Our Last Enemy talks about their new album “Pariah”

On March 11th 2014, Australian industrial metal band Our Last Enemy released their newest album titled “Pariah” via Eclipse Records. Produced by Christian Olde Wolbers the album is a perfect melding of all things metal. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the band recently about the album’s release and the bands plans for coming to the United States.

Adam Lawton: How did Our Last Enemy originally come together?
Matt Heywood: The band formed in 2006 in Sydney, Australia. Myself, Oli and Jeff’s previous bands had all broken up and we all ended up meeting through a mutual friend. Bizz joined the band in 2010 after leaving the Genitorturers and relocating to Australia. We had heard through friends that Bizz was looking for a band to jam with. Zot joined the band in 2013. He had actually played with Oli in another band.
Oliver Fogwell: The Australian music scene is just one big family so you eventually end up working with everyone.

AL: How would you describe the bands sounds to someone unfamiliar with the group?
MH: We use the term “Industrial Metal” to describe ourselves when we only have time for a short answer or when we know someone doesn’t have a long attention span. (Laughs) Maybe “Metal Industrial” would be better suited? When we have time for a longer description we like to say it’s a kick in the nuts with a brick on our collective shoe! Sometimes fast, sometimes slow. We like to blend genres with metal being the first and then mixing in electronic, punk, gothic and hardcore, etc.
Bizz Bernius: I would describe our sound as a horror movie soundtrack on steroids.

AL: What can you tell us about the band’s new album?
MH: Our debut North American album is titled “Pariah” It was released on March 11th via Eclipse Records. Christian Olde Wolders who used to be in Fear Factory produced the record along with some bonus remixes by Travis Neal (Divine Heresy), Angel (Dope) and Mortiis. The foundation of the album is “Industrial Metal”. We try to make each song have a particular feel, and throw in all kinds of different styles to achieve that. The album has everything from high level triplets and double kicks to slow brooding grooves. We want people to make up their own minds after hearing it and take from it what they want.
OF: Every review thus far has found something different in “Pariah” which is great. That’s what the album is. It’s a blend of heavy genres that we like to listen to.

AL: Are there plans to tour in support of the release?
MH: Yes! We hope to tour in North America as soon as we can. We want to get out there and play for as many people as possible. We are planning a tour but as right now we can’t yet announce the specifics.
BB: Absofuckinglutely! I can’t wait to tour my home country now that I am in an Australian band. How strange is that? (Laughs)

AL:  Coming from Australia, what do you feel is the hardest part about getting your music heard in different countries other than your own (for example the united States)?
MH: With so much of what a band does now being online, it makes the world a smaller place. Getting our music out on the radio, TV, YouTube or online in general is just as easy for us as it would be for any other band foreign or not. The hardest part for us is getting to play live in other countries and giving people the opportunity to hear our songs in their raw form. We pride ourselves on our live shows. That distance between North America, Australia or Europe is the hardest thing. It costs a lot more money for us to get places so it’s an uphill battle in those terms but, we like it that way.
BB: The expense of touring outside Australia is very high. Flights alone are just ridiculous! (Laughs)

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: album, enemy, pariah, talks

Kevin Sorbo talks about new films “God’s Not Dead” & “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”

Kevin Sorbo is know best for his roles in “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”, “Andromeda” and “Kull the Conqueror”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Kevin a few questions about his upcoming films “God’s Not Dead” and “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to this film, “God’s Not Dead”?
Kevin Sorbo: It’s always the story. Great script, wonderful characters, fantastic message!

MG: How did you prepare to play a character like Professor Radisson?
KS: I have atheist friends. I have many conversations with them about my faith, their non belief. I have had college professors like him and have met with other college students who have had the same experience.

MG: In the film you push your students to admit god is dead; did that clash with your religious beliefs?
KS: Not at all. I’m acting. There are certain things I would be uncomfortable with as an actor and wouldn’t do, but the message here is great and needs to be brought to the light.

MG: Big “Duck Dynasty” fan, did you get a chance to meet The Robertsons during filming?
KS: They were brought in a year after we finished shooting, so we never met.

MG: You are currently shooting “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”, tell us what we can expect?
KS: A whacky ride into a post apocalyptic world where mad max meets the final chapter of the bible. Just had a fun, crazy character to play. No redeeming qualities in him really, but that remains to be seen with hints he may be back for other “Revelation Road” movies.

MG: Lastly tell us about your current Kickstarter campaign for the film “Survivor”?
KS: Sci-fi movie where I play the captain of a ship that had to leave earth decades ago when world war destroyed it. We answer the distress beacon of another planet and all hell breaks loose upon our arrival. Movie is shot and is looking for more money to wrap up post production.

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Sharni Vinson talks about new film “Patrick: Evil Awakens”

Copyright 2013 Roget Clinic Pty Ltd.

Sharni Vinson is an Australian actress that got her American debut in the dance film “Step Up 3D”. Since then she has starred in numerous strong female leads like the Australian shark thriller “Bait 3D” and last year’s action/horror film “You’re Next”. She is an actress that is not afraid to get her hands dirty and she plays these fantastic roles. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Sharni about her latest new film “Patrick: Evil Awakens” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what drew up into the role for “Patrick: Evil Awakens”?
Sharni Vinson: I think a lot of things at the time drew me to the film. I always like to keep an eye out for any Australian projects that come up. I am Australian and I love getting a chance to get back there and shoot a film with my people [laughs]. So, the fact that this was an Australian movie interested me immediately. The attached cast was a big draw as well. Charles Dance and Rachel Griffiths are two actors that I definitely look up to and admire their work. I thought it would be a great challenge for me. So I wanted to take the opportunity. I also liked that it was a remake of a successfully film from the 70’s, I was also very enticed to see how it could progress with today’s technology advancement.

MG: What is your process for getting into a character like Kathy?
SV: We did not have any rehearsals for this movie. We never had any table readings. It was really interesting actually. I flew into Australia from America the day before we started shooting. So I hadn’t met anybody from the film and you know they say you are supposed to develop all this chemistry beforehand. But the process for this one was quite minimal and really unfolded as we were shooting. I felt like with the set, which was so dark and our wardrobes was really what put us into the character. As soon as I put on that uniform, I started to visualize how it was going to unfold. It was a lot of happening in the moment. Each project is different and this was a great experience getting to do it so naturally.

MG: What was your biggest challenge working on this film?
SV: It was a very smooth shoot. We didn’t run into too many problems. I think maybe the most challenging part could have been was that I was working with an actor, in more than 50% of my scenes, who was in a coma. So he did not speak at all. It was a lot of it was reacting and then reacting to yourself as well. I felt like it was almost along the lines of green screen work, which was very different for me. So that was definitely was quite the challenge I think.

MG: You are known for playing really strong female leads like in “Bait 3D”, “You’re Next” and now this; what do you enjoy most about kicking ass and getting your hands dirty?
SV: HA! It is exactly that what I love about them [laughs]. I grew up in Australia on a farm. I grew up in the dirt and in the ocean and was always very physical. I did a lot of dancing and swimming growing up. With movies, we all know it can get quite tedious sitting on the set for long hours and there is a lot of waiting involved. So when you are doing a role that is heavily involvement with action and utilizing a strong physicality you are always getting to work with a stunt coordinator or trainer in your downtime. I would always rather keep going in my downtime than stop. When you have downtime, you sort of realize how exhausted you really are but if you keep going you feel like you are Superman or something…it is crazy [laughs]. Action and horror genres have been quite good to me. That’s three in a row…

Copyright 2013 Roget Clinic Pty Ltd.

