A New Order of the Ages: A conversation with William Francis

By indrid13

When I spoke to William Francis earlier this year, his band Aiden had just released their album “Disguises” (http://www.amazon.com/Disguises-Aiden/dp/B004LE11AE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320327045&sr=8-1). Since that time, William and Aiden have released a follow up CD entitled “Some Kind of Hate” (http://www.amazon.com/Some-Kind-Hate-Aiden/dp/B005J3VB9C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1320327301&sr=8-3), as well as announcing a new collection of writing entitled “Prose and Poems”, a follow up to 2009’s “Flowers and Filth” collection, and a new EP from William Control (Francis’ dark electronic solo work) entitled “Novus Ordo Seclorum”. Now, William has once again taken time out from his hectic schedule to chat with me about his art.

November 29th sees the simultaneous release of your new book, "Prose and Poems", as well as your new EP "Novus Ordo Seclorum" (You can pre-order both right here: http://williamcontrol.bigcartel.com/). I would like to speak about each work individually. Let's start with "Prose and Poems". What is your process like for composing poetry, and does it differ from the process you employ when writing lyrics?

William: Yes the process is completely different. With song writing I am usually trying to fit the narrative inside of a melody and have to change the words around for it to fit. Poetry is a little more strange. Although I write it with music in my head, I don't necessarily have to fit the pieces together like a puzzle. It's a lot more free, if that makes any sense at all.


Will "Prose and Poems" primarily feature newer writings, or does it encompass various periods of your writing?

William: Yes, it's some of the stuff I have written since “Flowers and Filth” came out. There is never a time when I stop writing. I have an unhealthy fear of becoming a leper or losing my fingers in a lawn mowing accident or some calamity where I lose my ability to get this stuff out of my head.

Do you prefer one form of writing above another?

William: Are they really all that different? No I don't think I do. One appeals to my inner demons and the other appeals to my outer. I have so many different versions of myself inside my skull its frightening. Sometimes they get drunk and fight one another and I feel a panic attack coming on. Here comes the panic. So I write to quell the voices, I write to soothe the nerves. I write because without it, I'm inside of a padded room drugged out on chlorpromazine and lithium, wondering what year it is.

Moving on Novus Ordo Seclorum, how did you decide upon this quote from Virgil's fourth Eclogue, and how does it relate to both the contents of the CD as well as your current view of the music industry?

William: Translated it means "A New Order of the Ages", which is exactly what we are seeing happen throughout the world. With the Arab springs in the middle east, the protests here in America, the war on women, and a cascade of other grievances we all have within our hearts. There's one song on the new EP in particular that relates to these atrocities and how, we, as a species need a new world order, how we all need a new kind of faith and something to believe in.

Would you be willing to describe some of the new songs found on the CD?

William: I'd rather it be more of a surprise and left to the imagination. I will say that there is Sex, Violence, Love and a yearning for change that we all desire.

Do the book and the CD work together to present a complete piece spread over two distinct mediums, or are they separate in their overall theme?

William: They are as separate as one could make them. Like I said, they are a collection of writings over the past year and a half or so that encompasses a lot of different things I have felt in that time. It would be quite a difficult task keeping something like this a cohesive endeavor.

One of the elements that I find fascinating about your art is your delicate and skillful balance of diametrically opposed elements. Modern lyric writing and Victorian aesthetics, true love and the profane, electronic instrumentation and the richness of your voice...all play off from one another to create a dynamic whole. As I am fascinated in an artist’s process, would you describe how you strike such balances in your art and how much importance do these dynamics play when you are creating?

William: Well first I must thank you for such gracious remarks. As far as balance goes? I am not formally trained in anything, music or otherwise. I have no knowledge of how to write or piece music together the right way. I grew up learning to play guitar to Misfits, Violent Femmes and Nirvana records. There really isn't that much thought that goes into it really. I have a recording studio that allows me the luxury of experimentation and delivery. I have a few synthesizers a drum machine and a plethora of guitars and amps. I write until I think it sounds good. It's really quite un interesting. My apologies.

On the subject of opposing elements, I adore when you mix acoustic elements into the electronic soundscapes of the William Control releases. Your rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love" is stunning, and "Soliloquy" is haunting. Have you ever entertained the notion of releasing an acoustic album?

William: I have entertained that idea quite heavily yes. I will most likely do that sometime here in the near future.

Moving on to unexpected audio releases, last year you released a series of readings of work by Edgar Allan Poe. Are there any plans to continue your readings, and if so what titles or authors would you like to interpret next?

William: Yes, yes, yes! I loved doing that. I had such a great time. It is really quite difficult though and takes a lot more time than you would imagine. I'm sure that I'll get back into it. I have spent the last few months building a new recording studio and have been so busy recording the Aiden and WC records that there hasn't been a lot of time for the readings. I would like to do some works by other authors. You'll just have to wait and see.

Do you have a final message for our readers?

William: Get ready for a new adventure.

Unfamiliar Territory: A conversation with Vagora

By indrid13

How would you describe the sound of VAGORA to someone who hasn't heard your music before?

Tracy: Well, I think we have elements of several different things going on. There's definitely a strong late 90's melodic punk thing, coupled with some, dare I say it, "pop" sensibilities. Some old school rock n' roll, some emoish tendencies…hardcore, post hardcore, metal and even old OI punk stuff...shoe gaze too. You may not hear all of those elements in every single song all at once, but you will hear them in Vagora's music. Independently or coupled together, they are there. As far as bands that we take inspiration from? The Smashing Pumpkins, Ignite, My Chemical Romance, The Dreaming, H.I.M., Placebo, NIN, Green Day, AFI, Therefore I Am, Quicksand, Handsome, Teenage Bottlerocket...god there are so many.

Pete: VAGORA has many different musical elements. The three major are Punk, Rock, and Experimental. We don't wish to be classified to a single style or genre. Basically we sound like VAGORA, and I'm so proud that I'm in a band that has a sound so difficult for me to describe.

How did the band form, and how did you arrive at your current line-up?

Tracy: I think Pete can answer this one

Pete: The band was originally my girlfriend at the time, Lilith on bass, myself on guitar and vocals, and Jonny Whitehurse on drums. Basically we wanted to make music that we liked because we weren't really hearing anything interesting on the radio. We were really in to punk, especially The Misfits. I think in the early days we wanted to be a horror band, but the music never really worked…it was all over the place style wise. We realized really quickly that we wouldn't fit in one genre.

Bandmates came and went, but Jonny (who has since moved to bass) and I have been there throughout. We met our guitarist Erich Danger on Craigslist. Our drummer, Marcus Hyde, we met through his other band, who we played a lot of shows with. As for Tracy, he dug what we were doing and wanted to be a part of it.

Can you tell us about the writing and recording process for your full length album Agoraphobic?

Tracy: Honestly, the writing process for the songs that eventually made up Agoraphobic was one of the easiest times I have ever had in writing material. Pete had some songs already sketched, and the rest of the band added their colors to them, same with me. Pete and I also wrote a few of the songs together and then the five of us worked them out from there. There was definitely a strong collaborative vibe going on and every week at rehearsal it seemed we were all coming up with new ideas for the songs that already existed, or completely new songs. The recording process, I feel, was a little rushed but that is because we are doing Vagora entirely on our own dime. Inevitably, you are going to hear things that you wish you would've done over again, or maybe the mix doesn't sit well with you now as it did six months ago, but that's just how it goes. It's out there now and people seem to like it regardless of what our perfectionist ears may hear. We've noted what we did, and did not; want to do different for the upcoming release entitled "Nurture".

