“The parallels between the initial principles of angst of working-class people against mainstream society paralleled just waking up black.”
By Will McGuirk
Well they ain’t playing nice, this TO trio of punks, the Ooh Baby Gimme Mores, the OBGMs. So lets get right down to business, punk is doing it your self, your way, your voice, your rules, and these kats may well be the most punk of bands, at least to come out of such a company town. The OBGMs don’t play by the rules because the rules are meant for others’ success, that much is obvious, ask 2020 if you don’t believe. So the OBGMs set out themselves to do it their way and by all accounts they say their way is the better way. Well, its just Hogtown hubris if you can’t back it up but, well, whether they can or not, you know they don’t care whether I say yay or nay, so listen to them yourself, they have records out and a new album, ‘The Ends’ coming out Oct 30, 2020, available on Black Box, and if you want to know more, well, they were nice enough to reply to slowcity.ca by email about some things we was curious about.
Slowcity.ca: The contributions of black artists to punk culture have often been under-represented in the mainstream understanding of it. Curious to hear your thoughts on the lost, forgotten or plain ignored role black culture has in punk?
OBGMs: “My thoughts are racism permeates everything, of course it will seep through the history of your music and how you consume it. The struggle to be visible is a story regularly told in our history.
“I think people often forget that being black is being punk. The parallels between the initial principles of angst of working-class people against mainstream society paralleled just waking up black. Black culture is often monetized and sold to the masses in a different package. In this instance, the package doesn’t look or include people that look like me in the forefront. This ultimately puts artists in my position at a disadvantage having to fight for validity in what is actually their home. I do think there is a movement happening and a change is coming. We are living in a period of long overdue social consciousness in which people are willing to challenge their norms.”
SC: Getting into a type of music can come from listening to parents records, from seeing bands live or from the area one grew up in. K-Os says his form of rap comes from listening to HipHop, yes, but also the Tragically Hip and Judas Priest because he grew up in Whitby. What role in the development of your music comes from how you grew up, and where - also, where did you grow up?
OBGMs: “I think where I am from played a big part in how we sound. I grew up in a housing project in Toronto, ON called Neptune. In this area we only listened to hip hop, soul, disco, reggae, dancehall, gospel, or R&B. I missed growing up in the era when Nirvana was the biggest band in the world. This is a blessing and a curse because I am unfamiliar with a lot of the acts that are the Mt. Rushmore of rock/grunge/punk music. But at the same time, it’s a blessing because I can interpret this genre of music in an approach that is completely my own.”
SC: How have you guys been doing during Covid - how has it affected plans around the music, touring? Are you able to get together as a band and at least write? What does Covid-19 for The OBGMs look like and more importantly what does post-Covid-19 look like for you?
OBGMs: “COVID has slightly delayed our plan to take-over the world. We spent a lot of time wanting to make a statement to the world and setting up for 2020 to by OUR YEAR. It’s extremely disheartening to not be able to live your dream the way you want to live it. The silver lining is the writing process is COVID-19 resistant, I do most of the writing alone in a bunker and have kept creative.
“COVID-19 has allowed me the opportunity to reflect on who I am and how I want to be remembered in music. Before the pandemic I was a recluse who detested online interactions. Now, I yearn for creative ways to connect with people in real ways. I taught myself how to edit videos and now I am able to better inform people about what we are about beyond the music.
“I believe all of this has brought more visibility to the band that will set us up to be one of the major touring acts post-apocalypse.”
