Vancouver's underground music scene, the rock and roll, punk, indie, DIY cesspool of creativity has always been as interesting and intriguing as it has been incestuous, as most of the musicians who are based here will typically be in several bands simultaneously, and likewise, many bands will have a large alumni of former members, to the point it can be difficult to keep track of who plays in what band at any given time. One such band was JP5 which I filmed a few times around the turn of the century. I was friends with drummer Ted Simm (SNFU, Chickenhawk, TED, Trousermouth) and Dirty Kurt Robertson (Real McKenzies, SNFU, and too many others to list) and heard good things about the band, so I was more than happy to film them live.

Singer/songwriter Gerry-Jenn's energy was unassailable and was as central to the band's live performance as Dirty Kurt's blistering guitar work and signature facial contortions. But what really caught my eye when I first saw JP5 live was the undeniable stage presence of bassist, The Fabulous Ms. Ligaya, or Li.

There is no shortage of female performers who get gigs because they are pretty, but then fail to impress once on stage. So it was very refreshing to see a tall, confident, beautiful and powerful woman killing it on bass while owning her share of the stage with grace and attitude, but without any attempt to steal any of the spotlight. And although we never really hung out or talked much, I have remained an admiring fan of Li and would occasionally catch her performing over the years in various bands. So I was positively delighted when Ginger asked me if I would interview Li for Punk Globe's anniversary issue. This being my first interview for PG, I hope it is as compelling to read as it was for me to write.

Punk Globe: Well, decades in the making, I finally have the pleasure of getting to know more about The Fabulous Ms. Ligaya! How are you doing in these strange times, and how have you been coping / keeping busy during the lockdown?

The Fabulous Ms. Ligaya: Zig! In our lifetime did you ever think we’d be looking at what’s been going on here in the last 5 months? Besides being in lockdown and contemplating the bizarre reality, I’ve been busier now as compared to before the world turned completely upside-down in March, mostly because my schedule totally cleared itself of appointments and meetings. Come to find I’ve got a crazy long list of to-dos. I am really enjoying undisturbed editing time. This time is not easy for many of us, I feel most of my friends that I connect with over this are actually doing really great – the stresses are definitely there, but they have channeled their energy into the things that matter the most to them – like art, music, family. There are definitely some friends and family I worry about being on their own during this isolating time.

We have all been faced with so many huge changes in our lives, personal and professional… it’s a rare time and I feel like it’s a good time to figure out what you want more of or at the very least what you want less of. More than ever, it’s the time to bring out even more compassion and kindness to our community as well as ourselves. I‘m taking the time now, like never before, to take care of my self spiritually, physically, emotionally etc… I’m keeping it simple.

Punk Globe: I first met you when you were playing in JP5 - was that your first gigging band?

TFML: Yes. And my true Rock n’ Roll First Love. I actually had no idea who JP5 was at the time except that Gerry-Jenn Wilson had openly thrown down the punk rock gauntlet while she was in the Muscle Bitches with Cal Thompson. She had stated in an interview, with the Georgia Straight, that they could “out-drink, out-rock and out-fuck” The Real McKenzies, her words - not mine…. Dirty Kurt was my boyfriend at the time and played with The McKenzies. That public declaration really got Dirty Kurt’s goat and I believe it set off a whole new level of a triathlon competition category. That was how I first heard of Gerry Jenn of JP5. One day, Kurt brought home a bass guitar from tour for me and shortly after, JT Massacre, who was drumming with the McKenzies at the time, asked me if wanted to “play in a real band”.. and 3 weeks later I was playing with JP5 at the Starfish Room in Vancouver opening for The Humpers from Long Beach and the rest is history. A very fuzzy history.

Punk Globe: I remember when JT Massacre was in the band - JT is hands down the most played-with drummer in this city (if you were to list every band he has ever played with, you would need several pages, and that's not an exaggeration) Do you still keep in touch with any of the band?

