Interview

Interview: Matty Corvin of Corvin’s Breed

November 6, 2023 — Leave a comment

Corvin’s Breed is an industrial metal band from New England that formed in 2014. Since then, Corvin’s Breed has released one EP, I’m Not Normal, and a full-length album entitled The Witching Hour. The band is set to hit the road this November/December with Psyclon Nine, Clockwork Echo, and Guillotine.

I had the opportunity to chat with vocalist Matty Corvin for a little Corvin’s Breed 101.

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First, I would just like to thank you for your time. I’m going to start with something very basic. How was the band formed, and what’s the story behind the name?

Matty: The band was formed in 2014. I always found crows to be very fascinating because people don’t seem to talk about them, but they’re very important as they like to feast off of the flesh of carcasses. They’re creatures I always felt a connection with in my personal life. I figured this is my vision, this is my breed, and the people that get it are part of it as well. 

Was there always a common vision among the band members, or did y’all have to mesh a variety of influences and musical backgrounds?

MC: I wanted this to be something refreshing. I never thought this to be a band that’s set out to sound like a certain band in particular. I thought “if it’s already out there, why should I recreate it?” I just wanted to stick out like a sore thumb, so visual aesthetics were always crucial. I just tried to find like-minded musicians who were influenced by Alice Cooper, White Zombie, and Static-X. Those were the bands that really understood the concept of being original and entertaining an audience. If you were to look through my library there’s such a wide variety of bands and artists you would come across that probably wouldn’t match up to what this whole thing is. 

Speaking of influences, who are your biggest ones, personally? And carrying that a step further, what (or who) was it that inspired you to pursue a career in music? 

MC: Music was always playing in the house growing up. My mom was really into the 80s hair metal stuff like Poison, Mötley Crüe, Ratt. 

I remember watching the music television channel on TV with her, and all these bands were super flashy with their hair all done up with crazy outfits, and those guys had a lot of talent. Music was something I was always attracted to but it wasn’t until I saw Poison live when I was about 7 years old that I realized this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and I just went balls to the wall with it since. 

Can you tell me a little bit about the band’s writing and recording process? 

MC: The music always comes first when it comes to writing, before any vocals or lyrics. As much as I love intricate music, I like to simplify it. I want to make people dance and have a good time. I feel like once you start adding offbeat stuff and weird time signatures, people lose interest, as much as I love that stuff. I’d rather see people moving on the dance floor. Adding elements of other genres to the mix has always been something I like to do. 

With imagery playing a huge role in the band, and with the overall subject matter and just…aura…of the band, I have to assume you’re a horror fan. Is that correct?

MC: Absolutely! I would say horror and comedy are two things that sum up my entire entity. Those are two extremes of entertainment that make you feel something and can’t be taken seriously, and I find that to be really interesting. 

That’s a topic we’ll have to revisit when we have more time, because I can talk horror for hours. Moving right along, what is your favorite of the songs you’ve written, if you have one? And why do you connect with it the most? 

MC: That’s a really tough question. There’s a lot of songs we have that are really personal to me. Music is all about expression, so I like to write about experiences that I’ve gone through in hopes that someone listening can relate and maybe it will help them get through a similar situation. But to answer your question, I really don’t have a favorite.

Y’all are about to set out on the Infection Divinum Tour with Psyclon Nine, Clockwork Echo, and Guillotine. How do you feel about this? I know y’all toured with Psyclon Nine earlier this year. Are you excited to be on the road with them again?

MC: Yes, very excited. Those guys have been nothing but great to us. Nero and I go way back, and it’s always an absolute pleasure working with him. We [Corvin’s Breed] seem to have gathered quite the following. Myself as well as the rest of the band are looking forward to seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with the fans.

What is your favorite thing about performing live? 

MC: There’s nothing like putting on the face and becoming this monster that I have created for myself. It’s very therapeutic for me. I could have had a falling out with a friend, or even had a death in the family, and I had to put on a show right after, and I just let all of that energy out. There’s nothing like the feeling of tapping into your inner self and showing that to other people that probably had those same issues and a smile or a nod is a way of saying “I get you”. And then when that’s all over and done with, you have fans that thank you, and I think that’s the most rewarding part.

