Jonny Kaplan talks about new album “Sparkle and Shine” with the Lazy Stars

Jonny Kaplan is a singer/songwriter who together with his band the Lazy Stars have released a brand new full length album titled “Sparkle and Shine”. The group which has had their music featured on television series such as “House M.D.” and “Grimm” are releasing a new video in the coming weeks and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Jonny recently about his work on the video and his long time collaboration with Wallflower/Foo Fighter keyboardist Rami Jaffie

Adam Lawton: What was it that made you decide to start performing music?
Jonny Kaplan: I was a huge rock and roll fan when I was growing up so it was something was my fantasy. I grew up in Philadelphia listen to FM rock radio. I was all about bands like Kiss, Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones. My first concert ever was the Rolling Stones on the “Tattoo You” tour.

AL: What can you tell us about your new album “Sparkle and Shine”?
JK: This is my forth album and there has been a lot of time between this record and the last because everything has been pretty much independently. For this new one there was definitely some divine inspiration as a lot of things have happened the last few years. I was in a motorcycle accident along with a bunch of other stuff. Fortunately or unfortunately it’s sort of the bain of existence for songs writers as shitty things make great songs. When I was writing this batch of songs there was a certain amount of vindication as they are pretty deep. After putting out three records prior to this one and touring Europe for the last 7 or 8 years as there were opportunities to play there I decided to shift my focus back to home and get this album out properly an set the playing field for myself here in the States.

AL: How much of an effect did your motorcycle accident have on the creation of this record?
JK: As far as the songwriting goes I was pretty much hold up in a hospital bed for two weeks with 20 broken bones. I have healed up remarkably but at the time I was a mess. I had a lot of time to sit around and I was in a bit of a dark place because I couldn’t do anything. That sort of forced me to write these songs. I think because of the shock of what was happening and not knowing what the future would hold that sort of opened up the flood gates. When it comes to songwriting you can sit down and try and write a song but the good songs sort of write themselves.

AL: Where do you generally start when writing a song, Lyrics or music first?
JK: It all depends. Sometimes there might be a guitar riff that I have been playing with for awhile that turns in to something but for the most part it’s almost like you hear something in your head and that eventually spills out. Some of songs are written in three minutes. Those tend to be the best ones and are always my favorites. You just hear something in your head, you grab a guitar and figure out the chords and there it is. It’s something that I never force.

AL: How do you first get connected with Rami Jaffie?
JK: Years ago I had a country rock band called Hummingbird. We used to play with the Wallflowers all the time so he and I became friends. He and I are like brothers. Rami has played on all of my records and was someone that was very instrumental in getting me to start this new record. He gave me the shove I needed to get going again. Even though he is always busy with the Wallflowers and the Foo Fighters we are roommates so we still have a lot of time to work on songs.

AL: Can you tell us about the video you shot for “When You’re Down” and what made you choose that song?
JK: At the time we were working on a video for Darryl Hannah. A lot of people don’t recognize her as a singer because of her career in acting. While we were getting ready to start work on her video for she had listened to some of the new material I had been working on. The night before we were set to shoot Daryl’s video she called me and said that she wanted to shoot a video for me as well. We ended up out on this crazy horse with our faces painted and we made this video which will be out in the next month or so. The video is low budget and indie to the core but it really turned out great. As for how this song was chosen Daryl actually picked it. It was by accident that this all happened. She really liked that song and I think it is definitely one of the strongest off the album. The vibe was great and things just worked well.

AL: Are there any plans in the works for a tour to support the release?
JK: Well as we speak Rami Jaffie has just informed me that we will be playing South By South West this year. That is amazing! Essentially there has been just so much going on with getting the album released that we haven’t been able to focus on getting a tour rolling just yet. We do have some shows booked like we will be in New York for the CBGB Festival and from there I will be heading to Buenos Aries with Brad Smith from Blind Melon to play for the first time. Things will be starting to unfold here very soon. Myself and the band are chomping at the bit to be out there playing as that is something we want to be doing every night.

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Mountain’s Leslie West talks about new solo album “Still Climbing”

Leslie West the legendary front man for the band Mountain is back with a brand new solo album titled “Still Climbing”. The album features 11 tracks and is classic West through and through. The album also boasts an amazing line up of guest musicians ranging from Johnny Winter to Creed/Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti. Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Leslie recently about his work on the album and his career in the music business.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the new album?
Leslie West: I started on the album about a year ago in June. I took my time deciding which songs I wanted to do and who I wanted to play with me on them. I was able to just take my time which kept things from getting jumbled up and eliminated the idea of having a deadline. Things really worked out well.

AL: What was the band line up for this record?
LW: My bass player is Rev Jones; on drums we had my engineer/co-producer Mike Goldberg. Once the album was all recorded we sent it to Mike Frazier in Canada for the mixing. Mike has worked with everyone from AC/DC to Metallica. It was good sending the album to someone we knew could do a really good job mixing it. Mike was able to come in with a fresh set of ears as he wasn’t there during the initial recording process. There were also a bunch of guest musicians like Mark Tremonti, Jonny Lang and Dee Snider who came in and played on some tracks.

AL: When the guest musicians would come in did you have an idea what it was you wanted them to do or did you let them play what they wanted?
LW: With Jonny Lang I knew what I wanted and had the song down. Jonny was doing a show in New Jersey so we picked him up at the airport and brought him over to the studio. Johnny Winter who also is on the album was the same way. My co-producer recorded Johnny in Connecticut but when the track was all finished it sounded like we were right next to each other. Dee Snider came down to do his part for the song “Feeling Good” and we had a really great time.

AL: Are the songs that make up the album ones that you and your band worked on collectively?
LW: No. I wrote the original songs and the others I did all the arrangements. I ended up writing some song with the help of my wife despite my reluctance to have her involved. I would start writing songs on my iPad and then via iCloud things would be popping up that she had added. I asked her if I could use some of that stuff as I had some songs that didn’t have words and some words that didn’t have music. That’s basically how it went. I would go in the studio and we would just build the songs. I used my guitar layout and played to a click track. That could be why it took so long. The song “Fade In to You” is one I originally heard on the television show “Nashville”.  I really liked the song so we reworked it and gave it my sound. I think it turned out great.

AL: Having been in the music business since the 1960’s what do you feel has been the biggest change personally from when you started in the business to where you are now?
LW: I had two legs when I started. (Laughs) Digital was something that really changed things. When I started you had to make edits with a razor blade and some tape. Things would take forever but now you can just move things around very quickly. I think it’s just amazing. When we were recording to analog if you didn’t like an edit you would have to redo it by un-taping it and then re-taping it. You had to find a spot where there was no noise in order to make that edit.

AL: Some artists are very opposed to the idea of digital but you seem quite open to it. Is this true?
LW: I have been very accepting both with this new album and the previous one as well. With digital you have a lot more time to create the music. You can make changes very easily. As far as sounds go I use what comes directly out of the amps. We may have added a little reverb or whatever but for the most part what you hear is what you get. Mike did a great job of capturing the actual sounds coming from my amp.

