Muen Magazine August 2009

STATIC-X

Content:

Suzie Q

www.myspace.com/soulofpain Contributors: G. Cataline, Shauna OʼDonnell, Jeanne Thomas (JET), Macavity, Slavewriter6, BC Blonde, R.L. Segarra, Karen Fader McBride, Yvonneʼs World, M Lazar, AngelDevil, Charly Gienau, Shannon Lindsey, Tracy L. Forsyth-Lundy, Jus Forrest, Morbid Miller, Q5 Cerys, Morbid Miller, Diana Price, Metal Mike, Natalie Perez, Tina Rose, Heather Armstrong, Nik Vicious, Laya, Brittany Todd, Warren Meyers, Jori Pierson, Darcee Bianca Malise, Seegal, Eric Eaton, Brian Cade, Chris King Spokesmodels: Penny Layne, Saphira Spanks, Suzie Q, Toy Kitten (Genocide), FluxXx Mutation, Danielle Fornarelli, Ethel Hallow, Bianca Barnett, M Lazar, Paris Inez, Katja Cintja, Deanmon, Kelly Chaos www.Scribd.com/MUENmag • www.MUENMagazine.net MUEN TALK 525.COM www.525PowerTracks.com MUEN Artist PR & Promotion www.Myspace.com/gcataline www.Myspace.com/ShaunasBandPage

Not all views expressed in these pages, are the views of MUEN Magazine as a whole. MUSIC UNDERGROUND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Indie, Goth, Rock, Metal, Alternative, Punk, Electronic For Advertising and Promotional programs contact: [email protected] Skype: mmgc007

3 DOORS DOWN Pg. 18 69 CHAMBERS Pg. 8 BURTON C. BELL Pg. 62 CD REVIEWS Pg. 82 CHURCH FOR SINNERS Pg. 90 CREED Pg. 12 DESTROPHY Pg. 24 DEVILDRIVER Pg. 30 DIRGE WITHIN Pg. 39 EXTREMA Pg. 76 FATAL STAR Pg. 66 FLATLINE Pg. 51 FORSYTHE Pg. 68 I AM GHOST Pg. 55 KAURA Pg. 43 KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Pg. 4 KITTIE Pg. 97 LIVE REVIEWS Pg. 100 MISS DERRINGER Pg. 78 NOVA Pg. 58 OTEP Pg. 41 POP EVIL Pg. 92 SHINEDOWN Pg. 72 STATIC-X Pg. 36 THE UNKNOWNN Pg. 28 TORPEDOHEAD Pg. 74 YVONNEʼS WORLD Pg. 99 MUEN Magazine P.O. Box 11446 Whittier, CA 90603

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Environmental America needs more clean energy jobs and less pollution -- and President Obama's EPA already has the power to act.

This summer we are working hard to support the Obama Administration's efforts to clean up coal ash, mercury, mining, soot, smog, and carbon pollution, and it all starts with this petition to your Senators.

The Obama Administration has shown a strong commitment to economic prosperity through cleaner energy, and that means new regulations to force dirty coal plants and oil refineries to clean up their act to create less pollution and more clean energy jobs. But oil and coal companies are doing everything they can to fight these new rules and avoid being held accountable for their polluting ways.

Tell your Senators to urge President Obama to create the rules that will regulate coal ash, mercury, mining, soot, smog, and carbon pollution as quickly as possible.

Right now, some Senators are pressuring the EPA to adopt weak and unenforceable pollution standards. As just one example, in the wake of the tragic coal ash spill in Tennessee last December, some Senators are actually pressuring EPA not to issue stronger rules for safe disposal of this toxic waste from coal-fired power plants. EPA is expected to issue new guidelines for coal ash disposal this fall, and we need to let our Senators know that we want strong safeguards in place for our communities.

We need rules that cover all pollution fairly -- no exemptions, no bailouts, and no special treatment for coal or anything else. This will put us on the path to cleaner technology that boosts economic growth, creates jobs and protects the planet.

Your Senators should be representing you by telling EPA to protect us all from polluted air and water and to preserve our earth for the generations to come.

We can't let coal and oil companies stand in the way of the Obama Administration and their plans to clean up coal and oil pollution -- sign the petition today!

Go here to sign the petition: http://action.sierraclub.org/bigpicture_petition Thanks for all that you do to protect the environment.

Mary Anne Hitt Sierra Club Big Picture Campaign

Interview Page 78 MUEN Wire

ADMIRALʼS ARMS out of France, have recently unleashed a track featuring Bring Me The Horizonʼs Oli Sykes on vocals called, “Dawn Of The New Age” www.myspace.com/admiralsarms

WHEREWOLVES from Australia on tour with Anberlin throughout Aug. They say “if you have ears, you will like them..” Beware, this is pop oriented rock akin to great pop rock of the 80ʼs, but with a led foot rooted in today. www.myspace.com/wherewolves

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (Roadrunner Records)

last album and really liked it. He said he liked our melody so Adam and I flew down to meet him, talked to him for a while and said “Okay, letʼs give this a shot.”

Howard Jones (Lead Vocals)

Westfield, Massachusetts Myspace.com/killswitchengage By: Shauna OʼDonnell

MUEN: IT IS VERY EARLY IN THE TOUR, BUT ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME SO FAR?

like re-inventing ourselves so why not go with just Killswitch EnYeah, the shows have been great, all the bands gage. are getting along and the catering is good so you MUEN: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. I WOULD LIKE canʼt complain. TO SAY CONGRATULAMUEN: ON JUNE 30TH TIONS BECAUSE THE YOU RELEASED YOUR ALBUM DEBUTED AT SECOND SELF TITLED #7 ON THE BILLBOARD 200. DOES THAT MARK ALBUM TO THE THE BANDS HIGHEST WORLD. WHY DID YOU GUYS DECIDE TO CHART POSITION? SELF TITLE AN ALBUM I believe it does. Itʼs reFOR THE SECOND ally kind of weird. TIME? (Laughing) We did not expect that or if someThatʼs because we are body else did, okay fine, lazy. The first one was but I sure didnʼt. My mom with the old singer and I think there were seven or was pretty excited about eight songs on the album it. and really we did a lot of things different with this MUEN: THATʼS COOL, album. We decided you THIS ALSO MARKS THE FIRST TIME THAT know what; itʼs almost

YOU USED AN OUTSIDE PRODUCER. Yeah.

MUEN: YOU GUYS USED BRENDAN OʼBRIEN. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO HAVE A CO-PRODUCER ON THIS ALBUM?

MUEN: WHO ARE SOME OF THE BANDS HE HAS WORKED WITH BEFORE? WASNʼT ONE OF THEM AC/DC?

Yeah, he just did the new AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, all of the Stone Temple Pilots albums, Mastodon, several Pearl Jam albums, Bruce Springsteen albums and Brendan produced and Aerosmith. The list is Adam co-produced it, we endless. really just wanted to do something different. We MUEN: WHAT KIND OF didnʼt want to make the CALCULATED RISKS same album and BrenDID YOU TAKE WITH dan got in touch with THIS LAST ALBUM some of the people at the AND WHAT MAKES IT record label. I had actu- DIFFER FROM YOUR ally mentioned Brendan PREVIOUS REmyself, if we were going LEASES? to try something. I like a lot of his productions. Ap- Basically, we all tried to parently, he was really step up what we do in into the band. He had the the band. In regards to

the songwriting we really tried to make the songs diverse. Lyrically, I tried to touch on a lot more subjects and stretch what I do vocally. It was rough; I vocally did things on the album that I hadnʼt done before. I was probably hitting notes that I hadnʼt hit before. It was a long couple months doing that, it really was. MUEN: YOU GUYS SAT DOWN AND WROTE THIS ALBUM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME RIGHT?

Yeah, they wrote the music together. As they did the music I would get it. They would make demos and give them to me. I would sit and listen to them forever and start writing. Once I got into the studio I started rewriting and even more rewriting. There are one or two songs that I probably wrote six times a piece. I think “Reckoning” might have been one of them. I re-wrote that song so many times. It was like “Okay this is good” then we would demo it and say “This sucks!” We would throw it away and start writing again. It just happens like that sometimes.

WOULD YOU MOST POPS INTO PEOPLEʼS LIKE TO SAY TO HEADS FIRST? THOSE WHO HAVE STUCK WITH YOU FOR Really goofy live shows. SO LONG? MUEN: WHAT DO YOU I would say it was the THINK MAKES YOU first time we went to the EASILY IDENTIFIABLE? UK and Europe. There were more people there Hmmm probably just the first time we were choruses, we have alheadlining a tour. We had ways kind of went for big no idea that at the first choruses that are easy to show a thousand people sing along with. would be there. We were like “What is this?” When MUEN: YOU GUYS we came back from PLAYED THE SONG “A there, I think right after LIGHT IN A DARKENED Ozzfest there was a reWORLD”AT THE REally big jump for us. For VOLVER GOLDEN GOD those of you who stuck AWARDS THIS YEAR around….Whatʼs wrong AND YOU ALSO with you? but thanks! PLAYED IT WHILE ON THE MUSIC AS A MUEN: AT WHAT POINT MUEN: WHAT WOULD WEAPON TOUR. WHAT IN YOUR CAREER DID YOU SAY YOU ARE WAS THE REACTION MOST WELL KNOWN YOU REALLY START FROM THE CROWD TO FOR, WHEN I SAY KILLNOTICING THE INTHE SONG? SWITCH ENGAGE, CREASING NUMBER WHAT DO YOU THINK It seemed to go okay; OF FANS, AND WHAT

you never know what is going to happen live. We were like “Alright, which one do you want to do?” and that was the general consensus. We went with that one and seemed to get a good response. MUEN: I NOTICED THAT YOU ARE ON THE COVER OF KERRANG MAGAZINE UK THIS MONTH SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT! Thank you

MUEN: YOU LOOK VERY HANDSOME. Nope (Laughing)

MUEN: YOU ARE SHARING THE STAGE WITH SOME KICK ASS BANDS THIS SUMMER. WHICH BAND IS YOUR FAVORITE TO WATCH

PERFORM THIS YEAR? TOUR.

Wow, I would have to say either our friends in All That Remains or Cannibal Corpse. That is just wonderful; I think everyone in the band are fans of those guys.

MUEN: YOU PLAY A LOT OF FESTIVALS. ARE THERE ANY CITIES OR PLACES THAT YOU PREFER OVER OTHERS WHEN YOU ARE ON TOUR?

I think its eight shows in total. We are just hitting the major places. MUEN: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER THAT?

We are trying to figure out what we are going to do overseas because once again its time to go around the world. After a while you sort of miss being home. That is kind of what we do; we will Wow, actually somebody tour for two years or just mentioned that something like that on today. We have played this album, maybe even every festival basically, longer. thatʼs weird. (Laughing) I MUEN: donʼt know ARE WE how that SUPhappens. POSED Well, they TO BE keep askWATCHing, so who ING NEW are we to EPISODES say no. As OF “THE far as faOFFICE” vorite cities, FOR ANY our homeSPECIAL town is alREASON? ways good. Los AngeWell, unforles is altunately, ways fun the season because so many friends is over, but yeah anytime come out, and Chicago. there are new episodes you must watch them. MUEN: STARTING SEP- We are very avid fans of TEMBER 8TH YOU “The Office.” So we baWILL BE CO-HEADLIN- sically try to tell people to ING A CANADIAN watch it. TOUR WITH IN FLAMES, WHICH IS SO MUEN: SO YOU LIKE EXCITING. THAT IS AC- THE SHOW, I TUALLY A SHORT

THOUGHT THAT MAYBE SOME OF YOUR MUSIC WAS IN IT.

“STARTING OVER” VIDEO SO IT CAN GET MORE AIRPLAY!!!

MUEN: DO YOU GUYS REENACT IT HERE ON THE TOUR BUS?

Thanks for everything and come to see us. The reason we are still around is because we have fans that care. We donʼt deserve it, but thanks!

MUEN: BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS THERE I wish, unfortunately it isnʼt, we just like “The Of- ANYTHING YOU fice” and we talk about it WOULD LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? all the time.

You will definitely hear quotes from it pretty frequently.

MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INTERThat is pretty much all we VIEW; IT HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN. GOOD are. LUCK WITH THE NEW MUEN: I WOULD LIKE ALBUM. TO ENCOURAGE ALL THE KILLSWITCH FANS OUT THERE TO GO TO MTV2.COM AND VOTE FOR THE MUEN: I LIKE PEOPLE WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR.

Interview by G. Cataline

THAT'S INTERESTING THAT NINA WAS BORN IN SEOUL AND SPENT HER FIRST NINE YEARS IN SOUTH KOREA? HOW DID SHE END UP IN SWITZERLAND?

My parents are both Swiss, and since my father worked for a trading company in South Korea and then in Singapore, the whole family moved along. We spoke Swiss german at home, I went to Swiss and German schools and we visited relatives in our home town Zurich every year. So I guess Iʼm not that much of an Asian, other than that I spent most of my life abroad and know the culture pretty well. We moved back to Switzerland when I was sixteen years old so I

who lives in Berlin and also made the last video for Celtic Frostʼs “A Dying God“. She was enthusiastic about working on a video for a female fronted rock/metal band, so we figured out a plot together THAT'S A GREAT VIDEO that would work for the FOR "THE DAY OF THE opener of our debut album LOCUST" WHO HELPED “War On The Inside“. The video doesnʼt so much tell YOU DO THAT? a stringent story but rather Thanks ;-). The video was works with visual impresdirected by Jessie Fisher, sions that fit to the mood could finish school and go to the university here – the change wasnʼt that difficult for me to handle. But I guess Iʼm not as rooted in Switzerland as people that grew up here...

of the song and the lyrics.

SO, DOES NINA WRITE ALL THE LYRICS?

I write all the songs – the melodies and riffs, and Iʼve always written my own lyrics. Plus, my former drummer, who unfortunately left the band before we went into the studio, contributed a couple of ideas as well for the songs on the album.

WHO ARE ALL THE MEMBERS, AND BRIEFLY, WHAT ARE THEIR BACKGROUNDS? HOW LONG HAVE ALL OF YOU BEEN TOGETHER?

We had many shows in Switzerland, recorded an EP and made a video. But the guys werenʼt too enthusiastic about bringing the band a step further onto an international level, to work on a decent Itʼs been a long run from album, to sacrifice more founding the band up to time, money and commitreleasing the debut album ment. Because they were and playing in the current good friends, it took me a formation. It all started as while to move on without a “hobby” project in them and work on the 2001/2002 between me music on my own. Since I and two guys who are no was always the one writlonger part of the band. ing the music and lyrics, I

decided to keep the band name. It was quite a process getting the album together and finding the right band mates that share the same visions, the same commitment and have the ability to play the songs on the level they deserve. Iʼve had numerous line-up changes in the last two years – it was after recording the album, that I found Maddy and Diego. And itʼs actually the first time in the bandʼs history that I am thoroughly

happy with the line-up. Maddy is a very talented bass player and can sing the backings really well. Diego is just incredible – heʼs been working as a professional drummer for many years now and I feel extremely honored that heʼs willing to sacrifice his time to be part of the band. They both believe in the music, and ever since theyʼve been with 69 Chambers, the live shows have become so much heavier and better. All

three of us come from rock and metal music, but none of us is a “hardliner”, weʼre all pretty open to any kind of music. Maddy even played in a jazz project before she came to the band. And Diego – since heʼs working for many bands – plays all sorts of styles, though this kind of music is really his passion. I feel that this is a good thing, because 69 Chambers isnʼt one of these “traditional” metal or rock bands anyway. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF 69 CHAMBERS?

The name goes back to 2001, when the band was founded. That was a time when we actually never considered taking the band onto an international level and having to explain ourselves. But anyway, it was after one of our first rehearsals when we walked passed a cinema airing Marilyn Chambersʼ porn film “Behind The Green Doors”, which had been pretty controversial in the seventies. We started talking about contradictions, sex and violence and Marilyn Chambersʼ interesting personality of being a porn star and a politically active feminist at the same time. Somewhere within this conversation, we came up with the name. Nowadays, the name doesnʼt have that meaning to me anymore... I guess that you could say those 69 chambers are simply the “rooms” where I can place

all my ideas, inspirations, wishes and thoughts to create a music according to my taste and style.

working too well, so people donʼt really know us (yet). Plus, as a newcomer band with a debut SO WHAT DID YOU album, itʼs always difficult STUDY IN SCHOOL? WHAT WAS THE MUSIC to compete against such a LIKE IN SOUTH flood of bands – itʼs hard After high-school (or KOREA? DID IT IN„Gymnasium“ as we call it to get some attention. SPIRE YOU AT ALL? OR in Switzerland), I got my HOW MUCH WOULD master in Mass Communi- I WAS LISTENING TO YOU SAY GROWING UP cation, Sociology and con- SOME OTHER BANDS IN SOUTH KOREA OFF YOUR LABEL, "SILstitutional law. But to be SHAPED YOUR MUSIhonest, I didnʼt spend too VERWOLF PRODUCCAL STYLE AND ASPITIONS" OF GERMANY... much time at the univerRATIONS? sity – I always worked on THEY HAVE SOME GREAT BANDS. DO the side as a copy writer I wouldnʼt exactly say that in advertising (as I still THEY HAVE A WIDE DISthe music in South Korea do), and played music. TRIBUTION? or Singapore (where I lived from the age of 9 to YEAH THE STYLE OF The distribution is world16 years) has inspired me THE VID ACTUALLY RE- wide. SPV in Europe and musically. Itʼs never really MINDS ME OF SOME OF Asia, Nightmare Records been my thing, and the THE BEST IN THE 90'S. in the US and Canada, only international music and Modern Invasion HARD TO BELIEVE imports at the time was THAT THIS SONG "THE Music in Australia. Still, itʼs commercial pop music. the stores that decide DAY OF THE LOCUST" Lucky enough, my dad is IS NOT ON RADIO wether they want the a rock fan and introduced EVERYWHERE! HAS product in their shops or me to the Rolling Stones, THERE BEEN ANYnot. Beatles, Roxy Music etc. THING HAPPENING when I was a kid. I think WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT YET? that was more of an inspiWHILE YOU WERE IN ration than the Asian AMERICA? Not too much, unfortumusic itself. But Iʼd say nately. Weʼve had some what really inspired me promotion, the album was I had been to America and that Iʼd discovered on reviewed world wide, the several times and though I my own during a stay in wouldnʼt consider myself a video was played on a Switzerland, were bands couple music shows on „fan“ there are definitely a like Soundgarden, Nircouple things that have altelevision and the song vana, Black Crowes, Alice was aired on internet radio ways drawn me to the In Chains, Helmet during stations. But it seems that U.S. People in Switzerthe grunge-era. You can weʼre not too easy to mar- land make decent money, probably still hear those are well-insured, have a ket because our style is influences in my music too heavy for commercial career – which is cool, but though I donʼt really listen rock and not heavy having too much to lose to grunge or post-grunge enough for the undermakes them dependent nu rock nowadays. Iʼm on their wealth, cautious, ground metal scene. Iʼm sure growing up in Asia convinced that the States lazy, not willing to sacrifice has made me openwould be more enthusias- anything without having a minded and has given me tic toward our music than guaranteed return-on-inthe ability to think outside the European scene, but vestment, it doesnʼt inthe box, and that surely our marketing machinery spire them to be creative. had an effect on my At least thatʼs how I alin the U.S. hasnʼt been music, if only unconsciously.

ways felt when playing music with Swiss people, and itʼs what defines most swiss bands (with a couple of exceptions, that is). I wanted to break out of this security thinking, live through a change and find some new inspirations. So I left for Los Angeles with hardly any money or knowing people I could turn to – I just wanted to live a different style of life. Eventually, I failed to stay longer than one year allin-all because of visa issues (and no, I didnʼt want to marry some guy just to be able to stay ;-). But the outcome was this album – I got most ideas for the songs during my stay in Los Angeles.

mon sense when it comes to bureaucracy, a submissiveness toward authority that we donʼt know here in Europe. But all in all, I had a great time in the U.S. and Iʼd return within an instant if I was given a good reason.

TELL US ABOUT THE UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS, AND WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AS FAR AS MORE TOURING GOES? DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO TOUR IN AMERICA, OR MORE THROUGHOUT EUROPE?

Weʼre currently considering a couple of offers for support-tours in Europe. Itʼs too early for us to go WHAT DID YOU LIKE on tour as a headliner, so MOST ABOUT AMERwe need to find a decent ICA, AND WHAT DID band we can accompany, YOU DISLIKE? one that attracts an audience that could potentially I enjoy the open-minded- be interested in us. Plus, ness of the people I met, the buy-on-fees are hortheir straight-forwardness rendous nowadays. If we (as compared to the Swiss pay money, then we want guardedness), their unthe package to really fit. complicated way of help- But weʼve got a decent ing you around, giving you booking agency in a place to crash etc. Switzerland and Germany Hanging out with musinow, so Iʼm convinced that cians in L.A. that were just there will be some good as (un)successful as I opportunities for the comwas, gave me a feeling of ing fall/winter. A tour in being understood, they America would be great, if were all really supportive we can afford it. Weʼll see of each other. And hey, what happens. the country itself is just amazing – we donʼt have vast landscapes like that in Switzerland. It gives you the air of freedom. What I dislike is some of the hypocrisy, the politics at the time, a lack of com-

MUEN Wire

KLIK Instore shows thru August at Hot Topic throughout Florida. Once Rolling Stone's #1 Unsigned Band, the female duet recently recorded their latest with Sylvia Massy (Tool, System Of A Down, Johnny Cash). Some great new songs off that album include "All American Girl" and "Eyeliner" Myspace.com/klik

GEBULAR are a grunge/rock band from Aberdeen, Washington. They have some good originals and have upcoming shows throughout Washington, Oregon, and Nevada in the months of Aug. thru Oct. So Catch a show if you can, and donʼt throw your beer at lead vocalist, Brandon unless you want a Gibson broke over your head, you hear? Myspace.com/gebularmusic

JAPANʼS VAMPS TEAM UP WITH THE EXIES L.A.ʼs THE EXIES opened for VAMPS (one of Japanʼs most popular pop rock bands) on the last date of their first American tour! VAMPS and The Exies played the Wiltern in Hollywood on August 1st. Despite what the name conguers up, Vamps is in no way goth. Itʼs more over animated, theatrical pop highly dependent on “hype” and is a far cry from The Exies.

www.Myspace.com/TheExies

CREED

(Wind-Up Records)

Scott Stapp (Vocals) Tallahassee, Florida Myspace.com/creed

MUEN: YOU GUYS WERE APART FOR WHAT.... WAS IT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS? Six years

MUEN: THE TOUR WILL KICK OFF ON AUGUST By: Shauna OʼDonnell 6TH. WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO GET BACK TOMUEN: HI SCOTT, HOW GETHER AND MAKE ARE YOU TODAY? MUSIC AGAIN? Iʼm doing good, thanks for taking the time to speak, Shauna.

MUEN: IʼM SO EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU. I am too; we havenʼt spoken in a while.

MUEN: IʼM THRILLED THAT YOU GUYS ARE BACK TOGETHER AND TOURING AGAIN.

Yeah weʼre really excited too. Itʼs a new day, itʼs a new Creed, weʼve come full circle so to speak and that is the name of the new record. Our first single should be out on radio in the next three weeks. There will be an album to follow around the same timeline. We really feel fortunate and blessed to be in the position to kind of get a second chance to make a first impression with the time that has been between the records. We are excited about the record, the tour and reconnecting with our fans.

Oh man! That is highly debated and contested. From my view looking on the outside, I think it was just kind of a very organic migration back to each other and into friendships. It was time for us to take a break from the band and independently away from each other developing our own identity, independence and families. I feel that is important for any relationship, band or person. When you are away from that relationship or friendship, in my case both friendship and band, you have a lot of time to reflect and look back with honest reflection. You begin missing your friends. I missed playing 18 to 36 holes of golf with Scott Phillips everyday, going fishing with Brian Marshall and working out with Mark. I missed playing ball and writing music. You start missing those things and that is really where the migration started and I think to be honest there were friends talking

amongst friends and managers at the time putting feelers out and then it was just a phone call “Hey Iʼm in town. Iʼd love to see you; Iʼm staying at the Hard Rock. Give me a call.” There was a call back and there it is, probably within 45 minutes of being in a room together. Mark came over to the hotel with my family and I. Once the kids went down to the pool with mom, we did what we know how to do best, that is get out our acoustic guitars and start playing music. That has really been a source of freedom for both of us and a way to express ourselves within our friendship. We have a special chemistry that we cannot deny and we are both fully aware of it. It was a mutual thing, who made the first call; itʼs kind of almost to the

point of who got to the phone first.

MUEN: WELL, WHATʼS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU GUYS ARE BACK.

Yeah, weʼre definitely back and making the album that I believe this band was born to make. I think everything that happened in mid 2002, those were some tough times, but being away from the situation weʼve all come together. We were like “Man, how does six months define a thirteen year career that was so good and positive?” It has given us this renewed vigor, this same kind of hunger that we had before we ever had a record deal. Itʼs a great situation to be involved in and I feel very fortunate. MUEN: YOU GUYS

KEPT IN TOUCH OVER THE YEARS THOUGH.

donʼt know what youʼve got until itʼs gone and you can see that the grass Yeah, we sent cards, but isnʼt any greener on the going from a place where other side. you are hanging out and saying “One day we are MUEN: IʼM GLAD TO going to get houses next SEE THAT BRIAN MARdoor to each other and SHALL IS BACK TOO. our kids are going to grow up with each other” Me too man, I love Brian and all of the idealistic so much. He was my thoughts that you have roommate in college and that are so pure and we have had so many excoming from your heart. periences together. What inspired those feel- Weʼve had goofy, fun ings is always there times and itʼs good to within the relationship. have him back. He is a There were a lot of peo- born bass player. You ple; I call them minions can really hear on this that were standing in the record how he completes way. I think with maturity the circle. We donʼt look and growth and the fact at this as a reunion, itʼs a that all of us have faminew day for Creed, itʼs lies has built a solid foun- Creed 2009 in the modation in our personal ment and in the present. lives. We have grown Collectively we feel that spiritually, emotionally, this is the best album we mentally, creatively and have ever made together. artistically. It finally enabled us to see that and MUEN: WHO DID YOU to realize there is never DECIDE ON AS A PROany go betweens with us. DUCER? We needed to weed that out of the way and pick Iʼm sitting right now in up the phone and give Howard Bensonʼs studio. each other a call. Thatʼs We have been working friends at the end of the every day laying down day. the final vocal tracks. Mark has been in here MUEN: WELL, IT every day doing the SOUNDS LIKE THE tweaks and final stuff on SEPARATION WAS his guitars and it has KIND OF GOOD FOR been an amazing experiTHE BAND. ence. Howard is an amazingly talented man. Yeah, it was kind of a trial Itʼs awesome when you separation because the work with a producer that judge wouldnʼt grant us a shares the same vision divorce. Sometimes you for your art. It helps that

he understood where we were and wanted to push the boundaries, but that is his nature anyway. He has been a really positive force in terms of all of us pushing the limits of our abilities and the place that we are coming from when we are recording these songs. Itʼs a given, based on his reputation, how things are going to sound in terms of the sonic quality. He is really pushing the envelope with this project and he was the right guy at the right time. He was supposed to make this record with us for a long time and he has had a lot of success with some bands that came after us. The only way that it could have been handled at this point is with honesty, sincerity and passion for what he does. I feel that he is one of the best producers in the world. I make references all the time that he is Phil Jackson. You can make the analogy that we are either the Lakers or the Bulls. Whichever Phil Jackson team you want to refer to, but heʼs a psychologist, coach, mentor, educator and a firm hand. That is something we all appreciate because at this point in the game and this stage in our lives, BS is not something that we like. We want to hear the truth whether it is something we like or not. That is the

only way we will get better as human beings and as artists. It is great to have someone that has the many talents that he has on an artistic and personal level. He does nothing but win championships.

MUEN: SO TELL ME ABOUT THE NEW MUSIC. WILL IT BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN IN THE PAST?

It is definitely a progression from Weathered, just as Human Clay was from My Own Prison. Itʼs Creed, but itʼs Creed 2009 with six years apart. I feel itʼs the album we were born to make. It is the best record I have ever been involved with. Iʼve never said that before about any record weʼve done. I feel like we were just finding our identity. We stumbled on it with a few songs on My Own Prison, we hit it again with two or three songs on Human Clay and with Weathered we were kind of like this is who we are. We had finally found our identity.

“Itʼs almost like we picked up as if the six years didnʼt happen and we just came off tour, took a break and got back in the studio...” We have the blessing and the benefit of six

years of life experience that we have to write about. A lot of artists have their whole life to write their first record, they get a record deal, that first record is a success and then they have three months to write the next one. A lot of the times the follow up album is the tough one. We feel fortunate that we feel we have almost had a life to write this new record and I think you are going to hear it in the record. I feel fortunate to be a part of this All-Star team. At the end of the day when this record is done here in the next seven days, I think all of us are going to look back and really feel that it is exactly what we wanted it to be. I think it is going to exceed what we expected because of everyone involved. I could go on and on about the record. I think it has fulfilled the four of us. MUEN: WELL, IʼM SERIOUSLY SO EXCITED TO HEAR IT.

Iʼm glad youʼre excited and I canʼt wait until we talk again after you hear the record to hear whether you are going to say “You know, uh, let me play you back what you said on our interview here.” I think the Creed fans that liked our music are going to be pleasantly surprised. We are starting to hear a lot of

high expectations from our fans and we embrace that. Those are the times when the cream rises to the top. To use another basketball reference, to be the one who wants the ball with three seconds left, youʼre down by two points, to take that last shot “...you have to be willing to fail in order to be the hero in that moment...”

ship. What we have shared on the stage over the years on every level has been so amazing. We are ready to rekindle, if we could send roses we would. MUEN: AND WE ARE READY FOR YOU. Great

MUEN: JUST BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR TOUR ON AUGUST 6TH WILL I think that can character- YOU BE PUTTING UP ize where the band is at SOME OF THE NEW in terms of we are doing SINGLES? what we do best and we really thrive in these mo- The goal right now, and I ments. We are either think the timeline is to going to hit that shot or have a single out in the never meet those expec- next two weeks. tations. To us, we have done everything that we MUEN: SO WHEN YOU can do as artists and to GO ON TOUR, YOU put ourselves in the posi- WILL MAINLY BE PLAYtion of having success ING THE NEW MUSIC? and having our music connect with the fans and Oh yeah, itʼs just like not just with us four. when you put out a new record, itʼs not a reunion MUEN: IʼM SURE IT IS tour. Itʼs a new record GOING TO BE WONand a new tour from DERFUL. YOU HAVE A Creed. The only reunion LOT OF GREAT FANS aspect of it is between us AND THEY ARE HIGHLY and the fans. We will play ANTICIPATING THIS all the songs that we COMING OUT. know the fans love and then also more songs We really feel we have a that really connected live that were never out on lot to prove to our fans the radio and of course and a lot to give back. We are going to do it with our new record. Itʼs a good barometer for us to the album and the tour. Itʼs exciting and we canʼt have such a catalog that wait to share that with our we do because it is kind fans again because it is of a test of the new material and that is why we such a special relation-

are confident. It definitely stands up and in a lot of ways we feel it is so much better.

