Category: Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight: Audios Amigos

tonightatdawn May 26, 2015

Interview conducted by @KralTunes

A band that blends instrumental surf, country, latin, soundtrack and garage music (all while wearing mariachi-inspired attire, no less) can be a tough sell for us rock and roll-leaning individuals, but when that band is AUDIOS AMIGOS, consider this guy sold.

Having released several E.P.s of original material mixed with faithfully covered classics, Audios Amigos is a band that can get your booty shaking one minute, than transport you to the set of ‘A Fistful Of Dollars’ the next (it’s enough to make composer Ennio Morricone well up with pride).

Band members JT Halmfilst and Eric Baldoni were more than gracious enough to put up with my nonsense and answer a few questions. Read along as they reminisce about the origins of their name, the beginnings (sot of) of Red Fang, talk about future projects, and discuss the current state of Portland sports clubs.

KralTunes: First off, GREAT name for a band! Do you ever feel like you guys hit the jackpot in coming up with it before some crappy, NICKLEBACK style band could?

JT Halmfilst: Yeah, I feel like we’re pretty lucky, band names are kinda hard to come by, they’re either taken or terrible or both. I had actually used the name (Audios Amigos) for a one-off benefit show featuring members of Dusty Santamaria & the Singing Knives and Dramady. Months later when we were forming this band, I thought it was too good to remain in obscurity and it fit our m.o. You know, “Sound Friends”. It does unfortunately get misspelled often, which is the price we pay for being so clever.

Eric Baldoni: I was pushing for “JT and the Skankin’ Yankees”, but apparently that last part is already taken. It’s generally a good thing no one listens to me.

KT: Whenever I think of the Pacific Northwest music scene, hard rock bands like Red Fang spring to mind. Is there a Portland surf rock movement the rest of the country all are being deprived of?

JT: There are a great many instrumental bands in and from the Northwest, one of the greatest being The Ventures! Others include Guantanamo Baywatch, Don & the Quixiotes, The Boss Martians, Satan’s Pilgrims, Surf Trio, The Diminished Men. We like to play with an array of bands, mixed bag shows and whatnot. Not even I who happens to love surf/instrumental music wants to hear an entire evening of it! Every once in a while we will share the stage with our surf rock arch rivals, the aforementioned Don & the Quixiotes, but usually prefer to play mixed bag shows, variety being the spice of life and all. Funny you should mention Red Fang, we’ve actually opened for them! Technically
we opened for the comedian Ian Karmel, who was followed by Red Fang. That was great, their fans were really nice to us.

EB: We’d most likely be an anomaly anywhere. Incidentally regarding those Red Fang rock stars, I knew Bryan way back when we both played in “punk” bands in Tucson (late 80s). Not only is he a great guitarist, he also is the original Buckethead. I say this because he once was featured in a performance by the incredibly obscure yet monumental band Slo Deluxe, wearing a metal bucket over his head equipped with a contact microphone into which he was instructed to scream. Come to think of it, that sort of encapsulates his guitar style…so the world owes the existence of Red Fang to Slo Deluxe.

Meet The Guys

KT: I love the moody spaghetti western feel of your music. What drew you all to this sound?

JT: I’ve just always loved cool sounding guitars, 50s & 60s
instrumental, cinematic/soundtrack stuff. The way they made things sound is so evocative and imaginative. In a song without words or singing, you kind of end up making up what it’s about or creating your own imagery. This band is a great opportunity to show our influences by playing songs by them. Joe Meek, The Ventures, Link Wray, Ennio
Morricone, the music of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti, Davie Allan and the Arrows. There is also South American music from the 60s called Chicha that is similar to cumbia, but played with wah wah pedals and Farfisas that is real fun to play, or try to! This is the first band of this kind for me and I’m happy to finally be playing
these styles that ive loved for so long.

EB: I like everything odd and weird about the Morricone compositions…he used so many strange instruments to create mood. Our influences, inspirations…geez just too many, especially with the internet making available so much old music that otherwise would have been impossible to find. Personally I started out playing in weird punk bands, then a complex short attention span instrumental combo, then some country, then some post rock…recently though mostly I listen to old Latin music, it’s all about the rhythm sections.

KT: Have you been playing together for a while? How did you all meet?

JT: Dan Lowinger (guitar), Eric Baldoni (bass) and Andy Bacon (drums) were all in a band called The Love Lasers with our friend Lana Rebel (Last Of The Juanitas, Juanita Family, Broken Promises). When she moved back to Tucson, the boys wanted to keep something going. I, JT Halmfilst (guitar), jumped at the chance to play with them. We’ve
all been around the block a few times, seen and admired each others bands. It was a pretty quick fit.

KT: You guys are apparently big on 432hz!

For those not aware:

“432hz vibrates/oscillates on the principles of natural harmonic wave propagation and unifies with the properties of light, time, space, matter, gravity and electromagnetism”.

Are you some kind of undercover nerds?? What drew you to this cause?

JT: About 432hz, I heard about it a few years ago and started tuning to it in my band Thee Headliners. We were a guitar and drums duo so the transition was easy. We noticed a different feeling and quality to the sound. Different things vibrated in the room we’d been playing in for years. The difference is subtle and was physically relaxing. I convinced AA to tune this way as well citing that we shouldn’t let the Nazis dictate how we tuned. The tuning is popular in the New Age community so maybe that makes us undercover hippies. It feels good to know that we are in harmony with the vibrations of the universe when we play!

EB: It’s complete hogwash, but we love JT unconditionally so we humor him.

KT: What are your plans for 2015, and please say its more music?

JT: Given everyone’s busy schedules, we are adding to our personnel roster, incorporating Ben Cosloy (Bad Assets, Lord Master) on guitar and Frosty Davis on percussion and additional instrumentation. We hope to have a new t-shirt soon and would like to have an album recorded
within the year.

EB: I try to only plan things about a month in advance. This month we are playing a wedding gig…our first wedding gig ever. More people should hire us to play their wedding, we look pretty pimpin in our best digs. It will really impress your guests and convince them that you are cooler than they are…which is the goal.

KT: Will this band ever tour further east?

JT: Being a two car garage band, touring isn’t an option as of yet, but not out of the question. A van hopefully looms in our future as well. How far east are you? KT: Northern Jersey, so it looks like my options are kinda slim.

EB: Think positive thoughts and it might happen. Hell, you should come out here and see us, why are you people always putting it on us musicians to do all the traveling? You don’t have to haul around piles of antiquated fragile musical equipment (not to mention actual flesh and blood) in vans that generally speaking, are nothing short of unregulated carnival rides in gross need of repair. KT: You sold me…now to convince the wife to travel across the country to see a surf rock band live. I’m liking my chances.

Now for the real reason I wanted to talk to you guys:

KT: In all seriousness, is anyone in the area regarding the PORTLAND TIMBERS serious as a legit sports team??

JT: I did heard the Portland Timbers scored 3 touchdowns before the 5th inning of the sportsball meet.

EB: I tried to get a response to this from our resident sports expert Ben Cosloy…but he seems unwilling to share his opinion, which is quite rare for him…

Stop the presses!! Last minute edition from the Audios Amigos sports desk –

Ben Cosloy: The Timbers are the only other pro sports franchise in PDX. In comparison to the Blazers they are an upstart club that plays its games in the heart of downtown and they have a non corporate vibe, not to mention a mascot with a freaking chain saw cutting wood rounds every time the home team scores. The Timbers are a fair to middling team that wins an inordinate amount of home games due to the raucous fans who in other walks of life stare at their shoes at concerts and drive passively. Also, their timbers Army rooting section is so rowdy and downright foul-mouthed it is not suitable for children under a certain age. Yes, the Timbers are 100% for real. KT: I like this guy!!

