Tampa Metal Zine

OUR FIRST INTERVIEW W/ TRAUMA FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CA AT THE PLAZA LIVE IN ORLANDO, FL 3/3/23.  AUDIO ONLY  https://youtu.be/hLpwu9ki3fo

OUR FIRST INTERVIEW W/ KURT DEIMER & PHIL X

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO

TAMPA, FL

1/19/23

OUR FIRST INTERVIEW W/ GEOFF TATE FORMERLY OF QUEENSRYCHE

THE CAPITOL THEATER 

CLEARWATER, FL

1/1/3/23

INTERVIEW W/ TED NUGENT VOCALIST & GUITARIST:

TAMPA METAL ZINE:  Who is in your touring band currently?

TED NUGENT:  I've got the best band on planet earth with Greg Smith on bass and vocals and Jason Hartless on drums, and they put more spirit, energy and piss & vinegar into my music than any guitar player could ever dream of. We are the tightest, highest energy band in the world, and if that young 25 year old Ted Nugent showed up, we'd kick his ass.  

TMZ:  How long is the tour & where are you going?  

TN:  We’ll play July into September, mostly in the Midwest and East Coast this year. God knows we wish we could do more, but like the greatest philosopher of all time stated; "a goodman needs to know his limitations!" Plus the deer herd needs me desperately to bring balance to the land with my trusty bow and arrow.

TMZ:  When the world shut down were you on tour?  

TN:  I wrapped up the greatest tour of my life in 2019 just before Heir Fauci scammed our hard earned tax dollars to weaponize a gain of function deadly virus for our Communist Chinese enemies. Weird huh. I went hunting.

TMZ:  What did you do during that time creatively?   

TN:  I play my guitars everyday with passion and fiery all American R&B rock-n-roll erupts with a life of its own on a daily basis. It's so much fun it's stupid. It is impossible for me to walk past one of my guitars without fondling it madly and creating pure animal breeding music everyday. I still crave the stuff, and I’m constantly unleashing exciting, driving, fun music.

TMZ:  Did you feel more creative toward writing music?  

TN:  I don't write songs, I ejaculate them. My American musical heartbeat is a formidable force to reckon with that I take great effort to manage and harness, which actually is best achieved and appreciated by zero harnessing. It's quite the metaphysical balancing talent. I live such a dreamy, happy life that it inevitably saturates my guitar playing and song unleashing creations. I'm surrounded by such loving, kind, giving, talented, dedicated, positive people that a soundtrack representing that positive spirit and energy literally has a life of its own. I thank those people and God for such a gift everyday.

TMZ:  I am looking forward to seeing you perform old & new songs, will you be playing a lot of songs from Detroit Muscle? 

TN:  Ya think? Plus we perform the classics like Wango Tango, Cat Scratch Fever, Hey Baby, Great White Buffalo, Wang Dang Sweet Poontang, Turn It Up, Free For All, Just What The Dr. Ordered, Gonzo, Yank Me Krank Me, Good Friends and A Bottle of Wine, Paralyzed, Motor City Madhouse, Baby Please Don't Go, Fred Bear, Stranglehold, Queen of the Forest and many other love songs the world has come to love.

TMZ:  I do not have Detroit Muscle as of yet but I am looking forward to listening, can you give me some insight on the album?  

TN:  The mighty Motor City is a musical force of nature to reckon with and I have been blessed beyond measure to have been born there in 1948 right after the heroic American GIs defeated the evil Japanese and Nazis, so the positive spirit of good over evil permeated the grind and energy of music in many ways. The mighty Motown Funk Brothers were an amazing driving force of musical authority and spirit that inspired every musician on the planet, most powerfully right there in our hometown neighborhood of Detroit. All these years later in 2022 that Motown musical attitude continues to inspire my every musical touch every time I pick up my Gibson Byrdland guitar. DETROIT MUSCLE is literally a martial arts out of body delivery of the American soulmusic that owns us everytime Greg, Jason and I play together. Its stream of consciousness music from my heart and soul and just south of the belly button. 

TMZ:  Your fans have missed you, do you miss performing?   

TN:  There are no words to describe our shared love of the music with all serious music lovers everywhere! Swear to God I can't wait to play my amazing songs again this summer.  We will not let you down! Be prepared to rock like you mean it! We do!

TMZ:  You have been performing for decades do you ever think about ending your career as a musician & seriously running for office?  

TN:  Nope. I currently perform the most important political duties an American has the responsibility to perform- I experiment in self-government on a daily  basis, fulfilling my "we the people" duties to monitor and guide our elected employees to adhere to their sacred oath to the US Constitution.  I am sad to report that the criminal corruption and vulgar abuse of power in government is at an all time high, intolerable and must be fixed ASAP. I dedicate myself to it daily. Then I go hunting and cleanse my soul!

I LIKE IN PERSON INTERVIEWS AS THEY BECOME CONVERSATIONS, HOWEVER I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE ICONIC TED NUGENT SOME QUESTIONS EVEN IF IT WAS A BIT IMPERSONAL.

THANK YOU TED, LINDA & KATIE!

INTERVIEW W/ MICHAEL WILTON GUITARIST FOR QUEENSRYCHE

HOB ANAHEIM

ANAHEIM, CA

1/30/2020

https://youtu.be/_U4tK3LZZqc

INTERVIEW W/ JON SHAFFER GUITARIST & MASTERMIND BEHIND ICED EARTH

HOB ANAHEIM

ANAHEIM, CA

3/10/18

INTERVIEWS FROM KNOTFEST

SAN MANUEL AMPHITHEATER

SAN BERNADINO, CA

11/5/17

ROB CASTEVANY FROM DEATH ANGEL

JOHN KEVILL FROM WARBRINGER

I WENT TO THE SCREENING OF SEPULTURA'S "ENDURANCE" WHICH IS THEIR DOCUMENTARY.  IT WAS REALLY COOL & INTERESTING, LOOK FOR THE REVIEW COMING SHORTLY.  IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN WATCH THE Q & A WHICH WAS HELD W/ THE BAND AFTER THE MOVIE. HERE IS PART !:

https://youtu.be/JeoiCi0VRNg

PART 2:

https://youtu.be/ktVMcVTeFig

PART 3:

https://youtu.be/euNnEdUv734

PART 4:

https://youtu.be/r9lO9pRrvQY

INTERVIEW W/ DERRICK GREEN VOCALIST FOR SEPULTURA

HOUSE OF BLUES
ANAHEIM, CA
5/18/17

INTERVIEW W/ BOBBY “BLITZ” ELSWORTH VOCALIST FOR OVERKILL AT OZZFEST MEETS KNOTFEST SAN MANUEL AMPHITHEATER SAN BERNADINO, CA 9/25/16

LONG BEACH METAL ZINE:  HI Bobby, how are you?

BOBBY ELSWORTH:  Great!  I have an interview w/ you?  WOW!  COOL!

LB:  How is Overkill doing?

BE:  Good really good, busy.

LB:  The last time I saw you here, your location was deplorable, I am glad to see things have changed.

BE:  Oh yes we played the men’s room at San Manuel Amp. it was so hot that day & the sun was in our eyes.

LB:  Were you handing out paper towels?  Ha

BE:  Yes our location was pretty bad.

