http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/ Wed, 22 May 2013 03:42:03 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 Complete ALUKARD Interview goobs: Are we good? Can we establish that we are recording and ready to go? E. Grizzly: Mic check one, two. Can you hear me? goobs: Do I have to speak louder than that? Level: (Adjusting mic levels.) Yeah, just don’t clap. This whole interview is good if you don’t clap. goobs: Okay. Are you guys ready? You are like a bunch of kids with A.D.D. It’s off the chain. It’s like (Hums circus music.) Zaigone: Wow. The circus music. She did the circus music. (Laughing.) goobs: Okay were are here with Alukard . And I just want to say thank you for helping us out with our project, AntiSteez.com. Level: Anti-Steve? goobs: No we are not anti-Steve, but we could be for the right amount of money. (Sorry Steve.) We are AntiSteez and we want to say thanks for scratching our backs and hopefully we can scratch yours and give you good promo. Level: We just want our backs scratched. Zaigone: Yeah, we want our backs scratched. goobs: Okay, I will start scratching as soon as this interview is over. Okay? So, we are not with Jason Pupo, right? He isn’t here. What does he do? He is the bass guy, right? Zaigone: Yeah, what does he do? Level: Yeah, he is the bass player in the band. goobs: And just for the record, why don’t the rest of you introduce yourselves and tell us what you do in the band. E. Grizzly: (In awkward tone.) My name is E. Grizzly and I am the MC and the synthesizer man. Zaigone: You want me to say it for you? (Laughter.) Zaigone. Percussionist. goobs: Fancy Schmancy! Level: (Laughing) How can I follow that? I can’t follow that. See, I’m already fucking up. (Laughing.) Okay. My name is Level. Uh, I do vocals and rhythm guitar. Steven: Steven. Guitar. Song writer. Drummer. Just all for copyright purposes. (Laughter.) goobs: So, just for people that I guess have never heard you guys before…cause I know that you guys are 305…But we are pretty big in…where? Brazil? (Asking Lou.) Lou: We’re HUGE. Level: OBRIGADO! (Thank you in Level’s fancy Portuguese.) goobs: How did you guys come to be Alukard? Zaigone: I told Level to come and be in my band. Nah, Level was living in New York and I was living here, and I’ve known Level since we were kids and we always said we were going to be in a band. And I formed a band with a bunch of other people who didn’t make the cut, obviously. goobs: So you were, “Making The Band? Level: Like P. Diddy. (Laughs.) goobs: (Laughs.) Tell me about “Making the Band.” Zaigone: You have Legos when you were a kid? goobs: Yeah. Zaigone: Well it was just like that. You get the right parts and you can build something pretty cool. goobs: So it was just you and Level in the original…? Zaigone: At the beginning, yeah, and then we picked up Steven along the way. And Pupo. Which is not here. Rest in peace. (Laughter.) And then Grizzly heard about us and couldn’t resist. (Laughter.) That’s not even funny! Then we picked up Grizzly as our MC in the band. (Laughter.) And then…I can’t give a better…what’s so funny about that?! (Laughter.) And the E. Grizzly came and he saved us! (Laughter.) I don’t understand what the **** I am supposed to say… E. Grizzly: I couldn’t resist… Zaigone: You heard of us and the talent. And I met E. Grizzly at a show and I told him, “Hey! Your band sucks. You wanna be in a good band?” I told him really like that, ” Your band sucks! You wanna be in a good band?” and he said yes and now he is here. (Laughter.) I’m saying the truth! goobs: Alright now, before you guys continue…how would you describe your sound? Zaigone: Loud. goobs: Look, the way that I see it this…When I first saw you guys, was maybe, like, three years ago. When I first saw you guys playing, you were a different sound, at least to me. It was more, like, rock. And now that I see you guys as a band, it’s like, rock, but it’s infused with other stuff. You guys call yourself 305 Rock, and the 305 is most-known to be more, like, Latin, or that crunk, dirty hip-hop and rock…? I mean…what is your sound? ALUKARD: (Total silence.) goobs: Yeah, I just got all interviewer on you guys. Boo-yah! E. Grizzly: That was a good one. (Laughter.) I always tell people alternative rock, cause… (Dirty look from Level.) I know, I know. I know. But industry people don’t want you to say that, “We sound like us…” They get pissed off when you say that. So I always tell them alternative rock. But it’s a mix. It’s rock and punk and hip-hop…Level, what do you think? Level: Wow. You just put me on the spot. (Laughter.) Yeah, 305 Rock basically portrays the 305. And yeah, it was known for gangster rap, especially when we were starting the band. So, I guess we kind of infused that, which is hip-hop. And also with a love for, like, old school punk, classic rock. And, you know, a lot of the 90s influence. And that pretty much made the sound. It was just, which was just our time of growing up and our youth. And incorporating that with also what’s going out now, which is still hip-hop, and that’s what it is, pretty much. goobs: So basically what you’re saying is that your sound is relevant, right? That’s why it crosses over the way it does? Because I don’t really go to rock shows, but from the first time I saw your band I was like I gotta go to another one of these shows. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that your music is more relevant because it crosses over because it has so much of those elements. So, as a band, having seen you maybe three years ago for the first time, where would you say that your band is now? Like musically, like where you guys are going with your band, with your music…like mainstream, not mainstream? Zaigone: Well I think that we just finally found our sound. I think that three years ago when you heard us, we were just trying to see where we were as musicians. How we wrote songs has changed completely and I think we found our sound. And like you said, yes, we do call ourselves 305 Rock, but 305 is known for other things, but I think it’s about time it’s known for something else. goobs: And since you guys are evolving, I know that recently you guys were involved with the Jägermeister tour. And you were sponsored for the first time by a major sponsor, right? Level: Yeah. goobs: And Jager is one of those sponsor you want to get. An alcohol sponsor. Or like, a soda sponsor. And I know that recently you guys are working on getting a Pepsi sponsorship for a show you are doing? Level: The Pepsi sponsorship is for Defiance, which is coming out November 28th and Owen was able to pull that and pull it together so we could get an all-ages show. Because Jager, as a sponsor, for a show like that, they probably wouldn’t go for 18 and up. E. Grizzly: Yeah, just to get on the Jager website, you have to put your age in. So they are pretty serious about 21 and up. Level: So we went along with a Pepsi sponsorship, which is awesome, so we could do an all-ages show. Zaigone: Rememeber, Jägermeister is about music, NOT about underage drinking. (Laughter.) Steven: And we promote underage drinking. (Laughter.) Of Pepsi, of course. (Laughter.) goobs: So let’s talk about the Jägermeister tour. Had you guys ever gone on tour like that before? Steven? Your thoughts? Where you had a sponsor and you hit the road before with other acts? Steven: No, it was big time. It was fun. We enjoyed it. And we took it for what it was. It was a growing experience. You know, we are just trying to find out little niche and everything and that was just another stepping stone. goobs: How was the fan response? Zaigone: Amazing. E. Grizzly: Yeah, that was cool man. They showed us love. They didn’t know who we were. They didn’t have no idea who we were. They were just waiting for some dope music. Cause we picked up our guitars and they just started screaming. It was, like, ah man, this is cool. Zaigone: That was the first time I ever signed autographs. E. Grizzly: They really liked it. Zaigone: The first show was in St. Petersburg. Janus Landing. That was a great show. And then we went to Jacksonville. The crowd response was great. I guess that people up there want to listen to live music more than anything else. Level: Miami, excuse me. But the crowds outside of Miami are great. Phenomenal. Everywhere we have been, it’s been like a great experience. Especially with those two venues, everybody was so responsive. Over here, people are so, like, tense. They stand there cross-armed. Zaigone: Like they can do it better. I don’t understand. I look at the crowd and they look at me like, “Oh, really?” Level: We played at Churchill’s three times, and we are a very energetic band, and we played at Churchill’s three times, and all the times everyone has just stood there stiff-faced. I know they’ve seen them come and seen them go, there have been millions of bands that have gone through there, but I thought we did a pretty good job. Zaigone: I just think if you are going to go to the club, go and have fun. Don’t just stand there pissed off. Level: Yeah, but the Jägermeister crowds are great. goobs: Let’s talk about your Miami crowds. Because I have been to a few of your shows at different venues. I saw you guys once at Pawn Shop, where the lovely Steven kicked a mic stand into the crowd and it hit me. I just want to put that out there for copyright purposes. Maybe legal action. (Laughter.) Level: That’s like a lawsuit! (Laughter.) goobs: And that was predominantly, your hipster, South Beach, mommy-and-daddy’s money kids. And then I have seen you guys at the Grove where it’s more, lik,e laid-back. And then I have seen some of your fucking fans and they are apeshit. (Laughter.) Like at the Cannibus show. They were rowdy. They get a little bit crazy. I want to know about your fans down here. You say that people come and they stand stiff at your shows, but you guys have quite the cult following. Zaigone: Yeah it started with, like, two people. And then those two people kept going to shows. And then more people came to shows. And not everybody, but every time we play, we pick up fans. For some reason they really connect with the music. goobs: Would you guys say that…(Level clearing his throat.) Sorry, Level, were you going to say something really insightful? (Laughter.) Level: Yeah, I was just thinking about times back in the spot. We used to this spot, before we started playing local circuits, over here, it was in 2004. Our first one was in December of 2004. And that was at Wallflower Gallery. And you know, most bands that start off, their first show is usually really dull. They barely have anybody. But we packed the house. All three times we played there. Zaigone: Tell them about the spot. Level: Yeah, that was what I was thinking about telling them about the cow spot. E. Grizzly: What is the cow spot? Level: It was an old-school place that we used to have. It was just the 211 crew. A whole bunch of friends that would get together, go to a place and hang out. So we decided to throw shows there. It was me and Zaigone. And Pupo. And then we had John for a while. And that is when Steven joined the band, in 2004. Before we started playing actual venues in Miami, we would throw these giant parties… Zaigone: In the middle of nowhere. Level: And it got to the point that it was 39-40 cars every night we played. It was pretty amazing. Right then was when we were starting our following. I think that started really underground. Instead of throwing your basic house party, with all the college kids, we went straight to all these teenagers. Underage drinking, you know, unfortunately… Zaigone: But not Jägermeister. They were not drinking Jägermeister. (Laughter.) Steven: Pepsi. Zaigone: They were drinking Pepsi. (Laughter.) Level: I am saying, though, like Halloween or the weekend… Zaigone: Any excuse we had to get together and play music, we did it. Level: Straight up. goobs: I want to ask you guys, because of the underage thing. I want to ask you guys about how you feel