See AUDIOS AMIGOS Here:

5/30/2015-The Secret Society Portland, OR

Find AUDIOS AMIGOS Here:

Official Site Facebook Bandcamp

Other Spotlighted Artists:

Monocle Stache Howling Giant Arms and Sleepers Wyldlife Whores Sky White

Artist Spotlight: Sky White, Founder of Wendigo Tea

tonightatdawn May 18, 2015

Interview conducted by @KralTunes

Question: What does the member of an alternative, glam, post hardcore, hard rock band do to occupy his time when said band decides it’s time to pause?! If you’re Foxy Shazam’s Sky White, you become an importer/exporter in the fine tea biz. I needed a conversation with the ‘Art Vandelay’ of tea.

Frustrated with tea shops and vendors that routinely price gouge their customers, Sky started to buy tea straight from overseas sources. The problem? When ordering tea from exporters overseas, you have to order quantities that are “not suitable for the average private consumer”. Thus, like anyone else would, Sky’s solution was to establish a business. He asserts that Wendigo offers a square deal on tea that “beats the world’s most strict organic standards or complies with EU regulations which have much more strict pesticide control standards than the US”.

Not only does Wendigo Tea offer some of the best tea that I’ve ever tasted, but he is spicing up the centuries old biz by developing a line of fine tea leaves named after world-famous cryptid beings (e.g. Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster)! Sky White graciously took time to share his love of tea and he company he has created.

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Sky White, Founder of Wendigo Tea

KralTunes: What’s the more glamorous lifestyle, hard rocker or tea importer/exporter?

Sky White: I’d have to say tea importing is more glamorous mainly because there is no way to have a pile of rock dudes working hard all day on tour and have it not smell real bad. Also the usual way that people want to show appreciation for musicians they like is buying them a drink… As CEO of Wendigo Tea Co. I get tea sent across the planet packaged in what looks like an ancient scroll from a farmer talking about how this tea has never been on American soil and that his family has been guarding these tea trees for a thousand years.
KT: I am a big fan of tea, (green tea, specifically). I first got into green tea on a trip to Japan several years back (couldn’t stand it at first…the real, unsweetened deal is certainly is an acquired taste). That trip really opened my eyes to the world of green tea and the variety and complexity behind it. When did you realize that tea was your go-to beverage?

SW: I may have a cup of some nice coffee once a month but made a pretty strong transition to tea about 10 years ago. Not sure if it is a coincident or not but that was the same time Foxy started heavily touring.

I’m jealous of your trip to Japan. I have to get so much stuff shipped here to try to find the best available from a region. I tried maybe 100 different high-end Japanese green teas before finding my Wendigo Green Tea. KT: Speaking about the tea, the free stuff they give guests in the hotel rooms is 10X better than any store-bought brand here in the U.S. Just sayin’.

KT: To quote you from your ABOUT page:

Most American tea drinkers LOVE TEA but don’t know that America is the dumping ground of the world’s bad tea. Many store-bought tea bags are filled with ground-up old, bad, or dead bits that fall off of the good tea leaves, then are scented or flavored with fruit or herbs to improve the taste.

Why do you think America is the dumping ground for the worlds bad tea? From my experiences, people do find it arduous to have to seek out quality products and would rather settle for the inexpensive alternative.

SW: There are a ton of reasons that help explain why we have poor taste in tea. One of the biggest is our geography. We happen to be on the exact opposite side of the planet of where most of the world’s tea has always been produced. And until very recently, it had to be heavily oxidized or fermented as to not spoil before it gets here. You just would never do that with a good tea. So there was no way to avoid that bitter taste for generations unless you overpowered it with some sort of scenting or flavoring.

As for modern times, we can get the best tea in the world shipped here in a few days but it for some reason is still appealing to most people to buy really bad tea that has been flavored with flowers, extracts, and chemicals. I can order from China a garbage bag of the stuff that fills your tea bags for a few bucks. But never would because it doesn’t deserve to be anywhere but in that above stated garbage bag.

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Wendigo Tea Sampler Art: Matthew Franklin

KT: I notice you regularly use mason jars for drinking tea. Are mason jars the optimal tea drinking vessel, or is it a personal preference?

SW: Yes there are proper size and shape tea cups. But I disagree with all of that so do the opposite. I like my tea to cool quickly so the large amount of glass of a mason jar lets more heat escape so I can get that delicious tea into my body faster. Tea cups are thin and delicate so the liquid stays hot as long as possible.

KT: For me, A good green tea goes a long way. What is the ultimate, most enjoyable tea leaf for your money?

SW: Honestly my Wendigo Green Tea is my favorite tea on the planet right now. I just tried a Japanese green tea that is 10x as expensive as it and don’t think it came anywhere close to being as enjoyable. I love the grassy taste of Japanese green teas but sometimes you get the “kelpy” taste in there too with a fine leaf tea. I enjoy Wendigo Green Tea so much because it has none of the unwanted flavors ( unless you brew it weird) and also has an unusual amount of natural sweetness.

KT: Lets see if you can help me with this one. My local tea shop is run by a great guy, who offers a wide variety of tea leaves. As I was perusing the current tea catalog, I noticed a green tea (Uji Superior Gyokuro) that was priced at over $50 per 100 g. Now I like my green tea, but $50 for a few leaves!?! Im not asking if he is ripping me off or anything, but can tea really be that pricey and worth the money?

SW: I have had that kind of Uji Gyokuro, or at least one very similar, and it was pretty darn good. With tea I always say just go for it and see what it is like.

That example right there is one of the main reasons why I started this company though. I am sure that this tea place has 100 or so teas right? (KT: you would be correct) That makes a lot of shipping costs for the business and with that many to deal with it becomes easier to deal with american wholesale companies rather than import from each specific area. Which will double the cost of tea to the consumer. The business model for a tea shop really works a lot better for carrying many different kinds of relatively cheap teas. Otherwise if your one ridiculously high-grade thing doesn’t sell such as that Gyokuro you might end up eating a multiple thousand dollar loss or be forced to sell it long past when it is at its freshest. I bet I could nearly half that price if I were to get that exact tea just because of the difference in our business models. I only carry very good tea because there are so few people selling it because most business models don’t work well with them. But mine does…

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Bigfoot Black Tea Art: Matthew Franklin

KT: As of now, you deal primarily with a small handful of teas. Do you hope to branch out with more of a selection? Any future products/teas coming soon? How do you decide which type of tea leaves to work with? Is it a long process?

SW: I only want to sell something if it is special. I don’t see myself carrying more than a dozen or so teas. The goal is to find, in my opinion, the best of every kind of tea and then a few just super unique or interesting finds along the way. I tend to fall in love with teas that have a natural sweetness and a complex flavor a bit different those of similar styles. I’m about to put in an order for some samples of stuff that I didn’t even know existed and seems like no one on the internet has heard about either…

Nessy Jasmine Tea Art: Matthew Franklin

KT: Now, being a fan of Foxy Shazam, I had to at least ask one question, as I may never have this opportunity again. You probably have been asked countless times, but fuck it..you guys are on a bit of a break at the moment. Is there a future for Foxy Shazam (if the answer is not what I am anticipating, feel free to lie to my face and tell me everything will be alright).

