As soon as my pal Aaron told me his girlfriend was in a punk band called Bad Cop/Bad Cop, I became obsessed with them, tracked down their 7″ singles, went to most of their local shows, and tried to get them to play a bunch of our Save Music in Chinatown benefits. For one reason or another, it never worked out and I started to wonder if I missed the boat as they got signed to Fat, went on the road with NOFX, and planned a European tour with Snuff.
But in the meantime I discovered that I had all these mutual friends of the band. In fact, the guys in The Crowd actually had BC/BC play one of their songs on a tribute record! Talk about a perfect doubleheader waiting to happen–and it will happen on January 31 at the Grand Star. (It was a triple header with Channel Three at Alex’s a couple of months ago…)
I asked Jennie just a few questions as the all-ages matinee which will also feature FourEyedFour and Bombón draws nearer…
Bad Cop/Bad Cop had a great 2015, releasing a full-length LP, playing the coolest fests, and going on tour with bands like NOFX. Why are you playing a little benefit like ours?
The kids. All of us needed a creative outlet at one point and are very aware of the way music can change or save lives. The arts have so much to offer: giving nonacademic minds a chance to excel and focus, an opportunity to explore and control something (which can be rare for young people), a means of connecting and communicating with others, a vocabulary for personal expression…
From a public mental health standpoint, art and music therapy are super effective. Even limited exposure to the arts can be helpful, and nurturing those interests can have a huge positive impact on a person’s life. It’s hard to watch arts and music getting muscled out of school programming, and we want to help where we can.
Bad Cop/Bad Cop has played with The Crowd before and has even contributed a song to the recent tribute compilation. Can you tell me about your relationship with that band?
We met Dennis while filling in for somebody at Alex’s Bar. He was going to invite the band we were subbing for to be on his comp, and asked he us instead! Recording was a blast, and we really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of that project. He’s so supportive and enthusiastic, and we’ve gotten to be very good friends.
Were you a fan of the band growing up?
The Beach Blvd. comp is something that I learned about later as a tourist. It didn’t make it to Detroit, or at least not into my hands. Plus, I was born in 1982. But as a fellow outsider its significance is impressive.
Have you played in Chinatown or gone to punk shows there before? I think it’s rad how the Grand Star is right next to the Hong Kong Café and Madame Wong’s, and wonder if you’ve had any experiences or takes on them as well.
Unfortunately, I grew up in the Midwest and came to this coast with a separate set of nostalgic experiences. But I am a forever a tourist, and am always excited to visit and play important places!
Get the latest info on Save Music in Chinatown 8 from the Facebook event page and save some dough by getting advance tickets via Eventbrite.
By Martin Wong 