Mushroomhead Interview

3/11/02

You think you know! You have no idea! Clear your mind on whatever you have heard otherwise you will be way off the mark. Mushroomhead is not just another band in masks and costumes talking shit about how everything sucks. There is so much more than meets the eyes and .....ears.

Yes, I said ears because once you have heard their music, you will know they are not trying to copy or sound like anyone out there. Mushroomhead is bringin back the underground buzz in the metal scene gaining new fans every night and playing to sold out shows based off of word of mouth only. Pretty impressive for the octet right out of Cleveland, OH.

Mushroomhead have paid there dues, in more ways than one, and have been waiting patiently in the shadows. Now their time has finally come! They are not hiding behind their masks, but instead out and about before every show mingling and talking with fans. Remember, never judge a book by it's cover.

We had a chance to sit down with the guys the night before their show in Hollywood and we chatted about everything from stereotypes to Ozzfest to girls grinding on crotches. Here's what they had to say.

Noize Pollution: First off, let's do a little history about the band. You guys were formed in '93 as a side project? Tell us how it all began.
Skinny: You know it was really like '92, it was '93 when we played our first show. We started tinkering around with it. We started off as a side project, actually not even a side project but it started as a studio project. Recording type of thing only. That's how we ended up recruiting members was asking other people of other bands to come in and do some studio work with us. Everyone who came in and worked on it really liked the material and kind of started adding more to it. Anyways, we started another band and it turned out to be Mushroomhead. Everyone was in other bands at the time, the masks kind of fell into play, I always wanted to do a theatrical thing with costumes and masks. I was into bands like Devo, The Residents, Alice Cooper and Kiss. So hiding our identity's kind of became partial reason for doing the costumes and mask's. Anyways, we didn't want to be pigeon holed and stereotyped. Oh that guys from that band and he's from that band, so they are going to sound like so and so. That kind of thing. I mean that happens in the scene. So we didn't say or try to use any press to say that we are this "super group." That wasn't an issue. We just wanted the music to stand on it's own and that's why we ended up doing the whole costume thing and the project and it kept evolving.

NP: Personally, I think side projects can have its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, it's positive because you are bringing together a group of musicians from different bands that want to get creative and do something different and on the other hand, you have your old band mates probably hating your guts. What was it like and how did you manage to deal with it?
Skinny: We went through some of that. The band we were in called Hatrix, it was kind of a natural evolution. There are four of us from Hatrix that are in Mushroomhead now. And there were five, so there is only one missing guy really. Wasn't always the same lineup though, things changed throughout the years.
Bronson: It's about the same core, group of people though for the most part.
Skinny: Yeah, like Bronson and I went to high school and graduated together and played in high school bands. That kind of thing. Our keyboard player, he also was a bass player and ended up playing keys in this thing. It's definitely an advantage having all the ideas from the different members throwing different elements in that you normally wouldn't think of, but the main thing was to basically get away from all the projects we were in as far as no holds barred.

NP: Can you tell us what your first masks and costumes were like in the beginning? Has it changed throughout?
Skinny: Oh yeah, we used to resemble a band that you know well-called Slipknot. They came out 3-4 years after we had started. When we started up we had 9 members, we had the orange jumpsuits, and I used to wear a gas mask.
Bronson: I used to wear a bondage mask.
Skinny: Our bass player wore a pig mask.
NP: What about the other members, what did they wear?
Skinny: The one guitar player had a green bug mask.
Bronson: One guy had the Nosferatu actually for a while. Um, Kiss, another wore an Ace Freely mask.
Skinny: Yep, an Ace Freely mask, a troll mask, Jeffery was wearing a wedding dress and a devil mask. He wore that for quite some time, and then he changed to a black wedding dress with a goat's mask. So yeah, things kept changing and same with the uniforms, we started out in the orange jump suits, the blue jump suits, the white jump suits, and then we got into the White Urban Camel phase. We still do that one quite a bit, but we did that strong for about 3 years. We completely turned our backs on the orange jump suits cause there was another band doing it.

