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ChthoniC’s Freddy, Left Face of Maradou - Ozzfest 2007

Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Marysville, CA
7/17/2007
Jeff Longo (above, by the van) jlongosj@yahoo.com

STUBBLE recently caught up with Freddy Lim or Freddy, Left Face of Maradou lead vocalist for ChthoniC (pronounced THON-ick) at Ozzfest 07 in Sacramento CA.  Labeled the Black Sabbath of Asia by their hometown media, metal heads across the US and Canada will get their first glimpse of the Taiwanese extreme metal band as they open each Ozzfest. Embarking on their most ambitious project to date, ChthoniC will be playing an incredible 100 shows in the US, Canada, and Europe with stops at the Wacken Open Air festival W.O.A in Germany and a full European tour. The tour dubbed “UNlimited” is in part a protest to how the UN (United Nations) limits Taiwan’s full participation as an independent country.  Today we put the politics aside and talked music…..
(Freddy and the band are busy playing video games when I enter.)
Jeff: Who’s winning?
Freddy:  Me, played for first time in.
Jeff: How are the shows coming?
Freddy:  Yeah, very good.  All of the Ozzfest shows and off-day shows have been great.
Jeff: Is must a little different for you playing so early in the day or should I say sunshine? 
Freddy:  It has been ok…
Jeff: It seems like your show would be more suited for indoors (or night time….)
Freddy:  Before the first Ozzfest show we were a little worried about that. Because we opened for the first Ozzfest (Seattle 2007).  And its not that usual for us play at Noon.  But it has turned out very well.  I think that we started the first mosh pits at Ozzfest (this year…). 
Jeff: Cool!
Freddy:  And all the crowds just crazy….yeah, so we are very happy about that, you know ..that in the beginning of the song, of the first song….there were only like 20 people there, but when we started the song, the people just …..ah….the gates opened, everyone started running to the stage, more and more people, and when we finished the first song I think there were more than a thousand people.  So it’s a amazing in like one song just in 5 min all the people….
Jeff: What song was it?
Freddy:  Do you have our CD?
Jeff: I Do.
Freddy:  Yeah it’s the second song, I can’t remember the English title anyway… (indigenous_laceration - Seediq Bale)
Jeff: You have been labeled Black Sabbath of Asia, why is that and how has that helped/hurt you?
Freddy:  Not really, in Taiwan and the Mandarin speaking countries, most people don’t know anything about of Black Sabbath, so it ah, didn’t us help in any   hometown…but here maybe some people, they will think more as why people ah title you as the Black Sabbath of Taiwan or Asia  I think  that is because we are the first Extreme Metal bands, one of the first, so the people Just like the Black Sabbath they started the whole  Heavy Metal wave of music, so we started the whole extreme metal way ah in Eastern Asia, the title is not because of the music but because that we started some kind of different movement
Jeff: How would you classify your music?
Freddy:  To us we will just say we are just Extreme Metal.  We don’t really like the title of Black Metal or Death Metal, we just Extreme Metal because we are not that normal, we don’t sing in the normal way and yeah, you can hear the oriental elements, Asian elements in our music, so its not that normal kind of black metal or death metal.  Sometime our fans will try to fight for that we are still black metal or with some diehard Black Metal fans will argue with each other. But I think its ok, don’t fight with us for the classification, it ok, its all ok.
Jeff: What bands are you listening to now?
(Freddy to Jesse, guitar player… Apologizes for not knowing/remembering.)
Freddy:  Dimmu Borgir…no I just listened to one time, you say it’s excellent, but I think it’s ok.
JESSE: Testament….
Freddy:  Old Anthrax, old Slayer.
Jeff: Who were you most influenced by?
Freddy:  Emperor, I like them very much, Emperor was the first black metal band I listened to in the 90’s, so definitely Emperor and I really like Dissection.  Yeah, I that Emperor and Dissection inspired me to write this kind of metal and to... but of course Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir these bands ah there are many reviewers say we are similar to them but I think that its is not similar, because like Jesse he likes ah Thrash metal very much, in the riffs, you can hear more Thrash than Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, so….
Jeff: When are you planning to tour the US?
Freddy:  I hope next year.
Jeff: What is your live show like and how is your live show different than what you are doing for Ozzfest?
Freddy:  If you want to see the whole show like we have in Taiwan like our 10th anniversary.  I think this takes time.  Maybe after, now that we are writing the new material so hopefully we can start the recording the next ah spring or summer and hopefully we can release in fall next year.  Hopefully after that we can have standard Taiwanese sets in several countries in US EMEA and different countries with a release in the fall.
Jeff: What is the new album going to be about?
Freddy:  It should be a secret, but I think is ok, I will tell you a little bit.  This will describe the whole hell, ah the picture of the oriental hell.  So you know that we Taiwanese share the same philosophy of hell with Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and   no other Metal bands, or    no other rock band have ever described hell.  How the hell looks like in the oriental way, I think that we are the first ones to do that because it is very complicated there are more than 18 levels of hell and there are hundreds of small hells. So we will try our best to do that.
Jeff: At least seven albums worth…
Freddy:  Yeah, (Freddy laughs) we will try to do it in one…
Jeff: How old are you?
Freddy:  30.
Jeff: How long have you been doing this?
Freddy:  You mean this band?
Jeff: Yes.
Freddy:  Eleven years.
Jeff: You also play the Violin?
Freddy:  It is too hard for me to play the violin, jump around, band my head, dance and sing.  In 2005 we have found a violin player Su-Nung, yeah, he does a great job now, all the crowds love him, when he starts playing the violin (Freddy gets excited, brings in the rest of the band still playing video games) when he start playing the violin, some crowds even cry (Freddy makes noise teasing him arrgghh).
Jeff: How are you getting along with other bands on the tour?
Freddy:  All the other band members, all the members of the other bands they are very well with us.  We share food and there are some kinds of Taiwanese fans who come back stage to provide different kind of drinks and some soups, some different kinds of foods and we share with the bands. Some bands come to knock on our doors to ask “do you have more of that kind of soup” I think it has turned about pretty good and we’re make friends with everyone.
Jeff: So is it a non-stop party?
Freddy:  I think during the set we are working hard, but after the set we try to have party with all the other bands. But not really have party at night, we have to tour we have to rush to the next stop, so no party at this time.
Jeff: Anything you want to say the fans?
Freddy:  I think ah, there are more and more fans that ah, really, focus and want to, try to dig in, much deeper in to our music.  But I hope that all the fans that try to dig into our music, want to find more, you can try to find out more Asian metal bands. I believe there are a bunch of good Asian metal bands out there, and we are just one of them.
We try to lead out the whole Asian metal family to the whole world so if other fans have time and want to discover more Asian metal bands should try myspace and other ways.  
Jeff:  Loudness comes to mind, but then that was 1984.
Jeff Longo

Chimaira

Sounds of the Underground
8/3/2007
San Jose State Event Center
San Jose, Ca
Jeff Longo jlongosj@yahoo.com

