There’s something uniquely perfect, and perfectly chaotic, about capturing two totally different corners of the punk universe on the same slab of vinyl, and Wolf-Face’s half of the new split with Celebration Summer might be the most gloriously unhinged document DCxPC has pressed yet. Recorded at FEST, where intimacy feels louder than any main-stage festival PA, Wolf-Face’s set bottles the sweaty joy, feral humor, and oddly heartfelt catharsis that only a teenage-werewolf-fronted punk band can deliver. With FEST’s famously wild crowds feeding every howl, the recording becomes more than a live set, it’s a snapshot of Wolf-Face at full moon strength, equal parts absurdity and sincerity. Paired with Celebration Summer’s political grit, the split captures two bands who approach punk from wildly different angles but share the same beating heart: connection, community, and the thrill of being packed in a room where everyone’s teeth are showing. Today, Wolf-Face’s Michael J Wolf has joined TGEFM for a quick Roll of the Dice to discuss the split, the community and the scene at large.
Thank you both so much for agreeing to this interview! First off, how does it feel to have your FEST performances immortalized on vinyl, especially in such a limited 200-copy release?
“It feels me feel kinda funny, like when we used to climb the rope in gym class.” Seriously though, it feels really great. FEST is an incredible event to play, and Loosey’s is one of my favorite venues, so having that performance pressed to vinyl is really special. It’s cool to know that moment is captured forever, especially since it was such a fun set as well as an emotional one. It was our first drummer Glenn’s last set with us before hanging up the drumsticks.
Over the years, many labels have talked to us about doing a live record but quickly fled after realizing it would be nearly impossible to capture such sonic genius on a single piece of vinyl. Scott was the first person with the balls to give it a shot and now he is reaping the monetary benefits. It was a super fun set and we are stoked to share the record with our pack mates, Celebration Station. And with only 200 copies, you’re basically losing money if you don’t buy one. Fuck crypto, the value of this record is going to the moon!
FEST is legendary for its energy and community… What makes playing there different from any other live setting?
FEST just has a different kind of energy. Everyone there is excited to be part of it, not just watching bands but really in it. The crowd gives back so much, and it makes you play harder. It feels more like a shared experience than a regular show in my opinion.
I personally am not a fan of big music festivals. The idea of standing in a giant field where the best view of the band is on a big video screen at the side of the stage holds no appeal to me. The best shows ever are at small venues that are packed to the gills with sweaty people almost right on top of the band. Fest is like a bunch of those venues. Even the biggest venue feels intimate. And on top of the, people who otherwise would never get to howl with us can come and get bit.
The split format feels like a great pairing of two totally different punk worlds — heartfelt and feral. How did the idea for this release come together?
The split came together really simply, actually. We’ve known Scott from DCxPC for a while, and he had approached us regarding doing a live album for the label. We were super interested, but wondered if it may be more fun pairing with another band for a split live release. Scott was enthusiastic about the idea so we pitched calling up Wolf-Face as we were big fans and thought that even though we are somewhat different sounds, the Fest connection makes it an extra fun combo. I’m pretty sure they had no idea who we were or what they were getting themselves into and just accidentally signed on to do it. Ha. Suckers. Always read the fine print. I heard one of them is a lawyer when there’s no full moon. You’d think he’d know better? Now they’re stuck with us. Joke’s on them.
Well, we discussed how there is only one mortal band who could give our hairy asses a run for our money. I think the split came out perfectly with two distinct sounds coming from the same Fest mentality. Frankly, I’ve never liked split records where both bands are really similar. I think both of our sounds fit into the Fest/Gainesville vibe really well. And although I appreciate my CS pack mates saying they brought us into the mix because they were fans, let’s be real, they saw a cash cow in Wolf-Face and are now reaping the benefits. Can’t say I don’t respect that.
DCxPC has a real knack for capturing the underground scene at its most alive, and Scott is an absolutely delightful human being. What’s it like working with them on this project?
Working with DCxPC has been awesome. Scott really cares about punk and puts his heart into every release. He’s easy to work with, super organized, and just a genuinely good dude.
