James Moore's Blog, page 104

Housecore Horror Film Festival Day 2 – The Real Madness Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell)

Housecore Horror Film Festival was quite the success last year. This Phil Anselmo curated event immediately garnered special attention from the metal world. This was to be the festivals second edition, and it was poised to be bigger than ever. Four days of metal thrashing fun, Housecore proved to be quite the success. However I hope we never forget the man behind this incredible and almost mythical event, Corey Mitchell, sadly deceased mere hours after the festival wrapped up. The only redemption being that he drew his last breaths in the throes of a truly great triumph.

I wake up with no hangover, things are already off to a great start! After breakfast at a local Mexican restaurant it was time to head over to the festival. I knew that Friday and Saturday were going to be important days for interviews and I planned on getting as many in as I could before musicians got burnt out and frustrated with the oodles of interviews I’m sure they would have to give. While I missed Evil United because I was interviewing Dead Earth Politics (gotta love drinking before noon!) I got to the venue just before Origin started, and after the initial round of hello’s and how are you’s it was time to watch the tech death lords do their thing.

For a band playing early in the afternoon it was pretty impressive to see how much energy the band brought to the table. Before the show multiple friends told me how excited they were to watch the bands incredibly talented bassist, Mike Flores. The bands vocalist Jason Keyser was a veritable dynamo of energy, goading the crowd into starting up a pit and even diving in to get things going on his own at one point. To be able to deliver that kind of show under nearly ninety degree heat with the sun beating down on you is no mean feat. It proves that Origin will stop at nothing to give the best show they can and guarantee that any fan of heavy music will have a good time. I may not have been much of an Origin fan before they started, but I have rapidly become obsessed with their output!

Brian Posehn was the next to perform. Now, I had never been to a live comedy show before (I had no desire to go see French-language comedy when I lived in France) so I wasn’t quite sure to expect. Posehn seemed to be on top of his game though, dishing out jokes about metal and serial killers for his entire set. He did an especially good job of pointing out some of the particular quirks of the festival saying things like “Only here would you have people who can claim to have a favorite serial killer.” Anselmo could be clearly seen laughing his head off from the side of the stage. My only thought in response to that is that it must have been surreal for Posehn to see a man he’s loved since childhood bent over at what he had to say. In the end, sure Posehn might not be a metal musician, but his set was far more entertaining than some bands I saw this weekend. If I’m going to hear anyone talk about a five year old’s balls, I want it to be Posehn because this man understands what makes metal dudes and dudettes laugh (along with normal people I suppose) and that allows him to stand as a veritable lord of his medium.

One of the bands I had most anticipated at the festival was Cattle Decapitation and they did not disappoint. With more than forty minutes of deathgrind terror these guys ripped my face off and left me simply in awe. I think the highlight of the record was when the band played Pig Born, the world premier of a new track. Despite having not done much for the last year, these guys played an incredible set and it proved to me that they deserve their place in the pantheon of death metal gods. Travis Ryan brings it with incredible zeal, I’ve seen him play before with Nader Sadek, but this was completely different compared to this. Live, Cattle Decapitation are a veritable machine, there is no stopping the almighty attack of this band and if you’re not careful they’re going to rip your fucking head off.

By the time Cattle Decap wrapped up I needed some time to back off and do some interviews. I went off to the media area, which asides from being rather hectic, was a lot of fun, and not just because of the free beer. I got the chance to talk to KEN Mode and they proved to be extremely interesting. Given my dream of making some sort of living off of metal, talking to the accountant brothers who make up this band was pretty interesting. Around this time my good friends in SubRosa showed up too and we all started to get together and shoot the shit. I went over to Family Dollar (Part of the appeal of Housecore is that a lot of cheap stores are easily accessible from the venue) and bumped into Rebecca Vernon from the band. There is something oddly surreal about meeting one of your favorite vocalists in the world in a cut rate convenience store, almost as surreal as going to a panel on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with them which is exactly what we did next.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reunion panel was actually really well done and made me wish I’d seen the movie more recently. It’s pretty surreal to be standing in a room looking at a bunch of old dudes on stage and realize that one of them is Leatherface. Add in the fact that Leatherface has a kind of squeaky voice and you start to get a sense for how wonderfully weird it was. I really enjoyed learning about the process behind the movie and how beautifully DIY it was. The moderator, whose name I didn’t catch, did a good job of keeping things moving, and some of the questions from the audience were really thoughtful. It’s kind of awesome how easily the festival was able to mold together this almost Comic-con like vibe with a whole swathe of top notch metal bands. Though at first I was skeptical the mix was perfect and proved that if the festival is able to survive the passing of the great Corey Mitchell then it could end up being truly special.

Suddenly it was time for one of my personal highlights of the weekend, SubRosa. This would be my fourth time seeing the band (Yes I’m a little obsessed) and I’d looked forward to it ever since seeing them just a month prior in New York City. For a little bit of context, the first time I saw this band was in France, I’ve seen them twice in New York City, but I live in Philadelphia. When I say that this is my favorite band in the world and that my review of them might be a little biased I am not joking. This is a band who are, in a word, unfuckwithable.

The band came on, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sure, the last time I saw them in New York was awesome, but I’d seen these guys three times since late June, maybe the honeymoon was over. Long story short, it isn’t, in fact the band that might be better than ever. The performance was made bittersweet though seeing as the band almost certainly won’t play live again until the spring. There set was transcendent, and only made better by the massive projection going on behind them. There was something gloriously monolithic about SubRosa’s playing that night, it proved the band have something to say, no matter how many times you’ve seen them. This band is the real deal and I think that in the long run, that is what makes them a band people are going to remember and venerate for decades to come.

Afterwards I bumbled outside the venue, slightly in awe of what I had just seen. Hanging around backstage I suddenly bumped into my friend Steven Taylor from the Illegals. He waved me over and said “Come hang out,” when Phil Anselmo is in the circle of people you’ll be “hanging out” with the phrase takes on a whole new meaning. Suddenly we were all backstage watching Wizards of Gore (That is to say Rigor Mortis) do their thing. I saw only a part of their set as I missed a chunk for some interview or other but I will say this. The band live up to the hype. They’re back with a vengeance and I don’t think anybody is going to be able to stop them soon. It’s refreshing to see a death metal band of that status back together and it gives me hope for many reunions that will hopefully come in its wake.

Andy from SubRosa and I met up to grab a beer, but upon entering the artist lounge he found some old friends, and I stumbled into none other than the great Randy Blythe. I immediately asked him for an interview, expecting to be turned down, or given at most a five minute blurb. Instead we sat down for half an hour and recorded an interview about books, photography, philosophy and more. Already we had met some of my wildest dreams. Yet then Blythe invited me outside to hang out with him while he had a smoke. We proceeded to talk for another few hours with my inner fanboy progressively freaking out more and more. Here was a god, a legend, the man who had braved Czech prison for his honor, and he wanted to talk to me about his life and music. Who was I to complain? This evening was simply magical, an experience I will never forget, proving to me the eternal might and beautiful humility of this great man.

