In lieu of one of my favorite new bands coming to town this month, I just published my interview with Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada on Double Stereo. Shortly after my interview, Alternative Press announced them as their "Band of the Year" for 2009. Check out the sweet cover.
The guys from The Devil Wears Prada will be back in Austin again to play at Stubb's with Kill Switch Engage on February 24th. You can purchase advance tickets HERE. Their live show is sick I tell you! Sick!
Read my interview to learn about what's coming up and to hear why Mike thinks his early records are "dumbed down". I also posted some great live video from Roxwell in the interview. Check it out:
To many, Sara Lov is known as the female voice behind Devics. Now both Lov and Dustin O’Halloran have solo projects of their own worth listening to. Sara Lov’s current album, Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming, gives fans a new sound from Lov that has received critical acclaim by tastemakers everywhere. After capturing live footage and talking to Lov, it is easy to understand what the buzz was all about.
The other talk about Lov this year has been about her childhood. After an LA Weekly interview, it seems that every interview or write up about Lov after that interview focused heavily on it. It is not that there isn’t a story there, because Lov is a victim of childhood kidnapping. Too often with Lov this year, her childhood story was too much of the focus and her music seemed to play second fiddle.
Lov’s got quite the story in itself when it comes to her album, Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming. It was originally released in spring on Nettwerk, but Lov left the label shortly thereafter. She later re-released it through Filter in August. I caught up with Sara Lov when she was in Austin and spoke with her about her live show that features a record player and what’s behind her new album.
How did it feel to play in Austin again?
Sara: I felt great. I’ve only been here with my old band, Devics.
I can’t believe it has been that long since you played in Austin. Usually indie singer-songwriters do well here and love to come tour through Austin.
Sara: I just started though as a solo artist. I was supposed to come for South By Southwest. The label I first signed with, didn’t want to pay for it so I couldn’t afford to come. I ended up leaving that label and that’s why Filter re-released my record.
How has it been for you touring as a solo artist?
Sara: Again, my solo thing is still pretty new. I just put my record out originally in April only to get it released later on in the year. All the shows I had been doing before were with a band. When I went to Europe I did it with me, a cello and a piano. I did that on the West Coast as well. I just did my first full U.S. tour as a solo artist. Since I’d open on a tour with three bands, it made sense that it would be just me. I don’t like playing by myself. I feel that I am not good enough of a guitar player. I’m more of a singer but I knew I needed the music. I was trying to figure out a way to do that and then the record player idea came up.
It was a very cool idea. I saw it and looked vintage, nothing like high end DJ turntables.
Sara: Actually, it’s not. It’s kind of a trick. Originally I really did want a vintage record player because I thought it looked cool. I almost did it because I found a guy who was going to loan me one with an XLR, which would allow it to go into the P.A. It was going to be perfect I thought. Then he told me that once he understood what I was actually trying to do, I learned that it was a bad idea. The old record players are not perfect in terms of speed. They can slow down and speed up. He told me that if I was playing an instrument to it, and if it speeds of or slows down while I was playing, it would be out of key. Plus they weren’t reliable enough to tour with. I had to use a new record player in order to get the reliability and sound quality I needed, but I didn’t want it to look like that. I ended up finding this old vintage suit case and went and had foam cut to fit in it. I traveled with a super fancy DJ record player and it traveled in a flight case. Every night I put it into the vintage suitcase. I made a hole in it so the cords can go in the back. I put some lights around it and stuff to make it look warm. In fact, I made a video about it on YouTube. It has made me a better guitar player in the sense that I have to play perfect to be on time with the record.
Has it ever skipped on you?
Sara: There were a couple funny incidences where it skipped or did weird things, but it made for a good joke on stage.
So the entire set was performed with a record player?
Sara: I had a couple of Sea Wolf’s members come out and play two songs with me. Ted, who was in Divecs with me, played bass. Lisa played piano. With them, it was like a whole new world and sounded so much better.
Let’s chat about your album, Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming, for a bit. I would love to know about a couple of specific songs, starting with the song “New York”. What’s the story behind that song?
Sara: I don’t really love to talk too much about lyrics because I feel when I listen to songs, I create a story in my head and I don’t want to take that away from people. I think it builds a story for you.
Well if it is based on the stuff I read in your bio, specifically the moving around and all the difficult events in your childhood, it could be anything from that really.
