Music News Headline Answers With Filmspeed's
Oliver Dobrian
January/February 2020 • 4th Edition #91
Metal Pulp And Paper: Hello Oliver.Thank you for taking the time to speak with us here at Metal Pulp And Paper. We appriciate it. Before we get started, tell us a little about your band and what we might need to know.
Oliver Dobrian: Hi! I’m Oliver, the drummer from Filmspeed. We’re a loud rock n’ roll power trio from Southern California. Craig and Nick, guitar/vox and bass respectively, are lifelong buddies from Detroit who moved out here to pursue music. I met them about three and a half years ago now, and we’ve been busting guts and melting faces ever since! We’re all about getting people excited about rock n’ roll again and getting ‘em out to shows. We love playing live and sharing music with people. Music’s in all of our blood, and we’re not going anywhere, so get used to us. Rock n’ roll may or may not be dead, but we’re sure as hell clinging to whatever’s left! We have a new single called "Brain Dead" that came out January 24th, 2020! Go add it to all your Spotify’s, Apple Music’s, Tidal’s, Pandora’s, whatever’s. It’s a fast, fun cut we made alongside our latest release "Need a Rush." Give both a listen and a follow on all the things, @filmspeedmusic pretty much everywhere, and we’ll keep you posted on stuff!
MPAP: Very nice. So, just in case you or the reader are new to this, this is how it all works, it won’t sting a bit. We here at the Metal Pulp And Paper headquarters pulled some recent music news headlines from the Metal Injection website and turned them into questions. Pretty simple, just like putting on your pants one leg at a time. So, once again, please place seat backs and tray tables in the upright position, hang on, here we go. Putting on your seat belt is totally up to you…
1. Hardcore Show In A Denny's Restaurant Results In Hundreds of Dollars In Damages
MPAP: So, this 17-year-old kid, Bryson Del Valle, booked his first DIY show at a Denny’s restaurant for the punk band Wacko. Obviously, Denny’s is not the ideal spot to play a hardcore music show, or is it? Still, somehow Bryson pulled it off at the Santa Anna restaurant other than the damages done to the establishment. First off, I guess the show sold out, so maybe Bryson is onto something here. Can’t imagine why Denny’s agreed to it, what were they thinking? So, I guess the question is, where would you like your band to perform that is not the ordinary place to play, and maybe get a bit wild and wreak havoc on some table and chairs? And since the story has gone viral, Green Day donated $2,000 to help pay for the damages.
Oliver: We’ll play anywhere there are people. Whether it’s in front of three people or 30,000, Filmspeed will bring the same show and get just as rowdy! Doesn’t matter where it is. In fact, you can catch on our 'Denny’s Only' tour, starting January 2020- February 2021. Might wanna tell Denny’s about it though
2. Meth Recounts Hilariously Crazy Story Of Missing Their Gathering Of The Juggalos Set
MPAP: Every year Insane Clown Posse puts on a music festival called Gathering Of The Juggalos, and let’s just say it’s not a music fest you’d want to take your parents to or go there on your first date. Shit, what do I know, maybe you would want to take them there? Either way, you’re going to see some fucked up shit happening there. Anyways, one of the members of Meth told a crazy story about trying to get there to play but was unable to find the right stage they were to play on that day. Now, what about you, any crazy band stories about missing a show, or about almost missing a show that is memorable?
Oliver:I don’t think we’ve ever missed a show we’ve been booked on yet, knock on wood! I think maybe the closest we’ve come is forgetting we’ve even had a show until like two nights before it, and then getting reminded somehow, and being like "welp… I guess we have a show!" But since playing live is hands down all of our favorite things to do, we’re gonna make every effort to get there and kill it no matter what.
3. Destruction Vocalist on Metallica: "Once You're A Billionaire, What Should You Be Pissed Off About?"
MPAP: I don’t think Lars or James are billionaires just yet, but maybe in another year or two, who knows? Schmier, Destruction’s vocalist, said in an interview that Metallica's lack of heaviness and anger over the years has to do with the fact that Metallica got rich. Do you think that’s a fair assumption that if you’re no longer pissed off about anything in the world, or whatever it will reflect in your music?
