In with the out crowd

>> The Dropouts live the live-man-love vibe

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Now that local synth-ska-pop-punks the Undercovers are over and out (accent on “out”—read on), inquiring minds want to know: whither our wayward lads? Did they just drop out of the music scene? Nope, but three of them are now in a band called the Dropouts.

Actually, singer/guitarist Shep Sauce is the only true-life dropout—the three ex-Undies (drummer Lew Dacts, bassist Dick Trouble and guitarist Jimmy Billion) are all educated and shit. In fact, they seem to have learned a thing or two about doing a band from their U.C. days.

“We kinda went overboard with the Undercovers,” recalls Dacts. “Listening to our old record now, it’s offensively pop for an indie recording. We used to spend five hours on a verse, trying to think of the exact right note or whatnot. I guess we got sick of that. This is less cerebral. We want people to have fun when they go to the show. The lyrics are not serious at all, no philosophy or moralizing involved. If it makes people laugh, we’ll put it in. No cultural statements, which is a cultural statement in itself.”

Musically, the band plays the kind of straight-ahead, catchy pop-punk you’ve heard a million times—and they know it. “We don’t claim to be the most original of bands,” says Sauce, “transcending scenes or anything. Our song ‘Heartout’ is basically an amalgamation of two Clash songs that we ripped off.” It’s no surprise then that one of their first gigs was with the like-minded New Town Animals outta B.C. “We actually became their favourite band in Canada after that show,” notes Sauce fondly.

No-frills party punk isn’t the only love the band members have in common. “We love each other and we express it on stage,” says Dacts, “hugging, kissing, pulling each other’s pants down. We call it live man love. We’re not a gay band—”
“It’s just that there’s a lot of male love,” says Sauce, trading a tender glance with Dacts. Read into that what you will. :

With the Datsons at Café Campus on Saturday, March 9, 9pm, $6