Sara: It’s not an early memory. My childhood, even though it was really talked about, is not something I write about that much anymore; maybe every now and then sure. In the song “Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming” there might be hints of my past. I wrote a lot about my childhood in Divecs. I tend to write about what I’m going through so stuff is a little more current.
So then what is the meaning behind the album’s title?
Sara: For me that is basically the idea that as you get older you are trying to maintain your idealism as you let go of your innocence. It is a really easy to lose because when you’re young, everything is beautiful, exciting and brand new. As you get older and more jaded, it is harder to feel that way. When you find those moments and you feel like you are looking through young eyes again, that is what it means or is referring to.
Tell me a little something about your former band Divecs for those who don’t know.
Sara: I have been doing music for a long time. In Divecs we made five records and three EPs. We started when I was in my early twenties. We played at Emo’s in Austin with Live To Experience in 2002, if you can remember that band.
So do you think you’re childhood, other than the Divecs connection, is what drives media and fans to give you a listen?
Sara: It seems like it. That’s fine. I don’t have a problem talking about it.
Do you think after this album the questions or talk about it will fizzle away and focus on your music more?
Sara: I don’t know. To me, it’s been around so long and people are still talking about it. Maybe I’ll have a different story or tell my later in life story for my next record.
Will it be a happier record? Maybe less dark? I mean you fooled me into thinking Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming was going to be happier record based on the cover.
Sara: I did the artwork like that so it would not be so dark because I felt like the music was. I thought it brought a nice balance to it. Dark is the kind of music I make and I always have, but you never know. I don’t know if I’ll ever be happy pop songs kind of person. I like a lot of that stuff, but it isn’t what inspires me to write.
Speaking of music you listen to, what is something you haven’t told people yet or something that people might be surprised to hear?
Sara: I started out on the Beatles and Beach Boys. My first discovery was the Grease Soundtrack and Abba. That’s pretty cheesy. One of my first real loves were The Smiths.
What is it about The Smiths that speaks to you?
Sara: I was probably about fifteen years old when I got into The Smiths. At that time I thought I had an idea of what the lyrics meant, but when I got older they meant something different. I think for me it was his voice, lyrics and I got to meet Johnny Marr (Smiths/guitar) a few times.
Do you ever think of writing your own autobiography one day?
Sara: I’d like to. I thought about it a lot lately. I get so many questions. I’d like to try and I think I will. It’s just a matter of me doing it. I’d also like to write it because it will be good for me to get out. Then there’s also people getting facts wrong and when I’m read it I get frustrated. I’d have to figure out what parts to write and what not to.
Is there anything we should know about you as a solo artist that I didn’t touch upon?
Sara: I’m really into the whole YouTube thing. I have a YouTube channel because I have three amazing videos that I had amazing people help me make. One is for “A Thousand Bees”. It was done with a photographer named Noah Webb. It was his first time directing a video. We did all of it with still photographs. The other song is “New York” which was the first video I did. That’s based off my drawings and was directed by Marco Mirandi. The other video is for “Fountain” which features some amazing illustrations by my best friend, Seonna Hong. Check out the covers too that are also on there. They came from fan requests.
So does this we can expect an acoustic cover album from you in the future?
Sara: I do want to do more covers on YouTube. I still have a ton more that I want to do. I love doing other people’s songs for fun. It’s easy to do. What kept me from doing more was I started touring. If I ever did a cover album, it would be with a band.
**Currently Sara Lov is preparing for a January tour overseas in Italy to support Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming. In the meantime, check out this Double Stereo exclusive of Sara Lov performing “Touched” at Emo’s in Austin, Texas.**
It is weird being on this side of the fence for once, the side where you are actually interviewed or are the interviewee. Here's Dulcenea Garica's interview from this week's edition, which is print only right now. The Austin Times is currently rebuilding their website. The interview is about Austin Vida and the upcoming Austin Vida showcase happening Saturday night at Beauty Bar. You should come. It will be fun.
The Austin Times interview with Austin Vida Editor in Chief By Dulcenea Garcia The Austin Times (http://www.theaustintimes.com/)
Look out Austin because Austin Vida is making its mark in the Latin music scene. The new Austin Vida online magazine was launched in January 2009 and has become the place to find the latest reviews and interviews in Latin music.
On Saturday, December 19th, Austin Vida will celebrate its one year anniversary by presenting its first showcase under new ownership of Ian Morales.
The Austin Times spoke with Morales about Austin’s new music online magazine and upcoming event.
The Austin Times: Who are the bands that will be featured in your showcase?
