Category: Genres

Rob Caggiano of Volbeat talks tour with Five Finger Death Punch and coming back to Upstate New York

The massive success of Volbeat and Five Finger Death Punch in the last year has led to a co-headlining tour that is built on epic proportions. The lineup is filled out by rockers Hellyeah and Nothing More, and will wind up playing two shows in the Upstate area. I got the chance to talk with Rob Caggiano, the new guitarist of Volbeat, as well as alumni of the bands Anthrax and The Damned Things. We talked about what it’s like to be in Volbeat, and what this tour has in store for the fans.

Photo by Amy Harris from thefirst3songs.com

Jeff Ayers: So the tour started last night Sept. 16, in Salt Lake City, how did it go? How was the first show?

Rob Caggiano: The first show went great, really good. As to be expected though, with any ‘first show’ on a tour like this, there are some kinks that need to be worked out, some technical stuff, but overall it was killer, and a great crowd.

JA: Yea I saw pictures online, that crowd looked insane! This tour is being heralded by the press as the two hottest rock bands co headlining a U.S. tour. Rightfully so, with both bands increasing successes. The response from the fans when you announced this tour must have been incredible.

RC: Yeah, there was a lot of excitement about this lineup, and it feels really good. We are very excited to be on this run, and all shows coming up.

JA: Awesome. Speaking on that a little, Volbeat and Five Finger Death Punch both have been doing great things for rock, and heavy rock, on the charts and off. Do you have any thoughts on Gene Simmons recent comments about how rock is dead?

RC: He’s been making a lot of comments lately, about [all kinds of] stuff. [laughs]. I don’t know where he was going with that. I saw something on twitter about that, but obviously, rock is not dead.

JA: You guys are a testament that it is not!

RC: I mean, the music business is very different these days, than it was even five years ago. So it’s changing rapidly, and things are different. Record sales aren’t even what they used to be, it’s a totally different landscape right now. That might be what Gene Simmons was referring to, but I don’t know. It is certainly not dead.

JA: Most definitely. So the most recent Volbeat album, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies, which by the way, is an awesome title —

RC: [laughs] Yeah!

JA: [The album] has done really well since it’s release. You helped produce that album, how was that experience?

RC: It was great. We were in Denmark, on the countryside at a place called Randers, and it was cool. We were isolated in the studio, and totally focused on the record. We had a great team too, Jacob Hansen was also there, and has been Volbeat’s long time producer. I had one of my engineers out there too, Brian Russell, and it all came together. I am really proud of this record.

JA: Cool. You joined up with Volbeat in the midst of recording the album, correct?

RC: Yes.

JA: How did that come about, you guys all just hit it off in the studio?

RC: I have been friends with the guys for a few years, before I got that call to produce the record, so we get along great. I‘ve known them since about 2010 when they took The Damned Things on tour, and we would hang out every night on that tour. But I got [to produce the record] and we started going over the pre-production, to figure out what was going to be on the record. There were a few songs that were unfinished, and Michael and I started collaborating on few things. The chemistry was really great, and from that first pre-production meeting, it kind of set the tone for everything. A couple of weeks later they asked me to be a part of the band.

JA: That’s awesome. Before you joined up with Volbeat, you pretty much exclusively behind the soundboard for a little bit. Were you actively looking for projects at that time, or did this kind of fall in your lap?

RC: I think people misunderstood what I said in my press release when I quit Anthrax. It was never about not wanting to tour anymore, or not play guitar anymore. It was just about wanting a change, and I just wanted to produce some records while I figured out what I wanted to do next with my career as an artist, as a guitarist. When the Volbeat record came across my table as a production gig, I was like “Wow this is perfect!” I love the band, and always thought we could make a great record together. It was something we talked about on The Damned Things tour, years ago. Everything just happened at once! [laughs] I ended up producing a record and joining the band.

JA: You can’t beat pure serendipity like that though!

RC: Yes! Yeah, totally.

JA: Volbeat as a band is always so busy, since you joined, how many tours have you played with them?

RC: Wow. That’s a good question. Not sure I know that myself. [laughs]

JA: Yeah, I was trying to look online, and it just seems that Volbeat is constantly on tour.

RC: Yeah we are. I haven’t been home at all, it’s crazy. We have been all over the world a couple of times now, and honestly I don’t know the exact number.

JA: That is totally fine! [laughs] It’s great work if you can’t even count all the jobs. Speaking of circling the world though, with all the times you have with Volbeat, and also with Anthrax especially playing on The Big 4 tour, personally speaking, do you have a favorite place to play or return to?

RC: Oh, I have so many favorite places to play. In America, I love playing New York, I love playing Chicago, Los Angeles, I love Europe as well though. Scandinavia is great, and I love Germany. One of my favorite places in the world is Australia, because it’s so beautiful. I love going over there.

JA: Being an American in a Danish band, is there any culture shock?

RC: I don’t know if you would call it culture shock. It’s a little different for me, coming from New York, everything with me is fast paced, because of New York.

JA: Hell yeah!

RC: So I am always in that mode, where as these guys are little more laid back, which is great. We get along great, it’s really cool.

tour flyer

JA: So for this tour, with Five Finger Death Punch, Hellyeah and Nothing More, what can fans expect, are there any surprises in store from Volbeat?

RC: Well if we did have any surprises, I wouldn’t tell you!

JA: Good answer!

RC: [laughs] It is just going to be a great all around rock and roll show. I think the fans are going to be in for a real treat.

JA: Well the tour is going to be making a few stops in Upstate New York, one at the OnCenter in Syracuse on September 23rd, and then at the Times Union Center on the 27th. You being from the Bronx, and being in multiple bands, you have played this area a bunch. Do you like playing around here, any thoughts on Upstate NY?

RC: I always loved Upstate New York. To me, it’s so crazy. You know, coming from the city, there are so many amazing, beautiful places in New York, if you are a city person, you don’t even realize they are there. The crowds are always great up there though. Joey Belladonna from Anthrax, he’s from up there. [Oswego]. It’s cool, I love it up there.

