Kate Miller-Heidke - Music

Kate Miller-Heidke toured the United States and Europe with Ben Folds between 2010 and 2011, revealing a talent that was born for the theater, trained for opera and capable of rocking the house from here to Australia, which solidified her position as a rising new indie pop artist gifted with an intuition for honest, emotional songs of love and loss punctuated by gorgeous piano playing and evocative guitar hooks.

Her latest LP, Nightflight, will be released in America on June 19th but has already hit Australia where it debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Charts. Following a sold-out tour after a performance with the English National Opera in London, Kate Miller-Heidke is looking forward to her playing the US.

IE Weekly got a chance to catch up with the young artist despite an international schedule where power chords, emotional concertos and beautiful fiorituras are the norm.

How did your music career first begin? 

I studied opera at University in Brisbane, Australia. I was headed down that career path but I always loved writing music, playing guitar and piano. I began playing in bands while studying opera and eventually sent an EP to the National Broadcast Network in Australia. I still do both, so I guess I’m a bit of a musical schizophrenic but I’m finding my balance.

You performed with the English National Opera in London in “The Death of Klinghoffer.” Do you feel that you have a theatrical side and a musical side, or is it that when you are onstage there’s no difference?

Well, there is a difference in opera with inhabiting a character and being part of a cast. When I’m playing music I have to take everything on my own shoulders, but with opera there’s a thrill with being a cog in a machine. But my own music has been my main focus. It is lovely being onstage…it’s just like taking a holiday from being myself.

Your career is already quite successful, and you just got started. How does that feel?

When I was touring with Ben Folds I told him that I sometimes felt like a fraud, and he told me that the feeling never goes away, no matter how successful you are.

There’s an personal, intimate philosophy throughout Nightflight. It’s also hauntingly sad in a lot of places, but in a good way.

This record is much more honest. It’s more exposed. Being that honest wasn’t really a conscious choice, it just something that my collaborator and I were tapping into. We were living in his grandparent’s house. They had recently passed away so the house had been dormant for months.

I could see how the environment would make you feel introspective.

I wouldn’t describe making the album as being entirely fun. It was miserable, but the record is a lot richer for that.

Some of the best lines in your songs come across not as poetry, but as sentences taken from your personal diary. Does it scare you a little to have to expose that much of whom you are to the world when you are making music?

It’s funny, when you first write them it’s deeply personal. But after a dozen times you lose that connection and it’s not yours any more. It becomes no one’s and everyone’s at the same time. After a while you push the songs out into the open sea and if they float you feel lucky.

Korn - Music

Jonathan Davis, the lead singer for Korn, created more than just a rock band with occasional rap lyrics that ended up being labeled nu metal. With Korn, their debut album (released in 1994), Davis unleashed a completely new animal on a music scene that really needed it.

During the 90’s other musicians would photocopy the game plan to develop their own band, but no one could match Korn in their ferocity, ingenuity or energy. They really made their mark with Life is Peachy in 1996, and Follow the Leader ended up number one on the Billboard 200 in August of 1998.

Innovative drumbeats, funky bass lines and powerful guitar hooks plus excoriating rap lyrics (and even bagpipes) combined to form an addictive combination, and more than a decade later the band still rocks stadiums. With The Path of Totality, released in December of 2011, Korn promises to bump their game up even higher.

Ray Luzier, a legendary drummer in his own right, joined Korn in April of 2009. “They’ve paved the way. That’s why I’m such a fan. From the day I heard that opening riff from “Blind” on the radio I knew they were going to mess the whole scene up.”

Through the decades, Korn has always tweaked and fine-tuned their sound, so that every LP is a new incarnation. What is on The Path of Totality that hasn’t been on previous albums?

“Jonathan has been bringing dubstep artists to us for a year and a half now. He would just blow us away with what was coming out of his speakers. It was this bombastic sound you couldn’t ever reproduce with a guitar.”
Once Korn worked the tool into their technique, completely new musical vistas opened up to them. “We were just amazed. I remember thinking, how are we going to write words to this?” Luzier says.

