by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Fear, admiration, disgust, gut-splitting laffs—“yeah, whatever” just won’t cut it when local character Versus, aka Ghettonuns, erupts into his trademarked frenzy of foul-mouthed electro-punk spaz-core tantrum rap (give him room, unless you like hospital food). There’s meaning to this madness though, as the Mirror found out when it got Versus on the horn.

Mirror: Let’s start with this new tune you laid on me—what’s up with “Crack the Whip”?

Versus: “Crack the Whip” is the fuckin’ call to arms for the youth and humanity in general to fuckin’ revolt. See, it’s like the flagship track of this album I’m putting out, Hunter Gatherer, and honestly, it’s all about the return to Cro-Magnon values in this digital age. It’s way more punk, way more lyrical, but more than all, it’s rooted in despair and sheer rage and pure joy in celebrating humanity.

M: Okay, Cro-Magnon, hunter-gatherer—what’s with this goin’-back-to-the-roots-of-the-species deal?

V: Music’s at a state now—I know there’s a lot of good stuff hiding under rocks, but damn near everything I hear is so polished, contrived and controlled. That’s exactly what I’m trying to show kids growin’ up right now, that dude, you don’t have to fall into the fuckin’ same-old, y’know? Go Cro-Magnon! Let your fuckin’ heart and balls tell you what to do!

M: That’s a good description of your live shows. Has that worked for you so far?

V: It works, only because it’s a fairly rare thing to see these days, someone totally fuckin’ losin’ it. Maybe 70 per cent of people who see my show walk out going, “That was one of the weirdest, lamest things I’ve ever seen.” The other 30 per cent are going, “Jesus Christ, you can actually do that?”

M: They may love it or hate it, but they’ll never say, “Oh, that was a nice lil’ indie-rock set.”

V: That is the last possible reaction I’d ever want. Indifference is the totem of our generation. Indifference to war, indifference to famine, indifference to our own lives—we just look for virtual escape mechanisms and video games to play. Nah, dude, gotta go physical.

With Gatineau at Petit Campus on Sunday, Jan. 30, 10 p.m., $6

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