Interview with John Cimino of Grimlock

To start off the interview, can you tell me about what got you into hardcore and how Grimlock started?

John: I had a friend whom I grew up with (and recently started to hang out with again) that was in a band called the Lady Bug Smashers (who played with all the early Boston underground bands like Tree, Berzerker, Sam Black Church,etc.). Plus I liked the attention he got from it. Before that, I thought the bands that played on the radio and television were from a different reality. It never dawned on me that anyone could just start up a band and play lol.

Ironically, this kid introduced me to Matt Myrdal at a party and we became friends. Eventually me and Matt would create Grimlock a few years later.

What was the scene like whenever you guys started around your area? You guys are all from Mass, correct? 

John: The area we started in was Northhampton, MA. which was a goldmine for talent. All the great hardcore bands came out of there like Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, All That Remains, etc. Everyone hung out with each other and we were in various bands together. It wasn't hard for me to pick members that worked for the sound I wanted for Grimlock.

Plus we all lived right down the street from a club called Pearl Street that was a hotbed for heavy music on the East Coast at the time. All the bands from New England, New York, New Jersey, etc. came there to play. Even the bigger acts like Korn, GWAR, Henry Rollins, Danzig, Biohazard, Sick of it All and the like came through there and we all tried to get on those shows to play.

For me, Grimlock was one of the heaviest bands of it's time musically and lyrically. Can you tell me what influenced your sound?

John: You have to understand that it was 1994 and  hardcore music was getting a heavier metal sound with mosh beats and moving away from its punk roots. Everyone wanted to move the crowds and sound a little like Earth Crisis or Integrity. That's were Grimlock, Hatebreed, Holdstrong, After Shock, Overcast and the like were born and got our riffs. It came about which band could do it better than the others.

Are there any specific vocalists that inspired you to front a band?

John: My influences were a combination of three people. Phil Anselmo of Pantera had the voice and "tough guy" look that I emulated, Jim Morrison of the Doors had the lyrics and mystique and magnetism that I tried to project and Marky Mark had the physique I patterned mine after.

I've heard stories about how crazy Grimlock shows would get, could you tell me about any Grimlock shows that really stood out to you? What about your first show?

John: There is no doubt we were one of the craziest bands around when it came to intensity and showmanship. I couldn't tell you how many singers came up to me and asked me for advice (and a lot of the singers are in the big bands today). But I'll let this quote about us from a magazine tell it better than I could:

"Saw them in Toledo, the singer picked my friend up over his head and threw him into the crowd. He was also climbing on top of some of the arcade games in the venue during their set. I was really young and skinny. Seeing Grimlock in an uncontrolled environment was pretty frightening and awesome. The singer was raging HARD on some roids I'm sure."

After Crusades Of Reality you guys went on a bit of a hiatus between then and when Crusher came out, what was the reason behind that?

John: We were incredibly hard working and played everywhere. I wanted a break from the constant touring and from the other band members.

After Crusher came out how long were you guys around?

John: After our third and final album "Crusher" came out in 2003, we did a small tour through America and it was highly successful. We were primed and ready for the big time and big money because the music was starting to break into the mainstream. We all could feel the shift. But my girlfriend at the time got pregnant and I wanted to see the birth of my daughter and be with her. Predictably, it didn't go over well with the other band members. But I did it for me and it still remains to this day, the best decision I ever made. Words cannot describe the happiness I felt when I held my daughter in my arms.

What's your personal favorite Grimlock release/track? Why?

John: Crusher is our definitive album and I consider it our only album because I hate the others (I don't even own them). I also think it's one of the best hardcore albums period. We had our best lineup during that time so musically we killed it. I do wonder how good our next album would've been because we were on a creative roll.

I've heard  that Knives Out Records from Europe is doing a reissue for you guys, any info on that?

John: I don't know much about it. Get me a record and a shirt if you can.

What's life like for you now?  Do you still keep in contact with any of the other members?

John: Today I write for three national comic magazines; ALTER EGO, BACK ISSUE, and THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR from TwoMorrows Publishing. I'm a comic and collectibles dealer (I do all the comic conventions all over the country) and a collectible public speaker and appraiser. But most of all, I'm a proud father.

I still get offers every few months to play gigs, sing on albums or at weddings (which I think is hilarious), invitations to concerts, etc. but I out of the scene today. No matter how much money I'm offered, it's just not my thing anymore. The part I like is when new bands contact me and send me their versions of Grimlock songs that they play. I like that and it's great that our music is still out there in the world.

I only keep minimal contact with my ex-band mates. We are all FB friends, but that's it. I'm not really close to them any more.

I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview! Is there anything you'd like to add?