Blythe went off then to prepare for his introduction to the screening of the film As The Palaces Burn and I went into the tent to check it out. Now, I’ve never seen it before, but I found it to be a highly enjoyable film. Some claimed it seemed abrupt and jarring at times, yet I think that only reflected the pure and brutal reality of what happened to the band. This movie is, for me, one of the premier heavy metal movies of all time, simply because above all else it is honest. It gives us a glimpse at the rockstardom and glory of the band before the sudden and frankly frightening fall. This movie depicts the bands greatest struggle and leaves with a message of hope and encouragement to persevere. It provided a fitting finish to my first full day at housecore and left me excited for what more was to come.

 

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

The post Housecore Horror Film Festival Day 2 – The Real Madness Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell) appeared first on Independent Music Promotions.

Housecore Horror Film Festival Day 1- The Adventure Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell)

Housecore Horror Film Festival was quite the success last year. This Phil Anselmo curated event immediately garnered special attention from the metal world. This was to be the festivals second edition, and it was poised to be bigger than ever. Four days of metal thrashing fun, Housecore proved to be quite the success. However I hope we never forget the man behind this incredible and almost mythical event, Corey Mitchell, sadly deceased mere hours after the festival wrapped up. The only redemption being that he drew his last breaths in the throes of a truly great triumph.

My plane was set to take off just before noon, which meant that given Philadelphia’s shitty public transport I would need to be in the train by eight in the morning. Groggy and bleary I hopped on board, desperately hoping that I wouldn’t miss my flight and that I wouldn’t forget my bag, or do something else generally stupid. It may sound silly, but regular readers may have noticed, I’m not a particularly bright individual, and for a dumb college student these make up many of my early morning concerns.

I get to the airport and things seem to go off without incident. I hop on my flight and laugh, I’m going to fucking Texas! This promised to be a great weekend ahead, some of my favorite bands would be playing, I had a ton of friends going to the festival, a lot of people I wanted to meet, and dozens of bands I desperately wanted to see. Simply put, it seemed like nothing could go wrong. As I landed in Dallas for the change-over things got amped up another level, I bumped into another festival goer, Kerch from Washington DC. His three foot long beard and shaven head immediately told me he must be on his way to worship at the same altar as I, we quickly bonded, both excited for the magic to come.

We all piled into my buddy Mike’s truck and made our way over to the Dirty Dog Bar where the festivities were set to begin. After a great Mexican dinner (I think I ate only Mexican food for the entire weekend) we walked into the bar, started slamming brews and bumping into old friends. On stage Critical Assembly raged, their unique brand of hardcore tinged modern metal getting the crowd into a tizzy. I didn’t see enough of their set to properly cover it, but I can definitely say that they have some cool ideas and are definitely a band I’m going to want to check out more in the future.

In between sets I turned around and bumped into Chuck Loesch, one of the dudes behind the Metalsucks podcast. This was just the first of many big time metal names who the festival attracted. I bumped into important media people from all over the country, and even a photographer for Canada. For someone like me this was almost as exciting as the bands, here we all were at the heart of the action, preparing to watch some of the best bands in the world get up and prove that they deserve a spot in one of America’s fastest rising festivals.

The first band whose full set I got to watch was the almighty Witchburn, a stoner metal band from Seattle. With crushing riffs and a glorious stage persence these guys are a lot of fun to watch. JC and Misha, bassist and guitarist respectively have long dreadlocks that swing all over the stage, adding to the chaos. Meanwhile, the bands vocalist is, in a word, a badass. Emphasizing the biker image her voice is powerful and soars over top of the sound. She does a wonderful job of executing anthemic lines and keeping the fans excited and into the music. A special highlight of the band was their Rainbow/Judas Priest matchup which left me with my jaw on the floor. These guys know what they want to do and how to do it, there is no stopping them anytime soon.

After Witchburns set, I went out back to hang out with my buddy Marzi Montazeri who plays both with Phil Anselmo & The Illegals as well as his band Heavy As Texas. As always, the Iranian’s infectious personality got me smiling and ready to rage. By this point drinks were being passed out more heavily and more and more musicians started showing up. I managed to bump into Steve Taylor (Also from The Illegals as well as the current iteration of Superjoint) and some other good metal folk. I could already tell this was going to be a great weekend, the mix of friends old and new led to a congenial atmosphere that I think few would soon forget. This is what heavy metal should be all about, good times with good people, and as we got ready for Heavy As Texas to go on, this reflected what we all felt.

Heavy As Texas came on, and played some very fun hard rock that featured a heavy 70’s psych rock vibe. Asides from a personal highlight when Marzi gave me a shout out, I think that the moments that the band got heaviest they were best. At times I might even go so far as to say that they reminded me of Pantera. Yet, that being said, there were a few more ‘jam’ oriented moments where we saw Marzi showing off some of his finest guitar playing. One particular highlight was a jam on the Led Zeppelin classic Dazed and Confused which saw Marzi delivering an exciting and fun solo that proved this song still has a lot to be taken out of it. This show was a highlight of the weekend for me and suggested great things to come. Marzi gets it and I think this band will go far.

The night started to wind down after Hobbs Angel of Death came on and played an extended set. Frankly, they’re not really my cup of tea, and I don’t know what they are on about. Yet I still had a good time hanging out with different media folks and musicians. I started to form a group of friends who I would see around the festival grounds for the rest of the weekend. As we drove to my buddy’s place where I would be staying that night I could only think to myself that things were only going to get better. After all, this is what festivals are all about!

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

The post Housecore Horror Film Festival Day 1- The Adventure Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell) appeared first on Independent Music Promotions.

Housecore Horror Film Festival – The Adventure Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell)

Housecore Horror Film Festival was quite the success last year. This Phil Anselmo curated event immediately garnered special attention from the metal world. This was to be the festivals second edition, and it was poised to be bigger than ever. Four days of metal thrashing fun, Housecore proved to be quite the success. However I hope we never forget the man behind this incredible and almost mythical event, Corey Mitchell, sadly deceased mere hours after the festival wrapped up. The only redemption being that he drew his last breaths in the throes of a truly great triumph.

My plane was set to take off just before noon, which meant that given Philadelphia’s shitty public transport I would need to be in the train by eight in the morning. Groggy and bleary I hopped on board, desperately hoping that I wouldn’t miss my flight and that I wouldn’t forget my bag, or do something else generally stupid. It may sound silly, but regular readers may have noticed, I’m not a particularly bright individual, and for a dumb college student these make up many of my early morning concerns.

