The Thrashers

They took over L.A. Beat jam , but it was totally worth it and so was the deafness as Winnipeg surf/ punk band the Thrashers along with Edmonton indie rock band the Slates and local garage rock trio the Ruby Plumes tore up the Owl Acoustic Lounge, March 27.

I was there to hear the Thrashers. I’ve been playing their new EP “Ramp Locals” non stop on my Wednesday night punk show on CKXU. And they came ready for the beach dressed in singlets and sunglasses, guitar, bass and drums in hands.

They began with pop punkish “Ramp Locals”, the title track off their Ep, but it was all about reverb laden surf music after that as they ripped up a hot set of surf infused punk music which sounded like a blend of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, the Ventures, or any ’60s/ ’70s surf band, the Dead Kennedys when guitarist Jesse Bercier sang and even a touch of the Beastie Boys when big haired bassist Iaian Loeppky sang. Drummer Sean G kept the beat going and even got one guy dancing all by his lonesome in front of the stage to “Dance Party” as the rest of the audience slowly made their way to the front of the stage.

Songs like “Shark Attack” and “Beach Party” from their CD “Make a Splash,” were some of my favourites as was a sizzling version of “Yakety Yak.” They even threw in an obscure Ramones cover of “Why Is It Always this Way.” They also introduced a couple new songs, then Jesse Bercier broke strings on two of his guitars, then asked if anyone had a spare to lend them to finish their last two songs. Luckily one of the Slates was happy to oblige. While I was hoping to hear “We Hate This” from the new EP, they played a hot set of enjoyable, toe tapping surf music instead.

The Ruby Plumes were the most responsible for my hearing loss from their set of high energy garage rock and punk music.
It is very cool to see young people playing music that was probably written before their parents were even born. So their set included liberal doses of bands like the
MC5 and Iggy and the Stooges (Search and Destroy and I Wanna Be Your Dog) plus a few originals from a new Ep they are recording at Lethbridge record label Esper Records.
Their cover of McLusky’s “To Hell With Good Intentions,” with the rousing chorus of “My love is better than your Love, we take more drugs than a touring funk band, my band
is better than your band,” was ear bleedingly exceptional.

The Slates ended the night with an energetic set on indie rock influenced a lot by pop punk and modern rock like the Foo Fighters.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor - The Lethbridge Alberta Beat

Conceived on the dusty shores of Winnipeg circa 2007, The Thrashers thrive on a steady diet of B-movies, skateboard culture and endless beach parties. This gruesome threesome bridge the sound gaps of rockabilly, surf, punk and garage, creating their very own B-reel monster soundtrack.

Their first EP, Man Re-Enters Sea, caught the eyes and ears of the Transistor 66 Record Company, who quickly signed to them to the label. Upon becoming part of the Transistor family, they quickly gave birth in 2011 to their follow-up, Make a Splash. Their latest 7” release, Ramp Locals, took to the stands last year, shedding light on their love of skateboarding with three energetic tracks. The cover also yields some pretty impressive artwork.

“We released our 7” September of last year,” lead guitarist/vocalist Jesse Bercier exclaims. “The vinyl is yellow and the sleeve is yellow and pink. Vinyl seems to have that nostalgic feel. It’s a bit of a benchmark for us, like, ‘Okay, we can afford to do vinyl. So, we’re doing it.’ It feels good to do it… it feels the most legitimate, the most natural and it offers the biggest space for artwork. And, of course, the sound quality speaks for itself.

“I’ve got nothing against CDs,” Bercier continues. “I still collect them and buy them. With our next release, we will probably do a short run of CDs for those people who don’t have record players. As long as you can afford to, vinyl seems to be the way to go.”

Shredding not only gnarly surf riffs but also the city streets, these boys are eager to take to the road and unleash their demon seed upon us all. This will be a first for The Thrashers as they trek across the prairies into the unknown. “This is our first real extensive tour. We booked in Toronto once before, but that’s it. The tour is starting out, obviously leaving Winnipeg,” Bercier quips. “We are playing Regina, Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton. And we are looking to swing a show in Saskatoon on our way back.”

Ultimately the band has one major goal, “To get people off their seats and on to their feet and start dancing,” bassist Iaian Loeppky reveals. “I know it might sound lame to make people feel young, but it seems like everyone’s got kinda a grandpa attitude when they go out to shows: they kinda stand with their arms crossed and stuff like that. We like to shake them up and have them get involved. Move around a bit.