Ian Morales: This particular showcase has been months in the making. After meeting with Alba Peña of Conexion Rockera, both parties decided to put on this showcase. We gave Peña a list of bands we liked. Maneja Beto was at the top of the list. As a staff, we are all big Maneja Beto fans and feel like they offer a unique sound that is hip enough for young audiences, but traditional enough for our parents to enjoy. Este Vato is a young band that people can dance to, with sounds ranging from cumbia to hip hop.
El Tule is a large band, in members and stature, and has a great live sound. DJ Chorizo Funk is a local favorite. Once I heard some of his mixes, I immediately loved his style. He’ll definitely get the party going early.
TAT: What has Austin Vida accomplished since beginning in 2009?
IM: First and foremost, we’ve sustained. So many new blogs and online magazine sites go under within their first year. Not only have we sustained, but we grew. New visitors are finding us everyday from all parts of the world. The other accomplishment is the praise and approval of the different musicians and industry people that we’ve received.
TAT: What are your goals for Austin Vida this coming up year?
IM: To keep up the momentum we’ve built as a group. Of course we want to increase our readership here in Austin, but also outside of Austin so that the artists, businesses, and people we feature get a bigger spotlight. We also will be working towards presenting more showcases, especially for Latin Music month in May.
TAT: Who are some Austin Latino bands we should watch for in 2010?
IM: Este Vato and La Guerrilla, two bands we featured as up and coming in 2009 on Austin Vida, will be coming out will their full length albums next year. They are the new generation to carry the flag for Latin Music in Austin along with Kalua.
TAT: Do you believe there is huge fan base for Latin music in Austin?
IM: I believe the fan base is big, but honestly “huge” is still a stretch. I think more people, both Latino and non, need to be exposed to what the Latin Music scene in Austin has to offer. I also feel people need to expand on their idea of what Latin Music is. Some of the most talented Latino musicians in Austin and in Latin America don’t play Latin Music or even sing in Spanish. We feel that they need to be included in the conversation when it comes to the Austin Latin Music scene.
TAT: What is your greatest interview moment?
IM: That’s a toss up between two different interviews. For me personally, it was getting to sit down with Alejandro Escovedo last spring. He has quite the history, to say the least, and is iconic as far as I’m concerned. There was also getting to see Ajay Miranda, Austin Vida Managing Editor, do our first video interview on Blastro.com with Camilo Lara of Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS).
The Austin Vida showcase featuring Maneja Beto, El Tule, Este Vato, and DJ Chorizo Funk is on Saturday, December 19th at Beauty Bar. Tickets are $5 dollars and guarantee you a night full of dancing and fun.
Ian Morales, third from the left, of Austin Vida poses with Maneja Beto
My favorite band of all time is and always will be Rage Against The Machine, but The Sword challenges that crown every time I listen to their music or see them live. The Austin metal Gods rocked Fun Fun Fun Fest in November and are currently working on a new album. If you were at Fun Fun Fun Fest, you heard a few of their new songs. For those of you who weren't there, don't worry. They are still epic and rock your face off. Their new stuff sounds just as good if not better than what they've done thus far. They just announced some new tour dates, which appear to be strictly regional for now. There isn't an Austin or San Antonio date, which is a real bummer, so I may be driving to Corpus, Houston or Denton for one of their shows. Here are the dates and cities:
January 23 Corpus Christi, TX House of Rock
January 24 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Studio
January 25 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
January 27 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Café
January 28 Oklahoma City, OK Conservatory
January 29 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves
Did I mention they rocked Fun Fun Fun Fest? Here is a video someone captured in decent quality of one of their new songs entitled "Tres Brujas", which translates as "Three Witches". Check it out.
For more info about what's coming up in 2010 from The Sword, check out my interview with bassist Bryan Richie at Fun Fun Fun Fest in November 2009.
I know it's cold and we saw some snow Austin, but don't let that deter you from going out and having a good time tonight. As always in Austin, there is so much going on that is it isn't worth staying home if you can afford to go out. That's also the trouble living here...what to do? How does the average 9-5 working Joe know what to do or where to go any given night? Easy. I'll tell you.
For those of you who want to check out some local goodness, tonight is your night. It seems like there isn't the heavy hitting touring act to hang with all the Austin based talent Saturday. Again, another great reason I haven't left town and why I don't plan to. Sure Vallejo and Ryan Harkrider are playing at Antone's, Red Leaves play at The Beauty Bar, but that's too chill for a Saturday night if you ask me.