I get to the airport and things seem to go off without incident. I hop on my flight and laugh, I’m going to fucking Texas! This promised to be a great weekend ahead, some of my favorite bands would be playing, I had a ton of friends going to the festival, a lot of people I wanted to meet, and dozens of bands I desperately wanted to see. Simply put, it seemed like nothing could go wrong. As I landed in Dallas for the change-over things got amped up another level, I bumped into another festival goer, Kerch from Washington DC. His three foot long beard and shaven head immediately told me he must be on his way to worship at the same altar as I, we quickly bonded, both excited for the magic to come.

We all piled into my buddy Mike’s truck and made our way over to the Dirty Dog Bar where the festivities were set to begin. After a great Mexican dinner (I think I ate only Mexican food for the entire weekend) we walked into the bar, started slamming brews and bumping into old friends. On stage Critical Assembly raged, their unique brand of hardcore tinged modern metal getting the crowd into a tizzy. I didn’t see enough of their set to properly cover it, but I can definitely say that they have some cool ideas and are definitely a band I’m going to want to check out more in the future.

In between sets I turned around and bumped into Chuck Loesch, one of the dudes behind the Metalsucks podcast. This was just the first of many big time metal names who the festival attracted. I bumped into important media people from all over the country, and even a photographer for Canada. For someone like me this was almost as exciting as the bands, here we all were at the heart of the action, preparing to watch some of the best bands in the world get up and prove that they deserve a spot in one of America’s fastest rising festivals.

The first band whose full set I got to watch was the almighty Witchburn, a stoner metal band from Seattle. With crushing riffs and a glorious stage persence these guys are a lot of fun to watch. JC and Misha, bassist and guitarist respectively have long dreadlocks that swing all over the stage, adding to the chaos. Meanwhile, the bands vocalist is, in a word, a badass. Emphasizing the biker image her voice is powerful and soars over top of the sound. She does a wonderful job of executing anthemic lines and keeping the fans excited and into the music. A special highlight of the band was their Rainbow/Judas Priest matchup which left me with my jaw on the floor. These guys know what they want to do and how to do it, there is no stopping them anytime soon.

After Witchburns set, I went out back to hang out with my buddy Marzi Montazeri who plays both with Phil Anselmo & The Illegals as well as his band Heavy As Texas. As always, the Iranian’s infectious personality got me smiling and ready to rage. By this point drinks were being passed out more heavily and more and more musicians started showing up. I managed to bump into Steve Taylor (Also from The Illegals as well as the current iteration of Superjoint) and some other good metal folk. I could already tell this was going to be a great weekend, the mix of friends old and new led to a congenial atmosphere that I think few would soon forget. This is what heavy metal should be all about, good times with good people, and as we got ready for Heavy As Texas to go on, this reflected what we all felt.

Heavy As Texas came on, and played some very fun hard rock that featured a heavy 70’s psych rock vibe. Asides from a personal highlight when Marzi gave me a shout out, I think that the moments that the band got heaviest they were best. At times I might even go so far as to say that they reminded me of Pantera. Yet, that being said, there were a few more ‘jam’ oriented moments where we saw Marzi showing off some of his finest guitar playing. One particular highlight was a jam on the Led Zeppelin classic Dazed and Confused which saw Marzi delivering an exciting and fun solo that proved this song still has a lot to be taken out of it. This show was a highlight of the weekend for me and suggested great things to come. Marzi gets it and I think this band will go far.

The night started to wind down after Hobbs Angel of Death came on and played an extended set. Frankly, they’re not really my cup of tea, and I don’t know what they are on about. Yet I still had a good time hanging out with different media folks and musicians. I started to form a group of friends who I would see around the festival grounds for the rest of the weekend. As we drove to my buddy’s place where I would be staying that night I could only think to myself that things were only going to get better. After all, this is what festivals are all about!

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

The post Housecore Horror Film Festival – The Adventure Begins (In Honor of Corey Mitchell) appeared first on Independent Music Promotions.

The Rock & Roll Trance of Thurston Moore

The noise surrounding Thurston Moore’s surprising split from Sonic Youth co-founder Kim Gordon has finally reached its highest decibel and faded out. What now remains is a collection of pure-hearted rock and roll songs from Moore. His fourth solo album, The Best Day, serves as his first artistic insight into his current mindset and lovelife since the divorce.

The rock and roll on The Best Day is loud and brash like most of Sonic Youth’s best moments, but more measured and patient. The album is Moore’s solo follow-up to 2009’s Demolished Thoughts and first since his 2013 release with Chelsea Light Moving.

The Best Day is weighted heavily with the two opening tracks. “Speak To The Wild” is a dense eight minutes and “Forevermore” reaches past the eleven minute mark. The former is the first single. The song, like its video accompaniment, is a vexing lunge through the unknown woods. “Don’t let the dark get you lost,” Moore sings, “your free will has come in fire and frost.” His voice aches with warning.

The latter, “Forevermore,” lulls the listener into a trance with crunching guitars that never give in. Moore wallops on his strings singing about the pleasing nature of a love that has unfurled. The guitars slowly surround the listener. Time begins to slow with Moore’s unrelenting repetition. The listener is trapped, tapping a foot and bobbing their head.

“Tape” starts off sounding like what you might hear at a solo Thurston Moore show: a lot of uneven plucked guitar noise. It then evolves into a haunting acoustic stride with Moore praising the poetics of the physically recorded past. Moore evokes a pastoral serenity with his calm acoustic strums.

The title track rips into the straight rock and roll of classic Sonic Youth. The guitar riff is heavy and hammered to the wall by the drums. Eventually the one-two strum breaks loose and a euphoric guitar solo erupts. Moore rattles with acerbic poetry and feedback squalls on the closer “Germ Burns.” The drums and bass rumble together like a lit cigarette burning your flesh over and over.

When Sonic Youth went up like the smoke from a busted amplifier it wasn’t immediately clear what the future held for its individual members. Could the parts that make up the whole exist apart? Gordon went to work with the abstract feedback expressionism of Body/Head and guitarist and songwriter Lee Ranaldo returned with two excellent albums of his own.

Moore reigns in his former band’s heavy guitar romps and continues to stream his consciousness until he sounds lightheaded. The Best Day is his most complete and enhanced solo work to date. It’s a comfort to know that Moore has found a new zone to define himself musically. For Sonic Youth fans it’s a pleasure to now have more material coming from the founding members. Shred forever, Thurston.

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

The post The Rock & Roll Trance of Thurston Moore appeared first on Independent Music Promotions.