On Saturday, March 3rd Korn will be performing at the annual Cypress Hill SmokeOut in San Bernardino. Also featuring the talents of Wiz Halifax and Daedelus, this year’s Smoke Out will certainly be the high point to anyone’s weekend. How is the band looking forward to it?

“I’m surprised we’re playing there,” Luzier says. Then he laughs. “No one in the band smokes out, anymore. I’m really interested in seeing the new Sublime, with their new lead singer Rome. I’m also looking forward to seeing Cypress Hill.” For Luzier, it’s a reunion. “I used to be really into them in school, and early in my career I even worked with them a lot.”

A lot of time has passed since Korn’s 93’ debut album and this year’s LP, The Path of Totality. When I ask if Luzier has any advice for any other musician that thinks they can stay as relevant as Korn has for two decades, he’s quick with a response.

“Go to law school.” He laughs. “It’s still a crap shoot. There are still people out there rolling the dice on a sound they have faith and confidence in.” The veteran drummer points out that, “You never know what’s going to appeal to the masses. It might not matter that a musician has talent. I have friends working at Starbucks who are virtuosos. They could beat anyone on American Idol.”

Maybe is that you’ve got to want to be a musician for something more than the money. “We’re 40 now, but we still truly love it,” Luzier says. “It’s too deep in all of us to stop. The fans still love it.” My final advice is, don’t fake an ounce of it. If you fake it deep inside, you are only playing yourself.”

Cursive - Music

Cursive is a rock band with soul. Some of their best songs include “Let Me Up” and “The Martyr,” powerful tracks that brim with genuine passion. Like The Doors or Queen, who won the audience over with theatrical flourishes and spiritual depth, Cursive isn’t afraid to sing with true emotion.

But the band isn’t just one flavor. “Sun and Moon” from their latest album, I am Gemini, has a real 70’s garage band influence, similar to the Marquee Moon album by Television. Because they can also channel the gritty, cool, street side of rock, fans keep coming back.

Ted Stevens, guitarist and vocalist for the band, enjoys the comparisons. “I love that era of music. Richard Hell, Television, the late 70’s. We’re very influenced by it. The dark analog, the dusty, badass drum sounds, Queen, Zeppelin, Yes, Genesis... I sure love that New Wave punk stuff.”

Playing on the Late Show with David Letterman is a rite of passage for any successful rock band. His career with Cursive has had many high points, and Stevens admits Letterman was quite a peak. “We felt very fortunate to have the opportunity. It was as exciting as you think it would be. It was thrilling. That was our major performance, that day.” Do they have plans to repeat the performance? Stevens is down for it.“We have to go back and try it again.”

Gemini is Cursive’s seventh album. In contrast to previous LP’s, the band chose to go with some outside influence. “We brought in Matt Bayles, a producer we had never worked with,” Stevens says. “We had to trust him and step somewhat outside of the production process, so we didn’t have the comfort zone we had before.”

As a result, Gemini will surprise even veteran fans. “The project has a fresh energy to it.” Stevens says. “There’s a new drummer on the record, and that’s a huge part of the change.”

Literary types will also notice that Gemini contains many allusions to the Greek myth of Cassius and Pollack. Where did the inspiration come from? “The concept just came up. Every record begins as a conversation. Do we want to do another concept record? Do we even have to?”

“Our last album was a little abstract, but this story is more linear.” Rather than being a series of songs, from start to finish the music has a narrative. “Tim did a lot of research so he could tell the story the way he wanted to tell it, about the story of Zeus, with the references to Greek mythology, and we just went with it.”

Since Gemini is a rock opera, like Pink Floyd’s The Wall, will fans be able to hear it all from start to finish sometime during the tour? “We’re going to do a large amount of material from Gemini.  Yes, it’s a rock opera, but we’re going to save that performance for later. When we set out to write something like this, we know that at one point we have to perform it all in its entirety.”

