MUEN April 2009

PG.
2 - MUEN Magazine April 2009

Pictured: FluxXx Mutation TM
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from a post we had looking for a drummer. I had heard Isao's performances on various music sites, and when our old guitarist moved back to the midwest, I dropped Isao a note asking if he would be interested in playing with us. Isao knew Shatoshi and invited him to audition with us.
THE FADED
By G. Cataline
MUEN: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A BAND, HOW DID YOU MUEN: WHERE DID YOU MEET, AND ARE YOU ALL ORIGI- RECORD YOUR LATEST ALBUM NALLY FROM CALIFORNIA? "SCREAM?" The Faded started in 2004, after I moved to Los Angeles. Our lineup has changed around a bit over the last couple years, but the band has simply evolved with our new members. None of us are originally from California. Freddy is from Brazil, Isao and Shatoshi are Japanese. I am originally from North Carolina. Freddy auditioned for the group
We recorded most of it at Rainwalker Studio - my personal studio. Drums were done at Private Island Trax - they have a killer drum room there. The album was mastered by Evren Goknar, who has worked with some great artists and bands like Iggy Pop, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pat Benatar, and Poison, over at Capitol Records. MUEN: HOW WOULD YOU SAY IT DIFFERS FROM THE PAST TWO
CONTENT
The Faded - Pg. 2 Endrone - Pg. 3 Throttle - Pg. 3 The Birthday Massacre - Pg. 4 Bullets In Overdrive - Pg. 8 Julien-K - Pg. 10 Back From Ashes - Pg. 14 Dissipate - Pg. 16 Black Tide - Pg. 18 12 Stones - Pg. 22 The Spin Agents - Pg. 23 The Grumpy - Pg. 25 Lazarus A. D. - Pg. 29 Cradle Of Filth - Pg. 31 Etched In Red - Pg. 36 Richard Christ - Pg. 41 Snake - Pg. 47 The Stone Foxes - Pg. 50 L Anguisette - Pg. 54 Expect Anything - Pg. 56 The Sammus Theory - Pg. 58 Bone Yard - Pg. 63 The Acacia Strain - Pg. 65 Razor Of Occam - Pg. 69 Psyopus - Pg. 71 Rubella - Pg. 76 Black Label Society - Pg. 78
NEWS
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 3
MEMBERS OF ENDRONE IN HORROR MOVIE

Myspace.com/Endrone
Just a quick note to let you know that Endrone s Jesse, Dave, and Steven will appear in the new zombie flick "Silent Night Zombie Night". The movie is directed by Sean Cain with Velvet Hammer Pictures. Music from Endrone is also featured in the movie! Jesse and Dave are featured in multiple scenes as the Undead and the living! You can find info on the movie at imdb.com under "Silent Night Zombie Night". You can also find Jesse, Dave, and Johnny in the upcoming Australian horror movie "Deader Country" where Jesse and Dave play the undead and Johnny is... well dead. Info on this movie can be found on imdb.com as well. And if that were not enough, Dave and Jesse appear in the short movie "Attack of the Staph Spider" myspace.com/attackofthestaphspider. Well what better band for horror movies than Endrone. Look for their upcoming release titled, Forever Is A Lie .
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THROTTLE Feb. 28, 2009

By Shauna O'Donnell Recently I had the opportunity to catch one of Throttle s live shows. This one was at the Key Club in Hollywood, CA, and the place was packed! The large amount of people there seemed to be in anticipation of them taking the stage, and once they did, I could see why. Throttle delivered a high energy, hard hitting performance with blistering guitar riffs, powerful percussion and bold vocals, capturing and keeping the focus of all, throughout the evening. If you are ever in the mood for a solid rock band who can easily deliver, I would recommend catching a show by Throttle!
ALBUMS, "BREAKING FREE," AND "THREE LOST DAYS?" Three Lost Days was somewhat of a "demo" - we were trying a lot of different approaches to help us find our sound. Scream was much more planned out allowing us to create more diverse and rich recording. MUEN: I SEE YOU HAVE SOME SHOWS ACROSS COUNTRY IN MARCH AND APRIL... DOES THE BAND USUALLY DO ALOT OF TOURING? Although we've played in other areas of the country, we have generally remained in the Southern California area. This will be our first group tour. We hope this short tour in March and April will help build support so that we can head back out on the road for the summer music festivals in July and August.
MUEN: WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR? WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE GOALS? While getting signed might be nice, our goals are continuous improvement - better shows, better recordings, more fans and opportunities. We're hoping to just keep evolving and getting better at being a band. Myspace.com/TheFaded
SAGE4 is performing live with Dragonforce on April 25th at the Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, WI!
Look out for MIDDLE FINGER MOB in the upcoming May Issue of MUEN Magazine.
PG. 4 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 LIVE REVIEWS
THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE

Circa, Toronto October 26 2008 Review and Photos by Karen Fader McBride www.myspace.com/thebirthdaymassacre www.myspace.com/thekindredspirit My first time attending a show at Circa, Toronto s hippest and most colorful of clubs was an event not to be missed. The fact that the doors were to open at 7pm, but didn t until 8, could not dampen the spirits of the many in line since hours earlier that day. Toronto s own, The Birthday Massacre had many fans in attendance this night, including a young woman I TBM Photo by Karen Fader McBride spoke to that flew all the way from England to see her favorite band in action. This evening was the grand opening of Circa s Rock & Roll Church, a soon to be regular Sunday night event for those wishing to worship a higher purpose; the religion of music. Two other bands graced the stage during the festivities, Jackalope and Johnny Hollow. Both were very well received by the crowd, which was at full capacity, upstairs as well as on the main floor. I scanned the crowd to see just how colorful a scene it was. Most shows I attend have a standard look per fan to band relation. Metal shows = black t-shirts and leather jacketsSka-Punk = colorful hair and lots of moshing/crowd surfing. This gig had a great mix; it seems TBM have a very versatile following which is great to see. As the band took the stage cameras flashed and the crowd cheered. Lead vocalist, Chibi was dressed in a black and white knee length dress, adorned with ruffles and bows. As they tore into the first song of the night, Rainbow on guitar began to pounce and leap around the stage. He is extremely entertaining as a performer and quite the scene stealer. Rhim was superb on drums as were Michael on guitar and OE on bass. Chibi s vocals were spot on and the sound quality was extremely good at this venue; with high ceilings the audio carried well even into the upper balconies. The band delivered favorites like Video Kid, Lover s End and Looking Glass to the delight of the crowd. Chibi paused to explain they were about to play a song they had never before played live, then performed their cover of Tiffany s "I think We re Alone Now," from their most recent album, Looking Glass. I took a moment to grab a drink from the bar during this track, only to find the attendants there too busy to notice me as they danced away to this retro number. Usually a band winds down somewhat nearing the end of their set, but The Birthday Massacre seemed to only get more geared up as the show was tampered off. O-en actually scaled his keyboards, kneeling atop them as he played the final chords in the last track, a blue spotlight casting down on him. The crowd was very appreciative if their performance, cheering long after the band had left the stage. I absolutely loved this show, I would go out of my way to see The Birthday Massacre any chance I get just for the shot of adrenaline they release during their gigs you leave feeling alive.

Hannah Kramer (MUEN Spokesmodel), Andy LaPlague (Combichrist), and Christina backstage at House Of Blues in Chicago, Feb. 2009
If you are punk especially, or just a unique hard rock band looking for a great interviewer, look up BC Blonde @
Myspace.com/BC_blonde2002
BC Blonde (MUEN Magazine)
The experience will be well beyond your greatest expectations! That s right, BC Blonde, from beautiful Vancouver, Canada, and pretend that you are a Canucks fan even if you re not...
Shauna (MUEN Magazine) w/ Rob Caggiano of Anthrax
Hannah Kramer (Above) does not need MUEN credentials to get backstage with major stars, and I think we can figure out why. She rapidly worked her way up to number 3 Spokesmodel at MUEN by her own merits of vibrant looks, personality and charm. Hannah is a free spirited, lift you up type of gal, and also does much modeling outside of MUEN, so there is a good chance you will come across her again and again, whether it be in print or online.
Shauna O Donnell rakes in alot of interviews these days and is also one of the empresses of MUEN Magazine altogether, so yeah... just smile for the camera and do as you re told and everything will work out just fine. If you are a modern rock or metal band that has somehow managed to break the cookie-cutter mold even while signed to a major label then please, Shauna is the one to contact @ Myspace.com/shaunasbandpage.
Q5 (MUEN Magazine)
Q5 Does work for MUEN and others, mainly in the form of CD Reviews. If you are interested in having your CD reviewed by one of the finest, and can catch him inbetween prank phone calling, contact Q5 @ Myspace.com/artist5fo rmelyknownasq
JET is at her best on the weekends and always eager to promote or interview an Karen Fader McBride provides great phoup and coming heavy metal band. Espetography for MUEN and for others. She is truly one of the best and most reliable pho- cially if it s death, dark, or just plain tographers we ve ever encountered. She is evil.... Some punk as well. If you feel you from Canada and also does more traveling may fit this category, then you need to overseas and across the globe than any contact her at Myspace.com/Jetxx - If band we know! If you are looking for superb you are emo or anything close to sap, photo work, contact her @ best thing is just to contact the main Myspace.com/TheKindredSpirit MUEN office instead.
JET (Jeanne Thomas - MUEN)
PG. 6 - MUEN Magazine April 2009
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CARLOSZEMA
BULLETS IN OVERDRIVE
(Brandon) Vancouver, Canada
Myspace.com/bulletsinoverdrive
By: BC Blonde MUEN: HELLO TO YOU, NICE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE. IT'S SO NICE TO INTERVIEW HOME GROWN TALENT HERE IN LOVELY VANCOUVER. IS EVERYONE FROM BC?
and me and Kelsey were 9 when we played our first show at Stardust Roller Rink, Battle Of The Bands! We never did win but we went on to play ten more Battles there! That's where we fell in love with performing! There were big crowds that use to come out to the shows and they made us feel like rock stars! We've been chasing the dream ever since lol!
MUEN: HOW OLD IS Yes we're all from BC, EVERYBODY TO DATE? me and my brother Jordan (singer) met Kelsey (bassist) when Jordan 16, Kelsey 17, we became neighbors me (Brandon) 17 and in North Delta, a sub- Mel 24. urb of Vancouver. We met Mel on Myspace MUEN: YOU HAVE and she has been on PLAYED WITH lead guitar for almost SOME BIG NAMES AS WELL! HEDLEY, a year now! STATE OF SHOCK AND ART OF DYING MUEN: IS IT TRUE ARE A COUPLE OF THAT YOU BEGAN PLAYING BETWEEN GOOD ONES, DID 8 - 11 YEARS OLD IN YOU ENJOY THAT THIS BAND. A BAND EXPERIENCE?
Someone in the band usually comes up with an idea. Usually its Jordan and then we all build on it. But it's mainly been the knowledge we gained MUEN: YOUR MUSIC since we started working with our producer IS MUCH MORE "ADULT" THAN YOU Dan Swiminer. We didn't know much ACTUALLY ARE. SHAPED BY 8 YEAR about song structure YOU WRITE AT A Its been a great expeOLDS! HOW WONbefore, but recording LEVEL THAT PEODERFULLY CRAZY! rience and we love and working with a PLE IN THEIR 20'S HOW DID YOU ALL playing live shows! producer really helped AND 30'S ARE REALIZE THAT YOU We have learned a lot DANCING TO IN THE mature our sound. We WERE CAPABLE OF watching the bigger actually purposely try CLUBS! HOW DO bands and their tricks SUCH? to broaden the meanYOU DO IT? of the trade! Playing in ing of our songs to inthe Night Clubs is fun Yeah, Jordan was 8 when your under age if the club has a good back stage for us to hang lol. We love playing the Roxy in Vancouver.
the machine going though, and there's no day's off! Its actually a MUEN: ARE YOU hard job to be in a ENJOYING YOUR band. We put more SUCCESS? IS hours into it than a job THERE ANYTHING and the pay at this THAT YOU MAY NOT point sucks, lol! We PARTICULARLY do it for the love of LIKE? playing music and for the dream of having Gaining fans is the music as our career! best feeling ever be- Our dad s dream is to cause you know be in the front row at someone is listening GM Place rocking out to what you wrote to us one day. from your heart, and there is nothing like it. MUEN: I FIRST We haven't gained HEARD YOU GUYS enough popularity yet AS KJB AGENTS... to see or feel the neg- WHEN AND WHY ative sides of sucDID YOU CHANGE cess. YOUR NAME TO BIO? MUEN: BRANDON AND JORDAN, I UN- We never found the DERSTAND THAT name KJB very attracYOUR DAD PLAYS A tive and when Mel LARGE ROLE IN joined the band it didYOUR MANAGEn't make sense anyMENT. WHAT'S more since it was the THAT LIKE FOR 3 of our initials. Mel YOU? came up with the new name and we loved it Usually things are a so we switched to Bullittle hectic around the lets In Overdrive. house with our dad booking our shows MUEN: HOW IS THE and finding ways for RECORDING EXPEus to get our music RIENCE FOR YOU? heard! It has been ANY PROBLEMS awesome to have ENCOUNTERED? I someone helping us ASK BECAUSE TIME that we totally trust IS MONEY AND though! It takes the MONEY IS TIME, whole band to keep AND WELL, SOME-
clude all ages, male and female!
We just got back from a short Island tour and we're planning on touring out as far as Edmonton and CalRecording, for me is gary for spring break! always a blast even We have a bunch of though I'm blowing up local shows coming my back pocket as I up as well! We have drum my ass off. been super busy with Generally we do good recording, playing in the studio. We do shows, going to tons of prep before we school and also workgo into the studio so ing at the same time! that we know our parts inside and out. MUEN: IS THERE We can cut down on ANYTHING ELSE the re-takes and edit- THAT WE SHOULD ing because time is KNOW ABOUT money and we don't YOU? IS THERE have much money lol. ANYTHING YOU Practicing is free so WOULD LIKE TO that's where we spend SHARE ON YOUR most of our time! OWN TERMS WITH US TODAY? MUEN: WHERE ARE YOU GUYS GOING We are just finishing FROM HERE? WHAT up our debut indeARE YOUR FUTURE pendent 8 song EP, GOALS FOR THE so keep your eyes BAND? and ears open for it! You can find our We want to take this music right now on as far as we can go iTunes! If you like to with it. We want to rock out at big rock make this our career shows then come and and tour the world. check us out cause we don't disappoint! MUEN: WHAT IS YOUR SCHEDULE LIKE THESE DAYS?
TIMES PRESSURE COMES ABOUT WHEN YOU HAVE ONLY SO MUCH MONEY AND SO MUCH STUDIO TIME. ARE YOU ALMOST DONE WITH EVERYTHING?
ARE YOU PLAYING LOCALLY RIGHT NOW? IS THERE A TOUR COMING UP?
Julien-K is a band that is known by many, and you may not be totally aware why you know the name or where you ve heard them before. Their track Technical Difficulties was a standout on The Transformers Soundtrack. But, they have also played live before large crowds with Projekt Revolution and then a tour with Evanescence. Their long awaited CD Death to Analog was released March 10, 2009 so we took the chance to speak with Ryan and Amir to find out more about what to expect.
tle bit more, but you are the first person to actually MUEN: SINCE JULIEN- know where the name came from. You did some K WAS THE LEAD research. I think the origiCHARACTER IN THE FILM AMERICAN GIG- nal idea was to have an alter ego sort of OLO I NEED TO ASK like his DJ as HOW YOU CHOSE he was a THAT NAME FOR DJ as well THE BAND AND and the DOES IT MATCH idea THE MEMBERS he OF THE BAND OR THE MUSIC? Long Beach, California Ryan: (Laughter) I think it was a lit-
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 11 (the character in the movie) had was to also have an alter ego. As we started becoming a band we also thought it was a really fucking cool name. So it is not really like American Gigolo - it is more that it sounded like an android with a futuristic feel to it like some sort of synthetic human. MUEN: I HAVE SEEN OR HEARD YOUR PERFORMANCES IN ROUGH CUTT (AMIR) AND SEX ART (RYAN) AND WONDERED HOW YOU STARTED WITH SUCH A ROCK SOUND AND HOW THE EVOLUTION TO THE TECHNO/ELECTRONICA/INDUSTRIAL SOUNDS OF JULIEN-K CAME TO BE? Amir: Honestly before I ever played guitar I wanted to play synthesizers as it was a time when they were starting to be known and I was fascinated with the sounds and the music that people were using with Moog s and Arp s and stuff. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I couldn t afford one. My cousin actually beat me to buying a synthesizer. He bought it and I would play around with it when he wasn t at home, but then I thought alright I ll just play guitar. For years I wanted to do more electronic stuff. But in the beginning you couldn t really do that synthesizer sound. I did start using synthesizers on the second Rough Cutt record although the band didn t want me to mention anything about it since they didn t think it was cool. Judas Priest was the first to do that and they ended up getting various slack for the record Turbo Lover which I loved, but it was bashed. I remember hanging out with Rob Halford and talking to him about that and telling him that you guys spawned me out of all that. Now I have come full circle as Orgy was the first opportunity. When it was forming I wasn t going to be a part of it. I was acting as more of a producer/engineer and said to Jay as a singer and Ryan that I am not going to play unless I can play guitar/synth and just wanted to do something different. So that was my first chance to start getting into the electronic.. it was with Orgy. I pushed really hard for Orgy to be really electronic. Ryan and I were really in to more electronic music and wanted to do even more so that is sort of how Julien-K came about. It was not our intention to become a band, but one thing lead to another and we had all these ideas in our head and it just came out that way. Ryan: Similar for me in that I grew up in a small town in California and I had no frame of reference, but I liked electro music and liked Depeche Mode and the keys in The Cure. The only instrument that I understood and could even acquire was a guitar at the time. It wasn t until I started playing guitar in bands and seeing others with keys that I started thinking it was pretty cool, but no bands really wanted to do that. It wasn t until these guys, Amir and Jay really, that it started coming together. Amir thought of a really genius way to bring the keys into Orgy and I said fuck that s cool. So that was just that and also the evolution of the software etcetera being available to start doing more. The revolution of digital recording made this really easy to get in to that kind of stuff. For me as a singer, I tend to write over electronic beats and synth stuff. Amir: I think the first song that comes to mind was Donna Summer s I Feel Love. It had that unique sound and was such an influence. It was Giorgio Moroder that really influenced me and did the electronic soundtrack for American Gigolo and actually produced Donna Summer s I Feel Love that made me realize a lot later, and even realized more just a few years ago, why that is really the kind of stuff I like and understand and why we covered Blue Monday in Orgy. I liked the straightforward beats and the driving bass lines and finally got to a place where I could do that. I think me getting into that sort of transformed the music I am playing now as well. I learned a lot along the way and have no regrets about any of that. MUEN: SPEAKING OF SEX ART, MANY REALLY AMAZING ARTISTS SUCH AS JONATHAN DAVIS OF KORN AND DAVE DEROO OF EDEMA CAME FROM SUCH A SHORT-LIVED BAND. HAVE YOU KEPT UP WITH THEM AND THE OTHERS RYAN? Ryan: Yeah I keep up with all of them. Absolutely. John was instrumental in that relationship of forming Orgy and then Korn started playing some music I wrote and it was like the first light bulb that went off in my head that wow we can make
PG. 12 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 a lot of fucking money doing this. Shortly after Orgy was signed and the record was out and we were getting big, I realized all my old friends from Sex Art had formed Adema and I was like fuck, that must have been a talented group of people. That must have been something special. I am friends with all of them and love them to death and am great friends with Dave. I don t see John as much since he doesn t live anywhere close to me. He lives on the other side of the hills here. so we can just plug in and do our DJ sets impromptu. It fills up at like10 o clock and we can have dinner at one in the morning since they serve till two. It s our type of shit. That s what we were looking for in great wine, great food, black chandeliers with a gothic meets punk feel for our kind of place. and Placebo, Taking back Sunday and Evanescence and MSI and hold our own with them and compliment them. Bringing a new sound into that kind of rock was something very, very important to us. Amir: One thing that was cool was that the tours were very different in that one was during the day and one was indoors at night and gave us the chance to create two different environments for the performances. We learned a lot from each. Obviously we preferred the indoors and dark... and the lighting. It was a chance to play before people who have no idea who you are and you have to win over new fans every night. People are not really nice and will let you know if they don t like you. But we never had that and thought fuck, we must be actually be kind of good. It proved itself without having a record or anything. MUEN: YOU ALSO WENT DOWN WITH EVANESCENCE TO MEXICO, WHICH IS EMERGING AS A VERY VIABLE MUSIC MARKET. HOW WAS THAT? a great time! We played to sold out shows to ten thousand or more a night and they just ate us alive which was great. We still get messages in Spanish on our message boards saying hey what s up. Love to do more there. We had a blast! MUEN: SO... ABOUT THE BAND MEMBERS AND THAT DYNAMIC. SINCE STEVIE (RYAN S CAT) IS THE CHIEF MILITARY ADVISOR, THEN WHO IS INDEED THE SUPREME COMMANDER? RYAN OR AMIR? OR BOTH? Ryan: I am probably the supreme commander and Amir is the dark prince. MUEN: YOUR CD, WHICH ACCORDING TO YOUR MANY FANS WAS MUCH AWAITED AND SOUGHT AFTER... WHY THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS WITH THE LIMITED EDITION AND THE VINYL? Ryan: Because we are capitalist pigs!
MUEN: JULIEN-K TOURED WITH PROJEKT REV IN 2007 WITH LINKIN PARK ETC. AND THEN EVANESCENCE AND SICK PUPPIES LATER IN THE YEAR. HOW MUEN: SO YOU HAVE WERE THOSE EXPERESTAURANTS RIENCES? CLOSE BY TO WHERE YOU LIVE THAT YOU Ryan: They were great OWN? tours and it was just great to see that JulienRyan: We have three. K worked live, espeThe one that we are cially with these rock partners in is called Lola bands. We re an electro Gaspar that is a dark band and the fans of edgy cantina kind of these heavy rock bands vibe that is a place that totally loved us too. we created where we There was not a bad can take friends or have night where they did not bands or meetings at. like us. Even with Orgy We now have to have a in the beginning people place where we can do didn t always get it until business that is awethey heard our hit on some as we are also the radio. With Julien-K entrepreneurs. The en- we wanted to do it backvironment is awesome. ward and prove that we The other two are the are not just living off of same restaurant, but at Orgy or just spinning two locations and a shit on the radio. We more daytime and wanted to go out there healthier vibe. We deand prove that we could signed the night place rock with Linkin Park
Amir: We had such a plethora of stuff compiling remixes of stuff over the past few years that we always planned on doing some sort of a Ryan: It was amazing and really cool. We had companion record or
Julien-K Photo by Marc Goldstein separate thing of remixes. What we ended up doing is putting them all out as a bonus disc that is a limited run. The vinyl is the ultimate contradiction to the title Death to Analog. I am so excited that we have a record first off and then to have all the artwork and all its glory that goes with it is great. Vinyl is fun and has come back. So, cool and why not? It s a double record and all the pictures inside and a couple of the remixes are exclusive to make time playing live. We don t finish off stuff if we don t feel it is good, MUEN: HOW DID YOU CHOOSE WHAT WAS which is something we kind of always did in TO BE ON THIS CD Orgy too. It is quite AND THE OTHER EDITIONS, ESPECIALLY complex to record the THE REMIX CHOICES way that we do. It is not AS WE JUST DID AN like some guy comes in with a bass drum or INTERVIEW WITH something and we blow COMBICHRIST AND out ten songs in one THERE IS ONE OF night. Everything is creTHEIR REMIXES ON ated from the ground THE LIMITED EDIup. All the sounds and TION? programming go through many, many Amir: As far as the changes over time. songs, these are just basically the ones that Some come together really quick and others have stood the test of that one special. take some time. As far as the remixing stuff, that started as a bit of an experiment for me and I now have been able to work with some of the best remixers and such, and have had the chance to work with some of the greatest artists like Combichrist. They made the song even darker and scarier. myspace.com/julienk
BACK FROM ASHES

