Hanging out with the Burn and Cry, New York City based Metal Band and their newly released self titled album.
Eric Eckelman / Salt Piranha / Drums
Pancho Garza / Etherwulf / Guitar
Kevin Mackall / Vaporworm / Bass & Backing Vox
Mike Marco / Lead Luminous / Lead Vox
Pancho Garza / Etherwulf / Guitar
Kevin Mackall / Vaporworm / Bass & Backing Vox
Mike Marco / Lead Luminous / Lead Vox
Burn and Cry
Metal Kel: 1. Hey guys what’s up? I love the new album, btw.
Burn & Cry: -Thank you!
-Gracias.
Metal Kel: First, thanx for taking the time to talk with Hollywood Music TV.
-Thanks For having us.
Metal Kel: 2. Lets start with the basics. Like your names, do you prefer to go by your given names, or stage names? (which are very unique I must say),in day to day life?
Burn & Cry: -I morph between my given name and Vaporworm, depending on the circumstances. I’ll answer to either. -I Will answer to Marco and Lead.
Metal Kel: 3. How did you come up with them?
Burn & Cry: -I come up with the names under the influence of medieval natural philosophy and esoterica.
Metal Kel: 4. What do they mean?
Burn & Cry: First, they are all based on arcane elements.
-The balance and union of opposites.
I hope they all mean something different to each band member.
To me, Vaporworm represents the Dual House of spirit and matter…or the element Mercury.
Metal Kel: 5. How long have you all known each other?
Burn & Cry: Eric and I have known each other the longest…maybe 12 years now.
-Pancho and I have known each other almost eight years now and jammed in a previous band with Kevin called Terrifica. We ruled!
Burn & Cry: Metal Kel: 6. How did you meet?
Through our day jobs at The Viacom Deathstar.
Metal Kel: 7. When was The Burn and Cry Formed?
Burn & Cry: I think 5 years ago.
Metal Kel: 8. Who started the band, and came up with name?
Burn & Cry: I think Marco maybe started the band and I came up with the name.
-I was pissed off and needed to jam so I got some friends together and we wrote some tunes.
Metal Kel: 9. Have you changed the band's name before?
Burn & Cry: Never!
Metal Kel: 10. What is it about metal that you love?
Burn & Cry: I love the technical and practical challenges presented by the music and the lifestyle.
-I enjoy the camaraderie and legions of dedicated fans to the genre itself. I also happen to love the arena that is the live show.
Metal Kel: 11. Who makes most of the creative decisions?
Burn & Cry: I’m not sure we ever make creative decisions…
It all kind of just happens, we are the antennas for the music.
Metal Kel: 12. Your music is a mash of so many styles of music, (Hardcore Metal, Jazz, Punk, Reggae etc..),are you influenced by any of bands specifically in these other genres?
Burn & Cry: I am certainly influenced by Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, Sonny Rollins, Family Man Barrett, Yes, John Fante, Primus and sometimes The Dead Kennedys
-I would have to say Metallica, Rush, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Tool and the Grateful Dead.
Metal Kel: 13. Who writes your material?
Burn & Cry: Pancho and I generally bring in the music or song ideas and the best ones result from collaboration with Eric. I think Marco and I write most of the lyrics.
-I love Melody and constructing the lyrics around it.
Metal Kel: 14. What are your rehearsals generally like?
Burn & Cry: Incredibly frustrating or incredibly productive…no middle ground.
-I’d have to agree with Vaporworm here. When things are clicking and we are firing on all cylinders we are unstoppable. But when shit gets a bit unfocused and we are not listening to one another, that’s when we lose our way.
Metal Kel: 15. Is there a set time each week you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Burn & Cry: We hold a weekly slot on Tuesday nights for the band and then I play everyday on my own.
We must practice as individuals and as a band as often as we can…If it’s anything less than that, we are just fooling ourselves and our fans. To me that’s a bunch of bullshit and I can’t have that.
Metal Kel: 16. Do you think has your music evolved, or will since you first began playing music together?
Burn & Cry: Absolutely has and will continue…or we’ll die.
Metal Kel: 17. You have played so many kik ass venues, do you have a favorite?
Burn & Cry: I have nostalgia for CBGB’s…I really like Fontana’s now…cool people there…and I hate Retox. We loved the Emergency Room in Las Vegas!
-Let me just say I have a soft spot for Don Hills in NYC. Great sound and big kick ass stage to go nuts on! Let me also say that Retox in New York City Claims to be a rock club, that couldn’t be further from the truth. We chose to have our Album release party there because we heard great things about the joint. For one, Scott Ian from Anthrax was a co-owner and we figured he wanted to bring a great rock club to New York City. All Bands be warned, Retox is a fucking sham of an establishment and it’s run by a bunch of retards…Scott Ian should be ashamed of himself….That’s all I have to say about that.
Lead & Dave Sabo of Skid Row
Lead with Ozzy
Lead with Damage Plan
Metal Kel: 18. Is there anyone you would like to perform with, if you had the chance?
Burn & Cry: -To me there wasn’t a better rock club than CB’s…The place was such a dump but the sound was always so strong and loud…There will never be another club like CBGB’s….God bless!