LB:  I have been to many Overkill shows both here & the East coast, I was told there was an animosity towards Overkill for not playing out here much back in the day, do you think there is any truth to that?

BE:  Maybe 20 + years ago, but not any more.  I feel like we have been playing out here a lot more, as back 30 years ago we didn’t have the funds to come out here very much.

LB:  Well I am glad that’s over w/.  I’m glad you get to play over here fairly often, I never miss a show, I think you guys are OSSUM!

BE:  Thank you!

LB:  You guys killed it today in the dirt, do you have new music out?

BE:  We are working on it, it was supposed to come out in November, but we had to push it back til 2017.  It is so dirty out here!  Did you hear me say “dirty muthafuckas”?

LB:  Yes I did & how long we will be picking dirt out of our vaginas.  Do you have tour plans?

BE:  Ha ha.  Yes we are heading to Europe in Nov. & more things in the works that I can’t talk about yet.

LB:  A while ago I saw a documentary done by Rat Skates & I am wondering if you have seen it & how true all the things he did for Overkill are, it sounded a bit over the top to me.

BE:  I paid for that documentary & I did see it.  Rat Skates was extremely instrumental in the making of Overkill.  Anyone who has been in this band for any amount of time I have respect for, it’s not easy.  He did everything from making stickers to sewing backdrops etc.   I understand what you are saying but for the most part, it’s true.

LB:  Good, glad to hear that, you never know what people “remember” & what is “truth”.

BE:  Yes, be assured it’s all good.

LB:  Great!  I will be looking forward to your new album & for any tour dates coming here that you can’t talk about.  Thank you so much Bobby!

BE:  You’re welcome, any time & thank you!  

We then talked for another 15 minutes off the record.  That was a lot of fun :)

INTERVIEW W/ PAOLO GREGOLETTO FROM TRIVIUM AT KNOTFEST AT SAN MANUEL AMPHITHEATER IN SAN BERNADINO 9/25/16

INTERVIEW W/ MONTE PITTMAN AT OZZFEST AT SAN MANUEL AMPHITHEATER IN SAN BERNADINO, CA 9/24/16 

INTERVIEW W/ TIM MOSHER (GUITAR) & PAT MUZINGO (DRUMS) FROM JUNKYARD THE RAINBOW W. HOLLYWOOD, CA 8/17/16 

INTERVIEW W/ MAX KOLSENE DRUMMER FOR KRISIUN

LONG BEACH METAL ZINE:  HI MAX HOW ARE YOU?  THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO ME.  HOW IS THE SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR GOING?

MAX KOLSENE:  IT'S GOING GREAT, GREAT BUNCH OF GUYS, MOST WE HAVE TOURED W/ ALREADY.

LB:  KRISIUN IS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!  CONGRATULATIONS!  WHAT HAS CHANGED/HAPPENED IN 25 YEARS1

MK:  THANK YOU!  A LOT!  IT'S BEEN QUITE A CIRCLE OF UPS & DOWNS BUT WE HAVE STAYED CURRENT IN OUR MUSIC.

LB:  YOUR LATEST ALBUM IS "FORGED IN FURY" IS OSSUM!  ERIK RUTAN (HATE ETERNAL) PRODUCED IT.  WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION LIKE?  HEY ERIC CAN YOU MAKE IT BRUTAL?

MK:  YA PRETTY MUCH, WE HAVE KNOWN/TOURED W/ ERIK FOR A LONG TIME & HE DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB AT GETTING WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT MUSICALLY & HOW TO GET THE GROOVE WE WANT.

LB;  YOU WERE IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL RECORDING WHEN WERE YOU THERE?  I WAS THERE IN NOV. VISITING MY BROTHER.  ERIK HAD A SHOW & I WENT TO SAY HELLO.

MK:  WE WERE THERE IN MARCH.

LB:  YOU DID A COVER OF BLACK SABBATH'S ELECTRIC FUNERAL, WHY THAT SONG & WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO TO USE IT?

MK:  WE JAM ON LOTS OF COVER SONGS FROM MANY BANDS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED US LIKE IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, WE WENT W/ THIS ONE BECAUSE WE LOVE IT.  WE HAD TO GO THROUGH MANAGEMENT & PAY THE ROYALITIES ETC.

LB:  WELL THAT'S PRETTY COOL THEY LET YOU USE IT!  TODAY IS MOYSES' BIRTHDAY, PLEASE WISH HIM A HAPPY ONE FOR ME, IN CASE I DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO.  (I SAW HIM WAY AFTER THE INTERVIEW & TOLD HIM PERSONALLY OVER A SHOT OF JAGER.  MYLISSA)

MK:  WILL DO.  

LB:  HOW LONG DOES SUMMER SLAUGHTER GO FOR & WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING NEXT?

MK:  IT GOES TIL THE END OF AUGUST, THEN WE ARE TOURING EUROPE & WRITING A NEW ALBUM DUE OUT NEXT YEAR.

LB:  CHANGING THE SUBJECT COMPLETELY THE OLYMPICS ARE COMING TO YOUR AREA, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

MK:  WELL I THINK THE OLYMPICS ARE A GOOD THING, I JUST WISH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SPEND MONEY ON THE PROBLEMS AT HAND & ON THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP INSTEAD OF THE OLYMPICS, BUT IT'S A GOOD THING FOR RIO, TO HAVE PEOPLE COME.

LB:  I AGREE, WELL MAYBE SOME GOOD WILL COME OUT OF IT.  HAVE YOU WATCHED ANY OF IT?

MK:  NO I HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY TOURING/PLAYING.

LB:  I AM SORRY I MISSED YOUR SHOW TONIGHT, BUT I AM SURE I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON!  THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE DONE AN INTERVIEW & I HAVE KNOWN YOU GUYS FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS FROM THE KEY CLUB.

MK:  YES IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU?  

LB:  THE LAST SHOW I WENT TO WAS IN ARIZONA W/ DESTRUCTION, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY HELLO TO ANY OF YOU GUYS, BUT I WILL AT THE NEXT SHOW FOR SURE!  THANKS AGAIN FOR TALKING TO ME.

MK:  ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH CANNIBAL CORPSE?

LB:  YUP, GOING TO TAKE SOME PHOTOS, GRAB A BEER & WATCH THE SHOW!

MK:  COOL!

LB:  HAVE A SAFE/GREAT REST OF THE TOUR & I SHALL SEE YOU THE NEXT TIME AROUND FOR SURE!

MK:  THANK YOU!

Interview w/ Jarvis Leatherby Vocalist/Bassist of Night Demon

Long Beach Metal Zine:  How are you?  

Jarvis Leatherby:  Good!

LBMZ:  I interviewed you a year ago, almost to the day, what has been going on in the last year?

JL:  Shit, that was at the Viper Room right?  We recorded our next record which won’t be out til next year unfortunately, we just did 6 weeks in the States, “Final Curse” headlining tour where we played the whole entire last album, that was cool, we did a short tour w/ Anvil & then 5 weeks in Europe & just went immediately to this Carcass tour, so a lot of stuff!  But it’s been good!

LBMZ:  Yes, so no breaks?  That’s ok?

JL:  Yes, I still see you regularly.  The tours come through, I get to stay at home for a night.  

