Paranoid / Sludeglord Tag Team Interview with DOCTOR CYCLOPS, Part 2

Doctor Cyclops made an impression on us here recently at Sludgelord HQ with their stunning new album - Oscuropasso - which I described as:

"As the band tell an intriguing dark story with creepier music to match. Imagine The Who meets Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats, well that's how this track and album fully plays out.

Doctor Cyclops have delivered a stunning album that will find many admirers within the Hard Rock world.This album is definitely what the Doctor ordered if you're suffering from post-winter blues."

I decided to arrange an interview with these Psych Based Rockers. But I couldn't do this by myself. I asked my good friend - Lucas Klaukien from Paranoid Hitsophrenic - to team up and do another one of our Paranoid / Sludgelord Tag Team interviews which we are completed recently.

Both the band and Lucas agreed to this which I am extremely grateful for. Right. Time to get down to business with Paranoid / Sludeglord Tag Team Interview with DOCTOR CYCLOPS, Part 2

You can read Part 1 here on Paranoid Hitsophrenic.

SL = Sludgelord

PH = Paranoid Hitsophrenic

SL = What made you decide to become musicians and form a band. Was it a particular band, album or life changing event. And if you weren't in a band or a musician what would you currently be doing now.

CHRIS: My father is a musician too, so I guess it was already in my dna… When I was a baby I liked drums a lot…but then something changed…I lost interest in music untill I was 14. Then I started playing guitar and singing.

FRANCESCO: I was 10 years old when I found my father’s guitar… it had no strings and was semi-broken, but I really liked my self in this “Lord of the World” pose in front of the mirror… then, some years laters, I discovered Cathedral’s Ethereal Mirror and it fascinated me in any possible way. With Supernatural Birth Machine 2000 I thought “That’s the way”…Is there any alternative to “Robot-sickness-death”?!

ALESSANDRO: I was 8 years old when my mom made me listen the rhythmic section of an old song.. then I fell in love with my instrument and now it is still the thing I can do best in life. With Christian and Francesco we are living a dream, and maybe without the interest my mother awoke for that old song now my life would be much more sad.

PH = Doctor Cyclops goes pretty far out on “Rotten Trolls”. It seems to hit on many themes and sounds from throughout the album. Even though it’s the last song, it’s also kind of like the hub of the album. How did the idea for that song come about?

CHRIS: It’s a really old song actually…we wrote the very first part in 2008 I guess, at the beginning of the band’s rehearsals. Then we never abandoned it, we played it sometimes while rehearsing, and sometimes we added some new parts…like a patchwork, you know. I think that at a certain point it became like a bet between us…”how long can we stretch it? How many parts can we put together?”. And so we decided to make a suite out of that, or whatever it is now. Then the story came out, a sort of parody of mankind’s perversions and sickness, with this sort of epic tale of Trolls against Goblins and humans…

FRANCESCO: At the beginning we just had this image: a troll with a machine gun-cock surrounded by psycho goblins! Then we went seeking for abysses of pure perversion, and this brought out our imagination from the woods to higher spheres…It took some time to give life to that imagery made of modern and ancient bestiaries. I remember we were listening at Witchfinder General mostly at that time.

SL = Obviously the Occult Doom/Stoner Rock scene is seeing something of a mini-resurgence thanks to bands like Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats and yourselves. Do you think the Occult Rock scene is getting over-populated with bands playing the same type of music. Or do you feel there is more than enough room to accommodate everyone.

CHRIS: Mmm…rooms are getting really really small for everyone. In the underground scene there are tons of bands playing any kind of music, not just occult rock. The market now is overwhelmed, and everybody wants to play, and everybody has an album out. So it ends up that just bigger labels make a concrete difference. If Rise Above wouldn’t have taken Uncle Acid under its wing, nobody would probably know them now, they would just be lost in the sea with their good music. You must be good, but also lucky. Really lucky.