MG: Yeah, I was going to bring up the common theme genre of horror you have trending; what draws you to these films?
SV: I almost want to say that is complete coincidence. I grew up watching horror movies and now I am shooting them. I was absolutely obsessed with them growing up from a really young age. It wasn’t even that I put it out there that I wanted to do horror, these are the roles that I have come my way and that I have taken a liking to. They also, like you mentioned, have that strong female character in them and that is great also and I am enjoying getting a chance to play those characters.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2014 and beyond?
SV: I am very excited to get “Patrick” out there, which comes out March 14th. Next, I am actually doing a film in China mid-year. It is going to be awesome. A part of the film “Bait” was shot in China, so I am excited to get to back there. I do not think the film has settled on a final title yet, so keep an eye out.

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Matt Sorum talks about solo project Fierce Joy and album “Stratosphere”

Matt Sorum has been the drummer for such legendary bands as The Cult, Velvet Revolver and Gun’s N’ Roses. Matt’s newest musical endeavor is a solo project titled “Matt Sorum’s Fierce Joy”. The album simply titled “Stratosphere” comes out of Matt’s desire to give back while also addressing his past with startling insight and maturity. Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Matt recently about the creation of the album and his evolution as a musician and person.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you started working on this new album?
Matt Sorum: I have always been a fan of acoustic guitar. I will generally sit down and write a song when I am having some sort of emotional feeling. That is my outlet. I have acoustic guitars all around my house. I will just pick them up and start playing. A lot of this record was compiled from cassette tapes I had made as I used to keep a cassette player around to record these ideas when I had them. When I got ready to put this album together I knew I wanted it to be around my other love of music that is a bit separate from my love of rock and roll. I love artists like Tom Petty, Lou Reed and Joni Mitchell. I have this whole other set of music that I love and I wanted to do something in that vein. When I started putting everything together I noticed that my style was geared more towards that type of Americana writing. I grew up on progressive music and that is another influence that came out on this record. I spent a week out in the desert with these riffs and ideas and wrote 8 or 9 of the tracks. I didn’t have any distractions and I was able to just write. Things worked out well and I had this great channel of energy. I stumbled on to a way of writing which allowed me to really flow. In the past I had a collaborator help me with the writing but on this new record I did most of it myself. It felt really good to be able to do that. When it came time to put the record out I knew I could record it at my home studio and I could bring in musicians but there was more a lot more to it. I ended up starting my own label with an investor friend of mine and we called it Rok Dok Recordings. We did everything ourselves and it was a lot of fun. This was just a great experience all the way around. Having total control of your music is a great feeling.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the musicians who played on the album?
MS: I knew stylistically where I wanted to go with this and it was going to be in a different wheel house so to speak. If I wanted to make a rock album that would have been pretty easy but with the sound I was going for with “Stratosphere” things were a little different. I picked the drummer because I didn’t play drums on the album. That was probably the hardest thing for me. I started with Paul Ill on bass. He has played with everyone from Tina Turner to Linda Perry. Paul was very instrumental in putting the band together. He brought in some really great players that have played with tons of people and appeared on a lot of great albums. The guys who played on the record are going to be the same group I take out on the road with me when that time comes. These guys put their hearts and souls in to this record I really appreciate that.

AL: Can you tell us about the webisodes you created to document the creation of the album?
MS: I was trying to come up with a way to get the material out there and make people aware of it. Even before I did the album I knew I was going to shoot all of from the rehearsals to the actual recording. I have seen this idea done before and I know people want to be invested in a project or have a part of it. I ended up doing a series of 5 episodes that will be released over a period of time prior to the album release. After the album comes out there will continue to be new episodes being released. We want to be able to just keep building momentum. We have a tone of stuff recorded that we want to share with the fans.

AL: What do you feel is going to be the biggest challenge in getting fans to see you outside of your normal “rock” element?
MS: I could have easily sat back and made a rock album. I know rock and roll very well so that probably wouldn’t have taken very long. It’s easy for me to write rock songs but it never feels as satisfying to me. I like rock and roll as an energy and a feeling that is separate from what I felt when I was writing the material on this new record. I don’t feel I could have written rock songs that go as deep in to my psyche as these songs do as it’s a different energy. I hope fans look at it as either being good music or bad music. They don’t know me as a singer so I just hope they like the different style and notice that I can sing. I hope people who have known me or have been a fan of me for a long time will sit down and give this record a chance. I want people to be able to see me in a different light.

AL: Do you feel you are past the point now of ever doing Gun’s N Roses again?
MS: I think you have to be past it. I have been past it for a long time now. The expectations will just kick your ass if you don’t move on. There’s not a day in my life that I don’t get asked about the band. I look at that as two fold. It’s sort of a blessing and a curse. (Laughs) It’s really more of a blessing. Being a part of that legacy for the time that I was a part of it was a blessing. That time really paved the way for the rest of my life. That was a great experience in my life and was one of the greatest rock bands ever! I have to look at it with respect and thank the fans and the other band members for including me. I will look back at the height of things with the band which I was there for and say “I did it”. That might be the way it should be left. We all have other things going on outside of Gun’s N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver that we are very happy doing.

AL: What other projects to do you have in the works?
MS: I really need to get this stuff with Fierce Joy out there. This project is where I can really show my artistic roots. It’s a cathartic thing that you have to do. Some people write in a book or diary or maybe go to a shrink. (Laughs) For me I chose to do that with this record. My band Kings of Chaos are going to be going out on the road and were set to break off a bunch of new stuff for this summer. We are going to be doing something called “The Celebration of Rock and Roll”. This will be with guys I have known for 25/30 years. We are going to be in a lot of different places with that. I am going to try and do all of this.

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Firewind’s Gus G. talks about new solo album “I Am The Fire”

Gus G. is probably best known as the guitarist for heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and for his own band Firewind. Gus can no add solo artist to his impressive list as in early March he will release his debut solo album titled ”I Am The Fire” via Century Media Records. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Gus recently about the new album and its creation.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your new album “I Am the Fire”?
Gus G.: This is my first solo album and it features a lot of different collaborations with a variety of musicians. There are guest bass players, singers and drummers. It’s a bit of a different approach this time around especially if you compare it to what I have done with Firewind.  This solo album I wouldn’t even classify as heavy metal. I think it’s definitely more of a hard rock album. There a mixture of styles and it showcases a different side and background of my playing. You will hear a lot of acoustic and instrumental type sounds on this record.

AL: What made now the best time to release a solo album?
GG: We were on a break from Ozzy because he was out working with Black Sabbath and after our singer left Firewind in 2012 I had some ideas that I wanted explore however they didn’t really fit Firewind. After completing some prior commitments we decided to take a break while we searched for a new singer. This time off from both projects gave me the time to start working on these ideas while I was at home.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the guest appearances on the album?
GG: The main singer on the album is Mats Leven from the band Candlemass. He and I wrote 5 songs together and he sings on 4 of those. I did a song with the band Devour the Day which is actually the first single off the record titled. I also worked with Michael Starr from Steel

Panther and David Ellefson from Megadeth. There were a lot of people involved in the creation of this album. Jay Ruston who produced the album was very instrumental in bringing a lot of these guys in to the project. I took things track by track and Jay guided me through things.