Still on the topic of live shows, what would your dream lineup (that includes Corvin’s Breed) be? 

MC: I think a tour with Rob Zombie and Corvin’s Breed would be a cool show to see. 

What are the band’s plans for the rest of the year and into 2024?

MC: We will have a couple singles coming out really soon, along with a couple music videos. That will be followed up by a new album called MISANTHROPY, which will be released early 2024. Hopefully there will be more touring, but there’s nothing in the works as we speak.

Is there any message you’d like to give your fans, both current and future?

MC: Thank you for all your support. We can’t wait to see everyone on the road.

**

Be sure to check out Corvin’s Breed on the road this fall. The Infection Divinum xx Annos Tour kicks off November 15th in San Francisco, CA. (For a full list of dates, visit this post.)

You can keep up with all things Corvin’s Breed by following them on their various socials and streaming platforms.

https://youtu.be/th0D5GrQq1s?si=phJZa_i-4iJBcnd4

Interview: TJ Breedlove of K.A.R.L. (Kill All Remaining Life)

March 11, 2023 — Leave a comment

K.A.R.L. (Kill All Remaining Life) is an electronic/industrial band that formed in 2007. Since then, they have released an untitled debut EP (2009), their self-titled record in 2010, the Rapture EP (2020), and earlier this year, a second full-length album, Tractus. I recently had the opportunity to talk to vocalist/engineer TJ Breedlove about the new album, the band’s beginnings, and what the future holds for K.A.R.L.

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Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, and congrats on the release of Tractus! Can you tell me a little bit about the album? What was the writing/recording process, and where did you draw your inspiration for the writing of the album?

TJ: Thank you so much for this interview! The writing process for Tractus started in 2021 and was, at first, largely built around internal struggle with mental health and negative outlooks on the world. Gradually, as the world kept diving further into chaos, I kept gathering more to write about. Though not all tracks are negative. I wrote a track that’s on there for my wife, who has been so loving and supportive throughout this process. The album, which was initially supposed to be 8 -10 tracks, evolved into 13 tracks over time. 

For my own personal curiosity, what’s the story behind “Beg Me”? (That was one of my favorite tracks, so I’m interested in the creation of it.)

TJ: “Beg Me” is about internal anger. Built and kept inside for so long, and the violent fantasy of unleashing it. The song itself doesn’t promote violence, but as humans, we often face something that internally drives us to that level of anger and frustration. Some carry that anger for way too long and have no healthy way to release it. That song, though, was the last one recorded for the album. I had a very difficult time writing it for various reasons. 

So, getting onto the subject of you, in particular: What made you want to pursue a career in music?

TJ: I’ve always wanted to be in a band since I was very young. I grew up listening to all types of music, like metal (black, thrash, death, and nu), grunge rock, and classic rock, but industrial has always been my favorite genre, particularly Darkwave. As I grew into my teens, I gathered quite the collection of CDs from different artists. Everywhere I went, I had a portable CD player and a stack of CDs from different genres with me. I couldn’t function without it. 

Who are your biggest influences?

TJ: For me personally, I have so many. Project Pitchfork, Skinny Puppy, Spahn Ranch, Front 242, Chiasm, Jonathan Davis (KoRn and his solo stuff too). 

Is there any artist or band you listen to that you think would surprise most people?

TJ: I have a very weird and random collection of music. Often when I randomize a playlist, people around will hear a lot of industrial or some form of metal, then all of the sudden, Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” will play. Sometimes, I get on a 70s kick and can’t stop listening to Zeppelin or Boston or Blue Oyster Cult. I don’t understand why some find that weird. Those bands kick ass!

I’m a big 70s fan myself. I grew up with those bands because of my parents. How did the formation of K.A.R.L. come about? And where did the name come from?

TJ: K.A.R.L. was initially formed in 2007 by me and my friend Josh [Johnson, drums/synth] as a very short-lived experimental black metal project. It soon after evolved into an industrial band. 

Josh is very talented, and I truly am lucky to have him as both a friend and fellow musician. He taught me a lot of what I know on the keys, and we both created the monster that is K.A.R.L. 

