Localized: SLUG Mag's monthly local music festival

The second Friday of every month, SLUG Magazine hosts Localized, ashowcase of Utah’s local music that deserves to be heard. On March14th, Ogden punks JSE and Animus Grin will headline Localizedwith opening band Spearit! at Urban Lounge, a private club formembers—which will prove to be unforgettable. If five dollars couldalways buy that kind of chaos, civilization would be nothing more thana myth.

Cecil – bass, lead vocals
Jeff – drums
Schuyler – guitar
Gemini – guitar

I rendezvoused with JSE at Grounds For Coffee in Ogden. When I arrived,lead vocalist and bassist Cecil was the only member there, although theothers were on their way. We talked to pass the time, and Cecil had toldme that their drummer, Jeff "Blitzen," was at work—he delivers pizza atPizza Runner—and was unsure if he would be able to make it. Shortly after,guitarists Schuyler and Gemini joined us.

JSE is one of the few bands left who can actually say they are D.I.Y. Whenthey aren’t playing shows, the members are hard at work, whether that meansearning a paycheck, or building their own recording studio.The group is not only building the studio to record their album—they arelooking to start their own independent record company, which would allowthem to begin to sign other worthwhile local bands.

"It used to be that if you were a decent band, you got noticed and got signedfor at least just a little bit," Cecil said. "Nowadays, you’ve got the Internet, andyou can do it all yourself. You can get a home studio in a box."

The groupdoesn’t expect any record executives to be out scouting in Ogden, Utah, andknow that "you’ve got to do it yourself."

The plan for their label, Jus-Tus Records, is already well underway. With anumber of bands already knocking on the door to be signed, Jus-Tus has thepotential to be very successful, but not only as a label. JSE is in the processof trying to book their first tour starting mid-May, and with the creation of Jus-Tus, as Gemini pointed out, they can set up gigs as "bookers and promoters[because venues and bars] look at it totally different from just a bass playertrying to book a show."

Although JSE is known in Ogden for constantly playing big shows andhaving a huge following of die-hard fans, the group makes almost no moneyfrom the gigs they play. The band rarely plays in venues, but not from a lackof notoriety. "[Playing at a venue] is too impersonal," Cecil said. "It’s likeyou don’t have any control; you don’t run the music … and there is a barrierbetween [us and the crowd]."

"Most the shows we play are free shows," commented Gemini. Priorto the destruction of Sugar House, JSE played a benefit show for FreeSpeech Zone before they relocated. They had spread the word about theshow through fliers and word of mouth. When not playing a show for localbusinesses, JSE is busy playing benefit shows for one cause or another."We play benefit shows all the damn time," he continued. At most of thebenefit shows, JSE invites the people from Free Speech Zone to set up andhand out information on unions and other activist-related materials.

JSE is known for their wild house shows. One of their most memorable tookplace after a cancelled gig at Boom Va. "There were three bands just wantingto play a show," Schuyler explained, "and everyone was looking for a houseand I had a house." The band managed to squeeze in 100 or so people intoSchuyler’s house for the show. "By the end of the night I had people jumpinginto my ceiling fan, pouring beer on the floor, having sex on the hood of thevan in my backyard, our drummer was passed out on the porch, I had to kicka couple people out … and on top of that, I hadn’t been there in a few daysbecause the water had been shut off [so] there was no toilet. It was a reallybad time."

Animus Grin’s three members are so dynamically different that it’s awonder the band can function. It’s like mixing condiments—usuallythe contrast can ruin the final product, but occasionally it could bejust crazy enough to work (i.e. fry sauce).

Ryan Jones, or "Jonesy," is the alpha male of the group. Throughthe interview, Jonesy proceeded to crack jokes and rip on his fellowband members. "We’re trying to get groupies," he said. "But it’shard to get groupies when two of the band members are gay."During the day, Jonesy is the production manager of WasatchContainer, and at night he apprentices at Royal Flush, a tattooshop in Layton. Following his intense work schedule, he playsmusic instead of getting some shut-eye. Lyrically, Jonesy’s biggestinfluence is "Violent Femmes, because their shit is just twisted ashell and it affected [him]"; musically he is influenced by Rancid,Operation Ivy, Catch 22, old Vandals and The Clash.

Dan has only been in the band for about three months, but still holdsas much influence over Animus Grin as Jonesy or Sweet. He wasinvited to join the band after the previous drummer "flaked for a girl."He had met Sweet at a pizza place that they both worked at, but Danis now a cop; his rookie phase (which means that he gets "the mostfucked up shifts" possible) is coming to an end, so the group canstart booking more gigs. After he joined, the group started playingfaster because of his drumming style. Dan’s idol is Josh Freesefrom The Vandals. The Green Day album Dookie is also a heavyinfluence.

Although Sweet has only being playing bass for about two years,that band says that he’s amazing, and with Matt Freeman and Fleaas his biggest influences, he should be. "[Sweet’s playing] walks allover the place for no reason. It doesn’t really go with the song, butit sounds cool, so we let him do it." He is currently totally broke andunemployed.

Animus Grin plays fast-as-hell punk rock. "We have about an18- to 20-song set that we can play in about 40 minutes," Jonesycommented. With the addition of Dan and his style to the band, theyplay faster now; they can only play about a 12-song set before beingwiped out.

"JSE and [Animus Grin] don’t really sound all that alike," saidJonesy. "The only thing we have in common is we both haveshitloads of energy, we’re both violent onstage towards ourinstruments, we like to jump around, yell, scream, have fun and ripon society in general. I mean, that’s what punk is; punk is rebellion."Since Animus Grin brings that kind of energy to the stage, theyexpect the crowd to give it back. "We [played] a show with thisscreamo band from Ogden, Burying Ann Hewitt*, and their fansjust kick ass. I don’t care if they’re little emo kids that like cuttingthemselves or whatever, those little fuckers just want to rock. " Theywere running into each other and they were hitting themselves andthe band. Jonesy said that after the show he left the stage withbloody fingers, because they got so into it with the crowd. That’s aprime example of the kind of response Animus Grin likes to receive."It’s no fun when [the crowd] stands there and nod [their heads]."With both JSE and Animus Grin known for their stage presence,this month’s Localized will be one hell of a party. Scrape up fivedollars and wobble down to the Urban Lounge, because this will beone show that should not be missed.

Editor’s Note: Burying Ann Hewitt is from Brigham City.

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