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To start out with a general question, how did you form the band (Terrifying Experience)?
"I guess my idea for the band happened one time in Europe when I was talking about the band,
GbV, breaking up and thought that I should get a band together. So I did, and I had some ideas of
people that I wanted to do that, to play with. Like Duane (Hart) was the first guy I thought of,
and then Craig-O. I didn't really know about a bass player, I didn't really have any ideas, so I
just asked Duane if he knew anybody. He knew Geoff (Orlip), and I knew Geoff too because I used
to skateboard with him. I thought he was a drummer, but actually he was a bass player. He can
play bass and guitar, so we got him in there and just went from there. It's been like, three
years ago?"
So you almost have a Dayton rock star supergroup in the band.
"Well no, those guys are from Columbus. So I don't know if we are considered a Columbus band or a Dayton band or what."
What would you consider yourself?
"Hmm, I would say Dayton because I am from Dayton."
How do you bring a song to the band? How do Terrifying Experience songs evolve?
"Well, we've got a couple of different ways. I have an eight-track recorder, and I will actually play all of the instruments and say to the band, "Okay, here is the next song, here is a new song I wrote. Check it out." And then we write as a band-- Duane can write and Jeff can write. So three of us can write songs. Right now we have a project. Each guy writes five songs. They write the whole thing: drumbeat, everything. We're going to get together with our five songs and listen to them and compare them or see if we want to do anything with them. We're just trying to get ideas for the next record."
You're already preparing for the next record?
"Yep. We've already got a title for it I think. I might call it Rock and Roll Will be the Death of Us All. I wrote a song called "Rock and Roll Will be the Death of Us All." That's what I wanna call it."
And the new record, Magnetic Breakthrough, is coming out on January 9th, right?
"Yeah."
This is the first word I hear in Dayton when someone mentions the Terrifying Experience: loud. How else would you describe T.EX?
" Terrifying. (laughs) Yeah, I can't hear too good anymore, so I have to play loud. I
just always remember going to shows, and I liked the loud rock bands. So I just wanted to continue
that kind of thing. We're the rowdy, loud rocker guys. That's kind of our gimmick, just to be the
loudest. I love the Who, and I just think it's fun to be insanely loud and just to be different.
I like to rock, and I think that rock sounds best when it's really loud. I practice in a little
room, and I turn up my equipment really loud and just stand there and hit chords like this (performs
his best Pete Townshend windmill). It just shakes the room. That's why I can't hear either."
You mentioned that you liked the loud music of the Who. What other influences did you have, even as a kid?
"My first memory of music is my dad and mom listening to Nat King Cole and Dean Martin and the Rat Pack. My dad was actually in a group of guys that would go around in fancy nightclubs and they would sing Rat Pack-style stuff and get drinks. They would go all around. I guess Dayton had a really big scene back in the fifties. There were a lot of clubs on the West Side. That kind of influenced me with vocal harmonies, like the Beach Boys. I like the way the voices are used, and I love vocal harmonies and melodies. I like hard rock, like the Sex Pistols and the Damned and the Stranglers. And then the glam bands like Status Quo and Slade and Humble Pie. I could just go on forever. Even some of the newer bands like Nirvana really influenced me. I really like some of that stripped-down, get-to-the-point songwriting. I think I do that a little bit. I'm trying write a big, flamboyant thing, but I don't know how. I'm trying to teach myself now. I've got one song that's like an Alice Cooper, like a song that comes from "School's Out" or something. I've got eight different parts, and it's all crazy. I don't have any lyrics, but I have the music done. I just need to work on the lyrics and see where I'm going to go with it."
So this next album will feature the glam rock version of T.EX?
"The glam era, yeah."
When will we see that album?
"Well, I've had the music for it for a while. I'm just trying to work on lyrics. I'm just trying not to rush it. I figure it will come out eventually. I want to make it really good and try to use a bunch ofÉI want to take some acid or something and just write down a bunch of crazy stuff. We're going to do an album where we're going to all trip out on acid. We're going to go into the studio and lay everything sideways and lay on the floor. It's gonna be called Sonic Landscape. It's going to be a project that we're going to do. We'll try it and see if it works. And we want to have a webcam or something and broadcast it over the internet while we're doing it."
