VKTMS CD is available through Broken Rekids and HERE!
***********************************************************************
Heres a brief bit of history.
VKTMS got together in 1978 when Mohammed Obead introduced Louis Gwerder (drums) to Jay Davis (guitar). After rehearsing for a while with various people and using a different name they ended up with George Ritter (bass) and began searching for a singer. Nyna Crawford answered a bulletin board ad placed at Aquarius Records. Her intense energy (she cracked a solid concrete floor) and already developed lyric skills impressed them immediately.
The band began gigging and shortly after put out what has become to be called the "Midget" EP , a fairly collectible 4 song record with My Babys a Midget which has been often covered and unfortunately bootlegged.
Not long after that friction arose with George and Steve Ricablanca (another friend of the gregarious Palestinian Mohammed) was brought over. His more developed skills brought a higher level of musicianship and songcraft to the VKTMS. His introduction to recording with the band also occurred within a short time span on the legendary SF Underground EP (on Subterranean Records) with other bands Flipper, Tools, and No Alternative.
Jay Davis left the band and after some auditions Steve remembered a guitarist, John Binkov, that he had also met in a roundabout way through a bulletin board note. Using John's background in various styles, as well as his tough attitude, the finishing touch was added to the project.This line-up has remained intact since 1980.
John fit right in and soon the band found itself playing more often than most of the other bands in town.
Few bands played the Mabuhay Gardens more times and VKTMS played every single other club in town and in the Bay Area. Playing gigs with the Dead Kennedys, DOA, Flipper, Mutants, and so forth at the legendary Mab, around the San Francisco Bay area, and up and down the coast helped establish the VKTMS sound and style. Shows with the Ramones, Johnny Thunders and other godfathers toughened the music even more. VKTMS also became the ritual sacrificial offering for many touring acts (Stranglers, Roky Erikson, 999, Killing Joke, Wall of Voodoo, Bush Tetras, Fear, Psychedelic Furs, Delta 5, and many others) when they came through town.
Of course, there were many, many shows with friends and peers such as the Dead Kennedys, DOA, Crime, SVT, Romeo Void, Agent Orange, TSOL and so many others.
Having the VKTMS house to rehearse and hang out together in brought the band as close together as family.
This is a distinction that continues today in that after nearly a quarter of a decade the surviving members are still good friends and working together on projects.
When given a chance to record for Howie Kleins 415 Records VKTMS put out the infamous White Girl/No Long Goodbyes single with cover art by the underground cartoonist Jim Osbourne, who also designed a series of highly outlandish posters.
Speaking of art, every member of the band plus a large extended family was well capable in the visual arts. Most punk bands were fairly artistic but VKTMS art is generally in a class by itself.
***********************************************************
Meeting Chuck Berry when he dropped by a show in LA, and having Todd Rundgren, Sylvain Sylvain (sat in on drums!), Rick Derringer and other rock stars coming to the Mab to hang out was cool too. For a brief while the band was co-managed by Spencer Dryden of the Jefferson Airplane. It was a real heyday but the truly best part was being part of an intense musical and social movement with the chance to be greatly moved by some unknown band you never heard of before from New Jersey!
In the winter of 1981-1982 VKTMS began recording an album at Parvin Studios. There was no label support and the band was hoping to shop the album. Based on their strong local support the thought was that this was possible. What happened instead was that the recordings sat in the can for twelve years (until 1994).
Nyna left in 1982 and played in Murder (w/ Bob Clic of the Lewd) and in Smashed Weekend (with Ben Cohen of Sister Double Happiness) then she dropped out of music until VKTMS started getting renewed attention from a new generation.
Steve and John played in Vauxhall for about a year until Steve went off to culinary school. John tried to keep playing for a while but like the others got the feeling it was time to try something new. Needing to learn more about other music styles and wanting more input from diverse sources, on a wild impulse he applied to UC Berkeley and actually got in. John got a BA in Music (1992) there and then an MA (1995) from UC Davis (Composition).
Louis is still in the floor refinishing business. He is also expressionist painter using non-traditional materials and canvases. He has had multiple showings of his art.
Steve also learned graphic art and design, as well as digital video skills. These were to come in handy later.
******************************************************
In the early 90s Steve, Lou and John began to notice that some bands music not only was getting more like the old days but that some songs actually resembled their old stuff.
Nirvanas "Territorial Pissings" reminded them of one of their set list regular "Whats A Girl To Do" in its chord progression and style. This was one of the songs from VKTMS unreleased album.
While working at Masas restaurant Steve met two younger cooks (Dave Elias and John Eisenhart) who happened to be punk rock collectors and had been talking about starting a small label to put out their favorite stuff. When they found that Steve had been in the VKTMS they couldnt hardly believe this. Dafflespitz Records was formed and the process of trying to release the album began in late 1993. It took a fair amount of effort to resuscitate the tapes (using a process known as "baking") and fortunately their old engineer and sound man Keni Fink was still around to help remix the album. After going into further student loan debt (John) and struggling with a pressing plant that could not manage vinyl mastering very well the album was release finally in early 1995.
The album sold fairly well in Europe and the band decided it was a good idea to get together and see what would happen. Nyna came up from Long Beach and it seemed as if time had stood still. Lou, Steve and John had worked out some kinks a few weeks before
in Lous back room but the sound was still there and it seemed like it would be even more fun this time since the band had matured and false hopes were not the inspiration this time.
The band got together and played new material almost immediately; like in the old days. It was so much fun playing together that VKTMS threw a few private parties and to their surprise the response was great. After that the band began performing in public at clubs like the Paradise Lounge,Transmission Theater, Gilman Street, El Rio; and also for events like BAM magazine's 20th Anniversary Party and the Vibe-O-Thon Benefit for the H.E.A.R. project.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Well, VKTMS are still around in various ways and are still kicking, just not as a regular performing unit. We will not dishonor our dear friend Nyna nor ourselves. Nyna passed away from cancer in 2000 after a very brave five year battle. We are working on a video biography and at last, a LIVE CD! In addition to all the incredible shows we did early on there were many others later in our second phase. We last played at the Club Boomerang in San Francisco (1840 Haight) and Bottom of the Hill (great show, thanks Ramona!). The band also did shows at the Transmission Theater, Paradise Lounge and (of course) 924 Gilman Street.
The shows at Klub Komotion and El Rio were probably the rockingest ever!!! (That's where we met Mike Millet from Broken Rekids who put out our CD which was what finally gave us the validation that wed missed. We heard from people from around the globe, old lost friends and were able to finally get heard by many others.) Basically, we carried on until the end.
Steve was living in Hawaii but is back in SF, has a daughter (!) and works as a chef. He is playing bass again and also writing music. Lou still does his abstract art and occasionally drums. John, in addition to teaching, is still playing a lot. His band D'Jelly Brains has a myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/jellybrains ). The three of us do get together and still work on projects. Nyna has been gone 10 years. We still miss and love her. She is still an inspiration.
