Plague Bringer - 02-19-11 - Photos

Plague Bringer
Saturday February 19, 2011
The Abbey Pub
Chicago, IL

Plague Bringer:
Greg Ratajczak and Josh Rosenthal
With guests David Reed and Mark Solotroff

Photographs courtesy of Mariah Karson

Slideshow

BLOODYMINDED Live Recap

Friday February 18, 2011
Stonefly Brewing Company
Milwaukee, WI
with Wolf Eyes, Envenomist, Juiceboxxx, and Mildew
BLOODYMINDED:
James Moy - Synth + Vocals
David Reed - Synth
Pieter Schoolwerth - Synth
Mark Solotroff - Vocals + Synth

Saturday February 19, 2011
The Abbey Pub
Chicago, IL
with Frontier, Wolf Eyes, Envenomist, and Plague Bringer
BLOODYMINDED:
Heber Burguete - Synth
James Moy - Synth + Vocals
David Reed - Synth
Isidro Reyes - Synth + Vocals
Pieter Schoolwerth - Synth
Mark Solotroff - Vocals + Synth

Set List:
01. In The Mood
02. Lake Street
03. Porn Lords
04. As If
05. Angel Of Darkness
06. Outside The Gate
07. Mind The Gap
08. Head
09. Shivery
10. Pro-Ana
11. Genital Panic
12. Two Drops Of Blood
13. Leak
14. Within The Walls
15. Chinatown
16. Cost
17. Visiting An Ex-Girlfriend In The Hospital - AIDS Ward
18. Trophy

Does the fact that three more Korg Monotrons and one more Roland MC-202 are non-functional say anything about the sort of weekend that just passed? It is a hint. BLOODYMINDED felt like it was in maximum action mode for these two amazing nights in Milwaukee and Chicago. We were stacked up in such incredible line-ups that we had to deliver a couple of our most full-on sets.

In Milwaukee, Mildew kicked off the night right with a dark, murky dose of psychedelic noise... it had been ages since I last saw/heard a Mildew set, so it was great to share the stage with them. And then, to make sure that people understood that this was a party, not just a show, the energy level was kicked up about 20 notches with an over-the-top set by Juiceboxxx. It has unfortunately been nearly eight years since we last played with this guy and it is clear what a great match we are on certain levels. The most vulgar comparison to use for him would be early Beastie Boys meets Andrew WK. Hi-energy party rap... whatever... the room was alive and well. And then... Envenomist came on and flipped the world back into ice age mode with his frozen, underwater synth tones. And the crowd was with him, every step of the way. Transfixed. I have said it many times before, but I could watch Envenomist over and over and over again. David then stripped down his set-up to one Roland MC-202 (there might as well have been a big target on it -- but it survived, do not worry) and he joined BLOODYMINDED for our spirited set. The 18 songs seemed to go by in a flash, even with all of the gear abuse and physical abuse. What more can I say about our Milwaukee crowds and our Milwaukee friends. Can't we all live in one city together? The energy and the mood really helped us deliver the type of set that we have owed Milwaukee for several years. Long overdue. Sorry for the wait. First song in Milwaukee... Yes, Pieter was in the mood. Swinging his little synth like Roger Daltrey's microphone... Except Daltrey always had an entire fucking roll of tape holding his mic to the chord. We were not so thorough, and the synth went flying into the audience. Luckily, we have learned to travel with back-ups (but they are all gone now). Our thanks go out to the kind young lady who found the Monotron on the floor and brought it back to the stage. Wolf Eyes were up next and they proceeded to creep into the dark and dangerous zone that I remember from their show last year at The Viaduct Theater with Anatomy of Habit -- before bringing out some of the most pummeling aspects of their live mode and crushing the crowd with beats, frequencies, and tortured, throaty moans and groans.

Milwaukee was quite a night, overall. Stonefly is a perfectly-sized spot to play with the ideal stage for BLOODYMINDED to play on. Wide, deep, and with a great launch pad... err... drum-riser. The staff there was really nice and easy-going, too. The PA seemed quite substantial, capable of capturing a full range of frequencies, as required. Thanks to sound guy Alex for the solid work. Great stage mix by James, too. The recording of our set sounds intense...

A heartfelt thanks to all of our friends up there who came out to see us, to support the show, and to celebrate my birthday with me. And thanks for singing to me! What a fucking killer night!!! James did a fantastic job of organizing and promoting what was a really perfect show. Thanks also go to Mike Mildew for his work on kicking the event into gear.