AL: Has there been any talks of touring in support of the release?
LW: There are a few scheduled for November that we are currently working on. It will most likely be a run of select shows. The biggest thing is I haven’t been able to find a tour bus that is built to handle a wheel chair. It’s hard to believe but there really isn’t anything out there that will allow me to tour like I used to. For now we hit select venues. I can’t quite get used to prosthetics yet as I have been working with them at rehab. They strap the guitar on me and then have me stand to see how long I can balance. The most I have been able to stand for is 40 seconds. I don’t want to have to worry about falling down on stage so I sit now. That’s just the way it is. I am still able to play without that worry of falling.

AL: Other than the standing aspect has the loss of your leg changed the way in which you perform?
LW: Yes. I am no longer able to walk around obviously so when I find a spot that works for me on stage that’s where I stay for the rest of the performance. Having just the one foot also makes it a little more difficult to hit my floor pedals so we have some on a small table next to me and one or two on the floor. I don’t really use a lot live now as I have started using Blackstar amps which have a great tone straight out of the head.

AL: Can you tell us about your new website?
LW: We have the Mountain website still but they are currently working on one for my solo stuff. It will be located at www.Lesliewestofficial.com so people will want to be watching for that.

 

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Lightnin Malcolm talks about new solo album “Rough Out There”

Lightnin Malcolm is a Mississippi based blues musician who has performed with everyone from Big Jack Johnson, T Model Ford and Sam Carr to name just a few. Lightnin’s newest solo album “Rough Out There” which features the grandson of T Model Ford on drums was released recently and has been garnering a lot of attention from the blues world.  Media Mikes spoke with Lightnin recently about his writing style and what he likes most about the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on your latest album “Rough Out There”?
Lightnin Malcolm: The album features 14 new songs and is a little over an hour’s worth of music. The record  is primarily duo music with guitar and drums. It’s what we like to call stompin’ music and it’s for people who want to just get up and have a good time. The words are kind of serious so the music is a combination of things. There are parts that will make you think and parts that will take your mind off things and let you just enjoy and have a good time.

AL: How does this album differ from your previous work?
LM: I love all of my albums as they are like children to me so it’s hard to compare them or pick one over the other. I think this latest one has shown my growth as a musician especially my work as a song writer. I have T Model Ford’s grandson Stud playing drums on this album and he is just dynamite. There are horns on a few of the tracks as well as slide guitar which were done by Luther Dickinson. Luther is probably one of the best slide guitar players in the world. Even though we are normally just a two piece we have been adding a lot of things lately. The cores of our songs are based on the rhythm of the guitar and the drums. I think with each album I am getting better at getting my message across through my songs.

AL: What type of writing process do you use?
LM: It all really depends as I have written a lot of songs. A lot of times is just comes out of nowhere. There have been times where I have been out somewhere and had to ask to barrow some ones phone so that I could call my phone just to sing a line or hum a melody in to my voice mail. I don’t want to forget it because I may come up with 3 songs that I think are the best thing I have ever written. Then I come with 3 more songs. I am always out on the road as I get to live a unique life and see a lot of things. I think that plays a big part in how and what I write songs about.

AL: Were all the songs on the new album ones that were recently written or are they older songs that have been around for some time?
LM: Some of them are brand new and some of them have been kicking around for 10 or 15 years in my head. It’s real easy for me to write songs but when it comes down to picking what will be on the album is when it becomes difficult. There are just so many directions in which you can go. I have a new group of songs I have been working on recently that are very serious but I am not sure I want to put all of those on the same album because I don’t want it to be a downer or anything. I want every record to be a party record. No matter how serious a record might be I want the end result to be uplifting.

AL: How did you go about connecting with the players you have on the album?
LM: I have known these guys for a long time now. I play with The North Mississippi All-Stars and have met and become friends with guys through that. Stud our drummer I have known since he’s was 1 when I used to drum for his grandfather T model Ford. He was practically sitting in my lap while I was up there playing by the time he was 3 or 4. He knows what kind of sound I like and the drive I am looking for. Along with what I like he has created his own sound which is really great. Most of the people on this album are guys I go way back with and we are like family.

AL: Are there any songs off the new record that you really enjoy playing live?
LM: Man I like them all! “Reality Check” is a nice two piece song that is challenging to do live as it is just guitar and drums. There is nothing else going on in that song. That really shows off our two piece style. Over the years I have played some big shows just as a two piece so I learned how to pull off songs as a two piece even though they weren’t written that way and never thought they would be performed that way. Now I am not afraid to try anything as I have continued to develop my sound. “Reality Check” is a challenging one that people love and “My Life’s a Wreck” is one of my favorites as well. I love playing all of my material.

AL: Can you tell us about your current tour?
LM: We are currently in the middle of a 40 date tour. We have been down through Texas up to Colorado and over to Arkansas. Stud and I are always out on the road. When these dates wrap up I will be back out on the road doing double duty with the North Memphis All Stars. I will be opening those shows along with performing with the All-Stars. After that I have a few days off and then head overseas for about 4 weeks of shows there. I am constantly on tour through November.

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Richie Kotzen talks about new band The Winery Dogs and debut album

Richie Kotzen is a singer/guitarist who along with an impressive solo career has played with bands such as Poison and Mr. Big. Kotzens newest endeavor is the trio known as The Winery Dogs which along with Kotzen consists of Billy Sheehan on bass and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. Together the trio is set to release their debut album titled “The Winery Dogs” and Media Mikes had the chance recently to talk with Richie about the album and the group’s formation.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the formation of the Winery Dogs?
Richie Kotzen: I had gotten a phone call from Eddie Trunk who I have been friends with for a few years now. He called to tell me that Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan were looking to start a power trio and that he mentioned my name. The guys were in to it so we got together and did some jamming. From jamming together we came up with ideas that would turn into songs that appear on the record.

AL: What was that first jam session like for everyone?
RK: I have known Billy for 20 years now so it was familiar territory with him. Mike and I hit it off right away when we met and we just started jamming in my studio. We started playing and creating these ideas that I recorded. From there we went our separate ways for awhile. I went back and listened to what we had done and sang on a couple and added a few other things. I sent them off to the guys to listen to and they liked them so we decided to see things through. We did this a few times and that developed into an album.

AL: What is your take on the power trio?
RK: This has been the standard for me since I started making solo records. For the most part I have always played in that type of format and I am very comfortable playing in that type of scenario.

AL: From a tonal stand point did you try anything different with this recording?
RK: I don’t think so. What your hearing on the record is the collaboration of what we sound like when we are together writing. No one’s identity got lost on this record which is something that I think is really cool. When you listen to it you know who’s who and it’s really great. Yes the record is a collaboration but it still sounds like us as individuals.

AL: The songs on the album are very accessible. Was this done on purpose or did it happen naturally?
RK: That’s kind of my nature being a singer/guitarist. Everything I am involved in revolves around the vocals. When you add the fact I am playing guitar while I’m singing I probably won’t be shredding at the same time. That’s not to say the record doesn’t have shredding elements to it. The crazier lines that you do hear came out of improvisation. A lot of times Billy and Mike would start improvising parts and I would go back and listen to the recordings and either double what Billy was doing or something along those lines. When it was all done we had this track that sounded like we spent a lot of time orchestrating it. Things were very much improvised and I like the spirit of that.