The band has other members come and go. At one point, in 2011, the band split apart due to disagreements and other personal reasons. Then, in 2018, Josh and I rebooted the project and released our EP Rapture. 

The name was given to me when a friend from our school named Ivy came up to me and introduced herself. She said “Hi, my name is Ivy. Who are you?” I responded “TJ” and she said “Hmmmmm. No, no, don’t like that. I’m gonna call you Karl, with a K.” It was one of the strangest conversations I’ve ever had, but the name stuck with me. Josh and I later turned it into “K.A.R.L. ( Kill All Remaining Life)”. Some have often referenced it meaning “all who sin pay with death” or something biblical along those lines. 

Wow, you guys have been around for a while! How do you stay motivated to keep writing, and how do you feel your approach has changed over the years?

TJ: Lyrically, we have always been inspired by world events and the overall mood it puts us all in. For example, “God Is Watching” was written about various things that made us angry at the world and what we see on TV (school shootings, war, mass casualty events, and other things of that nature), things that even though they’re always addressed, never seem to have a solution to them. Unfortunately, the world we live in keeps churning up more horrors for us (and other artists) to keep writing about.

Songs like “S/M Goddess” and “Shameless,” both from previous releases, dive into sexual desire and pursuing things outside the norm, while songs like “Shutting Down” and “Severed” dive into depression and the seemingly endless cycles of battling memories we can’t let go of.


In 2007-2010, we were also transitioning from those angry teenage years into our twenties, which had moments of chaos. That definitely fueled a lot when it came to writing. Now, when it comes to our songs, a lot of the same themes remain, but we approach them at a different, more mature angle. We’ve always used music
as a way to help us vent and truly express certain views. But all songs written are not negative or violent; some are written about forgiveness and that not all our mistakes are a life sentence.

Well, there’s definitely no shortage of world happenings to fuel y’all. And on that subject, what are the plans for 2023? More new music, or maybe some shows promoting Tractus?

TJ: I am currently writing another EP that I’m aiming to release in late 2023 or early to mid 2024. I’m actually more than halfway done. I do plan on doing some shows in the near future. I just have to tighten up a few things first. 

Speaking of shows, what would be your dream lineup? K.A.R.L. with special guests…? 

TJ: I’d love the opportunity to open up for Project Pitchfork, Leæther Strip, and Decoded Feedback. I’ve also found some other bands on FB, like SinThya, who I’d like to do a show with as well. 

Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans, new and old? 

TJ: I want to say thank you to all our fans, new and old, who have supported us throughout the years. You are truly the best part of all this. 

And last but not least, where can my readers get their hands on K.A.R.L.’s music?

TJ: Our main page for merch is our Bandcamp page. We are also on all major streaming platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, and many more. 

**

K.A.R.L. has a lot in the works, and I think 2023 and 2024 are going to be big for them! You can check them out on your favorite streaming service and follow their various socials to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of K.A.R.L.

K.A.R.L. Discography

Untitled (2009)
K.A.R.L. (2010)
Rapture (2020)
Tractus (2023)

Interview: Stone Harvest

January 17, 2023 — Leave a comment

Stone Harvest is an original rock band based in Tennessee that seamlessly blends both the classic and contemporary in their music. Comprised of vocalist Levi Kelley, guitarist Matt Sullivan, drummer Blake Jenkins, and bassist Nathan Slater, the band released their self-titled debut EP in 2021. They have since been working on new music and have plans for a big 2023.

I had the opportunity to chat with the band and learn a bit more about both their history and what’s in store for the future. 

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First and foremost, what made you want to pursue a career in music?

Levi: My grandmother was and is a huge influence on me. She was a in a band where they performed on the Ernest Tubb show on Wednesday nights. I remember playing hooky from school so I could sit with her all day and sing the oldest songs you’ve never heard. After getting hitched to my grandpa who was a preacher, unfortunately she didn’t play as much as she once did. It has always been very important to me to carry on the legacy and never give up!

