En Minor

Interview – Joey “Blue” Gonzalez/Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals

CROSS Artworks
| crossartworks

IT’S “20 QUESTIONS WITH CROSS” DAY!

Looks like Santa came right on time to drop off a Christmas present for me this early morning. And obviously I thought to share it with you all, right away.

This is going to be my last interview blog for this year and I will resume the interviews next year.

I would like to thank every artist who’s been part of this year’s “20 Questions With CROSS” blog interviews. I can’t thank you guys enough for adding magic to my every day working routine. Thank you all!

Also, a big thank you goes to all those people who felt like spending a couple minutes or more of their life to give each of the interviews a read. Thank y’all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

What makes this interview very special for me is that the drummer we’re going to interview today is part of many bands I’m a DieHard fan of, and of course it’s a pleasure to have the chance to talk to such an unbelievable talent.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Jose Gonzalez, known as Blue, plays drums for several bands on Housecore Records; Warbeast, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Superjoint.

Hello Blue!

Cross – First of all why do they call you Blue? In interviews and whatnot, you seem a very joyful person. 

Blue – When I was younger I got nicknamed little drummer boy Blue so I guess it was a combination of a little drummer boy and a little boy blue it just kind of stuck.

Cross – When did you realize playing drums was what you wanted to do in your life? 

Blue – When I was 12 years old I got behind a drum set at a church youth group night and after a few months of just going specifically to play drums I was pretty much hooked and then I got my first kit when I was 13 so yeah 12-13 years old.

Cross – Pure talent right there, didn’t take you long to be noticed. You’ve been playing with Demonseed before Warbeast but the latter is where I got to know you as a drummer. I know you guys started Warbeast in 2006 as Texas Metal Alliance to change it to Warbeast in 2008. You were 16, right? Bruce Corbitt, Scott Shelby and you were the founding members… Who did you meet first, Corbitt or Shelby? 

Blue – I met them at the exact same time they both approached me at a Demonseed show and Bruce kind of started talking about giving me this demo and if I was interested maybe playing drums. Then not long after that, like almost immediately after that, Scott came up to me and he pretty much said you’re my drummer and I learned the songs.

Cross – That’s awesome! How is it to work with Bruce Corbitt, the Wizard of Gore, and Scott Shelby, The Beast of Gammacide? 

Blue – It was absolutely awesome, they’re my brothers and they taught me a lot and Bruce he told me when I was 17 years old I’m gonna get you signed and within a year he did that. He got the band signed.

Cross – From the debute Destroy to Krush the Enemy and Enter the Arena, you guys kept being as heavy as it gets. But the Enter The Arena gave birth to one of the funniest, awesome music videos, ever. With the dark narration of Philip Anselmo to Scott Shelby reading Brock Lesnar’s Death Clutch book and featuring the Hitchhiker from the original, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Edwin Neal.
Blue, you started it all by stealing that bong from the corpse, didn’t you? (laughs) 
Who’s idea was it and how does it feel to be on the same video with Edwin, how is it to work with him, him being a professional actor and all? 

Blue – Oh it was pretty cool it was the first time we really did a music video, a music video of that kind of magnitude. It was a lot of fun, it was a big adventure. We went from a cemetery in Arlington and drove around some back roads and as grueling as you can imagine it being like running out of gas on tour, we kind of were running out of gas while we were filming so it’s pretty awesome, there’s real emotions there.

Cross – Warbeast been on Housecore Records since day one. You recorded everything at the Nodferatu’s lair. Is there any memory you cherish from all that, that you might like to share with us? 

Blue – Well we’ve had lots and lots of awesome times at the Lair, but I think one of my favorite memories is one of the very first videos I ever took on my computer before you know like video messaging was cool, before these TikTock‘s and all this other stuff. I took this dumb little video in the studio and it’s just me, Bobby Tillotson, Scott Shelby and Andre Karst and we’re about to do Destroy and it’s just a 30 second video of us just saying the dumbest shit and then I put slow motion to it and it doesn’t even mean anything. It’s not promo or anything like that it’s just us in the studio being completely excited to be there to record and it’s like every time I see it I just he just takes me back to being, you know there, and how excited we were and just how much fun it was to be in the studio.

