EL QUATRO'S
Raw Rock - Washington's punk scene never really cared that much about
what was going on in other scenes like London, New York or L.A. Its
hardcore founders--Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Scream--fed off each
other and inspired dozens of bands to follow in their stylistic wake.
Because of that, a truly Washington sound evolved, a sound that still
holds much sway on the local scene, 20 years after its rise. But what
if you're a Ramones fan? An MC5 fan? A New York Dolls fan? What if
you liked punk before it became harDCore? Lately around here, you
could be reveling in the raucous noise of El Quatro, an Arlington
quartet that has just released its debut CD, "Live at IOTA." The site
of the recording is also the site of Saturday's CD release party (2832
Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703/522-8340), which will feature El Quatro
along with glam rockers Vanity Champ and garage roots rockers the
Redeemers. "I hate to use the term 'old school,' " says lead singer
Joel Lind, "but it is kind of old school, like when glam crossed over
into early punk, as the [New York] Dolls were waning and Sex Pistols
were coming on. That's always been our vision." Lind started the band
in 1994 as a graduate student at George Mason University, along with
a fellow grad student, guitarist Brad Wynn, who had recently left
the band emmett swimming. "He called me up and said he wanted to be
in a punk, a ska or a rockabilly band," Lind says. "I called [drummer]
Marty [Lynds] asking him to join us, and he said it would have to
be punk or rockabilly, 'cause he wasn't going to play any reggae."
After covering songs by the Clash, the Ramones and the Sex Pistols,
El Quatro began writing originals, the results of which stand up well
next to the band's musical forefathers. Lind, who recently underwent
surgery to fuse two vertebrae in his neck, won't be jumping around
as much as he once did but promises the usual complement of raw, straight-ahead
rock on Saturday night (with Jim Gray filling in for regular bassist
Misha Popkhadze): "Lots of songs about the inability to get leaded
gas anymore and unrequited love," he says. "Trailer park romance gone
bad, that sort of thing, you know."
