Rob: How did it all start?
Bryan: Me, Erik and Bog met up and wound up living across the street from each other. We always hung out and finally started jamming together in `96, eventually adding a bass player (to be followed by two more bass players) and a singer. Our first singer was Adrienne Droogas, who used to sing for the all girl crusty-punk band, `Spitboy.` She played one show with us, moved to NY and that` when we got Johnny. It was pretty much on from there on out and we haven`t slowed down.
Rob: You guys are Southern Sludge sounding. How do you guys describe your sound...
Bryan: I would call us a rock band. I guess you could say `southern rock` but only because we`re from the south and we play rock music. That`s the thing with the `southern rock` label; back in the 70`s, it was used to categorize a group of bands that may have had similarities, but were, in reality, completely different sounding from each other. It`s kinda like the categorization frenzy that`s going on right now. I don`t know, man, it`s all just music to me. I think the whole labeling thing tends to give everybody tunnelvision and tends to affect their open-mindedness when they hear something new because they immediately are searching out similarities in the music to other groups instead of just letting themselves be taken somewhere by what they`re hearing.<<
Rob: What are your biggest influnces musically and your band mates...
Bryan: Well, I guessed the first band made me say `this is what I want to do with my life` would have to be Led Zeppelin. I used to come home from school and watch `The Song Remains the Same` EVERY DAY! Sometimes twice. Those guys, even at their sloppiest and most wasted, carried so much power as a band that it`s incredible. I also am a big Cult fan and I dug the shit out of Metallica before they started the unfortunate decline into metiocrity. I also listen to alot of George Jones and Willie Nelson; I think everyone should own a copy of `The Redheaded Stranger.` Dead Can Dance are one of my favorite groups as well. As far as everybody else goes, Erik`s got a really strong background in D.C. hardcore and Death Metal, although lately he`s been listening to Wishbone Ash and alot of 70`s blues. Bog is pretty big into 70`s blues rock as well; also the Beatles; even though he used to have one of the most extensive death metal collections I have ever seen. Johnny likes Sunny Day Real Estate and Quicksand and bands like that a whole lot but I think his favorite band is Duran Duran. Our new bass player, Bingo, listens to a whole bunch of weird shit; everything from Iron Maiden to Breadwinner to Jaco Pastori.
Rob: How often do you guys practice?
Bryan: We usually get together between 3 to 4 times a week. I had another band with Johnny called Ars Moriendi that recently split. Between ATP and them, I was practicing pretty much everyday except Fridays (must allow time for booze.)
Rob: Who is the main songwriter?
Bryan: Well, the way it normally works is Erik or Bog will bring in a few parts or a song and we`ll sit down and jam on it and see what happens. We`ll all make suggestions and say `try it like this` or `take that part out` or something like that and just hammer it into shape. Sometimes I`ll come up with a part that we might use but most of my creative input is behind the drumkit. Johnny writes pretty much all the lyrics and the occasional riff or two.
Rob: How did the rest of your tour go after you left Portland?
Bryan: Pretty cool, man. The west coast and southwest were a little bit rough for us, `cause we hadn`t been there before and it kinda got booked at the last minute, so we had to take what we could get. The middle of the country is always hit or miss and totally weird; lots of metal, crystal meth. and bikers. Texas and New Orleans kick ass; we always have a good time down there, and then South Carolina was real cool, too. All in all, it was a good tour. As long as people come out and have a good time that`s really the most important thing.
Rob: Who are your favorite bands in the scene right now?
Bryan: Oh boy, I don`t know about the `scene,` but as far as my contemporaries go, Dixie Witch is probably my favorite new band right now; they rock in a way I haven`t seen anybody rock in years; Keelhaul from Cleveland are bad as shit; Unida kicks my ass (wait`ll you hear their new shit; it will crush you); Throttlerod (South Carolina) totally destroy every time; Suplecs are one of my favorites, too. They put on one of the best live shows ever; talented as shit, man; and they`re my brothers from the dirty south. Clearlight is insane; I can`t believe how good those guys are and, again, brothers from the dirty south; High on Fire killed me every night I got to see them play in Europe; Orange Goblin is a big favorite with the whole band, and getting all of us to agree on anything is amazing; Sour Vein kicks ass, Core kicks ass; I just saw them last night with the Men of Porn, who also rip; Roller (from Texas) are a mean bunch of motherfuckers; Argonaut from Seattle is a killer band, too. We played with a band in Montreal called Whole Hog that kicked alot of ass; `southern rock` from Canada. Man I could go on all day; we played with so many killer bands on this tour that I could fill up pages. Milligram, Halfway to Gone, Spirit Caravan, Hawg Jaw, Red Giant, Biblical Proof of UFOs; there`s so much good music out there right now; it`s crazy...
