by JOHNSON CUMMINS

The first thing you learn in Rock Crit 101 is the many rock genres past and present. If you're thinking of being a rock hack, you better get acquainted with terms like grindcore, post-rock, goth-metal and emocore (an abbreviation of "emotional hardcore" - how fucking lame is that?). Or perhaps you just want to use the lingo so you can sling around stuff like, "That is so post-new-ro" (that's new romantic to some of you younger readers) at the next cocktail party. The one term you will definitely have to acquaint yourself with is stoner rock.

Stoner rock springs from the loins of Black Sabbath's heaviosty and Black Flag's full-tilt 'tude and worships at the altar of the almightly riff. L.A.'s Nebula have been the kings of riff-rock for several years now, so the Mirror phoned up singer/guitarist Eddie Glass to get the lowdown on this stoner thing.

Mirror: Does the stoner-rock tag bug you guys?

Eddie Glass: Well, no one really calls us that to our face. It's just that journalists use that when they write about us. I guess it's a way to explain the form of rock we are doing so people can understand it, the same as how they used punk rock in the '70s, or grunge or whatever. When there is a certain movement people have to label it with something. There was an electric guitar movement that was happening in the late '90s, so I guess that's just what they call it now.

M: Do you think the term "stoner rock" is kind of dumb, though?

EG: Well, it's pretty stupid, but how about "punk rock?" Y'know, it's a silly name but you're asking questions about it and I'm talking about it so that must mean something. I don't really care what it's called because I get to travel around and play music so it doesn't really weigh on me much.

M: Are you guys potheads, though?

EG: Not necessarily (laughs). Ask me another question.

M: Your original bass player just left the band - why?

EG: We tour a lot and he just couldn't handle it anymore. We will tour Europe twice a year and try and get a North American tour in about twice a year and Australia for a few weeks, so it adds up. He'd really had enough touring as it's not really for everyone and he has stuff to do at home.

M: It seems that the rock revolution is definitely happening more in Europe than North America. Have you noticed a big difference between touring the two continents?

EG: Yeah, definitely. It's not that much more far ahead but they're a little bit more into rock than North America. In America you have that commercialism of MTV that really clouds a lot of people's minds. In Europe young people have more of their own idea of what they want to get into. Hanging out in rock clubs is kind of the thing to do over there.

With the BellRays at Café Campus on
Thursday, Sept. 11, 7:30pm, $11.50

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