“Through all the time and all the songs we have ever played, we have one slow song under our belt and we don’t even play it live. Whenever we play a live set we want people up and dancing… some fast, high energy stuff. Get people drinking and dancing, having the best time possible.”

“Come to the shows that we’re playing,” Bercier adds. “I want people to read this and go, ‘I gotta see those guys by any means necessary.’ So if that means that they come all the way up to Winnipeg to come and see us, so be it. If that means that they come out for the tour… it’s even better. If that means that they just get a hold of our album somehow and make a weird voodoo satanic ritual with our pictures on it, that’s fine, too. Do whatever you gotta do world.”

Catch the Thrashers at Broken City (Calgary) on March 28 and at DV8 (Edmonton) on March 29.

By Lori Meyers - Beatroute (AB)

Conceived on the dusty shores of Winnipeg circa 2007, The Thrashers thrive on a steady diet of B-movies, skateboard culture and endless beach parties. This gruesome threesome bridge the sound gaps of rockabilly, surf, punk and garage, creating their very own B-reel monster soundtrack.

Their first EP, Man Re-Enters Sea, caught the eyes and ears of the Transistor 66 Record Company, who quickly signed to them to the label. Upon becoming part of the Transistor family, they quickly gave birth in 2011 to their follow-up, Make a Splash. Their latest 7” release, Ramp Locals, took to the stands last year, shedding light on their love of skateboarding with three energetic tracks. The cover also yields some pretty impressive artwork.

“We released our 7” September of last year,” lead guitarist/vocalist Jesse Bercier exclaims. “The vinyl is yellow and the sleeve is yellow and pink. Vinyl seems to have that nostalgic feel. It’s a bit of a benchmark for us, like, ‘Okay, we can afford to do vinyl. So, we’re doing it.’ It feels good to do it… it feels the most legitimate, the most natural and it offers the biggest space for artwork. And, of course, the sound quality speaks for itself.

“I’ve got nothing against CDs,” Bercier continues. “I still collect them and buy them. With our next release, we will probably do a short run of CDs for those people who don’t have record players. As long as you can afford to, vinyl seems to be the way to go.”

Shredding not only gnarly surf riffs but also the city streets, these boys are eager to take to the road and unleash their demon seed upon us all. This will be a first for The Thrashers as they trek across the prairies into the unknown. “This is our first real extensive tour. We booked in Toronto once before, but that’s it. The tour is starting out, obviously leaving Winnipeg,” Bercier quips. “We are playing Regina, Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton. And we are looking to swing a show in Saskatoon on our way back.”

Ultimately the band has one major goal, “To get people off their seats and on to their feet and start dancing,” bassist Iaian Loeppky reveals. “I know it might sound lame to make people feel young, but it seems like everyone’s got kinda a grandpa attitude when they go out to shows: they kinda stand with their arms crossed and stuff like that. We like to shake them up and have them get involved. Move around a bit.

“Through all the time and all the songs we have ever played, we have one slow song under our belt and we don’t even play it live. Whenever we play a live set we want people up and dancing… some fast, high energy stuff. Get people drinking and dancing, having the best time possible.”

“Come to the shows that we’re playing,” Bercier adds. “I want people to read this and go, ‘I gotta see those guys by any means necessary.’ So if that means that they come all the way up to Winnipeg to come and see us, so be it. If that means that they come out for the tour… it’s even better. If that means that they just get a hold of our album somehow and make a weird voodoo satanic ritual with our pictures on it, that’s fine, too. Do whatever you gotta do world.”

Catch the Thrashers at Broken City (Calgary) on March 28 and at DV8 (Edmonton) on March 29.

By Lori Meyers - Beatroute (AB)

If you wanna party like a modern day Frankie and Annette but don’t know how to get a beach blanket boogie going at the local skate park, the Thrashers will show you how it is done.

Mixing high energy surf rock with anthem punk rock abandon might not sound novel on paper, but believe you me: these guys do it with such freewheeling enthusiasm and genuine ‘peg city style that you can’t help but fall in love with this band. From Jesse Bercier’s switchblade-sharp guitar licks, to Iaian Loeppky’s wild bass lines and even wilder hair, to Sean G’s beats rolling like thunder in the distance – the Thrashers are relevant retro that can’t be stopped. - The Manitoban

If you wanna party like a modern day Frankie and Annette but don’t know how to get a beach blanket boogie going at the local skate park, the Thrashers will show you how it is done.

