Oystein Brun is the founding member of the Norwegian progressive black metal band Borknagar. The band released their 9^th studio album titled “Urd” on March 26^th via Century Media Records. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Oystein about the release and the bands plans for the upcoming tour season.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the band’s new album “Urd”?
Oystein Brun: The album covers a wide range. It is progressive, epic and metal. It’s all those things combined with the bands trademark sound. We have gotten some really amazing feedback and are very excited. I think we took a step further production wise with this album and we are very happy with how it turned out.

AL: How does this compare to some of this the bands previous work?
OB: I think the production element of the album really shines. Some of our previous releases really lacked the production that should go along with the type of powerful music we play. With the new album we really did take a huge step. Everything on this album feels really satisfying. The band this time also had a great process and we all took a step up. It was great being able to have our hands in all the different aspects of the recording process.

AL: Does the band do any pre-production prior to going into the studio?
OB: I will generally come in with my songs and the other guys in the band will bring in their songs and we start there. This time around we spent a lot of time on the recording process. I think we spent around 6 months just on the recording process itself. We tried different ideas which made things nice. We didn’t have a time crunch or anything so we were able to spend quite a bit of time on the various stages.

AL: What has it been like returning back to Century Media Records?
OB: We were with them back in 1996 when the band was first signed. We did 6 albums with them during our first signing but after those we decided to just try something new. We wanted to try working with some different people. We started to notice that our material was becoming harder to get in certain areas of the world. At the end of the day things just weren’t working. We have shared so much history with Century Media that it has been really great coming back to that label. They know how the band works and have helped get everything back on track for us.

AL: Have there been any talks of touring?
OB: There have been of course talks. (Laughs) First and for most we like to create music. The big issue for us right now is that we don’t want to tour that much. We all have things outside the band and some of us have small babies at home. We will try to do something as I would love to go back to some places in Europe.

Morgan Steinmeyer Hakansson is the guitarist/ founding member of the legendary black metal group Marduk. The band is set to release it’s 12^th studio album titled “Serpent Sermon” in early June of this year. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Morgan about the bands history and what we can expect from the group’s latest offering.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us a brief history of the band?
Morgan Steinmeyer Hakansson: It can be tough to sum up a 22 year career. We started in 1990 wanting to push the limits of what was being done at that time. We have our 12^th studio album coming out this month to add to the other albums and DVD’s we have put out. We have been spreading our message across most parts of the world for quite some time now. We just keep marching all over.

AL: Did you ever envision a 20+ year career with the band?
MSH: The same time we started the band we were expanding and getting more into what we were doing. Things around us were also expanding. We were pushing the limits of what had been done previously and while doing so we realized there were no limits. We just kept going with making our visions come to life. Over time we started to see things in a broader way. That kept us going.

AL: Other than the bands lineup changes. Have you noticed any other changes in the band?
MSH: Not really. Music has always been written in a variety of different ways. Nothing comes to you the same way as another. Sometimes we can base a whole album of a single title. We go where things take us.

AL: How would you describe the band’s new album “Serpent Sermon”?
MSH: I think it is a very good reflection of the band in 2012. This album has everything an extreme heavy metal album should have. The last few albums we have done have been very focused around the themes of death and decay. This album is a return to the diabolical decent of what black metal really is about. This album is I think maybe more focused on that than the previous 2 release. I think the title really speaks for the whole album. We really had a vision behind this album and want people to know the meaning of the album’s title.

AL: Are there video plans for any of the albums tracks?
MSH: We just finished a shoot for the track “Souls of Belial”. I think it will start airing the beginning of May. We have a few things left to finalize but I think this video is a good reflection of the spirit of the song.

AL: What are the exact release plans for the album?
MSH: I think it is coming out in Europe around the 29^th or 30^th of May and in the States during the first week of June. There is about a week difference between the release dates across the world.

AL: What are the tour plans for the album?
MSH: We are still on the process of finalizing everything. There will be a lot of dates being announced shortly. The plan is to start around May 11^th. The tour is going to take us to places like Russia and Siberia. From there we will hit Puerto Rico, the United States and Canada before returning to Europe at the end of June. We have some festival dates in the works as well as a headlining European tour. The headlining tour will be around 40 dates. It’s going to be intense!

Joey La Rocca is a solo artist as well as the lead singer for the punk rock band The Briggs. After a 2 year hiatus The Briggs have released a new single titled “Panic!”. Media Mikes recently spoke with Joey about the song and the bands plans for the future.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the bands newest song “Panic!”?
Joey LaRocca: I feel right now I am inspired by music that has urgency to it. Lately I like the feeling of uneasiness in music. That I guess might be the way I feel a lot of the time. This was sort of the inspiration behind the song.  The animosity and un-comfortableness is sort of what makes me feel alive and shows me that I am alive. I embrace that feeling of anguish and pain at times.