Low key party mode back at James' house with some friends and acquaintances... Where the hell were those pizzas that we ordered? A short night. Comfortably numb in a very warm room, thankfully. A confusing coffee maker. Olson started off the day's musical tone with the score from Nekromantik. Yep, a suitably weird choice. Then it was off to Trocadero for a really tasty brunch before the (almost) easy drive back to Chicago. A homestretch traffic jam meant a quick shower and turnaround was necessary before the early call at The Abbey Pub.

Saturday night was not just full-on whore mode for me, as David got to deflect some of the sticky wetness that comes with that territory. Plague Bringer kicked off the night in furious style, launching into a crushing version of "Impaled Faith" that was the perfect opening salvo for the night. David and I both hit the stage for a really nice duel-Roland MC-202 augmented version of the newer/unreleased epic Plague Bringer song, "One Into Parts," which I have guested on a few times before. I screamed so long and hard at one point that I nearly blacked out. Not smart, considering what was ahead. After Greg and Josh cleared off their mighty PA, and after David battened down the hatches on his equipment, BLOODYMINDED dragged our ailing set-up to the center of the stage and all systems were pretty much "go." It was one of those gotta-go-for-it nights and we opened up both barrels, happily with Isidro adding synth and vocals, along with our secret weapon and security associate Heber on synth. Fuck, if only Xavier could have been there... It would have been beyond historic... Anyhow, it was loud, it was physical... I am still all bruised up, like some battered housewife. Pieter pulled out all of the stops, eventually climbing up on James' synth/mixer table and proceeding to illustrate "Within The Walls" with carefully timed tugs on the massive projection screen that was just within his reach. Thankfully, that did not end up going south, as it easily could have. Frontier may have a fog machine but we have disgusting dust clouds! We charged through our set as fast and hard and loud as we could, before turning the stage over to David, for his third set of the night. And holy fuck, Envenomist over The Abbey Pub's PA was like an extra birthday present. Perfect! What a hat trick of a night it was for David. Hell yes! Then Wolf Eyes set up and they proceeded to destroy. I have to say that the version of "Always Wrong" that they performed on Saturday night was one of the single most impressive Wolf Eyes moments that I have ever seen/heard. It was simply devastating. Nate was on fire and his vocals were the most extreme that I have ever heard them. Amazing! After a cooling down period, Frontier set up, and the opened with their crowd pleasing bruiser, "Truck," complete with 18-wheeler on a foggy night smoke + halogen lights + air horns. I jumped up to sing the same three songs that I did with them back in September (thank you, gents!) before they moved through their serpentine set of noise rock, dubbed-out post-rock, and otherwise unclassifiable forms of experimentation. For me, this was just one of those nights that came together perfectly. Sharing the stage with so many friends who make some of my very favorite music... I could not ask for much more...

A big thanks to all of our friends who came out to join in the fun and grind and noise! Thanks to Sean at The Abbey Pub for hosting the show. Thanks to our friend Matt for keeping the sound loud and clear all night. The same goes to Che Arthur, for Frontier's set and to my band mate Kenny Rasmussen for Plague Bringer's set. After a long, slow breakdown, we made our way over to Pozoleria San Juan for a late night banquet, before heading back to Garfield Park to crash.

The weekend was bookended by several great nights with friends... Delicious dinner and drinks at Blokes & Birds, an all-dayer at Kuma's Corner (I experienced the bacon-fest that is the Earthride), the excellent Mueran Humanos show at Crown Tap Room (their new LP on Blind Prophet is a must), late-night Noise Crush meets Taylor Swift (behind the scenes, of course)/Rihanna YouTube sessions to explain the finer points to some lady friends who had not yet come to terms. What was up with that text to land line weirdness? Pieter flew out early on Monday, after I discovered some of my furniture had been re-arranged by James. Buy why??? A lunch of wild boar Sloppy Joes at Longman & Eagle sort of closed out the extended party, and then we had to say goodbye to David. One more band dinner (Thai comfort food) with James, before Isidro and I crawled off to the practice space (groan) to do work, prior to The Fortieth Day + Noise Crush playing on March 15, which is coming up fast. By the end of Tuesday night's Anatomy of Habit practice, my ears and my psyche had pretty much had it. I need a little more downtime before Friday's Anatomy of Habit show with Running and Bottomless Pit... If I think of anything else, I will let you know...