SW: We think so.

KT: Short, sweet, and under 4 syllables. For now, I’ll take it!

For truly amazing tea, look here: Wendigo Tea Facebook Twitter

Artist Spotlight: Arms And Sleepers

tonightatdawn May 12, 2015

Interview conducted by @KralTunes

Max Lewis and Mirza Ramic make up ARMS AND SLEEPERS, the electronic dynamic duo of chill, hip-hop, ambient, post rock, and atmospheric jams (and whatever other categories you think you can lump them into). Since their inception in 2006 (including a near 2 year hiatus), the group has amassed a discography of over 18 different releases. Dedicated might not be a strong enough term to describe their prolific careers up to this point. Albums such as ‘Black Paris 86‘ and ‘Matador’ are beloved by both fans and critics alike for their masterful blending of subtle electronics, hip hop beats and the overall eerie yet beautiful ambiance each album exhibits.

Not only did the band just recently release their newest full length album, ‘Swim Team’, this past fall, they are in the middle of a new Kickstarter campaign that, if successfully funded, will see the release of a flood, a swarm (a gaggle, if you will) of new material throughout 2015.

Currently preparing for a short European tour later this month, Mizra Ramic was kind enough to take the time and answer my rambling questions about the band’s recording process, what fans are in store for at a live performance, and what the future holds for the duo. Luckily, we also got to tackle hard pressing issues such as being stranded in the middle of nowhere and critiquing the Presidents comedic skills.

Meet the band

KralTunes: The name ARMS AND SLEEPERS is an interesting choice. How did you come up with that?

Mirza Ramic: It was definitely a random thought which then gained different meaning for each of us and for others. For me, BitCandy (www.bitcandy.com) best described the meaning: “It represents the ever-present violence fetish of the powerful (‘arms’) and the shameful apathy of those who quietly ignore it (‘the sleepers’).”

KT: Lets go about this question Alex Trabeck-syle. (I will play Alex Trabeck, and you are the Jeopardy contestants. As I walk by each podium, I ask you where your from and to reveal some tidbit about yourself..Give me an interesting factoid about each band member that was currently unknown before today).

MR: Arms and Sleepers is just 2 people. Max Lewis (who was unavailable for this interview) and I started the band in 2006 – maybe an interesting factoid about us is that we didn’t really (or rather at all) like each other in high school. We became friends in college which is when we started playing music together. KT: I have had similar experiences with people from high school. Isn’t it weird how that can happen?

KT: How did you guys come together as a group? Have you been playing together for a while?

MR: Building on the previous answer, we knew each other in high school but started to be friends in college when we discovered we had similar music interests and aspirations. We played in various bands together until we decided to go on our own in 2006. We’ve been focused on Arms and Sleepers ever since.

KT: I read that your live shows offer the audience a ‘cinematic experience’. Can you go into more detail about how you pull this off?

MR: Since our first show, we’ve used visuals that are synced to the live set. We try to put a lot of care into what kind of videos are projected on the screen when performing live, and over the years this has become an important component of the live experience. We tend to use videos from other artists that we’ve collaborated with in the past but also some of our own video work.

KT: Looking through your discography, you two have been quite prolific throughout the years. One could assume that making new music come easy for you two. Is this true, or is the process long and difficult? How do you come up with your ideas? Inspirations?

MR: Definitely not true – creating music is an incredibly difficult process for us, and to make something that we think is worth sharing with others takes incredible amounts of energy out of us. We tend to be very self-critical, so there is a lot of frustration involved when it comes to writing and recording new music. Inspiration comes from many different places – people, cities, personal experiences, literature, films, music. It’s always unpredictable and we never know when our motivation to create something will result in a piece of music that is actually good. It’s a hit or a miss, with a whole lot of misses.

KT: Do you create music other than ambient/trip-hop, or is this the only game in town for you two?

MR: I think “ambient/trip-hop” is a term that was assigned to our music by others – we don’t think of our music as such, and over our 9-year existence and about 18 releases, we’ve had music ranging from electronic to modern-classical to instrumental hip hop. If you take a release such as ‘Nostalgia For The Absolute’ and compare it to our most recent release ‘Swim Team’, it’ll be pretty obvious that those two albums have pretty much nothing in common other than the fact that we created them. We tend to be all over the place when it comes to making music because we get bored easily with one style – this has been great for us because we feel free to explore any direction we want, but sometimes confusing for our listeners because they never know what to expect. KT: Part of the reason I gravitated to your music is this variation that you speak of. I know when I first heard Black Paris 86 years ago, I was blown away by the rapid shifts in sound and expert musicianship. I still feel like this may be your best release yet, although I have to give Swim Team more time to sink in.

KT: Going into making a new record, is there a set plan or goal before entering the studio, or do you let the creativity flow before deciding on a direction?

MR: Lately we’ve been trying to have more of a set plan before embarking on creating a new album. We’ve been very conscious about trying to make a consistent album that has a particular sound and feel to it from start to finish. We’ve struggled with this in the past so it’s been a bit of a challenge for us, but with the most recent album ‘Swim Team’, we were petty happy with how it turned out.

KT: Tell us more about your current KICKSTARTER campaign? I see that you intend to release a boatload of unheard material over the course of the next year. Is this material that you have been sitting on for a while, or all new content? What kind of content can fans expect to hear?

MR: This is our 2nd Kickstarter campaign we’ve done (the last one was in 2010) and we’ve managed to raise almost $7,000 with a few weeks left to go. We have a lot of new material that we want to release and share with our listeners, but of course being a small group, finding the funds to do so can be difficult. The material we’re looking to release is fairly new, with some ideas floating around since 2013. There are two EPs and a remix album for ‘Swim Team’ that we’d like to release this year if we can reach our funding goal of $10,000, and a brand new full-length album to be released in 2016 if we can reach $15,000. Some of the new material is sonically on the same page as our most recent album ‘Swim Team’, other material is a bit reminiscent of our older releases such as ‘From The Inland Sea’, and yet other material is like nothing else we’ve done before. So it’s all over the place, as our music usually tends to be. There are a couple of short audio clips and videos of the new music on our Kickstarter page, as well as info about new releases and available rewards: http://bit.ly/AAS_Kickstarter.

Arms And Sleepers’ latest full length release ‘Swim Team’

KT: I see you have a short European tour coming up. How do you pick some of these tours spots? Some of the stops do not seem like typical tour destinations.

MR: The booking decision-making tends to be quite simple: if there is someone interested in bringing Arms and Sleepers to his/her city and can make it happen logistically and financially, then we’re game. Arms and Sleepers is now just me performing live, with Max only in the studio, so figuring out travel logistics is a bit easier. I tend to be pretty flexible as to where I travel to perform, so whether it’s Belarus or Wales, I’m happy to go there if the various show details make sense. Arms and Sleepers has been touring and playing live since 2006, so I’m pretty accustomed to all kinds of places and situations.

KT: What do some crazy kids like yourselves do on your down time?