Oliver: I heard on a podcast once that Sinbad said, "Comedians are funnier when they’re riding the bus." I think that’s a perfectly succinct way to describe how fame and fortune can affect people’s art. It doesn’t just apply to comedy. Stay grounded, stay humble, and don’t lose touch with the people who gave you that success in the first place. Of course, a massive lifestyle change is going to affect what inspires you and influence your art. That being said, you can always manufacture emotions too, so Metallica should just harken back to those good ol’ angry days and grow some cojones again. Maybe they should write some songs about not getting the right caterer for their daughters’ weddings or something? Do they even have daughters?
4. Airline Forces Woman Wearing "Hail Satan" Shirt To Either Change or Get Off The Plane
MPAP: Satanism is officially recognized as a religion in the United States now. Still, it was far too much for one American Airlines crew to handle, who forced a passenger to change her shirt if she wanted to remain on board the plane. She was escorted up to the front of the aircraft and told to remover her shirt or get kicked off the plane. She eventually covered up the 'so-called offensive' shirt with one of her husbands. What are your thoughts on this? If her shirt had said 'Hail Jesus', no one would probably have even have batted an eye. So, should you be allowed to wear anything you want out in public? What if your favorite shirt could be offensive to one person, but not to others, what do you do? Ever had someone report you to someone or just glare at you for what you were wearing at an airport, or anywhere in public before?
Oliver: Just this past Christmas I got a shirt that has 'Covfefe' on it in the Supreme font. I think it’s hilarious, I hate Trump, he’s the worst, but I can definitely see how some people would take it the wrong way, or get the wrong idea. I just figure if you can’t take a joke I don’t want you in my life anyway. Censorship in all forms is for the birds. #takecovfefeback. Also, Hail Satan!
5. Lars Ulrich Can See Metallica Going For Another 20 Years
MPAP: Metallica formed as a band in 1981, so, in the year 2020, that would put them at touring the World for 38 years. So, add another 20 more years, that would then put them at touring just under six decades. Is that even fathomable to think about? But check this out, Dame Vera is the UK's best-selling female artist. She began performing publicly at the age of seven and is still performing to this day. Her first radio broadcast was with the Joe Loss Orchestra in 1935. That’s 85 years so far. So, try and beat that Metallica! Now how far ahead do you see yourself going? Do you still want to be performing five, ten, or even 20 years from now?
Oliver: We’ll stick around as long as you’ll have us. Even if you won’t, we’ll probably just lurk in some corner somewhere. We’re doing this for us at the end of the day, we wouldn’t have even lasted as long as we have today if we weren’t. Music’s in our blood and we love it. We’re not stopping just because you told us to. What, you think we’re in this for the money?! Hahahahaha!
6. New Study Says Listening To 78 Minutes Of Music Daily Is Important To Your Health
MPAP: Well, first off, are you listening to the recommended amount? And then, what do you do at home vs. out on the road to stay healthy or keep in shape? Do you worry about your health while out on the road? After a while, the same truck stop corn dog and burrito has to get old eating all the time, right? What are some of the main obstacles you have to deal with?
Oliver: 78 minutes is nothing. When we’re on the road it’s constant tunes, either to keep us awake while driving, or just to have something to talk about, haha! Healthwise, when we’re on the road it’s survival mode, and I’m pretty sure we’re coasting on adrenaline for most of it. Even if we’re getting sick it goes away whenever we’re onstage. Food-wise, we usually just go grocery shopping beforehand and subsist on vanwiches whenever we get hungry, and the occasional meal splurge when we get desperate for real food is always welcome.
7. Jason Newsted Told By Doctors To Stop Headbanging
MPAP: Recently Newsted, formerly of Flotsam & Jetsam and Metallica, said that 25 years of headbanging has finally caught up with him, and it’s time to, as doctors have told him over the years, it’s time to 'stop spinning the head.' Luckily, he doesn’t have to get surgery yet, but Slayer’s bassist Tom Araya was not as fortunate and had to have anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery done in 2010. So, what’s something if the doctor told you to do stop doing, you would stop doing. And then on the other side of the coin, what’s something if he told you to stop doing, you wouldn’t do because you like it so much?
