Hello chip and music lovers. It looks like I've managed to wrangle another interview (via email) for this here website. This time around I was lucky enough to get Greg Rekus to answer my questions.
My introduction to
the Rekus of it all was through High Five Drive at Park CC, and the West End CC
in Brandon. HFD played Brandon fairly frequently when I was in high school and
became what felt like an almost local band (I want to say the Teney connection didn’t
hurt the frequency of visits either). When HDF broke up in the late aughts/early whatever last decade was, Greg started to record and tour as a solo act. Since then he's continued to tour (primarily) solo and formed the Inside Job, the band that he records with. And when I say he's continued to tour I mean it. The guy doesn't sit still for long, just go to his website to check out his upcoming tour dates if you don't believe me (and those are just upcoming, he recently finished a tour of western Canada and the west coast of the states)..While you're at it check his bandcamp page which has his entire solo catalogue including his most recent (Jan 2020 release) album, Death & taxes. Part folk, part punk, full on music machine. So without further adieu....
Music
SaltyBag: Are you originally from Winnipeg? How old were you when
you started playing/writing music? What bands were you in prior to High Five
Drive?
GregRekus: Yep, born and raised in Winnipeg. Grew up in north
Kildonan and moved to Osborne Village in 1999, around the same time that I
started putting on punk shows and really got into the scene. I played piano as
a little kid but was never that great at it. I had a lot of trouble reading
music and never really got that part down. I would play the song enough times
that I memorized it so I gave the illusion that I knew what I was doing. Before
HFD I was in Lacking Intelligence which was a 4-piece pop punk band with some
friends I went to high school with. I played for a short period of time in a
band called the Pookies but I just played guitar
SB:
Was there any overlap between Lacking intelligence/Pookies and High Five Drive?
How did HFD end up forming? At what point did Jowsey enter the fray? I believe
I saw him play in Gizmo but I can’t remember if that was on a shared bill with
HDF or not.
GR: Yes, with Lacking
intelligence and the Pookies there was some overlap. The Pookies only had 1 guitar and wanted a
second, we already played a lot of shows together so I kinda jumped on board
for about a year. After both bands stopped playing is when HFD started up. Jowsey wasn't there at the start and it was
about 6 months in that he joined.
SB: Do you remember the first show that you played..where it was,
or who it was with?
GR: Definitely! It was with Lacking Intelligence, and sorta a 1-time
band with a few friends and we did some covers. It was at my high school. The
administration wasn't super into the idea but eventually gave the green light.
I rented a bunch of gear from Long and McQuade, and the music teacher found
someone who could run the sound board for a slurpee, and a large pizza with
everything on it. It was great! I instantly knew at that moment that was what I wanted to
do for the rest of my life
SB:
Was it a lunch hour show? That’s something that I heard about on podcasts and
have read in interviews but it just seems so foreign to me, the closest I ever
came to seeing live music at my school was a talent show in junior high, but
that was just 1 song from each band.
GR: Yes. It
took a while to convince administration it was a good idea and a lot of
teachers complained about the noise but we did it!
SB: At what point did you decide that being a touring musician
would become a way of life for you?
GR: It's hard to pin point the exact moment. Moneen was a big
reason I do this. Before discovering that band, it seemed like touring wasn't
something that was accessible. But meeting them, they were just regular
people who were just going for it! HFD toured more then any local band, but
less then any touring band, so it wasn't until I started the solo thing that I
really got a taste for being on the road all the time. It's just so simple.
Everyday it's clear what I gotta do and I do it. I'd be lying if I said it
wasn't a bit of a get away from life, at the same time it's kinda how I imagine
life should be. I still value my time at home and without dark there is no
light, but I feel I have the perfect balance in life
SB:
I believe I’ve seen you run sound in Winnipeg, does this cross over into production
as well?
GR: Definitely! Being in both I have experience of being on
stage when I’m turning the knobs and vice versa. Also being used to long hours.
SB: Do you think that spinning in circles is a gateway drug?
GR: Ha! No not really. I do miss my wireless unit and my leg
always gets wrapped in my guitar cord
SB: You spin like a mother lover up on your stomp box, have you
found that it impacts the life span of your patch cords?
GR: It hasn't yet broke one, as far as I know. Sometimes it ends
up under my foot and I keep stomping on it and wonder if that will do anything.
But usually I lose the patch cord, or lend it out and don't get it back, before
it breaks
SB: Speaking of stomp box. Is that straight from the mind of Greg
Rekus or had you seen it, or something similar, used before? How many tries did
it take to get it right? Did the rhythm stomping come naturally or did you have
to practice before your first solo show/tour?