LBMZ:  Aww, you sure do!  That’s a good thing!  Everyone is loving your re-make of Golden Earring’s “Radar Love”.

JL:  Oh good!

LBMZ:  Have you been receiving a good response on the road?  

JL:  Really good!  We actually played a gig in the Netherlands at the drummer for Golden Earring’s club & we didn’t know it was his club.  We played it there & everyone freaked out, it was cool.  

LBMZ:  Really?  How ossumly random!  

JL:  So in Holland it does well especially.  It’s good, most of the songs we cover are really obscure songs like NWOBHM songs & stuff, but that song we knew we could make it sound heavier, more a Night Demon style.  We cut out all the crap in the middle of it, like White Lion, all the jammy & bluesy parts.  It’s just the meat of it, we just get to it.  

LBMZ:  A lot of bands have covered that song.  Any song you pick “Radar Love”.

JL:  It works though, we like it.

LBMZ:  It’s good, I think it’s ossum.

JL:  Thanks

LBMZ:  How long is the Carcass tour?  

JL:  This tour is only about 3 weeks.  Only, but that’s short for us.  At the end of the tour, us & Ghoul are starting up a little run of our own.

LBMZ:  Ah, where are you going?  

JL:  Just heading back from the East Coast that will take about a week, so we will be home in mid-August, put the finishing touches on the next album & then our festival is coming up in October called “Frost & Fire”.  It’s a festival we put on in Ventura every year.  

LBMZ:  Ok, I think I have heard about it.  Who is playing that?  

JL:  The Cirith Ungol reunion is happening there.  Mindless Sinner is coming out from Sweden, Midnight, Omen is playing,

LBMZ:  Omen!  Whatever happened to Omen?

JL:  Grim Reaper, so it’s cool!  Right now I think it’s the biggest traditional Heavy Metal Fest in the country for that kind of stuff, it’s big!  It’s a good weekend of fun, we get a lot of International tourists coming, I shouldn’t say tourists, they are Metalheads & they come for the show.  About 10% of our sales come from California.

LBMZ:  Wow.

JL:  About 1000 people a year, so that’s good.

LBMZ:  Give them a reason to come out here!

JL:  We are trying to get Lizzy Borden, but he wants to do a bunch of new stuff.

LBMZ:  What do you mean?  

JL:   He wants to play, but he wants to do a bunch of new stuff that he is doing right now.  The fans want to hear that 80’s stuff though, they want that show.  

LBMZ:  As Lizzy Borden?  The last album I heard of theirs was absolutely fabulous (“Appointment w/ the Devil”).  

JL:  Ya, but still, I’m looking at it from a fan standpoint & you can’t come out & just do that stuff.  It just doesn’t work.  If you are going to call yourselves Lizzy Borden, you have to do the musical history of Lizzy Borden & the legacy of the band.  You can throw some new stuff in for sure, but to just exclusively to do that, it doesn’t work.

LBMZ:  Right, I agree.  I think to exclusively to do that you need a really huge following & I love Lizzy Borden, but I don’t think they are there.  

JL:  Take a band like Iron Maiden, they will do 5-6 songs off the new record on the tour & they will base their whole tour off the new record & stuff, but they still have to play the classics, it’s a responsibility.  

LBMZ:  I have seen Iron Maiden play & they only did like 3 old songs & I was kind of disappointed.  

JL:  Right I think it was 2011.

LBMZ:  They were w/ Dream Theater at Glen Helen.

JL:  Yup, it’s exactly what that was.

LBMZ:  We were really late & I missed DT.  

JL:  They basically played songs from the last 4 albums.  I was there, I remember, they did “Wrathchild”, they did “Fear of the Dark”, “Iron Maiden”, “The Trooper” & whatever...Yup.

LBMZ:  Yup.   I went to the “Somewhere Back in Time Tour” at the Forum & they played all old stuff & it was OSSUM!  I am sure they are in a position where they don’t want to play the same songs every day.  Do you feel that way?

JL:  Yes that was great!  No, honestly we are still a fairly new band, only being around for about 3 & ½ years.  The EP that we have which is just 4 songs, we toured on that thing for about 1 & ½ years.  We play on a headlining set all those songs.  Tonight we will probably play 3 of them in a 30 minute set.  That’s some of the best stuff that we have done, the full length is great too, but we knew that right away, there is a reason for it & the songs are good & this is always going to be the core, we are always have to play these songs.  They are good songs, so we’re cool w/ it.  Ask me in 30 years!

LBMZ:  Well hopefully you will be around in 30 years!

JL:  Right!  I think we will be doing something.  I feel bad for bands like that sometimes.   I wrote those songs when I was 30, I didn’t write those songs when I was 18, you know what I’m saying?  It sucks to be 60 years old & playing songs you wrote when you were 18.  

LBMZ:  Absolutely, it’s a different world.  

JL:  Right, it’s like you get nostalgic for it I guess if you don’t play them for like years & years.  Like if you reunite as a band, but if you have been consistent as a band, I am sure it’s gotta be frustrating.  

LBMZ:  I saw Skid Row & they were phoning it in, they were just rolling their eyes like we have to play this song again.  I felt really bad but the audience was excited.  

JL:  Yes they are playing the songs the fans want to hear.  People ask why it takes so long between albums, it’s because we do so much touring & we are still being discovered.  Although we have a lot of fans around the world, there is always new people & we don’t want to get discovered on a higher level on our 4th or 5th release.  We want to stretch it out, that’s good now because people are really familiar w/ our material, so when we go back everyone has had time to digest the album & we may not be playing the same songs the next time around.  

LBMZ:  So catch it while you can? That’s good to know.

JL:  Exactly.  Catch it while you can, but we come back again & service that.  

LBMZ:  You guys come around a lot, at least here in L.A. that’s ossum.  I don’t know about the rest of the world.

JL:  We probably played Austin or Salt Lake City in the past 2 years like 6 times.  It’s either on a support tour or on our own.

LBMZ:  That’s ossum.  

JL:  It’s working.

LBMZ:  My friends in Black Mass had a good time playing w/ you guys in Massachusetts.

JL:  Oh shit!  That’s right, ya.

LBMZ:  Abstruktor & Black Mass, I believe they both played.  They are my friends from Boston & some of them were just here w/ another band, death metal band Formed Asphyxiation.

JL:  Nice, cool.

LBMZ:  I am going back there next June & hopefully they will be playing.

JL:  Cool, maybe we will be there too!  

LBMZ:  That would be even more ossum!  So I am going to talk about what is going on in this world today.  When you travel Europe or even traveling anywhere, how safe do you feel?  

