 The real DC-emo legends are back with a new album and a re-union. Reason enough (!) for us to talk to Dave Smalley...
Q: With "Minority of One" you guys finally decided to be together again. As a whole I really think re-unions are kind of silly since the kids lost trust in a band that has once decided to be no more. How do think about this situation?
A: well, as a general rule, i completely agree with you. most reunions suck. i think the reason for that is that most bands reunite for the wrong reasons: either they need money, or they want to recapture lost glory. in this case, i think we did it for the right reasons. we are all doing ok in life in terms of finances -- everyone has a career that has done pretty well, thank God. so we skipped the major label thing and went with a really cool indie that we believe in. we skipped the cash and did what we thought was the right thing to do.
the best thing i can say about this reunion is that it would have been a lot easier NOT to do it for everyone concerned. but this is a band that has always shot straight from the heart. we're four friends who like to make music together, and believe that what we do is worthwhile. and i think with that as the motivation, we made one of the strongest records of our career.
Q: Speaking of band-splits, why did you leave Dag Nasty back in 1986?
A: i got a scholarship to graduate school. my parents couldn't afford to pay for my tuition, so it was my only shot to go. i ended up taking the scholarship with a heavy heart, but since i'm a dork i had a great time, living in the middle east and studying political science until 3 in the morning every day.
Q: What's the whole story behind Dave & his bands recording at the Inner Ear studio? Are you guys somehow doomed to records there or do you have a special contract with the owner (laugh)?
A: i signed a contract in blood back in 1986...no, no. really, we just love inner ear, and are all really good friends with the owner/engineer, don zientara. he and now steve hansgen are like the fifth and sixth members of dag nasty.
Q: Since Dag Nasty I guess is one of the very few popular bands around having had two reunions already, what was (if any) the difference between recording "Four on the Floor" and your recent release?
A: that's a good question. there were actually major differences. when we made "four on the floor," it was just a time when brian, me, and roger were all living in l.a. at the same time. i was over at brian's house, and he played me some songs he had been working on. i was really psyched and said "we have to record these." we went literally down the street to epitaph -- where down by law had our home for many years -- and talked to brett, and he was really exicited, just immediately said "let's do it." we made the record in about two weeks, maybe less, including all writing, rehearsing, recording, mixing, everything. it was like a party.
with "minority of one," we decided two years ago that we wanted to make another record. we worked hard on the songwriting, lyrics, production, everything. this was a more serious record made by more serious musicians. you can't really compare the two in my mind, because one was a for-fun recording, and the other was the real deal.
Q: But you guys are still in the original line-up, right?
A: yep, it's the original album lineup.
Q: Since I read all was going so well with Dag Nasty, are there any concrete plans for excessive touring? I mean, everybody has his other band-projects&
A: we'd all like to tour, but getting everyone to have the same schedule is tough. brian's touring schedule with bad religion is hardcore, and everyone else is mayhem busy as well. we all want it to happen, though, so with a little bit of luck, maybe it will.
Q: Are you guys living pretty close to each other or is a rehearsal nearly impossible?
A: well, colin lives in oregon, and roger in massachusetts, i live in va. and brian lives in d.c. but is always on tour. so i'd say regular rehearsals are a fantasy. but with the modern world, it's all very easy -- everyone has tapes, cd burners, home studio stuff, and there's the wonders of fedex. a lot of bands -- including dbl and br -- have members scattered all over the place, and just rehearse together before a tour or record -- most of the work takes place in your den or home studio.
Q: How did it feal like playing those old "Can I say" songs again? I mean, I bet there surely are strong memories connected to them?
A: well, we haven't done any live shows playing them, actually. those songs mean a lot to everyone, and to a lot of people, and it will feel really special to play them again. i play one song in the solo shows.
Q: Talking about your new album, I am under the impression that "Minority of One" sounds a lot different to your older material since there's a close comparison to Bad Religion. Does this probably have to do with Brian Baker having mixed and remastered the album? And no, I'm not talking about ALL albums with you signing when people claim they sound like Down By Law.
A: well, i don't really hear it, to be honest. brian's guitar playing is very distinctive, of course, so there's bound to be some similarities, but i think his songwriting on MOO is so unique that it just sounds like dag nasty. it's like comparing fugazi to minor threat -- yep, there's a similar member, but the bands each have their own very distinct identities.
Q: We have had this conversation before but we are extremely curious to know: Did you design the Dag Nasty logo?
A: no -- colin found it in an old horror book from decades ago. now it's tattooed on a lot of serious dag heads!
Q: As we are all getting older several punk-zines came up with the "punk over 30" discussion I thought to be rather ridiculous since punk has nothing to do with age. I mean you are a daddy and husband - but did this really affect the way you think about punkrock?
