An old DiSCORDER editor, Merek, once said of Gangbang, “I quite like the idea that the best band that I ever saw in Vancouver was a band that was intended as joke (or at least a band that didn’t take themselves seriously). Most unintended things normally turn out great; it’s the intended things that turn to shit.”
Gangbang have been the darlings of the local music press ever since their first gig at Ms. T’s about two years ago, and for good reasons. No one will argue the fact that they write unbelievably funny, catchy songs, but it is an art to be able to deliver these lines on stage in a charming and non-gimmicky way. People should laugh with you, not at you. It’s a fine line to tread and they succeed admirably.
One snowy Vancouver night, I spoke with the two very nice ladies of Gangbang, Andie Maddalozzo (vocals, guitar) and Sarah Campbell (drums, vocals). Be warned: while there will be no talk of excessive copulation or extreme hairstyles in the following interview, there will be a brief mention of Wil Sasso at the end.

DiSCORDER: How did you get started?
Sarah: Andie and I worked together. She and Reggie started to write songs, and then I came aboard and put some beats to them. Then they added Taunya, Jen and Rory. And then we decided to strip it down and make it two.
Andie: Due to circumstances, but then we liked it. So we kept it.

Circumstances?
Sarah: Everybody went on vacation one night when we had to play a show. We wanted to do the show, so we decided to do it anyways.
Andie: We don’t say no to anything.

So after the show you thought “Oh, this is way better?”
Sarah: Well, it wasn’t necessarily better. [Laughs]
Andie: It wasn’t much worse. It was fun. Challenging, but in a way easier, because when you don’t know how to play, not having to coordinate with anyone is way better. You are your own team.
Sarah: We can just go for it and not worry about being in tune with anybody else.
Andie: I don’t even have to tune my guitar. It rules. [Laughs]

Was there any drama or resentment when you let the rest of the band go?
Andie: Not really.
Sarah: They understood. It didn’t have anything to do with them, of course. It just felt right.
Andie: It kind of just kept going like that. We booked so many shows; everybody saw that we were a two-piece so they were booking us as a two-piece.

I have to ask, I guess—where did the name of band come from?
Sarah: I had nothing to do with that.
Andie: Me and Taunya drank one bottle of wine each one night. She was like, “You know what would be a good name for a band? Gangbang!” and we were like, “That’s awesome!”

Your album is doing really well at CiTR. Who did it? What’s the story?
Andie: Chris Dang [from] Depth Charge Studios … He’s so cool. We did [the album] in three hours. We were like, “Don’t spend too much time on it.” He did everything pretty much in an hour after that. All the mixing and producing.

Did Chris come to you?
Andie: I’ve known him for a while, so he offered to do it. I was giving him free haircuts for studio time, but now he shaves his head, so I should give him some money. Chris if you read this, call me and I’ll give you money. [Laughs]

How many copies did you make? I see that they are CDRs; you did them on your computer?
Andie: Yeah, whenever someone wants one. People email me for them so I just burn them. We burned 50 to start. I don’t have any money, I don’t know how bands can afford CDs and stuff.

You mean manufactured CDs? Do you think that would make a difference if you have a “real” CD? You think people will be more willing to buy it?
Andie: No, but it wouldn’t be as irritating. My computer doesn’t work so I have to find people’s houses all the time and burn [the CDs there]. And buy CDs from Future Shop.
Sarah: You know I have a CD burner.
Andie: Yeah, I didn’t know you did until today. [All laugh]
Sarah: I haven’t been doing my part.

Andie, you drew all the different covers too. I have the hockey one. What other covers are there?
Andie: There’s Ninjas with Attitude, Keeping it Riel… Oh, Chucky Nuts, a peanut driving a car, that’s personally my favorite. One that people really like is the one with the mime in the front and it’s called Hard Rockin’ Gentle Talkin’.

Are you happy with how the album turned out?
Andie: I don’t know about you Sarah, but hearing [my] voice on recording was disgusting. I sound like a fat prepubescent boy. I like Sarah’s voice a lot though. She can sing.
Sarah: I sound like Jewel.
Andie: Like Jewel on crack. [Laughs]

What do you sound like to yourself, in your head?
Andie: I sound way hotter inside my head. Way hotter. Sexy.
Sarah: You’re a sexy prepubescent boy. [Laughs]
Your songs are really funny. It is hard to come up with them?
Andie: I don’t think there’s a serious bone in my body.
Sarah: There isn’t.
Andie: I want to be all gay and happy. I don’t want to be sentimental or anything, there’s already enough of that. I don’t like depth and meaning, although it’s not a bad thing.
Sarah: It’s just not you.

It’s safe to assume that none of the songs are real life stories and experiences then?
Andie: None of it. Except for the one about the robot. [Laughs] I think it’ll be weird to put anything personal into it. I’d feel very uncomfortable if I did that.
Sarah: I think the hardest thing is to put your personal thoughts into music. Then everyone knows what your feelings are.
Andie: No one needs to know that. People should be there to have a good time, not feel my pain.

What’s the Chinese Song about?
Andie: That’s all the words I know in Chinese. My friend Alan gave me a few Chinese catchphrases, and then my friend Jermaine gave me a couple more.

What do the phrases mean?
Andie: I think Alan’s was “Why are you so ugly? Why are you so horny?” and Jermaine’s was “Why are you so stupid? Why do you smell so bad?” or something.
So they thought these would be useful phrases for you to use in the future?
Sarah: Really eh, who’s she hanging out with?

Your songs have a fair amount of swearing in them. Have your parents heard your music? Have they been to your shows?
Sarah: My parents did. My mom liked it a lot, but I don’t think she got it necessarily. She was dancing. She wasn’t very happy about the name choice.
Andie: I didn’t give my parents my CD … when [my dad] heard our radio show with you he was like, “Blah, why did you have to use those kind of words?” … As far as my dad’s concerned, we don’t even have a CD.

Do you have a favorite place to play?
Sarah: I really like the Railway.
Andie: I know we’ve had bad experiences at the Lamplighter, but we’ve always play good shows there.

Bad experiences? You mean the infamous Wil Sasso incident when you played with Unclean Wiener?
Andie: Well, that guy broke Sarah’s ankle.
Sarah: He didn’t break it, just sprained it. It wasn’t Wil Sasso. It was one of his lackeys. He was unplugging the amps from Unclean Wiener, and somebody tried to plug them back in, and he started beating him up. I happened to be standing next to him. I got knocked over and got beer poured all over me. Twisted an ankle and I had to play.

What were you thinking when that stuff was happening? All those drunken idiots from Wil Sasso’s posse screaming at Unclean Wiener?
Sarah: I was kind of worried about how they’re going to accept us.
Andie: I got really mad. I just wanted to go up there and have them hate me. You know what I mean?

Hopefully that kind of crap doesn’t ever happen again. Have you ever been heckled in any extent?

Gangbang will be playing at the ANZA Club February 11th and the Railway Club March 3rd.