Following Poison 13's demise, Tim surprised everyone with his straight-up funk n' soul revue called Bad Mother Goose - an integrated and political thorn in the side of the Reagan/Bush era. In '91, the holy circle of dreck was complete when members of Gas Huffer and Mudhoney (huge Poison 13 fans all) joined Tim to form The Monkeywrench, a bluesy, mod-flecked punk outfit created primarily to blow your feeble mind. Tim's next outfit, Jack 'O Fire, devoted to covering the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Negative Approach, Booker T. & the MG's, Joy Division and others, resulted in discombobulated awe, discussions of "soul" and the furthering of something called The Young Lions Conspiracy. But this is all semi-ancient history. His past work alone is enough to make him reknowned in European circles, but like any good American must ask - what have you done for me lately? Enter the apocalyptic nightmare known as the Lord High Fixers. With Poison 13 frontman Mike Carroll back in tow and more feral than ever, Tim has returned to full-on garageland punk. Naturally, there's a little bit o' everything in the mix, but punk is the undisputed soul of this bullshit-killing machine. Arguably his best combo yet, Tim and the Fixers rage hard and as anyone who's seen them live can attest, Kerr is more fucked-up crazy than he's ever been. Swinging that beat hollow body guitar around like an amphetamine- driven jackal, Tim Kerr grins - exuding a sinister and joyful quality seldom seen outside a lunatic asylum. Equal parts white,black, yellow and red. Part punk, soul man, jazzbo, rocker and mod. His appearance alone reveals the legacy of all these things and more. Is he a skinhead? Naw, he's got them long swanky dreads in back. His skin art recalls old school punk, but what gives with the "John Coltrane" over the wrists?

 Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of music, politics and culture, Tim is impossible to dissect or encapsulize in the space of an article or interview. He is the most frustratingly together cat you'll ever meet and gives not the slightest damb if anyone "knows" him or kisses his ring. In fact, that is the kind of thing he finds most peculiar. He's genuinely taken aback when folks recognize him or approach him with reverence. He simply refuses to grasp the idea that he's influenced so many musicians and fans with his music and example. In this sordid age of misguided ethics,petty squabbling and lowered expectations, Tim remains one step ahead and has never, I mean NEVER compromised himself for corporate gain. He's too fucking busy most of the time anyway, to even consider such a ridiculous notion. In true Tim Kerr fashion, he'll most likely dismiss this gush as "crazy" 'cause he's a modest joe that everyone is here and now and blah blah blah. But tough shit, Tim - you can't unring a bell.

 Vic: What does "soul" mean to you and how does it apply to the way you live?

 Tim: Soul to me is giving your "all" to something - not just doing what's needed to get by. It's doing more than the usual outline required and in doing so putting yourself out on the line. It's something that burns within and makes you do something because it's consuming you so much it becomes you. Therefore,uncon- sciously, it is applied to all aspects of your life. Truly hear Coltrane's horn to wake up and undam your emotions.

 V: In whose interest is it to snuff out the soul?

 T: Because soul is such a personal and individual emotion it's hard for the "keepers of cool" or Mr. Business man to package true soul. There can never be any rules applied to the true emotion - the raw free emotion, so it's in the best interest for the packaging and money management department to sell its own definition, there- fore moving the true soul tag to the saints and lunatics unobtainably lurking on the back shelf. When something does fall off that shelf at the feet of Mr. Consumer, a new set of rules is applied. So it's not so much snuffing out as much as making it safe and packageable and presentable. Safe.

 V: How is the underground music scene today different from the late seventies/ early eighties?

 T: Number one: Money and business was not an issue. No one expected to see money and therefore in "most" cases, money and business was not a driving force in the expression of art, music etc. being made. Rules were applied later to the outburst which was some of the nails in the coffin. There has always been a small contingent that has picked up the real flag and in thisday and age, it's easier for them to get their message out, alot more outlets to spread the word.

 V: I think alot of bands today take for granted the extreme amount of bullshit the old bands had to endure. What were some old school hardships you faced?

