Article by Brunk Edwards / Photo courtesy of the World Wide Web
In a recent interview with seminal Boston hardcore band, DYS, the band’s signature song “Wolf Pack” was revealed to be about an actual pack of wolves, and not about sticking together with friends, as so many had long thought. Dave Smalley, who handled vocal and lyrical duties in the band, was questioned by journalists at the Dunkin’ Donuts in Wollaston regarding the song, and to shed new light on the subject.
“I don’t know if you guys remember the summer of 1981, but there was a massive amount of wild dogs and wolves running around in the streets of Boston," stated a visibly shaken and caffeinated Smalley. “I think a cargo ship from Canada crashed off the coast of Castle Island, or something, but anyways, there were all these wolves, y’know? So one night, me and my friend, Gulpher, were throwing trash out the window of my apartment on Comm. Ave., as was the custom at the time, and we see all these wolves just tearin’ ass down the street. At first we just stood in awe at the marvelous sight, but the pounding of their paws on the pavement just started to sound like the sickest hardcore riff, so I grabbed my bass and started to climb out the window, but Gulpher warned me about getting too close to the wild beasts. ‘Don’t give them any shit,’ he used to say. I wrote the song the very next morning.”
Continuing to sip wistfully on a cup of sub-par coffee, the singer continued further. "Kids used to come up to me all the time and tell me that the song really helped them and their friends get through hard times, y’know? I just didn’t have the heart to tell them it was just about a bunch of rabid wolves attacking and devouring the homeless in Kenmore Square. I mean, seriously, ‘mini-army of angry youth?’ Shoot, man, I didn’t even have any other friends back then. And after Gulpher was eaten in an ATM booth, I had no one at all.”
No word yet on if this interview will spur other leaders of the Boston hardcore community to come forward and reveal the true meanings behind their songs. Is “Glue” just about some ordinary adhesive glue? Is “Chunks” literally just about some chunks? Could "I Hate Tourists" really be about hating tourists? And did Choke & Co. really have a good time in Kenmore Square that fateful night?
visitors since August 27th, 2009. All articles written by Wilder-Edwards unless noted otherwise. ~ The Scally©
3 comments:
We had an awesome time that night! Didn't we?...DIDN'T WE???!!!
i highly doubt its actually about wolves. Look at the lyrics:
March the streets
30 or 40 strong
United against
A world that's wrong
The numbers shock you
It's the truth
A mini-army
Of angry youth
Wolfpack! Don't give us any shit
Wolfpack! Or you're gonna get hit
Wolfpack! It's a unity ideal
Wolfpack! Better believe it's real
Fucking proud
To be a part of this
Every kid is my brother here
Shoulder to shoulder
Or back to back
We're united
It's the year of the pack!
Wolfpack! Don't give us any shit
Wolfpack! Or you're gonna get hit
Wolfpack! It's a unity ideal
Wolfpack! Better believe it's real
If you wanna get into a semantic argument about it, there's really nothing in those lyrics that could prove, or disprove, that they're about a pack of wolves.
Dave Smalley himself told the Scallion what it was about. If that's not enough for you, why don't you try to contact Jonathan Anastas and get back to me.
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