MONGREL – The Reclamation confessions

Interview with Adam Savage

1. Please introduce yourself to the public…

Adam Savage: Hello public! I’m the guitarist and founder of the band Mongrel, a female fronted punk-rock-metal band from the Boston MA area.

2. What are you main music influences?

Adam:  I’d have to say my main ones would be Guns N’ Roses, old Metallica/Anthrax, old school punk (Black Flag, Dead Boys, Misfits, Minor Threat), early 90’s Seattle scene (Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Hole), and classic rock (Rolling Stones, The Who, Motorhead), and bands such as Amen, Trashlight Vision, old Marilyn Manson, etc.

3. Please let me know about your new album called “Reclamation”

Adam: “Reclamation” was released on September 25th on THC-Music (home of bands such as American Head Charge, Black Light Burns, Attika7 ft Evan from Biohazard, etc) and it was a long time coming! We first started recording what was to be our next full length album nearly 4 years ago with our old (male) singer…due to a variety of issues we ended up parting ways with him and our drummer at the time, and ended up with our next drummer (Dave K), and brought in a female singer, Jessica Sierra in the summer of 2010. Once Jess joined we hit the studio and put out an ep called “The New Breed of Old School” (re-recordings of 6 songs from our last album), then got to work on the next ep “Declamation” (2011 release, which included 3 new originals, 1 additional re-recording, and a cover of the Misfits classic “Dig Up Her Bones”) and it’s companion, the full length Reclamation. We had finished “Reclamation” and were about to start planning its release when Jess needed to take what would be a 6 month hiatus from the band. Upon her return in the Spring of 2012 we began talking to Thom Hazaert (owner of THC-Music) about possibly working with him and his label for the new album…several conversations later, the deal was made and it was time to put out our long overdue new album. I’m really proud that A, the album actually exists and came out finally (2 singers, 3 drummers, 2 bassists, and 3 studios later), and B that I really think the songs on the new album are some of the best we’ve ever released and really branch out on our influences more than the last couple of EP’s had a chance to show.

4. There’s a lot of anger in your lyrics, what makes you angry nowadays?

Adam:  All sorts of things….from things in my daily life, to the lives of those around me, to politics, the abuses of organized religion, society, the news….there’s plenty of frustrations and things to be angry about in the world. I just write about some of it to get it off my chest and hopefully make people think and possibly make changes to make things better for everyone.

5. The cover artwork of the album shows three dead soldiers raising a flag. What is the meaning of the cover?

Adam:  It’s actually a take-off on the Iwo Jima monument and ties in with our song “Zombies of War” on the album by using the zombie soldiers. But essentially it goes with the title of Reclamation, we’re reclaiming our place in the music scene, staking our flag (literally in the cover art) and putting forth an album we really believe in, and one that we’ve fought hard to get out and released.

6. Your music balances between the realms of punk rock and metal, what are the aspects of each music genre that draw your musical attention?

Adam:  I like the attitude, energy, and no-compromise spirit of “real” punk (bands like Black Flag, Dead Boys, Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, Minor Threat and “newer” bands such as Refused, AMEN, The Bronx, etc). I dig the riffs and guitar driven nature of metal but I’m not all about every song needing 8 hundred parts, 50 solos and some blast beat breakdown. Again attitude and energy is key for me and I’m into Sabbath, old Metallica, Anthrax, Slipknot, System of a Down, Fear Factory, early Korn, etc. There’s a lot of hard rock (ie. Guns N’ Roses, Rolling Stones, Crue, The Who, Doors, etc), grunge era (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains), and other influences (old Manson, NWA, Rage Against the Machine, etc) as well in what we do.

7. You have toured extensively through the States with popular punk / metal acts. What were your most important experiences from touring?

Adam:  1st off, I love touring when we get to do so. Getting to travel to new places and meet new people, playing music, and getting to play with bands you dig – Fear, Misfits, Trashlight Vision, Blitzkid, etc) is always a blast. Rule number one packing for tour….extra socks!

8. How do you keep your fanbase updated? What is your connection with the social media?

Adam: We’re on social media all the time be it facebook, twitter, various instant messengers so we’re in contact with fans pretty frequently. We still have a couple times a month email newsletter we send out too but often times our info is being put out on Facebook and twitter most often.

9. Any plans for touring?

Adam: Hopefully this Spring/Summer if the right opportunities line up. Certainly shows closer to home in our region of the US if nothing else.

10. If you were at the start of your career, what would you avoid doing in terms of business and contracts?

Adam:  Thankfully we haven’t made any drastic mistakes in that regard. I think I wouldn’t have put up with elements that made doing what we do less fun for as long as I have in the past but I’ve definitely learned from those experiences and make sure that we balance it out and keep it a fun and close knit family unit now which makes us a much stronger band as a result. Keep good people around you for your business team. Not just “yes” people but those who believe in what you’re doing fully and care enough to tell you when you’re wrong when it’s needed.

Info: http://www.facebook.com/MongrelOfficial