Photo By Colleen Bellise
THE KRAYS
Interview with Vocalist Johnny Kray
By Chad Bowar
It’s been almost a decade since there’s been a new album from THE KRAYS. Though the New York street punk band has done a lot of shows since then, they have finally written and recorded a new CD, Sangre. Their earlier material, which can be difficult to find, is also being re-released. Frontman Johnny Krays fills us in the band’s past, present and future.
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How come it has been so long between albums?
Well, we’ve been a band since 1994, and after the last album, A Time For Action, came out in 2002, we did a lot of work, touring, playing shows in and around the New York area. I was also touring a lot with ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS, playing drums, so I was ready for a long break. We did play many shows, and even did a tour with DROPKICK MURPHYS during those years. I was writing songs here and there as well, but I guess it wasn’t in my mind to work towards making an album. If we did record a new album, I wanted to really make sure it kicked ass, with both good music, but also good theme and feel.
After so many years went by, I collected the songs the band and I had written, I finally felt we had some really great tracks to work with, so I’m glad it took the time it did. It’s all synchronicity really, because John from Dead City Records approached us about doing a record, we had the tracks, many of them already recorded, and Sangre came together. I really couldn’t be happier with how it all came out, the songs, the artwork, and how great a label Dead City is. I couldn’t ask for more.
Give us a preview of your new album Sangre.
There are ways in which the album is very different from our other records. There are a handful of tracks that are very short and very aggressive, some of the toughest songs I think THE KRAYS have ever released. I wanted to bring the songwriting back to a more basic and aggressive style, just speed and spirit, get to the heart of an emotion and belt it out. So no bridges or long lead breaks. Other songs are more complex, changes in timing, breaks where the drums rely on tom tom beats and where the song ends very differently from where it began. A few tracks are sung in Spanish. It’s definitely the most diverse record we’ve released so far.
What inspired your lyrics on this one?
Many of the themes for the songs come from me reading a lot of history books, and seeing how much history relates to where we are now. I was also looking to write songs that were more about things outside of myself. Not so much how I am feeling about myself and my own problems, but how I feel about the world, and the stories of other peoples’ lives and struggles. “Sour Ground” is inspired from the nights on the train traveling to and from work reading Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. Parts of the book had me squirming in my seat, it was tough to read, and so the lyrics, instead of trying to sum up everything that book has to tell, I could only convey my horror, reading about the realities of Manifest Destiny and the murder and deception that went along with it.
What was behind the choice to do some songs in Spanish this time?
I listen to music all the time, and a lot of it just happens to be sung in Spanish. My wife helped me discover a ton of great punk bands from Spain, LA POLLA RECORDS being one of my favorites. I also love salsa, and my collection of great albums has grown tremendously the last few years. I’m semi fluent in Spanish, growing up with my grandparents, and I guess as a songwriter you try to find ways to keep your writing fresh, and one way is by exploring new ideas and find inspiration in new places. Singing in Spanish did that for me. It was a great way for me to grow not only as a songwriter, but as a person. It opened up new melodies to try, new vocal patterns, but also helped me feel a bit closer to my own culture. Also, I love learning songs from bands I like, and jamming on covers, so as I began to learn some in Spanish, I grew more confident singing in Spanish, and it just felt right to try and write my own.
Your catalog is now available digitally for the first time. Give us a brief synopsis of the additional material available on these versions.
The first album is basically a straight re-press. The second one, A Battle For The Truth has mostly been re-recorded. I was never really happy with how it originally sounded, so most of the tracks we did again. The opening track has a slightly different chorus, with a new melody on top of the old chorus, in the spaces. I wrote the extra vocal line slightly after the original CD came out, so now this version has it. I think it’s a great improvement from the original. The third Album is also a straight re-press. Also released is an EP titled Charged Minds. It has the three tracks from our first ever EP, the split with the TRUENTS, plus three extra tracks: a studio version of the song “Tax the Rich”, a song from our first demo called “Soldier”, and an unreleased track. I love the EP, it’s just a small collection of songs that haven’t had a chance to see the light of day in a while, if ever.
What are your upcoming live show/tour plans?
We are playing a record release show this June 11th at Club Europa in Brooklyn. After that, we’d like to play some shows in California. We haven’t been out there in a few years, so we’d love to get back out there.
What was the NYC punk/hardcore scene like in the 90’s when you were coming up?
It was a lot bigger. Tons of kids, bands all over the place. Lots of classic bands touring again. It was great. We were lucky to have a large clique of bands that hung out, played shows, set things up together. It was a lot of fun, and also very inspiring. There were so many great bands in and around New York you could see on a weekly basis.
Do any shows you played during that era stand out as being especially memorable?
We played a show at a club called Coney Island High with the CASUALTIES and BLANKS 77. For us, it was the biggest show we had played at the time, and it was great. Wall to wall punks and skins. It was a very cool vibe, and all the bands really rocked. I still have a video of our set that day. Lots of fun.
What’s the scene like these days?
