Chicago area quintet The Usuals released their new EP Man Down today. The EP features retooling of old songs which were favorites of original guitarist Steve Katzel who, sadly, passed away in 2020. I embarked on a track-by-track interview/discussion of the new album with the band. Be forewarned… we get sidetracked quite a bit.
Jeff (TGEFM): This is Jeff from That’s Good Enough For Me, and I’ve got the entirety of Chicagoland punks The Usuals here for a chit-chat. We’re talking today about their “new” EP “Man Down,” which is due out Friday, 05 Nov 2021. I hate to dredge up sad memories but, to be fair, you guys did it first with this album. Could you explain to our readers why I put new in quotation marks, and just what this album is all about?
Curt Harrison (vocals): This EP is a 4 pack of 20 year oldies that were some of Steve Katzel’s favorites to play. Steve was a long time friend and co-founder of the band back in 2000. He passed away in 2020 and we as a band wanted to do something special in memory of him.
To me, it’s a form of closure from the past and a beginning for the future. I feel our current line up did a stellar job re creating these songs giving the traditional Usuals sound with the edge of our current brand.
So that’s Steve from Tricky Dick, right? (Tricky Dick was a formative band which also included Chris McCaughan of The Lawrence Arms) I believe I met him a few times waaaay back when I still in the area, but never really got to know him personally. When he passed my Facebook lit up with photos and there’s one (well many) of him smiling in a crowd of people and I was like “Hey! I know that guy!” I’m sorry for your loss. Looking to the songs on the EP, are they new versions of old tracks that saw release?
Curt: Yes, Steve was in Tricky Dick as well as Four Squares and many other bands back in the day like Biscayne and Slug Bug. These four songs are old songs from the early days of The Usuals that never really saw a proper release. Probably about 12 years in, some of our old recordings found their way onto CD, but still not really released, more so just to have some music to give out or try and sell at shows. Literally a few months before Steve’s passing, he said to me that he wished we had at least put out a 7” back in the early days and that is what sparked this idea from us.
And thank you. Steve’s passing was a tragedy to all of us. It’s still hard to believe that he’s gone and I think of him often. I have so many great memories with him that stem long before The Usuals.
In essence, then these songs aren’t really about Steve, but more a testament to his memory, songwriting, and creativity.
Track 1: “Reconstruction”
The first track on the EP is “Reconstruction.” Can you tell us a little about the song itself, what changes or, maybe a better word, evolution if any it has gone through with the current lineup?
Curt: Yes, they aren’t about him, they are songs he had helped write and remained some of his favorites for 20 years. We gave it a slick ass intro hahaha… “Reconstruction,” that is.
(Laughter) By the sound of it you’ve added some to “Reconstruction,” but not a lot, Is that correct? I know this is plumbing the depths of history, but what does the song mean for the band?
Justin Schenk (bass): It’s almost less of a change than it is “take a riff that appears later in the song and make it sound huge af with some Maiden harmonies” hahaha. I know Curt is the lyric-meister so the actual meaning is on him.
To me it was a cool foundation to see how the current lineup could jive together. Everyone learned the OG version and it naturally between the four instrument dudes just became this new one. It was kind of a test of our chemistry if that makes sense?
Curt: Lyrically this song was written in and around 2002-03 when we were going through a transition of the band with a new bass player and drummer. That’s about it honestly. Basically subliminally the reconstruction of band lineup.
There was no bad blood at our early transition or at any of them for that matter, just life. Baby’s were being made and people took opportunities out of state. We’re still friends to this day.
Track 2: “People’s Choice”
Moving on to “People’s Choice,” I think this one, very much, has that unique “Chicago Sound” to it. That’s something that better writers could probably quantify in words, but it’s something that every Chicago punk knows when they hear it. Can you tell us a little bit more about the history of this song, and what, if anything, is new about it?
Curt: People’s Choice is probably the first poke at a political writing that I ever did. I definitely do not consider The Usuals a political band at all but I suppose that at some point most song writers will or have written about current events or being fed up with how rules, laws and policies are enforced on “the people” It’s really kind of vague without being vague lyrically in my opinion. It’s really a fun song though for me, and relevant through the years and chain of current events that have occurred.
