iKorn interviewed Alex from Deadly Apples who talks about the new album, recording with James 'Munky' Shaffer from Korn and more.
Check it out here: http://www.kornspace.com/main/news.php?extend.3140
The iKoRn staff wanted to give you more details about Deadly Apples, who Munky collaborated with on two songs off of their upcoming album. We recently contacted the band's singer, Alex Martel, and he was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions for us. Enjoy our exclusive interview!
Tell us more about Deadly Apples. What kind of guys are you and what should we expect from your live shows?
We're not your typical band. We're not here to please crowds or fit in. We do what we like on our own terms. In a time where most music is generic garbage, I think we bring something that's fresh and real. And our live shows are pretty intense.
You guys literally destroy many instruments during your live show. Why?
It doesn't happen as often as it used to, but sometimes things get out of hand. It's never planned, anything can happen at our shows. For me, performing live is not about four dudes getting up on a stage, playing some songs and getting off the stage. I see it as a psychological cleansing, a unique experience, very therapeutic. If it entertains people, that's great. But that's not why I do it.
The music industry is controlled by a few big labels and most of the big bands come from the States. Deadly Apples is an unsigned band coming from Canada, do you find it hard to compete against the system?
No, because we just do what we love and we write music that is meaningful, to us at least.
We don't care about trends and the thousands of shitty bands desperately trying to make it big, without having anything to fall back on. We all have other things in our lives. We all have bachelor's degrees. We all work in the music and film industries. So we're really just doing what we want to and we won't compromise for anyone. We're happy doing what we do and things are going great.
Why Deadly Apples? What's the story behind the band's name?
It just sounds like an interesting and intricate name. Kind of like Smashing Pumpkins or Nine Inch Nails. People make up their own stories or meanings, which is fine.
What is your favourite track from Infected and why?
Infection, because it was the last song written for that EP and to me, it really sets the vibe of that CD. Lyrically and music-wise. It's a good picture of the state of mind I was in at that time. And it's probably also my favorite to perform live.
Tell us a cool memory from when you guys toured with KoRn.
We haven't done a full proper tour with KoRn yet, but to me, I think it's the overall welcoming feeling. The whole band, crew and fans have been really nice and welcoming to Deadly Apples. It's really one big family and we're very fortunate to be a part of it. Also, watching Korn from the side of the stage every night is always a nice treat.
How did Deadly Apples get to collaborate with Munky from KoRn?
I've known him for a while. I used to travel a lot to see the band when I was a teenager and somehow constantly bumped into James. We kept in touch over the years and the first time we opened for KoRn, he watched our set from the side of the stage and really liked us. So fast forward to early 2010, we just asked him if he'd like to collaborate on the album and he was into it.
Munky worked on two songs from your upcoming album right? What are the names of these songs and what kind of vibe do they have?
The working titles are ''Further'' and ''Help'', I'm not sure what the real titles will be yet. The whole album has a very unique vibe, very catchy songs combining deep sounding electronics with harsh organic sounds. It's very different from our previous work. What you hear on the short video is basically the guitar riff, bass that you can barely hear and the acoustic drums, all clean and unmixed. So expect something very different.
Is it easy to make things work when collaborating with a musician who's not from the band?
It depends really. With James, it went very smoothly. It really felt natural, even though he didn't have much time to rehearse the songs. It's always interesting to write music and have someone else add his personal flavor to the song. When I listen to his riffs in the songs, it sounds like James playing, but not necessarily like Korn. It sounds like James' version of Deadly Apples, if that makes any sense. That's exactly what we wanted.
There are some rumours about some other artists working with you guys on the upcoming album, can you tell us more about that?
Can't tell right now, but stay tuned.
The release of the new album is set for 2011, any idea which month it could be?
No idea yet. We still have lots of work left before completing the album. Then, we'll have to shop it around and figure out who's going to release it.
Give us some ideas about the recording process of the album.
We're not your typical band that records an album in two weeks. We take a lot of time writing the music, trying things, experimenting with new gear, crafting the sounds, etc. We started recording some parts in Spring 2009. We officially started in January 2010, but we did many other things in between recording. We usually write as we record and we do everything ourselves. We have our own professional recording studio that we built in an old warehouse, but we also go to different studios sometimes to try new things. It's a very long and meticulous process, but it'll be worth the wait.
Do you find it easier to record vocals in the studio or sing live?
I wouldn't say easier, but I enjoy it a lot better live. It doesn't matter if I mess up. In the studio, it's a very meticulous process, because once it's released, it's out there forever.
What are the good and bad sides about being a musician?
If you're doing what you love, there's no bad sides. If you're in it for fame or money, good luck with that. You're better off with your job at Wal-Mart.
How did you start your career?
I was a huge music fan and just wanted to create my own music. I formed this band when I was a teenager and I didn't even own a microphone. Needless to say it was really horrible at first, but slowly I found great musicians, played tons of small shows in shitholes with even crappier bands, all the usual stuff a young band goes through. After a while, we became a professional band, started getting recognition, played huge venues and festivals, etc. It really started out of nothing 7 years ago, and here we are now. That's something I'm very proud of.
Are there any songs that you would like to cover someday?
We used to play a lot of covers when we started, but we're not really into that anymore. I'd like to play Man Next Door by Massive Attack sometime. Who knows?
Thanks for your time Alex. To finish off the interview can you tell us what the future plans are for Deadly Apples?
Finish the album, release it and tour forever. Thanks iKoRn!
Ernesto Emanuele Tartarini
The iKoRn Staff