MUEN: I REMEMBER WHEN YOU GUYS FIRST CAME OUT, BESIDES YOUʼRE MUSIC BEING ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, I WAS THINKING THIS GUY IS FREAKINʼ HOT! YOU ARE GORGEOUS.

Thank you, I have to give all of my beauty secret credit to my wife. She dresses me well, brushes my teeth and combs my hair. Iʼd probably still be wearing the same clothes I had in 1999 as long as they were clean. She keeps me healthy, full of love and she definitely has an impact on me shaving. MUEN: YEAH, I NOTICED YOU CUT OFF ALL OF YOUR HAIR. Yes, I did.

MUEN: ARE YOU GOING FOR A NEW LOOK FOR A NEW START?

I wish I could say that I was smart enough to have planned this or had the vision. It is completely so the opposite, before we even talked to each other or made the phone call, I had cut my hair off. I had an epiphany one day when I was having a

discussion with my wife; it was probably January of 2007. My life changed on November 18, 2006 and around that time in January I was having a conversation with my wife and I was trying to understand the place that she was coming from and what I was observing. I had an epiphany at that moment that she was not really talking to me, who I am today, she was looking at me and without knowing it, maybe in her subconscious or having to deal with or being involved in a rough time in my life where I was drinking too much in spurts. It wasnʼt a daily thing, but when I did, I did it too much and I hurt some people in my life with those choices and that behavior. I had that moment where I saw the woman that I loved so much and I said “Hold on baby.” and I went in the bathroom. She said “What are you doing?” I got the buzz clippers and started shaving my head. She was like “No! Donʼt do that.” I was like “Why?” and she said “It is part of what you do.” I told her that I didnʼt care about that and that all I cared about was her, this family and our kids. I told her that I didnʼt ever want her to look at me and see that guy anymore because that is not who I am on the inside and my outside should reflect the

inside. I told her I wanted her to look at me with new eyes and this hair was standing in the way of her seeing who I was becoming because it was reminding her of who I used to be. It was an impulsive kind of thing. I wanted to distance myself from someone I donʼt even know. That person was shed and any reminder of that needed to go away. I didnʼt plan it, but it has had a positive affect on everyone I meet. It is kind of like I get a second chance to make a first impression and I feel blessed for that. You definitely learn in life not to make the same poor choices again. Thank goodness I didnʼt have a misshapen head. Right now I feel comfortable with who I am and it is time for a re-introduction “Hello, Iʼm Scott Stapp. Iʼve never met you before.” Thank you for saying that Iʼm dead sexy.

I have a 2 ½ year old named Milan and Jagger will be eleven in October. I have some strong women in my life. To every man out there, get a strong, honest woman in your life.

MUEN: I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST HAD THE BABY, IT FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY AND NOW HEʼS ELEVEN.

It is cool we can create a new experience every seven days. MUEN: ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS COOL. I BET YOUʼRE EXCITED ABOUT GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD.

I am definitely looking forward to getting out on that stage and sharing all the music and connecting to the fans. Iʼm definitely Tell me about it, the years looking forward to getting fly by and being twenty- back to what I know I can nine itʼs hard to believe I do well. have an eleven year old. MUEN: I WANTED TO (wink wink) LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT ALL OF YOUR MUEN: (LAUGHING) I ʻVE GOT YOUR BACK OFFICIAL VIDEOS ON THAT ONE OKAY? HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON YOUTUBE Thank you, I asked that RECENTLY. PEOPLE CAN CHECK THEM question one time OUT AT “Whose got my back?” YouTube.com/CreedIʼm glad you do. Video MUEN: I DO, THIS TOUR YOU ARE GOING Yes OUT ON, WHO ARE MUEN: YOU DID SOME YOU GOING OUT LIVE FOOTAGE FOR WITH? AOL MUSIC SESSIONS MUEN: WELL, YOU Oh man, I can tell you all TOO. ARE. I DONʼT THINK of the artists, but I canʼt THERE IS ANYONE Yes we did, that was our tell you what dates the THAT WOULD DISline-up will be. There will first kind of performance AGREE. together in a long time. be Hoobastank, Fuel, Well, Iʼm sure there are, Staind, Flyleaf and Iʼm forgetting the others. Itʼs MUEN: I LOVE WATCHbut I know my little girl thinks her daddy is hand- really cool because every ING THOSE. WHAT IS week it will be a different THE REHEARSAL some. PROCESS LIKE FOR bill. If a fan wants to MUEN: THATʼS RIGHT catch a show in another YOU BEFORE GOING week they will catch two OUT ON THE ROAD? YOU HAVE A LITTLE or three bands that GIRL NOW. werenʼt on the bill before. Iʼm in the studio right now

everyday from about 10 a.m. ʻtil about one or two in the morning. We are finishing the record and we rehearse everyday. Right now we are in the record phase. We spent a month in Nashville writing and rehearsing and now we are in the studio. We have taken the time to rehearse for some of the performances weʼve done. Starting next week, we are going to be in a rehearsal facility just banging out and working out all the kinks of our live show with all the pyro, scene and set changes, the screens and the songs. None of us want to catch on fire and then weʼve got some real exciting things going on with our live show.

Hi to the band. Weʼd love THANK ALL THE LISto hang out and catch up, TENERS AND READitʼs been a while, we ERS FOR TUNING IN… meet again my friend. We are just as excited as Definitely, thatʼs who matanybody else who is ex- ters; we love the fans so cited, but on a different much. We feel like we level. We are excited have a lot to prove, but about getting there, re- we are up for it and canʼt connecting with every- wait until we have that body and re-introducing hug moment with the ourselves. fans like we had with each other. MUEN: I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH MUEN: WELL WE ARE FOR THE INTERVIEW LOOKING FORWARD SCOTT, BECAUSE IT TO IT JUST AS MUCH WAS GREAT TALKING AS YOU ARE. WITH YOU. MUEN: AWESOME, I Well, bring your earplugs CANNOT WAIT; I AM Well, thank you Shauna, because we have come GOING TO SEE YOU IN you are really cool. It is to rock! SEPTEMBER. always a pleasure speaking with you. Awesome well make sure you come back and say MUEN: I WANT TO

They are things that have never been done before in a live entertainment show. The technology is awesome, itʼs killer, but it is great in terms of the theatrics and drama that it can bring to an already theatrical and dramatic type of show. There are some new types of staging and lighting that have never been used before. We are excited and feel like we are going to bring the best rock show of the summer to all the places we are playing.

Weʼve been out here playing some shows and Brad Arnold (Vocals) weʼve been pretty busy. I Escatawpa, Mississippi MUEN: IʼM DOING RE- think this week like three times I was going one ALLY GOOD. HOW Myspace.com/3doorsdown direction and turned ARE YOU? around and came back By: Shauna OʼDonnell Iʼm doing great, enjoying across two more going the other direction. Itʼs a the day off. MUEN: HI BRAD! lot of riding. In my off MUEN: THATʼS GREAT, time Iʼve been planning, well Iʼm not going to lie; WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY? Iʼve been watching my fiancé plan our wedding. (Republic, Universal)

Hey, how are you doing today?

MUEN: WELL CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

Thank you very much.

MUEN: WHEN IS THE BIG DAY? September 12, 2009

MUEN: AWESOME, THATʼS SO COOL.

Iʼm looking forward to it.

MUEN: YOU HAVE HAD AN AMAZING CAREER, BUT TODAY LETʼS TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING CURRENTLY. YOUR LATEST IS A SELF TITLED ALBUM IN WHICH YOU HAVE FOUR SINGLES RIGHT?

We did this album way different than the others in a sense that we all moved into a house together and wrote the whole album. We locked ourselves inside and wrote it. We went down to a studio, actually to a house in Orlando where we could all stay and have fun. It had a big I believe we do. pool and we set up a studio there. We MUEN: WHY DID YOU recorded the record like DECIDE TO SELF that and it was way less TITLE THIS ONE? expensive than going into the studio and a lot I know there would more fun at the same seemingly be some big time. It was a way more explanation behind it, organic feeling to do it but in reality we thought like that. It was a real it would be something enjoyable experience different to do and we and I hope we do our have never self titled next record the same one. I know it is charac- way. To me, it was more teristic to do that earlier like the way we did it in the career, like your when we were kids, first record or somewhen we were a local thing. We just thought it band. Youʼre not writing would be cool to have a a song because you are self titled record and we in a $1000 a day studio really couldnʼt think of trying to hurry up. Youʼre anything better to call it. writing it because you (Laughing) want to write a song. If you donʼt want to write, MUEN: WELL YOU go get on your bicycle SHOULD HAVE and go riding. CALLED ME, I WOULD HAVE HELPED YOU. MUEN: HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO Right on! DO IT THIS WAY?

MUEN: WHICH SONG OFF THIS LATEST ALBUM CAME EASIEST TO WRITE FOR YOU?

They all come different always, but I think one song that kind of came easy and it came a little bit separated from the music was “Let Me Be Myself.” It was music that I had for a few days, I listened to it and listened to it, because that's what I would do. If I didnʼt already have lyrics, they would have music, and I had a set of speakers sitting on my desk back in the bedroom. I would sit there and listen to the songs MUEN: WHAT IS DIFI think we spent all tountil they got implanted FERENT ABOUT THIS gether from beginning to in my head. Chris and I ALBUM THAT YOU DID end a year on this were sitting out by the NOT DO ON THE OTH- record. The actual pool one day and he ERS? recording time took two was sitting there pluckmonths. ing that song on the gui-

tar. I sat there and wrote the lyrics for that song in probably ten or fifteen minutes. There are songs that come easy like that sometimes. Those for me are far more expressive than the ones youʼve really got to work for.

MUEN: YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A WHILE NOW WRITING TOGETHER. DO YOU FEEL IT GETS EASIER AS THE YEARS GO BY BECAUSE YOU KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER?

I think it does. You have to continue to push yourself and go different directions. One thing we have always tried to do is not write songs that sound the same. You donʼt want to develop a

pigeon-holed sound and you have to allow yourself to evolve or change into something else.

MUEN: WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, ARE ALL OF YOU USUALLY GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION?

It is interesting, the way that we write. Everybody puts in their own part. No song that I have written the lyrics to at first has ever turned out sounding just like that. I enjoy that change in it though because everybody puts there own part in and nobody tells the other person what to do. You really get four peopleʼs full input on a song. In that way I think it really shows that we write as a team.

MUEN: YOU GUYS WRITE SOME GREAT SONGS TOGETHER. Thank you

MUEN: CAN WE TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THE SONGS? Sure

MUEN: TELL ME THE INSPIRATION BEHIND “CITIZEN/SOLDIER.”

The National Guard approached us to write that song. We were proud to do it, we love doing stuff

for the military and we love to support our troops. They called us and wanted us to write. We had a spot in movies theatres for a year with that song. That song was written for that spot and it was originally supposed to be some sort of futuristic commercial or something, but they wound up changing their video to the song. They were the inspiration for that song and it is cool to write a song specifically for the military. Itʼs easy to kind of make references to them and stuff like that in songs, but that one was specifically for them. That whole project turned out to be something Iʼm really proud of and Iʼm thankful for that experience.

MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT “TRAIN.”

“Train” is one of those songs that even before we started writing this record there is always one song that is stuck in my head. I spent a couple of months by myself before we started writing this record. I hung out with my buddies at night sometimes, but during the day I would just walk around singing tunes. That song came about like that; it was a tune that got in my head. I think after a couple

months of that, my buddies told me if I didnʼt stop singing it, they were going to kill me. They started walking around singing it themselves and I was like “See, itʼs a good song.”

that song fourteen years ago. MUEN: ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING A NEW ALBUM?

We will be very soon; we MUEN: THE SONG started on it and started “LET ME BE MYSELF” just rambling around WAS IN THE GEICO some ideas. With being COMMERCIAL. THOSE on tour, we have been a CAVEMEN SURE little busy to write very LOOKED HAPPY much, but at the same BOWLING TO YOUR time you get those little SONG! ideas rolling around in your head. That is what (Laughing) You know evolves into songs you what, that commercial is hope one day. Those actually just an excerpt turn into some of the from the video for the better songs to me. whole song. I think the video is coming out this MUEN: YOU GUYS week. We always have ARE ON THE ROAD these really serious QUITE A BIT. HOW videos. My manager and MANY SHOWS I were sitting there eat- WOULD YOU ESTIing chicken wings and I MATE DOING A YEAR? was like “Man, it would be so freakin' funny if I donʼt know, a lot. the caveman was the character in the “Let Me MUEN: TOO MANY? Be Myself” video.” And he was like “Man that Yeah, too many, probawould be funny.” We bly 150 shows, I would worked on it for a couple say. We used to do a lot months and Geico was more; we used to play all about it. Youʼve got to 250 shows a year. You see the video. Youʼre know what; Iʼm not watching it and by the twenty years old anyend of it, you kind of like more. I used to be able feel sorry for him. to do it when I was twenty, but Iʼm thirty now MUEN: I LOVE, LOVE, and it hurts. Iʼm getting LOVE THE SONG old. My throat hurts a lit“KRYPTONITE.” tle longer than it used to. I quit smoking cigarettes Thank you, we wrote a year ago and it was

the hardest time I have ever had with my throat right after I quit. It was the strangest thing, it was weird.

MUEN: YEAH THAT IS WEIRD, YOUʼD THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER. Yeah, for real.

MUEN: YOU HAVE SOME DATES UP THAT RUN INTO AUGUST. WILL YOU BE ADDING MORE DATES?

ing up here really soon and I had to get the promoter to get her a horse so she can go riding around. She loves riding horses and I hope he gets me one too because I want to do it too.

MUEN: THAT SOUNDS REALLY COOL. CAN YOU WALK AROUND A MALL? DO YOU GET MOBBED?

You know what; never. Sometimes people come up and say “Hey” or say they like the music. We never have I would say that after been that band whose August, that would prob- faces are plastered ably be about it for us everywhere. There are and we are going to get people who know our back in the studio. We music, but donʼt know will hit that hard and me from Adam. Itʼs cool heavy and get another because I can go to record out so we can WalMart. come play some more. MUEN: WALMART MUEN: YOU GUYS ROCKS! WORK REALLY HARD, BUT WHAT DO YOU Except in my hometown, DO TO RELAX? I cannot go to WalMart in my hometown. It is You know what; today too much. Iʼm just walking around the mall. Some days, we MUEN: I JUST INTERjust walk around the VIEWED A BAND mall. We all bring our WHOSE SINGER mountain bikes with us. GREW UP IN YOUR Chris and Matt bring HOMETOWN. HIS there motorcycles with NAME IS JOEY CULthem and they go riding. VER OF PAPERCUT I will gladly be having MASSACRE. my fiancé to relax with tomorrow because she Yeah is coming in. We will be playing Cheyenne com- MUEN: ONE OF THE

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOUR BAND IS THAT YOU ARE VERY GENEROUS WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING PEOPLE. YOU GUYS DO A LOT OF CHARITY WORK. TELL US ABOUT THE BETTER LIFE FOUNDATION.

The Better Life Foundation is a foundation that we started six years ago. We are just a catalyst for a lot of good things that are fans do. I mean through there generosity we were able to do a lot of cool things with the foundation. Over the last five years we have raised well over

a million dollars, Iʼd say, probably a couple million dollars. It all goes to local charities down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and now it is growing so that we are doing a lot of stuff for the entire Southeast. One of the last things weʼve done was really cool. This guy up in Charlotte, North Carolina takes Nascar parts off of the cars. I donʼt know where he gets them, but he takes these Nascar parts and he builds these beds. They look like little mini Nascars and they are outfitted with some kind of game console that has a racing game. These kids get in these beds and they are sitting in this Nascar playing video games while they get chemotherapy and stuff. They are really cool and we were able to get six of those. They are going everywhere from Nashville to New Orleans. I think one of them may be staying there in Charlotte. Itʼs just going and itʼs the least that we can do help those that have given us so much.

a few times. I am always proud to sing the National Anthem, but Iʼm always really glad if I donʼt have to do it because itʼs so scary.

can wreck and get out. It would still hurt though. Elliott Sadler told me (heʼs the king of hitting the walls) “Every time you hit that wall, itʼs like getting kicked in the MUEN: BUT YOU SING chest.” If you spin BEAUTIFULLY, YOU around and hit it several SHOULDNʼT BE times, itʼs like somebody SCARED. is sitting there kicking you. Iʼm sure it wouldnʼt Iʼm so scared I will get be any fun, but it sure out there and forget the was fun to ride in that words like Willie Nelson car. or something. MUEN: I REMEMMUEN: OH! WELL, BERED THAT YOU THAT CAN HAPPEN. GUYS PLAY AT A LOT HAVE YOU EVER OF THOSE EVENTS. DRIVEN ONE OF THOSE CARS? We do, I love playing at them. I have not driven one, but I have got to ride in MUEN: A LOT HAS one at the Michigan In- CHANGED SINCE YOU ternational Speedway a FIRST STARTED OUT. couple years ago with WHAT DO YOU THINK Wally Dallenbach. They IT TAKES TO HAVE A used to do a show SUCCESSFUL CAcalled “Wallyʼs World” REER IN THE MUSIC where they take celebri- INDUSTRY THESE ties or whatever and DAYS? take them out there. I guess they could go It takes a lot of ground slow if they wanted to, work. Youʼve got to let but we got out there and people hear you and made three good laps you have to have a good hauling butt. We made a product to put out. In a two mile lap in forty-two lot of ways for baby bands now, the door is seconds, it was quick. wide open on the interMUEN: YOU GUYS RE- MUEN: WERE YOU net to get fans. You ALLY LOVE NASCAR. SCARED? donʼt really need somebody to push your music We do, I will do anything No, it was fun; you are as much as you needed to get to go to a Nascar SO strapped in that car. them before. You have race. I have sung the Once you are strapped access now with the inNational Anthem at them in you can see how you ternet and if you can get

out there and do that, itʼs awesome. Beyond that, you just really have to have good songs. That is what it boils down to.

MUEN: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TALKING WITH ME TODAY. IT HAS BEEN A REAL HONOR AND A REAL PLEASURE.

Thank you for having me, I appreciate your time today Shauna.

MUEN: NO PROBLEM, IS THERE ANYTHING YOUʼD LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? Iʼd like to thank everyone for listening and God Bless you guys. I hope we are doing this in another ten years.

BERZERKER

COMING TO THE U.S. AND CANADA!

Its been 5 VERY long years since the band were back, and a lots changed since then. No more masks, new members and faster more brutal music and stage show..

So get ready this may be your last chance to catch The Berzerker, so dont miss out!!

They are bringing the brutality, so you'd better get the pit started.

Tour Begins Sept 2 @ Chain Reaction in Aneheim, CA!

STRAIGHT LINE STITCH ANNOUNCES NATIONAL U.S. TOUR

New Album, When Skies Wash Ashore, in stores now!

E1 Music/Raging recording artists Straight Line Stitch have just begun on a new national tour. The tour began in Cincinnati and continues until the September 18th in Asheville, NC. SLS will be touring on most dates with (hed) p.e. and Mushroomhead.

Straight Line Stitch, originally hailing from Knoxville, TN, features Alexis Brown on vocals, Seth Thacker and Pat Pattison on guitar, Jason White on bass, and Patrick Haynes on drums.

SLS continue to tour relentlessly, performing between 150 and 200 shows a year for the last 3 years.

DESTROPHY SIGNS TO VICTORY RECORDS!!!!

By Morbid Miller Edited Emmet Keegan

Myspace.com/destrophy Myspace.com/morbidmiller Destrophy is a band that I've been following for five years now. As an avid follower of my local music scene in Iowa, this band blew me away the first time that I heard their music. I knew right away they had something special, I just couldnʼt put my finger on it. I saw them live for the first time in 2004

when they opened up for Strapping Young Lad in Cedar Rapids, IA. I made friends with the guys and helped them setup that night before they played. I watched in amazement as they took the stage with the intensity of a band like Slipknot. They incorporated the down tuned riffs of Korn, but still pulled off the commercial sound of Disturbed. That night they played with a full scale laser light show synchronized with their music and I felt like I was watching them in a

huge arena with thousands of screaming fans. I made sure to keep in touch with the band after the show, and later in the year one of my good friends (Ryan Berrier) ended up drumming for them giving me the opportunity to get to know these guys on a personal level. When I left Iowa and headed for L.A. in 2008 I was very disappointed that I wouldnʼt be able to catch Destrophy live as often as I wanted, but I had a feeling that they would soon be playing

all around the world. I couldnʼt understand how a band could be so good and not be signed. My intuition proved true when on June 11, 2009 they signed a multialbum deal with Victory Records. I was fortunate enough to have interviewed my friend Ari, the lead singer and founding member of Destrophy, a month prior to them signing to Victory. Iʼm very proud of these guys and mark my words: Destrophy will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come!!

were not playing with a national act. When we play with a national we try to be as simple as possiAri: Destrophy was origi- ble. We donʼt want to be nally a high school project that band taking up too much time setting up and that I started in 1993. things like that. We want What we were then is something different than to get on and off as soon what we are now. The vi- as possible so the rotasion of melodic metal with tions of the bands stay on electronic industrial ele- time, otherwise you get into a lot of trouble. Since ments was born at that we started moving totime in high school, but the band didnʼt start taking wards more of an elecoff until 2002. In the early tronic sound we thought days we did a lot of trying “Man, it would be cool to to find places to play. We have some kind of light would have to almost beg movement when we people to book us. Iowa change pedals”. The idea for that kind of started in City never had a good the late 90ʼs, but the techmetal scene. The kids there were more into indie nology wasnʼt there for us to effectively pull it off. music, so it was hard to find a metal crowd to play When we started back up in 2002 the technology for. We used to play at changed quite a bit, so we Gabe's Oasis and a few got a positive light rig. It other places, but ultijust gives the audience mately it was a struggle something different when for us to perform for a going to see a local band. good audience. I think the vibe of playing Yea, actually Dave from with the lights, even if The Killers is from Pella, youʼre playing in a basement, makes it morph into IA and he went to colsomething bigger than life lege in Iowa City. or certainly bigger than Ari: Really! I didnʼt know the garage/basement that that. I will definitely check youʼre playing in. I also that out. It makes sense; feel that it helped us prepare for the bigger shows they have a very strong that we would do in the fuindie vibe to them. ture. We did pretty well in When did you start to in- our first couple arena apcorporate the synchro- pearances and we are looking forward to more of nized laser lights into your live show, and do that. you guys still do that? What does your band name Destrophy mean? Ari: Yea, we usually do it for the local shows when When did you start Destrophy and what was the early years like?

Ari: I had piano lessons Ari: The name comes from a Greek word, but itʼs when I was four. I started arguably a made up word. experimenting with other That Greek word meant instruments when I was something thatʼs not the way itʼs supposed to be, When I heard Master of or itʼs not doing what itʼs Puppets by Metallica I supposed to be doing, or really got into playing itʼs distorted. At the time I guitar. It all came pretty natural to me. That didnʼt care for any of those definitions, but as I brings me to my next got older it kind of grew on question: Who are some of your musical influme. Considering that maybe Iʼm not doing what ences? Iʼm suppose to be doing' maybe I should be spend- Ari: Defiantly the older ing more time in education Metallica stuff. The Slayer catalog and a lot of the instead of pursuing a music career. I guess the mid to late 80ʼs thrash name has grown on me or bands are probably responsible for my guitar I have grown into the riffing style. In the early name. 90ʼs I was influenced by Pantera. I remember seeDo you write all the lyrics and the music for ing Korn when they opened for Megadeth. Destrophy? They blew me away with their particular style of Ari: Yup. music: I had never heard So you write everything, anything like it prior to seeing them. It had a lasteven the drums? ing effect on me and Ari: Right, even the drums made me want to incorporate their style of playing (Laughs) with the style of Megadeth. The idea of tryWow, thatʼs unbelieving to blend those two able! genres together had the most significant impact on Ari: Thanks. I kind of come at it like Iʼm a com- me. poser as opposed to a jam band or a band that What was your first imcreates songs while they pression of Korn when are playing together. I will you saw them? Was this sit in a studio and come in 1994 or 1995 when up with ideas for songs. they first came out? How did you learn how to play all the instruments?

Ari: Yeah, it was in 1995. I was awe struck. There wasnʼt a genre for that yet and there needed to be. I

rently just playing select dates in the Midwest. We have some shows with Disturbed, Dope, Korn, Whatʼs your goal or pur- Bury your Dead, Chimera and Soil coming up. pose with Destrophy? Thereʼs defiantly someAri: There's a drive to the thing about the scene creativity. Itʼs something here thatʼs more of a thriving thing compared to that I have to express. The points being, I would other local scenes. love to spread more soWho are some of the big cial/self awareness and acts that you have well being. A lot of my songs on the new album opened up for? are about self awareness and conveying the mes- Ari: Itʼs a big list. Lately sage “Try to have a better itʼs been almost a congrasp on the world around stant. We just did a thing with Papa Roach, you”. Avenged Sevenfold, and Buck Cherry and have a Do these songs that you bunch more lined up. write come to you quickly or does it take a lot of time to compose a Whatʼs the biggest crowd that you have song? Tell me about played for? your writing process. Ari: Itʼs defiantly all over the map. Some songs are Ari: I think Lazerfest in Des Moines was 10 to 12 done in an hour, and some songs take several thousand. I would say that months. Some of my gui- was one of the bigger tar riffs are several years ones. old. I didnʼt have an idea Are you guys looking for a label? How does a of how to use it at the time, so I just hold on to it band like Destrophy go without a label? Your until the timing is right. album sounds great! Howʼs the music scene Youʼre heavy, commerin Iowa? Do a lot of kidʼs cial, unique, and marcome out to your shows ketable. You have also played with all the big when you are there? bands. Have you been offered deals or are you Ari: Yeah, itʼs great. I guys just trying to keep guess I should be more specific: Des Moines has this independent? been incredible to us. Itʼs always a good time. We Ari: Yea, we have been offered some deals. We have several kids that come out to every one of are talking to a lot of people about it. Itʼs an interour shows. We are curguess it hit me the same way as Metallica of 86ʼ struck me.

esting thing you know: itʼs very give and take in terms of what you get and what you give. You have to be very considerate and forward thinking. Accepting certain things and giving up certain things. Hopefully in the next couple of months we will sort out whatʼs the best plan for us. If we go with a label, we will still need to decide which label is going to be best for us. Thatʼs kind of where we are at with that whole thing.

out great!

Can you tell me about your latest release as an independent artist ʻThe Way of your Worldʼ?

Ari: Yeah. It was inspired by Platoʼs The Allegory of the Cave. Most of the new songs are directly from that, but we also put some of our favorite old songs that we play live on the album.

“Itʼs not a super smart thing to release a 15 song album as a band, but we wanted to put everything How did Bruce Swink come into the picture as out there since we knew that we were going to be your new guitarist for Destrophy? Heʼs kind of playing some bigger shows.” a local legend. Bruce was in the very popular We wanted people that local band Deadfront that later morphed into liked us at the show to be able to pick up an album Down the Sun which signed a deal with Road- that would have all the runner Records in 2003. songs on it that we play live. Some of the songs Ari: Yeah, he knows all of were on our 2004 release ʻChrysalis.ʼ People can the Des Moines guys. I pick up both albums on never knew any of the ITunes and on our Myguys in Slipknot; Heʼs Space page (www.mygood friends with all of them. I was kind of done space.com/destrophy). with the whole band thing Hot Topic carries our new album ʻThe Way of Your at the time when Bruce got a hold of me. He basi- World,ʼ but itʼs hit and cally just wrote me asking miss. You would have betif I would like to do some- ter luck getting it from ITunes or our website. thing. I didnʼt know who he was and later found Check out Morbid out that he had done a Millerʼs Top Unsigned couple of things. It was Bands @ www.myjust a matter of meeting space.com/morbidmiller Bruce. He instantly became one of my best friends. I was like "letʼs give it a try" and it turned

METRIC claims to be looking for the “old world underground”, but yet their management will not get back to us.. what a crock of shit!! lol. Iʼm afriad the band might be being held hostage or something! Somebody please call!!! Metric has been blowing up the past few months, recently making appearances on MTV and David Letterman. Ofcourse we donʼt watch MTV... who watches MTV?? Letterman, yes:) Myspace.com/metric

THE UNKNOWNN The Unknownn are back and once again, do not disappoint! One of their latest songs, "Inside" is a luscious work complete with all the earcandy and smooth industrial groove that Unknownn songs are ... well.. "known" for:) Ofcourse if you want to know details such as who sings on certain songs, who plays bass, and silly things like that, you will have to

dig around and research.. yuk! Last we heard, "Heavy Grinder" did some sort of remix: You know, It's too busy for that in the internet world today - where the hell is your damn bio?? And let's quit with the lines through the eyes! Please upload a decent band photo even if you have to duplicate your pic 4 times. Interview Next Page!

The UnknownN Hi Stoney, a few questions for you... what is your real name? ......

So what all did you do on the new recordings? What instruments did you play? Did you have any help with the production or mixing and engineering, etc.?

Well the new recordings are still in the "work in progress" phase, so there's a fair amount of things to do. As far as instrumentation, nothing abstract or extreme, guitars, bass, keys, drums. . . a few strings here and there.

I'm lucky enough -(or stupid enough,) to have my own recording studio, and it's used for The Unknownn, unless there's a band or artist that I really like and they want my production,

Grinder do? What is her real name?

