Akimbo stand for everything right in Seattle's underground hardcore scene. They are an aural train wreck of noise, and a spectacle to behold. Teen Cthulhu and Akimbo have been playing together for years and we still love to see them. Nat Damm's classic-rock-inspired, old-school hardcore beats form a giant skeleton where Jon Weisnewski's enormous bass wizardry takes hold as the guts and Jared Burke's Southern-stomp-meets-grind-guitars lay the skin and claws on this towering living corpse. That's what Akimbo is: a giant carnivorous corpse with claws and fangs. Be warned that while this rotted giant is huge and heavy, it moves amazingly fast. So watch your fingers.

On the eve of Akimbo's grand display at this year's Bumbershoot, Teen Cthulhu sat down in the Akimbo practice space and had a talk about our favorite subjects: patchouli, world music, and Pedro the Lion.

Wasn't there some mix-up on the Bumbershoot website? Tell us about that.

Nat: "Yeah our 'comrades' down in California who play wonderful, wonderful world beat music [in another band called Akimbo] have a website that confused the Bumbershoot folks. They thought we were them, and our description on the promo website was, uh, wrong. Yeah, I raised some hell about that."

Jon: "I think they thought we were going to play our world beat set."

Well I think the old description is better than the "spazz-core, nu-metal" description they have now. We've given you guys a lot of crap about that world beat thing over the years too.

Jon: "Yeah, you did."

How did that make you feel?

Jon: "Not too bad considering it came from 'Teen Ska-thulhu.'"

Oh, roast!

Nat: "Yeah, Teen Patchouli."

Cap! Yeah, we're gonna edit that out. How did you guys score that show at Bumbershoot?

Jon: "Uhhhh. It's not too punk rock. We filled out an application."

Will you have the vinyl version of your record for Bumbershoot? Can you even sell merch at Bumbershoot?

Nat: "They make you consign your merch to a company they have and you get a ridiculously low percentage of the sale. We aren't going to do it. We'd rather not sell anything."

I heard that Pedro the Lion is playing right after you guys!

Nat: "Fuck those dudes."

Do you hate those guys or something?

Nat: "I hope they get stabbed in the eye."

Jon: "There's gonna be a lot of kids waiting through our set to see Pedro the Lion."

They're gonna be pretty bummed out. [At this point in the interview a pile of gear falls over, and we decide that since Pedro is much tighter with God than any of us, we should drop the subject.] What other stuff do you have going on in the near future?

Nat: "What is there after Bumbershoot?"

Jon: "We are playing the Old Fire House 10 Year Anniversary! It's really cool because the Old Fire House is a great venue and it's been around for 10 years."

Thus the "10 Year Anniversary" theme for the show? [Silence.] Uh, what do you think about the TDO being overturned?

Nat: "Fucking dope."

Jon: "Very good."

Nat: "Fuck those puritan bastards that initiated it."

What's the worst thing about heavy bands and music in Seattle?

Nat: "Jackassery."

Jon: "There's not enough of it."

Who do you love?

Nat: "No one besides Teen Cthulhu." [Rustle of money changing hands.]

Jon: "I'd really have to say you guys [more money changes hands] and Wormwood."

Akimbo play at the EMP Sky Church Fri Aug 30, 2-3 pm.