Bloody-Disgusting: Tell me a bit about the attitude Vampires Everywhere! have going into the studio for your second album.
Michael Vampire: Words cannot describe how excited we are to make this record. The band did 2 months of pre production demos before we decided on the best tracks. This record will define us as a band & this will be the first group effort with the new lineup. I can finally say I’m happy with the lineup & excited for the future of VE! We are super focused on making the best record of 2012.
BD: You mentioned that there would be no autotune on this upcoming album. While there is obviously a large crowd that enjoyed this foray, there was also a large crowd that shunned the idea and ridiculed it. What was the reason for using autotune on Kiss The Sun Goodbye and how does that affect your decision to leave it out on this upcoming record?
MV: The use of autotune has been quite the controversial topic. VE! did receive a ton of hate because of this vocal effect & I think it was quite amusing to say the least. However, if you look at the Billboard Top 200 or listen to KROQ, there is nothing but the use of this effect. If your artistic vision calls for this effect then so be it. I would never judge another artist because he/she uses an effect to express emotion. However, that being said we chose “not” to use it on this record because the record did not call for it. To be honest autotune is the last thing on my mind (haha)! I love my fans to death & I would never compromise my art because of a negative reaction from a group of ignorant bastards. However, autotune is now a dead topic for our band & we’re excited to blow your mind with the new material. Honestly, the energy surrounding this record is amazing & I’m excited to be releasing such a record with people I can now call my brothers.
BD: In today’s day and age, the necessity for strong social media/networking numbers mixed with a striking appearance is greater than ever. Do you feel that takes affects the music in any way?
MV: There are a lot of mixed views on social media numbers being relevant in the industry today. I’d like to say it makes a large difference having a large social network. Fan interaction is a big part of VE! & without our fans we would be nonexistent to say the least. However, I’ve seen bands with very large networks sell very poorly so I’m not sure if numbers itself is a primary factor in record sales. If you’re not actively talking to your fans it will definitely hurt record/merch sales. Ultimately, you can have the best record & best image.. however if you don’t reach out to your fans you will fall flat on your face! I’ve seen it so many times in the industry & just watched a friends band fall because of it. Being a rock star is great but never forget who made you a rock star! I love reaching out to my fans & helping them through difficult times. It’s hard being different & parents sometimes shun their kids leaving them with no help. I’d like to say our music will help them get through another day & show them they are not alone. If I’m hated for wearing makeup & being different I can take it.. I’ve been taking it for years. However, some of these kids are pushed to the point of no return & some take their lives thinking it’s the only way out. We believe in everything we do & we want our fans to believe in us. If our image bothers you then fuck off & find another band. Our goal is to stay true to ourselves & our fans.
BD: Let’s talk horror! I know you’re a fan of the genre, so tell me when that all began. What got you into your love of horror?
MV: Movies like Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, Hellraiser, Fright Night, & Dracula were my first introduction into the horror genre. I used to watch these movies over & over again! I would say I was around 11 when I first started getting into the horror scene. It progressed from there of course with movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre & The Lost Boys. I don’t know.. I think the feeling of being shocked always attracted me to the genre. I could always turn on a horror movie and lose myself in it. Because my body is sensitive to different forms of energy it was without a doubt a more intense experience. It’s funny because a lot of ignorant people hear our band name & say “you Twilight faggots” & “nice capitalizing on the mainstream vampire craze.” Haha, this is funny to me because our name comes from the comic book in the movie The Lost Boys, which was released in 1987. Now, this being said I wonder if White Zombie went through the same ridicule naming their band after a horror movie?! People hate what’s different & I think the same applies to the scenarios in horror movies.. just look at Frankenstein’s Monster! LoL, however, I guess the same wouldn’t apply to the Leatherface character but such is life.
BD: What are some of your favorite horror movies?
MV: This is a hard question but I’ll name the ones on my dvd rack ~ Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Lost Boys, The Prophecy, The Exorcist, Fright Night, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday The 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street…. just to name a few.
BD: There have been a lot of terrible, unnecessary horror remakes in the past several years. Can you think of any horror movies that would benefit from a remake or a reboot?
MV: Haha, well there’s nothing like an 80’s horror movie! It’s hard to remake something that is such a big part of American film history. I think a lot of directors try to recapture the kooky 80’s humor portrayed in these films & fail miserably. I would say please stop remaking these movies & if you do choose to remake them please focus on what made the movie quirky in the first place.. whether it was the actors or the screen play. However, that being said I would never ask somebody to comprise their art & it’s always refreshing seeing more horror inspired movies coming out of the woodwork.
BD: Time for a true test of your comfort zone: If you were offered the chance to eat human flesh, and not in some “You’re stranded on an island and this is the only way to survive” situation, would you?
MV: Well I heard it tastes like chicken & I definitely love me some chicken, ha ha ha. So the answer is yes! However, this is coming from the guy who finds blood alluring & watches way too much Andy Zimmerman Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel.
~Michael Vampire
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