Tonight hardcore and punk rock lovers should be at Red 7 to catch Sober Daze as they open before Chicago based touring act, The Effigies. Known by many as Chicago's punk pioneers, this will be a rare opportunity to see these guys. Red 7 wouldn't just book anyone in front of them, so that should tell you something about the dudes from Sober Daze. I've said for a long time now that these guys have great potential and just kill it live. Lately they've opened for The Vandals, Fat Wrechords artist Dead To Me and now The Effigies. Start paying attention punk rock lovers. Soon you'll be seeing them headline and their cover charge will increase. This show is a great two for one, local goodness and a legendary touring act. Check out the rest of the line up and more details for this show here at Do512.
Also for the hardcore, Pack of Wolves play just around the corner from Red 7 at Mohawk. These Mexican metal heads have had quite the year. They released their debut album, Betrayer, on Arclight Records in spring, opened for The Sword in September and played Fun Fun Fun Fest last month. I'll say it once and I'll say it again. These dudes will be the next metal band from Austin to go major. I don't think they'll blow up like The Sword, but being nationally known and bigger tours are in the future for the wolves. What I am waiting for is their next record, which they are working on and is due out next year. If you love good metal, pick up the Betrayer vinyl which comes with a coded card to download the mp3s. It's good old school thrash with a little death metal touch on the vocals. It's one of my favorite local releases to come out this year.
To prove my point, check out these two videos. The first is their official music video for "Concession" off Betrayer. It's one of the better videos I've seen at the local level.
Here' an interview I did backstage at this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest last month with Pack of Wolves lead singer Trey Ramirez and drummer Adrian Carillo. Hopefully this can give you a little more insight as to what these dudes are about.
This week on AustinVida my good friends Sarah Vasquez and Alysha Hernandez featured two great singer-songwriters, both Latino. I just wanted to share a little about these artists with you all and link you to the interviews. I do it to also show the wide variety of genres covered on Austin Vida, something I don't think anyone else really does in terms of Latino media based out of Austin.
The first interview is with Seattle based Vicci Martinez. She came through here last month sometime and performed at Momo's, a great venue for this type of genre. I got wind of her when I was reading something online one day and saw her name. Truth be told, I thought it was a friend of mine by the same name that I hadn't seen in years. I "Googled" her and came across a musician's MySpace page. Coincidentally, singer-songwriter Vicci had an Austin date on her tour schedule and the rest is history. She has a great voice, especially from someone who is so little. This girl has something. Give her a listen and check out Sarah's interview with Vicci Martinez.
Also on the singer-songwriter front this month on Austin Vida is Arthur Yoria. I have known about this dude for a while, but he hasn't blown up the spot like I think he's capable of. He is of Colombian descent but born and raised here in the U.S. He is a creative dude to say the least, but not in that weird sense where general audiences would be turned off. Some of my crew and I saw him at Momo's recently, at midnight on a Tuesday. It was the best Tuesday at midnight show I remember seeing. Yoria was like the Carrot Top of singer-songwriters, pulling out different instruments left and right.
Yoria uses some sort of music recorder mechanism that records sounds and loops that sound it records. He then creates another sound, records it and adds it to the loop. It makes him a one man band, literally. It is not something I haven't seen before, but it's been so long and the last time I saw someone do it live it didn't impress me like Yoria did. Watch this video all the way through to get the idea.
Click the link below to read the Arthur Yoria interview by Alysha Hernandez on Austin Vida:
If you like what you hear, please check out the links on Austin Vida. While Vicci Martinez doesn't have anything on the books for Austin anytime soon, Yoria will be here again in December. See the article for details.
Over the past decade, the Latin alternative genre has grown by leaps and bounds. The music is more diverse and more modern in comparison to its rock en español roots of the '80s and early '90s. The Monterrey, Mexico, music scene is responsible for a large part of that growth and evolvement. Monterrey's own Latin alternative headliners (all-stars, maybe), Kinky, are a large part of that growth and the genre's success. Having conquered the Monterrey club scene early on, the quintet's worldwide fan base has only grown. Having released what may be their best album in spring of 2009, Barracuda, their stock will only continue to rise.
Unfortunately, Kinky was not able to play a show here in Austin this year. In order to see one of the greatest Latin alternative acts on the scene, Austin Vida had to travel up Interstate-35 to catch them at the House of Blues in Dallas. Before their set, we got to speak with Ulises Lozano (keyboards) for 10 minutes to chat about Barracuda, soccer, video games and what's coming up in 2010 for the Monterrey rockers.