Cross – That’s not the only video you’ve been part of which has a horror icon starring in it. The Greasy Strangler, Michael St. Michaels calls y’all for Medication Time in Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, Choosing Mental Illness, official music video. A masterpiece, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” themed, work of Mike Holderbeast and Kate Richardson Anselmo. 
How was it to be Chief Bromden for a couple hours? How fun is it to hang out with Big Ronnie? 

Blue – Oh big Ronnie is a total blast Michael Saint Michaels, he was just an absolute gentleman and he had some amazing stories you know from his time in Hollywood and been an actor. It was just really cool to have somebody that you know they wanted to be there and do something different and it is it was awesome. It was a blast, and then to be tall for a few minutes it’s kind of funny too.

Cross – (laughs) From Warbeast to Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, how different was it for you as a drummer? 

Blue – Warbeast is a Texas thrash band so it is a lot more straightforward upbeat tempo and as far as The Illegals it’s drastically different. There’s some thrash influences there, but there’s just a whole spectrum of influence is going into that you know really diving deep into the extreme metal side. So I think if anything Warbeast kind of prepared me for what I was going to be in for with the Illegals.

Cross – There’s a video of you playing on drums, Walk Through Exits Only, which shows your sick drumming skills from up close. Do you use the same gear as back then? When the video came out it said, somewhere down where the links were listed, you were going to switch to ProMark Sticks and Czarcie Kopyto pedals. 

Blue – In the recent years I was fortunate enough to get Tama drums which you know is my hardware as well. I did end up getting Czarcie Kopyto pedals which are absolutely fucking amazing and I had peridore sticks and went back to Promark just for a little bit, more consistency. I’m glad I  did they are absolutely awesome do not regret it, the D’Addario family treats me very well and Paiste cymbals absolutely come in 100% and they’ve just been super supportive. I couldn’t be anymore happy and feel like I’m taken care of by my companies. I can honestly say that I have what I want and pretty much all the equipment I’ve ever been dreaming of, I have it and it definitely makes me excited to play drums and makes me excited to use my gear because everything is top-notch and top-of-the-line.

Cross – I know I asked Stephen Taylor in my last interview but it been a while so, when can we expect another album from The Illegals?

Blue – Hopefully next year, hopefully 2022 is a better year and and we can get out of this Covid funk and get back to doing some stuff with everyone. In the meantime we’re going to be writing, we have a lot of riffs compiled so we’re just gonna start going through it and start pre-production here soon and hopefully crank out a fucking ripper.

Cross – Can’t wait! By being the drummer for The Illegals you and the band had the chance to help Philip perform for the first time a PanterA tribute. If I remember right I think it was a Friday night, November 16, at the Viper Room, Los Angeles. 
You guys been doing that for a while now since then, including A Vulgar Display of PanterA, Livestream April 9, which was a blast. What can you tell us about all that experience? 

Blue – It’s extremely humbling and surreal to be a part of something like that. I mean as far as taking the PanterA tribute to the masses and as a full set and a full show, we are death metal band so it was a lot of work to do to get all that material solid, but I mean it’s awesome we’re all big fans of Philip and PanterA so it’s absolutely a blast for us to do. I’m just honored to be a part of it and if the people want it you know The Illegals are happy to do it, but I think we’re interested in writing our own material now and adding some new music that hopefully people will enjoy and just to keep the ball rolling.

Cross – You’ve played in a couple of Hank Williams lll shows. Are Superjoint done? Also have you been to Europe first with Hank lll or Warbeast?

Blue – As far as Superjoint being done I wouldn’t say Superjoint is ever done, you can’t kill bad grass! Also, I believe Hank 3 was actually the first one to take me to Europe. He took me to Europe when I was 22. That was a really really fucking awesome time and then the second time I went I was with Warbeast, when we we did that tour with DOWN.