that your sound and your music got marketed. Do you think it was beneficial that you guys kind of jumped into the Myspace craze and now you are on Facebook. How important has that been at pushing your music to different people? E. Grizzly: The thing is that not everybody who likes us online will come to a show. But it gets the word out there. I remember we went to Jacksonville and did a show and these people came up to us and were like, “Oh, yeah, I heard about these guys.” And we don’t even know these people. And like, our boy Tuna called us from Nashville and was like, “Hey, these people from Nashville know who you are!” And it is all through Myspace and it’s all through Facebook. Cause Unless you are in Miami, you really don’t know who we are. Level: Yeah online on both sites. When we started on Myspace, we picked up a lot of people from there. Cause networking-wise, when bands get together, and both bands are promoting just this one show…you have have different crowds going to that venue, you can already hit up their crowd before they even show up at the venue. That’s how you pick up people really easy and that how we did it and it’s pretty cool. goobs: I want to talk about the fact that you guys are on the brink of, I want to say, the next step in your musical career. Zaigone: That’s what we wanna say, too. (Laughter.) goobs: I know that you guys are working on an album, right? And you had a sampler album, the Undead album. Zaigone: It was like a live album. But I like that, a sampler. goobs: It was a live sampler, a rudimentary recording, but it captured the live sound of your shows and people screaming. Tell me about this album now. Is it old material, is it new material? Zaigone: It’s both. There are a couple of new songs on there. But most of the songs were written a long time ago. Level: Since we started. Zaigone: But we’ve progressed, so the songs have progressed. Even though it was an old song, we have changed so many parts of so many songs, that they are basically, to us, it’s like new. It was fun again to play them. And like you said, the first one was rudimentary. It wasn’t even the first one. It was a sampler. It was rudimentary recording, but now, well, you heard it. Level: It’s a polished sound. E. Grizzly: Yeah, it’s definitely clean. Level: The only song that we have there, and this is a fun fact… Zaigone: It’s a fun fact? Level: It’s a fun fact. (Laughter.) For people who want to know…cause you think that all these songs were recorded this year or last year and stuff like that. This one the drums were recorded in 2006. And that was, like, at another studio, and we didn’t even know that we were going to release it for the album or anything. We recorded like a whole bunch of sessions. Zaigone: But not on all of them. Level: Yeah, that’s the only song we have from 2006. goobs: Well, which song is it? Zaigone: Yeah, I was gonna say, which song is it? Level: Forever Never. (Chuckles.) goobs: Aw! That’s my favorite song! As a side note, I plan to tell the ladies that, that’s a great song… Zaigone: You only plan to tell the ladies that that’s a great song? goobs: You know what? I’ll be 100 percent honest with you, I’ve brought a lot of girls to your shows… E. Grizzly: You have. goobs: And like a lot of girls will be like, “Oh, I don’t like them,” and I’ll be like, “Wait for it, wait for it…” and then you guys bring that song out and it’s so fucking epic. It’s epic. It’s a fucking epic-**** song, you know. I swear to God. It’s a quita-panty song. Level and Zaigone: Baja Panty! (Laughter.) goobs: I have never met a girl who wasn’t like, “Oh my God! I love them!” After hearing that song. None of your other music sounds that way. I mean, am I talking complete **** here? Zaigone: No, its true. None of our other songs sounds that way. Because since it touches the feminine side, it was written by Steven…(Laughter.) goobs: (Laughing.) …for copyright purposes. Zaigone: Steven, who wrote the song, for copyright purposes. Level: So far, Steven knows everything. Steven: I am just going to sit back and let you do this to yourself. (Laughter.) E. Grizzly: It’s just cool with this group how all the songs they have this whole different feel to it. It’s cool. We don’t play the same song over and over again. Zaigone: Yeah, but they don’t sound too different than each other. That’s what I like about it… Level: You can tell it’s the same band. Zaigone: Yeah you can tell it’s the same band. And the same album. But it’s true, that is the most-different song. It’s slow and it’s pretty. goobs: Let me ask you this…I know you guys are a hard-working band. And I know you guy are on your hustle all the time. But what seperates you guys form all those hustling, hard-working bands? Because when you think about the 305 music situation, there is only a certain amount of venues and there are so many different bands trying to make their mark. You look at some bands, like, let’s say MAYDAY!… MAYDAY! Has been together forever and a day, their sound is very tight and it’s very live instrumentation and they are good at what they do… Zaigone: They are a great band. goobs: Why is MAYDAY! not blowing the **** up? Why aren’t they major? And you guys, like I said are on this moment, of like, being on the brink…you are about to take the next step…why do you think it’s so hard in this market, to push yourselves? E. Grizzly: I talk to a lot of industry people and a lot of things that they tell me, is what you hear on the radio is what they want. That’s what they want to give big money to. You can do indie stuff and do all shows and that’s cool, but the stuff that’s on the radio is the big bucks. And I hear a lot of people say that our music is a little more radio-friendly than other people’s, but at the same time, it’s different. Especially in with like us in Miami, and the way other bands are, we are one of the only ,like, rock bands in Miami. And there’s a lot of hip-hop bands that are dope and a lot of other bands that are dope, but some venues don’t really