Mixing high energy surf rock with anthem punk rock abandon might not sound novel on paper, but believe you me: these guys do it with such freewheeling enthusiasm and genuine ‘peg city style that you can’t help but fall in love with this band. From Jesse Bercier’s switchblade-sharp guitar licks, to Iaian Loeppky’s wild bass lines and even wilder hair, to Sean G’s beats rolling like thunder in the distance – the Thrashers are relevant retro that can’t be stopped. - The Manitoban

The Thrashers – Ramp Locals

Who better to put out a 7-inch filled with songs about skateboarding than a band called the Thrashers? Ramp Locals is the third release from this Winnipeg surf rock band and it is jam-packed with shredding of both the guitar and skateboard variety. Vinyl release features neon pink and yellow artwork with a banana-yellow record. Gnarly. - The Manitoban

"It’s definitely good to have a full-length album out — we finally have most of our classic songs and fan favourites out on the album," says bass player Iaian Loeppky about the latest release by his Cal-punk-influenced band The Thrashers.

"We recorded it and did the graphics ourselves, and Transistor 66 released it. It’s called Make A Splash. It’s something for the audience to latch on to," Loeppky says — adding that he also sings in the band.

Then he describes some of the intricate details of The Thrashers — deets that make the standout trio of Loeppky, guitarist/vocalist Jesse Bercier (ex-Fast Human) and kit kid Sean G. very special in Winnipeg!

"Our music is a mix of ’50s rock ’n’ roll, like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis; ’60s surf like Dick Dale, The Ventures, Link Wray; and ’70s punk," Loeppky says.

"The Ramones are a heavy influence. We do a cover of a song by them called Slug. We like The Dead Kennedys. I’m a huge fan of the New York Dolls and The Germs," he says.

Speaking of The Germs and The Dead Kennedys, West-Coast punk is indeed a huge influence on the sound of these ’Peg thrashers. They cover songs by legendary LA-based electro punks The Screamers and Orange County vets the Adolescents — and Loeppky says The Thrashers are not only sunny fans of the beach, but they dig SK8 culture big time.

"Our music doesn’t really fit the SK8 genre, actually, but we do have a SK8-themed song called Ramp Locals. Every once in a while, if we load in early, we’ll skate to the show," Loeppky says before illuminating for U SK8-intoxicated street wheelers that even the band’s name is SK8 influenced. But U suspected that already, right? Well there’s nothing like confirmation, so settle down and read on!

"Thrashers? It’s straight from Thrasher Magazine. Our album cover was shot at Wall Street Skate Park," he says. Then he adds the penultimate conclusive SK8 element that totally toasted my SK8 tolerance.

"We like The Faction. My favourite SK8 band is JFA."

There U have it, street beaters. It doesn’t get any more transplanted than this. The Thrashers ideology — here! Now! Totally explained! JFA are original ’80s SK8 punks from Arizona; The Thrashers are Nth generation, SK8-influenced rockers from Winnipeg! Party in the sand! Cokes & Snickers are all U need! SK8 or Die to Deathbox Jungle!

"We really have a great time doing what we’re doing. We’re playing the music we want to listen to, so it’s a gratifying experience," Loeppky says.

See The Thrashers play a trio of ramp-raged shows beginning Aug. 26 with The Girth at Lo Pub. The Thrashers gig next at Dylan’s on Portage Avenue on Aug. 27, and they play at as part of the University of Winnipeg’s Orientation Week on Sept. 9. Surf over to the usual Facebook and Myspace sites for more info.

"We don’t have any full-on surf covers in the set. We really thrive on doing original stuff," says an obviously lunar-fixated Loeppky before getting deep into The Thrashers song catalogue and why dancing is probably more important than anything else.

"We have a new song called Dynamite which is about blowing up the sun. Some of our other songs are Shark Attack, there’s one called Webbed Feet and we have one called Party on the Moon," he says.

"We all really love to dance at shows, so when we see people dancing at our shows it makes the whole experience a lot more fun." - Uptown Magazine

"It’s definitely good to have a full-length album out — we finally have most of our classic songs and fan favourites out on the album," says bass player Iaian Loeppky about the latest release by his Cal-punk-influenced band The Thrashers.

"We recorded it and did the graphics ourselves, and Transistor 66 released it. It’s called Make A Splash. It’s something for the audience to latch on to," Loeppky says — adding that he also sings in the band.

Then he describes some of the intricate details of The Thrashers — deets that make the standout trio of Loeppky, guitarist/vocalist Jesse Bercier (ex-Fast Human) and kit kid Sean G. very special in Winnipeg!

"Our music is a mix of ’50s rock ’n’ roll, like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis; ’60s surf like Dick Dale, The Ventures, Link Wray; and ’70s punk," Loeppky says.