Right, come and watch the Terrifying Experience recordÉ
"Yeah. It will be a performance on our sides, just laying there and tripping on acid. And not being recorded, we'll just play it once and that's it. I've always wanted to do that. I told the guys and they said, "Yeah! We wanna do that!" I don't know when."
So the other guys in the band are from Columbus, you are from Dayton - there are so many great groups that have come out of Ohio, especially within this area. What is it about Dayton in particular that has allowed so much talent to emerge? Is it something in the water?
"There's nothing to do. I mean literally. I try to think of what to do, like at night, and unless you go to the bars to get drunk or high, there's not that much to do. There's no place to go, unless, like a techno club orÉa bar. So I guess with that being the case, it's like, well, let's get together and play some music, write songs, whatever. Which is probably good because you get your focus on your band and writing songs with friends, and you don't have a lot of other distractions like you would maybe in a bigger city where there's a lot of things to do. During the day, there is stuff to do, but at night, there's nothing. That's my opinion or theory. For me, that seems to be the case. I try to find something to do at night other than drinking, but there's not much to do."
When you first walked in, you showed me the "beer" tattoo on your bottom lip. Do you have any new tattoos?
"Yeah, I have a few. My friend Eric gave me these hot rod flames. He hasn't finished yet
because he has a shop in Indiana, and I went over there one weekend and we just got pretty tore up.
The next day we were both hungover and sick and holding garbage cans up and I was throwing up, he was
trying to tattoo me. It didn't really work out. So I'll have to go over there and get it fixed.
Then at the tattoo convention they have in Dayton, it was called a skin or art expo, I got a big
skull on my chest. Then I have my cardinal. I'm a work in progress. (laughs) I want to get my
back done. I've got the idea and everything together for it, but I haven't had the time to do it
yet. I'll probably start doing that maybe in the spring. My mom hates it. (laughs)"
So your parents still live in Dayton?
"Yeah, they live in the same house that I grew up in."
You talked about the internet a little bit. What do you think the Terrifying Experience are doing to build off the internet? I guess with music in general, where do you see music off the internet?
"Well, the internet is probably one of the best things that could have happened to music as far as DIY bands go, or independents bands or small label bands, simply because you can get [the music] out to so many more people. A lot of people are getting onto it and it's growing every year. Plus, I think it's a good piece of technology. You can put mp3s on it and just throw your music out into space and let anybody check it out in any country, anywhere. I just think it'll help expand maybe a fanbase for bands that are not on a major label or don't get a lot of publicity. This way, it kind of offers them unlimited amounts of publicity. They can do anything with their website and really just be creative with it. I like to look at other bands' websites and see what they do. It's neat to see their ideas and see what people are doing. I love this new technology, and I think it's a good thing since it helps me forward. I think in a way it connects people anywhere in the world and I think it's a good thing for bands, much more than a big label. Radio today isn't even that good, and the internet provides an alternative to the radio. Even the alternative radio stations aren't really alternative. I'm all for total small, independent music. It's much better. Much more creative."
Speaking of independent labels, Ian Thomas (from Mental Telemetry, the record label responsible for Magnetic Breakthrough) informed me that you have a funny story about the "Mental Telemetry bottle of bourbon."
"Well, I had one, but I can't remember what it was. (laughs) He sent me a bottle of bourbon, I know that. It was very good, I drank every last drop, and I don't remember now what happened (laughs). Really, we're very lucky that Ian chose to do this for us. I'm really glad that he offered to put the record out for us. We really hope that it goes well, and we can't thank him enough for doing this for us. I appreciate that kind of thing, a person just out of the blue saying, "Hey, I'll put your record out." I like that a lot."
How would you describe this new album? How is it different or unique from all of your other records or EPs?
