Sounds fishy

For a Californian ska band who’ve never released a record in Europe, Reel Big Fish claim to have landed themselves a whopper of a fanbase on this side of the Atlantic.

“That’s a little puzzling to us, but we’re very excited about it,” says vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Scott Klopfenstein. “We hope to put out a record over there as soon as we can, but we’re having difficulties with the label people and the business side.”

So they’ve no complaints about the likes of Napster, then? “I say, thank God for the internet ‘cause that’s the only way a lot of these kids are gonna get to hear our music.”

Since 1997’s ‘breakthrough’ album Turn The Radio Off became (ironically enough) a big success on US alternative radio, the six-piece have been touring America, Europe and Japan waiting for The Big Time to strike. Their first visit to Ireland is scheduled for August 28th in the new Dublin venue, The Ambassador Theatre.

Though Ska is seen here as a British phenomenon, Scott insists that the ska scene in the US is alive and well.

“There’s a pretty good ska scene in California – there tends to be a lot of ska bands, or ska-influenced bands. Like No Doubt. I wouldn’t say they’ve abandoned their ska roots – they always had a lot of rock ‘n’ roll goin’ on. But they grew up and, you know, tried more things.”

Growing up is apparently not on the agenda for Reel Big Fish.

”We’re still a good time ska band,” says Scott. “But we have a lot of influences. Good, bad, whatever – we take what we like from the good, and from the bad, we learn what not to do. Or we take what they did and do it better.”

Scott describes the band’s stage show as a “high energy circus of pain!!! I don’t know why,” he laughs. “It just sounded good. We like to have fun and try not to take anything too seriously,” says the self-proclaimed Best Driver in California.

Scott finally got his licence this year at the grand old age of 23. “I’m a very safe driver,” he says. “I have a slight problem with road rage – I do a lot of yelling and screaming, but it’s alright, ‘cause I don’t let myself near firearms.”

After a decade, there are only two original members of the band left. “Although they’re not actually original – they’re animatronics,” he corrects. “I joined about six years ago, but I was a fan from the beginning. What first attracted me to this kind of music? The girls you’d see at the shows, dressed all cute and wearing glitter and stuff. I didn’t have a lot of friends, so it was a way to meet people.”

The band have even done a little acting in their time.

“We were in a movie called Baseketball. We played the house band, but moving swiftly on, we’re also in Apocalypse Now. Very briefly. So briefly in fact that you can’t tell it’s us. We were very young at the time. We’ve played at a party on a yacht with Francis Ford Coppola. We’re the kind of band who rub elbows with some of the hottest stars. Olivia Newton John was there!”

Scott’s musical heroes are British ska bands like The Specials and Madness, but he does have respect for latter-day American ska acts like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

“They were very sweet to us. They showed us the ropes when we went on tour with them. Now we take young bands out on the road with us, and expose them to all the lovely things that life can hold – drug addiction, that sort of thing,” he jokes.

A compilation of Reel Big Fish material is expected for European release soon, featuring tracks from their last two albums, while a brand new album is in the works, according to Scott. “We’re hoping to get our new album out in the States in February of next year, but it’s all speculatory at this point. The new material is probably the best material ever written by humankind,” he says modestly. “It‘s gonna revolutionise the world. You had the Beatles, now you have us. Like it or not. I know some people can’t accept it - they refuse to believe. But sooner or later everybody’s gonna come around. Whether it’s on their death bed, or in the next life.”

Oh, one last thing, why are you called Reel Big Fish? “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” he warns.

I think I’d rather live in ignorance.

Reel Big Fish play The Ambassador Theatre (with support by The Revs) on August 28th