Listen to REVILUTION | SoundCloud is an audio platform that lets you listen to what you love and share the sounds you create.
http://www.soundcloud/revilution
Hello REVILUTION, your new song BASTARD is a true “everyman” anthem. Please tell us about the inspiration and how the riffs and music came together for this kickass song.
Mikey Chavez, bass: Bastard IS a great song written by Dan Seitz.
Marie B, backing vocals: Bastard is a song Dan wrote and has been through some evolution over the years. Now that we have other band members to play the instruments (Dan originally played them all, including lead and backing vocals,) and I sing backup vocals, I’ve been able to tailor a more finished sounding backup vocal to add more dimension to the song.
Dan Seitz, lead vocals, guitar: I was living in my sister’s garage recording my first album when I wrote Bastard. My process is basically pick up an instrument, noodle around a bit, if I come up with a riff I like, try to flesh it out musically. Most of the time, I’ll write a full rhythm section before I try to tackle lyrics, but with Bastard, the words were coming to me as I wrote the rhythm guitar parts. The riff and rhythm felt sort of like angry AC/DC, like a big middle finger to normality and fitting in; they described musically what I’ve felt my whole life. So, the lyrics are semi-autobiographical, with a bit of poetic license (my dad didn’t like the Stones).
Tell us about being an original band from the Los Angeles area. Pros and cons?
Scott Flint, guitar, vocals: The pros are being able to play all the hot clubs in LA. The cons are there are so many bands that are good out there, and that makes fierce competition a must. It’s like “rock & roll combat,” so to speak.
Dan: Audiences and club owners are very open to original music, which is a pro because I don’t want to be in a cover band ever again! One con, though, is that there are 40 bazillion original bands out here, so it’s a bit of work to get heard above all the noise.
Mikey: Well, it’s great to be in an original band from LA. Here are SOME pros and cons. Pros: Hey, it’s LA, what else can you say? You can pretty much find shows to play on your own, as long as you are willing to do the homework yourself (if you’re willing to drive and don’t mind playing for ZERO or negative $). There is about always an opportunity to play in front of different people and meet other musicians. Many different types of venues to play. Cons: Hey, it’s LA. There is a ridiculous number of bands and performers dying to “make it big” who will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, whether it’s playing for $0 or paying to play. These folks are passionate about what they do. Unfortunately, people in the business, such as record companies, managers, producers, etc. are there for the sole purpose of making money (that’s their job). Basically you have “Desire” meeting “Greed,” sometimes not a good combination. But the road less traveled was never easy. Also… Hey, it’s LA!
Marie: Well, “they” say if you can make it in California you can make it anywhere. There are countless bands who perform cover songs so original music is more of a specialty sound. Dan chose to make his mark on (laughing) I mean in the music industry in Southern California because he wanted to make original music and then take over the world. I suppose starting in the entertainment capitol of the world is a good place to start. So, the pros are music listeners are open to original music here, and the atmosphere is conducive to being a performance artist. You can always find great musicians to play with, and if you’re dressed as a zombie for a music video, that’s just normal here. The cons are the competition is fierce and the venues take advantage of that, and there is no handbook on how to be a successful band.
Joe Hernandez, drums, backing vocals: Well, Just moving from Arizona last year, it’s still a little new to me out here. But I think it’s cool that I’m part of the LA music scene now.
Please tell us the last 5 albums you all have (collectively) purchased & the one album in your collections you could never part with & why?
Dan: I have a fairly large music collection, probably somewhere around 5000 albums of different genres and formats. A lot of music I buy is to replace something I already own that’s worn out or a substandard recording, so I buy CDs because they hold up better than tapes or records. The latest CD I bought is a 5-disc set of Suicidal Tendencies. I don’t know how I could pick just one album to keep, but just off the cuff I guess The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” Or maybe Kiss, “Love Gun.” Dude, what are you doing to me??
Marie: What? I don’t think we all even listen to the same let alone 5 albums we all have. Quiet Riot, “Metal Health.” Because that is the album that changed my music taste from Rock to Metal. It spoke to a part of my brain that needed to awaken.
Joe: I’ll have to say for the first album, would be Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” Grew up listening to that album playing drums in my garage. And still do! (laughing) A second one would have to be Pro-Pain, “The Truth Hurts.” I can listen to that album any day of the week, anytime. Love it. Then I have to say Dio, “Last In Line.” Absolute masterpiece in my mind. The Vandals, “Sweatin’ To The Oldies.” My favorite punk album. Last but not least, Metallica, “And Justice For All.” That whole album, just something about it I can’t stop listening to it.