AL: Being both a singer and guitarist do you find your approach to songwriting favoring one or the other?
RK: The song always comes down to the vocals. It’s the lyric and the melody. Everything is built from that at least in the style of music I perform. When you strip everything down the melody is the song. Anything else you put in a song can be altered or changed be it by using different chords against the melody or what have you. In the end that melody is what it is.

AL: What are the group’s tour plans for the release?
RK: We are doing our first show in Osaka, Japan. Then we have two shows in Tokyo before heading to South America. After we play Brazil and Chile we will be playing in New York and a few other places on the east coast. After a little break we head over to Europe for about 3 weeks and then were back in the states to hit the west coast.

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Pantera’s Phil Anselmo talks about solo album and “Housecore Horror Film and Metal Fest”

Phil Anselmo is no stranger to the music scene after sky rocketing to fame in the mid 90’s with the multi-platinum selling heavy metal group Pantera. Though the group disbanded in 2003 Phil has kept himself busy with several other bands such Super Joint Ritual and Down which also featured former Pantera bassist Rex Brown. Phil’s newest endeavor is a solo album titled “Walk Through the Exits” and is being released under the name Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegal’s. Media Mikes caught up with Phil recently to discuss the band, its new album and the inaugural “Housecore Horror Film and Metal Fest”?

Adam Lawton: Was there any particular reason you chose now to be the time to release a solo album and do you feel there’s more pressure on this release compared to ones you have done with Pantera and Down?
Phil Anselmo: Why not? I had the urge and felt I needed to scratch that particular itch. I base a lot of what I am going to do off the mood I am in at that particular time. As far as more pressure or whatnot I don’t think there is any more than what may normally be there. It’s doesn’t matter who I am up on that stage with because no one is doing the singing for me. I’ve got to get up there and do things regardless so I don’t really feel any more pressure.

AL: How did go about assembling your backing band “The Illegal’s”?
PA: I always knew that Marzi Montazeri was my guy for guitar. This has been a long time coming type of project and I always knew I didn’t want to start a “super group” or anything like that. I could have asked a lot of different people to be involved with this but I wanted to get cats that were under the radar. Marzi was one of those guys. From there I struggled in finding a drummer who could learn all these different time signatures and not rely on speed for the sake of playing fast. The singer from Warbeast offered me their drummer Jose Manuel Gonzales. I asked him if he was up for it and he said “sure”. When we started actually recording the record and it was time for bass we used this guy from New Orleans named Bennett Bartley. He is a really talented guy that plays with a lot of different bands and also holds down a day job. I knew there was always going to be a question of his availability for touring so for that side of things we are going with a guy by the name of Steve Taylor. He has been working with Marzi for a very long time so that made perfect sense.

AL: What was the writing and recording sessions like for the record?
PA: I wrote things the good old fashioned way. When I was inspired I busted out the axe and practice amp and just started writing riffs. I just kept putting everything together and when I finally found I had the basic structure of a song that’s when I would bring the band in. After doing that there is always a lot of trial and practice to see what you have. You can sometimes write a riff that just doesn’t translate to a full blown band type setting. I was pretty lucky this time around and very focused. At the same time I was working on my record I was also producing for others and recording the Down EP. Work on my solo album was sort of a start and stop type situation. We would record or practice for a bit then I would have to take time off from that work on Down or whatever. That happened four or five times.

AL: Do you have a specific preference as to what comes first (music/lyrics) when writing?
PA: I don’t really have a preference especially now. A song can come out of nowhere. For this particular record it seemed as though there would be a cadence that I would catch and then I was able to feel or hear the rhythm. I would then write the lyrics around that section. That opened up a whole new world for me as I normally sing against a riff rather than on top of it. With this album it felt different so there are certain parts where I am singing right on top of a riff and I felt that was the correct thing to do. In the past and normally even if I have written the entire song its riff first then vocals. That sentence structure or cadence was something that was always rearing its head and had a lot to do with how things were done on this record.

AL: Can you tell us your thoughts on releasing the album via your independent label as opposed to going with a major label release?
PA: I don’t really see any worth in major labels anymore. There are just straight up too many rules. That was the reason I started my own label to begin with. I wanted the freedom to be able to do what I wanted, when I wanted to do it. I didn’t want to have to ask for permission or have to pay anyone. These days you don’t have to sign to a major label. You can just do things yourself and be done with it.

AL: What are the bands tour plans in support of the release?
PA: We start things off in Oklahoma and will be traveling through the mid-west as we make our way to the east coast. Possibly in the fall we are looking to do a west-coast run. We will have the bad ass thrashers Warbeast out with us along with Author & Punisher. He is a one man act that makes his own instruments. He is very interesting and makes this sound that is just a wall of sonic poison. I love it!

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming “House Core Horror Film and Metal Fest”?
PA: Obviously we are going to have films ranging from older black and white films up through the 70’s and early 80’s. There are going to be a lot of cool bands and guest directors coming out as well. One of the more interesting things for me to come out of this opportunity is to review a lot of submission films. Everything from short and mid length films to full feature length films have been coming in from unknown directors. I have no aspirations to become an actor or director but these guys are really pushing the envelope in an effort to make horror less of a paint by numbers thing. It’s going to be a huge kick to be able to turn the audiences on to these new guys. That’s really exciting to me. With this being the first year of the event a lot of it is going to be trial by fire as there are lots of logistics and things to make sure everything runs smooth. I want make sure I don’t use the term “annual” until I get this year’s event under the old gut.

AL: What is it that has made you a horror fan for so long now?
PA: The only answer I can possibly come with for that is that it was born in me. I can remember being just this squirt of a kid who was glued to television set watching everything from “Godzilla” to “The Twilight Zone”. I caught on to things at a very early age and things just stuck. It’s still a mystery to me to a certain degree. I really guess it just caught me young enough and just held.

AL: Has there been a horror film in the past 5/10 years that can compete with the likes of classic horror films?
PA: I don’t know. There have been some movies that I thought were pretty good but as far as a classic I don’t know about that. I thought “In Absentia” was pretty good. “The Bleeding House” was ok. There have been films like “Insidious” and “The Blair Witch Project” that have been so hyped up only to fall flat for me. I have no problem saying “The Blair Witch Project” was a steaming pile of dog shit. I hated that movie. There is just so much that goes in to a classic from the direction and characters to more importantly the story. How it wraps up and how it is shot always is important. These days I think there is a real problem with character development as people just don’t have a care for what they are seeing. People like Steven Spielberg and Toby Hooper know how to build characters that people connect with and care about what happens to them in a story. Things these days seem to be very Hollywood and not very believable. My heart lies with the likes of Boris Karloff and Mario Bava of “Black Sabbath” fame.

AL: Do you have any other projects in the works that you can tell us about?
PA: I have been in the studio with IHATEGOD who are wrapping up a really great studio album but I’m not sure who they are going to release it with. I have been working with their vocalist Mike Williams very tightly. I love those boys and this record is a really tight record. Anyone who is a fan of IHATEGOD is going to be just blown away. Besides that I have just been working hard on the solo project and getting ready to play all sorts of venues and have a good time.

