INTERVIEW - The Limit Club
by That Bitch, Jackie Jett
Well, it goes to say that this sister (homegirl) has found The Limit Club. If you're into bands like The
Damned + Nick Cave = the Love child of the Quakes then this band is for you. If for any other
reason you should go check out the lyric page on the website. These guys don't fuck around and I
like that. If you have any kind of soul you'll be able to relate to some of the lyrics. This band rocks.
Don't be surprised if they bring much needed attention to our dry local scene.
Could you introduce yourselves and give us the history of the band?
Nick Feratu: I’m Nick Feratu, the lead singer, guitarist, main songwriter and Overlord of the Limit
Club. Weee!
Juan Carlos: I am Juan Carlos, drummer and backing vocals for The Limit Club.
NickDave: I’m NickDave and I play upright bass and backing vocals as well.
Where did the band name come from??
Nick Feratu: It came from my favorite song. There’s a good bit of history surrounding the name
actually which I’ve just posted on our website. Now all those crazy Gothabilly enthusiasts can read all
about it at www.LimitClub.com.
Have you guys had a lot of band members come and go?
Nick Feratu: We’ve had our share. We’ve had two drummers quit and I fired one bassist. Luckily for
us, all changes so far have been for the better. We’ve always reconnected and become a tighter unit
in the end. Someone upstairs must be smiling down upon us. Heehee.
Juan Carlos: I am the third drummer, but I don’t think I will be going anywhere!
NickDave: I’m the second bassist and I’m going wherever the Limit Club is going.
What was your first show like?
Nick Feratu: The first show was in my Dad’s back yard. It was quite a disaster really. Hahaha! We
had no real idea how to play our instruments, the sound was abhorrent, the amps were too small, etc,
etc. We’ve always lived by the “Baptism By Fire” method when it comes to stage preparation.
Juan Carlos: My first show with the Limit Club was in the back yard of a toga party … pretty neat
actually!
NickDave: Mine was at this place in Phoenix called the HoodRide. It’s a sick venue on 7th Street and
Roosevelt where they fix up old bikes and have punk rock shows in the back yard. It’s one of my
favorite places to play in Phoenix.
Any fun stuff from tours or gigs you'd like to share with us?
Nick Feratu: There have been so many great ones! Once opening for Calabrese at Stray Cat Bar in
Tempe, we all just got really drunk and acted like a bunch of fools onstage. I threw beer all over Joel
during his bass solo, whole pitchers of beer were thrown on the crowd, people danced and laughed
and had a good time. Audience members slid around and fell all over the floor - it was great fun. I tend
to feel at home in chaotic situations, so those shows are always the best for me.
Juan Carlos: I just love it when the kids get into it. It is nice to be able to feed off of the energy
provided by the crowd.
NickDave: Havasu is the only place I’ve played outside of Phoenix and I have to say the kids out
there are great. In the middle of one of the bands sets two drunk ass kids came in and started shit
with everyone around. What was great was that everyone in their area surrounded them and in unison
threw them outside. They don’t get too many shows out there and the kids know that one or two kids
can ruin the fun for everyone else, especially in Havasu.
What's been the best and the worst experiences together as a band?
Nick Feratu: I think the worst thing would be the slow and unavoidable separation that happens
between bandmates. Everyone starts out being great friends, but over time feelings change, egos are
inadvertently hurt and people’s focus is challenged. Our band has become like a second family to us
and when there’s tension in the air, it’s quite obvious. Dealing with those situations is a fucking drag,
and I’m glad we have three people in the band now that are honest with each other, of sound mind,
with stable consciences.
Juan Carlos: The best is when we can give each other feedback and pointers on what we can
improve on without anyone feeling hurt or inferior. The worst is when you are trying to communicate
with your bandmates and they get defensive and completely rebel!
NickDave: The best experiences are when we’re playing live and everything just comes together and
sounds great. It’s not a rare thing for us, but I know we all recognize when all the pieces fall into the
puzzle perfectly.
What was your worst show?