Never back down, never back down, one of five or six excellent tracks Chimaira’s Resurrection released on Ferret Music, the US division of Nuclear Blast.  The band has been touring relentlessly since its release earlier this year, more recently, a summer stint with the Sounds of the Underground.  Stubble’s Jeff and Cesar caught up with Rob Arnold in San Jose and here is what he had to say……….
Cesar:  How many more gigs do you guys have left?
Rob:  I think 10 or so.
Cesar:  When was the last time you were home?
Rob:  Man, we had played Cleveland like a week and half ago and before that I’d been home for, like, 5 hours in like seven weeks. We got back from a 5 week European tour, I got home to, fucking Cleveland (Rob cracks a smile and relaxes a little) at 5:30pm got home from the airport after 5 weeks over there and left for this tour (Sounds of the Underground) like midnight that night.
Cesar:  WOW, unbelievable.  I hear the crowds over in Europe are pretty cool.
Rob:  Yeah man, I‘d say they were a little better back in the day, but now it’s kind of like it is over here.  Where there’s a lot of bands coming. It’s getting kind of saturated with bands, so it’s not even as cool.  You know, at first when we were going, kids were fucking there at 10am, like everybody was there (Rob lights up) just waiting, the show they waited months for, but now they have a show everyday like they do over here, you know?
Jeff: I know you look at the line ups of some of those shows, its like a metal head dream list, all on the same bill.  I’m like, damn I wish that would come here…
Rob:  I’ll guarantee they say that more about shows over here (USA), you know what I mean? Like Slayer only comes here once a year, but yeah, those festivals if we had that shit over here…..(we both ponder the possibilities quietly…..)
Jeff: So where are you from originally?
Rob:  Cleveland.
Jeff: Browns fan?
Rob:  Absolutely, more of a Cav’s fan though.
Jeff: Well, you got LeBron, they say he’s the next Jordon, right?
Rob:  Supposedly…( ponders the possibilities quietly….)
Jeff: So, I love the new album (Resurrection 2007).  I felt like I was punched in the face after the first listen, which is rare for me.  I couldn’t shut it off.
Rob:  Thank you.
Jeff: How is the success treating you and is it selling?
Rob:  Yeah, it’s selling.  We don’t consider ourselves successful yet. Obviously, we’ve done some things you know? We’re able to afford this and make the band our profession and everything like that but at the same time we have way too many of goals to reach and stuff. Its awesome, we turned a little band from Cleveland into a world wide touring band, that a lot of people of heard of.  So its cool, the new record has been getting a lot of great reviews, a lot of people say how much they like it and shit like that, so we’re stoked on it and were just trying to push it and see what happens.
Jeff: How sick are you of doing these interviews?
Rob:  Um, I haven’t had too many on this tour at all, like this may be my first one on this tour.  Don’t get me wrong, when the album first came out it was 10 interviews a day everyday, stuff like that, but I can’t remember doing one in a while.
Jeff: When you do get home, is it weird not having fans cheering you on as you take out the trash or open your door in the morning to get the paper?
Rob:  (Laughing) I just totally enjoy it, just do all the things you’ve been thinking about doing…., just even little things. I can’t wait to go work on the house, and stuff like that, sleep in my own bed, do laundry in my own washer and dryer, not have to plan out my shower situation every day.  Just the comforts of home, being able to kick it, you know?
Jeff: Prior to this album you did most of the writing, but with Resurrection everyone contributed to the writing process.  Was that a good or bad experience? 
Rob:  Well good. I mean, I think that is kind of misconstrued on the DVD. Like ah, the last record I certainly wrote the bulk of, but really, no one was really coming to the table either with anything at the time, you know? It was a weird time for the band with everything that was going on.  With this record I wrote equally as much but there was more of a contribution and more of a team effort. We wrote in the practice space together rather than me just bringing songs and us just working on them, and stuff like that, so there was just more input, which made for a better vibe cause everyone was involved and happy with what was going on.  Rather than a guy, uh, say like Chris our sampler instead of after six weeks we send him five songs and that is what he has to deal with. Now he was there and he was talking about well maybe I have some ideas for this, and if you would do this, kind of thing, maybe I could do this. 
We would structure the songs around what would make everyone happy.  You know, lead to a better vibe,.  Now that Andols (original drummer and friend since 14) is back in the band, we finally got off of Roadrunner, it was just a fun, good record to make, as far as me writing stuff it wasn’t anything like I just sat back and said here it is, everyone was there and it was fun.  I love writing.
(Ok, he’s responding like a true professional, let’s throw him a curve ball…)
Jeff: Have you ever heard of STUBBLE Music Magazine and how has it changed your writing style?
Rob:  I don’t think I understand the question…(looking bewildered, but maintaining his composure), if I say no to the first one, then how can I answer the second one. (I think this agitated him a little.)
Jeff: You can say whatever you want.
Rob:  What was the question again?
Jeff: Have you ever heard of STUBBLE…?
Rob:  No. 
Jeff: ….and how has it changed your writing style?
Rob:  Not at all.
(Yeah a little agitated, better bring it back to center)
Jeff: Who gets stuck doing most of these interviews?
Rob:  Generally Mark and I, we have been in the band the longest, we know the most, and Matt is third.  But this time I got out of doing the press tour in Europe, we sent him in my place and he did like 170 interviews in 3 days. (grinning, not agitated anymore)
Cesar: Wow.  (we laugh)  When you go in the studio do you guys go in with the songs already finished or do you record them as you write them?
Rob:  No they’re finished when we go in.  a lot of the time once you get them on record you may be like, lets change that a little bit or this a little bit, but for the most part they’re pretty much complete.
Cesar: Do you ever write a song around a drum beat?  Because your drummer is amazing (Andols Herrick), does he lay down a beat and you say I love that beat hey I got a riff for it?
Rob:  Yeah, sometimes, Pure Hatred (The Impossibility of Reason 2003) for instance, the beginning (refers to the drum intro) and I remember him playing that and me just dicking around  (refers to guitar intro) and we wrote the whole song around that.
Cesar: What is your favorite part of the tour?
Rob:  I’d say right when the show is over, either it’s a great show so everybody’s on cloud nine, the party kicks up and you go to bed feeling good at the end of the night or sometimes its shitty so you work on partying extra hard so you feel better again or whatever. After that the day’s work is done, feeling relaxed and just waking up in the new city.
Who would you love to tour with?
Rob:  Certainly Metallica,… just to say we did…..(then quietly he whispered….) weplayed with them once…
Jeff:  (What the hell did he say?) Where at?
Rob:  Donington, UK (Download Festival 2003, UK), it was a surprise too.
Jeff: Wow, that’s pretty bad ass, so are they like prima Madonna’s back stage or are were they cool?
Rob:  (He lean’s forward, eyebrow raised….) You want to hear the story? (Oh, shit here comes the Metallica story, chicks & blow….hell yeah!)
Jeff:Hell yeah!
Rob:  It was our first time playing the Download festival over there (UK), I think it was 2003.  We get there, we didn’t know what to expect, it was our first big festival like that.   We are the first band on the first day, we were going on at like 11am.  The van pulled up to this tent and the tent holds like 10,000 it was pretty big tent and nobody was in there and we were like fuck, this is gonna suck. 
We get changed and get ready, shit like that, and half hour later by the time we go on it’s 100% packed.
And the show was totally awesome, it fucking ruled, and afterwards we were getting changed and we’re looking at the schedule you know, to see who else is coming on, planning who we were gonna watch, and we noticed that four bands after us there is this empty slot for a 45mins. We’re like who is this gonna be? 
Nobody really knew, then we started looking around and like even though the general crowd couldn’t see the dressing room area, there was just tons of people back there press, people hanging out, things like that but not really the general crowd area.  Then they started putting up black tarps over the fences so you couldn’t even see in the back area at all.
We were like “what the fuck is going on”?  So we started looking around and there were these gigantic, like 20 feet tall piles of super wide road cases all covered in tarps and you cant tell what they were but at the very bottom…., where the tarps aren’t long enough, you could just see the M and A sticking out, and we could tell it was the Metallica logo! We were like no way! Sure enough, they went on the same stage we played an hour later. 
(Ok, here it comes, tales of debaucher laced with tons of blow, tons of chicks, tons of chicks on blow…)
After that they were hanging out by the trailers and they had a couple big guys waiting around so…. I remember, Jim and I walked back and the guys were flexing a little bit, so we waited till it was cool….  I think they took their showers or whatever, and about 15 mins later they let people back to hang out and bullshit . 
At the time our laminates had mock up ride the lightening with the Chimaira name but the Metallica font,  and so I never get anything signed….,I just didn’t really care about autographs, but I was like fuck it , I’m here, I am gonna have him sign this. (Defiantly)  So James (Hetfield) just ah, ….someone had finished filming him and he was having a conversation and he was real mad at the guy, pissed, so  right at the time, he turned I handed it (laminate) to him, and he was like,  hmmm? Then he looks at the laminate, looks at me, then back to the laminate…., (makes a right-on expression and nods his head), so that was pretty cool. (we laugh heartily together,….fucking Metallica…., ok, I am delirious now, here it comes….)  He, Rob, and Kurt and Lars fucking talked with us for like an hour and half, so he was real cool. (Fuck….!)
Jeff: That’s always cool. I grew up listening to them, how old are you? 
Rob:  27, Justice (Justice For All) is my record, but still I know them all perfectly, they’re my favorite band.
Jeff:Right when Justice for All came out, I’m from San Francisco as they are and I think it was Overkill at the time at this little club, and all four of them came walking in and they were just hanging out, so cool. GWAR, below

So, you guys hang out with GWAR at all?
Rob:  Yeah, sure.
Jeff: They wear their make up at the tour barbecues and after-parties?

