Andy: So, Tony, I hear you hate doom?
Tony: Ha ha I`ll tell you who I do like quite a bit for doom; Acid King, Sleep, some Trouble, Goatsnake and Ogre although I think those last two are just slow blues rock bands and I thoroughly enjoyed your Black Pyramid set when we played together in Northampton. Overall I do listen to much more rock and roll then doom.
Andy: Alright, all kidding aside (we`ll save that for later), who`s in the band and what instruments do you play?
Tony: I , Tony D`Agostino Play lead guitar
John Lennon - Plays Bass
Adam Hitchcock - Play lead guitar and sings
John Kennedy - Plays Drums
Yes we have a John Lennon and John Kennedy in our band somehow.
Andy: Tony, do you hate all metal, or just doom?
Tony: I love New Wave of British Heavy Metal; Tank , Preist, Angel Witch, Maiden, Accept all of it. To me it is the best form of Heavy Metal it has hooks, melody and sweet guitar work!
Andy: Alright, alright, enough Stonerrock.com inside jokes, Johnny Arzgarth told me to bug you about that one...
Back on subject, you cats have an album you`ve released last year, Black Light And White Lines. What`s the story with the title of the album?
Tony: Not anything too deep we are not like that. Black light posters and cocaine or highway lines seemed like a very 70`s rock and roll image! Picture one of those wood paneled finished basements with wizard and panther black light posters or some late night trucker with white line fever.
Andy: Where was the album recorded, and with who? Do you have any cool studio stories to share with our readers?
Tony: Mad Oak with Benny Grotto. The studio went rather smooth actually everything besides vocals and guitar solos were done in a weekend. We did however bring in tons of beer to get through the weekend and had some fun at The Model...
Andy: How many doom riffs/parts are on the album?
Tony: I would say the 2nd song "Heaven Help Us All" is a doom/NWOBHM riff but completely southern rock by the chorus. Oh and the end of "Black Magic" is totally doom via paying homage to the end of "Black Diamond" by Kiss...
Andy: Smallstone released the album, but you`ve also got a split 7" out with Stone Axe on Hydro-Phonic Records, how did that come about? Most of us here at SR.com are familiar with Smallstone, but how is it working with Hydro-Phonic?
Tony: Smallstone is our label but we did want to do some vinyl Tony from Stone Axe set it up with Hydro-Phonic. Hydro-Phonic sent me a bunch of 7`s to sell and that`s about the end of it. I only read one review of it and that was here on Stonerrock.com
Andy: I hear Hydro-Phonic is putting out some doom records, how do you feel about that? Come to think of it, hasn`t Smallstone put out some albums by doom bands as well? What`s your take on each label`s respective rosters?
Tony: I am not familiar with Hydro-Phonics roster really. Small Stone has some of my favorite current rock bands on it Brought Low, Dixie Witch, Roadsaw, Whitey Morgan, The Glasspack, Skanska Mord, Sasquatch all awesome but especially Brought Low and Dixie Witch. As far as his "doom" bands I dig Acid King and Iota.
Andy: Now that I really get to thinking, don`t you guys have a member of Ocean in your ranks??? Ocean is a doom band, right?
Tony: Your really laying into me with this doom thing huh.. Yes Jl is also in Ocean. Ocean is a incredible live band.
Andy: Speaking of which, you guys are from Portland Maine, what`s the action like up there, aside from Ocean? Are there lots of great rock bands, or is it more of a straight up doom town?
Tony: Well we used to have Ogre and Eldemur Krimm who both were really great bands, We are actually doing a show with Eldemur Krimm next month and I hope it is not just a one time reunion! We got a new stoner rock band called Murcielago I saw them a few nights ago and they are great. A classic stoner band ala Kyuss, Lowrider, Dozer. There`s also AOK Suicide Forest who nail the Keelhaul, Black Cobra, High on Fire vibe. Pigboat plays killer grunge-esque rock... There`s actually quite a bit going on here right now. I personally would like to see some more bands doing a more classic rock thing like us but what can I say metal rules most scenes.
Andy: Alright, once again, enough tom foolery, you just got back from Europe, where you had some touring action going on. Let`s hear all about it...
