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Interview
Deutsche VersionInterview mit Snew (10.07.2010)
HH: A noisy HeyHo from a Germany the summer has finally reached to hopefully sunny Hollywood. My respect for your new record. To put it in two simple, often used, but never can be wrong words: It Rocks! I guess this was the intention!?
Curtis: Our intention was, is and always shall be to SNEW YOU.
HH: At first I was very much impressed by the transparent and energetic sound-level the record is produced and mixed on. Was it difficult to get Bobby Owsinski and Ed Cherney - who obviously must be busy guys - for the job? And how was the experience to work with them?
Curtis: Bobby and Ed are VERY busy guys but they were eager to do it. They both really love the band and were anxious to make sure the new songs were recorded properly. We worked with Bobby on our first record so he knows our sound very well and how to get the best out of us. Ed is the nicest and funniest guy in the business. We had lots of fun working with him. We had a great time making this album and I think you can hear that.
HH: In comparison with Snew You not only the sound has developed, but in my eyes We Do What We Want tends more to Classic Riff Rock whereas your first album showed more US-Old School-Punk Rock influences e.g. by The Ramones or even The New York Dolls. Right?
Curtis: There probably was a bit more punk influence on our first one but I think the spirit of the Ramones is still there on some of the new songs too. We are a classic hard rock band first and foremost. We eat gnarly guitar riffs for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I agree with you, we have developed as a band and as song writers and that is the goal, to get better with each album. I think working with such amazing professionals like Bobby and Ed and recording in a historic recording studio like the Village made us grow as a band too.
HH: To stay with the topic and to put it straight this kind of Riff Rock was and is celebrated by the likes of Rose Tattoo and of course AC/DC throughout the decades. Although you kind of adapted the style I think that you managed to create something fresh and vivid. When you started Snew was the musical direction you wanted to go to plain?
Curtis: We started this band to make the kind of music we like to listen to. We have always been fans of crazy, hard driven, over the top rock. The kind of songs that make you raise your fist and scream and play air guitar along with. We do this for selfish reasons, we want to hear more. All the classic bands are amazing but after many years you want to hear something new. We put together Snew to make sure we will always have new songs to crank up any time we want.
HH: I guess We Do What We Want to pick as a title is catchy statement. What is it referring to? Is it a slap in the face to some special critics that may have surfaced after your first record?
Curtis: It means we do what we want and we want what we do. We all do what we want, it's just that some people aren't happy about it. Every day you make choices so its best to choose what makes to feel good about yourself. Life is as good as you let it be. Crank up this song, sing along and you'll know what I mean.
HH: One aspect that makes We Do What We Want stand out is the vocal-performance. Right at the borderline of Dean Davidson (Britny Fox) and Bon Scott they nearly explode out of the speakers. Due to own experiences I know that it's everything than easy to get and hold your voice in such a shape. Any special tricks or training methods (e.g. on tour) to keep it that powerful?
Curtis: Don't hold back. Just let it all out until it feels like you are about to explode. That's what works for me.
HH: "Private Stash" with its harmonica-solo and "Knock It Out Of The Park" are two of my personal favourites on the record. Cool titles! Can you tell us the stories behind these two numbers?
Curtis: Private Stash is about sharing the things you are passionate about with only those people who understand. Like I say in the song "we stand on common ground, move in circles underground" if you know what I'm talking about "come on up... show you how I play". Knock it out of the Park is something we say sometimes when we really want to kick some ass. Its a baseball term that means you hit a home run. That song just seems to capture that feeling.
HH: Who is responsible for the lyrics and are there any premises the words have to deal with?
Curtis: I write the lyrics. Most singers do, we are the ones who have to sing them.
Most of my songs are about living life at full volume and what it feels like to be ALIVE.
HH: "Feedback And Distortion" can mean two characteristics of a band playing live, but in my eyes the title also transports an attitude of some guys holding the flag of Rock n' Roll up high knowing that they need some kind of feedback and therefore move on on the way of distortion. Pretty dialectic title...
Curtis: You understand completely!
HH: We here in Europe are not that well informed, but Snew You must have been a great success in the States. What have been the major and most decisive stations for Snew from the beginning until now?
Curtis: Actually we gained lots of fans in Europe from our first album Snew You it's just more underground. I think we have more fans in Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK than we do in the USA. The only problem is that we haven't had to chance to come over there and play yet. We hope to fix that soon as we find a European booking agent. So far we have only been able to play in concert for American audiences but our fans are all over Europe, Canada, Australia, Russia and parts of Asia and South America. Our American fans love us but I think our European fans love us even more. We can't wait to come over.
HH: Today the world of music is experiencing a big revival of 80s Metal and Hard Rock. After the grungy 90s more and more new bands discover the origins of Thrash, Speed Metal, Glam Rock or Sleaze. For me this is nothing but a good thing because I spent my early days in the 80s. Would you agree?
Curtis: 100%. Metal, Hard Rock, Sleaze whatever you call it is the best. It always goes in cycles. It's in and everybody is listening to it then it goes away, then it comes back again. That is how it has always been but it will never die. I think when times are hard people come back to Hard Rock and Metal because it makes you feel powerful.
HH: The time also brings back many of the legendary heroes of that decade just like Cinderella, Van Halen with Diamond Dave, Ratt, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bangaloire Choir, etc. - just to name a few. In the States you have these festivals such as Rocklahoma or Rock Gone Wild to celebrate these years, in Europe we only have Sweden Rock that is going in this direction. Have you ever been to one of the named events? I believe that there are many big differences between American and European festivals...
Curtis: I have been to the American festivals and they are awesome. I look forward to going to Euro festivals and hopefully for Snew to play at some of them.
HH: The readers always like lists. So could you please assemble one of the ten most influential 80s records for Snew?
Curtis: There are far more than just ten but here goes:
AC/DC - Back In Black
Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather
Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast
Motorhead - No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith
Dio - The Last In Line
Saxon - Strong Arm Of The Law
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz
Guns n Roses - Appetite For Destruction
W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.
Van Halen - Fair Warning
HH: It's been a while since I've been in LA (95/96). Back then the Sunset Strip was overcrowded with so called rockers having put on the angry look of Cobain and wearing their everyday clothes. Has the scene changed in Hollywood, any interesting new acts, new clubs to discover? Is it still possible to meet Lemmy at the Rainbow?
Curtis: About the only thing that is still the same is you can always find Lemmy at the Rainbow when he's not off touring. Other than that most of the big clubs like the Roxy and the Whisky are still here but many of the other ones are gone. It's not as crowded every night like before. Now it depends on what is happening from night to night. Hollywood is weird... but it has always been weird.
HH15: I believe it is a good time for your music. Also in Europe. Any plans for a club-tour or some festival appearances to promote the new material?
Curtis: As soon as we find a good Euro agent we'll be there. We have to come to Europe.
HH16: It was a pleasure for me to put these questions for you on paper. The last words are reserved for you:
Curtis: Please come to our website www.snewyou.com and send us an email we want to talk to everybody. I love to get messages from fans and get the chance to make new friends. Let me know where you are and where you'd like to see us play. If you have our albums let me know what you think. Talk to me about anything you want.
SNEW YOU everybody!
Fuxx