College Times Fathers Day Review

Schlock Rock
Father's Day's attempt at art is little more than a tired joke worth skipping
by Chris Fanning

February 24, 2005

It's a Tuesday night, and I've got a ton of homework that I need to finish.

But when the opportunity arises to interview the band that I've decided to write about for the upcoming week, I jump on the opportunity to get a little work out of the way so the rest of my week is free.

Going on a tip from my friend Brodie, I've decided to write about a band that I hadn't had the opportunity to hear. At the time the band known as Father's Day hadn't released any recordings, but I decided to trust Brodie and his judgment. They were also preparing to release their first album on February 26 at The Trunk Space.

I thought, "Maybe I can get in on this before anybody else does!"

I'd be a real Woodward or Bernstein of the local music scene.

Before they played I sat down with the band and conducted a short interview of the basic questions, but after realizing that every single answer has something to do with art school, stereotyping fathers and other garbage, I decided to cut the interview short and maybe get something from the music.

I asked Brodie before Father's Day took the stage if this group was for real. Brodie assured me that they were a good band and I should stay until the end of the show and check out their set.

After 10 minutes of their set I left, frustrated, stressed and very angry with Brodie.

There's no sound that you can give Father's Day. What they do is a joke that has been done by a number of "bands" over the course of the years that I've been into the local music scene. It's a good reminder of a band my roommates used to front. It was called My First Toxic Poop and consisted of a bass that wasn't plugged in, a drummer that only had a snare and a crash cymbal and a guitar that was almost libelously out of tune. They recorded one album of 42 songs in one hour ... the same day that they decided to form this band.

MFTP was fun for the people involved and entertaining for the people that were watching it, and when you're 17 years old, it's still funny.

With Father's Day, there is no attempt to actually play music and I can't lead you on and let you think that something creative is happening here.

To the members of the band, Douglas Patton (business dad), Sir Baldwin Pennyweather III Esq. (classy dad), Frank Brando (golf dad), Jim Jack (drunk dad), there is something funny going on here and aside from unapologetically giggling constantly at the same jokes that they make monotonously, they at least try to stay in their characters.

So getting an actual answer about why they're doing what they do isn't something that I was able to do. They claim their inspirations are Jamaican synth-pop, Black Flag, R. Kelly and bands that start with the letter L.

The only thing that I can assume is that they all went to art school and that this is some kind of rebellion against things that upset them, an opportunity to be silly and get into some shows for free.

I don't normally like to be rough on local bands and I understand that this is just supposed to be some funny thing that they're doing, but it would be irresponsible of me to suggest that this is music.

If you are the kind of person who wants to hear people yell the same things over and over while not even attempting to play the instruments that they're holding, then Father's Day is something you should look into.

Also, if you're into comedy, then it's something you might want to look into. Then again, if you want to feel good about yourself as a musician, you can't be any worse than Father's Day.

No matter what your reasons for going to the show are, don't say that I didn't warn you.

Father's Day will be releasing their first recording Get A Haircut on February 26 at The Trunk Space with James Drive, Brodie Hubbard & the Boy Mayors and Nascar Dads.

DETAILS:
Father's Day CD Release
w/ James Drive, Brodie Hubbard & the Boy Mayors and Nascar Dads
The Trunk Space
1506 N.W. Grand Avenue, Phoenix
602.256.6006
Saturday, February 26