Matt: It’s just one of those things that made sense to me. I’ve always loved music more than anything and I’ve always been drawn to the guitar. And making music was just the obvious choice for what I need to do with my life. Even in high school, I was much more focused on my band and learning Nirvana covers than I was doing my Spanish homework or studying for my history exams. I went to college for a few years but my heart wasn’t in it. A music career was the obvious choice and it kept calling at me until I moved out to Alabama and luckily I met some guys in Tennessee who are as passionate about it as I am. 

Nathan: I’ve always played music, even as a young kid. About 8 or 10 I got a guitar and played piano a lot, but when I was around 14 I started getting serious about it and decided I wanted to play bass and a couple of friends started a band in eighth grade and been playing ever since.

Levi, aside from your grandmother, who are your vocal influences?

Levi: Most definitely Travis Tritt! He is as talented as they get, if you ask me! I learned if you don’t have the full attention of the audience, that’s when you start running across tables. That’s some straight Travis Tritt advice there, that I take with me to every show!

Who are the biggest influences for the band as a whole? Do you guys share a lot of similar music tastes, or do y’all come at it from different angles? 

Matt: I would say that we all share influences (the band) from contemporary artists such as Magnolia Bayou, Dirty Honey, and Bishop Gunn, as well as older influences of Skynyrd, Brother Cane and Aerosmith.

How was Stone Harvest formed, and where did the name come from?

Levi: I wanted to start a band where there was no real “band leader.” Anything and everything we do is always a vote from everyone. On the name I had the word “harvest” that I was stuck on as I watched a combine harvest grain, then I honestly just started plugging in a combination of words until Stone Harvest came out and I really wasn’t that stuck on it. That same day I searched on social media for some like-minded dudes, and in the post I remember putting something along the lines of “Looking for a full band to play original music with the influences of Bishop Gunn (RIP) and Dirty  Honey”. We jammed that night, but Stone Harvest was still missing something. That’s when the 4 original band members of Stone Harvest quit practically the same day, then along came Blake, then Matt, then Nathan, and Stone Harvest was complete.

Stone Harvest (2022)

What is the writing and recording process like for y’all? 

Matt: The writing process is mostly jam-based. So that’s just us sitting around playing with a riff or a chord progression and then we all kind of go from there. We sometimes will sit down together and come up with lyrics, but mostly it’s Levi who writes the lyrics and he will come up with a cool idea or phrase and then we kind of build on it from there. It’s usually all written on the spot; music, melodies, lyrics and solos. There are a few times when I’ll bring a riff in to rehearsal and we use it but usually we just start playing and feeding off of the energy of the rest of the band and next thing you know, we have a new single written. 
For our recording process we like to do it all at once, a live recording to use as a scratch track and get it as close to perfect as we can and then individually we come in with overdubs and fills and things like that. 

And where do y’all draw your inspiration from?

Matt: It’s hard to say in an umbrella answer “this is where we get our inspiration” because we try to get so much of it from random places. It could be a phrase one of us says. Or it could be something as simple as the weather outside. We have a new single we are going to release soon and it’s all about driving on a sunny day. So we try to draw from a lot of places because we don’t want our material or subject matter to get stale.

I’m glad you mentioned new music because I wanted to ask the story behind your latest single, “All The Lies”?

Levi: I remember listening to the bass line in the song “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People and thinking, “damn, we need some thump groovin’ like that in a song”. Took that idea straight to band rehearsal, and all the lies was born that night. At least I think that’s how it went, ha ha. 

So what’s the follow-up for 2023? A new album, or…?

Levi: Definitely new music. We are toying with a few new ideas of how to go about releasing it, but I absolutely foresee a new single coming out in the next couple of months.

Just for fun, who would y’all most like to collaborate with?

Matt: I personally would love to work with Damon Johnson from Brother Cane. He’s been a huge influence on me and I think he would be fun to work with. Not to mention that he’s one of the coolest guys you’re ever gonna meet.

Is there any message you would like to share with your fans?

Matt: We definitely want our fans to know how much we love them and how greatly we appreciate their support over the years, we look forward to many more years ahead.

And for any of my readers who aren’t already following Stone Harvest, where can they find your music?

Matt: Your readers can find us anywhere they stream music! We are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, all that good stuff.