Pictures from the show in Dallas by Austin Vida photo editor, Mari Hernandez:
Click here to read the interview with Ulises Lozano and check out our exclusive live video from the show:
It's been a long recovery from last week's Fun Fun Fun Fest. It was the best day of the year on Saturday, then got ugly and muddy on Sunday. None the less, it still kicked major ass. How can a festival in Austin, Texas with GZA and Danzig headlining suck? It is not possible. It is has been my favorite music fest not named Pachanga. It was my first year as "press" and it was a blast! I got to meet some local headliners whom I've loved for a long time and some cool touring acts whose music I enjoy.
For coverage my friend and Double Stereo contributor, Ajay Miranda, decided to do photo-slide video podcasts a la The New York Times. It was a way for us to pump out stuff quickly with visuals and to have something to load on YouTube.
On Saturday my first interview was Dead Confederate, a Georgia alt-psych rock band who I really dig. I missed their set unfortunately, but they were entertaining during the interview and cool to just talk to around the media tent during the day. They told me their Danzig story and the reason they never put out the live video footage they advertised recently. Here's that interview:
The second interview I did on Saturday was with a member from The Sword, which as you all know is my favorite band right now. Normally I'd be more geeked out about it, but this interview was different. You see, the interview was with my old high school chum whom I have known for a while, bassist Bryan Richie. We just sat and talked and talked and talked. Bryan has always been a sharp and witty guy. he gives honest answers and some will crack you up. I felt like it was a way for me to catch up with an old friend rather than the traditional interview so to speak.
We talked so long that Ajay had to edit it in three parts in order to upload to YouTube. We start part one by taking it back to our Round Rock High School days, playing in a band with Ryan Figg who is now with The Octopus Project. Part two talks about Third Eye Blind and meeting Lars Ulrich for the first time. In part three, we talk about what is coming up for The Sword in 2010 and he tells me the name of some new tracks.
Sword fans, this is porn for your metal ears! No one but me could have given this to you. I hope to do it again with Bryan and the other members soon. I got to see thier set, and was going to come hell or high water, and it was EPIC! I can't wait for the new album. Here's the interviews:
Some other cool stuff that Saturday night at Fun Fun Fun Fest was getting to check out Ajay's interviews with indie-post rockers Red Sparowes and Russian Circles. As always in the media tent, there were plenty of opportunities for photo ops. I totally took advantage and got some cool photos. Check them out:
Me with Red Sparowes
Me with The Cool Kids
Me with Death
I have more Fun Fun Fun stuff coming soon. On Sunday is when I talked to some awesome Austin bands you should know and took some other cool pics. Thanks again to Transmission, The Austinist, Double Stereo, Ajay Miranda, and my photographers Chantel and Mari for holding it down Saturday. My good friend Sarah Vasquez also helped out big time by taking photos when the other photographers were in the field. I don't know what I'd do with her there or at all really. It was a blast and seeing Death more than anything made the whole experience for me. They were amazing and it felt like I was in a time warp before punk was even a genre. Let me know what you all think, especially Sword fans.
Mike Herrera is known to most people as the bassist and frontman of the popular punk band MxPx. What many still don’t know is that Herrera is also an avid classic country music fan. He has been writing country songs with his own style and twist for many years now. It warms my heart to know that I'm not the only punk-rock lover who enjoys classic country.
With Tumbledown, Herrera fronts a new group of musicians from his home town of Bremerton, Washington, while being signed to an Austin-based record label called End Sounds. Herrera toured with Tumbledown recently, which included a stop in Austin. We caught up with Herrera at Emo’s and chatted with him in his tour van while he restrung his guitar. Apparently, the show in San Antonio the night before was a little crazy and all hell wasn’t the only thing that broke.
Click to read the full interview with Mike Herrera here:
Tonight there are quite a bit of choices for excellent rock shows. The Bravery headline Emo's outdoor with The Dustys. There's local indie goodness with Quiet Company and Morakestra at The Parish and The Blackheart Procession at Mohawk. My personal, expert recommendation for tonight is the show at Emo's inside stage, which features headliners The Subjects. Tickets are $8, maybe a couple more at the door which opens at 9PM.