AL: How did you go about putting the songs together for the record and did you make any adjustments to your guitar tone or playing?
GG: I mainly write the music. I will start from there and then go back and work on lyrics. I wanted to have people co-write with so I may have had a song title or something like that but for the most part I would send the tracks out and just tell whoever to surprise me. That’s really how we did things on this album. For the tone side of things I pretty much used all the same gear I normally use. I did experiment a little but you can still hear my sound and style on the record. I tried some new tones on this one and also id some acoustic guitar playing as well.

AL: Can you tell us why you chose “My Will Be Done” to be the first single release?
GG: I thought that track was going to be pretty suitable for radio. It has a sound that I think would fit well in to that format. I had hooked up with Devour the Day through my label and when I first heard their material it blew me away. When we started writing the song I knew it was going to one that was very strong and could be a single.

AL: Have you started to plan out any touring to help support the release?
GG: Yes. I will be starting out with some shows in Greece and then in May I will be tour with Marty Friedman called “Guitar Universe”. There have been talks about hitting some of the festivals this summer and I would love to tour the States as well.

AL: Has there been anything mentioned as to when you and Ozzy will start working together again?
GG: There has been nothing official yet. He is pretty busy with Black Sabbath and there is nothing I can really confirm. I don’t know a lot about that stuff. (Laughs) I know when he is ready we will all be there with him.

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Murray Langston talks about his new book “Journey Thru the Unknown”

Here’s my Murray Langston story. When I started out in the theatre business one of my responsibilities was to put the new films together and watch them to make sure they were ok. One Friday morning I came in to assemble and screen a film called “Night Patrol,” that Mr. Langston not only co-wrote but starred in, both as Officer White and the Unknown Comic. As the film started I began to panic, as the opening credits were in French and subtitled. After a few moments I ran to the office and called the film company, screaming at them that they had sent me a French print. Thus began a scramble at New Line which ended when one of the film people in the office, who had seen the film, notified his bosses that the filmmakers intentionally put the opening credits in French and assured them, and me, that the film was in English. And it was. Ha-ha on me! And the many people that would come out of the theatre wanting their money back because they didn’t know “Night Patrol” was a foreign film.

Born in Canada, Murray Langston always had a knack for being funny. After entertaining his fellow sailors while working as a disc jockey in the Navy, Langston ended up in California, where he made his professional debut on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In” doing his impression of a fork. He eventually earned a gig as part of the supporting cast of “The Sonny and Cher” show. But he shot to fame when he put a paper bag over his head and appeared as the Unknown Comic on “The Gong Show.”

In the almost four decades since he slipped that bag over his head he has not only continued to entertain but has helped nurture some of the greatest comedians of his, and our, era. To promote his new book, “Journey Thru the Unknown,” Mr. Langston sat down with me to talk about his career, his influences, and his two beautiful daughters, of whom he is immensely proud. After I regaled him with the above “Night Patrol” story, which he enjoyed, the questioning began in earnest. I should add hear that Murray Langston is always “on” and never misses an opportunity to make you laugh.

Murray Langston: Where are you calling me from?
Mike Smith: Kansas City.
ML: Oh…I’ve heard of it.
MS: I’ve got four or five questions whenever you’re ready.
ML: I tell you what….you’ve got six. And you can’t ask me what the capital of Ohio is.
MS: That was actually my follow up to the first question.
ML: (laughs). Good one. Don’t ask me the distance from the sun to the moon either. Don’t know it.

MS: For those who haven’t read the book yet, tell us a little about what led you into show business.
ML: Two words. Jerry Lewis. He’s what led me into it. Sitting in the theatre as a kid and watching those movies. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I think he also inspired Steve Martin. He inspired a lot of people. And I’m so grateful because I’ve had a wonderful life…and am still having a wonderful life.

MS: That’s all that matters.
ML: Exactly. I’m enjoying every minute of every day.

MS: You are originally from Canada, which has also given us great comic minds like Dan Aykroyd, Mike Meyers, Jim Carey. What is it about Canada that makes people so funny?
ML: I don’t know. Maybe it’s the cold weather. We just wanted to get out of there and comedy was a good way to do it. You know, when you do shows in Canada the people aren’t really applauding, they’re just trying to keep warm.

MS: I can’t think of anyone that has an appreciation of comedy that doesn’t know of the Unknown Comic. When you would do your live shows you would open as the Unknown Comic and then, after a break, would return to the stage as Murray to finish the act. Were there any bits you felt more comfortable doing as the Unknown Comic rather than as Murray or vice versa?
ML: Not really. The Unknown Comic was more a visual act. I’d do impressions with the bag or magic tricks. Really, except for a few one-liners all of the jokes as the Unknown Comic were related strictly to the bag. Once I took the bag off it was a completely different show because I would talk about things that were happening in my own life.

MS: The book has a great collection of photographs. I think a lot of the people that read it are going to be shocked because they’re going to recognize you instantly by your moustache and realize you entertained them on many, many sketch comedy shows. Do you have a favorite guest star that you worked with on these shows?
ML: Obviously a huge moment for me was when I got to work with Jerry Lewis on “The Sonny and Cher Show.” That show was four and a half great years. I mean I got to meet everybody. From Ronald Regan to O.J. Simpson. All of the great musical acts that came along back then. “The Sonny and Cher Show” is definitely a highlight of my life.

MS: You mention often in your book the influence Jerry Lewis had, not only on you but on so many other comedians. Is there another comic actor around these days that you think could be referred to as having achieved “Jerry Lewis” status?
MS: You know who almost did that…Jim Carey, who I worked with a couple of times in Canada. I would say that he came pretty close to it for a few years. I’m one of those guys that, whenever somebody can get up on a stage and make people laugh for 45 minutes or an hour, I’m going to appreciate them because I know what it takes to do that. I really like Louis C.K. In fact, someone told me that he’s said he only became a comedian because of the Unknown Comic…because of watching me in his early years. I love his work. I love a lot of people’s work. Like I said, anybody that can do it I’m a fan of.

MS: I’ll understand if you can’t answer this one. Did you ever go on a secret mission with Chuck Barris when he was with the C.I.A.?
ML: (laughs loudly) Yes. No, Chuck told me that when he was writing the book he thought it came off as boring so he paralleled his true life story with a fictional one just to make the book more entertaining. And it certainly worked. It made for a good movie. But none of that stuff was true. And I hope people know that now.

MS: Finally, as you approach age 70 you’re still going strong. What do you have coming up?
ML: I just finished a play. And I’m getting ready to perform at the Wolf Trap Theatre. Is that in Vermont?