I've never spoken to her, let you guess. let alone met her. So no more radio The new vocalist (As What else has been show? What happened featured in a little fly on going on with you? with that? the wall video I posted on myspace.) has done The radio show was The usual. . . Chasing all the vocals for the new dreams, crashing cars, always just a bit of fun songs. for me. . . Really wasn't producing The UnIt's like production by a big deal, and I do miss knownn, committee, I ask everyHeavy Grinder did an it occasionally. one what they think, AMAZING "minimal I've also been producthen do what I want to Just after Christmas, house" remix of "The ing a few other bands do anyway! haha something broke in the Smoking" - Some people Valhalla Smith, Apron just ooze talent. and Von Squeeze. Very exchange that supplies Who did the vocals on our internet connection, different from The Unwhat songs? What I'm not sure what her knownn, but then not so and for 6 or 7 weeks the songs did Heavy real name is either. . . different in places. . . I'll whole place was offline.

Thank you British Telecom. Can you imagine almost 2 months without net access? Not pretty when you're trying to break a band.

That pretty much killed the chances of doing a radioshow. it was around this time Dave Navarro gave over Spreadradio to just playing Jane's Addiction. Hey, it's his station!

) and they'll be able to enter an email address, and then receive the tracks.

There will be CD's, but these will be limited edition, hand signed, unique.

Okay. . Back to Sanaz. . . Dude, she's so pretty in person, and so tiny! And SO FUCKING SWITCHED ON! And really down to earth, which was also a surprise.

Apart from her trying I heard Sanaz visited to convince me to decoyou out there, how was rate the majority of the that? Was that the first studio as a vampire's time you two met in per- lair!! WTF?? (I just poson? litely laughed and then ignored her.) There is a good Sanaz. . . What a chance that I'll be doing shock that was. In so She interviewed us, something a little bit many ways. and then interviewed me more ad-hock in the fuas a producer, and then ture. . . not so much a I've known Sanaz for when I said "you know regular time slot, but a a while now - but just to you're going to have to drop in and out sort of talk too, never in person, black out my eyes. . ." affair. and never for an exWell let's just say. . . i tended period. So, I'd doubt that video will ever Sanaz is keen to do sort of developed a pic- see the light of day! something and I'm sure ture of her as a bit of a we can get HEAVYgoofball. . . just being Do you think you'll GRINDER to guest mix. her funny self and all ever come to the U.S.? . . (this will be the first ei- Metal and shit. . . or have you already? ther of them have heard of it!) Well, as far as Metal I'd love to come back goes. . . She's the real to the States. A few opHow are you going deal. . . She loves it, and portunities have come about releasing this lives it. up in the past, but none new material? Is there of them were really congoing to be, or "is" Me. . I think it's all a crete enough to justify there a physical disc work of comedic genius. the trip, and in most or no? I just can't take it sericases, the expense. ously. . . All these hairy The usual methods. . . adults pretending to be . We're more than likely It'll all be on iTunes and . . I don't know what to do some work over Amazon for those that but they are pretending there, and that's more want to buy the tracks, right?. . . I just don't get than likely to be in LA. but we'll also be giving it. But I do laugh a lot. We'd absolutely love everything away for free. it. There just has to be a For my view on metal Anyone will be able to reason for going. Defihead over to the website www.youtube.com/watch nitely not a "let's see what happens" sort of (www.theunknownn.com ?v=SAGOZq_eE2Y

trip. Give me a reason and a budget. . . We're there!

These new songs seem a little less dark to me... are you getting lighter?

Hell no! We have made a very deliberate effort to work on song structure though, to pay more attention to melody and to not "over produce" the life out of the songs. A friend of mine put it best -"It's like The Unknownn 2.0 - Still the same only better!" What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Finish the album, get the new website online, rehearse like crazy, write and record more songs. Really try to develop our fanbase. . . Now more than ever, the fans are the most important thing any band can ever have. I have a couple of production jobs in works. There's also loose talk about a video. . . we'll see.

Myspace.com/theunknownn

Iʼm doing fine, thank you. Iʼm at home right Dez Fafara (Vocals) now. I have about a Santa Barbara, Ca week off and then we start this tour on the Myspace.com/devildriver 24th, the Thrash and Burn Tour. Itʼs good to By: Shauna OʼDonnell kind of make a pit stop MUEN: HEY DEZ! HOW here at home and then get off on it again and ARE YOU AND HOW ARE THINGS GOING? go. (Roadrunner Records)

MUEN: HOW DOES IT upon a new release. FEEL TO HAVE A COUMUEN: YESTERDAY PLE DAYS OFF? YOUR LATEST ALBUM PRAY FOR VILLAINS Good, itʼs very surreal; Devildriver doesnʼt take RELEASED SO CONGRATULATIONS ON much time off. We just had six or seven days at THAT. home and Iʼm starting to get a little edgy at this Thank you point right now. I want to hit the road, especially MUEN: TELL ME

ABOUT YOUR LATEST now are “Resurrection ALBUM. Blvd.” or tracks like “Iʼve Been Sober”, “Waiting I think itʼs the defining for November” and point in Devildriverʼs “Teach Me to Whisper.” work. It has been a cul- They are all tracks mination of time and ef- where we learned to fort between me and the grow as musicians and guys. I think people start to really try to deneed to realize with Dev- fine our sound. I think it ildriver that most bands is important for us to say have about five or six that our second record years in the can before was a little artistic. The they make their first first record, first of all, record and we had six was written in six months. Over the course months. The next one of time you get this was a little artistic and growth on CD. By the scattered for me. The time we made our sec- last record The Last ond record, we had only Kind Words was full been together 2 ½ throttle and without years. I think right now is enough diversity for me a point in time when we for the art. Now, we have are culminating as a reached the point where band and defining our this is the culmination of sound. We are really all the records together finding out who we are and we have reached amongst the pack. Iʼm the point where we know really excited about Pray how to work together as for Villains. I think itʼs a a team. diverse record and it has also kept to our tradeMUEN: DID YOU INmark brutal, groovy, CORPORATE ANY DIFheavy, play these songs FERENT live and they will make INSTRUMENTS ON people move. Itʼs an ex- THIS ONE THAT YOU citing time right now for DIDNʼT ON PREVIOUS us, definitely. RECORDS?

one of the tracks on the last album. I swore that I was going to put it on this record, but there was no place for it. That comes from my love of old 60ʼs garage rock. We donʼt know, we are open to anything and I think now that we have come up with this record, I think we are going to find ourselves moving in all sorts of different directions over the previous and coming years.

MUEN: HOW DO YOU THINK THE RECEPTION TO THIS ALBUM WILL BE?

Well, the reception from what Iʼm hearing has been incredible. I personally donʼt play into the press, read interviews or keep up with that. I make the art for myself and let it out there for people to judge and do what they want with. From what Iʼm hearing it is really doing well. People are hitting my phone up with “Weʼre #20 on ITunes; weʼre #13 on ITunes.” Thatʼs really cool to see people No, this is all guitar, bass taking to the art that you and drums. work so hard for.

MUEN: ABSOLUTELY, IS THERE ANY ONE SONG ON THE ALBUM THAT REALLY DEMUEN: IS THAT SOME- MUEN: YOU WORKED FINES WHAT DEVTHING YOU MIGHT DO WITH LOGAN MADER ILDRIVER IS ALL ON FUTURE ALBUMS? THIS TIME. I REMEMABOUT? BER RUNNING INTO I donʼt know, you never HIM ONE NIGHT AND I think the tracks that re- know, we worked with HE TOLD ME HE WAS ally jump out for me right the Hammond organ on WORKING ON IT. WAS

THIS THE FIRST TIME WORKING WITH HIM?

It was the first time I worked with him in a professional manner, but I toured the world with him when I was in Coal Chamber and he was in MachineHead. He and I are two of the same kind of people. We donʼt like crowds, we donʼt do the backstage thing, we donʼt really hang out too much and I think that keeping yourself guarded and isolated is a pretty good thing in this industry. When we toured the world together he and I ended up hanging out together more than anything. He would ride in my bus and I would ride in his bus. We became really good friends. When I heard he was producing, I heard a lot of the things he had done. What really stuck out for me is most producers, you can hear band A,B,C,D is produced by that one producer. You can hear his sound implanted on the band, whereas Logan doesnʼt do that. He really lets the growth of the band come out and he works on an organic basis like that, where he thinks about what this band should sound like rather than this band should sound like it was produced by me. I really appreciated that from

him. That art form within production is really hard to find amongst a guy. I will definitely do the next record with him, without a doubt.

MUEN: HE IS DEFINITELY BRILLIANT.

Yeah, and he is a really nice guy, heʼs really calm and he is very Zen. In the studio, he wouldnʼt even crack a smile. To be around a guy like that who is so extremely focused, I think that is what this record needed. MUEN: THE ARTWORK IS DIFFERENT ON THIS ONE AS WELL.

Right we used the cross, we were trying to get away from that, we used our branding tool too many times. We used it three times on the records and I think this one needed something different. It needed something iconic, something to go along with Pray for Villains, when your heroes let you down you pray for villains. I collect owls and everything that has to do with owls. My grandfather who passed away when I was four or five (come to find out from my mother) also collected owls. She tripped out when she saw me collecting owls and then came and gave me a big

box of his stuff. That culminated into the fact that when I was writing the record there was an owl outside my window. In this eucalyptus grove outside when I was living in Santa Barbara (we recently moved because of wildfires) the entire time I was writing he was outside hooting and hollering. All those things come together along with the fact that the owl is both feared and revered in different cultures. I think that was just perfect, itʼs a hero, a villain, iconic, simple and something graphic which I wanted.

want it to equal up to the amount of money you are going to spend otherwise you can go download it for free. MUEN: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH ROADRUNNER RECORDS?

I got my first record deal in 1995, but I had a great job at the time and didnʼt take the record deal. I came back in 1996 and took the deal because I figured if I was going to try anytime in my life, it would be now. They have been an incredible family. We were free to go anywhere with this record, we shopped MUEN: THERE IS A around, talked to many SPECIAL EDITION different labels and a lot CD/DVD AVAILABLE of other labels were FOR THIS ALBUM shoving more money TOO. down our throat, but nobody felt the passion as There is, right, and itʼs the people at Roadrunnot just special edition ner actually do about us. as in two songs. It has It was a natural thing for separate artwork, a sep- me to re-sign with them arate cover, separate and Iʼm really glad we artwork inside, four did. They loved the tracks as well as a cover record, they are really of Iron Maidenʼs behind it and thatʼs good “Wasted Years” that we to see. did for Kerrang Magazine. It has an hour and MUEN: I LOVE ROADtwenty minute making of RUNNER RECORDS. I us running around L.A. LOVE ALL THE PEOmaking the record. You PLE THERE. can get an insight on all of our different characYeah, they are great ters. It really is somepeople. Once you spend thing special, nowadays, that amount of time you if you want to go spend have your differences of your money on a CD you course, just like any fam-

ily you are allowed to fight and come through it on the other end as better friends, which we all have over there.

MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT “PRAY FOR VILLAINS.” WHAT IS THE SONG ABOUT?

Well, itʼs about when the hero comes to save the day, he doesnʼt and the badass in black comes down and takes care of the situation. Itʼs my motto for the anti-hero. I love all of that tongue in cheek anti-hero, one minute he is the bad guy and the next he is saving the day. That kind of runs the gamut for this whole record.

MUEN: YOU GUYS PLAYED THE MAINSTAGE AT DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL THIS YEAR. HOW DID THAT GO?

It was incredible, 85,000 people chanting your name would be an incredible sight to see. The pits were incredible and we played with a bunch of great bands. Itʼs great to be surrounded by such killer art. Festivals I love in particular because you are there on sight, thereʼs 35 bands running around in crews and everyone knows each other. Itʼs a huge family

affair. Itʼs cool to walk into catering and see everybody.

MUEN: YOU ATTEMPTED THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE LARGEST CIRCLE PIT AGAIN. WAS IT A SUCCESS?

The crowd was divided into fours because 85,000 people canʼt be put all together at once or you will have some kind of hazard go down. We had four huge, massive pits. As far as THE biggest, I donʼt know the biggest of the day I would say for sure. The Guinness thing started just for giggles with us. We were having beers on the bus and we said letʼs call Guinness Book before 2007ʼs Download. We didnʼt think it would happen, but what happened was they wrote us a piece of paper back saying that they wanted to enter us, but didnʼt know how to judge it and count the people. When they actually showed up in 2009 with the crowd divided up, itʼs kudos to them for showing up, but we did what we did. We had a great time that day and I think the crowd treated us well. We gave it 110%, which is important. Festivals are amazing, you walk out of the bus and you canʼt make it twenty feet without

saying Hello a hundred times.

ting together, especially since itʼs so diverse. They have done it two MUEN: YOU TOUCHED years in a row and they EARLIER ON THIS called us to headline it SUMMERʼS “THRASH and we said absolutely. AND BURN TOUR.” WHO ARE THE OTHER MUEN: HOW LONG DO BANDS ON THAT YOU PLAN ON BEING TOUR? OUT ON THE ROAD SUPPORTING THIS Itʼs a really cool bill; I call ALBUM? it the oil and water tour, because you donʼt usu- We are booking now for ally put hardcore bands then end of 2011 and with metal bands or vice into 2012 so this is versa. Itʼs a line in the going to be a long run. I sand that has been really havenʼt had any drawn by people and I significant time off in donʼt know why but there thirteen years and I is a division in genres. donʼt see any coming They all pretty much soon. come from the same place which is blues and MUEN: WHEN YOU punk rock. Itʼs really ARE OUT ON THE killer, youʼve got bands ROAD FOR SO LONG like Despised Icon, we PLAYING NIGHT ran into over in Europe AFTER NIGHT WHAT and they are heavy as DO YOU DO TO KEEP hell. Emmure, Oceano IT EXCITING OR NEW? and Periphery so youʼve DO YOU PLAY THE got half heavy metal and SAME SET LIST OR half hardcore bands. We DO YOU CHANGE IT are all going out on a UP? nine band bill on a support the underground Even when we do play music tour. It starts nice the same set list we find and early and it will go that it is all played differon all night. You get to ent every single night. really get turned on so Everything I say on the average metal head stage and everything we gets some hardcore that do is different. We also he is going to learn to tend to play the same love and the average set list over and over so hardcore kid is going to it becomes better for the get some metal that is people at the end of the going to pound his brain tour. We end up playing as well. I think itʼs a re- it tighter and everything ally cool tour to be put- else so we are going to

put in some songs from Pray for Villains and we are going to put in a couple little things that people are going to love that we havenʼt played live in a couple of years just to really freshen it up. Itʼs good for us because we can do an hour or an hour and ten minutes, whereas most people who have seen us have always seen us open for bands and they get their 35 or 40 minutes and thatʼs it. This will be good; we can go out on a full stage production and really give the people everything weʼve got.

MUEN: I LOVE YOUR SHOWS.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I just got off the phone right now (doing an interview) and the guy said “The first time I ever saw you guys, you reminded me of a punk rock band.” I said” Thatʼs not the first time Iʼve heard that. Iʼve heard that all year now.” I think thatʼs the aspect of Devildriverʼs show live is you never really know what is going to go down. I think thatʼs important, when I was young going to gigs they were scary and unpredictable then. I wouldnʼt mind it being that way now. MUEN: YOU HAVE

BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO VISIT. WHERE IS IT THAT YOU FELT THE MOST INSPIRATION TO WRITE?

I did most of my writing for this record at my parentʼs ranch. They have a ranch out in Murrieta, its five acres and you canʼt get any cell phone reception. There are no cars driving anywhere because there are no roads or streets. Thatʼs where I get my inspiration to write. Iʼm Italian so anytime you get me into Italy; Iʼm having a great time.

MUEN: YOUʼRE GOING TO BE GOING TO EUROPE IN OCTOBER.

We are, we just got back six or seven days ago, and then we go back in October. MUEN: DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?

I do the furthest thing away from metal, I play Native American flute. It is nothing that will be combined with Devildriver, of course, but I find myself needing to get out of the head space that metal or the road will put you in. I broke my finger about three years back playing

with my Doberman and I stopped at a road side place in New Mexico and bought a flute from a Navajo gentleman and learned how to play it. I actually just laid a record called High Desert Moon; you can go to Myspace.com/highdesertmoonmusic and check it out. I put the record down with a cat named Greg Weiss, whose father is responsible for writing “Rhinestone Cowboy” amongst twenty-five other top hits for artists. We had a good time doing it, but that is the only instrument I play. I do a lot of the arranging of the music so verses can end up being verses and choruses can end up being choruses. I told myself I was going to pick up guitar this year. Iʼve had one sitting in my closet for four years and Iʼm surrounded by guitar players. Iʼm taking one out on the Thrash and Burn Tour so all these people can teach me chords. I figure if I learn one chord a day, Iʼll be good in a year. The flute has kind of changed me because now I know keys and my youngest plays piano so I hear him play it all the time so that kind of musical ethic is starting to come to me. I am definitely taking the guitar

with me because it will help me to better communicate what I want from the band as far as music in the future.

MUEN: YOU HAVE A LOVE FOR WESTERN FILMS IS THAT RIGHT?

DEZ. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

I appreciate the support as always.

MUEN: THE LAST TIME I TALKED WITH YOU I REMEMBER HANGING UP THE PHONE AND THINKMassive, I was raised on ING WHAT AN INTELall those spaghetti west- LIGENT AND POSITIVE erns, like “The Good, PERSON YOU ARE The Bad and the Ugly,” AND I FEEL THE SAME “A Fistful of Dollars” and WAY TODAY. all of that as well as cowboy flicks. My faI appreciate that, thanks, vorite movie is called my glass is always half “The Cowboys” with full and Iʼm surrounded John Wayne. He takes too many times by peothese kids out on the ple with glasses that are cattle drive and stuff half empty. It is more imgoes wrong. Youʼve got portant to be positive in to see it; it will veer you life and move through it entirely into that guy, head on, plus Iʼm a Tauthat actor and that rus so I put my head genre. I love westerns, down, horns up and go. anything from “The Unforgiven” to the old MUEN: BEFORE I LET school. They all really YOU GO DO YOU come from these old HAVE ANYTHING samurai movies. If you YOUʼD LIKE TO ADD? watch those you can see where Clint EastDefinitely come out and wood got the whole talk- see us live if you havenʼt ing between grit teeth. seen us. To all the people that supported us MUEN: IS HE YOUR over the years, itʼs a real FAVORITE ACTOR? humbling thing and it is real important to me and Yeah, Clint would defithe band. We thank you nitely be one of my faall. vorites and then John Wayne would be next.

MUEN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH ME AGAIN

By: Slavewriter6

started. Itʼs really night and day, everything is really different now. CD sales do not determine the status of a band anymore, they are almost irrelevant. The measure of success now is whether you can go out and tour and have a career you know?

Yeah it was awesome and I would lay down some basic tracks during the day MUEN: Hi Wayne, how and then at night Iʼd be all are you? fucked up at like 4:00 in the morning and have Doing good. some keyboard ideas and just go in and work out MUEN: Great, how has some stuff. The next day the tour been going? I would wake up and wonder what I did last night Great, we just got a week MUEN: Exactly. The new and then I would play it off and are getting ready to album “Cult of Static” back and be like “Whoa go to Europe so Iʼve just just came out in March thatʼs pretty cool!” been home the last few and it kicks ass. Can days doing some yard you tell us a bit about MUEN: Thatʼs kick ass. work and working on the the writing process for Now you co-produced all house, stuff like that. you and maybe how it of the albums. How exwas different from when actly does that process MUEN: Regular stuff. you wrote “Cannibal”? work? Well thanks for calling me; I really appreciate For this record I actually Iʼm a very hands- on peryou taking the time to do moved the studio to my son. Iʼm a control freak. I the interview. house which is very nice. I write all the songs and the got to work at all hours band has always been my You are welcome. and spend a lot of time on baby from the start so it. Previously I had written there is no way I can just MUEN: You guys are re- everything at a studio absolutely let go and let ally big, and have been downtown LA which is like someone else have final around a long time. Itʼs a half hour drive from say over what the album been 10 years since you where I live. It was always is going to sound like. I released “Wisconsin kind of a pain in the ass to usually like to pick someDeath Trip”. You are still go down there to write so body to work with as a coselling out shows, still this time around working at producer that I am kicking ass, you have home was amazing. I got comfortable with and that sold over 3 million alto spend a lot of time writ- can bring some ideas to bums. So many things ing and re-recording the the table but ultimately I must have changed in vocals and guitars and am the executive prothe industry since back stuff at my house as well ducer, I have final say in then. Looking back what so that had a lot to do with what happens and the way has been the biggest how the record came out I everything sounds. You change for you? think. A lot of it was writ- know, I could do it on my ten late at night which is own but I really like to Wow. There have been a why the record has a have someone else there lot of changes. Personally darker vibe to it I think. just to throw in some extra for me the biggest change opinions and that kind of is I got married over a year MUEN: That must have thing. ago so thatʼs been a big made it really easy if you change. The music scene had an idea pop into MUEN: So when you is like, completely different. your head in the middle choose someone to coWhen the first record produce it with do you of the night you could came out the internet was just get up and go work usually choose someone with like a metal backnot such a huge deal. Ion it. ground or other genres? tunes was just getting Myspace.com/slavewriter6

Iʼm not really concerned about what genre they specialize in. I am more concerned about whether they are a good engineer and can make things sound great and mostly if they are cool to hang out with. I mean you are spending hours and hours with these people for months of your life you know? They really have to be someone that is chilled out and that you can get along with. Thatʼs really important. MUEN: The album was released in March and debuted at #16 on the billboard which is kick ass. Whatʼs the reaction been to the new album and how has it been received at the shows?

Everyone loves it. Weʼve been trying out a few of the new songs, you know, switching it up on tour and everyone is digginʼ it. Especially Tera-Fied has been going over great. Itʼs one of my favorite songs on the record so itʼs cool to see when that stuff goes over live too.

MUEN: Already, you have had to explain that the album title certainly was not meant to be taken in a religious manner. Is that true? I mean, was that really an issue?

Not really, I mean we had a few questions here and there. For the most part I think people get it. I mean we really arenʼt a band that should be taken that

seriously. We like to have fun and the cult is really our fans. I mean we are the kings of evil disco! I say that all the time but I donʼt see us as cult leaders or anything like that. MUEN: Dave Mustaine plays a guest solo on Lunatic which is really cool. Megadeth is such a legendary band. How did that come about?

The last tour we did for Cannibal was with Megadeth in Australia and Dave and I hung out a bunch and became friends and I just asked him if he would like to play on the record and he said he would so I saved a spot for him in the song and went down to his studio in San Diego for a day and spent a few hours working on the solo and it was really awesome. To have a guitar legend play on my album was an honor and it was a blast working with him as well.

MUEN: You are headed to Europe. Do you feel you are building a pretty strong fan base there?

We are still working on Europe. We are not quite as big there as we are here simply because we havenʼt put in as much time, but you know itʼs coming along there. We are slowly gaining there, almost to the point where we can go and headline a whole tour.

MUEN: Does it tick you off when people try to pigeon hole you or label you into a certain genre?

It used to bother me years ago because I always thought we were more like Ministry or Pantera or something like that but today I donʼt really care anymore. People find the need to categorize things.

MUEN: I have to ask you about your hair because I fucking love it and I think it is a big part of the Static-X image. Is it MUEN: You guys rehard to make it stand up cently performed at the like that or does it pretty Rock on The Range fes- much do that on its own tival. That is just a crazy now? amount of people. How was that experience? I agree, itʼs a big part of the image of the band and I love those big festivals. I think it is important for Europe does those a lot. I bands to have a visual wish they would do more identity as well as a musiof that in the US. I think cal style. Itʼs very simple I people love it and its fun just leave it up all the time for the bands and itʼs really wash it every 4 or 5 days great exposure for us to and itʼs very low mainteget out and play for a nance actually. bunch of people who may have heard of us but have MUEN: I understand you never actually seen us. are a huge KISS fan and they are a big reason

you got into music, is that right?

Yeah I mean Paul Stanley is the reason I do what I do. I was 9 years old when I discovered KISS and I wanted to be Paul Stanley. I wanted to sing and play guitar and front a rock band. So from that aspect they are a huge in-

fluence but musically, not so much obviously. We donʼt sound anything like KISS.

MUEN: True. Well thanks again Wayne for taking a few minutes to talk with me. Best of luck to you guys on the rest of the tour!

tremely hard to get to the point we're at right now, and the whole experience is amazing. Watching this grow from our first show in front of 10 people, to just recently playing in front of around 4,000 plus people has been unreal. I'm still afraid that I'm going to wake up one day and I'll still be working as a security guard ha! Really, there's nothing like the feeling of knowing that all your hard work and the sacrifices that were made, are finally starting to pay off. Although, I'm also not naive enough to think that the work is over...something tells me it's only just begun!

By Charly Gienau

Myspace.com/charlygienau

MUEN: Some of you boys have been through it before -finding a label, getting the first gigs, endorsements etc. -How has it been to be apart of this new project and watch it grow?

I got to say, it's been pretty intense! Starting from the ground up is a scary damn feeling. It's like starting a

broke down. Seriously though, the whole experience thus far has really opened my eyes to the WORK that actually has to be done. new I've been in bands before job, that thought we were in a doing the work but, (and I difwill even say I was guilty ferent country, of this as well) we were and you don't speak the native language. still in a way thinking it would just...happen. The Not to mention you still reality is that it won't. don't have an apartment, We've all worked exand your rental car just

MUEN: Are you feeling a sort of "advantage" or "pull" since having had previous experience with working with record labels?

I personally have never dealt with the business aspect in the past. This is my first time working with a record label. But, I can say that having members in the band that have actually had previous experience with record labels and being in the industry, has helped quite a bit. Not to say that we had "pull" or anything like that. We still had to work our asses off! Nothing about this was "handed" to us by any

means, so I don't want anybody to think that. Although having people with experience, who knows how to get things done the right way, does help.

MUEN: Shaun Glass You've done it before, what are you doing different?

Not much. Its still the same hard work ethics I think bands who get lazy and think once there at a certain level they don't need to work as hard is just stupid and lame. We busted our ass to get to this level and were only now just really starting in the big picture. I do this because I love music and even more now as I truly missed playing metal, I can wake up and crank Slayer and smile ha!

MUEN: Jerms -List 3 important qualities a record label should have and explain how E1 has supported it. Well first and foremost, a solid reputation. To me, that is key. E1 has a fantastic reputation of taking care of their artists. Promoting them, marketing them, and helping to get them to the next level. Understanding what it takes to get the job done. Knowing that it takes work from both ends, artists and label alike, to be successful. If they see you are putting in the work and getting' down in the trenches to make this a success they will get down in the trenches with you. They have shown us

that, even though we are a new band, they believe in Dirge Within as much as we do. Scott Givens has done a lot for us, and we very much appreciate the opportunity he and everyone at E1 has given us.

"Juice". Things are changing because of the internet, where it is so much easier and cheaper to promote a band but indies still have to take somewhat different steps and be careful with their money to promote their bands where as Another important thing is major's kind of throw their a solid roster. As a band money around a bit more. searching for a label, you As for the best interest for don't want to be a part of a band, be careful your barely existent group of band stays your band. I bands. Bands that you think freedom is a big deal. never see sold in stores, If you can't be what you bands you never heard of, want to be then what's the and bands you never see point? on tour. Too many bands that I know have fallen vic- The last thing is distributim to this. This is not the tion. As an artist you need case with E1. We are to know that your music proud to be a part of a very will be available to whosolid family of artists. ever wants to get it, wherBands like Hatebreed, In ever they go to get CD's. Flames, and Dope. I can Not just off the label's webspeak for everyone when I site or the band's website, say we share a home with and not just at shows. You some real good heavy need to know that your bands! album will be in STORES, and every online outlet. MUEN: What would you Like iTunes and Amazon, say are the main differetc. E1 has assured that ences between a major you'll be able to pick up our and independent record album "Force Fed Lies" label? wherever you want! Except maybe a certain store There are so many differ- that doesn't allow profanity ences between the two. to be sold...because I can Money and juice are in my safely say that there is mind, two of the biggest some foul language. I differences. Major's have mean, c'mon...it is metal! the money and the power Haha. to promote a band or singer faster and to a MUEN: What drew the higher level than an inde- band to this independent pendent label does. Like label? going to radio with a band, major's have the money to Scott Givens was a key in buy air time where as most this as he has such a indieʼs don't. They also strong past with hard have the rest of their roster music. Working for the into work one band with an- dies such as combat and other bands name. Hence the Roadrunner of past it is

great to have a guy in a corner who understands our music and is not asking us to wear eyeliner or write a Buckcherry song. This is a metal band and he knows it.

MUEN: Endorsements are important for any band, and you guys really seem to hold true to this -are there ever any issues in deciding who you'd each approach for endorsements?

Matt Szlachta - For myself, I look for a specific quality in a product that lets me achieve how I want to sound on and off the stage and this differs for each band member so what we agree on to endorse is all solely up to that individual. MUEN: Is it ever awkward to be endorsed by two different guitar companies?

Not really... Matt and myself all play with different brands. No real big deal it is down to the player to like what they use. I love ESP guitars so that is why I play them not ʻcause some guy hounded me to do such. MUEN: All for one, what is this debut album about?

It really reflects on the day to day struggles in life. The true thing about a song is every person should take it as there own. Music is art but not every painting should be told what it is. Enjoy our hate, haha.

There isnʼt much these days, that could ever tear us away from the endless admiration and respect for this artist. Always pushing the boundaries yet never abandoning their fundamental roots of keeping “the man” in check. Otep Shamaya is making an impact, and with their latest release “Smash The Control Machine” due out Aug. 18, on Victory Records, there is going to be a huge footprint etched in the sands of breaking artists. In a time when the competition and artistic rivalry has never been more complex and over saturated, Otep continues to lead the way with innovative rock stability and cerebral art as a weapon for change. MUEN FACTS: Otep was MUENʼs “Artist Of The Year” for 2008

And... here are some of the most interesting lyrics weʼve found so far for an up and coming artist in 2009: “Smash The Control Machine”

With the perfect hair and the perfect wife and the perfect kids and the perfect life I can finally be somebody ... Let's play born-again American, resistance is the game! Two pigs wearing suits brought the news that I'm wanted by the bank They say the rent is due, Caesar's onto you so you better remember your place Then they outsourced my job and gave a raise to my boss, bailed out the banks, but billed me for the loss... They say we must submit and be one with the Machine, because the Kingdom of Fear needs compliance to succeed... So waterboard the kids for fun - it's all the rage! And play born-again American Resistance is the game! SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE work, buy, consume, die. SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE Happy little slaves for minimum wage.

