4. Identity
Through the social and hormonal haze of high school, The Six and Violence made its intrepid way. All of us attended a relatively liberal Catholic high school. Liberal as compared to the school today where the students wear uniforms and the Principal is a man of the cloth. When we were there the Principal was a red-faced layman. We didn't wear uniforms. We were required to dress the equivalent of what is called "business casual" today. That of course was stretched, most effectively by the girls.
It was during our junior year that the band had its first rehearsals and sold its cassette. That tape has made appearances on eBay in recent years. I don't recall what the sellers were asking but it was sort of surreal to know it's been there and is of value to someone out there; I'm still surprised by whatever fame we were able to achieve. Thanks.
We pulled in enough cash for the tape and from our few shows at Feb's to make us want more ... attention than cash though the cash was interesting. My father chuckled in disbelief. I'm sure all our parents thought it amusing. But tasting that dream - the rock and roll dream - was exhilarating. It was very cool.
At a time when one's identity is being formed, having music is a means of defining oneself in terms of beliefs, values, views and relationship with society. Music is very powerful at any stage and in almost any context but in high school where you have little to show for yourself, music was a tool of communicating and defining your worth and your place.
High school is sort of funny in the grand scheme of things. In light of socialization and self-definition who you are is very much derived from family, things like religion and nationality. It's also from your limited achievements like grades and sports. In high school those things become more refined with the choices we make and enhanced with extra-curricular activities like art, photography, sports, music, drugs, smoking, drinking... the Six and Violence for me at least, was a cool thing to be associated with. Between Kurt, Sorge, Jim, J and Dave there were cool guys in the band. I was probably the dorkiest - certainly the most awkward socially. The band helped to smooth out the edges and it was comfortable - it felt good to be playing with friends and playing music that I related to. In that way, I was lucky. But "lucky" only in hindsight.
The kind of music we were into at the time spanned the "rock" spectrum from Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull to the Dead Kennedys, Clash and Ramones. The Six and Violence was a melding of that spectrum. Looking at the band half the guys were into progressive rock a la Rush and Jethro Tull, the other half was into the "punk" scene comprised of bands like The Ramones, The Clash, and if you stretched the definition, U2. But placing the Six and Violence on that spectrum is hard. It was akin to Spinal Tap, equal part rock, theater, homage, and joke.
Queens was in flux during this period as well. Most of us grew up and lived in a predominantly white northeastern Queens. Go there today and it's mostly Asian or seemingly so. The major influx of Asian immigrants came in the late 70s and early 80s during our formative years as it were. What influence that had on us, I don't know. Perhaps there was one on some deeper level or none at all. For me being of the minority to begin with, the issue of identity was more pronounced.
I didn't relate at all with the new immigrants. Kids my age at the time and younger were expected to learn piano and/or violin. Expected. In some circles that is still true today - part of the "perfect immigrant" perception. So playing percussion in a punk band was absolutely unheard of and needless to say frowned upon by Asians. Today I would say that's still the case but certainly not to the same extent. It's evident in a growing number of acts today. I remember seeing James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. It was in the early 90s just as they were emerging. I thought I started a trend...
So you can imagine, 1984, here I was an Asian-American playing cymbals in a hardcore band. Goofy. This is another element to playing cymbals in the Six and Violence - that it's a joke. It's contrived. It's not serious. It's important only for the novelty of it. I contributed nothing musically or lyrically; I didn't have the skills really. I was a sight gag and I knew it. Although I was cool with it most of the time, there were times when I felt uncomfortable with it. I was an outsider while being inside which was a reflection of my place in the world. I was an Asian-American who thought and felt more American than Asian; I was American to the Asians and Asian to the Americans. On stage I wasn't really a musician, I merely looked like one.
I don't feel the same way at all today. Part of the uniqueness of The Six and Violence sound is the dual percussion action. There's also an energy that comes with standing than from sitting at a kit. Dave and I play off each other. After playing cymbals next to Dave for over 20 years the greatest compliment is when people say we sound like one player. Perhaps similarly, I don't feel like a hyphenated American - that was a very 80's concept.