MS: Virginia. It’s very nice.
ML: I have a couple more joke books coming out, plus I currently doing the audio verison of “Journey Thru the Unknown.” I’ve got a joke book about Donald Trump and another one about the Kardashians, so I’m always busy. Plus I’m always looking out for my two daughters. (NOTE: Mr. Langston has two daughters: Myah, a singer/songwriter and Mary. Mary has Down Syndrome and is truly the light in her father’s life) My oldest daughter (Myah) just signed with Capitol Records and has a record coming out soon. They’re going to be HUGE! Her band is called My Crazy Girlfriend. And it’s really interesting. I wrote in my book how my influence was Jerry Lewis and the next thing I knew I was working with him. From the time Myah was 8 or 9 years old she was a huge fan of Brittney Spears. She idolized her. And now she’s been a back-up singer on her last three albums. That’s an interesting parallel, I thought.
MS: How is Mary?
ML: Mary is doing great. She’s the joy of my life. I’m picking her up from school and she’s spending the weekend with me.

MS: She’s an angel.
She is my angel. She makes my life worth living a hundred times more.

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American Fangs’ Micah Miller talks about band’s first full-length album

Micah Miller is the drummer for the Houston, TX band American Fangs. The group released their first full-length album titled “American Fangs” in March of 2013 and will be performing during this year’s South by South West Musical Festival. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Micah recently about the group’s formation, the creation of the album and the group’s recent appearance at Ship Rocked.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the formation of the band?
Micah Miller: Our singer Gabe and our guitarist Kenyon were actually in a previous band together. When that band stopped there was some time between projects. We had friends from around the Houston music scene who also were without bands and we would all get together from time to time and drink beer and play music. From there things just sort of ended up sticking with all of us forming this band.

AL: Can you tell us about the band’s debut album?
MM: It was sort of a roller coaster to get this album out. We started out just being a band in 2007 for fun really. In 2008 is when we started to make the band a consistent thing. We released an EP on our own and picked up some management. We had a few record label offers at this time as we were out on the road touring. We ended up signing with a label and went in and recorded an entire album. Within 2 weeks of turning that in the label went under. We decided to just continue on with touring in hopes another label would pick us up. We put around 150,000 miles on our van and just couldn’t get a deal. When it looked like we were going to hang it up Sony came along and offered to work with us. They didn’t know our label had gone under and were really big fans of the band. That rejuvenated us. This album is a culmination of songs we were playing in our live set that we love so much.

AL: How did working on this album compare to the work you did on the “Pomona” EP?
MM: It was very different. When we were working on “Pomona” we were all living together in a house while playing gigs on the weekend and working day jobs. A friend of ours built a studio in the dining room of the house and that’s where we recorded things. We would get home from work and record our ideas. It was a very slow process as we didn’t have any real time table. We wanted to come up with a small collection of songs that we were really proud of. With the LP we flew out to Long Island and worked with Mike Watts. There was a time line this time and a lot of other stuff. We went in with about 30 songs. From there we narrowed it down to about 11 and started working with Mike to make various parts better. Some songs were ones that had been around longer than others and we re-worked parts of those as well. I think we were more focused with the full length.

AL: The band just got back from performing on this year’s Ship Rocked cruise. Can you tell us about that experience?
MM: It was pretty crazy but exciting at the same time. There was a really good line up that featured well known bands and newer acts like us. We weren’t sure if anyone would come and see us as our first set was at the same time as Three Days Grace. It ended up being really cool. Jacoby and Jerry from Papa Roach came out and as the set went on the room filled in more and more. We got a great response and it was really fun. Each set we did after that got bigger and bigger. A lot of the other bands would come out and watch us which was great because we grew up idolizing a lot of those guys. It was pretty surreal. If only the water had been warmer. (Laughs)

AL: What other plans does the band have for this year?
MM: We are doing a few local shows in Houston but until the South by South West festival were going to be off the radar. That’s going to be kind of odd because last year we did around 120 shows. It just feels odd but it’s nice to be at home. We have a few offers on the table to head back over to the UK in the spring but we are still working out all of those details.

 

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Volbeat’s Rob Caggiano talks about Grammy nominated song “Lonesome Rider”

Rob Caggiano is the former lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Anthrax and current guitarist for the Danish-metal group Volbeat. The group was recently nominated for a Grammy and also put out a new music video for the song “Lonesome Rider”. Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Rob about the group’s nomination, how he came to join the band and what the group has planned for the rest of this year.

Adam Lawton: Can you walk us through your transition from leaving Anthrax, to producing Volbeat and subsequently joining the band?
Rob Caggiano: I first met Volbeat around 2010. They had taken my other band The Damned Things out on tour with them. We all became friends as we hit it off instantly. The first time I really heard the band was on this tour and was just blown away. During the tour they always asked me to come up and play on the Misfits song “Angel Fuck” which was just such a blast. In talking during that tour we all flirted with the idea of working together in the studio with me as a producer. They were fans of the Damned Things album as well as the Anthrax album “Worship Music” which I produced both. It seemed like a cool idea that I was into but it all seemed a bit far-fetched because of our scheduled and the fact that I am in the States and the rest of the band is in Denmark. A few years later when I decided I needed to move on from Anthrax my scheduled had opened up and it was perfect timing because Volbeat was set to go in to the studio. They heard of what was going on with me and Michael called me up to see if I would be interested in producing their album. Things happened all really quickly because a day or two after that phone call I was in Copenhagen and about two weeks after starting work on the album I was asked if I would join the band.

AL: Did you have any reservations about joining a band that you initial only signed on to produce?
RC: I am kind of used to that as I have done that a lot lately. (Laughs) It was similar with The Damned things and Anthrax. I did have to change how I looked at the project from a production stand point because now I was not only trying to get good performances out of the band but I was also trying to figure out how I was going to put my stamp on the music. What we ended up trying worked out perfectly for the record. We put my rhythm guitars on the left and Michaels on the right we put Anders bass in the middle and Jon is everywhere. You get the sound of the band running on all cylinders.

AL: Did you have to rework your sound at all in order to fit with the new band?
RC: My sound is my sound. Coincidentally it works perfect with Volbeat. (Laughs) I really didn’t change anything. There are certainly more stack of amps on the stage now and it’s a lot louder.

AL: What were your first thoughts when your first album with band both as a producer and as a member was nominated for a Grammy?
RC: It was an honor. I have been nominated a couple times before but never was able to go to the Grammy’s. This year I went and it was surreal. It was a very cool night. I think the Grammy’s is sort of misunderstood. For me it’s not a competition of whose better or worse it’s a celebration of the most successful artists of that year. Just to be able to be in that mix for me is a honor.

AL: Can you tell us about the new video for the song “Lonesome Rider”?
RC: I think this is the first Volbeat video not to feature the band. (Laughs) That was the main idea. Michael talked to our video guy and asked him to come up with something cool that didn’t feature the band. That’s exactly what they did. I think the video turned out great and totally compliments the song.

AL: You just returned from this year’s NAMM convention. Are there any new products being released that with have your signature on them?
RC: ESP is continuing with my signature line of guitars. There aren’t any changes to this year’s model as compared to last year’s however I have been thinking about some. I love the guitar the way that it is but I have just been thinking of some stuff. The newest thing I have coming out is a signature guitar pedal. It’s going to be put about by Haden which is part of ESP now. They are originally from the UK and put out boutique amps. They are just killer! I am excited about the pedal as it’s unlike anything that is currently on the market. You should start to see more about it in the coming months.