Pete: Well Agoraphobic was all over the place. You have whole band collaborations, solo song writing, Tracy and I co-wrote for the first time. [Agoraphobic] is a great representation of VAGORA musically. It has a little bit of everything. Recording was a great experience for me as it was my first time in a real studio.

How can fans get their hands on the album?

Tracy: Again, we do all of this on our own, so right now, you can get it via digital download from our Reverbnation page, or from us at shows. We hope to have it available on all of the digital sites soon as well as being able to order the physical version from us at various outlets.

Pete: We will be getting a new shipment of physical CDs shortly. We will set up a way to buy those through the mail with Paypal as soon they come in.


What can fans expect from one of your live shows?

Tracy: Energy, depth and passion…that and constantly running into one another… haha.

Pete: My quote is always "Organized Chaos". We're a tight band, who like to move around on stage. We try to give the crowd everything we have in us every time.


Tell us how fans can contribute to your tour and upcoming second full length album "Nurture".

Tracy: We have a page over at a site called feedthemuse.net which allows fans to donate whatever monetary amount they are comfortable with. It's a great tool for DIY bands, and so far people have been completely generous and we cannot thank them enough. We offer incentives too. If you donate just $5 to us, once "Nurture" is released, you will be able to download four songs for free. For a specific link, our page is feedthemuse.net/vagora

Pete: Well the cool thing about Nurture is that it’s an album that we wanted to make for our fans/friends as its all the early songs we've been playing live for years that people have really wanted to hear recorded properly. So by fans/friends contributing to our “feed the muse” project they actually are backing the band. We couldn't do it without their help. It’s a very intimate thing to know that we did this record with the fans playing such a huge role in it.

Are you guys into horror films, and if so, what are some of your favorites?

Tracy: Haha..this question will be with me until my dying day I suppose. My favorites always and forever will be Dracula, Dead Alive, Halloween 1 and 2, and Last House on the Left.

Pete: My wife and I have a DVD/ BluRay collection that would probably classify us as hoarders in most states. Most of it consists of Horror. I’m more into obscure stuff. I never really watched the mainstream horror stuff as a kid. I own every Troma release, but only saw the original Halloween a few years ago. I really enjoy strange B Movies. I'm obsessed with Ginger Snaps.

Any parting words for your fans?

Tracy: On a personal note, thank you for following what I'm doing nowadays and being so supportive of it. And thank you to everyone who likes what they hear so far. It is MUCH appreciated!

Pete: We will always give you something real, authentic, and direct from out heart.

There you have it! I strongly urge you all to check out Vagora on their Reverbnation page (http://www.reverbnation.com/vagora), Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/VAGORA), or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/VAGORA/91797693924?ref=ts&sk=info) today! Also be sure to become a part of Vagora history and visit feedthemuse.net/vagora and make a donation if you can!

42nd Street Picasso: An interview with Nat Jones

Interview by indrid13

Nat Jones’s art is like the best Grindhouse movie you’ve ever seen, only amped up a thousand fold. Equal parts grit and refined detail, his art seems to jump from the printed page to terrify and titillate. Nat recently spoke to me about his incredible work, and how he creates such ghoulish delights!

Being unfamiliar with your artwork at the time (and having really enjoyed Liam sharp's run on the series) I was unsure of what to expect of your run on Spawn: The Dark Ages, but when I saw your work (complemented by the inks of Kevin Conrad) I was completely blown away. What was it like taking over such a high profile series, and what was your primary inspiration in your (re)designs of the series characters and world?

Nat: First I have to say thanks! Spawn: The Dark Ages was a huge milestone in my career, I was 23 years old and landing a Spawn gig was definitely huge for me. I was a fan of Liam's work coming into the series, he always delivers top notch work so I knew I had bring everything I had to the table. Spawn:tDA was my first mainstream work and was also where I met Steve Niles, Steve and I have done a huge amount of work together since as well as becoming great friends.

How did you come to work on Rob Zombie's The Nail? Was it challenging working with someone with as strong a visual eye as Rob, and were the world and characters fully fleshed out before you came on board?

Nat: I met Rob through Steve Niles one year at SDCC, from there The Nail was brought up and I couldn't pass up the chance to work with Rob Zombie. Working with Rob was great, he is definitely a horror fan and he brings a lot of excitement and passion to the table. The Characters for the book were pretty loose when I came in; visually they are almost all my designs, especially the bikers.

Your art on The Nail displayed a grittier element than the style used on Spawn, that really made your work take on a fascinatingly visceral quality that really fit the mood of the story perfectly. Did anything other than the story inspire this visual shift?

Nat: From the first time Steve, Rob and I started talking about the story I knew that The Nail had to have that dirty, gritty feeling like a low budget film from the 1970's shot on grainy stock. The Nail was also the first series that I handled all of the pencils and inks so I had freedom to play with my art in ways that I hadn't explored in earlier books, I think that is a lot of the change you see in my work on The Nail. I really try to change my art to fit the mood and style of the story I am working on, the "feel" of a story is something I think you have to pay attention to.

One of the main elements of your work that I enjoy is your ability to take established concepts such as Spawn or 30 Days of Night and truly rework them in a way that makes them fresh and unique. Do you find it difficult to take concepts that are already fan favorites and give them that dynamic stamp that makes them your own, and how much does the Omni-present specter of fan reaction weigh on your decisions?

Nat: I think my fans know to expect a different take when I am on a book, they know that I am going to have fun with it. You want your work to be successful and you want the fans to like what you are doing but in the end you have to draw characters the way you see them.

Your work on the late Frank Frazetta's character Death Dealer is stunning. How did the series come about? How involved was Frank in the stories inception, and did the poor reception of past Death Dealer adaptations factor into any creative decisions?

Nat: Death Dealer all started when my partner and longtime friend Jay Fotos contacted the Frazetta’s about getting a sketch from Frank, Jay and Ellie Frazetta began talking and things just fell into place. The story was originally developed by Jay and I with Frank doing approvals all along, we then brought in writer Joshua Ortega to do the final script. Earlier attempts at a Death dealer book definitely played a role in how we approached our story. Frank and Ellie were both unhappy with how the character had been handled before and wanted us to start completely fresh, they wanted an epic story, Frank wanted his "Lord of the Rings". In the end Frank was very happy with what we created, it is the only Death Dealer story approved by Frank Frazetta, which is something to be proud of.

Your current work '68 looks to be a horrific view of the Vietnam War. Can you fill us in a bit on the series?

Nat: The new '68 series is something I am really excited about! Mark Kidwell, Jay Fotos and I have been talking about returning to '68 for years following the original one-shot and we finally all decided it was time. '68 begins with a zombie outbreak in 1968 just as the Vietnam War is really heating up, these guys are already deep in hell and then you throw zombies in the mix, this is every horror fan's wet, bloody dream. There is so much you can do with the world of '68, it was such a pivotal and interesting time and has given us so much great material to play with. The scripts that Mark has been turning in are absolutely amazing, you really don't want to miss this book!