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Make sure to check out Stone Harvest’s latest single, “All The Lies,” on your favorite streaming service (and/or below)! You can also keep up with what the band is up to via all their socials.

Interview: Rod Rawlins of Severed Sun

January 9, 2023 — Leave a comment

Severed Sun is a metal band from central Florida. They have two EPs out so far: Strength Judged By Power (2017) and Catacombs (2021). Their love of all things heavy bleeds into their music, and the passion they have for what they do is evident in both recordings and the moment the foursome steps foot on a stage.

I recently had the chance to speak with front man Rod Rawlins about the band’s history, influences, and plans for 2023.

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MM: First and foremost, what made you want to pursue a career in music?

RR: Well first, thank you for taking time to do the interview. For me personally, I grew up listening to rock music, being introduced by my father and uncle to bands like Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, etc. Later on in life, some friends of mine and myself were riding in a car and I was singing to, I believe, Metallica and they asked if I had ever thought about singing in a band. That lit a spark uner my ass to get into a band they were putting together.

MM: Your voice does stand out, and it certainly fits the style of music y’all do. Have you ever had any type of lessons? Or are you just one of those lucky people?

RR: Well, the answer to that is yes, but not until the last couple years did I get serious vocal lessons from Natalie Hagan. I wanted to expand my vocal range and get back some of my high end that I seemed to lose or just got lazy with. I did try lessons a long time ago but only had a few because of conflicts with my work schedule. 

MM: Who are your major influences? (Both for you personally, and those of the entire band.)

RR: We have a lot of the same influences, such as Black Sabbath,Metallica,Pantera, Dream Theater, Testament, Death,Megadeth, Metal Church – the list goes on and on.

MM: Just for fun, is there any band/artist you listen to that you think would surprise people?

RR: Believe it or not, I don’t listen much anymore, but Little River Band. My dad loved them and when I hear it on a station, I have to jam it out.

MM: Who would you most like to collaborate with?

RR: Zakk Wylde, because he is a great human and awesome musician.

MM: How was Severed Sun formed, and where did the name come from?

RR: Originally there were different members in the band and they needed a singer and they met me and so I joined. But I believe it was the guitarist, Kevin, and thier drummer at the time that came up with the name. They were 4 friends from high school that put the band together initially.

Severed Sun, logo and current lineup

MM: Y’all released Catacombs in 2021. Can you tell me a little about the writing and recording process for that EP? And where do you draw your inspiration for songs, generally speaking?

RR: Our inspiration comes from feeling when we are jamming at practice, usually during warm up. The guys will jam totally from the hip and if something feels right we grab it and write. Recording was a blast! We spent, I think, 2 or 3 weekends at the studio. Everything just fell into place and the  Catacombs EP was born.

MM: What is your favorite song from the EP?

RR: I really like “Poverty” a lot. And “Fuktard,” because it’s a fun song to play.

MM: Speaking of playing, what can one expect from a Severed Sun live show? I imagine the fact that y’all enjoy jamming together translates to the stage.

RR: Severed Sun is 4 guys who love playing and it shows on the stage. We have no gimmicks or cliches, it’s just the music, the crowd, and the band. We try to give it all every show!!

MM: What’s next for the band?

RR: Another studio session is coming up in 2023, and we’re going to build another tour since our last one got cancelled due to Covid. We hope to meet a lot more new people and, hopefully, fans.

**

It sounds like Severed Sun is ready to blaze a path of hard-hitting songs and shows this year! To ensure that you don’t miss out, and to get your hands on music from Severed Sun, follow them on their socials and visit severedsun.com, metalscraprecords.com, and totalmetalshop.com.

Getting To Know Awesome Ray Ray (Interview)

November 30, 2022 — 1 Comment

Awesome Ray Ray is an artist that knows no creative boundaries. Filled with energy, promoting positivity, and crossing a wide range of genres, he has something to offer for everyone. I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Awesome Ray Ray about his start in music, what inspires him, his recent appearance at Blue Ridge Rock Festival, his latest single, and what’s on the horizon for him.

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MM: First and foremost, can you describe your sound in your own words? 