MR: Max is pretty busy with academics – he’s finishing his Master’s degree and starting his PhD in philosophy soon so a lot of his time is spent on reading, thinking, and writing. He’s also constantly working on new music and enjoys watching movies. I just finished my Master’s so I’m focusing on music full-time at the moment, but also have deep interests in education and political science. I also tend to watch a lot of movies and as of late, for some reason, a lot of NBA. KT: Super genius musicians!! Excellent

Now for the serious stuff:

KT: Two sisters from Oklahoma and Nebraska missing for nearly two weeks in Michigan survived on Girl Scout cookies and melting snow while stuck in their snow-crippled SUV. If you were stranded from civilization for 2 weeks, could you survive on Girl Scout cookies and snow? What would you need to make the situation as bearable as possible (but only 2 things)?

MR: Girl Scout cookies are great so I think I’d be able to manage that. In terms of two things to make the situation as bearable as possible, I’d say a good book and some super warm clothes. KT: Personally, I couldn’t deal with Girl Scout cookies non stop. Give me some bottles of Seltzer Water (Cranberry Lime if possible) and Great Grains Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal.

KT: Finally, rank these jokes made by President Obama at the recent White House Correspondents Dinner, from worst to best.

Talking about his Gray Hairs: “I look so old John Boehner’s already invited Netanyahu to speak at my funeral.”

MR: I like this one – probably my favorite of the three. KT: That’s my top pick as well.

The 2016 GOP Field: “The Koch brothers think they need to spend a billion dollars to get folks to like one of these people,” Obama said of the potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates. “I raised a lot … but my middle name is Hussein.”

MR: Pretty good, I suppose. KT: Pretty good, almost as good as the first.

The “Bucket” List: Obama said he’s asked, ” ‘Do you have a bucket list?’ I say, well I have something that rhymes with bucket.”

MR: Also pretty good, but the first one is still my favorite. KT: A big fat ‘MEH’ for me. Overall, a decent effort. Normally, I would say “Don’t quit your day job”, but since that won’t be available after 2016, I’ll refrain.

Catch Arms And Sleepers on tour in Europe this month:

May 23 Abstrasension Festival (More Club) Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
May 24 Muzeon Park Moscow, Russian Federation
May 27 Huligan Bar Minsk, Belarus
May 29 whoneedslyrics?! Festival (British Rock Stars) Bratislava, Slovakia
May 30 Kvlt BP Budapest, Hungary
Jun 02 Sugar Factory Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jun 03 Geertruida Haarlem, Netherlands
Jun 04 Bar Rossi Zurich, Switzerland Tickets
Jun 05 Private Show Duisburg, Germany
Jun 06 Neuadd Ogwen Bethesda, United Kingdom

Find ARMS AND SLEEPERS Here:

Website Facebook Bandcamp Twitter Kickstarter Instagram

Other Artist Spotlights:

Whores. Monocle Stache Wyldlife Howling Giant

Artist Spotlight: Wyldlife

tonightatdawn May 8, 2015

Interview conducted by @KralTunes The boys of New York’s WYLDLIFE are in the midst of a personal revival. After being sidelined for close to a year, the band has just released some new material, (It’s Called) Rock ‘n’ Roll, and are gearing up for a major run in the next year. Before heading south to record their new album, vocalist Dave Feldman was awesome enough to talk to me about the highs and lows of the rock and roll life, some of his best (and worst) memories on the road, and some time traveling hijinks. KralTunes: (Typical question I am sure you’ve heard ad nauseam) Do the boys in the band WYLDLIFE actually live up to what the name implies, or are you all simple happy little homemakers when the lights are turned off?

Dave Feldman: Well, I don’t know about a homemaker. We all keep are heads on our shoulders, I’ll say that. We have vices, but we keep them in check. We have paychecks coming in for the most part so we’re not starving. When we’re on the road, we definitely turn into a whole different animal. A party animal, if you will.

KT: Lets get some basics out-of-the-way. How did you guys come together as a group? Have you been playing together for a long time?

DF: Spencer (bass) and Sam (lead guitar, also only guitar) went to college together, as did our old drummer, Russ. I had been playing with Sam in high school so we just wanted to keep it going. Back then, I would go up to Purchase nearly every weekend, practice, play shows, look for some strange, mooch off everybody’s meal cards, and go home. Now we got Stevie in the band on drums, he’s a couple years older but looks maybe 8 years younger. He’s a killer drummer, but he’s also just a really sweet, soft-spoken guy.

KT: You recently returned after a “nearly a year-long hiatus between drummers” with an exciting new 7” vinyl, (It’s Called) Rock ‘n’ Roll. Was it difficult for the band to be on such an extended break for this long? For some bands, such breaks can go either way: (A) Its torture, (B) It was a chance to step back and reflect on our body of work and perhaps make necessary adjustments to future success (sorry for the philosophy) Where do you guys lean, or is there an option C I am not taking into consideration?

DF: Yeah, the last year since Russ left was really hard on everyone. It was so tormenting to want to be playing, wanting to be recording, wanting to tour and to not be able to do it just because I was at the mercy of a terrible situation. And for me, this is all I want to do in life. And for so long I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen again, or if the whole thing was going to disintegrate. I got around to thinking about killing myself, especially around the winter time. That’s not really something I’ve talked about with too many people, but whatever. For about a year, I basically had my terrible day job that I would come home to every day and that was it. That song “Saturday Night” became totally true for me and it was really bad. We had two songs that we recorded in June (that just came out) but we weren’t doing anything with it. I didn’t even like going to shows or seeing my friends bands anymore because it just made me a really bitter and sad person. Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t kill myself because it’s looking good now. The one thing that we were able to do was write a ton of new material, even if it meant we weren’t playing it out, but now we have Stevie on board, we’re recording this album next month and it’s gonna be a ripper. Then I just want to be on tour forever if I can.

KT: The bands image portrayed through your videos and various photos I’ve seen is one of beer swilling ruffians, and does not seem to fit into the current ‘pop-punk’ landscape. (most people think of this 5SOS band when talking about punk rock, for Gods sake)! Do you see yourselves as outliers of the current scene? Are you products of a bygone era?

DF: I think WYLDLIFE may actually be the most outlier-type band right now, only because we are too rough around the edges for a major label (which is fine for me) but we are too slick and good-looking for a Burger Records or Slovenly or Hozac. That kinda sucks because those are my favorite bands right now, Barreracudas, Dinos Boys, Shocked Minds, Dirty Fences, Bad Sports, etc. But I think that huge amount of admiration and appreciation for those bands is most likely not reciprocated from their audiences to us. We’re caught in this fucked place, sonically and visually, but whatever. At the end of the day I just want to drink Bud Lite Lime and make music we like. Our fans will get it, and if some other people get it, that’s cool too.

KT: Songs like “ Cowboys and Slutz” and “The First Time’s The Worst” off of The Time Has Come To Rock & Roll appear to be written from a first person account. Do you pull from real life experiences for the lyrical content of your music?

DF: Yeah of course. The title for Cowboys and Slutz actually came from this Cowboys and Nava-hoes party we went to one time. It sounds fratty as fuck, but I swear to god it was insane. Loose woman dressed as Native Americans, Jesus Christ… The funny thing about both of those songs are that their both about teenage girls. They sound totally different but for “Cowboys” I guess we were going for like an AC/DC or Motley Crue thing, and then “The First Time’s the Worst” was just lyrically going for a song The Raspberries might have written. Those two weren’t about anybody specific, but a lot of our songs are. Mostly ex-girlfriends and knuckleheads I see around the city.

KT: I’m sure you’ve been asked about your favorite spots to play…whats the worst venue you have ever played in? Was the experience so vile that no amount of $$$ would convince you to return?