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Help Support DJ Colette’s New Studio Album on Pledge Music

DJ, producer, vocalist – Colette has grown from an integral part of the Chicago underground into a breakout musical triple-threat releasing her most accomplished and fully realized artistic statement to date. Combining the tunefulness of classic pop songs with the thump of classic house of her hometown, the album ventures into new sonic territory for Colette, from intimate bedroom beats to stadium-shaking dance anthems. “When the Music’s Loud” is the sound of an artist at the peak of her powers.

Click here to help support DJ Colette as she launches the release of her new album, “When The Music’s Loud”!

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Ice-T talks about producing “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp” and new album with Body Count

Tracey Marrow better known to the world as Ice-T first broke on to the scene in the mid 1980’s as part of a new form of rap labeled “gangster rap” which was just starting to emerge from the west coast of the United States. After releasing several successful/controversial albums Ice would evolve into a modern day renaissance man appearing in several movies and television shows such as “New Jack City” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”. Ice-T has always noted pimp/author Iceberg Slim as an influence and is a producer on a new documentary about Slim titled “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp”. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Ice recently about the film as well as about his heavy metal group Body Count’s new album.

Adam Lawton: Other than noting Iceberg Slim as an influence what was it that interested you in producing a film about him?
Ice-T: The film was really Jorge my manager’s idea. He and I have been working with each other for going on 30 years now. He and I wanted to get into the film business and make some films so we decided to start with documentaries. We wanted to do critically acclaimed type work and get our profit out to the film community. I started with “The Art of Rap” and Jorge chose to do one on Iceberg Slim. When he and I first got together Jorge was coming from an entirely different community than mine. He was pretty much a square so I told him that if he was going to manage me then he was going to need to read all of the Iceberg Slim books. I gave him all the books and told him that I would quiz him on them. He pretty much got turned out of course but it’s always been a big part of his life. When he came to me with the idea I thought it was perfect. I executive produced this film but Jorge pretty much did all the ground work.

AL: How much input or direction did you give throughout the filming process?
Ice-T: I would see pieces and cuts throughout the filming/editing portions of the project and give my input. I also was involved in some of the soundtrack side of things as well as some of the editing. Jorge was pretty much bringing me things in pieces and when I finally got to see it all put together I was just blown away. He did a great job.

AL: Was this sort of your first venture into producing?
Ice-T: I have been involve don some things prior to this but what being an executive producer really means is you put up the money. In this case Jorge put up all of his own money. I do this type of thing with records all the time. A lot of times people want to get projects done however they don’t know how to complete them. Having been in the game now for over 25 years I am someone that knows how to get things done. Jorge is very efficient so I didn’t have to do a lot on this project. Jorge knows what he is doing and if it got by me people were going to love because I am such a huge Iceberg Slim fan.

AL: You appear very briefly in the film. Was this something that happened due to editing or was it a conscious decision on yours and Jorges part?
Ice-T: I am just a normal person and the film is not designed to be about me. Due to the fact I am a fan and am a person that was influenced by his work I appear in the film. Before reading Slims book I never thought I could tell my stories and the stories of the street in my music. I am a part of pop culture so they knew I was valid and asked me to speak on what the books did for me. I was interviewed just like Chris Rock and Snoop. That was the intention as I didn’t want to be the narrator or anything. I just wanted to blend in to the movie.

AL: Were you surprised at the people involved who spoke about Slims impact on them?
Ice-T: Henry Rollins and Rick Rubin released the Iceberg Slim soundtrack so that’s how they got involved. As we talked to more and more people they would tell us that we should talk to this person or that person. It started with one person and went from there. As far as it being difficult or people not wanting to share stories you can sometimes run in to that when you are talking to the family especially when the person you are talking about has passed. Everyone in the family wants to make sure that you are not going to be disrespectful. In this case they all knew I was a big fan and that I would handle things appropriately. They actually saw the movie before anyone else and were just blown away. They were very excited with the fact that this film gave people a better understanding of who Slim was and that he wasn’t just this guy that wrote books about pimping.

AL: For you personally what was the most rewarding part of the project and then on the other hand the most difficult part?
Ice-T: The difficult part came from more of a technical stand point more than anything. When you see some of the transitions we used there is a lot of high tech stuff going on there. That was all done in post and though it may look simple there was very little that was simple about that. We had an illustrator come in and do some animation for us as well so to get all those things to click and feel the same was definitely difficult. We had to go through a lot of licensing to get permission to use some of the things we wanted to use so that was pretty hard. Nowadays everyone has gotta get paid. (Laughs) I think the most rewarding thing for me was that I got to find out things about Iceberg Slim that I didn’t know. I mean I learned that his wife wrote the books! Nobody knew that. The quote at the end where she says that “Iceberg Slim was both of us” was great. The beauty of a documentary is that you get to tell a story a lot of times from the horse’s mouth and it goes down in history.

AL: Do you have any other projects that we can be watching for?
Ice-T: My group Body Count is recording as we speak. We are out in Vegas right now writing the new album which is going to be titled “Man Slaughter”. We have a record deal now with Sumerian Records which has artists like Lamb of God and some other big groups so be watching for that to come out soon. Jorge and I are also looking at some treatments for features as well as television shows.

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Natalie Nylon talks about new album “Star Crossed Lovers”

Natalie Nylon is a singer/songwriter hailing from Philadelphia, PA.  Natalie has had music featured on both “American Horror Story” and “The Real L World” and recently released her second full length album titled “Star Crossed Lovers”. Media Mikes recently spoke with Natalie about the music from those shows and also what it was like working on the new album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your new album “Star Crossed Lovers”?
Natalie Nylon: The album is kind of a reflection of my life over the past few years. A lot of things went on like I had gotten engaged and then later broke of the engagement which left a lot of things for me to   deal. There ended up being are a lot of personal things on this album compared to my previous one.

AL: Did you take any different approaches to how you worked on this album compared to previous releases?
NN: When I wrote my first album I was going out to clubs a lot and that made me want to write mostly dance songs. When I sat down and wrote the second album it was just me on my own. I would sit down with a guitar or in front of a piano with my ideas. When I had a handful of songs laid out I would take them to my producer and we would develop them together. It was a lot more writing on my part this time around.

AL: Where do you tend to start when writing a song?
NN: I think it’s different for every song I write. Sometimes I just start with a thought a phrase and build off of that. What seems to happen most of the time is that I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea or melody. Those seem to be the ones I like the best. Everything tends to be a little different as to whether the melody or lyrics come first.

AL: Are you planning on shooting a video for any of the songs of the new album?
NN: That is what I have planned next. I actually shot two videos already however I was just not happy with them. It’s hard when you have a creative idea and you’re working with people maybe for the first and time and things don’t turn out how you would like. You kind of have to have the right ingredients and the right people to make things work. If one thing’s off it can impact your vision.

AL: Can you give us any hints as to what the new video might look like?
NN: I am trying to decide between two songs right now. People have been pushing for me to do “XXX” which was featured on “American Horror Story” and “The Real L Word”. So it’s between that song which is off my first album and “Dry River” which is off my new album. I don’t want to give away anything just yet as we are working on it as we speak.

