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L to R: Bishop Freeman, Starbie 66, Grimm, Dead End Johnny  
METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Toxic Zombie. It’s so great to be catching up with all of you. Thank you for taking the time to spend with us at Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it. 

Toxic Zombie is a horror based Rock N Roll band from Portland, Oregon. Before we get started, can everyone sound off? What is your name, and what do you do in the band, along with the person who influenced you into picking up your instrument? 

GRIMM DIZASTER: Vocals / songwriting , vocally my biggest earlier influences was The Beach Boys .

BISHOP FREEMAN MANFREE: Greetings Metal Pulp and Paper staff and readers, I am Bishop Freeman Manfree, I play Rhythm/Lead guitar and provide back-up vocals for Toxic Zombie. We are an all original rock and roll group themed around Metal/Punk/Sci-Fi, Horror and Pop Culture. The closest comparison would be that of The Misfits/ White Zombie/Wednesday 13 etc. Our intention is to provide a full show, theatrics, makeup, larger than life characters and everything that stimulates heightened emotion along with well-crafted honest rock and roll. The man who inspired me to pick up the guitar was the none other than the Space Ace himself (Ace Frehley) along with Jimi Hendrix, Stevie ray Vaughn and George Harrison. More recently I find inspiration from 70's and 80's era guitar rock. 
 
STARBIE 66: HI! I am Starbie 66 & I play Bass and do backing vocals for Toxic Zombie. My biggest inspiration would probably be Lemmy Kilmister! Along with Kurt Cobain, Maria Brink, and of course Ozzy! 
 
DEAD END JOHNNY: Thanks for having us! I’m Dead End Johnny and I play guitar, sing backing vocals, and assist in the song writing process. Don’t let the name fool you, there’s no shambling here. Toxic Zombie is high energy rock and roll that gets you moving and your body grooving’; it’s also accessible to multiple generations. Although we are horror themed, it is with tongue in cheek and smiles on our faces, because we want to provide the crowd with a fun and memorable experience. I was inspired by the band Kiss the first time I saw them on television. I was absolutely awestruck. I looked at my mother and said, “Mom, I’m gonna be a Rock Star someday.” And that was that. 
 
METAL PULP AND PAPER: Let’s go over who makes up the backbone of Toxic Zombie. If one were to throw Toxic Zombie onto a table and perform an autopsy, what would the medical examiner find? 

GRIMM: I'm the brains but without my limbs I can't go very far. While I started this over 9 years ago the current lineup has pushed us to new dimensions. 
 
TOXIC ZOMBIE: Toxic Zombie is greater than its parts. If you were to perform an autopsy on this incarnation of TZ, I think you would find that every atom contains equal amounts of each of us. While one part may appear to favor one or the other, the genetic make-up contains pieces of all of us, even members that are not on stage. TZ is more than just what you see on stage, we have a great deal of support from our whole clan. We couldn’t do what we do without every person; crew and friends included. 
 
MPAP: Toxic Zombie has gone through various lineup changes over the years. Sometimes it can be for the best, and in turn, make the band even stronger. It can though however set the progress back for when you must start over again? 
 
GRIMM: Yeah it can put a hold on things especially when you have a giant push of momentum. However the new line up has worked hard to rebuild, rebrand and revitalize Toxic Zombie
 
MPAP:You can’t predict what can happen down the road, but is there something you can do in the meantime to make sure this lineup stays together? 
 
TZ: Communication is the key to any relationship. Also willingness to work together and not put too much of a burden on one individual. We have all been down that road and our desire to exist in a level headed band is what brought us all together in the first place. We are matured as musicians and as people, so I don’t see your typical juvenile downfalls occurring with this line up. 
 
MPAP: Toxic Zombie self-produces everything, from music to your videos. Not many bands do that? That must be hard work, along with taking up a lot of valuable time? Do you get your fans to help at all, like through a crowdfunding campaign? 

TZ: As of right now it has been self-funded by each of us or sales of merchandise from shows and so forth, but, the truth is technology has made it very easy and simple for emerging artist to work together. We are lucky enough to live in an area that is very fruitful in the art department. There are a great deal of very talented artist, of all types, anxious to work together. The fans help by purchasing tickets and buying merchandise at shows. That’s about the extent of crowdfunding. 
 
MPAP: Are you major record label shopping at all for the next Toxic Zombie release? 

TZ: As nice as it would be, no probably not, maybe someone will see us working hard and offer us a P&D deal. 
 
MPAP: Do you hope to get picked up someday so the recording label can take over on a lot of the leg work? 
 
TZ:  Really it's all about having a good pr rep first get that rolling and you almost don't need a label I'm today's music world. If a major label was interested in helping promote and distribute our work, then I think we would have something to talk about. Other than that big labels are in the dark just like everyone else as the paradigm of the music business changes. 
 
MPAP: How would you say your music has grown since the beginning? Is the band aging better with time? 
 
GRIMM: Oh by far. I have always thought the band had an abundance of talent in it. But, my songwriting has got stronger as well as stepping out of the rhythm guitar spot and letting Bishop and Johnny add their flare has really made an impact. 
 
FREEMAN: I have always been a fan of Toxic Zombie, I do think that they sound has matured over the years. 

STARBIE 66: Over the years, having played in other bands that have shared the stage with Toxic Zombie, I feel like Toxic Zombie has always been a strong unit!!! 
 
JOHNNY: I think the music has matured as Toxic Zombie has aged. The songs are more complex now, and the band as a whole is more solid now than it has probably ever been. 

MPAP: Are each of you constantly writing music, or do you wait until it’s time to go into the studio to come up with a riff, lyric, or even a drum beat? 
 