Nick Feratu: The first 20 to 30 shows were all crap. It took a lot of trial and error before we found
ourselves a comfort zone onstage. Then, once we found that zone, we immediately began forcing
ourselves out of it. A never-ending cycle, I tell ya.
Juan Carlos: Hmm, well, I think it would have to be an LA show that we played with Rezurex. We all
played pretty bad ("Fuck you Juan, I played great! Haha." - Nick Feratu). Joel, the bassist at the time,
was fucking hammered and he made a mess on stage dropping his bass, my drums and the mic
stands.
NickDave: I haven’t played a terrible show with The Limit Club. Our last show kinda sucked cause we
were the last band and no one was there watching (not even the bands that played that night).
Do you have any groupies/stalkers?
Nick Feratu: No groupies. At least not in the classic “Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll” sense. I think
people who get into a band for those reasons are fucking morons and deserve the harsh reality check
that they get when they start playing in vomit covered dive bars. As for stalkers… I can’t say really. We
do have a few dedicated fans that are at most of the shows. They just haven’t become creepy… yet.
Juan Carlos: What Nick said.
NickDave: No, but you do notice girls that like you only because you’re “in the band.” You can spot
them pretty easily, though.
Which member of the band always gets the drunkest after a show??
Nick Feratu: I’m going to go ahead and claim that title. I do enjoy a good boozer! (Note: Please read
that last sentence in a British accent. Thanks - Nick). Also, I’m the only one that is of legal drinking
age. And we in the Limit Club are all perfectly law-abiding American citizens. Wink, wink.
Juan Carlos: Nick is a drunkard…
NickDave: Nick is a drunken bastard. This one time we were partying and, out of no where, Nick
walks out with this girl’s corset and fedora. The worst part was he had the corset on backwards.
Naturally, Juan had to show him how a real man puts on a corset.
Do you have any favorite local bands through out the years?
Nick Feratu: Yeah I loved the VideoNasties when I first saw them! They reminded me of the early
Cramps. Like back when they still had Kid Congo Powers in the band. It was all raw energy funneled
through a rockabilly / psych-out garage filter. Too bad their current line-up sucks complete ass. (Wink,
wink again).
Other than them, I’ve become friends with so many local bands that they all start to blur together. I’m a
big fan of the organizational engine behind “Calabrese”. “Curse of the Pink Hearse” is charmingly
weird when they are well rehearsed and sounding good. “Buried In Red” has some good ideas and
are great people. I love the “F-Holes” from Flagstaff like brothers. “Thee Oh-Nos” are a lot of fun. The
list goes on.
Juan Carlos: I have seen them all so many times that they are just like neighbors in my community
now. I can’t think of the last time that I thought to myself, “Fuck yeah! Let’s go out tonight to watch a
local band!” Good friends, but I feel the need for some new shit around here, know what I mean?
NickDave: The first punk rock show I went to was for this local band called the Numptys (they
changed their name to The Lesser Saints). I loved it and wanted to be on stage playing music so bad
after I saw them. I also like The Recurring Creeps, Creepsville 666, Buried in Red and ECV.
Besides being super bad ass rock star’s what kind of jobs do you have?
Nick Feratu: I mostly just lay around and groan like a wounded animal in my spare time. It doesn’t
pay very well, but it keeps me occupied. I’m like the only person I know that is in tune with “trippy
vibes”. Oh and I DJ at the Rogue West on Tuesdays.
Juan Carlos: HEY! I am in tune with “trippy vibes” too man. When I am not on tour, I find myself doing
the most random fucking jobs just to pay the bills. Like temp work and stuff.
NickDave: I think I give off “trippy vibes” more than I’m in tune with them.
I’m a full time student at GCC and I am currently looking for a job as well. Fuck this economy.
If we want our ears to bleed where can we get a cd?
Nick Feratu: Best place to get it is our website - www.limitclub.com! If that doesn’t sound like a good
idea, then you can get both our albums on Interpunk.com or at any Zia Records location. Wig out, man.
Juan Carlos: Wig out.
NickDave: Just have your friend hit you in the head with a baseball bat, that usually works.
Oh, and wig out… man.