JA: Cool. What’s next for Volbeat after this tour? Another tour? [laughs] Or are you guys going to take a break and write material, or what?

RC: After this tour, we are actually going back to the U.K. That will be the last thing we do for this year. Then we are going to lay low, the holidays will be coming up, and then we will get into creative mode basically.

JA: This tour ends in Vegas, what are your experiences playing there?

RC: Vegas is cool. For me, I have a three-day limit on Vegas. In three days I have to get out of there, because it is crazy. [laughs] But the crowds are really good, and Five Finger Death Punch is from Vegas, so that final show should be completely off the wall.

September 22, 2014
Fall Night In Brings The Fray, Great Big World and Andy Grammer to Albany

Fall Night In, sponsored by 99.5 The River, at Albany’s Palace Theatre brought Pop to Upstate on Sept. 9. The Fray, a Christian-turned-Pop-Rock band from Colorado, headlined the show, bringing a fairly young but devoted audience to the Palace. With a simple yet creative stage set enhanced by a brilliantly designed light show, The Fray put on a good show. They are best known for their 2006 hit singles, “How to Save a Life” made widely popular by Grey’s Anatomy and “Over My Head (Cable Car)”. While fans were thrilled to hear those hits, both the crowd and the band seemed to gain more energy and excitement during the performance of songs from their recently released album, Helios. In particular, the song “Give It Away” was very well received, despite the suggestive ’70s Disco sound, which has been largely avoided in most popular music over the past forty years.

In fact, The Fray incorporated a lot of unexpected, but distinct styles into their songs, including Gospel in “Hold My Hand” and a funky groove in “Love Don’t Die”. Most interesting about this performance though was the way the band collectively emphasized certain instruments. Band members were given time for solos, but the musicians almost seemed to prefer putting the attention on the instruments. During one number, three of the five musicians on stage were banging on drums; for another, four of them were using a keyboard/piano. And, as was expected, The Fray’s harmonies, particularly during the ballads that made them famous were spot on.

The opening acts for Fall Night In included the two-person Pop band, A Great Big World, who are most famous for their single “This is the New Year” (2012) thanks to Glee and Andy Grammer, best known for “Keep Your Head Up (2011).

A Great Big World was the evening’s great big surprise. Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, who formed the band while enrolled at NYU, do not look like typical Pop stars. They might be more aptly described as hipsters, with a strong “nerd” factor. At first awkward on stage, once they started playing, power and passion popped out, and the band’s quirkiness became very appealing. Just like the white clothes they wore against the black stage, their nerdy appearance contrasted with a charming performance. Axel’s Sesame-Street-type voice against his fierce keyboarding also seemed like a contradiction, but it worked — really well (bringing to mind a young Elton John). “Land of Opportunity” was especially captivating. Ignoring the lyrics, the song sounds very happy, positive and upbeat (making me want to communicate with smiley-face emoticons). But once you pay attention to the words and Axel’s passionately angry keyboarding, you realize that the song’s meaning is far from happy; it’s actually about a devastating break-up.

“Say Something” the song that attracted the attention of Christina Aguilera in 2013 and launched the young band into fame, was played solo by Axel. The enchanting artistry of his performance left the entire auditorium absolutely silent. But not for long; as soon as Axel finished, the crowd exploded with admiration and as his band members rejoined the stage, they too seemed impressed.

Both, A Great Big World and Andy Grammer, who opened the night, were very interested in dialogue with the audience, telling stories and sharing song meanings. This goes a long way in a live performance, allowing fans to connect with the musicians in a personal way. Grammer is a natural entertainer; not only is his music catchy, but he is also really funny. His song, “Forever” about the amount of time it takes for women to get ready to go out, was a surprising treat. He delighted his young fans with his 2011 hit, “Keep Your Head Up” and managed to engage the older audience members as well with good stories, many related to the Upstate community, where he spent some of his younger years.

All three bands are continuing to tour, but not together. Both The Fray and A Great Big World will be heading to Europe soon, and Andy Grammer is ambitiously traveling throughout the US and overseas. Grammer will perform at The Palace again on Nov. 26 for the O.A.R. show.

September 21, 2014
Dan Maines, bassist of Clutch, talks Upstate NY, a new record, and The Walking Dead

When Clutch came to Upstate Concert Hall in September, I was lucky enough to sit down with the bassist, Dan Maines. The lineup of the band has added members to it’s roster over the years, but the core lineup of Dan, Neil Fallon, Jean-Paul Gaster and Tim Sult has remained the constant for over twenty years. Clutch has been a staple to the Upstate New York music scene for most of their career, and it was great to talk about the area, the band and the process with Dan. Also, for the first time, we brought along a local musician, Dustin Alexander, who plays in the band Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars to ask a few questions, bassist to bassist.

Dustin Alexander (JCHA), Dan Maines (Clutch) and Jeff Ayers (NYS Music) backstage of Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

Jeff Ayers: In your personal opinion, how has playing in the heavy rock scene changed in the last two decades? Do you still feel like it’s an uphill battle?

Dan Maines: I don’t know, that’s kind of a hard question to answer. We are not in the position to really know what it’s like for a band starting out now. It might be a little more difficult for them now, as opposed to when we started. We were coming up at a point in time when a whole new genre of music was moving into the mainstream. Bands that we were listening to for years, that we were looking at as influences, they were suddenly becoming major label bands. That happened for us as well, and we got swept up in that frenzy, to jump on that bandwagon. What people were calling alternative, or grunge rock, and some bands that didn’t even fit into that category were swept up too, for better or worse. Talking with the band we are on tour with now, Lionize, they are in a better position nowadays. Hearing the things they pick up on [coming up in the industry.] Now, it seems like it’s not even mandatory to be a legitimate band anymore.

JA: Yeah, I see that too.

DM: Bands that play along to recorded tracks, that isn’t really being in a band. The whole thing for us is playing a live show, to be entertaining for us and the live audience.

JA: You guys do that very well, I have to say.

DM: Thank you. I mean if you can’t do that as a band, without the use of computers or backtracks, you should probably rethink your approach.

