the NO-FI "MAGAZINE" interview
with

conducted by Chris Beyond, 1995


This is the first official interview for NO-FI "MAGAZINE" and it was printed in the first issue over two pages. A two page interview at that! Anyway, Jim McCray is the lead singer of L.A. Power-Pop band GYMICRAE and the lead singer of the late (but great) punk band SHLuMPF. He also happens to be one of my best friends, so who else would I interview for the first issue?!?

At the time of this interview the head of his own new record company called Flavored With Meat and had released several of his own and other's albums. He had also just released a new 8 song cassette from GYMICRAE called "Rest The Returns Then Edge The Zombies" that was getting lots of praise from zine and magzine critics. (Including Me!)

C = Chris Beyond (The NO-FI Interviewer/Creator/Lead Singer of EAR BEYOND)
J = Jim McCray (Lead Singer/Guitarist of GYMICRAE)

C: You have been an underground rockstar for all these years. Where did it all begin?
J: It all began with heartbreak back in softmore year of high school when I had my little heart stomped on and
I picked up the guitar in hopes of meetin' chicks. That's where it all began baby!

C: When did you join SHLuMPF?
J: Shortly there after. STARTED SHLuMPF, might I add...I didn't join it.

C: What were your influences that inspired you in that band?
J: Same as always. Stressful situations.

C: What was your greatest lesson in terms of the whole band scene thing?
J: You gotta' shmooze to get anywhere. That's why I've gotten nowhere. At least people know me and hate me. That's more than a lot of people can say. You don't even have to play to meet people and be hated.

C: How many releases have SHLuMPF put out? Jim McCray/GYMICRAE?
J: The "E-Coli" cassette. The "Nasty Amber" bootleg that you put out. The Seven Inch put out by Know Records. We've got a song on the Know Records CD Compilation. A song on my "Cup-A-Cornia" compilation. A song soon to come out on a 12 inch comp put out by Dave from VERMICIOUS KNIDS. So I guess that's six releases.

C: How about Jim McCray/GYMICRAE?
J: Two cassettes on Riot Nrrrd. One cassette sorta kinda' released from Flavored With Meat. A song on the "Cup-A-Cornia" compilation. And a seven inch called "Demons Are Behind You: Broadcast From Hell."

C: What caused the switch from Jim McCray to GYMICRAE?
J: Oh and it's probobly going to change again too. Jim McCray sounded too much like a solo person. I wanted it to sound more like a solid band thing. In the hopes of having a solid band unit. Mike wants us to be called THE JIM McCRAY BAND and I don't really like that cuz' I think it downplays the other two people's parts. I don't want to be like that one girl... What's her name? ...the really bad, fat, and ugly girl with frizzy hair and the nose ring?
C: Lisa Loebe?
J: No...some other pathetic artist. I think we're just gonna change the name for every record.

C: Have you ever held a monkey? Would you like to someday?
J: In the monkey as penis genre, I would say yeas but as far as a real live monkey...one day when Micheal Jackson goes bankrupt, I'm going to buy Bubbles off of him. I'll get a fake Micheal Jackson doll and beat it in front of the monkey. I'd like to hear a monkey cheer.

C: What idol in your life has always been consistant in inpiring you to go on?
J: Good question...I think I've always been my own idol. I always try to keep my chin up. I'm tempted to say Mr. T. Especially now that I see in the Equirer that he's the 4th A-Team member to be fighting Cancer.
C: Obviously some kind of A-Team cover-up.
J: It's the A-Team curse, baby!

C: If one train was going south at 80 miles per hour on a track and on that same track another train was hurtling towards the other at 110 mph, who are some of your favorite local rock bands?
J: THE PAJAMAS! BEUFORD is my favorite in the area. JOLTERGEIST is good.

C: Are there any lost recordings that Josh Esquibel of SHLuMPF recorded that you may add more parts to for a new SHLuMPF record release in the far future?
J: The weird thing is that we did some old recordings including BAD RELIGION's "Along The Way", but I don't know what happened to them.
C: Actually "Along The Way" is on the "Nasty Amber" bootleg (on Spiffy Records)!
J: Well there you go. We'll have to find those original recordings or use yours I want to release the Entire anthology on double CD. Even if it's just 15 minutes long.

C: Tell me about your latest film role.
J: That's exciting. I played a freaky hermit desert guy named Blue. He's a nomad guy who sends the main guy on his way. It's a student film by a guy named Noah, believe it or not I play the serious role in this short. I hope to be starring opposite Wynona Ryder in an upcoming porno release from the Flavored With Meat porno label. I haven't got the go-ahead yet.

C: How did it feel to act in the Mike Oh film, STEEL FOR JUSTICE 2, a few years back? Any specific memories from that film you may want to share?
J: I remember hanging by some damn stairs at the Del Amo Mall. The whole point of the story was for Mike to show off beating up people.

C: Mr. T has always been one of your idols, yet when you had the chance to meet him, you didn't. Why was that?
J: I was in San Francisco with Brian Button. We had a good time. All we ate were power bars. I am upset that I couldn't meet Mr. T and especially after hearing the interview and how brilliant he was.

C: How many celebrities have you met and who?
J: I met radio DJ Poorman when you and I went to interview him. When I was a kid, I met Gil Gerrard and I was shaking my boots the whole time. He was Buck Rogers at the time. I was shittin' my pants!
C: In SHLuMPF, you played a show at the Troubador opening for Ricki Ractman's band BATTERY CLUB. What was that whole crazy show about?
J: That show was just about playing at The Troubadour. He only brought in 50 people and our crowd was flicking pennies and ice at him while he played.
C: Guilty!
J: He complained to the audience. He was crying like a baby. Andy spat on him.