It’s starting to pick up again around New York. There are a few new places to play, and a few new bands like SpEd, pulling people together, setting up shows, and making fun new music. There aren’t nearly as many people at shows compared to ten years ago, but in many ways, the vibe is still the same. Lots of us are just a bit older, and wiser hopefully.
How did you get started in music?
My grandfather was a band leader, and played Latin music most of his life. He was a timbale player, and did some singing as well. Like I said before, I grew up in his house as almost his third son. My uncle, who is 12 years older than I, is a rock musician, a lead guitarist. Someone was always rehearsing in the basement of the house, my grandfather with his band, or my uncle with his. My uncle started out playing covers, like we all do I guess. 70′s and 80′s rock like KISS, IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC, VAN HALEN, JUDAS PRIEST. I would just watch them both rehearse, and soak it all up. I was strictly a drummer then, and just watched and learned, and enjoyed every second of it. Seeing two different styles played really helped me understand rhythm and how other instruments can relate to each other, while playing completely different things, at different tempos and rhythm, yet in complete unison.
Who were your early musical inspirations?
I was born in the 70′s, and being a kid then, the biggest band was KISS. I had KISS albums when I was in kindergarten, I swear. My uncle loved them, so that’s how I got into them. I used to sit with him and listen to records all the time. He bought the first IRON MAIDEN album when it came out because he fell in love with the cover. Wow, what a great record. I guess I was lucky to have grown up in that environment. I was banging on drums when I was 2 years old, and really playing them by the time I was 6. Don’t believe me? Ask my Mom!
What was the first concert you attended?
The first shows I went to were Latin shows. My grandparents took me everywhere when I was a kid so I saw a ton of salsa bands play, and also bands playing what would be considered Puerto Rican country music, which I love, and my grandfather was great at playing as well. As a teenager I went to a lot of local hardcore shows in Brooklyn. I saw LEEWAY, BREAKDOWN and MERAUDER (with their original singer, Minus) around 1989. That was great. The first big rock show I saw was DANZIG at the Beacon Theater, in 1990, during the Lucifuge tour.
How did THE KRAYS first form?
We had a bunch of songs, many of them recorded on demo tapes. When we’d play shows in New York, Niel from Tribal War Records would be around, selling records from his distro. He also had the label, and had just released the CASUALTIES’ first LP. We played with them a lot in the old days. So after a show, he asked us if we’d like to do a record on his label. Seemed perfect. I was a bit surprised at first that he wanted to release a record by us, because we didn’t really sound like the bands he put out. But I felt good about it. I mean, he obviously liked us, and I always felt like we held our own no matter what type of shows we played.
Describe the band’s first live show.
We played at a bar in the city. It was just us and a band called THE SKABS, who we also played a lot of shows with back then. We had passed flyers around, and even pasted up around town. It was a lot of fun. Tons of people came out, and I felt like we really rocked it and made a great impression on people who didn’t know who we were or anything about us. There were a lot more aggressive punk bands around, playing more spikey punk music. A lot of the bands around had very DISCHARGE/GBH sounds, and we had more of a CLASH/RUTS sound. Back then we’d cover songs by SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS, THE RUTS, MENACE. I think at that time, there wasn’t anyone around playing tunes like that, with a sound like we had, so it made an impact.
What’s currently in heavy rotation in your MP3/CD player?
That’s easy, I’ve been on a huge IRON MAIDEN tip lately. Especially the album Dance of Death which came out in 2003. I think a lot of people sleep on their recent work, but I think it’s all great, and right now this one is my favorite. Great epic songs, great topics. They always find a way to teach, and amaze at the same time, with great writing and tight playing. Amazing album. I’ve also been big on Tom Waits, and THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, Nick Cave’s first band. I really dig their song “She’s Hit”. Not long ago, it seemed all I listened to for a while was Manu Chao. I saw him perform live in Brooklyn in 2006. The best show I’ve ever seen in my life.
What are your interests/hobbies/passions outside of music?
I enjoy reading, watching movies. I know you said outside of music, but I really do listen to music just about all day most days. Having an MP3 player lets you have pretty much your entire collection in your pocket. What can I say, I’m obsessed. There’s so much great music out there to discover. You can never really catch up, which I think is great.
Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
I also play drums for a band called POLYABUSE, which has a few older members of THE KRAYS. We play around New York and Jersey a lot and just released a CD last year called Street Level Mentality. I guess you could keep an eye out for that. That’s about it, I guess. Thanks for the interview, it was great. See everyone at the shows!
AND NOW! For the give-away! All you have to do is submit your answer to this question: A Time For Action” released in 2002. What is the best punk rock record released since ’02?
Submit your answer in the form below for your chance to win:
1 Grand Prize Winner will receive:
1 copy of Sangre
1 autographed drumhead from CD release show (6/11 at Club Europa)
1 The Krays t-shirt
1 Autrographed The Krays poster
1 The Krays patch2 Runner’s up will receive a copy of the CD, Sangre
The Krays last offering “A Time For Action” released in 2002. What is the best punk rock record released since ’02?.
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