FRANCESCO: We are lucky that this resurgence took place, but it can be a little bit tricky for us: we are not the typical retro rock band…not just stoner, not just doom or occult…and people usually don’t give that attention if they cannot easily classify you in a specific genre.

PH = As an outside observer, it seems to me that Italy has a great psychedelic doom music scene going on. Is it easy to find venues for shows, and how much attention is the genre getting in your home country?

CHRIS: Well, as an insider, I’d say that our scene is shitty. There are good bands, of course, but not that many. Music itself is not the problem: great musicians and great ideas are everywhere. But we have a big cultural problem. There is no interest in listening to music anymore, especially young guys are too influenced by TV and shitty media. Finding venues is really difficult, most of them prefer to host cover or tribute bands than “original” bands. I mean, big names are always welcome, and when they come people move the ass. But for medium bands it’s getting really really hard. For Dr Cyclops is easier to find a gig in Berlin, or Paris, than in Milan, even if we live just 50 kms away. And if we play Berlin maybe we have 100 people. In Milan we run the risk of having 10. There is no scene, underground in Italy is just a tiny little niche. There are exceptions, but that’s the rule.

FRANCESCO: If I think to bands like Midryasi I’d tell you that we have good stuff here too…but the point is that the scene is missing. There’s no musical culture, we follow other trends..too less people is really interested in live music.

ALESSANDRO: Here cover bands and tribute bands win, like shitty media-tv stuff. Underground is less than a niche. And real artists are blown away.

SL – What is your verdict on the entire crowd-funding scene with bands and artists asking fans to donate funds to help release their next album. Are you a fan of this medium and would Doctor Cyclops ever go down this route.

CHRIS: Can we really do that? Fuck! If I had knew before… Eh eh! Well, I heard about this chance, but we never considered it with attention… First of all I don’t know how it works. Second of all, it seems to me like asking for charity, and music must not loose its dignity. Fans should support the scene buying records and going to gigs. If you don’t have money to make an album, just hire some mics and nowadays with a computer you can record…

FRANCESCO: I never heard about this opportunity, but honestly it would be enough if people just bought records to please themselves with the full package!

ALESSANDRO: I didn’t know either. But I do not agree with this. Bands have to earn what they want by themselves, not asking people on the web. The audience role should be supporting the artists buying records and going to concerts. There is no point in financing an album that no one will probably hear.

PH= Your last album ‘Borgofondo’ featured Blood Ceremony’s Alia O’Brien on the track “Giants of the Mountain”. Now, as far as I’m concerned that’s a pretty big name and heavy company to be involved with! How did that collaboration come about?

CHRIS: Well, the company, Rise Above, is not involved at all…actually they never gave a damn about us although we tried to contact them several times! With big labels it is strange you know…People may think that, just because we had Alia by Blood Ceremony on the record we should have a sort of opened door with Rise Above (I would probably think the same as an observer). But it is not. Alia’s featuring came out in a really simple way. We played with Blood C. in Paris in 2011, a few months before recording Borgofondo. She loved the song and when we asked her if she wanted to record a flute part on it she simply said “yes of course!”. There is still some magic and pure-passion in the underground!

FRANCESCO: It may be hard to believe… but sometimes the love you give is the love you get. Blood Ceremony were one of our favourite bands since their debut. We were listening to them even before starting our own band.

ALESSANDRO: That’s the best of the underground. You play together, you like each other, you do it. And then there is no difference between a “big” and a “small” name. But it’s not always like that. I mean, Blood Ceremony are humble and really special guys.

SL = Finally – if you could change anything about the whole Doom/Stoner Metal scene what would it be. Good or bad.

CHRIS: A couple of things. First of all the people selfishness and pettiness that’s fucking up all the DIY concept. When you don’t have a big label and a big booking, relying on other fellows becomes essential. But too many bands just take care about their own little garden not understanding that this way they damage themselves too. If you can help someone out, do it!

Second of all: the money. Give us more, so that we can quit our jobs!!!

FRANCESCO: I wish Cathedral could be exhumed!

