The Von Bondies - interview feature

Hard Core Pawn

The Von Bondies are relaxing in a hotel room a stone's throw from London tourist trap Trafalgar Square. The Detroit four-piece are in animated conversation, despite having endured a full day of interviews and a guest DJ spot at Alan McGee's Death Disco club night the previous evening. Demure red-haired guitarist Marcie Bolen is lolling on the bed, while STARSANDHEROES is surrounded by cheery, gamine bassist Carrie Smith, enigmatic drummer Don Blum and effusive vocalist/guitarist Jason Stollsteimer, perched on chairs and eagerly awaiting their recently ordered fruit platter. They bicker and gossip like the old friends they are.

The Von Bondies are in the UK for two reasons: promotion for second album Pawn Shoppe Heart (the first fruits of their 2002 deal with Sire - they were label figurehead Seymour Stein's first personal signing in 15 years), and two shows at legendary jazz and punk venue The 100 Club. While many bands might balk at giving up their independence by hooking up with a major, The Von Bondies are adamant that they haven't changed a bit. "The songs were written two years ago, before we were on a major label," explains Jason, "so we didn't change a damn thing! If we were on [Sire's parent company] Warner, maybe somebody would ask us to, but Sire never asked us to change - they're really well known for that." Put it this way, they're not about to succumb to stylists and Pro-Tools.

The Sire deal was inked in Amsterdam (Jason: "Nobody gets signed in Detroit - we had to go to another country!") while The Von Bondies were touring with The Datsuns - who, incidentally, joined the band onstage at the second 100 Club show for a typically riotous encore. Jason: "We had a lot of offers before that, but they just weren't right. I think we were all a little nervous about signing to a major, but Sire didn't seem like a major in that sense of a corporate machine which pumps out records. [Seymour Stein] doesn't pump out records, that's the point - that's why it was really flattering. He said nothing had really made him want to sign in a long time, so it was one of the biggest compliments you could ever get."

New album Pawn Shoppe Heart is a world away from The Von Bondies' 2001 debut Lack Of Communication, which propelled the band to international recognition partly, it must be said, due to a Jack White co-production credit. With former Talking Head Jerry Harrison at the controls, the band have rattled off 13 coruscating, soul-drenched and gratifyingly LOUD bluesy assaults on the senses. "We are all really proud of this record," enthuses Carrie, "I still get giddy when I listen to it." Jason agrees, saying that "when Carrie sings her song ["Not That Social", one of Pawn Shoppe Heart's more melodic highlights] I always smile and turn it up."

"A lot of people say that we are the only band with two boys/two girls, who play all their own instruments, all can sing lead, and that isn't a female-fronted band," says Jason proudly. Don mentions Ladytron, but nobody can think of any more. However, Jason remains the main songwriter, and he and Carrie hold court onstage. Don seems coy, somewhat forlornly confessing to hiding behind his drum kit: "I can't take myself too seriously, because I'm hitting something with these little sticks…" This comment is greeted with howls of "Crap!" from his bandmates - it turns out that at their first 100 Club show, a fan even jumped onstage mid-set just to shake his hand and say, "good job!".

The Von Bondies have forfeited a lot - friends, relationships, Detroit itself - to get this far, and their heartening family-like co-existence shows they rely on one another more than they'd care to admit. But as Jason asserts, "Thank God we recorded some good songs!" 2004 will see them scaling uncharted heights, and you'd do well to follow them.

Originally published in Bullit Magazine December 2003-January 2004 issue.