Music

OFF!'s Keith Morris on band dynamics, Odd Future, and SXSW

by Nicole Villeneuve

Punk icon Keith Morris started playing music over thirty years ago when he founded Black Flag and Circle Jerks in the late 70s, but in a conversation with him at this year’s SXSW, he made it clear that in his newest outfit OFF!, he’s having the most fun he’s had in a while.

“A friend of mine said to me, ‘Keith, I’ve been watching you play for thirty years, and I have the most fun watching you with this band,'” the adrenalized frontman told AUX, stating the value of the diversity of the band members. “Dimitri [Coats, guitarist and frontman for Burning Brides] is a different generation… it’s a really cool mix of people.”

The other members of OFF!’s supergroup line-up include Redd Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes drummer Mario Rubalcaba. Morris says that what differences the four vets bring to the table musically can also manifest itself personally as new personalities adjust to touring together. “We all jump down each other’s throats, but it’s a whole new adventure. When we’re on stage, nothing else matters.”

Morris was happy to take in sets by the acts OFF! shared bills with at their handful of SXSW shows this year, naming Thee Oh Sees, Bad Brains, and his “illegitimate sons” the Black Lips as some stand outs. But the same crew that had everyone’s attention at the festival had Morris’, too. “[Odd Future] is really going get some kind of shit started,” he says, noting he watched them perform twice throughout the week, including one of Saturday nights’ best closing bills with Thee Oh Sees, OFF!, and Odd Future.

OFF! have just started a month of tour dates with Trash Talk, with a short break on April 6 to attend a court date for stealing van fuel (vegetable oil) on a recent stop in Arizona. Full tour dates are below.

3-23 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
03-24 Washington, DC – The Red Palace
03-25 Baltimore, MD – The Ottobar
03-26 New York, NY – Santos Party House
03-28 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Downstairs
03-30 Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
03-31 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
04-01 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
04-02 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
04-03 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
04-17 Indio, CA – Coachella Festival
04-21 San Francisco, CA – SF Eagle
04-22 Berkeley, CA – 924 Gilman
04-23 Portland, OR – East End
04-24 Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
04-25 Vancouver, British Columbia – Fortune Sound Club