NP: So were the masks to hide your identity from the fans and common people or was it from your own band mates?
Skinny A little bit of both. All of the band members knew but yeah we kept it from the print media and the general public. In Cleveland, you don't get any radio support so it was basically print media we kept it from because a couple of magazines there are really down on anyone who does anything successful. A select few people give a shit and the rest are like, I don't want to know about that, I want to know about wrecked cars, banging chicks, got arrested, etc� They want to know the real dirt.

NP: Speaking of that, what was the music scene like in Cleveland?
Skinny: It was thin.
Bronson: Yeah I think so too.
Skinny: Nine Inch Nails was very popular. Dink, do you remember Dink?
Bronson: Oh yeah!
Skinny: They were a flash in the pan. A lot of people were trying to jump on the whole Seattle bandwagon.
NP: Was Cleveland a big metal town?
Skinny: Very, it's been there for a very long time.
NP: Was it very supportive?
Skinny: Yes, the bands are just unbelievable. The scene is great.

NP: Back to Slipknot, the similarities between you and Slipknot are uncanny if you look from the outside. But I have always lived to this motto: Never judge a book by its cover!
Skinny: I was just telling someone that the other day.
NP: Your music and live show are nothing like Slipknot!
Skinny: Thank you! For someone who has read into it and paid attention to it.
Bronson: If you seriously just sit down and listen you'll realize right away there is a huge difference. If you come to our show, you'll see.

NP: From what we've heard is that Corey from Slipknot has no ill will towards you guys and you have no grudges against them. It's silly to argue who was doing it first or who ripped off who's ideas.
Skinny: I think arguing about it, you know the whole chicken before the egg kind of thing, and you know we weren't the first ones doing it. Like I said, I was into the Residents, Devo, Alice Cooper, Kiss.
Bronson: Mr. Bungle even.
Skinny: Well when we first came out we got Mr. Bungle and Gwar comparisons. "Oh you guys want to be Gwar." So we are used to the comparison thing. As far as ill will goes, we've actually never even talked to those guys or met them, so it's not really fair to accuse them of stealing. I would really like to ask them "Who designed your costumes and who's the guy?" That's the one I want to ask what happened? Where did you get your idea and are we really that much alike?
NP: I'm from Des Moines and I was actually there when they first formed Slipknot. So I'll talk about that to you later.
Skinny: No fucking way! I heard from everyone that they did not have the jump suits and all the masks. And that clown dude was the one who started wearing the mask. I heard that one of them wore a little bo peep outfit and I don't know if any of this is actually true. The clown was the first and there were no jump suits ever and there were no matching outfits ever. They all wore there own thing and had their own identity. And some guys didn't even wear anything, they were just normal dudes. So I don't know if any of that is true but what I do know, is that we shopped the same record label at the same fucking time and within 8 months I had other people calling me going "Oh you guys got signed! Why did you change your name?"
NP: No way! That fucking sucks!
Skinny: I was like, what the fuck do you mean? We didn't change our names? "Dude you changed it to Slipknot! I see you right there wearing the gas mask and there's the pig mask!" All these people across the country were calling me all over the place. So it was a hard blow, but in a lot of ways, it made us a fucking better band. Overall it made us a better and tighter band and we took one step back to look at ourselves and even look at them and go "you know what? They do look just like us and look how stupid that is." You know what I mean, so it made us really take a good look at ourselves and I think the look we have now matches our music now.

