I recently got a chance to speak with the members of 22nd Century. I saw them play at the after party for Susanne Tabata's brilliant film "Bloodied But Unbowed" in San Francisco... They are lotza fun! Any band that has the hilarious Zippy Pinhead in their band ... has to be da bomb !!!!

Punk Globe: Tell us about 22nd Century.. Who is in the band and what do they play?

Duane: We're 22nd Century! Rockers who wear seat belts!

Tim: No! Don't say that. That makes us sound conservative…

Zippy: Don't be cool kids! Be like us! (laughs)

Duane: OK. We're just three guys who play music. We've been doing this all our lives and we're just "those" guys.

Tim: We're veterans of the west coast music scene, especially Zippy. Our jam space is like our boys clubhouse. We meet there at night and write music and sometimes drink.

Zippy: Sometimes. Just a little bit.

Duane: Yeah - what he said…. I'm a dad and married and I love it.

Punk Globe: How long have you been together?

Tim: Since around 2007. Duane was in a band with a horrible singer you couldn't drink pretty and couldn't sing. I needed a rhythm section so I got him and his drummer Glen G. Glen eventually left the band to pursue other interests and that's when Zippy stepped up and joined.

Zippy: I even had to audition and everything!

Duane: Zippy really made the band come alive. It was definitely a turning point for us.

Punk Globe: How did you get the name 22nd Century?

Duane: When Apple first brought out the iPod, I noticed that band names were sorted alphabetically and that numbers came first. We decided to find a name that would put us at the top of everyone's play list and game the system. The words '22nd Century two bit thug' are in one of the singles off our first CD so it sort of fit.

Tim: He's a 22nd Century Two bit thug (lyrics from one of our songs). It has a play on words too. A lot of people seem to be running out of time lately and …

Zippy: A lot of people here are running out of beer too… Hint!!!

Tim: And verbally think of a "twenty second century" like a 100 years flying by in the wink of an eye.

Duane: Me too! The beer running out thing I mean…

Punk Globe: Are all the guys in the band from Vancouver originally?

Tim: I've been here forever.

Zippy: Not me. I came from the interior. My dad was in the RCMP so we moved around a bit. I'm originally from Alberta then Saskatchewan ,Manitoba and Ontario. I've lived in Vancouver since 1973,with 4 years of S.F. thrown in for good measure!

Duane: I came from Victoria. I grew up on the heavy metal side of the tracks and used to jam with a lot of the guys who later went on to play for Annihilator and other bands (Dayglo Abortions, No Means No, Chrissy Steele). I moved over in 1984 or so with the band. We got sick of crossing the pond with the ferries.

Punk Globe: Do the bands have any side bands that they play in?

Tim: I Braineater, of course! Many of your readers may already know about Braineater but, what they may not know, is that the three of us, along with Jim Cummins, are the new Braineater. Jim founded the band in the 70s, is an amazing songwriter and has incredible stage presence. I think I can speak for all three of us when I say we are very proud to be associated with the re-engineering of one of Vancouver's seminal punk bands. We have been in the studio since February and expect to have a new album out over the summer. We also play in some cover bands, but nothing as significant as Braineater.

Duane: We also just played as Phat Lizzy doing a Thin Lizzy tribute to raise over $2,000 for the earthquake victims in Japan. I also fill in with Stress Factor 9 (with former DOA bass player and Annihilator front man Randy Rampage and Annihilator drummer Ray Hartmann. I play guitar for The Rothchilds on a "when needed basis".

Zippy: We actually just recorded a new I, Braineater album too with Gord

Nichols (Pointed Sticks) producing it.

Tim: I also play my ukulele and Chaos (Duane) plays didgeridu. Here's a trivia question. What song has a didge track on it from our first CD?

Duane: haha – good one. We'll send CD's and a shirt to the first person who posts a correct answer when this interview goes live.

Punk Globe: Who are some of your inspirations musically?

Zippy: Just about anything. I do Motown to Motorhead. 60's one hit wonders, 60's garage bands, Early 70's cock rock and early Punk Rock!!

Tim: Songs for me have to be lyrically and musically meaningful. Sloan is one of my favorites but I also aspire to Foo Fighters and the entire grunge scene.