The revolution will be monetized and streamed live via renegade wifi... The clinic said i'm sick, toxic ..... and impure, but there isn't any cure for the poor or uninsured... So we live our digital lives on multiple screens and we forget that the blood of the workers grease the machines. In the Psalm of the Fiends Love ...... discriminates, while the fat cats feed the rats their daily dose of cake. So waterboard the kids for fun it's all the rage! And play born-again American - Resistance is the game! [chorus]

SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE work, buy, consume, die. SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE happy little slaves for minimum wage... SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE work, buy, consume, die. SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE haters, betrayers, liars and thieves.

She sold her soul for designer clothes... for the perfect lips and the perfect nose... the winner in the end always owns the most - reality tv told her so! Money changer! Greedy bankers! This is the Peoples House! My minister has a sinister plan to save my soul with a credit card scam. Exploitation is contagious for the selfish & self-inflated. Start a war, use the poor, watch our profits soar & soar! We've become a nation of wolves ruled by sheep - owned by swine overfed & put to sleep! And while the media elite decrees what to think, I am wide awake on the edge and on the brink! So when Atlas Shrugs and The Fountainhead bleeds; and when Wallstreet Apostles preach a gospel of greed, I'll renounce the fame of this gluttonous age and be a Born-again American Resistance is to Blame! SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE work, buy, consume, die. SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE Happy little slaves for minimum wage... SMASH THE CONTROL MACHINE A nation of wolves - ruled by sheep! Exploitation is contagious exploitation is contagious exploitation ............

~Otep Shamaya

www.myspace.com/otep

MUEN Wire

HOLLYWOODʼS INSTINCT OF AGGRESSION AUG. 19 THE ROXY!

Also appearing is Sangre, Butcher Jones, others. Instinct Of Aggression have worked with Mikey Doling of Snot/Soulfly/Invitro, and Brad Dujmovic on the production of a brutal 9 song demo! “We pride ourselves on having an extremely energetic and in your face stage show that is not easily followed by even the most professional of acts.” states the band. Songs such as “Consumed By Poison,” if as brutal live as on record, would no doubtedly prove this to be true. Itʼs aggression with a sense of creativity in the recordings that bend the ears around here, and this band has done it!

Myspace.com/instinctofaggression

ICARUS WITCH TO OPEN FOR HEAVEN & HELL AUG. 22!

Current mood:Honored Icarus Witch is honored to announce that we've been chosen to open for Heaven & Hell in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, August 22 at the Nautica Pavilion! The official invitation came just yesterday from Niji Management who represents Heaven & Hell vocalist, Ronnie James Dio, and of course we gladly accepted. This concert has an extra level of meaning for us, as the first song Icarus Witch ever recorded was Black Sabbath's "Falling Off The Edge Of The World" for Evil Lives: A True Metal Tribute To Black Sabbath back in 2004. So in many ways, our young career began in the reflection of Dio, Iommi, Butler & Appice. We've had the fortune to meet & talk with the band members a few times over the past couple years and now, to warm up their crowd in the hometown of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame is a dream come true.

Myspace.com/icaruswitch

It was a name that we orig- ROCK WITH THE HAUNT- have picked up here and Malcolm Guess there. Those are the pri(Vocals, Guitar and Instru- inally put together phoneti- ING AND ETHEREAL mary instruments and the cally because it describes SOUNDS OF ANCIENT mentation) Dulcimer is the one that the balance that we try to INSTRUMENTS. WHAT probably gets used the strive for in the music. Itʼs WOULD BE SOME OF Los Angeles, CA the soft, itʼs the feminine as THE ANCIENT INSTRU- most. Second to that would be the Gamelan. We have well as the intensity and MENTS THAT ARE INMyspace.com/kaura some steel drums from the aggression that musi- CLUDED IN YOUR Trinidad too. cally comes across. When MUSIC? By: Shauna OʼDonnell looking it up we found that MUEN: WOW, THAT IS MUEN: HEY MALCOLM it describes a person who The list has grown over feels or experiences things time. We recently traveled EXCITING. WHERE WAS HOW ARE THINGS THE MOST INTERESTbeyond words. We were all over Asia, Bali, India, GOING? kind of excited about that Cambodia and Laos pick- ING PLACE YOU VISITED IN YOUR TRAVELS? and thought if we could live ing up different instruFantastic, really well. up to that musically then ments. Originally, it started They were all so interestwe would definitely be when we had an ApMUEN: LETʼS START doing our job. palachian Hammered Dul- ing in very different ways. OFF BY DISCUSSING Being in Southeast Asia, cimer, but since then we THE NAME OF THE MUEN: IN YOUR BIO have picked up a Baline- you travel a few thousand BAND. WHAT IS THE YOU DESCRIBE THE sian Gamelan, Japanese miles and you end up in a MEANING BEHIND IT? completely different culture WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SOUND OF YOUR MUSIC Gamelan, Chinese YueTO BE THE INFUSION OF quin, an Indian Tabla and and environment. I donʼt IT FOR YOUR BAND? know that I would say that other bits and pieces we HARD, YET MELODIC

that we needed to fully em- amateur in the respect that bells so it is more in the brace with the actual expe- with those people that in- technique of how you hit rience of going there. strument has been in their them and how you interact lineage forever. Itʼs in their with our musician using it. I MUEN: I WOULD LOVE blood, I was seeing these guess I would say that I TO DO SOMETHING LIKE little kids that are eleven or can play that one, but of THAT, IT SOUNDS AMAZ- twelve years old, whose course, comparatively to ING. dad and their dad played it. people who have played It is so involved that some these instruments and play Itʼs something that I think people spend their entire them with dedication, Iʼm a everybody should do, es- lives learning how to play novice. I donʼt really catepecially the Americans, that one instrument. I am gorize myself as being a 20% of the American popu- the multi-instrumentalist, guitarist or a this or a that. I lation doesnʼt have a pass- Iʼm picking up different in- think of myself as a musiport. I think that we are the struments and Iʼm learning cal person that if you give culture that should get out how to makes sounds that me anything, I will sit in of our own continent and are appealing to my ear, front of it and I will make get to other places of the but that is an instrument something that is pleasing to my ear. I think that is the MUEN: WHAT MADE YOU world just to experience it. that I could dedicate my Itʼs funny to recognize the whole life to. Itʼs a chalnature of being someone GUYS DECIDE TO similarities between all of lenge and itʼs not one that who is a musician. Some TRAVEL TO THOSE the worldʼs people. I donʼt you just pick up and make people are born drummers PLACES? IS IT SOMEthink that Americans, espe- sounds on. Itʼs one that or guitarists. I consider myTHING YOU HAD cially, get an opportunity to you spend time learning; self to be more of a songPLANNED TO DO? do that or have the initia- there are 27 different ways writer and I have different tion to do that. that you can hit a tabla and tools that allow me to exYes, actually it was that press different aspects of it makes a different tone both of us have always been incredibly inspired by MUEN: I THINK A LOT OF and a different sound. Itʼs a the song that Iʼm trying to PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO drum, itʼs not like itʼs a gui- create. those cultures, by the LEAVE THE COUNTRY. tar or piano. Itʼs a very insounds of the music and MUEN: YOUR SELF TIvolved, intricate the instruments that those Yeah, there is a beautiful TLED EP HAS SOME instrument. cultures have produced. world out there and we GUEST MUSICIANS. WHO ARE THEY AND “I think that was some- should all go out and expe- MUEN: HOW MANY INrience it. WHAT DO THEY PLAY? STRUMENTS CAN YOU thing that had been with PLAY? us always, it felt like it It was actually just one was something that we MUEN: ITʼS TRUE, IʼM guest musician. It was Paz SURE THERE WERE INPlay or play efficiently? needed to experience STRUMENTS THAT YOU That may be the question. I Lenchantin who was post personally.” CAME ACROSS THAT started off on guitar so that being in A Perfect Circle. She played violin on the YOU HAD TO LEARN TO would probably be my We had to actually go PLAY. WHICH INSTRUmost efficient instrument. track “Dividing Lines.” there because you can MENT WAS THE MOST Then I moved on to play pick up CDʼs, but itʼs not MUEN: THATʼS RIGHT; I CHALLENGING? bass guitar which obvithe same as actually going SAW THAT, SHE PLAYED ously is very similar. I to the place where the oriThere are some still that I picked up drums, moved BEAUTIFULLY. THERE IS gins of these cultures VIDEO OF IT IN YOUR began. Itʼs even better get- am learning how to play. I on to piano and then to would say the most chal- Hammered Dulcimer. The BLOG. ting to see and meet the people, eat their food and lenging is the Indian Tabla. Gamelan is an instrument get into the whole experi- For being a drum, you fig- where there is definitely a It was an amazing tracking ure you would just hit it or technique in playing it, but session. Weʼll write for inence. Experiencing their smack it, but that drum is basically you are banging struments that neither of us religion and their people knows how to play, like the one that I am completely on these brass pots or first hand was something any one place was more interesting than the other because they were just so different in their own right. Some of the places I personally felt so incredibly inspired by were Lao which is Northwest of Thailand Central. It was absolutely gorgeous. A lot of song writing and inspiration of song writing happened there. Nepal had beautiful, inspiring landscapes so I definitely would say those two places were interesting as well.

violin or cello. So we will use sequences or samples with the real finesse or touch of a real violinist. She is hands down, just amazing. She is also an incredible bassist and is just a great musician all the way around. It was a real pleasure working with her.

MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A FULL LENGTH ALBUM RIGHT NOW. HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU AND DO YOU HAVE A RELEASE DATE AS OF YET?

Yeah, what we want to try and do - because of how downloading happens and with the value people place on music, and how they consume the music - we want to give the people who buy the album something more than the songs they can download on ITunes. Ben Jones the drummer of the group is also an amazing video producer, so he came up with the concept and worked with Joe Riley in shooting and editing it. We will include that along with some extra snipits. We also have artwork that we have been working on with artist David Ho, who does some amazing work. So we are going to put together something special for people who are still into buying hard copies of the disc.

We are actually right at the tail end. It has taken us forever to get this thing out. We are looking into mixers right now and doing a little bit of final production. The release date isnʼt set specifically. What we are MUEN: DO YOU WRITE going to end up doing is shop a few labels that have ALL THE LYRICS FOR THE SONGS? some interest, to see if they want to pick it up and Yes, but with a couple of release it. That process can take a while, so for the the songs there may be a people who are part of our point where someone will say “Hey, what if we street team or who have been with us a long time, change this lyric around to we will do a soft release. say that?” Everyone has a We want to make sure they different perspective of can get a copy of it when what certain words mean itʼs done and then for the to them so they say “Hey, official release it will proba- when I hear that lyric, it bly be 2010. We are look- makes me think of this.” I ing to the end of summer will go “Oh crap, well, I donʼt want people to think to have it done. of that when they hear it.” MUEN: YOU WILL ALSO or “That isnʼt what Iʼm tryBE INCLUDING A CON- ing to say.” Communication happens in sorts of differCEPT VIDEO FOR THE ent forms. SONG “EPHEMERAL FALL” THAT WILL BE INMUEN: WHAT ARE SOME CLUDED WITH THE OF THE THINGS THAT ALBUM.

INFLUENCE YOUR WRIT- neer and I have done 98% of the engineering and proING? ducing of all the labored Lyrics will come from differ- Pro Tools work, which is ent places. It might be just really good. It puts us in at an emotional state Iʼm in at the ground level with that time and I want to con- everything. Often timeʼs bands spend their time vey that in the lyrics. Sometimes the music will writing their songs and developing them. They take just send me lyrics from the sounds of whatever it is them in to a producer, we are creating. It will in- which often timeʼs hack it spire some lyrical phrase to pieces, which is someand then a whole song will times really great for the band. If they donʼt get that come from that. Somepairing right with the right times it will be a concept about something that Iʼm producer or engineer getdealing with or new infor- ting the right sound for them, the original vision of mation that is coming to me that I feel is necessary the band is lost. In that case, because Iʼm in on to share. That often is where a lot of lyrics come every snare drum sound from. It comes from various and every guitar tone, Iʼm different places and often in on every level. Itʼs as times it may evolve where close to what skill level Iʼm maybe the concept of the at, at that time, of really song is initially formed and conveying what is the original idea of the song. Itʼs I might get the lyric for a chorus that will come to me also a very slow process with producing yourself bethrough the music. After you work on a song for a cause you lose objectivity. month or two it will evolve You donʼt have that outside ear to say “Hey, maybe to encompass maybe a phase or period in my life. thatʼs not the best direction.” So you have to give it MUEN: YOUR MUSIC IS time to be able to go back and say when you listen to BEAUTIFUL AND it” What was I thinking? UNIQUE. YOU ALSO PRODUCE. YOUʼRE AC- Thatʼs not cool.” When it TUALLY A SOUND ENGI- gets into vocal producing it gets kind of tricky because NEER RIGHT? you are trying to critique yourself with a very unique, Yes I am. organic instrument like MUEN: DID YOU DO ALL your vocals. We did actually work with Sylvia OF THE PRODUCTION Massy, who has done ON THIS LATEST work with Johnny Cash, ALBUM? System of a Down and We have done some work Tool. It was a fantastic exwith other folks and we are perience. looking into working with some mixers. I am an engi- MUEN: I WAS JUST CU-

RIOUS AS TO WHAT GENRE OF MUSIC WERE YOU BROUGHT UP ON? ARE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY MUSICIANS AS WELL?

Oddly enough, Iʼm kind of one of the first. My dad does play a little guitar. My brother got into his rock roll phase; he had Guns N Roses, Poison and Stryper posters all over his wall, so my mom bought him a guitar because he wanted to be like one of those guys. He ended up doing the cool guy thing and ended up smashing it because that is what guitarists do. I liked that and so I was like “Can I get one?” My mom was a little bit reluctant to buy another instrument fearing it would end up in bits and pieces on the floor like my brothers had. I actually took to it and started teaching myself to play. I donʼt necessarily come from a musical family. My grandmother and my mom played a little guitar, but nothing on a very serious level. MUEN: DID YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF TRAINING OR WERE YOU SELF TAUGHT THE WHOLE WAY?

I was self taught. I feel like Iʼm a creator of sound and emotion. I just pick up whatever instrument is around me and I use that to create with. The process of exploring an instrument is a part of the fun of learning it. I didnʼt want to pick up a guitar and learn my

favorite bands songs. I did that will start off a short run We did the side stage for a little bit of that just as a that we will do. the Rob Zombie/Godsfun way to learn some new mack show in Northern techniques. It was more of MUEN: I DO MY HOME- California. It was an intermy exploration with an in- WORK, LOL. esting show for us, it was a strument and how I can cool bill. make it make sounds and Yeah, you definitely do. what that meant to me. It MUEN: IʼD LIKE TO was also understanding MUEN: YOU HAVE A DVD THANK YOU FOR THE the mathematics behind OUT CALLED TRAVELS, INTERVIEW. IT WAS music. Music is a very sci- WHICH IS FOOTAGE OF GREAT TALKING TO entific endeavor. I have a YOUR TRAVELS. YOU AND I WISH YOU very scientific mind so unTHE VERY BEST OF derstanding chord relation- Yes, that was all conLUCK. DEFINITELY LET ships and tunnel structures structed by Ben Jones ME KNOW WHEN was also very intellectually (drummer). He put a lot of YOUʼRE CD IS GOING TO exciting for me. The self time and effort into it being BE RELEASED! taught approach is one that in these third world counI have taken with pretty tries and trying to get on in- Absolutely, we will defimuch everything that I nitely get you a copy of it. ternet connections to have done. upload film and video. We MUEN: I HOPE TO TALK had done a blog at the MUEN: YOU HAVE A time, which is kind of a col- TO YOU AGAIN IN THE COUPLE SHOWS COM- lection of the gems of all FUTURE. IS THERE ANYING UP. ONE IS IN LOS THING YOUʼD LIKE TO the travels and experiANGELES WITH OPUS ences. If that excites any- ADD OR SAY? DAI AND ONE IS IN SAN one out there who is FRANCISCO. reading, it is really a cool Thank you for the opportunity. In the grand scheme aspect of music and you The San Francisco show are getting to see where of things, we are a smaller hasnʼt been confirmed. We the music was born from. It band so every opportunity are still working on solidify- is a cool little disc. that we have to be able to ing the booking for it. Our share the art that we are next two shows are on July MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE creating hopefully touches 18th with Opus Dai at Bor- BEING PLAYED ON people and gets out the dello and we will also have KROQ? message with our music. another one in L.A. on AuWe want to inspire people. gust 6th at Le Deux in Hol- Yes, Kat Corbett has been Itʼs a beautiful opportunity lywood. We are still putting spinning us on Locals so thank you. some time into making Only. sure the album is finished up so we are just doing MUEN: WELL THATʼS gigs here and there just to COOL, I ENCOURAGE get back in the flow of play- EVERYONE TO PLEASE ing out again. We are get- GO TO THEIR PAGE AND ting our live show together. REQUEST THEM TO BE We are not doing any ex- PLAYED ON KROQ. YOU GUYS HAVE PLAYED tensive touring just yet. You know what, Iʼm sorry, WITH SOME NOTABLE you are totally right. We do BANDS LIKE TOOL. have a San Francisco date WHO ELSE HAVE YOU with Pazʼs band on August SHARED THE STAGE WITH? 4th at The Elbow Room

in SEPTEMBER!

MORE EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS!

MYSPACE.COM/KENELIS

ALSO!

G O D S M A C K

ELECTRIC MIAMI

Myspace.com/project86

JEFF CAMERON RETURNS!

To his credit Cameron has recorded charting singles and albums for MCA-Curb,SlingshotSonic Atmospheres and various indie labels over the last three decades It should be noted that Cameron is also quoted as saying that there are aliens hiding inside the

MUEN Wire

pouches of the wild Red Kangaroos of the lower Australian coastal forests. Myspace.com/jeffcameronsingsagain

LIFE OF AGONY LIVE SHOWS THROUGHOUT AUGUST IN EUROPE!

Aside from this, the band is up to their neck in side projects as well.. Singer Keith Caputo just finished a video "Bleed for Something Beautiful" Directed by Will Rot. Bassist, Alan Robert, posted two new songs from his Spoiler NYC project. Tracks come off of their forthcoming album "Banned in 38 States." The album was recorded by Grammy-Award winning producer Ken Lewis (Lenny Kravitz, Beastie Boys) and will be released in 2010. Check out the new songs on the band's MySpace page: www.myspace.com/spoilernyc. Guitarist, Joey Z is currently booking bands to record in his Method of Groove Recording Studio. Joey has recorded and produced bands such as Sworn Enemy, Brand New Sin, Spoiler NYC and many more. If you're interested in booking time, visit the official site: www.methodofgroovestudio.com. Also, visit LOA drummer, Sal Abruscato on MySpace and check out music from his various different projects including My Mortality and Supermassiv. www.myspace.com/salabruscato

Myspace.com/lifeofagony

SOUNDGAZER

Genres... Confessions... Misc. ...

THE AGGROTECH GENRE, WHAT IS IT?

So many genre labels today, hard to keep up with them all! Although their importance is very minimal really. We like to at least keep you up to date when we feel the urge - besides it is quite comical donʼt you think?? FAKE PLASTIC HEADS

Aggrotech (also known as hellektro,Terror EBM and Techno Body Music). It is an evolution of electro-industrial and dark electro with a strong influence of techno that first surfaced in the mid1990s. Its sound is made of harsh song structures, aggressive beats and lyrics of a militant, pessimistic or explicit nature. Typically, the vocals are distorted and pitchshifted to sound hoarse, harsh and synthetic. Some artists you could label Aggrotech would be: Aghast View, Aesthetic Perfection, Unter Null, Hex Rx, Amduscia, Agonoize, Psyclon Nine, Die Sektor, Combichrist, Hocico, Virtual Embrace, Tactical Sekt, Funker Vogt, God Module, Grendel, Aslan Faction, Tamtrum, Feindflug, Cenobita, Dawn Of Ashes, Suicide Commando, X-Fusion, Wumpscut, Cruciform Injection. .... ok weʼre all out of room now :P.

Ok I will admit that the band name alone is what first caught my attention, and is what spurred me most in the decision to post their song at myspace on a slow pathetically calm night, but then after listening more closely, I realized that this artist from Germany has some quite interesting tunes, and should be given more attention than just another song to communicate messages to friends and foes :)

Based in Toronto, summerʼs end. While itʼs Soundgazerʼs style is a true that it was shot on lounique blend of heavy syn- cation at Rouge River Furthesizers and guitars lay- niture, the producers of this ered with harmonious vid have managed to make vocals. Their debut video, it look more like an extra “Stay the Same” is off their terrestrial prison camp of latest album, Inner Speech, sorts. The chanting chorus which is due out before this line, “We stay the same” is catchy and is heavily armored with unique guitar tones and synthetic wizardry that can also be found in other Soundgazer songs such as “Silent Screams” or “Like Gravity.”

They've made a name for themselves and been living off of it for some time getting it heard by performances and promoBy: Natalie Perez tional sources the whole nine yards. "Pave The Los Angeles band Flatline Way," in close has been has been paving the way hailed by all various magfor over four years now. azines such as Metal Are you experiencing a Flatline? One is in progress, in Three, Two, One……

Edge Magazine, AMP, Decibel and others. The band consists of Travis Johnson (Vocals), Randy Weitzel (Guitar), Tim Hassemer (Drums), Hector Gonzalez (Bass) and Joe “Paulo” Guerra (Guitar). Since the band's formation like many Flatline has

faced various line-up changes, money ordeals, trips to the ER but that doesn't hold back what this band plans to accomplish in the world of metal. Released four albums on their and done constant touring with bands like 36 Crazyfists, It Dies Today,

Walls Of Jericho among many others in the business, these guys got what it takes to continue to spread their music as far out as it can possibly go. Whether it'd be by downloading or dishing out the cold hard cash to buy one of their many amazing albums, Flatline is metal, and there is nothing else left to be said. Drummer Tim Hassemer was kind enough to take the time in answering some questions about how life is out on the road to the band's upcoming plans. So take a peek on what went down! You guys just got back home, welcome back whereʼd you guys go and did you have fun?

every time we write we try to top everything else so it gets a little stressful. As far as writing goes it gets a little crazier, but itʼs all good just makes us better musicians.

That being said, what can be said that hasn't been said about “Pave The Way,”?

Tim: Nothing *Laughs* Weʼve just said so much about it already I canʼt think of anything that we havenʼt said already let me think for a second….. I canʼt think of anything not even anymore specific questions.

What kind of steps does “Pave the Way,” take in comparison to your Tim: Yeah thanks we just older roots? How do you got back we were out in view the leaps of growth the East Coast New York Flatline took between and Connecticut a bunch “Redefining the End,” to of fans out there; we were “Massive Aggressive,” out with the Threat Signal and from that to “Pave and The Anxious for about the Way”? a month. So itʼs good to be back home for a little Tim: Well no its combit. It was a lot of fun we pletely different from all of always have a lot of fun a that, I mean the first lot of drama and fun over- album to this album there all. are different musicians in the band or influences to Well I would like to jump go along with it plus an right into talking about extra few years of practice the new record, “Pave as a a band as a whole The Way,” that has been we were different musiout for a while now. cians at the time and Does the whole album weʼve had different guicreating process simply tarists and as musicians get more difficult as we have to come out with time goes on? Have you a different product. ever felt pressure to top yourselves? Do you care what people think when it comes to Tim: Yeah pretty much Flatlineʼs music?

www.525PowerTracks.com

would be a pretty amazing thing there is a lot of metal Tim: Thatʼs a pretty broad question of course I care out there nowadays and to what people think, kind there are a lot of people doing the same thing as of people that will make we do but if we got to that your band or break your band I guess. You have to status that would be great. I hope so anyways. know depends on what theyʼre saying. But if itʼs What's left at this point? just a sound tag on how we sound, then I guess I Are there still things left really donʼt give a crap we to challenge Flatline? simply play what we want Tim: The whole thing is a to play. There are other challenge. It always is, bands that are pretty when weʼre on tour itʼs a much doing the same thing. It doesnʼt really mat- challenge, recording is a ter to me there is a part of challenge coming up with new material is a chalme that does care, because then youʼre just not lenge but you do it begonna make it in the end. cause you love to do it. Everything in the businesses is a challenge. Flatline is at the point, and has been at the point, where you affect a So what do you have going on this year? lot of people, and the chance lives with the new release your music Tim: Nothing that I can brings. How do you feel discuss as far as touring about being labeled as goes because we have a torch carriers for heavy couple of tours coming up metal in the somewhat in August for the summer but nothing is confirmed mainstream zone? Do yet so I canʼt talk about it. you think Flatline could So youʼd have to refer be a gateway drug for back to our website but I kids into heavy metal, donʼt know weʼre just sort of how Pantera was gonna round off the year in the 90s? promoting the current album and tour. Then Tim: Kind of hope so I think itʼs the goal of every going and writing a new album the beginning of band out there. That

next year.

most of the time youʼre sitting on your butt so it was What are the biggest and a fun experience and lots smallest crowds you've of fun. played in front of? When it comes to a show Tim: Well the smallest is what do you like seeing, easy there are always a hardcore dancers, or show where youʼre playing mosh pit action. in front of a bunch of bar stools and thatʼs happened Tim: I personally get exa few times during our tremely sick to my stomach early stages, and the whenever I see hardcore worse shows weʼve ever dancers anywhere I canʼt played are in our homestand that stuff just do town which is L.A. and as what you want to do but far as biggest crowds weʼre not a hardcore band weʼve played some pretty and if there are hardcore big shows here as well, but fans they want that then do one in particular that sticks it. I rather much see a big out to me happened a few circle pit Iʼve never got years ago. It took place at kicked in the face while this stadium that was fairly moshing Iʼd rather see large probably one of the hardcore dancers then biggest ones weʼve ever nothing at all. If I picked a played a pretty big place choice between hardcore probably 4-5,000 people dancing than nothing going that were pretty fun. on at all Iʼd rather see that. You have a music video for the song "Generations Fall,” can you give a brief summary on how it all came together.

Tim: Well I mean when we signed with our label and had a budget to do a video and the guy from our label set it up with the people who did it was pretty fun. We went down there and did it in front of a green screen instead of going out and finding a location we decided to do it with a green screen and they did some graphics for us in the background weʼve never done anything in front of a green screen before. Just sitting around most of the time drinking beer since

How has MYSPACE and the internet impacted your band and do you think downloading helps or hinders the artists?

Tim: Well pretty much everything we have at this point is achieved up to this point is from the internet and MySpace and I can only say good things about that our label found us through there and have helped us on all the tours so the internet and MySpace are both great. As far as downloading goes if youʼre a band like Metallica or some giant band then youʼre getting ripped off. Whatʼs the harm in downloading itʼs the promotion I

guess; I donʼt see anything wrong with it. Weʼve had people write us and say they bought the album and then burned it for their friends oh cool thanks I appreciate it.

What's your reaction when/if a fan told you a very meaningful statement such as "Your music changed my life?" Has this ever happened to you?

What is one hang-out spot in L.A. that you just have to tell everyone about?

Tim: Oh Harry Potter for sure. I just read the sixth book so I got to see this one.

Tim: Thank you. Iʼve and always am very appreciative of what our fans say and it happens often. Iʼm always grateful but I Tim: Well toughest lesson havenʼt had that one quite yet but have had a lot of Iʼve ever learned be well practiced or rehearsed me fans come up and tell us personally if Iʼm not kinda how much they love our music. sucks donʼt make heartbreaks for or recording for One summer movie you crap makes things much have to see? more difficult. What is the toughest lesson you ever learned in the studio and on the stage?

Tim: Oh god thatʼs a horri- What's it like when ble question I donʼt hang you're not out on the out anywhere I hang out at road, does it feel awkmy house. Iʼm not a night ward? person Iʼ am but donʼt hang Tim: No it feels normal beout anywhere. Everyone hangs out on Sunset or at cause Iʼve spent a lot more the Whisky or Rainbow so time at home than on the Iʼd have to say my house? road. But lately weʼve been on the road a lot more If you had a chance to go often so when youʼre out on the road it was a little back in time, where, weird being at home. what, and why? When I get home Iʼm kinda relaxed and donʼt have Tim: I would go back I donʼt know to my younger these sweaty guys all self when I started smoking around me but its nice and and kick myself in the face definitely different. to make myself not smoke. Do you ever feel that That is the worst thing in when you perform or crethe world, hardest thing to ate an album that it may quit, Iʼm aiming towards be your last? that right now, and thatʼs my answer to that. Tim: My last oh no, hell no

I would never think that, Iʼve never had that thought run a cross my mind.

theyʼre my favorite thing. We always have a family reunion every year which is always fun.

What's the craziest thing You did a cover of Cannibal Corpseʼs “Hammer you've ever done? Smashed Face,” why did you choice this song? Tim: Thatʼs also a very Do you plan on releasbroad question crazy ing a covers only album how? Iʼve jumped off like Hatebreed? buildings, cliffs, been to different countries Iʼve Tim: Yeah me and my guidone all crazy stuff. tarist Paulo we both had Are you always the one some death metal backwho gets stuck when it ground and played in some death metal bands comes to doing interviews, thatʼs what I no- and messed around at random points and ended ticed. up playing that song and then a couple of months Tim: Recently it seems that way yeah and I donʼt ago like January or Noknow why. The other guys vember we had gone off tour and had some seem cool to wanting to months off and didnʼt have do it. But Iʼm always the one who responses to the a thing to do. So we went emails and the other guys and recorded a cover song and everyone liked it just donʼt check their emails. It just seems that and thatʼs how it happened. Recently our label way. When I do get anrep asked us if weʼd like to noyed or bother I will pass. I donʼt know whatʼs re-issue the album we up with everybody else on may throw that song on here and as far as coverwanting to do it. album there is always a possibility we donʼt know What are your favorite right now though. person, place, and thing? Do you think the other Tim: I have a favorite per- sub-cultures are at war son, place and thing yes. with one another, i.e. Everybody in my family I emo, punks, goths etc. have a bunch of favorite Tim: I donʼt know there is people I have lots of faalways a war somewhere I vorite people. As far as think itʼs kinda funny. Iʼm places go I have a lot of favorite places I was origi- so like old school thinking nally from New Mexico Iʼd that metal is metal. When like to go back there and a all these other sub-genres come into the metal few places there and I scene, I think man metal love my cats too so

is metal. Kinda retarded if you ask me, canʼt we all just get along, itʼs silly to me. Just got to go out to a show and there is always someone else that is ragging on another person. I think itʼs pretty silly. Any last words?