AL: Can you tell us about the video plans for the song?
JB: The video was really fun. Our buddy Beau Coulon who directed the video is brilliant. He had a concept for the video that has somewhat of a narrative that follows the story line of the song but at the same time it has a lot of energetic shots of the band. We spent a day on a sound stage just banging out the song 20,000 times. I think those shot are probably some of my favorite parts. I feel they really embrace the energy of the song and give it its fury. The narrative is fun also because it gives people something else to look at other than the band. (Laughs)

AL: Now that the band is back after a couple year hiatus what has been the biggest change in the industry you have noticed since your return?
JB: As a band we hadn’t been doing much however a few of us have still been involved in theindustry. I have been working on a solo project under the name Joey Briggs and have also done some touring. I have seen a lot of interesting changes. When we were first got out of doing the Briggs for awhile I was very bitter about how things were. I don’t necessarily feel that way anymore though. I see that there is an amazing breed of bands and fans that are creating a real scene again. It maybe sounds cliché but I have seen all these bands that are doing house and basement shows. In some degree that never went away but there just weren’t the people to support it. I feel now there is a good amount of people embracing the whole world of DIY. There are a lot of cool bands and houses involved in this movement. We haven’t done something like this in a long time. The scene has come back around and people have decided not to pay the high prices a lot of venues charge. There are other options to get people out and interested in what you are doing.

AL: Has there been any talks of a full-length Briggs release?

JB: I think the plan is to definitely do a full-length release. It’s something that sort of has to happen. We weren’t really 100% sure what was happening at the time we started. We were honestly just flying by the seat of our pants. We created a song and then put it out but now there is that expectation. People are going to hear the song and want to know where the rest of the album is. Its cool people want that so we will have to fill our obligations. It’s really fun to write a song but it not as fulfilling as a musician as when you have an entire album. I want 12 songs with 12 different stories and emotions. One song isn’t quite enough.

AL: What are your spring/summer tour plans?
JB: As far as summer goes I am completely booked doing Joey Briggs stuff. I will be doing a few dates on Warped Tour this summer. They are going to be doing an acoustic stage this year and I am really stoked to be a part of that. I then have a month long tour of Europe. When I come back from that I will be back on Warped Tour for a few more shows. The Briggs will be doing a return show at the House of Blues in Anaheim at the end of May to kind of say were back. Before the Briggs get fully back out there I would like to have a new album out. I don’t want to get the cart before the horse so to speak.

Chris Rene performed on season one of Simon Cowell’s television show “The X Factor”. Rene’s single “Young Homie” received almost 1 million hits within 10 days after its release via vevo.com. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Chris about the show and the success of the single.

Adam Lawton: What made you want to try out for the “The X Factor”?
Chris Rene: After people heard me sing they often would ask why my music was not on the radio. I got asked all sorts of questions. A lot of questions would be about going on “American Idol”. I didn’t think that show was for me. Last year I finally decided to give it a shot as I had nothing really to lose.

AL: What was the audition process like?
CR: I got to Los Angeles at 4am on the day of the audition and then waited in line for between 10 and 12 hours. I sang in front of one judge and got through. I then had to
three more judges after which they said they would call me in a few months. When they finally called me with a yes is when I got to go to Seattle. The process is much bigger than is shown sing in front of on television.

AL: What were your first thoughts when you got to Seattle?
CR: I was really excited to have the opportunity. When I got on the stage I knew this was a onetime chance that I needed to give my all.

AL: What has been your take on the success of the video “Young Homie”?
CR: It is just motivation for me to do better and get more and more fans. It makes me want to continue to do what I love.

AL: What made you choose this song to release first?
CR: I have been doing music since I was twelve. By the time I was fifteen my band and I had put out 5 CD’s. In 2009 I put out my first solo CD. I have been writing songs for a long time and “Young Homie” is a song that I think is universal. A lot of people can connect with it. The song is about overcoming struggle.

AL: What has been your favorite part of your success so far?
CR: I have enjoyed going to the different radio stations and meeting people. It’s been great seeing different cities. Recording has probably been the best part.

AL: What are your upcoming plans?
CR: We are going to be doing an EP release and then I have some shows scheduled for the summertime. We also are looking at doing a full tour. I also have something clothing that will be coming out soon and, I am looking to do a cameo in an upcoming film as well.

What makes a hard working union man in Pennsylvania suddenly decide to chuck everything aside and head to Texas? That’s one of the things I made sure I asked Rick Hornyak when we spoke. A singer/songwriter with a great gift for lyrics, Hornyak is currently embarking on one of several short tours planned for 2012 in support of his new CD, “Marigold.” I recently talked to Rick about his music, his passions and, of course, why Texas?

Mike Smith: How long had you been writing songs before you decided to pursue music as a career?
Rick Hornyak: I guess I started writing songs when I was about 19. I used to work in a steel mill and that kept me pretty busy so there weren’t a lot of songs from age 20 to 27, when I finally had a dozen or so that I was kicking around. When I was 27 I moved to Austin (Texas) and I’ve written a lot more since. So probably when I was around 19 or 20 years old was when I started coming up with original songs.

MS: How was it adjusting from quiet, sleepy Pennsylvania to wild and crazy Austin?
RH: I have to tell you it was really terrifying for the first six months. I really am from one of those middle-of-nowhere, one traffic light towns in Pennsylvania. I was afraid of the city. My parents had lived in Pennsylvania as did their parents and we grew up thinking that the city was dangerous. I was always afraid I would end up in the bad part of town or that something was going to happen to me. But as soon as I learned the names of a few main roads I discovered I could get where I needed to go. I’d have to say it was terrifying, but exciting, at the same time.

MS: “Marigold” is your first full length CD. Is there a deliberate tone to the album? You have a nice collection of ballads mixed in with some up-tempo tunes.
RH: We actually sent around a pre-release survey to friends and family and people we already knew who were familiar with the band. We sent them mixes of the songs and tried to get an idea of the order to put the songs in…what were their strong points. We went through about 30 of those. I’m so happy that people took the time to fill them out. To listen to the songs and fill them out. The song “See This Through” was a very popular one. Another song that people were really leaning towards is “Right in Front of Me.” As for any kind of theme, I’ve recently just discovered that I was reaching a kind of inner peace when I was writing. I fell in love again after ten years of sort of being single and a little bit bitter. My life was starting to get a little more stable. I wanted to start taking care of my body more…to be a little less self destructive. So that’s really the kind of general tone…it captures a time of my life when I did a lot of reflecting.