Rob:  No, they’re (smiles) regular guys throughout the day. It took awhile to like put them together, like who’s who and stuff like that.  Todd the bass player, Beefcake, great friend of ours.   A couple of weeks ago Jim our bass player, his Grandmother died, and he had to go home and missed like four or five shows.  So Todd, he filled in for some shows (Official fill in’s were Beefcake (GWAR), Paul Romanko (shown)

(SHADOWS FALL), Andy Williams (EVERY TIME I DIE) and CHIMAIRA frontman Mark Hunter). ……., so that was real cool.  Yeah, those guys are real cool.
Jeff: Who do you hate the most in Every Time I Die?
Rob:  (thinking)…um Mike, (He laughs, but surprisingly he answers), I love him, but we have this thing I always say hi to him he is just like “hey”, you know (laughing), he doesn’t stop and chat, so I just bust his balls a little.
Jeff: Yeah, I’m interviewing them next, so thought that would be a fun question.
Rob:  All those guys awesome, we have been friends with them for a long time.
Jeff: So, now that you signed with a major label, Roadrunner, had some shit there, and now your on Nuclear Blast, so is it everything you thought it would be?
Rob:  Is it everything I thought it would be? It’s, everything that I had no idea about, you know like, back when you first want to start a band you don’t think about…, just the simple things, like, we had no idea about tour buses,…, we had no idea about stage cloths, you know?  That you change into something different when you go on stage.  Um, you know about trailers, or just fucking anything like that. You just have no idea. 
And there’s no book, on how to be a metal band. (note to self write a book on how to be in a metal band chapter one Chicks and Blow).We’re just taking everything as it comes, being as comfortable as you can with it,  try to keep your sanity.  (Right on)
And then there are all the rewards, meeting so many cool people, getting to play guitar for a living, and just basically hanging out. My job is about an hour a night….but at the same time it’s a shit load of hard work and there is major sacrifice. 
A lot of the time I think, man, it would be nice to come home every night at five o’clock, if I worked 9-5, not that I would trade it for anything, but just  being home everyday would be cool…those type of things missing your family and friends 
Being gone all the time, its not as glamorous as it seems being in a new city everyday, seeing all of Europe or whatever because your in the confines of your bus, you know? You don’t have transportation,  a lot of the times you’re in some alley in fucking where ever, its not like you’re in Manhattan everyday or Hollywood everyday where there’s tons of shit to do and your only there for like one day, so....
Jeff:  Do you get any say on where you go or what tour you’re doing?
Rob:  Sure, we’re all part of the whole planning process.  We can say if we need time off or not, but a lot of the time its timing of things, like, if you want to be on this tour it starts the day after you get home, and we’re totally used to it and we do it all time and we’re totally there.
Jeff: So your label puts on this tour?
Rob:  Uh,
Jeff: Part of it?
Rob:  Yeah, part of it yeah.
Jeff: Did that have a big decision to play the Free-fest (Ozzfest).
Rob:  Um No,
Jeff: Was that an option at all?
Rob:  I don’t believe it was offered to us, but think that we were already committed to this tour (SOTU).
How was Lamb of God this year?
Jeff: I’ve seen them like 7 times, in small clubs and on the main stage this year, they were awesome, which, you know you both have a similar type of sound, but Chimaira does it a little differently, you a little bit of a rawer sound…
Rob:  I don’t know, I really think they’re like maybe three or four years further, then where we are right now, you know, and where we were two years ago is totally different  then where we are now,  I totally congratulate those guys and I compliment their success for sure.  And I love them as band too But they are a few years older then all of us and I just think they are a few more steps closer to the prize, I have no doubts we are on our way too.
(I think he misunderstood me)
Jeff: I think you guys have the secret sauce; I do, especially with this album (Resurrection 2007).
Rob:  Thanks.
Jeff: And not just because I’m interviewing you either (no really… buy this album, it rules)
Rob:  No I can tell when someone talks about the record whether they like it or not. The worst interviews are they guys who have no idea, they were just assigned to it or something so you’re just like fuck…you know, and the answers from the interviewee are solely based on the person’s knowledge and enthusiasm about the band.
Jeff: I went up to www. Chimairaworld.com, and I asked them if they had anything they wanted to say and they said don’t ask the same damn questions (Laughs), we’re sick of hearing them…(Laughs) but, ah, they did want me to tell you that Resurrection is still kicking their ass.
Rob:  Cool.  ….thanks to all those fans. Thanks for the appreciation, and the support, you know. Tell more of your buddies about us.  The word has to spread somehow.  I wish everybody felt like those guys did, you know? 

Every Time I Die’s Jordon @ Sounds of the Underground

San Jose State Event Center
San Jose, CA. 8/3/2007
Jeff Longo jlongosj@yahoo.com

We caught up with Jordon from Every Time I Die as they are in the home stretch of the SOTU tour in San Jose. 
Jeff:  So how does it feel to be a rock star?
Jordon:  I wouldn’t know (laughs), if this is it, it’s great.  I love it, I get to work out, I get to hang out with my friends, I get to play music, and something my dad likes to remind me that hundreds or thousands of people would like to be doing.  I am very grateful. 
Jeff:  Any downside?
Jordon:  It has its way way ups, and every once in awhile there’s a con to it, but mostly its great, who can complain?
Jeff:  Does it suck after the tour and you go to take out the trash and thousands of people aren’t screaming and cheering you on?
Jordon:  No not at all, because when I miss home and when I get home, I’m there for 2 hours and I’m like man I’m ready to go back out on tour.
Jeff:  Now that the Buffalo Sabers have fucked up another team from winning the Stanley Cup are you going to stop saying you’re from there?
Jordon:  (Laughing) You thought you can just say that to me? (Laughing) It’s going to be frustrating, we had something great this year and uh, it’s a shame, you have the best starting record in NHL history, a great regular season, take the president’s cup, and you cant even get to the last round.  We hit a wall called the Ottawa Senators, but shit fucking happens.
Jeff:  So tell me about the new album (The Big Dirty due out Sept 4), the 2 songs I have heard rock.
Jordon:  We are playing both all summer (No Son of Mine and Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery).  I love it, I listened to it again the other day.  I think it’s got everything we have ever tried to do but better.  I really think it will hit people from a side they are not expecting.  A lot of people have said oh “they do videos now and they do this big tour or that big tour”, we have seen our friends get a little taste of success….. And they tried to change themselves to get a little more of it, and we have made a conscience decision not to.  We said you know what in 1998 we fucking got in (someone’s) basement, we played heavy music because we were fans of chaotic, hectic, aggressive music and we want people to know that nine years later that we’re still interested in it.  We took our maturity, our progression, our sensibility, and applied them to what we started doing in 98 and we made a heavy record that is better structured, better organized, makes more sense then anything we have done.  I love it.
Jeff:  You kick the shit out your audiences, every time I have seen you the energy was amazing.
Jordon:  Cool, that is another thing that we value a good connection with the crowd, I don’t think you can have that unless you’re more energetic than they are.  They’re the ones spending the money, they’re the ones in the heat, and they’re the ones standing around for 9 hours a day, if they can do it so are we. We’re going to take the 9 hours of energy they have to be at SOTU and we’re going to pack it into a half-hour set.  If there going to sweat then we are gong to sweat twice as hard, if they are going to loose their voices then we will lose ours twice as quick.
Jeff:  Was it a good investment playing in the summer festivals?
Jordon:  Yeah absolutely, I don’t regret it ever.
Jeff:  What did you tell Sharon Osborne when she called asking you to play Freefest?
Jordon:  (Laughing) I don’t think we got that call (Laughing), but I am kind of glad. But I should be careful as my opinions don’t necessarily represent Every Time I Die or the band members. But let’s just say it’s not Freefest, I hate the fact that the name (Ozzfest) is conning people into thinking that it’s this giving back to the community thing.  If it was then bands wouldn’t have to pay $75K to be on it. It’s not free for the bands.  It’s not free for the advertisers, that money is not being paid to Hatebreed or Lamb of God or ah whoever else.  It’s not freefest, so let’s just cut it out already and stop lying.
Jeff:  Does it matter to the fan?
Jordon:  Ah, yeah, to a fan let’s see here, no it’s probably great to a fan.   But not so great to ah, well it is great if you want to go see music all day long, but not if you like getting the wool pulled over your eyes and thinking you have some idea what is going on when you don’t.
When we did it was cool saying you did it and cool if you never do it again because you’re worrying about these poor kids who just spent 90 dollars and are out there at 9:30 in the morning and it’s not a good vibe.  You know? You’re going in there with your back against the wall, and we felt like a jester in court like “entertain us or be beheaded”.  These kids are like ok, I just spent a month salary from my minimum wage job, I’m here at 9am and your better entertain me.  That’s not the vibe we like going into, we like the vibe of you know I just watched a bunch of awesome bands for fucking cheap, they had a great time on stage, I had great time watching them we’re going to keep it, we get to see GWAR, we get to see a ton of other bands.

