This Hardcore/Punk (with elements from different music styles and a more varied sound that the standard on the genre) band at the 80's vibe, was formed almost by coincidence, by the aforementioned Mike and Phil. Soon after released an homonymous EP, but hasn't been until this 2010 when this "all-star band" has release their first full-length album, "Insecurity Notoeriety";a work with fury and DYI attitude all around. We have the chance of getting in touch with the band', Mike IX Williams (singer for EYEHATEGOD as well, among other projects), who explains all the quartet's history and their future plans.- Hi Mike, first of all thanks for taking the time. A little after the band’s album; what’s ARSON ANTHEM currently up to?
Sure, no problem, glad to do it. Anyway, yeah we're just planning a short USA tour and checking out peoples reaction to the new record!
- Before getting into your album I would like to start with a band’s introduction: how did it get together, when and why it was formed, etc.
Well, me and Phil have known each other forever since we were kids and have wanted to get a band together since then as well. So in 2005 Hurricane Katrina happened and destroyed New Orleans and I was misplaced and homeless and was just getting out of jail and I had lost everything so Phil said I could live out here on his property in the guest house and we started hanging out again everyday and listening to and burning old music I had lost. The time was perfectly ripe for us to jam and we got Hank III's ass down here and Collin Yeo on bass and went to fucking work, knocking out a the whole first EP in less than a week from riffs that everybody had in stock. After that it wasn't such a retro thing, it was more like, let's live in the now and make Hardcore sounds from waaay back but more modern and we all wrote songs and riffs and it came together. A total disregard for what other folks think...
- And how did you come up with its name? What does it mean?
I actually had a dream and the words were in there,but we were already trying to come up with something simple yet conveying a feel of old school Punk and it got thrown around and it really stuck. It's got the image of setting the house on fire and carrying that banner into the night, proud and screaming... Fucking sick hardcore.
- You guys sound as a Hardcore/Punk band from the 80’s, even with some Thrash elements. Why did you decide to play that kind of music? Did you grow up listening to that type of bands? It seems is, somehow, a tribute to that decade.
Of course we grew up listening to all that stuff when we were younger, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Adolescents, Zero
Boys, Jerry's Kids, Germs, Void, Sheer Terror, Die Kreuzen, State of Alert, Gang Green, Agnostic Front et al but also Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Sodom, Exodus, Destruction, Bathory etc... Like I was saying the first record is more of a tribute but this album I feel is just a new band playing what we want to hear, which just happens to be a throwback to earlier days. We're all very happy with the way it came out.- Do you think things could have been different for you if the band have came out during the 80’s?
This was the group I always wanted to have in the 80's, y'know when I was involved in the scene of that day; tape trading and doing fanzines and blasting Hardcore Metal and Punk, fueled up and all of that, but obviously it couldn't have happened then. But there is a moment for everything, and AA came together at the exact right time... I had Hardcore Punk and Thrash bands back then but none ever reached the level we have with this one.
- AA has a great line-up, do you think you’ll have a broader public into the Metal scene thanks to Phil Anselmo? And into the Extreme Metal scene because of you and Hank (besides Phil)? Hank also has a strong Country career, so I guess some of his “Country” fans will try AA as well…
Obviously and of course Phil's gonna draw more mainstream fans to AA and vice-versa. We've had fans of each of our bands come to shows and try and see what it was all about sometimes with mixed results, positive and negative but at least nothing in between. I'd rather people either love us or hate us than be ambivalent. At one gig in Nashville a Country fan of Hank's came out and was so angry at the music he tried to start a fight with our security guys! Funny thing is after we finished playing he bought a t-shirt... So it is possible to win over stubborn close minded people.
- EYEHATEGOD and AA play totally different music styles; what does AA provides you that EYEHATEGOD can’t and vice versa?
They are both terroristic outlets and very cathartic for me. I love both bands tremendously, so I cant really separate the feelings I have for each. The differences in the music are obvious and both provide me with a certain kind of mental and physical creative challenge..
- “Insecurity Notoriety” is your first full-length album. Why did you wait all these years to release it?
It took a while to get out since its on Phil's own Housecore Records and there were a few bugs to work out as far as distribution and other releases etc.. We wanted to get out the Warbeast LP, the Evil Army LP and the Haarp stuff.
- And do you feel excited about this debut or are you just used to it?
Oh, I'm totally excited about it. I will be for a long time as I think this is a fun sick angry raw record that we are very proud of.