I know each work is probably a different experience from the last, but can you walk us through the steps you take to create a page and what materials do you prefer?

Nat: I do change my approach quite a bit from project to project so it is a difficult question to answer. Generally after I have a story or concept established I start sketching layouts traditionally using pencil and paper, from there I work in inks. After an ink piece is finished, which are sometimes still very loose, I decide if I am going to finish the art traditionally or scan it in and go digital. I still like getting my hands dirty with traditional painting, you are definitely going to be seeing a lot more painting from me in the future.

Having worked in a myriad of creative mediums (movies, comics, album art etc.) do you have a particular favorite, and if so, what makes that one stand above the rest?

Nat: No matter what medium you are working in it is always the other creative people you work with that make a project exciting. I have had great experiences in every medium, I have been extremely lucky to work with the amazing people that I have collaborated with throughout my career.

As an artist, what inspires you the most to create, and conversely who would you say is your greatest artistic influence?

Nat: Other artists inspire me, be they painters, musicians, filmmakers, writers, or comic book artists, I love art and I love the creative people behind it. My influences are all over the place, but masters like Frank Frazetta, Bernie Wrightson, Gene Colan and John Buscema had a huge impact on me early on.

What do your fans have to look forward to in the future from Nat Jones?

Nat: A lot more creator owned work!

Definitely grab the new '68 series from Image Comics, we have a website set up at www.68zombie.com so be sure to check in for updates.
Check out my website at www.natjones.com or catch me on Facebook and twitter @natjonesart for news on everything I have coming up!

Opening a Vain with Jacki Stone

VAINS OF JENNA 2010 (PHOTO BY KIRSTI ANNA URPA) 

http://kirstianna.carbonmade.com/ STYLIST: Jazzie Ourian

By indrid13

I recently had the pleasure to once again talk to the amazing Jacki Stone, drummer for Vains of Jenna about all of the incredible music the band plans to unleash in 2011. If you’ve never given Vains of Jenna a listen, there’s no better time than now as the band is beginning on an exciting new chapter in their already legendary career!

When we last talked, Jesse was new to the band, and things were still in a formative state. Now that you have had time to gel as a unit, how has the creative process been flowing?

JACKI: It’s been great man… Jesse is really kickin’ ass and the band is on fire. It’s been almost a year now since Jesse joined and we are rockin’ it.
Nicki and Jesse have been working on a lot of new stuff that I think will be awesome!

You recently put out a cover of Cee-Lo Green's "Fuck You" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXMAlKO14CU). What made you choose that particular song, and what challenges did you face in putting the Vains of Jenna style on the song?

JACKI: I think it’s a great song and it’s fun to play. We wanted to do something different and I guess this is just that. It wasn’t that hard to get the VAINS OF JENNA vibe in it, we pretty much found it and made our own thing of it in a matter of hours.

You are also filming a video for "Fuck You". What will the video be like?

JACKI: The video was shot a little over a month back by director Blake Bogdanovich. It’s being edited right now and should be out in the beginning of March. It’s a classic rock n’ roll video, but with some great weird footage as well… I think you all are going to enjoy it!

You're new CD "Reverse Tripped" is in stores soon. Can you tell us a bit about the songs on the album?

JACKI: This is a cover album. It’s got 14 songs on there, with classic rock n roll and of course the “FUCK YOU” song. It was a great and fun process making this one.

Producer Adam Hamilton was fantastic to work with… can’t wait to get it out in stores. This will happen on April 5th!

Not only will it be released on a CD (http://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Tripped-Vains-Jenna/dp/B004OCCL8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1299085079&sr=8-1) … it will also be available on vinyl (http://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Tripped-Vains-Jenna/dp/B004OCCLBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1299085079&sr=8-2)!

Where did you record the new album, and what was the recording process like for the album?

JACKI: It was recorded at Palm Ranch Studios, Woodland Hills California. Like I said before, this is a cover album, but we worked with the songs a lot to give them as much justice as you can do when doing a cover.

Tell us a bit about your touring plans for 2011?

JACKI: We are planning on going out on a US tour in May –June. We are heading out by ourselves for May and then hooking up with a bigger band in June… you will soon see who. The plan is to tour as much as possible… go out again in July and August then maybe take the touring to Europe.

Is their anyplace you want to tour that you haven't had the opportunity to?

JACKI: We were in Argentina and Brazil a few months back witch was amazing… I would love to go to Japan for some shows… Australia and Mexico too.

What is the best way for the fans to get to see you in their town?

JACKI: They should request us on their local radio stations, get the word out about VOJ, in parties and clubs… that way we can get interest from venues to book us. To find dates for our shows you should go to our Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/VAINS-OF-JENNA/77210915994), Twitter (http://twitter.com/vainsofjenna), MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/vainsofjenna) etc.

Speaking of fans, I am always amazed at how accessible Vains of Jenna are to the fans when they come to a show (everything from signing merch, to just having a conversation). As a fan, I really appreciate that from a band. How important do you find such interactions?

JACKI: It is very important. Without our fans, we would be nothing… we wouldn’t be able to tour or record albums. So to meet fans and hang out is an important fact.

Any parting words?

JACKI: Be ready for VAINS OF JENNA on the road! The cover album is called “Reverse Tripped” (http://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Tripped-Vains-Jenna/dp/B004OCCL8E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1299085079&sr=8-1) and will be in stores in April, pick up a copy!!!

And just so you guys know… we are also working on new material so a new original VAINS OF JENNA album will be recorded after many months of touring this year!

FEAR FOR YOU LIVES! HERE COMES THE VON FRANKENSTEINS

By indrid13

For the first interview of 2011 here at the Cathode Ray our subject is outspoken New York City musician Aerik Von, founding member of The Von Frankensteins, a hard rocking band that aims to bring the aesthetic of Grindhouse cinema and noir stylings into today’s music scene!

Catch our readers up on the history of the Von Frankensteins.

Aerik: Started in 2004 or so with my friend Ramrod to keep the new-old Misfits vibe alive…worked infrequently and then re-tooled as a fully functioning band in 2009. I had spent five years away from the music industry as I simply ceased to enjoy the way people dealt with each other. It just felt like the right time to try something new and the Von Frankensteins is a name I had for 15 years and it was the most fun I ever had doing this nonsense and figured that it was the right thing at the right time. Ryan gave me his blessing to use the name and we continue to play his songs in tribute to him. Convoluted, yes…the way it is? Yes.

What is your musical background?

Aerik: Long answer turned to a short answer - I've been singing and being in bands since I was 15. It started with an extremely primitive high school band called Snake Shift, evolved in Black Moon Rising (some of these songs are now being played by the Von Frankensteins) whom I put on vacation from to work with Rampage, The Von Frankensteins, Slaughterhaus and Agnosis and now I'm back to just recording with Rampage and The Von Frankensteins, with a Slaughterhaus EP in the works as well. I've left a LOT of side projects out of this list because really, the only time that matters is now, the new "Heroin[e]" single and the upcoming "Crime" EP.