A: well, i think it's understandable to reflect on a music which was founded on youthful rage -- from the pistols to the clash to minor threat, dys, bad religion, whatever -- and how that can evolve into something still productive over the course of many decades for an individual. on the other hand, as a musician, i don't really think about it TOO much -- i just play, and write lyrics that matter to me and hopefully to our fans, and let the music do the talking. ultimately, music is a huge part of people's lives, regardless of age.
Q: Do you think punk has a future? At least we are constantly observing a trend of fewer and fewer kids coming to punkrock shows. What are your personal values?
A: i think it has a future, but it will never be the past. in other words, you can't compare the spirit of a kid buying a sum-41 cd at the mall today to someone who risked getting the shit kicked out of them in 1983 because they looked like a freak and went to the one record store in town that had the new necros album. it was a different, more dangerous and hence more committed time. but i think our role now is to be a sort of spiritual guide, an example, for the next generation. ultimtely, we need to pass the torch, or at least share it.
Q: Are you involved with any political activism besides your music? Would you say that punk and politics should go together?
A: it depends on the band. dag nasty is not a particularly political band, but down by law is more so. personally, i am a libertarian, so i really think the government should get out of people's lives. i detest the republicans' homeland security act, because i think it gives way too much power to law enforcement and the state. personal liberty is on the chopping block with that one. how about it, republicans? do you think the government should have unlimited rights to evesdrop on your email or phone calls?
on the other hand, some democrats have become sort of fascists of the left, really intolerant of anyone even speaking who doesn't agree with them. conservative author david horowitz, for instance, frequently gets booed offstage before he can even begin speaking, at liberal colleges -- that's hateful intolerance in action by the left. (again, this is my personal opinion, not the band's.) let the man speak, and if you disagree, be respectful and have a dialogue.
despite grand talk about intolerance and hate crimes, some on the left seem to be the first to be completely intolerant of anyone who doesn't agree with them (max r&r is a perfect example of this). total fucking hypocrites. i'll believe the democrats truly believe in equality when i see them march for the right of a southern american to fly the dixie flag of his heritage, for instance, if that's what he believes in. free speech means free even when you disagree with it. instead, some people lean toward censorship and groupthink.
so basically, i see major flaws all over, and try to comment on that from time to time in the music (for instance on the song "minority of one.")
on the other hand, some bands, like the glorious buzzcocks, write love songs, and do it perfectly, and would ruin their coolness if they tried to be political. so i think it depends on the band.
Q: Well, let's move to a topic I guess you have been asked about a couple of times speaking of Dag Nasty. How do you deal with the term "emo" and besides all the college / indie rock groups around that have lately been considered to be "emo" I'd describe Dag Nasty or at least your "Can I say" album to be one of most important albums who defined "emo" back then&
The only thing I keep wondering about is what these polular college rock bands which are called "emo" these days do have in common with Dag Nasty?
A: the term emo today is very different from when it was first used in the mid to late '80s. i don't know what any of the emo groups today have in common with dag nasty or rites of spring, both of whom are frequently cited. but if bands today were influenced by us, i'm happy we did something that inspired creativity and passion.
Q: How did you guys get together with Revelation Records? With DBL and Bad Religion on Epitaph, the Marshes not around anymore and the first Dag Nasty album on Dischord, how come not releasing "Minority of One" on either Epitaph or Dischord?
A: rev was at the right place and the right time, and they are just a really cool label we all respect. honestly, epit. or dischord would have been great, too, but we're really happy that we're on rev, and look forward to making another disc together.
Q: Did you also have any offers from major labels?
A: we had interest, but ditched it before it got to negotiations. it wasn't the way we thought dag nasty should go. we wanted a cool, but strong, indie, and we got that with rev.
Q: As you are playing some solo gigs in the near future, what can a visitor expect? Why did you come up with the idea to play solo gigs? Are there any plans for a solo album?
A: maybe an album someday. right now it's just an occasional thing and it allows me to create differently, and the audience to hopefully enjoy music a bit differently as well.
Q: Ok, Dave, last question: we have observed a sad trend of having fewer and fewer print fanzines around. In that respect what do you think of the effects of the internet? Do you think it is useful? Could it help to bring the world closer together and enahnce communication between punks worldwide?
A: i'm all for any form of communication that helps people stay in touch with each other and the world. the internet is amazing and great -- though of course, i think nothing can ever replace holding a cool fanzine in your very own hands.
Q: Thanks a lot for doing this.
A: best of luck. peace. d
Further Links:
 Dag Nasty
Revelation Records
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