Lionize - Music

Nate Bergman is the guitarist and vocalist for Lionize, a band that plays music that’s hard to define but easy to enjoy. The group’s songs feature elements of stoner rock and hard metal, guided by a reggae/funk spirit that leads the listener into groovy realms previous groups have never tried to go to, challenging the listener’s preconceived notions.

This original sound is possible because of the band’s independence from the mainstream, which has served it well throughout its career. Left to its own compass, the band has journeyed far, touring the world with similarly exotic groups like Ozomatli and CKY, and playing and recording in Kingston, Jamaica, a locus of reggae culture. Lionize will be making a stop at the Fox Theater in Pomona this week supporting Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish.

Guitarist-vocalist Nate Bergman is having a good time on the tour. “It’s been great. We just got finished playing a show in New Orleans last night. That place is one of our favorite cities.” After the performance, the group enjoyed the town’s legendary night life.

“It was great to go out and enjoy the scene. It seems like the place has really started to come back from the hurricane.”

Not afraid of the eclectic, the band’s latest album is called Superczar and the Vulture. Bergman explains the title. “The name really stems from some lyrics in the record which deal with kind of a larger-than-life group of characters. It’s a fantasy, like pulp fiction.”

“At the time Henry [Upton], our bass player, wrote a lot of the lyrics and he was really into politicians like Vladimir Putin, and how wild foreign politics can be with these larger-than-life heads of states.”

While the title, Superczar and the Vulture, is wacky, Bergman assures me it’s only a title. “It’s just a fantasy piece, there’s no message behind it.”

Lionize recorded its latest album in a different manner than usual. First, the band composed the songs and spent months rehearsing before going into the studio to record the album. The polishing and perfecting paid off . . . the final creation has an organic energy technology can’t replace.

“It took about 10 days to record,” Bergman says. “We just got a bunch of takes of us playing. It’s very organic. It’s a great representation of our live show. If you see us play live and listen to our record, it’s the same. There’s no Auto-Tuning or digital enhancement.”

Lionize did a lot of homework to make sure the album is all-natural, something Bergman believes every musician should aspire to.

“I think artists really need to get away from everything being processed and compressed. You see a band play live and they don’t live up to their recording.”

Playing and recording in Jamaica will always be a very high point for Lionize.

“It was overwhelming in a positive way,” Bergman says. “Everything down there revolves around music and family. Everything we take advantage of up here, down there it’s all they have. It was such a positive experience.”

With so many angles to the band’s music, it doesn’t always fit in, but for Lionize being that original is the perfect fit. Bergman is certainly enjoying it all.

“I think we are always the odd band out. People will pick up on how we’re doing reggae and funk, but then we go on a ska tour and we seem very metal and rock. Wherever we go, we’re a sore thumb.”

Lionize with Streetlight Manifesto, Reel Big Fish and Rodeo Ruby Love at the Fox Theater, 301 S. Garey Ave., Pomona, (909) 784-3671; www.foxpomona.com; www.lionizemusic.com. Thurs, Dec. 22. 7PM. $22.75-$25.

Ozomatli - Music

Ozomatli’s multicultural message crosses all boundaries

Ozomatli is a band native to Los Angeles, and the music they make is the sound and soul of the city: reggae, funk, jazz, salsa, hip-hop, rock, cumbia and the blues. The group’s musical everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arsenal is impressive: guitars, saxophone, bass, tabla, cajon, a trumpet and a marimbula. Established in 1995, Ozomatli continues to travel the world, delivering a message of activism, unity and celebration.

The group became widely known for being outspoken about social justice and progressive politics. Ozomatli performed at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in front of thousands of protesters.

They went on to release their sophomore record (Embrace the Chaos) on Sept. 11, 2001 and toured shortly after when most bands cancelled or postponed show dates. Over the years Ozomatli has gained widespread recognition for its political and diverse music stylings, winning three Grammy Awards along the way.