Duane: For me, Guns n Roses, Thin Lizzy, The Sex Pistols and Turbo Negro are my favorites. All of them had a dramatic influence on me. I remember in the disco era hearing all this music I hated like Air Supply and then discovering the MC5, Iggy, the Dolls and the Pistols. It was like a calling. That music spoke to me at a deep level and expressed what I wanted to say which was a collective "fuck you" to the was things were going. I discovered Turbo Negro later in life and this inspired the satirical, cynical style you see coming from us today in songs like "Runaway" (from the latest CD "Where's Howie?!!") which is about the type of people who crash parties and break things only for amusement then leave before they get caught.

Punk Globe: I recently saw you play in San Francisco, CA at an after party for Susanne Tabata's film "Bloodied But Unbowed" . How did that come about?

Duane: Zippy is in the film as are several of our friends like Randy (Rampage) who have performed with us on stage in recent years. Susanne is an amazingly talented film producer and just a great person all around. She invited us to come down to San Francisco during the SF Indie film fest to play the after party.

Punk Globe: Did you have fun in San Francisco?

Tim: We had a blast! Not only was it one of the more entertaining shows we've done, the remainder of the night was very memorable. It was loads of fun hanging out with Penelope Houston and Punk Globe founder and fashionista Ginger Coyote. Too bad we only had one night!

Zippy: Chaos had a fight with a cinder block on stage I'll never forget….

Duane: Stupid lousy cinder block!! I think some of us actually doffed trow' and played half naked. Penelope said if she showed up she wanted us to play our the first single “Teenage Underwear Model” in our underwear. She showed up, underwear came out.

Punk Globe: Was that the bands first time playing in SF?

Tim: No. We played in 2009 as 22nd Century and sold out the 33 Ritch Club when our first drummer was with us. That was a fun gig.

Duane: It was during a bit event in town and about the second song I said something like “Hey! We're thirty up here and we love Jack Daniels.” The next thing we knew there were about 35 shots of Jack Daniels on the front of the stage. Every time it got below 20 people refilled it. We did a two hour set. Surprisingly, it was not too sloppy towards the end.

Punk Globe: I understand that your drummer Zippy Pinhead had quite a surprise there. Is that true?

Tim: You mean finding out he was a dad?

Zippy: Is that true? We still have to get some tests done if that's what you're talking about! But pretty cool nonetheless!!

Duane: He was surprised when he realized he is a much bigger rock star in the states I think.

Punk Globe: Does the band tour alot?

Duane: Yes and No. We play anywhere but we don't do extended road trips.

Tim: It's parachute tours. We fly in, create chaos, then leave like in New York last May. Having said that, we'll probably hit Europe and Asia this year to promote the new CD and also have an invitation to play India.

Punk Globe: Your video for "I Was a Teenage Underwear Model" is very clever. Tim looks cute in his boxers and the Teenage boy is HOT! When did you do that?

Duane & Zippy (laughter)

Zippy: Well let's just say there is truth to the story and it does not involve me or Chaos and we did it recently.

Duane: I'm not admitting to anything, even that.

Tim: Guess I am busted. When I was younger my mother got me into modeling. If you watch the video, you'll see a hilarious photo of me at the end. I was a teenage underwear model.

Zippy: But you only did it for the money, yeah?

Tim: Ah, yeah sure

Duane: hehehe. This song is becoming a favorite of many of our fans. The video is on youtube, our website, and about 20 other places. It started to go viral for a while until people realized we don't wear cool underwear.

Zippy: What'ch you talking bout Willis??? My speedo rocks.

Tim: No comment.

Duane: About Lukas (the model in the video), we want to shout out to him. He is a really talented guitarist and songwriter from Whistler. Lukas helped us out in the studio (Mushroom) and has been a real friend of the band. He was excellent in the video.

Tim: I think it really is a testament to the fact we don't take ourselves too seriously. Music is a passion. The video reflects our love for doing stuff that isn't necessarily cool but we think is funny.

Punk Globe: Tell us about the club scene in Vancouver? What are your favorite venues?

Tim: What club scene? Rickshaw, Cellar, Funky Winkerbeans.

Duane: We actually have a good scene for musicians. Unlike many US cities, there is no pay to play shit going on here. Any one of us can call a club like the Roxy, The Cellar, backstage Lounge, Funky's, Club 340, The Yale, The Plaza, The Rickshaw etc and book ourselves in to play an event. The owners are almost always willing to give you a shot on a weeknight. To get a weekend, you have to prove yourself first.

