Today we return to Los Angeles to speak with Steven Eric Wilson of Plasticsoul. We’re going deep, kids. Hang on tight.
Tell me a little about your background. How you got into music.
Steven Eric Wilson: I had 5 older brothers and sisters who filled my head with all sorts of music from as early as I can remember. It was probably Kiss who made me want to be a musician. They were like super heroes with guitars.
How did Plasticsoul come together?
SEW: When I was 15 I joined my first band – a really horrible punk band – playing bass guitar. Our guitar player had a $15 pawn shop guitar that was made from particle board. Our drummer played Synsonics drums (no, seriously). I played with a couple more bands after that before I got disillusioned with the whole “band” thing and decided to do things on my own. I liked the idea of being a solo artist while using a band moniker like Matt Johnson/The The. Originally I wanted to call the band The Sal Mineos but my friend told me that I might have problems with the estate of Sal Mineo so I changed it to Plasticsoul. During the recording of our first album, Pictures From The Long Ago, Marc Bernal became a permanent fixture in the group. We did as much of the production, recording, and playing as we could do on our own, and got help from our friends when we couldn’t. During the recording of our second album, Peacock Swagger, we made the decision to add members to the group in order to better recreate live what we were doing in the studio.
Is your band’s name “Plasticsoul” a reference to the term black musicians in the 60s used to describe Mick Jagger (a white musician singing soul music)?
SEW: Yes. After that Paul McCartney said “plastic soul man, plastic soul” in the fade out of The Beatles track “I’m Down”. Then they mutated the phrase into their album title Rubber Soul. I wanted something that reminded people of vintage music. All of our amps and guitars are pre 1970 and we are heavily influenced by classic rock, so it seemed appropriate.
I hear some Beatles influence, but mostly in the vocals. Is that intentional?
SEW: The Beatles are a huge influence on me. They were innovators and they wrote amazing songs. I don’t intentionally try to sing like any member of The Beatles and I don’t really hear it myself. It’s strange how many people hear different things in my voice. I’ve gotten Michael Penn, George Michael (??) and Billy Corgan (?!?!?!) and others.
Tell me about the song “Over & Over.”
SEW: Over & Over is about trying to ignore emotional pain by burying it deep within you and trying to forget it. I grew up trying to do this and it doesn’t work. Eventually all of that poison will bubble back up to the surface and really mess you up mentally and physically. That song was a big exorcism for me. I’m really proud of that one.
What inspires you musically and lyrically?
SEW: I’m inspired by whatever I’m feeling at the time. I’m not usually very direct in my lyric writing. My lyrics tend to be more about imagery than about saying something specific. I like leaving things open to interpretation.
I’m inspired musically by real instruments. Music that is made without digital correction. I love hearing mistakes. Some of my favorite parts of songs are mistakes or things that shouldn’t be there. The squeaky kick drum pedal in James Brown’s Sex Machine makes me smile every time.
Yes! Exactly. Jimi Hendrix is someone who has inspired so many guitarists to be extremely proficient and yet he has mistakes on his albums and also never played his songs the same way twice. Is Plasticsoul similarly fluid live?
SEW: Oh god yes! Our bass player Marc often complains because we sound so different live than we do on record. To me, that’s a good thing. There was a band in the 80’s that I really loved called Lions & Ghosts. On their first album they had all of these lush string arrangements, piano, etc, and when you saw them live it was just 2 guitars, bass, drums, and vocals. And they were AWESOME live! That was what I wanted with Plasticsoul. Our guitar player Daniel is always changing up his pedals so his sound is often different, and he rarely plays the exact same thing twice. My guitar solos tend to be more scripted but that is just because I’m not as good a guitar player as Daniel. Overall, I think we still sound like Plasticsoul when we perform live.
What do you want people to get from your music?
SEW: The beauty of imperfection.
What do you get from your music?
SEW: Catharsis
What are your highest aspirations for Plasticsoul?
SEW: I would be very happy if I could make enough money from my music to support myself, my wife, and our cats. That doesn’t mean I would be upset if suddenly we were as big as Queen and playing stadiums. If we can continue to make music that I can be proud of, make a living, and take the show on the road so we can meet the people outside the US that bought our records, I would be very happy
What is your assessment of the LA music scene and music in general right now?
SEW: There are some amazing musicians in Los Angeles making fabulous records. Brandon Schott (who is a casual member of Plasticsoul), the breakups, John Hoskinson, Everyday Ghost, The Condors, Brian Whelan…tons of great artists! Unfortunately, the club scene isn’t very supportive. If we could inject the passion of our LA musicians into our LA club owners we might be able to achieve something.
Chicken, pork, beef, or tofu?
SEW: Back in August I cut all animal protein out of my diet with the exception of chicken and fish. One of the things I thought I was going to miss the most was chorizo. Then I found SOYrizo and its delicious – so I will have to go with tofu.
As you know I am a big fan of Uniform Victor and Mittens. They will be playing a show together and I really, really, REALLY wish I could make it. If you are in San Diego or near it you should go. PLEASE! And take pictures and videos and post them here. Or write up your own review/article and send it in to Some Kind Of Muffin. Actually let’s make an offer. If you go to the show and do take pics and do a write-up and submit it to SKOM, then the person who writes the published article gets a download of some kind of music!
The Tin Can Nov 23rd, 2012 9pm $5
(Members of Uniform Victor and Mittens are NOT excluded from this offer)
Allan Irvine: Guitarist, mentalist, madman. No, seriously. Who wears this outfit in Northern Ireland for fun?
Allan has been a good friend to me over the years, is another guitar.com find, and was nice enough to include me on a project a year ago. Video after the interview. Ladies and gentlemen, Allan Irvine!
How did you first get into guitar?
AI: I blame my Uncle. He was a total rocker/metal-head when I was still in primary school (7-8 years old) and I was the only kid in my class with a cut-off denim jacket that had a huge Led Zep painting on the back. It rocked! I sat every weekend listening to AC/DC, Saxon, Led Zep, KISS, WASP, Scorpions,Iron Maiden….. y’know…….late 70’s and early 80’s rock and metal. Getting into the guitar as an instrument and not just a bringer of wonderful noise was a logical conclusion almost. It was years after that when it happened though.
How old were you?
AI: I was 18. I’d just started college after getting 7 G.C.S.E’s at 16 and then a Higher National Diploma at 17. When I went on to A-level study at 18 I had my first proper job and the guitar was my first purchase with my 2nd wage packet. My girlfriend at the time wasn’t happy about it, but I didn’t give a shit. It was my ambition from school, my money, and my hard work that made that money. She soon became an ex, and my guitar was my mistress!
Was it your first instrument?