John: In the words of Vincent Van Gogh: As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

And I have lived my friend...

Interview with Kris Wiechmann

So first off, can give me kind of a rundown about you? What was your role in the scene? What all bands were you in?

Kris: I was a socially awkward headbanger. My only 2 friends had already quit school. I played guitar and had a short run jamming with a few kids who all belonged to the Jehovahs witnesses cult/church which ever term they prefer. Their parents eventually kicked me out I think. I was into Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, The Misfits, Black Flag, Suicidal tendencies etc. There was just no way they were gonna put up with me. Earth Crisis at the time was actually a side project band that the guys in Framework were doing but when the All out war 7 inch came out that was all she wrote. That shit landed and hit harder around here than anything before it and anything ever since for that matter. At that time I was in a band called Soulstice with my good buddy Kris Fuller. We weren't really very good at all but we got to play shows out of town and had a lot of fun. Eventually I quit that band to join who I always thought was the best hardcore band in Syracuse, Infusion. By the time I joined them they had changed their name to Blood Runs Black, but that was the first time in my life that I was really satisfied with the music I was doing. Somewhere around this time Kris started the band Green Rage. I played bass for their first gig. We were horrible. I was sucked into the whole vegan/straightedge cult like so many others and eventually was asked to join Earth Crisis. That was the time of my life back then. Funny to think of now. I think about those times a lot actually. Getting old fuckin sucks.

What bands did you guys draw influence from? 

Kris: Well there was definitely the metal stuff that I mentioned earlier, Metallica being the most influential. But even before I discovered metal I was into mostly rock bands from the 70s and early 80s like Bad company, ZZ top, Lynyrd Skynrd, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc. The Earth Crisis guys turned me on to the Cro-Mags whom I immediately loved but other than that there wasn't much hardcore that I was really ever turned on by. I liked Cypress Hill, N.W.A., and The Wu-Tang clan as far as the hip hop scene went. I like all kinds of music.

Can you give me a brief description of what the Syracuse hardcore scene was like at the time? What kind of set the stage for Green Rage/Gatekeeper?

Kris: The scene back then was Earth Crisis. That's all there is to it. Green Rage it seems tried to be the new Earth Crisis but really had no idea what they were up against. Same thing with Gatekeeper. It really became a pretty sad display. I think the mentality was pretty much like, "We're more vegan than you" type shit. You gotta remember though, this is going way back and everyone was very young. The scene in Syracuse got ridiculous and out of control. I personally take the blame for alot of it. I was a punk. and showed alot of disrespect.

So you joined the band whenever they became Gatekeeper, correct? What was it that made you guys make the transition from bands?

Kris: I was never in the band Gatekeeper. I have been associated with the band Green Rage only because I played bass at their first gig.

So who all was in Green Rage and were there any other bands associated with those members? 

Kris: Green Rage was Justin - vocals, Dave Maze - guitar, Andy Boac - bass, and Kris Fuller - drums. The band was actually born out of a failed attempt to start a band called Uprising, which was always really more of an embarrassment than a band. Uprising had a song called Green Rage.

What was the reaction from the scene when the Green Rage 7" dropped? Did kids go nuts whenever they heard the intro to Declaration? 

Kris: I really don't think that any one around here took it seriously at all. As far as musicianship is concerned they might've been the worst band that has ever existed. If I'm correct, they played 2 shows in Syracuse, one with me on bass that was a total bomb, and the other opening up for somebody who actually drew a crowd. Now the second show, I have to admit was very high energy and definitely cool to watch. For the most part though Green Rage was not taken too seriously around here at all.

Did Green Rage play any shows? 

Kris: I'm pretty sure that they only ever played those two gigs.

Can you give me a timeline from when Green Rage was active?

Kris: I can remember being a junior in high school and Kris playing me the demos in the hallway at school so that would make it 94. I don't think that they were even active more than maybe a year and a half.

Reflection Records put the Green Rage 7" out, any info on them? 

Kris: From what I remember Reflection was Shane Durgees label. Shane was one of the coolest guys around back then. Last I heard he was out west somewhere.

What was the inspiration for all the different cover artworks for it? 

Kris: Who the hell knows. I always wondered that too.

Can you explain why "Fuck Chris Fuller" is engraved into the 7"?

Kris: Before the 7 inch was even out Kris quit the band. We would always bust on him for being in the band and I think that maybe he got sick of it. They hated him for it.

From articles I've read online it seems like Justin O'Hare was kind of hard to work with, why was that? 

Kris: Justin was an angry dude. I think he was frustrated with the band scene. He never really had an opportunity to play with more experienced musicians. Add that to the fact that he had a wicked short fuse and he could pretty much kick the shit out of any of us. You cant expect to run a band that way. I hope he's happier these days. Last I heard he was still playing guitar.

