Nicole Brice
Nov 4, 2024
The LA Phantoms have the strength and will to create music that resonates.
The LA Phantoms, a Louisiana punk band, has a rich history of resilience and readiness to face any challenge. Since the early 2000s, the band has seen many line-up changes and iterations, but their strength and determination to create music that resonates with their audience have never wavered. We are thrilled to share their story with you.
Formed in the early 90s under the name Mystic Fix, the LA Phantoms are a homegrown band originally from Ville Platte that moved to Lafayette, Louisiana. There, they underwent numerous line-up changes due to member deaths and other tragic circumstances, but they never stopped. With even more changes since then, The LA Phantoms have emerged today through these trials and tribulations, ready to conquer the musical landscape.
Today, the band is fronted by Cutty and Mac, who share vocal duties. Cutty, who also plays bass, Mac on drums, and Jaysun Birdman on guitar round out all the band duties. Sometimes, they'll invite other musicians on stage with them, too, because it is all about the music. This trio is brimming with anticipation for the new era of punk rock they are about to be a part of, with new music set to be released in 2025, and we cannot wait. I had the absolute pleasure of hearing this new music, and I can assure you, it's something to look forward to.
A vast range of influences have solidified the LA Phantoms' tight sound, and they are dedicated and determined to leave their mark on music history. To describe the LA Phantoms' music, it is good, solid punk rock. There is no fluff, no frills, just straight-up enjoyable punk rock.
The LA Phantoms, a trio of humble yet immensely talented musicians, embody a relentless drive and determination to push the boundaries of their craft. Their unwavering commitment to their music is admirable, and we eagerly anticipate what the future holds for them. Mixed Alternative Magazine had the privilege of engaging in a profound conversation with the LA Phantoms, and their love and dedication to their craft was genuinely inspiring. Read on to learn more about their journey.
MaM: Let’s dive into your band history. Tell us a bit about how you got started and where.
Mac: This band was an incarnation that spawned from another band. A punk band was called Mystic Fix. Mystic Fix was formed in the early 90s, around 1994, in Ville Platte, Louisiana, by our brother, Chris. It was Chris and James, and another guy named Timmy on drums, who is my brother-in-law now, so then they moved from Ville Platte to Lafayette, and the other guys from Ville Platte fell off, and Chris continued with us with a different line-up. The line-up fluctuated between various people until it ended up being me, Cutty, Chris, and Luke Duke. We played a few shows with that line-up, but Chris wanted to play more rock n roll, and he was discovering bands like Nashville Pussy and Speedealer – a lot of Southern rock stuff.
Eventually, he told me he didn’t want to go on with the name Mystic Fix anymore. He then said he wanted to start another band with more of a rock n roll approach because he thought it would give us more gigs across the country. He didn’t want to be pigeonholed into the whole punk rock scene. Fewer dive bars and bigger, more prominent venues. This all happened about 2001, and that was when we officially started The LA Phantoms. It was me, Chris, and Luke Duke (Choke). We wrote and recorded an album and put it out. Luke lived in Lake Charles, and Chris lived in Lafayette. Luke eventually fell out because he couldn’t commute from Lake Charles to Lafayette to rehearse. We ended up getting another guy, Damien Miller. Damien was the bass player for that run of LA Phantoms and passed away in 2007. That run of The Phantoms went from 2001-2005. Also, Creosote Jones from Cheater Pipe played with us for a few years and helped write many songs with us.
Cutty: We also had a harmonica player. He did lead harmonica solos.
MaM: Man, I’d be curious to see how that fits in with your sound.
Mac: We have a link to it. We can send it to you.
MaM: Yes. Please send me the link.
Cutty: It gave it kind of a blues edge. It worked with the formula. It was kind of like the song “Electric Worry” by Clutch. They have harmonica on that song.
MaM: So how did you get to the band's current incarnation?
Mac: Chris died.