Mikey: Anything by Clutch, Zappa, Zeppelin, Zombie, ZZ, Metallica, Jazz Jam, James Brown, Dean Brown, Ministry, Dolby, Dolphy, Jerry Dunphy and (“The News”). My personal musical interests vary widely from my band mates, there is just too much out there not to listen all you can.
Do all of the members of Revilution write music?
Marie: No. Wait, yes. Not whole songs but our parts in them. Dan, Scott, and I have written whole songs. Me with lyrics, and Dan and Scott with entire scores.
Scott: Dan and I write the music, but Dan writes the majority of the songs, which is fine by me because he’s such a good songwriter.
Joe: Well, kind of. Dan has written the majority of the songs, Scott has written a couple. But since Mikey and I have joined the band… We are a lot different players than what they had before, so technically, yes, we are all writing music.
Touring plans for the New Year?
Marie: Shows are booking up fast.
Dan: Our first gig scheduled for 2019 is at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, and we’re currently looking at potential shows in Arizona, New Mexico, maybe Colorado. Nothing definitive yet, but we’re open to pretty much anything.
Scott: We hope to do a mid-west tour this coming spring.
Joe: Yes, hoping to make it back east to a few states. Stay tuned!
Please tell us about your upcoming gig at The Whisky in Hollywood
Marie: That one is January 23rd, 2019. Performing there is one of our goals. That is also where I learned some of my go-go dancing moves. Once we found out we are booked there, the fellas all came up with the show to perform. I will not be showing my boobs off. Can I say that? Boobs are Las Vegas, right?
Dan: Major bucket list item for me! It’s just going to be a short set, lots of other bands on the bill. It’s a local band showcase thing that they do, but it’s a foot in the door that can hopefully get us bigger gigs opening for bigger acts. For me, I’m excited to stand on the stage that so many of my heroes have stood on before!
Joe: Yes!! Can’t wait for that one! The Whisky A Go Go is definitely a bucket-list venue.
Scott: We are all real excited about the gig, we’re hittin’ ‘em hard that night!
Mikey: It will be a fun show to play. Not really nervous personally. Just another place to play.
Some have said that ROCK is dead. We entirely disagree with songs like Bastard out there. What do you say to the rock doubters?
Joe: Is it really? Don’t have much to say on that. I think everybody likes what they like and doesn’t matter what music’s in style or not, there’s always going to be someone saying negative stuff about it. So I just stay positive and rock on.
Marie: Yes, ROCK is dead. Gene Simmons said so, and he’s a god. No, the thing with Rock music is it will never die. It comes and goes like waves. We are a METAL band, and you kind of have to die first before you can feel METAL music. Metal music is what brings you back to reality in an intense situation. Sort of off the subject of the question, but it’s part of life. Say you just found your nephew is dead or your baby brother. At first it’s a shock. Then you gotta figure out how and why you’re going to go on living without them. Your mind goes everywhere and you have to still pay your bills and get food in the house. You play your music and that helps you put one foot in front of the other and keep going. So to answer your question, as long as there’s human life, Rock music will not die. It’s like oxygen for your emotions.
Mikey: Rock is NOT DEAD, it just smells funny right now. All the drivel passing as music coming out of Hollyweird or wherever is mucking the good stuff up with this chemically overheated and overproduced plastic-smelling stench. All kidding aside, I think there is ALWAYS gonna be someone wanting to rock out. So, NO! El Rock No Esta La Muerte!
Scott: To the doubters, “listen to our music, if you don’t like it you have no business listening to rock in the first place!”
Dan: That’s not my view of it, but I can’t say it didn’t get hurt pretty badly in the ’90s when Grunge and Alternative came out, which has now given way to Hip Hop and Pop. But that’s just the crap you hear on the radio or someone’s Spotify playlist; it’s not a reflection of what’s happening musically, just what’s making money. REAL rock defies convention; your mama hates it, churches condemn it, normal people fear it like sheep fear the wolf. Right now the really good stuff is being played underground; it’s at your local watering hole, on some independent label, being played on college radio and small satellite stations. It’s out there, kicking ass and taking names, but you’re not going to find it by looking where the Normals congregate. It’s smart and it’s weird, so you gotta be smart and weird to find it. I’ll buy you a drink when you get here.