Inter Arma

If ever a band deserved to be called monolithic it’s Inter Arma. With a sound that can only be compared to mountains moving they’ve been making waves on the American doom metal scene since 2006. Their sound is profoundly unique and oftentimes simply sublime. Sure, there may be a wave of doom metal bands dominating the underground right now, but Inter Arma stand out as some of the best. Even their latest opus, the 40 minute plus track The Cavern is a simple paean to the crushing glory of this band. No other band in the world sounds quite like these guys and no other band in the world ever will be able to sound like them. Simply put, there’s a reason that my Inter Arma patch sits right above my heart.

I think that a large part of what makes this band so interesting is their rapid and oftentimes impressive evolution. Their first full length, Sundown is crushing and powerful, but it feels like it’s missing something. Sure all of the classic doom elements are there, but the band had yet to really transcend the genre as they have now. It was with their second record, 2013’s almighty Sky Burial that the band really came into their own. Garnering a spot in many a year end top 10 list, this record established the band as a veritable heavy metal force with brash guitars and crushing rhythms that few of their peers could ever fuck with. This year they put out The Cavern a track which was actually written before Sky Burial but recorded only in 2014. It sounds like the stepping stone in between Sundown and Sky Burial proving that the band didn’t get to their current, incredibly iconoclastic sound by sheer luck.

Yet there is something much greater to the Inter Arma sound, a strange sort of symphonic twist that permeates their music. The thing is, that you can’t attribute this weird magic to any one member, together the five of them take on a sort of sixth element. I think it’s because, simply put, Inter Arma get it, this is a band who are pursuing a wonderfully distinct sound that not a lot of people might understand, but those who do will immediately fall deeply in love. Inter Arma sound massive and I think that’s ultimately what allows these guys to have such a glorious reign over their peers. While most other doom metal bands these days are caught up in Sabbath worship (Not that there’s anything wrong with that) Inter Arma seem to be bent on taking their own path. Sure, touches of Black Sabbath can be heard here and there, but this band goes far beyond that. They are formulating a sound that fuses so many genres it’s impossible to even start trying to describe it, you can hear black metal alongside Americana, death metal alongside ambient ideas, and that is only the beginning. For me it is this inspired, complex, and varied sound that makes this band incredibly special.

So what’s going on with these legends in the making? How are they advancing and growing their careers? Well now they seem to be on the brink, trying to balance work with tour life. As they go on the road more and more we’re starting to see Inter Arma really take off. At the end of November they’re going on their second European tour, and hopefully the spring will see another big American trek. As for new material, the band have hinted at a true sequel to Sky Burial building on the unique and inspiring ideas found on that record. If all pans out right, these guys will have put out records for three successive years, a feat very few metal bands can aspire to.

As for the source of this gushing creative wellspring, it seems that at least a part of it comes from the bands diverse tastes. I never believe it possible for me to get into mainstream rap, but Trey, the bands guitarist was the guy who got me into Juicy J. Much like Noisem, whose singer Tyler Carnes has claimed “Charlie XCX is my girl” Several key members of Inter Arma don’t feel obligated to only listen to metal. It gives the sound the ability to grow and evolve beyond what many might think possible. The fact of the matter is that this type of music is rapidly growing and sooner than we think the musicians are going to hit a wall. You can expand upon the glories of Sabbath all you want, they’re my favorite band too, but you’re going to need to grow past that, and that’s exactly what Inter Arma do.

I think part of what gives the band the ability to access this unique sound is that 3/5ths of the band also play in Bastard Sapling, a black metal act who sound nothing at all like Inter Arma. This kind of thing forces the band to fuel diversity in their riffs and come up with something deeper and darker for both bands. It’s a strange exercise to listen to these bands one after another, they sound profoundly different, and seem to speak to different realms of the human psyche, yet somehow it works. Bastard Sapling may be a sort of demented offshoot (although it could be argued they broke into the scene first) but the fact remains; their 2011 debut, Dragged From Our Restless Trance also found its way onto top 10 lists across the globe clearly demonstrating that these guys are not just stellar musicians but also songwriters.

In my eyes, the final proof of this bands greatness lies in their stellar live performances. The heart of the matter is that Inter Arma have all of the trappings of what makes a metal bands live show truly great. Mike, the bands singer has what some refer to as “crazy eyes,” they bulge out of his head during shrieks and seem to flare during the sickest growls he can muster. Anyone who can see his ferocious headbanging and unearthly stage moves knows that this guy is the real deal. Yet, beyond that, the band is gifted with four musicians who love to improvise and enhance their live shows beyond the realm of what I ever thought possible within this genre. Perhaps most significant is the bands drummer, TJ, who says “I never play anything the same way twice” Yet the rest of the band don’t seem too artistically confined either, I’ve seen them do versions of their classic Survival Fires that seemed almost entirely improvised. The bands guitarist Stephen succinctly summarized it for me saying “When it’s a house show you just go with the flow dude.” The band apparently feels no restriction to exactly reproduce what you hear on the record, instead they are going beyond and exploring sonic landscapes that might only exist for one night in one tiny basement in some shitty neighborhood out in the projects, but by God is it satisfying.

You may claim that I’m just waxing poetic about a band I happen to really like right now, but truthfully, it’s not just me whose freaking out over these doom lords. Webzines across the globe have expressed their adoration for this band, and Relapse, their label, are loving it. Regardless of what you want to say about this band and their startlingly unique sound, they are hot. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that it’s not just a bandwagon effect either. Last night I took a friend who had never heard of the band to see them and at one point during the set he leaned over and said to me “They’re incredible!” At the end of the day, Inter Arma are turned onto something greater, and they are a blessing to this entire scene of freaks, geeks, and electro space hippies.

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

The post Inter Arma appeared first on Independent Music Promotions.

If ever a band deserved to be called monolithic it’s Inte...

If ever a band deserved to be called monolithic it’s Inter Arma. With a sound that can only be compared to mountains moving they’ve been making waves on the American doom metal scene since 2006. Their sound is profoundly unique and oftentimes simply sublime. Sure, there may be a wave of doom metal bands dominating the underground right now, but Inter Arma stand out as some of the best. Even their latest opus, the 40 minute plus track The Cavern is a simple paean to the crushing glory of this band. No other band in the world sounds quite like these guys and no other band in the world ever will be able to sound like them. Simply put, there’s a reason that my Inter Arma patch sits right above my heart.

I think that a large part of what makes this band so interesting is their rapid and oftentimes impressive evolution. Their first full length, Sundown is crushing and powerful, but it feels like it’s missing something. Sure all of the classic doom elements are there, but the band had yet to really transcend the genre as they have now. It was with their second record, 2013’s almighty Sky Burial that the band really came into their own. Garnering a spot in many a year end top 10 list, this record established the band as a veritable heavy metal force with brash guitars and crushing rhythms that few of their peers could ever fuck with. This year they put out The Cavern a track which was actually written before Sky Burial but recorded only in 2014. It sounds like the stepping stone in between Sundown and Sky Burial proving that the band didn’t get to their current, incredibly iconoclastic sound by sheer luck.