AI: No, I started off in primary school with a little recorder, then a Tenor Horn in secondary School. I hated them, I always wanted to play the guitar, and my music teacher wouldn’t let me near the Strat that the school music room had because he was a first class prick. I could have asked my folks, but I had too much pride and dignity and knew they couldn’t afford one. I had a great upbringing, but financially a tough one. My parents worked hard and what we had was minimal, but I seriously can’t fault it. I could never have asked them for anything as expensive as a guitar when I was a kid and I knew I’d buy my own some day. And I did…….now I have serious G.A.S!!! (editor’s note : Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
How did you first learn, who taught you?
AI: Guitar tablature was my teacher, addiction and entertainment for a few years when I first started out. I loved learning new songs and it never took much time to get to grips with them as I learn at an extraordinary rate. Within a year of first plugging in my very first guitar I was playing things like “Midnight” by the mighty Joe Satriani almost note perfect.
“I can be happy in knowing that I’m still enjoying the challenge.”
Kids now don’t realize how easy it is for them with the Internet and Youtube etc. I think some of these kids are amazing. But they have access to a world that we didn’t have when I was growing up. Jeez, even the tablature we got was awful sometimes, nowhere near the bloody song you were trying to learn! After a while though I was able to pick up most things by ear and transfer them to the neck as I learned and progressed. I can pick up styles and licks that others use and adapt them to my own way of playing. Anyone who says this is just copying is a dick. Sure, if I met a bunch of Beatles fans on Twitter and set up a cover band called “The Tweetles” or some equally as shitty pun, playing all their songs and dressing like them, then I’d agree! Fucking right I would. Those guys are assholes. But say if a classically trained pianist had studied some Chopin pieces then totally arranged, composed and played his OWN work including little Chopin-esque elements, does that make him any less of a musician? Does it fuck! In a world with 6 and a half billion people alive, and as many or more dead, it is hard not to be compared to anyone no matter what you do. It’s just how it works. And if you can learn from your heroes and infuse or include it it into your own style and playing then do it. Every guitar player you have ever heard has done it. I recently heard Guthrie Govan playing a piece made up in the style of his heroes, and he uses their sound and techniques but plays it the way Mr. Govan can play it, his own way. It was amazing. Not only is he better than nearly every one of the musicians he referenced, but you knew who they were instantly without seeing anything to tell you. Does this make Guthrie Govan a copycat/plagiarist? Seriously? Fuck no. If he is then Steve Vai was wrong in calling him “The best guitarist on the planet.” Personally, I happen to agree that he is too.
What was your first guitar?
AI: A cream Squire Strat. It was an average guitar, but it was MY average guitar and I worked damn hard to buy it. As I said, I wasn’t a spoiled little rich kid with too much gear and little or no talent. I had my crappy little Squire and a second hand Vox 15 watt amp and I played the shit out of them until I could move on to better things.
Tell me a little about your gear and your sound.
AI: At present I’ve got a Schecter Damien Elite 8-string tuned E,B,E,A,D,G,B,E I think!? I love that thing. You start off with a catchy little progression then “Berrrrrrrrrrr…….RAWK!!!” I totally skipped the whole 7-string phase and leapt from 6 to 8. It was a new challenge and I’m loving it so far. I also own an Ibanez JS, a few home-built Strats, an old Crafter Bass for recording (redundant now I have the Schecter, it has all the bass included!) and a battered old acoustic for practice. On the DAW front I have a Line 6 UX-1 running through Abelton. It will soon be replaced by a Line 6 HD500. I also run a Boss ME-25 now and again for different tones and effects. I don’t have a dedicated sound or tone and I change it constantly to fit whatever I have in my head when I’m recording. I’m still useless at Abelton though so although musically I can get by, as far as recording and production etc is concerned I suck. I’ll leave that to the pedantic knob twiddlers out there. Let’s face it, in the studio it’s just you and the instrument, the engineers do the magic on the other side so why get all arsey (anal) about it now? For now I’ll be happy with crappy quality recordings with some decent playing.
How do you approach song writing? What’s the process?
AI: I don’t write. Never have. I know nothing of theory, scales, modes…..nothing. I record or ‘obtain’ drums then I plug in and what comes out is what I feel when I hear the beat set down previously. It has worked for me so far! I think if I sat and constructed pieces and worked everything out methodically it would kill my enjoyment. People are too obsessed with theory dude! Look below any Youtube video of a guitarist and/or rock musician. It’s fucking pathetic the arguments they get into. I think if it rocks then it rocks, and I don’t care if he used a Phrygian, Mixolydian, Triceratops, or Condominium. That’s the downside of the Internet as a musician’s tool, it turns musicians into tools. A wise man, and a great blues guitarist once said to me “Just shut up and play your damned guitar! That is your voice and you can sure as hell use it, so do it!” He passed away a few months after giving me one hell of a great piece of advice. Man, I miss him.
I think if it rocks then it rocks, and I don’t care if he used a Phrygian, Mixolydian, Triceratops, or Condominium.
What is your opinion of “tone chasers”and do you consider yourself one?
AI: Like Eric Johnson? I’ve nothing against them to be honest. If that floats their boat then sure, go for it! I can’t settle for just one sound or tone, I have to be tweaking and finding new things. Lots of different and strange sounds that work into whatever I’m doing at the time.
Who are your idols?
AI: I have way too many to list but I’ll drop in a few names if it helps! Mattias ‘IA’ Eklundh, Shawn Lane, Guthrie Govan, Vai, Satriani, Ron Jarzombek, Rory Gallagher, Hendrix, Beck,
Page, Django Rheinhardt, Newton Faulkner, Eva Cassidy, Jason Becker, Jeff Loomis, Tosin Abasi, Eric Johnson, Danny Gatton……..the list goes on! I can’t play like 99% of these people, but they all in some way or another inspire me, and that inspiration pushes me to learn more, and I think that it is important to draw that inspiration from artists you admire.
What do you get out of playing guitar?
AI: Therapy. I have arthritis in my hands, hips and knees. Playing helps me with the hands part of it to some degree but there are days were they are too sore to even pick the instrument up.I still love it, even though I can’t play the way I used to many years ago. I just adapted my playing to suit what I can do now, as opposed to what I could do then. Not that I’m ever happy with everything I do. I hate some of my recordings with a passion, but I can always find little bits that I think really pop out and make them listenable again. I don’t think I’ll ever reach the level of playing I’d love to reach, or even the level I was at before things took a turn, but I can be happy in knowing that I’m still enjoying the challenge.
How do you keep yourself interested and learning?