Cross – Love what you said about Superjoint there.
How did it feel to fill in for Jimmy Bower in the En Minor Livestream at the Orpheum Theatre? (I think that’s one of the most beautifully made shows, ever!) 

Blue – It started off as me filling in for Jimmy, I think now I’m pretty well established as a live drummer for En Minor. We’ve done the livestream and a couple shows and every live performance has been, been myself behind the drums. So I think I am the actual drummer now.

Cross – Hell yeah! We love Jimmy but now we’re kinda used to see you behind the kit in En Minor shows. Are you working on any other project we don’t know of? 

Blue – I do session work for friends and for people. I am a drummer for hire. I like to be creative and you know, to help people you know, see a vision come to life. It’s pretty awesome for me so I don’t mind working with all kinds of genres, but yeah I do have a project that I sing and play drums in, it’s called III Witches. I’ve put it out there a little bit but I don’t really push it too much. I kind of like the mystique behind it and I’m mostly super self-conscious of me singing because I’m a drummer not a singer so it’s me just pretending.

Cross – That’s awesome. I should do more homework, I missed that one, somehow.
Can you name five albums or songs that inspired you to become the drumming machine you’re now?

Blue – Yes super aspirational album – Sabotage Drumming album – Reign In Blood, Reinventing the Steel, Far Beyond Driven.
A specific song – Painkiller by Judas Priest.
And tons and tons of shit Gene Hoglan’s been on.

Cross – I know you’re a horror film fan… Can you name your top 5 horror films of all time? 

Blue – Absolutely not, but I can tell you that The Thing and Dawn of the Dead are my all-time favorites, but The Thing is my all-time favorite.

Cross – You can’t go wrong with those two. Not sure how much of a gamer you are but knowing that you’re part of that generation… Do you have any favorite ones? 

Blue – Oh I’m on Call of Duty fanatic. I like online games and I like yelling at my friends and random people.

Cross – (laughs) What has Blue been listening to lately? 

Blue – Whatever my lady Rose has on her playlist. I don’t really choose and if not her playlist I just listen to the PanterA set list of the songs that we play to go over and practice. I just listen to those religiously. That and lately the Dover Brothers album Floyd’s Fables, incredible incredible record by some really awesome humble and talented dudes.

Cross – I’m glad you mentioned them and their Floyd’s Fables, really great album.
You recently moved to New Orleans… I know you visited in many occasions, touring with the band and all, how do you like it living there? NOLA is one of my favorite places on the face of the world, I’d love to move there someday… 

Blue – Oh it’s, it’s pretty killer. We have a nice place and we get to hang out with some of our best friends and if we complained who would listen.

Cross – Anything else you might like to add for your fans Blue? 

Blue – For anything and everything related to Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals go to housecorerecords.com Thank you guys for all the support, we love you. We can’t wait to get back out there and play some shows, in the meantime check out the website and keep yourself informed, updated and love you!

Cross – Thank you for your time Blue, I really appreciate it! It’s been a great pleasure!

Facebook Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals:
https://www.facebook.com/Philipillegals/

Facebook Blue
https://www.facebook.com/joey.gonzales.376

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/housecorerecords

Web
https://housecorerecords.com/

Interview – Larry Pike / Battle Axe Massacre

CROSS Artworks
| crossartworks

IT’S “20 QUESTIONS WITH CROSS” DAY!

This is my first time interviewing a drummer and thought was best to start this interview by revealing that fact. My first and last time behind a drumkit was probably in 2011 maybe 2012? When I’ve been left alone, at the bar I used to work at, adding the last touches on the visual part of the stage. Just a couple minutes before the band they had playing live that night, started their show. Needless to say, I almost ruined that drummer’s kit. (laughs) 

The artist I got in for this interview has been behind the drumkit for a long time. Amazing skills! Brutal deliverance. He is the drummer for the evil thrash metal band Battle Axe Massacre, Larry Pike.

