Micha: What�s up with this whole southern musical thing coming out of New Jersey?
Lee: Back in high school we used to live close to The Garden State Arts Center and a lot of southern bands used to play there and I would sneak in and watch the bands. We got into Skynyrd and that�s the first stuff I learned how to play. After that came all the punk rock and one day I was playing with Solarized and they were doing some southernish stuff and we toured with ATP. I�ll be honest. Alabama Thunderpussy was the main reason we went the direction we did. We had just come off the road with them when we formed this band and they were pretty southern compared to some of the other bands that said they were southern.
Micha: Musically, you guys seem to be chillin� a little bit more on this album.
Lee: Road wise we�re not touring and I think we were bummed out a little bit. There�s more soul because of that and also we were feeling like this was our last chance and we put a lot of thought into making the songs. I wrote a lot of heart felt stuff as that�s what I was feeling. Also, a lot of stoner rock bands coming out of Europe have really been into the band Free. Someone turned us onto the album Free by Free and we listened to it all the time. It�s one of those albums that�s an acquired taste, and its got a certain special something but you don�t hear it right off the bat but It�s like an epiphany when it hits. They were almost as great as Zeppelin and they wrote a lot of this mid tempo soulful stuff and I think a lot of that rubbed off on us when we wrote this album.
Micha: Since this is posthumous, its been proven over the test of time that a lot of bands don�t take off until that third or fourth album.
Lee: I could go on for hours about the politics of everything that went on within the group. We definitely had a longer plan of doing this and I think Lou came up with an opportunity that he could never pass up or otherwise I think we would still be banging away and could�ve really done something.
Micha: So will you continue recording and at least playing one off gigs or is this your Coda?
Lee: We�re talking about doing a big farewell gig but I wouldn�t say it�s a farewell to us ever doing anything again, but more of a farewell to us trying to be a giant player out there. I think we�ll always make records and do a few shows here and there. Who knows, you know? You never know what could happen. I still talk to Lou all the time and Danny�s my brother whom I see at least once a week, and we�ve got a new band, A Thousand Knives of Fire, so there�s no hard feelings. Lou is talking about making a record next year so� I�m down for playing all the time anytime. Halfway to Gone was probably the best thing I was ever involved in and it might be the best thing I�ll ever do so I�ll never stop trying. |
