Source: Rover, February 1997 Chim Chim and the Metaphysical Scrotum A friend and I were talking about how we’re thrilled to see Fishbone coming through Colorado again so soon. He reminisced that his first memory of listening to them was while skipping class during our junior year of high school. He, another friend of ours, and I had packed into the cab of my small Toyota, and we left behind the sucks toiling away in fifth hour. Feeling riled, I threw Truth and Soul in my barely adequate tape player, and we moshed as hard as we could (it was a very tiny truck). Thinking back I have come to realize that Fishbone is much more than a band. They’re mentors whom during my coming of age, taught me how to rock out with reckless abandon. For that reason alone, I was as giddy as a nine year old Swedish school girl as I called their studio (aptly named "The Nutt Sack") to chat with bassist Norwood Fisher about the upcoming tour. Rover : Are you stoked for the tour? Norwood : I’m always lookin’ forward to the future. Rover : How was the response from Colorado on last summers’ tour? Norwood : Dynamite! We explodiated all preconceived notions about what Nuttness is. Rover : Define Nuttness. Norwood : It’s whatever it means to you. We all come from the nutt sack right? We all were in that glistenin’ slimy goo, meetin’ up with the egg. So we all are on the same level no matter what. Rover : Have you heard any Colorado bands? Norwood : Yeah, I like Psychodelic Zombiez. They’re up on it. They party the Nutmeg. Rover : How about some of your favorite indie bands from across the nation? Norwood : To be honest the Psychodelic Zombiez are near the top. There’s a whole crew of indie bands out of the nutt sack. About 35 to 40 or so. Rover : Your last show in Colorado Springs was at The Underground. How did you like it? Norwood : It was cool. I like the tight sweaty places. It’s a different energy than Red Rocks. I like Red Rocks, you can get all metafoolish and stuff. But the smaller clubs have that collective sweat of everybody in the house. Rover : Do you prefer all age shows or over 21? Norwood : I like all ages. The energy of the kids fuels the band. The teenage nutt is different than the jaded nutt of someone over 25. Rover : How have the crowds changed in the last ten years or so? Norwood : It’s always changing, keepin’ it fresh. The crowds are wilder, rowdier. There’s more girls in the pit now. Swimmin’, the girls like the backstroke for some reason. Rover : What is your favorite place to play in Colorado? Norwood : I’d say Boulder. It has another kind of openness. (At this point Norwood told me of an escapade in Boulder that if printed would get us banned from all counties. Let me just say that I’m hangin’ with Norwood from now on!) Rover : Where is this tour headed? Norwood : If it’s got a ski lift, that’s where. I want to learn how to snowboard. Also I want to be near the snow girls. You know, the snow bunnies. Rover : Where are you going to go boarding? Norwood : I don’t know yet. Usually someone, a fan or so, will come along and help out. Rover : How is the band different now? Norwood : It’s a tighter unit. Stripped down is really the best way to describe it. No frills. Nutts with no hair! Rover : Out of your whole repertoire, are there any songs on the set list that are your favorites right now? Norwood : My balls tingle when we play "Hide Behind My Glasses", "Knock it", or "Skankin to the Beat". Rover : How about old school songs? Norwood : You can’t get much more old school than Skankin. It was the B side to "Party at Ground Zero". Rover : When you come through, I’d like to request "Cholly". Got to keep it real for the big guys. Norwood : Yeah, we can give you a slice of "Cholly". So if you’re still in high school, get a couple of friends to skip class with you, buy a copy of any Fishbone album, and drive around with it as loud as it can go (without distorting). It may reek havoc with your grades and homelife, but man is it ever so good for your soul. I know that the Manhattan’s show in Colorado Springs will be all ages. Call the clubs in your area to check on the status of the other shows. -Dave Olsen Catch Fishbone on one of these dates: Feb. 22 - The Inferno Steamboat Springs 970.879.7180 23 - Double Diamond Aspen 970.625.3537 24 - Fly Me To the Moon Telluride 970.728.4013 25 - Manhattan’s Colorado Springs 719.634.6969 26 - Fox Theater Boulder 303.447.1545 27 - Little Bear Saloon Evergreen 303.674.9991 28 - Garton’s Vail 970.879.7180