 T: There was a stronger feeling of "us" and "them" because back then "us" was a small minority. You didn't hear any of this stuff on mainstream radio and not a lot of it on non-mainstream. That was actually not so much of a hardship because each statement was going up against "them". A lot of the jock/frat people who have blue hair now or tattoos or piercings are from the same ilk that wanted to kill you back then for having blue hair or tattoos or piercings. You pretty much had to find places to play knowing full well it could be shut down any minute. As I said before, money was not an issue so just the fact that a show was held was a big success. There were clubs - not many - and the people who worked at the clubs had to endure troublemakers like people coming to "gawk" and fight the weirdos or pick up the obviously "easy" women. This so-called movement was a very small minority and the club owners for the most part were doing it for the love and spirit of this minority. Studios, sound people,music industry, etc. pretty much had no idea what to make of this stuff so you found yourself at the mercy of your own industrious ideas. But because of this initiative you had to maintain it, your enjoyment of the results was stronger.

 V: The Big Boys popularized the phrase: "What are you doing to participate? How does one "participate" and why should they?

 T: You can either just "get by" or you can blow Coltrane's horn and live life to the fullest. The choice is yours - one to me is fairly dull while the other is a breath of fresh air, so you know I'm gonna be on the freedom bus sitting right by you,Vic, and Beth in the middle of the Makers section! Sit back at the corner and don't participate or participate. Stand up, be counted! The choice is yours and yours alone. What do you do to participate? Live, contribute. Don't just get by. Burn! Burn bright!

 V: What did being in the Big Boys do for you?

 T: The Big Boys helped me be a part of this new/old awakening of "punk rock". I say new/old because the original fuel and fire were no different than the fuel and fire of the original hippies, original beats, original bohemians, etc. before they were tagged with a name and a set of rules. The original spirit and force are the same and because of this idea it will happen again and there will be a new label. It made me realize there was a lot more going on than what "they" presented you and that you could accomplish thingswhen the odds were against you - enough to keep trying at least. It also helped me appreciatethe craziness of life and to not miss out. I also made lots of cool friends.

 V: Would you agree with the recent concensus that Poison 13 created what is known as "grunge"? Are you pleased with that particular honor?

 T: I thought Seattle created "grunge"? Yes, I'm aware that us, Tales of Terror, The Dicks and the U men were all influences. I'm glad and honored that something I was involved in was some sort of an influence to an individual or group,but as far as what "Mr. Suit" tagged it and the oncoming army - that's way over my head.

 V: Why wasn't Poison 13 more popular in it's day?

 T: Poison 13 formed at the height of fast hardcore. Speed and values were a big thing. Texas - specifically Austin - was very big on the Blues which most "punks" hated. "Our" music scene against "their" music scene etc. Now here was Poison 13 playing slow Blues songs with no socially redeeming lyrical content. Way too punk drunk and loud for the blues people and way too slow and bluesy for the punk/ hardcore set. Yeah, there weren't alot of people into what we were doing here. Hated and proud!

 V: Mike Carroll has got to be the greatest, most underrated singer/frontman/ lyricist in rock n' roll. Isn't that partly the reason Monkeywrench started - to bring out all those great unrecorded Poison 13 songs?

T: Mark (Arm), Steve (Turner), and Tom (Price) were big Poison 13 fans. Tom was one of the few Northwesterners who had seen us. The U men lived in a bus at Chris Gates/Mike Carroll's house here in Texas during one summer. They were all pretty taken with Mike. And when I met Mark and we became friends, the idea of recording unreleased Poison 13 songs came up and became a reality. At first, I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do because Mark was going to have to rewrite most of the lyrics on the songs (no one could understand Mike's singing) but then I thought maybe if people were into Monkeywrench they would check out Poison 13 and hear Mike and the really great lyrics he could write, so we went ahead with the plan. The majority we did, were the songs from the last incarnation of Poison 13 where I had written the music or music and words. It was alot of fun.

 V: What brought you and Mike back together for The Lord High Fixers?

 T: Mike had gone M.I.A. for awhile and after a long period he got back in touch with me and Beth. We were both so happy to hear from him. During the first couple of visits, one thing led to another and it seemed that Mike felt he still had something else to express and he wanted to do this through a band he had already christened - The Lord High Fixers. If it was anybody but Mike, I would have said thanks, but no thanks because I was feeling it was time to bow out of being in bands. It was Mike asking so I said yes.

V: What was the reaction to Bad Mother Goose from your old Big Boy/Poison 13 fans?

 T: I think the later Big Boy crowd was more into it than the Poison 13 crew. It was pretty mixed. I think what annoyed our old friends (Beth too) was not so much the music as the majority of the crowd who came to see us. It was pretty much a dance crowd which in some ways was cool, but I think alot of the social content of the lyrics went right over their heads. Not because of stupidity but because they were more tuned in to the beat and having a good time. That band made alot of people question themselves and their so-called values more than anything else I've been involved in.

