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669: A Queer phenomenon making waves in Seattle's music scene

669: A Queer phenomenon making waves in Seattle's music scene
"I get these lyric ideas which nag at my consciousness until I add to them. It's weirdly; like a demon that I have to exercise," said Tony Bonjorno, the band's founder. by Marc Willis Special to the SGN [Editor's Note: This interview was conducted in June, 2006. 669 was a featured band at Seattle Pride and Tacoma's Out in the Park.] I ascend what seems to be a stairway to nowhere. At the top is a nice view of downtown Seattle. Dropping through a silver door in a silver wall, I leave sunlight and warmth behind. I enter the catacomb of drab hallways surrounding 669's hidden lair. The din of drums, voices and guitars echo like a war-zone of styles and abilities. I knock at 669's door, which is decorated with the bands logo. It is opened by drummer Dean Moore, who is a big, bearish man -- half satyr, half Buddah -- with a devilish twinkle in his eye. Known for his black T-shirts and extensive collection of gear (he calls himself "gear whore"), Dean is constantly making music. From playing gongs at yoga sessions to recording a full length percussion CD (soon to be released), Dean lives and breathes the stuff. "You must be Marc. Come on in," he says as he waves me through the door. As he closes it behind me, the clash of the amplified titans falls away to a dull roar. 669's room is somehow homey after the bleakness of the hall. Sound insulation covers every surface -- from orange foam padding to red shag carpeting. Tony Bonjorno, the band's founder, electric violin player and soulful crooner/songwriter, crosses the room with his hand extended. We shake as he greets me and thanks me for coming. Shane Rooks, the other lead vocalist, songwriter and bass riffist, stands noodling on his fretless by a work bench scattered with musical equipment and tools. He nodds a greeting as Tony introduces, "This is Shane and Dylan." He gestures towards the slender guitar goddess, the newest member of this untraditional Seattle phenomenon called 669. Dylan holds a sleek silver ESP and is smiling broadly looking ready for anything. There is warmth in the room, a camaraderie that puts me instantly at ease. The band members bandy back and forth as I set up my recorder. Between jokes and jibes, they tune their instruments and discuss an up-coming photo session. Jokingly, Dylan tells Dean that they've decided to wear costumes inspired by The Wizard of Oz with Dean playing the part of Dorothy. Dean, the only straight person in the room, seems highly amused by the concept. I ask Dylan, the newest member of the band, "What was your motivation for joining 669?" "I'd been doing scientific research and I started feeling that I was loosing myself. Before becoming a 'serious adult', I'd played in bands and acted on stage. But, as a grown up, I earned my keep peering through a microscope. I felt like I was making a positive contribution, but I wasn't happy. I wanted to use my creative talents, talents I couldn't use in the scientific community," says Dylan. "So, I said 'F*** science, let's do music.' So, I started scanning the classifieds. It was important for me to sign up with a group that had a well-balanced chemistry and dynamics. Fortunately for me, 669 happened to be Queer, which made it much more chemically-balanced. I feel I'm a good fit with these guys. Plus, I'm the only girl, so, that's a real perk... in so many ways..." Dean chimes in: "When I joined 669, I was asked by Tony and Shane to help out and do a few gigs until they found a permanent, Queer drummer," he explaines. "I guess there aren't any -- or at least not many and none answered the ads we placed -- so, I ended up staying with the band." I ask Dean, "Was it different working with Queer musicians?" "Well, yes," he says, as he pauses to think for a moment. "The conversation is definitely different. There's a lot of sex talk in straight bands and in 669. But it's different here. And, until recently, I was the only one looking at women. Now that Dylan's joined the band, I notice a lot of women who seem to be noticing her, not me." He shrugs his shoulders. "Oh, well& As I said to my wife when I temporarily joined the band, 'Now I can be queen for a day&' except it's turned into a few years. But I love the energy working with these guys," says Dean. "The audiences we've played for have been really excited about the music and that's a turn-on. Plus, I really like the newer songs that we're working on. I think our artistry is really moving in a positive direction. And, it's fun being inside and outside all at the same time." I turn to look at Shane. "What about you, Shane? What do you get out of this work?" I ask. "I was looking for something. I had songs that needed to be performed and I wanted to be on stage. So, when I saw the ad for a Queer band, I was excited to audition. I just fell in love with the project. And, I'm proud of the first album," he says. "There are probably some things I'd change about it, but I feel good about the work and I'm excited about the second album. As a bonus, I met my boyfriend after he saw us performing at the Pride Festival in Vancouver, B.C. The fact that we kinda came together because of 669 seems important to me. " Still looking at