JL:  I feel very safe all the time.  I mean stuff happens, I have been around so many terrorists attacks where I am like 3 hours away or a couple hours away, or they have happened where I have recently been.  Like the one that happened in Brussels airport, I have flown in there about 6-7 times.  I love flying into that airport.  This thing that happened in Nice, France w/ the truck or whatever our friends from Nice came to see us in Marseille & then went back & saw that happen.  So whatever, whatever, you know what are you going to do?  That’s the thing they are so random right, it’s like you can definitely put yourself in more danger consciously & I have always done that.  I have always been a fan of the nightlife & I fully believe this, nothing good ever happens after 12am.  If you are in a bar/club & it’s after midnight, you should probably go home.  Nothing good ever happens, you get more drunk & so does everybody else, there is potential for more danger, you can get bad ideas in your own head, you know.  Cops, whatever, who knows.  That’s what I have observed over the years.  I stay out late & I hang out w/ less than desirable people in society, I do, so I am always putting myself in that position for something to happen.  If I was at home on Saturday nights when I am not touring, just going to dinner & I am home by 9 I would probably be a lot safer but you can’t not go out because something may happen.  It’s just too crazy.  They say the terrorists win & they are right.  They win if they affect you like that.  It’s weird so it really doesn’t affect me until it’s there in your face.  We have toured some crazy places before.  One time we were in Mexico & our show ended 4 songs into our set because people were getting crazy & someone threw a bunch of beer on the amp & it broke, we had no back up so we were like ok the show is over.  Some lady kept yelling “Guns & Roses” during the whole show & I’m like what the fuck, so when that happened I’m like ok you want to hear GnR there you go the show's done!  I threw my mic on the ground & that’s my best GnR impersonation.  Anyways, so that happened & there was a little scuffle after & somehow our guitar player was involved, people were pissed, a gun came out & fell on the ground & then this guy came out w/ a taser & jumped on the bar, so that element of danger is always around especially when you are traveling around in the 3rd world, but there are some great spots there.  That’s real living, you have to get uncomfortable to be uncomfortably comfortable.  It’s crazy, I live out of a backpack now & I have so much shit at my house, it’s all organized & neat & stuff.  I am a collector so over the years I collect all kinds of stuff.  I come home & I realize the things I own, own me.  When I am away from it for so long it’s like I don’t care about that shit, I don’t need it at all.  So I am thinking about downsizing my life a little bit, puts things in perspective.

LBMZ:  Wow that is crazy!  What do you like to collect?

JL:  I’m a big collector of horror memorabilia & it’s been going on for years & of course I like vinyl & stuff like that.  I used to collect rock memorabilia but I don’t any more.  Now I have a lot of personal stuff that’s more important to me.  Like photos of me w/ bands I toured w/ or here is something someone gave me that they made.  We are playing the Roxy tonight & my first rockstar meeting backstage happened here when I was 14.  

LBMZ:  Really?  Who was it?  I have never been backstage at the Roxy.

JL:  Really?  I will show you tonight.  

LBMZ:  Is this the first time you have ever played the Roxy?  

JL:  No, it’s the first time Night Demon is playing here, I have played here in other projects.  I was like in my first band when I was in jr. high & we played this festival but it got rained out & no one came, but my parents & the drummer's Dad came.  There was a radio station there giving away tix to all these shows & they were like, you guys are cool & they gave us all the tickets.  What they did then, maybe they still do it now, they just take your name & put it at the door.  We showed up at the Roxy & Fight was on tour, they didn’t have our name on the list, I was living in Oxnard at the time & we drove all the way down.  My step-Dad took me & the guy at the door was really cool & he gave us these wristbands & said “these will get you anywhere, you can go backstage, you can come in & out, whatever” & we were like cool!  We walk up to the backstage & my step-Dad said “go check it out” & I said “come w/ me” & he’s like no no, go check it out, so I go up there & this venue was a lot different then, it was a real seedy rock club & now it’s all professional w/ Goldenvoice & AEG.  Which is great for being in a band it’s ossum, we’re stoked.  So I walk up there & Rob Halford is just sitting there in his dressing room & he’s like “Hey how are you doing” & I’m all “hey how’s it going”.  I was all nervous & I shook his hand & went back down.  I met Nick Menza there, the White Zombie guys were there & I was just like wow this is amazing!  It’s cool, things come full circle.  I don't know why I got on that.   Anyway, life’s a trip & rock-n-roll is good.

LBMZ:  That’s so cool!  It definitely is!  So tonight is sold out?  

JL:  Yes, it is.

LBMZ:  That’s pretty ossum, how many bands playing?  4?

JL:  Yes, 4, it’s great package, Caracass/Crowbar/Ghoul/Night Demon we are all so different, but we are buddies & I am just stoked that the bands asked us to do it.  

LBMZ:  I love Carcass, I went to see them, we kind of did a mini-tour, we went to Reno, Bakersfield & Vegas.

JL:  Really?  That’s ossum!  We played in Chicago, in 2014 & after the show the merch guy said, hey the Carcass guys are here & they bought a ton of merch & stuff.  I’m like really?  Why didn’t they come & say hi?  I would love to meet them.  He said, he didn’t know or whatever, so 2 years later, they are like hey let’s do this.  You never know.  People come down here & wait to be discovered & it’s like no one is going to do anything for you.  They just don’t.  You aren’t going to get discovered you have to play & make yourself discovered.  You have to play on the road, constantly tour, play small clubs.  I mean we have played huge festivals in Europe & really small clubs.  If you want to play every day, every day is a new experience, get there early.  We have a lot of challenges w/ room but we set up the stage & it’s Night Demonland, we have our lighting guy working on shit all day long, it’s kind of what we have to do, you have to tear it down & set it up every day.  Sometimes on no sleep or whatever & it’s ossum.  I hate people who complain about it.  I hate it.  The internet rules, it kicks ass, major labels suck, even though we are technically on Sony they suck, hey ya, I’ll say that.  I don’t know, drop us, whatever, there is no communication there.  Our guys at Century Media are good, we just do our own thing all the time, all the time & when we need extra help from them, if they can we will ask them, but that hasn’t happened yet.  

LBMZ:  I think it’s important that the publicists at the record companies tell people like me, hey these bands are coming, tell all your friends & I will tell all my friends.  I think publicists make quite a bit of money.

JL: Absolutely, you know I would hope so.  Sometimes they get bogged down because there is too much work. There’s too many bands, too much going on & I’ve seen labels hire 3rd party PR who’s already doing their own campaigns for everyone else & that costs the labels & the band's money.  It comes from somewhere.  I don’t know, I’m not slagging on the big guys necessarily, I mean I do know that nothing is mainstream any more which is good, because people always say enjoy the trend that this music is coming back right now & I’m like dude it never left.

LBMZ:  Right, it never left.

JL:  Now that the internet is here you can congregate all over the world & get to things & know about tours & stuff, so it’s not a trend, if anything it’s influencing people around them to check it out.  Shows are shrinking, I think this show should have been at the Fonda or something, a 500 capacity club on every show on the tour it’s good to say it’s sold out, but it’s not good if we could have sold more tickets.  There are those people here today.  I think that shows are shrinking, you get bigger bands playing smaller clubs & stuff & I think that’s kind of cool for the bands, but it also sends a message to the promoters & people in the media.  It says ok, this band just played a bar, so why would they play this club the next time around?  It’s a strange thing to me, I don’t know I think social media has batted our heroes down to a level  of humanness, you know what I saying?  You can see a member in the band hanging out before the show & you never saw that before.

LBMZ:  What you don’t want to be human?

JL:  No I WANT to be human, I’m cool w/ it.

LBMZ:  Well I think everyone is human, people get excited about famous people & I’m like they are just people, they are people, some are just normal people & some get the hell away from me.

