Dick Lucas
Citizen Fish /Subhumans
By Jillian Abbene
(SugarBuzz Wash DC/Richmond)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Jillian: For the sake of Americans not being able to wrap their heads around what life is like in the UK, can you briefly describe why Brits/you are so discontent? [remember many kids haven’t been around long enough to truly be directly affected, due to the lack of longetivity by default]
Dick: Youth behave darker these days, with shootings and gangs.
Jillian: --It’s not the old fashioned hand and fist?
Dick: No… It’s instant…immediate--as everything else.
Jillian: How are they able to obtain these guns? I mean we have gun laws here in the States—
Dick: There is more demand than it is supplied.
Jillian: So what else…?
Dick: Although Thatcher ruled with an iron fist in the 80’s, and the fact that there is still such an extreme between rich to poor, there is that fear to change. Then there was ‘Blairism’ where the utilized buzz words such as, “progress” specifically, and “education and family” were being plugged. Yet, for example, there are still long lines in private healthcare.
Jillian: Now that sounds more like President Bush and Blair had taken on the same stance?
Dick: Yes, and the media sets the tone. We only read what their opinions are…it’s taken over politics from public opinions and made to headline news—which could destroy the government, simply based on election results.
Jillian: --So it’s really the media in control…
Dick: Yes, [voice trailing off] the media takes on the role of incessant renewal, this ‘shiny-bright’-- and now the language of Blair/Bush [between USA and the UK], leaves no barriers. So politics take on more of a stand to give the appearance that they are more like people, than politicians, and that they are right… Bush Says, ‘God told me to do it,” just as Blair claimed, ‘instinct’ told him to do it. Yet there’s no real accountability.
Jillian: Good point. This goes hand in hand with the next question—
Jillian: Although you probably feel like you are beating a dead horse about greediness and commercialism, what do you aim to accomplish in your lyrics and what do you think are the worse forms of commercialism?
Dick: The worse forms of commercialism…? I would say fast food giants like McDonald’s. [wincing] The poor can eat cheap, but there is no nutritional value because it’s all reprocessed fat and fillers. There’s also Starbuck’s [he grimaces again] where they are on every corner…force fed…with no control…
Jillian: Excessive—and easily accessible…
Dick: Yes. [shaking his head] Then there is technology. Technology is cheaper to get a hold of (referring to a sign of the times in the UK) – which only directs all senses against reality as a flooded distraction to what is really going on.
Jillian: It’s like that here. It’s no different. Actually, it’s worse! The ratio of rich to poor in comparison to the size of this country is greater by the margin.
Dick: …and also the messing of the planet.
Jillian: The big conglomerates?
Dick: [shaking his head in agreement], yes, oil and power companies. They control and screw up the planet. It’s all government embedded. There are also the four music industry conglomerates: Sony…Warner… Time…EMI and Universal…99% dictate the music industry.
Jillian: So that’s where shit music is made. Hmf. I read where you poignantly said, “…with the few exceptions, most bands get given a huge advance, which they will soon learn has to be paid back to the company either by selling a shitload of records [which some do, most don’t], or to cover the costs of promo videos, etc, this often means the band are in deep stress trying to fulfill their contracts to pay back the initial advance, and their creativity meanwhile gets second place, and they start putting out shitty records…music and money do not naturally mix together anyway, and when money becomes more important than music, the music dies. As for punk bands on majors, well some bands have a lot more to say than others…is punk an attitude or a catchy tune? It’s an attitude….” Your statement was so clear in how big companies sell music/clothing that’s manufactured, including orchestrated song/clothing. Honestly, I’ve always hated that and strive to not give in through my wallet but back only to the bands.
Dick: It’s really all about needing to do this DIY…these companies take the creative control away.
Jillian: Then what’s left?
Dick: Then there’s Clear Channel along with others like MTV crap…
Jillian: Again, the downside of the media—
Dick: Yes, they control their [artists’ dreams].
We both nod in agreement.
Jillian: Obviously, Citizen Fish has drive. Do you think the messages you bring are what keeps Citizen Fish and even the Subhumans afloat? I mean…there’s clarity in the delivery of the lyric and a certain approachability just from my observation…
Dick: Well, yes. I remember that there was a person who was at one of our gigs, who was blind. She came up to me afterwards and thanked me because she can actually hear the lyrics.
Jillian: Wow, that’s amazing! I agree. Grant it, the ‘barking’ punk rock has it’s place and I do love the testosterone in-your-face songs, but it is refreshing to just be able to jump around [I’m grinning now] to cleverly placed messages.
Jillian: On your latest CD, “Deadline,” with Leftover Crack, I see you designed the cover art. How long have you been painting?
Dick: I started about 3 years ago.
Jillian: Am I correct that it’s acrylic?
Dick: Yes, I started painting sky, rock, sea, and cloud to no set shape until it developed into more of a story.
Jillian: With my background in graphic arts, I think I can say that you have a keen sense of color. There is nice complexity of the color schemes along simple themes. I suppose this is a sense of therapy for you? Perhaps art imitating music?
Dick: Yes, it is really. It just sort of came about. That’s my art work on the latest CD, “Deadline.”
Jillian: [getting ready to ask another question],
Dick: We are going to have to wrap this up because I need a smoke, to pee and a cup of coffee…
Jillian: Ok, quickly then, what bands have influenced Citizen Fish and/or you?
Dick: One band that comes to mind is New World Friendship Society. Anyone that’s a bit flamboyant, Anarchists…. is a great source of inspiration.
[Note: After the reprieve, we ended up walking down to the nearby 7-11 where the asshole cashier insisted on charging me for a cup of coffee when all I was getting was a cup of water. This is a perfect example of petty nickel and diming. Oh, and to everyone who is an overzealous capital opportunist, you can keep your damn corporate cup of hot water.
http://www.myspace.com/citizenfishofficial