THE 351'S - Independence Or Nothing ! (Canada - Punk-Rock/Oï! - Interview with Kev "AC").

Hi—Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you—how you discovered this musical world, what drew you to it, what fascinated you, and what made you want to make music?
The 351’s (pronounced the English way: “three-fifty-ones,” but we don’t mind if people say “les trois-cinquante et un”!) Basically, there are three of us: Martin on drums, Dom on bass, and me, Kev—who’s answering this interview—on guitar and vocals. To give you an idea, my first exposure to punk rock was in the mid-’80s with Les Bérus’ "Concerto pour détraqués". Before that, nothing… just the radio back then! Something clicked that night—it’s been forty years, and I’m still hooked on punk rock… For the other two guys, it’s pretty much the same story, though maybe a bit more metal or more oi. I think all guys—no matter the style of music—have dreamed of playing in a band at one point or another in their lives. It’s just that some did it, others didn’t. We did it in our late forties! Why? There’s no explaining it—it’s visceral!

If I told you you had to leave for a deserted island in 5 minutes—you have no choice… except to take three albums with you… which ones, and why? Would you say these were game-changers at some point in your life?
Every time someone asks me this kind of question, it’s torture! Yesterday it was this or that album, and tomorrow it’ll be three others, depending on my mood at the time. I’d say I’d need some reggae—probably "Legalize It" by Peter Tosh (a classic), "Pleasant Dreams" by the Ramones (criticized, but I love its cheesy pop vibe!), and "White Light, White Heat, White Trash" by Social Distortion (their heaviest, a little dark…) It’s not so much that these albums have changed anything in my life; they’re feel-good albums, the kind I listen to again when I feel like nothing interests me anymore!

Tell me about the band… How did you guys meet? The current lineup? Past experiences? And most importantly—WHY did you feel the need to form THIS band?
We’ve been around since the fall of 2023. I was playing in another band - The Rudesters - which went through several lineups, and toward the end, we recruited Dom on vocals and Martin on drums. Long story short, we split up because of another toxic member, and since I wasn’t done with music, I called those two guys back, asked them if they wanted to start over on a fresh start, and they said yes. The only thing is, Dom took over on bass and I took over on vocals.
We have very little experience.
We’re really just like all those bands that started out without knowing how to play—for real! We’re learning as we go, even at fifty! I’d say the urge to form the band wasn’t as strong as the urge to keep it going: rehearsals are our weekly therapy session, and the bond we’ve created is strong.

Maybe a quick explanation of what the band’s name means?
Actually, I’ve been a truck driver for over thirty years; one of my all-time favorite movies is Spielberg’s "Duel", and the truck is a Peterbilt 351 (purists will tell you it’s a 281, but Spielberg had it modified to look like a 351!). The truck is old, rusty, and worn down to the bone, but it’s still running, and I thought it represented us well—I mean, we’re physically in the same shape! Plus, the name was unique… 

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all costs?
Originally, our sound was gritty because of the quality of our instruments, but it was also a way to sound old school. These days, all the offshoots of punk, metal, or hardcore are heavier, more intense, faster… We don’t claim to be reinventing punk rock, but we do have a bit of a desire to start from scratch, like they used to back in the day. I don’t want the bass to blend in with my guitar—I want it to cut through! For now, we’re a mix of the Ramones (I learned to play by watching Johnny’s music videos!), the Misfits, and the Clash… Dom loves Ross Knight’s tone (Cosmic Psychos) and Paul Simonon’s bass lines, while Martin’s influence is Cozy Powell… You see, we use our differences to create our own style!
And no one has to listen to our EPs “at all costs.” We do our own thing with our talent, we put our hearts into it, we’re evolving… We’re not trendy; we’re not looking for fame, but for sincerity. We don’t want to force you to listen—we want you to want to! In the Quebec scene, there are bands we don’t listen to, but we support them and are happy to share the stage with them, because we like the members…

Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences? How important are lyrics to you? Are there specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics?
Now you’re getting into my territory. The absolute influence for me (as the lyricist) is Dee Dee Ramone… He had a simplicity, a street-level poetry, a sense of rhythm… I try to bring a certain poetry—two (or even three) layers—to my lyrics.
At first, we decided the band would be apolitical. There are highly politicized punk bands that do it very well; we just didn’t feel like it, that’s all. Obviously, we share anti-racist values and so on, but we aren’t activists. My lyrics are about middle-class everyday life, my addictions, impossible love…

About the band’s discography… Imagine someone who doesn’t know your band at all and wants to check it out. Which release would you recommend they start with, and why?
We have two EPs, available on all streaming platforms… and we’ve compiled them on vinyl, a small pressing that’s already sold out!, the first one is unique because of our complete inexperience. Our sound engineer Renaud Rochette was very patient and did a great job!

About your next release?
Yes, we’re heading into the studio in late October for our third EP… and a fourth should follow in a few months… We prefer to release 4-track EPs at more regular intervals rather than a 10-track album, because the way we play and compose is evolving very quickly.

What are your plans?
Recording the next two EPs, but also playing a few shows outside of Quebec—heading more toward Ontario and English-speaking Canada in the spring…

What’s your wildest dream with the band?
Everyone would tell you it’s to play at this or that major festival, like Hellfest! As for me, I’d say taking part in a month-long workshop to master Reggae in Jamaica with my two bandmates… It’s not that we lack ambition; it’s that we’re aware of the limitations a young band like ours has to deal with, and every slightly bigger show we play becomes a special moment for us.

Your BEST & WORST concert—as a band—and why?
Best—hard to say… The most memorable was our last one with the old lineup, and that was opening for Komintern Sect (without the toxic member). We played without the bassist; we honored our commitment. The guys from KS were really nice, and despite all the crap we were going through, they encouraged us to keep going.
The worst was probably our second one. The sound was awful—we couldn’t hear ourselves play (and without experience, that’s no easy feat!)—and we were playing way too loud… but it might have been our most punk performance… Aside from a benefit show where we got kicked off the lineup because we weren’t in any condition to play!

Upcoming live shows?
For now, we’ve only got a few offers, but we’re not pushing it too hard—we’re more in “preparing new material” mode…

A few words about your local scene—which bands are you friends with and would like to mention?
Quebec City is a micro-scene within a small scene. It’s tough—everything is tough… Off the top of my head, we like: Les Toffes from Quebec City, Dirty Cheetah from Montreal, Moé pis mes bottes (our dear friend Spike the Terror!), Bauxite from Saguenay, The Abnormalz, Morsure, and La Gachette…

What’s the question you’d love to answer but have never been asked? Heads up—I’m also waiting for the answer that goes with it…
Q : Since the beginning of this adventure, how much money have you lost?
A : We stopped counting after a few thousand…

Q : Have you thought about starting an OnlyFans to pad the coffers?
A : Yes, but we couldn’t get people to stop laughing long enough to get the project off the ground

Well, the interview is coming to an end… Is there anything you’d like to add? Something I didn’t think of? Something important, funny, silly… Anything at all!
First, I want to thank you for giving us this space… The music scene isn’t just about the bands—it’s the guys and girls who promote them, through internet radio, podcasts, and zines, and who push the bands forward… it’s the people who pay a few dollars (euros!) to go see unknown bands…
Back in ’89, there was this pretty credible guy who yelled at the end of a concert: FORM INDEPENDENT ROCK BANDS! We believed it then, and we still believe it now… long live ROUGH TIMES! (Awwwh - merci beaucoup les cousins - Ed !)