JL:  Right, but when you are trying to put on a performance, there has to be a certain kind of mystique to it & there is a certain way to present it.  You want to come out & the first time you see the audience is on that stage with your opening presentation & all that shit.  I’m totally cool hanging out w/ people after the show & stuff but it’s like for the band, since the shows are shrinking you see your favorite guy in your favorite band loading his own amp.  You see what I mean?  Perception has changed.  You see the guy on Twitter too, we know what he’s saying, it’s not like before when you had to find magazines or anything to find out what is this person all about.  What is he saying, you keep the magazine & periodically you read it again & you have this idea of what it is & you base it on that until you have a personal experience.  Which you know that’s great, you wait outside to meet your favorite band, I grew up on that.  It’s always cool, you know.  It wasn’t until I started promoting shows & dealing w/ bands in business that I say hey wait, this guy is not cool.  That has happened to me w/ quite a few bands.  It really did.  Bottom line, moral of the story, I don’t like complainers, I don’t like bands from the 80’s like to complain, a lot of them are doing well, but the later years of their career, they should be glad they have a career.  For example if Whitesnake was playing in 1988 they may play the Forum or something & there might be 18,000 people there & now they would play the Saban, so they take 16,000 people away but come on, these are 2000 people who really want to be there, they probably have been following you so long & probably a newer, younger audience as well to go along w/ that, kids & parents or kids who like Metal.  That’s the audience that’s what you want, you want 2000 people who love your band.  It’s not 2000 + 16000 who are just there, because you have a video on MTV or something.  That’s what major media is pushing.  It sucks, because Metal has the most loyal audience & fans & at one point it was mainstream & oversaturated by the big guys.  It was shitty.  I watched the new Ghostbusters & they have a scene w/ Ozzy that was supposed to be like Ozzfest or something & they had a scene in a club, it was weird & Ozzy was on the side of the stage & he had one line like “Shaarroon” or something & it was so stupid, but there was a fake Metal band playing & I was like omg this is horrible music playing, like devil worship, but the band was so fucking shitty & they were so cheesy they could have used a real band, but they didn’t, they manufactured this band that looked liked Nickelback & they were so bad, the music was terrible & the mainstream still thinks like that & it doesn’t really bother me, but I know that that’s still true, I know we still have to to what we are doing & not worry about that stuff.  Because the people controlling that stuff are idiots & they are always the last to know what’s cool, that’s why they fuck things up, because they are always the last to know.  

LBMZ:  Yes, the Saban, I saw them there.  I see what you mean about your heroes.  These industry guys are not out in the clubs seeing bands, they are sitting behind a desk being clueless.  Seriously.

JL:  Seriously.  

LBMZ:  Some of these bands who were around in the 80’s they were a lot younger, their performances were a lot better, some of them are not as great now.  

JL:  What I don’t like either is a lot of those bands had a great production value back in the day & now they come out in jeans & a t-shirt & we’re just going to have the basic house lighting & we’re just going to play through these small amps & play the hits.  How are you going to go from that to that, especially when you are old & tired?  If anything start spending the money on the show, we do that, we have an actual show.  We do it on a smaller level, but what we do is a big thing.  Take it to the Roxy & it’s a big thing.  It’s not over the top, but it’s over the top in some places.  

LBMZ:  I agree about dressing for a show, I always dress for a show.  If I am going to a show, I dress for a show, if I didn’t know I was coming to a show that’s a whole other story.

JL:  Well you go to shows every night.  

LBMZ:  Almost, but these people are older & maybe they are not coloring their hair, etc.

JL:  Anyway, things are all good, that’s just the point I wanted to get across about all the fucking complainers, ya you were making a lot of money, figure out a new way.  That’s not a kickstarter, like don’t make your fans pay for shit, just put out a high quality product & hit the road, get on the stage.  That’s it.

LBMZ:  And deliver!

JL:  And deliver!

LBMZ:  I just saw Venom, Inc. at the Whisky for the first time, (any form of Venom) & it was really good & the people in there (other than the band) I think I was the oldest one in the building.  Everyone was a teenager, they weren’t old enough to drink.  I thought it was very surprising.

JL:  No way, you weren’t the oldest, come on.  That’s a good thing, they young crowd.  I think the Black Metal is very youth oriented these days, so that’s a good thing.  I think that’s why they come over here.

LBMZ:  I was blown away at how young the audience was.  I honestly thought there was going to be about 10 people in the building.  It was sold out to the rafters like I have never seen before, I couldn’t even move.  

JL:  That’s good for them.  They used to be called Empire of Evil but then they changed their name to Venom, Inc. & having that name really brings it.  Kronos still owns the other name & there is another Venom.  He plays big shows, he doesn’t tour a lot, but he plays on a large scale.  I like Venom, Inc. musically better personally, but Kronos & Venom have the big show, they used to blow shit up.  They used to blow shit up, you can’t do that anymore, you can do something like that.  Again, I am not criticizing those bands, I know them, they are really cool  

LBMZ:  I think they problem w/ L.A. now & the smaller venues is that there is no where to play, they took away the Key Club & House of Blues so anything over 500 has nowhere to go except downtown.  Everyone comes to the Whisky which is way too small & the Roxy doesn’t really do Metal shows, so I am surprised to see all this.

JL:  Well this tour is on a higher level & that’s why I was hoping it would be at the Fonda.  I think it could have sold well there.

LBMZ:  I don’t know, maybe this package is a little too hard for that venue.  

JL:  I don’t know though, no one is crazy any more, it’s not like anyone is going to hurt anybody, I mean I’ve seen some Satan Metal shows at the Fonda recently, like Graveyard & stuff like that.

LBMZ:  A lot of stuff is going downtown now.

JL:  I love that, I hate the gentrification that’s going on downtown now, but I love that they are restoring these old buildings for those uses.  I think that Hollywood doesn’t want anything to do w/ it.  I think if a business goes down here, I think they are just going to take the highest bidder.  That has nothing to do w/ the cultural significance of it.  

LBMZ:  These shows always used to be at the Key Club & look what they did to that.

JL:  I agree it was a great venue, big stage.

LBMZ:  Now I feel like all these bands who are coming to Hollywood to play have no where to play anymore.  You can play the Whisky & ya, it’s 250 people a lot of people are going to miss out, I think.

JL:  I think these are good times, this is like the wild west & I want to be one of those guys who is on the forefront of that.  Trying to figure it all out.  I think these are important times & people will talk about these times later on.  I saw these bands like no one wanted anything to do w/ & we figured out a way & now it’s cool, you should have been there.

LBMZ:  Right, I have seen a lot of bands & I’m like what?  You weren’t there?  I was there, you missed a great show!  

JL:  You missed a great show.

LBMZ:  I feel like that w/ Venom, Inc. you should have been there.  

JL:  Exactly!

LBMZ:  Tonight Carcass is playing w/ Night Demon & Crowbar?  You should be there.

JL:  I think it’s going to be killer tonight!  We have been opening the shows & playing really early, but it’s been like great, our fans have showed up & we have been successful.

LBMZ: What time do you guys go on?

JL:  7!

LBMZ:  7, ok.  No one is in school right now.

