From File 13, October 1988
There are no squiggles on this page.
PBK interviews RRR
with an introduction by yours truly (Editor, Mark Lo)
Cripes Almighty.
I get word that this guy PBK has these spare interviews lying around, so I'm expecting something really cool like Voivoid or Death Angel or something. Instead, what do I get? An interview with Ron Lessard. Who the fuck wants to read an interview with a guy who runs a record store?
I was actually at his store once, and you know what? The guy can't even speak in complete sentences. These phrass just keep streaming out of his mouth, separated by all these hyphens. I couldn't believe it! Good metal selection though. I got some Anthrax albums there.
And he's got this radio show where he just plays TAPES of all this garbage people send him. Really dumb.
And get this, he's got this record label, and he puts out these records with NO music on them. I was really stupid and ordered two of them. One of them just has all of these NAIL SCRATCHES all over it. I had to buy a new needle for my turntable. The this other one looked like someone had PUKED on it. It had all these lumps of red shit all over it. I threw it in the trash.
But that was before I knew any better. His label also has this record that comes in a plain brown paper bag. Ever hear of anything that stupid? At least it has music on it, if you can call that stuff music. Ron's band also have a record out with a cover of "4'31" by some guy John Cage. I wouldn't waste my money on a bunch of stupid cover songs.
And the funny part of it all is that y'all probably don't believe me. It's all true, really it is.
PBK: I assume (correctly?) that your life as a DJ on WZBC (Boston) started before RRRadio, so what type of programming were you involved in?
RRRon: You assume incorrectly - RRRadio is my first and only DJ work.
PBK: What prompted you to do a live audio-collage over the airwaves?
RRRon: One day Andrew Herman - the Music Director at WZBC - asked me if I wanted to do a show on their station - I immediately knew I wouldn't waste my time playing my favorite songs - I wanted to do the same thing that those Negativland and Big City Orchestra guys do.
PBK: What are your influences?
RRRon: The same as everybody else's.
PBK: How many people make up Due Process? or do you perform the live shows solo?
RRRon: Due have performed solo twice - Normally we consist of Dave & Mike doing real music (guitars & synths, etc) - me playing records & tapes and abusing any available objects - and Dennis reciting whatever he wants.
PBK: Another of your project is RRRecords. When did that project begin?
RRRon: I opened my store - RRRecords - in January '84 - Due Process started soon after - issued first RRR mail order list in January '85 - RRR first album released November '85 (RRR-001 Eugene Chadbourne) - RRRadio started November '86.
PBK: Looking at your catalog you've been very successful in gathering the best alternative music available (U.S. and import) ... What kind of problems have you encountered in distributing/buying/selling these types of music? (i.e. censorship, high prices, etc.)
RRRon: I've had more problems than I care to remember - currently my biggest is time and energy - I need more - Regarding the dist/buy/sell - No problem there - Sleep Chamber had problems with censorship - two of my RRRecords have been censored - some customs official in Canada refused to let a box of Master/Slave Relationship LP's into the country - and Rough Trade refused to distribute the PGR LP because it had a female nude on the cover - the new Pixies LP they put out has a female nude on the cover - Prices aren't a big problem yet - except in Japan where the prices are ridiculous.
PBK: What are you personally listening to lately?
RRRon: My usual barrage of demos - I don't have much time to listen to anything at my leisure anymore - tapes come in the mail daily - But when I do find the time - I listen to my own Due stuff a lot - Recently I have taken a big interest in the Japanese noise underground - It was real tough making all the proper contacts and I know I've only touched the surface of it all.
PBK: Please divulge your future plans - what releases upcoming and long-term goals?
RRRon: I guess my next big venture will be video - already I have 5 or 6 releases planned - I have ideas for more records than I could ever possibly release - I want to take Due Process on a world tour - I just signed a new two year lease for my store - I plan to keep doing what I'm doing till I'm not interested any more.
PBK: What are your thoughts on the so-called underground, the cassette culture? In your opinion, what is the future of it?
RRRon: It seems healthy enough - There's tons of active individuals involved - making tapes - passing them around - new faces appear every day - a few become disillusioned and fall out - I'm not disillusioned yet - are you?