do rock at all, so we have to do a lot of legwork ourselves and we gotta work a little bit harder because Miami is not really a rock town. But we still show love and people show love, but that’s one main thing why I feel that people in Miami don’t blow up as much. Because the stuff you hear on the radio is what they want, and Miami has this Latin vibe, and they have this hip-hop band vibe, which isn’t really on the radio as much. It’s dope, but the industry people want that radio stuff, so that’s what the difference is. goobs: Let’s talk about the dirtiest word word in the industry, to me, which is like, SELLOUT. Zaigone: I want to sellout. I want to sellout stadiums. I want to sellout arenas. I want to sellout as many seats as I can. goobs: No, but I mean… Zaigone: I know what you’re saying… goobs: (Laughing.) You are such a smart ****. But mainstream. Let’s say you guys blow the **** up and go all mainstream…do you worry about that? Do you worry about the eventual selling out? Zaigone: What private jets? And mansions? Steven: We worry about paying the bills. Level: As far as compromising a sound that you started and they might want to like change it around? Like that? goobs: Yeah. Zaigone: Well, since it hasn’t been brought to the table, I guess we never thought about it till now. Thank you. But um, I never worried about it, I guess. Level: I’m second-guessing this whole music career. I don’t think I like it now. Zaigone: I never thought about me as selling out. Like oh, now we are going to sound a certain kind of band. Level: I never thought it would be wrong to… Zaigone: But yeah, I didn’t get in to this to be poor…or to drive a Rav-4, like Kanye said. (Laughter.) E. Grizzly: The thing is, too, we don’t really have to steer too far away. It’s still going to be rock. Rock stations are going to play rock songs and we make rock songs, you know. Level: And so far we haven’t had a song that sounds the same, so what’s going to be the difference? We are going to compromise the sound, yeah, but we are going to still make songs that don’t sound the same. Zaigone: As long we like the music we make, I guess. As long as I can look in the mirror and be like, “I am happy with what I am doing,” I guess, (whispers) I’ll sell out. (Laughter.) Level: I’ll make a Barney record! Zaigone: I’ll make a Christmas record! Hey, Johnny Cash did it! (Laughter.) Level: Zaigone does the hits! goobs: Lullabies with Alukard! (Laughter.) So, when is your new album set to be released? Level: We are aiming for Winter 2009. Everybody can their Christmas list ready. So far… Zaigone: I think it is Winter 2009…. goobs: No, it’s Fall. You can’t tell with the humidity, but it’s Fall. Level: It’s Miami. So you can tell by January. (Laughter.) So yeah, it’s Winter 2009…we are aiming for it, the last weeks, to have it, ready, out, shipped, and you know like printed copies right here. To provide. Obviously, so far, I mean, we don’t have a distribution deal to go all over the place. So it’s gonna be like you go to a show, you get yourself a fucking copy. That’s how we are gonna be doing it right now. You know, it’s gulley, it’s gutter but **** it. That’s what we got going. goobs: That’s the hustle yo. Zaigone: That’s the hustle…yo. goobs: That’s the musical hustle, yo. You gotta give the people the music sometimes right in their hand and be like buy this, listen to it, right now. Zaigone: If I have to sell it out of the trunk of my car, I will. I am not even kidding.A lot of people made it that way. Level: Start off right there. It’s the first album. It’s a debut. People should get excited. It doesn’t sound like any rock record I’ve heard. The production is ridiculous. Zaigone: Thank you, Sin. Level: Yeah, thank you, Sin from Corpus County and Labeless Records. He did an amazing job. He made us sound like a trillion dollars. It’s amazing. Kids are gonna be able to take it and put it in their cars and listen to it though sub-woofers and fucking hear bass. And that’s out of hand. That’s 305 ****. 305 rock. Zaigone: Something rock has been lacking. goobs: Let’s talk about your group dynamic. Steven…hi. (Laughter.) What is your group dynamic? How do you guys work together? I mean you’re up here and goofing off. You’re talking and cracking on one another. But I mean, obviously this musical hustle is a tense situation sometimes because I am sure that there is a lot of stress and blood, sweat and tears. Steven: Well the thing is that, you know, it’s not…we are not doing this…I mean, we love music, you know and we love playing music and everything, But before we were in a band together we were friends. We get along. Like we like each other. Our personalities are the same. Yeah we fight cause our personalities are the same, but, I mean, it’s like a brother thing. We have just always gotten a long. It has really nothing to do with the music. If we weren’t making music, we’d still be hanging. So it’s a plus. goobs: I want you guys to tell me a good story about the band. I am talking about like a funny, nitty-gritty, embarrassing, pachanga story. E. Grizzly: What’s the best one? The Pawn Shop? Zaigone: Well, she was there… goobs: Yeah, I got hit by a microphone stand that was kicked off the stage by Steven! (Laughter.) Zaigone: He broke the ATM! He Broke the ATM machine. He beat up the ATM machine and then the club took the money that they were gonna pay us and said, “We gotta buy a new ATM machine with that money.” (Laughter.) goobs: But just really quick can you guys explain to me what happened there? Are you under some kind of gag order that you can’t speak about it? Zaigone: We were supposed to play. after this other band, I forget the name. (Laughter.) And then some guy said, “No, I’m buying out the bar and I only want my friends and I want to have a private party back here.” And the guy goes, okay, then you can’t play. And we are the wrong band to do that to. goobs: After you guys got booked and everything? Zaigone: Yeah and we were the wrong band to tell you can’t