Sully Erna is the lead singer for the band Godsmack. The band is currently touring as part of the Mass Chaos tour featuring Staind and Halestorm. Media Mikes had a chance to be a part of a teleconference with Sully to discuss the tour and the bands new live album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the current trend of multi-headlining band tour?
Sully Erna: Yeah. You know what? It’s really not that different than how it used to be back in the day. There was always at least two strong bands that went out and obviously a third or a fourth, even back in the ’80’s when it was Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe or whatever. I don’t think this is really that uncommon. I think that question is maybe more geared towards festivals where it takes seven, eight bands to fill up an amphitheater or whatever.

AL: What can fans expect from the live shows on this tour?
SE: Well, we’re not supporting, like, a new studio record, but we do have a live CD coming out. We are known to be a live band so it was nice to capture that finally and put together this CD. I think we just have the mentality of going out for something similar to a greatest hits tour. We’re just going to put together a really fun set. Obviously we’ll have the drum battle that Shannon and I do and we’re just going to try to put together the best and most energetic songs we can. This is actually kind of a vacation for us a in the sense there’s no real hard work behind prepping for a new record and all that stuff. This is kind of let loose and have fun with it tour.

AL: Is there a plan in regards to which band will be closing the show each night? And is there any possibility of onstage collaboration between any of the three bands?
SE: I feel like either band could close. All three bands are strong. The whole line-up is great. Any single one of these bands could go on first, second, or third; it wouldn’t matter. I mean, the whole package is really strong and I’m really excited about it. As far as collaborating, Mike and I  have spoken about it. We’re going to try to figure out a handful of songs that a bunch of us could jump up and just have some fun with a band of the night, which we’re all about. And so we don’t know what those are yet, but we’re definitely going to consider it and we’re going to try to put something together that just tops the night off and becomes fun for everybody.

AL: How do you prepare your voice prior to going on on tour?
SE: I do nothing. I swear to God. I’m not even saying that to be funny. I do nothing; I may sing along to the radio a little bit but then again I don’t really qualify myself as an amazing singer. I go up there and hack it up with everyone else. I do drink a lot of tequila before I go on stage, though. That’s not a lie. It bring out all the phlegm. The vocal warm-ups don’t work for me, so it’s either tequila or something and then it brings out all the crap that’s in the throat.

AL: I know you’re doing both solo shows and shows with Godsmack this spring. Has it been hard preparing stuff for both types of settings, because they are quite different from each other?
SE: It depends as I am doing three different things. The Avalon thing was a lot more complicated because it’s an eight-piece ensemble and I had musicians from all over the world. I have cello players from Bulgaria and one of my percussionists is from Ireland, and that’s a lot more complicated, a lot more work is involved, but I haven’t been doing that lately. If anything, I’m just doing some solo shows by myself, just to keep my voice warm and it’s one of those things that I enjoy doing as well. But there’s no competition with Godsmack or anything like that, and I enjoy doing both. So, it’s really not that complicated to just go out and play a few side shows here and there, just to stay in tune. I’m really preparing for this tour. I mean, I’m looking forward to getting together with the guys and just firing up this show, because we haven’t really done anything in a little bit.

AL: Could you tell us a little bit more about the new Godsmack live album?
SE: It’s a live record from Detroit, Rock City. We thought it was just kind of a very exceptional show for us. We had a really good show. We were recording a lot on that tour. We actually recorded the whole tour. We were going to do a compilation, like this song was from Vegas, a song from Chicago, some from Dallas, but I don’t know, the more we looked in this Detroit show and the more we figured out that it was a really good show for us. It’s a special kind of fan base that they have there. They live up to their reputation. They’re a great rock audience so that’s where the record was recorded from.

AL: Your lyrics span a broad spectrum from a very deep and thought-provoking to a more direct and in your face. What type of prep do you do to take yourself from one level to another?
SE: I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about that. I guess it depends if I’m going from Godsmack to the solo stuff and it’s a completely different world, but within Godsmack genre, it’s all kind of the same. The band’s fairly aggressive, loud and raw so it’s pretty easy to stay there. I need to kind of separate the two for sure, because one’s very different from the other, but I need balance to both. I need to be one in order to be the other so I think the stuff I do as Sully Erna is the more serene kind of humble stuff and then Godsmack is obviously for Godsmack. There’s really no set preparation I do. It is what it is. I just can’t blend the two together. I couldn’t do a bunch of Godsmack songs and then switch right into solo stuff; it wouldn’t work. But I don’t, like, sit Indian style and float in the air, if that’s what you mean

AL: Can you give me an idea of what it’s like working with Shannon Larkin and what he brings to the band?
SE: I am probably Shannon’s biggest cheerleader. I have known since 1986/87. We met when we were both drumming in different bands and we did a bunch of shows together and probably he was the first and only guy since that made my jaw hit the floor when I watched him play. If you’ve seen Shannon, you know what I mean. He’s the most animated – he’s just amazing. Like, to me, he’s probably the best showman drummer I’ve ever seen. He’s got a great energy about him. He’s a really super great guy. He’s got a great heart and he’s real considerate. On stage he’s a monster; he’s so not what he is offstage. He’s been one of my idols and I’m really proud and grateful to have him in this band. He was my first choice and he wasn’t available when I first reached out to him when I started the band. Years later when we decided to let go of our drummer, I reached out to him just one more time. He had just happened to leave his band and he was going to give it up. He was pretty much hanging it all up. Shannon’s a great guy, man. He’s a great drummer and, I don’t know, I can’t say enough about him.

AL: Are you working on any new Godsmack material?
SE: We’re hoping for 2013. We just started listening to some ideas. It’s still very, very, early in that stage, so we’re not sure yet, but we are going to shoot for 2013 sometime.

AL: You guys have toured with so many great bands in the past is there any musician’s that you have still yet to meet but haven’t had the chance?
SE: Yeah, the guys from AC/DC I haven’t met yet. I think they would be fun. I met most of the people that I’ve been inspired by over the years and we’ve toured with most of them as well, but AC/DC is one of the bands I haven’t met; Brian Johnson or Angus Young. I think that would be great to meet them. They are one of the last bands that I would want to actually tour with, but I’m afraid of them. They’re too bad. I hear the guitar tech gets a bigger applause when he bring Angus’ guitar out and puts it on the stand than the opening acts do. It’s true!