V: Was it with Bad Mother you first experienced major label swine? What did you learn from that?

T: Well, I had sort of dealt with that before in Big Boys/Poison 13 but this was the first full-on attack where being a part of that picture was even being considered by a group of people I was involved in. We felt the message we had was important enough as long as it was on our terms. You realize though that you have to work with many, many people who all have "good" ideas and pretty soon the message/ presentation gets watered down. There are so many people coming and going in that business that it's real easy for aband to get lost in the shuffle. And first and foremost, it is a business. Whatever is selling becomes the new flavor and most everyone shifts and wants you to maybe incorporate that flavor into what you are doing too. Not offending someone and money become top priority instead of the art itself. I have no problem with people going that route, I just don't care to do it.

 V: Are major labels even necessary nowadays? What does that whole "alternative nation" mean to you?

 T: It depends on your personal mutation as to whether you need a major label. I think that in this day and age it's fairly obvious that you don't necessarily have to go that route to have your music more accessible. As for the Alternative nation...It's an easy pitch to sell more products who, when at that age, are really trying to find themselves or identify with something. It's "them" fueling the us vs. them so "they" can have a handle on marketing and guiding this new generation. Well we know that at that age a small contingent are going to rebel against us and a much larger contingent would like to but are scared, so let's set up the rules before ythe smaller group does or better yet, let's incorporate the smaller groups' ideas and sell it back to them. Beatnik, hippie, punk, alternative nation. Defined, tagged, beaten.

 V: Who is Big Daddy Soul and what is the Young Lions Conspiracy? It seems to be popping up everywhere and in the most unlikely places.

 T: Big Daddy Soul is the nickname of a person I had the good fortune of meeting during the Big Boy years. At that time and to this day, he has been documenting and studying a large group of individuals calling themselves The Young Lions Conspiracy whose warly roots became a reality in the late '50'sto veru early '60's. The main philosophy is to experience as much as you can and don't get caught into just one sound, sounds or way of thinking. Live! and keep "them" in check and on their toes.

 V: How did Jack o' Fire become sffiliated with The Young Lions' teachings?

 T: I has been involved since the Big Boys but it wasn't until Jack o' Fire that I decided to publicly apply the Young Lions teachings. For the most part, The Young Lions are very individualized and anonymity is their strength. So putting it out in the open was somewhat of walking a thin line. Big Daddy thought it would be fine and since he's held in high esteem by the elders of this group, I went ahead with it and let people know something else was out there without giving too much information.

 V: Your recent records oftentimes speak of revolution. Is this a literal cry for action or an internal "wake-up" call of sorts?

 T: An internal wake-up call for personal live-by-example action revolution, Dig?

 V: Dug. Music is just one of your many interests and you seem to have an extraordinary grasp of literature and politics, so I'm curious, have you ever considered teaching?

 T: I would probably like teaching, but I would also be fires in the first week for leading a group of kids against public school rules and bullshit. In a way, we're all sort of teachers. There's always something to learn from someone.

 V: Your wife, Beth, is smart, sassy and fairly insane. I know her driving has scared The Makers shitless in the past. How has she influenced you?

 T: Huge, infinity. She is really great! Her support, love, and companionship is my one constant and I hope that I give her as much in return. As for driving - well, we're all gonna die sometime.

 V: Your punk work ethic keeps you busy with The Fixers and many various side projects in addition to holding down two "real" jobs. What are some of the recent projects you're proud of?

 T: I'm pretty proud of a few things. I did the soundtrack for a documentary on drive-in theatres that they show on PBS that I felt honored to be part of. The Lord High Fixers is probably the most fun as far as total freedom. King's Sound Quartet is cool. That's Stefanie (Fixers) and recording with Mick (Gories/Blacktop) and Alex (Blacktop). It's not as frantic as I think people expect it's going to be, but it's cool and we were all happy with the recordings.

 V: What's in store for The Lord High Fixers?

 T: Record and go to Japan! Continue to confound and confuse. Throw that wrench in the wheel.

 NOTE: This poorly conducted interview took place over a year ago, but was postponed due to the Great Estrus Flame-on of '97. Since that time The Fixers did tour Japan, The King Sound Quartet called it a day, and dig this: Last May, Tim Kerr was inducted into The Texas Music Hall of Fame along with Towns Van Zandt and ERNEST TUBB. No Shit! Of course, in true Tim Kerr fashion, he "forgot" to show up for the occasion, "Those things are just weird, " said Tim.