What are the chief influences on the Von Frankenstein's sound and aesthetic?

Aerik: It's really a big mix up of grindhouse film, horror and film noir. I just write about things and look at art that I enjoy. The band originally was a pure horror rock band created after the Misfits 95' original line-up broke up as we figured the Misfits were done and we wanted to keep that Doyle/Graves era sound alive. Sadly, founding member with me Ryan Weiss died and the band was forced to evolve sonically as he was a singular talent. We really write about anything and everything…I'd say we have more influence from the city/noir stylings than anything else aesthetically…with a horror edge. I've always loved those old noir films and living in Manhattan and only being out at night…it has it's own natural influence on things. Any kind of cheap thrill is an inspiration…I love to present cheap thrills as elegantly as possible! As for sound? Jim and I both love old dirty blues and punk rock and early Black Sabbath material. We just kind of attack things, I bring in songs, he helps arrange them and it goes as it goes. I try NOT to be "influenced" too much by anything.

The Von Frankenstein's feature legendary Misfit's member Mr. Jim on drums. How did he come to be involved in the band?

Aerik: It actually was the result of a how drunken, 4-5am in the morning e-mails and Facebook conversations… I was such a huge fan of Jim's period of the Misfits and his work and eventually in a conversation with a guitarist I was thinking of working with I joked that maybe we should contact Jim. I hinted at Jim that maybe it could work out, he listened to some of the newer material we were into and it all just fell into place. We had one awful first rehearsal which lead to a decent show which lead to a much better show with the current line-up. The rest is history… It's a very natural working relationship and we all get along well…it's really a no stress band in that sense.

You play Misfits songs in your live set. How do you feel that your performance of the material differs from what Jerry Only is offering fans with his version of the same material?

Aerik: Jerry is playing the songs as they were written…we're fucking around with them a lot…if you notice we do a lot more with lead guitar breaks and unique drum arrangements. We don't play any songs that Jim was not a part of in his tenure… We add all sorts of licks, solos and drum arrangements that weren't featured in the originals. Jerry is the Misfits and we're not…so we don't really attempt to recapture the original vibe. When we do "Return of the Fly" we have a whole death-surf inspired intro that isn't ANYTHING like the original…why bother to offer Misfits material without changes if we aren't the Misfits. People expect Jerry to deliver what he delivers, nobody expects anything from us…it's a lot of fun to be in that position.

How important do you feel art is to the overall product of what a band presents to the public?

Aerik: It's one of the biggest parts of being a musical artist. I remember thinking the Misfits were the coolest band on earth when I was 14 because of the "Die Die My Darling" album cover. That is what sticks with you when you first find a band and it does shape the pictures you get in your head of the songs and the lyrics. I've always said that the lyrics are the film, the riffs are the soundtrack and the artwork is that promotional poster that makes you go "holy shit, I need to see this movie". It's the same with the art…it shapes the entire build up and payoff of the record. Without it, you really don't have anything… That, and it's simply just fun to try to figure out the story and correlation between the artwork and the song… We work with one artist right now and one artist only (Dan Wilder @ TH1RTE3N DOORS: THE ART OF DANIEL TH1RTE3N)…it's creating a regular synergy that is evolving with the band and people are coming to really enjoy the mutual work and have even come to expect it. A lot of bands don't deal with regular artists and the image tends to fracture…I'm all about defined and refined artistic arrangements.

Currently the Von Frankensteins' music is available digitally via iTunes ((http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-von-frankensteins/id403625355). Will this be the primary way that people can obtain your music, or are more "old school" releasing methods planned?

Aerik: Yes, we are in talks about releasing 7" singles in the "old-school" variety as well as CD's in extremely limited form in the future. I am always one of the few people to enjoy change but one of the first to adapt to it. I hate the mp3 generation but why be stupid and try to ignore it? Collectors vinyl though is always a worthy investment and I will be about that shit till the day I'm dead. The fans have already asked for it and it will have a download option included so if you get the vinyl you get the songs…

Since our site deals primarily in esoteric genre material, what would you say is the best Grindhouse film ever made and why?

Aerik: My personal favorite is "The Undertaker and his Pals" but the list goes on and on…to pick one definitive grindhouse film, especially in light of the diverse nature of the genre, is practically impossible. One could argue that "The Hills Have Eyes" is as grindhouse as a number of exploitation films like "Teenage Mother" from 67' or any variety of "men’s movies" from the 50's. I wouldn't say there is a greatest grindhouse film as it's a genre you tend to love and accept in its entirety or hate in its entirety.

Any final words of wisdom for our readers?

Aerik: Don't listen to words of wisdom from people who play in rock and roll bands. Trust me on this

Rollin' the dice with Satine Phoenix: An Interview

By indrid13

Satine Phoenix: model, artist, role player? Read on to learn how all of these things come together in the life of our newest interview subject!

Can you fill us in a little about the webseries I Hit It With My Axe?

Satine: I Hit it With My Axe is a webseries about a group of girls (models, porn stars, strippers) who play Dungeons and Dragons. It’s more of a reality series than a scripted webseries. We play and our game is filmed. Much like a 3some, we coax girls who are kind of interested in D&D into playing with us as guest stars and eventually they realize they love it! (www.hititwithmyaxe.com)

How has the fan community embraced the series so far, and have you received any criticism (positive or negative) about the modified rules you play under (not listing skills, not using feats or alignments, etc.)?

Satine: At first the community thought we were a bunch of Hacks trying to cash in on the growing numbers of Geeks coming out of the closet. When we voiced that we actually knew what we were talking about they started to embrace our internet presence. Mostly people realize, Porn Stars or not, that they either like watching D&D or dislike watching D&D. What it comes down to is the Game.

As mentioned above, you are playing a modified mix of AD&D and 3rd edition in I Hit It With My Axe. Do you have a preferred edition that you have played outside of the series?

Satine: I LOVE D&D. I don't care if it’s AD&D or 4th Edition. I'm not so familiar with 4th Edition but I’ll play anything that I have time to play. It’s about the game, not the rules.

What is the longest D&D campaign you have played, and what did the campaign entail?

Satine: I Hit it With My Axe is the longest D&D campaign. In most of the games I’ve played in the past it was pretty certain that at the end of the game you'd gain a level, but I didn't get more than 5 sessions deep before we played with other characters/players and had to make new characters of our own. I didn't mind. It would have been nice to play ANYTHING over level 5. Who knows? One day. A girl can dream can't she?

Any chance the campaign from I Hit It With My Axe would ever be turned into a MMORPG?

Satine: I don't know what the future holds for IHWMA. We play because we enjoy it. The powers that be have the answer to your question!

Changing gears, I'd like to touch a bit on your artistic endeavors. As an artist myself, I am fascinated to hear about the creative process of fellow artists. Can you walk us through the steps you take in creating one of your illustrations like those collected in your book Burning Quill?

Satine: I started drawing as a way to voice what I felt inside. My characters generally aren't planned. I have a feeling and I touch the pencil to paper and voila: out comes a drawing. Now that I do commissions for people I have to plan what I draw. I have to say that I enjoy drawing for myself best. My dream is to one day have people buy what I create for myself, but saying that, I'll only be able to sell them in book form, like Burning Quill. I get very attached to my drawings. They're like my children. I'm learning to let go.