You're influenced by bands like the Cure and the Damned - if we had a head to head boxing
match - who would win? (honestly I put my money on Cpt. Sensible)
Nick Feratu: The Damned would mangle them! I do have a soft spot in my heart for Simon Gallup
though.
Juan Carlos: The Damned vs. The Cure? Hmmm, badass Dave Vanian fighting against “crying
while singing pictures of you” Robert Smith? Need I say more?
NickDave: Dude, I could beat the shit out of Robert Smith, and I’m real skinny. The Damned, damn
strait.
Nick - what inspires to write such deep and meaningful lyrics?
Nick Feratu: I listen to a lot of 80's Goth Rock and New Wave. One thing that attracts me to those
particular styles is, in addition to the danceable rhythms, the lyrics are usually well written. Look at
bands like the Sisters of Mercy, Nick Cave, The Cure and Morrissey - They don’t just schlop
something out onto a page for the sake of rhyming. They take their time and make the song
meaningful. My logic behind this is that a listener’s ear will immediately tune into a good beat or a
catchy guitar hook, but if the lyrics are good, they will continue to listen and perhaps come back for
more.
What is your favorite song to play?
Nick Feratu: I don’t know. I’m bored with our songs now. I’m about ready to start auditioning some
new stuff. We’ve been hovering around between the same 25 songs ever since the last album came
out and it’s about time to inject some new pizzazz into the set. I think the next album will be all
bluegrass and gypsy jazz instrumentals. We have many facets yet to explore.
Juan Carlos: Probably “I’m a Nightmare” since the drums are so tribal sounding. Tribal is good in
percussion, not in tattoos.
NickDave: I like “Black, White and Red.” Basically any song where it’s really fast and there’s
potential to see a pit.
Juan - what's the difference between playing drums standing and sitting - is one easier than
the other?
Juan Carlos: Sitting is MUCH easier. Not only do you have one more limb to use while you are
sitting, but you have much more balance and leverage. Although I feel so limited while I am standing, I
still love it!
Nicholas - how did you start playing the upright bass?
NickDave: I started playing after I saw Tiger Army open for Social D in 2006 at the Celebrity Theatre
(really weird place to have a punk show, by the way). Before then I had been playing electric bass, but
once I saw them I was so impressed by Roffredo’s playing and I knew that I wanted to play it. I told my
grandparents about this discovery and I think my grandpa liked the idea of me playing country and
hillbilly inspired music because one week later I got a call from my grandma asking me if I wanted an
upright. I was like “Hell Yea!!” and she was like “Alright!!!” - I love my grandparents.
What brand of instruments do you all play?
Nick Feratu: I play Gibson SG through Boss and Danelectro pedals and a Fender amp. I used to
have a Gretsch guitar, but then I saw that it was the hot thing to do in the Rockabilly / Psychobilly
underworld, so I went the other direction. The clone bands can keep their little cowboy ranchero
guitars.
Juan Carlos: Mine is one big clusterfuck of mismatches. I play a 22” pearl export bass drum, two
remo roto toms and a mix of Gibraltar, DW Pacific, Tama and other hardware. Cymbals are all
Zildjian now. Oh! And my baby, a 14” Ludwig classic maple piccolo snare.
NickDave: I have and Engelhardt supreme. It’s a big bitch, but it’s my big bitch.
Any last words for the readers?
Nick Feratu: Loads - “You’re Doomed If You’re A Clone”. If a substantial effort isn’t made to go
against the grain and stand out from the norm, one is likely to fall in line just like everyone else and be
another boring blip on the radar.
Take control of your destiny. Listen to good music, not just whatever is available. Forget about trends.
Fuck corporate music.
Smash a poseur’s face in with a sledgehammer. But first - destroy their ego and exploit their false
persona with careful thought and attention to verbiage. Oh, and grammar is your friend.
Juan Carlos: Don’t stick to a scene! Expand your musical horizons, cause you never know what you
could be missing out on.
NickDave: What’s the difference between marmalade and jam?
I can’t marmalade my dick in your mouth.
Thank you, Krisin’s dad.
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