play. goobs: And your fans were in there. There was a lot of people in there. I was there. Level: Yeah, it was a packed house. Steven: And they were paying something like $30 outside to get in. goobs: Yeah it was really ridiculous the price to get in. Steven: And they payed it. That’s the crazy part. Level: They really screwed us there. goobs: Because they didn’t give you guys a list, right? It was really minimal. Level: Fun fact: DJ Seasunz was spinning and we shut off his set. (Laughter.) Zaigone: We are the wrong band to tell that we couldn’t play. So we played over the music. goobs: But you guys brought a bunch of fans to that show. Zaigone: Yeah, we brought a lot of people. Steven: Well that’s what saved us, well, saved me. (Laughter.) Cause I kicked over some of their Mackies. And then I kicked the mic and the mic hit you. I am sorry. goobs: It’s okay. Zaigone: And he did it because they told us we could play. That’s why he did it. Steven: Yeah, I was really pissed…and extremely drunk. (Laughter.) And after I did that, I was like, “I don’t give a ****!” I ran off…I got off stage. And when I got off stage like four bouncers came at me. That’s why I threw the ATM. At the bouncers. So…they were gonna grab me. Zaigone: So they don’t grab him. (Laughter.) Steven: So I threw the ATM at the bouncers and then they got around the ATM and I was already squared off, I was like all right. And then all of a sudden I see the bouncers backing up and I’m like, “I’m the fucking baddest man alive!” (Laughter.) Cause those were four big dudes! And what happens is that I look behind me and all of our friends and all of my friends… Zaigone: And the fans. Steven: Yeah the fans, too, were behind me like, walking towards them like, “If you touch him, we are going to **** you up.” So the bouncers had no choice. They were like, “What the **** are we going to do?” Cause there were 50 of us and like four of them. goobs: That’s the power of Alukard Fan-age. Steven: Yeah, I got saved! Zaigone: You are like the Hispanic Jim Morrison. (Laughter.) I swear to god, dude. Saved by fans. They carried you off on wings to the fucking heavens. (Laughter.) Steven: I was like Moses. (Laughter.) Zaigone: Parting the seas of bouncers. (Laughter.) goobs: I want to ask you individually, what was the first album you ever bought? We can start on this side, with Grizz. E. Grizzly: The first album I ever bought was…Muddy Waters by Redman. goobs: That’s what’s up… Zaigone: Th first album I ever bought was Danzig 4, still the best band out there is Danzig. Well, other than Alukard. (Laughter.) Yeah, but Danzig 4 was the first album I ever bought. Level: The first one I bought, for real, was a cassette, back in the 80’s and it had like the song, “Celeeeebrationnnnn timmmme…” goobs: Kool and the Gang. Level: And that Rick Springer guy. Rick Springfield. Zaigone: It was a compilation? Level: Yeah, a compilation. goobs: Oh, with Jesse’s Girl? Level: Yeah! That song is awesome! (Laughter.) goobs: Oh my God! That explains so much! (Laughter.) Level: Yeah, that was the first one. Steven: Well, I actually bought two at the same time. It was like a field trip and the only time I could get away from my parents and buy CDs and they had given me money. So I bought Metallica’s Black album and Marilyn Manson’s first one, what was it? The one with Sweet Dreams on it. Zaigone: That was the second one. Steven: Well, whatever. The second one. The popular the one…the one the kids told me to buy. (Laughter.) Zaigone: The one all my friends were listening to. (Laughter.) Steven: And we were in fifth grade so it was kind of fucked up. Zaigone: You were in the fifth grade and you bought Marilyn Manson? Level: Way to stick it to your parents, son! Stick it to your parents! (Laughter.) Steven: I also got the Black album at the same time. Level: H’s a total rebel! (Laughter.) Zaigone: Thanks, Mom. (Laughter.) goobs: Alright, we will start over here now. Steven…if you could work right now with somebody in the music industry, who would you want to work with? Steven: Tom Waits. Level: Thom Yorke. Zaigone: Tom & Jerry. (Laughter.) Tom Jones. (Laughter.) Level: What did you say? Tommy Lee? (Laughter.) Zaigone: Honestly, honestly…I would work with Dave Grohl. Dave Grohl is the greatest. goobs: Dave Grohl IS the greatest. Zaigone: Dave Grohl is my idol. He is my idol. I don’t want to be him…maybe be inside him. (Laughter.) But I would not want to be him. E. Grizzly: Rick Ruben. goobs: Rick Ruben is tight. Level: You are growing a goatee like him. (Laughter.) goobs: So when is your next show? Level: November 28th at Defiance. It’s Downtown. This Saturday. It’s at FINNEGAN’s by the RIVER We play @ 6 p.m. if you mention ALUKARD at the door, you get $10 off the cover charge! It’s our redemption show. We are going to come full force. goobs: when do you guys think you’ll go start touring for this album? Level: I was hoping for the end of the year, but I was told that a lot of band don’t tour at the end of the year. They stay home with their families. So, there are not a lot of venues. So we are looking for the beginning to be from January 2010 and on. We’ve got some things going together that are hopefully going to go through…so… goobs: That’s cool. Let us know. Well, I think we are done, you guys… E. Grizzly: (All up on the mic.) I just wanna say goobs, I read your blog… goobs: YEAH! That’s awesome! Zaigone: You want to say it closer to the mic so when she hears this all she hears is grrrrrroooo…(Laughter.) goobs: (All up on the mic in husky voice.) I just want to say thank you. (Laughter.) E. Grizzly: I was putting some emphasis into it. Zaigone: Yeah, after you deep-throated the mic…(Laughter.) goobs: But thank you guys. I just want to say you were a great interview and I enjoyed it. E. Grizzly: Goobs, lets hang out. Let’s go get some beers. goobs: Yeah! Let’s go! (Exit booth with the band. Interview over and off to drink with the guys…) And with that we have come full circle. Our interview is over and we are outside drinking beers. Zaigone is letting us all know that he is aware that Lou plays W.O.W. and is schooling Lou on the marvels of Final Fantasy VII and that’s when he exclaims: “Bro! Final Fantasy VII altered my universe! Final Fantasy VII cured me off drugs!” And we all laugh and all is well with the world and with Alukard. And shortly afterward, bassist Jason Pupo arrives. He walks in and right away I ask him, “Jason Pupo, what is the best video game of all time?