WANT TO GO?

Dinosaur Burps, Living Saints and Horseburner

WHERE: The Sound Factory, 812 Kan. Blvd. E.

WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday

COST: $5

INFO: 304 342-8001 or www.soundfactorywv.com

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Cody Lynch has been in a few Huntington area bands, playing drums in the punk group Down Goes Frazier and fronting the predominantly acoustic folk rock act Wine and Water. Recently, he teamed up with his cousin and longtime musical cohort, Barrett Lynch, for the new punk band Living Saints (which also includes bassist Jerod Huffman and drummer Brendan Fish).

Before the band's show with the Dinosaur Burps and Horseburner at the Sound Factory Friday night, the gazz caught up with Cody to talk about his new band.

Q: What makes you excited to be in Living Saints?

A: "I've been playing in bands since about 15. It's just something I've always done, something I've always loved and been passionate about. It's about art; it's about creating something and having it come directly from your heart and soul. I want to create music that I would want to listen to.

"The music that has been driving me lately and the style of writing we've taken on just calls for a band like Living Saints. We're so excited to see things taking shape as quickly as they have. It's definitely going to be an adventure, and we're all absolutely loving every second of it, mostly. Nothing comes without a little headache here and there, but nonetheless, everyone is stoked!"

Q: You love house shows, compared to playing bars. What makes them more appealing?

A: "The intimacy, the attentiveness of everyone, the respect, the camaraderie. It's just like hanging with your friends at a house party back in the day; it's comfortable. Oh, and we can all drink, permission granted, for way less than running up our bar tabs. But in the end, we are down for playing anywhere that is willing to have us and have a good time with us."

Q: Is Living Saints a part of the local scene or apart from it?

A: "We're just trying to bring rock and roll back to where it belongs. So much these days is so obscure and fake. This is just honesty at work. There's no gimmicks or anything like that. It's just fairly simple rock and roll with a punk rock foundation.

"It is what it is, and it's a byproduct of the music I appreciate. As far as I know, there aren't any bands around here doing the same thing we are. Honestly, I don't know of a whole lot of bands anywhere near here that are even making this type of music, so I guess you could say we are alone in the local scene when it comes to genre, but that's nothing new for me."

Q: You grew up listening to politically-oriented punk bands like Bad Religion and the Dead Kennedys. Is Living Saints more party or political oriented?

A: "I wouldn't say my lyrics are 'party' lyrics at all. There's a message. I have something to say that people should be aware about. I write about politics, personal beliefs, the opening of the mind, social norms, relationships and personal struggle.

"I almost feel it is my duty sometimes to get things out there, make people think about stuff, change the way you think or at least consider the alternative. I too often see too much ignorance in this world, and I take it as my job as a lyricist to be somewhat informed on what's going on in the world in order to do my part to make this a better place."

Q: "What is it about your brand of punk that excites fans?

A: "I think people just feel the honesty and intensity that comes out of the speakers. There are a lot of bands and a lot of sounds and a period of time that people have forgotten about, and we are just stuck in making our own form of it. We're just digging up some old bones that people forgot about and building a new monster, just bringing truth and honesty back into rock and roll.

"We're making music that we, ourselves, would want to hear, and hopefully there's a handful of people that are also into this same sort of thing."