We share a common interest in fantasy films. What film in this genre would you say is your favorite, and do you have any esoteric gems you have seen that our readers may not be familiar with?

Satine: Fantasy Films. Well, I love the classics: NeverEnding Story, Dark Crystal, Krull, Labrynth, Howard the Duck, etc ... all of which I still watch at least once a month. I've watched probably everything offered on NetFlix Streaming that is Sci Fi or Fantasy based, good and horrible.

I've heard you mention that working in adult films is a job, and may not always be as exciting as people may think it is (I can relate to this as well, I work in the video game industry, and as much as I love my job, it's a lot of work and doesn't involve just "playing video games" all day...). What made you pursue a career in the adult industry, and what would you consider the best part of the job, and the most boring?

Satine: When I was a programmer I knew I only had a limited number of years to do the things that cute hot girls could do. I wanted to be a famous model; I wanted to be a stripper. I had a lot of sex in public so I thought it would be fun to do porn. Mostly I wanted to do it to see if I could do it. And I did. It was fun and exciting and I don't regret it one bit. Fun things about porn: Meeting fun, interesting & horny people. At the time all I could do was think about sex SEX SEX. Boring things about porn: 80% of porn people have sex the same exact way. That was boring for me. I mean, not boring really because I just wanted to have sex with everyone, but there comes a time where you want more of a connection and booty call or porn scene just doesn't fulfill the way it used to. That's when I knew I needed to get out. A year later I met a man who could satisfy me in ways all of the porn guys put together couldn't. He didn't want me to do porn anymore, he loves my art and is supportive of my creativity and next year we're getting married. Now I'm just an artist again.

Lately the worlds of geek culture and porn are intersecting more and more. What about the climate of today's pop culture do you feel has inspired this and what do you feel the future holds for this synergistic relationship?

Satine: Hmm... I didn't realize that there was a convergence. I guess it was inevitable. When it comes to time spent thinking about sex, Geeks are the ones who spend the most of that thought time in front of their computers downloading porn unlike their non-geek male counterparts who spend most of that time out hunting for girls to fornicate with. Sorry about the generalization, but in a who watches the most internet porn: this is true. (I'm not saying geeks spend all of their time watching porn, because THAT is not true) There are exceptions.

I veered away from my geek roots because my stripper and porn friends made it clear that they thought it was stupid and they would rather me go with them to the club. I just wanted to fit in, so I went. Now I just don't care if I’m cool or not. I want to play games: video & table top, watch movies & pretty much do anything that doesn't include going to clubs and doing drugs because looking back on things, that was a waste of time. Maybe society in general is tired of hiding their inner geek. Maybe people are relating more and more with the fact that they just want to be happy and don't give two sh*ts about being cool because in reality... It doesn't matter. Either you identify with people or you don't.

If you could turn any Sci-Fi, fantasy, or comic book property into an adult film, which would you choose and why?

Satine: I personally wouldn't turn any sci-fi/fantasy into an adult film, but just to indulge you, I’m [going to say]... "The Day the Earth Stood Still". I mean, come on. It’s the end of the world. You could be swallowed by the earth at any moment. More people should have been having sex.

Can you tell us a little bit about your website Sex Food and Comic Books?

Satine: Sexfoodandcomicbooks.com is a blog hub about my 3 favorite things: Sex, Food and all things video games, movies & comics. I don't make any money off of my site so it’s not updated every single day but I have found a few people who like talking about these things too and they volunteer their thoughts and blog about things. Mostly people want to blog about food. Since planning the wedding, getting a job and being generally busy with other taking over the world plans we've not been able to update or post hardly anything. But people can always find me there. It’s a really fun hobby.

Can you tell us what projects you have coming up, and where we can find them?

Satine: I'm putting together a Charity Event that has something to do with a certain RPG. I can't say much about it right now, but it’s going to be HUGE. You can find out news about it on sexfoodandcomicbooks.com

Any final words for our readers?

Satine: Famous last words, eh? Ok... Google Toltec Agreements. Live honestly. Drink a lot of water, ya Grok?!

They Can Never Die: An Interview with Vains of Jenna

By indrid13

When we last spoke to Vains of Jenna, they were getting set to release their second CD, The Art of Telling Lies. Since that time, much has changed with the band. Jacki Stone, Vains of Jenna’s dynamic drummer fills us in…

Since we last spoke a lot has happened with Vains of Jenna. Can you bring us up to speed?

JACKI: Wow, yeah a lot of things have happened. As you all may know, we have a new singer. His name is Jesse Forte and replaced our former singer/ rhythm guitarist Lizzy DeVine.

Everything happened very fast and all of a sudden we were in Europe touring with the new line up. This includes another member too, Anton Sevholt. He’s official now in VAINS as the new rhythm guitarist.

We toured all over Europe between April and July this year, recorded the new song “We Can Never Die” and shot a music video for “Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead 2010 mix”.

Now we are heading back to the states and are ready to hit the road, record again etc. etc.

How was Jesse selected to join the band, were there open auditions, or was he someone you had jammed with previously?

JACKI: He was the first one on our minds when we started looking for a new singer. Over a few days we got MANY emails with guys who wanted to join the band but Jesse was the only one we jammed with and it felt great from the beginning.
We had never played together before but we played at the same club once in L.A when he was in his old band.

How have the fans reacted to Jesse?

JACKI: They have been great! In Europe they welcomed him and Anton with open arms wherever we went. The five of us has yet to play together in the states so we will see how that goes now… I’m very excited.

Can you tell us a bit about the concept behind your new music video, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead"?

JACKI: You know… I can’t really explain… it’s a video were you gotta think and form your own opinion of what is going on. But it has something to do with death, hehe.

Where can fans go to get your new EP release?

JACKI: You can get it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/vains-of-jenna/id198836161) and order it online from us at our website (http://www.vainsofjenna.com) , myspace (http://www.myspace.com/vainsofjenna) and facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vains-Of-Jenna/17289385249).

You are on tour right now, where will you be heading?

JACKI: First we played at the Starline in Fresno on Oct. 1st and the day after we played at The Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood.
After that we will be playing around in California and going up and down the westcoast… Vegas, Salt Lake City, San Diego and Texas etc.
In late October we’re gonna fly to Argentina and Brazil and play our first ever shows over there…

That will be very cool.
As always we will do everything to tour as much as we can!

Can you give us any info on your upcoming covers album, and your new album of original material?

JACKI: The cover album will be recorded pretty soon. Maybe even in October. Songs from Elton John, Pink Floyd etc. will be on there. Stuff that we grew up with, you know?
Then we will record a NEW original album sometime next year. I can’t wait to have more of the new VAINS OF JENNA material recorded and out there!!!

Any parting words for our readers?

JACKI: See you all on the road soon!!!

All photos by JP White

Punks, zombies and Pin-ups: Enter the strange world of Doug Sakmann!

By indrid13

Doug Sakmann is a true Renaissance man in the horror industry. From directing to producing to special effects, Doug has done it all! Now with his production company, Backseat Conceptions, Doug is bringing us a myriad of ghoulish entertainment!

