This special edition focuses solely on the upcoming Operation Ivy tribute comp Mooorree Than Just Another Comp, due out in April via Sell The Heart Records and Lavasocks Records. Today we are speaking with Caitlin Edwards and David Lyons of Bumsy and the Moochers. We rolled a FIVE.
1) Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! The first one I’d like to ask is: It seems that almost everyone I meet has a story about the first time they heard OpIvy. Do you remember yours?
Caitlin: I’ve always been a big Green Day fan. So when I was listening to Green Day’s 1039 Smooth in middle school, I heard their cover of “Knowledge”. When I saw in the liner notes it was an Operation Ivy cover, I thought, who is that? Sounds like a badass band. From there I gave them a listen and have loved Op Ivy ever since.
David: The first time I ever heard an Operation Ivy song was when I was around 8-10 years old. My bass teacher was big into the punk scene. He told me that if I really wanted to hear what insane bass playing sounds like, to check out Matt Freeman. I listened to more of his work in Rancid at that time, but I was also exposed to Op Ivy… pretty sure the first song I heard was “sound system”Sound System”. I don’t think I understood how important they were in the world of ska until I joined Bumsy and the Moochers and listened to Unity front to back.
2) What does OpIvy mean to you in particular, and in the broader pantheon of punk music?
David: Operation Ivy is one of those bands that you simply have to respect. You don’t have to love their work, but they did so much to set the foundation for the evolution from two tone to 3rd wave. Similar to Jimi Hendrix or The Beatles with rock, Black Sabbath with metal, and Nirvana with grunge.
Personally, as I mentioned previously, I would say Matt Freeman’s playing style means the most to me. Without that I never would have become obsessed with bass as a kid, and I wouldn’t be playing with Bumsy and the Moochers right now. That’s not an alternate reality I really want to think about.
Caitlin: When I think of East Bay Punk, they’re the first band that comes to mind. Of course ska has been around long before Op Ivy, but they really paved the way for a lot of ska punk bands. They’re also one of the first punk bands I heard that actually had a message and thought provoking lyrics. Lyrics that encouraged you to give a shit about the world around you and not just yourself.
3) Why did you pick the song you chose to do?
Caitlin: I strongly agree with the message “Artificial Life” is conveying. There’s a lot of fake and superficial things thrown in your face everyday. It’s hard to sort through what’s genuine and what’s just trying to sell you something. Certain commercials or famous individuals can be pandering or seem like they care about you, when they really just want your money. People get addicted to drugs thinking it will bring them true happiness, when it’s really artificial happiness. All too often we can get sucked into the fake world of a TV show or social media feed, we forget to go outside and live in the real world.
David: I don’t think we had much of a choice haha. If I remember correctly, the album was pretty filled up when we got involved. We may have been one of the last tracks, if not the last, assigned (shout out to Andy Pohl from Sell the Heart for making that happen!). With that being said, I am so happy we did “Artificial Life”. I think we captured the sound of the original while adding Bumsy flair to make it our own. For example we threw in a tasty sax solo from the incredibly talented Dr. Eric Pedone. I think people will really enjoy it.
This next question is an either/or. If you have gotten a chance to hear to whole comp, answer question 4A. If not, answer 4B (Caitlin answered A, and David answered B… Moochers, amiright?!?)
4A) There are a lot of great covers on the comp. Aside from YOURS, can you pick another track that stands out for you, and let us know what you dig about it?
Caitlin: I really like Eichler‘s version of “Unity”. He went completely away from the ska genre and somehow made the song more upbeat than it already was. Dog Party and the Moore Family Band did a really good job with “Room Without A Window”. Just love the female vocals on it. Like it more than the original if I’m being honest.
4B) A bit of a follow-up to question #3: if you ended up farther down in the pecking order and didn’t get your first pick(s), which song did you really want to do?
David: If i had freedom to pick any song from Unity, it probably would have been “Sound System”. It was the first Operation Ivy song I heard and it is one we have played live many times. We even were able to get Jay Navarro and Dave Kirchgessner to join us on stage to sing “Sound System” with Cait in 2021 at Reggies in Chicago. That alone was unforgettable, but that show was also my second show ever in my musical career so it’s hard not to have an emotional connection with that song.
5) Aside from the comp, what can we expect from Bumsy and the Moochers in the near future?
David: Shenanigans and good times! but for real, it feels like we really elevated our sound with Diet Violence and we would like to strike while the iron is hot. We have been doing some writing and have new songs we’re excited to share with everyone! On top of that we’re all having a blast so really can’t complain. We switched out our trombone for a second trumpet (Shout out Justin Sostre previously of Spankshaft) and he’s already added so much to the band. If I had to sum it up I would simply say we’re just grateful to be here and optimistic about where we’re going.
Caitlin: We’re currently writing a new EP. Don’t know when we’ll record it, but we’re working on it. So far it’s sounding great. We’re playing a few shows here and there this year, but really focusing on writing.
Mooorree Than Just Another Comp is due out 07 Apr 2023. You can preorder digitally at the STHR Bandcamp. For physical releases on vinyl (inventory is going fast!) visit the Sell The Heart or Lava socks web stores.
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.
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.
