I don’t venture out of the neighborhood much these days. Heck, I don’t venture out of the house all that frequently, so it’s only natural that I’ve never seen Lollygagger play at any of the local clubs. Now, thanks to this power trio’s new video album, Lollygagger Family Fun Variety Hour, I can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of their live shows, plus comedy, in the comfort of my own squalor!
Loggygagger, if you ain’t acquainted, is a Chicago band that inject a bit of inzanity into their heavy licks, and from the looks of it, a bit of bondage as well. You know how much I hate typing words, so instead of me telling you, I figured I’d just ask the fellas themselves.
Oh, almost forgot, you can stream the Lollygagger Family Fun Variety Hour here.
RW: The definition of a 'lollygagger' according to an online dictionary I found is:
1) a lazy person, one who lollygags; a slacker, ne'er-do-well.
2) A young man who pets or makes out in public.
So, which one are you’se?
MATHEW MUFFIN: To answer your first question… yes.
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: I'd say both, it's like who you are at work versus who you are when you turn into Captain Chuckles. Secret identities and such.
RW: What are the three pieces of your three piece band?
KINSEY RING: I play bass
MATHEW MUFFIN: I play guitar and sing.
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: I play drums.
RW: Which is the most important piece?
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: Having a great time with my best friends, traveling, and meeting new people to share these experiences.
DMATHEW MUFFIN: The most important piece? That little piece of me that will always remember Disneyland through the eyes of a child... Seriously though, do you know how expensive little kids' eyeballs are these days?
RW: What three words best describe Lollygagger?
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: Loud, quiet, louder.
KINSEY RING: Loud musical drunks. It gets faster. Fuck Roger Stone.
MATT MUFFIN: That’s nine words.
KINSEY RING: I’m spitballing here.
MATT MUFFIN: Twelve words.
RW: What is the history of the band in three sentences?
MATT MUFFIN: Mike and I met on Craigslist, Musicians 10 years ago and played with a band called Earth Program—who still play today! Then we left that band and started The Peekaboos, who played around Chicago a lot. Fast forward to 2017 when Kinsey joins up with us and radically changed the dynamic, so we in turn decided to change the name to Lollygagger!
RW: What is the Lollygagger Family Fun Variety Hour—how’d the idea come about, who wrote it, choreographed it, directed it, and how is it going to be released and various questions along these lines?
MATT MUFFIN:The Lollygagger Family Fun Variety Hour is a 30-minute mix of music videos, professionally-recorded live performances, and comedy. Even though we had tons of help from people like The Hive, D.Z. Records, David Arias from Avantist, The Auxiliary Arts Center, and Brian Fox, everything was produced and directed by the band itself.
We’ve always talked about doing a music video album, (CKY spoiled us), but we also really love stand up and sketch comedy. Each member brought their own ideas for a skit to the table, and we riffed on for like 15 minutes and then cut it down to one.
The music videos were filmed by us on tour, Alex Palma at the Auxiliary Arts Center in Chicago, or by The Hive in upstate IL, and then the live videos were done at D.Z. Records and the Hive, and then we stuck it all together like your mom’s crappy quilt. Not my Mom’s quilts though, those are amazing.
RW: According to the venerable music website Lollygaggermusic.com, your domain isn't
connected to a website yet! Why is this?
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: We're not under the boot of Big Tech. But what was your first question, the one about Lollygaggers being lazy? I'm not talking on the phone and driving the van and counting the t-shirts, man.
KINSEY RING: I’ve never owned a computer. Believe me or don’t.
MATT MUFFIN: Also we have Go-DADDY issues… don’t kink shame us, man.
RW: What about the Peekaboos?
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE: The Peekaboos got to a point where Matt and I were the last two standing. It was either do something different or continue this band that becomes less and less recognizable. We probably could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble by cutting the losses, but we're stubborn. Being in the Peekaboos was the first time I really felt like a band. It taught me a lot about what to do, what not to do, and how to move on. When we started playing with Kinsey, the vibe shifted so much so that it became clear that it was something different. So it's like the Peekaboos were Fight Club, but Lollygagger is Project Mayhem.
