Sex, Drugs, and Living in California
Monday, September 08, 2003
All through high school, Hallraker was one of my favorite bands (and still is to this day). After they broke up, I figured everyone just moved on to other things, and I completely forgot about them. Five years later, I heard that Jim Belisle was in a new band called The Pop Narcotic out in California. Since then, I’ve been desperately trying to find their record, and have been listening to the same few mp3’s I downloaded off their site for months. They fucking rock so hard it’s unbelievable. If you wanna get hip to anything, check out the Pop Narcotic. Here’s a brief interview I had with Jim through email.
Who are you, and what do you do in the band?
My name is Jim (aka jimnarcotic) I am the singer and primary lyricist for The Pop Narcotic.
At what point did you decide to pack up and move to California?
That was after I graduated from the University of Massachusetts @Amherst. I was at a major crossroad in my life and decided it was time for a change. You are only young and dumb once!
Have you been in the band since its inception, or did you join? If you have been in the band from the start, then how did you hook up with the other band members?
The band was forming when I was still in Massachusetts, I knew they guys were looking for a singer and once I decided to come out here, I pretty much begged and they let me in. Since then we've had 4 drummers, 3 Bass players and added one guitar player, but who is counting. It is the drummers that have really set us back...To anyone that may read this if you find a drummer, a good drummer, hold on to him for dear life.
Here's the Hallraker question: How difficult was it being in a band where most of the members were named Jim (or a derivative therof)?
It really wsan't that hard, I don't know if it is a Massachusetts thing, but we tened to use last names. Everyone had a cool last name except for me. We had Bev (drums), Pion (guits), Shey (bass), but I was Belisle many a syllable, compared to the other names.
Bad Brains. Tell me about them and how they've influenced you, and the bands you have been in.
Certainly a great band. In Hallraker I though it was important to act like HR. (stage wise), but anyone can go off, and it is important to move, but I really wish I could sing like him.
Are you excited to be playing (and if you recieve this after the fact, just change the tense of your
answer) with a band like Thursday, who has seen a lot of commercial success lately? I saw Time in Malta is playing that show as well. They're really good too. I would go to the show, but it's a few thousand miles away.
Yeah, for sure it is great. If I didn't know members of the band on a personal level though...we simply would not be playing with them. We actually did a small tour with Thursday when they first signed to Victory, we played for each other at the shows and
that was it. Look at them now, living the Motley Cru lifestyle, partying, druggin'.. Just kidding, those guys were bustin' ass back then, and I am sure they are bustin' ass now.
So what's the scene like in California? Is it everything the movies and television portray it to be?
To be quite honest with you, it really isn't everything that I imagined it to be. It is dirty, lots of traffic, living in the LA area is a trip. I wouldn't say that I hate it, but if I wasn't married I'd be out of here. Well, that may not be true, I surf now and that is great. Perhaps I should move to Hawaii. Band wise...back east there it seemed as though I could always get shows, you know a house or
basement shows, but that really doesn't exist out here. There are cool people that do shows, but in the earlier phases of the Pop Narcotic, we were playing the worst shows, because if you go to a venue here the first thing you are asked is "how many people can you bring?" "What, we just started playing, we can't "bring" anyone". ....I can't tell you how many Monday night shows we have played to bartenders. If you don't have a label, or know someone...it is tough. San Diego seems to have good scene. Of course you have your Blink 182 b.s., but down there they seem way more into experimental, noisy stuff a la Drive Like Jehu. San Diego is also much nicer than LA County.
Tell me some bands you're really into now.
Of course I like The Mars Volta-album of the year, hands down. I just got the Minor Threat demo, so that is in my cd player, as well as the 3rd disc from the Clash on Broadway box set. I wish I could say the 3rd side from Sandanista, but hey I guess I'm new
school...just kidding.
What do you think of all these websites now that are basically dating services for punk and hardcore kids (e.g. Make Out Club, Only Undies Club, etc.)?
I'm married, so I guess I could say I'd be pretty pissed if my wife was on there.... No, really they don't touch my life. Some of my bandmates, now that is a different story!
What other websites (besides mine) do you like?
I like NPR.org, for obvious reasons, Hackworth.com is a cool site as well. This guy Hackworth is a seriously decorated soldier that had a lot of problems(politically) with the Vietnam war. He has a lot of interesting things to say on the military, big government and Iraq. Mcspotlight.org is also pretty cool.
Any tour plans? Coming to NY anytime soon?
I really hope so, if anyone can help us out with some shows out there that would be great.
Tell me about your record and where everyone can buy it.
Is this a joke question? The record was recorded about 2 years ago for New Age Records, a label that has since folded. There has been some talk of it being released through other labels, but nothing serious. We have a bunch of stuff that we do on our own and just pass out at shows, but let me state for the fact, we don't have a label. We recorded an new record this last spring and were going to do it on our own. The songs were there, but the recording sucked, so now we are broke with nothing to show for it. If anyone wants to take a chance on a band that has a different sound please get in touch. PLEASE get in touch PLEASE..PL.