Phoenix, AZ
Jason (Vocals) Lane (Bass)

By: Shauna O'Donnell
MUEN: HI GUYS AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH ME Jason: How's it going? Lane: Hey! How are you doing? MUEN: JASON, YOU AND MIKEY ARE THE ONES WHO FOUNDED THE BAND. IS THAT CORRECT? Jason: Yeah... back in 2005. MUEN: WERE YOU GUYS IN BANDS PRIOR TO THAT? Jason: Yeah, not together, but we all had been in other bands throughout our lives. MUEN: WHEN YOU WERE PUTTING THE BAND TOGETHER, DID YOU FIND IT HARD TO FIND PEOPLE JUST AS DEDICATED AS YOU? Jason: Oh God yes! That is always the hardest. Not necessarily even the dedication factor, but just trying to find people that have the same views and vision as us. We went through quite a few members before we found this current lineup. Thank God we did, because I couldn't be happier now. MUEN: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD YOUR MUSIC, DESCRIBE IT TO THEM IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Jason: It's kind of a mix and Lane can tell you this. We basically all come from very diverse backgrounds. I come
Lane: I agree with Jason. The vibe of the music, the vibe of the environment and all of our fans are just one big family. It's a very good, friendly and comforting vibe. When you see it, you get a feeling of what the music is about and what it brings. MUEN: JASON, DO YOU WRITE THE LYRICS? Jason: Yeah, the thing is, I'd say I write about 95% of the lyrics, but with our band, what it boils down to is... it is conglomerate. We all work together. I'll ask the guys in the band, "Hey, this is what I feel when I hear this music. What do you guys feel?" We will discuss it and a lot of my ideas come from the guys in the band surrounding me. They will say, "When I wrote this particular piece of music, I was thinking this." And I will say, "I like that. I can go with that." We try and work together as a whole unit. We don't like to say one person does this or one person does that because really everyone does it. MUEN: YOU GUYS WRITE THE MUSIC FIRST THEN? Jason: Yeah. MUEN: WHAT ARE MOST OF YOUR LYRICS BASED ON? WHAT DO YOU SING ABOUT? Jason: Well, you know it is kind of all over the place. I like to write about things that happen in everyday life, all the trials and tributes that people go through, the human emotion if you will. I like to write open because I want people to interpret it the way that they feel that it can relate to them. Sometimes when you get too specific in any type of lyric, you kind of lose some people because they feel like they cannot relate at all. For us, we just really try to keep our ideas, not generic or too big, but to a point where they can listen to it and say, "They wrote that about my life." I know that for
from more of a blues/rock type background. My father is a musician and I grew up surrounded by that type of music. When I was younger, I found myself starting to listen more to Testament and stuff like that. I really dug it, but it was something I wasn't exposed to until I was 12 or so. So, my background comes from that, where Lane has more of a progressive background. For us, it is hard to kind of describe what we are, because we pride ourselves on being as original as we possibly can. So, with all the backgrounds that we all have what Back From Ashes is now. If we had to categorize it, I would say we are a cross between all those things. Lane: I come from more of a death metal/dragon metal kind of a thing. Progressive metal like Symphony X and then the death metal side like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and some more modern things. A lot of us are big fans of Killswitch Engage and bands like that. It's really diverse, I mean, Matt likes Tool. Mikey is more of an eighties guy. Steve is like a Rage Against the Machine guy. Everyone comes together to make one just really diverse project. MUEN: WOULD YOU PRE-
FER SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD YOU BEFORE TO LISTEN TO YOUR CD FIRST OR EXPERIENCE A LIVE SHOW FIRST? Jason: Honestly, I would say a live show. We work really hard, not to say that other bands don't, but we rehearse four nights a week on top of everything else that we are doing. We put a lot of work into our live performances and it is always a blast. We turn it into a big party and put on a really good show for everybody. I think hearing our CD first versus seeing a live performance are two completely different animals. Our music comes across fine on CD of course, but a live show is a live show. I'd rather see a band live first before I heard their CD personally. We are big on really talking to our fans. We always hang out after our shows. We do signings, giveaways and we will actually have drinks with our fans, because we are no different than they are. I know for us as musicians, it is important to us to humanize what we do. I think some musicians can get a bad wrap and they can come off kind of cocky. When you get to know the musician behind the music, I think it can help that person or group of people relate to what you are doing.
us, that is what appeals to us as musicians, too. When I hear a song and think they know exactly what I was thinking. It could be something completely different that they wrote about, but all that matters to me is that I can relate to it. So, we try and take that same approach. Some of the things we write about are personal, but we don't try to get too political and we are not real big on throwing F-bombs all over the place just to try and make an impact. We really try to write from the heart and about things that people can relate to. MUEN: WHICH SONG THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN MEANS THE MOST TO YOU, BECAUSE IT WAS EITHER WRITTEN ABOUT A REALLY PERSONAL EVENT OR SOMETHING THAT REALLY INSPIRED YOU. Lane: Mine was "The Suffering Within," because that was the first song we wrote when I joined the band. I had just gone through a rough time in my life. When Jason said 95% probably like 2% of that, I wrote one part of that song which is the part that I sing live. It really relates to me a lot and I had gone through a really bad portion with a girl and that whole big story. For me, since the lyrics are so ambiguous, I was able to relate that to me. What I really like is we give Jason input and he takes it. Most of the things I can relate to and then Mikey relates to it on a different note. That one is mine. I don't know about the rest of the guys. MUEN: I LOVE THAT SONG. IT'S AMAZING. Jason: Awesome, yeah, that is a good song for all of us I think. I relate to it as well, but for different reasons than Lane does. I'd say that lyrically one of my favorites would be one that is on our upcoming release and it is called "Misery." That song for me, when I wrote that, was more gearing toward trying to become something in
this industry. The music industry is so difficult and hard. I'm not here to whine or cry about it, but we have worked really hard. I have worked really hard all my life; music has been a part of me since I was a little guy. This song really is about wanting to break out and share it with the world and getting frustrated that you are not getting that world recognition that you want. For me, that song is the one that hits it for me, and when they listen to the lyrics, all of the lyrics will be included on the CD, I think people will understand where I'm coming from. MUEN: I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR IT. HOW MANY SONGS ARE YOU RECORDING FOR THE EP? Jason: We have recorded six songs for the EP. We were supposed to do seven, but we went a little over budget on the recording, so we had to stop short. MUEN: ARE YOU WORKING ON A FULL LENGTH ALBUM? Jason: Oh yeah, absolutely. Right now, we have a full length freshman album called Broken. We decided to move on from that album and take a different approach, and we went with a producer on this route. What a difference... what an experience. We worked with Ryan Greene of Crush Recording, and I'm not sure if you are familiar with his work, but he was like chief engineer for BMI/Sony for eight years. He worked with artist upon artist everybody from Desmond Child, Megadeth, to No FX, Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight. So, he has a really diverse background, but he was really well known for his work with the punk scene. We decided that we wanted to do something a little bit different on this album and we looked around and found Ryan. He listened to our music and said, "You have something here." We really liked his attitude and
the fact that he actually believed in us. So we went with that and he has turned out some stuff that we didn't know we had in us. So in answer to your original question, yes, we are working on a full length album and we will be going back to him to finish that up. MUEN: NOW, RECENTLY YOU TOOK ON A FIFTH MEMBER, A GUITAR PLAYER. HOW IS THAT WORKING OUT AND HAS IT MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOU?

talented, but he is a great guy. We all see the same vision and we are all on the same page. It's been a mass improvement and we always told ourselves the only way we would add another member, whether it was someone hitting a cowbell or whatever, if that person had something to add. We thought we were doing just fine as a four piece, but we are always looking to improve. He brought that to us. You will hear a lot of his work on this upcoming album that is quite a bit different from our last one. We are crossing our fingers. MUEN: HAVE YOU HAD ANY INTEREST FROM LABELS? Jason: We do have some interest from some labels, but I never believe anything until I see that paper. We have done some shows out in L.A. and had some people come look at us. There are some talks going on, but it doesn't mean anything until (I don't want to say "fat lady" because that is not politically correct) until that larger person sings. We are definitely shopping and are open to anybody coming to us for sure. MUEN: HAVE YOU GUYS DONE ANY TOURING? Jason: We travel around quite a bit mainly on the West Coast. We haven't done anything on the East Coast yet. We are self-funded so it is always difficult to come up with the money to get that stuff done. We do what we can; we hit L.A., San Diego, all of Arizona and places like that. So far, so good. We keep getting asked back, but they need to pay us a little more. I'm tired of eating Ramen.
Myspace.com/backfromashesmusic
Lane: Awesome and yes, especially from the instrument side. I know it has also made a difference on Jason vocally because I'm sure he has plenty of ideas. From working with this guy and being a string instrument player myself, it has expanded our writing horizons so much, because there is only so much that one guitar player can do, even though Mikey is the machine of a musician that he is. Matt is just one of the most amazing musicians I have ever worked with. Having another musician there to throw in his own ideas and be able to add that much more of a diverse approach to what we are doing. To be able to have something behind something and on top of something and to have two guitar parts, has made a huge difference on the writing part of it. It's just amazing, it's one of the best things we have ever done I think. Jason: Yeah, I would agree with that. When we were throwing around the idea, at first, we were a little gun shy about having another member, because it has just been the four of us. You get really comfortable. It's your family and now you are adopting somebody. You are like, "Am I going to get the red-headed stepchild from Hell?" It's tough because you have to garner that relationship with them, get to know them and hope to God it works out and you don't have to fire them in a month. We got really lucky with Matt. Not only is he
We have two e.p.'s and a full length that should be out by the end of April. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CALL YOURSELVES DISSIPATE? Dissipate means to release energy and that's what we are all about. We spent a lot of time trying to find a name that fits and that was one word. We didn't want a name that was an entire sentence and we wanted something that represented the band. WHAT ARE THE MAIN MESSAGES IN YOUR MUSIC AND LYRICS, AND WHO DOES MOST OF THE LYRIC WRITING? We have a lot of different messages in our lyrics, mostly good - we are not a hate filled band or anything like that really. Matt our vocalist does all the writing. BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW YOU GO ABOUT SONGWRITING? DOES THE MUSIC FORM BEFORE THE LYRICS, OR DO YOU HAVE FULL LYRICS BEFORE THE MUSIC IS FORMED. We come up with an idea for the song as a whole and then start writing the music to see where that takes us. As we are writing music Matt is there listening and taking it all in as he adds his lyrics to the song. WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? We are just going to focus on getting the name out there and playing as many shows as possible and fuckin shit up.
By G. Cataline ARE YOU ALL ORIGINALLY FROM CALIFORNIA? Yes. we all grew up in different parts of the east bay. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THE BAND'S HISTORY SINCE YOU FORMED IN 2005? There are sooooo many. I don't have time to explain everything. But I will say that this new line up of members and new music is getting a great response from the fans out there and for me that is one of my top highlights for this band. For example our vocalist went to a party and walked in on a conversation
only to find out that the people were talking about Dissipate and how much they liked the new music... That's awesome... And the shows have been great, the people are great, everything is looking good for us. HOW DID THE BAND FIRST COME TOGETHER? Friends that had an idea and a love for music. So we decided to make it happen and we continue to progress. BEING YOUR MUSIC IS UNLIKE A LOT OF THE METAL OUT THERE, WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES, AND WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO EXPLORE OTHER AVENUES OF METAL?
The reason our music is different is because we all listen to different styles of music, not everything is based around metal. We all agree on metal and we all love metal, but we also like music in general, therefore we listen to all sorts of it, which is why we are different than most metal bands. A lot of bands only listen to either their favorite bands or they only listen to metal bands, and we listen to anything and everything. I can't speak for everyone in the band as far as direct influences because there are so many I would be here for day's.
DO YOU HAVE A FULLLENGTH AVAILABLE? OR IF NOT, WHEN DO YOU EX- Myspace.com/dissipateband PECT TO HAVE ONE?
Dissipate
BLACK TIDE
We are a band on tour. They were like Can you all please step out of the car? We need to search your vehicle. We were like Fuck! Of course, they assume we had drugs, but Oh! No we didn t. The dog hated the smell of the van. MUEN: YOU AND GABRIEL FIRST FORMED BLACK TIDE BACK IN 2003.

that dude that stands outside the gate for three fucking hours just to get a glimpse. If I can just say Dude, great show tonight. Thanks for coming. That is all I ever want to do and it sucks because I don t ever get that chance. I remember standing outside waiting to meet the dudes in Velvet Revolver and I never got to meet any of them. Now, I have met a lot of them, but I had to be in this to do that. MUEN: WHO WAS THE ARTIST YOU WERE MOST EXCITED TO MEET? Duff McKagan, he is my biggest idol when it comes to bass playing and being a musician. I remember we were doing a festival in Japan and he was sitting ten feet away from me while I was doing an interview. They asked me who my idol was and I was like Oh Shit! I never thought I d face this guy. I quietly whispered Duff McKagan. The whole day I kept seeing him walk by me and I was like Oh My God!! That s him, that s him. I was like a little kid all over again. I could not believe that he was standing there. My tour manager was like Fuck, you re not going to go over and say Hi to him are you? I was like I m scared! He went and he grabbed him and introduced us. We talked for a little bit and it was cool as hell. It was kind of awkward because I have a Velvet Revolver tattoo on my forearm. I was standing there crossing my arms, not showing it. That was probably my most favorite person to meet so far. We haven t met Ozzy yet even though we have been on tour with the guy. MUEN: TELL US ABOUT THE ALBUM "LIGHT FROM ABOVE," RELEASED IN 2008, WHERE "ROLLING STONE" NAMED YOU
Technically, he and his brother started the band and I joined months after. I remember we started the group when he was ten years old and I was fourteen. It s kind of weird because I m 20 and he is 16 now. MUEN: IN 2006 YOU WERE SIGNED TO INTERSCOPE RECORDS, AND WENT ON TO TOUR WITH ARTISTS SUCH AS OZZY OSBOURNE, LAMB OF GOD, STATIC X, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, ETC. LOOKING BACK ON ALL THIS, WHAT DO YOU FEEL WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR YOUR EARLY SUCCESS? We have been a band for some time not seeing success, but we hadn t really toured or anything like that. I guess when we started touring; I think that people could just really relate to us. We had never had this view of ourselves as being more than we are. When I would go to shows I always wanted to meet the bands, but I never could because they didn t want to meet me. We always just go hang out at the merch booth and talk to kids. Who gives a shit? We are still the same dudes that live in Miami and nothing is ever really going to change. I can t tell you how many times I have seen some of my favorite bands and I have been
ZAKK SANDLER
Miami, Florida Myspace.com/blacktide By: Shauna O Donnell
MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE IN ARIZONA TODAY. WHAT S THE WEATHER LIKE? Hot, not a cloud in the sky and kind of breezy. This morning after waking up we got to meet the local law enforcement. Apparently it is illegal to use firecrackers here. MUEN: REALLY? Yeah, because they are dry, they are afraid it will start a brush fire. So we did it right outside of the police station, like we knew. They were like Hey come on guys. After they talked to us for two minutes being angry we were like We are from Miami, we
don t know, We assumed that it was legal everywhere but Florida. They were like Oh, really man, what are you guys doing out here? We told them we were playing and they were like Do you guys have any tics? We were like Ok and all of a sudden they are our fans. MUEN: THAT IS PART OF THE PERKS OF BEING IN A BAND. What? Trouble with the law? MUEN: NO, GETTING OUT OF BEING IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. (LAUGHING) Oooohhhh! No we got stopped at the border check in Albuquerque and Arizona to make sure we were not smuggling. Of course, they were like What are you guys doing here? and we said