ALESSANDRO: The money! As even the better dreams are not good enough to pay bills by themsleves!

Oscuropasso can be purchased via World In Sound Records.

Check The Band From The Links Below

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Paranoid / Sludeglord Tag Team Interview with Mos Generator's Tony Reed, Part 2

Lucas and I continue our Sludgelord/Paranoid Hitsophrenic joint Interviews with the 3^rd instalment and what an instalment we have planned for today.

We get to speak to none other than Mos Generator/Stone Axe musical legend – Tony Reed – who has gladly agreed to talk to both of us at Sludgelord and Paranoid Hitsophrenic.

You can read Part 1 on Paranoid blog here. So lets get started with Part 2 with one of my favourite all-time musicians – Tony Reed.

PH - And just to continue along tour lines, is there anything developing stateside?

We have limited time to be able to tour so we generally stay pretty regional in the states and then use what touring time we have to go overseas.

SL - What has been your favourite album that you have ever recorded. As a band member or one that you have produced?

The most insane record I have ever done and the one that took the most out of me is "The Late Great Planet Earth". Mos Generator's second album. It's a 43 minute concept album with no breaks. All of the songs had to written to tie together in musical feel and lyrical theme. It's a very dark and dense album. It's much different from our other albums.

As a producer I would have to say Lille f-65 by Saint Vitus. That record was a blast to make and it lifted my profile as a producer. I got and still get a lot of work from that album.

PH - So Mudhoney played on top of the Space Needle. That’s pretty cool. But what’s the tallest building in Port Orchard and do you think anybody would let you play on top of it?

The tallest building in Port Orchard is about three stories high. It's a pretty sleepy town. We like it that way.

SL - Obviously you are known for a being a top musical producer as well. You have produced for many great bands including some excellent bands from the UK. How did you become involved with music production?

I grew up in a very small town in Washington state and the the closest studio was probably 3 hours away. As a teenager I wanted to make demos of my band so I started experimenting with cassette players, cheap microphones, and cheap P.A. mixers. After I started getting good recordings for my band I started recording other bands around town. Then in 1989 I got a four track recorder and went up from there. I honed my craft on the worst equipment available. I think that has played a major part on my recording style and my fondness for making records in strange places.

PH - I understand you have quite the vinyl collection. Would you care to tell me about the last three albums you got that blew your mind? And is there a white whale record out there you’ve never been able to track down?

The last three that took me years to track down and I finally got were.

VOIVOD "The Outer Limits"

COCTEAU TWINS "Heaven or Las Vegas"

DAVID BOWIE "At the BEEB"

There are three white whales.

BLACK SABBATH "Paranoid" quadraphonic LP.

FREE "Broad Daylight / The worm" Island 7" single.

STONE AXE (1971) "Snakebite / Slave of Fear" 7"

SL - If you only had one choice between being part of a band or musical production as your musical career. What would you choose and the reasons why?

Being in a band is my first choice without a doubt. Making music is a part of my life that I could never give up.

PH - What did you think of the new Black Sabbath record?

I think it was rushed and not enough thought was put into it. I also don't like the rage against the machine drummer. The guy they have been using on tour before and after the making of the album is perfect for sabbath. He's the only drummer they have had since bill that keeps that original sabbath feel.

SL - What are your views of the recent crowdfunding scene where bands and artists ask their fans to invest their money in helping making and releasing their newest album. And would you or Mos Generator ever go down that route?

I think that it's a fine idea. If we were ever to do it that we would have it where you got something for your donation.

PH - You work with a lot of different bands and keep your fingers on the pulse of what’s going on, wouldn’t you say? Who would you label as the next generation of heavy, the bands that are going to charge things forward into a bold new era? Or do those bands even exist right now?

That is something I would never dare to predict. I like what I like and I really have no idea what is cool or what is going to be cool. I can say that I am happy that heavy rock is getting a nice audience and showing growth.

