Imelda Michalczyk

the touring and playing and going in full gear.

Todd: For me, to know that David for example is practising hard, or when Chris and Jord are focusing 100% then I’m like ok I need to get on it.

David: I think even with the last record we were working on it a couple Summers ago, I was working at the time and we were jamming in the evenings and I wasn’t putting time into the songs at home cos I was exhausted. And it kind of sucked. Like, I was so happy with the record but now I feel like I have so much time for the record in terms of playing and writing stuff it’s a thousand times better.

Todd: I feel like, those guys weren’t slacking off or anything; the more they do the more I take it seriously. Not even unconsciously, if I know they are at home doing it I will do it.

Steve: What about the bands you play with, Protest the Hero I know are from Canada, and Strike Anywhere used to be on the same label. Does it a matter the bands you tour with?

Todd: Yeah it matters. We try and have bands that either interests us or we are interested in. Like PTH are really creative, a real band that play hard. Strike Anywhere are different but we have played with them before and are nice guys.

Steve: And they seem to tackle similar issues too?

David: Yeah well when you spend weeks at a time together it helps if you can all get along and all on the same page.

Todd: I can’t remember ever being on tour where we didn’t get along with someone? (Pauses) Well again I would have to go back a while!

Steve: In terms of issues the band tackles, are there any in term of personal interest you would like people to be more aware of? Like if they walked away from a show and you mentioned something they might want to look up?

Todd: From a show, I don’t think anyone is going to watch a show and say”wow I want to search that thing up”.  But like in Canada were are doing the Tar Sands, it’s one of the biggest environmental/devastation  issues in the world, and not too far from where we stay in Canada. Like hell on earth! So we went across Canada to raise awareness about it.

Steve: What is it about, sorry?

Todd: It’s about oil, this crazy way of extracting oil from the land.

David: It’s the most destructive project created by humans in the existence of humankind, and all the oil goes to the Sates.

Todd: So you would like to think they (fans) get inspired by something and check it out, or have an interest or read the lyrics. In some way go from there, maybe see a name or website or an idea.

Propagandhi © Imelda Michalczyk

Steve: And with mobile technology and digital media, it’s so much easier.

Todd: It’s seems successful. In every interview we get asked about these things whether they have to or not I don’t know. But whatever the case people have deciphered that they will ask us about these topics.

Steve: Well there are a lot of issues and Propagandhi is a gateway band.

Todd: And the emails and people we talk to have a focus on that too, so yeah.

Steve: Last question, moving forward as a band, supporting this record and a potential new record in the works. What would you like to aim for?

Todd: Just to be the best we can and be creative.

Steve: And touring new places?

Todd: Yeah I would like to get to more places we have not been to yet like Mexico, Malaysia, southern Africa. Sometimes, like with London,  we think “should we go there or somewhere we haven’t been?” But London seems easy, on the plane for six hours, and we are here.

Steve: Well on the business side these tours can fund more exotic tours?

Todd: Yeah and we have a record label here, they put out our records and like we want to go other places but our records may not be there but hopefully we get to go.

Steve: Any final message?

Todd: Check out the website http://www.democracynow.org/ & New International http://www.newint.org/