MS: I’m glad you mentioned “See This Through.” It’s one of the songs that I really took notice of on the CD. I’m a fan of great lyrics and that song definitely fits the bill. Were there any musicians that influenced you when you were growing up…made you say “Wow, this is what I want to be!”
RH: I have a really diverse music sense because I listened to everything growing up. When I was a kid I listened to 50s and 60s pop records that my parents had. I’ve loved music, as I’m sure you have, probably since I was 5 years old. It made me want to dance around the living room. I grew up listening to Tommy James and the Shondells…the Supremes…the Beatles. Those were my parent’s records. I don’t know how much of his actual style I picked up, but Bob Dylan, when I was in my early 20s, he showed me the power of what a songwriter could be. The way that somebody else’s words can make you think that song was written just for you. I’ve had people tell me that about a couple of my songs and it’s so flattering. The song we were just talking about…”See This Through”…a friend of mine was inspired by the song to put her bar up for sale and move to Hawaii. She gathered enough money for a couple of months, got an apartment and got a bartender job. She let her employees run the bar until it sold. I kind of got off the question (laughs)…I’d definitely have to say Bob Dylan was a real influence.

MS: You’re on the first leg of several short tours this summer. Do you have any plans to record again soon?
RH: I’ve got some songs in the works. All of the new candidates are here. A few that are done and about a dozen or so in the refining process. That’s something that’s tough to do when you’re on the road and touring. You’ve got so many things to do that you often lack that three hours you need to go in and try to write every day. But that’s what I’m doing in my free time. I’m trying to make sure that I’ve got a lot of new material ready. I feel I need to push myself. I want to top my next record in my own head. That’s how I felt with “Marigold.” I felt I had taken a big step. That I was getting better. I could hear it and that’s a great feeling for a song writer.

Rick concludes this leg of his 2012 tour with a stop Sunday night, May 13, at Ernie Biggs in Kansas City. For more tour information, or to order his new CD, go to www.rickhornyak.com

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John 5 has played guitar for many notable acts in variety of music genres. He is probably best known for his work with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. John 5 is set to release his 7^th solo album titled “God Told Me To” in early May. Media Mikes was very fortunate to be able to talk with John 5 recently about his work on the new album as well as his work on the new Rob Zombie film “Lords of Salem”.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the new solo album “God Told Me To”?
John 5: What I wanted to do with this album was to make something a little different from my previous releases. I wanted to do a half electric and half acoustic album. I was really into doing some cool Spanish style acoustic songs. I also wanted to incorporate some rhythmic styles played on the body of the guitar. The idea was do something more than just your standard strumming techniques. I was really into that style of playing on the album. The other cool thing about this album is that it is going to come with a DVD as well. The DVD will have clips of me in the studio recording the songs as well as some footage from being on the road. It even will have its own horror host hosting the DVD. It’s really a cool CD/DVD package which is something I personally love. I am very excited for the album’s release.

AL: Are there any guest performers on the album?
J5: No. I did a lot of this while I was on the road or writing with other people. I didn’t really have a chance to do anything like that. I did everything on my own when I had some free time. Maybe for the next album I will do a bunch of guest appearance type things.

AL: Do you plan to make a guitar tablature book to accompany the CD?
J5: I don’t think so. I did put out a book recently titled “The Book of John” which shows a bunch of my techniques. I don’t think we will be doing that for this album because there is a lot of transposing which is a lot of work. We will have to see.

AL: What can you tell us about your work on “Lords of Salem”?
J5: I did the musical scoring for the film. I love challenges and scoring is definitely a challenge. You are dealing with music that sometimes does not have a time signature or even a certain key. You are also dealing with a variety of instruments and musical styles. It was so much fun. I actually just finished it and it turned out great. I am very proud of it. I saw some of the movie and it is going to blow people away.

AL: Did you provide all of the instrumentation on the score?
J5: I and Griffin Boyce did everything. It was just me and him. I did a lot of the stuff on guitar using an Ebow or a violin bow. It’s really cool.

AL: Do you see yourself doing more scoring in the future?
J5: I don’t know. I worked so hard on the project but it’s kind of just background music. There is a lot of work for that. I love Rob’s movies and I was very honored to be a part of the project. If Rob does another movie of course I will do it. I don’t know if I will venture off.

AL: How is it working with Rob in a band setting compared to a directorial setting?
J5: We have a great time just hanging out with each other. However when its business its business. He gives me clear ideas of what he wants and as long as that’s what I deliver we have no problems. I have always listened to talk about how certain people don’t listen to what he is saying. I have made sure to always listen. A lot of times when he is explaining something I will record the conversation and I will tell him that I am doing so. By doing that I will have exactly what he said and I will go from there. This has worked out amazingly for us. A lot of times you can forget what somebody says during conversation so this has really helped.

AL: Can you tell us about this summer’s tour?
J5: We are going to be touring this summer with Megadeth. I am really excited about this because they are a band I love. It’s great being on tour. It’s like heavy metal summer camp. There is nothing better to me than touring in the warm weather in the United States. I love it!

