Sound Check: The Bon

Click to the right for the singles Stupid Question and ancient times

In all honesty I have to admit to not being much of a music buff. I haven't changed what's on my iPod in years. I don't know most of the names of the members of my favorite bands, and I'm not even a fan of much local music. To bare all, I actually only shot these photos because the lead singer is a friend of my fathers, and, after talking to him for a bit at a party, he intrigued me enough to get me to come out to a show, something I unfortunately don't do that often. Anyways, after shooting the show, I decided to try and get a few questions out of Craig Daniels, the lead singer of The Bon, and a friend of my fathers. The answers I found exceptionally insightful into the history of a music that has been loosely associated with skateboarding since the dawn of both creations. Trends change and styles change as nothing remains quite the same, but the basic correlation between fast skateboarding, and up beat edgy rock will always stay the same. Just like hip hop and graffiti, or classical at the country club. Music and passions almost always go together, it's called culture. And today Im happy to know a little more about the local history of

mine.

Tell me a little about you're influences and what led to to music.

My first album I ever bought was The Beach Boys "Endless Summer". Quickly that segued to punk and new wave as they were hitting, so Ramones, Blondie and Devo weren't much of a stretch.

Getting into my all-time favorite band The Cramps and tracing back songs that they covered led me to discover the whole history of crazy 50's/60's punk and psych.

Also, I was in my early teens when hardcore punk was hitting and I was particularly drawn to the bands that combined surf and punk like JFA and The Dead Kennedys.

The

Can you give me a brief history of your musical career?

I played in a few punk bands with friends briefly before forming The Leather Uppers in 1991. It was a two piece drum and guitar band that combined 60's trash rock, punk and glam complete with matching outfits. We predated The White Stripes with that concept by at least five years! That was my first band that released any real recordings.

I've also played in more heavy freak-rock band The Exploders and conceptual masked wrestling surf punk band the Tijuana Bibles.

Describe The Bon's sound.

The Bon combine more late 60's and early 70's hard rock and garage influences with aspects of classic punk and psych. There are more English sounds being put at the forefront than in my past projects and we try to write some songs that take some left turns you don't expect.

Are there any current popular bands that you're feeling?

I became a huge Black Lips fan after opening a show for them a few years back. Black Mountain are a great live band and I try to see them whenever I can.

What about indie bands?

The blues punk trio Catl are really good, as are friends No No Zero, Saffron Sect and The Weirdies. From New Jersey The Black Hollies are really good, too.

Do I recall you telling me at a party that you used to Skateboard? Any good stories? Did it relate to your music at all?

Yep, I got into skating in the mid to late 80's.

I had a Vision Jinx board and just futzed around on the street trying to learn basic tricks...There were a few friends who skated as well and we just had a laugh with it. There were no skate parks in Toronto at the time, so ramps and all that were just something I saw in Thrasher back then.

I remember one really fun night spent racing each other down a three story above ground parking lot in Kensington Market (it;s not there anymore) one late party night...got some good speed going and there were some heavy bails!

It totally related to the music....JFA and Sudden Impact were fave skate rock bands of mine and the surf/skate relationship led me to get into surf rock.