Perpetual Change: An Interview with Jon Anderson

Arguably the best and certainly the most well-know band in the progressive rock arena, Yes has always been at its forefront and is no stranger to the one constant of the genre: perpetual change.  No one knows this better than the eternal voice of Yes, Jon Anderson.  His unique powerhouse alto tenor vocal is the anchor point to decades-worth of the band’s music, from multi-part opuses like “Close to the Edge” to the MTV-era chart-toppers like “Owner of a Lonely Heart”.

In mid-2008, Anderson was diagnosed with acute respiratory failure and has since made a full recovery.  While no longer the lead singer of Yes, the past year has found Jon working on a wide variety of projects including a collaboration with former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, 2010’s “The Living Tree”, and the recent solo release “Survival and Other Stories”.

Jon has returned to the stage as part of a 2011 tour that will feature acoustic solo shows and ones in which he will be joined by Wakeman.   MediaMikes’ Dave Picton had a chance to catch up with Jon to talk about his most recent work and the supporting tour as well as a bunch of…shall we say?…Yesstuff.

Dave Picton:  First and foremost, welcome back!  You’ve been sorely missed.  How are you feeling and what’s the latest prognosis?
Jon Anderson: Well, I’m a lot healthier than I was three years ago.  2008 was very, very difficult but you go through the experiences and come out the other end a lot better.  I’m a lot healthier, that’s for sure.

DP: When I listened to “The Living Tree” album, I was surprised to hear a very sparse approach:  you on vocals and Rick [Wakeman] on piano and keyboards, which isn’t what I would necessarily expect to hear from somebody who has recently recovered from a severe respiratory ailment.   Was the minimalist approach the concept from the start or was there ever at any point a thought about any musical augmentation?
JA: We just decided to keep it simple, you know? Rick is very wonderful and he comes up with some beautiful music and then I write the melody on top of the lyrics so it’s a very natural event.

DP: The tour that you’re embarking on will include shows that feature you exclusively as well as shows that pair you with Rick. I’m wondering what audiences can expect to hear and see?
JA: Well, it will be funny because Rick likes to tell jokes.  I do acoustic versions of lots of songs when I do my solo show and, you know, with me and Rick we do a lot of songs from Yes because that’s what we wrote together and we enjoy that as well as doing new songs from “The Living Tree”.

DP:  In the liner notes for your latest solo album, “Survival and Other Stories”, you state that the album is basically the result of you putting an ad up on your website that more-or-less said “I want musicians!”  What was that experience was like for you?
JA: About six years ago, I put an advert on my website and I received lots of replies. I found about a couple of dozen people who I’ve been working with ever since and, over a period of the past year or so, I started realizing that I’ve got maybe thirty songs and I have to put out an album quick or I’ll just have too many songs.  So that’s why I put out “Survival and Other Stories”.  It’s a combination of songs about what I went through in 2008 that are very, very personal and soul-searching. There are a couple of songs about the gravity of war and the madness of greed.  Thankfully we’re getting rid of the people that, you know, hoard money for no reason at all.  There’s a sense of working with different people that you get a more, shall we say, entertaining album because everybody comes at it from a different point.  I’ve been doing songs from “Survival and Other Stories” in my solo show, but it’s not something I think that I have to go on tour with a band and promote.  If the record takes off this year, maybe next year I’ll take a small ensemble and perform some more songs.  But you never know with these things.

DP:  Many of the songs on “Survival” seem to be steeped in a very deep spirituality that’s been a constant in your work both with Yes and as a solo artist.
JA: Well, generally we’re all spiritual beings.  I just like to sing about the journey that we seem to be all on and inside I feel like it comes very naturally to sing about the light that we have inside. I generally feel that I’m not doing anything other than what people have done all through the ages.  There’s always been someone singing about the journey.

DP: Going back a little ways to 2007, you performed ensemble-style shows with the School of Rock All-Stars – a show that I was fortunate enough to see at BB King’s Blues Club in New York City.  What was it like working with the kids and would you want to do it again?
JA: For sure I would do it again! In fact, I was talking about doing it again next year.  It’s a very magical experience to be up there with the young kids.  They’re very, very open and very clear about doing their work and, quite honestly, they’re just fantastic to work with as you can tell when I’m up there doing a show.

DP: Going even further back in your history of ensemble work, Yes’ “Union” tour in the early ‘90s featured many members of the “classic” ‘70s era of Yes as well as members of the ‘80s 90125-era band all on one stage with you in the center.  How was that experience?  Any interesting road stories?
JA: It was kind of magical for me because I was in the middle of the ensemble and they were all playing great.  You know, I didn’t really like the “Union” album all that much, but the idea of doing the album would enable us to go on tour and that was what I really wanted to do.  So you get working with those guys on the stage and crazy things would happen like Steve [Howe] would come over to me and say “Can you tell Trevor [Rabin] to turn down?” and I would go over to Trevor and say “Trevor.  Stay where you are. You’re doing fine.” [laughs]

DP: Have you stayed in touch with Trevor?  I know he’s become quite prolific in writing film scores as of late.
JA: Oh yeah! I see him every month.  We’re talking about working together on a project but it’s only a question of time before we can make that happen.

DP: The 90125-era of Yes was probably the most commercially successful ones in the band’s history.  When you look back on that, what are your fond memories – and maybe even not so fond ones – of that period of time?
JA: It was amazing, you know.  We were number one around the world and we were treated like rock gods and things like that.  Actually, it all fell apart for me because I went to see “Spinal Tap” and from then on I couldn’t stop laughing at everything.  I had a great time for three or four years.  And then “Big Generator” happened and it was such hard work because the record company wanted to have another hit album. It’s not my idea of creation, you know?  It’s very boring.  The future of music was more important to me, so that’s why I did Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe which I really enjoyed.  I’m actually now working on some very interesting new music which really related to what you would call the “classic Yes” style of music, that sort of long-form pieces that I love creating.

DP: Would this new music be a solo project with a minimalist approach like what you decided to do with with Rick on “The Living Tree” or be fully augmented with a full array of musicians and, if it’s the latter, any idea as to who they would be?
JA: It’s fully augmented by a full orchestra at the moment.  It’s a wonderful experience to go through.  I’m working with I guy that I met, Stephan Bordell, who is a beautiful composer and I’m also working with the young kids from the School of Rock.  They did some overdubs for me last year as well as last month and they sound great.  I’m just getting the drums put on and, generally speaking, getting people to help sing it with me.  My wife and some friends are going to help sing on it so it sounds like a big ensemble of energy.

DP: If I snagged your iPod and selected “random”, what would I hear?
JA: Well, unfortunately, my favorite music is from the ‘40s.  On the iPod, though, I often listen to [composer Jean] Sibelius.  I just have this thing about Sibelius and Stravinsky.  I love classical music when I want to listen to anything.  Here and again, I’ll hear a song on the radio that I like but, generally speaking though, I’m pretty much locked into the old classics and I don’t know why.  It’s just something I enjoy listening to.

DP:  If you had to select some Yes albums to put on your iPod – assuming you haven’t already done so, of course – what would they be?
JA:  I like a lot of the stuff that we’ve done – “Fragile”, “Close to the Edge” “Tales from Topographic Oceans”, “Awaken” from “Going for the One”, “90125”, “Talk” and the last one we did, “Magnification”.  You know, I think 80% of what we do is quite wonderful and 20% was not.

DP: What was the 20% – if you’d like to talk about it.
JA: No, I don’t.  [laughs]

DP: Fair enough. [laughs]
JA: It’s a pretty good average.
DP: Agreed.
[both laugh]

DP: It’s certainly been a pleasure talking with you, Jon. It’s great to hear your voice again in every way.
JA: Well, there’s a lot more music to come.  I wish you well.

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: 90125, anderson, interview, jon, jon anderson, living tree, ...

