Exclusive Interview with Big D and the Kids Table

The ska/punk band Big D and the Kids Table was formed in 1995 in Boston and have played with bands such as The Mighty Mighty, Bosstones, Skatalites, Spring Heeled Jack and The Amazing. With their latest album The Damned, The Dumb and the Delirious, they’re still rocking it. We caught up with lead singer David McWanre for an exclusive interview. Check it out.

Please introduce yourselves.

My name is David McWanre and I sing in the band.

What are you busy with at the moment?

We are non-stop right now. After writing the new record, we spent two months asking local Boston friends/studio owners if we could please record with them for free, because we didn’t have a cent. All we had was a 40K dept from trailers and vans breaking and other bad luck. Than after miraculously16 friends/studio owners said yes, the record was made. Then we hit Warped Tour for 2 months, had a 5-day break, then hit Japan and China (touring on foot and subways), had a 5-day break, and are now preparing for our States tour in less than 5 days. We are living a steady riot of a life right now.

How does it feel to be in the punk/ska scene for so long?
Hm, ‘how does it feel to be in the punk/ska scene for so long’…I guess I feel free from normality and very lucky.

Is there any young bands that are influencing you at the moment?

Absolutely not. I guess the only thing that has made my head turn slightly is Matt the singer from I Set My Friends On Fire’s stage demeanor – he’s one interesting guy and the heart of the Japanese band Conviction. Other than that the only person playing right now that really inspires me is the band Melt-Banana. And I do not mean that in a pretentious way, just an honest way; either you are inspired or you are not.

If you could do it all over again, would you rather sell out for the bling or suffer
for the music?

The question has tough wording. You can suffer in music while attaining ‘bling’ and you can be in a non-lucrative band and not suffer. I am very happy where I am at, but yes being able to take a girl out and not worry about money is comforting.

Big D and the Kids Table – For The Damned, The Dumb and Delirious

What / who inspires your music?

Operation Ivy, Melt-Banana, old beat beatnik surf rock, Steinbeck, Bukowski and Quentin Tarantino.

Name five books that changed your lives.

1. Everything and Anything from Steinbeck.
2. Everything and anything from Bukowski
3. Winesburg Ohio, Sherwood Anderson
4. A Collection Of Poems, Steve Crain
5. The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway

Whiskey or beer?

Beer.

Bong or a blunt?

My mother may read this.

How… I mean really… how did you guys hookup with Melt Banana?

Our graphic designer Yo-Yo-Yosef hooked it up. He introduced us at the Middle East club in Boston over soup and we both thought the split was a pretty fun idea.

How have you guys translated the DIY mentality to the online world?

Oh just like everyone else, with social networks. I’m of the opinion that today’s musician are DIY if that means not leaving the house or being physical.

What happened to the ‘American Dream?’

What happened to the ‘American Dream?’ Well the ‘American Dream’ means if you work hard you can have anything you want and that is true today than it ever was. Within my inner thought, I believe I am proof of that. I think you may be asking, ‘What is changing as far as the American mentality’ – and I would say, ‘when I was a kid we used to have a newspaper called The Inquirer (The Sun for you) and today America is The Inquirer.’

What comes after Capitalism finally fails the western world?

Well that states that it will fail, saying that I believe it will fail. I’ll also answer what happens ‘if’ capitalisms fails?

#1: ‘When’ it fails:

I don’t think America will allow that. America will either mold what it means to be in a Capitalist county by making the needed changes in which every American has the freedom to express and vote on; America would potentially fix the changes needed in the system of government it truly believes in and which was build to keep people free from censorship and oppression. Laws would be changed and new ones made.

#2 ‘If’ it truly collapsed:

Well at that point I would hope that the right people with a more evolved mentality would then embark on a new and better form of government, which still allows it’s people freedom of expression, freedom speech and freedom to live their dream; what that form of government is, I do not know but I hope will illuminate itself if Capitalism falls. I believe one must remember how quickly ones freedoms can truly be taken away once might crushes right. My mother always said, ‘Young ladies don’t know it, but it will be their freedoms taken 1st.

How has the War on Drugs affected your lives / family?

As a young kid I had always loved running from the police; it is exciting.

Share with us some wisdom of ‘living on the road’ for 15 years.
I would just back up what you have already heard and that is that one could potentially die any day, so you might as well go live your life and see your world.

And I will add this little guy I wrote:

drowning in demons, reaching for your devil

you must stop
battling all the little demons
while the devil himself sits calmly watching
can’t you see,
that the devil is just keeping you busy?
he knows you’ll never think of knocking him down
while you’re distracted
if you want to end it,
end it
if you want progress, make progress
stop wasting your productive years
battling those little demons
want blood?
slay the big guy
what the hell is it you want anyway?
let all those little demons just hang on you
while you move forward
move strong toward his chair
grab your devil by his neck
surprise him; knock him down
the little ones will jump off once they see that
flex every muscle
put your brow down
you can have anything you want

‘For The Damned, The Dumb & Delirious,’ how jaded is the underground culture
in America?

Underground music culture or dead people under ground? Well dead people underground don’t have much of a culture, but yes are very jaded. King Tut has a lot of culture, but he’s above ground. I don’t think the underground music culture is jaded in the least in America. Everyone seems to be having a solid time. The ideals of the underground culture in the ’80s isn’t the same in the ’90s that isn’t them same today, so I can’t truly compare. The album title is cheeky yes, but in good fun; we truly wrote the record for us and them. I think the most jaded people in the music and film scene are the ones that post hateful opinion on the internet. People need to lighten up.

What’s next?

Well after this I have to go into the city, get the van, then hook it up to the trailer across town, then clean the van and trailer, count the merch, order new merch, then head in the city again tomorrow to print new merch and my new book, then close the cabin I’m living in, bring in the dock, pack my bag, head to rehersal, then head off to the U.S. tour for a month; then on to England and Europe.

Thanks guys, Have a great time! Peace!