Chris Heilemann (guitar): We did add more back up vocal harmonies. And in a little guitar thing in the breakdown part. Also to me it does have that chicago sound, but more specifically an Elgin punk rock sound.
Justin: Chris is talking about those slick af boy band harmonies we added. Those backups specifically are more of a St Charles sound. Maybe even Geneva. Hahaha.
Chris: We can go with Fox Valley sound.
Curt: Yeah, we definitely added a lot of backups and harmonies on the entire EP.
Chris: I think I associate it with listening and appreciating the bands I grew up listening to. Usually bands steve was in.
(laughter) “This is 100% a Spring Hill Mall sound.” “No, it’s a Streamwood sound!” “Fuck Streamwood.” (laughter) Really, though, I can buy what you’re saying. The Fox Valley does have a distinctive sound. After we all grew up, got driver’s licenses, and began to graduate from garage shows, venues like the 3rd Floor (in Elgin) were our closest outlet for music with heading in towards the city. I can’t begin to count the number of friends whose equipment I helped carry up those stairs.
Chris: That’s the place that started it all for me.
That was a fun place. Prior to that I’d never really gone to a “local punk” show at anything that would qualify as a venue. We were all about garage shows in Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills, although we did also put on a few gigs at the Crystal Lake Nature Center, so I guess there’s that.
This, of course, doesn’t count McGregors, because I mostly saw bigger or touring bands there.
Chris: I heard stories about McGregors, but i think they stopped doing shows right when I stated going.
Yeah, it was a shame when they bowed out.
Curt: For me the “Elgin scene” was The #1 Soul, The Masonic Temple and Turners Club. I was at most if not all of those McGregors shows also (not in Elgin) but by the time The Third Floor was a thing I was already living in Colorado in a band out there so I missed that whole Elgin era.
Colorado? Traitor. (laughter)
Curt: The best snowboarding in the country in my opinion. That’s what initially brought me out there. Ultimately I came back because I do love the Chicago area.
Oh, OK. Snowboarding is a worthy pursuit. I forgive you.
Curt: (laughter)
Track 3: “Knew”
Let’s look at track #3, “Knew.” I’m not going to lie, this is my favorite track on the EP. I love it’s high energy at the start, the guitars about 1m15s in, the bridge before it dives in again. It is just full of chunky goodness.
Justin: I think this is the most fun song to play in any live set it shows up in honestly, and it definitely stands out that way on the EP. It fuckin bops, it’s got some yelling, some melody, a nice little breakdown. The other 3 songs are pretty driving and aggressive by nature, this one you can jump around to a bit more. Major “throw your arm around a buddies neck and yell some shit out of your system” vibes and I love it for that.
Chris: Yeah always been my fav.
Yeah, I’m not saying the other three aren’t good, the whole EP is a rockin’. But this one has that kind of crowd-fun nature about it.
Curt: Well thank you!
Aaron McDuffie (guitar): That riffy chord progression during the verse always made me shake a leg!
(laughter) I’m sure that’s a sight to behold.
Track 4: “No Disguise”
Finally the last track, featuring the legendary Jeff Pezzati of Naked Raygun, The Bomb, and more lending his pipes to some background vocals. What a coup!
Justin: The best part of Jeff Pezzati coming on for a song was getting to have his raccoons in the music video. Kidding Kidding.
Aaron: That was pretty cool, though.
Curt: The best part of having Jeff sing backups for me is the fact that I grew up idolizing Jeff Pezzati and Naked Raygun. I even have a huge NR tattoo on the calf of my leg. Naked Raygun was the first punk band I ever saw back in the mid 80’s when I was a freshman in High School. I fell in love with the way their music made me feel and the energy that was in the pit at a Raygun show. They/ Jeff is why I wanted to become a singer of a band.
Much later in life I’ve had the opportunity to become his friend, share stages on occasion and have him actually lend his legendary Whoas on something I created! Absolutely amazing to me!
Chris: Yeah what an amazing honor.
Curt: Everything that Jeff has ever done musically to me is absolutely brilliant and I feel 100% honored that he would have any kind of involvement on a song we made.