The real treat and reason for making that show my pick is not for the headliner, but for the band Bad Veins. They came through Emo's last month when they played under The Black And White Years and after Built By Snow. Their self titled album came across my desk earlier in the year and has been one of my absolute favorite albums of the year. It is very Killers-esque, but much more eclectic in terms of instrumentation and sound. Their music sounds like it's an eight member band, but it is indeed only two dudes. The two dudes, Ben Davis and Sabstien Schultz, hail from Cincinnati, Ohio. I used to live in Cincinnati before moving to Texas in 1995. It was cool reminiscing for a bit.
Me with Bad Veins at Emo's in Austin, Texas
I got to chat with them last time they were Emo's and catch their live show. It was totally bad ass to say the least. It was the first time I got to see someone singing into a box with a telephone as a voice encoder. They sound just as good live as they do on CD and won over the audience in attendance. I'm glad to see them come back again and hope they always come around. I love this band. Go check out Bad Veins tonight and check out this new video interview Ajay and I did for our good friends at Double Stereo.
Earlier this year, Austin Vida featured an exclusive backstage interview with The Chris Perez Project at Pachanga Fest. Not surprising to the staff, we were flooded with emails about more videos, mp3s inquiries and other general questions about Chris Perez. What was a little surprising was the amount of interest given to the project's frontman, Austin’s own Angel Ferrer.
Having lived in Austin for so long now, I often forget Ferrer is a virtual unknown to many these days. No stranger to the Austin Music scene, Ferrer has been playing in Austin since the late '90s. Whether it was with his own band, the Austin Music Award-winning Ill Camino, or with local heavy hitters Vallejo, Ferrer has a reputation as one of the better rock-and-roll voices in Austin. His unique look, great singing voice and songwriting ability is what put Ferrer on the path to front Chris Perez's newest band. While that's still in development, Ferrer chooses to stay active musically.
Ferrer’s latest solo project, Angel Ferrer’s The Daylight Sessions, is not the modern rock he’s known for. The Daylight Sessions is an R&B/soul collective that is comprised of his brother Albert Ferrer and other local musician friends of Ferrer’s. Proving to be a jack of all trades, or in this case genres, Ferrer is soon to be a local headliner again. Get to know the rock, and soul, side of Angel Ferrer.
Click here to read the full interview with Ferrer and watch live video of his new band, Angel Ferrer's The Daylight Sessions.
When L.A. based Killola came through Austin last month, I was lucky enough to catch up to them for an interview. I saw them last year with The Action Design at Red 7 and have been a fan ever since. There in the picture you see me with Lisa, lead singer and soon to be movie star? Check out my interview with Killola to find out what's coming up for Killola in the coming year. I also posted the craziest music video for their song "Cracks in the Armor".
In the latter part of 2008, melodic death metal group The Black Dahlia Murder received word from then lead guitarist John Kempainen that he was quitting the band. At the time, they were on tour and had to continue as a four-piece band instead of the usual quintet. But filling in the gap didn’t take long. Former Arsis guitarist Ryan Knight was recruited with the help of a friend of the band, and the rest is history. Double Stereo caught up with Ryan Knight recently to introduce him to the fans and talk about what’s new with The Black Dahlia Murder.
Not just anyone can join The Black Dahlia Murder. How do you know the guys? What was it like to join the band?
Ryan: The way I knew the band was through my old band, Arsis. We toured with Black Dahlia last year. It was a like a B-markets tour before Summer Slaughter. The guy who we just recorded our album with, Jason Suecof, has a partner that engineers with him. His name is Mark Lewis. I had known them both for two or three years. One day I call mark and told him I could not be in Arsis anymore. I knew he worked with a lot of bands, and asked him to put the word out. A couple of months later, I got a call from Mark telling me Black Dahlia was looking for a new guitar player. I told him I’d totally do it. I had just gotten through touring with those guys a few months before. Brian Eschbach called me that same day and that’s how I’m in the band.
So how has your life changed since being in Black Dalia Murder?
Ryan: It is just another level, comparing the band I was in to Black Dahlia. Obviously we are doing bigger tours and just traveling everywhere. My first show with them was actually in Iceland. I have been to Europe for six weeks with them. It was a really big step, but it’s been fun.
How has Mayhem Fest been for you guys this past summer?
Ryan: This past summer for us has been amazing. The exposure you get from Mayhem is incredible. We played in front of our fans, Slayer’s fans and even Marilyn Manson’s fans. You had this big melting pot of people that are into all types of stuff. People go crazy every day. But some days, when it was really hot, like a show in Florida, they were like a stone wall. I can’t blame them though. The heat was brutal that day.
What’s going on with you guys now that Mayhem is over? I know your new album, Deflorate, just came out on September 15th.