AL: What will the bands lineup be for the tour?
J5: It will be me on guitar, Piggy D on bass and then Ginger Fish from Marilyn Manson on drums. Ginger has a really great groove. I played with him for sometime in Marilyn Manson as well and we are really happy to have him on board.

AL: Do you have any other plans in the works?
J5: I wrote some music for the next Lynyrd Skynyrd album as well as for the next Rod Stewart album. We also will be starting the recording of a new Rob Zombie record in June after the tour ends.

AL: This will be the second time you have worked with Lynyrd Skynyrd. How did that all come about?
J5: I did 6 songs on the bands last album. I did “Storm”, “Gifted Hands”, “Skynyrd Nation”, “Floyd” and a bunch of other tracks.  I got involved with the band through my publisher who asked if I would be interested in writing some tunes. I love Skynyrd more than anything else in the world!  I am very educated in the bands catalog so writing with them was an honor and a treat.

For more information on John 5 be sure to check out his website at www.john-5.com

Andy Milonakis is known best for his TV series “The Andy Milonakis Show” on MTV. Andy also loves rapping as seen in the movie “Waiting…”, which he co-stared and provided a single to the film. Andy has teamed up with MTV alumni’s Riff Riff and Dirt Nasty (aka Simon Rex) to form Three Loco. Andy took out some time to chat about this new group and their upcoming album.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get together with Riff Riff and Dirt Nasty?
Andy Milonakis: Dirt Nasty showed me Riff Raff on YouTube. Riff gave out his number on some funny video and Dirt called it. We both met up with Riff Raff, we stopped by the weed shop first to make sure he had a warm welcome. We met up with him and got fucked up and started recording videos. My favorite thing that riff raff did was off camera. We got burgers and I threw my lettuce on the ground, he got mad at me and was like “ahh man why did you waste that, I love lettuce”

MG: Who is the leader of the group?
AM: We don’t really have one, Dirt is good at organizing real life shit, like studio sessions and all that good stuff, he also is the only producer out of us 3… I’m the internet geek and I’ve been giving a lot of cool sample ideas to producers. Riff Raff is the funniest, I never thought I would play the straight man, but I feel like my rhymes are the most normal and least funny out of all of us. It kinda pisses me off but for some reason I’ve been writing less jokey shit lately.

MG: Are you jealous that you partners have all cool stage names?
AM: A little bit, I mean, a cool thing that goes along with rapping or being in a band is coming up with a cool name, and I just made it a choice to keep my own name, I thought it was cool. Also fuck those guys, I came up with the name Three Loco, so I have something to hold on to..

MG: What kind of fresh rhymes can we expect from this album?
AM: Super fresh, Riff Raff has been killing it with the hooks and we’ve been working with all kinds of dope producers. IDAP, Diplo, DJA, Rich Skillz, Sinden etc, sorry if I missed any, my brain is tired.

MG: Where they all freestyles or scripted songs?
AM: Mostly written, we did a few freestyle bits here and there, not sure what will make it on the album yet.

MG: How long did it take to complete and when is the second album coming out?
AM: Most of the work was done in 1 month. Not sure about the second album yet, damn, why are you rushing us [laughs].

MG: Is there going to be a remix album?
AM: We might, we’ll at least have people remix some of the songs, but possibly the whole album.

MG: How can we purchase this album when it drops? iTunes? Vinyl?
AM: iTunes definitely, we’ll probably print a few hard copy ancient shiny disc things and Vinyl would be cool just for the fuck of it.

MG: The band is all alumns from MTV, have you ever considered pitching reality show for Three Loco?
AM: Prob more interested in developing it as a sketch show more than reality

MG: Can we get you to record a song about MediaMikes.com?
AM: For about 10K we can make it happen. Thanks, and look out for our first video and live performance, should be both happening on Cinco De Mayo.

Tony Foresta is the lead singer for the thrash band Municipal Waste. The band just released their 5^th studio album titled “The Fatal Feast: Waste in Space”. Media Mikes caught up with Tony prior to the bands show in Syracuse, NY to talk about the new album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the band’s latest album?
Tony Foresta: We basically took a year and a half off and just started writing. We spent quite a bit of time prepping and getting everything from the layout to the art work all in order. It’s probably the hardest we have every worked on a record. We wrote around 20 songs however only 17 made the album. We wanted to write as much as we could and then go in the studio and pick our favorites. I think everything worked out really well and we have gotten some real positive feedback so far. We worked our butts off on this album.

AL: What is the writing process generally like for the band?
TF: It varies. Sometimes Ryan and Phil will come up with riffs and we will just knock around different ideas. A lot really just depends on the type of song. We usually will practice between tours and during that time write a couple songs here and there. What seems to happen most often is when we start getting tired of playing the same songs out on tour we then decide to start working on some new stuff. You start to have a feeling when it’s time to do a new record.

AL: Did you approach things differently with the new album since changing labels?
TF: I don’t think we did on purpose but, there definitely was more fresh air. Things had started to get stale with our previous label so we wanted to branch out and do something different. It has been kind of like dating a new girlfriend. The band really needed that to help us be more creative and have fun.

AL: Are you guys going to be doing any video shoots for any of the songs off the new album?
TF:  We just shot two prior to leaving for this tour. We knew we were going to be out on the road for awhile so we figured we better bust some out. We shot one video for “Repossession” and one for “Fatal Feast”.  We worked with Josh Speed who did our “Sadistic Magician” video. That video has been one of our more popular ones so we decided to go with Josh again.