side stage and then we got kicked off. We were fucking devastated. It was the day before we were leaving. We It was produced by Johnny K got a call saying that we at Groovemaster Studios in couldn t play on the JagerChicago. We spent six meister stage. They wouldn t months working on it everyallow us because we were day in the freezing cold of underage. We had no plans Chicago in the winter. We of even touring until that Nowoke up every morning and vember when we did the worked our asses off. We are Avenged Sevenfold tour. about to mark our year anWhen it came along were like niversary of its release. It s Cool, we are finally going to cool because I didn t think we do it, It was so crushing for would ever have an album them to say we weren t going released. to do it because it felt like we were never going to go anyMUEN: YOU VE WORKED where. Sharon Osbourne HARD SO YOU DESERVE stuck up for us and said We YOUR SUCCESS. already said they were going to be on the festival so they We ve kind of worked hard. I are going to be on the festiwouldn t say we ve worked val. They ended up putting hard compared to a construc- us on the main stage. We tion worker or a mother with thought about saying no to two children working at a su- that because we didn t want permarket. to be the dudes that all of a sudden show up and are on MUEN: YOU WORKED the main stage at Ozzfest. HARD TOWARDS YOUR We didn t want anyone thinkGOAL. ing we were more than what we were because of it. We We have worked towards our were like Fuck it! Let s just ultimate goal. do it. In reality we sold maybe ten t-shirts on the enMUEN: YOU PLAYED OZtire tour. We did so many inZFEST. WAS THAT YOUR terviews on that tour that I FIRST FESTIVAL SHOW? can count them on one hand. We were nobody s on the That was the first tour that we tour, no one knew who we were ever on. were. MUEN: HOW OLD WERE YOU? I was 18 and Gabriel was 14. We were young and we are still young. We learned a lot on that tour. We learned how to not waste time. They say You have 20 minutes for sound check so don t fuck it up! MUEN: ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPEN ON THAT TOUR? It s almost like the Cinderella story. We got booked for the "BEST ROOKIES OF 2008"... WHO PRODUCED THAT ALBUM? will have meaning. Some songs now have meaning, but how much does shockwave really transcend into peoples minds? Musically, I think it will stay mostly the same. It might become more melodic. We are learning so much touring and being out with some of these bigger bands. We are gaining all this We had never toured, we did- new influence from life. n t know how to talk to audiMUEN: I NOTICED THAT ences the right way. We had YOU SING TOO. DO YOU talked to audiences playing PARTICIPATE IN THE hometown shows, but half the crowd was our friends so LYRIC WRITING? we could say stupid jokes and they would laugh. At Oz- I have never participated in lyric writing for this band just zfest we had to be pros at it because it s not my style. and it was a little nerveMusically I can contribute, wracking. We were like What the fuck do you say to but lyrically I couldn t. I m a an audience here? What do kid from Alabama; I grew up on Allman brothers. we say that they haven t already heard from 50,000 MUEN: WHAT SORT OF other bands? It still turned MUSICAL TRAINING HAVE out great and I am grateful YOU HAD? for the experience. By the way, the best part of the tour was when we were watching I took guitar lessons when I Lamb of God who at the time was ten. I started playing guitar when I was eight and we were really big fans of. switched to bass when I was We talked with them a little fourteen. Vocally, my brother bit and they were really cool has always been a singer so with us. Three days into the tour Randy Blythe screamed I was like Hey, how do I warm up? He was like You out Black Tide s in the house! and he got the crowd can sing? and I said I don t know, but I have to now. to cheer. It was so cool because 30,000 people just MUEN: WHAT SORT OF cheered because he said Black Tide. It was a very nice CHANGES DO YOU SEE MUEN: THAT S A GREAT FOR THE BAND, AS THE feeling. STORY. YOU WENT ON TO WHOLE MUSIC INDUSTRY DO THE MAYHEM TOUR MUEN: HOW DO YOU FEEL IS CHANGING? AFTER THAT. ANY NEW RECORDINGS Everyone is saying how the YOU DO WILL DIFFER That turned out to be amazmusic industry has gone to FROM THE ONES YOU ing. That was a year after Oz- HAVE ALREADY DONE? shit. In one aspect it has, but zfest and I think it really I think in the next couple of showed where we came years it is going to be We are already discussing from. I think it made us feel stronger than ever. The inthe next record. Lyrically we better about the Ozzfest exdustry has just learned how are going in a more mature perience because this time path. We have had life expe- to embrace the internet inwe are supposed to be here. rience now. We have been stead of be afraid of it. You We are a bigger and better just have to know how to through things, we ve seen band then we were then. market it. A lot of people are things, we ve traveled the Everything felt right about it. using it for downloads where world, and we have someyou have your CD if you pay thing to say so the lyrics will MUEN: BUT SERIOUSLY, be a little more serious. They this monthly fee. You will get HERE YOU ARE AT OZZFEST ON THE MAIN STAGE WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST BANDS IN ROCK. WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE TO WALK OUT IN FRONT OF THAT MANY PEOPLE BEING AS YOUNG AS YOU WERE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME?

all these cool updates that no one else will get. They are finding ways around the system and it s awesome. I think it will affect us in a very positive way. I think it will make us a little closer to our fans. They will have all these things that will bring them closer to who we are. Bands don t have websites anymore, they have MySpace s. I hate to say, MySpace is the future of the music industry. People keep saying how independent labels will prevail and how there is going to be no use for a major label. Well, that s not true. They are major the second they can afford to pay you. MUEN: BESIDES MUSIC, WHAT ARE THE BAND MEMBERS OTHER INTERESTS? Everything, I love writing, it is one of my passions in life. MUEN: I KNOW YOU HAVE TO GET ON STAGE, BUT BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU D LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? Down with Starbucks!
12 Stones
have people that will do that. There are still a lot of people who believe in music and seeing bands live.
The lost art form of the CD instead of the single hopefully turns back around here soon. I hope a lot more Paul McCoy (Vocals) people get more interested in the album, the idea of buying an album By Shauna O Donnell and what it means to a band to sell fully, in my opinion, I m looking forheadlining tour with them. To me it It has been a little while since I last ward to having some heavy guitars was awesome; I became really good records. We need people to see that again. I m totally not against ITunes spoke to Paul McCoy of 12 Stones and some really good melodies. We friends with the guys. I think they or any place you can buy music. I so I decided to sit down, give him a love playing live; we love the high are phenomenal. It s always nice buy records from there all the time. I call and see what has been happen- energy and jumping around trying to when you look up to a band or a think a lot of people s misconceping with the band recently. Currently get the crowd into it. They are still group of guys, you meet them and tions are that everybody who is in a they are working on their fourth CD. not certain where they are going to they are cool. the singer confirms. band has an episode on cribs and They are still in the beginning record or with whom. They have a they have fifteen cars. I m married stages, but they are writing songs lot of really good ideas that are com- With the help of management the and I have a daughter and my lights and developing the new direction of ing together really quickly. They band primarily takes the time to restill the band. We have a long road want to keep new records coming spond and post blogs on their Myahead of us, but it s going to be a out and keep the fans excited about Space page. The band is currently get turned off. I ve done this for good one. says Paul. On this the band. With a brand new team looking for people to run street eight years and it s a struggle. There album, all four members will partici- behind them and new management teams so be sure to register and are so many bands that are so talpate in the writing of the album. they are going to do just that. Hope- see if they have someone running ented that do not get to do the They are in Memphis, Tennessee in fully before 2009 is up we will see the area you live in. For us, street a jam room where everything is the new product of this amazing teams are sort of a lost art form for a things they want because they don t have the miked up so as soon as they come band. lot of bands, they don t think it s imup with an idea they can record it portant to have them. There is nothstraight away. It has been really This past fall the band did a tour ing better than people who love your support system. That s why I think it is so important to have street teams productive having all the guys with Nonpoint. I m a huge Nonpoint band enough to go out, hand out and the proper people in place to here. he continues. When asked fan. I have been for a long time. I fliers and come to the shows. It rehelp and believe in the band as what direction they will be taking this love their energy, they write great ally makes a big difference when much as the artist does. he verifies. album, he replies We have always music, and they have a great live you can connect with the fans and been happy with our growth and show. That used to be one of the they feel like they are having an im- You can sign up for their street team being able to change it up. I think bands that I would listen to before a pact on your career and helping you or you can just stop by their Mywith this record we are going to go show to get pumped up. We found get noticed in their city. It definitely is Space page and leave a comment or a message at back to a little bit of the roots. Hope- out we were going to go do a coa noticeable difference when you Myspace.com/12stones.
THE SPIN AGENTS