JA: I totally agree. You talked about being swept up by the major label race in the 90’s to sign a bunch of bands. You guys started on Atlantic or Columbia Records right?

DM: We started on East West. Which was part of that Atlantic family, and that was in 1992, when we signed, and the record (Transnational Speedway League) didn’t come out until 93. We actually released an EP on Earache Records before that. (Passive Restraints).

JA: Then in 2008, you started WeatherMaker Records. How was that process, being in the business for a while at that point then starting your own label? Was it tough?

DM: Yeah, it definitely was. We were on East West, then moved to Columbia, and then Atlantic. We just got fed up with the game. It’s a weird business, so many personal changes happen on the fly, on a weekly basis sometimes. We felt like there wasn’t any real direction, and nobody knew what the hell to do with us. We signed with an independent label, DRT, and put out three records with them. But that was the slow decline with our relationship with labels. We had to go to court, and winning that decision bolstered our resolve to just say, “Let’s do it ourselves”. At that point, we were in the right position, we had already put out records on our own. We put out Jam Room on Riverroad Records, which was basically selling records out the backdoor of the van. So we had been doing it already to a point, and the only thing we didn’t have was distribution. So we had to find a couple of really good people in that field to work for us in an unconventional label.

JA: Speaking a little about Upstate NY, you guys have been coming to this area for a long time. I can’t even count the amount of times I have seen you play this area. Do you enjoy Upstate NY? Are you happy with the response you get from this area?

DM: Definitely. That is kinda how we started out. Being from Baltimore, we would play up to Boston, and then head to Detroit, and then play our way back home. So this became our spot, or one of them.

Dan Maines (Clutch) at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

JA: Do you remember Saratoga Winners?

DM: Absolutely. I mean they were one of the earliest supporters of us, even more so than our hometown. This has always been a really great place for us to play.

JA: We have a great metal scene in this area, but also a great jam scene. You guys fit into so many pieces of that puzzle.

DM: Yeah that’s good. Man, I’ve never even thought about that. Makes sense.

JA: Personally speaking, I started listening to you guys in the mid nineties because a local radio station was playing you (Z-Rock), and then you guys started playing up here. Not only a fan of you guys, but through the times I have seen you tour, I have found favorite bands because the were your openers. Like The Sword, and Mastodon. Do you hand-pick your tour mates?

DM: We get a lot of help from our booking agency, when we are planning on touring, they also have bands on their roster that they suggest to us. Also, bands that we might not know exist, but want to tour with us, submit themselves through our booking agency. We are with The Agency Group. That’s how we found out about American Sharks, when we were touring with The Sword. Kyle (Shutt) suggested that we play with them, and I am really glad he did, because they are great.

JA: You guys have been really lucky to have your music attached to other aspects in the media. You have your songs used in sports games and broadcasts, and video games like Tony Hawk, and also television. Do you see a big help from that stuff? More recent example was when “Regulator” was used in a 2012 episode of The Walking Dead.

DM: That was huge for us!

Dustin Alexander: Are you a Walking Dead fan?

DM: Absolutely! I lost my mind when I got that email.

DA: I got the chills when that song came on.

JA: Dustin and I were watching that episode together, and we jumped off the couch when that scene happened, screaming “Clutch is on the Walking Dead!”

DM: That was amazing. It definitely helped us reach new people, too. Before that episode came out, we keep track of what songs and albums are doing the best on iTunes for example. After that episode aired, there was a huge spike in interest in that song. Same thing goes for like hockey or baseball teams that will sometimes use one of our tunes. I think the Vancouver Canucks, they were using ‘Electric Worry’ as their goal song.

JA: So cool!

DM: Yeah, it’s a hockey stadium, so I guarantee you that more than half the people in that place have never heard of us before. They get that [song] in their heads, and they go ask their friends, or they go look it up. It all helps.

JA: Because I am a giant nerd, I have to ask you this question. On the new record, “Earth Rocker”, the song ‘Unto the Breech’ has a lot of Doctor Who references. Who is the fan in the band?

DM: Neil! To be honest, I didn’t know about half the shit he was talking about.

JA: Ha! But whatever works for the song I guess?

DM: Oh yeah.

JA: I’m going to turn this over to Dustin Alexander, who is a local musician playing in the same genre as you guys, to ask a few more questions:

DA: My biggest concern, as far as touring, is how do you keep healthy? You guys play hard and long, and are playing huge sets night after night. How do you maintain yourselves?

DM: I drink a lot more water than I ever did. That is the biggest thing. Because, you are not gonna stop drinking beer, that just isn’t gonna happen. You are not gonna stop eating pizza. You can eat less pizza, but just drink as much water as you can. I wish I knew that fifteen years ago. It catches up to you. Don’t eat McDonalds.

DA: Since you guys have been together for so long, how do you get everybody to be on the same frequency and the same mindset? How has that worked out for you in Clutch, creating records?

DM: You kinda just have to be honest about it. It’s a weird thing for us. As long as it doesn’t remind us of something we have already done, or another band entirely, we are always down to try something a little different. At the same time, there is never any spoken direction. We don’t even know what the hell we are doing sometimes. We are writing a new record right now, and the only goal posts we have is to write. The more open you are to musical ideas, the easier it is to write songs, because you aren’t pigeon holed into a specific sound. There are instances where individual instruments can throw something new into a song that the other members won’t pick up on[right away]. Like, Jean-Paul could do some kind of a New Orleans shuffle kind of beat in a song, and that song could have nothing to do with funk whatsoever, but it fits that groove.

DA: Sometimes you are in the studio and laying down stuff, and you pick up on things you didn’t even know were part of the song.

DM: That’s what makes it interesting, especially in this band.

DA: What’s next after the tour, are you planning on going back in the studio?

DM: This tour is the last “Earth Rocker” tour that we will do. We are going to take three months off, and write and finish the material for this new record, and hopefully go into the studio as soon as we can next year and get something out.

DA: Do you guys have a method you follow each year, time to tour, time to get in the studio kind of thing?