AI: Listening to new bands mostly. I hear licks in things that I can relate to, or just enjoy the hell out of and it keeps me wanting to learn new ways of approaching my own playing. For instance, at the moment I’m picking up some really neat riffs with some wide spaced intervals and while it is a struggle to get to grips with considering my handicap, I’m still enthusiastic about it and it keeps me wanting more. I also get a kick out of online collaboration. Hearing how others approach their music and making my own style fit into their stuff really makes me happy. To me that’s what playing is all about, learning from others and on your own, adapting, trying new styles or genres and having fun! Yeah, mostly the fun bit.
And now the collab Allan and I did. I programmed the drums and bass and Allan let it rip on the gitfiddle.
In the interest of full disclosure I did once play bass with Ed and Eric of Uniform Victor, but it was a long time ago and I can’t remember the name of the band…..
Anyway, Eric, Ed, Paul and Lia….Lia?….hmmm I think I’ve seen her on Some Kind Of Muffin before…
Where was I? Oh yes, Uniform Victor. Great band with an amazing sound; so many layers and they work great together. They recently finished recording three new songs with Drew B. Mountain
Also, don’t tell anyone, but there’s a video after the interview. Shhhh
How did UV form and how long have you been together?
Ed Loza: We formed because Eric blew The Horn of Change from a misty mountain top. The great sound summoned us together. Uniform Victor’s first show was in 2010 sometime, I’m not sure. Eric and I have always played music together even when we were not in a band. Lia and I have been playing music together for a few years now. We all knew Paul from the band Monsters from Mars. Lia had played with Monsters from Mars so we also had that connection.
Eric Blocker: UV formed at the end November of 2010. We’ve been together since 1822.
Ed and I have been playing in bands together since high school. We got a band together in early 2010 or late 2009 with a different bass player and drummer. The drummer and bass player moved out of town and Lia had been jamming with Ed and I casually at parties etc. So we asked Lia to play bass. I had been stalking Paul for a long time. He was a drummer for a surf rock band. I thought, “That’s the guy I want! He’s my drummer!” Much to my surprise, when we asked him to play, he said yes right away.
Paul Naylor: I have been friends with Lia for years and she played cello a few times in my other band Monsters from Mars on a cover we did. She asked if I would like to jam with her other band in the beginning of 2011 and we really clicked during the first practice, I loved the music. It was pretty easy to become a part of the band, we really clicked.
Lia Dearborn: Edward and Eric had already been in a few bands together, so when their bass player Matthew Concha moved to San Francisco, I stepped up to the plate. We also got a new drummer, so we decided to start fresh with a whole new name.
What does your name mean?
Ed Loza
EL: Lia and Eric came up with the name. The general idea seemed to be that we should have a name that does not get in the way of the music. A little mystery is always good for the kidneys.
PN: I like to think that Uniform Victor is a little man out there that wears different outfits everyday.
LD: Eric and I were looking at a book for Semaphore and we thought we could find a cool name by mixing some of the symbols. Uniform Victor was our favorite combination, so we went with it.
EB: Our name is taken from international ship signal flags-semaphore and is an abbreviation for UV or Ultra Violet.
How has the band been received?
LD: Very well.
EB: I think we have been received quite well. I think we still have a lot to show people. The word is still getting around. There are some bands that catch fire right away and there are some that get ignored. I think we are right in the middle. We don’t have any gimmicks or just one sound. Our songs are eclectic so I think it will take people time to get their heads around what we are all about.
PN: I’ve been really pleased and happy with how well it has been received, we’ve played some really cool shows and gotten some radio play. Eric has been great at getting our name out there. I think the band is very motivated and has some great potential.
EL: We are mostly a top but if you get us drunk enough we are playful receivers. We are too much for some but most are very satisfied.
Eric Blocker
What is your song writing process?
EL: The bulk of songs we currently play are formed out of ideas and full songs Eric brings to practice. Paul, Lia and I start with those ideas and find our parts as we go along in practice. The newer music we have been working on has come more from full band ideas. Our practice sessions are all about new music these days.
EB: So far, I’ll start with a song idea and show it to the band. Everyone adds their parts. Then the song belongs to the band. We all take part in the changes from there.
PN: I just have been laying down the beats once Eric shows me the riff(s) he has in mind. We like to discuss ideas for what kind of drum part would sound best, and I always like playing it through a lot, taking a break, and then coming back to it. That fresh set of ears helps you come up with the most appropriate part. I’ve also been writing some songs on guitar and bass, all of us have, so we might try to expand on the song-writing process.
What has been your favorite live show?
LD: Our show at the Tin Can Ale House with The New Kinetics and 21st Century. The crowd was crazy that night.
EL: Our last show at the Tin Can Ale house was my favorite. One of the first times we played there we played with a fellow San Diego band the New Kinetics. We fell in love with their music instantly! Sharing the stage with the New Kinetics again was pure synergy. That night was also special because we also played with the 21st Century who were on tour out of San Francisco. That was a just a particularly fun show.
EB: So far, I think it was the House of Blues. It was packed to the front of the stage. Although, there have been one or two where the energy in the room was electric. People were flying through the air!
PN: I really had a great time playing at the beer festival they had at the House of Blues. We played on one of the side stages to a great crowd, and only a few songs. I also always love playing the Tin Can Alehouse.
What are your plans for the future?
Lia Dearborn
EL: We are finishing the recording of the songs we have for our first album. Once the recording is done we can start trying the new songs out live. Live shows are a good place to see if a song is working before recording.
EB: We are set to record a new EP in about two weeks. Then we’ll just see what happens. It would be nice to have management and some support in other ways. We just have to prove we are not going away.
PN: We really want to get more into a sort of group song-writing process, and spend more time jamming and not focusing on specific songs. Just get loose, I guess. Recording is definitely high on all our lists, too.
LD: Just keep playing shows and learning new songs.
Can you tell me a little about the recording process and if you plan to release a CD?
PN: We would really love to, we have recorded at Black Box studio in South Park and it has been amazing, Mario is the best. I’m up for recording as much as we can.
EL: We recorded at Black Box Studios in San Diego with Mario Quintero at the helm. So far we have 3 songs done and they are online now. The process was pretty quick; we did those 3 songs in one marathon day. Then I think there were 2 shorter days of mix downs after that. For me recording was very different from what I would do live. At times I had 3 different guitars and 2 amps in one song. Parts were recorded out of order sometimes. It was all fun but a little disorienting.
EB: So far we have been recording songs as they are ready. We record what sounds best. We can do that since everything is digital now. We are totally independent so we can do what we want. The next EP will have about five songs. Maybe more.
LD: We’re planning on recording 3 more this month with Electric Orange Studio.
Paul Naylor
If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life what would it be?
EL: Sushi.
EB: Japanese/Mexican. My wife and I found a place that serves a mix of Japanese and Mexican food. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!
PN: Nachos are always my standby, and I think that would work well for this because you have a variety of food groups represented. You would also only live for about 6 months with that diet, so eat up!