TFML: This question actually made me feel sad when I really thought about the answer, surprisingly. My time spent with JP5 led me through some of the hands-down craziest, outrageous, unmentionable experiences in my life and it would have been *almost impossible to think there would ever come a time where you wouldn’t be as close. I mean, I know where all the bodies are buried… you’d think that would be enough to keep a tight circle of accomplices wanting to keep an eye on where you are at all times, but here we are… I think the best thing about these times is Facebook and all that social media. I do “see” my mates on there like ships in the night. When you’ve played in JP5 you are part of such an eclectic group of people. It’s kind of like when vintage VW Beetle drivers pass each other on the road, they flash each other a peace sign. Well, for JP5’ers there’s a very special one-finger salute we’ve developed to let each other know just how special we are… hahaha… kidding… there really ain’t nothin’ but lots of love and a short memory. There are some incredibly talented musicians who were in the JP5 line-up. Stephen Hamm, Terry Russell, Dirty Kurt, Brien O’Brien, Ted Simm, Spike Davies, Brad Attitude, Brad Mitchell, Mike Hawk, Adam Payne, Syd Savage, Brad Kent, Kevin Keating, Gisele Grignet from Hissy Fit, Lisafurr Lloyd, JT Massacre and The Floydian Device - Marc Floyd to name just a few… too many talented people to list, but the list of who’s who attests to how powerful and talented GJ is as a songwriter and performer. There have been at least over 31 members that came before me. But you know, it makes me sad because we’ve lost some people and some of the band-mates really went through a hard and heartbreaking series of events in life. We sometimes lose each other in the middle of it. I’ve lost track of some mates and some are in a completely different headspace now. We are close but it’s been years and naturally, we go different directions. Zen works for me. I like rhythm and harmony. Frenetic frequencies can be fascinating but often come with a lot of collateral damage.

This year, just last month, we sadly lost Rich Rock (RIP) who was our friend and our manager at one point. He was only 52. There have been too many funerals in the last 3 years. GJ, my rock n’ roll Sister and partner in all things JP5, and I connect on messenger and never have we had anything but love and gratitude for each other and that same rock n’ roll sisterhood we’ve had for over 20 years. She’s very much the same fierce & authentic kid she was 20-plus years ago. She is a comet on her own flight path. We’ve had a long, unique and adventurous path in life together and she’s always had my respect.

**[It should be noted that this interview was done just days before the tragic death of Chi Pig.]

PUNK GLOBE :  Wow, that's an impressive roster of talent you listed there - I didn't even realize many of those people played in JP5. I occasionally see Gerry Jenn and JT around town, I also see Brad Mitchell and Lisafurr Lloyd a lot at our studio, and I recently saw Dirty Kurt when I went out to his place out in Princeton where he lives with Liz from Shit Talkers.. I'm glad so many of the people who have been a part of Vancouver's underground music scene since the early days are still fighting the good fight - it's a tough city to survive in for musicians.. After JP5, did you keep playing music, and if so with who?

TFML: Sinmobile was my next stop in Rock n’ Roll – Irene Orallo and Mike Soper from Stick Monkey. We never ended up playing live together, but our rehearsals were blistering and we were a jamily that liked to fondue big-time. I also played with a housemate’s folk (yep – I said folk) band as a favour and ended up meeting Marc and asking him to play with me in JP5. Eventually, I got to play with one of my coolest long-time friends - Braineater - for a while. I was in the Nü Braineaters with Jim Cummins and Keka Kona – Jim’s girlfriend at the time…we had a really cool thing happening there. Then later I played with Jim’s boy band - I, Braineater. That was with Anthony Walker and Phil Western IV (RIP) and we were recording some great stuff. I sang back up for Ginger Coyote’s epic band The White Trash Debutantes in Seattle with Gerry and Marc played guitar for that show. The Floydian Device and I created a soundtrack to a film we were working on together with Gerry Jenn’s trademark vocals and brilliant lyrics. Kurt Dahle from the New Pornographers at the time mixed it for us. Stephen Hamm mixed a song on that soundtrack as well. Eventually, I ended up recording and singing with Richard Duguay.

