Regina street punks Bats Out have been around the block. But an instant connection developed when a couple of old punks, a skin and a greaser got together at a house party in Regina and realized they enjoyed listening to the same sorts of bands like working class UK punk pioneers Cock Sparrer, not to mention they didn’t identify with a lot of the punk going on.
So they formed their own band in 2013, Bats Out, which comes from a song by Cock Sparrer, who comes to Inferno, May 29 for a show with Citizen Rage, the Reckless Heros and guests.
They have just released a couple of songs on a new street punk compilation called This is Streetpunk Volume five.
“ We didn’t want to sing about how to live life, we wanted to sing about how life is,” said rhythm guitarist Shane Kachur, a physiotherapist by day.
“A lot of newer bands are pretty preachy ,” he said, observing a lot of modern punk lyrics tell people what to do, who to vote for and what to do.
“ We don’t. We come at it from a working class perspective. We write about having to get up, go to work and not fitting in with what the world wants us to do,” he said.
He was born in Pittsburgh, went to school in Winnipeg and wound up in Regina, chasing the best paying job as a physiotherapist.
He met bassist (the greaser) Brian Templeton, vocalist Scott Free drummer Pieman and lead guitarist Mark at a house party and instantly connected.
“We got talking about bands, then do you play an instrument, so we started the band,” he said.
The Lethbridge show will only be the second time they’ve toured outside of Regina.
“We went to Red Deer and Edmonton and we had a great time,” he said.
“ It’s high energy intensity. It’s just fun,” he said.
“ We always give it our all and don’t leave anything on stage whether there‘s five people or 500 people in the audience,” he said, adding the band members are all in their 40s except for drummer Pieman who is in his ’30s.
“ So he gets all of the you’re a baby jokes,” he chuckled.
The band members all have demanding jobs in a factory, oil refinery and other places, so it makes it tough to tour extensively.
“ We‘re all working men so it makes it difficult to tour,” he said.
“ But when the opportunity came up for us to play Lethbridge and Calgary, we thought it was perfect for us,” he said.
“ If you’re playing punk rock for the money, it isn’t going to happen,” he said.
He noted the Regina scene is very supportive.
“ I come from Pittsburgh where there a re a lot of different scenes and you won‘t see also of people in the other scenes.
In Regina it’s smaller, so you’ll see people who are into metal as well as punk at our shows,” he said.
“ It’s small but diverse and very supportive, he said.
Bats Out play Inferno, May 29 with Citizen Rage and the Reckless Heroes. Doors open at 8 p.m. There is a $10 cover.