AL: What other plans do you and the band have planned for this year?
RC: Volbeat will be back touring the States in April. We are bringing Trivium out with us and hitting a lot of B market places this time around. Our last few time out we really only hit the major markets. From there we will be heading overseas for most of the spring and summer. I also have a few other things in the pipe but I can’t talk about those just yet.

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Ciscandra Nostalghia talks about band’s new album “Chrysalis”

Ciscandra (pronounced Casandra) is the front woman for the 3 piece electronic act Nostalghia. The group is set to release a new album in April titled “Chrysalis” and Media Mikes spoke with Ciscandra recently about the new album, the group’s foundation and how different audiences respond to the group’s unique sound.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you first met up with Roy Gnan?
Ciscandra Nostalghia: I was looking for a band mate who wasn’t going to waste my time. There are a lot of people out here in Los Angeles that aren’t super passionate about what they do. I was really looking for someone who was attached to their art and music as much as I am. I posted a very simple add with what I was looking for and Roy found that add via Google. He sent me some of his music and I thought it was very beautiful. I sent him some of mine after that as I didn’t want to meet in person until we worked back and forth some. We made our first song together via emails and when it was all completed is when we actually met in person for the first time.

AL: How would you classify your sound?
CN: We have an orchestral electronic sound. The music is very organic as there are strings and piano mixed with these electronic elements. There some very interesting programming stuff going on as Roy is a genius when it comes to that sort of thing.

AL: Can you tell us about your upcoming album?
CN: We have a new album coming out titled “Chrysalis” which will be released on April 8th. I am really excited about this release. However prior to the release will be in Australia playing the Sound Wave festival with Thirty Seconds to Mars.

AL: How does the process work between you and Roy when working on new material?
CN: Typically I will write a song very quickly and then take it to Roy and visual explain to him what I am seeing through the song. We will then collaborate on the production and orchestration of the track.

AL: Has there been talks of releasing a single along with a corresponding video?
CN: I actually just finished shooting a new music video. There is already a video out for the song “Cool for Chaos” which is off the new album. The new video has some really cool old style footage that I edited together to give it this vintage feel that is both heavy and dark. I don’t want to give too much away just yet though.

AL: What type of tour plans do you have in place for this year?
CN: After Sound Wave we will be most likely jumping on another tour. We aren’t sure which one yet but we will definitely be out on the road. With the album coming out in April we will be touring a lot. I also am always writing and creating so I will be quite busy.

AL: Having played all over the world what type of differences do you notice in the various audiences?
CN: We played a show in Mexico that was just so warm and welcoming. The audiences there are curious fans that love music especially music that is dark and emotional like ours. You certainly get different reactions in different places. I think that it’s due in part largely to what’s happening within the country itself. There’s a reason Mexico loves dark, moody, emotive music. The vibe is different in each country we go to.

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Monte Pittman talks about newest solo album “The Power of Three”

Monte Pittman is an accomplished solo artist/guitarist who has played with everyone from Adam Lambert and Prong to being a part of Madonna’s touring band since 2001. Monte’s newest solo titled “The Power of Three” is melding of styles which were produced by legendary heavy metal producer Flemming Rasmussen. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Monte recently about the new album and how he diversifies his playing style.

Adam Lawton: What was it that first inspired you to pick up the guitar?
Monte Pittman: The first thing that sparked it all was being 3 years old and discovering my sister’s Kiss records. I’ve wanted to play music since I can remember. I don’t recall ever wanting to do anything else. When I was 13, I finally got my first guitar. A year later I started taking lessons with the best guitar teacher in the area, started my first band, and played my first gig.

AL: Can you give us some background on your new album “Power of Three”
MP: It combines some of the styles that I grew up listening to and that I still listen to today. Sometimes as the years pass by you can fall out of touch with a band you grew up listening to but there are also albums that are just as good as the first time you heard them when listening today. I looked at the kind of songs I was missing in my live set and wrote them.

AL: Your previous solo release was also titled “Power of Three” Are there any links other than the name between the two?
MP: Originally, it was going to be 3 EP’s and that would be my third album. A couple things changed all of that. One was when Flemming Rasmussen pushed me to focus on the heavy material I was writing. Another was playing when Flemming and I recorded for Brian Slagel and him signing me to Metal Blade. If I had to do it all over again, I would have called it “Another Lesson I’ve Learned” which is the first acoustic song on that EP. Also, retailers don’t want you to call a recording a title that is a music format. “M.P.3: The Power of Three, Pt. 1” meant “Monte Pittman 3”. Now I look at it as that EP ends the chapter, or Part 1, of my previous releases and Metal Blade’s “The Power of Three” begins a new dawn.

AL: Can you tell us about the video for “Before the Mourning Son” and what made you choose that song to release as a single
MP: When I played the album for Brian Slagel, he wanted to play “A Dark Horse” & “Before The Mourning Son” for the rest of the Metal Blade staff. That’s why I chose those as the first two singles. We had done an “artwork / order now” video for “A Dark Horse” so when it came time to make a “performance” video, I went with “Before the Mourning Son”. The song showcases a lot of different things too so it was the perfect choice.

AL: Being a metal guitarist what types of steps to do you take to adjust your sound/style when working with acts like Adam Lambert and Madonna?
MP: Madonna has just about every style you can play with well over 30 years of an outstanding career. I just approach each song with a fresh outlook on what it needs for the time we are doing it. We rarely repeat ourselves. For Adam, I wanted his band to have as much balls as I could bring to the table. I was concerned with other singers from that show having bands that almost reminded you of karaoke and I thought he should have a strong band that worked for the venues he was playing. It has to have attitude and passion behind the music because that’s what translates to the audience. Just playing the overproduced multi tracks and trying to pass that off to the audience doesn’t cut it. I wanted the band to be a “band”. Not some people way back there in the dark. That came back to bite me in the end but it is essential to play to your crowd and be one with your audience.

AL: Are there plans to tour behind the release and what other plans do you have for 2014?
MP: I’m playing March 12 in Austin for SXSW. I’m playing March 14th in Dallas and March 16th in Longview. Now I’m connecting the dots there and back. On April 5th at The Whisky, it’s me, Holy Grail & Gypsyhawk. Keep checking in at www.montepittman.com for all of the latest news.

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Vera Farmiga talks about Season 2 of A&E’s “Bates Motel”

Despite a successful career that had started almost a decade earlier, actress Vera Farmiga didn’t become a household name until her appearance as the psychiatrist caught in the middle in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar winning Best Picture “The Departed.” In 2010 she earned Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award nominations for her supporting turn opposite George Clooney in “Up in the Air. Since then she has starred in such films as “Source Code” and “The Conjuring.” She is also taking on another iconic role, that of Norma Bates, mother of young Norman, in the A&E series “Bates Motel.” As the second season approaches (it begins on March 3) Farmiga took some time to answer some questions about her preparation for the role, her family’s possible obsession with dark material and the rarity of having a second season while working in episodic television.