Jeff:  Who are you listening to on the tour?
Jordon:  I like Darkest Hour, I like checking out all the new bands…but I’ve said it before, like, the first half of the day is full of bands that are in the same position we were in five years ago, they are breaking out, they’re new, they’re doing what the fuck they want to do, and the kids are really responding to that. So when we got asked to do this tour that was my favorite part of it, let’s play for these kids who think that were too good for them now.  They see us in a music video, they see us on a bus, so they think that we gave up on the kids, and that is…fucking never, ever.  And we want kids who have see us 7 years ago or seen us for the first time at Warped tour or kids who have never seen us and we want them to think the same thing today when they watch us. It’s why we are on this tour
Jeff:  Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Jordon:  It’s just so much of ourselves, I like to listen to our old records and say I can do better.  I like to listen to what Andy writes and say oh well fucking Andy is stepping up and wrote this awesome riff so I gotta step up too,.  I like ah, to listen to a song we wrote 2 weeks ago and say ok this is great but I just like to keep outdoing myself, so I guess I am in competition with myself, I just want to keep making better riffs,  I don’t want to say oh yeah that is the best thing I ever done and I’m never top it.  I can be more aggressive, I can more melodic, I can be catchier, I can be any kind of riff I can do better.
Jeff:  How has it changed from writing/practicing as a band trying to make it to a band that has record contract, expectations, etc?
Jordon:  Keith has a very unorthodox way of doing the vocals, and every producer we have ever worked with said the same thing. Where it’s just me, Mike our drummer, and Andy our guitar player in a basement 5 day a week/4 hours a day for/4 months.  Whenever we get a song done, we record it, and get it to Keith.  Keith does the vocals/lyrics and 2 weeks later he gets a new song.
Jeff:  So it’s still fun?
Jordon:  Oh yeah, we actually implemented a new, (laughs) it was my idea, a new method of song writing where we had a stopping time every day no matter what.  The worst part about our albums in the past is we would hit these walls, and you don’t want to be that guy who say can we stop?  Because then it looks like your least interested, you know,  like you have better things to do   So we had a stopping time everyday where no matter how much of a roll we were on we on we stopped at that time , I don’t know, 5 o’clock or whatever.  It worked because if we were on a roll and we came to a dead stop, you’d be excited to go to practice the next day
It sounds so amateur but it worked and it relieved a lot stress and if we did hit a wall or had writers block we would say alright its 5 o’clock and maybe tomorrow we would have better idea. Or like I said if we had like 10 sec left to write ah for a song, the song is 95% done, that 5% was coming tomorrow. So it made you look forward to practicing, look forward to writing, something that was missing on Gutter Phenomenon.  I think we were not having fun writing.  I think we were just going through the motions on Gutter Phenomenon.  We wrote and recorded a great record but it wasn’t fun to do.
This CD was fun to record and write.
Jeff:  When is the due date for the Big Dirty?
Jordon:  Sept 4th….We are playing the 2 new songs that are on our myspace page, every night. Non-stop dude, we are doing a tour with Under Oath, Poison the Well, & Maylene and the Sons of Disaster in Sept, Oct, and I think Nov.
Jeff:  And you’re headlining?
Jordon:  No, Under Oath is playing after us, they are pretty huge, uh, and great friend of ours.  And after that, we have fucking half a dozen options were just going through that now.  Your not gonna see us sitting home until we have to write/record another record.  That is the way things go, we tour for 2 straight years and then we write and record,we’re just non-stop. We have never said no to a tour because we didn’t want to tour, we have to do something, what tour are we going to do?
Jeff:  You toured with Black Dahlia Murder, do you think they are approaching spinal tap status with all their changing drummers?
Jordon:  (Laughs) Ah not as much as we are with our changing bass players, I guess you could say.  If we ever made fun of a band for having too many members it would be the pot calling the kettle black.  I love Keller I hope he stays with us forever, um, he is the guy touring with us now.  He is great on stage and off-stage, I hope he never leaves, but who knows he’s from Atlanta and has his own things going on, so who knows….
Jeff:  Do you plan on incorporating make-up or wearing masks to get a broader appeal?
Jordon:  (Laughs) No, that is another thing we made a conscious decision not to do.  You see, it was about 2 years ago it seemed like everybody was just throwing on mascara …just to….like we’ve actually had bands talking about how they hate doing it and only do it to sell records, or to fit ah a genre.  That couldn’t be more phony, than to actually admit to doing something you don’t want to do.  That would be like me doing it.  Be like me putting on lipstick and clown wig, “You know this new clown stuff will really help sales so hand me my big red shoes”.  I think that people appreciate like, how genuine we are. Where if I’m getting on stage in shorts and a t shirt then you better believe that because I want to wear shorts and a t shirt, If Andy is going to come out in a Ninja costume, which he bought the other day, then you know what its not to sell records its because he wants to wear a Ninja costume.
Jeff:  Do you plan on incorporating lasers in your stage show?
Jordon:  Like fire starting lasers?  I’ll take a good light show every once in awhile but as far as burning people….
Jeff:  How bad did Matt Pike (High on Fire) smell?
Jordon:  (Laughs) I think his overwhelming personality ah kind of blocked out any order he may have had.  He was a great guy we shared a bus with him man, it was one of the best months of my life.  He’s great…
Jeff:  Would you do speed with Lemme from Motorhead just to say you did it?
Jordon:  (Laughs) Ah fuck, I’m the kind of guy who likes a good story, so probably, probably.  I met him a once or twice at the Rainbow Room in Hollywood um, but like I’ll do anything as long as the person I’m dong it with is funny enough to repeat the story.
Jeff:  So how was that encounter?
Jordon:  Oh, it bothered the shit out of me.  He was talking to a chick and hey man I’m just gonna be the fucking asshole to interrupt and ask to shake his hand, so I shook his hand and got out of there.
Jeff:  Do you think Paris Hilton looks like an old man?
Jordon:  Ah, who the fuck knows what she looks like.  I can tell you what she doesn’t look like, a hot female.  A lot of people disagree with me and a lot agree with me.  She’s got that lazy eye thing, I can’t stand that shit….
Jeff:  If Lindsay Lohan asked you to hot-wire her ankle bracelet and take her out drinking would you?
Jordon:  (Laughs) If it was Mean Girls, 17 year old Lindsay Lohan, yeah, but current crypt keeper Lindsay Lohan then absolutely not.
Jeff:  Who would you rather bang Tipper Gore or the Bush Twins?
Jordon:  (Laughs) Oh man…I don’t answer any political questions.
Jeff:  Is the band still making you sell T-shirts to pay your way on the tour?
Jordon:  (Laughs) I was doing that earlier today, swear to God. I am accessible, I guess you could say. I am at the merch table, I am watching the bands, I am hanging out. I am not the guy who’s on the bus, gets off and plays, and then back on the bus.
Jeff:  Was the weed better on Ozzfest, Warped Tour, or SOTU?
Jordon:  Well, I am trying to think. I go through phases where I see it and smell it all the time. But I wouldn’t know firsthand since I didn’t inhale but it seems like its pretty good on this tour judging by our bass player.
Jeff:  Does the band get all the left over chicks Keith doesn’t want?
Jordon:  Keith has a lovely girlfriend, don’t say that, don’t say that(Laughs)
Jeff:  In the video Kill the Music, did you really get stomped by Michael Madsen at the end?
Jordon:  Yeah, oh Michael Madsen beat the shit out of me for sure. I was like wasted and he was wasted and I was just so psyched. Again I am a name dropper like, if I can say Michael Madsen beat me up then I want to say that for the rest of my life.
Jeff:  Did you party with him after the shoot?
Jordon:  No we partied during the shoot.  I told really told him kick the shit out of me don’t go easy on me.
Jeff:  In the beginning of the video, the tiger roar, is that from the Sex Panther Cologne commercial from Anchorman?
Jordon:  No, I think that tiger sample, fuck, because I am a male when it comes to sports and I definitely noticed… I think it was the same roar the Jacksonville Jaguars use like on their kick-offs.  And I noticed it and I was like “that is our fucking roar”, but did we take it from them or them from us….?
Jeff:  What is it like playing on stage with a legal giant (Andy)?
Jordon:  More like a legal teddy bear.
Jeff:  Do you believe the statement that Every time you masturbate God kills a kitty?
Jordon:  I hope so because I hate cats, I am allergic to them.