What are the guys from Green Rage up to now? Are you still in touch with any of them? 

Kris: I text back and forth with Kris once in awhile, goofy shit mostly for laughs. He lives in N.Y.C. I look in on Dave every so often by way of Facebook. He lives in Thailand now. Cant really speak to what the other guys have been up to, best wishes to them though.

Bringing this to a close, the 90's hardcore sound has had a serious comeback in the past few years with so many cool new bands. Do you think the Green Rage 7" really stands the test of time?

Kris: No, I really don't. It's fucking terrible. But, what do I know? I was only there

Disembodied

^{So I did this interview with Aaron of Disembodied back in April of last year. It was conducted via email over a couple of days. I have printed copies of it in my zine, Life of a Spectator, but I figured it'd be cool to throw it up on this blog for everyone to read.} 

^{To start off the interview, where do you think you would be if Disembodied were never a band?}

^{Aaron: Eh, I don’t really think along those lines. I believe everything happens for a reason. Disembodied had a huge impact on my life. So many enriching life experiences, so many places I would have never been to, so many different people I would have never met; I would have never met my fiancé or moved to NY had it not been for Disembodied.}

^{Can you tell me about how Disembodied got started?}

^{Aaron: Disembodied got started back in the winter of ’95.  Joel, Tara, and I were in a hardcore band previous to Disembodied and were looking to do something a lil heavier than what we were doing at the time. We met Justin at some different hardcore shows and had seen him perform in his old band “Rain.” When they eventually broke up, we knew we had our drummer.}

^{How do you think the lyrical content has changed from the start to finish of the band?}

^{Aaron: Lyrically, Disembodied was always very personal. Dealing with frustrations I had with the outside world and with relationships. Towards the end I think I branched out a little more and got more topical such as the ignorance of religion and blind faith. But I would say for the most part I wrote from a more personal standpoint but I always wanted people to transpose my lyrics upon themselves and draw their own conclusions.}

^{Disembodied broke up once before. Can you explain that break up in terms of this break up. Does it feel any different or more final this time?}

^{Aaron:  The first time Disembodied broke up was on pretty bad terms. We were all very frustrated with each other and our egos suffice to say had run amuck. We didn't even play a "final" show. We were just done. This time around I like to think was on more mutual terms. I think in the end, as much as we tried, we just found it too hard to feel a cohesive unit with myself living on the east coast and the rest back in Minneapolis. We thought (as many bands do these days) we could keep it alive by playing a few shows here and there. However in the end I think we found it too hard to keep the chemistry alive. I guess I wouldn't have minded recording our final few songs before calling it quits. But obviously the rest of the band did not have the same sentiments.}

^{What were the main goals Disembodied wanted to accomplish by coming together as a band? Do you think you reached those goals?}

^{Aaron: As far as our main goals or objectives were in Disembodied I can only speak for myself but I think everyone in the band would agree that really we just wanted to be the "heaviest" band in hardcore. I don't know if we achieved that or not but some would argue we did. Many bands were similar to us with "metallic" elements but I think we may have one of the lowest tunings in hardcore. As far as myself, I always just used the band as an outlet to vent my frustrations upon the world and have as much fun as I could in the process. I decided I didn't want to do it anymore when I wasn't having fun anymore.} 

^{Looking through the album artwork and lyrical content, I've noticed a reoccurring use of vampires. Was this symbolism for a deeper meaning within the songs or would you say that vampire culture was a theme for Disembodied?}

^{Aaron: Honestly we always just thought vampires were cool. I'm a big fan of Anne Rice's romantic symbolism.  Interview with a Vampire to this day is still one of my favorite flix.  I used Vampirism as a metaphor for the blood suckers that have crossed my path in my days.} 

^{Being a band in the 1990's, socio-political issues were a huge theme for many hardcore bands. Do you believe this had any effect on your music?}

^{Aaron: It was hard not to be influenced by the socio-political era of the scene back in those days personally. But Disembodied was never a political band.}

^{You spoke earlier about how most Disembodied lyrics were from a personal standpoint. What do you feel was the most personal Disembodied release for you? Could you tell us a little bit about why it was so personal?}

^{Aaron: All of Disembodied's releases were very personal to me. Reflecting different aspects of who I was when that record was recorded. But I would have to say Heretic is probably MOST personal to me just because of what I was experiencing when those lyrics were written.  The breakdown of my marriage as well as the slow disintegration of the band.}  

Are there any specific shows that Disembodied has played that stood out to you? Why? Could you tell us a little about the first show Disembodied ever played?