- I would love to play with Black Label Society, Zakk Wylde is the most down to earth guy of all time. Of course we would love to open for Metallica…
Metal Kel: 19. Have you ever played outside the U.S.?
Burn & Cry: Not yet.
Metal Kel: 20. When doing a show,do you have a set play list or just roll with whatever the vibe of the day is?
Burn & Cry: The set list is always designed the day of the show.
-We like to keep it spontaneous and new. I never understood why certain bands never change there set lists for an entire tour….Boring!
Metal Kel: 21. Which songs do you perform most frequently?
Burn & Cry: We’re playing songs from our album mostly right now.
Metal Kel: 22. Do any covers?
Burn & Cry: We love to do covers. We have done songs by The Doors, The Toadies, Deep Purple, Rush to name a few.
-We used to do a mean cover of “Bury Me In smoke’ by the band down. Those guys mean business and we like to pay respect by doing it right.
Metal Kel: 23. Are you signed?
Burn & Cry: Nope. Do we want to be?
-I’m not sure what being signed to a label means anymore? The music industry is totally fucked…Back in the day labels used to develop bands, those days are clearly over…Perseverance and self reliance I say.
Metal Kel: 24. With the instruments, do you have any preferences on the what you use?
Are you subject to brand loyalty, or just play whatever's available?
Burn & Cry: I am loyal to a few specific instruments for The B&C…mostly a Fender Jazz bass and a Rickenbacker 4001.
-Sure Beta58 vocal mics for me…Pancho has a new guitar every other practice it seems like…He does love his Marshall heads and Cabinets though!
Metal Kel: 25. Your self titled album, who produced it?
Burn & Cry: Britt Myers and The Burn & Cry
Metal Kel: 26. Any videos?
Burn & Cry: Working on that!
Metal Kel: 27. Do you have other albums or solo projects?
Burn & Cry: No solo project yet…although I do play around with different bands like a typical slutty bass player.
- I play around NYC with a buddy of mine doing some acoustic shit, it’s a blast.
Metal Kel: 28. Do you tour currently, or plan to anytime soon?
Burn & Cry: We want to play out more…touring would be great.
Metal Kel: 29. Do you ever get on each other’s nerves being so close all the time?
Burn & Cry: Of course! It’s almost prerequisite! We loath and love one another.
-I think right now our drummer and guitar player are not speaking to one another over some email bull shit. But this too shall pass.
Remember, were not censored so be honest!
Cuz this is the good shit!
Metal Kel: 30. What the most insane memory you had during a show?
Burn & Cry: One time I threw up in my mouth and kept on singing and playing...never spilled a drop.
- I fell off the stage at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. I hurt my shoulder pretty bad but the show went on and I finished the set!
So, what else can we be expecting from the Burn and Cry? New music very soon.
Metal Kel: 31. How can fans/fans-to-be gain access to your music?
Burn & Cry: I think we’re on that inter-web thing…
Metal Kel: 32. Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD fans can download?
Burn & Cry: Yeah, we have all that shit.
-The best one to go to is Myspace.com/theburnandcry
Metal Kel: 33. Where can fans purchase “Burn and Cry" merchandise?
Burn & Cry: iTunes for one…Astra Rara has a whole digital distribution plan for us.
Metal Kel: 34. What advice would you give other bands trying to make it in this biz?
Burn & Cry: Stay true to your core and play every day.
-Don’t follow any stupid trends and do your own damn thing.
Metal Kel: 35. Any words of wisdom for them on the reality of the lifestyle?
Burn & Cry: Learn to really enjoy getting dirty.
-It seems to me that you can’t get ludes any more. What’s up with that shit?!!??
Metal Kel: 36. Is there anything else you would like to tell us bout The Burn and Cry?
Burn & Cry: We have a great manager named Alison Roberto (Astra Rara)
-If it were not for Astra Rara, The Burn & Cry wouldn’t be anywhere. Ali designs and brands all of our art work. She also deals with our day to day crap, books our gigs and for that we can’t thank her enough…
Astra & Lead with greatest metal front man of all time Philip H. Anselmo
Lead & Astra with Zak
Metal Kel: 37. Achievements or awards you want to tell us about?
Burn & Cry: We are two-time MTV Talent show winners.
-The Burn & Cry’s music has been featured on MTV2 from time to time.
-I have been the voice of Headbangers Ball for the past four years..I love that shit!
Lead with Alex Skolnick of Testament
Metal Kel: 38. Any organizations you support?
Burn & Cry: I support PBS.
-I support the NFL and ESPN.
-I also support an organization called “Little Kids Rock”.
They help keep music education in schools all across the country….
Metal Kel: 39. What are your goals for the future?
Burn & Cry: I’d like to play a lot more music with my friends.
-I hear that brother Kev!
Metal Kel: 40. When you coming to Cali?
Burn & Cry: Not soon enough in my estimation. I love Cali.
- Let’s set something up in the early part of the new year…California is pretty much our second home…Northern and southern Cali.
We’ll see you guys down the road, spread the good word!
Thanks again, your time! You FUCKEN Rock!
Thank you my friend, you fuckin’ rule and we appreciate it!
