FANGORIA MUSICK - NEWS

Fashion Bomb is a unique, new breed of audio mercenary. Containing elements of industrial, metal, rock and goth, they aren’t easily categorized into any one genre of music and instantly arrest the listener with uncompromised style, quality and sonic fluency. Their visual image and presentation is just as striking as their sound, featuring sleek, almost militaristic dark attire, seven inch platform boots and a commanding stage presence that always leaves the crowd screaming for more. Last fall the band signed with Full Effect Records and released their first full-length disc DEVILS TO SOME, ANGELS TO OTHERS, and recently they hit the studio to record their sophomore follow-up with Fear Factory’s Ray Herrera. In the following interview with vocalist Val and lead guitarist Acid, we discuss their music, image, plans for world domination and favorite horror flicks…

FANGORIA: How would you define your musical style?

Val: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines our style as intelligent, undead art. Art that is really loud.

Acid: We try to keep it pretty dark. We mix in metal, industrial, and rock with our own weird quirks and then kind of shape it into something cohesive.

FANGORIA: Who is the biggest influence on your musical career?

Val: Probably Luciano Pavarotti, I started classically and he was one of the earliest examples to me of excellence and having a true gift and passion for his art. And the Scorpions.

Acid: Ha, I loved the Scorpions! The world needs more whistling as a lead instrument.

Val: Exactly.

Acid: For me, I was kind of musically formed as a kid by Billy Idol and David Bowie. Billy Idol teaches a kid to rock, and Bowie gives you an appreciation for strangeness. Makes a cool combination: cerebral without neglecting the body.

FANGORIA: If you had to choose, what bands would you consider Fashion Bomb comparable to? What separates you from those bands?

Acid: Who is making us choose? Are we being held at gunpoint in this hypothetical scenario? Because Fashion Bomb does not negotiate with terrorists. Kind of a sick question if you ask me.

Val: We get a bunch of comparisons, but usually in combination. We blend styles and cross musical boundaries rather easily. We get NIN, Tool, Manson, Rob Zombie....but it is usually said that we have many elements of these projects but are uniquely our own. What separates us from the rest is what separates Jesus from Buddha.

Acid: Yeah, about 150 pounds.

FANGORIA: Over the past few years you’ve played in support of such mainstreams acts as Marilyn Manson, Dope, Godhead, American Head Charge, Soil, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and a slew of others. A fan who has never heard Fashion Bomb goes to a concert. You guys are on the bill. What should they expect from your live stage show?

Val: An awesome live show...not Memorex.

Acid: Indeed.

FANGORIA: Who are your fans? What do you think draws them to your music?

Val: Every band has the stock answer that their fans are the best, but what truly makes our fans stand above the rest is that they share the passion we have in performing the music. It can only be that they relate to the music in a personal way, and with that, share in the live performance. Our fans fuel our performance and enhance it. It absolutely makes our live shows an awesome experience for all involved.

Acid: Our fans are pretty diverse. We've got pissed-off miscreants in all black with piercings and dyed hair and people who look as normal as Mister Rogers, only all the nastiness is on the inside. Val's lyrics are pretty intellectual and full of a kind of righteous indignation, and people who share that built-up frustration at living in a world of slack-jawed idiots identify with what he has to say and the way the band frames it.

FANGORIA: You’re considered by many to be a very fan friendly band that will spend as much time as needed to fill all picture and even conversation requests with fans. Is it important to maintain a mystique about you or to be as accessible as possible?

Val: With all of our idiosyncrasies, I don't think we have to worry about our mystery being unravelled in a conversation.. I think we are still mysterious to ourselves at times... but seriously; we enjoy talking to our fans and taking the time to interact. Music is a two way street, and interaction is not only key, but makes the experience better for everyone.... artist and fan alike.

Acid: You've got a room crammed with people who love and support what you do. They're responsible for your success. It's the very least you can do to not be a dick to them. Seems like common sense, but a lot of bands treat their fans like shit.

FANGORIA: Fashion Bomb has drawn attention due to the “undead” image of the band. You guys wear a lot of black, platform boots, and are doing your part to pave the way for a new era of “goth”. How important is image to the band?