Tim: No *Laughs* thanks

for the interview and I donʼt know go check us out on our website http://www.flatlinemetal.co m/ and MySpace www.myspace.com/flatlinemetal to see whatʼs up with us and go buy our album and hopefully people enjoy our stuff and thanks for the interview again.

Ghost have been placed amongst the music scene aside most elite bands with the most reenergized passion and energy known. Set to unveil their music and their legion of fans everywhere they roam. Steven spoke to me briefly about how the band formed, what's exactly in store for the next set of months along with everything else in between.

Tonight you plan to record your first live album, is there a reason why you chose the Chain Reaction, and why now?

Tragic Tale of Death and Sorrow with Steven Julian I Am Ghost Interview By: Natalie Perez

Hailing from Long Beach, California, Los Angeles based darkrock group, I Am Ghost, was conceived by front man/vocalist, Steven Juliano in 2004. Little did he realize what his idea of forming a band would lead to. How about a quick signing to

Epitaph Records, causing a major uproar, leading off to an EP and two LPs to get their name out? After various line-up changes over the years, 2007 had struck. Front man Steve Juliano (vocals) along with Timoteo Rosales III (guitars), Ron Ficarro (bass) and Justin McCarthy (drums), had re-formatted the band's direction/sound, returning to a much more raw, pow-

erful intensity. Adding a seamlessly mind blowing essence of metal, melodic-hardcore, and screamo tactics with sweeping sing-along choruses. Blending together fantasy/reality into one big twisted tale of death and tragedy. Juliano seems to want to reveal in showcasing the world a beautiful decaying fashion adding his own attitude to this depressing drama. I Am

Steven: The biggest thing was that we were really proud of our live show. Most of the kids that talk about I Am Ghost, who have seen our live show aspect, get more of the real live energy than compared to our albums - Which we are really proud of. But when you listen to the album itʼs totally different from the live experience I guess you can say. We really wanted to capture a live performance we could be proud of. I wasnʼt sure if weʼd be able to do it or not. I think that will turn on more kids to the band

because we are a live band more than anything else weʼre not a studio band like other bands out there. We have amazing albums. When you get to see them live youʼre like “eh,” so we wanted to see about what we could do live- the Chain Reaction is perfect. Our hometown shows are always fun, and this place has a rich history with us. It was where we had our first show ever and we love to come back here again and again.

the next album or music video?

Steven: Weʼre shooting a music video in August for the song “Bone Garden,” with an actually real plot this time. It wonʼt be a live version like the one up on YouTube. We decided to do a new video now that we have a budget, actors, stuff to use. Another album probably wonʼt be for a while, because “Those We Leave Behind,” is out right now, it hasnʼt even been a year yet. Usually bands tour a good Whatʼs the secret year before they go show you guys plan back and write another on having? album. So weʼre basically going to be touring Steven: Itʼs a small for the next 6 or 7 show this Friday at a months and then take place called Dipiazzasʼ some time off and write in Long Beach with our the next album. friendʼs band, Vanity XO. They asked us to When you guys play and we told them, started this band, “Sure,” as long as we where did you see it wouldnʼt tell anybody going? What were until the show was your goals? over. Itʼs a small place that only holds 200 Steven: Originally this people, and itʼs really band was just someintimate. It has a full thing we did for fun. bar, but itʼs all ages, Like we didnʼt think and itʼs going to be a weʼd get signed so party more than anyquickly. We thought thing else. Its $5 if weʼd be your typical youʼre over 21 and $8 if local scene-type band. youʼre under 21. We made a demo, by ourselves because we Is there any work on wanted to get shows,

which are the main reason we did it. We didnʼt do it to get signed; we didnʼt do it to get big. We just loved the venues around L.A. Those venues told us “Weʼll book you if you have a demo,” since then it just blew up. We were the ones more surprised

more than anyone else, actually. Did you ever see yourself being a "professional" musician?

Steven: If you would have told me 6 or 5 years ago Iʼd be doing this for a living Iʼd prob-

ably laugh, because Iʼve tried countless times with other bands to get signed. It wouldnʼt ever work out. No one wanted to sign my last band. So I decided with this band just to have fun with it. So do a demo the rest is history.

course, but sometimes like every band tends to tour for like a month.

Then you get back, you realize that itʼs a hard job, and business for you. You want to be able to provide and see your family, friends, and loved ones, since youʼre always gone out When and where was on the road; you wonthe first I Am Ghost der to yourself “why do show? Can you deI do this?” When you scribe the scene? see 50 to 500 kids singing along, going Steven: The actually crazy for you, thatʼs the first show ever was a feeling that keeps me sold out show at the El going. Rey Theater with Sonia Bomb, they broke up a Have there ever been while ago. Our manany major road ager at the time put us bumps where you'd on, as a favor at the consider you'd had time. We had just got- enough of the band? ten the demo done. Weʼd had never played Steven: Not necessarily a live show before ei- giving up but definither. Having your first tively a lot of bumps show having thousands when it comes to losing of people watching your members. Weʼve gone band play itʼs overthrough 4 different whelming. Most were members since the barely 17, our two gui- band started. Losing tarists at the time, so it Kurt and Brain was was their first show too. hard for us to handle. Most of the time the For us we just want to first real shows were play-rock out, we your basic backyard havenʼt been a band for parties so itʼs kind of that long only since cool. 2006. Itʼs funny how people think weʼve What keeps you guys been out a lot longer going? than we actually have. Steven: The fans of

have a favorite album How long do you see yourselves doing or any particular this? What do you song, and why? want to accomplish with I Am Ghost? Steven: Honestly the Have any last words? new album, is my favorite I love “Lovers Requiem,” but to me I Steven: I want to do this for as long as I can, Am Ghost along with rather itʼd be another the members in this band now, all 5 of us is year or if itʼs another 5 what I always wanted years. There is always the band to be. We all time for a family and get along, all hang out, settled down. There well as might be a day, and weʼre all friends. There was something where weʼre all together for lunch and missing before, but there are always clicks decided right then and you have a wife or hus- there “Hey weʼve done band to live for. When it what we can do.” As for now, 2009 we are comes to your band thereʼs always going to 100% in this band, weʼll be our own little clicks. do anything we can do, to get us as far as we Weʼre finally together Looking back, do you possibly can get. as a whole.

By G. Cataline

MUEN: SO WHAT HAS NOVA BEEN UP TO LATELY?

Gabriel: We've been writing and recording pretty much nonstop since we got off tour in April, getting ready to hit the road again in October. MUEN: HOW LONG HAS NOVA EXISTED?

Gabriel: NOVA has been a concept since 2005, all the members were involved with other projects on and off until about a year ago, at which point we decided to get together and make NOVA our priority.

MUEN: HAVE YOU HAD THE SAME LINE-UP FROM THE BEGINNING OR NO?

Gabriel: We have, we've all played in other projects together in the past or were fans of each others bands before NOVA

MUEN: ARE YOU ALL NATIVe OF THE SAN FRAN AREA?

Gabriel: No, in fact nobody in the band is. We've just all somehow conveniently ended up here. We are all somewhat nomadic people I think. Nick is probably

the closest to being na- AND WHO DOES THE tive, he's from Oakland. SONGWRITING IN GENERAL? MUEN: YOU HAVE A Gabriel: "Nepenthe" LOT OF GREAT SONGS, WHO DOES was quite a collaboraTHE LYRIC WRITING tion, a great guitarist by

the name of Billy Connally contributed some of his guitar work in the studio along with the rest of the band and I wrote the lyrics. Generally, Aaron and I do the

songwriting. It usually starts with an acoustic and a vocal and evolves from there. After it has a pretty solid skeleton we take it into the band room where we all arrange it further.

MUEN: GREAT VOCAL! HOW LONG HAS GABRIEL BEEN SINGING FOR, AND DOES HE PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS? Gabriel: Well thank you very much. I've been making noise for awhile now. It all started when this neighbor I had really loved how loud I would listen to music, so to really make her day, I used to try and sing really really loud so she could hear me through the walls. She was a lovely woman. I like to dabble in other instruments here and there. When I play drums its kinda like Will Ferrel in "Stepbrothers." MUEN: IS BASSIST, SCOTT PROCTOR RELATED TO ANYONE AT PROCTOR AND GAMBLE, LOL? Gabriel: No, but he does wish he was. I asked him that when I first met him. He is an avid fan of their tooth-

paste.

it mastered by Stephen Marcussen down in Los MUEN: HE'S GOT A Angeles. Its available GREAT BASS on on our myspace, SOUND, WHAT GEAR huskindustries.com, DOES HE USE, AND iTunes, and HOW LONG PLAYcdbaby.com. ING? MUEN: YOU HAVE Gabriel: Scott should BOTH A WHITE, AND answer this, but Thurs- A BLACK GUITARIST, days are when he goes AARON GO FORTH to the flea markets to AND NICK YOUNG. look for missing garden DO THEY HAVE ALOT gnome figurines for his OF THE SAME INFLUcollection. He always ENCES IN MUSIC? turns his phone off. I do AND HOW DOES THE know his entire rig is CHEMISTRY WORK AMPEG, he uses a IN SHAPING THE SVT4 PRO head and SOUND OF NOVA? 8x10 cab. I also know that GIBSON is send- Gabriel: Well you know, ing him a black Thunitʼs like ebony and ivory derbird bass, which he baby. Nick brings the is very excited about. I chocolate and Aaron's think he's been playing got the creme. It just for about 2 weeks now, works. he's making great progress. MUEN: SO YOU HAVE MORE TOURING MUEN: TELL US PLANNED? WHERE ABOUT THE LATEST DID YOUR LAST ALBUM, "NETOUR TAKE YOU, PENTHE', WHERE AND WILL THE NEXT DID YOU RECORD IT, BE IN THE SAME WHO HELPED YOU AREAS, OR SOMEON IT, AND WHERE IS WHERE DIFFERENT? IT AVAILABLE? Gabriel: The last tour Gabriel: We recorded was excellent, eating at Audio Voyage in Liv- and playing our way ermore, CA. Tim Nard- across America. We duci produced, mainly did a southern recorded and engiU.S loop so we didn't neered it. Super talfreeze too badly since it ented and great guy to was March. We are work with. Then we had going to go back to

some of the places we hit last time but it is going to be more of a midwestern tour this time. I definitely want to go back to New Orleans and get an alligator po-boy though, that and New Orleans totally rocks.

MUEN: YOU ARE ENDORSED BY PEAVEY AMPS, GIBSON, EMG, AMPEG,, AND OTHERS, HOW DID THAT ALL COME ABOUT?

Gabriel: We've all been using those brands for so long, it really is our sound, and we really do use each one of them night after night, and they all deliver the goods. We are actually very fortunate to have the endorsements because with the state of the record industry, any help you can get, that allows you to be out there doing your thing is really a blessing. So, thanks guys!

MUEN: THERE IS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF INFO ON THE NET ABOUT NOVA... OR HAVE I OVERLOOKED SOMETHING? OFCOURSE YOU HAVE THE WEBSITE WWW.NOVATESTSITE.COM ... WHERE ARE SOME

OTHER PLACES WE CAN READ ABOUT NOVA?

Gabriel: Yes, I believe a magazine called "MUEN" has a great interview you should read on them... MUEN: BRETT ARONSON DID SOME GREAT ARTWORK ON THE BAND, WHERE DID YOU FIRST COME ACROSS HIM AND HIS WORK?

Gabriel: I first stumbled on Brett doodling in a coffee shop, got to talking to him about music, tattoos, long lost treasure maps, extreme sports and thatʼs when it happened. He told me about HUSK. That was two years ago. Since then I've have been working with Brett and HUSK Industries for the artwork on every musical project I have been part of. They do tshirts, posters, limited prints, you name it. www.Huskindustries.co m, keep on eye on them, they're going to be big. MUEN: WHAT ARE SOME OF ROB'S INFLUENCES ON DRUMS, AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS

UNIQUE ABOUT HIS DRUMMING STYLE?

Rob: It really ranges from the jazz greats like Papa Jo Jones and Buddy Rich to the heavy rock hitters like John Bohnam and Bill Bruford. I wouldn't really say my style is so unique, but more in my approach to playing drums for the song. I really try to visualize what the song needs from me first, to make it the best before I clutter it with all the possibilities of what could be played.

MUEN Wire

FATTOOTH on Tour! Canada and U.S. dates.

Myspace.com/fattooth

MUEN: WHAT PART OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS DO YOU LIKE THE MOST?

Rob: The catered executive meetings. Those little crackers with the salmon spread... delicious.

MUEN: ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?

Gabriel: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us and actually asking us great questions! Check us out online at www.myspace.com/novatestsite and in a town near you soon!

THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE: You may ask yourself, why are The Birthday Massacre MUEN media darlings? Because of great sounding recordings, great songs, great theatrics, great everything FOOL! .. haha, seriously though, donʼt ever ask that again.

Myspace.com/thebirthdaymassacre

PORCUPINE TREE recently signed to Roadrunner Records UK and will begin an extensive

world tour starting in Seattle on Sept. 15 at the Moore Theater - Yep thatʼs right, real record labels signing real bands... ..... do you feel a change coming on?

Myspace.com/porcupinetree

WAR TAPES

WAR TAPES from Los Angeles have recently finished their video for “Dreaming Of You”.

I've seen the caption, "heart quaking doom-pop" and I'd have to agree that is a pretty good term for it. War Tapes have some great songs! "Dreaming Of You" is probably the one that sticks out the most,

and mainly because of it being up-tempo and with a solid hook and chorus made for radio. It is true that there is this fra-

grance of gloom though.. this could be compared to perhaps the Smashing Pumpkins in the guitar sound, but with the very

charismatic and memorable vocal of frontman, Neil Popkin minus the Corgan nasal sound.

Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory side project:

Ascension of the Watchers

in the highly influential industrial metal band Fear Factory. He's recorded over 8 full length albums with Fear Factory, selling more than one million records in the United States alone, not to mention the 8 guest appearances he has done with bands such as Ministry, Soulfly, and Static-X.

Early in his career he also recorded an album with Black Sabbathʼs bass player Geezer ButBy: Morbid Miller ler for his band G/Z/R. Myspace.com/morbidmiller Burton was also nomiVery few musicians have nated for a Grammy had as much success as Award in the category of metal icon Burton C. Bell. Best Metal Performance He is best known for his for the 51st Grammy work as the lead vocalist Awards in 2009. He is

more than a musician; he is an artist constantly expressing himself through many different outlets. Striving for his own personal creative expression, he created his very personal side project “Ascension of the Watchers” a band for which he writes and plays all the music. This might not be for the average die hard Fear Factory fan due to the lighter sound straying from the brutality that has made him famous. Ascension of the Watchers is best described as music for mediation by Burton. Recently I had the chance to talk to Burton about his new project Ascension of the Watch-

ers as well as touch base on what he has been up to in his musical journey and exploring how he managed to stay ahead of the curve in an ever changing music industry. Morbid: How did Ascension of the Watchers form?

Burton: It started in 2002 when I left L.A. and drove to Pennsylvania to stay with John Bechdel (Ministry, Prong, Fear Factory). I had some riffs that I wanted to workout. We put them together in his studio and we just started building songs. Thatʼs where the concepts of the band were

formed. This is something that I wanted to do. Thanks to the help of John, I was able to do it.

Morbid: What does “Ascension of the Watchers” mean?

Burton: The original name of the band was just “The Watchers” and when I started a website to help promote the band I received a letter from a band in Chicago who was already called “The Watchers”. They didnʼt really even do anything and I donʼt even think that they exist anymore, but to avoid all confusion I added the term ascension to it. Ascension means to transcend. The Watchers are symbolic of angels that had fallen from heaven and were banished by God (Itʼs a story thatʼs in the “The Dead Sea scrolls”). Metaphorically speaking, The Watchers are pleading to god to get back into heaven.

Morbid: With that being said is your new record Numinosum a concept album?

Burton: I wouldnʼt say itʼs a concept album. Itʼs basically a concept of a dream that I had. All the songs are stories or poems that I had written about the loss and regret of love. Morbid: You have recorded two solo al-

bums under the name Ascension of the Watchers correct?

Burton: The first was more of a demo. It was an E.P. that John and I did on our own called Iconoclast which means "image breaking". I thought that was important and appropriate naming it that especially with me coming from Fear Factory. It was a very rough and intimate album that had a really cool sound. I solely released the album on my website. I didnʼt shop it to any record companies for major distribution. After working with Ministry (fast forward a few years later) they were starting a new label called 13th Planet Records and they were interested in having Ascension of the Watchers being a part of it. Exactly a year ago our first full length album Numinosum was released via 13th Planet Records. We didnʼt play too many shows: it was kind of a quite release.

Burton: Thatʼs a good question. You can get it at the 13th Planet web store. Itʼs also in major stores across the country, but its kind of hit and miss with what stores will have it. The best place would be off the 13th Planet web store.

the get go this wasnʼt going to be for all Fear Factory fans, but I knew that a few Fear Factory fans out there would appreciate it and understand it. The die hard death metal industrial fans I knew wouldnʼt get it. I expected that. The album had a lot of positive responses, but also some negative responses.

Burton: Well there's obviously a huge difference between spirituality and religion. Iʼm not a fan of organized religion. I have a spiritual sense in my own personal philosophy about people. I feel that basically as a record, itʼs a plea to God from a certain watcher who has been banished from heaven asking for a second chance. In a spiritual sense, a lot of the songs are about damning and cursing God. There's also songs about saying to God “Hey look, Iʼm sorry”. It could be songs to God or to a loved one, itʼs all the same. In a nutshell, the album is about second chances with people I have hurt.

Burton: I would love to tour Europe as an opening act for a band that would be a perfect introduction for us, but it would have to be the right band. Iʼm just waiting for that band, keeping my eye out for acts that are going on tour in Europe.

Morbid: You kind of hinted around before that this band is about spiritual growth, what ideas or philosophies Morbid: What kind of do you try to bring forth touring plans do you in your music? have in the mix?

Morbid: I heard that you were nominated for a Grammy.

Burton: Yeah man, it was for work I did with Ministry. I started to get involved with Ministry on Morbid: How many The Last Sucker album. I shows have you guys did two or three songs on played? that album and I also did another song for their Burton: About twenty. Cover Up record which We didnʼt play an L.A. was an album of cover show, but we did a New songs. I did the Vocals for York and Chicago show. Morbid: How are Fear The Rolling stones cover Factory fans reacting to song “Under My Thumb” Morbid: Where could this side project? and it was that song that someone get the album was nominated for a Numinosum? Burton: Well it's to be ex- Grammy for Best Metal pected. I knew that from Performance. I knew I

wasnʼt going to win. We were up against Metallica, Judas Priest, and Slipknot. The Grammy people only vote for who they know. Metallica ended up taking it, but still I was invited to the Grammys (Laughs). They sent me a ticket and I flew out to Los Angeles and had a great time. Now I can say that Iʼm a Grammy nominated artist (Laughs).

try to follow the train and be on that band wagon youʼre destined to only last as long as the band wagon, but if you stay ahead of the curve by being original, you are going to have a longer career. By doing original things with our music, which we didnʼt know (that we were doing ground breaking things) until our albums were finished and people were like “wow”. We really took Morbid: That brings me notice to what we were to my next question: doing. Touring a lot when you first started helped. Fear Factoryʼs out did you ever think success has to do with that you would have touring a lot and consuch a long and sucstantly trying to put on a cessful career as a mu- good show. sician? Morbid: Whatʼs your faBurton: Of course I had vorite Fear Factory my rock fantasies, song? (Laughs) but I thought of them just as fantasies. I Burton: Wow, umm... definitely never expected they're all like different to come this far 20 years children to me. I love later. I gave myself like each album in a different 10 years. I thought it kind of way. I have a fawould all be done by vorite song off of each then, but 20 years later album. All of them are Iʼm still around. great memories throughout Fear Factory history. Morbid: Was it just luck or what did you do Morbid: If you could to stay ahead of the only listen to one album curve? for the rest of your life which album would that Burton: With the combi- be? nation of Dino Cazares (Fear Factory, Divine Burton: Probably Peter Heresy) and myself in the Gabrielʼs Passion, the beginning we really soundtrack to the last strove for originality. We days of Christ. focused on having an original sound especially Morbid: Thatʼs surprisin the early years. If you ing. I figured you would

pick a brutal metal album.

Burton: You know Iʼm not big into metal. In high school I listened to a couple of metal bands. I mainly listened to punk and industrial bands. Even today I donʼt listen to metal or hardcore. I have never bought a metal album.

Morbid: Thatʼs shocking coming from the lead singer of Fear Factory one of the heaviest metal bands of all time.

Burton: See, thatʼs the reason why Fear Factory kept moving forward. We werenʼt just thinking metal. It's the fact that I liked industrial as well as bands like U2, the Bad Seeds, and Goth music and I was emulating hard rock, sub/pop, and industrial bands on the early Fear Factory albums. Dino and I were both into industrial music. I was actually in an industrial Noise band when Dino and I met in Los Angeles. He was into grindcore and Raymond was into death metal and hardcore. When we started jamming with them it all just kind of worked out. We really found our sound on the album Demanufacture.

Morbid: Whatʼs the story behind the Concrete Album? Was it the first Fear Factory

album?

Burton: Technically it was supposed to be our first album. Dino and Ross Robinson were good friends back in the day. Ross wanted to start a record label called Emerald Triangle and he was going to use Fear Factory as his first band on his label, so we went into the Fort Apache recording studio in Los Angeles which is owned by Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.). We were there for 10 days and recorded 16 songs. When everything was said and done, Ross handed us a contract. We took it to our lawyer and he laughed and said that we shouldnʼt sign it. The contract stated that Ross would own everything, so we took it back to him and told him that this was not going to work. After a court battle Ross got to keep the masters and we got to keep a digital audio tape (DAT) and we sent that tape to a representative of Roadrunner Records in New York. With the help of Max Cavalera putting in a good word for us and urging Roadrunner to pick us up, we signed with Roadrunner in the early 90ʼs. Ten years later instead of Ross Robinson coming to us offering to sell us the masters, he went straight to Roadrunner and sold them the masters.

Morbid: Wow, thatʼs crazy that Ross went behind your back. I would think that he would be a straight up guy. Especially with all of the artists he has worked with such as Korn, Slipknot, Sepultura, Limp Bizkit, Amen, Vanilla Ice, Glass Jaw and Norma Jean.

American in this band. Everyone else is Canadian. “City of Fire” has an early rock sound with a sub/pop vibe to it. Not grunge mind you, but a Black Sabbath type groove. We are recording an album right now. Iʼm really happy with it.

Morbid: Are you singing or playing GuiBurton: Dude, you live in tar on the “City of Fire” album? L.A.: think about what you just said. (Laughs) Burton: Iʼm singing on this album. Morbid: Youʼre right, forget that I even said Morbid: How long have that. People here are you been playing guionly out for themtar? selves.

Burton: Thatʼs one of the reasons I donʼt live in Los Angeles anymore. Because of people like that. One day I was like "fuck this place" and left.

Burton: I donʼt play guitar really, I just make noise. I canʼt play anyone elseʼs songs. I can only play my own, but I've have been playing for about 8 years now.

Morbid: So are you livMorbid: What advice ing in Canada now? do you have for musicians starting out in Burton: No, I live in todayʼs music indusPennsylvania. Iʼm in Canada right now record- try? ing with a new band Burton: Donʼt do it for called “City of Fire” (www.myspace.com/the- the money because there is no money in it. Be officialcityoffire). smart and really strive for originality and when you Morbid: Do you ever have enough songs, start get a break? playing live as soon as you can. Burton: Yeah, every once in a while. Thatʼs the thing: as a musician Morbid: Do you sugthis day in age you have gest that new bands try to get a good following to keep working, trying in their hometown beout different kinds of fore playing elsethings. Iʼm the only

“Hollywood Rock Band Of The Year”

Upcoming Full Length: “AEVOLUTION”

where?

www.themaension.com

one of those bands that are going to be playing a Burton: The funny thing lot of shows. We want it is that when Fear Factory to be an event when we play, so people will be like started out we only played 20 shows before “well they're playing, so signing with Roadrunner. we better go see them”. People knew about Fear Morbid: Well I think that Factory but we didnʼt have much of a following. about does it for me is I donʼt think itʼs about the their anything else you would like to add? following. Itʼs all about the music. Burton: No, I think we Morbid: What can we touched base on a little bit expect from Ascension of everything. If anyone would like a copy of our of the Watchers in the full length album Numinear future? nosum, you can get it Burton: Definitely expect from 13th planet Records a new album. This first web store at www.thirfull length record, Numi- teenthplanet.com nosum, is a great record. I think our 2nd album is Check out Morbid Millerʼs Top Unsigned where we are going to Bands find our sound. Expect www.myspace.com/mor more interesting things bidmiller from Ascension of the Watchers. We are not

FATAL STAR By Jus Forrest

with all we do. We spent a few years keeping it just to ourselves and close friends. From the first time we played people loved what we were trying to do. Me and Frank do a little something of everything, playing all the instruments, singing and producing. We always try to better ourselves. .

Radio 1 described them as 'Two of the country's most prolific endearing and talented artists'. The duo I refer to is ʻFatal Starʼ – an offshoot of the popular ʻFun Lovinʼ Criminalsʼ – Jus Forrest catches up with Naʼim and Frank to talk about their MUEN:You latest venture. must be very busy people MUEN: So how would right now you describe your brand how of music? would you FS (FRANK): Samurai Gypsy RʼnʼB MUEN: Did you set out with a specific objective or was it just a case of lets see what happens in the creative sense? FS (Na'im): Yeah, it was always to set the bar quite high

sum up the last year?

FS (Frank): We have been planting so many seeds. (I prefer this to saying we have fingers in many pies!)

I'm told that to yield a good crop you have to prepare for a good harvest. I think we've been doing this over the past

year. People often tell us we are very lucky. Isn't it a coincidence though that the luckiest people are the ones most prepared for success? Most bands record 1 album every 3 years. Myself and Na'im (the Make it Nice Brothers) have made 4 in the last 7 months!

With 4 different projects – FATAL STAR "The Warrior", UNCLE FRANK "Smiles for Miles", RADIO RIDDLER "Purple Reggae" and ROWSHAN not to mention working on the forthcoming FUN LOVIN' album)

I had some health issues and Na'im had a nervous breakdown - it has made us stronger.

MUEN: You have launched your own record label this must take up a fair chunk of your time?

FS (NAʼIM): Once the ball is rolling, it takes care of itself via mail order and internet downloads from iTunes. On the release of a new record a lot of time goes into the strategy, concept design, promotion and publicity. With each new release we sell more records from the back- catalogue of Make It Nice Records. This means that organically our label is getting more and more successful year by year. We now employ a team of trusted associates to help with the running of things. We'll need more help this year. Me and Frank oversee every detail and have the final say.

MUEN: What inspired you to form the band was there a need to spread your wings further so to speak?

FS (Frank): Myself and Naim have played together for many years, this lead to a constant change of styles till it found the Fatal Star sound, and people just wanted us to play live so it all was very natural to start putting it out to the masses.

MUEN: With regards to Fatal Star, you've been described as' two of the country's most prolific endearing and talented artists' by radio 1 that's quite a statement! How do you feel about that?

MUEN: Fatal Star - how did you guys come up with the name - does it represent anything in FS (Frank): That makes particular for you guys? us feel very good! FS (NAʼIM): Fatal Star is a name of a song I wrote good few years ago. I got the name from a romantic speech the knight Don Quixote gives in the book by Ceravantes MUEN: So this is an offshoot of your other band 'Fun Lovin Criminals' - how have you managed the commitments to both projects?

MUEN: You are working with Florida based Frosty J productions who represent you. How did that relationship come about - you're actually based in the UK arenʼt you?

FS (NA'IM): Yes we're based in Leicester, UK. We met Frosty J through the MySpace revolution. We discussed the possibilities of an alliance over FS (Frank): With a great the course of many amount of commitment, months of mutual apprecisacrifice and patience - all ation for each others very unfashionable quali- work. ties in todayʼs world. MUEN: Your debut

album 'Prayers for Protection' was released in very small numbers 50? Are there any plans to make this more widely available for example on download from outlets such as Itunes?

FS (NA'IM): Yes in time we may well do that... however the finest wines are those which have been corked the longest! If there's enough interest we might do something special with it... as it is a very special record.

MUEN: You released the Gravy Baby ep in 2008 how was this received?

FS (NA'IM): We got substantial interest from various indie labels and got a lot of national radio play. We produced the video for the song Mary Jane, which went down well and has become a very popular ring tone. ʻSaving Graceʼ from that E.P. was the most on demand track by listeners of BBC'S the Beat show last year... hosted by Dean Jackson, whose championed us from the start. Me and Na'im don't play the record label chasing game its much more profitable to get a no interest loan from a private lender and do it yourself until you get big enough to need the mechanisms of a big labels contacts and muscle to get it the exposure. Unless you're a priority act on a label you may as well piss your future into

the wind. We wonʼt tolerate second best in anything we do...much less anyone we work with.

MUEN: Your about to release 'The Warrior' when and where will this be available where can US fans get the record?

FS (Frank): We're still doing the finishing touches to ʻThe Warriorʼ. It sounds like nothing else out there. I do hope we can put it out this year. We want to release it the right way, it deserves it and this takes a long term strategy of live shows, promos etc. It will certainly be available on iTunes worldwide simultaneously.

MUEN: What are your main influences and what was the inspiration behind 'The Warrior'?

FS (Frank): Gearing the sound of Fatal Star to a festival celebration - that means more head nodding, hands in the air than people sat down.