IN THEIR OWN WORDS
http://spinagents.podbean.com
Electronic / House / Trance
Biographies
Pictured: DJ SLYCE & DJ JI We are THE SPIN AGENTS. DJ Slyce, DJ Hans, and DJ Ji. We formed the group roughly a year ago (June 2008) and 3 months later we played for our first event on September 12, 2008 in San Marcos, Texas at a club called Lucy's. We formed the group due to our mutual love of trance, dance, electronica, house, and everything else in between, noticing the lack of these styles of music in our area of Texas. With further inspection we noticed that not only was it a lack in our area, but in the majority of the USA. So we formed this group to go out and promote what we love and expose people to genres never before heard. We played several more events in the Central Texas area, most recently at a bar called Bar 141 on March 13, 2009 for a great crowd and was met with great reviews. We got the idea to mix up a podcast from our own creations (that began March 1, 2009) to even further our audience to a global status. The podcast so far has been a great success, with listeners from every corner of the globe. In doing so we have made many connections with producers and artists alike, with collaborations in the works from both sides. We are currently working on a tour of all the major cities in Texas with venues who are open to our style of music. Most notably San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Dallas, and Ft. Worth. Hopefully from there we can expand to national gigs and then ultimately international. All 3 dj's contribute to the podcast (http://spinagents.pod bean.com) and all participate when it comes to performing shows. It has been confirmed actually as of today that the Spin Agents will have their own mix spot on an HD radio station out of Austin, Texas. More information will be provided as to when and on what station.
***************** DJ Slyce started dj'ing at age 13, and since then has played for many events and clubs most notably in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. He has worked promotions for a handful of radio stations in Austin, all the while retaining his mobile dj business (Sound Experience Mobile DJ Service) aside from the Spin Agents. From 1998 to 2000 he held a radio spot on a local radio station. He has a bachelors degree in mass communication electronic media. He is the guy who actually thought of forming the group and even created the name. He is definitely the back bone of the group and is very skilled in musical knowledge and is an outstanding mixologist. *************** DJ Hans started dj'ing at age 13 also. He originally is from Madagascar where dance, trance, etc. is the dominant styles of music. He has held residency at a club in Seguin, Texas and has played for numerous clubs in San Antonio and Austin, Texas as well. His biggest event was when
PG. 24 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 Dj Slyce
he opened for Genuine in Louisiana representing the radio station 98.3 The Bomb. He has also had mix sets on live radio for 98.3 The Bomb. In his native land of Madagascar he has played for top clubs as well as radio stations. He was picked to judge an international competition in Madagascar called Big City Night where dj's from around the globe competed for the top spot. He has a bachelors in political science and spanish and is working on a masters in international studies. He also maintains a mobile dj service (DJ Hans mobile dj service). ************** DJ Ji was actually exposed to the dj world at age 15. His mentor was
DJ Slyce. Experience wise he is the youngest of the group. Shipped off to the military in 2003, he travelled the world thus expanding his musical knowledge. He is a mixologist that is very particular about mixes. Perfection is always sought when creating a new mix. He is the creator of the podcast (The Spin Agents Mix Sessions) which he has monitored and promoted to the status it is now. He has held residency at a club in Huntsville, Texas and has played for bars/clubs in San Marcos, Texas/Norfolk, Virgina,/Virginia Beach, Virginia. He also currently operates a mobile dj service (digital dj's) aside from the Spin Agents.
Cameron West
(Vocals/Guitar) By Q5 TheGrumpy are not your everyday modern rock band. With a sound comparable to few in music today, theGrumpy have captured both critical acclaim and a strong fan base by playing music without boundaries. The Sacramento power trio has quickly been on the rise with an all out commercial and media blitz, hard to ignore when one listen s
MUEN: I REALLY ENJOY YOUR EP THROES OF CONTEMPLATION! ARE THERE ANY PLANS I recently had the opFOR THEGRUMPY TO portunity to talk with RELEASE A FULL multi-instrumentalist LENGTH CD? WHEN? Cameron West and Well, there's three of us. WHERE CAN I PURcatch up on what is CHASE THROES OF I sing, do guitar and happening with TheCONTEMPLATION? keys, as well as being Grumpy. Cameron is not the songwriter. J.W. is OR ANY FUTURE REonly a talented musician the drummer. He and I LEASES? with a unique voice that have known eachother cannot be ignored, but since grade school, so Right now, we're writing also a genuine gentlehe's kind of a natural fit. the next album. It's defman with a driven perinitely going to show a Justin is our newest sona that pushes his lot more versatility and member on bass. I creativity to boundaries think you'll be pleased flexibility from us. The beyond his own imagisongs are coming towhen you hear what nation. gether quite a bit more he's coming up with. to the talented song writing or catches one of their passionate live performances. MUEN: COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEGRUMPY? WHO S IN THE BAND? HOW DID YOU GUYS GET TOGETHER?
PG. 26 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 Viper Room and offered quickly these days, so us nominations for we're aiming to have "Rock Band of the Year" our next full length finand "Best Independent ished by next spring. CD." We were pretty As it stands, the best happy to hear that piece place to get a CD is to of news. The awards attend a show, or visit one of our sponsors El show will be held April 27th at The Improv in Dorado Hills Music. Irvine, California. We're You can download going to be performing recordings off our Myat the show, but I'm a litSpace or our official tle fuzzy on the details. website. (www.thegrumpy.com) We're in MUEN: WHAT S IT the process of getting caught up on the inter- LIKE PLAYING A net shopping market, as SHOW AT THE VIPER far as iTunes and Rhap- ROOM? WHAT S BEEN YOUR CROWNsody, etc. ING ACHIEVEMENT AS FAR AS PLAYING MUEN: COULD YOU LIVE, UP TO THIS TELL ME WHAT THE POINT IN YOUR CASOUTH BAY MUSIC AWARDS IS? HOW D REER? THEGRUMPY GET The Viper Room was a NOMINATED? AND real cool spot. I liked FOR WHAT the color and lighting. AWARD(S)? HAS The staff was on it, too. THIS AWARD BEEN It came and went so GIVEN YET? WHEN quickly, I wasn't really DO YOU PLAN ON able to put much HEARING THE REthought into the nostalSULTS? gia of the whole thing. As far as a crowning South Bay Music Awards is based in Los achievement playing live, I suppose I'd say Angeles, and is the it's going to have to be largest independent performing at the music awards showcase in the world, from SBMAs, but I'd like to what I understand. We continue re-crowning were fortunate enough my achievements as I to have them in the au- go. dience at a couple L.A. MUEN: WHAT S THE gigs and they dropped us a card. When we re- MUSIC SCENE LIKE leased Throes, they lis- WHERE YOU COME tened to the CD, came FROM (SACRAMENTO)? WHERE DO out to see another live YOU FIT INTO THE performance at the
LOCAL SCENE? The scene is split up into a few groups. Somehow, we really don't quite fit into any one of them in particular. There's a mix of acoustic/folk type acts, screamo, punk, rock, lots of metal (Rawr) and the occasional really unique act. We are
constantly playing shows with bands from all those ranges of style. We always think it won't work, but it always fits. MUEN: COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCES? I started doing acoustic
performances with Outlaw Josie Wales when I was playing bass for his band. We did a lot of gigs with the two of us playing acoustic guitar and singing a mix of our original songs. He played the harmonica and really had a great voice. Later on I kept performing acoustically while I was trying to put together a band. J.W. and I would do what we called the "3 hour tour." We'd play this restaurant for 3 hours as they closed the food and opened the bar side. It's really hard to entertain a family of 6 that just wants to finish their ribs and get home by aiming the P.A. right at their head, since they're seated at the table right up against the stage. The room would always warm up after a little bit, but when you interrupt someone's dinner with, "TESTING. TESTING. CHECK ONE, TWO," people get irritated, understandably. Once the
crowd that came for the clude something new in music showed up, each song that I haven't things always got better. done before. This helps prevent me from writing MUEN: HOW DOES too much of the same THE SONGWRITING sounds. I get into peoPROCESS WORK FOR ple's stories and will THEGRUMPY? I REoften write my commenALLY LIKE THE tary as an observer of LYRICS IN YOUR the story being told, or MUSIC. WHO WRITES sometimes from what I THE LYRICS IN YOUR would assume is their MUSIC AND WHERE point of view. There DOES THE INSPIRA- have been a couple TION COME FROM? lyrics that were written after interviews with The songwriting people and their stories. process happens a ton The good news is, it's of different ways. usually "I" in the lyrics, Sometimes, I hear the so I get to stay a little song in my head and I anonymous, since you just write it down. Other don't know if I'm telling times, I'll have to actu- my story or someone ally try to put things to- else's. gether. It just depends on how the song hits MUEN: HOW DO YOU me. Some songs come FEEL ABOUT THE INto me as just words or TERNET AND THE pictures; just kind of USE OF IT AS A PLATscattered around in my FORM FOR MUSICAL head and I do my best ARTIST IN TODAY S to try and put what I see DAY AND AGE?? on paper. I write all the lyrics and the inspiration It's a mixed bag of feelfor them varies incredi- ings there. I like the freedom for artists to bly. I always try to in-
reach fans without the need for major industry backing. That part is real cool. On the other hand...
...there's so much garbage to sift through, it can be hard for quality artists to get some screen time...
It's easily up loadable, and there are all kinds of ways to self-promote. I like those things. The file sharing aspect really dealt a blow to the engine of the industry, and it's so commonplace that people will constantly ask me where they can steal some songs. They'll ask if I'm available on certain sharing sites and I don't know, but it sure would be nice if someone that liked it then decided to contribute to the artist. Artists have to eat, too.
PG. 28 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 sets tend to be a little shorter and we don't waste much time chatting it up. On the longer nights, we get a little loose and joke around a We've got our official bit. It's always a good site (www.thegrumpy.com) time either way. One thing about our live we've also got a show is that we have a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/gr pretty extensive song catalog, so live is the umpycameron) and only way to actually then we are scattered around here and there. hear some of the music. MUEN: I LIKE TO END ALL OF MY INTERVIEWS WITH THE NOTORIOUS FAMOUS LAST QUOTE? COULD I GET ONE Right now, we're really FROM YOU concentrating on getting CAMERON? the new bassist up to speed while writing the "The difference benext album. We're get- tween a guitar and shotgun is a shotgun can ting close to wrapping up the writing process, change a man's life with one hit. A guitar can so we're all pretty excited. We'll just have to change thousands or millions of lives with just do some play testing one hit." now, try to find some more bugs to work out. MUEN: THANKS FOR MUEN: I VERY MUCH YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEGRUMPY HEARING MORE FROM THEGRUMPY! LIVE SOMEDAY PLEASE KEEP US SOON! COULD YOU ALL HERE AT, MUEN TELL ME WHAT TO UPDATED! EXPECT AT A THEGRUMPY LIVE SHOW? MUEN: WHAT ARE THE SUMMER PLANS FOR THEGRUMPY? ANY BIG SHOW S COMING UP? We're real straight forward. We come to play you some music. That's what you're going to get. When we're playing L.A., the MUEN: DOES THEGRUMPY HAVE ANY WEB SITES BESIDES THEIR MYSPACE?
www.Manglaze.com
CRADLE OF FILTH
BY SHAUNA ODONNELL
Exclusive Interview with DANI FILTH of
PG. 32 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 CRADLE OF FILTH side Joan of Arc as a protector, and after her Dani Filth subsequent killing by United Kingdom the English by being burnt alive as a martyr, By: Shauna O'Donnell his life veered from the Past. He involved himMUEN: HOW ARE self in diabolism and YOU DOING? alchemy mainly to reI'm good. I'm cold; we're plenish his fortune. He in Massachusetts and it was a bit of a spend thrift. He murdered a lot freezing. of children and young people in pursuit of his MUEN: YOU HAVE A quest to turn metal into SHOW TONIGHT gold. He was a bit of a RIGHT? sexual deviant as well. We were interested in That's right, yeah, at the the whole story from the Palladium. catalyst of Joan's death and not just concentratMUEN: OH COOL! ing on the brutality of it. YOU GUYS ARE ON He actually became an THE ROAD RIGHT NOW IN SUPPORT OF archetype in the basis of Bluebeard which was YOUR LATEST ALBUM GODSPEED a fairy tale. He is like an archetype for a Disney ON THE DEVIL'S villain almost. THUNDER.
Yeah, that's right. MUEN: THIS ALBUM IS ACTUALLY A CONCEPT ALBUM ABOUT A LEGENDARY 15TH CENTURY MURDERER. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THIS FRENCH NOBELMAN NAMED GILLES DE RAIS WHO FOUGHT ALONGSIDE JOAN OF ARC. Yeah, he was believed to be the most powerful man in Western Europe and possibly the richest. After he fought along-
No, not at all. We were just writing music for ourselves and kind of merged genres I guess. MUEN: WELL, IT'S A We were bringing in REALLY INTERESTmelody to what was esING STORY. WOULD sentially a death metal YOU SAY THAT THE basis. Moving on, we inMUSIC STYLE OF corporated keyboards THIS ALBUM IS MORE and symphony orchesLIKE THE OLDER tration. Basically, blowCRADLE OF FILTH ing the edges off what ALBUMS? we considered to be traditional genres. Some people have said that. I would say it has MUEN: THIS TOUR elements of that, but it YOU ARE CURhas a lot of new eleRENTLY ON IS WITH ments as well. It's a SATYRICON AND very powerful, brutal SEPTIC FLESH album, but at the same RIGHT? time it is mixed with a lot of melody. It is defi- Yes, that is correct. MUEN: WHY DID YOU nitely veering towards a CHOOSE TO WRITE lot of symphonic mate- MUEN: I ENCOURAGE AN ALBUM ABOUT rial on it as well, which I EVERYONE TO TRY HIM? guess is reminiscent of AND CATCH ONE OF our early work. THE SHOWS. YOU We did an album in ARE AMAZING LIVE. I 1998 called Cruelty MUEN: DO YOU CON- CAUGHT ONE OF and the Beast which SIDER YOURSELF TO YOUR SHOWS WHEN was about Hungarian BE A MAINSTREAM YOU WERE OUT WITH "Blood Countess" Eliza- BAND? GWAR. beth Bathory. Whilst we Well, that's not really up Oh really? were working on this album, some of the to us. That's whether feelings, maybe it was we have sold enough MUEN: YEAH, YOU records to be a mainthe time of the year or GUYS ARE AWEstream band. In that whatever, suggested SOME. I LOVE YOUR case, I suppose, we are SHOWS. WHAT IS the similar theme or in a way. I think an ex- YOUR FAVORITE story. I dragged out treme, mainstream some of my old lyric SONG TO PERFORM books and came across band, in that case. OFF THE NEW
his name. I did some more research on him and I thought it was a great topic that encapsulated everything. As a band we are very much into the whole dark fairy tale imagery. It just suited it perfect.
MUEN: WHEN YOU STARTED OUT, WAS THAT THE DIRECTION YOU WERE SHOOTING FOR?
ALBUM? My favorite song to perform off the new album would be "The Death of Love." We haven't actually performed it yet, but we are intending to do it in the next couple of days. We are still deciding what songs to play during our live performance. We tried out a few songs. We just came back from Mexico actually. We are a little bit tired with jet lag and everything. I've had about eight hours sleep in three days. We are getting back into the swing of things and we are still experimenting with what songs to play. So yeah, rehearsal wise "The Death of Love" so far, because it just has that kind of groove to it.
could get lost. It was good fun. MUEN: VIDEO SHOOTS MAKE FOR LONG DAYS DON'T THEY?
About three, it's hardly Yeah, don't they. a hobby when you say I have two Egyptian sarcophagi, replicas ob- three. (laughing) MUEN: HOW COLD viously, they are not the WERE THE CAVES MUEN: WOW! YOU'VE originals. I do have YOU FILMED IN? I some original Egyptian GOT TO HAVE SOME MUEN: THE VIDEO KNOW THAT YOU GUTS TO JUMP OUT artifacts. I have lots of FOR "HONEY AND HAD SAID THEY OF A PLANE HUH? masks from India and SULPHUR" LOOKS WERE COLD. tribal stuff as well. I'm a SO COOL! YOU Not really, I was bit of an antiquarian. I FILMED IT IN CAVES They were cold, but as have a John Wayne strapped to someone. RIGHT? you can see in the When you're up there, Gacy painting that is video we had a lot of quite rare. I don't know it's like; it's a bit late Yes, at the Chislehurst lighting and 5,000 if anyone has seen Dr. now. Caverns. They are 22 roman candles going. It Who, it's a British sci-fi miles worth of manwarmed things up, but TV Show, but the Dalek MUEN: THAT'S TRUE. made caverns. Apparyeah, I wouldn't want to is the most evil race. I DON'T KNOW IF I ently during the Second spend the night down They are like John Pep- COULD EVER DO World War, when Ger- there without some kind per Pops with like bums THAT HONESTLY. many was bombing of heating. on them. I've got a life London, 15,000 people size one of those from That's the thing; it was lived down there. It was MUEN: I WAS READ- the BBC that talks. just one of those things, pretty mad, while we ING SOME OF YOUR probably a mid-life criwere down there filmHOBBIES THAT INsis. MUEN: HOW COOL! ing, we were told not to CLUDE COLLECTING THE SPORTS THAT wander off because you VARIOUS THINGS. YOU ENJOY INCLUDE MUEN: BUT YOU'RE
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID YOU COLLECT IS UNUSUAL OBJECTS. WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL OBJECT IN YOUR COLLECTION?
BOWLING, SHOOTING, SNOWBOARDING AND SKYDIVING. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE?
the family. I try and make the most of the Yeah, aren't I? Not often, but I try and time. When we are on make the most of it. I'm the road, for example MUEN: YOU ARE SO a family man with a we are crossing the BUSY ALL THE TIME. wife, a daughter and a Canadian border tonight HOW OFTEN DOES beautiful house. I try to (that is if they let us THE OPPORTUNITY really appreciate when I across); when we have ARISE THAT YOU have the time to get a day off we will get ARE ABLE TO DO back and be at one with
SO YOUNG.
THESE THINGS?
some snow boarding in there. MUEN: YOU KIND OF LIKE THE EXTREME SPORTS. Well kind of, yeah, I just want to be James Bond I think. (Laughing)
MUEN: WELL, YEAH, YOU SEE THAT'S A GOOD GOAL TO HAVE. WELL, IT'S BEEN AWESOME TALKING WITH YOU. BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? We have a book coming out called The Gospel of Filth. It has been three and a half years in writing. It has been co-written with an occult historian named Gavin Baddeley. It uses each of the Cradle albums as a basis to explore the dark side, such as horror films, The Femme Fatales, Christianity, Satanism and the dark arts. It authenticates what's been talked about by contributors like Tim Burton, Marilyn Manson, Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez and people like that. It should be in book stores around Easter. It's called The Gospel of Filth if anyone wants to go to the website to check it out.
Quebec City 2007
Dani Filth
while. He had just left a band. He and I have been friends since the By: Shauna O Donnell third grade and we share the same taste in MUEN: LET S START music. We just happen WITH A LITTLE HISto put an ad in the TORY ON THE BAND paper, believe it or not, FOR THOSE WHO and George answered ARE HEARING YOUR the ad. He and the NAME FOR THE other guitarist in the FIRST TIME. HOW band, Nick, had been DID THE BAND COME friends since high TOGETHER? school. They had been kind of doing the same Jason: The band thing, jamming together, formed in 2002. The
San Diego, CA
Jason Kirk (Guitar) singer of our band Seth because they had simi- drummer and guitar lar musical interests. and I had been jamplayers. George Makris That was the only ad ming together for a MUEN: THAT S AWE(Drums)
we ever put out and we SOME THAT YOU became a band. It s HAVE STAYED TOpretty simple actually. GETHER.
MUEN: THE LINE-UP THAT YOU HAVE NOW IS THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP THEN.
Jason: It seems like it has been a harder thing to do these days, especially as the years go by. It s been about six Jason: It s basically the years now and it s hard. original line-up, since When you find people then we have acquired as talented as I ve a new bass player. He found in this band, you has been with us for a would be a fool not to year, but other than that take it seriously or not it s the original singer, try and work with it.
MUEN: WHAT DO YOU gether by almost like a FIND TO BE HARD life-force. ABOUT IT? MUEN: IT S FUNNY George: What isn t hard THAT YOU MENabout being in a band? TIONED THAT, BEIt s a lot of hard work, CAUSE I WAS dedication and not a lot LOOKING AT YOUR of payoff. The payoff is PROFILE PIC. IT S A in the music, but a band FETUS WITH WHAT in our situation still has LOOKS LIKE VEINS to have day jobs to pay COMING FROM rent. It s a very difficult UNDER IT. WAS THAT thing to start from THE SIGNIFICANCE scratch. OF THE PIC? MUEN: WHO CAME UP WITH THE NAME ETCHED IN RED? Jason: That would be our singer, Seth. Jason: Damn! She hit the nail right there on the head didn t she George?
MUEN: YOU RE FIRST FULL LENGTH ALBUM DYLATE WAS RELEASED IN 2007. DID YOU RELEASE ANYTHING PRIOR TO THAT LIKE AN EP? Jason: (Laughing) We don t talk about that.
TIONISTS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR MUSIC. Jason: To a fault, yes. MUEN: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ALBUM TO ME?
George: In a sense we are all etched in red MUEN: WHY DID HE and that is what our CHOOSE THAT music conveys. The NAME? music goes through a lot of different cycles, Jason: Well, Etched in much like the different Red is an analogy for emotional cycles you go how we view the world through in life. There s and our music. Everytimes when you go one listens to music through a lot of pain and everyone loves and grief and there are music. The people that times when you go don t scare me a little through a lot of joy and bit. We kind of see happiness. It s a reflecmusic as the lines that tion on where we are in draw our lives together, a period in our life. sort of like the veins in a body. When you love MUEN: YOU GUYS and give yourself to ARE FROM SAN music as much as we DIEGO, I KNOW do, we try and let the SOME BANDS DOWN music dictate what we THERE, AIZEN AND are going to do. We feel UNSET. DO YOU like our listeners feel KNOW THOSE GUYS? the same way that we do. We all feel like we Jason: We do, they put are kind of bonded toon a hell of a live show.
George: The first year we were around we put out a five song demo that I don t think anyone else will ever hear. It is very, very rough, but a couple years later we put out a three song demo that had Intrasection, Sifting Through and LED. Those three tracks made it to Dylate.
Jason: That s tricky, you know, I m very proud of our album and all the hard work we have put into it. The album to me may sound a little prog rocky; I promise you it s not. It never comes off as progressive, but there is an inherent progressiveness in the album whereas every song has its own identity, its own feel and its own place in the album. MUEN: TELL US A LIT- I know bands making TLE ABOUT THE CD. albums is going out of style these days, but HOW MANY SONGS not to us. We still like to ARE ON IT? write songs that are relGeorge: There are nine evant to each other. It s kind of like a musical full length songs and two in between tracks. journey I guess, only not as corny. MUEN: HOW LONG MUEN: THE TWO DID IT TAKE TO TRENDS THAT I HAVE WRITE AND FINISH NOTICED LATELY THE CD? ARE CONCEPT ALGeorge: Way, way, way BUMS AND VINYL. too long. That s just be- WHAT DO YOU THINK cause everything has to ABOUT PUTTING be right so we take our THINGS BACK OUT ON VINYL AGAIN? time with it to make sure it comes out right. Jason: We haven t reMUEN: WELL THAT S ally talked about it a GOOD THOUGH. YOU whole lot. Were the type GUYS ARE PERFEC- of band who is not nec-
essarily looking for what everyone else is doing or what the mainstream is doing. If you listen to our music, it s not necessarily what s in vogue in mainstream music right now. I think vinyl is really cool; it has a clarity that could definitely help out the digital age. I m sure we would definitely be into it, if given the opportunity. MUEN: WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR MUSIC STAND OUT FROM THE OTHER BANDS IN YOUR GENRE?
song that we are working on and say Ok we are going to put a verse here and a chorus there. A lot of times our verses end up becoming choruses by default. You are going to be hearing a lot of that on the newer songs. You ll hear a lot of the same riffs at its core, but the next time you hear it there will be a twist to it. You will hear the riff again, but you will be hearing it a different way. In the song, everything has gone through its evolution. Repetitiveness gets stale.
off it. A lot of times, the particular song that the audience is feeding off that night is what we are feeding off of.
themselves are a paradox.
MUEN: YOU RE Jason: I would like to RIGHT IT DOES. say, probably a mixture WHICH OF THE of our diverse influSONGS IS YOUR FAences, all of the band VORITE TO PERmembers backgrounds FORM? and lack of formal musical training. All of that Jason: I don t know. lends itself to making George, which is your things sound complifavorite to perform? cated that really are not. Well, George s George: Good question, drums are pretty com- there are a lot of fun plicated. We don t try to ones. LED is pretty follow a formula, which fun to perform, because is why our music takes we have been playing so long to create. This that song for years. is our secret as to why There s a lot of room to some people really throw in different fills enjoy our music. Every here and there dependtime we walk into the ing on what we are feelstudio its square one, ing that night. Paradox blank page and what do is fun too; the crowd you want to do? seems to really respond well to it. When you get George: It s not like we that energy from the auwalk into a particular dience, you tend to feed
MUEN: LET S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENJason: Paradox pisses ING SINCE THE RELEASE OF DYLATE. me off to play. It s not ARE YOU CURthe easiest one. Fun wise, I would definitely RENTLY WRITING NEW MUSIC FOR ANsay Intrasection. It s OTHER ALBUM TO BE one of the songs that RELEASED SOON? for some reason is a crowd favorite. We ve been playing it for a lit- George: Right now we are in the middle of tle while and we can tracking for a new demo pull it off really tight. we will be putting out soon. After that it is MUEN: I LOVE THE more writing for the SONG PARADOX. record. Our main conJASON TELL US cern was that it has ABOUT THE SONG. WHAT IS THE MEAN- been a little while since Dylate came out so we ING BEHIND IT? wanted to put someJason: It s about things thing out for the audience to give them in life that are a parasomething to hold them dox. It sounds simplistic, but if you really think over until the record about the paradoxes in comes out. We are very life, the pluses, the mi- meticulous when we record and it can take a nuses and the things that we look at in every- while. day life, it s ironic. The situations and instances MUEN: DO YOU HAVE you find yourself in that AN ESTIMATE WHEN are very paradoxical to IT MIGHT COME OUT? what another person George: We are hoping would do. If anyone cares to read the lyrics, to have it out in the next couple of months. most of our music is written about life and MUEN: OK COOL, BY how everyone deals SUMMER THEN. with it. This particular track points out things George: Yeah, and the in life that are quite ironic and paradoxical. best place to look for it would be on ITunes. George: The lyrics
MUEN: YOU ARE GOING ON THE FREEDOM TO ROCK TOUR 2009. THIS TOUR IS A FREE BENEFIT SHOW FOR THE MILITARY RIGHT? TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS TOUR. George: Absolutely, this tour was started by Loretta from Loretta Represents. She has been doing a lot of shows for the military over at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. We have had some great experiences. We went up to Point Wynonie in Ventura County and performed for a festival up there. She has made some really good contacts at all these different bases throughout the country. They are really excited about having a metal rock show; because most of the acts that come through the military bases are geared a little bit more towards country music. That s cool and all, but there is a large audience in the military that wants to hear metal and rock. That s what we want to bring to them.
George: There are six supporting bands that are going to be on the tour. We are still working out some of the details. Depending on how long of a period we have to perform for the day, if we have some extra time we will be putting out some ads at MUEN: WHO ELSE IS the radio stations in the ON THE TOUR WITH cities we are playing to bring in some local YOU OR DOES IT CHANGE WITH LOCA- bands to fill in some slots. TION?
MUEN: THAT S AWESOME, NOW YOU SAID YOU STILL HAVE THE DAY JOBS. DO THEY ALLOW YOU TO BE GONE THAT LONG?
MUEN: WHO ARE SOME OF THE NOTABLE BANDS YOU HAVE PLAYED WITH?
Jason: We have played with a few. We did a tour up in Northern CaliGeorge: They are going fornia around summer to have to. When this is time last year. I think our livers are still trying your dream, you have to recover from that. to do it. If we end up getting fired for it, that s George: We have just what s going to played with As I Lay happen. Dying, Drowning Pool, Alien Ant Farm and
Powerman 5000. Jason: They are some really cool bands and it was an honor to play with them. MUEN: AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE DID YOU KNOW THAT MUSIC WAS WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO? Jason: For me, personally, I really didn t think that this is what I wanted to do with my life until a year into the band. I ve been playing guitar for almost fourteen years. Don t laugh at me, but this is my first band. I was playing in my bedroom before I met these guys. Playing with other people is really inspiring and it will drag the best music out of you. George: For three of us, it is our first band. Nick and I have been jamming together since high school and we had tried forming bands numerous times and nothing ever solidified. We responded to the ad and the two halves came together. MUEN: DO YOU HAVE SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS? George: Yeah, that s a
big thing. We are all MUEN: YOU HAVE A very fortunate, our fami- PHOTO ALBUM TIlies are very supportive. TLED DOOR WARS ON YOUR PAGE WITH Jason: We don t have FOUR PICS. CAN YOU any friends. TELL ME WHAT THOSE PICS ARE MUEN: WHAT IS ABOUT? YOUR WEBSITE? George: That door that George: Our official we pulled a little prank website is www.etched- on was a band called inred.com and our My- Medius, they are actuspace page is ally going to be on the Myspace.com/etched- tour. We have a long inred. history with those guys and we just wanted to MUEN: IS MYSPACE have some fun and THE BEST WAY FOR mess around with them. FANS TO GET IN We had to edit some of TOUCH WITH THE it for Myspace. BAND AND STAY UPDATED? MUEN: I BET, BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS George: Yeah, we have THERE ANYTHING email set up through our YOU D LIKE TO ADD Etched In Red site, but OR SAY? we are quicker about responding on Myspace. Jason: We should probably give a list of the MUEN: YOU RUN bands that will be on YOUR OWN PAGE the tour with us, beTHEN? cause we have some real talent playing with George: Yeah. us. They are all great bands and great friends. We haven t met
the guys from Stemm yet. They are from New York. Their music is rad so hopefully they are rad. We have six weeks to live with them. Any and all support is welcome. Independent music is where it s at. Support all these bands that we have mentioned. The military needs our support and that is why we are contributing to what is going on. George: We have Stemm, A Race Called Man, Testing Tomorrow and Medius. MUEN: I THINK WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS AWESOME. IT HAS BEEN GREAT TALKING TO YOU AND I D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Thank you for having us.
Richard Christ
France 3 / 19 / 2009 By G. Cataline CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF HISTORY OF HOW THE BAND FIRST CAME TOGETHER, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER? I KNOW THAT YOU WERE ONCE IN A MARILYN MANSON TRIBUTE BAND... "Richard Christ" is my life, my artwork and my mask; the alienation of the reason that I have to believe in myself and think about living in this life and to survive. A character inspired by the Christ of the Bible, but with different capacities and with a vision of things far away from any kind of opium of religion, specifically in Italy... in Macerata where RICHARD, EGON and MARK are my friends. Not only are we musicians living this life together, but we are making it better in this shitty place and most sad city on the planet where.... you want to take the name of a great idol and also
create your history where you will be killed sooner or later. In 3 years of concerts and events under the name MANSON, we have developed an experience of performance and entertainment in many stages (America, East
Europe, Belgium, Italy), but also know people who really loves you... people like slimy weed. TELL US ABOUT KILLER POOL RECORDS, WHEN AND HOW DID YOU FIRST GET SIGNED?
The songs off the album were written from 2004 onwards. And we have 2 self produced demos enter the SUBSOUND s Family (2007)... Victor of Dope Stars Inc... in 2 months we have immortalized our ideas in
the disc debut. Our sound is hard electronic rock, where depression is accompanied by violent melody. HMM.. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO COVER "CALL ME"? The first time I heard "Call Me" I fall in love with it. Then one day in the car I thought of doing a cover, and as with "Magic" in radio and in that moment was sent on air "Call Me"... the day after I was in the studio to disassemble and recompose it with another style. This destiny has helped me...
and break down a wall that separates you from all the other people, things get done. We have a wall when conducting a life given by God TIME and MONEY... and like a robots throw away our lives. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? "I'll SMASH YOUR CHURCH with my ARIES Reinventing a Golden Ritual " ... A LYRIC IN ONE OF YOUR SONGS. Sincerely? It is a phrase that I devoted to a person I love, she knows... you can imagine ;-) TELL US MORE ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOUR BAND...
WHO WRITES MOST OF THE SONGS, AND WHAT TYPES OF THINGS INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE? The content of these songs lead you on a The death of my friend street where there is vi"Sade" has given me a olence, drugs, grief, reason more to live and melancholy, and magagive people a smile, a lomania. It is not only shiver, and more. negative, but is what is During the night we happening in the world create the most beauti- today. It is what I am, ful songs around 3 AM. and always forced to This is when we find avoid or do ... And is a the melodies from gui- concept that began in tars and sinth truly this disc... then evolved unique and we had into the next, for a total drink of 6 liters of beer of 3 discs. It is imagiand doing other things. nation. I can only anticiWhen you enter the pate that as the cover subconscious at a cer- shows a rise of a facetain hour of the night less stranger be crash-
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 43 tions, it became a neing into the earth to cessity, a ritual magic. change the world devThe disc seems like a astated by the new world order and bought compilation composed of various artists, bethe love and emotions cause every song, of people through completely different, is music and philosophy. Rock and our look is a To invade the order total prostitution of it. built on a new mentality, where religion, sex WHAT ARE YOUR and money does not FANS LIKE, AND mean anything. WHAT PART OF THE WELL MANSON IS AN WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE OBVIOUS INFLUTHE MOST FANS? ENCE... WHAT OTHER ARTISTS DO We certainly are appreYOU LIKE, AND ciated more outside of WHY? Italy. I see London and David Bowie, glam and the east of Europe with very good positive 70s music from the growth. Our Fans Love early 80's, what I felt when I was in the belly every song we made... of my mother :-) WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM GOALS HOW CAN WE GET OF THE BAND? YOUR LATEST WHAT DO YOU HOPE ALBUM? TO ACCOMPLISH BEFORE THE YEAR IS You can simply buy it on iTunes or in several OVER? mailorder places ... but Make reality the conI advise everyone to cept of the 3 albums. buy it directly from us by contacting us on our WHAT OTHER INTER"myspace" Myspace.com/richard ESTS DO YOU HAVE, OTHER THAN 999christ MUSIC? DOES ANYTHING ELSE CONMUEN: DESCRIBE SUME YOUR TIME? THE LATEST ALBUM... All my time is not free because in life we must Through music I can not waste time. Turn capture an emotion in each piece, and when I around to my music, my look, know and realized that music chose me to give emo- learn every day.
MUEN: WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE FROM FANS TO IT? SULE: Response from fans has been great. I tried in my writing to be as honest as I could, thinking there are themes in my life many people can relate to. It seems I was right in my thinking. I got so much feedback from fans telling me how they ve derived strength from my music during tough times. And that s more then I d hoped for. MUEN: THE MUSICAL STYLE OF THIS ALBUM IS QUITE DIVERSE. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT? SULE: The Album is mainly Rock. A kind of modern version of that 70s Rock sound that I like so much. I spent years studying and playing Jazz, Soul and R&B, but I was really into Rock when I was coming up so this project has been a lot like coming home for me. Still, you can hear a healthy dose of all the styles of music I ve been playing over the years mixed in for good measure. MUEN: YOU HAVE BEEN PLAYING MUSIC SINCE YOU
SULE
By: Shauna O Donnell
MUEN: YOUR FOURTH FULL LENGTH ALBUM THE FALL WAS RELEASED IN 2007. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE CON-
ous control issues. I made drastic changes and faced difficult chalSULE: The Fall was lenges to turn it all put together during and around. On The Fall just after a very tumul- each song represents tuous time in my life. I these challenges and had been in a very toxic what I did to meet each relationship that inone. Even the album volved drugs, violence title reflects the story. and some rather seri-
CEPT OF THE ALBUM.
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 45 WERE FIVE YEARS cally. He had so much SULE: Not really. I think breathtaking. OLD AND YOU HAVE cool stuff. Billie Holiday, the biggest challenge MASTERED SEVERAL John Lee Hooker, BB was to get others to see MUEN: YOU HAVE INSTRUMENTS. King, Curtis Mayfield, PLAYED IN FRONT me differently. It s as WHAT ARE THEY? Early Santana. It led though if you re a side- OF CROWDS ALL me to discover my own man, you get compart- OVER THE WORLD. SULE: Well let s see. tastes. WHERE WOULD YOU mentalized in people s I always sang, so I SAY YOU RECEIVED minds as such, and guess that came first. MUEN: WHAT KIND THE BEST REpeople resist change. Next came the piano, OF CLASSICAL So I found new people. SPONSE FROM then the guitar, which TRAINING HAVE YOU As the number of peoFANS? became my main inHAD? DID YOU TAKE ple who know me as a strument. I picked up VOICE LESSONS OR SULE: New York City solo artist grows, the the bass in high school, DID YOU WANT TO has been a longtime faimpression of me as a fooled around on the PURSUE YOUR OWN sideman has been vorite of mine. It struck drums and percussion VOCAL STYLE? steadily shrinking. Even me while I was taking a a bit and learned to those who ve regarded cab that just being a citplay the harmonica. In SULE: I was trained in izen of New York me as sideman for a college I picked up the classical guitar. It was makes you more cullong time have been violin, which I dropped one of those familiar tured than most places. changing their minds. as soon as I broke my stories where some kid The city is stock full of bow trying to emulate dreams of being the MUEN: WHAT WAS IT museums, shows of all Jimmy Page. And last next guitar hero. With a LIKE OPENING UP kinds, film, TV.not to but not least the vibrahealthy diet of everymention the fact that as FOR CELINE DION? phone. That s a crazy thing from the Beatles a New Yorker, you re instrument given to me to Kiss, what else could SULE: That was truly a neighbors with some of by a dear friend, and I I dream of. Well, after the biggest names in trip. Firstly, although I still play it to this day. clearly articulating what have a lot of respect for showbiz. So you have I wanted to do, my par- her talent and work this large group of naMUEN: WERE YOUR ents bought me a clas- ethic, I ve never been a tive New Yorkers who PARENTS MUSICIANS sical guitar and signed big fan of her music. So are very culturally soAS WELL? WHAT me up for lessons. The getting an opportunity phisticated, yet they re KIND OF MUSIC DID surprise came when I not snooty about it. It s like that was a bit YOU LISTEN TO AS A actually began to like it. strange at first. I was a a great city to play and CHILD AND GROWTo this day I prefer to soloist and the guitarist a great audience to ING UP? play classical style with- for this 40-piece gospel play for. out a pic. choir. At anytime, getSULE: My mother was As far as vocal lessons ting up in front, playing MUEN: ARE YOU musical. She played go, I took about ten les- and singing with 40 OFTEN COMPARED the piano and sang and sons at some point; TO LENNY KRAVITZ? backup singers was was always very inmostly I just sang in awesome. That time it volved in choral groups. choirs and built up was in front of a packed SULE: YES, and it can In my formative years singing skill. arena for four nights in be a bit exasperating. I this must have had an guess it s normal a row. The thing that enormous influence, MUEN: WAS IT A sticks with me was how though, we have a simibut it was my dad s TOUGH TRANSITION I could see all these re- lar style and look so it s wide-ranging collection FROM SIDEMAN TO a natural comparison. flections from people s of vinyl that really SOLO ARTIST? glasses as far as the helped shape me musieye could see. It s
PG. 46 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 CURRENTLY WORK...I had to conING ON NEW SONGS sider the fact that FOR A NEW ALBUM every new artist TO RELEASE ANYgets compared TIME SOON?
I m curious to see where it goes. MUEN: ANYTHING YOU D LIKE TO ADD OR SAY?
with some established artist in their genre...
and he s good. I mean I could do a lot worse than Lenny right? But ultimately, you hope people realize that any similarities are purely superficial, and they appreciate you for what you do. MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT BABY GROOVE PRODUCTIONS. SULE: Well, It started back when I was recording on an 8 track, reel to reel, analogue machine. I was building song ideas on an old Mac using MIDI, then bouncing that down to two of the eight tracks and using the remaining six to record live instruments. The file that held all these early song ideas was called Baby Grooves. As my studio grew and technologies got replaced the file got bigger until it hit me,. why not start a production company and use that as the moniker for all my work. MUEN: ARE YOU
SULE: The songs are done. I m right now getting the artwork and duplication done on my new album. It s called Alive, and it ll be available online at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and Napster. I m pretty excited about this record.
SULE: I d just like to exMyspace.com/suleheitner press my gratitude to everyone who supports indie music. It takes a certain kind of courage to stop off the beaten path and recognize that there s more out there than what s spoon-fed
to us. And without that support, artists like me would have no reason to do what we do. So thanks, and thanks to you guys at MUEN for doing what you do.
Hollywood Rock Band Of The Year
www.TheMaension.com Myspace.com/TheMaension
www.myspace.com/sna kerocks Interview with Larry Attard of Snake By Metal Mike