CityBeat recently spoke with percussionist for the band, Jiro Yamaguchi. Ozomatli recently performed its family-friendly “Ozokids” show last month at The Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana. A children’s album is in the works for release later this year.

What inspired the band’s name?

Originally, we had another name. We weren’t feeling that name, so our original drummer Anton suggested “Ozomatli.” It was actually his birth sign. When we researched the name, we loved what it meant. Ozomatli is the god of dance and music. He’s also a trickster, so it was a perfect fit.

Does the band’s strong political messages ever lead to difficulties?

Right after 9/11 we got into a little trouble because we were against the hate. People asked us why we were touring a few weeks after 9/11 when we played in New York City, but we had so many New Yorkers thanks us for coming out and performing. A lot of hate mail was sent to the New York Post because we were against the war. As time went on, more Americans feel how we felt back then, so it’s different now.

What was it like playing for President Obama?

It was cool. There was a lot of security and Secret Service people, but when we met him, he was down to Earth, very cool. Under the Bush administration, we were asked to be cultural ambassadors to other countries. It was a hard decision to make, but we decided it was better to go out in the world and mingle with people and represent the U.S. and ourselves in a good light.

From what I understand, your band has performed for people all across the globe, including China, South America and Mongolia. What was that like?

We were able to help break down stereotypes on both sides and meet some people all around the world, including Palestine, China, Myanmar . . . We spoke to people who lived in the ghettos of Argentina and New Delhi. No matter where you go, though, people are people wherever you go. That’s a universal theme.

We’ve met musicians all over, and I’ve been inspired by all of the people we’ve met around the world. It doesn’t matter where they come from, I’ve noticed that all children respond the same way to our music, no matter where they come from.

What was the inspiration for a children's album?


We’re recording the album right now. We’ve already done some “Ozokids” tours in San Francisco and Los Angeles. We toured in San Francisco [and] we had a lot of parents thank us for having a show they could bring their shows to, which was encouraging.

Children have always been a big part of our audience. We’ve played for kids all around the world, but now we intend to write lyrics for children with this album. Our music is very interactive. We include the audience in our performance. Our approach is that everyone is part of the experience. The audience is part of the show.

Paperplanes - Music

Paperplanes Continue to Fly With Country Rock for Everyone

Paperplanes creates hard-working rock that speaks of love, pain, the good times and the bad. The band’s music roars across southern landscapes like steam trains in a storm. They’re best heard loud and seen live someplace at night where the beer flows.

Micah Panzich plays guitar and sings for the band. I ask him how he would describe his music to someone who had never heard it before. “Our sound is like country and rock and roll. I try to describe it as early Rolling Stones with a country twang.”

Pete Tavera also sings vocals and plays guitar. His opinion is parallel with Panzich’s. “We’re primarily play rock with some country. We have songs that are more or less straight country, straight rock, or a mixture of both.”

Jon Husak sings and plays drums. Like many artists I know, being asked what box the music he makes should be placed in only prompts him to remark that his band isn’t merely just a list of descriptors.

“The music we play is not definable. We’re not rock-a-billy. But it’s not like we only play a certain type of music. We’re not going to say we don’t play pop or rock. We generally make the kind of music we’d want to hear.”

Panzich reminds me, though, that all labels aside they just really enjoy playing. “It’s great to play any type of music. Tex-mex, blues, bluegrass, etc.” When I ask them if they get a big response playing in the southern United States, he says, “Yes!”

“We had a great time the last time we were in the south.” Panzich says. “They just have a better understanding of the country side of our music.”

Husak adds, “There’s more of a familiarity with country rock over there. It’s a lot of fun for us. They’re very passionate. They just don’t look jaded.”

Their last album, Rhinestone Republic, got big reviews from all the magazines that know great music. With such an accomplishment in their rearview mirror, looking forward to their next album doesn’t seem to difficult for them. What’s the secret?

To Panzich, it’s knowing what you want listeners to hear. “You just have to be honest about your writing. Write with conviction and write the song that you feel. We’re too old to worry about impressing people, so we just work on making great records.”