"Well, I think the main thing for me is to have records with diversity in them. Like some records could be so good, but they all sound the same-- all of the guitar tones, all of the vocal tones. I heard a really cool band the other day, and their CD was really good, but all of the tones sounded the same. Everything: the guitars, the guy's vocals, the way he sung. I listen to so much different music and so many different things, so when I write and think of new material, I want the songs to be a reflection of where my head's at, or where the band's head is at. All of us like diversity, like recording in different studios, different sounds, different tones, just to make it interesting. If you hear the record one time, you won't just say, "Well, I've heard it, and now I know what it sounds like." You have to listen to it a few times. You'll hear little noises that we put in there. We try not to get too slick of a production. We try and keep the music as honest as it can be. There are a couple of songs where maybe my vocals aren't perfect, but that's alright because I'm not a perfect singer. Nobody is. I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to make it perfect. It's the real deal. That's what works for us. We're going to continue with that idea in mind, to try to keep the music interesting and not to be stuck in a certain style. All of the songs don't have to be two-minute rock songs. We just try to pick good songs, play the ones that we like, get them into a good sequence, and just put the record out that way."
We talked a little bit about the Ohio scene. This interview is going out on the internet, and the whole world will be able to see it. You're almost like an ambassador of Ohio rock now. What are three bands from Ohio that everyone should check out?
"Well, if the haven't checked out GbV, obviously, check them out. I would like to hear some more Gem, which is Doug Gillard's band. I've heard a couple of their songs, and I would like to seek out more of it. Do they have any albums out yet?"
They have Hexed which came out in 1995.
"Yeah, I would like to check that out. And Dayton has The Igniters, which are a great band, and
Let's Crash, who are all crazy and wild. Special Patrol is really cool. I want to check out a band
called Parker Ben Parker. I went to see them the other night and missed them. I like Rod. I work
a lot, so it's hard for me to see a lot of shows. Usually by the time I get off of work, the shows
are about over and I miss a lot of bands. There are a lot of bands that I am trying to check out.
I don't really know that much about Cincinnati. I'm sure there are a couple of good bands around
there. The Tigerlilies might still be around; they were pretty cool. In Cleveland, I'm sure there
are a ton of good bands up there. I'd like to find out more about the Ohio scene as it is right now. And it's good that the Dayton scene is coming around again. It goes up and down."
You mentioned that everyone needs to check out GbV. What kind of impact has Guided by Voices had on your songwriting or the way you approach music?
"Shoot man, Bob (Pollard) and me grew up listening to music together. He turned me on to a lot of things, and I hope that I turned him on to some things too. Just in terms of when we were together listening to music, being in crazy bands, making up stuff in the basement. I think that it has had a good effect on me. Being associated with other good songwriters like Toby (Sprout) and Bob has helped me to become a better songwriter. I've watched those guys create, and I've been awe-inspired by them. At the same time, they're my friends, and I see them in a different perspective. For myself, I come from the standpoint where I start a song and work straight on to finish the song. Everybody has a different approach. Even myself, a lot of times I might write the music, or I might write the lyrics, or a combination. I guess each individual has a certain way to write a song. I think being so closely associated with them has helped me out. I look up to those guys and I admire them, and they inspire me."
What is your favorite part of being in a band? Is it the songwriting, recording, playing live, meeting new people?
"I like everything about it. Tomorrow, my boys are going to come down. We're going to set
up our gear, drink some beer, and play our songs. We have a show, a CD release thing, in Columbus
on Friday. I just like thatÑhanding out with your buddies, having fun, laughing. I even like
riding in the van to a show and just having a good time, especially when we get along so well.
GbV was similar. We all got along pretty well. We would ride in a van for a long period of time,
and it wasn't terrible. It was kind of fun. That's really important, to have a group of guys or
girls that you get along with and have fun with. You can even be serious, and when one person gets
mad, you don't take it personally. It's just being with a group of friends who play music. Making
records is also fun, as is playing live and meeting new people in different places. Probably for
me, being able to meet new people and travel around is the most fun."
Where does T.EX practice?
"For about a year, I drove up to Columbus. Since Geoff has been working on his house,
we haven't been able to go up there and play. I've converted my two car garage into a big practice
space now. It's all open and big. It's like a big, giant rec room. They've been coming here to
practice in Dayton for about a year now."