LD: Definitely Mexican. No wait, Japanese. Can’t I have both?
Punker. Rocker. Seriously messed up individual (in the best way possible). Bloody F Mess has made a name for himself playing with GG Allin and founding seminal acts such as Bloody Mess and the Skabs. His current project is The Bloody Mess Rock Circus. This week Some Kind Of Muffin is honored to be joined by the man himself Bloody F Mess and his bass player/writing partner Christopher T. Baggins.
Bloody, I know about your rock n roll and punk pedigree, but I was wondering how you all got together for this current band?
Bloody Mess: THE Bloody Mess Rock Circus was formed by myself, & Christopher & Andy. (& Justin, our ex drummer)
But of course, we have the most awesome Chris Stench on drums and we are pleased. This line up is so perfect for so many reasons!!
Christopher T Baggins: Rock n Roll brought us together…..a mission you might say
How has the band been received?
Bloody Mess: We get great responses from most of our gigs that’s for sure. we’ve played all over the country & have earned new fans and putting smiles on the faces of the older fans, by throwing down, rocking out, and delivering the goods at EVERY show, big or small. The “FRICTION ADDICTION” 2012 USA tour was a bloody blast!
CTB: I love the response we get…love us or hate us , you won’t forget us…
What is your song writing process like?
Bloody Mess: We write both separately and together. But mostly together. I write all the lyrics. The guys write music,songs…Christopher is the main song writer, musically, at this point, but everything shifts on occasion & everyone contributes for sure.
CTB: We all write riffs and jam on them at band practice….I feel lucky to be able to jam with these guys..they make it easy
You recently finished a short tour. What was your favorite show? Other than the one my band, Zombies Love Gizzards, opened for you.
Bloody Mess: Favorite gigs of that tour? Hmmmm…Peoria, Illinois I guess. Ironic (its my home town). Portland was a LOT of fun too though & a great kick off to that 11 state tour.We play Portland next on Saturday October 20th at the Twilight Cafe & Bar. Bring some Gizzards & friends out to get down with the Rock Circus!!
CTB: I loved the show in Peoria, San Antonio …truthfully had a blast on the whole tour …met some great people and had great times…memories that can never be taken away from us…
Bloody and Christopher at The Red Room
I know you are looking at recording a CD soon. Can you tell me how that came about, where you are going to record, and when we can expect to see it?
Bloody Mess: It’ll be my 30th anniversary cd! THE BLOODY MESS ROCK CIRCUS. At least 13 songs Im guessing. Rikk Agnew is producing it for us in L.A. at Robot Kitten studio. Paul Roessler is recording us. I’m super excited about this cd. Not only because of the band (they fucking rock!!!!!!!!!!), but because we have some solid songs ready to unleash! “JUNK MALE”, “OCD IS KILLING ME” & “BLUEST OF THE BLUE” to name a few. Also Sammy Town from FANG is co-writing one song with me & doing vocals on it as well for the album! We hope to record in Winter or Spring. we are doing it right but progressing rapidly. we have about 9 or 10 originals now ready to record. 4 or 5 more and we just tighten up until we feel ready to record! We ARE looking for a label too currently!
CTB: Bloody summed that one up pretty good…recording in LA with Rik Agnew producing and a few guest rockers….really lookin forward to this album
What are your plans for the future?
Bloody Mess: Future? Tour….Hit Europe…Canada….Do more film roles…do more film soundtracks…tour…tour…tour
CTB: Future….more ROCK
Bloody, I know you are busy with lots of projects outside of the Rock Circus. Can you tell me about those?
Bloody Mess: I’m the host/producer of the Church Of Rock radio show on Sunday nights in southern Oregon and on the net at www.kzze.com (Christopher is the co-host/producer)….Im also one of the southern Oregon Burlesque M.C.’s. I do small acting roles in Independent films. Two are currently in production. BAR-B-GURLZ here in southern Oregon and SPIDARLINGS in London, England. I also go to Haiti in the Fall for a role in VOODOO EXOTICA. Plus, the band & I are writing songs for the soundtracks to these films. I’m also a legal minister & do rock n roll weddings.
What other projects do you have going on Christopher?
CTB: I am Co-Host/Producer of The Church of Rock ….doin a few MC jobs with the Southern Oregon Burlesque Girls…Have a Boutique we just opened in Downtown Medford..“Our Stuff Boutique”…..and I try to sleep on the in between spare minutes…
If you could be one piece of furniture, what would it be and why?
Bloody Mess: I’d be a love seat because Im so fucking lovable!!!!
CTB: I don’t know if you would consider it furniture, but I think I would wanna be a woman’s bicycle seat…
You can catch The Bloody Mess Rock Circus Oct 20th at the Twilight Cafe and Bar 1420 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, Oregon and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Last night I got to see Ion Storm‘s inaugural show! They were amazing from the first song to the last. For those unaware I interviewed them here. Go get acquainted with them and then come right back. It’s OK. I’ll wait.
Everything I’ve heard from them so far has impressed me, but those were only recordings. One really must see them live to get the full impact. First, amazing guitar tone and a pretty tight outfit. I know these guys practice up to 12 hours at a go and it shows. Their current bass player is a recent addition and it showed a bit, but overall he brought the low end. Drummer Tim was solid, fast, and interesting. I thought there was a moment when he was losing the beat, but it was just a part of a tempo change that was written into the song. Grady and Chris had some great harmonized riffage going on that seemed to focus around 4ths and it sounded great. My main complaint was the vocal levels. This show was at the Red Room and their vocals always seem low, but Grady represented growl well.
Oh, did I mention they have a Minotaur? His name is Drew. Look at him.
Do you have a Minotaur? No, you do not. I played bullfighter with Drew for a bit. It was good times.
This band has a lot to offer and brought the heat, which leads me to the title of this post. Look up there ↑ and read it again. At most there were three people up off their butts rocking out, including me and Drew. I wish that this was the exception rather than the rule. I know people want to blame smart phones etc, but it’s not that. In my estimation it’s our self reflective, self conscious society. To put it another way: we are afraid of having fun and looking like fools(Well, not me clearly. I played bullfighter with a Minotaur). It needs to stop now. Do it for yourself. Get up!! Dance! Bang your head!! Visibly enjoy yourself!!!
But also do it for that band up there on the stage or the one on the floor where the pool tables had to be moved to make room. They don’t spend 12 hours at a go writing and rehearsing so you can sit there drinking your PBR and golf clapping after every song. And I can guarantee you they didn’t do it for the money, because bands rarely get paid much if anything just starting out. This is a two way street. They are there for you and you need to be there for them.
How to introduce this guy….He loves life, he loves music, he loves people. I’ll let him tell the rest.
Photo by Suzan Jones
I want to go way back in time to start. When did you first realize that you wanted to devote your life to music?