Hi Larry, thank you for being willing to do this interview!

Cross – As I mentioned, you’re the drummer for Battle Axe Massacre. Will get to the band soon. First, how did Larry end up being a drummer? When did the love of sitting behind the kit and killing it, start?

Larry – I started out as a jazz drummer in school in 1990. I kinda sucked at it for a couple years, but I just kept sticking to it, lol and after a few years I began to show a lot of improvement. It has been my passion ever since.

Cross – The first release of Battle Axe Massacre came out in 2013, called Kill Yourself… Or Die Trying. A really Evil, Heavy album. While I love the idea of the album cover being just the band’s name logo, I’m curious about the title. What’s the story behind it, was it a two song pick combination?

Larry – Kill yourself or die trying, is indeed two separate songs that go together. It came from a saying my friends were saying, “Be there, or die trying!”

Cross – Kill Yourself is probably my favorite track on this album and if I’m not mistaken you did the vocals for it and for the previous track, Seabrook. Uncommon for a drummer to sing. (Yeah I know y’all can name a few.) Have you been doing that before?

Larry – I’m a song writer and a vocalist as well, and I play guitar. I wrote and sang the vocals for Seabrook, and Kill yourself on the first album, as well as 3 others on the second record. I’ve been working on music with Adam Huge since we met in middle school!

Cross – I’ve only seen you behind the drums, I didn’t think you play guitar too. Awesome!
In three years from Kill Yourself… Or Die Trying, Battle Axe Massacre published the second album, The Phantom. I Liar, has this Portal kind of riffs. So dark and evil, fills my soul with happiness. Which of the songs has the most difficult drum part to play live? War and Rust sounds really busy. Sick song.

Larry – I, Liar is a fun song. I’d say one of our better songs. I’m so glad you enjoy it and love that it feels your soul with happiness.  We just made a video for it, actually.  It’s got a lot of parts and I put a lot of energy into it. That being said, it’s a tie between that and Seabrook as far as being difficult to perform live. It’s like turning a chore into pure enjoyment!

Cross – Was going to ask you later on about the video, Larry!! (laughs)
Talking about live shows… You guys did live shows before the album came out. Do you remember when and where was your first live show with Battle Axe Massacre and something you would remember from that night?

Larry – First show of Battle Axe Massacre was at a place called, “Plan B” in Portland. We opened for another band I was playing in at the time, called, “Hotter Than A Crotch!” We played a few originals, and a few covers.

Cross – Battle Axe Massacre got an official music video for Eating Eachother off Kill Yourself… Or Die Trying, in 2015 and another one for the album title track The Phantom. Something you’d like to share from those experiences?

Larry – Eating Eachother” turned out great! WE were a two piece at the time. Still one of our favorite songs today. The Phantom was way rad to film! I love the opening is a scene from, “Holy Mountain!” Our favorite bar was next door to our rehearsal space called, the Twighlight Cafe & Bar. That’s where we shot it. The bassist from my other band, “Roanoke”, filling in on bass for us.

Cross – Is there a possibility of a new album any time soon?

Larry – There are new songs ready to record. They are even dirtier, heavier, and harder than our previous efforts.  We’re still working on who we will have produce it for us. The Phantom was engine-eared by Billy Anderson, so probably gonna have him do the new stuff. He knows our sound?

Cross – That’s good news!
You guys working on a new music video in what I heard. Can you spoil something about it, will it be a new track too? (you spoiled some earlier)

Larry – The new video is just about to drop, and perhaps it already has by the time you read this. It’s part a horror story and we filmed it at my place in the woods! The song, “I, Liar.”

Cross – When you mentioned it was going to be that song I felt like I just made a wish and it happened. (laughs) Any live shows? (I know many bands are struggling on that part because of the virus.)

Larry – No live shows for us for right now. It’s still crazy covid time, but when the time is right, you bet your pineapple curried ass, we’ll be back at it, haha.