Your neighbors don't complain?
"Nah, they're pretty cool. I've lived there for a long time, and I know them all. They know
what I do. And they're not really that close to my house, so we have a lot of space."
With T.EX and Guided by Voices, you have helped to write or record so many songs. Is there any song that sticks out in your mind as the best song you have ever been a part of?
"There are so many good ones. When we were in Chicago recording with Steve AlbiniÑI have
some good memories there. When I hear that group of songs, I think, "Oh yeah, I remember when we
went and played pool with Steve Albini." I even remember recording in Steve Wilbur's garage when
GbV was doing Sandbox. It was all fun. Looking back on those times, I know that I would do it all
again, in a minute if I had to. If someone said, "If you have to go back and do it all over again,
would you do it?" I would be like, "Hell yeah! In a minute." No hesitations at all."
So whenever you hear those songs, it brings you back to a particular time in your life.
"Yes, yes it does. I guess the idea of a record is that it records a piece of time. It is like a picture, and it freezes that time. Then when you go back and listen to it again, you can relive that time. It's like going through old photos. It's nice to have a bit of an audio history with those records. I can die happy because I know that I've had a lot of fun."
Looking back at the initial recordings for the Terrifying Experience, are you satisfied with the way that everything is going?
"Yeah, I am. When we first started out, I would call so-and-so record label guy, and he would say, "Oh yeah, send us your demo." It's funny because I remember talking to the guy at Cargo, and he wanted so sign us but they decided instead to sign Blink 182. (laughs) I was kind of pissed. But I think it is kind of good that we weren't signed then. It doesn't really matter about the record label. We're just lucky to find someone who wants to put our material out. And, like I said earlier, the independent thing is probably better anyway because there aren't really any restrictions. That is definitely the good side. The down side of small labels is that big labels provide more of an opportunity to tour and travel."
What kind of music are you listening to these days?
"I knew you were going to ask that. (laughs) It's funny. I've been on this kick where I have been listening to Johnny Cash. When I was a little kid, I used to go with my dad to truck stops, and the truckers would give me quarters to play Johnny Cash on the jukebox. We're doing an acoustic thing now that I'm going to try and get out on the internet. I always like the old country style. I've written three or fours songs that are in that sort of style. I just wanted to try and see if I could do it. They are kind of like "Elizabeth and Mercury" on the new album. I like rock records, of course. I like SlayerÑdefinitely like death metal like Motorhead. I also like bands like American Pearl."
What kind of plans do you have for the release of this new album? Are you going to go on tour?
"I doubt that we will go on tour unless we get the opportunity to do a small string of shows together. As far as a real tour, I don't think we will be able to do anything like that. I would like to be able to do maybe a week of shows on the East Coast, probably in the spring. Touring is definitely part of the fun of being in a band, even if it is a little tour. It's like a vacation from work for us."
What are some of your most memorable stories from the road?
"I think that one of my favorite ones was during a show when GbV was in Europe. It was the last show when we were in Berlin. We had to come home the next day. I met this girl, and she and I were talking. She asked me if I wanted to go back to her place and smoke some hash. I was like, "Yeah, shit, I'd love to!" It was our last night, so I could sleep on the plane ride home. When I asked her where her car was, she said, "Oh, I don't have a car. I have a bike." So I said, "Oh, right on, man!" This girl got on the back of her bike, and I bummed twenty bucks off of our tour manager, and he said, "Tomorrow, get your ass in a cab, and be here by 8:00 so we can get to the airport." She and I rode all through East Berlin on her bike. I had never been there. It was so cool because, of course, I don't get to ride a bike through East Berlin very often. I knew I had to take advantage of that. We rode around for a long time, and it was so much fun. It was really an unusual thing to do, even though it was such a simple thing. I have a lot of memories like that from different cities, wandering around and getting lost. I always like to see where I was. But that was one of my favorite memories. And she had blue hair too. (laughs)"
So you were on the same bike?