AL: What are the bands plans for the summer and fall?
TF: We are going to do a full US tour which will last about a month. We plan on bringing out some cool bands with us on that one. After that wraps up we will be going to Europe and then Australia. We definitely will not be staying home for any length of time.

Norwood Fisher is the bassist and a founding member of the legendary punk/ska band Fishbone. Media Mikes got to talk with Norwood recently about the bands recent documentary “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” and their upcoming album.

Adam Lawton: What were your first thoughts when the idea of a documentary film was brought up?
Norwood Fisher: I thought it was a nice idea but I wanted to wait till we were done writing the story. I wanted to be closer to the finish line. The band at that time was in a bad place and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell that story from where I was sitting. I wanted to be able to see a curve/arc from where I was at.

AL: Was it hard working with the cameras around?
NF: Once we had agreed to do the film we knew that we would be fully exposing the inner workings of the band. Personally I am not so attached to looking good. We knew going in that we would have to let the film be what it was going to be. I did talk to the directors as they were sensitive to the fact that we might not want them to film certain things. My attitude was fuck it! Let it slide.

AL: Was it hard reflecting on some of the bands past?
NF: I had made friends for the most part with all of the dark corners of my past. When everything was happening I really faced it head on. I know it was hard at times for Angelo to talk about some of the things that had happened. For me I don’t hold any resentment. It took all of those hardships to get me to where I am now. My life isn’t always easy but, I like being me.

AL: Do you have any regrets towards anything shown in the film?
NF: For me I don’t have any regrets. I am looking at it as an honest story that I said yes to allowing it be captured and displayed. If I look like and asshole then that just might be who I am. (Laughs) If I could see it then I have the opportunity to do something about it or not. I think everything is good and the difficulties of the band were shown. When we started we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We may not have known how deep things were but, we did know we were the ones laying on the barbwire so that others could cross over. I think we all knew pretty early on how that was going to work.

AL: What can you tell us about the new Fishbone record?
NF: We have about 4 new songs but they are not quite completed. We started them back in September and Angelo finished the lyrics in January. We have a few more over dubs to work on and then we will be done. I am really happy with the songs that we have and the energy is very good. It’s different from what we did on the “Crazy Glue” EP but, it still has some of that same spirit. If you put these tracks along with the “Crazy Glue” EP it might read like an older full length Fishbone record. The tracks are groovy rocking.

AL: What is the bands approach to song writing like?
NF: Recently we have been thrust into the recording situation without a whole lot of thought. The last few records were basically what we thought we could do quickly. We were very fortunate that what we did do was cool. The next batch of songs we are going to do full pre-production. We will probably go in with 25-30 songs and pick out the best 10 or 15. As a band we try to jam and Angelo will try and find lyrics that marry best to the songs. The last album that Angelo and I actually sat down together and wrote was “Still Stuck in Your Throat”. There wasn’t a lot of pre-production on that because at the time we were basically putting together a new band. Sometimes Angelo will hear a piece of music and instantly have a lyric. Other times I will see a lyric and have the perfect piece of music for that. Then there are times where it’s like a cage match.(Laughs)

AL: Is there a chance we will see a reunion of the original line up?
NF: Right now it doesn’t seem so possible. However in the long run it’s not impossible. I personally have a lot of love and respect for those guys. I try my best to honor the legacy that we all laid down together but, we do have some difficulties.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects we can be watching for?
NF: Fishbone has a lot of work ahead of it. We have some international touring to cover as well as a good portion of the United States left to hit. If everything goes right we will probably be doing a couple more videos from the “Crazy Glue” release. We will be working from now until at least September on the new full length record. Personally I have a record in the can from my side project that I want to release at some point as well. I have been playing with a number of different people lately also and that’s been really great. However, right now Fishbone is my priority.

Lucas Vidal is the composer for the new horror/thriller “The Raven”.  Later this Fall, he is also composing the new action film “The Cold Light of Day”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Lucas about his new score and inspiration behind it.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you incorporated Edgar Allen Poe’s legacy into your score for “The Raven”?
Lucas Vidal: The first thing I did when I started was to do research into Allen Poe’s life and state of mind in the film.  The music that he was listening to at the time.  When I spoke to the director (James McTeigue), he wanted to make sure that the music was something contemporary, not a period sound. We ended up getting into a really cool stage of creativity.  In fact we ended up doing really cool sounds for Allen Poe’s main theme.  We used an distorted electric guitar, which then interacts with the orchestra.  It helps the rhythm of the film a lot.  Overall it was a combination of real orchestra and electronics, since they were looking for a modern score.

MG: Did you have a lot of creative freedom working with “The Raven”?
LV: Yes, I did.  I was very open for ideas and suggestions though.  (James) McTeigue he knows what he is talking about, I mean he did “V For Vendetta”.  I was lucky to be able to learn a lot from a guy like that.  I was very opened-minded and yes I definitely had a lot of freedom on this project.

MG: What was your most challenging aspect for this score?
LV: I think to find the sound. Since McTeigue wanted something different than I expected.  The specific themes in the music are a lot of different than the movie. Once we got that got that down, it was a lot easier to start working.

MG: You also worked on the score for “The Cold Light of Day”, which is coming out this Fall; how do you feel it compares?
LV: The genre falls more under action for this one. There were a lot of big hits and rhythm in the orchestra.  “The Raven” was much darker.  I had a lot of of fun with both films.  We recorded in London at Abbey Road and we used a huge orchestra for both.  I think the approach was different but similar in the sense that it helps whats happening on the screen.