PUNK GLOBE : Jim Cummins is another amazing artist that's kept things vibrant in this city since before I even got into a band - he's always working on new stuff, keeping things interesting - how was performing in Braineater different from JP5?

TFML: Braineater really did feel like we were a super cool, leather-clad, spiky alien gang from Planet X. JP5 felt like you were drinking a martini made from the rocket fuel that got you to Planet X in the first place… JP5 and Braineater played many shows together, in fact, the very first time I ever performed with Jim was at the Niagara as his go-go dancer alongside Gerry. I also performed with him for his Cabaret as torch singer - Ms. Velvet V’ Elour… there were so many similarities, honestly – both bands loved extravagant stage costumes and bombastic stage performances. Rehearsals were totally different… JP5 rehearsals were booze-soaked gab-fests, peppered with safety meetings, and running through the songs twice. Braineaters' rehearsals were protein-shake and coffee-fueled. No safety meetings, but hanging out with Jim and his brilliant art creations is enlightening on a whole other level. Jim’s shows actually were an all-day affair since he usually has an art show and a rock show simultaneously! For Jim, there was so much to do before the actual show itself … that man absolutely is one of the hardest working, most prolific artists I have ever met.

Punk Globe: Agreed - Jim is most certainly an iconic figure in Vancouver. One of the more recent times I got to see you perform live was with Richard Duguay - How did you meet Richard and end up singing for him?

TFML: In the beginning, we shared many common friends with Richard Duguay, and eventually, we ended up being actual friends ourselves… We started hanging out and getting to know him when he came up to Vancouver to play a gig. We shot a couple of his shows and made a few videos. Then, the next time we were in LA, we were hanging out at his house and ended up recording some stuff at his studio. Marc and Richard share a birthday and so one year his daughter, Violet, actually made a stunning cake for us all. It was probably the most beautiful cake I’ve known anyone to personally make! The relationship has grown to include the writing and recording of the Bad JuJu album and the shows that Richard came up to play with Marc. There are a few street tacos and pool parties, as well as late-night cheesecake, and some infamous BBQ houses in there too… and coffee. Loads and loads of coffee. When we all hang out, we get to talking for hours and we get so loud – there is so much wry humour and sarcasm, my sides hurt from laughing on the porch over coffee and cigarettes… he’s totally family to us. Paula, Violet and Richard are family. I feel like I’ve known them forever. When he messaged me asking me to sing, I was totally honoured but honestly surprised…I’m a bass player and back-up singer, but the idea of actually singing a whole song out front – I don’t know, man – I normally leave that to the pros… but what the hey … I said yes before either of us could change our minds, haha… and once again - the rest is history.

Punk Globe: I've actually had the privilege of playing bass for Richard a few years back for his Fuck You Fame Whore show in Vancouver - he had JT Massacre on drums and Ron Reyes (Black Flag, Piggy) on guitar/vocals.. and of course a ton of guest vocalists came up for various songs - it's so great playing with that calibre of musicians. How was that experience for you, and will you be playing with him again?

TFML: When Richard asked me to sing – I swear I thought ok just one song? Sure, that I can do….but somehow I ended up singing a lot more than that. Richard fully puts you exactly where he wants you and walks away leaving you to show up for the job. He had faith in me, so I did too. I absolutely hope I get to rock out with Richard again.. and it would be amazing if Paula and I get to sing together, too... I love that wolf-pack feeling of being with your mates in a badass band. There’s nothing like it. No matter what anyone else tries to sell you, there just isn’t anything like it. I really love my Rock n’ Roll family – playing in a band for me is very much a familial bond and I have that with JP5 and Braineater too, it’s a forever thing.

Punk Globe: How did you first meet Ginger?

