For the Kooks
Welcome to Static Zine, friends. My name is Darien Lohof, soon to be Darien Battles - because hell yes. I am a writer, a local, and overall a metalhead
From Iron Maiden to Cannibal Corpse, I indeed love some good heavy metal. I am one of the few kooks around here that was born and raised in SLO County; not to say anything bad about transplants that landed here, but I think that this distinction may add credence to my opinion of the area, as I have lived here my whole life. As co-creator and frontman of heavy metal act Depths of Chaos, and now singer/guitarist of Last to Die, I have had a 12+ years of experience with playing “fringe music” in the area of SLO County. This has indeed influenced my opinion of my hometown area, as it’s been…interesting.
I say that because there are times where I feel so lucky and glad to live here in a relatively mellow area, rather than LA or something with a lot of hustle and bustle. But then there are also those times where I wished I lived anywhere else. This typically has something to do with the pushback I’ve received regarding my preference of music. LA may indeed be busy and smoggy, but wow does it have a fantastic metal scene. The metal scene here, however, is kind of like a house of sticks and twine: barely standing, and needing constant repair. DIY is the most-often style of support given to it, because not only are we a small section in the hall of SLO music, we also have to constantly defend our flag. God forbid we listen to music that scares the pants off of most people. God forbid the singer use a range in the screaming category rather than a lovely operatic one.
And I’m not just talking about metal here, either. Punk rock is also typically shunned in our town, as is anything outside of what we could call “The Norm.” Could this be due to the simple fact that with a smaller population, SLO County will therefore have a smaller “niche” music appreciation? Of course, but ask any metalhead or punk rocker around, and they may indeed agree that SLO County seems to shun the outliers simply based upon the label. “Punk” isn’t pretty, “metal” is too scary, and even just placing flyers for shows in a business’s window may be a difficult task. Whether it’s due to the art on the flyer, or even the name of the bands themselves, you would find it challenging. I know. I’ve tried.
Sometimes it’s so frustrating it feels like SLO County is stuck in the 50’s: only safe words and flattop haircuts allowed
Therefore, our goal with this publication and its website (rockoffentertainment.com) is to promote and otherwise give praise to local music. Music that may otherwise get overlooked. Let’s face it, what is considered popular music today is typically far from the hearts and minds of us fringe-dwellers. I’m talking about the metalheads, the punkers, the folks that wear leather, boots, hell, even guyliner. These are the folks that most pretty picket-fencers shy their kids away from. The kind that have strong creativity, yet are shrouded in darkness for one reason or another. Our story, and therefore our music, is just as important as the Kanye’s, the Jonas Brothers’, and the Biebers. We have more similarities than we may be comfortable knowing we have. We all breathe the same air, eat the same food, and poop the same poop. No one is better than the other. Yet those who wear black are considered outliers. Those who listen to screams rather than sonnets are “weirdos with problems.” Don’t believe me? Try to book a live punk or metal show in SLO County. I’d wait for you to get back to me, but I think we both know that I’d be waiting until my pubes turned white. SLO Cunty, excuse me, SLO County, while revered for being a safe community, having great weather, and god damn it, for being the happiest city in the nation (thanks, Oprah), also has an underbelly. As does any city.
Consequently, to be a fan of music that may not live on the charts is to consistently fight for it, to consistently defend it. “Doesn’t listening to that stuff make you mad?” Actually, I rather enjoy it. I listen to and create heavy music because life is heavy. Britney Spears doesn’t move me to tears the way Opeth does. Catchy beats can be quite catchy indeed, but I believe the soul speaks deeper. Sometimes, even picket-fencers want to scream. And then, what? Listen to Katy Perry? That doesn’t speak to the reality of life, at least not to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not shitting on pop music. I’ll admit I listen to just about every genre of music out there, it’s just that heavy metal speaks to me in ways no other music does. And that’s fine, that’s my preference, and my path. I don’t believe that anyone who listens to pop music is instantly stupid or terrible for doing so, that would be a fallacy. That would simply be their argument against the fringe music turned around. By all means, listen to whatever moves you. Just don’t hate on other music that you simply don’t understand. Try rather to understand that it’s simply “different strokes for different folks.” What sounds like garbage to one may sound like beauty to another. “One man’s trash is another’s treasure,” and all that.