“ And without batting an eye he says, “Final Fantasy VII.“ And when I ask him why he looks me right in the eye and says, “Because it’s life.“ And right then and there, I get it. I understand what makes this band great. Why you can hear their sound as a mesh of their personalities, their struggles and their experiences. I get it. And Alukard gets it, too. Because these 305 rockers make their music, their way, together. A band of brothers. A bond of sound. Why? Because it’s life. Word. -goobs ]]> alukard Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:15:52 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:14:26 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:59:01 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:54:39 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:52:18 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:13:17 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 Random > Album Review: ONE… Album Review: ONE SHOT, by Alukard Posted by Lou On February - 11 - 2010 Alukard's debut album ONE SHOTHere at antisteez, we like to hype you up about a little place we call, THE FUCKING 305. Yes, that’s right. Miami. We put on for our city here at antisteez which is why we had to rep hard for 305 rock and local band/heroes ALUKARD and their newly released album, ONE SHOT. When they sent us an advanced copy of the album, both Lou and myself wanted to write the review. So after a little bit of tug-of-war, coupled with a few, “I’ll do it. NO! I’ll do it” convos, we decided that we would both review the album in a he said/she said way. After all, ALUKARD is a band for dudes and for the ladies. Made up of members Level (vocals/guitar), Zaigone (percussion), Jason Pupo (bass), Steven (guitar) and MC, E. Grizzly, ALUKARD will bust out your eardrums and win you over with their intense, in-your-face sound. Check out our review of this rock-heavy, hip-hop savvy album below and then come out and peep the record release at (((SHAKE))) on Thursday, February 11th. So, without further ado, antisteez takes a shot at ONE SHOT. (LOU): Intro – I can’t say much about this track except I am EXTREMELY upset that it is only 40 seconds long. Given it’s just “the intro” but GOD DAMNIT guys, if you make something like this for an intro, make it a bit long? 10 minutes maybe? From a bedroom producers eyes, I’m LOVING all the reverb and “trippy” feel they throw in there. I mean, given… I’m an instrumental lover. (Goobs): Intro – This track sums up the feel of the album for me. Although it’s only 40 seconds long, it has these lovely strains from Everyday Life floating around that remind me of hearing Alukard jam live. It’s intimate. There’s nothing like hearing these guys come together and alive on stage. This sets the precedence for the album for me. It makes me feel like I am an audience of one and I’m about to hear ALukard put on a show for me…just for me. (LOU): 44 Caliber Love Letter – The mixing from the intro to this track was superb. Definitely a track that can follow that trippy feel. Now, coming from a Hip Hop aficionado, I love this track for the simple reason that I can bob my head, with the window down in my car, wearing my gold teeth (which I actually have), my backwards 59Fifty on and STILL look hip hop. (Goobs): 44 Caliber Love Letter – As a chick, I’m not that into heavy guitar-driven rock. I’m not trying to bang my head or lose teeth at a show. (Although I did get teeth knocked loose at a Rage Against The Machine/ Wu-Tang concert in 1997…but I digress.) But, this track is one of my favorites. First because I love the initial minute of this song. It makes me want to run, fast, unhindered, wild with no destination. And then the tempo changes and I dig it even more. All of the changes in tempo do it for me. But to be honest, the best part, the part that I love the most is the chorus of repeated, “Oh’s!”. It transports me to a live show where I am watching the crowd jump up and down and sing along. Good lyrics. We’re never giving up. Good music. The band’s relentless attitude comes across when I hear this. The track doesn’t quit and this band is not giving up. Dope. (LOU): On Our Way – Here it is!! I’m not sure what the first single for Alukard is/was but if Lou has to chose, this is it. I actually see the video to this. If you don’t have a video idea for this song just yet, holler at your boy. I’m not too expensive. Once again the mixing into this softer track from a rough one (44 Caliber), was insane. Your producer HAS to be a genius. (Goobs): On Our Way – I cannot say a lot about this track. I don’t like it. (I am sure I am going to catch flack for this, but I am nothing if not brutally honest, so cest la vie.) And it’s not that I don’t get it, because I get it. The band is on their way. Someone is on their way. Love is on it’s way. It’s about living in the moment. Whatever. I just…I just can’t stand it. Maybe it’s the lyrics. I am not sure what it is. I know that sappier chicks might love the line, I must confess, that I’ve wanted you all along, but not this chick. This song is THE most commercial track on the album. People will eat it up…but I’m too full from the better tracks on this album to swallow it down. Sorry, but that’s just me. It sounds like three different songs that met at a bar and ended up in a messy threeway in a sleazy hotel. If that’s your kind of scene, good for you. (LOU): Molotov Coktease – All I have to say here is that “nice guys finish first”. Which in reality is against what I’ve always believed. Alukard changed my