Interview with Syfy “Alphas” Ryan Cartwright

Ryan Cartwright is currently playing Gary Bell in Syfy’s hit show “Alphas”.  The show is a huge hit and already renewed for a second season.  With the show nearing the end of its first season Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ryan about the show and how he prepared for his character.

Mike Gencarelli: Gary is not only a fun and interesting character but he is also very complex, what do you enjoy most about playing him?
Ryan Cartwright: I enjoy the fact he is not some kind of tokenistic character.  Everyone kind of got on board and helped give him a life behind the eyes.  It could have been one of those roles that was an embarrassment.  It is just really fun to have his sense of humor.  He is kind of knows he is cheeky and it is that knowingness behind the eyes that cracks up myself and the cast.  You can see them laughing a lot of the times and they keep it in the show. I do like to make Malik (Yoba) and Warren (Christie) laugh.  That is good fun.

MG: How did you prepare for the role and do you find the character challenging to play?
RC: Yeah, when I first read the role I needed to figure out the specifics for the character.  There are many different elements to him.  Filming-wise, my only challenge is that I have to do an American accent and that was like the easiest part of this show.  It was just fascinating going around and researching autism and general neuroscience.  It is still something that is not that well understood.  It is new and people are still learning about.  When early reviews came out for the pilot, I was amazed that, even when it wasn’t in a derogatory way, the only reference was to “Rain Man”.  It made me realize and reminded me exactly how little autistic people have been portrayed since then even.  It was fascinated and a fair bit of work.  I had about a month and a half though to research and figure out the character.  It was so well written anyway, so it was just finding that marriage between what was on the page and what I felt comfortable doing.  Once he was up and running, after the first few days filming, I got the feeling and he has just been super fun to play.

MG: What do you use for inspiration when you are “scrolling” through the information with your alphas ability?
RC: I have to figure out all those little mannerisms.  I think in the script it just said “he waves his hands through the air” and I was like “hold on, hold on”.  They were going to be putting in a graphic into this, so I had to figure out a whole system for what I would be visualizing and how my hands would be “controlling” these streams.  After I figured it all out, I spoke to the writers and the visual effects guys and made them a little video and drew up a little chart.  It was almost like a sign language chart with what the hand mannerisms meant.  It was really cool and everything matched.  It wasn’t just a random flurry of hands in the air.  It can get confusing sometimes when he is having to multitask but like I said it is fine now that he is up and running.

MG: Already just in season one, we have seen Gary change and grow more independent, what can you tell us about this?
RC: This is his first group of people that he has hung around with on a permanent basis that haven’t treated him as a second class citizen.  They realize that he has these abilities and it is the first time he is being proud of himself.  There is that childish pride and the self confidence is in full bloom.  As you can see in the first few episodes, he is kind of petulant. As the series is progressing though, he is maturing and realizing everyone has their own place in the group.  He is maturing just from being around these intense situations and seeing people die.  I think that he is realizes what a group actually is, which is something that they say with autistic people, they cannot realize the concept of other minds.  They know there is other bodies but it is hard for them to see the other people’s intentions, wants and needs.  I think he is getting a crash course in that just with his work with the group and it is progressing quite rapidly.  He has been through in the deep end.

MG: What can we expect from the upcoming finale of season one?
RC: It is crazy and pretty intense.  Gary will not be the same after the event of the finale unfold.  It is definitely a bit of a life changer for him in particular.

MG: What has been your favorite episode to shoot in this season and why?
RC: I really enjoyed the episode “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure” with Malik.  It was that fun kind of buddy cop…like a bizarre kind of “48 Hours” [laughs].  It was really nice to play out that relationship  and we improvised a bit.  By that time as well it felt very organic for us to bounce off each other.  That one was definitely a fun episode.

MG: How does working on this show for you compare to your other television work i.e. “Bones” and “Mad Men”?
RC: I am super happy that it is of a high caliber because you never know.  With “Bones” and “Mad Men”, I was just like an actor for hire.  I signed on for one episode and I would be lucky when I got the call to come back.  Where as this was a commitment from day one for an extensive period of time.  It was more of a risk signing on.  I am just super happy that it is a cut above the rest and it is really good.  It is nice to be actually proud of the work you are doing and also enjoying being able to watch it.  With regards to the acting, I think it was a little bit more work upfront for me, but I do not feel like it is any different that the stuff I have done before in terms of quality.  I am very happy with it.

MG: The show was already picked up for a second season, any idea when you start filming?
RC: Oh crickey [laughs], it is weird because when we got the news that it has gone to series and we were bouncing off the wall.  It feels like we just got home from this grueling shoot and it is awesome news for sure.  But I am like “Wait, wait, let’s not go straight back…let me enjoy some sunshine and my Xbox for a little bit” [laughs].  I am super happy about the news, of course.  I am going to guess we are going back to shoot probably late March at the earliest.  They have to regroup and plan the new scripts and story lines.  I think because it isi also shot up in Toronto that people try there best to avoid the harsher weather up there.

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Filed Under: TV Headlines Tagged With: cartwright, interview, ryan

“The Play’s The Thing…”: An Interview with Rick Wakeman

To say that Rick Wakeman is an excellent keyboardist is a grotesque understatement. Throughout his career – and most notably as the keyboardist for Yes during thier “classic” era – Rick’s astoundlingly fast dexterity and fluidity made it seem as if he was channeling higher powers through his nimble fingers.  Often dressed in a long satin cape, Rick dazzled audiences with 70’s-era Yes classics such as “Roundabout”, “Long Distance Runaround”, “I’ve Seen All Good People” and long-form pieces such as the title track from the “Close to the Edge” album.

In addition to Yes, Rick has had an extensive career as a solo artist, often releasing albums that have famous historical figures (“The Six Wives of Henry VIII”) or renowned works of literature (“Journey to the Centre of the Earth”) as their inspiration.

2011 finds Rick on tour with his former Yes-mate, vocalist Jon Anderson, supporting their recent collaboration “The Living Tree”.  We were fortunate to be able to catch up with Rick and discuss the tour with Jon, his feelings about how technology has affected his work and one particular Yes album that brings tears to his eyes.

Dave Picton:  Your recent collaboration with Jon Anderson, “The Living Tree”, is – much to my surprise – simply that: you on keyboards and Jon on vocals.  Was this minimalist approach there from the beginning of the project or, at any time, was a more augmented version contemplated?
Rick Wakeman:  No, that was always the plan.  About six years ago, Jon and I were talking about how there was very little new material around because you have to get together with people and people are very much scattered all over the world these days.  So Jon and I wondered if this magical thing called the Internet is so wonderful, maybe we could send each other music and do something that way.  So Jon said: “Send me some stuff and let’s see what happens.”  So I sent him some music and he came back and said: “I like that bit, or I think I can work on that bit.”  So we just kept flying stuff back and forth.  Then, when we did the first duo acoustic tour together a few years ago, we tried out four of these songs and we were amazed at the really good response we got.  That’s when we knew we were on to something.  We kept sending things back and forth, but we only kept the good stuff, so by the time it came to putting the tracks we wanted on the CD, we were both 100% happy with everything that we’d done.  And I think that shows.  And the response we’ve received from the CD has been just amazing.

DP:  You’ll be joining Jon on a number of tour dates later this year. What can audiences expect to see and hear?
RW:  This, that and a lot of things.  The truth is, Jon and I are very similar people.  We don’t like to stand still, we don’t do what comes easily, and we don’t live in the past.  We also hate managers.  Too many bands today seem to work for the management.  When we bring management in to do things for us, they work for us – not the other way round.  So we’ll do this tour the way we want it to be – new songs, past songs, re-interpretations and interacting with the audience – which, it just so happens, is how we believe the way our fans want it to be.