MaM: Oh wow …
Mac: In 2005, my wife Jessica was terminal, so I had to quit the band because I couldn’t really play shows or go anywhere. We had been gigging everywhere from Austin to New Orleans, and I couldn’t go on the road because my wife needed me.
MaM: I’m so sorry, man. I understand.
Mac: I quit the band, and Chris started Mystic Fix back up with some other guys in Ville Platte. He started having trouble with his drummer because of his lack of interest. After my wife passed away, he asked me to join the band because he had recently signed up with a local label in Carencro. Chris gave me a cassette of the songs he planned to record, and I learned all the songs. The last show was at a skate park in Lafayette, and I got on stage to sing with them. This was June 10, 2007. On the next day, June 11th, Chris passed away, and then I found out on my birthday, June 12th, that he passed. We were devastated by this. To help with his funeral expenses, they asked me to put together a band to gig and help make money to pay for his funeral. I told them we would learn all the songs Chris had created. Chris’ girlfriend sang for us, and we raised a few thousand dollars and were able to bury him. Chris’ girlfriend later became my wife. Her name is Julie Jab. Then there was this guy named Shane, who played bass briefly. He was like the Sid Vicious of Lafayette—a lot of stage presence.
MaM: Then what?
Mac: We got Cutty. Me and Cutty had played in Mystic Fix, and he was with us when we were writing the early songs with LA Phantoms, and he came back once we got rid of Shane. Then we gigged like that till my wife had a heart operation. She had a valve replacement. She couldn’t continue with us. Then I started a band called Black Feratu, with my friend James Feratu. That was metal, and we did it for a few years. Then, the original guitarist for Mystic Fix was on his deathbed and was not doing well. He decided he wanted to play another run of shows, so he and Luke went with Cutty and I, and we started doing Mystic Fix songs. Still, we decided to do some LA Phantoms songs, too, but then James got on the stage one night, and he could only do half a song, and he was on a tank of oxygen and just couldn’t do it anymore.
MaM: Wow, bless his heart.
Cutty: Yeah, his last performance was in Lafayette at The Boom Boom Room. He was convinced he could stand up and play the songs. We tried to persuade him to sit down, but he stood up like a soldier and tried to troop through the song. Unfortunately, he did pass out, which was James’ last performance on stage.
MaM: To me, that is badass because that shows his dedication to music.
Cutty: One of the toughest MF’ers to get on stage.
MaM: I admire people like that, man. Those are the actual soldiers.
Mac: That’s right. Till we die, we don’t stop.
Cutty: Unfortunately, he did.
MaM: You all have an interesting story.
Mac: Tragedy at every step.
Cutty: Today, we are coming to you for this interview from the slab that used to be Changes. Mystic Fix was pretty much the house band at Changes. Love it or hate it, but if this slab could tell stories, we could write an incredible book.
MaM: Reminds me of the Dischord House and how well-known it is.
Cutty: The sacred slab.
Mac: Until it burned down.
MaM: You’re back to where it all began, and it is fortunate that we are doing this interview today. Brings back all full circle. Let’s get into the music. Your music blows me away, and I can’t wait to market it. When are you planning to release the songs you sent me?
Mac: We just finished mastering them and got the final footage for the video we are putting together of ‘Slow What.’ The plan is to release everything simultaneously on all platforms, though.
MaM: I think that sounds great. It's punk rock meets melodic thrash punk. It has a unique sound. I love the heavy bass on ‘Slow What,’ when the guitar comes in, it’s strong as hell, man, and that whole song takes off. It reminds me of The Melvins meets Tad. That’s the first vibe I got. With ‘Tight Grip,’ that song is aggressive out the gate, and then ‘Vampire,’ has that whole Van Halen ‘Hot for Teacher’ vibe. What inspired you to come up with your sound on these tracks? That is the LA Phantoms sound.
Mac: It’s just all our influences. I wouldn’t say I like being put in a box.