MG: When composing a film, what genres do you enjoy working in most?
LV: Well, I have done a lot of horror, thriller and action.  I would love to do more dramas and animation.  I love animation and dramas, like a really good drama!  A lot of dramas are orchestra driven and that is what I enjoy the most.

MG: Tell us about what you have upcoming?
LV: I cannot tell you right now, but I have a really cool movie coming up.  We are signing in the next day or two.  It is going to be very very interesting.

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Taki Sassaris is the lead singer for the rock group Eve to Adam. The New York based group released the album “Banquet for a Starving Dog” in September of 2011. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Taki about the album and what it’s like playing in a band with a family member.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the bands most recent album?
Taki Sassaris: This album I think is our most mature as a group. The songs were written about experiences we all have endured as a band. I think there is a lot of reflection in the songs that are put on display. This album is a testament to the fact that we are one of the very few bands that are making our way through the modern rock world that have been together over a decade. We are very proud of this album.

AL: What is the band’s writing process like?
 TS: The process it’s self varies. It often will depend on who brings in what idea and where everyone is at during that time. Some songs come from the jam process and are shaped over time by everyone in the group. Other times I will start a song on my own and then bring it to the group to finish. Every song has its own identity depending on how it came about. A lot of the harder more up tempo songs come out of the rehearsal situation. I personally find that setting to be the most fun to create in. I am really able to realize the song in the moment while trying to decode what the message and the emotional content is. As a writer I find this to be the most adventurous and exciting. I think a bands best worth is when they are working together as a band to come up with the best material possible.

AL: Were there any different approaches taken in the studio for this album?
TS: During the actual recording process we concentrated more on getting full live takes. We wanted the takes to have the band playing together for a majority of the album. There were a couple tracks on the album that were recorded in just one take. One thing that has evaded us in previous recording efforts was capturing that live feel from the shows. We consciously made an effort to capture a live flow with this album. I think we did that and it is a more accurate representation of the band.

AL: Does being in a band with your brother ever makes things difficult?
TS: It’s a complete blessing probably 97% of the time. The 3% percent where things go array get pretty hairy. He and I know how to push each other’s buttons very well. We are either one another’s protector or destroyer. When him and I argue or fight it can get ugly quick. We try to step away from that but you never know when you wake up if that’s going to be one of the things you are going to have to work through. We have a very strong working relationship and we balance each other. We don’t have too many black eyes or scars to show for it.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands current tour with Creed?
TS: We are both represented by the Agency group. We have been out supporting the new album since July with various groups. We had a really good run opening for Hinder that got us put up for the Creed tour. We were lucky enough to get it and it’s been an honor. This tour is the largest situation we have ever been involved in. The level of show production and crowd volume has been amazing. Creed is a band that defined our genre for more than a decade. It’s been a great challenge to us getting to warm that crowd up every night and showing people that Eve to Adam deserves to be in the conversation. The run is very intense but its fun.

AL: What is next for the band?
TS: We will be touring all through the summer and have been booked for quite a few festivals. Some things haven’t been announced yet as it is still a little too early. Our label and management have estimated to us that the band will finish 2012 out on the road. Hopefully after that we will get right back in the studio and make another album. We have a lot of ideas that we are dying to work on. We are very busy and very happy.

Neal Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 2011 for his role as drummer in the Alice Cooper Group. Besides working with Alice Cooper, Neal has also played with The Plasmatics and, Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Neal recently about his career in the music business and his new solo album titled “Kill$mith Two”

Adam Lawton: What initial sparked your interest in becoming a solo artist?
Neal Smith: The original Alice Cooper band broke up in the 70’s. After that I played in a few different bands as well as doing an album with The Plasmatics and Buck Dharma. When I was working with Buck I co-wrote the song “Born to Rock” which got play on MTV. Through the 80’s I got interested in real estate and ended up getting my real estate license in the state of Connecticut. I kept writing over this time and worked on a couple projects. One of the projects was to play some shows in Texas with Mike Bruce and Glen Buxton from the Alice Cooper band. We brought in Richie Scarlett to play as well. Sadly 6 days after the project wrapped up Glen passed away. It was around this time that I decided to finish up a lot of things I had sitting on the back burner. In 1999 I released my first solo album. The album was originally recorded in 1975 and titled “Platinum God”. I got a great response to that album and afterwards put together a group with some friends called “Cinematic”. We were doing shows in New York City and while there I saw bands like Kings X, Pigface and Tapping the Vein. These bands were playing this really hard edge industrial metal. I liked the power of the material and wanted to come up with something that had the early rebellious image of Alice Cooper along with the macabre side. In 2008 we released the first Kill$mith album titled “Sexual Savior”. I was really inspired by all these newer bands that were beyond grunge. We just released “Kill$mith Two” a couple months ago.

AL: What do you think was the hardest part of transitioning from drummer to solo artist?
NS: I have always written. Even before the Alice Cooper Group I was a stand up singer in a band. I have always sung a little bit. I have always been very comfortable in any position even though drums are my forte. It was more of a new challenge. I jumped in over my head and learned everything I could. I had some great teachers and inspiration. Things weren’t difficult but there were some challenges. I think the biggest challenge though for me is coming up with songs that I like. I am the type of writer that writes when I am inspired. I can go for months or even years without being inspired to write a song. However when I am inspired the ideas come like a tsunami. The new album features 12 really solid songs. I don’t think there is any filler on this album. Alice Cooper and producer Bob Ezrin heard the demo for a song on the new album titled “Evil Voodoo Moon” and re-wrote it for Alice’s album “Welcome to my Nightmare 2”. The song is actually the first single off that album titled “I’ll Bite Your Face Off”.