DP:  Yes’ “Union” tour in the early ‘90s featured many members of the “classic” ‘70s era of Yes – of which you were a part – as well as members of the ‘80s 90125-era band all on one stage. How was that experience on your end?
RW:  Well, it really all began in January of 1980. The band was an absolute shambles at that point, nobody was talking to anybody and everyone was fighting.  The whole thing was just a disaster.  Jon and I’d had enough and so we both left.  But the rest of them carried on.  The Buggles were added and they did the “Drama” album. Then at the end of the ’80s, Anderson Bruford, Wakeman & Howe was formed and now we had a real mess because ABWH was playing all the Yes stuff that we’d written, and what people came to call “Yes West,” which was basically Chris [Squire] and Alan [White] and Trevor [Rabin] and Tony [Kaye] were also doing stuff.  So, the two managements came up with the idea to join forces.  Now, I have to say, for the stage show, was fantastic, but the album was just awful.  I don’t even classify it as a Yes album, the “Union” album.  I always call it “Onion” because every time I hear it, it makes me cry.  It was an absolute pile of junk.

DP:  In your career as a solo artist, you’ve made many albums that have historical figures or classic novels as their inspiration (e.g. “The Six Wives of Henry VIII”, “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” and “Myths & Legends of King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table” – just to name a few).  Are there any projects like this slated for the future?
RW:  Well, I have plenty in mind.  For instance, I’d like to do a full-scale ballet someday.  I’ve had some stuff used in ballet in the past, but I think a whole, new full-scale ballet would be fantastic.  Ballet’s a really interesting area.  I go to Milan a lot, to the Scala.  I’m friends with the director there and also in Florence.  Both are continually getting more adventurous with their music.  So I think there is an opportunity to bring progressive rock music to a new audience.  The trouble is, I know what it would cost to do something big and dramatic and these days, no one wants to back anything.  And frankly, a ballet soundtrack probably wouldn’t be much of a winner in the market today.  But, you never know.

DP:  The 5-CD set “Caped Crusader Collectors Club: Bootleg Box – Volume 1″ was recently made available here for sale in the States.  What was the inspiration to release these recordings and how much material do you plan on releasing in the future?
RW:  We just wanted to come out with a nice collection of back-to-basics live performances.  Obviously, something recorded live sounds different from something recorded in the studio, so we wanted to put something out there that was the other side of the coin, so to speak.  As for the future, who knows?  I like to think that the best parts of the past and the best parts of the present will add up to a very positive future.  If that holds true, then lots of good stuff should be on the way.

DP: Which artists’ music do you currently find appealing and perhaps even inspirational?
RW:  That’s a bit difficult to answer at the moment, other than the obvious choices.  But going into the past a little bit, I can tell you that David Bowie is far and away the cleverest man I’ve ever worked with.  He was just so far ahead of the game.  He wasn’t into listening to managers and record company executives because they weren’t musicians, so they didn’t really know what it was like.  And that was a wonderful attitude.  He was also always incredibly prepared in the studio.  He never wrote in the studio.  He was always what he called “75 percent prepared.”  He’d get the piece that far, and then go to the studio and take it that extra 25 percent.  He respected the studio, and I think that’s the one thing he taught me more than anything else: respect the studio.  It’s not a plaything.  He was an absolute pleasure to work with him.  Amazing character.  Amazing man.

DP:  In a few short decades keyboard technology has gone from fully acoustic and mechanical to fully computerized and you’ve been at the front line of that wave for your whole career.  How have these changes affected your work?
RW:  I don’t consider myself a technician.  Don’t get me wrong.  I like all the technical things I use.  But as far as the engineering side, I’m lucky to have a friend, Larry Jordan, who is a very talented guy.  Electronics, recording, whatever – he knows it all.  When some new technology comes along, he’ll come to the studio and tell me: “We can do this now.”  And it always something that sounds fantastic.  And then he’ll ask: “Do you want to know how it works?”  And I always say, “No.”  You can fall into the trap of making use of something just because it’s there and available and not because it necessarily adds to what you are trying to do. So I don’t need to know the technical things. If we’ve got it, maybe I’ll use it or maybe not.  But, at the end of the day, I just want to play.

 

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Filed Under: Featured, Music Interviews Tagged With: interview, jon anderson, keyboard, living tree, rick, rick wakeman, ...

Interview with Maxim Knight

Maxim Knight is currently co-starring as Matt Mason in TNT’s “Falling Skies”.  The show was a huge hit in season one and is gearing up for second season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Maxim with about working on the show and playing his character.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got the role of Matt Mason in TNT’s “Falling Skies”?
Maxim Knight: Well it was just like any other audition.  My agent told me where to go and who to see.  When I went in I didn’t even know that the project was…it was just “Untitled Alien Invasion Project”.  I didn’t know if it was a video game, a movie or what.  It was very interesting and secretive.

MG: How was it working with Noah Wyle & Drew Roy?
MK: It was really great.  Noah Wyle found ways to make the scene better and put the show in front of his personal needs, which was really impressive.  He is a very good actor also.  It was really fun working with Drew.  It was funny because he was always getting chased by girls on the set wanting autographs and pictures.

MG: With season one in the bag, what would you say was the highlight for you?
MK: I liked ripsticking scene, it was a lot of fun.  I got to go ripsticking and it was pretty cool.  The part when I eat a little bite of cake…it wasn’t just the one bite.  As you know, in TV shows they have many takes. I probably ate about 14 of those and then they served lunch and I was stuffed [laughs].

MG: What was the most challenging part about working on the show?
MK: Well having to wait for each script for the next episode.  I was always very excited to see what was planned next.  Also being up in Canada in the cold was my major issue.  Towards the end of the shooting, we were shooting in the winter and it was really cold.

MG: When do you start work on season two?
MK: In the second season we are shooting it from October to February in Vancouver, so it will be cold then again.  I can’t wait to see what happens to all of the characters. I am really excited.

MG: Tell us about your ADR work on some big films?
MK: Yeah, I did ADR on “The Smurfs” and “Happy Feet 2” recently.  I think “Happy Feet 2” looks really good.  I had a voice over coach that taught me the loops, his name is Tony Gonzalez.  He is the guy for voice over coach.  He taught me everything I know.

MG: What do you have planned next?
MK: I am doing voice over upcoming for Mowgli from “The Jungle Book” in an upcoming Disney video game. That is pretty cool.  I have never done video game stuff before.  I was just in an episode “Wilfred” and that was pretty cool but very naughty though.  I am in the season premiere for “CSI: Miami”, it is also pretty awesome.  I am in an episode this upcoming season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. I am also recently did a short film called “Trigger” directed by Matt Sinnreich.

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Filed Under: TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, knight, maxim

Interview with Alter Bridge’s Mark Tremonti

Mark Tremonti is the guitarist for Alter Bridge as well as for the Multi-Platinum selling band Creed. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Mark recently about both of his bands as well as his upcoming solo project release.

Adam Lawton: What’s has it been like touring with the Carnival of Madness tour?
Mark Tremonti: We are three weeks deep into the tour which has five bands on it and it’s been great. Alter Bridge generally plays an hour a night and it’s been a cake walk. Everyone out with us are good people and all help to put on a good rock and roll show!

AL: How did you guys get involved with being on the tour this year?
MT: We had been approached to do the tour last year. We thought it would be a good time and got all the details worked out with everyone and here we are.

AL: Do you have a favorite song the band is playing in the set and why?
MT: “Blackbird”. I think it’s all of ours favorite song that we have ever done. Most of the songs in the set are very loud and high energy. That song is a dynamic change from the rest of the set. It makes us all watch and listen to the crowd.

AL: Do you have a favorite moment from the tour so far?
MT: I think the most fun we have had so far is the show we did at the Kentucky Fair. It was good to just walk around and win all sorts of prizes for my kids and then the show was just real rowdy and fun.

AL: What do you like most about playing live every night?
MT: It’s what we are and it’s something we have been doing for a long time. It’s your release everyday and it’s what all the practice is for.

AL: What was your reaction to receiving the nomination for album of the year from Classic Rock Magazine?
MT: We were really excited. Classic Rock is such a classy magazine and we really respect their opinion. It’s a very big honor for us.