Brandon Schott: Glad I had my coffee this morning, that’s some rememberin…hmmm…I think it first started just hearing music, my earliest records – Culture Club, Bruce Hornsby, Duran Duran and Huey Lewis back in the day. Especially, Bruce Hornsby – that led directly into my starting piano lessons at age 9. I don’t think I *decided* I wanted to devote my life to music even then but I definitely felt the power it had over me and I couldn’t ever really see it letting go. And it was constantly evolving too – from studying Beethoven and Mozart pieces on piano, to the days wearing out my Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John cassette or watching Billy Joel’s Nylon Curtain tour on VHS. Then, the time I was supposed to be spend running scales and chords (for right or wrong) became figuring out how to play LEVON or ROOT BEER RAG. That led to me wanting to make my own classic recordings (which of course they were not), but I started experimenting recording on a 4-track and on and on. Years later, I’m still on this crazy discovery path. Music was all I ever wanted, it’s my connection to the universe’s larger plan – as a geeky pre-teen/teenager to present day – it makes me feel so vastly less alone in the world.
Tell me about Berklee. What attracted you to Berklee? What was the experience like and what did you get out of it?
Brandon Schott: Somewhere in the middle of my junior year of high school I visited the campus in Boston. My father is a big Red Sox fan so it was a lovely excuse for him as well to get up to bean town and visit the great green monster. As I mentioned, I was very much 4-track geek by this time (those cassettes are LONG buried in time thankfully), but it wasn’t long down the first set of hallways filled with keyboards and computers and recording interfaces that I was sold. I didn’t look at any other schools after that, I was done.
Berklee was an amazing experience, and completely overwhelming. I studied songwriting and music business and aside from the great knowledge and tools I picked up in those courses- the greatest gift I got from Berklee was an overwhelming sense of community. The friendships and camaraderie I built during my time there continue to have reverberations over my career, and I’m still meeting and working with people who knew people who knew people I knew while I was there. In many ways, the overwhelming talent I saw there prepared me for the larger music world I’m now in. There’s a shared spirit that I’m very proud to carry with me.
Your newest album is “13 Satellites”. What can you tell me about the concept and how it all came together?
Photo by Madelynn Elyse
Brandon Schott: I had a whole other 4th record written and in the wings ready to record – those songs are still unrecorded – and coming off the heels of the DANDELION project which was very different and much more reflective, I knew I wanted to do something more lighthearted. In early 2010 (DANDELION dropped in the fall of 2009) my friend Billy Hawn – a tremendous drummer and percussionist – and I started casually trading tracks together. The first of which was the song EARLY MORNING NIGHT. He was in Pennsylvania at the time, I was in Glendale, and one song led to another which led to another, we developed quite the groove together – our sensibilities locked right in. I’d have the songs and create a skeleton arrangement w/ guitars, ukes, keyboards and background vocals etc – and he’d add these amazing percussive textures on top, send the files back. And because I wasn’t thinking about it as a record, my approach was more adventurous than it may have been if I thought “I’m making a Brandon Schott record” – I didn’t feel tied to any conceived definition of myself, chose more off kilter tunes to work on – I just let my inner geek fly, let the moment take me wherever it would. And before I knew it we had a record on our hands – almost the whole record is just Billy and I coming together cross continent. This became 13 Satellites.
What is your song writing process?
Brandon Schott: Man, it changes from song to song – sometimes, and very rarely, songs come fully formed, like they’re being channeled through me by some kind of other worldly force of nature. Most of the time, though, a spark of an idea will present itself – I usually write to a title – and I’ll usually very quickly get the architecture of the song in place, the chords – the melody – the framework (verse / chorus etc), and then over time (and hopefully not TOO long) start chipping away at the lyric until it rises to the vision I set out to cultivate.
Your last album, Dandelion, was written and recorded while you were going through treatment for stage three cancer. It obviously affected that project. How did that experience and beating the cancer into remission affect your approach to “13 Satellites”?
Brandon Schott: DANDELION was recorded (mostly live) in a church over the 1 year anniversary of my diagnosis and treatment, and featured songs that were all written during that experience. It was my musical diary/therapy workout – a way to put the whole thing in some kind of context, and hopefully along the way – heal a bit further. Consequently, it was a tremendously reflective and spiritual record and “13 SATELLITES” became the result of that project for me – a celebration of my living and an exercise in joy. I felt a certain return to my roots on SATELLITES in a lot of ways, the way the album was recorded there was a lot of spark and re-discovery – reminded me of the giddiness those early years on my 4 track, making music on my own radar without doubt or social roadblocks. In many ways it was the least self-conscious record I’ve ever made, because the fear was gone. I’d already lived through enough of that energy, this record is the sound of me casting that fear out. “13 Satellites” gave me that freedom in a musical context.
What’s the story behind “A Daydream (…or 2AM Serenade) ?”
Brandon Schott: That’s actually one of the oldest tunes on the album – I wrote it and demoed it around the time of the GOLDEN STATE record. That piano track is actually from those sessions, was a tune that just fell by the wayside as we turned our attention to other songs. So, when Billy and I started working together I was looking through the archives at songs that were a little left of center and that was one of the first ones to come up. I remember writing it, my wife had gone to bed and I started noodling around at the piano at around 11PM or so – demoed the piano melody and framework that night, couple of ‘placeholder’ lines scribbled on a notepad (the “2AM Serenade” came from that night, it was LITERAL). I wrote the lyric very quickly the next day, separated from my family for a spell – a longing in my heart. For as rambling as it is musically, the lyric itself is very simple and direct…a snapshot of a day in time I just wanted to be anywhere other than where I was.
I love your instrumentation. It goes from lush and full to simple and understated. Do you hear the songs like that in your head or does that come about during the songwriting/recording process?
Brandon Schott: Thanks, man. I don’t usually think too hard about the arrangements as I’m writing, though I do think about the feel I want or the dynamics I want to encourage pretty early on in the writing. But it’s not usually until I have a scratch demo – acoustic / vocal or something – inevitably pieces of counter melody start to creep into my head, and once I’ve started recording that’s when all hell breaks loose and I have to do a good bit of editing to get all these melody fragments sit together and make sense – that’s when the real arranging comes into play. I do have to watch myself and make sure that my editor is sharp as a producer, sometimes the best textures or harmonies have to go if they stand in the way of the song, the lyrical voice.
What inspires you lyrically?
