First, some photos of our Gone Drinkin'.../Get Wrecked show/party at the Death House:
Alex feeding some Halipunx beer bongs:
And now that you have an idea how awesome the place is, the interview:
After playing the Death House in the spring, Alex (who runs it) left a lasting impression on me. It wasn’t just the fact that he ran an independent venue for very little money in return, or that he shows everyone a rare type of genuine hospitality- those things make up a long list of check marks on the awesome list. It was his passion for punk rock which is evident after just minutes in the room with him.
Looking back on the trip to Montreal, and thinking about how kick it was not to deal with one bouncer or lame ass god complex promoter/bar booker, I thought that the Death House and Alex’s efforts deserved some attention in print. The following is a short interview conducted via email in May 2010. Enjoy, and support independent venues!
We should start with you introducing yourself and telling the readers what the Death house is all about, where it is, etc.
My name is Alex (Maniks Crimes) I grew up downtown Montreal my whole life(I love my city) The Death House is my new home in Place-St Henri (first time out of downtown and plateau)The lofts are jam spots and my buddy Dica got me the place...knowing that he’s an outlaw redneck I knew I was able to do my shows there without any problems since I’ve lived with him before.
When did you open the Death House?
I started the DEATH HOUSE last November… I have an obsessive mind about the other side of life hence the name of the venue.
How did you get started doing this type of thing?
Punk music has always been my favorite type of music and has always been a driving force for me in this life so being able to share music with punks everywhere is a dream come true. I started doing this type of thing when the opportunity came up and I knew I was gonna get away with it, keeping in mind it's hard to do that kind of thing anywhere in the city.
How many shows have you done?
To date, almost 60.
What are some highlights of running an independent venue? Favorite shows you’ve done?
It feels good to be able to have the Death House and see people be themselves, go crazy and have a good time! Running the venue by myself has definitely taught me some very good life qualities and it's always a constant challenge. I don't like to pick and choose what shows are better then others, but definitely when it's full of punks and we're all getting fucked it's much more appreciated.
Any plans for the venue? By that, I mean beyond what you’ve already done, as in renovations you might plan to do, promotions, anything for the future.
I pretty much have balconies going all around but I'm still missing one to connect them and I have also have two release valve beer bongs, I think the only thing I would really like to do is have gear (PA, music equipment, etc.) in the house that bands can use and jam on right away in case those bands don't have the means to play or practice. Doing promotions for venues that I like is always just a part of what I love to do. The future you, who are you...hahahaha! I'm always ready for new challenges. I know there are a lot of good things that are going to be coming up ahead! And of course sick shows are gonna be happening and I plan on doing this shit until the day that I die!!!! Its a great experience and I am grateful towards everyday for having my venue, I definitely became more humble and it changed my life dramatically.....from being extremely destructive to completely changing my life pattern and being more productive was a great challenge in itself! Cheers and up the fuckin punks!!!!!
-Matty
No comments:
Post a Comment