Versing
Choruses & verses with Seattle’s Versing; photographed by Conner Lyons.
Versing are one of Seattle’s most exciting DIY groups around, having won us over with their 7 song Nude Descending EP recorded by Dylan Wall (via Youth Riot Records) & today we have the honor & privilege of premiering their playground-park pop video for “Voight-Kampff” made by Versing’s best friend & director Efraín. Versing continue the anarchic northwest tradition of championing the most catchy & distorted riff arrangements imaginable that remind us why Seattle remains one of the underground pop capitols of the world, no matter what kind of gentrification & tech influx upheavals takeover the town. Versing rocks in the manner that reaffirms your addiction to rhythm & riffs that rattles the status quote in the name of the independent spirit that operates according to their own impulses & choices of aesthetics.
On Efrain’s visual treatment for Versing’s “Voight Kampff” we are taken for a performance in the park where Daniel Salas, Graham Baker, Kirby Lochner & Max Keyes hold down the courts for an audience of trees. The shrill & shredding guitar licks spin & whirl like the footage of the group going for a spin on the playground-merry-go-round that blends into a showcase of distorted & psychedelicized screen test portraits. Efrain introduces all kinds of film & tape effects & surface scratches & video static and at times distorts images of the band as a way to take you deeper into the “ba ba ba-da” choruses & ultra-righteous scuzz riffs that strike straight to the heart. The fun day at the park ends with the image of a lawn being mode by an antiquated manual mower that marks an end to the previous leisurely day enjoyed at the park. We caught up with the band’s Daniel, Graham, Kirby & Max in roundtable interview session.
Tell us what Versing’s summer was like, any favorite or intriguing excursions or anecdotes worth sharing?
Graham: We had kind of a weird summer. We played both Capitol Hill Block Party and a tour homecoming for our friends Snuff Redux as a three piece because Kirby forgot that he had to go to a wedding. I’m sure it didn’t sound that great, but I had a lot of fun!
Max: Our record came out on vinyl this summer on Youth Riot Records which is super sick actually.
Daniel: We got to play with Chastity Belt and So Pitted again which is always great fun.
Kirby: Graham beat me at FIFA.
Give us notes from the playground in the making of the Efraín video for “Voight-Kampff”.
Max: Filming the carousel scenes was pretty funny. Efraín was such a trooper – he spent about 30 minutes total spinning on the carousel to film us all separately. We had a system going so that when one of us was getting filmed two others would lay under the carousel and spin it from the bottom, so he was spinning pretty quickly the entire time. Afterwards we went to Dan and Kirby’s house to watch the footage and Efraín couldn’t move from the couch or say anything for an hour because he felt so sick.
Graham: I was feeling really sick that day and I had to work a double shift so I came from work to the park where we were shooting, quickly got all the stuff we needed in about 30 minutes, and then went back to work.
Max: Graham was super grumpy, actually.
Daniel: There’s a quick shot of Efraín in the video during the second chorus. I filmed that, and it was literally as long as I could stand to spin on the carousel and look through the camera lens without wanting to puke. I’ll never know how he did it for so long.
Striking a pose with Versing’s band photo; photographed by Landon Gauthier.
What’s next in the works for Versing that we should be looking forward to?
Max: We recorded a full length earlier this year with José Díaz Rohena. We did everything (tracking, dubbing, mixing) in the week right before he moved to Brooklyn. It was a whirlwind. We are very excited and hopefully it will be out in the near future!
Graham: We are also hoping to record some of the tracks that didn’t make the cut on the album and put out a cassette probably before the record actually comes out.
What’s good in Seattle right now that we should know about and local causes folks should give a shit about?
Kirby: TUF, a female/non-binary/trans collective. Donormaal can’t get enough hype.
Daniel: Secondnature has consistently put on great events and the collective has some real heavy hitters. I’ve been digging American Nudism, Nightspace, Neek, Daughtermelon, and Slashed Tires. Really on a synthpunk/synthpop kick lately. I also work for Radical Women and they are a very cool local organization.
Graham: I love the band Hoop! I am also in another band with the lead singer of Casual Hex called Big Bite and we are super sick actually.
Max: Punk the vote is an awesome example of how local musicians can encourage political action.
Get versed on Seattle’s Versing; clockwise from top right: Kirby Lochner, Daniel Salas, Graham Baker, & Max Keyes.
What is the Versing game plan for fall/winter?
Daniel: We’ll be taking a couple months off for various travel/tour plans at the end of the year. Our last couple shows this year are November 17 with Chastity Belt and Malidont at Chop Suey and November 18 with Terry Malts and Killer Ghost at The Vera Project.
What are you all really in to/excited about/etc?
Daniel: I’m really excited for the election season to end. Also be on the lookout for a new project I’m working on called Dox.
Graham: I am really into these Dixie Chicks bootleg shirts that I made with Efraín a few weeks ago. They are super sick actually. I also love the bands Hoop and Casual Hex!
Versing’s Nude Descending EP is available now from Youth Riot Records.
