Bringin' it Backwards Interview with Frank Meyer, Bruce Duff, and Josie Cotton about Flatten the Curve
Aug 14, 2020
39:23
We had the pleasure of interviewing Frank Meyer, Bruce Duff, and Josie Cotton over the phone about their song Flatten the Curve. Flatten The Curve is a song about the Coronavirus pandemic. The song was written by Frank Meyer of Streetwalkin' Cheetahs. and Produced by bandmate Bruce Duff. The song features 31 musicians from Josie Cotton to members of Screeching Weasel, The Runaways, The Adolescents and many more! Please share while we are #togetherathome 🏠 Punk and Alt-Rock Luminaries Release Social Distancing Single and Video For "FLATTEN THE CURVE" featuring members of Minutemen, Screeching Weasel, The Runaways, The Supersuckers, The Adolescents, Pansy Division, Josie Cotton, The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, and more! "It was kind of like 'We Are The World' but less cheesy and definitely not a power ballad." - Frank Meyer, The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Blind House Following the release in June of the benefit track "FLATTEN THE CURVE" which features members of Minutemen, Runaways, Redd Kross, and more artists and bands from the punk, indie, and hard rock world, the wide array of contributing musicians decided to create a video to accompany the track. Sequestered and observing social distancing guidelines and rules, many of those participating in the track submitted self-shot footage for the fun and arresting video which premiered on BrooklynVegan. "This video is like a bizarre Rock 'n' Roll alternate reality," says songwriter/vocalist/backing vocalist/guitarist Frank Meyer (The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Blind House) who wrote the song and directed the video. "Nowhere else would you see members of Minutemen and The Adolescents rockin' next to members KIX and JetBoy. Where else would you see the singer of The Runaways and Josie Cotton alongside members of Fishbone, Screeching Weasel, and The Supersuckers? It's like my whole record collection made a record together and then a video... Actually I guess they did!" FTC "Flatten the Curve": https://youtu.be/T7uadgElbk8 Artist Quotes: Frank Meyer / The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Blind House This was a fun project to edit because all of the artists sent in videos in all sorts of formats with varying degrees of quality and clarity, so the challenge was to make it all as cohesive as possible, yet embrace the limitations. Everyone was recording in or just outside their house, so there's all sorts of different colors, instruments, backgrounds, and setups. At first, I thought this would make it difficult to cut but then I leaned into it and embraced the concept and circumstances and realized this was a really special, unique visual experiment. Deniz Tek / Radio Birdman Always happy to help out for a good cause, but as soon as I heard the track, I knew this would be a total joy to play on. It rips. Suzi Moon / LA Machina, Turbulent Hearts I was thrilled to be asked to contribute to the video for "Flatten The Curve." Even though we are separated during lockdown, this video gave the artists an opportunity to connect again in a super fun way! I love the editing and it just goes to show you how eager people are to be making art despite the stay-at-home order. Steve McDonald / Redd Kross, Melvins I'm stoked to jam alongside all these bad asses and weirdos and for an undeniably worthy cause. Thank you, organizers and co-conspirators, for putting us up to it. I'd also like to thank my son for letting me rock out in his bedroom and my wife for filming the hijinks. Support this record! The human race needs the help! Much love smcd Paul Roessler / Screamers, Twisted Roots: Frank is some kind of weird savant; I don't know how [Bruce] Duff mixed all those tracks, but by the end, it had tipped over from a rock song into some kind of avant garde/Glenn Branca extravaganza. I know Bruce was seriously worried about his computer handling all the data. He said it was touch and go for a while... Chris Freeman / Gay C/DC, Pansy --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bringinbackpod/support Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bringin-it-backwards--4972373/support. https://bringinitbackwards.com/