Nothin' Sez Somethin': Finally, Some Pop Songs

28 February 2013

Finally, Some Pop Songs

Artist Mark Ritch & loser Nathan Nothin' at Poopoopalooza

For some reason the past keeps creeping into things lately. Back in the Stoned Age when we were doing EAT POOP! ‘zine, we did a show called Poopoopalooza with 14 bands & a bunch of local San JoHaze artists. Chris Johanson was one of the artists…

“Johanson was born in suburban San Jose, California in 1968. He grew up skateboarding, attending punk rock shows, drawing. He had a dry yet sharp sense of humor. He had no formal training in art, learning some technique by painting skateboards and houses. He was a prominent 'zine artist, and his publication "Karmaboarder," a skateboarding and art zine he published in the early to late 1980's, helped shape what later became well-known works.”

He did a crazy huge installation piece something like this…

Shortly after, he moved to San Francisco…

“ He moved to San Francisco, California's Mission District in 1989, where he became a member of the local art community, initially drawing cartoons on lampposts and bathroom walls using black Sharpies. In 1994, Johanson did one of the initial board graphic runs for a new San Francisco-based skateboard brand, Anti-Hero, which brought his art to a wider audience. Also, during this time, he played in a band called "Tina, Age 13," which was scrawled on a drawing the band came across randomly.”

We kept on putting on shows around San JoHaze & finally Tina,Age 13 played one of them. They had already become one of my favorite bands by that time. Being a punk musick ‘zine, we were immersed in the current punk musick scene. Several of the Poopsters were in The ByProducts & then later The Puds. We travelled frequently to San Francisco to hang out with SteelPole BathTub, The FuckBoyz/Hickey, & Tina, Age 13. This scene was the SHIT!

Aesop, drummer for The FuckBoyz/Hickey said this about Tina, Age 13…

“ Almost everyone has a particular band from their hometown that they loved and wanted to do real well and take over the world. Because you believed in what they were doing and their success would be the success of your tiny bullshit town, and in a way, you too. In 1996 Tina, Age 13 was that band in San Francisco. Granted, SF isn't some tiny bullshit town, even if it is always tiny and often bullshit, but you know what I mean. Anyways, they were every bit as great as Pavement or Superchunk was and even better was the fact that I was their friend and (as the title suggests) they made this beautiful 7" for me (among others.) I appreciate it still, the song Elevator still makes me sad in that good way that lets you know that you are still a human. Tina, Age 13 aren't a band anymore, something always fucks that up, but they are still my friends. Sean Casement still lives in San Francisco, our sons sometimes play together. Chris Johanson lives in Portland, Oregon, and is a respected painter whose art hangs in MOMAs all over the country. Sadly, Jake took his own life not long after this record came out. He was a good dude, but maybe he didn't think so. They were all good dudes. Good Times, Hard Times indeed. Thanks, friends.”

I have to say that I too considered myself a friend of theirs & always felt exactly the same, that these songs were also for me (among multitudes of others).

I’ve included a track from the 1996 Goldenrod Records Super Mixer compilation as a bonus track, just because I could.

On Pop Songs for Our Friends, Tina, Age 13 are: Sean Casement – guitar & vocals; Chris Johanson – bass & vocals; & Jake Elliott – drums & vocals (R.I.P.). 3 of 18 songs recorded in 6 hours on 4-30-94 at Guerrilla Euphonics. No instrumental overdubs.