mind. (Goobs): Molotov Coktease – Thank God we bounce back to the greatest aspect of Alukard’s sound with this song…their blend of rock, hip-hop and awesome lyrics. This song is perfect for those of us who sometimes need to drive fast to blow of some steam. If you like hip-hop, you can get down with this. If you like rock, you can bang your head to this. It’s good. From E. Grizzly’s delivery to Level’s amazing belting of the lyric, Cause nice guys finish first, this song goes the way of good music. This track was a nice surprise. I had never heard it before. I am sure to play it a few dozen times this week alone. (LOU): GS - Extremely heavy track and extremely heavy rhymes coming from Level. Definitely the track I wanna hear next time I’m in the middle of a gang war without my glock. Nah’mean? (Goobs): GS – Have you ever been angry? Have you ever needed to hear something that personified that rage, that angst perfectly? GS is that track. Hard-hitting and yet, slower tempo’ed then some of the guitar heavy jams on this album, this song gets really epic around the 2:25 mark. It’s like hauling **** up a hill and then, at the 2:36 mark, flinging yourself off a cliff with no parachute and raging the whole way down. I have known plenty of “rap” lovers who have seen this performed live and get kind of lost in the grr of this track. As a chick, I love it. Maybe most chicks won’t, though. It’s not the most lady-friendly joint on the album. In fact, I caught a sneaker to the jaw once during this song, so be careful all you members of the fairer sex. (LOU): Rewind – I would love to write something to this song, yet I haven’t quite understood it. It’s extremely complex. I like sitting and visualizing what the MC, the drummer, bassist, everybody is doing and looking like while they play this. So far all I can imagine is a big ball of BLOOD! I don’t know. (Goobs): Rewind – This is music for men. (And women who like to mosh and beat dudes at a show.) It starts off pretty hard and unrelenting and then…well then it gets bananas. It starts off as the Hulk and then it turns into the Hulk all jacked up on cocaine, redbull and steroids. You ever have that daydream that your life turns into a musical and has an epic soundtrack? Well, this would be the song you play when you take out like 300 bad guys with an arsenal of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. And then maybe you eat them. Raw. While they’re still alive. Yeah…that’s about it for this song. lol (LOU): Conversion – I’m sorry Alukard but, this is the song I skip over. You guys do an amazing job at it. But one of my ex girlfriends used to play Tainted Love all the time in her car… and my car.. and her house.. and sing it.. and it made me throw up. So listening to this song makes me want to kill babies, and possibly feed them to other babies.. right before I kill those, also. The guitar solo ending the track is pretty awesome though. I can not lie. (Goobs): Conversion – Why is this song amazing? I am going to say that it’s the Tainted Love hook is the obvious answer to that question. It’s fast-paced and energetic and it’s a good song for runners. (I don’t really run, unless someone or something is chasing me….lol…but if I needed music to fuel a long-distance run or high-endurance workout, this would make my playlist for sure.) (LOU): Drifter - I’m a sucker for ballad’s and soft/cute rock songs. Therefore, in order to keep my reputation, or lack there of, in tact, I’m just gonna go ahead and let the woman of the review finish this for me. ::cough cough this song is amazing cough cough:: (Goobs): Drifter – So we have come to what I like to think of as the tears of this album. Well, I say that because I have heard this song a hundred times, but when I heard it on this album while I drove home one night from a long day at work…it made me cry. It is a song about someone being alone, even when he is surrounded by people. About that one face you show to the others around you and that one part of you that they will never see. Ever feel that way? Ever feel disconnected? Like there is nothing you can call your own? This is that song. A song so beautiful and melodic that you will listen to it and you will connect to Level and his words. Nobody knows who I am, nobody knows where I go. Because I’m just a drifter just trying to make my way home. Beautiful. Poignant. I’ve been that Drifter. I’m sure you have been, too. (LOU): The 5th – Call Obama, let him know that LOU is taking over. I love this song. It’s so “rock-ish” and totally not what I’m used to listening to, yet I feel at home when I listen to this. Very well produced, all the instruments REALLY represent on this. Guitar solos, screaming, heavy MC-ing. It’s a serious track to drive 300 miles over the speeding limit too. (Goobs): The 5th – I am going to go ahead and say it. THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE ALUKARD SONG. I have had many, but this one really steals my heart at the moment. The chorus of, I know! That I gotta give it one shot! is so epic that it lifts me. Then E. Grizzly comes along and represents for my city. For my home. For my 305. This is Miami. The sound of the city. This is my family, they’re down and they’re with me. And then you have Level’s vocals on this percussion-heavy jam (Thanks to Zaigone, drummer extraordinaire.) screaming out Nothing. Nothing could feel this way! This song is motivational. Makes me feel like I have to get out there and complete something that I’ve always wanted to do. Like if I don’t give it one shot, it will be gone forever. Definitely one of the BEST tracks on the album. (LOU): 8 Ball Side Pocket – After you listen to this song, possibly during, you will be able to take the whole brick. That simple solo 45 seconds before the song ends, followed by the heavy percussion makes me feel like these guys are literally filled with powder while performing this. Really good song and really makes you feel they know what they’re talking about. LOL (Goobs): 8 Ball Side Pocket – Coming