“We started recording our new album in August of last year, but we had to get a new studio.” Tavera says. ”It has lot more rock. It’s a lot heavier. It sounds more ‘live’ and It’s a lot more raw.”

The band always aims for better sound quality while recording. The hardest part is capturing a sound that’s so much better live. Creating an album representative of what countless live performances has given the band can be difficult, given their limited budget.

“We’ve had a lot of recording lessons. Fine tuning the performance to fit the recording is what we’ve certainly improved on.” Panzich says. Tavera adds, “We’ve played a lot more, we’ve had a lot more experience.”

“We travel a little in our personal life and as a band, so of course that experience is going to go into the songs. We play a lot tighter. We have a lot confidence in our performance.”

For Husak, there’s a moment when their magic is ready, whether it’s for the studio or a live performance. “When we can rehearse a song over and over again and get to the point where we’re laughing and having a good time, we know we are doing it right.”

311 and I - Music

I'm not the kind of person to google myself all the time, but I can promise you that, before I met my awesome wife, I probably tried to google every attractive woman I'd ever met.

For their minds, of course.

I'm all grown up now, so I get to write for Culture Magazine and interview 311. One of my wife's best friends really likes this band, and once I got caught up on their work I couldn't blame her.

When the time came to post this blog, I ran a google search: "311 and jasen t. davis," and got my article on the first hit at The Weed Blog, so that guy really knows what he's doing.

My IMDB account was also there on the seventh hit (I'm not going to talk about acting because this isn't that type of blog) so maybe I should cough up that $160 when my next film comes out.

I was incredibly honored to interview this group. They've put out a lot of albums, played thousands of shows and and have made millions of dollars. Over the phone P-Nut was cool and extremely friendly. I always say that, but when a band like 311 is gregarious it's kind of life-affirming.

Oddly enough, you can't find this story on the Culture Magazine website even though google says the article is there. So now it's here.
...

311

They weren’t the first band to combine rap and rock (Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit) and they weren’t the only act to steep their musical stew in reggae and dancehall vibes (read: Sublime, No Doubt), but 311 has managed to remain a highly successful and distinctive powerhouse since the group exploded in the ’90s.

With a diehard following and an annual 311 Day held every (you guessed it) March 11, the Nebraska-by-way-of-L.A. band (which also features vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Hexum, vocalist S.A. Martinez, drummer Chad Sexton, bassist P-Nut and guitarist Tim Mahoney) is successful on its own terms. The band just kicked off their Unity Tour and is performing Aug. 20 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine (alongside Sublime with Rome, DJ Soulman and DJ Trichrome.

CULTURE recently got the opportunity to speak with P-Nut (real name: Aaron Charles Wills) about a new album in the works and his expanded role in its creation—he’s writing songs!

311 got big through self-promotion before the Internet became the monster it is today. Do you think bands today have it a lot easier compared to how it once was?

I don’t remember how we got the money to do all that. It was just dumb luck. It was an exciting time, being able to go to high school as a junior and sell a CD of my band when most people I knew didn’t even own a CD player. Now, so many bands can promote themselves on the Internet. I hope that helps things to become more independent and less corporate.

What would you like to say about the next big album?

I’ve been let into the sacred circle of songwriting, so I’m enjoying writing lyrics for the band, and I’m very proud of what I’ve done. It makes me feel appreciated. That was a point of tension, but now it’s been released.

I had once wished the album were a little longer. Chad, our drummer, has always been down for short albums while I am more for longer albums. We’ve always respected each other’s opinions and now I totally get it. There’s no need to have a gigantic album. This is a great album because every song deserves to be there. I totally get it now.

Maybe I’m just more excited about the continuation of our career, but the new album really feels like a return to form for us. It feels like it’s the band at full power. Before, we could be excited about chords and quick changes, but there’s something really special about everything in this album.

Let’s talk about 311 Day.

