 Hi
guys!! How are you? Hope all is fine on the other side of the ocean… I’m
writing you cause your band, The Scared Stiffs, has just released its
new album “The Last Horror Movie” a couple of months ago. When you
listen to that CD now, what thoughts run through your head and what
emotions do you connect with the making of that record?
Scott: The first thing that runs through my head? How
about a bullet? Seriously, I feel nothing but pride. We made ourselves a
great record and sometimes when I listen, I can’t believe all those
great songs came out of our little crypt-kickin’ collective!
Chris: Yeah, this was really a fun disc to make. When I
listen back, I vividly picture the time we spent living at the studio. I
can still hear all the tracks that had to be erased and re-recorded
because people were making jokes, laughing in the background, spilling
their drinks, etc. I think for our first CD we were very nervous and
truly stiff, but for this one we were comfortable in the studio, we
showed up every day surrounded by crazy people and laughter. For our
first CD, our Producer John Valenti and studio owner Paul Orofino were
strangers to the band, but this time around it was like working with
family, they could now feel where we wanted to go, and that made their
contributions very valuable.
Scott: I think that really helped give new, deeper
dimensions to the writing and the sound.
When you compare “The Last Horror Movie” to its ancestor “Autopsy
Turvy”, where do you see the main differences? In what way would you say
have The Scared Stiffs improved as musicians and songwriters in the last
years?
Chris: Well, I don’t think it’s about improving as
musicians as much as it is about coming together as a band. When we
recorded Autopsy Turvy we were four individuals who had known each other
for a very brief period. This time around we were a band with a shared
history of road stories, good times and sexually transmitted diseases.
But for sure all the time we’ve spent taking the Scared Stiffs show on
the road in America has helped our chops.
 Scott:
This album is bigger and juicier. Broader in scope and fuller in sound.
We veered from the formula a bit and added different layers and
instruments into the mix, but don’t worry kids, it’ll still rock your
face off.On the new album you cover a
very broad variety of music... there’s punk songs, rock’n’roll numbers,
ballads, etc... some tunes are rather cheerful and kick-ass, others are
pretty dark and creepy. What songs on “The Last Horror Movie” are your
personal faves? Why?
Chris: That’s a tough one. I think our favourites change,
depending on how we play them each night. If we get a very strong crowd
reaction to a particular song – then that’s our favourite that day.
Because we all contribute to the song writing, I think it’s inevitable
that the listener will be able to tell the George songs from the Paul
songs, but it’s that diversity that makes things interesting and
prevents you from getting board after four songs.
Scott: It’s true. All of us come from different places,
musically. Dr. Matte Black is a rockabilly guy at heart. I’m a punk with
an unhealthy interest in the 60’s Nuggets catalog. Jeffro used to drum
in a prog-metal band. And if Chris told you what he was into, we’d have
to kill you!
What bands, movies, books, etc have had the biggest influence on you
guys when you were writing “The Last Horror Movie”?
Scott: We pretty much all exist on a steady diet of
B-movie horror flicks, the classic Universal and Hammer offerings, cult
and homemade porn. Our I-pods are crammed with everything from the NY
Dolls to Johnny Cash, the Stones to surf rock, the Hellacopters to
Howlin’ Wolf and everything in between.
Chris: I think our influences come screaming through our
music. Many reviewers have said we sound like Alice Cooper, the Ramones
and Johnny Cash in a blender – and musically they’re correct. As long as
people keep hearing that in us, then we’re doing something right. Of
course B-movies, alcohol, Lord Sutch, classic cars, pornography, Spinal
Tap, and a deep seeded hatred of the civilized world also have a great
influence on our songs.
 Is
there a special story behind the album’s title? I know that there exists
a horror flick of the same title (which I haven’t seen yet), is the
album related to that film in any kind of way?
Chris: Really? Actually, that’s the first time we’ve heard
that. Who’s in the movie? We’ll have to see it! No, our Last Horror
Movie is a 13 song concept album about a young couple on their first
date. The opening track is kind of an overture to the plot, She’s Got A
Frankenstein develops the character of the girl, Walkin’ Dead tells you
a little about how their date starts out, Six Feet Under gives you
insight to the boy, and so on, right up to Body Shoppin’ which finally
reveals the boys motives and tells you how the night ends.
Scott: I haven’t seen it either, but I hear the movie is
pretty rotten. Maybe they should re title it “The Second to Last Horror
Movie” and just let us have the last and final word!
Next to the killer own songs, you’ve also recorded a couple of cover
tunes... the only ones I recognized are “Knoxville Girl” by The Louvin
Brothers and “Seventh Son” by Willie Dixon, but a look at the credits
assumes that “Have You Ever Seen (The Walkin’ Dead)” and “Nosferatu” are
covers as well, aren’t they? Why have The Scared Stiffs chosen
especially these songs as cover tunes?
Chris: Well, we picked songs that told stories which fit
neatly into the plot of this ‘rock opera’. Also, because we really
respect those artists. We’re huge fans of Evan Foster and the Boss
Martians, who originally wrote Walkin’ Dead. Nosferatu was written by
Rick Mills and originally recorded by the 3-D Invisibles. Rick is an
amazing guy and really an under-appreciated song writer. In addition to
the 3-D Invisibles, he’s lead at least three other B-movie bands,
including the Hellbenders who play the best creepy cowboy music ever.