Brandon Schott: This is gonna sound really hokey – but being present. When I’m able to pull myself out of my routine, and just see something for what it is. There’s a whole world inside the world around me (to paraphrase Rhett Miller), and when I’m given that gift – and I’m grounded – there’s poetry in the air. Beauty inspires me – anger, joy – a turn of phrase, a perspective. Oh, and Josh Ritter – have you heard him? That guy can write a novel with a verse let alone a whole song (and he’s actually written novels too – talented so and so)- but his way with words just inspires the hell out of me. Any great song inspires me, the simplicity of a Sam Phillips or the scope of a band like Elbow – my friends send me tracks from time to time, hearing their work always makes me smile and kicks me into gear. Or a great film, TV show, my kids, and my wife is a tremendous muse…
Your video for “Satellite” was featured on BoingBoing. How did that video come about and how much did you have to do with it?
Brandon Schott: Here’s what I had to do with it: I said YES.
My friend Matt Barrios approached me about doing an animated video for a track on DANDELION in the spring of 2010. When I asked him how long it would take to put it all together, he mentioned a number of months, and I suggested he take one of the new tracks I’d been working on. I gave him SATELLITE and when he heard it after a few days he pitched, “Monty Python meets Planet of the Apes meets Yellow Submarine” and then rattled off some kind of story line that I truth fully didn’t hear after the elevator pitch line – I just said YES. All I did working on the video was show up one afternoon for a green screen shoot for the bridge section footage of me you see in the clip, and Matt just otherwise worked his magic on his own. It was amazing to see that come together, it was his vision – I’m still honored by it.
Brandon Schott: I’m SO stoked about Defying Gravity. It’s a monthly multi-media series on songwriting that I started with my partners over at Spinbridge.com . Each month we tackle a musical theme, and through an essay – video interview – an audio download – and an audio podcast, we explore the theme and the song from a variety of different angles as it fits into our creative lives. We’ve done a couple that have been my own submissions and song offerings, but most episodes we’ve done have been conversations with my peers – fellow songwriters and their backgrounds, influences. They’ll write an essay in a song of their choice (sometimes a cover, sometimes a song from their own catalog), and we’ll talk about it on camera and in the podcast. It’s been interesting because during the context of these chats I’ve learned a lot about my own approach, as well as been really inspired just hearing people talk about their loves and passions. We’ve had Marvin Etzioni (of Lone Justice) on the show, Steve Barton (of Translator),Rob Shapiro (Populuxe) and I wrote a brand new song for last month’s show and very shortly we drop a new episode with Steven Wilson (of Plasticsoul).
Also, something like this is a really fun creative outlet outside of the usual touring / album cycle. With this series my collaborators and I have a unique framework outside of the normal model to work within, so that’s a really cool benefit of the show as well. It’s a little home away from home online, a community for us songwriting nerds – a little musical residency – if you will…
People have a jaded view of the Los Angeles music scene. What has been your experience? What do you think would surprise people about the LA scene?
Brandon Schott: Here’s where I get sappy and romantic again…I’m constantly surprised at how incredible supportive and beautiful the scene can be if you surround yourself by beautiful and supportive people. I think it’s very much like anything in life, the energy you cultivate toward others and the people that you pull into your life makes a tremendous difference in your outlook and output. There are a lot of things about LA that can be a drag, and the nature of the business these days can be a seemingly unending struggle – but I try not to buy into that hype as much as I can, when there’s so much love within the music scene, for the work and for each other. Creatively, my time in LA has been some of the most fulfilling – inspiring – and joyful years of my life. The greatest compliment I can give my LA family is just that – they are family. While my parents and extended blood family are all back east – it’s a real drag to not see them more, but with there’s a balance of my long-distance interactions with them and my dear friends and creative family here in LA, I do feel very blessed. They all lift me up. They make me want to be a better artist – a better person, and I only hope I can repay that love someway someday…
What do you hope people get from “13 Satellites”?
Brandon Schott: An intense desire to listen to it again once they’ve finished it. Oh, and to share it with all their friends. And buy more of my music.
If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what dessert would it be and why?
Brandon Schott: Strawberry ice cream. You got your desert, you got your calcium, there’s a little protein in there. If you had to live on it, you could. OK, not really…but it’s a lovely thought right?
Catch Brandon Schott live Oct 16 at Witzend 1717 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, California 90291 show starts at 7:30pm
Keep up with Brandon at all of these fine locations:
Beta Lion. Mark Fulinara, Opie Tran, Dean Fulinara, JR Fulinara. That’s a whole lot of Fulinara!!! I wonder if they are related (hint: maybe).
You have a long history together and haven’t always played as Beta Lion. How did you all come together?
Mark: It started with a high school video project for our friend and original bassist, Joel (whoop whoop!). Dean was one of the only drummers he knew in the neighborhood, and I was the only A/V nerd he knew to videotape it. They had a mic setup, but nobody wanted to sing, so I ended up singing for fun and we eventually become a band.
Opie: We were actually originally called p.o.p. (part of the problem). The line up had already been established of Dean (drums), Joel (bass), Mark (singer), and our friend Ryan that played guitar (JR had not joined yet). I had met Joel through high school gym class and Mark was always in the same friend circle but we never really hung out. All I remember was walking to my class one day and Dean approaching me asking if I wanted to jam with them after school and so I did. We played random talent shows, house parties, and punk shows anywhere we got the chance to. As years passed, Joel left so Mark took up bass guitar along with vocals, then Ryan left and we knew we wanted to keep the band chemistry tight as possible. Back then, JR really dug the band and came out to all the shows. We figured he knew all the songs already and he’s a Fulinara so we asked him to join. He agreed and here we are almost ten years later still playing songs together.
JR: Since childhood, Mark and Dean have been the closest of family to me. Every time our families would get together, we would sit around and play guitar and they would teach me their songs as I was a fan of the music. Naturally when their friend left the band, I was the best choice to fill the gap or so I’d like to think! Since Opie was practically part of our family, the chemistry worked out well.
What’s your song writing process?
Mark: I constantly record these really crappy demos into my laptop. They’re just pieces of songs, a verse here, a chorus there, maybe the occasional guitar riff. Over time, I’ll piece them together into rough skeletons, then I hand them over to the boys and they put meat on the bones make them sound like real songs. I feel really lucky to work with the rest of the guys, I always hear these crazy horror stories about other people’s experiences playing in bands. Beta Lion is a fun band to be in. We’re all split between Los Angeles and San Diego, so we’ll go for long periods of time without practicing, then when we do, we’ll do these crazy 8-hour practices with little or no breaks in-between. But even if we haven’t been practicing, we all hang out pretty often, so we’re pretty good about communicating ideas to each other which I think is also super important.
JR: It’s a bit vague but it really does vary from song to song. Usually Mark and Dean will create rough demos of ideas they’ve been working on. Most of the time they are small like a beat in a different timing, a chorus or guitar lead. Sometimes it’s just a description of a feeling we want the listener to have. Once we start to flesh it out, Opie will really start to hammer out the guitar leads based on ideas he’s been wanting to try. I’m usually trying to complement what everyone else is doing to really drive their parts as much as I can. Little by little, we keep sculpting until it makes sense. That’s when angels are born.