DF: I won’t name names but people can ask me in person. Hamtramck, MI was fucking terrible. We did a show with The No Tomorrow Boys and at the end of the night they offered us $10 between both of our groups because “they had to pay the light guy.” You can’t even get high for $10 dollars. There was a show in Kansas City that was so fucked, there was just negative energy that night following us. We almost got into two separate fist fights, one with a group of local dickheads, another with a drunk guy in the parking lot who told us “You don’t know how much money I make, you’ll never make 300 dollars a week in your life.” There was also a massive thunder and lightning storm that night. It was awesome. Also there was a spot in Winchester, VA where we didn’t get paid, we ran our own sound, and without any sympathy we’re just like, “also your bar tab is 50 bucks between the four of you” so we Blues Brothers’d the fuck outta there.

KT: Follow up: Are there areas of the country/world that you are super excited to get back to on future tours, and why?

DF: Yeah absolutely. Too many to name. Definitely looking forward to going back to FYWROK. Atlanta, Milwaukee, Chicago, definitely looking forward to playing Denver some time in the future, hit the West Coast. All that good stuff! If anybody wants us to come to your town, get at us!

KT: So body ink seems to be a favorite pastime amongst the boys in the band. Any of you have tattoos that you regret getting years (or the next morning) later?

DF: I mean, I got a Misfits tattoo lasered off. I coulda lived with it, but really I was just bored and could afford something else. Oh well.

KT: If you had to rank your wyldest (see what I did there) touring moments (on stage or off), what would the top 3 be?

DF: There are too many and all quite blurry. In no order: Milwaukee, WI: Picked up, immediately escorted to a strip club called The Cheetah Club in a party bus with all these street punks, then played to a packed house where the cops showed up. That was madness. We Woke up the next day and went on a brewery tour and drunk bowling. Indianapolis, the one time Young Matt stole my sneakers and we wound up at a slip and slide party and drove around in, I swear to Christ, a fucking lawnmower hovercraft, then went back to Brett’s house and watched the Best of Stone Cold WWF VHS tape and ate a pizza that was bigger than my mattress. (You would have been my heroes circa 1999). The first time we played Chicago some guy in his mid to late 20s walked towards me with a knife and said, “Hey! You were at my friends party last weekend weren’t you?” and I said “Uhh… no.” And then his friend in the background shouts, “IT’S NOT HIM!.” That all took about 4 seconds but it was pretty fucked! (You guys have lived a charmed life..that much I am sure of).

KT: What the hell is a “GLUNK ROCKER”?! (apparently, you are) Do you approve of such a term?

DF: I think it’s a conjunction of glam and punk. Yeah I back it. I have been called worse. I think that the New York Dolls and The Soda Pop Kids and The Star Spangles and The Richmond Sluts were kinda glunk rockers in their own right, so I back it.

KT: I try to get some opinions on current events with each interview, so bear with me as we troll through miserable reality for a moment: Baltimore. Freddie Gray. Whats your take on all this crap? Seems like every week theres a new story about abuses in law enforcement that unfortunately results in a dead African-American man. Has there been an actual spike in these events occurring, or is the media simply hyper focusing on such stories? Are they (the media) making it worse? (my answer, YES!) As I write this, they are now stating that his death was self-inflicted while in custody..seems far fetched, but anything is possible I suppose.

DF: None of us are ones to rock the boat politically or socially, so I’ll just say that the footage of the dude nonchalantly throwing a huge rock through a cop car windshield got me so pumped, I had to run laps listening to The Kids just to work off the excitement.

KT: You just released this new 7”. What does the future hold for WYLDLIFE?

DF: We are driving down to Atlanta next week to record the next album. I am so excited for that, I can’t even tell you. Then we got a couple shows around NYC for June, probably fly down to Tulsa for this FYWROK festival. The album will be out hopefully by early fall. Maybe do some touring around then. I would love to put out a Christmas 7” this year too. We’ll have to see. (Excellent!! I look forward to it)!

Most important question of the night…

KT: I like a good time travel hypothetical situation, and this one comes from the podcast TELL EM STEVE DAVE. The one scenario that immediately comes up in conversation is always “If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be”?, and the answer almost always is, KILL HITLER. That became the standard answer, and as a result, to make things more interesting, the question evolved into “If you could travel back in time and kill baby Hitler before all of his atrocities, would you do so”? Now, in an attempt to ratchet it up even more, the question has become “You have the opportunity to seduce Mother Hitler prior to his original conception from his actual father, thus sparing the world from his DNA and cruel final solution. (assuming that the child would grow up to be more like one of you, and a lot less like Hitler). Would you be willing to impregnate the future Hitler’s mother to save he future of millions of lives?? Here is a picture of Mother Hitler to help (or hurt) your response… DF: (Off the record, I really appreciate that Mall Rats reference). Is that a brooch made of grapes? (I do believe it is) I think it would be pretty awesome to be like, “Hey Hitler. I fucked your mom.” And God knows I am a motherfucker at heart but nah, she’s beat. I wouldn’t fuck her with yours. (HA! While I do abhor your negligence in avoiding a worldwide suicide, I do believe that my dick should not be deemed ‘in play’ for such shenanigans… Well played).

Find WYLDLIFE Here: BANDCAMP

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Other Artist Spotlights: Monocle Stache Howling Giant Whores.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Monocle Stache

tonightatdawn May 4, 2015

@KralTunes

Colorado, home of Red Rocks, legal weed, and one time Sex Change Capital of the World, Trinidad, Colorado (look it up), can now proudly claim ‘mutant blues’ rockers MONOCLE STACHE. The rock newcomers blend retro bluesy rock with the heaviness of stoner rock (fitting for Colorado natives), resulting in their impressive debut E.P., Prairie Fire. I recently talked to David Accomazzo and Josh Minor from the band about their origins, whats next of the group, and other world changing topics.

KralTunes: While MONOCLE STACHE is a pretty sweet name for a band, the jaded northeastern U.S. side of me immediately sees it as something a douchey hipster band from Brooklyn would call themselves (which you are clearly not). How did you guys come up with the name? (IRONY is the only explanation I can come up with, please let it be irony, cause I like the music too much for it not to be!).

David Accomazzo: If we’re hipsters, we’re the Red Fang type, i.e. we drink a lot of beer and don’t give a fuck. (Whew!)

Josh Minor: Yeah, we’ve definitely considered the fact that the name is fairly hipster sounding, but at the end of the day, we just don’t care. It’s stuck with us for a long time. The name originated from a friend of ours who used to play a game called “Monocle Stache.” The game was essentially the game “Nose Goes.” I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Nose Goes, but someone will say something like, “Who wants to take out the trash?” Someone else will say, “Nose Goes,” and the last person to touch their own nose with their finger loses the game, and has to take out the trash, or whatever the task might be. It’s a stupid fucking game. So with “Monocle Stache,” you have to make a monocle with one hand around your eye, and a stache across your lip with the other. Operates the same way. We just liked the name at the time, thought it would be funny or something… So yeah….Irony. Because, you know, we don’t wear monocles or have proper mustaches, and fuck hipsters. (Yes…fuck hipsters).

KT: How did you guys come together as a group? Have you been playing together for a while?