Myspace.com/fullmetalreview
SNAKE
Ringing true to the sound of what real rock n roll is all about, The band Snake is poised to make a big "Strike". This band lets the music do the talking, and after you give them a listen I am sure you will agree. It was this past Dec on the 8th while attending an AC/DC show in L.A. that I first heard the name Snake. The people next to me , who were fellow countrymen of the band, had nothing but good things to say of them. They also insisted that I look them up, and for that I owe them a big debt of gratitude.
after 10 years, some guys are slow learners he he, we are all from different states of Australia, however we ended up here in Brisbane,
MUEN: TELL US HOW YOU DECIDED MUEN: WHAT IS THE TO BECOME A VOBAND S MUSICAL CALIST LARRY, AND BACKGROUND? ARE HOW YOU WENT YOU GUYS SELF ABOUT MAKING TAUGHT OR HAS THIS A REALITY. THEIR BEEN SOME FORMAL TRAINING It was a case of having FOR ANY OF YOU? to really just play bass, but no one else could Mostly self taught how- sing, so here I am ever DJ (our drummer) singing. is still going to lessons
MUEN: ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR A VIDEO YET? AND IF SO, TELL US WHAT SONGS YOU HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING FOR THIS .. "LET THE MUSIC BEGIN" WOULD BE MY CHOICE.. A video has been discussed, not sure what song, but we will be going back and doing another album for 09 Let The Music Begin Is a contender MUEN: HOW IS A SONG FORMED IN
YOUR BAND. WHO IS INVOLVED WITH THE COMPOSITION AND LYRICS AND THE SUCH? Funny enough a lot of these tracks were written in the early 80's by myself. I grew up in the low to middle class suburbs of Sydney, we all played and wrote hard edge gutter level rock, so I suppose this style just evolved, in the late 70's to early 80's there were a lot of bands with that raw edge hard rockin sound AC/DC being
PG. 48 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 one of them however go to SHOP also they were better than Radar music in Eumost. I wouldn't like to rope. think I emulate Bon at least in Snake "That's MUEN: ANY PLANS me" That's the way I OF A U.S. TOUR? sound however it had a major impact in the de- Yes please!! Not real cision to form a AC/DC sure how to go about show to pay the bills. this.. trouble is you 'SNAKE is the major need the right Agent band here ACCA that really wants this, DACCA is the plateither with the AC/DC form" With the other show or without, coumaterial, the guys ple of good supports come in with the ideas would be great!! and I m left to form the Things like this intervocal lyrics and bass view and the enthusilines. Works a treat. A asm that's been point to mention is we created from one myshare credit for every- space site definitely thing we do, no prehelps. I am gonna give madonnas here. it a shot this year though, so if anyone MUEN: WE WERE has any ideas it would LOOKING TO PURbe great to hear from CHASE THIS CD you. "STRIKE" BUT HAD TROUBLE FINDING A MUEN: WE ARE WAY TO DO THIS. AWARE THAT ACCA MAYBE YOU COULD DACCA PLAYS HELP US AND OUR SHOWS WITH READERS THAT SNAKE OR VICE MIGHT WANT TO VERSA . IS THIS PURCHASE THIS CD YOUR GOAL TO AS WELL BY KEEP BOTH OF TELLING US WHERE THESE REALLY IT IS AVAILABLE AND COOL GROUPS THE LINKS OR THE GOING BY PLAYING STORES TO GET IT. BOTH AT YOUR SHOWS? Nightmare Records in the U.S still distribute In a perfect world no, for us www.nightmare- however ACCA records.com or you DACCA serves a purcan log onto www.ac- pose, it keeps 5 cadacmuso's and 3 sound carocks.com.au and crew permanently em-
MUEN: SNAKE WAS AROUND IN THE EARLY 80'S. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE BAND QUIT FOR AWHILE? SECOND THING I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW YOU GUYS REACHED A DECISION TO RE FORM SNAKE AND WHEN MUEN: WE ALSO NO- THAT THOUGHT PROCESS BEGAN? TICED THAT THIS BAND ACCA DACCA AND FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO PLAYS FOR A 2:00 KNOW IF THERE ARE HR PLUS TIME SOME OTHER FRAME ECHOING SNAKE ALBUMS THE SOUNDS AND LOVE OF AC/DC AND FLOATING AROUND THAT SNAKE PLAYS OUT THERE FROM WHEN YOU WERE FOR A 45 MIN SET. ORIGINALLY TOTELL US HOW GETHER? TOUGH IT IS PLAYING 3 HOURS OF ENERGETIC NON STOP I m the only member from that line up, ACTION FILLED Snake in the 80,s had MUSIC, AND HOW a good shot at it, YOU KEEP FIT pulling big crowds all ENOUGH IN TO DO over Australia, but the SO. glam days just started Cant talk for the rest of also electronic bullshit and we weren t about the boys however I've gone hard and worked to trade our denhem hard all my life. I think jeans for tights, the energy of the music makeup and nail polwe play has something ish... or play with a drum machine. Guess to do with it. None of us are into that chemi- we were outdated or cal shit, just drink hard just disalussioned.. I don t know, but we split play hard and have after 6 years. 1 VINYL fun. I think the guys
ployed. Snake supports all over Australia and New Zealand in big venues to crowds of 500 to 18,000 with Huge production and a light show. Snake moves heaps of cd's @ these gigs and we find more and more people are coming to see both bands. When Snake is big enough to stand on our own two feet ACCA DACCA will go into retirement, no doubt.
think if that old prick at the front can do it so can we!!
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 49 album and a film clip. I rectly at me. How do vated me to form an DON'T YOU WRAP you feel bout big audi- AC/DC show that was wanted to reform THIS THING UP BY ences? Touring the Snake as soon as I good. Originally ACCA TOUCHING ON world, doing 3 to 4 could get with the DACCA "Which is an SOMETHING I MAY nights in a row? ect... I affectionate Australian HAVE OVERLOOKED same calibre of the was pretty young at the slang for AC/DC" was original Snake. The OR BY ADDING time so my response music we wrote then only to do Bon Scott, WHATEVER THE probably wasn't what and now has always however due to punHELL YOU WOULD been first and foremost they needed to hear or ters constantly asking LIKE TO SAY. were just plain dumb in my mind. It had to for Brian we decided to answers. Don t know, be played right. The do him as well. It took It's me who should be but I knew I blew vinyl album is still a lot of practice, but thanking you Mike, it's something. The next around.. One was on eventually I got close. people like yourselves ebay for around $300.. week there was MalThen I decided to rethat this industry need I almost bought it my- colm and Angus in the serect Snake. 8 years more of, as a matter of self, I don t have one. crowd watching the later going hard, the fact you've restarted band, and we did play The video still gets a rest is history. my interest in touring like shit that night as play on a show here the U.S and will now called RAGE occasion- the band just formed MUEN: WELL go at it, so hopefully and hadn t reached the THANKS A TON FOR you guys will be sharally. proper lineup. After YOUR TIME ing a beer with us that no contact. Wasn't BROTHER, AND AS MUEN: TELL US soon. Keep up the ABOUT BEING CON- really disappointed WE DIG BOTH YOUR great work mate, all the cause I didn t have SIDERED FOR THE BANDS WE ARE RE- best! JOB OF REPLACING any idea what I missed ALLY HOPING YOU BON SCOTT AFTER out on. The idea of WILL COME TO THE what really might have STATES AND GIVE HIS TRAGEDY. DID been happening there YOU GET AN AUDIUS A CHANCE TO didn t dawn on me till TION? SEE YOU PLAY. WHY years later. Told ya I I still can t say that this was a little slow!! was the case for sure, MUEN: AFTER THE however it certainly seemed that way. It all DISAPPOINTMENT started with a demo we OF NOT GETTING THIS GIG, WE WERE sent into Albert ProWONDERING IF YOU ductions of a song called Sweet Revenge. COULD WALK US THOUGH THE BEGINWe got a call from George Young "Angus NING OF HOW ACCA DCCA CAME TO BE. and Malcolm s big brother" He said he Being constantly told I wanted to see the sound like Bon, and alsinger and the manager of Snake in his of- ways loving AC/DC.. also the disappointfice. The whole band turned up. George di- ment of the Snake rected his questions di- break up is what moti-
Aaron Mort
San Francisco, CA By: Shauna O Donnell MUEN: HI AARON AND THANKS FOR TALKING WITH ME TODAY. Yeah, no problem. MUEN: HOW ARE YOU DOING? I m doing good, running around with deadlines and stuff. I m sure you know how that is. How are you doing? MUEN: I M DOING GREAT. YOUR MANAGER ROB IS A GREAT GUY! Yeah, he s a cool guy.
THE STONE FOXES
MUEN: YOUR SELF TITLED LP IS WONDERFUL. WHY DID YOU MUEN: IT S A COOL CHOOSE THE NAME NAME, I LIKE IT. THE THE STONE FOXES? EDITOR OF OUR MAGAZINE WAS We had heard the exCOMMENTING THAT pression You re a stone THERE IS A BAND fox, it was an old pick CALLED THE STONE up line kind of deal. We ROSES. HAVE YOU thought it kind of had a HEARD OF THEM? bit of a retro vibe to it Yeah, I ve heard of The and it kind of went with Stone Roses. rock and roll. The fact that we are four guys MUEN: THE FLYERS that do not consider FOR YOUR SHOWS ourselves to be incredi- ARE GROOVY. WHO bly attractive, I don t DESIGNS THEM? know, it s kind of a fun, goofy take on a retro Spence the lead guiband name. tarist of the band and I
do. We do all of the de- stuff. It s a whole little sign work for the band community we have and the posters. going. We all live together as well so it s definitely hands on. MUEN: I NOTICED THAT YOU GUYS ARE MUEN: I ENJOYED PRETTY HANDS ON YOUR SWEEP THE WITH EVERYTHING WEST TOUR THAT HAS TO DO VIDEOS. IT LOOKS WITH THE BAND. LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF FUN TOYeah, we pretty much GETHER. HAVE YOU are. We recorded the album ourselves in our KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME? garage. We did all the sound proofing with Well, Spence and Shanmattresses and what non are brothers so not. We do all of our own graphics and web they have known each
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 51 GREW UP LISTENING CAME OUT WITH A TO? NEW ALBUM DIDN T THEY? Yeah, for the most part, I think we all did. I know Yeah, The Red Album, I that Spence would tell haven t kept up on stories of finding old Weezer in a while. record collections, like old Led Zeppelin. For MUEN: WHO WAS OR me, it was kind of the IS YOUR FAVORITE same thing. I grew up BAND? more on the old 70 s folk that my parents As far as my favorite were into. I discovered music, it s hard to beat the oldies station in what Bob Dylan was town and went crazy on doing with The Band in 50 s rock and roll. Elvis the mid 60 s. When it and Buddy Holly, things comes down to it, that s MUEN: HOW DO YOU like that, so I think we probably my favorite, LIKE LIVING IN SAN are all into the older in- just because the music FRANCISCO? fluences. they were creating was so original, raw and We love it, Avi is from MUEN: DID YOU EVER spontaneous. It L.A., but I think we are GET INTO THE MUSIC sounded like it just hapall Northern California OF THE 80 S AND pened and they were people. San Francisco 90 S? having fun with it. It s is cool because it has a good music and then great music scene and I really don t like 80 s The Band in general just the vibe of the peo- music; however, I like just as a band influple makes it all a cool, Mark Knopfler a lot from enced a lot of what we special experience to Dire Straight. For the do as a band. I think live here. most part I never got collectively that s where into the 80 s music we all stand for the MUEN: I VE BEEN mostly because I didn t most part. THERE AND IT WAS care for a lot of the proCOOL. THE ONLY duction that went on in MUEN: DO YOU THING I DIDN T LIKE the 80 s as far as the al- MOSTLY PLAY AT WAS THAT IT WAS bums and stuff. As far BLUES CLUBS? REALLY COLD. as the 90 s go, I got really into Nirvana and I don t think we have Yeah, it does get cold Weezer. I remember ever played at a strictly and foggy. blues club before. Oddly getting Weezer s The Blue Album and then enough, we started off MUEN: YOUR MUSIC Pinkerton as well. in cafs. In San FranIS HEAVILY INFLUThroughout high school cisco it s kind of tough ENCED BY THE me and my friends went to get someone to take GREAT ROCK AND a chance on you. You crazy on Weezer. ROLL ARTISTS OF kind of start off getting THE 60 S AND 70 S. IS MUEN: THEY JUST gigs wherever you can, THAT WHAT YOU other a good long while. I met Spence in college so I have known him for about five years. We have been playing music together for about three and a half to four years out of the five. Avi was a friend of a friend and we found out he played music really well so we kind of recruited him. We had him move in with us and we forced him to be in the band about three years ago. like local coffee shops. We started playing the club circuit in town at some smaller venues and it sort of grows. We have a fan base here and we are starting to play bigger venues and we are getting invited to do some cooler things in town. It s pretty eclectic though, we play on bills with hip-hop guys. MUEN: WOULD YOU PREFER YOUR FANS TO SEE A LIVE PERFORMANCE FIRST OR LISTEN TO YOUR CD FIRST? See us play live. MUEN: DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE GET MORE OUT OF YOUR LIVE SHOW? I think so; the album came from the live show. All of the songs on the album really grew and developed from playing them live. I think that s where most of the fun is, seeing us live. Not that the album isn t good but the live bit is better because the songs have even evolved much more than what they were on the album. MUEN: YOU PLAY THE HARP. Yeah, I do play the harp.
PG. 52 - MUEN Magazine April 2009 MUEN: THAT IS SO the vocals. We try and COOL. allow everyone a chance to take the lead Well, thank you. I on vocals. That s kind of haven t played it live in one of the big changes a while though. Shanthat happens a lot too. It non, our drummer, is makes it fun for us as the one you hear most well and allows us a liton the album playing tle more flexibility. harp. At the same time he is playing drums so MUEN: IS IT SPONTAit s kind of crazy. He is NEOUS OR IS IT more of a blues harp PLANNED OUT BEplayer and I m more the FORE YOU TAKE THE blow into the harmonica STAGE? and see what comes out kind of harmonica We definitely plan out player. our set before the show. It makes it easier to figMUEN: HOW MANY ure out when the INSTRUMENTS CAN change is going to YOU PLAY? come so the show goes a little smoother. We I can play guitar, bass definitely keep a few and harmonica. I can slots on the set list open make noise with a lot of so we can change different instruments, something spontabut I wouldn t say I play neously. For the most too many. I just got an part we try and make organ, but I wouldn t sure we know where we say I m an organ player are going to go. quite yet. I can play the drums too. MUEN: EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE WRITMUEN: YOU GUYS ING PROCESS IS LIKE ARE KIND OF KNOWN FOR YOU GUYS. FOR SWITCHING OFF INSTRUMENTS DUR- It s as much of a ING A LIVE SHOW. democracy as we can Yeah, we do a lot of make it for ourselves. that. Spence is the guy who MUEN: IS IT DURING really writes a lot of the EVERY SINGLE riffs, but that doesn t SONG? mean he comes to us with a riff and then we No, Avi and I do a lot of build it off of that. We ll switching between play- be jamming from nothing guitar and bass. I ing and then somebody think a lot of where the will play something and switching comes is in we will go off of it. Soon
enough. We went to San Francisco State and there was a classroom doing an exercise where they were doing live shooting. If you were to watch an old PBS Live show in the studio where it is all yellowed out and you have a funny prop behind you that looks ancient, that s how it turned out. We went to an old studio and played four songs over and over. Multiple directors shot us and hopefully it has that old MUEN: THAT S GOOD, kind of feel to it. They are not quite music EVERYONE HAS videos, but we ended THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING IT. IT S WHAT- up with a bunch of live recordings and videos. EVER WORKS FOR THEM. MUEN: THAT S COOL It makes it easier I think THAT YOU HAD FILM STUDENTS SHOOT to not bring an entire THE VIDEOS. song to the table and have an idea of exactly T.V., radio and broadhow it should go, becasting students. It was cause none of us are front men. It doesn t re- really great and we definitely benefit, because ally allow us to put our personal styles into the we get videos and good live recordings out of it band, which is kind of nice, because it doesn t and we are able to help allow us to get caught in out the students too. any one direction. There MUEN: YOU ARE are no egos. BEING PLAYED ON QUITE A FEW RADIO MUEN: YOU GUYS STATIONS NOW. CONARE IN THE PROCESS OF SHOOT- GRATULATIONS ON THAT. ING SOME MUSIC VIDEOS. WHAT S Yeah, thanks. It s been HAPPENING WITH surprising to us that we THAT? have received such a We are going to be regood response from leasing the videos soon radio people and audienough you start building a kind of a structure. Everyone starts singing and we figure out who sounds better on what. It s an interesting process, because we don t really bring anything to the table, instead we kind of let things work themselves out. That s not to say there has never been an idea put out there that was preconceived, but a lot of stuff is spontaneous.
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 53 ences. MUEN: YOU GUYS HAVE DEVELOPED QUITE A NAME FOR YOURSELVES IN THE BAY AREA. ARE YOU READY TO GO OUT AND TAKE ON THE WORLD WITH YOUR MUSIC? If someone allows us to do that we will definitely be out there. As long as we can pay our bills back home. We will take on the world if we get the opportunity. MUEN: I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT TIME YOU COME HERE. I HOPE I GET TO CATCH A SHOW. We are working on some dates in the L.A. area. We will get back there in the next few months.
L'ANGUISETTE
By G. Cataline
L'ANGUISETTE
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE L'ANGUISETTE FOR A NAME? It took us a long time to decide on a name that would fit our sound. We were formerly called Enola, but our sound outgrew it and it took a few years to think of a new name. Joe Winiarski, the guitarist and other co-founder, is very picky about names and presentation, as am I. The actual inspiration came from Jacqueline Carey's historical fantasy "Kushiel" series, about a dark god-chosen woman who becomes simultaneously a courtesan without equal and a spy for the crown. The name in that world for a woman who derives pleasure from pain is "anguissette."
THE BAND L'ANGUISETTE PLAYING LIVE SHOWS AT ALL?
calligraphy. WHEN IS THE ALBUM OUT, AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT GETTING IT RECORDED? We will start recording in a week or two, in April 2009. Joe went to Temple University and got his degree in Music Production, and has been recording for quite a few years now. We will be recording in in his studio, Absynth Studios. We hope to have all the tracks laid down in less than a month, then take a month or two for the mixing and mastering as well as getting the artwork and official website done. We're planning on a late 2009 release. WHAT IS THE LOCAL
MUSIC ENVIRONMENT LIKE? ARE YOU HAPPY WITH IT. In Philadelphia it seems the big bands are either cover bands or popular radio-friendly rock. About 7 or 8 years ago I used to be a lot more involved in the scene but now there isn't really that much that has caught my interest. Most of the bands I'm really into are from Europe, like Opeth, Delain, The Gathering, All Ends, Draconian, Within Temptation. I was born in Sweden, so I think my Viking roots are calling to me from across the ocean and the vast majority of what's going on here just doesn't speak to me. While they were active in the scene, though, I was
At the moment, we are preparing to record our debut album, "Damming the Euphrates," and are not playing out at this time. When we were still under the name Enola, however, we played out quite often. Now we're We felt it was evocative, focussing our energy on rolls off the tongue, and the new album and promoting the band. I will most importantly hints at the complexity of bit- be collaborating on the ter and sweet emotions artwork over the summer with a fellow graduin our sound. ate of Moore College of Art & Design, the counSO YOU AND JOE try's only women's arts ARE THE COand design college. Her FOUNDERS OF THE name is Jen Lightfoot BAND AND DID (www.jenlightfootart.co ACOUSTIC SHOWS m), and she'll be doing TOGETHER. ASIDE the illustrations while I'll FROM THE TWO OF be doing the lettering YOU PERFORMING DUOS IN THE PAST, IS and my lyrics in my own
213-924-4901
which was my first language, and I have a lot of fun in that group. I have a 3 1/2 octave HOW MANY INSTRUrange which I've develMENTS DO YOU oped though training PLAY, BIANCA? AND with voice teachers, DID YOU HAVE most recently and most VOCAL TRAINING? notably John Nicholas Peters, and by singing My main instrument is voice. I've been singing rock and metal. My style is a unique blend almost my whole life, of rock and classical; since about second grade. I've always sung my lower range is much top soprano whenever I more rock, and my sing in choir, and I think higher range is quite classical but not operthat developed a natural feel for musical the- atic. I definitely have an unusual take on vocal ory and progression. I expression in the rock believe that music and language are closely re- genre, and I haven't heard another singer lated in the brain and who has quite the same the earlier a child is exsound as me. posed, the more naturally it comes to them I am self-taught on for the rest of their life. piano, which I use to I've never had formal write music on. We theory training but I have a good intuition for have four full demo harmonies and musical songs up available to sample on our Mymovement within a Space page, piece. Currently I sing http://www.myspace.co in a secular choir which sings folk and classical m/languisettemusic; of those, I wrote the pieces in Swedish, Tapping the Vein's biggest fan! ;)
as metal music, Romantic paintings, Art Nouveau, carrion flowers, weaponry and armor, and nightmarish surreality. I'm working on custom corsets for individual clients, stage/video/photo costumery for women in heavy bands, and working on designing my next collection which I hope to premiere in late '09/early '10. Your readers can check out my designs here: http://www.myspace.co I've messed around on m/biancalindblad. In the guitar, and I'd love to very near future, I will learn drums. I have a also be selling work passion for learning and such as accessories, self-improvement so I hand knits, corsets, and don't doubt I'll pick them other creations on my up at some point. new Etsy site: http://DramatiqueCouWHAT ARE THE ture.etsy.com. I defiGOALS FOR THE nitely have half of my REST OF THE YEAR? heart in the art world and the other half in the In addition to releasing music world, and I think L'anguisette's debut that such a Renaisalbum, "Damming the sance woman is rather Euphrates," I am also an avant-garde fashion rare these days. I hope I designer. I specialize in can perhaps encourage corsetry and costumery, others, even just a little, and I have a passion for to follow all of their dreams. handknits. I'm inspired by such various things music, vocals and lyrics for "Matchgirl Winter," and the music and vocals for "Broken." "The Looming of Dust..." is a cover of a song by a Canadian black metal band called Woods of Ypres, and we took a very different electronic approach to what was originally a very doomy song. And "The Whore" was written by Joe's singer who played with him before we met.
Expect Anything
France
find out about what the new French Revolution is to the U.S.
ties. You can feel it in our music. We are not frozen. MUEN: AFTER FIRST FORMING THE BAND IN LATE 2007 WITH ALEX AND NICO. HOW DID THE REST OF THE BAND COME TOGETHER?
MUEN: WERE ANY OF YOU IN OTHER BANDS BEFORE THIS ONE?
MUEN: HOW DID YOU Interview by: Macavity COME UP WITH BAND NAME AND DOES IT HAVE A PARTICULAR Expect Anything is a MEANING BEHIND IT? band that has made a mark on the people of EA: We created the band aimlessly and France as well as without setting any limneighboring countries its. That's why we are for their unique talent called Expect Anything. and music. We wanted to catch up with them Our name has the same meaning for us and for and find out more our fans. We take things about them and give our readers a chance to as they come without missing any opportuni-
EA: We all started playing music with EA and the fact of playing together gave us the best way to compose our music. We also spend our free time together EA: We are all long time and that's why we are so close and motivated friends and we are 5 to create and compose. best friends. After the first split of the band Alex and Nico were the MUEN: FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT only way to continue HEARD YOUR MUSIC, this adventure. When CAN YOU EXPLAIN the others arrived is YOUR SOUND? when we really started to find our sound.
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 57 When we are playing EA: It's hard to explain on our MySpace page. case in front of a jury live we are more post our music. It's complicomposed of six profeshardcore as are our cated. We try to comMUEN: WHAT IS THE sionals. We think we new songs that you will were selected because ONE WISH YOU HAVE pose with many sonorities, with our influ- hear soon. FOR 2009? of our implication and ence from Our Last motivation. We also Night, Oceana and Val- MUEN: WHO WRITES have to thank ours fans EA: Our Biggest wish THE SONGS AND lon. We try to spread a for being there for us at for 2009 is to have fun musical feeling and help HOW ARE THEY with our music and give this crucial moment. people to have a trip in- WRITTEN? some emotion to our side our music. fans. MUEN: HAVE YOU EA: We write the songs PLANS TO DO MORE together with Jack MUEN: SINCE YOU SHOWS OUTSIDE OF But as a wish master, Daniels! ARE SUCH CLOSE we have 3 wishes. So FRANCE AND IF SO FRIENDS AND BAND for the second one is WHEN? Sometimes we fight toMATES, DO YOU ALL that we really get the gether but we re still LIVE IN NANCY AND opportunity to play in EA: We have already united. PLAN TO STAY had some projects out- California with MUEN THERE? Team present. side of France (for exYou can hear the result ample in Germany and on Behind the Sky and EA: We are all from And last, but not least, Belgium).We just need even more in our comNancy. But we ve having an autographed a label and a booking ing songs. played in many places agency to find us some poster of Oceana. of France (Paris, Lyon more shows. We hope MUEN: I NOTICED and Strasbourg.) We MUEN: THANKS to find some support... YOU WERE VOTED don't care about the GUYS. WE WOULD TO PLAY AT AN IMplaces we play as we And why not in the USA LOVE TO SEE YOU PORTANT FESTIVAL are open to all the LIVE AND IN CALIas well? IN NANCY IN MAY. propositions. We only FORNIA TOO. SO want to be together and CAN YOU EXPLAIN MUEN: WITH ALL THE WHAT DO EACH OF play together! We're not ABOUT THAT SHOW? EMPHASIS ON YOU DO WHEN YOU gay just want to play ARE NOT PLAYING VIDEOS, DO YOU EA: We were chosen music and be with best MUSIC? HAVE PLANS TO from among more than MAKE A VIDEO FOR friends while doing it. 100 French bands to EA: Sammy (singer): ONE OF YOUR play at one of the MUEN: YOU HAVE A Facebook addict, makSONGS AND WHICH NEW EP OUT CALLED biggest outdoor festivals ONES? ing some tattoo s with in the east of France in BEHIND THE SKY. Oceana lyrics and an front of about 5000 peo- EA: We're working on DOES THIS EP CONundergraduate SchoolTAIN SOME OF YOUR ple. It's our second par- our first video for a new boy. ticipation in this SONGS THAT YOU song that will be reamazing show. HAVE PLAYED LIVE Nico (drummer): Going leased in April. At this OR IS IT ALL SESSION to church every Sunday time we are recording MUEN: HOW DID YOU these new songs at WORK? and trying to succeed in GET THE CHANCE TO Fucking Hostile Studio. his engineer's studies PLAY AT THIS FESTIEA: All the songs we Everything (video, song, with Jack Daniels. VAL IN FRONT OF SO merchandising, and write are created LIVE with only 2 sweat songs MANY? new MySpace look) will that were created during be online on May 7th. EA: We played a show the recording session. Check the countdown
The Sammus Theory
March 26, 2009
Sam Hughes
(Vocals) Phoenix, Arizona
By: Shauna O Donnell
the craziest people there. Sammus was kind of like my alter ego in the start and then it kind of revolved into the whole alter ego idea. So, that s what the name means. MUEN: LET S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR ALBUM SEE IT THROUGH ITS SET TO RELEASE THIS YEAR. THIS IS A CONCEPT ALBUM RIGHT? Yeah, in a way. It s kind of about seeing anything through, like any problems people get. It s about being able to push
through and come out on top no matter what. All the songs kind of tie in together, like individual things that tie together into a whole theme. MUEN: WAS IT BECAUSE OF A CERTAIN EPISODE THAT YOU HAD? Yeah, I got in a near fatal car accident in 2005. I was very lucky, but I still had to do therapy and stuff because of post traumatic stress. They told me that my back was going to be messed up for the rest of my life
MUEN: IS SAMMUS YOUR REAL NAME? No, basically The Sammus Theory is kind of like the idea of an alter ego that music brings out in everybody. For example, a lawyer goes to work all suited up and everything, but he will go to a Marilyn Manson concert and be one of
and my performance was going to be not as good as it should have been before I had that happen. A lot of the writing for that album was frustrations that came from that, but also taking that and using it to come out on top in the end. MUEN: SO IT S BASICALLY ABOUT THE RECOVERY PROCESS. Yeah, exactly. MUEN: WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE RELEASED?
Right now we are looking at a spring release date, April or Mayish. There is no set date quite yet. MUEN: YOU ACTUALLY PRODUCED THE ALBUM YOURSELF. Yes. MUEN: WAS THIS YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT PRODUCING? I have been in the studio environment a lot. I ve had the chance to watch how people do things. It was fun, because I got to experiment and I actually go to learn a lot more doing it myself. It was my first attempt at it and I learned a lot so I think whatever comes out from here on out will be even better. MUEN: DID YOU DO THE MAJORITY OF THE WRITING AS WELL? Yeah, what we do as a band is, I will write kind of the core pieces and then I will bring it to the table. When everyone comes in to play it they will add their own style to it a little bit. They will bring up something that could be better or help it out to make the flow better. By the end of it, it s not really what I had written. You can tell it s been worked on, it s beefed up.
MUEN: SO EVERYBODY GETS A SAY IN IT. Yeah, we all work it to make it the best it can be. MUEN: YOU WRITE ALL OF THE LYRICS THOUGH. BACK BEFORE YOU HAD THE BAND YOU HAD WRITTEN SONGS. I did, yeah. Coming from Idaho Falls, Idaho it was due to a lot of boredom. You either do drugs or you write music. MUEN: AND THE COVER. WHO CAME UP WITH THE DESIGN AND WHAT DOES IT SIGNIFY? My brother does all of our artwork. The face behind the person is almost like the nagging fears or whatever it is that will bring someone down. MUEN: LIKE A CONSCIENCE?
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 59 HAVE THAT. That was pre- full band. That s what I did when I was doing it myself. That Thank you. is old news, old school MUEN: I ABSOLUTELY stuff. LOVE THE VIDEO FOR MUEN: NOW I READ IN PURE. YOU CAN YOUR BIO THAT MOST TELL FROM THE VIDEO THAT YOU PUT ACTS ARE LACKING ON AN AMAZING LIVE ALL OF THE PIECES SHOW. NOW, YOU SAY OF THE PUZZLE RETHAT YOU HAVE A QUIRED TO FORMURESIDUAL BACK INLATE THE MODERN JURY, BUT YOU JUST DAY SUCCESSFUL ROCK! ROCK BAND. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS Thank you; it s a lot of LACKING IN THE adrenaline. BANDS TODAY?
When a band gets assigned a producer, when the label puts them with somebody to write a certain style. The radio bands that are coming out are so close together, so similar that there is no creativity anymore. It s kind of like, let s take what this band did and put a little twist on it and put it out so it sounds exactly the same. I think a lot of creativity is missing. A lot of bands do a quick, commercial song to get on the radio when they don t really realize that doing your own thing and making it strong and unique will set you into the music business a lot more solid. MUEN: WHAT DO YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR A SHOW? I do track stretches. I have to hide, because I don t want anyone to see me doing it. I look like a dork. I ll make weird noises for vocal warmups and we will have a group huddle. It s like a pep talk to go out and do our best and then we go on to do what we do. MUEN: WHERE WAS IT FILMED? It was filmed in Downtown San Diego in a weird, abandoned lot that was surrounded by apartment buildings and houses. It was really weird. MUEN: IT WAS A COOL PLACE TO DO A VIDEO THOUGH. I LIKED THE WAY THE DRUMSET WAS UP IN A BOX.
It s more of like, for example, my accident with post traumatic stress and my back problems. It s anything that has the potential to bring you down. It s like whispering in someone s ear negative things constantly. That s MUEN: YOU NEED what the face in the back SOMETHING THAT IS ORIGINAL, SOMErepresents. THING THAT MAKES MUEN: WHAT IS MAN YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD. I WITHOUT EYES? THINK YOU GUYS
I do. On See It Through when we were tracking, Kyle had left to go home to Montana and he had only had time to track three of the songs. I did all of the lead parts. So, I did the lead guitars, the bass and a lot of the rhythm stuff. It was just because of people being busy and not being able to. MUEN: LET S TALK TOURING NOW. I WAS WATCHING YOUR VIDEO TOUR BLOGS. SHINEDOWN HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS. WHAT WAS IT LIKE SHARING THE STAGE WITH THEM? It was a lot of fun and a cool experience. You hear horror stories about rock stars being rude or having egos. We met Zach, Brent and Barry and they were some of the nicest dudes we ever met. It was fun to see how they went in and carried themselves. There was another band that we learned a lot from called Jet Black Stare. They were the opener on the bill, but they were the most professional band we have ever seen and we took a lot away from that. Watching a professional band do business, sell merchandise and how they carry themselves was an overall great learning experience for us.
That s why that place was so neat. The part I was standing on was like a big ship. It was weird; it was a bunch of rusty pieces floating around. MUEN: DID ANYTHING INTERESTING HAPPEN DURING THE FILMING? Not really, I guess there were a lot of noise complaints on us. The cops kept showing up near the end. We would be like We re done, we re done and then we would hurry and do another shot. MUEN: VIDEO SHOOTS ARE NOT DONE IN AN HOUR. IT TAKES A LONG TIME. Exactly.
MUEN: I HAVE TO SAY, YOUR DRUMMER IS BAD ASS. I LOVE THE WAY HE TWIRLS HIS STICKS WHILE HE PLAYS. HAS HE BEEN PLAYING LONG? Yeah, I think fifteen years, he s twenty-three so since he was eight. He did drum line in high school. You can definitely tell in his playing style, he does a lot of snare stuff. The stick twirling comes from watching drummers in the 80 s. That s cool because they knew how to show off. MUEN: YOU STARTED REALLY YOUNG. YOU WERE LEARNING PIANO AT AGE SEVEN. Yes, it was one of those
things where my mom was like Alright, it s time for you to learn an instrument and get you out of my hair for a while. Unfortunately, I didn t practice as much as I should have. I think every kid will say that. It did teach me how to pick up the guitar and the bass and kind of figure things out. MUEN: BY HIGH SCHOOL YOU HAD ADDED GUITAR AND BASS TO YOUR MUSICAL TALENTS. YOU ARE SELF TAUGHT RIGHT? Yeah. MUEN: DO YOU PLAY ANY OF THOSE INSTRUMENTS ON THE ALBUM?
MUEN: JET BLACK STARE ARE THE NICEST GUYS. I LOVE THE WAY THEY SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FANS AT THE MERCH TABLES. Yeah, exactly. MUEN: YOU WERE ONLY ABLE TO DO FOUR DATES WITH PALE AND EARSHOT. WHY WERE YOU NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE? In all honesty, it was a good bill for the tour, but there were so many things that happened last minute. We hadn t received the dates and we were calling the venues trying to get on dates that we were going to be playing on. It was really nobody s fault; it was just lack of communication. It was really just not in the cards for us this time. It was potential to go out and lose a lot of money and hurt ourselves. MUEN: I LOVE EARSHOT TOO. I KNOW WIL; HE IS A VERY COOL GUY. Oh yeah, absolutely, those guys are WOW! That was one thing that was really cool, how welcoming they were. It was our first national tour with a national band. They made everything so comfortable. MUEN: I THINK IT S
COOL THAT YOU ARE HAVING SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH ALL OF THIS TOO. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT TIME. Yeah, definitely. MUEN: PEOPLE WERE DONATING TOWARDS YOUR TOUR. HOW DID THAT GO? I will have to say, our fans are pretty crazy when it comes to that. I put that up to just see what happens. Somebody donated $200, another one was $150. They were big chunks; I think the smallest amount that someone donated was $5. It was crazy, people were like Go on tour! and throwing money. We were like Were going to pay you guys back. MUEN: I NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE DONATED ACCORDING TO THE LIST ON YOUR BLOG. THERE WERE LIKE 50 PEOPLE ON THE LIST. We were trying to go with the fiftieth person gets an autographed prize pack, but it ended up not quite getting to fifty. What we will probably end up doing is a random pick and sending someone a set list or something. We want to stay to our word.
MUEN Magazine April 2009 - PG. 61 one day and it sucks. It s MUEN: I DIDN T SEE ANY TOUR DATES ON cold and miserable. YOUR PAGE. ARE YOU That s why I moved to Phoenix, so I would GUYS PLANNING ON never see snow again. GOING OUT? Then the winter tours start and I m living in Right now we are worksnow again. In Phoenix ing on getting a lot of it s like 120 degrees so I Midwest and east coast get both extremes, the dates for April and May. coldest winter and the Then we will do Northhottest summer. west dates including Washington, Montana, Idaho and Oregon which MUEN: I LOVE THE we do better in the sum- SAMMUS THEORY SHIRTS. PEOPLE mertime. NEED TO PICK THOSE UP. THEY ARE GREAT! MUEN: WELL, WHEN YOU GO ON THE TOURS, YOU CAN AU- I agree, but thank you. TOGRAPH A CD FOR MUEN: YOU ARE INTHOSE PEOPLE. SPIRED BY MARIYLN There you go, that s per- MANSON I HEAR. fect, and it s a good idea. I am quite a bit actually. One of the very first MUEN: NO CALIFORthings I saw was the first NIA DATES AT THIS tour on VHS that the TIME? band had put out. I remember I was just like Not right now, but there Wow! at how dirty everydefinitely will be. thing looked on stage MUEN: I LOVED YOUR and crazy looking. It was just one of those things Q&A BLOGS TOO. I where you say That s FELT LIKE MY JOB WAS ALREADY DONE. what I want to do. I WAS WATCHING MUEN: THEY ARE ONE THEM GOING O.K. I CAN T ASK THAT ONE OF THE HEADLINERS ON MAYHEM THIS NOW. (LAUGHING) YEAR. ARE YOU GOING TO THE Nice. SHOW? MUEN: I HAVE TO Yes. I finally saw them TELL YOU THAT I live in 2007. That was HATE SNOW TOO. I HATE THE COLD BASI- fun, because now I can say I actually saw MariCALLY. lyn Manson live on stage. I m definitely It s awful. I grew up in snow. You get six feet in going to go see them.

