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Music

Gino and the Goons Want You To Know That Their Punk Rock Will Wreck You

The Florida punks have no time for the current shitpool of rock ’n’ roll posturing.
Tim Scott

With a name like Gino and the Goons and tracks such as “Sex, Drugs & Paranoia” and “You Can’t Get Away With Murder” you kind of know what you’re getting with these guys. That's primal and puerile budget punk rock that captures the spirit of a humid Western Florida night in a shit hole bar. Bugs crashing into naked light bulbs, cold beers going warmer quicker than the parole violator at the bar will shank you and a bunch of middle aged guys over in the corner smashing out a loose interpretation of rock and roll.

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Led by Gino Gambino, the Goons play rowdy punk rock that holds up it’s pint to the Ramones, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson, Nervous Eaters, and Motorhead. It sounds like being in the middle of a really tense house party.

Shake It, their new album on Black Gladiator/Slovenly is a follow up to their 2012 self released LP, that after selling out was reissued by Total Punk and had them playing with likeminded bands such as the Golden Pelicans and Goner Fest and Total Punk’s Total Fuck Off weekend.

Before the album’s release we caught up with Gino to find out more about his band and music.

Noisey: In Australia ‘goon’ refers to cheap cask wine that teenagers usually get fucked up on.
Gino Bambino: Ha! I didn't know that. It seems very fitting though.

The album was recorded on the south side of St Petersburg. Was that close to where Spring Breakers was filmed?
It wasn't too far away. We played an after party for the crew who worked on the film when they were done shooting. It was nuts! Someone said that James Franco was at the bar when we played but I don't believe it. They said that he split as soon as he got his drink though. So maybe it was true. Ha!

I believe you have previously lived in Baltimore and Charlotte, North Carolina. Why did you choose to settle in Florida?
I haven't settled and I didn't choose Florida. Florida chose me. My father was a gambler in northwestern Pennsylvania. He found himself on the wrong end of a gun. And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus rollin' down Highway 255.

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This is how you do an instore. It helped that it was at Goner but what makes for a good one?
Lots of cold beer, BBQ and the great people at Goner were a big help! Then the Golden Pelicans played a killer set right before us. So we were just trying to keep up!

A review of your first record said, “You can tell that these guys actually know how to play their instruments but are dumbing it down for the fun of it” Is this true?
It is true for the Goons. I tell them too. I don't want them to make me look bad.

Is “You Won’t Get Away With Murder’” about a rich kid getting his ass beaten?
Nah, it's about an adult who's trying to commit a murder and I'm telling him/her they won't get away with it.

With a name like Gino and the Goons and tracks such as “Sex, Drugs & Paranoia” and “You Can’t Get Away With Murder” you kind of know what you’re getting with these guys. That's primal and puerile budget punk rock that captures the spirit of a humid Western Florida night in a shit hole bar. Bugs crashing into naked light bulbs, cold beers going warmer quicker than the parole violator at the bar will shank you and a bunch of middle aged guys over in the corner smashing out a loose interpretation of rock and roll.

Led by Gino Gambino, the Goons play rowdy punk rock that holds up it’s pint to the Ramones, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson, Nervous Eaters, and Motorhead. It sounds like being in the middle of a really tense house party.

Shake It, their new album on Black Gladiator/Slovenly is a follow up to their 2012 self released LP, that after selling out was reissued by Total Punk and had them playing with likeminded bands such as the Golden Pelicans and Goner Fest and Total Punk’s Total Fuck Off weekend.

Before the album’s release we caught up with Gino to find out more about his band and music.

Noisey: In Australia ‘goon’ refers to cheap cask wine that teenagers usually get fucked up on.
Gino Bambino: Ha! I didn't know that. It seems very fitting though.

The album was recorded on the south side of St Petersburg. Was that close to where Spring Breakers was filmed?
It wasn't too far away. We played an after party for the crew who worked on the film when they were done shooting. It was nuts! Someone said that James Franco was at the bar when we played but I don't believe it. They said that he split as soon as he got his drink though. So maybe it was true. Ha!

I believe you have previously lived in Baltimore and Charlotte, North Carolina. Why did you choose to settle in Florida?
I haven't settled and I didn't choose Florida. Florida chose me. My father was a gambler in northwestern Pennsylvania. He found himself on the wrong end of a gun. And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus rollin' down Highway 255.

This is how you do an instore. It helped that it was at Goner but what makes for a good one?
Lots of cold beer, BBQ and the great people at Goner were a big help! Then the Golden Pelicans played a killer set right before us. So we were just trying to keep up!

A review of your first record said, “You can tell that these guys actually know how to play their instruments but are dumbing it down for the fun of it” Is this true?
It is true for the Goons. I tell them too. I don't want them to make me look bad.

Is “You Won’t Get Away With Murder’” about a rich kid getting his ass beaten?
Nah, it's about an adult who's trying to commit a murder and I'm telling him/her they won't get away with it.

“Shake It” is available on LP and cassette October 28 through Black Gladiator/Slovenly.

“Shake It” is available on LP and cassette October 28 through Black Gladiator/Slovenly.

Tagged:PunkFloridaGaragerockPremiereNew musicGino and the GoonsSlovenlyMusicNoisey
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