C: Do you like it when the kids dance?
J: I like the head motion. Pogo up and down. I don't disaprove of slamming but it's not the same as it was back then.

C: Have you invented a dance that all the kids can do at any of your shows yet?
J: I have invented many dances but I've never demonstrated them at shows. SHLuMPF had the people who would slam dance in slow motion to our slower song called "Run."

C: Are there any plans to release any of the original Jim McCray Pre-SHLuMPF garage recordings? Do they even exist anymore?
J: Actually I do have a couple. We'll se what we can do. It's not a super priority right now. I may have them for people who ask for it.

C: Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
J: Partying in Beverly Hills with VAN HALEN. Putting out other peoples stuff. I'll do that when I lose the drive.

C: Why the ROLLING STONES?
J: Because Josh Liked the ROLLING STONES.

C: What are some of your favorite movies and why?
J: Tapeheads is a rad movie! 12 Monkeys is pretty good. Baron Munchousen. Brazil is fantastic! Terry is my favorite director.

C: Do you miss the partying and cruising days of the eighties? Do you think we can ever see days like that again?
J: The eighties will be with us for a long time to come. A lot of that stuff has come back. I missed the whole cruising on the Esplanade thing.

C: Are you a jock or a nerd?
J: A total nerd!
C: Then why are you against the Jocks!
J: Because they are always coming down on the nerd.

C: Who are some of your favorite actresses and why?
J: Wynona Ryder baby!
C: Paula Marshall?
J: She is a fine young lady. Showed her butt in WARLOCK 2. A good runner up to Wynona. Teri Hatcher is good. The girl from Northern exposure.

C: What are some of your current projects?
J: I wanna do some keyboard and noise stuff in AGENT CHESTER DESMOND. A SMITHS cover compilation. Trying to get a McCray song on that. We'll do "I Know It's Over."

C: When can we expect the GYMICRAE world tour?
J: I'd say by 1998. Give me two years.

C: Will there ever be a SHLuMPF reunion?
J: Could be.

C: How did SHLuMPF hook up with Know Records?
J: Sent them "E-Coli" and they were on us like a Fly on Papaya.

C: How did you hook up with Riot Nrrrd Records?
J: I worked with Marc Fisher and he put me out as his first release.

C: And none of this involved contracts with Lucifer the devil Lord Satan?
J: That would be pretty pathetic if I did for what I got.

C: Word association. Tell me a word after you hear each word I say.

C: Dry:
J: Cats
C: Space Age:
J: Pussy
C: Old:
J: Cow
C: Guitar:
J: Run
C: Ghost:
J: Busters
C: Jet Plane:
J: Fly
C: Bouncer:
J: Marc
C: Pretty:
J: Wynona
C: Chainsaw:
J: Massacre
C: Elvira:
J: Mistress
C: Coffee:
J: Stain
C: Temple Of Boom:
J: Doom.

C: Do you feel respected in the rap community after your rap tune, "Opossum" that was a secret song on "Experimental But Mostly Improvised", made it big?
J: No I don't. I gained respect from 3 people in the rap community.

C: Who would you like to work with musically?
J: That's a tough question. I've admired Mike Patton. I don't like MR. BUNGLE. Maybe with Marc Fisher. Or even SENSEFIELD.

C: Do they call you "drugs" McCray or are you Mr. Clean?
J: Probobly Mr. Clean. I think that bums people out. Except for Crack.

C: What kind of charicters would you like to see in the next Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter game?
J: Mr. T needs to be in there. They should have the REAL Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan.

C: Will there always be a Jim McCray based band?
J: In one form another there will be.

C: Any last words?
J: Flavored With Meat. P.O. Box 1042, Redondo Beach, CA 90278.

The End.


***************************************
****The Jim McCray Musicography:******
****************************************


In SHLuMPF:

"Set The Field On Fire" - Live Outdoors in Chris' Backyard (1992) Cassette

"E-Coli" - Giant Robot Records (1993) Cassette

"Nasty Amber" - Giant Robot Records (1993) Spiffy Records (1996) Cassette

"Shlumpf (UPC SYMBOL)" - K.N.O.W. Records (1994) 7" Vinyl 3 Song Single

"Cup 'A' Cornia" (Compilation) - Flavored With Meat (1995) 12" Vinyl

"Nothing To Believe In" (Compilation) - K.N.O.W. Records (1996) CD

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As JIM McCRAY:

"Stick (Can't Drive One)" - Riot Nrrrd (1994) 90 minute Cassette

"Experimental And Mostly Improvised" - Riot Nrrrd (1994) 90 minute Cassette

"Demons Are Behind You: Broadcast From Hell" - Flavored With Meat (1995) 7"

"NoFuckingAround" - Riot Nrrrd (1995) 90 minute Cassette

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In GYMICRAE:

"Cup 'A' Cornia" (Compilation) - Flavored With Meat (1995) 12" Vinyl

"Never/Ever" - Flavored With Meat (1995) Cassette

"Speed Entry" - Flavored With Meat (1995) Cassette

"Rest The Returns Then Edge The Zombies" - Flavored With Meat (1996) Cassette

"Gymicrae" - Flavored With Meat (1997) 4 song Cassette single



Chris Beyond