JL:  That’s the cool part of playing all ages, you know every venue is all ages & they all have a bar.  Hard Rock/Metal shows have gone to the bar scene.  It sucks because it alienates the youth.  They are on their computers making music & shit, that’s their thing.  A lot of the older bands will tell you what really killed the scene before it was even mainstream like in the early 80’s was the alcohol laws.  It used to be only 18 to drink or go to the clubs & it was 18 + & now it’s 21+ that’s a big deal, 18 year olds were in High School.  

LBMZ:  When I was 16 I was trying to go to the clubs but the only place I could go was the Paradise in Boston, MA.  It was the only all ages place you could go & see Metal back then.  Everywhere else you had to be 18 so I couldn’t go.  When I turned 18 I was everywhere.  

JL:  21 is such a gap.

LBMZ:  So when we were 16 we couldn’t go to as many shows until we were 18 on a lower scale, we went to the big shows at the 10,000 + seat venues.

JL:  We have a day off to drive from Albuquerque to Memphis & we are going to stop & do a show in Tulsa.

LBMZ:  Very impromptu.

JL:  Keep it punk.

LBMZ:  I don’t want to keep you, I know you are running behind, but is there anything else you want to say?

JL:  Just fucking keep it fucking real, keep it real in the LBC.  Don’t trip, the LBC is dangerous if you go to the wrong places, just fucking do your fucking thing, you know.  If someone has a problem w/ that & they want to tell you about it, then they got some balls.  Then you gotta deal w/ it then & if not.  If someone is going to come in w/ a mask & shoot up the place, what are you going to do?  You know?  At least you died doing what you loved.  You died having fun.  You can’t live in fear.  

LBMZ:  You are right.  Thank you so much, it’s always great talking to you.  

JL;  Thank you.  You don’t have to interview me, it’s weird, we’re friends.

LBMZ:  I know.  :)

SEPTEMBER MOURNING INTERVIEW W/ SEPTEMBER VOCALS

LONG BEACH METAL ZINE:  Hello, how are you? How did you get the name September Mourning?   

SEPTEMBER:  September Mourning is the name of the protagonist of this transmedia project. She is a half human/ half reaper hybrid that fights to give souls a second chance at life and therefore toys with Fate.    

LBM:  Please list the name & instrument of each band member:

S:  September: Vocals   Riven: Guitar  Wraith: Guitar Shadou: Bass Stitch: Drums 

LBM:  How long has September Mourning been together?  

S:  The musical side started after the development of the story…. which has been in development for years now.  

LBM:  How did you meet?

S:  In the lands of Mortem ;)  

LBM:  What inspired you to make music together?  

S:  The musical side of this project enhances the storyline… everything we do, and have wanted to do is to push that further.

LBM:  Where have you performed?  

S:  All over the United States and in Europe

LBM:  Who writes the songs?  

S:  The primary songwriters of the band are September and Riven 

LBM:  What inspired you to put out a comic book?

S:  The transmedia aspect of this band requires the story be told on many platforms and comics was one of them.   

LBM:  What are the main topics of your songs?  

S:  Loss, Love, Pain, Redemption, Heartbreak, Strength , Unity

LBM:  What has been the biggest challenge for September Mourning?  

S;  Combining all the elements seemlessly to create this world 

LBM:  What advice do you have for future bands?  

S:  Work hard. Don't try to be just like something else that has been done before…. find your own path and be the best at that. Originality can be scary but it's the only way to make a real mark on this world.

LBM:  How can fans gain access to your music?  

S:  www.septembermourning.com has all of our socials on it… you can purchase music on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and in stores such as Best Buy

LBM:  Any last words?

S:  We would just like to extend our gratitude to all of our fans, our Children of Fate, out there for believing in this project and supporting us with such love. We cannot do this with out each and everyone of you. Thank you.   

LBM: Thank you so much!  Have a great day!  

http://www.SeptemberMourning.com http://www.facebook.com/SeptemberMourning http://youtube.com/TheSeptemberMourning  

ALL THAT REMAINS INTERVIEW W/ PHIL LABONTE (VOCALS) & AARON PATRICK (BASS)

TAKEN AT KNOTFEST 10/25/15

YOU WILL HAVE TO DOWNLOAD TO HEAR THIS BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG

NIGHT DEMON INTERVIEW W/ JARVIS LEATHERBY 7/30/15  

PROPERTY OF MYLISSA GRAVES, CANNOT BE USED W/O PERMISSION!

ABORTED INTERVIEW W/ SVEN DE CALUWE

5/21/15 AT THE WHISKY IN W. HOLLYWOOD

LONG BEACH METAL ZINE:  HI SVEN HOW ARE YOU?  I AM GOING TO ASK YOU DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAN I ASKED LAST TIME AS I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF.

SVEN DE CALUWE:  I PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER SO YOU CAN ASK AWAY.

LB:  HOW DID YOU GET THE NAME ABORTED?

SDC:  THAT'S AN INTERESTING ONE.  REALLY SILLY REASON ACTUALLY.  WHEN WE STARTED THE BAND, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE WENT TO RECORD STORES.  WE SAID WE NEED TO BE SMART ABOUT THIS, WE SHOULD NAME OUR BAND W/ THE LETTER A SO WE WILL ALWAYS BE IN FRONT OF THE RECORD RACKS, SO WE WERE LIKE AB SOUNDS GOOD, WHAT STARTS W/ AB & SOUNDS BRUTAL?  SO WE KIND OF WENT FROM THERE.

LB:  EASY ENOUGH?

SDC:  NOT AS AMAZING AS YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.

LB:  THAT'S GOOD, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE YELLOW PAGES & PEOPLE NAMED THEIR COMPANIES STARTING W/ AA SO THEY WOULD GET LISTED/NOTICED FIRST.

HOW DID THE BAND COME ABOUT?

SDC:  I STARTED THE BAND IN 1995 SO IT'S 20 YEARS THIS YEAR.  VERY SIMPLE, BACK IN THE DAY MANY OF MY FRIENDS IN THE TOWN I GREW UP IN HAD A LOT OF LOCAL BANDS & A GREAT METAL SCENE.  I WAS INVOLVED W/ A LOT OF LOCAL BANDS JUST HELPING OUT & THEN I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR MYSELF, MY OWN BAND.  I STARTED DOING THAT.  BACK IN THE DAY DEATH METAL WASN'T REALLY POPULAR ANY MORE & BLACK METAL REALLY STARTED TO BOOM.  THE CHALLENGE WAS TO FIND PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL INTERESTED IN PLAYING THAT KIND OF MUSIC.  STARTING OUT FRESH.  THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW IT STARTED.

LB:  WHAT IS INSPIRING YOUR MUSIC TODAY?  TO CARRY ON & THE SUBJECT MATTER?

SDC:  SUBJECT MATTER IS EASY, IT'S HUMANITY, AN ENDLESS PIT OF MISERY TO PULL YOUR INSPIRATION FROM.  WE ARE A RATHER GRAPHIC BAND SO MOST OF OUR STUFF COMES OUT OF THAT & WE ARE BIG HORROR BUFFS.  THE NEXT ALBUM WE ARE WORKING ON IS GOING TO BE AN 80'S SLASHER THEME & WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE A VIDEO GAME FEATURING MEMBERS OF THE BAND, SO WE ARE GOING BALLS OUT ON FUCKIN' NERD TERRITORY ON THE NEXT ONE.