You all have “day jobs.” What do you get from performing in Beta Lion?
Mark: I like that I get to cut loose and dance around like I’ve lost my mind for a bit. Sometimes I feel like Hansel from Zoolander where he falls into a trance right before he miraculously pulls off his underwear to win the walk off. It was definitely never about picking up girls, I think the band-angle never worked for me anyway.
Opie: When I’m onstage, I’m the exaggerated alternate version of my normal everyday self. Performing in Beta Lion is probably one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. Since I was a child I’ve always had a need to perform and express myself. Being able to have music as my medium and three other solid dudes to play it with is something I’ll always be grateful for.
JR: An escape. It’s sort of like watching a movie. For that brief moment, you escape reality. Dean jokingly once said, “Last night, we were gods!”, as he pretended to tuck himself into bed.
What inspires you most?
Mark: Fortune cookies, Snapple bottle caps, and motivational posters. No, but really, I’m a big nerd about movies, comic books, martial arts, and mythology so all sorts of pop-culture finds its way into our music. For example, our song “Faces & Heels” is about this pro-wrestler from the 50’s named Gorgeous George that I was obsessed with for a while.
JR: Movies and TV Shows. They inspire me in many ways. After an hour, I could be researching cases hoping to solve medical puzzles to fighting crime in downtown LA. Most of the time I end up going to sleep with a package of Chips Ahoy on the nightstand.
Tell me about your latest CD.
Mark: Well, we’ve been trying to keep up the momentum of releasing our demo earlier this year by following up with a 5-song EP. It’s gonna be more ambitious than anything we’ve ever done. Do you remember back in the 90’s when hip-hop and pop punk albums would have little mini-skits in-between songs? Hopefully we can pull something like that off.
JR: “I believe in Beta Lion” was a huge accomplishment for us. We’ve been a band for quite some time but never had something tangible that truly represented us so this was something we’ve been proud of. It’s a taste of things to come.
Why should someone see you live?
Mark: Even though we’re a new band to a lot of people, we’ve been playing live shows together for over a decade. I think experience, onstage chemistry, and basically growing up together is a pretty hard to beat combination. If done correctly, NO CAN DEFEND.
Opie: I always tell people when you see Beta Lion live it’s not so much the music you go to see, but the bond between four guys that you want to be a part of. Don’t get me wrong we have great songs and play them well but its the overall vibe and show that makes us a worthy act. We’ve played so many shows we are so comfortable with being on stage and its a lot of fun for us.
JR: I think we bring something unique to the scene and genuinely, without motive, try to put on the best show we possibly can. We also give out free kisses?
Why keyboards?
Mark: Since we don’t quite have the budget for a real string section, a pipe organ, or laser guns, keyboards will have to do for now. Dean also writes a lot of music on the piano, so it’s natural that a lot of it ends up in the final product.
Opie: Opens up a world of new sounds which leads to new songs. Fills in the sonic spaces so other instruments can do more interesting things.
JR: A lot of the music we write translates well on a piano. I feel it creates a fuller, bigger sound that we couldn’t accomplish without one.
Plans for the future?
Mark: Hopefully to end off our biggest year ever with a bang, then following up with an even bigger one next year.
Opie: Write and record more songs. Put out some EPs and tour more.
JR: Where we’re going, we don’t need plans!
How did you all get into Muay Thai Kickboxing?
Mark: JCVD and lots of nerdiness. When I was a teenager, there was nothing I wanted more in life than to be a Muay Thai champion.
Opie: I actually was the last one to get into it. Back in the days during practice we would take breaks and the guys would work pads in the street and I would hangout in the garage playing guitar. It wasn’t till I was laid off from my job that I had a lot of time on my hands so I got really into cycling. I thought that Muay Thai would be a good compliment to cycling so I signed up for a fight gym and have been a hooked ever since. Every so often you can find us “warming up” wailing on the pads before shows.
JR: One day I was outside fetching some water when a fly landed on the trunk of a banana tree. I disliked flies. I punched at it several times. I got in close and threw elbows and knees, kicking the trunk as hard as I could. I killed the fly. Not satisfied with its squashed remains, I kept kicking until its body disintegrated. The tree fell down and that’s when I created Muay Thai.
If you could be one type of building or structure what would it be?
Mark: The Deathstar or Castle Greyskull.
Opie: Batcave
JR: Something that birds will never take a dump on. Maybe that huge tower from Lord of the Rings with my eye on top. I would love to see a bird try and drop a deuce on that!
Big thanks to Beta Lion. You can keep up with them at the following links:
Lia, Ramona, Paul, Tyler. Mittens! Yes, Mittens. What do you need to know about them aside from what is in the interview? That they are awesome and if you don’t like them and fall instantly in love you are dead inside and I hate you.
How did Mittens form and how long have you been together?
Lia: Ramona and I had been playing together for a long time, trying to get our songs together and find members that were a good fit. After a while of searching Ramona decided to look on Craig’s List where she found Paul. We spent a little time as a trio learning each other’s songs till we felt comfortable enough to begin auditioning drummers. Ramona went back on Craig’s List where she found Tyler. And finally Mittens was born. We’ve officially been together since around February or March of 2012.
Ramona: In the short time that we have been playing live, we have had a really positive response! We assumed our fans, at least in the short-term, would mainly consist of our friends and our mascot (Paul’s cat), Butters. So, we were pretty stoked to have other bands and venues contact us to book more shows so shortly after we began playing live. We’ve also received some positive emails from a few fans around the states. We’re happy if our music makes people smile. 🙂
What is your song writing process like?
Paul: What’s our songwriting process anyway? One person comes up with song, tells people, hey, here’s a new song, or hey, Ramona, finish my song?
Ramona: What’s really neat is we have three song writers in the band. Paul, Lia, and I each have a unique flavor in our song writing, which helps keep our music on its toes. Basically, one of us will introduce a song and together the four of us will Mittenize it.
What has been your favorite live show so far?
Lia: I think our favorite show was at the Tin Can Ale House with the Red Starts. The Tin Can is always a fun venue and the crowd was really great that night.
One of the things that stands out for me is your gear. I noticed you use Daisy Rock and the Hello Kitty guitar. Was that an aesthetic choice or a budgetary one?
Paul: Daisy Rock builds guitars for people with smaller builds and hands, and Ramona and myself certainly fall in that category, and the sparkles don’t hurt. Most of our instruments, such as the Mustang Bass and the Hello Kitty, are undersized. While our Hello Kitty guitars are at least part stage prop, they are personalized and modified and have made it to our recordings. My first guitar was a Hello Kitty Strat; I love those things.