R: Sometimes it’s like this raspy, bluesy southern gospel rocker vibe, then mix that in with rap, trap, and hip hop, sprinkle a little bit of heavy metal, R&B and EDM, then you have a “never really know” what to expect mix that is “Awesome Ray Ray”. 

MM: Who are your biggest influences?

R: Limp Bizkit, LL Cool J, Jelly Roll, Drake, Linkin Park, Korn, Post Malone, Slipknot, Kendrick Lamar, Gym Class Heroes. 

MM: With such a wide variety of genres mixing in your sound and your list of influences, who would be your dream touring mates? Or just a dream lineup that you’d be on?

R: Definitely Limp Bizkit, Jelly Roll, Travis Scott, Gym Class Heroes

MM: That would be a killer show. So, on to another standard question. What made you want to pursue a career in music? 

R: I’ve been a lover of music since I was a little kid. I picked up my first pair of drumsticks at the age of three, and that’s all she wrote. Listening to music has always been therapy and a way of coping with stresses of life. And writing/performing it literally does the exact same for me. 

MM: In regard to drumming, was there anyone in particular that inspired you to pick up those sticks?

R: Gene Krupa, Quest Love (The Roots)
John Otto (Limp Bizkit )

MM: Describe your songwriting process, and where do you draw most of your inspiration for songs? 

R: Normally I hear a melody or I’ll hear a guitar riff, or a beat/instrumental and my mind will just start going crazy. I usually have to write it all down quickly. My inspiration normally comes from real life experiences, or whatever I’m feeling in that exact moment. 

MM: Tell me about your experience performing at Blue Ridge Rock Festival.

R: It was absolutely life-changing. For that being my first show ever as a solo artist,I felt a lot of pressure but was extremely thankful for the opportunity. The second my foot hit that stage and I opened my mouth and saw the crowd reaction, I knew immediately this was home. Every aspect from driving down, to parking my tour bus, to meeting the stage managers, sound engineers, staff, security, helpers, fans, national acts, regional acts, etc. Just the general reception that I received from everybody, it was absolutely amazing. Not a lot of artist or bands get that experience for their first show, so I’m incredibly grateful, and Blue Ridge will forever have a special place in my heart. I absolutely look forward to going back and performing again. 

Awesome Ray Ray at BRRF (2021)

MM: For anyone who was unfortunate enough to miss you at BRRF (like myself), what can concertgoers expect from an Awesome Ray Ray live show?

R: A lot of energy, positive vibes, positive reinforcement, a mix of different styles of music, some serious moments, and definitely some funny moments. I’ll crack a joke in a heartbeat. Lots of smiles and laughs, and a lot of high fives and hugs.

MM: It sounds like a very positive, feel-good experience, and we can all use a bit more of that. While I have you here, I wanted to be sure to touch on your latest single. Can you tell me the inspiration behind “Last Desperado”?

R: Absolutely. “Last Desperado” was originally a hip-hop song that I wrote a few years ago. I produced a hip-hop instrumental, and wrote it about being cocky/confident, while still trying to encourage people and spread a bit a of a positive message. I know those two seldomly go together but I decided to give it a shot. One of my good friends, and one of the most amazing, talented, producers/guitarists, and overall human beings, that I’ve ever met by the name of William Baker (formerly of Hallow Intent), reached out to me after playing Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2021. [He] was taking on some production projects, and I sent him this and said “Hey bro, can you add to this? Throw in some guitars and heavy metal? You know? Do ya thang?”. And WOW did he! It turned out awesome! Like I knew it was gonna be good, but I didn’t know it was gonna slap so hard. And perform this well stream-wise. I’m incredibly thankful for his friendship and help/support on this record. And there will definitely be more where that come from soon! 

MM: I really like that message. So often we think of confidence in ourselves and empathy for other people as separate things when in reality, you can have both. And now we come to the final, all-encompassing “What’s next for Awesome Ray Ray?”

R: I have a lot of music/videos that are gonna be coming out soon, booking shows, being a part of other projects hitting the road, and just straight up following my dreams while inspiring and encouraging others to do the same. 