Yet there is something much greater to the Inter Arma sound, a strange sort of symphonic twist that permeates their music. The thing is, that you can’t attribute this weird magic to any one member, together the five of them take on a sort of sixth element. I think it’s because, simply put, Inter Arma get it, this is a band who are pursuing a wonderfully distinct sound that not a lot of people might understand, but those who do will immediately fall deeply in love. Inter Arma sound massive and I think that’s ultimately what allows these guys to have such a glorious reign over their peers. While most other doom metal bands these days are caught up in Sabbath worship (Not that there’s anything wrong with that) Inter Arma seem to be bent on taking their own path. Sure, touches of Black Sabbath can be heard here and there, but this band goes far beyond that. They are formulating a sound that fuses so many genres it’s impossible to even start trying to describe it, you can hear black metal alongside Americana, death metal alongside ambient ideas, and that is only the beginning. For me it is this inspired, complex, and varied sound that makes this band incredibly special.

So what’s going on with these legends in the making? How are they advancing and growing their careers? Well now they seem to be on the brink, trying to balance work with tour life. As they go on the road more and more we’re starting to see Inter Arma really take off. At the end of November they’re going on their second European tour, and hopefully the spring will see another big American trek. As for new material, the band have hinted at a true sequel to Sky Burial building on the unique and inspiring ideas found on that record. If all pans out right, these guys will have put out records for three successive years, a feat very few metal bands can aspire to.

As for the source of this gushing creative wellspring, it seems that at least a part of it comes from the bands diverse tastes. I never believe it possible for me to get into mainstream rap, but Trey, the bands guitarist was the guy who got me into Juicy J. Much like Noisem, whose singer Tyler Carnes has claimed “Charlie XCX is my girl” Several key members of Inter Arma don’t feel obligated to only listen to metal. It gives the sound the ability to grow and evolve beyond what many might think possible. The fact of the matter is that this type of music is rapidly growing and sooner than we think the musicians are going to hit a wall. You can expand upon the glories of Sabbath all you want, they’re my favorite band too, but you’re going to need to grow past that, and that’s exactly what Inter Arma do.

I think part of what gives the band the ability to access this unique sound is that 3/5ths of the band also play in Bastard Sapling, a black metal act who sound nothing at all like Inter Arma. This kind of thing forces the band to fuel diversity in their riffs and come up with something deeper and darker for both bands. It’s a strange exercise to listen to these bands one after another, they sound profoundly different, and seem to speak to different realms of the human psyche, yet somehow it works. Bastard Sapling may be a sort of demented offshoot (although it could be argued they broke into the scene first) but the fact remains; their 2011 debut, Dragged From Our Restless Trance also found its way onto top 10 lists across the globe clearly demonstrating that these guys are not just stellar musicians but also songwriters.

In my eyes, the final proof of this bands greatness lies in their stellar live performances. The heart of the matter is that Inter Arma have all of the trappings of what makes a metal bands live show truly great. Mike, the bands singer has what some refer to as “crazy eyes,” they bulge out of his head during shrieks and seem to flare during the sickest growls he can muster. Anyone who can see his ferocious headbanging and unearthly stage moves knows that this guy is the real deal. Yet, beyond that, the band is gifted with four musicians who love to improvise and enhance their live shows beyond the realm of what I ever thought possible within this genre. Perhaps most significant is the bands drummer, TJ, who says “I never play anything the same way twice” Yet the rest of the band don’t seem too artistically confined either, I’ve seen them do versions of their classic Survival Fires that seemed almost entirely improvised. The bands guitarist Stephen succinctly summarized it for me saying “When it’s a house show you just go with the flow dude.” The band apparently feels no restriction to exactly reproduce what you hear on the record, instead they are going beyond and exploring sonic landscapes that might only exist for one night in one tiny basement in some shitty neighborhood out in the projects, but by God is it satisfying.

You may claim that I’m just waxing poetic about a band I happen to really like right now, but truthfully, it’s not just me whose freaking out over these doom lords. Webzines across the globe have expressed their adoration for this band, and Relapse, their label, are loving it. Regardless of what you want to say about this band and their startlingly unique sound, they are hot. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that it’s not just a bandwagon effect either. Last night I took a friend who had never heard of the band to see them and at one point during the set he leaned over and said to me “They’re incredible!” At the end of the day, Inter Arma are turned onto something greater, and they are a blessing to this entire scene of freaks, geeks, and electro space hippies.

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

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Noisem: Living the American Dream

Noisem, now there is a band to be reckoned with, a veritable rock and roll force, a group who break all the rules and yet seem somehow to fit perfectly into the distinct American Dream that we have carved out for this nations musicians. Sure these dudes party harder than a lot of the other bands on the road right now, but they are definitely a lot smarter than you’d think. Borne out of the twisted streets of Baltimore, life still may be tough for the boys in Noisem, but they have made clear progress and are proving themselves to be veritable metal masters. Fresh off their first real lineup change and hoping to tour Europe in the near future the band seems poised to take on the world.

Here’s the thing about Noisem, as much as the band play it down, it’s impossible to ignore that a band who tour as much as they do have an age range of 16 to 22. After emerging from the ashes of their old band Necropsy, these guys came forth and birthed upon the world the glorious abomination that is Agony Defined a death metal record that inspired critics the world over and earned the band a spot on many a top 10 of 2013 list. Agony Defined captures my imagination because in its death metal madness it reminds me of many old school records from the late 80s when the band members were all still extremely young. There is a certain youthful vitality that these guys get that literally none of their peers can imitate. Yet beyond that, regardless of age, Noisem are fucking good. Before I knew anything about them I knew that they were delivering top notch death metal and were not be fucked with under any circumstances.

These dudes are the darlings of the old school death metal crew too. Legends like Max Cavalera have professed their love for them and Carcass is about to take them out on the road, yet again. In my opinion one of the main reasons those guys dig Noisem is simply because they remind them of their own youths. Most death metal bands starting up nowadays are older, kids tend to go for hardcore, so seeing a band play with this level of proficiency and innovating this much at a young age is definitely inspiring and it speaks to the greater triumph of this band as a sort of symbol of hope for a genre that many have said has been long stagnant.

I think the fundamental truth here is that in many ways Noisem are living the dream and doing it with aplomb, even the not so glamorous parts. They embrace tour life in both its joys and its terrors. When you live a life like that I guess that this is the only kind of music you can really make. Yet here they are on the verge of another country spanning tour and preparing to write another record. They’ve transcended their surroundings and made something great out of the darkness that captures their reality. There is something distinctly ‘rock and roll’ about a group of guys in their late teens and early 20s driving all around America in a small van, one which I’ve had the privilege to ride in, and playing shows to anyone and everyone who will listen. It’s a very romantic backdrop for this extremely heavy music to start to form.

