Oxford's
Homed
Homeless, homeless, homeless.
People that don't have homes.
Why are you looking that way?
I see sadness.
Homeless, homeless, homeless.
They don't have enough money to pay the rent.
Because they don't have good jobs.
Why don't they have the jobs?
They're not getting done with their education
Because of poor kids
They think they can feel dark and I'm pissed off
I'm so pissed off at these people
They're so hopeless these people
They don't have any hope
They don't have enough money to pay the rent
Because they don't have good enough jobs
I don't care, good enough jobs
Because I don't have a good education
Because of poor kids
I don't care
They think they can feel dark and I'm pissed off
I feel people robbering and they're dying
I don't like it, stop, I hate robbering
All those young people
There is hopeless people in the world
We will have hopeless people
Homeless people
People that don't have good homes, let's say
Homeless
Homeless people
I'm pissed off
Homeless
I hate you Ronald Reagan
They're the hottest little punks in Hard Rock
They're called Old Skull
And never mind their size, they know a thing or two
What's the best part of performing?
The women
The oldest band member is only nine
But that hasn't stopped them from landing a major record deal
Look out America, here come those little punks
Welcome to Current Affair, I'm Cindy Garvey filling in for Maury Povich
Maury's probably playing golf
Our first story tonight is also about playing
Music in this case, or at least what some people might call music
The band is called Old Skull
But the members of the Madison, Wisconsin band don't even have ages in double figures
Our Robin Dorian went to meet the many musicians with a big sound
Ladies and gentlemen, Old Skull
This is not the latest MTV music video
Nor are these pint-sized punkers trying out for the Grammar School talent show
This is one of Madison, Wisconsin's premier rock bands
I'm JP, I play guitar and I read vocals
My name's Jamie and I play metal, drums and keyboards
My name's Jesse Steele Collins-Davies and I play drums
What's the best part of performing?
It's fun
The people, it's fun, you know, getting the applause
The women
Yeah, the women here, right
What kind of comments do people make to you about your music?
Just screaming
The only thing you do is scream
Even though lead guitarist JP Toulon only knows four chords, Los Angeles record company Enigma
Thought their material was good enough to go on vinyl
No minor achievement for a band whose combined ages still makes them younger than most guys just breaking into the business
Which could be what works in their favor, being nine, nine and eight
They're young kids, I mean that's sort of their kind of hook to get people in
And they're serious, they're not just goofy dumb songs
They're actually incredibly poignant
Although the lyrics are nearly impossible to make out
These baby boomers do address important issues like age and homelessness
Homeless, I say homeless
People that don't have a home
When I look into their eyes I see sadness
They don't have enough money to pay the rent
Because they don't have good jobs
Why don't they have good jobs?
Because they're not getting enough education because of war games
That makes me feel dumb when I'm f***ed off
I hate you Ronald Reagan
I hate you motherf***ers
So their politics are a bit dated, but don't worry George Bush
These guys won't even be eligible to vote for almost a decade
Tell me the titles of your songs
Homeless
Hot Dog Hell
Get Out of School
Get On The Bus And Go
Love Is Hell
Jesus Died On The Cross
Skater Die
Killed That Eagle
Hell's On Fire
At night this tiny trio may be swinging at the rock bars
But by day they're swinging on the monkey bars
And just like any grade schooler there's always the math test
But when you've got a record contract there's that new found popularity
Especially when a TV crew shows up in your fourth grade class
I'm the man who started it when it comes to a record on the ball
J.P., the lead singer, got the idea to form a band because his father is a musician
So he recruited his little brother Jamie and his friend Jesse
Whose dad's also a musician and old Skull was born
What do you think of their music?
I think it's really emotional music
They have fun, but they've also got their convictions
Do you feel like you're cutting off their childhood?
Like they're becoming adults too young?
All three of them know that if it's something they don't want to do anymore
If it becomes not fun for them, they don't have to do it
It's strictly up to them
Ram and you're a musician yourself
Is there any professional jealousy going on here?