MUEN: IT WAS AWESOME TALKING WITH YOU TODAY. I HAD A GREAT TIME. BEFORE WE HANG UP IS THERE ANYTHING YOU D LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? Go to our MySpace page at Myspace.com/thesammustheory. Add us and leave us comments, because we love them. MUEN: I D LIKE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW. I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR CAREER. Thank you so much and I look forward to meeting you at some point. MUEN: AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AS WELL.
www.Myspace.com/MLazar
Bone Yard
JJ Lang (Vocals) By Metal Mike A band we became familiar with recently is a band called Bone Yard, and no I m not talking about sirus xm radio. This is a cool hard rocking, kick ass sounding band from Fairport , New York. Fronted by JJ Lang. The band also consist of Brian Donnely on drums and Kevin Rothbeind on bass. Stop over to www.myspace.com /boneyardtheband
MUEN: WHO ARE THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF BONE YARD AND HOW DID THE BAND COME TO BE. All 3 of us are founding fathers to Bone Yard actually. MUEN: WHEN CHOOSING A NAME FOR THE BAND , HOW DID YOU REACH THE DECISION TO USE
THE NAME BONE YARD? Bone Yard was our 1st choice. I thought of the name after Rachels DEAD passed away. I wanted a name that would make you think of Desert, Harleys, Whiskey and life out in the Voodoo Highway. Dirty, Gritty Hard Ass Rock n' Roll. MUEN: WHEN A SONG IS FORMED OR COMPOSED IN YOUR BAND, WHO CONTRIBUTES TO WHAT? A good portion of the songs are older songs that I wrote along the way. But the newer stuff is the direction we're
headed. I usually have a riff I've been playing for quite awhile. We start a "Jam" to that riff and if we all end up "Stiff" during the jam, we know we got the next Bone Yard song. From there, we add parts, try to arrange and I take the finished product and write lyrics.
pay if any, is not that of a cover band. I personally, am more concerned with playing in front a big crowd and not so much the money. That s what drives me. A big crowd totally digging us. We'll try different venues until we find a nice home stage I guess. MUEN: WHEN YOU FORMED THE BAND WAS THERE A FOCUS AS TO WHERE YOU WANTED THE MUSIC TO GO DIRECTIONALLY?
MUEN: WHAT HAS THE MUSIC SCENE (VENUE WISE) BEEN LIKE FOR YOUR BAND AS OF LATE? AND ALSO TELL US ABOUT THE PLACES YOU HAVE HAD THE OP- Yes, we want to PORTUNITY TO make people rock. PLAY. Just straight up, bad ass hard rock. It has been kinda challenging. Being an MUEN: WHAT ARE all original band, the THE MUSIC PRO-
$1000's of dollars and weeks to to that. We were in there about 4-5 hours. Quick, in & out. We're We are all older, mar- going back in a about ried, home/business 2 months to record owners, etc. Being a the rest of the songs. rock star probably When those are ain't in our cards. done, then we'll put But, I wanna make together a full blown great music, sell CD Package to sell. I am co-owner of merch and have as Until then, we are Music Lovers in much fun as a rock giving the CD's and Rochester and I star. Stickers away at our have mainly school shows. kids coming into the MUEN: YOUR 4 shop for sheet music SONG EP WAS MUEN: TELL US A and band instruRECORDED IN LITTLE ABOUT THE ments. I try to stress STRANGELAND BANDS SCHEDULE to kids and parents STUDIOS IN ON AVERAGE.. the importance of PHOENIX, N.Y. HOW LONG DO music. I WAS WONDERING YOU GUYS PRACIF YOU COULD TICE, HOW MANY MUEN: WHEN YOU TELL US A LITTLE SHOWS DO YOU STARTED TO GET ABOUT WHEN YOU PLAY, AND HOW INTO MUSIC INIPUT THIS EP OUT OFTEN DOES THE TIALLY, LIKE WHEN AND WHAT IT WAS BAND GET TO YOU FIRST LIKE WORKING HANG OUT AND STARTED READWITH THIS STUDIO, DISCUSS MUSIC? ING MUSIC, TO AND WHERE WHOM DOES THE MIGHT WE FIND We rehearse once a CREDIT GO FOR THIS EP FOR week for now. About THIS? SALE? 2 hours of practice and about 30 min of I don't read music. I The studio was fun. credit Joey Mondo, We went in with a Avenged Sevenfold 2nd grade, St. limited budget and Upcoming Issue of MUEN Magazine Charles Elementary time. Scott at School. He brought Strangeland knows in a KISS Magazine. this and knows what It was all over then! we want our finished product to sound like. MUEN: WHAT ARE Raw, Big and Ballsy! THE BAND S OBYou don't need
GRAMS LIKE IN THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR AREA? AND HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED GIVING SOME TIME IN THIS AREA TO PROMOTE MUSIC AND COMPOSITION TO THE KIDS?
JECTIVES AND GOALS BOTH CURRENTLY AND LONG TERM?
band "Chill" and discussion. About all we need for now. Me personally, I m in Bone Yard mode 24/7 lately. We do lots of emails / phone calls during the week to put ideas together. MUEN: We would like to thank you for taking time out for us, and we would like to end this interview by letting you add anything you might want to say.. We thank you! I hope that people take to our music and our live shows. overall, we just wanna put out killer songs and have a great time. Less politics & BS and more ROCK N ROLL!!!!
THE ACACIA STRAIN
first, but it turned out alright. He would just sit THE ACACIA STRAIN back by our trailer in a little camping chair with Jack Strong (Bass) his dry erase board. He Brutal, Massachusetts wasn t speaking so he would have to write all By: Shauna O Donnell his answers down. MUEN: HI JACK AND THANKS FOR TALKING WITH ME TODAY. MUEN: HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I m doing very well, we are in Atlanta right now and it s pretty warm. It s more warm than it has been in a while so I m in high spirits. MUEN: I HEARD THAT VINCENT IS SICK. IS HE O.K.? Yeah, he had laryngitis for five or six days. He couldn t speak for a couple days. He started taking time off and not doing shows with us. We had Brook from Impending Doom filling in. That was kind of interesting. Last night was the first day he came back and was singing with us. It was great to have him back on stage, because it just wasn t the same. Having him up there makes a world of difference. We weren t sure what we were going to do at
February 25, 2009
recording the Underoath record. Finally, we looked at our other options and ended up going with Zeus, which was great. He was exactly what this record needed as far as I m concerned. He helped bring the entire thing toMUEN: YOUR LATEST MUEN: TELL ME RELEASE CONTIWHAT THE CONCEPT gether and it turned out great. NENT CAME OUT OF THE ALBUM IS. LAST AUGUST. HOW IS IT DOING? It s basically about ha- MUEN: I M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THINGS tred, disgust and it s From what I know it s about one person end- HAPPEN FOR A REASON. doing well. The reing the entire world. sponses at all the That person is left shows have been great. alone on an entire con- Yeah. Kids are still jumping tinent by himself. MUEN: I WATCHED around, stage diving, THE FIVE MINI singing along and MUEN: DOES VINpunching each other. CENT WRITE ALL OF VIDEOS LEADING UP TO THE RELEASE. Album sales are still THE LYRICS? THEY WERE PRETTY doing pretty well. So HILARIOUS. far, so good. Yes, Vincent writes all of the lyrics. Oh! Thank you. MUEN: IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN VINYL MUEN: WHAT WAS WITH TWO EXTRA THE BIGGEST CHAL- MUEN: I PERSONTRACKS ON IT THAT LENGE WHEN WRIT- ALLY HAVEN'T SEEN THIS DONE BEFORE. YOU CANNOT GET ING THIS RECORD? DID YOU GET A ANYWHERE ELSE. GOOD RESPONSE WHY DID YOU DEIt was actually off to a CIDE TO DO VINYL? rocky start in the sense FROM IT? that at first we were Yeah, we as a band We ended up writing a rushed. We were on couple of extra songs tour when we found out weren t sure how they and the label wanted us that we had to have the were going to turn out. It was our manager to cut it down to eleven record done sooner saying Hey! Let s on the record. The Eu- than we thought. We ropean release had one were scrambling to find make a fucking video. We were like What the extra song on it and the a producer and engihell are you talking Japanese release had neer for it. We had about? They put a two extra songs on it. gone through a couple camera in our face and It s not easily accessi- of guys. Normally, we told us to do a bunch of ble to buy a record over record with Adam D, cheesy stuff. I wasn t there so we ended up but he was busy with doing the vinyl with the Killswitch Engage and sure how it would come two extra songs. It was fun and kids seem to like collecting them. It is becoming more popular now, more as a collectors item, rather than listening to it exclusively on vinyl.
out because what s funny to some people is not funny to other people. To me, it just looks like us acting like a bunch of idiots. I wasn t sure if people would find that funny or not. Apparently, some did. MUEN: IT HAD A HAPPY ENDING. We also like to have fun too. We like to do new and interesting things that we haven t seen done before. In terms of stupid videos, it captures people s attention in some ways. It obviously shows our lighter side. We are not an entirely serious band by any means. MUEN: LIKE IN THE VIDEOS, DID ANY OF YOU FOLLOW AROUND YOUR FAVORITE BAND? It was actually based on a couple of different experiences that each of us have had. We would sort of obsess over our favorite artist and follow them around. A couple of us got a restraining order and whatnot. We decided to make a video to make fun of the situation. It s funny now to look back and laugh at it. MUEN: ACTUALLY, IT
APPEARS THAT VINCENT IS PRETTY FOND OF BEING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA JUDGING BY ALL THE VIDEOS IN YOUR BLOG. HAS HE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT AN ACTING CAREER?
then we have a week of shows that brings us to the 6th of April. That s when we will be getting back, so two months. MUEN: NOW, YOU GUYS ARE A FOUR PIECE. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ADDING A FIFTH MEMBER, LIKE AN EXTRA GUITAR PLAYER?
worth it. It would be awkward playing to an empty room every night. Kids, come out, hang out and come talk to us. You know, high fives ,punch someone in the face, whatever. MUEN: DO YOU HANG OUT AT THE MERCH BOOTHS? Yeah, we are hanging out everywhere. It s not like were anybody different than anybody else. We re not special just because we play in a band. We will hang out and talk to kids. MUEN: DO YOU RUN YOUR MYSPACE PAGE? No we don t, that s our manger. We don t have the patience for that. MUEN: I M SURE YOU GO AND READ THE COMMENTS ONCE IN A WHILE THOUGH. Oh Yeah, but that s as far as I will look into it. I signed in once, because I had to message someone back. MUEN: ALRIGHT, HAVE FUN ON TOUR AND STAY SAFE. Great, thank you so much. Take care.
The only acting that I can imagine him doing is when our manager threw a camera in front No of his face. MUEN: THE KIDS LOVE WATCHING THE FUNNY VIDEOS. THEY ARE ALWAYS ON YOUTUBE LOOKING THOSE THINGS UP. Exactly. MUEN: YOU ARE ON TOUR RIGHT NOW UNTIL THE END OF MARCH. WHO ARE YOU OUT WITH?
MUEN: SO YOU RE PRETTY HAPPY THE WAY YOU ARE. We sure are. MUEN: IS VINCENT STILL IN THE BAND COCK PUNCH?
Yeah, he is still in the band and they did a full U.S. tour a while ago. It s more for fun and not a serious act that he is going to pursue as much as The Acacia We are currently on Strain. I can t speak for tour with Impending Doom, As Blood Runs him, but as far as I know it s a fun band to Black and Bleeding Through. It s going well goof off and have a so far. We are only ten blast. or twelve days into the tour. We left on Febru- MUEN: BEFORE I LET YOU GO IS THERE ary 10th and had to ANYTHING YOU D drive out to the west coast. It starts and ends LIKE TO ADD OR SAY? in California which is awesome. It also makes the whole fuck- Thanks to everybody that comes out, being trip longer. It ends cause you do make it at the end of March and