DA: We all went to Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. Josh and I were in jazz band together starting at age 14, so we came up together as jazz musicians with jazz training. Arj and I started playing rock music as a two-piece called Moon Chug our senior year, and while Josh jammed with us once, it wasn’t until sophomore or junior year in college (~2006) that we started playing together as a three-piece and named ourselves Monocle Stache.
KT: You guys are virtually unknown in this part of the country, so lets go about this interview Alex Trabeck-syle. (I will play Alex Trabeck, and you 3 are the Jeopardy contestants. As I walk by each podium, I ask you where your from and to reveal some tidbit about yourself..Give me an interesting factoid about each band member that was currently unknown before today).

DA: I’m actually no longer in the band, though I played bass on the EP. I moved to Phoenix last year for a job in music journalism.

JM: As David said, he moved to Phoenix right after we had finished recording the EP. We were debating whether to continue the band for a while. One of Arj’s old friends and former bass-playing band-mate, Ryan Inman (we just call him Inman), moved out to Denver over the summer, so he’s been our bass player for the last few months. I (Josh) work professionally as a movie editor. I’ve worked on a couple feature-length documentaries of note: a music documentary called “Muscle Shoals” in 2013 (it’s now on Netflix), and an environmental doc called “Racing Extinction,” which premiered at Sundance in January. Arj is in a couple of other bands in Denver, “Il Cattivo” and “Black Acid Devil.” He plays drums in our band, but plays guitar in those bands. (I didn’t realize I was talking to some serious Renaissance Men)!!

KT: I see that you’ve gotten a lot of attention from the ‘stoner rock’ press with your E.P., but I am not sure if I agree with such a tag. Do you consider yourselves a stoner rock band? (I would consider you more of a bluesy garage style band, but what the hell do I know) What are some of your inspirations?
DA: We’ve tossed around a lot of genre tags over the years. “Stoner rock” is accurate since it describes our influences pretty well. We created the term “mutant blues” to apply to us, but no one besides us knows what that means. As the years have passed, I’ve started to think of us as “stoner blues,” since while the core of Monocle Stache is riff-based rock, the foundation of everything we do is blues. We used to jam all the time; improvisation was how we gelled together as a group and developed such great chemistry together. I love the concept of jamming because rock and roll can feel so rigid at times; it’s a confining structure to work within. The non-verbal communication we developed through hundreds of hours just making shit up together is one of the things I miss the most about being in the band.
KT: Things that caught my attention when I first discovered the band MONOCLE STACHE:

They have a great album cover!
Shit, this is free!?!
Who’s the hottie on the album cover!!!

Was the idea to give this album out for nothing a marketing ploy? If so, has it been successful? ( I guess me talking to you could be viewed as a positive sign). As a follow up, who IS the hottie on the album cover??

DA: Nah, we just didn’t give a fuck. We basically did nothing to promote but put the EP on bandcamp and announce it to our 80 Facebook followers (at the time) and friends, and the fact that the Youtube channels and the blogs picked up on it was an awesome surprise.

JM: So after David moved to Phoenix, during the phase when Arj and I were debating whether to keep the band going, we still had this unfinished EP just sitting on the shelf. I was determined to get the album out despite the fact that we were possibly discontinuing the band. I figured that we had invested a lot of time and effort into the damn thing, it would be a shame not to let it see the light of day. I took it upon myself to do all of the artwork and social media marketing (or lack thereof). The chick on the front is Jean Shrimpton, who was a British swinger-era supermodel from the 1960s. I’m really into retro models – they were much classier back then. Now, I should mention we have absolutely no rights to her image, so yeah…hopefully we don’t get sued. (Your secret is safe with me) Then again, we didn’t charge anything for the EP, so it could be hilarious if we got sued – free advertising, and they could get all $70 or so that we made, ha… But yes, I would consider the EP a success. The reason for giving the album away for free was mostly because we weren’t even sure we’d still be a band, but also we just wanted people to have our music. I wouldn’t want someone turning away from our music just because they had to pay for it. So the money we made is just the frosting on the cake. The real victory is in knowing that our music is out there, and people are digging it. It’s also a great feeling knowing that people wanted to pay something for our music even though it was free – that’s a sign that we’ve got some awesome fans.

KT: Since your from Colorado, someone from the east coast envious of your position must ask…has legal marijuana lived up to every stoners fantasy in the Centennial State?

JM: Legal marijuana has been a great success here, and for the most part, we are all reaping the benefits of it. I grew weed for years, so for us it’s kind of the same. Although, now he lives in Phoenix, so that sucks. The only downfall is that I can’t sell it for a profit anymore – but I’d rather have it be legal and cheap, than illegal and expensive. It’s nice knowing that I can smoke and possess weed, and it’s completely legal – nothing to worry about at all. That’s how it should be.

KT: What can we expect from you douchey hipsters in the near future (please say more music and expansive touring)?

JM: We are going to continue to rock the fuck out – that is for certain. We’ve been jamming a lot with the new bassist, so I’d like to say we are on the verge of taking the Denver rock scene by storm. Of course, it’s always a lot easier said than done. We’d love to go on tour at some point, maybe show NYC some love….we’re going to need some more funding.

KT: Random MONOCLE STACHE QUESTIONS/FACTS
Any pre/post show rituals?
Since you in the valley of craft beers, what are some of your favorites?
(Fill in any information that you would like us to include)

JM: So the reason that the name of our EP is “Prairie Fire” is because we always do a round of prairie fire shots before our shows. A “Prairie Fire” is shitty tequila mixed with Tabasco sauce. Yes, they are as gross as they sound, and they are fucking awesome.

I love beer. So goddamn much. IPAs are my favorite, but I can appreciate almost any great craft beer. I am a huge fan of Odell Brewery in Fort Collins, and of course Avery Brewing here in Boulder is unbeatable. The Maharaja Imperial IPA is where it’s at. (You guys are quickly becoming my new favorite band! I’ll have to check out these recommendations. For me, Founders Brewery out of Michigan is frickin’ untouchable, especially their BREAKFAST STOUT or CENTENNIAL IPA. Of course, Boulevard’s Sixth Glass Belgium is no slouch (Jeez, this became a craft beer circle jerk real fast)!!

Now onto serious business…

JM: I would have given Hitler’s father a swift kick in the balls the night he fucked Hitler’s mammy. I would have told him, “I’m saving lives.” But seriously, don’t fuck with the past…. (short and sweet)

KT: MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO… has Mayweather been ducking ‘Manny’ all these years? Who do you expect to come out victorious??

DA: Fuck yeah, Mayweather’s been ducking Pacquiao. Manny’s gonna rip him a new one. (You don’t know how right I wish you were about that).

KT: These slang words have apparently disappeared from the American vernacular:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/npr-history-dept/2015/04/23/401681334/7-lost-american-slang-words

What are some current slang words/phrases you hope will be forgotten from the American dialogue in future years?

DA: I’m pretty sure I called someone a dingus within the past year, so I question the veracity of the prompt. (Dingus is a good one. I heard ‘awesome sauce’ for the first time in years the other day…I couldn’t stop laughing).
KT: The BATMAN V. SUPERMAN teaser has been catching a lot of crap lately, but I think its going to be pretty good movie (better than AVENGERS, at least). Thoughts??

DA: Nothing will be better than the Hanna Barbera Birdman cartoon. Nothing. (Can’t really argue with that, well maybe Harvey Birdman; Attorney At Law)

Find Monocle Stache here:

Official FACEBOOK

Official Bandcamp page (Again, ITS FREE)!!

TWITTER

REVERBNATION

Other Spotlight Artists:

WHORES.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Howling Giant

tonightatdawn April 27, 2015

Text by @KralTunes

Instagram: Kral_Was_Here

Huge THANK YOU to the members of HOWLING GIANT for being good sports about my lack of interviewing skills and playing along anyway.