Cutty: A broad spectrum or prism. Without it, you’ll be limited and boring. We try to expand as much as we can.
MaM: Who are your influences then?
Cutty: The Misfits, Social Distortion, Slayer, Corrosion of Conformity
Mac: James Brown, Taj Mahal, Sly and the Family Stone.
Cutty: We also have another element of the music you haven’t heard yet. It’s more funk and blues. It's like Minutemen meets Sly and the Family Stone. We also have a small catalog of that.
MaM: I can’t wait to hear that! You guys are talented as hell. Let’s do this. What is your ultimate goal as a band, and what are you looking to accomplish with your music?
Mac: Our short-term goal is to release this music and expand our range of gigs. We have only been playing mainly in Lafayette and Lake Charles. We want to play Metairie and New Orleans more, maybe even Texas. In the long term, I’d love to tour Europe. My friends do this already, so I feel it’s achievable.
MaM: Let’s make this happen. What is about music that makes you passionate?
Cutty: It’s a release. You can have all these problems – weights and burdens on your back, and when I pick up my instrument, everything starts coming together. Even if it’s just 15 minutes or two hours, it makes everything okay.
Jason: The creativity and playing live. There’s nothing else like it. I love the camaraderie we have. We played a show with Choke recently. They are awesome guys. Super cool. I love hanging out with everyone because we have so much in common, and everyone is so supportive of each other.
Mac: Music sets me free and connects me to the universe. It connects with all is one, and one is all when I play music. It’s flow. It puts you in this flow state.
MaM: They say music is medicine, and the Chinese symbol for medicine is like music. Tell me about the worst show you’ve put on so far, and then tell me about a good show you played.
Cutty: I can’t focus on a bad show because it broadens the human horizon even if we mess up. We’re all people. It’s like a joke. If you trip, are you going to laugh with the crowd, or are you going to get laughed at, pissed off, and make an entire burden about it? You don’t do that. It would be best to roll with the punches because even a horror show is still a show. We’re out. We’re playing music. We’re having a good time, and we try to make the best out of it. That’s about it. As far as the best one? With these two guys, it’s always good.
Mac: I’d have to say the last show or the ones going on right now are the best ones. The worst show I’ve ever shown is when there is violence at the show. Someone would be throwing bottles at us, or someone would come into the club with a gun or just incidences like that. Just don’t stop playing unless we have to chase someone out.
Cutty: Now, if we got hit with a bottle, we’d have to beat the piss out of them.
(laughter)
Cutty: It’s just expected.
(laughter)
Mac: Well, the time with the gun, we didn’t stop playing. They walked in with the gun, pointed it at someone, and that was it.
(laughter)
MaM: If you could share the stage with anyone in the future, like your dream show, who would you pick, and why?
Cutty: I would say opening for The Misfits and Suicidal Tendencies. That would be the perfect show for me.
Mac: I have to concur.
MaM: In the next five years, where would you like to be as a band?
Mac: Touring Europe and playing big festivals.
MaM: If someone approached you and asked you to describe your music to them, how would you sell it to them?
Mac: Gangster Punk Rock n Roll
(laughter)
Cutty: I like that one. What was the phrase you wanted to put on shirts?
Mac: Vampire bank robbers from outer space
(laughter)
MaM: Last question – how does music inspire you daily?
Mac: To get up in the morning and face the world. Motivation to work out and live life.
MaM: Same
Cutty: Adrenaline and therapy – when you combine the two, that can also have a positive effect, and for us three, it works.
MaM: Oh yeah, 100%.
Jaysun: It helps me grow. I like to learn new stuff. I’m a student of the game.
As The LA Phantoms prepare to embark on a new year with new music, they will undoubtedly begin to build a following. Stay tuned for much more from this trio.
To learn more about LA Phantoms:
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*All photos by Gary Governale
Questions or comments? Hit us up at mixedalternativemag@gmail.com.