Slash Magazine #2, June 1977
(photos by Steve Samiof and Melanie Nissen)

Screamers Interview, Page Two

Slash: I remember dancing to it! K.K.: Dancing to Martin Denny?! Quite an imagination! Slash: Do you have a manager? Gear: We manage ourselves. K.K.: We manage to manage ourselves! Slash: How long will you manage to manage yourselves? Gear: If the right person comes along... somebody who is one of us... but not just some guy. Slash: Are you in this for money or pleasure? Tomata: No, we're very serious. Slash: About what? Tomata: All those screaming teenagers! K.K.: We want to see our faces on lunch- boxes! Slash: Which piece of equipment do you need right now? Tomata: I need a bullhorn. K.K.: An electric toothbrush! Slash: Do you work hard on stage? Tomata: Our stage act is like a controlled nervous breakdown! K.K.: We're choreographed by the confines of the stage, or beyond the confines of the stage! Gear: It will be inspired by our audience's reaction. Slash: How old is your ideal audience? Gear: I went to Iggy, there was a woman in the lobby, about 85 years old, I couldn't believe it, so I said, "how did you like the show?", and she said, "I thought it was great!". That's the kind of audience I would like, in addition to people who share our sensibilities. Slash: If you were not accepted, would you change your music? Gear: Our music has come out of our lives, so if our experience changes our music will, but the basic quality won't. Tomata: I feel confident we have a very good commercial appeal. Slash: Will they play your single on KHJ? K.K.: What's KHJ? Slash: What's more important to you, albums or singles? Gear: At this point, singles. Slash: In Jamaica, they shoot DJs who play the wrong tunes on the air! K.K.: Watch out, Rodney! Gear: Rodney is a good force... K.K.: A necessary magnet... Slash: Are you prepared to compromise? Tomata: You mean like prostitution?! (laughter) Slash: Would you do "Louie, Louie"? Tomata: We don't know the words! Slash: Let's talk about your looks. Gear: Have I given you strange looks? Slash: What about the London'anti-fashion? Tomata: Exciting! Gear: I think couture is anti-fashion! Tomata: I like the way the girls look... the fashions we like are not frozen... Slash: How about the nazi paraphernalia? Gear: I'll never be seen carrying a bayonet! ... Americans are really underprivileged as far as uniforms are concerned. Slash: Would you wear it on stage? Tomata: Only at private affairs! K.K.: To a wedding! Tomata: You were talking about people's reactions: we were walking from the Whiskey one night, these cars were driving by, started circling and throwing rocks at us! Slash: Do you think what's happened to rock 'n' roll is pure science fiction? Gear: Science fiction? It's science fact! Slash: How do you get your hair to stand up like this? Gear: We use vaseline. When you put it in, it doesn't really wash out, and the vaseline will collect the dust from the air, it gives your hair a very interesting texture. After a while the grease is gone, but your hair is like a mold... like a sculpture. Slash: Just like the rastas? Tomata: They're great! K.K.: I'd like to-see the Pistols do reggae! Gear: You wanted us to ask ourselves the question we always wanted to be asked... Well, Tomata will pose the question now. K.K.: I want to see Tomata POSE the ques- tion! Tomata: How do you feel when you see a young girl face down in the street? In the gutter? David: Total complicity! Tomata: I want to beat the shit outta her! Gear: I feel sexual attraction! K.K.: I want to turn her over... Tomata: To see if she's done on the other side? Gear: Another question: If you could do a benefit concert for a religion, which one would it be? Tomata: Jehovah's witnesses! Slash: Any plans, for the next two months? K.K.: Japan, Pago-Pago, Madagascar ... Tomata: Seriously, an EP and a tour. Gear: And a lot more publicity. K.K.: We want to meet all of our audience. Slash: Do you think the Pistols are overdoing it in their anarchy stance? K.K.: They're more into musical anarchy than social anarchy. Gear: To make a point you have to be extreme... Tomata: Anarchy relates there more than in California. Gear: I think America will produce something distinctively American, but equivalent to what's happening there. Slash: Thank you. What do you think SLASH is? K.K.: The best magazine. We were so relieved the title wasn't STASH!