DM: Yeah we have to plan it out quite a bit, because we don’t really write on the road. It’s hard to set aside a big chunk of time at home to write. So when we are home, we get together as often as we can at our studio and record every single idea we have. Whether it is a single riff, or a whole song, we get it down on tape and move on. Then a few months later we go back to it, and listen to everything we have and try to see what we can piece together into a song or an album. Sometimes it comes together in the matter of an hour, sometimes it takes weeks.

DA: Do you feel like after you write the riffs and give it that break, it helps?

DM: Sure, it does.

DA: As a bassist, I have to ask, your rig set-up is pretty rad. Are you using the Orange Tiny Terror?

DM: Yeah, I got the terror running through the Orange fifteen, and the SVT through the other cab.

DA: Is that the 1000 watt head or the 500?

DM: I’m not sure. I have both, and one is set up for the European tours, and the other is for the U.S.

DA: I have the 500 watt and i’ve been so happy with it.

DM: Yeah, they are awesome.

DA: Your rig sounds powerful up there. Do you use a pedal rig at all?

DM: No, I used to try and mess around with a wah pedal, and I liked the stuff I used it for on the records, but it’s kind of a trap for me I think. So I took it out of the mix completely, to force myself to think of something to play, rather than rely on the crutch of a pedal.

DA: I noticed that your lines are sturdy, and hold the floor down, and not too intricate. Do you notice yourself pulling back a bit to keep it a little less complicated?

DM: Yeah. That is the kind of playing a like in a bass player anyway, for the most part. The Band of Gypsys is my epitome of perfect music. Billy Cox is solid as a rock, and I use that as a starting point to my approach to playing. When I feel like I can elaborate a little, and do a “Look what I can do” riff, then I’ll do it. It’s not like, “Where can I do something sick in this song?” That’s not what it is about for me. You can find the balance though.

DA: Well that is why I like your playing because of how sturdy you keep it.

DM: Well, I get to play with Jean-Paul, so I’m lucky.

September 20, 2014
Black Crown Initiate and Rivers of Nihil set to bring explosive energy to Bogies in Albany

No stranger to bringing quality music to the area, Bogies in Albany is at it again on Sunday, September 21st. A co-headlining onslaught of heavy music in Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate, with some great local openers to round out the bill.

Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate at Bogies Albany

Forest of Remorse is a newly reformed project from Lyme, NY. Promising heavy riffs and brutal slam beats, it will be one of those rare times to see a show with a budding band, that could surprise you and blow up in the near future. King Pariah from Argyle, NY is another up and coming metal band, who have already shared the stage with some big names. They helped open the Summer Slaughter tour at The Palladium in Worcester, MA with Morbid Angel and Dying Fetus.

Troy locals The Final Sleep are playing just in their backyard and bring a progressive metal edge to the stage, and have just welcomed their new drummer, Mike VanDyne of Arsis. With a technical barrage of three guitars, this is an act not to be missed. Black Crown Initiate is just about to release their brand new record, The Wreckage of Stars, dropping September 30th. So you can expect them to bring all of their intricate epic metal to this show in support of that record. Making waves in the metal scene as of late, these guys might not be playing small clubs like Bogies for too much longer. Check out my review of their new album here.

Rivers of Nihil also comes from Reading, PA like Black Crown Initiate, and they also have a new record, The Conscious Seed of Light. After signing with Metal Blade Records in 2013, this is their debut album on that label, after a few years of hard work and relentless touring. The double bill of these two bands will be an incredible sight to see and an awesome show to hear. For any fan of death metal, hard, fast and heavy metal, this show is one of the few that has it all and is making it’s stop in Upstate NY.

Check out the details at the Facebook event here.

September 19, 2014
Hearing Aide: Cannibal Corpse ‘A Skeletal Domain’

Cannibal Corpse are nothing if not punishing and unrelenting, but since their career defining album Kill in 2006 they’ve also become complacent, yet at the same time they’re consistent. Cannibal Corpse has yet to put out a bad album but they also haven’t put out any material since Kill that pushes the band outside of their comfort zone, a zone they’ve been in since the band started.

Fans know what to expect with the band and on their 13th effort A Skeletal Domain they deliver the goods. The album is a great death metal record. Songs are heavy, dark, fast, and full of the slightly cheesy but oh so good twisted lyrics that the band is known for. A Skeletal Domain doesn’t have the same pop some of their other efforts do but there are a couple of songs here that will find a long stint on their live setlist.

Cannibal Corpse leave producer Erik Rutan, who did their last three releases, in favor of Mark Lewis. Lewis himself is becoming a go-to producer having been behind the boards for the fantastic Die Without Hope by Carnifex, Our Endless War by Whitechapel, and Battlecross’ War of Will in the past two years alone. Cannibal Corpse made a great choice because Lewis makes the band sound as heavy as ever with a great mix. Each instrument is fully represented and you don’t get that weird “where did the bass go?” feeling a lot of metal albums have.

Speaking of the bass player though, Alex Webster is a little less pronounced this time around. The legendary bassist has long been herald as one of the all time greats and usually has a few songs where you get a taste of his technical skills. But even without those moments, the musicianship on display here is at the same level it’s always been with Cannibal Corpse, at the highest of those in their genre.

Two of the songs on A Skeletal Remain rise above the rest. The opening salvo “High Velocity Impact Splatter” starts things off right. A relentless assault of guitars and blistering drums that lets you know that the kings of old school death metal are back with a new record. The highlight track of the album has to be “Kill or Become”, which will no doubt become a fan favorite when played live. Just picture a room full of metal junkies screaming along with vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher when he bellows “Fire up the chainsaw!”

However, that complacency does start to become apparent as the album moves through its middle stages. Few of the middle tracks have parts that stick with you. It isn’t until the final few songs that things pick up again. The album starts off great and finishes strong but songs like “Bloodstained Cement” sound like they’re using recycled riffs from albums past.

