There is no shortage of things in the world to anger political punk icon Joe Keithley, who brings his band D.O.A to Pulse with fellow B.C. punk icons the Dayglo Abortions, Sept. 15.
But the affable Keithley also retains his sense of humour about things.
“This tour the political vs. the politically incorrect. Though there is some politics with the Dayglo Abortions,” he chuckled.
D.O.A. just returned from their umpteenth tour of Europe.
“We played some big festivals over the in August in Norway, Finland, a big one in Poland with Slayer. And a couple festivals in northern B.C. in Fort St. James. And we played a big one in Montreal— the Amnesia Rock
Fest in Montebello festival. We were on the side stage with the Dead Kennedys and Agnostic Front and Turbonegro. So it was way better than the main stage,” he said.
“So it has been busy.”
He is looking forward to playing with the Dayglo Abortions.
“ We played with them in 1979 or 1980 We played with them at Punk rock bingo (in Las Vegas) with them and thought it would be a great tour. So people are going to get as much punk as they can stand and maybe more. You’ll double the value of your money,” he said.
“ And the Scallywags are playing too. They’re really good,” he said.
“The Green Party represent the environment, but they also represent people. And they are trying to create jobs,” he said.
“People will vote for shitheads, but not a Joey Shithead,” he laughed, referencing his punk rock name.
“I just ran in a byelection in Coquitlam I was just talking about running again,” he said.
“I’ve always been political. I was working with Greenpeace when I was 16 and have been political ever since,” he said, noting the band always plays events for important causes he feels strongly about.
“ I was going to go to Simon Fraser university to be an environmental lawyer, but instead fell into punk music. and I have lawyer friends, who tell me I’ve made the right choice,” he said.
D.O.A. have just released a new EP featuring “The Cops Shot a Kid, from their most recent CD “Hard Rain Falling,” and “ Ain’t Going to Take Your Crap anymore” and “ Fucked Up Donald,” the fourth reworking of one of their older songs.
“ I think it’s about the fourth time. Originally it was an old Skulls song, the second punk band in Vancouver, called ‘Fucked Up Baby. “Then a manager convinced us to rewrite it and call it “Fucked Up Ronnie.” Live it’s been “Fucked up Stephen and Fucked Up Thatcher. In Germany, we tried ‘Fucked Up Helmut Kohl, but our German was so terrible nobody understood what we were l talking about, though some of them understood and told their friends,” he chuckled.
“TheB sides on the EP are ‘Cops Shot a Kid’ and “ We aren”t Gonna take this Crap anymore which is about working for horrible bosses,” he said, noting the digital download features their cover of ‘Eve of Destruction.”
He is working on music for a new album, he plans to release next year.
“ We‘ve been doing this for 40 years. Rush just released a new album too. It’s hard to believe we‘re only a few years younger than those guys.