Really, if you’re not familiar with his catalogue, I encourage you to
Google him or track him down on MySpace.
Scott: We love doing the odd cover here and there. There’s
been so many great songs written in this genre that it’s fun for us to
raise them from the dead and give them new life. “Seventh Son” may not
seem creepy at first, but when it came out, those old blues songs scared
the shit of white bread America! And “Knoxville Girl” is simply one of
the best murder ballads ever.
 The
CD was released in a cool deluxe package with embossed digipacked and 16
pages booklet... so the fans do really get something for their money,
don’t they?
Chris: Yeah, we hope so. I mean, iTunes lets you download
the album for 99 cents per track, so if you want people to pay for the
wrapping, you better make it worth their while. Honestly, we didn’t want
to go with the photo booklet, we didn’t want people thinking we were too
full of ourselves. We thought the four pictures on the inside cover were
enough to get the point across, but the label really pushed for the full
Kiss package.
Scott: Don’t forget the video! Everybody loves case candy.
Especially when it gives you a sneak peak into the world of the band,
which if you haven’t experienced it yet, is truly a terrifying place
indeed!
The only thing I’m missing are the lyrics. Why haven’t they been
printed in the booklet? And is there any chance you’ll post ‘em on your
website or so?
Chris: We just didn’t want to make things too easy. We
didn’t even include the band credits, because it just doesn’t matter. We
want people to remember the name The Scared Stiffs! That’s the only name
that counts. We feel the same about the songs. I think most of the
lyrics are audible, give or take a word here and there. If someone
really wants to know what the words are, we want them to keep listening
to the song a hundred times – like we did last year when we were kids.
If what you hear doesn’t make sense – you probably got it right!
Scott: Some of the lyrics are actually really fucking
funny, if I don’t say so myself. Whoops, looks like I just did!
How were the reactions of the fans and media so far? Did they all
like the album a lot or have you also got some not-so-good reviews?
Chris: So far, things have been great. Everyone has been
very kind to us, especially the people who are coming out to see us play.
We have a handful of reviews posted at our website. People who haven’t
heard the new disc yet are encouraged to check ‘em out
www.ScaredStiffs.com or
www.TheScaredStiffs.net.
Scott: The kids love it. They’re eating it up. Germany
seems to especially love it for some weird reason. Even people who
wouldn’t be caught dead giving compliments are coming out of the
woodwork and saying “I hate you guys cause this sounds so good!” And
seriously, I haven’t seen a nasty word written about it yet.
 Chris:
There was one guy who tried to slam us by comparing the vocals to
Kevin DuBrow, but hey, who would’ve guessed that I would take that as a
compliment.
What are your plans for the future? What can your fans expect next?
Another album, a tour, maybe even a trip to overseas?
Chris: We do have new material written and ready to go,
but we don’t expect to get back into the studio for another year. The
label has been talking to us about releasing a DVD next, before we
actually get to Europe. We’re not sure if we want to do that. We want
people to get out to see us, and once you release live footage, people
feel like they’ve seen you already. We think the video included on Last
Horror Movie gives people a good enough look at us without giving away
the farm.
Will you also release some Scared Stiffs merchandise like T-Shirts or
patches, for example?
Scott: We do have plenty of Stiff-stuff available at our
shows (T-shirts, buttons, posters, etc.), and hopefully soon it will all
be available via the web site.
In addition to The Scared Stiffs, Poptown Records hosts a lot of
killer artists, for example Peter Blast, Thunderboss and She Wolves!! So
what’s the latest news from the Poptown camp? What albums will be
released next, etc?
Chris: We do have some wonderful and supportive
label-mates. I know that the She Wolves have just released a new EP
Enjoy Damnation and are planning their third European tour for this
summer, Peter Blast just finished recording his new CD A Plush Horse
With A Monkey On A String and he’s going to be touring the East Coast of
the USA this summer. J.P. ‘Thunderbolt’ Patterson is taking a few months
off from his Thunderboss project to play with the Patti Rothberg Band in
support of their new album, Dino Fregosi recently signed with Poptown
and I think his first CD may be out for Christmas 2008, yes, there’s
lots going on over there!
To finish the interview, how about a few Top3 lists of yours? So
please let us know your three favorite bands.
Chris: Oh, this is no fair! I’m going to fall back to our
influences of Alice Cooper, Ramones and Johnny Cash! Of course there are
hundreds more!
 And
what about movies?
Chris: Again, sorry can’t do it. I’m a huge cinema fan and
would even have trouble picking out my top 25. I will say that Silence
of the Lambs, Satan’s Cheerleaders, Fargo, A Clockwork Orange, The
Devil’s Reign, I Bury The Living, Dog Day Afternoon, Spinal Tap, and The
Exorcist, are all among my many faves.
Horrorfilm characters maybe?
Chris: Oh boy, well, I don’t think it gets any creepier
than Linda Blair as Regan in the Exorcist, Hannibal Lechter cracks me up
in the first film, Sissy Spacek is truly pathetic in Carrie, gotta love
Jack in The Shining, Steve McQueen remains cool in The Blob, again,
there’s so many!
Thanks for your answers, guys!! All the best & Keep up the great work!!
Scott: You got it! Thanks for your support!
|