SL - You have worked with lot of great independent record labels over your career. Ripple Music and Lay Bare Recordings being two of them. What is the difference between working with a major label to an independent label?

Actually I have never worked with a major label but what I do like about independent labels is that they are releasing music because they love it, not because it's going to make them a lot of money. The owners of many labels I have been on have become good friends and that's always nice to have.

Written by Lucas and Steve

We want to thank Tony Reed for taking the time out to talk to both of us at Sludgelord and Paranoid Hitsophrenic. Was a real honor for both of us to do this interview.

Check out Tony and his great bands from links below.

Mos Generator

Facebook

BandCamp

Stone Axe

Facebook

HeavyHeadSuperStore

Official

Paranoid / Sludeglord Tag Team Interview with Beelzefuzz, Part 2

 

Well folks it's that time again for Lucas (from ace blog Paranoid Hitsophrenic) and myself to team up once more and interview some of the finest bands within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal Realm.

We came to the conclusion to interview Beelzefuzz for our next team up. Their brilliant debut album has been winning praise all over the place. My review is here and Lucas review is here:

I called the album - "The album is expertly produced. The sound is clean and crisp which projects Beelzefuzz’s sound to maximum levels. The album maybe on an a brisk 36 minutes but it’s a fast paced 36 minutes you can listen to over and over again. You are never bored for a second as the album keeps you entertained through out.

Beelzefuzz have delivered an excellent album that should win them a huge following within the Stoner/Doom Metal scene. I expect big things from the band in the years to come. However, for now let us enjoy their superb debut album. They deserve all the rewards and praise coming their way" 

Lucas has already published Part 1 of the interview here. Now its' time for part 2.

So lets get started with Part 2 with the brilliant BEELZEFUZZ!!!

1. Lucas: I like to mention your unique and distinctive sound every time I talk about the band, I won’t ask where it “comes from”, but do you guys listen to the new stoner doom and retro bands that are coming out all the time or do you stick to mostly the classic stuff? And would you mind rattling off a few of your favorite classic albums from yesteryear? Maybe some stuff that you think might have crept into your work.

Dana: I’m always interested in hearing new releases, I do try to check out as many new bands as I can. We have played shows with a lot of cool bands, I think that to not be influenced by new things is just not possible. There is a band from MD called “Chowder”, they have a song called “Custody” that I think is just killer. A few weeks after hearing the song, I find myself jamming out a riff that I later recognize as a direct ripoff of that song, so much for that riff, haha. So, yeah, have to be careful that the influences don’t take over. I do always return to my favorite albums from Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Peter Gabriel era Genesis.

Darin: I think people expect us to be more tuned into what's currently happening in the scene and while we're aware of a lot of bands it doesn't, or I should say, we try not to let it seep into the creative process. There's a few bands currently out now that people have compared us to and it's purely by coincidence if there's any similarity whatsoever. As far as where our influences come from...well, basically the list of bands that Dana just said, Purple, Heep, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Lucifers Friend, stuff like that. The "golden age" of clean melodic vocals and heavy riffs.

2. Steve: Which bands are you currently digging within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal scene. Any bands that both of our readers should be aware of.

Dana: There are some cool Sludge/Doom bands in our general area, Fortress, Slagstorm, The Osedax, Rhin, Hollenarm. Def a lot of cool Doom/Stoner bands around here, Heavy Temple, Clamfight, Weedisweed to name a few.

3. You know, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about labels vs. independence. Obviously, Beelzefuzz already had a decent buzz going with the help of guys like Steph from Temple of Perdition on the strength of just a few demos uploaded to bandcamp. How do you think being signed to a label (and a highly respected one in the doom community) has helped your band? Do you feel the band is better off with a label or do you think it may have limited the availability of the album to those who might prefer to have it up on bandcamp for instance?