Certainly
I've been working at this for ten years
And they definitely received a lot of attention
And then there's just so many other bands and musicians in town
That just have to work so hard to make $25
So it's definitely affected me in that way
What's the reaction of other parents?
Some parents are great, they're very excited about it
And they think it's really cool
But I have a feeling there's some people that aren't sure we're Satan worshippers
Because how else could we let our kids do this kind of thing?
Maybe they are not Satan worshippers
But hell seems to be a source of inspiration
Like in this song, simply entitled Hot Dog Hell
Hot dog, stop! I can make a better hot dog!
Part of the entertainment here is pelting the audience with hot dogs
Now watch closely as the reporter in red gets bean with a weenie
Yeah, let's just say this job can be hazardous
For those who missed it, watch this instant replay
So you guys are going to go on tour?
Yeah, no, yeah, yeah
My mom said no, we're not going
My mom doesn't want you to either
Ah, the perils of pre-adolescence, especially when it comes to contract negotiations
How much do you get paid each time you play?
A happy meal
Our first show we got a happy meal
So is that good payment?
No
Well, these guys may still be eating at McDonald's
But with their debut album soon to be released called Get Out of School
And a music video to follow
Hopefully happy meals will be considered small fry compared to their new ages
Okay guys, can I have your autograph?
Yeah, okay
Sorry guys, you may have to wait a few years for the big toys
What's a little scary for me is I just found out a current affair is paying me with a happy meal
And also what's also scary is what if these kids burn out by 12 and a half or their voices change
But we wish them luck, they've got a lot of talent
You're watching Channel 7, KAVC-TV Los Angeles
The number one source of news and information in Southern California
Now, Eyewitness News at Four with Jerry Dunphy, Marianne Bannister, Dallas Raines with Weather and the entire Eyewitness News team
They're getting younger and younger
A new band called Old Skull is climbing the charts with a debut album called Get Out of School
It's 15 songs of droning guitars, screams and lots of feedback
Francesca Capucci joins us with more on that new group, Fran
Thanks very much, Jerry
Punk is rather passe these days, but now it's budding again with Old Skull, the youngest punk band in the world
The three members ages 8, 9 and 9 hail from Wisconsin
They are produced by their parents who are in bands themselves
We caught up with Old Skull at a local record store where they performed
Because my dad was in a band and I thought it would be cool if I was in a band
So I always messed around on my dad's equipment downstairs
And then I got Jamie and a kid named Nelson, but Nelson moved away to Brazil
Has it been relatively easy for you to get exposure and record deal and all of those things?
It's been really easy
Why do you suppose?
Why? Because I don't know, we're so young, you know, cute little kids running around playing music
But you're very serious about it, I mean it's a good gimmick and all that, but you are serious
We're not serious really, but we're doing it for fun, not for the money or anything
I know we're doing it for fun, but we're serious about what we're doing
And what do they sing about?
Homeless and AIDS, pollution, stuff like that, serious conditions of the world
People don't know too much about it, and neither do we, but we decided to make a song out of all the stuff we knew about
About what's going on in the world
So other people will know what's going on in the world
Music
And who are some of their influences?
The drummer for the Tar Babies and my dad
And how about you, who's influenced your music?
My dad and a bunch of hardcore bands and industrial bands
Like DRI and Skinny Puppy and The Meek, bands like that
What about the Beatles, do they influence you at all?
No, I mean they're good at the music that they do, but not our kind of music
Because you're more punk, you're the youngest punk band
We're the youngest punk band in the world
They say
It might be somewhere in Russia, but I don't know
Old Skull is for real, they've already toured in New York and here in Los Angeles
And with such an early start, there is no telling how far they'll go
If they're any luck at all, they'll give up the music and start an act
Because they've got something going there, pretty good lines
They're very serious, very articulate for their age
They are, they are
They haven't threatened radio yet?
No, not yet
We can rest easy for a while
Thanks a lot