TFML: I met Ginger Coyote on the ANARCHY IN BC Tour. The White Trash Debutantes and JP5 toured the Wet Coast for a few dates. I met Ginger on that tour, but we really got to know each other after that over another show the Deb’s were playing in Seattle that The Floydian Device, Gerry and myself were playing in. I had made a video shortly after that from all the photos from our shows together to one of my favourite songs of theirs “Disobedience” and over time we became solid, lifelong Sisters. Our friendship was definitely ‘meant to be’. For the last few years I have been traveling between Vancouver and Los Angeles with Marc, meticulously filming over 70-plus interviews and shows, and editing a documentary about what an influential and groundbreaking powerhouse Ginger Coyote is.

Punk Globe: You mentioned The Floydian Device - Marc Floyd - tell me more about how you first met Marc

TFML: There was a lady who lived directly beneath me who was going totally crazy listening to me play my loud punk music and clump around in my platform boots in the apartment above hers. It was a gorgeous but creaky old heritage house, so to be fair – I was LOUD. I offered up that I could play bass for her, since she was looking for a bassist, and maybe we could actually mend some fences by doing so. So we did that and that’s where I met Marc – filling in for guitar as a favour for his girlfriend at the time. I had no idea who he was or who his former band, Smash LA, was but we fell hard for each other when we realized we were both hard-core Rock n’ Rollers in a folked-up world… so we both quit the folk band & he joined me in JP5. We’ve been together ever since.

Punk Globe: Who's idea was it to form One Finger Films?

TFML: Well, one of the first music videos we ever made together was shot and edited using 10 different apps on an iPhone 4. We called our company One Finger Films due to the fact that we now lived in an age where making films was accessible to everyone and we could literally make one with just one finger, haha… Eventually, we incorporated our company when we started shooting the Ginger Coyote documentary. It is a nod to the fact that times had changed. I had gone to film school, worked in TV stations, huge production houses, as well as independent film companies so that I could make my own films and gain access to a community of fellow filmmakers and also the equipment we’d need. There was a ton of hustling and working several jobs to be able to pull off even a $10,000 low-budget horror film, favours upon favours, reel-ends taped together for really precise and hopefully ‘perfect-on-the-first-and-likely-only-take’ shoots… really, prior to that, there was no way an average person could access all the tools you’d need to make a film. Now you can quite completely make a movie from beginning to end with even just your phone and really, nothing can stop you… there are a million incredibly talented filmmakers with fantastic ideas out there with practically zero limitations and the work can be found everywhere, in festivals and streaming services all over the world. One Finger Films is also a deliberate finger to the soul-less underpinnings and limiting machine-like quality of some power-hungry film companies that have turned making a film into a dry, ugly, soul-crushing, backroom deal-fest that, in the end, contained no originality, lacked respect for the any of the people working for them and sucked the very life out of the desire for creating anything at all. It’s killed many potentially amazing ideas and visions. Within the last few years, women in film have changed some of that , and courageously I might add, by pulling back the festering rug to reveal the horrifying behavior that goes along with it a lot of the time and holding people and companies accountable . It has had to change in the last few years. A lot had to happen for a lot to change, as we now know.

Punk Globe: Does being a couple affect the way One Finger operates, and how do you decide on what projects you want to work on?

TFML: We are a couple, but we totally work independently in our art – so when we work together on something I find it gets elevated to a totally different level due to our individual ideas. Sometimes we end up compromising, of course, but it all flows and I can’t recall a single disagreement really about the way something should be done. We are also very much alike and so ultimately we agree on practically everything. We’ve been working together as filmmakers now for over 10 years. He is my right-hand man – a brilliant artist and unlimited outrageous creativity. I'm lucky to be making art with him. Shooting bands is fantastic as we have similar shooting styles. We camp out on opposite ends of the stage with our cameras to get as many dynamic shots as we can. When it came to working on our doc on Ginger, he is definitely a natural at interviewing people. The totally perfect person to spill your guts to. I’m completely at home overseeing the whole scene, mentally piecing together where something will go in the edit while it’s being recorded. I like taking the time to a step back from the micro and lock the macro in place for our company. It’s a whole ton of work because we really do every single thing ourselves except for what our lawyers and accountants do for us. We also work with a group of established filmmakers to shoot for us in NY and LA if we can’t get there. We also contract our technical guru who keeps our workflow flowing. Marc and I naturally gravitate to our individual strengths and it works. I love coming up with the blip-clip promo videos throughout the making of this film. I’m good at designing the infrastructure of all the things of what we need to do and if there has ever been a man who gets the impossible done and makes it look effortless in the process – Marc is definitely the man. As Ginger knows from her many shoots with us, the man is also super keen on getting the backdrop just right. Deciding on projects is easy as we shoot bands we both love. Deciding on Ginger was intuitive and felt really natural. I think given everything we’ve learned from everything we’ve done so far – the next project will be an easy agreement too… we both know exactly what we want and how much money and time it will take to make that happen.