It’s hard to complain about sameness with a band like this; this is what they do. They make great death metal. They have a recipe and they stick to it. And after all these years it still isn’t old. Some bands can’t figure out what they want to sound like and go from album to album bouncing from gimmick to gimmick never finding their footing. Cannibal Corpse stuck their hooks into old school slamming death metal decades ago and they’ll never stop and they’ll never change. And to be honest, I don’t think anyone wants them to.

Key Tracks: Hight Velocity Impact Splatter, Kill or Become, Asphyxiate to Resuscitate

You can purchase “A Skeletal Domain” here.

September 19, 2014
GWAR just unveiled new Front Woman!

Gwar continues to keep things interesting. After the sudden passing of Oderous Urungus (Dave Brockie) this year, the band has been a little quiet about who would fill in. They have went on record saying that they asked many older characters from Gwar’s extensive former members list to help fill out the tour. But now, a new player emerges, and as a front woman, she is a force to be reckoned with.

Photo from Vulvatron’s Facebook Page

Vulvatron made her front woman debut at Riot Fest on September 12th, and the crowd response was altogether positive. From a recent press release from Wondering Sound:

“Vulvatron is not dancing, or breathing fire, or keeping the slaves in line (though one assumes she’ll be adept at all three). For the first time since the departure of dancer and backing singer Slymenstra Hymen (Danielle Stampe) in 2000, GWAR has a female member, and she’s the front woman.

To split hairs, she’s actually GWAR’s new co-frontperson, joining reinstated vocalist Blothar (Mike Bishop) whose Beefcake the Mighty character was introduced in 1988.”

Photo from Vulvatron’s Facebook Page

This promises to be an incredible addition to the line-up, so don’t miss out on your chance to witness Gwar History (Gwarstory?) this winter when the band embarks on the Gwar Eternal Tour 2014. The tour will make a stop in Upstate New York at Upstate Concert Hall on December 11th, with American Sharks and Corrosion of Conformity. Check out Vulvatron’s facebook page here.

September 19, 2014
American Sharks talk Touring and Having a Great Time at Upstate Concert Hall

Good bands and fun times seem to come out of Texas a lot these days. American Sharks are a prime example of the type of music and tour ethos that can be attributed to bands like The Sword and The Black Angels.

After their head-turning set at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY opening up for Clutch, I got to sit down with Mike Hardin (bass/vocals) and Will Ellis (guitar) to talk about touring, the fast pace the band has been coming up in the music scene, and what it means to have a good time. This was also the second interview I got to do with local musician Dustin Alexander from Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars(JCHA), bringing a “in the trenches” point of view to this article. We hope to include more local musicians talking to touring musicians in subsequent articles at .

Interview with American Sharks. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert.

Jeff Ayers: So when did the band start? Where did the band come from?

Mike Hardin: Will and I started the band a while back in Houston, Texas.

JA: Are you originally from Houston?

MH: Sort of. We are kind of from a mish-mash of place, but we are all from Texas. The band kinda started when we were living in downtown Houston. Then we moved to Austin and that’s where we met Nick [Cornetti] our drummer. After that we went through a change and became a three piece, and that would be the actual beginning of the band. From then on we changed a lot.

JA: When was this?

Will Ellis: 2009

JA: How about musical influences? What influenced you to start this project?

WE: Roky Erickson, ELO

MH: I listen to David Bowie. Only David Bowie. [laughs]. But, I’d say Roky Erickson was a huge influence. Roky Erickson and the Aliens, specifically, was a big influence on this band.

JA: Cool. First time I heard you guys, I thought I was listening to Motorhead and Red Fang fighting. I was instantly hooked.

WE: Awesome!

JA: You guys are already making waves. Speaking of Red Fang, you have done some tours with them, and you’ve played with The Sword, and now Clutch. How has the response for you on these tours been?

WE: Yeah, very positive. It’s been really awesome man. It’s slowly getting better and better, where we show up in cities we have never played before and people are there wearing out shirts and stuff.

MH: We were touring for a few years by ourselves, and you go to cities and no one knows who you are. Now we can come to cities and there are people coming out to see us play.

JA: Well that is the name of the game right? Specifically with this tour with Clutch, I think you guys are a great fit. How did that come about, for you guys to get on this tour?

MH: We toured with Clutch and The Sword last year. Basically, we are friends with The Sword, and Kyle[Shutt] is our manager, and he was trying for us.

WE: We asked him to nudge [Clutch] a bit, asked him to give them our music. He told them they needed to see us play, so when they came through Houston, they had us play one show with them. Next thing we knew we were going out on tour with them.

Jim Gilbert: Actually, the room we are in, The Sword once set off all the fire alarms and they claimed they were only using a vaporizer.

MH: [laughs] This has happened a couple of times being on tour with The Sword actually. Once, on tour with Clutch and The Sword, Clutch was playing and the fire alarms started going off–

WE: Yeah, that place was in Athens, Georgia (The Georgia Theatre), and it had burned down years before, so everyone in the place was freaking out thinking it was burning down again

JA: Thats hilarious, I’ve met those guys and they seem like fun dudes. Speaking of the future, you guys are coming back to Upstate Concert Hall opening up for GWAR. It’s the first tour without Dave [Brockie] too. How did that tour come about?

WE: I don’t really know! Our booking agent submitted us, and it just happened.

JA: Well that is going to be an awesome tour, and I’ll be back to see you guys then.

MH: Yeah, we can’t wait.

JA: So, right before this, you wrapped up a tour with The Whores, and now Clutch, and then GWAR. How many shows a year do you think you play?

WE: Probably over 200.

JA: That is living the dream. Are you predominantly touring the U.S.?

WE: Yes, just U.S. so far.

JA: Is there anything on the horizon for other countries?

MH: Nothing set in stone. We have things we are working on, but nothing we can talk about yet.

JA: What’s next for you guys after the GWAR tour?

WE: Take a nap. [laughs] We are going to start working on our next record. It’s tough touring in the winter, so we want to hunker down and start pushing through our second record.

American Sharks. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

JG: [speaking of Nick the drummer] I got to ask, what is like being onstage with Animal from The Muppets?