AL: What’s it like balancing both Creed and Alter Bridge?
MT: I am juggling 3 groups right now actually. I do a lot of planning ahead. 2012 is going to be dedicated to mostly Creed stuff. I also will be releasing a solo album as well. Miles will be going out with Slash and we all will meet up for a few months here and there for Alter Bridge touring. I know we will be going to Australia next year and doing some writing for Alter Bridge as well but the majority of 2012 will be Creed stuff.

AL: Have the comparisons between your two groups finally stopped?
MT: I think since the last record people really stopped the comparisons. With the newest record it has been a real non-point. We are pretty much our own band now and I think a new wave of fans are seeing the band for what it is and don’t compare the two as much anymore.

AL: What is the hardest part about writing material for both bands?
MT: I think you are always pushing to do your best. It’s hard to just switch hats and be the best at different sounds. I don’t want to over complicate a Creed song and make it sound like Alter Bridge.  This band is a little more progressive than Creed, so when I am writing for Creed I have to focus strictly on the melody and finger style stuff. It’s hard to sometimes not really dig in.

AL: What else project wise is coming up for you?
MT: I will be putting my solo record out early next year and then probably we will have a new Creed record out the middle of next year around February.

AL: What can we expect from the solo album?
MT: It’s a little heavier than both bands and I sing on the entire album. It’s a different thing that’s fun and heavy but still melody based. I have been a song writer for most of my life and I think I have finally gotten to a point in my life where I want to get all these ideas down on tape that don’t make the other bands records. It’s more streamlined when you can translate the ideas straight from your mind to tape.

AL: Will you be touring at all on your own?
MT: It just depends on how it turns out. If there is a demand for it then yes.

AL: Will it be put out by Wind Up Records?
MT: No it is completely independent. We are going to put it out on Fred 12 and you will be able to go to fred12.com and download the songs. The idea is to use our grassroots fan base to promote the band and hopefully they will come and spread the word.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: alter, bridges, interview, mark, tremonti

Interview with Theory of a Deadman’s Dean Back

Dean Back is the bassist for Theory of a Deadman. They are currently headlining in this year’s Carnival of Madness tour. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dean before their performance to talk about the band’s latest release and what he likes about being on the road.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the band’s latest album “The Truth Is”?
Dean Back: “The Truth Is” builds off our last album “Scars and Souvenirs” which was an album that took us to that next level and by far has been our most successful record. We wanted to build off that and continue to use some of that humor found on that last album. Tyler has really started to show his lighter side as early on in our career we thought we had to be this serious rock band but we found it’s a lot more fun being funny and just having fun. Songs like “Low Life” and “Bitch Came Back” which are very tongue and cheek songs go over great with the crowd and they seem to have a lot of fun when they hear us play those songs.

AL: Do you have a favorite track off this album?
DB: I think “Gentleman” is one of my favorites. We actually have added that to our live set. I also enjoy “Hurricane” which turned out really well as did “We Were Men”.

AL: You guys have been away from the road for quite some time. Can you tell us about that decision?
DB: We had toured on the last album for 2 years, so it was time to go home and for me to reconnect with my family. We also used that time to kind of prep for the next record. I think it’s good to disappear for a little bit. We had been on the radio for 2 years straight. People were probably a little sick of us. Taking that time allowed us to work on the songs and put out a really strong record.

AL: How did you guys get involved with writing a song for the film “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”?
DB: They asked us to be on the record and if we had any material we could contribute. Any time we can get in front of another audience it’s a great opportunity to spread our fan base. In the past we have done video games as well as WWE events and soundtracks. We did some touring in Europe where we weren’t getting a lot of radio play but we had fans coming up to us telling us that the reason they came out was because they heard us on a video game. It was really awesome. Every time we can spread the music to different genres it’s good for us.

AL: How has it been touring with Carnival of Madness line up this year which includes Alter Bridge?
DB: It has been awesome. We have had past relationships with some of the other bands on the tour, however this was our first time going out with Alter Bridge. We are having a blast the whole crew and everyone are great. It’s like one big family out here. Alter Bridge along with Black Stone Cherry are going to be taking us over to Europe in November for a big arena tour.

AL: Is there a favorite song in the set that you guys are playing each night?
DB: “Hate My Life” is a fun one to play and sing along to. The crowd really gets into it.

AL: Any great tour moments you can share with us?
DB: We had a day off in Chicago, which was really cool. Chicago is a great town. We got to go to the White Sox game which was pretty cool but, every show has been a highlight and having a good time playing live.

AL: Other than the European tour are there any other upcoming plans for the band?
DB: We are going out with 3 Doors Down starting the end of September and running through all of October. We have a great relationship with those guys and it’s been a while since we have toured together.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: deadmans, dean, interview, theory

Interview with Brian T. Jaynes

Brian T. Jaynes is the director of two new horror films, “Boggy Creek” and “Humans versus Zombies”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brian about working on his films and when we can see them.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you give us some background on how your got started with “Boggy Creek”?
Brian Jaynes: I have always been a fan of Charles B. Pierce films. I remember the trailer for his 70’s film “Legend of Boggy Creek” scarring the hell out of me! I realized there haven’t ever really been any interesting films about Sasquatch or Bigfoot. There have been films made but they all have been sort of hokey in my opinion. I shared the story with my wife who wrote the screenplay for me and the rest is history.

MG: Can you tell us about the creature and how you chose not to use any CGI effects?
BJ: Anytime you are going to bring a creature into the realm of CGI, I think you have to be careful of the creature’s dynamics. If you have a big budget and can spend a large portion of that to create a realistic creature its fine however with a creature like Sasquatch which is very human like in its movement it made sense to have a human play the creature. I think it looks more realistic. Phil Nichols made the suits and he did a real great job.

MG: How do you feel your second film “Humans versus Zombies” differs from other zombie films?
BJ: In the end it’s still a zombie movie. There is nothing ground breaking but what I think we did accomplish is that our film tends to be a little more character driven than theme driven. The film is more about the humans and what they are doing to survive rather than what the zombies are doing. I think we have a good movie that will be fun to watch.

MG: What was the most difficult part to making that film?
BJ: Probably the time frame in which we shot. We filmed “Humans versus Zombies” in 18 days, so it wasn’t the most leisurely schedule. We certainly could have used more time and I would have like to have more of a budget. The weather was pretty cold also while we were shooting. I think we had a couple 12 and 11 degree days where we were out shooting. The city of Pittsburgh where we shot the film was really great to us through the whole process.

MG: You handle a lot of different roles on both films. How do you juggle all the various tasks?
BJ: I don’t juggle them very well as I should…they all kind of stress me out. Until I get enough folks around me that are able to help I will be wearing most of those hats. Part of is that I am trained as an editor and digital effects artist first and for most. Having that training has helped me in directing because I know the pieces and how they are going to fit together before they even make it to the editing room. When you’re and independent filmmaker you find yourself doing a lot of the task such as putting the money together, directing and editing. In the very near future I should be just wearing the directing and executive producer hats. I plan to make an announcement in a few weeks about a couple projects I will be filming in Bulgaria for the SyFy channel. I will just be directing on those.

MG: Is it safe to say that horror is your favorite genre to work in?
BJ: I actually probably would prefer the action/thriller genre. I like the horror/thriller genre but I think I would much more prefer science fiction/action thriller. There still a lot of elements of suspense but I tend to lead more towards sci-fi.

MG: What is the release schedule for the two films?
BJ: “Boggy Creek” releases on DVD September 17th at places like Wal-Mart and Best Buy. You will also be able to digitally stream it through places like Netfix as well along with a television run later this year on FearNet. “Humans versus Zombies” will have a limited theatrical release late this year’s to about 25 cities with a majority of them on the East Coast. It’s television premiere with be Feb. 15, 2012 on Chiller. It will be out on DVD in late March 2012.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: brian, interview, jaynes

Interview with Doug Jones

Doug Jones is known for his roles in the “Hellboy” series, “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”.  We had a chance to interview Doug Jones about those projects in May 2010, check it out here.  This time around Media Mikes chatted with Doug about work on the web series’ “The Guild” & “Dragon Age: Redemption”, his upcoming film roles in “Dust of War” and also his coffee table book coming out called “Mime Very Own Book”.

