What makes a band punk rock legends? It is the fact that you've been together for more than 20 years? It's it the fact that you have shared the stage with almost every awesome punk band out there? Is it that you have released so many releases? Is it a combination of that plus the ability to stay together in a place where the scene disappears and re-appears in gaps of one to three years. The Glass Heroes are punk rock legends from Phoenix. What truly makes them legends is the fact that they have always stayed true. Fads and scenes come and go, but if you stay solid and never change your flag even in the roughest of times you become a true legend. In 20 years the band has stayed just that, a punk band, that plays solid punk music. It is an honor to have Steve tell their story...
Introduce yourself…
I'm Stevie D. bassist for the Glass Heroes .
Keith Jackson on vocals and guitar
Steve Shelton on guitar and vocals
A.D. Adams on the skins
Sheltie and Keith trade off on leads on guitar. The front line has
been together for 20 years now.
How did the band start?
It was the summer of '91 and I had just done a farewell show with
another group here in town, was outside after the show on a parking
block, smoking a cig and Keith walked up and asked if I'd like to
start a punk band? I said where and when? He said tomorrow, my
place, and so we did. I knew Sheltie from a clinic or detox and we'd
hang out and listen to records, Keith and he knew each other as well
from around town. Keith and I wrote maybe like ten songs in our first
couple of weeks and brought Buck, our first drummer in and started
hammering out our songs. Sheltie joined us in the first month or so.
In maybe like our second year Bob Stubbs joined us , he drummed
formerly with Social Distortion, he supported them on the Mommy's
Little Monster Tour. We parted ways with Bob in '95 or '96. He
rejoined the fold briefly in 2002. A.D. came and stuck I'd say in
2004.
How did you come up with the name?
Keith and I were kicking names around and that one just stuck as the
thought behind it was that here in America we tend to make people into
icons, put them on pedestals, you know, larger than life like say,
James Dean or Marilyn Monroe, and at the end of the day, they're
just like the rest of us down here, in other words, subject to
breaking, shattering like glass.
Who would you say are your influences?
Our influences are vast. For myself personally, it would be the
American bands, such as The Ramones, Dead Boys, Heartbreakers,
Dolls, Stooges. As far as bassists go, it was then and always will
be Dee Dee , R.I.P. Old school still rules.
What is the punk scene like in Arizona?
It's good! Here in Phoenix there's some younger bands that bring it
on and serve up good old punk rock, pretty solid. It's inspiring
and keeps us on our game with the young bloods that are always jumping
in the mix. Warehouse parties, underground gigs and such are the
norm on any given weekend night. I mean, one does have to look for
the punk sound and just as its always been , word of mouth.
Geographically, the city is so spread out that you have to know the
spots with clubs or spaces that are rented out to support the scene.
I'm not in touch with the rest of the state, I know Tucson has a
pretty healthy punk scene.
How has it changed since the ‘90s?
Hah! When we started playing out, it was all about Kurbain and the
grunge that came along with that scene. There wasn't any punk bands
when we started up here in town. This is pretty funny, we even
played with Mud Honey once, that should give you an idea of what was
up . When Green Day and Offspring came out around the same time, our
audience literally went from the same kids with flannels and the "grunge look" and all that, to a punk rock haircut, leather jackets
and etc. That's always stuck with me as an image, from one season to
the next.
Describe the song writing process…
In the beginning I would just have an idea of let's say ,what was
going on in my life at the time and write a few lines about it , then
Keith would come up with some chords and maybe some more lines and so
on like that . He has a gift of melody and song structure from start
to finish.
Presently, it's a group effort, Sheltie or Keith will bring in a
chord progression, that's pretty much worked out from start to finish, you know, an idea. Then we just start adding to it as we rehearse
more and more . For every ten songs we bring to the band, only one
sticks, and then, maybe not even that many make it . A couple of
songs we wrote on the spot in the studio as we were recording our as
of yet un-released second album "Liars, Cheats And Thieves" and
they are barn burners!
We've matured as people and a band as well. I mean, we've been
together for 20 years now, and it shows in the strength of our songs
and our live shows.
In 2005, you appeared on the ‘High Voltage Punk and Oi!’ comp, tell us about
the comp…
Okay, actually, that came out in '95 and was followed the next year
with "Oi! we are the bois" Both of those comps are on Bronco
Bullfrog Step - 1 Records. The songs of ours that came out on those
comps were from a cassette we put out here in Phoenix in '94 . Both
comps were Oi and punk bands from all over the world. On the "High
Voltage Oi ! + Punk" compilation, the Glass Heroes were a featured
band. It sold so well that it was re-released in 1997 by Hepcat
records.
That same year you guys released your first album which was self-titled,
tell us about the album…
Right, 2005 was a pretty productive year for us, what with the self
- titled album and some touring behind it as well. It came out
initially on Malt Soda and they carried it for a while. Currently it
will probably be re-distributed thru another label, which one, I
don't know, but it will. It was recorded over the course of a few
months at Villian Studios here in town by Byron Filson, he totally
nailed our live sound. Those songs were a collection of ones we'd
been playing since our inception, back when Keith and I banged out
the first dirty dozen, as well as some new ones we'd all written
along the way. Each song stands on it's own merit and strength and
there are some tasty covers mixed in as well. The Professionals, The
Saints and Chelsea and then of course our originals.