AL: What was your response when the networks asked to use your song? And were you a fan of the shows prior to having music on them?
NN: I was shocked! I got a call from my producer telling me they wanted to use the song and I was just on the floor. It has always been a dream of mine to have one of my songs appear in a film or television show. It’s just one of those things that I didn’t expect to happen. I really just couldn’t believe it. I knew of both of the shows however I don’t tend to watch much television. I have checked them out now that my music has been in them but I haven’t seen all the episodes or anything.

AL: Do you have any plans to tour in support of the new album?
NN: I have been playing local shows in and around NY, PA and NJ but when it comes to touring I have been looking for someone to jump on board with or to get on a festival. We have been discussing doing a tour but being an independent artist is really hard. You have to be prepared to pay for everything yourself. (Laughs)

 

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Hawthorne Heights’s JT Woodruff talks about new album “Zero”

JT Woodruff is the lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist for the band Hawthorne Heights. The group is set to release their 5th studio album titled “Zero”. The band will also be headlining this year’s Van’s Warped tour which kicks off on June 15th in Seattle, WA. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with JT about the upcoming release and what he is most looking forward to about this summer’s tour.

Adam Lawton: What are you most looking forward to about headlining this year’s Warped Tour?
JT Woodruff: We are totally stoked about this summer’s tour. We love writing and performing music but we are a band that loves listening to live music as well. Warped Tour has music going on all day long so when we aren’t playing we are going to get to see a lot of great acts and get to meet a bunch of cool people. It’s going to be a long hot summer but it’s going to be one of the best summers we have ever had. We appreciate Kevin Lyman and everyone at Warped Tour for inviting us out. We are really looking forward to it and ready to hit the ground running.

AL: With the set times for Warped Tour tending to be a bit shorter will you be playing any material off the new album?
JT: Yes. We have a couple different set lists than span our albums. Those do include material from th

e new album. With only getting a half hour we want to let people know we have a new album coming out but we also want to play songs we think people want to hear. We may even throw in a curve ball here or there.

AL: Did the band try any different approaches with the recording of the new album?
JT: Things were a little different this time around. We had never recorded in Nashville before so that was new and we had never worked with producer Brian Virtue before either. As far as the overall tone of the album we had never done anything that was concept based. This was a giant leap for us. We wanted to do this as a way to tread new ground. The songs still song like us but they may sound like they are coming from a different place. We wanted to make an album that was very cohesive and straight forward. The idea was to let the tempo dictate the story and to let the overall aggressiveness or lack of aggression carry the song.

AL: Did you find it easier or more difficult to write knowing you were following a concept?
JT: I looked at it both ways from time to time. You might end up working on a song that when your done doesn’t fit the but you really like the song. You start looking for ways to make things fit but if that doesn’t work you have to just hold it back for another time. Things tended to flow pretty easily. When you’re writing a song your sort of telling a miniature story anyway so this I think was a little easier as you had something to work off of. There was a basis or guide and I just tried to figure out how I could tell that story in 3 minutes of a song either lyrically, emotionally or sonically. It was definitely a learning experience.

AL: After Warped Tour wraps up has there been any discussions of a solo headlining tour?
JT: We are working on stuff for the fall right now however nothing has been set in stone. Sometimes things take awhile to plan and other times things happen overnight. I can tell you though that we will be out touring in some form or another after Warped Tour ends. We also want to try and do some international touring as well this year. Right now we are just focused on 8 weeks of playing in the sun and meeting the fans and talking about the new album.

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Doyle talks about new album “Abominator”

Legendary punk guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is back with a brand album titled “Abominator”. The album is the first solo titled release from the Misfits guitarist who splits his time between “Doyle” and performing with original Misfits singer Glenn Danzig. Media Mikes had a chance to speak with Doyle recently about the album, his thoughts on performing with Danzig and if he thinks a Misfits reunion will ever come to fruition.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how this album came together?
Doyle: I was driving one day and I got a message from our singer Alex Story telling me he had some ideas that he wanted to discuss. The first thing he said when I called him back was that we needed to change the name of the band. He said he wanted to drop the name “Gorgeous Frankenstein” in order to start a whole new band named “Doyle”. I asked if he was sure he wanted to do that and he said that is what he definitely wanted to do. So I said “Let’s do it”. The problem we were having with “Gorgeous Frankenstein” was that no one recognized that as me. We would go play shows and there would be 50 people there who only showed up because they were going out. They didn’t even know I had a band. When I was doing shows with Danzig people would come up to me after and say they didn’t even know my band was playing. Just before the Danzig tour started I had the new CD over nighted to me from the studio and we have been using it as a promotional tool to tell everyone we changed the name and it has been working really well.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands line up?
Doyle: It’s pretty much everyone from Gorgeous Frankenstein minus the wife. Alex Story sings, I play guitar, Left Hand Graham is on bass and Dr. Chud is playing drums.

AL: What did the other guys in the band think when you brought the idea of a name change up?
Doyle: They were all for it and thought it was a great idea. I am not a guy who is full of himself so that’s why we never called the band “Doyle” from the beginning. Now things just make so much sense because when I play with Glenn he puts my name up and everyone knows who that is.

AL: What were the writing/recording sessions like for “Abominator”?
Doyle: The music exactly as you hear it on the record is what was made first. I sent everything to Alex and he worked his magic. He writes all the melodies and vocals and then sends it back to me. I don’t ever have to change a thing. He is really great and a genius song writer.

AL: Now not only did you write the songs for this album but you also wrote enough for 2 more correct?
Doyle: The third one we have about 10 songs we are working on writing. We have about three and a half songs to go on the second one and then it will be done. I just keep writing and arranging songs and sending them to Alex. Sometimes within two days he has them sent back to me. I would listen to this stuff and just think “Oh my God!” I just wonder how he is doing it.

AL: Do you have release plans for the other 2 albums yet?
Doyle: We haven’t released the first one yet! There are some advanced copies out but we plan to officially release “Abominator” with an extra track on it called “Drawing Down the Moon” there also will be all the lyrics, extra photos and some more art work. The following albums will be released later on as once we start touring we aren’t going to stop. We may end up just doing singles with those songs and once those all come out then release the album.

AL: Have you set up any tour plans to support the album?
Doyle: We picked up management recently and we are working on bookings as we speak. We are looking to be out on the road by August or a little bit later in the year with some bigger bands.

AL: What has it been like working with Glenn now as compared to working with him in the early eighties with the Misfits?
Doyle: The crowds are a lot bigger these days which means more money and more fun! We have a great time being on stage together and performing for the fans.

AL: What do you foresee happening with the Misfits reunion?
Doyle: I don’t see it happening right now but if and when it happens I am in. I still see Jerry all the time but that is about it.

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Steve Lukather talks about Toto’s 30th Anniversary Tour

Steve Lukather is a multi Grammy award winning guitarist and producer best known for his work with Toto. Outside of Toto, Steve has worked with Michael Jackson, been a member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band and also released several solo albums with the most recent one “Transition” being released in January of this year. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Steve recently about his latest release as well as the Toto 30th Anniversary tour.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on your most recent solo work titled “Transition”?
Steve Lukather: I have been doing solo albums since 1989. My first solo release was more of a vanity project. I had all of my friends come help me get my sea legs and we had a lot of fun. Each one of these solo albums that I put out has gotten a little more serious. The last three in particular are where I think I found my voice as a solo artist. I really enjoy making over the top records from a production stand point. I am not trying to write the next hit single that will play after Rihanna or Jay-Z. No offense to what those people do as they are great but that’s not my audience. I am making songs that I like and that I think fans of my previous work will like. I love melody with a few twist and turns.

