“We’re a pretty dark band—I don’t see this record getting a lot of radio play.” There’s a warmth in the voice of Bryan Giles, guitarist for Portland, Ore., band Red Fang, that belies his group’s darkness. The band just released its third album, Whales And Leeches (Relapse), after a summer raging across the festivals and rock clubs of Europe. Through a series of hilarious viral videos and years of intensely cathartic, energetic shows, the group has earned a reputation as one of heavy music’s premier party bands—whether it wants that title or not. Giles will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Red Fang feature.
Giles: Our tour manager and I started a pinball club in Portland a couple of years back. It’s called Whiskey Dicks, or WDX for short. There’s seven or eight of us now, and we play local tournaments for cash. Our rivals are a much more established local club called Crazy Flipper Fingers. They’re really cool and fun to battle. One of their members is named Isaac Ruiz. He’s a real sweetheart and has put together an application for finding pinball machines in town and elsewhere. It’s called the Portland Pinball Map, and is an interactive platform that lets you know everything from where machines in town are to what condition they’re in, as well as links to tournaments in town. It’s invaluable if you’re a pinball freak or just a casual player. Check it!
Video after the jump.