Flavorpill on 2/19

From Flavorpill

Having disbanded in 2003, local avant-rockers Frontier (not to be confused with Louisville outfit Frontier(s), also playing Chicago this week) took the stage last year for what seemed like a one-off reunion performance. Lucky for fans of experimental music, they're back again tonight at Abbey Pub with more of what made them semi-famous: overdriven guitar drone, ambient-noise detours, wild visual projections, and liberal use of the fog machine. No slouches in the supporting slots, either. Noise "stars" Wolf Eyes, synth frosty Envenomist, electronic punishers Bloodyminded, and grind locals Plague Bringer open.

Time Out on 2/19

From Time Out Chicago

“Noise annoys,” winked the Buzzcocks, but they likely had no idea the level of cacophony that would soon grow out of the collision of punk and the avant-garde underground. Not that the reunited Frontier is strictly a noise act, mind you. Rather, the bricolage-minded group embraces sound in all its shapes, forms and volumes. Detroit’s Wolf Eyes is more visceral and less forgiving, while David Reed’s industrial synth work as Envenomist hearkens back to that sub-genre’s minimalist birth. Bloodyminded brings the maelstrom and Plague Bringer the relentless grindcore.

The Reader on 2/19

From the Chicago Reader

Once upon a time Chicago trio Frontier were as well-known for their audience-pummeling visuals—smoke machines, blinding lights, slideshow projections—as they were for their epic avant-garde blasts. At the Empty Bottle in September, the three members convened from three different states to play their first show since 2003, doubling as a wedding band of sorts—they were celebrating the nuptials of Mark Ferguson, proprietor of Roscoe Village's Hard Boiled Records & Video. Apparently the reunion stuck, because they're playing again February 19 at the Abbey Pub. Frontier will be supported by an all-star lineup of noisy kin, including postindustrial brutalists Wolf Eyes, ambient solo-synth act Envenomist, and local heavy hitters BLOODYMINDED and Plague Bringer.

2/19 Poster

Poster by Josh Davis

Tickets for 2/19

Advance tickets are available at the Abbey Pub (hard tickets) and they are $3.00 less than at the door. Or you can get them online

Status - 12/22

Great work last night at Anatomy of Habit practice. We made major progress on the new song, now tentatively titled "Radiate and Recede," and I think that we have all of the main parts locked in

I am slowly starting to add select non-BloodLust! titles - by artists with releases on BloodLust! - to the webstore. Two Plague Bringer titles are available now. There will be more to come... Please note that I am not starting a full-on distro and I am not soliciting for titles to stock.



Also, special size pre-orders for the Nightmares T-shirt end on 12/31. Paid pre-orders are not necessary for S-XL but they are required for any sizes smaller or larger than that:
Sizes XS-XL: http://bloodshop.bigcartel.com/product/nightmares-t-shirt-pre-order-xs-xl
Sizes 2XL-4XL: http://bloodshop.bigcartel.com/product/nightmares-t-shirt-pre-order-2xl-4xl

Sneak Peek: 02/19/11

Event Links:
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/2cvkugo
Last.fm: http://tinyurl.com/24svyu7
MySpace: http://tinyurl.com/2a52by8

Plague Bringer Photos

Plague Bringer -The Abbey Pub - August 13, 2010 - w/guest Mark Solotroff (synth+vocals)

Mark with Plague Bringer - 8/13

I am happy to announce that I will be joining Plague Bringer again - on synth and vocals - on Friday August 13, at The Abbey Pub... Heavy line-up!



WITCHBANGER [http://www.myspace.com/witchbanger13]
PLAGUE BRINGER [http://www.myspace.com/plaguebringer]
BLOOD OF THE TYRANT [http://www.myspace.com/bloodofthetyrant]
I KLATUS [http://www.myspace.com/iklatus]
LUNGS [http://www.myspace.com/lungsmusica]

Nice review of Plague Bringer/Eyehategod...

Here is a really nice write up of the Saturday show from: http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com/2010/06/skull-at-empty-bottle-for-eyehategod.html

Bands: Eyehategod, Nachtmystium, Plague Bringer, Strong Intention, and Weekend Nachos

Venue: The Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois

Date: June 19th, 2010

By: Skull

“Being quite used to shaking off my buzz and burning the midnight oil while trying to immediately purge memories from a night of live metal, I am somewhat not used to rehashing a couple of days removed. Considering my altered state last Saturday night at the Eyehategod show at The Empty Bottle, I ask for your patience, and maybe even a willingness to turn a blind eye to whatever mistakes or foggy recollections are haphazardly documented in this entry.

Arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the first set, which is horrendously late for me, my lady Kelly and I popped into the adjacent “The Bite Café” for yet another go at their incredible green curry chicken dish. Yes, every single time I hit The Empty Bottle for a show, you will again hear me praise this culinary wonder.

Making our entrance to the club shortly thereafter, we snagged a drink (the first of many) and took a spot towards the back for the first set from up and coming hardcore enthusiasts Weekend Nachos. I was surprised that The Empty Bottle was already more than half full, and the crowd was collecting up close to the stage. WN kicked into a short set of high energy, sludge spattered hardcore with reckless abandon. It took a couple of numbers for me to warm up to them, but the crowd was already well versed and familiar with the guys, giving them a great response. I’m not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I could swear I saw Snyder, their amusing vocalist, check on his cell phone towards the end of the set. I’ve never seen that done before on stage. Awesome.

After a curiously long changeover, and another barley pop later, Strong Intention, a trio from Maryland (?), began their slot. The crowd gave them a wide berth, giving the appearance that they shared my unfamiliarity with the band. I could swear that I heard SI play the first song three times over before they opened up and showed a little more diversity. Playing, at times, a seriously fast mix of hardcore, crossover, and grind, I found myself enjoying the second half of their performance a bit more than the first. The growing crowd, not as enthused as they were with WN, also became more responsive and did give them a more than polite round of applause as SI started breaking down their set.

Smoke. Drink.

Now, Anal Cunt had originally been in the evening’s lineup, and were removed a week or so before the show. I do not know the reason why, but it must have been an act of god (editor: ?), because what we witnessed for the next 40 minutes or so truly blew my mind. Another local act, Plague Bringer, took the stage and captivated the mob with a short set of heavy, riff laden industrial grind. Absorbing the two man act with Greg on guitar and Josh sticking to incredible shrieking vocals backed up by programmed drumming and droning effects, I stood aghast as my jaw hit the floor. Extremely focused on their art, PB gained our full attention and never lost it.

For their last number (“One into Parts,” a yet to be released track), Plague Bringer brought up Mark Solotroff, a prominent figure from the Chicago Industrial/Electronica music scene to assist with vocals. He carried with him a hand held synthesizer that couldn’t have been larger than an iPhone. At first, I thought that it was a camera and he was capturing his viewpoint on video, but I learned later that he was actually contributing something to their overwhelming sound with it. His initial moaning and clean vocal style was in stark contrast, but also very complimentary, to Josh’s delivery. The collaboration was nothing less than amazing. Plague Bringer could have played that one cut alone and I would still have felt the satisfaction of a complete set. As they began breaking down to a generous ovation, I must have looked like I had just seen a ghost. Speaking briefly with Greg later in the evening, I found out that they are in between labels with new material to release.

After stepping outside for yet another carcinogenic fix, we noticed that the club had posted a “Sold Out” sign at the door. The place was now jam-packed for Nachtmystium. Still getting a decent spot, we were then treated to an exceptional set by Blake Judd and company. Playing with ferocity and drive, they killed their home fans with an onslaught of selections from their repertoire. Losing the bass due to a broken string during “A Seed for Suffering”, they still pulled it off professionalism and poise. The new material went over well, although they omitted the curious “No Funeral” from their set list. I was very interested as to what the crowd reaction would have been if they had pulled that one out. Closing up with “One of These Nights/ Assassins,” Nachtmystium left the stage to a huge amount of appreciative applause. My only complaint was that they didn’t have more time.

Returning back inside after another butt, we soon realized our outdoor expedition was ill-advised this time around for there was almost literally nowhere for us to stand to see one of the main pioneers of sludge. Our backs were practically pressed up to the soundboard wall as Eyehategod took to the stage and ripped into “Depress,” kicking off their journey back in time covering “In the Name of Suffering” in its entirety. What can one say about witnessing such a grand event? I sit at the keyboard with almost still hands. Especially since I turned on to EHG later in life, and also due to alcohol poisoning and sheer ignorance, I cannot even account an accurate summation of what they played.

EHG completely saturated the multitudes with filth. Patton’s and Bower’s skull crushing riffs flattened the crowd while Williams’ unique vocal style, and humor, entertained and pumped us up. The floor in front of the stage was a sea of movement with people banging their heads, while also sustaining a pit despite the sheer density of concertgoers that should have prevented it. Head surfing and some stage diving developed, as well, as EHG moved on from their debut full length into a montage of selections from other releases.