into this track you get a sample from the great film, Walk Hard. Yeah, a sample about cocaine use. The chorus about One more time. One more line. The title. Yeah…I think you all know what this song is about. And if you don’t, then stop and listen and learn. (LOU): Give Into Miss Take – All I’m going to say here is, PUN INTENDED ON ‘MISS TAKE’. Poetry at it’s finest, as always. A song about a bad chick. Well, maybe not a bad chick, but definitely not the right chick. You have to appreciate a song that takes a girl down a notch. (Goobs): Give Into Miss Take - I am going to say this right off the bat…this is NOT a love song. In fact, this is a song about falling for that wrong person. This is a song about those moments after you realize that you loved someone who turned out to be the fucking worst human being on the planet. That anger and that regret of being blinded by someone and not seeing the undercurrent of, “Totally Wrong For You,” that’s laying there right under the surface. Come on. We’ve all fallen for someone who was, Spawned from Hell, so revel that someone is singing about it. (LOU): Forever Never – It’s only right that I let Goobs spill her guts on this track. Since I’ve met her, this song is all she can talk about. It is a chick song all the way, but, it works out if you take a chick to see this band live and they play this song. It’s probably epic enough to get you laid. Just sayin’…Alukard sure did kill it on this one. (Goobs): Forever Never - This is THE TRACK for the LADIES. This is THE ULTIMATE LOVE SONG about that secret, forbidden love. It is the bands biggest ballad and I have never met a woman who didn’t LOVE this song when she heard it. (Guys always love the first guitar chords compliments of Steven, guitar man wonder.) The chorus of Where did you go last night? resounds with those of use who have gone crazy wondering where the object of our affection is and who they are with, too. It’s about jealousy. It’s about angst. Your eyes are whispering at me, though we both hardly speak. I’m a sight for the blind, you’re a song for the deaf. Sigh. This is a chick song and goddamn it, there is nothing wrong with that. I think this should be the band’s first single. (LOU): Just Maybe – This is a great track about the reality of the music business. One minute you are hot, one minute you are not. It’s a reality that a lot of artists face in this fickle musical world. While some people bury their heads in the sand, Alukard writes songs about it. Even if you like their hard-hitting stuff, this track will stick in your head. It’s a nice change of pace on the album and you gotta give it up to the instrumentation. (Goobs): Just Maybe – And I think this should be the band’s second single. It’s so perfect, this track. You get the great strings in this melodic masterpiece. And you get a hell of a story. You see, I am going to tell you something intimate about this track. This track is a look into this band’s soul. You see the gritty climb to fame that they have survived. And who would have thought that we would get this far? And then you see that fear of just maybe, possibly failing. And who would have thought this ship would fall apart? Alukard knows that they have a great shot at making it big, but they know the fleeting, fickle nature of fame and they are not going to claw their way to the top without understanding that there could be a sudden tumble to the bottom again. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to enjoy every second of the ride. Even if it means that at the end, it’s just them and their music. And I will sing to myself a song about my dreams. Amen. (LOU): Everyday Life – This is a great song because the first time I saw it live, the crowd was going crazy. Everyone was chanting the chorus and it jut felt good. And the band has really captured the live feel of this track on this cut. It’s a feel good song and it is hype. Not in the way that some of the heavier-hitting songs on the album are, but in more of a sing along at the bar kind of way. (Goobs): Everyday Life – This song. Oh, this song. This song is a crowd favorite. You go to any Alukard show and this song is always the culmination of the night. It speaks to people. It talks about the world we live in and the **** that we all wade through. But you know what? It’s alright. It’s okay. I smoke all night. I drink all day. This is my everyday life. This song is the message, so make sure you are listening. (LOU): Outro - An interesting way to end the album. It closes out the same way that it came in…in this jam-band kind of way. Nice surprise was the hidden track that featured a piece of Goobs’ interview with the band. It was unexpected and pretty dope. I am sure she will be stoked that she’s on the album. (Goobs): Outro - A great way to end this album…the Outro is like, well, it’s like cuddling after sex. lol Or even better…it’s like the last few seconds of a rad rollercoaster ride where the cart slows down and the screaming dies away and you think to yourself…I want to do that again! Plus…I am a little biased because there might be six minutes of silence in this track but at minute mark 7:00, you will hear part of my interview with the band a few months ago in the Labeless Studios. Yes. I made the album. That is pretty stellar. In fact, I think it’s amazing. But hey, that’s just me. If you would like to get your hands on the album, come out to (((SHAKE))) at the Vagabond on Thursday, February 11th and pick one up. While you are there, make sure to get your face melted off with a live performance by the band. If you are in the 305 and you haven’t had a taste of 305 rock, you are long overdue. ]]> alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:09:18 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:00:49 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:44:00 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:41:42 +0100 http://www.thebeat.fm/bands/1426 alukard Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:02:42 +0100