Cross – (laughs) I knew you’re a huge fan of The Doors and Jim Morrison but I didn’t know until recently that you’re actually Jim Morrison for the The Doors tribute band, The DOORS of Perception. We’d like to know more about this project of yours. There’s not much to be found about it. Can you put some light on it?

Larry – I’ve been listening to the Doors since I was little. Started doing the Doors tribute a few years ago. Nice to change it up a bit, ya know!? We had the songs pretty tight, then covid came and screwed us out of shows. But it’s a temporary hiatus.

Cross – Hopefully we get to see you as Morrison soon.
What gears does Larry use and likes best, from the sticks, pedals, cymbals?

Larry – I have a few kits, but my favorite is my Tiger stripe WFL pre Ludwig kit. It’s a 26″ kick drum, 14″ Tom, and 18″ floor tom. I use a Tama snare drum. Zildjian A custom, and K custom cymbals. Tama double kick speed cobra pedals, and vic firth sticks.

Cross – Any advice for young drummers or musicians out there?

Larry – My son plays drums a bit, I always encourage him to practice a lot, and listen to what he enjoys and figure out patterns, repeat.

Cross – Practice makes perfect for sure. Can you name three or five albums that shaped your music taste?

Larry – ABSOLUTELY, MetallicA – And Justice For All, PanterA – Vulgar Display of Power, Skid Row – Slave to the grind, Sepultura – Chaos A.D., and ZZ Top, all day long.

Cross – What have you been listening to recently, Larry?

Larry – I Listen to a bit of everything. Usual Suspects, Superjoint Ritual, Dr. John, Goatsnake, Cardigans, English Minor, Trouble, Van Halen, The Doors, Hendrix, Beatles, Slayer, Alice in Chains…

Cross – Big fan of almost all you mentioned. In a short conversation we had, you said you like reading, what does Larry like to read?

Larry – Always reading something. Philosophy, autobiographies, anything Hunter S. Thompson. I’m reading a book called, “Secrets of the Talking Jaguar.”  And reading Jim Morrison’s complete writings.

Cross – Is Larry a horror fan, can you name a couple horror films you like?

Larry – I love Horror! Creature from the Black Lagoon, any Vincent Price, Creepshow, Friday the 13th and so many more.

Cross – Those are cool. Price is pure magic.
Your first time attending a live show, what band was it? Last? One that really had an impact on you.

Larry – My first concert was Cinderella, The Long Cold Winter tour in 1989. Most recent concert was KISS with my son, last Friday! Most memorable, is definitely Skid Row with PanterA in Feb. 1992!

Cross – You had a really good spot there in the last one.
You have a great relationship with your son, inside jokes like Thing 1 & Thing 2… (laughs) How do you make it all work that good?

Larry – I love my son. We’re pretty tight. We have many fun adventures behind us and ahead of us. I’ve taken him to lots of shows too. His favorite band right now is Primus!

Cross – He’s is in a good path. What does Thing 1 & Thing 2 like to do when you get some free time?

Larry – Thing 1 and Thing 2! We travel, ride bikes, flip eachother’s shit, and he loves James Bond just like me. We watch those films over and over, haha. He wants to be an actor and pharmaceutical grower, haha he’s also damn near 18!

Cross – He sure can do both. Anything else you would like to add, Larry?

Larry – Check out my other band Roanoke! @Roanoke doom, I believe! We have some things in the works as well!

Cross – I’ll drop some links down below. Thank you for doing this interview Larry, It was really fun.

Larry – Thank you!

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BattleAxeMassacre

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/battle_axe_massacre/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/BattleAxeMassacre1

Instagram Roanoke:
https://www.instagram.com/roanoke_doom/

Interview – Stephen Taylor/The Illegals

CROSS Artworks
| crossartworks

IT’S “20 QUESTIONS WITH CROSS” DAY!

Once again, I have the honor to interview one of the most talented musicians and one of my recent heroes – Stephen Taylor! He’s a guitarist and a bassist who has played in Alt-Country, Hardcore and Heavy Metal bands. To mention a few: Spunk, 16 Horsepower, Woven Hand. 

