After a yearlong hiatus, the Cleveland rawk crushers of
Red Giant return to the stage at Parma’s
Jigsaw Saloon and Stage (5325 State Rd.) Saturday, June 9. Guitarist Damien Perry says after 17 years, the band tried to go quietly into the night – but it didn’t work, and now they’re back for good.
Scene: Is this a one-time reunion show, or have you reunited?
Perry: We really didn't want to wait the required decade or two to do our reunion tour, so we figured, in true Red Giant fashion, we'd break the rules and wait only a year and a half to reform. You know, while we're still young. That way we won't need a video screen on the stage to make it seem like we're still moving around like we did way back in the ‘70s -- I mean the ‘90s.
Scene: Why reform?
Perry: Right now, we are playing for OURSELVES and our friends and fans, like when we started this band. We broke up for frustrating reasons, but we still remained friends. What does that tell you? We let unimportant bullshit almost ruin even being friends at all. I look at the music business and how it chews up bands and shits them out. And then shits on those same bands again by supporting and financing weak ass, bad song writing sons a bitches and it makes me sick. But I have to laugh, because Red Giant is back, baby, and they can't touch us. We're better than we've ever been and its no thanks to the business. Acknowledging anything that is not writing, practicing, performing, recording, experimenting and having the best of times with my brothers and music would be a terrible mistake. We always knew that; we just lost our way for a moment.
Scene: Will you finish the record? Are you still attached to Detroit’s Small Stone label?
Perry: Red Giant will be working on their four full length album throughout 2007, to be released by Small Stone. We're not in a hurry to finish it, so the release date is open-ended.
Scene: Still the same guys in the band?
Perry: Still the same line up, with the exception of our new drummer Eric "math-rock" Matthews [formerly of the Spudmonsters]. And yes, expect Red Giant gigs more often than not.
– D.X. Ferris