MH: Ha! No one has ever called him that before! Animal! [laughs] He does do the drums like that. That is so hilarious. I’m going to tell him that for sure.

JG: I had to look quick a couple times to see if he was using a stick or a hammer.

JA: You guys have a great stage presence.

WE: I think Animal might be his favorite drummer actually.

MH: Oh dude! I didn’t know that!

JA: Well it shows [laughs] I ask this of a lot of bands, are there any bands you just can’t stop listening to at this moment?

WE: I’ve been listening to a lot of Roedelius, Arthur Verocai, and a lot of different chill stuff. Helps keep everything nice and calm.

JA: So when you get on stage you can rage it!

MH: I almost exclusively listen to David Bowie all the time

JA: I have to ask the obligatory question: pre-Ziggy [Stardust], Ziggy, or post Ziggy?

MH: All of it. Well like late 80’s through the 90’s, there is some really terrible shit in there [laughs]. But also, there is this band called Midnight, which is a newish band and they shred. If you like Motorhead, they are like an even crazier Motorhead. They played in Austin the day we left for this tour and I was so pissed I had to miss them.

JG: Be honest, have you[Will] ever walked in on Mike in the bathroom painting a Bowie lightning bolt on his face?

MH: [laughs] Yea and we lock eyes in the mirror

WE: [laughs] No I haven’t!

JA: I am now going to throw the questions to Dusitn, a local musician from this area

Dustin Alexander: The first thing that always comes to mind is how do you toe the line between partying and having fun on tour, and feeling better the next day? Having to play night after night, how do you maintain that?

WE: I just smoke weed most of the time.

MH: Yeah. But also, to be honest, partying and playing can spiral out of control really fucking fast. People say that, and you go “Haha, VH1 Behind the Music”. It doesn’t seem real to you until you are in it, and you can see the effects [this lifestyle] can have on you. Personally, I had some very negative experiences with alcohol. Be responsible. All of the sudden you can realize that you haven’t been sober in a year, and that is not good. I feel like I’m going to die. Not in a “I’m tired” way, but in a real, I am dependent on getting drunk when I wake up until I fall asleep. That is now O.K. That happens and that’s real, and you don’t think about that [when you are starting out].

WE: You get on each other’s nerves and stuff, you are on edge because you are hungover, and you are cooped up with everyone. It’s best to choose your party nights wisely, and I mostly drink maybe a couple beers a night, and just smoke a lot of weed.

DA: I feel marijuana is almost a performance enhancing drug for touring anyways. I mean sore muscles, can’t get sleep, a little nervous? That will take care of it!

MH: [laughs] Yeah, yeah.

DA: You have pretty aggressive vocals, and to do that night after night, is there something you do to prep, or cool down?

MH: I try to drink at least a gallon of water a day. More if I can, but I am a notorious voice loser. Also, I need to get sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep, I’ll lose my voice, and that sucks. Sleep is probably the most important thing in my opinion.

DA: How do you deal with that, when your voice kicks out and you are on tour?

MH: You get pissed off. It can be pretty embarrassing when you are playing in front of a packed house and you can’t sing. It can be a little frustrating.

WE: Usually whenever his voice does give out, we get to a place so he can get some sleep, and then it can come right back.

MH: I think people don’t put enough thought behind getting sleep. If I get a full night’s rest, I’m great. I normally do, I try for a full eight hours a night. I think it works wonders, because I rarely get sick.

JG: Where do you guys get sleep on tour? Do you get hotels, or the van?

WE: It depends on the tour usually. We try to get hotels, because when we crash at people’s houses, a lot of people want to hang out and talk to you all night. We might have an eight hour drive the next morning and we won’t get enough sleep. So we have to drop a little money [for a hotel] to make sure we get our rest.

MH: When you are on tour with a band like Clutch, they have a bus. So they route the tour based on that. All of us would rather spend money on a hotel than laying in a ditch because we flipped our van because we were so tired. It’s not worth it.

DA: A question about your bass rig. Are you running through and overdrive pedal or anything?

MH: Oh yeah! I use a pedal called the assmaster. [laughs]. It’s like B: assmaster. It’s made by Malekko. It’s 250 dollars, so it’s a little pricey, but it’s totally worth it. It’s the best thing I’ve found.

DA: Yeah it sounds thick, and you weren’t losing anything in the mix. It sounded gnarly.

MH: It has a really great bass boost on it, and you can make a lot of adjustments on it too.

DA: I play bass and sing at the same time like yourself. Do you find that singing sometimes gets in your way, because you might want to play a heavier bass line, but you have to worry about singing too?

MH: Oh for sure. But most of the time, the way we try and write music, it by simplifying and making it a little more accessible. Especially being a three piece, I don’t have to be [so busy]. As long as the bass is driving and thick, I can leave the other stuff to Will, because he has magic fingers. But I know what you mean, because sometimes there is a part in my head that I want to play, but I can’t because I’m doing a lot of singing there as well.

JG: Where did the idea for short songs come about, most of your songs top out around two or three minutes.

MH: The thoughts complete at that point. We don’t have to keep dragging on.

WE: We try to cut all the bullshit out of the writing.

MH: The Beatles, they were writing two minute songs, and they were great. The Ramones as well. Why should we try for more if we can get out what we want in that timeframe.

American Sharks at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

JG: You guys are on tour 200+ days a year, can you give us one hilarious story from the road?

MH: We were on tour with The Sword one time, and we were going through Albuquerque, but we weren’t playing there, so we all stayed there for the night. I don’t know if you have ever been there, but it is a crazy kind of city, there is definitely something in the air or the water. We get a hotel and all get rooms on the same floor right next to each other, and we are going to party all night. So we go to this strip club, and get kicked out. [laughs]. Well first Kyle from The Sword gets kicked out of a bar, in the beginning of the night. We were already loaded and they wouldn’t serve him and they are like “Get out of here!” So we show up and Kyle is in the streets so mad, screaming “Let me back in” and another dude from the bar is apologizing profusely because he knows he is in The Sword. So we go down to this strip club, and we are hanging out, doing strip club stuff, you know, and how does the rest of this go?