Mike Smith: Do you know quite a bit of the story line ahead of time? If so, do you like having that knowledge or would you rather be surprised as you go along?
Vera Farmiga: I’m still figuring what it is that is part of my process. You know, I’ve never had the luxury of a second season. I’ve done three series before and they all never had the opportunity to go beyond 13 episodes in the first season. So I know the first season I did feel a little disabled. Not that I couldn’t act… but I remember (writer) Carlton Cuse asking me “do you want some more clues?” And I wanted to sort of take it an episode at a time and not get ahead of myself. For me it was impossible to dig as deep initially with the root of this new character. I just had to – like it was like I felt like Norman Bates was this like huge voluptuous shrub that I just had to trust in this kind of a shallow root system. And sometimes I felt like I was like showing up to fix his toilet and my toolbox has been like packed by the wife. Do you know what I mean? I just reveled in the opportunity of a second season – television is a much slower process to discovering that background history, the personality, the psychology, the characters and their goals. And there were so many unknowns. And also, the cast is so much closer. There’s an intimacy. There’s a level of like sportsmanship now that we can throw harder jabs at each other. It’s the deeper level of trust that has been – and loved. It’s been established between us and the writers and between the actors. But, yes, for the second season I did ask for more clues. And I wantedto – I wanted to have the trajectory of the second season. I wanted to have more answers at the start, which I was provided with. So I think you’re in for a better second season.

MS: What is it that has been attracting you to more intense and scarier roles – “The Conjuring”…obviously the subject matter in “Bates Motel.” Is it in the blood? You’re sister Taissa is now on “American Horror Story.”
VF: Oh my God, you know, it’s like my own beautiful internal logic about why I choose to participate. Or I think actually the projects choose us. But why like there’s this magnetism oftentimes with dark subject matters is like… I don’t know. And actually to be honest with you, I do – I find dark stories uplifting. I think it’s like during the darkest moments of our lives that we see the light, right. There is a lot of darkness in “Bates Motel,” but again, there’s a lot of joy. I always look at things. And I choose to look at it through the lens of positivity. And I think our story is, yes it’s a story about dysfunction. It’s dark. But it’s a story about commitment and love and family and resilience and loyalty. I look at Taissa in “American Horror Story” and I just think, you know – I’m bias – you know, I’m practically her mother. And she’s just like this bright supernova that shines even brighter in the dark. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because our childhoods were so straight and narrow and full of light and love and goodness. I don’t know. Maybe that’s why we veer toward them more. But the object is to send light into the darkness you know, I mean that’s how I always look at it. So I am attracted to the sordid and the wacky, the unorthodox. But I love infusing it with lightness.

MS: When you first took on the role, were you worried before Seasons 1 how it would work setting it in the modern day? And why is it you think it does work so well?
VF: You know, I think – yes. I’d be lying if I didn’t have some reservation about it when I initially was presented with the offer. I thought there were so many things that can go wrong. And where we are being tethered, you know, we’re borrowing these characterizations or these plots points from like the most successful horror film ever. And that’s why that is a tall order but then it became to me simply a story – at the heart of the story it is this relationship between mother and son. But I didn’t feel any sort of pressure because everything that we knew about Norma Bates was through the fractured psyche of Anthony Perkins’ Norman.

MS: You’ve noted that what the audience “knows” about Norma came through the eyes of Anthony Perkins. Of course, that also means that the audience knows how Norma ends up. I know you are, in parts, trying to be faithful to the original film but, that being said, could you have another potential outcome for her? And if so, does this affect the way the character is written or how you portray her?
VF: The writers have always seen this as a strange love story between this mother and a son. And I don’t mean, you know, incest love. But it’s intense. And it’s…I mean it has to go in a certain direction. The relationship you see in the film, she’s very much portrayed as one type of person. And you don’t ever get to know that in her workings of how it got there, which is really fun in the film. I mean it’s great. And it’s a big surprise when you find out in the film. But here you get the luxury of taking that mess and putting it under a microscope and examining it and wondering how it got there and what the permutations were. And was there anything in at that wasn’t just ugliness because in the film, you know, she’s portrayed as a very abusive, harsh kind of ugly parent and it’s like, okay, well everyone gets mad at their parents sometimes. I mean everyone – every teenager in the world says I hate you. And they don’t hate them. It’s like the parent is such a complex thing to a kid. So it really was just, you know, it’s the love story of those two people and how they get to that place. And what it means and what that looks like. And it’s going to be amazing.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 2, aes, bates, farmiga, motel, season, ...

Patton Oswalt talks about hosting the 29th Annual Independent Spirit Awards

Back in 2006, the Independent Spirit Awards changed up their trophy system. Before 2006, winners at the awards show would receive an acrylic glass pyramid containing suspended shoestrings that symbolized the thin budget that independent movies would typically have to work with. They then changed it up to show a bird sitting atop of a pole with that the pole wrapped in shoestrings. So obviously the next logical step would be giving the winners a living, breathing bird. Right? Well that’s the plan at this year’s 29th annual awards. The host, Patton Oswald, was able to talk with me and other reporters at a press conference, to go over his avian stunt, comedic or not, as well as talk about what an honor it is to host this prestigious event.

Patton Oswalt is very familiar with the awards process. His first hosting duties were at the 39th annual Annie Awards where he was quick on his feet, especially when something went wrong, “I’m gonna be very, very aware if somebody reads the wrong cards. He read the wrong winner and I’ll try once again try to make a screw-up like that be delightful.” Even though he’s well known as a stand-up comedian, Patton has received recognition for his acting abilities throughout the years. Many people will remember him as the voice of Remy in “Ratatouille”, but his most recent portrayal as Matt Freehauf in “Young Adult,” landed him the New York Film Critics award for best supporting actor. So it’s understandable that Patton Oswalt would be ready to host the Independent Spirit Awards, but not a lot of hosts spend their time leading up to the awards preparing themselves for birds. but that’s what he’s been doing.

“I feel pretty ready. I’ve been down to the park a lot, chasing them around, yelling at them, so we’ll see,” Patton said jokingly. There should be no worries among animal activists or organizations. Patton says the birds will be well taken care of. The real challenge for him however, may actually be having to be around a bird, “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I have a paralyzing fears of birds…I don’t think it’ll affect my performance.” Patton says he wasn’t sure what kind of birds they would have though. Or even if they would be different for each nomination. He was sure that the winners would actually be able to keep their feathered prize, “They can keep them, they can set them free. Trust me, I know actors, I know directors, there’s all kinds of things they could do with birds, some I would rather not go into.” Patton said the birds will be cage free and actually be handled by the presenters and winners. With fears extinguished, Patton returned to the jokes by reassuring everyone that if anyone’s award…I mean bird…died days, months, or years later, the contingency plan would be to give the winner a baby cougar as a replacement.

It’s not odd for a comedian to host the Independent Spirit Awards. Previous hosts have included, Sarah Silverman, Steve Coogan and Eddie Izzard. When putting the jokes aside and getting to the meat of the night, anyone would gladly tell you they really look at the Independent Spirit Awards as a venue to see some great future filmmakers and actors as well as those who are deserving of some praise. Patton was no different. He really divulged a deep passion and appreciation for the awards, “For me, being the kind of film buff I am, this award show digs pretty deep into trying to find movies that took risks and rolled the dice. It rewards people that are clearly emerging that are going to be doing great stuff with their careers. What I also love is that they keep an eye open for veterans like Robert Redford and Bruce Dern who continue to take risks and seek out challenging, different material.”