Doug Gray is the Founder and Lead Singer of The Marshall Tucker Band.  He has been with the band for 40 years now and shows no sign of slowing down.  He recently released a solo album of lost recordings called “Soul Of The South”.  The Marshall Band will be appearing in Orlando, FL at the Orlando Jai-Alai Fronton on Friday April 13th, click here for more info on that show. Doug took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the new album, touring and what else the band has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your new album “Soul Of The South”?
Doug Gray: This was a record that never had a name and was never going to be released. I started recording it within a year after Tommy (Caldwell) had gotten killed, our bass player, so around 1981. I wanted to go to Nashville and pick some songs out.  I had wanted to do something more rhythm and blues, since I grew up singing rhythm and blues.  I found a Michael Bolton song that he had written but never release, as well as a bunch of different songs. I thought it would be fun to do if not to keep my mind off things. I ended up with the Memphis Horns on there and a lot of other players from Nashville and also other rock ‘n roll bands.  Once we made a cassette of it…we never listened to it for about 28 years. After that time, one of the partners for the record label got a copy of the cassette and said we should pull try and pull some of these tracks out and release them.  So we put it out and people really seem to like it. It was just another experiment and so far it’s paid off.

MG: What do you like most about touring today?
DG: You know what, people that left us after the first five years came back in 20 years and said “Man, you are as good as you ever were”.  20 years later, you get parents that come with their kids.  Now I am even seeing pregnant women and I know there is going to be another generation of fans.  I think that is cool as can be.  The music is good and that is what it is. We just love going out their and sharing it with our fans. As long as the fans come, we will still get up there on the stage.

MG: I know the fans have their favorites songs but what are yours to perform?
DG: Well I think “Take the Highway” is one of the first original rockers. You go back and listen to it today and it sounds better now than it did on the record. The good part is that we actually are playing it better.  We did it as good as we could back then but we updated it as time went along.  We play it faster.  It wears me out singing it and it is just intense. Just so fantastic and it only gets better and better.

MG: Do you feel that The Marshall Tucker Band as evolved from when you started?
DG: We had no choice.  A lot of the times, guys get older and they don’t want to be on the road. Toy (Caldwell) himself told me, before he passed, he said “I am glad you got it, your the one that will keep it going”.  We don’t sell anything compared to people that walk around with submarines on their head [laughs].  But we are continuously selling CDs and digital downloads. We have opportunity for the next five years to be with Sony Distribution.  They see it just like the public sees it.  Am I proud that I stuck with it and do I believe in all the people I brought in this thing? You better bet your butt I do!  Everyone plays and everyone is a part of it.  That is what is important!

MG: I am a big Lynyrd Skynyrd and Zac Brown Band fan, would love to see you guys tour together in the future.
DG: We do stuff with Skynyrd all the time.  As far as Zac Brown goes, we do have a gig coming up with them.  Somehow Marshall Tucker always seems to get incorporated in the mix.  As far as big group shows, I would love to go to Philadelphia at the JFK Stadium and have 120,000 people there with us.

MG: What can we expect from 2012?
DG: Oh man.  December the 21st, we will be waiting to be lifted up into the sky with this Mayan calender thing.  We will probably be on the tour bus and no better way to go if you gotta go.  We are going out there and got a lot of concerts and festivals upcoming.  I love doing the festivals, whether we are playing for 4,000 people or 200 people it doesn’t matter. As long people show up they are going to be treated to some of the best music they have heard in a week.

MG: Tell us about next year’s Rock Legends II cruise?
DG: It is going to be cool, man.  It is from January 10-15th, 2013. The most important thing is that Paul Rodgers is now on the roster, he is such an amazing singer.  The Foreigner guys are gonna be there. Hatchet is on there with us.  We are just so excited for this.  There is going be some amazing four-hour jams on this cruise.  I have already spoke Rodgers and plenty of other guys.  I don’t have to even ask Hatchet or .38 Special because they can’t keep their asses off the Marshall Tucker stage [laughs]. We just jam and it is going to be fantastic.

Mike Mushok is the guitarist for the band Staind. The band is currently part of the Mass Chaos Tour which includes Godsmack and Halestorm. Media Mikes had a chance to be a part of a teleconference with Mike to discuss the tour.

Adam Lawton: In the last couple of years there have been a lot of bands teaming up for multi band headlining tours. Is this a reality of the music business today? And are these larger scale tours something that needs be done in order to survive?
Mike Mushok: In my opinion it’s something we’ve always tried to do. I know we always try to put together the best package we can. I think in this economy it’s tough for people to have extra money to be able to go to a show. It’s kind of a luxury. The more bang for the buck you can give them, I think the more likely chance you have of getting people there and, hopefully, give them the most value for the dollars. That was really the idea for us and we had this record and we were looking to who we could play with. Godsmack was like, “That would be fantastic if those guys wanted to do it.” So, we went and put it together.

AL: How do you think the Staind of 2012 compare with the Staind of 1995 or 1999?
MM: We have a different drummer now so that’s one big difference. I think what we did with this record was to kind of come back to what Staind of ’99 was. That was really the idea behind it, to kind of get a little more aggressive. The reason we started the band was to play more aggressive music. We kind of went on this journey and I think the last record we lost the progress. I enjoy the journey. I love some of the songs on the last record, but I think after completing that we said, “Let’s kind of go back to why we started the band,” and that’s really what the idea was behind the album. Aaron also has a solo thing going on now, so that kind of ties up his time.  It makes it a little more difficult to get all the time we need for STAIND. So, those are really the big differences.

AL: How did drum tech turned band member Sal Giancarelli end up being the new drummer for the band? and how have you seen him change both musically and personality since his promotion?
MM: Sal has been with the band since ’99 and previous to that he was in bands that we used to play with. We always knew he was a great drummer. Even during his career as a drum tech he had other bands that he tried to pursue a career in music with. Being able to be a drum tech was a way of getting out there and kind of getting some of his stuff out there. There were a couple shows where John was sick and Sal filled in. So this wasn’t the first time Sal played with us. Sal just seemed like the perfect fit to go from behind the drums to playing them. He knew all the material and we knew he could more than handle it. Personality-wise he’s the same guy. We had these web-isodes on our website where we made him seem like this big egotistical guy and wanted to name the band after him, it was all a joke. Sal’s the most quiet, down-to-earth guy you’ll ever meet, and he hasn’t changed one bit. Sometimes when you introduce someone else, it’s a whole other personality. We knew his personality. He’s been on the road with us for 12-13 years so he was already part of the family.