Punk Globe: That's really cool - it's quite inspiring to see how well you guys work together - it's rare to find that special someone who not only shares your passions in life, but is also able to inspire you through the work you do together. Do you prefer working on the films and being behind the camera, rather than in front of it?

TFML: I actually really love both…but they both require so much of my energy and time. My background was film acting, opera & musical theatre before I got into playing punk rock. Over the years, I got to know and work with more and more artists who were taking control of the art they wanted to make. Eventually making films and shooting bands was exactly what I wanted to be doing. Right now – I am completely enjoying the process of making this doc. I’m always looking for a good scene study class that I can really play with, but I think it will all have to be online for the next long while.

Punk Globe: What are some of the more notable past productions, and what is One Finger Films currently working on?

TFML: We have a collection of over 100 music videos we have shot and edited for both local and non-local bands. I think you can see the majority of them on our ONEFINGERFILMS youtube channel or on our website at www.onefingerfilms.com.

One of the coolest things you’ll probably never get to see anywhere is this simulcast we did for a six-city-simultaneous-screening of the film “We Live In Public” – an award-winning film by our friend Ondi Timoner for which she was awarded the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Actually – she is the only director to ever be a two – time recipient of the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize. The first film she won for was the movie ‘Dig!’. Adrian Grenier and Eliza Dushku were hosting the screening in LA and NYC, while Marc and I hosted live from Vancouver. Ondi and Josh Harris hosted the screening from Chicago with the other screenings coming out of Atlanta and Denver. All 6 cities were live at the same time and hosting the screening of this prophetic documentary about the advent of the era where we freely trade our privacy for internet fame and recognition. It was revolutionary. No one had ever achieved that before and it’s outrageously cool to be a part of it.

Currently, we are editing our Ginger Coyote Punk Rockumentary. It’s a documentary on Ginger and Punk Globe. It takes a look into the history surrounding her iconic influence in the punk world… from when she had printed her first paper copy of Punk Globe Magazine (for which she subsequently got arrested for carrying the scissors she had used to cut the magazines pages with) right up until the current 43-year-old online entity. Punk Globe Magazine turns 43 this year. What an amazing achievement! The film is an extensive collection of interviews with some of the most influential and notable artists in not only punk but in film and art. We have interviewed people and icons in their own right like Alice Bag and Pauley Perrette to Ed Asner and Jayne County. It’s about music history. It’s about politics. It’s about what it was like to be Ginger or any of these people at a time where it was dangerous and even deadly to be a punk, or speak against the popular opinion, or even just have pink hair. We were incredibly lucky to have gotten the interviews with Tara Rez from The Duel and Segs Jennings from The Ruts before the pandemic hit. They are located in London but were in LA for work. We have had to put our last international interviews on hold while this pandemic gets figured out. In the meantime, we’re putting together and editing the rest of the film. We still have interviews in NY and two more in LA as well as TO… and Vancouver will be the very last city. The virtual implosion of movie theatre screenings has shifted many factors for us in post-production, but in some ways, it could be better. We have gotten so much guidance and interest in supporting and developing this project from accomplished filmmakers including Ondi herself. That in itself is validating and motivating. The landscape in film production is a completely different one now. Navigating it is going to be really interesting. Our One Finger Films FB page has loads of clips from our interviews that you can check out. Also on our youtube channel. Here is an earlier trailer we put together right before we headed down to LA for more interviews…

(GINGER COYOTE PUNK-UMENTARY TEASER)

Punk Globe: How can we find past film stuff you've done?