I don't know about the others but being in and growing up with this band has helped define me beyond the little world we navigated in a Queens high school. Back then it was "cool," it was an energy release and a dream realized albeit on a small scale. Later it became the answer to existential questions ... oh who am I kidding, it's still about living a dream...
It was during our junior year that the band had its first rehearsals and sold its cassette. That tape has made appearances on eBay in recent years. I don't recall what the sellers were asking but it was sort of surreal to know it's been there and is of value to someone out there; I'm still surprised by whatever fame we were able to achieve. Thanks.
We pulled in enough cash for the tape and from our few shows at Feb's to make us want more ... attention than cash though the cash was interesting. My father chuckled in disbelief. I'm sure all our parents thought it amusing. But tasting that dream - the rock and roll dream - was exhilarating. It was very cool.
At a time when one's identity is being formed, having music is a means of defining oneself in terms of beliefs, values, views and relationship with society. Music is very powerful at any stage and in almost any context but in high school where you have little to show for yourself, music was a tool of communicating and defining your worth and your place.
High school is sort of funny in the grand scheme of things. In light of socialization and self-definition who you are is very much derived from family, things like religion and nationality. It's also from your limited achievements like grades and sports. In high school those things become more refined with the choices we make and enhanced with extra-curricular activities like art, photography, sports, music, drugs, smoking, drinking... the Six and Violence for me at least, was a cool thing to be associated with. Between Kurt, Sorge, Jim, J and Dave there were cool guys in the band. I was probably the dorkiest - certainly the most awkward socially. The band helped to smooth out the edges and it was comfortable - it felt good to be playing with friends and playing music that I related to. In that way, I was lucky. But "lucky" only in hindsight.
The kind of music we were into at the time spanned the "rock" spectrum from Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull to the Dead Kennedys, Clash and Ramones. The Six and Violence was a melding of that spectrum. Looking at the band half the guys were into progressive rock a la Rush and Jethro Tull, the other half was into the "punk" scene comprised of bands like The Ramones, The Clash, and if you stretched the definition, U2. But placing the Six and Violence on that spectrum is hard. It was akin to Spinal Tap, equal part rock, theater, homage, and joke.
Queens was in flux during this period as well. Most of us grew up and lived in a predominantly white northeastern Queens. Go there today and it's mostly Asian or seemingly so. The major influx of Asian immigrants came in the late 70s and early 80s during our formative years as it were. What influence that had on us, I don't know. Perhaps there was one on some deeper level or none at all. For me being of the minority to begin with, the issue of identity was more pronounced.
I didn't relate at all with the new immigrants. Kids my age at the time and younger were expected to learn piano and/or violin. Expected. In some circles that is still true today - part of the "perfect immigrant" perception. So playing percussion in a punk band was absolutely unheard of and needless to say frowned upon by Asians. Today I would say that's still the case but certainly not to the same extent. It's evident in a growing number of acts today. I remember seeing James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. It was in the early 90s just as they were emerging. I thought I started a trend...
So you can imagine, 1984, here I was an Asian-American playing cymbals in a hardcore band. Goofy. This is another element to playing cymbals in the Six and Violence - that it's a joke. It's contrived. It's not serious. It's important only for the novelty of it. I contributed nothing musically or lyrically; I didn't have the skills really. I was a sight gag and I knew it. Although I was cool with it most of the time, there were times when I felt uncomfortable with it. I was an outsider while being inside which was a reflection of my place in the world. I was an Asian-American who thought and felt more American than Asian; I was American to the Asians and Asian to the Americans. On stage I wasn't really a musician, I merely looked like one.
I don't feel the same way at all today. Part of the uniqueness of The Six and Violence sound is the dual percussion action. There's also an energy that comes with standing than from sitting at a kit. Dave and I play off each other. After playing cymbals next to Dave for over 20 years the greatest compliment is when people say we sound like one player. Perhaps similarly, I don't feel like a hyphenated American - that was a very 80's concept.
I don't know about the others but being in and growing up with this band has helped define me beyond the little world we navigated in a Queens high school. Back then it was "cool," it was an energy release and a dream realized albeit on a small scale. Later it became the answer to existential questions ... oh who am I kidding, it's still about living a dream...
posted by kenn at 00:16
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