If you had anything to do with the Louisville punk and hardcore scene back in the early 1990’s, you were definitely familiar with Indignant Few, whether you wanted to be or not. Backed by their two Better Days Records released EPs; Revenge Your Authority in 1991 and Street Smart Girl in 1992, they were loud, abrasive, snotty young punks with a shitload of attitude that shared a love/hate relationship with the local scene. The band went their separate ways in 1994, reuniting only for a couple 20th anniversary shows in 2010 before disappearing once again. Then in late 2021, seemingly out of nowhere, the entire original lineup reformed and has since been creating new material and playing shows regularly. Still loud, abrasive, snotty punks with a shitload of attitude, just a little older and wiser now. LEO caught up with vocalist and Punk Rock Night Louisville Manager/Booker Morgan Donor for a chat about the past, present and future.
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
LEO: So, what has everyone been up to for the past 30 years?
Morgan Donor: Raising families and avoiding the reaper. If someone would have asked us back then where we expected to be in 30 years, none of us could have imagined where we are now. Along the way, we’ve accumulated stories from our ups and downs along this interesting adventure - plenty of fodder for punk rock songs.
What brought you all back together in 2021?
We had planned a 30-year reunion in 2020, but the pandemic threw a wrench in that plan. The trauma of the pandemic was the predominant reason for our resurrection and the timing couldn’t have been any better. Jeremy made the initial connection asking if we would like to get together and make music —no plan in mind. Before long we began rehearsing regularly and writing new songs, which eventually led to us booking shows. It was incredibly organic. I don’t think any of us ever expected to move forward in the way that we have.
What can we expect from the new material?
New material makes up the bulk of the music we perform these days. We will include one or two old songs at our shows, at best. Our new songs have really evolved and were born from all of the lessons life has crashed down upon us over the years. We still complain about all of the injustices and ignorance that surrounds us, but it’s the decades of experiences that shaped the sound that is redefining us. We are releasing our new single, “Gimme That Somethin’” on July 7, which will be followed up by a music video for the song. We also have a 4 song, 7-inch EP set to be released at the end of 2023.
How does it feel to be working with Ben Jones and Better Days Records again after 30 years?
Ben and I have remained close friends over the years, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that we actually started working together to relaunch the Better Days Records label. And once Indignant Few were back at it, that really motivated us to look to the future. It feels great to work with Ben. After all, he is the one that gave us a chance and released our first two EPs back in the early 90s. Ben has been supporting punk rock in Louisville for over 40 years, and it’s an honor to be a part of that legacy.
Has there been any talk of re-releasing the original EPs?
There have been discussions, but I think we are fine with leaving them as remnants of the past. Those songs don’t represent the people that we have become. That’s not to say that we won’t ever re-record one of the old numbers, but we are far more interested in putting out new material. I was seventeen when I.F. began; a juvenile, and it came across in the songs in my opinion. Now things are more refined and have a purpose.
What are your impressions of the punk and hardcore scene back in the ‘90s vs. now?
Honestly, I think the scene today is so reminiscent of the scene in the ‘90s because of the relentless D.I.Y. approach. However, the scene today doesn’t seem as segregated as back then. There are so many bands now with such different sounds and they are sharing stages and supporting one another, and often times they are putting it all together themselves. It’s great to be a part of it. Louisville also has an enormous selection of well managed and maintained venues; more than it’s ever had. Everywhere I look, there seems to be a show happening.
How did Punk Rock Night Louisville come about?
I have a lot of time on my hands these days. That led to Ben [Jones] and I discussing ways to provide more support to the punk rock community, and promoting shows seemed like the next logical step. Punk Rock Night is a non-profit organization that has been going strong in Indianapolis since 2000. After a few discussions with the crew in Indy, we saw an opportunity to expand the establishment they’ve created. Just like that, we’re off and running.
What are your aspirations for Punk Rock Night Louisville?
My hope is that PRNL continues to expand its audience and that Louisville’s underground musicians feel safe while attending our shows, are provided with opportunities to share their own music, and have a community in which they feel free to express themselves however they want. The plan is to continue to grow and eventually add a two-stop stint for touring bands in Louisville and Indianapolis. We’ve got some great bands coming through this year - Voice of Addiction, Nine Pound Hammer, Thelma & The Sleaze, to name a few. The momentum is growing and I would like to see that continue.
What are the future plans for Indignant Few?
To keep writing music and playing as much as we can. We are opening for FEAR at Headliners in September, that’s an item on the bucket list we never thought was feasible to add. For the first time in our career we are getting out on the road this fall. Hopefully that will lead to more opportunities. Otherwise, we plan to keep pushing the envelope and pushing ourselves. We will continue to add new material to our arsenal which will hopefully lead to more vinyl projects. In many ways, this is just the beginning. •
Indignant Few’s new single “Gimme That Somethin’” will be available for streaming everywhere on July 7. They will also be shooting their first ever music video at Mag Bar on Sunday, July 9 at 2:00 p.m. and all are invited to attend. You can also catch them live at the Mag Bar Music Fest on Sunday, July 23. For more information, check out: indignantfew.com and punkrocknight.com/wp/prn-louisville