AL: How would you describe/classify the “Kill$mith Two” album?
NS: I would say it’s definitely in the super hard rock/metal category. This album has more melodic choruses than the previous album. The new album may not be for everybody but it gave me the chance to experiment with some writing on my own and create the “Kill$mith” character. I wanted both “Kill$mith” albums to have a much darker and more macabre edge which is something I feel I was very successful at.

AL: What can you tell us about the new video you just put out?
NS: I wanted to pick a song off the album that was a musician’s song. There are a lot of great players on the album and one of those was Pete Hickey. He did an amazing solo on “Squeeze like a Python” and I wanted to feature a song that was one of the better songs that I really liked. I like to play for musicians and I think this song does that. The video is very sexy and hot. There is a fantasy element that is woven in between the verses of the song. We sort of took a classic approach to making the video. I think everyone did a great job. After having the video up for close to a week now we have received 3,000 hits. I have been amazed by the response.

AL: Can you tell us what the touring plans will be for the group?
NS: We will definitely be doing more videos. That right now is really our thrust to get the word out about the band. There has been some interest in the band going to Europe to play however nothing has been confirmed. As soon as dates start to be set up they will be posted on my website www.nealsmithrocks.com

Brendon Small is the creator of the popular Adult Swim series “Metalocalypse”. Brendon is also the guitarist/vocalist for the live version of the band Dethklok. Media Mikes recently had the chance to talk with Brendon about his upcoming solo album titled “Galaktikon”.

Check out our interview with Brendon Small about Season Four of “Metalocalypse”

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your new album?
Brendon Small: To start with people who want to hear the album before its release can go to my website www.brendonsmall.com and sample the entire album. It’s different than I guess what I am known for at this point. I tried to coin a phrase for this album and that is “High stakes intergalactic extreme rock”. That is what this record sounds like to me. This album is a long concept album that I wanted to have different 70’s space elements. I wanted modern metal and rock sound in there also. The sounds really range from bands like Queen and ELO to Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins. This is something I am doing on my own time outside of Dethklok to be able to explore more melody. No influence was unwelcome during this process. Anything I felt like doing I just went and did it. I didn’t care because I wanted the album to sound like I thought it should.

AL: Can you tell us about the actual concept for “Galaktikon”?
BS: I had finished the guitars and bass for what would be the last song on the record. The track basically only had the rhythm guitars and a temporary bass track. I was improvising some vocals over the top of those and at the time still had no idea what the album was going to be about. While I was singing I thought that the song sounded like and energetic final battle chase sequence. I used some lines about a guy going to save a girl. What I was really doing was thinking about a superhero on his way to save the girl but complaining about it. The end result was what if Superman and Lois Lane had a big, messy public divorce. She left Superman but still ended up getting into trouble all the time resulting in Superman still needing to save her. Even worse than that is what if she started dating Lex Luthor? She is going to have to rebound somehow. It’s an intergalactic divorce story. Each song takes on a part of the story and it progresses throughout the album. The story is kind of obliquely written and I wanted these songs to function almost like pop songs in a way. The songs do have a meaning underneath all of this stuff.

AL: Was the initial writing process different for this album as compared to when you are writing Dethklok material?
BS: These songs are a little bit more odyssey based. The songs take a lot of twists and turns. The first song on the record titled “Trident” has somewhat of a bridge and then it takes all these left and right turns. It is all kind of melodic and makes sense on its own logic. I did however experiment with a couple odyssey composed songs on the second Dethklok album. Generally for the stuff I do with Dethklok I will go into the studio with some drum parts and work with Gene Hoagland. We sort of cut and paste his ideas and my ideas together and then I will lengthen or shorten the guitar parts in order to fit the song. Digital recording really gives you an open session where you can just mess around constantly. It is like a gigantic sketch book that you are always changing and moving things. That’s how I work. I don’t have anything fully formed when I start out. I just have energy or a tempo. When it comes to melody or vocals it’s just me experimenting on top of stuff till they start to sound right. That’s how I do guitar lines as well.

AL: From start to finish how long did this album take to complete?
BS: This was a pretty long process. I think it took about 2 years. I had the recording done around April of last year but I wanted to pick the right time to release it. I thought now would be a good time as season 4 of “Metalocalypse” is set to come out as well. I think I will get more bang for my buck releasing the show and the album at the same time. The drums were actually record back in 2009 prior to starting the second Dethklok album. The contracts weren’t finalized yet to start that record but I had everything booked already.  I would have felt like a jerk bringing all those guys in and not having any work for them. I gathering up a bunch of riffs that were written back in 2005 that I knew wouldn’t work for Dethklok and told the guys they were now working for me not the show. We did the drums and they sat on a hard drive while I went on tour and finished season 3 of the show. Once I was finished with all that stuff I realized I had spent all this money on drums and that I needed to do something with them.

AL: Is there one track that stands out above the rest for you personally?
BS: I have no objectivity with this album. I will listen to the songs and think that I would like to fix certain parts or that I like another part. I think throughout the record you can hear me starting to sing a little better. (Laughs) By the last song I think my vocals have gotten stronger. I don’t necessarily have a favorite. I do have moments that I enjoy. Really anything with a guitar moment excites me. There’s a part in the song “Dangertits” where I think I have a really great guitar tone.