WE: We had a guy on tour, our camera guy, and I was gone at another bar when they first got to the strip club. When I showed up, there was this woman trying to stab our camera guy with her stiletto, and everybody’s holding her back and she’s screaming about money. Apparently he got one dance, and she said it was like five dance, and the bouncers are telling everyone to get out. So I acted like I wasn’t friends with any of them, and sat down at this other chair and finished my drink.

MH: So we were pretty wasted and we met all these people from Albuquerque and we all went back to our rooms on the top floor and had a raging party. All the classics that you would do if you were, say Van Halen, we did all of those things. I literally fell to the carpet at one point and passed out.

JG: That was not a night you got good sleep.

MH: [laughs] No way! But it was fun.

September 18, 2014
Times Union Center in Albany gets ready to host Five Finger Death Punch, Volbeat, Hellyeah and Nothing More

This fall marks one of the most sought after tours in recent memory. The incredible co-lining onslaught of Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat has been an idea in the works for some time, with both bands finally hitting the road together after countless scheduling issues, stopping in Albany. The timing could not be better, as both bands are the premier heavy metal bands on mainstream rock radio.

Nothing More. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

Joining them on tour will be Nothing More, the fast rising heavy groove metal project out of San Antonio, Texas. Chipping away at the game with their relentless barrage of work they finally have broken out with their single, “This is the Time(Ballast)” hitting #2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart in 2014. As they self proclaim with the inherent question, “Nothing more?”, they immediately answer back, “Accept nothing less.”

Hellyeah have recently dropped their most defining album to date. Blood for Blood allows the average listener to really get the best interpretation of this ‘supergroup’, and gives the die hard fan a new outlook on this incredible band. Made up of seasoned veterans of the stage Chad Gray (Mudvane), Vinnie Paul (Pantera, Damageplan), Tom Maxwell (Nothingface) and Kyle Saunders (Bloodsimple), they are poised to bring the hard hitting heavy rock to this tour.

Volbeat. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

Hailing from Denmark, Volbeat is no stranger to the United States. The three-piece continues to tear up stages all over the world, and are primed and ready to co-headline this tour in support of their most recent album, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies. Epic riffs and catchy melodies make each show an experience, and with new second guitarist Rob Caggiano (Anthrax) will have the entire crowd banging their heads and singing along.

Five Finger Death Punch (5FDP) has been wanting to do this tour for sometime, and scheduling has always gotten in the way, as is the case with hard working bands that tour constantly. But the planets aligned and this tour can finally be a reality. 5FPD are riding high off their two releases last year, The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, parts 1 and 2. The combined sales of those records made the band the highest selling rock band in America. Their live show is one of pure intesity and heavy metal chaos, and one not to be missed when it rolls into the OnCenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse NY on Setptember 23rd. Then, on September 27th, the tour will hit the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. This, like so many other amazing shows in the Albany area, is being brought to this area thanks to the tireless efforts of Step Up Presents.

Five Finger Death Punch. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

The tour kicks off in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 16 and goes until it’s Las Vegas on October 24th. Tickets and tour dates can be found on the bands websites or through TicketMaster.

Tickets for the Syracuse Show can be found here.

Tickets for the Albany show can be found here.

September 17, 2014
Clutch Brings Earth Rocker to Upstate Concert Hall
In Upstate New York, it is that special time of the year again. Time for the leaves to change, the nights to get colder, and Clutch to return to the area. For much of their 24 years of playing, they have managed to always make Upstate a stop on their tours. Good thing too, because this area absolutely loves the band and comes out in droves to witness their pure rock fury.

Neil Fallon of Clutch

Upstate Concert Hall, the premier club in the area to bring acts like this around consistently, was on point for this show. Their great security staff kept the patrons safe, the fine bartenders kept everyone’s thirst at bay, and the stage crew kept the whole thing running smoothly. Without establishments of this calibre, audiences would not be able to see so many great acts come to their town.

First up for the night was American Sharks from Texas. A three-piece consisting of a bassist/vocalist, guitarist and drummer, they took the stage to an already half-packed room at 8:00 PM. Before exploding into their first song, the singer told the crowd he was betrayed, and with tongue in cheek, said that he was drinking vodka instead of water all night. This was a good gauge as to the type of fun the band had on stage, and the infectious riff-rock music they played. Hints of Alice Cooper, Motorhead, and Red Fang permeated their sound, and the audience ate it up. Driving guitar and bass riffs helmed each song, short and sweet at about two or three minutes in length. The drummer was the most mesmerizing, hitting his skins like a crazed caveman, then walking away from his set after each song to stare it down, eager to beat it into submission on the next one. At one point, the atmosphere was like a zombie prom, or a romanticized punk rock show, with groups of people feeling the grooves and infecting nearby fans to dance and sway with them. The fast-paced rock was peppered with trippy instrumental nuggets, giving a big, full sound from the band. “We have a few more warm up songs before we get to the set” the singer would say from time to time, gaining chuckles from the audience and increasing the good vibes of the show.

Lionize hit the stage next, a stellar act off of Clutch’s label, Weathermaker Records. In fact, their sound was very parallel to Clutch, with big groovy hooks and funk riffs, littered with a commanding vocal presence. Some songs made use of reggae-esque timing and vocals, while other songs produced full-on southern metal assaults. They were a contrast from American Sharks’ two minute sonic attacks, as Lionize played longer epics that were full of sound. A little bit for everyone, bouncing between burn-up-the-road heavy jams to introspective, keyboard-heavy, funk ballads. Relying heavily on their newest album’s material, they delighted the now almost-packed house of Upstate Concert Hall with their musical prowess.