Scott is rad. But again, let’s not pretend he isn’t buying yachts and partying hard off these records. Nothing wrong with helping and promoting killer underground bands and becoming rich as hell while doing it.
Between the grit of Celebration Summer’s political edge and Wolf-Face’s humor-fueled chaos, you’re covering a lot of emotional ground. How do you view punk’s role right now; rebellion, release, community, or something else?
Punk can mean a lot of things, but for me it’s mostly about connection. It’s people coming together and being themselves. Sometimes we feel the need to express ourselves about things that are political, sometimes our message is very personal, but it’s always real. With everything going on in the world right now, especially here in the US, I think punk’s role is the same as it’s always been. It’s about questioning things, standing up for what you believe in, and not just accepting the way things are. Punk’s a spirit as much as it is a sound, and that’s what keeps it relevant.
My tunes are about the trials and tribulations I deal with being a teenage werewolf and I personally don’t think there’s anything humorous about that so it’s kind of an odd question. But I do think levity is important in music. Even if it’s done along side tunes that are about very serious subject matter. Like life, music should encompass all subject matters and emotions. Being able to laugh during life’s darkest times is sometimes the only way we can get through those times and learn from them. But as I said before, there’s nothing funny about suddenly developing pubes on my face.
FEST crowds are famously wild. Any standout memories, onstage or off, from the nights these tracks were recorded?
I remember how wild the crowd was. People were singing along and moving the whole time. You could tell everyone was just happy to be there. That’s the kind of thing you can’t fake.
Yea there’s nothing better than seeing people screaming your lyrics back to you. So much of Fest is just a big sing along. The joy from that is primal and palpable whether you’re on the stage or in the audience. A standout memory from me is just from our first Fest over a decade ago. No one knew who we were and we were playing a small club so we hustled passing out stickers all day begging people to come see us play. When we played, the place was packed and everyone had a killer time. It was such a great feeling and we’ve had amazing sets at Fest ever since but that first one was extra special.
“With or Without Boof” is somehow tender, hilarious, and unhinged all at once. How do you balance humor with genuine emotion in your music?
One would think that since our fans are not teenage werewolves they wouldn’t be able to relate to our tunes. However, people tell me all the time about how our songs touch them personally and how they relate to the messages being put out there. “With or Without Boof” is pretty much about finally finding that one person in life who makes nothing else matter. That’s a universal message most of us can relate to and I think most of our songs have something like that in them. And then you have something like our song “Owen is a Dracula” which is literally about how Mike Kinsella is a boring dork who I almost got into a fight with. Everyone can relate to wanting to fight that guy.
With both of your sets now pressed to vinyl, do you see it as a snapshot of where the bands are creatively or more like a chapter in a longer evolution?
It feels like a snapshot. You can hear the energy of where we were at that point as a band. We’ve grown a bit since then, but I like that it captures that moment exactly as it was.
I guess so if by “snapshot” you mean a picture of what we’ve been for over a decade. Our shit hasn’t changed much over the years ha. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If your live shows could be summarized in one visceral image (e.g., “a fist in the air, a shadow on the wall”), what would that be?
Wow. That’s a great question and a first for us. Hmm. Maybe “sweaty faces and smiles”? When it’s going right, it’s loud and messy and fun. There’s this sense that everyone’s part of it, not just watching. That’s what a good show feels like to me.
Imagine a large, muscular, and imposing alpha wolf raging directly in the middle of a herd of hundreds of sheep. The wolf has the midsection of one sheep firmly grasped in his frothing mouth. There’s rage and bloodlust in his eyes but there’s also excitement and satisfaction. Meanwhile, a closer look at this sheep and his brothers and sisters surrounding him reveals that they are all smiling and enjoying the ride despite the imminent danger. That’s a Wolf-Face show.
With the two of you representing such different corners of the punk map (DC and Florida) what do you think keeps the DIY punk community so interconnected across geography and style?
Punk’s always been about community. Even though we’re from different places, the same mindset connects everyone. People help each other out and support what they love. That’s what keeps it alive.
Yea punk is a worldwide language and, although there are some regional sounds and trends that can develop, it’s all cut from the came cloth.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/