Patton further proved his love for movies by rattling off some of his favorites at this year’s awards and he was not short of praise, “The crop of films they sent me was pretty stunning. ‘The Spectacular Now’ I thought was fantastic. I hope ‘Enough Said’ wins everything it gets nominated for. The documentary ‘The Act of Killing,’ I thought it was crucial. Hard to watch, but crucial. I really hope that Bruce Dern wins for ‘Nebraska’ because I thought he was just amazing. That guy’s had awards coming for a long time in my opinion, so that would be great.” Patton says he’s spent plenty of time catching up on movies and says that he was able to catch other award nominees like “Dallas Buyer’s Club,” “Short Term 12,” and the documentary “Computer Chess.”

With millions of viewers still choosing to watch the Oscars this year, it only seemed fitting that the last question for Patton Oswalt would be if the Independent Spirit Awards is a good predictor for the Academy. He didn’t shy away from the question, “I think it goes beyond that. I think that the Independent Spirit Awards are an important predictor of who you’re going to be rooting for in the Oscars, like ten years down the road. That’s what makes it so exciting for me, that this is like giving an award to Martin Scorsese in 1971 for ‘Who’s Knocking On My Door.’ You’re seeing people at the beginning of their, I’m going to use the word journey, but it really is. These are the future masters that you’re watching when they’re young and it makes it that much more crucial and stressful for me. I really want to do well by these guys because these are the people that are going to be making movies down the road that we’re going to be fighting over at the Oscars.”

For those interested (and how can you not be?), you can catch the 29th Annual Independent Spirit Awards on IFC, Sunday, March 1st. The fun begins at 10 p.m. EST/PST.

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Richie Ramone talks about his 2014 tour and debut solo album “Entitled”

Former Ramones drummer Richie Ramone who was a member of the legendary punk group from 1982-1987 and penned such classic songs as “Somebody Put Something in my Drink” and “I’m Not Jesus” has just returned to the music scene after an extended hiatus with a debut album titled “Entitled”. To support the release Richie and his band our out touring the U.S. and Europe and Media Mikes sat down with Richie recently to discuss his time with the Ramones and why he felt now was the time to release a solo album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you originally were chosen to join the Ramones?
Richie Ramone: There was a big 3 storey house in Brooklyn were we all used to party and hangout. There was also a recording studio there. I just happened to be there one day and Little Matt who was a roadie for the Ramones was leaving after hanging out and I happened to ask him where he was going. He told me that the Ramones were auditioning new drummers and that he had to be there. I told him to my name in the hat for consideration and a short time later I got a call from Monte Melnick the bands manager and the rest is history. I just happened to be in that building at the right time. I didn’t know any of those guys initially as it was an open audition.

AL: What was the band atmosphere like when you joined?
RR: They were worn out. Things were good but of course Joey and Johnny tended to fight a lot. I was just this kid from New Jersey. I was new blood and once I got in there things just settled down. When someone new comes to the band everyone is on their best behavior. (Laughs) It was a good climate in that band for many years. John and I both loved baseball and when I first joined we would go to games at the different ball parks together. Sadly as time went on and it came time to do business things just didn’t work.

AL: What is your take on the recent marketing explosion of Ramones merchandise that often doesn’t include yours, Marky or Cj’s names?
RR: They won’t put mine or Marky’s name on the t-shirts anymore. Apparently the one with Tommy is the biggest seller. If you are able to find an original Richie shirt it’s worth around $300 or more. I’m not part of that merchandising thing anyhow and these days I have mine own merchandise and things are fine. I know the Ramones still sell around 20-25,000 records a year and things are going well. I think things were a bit cheapened when after I left they tried to make it seem like I never existed. People knew I was there. I went through a lull for awhile and now I have risen to the top.

AL: Being you along with CJ were both very instrumental in the continuation/success of the Ramones what were your feelings toward being excluded from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions?
RR: When you see bands with multiple members in a situation like that there really needs to be a decision to take everyone or just the original core members. That’s how it’s supposed to work and when the Ramones went in it didn’t work that way. I still went to the ceremony and spoke on Joey’s behalf. It all worked out. Big fucking deal I didn’t get a statue.

AL: Why did you choose now to come out with a solo album?
RR: I have no idea! I didn’t even pick up a drum stick for 10 or 12 years. In 2006 Joey’s brother Mickey invited to me to perform at the Joey Birthday Bash. That kind of got the fever going. In 2007 I did “Suite for Drums and Orchestra” with the Pasadena Pops and did some shows and then did a few more Birthday Bashes the following 2 or 3 years. From there I started writing and the material turned out real good. People started saying that I should do an album. I had never done a solo record before and one thing just sort of led to another and here I am now. Things weren’t really ever planned they just happened.

AL: How did you go about putting together the material and the band which plays on the record?
RR: I wrote all of the stuff in my home studio. I found Tommy Boland who plays guitar on the record through a friend of mine. I play all the instruments but for this I needed real players. Tommy added a lot of color. I knew I wanted a little heavier guitar sound with solos. I wanted a little metal in there and that’s what I got with Tommy. Jiro Okabe came in and played bass on the record. Playing the material live is a little different. Tommy wasn’t available for this run and Jiro’s vocals didn’t work so I let him go. The live sound has to be a little harder as it’s more stripped down. There are only 4 of us up there and we don’t use any backing tracks. We just plug in and go. This line up of Clare Misstake on bass, Alex Kane on guitar, and Ben Reagan on guitar/drums is really fucking good. I am excited to be out with them.

AL: Where do you generally start when working on new material?
RR: It happens all different ways. Sometimes it starts with a beat, sometimes with a chord progression or a lyric idea. I am not a guy who writes about politics or anything like that. I just write about stuff that happens in my life. A lot of times what’s happening in your life is also happening in other peoples as well.

AL: The U.S. tour runs through March. Does the band have any plans scheduled after that?
RR: We will be heading to South America for the month of May and then will be in Europe and Italy in June. We are going to be touring all of this year. We have to see how this all goes and maybe will do another record. I have more material that I have been thinking about but I want to see how well this first record is going to be received. If the kids want more I am going to give them more.

AL: What has the overall reception been like for the record/tour?
RR: The reception has been real good. Especially from the people who come out to the shows who already have the album. It’s hard if no one has listened to the record before hand because there’s no relationship built around those songs yet. Some fans coming out may get a little bewildered at the new material. That was a big part of why a waited a couple months to tour behind the release as I wanted people to have a chance to sit with the material.

AL: What do you feel is the biggest change in the music scene now as compared to the 1980’s?
RR: In the old days you generally just hid from the fans. I would put my sunglasses and just stay hidden. Now you are totally exposed. It’s a huge difference! Touring is still touring. You’re riding in a van all day and then wait in a cold room till you go on. The music industry has changed also. I just come out and have fun with the fans as that’s who it’s all about. 5 minutes after our set is done I am out at the merch table meeting everyone and taking pictures with them. They pay their hard earned money and we give them a show.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2014, album, debut, entitled, ramone, richie, ...