NP: I heard that Corey called somebody and left a message with one of you guys.
Bronson: He called our voice mail if that was really him.
NP: But if it was him and you could talk to him what would you say to him right now?
Skinny: Why are you being so cool with us and the rest of your band baggin us in all the magazines. If you want to be bogus, then let's be bogus, but if you want to be cool then everyone will be cool. Cause we have been cool. We have not gone out and said nasty things about them ever! It's not that we even care cause we aren't the first bands to put masks and costumes on. And that's not what it's about for us or the whole individual aspect, which was one thing that taking on the X face look really helped. Because it took the individuality out of it, we are more together now. So the music is looked at first and then the band. I think a lot of the kids now a days they don't give a fuck who came first, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Mushroomhead and whoever the next bands are, but they are there to see a theatrical show rather than the same ole 5 guys with long hair playing metal. People want to be entertained. So a lot of ways, Slipknot really ...I think helped! (Scratches his head) As much as fucked up as it sounds. It's fucked up man, I don't know man. Right? What do you think on that whole thing?
Pig Benis: Well we've always thought that the music always came first. The theatrical part is a big part of the live show, but when you listen to the cd's it's absolutely nothing alike. We are two totally different colors in the spectrum. We want to be rated on our music first and then when you come and see a show I think our whole approach going about it enhances the music.

photos by T-Bone

NP: Back to the costumes, you guys now sport black X masks and wear camouflage. I've always wondered why J Mann never has a mask on in all of your photos and sports the make-up.
Schmotz: Same reason he's not here right now. (Laughs) He does what he wants. Right?
Skinny: That's part of it too. We are very democratic and very do what you want and we won't push one guy. The majority of us make the right decision for the team. Let's just say that. It's good that he does that, it sets him apart, he's our front man and he talks to the crowd. We have two singers, but J Mann talks to the crowd so it puts a little more attention on him. The fact that he doesn't wear a mask comes across great on a microphone. You don't hear that whuuuuuuuummmmmppp!
Bronson: Plus he can hear better.
Skinny: Jeffery Nothing does not wear a latex mask on stage anymore either. His whole head is painted black or whatever color we are going with that night. So now he wears make-up too. That has a lot to do with it as well. Like today we did an interview for MTV news and we had to be dressed up for it. You know, I got a rubber mask on! They were trying to ask me questions and I was like don't talk to me and pointing at J Mann. It sounds horrible, it really does and it's just unprofessional and it sounds bad, so that's the meat and potatoes to that issue.

NP: How long does it take you to get ready for a show dressing and all? Who takes the longest?
Skinny: Jeffery takes the longest.
Pig Benis: Jeffery has to put on a lot of paint.
Skinny: They have to do his whole head. They usually shave it down every night.
Pig Benis: Half hour to forty minutes for him but the rest of us, 10-15 minutes. We just throw the shit on every night.
Skinny: A lot of it depends on the venue and the lighting there, if there is going to be a lot of picture taking, then we want to look our best. But us with the fucking latex masks, give us 10 minutes and we are ready.

NP: This is your second tour and you are the headliners! That's amazing!
Skinny: We haven't played the west coast or LA in our life.
NP: How does that feel and also, how is the tour going so far with Lamb of God and Five Point O?
Skinny: The tour is going great. We are pleasantly surprised. There is the usual bitching but it's been a fucking smooth tour. The shows are really good, I don't want to say packed, but a lot of the clubs are doing well. We never played San Francisco and last time we sold it out. We've never played there! We did 600 people in Portland and we've never been there before. And even the vibe, the bands are clicking pretty well. We are really hanging with the Lamb of God guys. Bronson and Will have the same birthday. Fuck it's your Birthday every night
Bronson: That what I was saying last night. Another Birthday man!
Pig Benis: I think we have been pleasantly surprised along the way. Everywhere we go as far as kids that are there, we talk to them afterwards, and we ask what made you come out and it's almost all word of mouth. It's still an underground thing even though you are on a major label, and you are on MTV2 and on the radio somewhat, it's still a big underground thing, which is what we've been about the whole time.
NP: Well that's how I found out about you; I had a bunch of friends who were like you have to check these guys out. So I did and listened to the music and I was hooked.
Pig Benis: That's what pleases us so much when we go into a new city and place is really crowded and they are painted up like you, they want to look like you and they all know the words.
Skinny: Yeah, in Portland, there were 2 guys who looked like J Mann and Jeffery Nothing. Kids with the makeup.