MG: Tell us about working on the web series “The Guild”?
DJ: I absolutely love “The Guild”.  The whole phenomenon of the web series is something new to me.  I got caught up with the first four seasons of “The Guild” and fell in love with it.  Felicia Day is such a great writer and she also plays the lead role of Codex.  When she asked me to play a reoccurring role in season 5, I jumped at it.  I have been in episodes 6 and 7 so far.  I will also show up in a couple more in early October.  This season “The Guild” members are at a gaming convention and Robin Thorsen’s character Clara kind of wonders over to this Steampunk booth.  I am on one of the three characters at this booth. We have these British accents, act very snooty and we totally overdid it. We are just having so much fun with it and it is just so well written. Oh my gosh, its great. I have never laughed that much on a set ever.

MG: You are working again with Felicia Day with “Dragon Age: Redemption”
DJ: Being the big game/geek queen, she is also a big fan of “Dragon Age”.  So she is developing a web series based on “Dragon Age II”.  We have a decent budget and it is actually like “Lord of the Rings” made for the web. It was very epic for a web series.  I get to play the main bad guy named Cerberus.  I am Qunari Mage and for people that play the game that would make sense to them.

MG: Last time we spoke you just finished “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life” and now it is released, are you excited to have it out for your fans?
DJ: I am so happy about this film.  It is a biography on Serge Gainsbourg, who is an iconic singer songwriter from France and he was total cultural benchmark. I get to play the most fun character.  It is a biography but I get to be the fantasy element in this.  I play Serge’s alter-ego.  I am cartooney exaggerated looking version of what he didn’t like about himself.  This was a really wonderful and fun role for me to play. This year marks the 20th anniversary of his death, which is pretty timely to put the movie out now.  I am happy that it finally got its US release.  It started playing in Los Angeles and New York on Labor Day and is opening in new cities every week until November.  You can find out more information about this at my website thedougjonesexperience.com.

MG: You just finished filming “Dust of War”, tell us about that film?
DJ: I get offered a lot of independent films from young filmmakers.  I love young filmmakers that are energetic, passionate and have a true vision for storytelling. “Dust of War” was written and directed by Andrew Kightlinger from a small town in South Dakota.  This town was a perfect place for our story, which is a post apocalyptic story after the crash of society and it was caused to crash by something outer worldly.  So you have this “Mad Max” setup and good guys on the run from bad guys.  The formula has been done before but this script and these characters really grabbed me.  I absolutely LOVE them. I got to play a character named Jebediah Strumm.  I am the counterpart to Crispus Hansen, who is played by Tony Todd.  We got to play these traveling minstrels who try and bring life back to this miserable world.  We get to protect and interact with the leads characters.  I am very pleased to have be able to work on “Dust of War”.

MG: Tell us about your coffee table book called “Mime Very Own Book”?
DJ: Oh my gosh, I had so much fun with this project.  When you fill your schedule with film and TV projects and you take out three days out of a photo shoot for a coffee table book it is something very different.  This is a photo book of 250 pages of me as a mime.  We do a lot of pop culture send-ups.  We make fun of famous works of art, movie posters and famous photos in history.  For instance, there is one of me with my arms photoshopped off as “Venus de Milo”.  You will see me in there as the Mona Lisa.  You will see me in boxing shorts knocked out with myself standing over me as Muhammad Ali.  It goes on and on.  We also explore different puns like “A Mime Is A Terrible Thing To Waste”, “Once upon a Mime” and “Mime over Matter” [laughs].  The list just goes on.

MG: Any secrets you want to leak to MediaMikes.com?
DJ: Currently, I am on my way to a costume/makeup fitting for a contract I signed yesterday.  So, I have a new movie shooting late October.  Unfortunately, I can’t say the title just yet.  I can tell you it is fun romp with me in creature makeup.  It will be the first time I am back in creature makeup in two years. So I am looking very forward to it.  It is a huge studio film with big stars in it and it is going to be funny as hell.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: doug, interview, jones

Interview with Lance Warlock

Lance Warlock is part of the composing duo of Lance and Bradford Music.  Lance is also the son of Dick Warlock, well known stuntman and Michael Myers from “Halloween II”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Lance about his film work on ‘Halloween II” with his dad as well has his upcoming scores like “ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2”.

MG: How did you meet up with Leon Bradford to form Lance and Bradford Music?
LW: We have known each other for years. We used to play in different bands. I was drums; he was keyboards. Then he opened up his own recording studio and used to hire me to do all the drum tracks for various artists. He is a fantastic musician and has a great ear for details.

MG: What is your approach when you start composing a film?
LW: We have had different approaches depending on the project. Sometimes it depends on what the director/producer is looking for from us. For example, they might say,”Do whatever you feel.” Sometimes there are more restrictions to a certain style. Our main goal is to come up with a basic concept in tones, style and textures. It’s common for us to score a scene and pass it off to the powers to be and wait for thoughts. That way we don’t get too far ahead without knowing we are on the right track.

MG: How much freedom do you have with a director when working on a score?
LW: We have found so far that there is plenty. They are always positive in indicating that we are the musicians and this is what we do. Again it depends from project to project, but our goal at the end of a film is to have the director/producer very pleased with everything we have done, and hopefully we will get the call for their next project!

MG: Were you always planning on having a walk-on role in “Halloween II” or did it just happen?
LW: I flat out got lucky! I was with my dad that summer of 1981 and they called him in for 3 additional days of re-shooting that John Carpenter was coming in to direct. I always remembered it was to tie up some loose ends with the story. The night of the boombox scene, John did not have anyone in mind for the part. My dad and I were in the trailer practicing the scene for fun when John came in. Dad asked him who was going to be the kid and he said he had no idea. Dad asked what about Lance and John said great! I was a happy camper! All I know is in the end I didn’t end up on the cutting room floor.
I made it even to the TV version. Makes me laugh every year I happen to see it.

MG: Growing up were you able to visit the film sets that your father, Dick Warlock, worked on? If so what was the coolest?
LW: I remember as a very young kid being on many sets. At that time it was mostly Disney films when my dad was doubling a very young Kurt Russell. I remember him dressed up doubling a tiger. I remember him driving Herbie the Love Bug when nobody was in the car. I remember hanging out with Bear from BJ and the Bear while dad was driving a car around a race track. But I would have to think one of the coolest things was going to the tank where they filmed his cage scene from Jaws. Bruce (the shark)was hanging outside of the tank on a lift bigger than all get out. I was able to take a tooth of his for a souvenir. I still have it.

MG: Your father has been a stunt man since the 60’s, you did stunts in “Halloween III” & “Fletch”, what happened after that?
LW: I think I just had a bigger passion for music. Music had always been a big part in my life but as I got older, it got bigger. I still love visiting movie sets and the environment that they have, but were never sure what I wanted to do in films. Except write music!

MG: Any fun/crazy stories from working on the “Halloween” films?
LW: The one thing I would say was the most obvious was everybody working on those sets loved what they did. All the crew members were awesome! They were professional and had fun at the same time. There are some people from those films that have gone on to work on some pretty big films. It is pretty cool to have had the chance to work with John Carpenter.

MG: How was it working with Dante Tomaselli’s on the film “The Ocean”?
LW: Dante is great. He contacted me and asked if I would be interested in writing some music for The Ocean. So I did. Not only does he compose music for his films, but he has a few guys write additional music as well. I was lucky enough to be one of those guys. The bummer is he never ended up making the film. Seems weird to some that he had the music written first, but I remember he said he likes to work that way. Maybe sometime in the future it will happen. It would be great to work with him again!