^{Aaron: Ya know we played a lot of great shows with some amazing bands in our heyday. California was always great to us in the past as well as more recently. But having the honor to headline the first day of the "Burning Fight" festival a few years back would have to take the cake. Headlining over so many bands that were so influential in their time was truly an amazing experience. Sharing the stage with "Unbroken" in London was pretty mind blowing as well.  Seeing as how they had been a major inspiration for me personally wanting to become a front man for a band and being a major influence on Disembodied as a whole. Which kind of answers your next question.}

Are there any specific bands who inspired you to front a band?

^{Aaron: There are other bands that have been a huge influence on me as well. I've always found a great deal of inspiration from Chino Moreno of "Deftones".  More than any other band. The range of his voice. From his crooning singing style going from a soft singing part to a screeching scream. Lyrically he is very metaphorical which I have always tried to mimic. But mostly just knowing how to use lyrics to fit the overall "mood" of a song is truly an art form. I think "Deftones" better than many bands out there know how to marry the dynamic of melody and heavy with precision. Part of the reason that band will stand the test of time where many bands in the same genre are already dying out or are so forgettable. There are so many others but I would say "Deftones" more than any other had the most impact on me and still does to this day.}

^{Are there any current bands that you are listening to that you would like to recommend?}

^{Aaron: I listen to a lot of different styles of music depending on my mood. There are so many good bands out there these days and with our current technological revolution we are in finding these bands is easier than ever. But you still have to dig. But as far as the "heavy" stuff here's what I've been listening to as of late:} 

^{1) Fall of Efrafa: The Warren of Snares Trilogy. I've been truly addicted to this band ever since I found out about them a few years ago over in Europe. The story is inspired by the book "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. a story about the exile and redemption of a small band of rabbits in England.}

^{The records really runs the gambit stylistically. From D-beat hardcore to post-metal doom with cello. Unfortunately I found out about them after their demise.} 

^{2) Light Bearer: Lapsus. The vocalist from "Fall of Efrafa"s new band. They kind of pick up where "Fall of Efrafa" left off but more evolved. This record is sheer genius in my opinion. Pick it up if you’re a fan of slow heavy music.}

^{3) Trap Them: Darker Handcraft.  Sheer brutal metallic politically inspired hardcore. Like being bludgeoned by a thousand war hammers all at once.}

^{4) Defeater: Empty Days and Sleepless Nights. Truly a rare gem in the sphere of "new school" hardcore. The 3 acoustic songs at the end are a special treat.}

^{5) Struck by Lightning: Serpents. Great for head banging from beginning to bitter end.}

^{There are so many more...but these have been my personal faves for the past year or so.}

^{Oh I can't fail to mention Meshuggah's latest: Koloss is a force to be reckoned with.} 

^{Can you tell us a little about your new band Enskye? How does the music differ from the music that Disembodied played?}

^{Aaron: Well first off Enskye is considerably more melodic than Disembodied ever was. There are certainly aspects that are similar but for the most part Enskye is a bit of a departure from the heavy down tuned demon of the "Dis". We really are shooting for a lot of dynamic in our song writing process.  We want there to be a stark contrast between our melodic parts and our heavy parts. So when there is heavy it sounds even heavier and vice versa. Lyrically I'm trying to "step-out" of myself a bit. As opposed to writing very personal lyrics as before. I'm trying to write a bit more thematic and dare I say poetic with Enskye. For example I drew influence from John Milton's "Paradise Lost" on our newest endeavor.}

^{What were your main inspirations for starting a post-metal type band? What can we expect from Enskye in the future?}

^{Aaron: I've always been an avid fan of the genre. Bands like Neurosis, ISIS, Cult of Luna. Etc. There is a great deal to be said about a driving melody as opposed to just chuggah, chuggah all the time. I've been very attracted to the overall dynamic of bands like this for a long time. Disembodied certainly had these elements to a degree but at the same time was limited only by the genre we were lumped into. Our fans had certain expectations. The great thing about starting a new band is all expectations go out the window and with the "post-metal" genre it allows us to be as experimental as we want to be. I mean we even had a banjo on one track as well as sung melodies.  I'm really excited to see what kind of evolution the band will go through. Hopefully it will surprise people and we'll be able to add something fresh to the ever expanding genre.   We will be releasing our album "Eosphorus / Quintessence" for free download in the very near future. Check us out on our Facebook page if you’re interested.} 

^{Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, I appreciate it! Is there anything else you'd like to add?}

^{Aaron: No I don't think so. Thanks for interviewing me. This will probably be my last interview with Disembodied. But if you ever want an interview for Enskye. Let me know.}