GR: No, I can't take all the credit. A former room mate made it
for me after I saw a band called Hoots and Hellmouth. They played the Winnipeg
folk fest and I was on monitors that year. They were great and had a board with
tambourines on it that they stomped on so that's kinda where I got the
idea. The one I have now is version 2. The first one kept breaking and I had to
replace the top part a bunch of times. We made some design
improvements and spent a lot more money on the top sheet. I did have to
practice quite a bit when I first started, and certain rhythms are easier than
others. I guess you just kinda stick to what you know
SB: At your annual Brandon show you mentioned that you were
heading to Europe later this spring, do you have a stomp box that you leave at
a friend’s place in Europe, or how do you work touring over there solo?
GR: Europe is a bit trickier. I travel by bus and train mostly,
so a giant stomp box would be impossible. The last few tours I’ve found a slab
of wood and attached some rubber feet to the bottom so it still kinda
resonates. I found when it was just on the ground it was like I was stomping on
just the floor. I have a small pickup that kinda makes a thump but I’m going to
try to see if I can figure out a trigger system for future tours. I still tape
a few tambourines to it. It's not perfect but most time you get the idea
of what I’m trying to do
SB:
Have you ever played with a euro edition Inside Job?
GR: No. Not yet at least. It's really hard to organize and there just
isn't a lot of money floating around. It would have to be something someone
would have to spend a bunch of time on for the fun of it. Not that those people don't exist, but they’re
few and far between
SB: Punk, Metal, Folk. What's your favourite album from each of
the genres?
GR: Always a tough question. Not sure if I really have a
favorite, as in better then all the others, but one album I’ve come back to
year after year is Heavy Petting Zoo by NoFX. There are definitely better albums
out there, as well as better NoFX albums, but for some reason it's always kinda
been a personal fav. Not super into metal but Reign in Blood has always been a
go to album for me. Folk, I’m a huge fan of John Prine and he has a greatest
hits that I probably play the most, if that counts
SB:
Yeah, favourite (of anything) is an almost impossible question to answer and I
appreciate your answer. Was Heavy Petting Zoo your intro to NoFX?
GR: No, Punk in Drublic was the first time ever I heard them,
but I became a fan with White Trash
SB:
For some reason I thought there would have been a thrash influence that fed
into the tech punk side of HFD. Was Brandon insular back in the day or did HDF
play with a lot of metal/metalcore bands on tour?
GR: We played with
everyone. Tons of different acts. Brent, our original bass player, was a bit of
a metal head back in the day and he had a big influence on the tech side of the
band
SB:
I don’t believe I’ve ever listened to Prine before, so I threw it on while I
was going through the rest of this interview for follow ups. Shit’s fantastic.
Thanks.
GR: Awesome! Yeah, he's
quite the song writer, and great stuff to listen to on the highway
SB: Is there any rap in the mix for you?
GR: I like the Beastie Boys a bunch but outside of that it's
never really appealed to me. I mean, [I] respect [it] and it's not like I don't
think it's music or any dumb opinions like that. Just not my thing
SB: What brought on forming of the Inside Job rather than staying
straight up solo?
GR: I felt my first record was good but not really as good as
the live show. I felt a lot of the people and bands I played with were full
bands on record, and I was getting left behind just being a solo. I would love
to tour with a band again someday, but it's just so hard logistically. I've got
a really great thing going with the touring solo thing and I think maybe a best
of both worlds [is] being able to do play solo but be a band on record
SB: You’ve sampled other songs within your originals before but I
don’t recall any full-on covers recorded. On your most recent album, Death
& Taxes, you cover Streams of Whiskey. Are you a fan of The Pogues and/or
Shane MacGowan? Should apple “U2” Red Roses for Me onto everyone’s iPhones?
GR: There was a John Prine tune on my second record “Punkoustic”,
Please Don't Bury Me, and I do play the odd cover live just for fun. I am a fan
of the Pogues and it kinda happened when I played with the Dust Rhinos last St Pat's
Day. I had to learn a few Irish tunes so I did Dirty Old Town and Streams of Whiskey.
It really fit so I started doing it on tour and then we learned it for the
record
SB: What are your thoughts on the music of Gowan? I didn’t realize
how much of the Canadian airwaves he occupied until I downloaded his greatest
hits a decade ago and I knew a good number of the songs. Not just recognized, I
was able to sing along to an astonishing number.
