A.K.A.s (Are Everywhere) make some great noise

The punk-driven A.K.A.s (Are Everywhere) have a new album in the bins — "Everybody Make Some Noise!"

The band — vocalist Mike Ski, keyboardist Josie Outlaw, drummer Chachi Darin, bassist Justin Perry and guitarist Vegas Davis — managed to make a great, uplifting, energetic album, even though they didn't feel too well, Ski said in a phone interview with the Deseret Morning News.

"We wound up living together in this little apartment and then went on a five-week tour," Ski (born Lastowski) said from Los Angeles. "So when we finished the tour, we looked at each other and said, 'What? You guys are still here?' But we knew we had to make an album, so we did."

The band, based in Philadelphia, spent a lot of time driving back and forth to New York to build the studio where the new CD was recorded. On one such trip, they talked about getting a guest to perform on the album.

"We had recorded a demo earlier that covered a Dead Kennedys song," said Ski. "When we were driving to the studio from Home Depot, we were talking to the producer (Alex Newport). He said, 'Why not get (Dead Kennedys' former lead singer) Jello Biafra to do some spoken word on the album?'

"It is as amazing as it sounds," said Ski, who cited the Dead Kennedys, the Exploited and Run D.M.C. as major musical influences. "Alex talked to the CD's engineer, who has worked with Jello, and we sent off a request."

Two weeks later, they got a reply.

"Jello said he thought the song was interesting," Ski said. "And that was cool. I think Josie screamed and ran out of the room. I, on the other hand, held back. I said to myself, 'I'll think it's cool when it happens, because Jello Biafra is one of the most cynical people involved in punk rock."'

At the 11th hour, Biafra came through.

"The album was mixed and sent off to the mastering plant when Jello called me," Ski said. "He said he was in the studio and ready. So we got the stuff to him. Delayed the mastering and got it done."

The irony of Biafra's appearance is that he's one of three very different guests on the album. The other two guests are Hawthorn Heights' guitarist/vocalist J.T. Woodruff and Chris #2 (born Chris Barker) from Anti-Flag.

"To have those three, who are totally different in their political views and musical inspirations, on this album is testament to us and the world that the band we play in has created an album that we thought would sound cool," Ski said with a laugh. "I can't picture those three in the same room together, unless a black hole opened up and destroyed the world."