Shane, I ask, "Is it important for you to work in a Queer project?" "Playing in a Queer-oriented group gives me a little more freedom of expression without needing to gate-check everything that I do, say, or sing. A large part of the cohesion of a musical group is built upon the social interactions of the band on-stage and in the rehearsal studio. Sexuality and sexiness is very much a part of playing and performing rock and pop music, and if you have to fake it because your expression doesn't sit well with your band-mates, it's just not as fresh, raw, or sincere. I have a lot of straight friends, and play with straight musicians all the time. I don't think I would have been able to perform a song like "Mr. Sadowski (will you marry me?)" with a bunch of het[erosexual] guys. There are exceptions, of course, but when you start with a group that largely shares your orientation, it's just that much easier to get right to the heart of it." I turn toward Tony, "So, you're the guy with the vision. What made you decide to put together a Queer band?" "Well," he responds, "I've played with a bunch of different bands in Seattle. And even though it was always a good experience, I always felt like a token. Our audiences were primarily straight folks and all the musicians I worked with were straight. I just felt like I needed to work in a setting where I could Queer it up a bit and not worry what people might think. So, after No Soap Rodeo came apart, I just put an ad in the paper. I had already written a bunch of songs and when the band came together, it was a kind of magic. It seems like the timing is right for a Queer rock (not dance music) project and we're starting to get a lot more attention and support." I ask: "What's your favorite part of being in 669, Dylan?" "As the newest member of the project, I enjoy getting together with these guys, playing music and getting to know everybody," she replied. "Performing and being asked for your autograph are pretty cool." "What about you, Dean?" "My favorite part is the way we make music. Like the vocal harmonies and...the interweaving of the electric violin and the guitar under the vocal harmonies. Essentially, you have an interweaving of all the instruments to create a unique sound as opposed to the typical hard strumming electric guitar," he concluded. "As the percussionist, I look at what I do as holding the songs together without getting in the way. I need to keep it interesting enough for myself (I get bored easily). So I have to play a more textural pattern on some songs as opposed to a loud bombastic beat driven thing which works for a few of our songs but not for everything. That's what makes it interesting for me." I turn back to the group. I said, "How would you describe your creative process?" Tony responds: "For me, the process starts as a songwriter. I get these lyric ideas which nag at my consciousness until I add to them. It's weirdly; like a demon that I have to exercise. When I finish writing, or at least have a workable version of the song, I bring it to practice and we work on it together. Then, I have to think as a singer and violin player. I ask myself how I want it to feel, what am I talking about, what kind of line do I want out of the violin?" Dylan jumps in: "My creative process for each song begins with finding the grove. I can't describe it well. I just follow; let it take me on a path. I strum, make up a couple leads. I find it's best to hear it out first. Then, I just make it up as I go. After awhile, some kind of magic happens. There's a synergy and that's when I know I'm on the path." "For me," Shane says, "when I'm writing a song, I start with a core idea and see where it takes me. It could be a single lyric or a musical riff, or any number of things that get a song moving. As a bass player, I observe the grove of the song and start playing the more obvious notes, then break away from the obvious. When it comes to performing a song, I try to find the drama of the song, the nugget that needs to be polished and shined." "OK," I say, "last question. What do you want to see happen for you musically?" Shane responds, "I wanna be the substitute bass player when Flea can't make a gig. Actually, scratch that, I'm not worthy. Kidding! Really, I'd like to see something national happen with the band. Right now, we're kind of a regional act and it would be good to start moving in a larger circle, maybe even international". Dylan joins in: "I see the long term potential of this band. I'd like to do side projects here and there to develop my skills and challenge myself. But, I want to keep my focus on the forward movement and success of 669." "I'd like to see the project go national and head overseas," says Dean. "At the same time -- while I'm home in Seattle -- I'd like to pick up more work as a solo gong player and maintain my other musical interests; working on various classical and improvisation projects with the hope that 669 will provide me the time I need to do it all." "I'm with these guys," says Tony. "I want the band to get out more, move beyond the Pacific Northwest and even the West Coast. We're planning a trip to New York and New England in September and October which I hope is the beginning of many such tours. Otherwise, I just want to keep on writing and singing and playing. I mean, what else would I do?"