SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It didn't take long for the recently formed punk band the Skinnys to make their mark on the Yellowknife music scene. Belting out tunes of meat-loving and hippie-hating, the four-piece group have proven they're as much about putting on a memorable show as playing good music.

Johnny Volume rocks the mic as Heavy Van Wailin' plays a riff on the guitar during the Skinnys performance for Warm the Rocks, part of the Folk on the Rocks festival, on Friday, July 22. Not pictured are bass guitarist Michael Molton and drummer jonnie bingo. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL photo

"It's just really dirty, greasy rock and roll," said lead singer Johnny Volume.

The band was chosen to play the 2008 Folk on the Rocks after they submitted a video from their very first show at SnowKing's Royal Ball last March.

"Based on that they accepted us," said Volume.

Since then they have played numerous venues around the city, weaving together a refined sound and a lot of theatricality in their performance.

Volume describes the band's sound as "raw" and said being on stage is all about having a good time.

He said the group looks to 1970s and 80s punk rock as inspiration, listing Supersuckers, the Ramones and even Willie Nelson as influences.

As far as the reputation of being hippie haters, Volume said it's all in fun.

"We don't take it too seriously. It's just that (hippies) are so darn easy to pick on."

The Skinnys came together in 2007, combining more than 20 years of experience in the music industry among them.

Volume and bassist Michael Molton, both well-known and established Yellowknife musicians, decided to form the Skinnys after Volume approached Molton. The two had met many times on the music circuit when they had been playing with other bands; Volume with Small Narrow Valley and Molton with Sex and Salvelinus. From there, guitarist Heavy Van Wailin' was brought on board and drummer jonnie bingo was found through an ad in the paper.

The recently married Volume had his family, including seven-year-old daughter and in-laws in the crowd during the festival to watch him perform for the first time.

"It was been a pretty big weekend," he said.

No doubt the Skinnys will continue to shake things up for Yellowknife music fans. Those who haven't yet had the experience of hearing 'I love meat' performed live, Volume said just give it a chance.

"It's just a really good time. If you can let yourself go you're going to enjoy the Skinnys," he said.