Oliver: I headbang like crazy onstage, we all do, and have definitely felt some ill effects afterwards. Fairly certain it’ll catch up to us someday, but I for one don’t see myself ever stopping even when the doctor tells me to. Even when he does, I’ll just do it softer maybe, but will never actually stop. The show must go on!
8. KNOTFEST Mexico Canceled After Fans Rush The Stage, Breaking Barricades.
MPAP: A security safety issue prevented fans from seeing the rest of Knotfest after the stage barricade broke during Behemoth's set, and it was impossible to fix it in time for the final two acts of the night, Evanescence and Slipknot, so, in the end, the rest of the show was canceled, and this did not sit well many. In pictures and video footage that surfaced, it shows many fans getting onto the stage and destroying some of Evanescence’s equipment, and set fire to Will Hunts drum set. Obviously, you don’t want this kind of shit to happen. The fans took it too far, music was more important than the safety of others. What’re your thoughts on this?
Oliver: Welp. People need to chill out, I guess. It’s only music! The bands don’t want to see anyone hurt and neither should you. Everyone’s just trying to have a good time, and I guess it just takes a few bad apples to spoil the fun. Does anyone know what got them this riled up in the first place? Just seems silly.
9. Alice Cooper Says Lemmy's Idea Of Not Drinking Was "Maybe Just Five Or Six Drinks"
MPAP: Alice explained that one time that Lemmy from Motorhead told him he had quit drinking. Lemmy’s idea of not drinking was not drinking a bottle of whiskey each night. Maybe just five or six drinks. Are the days of excessive drinking and partying over with? What is life out on the road for you? Are you quiet when you’re not on tour, but look out, when the tour begins you can’t wait to hang out with the other bands and have a few drinks?
Oliver: All three of us enjoy our drinks, yes. But we always party responsibly, no matter the situation. The same rules apply on the road as at home, if anything more so because we want to put on the best show possible. Everything in moderation. No-one likes a sloppy drunk.
10. Kiss Played A Show For Great White Sharks But No Sharks Actually Showed Up
MPAP: I think this is the first music headline that I can’t think of anything to come up with for a question, but it just seemed so good not to talk about it. Let’s see what I can come up with in the end; either way, let’s continue. So, anyways, some Air-B-N-B company paid Kiss probably a butt load of money to perform live on a boat, like they needed it anyway, but it was for a good cause, and some fans got once in a lifetime performance. Hmmm, now that I’m thinking about it, is this Bryson’s second booking to have a band perform in a not so-usual-place? Knowing this outcome, I think he needs to stick with restaurants and book his next show at a Red Lobster. Don’t worry; it wasn’t him that booked it. But anyways, to get to the moral of the story, if anyone cares, Kiss set up and actually performed live on a boat off the coast of Port Lincoln in support of the Australian Marine Conservation Society in front of like eight special die-hard fans. The whole idea of the debacle was that Kiss would play some songs, and then sharks swimming in the area would show up because they 'love the low-frequency sounds of rock and roll.' Bassist Gene Simmons was very impressed with the whole ordeal and even said, "Guys, this is probably the most interesting gig I’ve ever done. I’d want my own autograph after this." Bam! I’ve got it! Let’s go with this, (fireworks and sirens wailing), let’s have the first-ever Metal Pulp And Paper Headline Questions three-part question. This is exciting. Mary, drum roll please…
10.1: What has been your most interesting gig so far?
Oliver: We saw this Kiss thing too and immediately thought, 'that might be more Spinal Tap than Spinal Tap.' As for us, every gig we play is interesting! To have any expectations for any gig before going in is a recipe for failure, so we just take whatever punches come and roll with them. Specifically, hmm…. yeah get back to me. They’re all interesting.
10.2: Is there a person out there walking this earth that you’d like to get an autograph from?
Oliver: Autographs are fun for the five seconds you’re getting them. There are plenty of people I’d like to meet and have real conversations with, and maybe get an autograph at the end for posterity. Besides, aren’t autographs dead in the age of cell phones and selfies? Pics or it didn’t happen. I’d deff like a selfie with Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Thom Yorke, you know, music people.