“Recorded live in Tom’s bedroom, Howling Giant’s first EP comes crashing into reality!”

With this singular statement on BANDCAMP, HOWLING GIANT exemplifies perfect do-it-yourself music making. From the old school B-Movie horror album art, to the no nonsense hard rock mentality, this Nashville Trio with going at it on a smaller scale. Rather than setting the world on fire in grand fashion, they are content with the metaphorical equivalent of lighting a bag of dog poop on your neighbors porch.

The first 2 tracks of their debut E.P. are as straight forward as they come… ‘HUSK‘ and ‘WHALE LORD‘ are hard-hitting, riff-heavy rock ditties that stick to the tried and true regulations of stoner rock. Fortunately, the second half of the album makes me slightly stand at attention… for it is here where the band begins to showcase some exceptional music chops. ‘DOUG‘ provides bluesy rock instrumentals, while ‘CAMEL CRUSHER‘ is a slow burning, spoken word affair that has enough gazpacho to fill that bowl (wink, wink…) including oh so irresistible spaghetti western themed lyrics such as:

“Born without purpose, our friend wanders through the desert
Aimless. Brainless. Infection ruining his sentient thoughts
Over the years he’s created his own purpose
A purpose void of reason or understanding
To slay the hunchbacked sand demons
Blight of nature, he’s their only reckoner
The last bastion of desert justice.”

(You could ALMOST imagine Clint Eastwood delivering those lines before belting some slugs into Ramón Rojo).

As you could tell, I am becoming a big fans of these guys, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with them and ask about the making of this record, their future plans, and any other irrelevant thoughts that bounced around my head at 2AM.

Kraltunes: Is there a unique origin to the name HOWLING GIANT?

Howling Giant: The name comes from the Four Giants in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Towards the end of the temples in the game, these Lords of the Earth come out and howl a haunting melody. (I never put that together until just now..thats brilliant)!!

KT: One thing I immediately noticed after listening to your EP is the exceptional musicianship.
How long have you three been playing? Has music always been the ‘goal’ for you guys? Is this a part time thing?/ Do you have regular day jobs? When did you start playing together as a group? Am I rambling on a bit much here??

HG: We met in college and all played in various other bands, not so much with each other. As our other bands dissolved slowly, we started this band under the name SKLDZR (Skulldozer), as a joke and excuse to jam fat riffs with one another.

We aim to do this full time one day, but in the mean time, we work day jobs just like anyone else. Roger is a substitute teacher, Tom slings BBQ and just got hired at a local brewery, and Zach works at a drum shop.

KT: I’m sure I know the answer to this, but please tell me that you guys are able to grow the epic facial hair so proudly displayed on your facebook page?!

HG: Thats a highly personal question, you’re making Roger uncomfortable. (Aw, C’mon Roger, we’re all friends around here)

KT: I am a big fan the of track “Doug”, particularly for the jam section on the second half. Which track(s) of yours are your especially proud of? (explain why)

HG: We are proud of every track on the EP, each one has its own character and represents a different sound that we love. Husk is the cruising desert feel with stacked vocal harmonies. Whale Lord gives a little bit of the heavy vibe, with some psychedelic guitar work towards the end. Doug captures our goofy side, while Camel Crusher is purely riff work. We love all of our children, as any respectable parent should.

KT: This Ep was recorded in Tom’s bedroom…care to elaborate on any other ‘band activities’ that take place in Tom’s bedroom???

HG: Aside from building a super-computer that will soon take over the world, nothing really.

KT: This weekend, Furious 7 opens in theaters…will you watch it, and in your opinion, can this film surpass the ridiculous awesomeness of its predecessors without going overboard on the cheesiness?

HG: In order to truly understand this film, you must take a look at Vin Diesel’s previous body of work. For example, Disney’s “The Pacifier.” IMDb says 3 stars, Rotten Tomatoes says 1 star. We say, don’t talk to us about Furious 7 until you understand “The Pacifier.” (Well done)

KT: Time to solve the worlds problems:
This week, the US and Iran reached a tentative deal that would curb nuclear activities in return for relief from sanctions. Is this deal a plus for US foreign policy, or will this agreement create more problems down the road between the US and the Middle East?

HG: What the mainstream media won’t tell you is that we have been granted special access to the proverbial “red-button.” Don’t worry fellow Americans, your lives are in good hands.

KT: What do a trio of rowdy Tenesseeians do on their down time?

HG: Cribbage, Jenga, fine wines, you name it. Tom’s been upping his Bocci Ball game over the past few months getting ready for the world championships. (Ambitious..I was looking at signing up in the NYC Bocce League, but missed the deadline)

KT: Hailing from Country Music Central, I am (most likely stupidly) assuming that you 3 are members of a hard rock minority in your neck of the woods. Is there a Nashville rock scene that the rest of us are not aware of?

HG: While there isn’t a huge scene currently, Nashville is in the throes of its Hard Rock Renaissance. We are starting to see a lot more bands breaking the country mold in this town. We think that over the next 5-10 years, Nashville will be significantly more diverse musically.

KT: MULTIPLE CHOICE:
Kentucky just lost to Wisconsin in the FINAL FOUR…are you:
(A)as shocked as the rest of the world, or
(B) couldn’t care less

HG:Frankly, we’re all a bit shell shocked that Kentucky fell to those filthy cheese eaters. We stay up late every night writing in our dream journals by candle light about the whole debacle.

KT: What is the last album you listened to before you began reading these questions? For the hell of it, what other bands do you guys listen to?

HG:

Tom: The Melvins, Houdini.
Roger: Pennywise, Reason To Believe
Zach: Trivium, Shogun.

We love Red Fang, ASG, Weedeater, Sleep, Coheed and Cambria, Led Zepplin, Elton John, Mac DeMarco, Erykah Badu, Queens of the Stone Age, Type O Negative, Descendents, Screeching Weasel, and NOFX.

KT: Aside from celebrating the anniversary of me asking this question, where do you see yourselves n the next 2 years (bonus points if you name the origin of that joke)?

HG: Hopefully touring full time, and making enough money to feast on Taco Bell bi-nightly. Perhaps Mitch Hedberg? (so pumped that you got the reference)

KT:What is the group up to in the near future? (tour dates, recording, etc.).

HG: We’ll play more in Nashville, tour The Great American South on weekends, and work on new jams for our first full-length.

Find HOWLING GIANT here:

OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

BANDCAMP PAGE (HELL, IT’S FREE)!!

TWITTER

YOUTUBE

Other Spotlight Artists:

Monocle Stache

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: WHORES.

tonightatdawn April 20, 2015

In an attempt to reach new audiences with TONIGHT AT DAWN, we are beginning what will hopefully be an ongoing music interview segment. Several artists have expressed interest in participating, and hopefully that enthusiasm will continue. Our hope is to offer the reader and fans a different style of music interview. Some discussions will be straightforward, while others will have a more humorous take (whatever KralTunes finds humorous, that is).

Any comments, questions, and critiques, please direct them to @KralTunes on Twitter. This was my first attempt, so please be gentle with the criticisms.

WHORES is an American rock band hailing from Atlanta, GA. I recently talked via email to lead vocalist Christian Lembach about their music:

KralTunes: The term WHORES stirs up a slew of connotations for people. Was the potential divisiveness that comes with such a title something the band thought about in the beginning? How did the group come to decide to name itself Whores.?