AL: “Transition” is a much darker album than in the past. Was it hard revisiting some of those feelings or places?
SL: It’s a very personal album as I write about what I live. I am the type of guy who writes journals not poetry or something like that. I am trying to write about things that I have lived or seen. I have gone through losing people close to me, drugs, divorce and alcohol. I try and retell those experiences in my own way and learn from those experiences.

AL: You just had signature guitar pickups released from Dimarzio baring the “Transition”
name. Can you tell us about that partnership?
SL: I just fell in love with these pickups. When it was time to come up with a name I figured we could use the album name. It also is like a transition from my old sound to my new sound. Transition is a great world that can mean a lot of different things. I started working with Dimarzio about a year ago and the combination of those pickups and my signature guitar is just great. I have really changed my view on everything from performing live to life in general.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming Toto 35th anniversary tour?
SL: I am looking forward to being back with most of my high school friends to help out another friend and former band mate Mike Porcaro who has ALS. That was the reasoning behind the band initially getting back together. We wanted help him and his family by raising money for his medical expenses. We had such a great time doing it that we decided to do something for the bands anniversary. I’m now back with my high school brothers having a blast. I think the band is sound better than ever. Most of the dates right now are overseas but U.S. dates have begun trickling in. Between those I will also be doing some solo shows as well as some shows with Peter Frampton and then heading back out with Ringo Starr.

AL: What do you enjoy most about being back out on the road with Toto?
SL: Our band’s songs are the soundtrack to people’s lives. Being recognized on shows like “Family Guy” and “South Park” has exposed our music to a whole new generation of fans. We are a classic rock band and that’s a title I will gladly accept. I love that. Even some disgruntled hipster rock critic who gets drunk at a party and know all the lyrics to “Africa” (Laughs)

AL: Are there plans to record any of the shows from the reunion tour?
SL: That is something we are trying to get together. We have to find the right venue to shoot in and we also have to get some litigation out of the way with a few ex-managers. We are just about through that and once we are we would be foolish not to document this. There have been a number of tries in the past all of which have had dramatic stops put to them. One film was in a car accident where the film burnt up, and then there was a nasty law suit over another.

AL: Having played with a number of amazing artists is there one that sticks out as a personal favorite?
SL: Playing with Ringo Starr has been a highlight of my career. I am looking forward to doing that again. I am honored to have Ringo as a friend. I have a really cool life. I have started writing a book and just looking back on my career has been amazing. The book is still a ways from being completed however over my 35/36 year career I am just amazed at what I have accomplished. It has been a great run and I am currently booked up till 2015 without even trying. I am truly blessed. “This is a new world and there is no time to sit around with a thumb up your ass” (Laughs)

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Fred Durst talks about touring and new album “Stampede of the Disco Elephants”

Fred Durst is the singer for the band Limp Bizkit who burst on to the music scene in 1997 with their ground breaking album “Three Dollar Bill” which featured a unique blend of hip hop meets heavy metal. The band is set to release its 7th studio album titled “Stampede of the Disco Elephants” later this year and Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Fred about the release, working with Lil’ Wayne and the bands current tour plans.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us an update on the bands upcoming album?
Fred Durst: We are putting the final touches on it right now. I hope to find a nice little spot at the end of summer to put it out. We recently put out the song “Ready to Go” from the album which is one of the more urban songs we did with Lil’ Wayne. The album is kind of a nod to the old days of the band’s sound. There are a lot of cool riffs that sound monstrous. The album is very inspired and honest.

AL: What were the recording sessions like for the album?
FD: Once we signed with Cash Money Records they told to just be ourselves and do what we do. That empowered us with the freedom to be the band that’s passionate about playing live. We went in to the studio with no preconceived notions about delivering a pop hit or whatever. We went in to the raunchiest place we could find in the valley of Los Angeles and just wrote. Things came out so fast. It was all new material that we tracked. We were all very excited and inspired by the sessions. There was one song that was written many years ago that we re-recorded. It was a song we weren’t sure we wanted to put on the record but it was one we always loved. Maybe after we hear it mastered and as a whole we will put it on the record but other than that all the material is new.

AL: With the exception of the band’s first album was this the first time that you were allowed the freedom to record what you wanted?
FD: With a band’s first album no one knows what’s going to happen. The band just goes in and makes a record but, after awhile you are forced to start chasing radio hits. The corporate thing starts to take over and things start to become about making money. We never thought like that. We were just these weird guys that when we got together this thing comes out. Sometimes we come up with a fun song or a really intense song we just don’t know. But when you have to start chasing hits you have this pressure hanging over your head. That was all gone this time around. It was incredible having that pressure off. We didn’t see this coming

so it was a great surprise for us. We have some popular songs we can play live but for the most part moving forward we are making the music we want to.

AL: Do you find it harder going back out on the road after an extended break and performing new material to crowds that may predominately only want to hear the bands hits?
FD: The live shows are what we are all about. It has always been about that and making

everyone happy. The set list is another story in its self. We don’t make a set list to make people happy we just go with the flow similar to what a DJ does. It’s about the momentum and the feeling of the night. The tour we are currently on we have been doing a lot of deep cuts that fans have come out in droves to hear. Going forward with the new material we want the fans to have fun be we also want to have fun as well. If we go too deep in to some material that throws us off as well. We are not self indulgent and are going to stand up there playing a song we think is great while the audience goes and gets a beer. We want to keep the fans engaged.

AL: How did the collaboration with you and Lil’ Wayne come about?
FD: That was awesome and something that was very organic. A lot of people who don’t know Lil’ Wayne don’t realize he is this skateboarding guy who loves rock music. Being he is one of the biggest rappers in the world a lot of people wouldn’t think he was a rock guy. We did that collaboration before we had signed to Cash Money and that was really what sparked our signing to that label. Wayne is a great guy and the entire experience has been great. It’s a total rock track with an urban undertone that is just fun.

AL: When that opportunity came to sign with Cash Money, did the band have any reservations being they are mostly known as a hip-hop label?
FD: Not for me. The band has always had an urban element and after speaking with Birdman and Slim they got it. They wanted rock and they wanted Limp Bizkit to be their first rock act. They wanted us to be able to do what we love. I knew it be perceived as different but for me that was good news and a good polarizing element. It’s great to be able to do what we do and not be forced in to a certain direction. I think for the most part everything is going really smooth.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands tour plans?
FD: We have been touring all over the world since Wes came back. Things have just kept growing however we haven’t hit the states since 2001. We wanted to get our feet on the ground and go back and play the places we started out in. We wanted to see and touch our core fans and have the feeling we did when we first started out. Things have been going good and this run takes us through June. From there we will be hitting Europe and Russia before coming back to the States for a little bit bigger package tour. We want to keep connecting with the fans and our origin. We love playing and being on stage. It’s not the get rich business anymore it’s the be grateful business. We get to go out and do what we love to do.