Stephen Taylor took over Bass duties in Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, when Bennett Bartley left.

Also, Stephen plays along many other super talented musicians like Jimmy Bower, Kevin Bond, Steve Bernal, Calvin Dover in Anselmo’s latest, southern Gothic/Dark Americana project, En Minor. 

Thank you Schteve (laughs, I hope I’m allowed to call you Schteve) for taking the time to make this interview happen. So exciting!!!

Cross – I’ll start it with one or two questions about you showing interest towards music and your first steps as a musician. When did you get your first guitar? Was it an acoustic, an electric or a bass? 

Stephen – I have a photo of me with my first acoustic, at around the age of 5 or 6. Only memory of it is through that photo. I’ll have to dig that up, cause now I’m wondering if it was an old Kay, or Silvertone. Not really sure who bought it for me, or why. I can’t recall any musical interest at that age. Now fast forward 2-3 years, at 8 or 9, I will share this, which forever will stay ingrained in my mind, and only realizing a deeper connection a few short years back. On a visit to a distant relatives farm, in Valparaiso, Nebraska, I wander into living room alone. There is a turntable, a record with a dude wielding a sword on the cover, and a set of headphones. Curious me, puts on headphones, drops the needle, and volume cranked from last listener. War Pigs off the Black Sabbath Paranoid album is what was now being blasted to my impressionable mind. I suspect this was the beginnings for me. Only found out a few years ago I share a birthday with Tony Iommi. February 19th, and to make it even weirder, my wife Jeanine, shares her birthday with Randy Rhodes December 6th. These are signs and wonderment. Keep the Sabbath!

Cross – I didn’t know about your wife sharing a birthday with Randy but I knew you do share a birthday with Tony. Me too. How awesome is that?! Can you mention a couple of your childhood/youth favorite bands or albums?

Stephen – I can totally remember the first records I saved up for and bought on my own. Ha! I even remember where, It was at Woolworth’s in Gentilly La. (suburb of NOLA for those outsiders) (Gentilly People!, for the insiders). And the records were , Kiss “The Originals”, “Alive“ and The Eagles “Hotel California”. At this time, Kiss was an obsession. And I really wanted to play drums at this age, I remember taking the pots, and Tupperware out, and beating on them with wooden spoons. I still can’t play the drums, but that’s a whole other story…

Cross – As I mentioned at the beginning, you took over Bass for Philip Anselmo & The Illegals, on The Illegals debut album Walk Through Exits Only, after Bennet left. Then, you switched to axes for the second album “the voodoo metal” – Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue. (Laughs, I love that you called it “the voodoo metal”  in an interview.)

Stephen – I believe I was referring to the “Metraton Nganga” path we went down, before the recording of choosing.

Cross – Which does Stephen enjoy more, playing Bass or Guitar?

Stephen – It wasn’t til The Illegals that I’ve ever played bass in a band, or at all really, I mean, besides just plucking around on one. I had to figure it out, I don’t think I really grasped the concept of bass til the second tour of Superjoint. In The Illegals, we were a 4 pc at the time, and I was up front, grinding away like a guitar player, which was called for to an extent. Jumping on with Superjoint, now a 5 pc, I learned that I had to get back in the pocket, play the backfield so to speak, make eye contact with Blu, turn off the distortion, and slam the strings. I realized I had to give Jimmy space, and get in my own lane.

Cross – Oh, I always thought you’ve been playing bass as long as guitar just been switching on whichever was needed for the project you were playing for.

We have been waiting for ages now for new material from The Illegals. There’s been a couple posts from different members of the band letting us know that you’re all working on that. How much longer do we have to wait? We’re hungry for new music.

Stephen – Yeah, I don’t like those updates, for that very reason. I mean, I’m always creating, so are all the other guys. We have a lot of songs, half songs, partial songs, riffs, ideas. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll make it to a record. 

