Interview with Wide Right

It was hipster heaven when Brooklyn's own (by way of Buffalo) Wide Right played New York's Bowery Ballroom in support of their self-titled CD on Pop Tart Records, sharing the stage with the Sights and the Dirtbombs, Saturday, November 8, 2003. A couple weeks later, I chatted with Leah Archibald, the lager-loving, Gibson-strumming, sleep-deprived working mother of two, who wrote and sings such anthems as "Pete Best," "Vincent Gallo" and "Too Expensive." Leah had just come off a nine-hour drive from Buffalo, but somehow between tucking in the kids, plugging in her guitar and popping a couple cold ones, she found time to reply to my nosey questions....

When did Wide Right start, how'd y'all meet and where did the name come from?

Started gigging here in Brooklyn in early '01 – Brendan (drums) and I started playing together in fall of '00, just the two of us. Several friends cycled through the band, the lineup we recorded with was cemented in spring '02. Chris, the bassist left in December '02, and Erica (bass) relocated here in Jan of '03. Some of us met at Great Lakes (our local bar), but mostly we're all friends through other friends. No ads in the Recycler, or Voice, or whatever.

As you know, the band name represents the missed Scott Norwood field goal in the first Bills Super Bowl (vs. the Giants). But it really represents missed opportunity, which sums up how I feel about just about everything having to do with Buffalo and the Bills, etc.

How does a working mom find time to be a beer-drinking, Gibson-guitar-picking rock 'n' roller too?

I don't sleep much. I work during the day, go out and drink beer after the kids go to sleep and play my Gibsons for a few hours a week. I function unbelievably well with a hangover. I'm really, really organized. I don't waste much time and I don't watch TV. Except for football and SpongeBob Squarepants.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Golly, I like so much and get inspired by a lot of non-musical stuff, but here goes: All sorts of rock and roll, including but not limited to: X, NY Dolls, Heartbreakers, Dictators, Ramones, the Damned, Badfinger, Blue Oyster Cult, Pretenders, Clash, Blondie, Stones, all sorts of power pop, 1970's AM radio hits, old school metal and punk rock, singer-songwriter-y stuff along the lines of Big Star, Elliott Smith, etc. But not the Beatles, which I never developed a taste for.

Your CD is produced so well, with everything loud, but clear too. How'd ya manage that?

Mostly we have the quality of the recording to thank, and for that we give props to my old friend, Jim Diamond. We recorded it over a weekend in his studio in Detroit – all analog. 16 track 2", which gives you a very high quality signal to work with. And Jim has a great ear – he can make swift credible unthreatening analysis of your delivery and make comments to help you figure out how to improve whatever you are working on at the moment. Jim mixed half of it by himself, the other half Dave Rick and I mixed with Matt Verta-Ray here in NYC. I like the way both sets of songs came out – really, the quality is in the recording of the original performance and the performance itself. No need to screw around sweetening stuff, or obsessing over tracks and takes. Jim and his studio are excellent – especially for a band that is able to identify what is good enough quickly and not agonize over perfection.

What are you asking Santa for this year?

Hmmm. Less. I want fewer things around me – I hate clutter. It's distracting. In fact, I want Santa to come to my house and get rid of stuff for me. But I guess I could use a new amp. But I'd get rid of my old one so that it was even Steven.

Any New Year's resolutions?

Yep. Take better care of my health (which I have kind of let go to hell since I moved here from LA five years ago), be true to myself, and create a better balance among all the facets of my life and to continue to put out a high-quality rock product made from the finest ingredients. No filler.

Note: Wide Right are Leah, gonzo guitarist Dave Rick, bass babe Erica Stoltz and dead-solid drummer Brendan O'Malley.

Hatebreed, The Rise of Brutality (Stillborn/Universal)

Hoping for peace on earth and goodwill towards men is fine if you're Gandhi, Mother Teresa or trying to impress the parole board. But if you really want something that captures the holly, jolly, desperate, suicidal sentiments of the holiday season, pester the fat bastard in the red suit for Hatebreed's jingle-bell breaking new CD, The Rise of Brutality. Unlike Slipknot, Cradle of Filth and similar Ozzfest fare, Hatebreed deliver their gruesome goods with discernible lyrics (at least the chorus anyway) and vocals that don't sound like a wolverine caught in a wood chipper (courtesy of frontman – and MTV2 Head Banger's Ball host – Jamey Jasta). Though it's never crystal clear what "It" or "This" represent on future mosh-pit favorites "Tear It Down" and "Live For This," you can bet your brass knuckles it's got something to do with maintaining self-respect and self-discipline in a world gone cuckoo (for far more than Cocoa Puffs). Not just high-decibel fuel for the soul, Rise of Brutality also does a hard body good as treadmill-listening material, thus reducing holiday stress and working off the innumerable egg nogs, nut logs and assorted hot-buttered treats of the season.

Various Artists, Dancehall Dee-lite (Heartbeat Records)

Hit artists Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder and No Doubt hopefully praised Jah and gave respect without hesitation this Thanksgiving to the production team of Collin "Bulby" York and Lynford "Fatta" Marshall, better known as Fat Eyes. And to further demonstrate Fat Eyes' mixing-board magic, Heartbeat Records delivers da goods with Dancehall Dee-lite, a compilation CD featuring new tracks by such Dancehall household names as Beres Hammond, Capleton, Elephant Man and the ever-popular Buju Banton. Upping the ante, among other things, on Dancehall Dee-lite is the equally delightful cover shots of former Vivid Video vixen and Robin Byrd gal pal Heather Hunter. Too bad Heather, Buju and the boys didn't work out a cover of Byrd's theme song "Baby Let Me Bang Your Box." Done Dancehall style, you might not understand a word, but the video would sure be worth a peep (Kleenex not included).

Joey Ramone Place

They say every dog has his day and now every punk can claim a place in the sun as well. "Joey Ramone Place" that is. A ceremony officially honored Jeffrey Hyman (aka Joey Ramone) by naming the Bowery in front of CBGB "Joey Ramone Place." "Joey was a true New Yorker. This honor today conveys what a monolith of talent he was," said Joey's ex-band mate and drummer Marky Ramone. A statement with more words than the two legendary lunkheads exchanged the whole time they worked together. Though it's great to see Joey, an innovator, entertainer and all-around good guy finally getting recognized for his achievements, since when did punk rock become so god damned respectable? Who knows, next they'll be naming 23 St. in front of the Chelsea Hotel "Sid & Nancy Blvd." and maybe someday down in the East Village rock-n-roll junkies will be getting their Chinese Rocks on "Ave. Dee Dee." One can only hope and pogo.

Rikki Ercoli, Legends of Punk: Photos from the Vault (Manic D Press)

Lastly, and just in time for fishnet-stocking-stuffing time, comes Legends of Punk: Photos from the Vault, a fascinating photo book by San Francisco shutterbug Rikki Ercoli. At under $20, Ercoli's is a cost-conscious collection of images from punk's inaugural Class of '77 (i.e., Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Clash, etc.). And makes for provocative page turning if only to see the peach-fuzz young, but not-so-innocent faces of Sid Vicious, Patti Smith and an unholy host of others you won't remember (Gang of Four anyone?) until seeing them snarling back at you in glorious black and white. Legends of Punk is a must for both black-leather geezers of the original CBGB scene and MTV2 kids who think punk rock started with Good Charlotte. Good grief!