BTs
The continuing rock & roll legacy of the Oakland based BT’s; press photo courtesy of the band.
You probably already know Oakland’s BT’s under a different name. Maybe you don’t, but regardless we are pleased to announce that our New York by East Bay hero (a rumor has it Joey wanted to finally settle the east versus west coast feud) Joey Genovese presents the debut full-length album Bustin’ Out available now from Southpaw Records. The story first began with an impressive 7″ recorded by Matthew Melton for his imprint Fuzz City, going through a series of lineup changes before enlisting Jason Testasecca (of Nobunny, Elvis Christ, etc), and members of Apache & Slick!—Genovese had finally gathered the team of super friends needed to round out the BT’s personal roster. BT’s proudly wear their heart, wants, & lusts on their sleeve. They are the Detroit bound road-trippers that escaped their suburban slums to hear the real city sounds on a Saturday night’s joyride. The power pop proto-punkers (we’re thinking about Milk ‘N’ Cookies specifically here) gather up an economic early 70s glam aesthetic that Joey brainstormed from the beginning that becomes fully realized in a way that sounds like the 80s, 90s, oughts, & more never happened.
A single that was initially recorded by Melton and featured on the aforementioned Fuzz City 7″, the Spector/Mike Leander sound is traded for the 70s power chord fests that saw many groups between Cleveland and Memphis emulating their idolized Mersey Beat heroes from across the pond. “I Like It A Lot” also stands tall as the quintessential essence of everything that New York by London (or the NYLON set as Mick Rock would put it) that celebrated the liberation of the self by embracing every impulse & indulgence desired coupled with super catchy riffs. The BT’s celebrate every wanton want with an abandon that throws all caution to the breeze while unleashing some of the most memorable sugar-coated rock & roll chords ever created. “A Lot” pours on nearly every instant-enjoyable junkshop-pop element that shakes up the action like pent-up teenage lust stuffed into a soda bottle before the cap pops off in a fizzy spritz of delightfully dumb, fist pumping rock. Joey Genovese joins us now for an insightful interview session.
Give us the story on the New York by Oakland evolution of BTs, and the new incarnation of the group.
Well I guess I was living in New York when BTs started, but really BTs kinda came about out of not having a home for my music. Before Oakland, I lived in LA, Brooklyn, and Nashville trying to play music and just be in a band. I used to answer these ads on Craigslist, and meet up with these fucking psychos and try to jam just because I was so desperate to play and just start doing some shit. Pretty much every time I’d get kicked out or get ghosted on. Nobody wanted to do my shit and these buttholes would tell me I should just start my own band. After doing that for way too long, in 2012 I went down to SXSW and got stranded down there with no ticket home, but I was like meh, fuck it. I felt like I was surrounded by people who got what I was about for a change, and as it turned out, I actually was. I met Matthew, as well as about four to five other future band members coincidentally, and he offered me a ride. I was pretty weirded out and thought I was being punked for some dudes to offer my rando ass a ride from Austin to LA, but he wasn’t shitting me and showed up next morning outside where I was staying, I hopped in, and that was pretty much the beginning of BTs. I lied to a bunch of people I looked up to and told them I had a band when I didn’t, and played a song on a guitar one night and was told I should go up to Oakland to record. So then I recorded the “Ex-Repeater” single, and about 15 band members and a few states later here I am. All of my old bandmates are, well, in my mind at least, still part of the band, but right now I have Nick, Chuck and Matt, from Apache and Slick!, and Sean Starling from Cumstain on guitar. Shout out to all my band members old and new—by the way, I love you.
Tell us about working with Matthew Melton early on with that Fuzz City sound, to working with Jason Testasecca, alongside folks from Apache and Slick to create the current sound.
This question is kinda hilarious if you know the dudes. In many ways, they are complete and total opposites. Matthew is a mad scientist and Jason is your cool as fuck uncle, that’s also a little mad. The fuzz city stuff was my first time ever being in a studio. Matthew had the fuzz dialed in. He knew his gear and how it could help me and what I was trying to do, and he Phil Spectored my ass, and we ended up with that 7″, and that was that. Jason really lets a band be themselves in the studio, and is good at letting the special shit about a band shine through. I’d be like, hey J, I think I might bust a meow right here in the song… whattaya think?, he would be like, fuck yeah, it’s your band Joe do what u think is best. Not saying busting meows is my special shit or whatever, but you get what I’m saying hopefully. As far as Apache and Slick! goes, Apache crew was actually in the studio the same time as we were. We were both trying to hustle out new albums this year by summer, so the dudes are on there, mainly nick and matt, but not as much as I would have liked and vice versa. I also got Jason and my baby boy Pookie on there for good measure. Pook is an amazing tambourine player by the way.
BTs photographed by Alison Eden Copeland.
Describe what you all learned from the making of the new BT’s disc, Bustin’ Out, and how did you all manage to pack in all that energy?
Ummm, I don’t know how much I learned. Definitely not a lot. It was my first time making a full record. I wish I did it all in one blast I will definitely say that. Its annoying having half of an album finished, then having to tell everyone u show it to that the other half is on its way at some point and blah blah blah it sucks having to explain that and have half an album’s worth of shit and you’re waiting for another half album’s worth of shit just for it to see the light of day. As far as energy, I’m really flattered. We played a lot of video games and did a lot of drugs and smoked a lot of cigarettes and ate a lot of Taco Bell™.
What are the key ingredients for a proper Joey Genovese single?
I don’t know, I guess I tend to write songs when I feel like I need to die. I don’t own a gun. Guns are for fucking dorks and dipshits. My guitar is my gun. When I feel like I’m starting to go insane, I pick up my gun and I point it at people and it makes me feel better. Sometimes I point it at myself when nobody is looking, and when I’m lonely, I sleep with my gun. A gun and some feels I guess are the key ingredients.
What’s good in Oakland right now?
The weed and the weather. Music might impress you. The Bay is still filled with a handful of freaks that do cool shit. Come hang out with us.
BTs caught in the act; photographed by Daniel Ríos.
What are you listening to right now that has you all amped?
I’m pretty fucking lame I don’t know what to say. This is like when you go into a record store and forget what you want to buy. I listen to the radio and eagerly await the day I hear all of my friends on it. Also, fuck it no shame to my game, listen to the new Apache and BTs albums. Apache is on King Rocker and Burger and BTs is on King Rocker and Southpaw. Listen to those albums. And the radio.
Getting wild in the practice space with BT’s; press photo courtesy of the band.
What should we expect next from you all?
Apache, Slick! and BTs are going to Europe! Apache and BTs are both releasing albums on the seventh of August at our record release show at The Makeout Room. After that we’re taking it across the ocean for six weeks. Someone is definitely gonna cry, and there’s a good chance it’s gonna be me.
The long awaited BT’s album Bustin’ Out is available now from Southpaw Records.