NP: Last I heard you were submitted to be a part of this year's Ozzfest. What's the latest word?
Skinny: Nothing confirmed. We hear different stories everyday. Today we heard that there's a good chance of being on some of it. (Laughs) That's the kind of shit we get.
Pig Benis: I don't know if we are on it or not, but if we can't get on it, then we'll do something this summer.
NP: I think it would be a great for you to get on Ozzfest and get the monkey off your back so to speak, so you could silence all the shit talkers. It's one thing to look at a band and make comments but then you actually hear the music and go "wow, that's not what I expected at all."
Pig Benis: I think that's what we've always thought was the fact when we were trying to build ourselves in the Cleveland area, was the fact that we need an avenue to get the most amount of people to see us live because I think that once they see the show and hear the music together it really set the record straight. Ozzfest could be a good thing in some sense, but you also want to make it the right decision. you don't want to play at 11am in the morning on the third side stage.
Schmotz: Being such a highly visual band it takes away from our element that we like to come out with a light show, we like to have our time and room on stage. It's got to be a good situation first to get on something like that.
NP: And more than 15-20 minutes too!
Schmotz: Right, I'm not saying it would be a waste of time to do it but we could be doing other things on bigger stages putting on our full show every night and compromise that and take a crappy slot.
Skinny: Right and you don't want to just jump on any slot they offer us. It has to be the right slot to be on Ozzfest. We are a highly visual band. So we are hopeful.
Schmotz: That's number one on our list to get on, but it's got to be right.

NP: How's the switch from Eclipse to Universal Records going?
Schmotz: Who? What label were we on? (sarcastically) No, they are exactly the same except for distribution, the promo, the tour support, the media, and the videos.
Skinny: Oh man, that didn't even count. Eclipse, I don't want to bag on them but if they were a record label, we would have been much better. We recorded "XX", we mixed "XX", we mastered "XX", paid for all of it, my wife did all the layout, design and insert, and literally we handed it over to them. Here's the product and here's the marketing plan and this is what we want. We just need you to fucking invest money and put out CD's. They only had a small distribution range, they tried and we tried with them. Within 3 months we were like, we have to get out of this cause all it was going to do was keep us in debt. We had no tour support, no video support and you're only locked in on the United States and those kinds of things all weigh in.
Schmotz: We felt it would have taken us five years to do what Universal could do in 5 months.
Skinny: Plus we landed on the Scorpion King soundtrack so it's got its bonuses.

NP: What song on "XX" sums up the sound of Mushroomhead?
Pig Benis: Possibly "Bwomp" I think it brings what everyone contributes to the table.
Skinny: There are a lot of elements going on.
Schmotz: There are a lot of active keyboards, drums are fast, drums are tribal, and both singers contribute.

NP: Something interesting- you only have 4 cuss words on this album and none on your last.
Pig Benis: Yeah, what's up with that? (Laughs)
NP: Yeah, what the fuck!!?? (Everyone laughs)
Schmotz: It just didn't come to the plate this time. That really wasn't by design.
Skinny: Can you believe our third independent release doesn't even have one fucking cuss word? You can get your point across without being childish.
Schmotz: Although it's much cooler to go FUCK FUCK FUCK!

NP: Why the decision to cover Pink Floyd's "Empty Spaces?"
Skinny: Floyd is huge influence on us!
Schmotz: (sarcastically) We know that song never did much for them so we are trying to give them a lift. (Laughs)
Skinny: It's very much like the type of stuff we do, they have the whole songs and they have little interludes that go together. Shit, turning on a lot of kids who normally wouldn't listen to Floyd..
Schmotz: Plus of where it's at on "XX" it sounds very much like us and like something we would do but it fits. Putting it on there was a no-brainer.