311 Day started by word of mouth. Fans would get together and listen to 311 every March 11. It was just, “Let’s hang out and listen to our favorite band.” In 2000, we did our first 311 Day. We played 46 songs for one show just to see if we could. We did 68 songs in a row in Vegas last year for 311 Day. When I’m onstage all that emotion coming from the audience, all that intensity . . . it makes me get stronger. I could play all day if I had to.

What are your thoughts on cannabis?

I dedicated our second album (Grassroots) to Shiva, the Indian god who brought cannabis to Earth. I wanted to help people look at it from that perspective.

Right now, by imprisoning people for using cannabis we aren’t taking care of those who grow up in a terrible situation, and it’s easier to imprison them instead of informing them. When you send people to prison, you are making them into better criminals. Concentrated criminality.

I can understand a person abusing marijuana. I don’t mind that I will probably not use it as much [now] because I’m a father, but I wouldn’t have been the same person if it wasn’t for having used marijuana.
If I choose to relax in a certain way, who is the government to tell me how I should do it? I’d smoke out in front of the President. Well, that’s a terrible quote, but you know what I mean.

Isis - Music

The weirdest interview I ever had was with a  person who was a press representative for an organization that I don't care to name. They weren't connected to music, though.

When I started to ask the person questions about what the organization was doing, he got upset and asked if he could, "...just do what I usually do." I said, "Ok." He then started to read from a written statement.

I thanked him for his time and went on to create questions that fit his statements, to make it all look like an interview. It felt awkward, and by the end the whole thing bothered me as being somehow disingenuous.

Mr. Meyer was not like this at all. We talked about a lot of things, and by the end I had to trim a lot of it to keep the article within the word limit.

My plan is to start saving the "extra" words and print the complete article on my blog, for people who couldn't get enough after reading the original post.

I interviewed Isis for Culture Magazine. The publication is cutting edge...often times an artist that is interviewed by Culture ends up on the cover of Rolling Stone, Details, Maxim, Spin and the others.
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The Sweet Black Magic of Isis

Isis possesses a hypnotic power reminiscent of bands like Godflesh, King Crimson and Sword, infused with a streak of pure black metal. With songs about magic, death and spiritual awakening, the group created a wealth of material over the length of it’s 13 year existence to enthrall any serious fan of the genre.

While the individual band members have all journeyed forward to brilliant careers of their own, Isis still endures. Listeners are sure to enjoy a series of five live albums beginning with Isis Live I, which is slated for a May 31st release.

Bryant Clifford Meyer, composer, keyboardist and vocalist for the band, was gracious enough to speak to Culture about creating music in the name of a goddess.

Your music is very spiritual. The titles and lyrics of your songs speak of transcendence, illumination and the transformation of the soul.


I think there was always an idea to have more transcendental imagery in our lyrics. We wanted them to have more of a dreamy, supernatural feeling to it, which just fits the music better.

Do you feel that live albums have a different flavor than albums created in the studio?


Absolutely. I’ve always felt that there are two different types of music. In the studio, you try to make it as good as you can. But going to a show is always different. There’s the live energy, the audience, the adrenaline.

A live recording can’t capture all of that, but it can capture the mood. The songs won’t be perfect because it’s live, but it’s worth checking out.

Let’s talk about Isis I. It was recorded at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Why did you choose to record at The Fillmore?


We were on tour with Mogwai at the time, and it was one of those things where we had the opportunity to tape the show, and it turned out to be pretty good. After we heard the recording, we thought it was just perfect for fans. We felt that releasing live albums was much more affordable, too.

We played a couple places in San Francisco. We’ve never had a bad show there. But the Fillmore has such a classic energy, such a rock and roll history. The city of San Francisco really lends itself to the vibe, too.

With songs about spiritual enlightenment would you like to share some of your opinions about cannabis?


Well, first of all, to each their own. It’s been a part of the band’s musical upbringing in one capacity or another. We’re all older now, so we can’t be high all the time. But for the creative process every now and then it’s fine. At least in California it’s easier to partake in. It’s ridiculous that it’s still outlawed.