Hey Doug, first I’d just like to say thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Let’s get started! How did you get started in the industry?

Doug: I started in the industry as an actor, having always wanted to act and be in front of the camera. When I got involved with Troma in 1999, while I got to be in front of the camera, there was also a lot more going on behind the camera that I could get involved with. I had worked on all these bigger productions like ‘Strangers With Candy’ and the ‘Upright Citizens Brigade’ as an actor. I did ‘Oz’ and ‘The Yards’ with Mark Wahlberg as an extra. But as I worked on more productions I wanted to get more involved with what’s going on. As an actor you do a lot of sitting in the holding area and wait. But with Troma, if you’re sitting on the set as an actor, you’ll hear “Move that light!”, and if you show the initiative, you’ll get more involved. When I was on the bigger productions, I’d try to get more involved and get shot down by the Union guys. With Troma it would be “You can move that light? Move that light!”, “Get that fake blood and bring it over here!” So I learned a lot from Troma and more specifically working with Lloyd Kaufman. He taught me a lot of the ins and outs of the business in general.

So what influenced you to focus on becoming a director of genre material?

Doug: Troma was a huge influence on me and my career in general. Troma films, Friday the 13th and Hellraiser, were all big influences. It came down to my parents were really over protective, so when a horror film like Halloween came on TV, totally edited for television, everything cut out, my parents would still not let me watch it. I didn’t even know there was other stuff out there. I would hang out with my friends, and my friend’s parents were more liberal and they would let us watch horror movies, so that’s really how I got into the whole genre. So I wanted to seek this stuff out. I’d go over to my friend’s house and watch the entire Faces of Death series, every VHS horror movie, pretty much every weird movie you could find at these little, eccentric mom and pop video stores. You’d go to the horror section and just watch every single movie that’s there, and that’s what we did. Then we made our own little cheesy horror movies.

Has the horror film community embraced your work?

Doug: Definitely!

As a filmmaker working in a variety of exploitation genres, you often mix the themes of sex and death together. How did you decide to put an emphasis on the blending of these themes?

Doug: Well, they’ve always kind of been together in a sense. Every good horror movie has elements of sex in it, and certainly most successful horror movies has sex in it in one way or another. Being largely influenced by old school slasher and splatter flicks it kind of seemed natural for me to want to blend sex and death. And it shows in my work.

One of the only real compromises in my career I had to make in terms of the blend of sex and death was In the Warped Tour slasher movie, ‘Punk Rock Holocaust’ that I directed. There were originally sex scenes written in to it but we ended up cutting them out. Punk Rock Holocaust started not so much as a music themed movie with horror elements, but more as a traditional horror movie with sex and death. When we started showing the concepts to the Warped Tour and founder Kevin Lyman, they were ok with the violence, but the sex would have to be written out. I grew up with the Warped Tour and it was an honor to work with them so I was happy to make the compromise. If you’ve seen the movie, the sex basically got replaced with musical performances. But I think I made up for the compromise with some of my other more over the top work.

Do you feel that’s because there target audience skews a bit younger due to the emo scene and it’s popularity with the Hot Topic crowd?

Doug: Well to appeal to all ages and keep sponsors and parents happy they couldn’t have that sexual content. I understand it. It’s business. The movie that came out of it certainly pokes fun at Warped’s commercialism mixed with the punk rock ethic but it’s in good fun. People have to understand, the Warped Tour started as a punk rock tour and maintains the ethics and to a certain extent the music but it’s going on 15 years now and is much bigger than that. You need to have a certain amount of commercial involvement to maintain one of the biggest rock tours in the world. I don’t consider it selling out; it’s survival of the fittest. And FYI, I don’t get paid to plug the Warped Tour, I just truly admire and respect what it is and stands for.

Have you had any direct feedback from directors like Stuart Gordon, whose work you reference in your own?

Doug: Actually, I met Stuart Gordon at the Chiller Convention in NJ. They were doing a photo shoot with Stuart and we were invited over because he’d heard of Re-Penetrator. I was drunk, and he was really drunk, and also John Landis was with him! They’d both heard of Re-Penetrator, and they were talking to me about it, and I was like “This is awesome!” I signed autographs for them! [Gordon] said he really appreciated [Re-Penetrator] it and knew he had made it as a director because a movie of his was turned into a porno! On the flip side of that, I also met Jeffrey Combs, and while we didn’t talk about Re-Penetrator, I heard he was disgusted by the idea of it!

What would you say is your favorite and least favorite filmmaking discipline?

Doug: Special effects is my favorite, because I can get my hands “bloody”, especially when it’s not my own production. Then I don’t have to worry about the logistics of other elements, I just have to just get in there and kill things and make them bloody. Also I like directing, just getting your vision out there and being in total control. Acting, I only do acting when I have to. I started out in the industry acting…and of course if someone wants me to do it, I’m open to the idea but at this point I think I’m better off behind the camera. In general, I just love the whole process of creating unusual and fun images!

Tell us all about your recent involvement with the New York Zombie Crawl?

Doug: The NYC Zombie Crawl is something we started in 2007, and it came from working in the horror biz for over ten years, working on various zombie projects and just a general love of all things undead. We had worked with the Philly Zombie Crawl and noticed there was nothing going on like that in New York. There are a few different zombie events, but nothing organized on a regular basis. I’m from New York (but have lived in Philly for the last eight years)so I figured it would be a good chance to get back into the mix in New York, and connect with like- minded individuals, and that’s kind of how it started. We did the first one in May 2007 in Manhattan and it’s doubled in size every single event since. We do a main event in springtime in Brooklyn (usually the last Sunday of the month). We just did the spring one on May 30th and had about 500 zombies, and we have more events on the way (check out the new website at http://www.nyczombiecrawl.com for full details). In October we’ll do one the last Sunday before Halloween. Spring and Fall seem to be the seasons for zombies, we’ve already done three or four zombie events this season and we’re not even up to our main event yet! Last October, we had at least one zombie event every single weekend. We’ll provide zombie makeup for the masses and then take the onslaught to the streets. I have an awesome team of SPFX effects artists that I’ve worked with over the years who all come and help out. If anything, it gives us an excuse to practice our make-up skills. At this point, I’ve developed a network of twenty five to thirty make-up artists that will not only help out with the Zombie Crawl but we’ll hire when we can to work with us on set as well.

Do you find it challenging dealing with large crowds in a situation like the Zombie Crawl?

Doug: We’ve been involved with live events, stage shows and concerts for years so we do have a lot of experience in this field. When we started the NYC Zombie Crawl we had worked with the Philly Zombie Crawl already so we knew what went into this type of event and it kind of just worked itself out. It’s not as hard as you may think. Part of it is because we have experience in this sort of thing already, but we’ve never really had any problems at all.

Another project of yours that will be of interest to zombie fans is Play Dead. What can you tell us about it?