10.3: And then, give a shout out to a local band from your home town out there that you think the sharks would have shown up to listen to instead of Kiss.
Oliver: Hometown? I’m from Irvine, Craig and Nick are from Detroit, so they’ll have different answers. The only two bands I know from Irvine are Thrice and Young the Giant. Both great bands, but if sharks aren’t showin’ up for Kiss, they ain’t showin’ up for anybody.
11. Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist Talks Backstage Perks: Their Own Dressing Rooms, Masseuses & Personal Assistants
MPAP: Must be nice, I guess, right? I don’t know how true this one is, but alongside Haribo gummy bears in his dressing room, Marilyn Manson reportedly has asked for a 'bald-headed, toothless hooker' in his rider at one point in his music career. What have been some of your backstage perks that you’ve gotten or asked for before? Can you top Manson’s?
Oliver: The nicest we’ve been treated by a venue backstage has to be at Last Exit Live in Phoenix. They have a fully decked out separate green room there, complete w/ drinks, showers, everything. Definitely the closest to real rock star treatment we’ve gotten. We haven’t been in the position to ask for things yet, key word 'yet', but frankly if the stage works, we’ll be okay.
12. Pete Townshend Says The Who "Sort Of Invented Heavy Metal" In 1970
MPAP: Ya right! And this is coming from a guy that recently said in an interview he’s glad drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle are dead and gone and no longer in The Who. What a dick. Anyways, who do you think invented Heavy Metal music in your eyes. Some say Black Sabbath’s self-titled album in 1970 was the birth of Heavy Metal music. Others argue that Blue Cheer's 1968 record Vincebus Eruptum is the first heavy metal album, while others say Coven's 1969 album Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls is where it all started. Maybe you have a total different take on it?
Oliver: Oliver here again, probably the biggest The Who fan in the band. Keith Moon is the reason I started playing drums. Pete’s great, but he’s just wrong on this one. If anything The Who invented punk rock, for which I’ll gladly give them all the credit in the world, they kinda did. Heavy metal? Not so much. Love The Who to death though. For the record, the 'Glad Entwhistle and Keith are dead' thing is largely out of context and got blown out of proportion for clickbait. He was just joking around about how they were a pain in his ass. He’s always been a hyperbolic crotchety dude, it’s just Pete being Pete.
13. Metallica's 1991 Self-Titled Album Breaks New Billboard Record
MPAP: Yes, I know, I know. Not another Metallica question. What can I say they make a lot of news headlines. So, the Black album is approaching 17 million sales in the United States while cresting over 31 million worldwide and has sold so well that it's now become one of the only four albums in history, of any genre, to be on the Billboard 220 for 550 non-consecutive weeks. That’s over ten years? At one point I think I heard it sells like 5,000 copies a week. I wonder how many warehouses Lars has rented over the years to store them all? Anyways, blah, blah blah, either way, it’s quite the accomplishment, but more importantly, what about your band? What is something that you’re proud of that has happened, and why?
Oliver: I’m definitely proud of our 2017 release Hexadecimal. It’s not easy to put together a full length with a new band, I was less than a year in at that point, but the chemistry just felt good right off the bat, and the whole thing was just super fun to make. It’s a cohesive record that we still play cuts from just for us.
MPAP: Well, that wraps up another edition of Metal Pulp And Paper’s Headline Questions, and those were some great answers. Now Mary, tell them what they’ve won. Mary? Hey Mary! Shit, we can’t find Mary, haha! Anyways, so, on behalf of Metal Pulp And Paper, we’d like to thank you, Oliver, for taking the time to answer these recent music news headline questions. We look forward to what you or your band, Filmspeed, does in 2020 and beyond. Any last words for all your fans and all the Metal Pulp And Paper readers out there?
Oliver: If you like our stream of consciousness silly ramblings, check out our podcast 'Consistently Off' on all the podcast platforms! It’s basically how the three of us catch up for the week and drink some stuff and talk about whatever. No rules, just three guys in a room talking. Wait, isn’t that every podcast? Ours is the best though, go with ours.