MG: Tell us about composing the film “ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2”?
LW: I remember the first time I saw the film. I text the director Robert Hall and told him that he was one twisted guy! He wrote back and said thanks! We knew we were in for it from then on. Robert really knew what he wanted as much as he knew what he didn’t want. That made that part of it easy. We really worked our asses off to get it just right. The experience was a total blast. Robert was great to work with and we hope to work on more with him.

MG: Was it difficult working on “Monsterpiece Theatre Volume 1” since it has different segments?
LW: I didn’t think so because each segment could stand on its own. Each segment has its own feel and tone to it, so in a way it was easier to think differently for each one. Those were all fun because again, it was like 4 different short films, so before you knew it, you were done and could move on to the next one.

MG: What other projects do you have planned upcoming?
LW: There are a few things in the works as of now. We try to stay as busy as possible. We really want to create great music and long lasting relationships with the people we work for so we can stay busy for a long time to come! We have just finished updating our website to include new trailers and some of our latest music tracks: www.lanceandleonmusic.com. We are not always looking for the biggest projects, but they have to have substance and passion behind them. To anyone interested, contact us any time regarding your project if you feel we may be a good fit.

 

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: bradford, interview, warlock

Interview with Michael Steger

Michael Steger is known best for his role of Navid Shirazi on The CW’s “90210”. The show is already entering its fourth season this Fall and Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: How do you feel your character has grown going now into the 4th season of “90210”?
Michael Steger: I am so surprised as to where Navid has ended up. I had no idea he was going to end up running a huge production company. I thought he was going to be a journalist and be the next Anderson Cooper. A lot of the change has been good for Navid and I love what they are thinking.

MG: Are we going to see more music production between you and Dixon?
MS: You definitely are going to see a lot of the music side throughout the show. I do partner up with Dixon at one point as he is doing more of the producing. There is going to be a lot more behind the scenes stuff going on that Navid has to figure out in order to run a successful business.

MG: What can we expect to see relationship wise for Navid?
MS: There is still a friendship between Navid and Adrianna however it has been damaged. At the start of the season you will see Adrianna try and redeem herself however Navid is not having any of it. I think it will be a long time before those to reconcile their differences. As for Navid’s relationship with Silver they do move in together and I feel they are the best match for each other.

MG: How do you feel about the cast being trimmed back this season?
MS: We were all a little bummed to find out certain people weren’t going to be but at the same time we are excited because they are going to going other work outside of  “90210”.

MG: What do you think makes this season stand out prior to the previous three seasons?
MS: We are going to be exploring the world outside of high school. There are so many more story lines now that we aren’t confined to that one place. We are all out in the real world trying to be adults. Our audience has grown along with the cast over the four years as well so we want to keep everything in relation to where our viewers may be.

MG: How far in advance do you the scripts prior to shooting and how far are you into filming of season four?
MS: We have started to get the scripts a lot earlier than we have in the past. We have just started shooting the eight episode of this season.

MG: Any cool behind the scenes news you can share with us about the season?
MS: Navid and Silver end in parental roles this season. Neither one of them is quite sure how to handle it nor what to do so there’s a lot of chaos.  This season is going to be a lot of fun!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, michael, steger

Interview with Ioan Gruffudd

Ioan Gruffudd is known best for his role of Mr. Fantastic in the “Fantastic Four” series.  Ioan also starred this year in “Sanctum” and will be co-starring opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in this Fall’s new show “Ringer” on The CW.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ioan about his new show and what we can expect from his character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become attached to the new CW drama “Ringer”?
Ioan Gruffudd: I was going through pilot scripts as every actor sort of does and this one stood head and shoulders above the others that I was right for. Having Sarah Michelle Gellar already attached to the project was a massive attraction as this was going to be her return to television. I went and sat down with the creators and Sarah Michelle and they pitched me this wonderful arc for the character and for the show itself. It was sort of a no brainer really. There were some other bonus elements like the fact that we shoot in Los Angeles, which is great especially since I have a family now.

MG: What can you tell us about your role as Andrew on the show?
IG: Andrew Martin is a British guy who has done incredibly well at managing other people’s money. I don’t think he is the biggest player in town but he is certainly up there and lives quite comfortably. As far as his background goes other than what I have created I don’t really know anything concrete about him. There will be a lot of flashback throughout the show to explain the events prior to us meeting the characters in the park at the beginning of the pilot. I think we will learn more about the character relationships as the series progresses.

MG: How much time are you given to read over the scripts prior to shooting?
IG: Well for example the script we are preparing to shoot today I received it yesterday. It can be a very quick turnaround. I think the department heads usually are preparing a week prior to shooting so that set and things can be set up and the generally idea of each scene can be mapped out. I don’t mind getting the script that close to shooting as it keeps things exciting and fresh which is what we are trying to do with the series. Each week there will be a cliffhanger that keeps you coming back.

MG: What has it been like working with Sarah Michelle Gellar?
IG: It’s an absolute pleasure. I think she is the biggest star in that sense that I have ever worked with. She is a global superstar from her success with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the other films she has made. At the beginning I was a bit of a nerd and excited about the whole thing. I was able to get over that though fairly quick and what I love about her is that she is so tenacious and on top of everything. Besides being a brilliant actress Sarah is a brilliant producer as well. She is really involved in the day to day creative workings of the show. Sarah has a much wiser head on her shoulders than I.

MG: What genre do you feel the show best fits in to?
IG: The CW shows are pretty glamorous and serialized deliberately. The way I have tried to picture it in the past is it’s your favorite afternoon telenovela coupled with “Damages”, when it is at its best. It has a lot of twists and turns throughout the episodes.

MG: How do you feel about switching gears from big scale films to television?
IG: I love being a nomadic actor and traveling to different locations to shoot films. There is something very appealing about that nomadic kind of life style. However I have a daughter now and this series shoots in Los Angeles, where we live, so it would be lovely to get picked up for a whole season which would allow me to be home more. I have always approached things from the basis of the script. This was an opportunity for me to play a real adult part. This character is very ambiguous and we don’t know where his allegiances lay, so it will be fun to see how to unravels.

MG: What do you look for most in a character when you approach a project?
IG: As I evolve and grow older I see things differently and new things present themselves. The lead characters I have played in the past have been very heroic. I have always played the central figure. In this series Sarah Michelle is the central figure, so there are two of us which is a different dynamic and I am enjoying that. I am able to share the weight with someone else. I am just enjoying the evolution and getting to play a very manly character, so to speak.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: gruffudd, interview, ioan

Interview with Chimaira’s Mark Hunter

Mark Hunter is the lead vocalist for the Cleveland, Ohio based band Chimaira. The band recently released their 6th studio album title “The Age of Hell”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Mark about the new album, life on the road and what it was like touring with Slipknot.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the new album “The Age of Hell”?
Mark Hunter: Where do I begin? For those that follow the band they may know that we have had a couple line-up changes over the past year and half to two years. We were forced to go into the studio a couple guys down and make the album. We tried to not let it cramp our style too much and we used the energy that came from it to make something great. We started in January and came out a few months later with “The Age of Hell”. It was a great experience working on the album as there were a lot of things both good and bad that led up to it.

AL: Did being two members down impact the recording process at all?
MH: It’s a mixture of two things. When it comes to writing the music for Chimaira, Rob and I have been the guys who usually deliver the base of the song. From there everyone else comes in and adds their character to it. Sometimes we would write so much that there wouldn’t really be much room for people to participate and other times it would be very open. We knew with our approach to writing an album technically we could do the work other than the fact that we were tripling the work load for everyone. Of course there is some impact on an emotional level as well whether it is confusion or anger or excitement. All the things that come with a relationship ending were present. It was almost like a divorce as we had been with the guys eight or nine years so it was a little difficult. We didn’t necessarily write specifically about the guys leaving but those events did affect the energy.