The Milwaukees
Interview with Jeff Norstedt
San Francisco, CA, 8/3/07
With the release of their third LP, American Anthems Vol 1 (2007 City Desk Records), The Milwaukee’s prove that DIY is alive and well in the digital age.  From spending endless hours on the road, burying four vans along the way, getting banned for life from Canada (really), joining forces with Capt America, promoting their band, managing their own record label, and putting out some of these best material of their career. American Anthems is blue-collar American rock n roll for the masses that stands out from the masses. I sat down with Jeff Norstedt & here’s what he had to say:
Jeff L:  I know it’s hard to pick a band name, but the Milwaukee’s?
Jeff N:  Dylan (Front man Dylan St. Clark ) picked that. It’s a classic rock joke, like there’s Kansas, there’s Boston, and there’s Chicago. Most people think it’s about the beer; the name is pretty much stupid. We’re very happy to have a name that doesn’t have a significant meaning because you end up sounding like Save the Day or something you’re going to regret later.
Jeff L:  Sounds like you guys spend a lot of time on the road being in a band, a predominate  theme in American Anthems Vol 1. 
Jeff N:  Yeah, there is a lot of being in a band songs on the record.  When we came up with the title American Anthems, we tend to write these songs about being in a band since it consumes our daily lives.  But we realize there is this larger metaphor of chasing the American dream whether it’s a matter of being in a band or whatever you want to do, sort of a common thread. If you deconstruct the truth we’re probably talking about being in a band, but could be applied universally to anyone with that sort of idea of an American dream
Jeff L: How long you been together?
Jeff N:  Technically the band has been together since 2000 when the first LP was released.  We were mere babies and I just joined the band. Dylan, the singer sort of made the first LP, Missile Command, with out knowing much about being in a band or anything like this, but once the record was finished, I joined the band to flesh out the sound and make it sound like a record
We sort of stumbled around really for two years with this great sounding record which we literally had no idea what to do with but one thing lead to another, we started to get out on tour, toured Canada once and by 2003 we figured it out and we are now more like a real live touring, functioning band.
Jeff L:  Did you get to meet the Queen of Canada?
Jeff N:  NO we were actually kicked out there and until very recently we were banned for life from Canada.
Jeff L:  What did you guys do?  
Jeff N:  It should be a glamorous story involving all kinds of drugs and stuff, but its just not.
We toured there once and it was great, it was so great when went back to follow it, we were working with a record label in Canada at the time and my genius idea to the label was you know, we heard all these horror stories that your going to get your equipment impounded if you get caught playing without an employment visa On the way in we told them were going to be recording the whole time, true, but it means were spending money not making money so they let you right it.
So anyway I was like were going to make enough money to more than cover the visas so why don’t we just get the visas?  So we called up the Customs guys, they tell us what to do, and off we go. So we tour down through the Midwest for a little bit we were going up through into Canada, towards Winnipeg. And we cross the border thinking we have everything we need, and we’re ready to pay for our visas and the guy is like, No you need this, you need that, and there’s no way you’re gonna get that now, so you have to go home. So my next brilliant idea was to drive 90 miles west the next day and go through again and say hey our paperwork is messed up, here is this contract that shows we’re working.  Next thing you know Dylan is in an interrogation room and ended up being carted off to jail for lying to the Canadian government, and before it was all over he had to pay 200 Canadian (is that even real money?) and he was banned for life from Canada. Well, the three of us are waiting around while he was in jail and we’re talking to people like, What?! Now this is in the prairie, the country, and they’re like, “you’re from New York and New Jersey…” “…why didn’t you come in over there?” Between the lines, “…like those people over there, don’t care. They would have let you right in. We, we don’t have nothing’ to do. Of course we’re going to bust you.
But Dylan got a pardon, so we will probably head back up there when it thaws out next spring.
Jeff L:  The band was recently featured on Marvel.com representing for the Captain America fan?
Jeff N:  None of us really. That was a fan of the band who worked at Marvel, and he wanted to write something about the band when the record came out, but he said it had to be comic booked themed.  Ok, we have an opportunity to be on Marvel.com…..anyone know anything?  We’re all like, I don’t know anything.  So my idea for the Capt America thing ties into American Anthems, because we’re trying to pull this whole American rock n roll band.  So it was a way to get on Marvel.com website and just talk about American rock n roll, so we put together this play list of songs we love, from past and present American rock bands, its an imix you can actually download., just allowed us to talk about music we really like and keep the conversation to stuff we really know about.          
Jeff L:  Enough about you, what bands are you listening to right now?
Jeff N:  I just bought, the new Wilco, one of those Ryan Adams records, and I bought Tom Petty Wildflowers.  Whenever I buy a bunch CD’s and you find that gem, that classic among them, you never listen to the others you bought.  I just can’t stop listening to Wildflowers, it’s the greatest thing I have heard in a long time.  I just love that album. I am big into Tom Petty, the truth is we’re all into Tom Petty and a lot of what we were trying to do when we were recording this record; we were often talking about how great the Heartbreakers sound was because of how little they play. Those guys don’t play, they barely play, and when they do play, it’s amazing because they aren’t over-playing.
And that is really what drove us in terms of the sounds we were trying to achieve with this record. A lot of the songs we were really trying to exercise more restraint then we had in the past. Partially as a guitar player, Mike Campbell is extraordinary;if I could have a taste of Mike Campbell, I would be very happy. (wouldn’t we all….)
Jeff L:  Your live show is noted for its electricity and “on-stage spontaneity”, has it been difficult to capture the energy when it comes time to record?
Jeff N:  We have notoriously been a better live band, so recording is always a challenge to capture the energy we have live.  So defiantly, more energy and more volume live.  What we did make sure we all hit our spots. Then our records did in the past. We were just trying to put all our energy into the record in the past and when you do that it tends to turn out muddy. It’s been 3 or 4 years since we put anything out. We went through bass player issues, and the whole time we just kept writing and when we were recording we ended up tracking over 30 songs and going back to the Tom Petty thing, one of our ultimate albums is Damn the Torpedoes and it’s like 10 songs that have kind of diverse and has different flavors and feels throughout the whole thing. And we said, regardless if we have 30 songs, we don’t want to put out a record that has 15 songs on it and by the end of it is just a blur you don’t remember anything. We want to put out an album with an arc that has a feeling, and moves around with different textures and moods. It was pretty tough to sit with there with 30 finished songs and what are the 10 that are going to make up the arc of the first Vol. We put a lot of thought into sound selection and pacing and that sort of thing making sure we did a couple of different things.
Jeff L:  City Desk Records. How and when did you get signed?
Jeff N:  Well, considering that the record label we’re on is my label, it was pretty easy…and I know the guy who runs the label.  So that’s how we got signed.  (Laughs heartily)
The truth is that we been at it for couple years and I really been growing into knowing and understanding the business. We had some opportunities with some independent labels that we could have pursued. But when I sat back and looked at it, I said you know what? Nobody’s going to do better for us than I am or than we are. We‘ve released two LP’s previously, we’ve made plenty of mistakes and done a few things right and I think that we know how to do this.  So considering that we weren’t going to be a position to get any major marketing money, I think we decided that we were better off leaving our fate in our own hands.   I started the label as a home for this band, but I may pursue other bands potentially. I do everything I do for the band that I would do anyway.  You know, having it as a label lets us work out better distribution…, and a little clout in terms of publicity and stuff like that.  But basically it’s me coming up with plan for what we’re going to do to promote the band.  We all share the expenses and execute the stuff (ouch). Now a day’s physical distribution of actual CD’s is less and less important.  The truth is that is what really inspired me or what lead me to think about starting the label.  Access to distribution digitally is simple but access to national stores is not so simple. But more and more people are buying music online, so I was able through the label, to set up iTunes and all the kinds of digital distribution you need, I was able to set up Amazon, CD Baby, and all things you can do to get distribution without necessarily being in Sam Goody, well I don’t think it exists anymore. (less than 50 stores left in the US) Which is kind of the case in point, the whole point of this,  you don’t need a giant distribution infrastructure behind you, what you really need is people that care about your band working for you and you really need some smart people who know what to.
Jeff L:  When the hell do you find time to play guitar, write music?
Jeff N:  (Laughs) Playing the guitar is easy to find time for.. Sometimes it does get weird balancing the business stuff with the playing stuff, like at practice, I kind of just want to be a musician, you know? I don’t want to be thinking about anything else, I just really love to play, and all this other stuff just revolves around that fact that we love to play  and we just want to do whatever we can to continue that happening and grow it. But sometimes at practice band business is in my head and fucks up my practice but…the guitar is never hard, it’s really a matter of making a halfway living on the side then doing all the band/label stuff and playing, all the touring. It gets hectic. (No shit…)
Jeff L: The medium evolving more to digital, what’s your feelings on 128K bit sampling vs CD’s?
Jeff N:  I have mixed feelings; I know that I sat through every painful minute of the mixing of that record, pouring over the most minute sonic discrepancies..  The face that most people now listening to it on their IPOD at whatever bit rate are they ripped it at, not even knowing that they made a decision when they did it… Makes me a little bit batty, I mean as a musician you participate in the production of the CD, and you’re like wow, what did I do all that for? 
But on the other hand, when I got my business hat on, what the mp3 allows us to do in terms of marketing and spread the word and promoting the band, I don’t know where we would be without it …I literally don’t understand how independent bands did it before mp.3?  Its crazy to me. 
We’re trying to do all these things, its called Vol. 1 because we actually have a Vol 2,  plus  half of another record in the can already. What we’re thinking about doing is taking songs that aren’t released yet but will be in the future, offering fans, who are the diehard fans, if you go on iTunes you can gift a song to a friend. It would cost you 99 cents, you just give a song to a friend.  Now if they email us the receipt of that song showing they gifted it, email them a link to download an exclusive digital only EP that would be just for them. Being able to get your fans to really be promoting for you.  Like everybody’s got a band your friend is telling you is great and you have to buy the CD but you don’t listen to much. Empowering people to actually go out there, who their friends are going to trust and recommend something their going to listen.  That kind of promotion is only possible because of the mp.3 and the Internet; we’re taking full advantage of that stuff right now, so it’s good and it’s bad.
Jeff L:  Have you thought about masks or make-up to protect your identity in case you get famous?
Jeff N:  (Laughs) No we’re not.  We were just joking the other day and this is the first interview that I’ve managed not to work in the sentence “We’re not all haircuts and eye-liner”.
That has been the theme of interviews; …we’re trying to write memorable songs than writing these disposable, burst of energy that rely more on make up and haircuts.
So no, but we played a show with somebody at one point, somebody we actually knew, and I was taking a leak in the bathroom. Before we went on one of the guys from the other band was in there and he looks over at me and he is dead serious, he is putting on his eyeliner, and he says you want some?  Fuck you, we’re a rock n roll band. (Amen….)