AL: Besides the new drummer did anything change on the last album? And are the same problems that were there before this hiatus still there?
MM: No. We made the record basically the same way we always make a record. I’ll come in with a bunch of ideas. We get together and figure out what Aaron likes and wants to sing over, and then pretty much finish them and start tracking. Making the record was pretty tough. I mean, losing John along the way wasn’t easy. We had a deadline to meet for the label. Aaron put up the solo record. As far as problems go, I mean, I don’t know. You play with somebody and you’re around somebody so much there’s always issues. Did they go away? I mean, look, we just deal with them. We’re all adults. We’ve been able to maintain this for a long time and I think that you have to pick your battles. I think between Johnny, Aaron, and I we can say pretty much what we want to each other and realize that the band is what’s important. And that’s why people ask me when we’re doing a record. They thought we were going to break up. No, we knew we had to finish the record and that’s what we wanted to do, but you kind of work through all of those things. It takes people making compromises and being able to admit sometimes when you’re wrong and being able to give in.

AL: “Not Again,” was released last summer. Do you have any plans to release additional singles and any videos from the new album?
MM: No, that’s it. We’re calling it quits. Yeah, there’s a single, “Eyes Wide Open,” is out now, and we’re trying to figure out what’s going to be next. There’s a live video that we did with “Eyes Wide Open” also. So, yeah, we’re on single number two now and I think its top ten or something.

AL: Was there any real thought process or purpose behind making this album self-titled?
MM: Yeah. We really wanted to kind of go back to where we started as far as a band, and I think that was kind of why we ultimately decided on having it self-titled. I mean, there was talk about it being called, “Seven,” because this is the seventh record and that’s what seven demons on the cover kind of represents is that. That’s kind of how we ended up incorporated that. But, no, it was really just about the fact that we kind of got back to playing with the music.

AL: Staind has been together for 15 years or more now. What would you say are the biggest reasons for the band lasting that long?
MM: I think all three of the bands on this tour know that if it wasn’t for the fans, we wouldn’t be here. They allow us to do this. Those are the ones that buy a ticket, come to the show, support the bands, and, I mean, that’s why we’re still around obviously. We do our best to write the best music we can. I know Lzzy and Sully do also and you try to put out the best product that you can and you hope that people like it and want to listen to it and be a part of it. So, we’ve been fortunate so far and, hopefully, we can continue.

Lzzy Hale is the singer of the rock group Halestorm. The bands has a new album out is currently on tour with Staind and Godsmack as part of the Mass Chaos Tour. Media Mikes had a chance to be a part of a teleconference with Lzzy to discuss the tour.

Adam Lawton: When did Halestorm realize they were different or differentiating from the local area bands? And was there ever a time that you wanted to walk away from music?
Lzzy Hale: As far as being discouraged or anything, I mean, this is a crazy business and there’s no real set way to do it. I think a lot of it is learning as you go and you learn a lot about yourself. I think there were a lot of moments that I thought, “Am I really this crazy to do this?” But I think in a lot of ways there’s a fine line between obsession and determination over the course of many years, it’s a little bit more towards the obsession. I think in a lot of those moments now , where I’m like, “Oh, my God, I can’t do it.” It’s just kind of making the decision to put one foot in front of the other. We celebrate the low times as well as the high times. My guys and I do, we have a song on the record called, “Here’s to us,” actually written about that. I mean, my guys and I literally celebrate the low times, like when you think, “Well, guys, we could go home right now. This could all be over tomorrow,” then you literally go and buy a cheap bottle of champagne and write the date on it and say, “I’m just glad we did it with each other.”  We can always go back and play bars and clubs. We would love to do that anyway. It’s never really going to stop. I just think that it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other and we’ve just always had that goal. As far as setting ourselves apart from the local band scene, I mean, we definitely stick out. I started when I was 13; my little brother was 10. I mean, throughout our early years it was always like there’s that  kid band with the chick and the tiny kid on drums, that has always, by the way, looked younger than he was! You can’t stick out more than that! We definitely knew that we were different, but we were very lucky, though. We had a lot of the local bands and a lot of the bands from around the Central Pennsylvania area and on the East Coast who’d give us a chance. We would open up for them and for local bands. We did a mini tour with a couple of them. I owe our first real leg up as a band to all of those bands. It take a village to break a band and to raise a band. I’m literally in awe at all the support we got from you guys. We were little tikes. We want to thank the entire scene there for that.

AL: Who are the influences that helped create the sound and presence you have?
LH: I’ve always been about 10 to 20 years behind when it comes to my interest in music, much to my little friend’s chagrins. So, when I was growing up, I listened to a lot of my parent’s music. It was a lot of 70s and 80s hard rock. Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, anything with  a color basically. Ha! Black Sabbath. I had a very crazy family.  It was very Partridge Family meets Spinal Tap. We always say – when my brother and I started the band, our parents were like, “Sure, absolutely.” So, obviously they are out of their minds. But that really was what influenced me at an early age and also the reason that I kind of dropped piano for a while and started guitar, because you had to kind of say to yourself, “Well, do you want to be Elton John? Or do you want to be Black Sabbath?” The great thing about a lot of those old records, though, is that even now you can still go back to them and learn something new and still be inspired. Those records are definitely responsible for how I identify with HEAVY music. When I was a teen the Spice Girls were what all of my friends wanted to be. I was listening to Alice Cooper. I feel it was the wiser choice.

AL: You started performing when you were about 13. How does the Lzzy of today compare to back when you started? What’s been the biggest change as a musician and what has stayed the same?
LH: I am definitely more confident now than I was at 13. We started out playing anywhere and everywhere. After we started making a name for ourselves you could see that it became my identity and it’s just something that I couldn’t live without. So confidence is a factor from before I was a band member to now, but, some things are different and some things stay the same. In the beginning, you’re in a rock band and you’re having fun because you are just getting a little bit of a taste of it. You don’t care what’s going to happen. We play one club and then that leads to  another club ,that leads to a tour. Now, I still have that fire, but it’s also balanced with a lot of politics and a lot of business sense. In a way it’s just growing, there’s more things I’ve got to think about now like maybe I should sleep a little bit, because I’m got some big gigs coming up. You don’t really have to worry about as a kid. I look back fondly at the early years and I’m lucky to still have that spark and that I love it as much as I ever did. I’m very lucky to have turned something I love into my career. I get to go up on stage rock out with my best friends and with my little brother. I have the best job in the world!