Cross – It was inspiring when it happened. Knowing that we all were going nuts not being able to leave home. Can you give us some tips on what path are The Illegals going in the next album? The first two ones are similar, in the sense that you know that’s “The Illegals sound”, and also totally different from each other.

Stephen – The Illegals is really Philip’s baby. It goes where he allows it to flow. He is the common thread that identifies “the sound”. Actually on our last get together, we were chatting about how to approach it. We like to experiment, so to me, anything’s possible.

Cross – With The Illegals, you had the possibility to play for the first time Pantera Tribute shows, with Slayer too. The latest being the Vulgar Display of Pantera LiveStream in New Orleans, which was a blast for the fans. 

Stephen – What a great honor that was to be part of Slayers final campaign!

Cross – How much did you guys feel the difference of the crowd from those first shows with the Livestream which didn’t have that many people attending in the same building but so many were watching it from their home?

Stephen – The Livestream was one of the most intense things I’ve ever had to prepare for, and to pull off. Live is live. But a 15 song live to broadcast, playing PANTERA is on a whole other spectrum, you’re literally being filmed, and being multi-tracked, so you have to be as close to studio quality as possible. And “you’re playing” is only one part of that equation, once you get the green light, it is what it is, so make it good! Kate Richardson put together a great team that brought that to fruition. It was an awesome set-up!

Cross – It was a blast, seriously! You guys getting back on doing couple Vulgar Display of Pantera shows soon?

Stephen – Yes, we are scheduled for a few fests in the states here soon.

Cross – How did Stephen ended up with Superjoint? Was it planned for an album after the Housecore Horror Festival shows?

Stephen – Blue and I were at “The Lair” doing illegal stuff. I believe he was already penned for the drum seat once the band decided to do reunion for the “Horror Fest”. I offered to sit in with band and rehearse with them til Hank3 was available. That’s how that happened.

Cross – What happened with Metraton Nganga? There were some rumors about this new project you guys were working on: you, Blue/Joey Gonzalez and Philip Anselmo, a couple years ago.

Stephen – It’s still there, festering. This was a writing session that went, awry, a path that had to be explored, it sits, in darkness.

Cross – Hopefully soon we’ll have a chance to listen to some Metraton Nganga.
En Minor. In my opinion is the most beautiful thing heavy metal icons like Philip and yourself could ever come up with. I want to thank you personally, and the whole crew who worked their asses off for the En Minor Livestream at the Orpheum Theatre. Y’all did an epic work. (We’ll get back to that in a bit.)

Stephen – Thank you. A couple ideas were thrown out, I think Kate soaked it in, and put together a great experience, and production. Kudos goes out to her for organizing all that!

Cross – I’m glad you mentioned Kate twice already. I hope she knows we fans appreciate her hard work.
En Minor started with you and Philip and with time other artists became part of this project. You mentioned in a couple interviews on the Livestream also how it all started. Can you tell us a memory from the time when En Minor was just you and Philip?

Stephen – It was after tracking illegal demos, real late at night as we were about to call it. I grabbed my arch-top that I had with me and started playing what you now know as Mausoleums. But a more busier version, hence the “just keep it simple”. Not sure if I should take the magic outta this one, but here goes, that’s what Philip was whispering in my headphones whenever I was trying to complicate the riff, while tracking it. I followed that with what’s now called “Hats Off”. Up to this point, I had no idea he was interested in doing any acoustic, or vibe out kinda stuff. But I think that night, by me just expressing another side of me, opened a floodgate of ideas he had already, and a bunch we came up with together. And since that moment, they flow just as easy today. We have no problem writing songs in this style, they flow naturally, and being surrounded with players that know their way around things, opens up the spectrum of the works.

Cross – I’m glad you guys decided to work on all that and release the first album. En Minor is a special band and sound. Unique.
En Minor’s first live show was at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans, Louisiana, almost two years ago. How did it feel to get on stage to play songs people never listened to before? (When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out came out almost one year after this show.)