AL: Do you have any other projects outside of the band we can be watching for?
FD: Everyone once in awhile some cool opportunities come up for me to do some acting. I have been doing some directing lately as well as a lot of writing. The stuff I am working on now is a bit different from my first features. These are a little bit bigger movies than “The Long Shots” and “Educating Charlie Banks”. I also sold some television shows recently including one to Showtime which we have been working on lately. Being able to be creative is what I love. There’s so much that goes in to every second of a movie that people often don’t realize and I just love all that stuff.

AL: Do you ever find similarities between writing songs and writing movie scripts?
FD: No not really. I have tried to marry the two though. I think audio and visual go together somehow in this world but music is a different thing for me. I am always in the moment when I am writing lyrics. I am under the pressure of the microphone when I am recording. I don’t necessarily sit around with a pad and write songs. I listen to the music and when I can’t keep my mouth shut anymore because I am feeling something or there is a continuity I push the record but and just go. With a script every page is a minute and there is a formula. Things need to happen in specific areas. For me I think they are very different processes.

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Suicidal Tendencies’ Dean Pleasants talks about latest album “13”

Dean Pleasants is the lead guitarist for the seminal skate punk band Suicidal Tendencies. The group has just released their first full length studio in 13 years simply titled “13”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Dean about the album and working with other acts such as Jessica Simpson and Infectious Grooves.

Adam Lawton: What were the writing/recording sessions like for the new album “13”?
Dean Pleasants: The sessions were cool. Some of the songs we started working on were things that had been started in the past. We did some touching up on those ones but others were songs that were done from scratch. The ones that were older we had the news guys play on those so that everyone could do what they do best. We wanted everyone to be a part of it and have a vested interest in what we were doing. Writing wise there were some songs where we worked on them as a group and then there were others that were brought in and pieced together. We were very open with things and the fact that everyone in the band is prolific with their instrument makes things go very smooth. Mike is the guy who does all the arranging as he is the one who has to sing these songs so us other guys bring in bits and pieces which works really well for us.

AL: Once you got in to the studio how long did the recording process take?
DP: We started last summer while we were on tour and then we came back and worked some more on it. I think it was about 6 or 7 months off and on minus those 13 years in between. (Laughs) When we really were buckled down we did a few months on and a few months off. The longest parts were really spent working on the finishing touches and getting everything the way we wanted it to sound. I like to call that the icing on the cake. (Laughs)

AL: Did you find it hard to reconnect with fans after taking such an extended break?
DP: It can be. I think some of the fans were willing to wait as long as it took. We were still touring during the years between albums and reaching new fans who had never heard us before. So because a newer group of fans were interested in what we had coming out it has sort of sparked a resurgence for us. The new album I think speaks to all ages and though it took awhile the end product I feel is really good.

AL: Do you have a song off the album your most proud of?
DP: I wouldn’t say there was just one as I am emotionally attached to all of them. There are a few where I am a little more attached because I may have written more of the parts for it. The song “God Only Knows” is one that sparks some emotion for me. I actually played that when I had a broken finger. A broken finger for a guitarist can be pretty scary. That song means a lot to me as does “Last Breath”. I was happy to be playing again after that injury.

AL: Is it difficult in any way to go from playing with someone like Jessica Simpson to recording/playing songs with Suicidal Tendencies?
DP: Not really. When I am working with someone I only try and do one thing and that is to become their music. For me it is more important to bring out the best parts for the artist than to be selfish for myself and try and be heard. In Suicidal Tendencies I do get to be more myself as I am a vested member of that band. I still want what’s best for the band so I think the music is first and my personality is second. I try and throw my ego out the door.

AL: Can you tell us what the bands tour plans are for the spring/summer?
DP: We have a few weeks left on our current tour and then we get to go home for a little break. During that time we also will be doing some practicing with Robert Trujillo for the Infectious Grooves reunion which will happen during this year’s Orion Festival. We will be playing right before the Red Hot Chili Peppers. From there we have a few festival dates in Mexico City and then some shows over in Europe.

AL: Has there been any talks of a larger scale Infectious Grooves tour?
DP: Well we did the initial reunion gig with Robert at last year’s Orion Festival and he got really excited about it which led to doing it again this year. This year’s show is going to feature the entire lineup as well as Jim Martin of Faith No More sitting in on guitar. As far as more shows go you never know what could happen. We have had offers come in from overseas so I am hoping for a great experience and we will have to see where things go from there.

AL: Being in Suicidal Tendencies since the late 90’s what do you feel has been the biggest change in the band from then till now?
DP: I think these days everyone is on the same page with how they feel about the band. Everyone loves the music and performing and they have realized that our bread and butter is in fact our live show. I think we really try hard to give 110% every night. That’s not something we have to do. It is something we want to do. Playing live is our way to spread the music around. It is very important to play the new songs and be heard every night. I think when people see us live it touches them on an emotional level and they see what’s going on and want to be part of it.

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Oleander’s Thomas Flowers talks about latest album “Something Beautiful”

Thomas Flowers is the lead vocalist for the group Oleander. The group burst on to the scene in the mid nineties with their hit song “Why I’m Here”. In 2004 the group went on an unofficial hiatus while Flowers and the rest of the band worked on other projects. On April 16th the band is set to release their first studio album in 10 years titled “Something Beautiful” and Media Mikes was able to talk with Thomas recently about the bands time off and the new album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about why the band decided to take such a long break between albums?
Thomas Flowers: The band broke away from our obligations regarding the music industry but we never broke up as a band. We wanted to take time off as we all enjoy being home so much. We just kept extending that time off. At the same time we felt we were giving ourselves the opportunities to create some life experiences that we could then draw upon when we decided to switch back in to band mode. That break gave us a nice body of experiences that we could draw on. For me as a lyricist the break was very good. When we stepped back in to things the reason was to just get back in there as a band and play and have fun. Within 15 minutes we had the start of the song “Daylight”. It was at that point that we knew we had something going. There was a lot of excitement during those sessions and it was great to get back to what made us want to play music in the first place.

AL: What has it been like working on the new album?
TF: The creative process from start to finish was probably the easiest and most enjoyable album we have put together. We had zero pressure and all the time in the world to work on this record and we took advantage of that. We wanted to make sure that we all were completely satisfied with every aspect of each song. When you hear this album I think people will really understand what I am talking about. We spent as much time with each particular track as we felt necessary. This was something that we were never really able to do before due to limited budgets and specific time lines.

AL: Was it difficult in anyway going back in to the studio after such an extended break?
TF: No. It all felt very natural. The studio and rehearsal room is an environment that we thrive in. For me the most enjoyable part of the record cycle is the writing and recording process. Even under the stress that comes with doing an album I still feel very comfortable being in the studio working. That’s really where the creative process is.

AL: Is the material that makes up the new album songs you have had for awhile or did these songs come out of just jamming together again?
TF: It was all stuff that came from getting back together. Certainly we all would have separate ideas but then we would collaborate. We have gotten to the point as a band where we are very collaborative and work quite well together. Everybody contributed to each song. This was something that we always kind of strived for as we wanted the songs to reflect each of us. Musically we really came together as a band.