Tony: Yes we did a week long tour of England and it was pretty damn awesome! Jack Dickinson from Mindzap set it up and took care of us the whole way through from driving to selling merch. We played some pretty interesting places and had some good times but his Loud Howls Festival was the highlight. We did it on the cheap except plane tickets and it worked out well.
Andy: What memorable bands did you see/get to play with while you were over there in the UK?
Tony: Our tour mates Grifter were great, very good people and a killer band. They remind me of Roadsaw and Scissorfight yet more classic rock. Alunah were great people as well, female fronted doom. I really liked Suns Of Thunder too.
Andy: Any plans to go back, or anywhere else overseas?
Tony: We would love to go back but we need to do the rest of Europe first and that wont happen till the next record. We are trying to find a booking agent for Europe!
Andy: What are your tour plans for the upcoming year in general? Any bands in particular you`d like to tour or play with?
Tony: Right now all we got booked is Wheelifest in Rowland Penn. which is a weekend camping event that brings together new bands playing original classic rock. I am looking forward to this and the Small Stone Showcase in September with Dixie Witch, Brought Low, Luder and Red Giant.
I am excited to get down with Brought Low and Dixie Witch again I would like to do some more gigs with Stone Axe and Boston`s Cropduster. Really I would love to get on a bigger bands tour package!
We also might bring Grifter here for an East Coast thing.
Right now touring is on hold while we write the next record and make some money at our day jobs.
Andy: What are your plans for recording and future releases?
Tony: I am hoping to release the next record in Spring 2011 and start recording it this coming December. So far the new songs are really coming together great. It will not be a doom record more like AC/DC, Cult, Early Black Crows, Molly Hatchet etc...
I would say more of a authentic classic rock sound then the first.
Andy: What about recording some covers? I could think of a few tunes you guys would tear it up on...
Tony: We did a cover of Motorhead`s "Killed by Death" on tour in England. We will be doing a song from The Four Horsemen at Wheelifest. I do not know if we will record any right now though unless of course Small Stone does a much anticipated Sucking The 70`s III! If we were to record one it would be something in the James Gang, Ted Nugent, Molly Hatchet, Skynyrd, or Grand Funk catalog.
Andy: Any thoughts of recording or releasing live material?
Tony: Maybe down the line if we ever play some where that`s not a insanely muddy sounding dive bar...
Andy: If Sun Gods In Exile had a mission statement or a motto, what would it be?
Tony: Bringing back kick ass honest rock and roll!
Andy: Who would you consider your biggest influences? Let`s make this interesting, pick one band from the 60`s, the 70`s, the 80`s, and the 90`s who have had the greatest impact on your playing.
Tony: My playing personally would have to be Ted Nugent.
Andy: If Sun Gods In Exile were to compose the soundtrack to a movie, what would that movie be called, and what would it be about?
Tony: "Black Light White Lines" and it would be exactly the same movie as Smokey and the Bandit!
Andy: If someone were to make a documentary about Sun Gods In Exile, and rode with you in your van for one day on the road, describe what the camera would capture...
Tony: Cranky tired 35 year old men eating greasy fast food. Sorry our days of excessive partying are pretty limited.
Andy: Alright, between sold out shows opening for a reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup featuring no original members of the band, you take a job tending bar at your local watering hole. Since you`re such famous rockers, your boss asks you to name a drink after your band. Your signature drink, "The Sun God In Exile", what does it consist of?
Tony: Budweiser in a frosty mug. Budweiser is about all I will drink.
Andy: You also have to make a drink called the "Doom Hater", what`s in that?
Tony: Whiskey straight up cause when I drink whiskey I hate everything.
Andy: Well, that is going to be about all for today, thanks for being such a good sport, Tony, and thank you for the interview. If there`s anything else you`d like to say to the readers, now would be the time to do it!
Tony: Well considering this is Stonerrock.com I would like to say I DO NOT HATE DOOM and thanks to all of you community members who have supported our band. Also I would like to say Stonerrock members are unique where they can listen to Sun Gods In Exile and then Reverend Bizzare in the same day...
Check out Sun Gods In Exile online, at www.myspace.com/sungodsrock, and pick up their debut album from Small Stone Records...