What are your plans for the future?
Lia: We’d like to keep playing around, getting a bigger audience is always going to be a goal. I think our main plan is just to keep writing songs and becoming better musicians. Practice Practice.
I know you have recorded some songs. Can you tell me a little about that process and if you plan to release a CD?
Paul: We’ve mostly done recordings in my garage, getting as much as possible recorded in one take, so as to minimize overdubs and time requirements. It’s been a good way to get the first few songs recorded, but we will probably spend a bit more time and do more multi-tracking on our demos from now on.
As for releasing anything, I think it’s best for us to wait on it for now. Although I think we sound pretty good together right now, I’m still somewhat new at guitar and vocals and feel that I still have much progress to make, and I think some of my fellow Mittens also feel a little green at their craft as well. So while we want to continue to do recordings, I think we’re content for them to be demos for now. As we get more live appearances and rehearsal time under our belts, we will start feeling more and more confident about making a release that’s truly compelling.
Why should people come to see you live?
Paul: Well, we smile and harmonize. Most bands don’t bother.
If you could become any non-human animal, what would it be?
Forget about subgenres. Put your preconceptions aside and just accept. This is heavy metal, my friends. Ion Storm is steeped in myths and lore of its own creation standing on the shoulders of giants. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ion Storm!
Could each of you give me a little on your musical background and how you joined Ion Storm?
Chris “Killgrinder” Newman: I formed it. As far as background I come from the school of “Crank the amp/Hit strings and raise hell!” Thats all I’ve ever done, I hate click tracks and theory and even giving a shit about what the bpm(beats per minute) is and it’s allways been like that for me.
Grady: I haven’t had any musical training at all really. I just ended up getting a guitar for my birthday one year and I started teaching myself songs from bands that I was into. The first band I was in was “Mirus Malum” which is a project that me, Tim, and our friend Drew originally started. If you like middle eastern scales and Egyptian themes in metal then you should like it. The way I ended up joining Ion Storm was a strange process. To shorten it up, Ion Storm’s old drummer knew my grandma and was shown a homemade music video me and my friend made which led to her recommending me to Chris.
How did Ion Storm start?
Tim “Bullet” Martin: If I told you, I would have to kill you.
“Killgrinder”: “Ion Storm” started as “Kill” when i was around 13, After years of writing down ideas and riffs in my bed room, i looked at the towering pile of notebooks and cassettes and said “OK its time to do something with all this.” I spent two months puzzle-piecing it all together and came out with 100 songs. Picked out 20 to fill a “Debut” record and then picked 10 of those to fill an hour live set.
Spent months whoring for a practice space. After that was done I put out an ad to bring in other musicians. Spent 4 months practicing/hiring and firing till getting our current lineup together which is pretty solid and we all have the same sense of humor which is a plus \m/.
Grady: Chris. Simple as that. haha
Do you have an overall philosophy for the band and if so what is it?
“Killgrinder”: Yeah, We don’t and will not ever write about “Real” life. We write our own myths and stories 100% of the time. You will never hear us crying about an ex girlfriend or politics in our music…..Ever!
“Bullet”: We definitely have our own personal philosophical perspectives on things, and I think it all comes together to make a pretty great and unique sound once we can focus it into one cohesive musical presence. We’re all pretty creative guys.
Grady: Our philosophy involves the belief that every emo should be killed with fire.
What is the song writing process?
“Killgrinder”: Well so far all the music is mine. Tim and I write the lyrics and Grady helps with arrangements and vocal melodies.
“Bullet”: After 30 minutes of jamming: “Ah dude that was fuckin great! How did it go? I don’t know! Did anyone record that? No. SHIT!”
Grady: It’s a pretty standard process. It begins with us lighting candles and making a pentagram in the center of the room. We then chant sacred unholy phrases in latin as a means to appease the Metal Gods. After that the possessions occur and we channel the dark energy into what you perceive as music.
“Killgrinder”: I had a lawyer write to me to change the name of the band and the same day I was watching star trek and they were on this planet and a giant storm came and destroyed everything and somebody yelled “It’s an Ion Storm!” It was a no brainer. hahaha!
“Bullet”: The name literally means “eternal storm” if you go back to the original greek. It represents the sound we are going for well I think.
How would you describe your sound?
“Killgrinder”: Its a 50/50 mix of 70’s stoner doom and 80’s thrash with modern Viking/Thrash vocals and myth based lyrics. I call it “sci-fi metal,” Tim calls it “Myth Metal” \m/.
“Bullet”:I could give a long creative description involving way too many adjectives here, but instead I will just say that its aggressive, melodic, dark, and you should listen to it to find out for yourself!
Grady: It sounds like the beautiful screams of agony that would be echoing from a planet being devoured by an ion storm.
What song of yours best represents what Ion Storm is about?
“Killgrinder”: “The Craft” Covers it all. It has doom parts, thrash parts, really dark lyrics and it’s super heavy and catchy.
“Bullet”: We are all about making good music that you can really feel, bang your head, and beat the crap our of your friends to. “God VS Minotaur” is a pretty good representation of what we are about.
Grady: Not sure what song best fits Chris’ vision of Ion Storm but my favorite so far is probably “Rise ov the Centaur”
Any plans for live shows? If so, why should people come see you live?
“Killgrinder”: October 2012!, I have all the gear ready and a backdrop in the mail. We have a few offers lingering and really it’s just crunch time to practice, practice, practice!
“Bullet”: We absolutely have plans for live shows. People should come to our shows because we will rock the hell out of them, and possibly initiate the Apocalypse.
Grady: Yes. We have some stuff lined up in October. If you like whiplash and blown out eardrums then you’ll love us.
Any plans to record?
“Killgrinder”: Yes. We start tracking drums early October with a producer and then I will be recording all the bass and guitars except for a few solo sections, Grady has to keep it tight. Then late October I will be producing Grady’s vocals.
General plans for the future?
“Killgrinder”: We are going to do a few local gigs to warm up and then start on the California and Seattle markets.
“Bullet”: Write music, play the hell out of our setlist locally, hopefully go on tour before long.
Grady: Fuck shit up.
What is your favorite robot?
“Killgrinder”: ROBOCOP!
“Bullet”: The Terminator. I guess that’s a cyborg, but he’s mostly a machine so that counts.
Grady: Quickstrike from Beast Wars.
Thank you so much Ion Storm. And, dear reader, here is a little teaser of what they sound like. No vocals, but you can get a feel for the music and lyrics.
Is your band’s name “Plasticsoul” a reference to the term black musicians in the 60s used to describe Mick Jagger (a white musician singing soul music)?
has mistakes on his albums and also never played his songs the same way twice. Is Plasticsoul similarly fluid live?
Some Kind Of Muffin 