Despite all the cool stuff that they’ve been able to do though there is a very clear humility to this band. The first time I aw them was at This Is Hardcore festival where they played in front of a couple hundred kids. The next night I tried and failed to sneak into a 21+ show to see them. However after finding out I along with some other dudes weren’t able to get in Tyler specifically stayed outside and talked to us so we would have something to do, a cool story, and wouldn’t feel left out.

The second time I saw Noisem they played in a tiny warehouse in front of at most 50 people and actually moved their slot to before one of the (much smaller) local bands without complaint because the band showed up late. Sure the show was kinda shady and not a lot of people came, but they destroyed it. They performed a set that was to die for, showing they really don’t care about the venue or crowd, but simply the demented power of the music itself.

When I saw them for the third (And best) time, they played a show booked by a 16 year old fan because they thought he was “fucking rad” They got a pit going in a room that was packed beyond the gills. People were pouring out the door and into the street with just the hope of catching a glimpse of these Baltimore boys at their finest. Are they gods? Perhaps, come to earth to live hedonistic and twisted lives that prove to us the spirit of rock and roll will never die.

Sure metal bands tend to be nice and do stuff for fans, but Noisem take it to the next level, hell, they even guested on my shitty radio show even though by the end of the broadcast had no live listeners. Fully aware of this, they asked when they could be on it again, simply because they had a good time doing it. Along the tumultuous path of their careers they’ve helped me and others get out of sticky situations, helped promoters deal with cops, and they always remember their fans. This is what metal bands should be all about.

Before we wrap up, I think it’s important to make a note on their live performance. I feel as if when Noisem perform each members personality shines forth. Tyler fronts the group and is a sort of demonic being whose harsh vocals and vicious stage presence leave everybody moshing. He knows how to connect with people and make fans of all ages feel truly alive. Sebastian with his fiery red hair and flashy guitar parts spearheads the instrumental section. He writes all the songs and tries to act as a mature voice in the band. Meanwhile, Yago plays with ferocious energy, he gets into his riffs and forces the groove forward reflecting his witty and energetic personality. Harley hunches over his kit, a little bit shyer, but angry and very professional. Despite all evidence to the contrary he knows exactly what he’s doing and he just might kill you while doing it. As for Billy, well, I’ve only seen him once with Noisem, but I get the impression he’ll fit in just fine. He knows how to find the groove and plays with that crust punk joy that only a true addict can. Noisems live presence is machine-like, there is no stopping the incredible crush of this band and the rush I get seeing them tear apart crowds.

I just got off of a day of adventuring with Noisem and now I feel certain, they will always stand out as some of my favorites in this ever so crowded scene. They understand death metal and all of its glory, because they also seem to understand humanity. As my experience with them on my radio show revealed beneath all the layers of death metal madness, these guys are just stupid kids who like blasting Nicki Minaj and songs like Smoke Weed Every Day. They understand how lucky they are and yet somehow keep blasting forward, always humble, and always taking on new heights. They may not know where they are going on your next, when they’re getting their next tattoo or even where they’re sleeping tonight, but they do know that the next time they come to your town they’re going to kick your fucking ass.

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

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#footheroom Saving an Underground Venue

It’s an idea that seems almost to serendipitous to come true. It’s the sort of things movies are based off of. It’s #footheroom. Vern Nickerson opened up his own venue, The Room, with a buddy 4 years ago and since then it’s become his passion. He’s been able to book big bands from around the globe and has become a centerpiece of his scene. But money is running out and he is desperately searching for a solution to what seems like The Room’s inevitable closure. His solution? #footheroom a plea to Dave Grohl, a man who in his words “Gets it,” to play the room. Can it happen? It seems almost too crazy to imagine, but with a lot of internet attention being directed at #footheroom it seems like it might just come off…

I had the chance to interview Vern today, what follows is a transcription of our interview.

How’s life Vern?

Well if it wasn’t for the fact that you need money to pay for everything life would be awesome.

 

 

So what’s your solution been for that?

Well I don’t exactly have the solution. We have what we’re hoping to be an attention-getter. As a venue The Room is struggling to get itself out to an audience and the reason for that is financial. Mostly financial at least. Bands that play in our venue from all over the world love us. They love the way we treat them and how we run our shows. That in and of itself means a lot. Getting the word out there is a little bit harder without money. Even simple things like getting a street team together for flyers takes money. The old fashioned ways aren’t the way people are working right now. The bands are relying way to much on the internet. Not that you shouldn’t rely on it to some extent because this campaing we’re doing right now is relying heavily on the internet. But when it comes to local bands promoting their shows, I wonder if the internet is actually making it more difficult than it might have been back in the day.

What makes you say that?

Social interaction used to be you’d go out, hang out with some friends, shoot the breeze, talk, and see bands. People would say “Hey Brian what are you doing this Friday? You should go to a show!” People would be there from when the time started to roughly when the show ended. They’d see a bunch of bands and that was the way it was.

Now with the internet age… kids show up for one band. I see it at my venue all the time. The most popular band on any given show plays to the most people. People show up five minutes before they go on stage, sometimes five minutes ater they’ve been on stage. To me that’s a shame. I think the biggest difference in the last twenty years is the question that gets asked. The question used to be “What time does the show start” and the question now is “What time do you play?” I think that’s a huge problem. I think people would benefit from seeing new bands.

Talk to me about #footheroom then?

If it works it’s a genius plan that I actually didn’t come up with! We’ve been struggling. The room has been struggling big time. I owe a lot of money out to a lot of different people. My landlord, I owe him the most. We came to a realization that we can’t continue on this path. We can’t continue to not make enough money to even pay the rent. So we talked about having a final show. We had a date set and everything, we said our Christmas show is going to be our last show and that’s it. I talked to one of my friends in a band from Danbury, Connecticut, I Within I. He said “Do you want to close the room” and I said “Of course not” and he said “So don’t close!” I said “It’s not that simple” and he said “What do you need to stay open” so I replied “We need attention, we need the Foo Fighters to come to the room” Then after another conversation he posted #footheroom and I liked it. Instead of just letting it die I said to myself it’s too important. A lot of people owe business and they do well, fail, or just get by. It matters to you in the financial sense. But for me, it isn’t necessarily about the financial situation. If I really wanted a venue that made huge financial waves I wouldn’t have opened an all ages venue. You stand to make less money. Having no bar means yu’re going to make less money. To me if it’s about the money then it’s the wrong decision. But it isn’t about the money. I’m invested in it, my wife’s invested in it. I have a 10 year old daughter. In conversation we mentioned this to her and she was upset as can be. It’s a thing I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect that reaction. It matters.

