Dayglo Abortions Singer Joins Maximum RNR

03/13/09 3:41pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Former Dayglo Abortions frontman Gymbo Jak has joined Toronto's Maximum RNR.

Jak's addition to the band comes after former singer Louis Durand played his final show with Maximum RNR in January. Jak will make his live debut with Maximum RNR at Jimmy Jazz in Guelph, Ont. tonight (Friday).

Guitarist Keith Maurik told Echo Weekly magazine that the band had Jak in mind for a while and wanted him because he's an experienced musician with tons of tour experience. He's also insane, as the band point out in this statement explaining how they first became acquainted with Jak:

"Went to see the Dayglos at Foufounes in Montreal in '98 or '99. It was a packed house. About 5 songs into the set I looked at the stage and it appeared Gymbo had some sort of Monty Pythonesque pump strapped to his back that was squirting liquid about 3 feet into the air. I was a little confused and actually chuckled.

"It turns out he hit himself on the head with a beer bottle and it was actually blood that was squirting out of his skull. Within 15 seconds, his white T-shirt was completely red. Blood was spraying all over the people within 10 feet of the stage. Gymbo finally noticed he was bleeding, so he starts singing harder, which caused he blood to pump harder — literally a good 5 feet into the air.

"People in the crowd (and in the rest of the band) were looking at each other with terror in their eyes. The song finished and [guitarist] Cretin says, 'It's not good, dude. It's not good.' Gymbo's like, 'Fuck that! Play the next song!' I'm thinking he's gonna fucking die onstage — literally. The band refused to play the next song — Gymbo's lost pints of blood in a few minutes.

"So the soundguy comes up on stage with a roll of duct tape and a T-shirt and proceeds to duct-tape the T-shirt to Gymbo's head. It looked like he was wearing a silver turban. And then they kept playing and finished the set while Gymbo grew paler and paler.

"So, Gymbo's now with us, but we told him he's not allowed to hit himself on the head with beer bottles. Thankfully he's cool with that."

Given that Maximum RNR are known for on-stage antics, Jak should fit right in. If smacking himself with beer bottles is out, is Jak still allowed to pee on other people?