GR: The man is a legend for sure! Maybe also an example of
partying too hard, kinda among the ranks of Ozzie and Brian Wilson. Touring and
playing is not an easy life and can take its toll on the body and the mind. I
feel his music was very honest in a you get what you get kinda way. He wasn't
the best singer but did it anyways and this is definitely something I can
relate to
SB:
Damn, I wasn’t aware of the man, just the music. Sounds like I have some
reading to do.
GR: Yeah, he lived quite
the life for sure!
SB: You tour relentlessly. Can you hip the salty bag readers to
some bands that we may not have heard of but you’ve had the privilege of
playing with.
GR: Soooooo many! Grotoko did a bunch of the dates with me in
western Canada. Dandelion Massacre and John Underwood are 2 I played with
last night that are awesome! River Jacks have been good buds forever. Not In
Public I played with in Vancouver. Broken Shoes from Victoria Island. This tour
alone has been super great. Too many to name everyone
SB:
I really enjoyed Grotoko when she played with you in Brandon. She has great
songs and a really interesting stage presence, your sets complimented one
another well. Did River Jacks get their hook up to play Brandon through you? I
caught them last fall at The 40 and damn they were fantastic, if it was through
you, thanks.
GR: I’m not sure. Very possible. That's that way the scene works. We all gotta stick together and all the rad
people need to meet all the other rad people
Chip Questions
SB: What chip/flavour do you think most accurately represents your
most recent album, Death & Taxes?
GR: All Dressed. A little bit of everything
SB: What chip/flavour would you associate with the music of Greg
Rekus past (pre The Dude Abides)?
GR: Ketchup Flavour. It's not for everyone but people that like
it really like it
SB:
They definitely do. When I was living out in Calgary in the late aughts I had
more than one person come up to me recognizing my HFD (Evil Dead) shirt.
GR: That's awesome! That
was our biggest seller, I think we did something like 6 runs of that shirt
SB: What is your favourite base chip? (potato [‘standard’ fried,
baked, kettle cooked], corn, multi-grain, sweet potato, beet, parsnip, carrot, etc.)
GR: I would probably be half way between Standard and Kettle
Cooked. I like the crunch but it also depends on what the seasoning is
SB: What is
your favourite chip seasoning? Not a specific brand but a general flavour.
(current or discontinued [or if you’re feeling wild your favourite current, and
your favourite discontinued flavours])
GR: All Dressed is my favorite. It's like the perfect mix
between everything I like. I'm the worst at decisions usually so this way I can
just pick everything
SB: What’s your favourite all dressed brand? I love me some Presidents
Choice Loads of All Dressed. Have you tried Zapp’s Voodoo/Voodoo Heat? They’re
in the all dressed family and absolutely fantastic (and only available
stateside). Another all dressed adjacent flavour is co-op gold Pure loaded
burger (though I haven’t seen them in a couple of months, not sure if co-op
dropped that flavour or not). Another one to keep your eye out for is Covered
Bridge All Dressed, I saw on their facebook a month or so ago that they were
going to be getting into the all dressed game in 2020 (they used to make loaded
hot dog [and make the co-op Pure chips] which was a fantastic semi all dressed
flavour).
GR: WOW! Will definitely
check for that. I'm a big fan of Covered
Bridge and didn't realize they had an all dressed. I just got back from a tour in the USA and
tried the ruffles all dressed down there again.
I think ours up here has more flavor and [is] less salty, but maybe it's
just me
SB: What is your favourite bag of chips? (brand, flavour, style)
Can you please explain why they are your favourite?
GR: Old Dutch I grew up with and I usually gravitate towards
them. So many flavors and I particularity like the box with the
double bag in it! You eat it and there is still another one to eat
SB: I wish more companies double bagged it. As someone who typically downs
the whole bag in a single sitting, it’s nice to have something there to help
pace.
GR: Definitely, I’m a van snacker when I drive so sometimes
you get in a bit of a trance and don't realize you ate the whole thing
SB: What is the oddest, enjoyable, chip that you have come across
as a touring musician? What’s the oddest chip that you’ve seen but passed on
trying?
GR: Wasabi was one I thought was good yet weird. I've never
eaten a baked potato and thought to put that stuff on it but it was actually
pretty good. It's hard cuz I eat vegan so I’ve passed on a bunch for other
reasons. I would probably try anything once. Crab chips if I had to pick. Those
were in eastern Europe and were kinda a turn off
SB:
Was it Lay’s Wasabi from their do us a flavor competition? I dug those. I don’t
believe I’ve had crab; I’ll have to keep my eye out for those. Seafood chip
flavours I’ve found are very hot and cold, some are okay and some taste more
like fish food.