Trevor Peres – Guitars, Obituary

9/28/2007, Bourbon Street Bar,
Concord, CA
Jeff Longo jlongosj@yahoo.com
Pioneering Death Metal band Obituary is back, well, maybe more like a return is more appropriate.  With 2007 Executioner’s Return, the boys from Florida seem to have found new life (or Death). Like sludging through a Floridian swamp Obituary returns to the roots that once helped define a genre.   The Executioner was the band’s original name which was quickly changed right before 1989’s ground-breaking Slowly We Rot was released.  Stubble caught up with founding member, song writer, and guitar player for Obituary, Trevor Peres, right after their crushing set in Concord Ca. where they are wrapping up their NAM  tour  with  Alabama Thunderpussy, Full Blown Chaos, and Hemlock.  A little something for everyone.
Jeff:  In the beginning, in the late 80’s, when you were creating classics like Slowly We Rot and Cause of Death, did you have any idea it would grow into what it is today?
Trevor:  No, obviously not, In Tampa, it was a good scene, we’d play shows and there would be five to six hundred kids at our shows. 
Jeff:  You guys had to have been kids yourselves.
Trevor:  When we, when Donald, John, and I started the band in 84, so,…so I’ve been around awhile, fucking 84’ hell, I can’t even do the math right now…23 years ago, (laughing), a young buck.  We didn’t know shit, I mean we just knew what we knew in Florida and In fact, we put out Slowly We Rot we still didn’t know, we thought it was cool because we had a record, we’re like oh “We got a vinyl!”, and then we put out….before Cause of Death came out we did some touring a little bit and we did a tour with Sacred Reich in 1990 and we defiantly realized that people fucking dug our shit.  I mean we did like 40 shows in America, with Sacred, and we were kicking ass every night, you know what I mean?  Selling the fuck out of merchandise and it was fucking five hundred to a thousand kids every night, it was bad ass.
Jeff:  Who were you listening to when you came up with Slowly We Rot?
Trevor:  Hellhammer, Possessed, Celtic Frost, Slayer…old Metallica of course, yeah all that shit.  Sacrifice...
Jeff:  So do you get calls at your house from the new bands today thanking you for giving them a fucking career?
Trevor:  LAUGHS LOUD. My number is unlisted (laughs), I meet some of these guys and they fuckin’ always give me props.  In fact when Obituary broke up for a little while in 98, I made a band called Catastrophic, and did some touring , that’s when I realized what an influence we were, because younger dudes and younger bands and they were all telling us that shit the whole time.  It was pretty cool, you know what I mean?
Jeff:  Yeah I do…
Trevor:  So I’ve been told that by a few others before.
Jeff:  I’m pretty stoked to be hanging out with you right now; I mean you are a legend.  Obituary changed the course of metal, along with bands like Death, although you guys did it a little differently.
Trevor:  Yeah, back then it wasn’t as crazy, now a days there’s like twenty bands coming out with an album like every Tuesday. It’s out of control; it’s the record labels doing that.
Jeff:  So who does most the writing?
Trevor:  This new album, our drummer Donald and I did all the writing.  It’s always been that way. Donald and I get together, put some songs together, and then Alan too he gets to write uh he’s not on this album though (Alan West incarcerated), so me and Donald took care of everything.
Jeff:  So who you listening to now?
Trevor:  Ah, as far as metal goes all my old shit still, you know what I mean?  I love a lot of classic rock stuff like Skynard, Allman Brothers, and shit like that.
Jeff:  Does that Influence your writing in Obituary?
Trevor:  Ahh, well, it all influences in some way. You know what I mean?  Just to want to play.
Jeff:  So you’re on a new label, Candlelight, how does that feel?
Trevor:  It’s cool yeah.  It’s a fresh feeling having a label give a shit about ya’.  Forever Roadrunner gave a shit about us, but once like Slipknot and Nickleback became their bands, that we kinda got shoved aside like they didn’t give a fuck, ‘cause we don’t sell a million records and these bands were so… Everybody on the label, that base of the label was forgotten about.
Jeff:  So what is there like three fucking people working at these labels?  They can only handle one band at time? 
Trevor:  Yeah, seems like.
Jeff:  It’s crazy everyone I interview these days is running the hell away from Roadrunner.  The commonality is that you all seem to be writing some of your best material out of that exodus.
Trevor:  Yeah, it’s ironic. I think that’s part of the deal we came out the bag on this one. What’s cool too is when the album came out that week, we out did some Roadrunner bands and we were like “Ah hah, there you go” you know on the charts you know?  “fuck off you fucking suck” (laughs hardily). Ironically. 
Jeff:  Death by Irony seems an appropriate ending, thank you Trevor and Dave at Earsplit you rule.  \m/. .\m/