Stephen – It was kinda awkward, still is, we only have like 4 shows under our belt as a band. If we had a solid month on the road together, I think we’d be an insanely intense band live.

Cross – Getting back to the En Minor Livestream…

Stephen – Yes.

Cross – In how great it was all put together, it makes one think that it had been planed for a while and Covid-19 just interfered. Was the Livestream meant to be a normal live show and cause of the circumstances it turned into a Livestream show?

Stephen – Not at all, the “Down” livestream was successful, so that’s when the idea circulated. I think it was only planned out a month or so in advance.

Cross – We know there are three hours En Minor material ready. We would like to know when is the new album coming out and will those new songs from the En Minor Livestream be included in it? How about There’s a Long Way to Go?

Stephen – We have enough material for 4 records easy. It’s weeding through it all, and deciding on what to do with it all. We’ve kinda outgrown our own 2nd album, that’s not even recorded yet, but is half the setlist on Livestream. Every time we get together as a unit, we grow, mature, the songs/riffs are more seasoned.

Cross – That’s great news. There were unbelievably great new songs in the Livestream. I swear I never listened to an album as many times as I’ve listened to When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out.

Stephen – Really! That’s pretty cool to hear as an artist, from an artist at that!

Cross – Any plans for En Minor to get back doing live shows? Now that live music is having a come back little by little. Have you guys ever thought to get En Minor touring the world not only America?

Stephen – At this moment, I have no news here. But ready and willing.

Cross – An interesting thing about you as a guitar player is that you don’t stick to one guitar brand. There was a video of you and Mike DeLeon showing them axes. He plays a V all the time but that’s not the same with you. Is that how you explore sound, Stephen?

Stephen – Well yes and no. I mix it up all sorta ways. I am not loyal to any sound or type of guitar, or brand. It’s whatever I grab to achieve what we are going for. I really mix my styles up with tunings. If I’m at a writing block in standard, everything I’m doing seems generic. That’s when I’ll go to an open tuning. I’ve learned this with my Sixteen Horsepower days. I will go from major/minor open tuning, to more weirder ones. I’ve recently discovered what’s called “New Standard” or the Robert Fripp tuning, it’s scrambling up the positions, and the order of the notes. Then you try to bring order to the new chaos you just created for yourself. Gets weird, clears the room sometimes!

Cross – How difficult is it to switch from playing bass to playing guitar?

Stephen – Takes a min, it’s more so when going from bass back to guitar.

Cross – Favorite guitarist/bassist?

Stephen – I can’t ever answer these type of questions honestly. Too many great players that have left their mark in my sub conscious.

Cross – What has Stephen been listening to lately?

Stephen – My daughter recently confiscated my turntable, so, it’s been fun watching her explore the old ways. She’s on Double Fantasy John/Yoko at the moment. So I was just listening to “Watching The Wheels”. And also was just listening to Victims Family.

Cross – I had some guitar pick problems lately. I just couldn’t remember the thickness I’ve been using to play for years. (I don’t really play, just time to time, for fun, when there’s some free time.) What pick thickness does Stephen uses?

Stephen – For illegals I use the Jazz iii XL’s they are pretty firm, I use heavy stiff picks for the metal grindy stuff. For En Minor I’ve been using the dunlop orange tortex, quite a bit thinner. I use my fingers if needed, I’ve even used a make-up brush before.

Cross – Is there any other side project you’re working on that we don’t know of?

Stephen – Yes.

Cross – You have a terrific family. What does the Taylor family like to do when the man of the family isn’t on tour or investing time, talent and soul in writing new stuff?

Stephen – Thank you! Yes things can get a bit hectic with this dynamic, and top that with the way things have been lately, everyone hangin’ strong.
Taking advantage of the time by not doing much.
Pretty much just all chilling at the homestead, low key, cook outs, cruising the hood on the ole golfing cart. Might take a drive down to the beach soon!

Cross – Thank you Schteve for taking the time to go through all this, it’s been a blast! Appreciate you!

Stephen – Thank you for the interest! 

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