There’s an old-new band in town called Prologic Rebel Base Ensemble, and their ideas about Champaign are as interesting as their name. They’re just normal C-U guys, doing their normal C-U thing, but, as one member describes they “kinda forgot to use a cookie cutter” when they “rolled out the dough.” They’re a delight to talk to, and I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and catch the mid-week show at Mike ‘N Molly’s to hear these guys do their thing.
Smile Politely: How did you all meet? How did that turn into making music together?
Matthis Helmick: I met J Vance at “dollar pints [night]” at the first Blind Pig (currently Cowboy Monkey) through some common musical friends. We very soon decided we would become a band. I met Kyle Scott through J, and from working with him at Black Dog (where J also works). I’d seen his other band, Take Care, a few times. We needed not only a great bass player, but a good fit. Kyle was both.
Kyle Scott: I heard J Vance through his music with Tummler and Caster, long before I met him at Black Dog. I was always looking for an excuse to jam. I met Matthis Helmick after he moved back to town and started work [at Black Dog]. We seemed to get on well. I knew Jay was always working on solo things. Then, with Matthis back, it was an easy fit for them to get the band back together. Then talk of them adding a bass was in there language. I quickly volunteered my service.
SP: Love Black Dog. So there are three of you?
Helmick: Yes, there are three of us. J Vance plays the drums and programs most of the drum machine noise and melody. Kyle Scott plays the bass (and vocals in the future), and I play a turntable/mixer set up through an effects pedal. More like crazy noise than traditional DJ scratching, though there is some of that. I also freestyle, and do what we might call “sing song shit.”
SP: Do you tour at all?
Helmick: We have not yet done an actual tour. The only show we have played out of town was in St. Louis years ago. Speaking of years ago, Prologic Rebel Base Ensemble used to play all over Champaign-Urbana. Our unique non-rock band, non-hip-hop band, but not “live band hip-hop” sound has offered us the opportunity to open for a variety of bands from HUM to Digital Underground. This was a while ago though, we pretty much consider ourselves re-entering the local band scene, and are happy to start over, in a sense.
SP: How has the band evolved? You’re experiencing a rebirth of sorts…
Helmick: Well, one evolution is that we have moved on from having the drum machine be a primary player in the band. It use to be “let’s write a whole song, with changing parts and all that” with the drum machine. J would kind of have to really play to the meter of the drum machine, in terms of drumming his beat to the beat of the drum machine. We still do that to some degree, but we now use the drum machine for melody and vibe more than beat. Everything used to be very tightly timed out, though we always had the option to let the machine keep rolling, which we did often; to lengthen any song out. This lead to ten minute long freestyle vocal type songs. BORING.
When we decided to get Prologic up and going again, one of the first things we talked about was shortening the songs; not quite punk rock short, but kinda like that. More songs, shorter songs, more variety. Once Kyle joined up, it felt more like a band. The drum machine started to take more of a back seat. It’s still there for sure; it still provides crazy tempo noise and melody type shit, but now J drums to Kyle, Kyle plays to J. They both take lyrical cues from my vocals. It’s a lot looser. There are times when songs are nearing the end, and the drum machine all of a sudden becomes focal because the drums and bass have given it room again, and we have this big-ass machine noise pumping through the system. That’s always great to me because we are like, “Oh yeah, that was a pretty fun beat we programmed.” This is also when when my sampler will pop up, like, “Look at me, I’m looping a freaky Carl Sagan quote.” So, yeah, looser vibe, less emphasis on the drum machine is a major player, and more of a band feeling.
Prologic used to also be a bit more race, class, and gender oriented with the lyrical content. A lot of “the system is fucked up” kind of topics. A bit angry, a bit tragic. Now there is a funky weird love song of sorts right in the middle of the set, and a couple songs with short choruses that are strait up “attempted pretty singing” that is a big departure from the past. It’s fun for me to try to do this because singing is fun, sharing that over a mic is scary for sure, but awesome at the same time. We even have a Neil Young cover we whip out from time to time. So yeah, I guess you could call it a rebirth of sorts.
SP: It’s been a while, but what were some of your favorite places to play in town?
Scott: Favorite places to play in town have always been about the crowd. I love the late night house shows. I love playing upstairs at Mike ‘N Molly’s. I’ve had enjoyable shows at [Cowboy Monkey], front room at The Canopy, big room of The Canopy, even Highdive.