FS (NA'IM): I got a bit bored of singer songwriter music and wanted to do something a lot more exciting to play and perform. It's dark, exhilarating and very very luscious sounding. MUEN: Your doing a couple of live dates in the UK - any plans to venture out to the rest

of the world to support 'The Warrior' release?

FS (Frank): Yes, were already making in roads into Europe with some shows there this summer and would dearly love to play in the States and Japan. Na'im and myself are very choosy though. We don't do shitty shows. We don't play shows unless we know that itʼs organized right and promoted right. We need to know they'll be good food and a party atmosphere; we'll take care of the rest.

MUEN: It must be quite a challenge putting together a live band? FS (NA'IM): Not when you've got great players that do as they're told.

FORSYTHE

Tallahassee, Florida

Myspace.com/forsythe Cameron Zauche a.k.a. Bodia (Lead guitar, Vocals)

MUEN: What are your long-term objectives will we be set to see a lot more of 'Fatal Star' in Mike Long (Lead Guitar, Vocals) the future?

FS (NA'IM): We'd like Fatal Star to play the major festivals around the world -Fuji Rock, Coachella and Glastonbury for starters. Like Mr Myagi said in Karate Kid part 3..."Danialle San - If ROOT IS STRONG THEN TREE WILL BLOOM"

Danny Sleep (Bass)

Cory Zauche (Drums) By: Shauna OʼDonnell

MUEN: YOU GUYS ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THE VANS WARPED TOUR AROUND AND PASSED OUT FLYERS TO SHOWS YOU HAD http://www.myspace.com/f BOOKED NEARBY. atalstar Thatʼs right MUEN: WHOSE IDEA

WAS IT?

Mike: We actually stole the idea, but it went pretty well, not quite as well as we had hoped. Mayday Parade, which is a band from here, got signed by doing that. We thought since they got signed, why donʼt we give it a try. It worked pretty well until we got a bunch of flat tires and we realized that the distance between cities was a lot farther with a trailer.

MUEN: RIGHT, YOU CANʼT GO AS FAST.

Mike: Well, you can, but itʼs not safe. Itʼs crazy and tire places in Texas take three hours to change a tire so that held us up and made us miss Houston. The days that we did go

went really well.

MUEN: DID IT WORK? DID YOU GET A LOT OF PEOPLE TO YOUR SHOWS?

Mike: Yeah, for some of them, we had pretty decent turnouts.

MUEN: WAS THAT THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE PACKED IN A VAN TOGETHER ACROSS COUNTRY? Sleep: Yes it was

MUEN: WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING IN THE VAN?

Sleep: With no air conditioning so we were really nice to each other you can imagine.

MUEN: HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS KNOWN EACH OTHER? Sleep: Iʼve known the guys for about seven or eight years. The singer and the drummer are brothers.

Mike: Itʼs been a long time. We are all pretty much like brothers so we also fight like brothers, but we get a long like brothers too.

MUEN: ARE THEY TWINS?

Mike: No, Cory is the younger brother, heʼs 21 and Cameron is 23. MUEN: THEY LOOK A LOT ALIKE THAT IS WHY I ASKED. Sleep: Yeah, they act alike too.

Mike: They are the ones who are taken in the band so I guess we donʼt look as good as them.

Sleep: I guess not, we didnʼt get that gene pool.

Mike: We are just kidding, we are players. We just canʼt handle commitment. MUEN: YOU CAN ONLY HANDLE COMMITMENT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BAND. Pretty much

MUEN: DID YOU SLEEP IN THE VAN OR HOTEL

ROOMS?

Mike: We did all of the above including fields. We only did that once though.

Sleep: It was so hot in that van and it was getting really uncomfortable. Mike went outside and slept on the grass and I went with him. I remember him telling me “Dude, I think this is the lowest point of the tour.”

letʼs put it that way. We to get used to the songs. had a pretty good experi- Now, it is once or twice a ence all around. week.

MUEN: YOU GOT ANOTHER FLAT TIRE ON THE WAY BACK FROM THERE RIGHT?

Mike: We did, right near Death Valley and we had to wait three hours because we were an hour south of Vegas and two hours away from anything else. We had to wait three hours for UHaul to Mike: There are only two show up, it was just a flat comfortable spots in the on the trailer. We got a van where you can actu- picture with it, the tire was just destroyed. We manally extend your body. If aged to find things to do, you didnʼt get those two spots then you are pretty like Cory and I went exploring. We hiked up a uncomfortable. Sometimes if we are really ex- mountain and took some pictures. There was this hausted we can just fall little tunnel where it was right to sleep and be okay. We slept in the van feeling pretty good, so we six times, but that was in hung out there. the west, it does not work in the south. One thing I Sleep: I hung out in the learned is no matter how van. They were like “Letʼs go exploring.” and I was hot it is in Death Valley like “Dude, itʼs a desert. and Nevada, it still doesnʼt feel nearly as hot You can already see what as here with all of the hu- youʼre going to explore.” midity. MUEN: WELL, I HAD THE PRIVELEDGE OF MUEN: NOW YOU GUYS WENT THROUGH SEEING YOU GUYS VEGAS AS WELL SO IS PLAY LIVE WHILE YOU THERE ANYTHING YOU WERE IN TOWN. I WANT TO SHARE WITH THINK YOU HAVE AN AMAZING STAGE US ABOUT THAT LEG OF THE TRIP? OR IS IT PRESENCE. HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK WHAT HAPPENS IN DO YOU REHEARSE? VEGAS, STAYS IN VEGAS? Sleep: When I joined the Sleep: What happens in band ten months ago it was a lot because I had Vegas, stays in Vegas,

Mike: We have been playing so many shows. On the tour we had a show everyday. Normally, itʼs once or twice a week.

MUEN: YOU GUYS TOOK A HIATUS OF NEARLY THREE YEARS SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE BAND COULD DO SERVICE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DO SERVICE?

Mike: We are from a church that promotes missionary work. Three of us went on church missions in different parts of the world. I went to South Africa for two years.

Sleep: I went to Chile for two years and the singer went to Guatemala for two years. A lot of times the guys get pissed because we talk about them in Spanish and they donʼt know what we are saying. On the tour, Mike said a few times “Iʼm sick of hearing Spanish all the time! Quit it!” On the tour you donʼt realize how many Latin/Americans there are and we were able to talk to them in their own language.

MUEN: YOU RELEASED AN EP GO BACK LAST NOVEMBER. TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE

EP. HOW MANY TRACKS ARE ON IT? WHO PRODUCED IT?

ure. Itʼs about how everyone has their prize possession that they search for. In a way it is pretty Mike: Itʼs seven tracks, general for everybody, but one of them is just an but at the same time it intro track. Itʼs still a track can be something that though. We did it at a you can relate to specifiplace called Vision Sound cally. Studios in Jacksonville, Florida. Itʼs a really cool Mike: I actually wrote that studio. It was a long when I was in Africa, so I process, but when it was think where I was at that done we were all really time in my life influenced happy about it. All the gui- the song a lot. Itʼs about tar tracks you hear, we seeing the bigger picture, had to do twice. For each not just your immediate solo we had to make the surroundings and finding bend sound the exact what lifeʼs true treasure same both times. It took is, but for everyone that an entire day to do just could be a little different. the guitar. The drums had to be exactly spot on with MUEN: THE VIDEO FOR the click track. The guy “DRIFT” IS GREAT. ITʼS knew what he was doing, REALLY FUNNY AND his name was Daryl ENTERTAINING. I LOVE Phenneger and he has TO SEE CREATIVITY done Molly Hatchet, Red LIKE THAT. SO TELL Jumpsuit Apparatus, and ME ABOUT THE MAKI think Yellowcard. ING OF THE VIDEO.

Sleep: Yeah, itʼs where The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus got big, itʼs where they started. Itʼs a really “pro sound” studio and it was a really cool experience. I was able to get there at the end of everything and listen to all the material. The un-mastered was already really good. MUEN: WHAT DOES THE WORD TESORO MEAN AND WHAT IS THE SONG ABOUT?

Sleep: It is actually the Spanish word for treas-

Sleep: That video was really fun to do. We did a lot of planning for it; there was a place that just opened so we had total control of everything. We had a bunch of people come out. Mikeʼs grandpa is even in it, he is wearing a “Grandpa Rocks” t-shirt. You have to watch it carefully, but itʼs there. My exgirlfriend is even in it. Mike: It was one of the funnest shows we have ever done because we made it a music video filming/show. It was free to get in, the place was

trippy, there was graffiti everywhere and the lady who owned it was insane. She was like straight out of 1964. She was a super sweet lady just not a good business lady.

Sleep: She was kind of annoying too. That place actually closed down a few days later just because she didnʼt know how to run it. She said that “People will come and things will work out.” People came but she never charged anything. Making the video was pretty repetitive, you donʼt realize how many times all the angles, and playing the same song over and over again can be. People got it stuck in their heads really well.

Mike: I think the tour helped us realize that a little more. When we would play bars that were 21 and up, those were usually our slowest shows and people didnʼt get into it as much. Our best shows are usually all ages shows and our target demographic is probably 16 to 22.

Sleep: It appeals to everybody because when you hear it a lot of music sounds the same. A lot of bands nowadays sound like the same band. We love harmonies and solos so it appeals to people that like that older 80ʼs music, but at the same time we have received more attention from those of a younger age rather than older. I guess they Mike: The two girls that donʼt want to be imworked with us were both pressed or they donʼt really cute girls too. Their want you to know they names were Brooke and are impressed. Lauren Kennedy. I met them through a friend and Mike: The other thing is, they did a great job. Iʼm we are not big partiers. still waiting for them to We are partiers, but we put out the bloopers redonʼt drink so whenever lease. The girl in the we play at bars it is kind video is named Crystal, of awkward. We immedishe was Hispanic. We ately lose respect bewere trying to find a His- cause we ask for energy panic girl for the video drinks. We are like “Give even though in the end it us the best energy drink doesnʼt really matter. That youʼve got.” We get all song is actually based on these free drinks and a true story. sometimes we give them to other people. MUEN: WHAT KIND OF AN AUDIENCE DO YOU MUEN: WELL, THATʼS THINK YOUR MUSIC OKAY; THERE IS NOTHAPPEALS TO? ING WRONG WITH NOT DRINKING.

Mike: There are a lot of older people that like us a lot, like people in their forties. They think we sound like Boston. I canʼt claim that we are that good.

Sleep: Yeah, I love Boston. Our music does have a lot of influence from the 70ʼs and 80ʼs mixed with a rock group of now. Itʼs hard to explain it to people.

MUEN: DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT GETTING WORD OUT ABOUT THE BAND?

Mike: Honestly, the way that promotion is best nowadays is online. I do a lot of stuff on MySpace and Facebook. We still try and do it the old fashioned way because that is more appealing, the face to face. Itʼs more difficult because Cameron is married and he has a full time job. We are really going to try and step it up and put in all we have into promotion. We have a huge “back to school” show at the biggest venue in town coming up. We are going to try and make that one of the biggest ones Tallahassee has ever had. MUEN: I THINK YOU HAD THE RIGHT IDEA BY GETTING OUT THERE AND PLAYING FOR PEOPLE ACROSS COUNTRY. YOU WILL MAKE FANS THAT MAY NOT SEE YOU ON MY-

SPACE.

MUEN: DO YOU LIKE TO GO TO THE Mike: Thatʼs true actually, MOVIES? DO YOU PREthere were people who FER HORROR MOVIES got in touch with us after- OR COMEDIES? wards that were like “I saw you guys and it was Sleep: Iʼm more of a comawesome.” Sleep and I edy man myself, but I like each have a couple fifa good thrill every now teen year old stalkers. and then.

MUEN: IʼD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOVED TALKING WITH YOU. BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS THERE ANYTHING YOUʼD LIKE TO ADD OR SAY?

Mike: A special thanks to all of ours fans because MUEN: THOSE ARE Mike: It depends on the they are the ones that FANS. YOU HAVE BEEN crowd I think. We like to make it work. Our parents FEATURED ON SOME do crazy and random have been really supportREGIONAL ROCK AND stuff to keep ourselves ive, my mom is always at ROLL SHOWS. WHICH entertained. While we the shows filming it and ONES WERE THEY? were in Nashville we had sometimes itʼs embara little extra time so we rassing, but itʼs always Mike: We have been on went exploring. We like to good to see her there. X101.5, which is probably do random things that not Thank you to the fans, the biggest rock station too many people have the friends and the peoand Gulf 104, which is a done. We found a small ple who believe in classic rock station here. state park and found Forsythe. We have been In Nashville, we have some really cool waterdoing it for a year and a some airplay on 102.9 falls. Things like that are half, but some people are The Buzz. There is a sta- really fun to me. There is like “Oh, Forsythe? When tion in Panama City another place in town are these guys going to called 97X and we are where there are some get real jobs and go to pretty good buds with the sinkholes, which are school?” We do those radio DJ there. lakes that are clear and things, but there is always cold for Florida. There is the people that believe in MUEN: YOU ARE ALSO a fifty foot jump that you us and push us to go furON 525 POWER can jump off of. It is really ther and want big things TRACKS. WHAT DO crazy and Iʼm the only from us. YOU LIKE TO DO IN one in the band who has YOUR SPARE TIME? done it. MUEN: IʼD LIKE TO THINK THAT I AM ONE Sleep: I like to eat sugMUEN: ARE YOU OF THOSE PEOPLE. arplums and hold hands CLOSE TO DISNEY with people. (Laughing) I WORLD? Mike: Definitely Shauna, donʼt know, Mike and I you are one of our top work out a lot. Sleep: We are like 3 ½ friends on MySpace, hours from it. We have which means you are defMike: I used to play played a few shows initely one of those peosports. I was on the foot- there. There were a few ple. ball team and stuff like fans of ours that got us in that. I got a membership for free. Mike and I do to a local gym; my mom everything together, we is an aerobics instructor are basically like twins, so I got it for free. I like but we do not look anymeeting new people. thing alike.

www.RockNation.us

www.RockNation.us

Spacebrain, hard hitting drummer Stephan and punk edged bassist Hardy. We released our debut album "Lovesick Avenue" this year. Since then we have been giging relentless in Germany and other European countries, supporting international rock acts such as the (above mentioned) legendary "New York Dolls", "The Mansfields", "Peter Pan Speedrock" or "The Chuck Norris Experiment" among others. So for being around just a year long, i guess we've been doing great ! And there is more to come...

Germany

TORPEDOHEAD By G. Cataline

READY?

Yeah, the New York Dolls had a big effect on the SO TELL US, HOW DID sound of our album. THE SHOW GO WITH THE They're a band that blends NEW YORK DOLLS? in rock n' roll with punk rock and other styles perfectly. It was a great experience to Besides the old stuff that is play with such a legend as classic killer anyway, the the New York Dolls. We got latest two albums are damn to hang out with the guys good. If you haven't heard after the show backstage, them yet, go out and get which was great because them. they are a bunch of real kind people and very funny HOW IS THE CURRENT (esp. Sylvain Sylvain). We MUSIC ENVIRONMENT IN had a very welcoming audi- FRANKFURT, ARE YOU ence at our show and sold HAPPY WITH THE WAY a whole bunch of CDs that THINGS ARE? night. Rock music is very popular LOOKS LIKE YOU WERE in Germany. But not exactly BIG FANS OF THEIRS AL- the sound we play. There is

TELL US ABOUT THE DEBUT ALBUM, "LOVESICK AVENUE", IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD REVIEWS ON IT?

a huge market for alterna- We recorded the album betive, metal and punk over fore hitting the stage the here. There's also a big un- first time in a cottage in the derground rock scene. Tor- middle of nowhere. We pedohead doesn't really fit nailed down the basics in in anywhere 100%, which one week and did overdubs (vocals, extra guitars) in the is good, since it gives us the chance not to get lim- following weeks. The songs ited to some style or sound were written , prior to the and let's us stand out. We recordings, in a couple of months. We've all been get great reviews in big mainstream magazines and through several studios and producers with our previous in under gound stuff too. bands and wanted to do We're like a two-edged things different from the sword: Cutting our way slowly through every side! start with this band. So we decided on producing the record on our own account. HOW LONG HAS THE The album features 12 BAND EXISTED? blasting rock n' roll tracks Torpedohead got together that have ingredients of in the summer of 2008, fea- country, blues and punk. Lots of melodies and killer turing frontman and guihooks and always a dirty tarist Sven

edge to it.

After finishing the record we made a video to promote the album along on the internet. The video to "Broken Flowers" had itʼs premiere in January 2009 and March saw the release of our debut album “LOVESICK AVENUE” in co-production with the international audio company "beyerdynamic". The album has received very good reviews in the press (Germany, Australia, USA, Italy..) and online fanzines. Which is pretty awesome because we had no idea how anyone would react to the album. So far things have been working out great!

CIDE TO COVER ELVIS PRESLEY'S "BURNING LOVE" ON THE ALBUM?

We played at an "Elvis cover festival" some time ago and that song just stuck with us as a mainstay on our setlist. The fans go wild on that song, we love to play it and so we decided to add it on the album. That's the story, as simple as that.

WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF TORPEDOHEAD'S GREATEST MOMENTS?

The whole last year has been a blast, since we achieved very much in such a short time! Besides that, it's a always a great moment to be on stage and just do what you do best: Rock n' Roll.

HOW ABOUT THIS UPCOMING TOUR IN AUGUST, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE ADDICTS, THE LOY- WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS ALTIES, AND THE LURK- FOR THE REST OF THE ERS? YEAR AND NEXT?

Starting off with the Loyalties. They are friends of ours since we've been together on tour with them some time ago. It's always great fun to hang out with these crazy london based guys. Rock n' roll party with plenty of drinking galore ! The other shows came together because we where asked by the promoter to open up for the bands as support, which is a great thing, since both bands are old school punk-rock legends. WHAT MADE YOU DE-

We are planing to release our Album worldwide and digital (on the internet) with two new bonus tracks. There will also be a second video to one of these tracks. We are still looking for a label to distribute our album worldwide. So if there are any labels interested out there... please feel free to contact us !

MUEN Wire ʻVISIONʼ, the forthcoming album by Death/Thrash band DEVIOUS (Hengelo, Netherlands) currently is in the capable hands of JOCHEM JACOBS (TEXTURES) at the SPLIT SECOND SOUND studio (Amsterdam, Netherlands) in order to be mixed and mastered.

DEVIOUSʼ appearance at ELSROCK (August 29 2009 in Rijssen, Netherlands) alongside the likes of FLOTSAM & JETSAM, TANKARD, MUCKY PUP and SODOM will also be ʻVISIONʼ ʼs release party. DEITY DOWN RECORDS will have the CD in stores on August 31 2009 (world) and September 7 (UK/Eire).

Audio samples as well as the complete track list will be made public at a later time. For minor updates please visit http://www.myspace.com/deviousdomain.

Photo by Jeff Melanson www.jeffmelanson.net

PROSPECT HILL out of Boston, Massachusetts churnninʼ out some great songs including “Breakdown”, which became an instant favorite at live shows and even garnered enough attention to gain regular rotation on Bangor, Maineʼs rock radio station, WTOS 105 FM. New anticipated album out Sept.! www.myspace.com/prospecthill

EXTREMA (Milan, ITALY)

nitely, the feedback today has been overwhelming here in Italy and in some Myspace.com/extrema other countries, the general feedback is medium, the Interview with Tommy Mas- live shows weʼre playing sara (guitarist) are really good in terms of numbers of people present. By: AngelDevil (ITALY) The feedback from the media is medium. Myspace.com/angeldevilsex MUEN: TELL US ABOUT THE WRITING AND MUEN: LETʼS TALK RECORDING PROCESS ABOUT YOUR NEW FOR THE ALBUM. ALBUM "POUND FOR POUND". I THINK IT IS A T.M. We started to think GREAT WORK, POWER- about this new album right FUL AND MELODIC. ARE after the end of the EuroYOU SATISFIED WITH pean tour supporting Death THE REACTION TO Angel last April 2008. We ALBUM FROM YOUR took three months to write FANS? HOW ABOUT THE the album and one month MEDIA? and a half for the recording and mixing process. I think Tommy Massara: Yes defi- this is a real record for us.

In the past we wrote for months before hitting the studio.

MUEN: WHAT DOES THE ALBUM TITLE MEAN?

T.M. Pound for Pound is a term used for athletes that never give up and keep growing in their category starting from the lowest all the way up to the highest level. We thought that term was perfect for our new album title.

been friends since 1993, and we met the band for the first time on their “In The Meantime Tour”. Over all these years we have kept our contacts alive and everytime he comes to Italy, weʼll see eachother just to say "hi". This last time in Italy he was playing with his band really close to the recording studio where we were working, so I just made a phone call and asked him to sing something on our new album. He just said yes, so we moved to the venue and recorded everything in the dressing room, it was fun.

MUEN: THERE IS ALSO A GUEST APPEARANCE BY HELMETʼS PAGE HAMILTON ON THE TRACK "YOU MAKE ME MUEN: THEREʼS A SICK"... HOW DID YOU COVER SONG OF KISSʼS MEET HIM? "DEUCE" ON YOUR ALBUM, WHY DID YOU T.M. Me and Page have CHOOSE THAT SONG?

T.M. Iʼve been a huge KISS fan since I was a child. I actually started playing music because of KISS, and over the years we did some covers - this time I asked the others if they'd want to play "Deuce", no one said no, so we did it.

MUEN: ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A VIDEO FROM THIS ALBUM?

T.M. We produced our album by ourselves, so right now we donʼt have the money to do a video, but I think that very soon somehow weʼll make a these guys have existed video for this new album. since forever and are still here playing their music! I MUEN: TO ANYONE WHO HASNʼT HEARD OF YOU really hope it will be one of BEFORE, HOW WOULD the best experiences of my life. YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND? AND WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT FROM MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR GUITAR PLAYING, YOUR GIG? WHAT DOES PLAYING, WHAT DOES PLAYING T.M. Fast, loud, metal music. People compare us GUITAR MEAN TO YOU? to the best American metal acts, but weʼre Italian, so if T.M. There are two faces in my guitar playing. The proyou want to taste somefessional: the one everyone thing different join us!!!! Weʼre very physical when can get, coming to a show, playing live, and believe me listening to the music I you have to leave your seat record etc… and then there and jump around with us!!! is that personal, special hidden time where I play my guitar all alone in my MUEN: YOUʼRE GOING house. The ladder is the TO SUPPORT MOTORHEAD DURING HIS ITAL- moment when me and my music are the same, feelIAN TOUR, HOW DOES ings and nothing else… THAT FEEL?

T.M. mmmm this is a tough question... surely "Alive I" and "Alive II" by KISS. Metallicaʼs "Killʼemʼall", Van Halen I, Iron Maiden and "Killers" from Iron Maiden... actually these are six …. ha ha ha

MUEN: IF I ASKED YOU TO CHOOSE A FEW GUITARISTS THAT INFLUENCED YOUR STYLE AND APPROACH TO PLAYING, WHO WOULD THEY BE?

for all... I mean imagine entering a big mall or a small shop and listening to heavy metal... or waiting to be connected to a telephone line and listening to Slayer. This would be too much, even for me…. MUEN: WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE?

T.M. We only dream to sell a lot of copies, and to make a living of this. We just plan to play a lot of shows T.M. Randy Rhoads, Kirk Hammet, Gary Holt, Dime- and spread our music as bag Darrell, Steve Morse!!!! much as we can.

MUEN: WHAT DOES HEAVY METAL MISS TO BE ON THE TOP TEN, MAYBE A BIGGER WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION? OR WILL THAT MUEN: WHAT ARE YOUR GENRE STAY AS A KIND T.M. Over our career we've MUSICAL ROOTS AND OF MUSIC FOR A LOT OF played alongside a lot of PEOPLE BUT NOT FOR WHICH ARE YOUR 5 huge acts like Metallica, Korn, and Slayer, but play- FAVOURITE UNFORGET- ALL? ing with Motorhead could TABLE RECORDS OF T.M. I think heavy metal is ALL TIME IN HEAVY be like playing with The for a lot of people, but not Rolling Stones! You know METAL?

MUEN: OK TOMMY, WELL THATʼS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOUʼD LIKE TO SAY?

T.M. Download the new album legally, there are a lot or unknown bands that deserve this.

Interview with Morgan Slade and Liz McGrath

Just recently finishing up a tour with Girl In A Coma, Miss Derringer from L.A. are back out on the scene supporting their latest effort, "Winter Hill", which was officially released on July 14th.The album is available at Hot Topic and Best Buy on the west coast, and also Amazon.com and ITunes. Miss Derringer is a gothic, rockabilly type punk mixture that is far from the ordinary. They've also toured with Blondie, Bad Religion, John Doe and IAMX. They are finished with their recent tour, but have an upcoming show on Aug. 22 at Sunset Junction in L.A., so check them out!

MISS DERRINGER Los Angeles, CA

By G. Cataline / Shauna OʼDonnell

THAT'S AN ODD COMBINATION YOU HAVE LISTED AT YOUR MYSPACE PAGE.. GOTH, COUNTRY AND PUNK ? PAINT ME A PICTURE OF GOTH AND COUNTRY TOGETHER..

Morgan: Well, I guess you could say that Johnny Cash is like goth and country together. As far as the genres listed at myMiss Derringer @ Viper Room in Hollywood - Photo by Jeff Koga space, I would say those are more the genres that MARRIED, RIGHT? out during summer break my art studio and take a we are most influenced from law school, and we break from the art for by. Goth country and started playing together. awhile. I think through Liz: Well I do art. I'm punk. mostly an artist. Morgan's My brother worked with this year and the entire roommate was a teacher our drummer, Cody at next year we are just THE ROCKABILLY AND at the art center, and he some company. My going to work on the PUNK SIDE SHOWS had me give a lecture to brother told me about this music and do some tourTHROUGH PRETTY guy that was sort of weird, ing. I'm still going to do the class. Eventually HEAVILY. THE GUITAR Morgan and I were set up that had all these tattoos, the art, but the music is WORK IS AMAZING! on a blind date, and it was and he thought he'd be going to come first. WHAT SORT OF EQUIP- love at first site! good in our band (laughMENT ARE YOU USING ing). And then the lead MORGAN, YOU ARE AN MORGAN, TO GET HOW DID YOU GET THE guitarist, Ben Shields, is a ARTIST TOO RIGHT? THAT GREAT SOUND? REST OF THE BAND brother of a good friend of TOGETHER, AND WHAT ours, and so he flew out Morgan: Well I'm a phoMorgan: Well, I'm mainly WAS THE DEFINING PE- from Rodchester and tographer. rhythm guitar and Ben RIOD WHEN YOU KNEW hooked up with us. And Shields does the lead. MISS DERRINGER WAS as for the "defining moI SAW THE PAINTING Nothing really totally ment," I'll let Liz answer YOU DID OF LIZ, IT WAS GOING ALL THE WAY crazy - just hollow bodied WITH THE MUSIC? that one. PRETTY GOOD! guitars and tube amps. I think tube amps really Morgan: Painting? Oh Morgan: Well we go back Liz: Well I guess this is make a difference. We yeah I did a painting of a long way, I've known the the year for us. We are just try to get that vintage Sylvain (bass) since I was just going to go for it. We her. That painting is in sound best we can. around seven years old. have such a great team, our house... how did you and if we don't do this... get in our house?! (laughWe grew up around the HOW DID LIZ AND MOR- bay area. Later, while I well.. they're going to kill ing) GAN FIRST MEET? THE was living in L.A. he came us. I'm going to get rid of TWO OF YOU ARE

I SAW IT ON THE VID YOU HAD POSTED AT YOUR MYSPACE PAGE, WHERE THEY TOOK A TOUR THROUGH YOUR HOME AND WAS SHOWING ALL OF LIZ' ARTWORK AND STUFF.

HOW ABOUT THE ARTWORK, ARE YOU STILL AT LEAST SELLING YOUR ARTWORK?

Liz: Well yeah, I have a website, and will be doing an art show starting in November. Morgan actually has an art show going right now in Arizona.

Morgan: Oh yeah.. But I do photography with like collage and stuff on them. A mixture of photography LIZ, YOU FREEZE and graphics. I usually do DRIED YOUR DOG ASTRO AFTER SHE all the photography, flyers, and graphic stuff for DIED? UM... WAS THIS Miss Derringer. I didn't do AN EASY DECISION the covers, but the other FOR YOU? stuff yeah. Liz did the Liz: Well no.. I mean I had cover for "Winer Hill". Astro for over 20 years, Liz: I've been wanting to and I thought about it for do some new T-shirt de- a long time before I did it. I don't think I made the signs for the band, but just haven't really had the right decision though, and time yet. I was in some I kind of wish I didn't do it because it took like 6 punk bands in the past and even had a fanzine months to have her back in the day, and used freezedried, and then I to do alot of that. Before couldn't look at her when I got her back... I mean she computers and all that, we used to do silkscreen- didn't even really look the same... and now moths ing and things like that. My art has matured alot are eating her. I don't know, I think I might try since then though.. I and have her cremated. mean we did some weird stuff like had a walking WERE ANY OF YOU penis as our logo and FORMERLY TRAINED IN stuff. MUSIC? WHERE CAN ONE BUY Morgan: I wasn't. I taught YOUR ALBUM? myself. Morgan: Well hopefully you can find it in stores, Liz: Our neighbor is a or we will have to have a heavy metal vocal coach talk with our label. Haha! for M.I., so I did take some lessons from him, Hot Topic and Best Buy carry it on the west coast. but it wasn't alot really. You can find it on Amazon Our drummer did go to M.I. though. and I-Tunes as well.

