Chris Stover of
from 2002
VOID
(This interview was conducted by Simon Phillips for a zine, but was never published. I'd like to thank Simon for letting me use it!)
1. Firstly, when and how did Void first come together? Was the recording line-up the only one you had or were there others before?
We came together in 1980 in Bubba's basement. Starting off originally, Bubba and I, then Sean, Bubba and I, then the final mix which included John. This came together over a month or so and stayed the same way until we broke up.
2. The emotion that screams out from Void's music is anger. What was it that made you guys so damn enraged back then?
Sean, John, and I went to an all boys' Catholic school. I think that can sum it up right there.
3. As you weren't part of the original Georgetown scene with the Teen Idles etc, did you encounter any 'in-crowd' hostility as some other bands such as Scream claimed to have been subjected to?
There was some of that, but all of us got along really well with everyone in the Georgetown scene. We may have not had the opportunities to play as many shows because we lived out of DC.
4. Was there ever a Void demo or were the Flex Your Head tracks your debut recordings?
Our first stuff was a demo tape we did in Touch and Go studios out of Rockville, Maryland. We then did the Flex Your Head tracks.
5. How do you think your loose/chaotic sound come about (especially Dupree's guitar style)? The songs from the Flex Your Head session are somewhat more structured, so was this sound done on purpose by the time you recorded the split LP with the Faith?
By the time the recording session for the split LP came about, we had been playing and practicing those songs for a decent amount of time. I think we felt comfortable in going crazier then the Flex Your Head stuff. We wanted to push the limits more.
6. How did the split with the Faith happen? Was the sharp contrast between the two bands an intentional aspect of the record?
Ian MacKaye asked us if we were interested. We said Yes.
7. Were there any unreleased tracks from the split LP sessions?
Not to my knowledge.
8. Why did Void decide to split up in November 1982? What made you reconsider?
We were all going our separate ways. Hardcore/Punk had become a secondary interest to some in the band. On top of that, college was a bigger issue for the band and that made it hard to practice and to get out of town.
9. Did Void ever play much outside the DC area?
We played Anne Arbor-Michigan, Baltimore-Maryland, Boston-Massuchusetts., Raleigh-North Carolina, and New York City.
10. I've only heard the LP you recorded later on once, but it sounded very hard rock/heavy metal. How did Void head in this direction?
Everyone's musical tastes were evolving. Sean was big into Hip Hop. Bubba was into the glam thing. John was way into AC/DC. I was into GBH, Motorhead and Black Flag. All these tastes melded together was going to sound more rock and metal. Plus, we wanted to become "musicians".
11. Some other Hardcore bands that ended up playing very rock and heavy metal influenced music, namely SS Decontrol and DYS from Boston, say this was due to learning how to play their instruments and they believe this material was their best. Was this the case with Void?
You could say that was part of the reason, but not the whole reason.
12. Was the LP going to be released on Touch and Go? Why did it never come out?
It was going to be released on Touch & Go. It never came out because we broke up and lost interest in speaking with each other for a period of time.
13. In the Dance of Days book, Mark Andersen writes that by 1984, 'Void was falling apart on stage' and that 'its shows seemed to be public practice sessions. The apparently unrehearsed band struggled erratically through its new material'. Are those fair comments? Was it really that bad?
We were trying a lot of different things live. Regardless, I think we were tight. A lot of times the crowd wanted us to play only stuff from the split LP. For the last two shows, I would definitely agree with Mr. Anderson's opinion.
14. When did Void play their last show? Was it late-1984?
November of 1984 was our last show.
15. Did any of the members go onto other musical projects after Void?
Bubba had a band called Earth Eighteen and was on tour with Moby. He is the only one doing music full time.
16. What are you all doing now?
Sean works in the Film Industry. John is in construction. Me in Software. Bubba is in music.
17. Do you have any interest in what your contemporaries are doing musically these days such as Ian MacKaye in Fugazi and Pete Stahl in Goatsnake?
Fugazi is one of the best bands ever. I have not heard Goatsnake, but I really liked Wool. I still like most of the stuff that comes out on Dischord. I would be interested in knowing what my other contemporaries are doing.
18. Any last words you wanna share?
Check out the 20 years of Dischord Box Set that is due in the fall.
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