Dana: We owe a great deal of thanks to Steph from Temple of Perdition and JJ from The Obelisk, they helped us out in a great way by spreading the word and continue to do so. Cool sites like The Sludgelord and Paranoid Hitsophrenic, man, without them, it would be tough to get the word out, we greatly appreciate the help. Being independent, releasing a CD and promoting your music effectively is alot of work, time and money. We are very fortunate to be on the Church Within label and to have Oli giving us his support.

Darin: Being on a label definitely helped get the music out there...pressing CDs, the distribution, the promotion are all things that GREATLY helped spread the word and brought our music to more people's attention. I'm sure there are situations where the band/label relationship may not be that great and there could be a question of whether it's worth the aggravation but as far as we're concerned having Church Within backing us has been a great experience so far. Oli's a good guy and has earned the respect of many people in the scene, we're pleased to be associated with him.

4. What are your views of blogs such reviewing your records, as opposed to mainstream music magazines? Has your music reached the mainstream mags, at home or around the world?

Darin: Yes, we've had reviews in magazines like Terrorizer and Classic Rock so the word has spread through the more conventional channels as well as the more "modern" mediums like blogs and webzines which are also invaluable sources as well. It's great to live in an age when we can benefit from both sources...not just from the perspective of a musician but also as a fan as well.

5. This is kind of a silly question … Beelzefuzz is a play on the name of the demon Beelzebub. Would you like to share with us what you know about Beelzebub and was that buzzy intro to “Lotus Jam” a reference to him/it?

Dana: I thought Beelzefuzz would be a great name for a band, everyone knows about Beelzebub, but, turns out not so many are familiar with the “Lord of the Flies” or how to pronounce the name.

Darin: it's actually amazing how many people struggle to pronounce the name, haha. Some people seem to think it's brilliant while others say it's ridiculous...whatever the reaction is, the fact remains that it's obviously a unique and memorable name.

6. What were your original aims and dreams for the band and have they been fully met yet.

Darin: well, personally to create music that runs along the same lines as the originators that inspired us when we were young. Anyone can pick up an instrument and make noise...there's plenty of bands doing just that. However, at the risk of sounding pretentious, to hopefully create music that sits comfortably alongside 'classic rock' icons like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath with the same breadth of creativity and inspiration is I guess what we hope to achieve.

Dana: I'd like to have a solid group of songs that conjure some of the cool vibes I grew up hearing. I think we do a good job of playing the songs live and recreating all the sounds on the album. My goal is for the band to have so many memorable, quality songs, that you HAVE to see the band live, haha!

7. I got a question here from Soggy Bob from the Soggy Bog of Doom podcast. “I love Dana Ortt’s vox. He reminds me so much of (Fates Warning co-founder) John Arch. The melodies, the phrasing, the range. I’d like to know if he’s a fan and has Arch had an influence on him.”

Dana: My knowledge of Fates Warning is a bit limited to a few songs. I first heard them first on the Rivers Edge soundtrack, my friend had the “Night On Brocken” tape which I heard quite a bit . I’ve never tried to emulate John Arch, but, I have heard that comparison a few times now. . It’s cool with me, did listen to a lot of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Queensryche and Dio in high school, maybe that is where I acquired the John Arch sounding influence. I just try to sing like me, for better or for worse, usually worse, haha! It’s flattering to be compared to a singer like him, especially if you heard me a few years ago awkwardly trying to croak out a song. Some people are naturally gifted with a great voice, I’m def not one of those people. It took a number of gigs, practices to get to this point, maybe one day I’ll sound alright, maybe.

8. With 2014 almost upon us, what is in store for Beelzefuzz in 2014. And what New Years Resolutions would you wish for to make the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal world a better place.

Darin: 2014 should definitely see another Beelzefuzz release and hopefully another visit overseas. My fingers are crossed for the vinyl version of the LP as well...haha.

Pug: We wish for vinyl to make the world a better place.

I want to thank the guys from Beelzefuzz for taking the time out to talk to us at Sludgelord and Paranoid Hitsophrenic.

Beelzefuzz S/T Debut album is now available to buy on The Church Within Records. 

Check The Band From Links Below

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