Christian Lembach: We certainly considered the implications of using such a loaded word; it’s a serious thing. We also thought hard about the fact that some people would misinterpret the name. I feel obligated to state this plainly every time we are asked this question, which is often: There is not an ounce of misogyny in the people in this band, and our name is in no way meant to denigrate women or sex workers.

We intend the name to be more of a statement regarding the nature of capitalism and a commentary on how people are forced to sell out any realness and decency in order to succeed. Look at the words for any one of our songs as evidence. Pick one. We, as a people, have been beaten into submission, and we’re supposed to be happy about it as long as there is still a standing McDonalds within striking distance of our homes. We’re told we can be anything we want when we are children. It’s the biggest hustle of all time. In order to have a life that’s not completely devoid of comfort, you have to “sell out” to some extent.

It’s a bummer of a situation that it’s mostly people from the underground who give us grief or otherwise misinterpret our name. I consider these people allies, so it’s especially disappointing when it gets weird. I expect people outside of mainstream culture to not respond in such a knee-jerk fashion, but it seems there is a rise in what I’ve heard called the conservative left. It’s pretty gross.

I am so far left that I basically see things in a Marxist way, and democratic socialism seems to be the best system to me. I also grew up listen to music, watching movies, reading books and checking out art that was termed “outsider” at the time. It wasn’t socially acceptable to be into punk rock and skateboarding or whatever like it is now. Things have really changed with the erstwhile cheerleaders rocking the satanic, witchy pose, and I think a lot of people who are secretly into Radio Disney-type bullshit music think they have a voice in the underground. They don’t. They’re tourists, and they can fuck right off. It’s utterly bizarre to me that you see these people covered in tattoos and faking a counter culture pose who are really conservative people. It’s baffling.

I was recently talking to Thomas Hazelmyer from Amphetamine Reptile records when we were in Minneapolis on our last tour with Retox. We were talking about the gentrification that happens in every major city, and the parallels to the underground being co-opted.

The majority of the songs I write have an “us-vs-them” element. It seemed like an appropriate name, considering the subject matter of our songs and how I feel on a day-to-day basis. But the dialog surrounding our name never ends, and we’ve taken it on the chin several times in terms of lost opportunities because of the name.

KralTunes: A question I have always wondered… As a singer that does an awful lot of screaming on many tracks, does the strain on your vocals ever concern you about the future of your career?

Christian Lembach: Dude. I think about that all of the time. It usually takes me a few shows to blow it out, then I’m in the pocket for the duration of whatever tour we’re on. It’s painful at times, but I don’t really know how else to sing. I’d love to take some lessons or see a coach or something, but I can’t afford something like that right now. We had like 30 shows on the tour we just wrapped. I have to take care of it – lots of water, lots of sleep and no dairy. I’d love to write some more somber, laid-back songs, but my focus is on Whores right now.

KralTunes: I recently read on your facebook that your studio location is about to be no more (What, the owners don’t realize they are housing the seeds of musical genius within their walls)!! Is this demolition a done deal, or can it somehow be prevented? If not, what are your plans for future practice areas?

Christian Lembach: Yeah, it’s a done deal. We have to be out before May 10th. Tons (like, literally hundreds) of ATL bands are being put out. It’s insane. There are no other spots to practice in ATL that aren’t already full and with a long waiting list. The place where we were practicing was the central spot in ATL where all of the bands practiced. It’s a huge blow to the scene. I’m sure something else will pop up eventually, but we’re furiously writing a new record, and this is a pretty big hiccup. In the immediate future, we’ll be packing all of our stuff up and moving it to a storage space outside of ATL.

KralTunes: Having just watched a youtube clip of one of you sets (Saint Vitus Bar, 2014), you guys put a ton of energy into your performance…I can only imagine that a standard show is pretty brutal on the three of you. Is this the case? What is the recovery time like after or between shows? Do you have any pre/post show rituals that you stick to?

Christian Lembach: Yeah we push super hard every time. We’re in that sweet spot where we’re firing on all cylinders, but we’re also playing to a bunch of new people every night. So I honestly feel obligated to just blast the shit out of every song. I want people who are seeing us for the first time to stop in their tracks. I want us to be your favorite new band. Anybody can make a cool sounding record. Playing a show that takes peoples’ heads off is the important part. As far as recovery time and pre/post show rituals, I try to warm up my voice before we play, and I try not to talk for a good 30 minutes after. We’re not doing a whole lot of local shows, so it’s mostly show after show on tour. You kind of just have to make it happen.

KralTunes: You three seem to be having an amazing time up on stage. Is playing the part of musicians what you always envisioned yourself doing with your lives? Wikipedia has the band starting in 2010. Have you three known each other prior to that date? How did you get together?

Christian Lembach: I’ve tried to do other things, but it seems that music is really the only life for me. It’s taken a pretty hefty toll on my personal life and financial stability at times, but I really can’t legitimately pursue anything else that I would be this passionate about.

We’ve all sort of known each other from other bands that we’ve played in the past. I was a huge fan of our drummer’s old band, and actually learned a few songs on their record with the intention of trying out as their second guitar player back in the day.

Things sort of fell into place one by one for this band. Jake, our bass player, was initially interested in acting in sort of a managerial capacity with the band. An opportunity came up for him to fill in for a show, and after we got off stage he said he wanted to join the band. He was in a pretty active and successful band at the time, so I was a little skeptical as to how it would work, schedule-wise. We’re not well known enough yet to be taking breaks and turning down opportunities. Jake ended up leaving his other band, joining us full time, and that was that.

KralTunes: After reading the lyrics to several songs, many images spring to mind (very little sunshine and unicorn imagery to be found). What are the inspirations for the lyrical content of your songs?

Christian Lembach: Well I don’t want to get too specific and melodramatic, but I have had a few pretty terrible things happen in my life. I just try to tap into a real emotion, and that’s often a fairly ugly one. That’s all I’m really comfortable saying.

KralTunes: I’m always looking for something new to listen to. What music’s got your ears right now?

Christian Lembach: New Metz record, new Fight Amp record, new Retox record, two Athens bands, The Powder Room and Motherfucker, are just wrecking shit right now. Of course I love all of the 90s noise rock stuff, but I’m also heavy into 80s goth/eurotrash type bands as well. I listen to The Birthday Party a ton. I also love a lot of early 90s hip hop. I’m not kidding. I torture my band mates with it. The repetitive nature really appeals to me.

KralTunes: On the current events front, does the officer in the Walter Scott shooting have a prayer in being acquitted of these charges against him??

Christian Lembach: I certainly hope not, but things are so fucked-up right now that it wouldn’t surprise me. There seems to be a certain type of person that is attracted to a job like that in the first place. So as sad and terrible as this is, it’s nothing new. The only good I can see is that technology is making it harder for creeps like this to hide.

KralTunes: What does the next year hold for the band?

Christian Lembach: We’re writing our next record right now. We hope to have it released late this year, or early next year at the latest. After that we’ll be doing support tours worldwide, as well as a few headlining U.S. tours. We’re constantly (and currently) submitting for support tours, so we really never know when the next one is until it’s imminent. The soonest we’ll be back on the road is late summer, unless something really amazing comes up. We’re talking to a few different labels right now to see who the best fit will be. We plan on hitting super hard with this next one, so we’re trying to take our time. We don’t want to let people down.

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Howling Giant