WHO DID THE GREAT the songs when we play live. PRODUCTION WORK ON THIS ALBUM, "WINWHAT IS MORGAN'S TER HILL"? FAVORITE MUSIC GEAR? Morgan: Well as far as the music production Morgan: I guess I'd have goes, we worked with mostly Maihias Schnee- to say Schecter guitars! berger up in Arkadia. He did a really good job on it! IF YOU COULD TELL US MORE ABOUT SYLVAIN And then we found an (BASS), AND CODY awesome mixer up in Canada who is a friend of (DRUMS).. THEY BOTH our manager, named Vic SOUND GREAT ON THE Florencia. He's done a lot ALBUM. WHAT IS SOME of work with musicals and OF THEIR MUSIC HISTORY? working with him really took it quite a ways. Morgan: Well Sylvain had DOES MORGAN SLADE a band with me in high school. And Cody, of(GUITARIST) WRITE MOST OF THE LYRICS course other than going to music school, he played AND MUSIC TO THE SONGS? HOW DO YOU in a lot of punk bands inGO ABOUT THE WRIT- cluding one called Final ING PROCESS IN THIS Conflict. BAND? WHERE HAVE BEEN Morgan: Yeah, so far, I've SOME OF YOUR FAwritten all the lyrics. Usu- VORITE PLACES TO ally I'll have an idea for a PLAY, AND WHY? start of a song, and then I'll show it to Liz and our Morgan: I don't know.. we were just talking about bassist Sylvain. that. Every place so far has been pretty cool in it's SO THAT WOULD BE own way. MORGAN'S LEAD VOCAL ON THE DUET, Liz: Places with lots of "ALL THE PRETTY people! THINGS" CORRECT? HOW MUCH LEAD WHAT DO YOU THINK VOCAL WORK DOES ARE SOME OF THE MORGAN DO ON BEST THINGS THAT RECORD AND LIVE? HAVE HAPPENED FOR YOU THIS YEAR? Morgan: I do alot, but that's actually Shaun Wheeler and he also did Morgan: Well getting the the duet on our previous record out. Doing this tour record "Lullabies." I sing with Girl In A Coma has

been really awesome, be- HILL," THERE ARE QUIT A FEW SONGS cause they're so cool. REFERRING TO HEARTBREAK. THEY SOUND Liz: Doing shows with Blondie earlier this year GREAT... DOES THE INwas cool too. But this has SPIRATION FOR WRITbeen our longest tour so ING THESE SONGS COME FROM PERfar with Girl In A Coma, SONAL EXPERIENCES, and it's been so fun. OR WAS IT JUST THE BEING THAT MICHAEL OVERALL THEME YOU JACKSON RECENTLY WANTED FOR THE PASSED AWAY.. AND AS DISC? CREATIVE AS YOUR BAND IS, I THOUGHT IT I think it's really just the WOULD BE APPROPRI- "overall theme". That's ATE TO ASK YOU WHAT usually what we try to do. I think alot of people have YOUR THOUGHTS had the same type of exABOUT HIM ARE. IT periences, and with alot of SEEMS PEOPLE EIthe stories in the songs, THER HATE HIM OR they are just more based LOVE HIM. on that. Liz: Well it was a shock. We were on tour, trapped YOU SEEM TO HAVE SO MUCH GOING FOR in a van.. and first that one guy died, Saxon, and YOU... ARTISTICALLY... MUSICALLY... WHAT IS then Farrah Fawcett.. it THE NEXT BIG THING was like "what is going YOU HOPE TO ACCOMon?" and then Michael. PLISH IN YOUR CAMorgan: Then Ed McMa- REERS? ALSO, WHEN hon died like a week be- DO YOU THINK YOU fore that.. Ofcourse it was WILL BE BACK ON TOUR AGAIN, AFTER saddening. THIS ONE IS OVER? Liz: Watching all that he AND WHERE WILL did is pretty amazing.. all THAT TOUR BE DO YOU the choreography and he THINK? was a great dancer, he really mixed everything up. Morgan: Yeah after this tour, we will probably be He really did his homegetting right back on the work when it came to road again. what was going on, the fashion, and really it was genius. It's sad that peo- Liz: We might be doing a European tour in March of ple separated from him because of all the drama. next year.

ON YOUR LATEST ALBUM, "WINTER

MUEN Wire

TAPROOT TOUR DATES

Aug 28 2009 8:00P The Machine Shop - w/ COLD Flint, Michigan Aug 29 2009 8:00P The Hayloft - w/ COLD Mt. Clemens, Michigan Sep 1 2009 8:00P Riverstar Ent. Complex - w/ COLD Cincinnati, Ohio Sep 2 2009 8:00P Intersection - w/ COLD Grand Rapids, Michigan Sep 4 2009 8:00P Austinʼs w/ Cold Libertyville, IL, Illinois Sep 5 2009 8:00P Taste of Madison - w/ COLD Madison, Wisconsin Sep 11 2009 8:00P Northern Lights - w/ COLD Albany, New York Sep 12 2009 8:00P Palladium - w/ COLD Worcester, Massachusetts Sep 13 2009 8:00P Crocodile Rock - w/ COLD Allentown, Pennsylvania Sep 18 2009 8:00P Bourbon St. Ballroom - w/ COLD Baltimore, Maryland Sep 19 2009 8:00P Webster Theatre - w/ COLD Hartford, Connecticut Sep 20 2009 8:00P Crazy Donkey - w/ COLD Farmingdale, New York Sep 22 2009 8:00P Masquerade - w/ COLD Atlanta, Georgia Sep 26 2009 8:00P City Club - w/ COLD Houma, Louisiana Sep 28 2009 8:00P Scout Bar - w/ COLD Houston, Texas Sep 29 2009 8:00P Scout Bar - w/ COLD San Antonio, Texas Sep 30 2009 8:00P Treeʼs - w/ COLD Dallas, Texas

CD REVIEWS

ings and the teen suicides. Twiggy Ramirez. The song Still he keeps “mak-in the reminds me of an old big rock ʻnʼ roll hits”. Man- school Marilyn Manson and sonʼs latest release The the spooky kids. If I had to High End of Low is like a guess the song “WOW” will mixed tape of everything be Mansonʼs second single that he has ever done infor this album. Good song cluding the Spooky Kids but it lacks the edge and days. aggression which most Opening track “Devour” is a Manson songs bring. The quiet track displaying his bottom line High end of Marilyn Manson – High End dark world of sex, drugs, Low is another solid reof Low (Interscope) and love. Manson uses his lease from hard rockʼs most 5 out of 5 Stars trademark deep crackling unpredictable artist. voice on the verse before What can I say Marilyn slipping into a catchy cho- www.marilynmanson.com Manson is one of the last rus reminiscent of a power or www.myspace.com/morgreat American rock artists balled, ending with his bidmiller still active in modern music screeching screams. today. Reverend Manson “Pretty as a ($)” is a hard has been around for 15 hitting rock song that burns years as a major label the church with a loud recording artist. Three scorching chorus “Let me years before he signed with show you where it hurts”. Interscope Records thanks Next we have a groovy to the help of label mate song “Leave a Scar” lashTrent Reznor of Nine Inch ing back at who ever heʼs Nails. His band went under married to or used to be the name Marilyn Manson married to, itʼs hard to keep and the Spooky Kids. Even track these days; a great Silversun Pickups – back in the early days in song to say the least. Now Swoon (Dangerbird) 1991 he was raising hell for the first single “Armabut only on a smaller scale. goddamn-motherfuckin5 out of 5 Stars He soon graduated from geddon” this song has a tormenting the local Florida Golden Age of Grotesque L.A.ʼs most promising residents with his cartoon- (Mansons 03ʼ release) young talent struck gold ish satanic antics to touring sound to it. Good song but with their sophomore rearound the globe escaping I doubt it will get much air lease Swoon. This album death threats and being put play due to the title. “Run- is dark, atmospheric, quiet, in jail for some his contro- ning at the Edge of the and just fucking loud. versial stage shows. Theirs World” is my favorite track Opening track “Thereʼs no honestly not much that Mr. on the album. It brings secrets this year” could be Manson hasnʼt done or ac- tears to my eyes almost their warning to the world complished in his long epic every time I hear this that they are no longer a career. With his stage an- acoustic depression fueled secret after break through tics ranging from killing meltdown. It has the sound song “Panic Switch” has chickens, Giving oral to of the song “Dissociative” been winning victories on Twiggy, ripping pages out on his 1998 Mechanical An- local radio stations such of the holy book, to tearing imals Release. “I Want To as KROQ. Just one listen his chest wide open with a Kill You Like They Do In and you will be overcome broken beer bottle. Not to The Movies” makes good with raw emotion. “Panic mention the school shoot- use of the recently rejoined Switch” is the best song

that I have heard on the radio since The White Stripes “7 Nation Army” but letʼs not get to far ahead of ourselves. Track 2 “The Royal We” is an amazing song incorporating the violin with haunting melody bringing forth their more aggressive side in the end. “Growing old is getting old” is a calm track that unleashes their dark side. Probably my favorite song on the album besides “Panic Switch” is “Itʼs nice to know you work alone”. The intro to this song is very well put together as well as the chorus sprinkled with piano parts and guitar build ups along the way. This whole album is poetry to the ears. Think of silversun pickups as a new and improved Smashing Pumpkins. I look forward to watching the Silversun Pickups evolve there sound as they pave a long career for themselves.

A Day to Remember – Homesick (Victory) 5 out of 5 Stars This band has been taking the world by storm since their formation in 2005. A Day to Remember has been touring around the

CD REVIEWS world non-stop. Always following their heart they have become one of the most important bands in heavy music today. Opening track “The Down Fall Of Us All” starts with a brutal breakdown capturing the listeners attention before going into one of their well put together melodic hooks. “Im made Of Wax Larry, What Are You Made Of?” is a beautiful sing-along featuring Devil Wears Prada front man Mike Hranica. This song will have you tapping your feet while pumping your fist in the air. Now for my favorite song on the album “Mr.Highwayʼs Thinking of the End” starts with a down tuned breakdown, picking it up on the verse with blast beats and chugging guitars then exploding into a spine tingling chorus. This song will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The breakdown at the end of the song is the sickest thing that I have ever heard. Even the softer songs on Homesick are amazing tear jerkerʼs that are very moving as well as uplifting. Songs such as “Have Faith In Me”, “Holding It Down For The Underground”, and the album ending “If It Means A Lot To You” featuring Sierra Kusterbeck of Versa Emerge. This is one of the most important albums of 2009 and a good contender for album of the year. www.myspace.com/adaytoremember or www.myspace.com/morbidmiller

I promise you will not be disappointed. www.myspace.com/godhead or www.myspace.com/morbidmiller

Godhead – At The Edge Of The World (Driven Music Group) 4 out of 5 Stars

Industrial shock rockers Godhead release another solid release. Their new album At The Edge Of The World is their 7th studio album and their heaviest release to date. The previous release that they put out in 2006 Shadow Line was more on the lighter side leaving the listener without the aggression fueled angst that Godhead perfects on its latest release. The album opens with a creepy intro that puts you on a pirate ship awaiting an oncoming storm. The first song on the album called “The Puppet” is fueled by haunting hooks and heavy palm mutes. “Stay Back” is another highlight, probably my favorite track on the album. The first 4 tracks are all solid. Their first single “Hero” is an amazing song. Itʼs a softer song more on the Shadow Line vibe but totally kick ass. I urge industrial fans to checkout Godheads latest. If you used to be a Godhead fan and lost touch please check back in.

Apron – Apron (Modern Noise)

riffs. Fast forward my favorite song on the album “Broken Child” has a catchy verse before breaking into some sadistic screams. Some other highlights on this album are “swallow…drown” and “World at War”. I must say that I see a lot of potential in these guys and anyone who likes Mudvayne, System of a Down, Scars on Broadway and Marilyn Manson will surely dig these guys. I urge you to check Apron out!!!

I look forward to promoting these guys as one of the newest members of 4 out of 5 Stars Morbid Millerʼs Top Unsigned Bands. Aggressive post Nu-metal www.myspace.com/apron shock rockers Apron have or been infecting all exposed www.myspace.com/morto their unique/controver- bidmiller sial looks and sounds. Hailing from Munich, Germany Apronʼs brutal music is starting to seep over to the United States with an every lasting message of violence. Itʼs nice to listen to a band that isnʼt trying to mimic the Metalcore cliché bands that have plagued the extreme metal fans across the board. Apron blends several difThe Killer and the Star : ferent genres into one Self Titled Released July which they have dubbed 14, 2009 “Cross-Core”. You can defiantly here the System of The Killer and the Star are A down influences through a new band hailing from out the entire album. Jacksonville, Florida and Opening track “Shadow fronted by COLD front man, Clown” is a prime example Scooter Ward. this band does not fuck This album takes Ward in a around as they get right to completely different directhe point, kicking your ass tion than what we have with filth fucked dope sick heard from COLD. With a

CD REVIEWS combination of keys by Ward himself, Michael Harris of Idiot Pilot on Bass, and Limp Bizkit drummer John Otto on drums, this album soars, as does Ward's newly embraced style. Even though it can be clearly said to have it's own sound, this album has already been compared to the likes of Coldplay and Radiohead.

Die hard COLD fans have been waiting for this album to come out for three years and it has already been received with a poignant ferocity of love for all things Scooter Ward from his extremely loyal fans. However, to all of those who have not yet heard it, you won't be disappointed, but don't expect it to sound anything like COLD. Expect it to sound like Ward in his subject matter and ability to draw you in and relate to as has always been the case in the past. The COLD and TKATS armies are some of the most dedicated and hard working I have ever seen.

This album was produced by a man many have called the "Godfather of Nu metal", Ross Robinson, as well as Scooter Ward himself under his new label "SonicStar Records". Working with Robinson was not new for Ward, as Robinson also worked on COLD's first album. Ward sings in his own

words, songs of love, hope, faith and fear on this album with a no holds bars approach. It is all out on the table with this album. Raw, creeping, ambient, warm, loving, soaring and tortured are the words that come to mind for me as I sum this album up.

The Hicks Samples tracks can be Plan B found at http://www.myspace.com/thekillerandthe Urbansound Records star

In my opinion anyone would be missing out if they did not hear this album, and most specifically, those who loved COLD but have lost touch with the band since their break up will be happy to hear they are back together with Terry Balsamo of COLD's past and Evanescence and planning their 5th studio album to be released at year's end. The recording of the album is already underway.

www.thehicks.co.uk www.myspace.com/thehickswigan

The Other Side / Prophet / TV Rules The World / Fuckin Pig / Riot Song / Justification for Determination / Green / Dead Man Walking

Possibly one of the UKs best kept secrets, The Hicks are rather like a tornado of retro style rock ready to take anything in its path – youʼre sure to catch a ~Bianca Malise strong breeze from this latest offering.

connect and flow nicely into one another. Occasionally thereʼs a soundtrack style feel, which kicks in as the music takes itʼs long winding pathway to unimpeded sonic depths.

Segments of ʻTV Rules The Worldʼ reveals some Iommi sounding riffage, yet itʼs the experimentation on this album which evidently works in the most inspiring way, take the reggae groove of ʻFuckin Pigʼ which then transcends into a more heavier guitar workout.

The vocals of Alex Hurst are very reminiscent of Shaun Ryder, however you can forget the ʻMadchesterʼ craze which dominated the late 80ʼs early 90ʼs, at the same time dismissing any thoughts of watered down ʻindieʼ bands – this power trio exists in a class of itʼs own, poles apart from the afore mentioned.

No doubt on stage theyʼre as loud as fuck – and takʻPlan Bʼ displays an unliming into account the impact ited vigour which is unof this record, it would leashed via an epic of hardly come as a surprise if heavy dead men were to walk. sounds and cleaver intricate arrangements, demonPlan B is out now. strating unregulated diversity Jus Forrest, at its best. www.myspace.com/jusforrest With a classic uncluttered sound, the production on the CD is absolutely first rate, as are the songs themselves, which inter-

CD REVIEWS

Filthy Memory” slows singer/songwriter whom things some in tempo but constructs songs in a nurjust shows the bands verturing personal manner. satility. They donʼt lose a Tracks such as “Stones” fragment of the hard edge and “Daydrunk” (how can of their rock sound at all in one not love that title?) this track. “First Class pulse with a soft rock attiWannabe” is the perfect tude while others, such as synthesis and makes you “Stars” come off soothing debate whether to head enough to become one of bang or sing along more. grandmaʼs all time favorite DAMAGED DOLLS This is the only tune to use Courtney Yasmineh “Beau- songs. My personal fatifully Lonely” MUEN Rebackup vocals to fill brilvorite, “Part I Like” thumps “Catch Me” liantly well for a fuller vocal view Q5 with an attacking personsound. able feel, yet is ironically “Catch Me” is a perfect exLie back, close your sad in its undertones, leavample of how a band works Damaged Dolls may not eyes, and let the music ing “Part I Like” open to the through many changes to have been heard of much carry you away. Courtney listeners own translation, find the “right” combination yet but keep a listen out for Yasmineh will take you like most of the emotional to make the very best of them! Purchasing and lis- along with her on a journey (woe is me) 2009 release music to listen to and rock tening to this EP will make filled with smoke and “Beautifully Lonely”. out. They have three tracks them known worldwide for translucent skies through Currently hot off the on this EP that truly show- their energetic and dynamic the music on her second presses, “Beautifully case the band and all the fusion of sounds that full length LP appropriately Lonely” is an LP filled with talent within. entitled “Beautifully Lonely”. deep thoughts and unfomakes them truly unique With lyrical word play and a must listen for many cused dreams. Hazily out Many bands try to fuse rock genreʼs of music fans. that intrigues, frightens and of touch, yet completely and glam and often donʼt rhythmically hypnotizes. translatable through rhythcompletely accomplish that ~Macavity Courtney Yasminehʼs LP mically soul touching task of fusion very well if at “Beautifully Lonely” is a music, Courtney both tucks all. Damaged Dolls has lament to the heart, enher listeners into bed with a done just that elusive misthralling her listenerʼs ears loving kiss and awakens sion with this EP. All of the with a sultry voice un-com- with an awkward lovers retracks include the high enparably comparable to a gret. Take your own stroll ergy of glam and yet donʼt young Natalie Merchant through Courtney Yʼs flower sacrifice the technical as(10,000 Maniacs). >Caus- garden of easy listening pects of great rock music. ing me alarm in breaking rock daisyʼs on her web site The fusion is amazingly my number one rule of writ- at: http://courtneyyasdone with a glam vocal ing a music review: NEVER mineh.com/ or on her persound that easily can bemake a comparison when sonal myspace at: come harder edged with full writing about a recording http://www.myspace.com/c on rock guitar riffs and artist! < ourtneyyasmineh heavy and well performed “Beautifully Lonely” Honest and telling in a drumming to mesh together (Stupid Bitch Records/Min- velvety colorful style, Courtfor a great EP to listen to neapolis, MN), is Courtney ney Yasmineh is a bobcat start to finish. “Catch Me Yʼs second collaboration on the prowl through the art Alive” illustrates this so well with Minneapolis based of music. with pounding rock music studio guru and producer matched with vocals that Rob Genadek. “Beautifully Sinfully, Q5 just echo of glam and make Lonely” is a vulnerable L.P. a perfect foil for the catchy from a talented hook of the lyrics. “Another

CD REVIEWS ances of keys and drums combine stunningly well to softly rock this anthem of life and make it the standout track of the EP. “Darkened Heart” and “Butterfly” continue this tale amazingly well with each having a place in the “story” with tempo and lyrics adjusted accordingly. “Iʼm The Lucky SAVING THE SCAREOne” completes this chapCROW ter and leaves the listener placing the EP on repeat The self titled EP from this and wanting to unlock more talented artist is truly an in- of the intrigue of Saving triguing enchantment. Once The Scarecrow and finding you go on the musical ad- out where the next part of venture and hear the tale story leads musically and the EP tells you have a lyrically. much better understanding of the melancholic beauty Reading more about the of the tunes and the mean- artist on his MySpace and ing of the band name. checking to find the release

LESLIE

“The Rebel Souls”

It is difficult to begin to do justice to this band with mere words as it has been a long time since there was such a great EP that tantalized and intrigued with their music. But Leslie has done just that with their debut EP “The Rebel date is well worth your Souls.” With only four tunes All four tracks beckon you while. This is a CD that with a soft melancholy rock truly grabs many emotions that are so tightly and cleanly produced and persound that is not overand places them in stunwhelming but pulls you in to ningly beautiful rock music formed it leaves you not wishing but begging for find out the mystery of the unlike any other artist. more from this band. music. The EP tells a tale through brilliantly written ~Macavity A healthy dose of pure lyrics of life, love, loss, passouthern rock and Stonession and celebration sounding riffs and drums amongst other life experican be heard throughout ences. Once inside and listhe four tracks beginning tening carefully many times with “No More Tears.” This over you find an entertaintrack contains some of the ingly cathartic collection of best old school music playtunes draped over beautiing and writing. With guitar fully produced and perwork that even Hendrix formed music and vocals. would be envious of along You are taken on a very with a solid backing of personal tour of life with the drums and subtle but effecopening track “It Swallowed tive bass that all combine Me Whole.” You soon diswith great vocals and make cover it is not just a tune this an outstanding track by written in a cavalier manner any measure. This great but rather as an autobiomusicality is heard along graphical beginning of a with articulate and heartfelt place in the artistʼs life. lyrics in “Freak Flag” and Skillful musical perform-

“Devil Ainʼt Ready” with the latter bringing in some great bluesy rock sounds. “End of the Road” completes this EP and appears to be a stunning tribute to a great love lost with a slower but no less rocking tune and emphasizes the great versatility and emotion in the vocals of this band.

This EP is one chapter of the band memberʼs lives and it is eagerly anticipated to see how the next chapter, along with their life experience, is portrayed in their next offering. Finally, here is a band that it is able to fuse the Stones, Led Zeppelin and other legendary influences into a twenty-first century sound that is one of unique brilliance. Clearly one of the best, if not the best, EP to come along and a must have for any rock connoisseur wanting a “first edition” from a band who will be heard and remembered for a long time.

~Macavity

CD REVIEWS

Ink Dot Boy: “The Beautiful Murder” MUEN Review Q5

Ink Dot Boys L.P. “The Beautiful Murder” plays out as if written in the form of a ʻnew ageʼ Goth code bordering into Emoland. Ink Dot Boy takes the listeners into the mind of a madman through a whirlpool of dark and macabre sounds on the latest CD entitled “The Beautiful Murder”. “The Beautiful Murder” is free for download in its entirety from the official website: www.inkdotboy.com/download/. Very chilling yet comforting at times. Ink Dot Boy considers his music to be a part of a larger, grandiose, visually enhanced live experience. You can catch Ink Dot Boy live on one of his many (to be named) up and coming world tour dates, in full masquerade along with his “Lets start a revolution” attitude. He will be touring in support of his long awaited follow up “The Red Symphony”. One can only wonder how far into this dark and twisted sound, this mystery man can take his audience with a full out assault of the senses.

Introducing a mixture of classical and pop prose to the element of story telling. Ink Dot Boy delivers high end satisfaction in a dark, romantic, thriller way. Many of the lyrics on “The Beautiful Murder”, conjure up a magic potion that lead from chapter to chapter, from song to song. While songs like “Circle” play out as if suitable for a epic big screen thriller. Many of the other arrangements written by Ink Dot Boy will relax the listener into a heroin trance before musically arousing into a horrid shock of dismay. The overall feeling that “The Beautiful Murder” created within me was an all out insane reclusive fright. Songs of interests to me that can be heard on the Ink Dot Boy Myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/in kdotboy , include “In Wonderland“ and the sinister bass growling sounds of “Once In Romania“. The world wide web is obviously a playground for Ink Dot Boy and the endless amount of information and free music that he offers with a simple click into his parallel universe, http://www.inkdotboy.com/, will entertain the most deranged of minds. This dark industrial rock pioneer appears to have the fortitude to take his ever gaining fan support into a realm of revolutionary musical insanity not yet attempted on a level this commercially extreme.

rock on this great melodic track. Skillful use of electronic elements make “Here Today” and “2+2=5” obvious standouts on the CD for their ability to fuse those clean vocals and amazing instrumentation along with programming to produce tracks that implore to be placed on repeat. Worth MY EVOLUTION mentioning is a cover of Duran Duranʼs “Ordinary “This is Real Life” World” that is stellar in the manner that the band made My Evolution has produced the song their own musia CD that is nothing short cally yet kept the best eleof fresh and exceptional ments from the original with “This is Real Life.” composition. Combining an obvious commercial musical appeal My Evolution has put forth and clever lyrics that often a CD that defies a genre have a seemingly double and brings something new entendre make all eleven to the rock scene that has tracks a delight to listen to indeed evolved rock to a many times over. However new century with a witty commercial they may seem new sound. It is captivating at first listen they are dis- and creatively made music tinctly individualistic and that seduces you to buy outstanding in their sound. and listen often. This is just

the first of many developing Solid performances of gui- musical delicacies yet to tars and drums mixed stun- come from My Evolution. ningly well with the clean vocals make so many of ~Macavity the tracks stand out as incomparable. They definitely have the rock and pop influences covered and add in an almost intangible edgy quality to all their tunes. This is especially true when having guest vocals as they do in two tracks on the CD. This edginess is particularly upped with the inclusion of Wayne from Static-X on their first single, “So Happy”, who brings out yet Sinfully, Q5 more of a metal side of

CD REVIEWS ents of the band members to show how well they can place feelings in to a great riff or drum solo or especially a harmony of vocals. The title track is another standout for this same reason. The one track that is a notch above the rest is “The Permanent Rain” which uses their musicality and THE DANGEROUS SUM- especially the vocals and MER song writing skills to produce a commercially ap“Reach for the Sun” pealing tune but one that stays true to their unique The Dangerous Summer sound and shows how the has provided to new and al- band comes together at its ready dedicated fans alike best all around. a wonderful compilation of their distinctive sound in the This is the CD for anyone “Reach for the Sun” CD. El- that wants to travel through ements of pop, emo and an assortment of life experihints of rock/alt are found ences and emotions via throughout the eleven music and have any one of tracks. They focus their the tracks “speak” to you band on sincerity and they with a song that simply undeliver a CD that is sinderstands and explains with cerely solid in music, vogreat music. Honest, emocals, lyrics and production. tional music at its best can be found with The DangerWith this CD it is the clean ous Summerʼs “Reach for vocals that definitely stand the Sun.” out with the backing vocals/harmonies and music a ~Macavity very close second. They cleverly use these elements to take the listener on a well rounded tour of life and emotions without feeling overly sentimental or commercial but rather just enjoying really good music. They use great instrumentation to compliment the well written lyrics and vocals that cover the spectrum of feelings and moods of life. This is best illustrated in “A Space to Grow” and “Never Feel Alone” which both use all the tal-

MGMT – Oracular Spectacular (Sony/Columbia)

5 out of 5 Stars

Transcendence to the only one true power is what MGMT accomplishes in their break through debut album. MGMT is bringing light into the darkness, restoring hope and dignity to the indie music scene. Think Flaming Lips meets The Beatles. There are a lot of great songs on this album including the smash hit “Kids” which has been on steady rotation all around the country if not the world. MGMTʼs lesser known single “Time to Pretend” is just as good as

“Kids” which is an up tempo dance mix combining all the finest elements that every indie rocker shoots for when creating a song to occupy the masses. The song “Pieces of What” is another beer drinking tear jerker showing that they can play some good old fashioned rock ʻnʼ Roll. Showing some Flaming Lips inspirations on “The Youth” and for all you party going dancers you will find the song “Electric Feel” to be very digestible. I donʼt even dance but this song takes me back to the good oleʼ disco days with some hot funky groove. “Weekend Wars” is defiantly influenced by the Beatles with some added cosmic groove undertones. This album proves MGMT is more than a one hit wonder. If you like their song “Kids” please take a look at the rest of what this great band has to offer. Hence, more to this band then just scratching the surface. You really have to dig deep!! Matt Miller www.Myspace.com/MorbidMiller

CD REVIEWS fect examples of how well this band uses and melds all their talents to make listening repeatedly a MUST to make certain all aspects of the astonishing guitar work and vocals are heard articulating the mind-blowing lyrics and musical composition. “45 Day” showcases these excepFACT tional talents in a great rock ballad that is the only one This self titled CD from to be found on the CD. The Fact delivers to your ears a clear stand out track is fresh look at rock that truly “Fact of Life” and listening defies comparison. They to this tune makes one utilize amazing skill and tal- completely understand the ent in their performance extent of the talent the and combine it with tight band possesses. Any and spectacular production track, including a remix of and mixing to produce a “Fact of Life” could be a CD that is simply outstand- single and a hit immediing from start to finish. They ately which is rare for any employ elements of elec- band to have on such a full tronica and pop but always CD. stay true throughout to rock with a healthy amount of This CD not only is one to thrash metal carefully listen to constantly but also placed for the correct em- makes the band one to phasis. All of this makes watch as they reach the any listener appreciate the stars with their music. Fact elaborate and versatile tal- has given us a yet another ent of this band and the way of listening to rock that fast paced and high energy is fresh, unique and excepCD they have created. tional in every way.

It is difficult to pick just one contribution that makes this all so spectacular but the vocals that vary in their distinct clarity and then change to thrash screams in parts and the astonishing harmonies found throughout are certainly outstanding. These elements combined with stellar guitar playing, synths and drums make every track remarkable and intriguing. “Lights of Vein” and “1-2” are per-

THE BLUE VAN “Man Up”

“Man Up” is the latest full album from The Blue Van and is yet another amazing offering from this band. This CD contains thirteen tracks of pure retro bluesy rock delight wrapped in brilliant performance and production.

ance and outstanding drums and varied exceptional vocals. The latter includes a very bluesy feel replete with sultry sax playing to keep you intrigued while listening to the CD. “Silly Boy” and “Lay Me Down” are perhaps the best tunes on the CD and shows how the band has stretched to achieve a higher level of versatility and innovation. Each track shows the individual band members talents with either vocal or instrumental emphasis throughout the tunes.

The Blue Van may be compared to other bands but their sound is uniquely theirs and they have found a way in “Man Up” to own that individuality and distinctive quality extremely Their music has a distinct well. Rarely do you find a retro flavor but with a deCD that has stellar tracks cidedly twenty-first century from start to finish but this sound reminiscent of Jet is one of those rarities and and some of the Deftones a must buy for any music tunes. They go back to lover that appreciates atroots of great analog tention to details along with sounding rock and rely on simply great music. pure talent and a wide range of vocals and com~Macavity ~Macavity plex simplicity of instrumentation for their songs to stand out. The album is well produced but not overly produced so that all elements can be clearly distinguished yet mixed well with remarkable results. “Man Up”, the title track, and “Iʼm a Man” both show these talents particularly well with retro musicality that includes awesome guitar work worthy of a dazzling Woodstock perform-

CHURCH FOR SINNERS

Walk Of The Dead Interview By: Natalie Perez

The remaining limbs and blood scattered around the world is growing formatting a new species one stronger than your everyday Zombie. This one working in fours, combining a force field so intense and strong nothing can overpower it. Since the formation in 2007 taken parts from various bands both dead and alive, Church for Sinners has arisen from the dead. Bringing the living dead back to life. These four band mates spoke to me about how the band formed and what's in store for the band within the upcoming months, can you survive the intensity within this interview? Read on if you dare!

craft where it basically was talking about church comprised of church worshipping demonic forces and we took that in a bit of a rush. Weʼre sick of now, and stuck with it. *Laughs* Calen: We may call it C.F.S. later on when the new album drops, not too sure yet. Jay: Now we get mistaken for religious bands.