There are no highlights, in a manner of speaking, due to the fact that EHG simply did not loosen their grip on Chicago for the entire length of the set. Due to my state of semi-inebriation at the time, I can’t even give you an estimate of the length of EHG’s set, except that it was a good long while. EHG left us tattered and shaken, but craving more. Before leaving the stage, Williams plugged the following night’s return of EHG to The Empty Bottle. Sadly, I would not be able to attend due to holiday obligations, although my mind would spend the entire day trying to unsuccessfully scheme my way around it…”

Saturday Show Photos

Our friend Carmelo Espanola posted a great Flickr photoset from Saturday night's show...

Weekend Recap

My weekend is your month, or some such Lou Reed-ism. I only have a moment, or two, but I wanted to type a few words about the weekend's shows... The whole thing far exceeded my very high expectations. Saturday night at The Empty Bottle was marked by a sell-out/capacity crowd, a really great range of sets overall, a brutal performance from Nachtmystium [whose new album has been stuck on repeat at my place for a few days now... the only thing to dislodge the new Indian Jewelry], and Eyehategod not only playing their groundbreaking first album from start to finish, but then playing a heap of other songs. How the hell do they do it? I had a successful appearance with Plague Bringer, playing synth [yes, the new little Korg Monotron] and doing vocals on their newest, unreleased track. Kenny did our live sound again, which made the whole thing that much better. Major thanks to Greg and Josh for asking me to join them live again... I had an excellent time with them, as before! It was a totally epic night, to say the very least. Yesterday at Reckless went so unbelievably smoothly -- and the potential for meltdown -- this had all been planned via e-mail, telephone, and down-to-the-wire conversation -- quickly became a moot point, as everyone focused on the task at hand, slowly building up layers and layers of sound [synth, bass, guitar, FX...] and voice that lead to a dense and crushing fog of noise that surrounded the crowd. Mike, Joey, Ryan, James, and Isidro all handled their shit as if we all play together on a regular basis. I could not have been more pleased by how we turned "Ten Suicides" into something more... and how that song has developed a life of its own, in a way, with the "naked voice" (a cappella) style, multiple versions with Jason Schuler from Cadaver in Drag, and now this beast. I was also really pleased to see such a great turnout - on Father's Day - and after a VERY late Saturday night blow out. My thanks to everyone who came out to support! Thanks also to Jim Magas for the great PA set-up/live sound support, Dave and Chris at the store for their organization and willingness to host us, Emily at the Broadway store for getting the ball rolling, and Dylan at the Downtown store for the initial hook-up. At one point during the set, I saw smoke out of the corner of my eye and I thought, god damn it Joey, you can't smoke in this store... but then I looked over and he did not have a cigarette... I thought that I had imagined it, but I was later told that the smoke had billowed from one of the speakers. Fuck! We had a great post-show afternoon/evening around Wicker Park, with various friends, and then last night's show at The Empty Bottle was another full-on barn-burner... I only managed to catch the tail end of Yakuza, unfortunately [sorry!]... The Atlas Moth was heavy, raging, and fantastic - tight as hell... Nachtmystium totally slayed again - the new line up is a devastating live force... and then Eyehategod - no surprise, really - played an even more intense set than the night before. Granted, their second album has a different force/velocity to it, but christ, it was such an insane set! It was great to have them in town for two days and to be able to hang out a bit, play the in-store, etc. Cheers to all of them, but big fucking love and thanks to Mike and Joey for all of the extra energy, enthusiasm, and effort to FINALLY make this noise thing happen, after discussing it for years, literally. Great to meet and hang out with Ryan, too! The Guilt Of... CD is just a few weeks away...

