Punk rock legend Joe Jack Talcum of Philadelphia's The Low Budgets, and formerly of The Dead Milkmen, was kind enough take time for an interview with Subatomic this month. Joe has been cranking out albums for over 25 years, had a hit single, "Punk Rock Girl" in 1988, and is still going strong today. He has his own personal website at http://www.jacktalcum.com/ where he regulary posts bootlegs and other info, as well as his band's website and myspace page.

What is your current role in The Low Budgets?

I play the keyboards (or the organ) and I sing a song or two and sing back-ups.

When did you take up the keys?

I started playing piano when I was a kid. My folks had an upright piano in their living room and I banged on it a lot. I guess you could say it was my first instrument, before guitar. But I never played keyboards with a band until the Low Budgets, except for one cover band I was in, which played only one show, back in the 80s. We were called Mosh the Hoople, and we played Mott the Hoople songs with a punk style. I played keyboards in that band. Oh, and I also played keyboards for a project known as The Secret Cinema Symposium, which played instrumental music as the soundtrack to old silent home movies of strangers. But, as far as rock bands that play out regularly, the Low Budgets were my first for being a keyboardist.

What are the main differences you see between Pittsburgh and Philly?

I haven’t been really looking for differences, but Pittsburgh seems more down-home in some ways than Philadelphia. People there seem more warm, less rude (unless your wearing an Eagles shirt) than the strangers in Philly. There’s none of the east coast attitude.

Has there ever been a musical endeavor that you wanted to pursue but didn’t?

No, not really.

Was the “fame” of The Dead Milkmen something you wanted or even appreciated? Or did you desire to be more in a more semi-obscure band like The Low Budgets?

I don’t think I appreciated it too much until afterwards. I did appreciate that the fame made it possible to make a living selling albums and touring. In that regard, I wanted it.

Being in a semi-obscure band can be a lot more work than being in a famous one, in terms of getting booked and getting people to come out to the shows and getting paid.

The Dead Milkmen were famous enough to get good gigs and stay afloat while remaining obscure enough that no one bothered us when we walked down the street. We did not have paparazzi or anything like that to tend with.

What was the most memorable thing to ever happen to you on stage?

I honestly don’t remember.

Oh wait! I remember accidentally smashing my favorite Gibson S-G one night in Long Island. The gig was getting kind of rowdy and the bouncers were in full force. There were a couple on the stage and one of them was in front of me. He was picking kids out of the crowd who were crowd surfing and pulling them up on to the stage so that he could toss them out – via backstage! One problem with this was that, with his back turned to me, he backed into me both arms around some flailing young male concertgoer.

After the first time this happened I brushed it aside and collected myself. After the second time it happened, I had to retune my guitar and I was pissed. This was during our set in the middle of a song. After the third time, I got the feeling the bouncer was doing this intentionally, and I flipped out. I tossed my guitar over my shoulder, not really thinking, as it had been knocked completely out of tune. I went to grab my back up guitar. The band stopped playing, though, and I saw Rodney in the corner of my eye holding up the guitar I had thrown. It was in two very sorry pieces.

I was pretty furious. Upset with myself and with the bouncer. I think the show ended there – it was almost the last song in our set anyway. And I made a short speech about how much the bouncers in this place sucked. The guitar was beyond repair. I guess after I tossed it, it landed on the headstock and splintered.

Some bands see basement shows as a “step down”, but many great bands have thrived on them. How do you feel about those intimate settings?

They literally are a step down. Several steps, usually. I dig them. I’ve always been attracted to must and mildew.

You have a lot of free bootlegs available on the internet at your site http://www.jacktalcum.com/. Are these recordings that you personally enjoy or do you just try to fulfill the wants of your hardcore fans?

I’m not trying to fulfill any fan desires, no one asked me to do it, but I’m glad to hear from folks who like the recordings. I thought it would be a good way to get some stuff distributed, something fun to do. Over the years, I’ve gotten a lot of cassettes in the mail from people who recorded us, and I have my own recordings. Actually, after starting Bootleg of the Month, I started hearing from some more folks who have their own bootlegs. I received some stuff I never would have heard if I had not started B.O.T.M. and I’m posting that stuff now too. I think I enjoy making the files available, and writing about them, more than I enjoy listening to them, but it’s all kind of fun. Depends on my mood, really. Sometimes I can’t bring myself to listen to anything to decide what to put up next and other times I’m eager to do it. Some months I have to force myself to do it, and other months I look forward to it.

I read once that The Dead Milkmen never knew that a “greatest hits” disc called “Cream of the Crop” was even in existence. Is it true that you were surprised? And do you feel more in control with your music nowadays now that you’re working with Side One Dummy Records rather that a huge distributor?

Yeah, I was surprised. One of my housemates bought it and showed it to me. I was like, whoa, when did this come out?

I don’t feel any more control of my music now than I did then. I have no idea who is downloading it and who is trading it. I don’t really feel the need to control it once it leaves my domain.

Have you ever ”Googled” yourself and did you like what the masses had to say?

Yeah, I once Googled myself (sounds dirty, and more fun than it really is) to see what my boss might see knowing that she’d probably do it too. I Googled my boss’s name often because she was very touchy about what links showed up in the top of the search and it was my job, for some reason, to try to get certain links to not show up. And so, I thought if she is so concerned about people Googling her name (which people probably were not doing, but who knows) then maybe I should be concerned about what people see when they Google my name, and I was thinking – hmm what is here in the results would I not want my boss to see?

Well, I don’t think my boss ever did Google my name because I did not lose my job.

Who are your favorite bands and inspirations?

Bob Dylan. The Ramones. The Beatles. The Minutemen. The Kinks.

What’s in your CD player right now that the readers can go look up and buy?

The King Khan & BBQ Show cd (not very new, last year)

You’ve toured…a lot. Do you enjoy playing to audiences around the globe or would you prefer to say close to home?

Philadelphia area audiences are the best, for real. But I do like to travel.

Do you get much time for being a tourist when overseas?

Not really. The Low Budgets played a show just about every night, in a different town each night. We did get to spend two consecutive days in Bucharest, Romania which was nice.

European labels always seem to want to release artists’ B-sides. Do you ever get approached about letting people put out those, I guess, lesser quality songs?

No. Never.

Both you and The Descendents have always been big inspirations to me. The Descendents had a song called “When I Get Old” about not becoming an “old person” in terms of attitude and behavior. Have your attitudes changed much from say fifteen years ago?

They have for sure. I’m becoming curmudgeonly. Now I get pissed at the kids who toss beer cans into my yard. Fifteen years ago I was tossing beer cans there too.

The Low Budgets have a song that my friend and I love called “Fat Cop.” Is it about a specific cop you dislike?

No, not at all. Chris wrote those words. But I’m sure it is not about a specific person.

Why is a Philly Cheesesteak so good?

There are many theories. Some say it has to do with the bread. The rolls that get baked in Philly are not quite like those that get baked elsewhere and this may be due to the water, I’m not sure. I personally think the roll has a lot to do with it. Also, the steak can’t be chipped to thick, or too thin. It has to be just right. A lot of places I’ve tried outside of Philly try to make the steak too thick and it doesn’t work. Or, they use sliced roast beef which also doesn’t work. It might taste okay but they shouldn’t call it a Philly Cheesesteak.