Bug bait

>> Local Frenetics attacked by space insect!

by LORRAINE CARPENTER

It seems they're called the Frenetics for a reason. This spring, the trio recorded their debut full-length disc These Mistakes Took Years of Practice, signed to the Union Label Group and embarked on an extensive East Coast tour. And that was all within two weeks. Next came some Warped dates and a bout of wrestling with a glow-in-the-dark creature in Ontario. Jovial singer Malcolm Bauld told the Mirror all about it.

Mirror: Okay, how was the Warped Tour?

Malcolm Bauld: Well, I'm not really into the whole skate-punk thing, but it's really fun when we play a show and there are young kids who are into it. For me there's nothing better than that. But in Toronto, unfortunately, we had to go on when Pennywise was playing, so everybody was watching them. Rancid put on a really good show, and we also spent a lot of time at our stage watching the bands on our label. I think that was the highlight for me.

M: What's your take on mall punk?

MB: I guess I understand why it's popular, but, you know, I'm 28 (laughs). I'm much more interested in earlier punk--that's the stuff that really affects me. Everybody has a different idea of what punk is, nobody has the right to say, "This is punk!" and "This is not punk!" Uh, I don't think people should call us punk though (laughs).

M: Besides the Warped tour, anything weird happen to you on the road?

MB: Well, we were outside the club in Windsor and this praying-mantis-style insect fell on my head from the neon sign. Then it went on top of our van and did this little, uh, dance (laughs) and we have footage of a confrontation between Phil and the praying mantis thing on the top of the van. It looked like pre-sumo wrestling.

M: How big was this thing?

MB: It was the length of, like, my hand, so it was pretty big. I'd never seen anything like it, it was almost a glow-in-the-dark green colour. [to the rest of the band] Anything else weird happen to us? Oh yeah, we played Ted's Wrecking Yard and I think it's haunted. We heard voices from behind the stage when we were playing.

M: And there was nobody back there?

MB: Well, it turned out to be somebody from the opening band. But for a minute there...

With the Plan and Self Made Man at Petit Campus tonight, Thursday, Sept. 6, 9pm, $6