Don Jamieson talks about VH1’s “That Metal Show” & new comedy album “Hell Bent for Laughter”

Don Jamieson is a veteran stand-up comedian who can be seen weekly on VH1 Classics popular television series “That Metal Show”. Along with co-host Jim Florentine and Eddie Trunk the trio spread the word of all things metal while incorporating in studio interviews with everyone from Zakk Wylde to Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. Media Mikes spoke with Don recently about his work on the show and about his upcoming comedy album titled “Hell Bent for Laughter”.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get connected with Eddie Trunk?
Don Jamieson: Jim Florentine and I were fans of Eddie’s radio show which is on here in the NY/NJ area. We usually always listened to his show on our way back from some awful comedy gig that was out in the middle of nowhere that we didn’t get paid for. The only solace we would have from those crappy gigs back in the day was to get in to the “Trunk Zone”. On his show Eddie would talk about all the bands that we grew up listening to and really loved. Eddie was just like as so we had to meet him. Today they call it stalking (laughs) but we basically just walked around some shows until we found him and we all ended up becoming best friends. It’s great to all be working together on the VH1 Classic show.

AL: What were the first ideas mentioned about doing the show?
DJ: After we had become friends with Eddie he would have us on his radio show as guests and we were basically doing what would become the television show however on the radio at that time. We just talked about music and sat in when there were guests. We broke each other’s balls then just like we do now and there was some good chemistry there. We figured we would try and find someone crazy enough to put this on television.

AL: What has fan reception been like since returning to New York for season 13?
DJ: We loved doing the show in Los Angeles and being recognized while walking up and down the Sunset Strip was pretty. However were all East Coast guys and we missed taping in New York. I look out in to the audience there and see a lot of the same people who I used to see at L’Amour’s in Brooklyn in 1986. It really is a lot of fun.

AL: Did the push to move back to NY come from you guys or from the fans?
DJ: The network controls everything. We may seem like we are in control of stuff but really we have less control than the Amish. (Laughs)

AL: You guys always seem to be having fun in front of the camera but can you tell us what it’s like behind the scenes?
DJ: There is a lot of farting going on. Not much else goes on other than listening to music while crop dusting one another. (Laughs) We usually go over notes a little bit but with all three of us being metal heads now for 35/40 years it’s easy for us to sit down and have a conversation with one another along with our guest/guests. We like to just try and stay loose. We break each other’s balls and have a good time while talking about music.

AL: Has there been one guest in particular that has stuck out as a personal favorite of yours?
DJ: There has been a bunch. I will always love the stuff we did with Brian Johnson, Lemmy and Alice Cooper. I love the classic guys as those are the bands I came up with. Lemmy is seriously like my idol! I wish he would have adopted me. As far as the television show goes I love guests who are very outspoken and who tell it like it is. The season we had Ted Nugent on and to me that’s the ultimate guest. That guy holds nothing back and shoots straight from the hip. Sometimes guys like that can be polarizing but at the same time you know you are going to watch. You can’t wait to see what they are going to say next.

AL: How much of the show would you say is scripted?
DJ: We never plan what we are going to say to one another. That was the tuff part about putting the show together was how three people were going to interview one guest. Luckily we had worked out some of those kinks on the radio over the years. I can look out the corner of my eye and see if Jim or Eddie has a question they want to ask. We have some good non-verbal cues of how we are going to sort things out. We are fans just like the people watching so the questions we ask aren’t scripted. Hopefully we are asking the stuff that fans like us want to know. My favorite interviews are always the ones where you don’t get to the questions you want to ask because things ended up going a totally different but cool way. We just save those questions for when the guest comes back next time.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the things you have going on outside of the show?
DJ: I have my second stand-up album coming out March 18th on Metal Blade Records and it’s called “Hell Bent for Laughter”. This is my second album with them and I did a lot of hard rock and metal jokes as compared to my last album. That has become such a big part of my life and it would be hard to get up on a stage and not talk about that stuff.

AL: Being that you have pretty close ties to the hard/rock metal community do you find yourself checking your material on that subject a little more now than in the past?
DJ: If something gets a laugh on stage I am going to keep doing it. When I did the Orion Festival with Metallica I did some jokes about them with James and Lars right there. If the jokes funny it’s funny and it’s nothing for anyone to get offended by. I think most people know that this stuff comes from the heart. When you are with your buddies you break each other’s balls. That’s how you show affection for one another. You never say just go up to your buddy and say “I love you” unless your drunk in a bar somewhere. (Laughs) You bust on them for 10 minutes and they know you care.

AL: You and the other guys from the show have started doing some live shows together. Do you have any of those coming up in the near future?
DJ: Jim, Eddie and I go out and do these really fun stage shows. Eddie tells a bunch of hilarious rock and roll stories and Jim and I will do some stand-up. We also do some Q&A with the audience which is a lot of fun. Sometimes we bring up special guests if the situation occurs. If people want to find out where we are going to be they can check out my website at www.donjamieson.com or Follow me on Twitter @realdonjamieson

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: album, bent, comedy, don, jamieson, laughter, ...

Will Vasquez talks about new film “Murder in Miami”

Debuting this week on DVD, “Murder in Miami” has been described as “a sexy, thrilling ode to the classic De Palma films of the ’80s – particularly Body Double.” Media Mikes caught up with the film’s director Will Vasquez to talk about his new film, multi-tasking and his boring early days as a photographer for Playboy.

Mike Smith: Your main character is a photographer. Did you rely on any of your past experiences in creating him?
Will Vasquez: A little of the character and his lifestyle I drew from my past experiences, but I’m not as cool as he is.

MS: While a film director has a flowing canvas to tell his story, a still photographer must do it all in one photo. What was the biggest difference in changing from photographs to film?
WV: Film has it’s challenges, because you have movement and sound to deal with. But it’s much more powerful because film has the ability to mess with your emotions. For me, in some ways, I felt liberated when I transitioned from photography. In a photograph, you’re imprisoned in a single frame, where everything has to be perfect. If you really dissect Hollywood movies, you will find errors in some shots, but because the frame changes, the audience doesn’t have a chance to notice them, because they are paying more attention to the story.

MS: You not only wrote and directed “Murder in Miami,” you served as your own cinematographer and editor. Is this because you felt that, as the film’s creator, you knew exactly the look and tone your were looking for?
WV: I love the entire creative process of making movies, and I like to be hands on. Being involved with all the aspects of filmmaking is why I got into this business, and what drives me. The only drawback is that you have to carry the entire film in your head for a couple of years. It feels great when you finally complete the final edit, and you can purge your mind.

MS: Is there a sense of embarrassment on the photographer’s part when shooting photos for publications like “Playboy?”
WV: No, because photographers are there to do a job. At the end of the day, you have to deliver three different looks from your model and do a lot of coverage of each look. You’re not thinking about anything else other than getting the best shots, so you’re eyes are always scanning the frame checking the model’s hair, her pose, that her tummy is flat, that she has pretty fingers and her hands don’t look like claws, even that her feet look pretty. Because every shot has to be perfect.

MS: Do you have a favorite “Playboy” model? Or a least favorite?
WV: I worked with a lot of great models, but my favorite has to be Cynthia Kaye.

MS: Is there anyone you would have liked to have photographed but didn’t?
WV: I would have loved to have photographed Jenny McCarthy. She recently appeared in “Playboy” again and looks better than ever. I think that she really represents the classic “Playboy” girl next door. She’s beautiful, cool, funny, intelligent, and likes to have sex.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: film, miami, murder, talks, vasquez
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