MUEN: Can you briefly summarize how the MUEN: The name of the band formed and what you do in Church for band Church for SinSinners? ners is interesting to say the least and Andy: Uh yeah I was sounds as if there is a doing a acoustic show like story behind it. Where did the name come from a folk act in Oregon, and and what is the story? moved up here to be with Ben my brother and we Andy: There is kind of ba- started playing around doing some horror stuff sically we were scramsome really dark acoustic bling to find a name stuff and started snowbefore our first song we balling. We had 3 or 4 had a song at the time song and Jay was playing called “Church for Sinners” based on H.P. love in Benʼs old band Graveyard Shirt and as soon as

I saw him basically I walked up to him after the show and said “You are in my band now.” So he came in and then pulled in this guy Taylor River City Rebels and he played guitar for a while and then Murf left and now we got a tight line-up. Ben: We all get along. MUEN: Your lyrics are infused with heavy detail and raw emotion. What is it that normally gives you inspiration when writing lyrics and is there a concept behind the music you create?

Andy: It depends and varies from song to song. I was going through a lot of hard times a divorce and that goes into a lot of the lyrics and rest of it, is basically stupid cheesy horror rock lyrics. The new record has a lot more emotional material on it. MUEN: Your new album

“Making Monsters,” is coming out how has the reactions been thus far? What can fans expect when they listen to your music?

Andy: Basically what we had, about 3 months into the band we only had played one show together. We jumped into the studio with all the money we had and basically threw all of our savings and were flat broke by the end of it and ended up with 7 songs werenʼt super happy with how it turned out. Couldnʼt really add any back-up vocals or anything like that. For the most part it is what it is. Calen: Basically to get us on our feet and the new album weʼre taking a lot more time with it and is more how we work with each other the songs are more melodic and harmonies, a lot more stuff. The EP sounds like a whole different band. *Laughs*

MUEN: How did this mini tour come about?

with 2 or 3 times of our sales and it doubled in a day. So ya know it hurts. MySpace has been good and we posted our basement demos and we had 2 labels bidding on us and then Robot Monster signed us before we ever took the stage. Thatʼs when we played with Calabrese since we heard they only come around like once a month. Calen: If friends go and burn the CD off torrents it doesnʼt help canʼt really say much.

Andy: *Laughs* this was an accident our friends Gruesome Boys our label mates we took them out the last time we came out, and they booked a show in Ugene and we didnʼt feel like driving 6 hours for one show so we booked the whole mini tour and then they dropped off the one gig they had booked it and then we had to do the whole tour by ourselves. But itʼs worked out having a lot of fun, really cool stuff awesome all MUEN: What is the around. toughest lesson you ever learned in the stuMUEN: What are the up- dio and on the stage? coming plans for Church for Sinners for Andy: *Laughs* be prethe rest of 2009? pared donʼt go in without a game plan. Thatʼs how Andy: Weʼre going into the you end up wasting a lot studio as soon as we get of time. home to finish the record Jay: Know your producer and thatʼs pretty much it Chris at Studio 69 is a for 2009. Hopefully go out fucking dick, F.U. just on a European tour and wanted to get that out another U.S. tour. there. Calen: We donʼt like being Andy: Weʼve seen so at home, we like going on many bands who are tour and meeting new cocksuckers refusing to people. sign things and refusing to Jay: Weʼre hoping to tour talk to their fans. If youʼre for two years straight if going to go out there is no possible, just tour, tour, reason to be disrespecttour! ful. All alone though I noticed the meaner you are MUEN: How has MYthe more the fans will SPACE and the internet react and come closer to impacted your band and the stage. I try to be nice do you think download- but doesnʼt cut it. ing helps or hinders the Jay: Itʼs a shitty formula artists? but it works. Andy: In one day this one MUEN: What bands guy posted at 7 different would you like to tour torrent sites ended up with?

Andy: We would love to tour with MCR, Alkaline Trio, Iron Maiden, AFI; weʼd be willing to tour with anyone. Jay: As long as we can be on the road, weʼd tour with anyone! MUEN: Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?

Andy: Alkaline Trio is where we picked up a lot of our harmonies and the way we interact with each other. MCR, AFI, there are so many bands all these bands have had a huge impact on us. Itʼs really hard to pick. Calen: AFI has been a huge influence since I was younger, my far roots come from Iron Maiden, Guns n Roses anything rock n roll and then these guys got me into MCR, Alkaline Trio. Jay: Iʼd have to say a lot of psychobilly, like The Adicts, anything punk.

youʼre amazing. Itʼs like you actually think so? Donʼt really know what to say thank you or Iʼm sorry. If it wasnʼt for this band I would be in dirty, dirty places.

MUEN: All of that passion that you play with must be tough on you physically. How do you prepare for the physical demands of a tour?

Andy: Weʼre probably the least prepared band before we go on tour. We try to practice but can only do so much weʼre dirt poor Ben and I live in our tour van. Calen: I drink possibly every night. Jay: *Laughs* the day that we left for tour, pretty much how I prepare is I throw everything into a backpack and take off.

MUEN: Anything else you'd like to add?

Andy: Donʼt just listen to stuff on the radio and MTV there are so many bands that are amazing and all the bands on our MUEN: What's your re- label are fantastic, like action when/if a fan told Calabrese people need to come out to more shows you a very meaningful statement such as "Your and support local music. Jay: To all the fans that music changed my come out to our shows life?" Has this ever hapand hopefully continue to pened to you? come out to our shows. Andy: Oh wow, itʼs impossible to react back in the right manner. Calen: Youʼre welcome. Jay: Itʼs kind of hard to take sometimes, its awkward when someone says

L I V E POP POP EVIL (Universal)

Leigh Kakaty (Vocals)

Grand Rapids, Michigan Myspace.com/popevil

By: Shauna OʼDonnell

MUEN: I TALKED WITH YOU GUYS A WHILE BACK WHEN YOU JUST STARTED WORKING ON YOUR FIRST FULL LENGTH CD CALLED LIPSTICK ON THE MIRROR. YOU FIRST RELEASED IT IN AUGUST OF 2008 AND YOU JUST RE-RELEASED THE ALBUM LAST MONTH. WHATʼS THE STORY BEHIND THAT? When we started in early 2008 we were kind of in a rush to get an album

out because our single “Hero” was moving up the charts, but at the same time Kid Rock had just finished his album Rock and Roll Jesus. We were kind of on the backlash of that because our producer Al Sutton also records with Kid Rock. Some of our songs were rushed and kind of on the back burner and then the album started to do real well for us so we decided that we wanted to take the time and really give the songs what we felt they deserve. We wanted to give our fans the best product, be happy with the music and be happy with what we were releasing. In early 2009 Universal/Republic came in and they were cool with the record, but we wanted to

go back in, finish the songs and spend the necessary time to do it the right way. Universal was gracious enough to let us do that and we rereleased on May 26th.

themselves and they can come in and help them achieve their dreams or reach the next step. That is what Universal did with us and Pazzo. We were at a place where we were too big for the MUEN: YOU SIGNED independent stage and WITH PAZZO AS WELL we couldnʼt financially AS UNIVERSAL REkeep it moving. UniverPUBLIC. HOW DOES sal came in and said that THAT COMBINATION we were something that WORK? was of interest to them and we worked out a It is kind of complicated, deal with them and here we signed an independ- we are. ent deal with Pazzo Records/Music and we MUEN: I LOVE UNIwere doing our thing. VERSAL AND I LOVE Today the record indus- KEVIN AT UNIVERSAL. try is changing at least for Pop Evil, labels donʼt Kevin is crazy, man. We come and find you out of were talking stories all the millions that are out day. Heʼs got me in a there. At least it wasnʼt headlock over here. that way for us, they want to find artists that MUEN: THERE ARE are out there working for THREE SINGLES OFF

THE ALBUM RIGHT?

your whole life to have fans and have people Kind of, “Hero” was the sing your lyrics, but now first single under Pazzo when it becomes a realand “100 in a 55” was ity and you can put faces the first single under Uni- behind those dreams, it versal, so really two. Lo- is pretty humbling. cally in Michigan where we are from, we have MUEN: IS IT TRUE had four. “Somebody THAT YOU CARRY A Like You” was the first VIDEO RECORDER single that blew us up in WITH YOU AT ALL Western Michigan on the TIMES JUST IN CASE local station 97.9 AN IDEA FOR A LYRIC WGRD. That is when we OR MELODY COMES became the big fish in TO YOU? the small pond so to speak and it led us to Yes, that is true. We where we are now. made sure we have the Hack IPhone so we MUEN: SO MUCH HAS could have video camHAPPENED SINCE I eras at all times. Iʼm a LAST TALKED WITH big stickler for video tapYOU GUYS. IʼM SO ing because then I can HAPPY THAT THINGS remember what I played, ARE GOING SO GREAT what I was singing and I FOR YOU. WHAT HAVE can watch it. When I was BEEN SOME OF THE in school you would hear HIGHLIGHTS FOR that boys sometimes YOU? learn visually, that is why we look at Playboy MagThank you, there have azine, because we are been many highlights. very visual and Iʼm no The first thing we said exception to that rule. when we got signed (es- We videotape everything pecially being from and it makes for a nice Michigan where our catalog. Itʼs kind of funny friends and families are to look back at old videosuffering from the horri- tapes and see how your ble automotive tragedies songs have transpired. I that have struck Detroit wrote “100 in a 55” in due to the economy) July of 2005 and I didnʼt was that we were so ex- videotape it. I wish I cited that we have jobs would have. Everyone is now and can do this full videotaping these days, time. That was a highitʼs on your phone and it light, when we knew we is so much easier to had graduated to the email a video of an idea next level. You dream to whoever it may be.

MUEN: NOW YOU CARRY THE VIDEO CAMERA WITH YOU, SO DO YOU TAKE BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE TOO? We do, sometimes too much of that.

MUEN: DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE PUTTING OUT A LIVE DVD USING THAT FOOTAGE?

Yeah, I mean obviously we would love to have a live DVD at some point. Right now we are not really thinking about that, we are thinking about trying to blow up the band, get our name out there, and playing on these great tours weʼve been blessed to be on. We are building that story and hopefully getting enough footage so that when we do have a DVD it will be grimy, raw and uncut. MUEN: FIRST OFF TELL ME IN YOUR OWN WORDS WHAT THE SONG “100 IN A 55” IS ABOUT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU PERSONALLY.

les because that is what we thought we needed to do. Thank God we never did that. I think because we are from Michigan and Western Michigan of all places, we are not really known for the rock and roll Mecca. When you grow up and you tell all of your loved ones that you want to be a rock star for a living they look at you with a dumb founded look on their face. They are like “Are you kidding me? Just go work at McDonaldʼs then while youʼre at it.” It was a very depressing and scary time. At the end of the day, I tried to be honest with myself that if I really wanted to make it and have a connection with people then the music has to save you. Youʼre music has to be the saving grace. We always believed that if the music and songs were good enough then the labels and people who would help you would come. It is kind of ironic, that song is the reason why everyone came. People are connecting with the song across the country and itʼs one that we believe in when we sing it every night. Itʼs exciting to see the tears and the fans singing back every night.

It is a very personal song to me and the band. It was written in 2005 at a very pivotal time for our band. A couple of us MUEN: I LOVE THE were going to split up and move to Los Ange- VIDEO FOR IT.

The video was something, man, it turned out great. We really wanted people in the video to understand that there are a lot of people that are out there grinding trying to take care of their family everyday. At the end of the day it is important to put all of the chaos behind you and move forward for whatever you are blessed with. In our situation itʼs the band and the guys I grew up with. Thatʼs another cool thing about our band, we all grew up together. Itʼs kind of like having your buddies that believed in you and that you believed in. Itʼs about all the girls that didnʼt believe in us, said no, broke up and fought. It is kind of nice to have that come out in the video and more on the Universal theme.

Time is running out, when you are on such a short time frame to do some of the things you love in this life. We wanted to prove that there is a sense of urgency by doing this, it wasnʼt something that was safe to do, but by taking a chance the payoff was some great shots in the video.

MUEN: THE GIRL IN THE VIDEO IS A PLAYBOY PLAYMATE BY THE NAME OF SARA JEAN UNDERWOOD. HOW DID IT COME ABOUT THAT SHE WAS TO TAKE PART IN THE VIDEO?

I really wanted a contrast, a sexy girl with blonde hair because Iʼm a brown guy with dark hair. I wanted it to show the vast melting pot of what Pop Evil is. It is not MUEN: IN THE VIDEO always what you expect. YOU ARE PLAYING ON Is mainstream normal? THE BACK OF A MOV- We have always been ING SEMI TRUCK AS IT above and below that DRIVES ACROSS THE norm hence the name DESERT. ISNʼT THAT Pop Evil. We donʼt look DANGEROUS? HOW like the normal couple, FAST WERE YOU but there are tons of GOING? couples that look a lot like us out there. Itʼs not I donʼt know, I think it just about a relationship; was going 100 mph or itʼs also about a struggle something. It was going and two lives not workfast; we watch a lot of ing together at the same Jackie Chan films, so we time. Sometimes things do our own stunts. We are not meant to be. wanted to make sure that we proved a point. MUEN: THE VIDEO

FOR “HERO” WAS REALLY COOL TOO. YOU LOOK GOOD ON FILM. HAVE YOU OR DO YOU ASPIRE TO ACT?

Thank you, I have wanted to act, Iʼm a theatre minor. When you are passionate about what you do and what you love to do, itʼs all part of it. I donʼt think anyone who writes songs doesnʼt see the video and dream about seeing it come to life and to be a part of it with your videos. We write all our own videos and try to do anything that is involved with creativity. We were very lucky to get that video pulled off. We had 24 hrs. to pull it off working with a Michigan crew. Normally, we shoot all the videos in Los Angeles, but we shot this one in Grand Rapids to save money. A lot of the crew we worked with had no idea how to shoot a music video so they were going with what we knew. We were lucky to pull it off. We put a lot of friends and family in it. We wanted to make it fun so that we could show the fans that it isnʼt always serious. When you are actually in it, you are not really getting to watch or listen to enjoy anymore. You are always so stressed and always trying to better yourself in the next

video. You donʼt always get a moment to appreciate it until you get those moments to slow down and sometimes an interview like today is a moment to do that so thank you for that.

MUEN: YOU ARE VERY WELCOME. OKAY WELL I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR TOUR SCHEDULE AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE COMING MY WAY. I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO SEE YOU PLAY AFTER ALL THIS TIME. YOU ARE GOING TO BE OPENING UP FOR JUDAS PRIEST. DID YOU EVER THINK THAT ONE DAY YOU WOULD BE OPENING UP FOR JUDAS PRIEST?

If you would have told me that we would be opening up for Judas Priest in the 80ʼs I would have just laughed. I would have thought you were dreaming. Itʼs overwhelming and our first day on the tour was a couple days ago. Itʼs so nice to have them welcome us, embrace us and be excited about an up and coming band. Those guys are true professionals. The true privilege of playing with such greats is you hope to be around as long as they have. You see why they are still around because

they are professional and humble. Itʼs an honor.

MUEN: YOU HAVE BEEN PRETTY MUCH TOURING NON STOP FOR A WHILE NOW. I WAS WATCHING YOUR LIVE VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM ROCK ON THE RANGE. THAT WAS A HUGE CROWD. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY RESPONDED VERY WELL TO YOU GUYS.

Yeah, the band has been doing really well and we have been getting great responses from everyone across the country. Rock on the Range was really big for us. It was an amazing day seeing the people so excited to interact with new original rock and roll. It was stuff dreams are made of. I made an announcement asking how many people are watching Pop Evil for the first time and just about everyone screamed. Having that response after the first time being seen, we have something special going on.

He goes from rock and roll to country to even hip-hop. I may sound a little biased, but itʼs just commendable for a performer. To see all the tears in the crowd for that man definitely makes it one of my favorite shows. I also love Tesla, Judas Priest and Whitesnake. There have been so many moments, but I remember growing up in Michigan idolizing Kid Rock and Eminem. MUEN: IʼM SURE YOU HAVE ALWAYS HAD SUPPORT FROM YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS?

Shauna OʼDonnell and Leigh Kakaty of Pop Evil

donʼt know what a street team is, youʼre afraid to get online or you donʼt have a computer, spread the word. If itʼs some band you like just talk, talk, talk tell everyone you can. Find your favorite artist, hopefully itʼs Pop Evil and spread the word and come out and see us live. Thereʼs nothing like seeing your favorite band live.

Not only family and friends, but we have so much support from West Michigan. That is one thing that I have not seen from a lot of up and coming bands. They have been so supportive of us; it has been overwhelming, exciting and contagious even. Obviously, everyone is bigger in their hometown, but MUEN: I TOO GET A there is just something LOT OF SUPPORT crazy brewing there in FROM THE PEOPLE IN Michigan. MICHIGAN. THEY ARE WILLING TO GO TO MUEN: WHAT IS THE MUEN: YOU GUYS BEST LIVE SHOW YOU HAVE A STREET TEAM THE ENDS OF THE HAVE EVER SEEN? THAT SUPPORTS YOU EARTH TO SUPPORT THE BANDS. AS WELL AND I ENKid Rock, we are from COURAGE PEOPLE TO There is just something Michigan so there is no- JOIN AND HELP different in the Midwest. body better to me. He is SPREAD THE WORD There really isnʼt much such a performer, espe- ABOUT POP EVIL. else going on, people cially being a front man. Absolutely, even if you

are just really close to their music.

MUEN: ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS IS DARRON MARKWOOD. Oh, we love Darron. He is a great guy.

MUEN: HE SENT ME A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. Absolutely.

MUEN: HOW DID IT FEEL TO SELL OUT MICHIGANʼS MOST POPULAR VENUE THE MACHINE SHOP? This is kind of a Michigan related question, anyone in the industry knows The Machine Shop. Itʼs a small club in

Flynt, Michigan and itʼs just historic. It is run by Kevin and his brother. First of all, you can never get in there, unless you are an up and coming band you donʼt get close to that bar. When we finally did get in there, there were ten people there and then there were twenty people there. The next thing you know it sold out in record time. Itʼs a credit to that special thing that seems to be happening for us in Michigan. We have Michigan in our blood and in our soul.

MUEN: AT THE SAME TIME WE HEARD YOU TRULY WERE A “HERO” AS YOU SET A NEW CROWD WALKING RECORD AT THE MACHINE SHOP.

like at the end of the day we are no different. I go to the same Burger King that you go to and I eat McDonaldʼs, whatever it is. I want to be relatable. We are not better than anybody and we are just trying to take care of our families like everybody else. Rock and roll is that link that we all share and ties us together. The crowds are getting bigger so it is harder for me to go out into the crowd so I said “Get your hands up! Iʼm going to walk on your hands. Help me get to the back and help me get forward.” Itʼs not easy to do, walking on hands you are going to fall every now and then. Itʼs just a little something Iʼve been doing lately. I donʼt know how much longer I will be able to do it, at least until I fall and hurt myself. I have a couple tricks up my sleeve that I think Iʼm going to break out without giving them away. I have some cool ideas for the future. We just want people to have fun, hopefully, by coming to a Pop Evil show itʼs your chance to get away from your busy work schedule and stressful home life. You can get away, just forget it, put your horns up and have a few drinks.

A lot of people crowd surf and whatnot. I would go to shows as a kid and I used to buy records of my favorite bands. Every time I would go to shows I would still feel so far apart from the band even though I knew all the words and I felt so close to that band. The chances of me getting to see the band were probably slim to none. I went and watched the band perform and that was it. I promised myself that if I ever had a chance to taste that, I would try my best to leave them with a MUEN: ONE LAST moment to at least feel QUESTION FROM HIM.

I THINK ITʼS A REALLY GOOD ONE. YOUR SONG “ROLLING STONE” SEEMS LIKE IT HAS BECOME THE THEME OF POP EVIL. HOW DOES THIS SONG FIT YOUR BAND AND HOW DO YOU FEEL IT REFLECTS YOUR PAST AS WELL AS YOUR PRESENT?

It really is, when we get in a huddle before our shows we always chant “we take all kinds of pills, get all kinds of thrills, but the thrill weʼve never known is the thrill that will get ya when you get your picture on the cover of a rolling stone.” Itʼs living a dream and itʼs about your story. You hear it all the time in this business; labels want to hear about your story. Thatʼs what we are doing everyday, we are writing our story. Thatʼs why “Rolling Stone” has become such a popular song with our fans. Itʼs only on our re-released version of the album, so if you donʼt have it, you have to go out and grab it. Like Darron said, it has kind of become the signature and the staple to the future for us. The irony is, it is a true story. We grew up in a small town and got our first six strings in the fifth grade. You canʼt have a dream without working hard for something. It is a re-

minder to work hard and everyday that you get up; you understand it can all be gone tomorrow. Being a rock star isnʼt something that is given; itʼs something that is earned. We are trying to be “rolling stones” by earning our story and future. It is yet to be written. Thanks to Darron for good questions.

MUEN: YES, THANK YOU DARRON. IʼD LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW. IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. Thank you, Iʼd talk to you all day, Shauna. Iʼd stay on the phone all day with you. Iʼm in New York City today and itʼs extremely hot. You got me in an air conditioned room to talk to you so Iʼm grateful for that.

MUEN: ITʼS HOT HERE IN CALIFORNIA TODAY TOO. First chance I get, Iʼm moving out there, I love California. I canʼt wait for the California run with Judas Priest out there. Itʼs going to be a lot of fun.

MUEN: So you've joined up with E1 Music, how is the new label treating you?

So far things with E1 have been absolutely amazing. We have such a good relationship with their VP of metal [Scott Givens] and have known him for a very long time, so our relationship with the label is strong. Itʼs wonderful to see all of the staff welcome us with open arms and bust their asses for us. We have already done more to help kick start this album (photo shoots, videos, press etc) than we have since the first album so we are on the right track. MUEN: When will we be seeing a headlining tour?

We will be heading out to promote the new

album starting in late September. We also hope to head out on some opening slots in the near future as well.

MUEN: Kittie has experienced a few lineup changes with band members coming and going -how has this affected the creation of Kittie?

ing to gain new fans and top our last releases. I think IN THE BLACK will change a lot of peopleʼs minds about the band and knock a lot of people off their feet. With every new album we strive to become better faster and stronger, and the results of IN THE BLACK are no different. This is the evolution of KITTIE. We would love for the band to be viewed in a different light than previous albums. We have grown and matured into a tight and powerful unit and really just plan on kicking some ass.

nation of people to help elevate this band to the next level musically. We have definitely done so with the line-up of this album. If anything it has helped us to become more creative as we have played with a numThe core of the band has always been strong, ber of different musiso the essence of Kittie cians with varying styles. has always been present MUEN: What impact is and unwavering. We have become masters of the new album, "In the MUEN: Where did the adaptation and have al- Black" hope to make? heavy "fat" sound of ways known that we Kittie come We are would one day settle from? What aldown and were the influways find the ences? lookright comWe have albiways had an affinity for huge

booming production, and we wanted to return to that initial sound after a slight departure with the last album. We love bands like

Pantera and Opeth who have big production, while not sounding too slick, so we always strive for something big yet realistic. MUEN: What are the standard procedures when Kittie sits down to write an album?

give it character and then I begin on the melody and lyrics.

musically. We are passionate and the feeling is electric when we are playing together.

MUEN: How is the experience of working in MUEN: Would you say the "band drama" is a room full of woman more or less? feel?

Honestly, we have such good chemistry that itʼs like going to work with Most of the time the writ- your best friends. Everyone is usually joking process starts with ing laughing and chatthe music first. We ting; everything you'd come together with ideas for guitar riffs, and expect from a band that we build the songs from actually have a good time together. We are there with riffs and drums. Usually once the very laid back and we all basic structure is done, know each other well we add little nuances to enough that things come together very quickly

Haha drama is definitely at an all time low at this point in our career, but it has been pretty major in the past.

human and want to make things work as easily as possible within the band, but it has only made our skin thicker and we have never made the same mistake twice.

MUEN: Love, loss, confusion or enlightenment: which adjective best describes the root of Kittie?

MUEN: How does it LOVE and LOSS feel to watch members come and go? How Myspace.com/offipersonally affected are cialkittie you?

Sometimes it really hurts, we are only

YVONNE’S WORLD Rocklahoma Afterparty featuring L.A. Guns, ASKA, The Gypsy Pistoleros and Revengence

By Andy Laudano Photos by: Norman Luffman

Rocklahoma may have been over, but the party kept on going at theRockstar Sports Bar in Fort Worth, Texas where the official Rocklahoma after party was held. For those of you who have never been to The Rockstar, it's a small club with a great atmosphere. The brick walls adorned Revengeance with memorabilia, including the owners actual RECORD collection, gives you the illusion of watching your favorite bands play in your friend's basement.

In fact, they've been Their exploits before and known to show up bands after their shows have bewith much more expericome the stuff of legends. ence because of their exciting live Gypsy Pistoleros performances. And they're only gonna get better with age. Next, everyone's favorite renegade gypsy, flamenco, sleaze, glam,rock-n-roll band, The Gypsy Pistoleros made a special appearance at their home away from

ASKA

Following the Pistoleros short but fun set, veteran Dallas area traditional metallers, ASKA took the stage. ASKA is an old school heavy metal band that never fails to put on a killer show. The band is currently touring in support of their latest slab of true metal, Absolute Power. With five albums under their belt the guy's had plenty of originals to choose from, but they couldn't resist getting one special cover in the set. Singer/guitarist George Call told a story about how the late Texas legend, Pantera's "Dimebag" Darrell used to like to get onstage and jam with them to the next song, an awesome cover of Metallica's "Seek and Destroy."

home. At every show, The Pistoleros announce that the U.K. doesn't want them On this night, four of the anymore so their new bands that kicked ass at home is The Rockstar Bar Rocklahoma played in in Fort Worth, Texas. Hot front of a full house, even on the heels of what was though it was a Monday! by far their best performMembers of Dirty Penny ance yet on the Rocklaand Vanity XO were also homa mainstage, the guys spotted in the audience. were ready to have some The first band to go on fun and party before the was Dallas' own Relong flight back to Engvengeance. This band of land. And when it comes to talented teens are full of hanging out and partying Finally, it was time for the youthful energy and alband everyone was waitwith their fans, nobody ways put on a great show. does it like The Pistoleros! ing to see, theTracii Guns

version of L.A. Guns. The current lineup featured Love/Hatevocalist Jizzy Pearl, Jeremy Guns (bass) and Chad Stewart (drums). The band tore through plenty of old favorites including "Never Enough," "One More Reason," "No Mercy," Sex Action" and "The Ballad of Jayne." Tracii appeared to be having the time of his

life as he soloed and shredded away. Jizzy is a much better fit for this band than their previous frontman, Rockstar INXS' Marty Casey. From top to bottom this was an amazing show. Thanks again to the owners, "Slammin' J" and Warren for giving fans in the Dallas/Fort Worth area a place to "party like a Rockstar." www.myspace.com/rockstarsportsbar

www.myspace.com/losangelesguns www.myspace.com/gypsypistoleros www.myspace.com/traciigunsmusic www.myspace.com/askaband www.myspace.com/revengeancemetal

TESLA

LIVE REVIEWS

driven rock known to man. Lead guitarist Frank Hannon cashes in on his usual adrenaline rush – as the resulting torrent of blinding guitar sounds confirm, while the crowds soak up the intense atmosphere of their distinctive blue jeans and tshit heʼs all smiles, a rock. Tesla determined bungle of ʻSong Islington Academy, Loncharismatic energy, and and don, UK vocally heʼs stronger and Emo18th June 2009 more tionʼ focused than ever. Two and ʻLove Songʼ are maLargely based around a songs in see Tesla making jestic ballads – clearly subject thatʼs clutching to a statement of the highest drilling down to the the very last strands of order. core of everyoneʼs heart. strength, Teslaʼs latest album ʻForever Moreʼ Typically their performance During ʻSo Whatʼ - a carebrought with it many an is as refreshing as a cold free take on life, Hannon emotional shower and a splash of provides some catchy plea. Despite all that, zingy lemon on a hot day. keyboard embellishments tonight Jeff Keith and his With the venue now as adding to the continued band step out with packed as a sardine tin, by increased fighting spirit. the time ʻHang Toughʼ kicks in, temperatures just The heavy thud of the about hit melting point. feisty title track proves the Thereʼs nothing pretenperfect opener, shows intent, sets the scene, and tious going on here – no need, everything Tesla is followed closely with have to and equally optimistic ʻI give lies within their attiWanna Liveʼ. tude, and is always about Tonight thereʼs a renewed music thatʼs sure to arouse anyone with a pensparkle in Jeffʼs eyes – chant for the hardest

heat from his fiery guitar. Guitarist Dave Rude really shines this time around as Frank frequently encourages the audience to show their appreciation – and they do, in spades. Finally ʻCumin atcha Liveʼ takes hold at such speed itʼs wise to get on out of the firing line if you can. Get hit by this missive and youʼll know about it, but then thatʼs probably why youʼre here – to experience the blast first hand. Jus Forrest http://www.myspace.com/j usforrest Photos by Josh Monaghan

LIVE REVIEWS

JULY 22, 2009

LACUNA COIL

HOUSE OF BLUES, SUNSET STRIP

By: Shauna OʼDonnell

I had the opportunity to catch my first Lacuna Coil show last night and Iʼm glad I did. First, letʼs start with the venue; it was packed with people from the

balcony to the floor. It was so tight it was impossible to get through. The anticipation filled the room as Lacuna Coil stepped out onto the stage. The crowd screamed, cheered, and sang along to every one of the songs. The energy in the room was so strong you could feel it and the band was so powerful as they belted out one tune after another that you could not help but be drawn in. I can see why people travel far and wide to see this band play live. I will definitely catch them the next time they come to town.

www.myspace.com/toxxxicfluxxx

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