LB:  YOU & KIRK HAMMETT SHOULD GET TOGETHER.  HE'S A HUGE HORROR FAN, HE'S ALL ABOUT THAT!

SDC:  SURE WHY NOT!

LB:  HE HAS A BIG COLLECTION OF HORROR MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAY AT THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT RIGHT NOW.

SDC:  REALLY?  THAT'S OSSUM, I HAD NO IDEA!

LB:  HE HAS A FEAR FESTEVIL EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS.

SDC:  PHIL ANSELMO HAS ONE IN TX.  HOUSECORE HORROR FEST

LB:  OH REALLY?

SDC:  I DIDN'T KNOW KIRK ALSO HAD ONE.  IT'S COOL.

LB:  YOU HAVE 2 OUTLETS TO REACH OUT TO.

SDC:  SOUNDS GOOD.

LB:  WHO WRITES THE LYRICS & THE MUSIC?

SDC:  I WRITE THE LYRICS & THE MUSIC IS EVERYONE TOGETHER.  THE LAST ALBUM WE ALL CAME UP W/ IDEAS & DEMOS.  WE ACTUALLY HAD A WEEK OF PRE-PRODUCTION TO TURN ABOUT 40 DEMOS INTO 16 USABLE SONGS.  IT WAS A LOT OF INTENSE WORK & IT SEEMED TO WORK.  I GUESS WE ARE JUST GOING TO DO THE SAME.  THE INTERESTING PART IS EVERYONE LIVES IN VERY DIFFERENT AREAS.  THE INTERNET & MOST OF THE BAND HAVE HOME STUDIOS, WE ARE ABLE TO CORPORATE THAT WAY W/ THE DISTANCE BECAUSE WE NEVER PRACTICE.

LB:  SO YOU WRITE THE MUSIC & THEN YOU ALL GET TOGETHER, PUT IT TOGETHER, REHEARSE & THEN GO OUT LIVE?

SDC:  FOR THIS STUDIO FOR THE LAST ALBUM WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T PLAY TOGETHER WHAT SO EVER, WE JUST WROTE THE DEMOS, HAD SOME PROGRAMMED DRUMS & THEN WHEN WE GOT TO THE STUDIO KEN BEDENE (DRUMS) & I CAME UP W/ THE DRUM PARTS, THEN WE ORGANIZED THE SONG STRUCTURES & CHANGE LAST MINUTE THINGS, THEN THE GUITARIST WOULD COME IN, ETC.  WE DIDN'T PLAY THE SONGS AS A BAND UNTIL THE FIRST TOUR W/ THESE SONGS.

LB: WOW!  

SDC:  YA USUALLY BEFORE A TOUR WE TRY TO PRACTICE AT LEAST 3 DAYS ON THE ROAD BEFORE.  WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION AS IT IS AN AMERICAN TOUR & WE STARTED ON THE EAST COAST.  KEN IS FROM THE WEST COAST, THE REST OF US ARE FROM EUROPE SO IT WAS TOO PROBLEMATIC TO ACTUALLY FIND SOME PLACE ON THE EAST COAST TO PRACTICE.  SO WE JUST WENT IN.

LB:  WOW!  SO HOW'S IT GOING?

SDC:  IT'S FINE WE'RE HERE NOW!  EVERYONE JUST HAS TO HAVE THE DISCIPLINE OF MAINTAINING THEIR INSTRUMENT.

LB:  HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON TOUR?

SDC:  WE ARE 1/2 WAY THROUGH.  ABOUT 2 & 1/2 WEEKS.

LB:  I JUST WENT TO RONNIE JAMES DIO'S REMEMBRANCE EVENT & WHILE STANDING IN LINE I MET KEN'S MOM!  NOT SURE IF SHE'S COMING TO THE SHOW TONIGHT OR NOT.

SDC:  HEY KEN IS YOUR MOM COMING TONIGHT?  SHE MET YOUR MOM AT DIO?  (KEN:  NO SHE'LL BE IN S.F., RIGHT ON!) SMALL WORLD!

LB:  SMALL WORLD (WE SAID IT AT THE SAME TIME, JINX) PRETTY COOL!  DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY LIVE & DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG ON THE LATEST ALBUM?

SDC:  THAT'S TOUGH, REALLY TOUGH AS THE SET LIST WE HAVE ARE THE SONGS WE PREFER TO PLAY LIVE.  TO PICK ONE IS REALLY TOUGH.  I'D SAY OFF THE NEW ALBUM WE LIKE "THE NECROTIC MANIFESTO" & "THE EXTIRPATION AGENDA", THOSE ARE MY FAVORITES.  "METICULOUS INVAGINATION" (PAT FROM FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY LIKES THAT SONG & IT GOES OUT TO HIM EVERY DAY).  (PAT CHIMES IN:  I LOVE YOU GUYS!  MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU!)

LB:  AWWWW!  WHAT BAND OR ARTIST WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY/TOUR OR WORK WITH?

SDC:  THAT'S TOUGH, WE'VE DONE MOST OF THOSE THINGS ALREADY.  IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TOUR W/ CANNIBAL CORPSE, BEHEMOTH ARE ALWAYS REALLY NICE TO TOUR W/, BUT IF I HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, I WOULD SAY SLIPKNOT AS THEY ARE WAY OUT THERE.

LB:  DIFFERENT

SDC:  YES & SUPER HUGE.  IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW WE DO IN THAT SETTING.

LB:  WELL IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF, I HAVE SEEN MANY DIFFERENT BANDS PLAY TOGETHER AT THE SAME VENUE LIKE MARILYN MANSON & SLAYER IS A BIG ONE.  I DON'T GET IT.

SDC:  SLAYER WOULD BE FUCKIN' FANTASTIC AS WELL!

LB:  WHEN YOU ARE ANTICIPATING TOURING DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO HEADING OUT?

SDC:  YES IT'S ALWAYS A CERTAIN AMBIGUITY TO THE THING BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING OUT & DOING SHOWS & DOING WHAT YOU LOVE ON THE OTHER HAND YOU ARE SAD TO LEAVE WHATEVER YOU ARE LEAVING BEHIND AT HOME, SO IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

LB:  SO IT'S LIKE A TUG OF WAR.

SDC:  YES

LB:  HOW LONG IS THE TOUR IN TOTAL?

SDC:  THIS TOUR IS 31 SHOWS, NO DAYS OFF

LB:  WOW!  REALLY?  HOW DO YOU DEAL W/ THAT?

SDC:  I DON'T KNOW

LB:  YOU'RE SURVIVING?  THAT'S A LOT!  

SDC:  YA, WE'RE USED TO 30 DAY TOURS IN EUROPE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO, NO DAYS OFF.  THEY JUST THROW YOU OFF BALANCE, YOUR BODY STARTS TO REST & GOES TO SHIT, COSTS YOU A LOT OF MONEY.  ONCE YOU ARE IN THE GROOVE OF PLAYING THE SHOWS IT'S GOOD.  THE ONLY THING THAT SUCKS, IN EUROPE 30 DAY TOURS AREN'T SO BAD, BUT USUALLY A LONG DRIVE IS 8-10 HOURS.  WE'VE ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF DRIVES THAT ARE 13-14 HOURS.  WE DROVE FROM DALLAS TO PHOENIX WHICH WAS INSANE.