The Red Chord’s bass player Greg Weeks @ MetalBlade Anniversary Tour, San Francisco, CA, 8/29/07
Jeff:  Congratulations on securing a spot on the Metal blade Anniversary tour.  I am really looking forward to seeing this show.  Solid line up (Cannibal Corpse, Black Dahlia Murder, Goatwhore, and Absence) and well worth the price of admission. Only twenty four bucks here in SF.
Greg:Well, thank you man.  We get excited every time we get to go hit the road with our friends.  We just did a tour with Between The Buried and Me, and we’ve know them forever too and it just seems like no matter how different the music is the kids just seem to accept both bands, which you cant ask for anything more for kids to come see you and your friends band.
Jeff:  Do you think that The Black Dahlia Murder is approaching Spinal tap status with their frequent rotation of drummers?
Greg:  (Laughs heartily) um…,  you know its funny, yeah they are.  They definitely…can’t seem to find their way to the stage these days, I’ve noticed the bass player is trapped in plastic pods now and again.(?)
We’ve been friends with Black Dahlia Murder for years, we used play together before either of us we’re signed. And we were very excited that we both signed to Metal Blade
Jeff: Two part question:  what is your favorite song right now?  Any song?
Greg:Oh, Jeez…Hmmm, I think, this is cheesy….man this is a tough one, my favorite song!? …..I would say right now, my favorite song, because I think it’s a perfect song, would be God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.  Cause the melody in that is very difficult to sing, it’s just everywhere.
Man that whole record, that Pet Sounds record is disturbingly difficult and out of control the way they proposed, it’s nuts.
Jeff:  And what is your favorite Red Chord song to play live?
Greg:My favorite Red Chord song, I think it might be Prey For Eyes off of the new album.  It has that whole ending section that we just kind a get to jam out for on a bit, which we don’t ever get to do, we only have a couple of songs we get to do whatever we want really.
Jeff:  How long have you guys been at this?
Greg:The band formed around 1999 or 2000, so it’s been a good seven years.  Five of those have been touring, and I’ve been with the band for about four of those.
Jeff: Nice...  so right when they got good?
Greg:Yeah, yeah I caused that I think.                     
Jeff:  You have been with Metal Blade since 2004, how did you get signed? Were they your first choice for a label?
Greg:No, no they weren’t.  It was funny, there was a couple of labels looking at the band and the band you know, we’re stubborn people, all five us, so we kept refusing till we got a deal we liked.  We had a lawyer before we had a label, so we just sent him the contracts and he would say this is a joke or this is really bad.
And Metal Blade, who I think we said no to a couple of times, finally came to us with a great offer that was unbelievable and to be on the same label that Slayer was on and Cannibal Corpse is on is unbelievable.
Jeff: So for any up and coming bands out there, your saying that the most important and first partner to have is a lawyer?
Greg:Oh yeah ….oh yeah…. yes it is.
(Dance with the devil and you get burned…except if you retain him first.)
Jeff:  Potentially a lot of money at stake, hard for the music not to get lost.
Greg:You know, I hope this is for what every musician is in it for.  The five us are defiantly all just love music and we have always wanted to make music and didn’t know about the whole other side of the business…and once you get signed and you’re out there doing the bigger tours you understand just how important the other side is. And sometimes, yeah, it’s a downer because you have to do these certain spots,... (Does he mean us?) …you have to do all this other stuff, (Correction, we’re not “stuff”, we’re Stubble…)…you know, but at the end of the day you still get to go out and play shows.  You take the good with the bad and there is defiantly more good than bad. 
And just think to yourself,  at least I’m not working in a bank. Not that there is anything wrong with working in a bank. 
At least I still get to play rock n roll.
Jeff:  So I take it that is why you got into music?
Greg:I started on a saxophone actually, in the fourth grade and I started playing guitar when I was about 12.  Bass was just easier to pick up cause its two less strings
Yeah, since I was a kid I grew up around music and its been apart of me and it just so happens that I fell in with these guys and I get play constantly.
Jeff: Now we’re talking, but where is the Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll?  Where’s the Livin’ Out to Midnight? 
Greg:The eighties have definitely left rock n roll, I’ll tell you that. Its….um,  I don’t know, I hear where you coming from.  It could be the genre of music we’re playing, but it’s defiantly not like go back-stage and there are lines and chicks willing to do whatever, you know?  It’s those crazy spice girls; they talked about girl power now no one wants do anyone?
I blame them!
Jeff:  But that is the right of every rock star! The ultimate by-product of being in a band.
Greg:It’s funny, man, I mean it’s true we do know a lot of people that can barely play their instrument that are doing it just because, you know, they want free drugs and free women.
(YES, sign me up!!)
Greg:But …especially with our type of music, if we don’t focus on the music then we’ll put out crap records, I would rather, I guess, put out a good record then get laid.
(Can’t we do both?)
Jeff:  The new album Prey For Eyes is brutal, but the song It Came From Over There, is a little different than the rest of the record but seems to fit right in. 
Greg:That was a song written by Mirai a gentleman from a band called Sigh over in Japan.
Jeff:  I liked it, it’s definitely different.  Who decided put this on the record, was it already written, did you have multiple songs to pick from, or did this result from just jamming?
Greg:The whole story about that song is every record we have an instrumental, but on this record it was funny, the whole record was basically just us jamming but that one Mike Gunface, our guitar player, was on two Sigh records and so he asked us early on in the writing process would we mind if he asked Mirai to be on our record. We were like yeah why not, Sigh’s a great band and Mirai is an incredible composer so why not.  As the writing process went on we were like, where can we fit him? What is he going to play?  Mike said he is going to play a Moog keyboard and we were like, I really don’t hear that yet. So Mirai actually sent over a bunch of samples and we were like lets use this on….  And Mike went and basically wrote the beginning and the end of that and the middle was what we got from Mirai… that really heavy like keyboard part and Mike wrote around that and made this song It Came From Over There.
Jeff:  If a fan wanted to buy your record, where can they buy it where the artist receives the biggest share?  Retail? Local records stores? Your website?
Greg:In all honesty, I believe the mom and pop store get more SoundScan credit I mean you should support mom and pop stores anyway, but I believe if you go, which aren’t available anywhere, middle America usually go to the Best Buys or Walgreen’s or whatever, if you buy there I think you get more double SoundScans, which who knows if SS even means anything anymore, everyone just downloads it for free anyway….
Jeff:  Ever think of doing what Prince did and include the price of the CD in each ticket, hand out a CD at the door, and count each ticket towards album sales?
Greg:Oh, my God, see, ingenious. You can say what you want about his music, he is a very, very, smart person, I mean getting out of record contracts by using a symbol.  He really knows the ins and outs of the industry, you know, I should get in touch with him, he uh, could help me with my career.
Jeff:  When did you think you made it? Whatever it is…
Greg:It’s funny I have been in bands growing up, I remember, I think it was right out of high school my band played upstairs Middle East and that was it,  I thought I made it, I couldn’t believe it…oh my god here I am playing in front of five people at the middle east.
Jeff:  Nice.  What is one of your favorite musical memories?
Greg:It’s funny, it’s always the firsts that stick out in my brain. Like the first time we ever did a photo shoot, the first time we ever did a video….
Jeff:  That must be pretty sweet.  
Greg:  (Laughing) here is the problem with videos; First of all you feel like an idiot, because you’re playing along to your own music.  It’s basically like ten hours of you head-banging, and you feel an idiot …to the same song over and over.  Not only have neck pains for the next week, but you hate that new song.  I’ll tell you a quick video story.  The first video we did was called Antman (Clients 2005) and we had a two month tour starting the day after we filmed it.  (Laughing) After about ten hours of head-banging and we all just felt awful then did two months right after that, it was just aches and pains for two months.
Jeff:  I would bring along a Chiropractor…
Greg:Oh no, we all know we are taking years off of our lives because on the road you don’t eat, you don’t sleep, you just do whatever….You just kind of go with it,..…roll with it; no one’s going to complain….
(Not me baby, not me…)
Jeff:  Do you have any control over where and when you tour? Do record sales have any weight in the decision?
Greg:I mean at this point we go where the tour tells us go…because we’re definitely a Cannibal Corpse tour, but on our headliner we try to hit everywhere. I don’t think sales really matter, if anything you would want to win over people who don’t buy your record.
(Right on…..)
We’ll do tours of major markets, see here’s where the business talk comes in… then we’ll do secondary markets…
(he takes a deep breath, the same breath I take when I am forced to go shopping….) …we do enough of those that we get everywhere…… But…but we haven’t hit the Dakotas yet, though (we laugh, …the Dakotas…)
Jeff:  There’s like forty people in both North and South I believe…
Greg:That’s what I am sayin’, I wanna bring it back! We’re going grassroots movement, baby; we’re going to the Dakotas and rock it to the ground!
Jeff:  Easy Greg, you at home?
Greg:Yeah, actually, it’s a funny, I am on vacation; I haven’t had a summer off in about two or three years.
Jeff:  So with the big label deal, did Metal Blade include medical, dental, 401K, Life Insurance?
Greg:It’s amazing, we get all that…
Jeff:  Really!? (My jaw actually dropped)
Greg:I’m kidding; No we don’t get any of that.
(Good one Greg,….picked my jaw up)
My Mother’s very proud.  I just signed up for Mass Health.  Which is, now in Massachusetts everyone needs health insurance, where you can get it if you’re really of poor,  and….
I got it! I passed that test. I passed it. It’s in the mail. You know I told my Mom about it and she said wow, I am very proud of you son, I thought I would never see the day when a member of our family got added to Mass Health. I did it Mom, I did it.
Jeff:  So I take it you haven’t hit your first million yet.
Greg:HAHA
Jeff:  Do you have a regular job when you’re not touring? 
Greg:No, I used to and,  you know it’s unfortunate, you burn every bridge possible, if you’re on tour for six or eight months out of the year you’re back for two or three weeks at a time. You go to a local shop or whatever and say will you hire me? I will be here forever!  And they say yeah but you can’t leave and you say I won’t. I have done absolutely everything, I’ve worked pretty much in sweat shops, I’ve been a dishwasher, um, just about anything to let me live that dream, which is good, I never thought it would get to this point, so I can relax a bit.
Jeff:  Has the band ever considered putting on make-up or wearing masks to get a broader appeal?
Greg:We were thinking about putting on really tight jeans and the haircut that goes over one eye announcing we are a Christian band, then announcing we’re Satan followers, then being a drug band for a week, then being a straight edge band just to see how many people we can get.
Jeff:  Sounds like a party to me. So Greg, any last words?
Greg:If you get a couple extra bucks in your pocket, come out and see the show.  I’d rather people see the live show than buy the record honestly you know that is where we put all our effort… trying to be the best we can be live…and we love meeting people.  So if it’s a decision to buy the record or come to the live show, come to the live show. Come to the merch table, talk to us, we’ll hang out.
Jeff:  I got my ticket…

CD Reviews

A BAND CALLED PAIN – Broken Dreams
(Hiero Imperium)

With a name like that they are begging the question, why is that name appropriate? The first cut “Holy” has good lyrics but not much drive. However, “Freedom Ain’t Free” and “Embrace the Pain” in particular are stronger, and truer to their roots in hard, Iron Maiden / AC/DC type rock. A.B.C.P. indeed. I’m sure you’ve heard of them by now. - JJ

ANN-MARITA – Intuition
(www.annmarita.com)

It’s obvious this international lady from Norway has a rich musical background; she’s not just about country. Her vocal style is more blues than country, but with obvious homage to country vocalists like Kenny Rogers. “Two Faced” is my favorite. Twangy and tangy. - KH

WENDY ATKINSON – Pink Noise
(Smarten Up! & Get to the Point)

This is Wendy Atkinson’s follow-up to Trim. I love “The Tyranny of Housework,” with credit given to the dishes, water, and vacuum as well as the electric and acoustic bass. The other cuts all credit some combo of electric bass, acoustic bass, and double bass. See a trend developing? Only one song credits voice, in addition to electric bass, and that’s “Summer BBQ.” The only one with swearing. Vacuum cleaners don’t swear. Very cool atmospheric moments throughout. - MTC

AUGUST BURNS RED – Messengers
(Decoy Music)

More of a collaboration than their first CD, as all the band members did some writing for this one. Aggressive bass and complex drumming show that they are still growing – this one is better than the last! – KH

BANG GANG – Something Wrong
(From Nowhere Records)