"The Ramones are a heavy influence. We do a cover of a song by them called Slug. We like The Dead Kennedys. I’m a huge fan of the New York Dolls and The Germs," he says.

Speaking of The Germs and The Dead Kennedys, West-Coast punk is indeed a huge influence on the sound of these ’Peg thrashers. They cover songs by legendary LA-based electro punks The Screamers and Orange County vets the Adolescents — and Loeppky says The Thrashers are not only sunny fans of the beach, but they dig SK8 culture big time.

"Our music doesn’t really fit the SK8 genre, actually, but we do have a SK8-themed song called Ramp Locals. Every once in a while, if we load in early, we’ll skate to the show," Loeppky says before illuminating for U SK8-intoxicated street wheelers that even the band’s name is SK8 influenced. But U suspected that already, right? Well there’s nothing like confirmation, so settle down and read on!

"Thrashers? It’s straight from Thrasher Magazine. Our album cover was shot at Wall Street Skate Park," he says. Then he adds the penultimate conclusive SK8 element that totally toasted my SK8 tolerance.

"We like The Faction. My favourite SK8 band is JFA."

There U have it, street beaters. It doesn’t get any more transplanted than this. The Thrashers ideology — here! Now! Totally explained! JFA are original ’80s SK8 punks from Arizona; The Thrashers are Nth generation, SK8-influenced rockers from Winnipeg! Party in the sand! Cokes & Snickers are all U need! SK8 or Die to Deathbox Jungle!

"We really have a great time doing what we’re doing. We’re playing the music we want to listen to, so it’s a gratifying experience," Loeppky says.

See The Thrashers play a trio of ramp-raged shows beginning Aug. 26 with The Girth at Lo Pub. The Thrashers gig next at Dylan’s on Portage Avenue on Aug. 27, and they play at as part of the University of Winnipeg’s Orientation Week on Sept. 9. Surf over to the usual Facebook and Myspace sites for more info.

"We don’t have any full-on surf covers in the set. We really thrive on doing original stuff," says an obviously lunar-fixated Loeppky before getting deep into The Thrashers song catalogue and why dancing is probably more important than anything else.

"We have a new song called Dynamite which is about blowing up the sun. Some of our other songs are Shark Attack, there’s one called Webbed Feet and we have one called Party on the Moon," he says.

"We all really love to dance at shows, so when we see people dancing at our shows it makes the whole experience a lot more fun." - Uptown Magazine

Looking Manitoba, feeling California. Formed in late 2007, local rock ’n’ roll trio The Thrashers lives for fun in the sun.

"We thought it would be a good idea to do a surf rock sort of thing in a town where that makes no sense," says bassist/vocalist Iaian Loeppky, 23. "People say write what you know, but I like to write about what interests me, so I write what I dream about. It sucks ass in Winnipeg. It’s cold and I can’t skateboard so I pretend I’m in surfing in California or Australia."

The Thrashers’ California dreaming is obvious on its debut full-length album Make a Splash (and its 2010 EP Man Re-enters The Sea), with Loeppky and fellow beach boys Jesse Bercier (guitar/vocals) and Sean G (drums) singing about sun, sand, surf, skateboarding, sea monsters and shark attacks. Recorded in August/September 2010 at Platinum Gold Studios with engineer Shane Ward, Make a Splash features one sea-free song — a cover of The Coasters classic Yakety Yak.

"I remember brainstorming songs to cover and I think someone at some point brought up that Yakety Yak is a song that everybody knows," says Bercier, 24. "Everybody has heard that song before but you don’t hear it covered by anyone, it’s just somewhere in the back of your mind from when you were a kid, and hey, everybody knows the words."

A fun, familiar cover such as Yakety Yak is sure to be a hit live — and The Thrashers pull out all the stops in the live show department. The Make a Splash release show — June 3 at the Pyramid Cabaret — will be beach party themed, including beach party movies and a dance contest. And sometimes, space permitting, the band is joined by a giant robot named Natron.

"He needs nine feet off the stage just for clearance," Loepkky says. "Also, the stage needs to be huge because there’s a six-foot blind spot in front of him. Also, you can’t have him on the ground because if someone knocks him over it’s essentially a death sentence for the guy inside him. We didn’t think of practicality when we built it."

"We thought of awesomeness," adds Sean G, 24.

On the topic of awesomeness, Make a Splash is being released by Transistor 66. Inside the album’s liner notes is a note that reads "Please support physical music + please support local record stores," a message the local rawk record label surely seconds.