The Reader on Eyehategod/Ten Suicides

From: The Reader

saturday19

Few bands do misery like Eyehategod. For the past 20 years or so they've been perfecting a type of hideous, slow-motion sludge metal that crawls and howls like a man shot in the gut, hitting your ears like the distilled essence of human suffering. It's a fitting sound for a band that spent decades lurking in the least savory corners of New Orleans, at least until the city (along with most of the members' homes) was wrecked by flooding and fires after Hurricane Katrina. If you pick apart Eyehategod's music—their 1996 masterpiece Dopesick, reissued in 2006 by Century Media, is a good place to start—you'll find not only Sabbath riffs played at DJ Screw tempos but also traces of doom metal, hardcore, and occasionally southern rock that's been warped and degraded almost past the point of recognition. For any well-adjusted listener it's probably just sickening noise, but for a certain kind of masochist it's nirvana. This two-night stand is Eyehategod's first visit to Chicago since singer Mike IX Williams spent three months in jail on charges related to a trove of pharmaceuticals liberated from a ruined Walgreens after Katrina, during which time he allegedly kicked a heroin habit of mythological proportions. At these two shows they'll be playing the entirety of their first two albums: 1992's In the Name of Suffering on Saturday and 1993's Take as Needed for Pain on Sunday. They haven't released a full-length since 2000, but a new record is allegedly in the works. Nachtmystium (see Sharp Darts), Plague Bringer, Strong Intention, and Weekend Nachos open. See also Sunday. For more on Eyehategod, our Q&A. 8 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $25, $20 in advance. —Miles Raymer

sunday20

Eyehategod will play Take as Needed for Pain in its entirety. Nachtmystium (see Sharp Darts), the Atlas Moth, Yakuza, and Bongripper open. At 3PM two members of Eyehategod, singer Mike IX Williams and drummer Joey LaCaze, will play a free in-store at Reckless Records, 1532 N. Milwaukee, improvising in a one-off noise/electronics group called the Ten Suicides that also includes Mark Solotroff and Isidro Reyes of Bloodyminded. 8 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $25, $20 in advance.

For the record, James Moy is also playing the Reckless show, as is Ryan McKern, who plays with Mike in The Guilt Of...

Check out this new interview in the Reader, too:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/eyehategod-mike-ix-williams-empty-bottle-concert/Content?oid=1981448

Anna Hrjnak

(Eyehategod: Jimmy Bower, Brian Patton, Mike IX Williams, Gary Mader, Joey LaCaze)

On December 5, I was part of a mass of concertgoers who'd packed into the Satyricon, a small, dark bar in Portland, Oregon, to see sludge lords Eyehategod, and early in the night the members of the band were squeezed right in among us. "The more drugs you give us, the longer we'll play," drummer Joey LaCaze told me. Guitarist Jimmy Bower shot back, "He came from Chicago. He doesn't have any drugs." I had, and I didn't.

LaCaze repeated his request to anyone who might be listening, first from the floor of the bar and later from the stage as the band set up. I don't know if Eyehategod ever found or took any drugs—vocalist Mike IX Williams reportedly beat his addiction to opiates in jail after Katrina shut down his methadone program and he was caught with a stash of contraband pills—but once they started playing, around midnight, they didn't stop for more than two hours.

When I e-mailed Williams in May for this interview, he remembered that show well. "Fantastic," he said. "Freezing outside, insane audience, lots of drunken stage diving, someone throwing a bottle and busting my earlobe, some guy grabbing my legs and me punching him in the head, same guy getting pummeled by the crowd, lots of broken glass onstage, lots of people on the stage, chaos, great!"

Williams, Bower, LaCaze, bassist Steve Dale, and guitarist Brian Patton formed Eyehategod in New Orleans in 1988. Though today they're on their fifth bass player, Gary Mader, the lineup has otherwise remained unchanged. For more than 20 years they've blended the syrupy grind of Black Sabbath and the Melvins, the hardcore punk of Black Flag, and their own poisonous mix of intoxicants and misanthropy. They've had a huge role in shaping an entire subgenre of metal, not just as Eyehategod but as members of other influential bands like Down, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity, and Soilent Green.

Eyehategod's current tour ends with two nights at the Empty Bottle, June 19 and 20. On Saturday they'll play 1992's In the Name of Suffering top to bottom, and on Sunday they'll do the same for 1993's Take as Needed for Pain.

You guys have really proved to be a hazard to yourselves and, at times, to your crowds. I think you're one of the last bands going that can create a real sense of danger and threat onstage. Do you think that's true?

Well, I certainly hope so. We've never planned to be dangerous; it's just happened that way, I guess. When we were younger, the shock value of our whole persona combined with an antisober attitude and a true anger and depression manifested itself in this twisted way, much to our delight. Something about this type of music makes people wanna freak the fuck out and go apeshit. If we are and can remain threatening to the mainstream-shit art and music world, so mote it be.

Eyehategod, in some ways, are the closest thing that someone like me, born in the early 80s, has to a Black Flag. There's a similar kind of nervous energy and tension; the shows are physical, confrontational, all about sweat. I know Black Flag were a huge influence. Do you see any similarities?