Zippy: Have to agree. Playing in LA was problematic. Every club wanted us to pay them money! WTF??? Aren't those who work their trade supposed to be paid? Luckily we got a major break with a good manager who flew us down with great sponsors like Adobe, Konductor and Nitobi and they put us up in a 5 star hotel.

Duane: There is a new evil coming to North American now called sonicbids.com. It is even worse than pay to play. It is “Apply to pay to play”. You basically have to pay money to be considered for loser gigs where you make no money. There is no guarantee they even listen to your music or consider you. For events like SXSW, sonicbids is the exclusive vehicle for bands to apply to play. Most slots only pay $250-500. How are you supposed to get a band to Texas and survive on that? Vancouver respects musicians. If Sonicbids tries to move into Canada I will personally right them.

Punk Globe: Did you like playing The Cobalt?

Tim: I personally never played there.

Duane: I played there with Stress Factor 9 before our doomed tour of 2007/2008. The Cobalt was a special place. All sorts of people and always great music. It was a shame to see it fall. Half of the band ended up stuck in Philadelphia and Randy and Ray never made it across the border.

Punk Globe: Wendy Thirteen and all the crew there ruled.. Did 22nd Century play on any of the last shows there?

Zippy: The Cobalt? Reminded me of playing one of the shittier bars in L.A. Sorta like Madame Wong's back in the day or the Masque! No but we got to play at Funky's, her new home of the hardcore. We got to share the stage with Ron Reyes (Black Flag) new band Piggy, The Stoolies and the Strugglers.

Tim: There was even a wedding at the beginning of that show.

Duane: Believe it or not, it happened. It was sad to see The Cobalt go and I was happy to be amongst the last of the bands to play there but thanks to Wendy there is a new home. Wendy Thirteen has done more for music in Vancouver than most people realize. We all owe her big time.

Punk Globe: Tell us about your favorite shows that you have played?

Duane: For me, it has to be Los Angeles, CA. Headlining to over 4,000 people and having ex- .38 Special! Road bass player join us on stage for some Ramones songs as encores rocked.

Tim: For me San Francisco really ranks right up there. It was far from the slickest show we've ever done. Between Zippy's bass drum drifting out onto center stage, Duane falling over two times (once off the front into the crowd), none of my effects pedals working, and then stripping down to my boxers in a last ditch effort to save the show, it will be something I remember for a long time. I guess the stars really aligned for us that night! We've done much bigger shows and are always more polished, but I can't say we've ever been more entertaining! That's what people come out to see, right? If you want a polished performance go see Barry Manilow!

Zippy: SF, NYC and LA for me! Locally I also liked playing The Yale (a great Vancouver venue). We raised over $45,000 to build schools in Tanzania in two years with other bands with help from lots of people.

Punk Globe: Besides 22nd Century is there any other bands our readers should know about?

Duane: Joyce Collingwood, The Strugglers, Piggy, Little Guitar Army and I, Braineater are all acts to keep your eyes on. Joyce Collingwood is an all girl band with supermodel looks and a vicious, early Distillers sound. Those girls are amazing.

Tim: Murray (The Odds) has a new band called Swan that is great. We also love our brothers in Jesus Krysler, Blackburn X, All Kings Assembly, Entropia and The Rothchilds.

Zippy: Don't forget Helmz Deep and Rude Norton.

Punk Globe: And of course The East Vamps!! Do you have any web addresses for readers to keep up to date with 22nd Century?

Duane: Fo' sure. The band's twitter is @22ndCenturyBand and mine is @duanechaos. Our official website is http://www.myspace.com/22ndcentury. From there you can find us on MySpace, Youtube, Facebook, Reverbnation and many other places. Tim and Zippy are also easy to find on Facebook as I am. Friend us and be sure to join our email list.

Tim: We're giving away a guitar (a Jackson with a Floyd Rose and Seymour Duncan Pickups) via a contest we will hold using many social media channels including the twitter accounts.

Zippy: All our photos and some downloads are also available on these sites.

Punk Globe: Any parting words for Punk Globe readers?

Zippy: Yeah – read Punk Globe! 30 freaking years of awesomeness!!

Duane: ditto!

Tim: And drink only Poonsler beer! It's fictitious but it tastes good!

Punk Globe would like to thank 22nd Century for the fun interview.....