Mark: Can you tell me a little bit about how Acid King came to be?
Lori: Acid King started in the early `90`s. I had moved here [San Francisco] from Chicago and was looking into forming a new band. I put an ad in the local paper which is how I found our first bass player, Peter Lucas. I found our drummer, Joey Osbourne, at a party and Acid King was born.
Mark: Who are your influences?
Lori: Hard to say these days. Not so much other bands but just life - whatever it is I`m into in my life at that particular time is my influence.
Mark: It seems that many people are surprised by how long this band has been around. Is that true and, if so, then why do you think that is?
Mark: HA! Well yeah, I don`t know about that. I think in general, people are always surprised when any band can stay together for any length of time. Thing with us is we have other things going on in our lives and the band is just one of them. It doesn`t take up a lot of time, and it`s something we both do on our time when we are into it. So I guess it would be different if we were striving for stardom or to make a living off of music, but when you just do it like we do and travel when we have a record to support and play when we feel like, it could go on forever!
Mark: Is this the only band that everyone is in or is anyone currently in a side project?
Lori: Acid King is the only band I`m in. Joey is in an X cover band as well as another project with some other musicians in SF. Mark, one of our bass players, has a band called Scorched Earth Policy, and Rafa, who plays with us as well, is in Black Cobra.
Mark: You got to tour Japan and the UK in recent years. What was that like and are fans and shows there any different than here in the states?
Lori: Playing out of the U.S. is far superior to the U.S. (sorry, peeps). Japan is just an insane country, and they`re very serious about the shows. They`re expensive to get into and even the smallest hole in the wall has a good P.A. and lighting system. Since there aren`t too many U.S. bands touring there, they are very into seeing the music and into buying the merch. Japan kicks much ass!
The UK isn`t all that different from the U.S. It`s very expensive and besides London or some of the bigger cities, you cannot predict a crowd will show up. The mainland is great - they really know how to take care of the bands and 90% of the shows are well attended. Even if they`re not, you have a place to stay and lots of beer to drink. Since you`re not from there, it`s like being on a trip. The fans are far more receptive and I much prefer to play there then here (sorry again, peeps). They know how to do it right in Europe!
Mark: Do you have any shows lined up for the near future?
Lori: Nothing now. We are writing new songs and don`t want to play out. Would be into going back to Europe in 2008!
Mark: You are lumped with the stoner rock label and even sometimes the doom label. Yet your music is different from most bands that get those labels. Do you give your music or label or how would you define your band`s music?
Lori: Yeah, these days most everyone is labeled something! I dunno. I personally do not feel connected to the stoner rock label - I always thought that was more for Kyuss, Monster Magnet type bands. I feel it`s a very generic term that is more a label for the fans that listen to then the music itself. I think we are heavy doom based with a touch of psychedelic and dose of distortion. I`m trying to shed the stoner rock affiliation but don`t know if that`s ever possible…
Mark: I understand that you are currently writing new material. How is that going and how will it be compared to your previous albums?
Lori: Too early to say but as of now I would say the songs are turning out on more of the Busse Woods vein and not III - longer jams with more effects and not so much straight songwriting.
Mark: Has your approach to writing and playing changed any over the years?
Lori: Nope! We basically go into the studio, I come up with some basic riffs, and we jam on them until they become songs, and then I write lyrics. We have Mark Lamb writing with us now, and it`s pretty cool. I`m psyched to see how things will turn out - I think a little darker and dreamier.
Mark: Are you where you hoped that you would be at this point in your career?
Lori: We never really had any hopes so um, I`m pretty happy that we are the point we are. We can put out records, travel to different countries - it`s pretty cool.
Mark: Almost all of your releases have been put out on vinyl as well as CD. Are you a big fan of vinyl as well?
Lori: I have a fair amount of vinyl in the old collection. Kreation Records approached us about putting out vinyl for Busse Woods and III and I was like, “Hell yeah!” Vinyl is just better looking.
Mark: What do you think sets Acid King apart from other bands?
Lori: Female vocals and my guitar tone! I would say the music at least I don`t think is generic - it has obvious influences from music I grew up listening to or was into at the time I wrote the songs, but I feel it does have some originality to it.
Mark: Is there anything else you want say about you band, your music or anything else?
Lori: Thanks so all the fans new and old. We look forward to releasing the new record sometime in the near future and traveling to your town!