Thanks, that's a compliment for sure. We definitely all love Black Flag and completely appreciate their ethic of things, like going into survival mode and just flat-out blasting out the sets without care to self or viewer/listener. We do have alcohol fueling our carelessness as well, which is in a whole 'nother category of rockin'. . . . Really, I don't think we even come close to Flag's intensity live, though—but I hope we come close. I've seen them a number of times in the early 80s, especially on the Damaged tour, and honestly nothing even gets near. Greg Ginn and company and the Bad Brains were running neck and neck back then, especially in a live club setting, for sheer bristling hardcore terror.

What are you looking to get out of an audience?

It's nice when they have some energy and ain't afraid to interact and show us the love. Any band will tell you they feed off that energy. We don't necessarily need that, though. If there are five people getting into it, that's fine. Hopefully the sheep will always follow.

What audience encounters have stuck with you over the years?

Too many to say—memory is failing. In the old days more so: naked lesbians, broken microphones, getting attacked, stitches, naked crowd members in general, angel dust, violence, LSD, hurt feelings, bass player in a rabbit suit . . .

Your writing is pretty abrasive, and seems to come largely from a place of anxiety and depression, poverty and addiction. How big an influence have those things been?

They've basically been there my whole life. However cryptic some of my words may be, it all comes from a very real place and I have found personally that the bad things in life generate some sort of mechanism to let it all out at a later date, blow off the evil steam. It's all part of the creative process.

You've also said that some of your writing is influenced by your childhood. Can you tell me a little about it?

I hate playing some sort of pity card, but my childhood wasn't exactly a bed of roses. Of course that's gonna affect my writing in some way. Growing up in North Carolina wasn't a lot of fun, I suppose. From a young age I would watch my dad beat my mom, fire guns off, beat my ass for no reason after we would come home from fucking church, stash his porn and booze bottles all over the house. You know, junk like that. My mom died when I was nine, dad at 11. My older brother committed suicide a week after my dad passed. Those are just the things I can talk about. I do remember the good times too, however. But anyway, what you gonna do? Life is life.

At what point did you end up in New Orleans?

In 1977.

I've been there many times; it's a beautiful city. How strong an influence has that been?

I would say 100 percent. The love I have for this city is like no other. Of course like any relationship it's love-hate. New Orleans can be dark and messy, and hedonism exists around every corner. The debauchery, crime, and corruption is easy to get caught up in, and can bring you under. But NOLA holds a place in my heart that no one can take away. I've flirted with other cities like SF, NYC, Berlin, London, et cetera, but I will always come back to my beloved city that care forgot on the Mississippi.

Can you tell me about the aftermath of Katrina, and how you ended up in jail?

I stayed through the storm. Things got bad, like no 911—people were dying and houses burning. I realized I had to get out. I acquired a car and some drugstore pharmaceuticals, left town, and got busted in a motel in a small shit city west of NOLA. Ended up doing five months in the parish and got a shitload of probation.

How has that whole experience changed you?

As far as the city as a whole, it's brought us all together closer as a family I think. As for me personally, it's made me a stronger person, made me think about life and relationships, made me appreciate certain things.

How has getting clean affected your writing?

Not at all. I used to think maybe it was the drugs helping me write this way, but it's not. I'm still a pissed-off, confused bastard, and have the same emotions I've always had—maybe even more since they aren't numbed by painkillers.

You've traveled a lot, from Mexico to Europe to Japan. What sorts of things have you seen while traveling, and how has it affected your view of the world?

Everyone should travel, it opens your mind. I get sad when I see these people who are older and have never left their little towns and most likely never will. I love it. It's something I wanna do forever. Well, till I can't do it anymore. Traveling is a constant education of cultures, environment, and architecture.

It's been five years since your latest release—the Preaching the "End-Time" Message comp—and ten since your most recent full-length. Why the big gap?

Hurricane Katrina obviously, drug problems, record-label bullshit, personal and legal troubles—I'm not the only one who has seen the inside of the local courthouse.

There's now talk of a new album. What can you tell me about that?

Not much. We're writing new material and we have about five, six songs finished without vocals. We don't even have a record label right now.

In the past you've referred to the many twisted stories surrounding the recording of all of your albums. Can you tell me any?