Doug: Well, Play Dead is another project that’s come from the NYC Zombie Crawl. We were contacted by Simon and Schuster, the book publishing company. They just released a book, called Play Dead by Ryan Brown (http://books.simonandschuster.com/Play-Dead/Ryan-Brown/9781439171301), and they contacted us to create a viral marketing campaign for the project. We decided to come up with a movie trailer and shoot some select scenes to look as though the project is a movie. We shot twelve scenes containing the key elements of the book. We basically took the book and transcribed a lot of it into scripts. The author let us take what he wrote and have full creative control, so we were able to rewrite the things we needed, and cut things out and add things to it. We definitely stayed true to the novel as much as possible, but there were certain things we weren’t able to do because of budgetary reasons. But right now online you can see a full trailer of what looks like a feature movie called Play Dead. We also have videos on the website at www.playdeadmovie.com with auditions, rehearsals, behind the scenes, special effects, things like that.

Did you get to read the full novel before you started, or were you just given excerpts to work from?

Doug: Oh yeah, I read the full book before I started, they sent me an advanced copy. This whole process happened pretty quickly. They contacted us about four weeks prior to the book's release, and asked us to do some promotions through the NYC Zombie Crawl. Then they saw that we had a production company (Backseat Conceptions), and that I have experience directing horror movies, and they said “Can you create little viral videos for this?”, and I just kind of ran with it. I took it to its fullest extent possible. The author actually came to the set with his son! I’ve had constant conversations with him about the tone of the thing, and I’m actually rewriting some scenes for a PG type trailer for Barnes and Noble.com and those types of websites. There’s also going to be a red band trailer with more violence and cursing and stuff like that, that will premiere at the NYC Zombie Crawl event on May 30th along with select full scenes from the trailer.

On the subject of dead things, what are your Post Mortem Pin-ups?

Doug: Post Mortem Pin-ups is something I’ve been slowly developing since 2001. The cameras I had then aren’t as advanced as the cameras I have now, so some of the photos probably won’t see the light of day, but the concept has been around since 2001. It’s basically femme fatales, different starlets, girls I know that I find attractive, that I also find make attractive corpses. It’s a hobby of mine, I have prints for sale on the website and I’m working towards getting a calendar and a book together. I started doing it more seriously and came up with the website (http://www.postmortempinups.com/) in 2007, around the same time I started doing the NYC Zombie Crawl. We've got nine deceased models so far including Joanna Angel, Gia Paloma, Melodie Gore, Riley Mason, Morgan Mae, Page Morgan, Draven Star, Chapel Waste and Stacia Eve Paul with more victims on the way!

You mentioned your production company, Backseat Conceptions. Tell us a bit more about the company.

Doug: Backseat Conceptions is our main production company, founded by myself and two other producers and dear friends of mine that I’ve known for over ten years, Nick Esposito and Zafer Ulkucu. We started in 2002, and it came out of us working for other production companies, and them owning what we were producing for them. We decided to take our skills and make our own stuff.

We are three producers and a network of fifteen to twenty different professionals that do all different kinds of production work. We basically have our own crew that we use for our projects and hire out to other productions. It’s a way for us to get together and create something that we have complete creative control of. If you go to the Backseat Conceptions website (http://backseatconceptions.com/09/index.php), you can see what we are working on right now. Last summer we did two features, and this year we’ve done at least fifteen music videos, either producing or directing them ourselves, or working in different aspects of production. In the last month we've been doing a lot of Reality TV and in August we'll be producing another horror-thriller with my friend, director Adam Ahlbrandt (Lionsgate's 'Sight' and the upcoming 'The Burnt House') for which I'll also be providing SPFX.

Are there unique challenges in directing music videos in comparison to feature films?

Doug: The biggest challenge we've had in terms of music videos so far was my pet project, The A.K.A.s music video “Get It Together” (http://www.vimeo.com/9896536), which we shot in one day. It was a very long day of shooting, but between post production work on that, and the other projects we had going on it took about ten months to get it all together! That video was all green screen compositing and after effects, each frame was between 10-15 individual shots composited together. Production can go many different ways depending on the vision of the band. It’s tough to say what the biggest challenge is because it changes per video. We produced two music videos that Bam Margera directed (for CKY and 69 EYES respectively), both pretty technical, that we handled all the after effects and compositing for. We were under much quicker deadline for those projects. We had about ten people working on five computers for two weeks non-stop!

That’s an insane number of projects! Do you have anything else you are working on?

Doug: A lot of zombie stuff lately....I recently did a book signing for the Zombie Combat Manual from Penguin Putnam, they hired us to do zombies for them at the book signing. We just had the NYC Zombie Crawl on May 30th, and a show at the Knitting Factory, and that tied in to promotion for Play Dead. We're getting ready to zombify the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4th, one of the competitors, Tim "Gravy" Brown is competing as a zombie so we're all going out to show support.

As I mentioned, I am gearing up for SPFX and co-producing Adam Ahlbrandt's new movie 'The Cemetary' in August, and the last movie I did with him, 'The Burnt House' comes out on DVD July 6th and Blu-Ray July 27th. You can see the trailer and get more info at the diustributor's website at www.invinciblepictures.com.

Outside of production, we also do a lot of live events...we're setting up a tour with Strip for Pain: America's Most Dangerous Gameshow which is a show we created for Burning Angel and I co-host it with Joanna Angel...the name is pretty self explanatory. We're doing some shows in Chicago July 15-18th and then going out to different markets after that, you can find out much more at www.stripforpain.com

Do you have a final message for our readers?

Doug: Journey said it best...'Don't Stop Believin'...anything you want to do, if you put your mind to it and believe you can, it will happen. It may take years and a lot of hard work and you may be broke through it all but the light will eventually come at the end of the tunnel. Just stay focused.

Also, stay up to date on all my various projects at my personal website at www.iamanevilcarrot.com!

Enter the World of Mandy Morbid

By indrid13

Mandy Morbid is a true renaissance woman of geek culture. From her career in porn and modeling, to her involvement in the online role-playing session I Hit It with My Axe, to maintaining her own blog (which discusses topics as varied as sci-fi to allergies!), Mandy touches on all bases of genre entertainment. Recently, Mandy took a moment out of her busy schedule to talk to the Cathode Ray about all of her current projects!

For our readers that are just being introduced to you, tell us all about Mandy Morbid!

Mandy: I'm Mandy. Sometimes I'm in porn, sometimes I'm in photos wearing very little clothing. I'm not an idiot. My boobs are real--as difficult a concept as that may be to grasp for some of you.

Tell us about your involvement in the rad new series I Hit It with My Axe (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/i-hit-it-with-my-axe)?

Mandy: Me and people I know--some porn people, strippers, and other friends play Dungeons and Dragons regularly--the show happened because someone heard about it and said "Hey, can we tape that?"

Most fans of D&D are also fans of metal. What would be your ultimate mix tape for an epic session?

Mandy: It would probably involve The Sword, Wolves In the Throne Room, Isis, Neurosis, Amebix, and Death.

What can you tell us about your new film, Mandy Candy?

Mandy: I have sex in it on more than one occasion. If that sounds interesting then you probably should watch it no matter what else happens in it, and if it doesn't then you probably shouldn't. Ummm,also it was directed by my very talented friend Kimberly Kane.

Changing gears a bit, what would you say is the most ridiculously geeky thing you own?

Mandy: A pink scale model of a Klingon Bird Of Prey Model with stick-on rhinestones. (I also have a pink Tie Fighter.) And my SNES I got for my 12th birthday.