AL: Had you written any of the songs prior to the guys leaving?
MH: Everything had been unfolding over time and we chose to keep things internal until we felt it was appropriate to discuss. We tried to do our thing and make the album and music our focus. We had written something’s as early as 2010. Leading up to January 2011 when we began pre-production on the album we had about 15 songs written. I remember not being very satisfied with those songs as a whole and I knew that there was going to be a lot of work in front us. I have said before in interviews that we scrapped everything which wasn’t really the case. What I had meant to say is that those songs didn’t really get used and after everything happened we started writing and those new songs seemed to have what I was looking for that the previous demos did not.

AL: Do you have a favorite track of the new album?
MH: Yes and No. I like to listen to the album as a whole. I find that this album more so than our others feels like a journey of some sort.  So it’s hard for me to pick a favorite track from this album. Our previous albums it was a clear cut case for me but if I had a gun to my head I think I would choose the song “Powerless”. I really like to just hear the whole album and reflect on what it took to make it. I have taken more out of this album than all of our other albums combined.

AL: Can you tell us about the upcoming fall tour?
MH: This is going to be our first full U.S. headlining tour in almost four years. We have been out but most of it has been supporting other bands. We had some real great opportunities to go out with Disturbed on the Mayhem Festival as well as the other tours we have been a part of. It’s cool to go back out and headline. We get to play 14 or 15 songs a night which really pleases the fans, which is something that we love doing. It’s a great package that features Impending Doom, Revocation and Rise to Remain. This will be one of two U.S tours that we are going to be doing. We will also be going overseas and we are booked solid through April. I have been home for a year so it will be good to get back out there.

AL: Is there anything you like or dislike about being out on the road?
MH: I think Rob Zombie said it best when he said “You don’t get paid for the hour you are on stage. You get paid for the other 23 hours leading up to it”. I think that’s a pretty accurate description. The best part is playing the gig and the worst part is waiting around prior to the show. It’s an interesting life. You are camping with your friends but instead of being in nice scenic places you’re in shitty parking lots.

AL: What was it like when you guys were touring with Slipknot a few years back?
MH: Slipknot is a great band that we learned a lot from. They were always down to earth and treated us great. They were very thankful to have us on the tour with them. The first night we played together I was in the dressing room waiting for them to go on. I am a big fan of theirs and actually saw them on their first tour. So we were sitting there and a couple of the guys came into the room in full costume and in character. These guys were not the same guys once they had transformed into their roles. There was this feeling that things were about to get real serious! I was actually terrified.  Out of all of the bands I have seen live Slipknot is definitely the most intense.

AL: Are there any other things going on besides the tour for yourself?
MH: The touring is definitely going to preoccupy all the energy we have. However to keep busy I met a band from the Cleveland area called Ohio Sky. Musically they are in the vein of the Deftones or Mastodon. I describe them as space rock. Their keyboardist helped us out a lot on the album and we have become real good friends. I am trying to help them and share my knowledge of the business to help them get their foot in the door. It’s a good project to spend my free time with. Working with them has been different and a nice change of pace. This business and climate right now is like walking into a lion’s den, so I am glad to share my experience and insight.

 

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Filed Under: Music Interviews Tagged With: chimairas, hunter, interview, mark

Interview with Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon

“Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon is best known for co-writing the story for “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”. She also was a writer on “Dollhouse” and “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”. Besides writing Maurissa is currently appearing in the web series “The Guild” and also just worked with her brother Kevin Tancharoen in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”. Media Mikes had the privilege to chat with Maurissa on her various projects.

Mike Gencarelli: You have worked with your husband Jed Whedon on numerous projects, how is it always collaborating?
Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon: Fortunately it’s a very harmonious working relationship. We sort of balance each other out as far as our creative processes go. I tend to be very detail oriented and over think things at times. Jed is capable of thinking stuff up on the fly. He will often throw out some ideas and I will be the one to pick out which one works and then we massage it into something that we both feel comfortable with. It’s definitely a ying and yang situation. I’m glad it is because if it wasn’t we probably wouldn’t be working together. (Laughs)

MG: How do you feel about writing for such projects ranging from “Dollhouse” to “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”?
MTW: We are very grateful to have the chance to work on all these great shows. Me personally, when I started to get into writing seriously I always imagined myself writing on “Sex in the City” or a CW show. I never thought I would be pulled into the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I love it and am happy that I have discovered it. Of course having Jed who has always liked those things worked out great. Going from “Dollhouse” to “Spartacus” is something I like because it allows us to change things up and we never get bored.

MG: What was it like working with your brother, Kevin Tancharoen, on “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
MTW: He is my younger brother but I have always looked up to him. He has just been incredible since he was born. I don’t understand. (Laughs) When we were kids he was always coming up to me wanting to show me what he had done on his computer. He hates when I talk about him being the little brother. Just seeing him on his set with the cast and crew and directing something that he also wrote was great. I was just happy to be a part of it. I would have been there bringing him his water just to get to see him working. Getting to work with him professionally was a great experience. That was the first time he directed me or told me what to do…in front of other people. (Laughs) I was happy to be in it saying lines my brother wrote.

MG: Can you tell us about your work on this season of “The Guild”?
MTW: I have been a fan of the show since season one. I had heard about it when we were looking at casting Felicia Day to play the Penny character for “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”. Joss had worked with her on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and said she would be great and the part and that we should watch her series “The Guild”.  I checked out the show and fell in love with it. The characters and cast are just great. When she asked me this year if I would like to play a part on the series I couldn’t believe it. I was over the moon! This season is really great and it’s much bigger than anything in the past. I feel all the cast are just shining. I can’t wait for everyone to see what happens.

MG: Out of all the songs on “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”, what is your favorite?
MTW: That’s hard. I really love “Everything You Ever”. That song gives me the chills. We actually recently watched on tape for a stage production done during Comic-Con for “Dr.Horrible”. Seeing people take something we had done and interpret it themselves and then adapt it to stage was very cool. The way they did the last song “Everything You Ever” was really great. It warms my heart that people love that project so much. It’s very exciting that it’s still alive years later.

MG: I love your song with Jed called “Remains”, any plans to release more music?
MTW: Yes in fact. We have been working on an album which has been really cool. I am not exactly sure as to when it’s going to be done but I think we might do a five song EP initially. We currently have three songs done and we are working on two more. I don’t know what’s going to become of it but we are just going to do it! “Remains” was a song Jed and I did strictly just for “Dollhouse”. We had no idea people would love it so much. A friend of ours came to us wanting to direct a video for the song. We basically shot it on the fly and people really responded well to it. The song has been out for two years but some people are just now discovering it which is great.

MG: Any top secret information you would like to leak to MediaMikes.com?
MTW: (Laughs) “The Avengers” is going to be a really cool movie! I really feel it’s going to knock people’s socks off. We have been privy to a lot of the stuff going on with the film and from what I hear it’s going really smooth and is going to be great.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: interview, maurissa, tancharoen, whedon

Interview with Brett Rice

Brett Rice co-starring in this year’s hit “Super 8”. He is also co-starring in this Fall’s remake of “Footloose”. Besides movies, Brett also appears on TV series “The Glades” and “Magic City”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brett about his various movie and TV roles.

Mike Gencarelli:  Tell us about your experience working on “Super 8.”
Brett Rice:  Working on “Super 8” was incredible.  Absolutely incredible.  I actually started filming in early December of last year.  I dropped for a little bit to do a pilot I was shooting.  The day after the pilot was finished I was back on “Super 8.”  We sometimes worked 16 hour days.  J.J. Abrams is a lovely man.  And a genius.  I’ll give you an example.  There’s a scene in the film where I, as the sheriff of the town, go into the gas station and talk to the young man behind the counter.  When I come out all of these weird things start happening and a pack of dogs comes running across.  That was not originally in the scene.  It’s two o’clock in the morning and J.J. at the last minute thought “wouldn’t it be funny if these dogs went running by?”  So he had the wranglers go out and an hour later we had a pack of trained dogs to run in front of me.  That’s the power of J.J. and the studio.  It was a brilliant idea that kind of made the scene.