Getting to Know the Men of Lollygagger
KINSEY RING:
Likes: Embracing my inner fat teenager, my cats, bluegrass, thrash, drunk cycling, heathenism, bourbon and Schlitz, stupid tattoos, scented candles, golf, my Rickenbacker, The Great British Baking Show.
Dislikes: Really serious tattoos, pretentiousness, bro-culture, pseudo-intellectuals, most visual art, overpriced cocktails, entitlement, shitty tacos, people who claim to not like Bob Seger (they're wrong, just so we're clear).
Kinks: You ever eaten a banana that is the absolute perfect amount of ripe/unripe?
I also get a tingly feeling from being on time.
Favorite thing about Matt: Matt's lyricism (sorry Mike, no ism's, I know), let alone his ability to play guitar and sing these complex passages in tandem. Blows my mind.
Favorite thing about Mike: Mike has this ability to just be chill in the face of literally anything. Crooked Ohio bullshit cops? Chill. General dickery from venues/other bands? Chill. No toilet paper at the next rest stop? c h i l l.
Favorite tour van smell: The van™ has this perpetual aroma of stale beer and cigarette ash, not unlike the bowling alleys of my youth, which is somehow comforting to me.
Favorite Chicago bar to play: I have played a lot of venues in this city. Lot of bars too.
That being said, Cole's has a built in crowd so the quantity is there. BUT, Liar's for the quality crowd. Never a bad time. S/O to Gary, I WILL steal those leopard fur boots.
MATT MUFFIN:
Likes: Anime, Cooking, Fixing and Modding Audio Electronics,
Power Level: Over 80,000.
Dislikes: Phoning it in, being mean to people, exclusionary punks. People that equate money to worth, and people don’t know what money is worth.
Kinks: I don’t have any control issues… what are you talking about? Wait, what was the question?
Favorite thing about Michael: His goodwill towards all people and general easy-goingness. He’s always got a smile and a laugh for anyone.
Favorite thing about Kinsey: His red hot passion for quality and drive! His take no-shit attitude towards anyone he seex as being shitty, even if that person's being shitty towards a stranger.
Favorite tour van smell: Jesus Christ, is this a trick question??? HAVE YOU BEEN IN A TOUR VAN?!?
Favorite Chicago bar to play: I’ve never had a bad time at Liars Club, and they usually play a good mix of 80’s Heavy Metal. Plus everyone who works there is a sweet-ass rock and roll shithead, *kisses!*
MICHAEL SUNNYCIDE:
Likes: Traveling, binging our stories with my girlfriend, going to the beach, spaghetti, speaking in movie quotes, Batman and high-fives.
Dislikes: Anyone who's trying to be a life goalie using "isms" or "phobias," cops in general and people who don't like dogs.
Kinks: I lead a pretty vanilla lifestyle [he said muffled through a ball gag]. Shit, I've played myself by calling it a "vanilla lifestyle." Sure, I'll add you on Fet. But like, how much time do you have? We could do a whole interview about this topic.
Favorite thing about Matt: I really like shooting the shit, smoking weed while playing video games with him, but really, his drive and vision.
Favorite thing about Kinsey: I wanna say his take-on-all-comers attitude, but really he says such goofy shit that makes me crack up all the time. "Aye, it's ya boy, God!" [tour inspired bit]
Favorite tour van smell: The smell of a show well done, mixed with the fragrance of lingering taco farts drilled into the upholstery with a mild touch of "I got most of my piss in this bottle."
Favorite Chicago bar to play: I've cut my teeth at Cole's, Liars Club, Reed's (where Matt actually cut his knee wide open) and the Empty Bottle. I like to keep my dance card full.