CHARACTERISTICS OF BLACK METAL BEHAVIOR? DO YOU BURN DOWN CHURCHES AND DESECRATE GRAVES WHEN YOU AREN'T STUDYING THEORIES WITH YOUR NOSE BURIED IN SCIENCE BOOKS? No. Such behavior is surely counterproductive, only liable to arouse sympathy for the church. It is far better to maintain an articulate attack based on reaARE BOTH FORMER soned argument. In any MEMBERS OF DEcase, the Christian STROYER 666. WHAT churches, here at least, MAKES THE STYLE are attended by only a OF RAZOR OF handful of old ladies; it OCCAM DIFFERENT would be harder to find THAN DESTROYER a softer target. We re 666? someone to burn down a mosque, on the other The main difference is hand, they would be that Destroyer incorpo- risking more than their rates a lot of dynamics freedom. into the song structures whereas Razor rarely MUEN: WHAT DO YOU takes the foot off the THINK IS THE pedal. BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE MUEN: WHAT HAPHAVE OF YOU AS A PENED WITH DEBAND? STROYER 666 ANYWAYS? A lot of people assume we must be a new band, The new album is but in fact we were recorded and will be re- formed 10 years ago. leased soon. Expect something solid and MUEN: DO YOU THINK unique! IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO THINK OF MUEN: DO YOU FOL- METAL ARTISTS AS LOW SOME OF THE SMART? STEREOTYPICAL
The razor of occam demands that we reject any hypotheses that are not backed by evidence. As such, it is the perfect logical weapon for dispensing with the gods Answers by Alex / Bass and other religious beliefs. The irony is this weapon was developed Interview by Jeanne by church theologians Thomas (Jet) during the middle ages in the course of their deMUEN; YOU HAVE bates over the interpreBEEN LABELED AS A tation of scripture. This BLACK METAL / THRASH BAND. HOW makes it an ideal representation of the conDO YOU DESCRIBE frontation between YOUR STYLE OF science and religion MUSIC? symbolizing not only the Black thrash is as good conflict between them, but also recognizing the a description as any. debt owed the latter. In a sense it also reflects MUEN; YOUR NAME "RAZOR OF OCCAM" our approach to songIS PRETTY DAMN SCI- writing: economical and concise. ENTIFIC. EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS AND HOW IT PERTAINS TO MUEN: MATT & IAN
Razor Of Occam
YOUR BAND.