AL: What made you choose “Something Beautiful” as the album’s first single?
TF: Our job is defined by writing and recording the songs that we feel are the best ones we come up with. Once that is done we take the finished project to our label. From there they give us feedback as to what they think might be the best song to release. It came down to the songs “Never Too Late” and “Something Beautiful”. They felt “Something Beautiful” had a little bit more potential impact with radio. We liked both songs so we were happy choosing either one.

AL: What type of tour plans do you guys have in the works?
TF: We have a few dates scheduled in Texas at some festivals where we will be playing with Bush. After that we come back home and get ready for our album release party in Sacramento. In May we will be playing at “Rock on the Range” in Ohio. We plan to be very busy touring this year but we want to make sure that we are smart about how we do it. For years we travelled all over racking up expenses. This time around we want to be more conscientious about how we do things. The days of jumping in a van and playing for a case of beer have long since passed. (Laughs)

AL: Looking back on your career thus far how do you think the band has changed since things first took off for you?
TF: Comparatively we were kids when we wrote and released “February Sun”. We were very fortunate that the album had such an impact on radio and listeners. At the start outside of playing live we were clueless about the industry. We learned a lot over the 10 years we were active and stepping back in to the game now we feel we are more mature and savvy when it comes to not only what is expected of us but also what options are available to us today. We are more aware of the things that help make revenue for the band and not just for the label. Social media is another big change. I wish it was something we had back in the day. When we were first started the only social media you had was touring. That was again limited to the people who came to the shows night to night and when we left the venue we were out of sight out of mind. Social media is a great opportunity for us to connect with our fans and potential fans. We are pretty aggressive with updates and answering people’s requests as it not only puts us in touch with fans that have followed the band for some time and it also opens us up to new listeners.

 

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, beautiful, flowers, latest, oleanders, talks, ...

Rob Zombie talks about writing and directing “The Lords of Salem” and new album “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor”

Rob Zombie is one of the founding members of the band White Zombie, but is notable for his solo act which spawned hits like “Living Dead Girl” and “Dragula”. While still working in music, he turned his sites over to writing and directing films. He has written and directed films like “House of 1000 Corpses”, “The Devil Rejects”, “Halloween (2007)” and “Halloween II (2009)”. His latest film, “The Lords of Salem”, is his most real and dark film to date. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Rob about the film and also his newest solo album “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about what or who were you major influences when you were written “The Lords of Salem”?
Rob Zombie: There wasn’t really one thing in particular. Truthfully, the biggest influence for me is that I wanted to make the type of midnight film I remember watching when I was in high school. Back in the day before you can get your hands on everything, I used to have these film books. I used to look at photos from movies like “Suspiria” or “Eraserhead”. I used to say “Fuck, I got to see these movies!” The feeling I would get when I would watch these movies was so special since they were so unique, odd and unlike anything mainstream. I wanted to make a movie that was like that. If you go to see “Lords of Salem” you are going to see something that isn’t what you wouldn’t typical expect to see at the movies. It takes it you to a whole other place. On a grand scale, that was really the inspiration that I wanted to make something like that.

MG: In terms of directing, did you learn any new tricks on this film?
RZ: Well I learned more patience, I think. It is very easy to be impatient when you are making a movie. I learned to just slow the camera down, slow the actors down and let the movie breathe. I wasn’t worried about the audience getting bored or restless, those qualities sometimes can help a movie. It is very easy to make a movie fast paced and keep people interested but sometimes that detracts from the certain mood you are trying to create. Sometimes you need the movie to drag in order to pull people down with it. That was something that I learned on this movie.

MG: The budget was $1.5 million; what was your biggest challenge working with that?
RZ: Everything! [laughs]. Everything was huge challenge. We had no money for anything. The cheapest movie that I have ever made in my life cost $7 million (which was “House of 1000 Corpses”). I was not used to be down in the no budget range. So as we were shooting, I was constantly re-writing the script and constantly changing things. So every second of the day was a challenge.

MG: The witch burning scene was very intense; tell us about shooting that scene?
RZ: We shot that whole scene very quickly, in fact it was done in one night. We had no time. Once again, I had come up with this great plan for shooting the witch burning scene but then I realized that we only had an hour to shoot. I set up one grand shot that I thought would have the most impact and then just went for it. My big goal was to not make it ever look like we didn’t have any time or money. That was what I was always trying to hide.

MG: How did you get genre legends like Patricia Quinn and Meg Foster, who had quite the transformation, on board?
RZ: It was fantastic. I have always loved Patricia Quinn because I was a huge “Rocky Horror” fan. I loved her in everything that she has done but she also hasn’t done a lot. She also hasn’t done a lot recently. But I always wanted to work with her. I had met her over dinner about 15 years ago talking about a movie that never happened, so I had always had her in my mind from day one. Meg Foster was someone who I always thought was cool and very beautiful with those piercing eyes, but I didn’t know if she would be right of this film. I wasn’t sure at first. So I got her on the phone and after talking for about an hour, I know that she would be perfect. She totally understood and got the film.

MG: Being a musician yourself; tell us about working with John 5 on the score?
RZ: He was great to work with on this film and obviously I have been working with John now for over eight years. I know how talented he is, not just as a guitar player but also a musician. It was very easy. I conveyed my ideas and what I was thinking and he executed them perfectly. He was great on this film.

MG: Tell us about the composition of The Lords music track?
RZ: That one was tricky trying to figure out what that track would be. John had worked on a few things and it wasn’t just right. I remember one day we were on the phone together, I was on the east coast and John was on the west, and we were just humming little weird melodies back and forth to each other on the phone. It was then that we found the sound that we were looking for. Neither of us can remember who came up with it first but we just knew we had it when we heard it.

MG: Horror fans are the toughest of any genre fan; what do you think they will appreciate the most within “The Lords of Salem”?
RZ: What I would appreciate most about the film is that it is different. I think that horror fans are tricky. They are all different kinds of people. Sometimes they are not the first ones to embrace something different. But again all of those films that I spoke love as a kid, those weren’t embraced at the time either. So I purposely made a film that would be a tough sell to people…but that is why I made it. I think it will be split. Some people will love it to death and some people just won’t get it.  But that is ok with me since everybody cannot get everything!

MG: Your new album “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor” is heavy and dark; tell us about the inspiration behind this album?
RZ: Well I think the movie and album sort of played into each other. I was doing them both around the same time. I had an editing room in my house were we edited the movie. Then we moved the editing room out and moved in a recording studio. I went right from one to the other. I think the vibe of the two projects sort of melded together. I wanted both of them to be weird and unique and that was the goal for me.

MG: Where do you find time to tour, making films and also new music?
RZ: That is all I do man! Where do I find time for anything else is more the question…[laughs].

MG: Do you still plan on directing “Tyrannosaurus Rex” next? What else is in the cards?
RZ: No, that project isn’t happening anymore. What is happening next besides the two we just spoke about is that I will be doing a lot of touring. I headline the Mayhem Fest 2013 tour, which is starting in June and that will go for a while. But the next film project I got is called “The Broad Street Bullies”, which is a true life sports film about the Philadelphia Flyers… which is totally different!

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: album, broad, bullies, directing, film, lords, ...
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