Your current release the ‘Get out alive’ 7” on TKO Records, tell us about the 7”…
Yes, that's right. " Get Out Alive " is one of Keith's songs he had
from back when he was in Detroit City with The Rogues and the flip
side is " Kick Down The Doors " a Professionals cover . It came out as
part of TKO's Contenders 7" series . After that release and subsequent
tour , we went right back into the studio to record our follow up "
Liars , Cheats And Thieves " with Rat Scabies from the Damned . It was
released on TKO 2007.
Recently in Pheonix you guys had a 19th anniversary show, tell us about the show…
Yes, actually it was our 20th that we decided to celebrate with a
show. We threw a party at the George And Dragon English Pub here in
town with some other local bands. It was a great show and the pub was
packed out. A good time was had by all on a hot and sweaty summer
night. We played on the stage the pub had just built for the show as
the old stage had seen better days. They upgraded their sound system, so it sounded godlike. I'm pretty sure there is some video online from that show, maybe youtube or something.
What else have you released?
Besides a couple of studio cassettes we released locally in the early
90's , that is the extent of it . Here's a list of some comps and one
of the splits we appeared on.
7" split w/Mean Streets ( 2011 ) Blackhole
Compilation Appearances
Carbon14 Magazine issue #27 ( 2007 )
If It Aint Broke Hit It Harder ! ( 2006 ) F- Bomb
Save The Boobies ( 2006 ) Tatdude
Straight From The Underground ( 2005 ) Smash Mag .
AZ Punk Volume 2 ( 2003 )
AZ Punk Volume 4 ( 2005 )
Sailor Jerry Presents Volume 2 ( 2010 )
Tell us about the current lineup…
Besides yours truly , there is
A.D. Adams on drums . A.D. came to us in 2004 or so , He's a seasoned
veteran by way of Washington D.C. via Detroit City . When A.D. joined
us it really brought us up a couple of notches . A drummers drummer I
'spose . I know I've never had anything to worry about behind me when
we're in the fury of a show with him in the engine room . Can't say
enough about him . He brings so much of his experience in the business
to us and in the studio he's a total pro .
And the front line of myself , Keith and Steve Shelton have been
serving it up since 1991 . As the years have gone along, our
chemistry is one of a kind. Always know where they're gonna be on the
stage , musically and physically. We're like brothers more than
anything. We go thru phases of not hanging out with one another and
then at other times still like the original gang. I feel that has
been a factor in our endurance as unit.
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
The long list or the short list? Well let's see, everyone from The
Adicts to The Vibrators. Here's what comes to mind now: Duane Peters
Gunfight, Rubber City Rebels, Sex Pistols, MC5, The Business,
Peter and The Test Tube Babies, Motorhead, Buzzcocks, Damned, Fear, U.K. Subs, Hugh Cornwall from the Stranglers new group, Pork Dukes, Agent Orange, Texas Terri, Cock Sparrer, Shock Nagasaki, Blitz,
TSOL, Vice Squad, Neurotic Outsiders, Anti-Nowhere League, and
the list goes on. 20 years, that's gonna happen eh?
Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
I prefer to do shows at small clubs. Hot and sweaty, smelling of
beer, old cigarette smoke, you know, just a real dive with everyone
crammed up front . The energy is always amazing and the more the
better. Gets my heart beating like that! It's an energy exchange ,
and builds til the end.
Where have you toured?
Here in America, we did the Midwest as well as the West Coast all the
way to Seattle. When we were invited over to Europe in 2009 , we had
an illness in the band and had to bow out of the festivals there and
tour. Keith and A.D. have each individually toured all over the globe
with prior bands they were in.
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
I really like the local bands we do shows with , some have came and
went over the years, such as Jeff Dahl Band, Fed UPS, White Demons, and currently Labor Party.
Touring acts I always look forward to doing shows with whatever Duane
Peters brings to town and the Rubber City Rebels were a blast to tour
and play with!
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
My spot was the Emerald Lounge R.I.P. Cypress lounge was another and
currently I look forward to when we're booked at the Yucca Tap Room.
What do you see is the future of the Glass Heroes?
I asked Lady Luck that only just today and she told us that there are
some good years , and exciting times ahead of us in the future . I
think once the new release hits the streets that will open up more
opportunities for us . We're not done yet , we just were on a
documentary by Jeff Santo called " Off the Boulevard " Troy Duffy
wants us to write some new songs for a new movie of his that's being
made.
I think if our health is good and we carry on doing what we like and
what we've been doing for a couple of decades we'll go on the road
soon , regionals and the like. Recording new songs and doing what we
love to do best.
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| Photo provided by the band. Taken and credited to staticfiends.com |
How can people contact the band?
http://www.facebook.com/glassheroes
http://www.myspace.com/glassheroes
glassheroes.com is currently undergoing reconstruction.
Great Interview!!!
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