Well, everyone in the group is a fucking weirdo. And all our friends are weirdos, so it's like a retarded circus when we all get together. Going into the studio is an experience not unlike playing live, except it has added delirium from being isolated in some place for hours and hours at a time.

You recently played the first two albums in their entirety at Emo's in Austin. What was that like?

Great, man. Packed house. We were onstage for over two hours. We even did like three songs from Dopesick.

Why did you decide to end your current tour in Chicago?

I love Chicago, so it just makes sense. Me and Joey LaCaze, our drummer, are also gonna be involved in an improv noise/electronics in-store at Reckless Records on Sunday. That will also feature Mark Solotroff and Isidro Reyes from Bloodyminded and Ryan McKern from my other project the Guilt Of . . . . We're billing it as the Ten Suicides.

I've also read about an Eyehategod book.

That's something that's hard to get together, but we're trying bit by bit. It basically takes everybody digging up any old photos, articles, flyers, et cetera. What we need is someone to curate and help us produce this book, someone to interview us and get it all together. We can be lazy sods if we ain't motivated properly.

Can you share one of the more colorful stories?

You mean like hallucinating from staying up for days on end shooting coke and huffing carpet cleaner? Getting attacked by skinheads in Detroit? Kicking methadone in jail? So many things have gone down while I've been in this band, both fantastic and horrible. I mean this has been half of my entire life, this EHG thing. But we're not out to prove anything like "What's the sickest thing you've seen or done." There is a preconceived notion about us, but we are all very nice southern gentlemen. Anyway, we're saving those stories for the book.

What do you think sets you apart from the bands who talk the talk but don't necessarily walk the walk?

I don't know, bro. All I know is that we're honest, down-to-earth people who just wanna have a good time. As I said before, we are who we are. We evolved like this as humans. This Eyehategod band is a group of great friends who have been through hell and back and we're all the better for it—crushing the population with pounding riffs, squelching feedback, and a laryngitis voice. The fact that we're still around and breathing after 20-plus years proves that we are real. You can tell fake motherfuckers when you see 'em. They're pitiful.

Last words?

Buy my book of dark negative poetry, Cancer as a Social Activity, at thehousecorerecords.com. Record labels, publishers, book writers, movie producers, drag queens, pill freaks, get in touch with me at myspace.com/nolanine. Also look out for my other bands: Arson Anthem, the Guilt Of . . . , and Outlaw Order.

Plague Bringer with Eyehategod

Plague Bringer has been added to Saturday's Eyehategod show at the Empty Bottle and Greg and Josh kindly asked me to join them again, on synth and vocals, on a new song that we previously did together on Thanksgiving Eve at Cobra Lounge.

BloodLust! sold out of Plague Bringer

I meant to post this the other day, but BloodLust! is totally out of the Plague Bringer "Burning Inside" box set. The band still has a small number on hand for their upcoming Chicago and Milwaukee shows. I was just told that the Reckless Records store in Wicker Park will have the final few copies on hand from the stock that all three locations started with this past Saturday. Thanks to everyone who enthusiastically supported this release! It was a great project to work on, all the way around...

Plague Bringer at Reckless

(Photo by Blake Edwards)

There was an excellent turnout at Reckless Records yesterday for Plague Bringer's Record Store Day show and the band sounded great. And at the last moment, when the packed crowd thought that they were finished, Greg announced that they were going to play "Burning Inside," much to the enthusiastic crowd's approval. I believe that this was only the second time that they played the song, the other time being the very first time that Isidro and I saw the band, when they appeared with Prurient at Transmission Gallery in June of 2004 (!). Von Leutch and I ran over to Beard Papa's for a chocolate custard cream puff and a nice shot of Illy espresso, and I had to be content to watch Sweet Cobra from outside the store, rather than fight through the crowd to get back inside. Bassist and vocalist Botchy Vaquez rewarded the sidewalk audience by popping out of the store a couple of times, once even with his microphone stand. Fun day! Thanks to everyone who came out to support the band and the special "Burning Inside" box set!!

Our AoH band mate Blake shot some photos, more of which can be seen in a Flickr set, here

BlackBerry Snapshots of Plague Bringer Box Set

After a marathon session last night, the Plague Bringer box sets are all assembled and they are being dropped off at the three Reckless Records stores today, in preparation for tomorrow's Record Store Day event, featuring Plague Bringer live at the downtown store. Here are some low-quality BlackBerry snapshots of what the boxes look like. This is definitely one of the most elaborate BloodLust! releases ever...