AL: After the success of the bands first CD, what aspects of the new release are you most excited about?
LH: Everything. I’m so proud of this record. I mean, when we made our first record, it’s our first record so we weren’t really sure what we were doing and we weren’t sure who would grab on to it  and who we were actually going to be singing to. So, with this record, we had just a better concept of our fans and a lot of what we did was inspired by them and the feeling that we got during our live shows. Also, the music is bridging the gap between what we do live and what we can do in the studio. This was lost on our last record, so for the people that are geeks about this stuff, we recorded drums to 2″ tape and we hashed out most of the stuff, just the four of us sitting in a room as a band. So, it’s a nice step up from the last record! There more energy and also more intimacy. You’re going to be hearing and tasting a lot of different sides of Halestorm on this record. I’m excited about what people are going to think.

AL: How did “Love Bites” set the tone for the new record? And what was the thought process behind putting out the digital EP in advance of the album?
LH: Yes that was the first song that we wrote and the first song that we recorded for the new record. That particular song was directly inspired by the cover “Slave to The Grind” by Skid Row that we put out a couple months ago. When we recorded it we discovered that, wow, we can actually do a song at this tempo. We should write one like this. We ended recruiting “Love Bites (So Do I). You have to realize that we literally got off tour, had 24 hours to pack, and then got on a plane to L.A., and were in the studio the next day recording this song. We got to record drums for it at Sunset Sound in the Van Halen room! It sounds amazing, It definitely set the tone for the record because we were barely off tour, the amps were still ringing in our ears. There’s a lot of energy that we captured while we were still kind of in that tour mode. Really that one and then the first eight songs that we recorded to be considered for the record were very aggressive and probably the most aggressive that we’ve ever done. They’re very riff heavy and I’m screaming my head off, It’s funny because what happened halfway through was I ended up writing some of the most intimate and personal songs that I’ve ever written, and I was like, “Wow! What a turn.
The finished product ended up being this record that has a very strange duality  to it and showing literally all sides of myself. “Loves Bites” gave us the road map for keeping that sort of live, human element throughout this record.

AL: Are any of the songs on the new record leftover from the last studio album sessions? Or that have been around longer?
LH: It’s kind of all of the above. They aren’t necessarily the same songs from what was considered for last record. Basically that entire time is the cut off and we started anew. However, there were a lot of riffs and small parts that were written around that time that we incorporated into some of the new songs.  “Love Bites” was a song we played on our last tour and that was us kind of testing it out to see how a song like that would go over live. We were listening to a lot of Lamb of God at that time and my guitar player, Joe, had this amazing riff and I kind of turned to him like, “Do you want to do something strange”? I wanted to kind of harness my inner James Hetfield for the bridge/breakdown, and ranted some crazy stuff over his riff. With “Love Bites (So Do I)” we’re trying to do something different that would stick out.

AL: Halestorm are known for having a really awesome support schedule and you have played with some of the biggest names in rock music. Do you guys ever get star struck with some of the people that you’re touring with?
LH: There definitely has been the occasion. I am a girl after all and being surrounded by such handsome men on nearly a daily basis, it’s a great position to be in! You learn so much from all these people and the fact that both STAIND and Godsmack, have had such huge careers and have such experience on the road, I think that to me I’m really looking forward to just watching, listening, and being completely put in my place, because it seems like every time I think, “Well, you know what? I’ve got this. I’m the boss.” And then you play a tour like this and you’re like, “Man, I’ve got to practice.” So, I am star struck. I am amazed every night at what there is to learn from these great bands. I’ve also had the amazing privilege to open for some of my classic idol such as Megadeth, Black Sabbath with Dio, Alice Cooper. They definitely leave me speechless. I’m going to be talking with Pat Benatar soon too. It’s like, “Man, what do I say to these people?”

AL: How did you prepare yourself vocally for this tour?
LH: You do have to prepare yourself for any tour. I mean, you’re going to be singing every night. You’re going to be talking to everybody. To me, it’s about common sense. We’re practicing as a band, then I’m making sure I’m not doing anything too stupid before we start the tour. I will do warm-ups and cool-downs and drink my water, and do a live show. It’s really quite simple on my end.

AL: Are you going to be performing any cover songs on this tour?
LH: Probably not. We might throw in one or two depending on the show, but considering the new album is dropping, we’re going to be playing most of our new stuff!

Brian Fair is the lead singer of the metal group Shadows Fall. The band has released 6 full length studios and is set to release their as yet titled 7^th album sometime in 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Brian about the upcoming album and the bands tour plans for this year.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the upcoming album?
Brian Fair: The band always tries to cover a good amount of ground with each record and we have a wide variety of influences. I feel this album is a further extension of us. We are getting more comfortable with putting all those influences into great songs. There are songs on the album that are on the real heavy side, some that are more classic metal and some that are full on thrash tunes. We try to cover a variety of styles without sounding schizophrenic.

AL: Do you guys have an album name and release date set?
BF: Everything is still being wrapped up. We have just started getting the mixes. Until everything is really mastered and finalized all of our release dates are just hopeful. Everything is best case scenario. (Laughs) It’s looking like by early May we should have the album out.

AL: Did you guys take any different approaches to the recording process this time around?
BF: Yes. It was a real different approach. We recorded with Adam D. of Killswitch Engage for the first time. That was a new experience in general bringing him in. Adam was involved from the demoing stages. He wasn’t helping us write or anything but he helped with the structuring and editing of the tracks. It was cool to have him involved and suggesting different twists and turns. With Adam on board we could step back and look at the songs as a whole. He was very easy to work with. Adam is like a comedian so it was really fun working with him even though we were there for hours at a time.

AL: How do you guys go about the writing process for your material?
BF: Usually Matt or Jon will have sort of a frame work of riffs that they are working on. They will put together a general song structure. From there we start jamming on it and add each of our own tweaks and suggestions. We will make a rough recording and then take it from there. Some songs fall together within the first few practices. Some take shape over the course of a month or so. The last song on the new record we wrote on the spot in the studio. That has never really happened before so it was kind of cool. Once there is a general idea for the song is when I start writing lyrics. I usually don’t get to that point until the music is about 80 percent there. Once I see where the songs going I can start to add lyrics.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming Australian tour?
 BF: It’s going to be sick! This will be our third time doing the Sound Waves festival. It’s always unbelievable. This year the line features bands like Slipknot, System of a Down and Hatebreed. It’s going to be like summer camp. We also will be doing some off dates while we are there with Machine Head and Chimaira. I can’t wait.

