The Binges
w/The Automatic Music Explosion & The Ringers
King King
Hollywood, California
February 19, 2007
By Frank Gilliland
Photos by Victoria Joyce
The Binges show at Hollywood’s King King on Monday night offered a testament to what it means to be a good, if not great, young rock band. Putting and holding together a band is a tricky combination of luck, skill, tolerance and force. But these guys get it.
The L.A. quartet parted the curtains around midnight, and then simply rocked, showing they know their purpose, and that they care about their audience. Front man Dylan Squatcho seemed a littler more drunk than last Monday’s show, and this does him well. His voice was more confident, vigorous and abrasive. When he wailed of bloodshot eyes, his last cigarette and some elusive truth, echoes of orthodox rock from another era loomed large and set the stage. His long, intense screams and howls are what some great vocalists are made of, and Squatcho feels as comfortable in these as anyone should have a right to. At about the third song into their set, his inner David Yow came out from behind the bar, and, in a world cluttered with horrendous hip-hop, way too much TV and people that play golf, his cries promised the audience that he understands both why he sings and why we come to listen.
Travis “Skanky’ Smith, the drummer, pounded away with glee throughout the night. His face showed little more than total absorption in the set, and his arms showed little more than complete, controlled chaos. Simply put, he kept time the way any proper rock drummer should. He never overwhelmed the others, nor did he allow guitars or vocals to upstage him. Smith kept his watchful eyes and sticks on the anthems, no more, no less.
Bass player Tsuzumi Okai plucked and slammed her strings with perfect rhythm, graceful coolness and a gorgeous Death Angel do. While rock may be one harsh cure for the confounding absurdities of life, it is not without its style. And Tsuzumi has it in spades. Her sleepy eyes, red tank-top and long elegant fingers can leave no doubt that rock is sexy. She has the ultimate combination of aloofness and involvement, mastery over her instrument and an ‘it’s only rock-n-roll’ attitude. These qualities betray not only talent but self-confidence.
And this lets me end on a note of what the good Rock Lord has not blessed us good rock fans with nearly enough of: the female lead guitarist. When Mayuko Okai (she and the bassist are sisters) plays, she makes her licks her own. And this is rare. Solid rock does not need much when it comes to guitar, and Mayuko is under no illusions to the contrary. No doubt she is well trained, but it was her restraint that was so impressive on Monday.
From solos to rhythm, she proved her total comprehension of her role in the band and what it is that great guitarists do – they simply play their songs, the songs that only they can play. Listening to Mayuko makes it clear that she gets, approves and endorses what Slash, Gilmore, and Cobain among many others accomplished – they all were integral parts of great bands who knew their places, seized their roles and commanded their live shows. This is a tell-tale omen of maturity, and it is not only admirable but it is crucial for success in this business. When she chants, “Hey! Hey!” into the mic, one can only pay dire attention, desperate to hear the next lick, rapt in awe of her sex appeal, her talent and professionalism. Not only is she a joy to look at, the girl can fucking rock.
Opening the show Monday night was The Automatic Music Explosion with fabulous polka dot scarves and a fine pop punk set. The AME’s will be doing a residency at Safari Sam’s Kiss or Kill in April. The Ringers played a wicked set too. Love them.
King King is an important Hollywood rock venue, one of many new hot clubs that is part of the renaissance on this tattered boulevard. The audience at Monday’s showcase is growing. Adding to the merriment, a funky fun DJ, Kii playing AC/DC and even the Beatles while showing videos of obscure mod flims. We loved Xanadu. It must be magic.
www.myspace.com/theautomaticmusicexplosion