BY GILLIAN G. GAAR

Krist Novoselic began the evening of June 27 recalling how much the band Flipper meant to him as a teenager, during an oral history presentation at Seattle’s Experience Music Project museum. A few hours later, he put his words into action, joining the revamped group onstage at the Funhouse, where the band turned in an intense set that mixed older material with new tracks they’ve been working on over the past year for an upcoming album release.

Novoselic’s talk, moderated by EMP senior curator Jacob McMurray, offered a concise overview of his life and career, from growing up in Compton, California (listening to his father’s Dick Dale records, then moving on to the joys of Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz”), discovering punk rock after relocating to Aberdeen, Washington (it was while laying on a waterbed listening to Flipper’s Generic album that he had the revelation “Whoa! This is art!”), to the ups and downs in Nirvana (admitting the sudden whirlwind of success had been overwhelming for all), and his current interests in political and community activism (most notably electoral reform). McMurray also revealed that EMP is planning a major Nirvana exhibit, which will open in 2010. Afterwards, Novoselic signed autographs and posed for with photos with attendees.

Then he went from talk to rock, with the Funhouse handily located across the street. A scary clown head that hangs above the door and signs inside that read “Hot beer, lousy food, bad service; Welcome! Have a nice day,” might strike an intimidating note, but the Funhouse is actually the kind of rock ‘n’ roll dive where you feel right at home (and the beer was indeed cold and the service prompt; BLURT didn’t try the food). Short sets by local acts Martian and Sister Psychic warmed up the house for the main event, with a good club-sized crowd in attendance, despite the unusual (for Seattle) hot weather that had most folks flocking outside.

Novoselic joined Flipper — with Bruce Loose on vocals, Ted Falconi on guitar, and Steve DePace on drums — in late 2006. After a UK tour opening for the Melvins, the band started work on a new album in 2007, produced by Jack Endino, who was also present at the Seattle show, overseeing a live recording (as he did for a June 28 show in Tacoma). On the band’s last Seattle visit, Loose was using a cane, due to back problems he’d incurred from a car accident. But now, following successful back surgery last year, he was both limbered up and in good spirits at being pain free at last, proudly showing BLURT his scar before the show.

Loose got the party started by ascending the stage and screaming, “Let’s get this shit rolling!” then indulging in a little rock ‘n’ roll call-and-response with the audience: “So, you fucking ready yet? I can’t hear you! I hate the Northwest, ‘cause everyone’s so fucking polite!” The set finally began with a new number, “Night Falls Like Dirt Rocks.” With no proper set list organized, Loose frequently turned to Novoselic, who would then suggest numbers to play. Older songs included “Way of the World,” “Ha Ha Ha,” and “The Lights, The Sound, The Rhythm, The Noise”; about half the set was composed of new songs, with titles like “Triple Mass Murder Suicide” and “Be A Good Child.”

Falconi, Novoselic, and DePace provided a solid, powerful base of noise for Loose’s compelling antics. His voice easily moving from an abrasive roar to a brawling moan, screaming till the veins in his neck bulged, his chest soon slick with sweat, he demanded the audience provide him with beers (sometimes improvising liquor requests during the songs), downing them in one gulp, jokingly chastised the audience for snapping photos of Novoselic (“I’m the undiscovered guy! Take pictures of me!”), and even dropped in a smattering of political commentary (“Anybody want to join the National Guard? You’ve got a job for the next 10 years!”). The audience roiled along in front, with a few brave souls ascending the stage to body surf, not always successfully. Though the set ended with “Sacrifice,” Loose didn’t seem to want to leave, remaining on stage to bawl out “The Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.” Clearly, the band has no problem drumming up the intensity of their early days.

Also present were Chad Channing (Nirvana’s drummer on Bleach), Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, and King County Council member (and longtime Novoselic friend) Dow Constantine. The band planned on finishing their album in Seattle this week. They’re next set to appear at a “Pioneers of Punk” show July 26 at the Fillmore in San Francisco, along with the Avengers, the Mutants, Negative Trend, and Target Video. Info: myspace.com/flipper.

[Additional reporting by Kris Sproul & Mike Ziegler; photos by Gillian G. Gaar]