AL: Any tour plans for this album?
BS: I don’t have any tour plans right now. I am going to see how the album does. This record is totally independent. I financed this thing all myself. I talked to some labels but I knew I would probably get a better deal if I did things on my own. I am pretty much going to be selling it through my website. It’s not going to be a sound scan thing so people won’t know how many copies have been sold. I will probably put it on iTunes the day of the release but all the pre-order stuff is going through my website. Whether the album succeeds or fails I have learned a lot about being an entrepreneur.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming plans?
BS: I have some projects that I am working on where I would just end up being a producer on. I can’t really talk about those unless they get picked up. There are some things that I am really excited for. There is some stuff out there that I would also love to do. First things first is I have to get this record out and season 4 of “Metalocalypse”. There is going to be a whole bunch of cool announcements coming out related to the show. That stuff will probably keep me busy for awhile. I am a very lucky guy in that I have gotten to do what I want with the people at Adult Swim. They are great people and give me a lot of creative freedom.

Tyrone Wells is a singer/songwriter who has had music featured on television shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “One Tree Hill”. Tyrone recently released his 8^th studio album titled “Where We Meet”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Tyrone about his new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us an overview of the new album?
Tyrone Wells: “Where We Meet” is my first full length release since being on Universal Records. This is an independent release which allowed for a lot of freedom. I wasn’t forced to write something that the label thought was suitable for their purposes. It was more about what I felt like releasing. The whole thing was very freeing. I took about 2 years to make the album as I wanted the songs to be something I could stand behind. I initially wrote about 80 songs over the last two years to be considered for the album. I actually recorded 23 or 24. The songs that weren’t used for the album will most likely be released on and EP sometime this year. I have loved being indie again. It’s like coming back home as it is similar to what I was doing prior to signing with Universal.

AL: How did you go about narrowing down the 12 songs that appear on the album from the initial 80 you had written?
TW: I work real closely with my manager. When I write a song I will often do a simple vocal/guitar demo. I will then send it to him and a few other people I trust to have them weigh the song. If I really feel like fighting for a song I just stick to my guns and record the song. I do like having ears to bounce ideas off of because I could think a song is really great while others may not think the same. It’s good for me to have the process that I do.

AL: How do the new songs compare to some of your previous works?
TW: You kind of never know. You have to release it and see just how it does. I am a good finisher in that if I start something I make sure it’s completed. It’s good to be disciplined like that. It makes it a lot easier to critique when you are hearing something in its finished state. As far as a difference from my previous work I am not sure as the new songs are basically acoustic guitar and vocals. If they were fully produced I am unsure what type of life the songs would take on.

AL: What can you tell us about your YouTube channel?
TW: I actually have been a little bit slow to use YouTube. When I started doing music it wasn’t even around yet. We are really starting to see how important it is. It’s fun to be able to throw some stuff up on there. I recorded 4 or 5 of the songs live on the album and we have video of that on the channel. I think it’s a good tool to get your music out there.

AL: Are you planning on touring off of the new album?
TW: We have a big tour planned. We start at the South by South West festival in March. From there we are doing a 2 week long west coast run. After a week or so break we will be heading back out to tour the rest of the country. I think we are playing somewhere around 42 dates. We should be visiting just about every major market.

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Sean Danielsen is the lead vocalist/guitarist for the band Smile Empty Soul. The band has recently signed with eOne Records to release a new studio album titled “3’s”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Sean about the band and their new album.

Adam Lawton: What can we expect from the band’s new album?
Sean Danielsen: The album is called “3’s” and we are releasing it via eOne. The album will be available May 22^nd and it is definitely mine and the bands favorite record thus far. The album is more mature and a little more developed. The album is also a little heavier but still has a melody. It’s very musical and fun to play.

AL: Did the band take any different approaches to the writing/recording process?
SD: We pretty much took the same approach that we always do. The songs are different in a lot of ways as they are very guitar riff orientated and progressive. This wasn’t really on purpose or anything but it was more so about what was coming out right now. We recorded very similar to how we did our last album “Consciousness”. We worked with producer Eddie Wohl again as we feel he really gets the band and we have a great process with him.

AL: Will there be a video to go along with the albums single?
SD: We are gearing up to do a video for the first single possibly next month. The first single is called “Afterlife” and we have a really cool treatment that we want to get made. I think it’s going to be great if we can get it all done.

AL: How do you think the band has evolved since its start?
SD: We have all changed so much as both people and as a band. I would have to say that everything is different about us now. We are completely different from when we first started putting out albums back in 2003.

AL: What have you noticed as the biggest change in the industry since the band has been together?
SD: The industry has changed just as much as we have if not more. When we released our first record it was still the tail end of what I guess could be called the glory days. Napster had come out and killed some album sales but the economy was still ok and records were still selling at about half of what they had sold previously. Now everything has been turned completely on its head. It’s a lot more bare bones and low budget. There is a lot of do it yourself type things and social media going on. It’s a strange and always changing industry.

AL: What will be the tour plans for the album?
SD: We have a spring tour booked that stars in May and will go to about mid June. We have 38 dates booked into about 40 or so days. We will be doing a nationwide swoop basically. The Veer Union and a band called Iownya will be heading out with us. The tour is being presented by Jagermeister and it should be a lot of fun. There also have been talks of doing a late summer tour with Fuel. I think the summer is going to be really great.