“Something Wrong,” the title cut, is atmospheric and whispery but not wimpy. Hypnotic. And I love the cover of “Stop In the Name of Love.” It has a more acoustic style, but still has that Motown girl-group sound. The Icelandic accents are subtle and cute. - CC

BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH – Street Gospels
(SideOneDummy Records)

The album is well named. Street Gospels is energetic, soulful, and unexpected. The first cut, “Until We Burn In the Sun,” employs vocal echoes to create a dramatic effect. Also included is “12:59 Lullaby” which was heard on Grey’s Anatomy (although not by me); it’s a plaintive strummer. Definitely worth a listen. - ZJ

BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE – Strictly Rude
(SIDEONEDUMMY Records)

The Ska beat and vocals are familiar at first, but the fast delivery on several cuts, especially “Noise Complaint,” are more punky than most in their genre. And therefore better. “Strictly Rude” is a slower number with some pretty horns has its own style, though it claims to have none. - OJ

BISHOP – Steel Gods
(Bishop Music)

Metal with a Doors/Led Zep influence.  Varied and complex. – MTC

BLACKTOP MOURNING – No Regret
(Tyrannosaurus Records)

BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY – Strength and Loyalty
(Interscope/Full Surface)

Another album from the mega boys, although Bizzy Bone has departed. Wish, Layzie, and Krayzie Bone -  with Akon, Mariah Carey, the Game, and other guests – are doin just fine thanks. Powerful stuff. - TD Simone (PS. Wish Bone is my favorite.)

BOO YAA TRIBE –
West Koasta Nostra
(MVD Audio)
Finally! Another great CD from the Boo Yaa Tribe. Lots of hip-hop guests on every song, but the standout tune is “911,” featuring B Real and Eminem, produced by Eminem. Comes with a DVD that includes the Tribal Scars trailer – check it oooout! - The Dread Simone

THE BORN AGAIN FLOOZIES –
7 Deadly Sinners
(Half-Naked Music)
Witty, creative and fabulous. This one’s a keeper. Why isn’t there more tuba music around?  “If You Were Dead You’d Be Home Now” is short but incredibly catchy. Also available on vinyl – start samplin’. - KH

THE BRIDES OF OBSCURITY – Extended Play
(Electrokitty Records)

CARLTON PATTERSON & KING TUBBY – Black & White In Dub
(Cooking Vinyl)

Mixes from the golden age of dub, originally released as B-side dance remixes. King Tubby is one of the greats in dub, and Carlton Patterson is a music producer whose work King T was remixing. 15 tracks here are seeing their first CD release. Check out “Watergate Rock” and never forget (either King Tubby or Watergate) – VL

CHASING VICTORY – Fiends
(Mono vs Stereo)

“Chemicals” is a good cut. The refrain “she needs help” is catchy. Each cut on this CD has a 1-word title, usually a monster or a monster problem… like  “Chemicals.” More song-oriented than their previous efforts, and isn’t that what it’s about? Songs! – CC

CHILD ABUSE
(Lovepump United)

The songs range from brutal (“I Hate Me”) to bizarre (Poor Snoo”). Oddly mechanical and catchy too. Maybe you caught them with on tour with The Slits this fall. – BS

CIRCUS DIABL0
(Koch Records)

In the above picture are Billy, Brett, Billy, and Ricky, lead guitar, bass, vocals, and guitar, respectively. Their live show drummer is Charles Ruggiero, but this album has Matt Sorum on drums. As advertised, the music is hard, fast, and dirty. The band members play in other bands too, but I gather this is where they have fun and play what they want. Energetic and enjoyable. - KH

THE CHINESE STARS – Listen To Your Left Brain
(Three.One.G->)

Mental illness is their guiding light for sure. With song titles like “TV Grows Arms,” my favorite, how can anyone resist this synth/poppy sounding band? Reminds me of the Lemonheads among others. I love the “we regret that no further information [on band member Paul Vieira] is available at this time.” Soo mysterious. – KH

CHTHONIC – Relentless Recurrence
(TRA Music)

As a ChthoniC novice, I was pleasantly surprised at the high energy of this album, given that it is based on a Taiwanese folk tale. However this is a demon bent on revenge, and this band is a force to be dealt with. - WW

DADDY YANKEE – El Cartel:  The Big Boss
(Interscope)

From the guy who gave us Gasolina, more hot Latino rap. It starts out real hard-hitting, but the later cuts are more melodic, with some nice violins in “Cambio.” “Fuera de Control” is the best. The lyrics are en espanol, but you can catch the drift even if you’re not Manny Ramirez. - WW

DEAD TOWN REVIVAL – Hasta La Muerte
(Sinister Muse Records)

The album title means “To the Death.” Chicago punk with plenty of angst. The lyrics are provided, but this is Chicago punk n roll, so you can understand the words anyway. Check out “Johnny” and “Hail To The Chief” to see what they’re all about. Smooth. - KH

THE DEATH OF A PARTY – The Rise And Fall of Scarlet City
(Double Negative Records)

In their first full length release, these Oaklanders (?) crash into your consciousness (if ya got one), and you like it. Post punk pop? It’s something to dance to, duh. - CC

DEMANDER – The Unkindness of Ravens
(DemanderMusic.com)

An unkindness of ravens is the accepted term for a group of ravens, much as a group of crows is ‘a murder of crows;’ for lions it’s ‘a pride of lions.’ But the unkindness is something different. Formed by former drummer (Sivan Harlap) and bass/vocals (Karen Correa) for THE HISSYFITS, they add Jared Scott on lead guitar, but he’s really kind of an afterthought. Unique punk/metal for fans of MC5, PJ Harvey, and punk metal in general. – WF

DERDIAN – New Era Pt. 2:  War Of The Gods
(Magna Carta Records)

Part 2 of the story of a mythical world with a legendary fortress called Derdian. In Part 1 we left the evil Troghlor returning in defeat from a battle. In part 2 Golstar, one of Troghlor’s commanders, plans a mutiny against Troghlor. Hilarity ensues. Don’t miss the next thrash-metal infused episode of Derdian, coming soon. Stay tuned! - KH

DETENTE – Recognize No Authority
(MVD Audio)

This reissue of Détente’s 1986 release on Metal Blade is appropriate, as no one was found to replace Dawn Crosby, who is dead, in case you hadn’t heard. (The band later became Fear of God.) Crosby’s violent, aggressive vocals against the backdrop of speed and thrash metal is a classic. You can check out “Losers,” “Vultures in the Sky,” and other cuts from this CD on YouTube or online music sites. After that you may need to pick this up! - CC

DIE! DIE! DIE!
(SAF Records)

Well the first cut, “Like 48th St, Maybe?,” sucks but the rest is good hard punk rock. 10 short angry tunes to make your day – especially “Ashtray! Ashtray!” Are you sure there are only 3 of them? - CC

DIR EN GREY – The Marrow of a Bone
(Warcon Records)

You don’t need to understand the words to know that “Ryoujoku No Ame” refers to unrequited love. Just kidding. But the meaning of “Clever Sleazoid” is self-evident. The appeal of this band is all about the densely poetic lyrics (those I could understand anyway), and the distorted Japanese metalfunk riffs and rhythms. – KH

DROID
(Emotional Syphon Recordings)

Well Droid keeps going with what they know; dark violent brutal metal. So real I can hardly stand it. Never stop! Never give up! Vengeance is yours indeed. - KH

DRATS!!! – Welcome To New Granada
(www.thedratslive.com)

This is totally bizarre. It’s a rock opera based on a movie, Over The Edge. Made in 1979. I guess they really liked the movie. It’s fun and witty music and has been compared to Zappa, but the singing reminds me more of Little Shop of Horrors. It does make me want to see that movie again, though. If only it was Johnny Depp instead of Matt Dillon. - HG

DUNGEN – Tio Bitar
(Latchkey Recordings)
Norsemen singing in Swedish?! This psych-rock band has little following in their homeland, but is gaining more ground in the US with their second album. Swedish is a nice language to listen to, for me, because it has no negative associations, in fact no associations at all, for me. I don’t understand the word – who does? -  but I feel a kind spirit in the music. Hey, it’s not like they were speaking French or something, like Le Whiskey Bar. But I digress…. - NN

EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN – Palast Der Republik
(Tinnitus)
This is a CD of a DVD with the Neubauten performing rock songs backed by a 100-member choir. “Perpetuum Mobile” is aptly named; it’s over 11 minutes. But once it gets going it is a real rocker. Not all of it can be described as rock, though. Experimental doesn’t begin to describe it.  The performance was at the Palast Der Republik, the ruined Parliament building of the now-defunct East Germany. Does that help explain things at all? – A-Pos 

PAUL EPIC- South of Heaven, North of Hell
(Beeshive Records)

FAKE PROBLEMS – How Far Our Bodies Go
(Sabot Productions)

Anthemic yet creative punk with reprises and preprises. 4 friends from Naples, FL – “a