Rob: Do you have any upcoming releases or tours...I heard Europe?
Bryan: Well, as far as releases goes, if the Skynyrd tribute on Game Two ever comes out, (goddamn it, Mike K!) we got a track on that (All I Can Do is Write About It,) and we have a split 7 inch with Orange Goblin that my buddy Tony from Shellshock UK is putting out. We did a cover of `Can`t Feel Nothing` by Captain Beyond and Orange Goblin did "Freelance Fiend" by Leafhound. You can check it out at marksound.com. Also, Game Two and Underdogma just put out a split CD with us and New Jersey`s Halfway to Gone. The vinyl counterpart for that will be out soon with a slightly different layout. (attention vinyl geeks!!) I`m stoked about that one `cause it`ll be our first vinyl. That`s about it for releases right now. We will be touring the UK for a week starting November 3rd. We were gonna do a 6 week tour of Europe, but we had some problems getting the whole thing booked, so we had to cancel everything but the UK shows. After those, we will be home for a week or two and then we`re going back out in the U.S. for three weeks from Nov. 24th to Dec, 16th. I think that`s all that`s officially in the works for right now, but something is always right around the next corner.
Rob: When I saw you guys here, some of you were sick and you still rocked mighty... BTW your new Bass player did pretty damn good. You guys considere yourselves a live band rather than a studio band?
Bryan: Well thanks for the compliment; yes, a bunch of us were sick as shit; that`s fuckin` tour for ya, man. And I agree with you on our new bass player; he does indeed, kick ass. I hope we`re not just a live band. I mean, I think that`s the true test of any band; if they can pull it off live, and I certainly love playing live. It has got to be the best feeling in the world to see people enjoying your music. But I also really enjoy writing and recording new music. I can`t wait to get back in the studio. I think both parts are equally important and fulfilling.
Rob: And here comes the 13 atupid ones...
If you weren`t a rocker, what would you most like to be?
Bryan: Well, this may come as a surprise to you, but the rock ain`t exactly paying the bills right now; hahaha...
Rob: hahahaha!!!!
Bryan: So when I am at home, I am a graphic designer for the Virginia State Department of Education. I`ve also always wanted to work at the zoo though... Incidentally, Bog`s a cook, Johnny`s a carpenter, Erik`s a delivery driver and Bingo`s an illustrator/oddjobsman. Ain`t nobody getting a free ride in this sonovabitch, I can tell you that. Seriously though, there is no `if` about it; I play music because I love it and because I have to; it`s dug in way too deep for me to stop now.
Rob: What was your worst gig and why? What was your best gig and why?
Bryan: Hmmmm... I`m gonna have a hard time with that one; I guess my personal worst show ever was in Frankfurt, Germany in April. I totally got distracted and trainwrecked while we were playing `Jackass` (the first song of the set.) Consequently, everybody else got thrown off and we just had to stop the song; it sucked. Then, for the rest of the show, my drumset was sliding all over the place on the slippery-ass stage, so I could barely play at all. After the show a bunch of German rock-a-billy dorks took over the club and stared at us menacingly while we loaded out. Did you hear me; German rock-a-billy?!? What the fuck. Anyway, the best show for me was probably London on the same tour; rabid crowd, finally got to meet some of my British rock heroes and get slaughtered with them, and Mr. Millenium himself, Robbie Williams, was there HAHAHAHA!!. (he really was there, though; supposedly he was checking out the hip new `burgeoning stoner-rock scene` to get ideas for his new record.) (P.S.-Why does the press always use the word `burgeoning` when they talk about `stoner-rock`?
Rob: Top 3 movies, books and albums of all time?