So, back to the SLO County music argument, my bigger point, is that if I were to call up any venue one could name within our area, and ask to rent it for the night for a heavy metal show, it’s a real hard sell. Most people think mosh pits = evil. And I believe they’re wrong. Mosh pitting is rather a very healthy way to exert one’s troubles, get some fucking exercise, and learn that by taking a few hits, hey, we’re not made of glass. Mosh pits actually = benevolence, health, and growth. Try it. If you fall down in the pit, I guarantee you will be picked up by strangers. But after that night, I can also guarantee you will be strangers no more.
This county does indeed have many great things going for it. The weather really is nice. The area really is safer compared to a larger city, and for the most part, people really are pretty happy here. But the truth remains that those with fringe creativity and interests are also pushed farther and farther away. Whether it is felt by the many that those few do not belong, or that those interested in differing music are too different to accept, or that folks are simply frightened by what they don’t understand, I can promise you that a pushback on the fringes will only result in the growing anger of those fringe-dwellers, and therefore, a growth only in that chasm between the picket-fencers and the outliers.
And if we don’t have a place for them to go jump in the mosh pit, or show their art, or bbq their meat, or whatever the hell it is that we do, it can only serve the negative, rather than what could easily be positive.
The proof is apparent, count ‘em: The Dwelling in SLO, Hoover’s 101 and Camozzi’s in Atascadero, Rippin’ Rehearsal in Nipomo, Skip Gibson’s in Grover Beach…these are all former venues that actually catered to the “outlier” music like punk, ska, metal, etc. that are now no longer in business. Conicidence? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. I’m not nearly smart enough to know the intricate details of what local businesses must do to survive, nor do I personally know the circles of people that may have the power to shut such outlier-friendly businesses down…but I am smart enough to see the pattern. I am smart enough to surround myself with what I consider good people. I am smart enough to play the game far enough to gain two college degrees and a career, and yet I still consider myself an outlier.
So maybe, it’s time for the outliers to step up and make things happen ourselves.
In specific, I speak of a venue opening up to all ages, since, yes, young folks like fringe stuff too, and they need somewhere to go in order to experience these things. I speak of a venue that is unafraid of SLO Cunty’s unwritten rules of anti-fringe, a venue that will speak for the people, hell, by the people. A place where we can go and enjoy ourselves, leather and all. We are here, we are not going away, and the harder you push against us, the harder we will push back. Don’t hate what you don’t understand, SLO. Accept. Coexist. And be fucking merry.
So let this be a call, not to arms, but to recognition of the leather-clad by the picket-fencers, not because we need it, hell no, but because it will be much easier on both sides that way. The whitebread picket-fencers can have all their wine tasting and pop music they want, in their own place, and we can have our interests in ours. Let this be a call for anyone with any kind of fringe music appreciation, to call upon your own experience and know-how, to help aid the fight for an all ages venue in SLO County that simply…allows…fringe music, art, and other such creativity to not just barely survive (as it has, and forever will, make no mistake) but thrive. Are you a fringe-dweller? Are you studying business? Do you know about publication? Have you any experience running sound? Do you know about rad artists that need exposure? All of these things and more can be useful, and if put together, can create something incredible. We just have to show that we are unafraid, that we have faced down rougher odds, and that we fucking will prevail. Let’s go!
Darien Battles is an avid headbanger, regardless of who cares. Feel free to reach him at BarbarianDarien@gmail.com, for any needs/concerns/advice. Bang on!
Barbarian Darien
writer, local, & overall metalhead
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