With the lights down and a rowdy backtrack song ushering Clutch onstage, the crowd was whipped instantly into a frenzy. A fast four count from their drummer Jean-Paul Gaster broke directly into set opener, “Cyborg Betty”, off their new album Earth Rocker. Neil Fallon picked up his mic and slid right into his onstage preacher persona, gesturing madly at the audience with each cadence. They easily had the best sound of the night, and possibly one of the best sounding stage performances ever at this venue. A straight four-piece band, fans were able to pick out the guitars, bass and drum riffs with ease from wherever they were in the tightly packed room. By the time the band hit “Crucial Velocity”, both in song title and in intensity, the crowd was mere putty in Clutch’s collective hands. A brand new song was unfurled at this show, and possible a few others on this tour, and Neil belted out “Decapitation Blues” with poise and determination that seemed like they had been playing it for years. It featured the first full on guitar solo of the night, and Tim Sult’s expertise washed over an already incredible array of sounds.

I was lucky enough to be backstage before Clutch went on, and heard Jean-Paul warming up like a well-wound clock. It showed on stage, too, because coupled with an epic bottom floor held down by Dan Maines, is a tight-as-nails rhythm section that is unparalleled in this type of music. Screaming “Fire it up, Yeah that’s the ticket now kick out the jams” as they launched into crowd favorite “Mice and Gods” reflected exactly what was happening that night.

The crowd was full of happy faces, all mesmerized by the sheer brilliance of the heavy, powerful rock and funk that was being bestowed upon them. At times Neil would chew his jaw like a grandfather telling you an important story, or he would get more worked up and anoint the crowd with his microphone. If you have never seen Clutch live, it is an experience akin to something almost religious, as you feel better afterward like you could take on anything. The ethos of the band are summed up perfectly in the title track of “Earth Rocker”, as he sings “If you are gonna do it, do it on the stage, or don’t do it at all.” This isn’t a band that uses backing tracks or loops. They produce all the high-octane intensity directly in front of the audience, no smoke and mirrors. There was no signs of slowing down an hour into the set either, as they brought out acoustic guitars, with Neil on a beautiful hollow body for “Gone Cold”. Finishing out the night with a two song encore and giving props to the two openers, Clutch proved, once again, why it is always a treat to see them in Upstate New York.

Clutch will be on tour throughout September, check their website for dates and tickets.

Setlist: Cyborg Betty, Book Saddle and Go, Crucial Velocity, Burning Beard, Decapitation Blues, Mob Goes Wild, Mice and Gods, Profits of Doom, Power Player, I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth, The Yeti, Texan Book of the Dead, Unto the Breach, Earth Rocker, Cypress Grove, Gone Cold.

Encore: D.C. Sound Attack, Electric Worry
- Dan Maines (Clutch) at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
- American Sharks at Upstate Concert Hall. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
September 15, 2014
Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars Bring Salvation and Metal to the Putnam Den

The time had come for metal to return to Saratoga Springs. On Friday, Sept. 5, the Putnam Den held court for Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars (JCHA) monthly residency, where they bring the best in hard rock and metal from locals to bands up and down the East Coast. Unfortunately for this show, Surfacing from Brooklyn had to drop off last-minute due to vehicle troubles. The three remaining bands though from the local scene were primed to give up their offerings to the gods of metal, and to the wanting masses gathered at the venue.

First up was Crown of Vultures, from Albany. Formerly known as the band Vacant, they have a progressive, heavy sound reminiscent of bands like Tool or Chevelle. The singer did his best to croon in that vein over the music, but their set was lackluster. People were already milling about the venue as they took to the stage, but a dynamically flat performance did not grab too much attention. Not sure where this band might fit, but in the bulging heavy scene that breathes metal and hard rock, this band sounded reserved and gave an almost boring performance. Their set was peppered with some great driving riffs, but they were too few and far between, with some stumbles along the way by the drums. They are a budding band though, which has been re-tooled with new members, so look for them to hopefully coalesce into a powerful outfit soon enough.

Next up was Foaming at the Mouth, who flanked the stage with two towering posters, depicting a screaming girl writhing in the dirt. With that image in full display, the two-member band took no time diving into their first song. Guttural vocals being slung by both the guitarist and drummer, they instantly redeemed the show. Playing their own brand of crushing metal, with elements of death metal and grooving riff-rock, the sound paralleled to Lamb of God and Dying Fetus. With a brand new music video that dropped the same day and a new CD coming out in December, these guys are on a fast track to turn heads and melt faces. The absence of a bass player was never felt, as the onslaught of sound and technical prowess of the guitarist won the crowd over, gaining huge responses after each song. Both guys looked at ease and truly enjoying being on stage, even covering a Death song almost flawlessly.

Resident pushers of all things stoner rock, JCHA prepped the stage with all their tricks. They took their traditional whiskey shot onstage, served by their bearded bartender-slash-light tech. They then launched into a barrage of sound and laser lights that instantly took over the audience. The band commanded the best sound of the night from the Putnam Den, but the vocals of bassist Dustin were a little overpowering at times, losing the drums in the mix. But these were only small technical problems that were made up for by the energetic performance the band produced. Jon, the guitarist, showed the crowd his brilliant talent through precise riffs and big solos. Ross beat his drums like they owed him money, but kept the floor held down throughout the performance. Dual vocal harmonies from Dustin and Jon, and well-timed lights and smoke brought the performance higher than a casual listener might have anticipated. At one point, during a cover of “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent, Jake the bartender stepped out from behind his stage bar to mix a drink in the faces of the audience, adding to the intense fun being had by the band on stage.

They raffled a beautiful piece of art from local artist Alexis Herzog, who paints live during their set. The only downfall was that the stage lights were too dim to make out the piece being raffled, and she was working on the side of the stage in virtual darkness, making it hard to see what she was producing. There was still a good crowd as the show went on past 12:30 AM, and JCHA livened it up by unconventionally launching into three cover songs in a row. The fans that remained were still hungry for more, and they graced them with a brand new song as their final offering of the night.

JCHA will be performing again Sept. 12 at Monirae’s in Pennelville, NY, as well as Sept. 19 at Sharpshooters in Amsterdam, NY.

Setlist: Greed Makes You Fatter, Great Sage, Stranglehold, Late and Lost, The Mountain, Extension, Never Clean, Bear Steak, Green Machine, Children of the Grave, Ommision, Dying in Leather

September 13, 2014