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"No offense to any of those fine women," says Aimee Echo, frontwoman for theSTART, "but I never wanted to be in a Veruca Salt kind of band. I mean, I wanted to be in Jane's Addiction." She Laughs, "Who didn't?" starEcho and drummer Scott Ellis were members of Human Waste Project, who were top art-metal dogs in the Cali club scene in the late 90's. Prior to strapping on a guitar and standing behind a synthesizer, Jamie Miller was the drum engine in nu-metal hopefuls Snot before that bands untimely breakup, and bassist Jeff was pinched from Sacramento hard guys Smirch.This is how a bunch of heavy-rock scenesters banded together to make future pop forever, from theStart. star"I was never into metal per se, " admits Echo. "It just ended up that way. Human Waste was like a heavy Jane's Addiction kind of thing. Jamie was an incredible hard music drummer. But we both loved late 70's punk, Siouxsie, the Cure-even the Beatles. We never listened to the kind of music we were playing, ever." starWhen I joined Snot, those guys had already written their album, " says Miller of his aggro-metal past. "I was the anomaly [in Snot] . I was the little jerk who | liked Depeche Mode, playing in a macho band. The other guys were like, 'what's he doin' in here? He doesn't like Metallica.' But I had a blast playing with them. When Aimee and I met, I thought we could write some songs together and start a new band." starTheStart's major-label debut, Shakedown!, isn't about kick-starting the golden age of new-wave pop and getting nostalgic for leg warmers, Members Only Jackets and skinny braided headbands. There's timeless passion and modern aggression in effect across the disc's 11 tracks. Echo's ability to deliver both sultry melodies and manic energy makes Shakedown! a sparkling rocket ride. Keep that "retro" tag in your mouth Bizkit-Boy. start" Whatever happened to using ideas form the past and not being labeled retro?" Miller asks rhetorically. "Why do some people describe themselves as a late-70's punk band, but they never say 'We're a retro Clash band.' We grew up on new wave, and we felt we could incorporate this thing that hasn't been heard by a newer audience. Older people will say, 'I've heard this before.' Of course you have! | Everything's been done before. It's not like we're wearing skinny ties, triangular sunglasses, and have [Patrick] Nagle paintings on the wall." star"That was a great period for women, says Echo about the new-wave scene 20 years ago. "Things were much more open minded. And if I see one more woman in low waisted pants with her belly button sticking out..." Her voice trails off in contempt. starThe band are currently opening for So Cal Feelgood boys Sugar Ray, and there is talk of being part of a larger package tour in late summer/early fall, at the request of some well-known aggro rock bands. Can theStart ply their fizzy pop stylings against huge myopically angry crowds being true to the nu-metal? Such concerns mean nothing to Echo and Miller, who just may have seen it all. star"We did a gig opening for Simon Says in the Bay Area, " Miller recalls. "I had a guy come up to me wearing a Slipknot t-shirt telling me how great we are." star"I am not kidding you," Echo testifies. "The guy actually used the word 'refreshing.'"~Jason Pettigrew |
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