Touch My Rash || More Than Just a Name || Hidden Rock'n'Roll p.5

I first met frontman, Colin Kutch, of the legendary Touch My Rash shoved in back of an old Toyota Corolla hatchback on the way up to San Francisco to see Red Planet open up for Sylvain Sylvain at the Pound.  I don't know if I ever thanked him for the ride, but it sure was worth it (great show!).  Years later, I heard that Colin got himself together a tight little punk band, called (snicker, snicker) Touch My Rash.  I knew that they were going to be my speed due to the long conversation, that I can barely recall, about music we had while driving up to that show in SF.  I knew he was a big fan of The Ramones, a lot of Lookout Records artists as well as a semi-groupie of The Donna's (see him in one of their videos).  So I knew that it would be loud, snotty and in your face.  Throw on a name like Touch My Rash and you will never be forgotten in the San Jose Music scene.

TMR came about when Colin, Olga Safronova and Dave Sokh were all in College at San Jose State.  Bored and looking for an outlet they decided to start a band.  Hey, if the Ramones could do it with three chords, why not three kids from San Jose.  Colin had fooled around with a guitar, with 4th grade do-re-me classes and what not, but Olga and Dave had not played a lick.  They all started getting together in 2002 to "practice".  Turns out that the initial practices consisted mainly of watching T.V. and goofing around.  "Very little playing was involved with our practices for the first three years."  Move ahead to 2005 and they decided to actually try to finish a song, which they did.  This led to a 4 song E.P., that eventually led to them to record, mix and master their full length debut, "Doomed From the Start". It is a fantastic debut with fast, punchy tunes all in the 2 minute range, the way a good song should be!

Looking for work led Dave off to Reno before the recording of their debut album.  However, in came Hong Lam to hold down the low end of the trio.  When  "Doomed From the Start" came available to the public in 2008, this trio played all over & around the bay area clocking over 50 shows in a short time-span.  Playing live this much will make you a better musician, however when prompted to see how Colin feels about his own playing ability the answer I received was, "I still just mainly stick to three chords.  If the Ramones could make a career out of it, I am fine with following that."

So what is on tap for TMR?  Personally, I haven't seen them on many bills as of late.  Turns out that they are deep in the confines of their studio working on their sophomore effort.  Hopefully to be recorded in the fall and ready for public consumption sometime in the beginning of 2012.

Why write about TMR?  Well, first off they are a totally cool bunch that wants to keep with the tradition of DIY maximum rock'n'roll and they aren't caught up in a lot of bullshit that comes with the music scene.  They are real people playing real music.  One of the greatest scenes that I have ever witnessed at the Caravan (of a long list of cool memories) was seeing Colin's Mom sporting a Touch My Rash T-shirt and helping him load out his gear by carrying his Fender amp out to the car.  I loved it.  Everyone has to have a little support.  Why not one's own Mom?  Anyhow, Touch My Rash should be setting up to play a lot of shows coming up this next year.  Be on the lookout and go get entertained.

Here is their video for "Single by Choice"


This song kicks ass live. Beautifully entitled, "Slit our Wrists"