I reckon most hide their The interest in science intelligence well, so it is is born from a natural largely a misconception. curiosity about the workings of nature. The obMUEN: DO YOU BEsession with religion LIEVE IN GOD? arises from astonishment, and concern, that None of us were subBronze Age mythologies jected to childhood inpersist into the modern doctrination, so era. naturally we are all uncorrupted by the irraMUEN: DO YOU BEtional beliefs of the LIEVE THAT OLD religious. SCHOOL BLACK METAL HAS BECOME MUEN: YOU HAVE A A DYING ART? NEW CD "HOMAGE TO MARTYRS" WHAT No, but it must continue IS THE THEME TO to evolve. There is no THIS CD ABOUT? point in just rehashing the past. To stagnate is The lyrics examine the to die. conflict between reason and superstition; a bat- MUEN: WHAT DO YOU tle that saw many intel- THINK OF THE MORE lectuals face death at MILD MANNERED the hands of the inquisi- MELODIC BLACK tion during the time METAL AND THE NEW when natural philosophy BLACK METAL HYwas a fledgling disciBRIDS OUT THERE? pline. Science withstood the initial onslaught Not a fan. achieving many great triumphs and is arMUEN: GETTING guably now at the BACK TO THE NEW height of its powers. Re- CD. WHAT WAS THE ligion on the other hand PROCESS LIKE FOR has been responsible YOU MAKING THIS for innumerable atroci- ONE? HOW LONG ties and immeasurable DID IT TAKE? suffering, yet has somehow managed to surOnce we prepare a vive and, possibly, may good selection of riffs even be thriving. we lay down the drums and try and piece them MUEN: WHERE DID together into songs. THE FASCINATION Then leads are added FOR SCIENTIFIC THE- and vocal patterns forORIES AND RELIGION mulated. Next we write COME FROM? the bass lines and finally the lyrics. A lot of effort went into this one so it took a few years. We worked on a lot of material that was ultimately rejected AND ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?
The metal scene is more solid in Europe than what it is in Australia. We all come from different countries and MUEN: WHO PROstayed in London for a DUCED IT? long time so yes we are Recorded and produced satisfied! by Tore Stjerna in MUEN: WHAT'S THE Necromorbus Studio EXPERIENCE OF Sweden. WORKING FOR METAL BLADE BEEN MUEN: ARE YOU LIKE FOR YOU? PLANNING A KICK OFF TOUR WITH Very professional and a VIDEOS, DANCING great bunch of guys that GIRLS AND PARTY genuinely like the bands GOODS?? they sign. No. MUEN: WHAT GOALS ARE YOU STRIVING MUEN: WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF PLAY- FOR WITH THE BAND? WHAT'S YOUR ING A SHOW FOR BIGGEST DREAM? YOU? All those fists and horns raised in the air is a spectacle no other music can offer! MUEN: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO MOVE TO THE UK FROM AUSTRALIA There have never been any grand designs and in fact it all started as a bit of fun. We just want to keep making music we can be proud of.
Chris Arp
By: JET (Jeanne Thomas)
MUEN: YOUR NEW CD, "ODD SENSES," DROPPED FEB 17TH. HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT PUTTING IT TOGETHER? First of all, there are all different members of the band, and we all live in different places across the US. So, me being the primary writer, I send the music to all the other guys saying what I would like and they work with that and lay down their parts. This type of music requires a lot of thought. The consensual ideas are somewhat abstractly different. This time around the songs are more dramatic. MUEN: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE GENRE OF YOUR MUSIC? YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE IN A CLASS ALL YOUR OWN. IT'S FAST AND DIFFERENT. Well Alternative Press classified us as avant garde math grindcore. Avant grind is good in the way that we are not afraid to be noisy and we're fast. We are doing our own thing so that would represent the avant part of it. Math core is because we over manipulate the number of variables in the music. That all seems to make sense to me. MUEN: DO YOU ALL HAVE SIMILAR MUSICAL BACKGROUNDS? Well the bass player and the drummer both went to prestigious music colleges. We are pretty much all on the same page or we would not be able to create this type of intricate music. I mean for me, when the whole grunge thing hit, that's when I went off into my own metal world. I am older than a lot of the guys in the band, so my background growing up with music is different, but we continue to al-
ways experiment and I think that's a key part to all of this.
We have never played there, but we are trying to get there. We are grind and the underMUEN: YOU JUST GOT OFF ground supports us. It is what TOUR WITH CATTLE DEit is. I mean comparing us to CAPITATION LAST NIGHT. Fallout Boy would be like apHOW DID THAT GO? ples to rocks. We just don't get the same financial support. So Awesome! The tour was great! those lucky bastards get a Super cool dudes all around! bus, and by the time we are We had fun; the crowd was re- able to, we will be too old to ally into it! I definitely feel like tour anymore. we gained some new fans on this tour. There were no down- MUEN: YOU CAN BE ON falls...well, until we got towed THE SENIOR CITIZENS BUS. this morning. The drummer went out and came in and was Hehe. Yeah, you got it. You've like, "The van is gone!" got all the answers. MUEN: WAIT! YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE SOME BIG FANCY TOUR BUS? MUEN: WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU STAND OUT FROM OTHER BANDS THAT PLAY SIMILAR MUSIC TO YOURS? WELL, ACTUALLY, ARE THERE EVEN ANY THAT DO?
when I first started playing guitar. I mean I might not play the catchiest of melodies or fastest music or whatever superficial ideals people have on music. But I do know I can always be the most creative unique and original. I have a general disgust for most metal music these days. I have fallen into the pile of elitist underground bands that, really, there aren't so many of us these days but damn I have my membership card and it's paid in full. MUEN: WOWEE!
It just seems most of the bands out there now are just doing different versions of each other. I mean, some are No. No, we're a grind band. great, don't get me wrong, but I am just saying as a whole. MUEN: ARE YOU STILL We are just not associated COLLECTING DONATIONS with the herd. We are the purTHROUGH PAYPAL? I think that's it. I think we stand ple sheep in the big flock. out for the most part because Hehe. Actually we do still have there really aren't any other MUEN: SO YOU WRITE that up on our site. Kids have bands around that sound like MOST OF THE LYRICS FOR been mailing us money to go us. I really do think we have THE BAND? to Australia. I mean, bands will our own thing going. It has alplay shows and collect money ways been my most profound Yeah. On the first album the in Australia to send it to us. work ethic from the get go lyrics are kind of split between

Greg, Adam, and myself. And then I wrote all the lyrics on the last one and all the lyrics on this one. Because it's always been my conception about what's going on and it just worked out that way. MUEN: WHO WROTE THE LYRICS FOR YOUR SONG "PLAY SOME SKYNYRD?" I did. Well you know, it goes back to, like, when you go on tour and all these local bands open for you and they all sound the fucking same. This song came about because Skynyrd Blows people away and it's like saying if you want to be unoriginal just be a good cover band covering a good band like Skynyrd. So that was just my rebellious punk attitude against those bands that repulse me. MUEN: YEAH, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMEONE. MUEN: ARE YOU STILL DREAMING OF PLAYING I think Obscure. They just OZZFEST? seem to stand out a little more Hell yeah. I mean, of course I heard there was going to be no Ozzfest this year but, what the hell, I threw our interest out there anyway. Who knows who's looking at the votes; it gives the band recognition. And it gives the fans a chance to support us by voting for us in those things. MUEN: MAYBE YOU SHOULD SEND SHARON A FRUIT BASKET. Yeah well, seriously, I don't know how we would ever be in it, so I think I'll save my money and eat the fruit myself. But it would be cool to play; it is Ozzfest, it's no joking: to have that as part of your experience would be cool. Or it WAS Ozzfest. MUEN: SO IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE NEW METAL BAND OUT THERE? That I'm super stoked about?
where everyone else all sounds the same. I mean, they didn't change my life, but I like them. They have tons of little intricacies that really help their music here and there. And they have some very cool and profound changes in the movement of their music. If I do see their disc, I will pick it up. MUEN: WHO WERE YOUR INFLUENCES GROWING UP? The first band that really got me going was Megadeth. It was like the first metal metal album I ever owned. I think Megadeth really did something with thrash music that no band ever did, I mean up until their Rust in Peace. Dave Mustaine was very analytical in the way he wrote the songs. And Marty Freeman as a soloist. Because of all his exotic ways of how to play notes and way of expression. And Dimebag. You know, we got to see Dimebag's grave and that really meant a lot to me. It was very
emotional, I guess. And then I got caught up in the Mike Patton world with Faith No More and stuff. Which was pushing me to be a little weirder and then Korn came out with their high energy and doing weird things with the guitar. There were 2 local bands that actually influenced Psyopus. They made me wanna do what I'm doing. MUEN: WHO WOULD YOU SAY WAS YOUR FAVORITE GUITAR PLAYER IN THE WHOLE WORLD? Keith Richards on heroin! I dunno, that's really weird. I guess I would say Freedman or Dimebag. MUEN: SO HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR NAME? Well, it's pretty simple. Psy is the prefix for physiological and psychotic, and opus meaning musical composition. So Psyopus meaning psychological music composition. MUEN: OR PSYCHOTIC MUSIC. Oh yeah, we definitely have
said that many times before. MUEN: WHAT'S THE WORST EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD; I MEAN BESIDES YOU GETTING TOWED TODAY. I got in a fist fight with our first vocalist. It was a bad day all around. The transmission had gone, we were in the middle of nowhere it was raining. We had to figure out how to solve the problem. And prior to this there was already a strain on our relationship and it just all kind of came to a head on this day. I have been in recovery for over seven years and our work ethics were different. He was more about partying and letting me do all the work. And I was a jerk sometimes because I had to always tell him what to do but it all came to an end that day. It truly was a blessing in disguise. MUEN: CHRIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A MOVIE. COLD NIGHT, VAN BREAKS DOWN, IT'S RAINING, TEMPERS ARE FLARING. FISTS ARE FLYING IN THE POURING RAIN. Well, actually, I want to make a movie about all the stupid stuff that bands at our level

deal with on the road. Like a Spinal Tap thing. Stuff that other bands can relate to, as well as some of the fans. to do?" So I told them and they would say just go and do it. And I was Honor Society and everything, unlike in high school. I had a psychology MUEN: MAKE SURE YOU professor once, and I was on PUT THAT SCENE IN acid in his class and he came THERE. up to me and said, "Why don't you just drop this class." But Oh, for sure, it will definitely be they were all supportive. They part of it. were like, "Do what you gotta do, man." So I did. So I say MUEN: ARE YOUR FAMIthat to the new generation of LIES REALLY SUPPORTIVE musicians: just go out and do OF EVERYBODY? it. And try to do your own thing instead of trying to fit the For the most part, yeah. It took mold. Just don't try to sound my dad a while to really reallike everyone else. ize this is what I wanted to do. My mom is super supportive. MUEN: WELL, I CAN HONAnd now my dad gets excited ESTLY SAY YOU DON'T. when he finds me in a magazine. He calls me up and tells Well thank you, that's very me. cool. MUEN: OKAY, COOL. WHEN MUEN: AS A GUITAR I GET A COPY OF THIS ONE PLAYER, WHAT IS YOUR I'LL CALL YOU AND YOU MUSICAL STYLING? CAN SEND IT TO HIM. My style is when I am in a Oh yeah, that will get him regood mood, I apply it to my ally pumped. Look Dad, that's music; same as a bad mood. me!!! Also I tend to over think, maybe a little analytical? MUEN: AT LEAST YOU AREN'T IN JAIL OR SHOOT- MUEN: WOULD YOU SAY ING UP IN THE CORNER YOU'RE PRETTY TECHNISOMEWHERE. CAL? OR DOES IT JUST HAPPEN? Yeah, like Keith Richards. I'm going to do a rock opera It just happens. Thank you, based on him, I think. this is probably the first time anyone has ever said it right in MUEN: YOU HAVE A LOT OF an interview. Saying things are PROJECTS GOING BEtechnical seems a superficial TWEEN THE BAND, THE ideal of music and when I MOVIE, AND THE OPERA. think it out it just happens to come out this way. Yeah, I'll get none of those done. MUEN: SO WHAT'S THIS CONTROVERSY ABOUT MUEN: WHAT WOULD YOU YOU GETTING ENDORSESAY TO THE YOUNG PEOMENTS I'VE BEEN HEARING PLE NOW WHO ARE TRYABOUT? I WANT TO GET ING TO GET INTO THE THE SCOOP FROM THE BUSINESS? HORSES MOUTH. Just do it. I went to school for a year when I was going to give up on the band thing and that was when Psyopus started, actually. Professors were like, "What do you want Oh I had to send a video to Mesa Boogie for an endorsement to prove that I can really play as fast as they heard because they did not believe what they heard. So I went ahead and made the video to show the guy. In the end nothing came out of it. I did not really pursue it either. I want an endorsement through Peavey really because I love their products so much. I am working on that with Metal Blade now. go stink kick some other fucking kids. MUEN: SO DO YOU THINK THAT WITH SATELLITE RADIO NOW AND INTERNET RADIO IT REALLY HELPS YOU ALONG THE WAY?
Yeah, sure. The over saturation of bands on MySpace and on radio now kind of takes MUEN: WHAT ARE PEOaway some of the magic and PLE'S REACTIONS WHEN excitement there used to be THEY SEE YOU PLAYING? when hearing a band. But if Well, funny thing is the fans al- you are different enough, I think you are rewarded more ways want to know how we than the big label bands who pull it off live. Once they see do what they're told and all. us live they are really impressed with it. MUEN: SO HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A TOUR? MUEN: SO WHAT ARE YOUR FANS LIKE? Well we all practice in our variWell we have a lot of under 30 ous parts of the country and young fans that are musicians then we have like two practices together before we go on as well as older musicians. tour. Then we have a bunch of drugged out hippie fans as well who think our music is re- MUEN: SO YOU HAVE REGULAR JOBS TOO? ally trippy. The only fans that we do not have per se are the Well, one of us does. I haven't really meat head hardcore worked like that in years. In kids who want to break stuff. between gigs I play for Hank We just don't offer anything that would appeal to them and Williams the 3rd; that keeps that's fine by us. Because they the money coming in when there's nothing going on. don't appeal to us. They can
Summer 2009
Interview with Rubella from
BurningAngel.com By Timo Satanis

MUEN: Hi Rubella, thanks for sitting down with us today. We really appreciate the interview. Rubella: Thanks! Glad to be here. MUEN: So, to start off, I'll ask a fairly clich question... What made you decide to get into the alternative porn industry in the first place? Rubella: Hmm ... it's sort of funny I guess because before I had to start trying to look nice for photos, any pictures of me came out really horrible looking and unflattering. One of my friends was into photography and she wanted me to model for her, and I thought it was fun stuff so I kept going with it. I
guess I've always been pretty secure with how I look naked so taking my clothes off wasn't a big hurdle or anything.
MUEN: How many sites have you photographed with so far? Rubella: Oh lord, I don't know. It's al-
most like collecting trading cards or something; there are so many god damned alt porn sites. I'd say ... 8 that I can think of now.
That's all pay sites though, I have worked with a lot of independent photographers as well as those, and my images are on their respective websites and portfolios. I guess there are some clothing companies too, I don't know, too many to list! MUEN: And right now you predominantly work with BurningAngel.com, correct? What's it like working with them? Rubella: Yeah, that's right. I like them a lot, everyone is really fun and nice and Brenda just came out with a book of photography that I'm told I'm in (though I haven't seen it). Matt is always fun to shoot with, going to the parties and meeting the other girls is a lot of fun. Since the new website launched, the message boards are in full force and it's like one big happy naked family.
Rubella: Hahaha no, Rubella: Well there not at all. There are was a forum before people from every but nobody really aspect of the rainbow went on it and it was- ... girls, guys, the old, n't as cool as the the young, the "alt", new one. I don't even etc. All they have in know if most people common is that they knew it was there, like naked girls but the new one is really active. The MUEN: Are your new site lets you add fans pretty respectfriends and your faful most of the vorite time? girls/photos/videos and have a little pro- Rubella: For the file, so all the memmost part, yes. You bers have a photo do get random posts and whatnot. It's fun or instant messages to talk to the memfrom people saying bers, see who's actu- disrespectful or just ally into looking at us downright creepy naked, and what else they're into. A lot of them are really talented actually, one guy is an amazing painter, lots of them are in bands, etc. It's easy to talk to a lot of the other girls who might live far away too, everyone gets along well and it's just a lot of fun for when I need to kill some time.
MUEN: Ah, so Burning Angel opened up a forum now? What's it like getting to interact with your fans online?
MUEN: So would you say that your fans couldn't really be placed into one category?
stuff, but you have to remember that it's the Internet and it's porn. When those two forces are combined, you're bound to get some general weirdness. MUEN: Indeed. It's just one of the aspects of the industry I suppose. Anyhow, it was a pleasure being able to sit down and talk with you today. We really appreciate it. Any last words? Rubella: I don't know, get naked!?
maintaining the soul feel throughout the song are just a few examples of what this talented group of musicians bring to the table each night they rock their fan s world. Shot To Hell is the title of their most recent album and it truly is a must hear for ANY Rock & Roll fan who cannot get enough of Zakk s impeccable style of playing his axe. If you are missing any of Black label Society s albums in your music collection, then I m afraid I have to inform you that packed with talent, your collection is drive and absolute passion for the music quite incomplete. they have created. Band members Zakk Zakk Wylde took the time to talk with me Wylde (guitars/voabout the upcoming cals), Nick Catanese (rhythm guitar), John tour, the songs and JD Deservio (bass) what his fans can expect from them in and Craig Nunenmacher (drums) have 2009. created some of the best rock/metal songs MUEN: Thank you & hail to you for starting this music lover has Black Label Society. heard in a long time. Songs such as Suicide Messiah which Thanks Doll! will make you bang MUEN: You have this your head from the moment it starts, Still- song In This River which is what most born containing Zakk Wylde fans CLASSIC Zakk riffs, Fire It Up giving a would not expect if they were to sit down rock/soul groove at the start and melting and hear it. You hear Zakk Wylde and think into a metal style OK plays with Ozzy & while consistently
on stage is a crazy guy. You hear the piano and actually have the opportunity to listen to how beautiful the song really is were your fans taken aback by you showing that side of yourself? Ah well look, with Ozzy I m at home with everything and I love the mellow stuff. I love listening to Elton John as much as I love listening to Sabbath or Soundgarden. So I mean the whole thing is I love mellow stuff The Eagles, all classic rock stuff you know I listen to Sarah Maclachlan she s awesome. I love the mellow stuff as much as anything I mean good music is good music know what I m saying? MUEN: Exactly, it will speak for itself if it is a good song it doesn t have to be classified into a genre it will just grab a music fan. Yeah just because I love heavy stuff you know there has always been mellow stuff flying around. MUEN: Shot to Hell has been out for awhile now & it s the album you are out promoting yah? Shot to Hell was the
Black Label Societys Zakk Wylde

By Tracy L. Forsyth-Lundy Zakk Wylde is no doubt known best for his unique style of hammering out mind blowing solos & riffs over the years with Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne; however there is much more to this beer drinking, guitar playin madman then his work with Ozzy. Black Label Society has been pounding out album after album since its conception in 1998 & is now heading out on a North American Tour this spring followed with touring in Europe this summer. Black Label Society is
last one so we re getting ready to do some dates right now, we ll head out and do a Black Label batch. We re going to go out and have a blast doing that, starts March 6th until about the middle of May. Then we will either go back into the studio then either finish Ozzy s record we already have like 14-15 songs & then after that I think we are going to do some dates over in Europe for like all the festivals. I ve been spending most of the summers over here doing the Ozzfest and everything like that. I think Ozzy is taking a break this year. People always as me when are you coming over here (Europe)? and I m like well I m on tour dates with Ozzy yada-yadayada so in between that I gotta fit in Black Label. MUEN: When did you have your Holy Shit moment in your career where you sat back and went holy f**k I m Ozzy s guitarist, I have my own instrument line when did it hit you and go hey I made it! ? Well I don t think it s even that. The funny thing is when we are doing these in stores or what everI mean I love working anyways
so it s like my wife will just go you re out on stage and this and that. First off when I go home, all I want to do is just be in the house I mean that IS my vacation. I m never sleeping in my own bed anyways, I m either sleeping on the floor, I m sleeping on a bus or I m in a hotel most of the beds are not mine. When I have a month off from the road it s not even a month off, I m getting ready to go into the studio or we re still working coming out with merch stuff but at the same time if we do go on a vacationmy niece got married out in Turks Cacaos down there in the Bermuda Triangle somewhere I mean the whole thing is just like I brought my guitar, I m getting ready for the tour and I m calling JD up we re talking about the set list or some shit. I m NOT a beach guy first off & second off I don t go surfing so I mean it s just like I don t like laying out in the sand I don t get tanned I get burnt like a f***ing lobster. I m this pasty Dutch/Irish so you know I don t want to be hanging out there you know. I d rather be working so I mean if I m just sitting around I feel like a f**k, if I m watching TV I put
a guitar in my hands and just go over scales and shit like that. I d rather be f***ing working otherwise I feel like I m not getting anything done. After the gigs obviously I like going to the pub and chilling with people and solving the problems of the world and just getting the f**k away from music for like 2 minutes, but to me that s just relaxing & f***ing chilling and having nothing to do with music. After sitting out on a damn beach for a f***ing week just f***ing blows and I want to get back to work.
shorter or what ever but the songs write themselves. As soon as we get into the studio its write the f***ing song! I don t know how bands take a year to make a f***ing album, it s like are you for f***ing real we re talking about 10 songs here man, 10-12 songs and you re recording for a f***ing year? C mon! A straight shooter for certain, Zakk Wylde will always give you his open and honest opinion regardless of the question. His sense of humor had me in tears at certain points during our conversation, with many similar experiences with parenting & the music they listen to as well as how fast they change their minds on who is the next hot band.
MUEN: With Black label Society you basically released your first album in 1998 & you ve done an album or something consecutively every year is that something that is difficult for you or do you just have so much flowing through your Watch for tour dates in your area & don t mind that it just even think about skipcomes naturally? ping his show Black I do all of my writing as Label Society is 100% pure Rock & Roll! soon as I get into the studio, I don t like write Thanks Zakk & see you on the 17th of at the house and do f***ing demos there is March! no such thing as f***ing demos. You go in, you myspace.com/blacklabelsociety write and get inspired, you get it on the board and it s the end of the f***ing song. We may go let s make this part

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BC Blonde (MUEN Magazine)

Shauna (MUEN Magazine) w/ Rob Caggiano of Anthrax

JET (Jeanne Thomas - MUEN)

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clude all ages, male and female!

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BACK FROM ASHES

Jason (Vocals) Lane (Bass)

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THE SPIN AGENTS

Electronic / House / Trance

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Exclusive Interview with DANI FILTH of

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Quebec City 2007

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themselves are a paradox.

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By: Shauna O Donnell

CEPT OF THE ALBUM.

with some established artist in their genre...

Hollywood Rock Band Of The Year

www.myspace.com/sna kerocks Interview with Larry Attard of Snake By Metal Mike

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think if that old prick at the front can do it so can we!!

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THE STONE FOXES

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THE BAND L'ANGUISETTE PLAYING LIVE SHOWS AT ALL?