"Yeah, she had a luggage rack or something on the back, and she just sat on the back. I also
liked Australia. That was a lot of fun. I went down there with Kim (Deal), Nate (Farley), Luis
(Lerma), Jim MacPhersonÑthe AmpsÑand I went down as their guitar tech guy. Being behind the scenes
was a lot of fun. I met the Foofighters' guitar tech guy and all of the roadies. It was a pretty
big tourÑthe Beastie Boys, the Foofighters, Sonic Youth, Jawbreaker, the Amps. It was cool.
New Years Day, we were in Perth, Australia and it was 9 a.m., but in Dayton, it was midnight.
I had a bag, and that was all I carried. In the hotel, they had these little mini-bars with these
mini bottles of booze and beer. So every day in the hotel I would open my bag up and shovel all of
the booze into the bag. (laughs) I would walk into the airport, and my bag would be clinking with
bottles. I had a fifth of Jack Daniels in my bag. We were outside that morning, smoking cigarettes
and waiting for our flight, and I was like, "Hey man, it's New Years Eve in Ohio!" So I pulled out
the Jack Daniels, and we were all passing this bottle around. It was nine in the morning there, and
people were looking at us like, "What in the hell are you doing?" I have a picture of Jim MacPherson
taking a shot out of the Jack Daniels bottle. Then I did my matador trick. I went into the dressing
rooms, and the tables had tablecloths on them. I would yank the tablecloths out from under
everything and not spill anything. I learned how to do it there. I remember David Grohl taking me
around and making me show everyone. All the guys there would take their video cameras out and record
me doing that trick."
How did you learn to do that?
"Well, I saw somebody doing it one time and told myself, "I'm going to learn how to do that."
I saw that tablecloth in the dressing room and figured that it was time for me to learn that trick.
It worked the first time I did it. I couldn't believe it. Hey, did you have a nice holiday?
Did you do anything fun? I'm going to interview you now. What did you do on New Years?"
I went up to Chicago for a few days.
"I like Chicago, that's a cool city."
What did you do?
"I had to go to work. They had a big celebration there. We had all of the champagne we wanted, so all of the kitchen guys were in the back celebrating at midnight. It's like a big family. We spend so much time at work that we all become like a family, so it's not too bad when I have to work on holiday. I keep a bottle of scotch in my locker. When I'm having a bad night, I'll take a sip out of it. (laughs)"
Speaking of Chicago, didn't you play at Danny Blas's place?
"Yeah. We were hoping to play there again. We were going to do a two-night thing. I hope we end up doing it because that was really a lot of fun. I miss those guys. Is their band still playing?"
Pesotum? Yeah, they're still together. I think they are recording stuff.
"Yeah, I like Danny. They were all really cool people. Once again, I have been fortunate to meet some really nice people. The best part of this whole experience is meeting new people and making friends with them. I love that."
So what do you think about the fact that there are people you don't know, or you haven't met yet, who think that you are somewhat of a "hero" to them?
"Well, it feels good, obviously. I would love to talk to them and meet them. If anyone likes the music or has comments about it, I would hope that people would feel comfortable talking to me about those things. I like to interact with people, especially fans."
Do you think that this is a change or an evolution within underground music? I remember my first Guided by Voices concert. I was in ninth grade in high school, and I saw you guys in D.C. I was standing right in front of "Mitch Mitchell's guitar amp" and getting my ears blown out. After the show, you guys all came out and shook hands with people. Growing up, when you were into rock, did you have rock stars whom you looked up to like that?
"I remember a lot of times going to see shows, and I mean, you couldn't go and hang out with Kiss or Mountain after the show. It was a different level. They were the rock star guys, and you were just the regular guy. That was the way it was back then. Maybe over the years people got the feeling that this may not be such a cool thing. I like to think that we came up being friendlier. I would much rather be friendly than separated from the fans. I hate when they put up barriers or security guys between the fans and the bands. Let them jump up on stage. If they want to jump up and grab the mic, let them go ahead. That is great fun. You can't have fun with some barrier between you, with some muscle-bound guy who is going to kick your ass if you're trying to have a good time.
It's all about having fun."
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