AL: Are you going to be playing any songs from the upcoming album during those shows?
BF: We have one new song that will be in the set. We have really only had time to rehearse that one new track. We were thinking about slipping in another one but we are only playing short festival sets. We don’t want to spend a lot of time playing songs people don’t know yet but, we do want there to be a preview of what’s to come.

AL: Are there any plans in the process for more shows in the states?
BF: Yes. When we get back we will have a lot of set up and promo type stuff for the new album going on. We then will be taking a break from shows until about mid-April when we have some shows booked in Mexico City with Anthrax. Right after that we will be starting our own tour. Everything will start to be announced in the coming weeks after things have been confirmed.

Cory Johnson is the guitarist for the Christian death metal band Impending Doom. Cory and the band are set to release their 4^th studio album titled “Baptized in Filth” on March 13^th. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Cory about the new release and his thoughts on the bands upcoming tour with Devildriver.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the new album?
Cory Johnson: We feel that this album is the best musical album we have ever done. The album is being released via Eone and we think that this album is really our best effort. We are anxiously waiting to get out on the road.

AL: What was the recording process like?
CJ: We spent about 6 months writing the album. It was probably our most stressful. We had a headlining tour over the past summer and we left for the road prior to completion of the writing phase. We ending up taking our demo rig out on the road which made things a lot harder than we thought it would be. Not only were we doing a headlining tour but we also had to find time to get away from everything and write the rest of the album. Every album is stressful but this one felt more out of control. As soon as we got in the studio with Andreas Magnusson he took everything and helped us tie it all together. Having an actual producer this time around helped a lot. We have never had that before. Prior to this record the engineer would just push record and we would take the best takes. Andreas was very involved in the musical process. We think that helped us put out a better musical product. Having Machine produce the albums vocals also helped out. He is phenomenal.

AL: Was there any specific inspiration behind the album?
CJ: The album is not a concept album. We do try and push some boundaries as we are a Christian band with Christian views. We try and step out of our comfort zone and push people to do the same thing with their faith. A lot of Christians see the title of the new album and think it sounds kind of evil. If you read our lyrics it will all make sense.

AL: Do you find it harder to write material having that Christian background/association?
CJ: We don’t want to step outside of faith but, whatever inspires us comes out. We then will take time to evaluate it and see if it’s what we really want to do. It’s not that much different than any normal band.

AL: Are there any songs off the new album you are really looking forward to playing live?
CJ: The song “Murderer”. We just finished a video for that song a few days ago and hope to have it out soon. That song will be available as a single also. We are definitely looking forward to playing that song live.

AL: What are the tour plans for the album?
CJ: This summer we have dates confirmed on the Warped Tour. Starting March 13^th we will be part of this year’s Metal Alliance tour. We will be playing with Devildriver, Job for a Cowboy and Dying Fetus.

AL: Do you find it hard blending in on tours where the other bands/fans don’t have Christian backgrounds?
CJ: We have never toured with an older set of bands before. All of our previous tours were with bands like White Chapel where everyone is around the same age. There has never been an issue when we have toured with bands that have different beliefs than us. I am interested to see how this upcoming tour will go. We have never toured with such extreme bands. I am confident that we will all be getting along back stage. I think the fans are going to really enjoy the show. We have such an extreme live show that I think everyone will have a good time. We don’t preach on stage or try to make people feel uncomfortable. I feel as long as we go up there and put on a good show people will enjoy it. Everyone can have a good time no matter what.

David Grimoire is one half of the writing duo behind Opera Diabolicus a concept album that combines elements of theater with progressive/heavy metal music.  Media Mikes had a chance to talk with David about the concept and the possibility of the album being turned into a live production.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some back ground on the project?
David Grimoire: The idea began about six years ago. I met lyricist Adrian de Crow at a stage performance of Umberto Eco’s book “The Name of the Rose”. By chance we ended up sitting next to each other and we started talking. We both had friends in common and through talking we seemed to have the same preference in music. We decided to meet up at a later time and discuss the possibility of working together.

AL: Was it hard to decide on a direction for the album?
DG: With my back ground in writing music I had a pretty good idea of where I wanted things to go. Prior to this I never really had the opportunity to go in that direction. When you are in a normal 5 piece band with one singer you are very limited. For this project we decided early on that we should not limit ourselves creatively. The music is something I always had in my head. With Adrian’s lyrics there was a story and we blended the two together. Everything was pretty well determined ahead of time.

AL: What do you feel was the hardest part of making the album?
DG: When to stop. (Laughs) This type of writing takes a lot of time and effort. There wasn’t one specific part that stuck out as being more difficult than another. Every part takes time to put together because you want to make it as good as possible.

AL: How did you go about selecting musicians for the album?
DG: I think that part was pretty easy. Depending on the material we knew which type of vocalists we wanted. We wanted Snowy Shaw. I think he is the best drummer in the world for this type of music. Snowy also has a lot of range vocally. Mats Leven has a very characteristic clean voice which I love. Niklas Isfeldt also provided vocals. We handpicked musicians who we thought could make the album happen.

AL: Is there a chance that we will see a stage performance of this material?
DG: Yes. We are in the planning stages right now. There is quite a bit of planning that goes into something of this size. There is going to be a lot of theater involved so we want to make it right. There are a lot of pieces in the puzzle.

AL: What other projects do you have currently in the works?
DG: Working on the stage production is one of the things. We shot a video about a month ago. That took some time but it is out now. We also have been planning for the next album. We have some material written however we don’t know when it will be released.

Norman Greenbaum is a singer/songwriter known for the classic rock staple “Spirit in the Sky”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Norman about the longevity of the song and his recent reemergence into the music scene.

