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Interview [published March 2005]
David Thomas [Pere Ubu]: “I Never Volunteer Information”
Craig Johnson talks to Pere Ubu’s David Thomas
Think of alternative rock in the 1970s and we immediately
think of The Ramones, Talking Heads,
Television as the major musical forces in those heady
times. An under-rated band of that much pillaged and
productive scene were underground rockers Pere Ubu
– subterranean innovators of the new-wave/post-punk
elementary division.
Along with new-wave band Devo, Pere Ubu had
thrashed on the fringes of Cleveland, Ohio’s music
circuit for a few years in the guise of Rocket From
The Tombs. Lead singer David Thomas had formed
RFTT in 1974 with guitarist Peter Laughner, who
died of acute pancreatitis or the plain ravages of
rock’n’roll in 1977. After a few years of finely tutoring
their school of garage nihilism via Stooges covers,
RFTT had distanced themselves from the usual
industry career path. With the addition of bass player
Tom Herman, drummer Scott Krauss and keyboardist
Allen Ravenstine, RFTT metamorphosed into
Pere Ubu.
Something sets Pere Ubu apart from other bands.
For a start how many bands name themselves after a
BUY Pere Ubu music online from and
character created by 19th-century French playwright
Alfred Jarry? How many bands before them insisted
on having no group photos on their record sleeves?
And however unshocking, an early Rocket From The
Tombs tune mouthed the word “cunt” on ‘Ain’t It Fun’.
Not many bands did that in 1974. But it’s something
other that sets Pere Ubu apart; something alien, almost
dangerous, ironic and fascinating that lurks within their
out-of-shape yet tight as metal song structures; those
purely dynamic slabs of fury that present apocalyptic
landscapes, stellar production and emotions of insanity
that burn your ears out. They dealt in human extremes
but were never unlistenable. Singles ‘30 Seconds Over
Tokyo’ (1975) and ‘Final Solution’ (1976) are songs
years ahead of their time with an inventive attitude
that current heavyweights like Radiohead and Franz
Ferdinand have just about caught up with a quarter of
a century later. First album The Modern Dance (1978)
now stands as a landmark album in that the dubby,
droned out bass-lines and off-kilter sounds were unlike
anything hitherto produced. (Well, except perhaps
Captain Beefheart.)
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