MG:  Tell us about your character in the film, Sheriff Pruitt.
BR:  He’s the sheriff of a small town where a bad train accident happens.  He doesn’t know much about it.  The deputy sheriff comes in and starts talking about these weird boxes…cubes…and I just blow him off.  “Go home and hug your kid,” I tell him.  And the next thing I know I’m out in the middle of nowhere at a gas station and I get abducted.  The creature has taken several people and he does what he does with them.  I mean it’s really no secret that he eats them.  My character survives and I help lead the kids out of a maze.  But, as often turns out in these wonderful films, the kids know more than the adults.  SPOILER ALERT:  So I get taken away at the end and killed.  The kids survive.

MG:  The film is said to have a very Amblin feel to it.  Did you think that during the production?
BR:  Oh yes.  Once we went to the secret lair where the creature was you had that feeling of “E.T.” or several of Spielberg’s other films.  The way J.J. shot it…once you saw it on screen…you automatically had a feeling of Amblin Entertainment.  Like E.T. going across the moon, the film is dark.  The lair is somewhat lit but it’s still dark.  It’s just a great combination of great cinematography and direction.

MG:  What can you recall from working with Tim Burton on “Edward Scissorhands”?
BR:  He’s a wild man (laughs).  He’s a mad genius.  I worked with him one day and he probably spoke to me three or four times.  He had this long, frizzy hair…skinny guy.  At first I didn’t know who he was.  Someone told me he was Tim Burton but I didn’t know anything about him at that time.  During my off time I go into the house and here comes Johnny Depp in full regalia.  Scissors and everything.  I’m looking at the strange creature and I’m curious because I’d only been given two pages of the script to read.  I look at Johnny Depp and I think to myself “what in the hell have I gotten myself into?”  I look up and down the street and I see all of these houses painted in pastel colors with the lawns manicured perfectly and I’m thinking “what in the hell is this movie all about?”  But Tim was great to work with.  He knew what he wanted.  He never had to raise his voice.  He was kind.  And of course, you see what he’s created over the last 25 years…he has earned the nickname “Mad Genius” of entertainment.

MG:  You currently appear on the TV show, “The Glades.”  Tell us about that?
BR:  The star, Matt Passmore, is Australian but what an amazing American accent he’s developed.  When I met him I didn’t know he was Australian until we sat down and talked between scenes.  I said, “you’re not from around these parts, are you?”  My wife Candy was the costumer on the pilot and she was telling me about how nice the crew was.  So when I got on the shoot about a month ago I was really, really impressed.  It’s a first class operation.  Working in the heat of Miami…when I got there Matt said “welcome to hell.”  You’re shooting in the heat and humidity of the summer in Miami…he was right on that account!  But they’re a group of lovely people.  I’ve had great fun with Matt.  About a month before that I had gone to Portland, Oregon to shoot “Leverage.”  I had sent a tape off and they booked me off the tape.  So they flew me to Portland, which is a great city.  Sixty seven degrees…it was drizzling all the time.  But perfect weather for me because I like it a little chilly.  I got to work again with Timothy Hutton, who I had worked with in “Sunshine State.”  He’s a lovely man.  I’ve been so lucky in that on all of my projects the cast and crew, including the directors, have been so friendly and so giving.

MG:  Tell us about your recurring role on the upcoming Starz television show “Magic City”?
BR:  I’ll tell you what I know…we’re on the second episode right now and we’re doing, I believe, thirteen.  It takes place in 1959 Miami.  Paramutual gambling has already been well established with the government.  Horse tracks. Dog tracks.  Jai Alai.  One of the local Mafia groups has built a hotel and they’re trying to get a casino….which is what the hotels there are still trying to do today.  This has been going on for over 50 years down there.  This group is trying to get casino gambling approved in the state of Florida.  My character is a conservative Republican senator…very right wing…from Tallahassee who gets in bed with the paramutual gambling and does not want to help the hotels get casinos.  I can’t really give away too much more about it but that’s the gist of what is going on.  Casino gambling wants to come to Florida in 1959.  It’s the year of the Rat Pack…Sinatra and Dean Martin.  It’s going to be outstanding visually as well.  From what I’ve read it’s going to be a very intriguing story.  Very seductive.

MG:  Tell us about your role in the remake of “Footloose”?
BR:  I just attended a special screening of it and I was mesmerized by it.  It’s going to be a huge hit.   It opens in October and it’s going to be a hit with my generation, the ones that grew up with the original film.  The music has been contemporized.  This film is about 65% of the original film, though like the songs some of the dialogue has been contemporized.  The tractor “chicken” scene is a little different…there’s a different kind of vibe to it.  It’s going to be thrilling to watch.  The dancing is modern and the music is incredible.  Very contemporary.  From hip hop to rock and roll.  My character is the principal of the high school as well as the president of the city council.  I’m one of the instigators of the law that forbids dancing in town.  I suggest that anyone that’s thinking of seeing the film to do so and prepare to be amazed.  And the kid that plays Willard, who was so memorably played by Chris Penn in the original, is going to steal the show.  His name is Miles Teller and he is one hell of an actor.  Miles is the up and coming next big star.  I’ll tell you that right now.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: brett, interview, rice

Interview with Kacey Barnfield

Kacey Barnfield is co-starring in Steven R. Monroe’s “Jabberwock”, which will be airing on SyFy on September 10th.  Kacey has also appeared in the following films “Roadkill”, “Lake Placid 3′ and “Resident Evil: Afterlife”.  Media mikes had a chance to chat with Kacey about her new film and also some of her other work as well.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your character Anabel in “Jabberwock”?
Kacey Barnfield: Anabel is one of two sisters who live in a mid-evil village that comes under attack by the Jabberwock. She is also the love interest of Francis which is played by Tahmoh Penikett. She is just a really sweet wholesome girl that really loves Francis. She is kind of battling for his affection as Francis hasn’t really confronted his feelings for Anabel. As the movie progresses you start to see Anabel come into her own and progress as a woman. By the end she turns into a real kick ass woman. She is a nice girl and a great character.

MG: How was it working with Steven Monroe?
KB: Steven is a great director. He knows exactly what he is doing and he is very calm which seems to rub off on everyone. He is someone you really trust and just has that way about him.

MG: What was it like working with a very male dominant cast? How was it working Michael Worth and Tahmoh Penikett?
KB: It was a very male led cast. I was definitely out numbered. It was fun and after three and a half weeks I was one of the guys. Everyone was really lovely and I made a lot of great friends who I still am in touch with. Tahmoh is relatively tall, as am I, so it was nice to act alongside someone considerably taller than me [laughs].

MG: Was it a difficult production to work on?
KB: The actual shoot was a lot of fun and we had a great time. The only thing that was difficult during the shoot was the weather. I think in the 3 and a half weeks of shooting we had every season present. The last week of shooting it was extremely windy and the crew had to work really hard to keep everything together. I hope the fun that we had making the film translates on screen and to the fans. Are heart were really into the project.

MG: You are no stranger to Syfy Original Movies, having appeared in “Roadkill” and “Lake Placid 3”, do you enjoy the genre?
KB: I do working in the genre for sure. I like action and the physical element to those shoots. As an actor genres often pick you. You have to stay open to everything. I definitely want to explore other genres and keep continuing down the action path as well.

MG: Tell us about working on “Resident Evil: Afterlife”? How was it shooting in 3D?
KB: That was awesome and it was a huge studio movie. The 3D thing was I guess relatively new and everyone was excited to shoot and then go back and look at it on the monitors with the glasses on. It was a different and new experience. I fell in love with Toronto which is where we shot that film. It was really a great experience with a great group of people.

MG: What other projects do you have coming up?
KB: I am actually working with Michael Ross on another project. It’s going to be an independent project shot in San Francisco. I am doing a lot of auditioning as well and just waiting for the next thing to come up.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: barnfield, interview, kacey
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