Adam Lawton: What do you think keeps people listening to your song “Spirit in the Sky” some 40 years after its initial recording?
Norman Greenbaum: I truly believe it’s the beginning riff. That riff goes through you and stays with you. When you hear it you remember how much you liked the song when you originally heard it. The song hasn’t become tiresome like a lot of other older songs. Not to be too critical of myself but I think a lot of the older records sound a little empty and tinny. We recorded “Spirit in the Sky” on two inch tape with a machine that was bigger than your family. We used ancient microphones which I think had to do a lot with the sound of the song. Erik Jacobsen the producer did a wonderful job. I was there with a few little hints and the song really stands up. It still sends shivers down my spine and I wrote it. I also think that as people have gotten older the song has taken on more significance. I receive a lot of mail through my website where people are telling me about how they want the song played at their funeral no matter what! The song has also appeared in 48 different films. All of this amazes me and it just seems to be getting better.

AL: Are you still contacted when someone requests to use the song?
NG: Yes. Every place where it is used there is a network that has someone contact the publisher. In this particular case the same person who owns the rights to the song also owns the master recording as well.

AL: Can you tell us about the song appearing on the “Rock Band 2” video game?
NG: They approached us and I wouldn’t be surprised if a million other people hadn’t contacted them about including the song. They told us they were going to put the song out on the game and that thing has sold billions. I get a lot of good stories through my email and some of them are about how families are getting together and playing the song on “Rock Band”. The song has just taken on all these different lives and it really is so unexpected.

AL: Have you ever played the video game version of the song?
NG: I have not. I think I may have gone into a Sam’s Club once and tried the original version of the game that was on display. I tried to play along and just felt stupid because of all the kids watching. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about the recent updates to your website?
NG: I have had a website for around 13 years. It was slightly stale and had some ramblings here and there. I had it redone and it looks a lot more modern. The site is a lot easier to navigate now. We also updated the store where we sell all the merchandise and music. There is a lot more to see and do on the site now. You can also play the sort of infamous Norman Goat game. (Laughs) My cat Oliver who people seem to love just as much as me also has a ton of photos on there.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming live performance?
NG: I have been getting back into playing lately. For awhile my heart just wasn’t in to performing. Now seems to be the right time to try and do some things. We are having somewhat of a reunion.  The Stovall Sisters who performed the original background vocals on the record will be joining me for three songs. We are part of someone else’s show but it’s a starting point. We had a rehearsal with the girls and it was like time never passed. We had a few more wrinkles and such but we sounded good.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects or plans you can tell us about?
NG: This show is going to be a slight gauge to see how well things go over. People really want to hear “Spirit in the Sky” and other songs by me right now! Something has changed but I don’t know what. It seems that it’s a good time to be looking into things. I am taking things one step at a time. In the back of my mind I am going over how I can go about doing everything. This upcoming show is going to be one of the major steps.

Sven “Svencho” de Caluwe is the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Aborted. The Belgium based band is preparing to release its 7^th full length studio record titled “Global Flatine”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Sven about the upcoming release and the tour plans for the album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the bands upcoming release titled “Global Flatline”?
Sven De Caluwe: The album is scheduled to come out in a couple weeks. We recorded the album this past summer in Denmark between festivals. I think the album is the most strenuous and variant record the band has done thus far. We are pretty excited to get the album out there.

AL: Was it hard recording between playing various festivals?
SDC: We actually did the record prior to playing. We had about two weeks of practice prior to recording. The recording process took about three weeks and right after that we were out playing shows. We made sure that our record came first and that it was completed before we did any further shows.

AL: How do think this release compares to the bands first release from 1999 titled “The Purity of Perversion”?
SDC: Compared to our first album “Global Flatline” is way more professional. With having a budget we were able to take the album once it was all recorded to Denmark and have it mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen.

AL: What type of pre-production did the band do to prepare for the recording sessions?
SDC: We did pre-production for every song accept one. There were two other songs that we didn’t have enough time to complete.We may end up finishing those tracks and putting them out later this year. Everything was pretty standard with how we normally prepare to go into the studio.

AL: Were there any major changes from the demo versions of the songs to the recorded versions?
SDC: When we were demoing songs we used programmed drums. When you bring real drums into the picture they obviously make a big difference. The songs had a much better feel and we were a lot more creative. We added a few extra harmonies and guitar parts as we had some extra time to experiment with the songs. Other than that the main structure of the songs stayed fairly the same.

AL: Are there any songs from the new record that you and the rest of the band are looking forward to playing live?
SDC: We have already started playing the title track off the album “Global Flatline”. On the upcoming tour we are planning on playing “The Origin of Disease” as well as “Expurgation Euphoria”. It’s hard choosing songs as we like them all but, we just shot a video for “The Origin of Disease” and “Global Flatline” is the first single from the album. It’s an obvious choice to play songs that have already been released ahead of time so fans are familiar with them when they come see us live.

AL: What are the tour plans for the band this year?
SDC: We are going to be touring Brazil starting in a couple months. From there we go to Europe for a tour with Decapitated. We also have a bunch of other European festivals and headlining dates booked around that time as well. In April we plan to be touring the states. All the details on that should be released soon.

Russell Allen is best known for his work as the lead vocalist for the progressive metal group Symphony X. Russell is also the vocalist for the progressive metal super group Adrenaline Mob which along with Allen features Mike Orlando, John Moyer and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. The group is set to release their first full length album titled “Omerta” in late February. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Russell about the new album and the bands tour plans.

Adam Lawton: What was the idea behind putting this group together?
Russell Allen: I and Mike Orlando were working on some solo material I had while Symphony X was on break. We were kind of getting burned out on it and Orlando said he had some rock band type material lying around. He was helping me with my thing so I figured I would help him with his. I worked on a few tunes and we got immediate interest from a record company. They wanted to hear another song so we put together some more material and before we knew we had a record. Everything came together really fast. The music just happened. When it came time to put an actual band together I sent my friend Mike Portnoy the material and within 30 seconds he emailed back that he was in. The group really started with the 3 of us. I had already recorded all of the vocals and Portnoy came in and recorded his parts. From there we started looking for guys to put a touring group together.

AL: How does the material on the new album compare to what was on the previous EP?
RA: The stuff on the EP has more of a live/heavier feel. We didn’t put a lot of our melodic oriented material on that release as we saved it for the full length album. We also kept the singles off of that because we were waiting for a label to tell us what they wanted to do with those songs. When we did the EP the band was not even signed yet. The songs on the EP were where the band was at during that time. We needed some songs to go out on as we had a great opportunity to go on the road with Godsmack. “Omerta” is the full realization of the songs on the EP. Everything is mixed and produced the way they were meant to be.

