OFF! Claim to Be the 'Guided by Voices of Independent Punk Rock' -- NXNE

OFF! formed when the last Circle Jerks record fell apart in the middle of the recording process and is the latest forum for hardcore legend Keith Morris to spit vitriol and inspire a new generation to grow out their dreadlocks and question musical and societal conventions. They're also a spectacularly fun band that has managed to cross the boundaries of punk and hardcore and gain fans from across the musical spectrum, as everyone from jaded indie bloggers to Black Flag "Chavo-era" purists find themselves drawn in by the band's honest, raw, and direct sound.

Flanked by an equally inspiring set of musicians, Morris is headed into a pretty fun summer with OFF!; we spoke with guitarist Dimitri Coats (also of Burning Brides), who, along with Morris, shares songwriting credits on OFF!'s 'First Four EPs,' which he also produced.

So where are you right now?

At home. We're about to get on a plane tomorrow to go to Toronto to play with the Descendents and F---ed Up. We have a few more shows in Canada, and then we're doing the States with Dinosaur Jr., who are playing 'Bug.' And Henry Rollins is on a few of those dates, doing spoken word, and I think talking to Dinosaur Jr. before they play.

That sounds awesome. My impression of OFF! is that you're able to do a lot of fun stuff because you bridge a bunch of different types of music fans. What's been the most exciting opportunity you've been afforded?

It's hard to say. Our approach was somewhat calculated from the very beginning. We said we wanted to be able to play with Deerhunter and Sonic Youth, Mastodon and F---ed Up. Keith won't call us a punk band. He calls us a rock band. But when we started, we just wanted to play house parties here in L.A. And suddenly we were on television, and we're playing Coachella, and I look out and see thousands of kids, and I look to my right and see Ian MacKaye. I realized we must mean something to people. I realized it has this crossover effect that we planned from the start. I feel like we're the Guided by Voices of independent punk rock.

That's a remarkably specific job description.

We like bands like Soundtrack of our Lives and Guided by Voices for that reason. They're older, but they appeal to all ages. It has to do with, "Can you write songs? Can you deliver the goods live?" If you can do that, and especially if you have Keith Morris as your frontman, people are going to pay attention.

Watch OFF!'s Video for 'I Don't Belong'
You're probably over it by now, but every time I see Keith Morris, I think, "Holy s---, that's Keith Morris." Do you ever look over and think, "Holy s---, that's Keith Morris, singing in my band."

No, not for me. When I met him, I didn't know who he was. I thought he was a homeless guy floating in my friend's pool. I don't really come from where he comes from. We became friends because he was into my band, and then I found out who he was. As I tend to do in my life, being a late bloomer with so many things, I became a fan of him as an artist later on -- I didn't play my first show with a band until I was 29 years old; I'm making up for things now.

Do you already have a plan for the next OFF! recording?

I don't really want to think about it, because it's not an easy process. I love the end result, but writing a song with Keith sometimes ends in a fight, drinks being thrown across the room, vulgarity. We're the dearest of friends, but we definitely lock horns in this process. But I wouldn't have it any other way, because the music calls for it. It deserves a certain amount of tension.

OFF! play Yonge-Dundas Square tonight (June 16) @ 9:00PM and the Horseshoe Tavern on Friday, June 17 @ 12AM

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