Any last words?
Rock hard. Check us out at thepopnarcotic.com, and on a personal note dumb Bush.
Sites of Interest:
The Pop Narcotic
Hallraker
The Ides (how fucking shameless!)
Who are you, and what do you do in the band?
My name is Jim (aka jimnarcotic) I am the singer and primary lyricist for The Pop Narcotic.
At what point did you decide to pack up and move to California?
That was after I graduated from the University of Massachusetts @Amherst. I was at a major crossroad in my life and decided it was time for a change. You are only young and dumb once!
Have you been in the band since its inception, or did you join? If you have been in the band from the start, then how did you hook up with the other band members?
The band was forming when I was still in Massachusetts, I knew they guys were looking for a singer and once I decided to come out here, I pretty much begged and they let me in. Since then we've had 4 drummers, 3 Bass players and added one guitar player, but who is counting. It is the drummers that have really set us back...To anyone that may read this if you find a drummer, a good drummer, hold on to him for dear life.
Here's the Hallraker question: How difficult was it being in a band where most of the members were named Jim (or a derivative therof)?
It really wsan't that hard, I don't know if it is a Massachusetts thing, but we tened to use last names. Everyone had a cool last name except for me. We had Bev (drums), Pion (guits), Shey (bass), but I was Belisle many a syllable, compared to the other names.
Bad Brains. Tell me about them and how they've influenced you, and the bands you have been in.
Certainly a great band. In Hallraker I though it was important to act like HR. (stage wise), but anyone can go off, and it is important to move, but I really wish I could sing like him.
Are you excited to be playing (and if you recieve this after the fact, just change the tense of your
answer) with a band like Thursday, who has seen a lot of commercial success lately? I saw Time in Malta is playing that show as well. They're really good too. I would go to the show, but it's a few thousand miles away.
Yeah, for sure it is great. If I didn't know members of the band on a personal level though...we simply would not be playing with them. We actually did a small tour with Thursday when they first signed to Victory, we played for each other at the shows and
that was it. Look at them now, living the Motley Cru lifestyle, partying, druggin'.. Just kidding, those guys were bustin' ass back then, and I am sure they are bustin' ass now.
So what's the scene like in California? Is it everything the movies and television portray it to be?
To be quite honest with you, it really isn't everything that I imagined it to be. It is dirty, lots of traffic, living in the LA area is a trip. I wouldn't say that I hate it, but if I wasn't married I'd be out of here. Well, that may not be true, I surf now and that is great. Perhaps I should move to Hawaii. Band wise...back east there it seemed as though I could always get shows, you know a house or
basement shows, but that really doesn't exist out here. There are cool people that do shows, but in the earlier phases of the Pop Narcotic, we were playing the worst shows, because if you go to a venue here the first thing you are asked is "how many people can you bring?" "What, we just started playing, we can't "bring" anyone". ....I can't tell you how many Monday night shows we have played to bartenders. If you don't have a label, or know someone...it is tough. San Diego seems to have good scene. Of course you have your Blink 182 b.s., but down there they seem way more into experimental, noisy stuff a la Drive Like Jehu. San Diego is also much nicer than LA County.
Tell me some bands you're really into now.
Of course I like The Mars Volta-album of the year, hands down. I just got the Minor Threat demo, so that is in my cd player, as well as the 3rd disc from the Clash on Broadway box set. I wish I could say the 3rd side from Sandanista, but hey I guess I'm new
school...just kidding.
What do you think of all these websites now that are basically dating services for punk and hardcore kids (e.g. Make Out Club, Only Undies Club, etc.)?
I'm married, so I guess I could say I'd be pretty pissed if my wife was on there.... No, really they don't touch my life. Some of my bandmates, now that is a different story!
What other websites (besides mine) do you like?
I like NPR.org, for obvious reasons, Hackworth.com is a cool site as well. This guy Hackworth is a seriously decorated soldier that had a lot of problems(politically) with the Vietnam war. He has a lot of interesting things to say on the military, big government and Iraq. Mcspotlight.org is also pretty cool.
Any tour plans? Coming to NY anytime soon?
I really hope so, if anyone can help us out with some shows out there that would be great.
Tell me about your record and where everyone can buy it.
Is this a joke question? The record was recorded about 2 years ago for New Age Records, a label that has since folded. There has been some talk of it being released through other labels, but nothing serious. We have a bunch of stuff that we do on our own and just pass out at shows, but let me state for the fact, we don't have a label. We recorded an new record this last spring and were going to do it on our own. The songs were there, but the recording sucked, so now we are broke with nothing to show for it. If anyone wants to take a chance on a band that has a different sound please get in touch. PLEASE get in touch PLEASE..PL.
Any last words?
Rock hard. Check us out at thepopnarcotic.com, and on a personal note dumb Bush.
Sites of Interest:
The Pop Narcotic
Hallraker
The Ides (how fucking shameless!)