AL: Did you take a different approach to this album as compared to your work with Symphony X?
RA: It’s a totally different approach. There was a way more organic and collaborative approach with myself and Orlando. We worked openly on everything. He and I really hit it off and we have great chemistry together. Symphony X is a different animal. The Symphony X arrangements are very intense. I generally will come in after a majority of the songs are laid out and try to make something out of it all. I always have been very lucky with Symphony X to be able to do that but it’s a challenge. It can be a very tedious process. The songs are very well crafted. Adrenaline Mob is an organic rock band that writes in the moment songs. Adrenalin Mob has been a much different experience.

AL: Is there a track off the album you are really looking forward to playing live?
RA: I am into the live feeling stuff. The song “Feelin’ Me” is one of my favorites.  That song is sort of like my soap box song. I get to jaw about how big brother is always fucking everyone over. That song seems to really get the audience going.

AL: What are the touring plans for the group?
RA: We are trying to put something together for the U.S. in the spring to support the album’s release. We currently do have some summer shows booked in Europe for late June. We obviously want to put together a solid late summer tour. We have also looked at trying to get on a U.S. festival tour. We really are still putting our schedule together and trying to find where we will best fit in.

John Moyer is the bassist for the platinum selling metal group Disturbed. John also is the bassist for the newly formed hard rock super group Adrenaline Mob. John took some time to talk with Media Mikes about joining the new group and his thoughts on the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you got asked to join Adrenaline Mob?
John Moyer: Disturbed are taking an extended hiatus and I really wanted to stay creative and keep playing. Word had gotten to Mike Portnoy that I was going to be possibly available. Mike gave me a call to talk about the project and he had also sent me a couple tracks. I thought they sounded great. I flew out to Philadelphia to jam with the band and I loved it.

AL: What were your first thoughts on the material when you were listening to it?
JM: I was very impressed with how much it was in line with my style of playing. I’m not a progressive rock player as my previous work with Disturbed and Union Underground is more of a rock/metal fusion. I grew up listening to bands like Metallica and Guns n’ Roses. You put those two bands together and that has always been my style. I didn’t know what the tracks were going to sound like but when I finally heard them they were right up my alley.

AL: How much were you involved with the actual recording of the “Omerta” album?
JM: I did absolutely nothing for the recording. (Laughs) The only people who played on the recording were Russell, Mike O. and Mike P. the bass lines I am playing are the ones there were laid down by Mike Orlando. It’s great though because he is a super talented musician’s with a great feel. Any time I learn someone else’s material I really learn a lot. It makes my own playing style grow. The thing that’s cool though is what Mike put down on the record is pretty in-line with what I would have done anyways. It has been fun learning the new material.

AL: Were you allowed to add any of your own style to the tracks since the initial recording?
JM: They haven’t told me anything. I had seen Mike Orlando a week or so prior to jamming and I took him aside to ask him about one of the bass riffs. He looked at me and told me to just play whatever I wanted. I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to playing. I think what you do in the studio matters. There is a reason a song is played a certain way. That’s something that I don’t want to take anything away from. I will surely end up playing it my own way a little bit as that’s something I can’t help but, I am going to do my best to preserve what they did.

AL: Have you noticed any similarities between this band and Disturbed?
JM: We are definitely in the same genre. The other guys in the band all come from bands that are a part of the progressive rock genre. That genre is a bit different than that of where bands like Disturbed and Godsmack come from. However Adrenaline Mob fits right in with Disturbed and the other bands in the rock/metal genre. What the other guys in the band bring to the table makes in quite a bit different than what Disturbed does. Those guys are bringing their own flavor to the rock/metal genre.

AL: What have you liked most about playing the group?
JM: There is a freshness that you get when a new group of individuals get together. You don’t know where things are going so everyone is feeling things out. Part of that process is exciting. I have always said “Life’s a journey not a destination”. I know that sounds cliché but its great. When I joined Disturbed they were a very established band but, I still was able to see the band grow over the 8 years I was there. I like being a part of something that you can build. We are at the ground floor of something new and fresh. Just being able to grow and build Adrenaline Mob is very exciting.

AL: Has there been any talks of when Disturbed will return from its hiatus?
JM: There haven’t been any talks or deadlines established for the groups return. Right now I am putting everything I have into Adrenaline Mob. I am hoping lightning will strike again and this band will be as big as our previous groups. I am very committed to this project.

Mike Portnoy is best known as one of the founding members and drummer of the progressive rock group Dream Theater. Portnoy’s latest project Adrenaline Mob which features members of Disturbed and Symphony X is set to release their first full length album on March 13^th. Media Mikes had a chance recently to talk with Mike about the group and the upcoming album.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get asked to be a part of Adrenaline Mob?
Mike Portnoy: I have known Russell Allen for many years. Our bands had toured together a couple times and we became very good friends. I have always admired his voice and I think his is one of the best in the business. He is someone that I have always wanted to work with. When my time with Avenged Sevenfold came to a close in 2010 Russell called me up to ask if I would be interested in checking out some material he had been working on with a guy by the name of Mike Orlando. At first I was sort of anticipating material along the lines of Symphony X and Dream Theater. Honestly I wasn’t interested in doing material like that as I wanted to go into some new musical places. I was pleasantly surprised when I hit play and heard the song “Undaunted”. It was exactly what I was looking for and I was instantly on board. It was the right band at the right time.

AL: Can you describe what the writing sessions were like?
MP: The writing happened before my involvement. Mike Orlando has this graveyard of songs and riffs that he has been just waiting for the right band to use them with. He had been working with Russell Allen probably a year or two before my involvement with the project. By the time they asked me to be involved I would say around 80% of the music had been written. I did some shaping and arranging but for the most part everything was there.

AL: How do you think you’re playing on this album differs from that on the Dream Theater and Avenged Sevenfold albums?
MP: I think this stuff is more in line with what I did with Avenged Sevenfold. This was the next natural step in the evolution of that kind of drumming in my life. With Avenged I was out on the Uproar Tour surrounded by bands like Disturbed, Hellyeah and Stone Sour. All these bands are very song oriented and they have a bounce to their grooves. I was very excited playing that kind of music. It’s fun and doesn’t require you to over think anything or play really technical parts. There is nothing wrong with doing that kind of playing but I was looking for a breather. This music definitely is the next step after my drumming on the “Nightmare” album. Having that bounce was the real priority to on “Omerta”. I still wanted it to have my personality and character which I think it does but, have it be restrained somewhat.