GR: Yeah, I think it was.
I never tried the crab chips cuz it said there is actually crab in it
SB: What is more important, the base chip or the seasoning?
GR: The seasoning, I think. Base chip is very important of
course, but I would sooner eat a sub par chip with awesome flavour then an
amazing chip that's kinda plain. The seasoning is what keeps me coming back for
more
SB: Do you recall the Rave chip line from Old Dutch? Man, those
were awesome chips. (I miss their extra salt & vinegar, and their buffalo
wing chips)
GR: Yeah totally! Superstore has a line that is kinda like
that. Double or triple seasoning. Sometimes it's too strong even for me. I
think it's called “tons of all dressed” or maybe “Loads of all dressed” few
tongues can endure
SB: Yeah, I love me some “Loads of” chips. President’s Choice kettle cooked
Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar also has quite aggressive coverage, it’s probably
the closest to extra S&V that I’ve found.
Speaking of extinct chip flavours, did you ever try co-op Gold’s
Jalapeno Dill Chips? Do you think the co-op made a huge mistake by eliminating
this chip flavour from their chip line?
GR: I don't think I tried it because it wasn't vegan. If I did,
it didn't leave a giant impact on my palate, I guess. It must be a hard job to
decide what flavors to keep and chop
SB: Yeah, when I emailed them about it their answer equated to, “it didn’t
sell enough. But you could try dill pickle, or jalap and cheddar”. I think
someone’s gotta pick up the torch though, spicy dill pickle is quite nice.
Do you consider Pringle's to be chips and/or an acceptable chip
option?
GR: Tube chips are a bit of a grey area. I will go through
phases where I crave them, and I do like the consistency of each chip.
They are hard to eat when driving and my hand gets caught so I gotta take the
other hand off the wheel to free myself and drive with my knees
SB:
Haha, sounds like a safety hazard, you might want to avoid them (I’m a pretty
adamant detractor of Pringles). I feel your response to chip vs seasoning sort
of tipped your hand for this answer. What’s your favourite tube chip? In my few
times dipping into tubes I found that “No Name” (the yellow Superstore brand)
are actually a better chip than Pringles however the seasoning is oddly only on
one side of the chip.
GR: pringles is probably my fav tube chip. Sometimes I’ll do the Lay’s ones and like
them, but pringles BBQ is my go-to
SB: How do you feel about dipping seasoned chips? In my experience
some people find it odd to dip flavoured chips..(ketchup chips into dill pickle
dip, or barbeque chips into chili).
GR: I can go either way. It can lead to new amazing tastes but
most of my snacking is done when driving or sometimes when I’m working late. It
seems to just introduce the danger of a mess at a time when I don't have the
means to really clean it up. I like a self-contained snack and that's why the
chip bag has always been my weapon of choice in the fight of hunger
SB:
Makes sense. Taking that into consideration, when you get to the bottom of a
bag, do you ‘drink’ the crumbs? I’ve found it to be very difficult when
driving.
GR: Yep! I definitely tip
it back
SB: What chip flavour do you think should exist but doesn’t?
GR: Veggie Dog chips. Maybe it's cuz I’ve been vegan for so long
but I love me a good veggie dog. Would be neat to see if a chip could hold the
line on this taste also. If I can pick another, I would love to see a Bull’s Eye
Bold Original chip also
SB:
I’ve only tried veggie dogs once and was not into them. What brand of veg dogs
would you recommend? Bulls eye bold would be a bangin’ chip flavour…I think I
might toy with this idea to make a dip.
GR: Smart dogs made by light life are my all-time fav! Yves is ok, but not as good
SB:
How long have you been vegan for? Being born and bred in the Peg, was
Propagandhi a major factor in going vegan?
GR: Veggie for 20 years and vegan for about 10 of it. Indirectly it was a factor. I had many friends that were into it, so I
was exposed to veggie food for a long time.
One day I just kinda woke up and couldn't do it anymore
SB:
So, being vegan, that means that you no longer eat Cheezies? Do you miss them
and if yes, have you found any sort of vegan Cheezies adjacent snack?
GR: Correct, I no longer eat them. There is a vegan version that are ok. I don't think there is a lot of food substance
in a cheezie to begin with so not surprised it can be faked pretty easy
There you have it folks. A 2 email thread between a fantastic musical man and myself. Don't forget to check out his music and if you dig it, purchase it..or better yet, go see him live. He's a fantastic performer and super friendly..and that way you can buy a cd or LP directly from him.
Stay hydrated,
Marc
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