"I love owning music and I think that’s an important part of the experience," Loeppky says. "I do download music and I think that’s a great way to get into music but I feel like you’re missing something if you don’t have the whole package. It’s sad to see music going the way of the mp3. Eventually there won’t be any physical music except for the indie bands."

"It’ll be like ‘What’s that fancy-looking coaster, dad?" says Bercier, a regular at local comedy open-mics. "‘Well, it’s a limited-edition The Thrashers coaster, son. They covered The Coasters on that album. It doesn’t make any sense.’" - Uptown Magazine

Looking Manitoba, feeling California. Formed in late 2007, local rock ’n’ roll trio The Thrashers lives for fun in the sun.

"We thought it would be a good idea to do a surf rock sort of thing in a town where that makes no sense," says bassist/vocalist Iaian Loeppky, 23. "People say write what you know, but I like to write about what interests me, so I write what I dream about. It sucks ass in Winnipeg. It’s cold and I can’t skateboard so I pretend I’m in surfing in California or Australia."

The Thrashers’ California dreaming is obvious on its debut full-length album Make a Splash (and its 2010 EP Man Re-enters The Sea), with Loeppky and fellow beach boys Jesse Bercier (guitar/vocals) and Sean G (drums) singing about sun, sand, surf, skateboarding, sea monsters and shark attacks. Recorded in August/September 2010 at Platinum Gold Studios with engineer Shane Ward, Make a Splash features one sea-free song — a cover of The Coasters classic Yakety Yak.

"I remember brainstorming songs to cover and I think someone at some point brought up that Yakety Yak is a song that everybody knows," says Bercier, 24. "Everybody has heard that song before but you don’t hear it covered by anyone, it’s just somewhere in the back of your mind from when you were a kid, and hey, everybody knows the words."

A fun, familiar cover such as Yakety Yak is sure to be a hit live — and The Thrashers pull out all the stops in the live show department. The Make a Splash release show — June 3 at the Pyramid Cabaret — will be beach party themed, including beach party movies and a dance contest. And sometimes, space permitting, the band is joined by a giant robot named Natron.

"He needs nine feet off the stage just for clearance," Loepkky says. "Also, the stage needs to be huge because there’s a six-foot blind spot in front of him. Also, you can’t have him on the ground because if someone knocks him over it’s essentially a death sentence for the guy inside him. We didn’t think of practicality when we built it."

"We thought of awesomeness," adds Sean G, 24.

On the topic of awesomeness, Make a Splash is being released by Transistor 66. Inside the album’s liner notes is a note that reads "Please support physical music + please support local record stores," a message the local rawk record label surely seconds.

"I love owning music and I think that’s an important part of the experience," Loeppky says. "I do download music and I think that’s a great way to get into music but I feel like you’re missing something if you don’t have the whole package. It’s sad to see music going the way of the mp3. Eventually there won’t be any physical music except for the indie bands."

"It’ll be like ‘What’s that fancy-looking coaster, dad?" says Bercier, a regular at local comedy open-mics. "‘Well, it’s a limited-edition The Thrashers coaster, son. They covered The Coasters on that album. It doesn’t make any sense.’" - Uptown Magazine

Though the Winnipeg label has been known for sticking to rock and roll releases in the past, they have, with this slew of new albums, seemingly been moving back in time, focusing more on rockabilly, surf and psychobilly-inspired off-shoots, combining some of the earliest rock and roll sounds with future decades’ inspiration.

The Thrashers, for instance, bring together a loose, garage and surf tone with ’80s hardcore influences, particularly evident in Jesse Bercier’s vocals. The three piece sound delightfully urgent and ramshackle, as if they can’t stay ahead of the beat and are rather being pulled around by it. It’s a dirty, primal sound that sounds as hollow as it does scathing.

Not ones to take themselves too seriously, however, The Thrashers also seem to take cues from BA Johnston, featuring themselves on their own album cover riding skateboards while the back depicts some kind of deranged pizza party. Sure, they slow it down on “Awake When I Dream” and deplore “days squandered on minutiae,” but this is rock and roll built for reckless fun – like stealing your shitty uncle’s shitty beater of a car, drinking a shitty case of shitty beer with your shitty friends, hoping to god you can find some shitty fun in this shitty town of yours because you’re only young for so long and soon life is going to turn real shitty. Despite the fact that the Thrashers aren’t really doing anything new or groundbreaking, Make a Splash still manages to sound relevant, the hardcore aggression juxtaposed neatly against surf’s hip-twisting shouts. I can’t wait to see them live!

By Sebastian Buzzalino - Beatroute Magazine