Hello, My Name Is Dan
Hello, My Name Is Dan
Q&A With 88 Fingers Louie’s Dan Precision
IE: How long has this August show for 88 Fingers Louie been on the books?
Dan Precision: Let me tell you this: We started practicing for it back in November. We hadn’t set a date because I’m a stickler with things and was like, “Look: We need to learn about eight songs, see how good we sound, and if we don’t sound good enough I don’t want to do it.”
IE: So are you guys ready to go, or do you wish it wasn’t until August 2010?
DP: Oh, no. We’re totally ready to go. We were looking for June or July. I’m glad we booked for August, but we’re almost ready. I think there’s three more songs we need to learn.
IE: You let the fans vote on some of the setlist. Were there any surprises?
DP: There were a couple. I don’t know if this is someone who doesn’t like us or just wants to mess around, but there’s this song, “Can’t Get Up The Nerve.” It was on a 7-inch [single], a really bad, trying-to-be-ballad song. But it was back in ’93 when we first started. We actually laughed at it so hard that the very next year when we put out the Totin’ 40s And Fuckin’ Shit Up 10-inch we did a funny death metal song, and in the middle we played a riff from the ballad. When that song was picked, it was like, “Why are you guys pickin’ that one?”
IE: This isn’t the first time you’ve gotten back together.
DP: No, it isn’t. But this isn’t supposed to be a getting-back-for-good thing. People want a reunion, let’s play a reunion show. We formed in ’93, broke up in ’96, and got back together again in ’98. That was a true “Let’s try this again.” And then in ’99, it ended again.
IE: Any tricks you learned from last time to keep people motivated?
DP: Yeah, [laughs]. I’m not sure I want to mention them. Me and Denis [Buckley, vocals] have a very good relationship now. Back 10 years ago, we got at each other’s throats a lot. Not badly, boxing matches or any of that sort. But basically I would have an idea, as the initiator, “Let’s do this!” Denis is a little more pessimistic and always wants to think things through. That would make problems. But we know how to handle each other now.
IE: Are you nostalgic about the past, or do you feel like there’s unfinished business?
DP: That’s a hard one. Originally it’s like, “Let’s do a reunion show for the fans.” But at the same time, I do look back at these bands we used to play with — Blink-182, other bands we used to be on the same level with — I think, “If we just kept going.” If we didn’t stop ourselves, the momentum would have kept going and maybe been a larger band. And I’m thinking maybe there’s a slight chance we could pick up where we left off. But I’m not holding my breath.
88 Fingers Louie play Bottom Lounge on August 15th and again during Riot Fest, October 10th at Congress Theatre. Q&A by Steve Forstneger.