We cover horror movies here that most people have never heard of (or would want to). What would you recommend as a genre film that not a lot of people have seen?

Mandy: Suspiria is my favorite. Probably not obscure enough, huh? I like the lighting though.

I know you have some serious health issues. Would you like to inform our readers about these conditions, and what goes into treating them?

Mandy: Really? You want to hear about my Celiac disease? Let's just say I have a lot of bad days and take a lot of medicine. There is a photo floating around on the internet of Zak Smith/Sabbath's tattoo of all my conditions--if you find that (or read my blog) you'll know more than you'd ever need to about my issues. Treating them all is hard work.

How has the experience of running your own blog (http://www.mandymorbid.blogspot.com/) site been going?

Mandy: It's fun--no matter what I write about--William Shatner or asthma attacks--I meet people who want to talk about it.

What's coming next from Mandy Morbid?

Mandy: It's always a surprise. The health problems make every day an adventure.

Any final words of wisdom for our readers?

Mandy: "Freedom is what we do with what is done to us."
— Jean-Paul Sartre

*note, Mandy's Blog contains material that is intended for adult's only!

You're invited to a Dark Party: A Conversation with Acey Slade

By indrid13

From his time with Dope and the Murderdolls, to his days fronting TrashLight Vision, to his newest band, The Dark Party, Acey Slade has brought true heart and passion to every project that he has been involved with. Recently I had the pleasure of asking Acey some questions about his amazing career.

After checking out your latest endeavor, The Dark Party (http://www.myspace.com/aceyslademusic), I was struck by how divergent it is from your past work. The music is gothic, mature, and at times strikingly beautiful. I love the fascinating fusion of electronica and dark rock and how that differs from the raw, pure, guitar driven rock sound of your past. What was the inspiration behind the formation of The Dark Party, and what influences the new sound?

Acey: Well for me, when you play 'raw, pure, guitar driven rock' for a long time, it starts to seem like a 'day job' if that makes sense. So, for me, when I am home I would throw on some electronic, pop, 90's alternative..just stuff that didn't have to be guitar driven to be good. This was an extension of that. I also want each Dark Party album to be unique from the previous one..so..that was the direction this time. The new album is already shaping up to be different from the 'Dark Party' album.

Do you have a particular favorite song from the new album, and if so, what makes it your favorite?

Acey: She Brings Down the Moon and Sugarcum. Maybe 'Sanctuary' because it was a pretty brave song to cover and we did a kick ass job on it!

What gear do you currently use, and conversely, what is your favorite guitar you have ever owned?

Acey: I can say in all honesty, I love my rig now. And they are all brands I never thought I would be touting. My Peavey Penta rig is kick ass and the ESP Phoenix is just slammin'! I mean I have done the classic vintage American made guitar though a high end California amp thing..but,this combination is just amazing. And me..ha,ha...



Taking a step back, I first became aware of your music when I caught you on tour in 2005 fronting TrashLight Vision. I had no idea what to expect from the band, but was amazed by the hard hitting, high energy rock you performed that was, to me, like the spiritual successor to Appetite for Destruction era Guns N' Roses. Can you tell us a little about the journey TrashLight Vision took from formation to the eventual demise of the band?

Acey: Well I don't regret the past nor do I wish to relive it. It was a great band that worked its ass off and did things that exceeded most of our expectations. But those that burn brightest, burn fastest. We just burned out really. My only regret with that band..the only thing that I look back on with some sadness, is knowing this, our 2nd album would have been amazing!

I adore the TrashLight Vision album, Alibis and Ammunition. Are there any unreleased tracks from the recording sessions for the album, and why doesn't the song "Alibis and Ammunition" appear on the album that bears it's name?

Acey: Oh wow..I forgot about that. I don't know why. I think I thought it might be predictable to put that track on there. I'm known for doing the exact opposite of whatever is logical, ha,ha...

Another thing about you that really took me by surprise was your accessibility to your fans. After you performed, you took the time to speak to all of the people that came to see you (and not just a "hello" either, you carried on long conversations, posed for pictures, signed merchandise, etc.). I'm sure in your career you have had the chance to interact with artists whom you admire. Who would you say is the most influential artist on your creative process, and have you had the chance to meet that person?

Acey: In the creative way..well..I don't know for sure. I'll say this much-Nikki Sixx is an awesome guy. But for where I'm at now, I'm trying to draw inspiration from different places. World events, street artists, there are a million things that inspire me to write a song now, that have nothing to do with songs written by other people. I'm really striving for originality with this project, even if it is at the cost of not being what's current. That's the problem with a lot of musicians. They are more concerned about being current then they are about being creative.

Another project from your past that I truly love is The Murderdolls, which blended horror movies and hard rock in a way that hadn't been done correctly since the halcyon days of Alice Cooper. It seems that since the time of The Murderdolls, the prevalence of horror influenced bands has increased exponentially. How do you view the current state of "dark rock" or "horror punk", and what new elements do you feel it must adopt in order to survive as a genre unto itself?

Acey: Well I can tell ya right now-Stop with the Danzig/Misfits shit, ha,ha..IT"S OLD AND TIRED! ha,ha..unless you are Danzig or the Misfits. Maybe all the Misfits 'wanna be' bands should do smash ups with Shakira, ha,ha...I dont' know. I mean...Nick Cave is one of THE darkest motherfuckers out there..check him out..I was always proud of how the 'dolls were a horror rock band that didn't sound like a b rate Misfits.

On a horror related side note, we talk a lot about horror films on this website, and I always love to hear about other people's favorite horror films, and also to learn about films I may not be that familiar with. What is your favorite horror film of all time and why is that particular film your favorite, and do you have any recommendations for a horror film that blew you away that is maybe not well known by others?

Acey: Fave? Well...that's tough. I like a lot of weird shit. I'm not as into the main stream stuff. I love a lot of asian horror movies. Oldboy is pretty sick, but not horror I guess. I just saw Taxedermia..that's more along my lines. Twisted ride that movie is! I like stuff that fucks with your head a little more. Hitchcock, Poe, even David Cronenberg.

Strong visuals can make a huge impact on initial public perception of a band to a degree where it at times can overshadow the music (ex. Everyone knows the Crimson ghost Misfits logo, but a portion of the individuals wearing the logo can not identify the music of the Misfits, and some are not even aware the logo represents a band at all). As both a musician and visual artist, how do you find a balance in your work between the visual and the sonic, and do you think that t-shirts and strong graphic design can be effectively utilized to draw in new listeners, and do you think there is a way to eliminate the disconnect between the two that exists for some?

Acey: I see it 2 ways. 1-as a fan, it pisses me off seeing people in Ramones, CBGBs, Misfits T-shirts who have no idea what or who it is. Drives me nuts and I see it in NYC all the time. Trust fund kids spending 300.00 on a 'vintage' Ramones T-shirt and can't name 1 song by them!
But...2-As a musician, I'm glad to see people get paid. In the case of the Ramones for example, they don't even have a gold album, ya know? Their legacy is bigger than their actual sales. So from that stand point..all the power to 'em.

I notice you are featured in the upcoming book "Sex Tips From Rock Stars" . Any words of wisdom for our readers?

Acey: Be safe and buy the 'Golden Ticket'.