First/Last-Unnatural Helpers

"Led by vocalist, drummer and Seattle music fixture Dean Whitmore, Unnatural Helpers have been bludgeoning Northwest listeners over the head with their raw, wheels-off brand of garage punk since they got together while working for Sub Pop. Their only full-length album, Cracked Love & Other Drugs, was released by local label Hardly Art in 2010, and apparently they’ve just finished recording a second album. Best enjoyed while sipping a PBR…or maybe chugging a PBR…or actually, probably, hurling it at the stage." - Ryan Bort PASTE

Check out the band on Facebook, Twitter, ReverbNation and MySpace. The Washington band was part of the Paste 50 States Project with their 2010 Hardly Art release, "Cracked Love & Other Drugs". My thanks to Dean Whitmore (Drums/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
“Van Halen II”. My sis had the first & I went looking for my own copy but they were out. Was still pretty psyched.

Your last album bought?
Edgar Broughton Band “A Bunch of 45’s”. Was initially turned off by the vocals sometimes being too Beefheart but they’ve got their own thing going.

Favorite album of all time?
The Who “Live At Leeds”. In my opinion the best live band, in their prime, improvising, kicking ass & being arty at the same time.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Not sure about this one. A number of years ago I decided that I was going to start trying to buy a “hot new release” every once in awhile without really researching it or anything to touch base with the general zeitgeist. I picked up the first Interpol record based on some description that, if my memory serves me, said something about it being a more punk Joy Division or something. I almost busted it over my knee to take it out of circulation & save someone else from the same mistake but took it back for the $3 trade or whatever the next day.

First concert attended?
Devo, Mercer Arena Seattle, 1981. My friend had a cool brother who hipped us to the big college bands of the day like The Jam, Blondie, Elvis Costello, The Clash etc. We loved Devo & he took us to this & it blew our little 13 year old minds. Punkers were smoking weed & making out & being crazy & I’d never seen anything like it. This show ended up being released a couple years ago which was also kind of mind blowing & excellent.

Last concert?
Terakaft & Kinski at Neumos in Seattle. I love that Malian guitar groove stuff.

Favorite concert ever?
So many great ones, I have no idea.

Least favorite concert?
So many bad ones, I have no idea.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?

I’ve never been to Pittsburgh but hope to someday. The strongest emotions I get regarding Pittsburgh are the feelings of getting fucking scammed out of a Super Bowl win in 2005. Haw. We played with a great band from there called Slices that I really dug too!

Thanks, Dean. It may be heresy to say around these parts but I agree with you on the Super Bowl win. I speculated and was proven a few weeks after the game that Pittsburgh would gobble up more swag than Seattle and I was right. The NFL is a BUSINESS and... ah, don't get me started.