By all accounts, PCP Roadblock is not a nice band. The members themselves claim to be banned from performing at Hole in the Wall. If PCP Roadblock’s name has a slightly hostile ring to it, the same could be said about their music. It’s the abrasive, aggressive, musical equivalent of having someone shove their middle finger right in your face. They certainly managed to get peoples’ attention that warm Friday night in May, though most of the passers-by who were getting screamed at simply shook their heads and chuckled.

Recently I had the chance to speak with lead singer Bobby Roadblock (they request that their last names be printed as Roadblock). Since he and his three bandmates plan to perform for as many First Friday art walks as possible, I thought a little more information about them was needed.

First I asked Bobby to describe his music. “It sounds like something everybody wants to hear,” he replied, “because they love it.” I explained that what I was really looking for was the PCP Roadblock’s intent, not what fans think. Bobby sighed and said “PCP Roadblock would like to play some melodic stuff for our sweet-ass fans. We’re professional musicians.” “What makes you professional?” I asked. “We study music. We’re always trying to put together some tunes that people would want to jam out to.”

Next I asked Bobby about the band’s First Friday show. “We were talking to artists down on the street,” he explained, “because we’re artists too, we have a brotherhood.” Didn’t the cops come? I asked. “Nothing they could do about it,” Bobby answered, because of the lack of noise ordinances at that time of night, the commercial zoning and the support of a neighboring gallery owner. PCP R kept playing.

So why did they feel that art lovers would want to hear PCP R playing two stories above them as loudly and as obnoxiously as possible? “We love those guys out there that go around and buy art work,” Bobby said, “so we wanted to show how much we cared for them.” Not trying to annoy them at all? “No. We’re trying to be part of the art community.” Did they succeed? “The German lady that owns the art gallery next door loved us, so I guess we’re part of the art scene.”

So what does PCP Roadblock do other than play music? “I like to design records and layouts for bands,” Bobby said. “I like to pet cats. Drink alcohol and [pause], and uh, [long pause] we like to, let’s see, what do we like to do. Smoke cigarettes. [Long pause] And hang out with chicks.”

Originally I was supposed to interview Andy Roadblock. Bobby told me the reason he wasn’t available that day was because he’d passed out drunk the night before and couldn’t be reached. So I asked him, do they drink as much as a normal rock band, or do they take it to another level?

“We’re up there as far as alcohol consumption goes. We’re all heavy drinkers. We like to read books about hamsters. That’s why our record label is called Wet Tail Records, because of the fatal disease that hamsters get.”

PCP Roadblock plans to help out at as many First Friday art walks as they can. Revised and/or new city ordinances could soon follow. — Wayne Melton