Bryan: Okay, lemme see here; Movies: `The Fisher King,` `Airplane,` `Aguirre-The Wrath of God` - `9 Stories` by J.D. Salinger, `Drawing Down the Moon` by Margot Adler, and `The Bible` by a bunch of weird old dudes with beards - and Albums: `Physical Graffiti` by Led Zeppelin, `Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs` by Derek and the Dominoes and `Gimme Back My Bullets` by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Rob: How often do you surf the net and what do you mostly do while online?
Bryan: I`m on there for an hour or two everyday (sad, I know.) Most of the time I`m just looking for shit on bands; trying to keep my `finger on the pulse of today`s youth,` if you will. If I ain`t doing that, I`m e-mailing someone.
Rob: What is your favourite city and venue to play, and why?
Bryan: New Orleans, the Dixie Taverne because we always have fun shows there, everybody that works there is cool as shit, we get to see a bunch of our buddies down there, everybody gets completely obliterated every time, and it`s a total shithole so it`s kinda like playing in your friend`s basement or something, whick is where we started out, so it`s cool.
Rob: What is the most Rock `n` Roll thing you`ve ever done? What`s the most Rock `n` Roll thing you`ve seen someone else do?
Bryan: I don`t know, man. I`m behind the drums on stage, so I pretty much just sit back there, sweat alot and play. I guess the deli meat fight in the dressing room in Eindhoven with High on Fire on the first night of our European tour is probably the pinnacle. I almost broke my elbow that night too when I fell out of the bus door in a drunken stupor. No TVs out the hotel window or blow jobs in pools of baked beans back stage or anything like that, though. Hope I didn`t disappoint you. As far as other people go, I saw Morbid Angel play here in Richmond. The singer/ bass player had a fan in front of him that he kicked on when they played the very first note of their first song. So, there`s this big bang, and the dudes hair is flying up in the air behind him like he`s skydiving or something. I though I was gonna piss myself I was laughing so hard.
Rob: What`s your worst `bad trip` story?
Bryan: Never tripped, man. I tried twice and they were both blanks, and I never got around to trying it again. I have had some pretty bad experiences with Everclear back in the day, though.
Rob: What`s the most painful thing you have ever witnessed at a rock show?
Bryan: Oh I have a winner here; a couple in fact. 1.Erik`s old band, AVAIL, played a show at a big outdoors venue here in Richmond. There was a really tall stage and then about a 4 or 5 foot open area and then a metal fence/barrier in front of the crowd. My buddy, Billy, was going to stage dive into the crowd during a song. He ran to the front of the stage and jumped, but his foot slipped, so he didn`t get a good enough launch to clear the barrier. He landed knee first on top of the fence and ripped a 2 inch square piece of skin off of his knee-cap. His flesh was actually hanging off the barrier afterward. 2. One time at an Eyehategod show here the roadie from Today is the Day set the front of his pants on fire with lighter fluid and jumped on stage. It was kinda cool for him at first, but then he couldn`t put it out and he got burned really bad and went running out of the club screaming...
Rob: How old were you when you first realize you wanted to rock?
Bryan: I always loved music, but I guess I became totally obsessed when I was about 14 years old. That`s when I heard "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin for the first time. I still think that the first guitar riff in that song is the heaviest thing anyone has ever written; it`s amazing. I didn`t start playing until I was about 19. I just decided to buy some drums one day and got hooked in really quickly.
Rob: What`s the most embrassing job you ever had?
Bryan: McDonald`s for a full year. Brutal, man. When I started, I made $4.25 an hour and a year later I was making $4.45. I got fired for swearing really loudly in the kitchen; best day of my life.
Rob: What`s your favourite ice cream flavor?
Bryan: `free`
Rob: If you could date any rock star Dead or Alive in the world, who would it be? Movie star?
Bryan: I wouldn`t date any of `em. They`re all a bunch of degenerate fucks. Especially the rock stars.
Rob: What would be the ultimate dream gig of all time line-up be, with your band opening? Limit to 3 bands please (including your own...) and where?
Bryan: Easy one: Us opening, then 1977-era Lynyrd Skynyrd, then 1975-era Led Zeppelin at the coliseum here in Richmond Virginia so I could launch a turd on all those $35.00 tie-dyed t-shirt wearing yuppie fucks that I went to school with. Plus I always said I would cut off a pinky finger to be able to travel back in time and see Zeppelin in like `75.