- How has been the feedback for the album so far? I guess some people will be waiting to hear a second PANTERA or EYEHATEGOD, and the AA’s sound has nothing to do with it.
Yeah like I kind of said before, people will maybe expect a certain type of sound but should open their ears and at least check it out. Any fan of a hard fast sonic attack will love it but it's of course nothing like our other groups except for the heavy aggressiveness. The feedback so far has been great, fans from all over the world are spreading the hate.
- The sound on the album is similar (in style and attitude) to the sound on the “Arson Anthem” EP but improved, sounds more professional…
We really put a lot into the song writing since we all contributed and wrote songs, and me and Phil did the same with the lyrics; put a ton of time into making them interesting and bizarre. The sound this time too is not as fuzzed out but still remains nasty and the structures not as simple for the most part, so yeah I guess you could say more professional but with a more fucked up attitude and sense of chaos.
- The album has been released by Phil’s label, Housecore Records; how positive is that for you as a band? I mean, I guess that gives you more freedom and confidence than working with someone who’s not involved in the band.
Absolutely. Most record labels are a tool of the devil so its amazngly nice to have 100% total freedom. This label is completely devoted to the bands and will put out some amazing recordings in the coming future.
- When listening to your music I have the feeling you’re a bunch of guys just wanting to have fun. What are your aims to get with ARSON ANTHEM?I'd say fun is a priority, but at the same time we want to bust your eardrums with the noise...
- All of you play in bands of such different styles. So I’m wondering what are your main influences as singer?
I have favorite vocalists but I don't really try to emulate any of them y'know. I love old Alice Cooper, H.R. from Bad Brains, Paul Rodgers from Free & Bad Company, old Rod Stewart, Dez Cadena and Ron Reyes from Black Flag, John Brannon from Laughing Hyenas and tons more. As far as influences I think I draw a little bit from here and there but also smoking and drinking wine and vodka don't hurt either. Also screaming at my girlfriend is always very good practice.
- Will be a tour possible for ARSON ANTHEM? I bet all of you have busy schedules… Do you see any chance of touring Europe anytime?
Believe me we are trying, but like you said its really hard with everybody's schedules. We are all trying to keep busy with all our bands and work a few tours into the works. For example I have OUTLAW ORDER and another project called CLASSHOLE and an experimental dark evil noise electronics duo called THE GUILT OF..., Hank has his deal going on which is basically three different bands, Collin is in PONY KILLER, and Phil has all kinds of shit he's working on including a new solo project he's fleshing out as we speak.
- I read the band started as a side project of you, Hank and Phil; is it still like this? Or does it have become an established band?
It always starts as side project and then evolution takes off and who knows what could happen. I just look at it as which band I'm working on at any given time is what I'm giving my million percent to. I would consider ARSON ANTHEM as an established group however.
- This interview’s mainly focused on AA, but I guess some people might be wondering what’s going on with EYEHATEGOD? Since your last full-length studio album came out in 2000.
We've been through a lot since that LP came out but actually we put out "Preaching the End-Time Message" in 2003. Hurricane Katrina set us back a few years and Jimmy Bower being in DOWN has has stopped us from properly writing a new full length and a number of other problems we have faced but we have six or so songs together to bring in the studio when we get it going. We've been super busy for years since the storm and have toured Europe twice and the America numerous times. We are touring the USA again in December and doing the Euro- fests in June.
- After all these years into the music scene, is still there any goal you would like to get you haven’t yet?
I've in bands since I was fifteen years old and I've done quite a lot but there are a ton more places to go, places to play and goals to conquer. I want to tour the Earth and do as much as possible before we expire. Life is too short and I want to do it all.
- What’s the best and the worst thing of being into it? Have you ever thought of quitting?
There are times when I've been frustrated and wondered what I was doing this for but it always comes back around to my love for music, extreme and otherwise. I'll keep making sounds and writing forever even if it's just for me personally in the underground.
- And finally, what are your plans for ARSON ANTHEM?
To take it as far as we can with this band do some shows and write some more and put out more records, its too good to not develop further.
- That’s all, Mike. Thank you again for your time. Now if you want to add any final words to this interview feel free to do it.
Thank to Queens of Steel for the interview!! Cheers! Also my book "CANCER as a SOCIAL ACTIVITY" is currently out of print but will be back in its third printing very soon. Check me out on Facebook and Myspace.com/nolanine and don't forget to go to Housecore Records at > thehousecorerecords.com <
See you soon....
Seen at www.queensofsteel.tk
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