We have kids who play in our place as well as bands coming from all over the world. To me it’s best when we have a band from Australia playing on a night where some kids are making their debut on a stage and they’re 12-14 years old. It makes that show even better. We had a band do their first ever show opening up for Psychostick in our place. The kids looked up Psychostick they didn’t even know who it was, but they wanted to play on a certain date and I needed a band who could sell tickets. They played first it wasn’t like they played right before them. They contacted me though and said “Are you sure we’re good enough to play before Psychostick?” And I said, “You know what, yes. Everybody’s good enough to play with everybody else.” Anybody who criticizes us for putting bands out there who are too new or too green, they don’t remember what that was like! My first band was terrible, and you’re supposed to be terrible! You’re supposed to go out, practice like crazy, and suck! Then you get better and join better bands. I feel like that’s happened with me. My bands have progressively gotten better. That’s what you want! I see kids play in my venue, I see them grow up. I see kids come in, play their first ever gig onstage with lights and sound in my venue. Now they’re going to college.

I tell this story all the time. There’s a band called Ispacewalksometimes. If you look them up, they’re on iTunes, the most talented kids you’ll ever meet. They’re really good. But the first time they played they were tight but the stage wasn’t home for them yet. The next time it was way better. Then the next time they were absolutely amazing on stage. They were always good musically. They went from being a band who was talented who just kind of stood there to being rockstars. I’m close friends with them now. Two of those kids have scholarships to Berklee! They don’t give them away to kdis who are okay at playing, you gotta be good! That’s a sense of pride, it was neat!

What you’re getting at, is that the magic of The Room is that it reflects the spirit of underground independent music…

Damn right it is! I think the underground scene when you watch a movie about it is a certain thing. You watch the movie CBGB and there’s a lot of stuff in that movie that was absolutely true. I’m sure there was stuff that was made for the movie to make it good but a lot of it was true. If it wasn’t for that guy who made CBGB’s maybe we wouldn’t have Talking Heads, maybe we wouldn’t have Blondie or the Police! Maybe we still would but who knows what realm they would have made it too. You have to have people who believe in you and who want to see you succeed. You see a lot of these kids and some them are just stars in the making.

I like being on the ground level. Like I said, I’ve been criticized in the past for putting young and less established bands on stage with big bands. I find that a ridiculous notion. We all got to start somewhere and saying that you’re not worthy of a show to me shows a shallowness. I’m not a fan of that. I try not to treat one band any better than any other band. I try not to treat one musician above any others. I try to make sure that the atmosphere in our venue is one of support.

That’s kind of beautiful. If you could have a couple of sentences to deliver straight to Dave Grohl what would you say?

If he’s standing right in front of me I’d probably have a hard time talking because this campagin that’s going on right now… the most beautiful things have been said by others. If i’m going to make the plea though, it’s because I think he gets it. I think that’s the most important thing. There’s a lot of different ways you can look at music but I don’t there are enough people that truly get it. That truly understand that the spot that they are in in life matters to other people. You look at the Foo Fighters, it wasn’t Dave’s first band, it wasn’t even his first famous band. But the day Nirvana ended and he decided to record the Foo Fighter record, that was the moment that changed a lot of other peoples lives too. You probably have no clue how many 12-14 year old kids I come in contact with who say their biggest influences are the Foo Fighters. There’s a song writing quality that those guys have that goes past just the songs you hear.

That’s my thing in life. When I describe myself when I have to say what I am as a person, I hope I’m a good dad and a good person, but I describe myself as a songwriter. That’s the label that I’d rather be stuck with. I don’t care about being a musician I care about being a songwriter and I think Dave is there. Watch every hall of fame induction from the last 7-8 years. He’s totally there, he gets it. Every time the camera goes to Dave Grohl it doesn’t matter whose on the stage, Dave gets invested in the conversation. There’s a couple videos on our webpage theroomct.com I linked a couple videos on the bottom. One is Dave’s SXSW speech that he gave. It’s kind of a long speech but you’re never bored listening to it because he’s an engaging person. It’s the single most… #footheroom thing I have ever seen in my life. I hear that and I say to myself “He gets it”

You say, “What would you say to Dave Grohl” and I say “Come do this because you get it” We need something to happen for us and if it’s Dave Grohl coming to the room or whether it’s bringing the band down and playing a show or just putting a piece of cardboard in front of the drum kit that says #footheroom. Even if they don’t play The Room but they see it up there they’re going to say “What the hell is that” and they’re going to find out about it. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about obviously. I’ve been doing a lot of work on it…

Realistically, what do you think the chances are for this to work out?

I don’t know. When we started this thing I thought the chances were extremely thin. I was hoping to get some notice, get somebody to say something. I got some responses from radio stations, news outlets and online media. I’ve gotten contacts from a few people in bands that are not Foo Fighter status but are up there. Some of the people that have contacted me have said “Don’t quit doing this, it’s a great idea” I’ve got a guy in a band who doesn’t want his identity revealed, but who told a friend of mine that he’s going to try and push for us. I’ve got another friend who knows somebody who works at Letterman’s studio and he’s going to try to do something this week. It’s just a matter of timing. I don’t know what the Foo Fighters have to do this week. I know that they’re playing on Letterman all week, other than that I don’t know what they’re doing. Look at their schedule and they’re not playing anything official until the 25th. That doesn’t mean they’re not doing anything underground or unofficial or have stuff with their TV show but…We’ll see what happens!

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

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5 Things I Learned Hanging Out With Touring Bands

I’ve been writing about metal for four years now, and I’ve started to get chances to hang out with some legit ‘rock stars’ or at least big names. Asides from being at the same party as Steven Tyler (Although he was in a higher security area then I was permitted access too) I’ve gotten to hang out with the likes of Napalm Death, Death Angel, and Soulfly. Otherwise, I seem to spend a lot of time in the company of various touring bands. I’d consider a lot of them to be my close personal friends. In my time I’ve learned some cool things and some not so-cool things, and even some things which were downright disheartening. Here’s what I’ve learned from my experiences:

 

5. No one has as much money as you thought

Even today, I am always shocked by how many of the people who we view as ‘superstars’ actually aren’t quite as well off as we might have thought. Some bands wear this proudly on their sleeve. For example with Napalm Death, the band members still help drive the van and they still don’t use a tour bus, simply to save money. When I first found this out I was fairly shocked, how could a band this big, this well known, and so legendary not be able to afford a tour bus? Yet this is the brutal truth for a lot of big name metal bands.

