UWindsor Lance
Issue 36, Volume 85
March 27, 2013
Jon Liedtke

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Montreal punk band the East End Radicals have recently completed a three-and-a-half week tour across the country with self-described “Scottish-pride filled pub-punk rock” group The Real McKenzies.

East End Radicals, who are signed to Montreal-based Stomp Records, embody the punk rock motif of opposing the status quo. Their new album, Carry On, is described by the band as “a wild, raucous and unapologetic middle finger salute to
authority, oppression and the status quo in general.”

The four-piece play powerful political songs in a time when many others don’t want to rock the boat.

The Lance’s Jon Liedtke laced up his chucks, zipped up his leathers and caught up with lead vocalist/guitarist Scott Douglas after a show last Friday in Sarnia.

J.L.: You’ve been on tour for the past while, how has that been?

S.D.: We’ve been having a great time. We went out to British Columbia and Alberta with The Real McKenzies and did a lot of shows out there with them. It was our first time out there and we had a great time.

J.L.: So what’s it like to be on the road and travelling city to city to perform?

S.D.: It’s fantastic [and] it’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of hard stuff that comes with it, but that’s beside the point. It’s always the hard stuff during the day and you get to play the show at night, have a great time and it makes up for all that other stuff.

J.L.: How has the reception been to your band and music?

S.D.: It’s been really good. We’ve been really fortunate that we’ve been with The Real McKenzies … and to open up for them to big crowds. People seem to like it a lot, so it’s been fun in that sense.

J.L.: Is there a message to your music?

S.D.: I like to think so, it’s mainly about trying to be positive. Most people tend to be narcissistic or condescending or sarcastic a lot of the times, and we’re not really interested in that. We try to be positive and about doing things on our own … that’s our message for the most part.

J.L.: So what’s coming up for East End Radicals in the future?

S.D.: We just finished this tour and then we’ve got the summer coming up, so more shows, write some new songs, and record a new album.

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Jon Liedtke was the Features and Opinions Editor, Associate News Editor, Advertising Manager and Deficit Consultant at the UWindsor Lance.