Old Skull, a Madison, Wisconsin pre-teen punk band, performed an energetic and hilarious set in February, 1990 at the Lounge Ax in Chicago. It was before their set that I talked with brothers JP Toulon {guitarist and lead vocalist, age 10}, Jamie Toulon {bassist, sheet metal/sign-slapper, age 9} and Jessie-Collins Davis {drummer, age 10}. JP and Jamie's parents Vern and Mary sat in as interpreters and buffers when questions for Old Skull were either too difficult for them to understand or when they became unruly. Interview copyright 1990/2005 ©
CB: How did Old Skull form?
JPT: Well, one day we were up on Mars skating in some crater and these Martians came up to us who were skating with us and they told us we should go down to Earth and form a punk band and call it Old Skull and so, that's what we did...
JCD:...They were kinda weird, 'coz they said first you should call it Old Radio, then Broken Window, then Old Skull, then they changed their minds some more and made it Old Skull, so then we came down here.
CB: And what year was this?
JCD: This was in 1811 or something like that...
JPT: Yeah, in the 1800s or something.
CB: At what age did you start playing your instruments that you currently play and how did you arrive at those decisions?
JT: I started playing bass last year. I don't know why I started playing it, 'coz we needed one.
JCD: I started playing drums 'coz, of a shop. My real dad, he died, but before he died, this was five years ago, there was this one drum set in this window of this store in this one place in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, you know and I wanted it real bad and then he got it for me and brought it to my house. That's how I started playing that instrument, 'coz I always did like them. I play a little bass too, but not in the band.
JPT: I did it because of my dad. My dad's in a band called World Gone Mad. They're getting a record contract with Restless, just like us.
CB: How do your parents feel about your music?
JPT: They think it's cool.
JCD: My dad isn't crazy about the music. I don't think anybody can be crazy about the music. The worst thing my dad doesn't like about it, is driving me places and loading up...
JPT...Same thing with my dad, especially in that cold car of ours.
CB: I was wondering about your first recording titled Get Outta School, you've got songs like "Let's Go Kill That Man," "Homeless," "Jesus Died On The Cross" and "AIDS." You really seem to care about what's going on in the world or at least are very well-informed on the issues that shape America currently. I’m duly impressed. I'm curious to know what your personal feelings are on the homeless problem, politics, pollution, religion and AIDS.
JCD: Well, I wrote "Jesus Died On The Cross." For one thing, I was looking for a song; it's nothing against it, nothing really for it. It's just something about he died, you know? And pollution is dumb. I don't see why people make nuclear bombs and put them in the water and kill whales.
CB: Who do each of you consider to be your major musical influences?
JPT: I like lots of music, like industrial, Skinny Puppy, Missing Foundation, then I like rap, Ice Tee, NWA, 2-Live Crew. I like lots of punk.
JT: I'm kind of the only one in the band that listens to heavy metal, but that's what I like to listen to; I don't care what they think.
JCD: The only kind of metal I like is speed metal, like Metallica and I don't listen too much. I like Paula Abdul, she's pretty fine too!
(At this point, JPT, JT, JCD, their parents and CB all roar with laughter). I've been listening to a lot of NWA and Rob Base. I like Black Flag. Oh yeah, one other thing...Have you heard of Sheila E.? She's a drummer. She's not only one of my idols; she's another lady I like that's pretty fine.
CB: Do you guys have any gimmicks? Not too long ago, I saw you on 'A Current Affair' whipping hot dogs at a reporter...
JPT: Oh yeah, reporters always get pegged with those (At this interval, JPT, JCD, JP and CB all roar with laughter). Jamie threw the hot dog at the reporter.
CB: Is Old Skull more of a novelty act like the Chipmunks, a youthful act like Musical Youth, The DeFranco Family, New Kids On The Block, Donny & Marie or Menudo or more of a grown-up act like the Dead Kennedys or The Descendants?
JPT: We're just a regular act, you know? We don't try to put on anything special...
JCD: We don't try to meet women and sing "ho, ho, ho like the New Kids [On The Block] or anything. We do pretty much what we want to do, [verses] sound like Santa Claus...
CB: Yes, but in that sense, I know you're little kids. It might appear to some people that you look and sound like a novelty and you'll out-grow it and go into a regular stage of life...
JPT: We’ve been here for three years and my dad in his mind says, "It's gonna end now" and then we end up on a TV show. Sometimes it dies down, (gives example of situation), like someone just called up and said, "Hey, do you want to do a show and so-and-so?" And my dad's like, "Well, I don't know, let me call up the other parents, it's cool with us."
CB: How do you manage to record and tour, while going to school?
JPT: We don't, we don't, we don't. We never miss school.
CB: JP, I understand you have a lead role, along with Sarah Bernhardt [co-star] in a yet untitled Hemsdale film production this coming summer. How did you get the role?
JPT: Well, we we're playing in Los Angeles this [past] summer and somebody [a woman] came up to my mom and said, "Well, we're doing this picture and we think your son is really great. And my mother was like, "Fuck you! You're lying, that's a big crock of crap." I guess they said they were going to call my mom and they called, we found out it was for real.
CB: Where is this being filmed?
JPT: Arizona, in Los Angeles [California], maybe St. Louis [Missouri] or Gary [Indiana].
CB: Do you cater to the yuppie clubs or the punk clubs?
JPT: The punk clubs, man 'coz the yuppies need to go! (He leans into the tape recorder and yells) Die Yuppie Scum!
CB: What do you all want to be when you grow up?
JPT: A musician, an actor and football player.
JCD: I don't know, it's kind of hard making your decision when you're 10 years old.
JPT: [Referring to his brother, Jamie] My brother wants to be a nerd; he doesn't have to work hard at that...
JT: I don't know, a fireman...
CB: Is that a hard question?
JT: Yes, I don't know what I want to be, good [answers] or bad can be right.
CB: Is there anything any of you ever wanted to say in an interview, but were never asked?
JPT: Oh yeah, there is something, why did they elect George Bush (Sr)? That's the question I have to ask you.
CB: Well, there's a lot of foolish people out there...
JPT: They should have elected Jesse Jackson.
JCD: Oh, I know [proceeding to tell a joke], why don't they allow dogs in the White House?
JP:'Coz they'll pee on the [sic] bushes and chase the [sic] quayles. (At this point, everybody in the room bursts into laughter).
CB: Anything else?
JPT: Tiffany can kiss our ass.
http://www.splendidezine.com/departments/guilty/guilty12003.html
http://themelesswonder.com/oldskull.htm
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