Val: If we are carrying the battle standard for a new era of goth, I think it is because that is who we are. Image is important because it is a representation of our own personal form of art. We, like our fans, express ourselves in a multitude of ways. Just because my personal style is darker, it does not preclude someone with different taste from relating to my music. We stand more for freedom of expression, and freedom from judgement because of that expression. What you see is who we are, not who we are dressed up to be.

Acid: I like not blending in to a crowd. I like being memorable. But at no point should image be considered more important than the music, and this band definitely puts the music first. Image is just another medium to be creative with.

FANGORIA: Full Effect Records recently released DEVILS TO SOME, ANGELS TO OTHERS. It’s garnered a lot of positive response from fans who’ve had the chance to hear it. What would you want to tell a first time listener before hitting the play button? Any warnings, explanations, or pleas?

Val: Turn up the volume. 9 out of 10 audiologists recommend buying one for a friend.

Acid: What's an audiologist?

Val: A hearing specialist....

Acid: I wonder what the 10th guy recommends? He's probably a douche who got a mail-order diploma.

FANGORIA: You recently returned from working on your sophomore release with Fear Factory’s Raymond Herrera in L.A. How did the recording go and when can we expect to see the album on store shelves?

Val: The recording session was excellent. Raymond was kind enough to work with us in his studio, and Jeremy Blair (Guns-n-Roses, Fear Factory, Mnemic, Arkaea) produced. The new album is going to showcase the continuing evolution of our sound, and the expertise that Jeremy and Raymond made available to us make the songs on the new record even more exceptional. As you can find DEVILS TO SOME, ANGELS TO OTHERS out in stores, so will you also be able to find our new record. Keep your eye on our website for the announcement of the release date shortly!

Acid: It was a blast. Ray is awesome and Jeremy is an unbelievable tone wizard. He's been a lot of bands' secret weapon. Plus there is something pretty inspiring about working in a studio where you're surrounded by all these gold and platinum records. This record is going to be fucking unreal.

FANGORIA: What are you looking to accomplish with its release?

Val: World domination.

Acid: That would be a good start.

FANGORIA: On March 6th, you’ll be be performing at the FANGORIA WEEKEND OF HORRORS “Shock-N-Roll Spooktacular”. You guys are not strangers to Fangoria. What are some of your favorite horror movies and how do you feel about the horror community?

Val: The horror community is made up of diehard fans, and I am certainly among them. I think THE EXORCIST is a classic, the HELLRAISER series, and of course, who can neglect the FRIDAY THE 13th or HALLOWEEN series of pictures. I thought the more recent THE DEVILS REJECTS was also an instant depraved classic. The horror community is definitely a neighborhood I visit often.

Acid: THE EXORCIST. The very first HALLOWEEN movie. The 80's remake of THE BLOB scared the shit out of me when I was little and I still love it. What else... all the Body Snatchers movies, especially the one from the early 90's. Cool concept. I read a lot of horror novels too, and I still long for the day when they make a truly kick-ass H.P. Lovecraft movie. When I saw the first teaser trailers for CLOVERFIELD, I was juicing all over because I thought it was going to be about Cthulhu.

FANGORIA: This will be your first show since returning from LA. What should fans attending the “Shock-N-Roll Spooktacular” expect?

Val: They should prepare for an extremely good concert. FANGORIA always does a great job at their conventions, and this year is going to be no exception. We will be playing some tried and true favorites, and will also be debuting some new songs off of the new album for the first time anywhere. We are very excited to be bringing the noise to everyone at the convention.

Acid: We've played some of the new material, and it's gotten a great response. But we've kept all the very best songs under wraps for months. We will finally be unveiling them Friday, March 6th.

FANGORIAWhat’s next for Fashion Bomb?

Val: World domination.

Acid: That would be a good start.

Fashion Bomb will be performing (along with alt metal maniacs Mushroomhead) at the “Shock-N-Roll Spooktacular” concert being held Friday night, March 6th during the FANGORIA WEEKEND OF HORRORS convention. For more information and tickets, go to fangocon.com. For more info on Fashion Bomb, check out fashionbomb.net and myspace.com/xfashionxbombx