Roots- Not the movie, the origins. It’s no big secret that all music stems from many similar sources; Styles borrowing from other styles, influences shaping art and collaborations that break down traditional barriers.
For instance: Jazz fuels blues, which impacted rock, then bred metal and we definitely can’t forget about punk. In fact, it’s that shameless punk rebellion which defines an entire generation and sub-culture of extremely vocal anarchists chanting, “We just don’t give a F! F the man! F the world! And of course, F you!!” Sounds like a typical day at the office.
So when indie label Itchy Metal Entertainment decided to join the chant, some immediate responses were unsurprisingly: “WTF?” But it’s exactly that raw, balls-out (sometimes quite literally) perspective that sounded like the perfect “sign-o-the-times” soundtrack to the LA company during a recent discussion with Derek James, lead guitarist of the Sin-City punk band “Shotguns-N-Gasoline”.
“With metal, we jumped head-first into a genre and culture that literally breeds controversy and takes today’s social issues head on,” explains Ed Fassio, CEO of IME Records. “Most of IME’s artists have some part of their stage persona emulated in the real world. In the case of punk music and SNG, it’s literally life following art in everything they do. Their music, the lyrics and attitude- It’s all very genuine.”
Fassio began work with SNG 36 months prior, accompanying the group in the early days at local Las Vegas bars and underground hang-outs. It was 2008, the year Shotguns-N-Gasoline first launched on to the west coast music scene after various incarnations of James’ previous musical endeavors. Joining him, Michael Ullemeyer (percussionist) and Logan Pochatko (bass and vocals) merged to form the band’s original line-up – still in existence today. Since inception the punk trio has embarked on several self-promoted tours, playing with an impressive list of headliners including the Horror Pops, Dead Kennedys and the Voodoo Glow Skulls. In addition to sharing national stages, the band holds endorsements with Seymour Duncan, Ernie Ball and Converse.
While heavy metal can get dark and serious, SNG addresses the same controversial scenarios and keeps it fun. SNG fans often find themselves shouting provocative lyrics nestled in the song’s catchy melodies. All the while, you’re moshing and downing a cold one after a long day at a job you hate. “I think at some point in our lives, we can all relate to that,” adds Fassio.
SNG’s new alignment with Itchy Metal reunites the trio with Fassio for a 2 year promo and distribution deal. Their first release on the new label will include the popular tracks: “SNG Anthem” and “Mom Vomit”.