Justin: Musically, “No Disguise” is pretty cool because you have all three string instruments doing different things during the verse and (credit to the OG writer of the riffs on this one) it sounds like everyone is just grooving. The drums are the key on this one. The verse is all about that groove and the little back beat halfway through each one is totally clutch to sell it. It’s a nicely paced head bobbin toe tapping verse with a big ass sing along chorus. I think it does a great job of ending the EP on a HUGE musical note with the backups and everything happening together. Huge, huge credit to our very own Aaron for getting such clean takes of us in the studio and the dudes at Bricktop for mixing ALL of that stuff going on so tightly (on every track).
Curt: Wait! How did we not expand on the sick bass lines that completely shaped this song into pure badassery!?
(Laughter) In my best Jack Pallance as Curly in City Slickers voice: “Hssss… Interview ain’t over yet!” Justin, care to expand?
Justin: I’d rather talk about how we’re gonna find Curly’s gold hahah!
(laughter) You TOTALLY read it your head in his voice though, didn’t you?!?
Justin: This is unlocking so many city slickers quotes, I swear I’ll have something valuable to say in a moment hahaha!
Curt: Yeah I mean, everything that was said up above is absolutely true. Everyone brought their skills to the table on this one. Drums, guitar, vocal ideas and melodies, but when I first heard what Justin came up with for bass lines for “No Disguise,” I was floored. To hear a song written so many years ago take new form the way it has is absolutely amazing to me and the cherry on the fucking top was having Jeff Pezzati grace it’s existence!
Did you ever reach a point in your life and say, “this is the best I’m ever gonna look, the best I’m ever gonna feel, the best I’m ever gonna do and it ain’t that great?”
There’s another City Slickers quote for you haha!
Justin: I think the night before recording I rewrote all the bass to no disguise (except the verses) and sent the guys a bass-only demo and was like “dudes, I can’t tell if this is cool or just me being extra??”
Ultimately I think good bass is one of those things where it should add A LOT to a song without the listener realizing what’s happening, but when they give it a focused listen they’ll be like “holy shit”.
I pretty much pray at the church of Scott Shiflett and Fat Mike when it comes to bass hahaha. Dudes who know when to be on 11 and when to keep it down to root notes.
Fuck. Dan Andriano too, probably my biggest bass influence to be honest. Those three guys are what push me to write cooler and cooler shit and get better and better every time I watch or listen to them.
Curt: Oh I first read this as “Fuck Dan Adriano too!” and was like..what? (Laughter)
(Laughter) Yeah, FUCK DAN ADRIANO! (just kidding, Dan!) Do we have any final thoughts about the EP, or comments in general?
Justin: It’s definitely recommended but definitely not required to enjoy a Mickey’s big mouth (or hand grenade, whatever y’all call it) at least once while listening to “Man Down,” in honor of Steve 
Chris: I’d like to give a shout out to our newest member, Aaron cDuffie for flawlessly jumping in on guitar and also doing a fantastic job doing the recording. I like Phil Warbiany (drums), too.
Aaron: When your favorite band asks you to join you don’t say no!
Phil: What Aaron said.
Curt: I’d like to say that as a whole, our current lineup has the tightest bond musically that The Usuals has ever seen and I think it shows in the writing we’ve been doing. We talk daily and share music ideas, riffs, parts, etc. and everyone adds input that is seriously considered or molded and formed into songs, all while honing in on our existing catalogue of songs.
The Usuals has always been a tight group of friends and a fun band to be in. We have gone through a few lineup changes over the last two decades because of life changes for members and never had “a bad breakup “ with any member. This still holds true today however this group of guys I’m lucky to be able to call friends has the deepest “musical bond” to date!
Steve Katzel, life long friend and co-founder of this band would truly appreciate the additions we’ve made in moving forward, I’m confident in that. This one’s for you Stevie, we miss you much!
We’re coming hard and furious so watch for new music in your very near future! Thank you to everyone that has supported us and continues to support us. We love ya’ll! Thank you Jeff for taking your time to interview us and talk about our latest release!
The Usuals new EP Man Down is out today via streaming services. You can check out the band and stream/purchase their music at the links below:
The Usuals socials
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
The Usuals streaming
Bandcamp (stream and purchase)
Spotify
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