NP: So you guys are going to be down on the South By Southwest Festival right?
Pig Benis: Yeah we're glad that it worked out that way, being down there.
NP: So far by browsing the list of bands that are down there, you bring the heaviest element there.
Skinny: The heaviest element with the smallest stage room!
NP: When do you play? What night was that?
Skinny: Friday, March 15th.

NP: So what's next for you guys?
Skinny: Europe!
Schmotz: I thought we were shooting a video? We got about 3 weeks to do a year worth of shit.
Skinny: Two weeks from tomorrow the album comes out in Europe in 5 Countries. We are going to be over there for 2-3 weeks and from what I understand is that we are going with Flaw. They are also talking about doing a video for "Before I Die" because we won't have time to do it later cause we are going to really busy later on. So shoot another video, go to Europe, come back and do an East Coast tour. Or if we end up on Ozzfest, then the East Coast thing might not happen. It all depends on that. Then in the fall, Halloween time, that's the time to see us. We are sick. We always play Cleveland.

NP: A few days ago, I e-mailed all of our street teamers that listed Mushroomhead in their top ten and I had them send me a question they would like to ask you. I have a few fan questions for you. This question is from
Holly in Alliance, OH: What do you think about the girls who come up onstage during your live shows? Does it get annoying when you're trying to play and there's some chick gyrating against your crotch?
Skinny: (sarcastically) Oh God I hate that! (laughs)
Pig Benis: Does it ever get annoying?
Skinny: Being the drummer, I can honestly say, it's fucking never happened to me. So you are talking to the wrong guy. I've never had that problem in my whole fucking life! (laughs)
Pig Benis: There is nothing like it!
Skinny: No girls do periodically get up and dance on stage and it's turned into a ritual at the end of the show. We do the rave/techno set and we give the stage over to the girls. While we are on, sometimes it's annoying cause there is 8 of us and the majority of the time it's a small stage anyways.
Pig Benis: They come up and dance around a little bit, but when there are 30 of them, and you can't move.
Schmotz: Or you just jump up there and stand there.
Skinny: Yeah some hop up and don't do anything. They just stand there.
Pig Benis: Some are pretty creative. They wear the wig, tape over the nipples, etc. and it's all good and that's all fun. I wish it would catch on everywhere.
NP: Well we will spread the word!!

Brian in Springfield, OH asks: I've seen you guys a few times now and I'd like to know about the crazy techno music you play at the end of your show. I love it! Who is it by and where can I get it?
Skinny: Best of luck finding it. A lot of it is strung together from albums and cd's I have that I've collected over the years. A lot of it's European, Roughneck Records, Thunderdome�.those are compilation CD's. Some of it is from Detroit Ave, which is one of my side projects. Back in the day, we used to spin and have a live PA set up and we used to go for an hour but that got to be too long. Now we just put it on DAT. Best of luck finding it, I can't sell it because it's not all my stuff, I mix everyone else's shit in and I can't take credit for it.
Pig Benis: You might find some of it on www.Mushroomhead.org.
Skinny: www.Mushroomhead.org. Take a look there.

NP: Anything that I forgot to mention?
Skinny: Visit us on both websites.
Pig Benis: Vote for us on MTV2, vote for us on Ozzfest!
Skinny: That definitely helps! Support all the underground metal. The local stuff in your scene. Any band that's doing it, keep doing it.
Schmotz: Yeah, there's a lot of good stuff out there. Take a look around and not in K-Mart you know. Look around, there's a lot of good stuff out there.

*** We just want to thank Mushroomhead for taking time out and giving us a great interview. Plus the cold beers were very generous! And next time any of you females want to hop up on stage, give Skinny some love and tell him Noize Pollution sent ya!

Interview by: T-Bone & Suzy

To view past Interviews and Favorites click HERE.

Official website: www.mushroomhead-music.com
Mushroomhead website: www.mushroomhead.org

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