Somewhere between San Diego and Los Angeles, but about 15 million light years straight up, is the possible origin of the group known here on Planet Earth as Supernova. The three members of Supernova, on a speakerphone from their earthbase in California, claim to crave tinfoil in their otherworldly wiles. But dare I say the Supernova storyline could simply be another side effect of the dangers of prolonged exposure to aluminium – or aluminum as they erroneously call it Stateside?
Kitted out with the vocal vibrato of Jello Biafra, the simplistic Cal-punk of a neverending stream of US thrash outfits and velcro hairstyles, Supernova’s single Vitamins is currently working the youth airwaves on this side of the planet. “It’s huge, it’s the biggest thing you’ve ever heard but bigger,” shouts either Art, Dave or Jo through their speakerphone. Because, you see, I reakon it’s just one ventriloquist throwing his voice three times, or they really are part of a cloning programme on another planet or, more probably, at Amphetamine Reptile Records.
Their album Ages 3 and Up is not the first taste we have received of Supernova, their appearance on the Clerks soundtrack nearly scored them a spot in the film. Voice 1: “Yeah, they asked us but we were already doing an Eastwood film”. Voice 2: “And at the time none of us were clerks”. Voice 3: “I’ve been a trashman and at the moment I drive a school bus, but I couldn’t get any time off work”.
So while the big screen action has illuded these space cadets, they did score a much prized position of hosting their own TV show – even though it only reached the pilot stage. “Amrep had its own TV show and we were the stars. They ran it once, one whole time. We can juggle though. Once we finish our basement tour of the US we know we can pack up our sleeping bags and do a pavement tour if we wanna.”
With studio time already booked for another release in April 1997 and their Ages 3 and Up album currently branding 20 alien messages for the unsuspecting ears of earthlings, how do Supernova feel about their rival competitors like Green Day? “Well, we sleep with them, have our wicked ways with them, then talk about them behind their back. They may be stars, but we are stars that have gone supernova.” Guffaw guffaw.