**

There you have it! Awesome Ray Ray has a lot of exciting things for y’all to look forward to. You can find his social medias and the streaming services that have his music at the link below! And be sure to check out “Last Desperado.”

Socials, merch, streaming

Interview with Almost Kings

May 14, 2014 — Leave a comment

Image
(From left to right: Kevin Compton, Ryan Yunker, Bryan Bozeman, and Danny Helms)

Almost Kings brings their own uniqueness to the music scene. A band unlike any other, they take rock and hip-hop and blend it into something utterly amazing. Vocalist Bryan Bozeman (aka “Boze”), guitarist Ryan Yunker, bassist Danny Helms, and drummer Kevin Compton are poised on the verge of greatness, their following growing with each passing day.

I met Almost Kings more than a year ago and was very impressed with their energy and style. I become a bigger fan with each show, each song, each interaction. Not only talented as musicians and performers, the four men are also very humble and down-to-Earth. 

Recently, my brother Rick and I sat down with them for an interview…

Me: Let’s start with the really standard question of your influences and why y’all started doing what you do.

Boze: I think we started it because we’re all passionate about music, but we didn’t know we could actually make a living out of it. Although we’re not making a good one out of it now. [laughs] But that’s the ups and downs of music. You have to stick with it, like any love you have. [pause] I don’t know what the other question was, but I probably shouldn’t answer it.

Me: The influences for each of you.

Ryan: I was raised on more of the rock side–The Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Incubus…

Boze: I was raised on rock music like, uh, Outkast and Cypress Hill, Nas, Biggie Smalls, Tupac…all those guys influenced me. Some white kid named Eminem.

Me: If you had answered that question without saying Eminem, I would have been surprised.

Boze: No, no. Of course. He’s a rap god. 

Kevin: I’d say James Brown, Incubus, Deftones, uhh…

Boze: Weird Al Yankovich.

Kevin: And some Tom Petty back in the day with my parents. Bon Jovi.

Boze: I do like Tom Petty.

Danny: I’ve got a lot! Gonna start off with a little Justin Timberlake. Weird, right? Incubus, Deftones–one of my all-time favorites. I could say Pink Floyd. Pretty much a little bit of everything. 

Me: So then how was the decision made to play the rap/rock genre?

Boze: They couldn’t get a singer to sing.

Danny: Limp Bizkit!

Boze: They didn’t have a choice. I rap. I can hit a couple of notes, but mostly you’re gonna get wrapping paper with some Boze. [pauses for effect] Get it?!?!

Kevin: Bozeman asked all of us to join this, and we did. We wrote “Legend,” “Unstoppable,” and “On Like That” in the first twenty minutes we were together.

Boze: Yeah, I’d say half the first record was probably done the first practice. Not done, but the ideas were down.

Me: Okay. Another standard question–how did the band get its name?

Boze: We came up with it because everyone, at the time, was like “King of the south, king of the north, I’m the king of this, I’m the best at everything” and everyone’s like…music is all about gloating, and we’re just regular dudes. 

Danny: And the name starts with “A.” It’s easy to search.

Ryan: Top of the list. That’s an “A” in my book.

Me: Who is, for each of you, the band/artist you were the most excited to play with?

Boze: We haven’t played with anybody I like, so…just kidding! Joking!

Danny: You are lying through your teeth. We played with Vanilla Ice, and he was ecstatic about it.

Boze: I did love Vanilla Ice. And he was nice. We played with Ludacris. He didn’t talk to me…

Danny: Sevendust. That was mine. And Everlast. Everlast was super cool to play with.

Boze: Yeah, he was actually nice. Anybody that’s nice.

Ryan: Avenged Sevenfold.

Boze: We did play with them. That makes us sound a lot cooler.

Danny: Stonesour.

Kevin: Stonesour, yeah. Halestorm!

Me: Y’all have played with a lot of people. Wow. All right. Let’s see if you can remember your most embarrassing moment onstage. Ryan?

Ryan: I jumped off the riser and completely busted my ass back into the amps. Everything dominoed. It was in front of a packed house. It was pretty embarrassing.