LB:  WOW & THEN YOU JUST COME IN, SET UP & DO THE SHOW?

SDC:  YES LITERALLY!  WE GO UP 1/2 HOUR BEFORE DOORS, NO SOUND CHECK, NOTHING.  WE JUST THROW OUR SHIT UP THERE & HOPE IT WORKS.

LB:  OMG, THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY!

SDC:  YA, YOU KNOW YOU GET USED TO IT.

LB:  WHERE DO YOU GO NEXT?

SDC:  I BELIEVE RAMONA, YES RAMONA, THEN LAS VEGAS.  IT'S A BUNCH OF DATES IN CA WHICH MAKES ME HAPPY.  I LIKE CA.

LB:  THAT'S GOOD!  IS IT CAUSE IT'S WARM?

SDC:  YES!

LB:  OUR WEATHER RIGHT NOW IS KIND OF MEDIUM.

SDC:  IT'S WARM BUT NOT AS HUMID AS THE EAST COAST.

LB:  DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY OR CRAZY ROAD STORIES?

SDC:  FUNNY OR CRAZY ROAD STORIES?  KEN HAS A FUNNY ROAD STORY.  WE WERE PLAYING IN VANCOUVER & HE WAS STAYING W/ A GIRL HE MET UP W/, HE WENT BACK TO HER HOUSE.  THE REST OF US WERE STAYING IN A HOTEL SO HE TOOK THE VAN & TRAILER W/ ANOTHER FRIEND OF OURS MIKE HELLER FROM FEAR FACTORY & THEY WERE GOING TO PARK IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE.  SHE SAID IT WAS OK, RIGHT WHEN KEN WAS GOING TO GET SOME "ACTION", THEY HEARD "BEEP, BEEP, BEEP" & THEY SAW THE VAN BEING TOWED AWAY, SO HE GOT THE WORST BLUE BALLS EVER!

LB:  OH NO!  WOW!  I HOPE THAT HAS BEEN RECTIFIED!

SDC:  YES (LAUGHING)

LB:  THAT'S BAD, SO YOU GOT THE VAN BACK?

SDC:  YEAH AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS &  A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS.  HE DIDN'T SLEEP ALL NIGHT SO WHEN WE GOT THE VAN BACK HE WAS LYING IN THE BACK OF IT COMPLETELY DEAD IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY.

LB:  THAT'S A GODO STORY!  FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, DO YOU AS A BAND SOCIALLY INTERACT?

SDC:  I'M THE ONE TAKING CARE OF IT, ACTUALLY KEN & I TAKE CARE OF IT.

LB:  COOL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW AS SOME IS JUST A VACANT ABYSS.

SDC:  YA WE TRY TO KEEP IN TOUCH W/ THE FAN BASE.

LB:  I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

SDC:  WE TRY TO HAVE A LOT OF STUPID UPDATES.  IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO OUR PAGE YOU MAY HAVE SEEN.

LB:  WELL I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR FROM TEH LAST TIME I TALKED TO YOU.

SDC: YA, WELL THERE YOU GO.

LB:  ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

SDC:  WE WILL BE RECORDING A NEW EP W/ 2 NEW SONGS & MORBID ANGEL COVER, THIS SUMMER FOR 20 YEARS OF THE BAND.  SHOULD BE OUT BY THE END OF THE YEAR & WE SHOULD BE RECORDING A FULL LENGTH ALBUM IN DECEMBER, SO NEXT YEAR YOU WILL SEE THE NEXT ALBUM.

LB:  AND THE STUDIO IS?

SDC:  JAKE PATTERSON, SAME AS ALWAYS.  COME OUT TO THE SHOWS!

LB:  OK, COOL!  THAT'S ALL I HAVE, THANK YOU SO MUCH!  SEE YOU AT THE SHOW AFTER THE HOCKEY GAME.

COAL CHAMBER INTERVIEW W/ MIKEY COX:

Long Beach Metal Zine:  Hello, my name is Mylissa & I am the editor of the Long Beach Metal Zine, how are you?

Mikey Cox:  Everything is fantastic!!

LB:  I have never interviewed you before so I am starting from the beginning to the present.  I was researching some information & in the beggining Coal Chamber was called Seal Chamber, why did you call it that & why did you change it?

MC:  The band was never called Seal Chamber. don't believe all you read on the internet! lol

LB:  Your music changed from nu-metal to more gothic is there a reason/inspiration for that?

MC:  There was no such thing as Nu Metal when we came out...We always had a dark goth influence..We always wrote in a heavy dark aspect in our music. All of our roots start from there!

LB:  Sharon Osbourne was your manager, please tell me about that, are the stories true about her being difficult to work w/?  Why/how did it end?

MC:  Sharon was a great experience for us. She discovered us early in our career and we developed it from there. She helped us tremendously in our career and we will always be indebted to her. She was very EASY to work with and was almost like a second mother to me. It ended over time as a lot of relationships do..It kinda just ran its course.                                                                                                                                                                                      

LB:  Why did Coal Chamber break up?                                                                                                                                                                                                     MC:  We broke up due to many reasons, more times than once.  The final break up was a culmination of people living crazy lifestyles & not being right as people.  It was something that had to happen for there to ever be a chance at this band again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         LB:  What made you decide to get back together?                                                                                                                                                                                 MC:  We all got right as friends first & decided to make the music we all love.  We never finished what we started w/ the break up so that time is now.  We all love each other's company & musical abilities.  It's something that had to happen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 LB:  What drives you musically?  (life experiences, the world around us, etc.)                                                                                                                                     MC:  The love of playing music is such a unique thing to have...it's impossible to squash or get rid of.  Life is always the driving force behind everything I do musically.

LB:  What can the fans expect from the new music & live shows?

MC:  A ton of energy & passion for music.  The live shows have been the funnest we have ever done.  It's heavy & hooky, it's a nasty sounding record.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         LB:  Are you excited about starting over?                                                                                                                                                                                               MC:  Starting over usually is a pain in the ass..this on the other hand has been nothing short of amazing.                                                                                                                                                                                                               LB:  Who/what influences you musically today?                                                                                                                                                                                     MC:  Our influences range from every gamete of music...We mainly get inspired by each other in this band.  We feed off each other.                                                                                                                                                             LB:  I think the album is good & I am excited for you, it's been a long time & hope Coal Chamber does well this time around.  I know you just got off a U.S. tour (I missed it due to prior commitments) & now you are going out on a European tour.  I have seen 2 different line-ups for the shows, can you tell me who you are touring w/?  How exciting is touring Europe now?                                                                                                                                               MC:  The U.S. run was a great success & we had a killer time...we are now onto Europe for a headlining run w/ support from some killer bands...SOIL, The Defiled & DOPE...it will be some high energy shows from top to bottom.  It's our first time headlining in the U.K. in over 12 years..Really looking forward to it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 LB:  Thank you for your time.

This was done via email, so the interaction between Mikey & I was never there as we have never met, not my 1st choice in doing interviews, I would rather do them in person so the interview flows better, but I am happy for the opportunity nonetheless.  Thank you Jon!