What’s that like compared to Boston?


The weed scene is Boston is similar to California’s. It’s kind of decriminalized there, too. In California there are people that are just way more into it, sure, but there’s always weed going around in the Boston music scene.

It’s ridiculous that you can buy beer and cigarettes but you can’t buy weed. If you want to smoke weed for having fun or to relieve anxiety, that should be up to you.

Hollywood Undead - Music

 I am very protective of my cell phone. I keep it in my pocket or lock it up. It usually just stays in my car. I never let anyone mess with it. If it got stolen I'd call the cops, the FBI, the NSA and Sylvester Stallone's private mercenary army from the documentary he shot about his life a few years ago. 

 No one messes with the cell phone.There are too many numbers of artists I've interviewed. I still talk to a few of them, but it's usually just quick text messages, since they might be on the road touring.

Funny Man from Hollywood Undead was one of those people I could hang out with. He was truly a riot to talk to. There is a blend of funny and cool that happens with musicians, where, yes, they have thousands of fans everywhere, but they aren't too cool to express a sense of humor.

After the interview Funny Man hooked me up with VIP passes, so a friend and I got to go see them play,  and even hang out with the band in the bar. 

Of course, I was there with 50 other people so it's not like we played beer pong to the wee hours. They were damn good people, though, and their show was off the hook.

... 

Hollywood Undead perfects the business of taking risks

Hollywood Undead is the kind of band that defies classification because they are that original and that good. This confuses critics and entertains fans, so the alchemy is doing something right. With six members in hockey-style masks making music, it’s going to get eclectic.

The six young artists delivered solid work with their latest album, American Tragedy, which presented the listener with an audio smorgasbord to feed every rock taste. Building upon the successful formula that infused their first album, Swan Songs, the group has added dance, techno and synth elements to the mixture, giving their Revolt Tour the rocket fuel it takes to sell out seats.

Vocalist Funny Man pulled himself away from the fun he was having to chat with CULTURE. 

I’ve heard you guys described as nü metal, rap, hip-hop, alternative rock and crunkcore. How should your band really be described?

 There is no genre that sums us up. Our style of music is just what it is. I mean, rap, rock, metal . . . there is no description for what we do. We are Hollywood Undead. Everyone in the band is so different, I mean, there are six of us. Everyone just puts in their mix of personalities and music, and when you get to our show you get everything we have. 

 You released your first album, Swan Songs, back in 2008. How did it feel working on American Tragedy?

 What happened was that our band went through a lot of changes, so we are just trying to take things to a whole other level with our new member. We went to the studio and just made it happen. Coming in and doing American Tragedy, I just wanted the world to see something new. We wanted to prove we could keep making great albums.

Did you get any complaints over your song “Been to Hell?” The song delivers a harsh portrayal of the entertainment industry.

Well, the message is “Just stick to your guns and go for it.” When you go to Hollywood you have to just go for it because there’s no room for anything else. Don’t even bother if you aren’t willing to risk everything. I’ve seen it happen a lot. I have to give credit to my girl. She’s been a songwriter for six years now, and she’s just making a killing, now. She had to really pay her dues, though. It’s a machine out here, and it will grind you down. 

What are your thoughts on the legalization of marijuana?

Well, I think it should be legal, but honestly, I feel it’s never going to be. There’re just so many assholes that don’t want us to get high. I don’t give a damn, though. I grow my own weed and I’m perfectly happy with how things are now. 

Why is it that there are still some politicians that are still standing in the way of progress?

Because they had a boring childhood. What’s funny is that right now I’m in downtown Sacramento, and I’m trying to find a bar, and I keep asking all of these politicians walking around here and they won’t tell me anything. 

Your taxes pay their salaries, too. What’s up with that?

Exactly! I don’t give a damn about politics. It won’t matter if [marijuana] is legal or not; it’s always going to be there, no matter what.