Ryan: Yup, it came out on Metal Blade Records. Now we are starting our tour with Children of Bodom and Skeletonwitch. After that we will be around playing everywhere.
Tell me something you liked about this year’s Mayhem Tour. Is there anyone you discovered or liked checking out live?
Ryan: Touring with Slayer is a lifetime dream come true for anyone on this tour. I haven’t watched them every night, but I’ve watched four or five times. All the bands on our stage were label mates. We’ve toured with a lot of them before. It was fun though, like touring with our friends.
Did you catch Marilyn Manson?
Ryan: I have a couple of times. I am not that big of a fan, but he brings people. That’s cool. I never thought I’d be on the same tour with him back in seventh grade when I first heard him.
Right on. So I imagine there will be no sleep for you guys the rest of this year at least?
Ryan: Sleep? Not happening. We have a lot of touring going on.
Besides it being the first time where you have been on the actual album, what is different about Deflorate in comparison to the previous Black Dahlia Murder albums?
Ryan: This record is definitely a step up from the other albums. It is still a Black Dahlia record, but at the same time there are some new things like new time signatures we haven’t experimented with before. I’m the new lead guitarist, so when you change lead guitarists then obviously the leads are going to be different. They’re cool though.
Any different themes to any of the songs on Deflorate that Black Dahlia hadn’t done previously?
Ryan: I know on some songs Trevor had done maybe a sci-fi sort of thing. The last album had sort of a night feel. Deflorate’s cover art has sort a “deserty” sort of space theme. It has a big moon. It’s not a spaced theme album though.
It’s not a Pink Floyd cover by any means?
Ryan: Oh no. From the lyrics I’ve read, and I have read quite a few, it does have kind of a sci-fi theme. I know Trevor is into older mid ‘90s death metal. Sometimes there is a lot of gore in there. He is all into that so that is all there still. There is still Black Dahlia.
Tell me a little about the Majesty DVD.
Ryan: It has 2 discs. One disc is live footage. It has a documentary of how we are as a band. It goes from our life in the band. A lot of the band smokes weed and there’s some of that in there. It is not like an in-depth history, but more like a day in the life of the band. It was shot over the course of a couple of years. I’m on it for the last twenty minutes. It does have some really good live footage, but it isn’t just the run of the mill live DVD. Kids who have seen it come up to the guys and ask about their shoes and stuff that they saw them wear on the DVD.
Does that sort of thing surprise you?
Ryan: Not really. Brian, our other guitar player, wears these all white New Balance shoes. It’s like a funny thing that kids notice that.
Funny but I don’t think that fans see that as very metal. Now a Revolver Magazine cover…that’s metal. How has the Revolver Magazine cover changed things for you?
Ryan: The Revolver cover was cool. Revolver is like everywhere. I could tell my mom to go get one at like, say, Kroger’s and it will be there. That’s how big it is. It’s cool. We all felt honored as a band to be in it, especially Trevor having the cover. It is a step that says, “We’re here.” It helps us carry the torch for death metal. In a lot of ways I think this band is sort of a gateway band.
In what sense?
Ryan: It is a gateway into the realm of more extreme stuff. I hope we can continue being that. A lot of kids are already into Slipknot, Disturbed and bands like that. That is what’s good about us being in Revolver. They do a good job of not only taking stuff people know about and putting out there, but also cover some of the up and coming smaller bands.
I’d be interested to see in about a year what level you make it to, especially after a Revolver cover. In terms of what I will refer to as the “Mayhem bands,” you guys aren’t quite a headliner yet. You’re mid level right now. I’d love to talk with you later on about how your life has changed once again.
Ryan: We will definitely keep trying to bring blast beats and fast music to more people.
With all the exposure, do you ever see yourself breaking through to mainstream rock radio the way Slipknot or Disturbed have? Or do you think that you will remain off the air?
Ryan: Well, I don’t know. I can see us on maybe satellite radio maybe. Mainstream radio? I don’t know if we will ever be on mainstream rock radio like Slipknot. We won’t ever sell a million records or anything, even though selling albums is like a thing of the past. We’re just going to continue to push it and see where it takes us. We’re not too worried about it. You don’t join metal bands to hit it rich or anything. You join because t is what you love to play and listen to.
Any last words before we wrap up?
Ryan: Thanks always to fans. We wouldn’t be here without you. Be sure to get the new CD, Deflorate, on Metal Blade Records.