TFML: We have a website www.onefingerfilms.com and our youtube channel - ONEFINGERFILMS. I have my own website www.msligaya.com and youtube – msligayapresents. If you prefer Facebook - One Finger Films has a page and I have a page as well - The Fabulous Ms. Ligaya - where I just collect anything I've done. One Finger Films is on IG as well.

Punk Globe: Do you still play bass, or are you more comfortable just singing?

TFML: I am happy either way – I think it would come down to the project really…I still love my bass.

Punk Globe: Do you have any other projects planned which involve you performing live in the foreseeable future?

TFML: No – not in the foreseeable.. I kind of feel like this is the year of tech-centric and introverted endeavours for me given our situation.

Punk Globe: Yeah, the whole pandemic thing really threw a wrench into performing artists' plans everywhere. I'm glad that many people actually spent the down time being productive despite an uncertain future. And luckily in Vancouver we managed to bring the situation under control enough to start having live shows again, even if it's just with very limited audiences. I think everyone has been dying to go see shows again. Speaking of local bands, what Vancouver bands do you like and would recommend people should check out?

TFML: I like supporting all my friends in bands as much as I can and as so many of them play in more than one band, I couldn’t dial it down. If I were to suggest just one, it would be SNFU. This is one of our favourite SNFU songs we shot… I found out in an interview we did with him that this is one of Jack Grisham’s favourite SNFU songs too…our thoughts go out to Chi right now…

(Painful reminder – SNFU)

** [note this interview was done just days before Chi Pig passed away]

Punk Globe: Good choice... what about non-local bands?

TFML: The same with non-local bands – but the last smokin’ non-local band I saw was ‘Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders’ at Café Nela and really … what tops the White Trash Debutantes for authentic, no apologies, in-your-face, punk rock.

Punk Globe: Who would you say was your biggest influence/ inspiration for initially getting up on stage and playing in a band? Do you still find them inspiring you, or are there new sources of inspiration that you draw from?

TFML: Dirty Kurt was one of the 1st punk influences. He was my intro to punk altogether. I had watched him perform so many times soaked in sheets of sweat, leaping into a 6-foot high aerial split-kick and still keep playing a blistering solo despite the on-stage madness and chaos… and I learned not to care what anyone thinks, ever. Totally prepared me for JP5, frankly. Since then, there have been so many influences and inspirations and in so many forms… I get inspired by people who give it everything they have.

PUNK GLOBE : Good answer - I love Kurt and have known him for almost 30 years, and personally I will never get tired of seeing him live on stage.. he is definitely a constant source of inspiration. And when I'm shooting either video or photos, he is always a riot to capture. If you were given the choice of either only performing or only making films, which would you choose, and why?

TFML: Making films hands down. I can edit a film in my 7-day-old holey PJs, which may or may not be the case today. But for a show, I'm going to want to dig out the platforms, pour myself into the old PVC corset and tease out one of my 40 wigs. It’s a whole thing. I’m kind of kidding. The thing is if I’m going play, I’m going to want fire breathers, and fake blood, and unicorn horns, and loud, bone-shaking rock n’ roll. It’s going to be messy and unforgettable.

Punk Globe: Haha - ironically, if given the same choice, I would choose performing precisely because of that aspect of it - I find it exciting getting all dressed up and making a messy spectacle of myself. I actually got into filming and photographing bands when I briefly stopped playing in bands because I missed being around that energy. I wanted to stay involved in live music and I would even offer to shoot friends' bands for free in exchange for a guest list spot. But this also made me realize how much I missed performing and before long I was back playing shows. I still shoot bands on occasion, but if I could choose only one, I would definitely go with performing.

Anyways, as much as I have enjoyed this interview, I think we have stretched the limit of how long these should be, so on that note, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to give us such an in-depth view into what makes Ms. Ligaya so Fabulous.