One thing I’ve gathered from a lot of the big name thrash bands that have reunited in recent years (Namely Death Angel and Exodus) is that part of the reason these guys can do it is because there kids are out of school now and they don’t have to pay for them. As Zetro of Exodus said “I have no ties back on the homestead, so I can do this now” In my naivete I’d always assumed that my favorite musicians had the cash to go out and tour even while they had kids, but as I keep finding out, this is often not the case. Sure I always knew a lot of big name dudes still had day jobs, but I didn’t realize this even applied to dudes who have been playing since the 80s!

 

4. No one is as famous as you thought

The biggest name I’ve probably met is Max Cavalera. Here’s a guy who, while he maybe didn’t revolutionize metal, is definitely one of the most important figures in the genre. He’s one of the few guys who has pretty much as much money as you thought, and is always doing something cool and exciting. He’s sold millions of records, toured the world thousands of times, and you see shirts for his bands on the backs of fans from Rio to Beijing. Suffice to say, he’s kind of a big deal.

His neighbors barely know who he is.

I’ve seen the members of Napalm Death walk around the inside of venues without being harassed by fans. I’ve seen Nick Turner of motherfucking HAWKWIND, this guy has worked with LEMMY of frikkin MOTORHEAD casually walk down the street. No one is as famous as you think they are, and on most occasions, I’ve discovered that my perception of someones fame is not at all correct with the general public. Trey of Inter Arma and Bastard Sapling put it best when he said to me “When I go back to my hometown and see people who know about my touring stuff they say ‘So you’re like a rock star?’ and I say ‘No, I may be more famous than you, but I’m not a rock star’”

 

3. Rock star antics are a thing of the past

A question I sometimes get asked when explaining my job to people is; “So you hang out with famous musicians, do you ever throw TV’s out hotel windows?” The answer of course is no. In fact, most ‘rock stars’ don’t really do much of anything that the common man might consider crazy. See, asides from being under contracts, like I said in the first part of this article, these guys are often pretty close to broke. They can’t afford to deal with a hotel fining them over a wrecked room.

Also, a lot of the people we consider ‘stars’ or ‘legends’ are kind of old. Sure at places like Hellfest we might all hang out and go to strip clubs and hang out with porn stars, but that’s hardly the norm. Most of the time these guys just hang out backstage, drink a few beers before going on, rock as hard as they can, and then go help out at the merch stand. Nothing is more surreal than watching a band rock in front of 50,000 people and then go to the bar to have a few drinks before hitting the road. Crazy parties aren’t that common, and the kind you see in movies like Almost Famous and Get Him To The Greek happen once or twice a year at most.

 

2. Tour life is ridiculously hard

Imagine spending eight hours a day in a car, getting to a shitty club, having to play at the peak of your ability, and then going to sleep at three in the morning inside the same car you drove in. That’s essentially what going on tour entails. It’s not for the faint of heart, and a lot of people can tell you that being ‘on the road’ is a lot less fun than the romantic image we have of it might imply. Touring bands face all manner of adversity. Asides from often traveling through unfamiliar territory and often never having met the booker before the night of the show, these guys have to be able to keep up enough sanity to do what they’re on the road trying to do, that is to say, play a good show.

I’ve had a lot of really strange conversations with touring bands where I discover that my perception of how shitty tour life can be is perpetually overoptimistic. For example, one time I commented to a friend of mine that he looked dead tired, he turned and cheerfully said “I am, I’ve gotten one hour of sleep in the past thirty six!” Take whatever perception you have of tour life and then half that, then half it again, now you have a sense for what it’s like to go on tour. This is not always a fun thing to do, but for some reason hundreds if not thousands of bands trek across America every year, and that’s because…

 

1. Touring is the most rewarding thing you will ever do.

Time and time again I have heard it “This is what we love to do” Sure you may be poor, unknown, tired of parting, and just generally a victim of poor living conditions, but you’re having fun. I’ve learned that though there is little to no support for touring bands and you’re often just trying to break even, its worth it. With even a shitty tour where you only do house shows you’re still reaching out to people and connecting with fans. Giving people a release and helping them through their own shittiness is why these bands do it.

So think about that next time you go to a concert. The people playing in front of you, even when they are in very well known bands, are probably kind of miserable. But they’re still doing it, and there’s no chance of them stopping. It’s not because we pay them that they do this, hell, many touring bands actually lose money touring. Ultimately it’s about the passion and a love for the music that allows anyone, no matter what age, to find true redemption through the music they love.

As featured on Indie-music.com, Examiner.com, I Am Entertainment Magazine, Antimusic.com, and recommended by countless music publications, “Your Band Is A Virus! Expanded Edition” is the ultimate music marketing guide for serious independent musicians and bands. Get your copy now.

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El Pintor sets Interpol back on track

Beware the gloom mood descending on downtown. It’s been four years since Interpol’s last album and even longer since they’ve put out a cohesive piece of music. With El Pintor, their fifth album, the New York City band regains their footing.

From the very first ache of “All The Rage Back Home” the new album falls into that familiar Interpol tone. The morose hypnotism of singer/guitarist Paul Bank’s voice. The full-speaker swirl of Daniel Kessler’s repetitive guitar and Sam Fogarino’s jerky-lean drum beats.

El Pintor is Interpol’s first full session without the assistance of founding member and bassist Carlos Dengler. He left after the completion of their fourth, self-titled album in 2010 and took his gun holster with him. Dengler was a main factor in forging the sound and iconography that Interpol can now claim as their own.

It’s relieving then, that Dengler’s absence hasn’t thrown off their direction. In fact, the lineup change has been a positive adjustment. It forced the remaining members to focus on tight, direct songs. Dengler was never replaced. Instead Banks played the bass himself and Brandon Curtis added a lacquer of ambiance with keyboards.

The rainy downtown melancholia that Interpol has perfect over the years is prevalent on songs like “My Desire” and “Everything Is Wrong.” On “Same Town New Story,” Kessler’s guitar flickers while Banks delivers an impassioned story of a suffocating romance. The female suffers through a broken relationship she wishes she could save. “Feels like the whole world / is up on my shoulders,” Banks emotes. The line unspools into the brain.

El Pintor is pulled into the vortex of a fast-spinning whirlpool during the song “Breaker 1.” Banks’s vocal squall challenges a pummeling crescendo of bass, drums and cymbals. The song  teeters on the edge of destruction, but falls in line before the end.

Each song is crisp and doesn’t get caught in lingering outros. El Pintor has a depth that outlasts its relatively short set. With ten songs it clocks in at just under forty minutes, but only gets better with each repeat listen.

Interpol just might be better off without Dengler. Since their powerful debut, every album they’ve released has been a lesser effort than its predecessor. El Pintor is easily the group’s best album since Turn On The Bright Lights, the debut that made gloomy New York City seem cool.

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