I caught up with Girl in a Coma drummer, Phanie Diaz, for a brief chat. I wanted to pick her brain about what Girl in a Coma does when in Austin and why they love it here so much. Austin certainly loves them and so do I. I will be sure and post more show info coming tomorrow.
Click here to read the Phanie Diaz chat on Austin Vida and see an exclusive live video performance.
The Krum Bums live at Red 7 on August 14, 2009 (Bob Kinney)
My friend and Austin Vida Staff Writer, Alysha Hernadez, just published one of the best Krum Bums interviews I have read in recent memory. I have always been a big punk rock fan as many of you may know, but I'm also a long time Krum Bums fan. A staple in Austin and at Red 7, they continue on playing headlining shows here. On August 14th, they played thier CD release show for the new EP. I'll talk more about that later. You know I got my hands on one. I wish I could have made it to that show, but I was in San Antonio covering Mayhem Fest. I'll catch them when they get home from tour.
By the way, here is the set list from that CD release show at Red 7:
To find out more on the Krum Bums, check out the following Links:
On July 29th at The Mohawk here in Austin, some of my team from Austin Vida and I checked out local Latin Fusion Band, La Guerrilla. My friend and Austin Vida staff writer, Sarah Vasquez, knew the lead singer from a previous band he was in a few years ago. I had heard of La Guerrilla before but never got a chance to see them live. In Austin, with so much music everywhere you turn, it is difficult to catch everyone on your list of bands to see.
After I got wind of them opening for Grupo Fantasma recently, I knew I needed to make them a priority on my list. When we saw them at Mohawk that night, I realized that this band was numerous in members. They had the usual guitar, bass, and drummer, yada yada yada. What I didn't know until that night was that La Guerrilla also has a brass section, an extra percussionist, and a violinist. It made for a great live sound collectively. Take a listen to La Guerrilla here on this YouTube video my friend and Managing Editor, Ajay Miranda, shot for Austin Vida:
I first saw The Morakestra last year. What I saw and heard was a group of talented young Latinos doing some fantastic indie rock worthy of everyone's ear. This year I reviewed their latest album, Witness To Connection, for Austin Vida. I thought it was solid album with only a few songs that made me go "huh?".
Originally from El Paso, the Austin based Morakestra is steadily becoming a regular Austin staple around Red River. When I got word of their CD release show, I made sure my Austin Vida team and I included The Morakestra on the website somehow. I am very happy with the way everything turned out. Ajay Miranda shot great video once again, and Sarah Vasquez gave us an insightful interview to help those unfamiliar with The Morakestra get acquainted.
Here is a YouTube video from the Austin Vida YouTube Channel that did not get published with the article that will give you an idea of The Morakestra's look and sound.
I recently fulfilled a childhood dream of mine when I not only met the legendary B-Real, but also interviewed him for Austin Vida. He was here in Austin touring with Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. B-Real was supporting his solo album, Smoke N Mirrors.
That day was also a special day because it was my good friend Ajay's birthday. I never had a birthday with a hip hop legend, but I was glad for him. We even did birthday shots with B-Real, Sick Jacken (Psycho Realm) and their crew. I never do shots or drink anything not marked "Lone Star", but it was a special occasion. If only someone would hurry up and invent time travel. I'd go back to visit 8th grade me in Cincinnati (where I lived at the time) and tell me about that night.
I hate to sound like such a fan boy, but Cypress Hill turned my world upside when I was a kid. When I first got my own adult stereo, CD player and all, I owned only three CDs. Those three were 1) Pearl Jam's Ten 2) The Red Hot Chili Peppers classic Blood Sugar Sex Magic and 3) Cypress Hill's self titled debut. "Latin Lingo" was the song that I used to play on repeat, now that I had that ability to do so without rewinding a cassette tape. Remember....it was the early '90s.
To check out the greatness that is B-Real, check out this montage Ajay filmed and edited from his show at The Mohawk. B-Real does some Cypress Hill hits along with some tracks off of Smoke N Mirrors.
Ian is a graduate of Round Rock High School and attended St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. In 2008 he joined the team at Double Stereo (formerly CD Fuse) as their Blog editor where he reviewed concerts, albums, and did interviews for the popular music site.In January 2009, he became the Editor in Chief for Austin Vida. In 2010, with the help of some of his most talented friends, he launched Red River Noise. "Ian's Music Blog" is also one of the few blogs selected to be a Do512 All-Star.
On any given night of the week he can be found in downtown Austin on 6th Street and the Red River live music district.
