BONGZILLA
Livin' In Amerjuanica
By: John Gnesin
Over the past three years BONGZILLA embarked on a series of tours that took them from the Relapse Contamination Festival to support dates for hard rock icons MONSTER MAGNET. Their new record Amerijuanican not only continues the band's tradition of creating the thickest stoner-sludge in existence, but is also inspired by the events of the past few years, most namely the atmosphere of persecution and repression that exists in George W. Bush's America.
Interview with Mike by John Gnesin
The biggest
difference between the band's current album and its predecessor was the process by which the songs came about. Mike explains how the band went into the recording, "We were not as rehearsed, we were not on the road as much for sure, the songs were written a little differently. On Amerijuanican, I wrote most of the music myself which is really different than Gateway. With Dixie in NC, it was hard to rehearse and write songs that way. I've always written the high percentage of riffs anyway, but I guess with Amerijuanican I knew we were gonna do the record soon so I was just sitting down and writing songs."
Dixie Dave, also of Weedeater, took over Bongzilla's bass duties for the tail end of the tours in support of Gateway and for the recording of Amerijuanican. Mike has glowing words for Dixie's contribution to the band, not only in terms of music, but also in helping the band gain some
stability: ³Yeah, I think at this point he is a member, he is the bass player for Bongzilla. He did so well, he has been family to us for quite awhile, I just wanted most of all to get a guy I know was a great player and I know I can count on."
In the shadow of the Patriot Act and the current right-wing administration, jumping in a smoke-filled van as a band called Bongzilla has gotten significantly more difficult over the past couple of years. The band have had to be a bit more careful with their personal habits on the road as it is quite a bit easier for the group to get in significantly more trouble if they have a run-in with the authorities.
Asked to give an example of how this new world order has effected their touring routine, Mike tells us, "It's definitely harder, its definitely scarier with the Patriot Act, our rights have been pretty much flushed down the toilet. Like anytime an officer feels he is in any danger, he has the right to search.
Pulling over a van as a police officer,
anytime you can say you fear for your life. Its a van, so you can't see in the back, a trailer with lots of electronic gear... not to mention what we have with us when we are on the road, and I don't mean a little bit, a good amount. We gotta fill up at every stop."
The title track of the new album speaks to this very situation, its title is a play on words or as the band calls it, "wordsmithing" while the lyrics pay both homage and are a mockery of the first lines of the national anthem. "Up until recently I had been pretty proud to be born and raised in this country, and our government has always done crazy stuff, but it seems now we're blatantly lying to our own people, there are so many examples, the weapons of mass destruction, that the war was over..."
This mix of patriotic pride and suspicious sarcasm has been a trademark of musical dissenters for years, and Bongzilla carry on this tradition. The band exists as a cathartic expression of the frustration that the band and their listeners feel being the targets of harsh recriminations based on something as innocuous as a little plant matter.
"Its not that we are based entirely in political antics but this is my way to fight the government's little drug war against of all things...a plant. I don't think any government should be able to make laws to govern a plant." Mike gives us one possible solution though: "If everyone who smokes marijuana voted for a pro-marijuana candidate, somebody like Nader would be elected and pot would be legal."
While due to the many personel changes, Bongzilla won't be hitting the road in early 2006, fans can expect to see them back on the touring circuit as soon as their line-up is once again solidified. Mike comments on this temporary hiatus:
"Throughout our history, we have always taken breaks, its funny after we release a record, very often we tour right after the record comes out, but more often we take a little break and then tour, which doesn't make a lot of sense financially, but thats how it happens. I think we are going to come out in full force again, and hopefully by then, we won¹t have to be as nervous as we have been recently on the road."
In the meantime, Mike has been doing some 'actual singing' with his new side-project Tsuki (Japanese for moon). "I'm jamming with two gentleman, who are actually in a really cool band in Madison. Its a three-piece, slower than Bongzilla, I would maybe compare it to Sunn, Sleep, definitely Grief, Corrupted and then vocally like the last Floor record. Its very droney but with drums, there is actual singing and not a harsh vocal. The music is real heavy and big, maybe a little eviler, less Southern rock than Bongzilla."
|
|
|