GRIMM: I am always thinking up lyrics or a guitar line. We will probably finish this record and start working on the next one ASAP! Keep it flowing! 
 
FREEMAN: Grimm and Johnny mostly bring the songs to the table then we build up from there. Since we only have a fill in drummer right now the beats get created on the spot. Thankfully we have had a great fill in drummer (Toby Luggo) for this recording cycle. 
 
STARBIE 66: We goof around alot, but songs are flushed out at practice! We like to be prepared when we go to the studio!
 
JOHNNY: We’re always writing new music. Often times when we are at home and on our own time, but sometimes one of us will just come up with a riff during practice and it ends up turning into song right there 
 
MPAP: How long until some new material is out and hits everyone’s MP3 players or blasts through their car speakers? 
 
TZ: We have a new lyric video in the works and more videos to come! As far as the album we don’t have a release date yet but plan on the full album being available summer of 2017 for sure!
 
MPAP: How is the word of Toxic Zombie spread? Is everyone beating the streets with flyers, or flooding the social media? 
 
TZ: Virally haha Social media and word of mouth are the most effective tools at this point. Flyers don’t work like they used too, people are too focused on their phones in today’s age. So the equivalent of flyering would be just interacting with posts and grabbing people’s attention with interesting images and visual content, but getting out playing shows and infecting new listeners live is always the best way! 
 
MPAP: Your website listed no upcoming shows. How long until you play a show? 
 
TZ: We have one show coming up May 30th in Portland, Or with our good friends Wednesday 13! This is the only thing we have in the books so that we can focus mainly on getting the album done and ready to release 
 
MPAP: Any tours lined up you can reveal? 
 
TZ: We are just now in talks for booking a fall tour that will hopefully cover most of the United States, lots of west coast regional dates this summer. It will definitely be next year before we can get overseas. 

MPAP: Tell us about the Portland, Oregon music scene. Is it alive and well, even though it rains almost 9 months out of the year? 
 
TZ: There is a large thriving music scene here for pretty much every musical type you can think of. We are very close with other bands from multiple genres. Portland has a very supportive music scene. It’s very much alive and some great bands are emerging out of the mud! 
 
MPAP: Does the local music scene help each other out? Like spreading the word of someone’s show on the social media, or helping if someone needs to borrow an amp for a gig? 
 
TZ: Cross promotion happens a great deal between bands we share posts, buy/sell tickets to each other’s shows, and so on......That's what keeps the scene alive! Technology has changed live gear quite a bit over the last few years, it does get more difficult to share gear. A large majority of musicians are ditching amps for profilers and going straight to the house system. I know that we forgo amps and use Profiling/Matching/D.I preamps from BIAS, Line 6, Quilter and Sansamp, so that we can have more props and less amp’s to worry about. Overall however everybody is very supportive of one another and help as they are able to, at the end of the day we’re all here for the same reason: to share our love of music. Whether you play Punk, Metal, Prog, or Post-hardcore new age shoegaze, we’re all in it together. So why not be supportive of one another? There’s too much hate in the world already. You never know when you might need that helping hand. Karma.
 
MPAP: Where is the best place to grab a beer, and see a live metal show in Portland? 

GRIMM: Ash Street Saloon would have been the place I would direct you to, but will soon be closing. However catching a show at Dante’s can be great or even the Rock Hard PDX which is a newer club gaining ground on the local circuit. 

FREEMAN: Hawthorne Theater, Ash Street Saloon, Rock Hard PDX, Lovecraft. 
 
STARBIE 66: My Fave has got to be the Hawthorne Theater! I love the staff! Pizza, cheep drinks and an all-around good vibe!

JOHNNY: Well, the Hawthorne is our stomping ground, but I think all of them are great. The important thing is that people get out and go to shows. 

MPAP: Before we bring this interview to a close, where do each of you see yourselves and Toxic Zombie in five years? 
 
GRIMM: On the road infecting everyone with the zombie virus. 
 
FREEMAN: Touring, Touring, Touring.

STARBIE 66: On the Road! Definitely overseas!
 
JOHNNY: Well, by that point, I assume we will have settled on a record label and I would like to have done an East coast tour as well as a European tour .
 
MPAP: Most important, what’s on the horizon for Toxic Zombie? What can your fans expect to finish out the year 2017? 

GRIMM: A new album, many new music videos and live shows you will never forget! 
 
FREEMAN: 2017 should see a bit of touring, several videos and at least two releases before December 
 
STARBIE 66: This Awesome New album! At least 2 Super Rad videos, and us eating BBBRRAAAIIINNNZZZZ out on the road!

JOHNNY: Johnny: New Album, new music videos and digital content, and along with that we will have new merchandise coming out. The website will be getting an overhaul and we potentially have a fall US tour lined up. Gonna be a busy year. 
 
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp and Paper, thank you Toxic Zombie for being a part of this. Looking forward to what comes next for Toxic Zombie

FREEMAN: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us, can’t wait to share all the stuff we have been working on the last few months.

STARBIE 66: Thank You!!!! :) 
 
JOHNNY: Thank you!!!! 
 
MPAP: Any last words you’d like to say to your fans, and even your new fans after reading this interview? 

GRIMM: BRRRRAINZZZ!!!!!!!!!! 
 
FREEMAN: Tip you bartender, treat others as you wish to be treated and support your scene!!!!! BRRRRAAAIINNNZZZZ!!!!!!! 
 
STARBIE 66: Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter!!! We love to chat, & we have TONS of fun stuff to share!!!!!!!!!! BRRRAAAIINNNZZZZZ!!!!!!!! 

JOHNNY: Thank you for all your support, and of course: BRAAAAAIIINNNNZZZZZ!!!!

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