AL: Is there a track off the album you are really looking forward to playing live?
MP: At this point we have played everything live already. Every one of these songs comes alive on stage. They are all really energy driven. Songs like “Undaunted” and Psychosane” have a lot drive while the song “All on the Line” serves as a nice breather and a showcase for Russell’s melodic side. When we were playing with Godsmack that song got a great response every night. All the songs serve different purposes depending on what you are looking for.

AL: Where did the idea come from to cover a Duran Duran song?
MP: Mike Orlando and Russell presented that to me at the same time they were showing me all the other material. I had thought it was an original because I never heard the Duran Duran version before. I guess that said something for how well it adapted to the rest of the material. I don’t know which guy actually came up with the idea but it surely works with the rest of the material. Lzzy Hale’s vocals on that track are a whole other attraction. It’s amazing hearing her and Russell trading off together.

AL: What do you think will make this album stand out from others in the rock/metal genre?
MP: I think the thing with Adrenalin Mob is we are taking the song writing structure of bands like Disturbed and Godsmack while keeping with the shred factor. Mike Orlando is an incredible player along the lines of Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell. Add my prog background in and you get something very different. Honestly we aren’t trying to break any new ground with the style of this group. We want to write some great tunes with great riffs and melodies. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. We just wanted to make an album with great songs that are enjoyable to listen to.

Adrenaline Mob is a heavy metal supergroup which consists of singer Russell Allen from Symphony X, guitarist Mike Orlando, bassist John Moyer from Disturbed and drummer Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. The band only came together recently are are releasing their first full length studio album on March 13, 2012titled “Omertá”.

Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the entire band about their forming and also their first full length album “Omertá”. Let us know what you think and feel free to leave comments! Be sure to also check out our review of the album “Omertá” here.

Mike Orlando is the guitarist for the rock/metal super group Adrenaline Mob. The group is set to release their debut full length album titled “Omerta” on March 13. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Mike about the album and what it was like playing both bass and guitar on the album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what inspired you to put the band together?
Mike Orlando: I had been rolling with the vision and the songs for quite some time. This was even before I had met Russell Allen. Line ups don’t work out or people don’t live up to certain expectations so it’s been in the works for some time. I was working with Russell on writing his second solo album off and on for about 3 years. We are always both on the road so it’s been tuff to get the album done. I brought the tracks to Russell to check out one day and it was just magic. It was exactly what I was looking for.

AL: What was yours and Russell’s writing process like?
MO: I had brought Russell all of the pre-recorded material. Everything was tracked so Russell would either sing on the songs the way they were or we would make some changes to make the tunes work better.

AL: Was it hard balancing both guitar and bass playing duties during the recording process?
MO: No. I love playing bass. I actually have played bass on all of my solo albums. If it has strings I will play it. I never approach the bass like a guitarist. I use my fingers not a pick. It’s very much like John Entwistle who is one of my heroes. I try to look at the tracks like a bass player would as you can’t play bass the way you play a guitar. I think it comes off stiff when you don’t approach it differently. It’s great having John Moyer from Disturbed playing bass in the band now. I told him to do whatever he wanted and to make the songs his own. I gave him the guidelines and he has done a hell of a lot more from what I gave him.

AL: Can you tell us the idea behind covering the Duran Duran song “Come Undone”?
MO: That song has been one of my favorites since hearing it when it came out in 1991. I don’t walk around screaming “Hungry like a Wolf” or anything (Laughs) but “Come Undone” is like my favorite song from that band. When you look past the quirkiness that band is made up of some amazing players. I do try to look a little deeper than their song “Rio”. “Come Undone” I felt always had a haunting vide. The fact that we got Lzzy Hale from Halestorm to do a duet with Russell is amazing. Lzzy I think has one of the greatest voices in rock. I consider Lzzy to be the female Russ.

AL: Is there a track off the album that you really enjoy playing live?
MO: To quote Billy Joel “I don’t have a favorite they are all like my children”. The song “Feeling Me” seems to get a really great response live. I will never forget the first night we played that song when we were out with Godsmack. The song got such a hop. It was infectious. “Hit the Wall” is another one for me that is just very intense

AL: “Omerta” comes out March 13 and I am sure that’s going to keep you busy for some time but, have you guys started thinking about the next album yet?
MO: Oh yeah! I have plenty of material ready for second album. Throughout my life I have been an avid song writer. If I don’t release an album for 3 years it doesn’t mean that I wasn’t still writing and recording. Even when I was younger I would just write and write. I have so much material Mike Portnoy likes to call it my “graveyard” of songs. (Laughs)

Rob Clayton is the bass player for the British band The Dunwells. The band is set to release their debut album titled “Blind Sighted Faith” in February which will be followed by a U.S. tour. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Rob about the album and the bands upcoming return to the states.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the band’s new album?
Rob Clayton: The album comes out in the U.S. on February 14^th. We are all really excited for people to hear it. The album is full of feel good songs. The album’s first single “I Could Be King” is just a really great song and the whole album I think will make people happy. I think the album will give people the sense that they can do anything. That was something we were really going for.

AL: Can you tell us about the video for “I Could Be King”?
RC: There are actually two different videos for the song. One video is a montage and it really shows that no matter who you are or what you do you can achieve anything. That is the main message of the song. The other video was of us playing in Willie Nelson’s studio which is where we recorded the album. It’s nice because we are very proud of the album and the video shows where we recorded it.

AL: What are you most looking forward to with your first full U.S. tour?
RC: We are starting at the Folk Alliance Conference which is held in Memphis. This is actually the same place we played last year and was where we were discovered. We play there on February 23^rd so it’s really great that we can kick off our first tour there.

AL: I heard that you have quite an impressive DVD collection. If you could only chose one DVD to take on tour with you what would it be and why?
RC: (Laughs) I do like to collect DVD’s. My favorite movie of all time is “Jacob’s Ladder” with Tim Robbins. I think that is such a brilliant film. However if I had to pick one I think it would be “The Shawshank Redemption”. That film is such a feel good film.

AL: What other plans does the band have for this year?
RC: We come to the states on February 22^nd and the tour starts the 23^rd. From there we fly out to Los Angeles and pick up our tour bus. We then will be driving across the country towards New York and then on towards Texas for the South by South West Festival. After that we may go right on to another tour here in the states. We also will be doing a European tour as well. We plan on working hard and helping to get our music out there. We love playing as much as we can