Boze: Forgetting lines of songs. I’m a bad recovery person. Like, most people would catch on, like, the third bar in and be like “Oh, well here’s where I am.” If I miss the first line of a verse, I miss the whole entire verse and there’s no going back for me. 

Kevin: Mine’s vintage, but falling off the drum riser while playing. It was a tight squeeze and I fell back and had to play, like, all extended. It was bad. Or throwing up onstage that one time. That sucked. That was here at The Nick.

Danny: Mine was at a hometown show that we did. There’s a riser behind Kevin’s drums, so I was able to jump over the kit, and I landed on my knees and pretty much barrel-rolled. I tried my hardest to play it off, like “oh, I meant to do that,” and I’m limping the rest of the show, like “this is the worst idea I’ve ever had in my life.” Uh, yeah, that was probably the most embarrassing, but it was embarrassing for me because nobody knew that anything happened.

Boze: We play off stupidity well, but the cool thing is, we don’t try to be cool, so it’s easy to be stupid and mess up. Easier. 

Me: I don’t know why most singers don’t say forgetting lyrics bothers them.

Boze: I hate it. That’s the only reason I write fast verses, so no one knows what I’m saying. If I do mess up, I’m just like “Shamalamalamalama”…

Danny: Watermelon, banana, banana.

Ryan: Banana, banana.

Me: Do you remember the first time you heard Almost Kings on the radio? 

Danny: I was at work!

Ryan: I was in the McDonald’s parking lot.

Danny: First time we got put on was a week-long thing where they played one of our songs from Filthy Nice every night, a different song each night for a week straight, at ten o’clock or midnight or something. The first song I ever heard was “Legend.” I was at work. And I … [laughs] … I made everyone in the bar shut up and, like, turned it all the way, full blast, on the stereo. They were like “Turn that shit off!” because it was so loud. Or maybe it was just that bad.

Me: Next, I wonder what y’all think makes Almost Kings different from everyone else?

Kevin: I’d say our energy. Our energy on stage sets us apart.

Boze: People are starting to jock that, though.

Kevin: Often imitated–[Boze joins in]–never duplicated!

Kevin: For real, people will steal Danny’s and Ryan’s moves and all that, but, like, the energy on stage is…you watch people and they feed off that. You get hype like that and the crowd gets hype as fuck, too.

Rick: What is “made it” to you guys?

Kevin: Doing only this. Not having to worry about a nine-to-five. 

Danny: Living healthy and wealthy.

Me: That’s a good definition.

Boze: Yeah, I’m down with that. I like that answer.

Rick: And what do y’all hope to achieve once you’ve made it? What do you want to do with your success?

Kevin: I wanna help some people. We had a fan the other day hit us up that was in a serious deep depression and she said that our song saved her life. That’s what I want to do. That was the coolest thing! We had another fan that had an illness and she said, you know the placebo effect, like with happiness and stuff you can beat those things? She said she jammed our music and it literally helped heal her. 

Ryan: That’s what it’s about.

Boze: I want to be remembered like “man, those guys were good and they weren’t douche bags.” That’s pretty much it. That’s not really a good music answer, but that’s my goal. 

Me: [to Danny] What about you?

Danny: I would like to continue to do this for the rest of my life, healthy and wealthy and comfortable.

Ryan: They say “If you’re working a job you love, then you never work a day in your life.” I would say if we can do that and continue to help people and make people happy in the process, then we’ve done our job and we’ve done it right.

Boze: These are great political answers. [To Ryan] You’re fucking good. [To me] Are you quoting this? 

Kevin: Are you running for office?

Boze: Just leave mine out. Quote them. Vote Yunker.

Me: I’m glad that y’all believe fans when they say Almost Kings saved their lives. I’ve heard bands say they don’t like the responsibility that goes with fans telling them that.

Boze: Music has done that for me. That’s why sometimes I write very vague in songs like “Shadows.” It was about a certain thing that I had to deal with, but I wrote it vague enough that you could insert your own problem. 

Me: Some bands seem to forget that it’s the fans who keep them alive. They reach a point where they don’t want to show appreciation anymore, like they feel that the fans aren’t helping and so they don’t have to care.

Danny: [When that happens], they should quit. The fans are the best prize. **