John: You�ve got new members. Who are they, and where�d you find them?
Tommy: Justin Daniels on guitar and Kenny Lund on drums are the two new guys.
I�ve known Kenny for years. We both played in hardcore bands back in the `80`s. He played drums in a band called Lethal Aggression at the same time Rob and I were in a band called Social Decay. But we never jammed together before now.
Justin we picked up at the New Jersey State Penitentiary and he told us if he didn�t let him join this band he was going to kidnap us all! That dirty 609er!
John: Speaking of which, what prompted you to add a second guitarist?
Tommy: I told you he said if we didn�t let him join this band he was going to kidnap us all!
No, in all seriousness, we have been looking to add another guitar player for years. Not only to beef up our sound but to add a little different element to our music. We jammed with many guitar players and talked with even more, but none of them ever clicked. When Justin first came down to practice he was like, "Look, you guys and Orange Goblin are my favorite bands." We�re like, "Yeah, right."
Then we started playing with him and he knew all the songs, all the riffs and even knew some of the guitar solos better than me! Plus, he�s a dirty scumbag just like the rest of us. He fit right in.
John: Regarding your recently released split with Greatdayforup, "Cement Stitches" is a change of pace, compared to the songs on 13 and Further. Can you explain how the song came about?
Tommy: Maybe to the outside observer that song might seem different than other Solace stuff but it feels right at home for us. Kenny, Rob, and myself all come from an old school hardcore background.
We played in hardcore bands in the `80`s and went to tons of shows back then, and saw Agnostic Front, The Cro-Mags, Raw Power, The Bad Brains, COC, Prong, etc. We love that stuff and always brought that element to our sound. Just so happens that this new one is even more of a tribute than that stuff we grew up on. It�s still Solace.
John: Also on the split are two covers � "Hammerhead" and "The Rumble." How did you guys pick those songs?
Tommy: They kinda picked us. We just really dig those two tunes and thought they would be cool to cover. We always like doing covers and thought it would be cool to do these two different styles of songs - one from 1971 one from 1958 - and still somehow manage a connection and still fit in with what we do as Solace.
John: How�s the songwriting going for the follow up to 13? And speaking of which, how does the songwriting get broken down (i.e. does one person do the brunt of the writing or is it done together)?
Tommy: Musically, the next record is done. We actually have more songs that we can fit. It�s up to Jason now to fill in the blanks and make these riffs into songs by fleshing them out with his words and melodies. Jamming brings out most of the songs, or I�ll bring the basic idea to the band where we can ALL flesh out the idea into a working song that everyone can agree on. So the music is usually done first then Jason can add his parts vocally and we can always add or subtract musically, depending on what Jason wants to do. There is no set way our songs develop. Some of it is pre-planned, but even when I bring riffs to the table, everyone has their say. It�s very democratic. We just go with whatever we like, and how we get there is of no real importance.
John: Of course, the big question involves (lead singer) Jason and touring. This time last year, you guys were on tour with Jadd (MeteorCity, Spiritu) fronting the band. Was there a specific reason Jason didn�t tour?
Tommy: There are various reasons, miscommunication being one.
The bottom line is that it doesn�t really matter what happened yesterday, or how it happened, but that Jason is back where he belonged the whole time, and we as a band could not be happier.
Because when I hear Solace, I hear Jason. I always wanted him as our singer and always will want him as our singer. I thank Jadd for filling in, and those were pretty big shoes to fill, but the band is back where it should be now.
John: Solace have been pretty active lately, with gigs in NY/NJ, and you�re scheduled to play Emissions from the Monolith again this year. Any other touring plans beyond that?
Tommy: Absolutely. We are not stopping. We are working on a European tour late 2004.
We should have been doing this the whole time we were a band but unforeseen obstacles always seemed to rear their ugly heads at the most inopportune time for Solace. We are on a mission to destroy the world. Solace are like a train wreck. It�s not fucking pretty, but you know you have to look.
John: With Solace, it�s obvious that one of the bigger influences is Black Sabbath (especially with the "Hand of Doom" tribute on "In the Oven"). But what do you think are the not-so-common influences in the band?
Tommy: That would be the hardcore influences. That shit that Rob and I grew up on, and Kenny too. That Agnostic Front song we cover on 13 wasn�t to be cool. Victim in Pain is still one of my favorite records of all time. I bought that shit off the band when it first came out. My very first gig I ever played was opening for Agnostic Front, Psycho, Mental Abuse and Bodies in Panic in 1984.
That music is me. So as much as I love all that heavy `70`s rock, I never lived it, you know what I mean? But I was outside CBGB�s every Sunday waiting for the Bad Brains, The F.U.`s, or the first time the Cro-Mags played there. Or Dr. Know. Or COC. It�s all that shit - plus Iron Maiden!
John: It�s been said that you�re older than dirt. If that�s the case, you probably have a good rock story or two. Care to share one?
Tommy: Ha! Fuck Off!!! |