I would love for us to play Error Records sometime. That newer venue reminds me of everything good about my early years of watching and playing in bands. When everything was simple and for the music, not overly complicated with the pursuit of making something more than what it is. I think this band fits well into places where the crowd can be accepting and appreciative.
We kinda forgot to use a cookie cutter when we rolled out the dough.
SP: That’s the way to be. What are some of your musicial and personal inspirations?
Helmick: Mom’s Motown and old soul; all things MTV ’80s; new wave; classic rock; then ’90s hip hop… about in that order of introduction. These were my early musical loves.
That said my biggest inspiration as a kid growing up in Champaign-Urbana, was coming up around the Champaign Sound, rock-show-wise. That means different things to different people, but Loud and Fuzzy is what it means to me. Having good friends that were insanely musically talented, and going to see their shows is what kinda always stuck in my head as something I’d like to do. I’m pretty sure that was solidified at a Love Cup house show at First and Daniel. The Poster Children, Aardvark, Ward, 16 Tons, Steakdaddy Six, Hum, and countless others are what made getting on a stage something to ponder. Not to make it in the music world, but to just play. And play loud.
SP: We would get along very well, I think. Funk, Motown, CU roots, musical intellect, critical listening, terrifying vocal explorations…yeah, we could definitely be friends. What do you love most about living here?
Helmick: The easy bicycle commute to work, the farmers market, and being close to my mother and brothers. Nothing exciting really. I dig all the cool cats that do their thing musically. C-U is a pretty great spot on the map.
SP: All of those things are very exciting! “Wealth is what you have when there are things in your life that money can’t buy.” [Writer’s note: Not my quote!]
What are some of your favorite venues to play? Why?
Helmick: Speaking for myself only, I like Mike ‘N Molly’s because its always low key, and it sounds great upstairs. I hear folks talk smack about that spot, but come on. I’m also partial to MNM’s because I was playing some of my first shows at the super old school location over on Clark Street. Murph has always been a supporter of the simple rock show set up.
My second favorite spot would be the Brass Rail. It’s kinda like playing in a better lit basement, with better drink options. I have enjoyed the stages at the Monkey, the Highdive, and the Canopy Club, but it’s been a while.
SP: Murph is a mensch, that’s for sure. And there’s no end of good band venues here.
What’s next for Prologic? Album? Touring? Just creating more musical magic?
Helmick: We are open to recording. Finding time to commit to it seems the hard part with that. We could probably pull off some decent recording at our practice space; rock some Bandcamp type deals… but an album, I don’t know.
Touring: not really. Kyle has an adorable kiddo and J is knee deep in smoked meats at Black Dog. I’m also starting up a business, so time is the problem there. I personally would love to. Japan and Denmark only though.
If Prologic could just keep playing around town, playing with our friends and new friends… that works for me.
Scott: Like Matthis said… we can’t really tour. Too many things going on. My little kid being one big issue, smoked meats being another. And [the new business] is a huge undertaking on Matthis’s part.
SP: Well, this is a good place to call home. And Black Dog is just about the best food a carnivore can hope for.
Scott: As far as recording I would be very excited doing a well documented live record. I think this band’s strong point would be on every individual performance we give. Each one feels unique to the environment. So we capture one of those lighting in a bottle moments. But for now, I’m more than happy hanging out with these guys and letting some of our brains turn into vibrations.
SP: Sounds like a good idea!
What’s your new business, Matthis?
Helmick: I’m running a plant and home goods shop out of my apartment. Smile Politely actually wrote a nice little “alternative Black Friday” piece that included it as a shop to check out. It’s called Plant Mode. Not related to the Prologic Rebel Base Ensemble at all though.
SP: Anything else to add? What impression of the band can you leave our readers with?
Helmick: We are a big fuzzy thing. Ideally it’s a kind of big beat flow, with way big bass playing and a turntable assault. The turntable is kind of the in the spectrum of random guitar that sometimes fits. Neil Young’s distortion from the Crazy Horse school of sound is my inspiration with the record needle machines thing.
We like the idea that we are a bit different and that we can’t really be put in a box. I know that’s a silly thing to say, but it’s what works for us, doing our own thing, and not worrying if it fits the bill. We are grateful to have friends that support what we are trying to do, and, well…
Hello, Champaign-Urbana. Again.
Say hello to Prologic Rebel Base Emsemble at Mike N Molly’s tonight with Chrome Christ and Wrist. Show starts at 10 p.m.