It's been over 20 years since Scratch Acid released their debut album, an album Kurt Cobain would later list in his journal as number 7 out of his favourite 50 albums ever. The band dissolved in 1987, with singer David Yow going on to play in the greater known Jesus Lizard, but their reunion at Touch and Go's 25th's anniversary was something even Yow admitted to the press he was excited about.
Tuula: Are you living in LA now? How do you like it?
David: I like it, the longer I live here. I moved there because these days I do photo retouching,
movie posters.
Tuula: As a career, or as a hobby?
David: See, I started fucking around with it in '92. The band quit and I had to figure out a way to make a living. Well, I got pretty good at it and now it's my job. But I lived in Chicago for a long time.
Tuula: I'm like, this huge Scratch Acid fan, and I lost it when I found out you were playing Touch And Go's 25th anniversary. You guys haven't played together for years, right?
David: Yeah, there have been people in the past who have offered money, and we were just not fucking into it, but then the opportunity arose to say thank you to Touch And Go, who were always an awesome record label. I called the other guys and they said sure, it's been in the works for like a year and a half.
Tuula: So right now you're in Austin, practicing?
David: We came into town in June and practiced for a few days. Of course David and Rey were consummate professionals. Brett and I were a couple of idiots. We practiced yesterday and a few songs had a couple gunky patches. So I'm just like (does zombie voice) "focus on the set list." Some of the songs I have no idea how they go. We were (in rehearsal) doing "El Espectro" from the first record and I got chills, I hadn't listened to that shit in years.
Tuula: Do you miss it at all, the whole music thingamabob? Or are you over it.
David: I don't miss it. It's impossible to have a normal life. The only things I miss are being on tour and seeing old friends. I don't miss touring per say. Folks like Duane (Denison) from Jesus Lizard, they have music as a part of them. Music was never a part of me, it was just something I did for fun.
Tuula: I read somewhere you play Scrabble, I'm hoping this is correct. It would make you the perfect person.
David: I do, but I haven't played in quite a while. At one point a girl in Austin sued Jesus Lizard and myself for claiming to be hit with a can of beer, and as I was in the stands, this dumb ambulance chasing white trash lawyer asshole asked me, "Mr. Yow, is there anything you do well?" And from what I understand of law, a lawyer won't answer a question he doesn't know the answer to. So I said, "I don't know anyone who can beat me in Scrabble, or anyone I can't beat in Scrabble." And these three old ladies in the jury all went, "Aww...'. They were in the palm of my hand after that.
Tuula: That's awesome.
David: What's your high score?
Tuula: Mine was 543.
David: 543? That's good. Mine's only 506.
Tuula: Yeah, mine's a complete fluke though. It's actually from a word a friend taught me, triple word on "smaze". It's a mixture of "smog" and "haze".
David: Have you ever been to Heartbreak Hotel, aka Lupo's in Providence?
Tuula: No, but I read "Word Freak", (note Steven Fatsis' book about obsessive-compulsive Scrabble nerds), I think it's mentioned in there.
David: I just saw the movie, it's pretty good. Lupo, the dude who owns it, was a Scrabble champion. The tiles are all arranged. in the floor.
Tuula: I heard somewhere you weren't drinking for a while there. Do you normally drink now?
David: I did 3 shows sober and they were the worst shows of my life, so I drink on tour or on stage. But I like how you say that, "normally drinking." I think i'm abnormally drinking on stage. I drink on tour. We were drinking at the bar last night in Austin and all the bartenders kept buying me shots.
Tuula: Speaking of, shouldn't all you influential artists be drinking pina coladas by the pool or something? I just interviewed Gary Floyd and he like, lives in my neighbourhood. He just rents a modest apartment.
David: You know, the Dicks were such a huge influence on me and a lot of other people, they totally deserve it. I've always been such a fan of Gary Floyd. Scratch Acid never made any money. Jesus Lizard did. A little bit. Anyways, no pina coladas. Could I have a shot and a beer instead?
An interview with David Yow of Scratch Acid by Tuula Ala
