We've Got A Flyer On You: KUT-U-UP's Chris Coté On blink-182 & Green Day's Pop Disaster Tour 2002, Riding In Vans with Boys DVD & The English Beat (The Witzard Interview)
We've Got A Flyer On You will (hopefully!) be a new recurring column here at The Witzard. It's set to feature, examine, and re-visit mixed bill/genre, once-in-a-lifetime, iconic, and otherwise noteworthy Punk/Hardcore show flyers and their corresponding line-ups. As often as possible, we plan to speak directly with the promoters, bookers, flyer artists, soundmen/women, show attendees, and, most importantly, the artists themselves. If all goes well, we're even hoping to, eventually, cover a handful of shows we attended ourselves in years past, as well. For this slightly re-vamped edition of We've Got A Flyer On You, we'll be spotlighting a noteworthy musician, rather than a singular infamous show, for each installment.
KUT-U-UP is an Indie/Punk Rock band hailing from San Diego, California. This four-piece has been together since sometime in the middle of 1996. If memory serves correctly, the band was formed on the basis of making loud music for party-goers. In the last decade, the band has taken it's signature sound and refined it, adding melody, intricate guitar work, rotating vocals, pounding drums, all while keeping the loose attitude and high-volume rawness KUT-U-UP has become known for. Chris Coté is the bassist/vocalist for KUT-U-UP and has been since their inception and was once the editor of the now-defunct Transworld Surf magazine. Coté currently runs his own weekly video podcast, The Monday M.A.S.S., with Todd Richards, as well as the Coté Media Group and Coté Records. KUT-U-UP have re-formed in recent years and Coté has actively been releasing music as Chris Coté (Solo.) We recently got a chance to speak with Chris Coté about playing mixed bill shows with KUT-U-UP, Riding In Vans with Boys, and much, much more.
I. What are some of the most varied mixed bill/genre show line-ups you would say you were fortunate enough to partake in, Chris?
Chris Coté: We've played a lot of shows with random bands. I think, the best example that I feel is super-obvious is all our shows with blink-182 & Green Day. I, personally, don't even think we're in the same genre, but, I guess, fans do. A couple shows that stand out: we played a show with the Hardcore band Ignite in a very Hardcore club with a couple other strict Hardcore acts. We came on stage wearing home-made space helmets doing our Indie Rock set and people were pretty confused. We played a show with [The] English Beat & Naked Eyes (two big-time 80's bands) and while I absolutely LOVE those bands, our sounds didn't quite match and the crowd was older; most were not amused. We’ve played with rappers—in fact, we used to walk out to a GZA song.
II. What were the circumstances behind the fabled Pop Disaster Tour with blink-182 Green Day & Jimmy Eat World that spawned KUT-U-UP's infamous Riding In Vans with Boys DVD?
Coté: Basically, we were friends with blink-182. I was a roadie for them and would constantly make fun of their music and [try] to tell them to listen to "good" music, like Slint & Fugazi. At one point, I made up a fake band called KUT-U-UP and they, actually, called me on it and asked me to open an arena show for them. I quickly formed a band and the rest is history. The movie came about to promote the tour, Atticus Clothing, Macbeth Shoes, and because blink wanted us on tour with them for comic relief.
III. When we spoke in preparation for this very interview, you mentioned KUT-U-UP had played a lot of shows with a wide variety of multi-genre artists, such as Ty Segall, The English Beat, Weezer, New Found Glory, Naked Eyes, and Get Back Loretta?
Coté: We'll play with anyone, anytime. I mean, we would have. We haven't played in a bit because it's hard to be in a band with four adults with kids and sh*t.
IV. Do you have any particular memories or stories you would like to share/tell from KUT-U-UP's aforementioned mixed bill shows and well-documented tours?
Coté: We did a three-show tour of Texas after the Pop Disaster Tour with a band called Junior and one called [Fydolla Ho]. First show was great, then, we started really pushing the party limits and got so rowdy that we accidentally broke the drummer for Junior's arm. My voice was completely gone after the first show/all-night party and we got kicked out of a radio station. It was a year's-worth of madness and destruction all packed in to a one-week tour and one of the main reasons we knew we needed to chill; someone was about to die, for sure.
V. What were some of your personal favorite aspects about being able to play mixed bill/genre shows with so many different type of bands and musicians?
Coté: I think, myself and the guys in KUT-U-UP are very likeable and we can adapt to any situation. We were always down to go with the flow and, more often than not, we would be willing to play anywhere, anytime. The one time we backed out of a show was a total heart-breaker. We were supposed to play with Rocket from The Crypt and one of the other opening bands [complained] about something we did and our set time got pushed to [five] minutes before the doors were supposed to open! We respectfully bowed out.
VI. What can you tell us about KUT-FEST, KUT-U-UP's self-described "ALL-AGE RAGER?"
Coté: That was a fun one that we set up to play with some bands of younger fans. [Green Day drummer] Tré Cool was there along with about 15 other people haha. It was a bust, but we still had a blast.
VII. What are you currently working on, if anything, in a musical capacity?
Coté: KUT-U-UP is still kicking. We're about to re-release Pulled Over[... Your Eyes Are Telling Me Different Son..] on [Apple Music] & Spotify with some Bonus Tracks very soon... stay tuned! And we have been talking to an English producer for a potential recording session and a few shows in The UK—fingers crossed! I have been recording some solo stuff under Chris Coté (Solo) and Brandon [Parkhurst] just released a new YOVEE album that is really, really good!
VIII. Have you spoken to Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, or Travis Barker in recent years? I know Mark is still recovering from a battle with cancer, Tom is chasing aliens(?), and Travis is now Keeping Up with The Kardashians... but what are the chances of us ever seeing another Pop Disaster Tour with blink-182, Green Day & KUT-U-UP?
Coté: Haven't talked to them for a bit. I talk to [Green Day's] Billie [Joe Armstrong] every once in a while. Different worlds now, so there's not much of a chance that would ever happen again. I can't even get a KUT-U-UP rehearsal planned haha. Wish I could put together a tour. Let's just say, "never say never?"
