Tell my Greatness about your new CD

STATIC: We worked on it for a very long time. We were going to go into mix down over a year ago, but then we fired our old singer. We were very bummed out about it so we decided to take some time. When we hired Sketch, we wanted to make sure it was the right fit. Once it felt really right we went back and did this four-song demo. We started on the project in November and finished it up sometime in February. It’s available for six dollars.

Why is this not a full length CD?

STATIC: We are going to continue working toward doing one. It’s foremost on our minds, but we haven’t committed yet to do it. We don’t know yet when we’ll start working on that one.

Where did you end up recording it?

STATIC: We ended up recording it in Kilo’s basement. We realized we could get exactly what we wanted. We have a couple of perfectionists in the band. The nice thing about doing it this way was there was a lot less pressure. There wasn’t a clock ticking at $50.00 an hour. It’s our very first release and we’re very excited about it. It comes with a cool free sticker.

Tell Me why THROE VEIN are Industrial.

SKETCH: We were trying to go for Country but it just didn’t work out (Laughs). We just couldn’t get it right (more laughter).

STATIC: I think any time you add a sequencing or a programming quality to the band, everyone kind of coins you as Industrial.

JORGE: I think a lot of it has to do with our influences in general. We come from a wide range of tastes. I come from a big Metal background, so that’s the element I bring to THROE VEIN. If you ask the others, I’m sure they’ll list very different influences. But together, we reach a common ground. We set a tone for what we like that just comes out as Industrial.

Do your Heavy Metal needs get fulfilled being in an Industrial band?

JORGE: Oh yeah, sure. I always am the one that brings the heaviest elements to the band. It’s my forte and what I bring to the table. I try to make (the music) as heavy as possible.

STATIC: I think the reason we come across as heavier Industrial has to do with that. I, too, have a Metal background. However, I also enjoy more electronic-sounding bands like Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails.

In addition to the electronic presence you bring to the band, female mortal, you also play guitar.

STATIC: Yeah, I’m a guitarist first. The reason I picked up the guitar in the first place wasn’t to get the dudes or anything like that. I picked up the guitar because I saw Joan Jett play. I thought she was the hottest chick ever. I always thought she was so cool and had so much power. Not so much in terms of her band, but more that she just commanded an audience. So between her and seeing the Anthrax video for “Anti Social” way back when, I said, “Hey, I’ve got to pick up a guitar.”

What made you pick up a guitar, mortal Jorge?

JORGE: It was in High School. Seeing the other kids with long hair get all the chicks made me think, “I’ve gotta have that.” That, and seeing my friends up on stage playing and not being able to play myself. Then in ’88 I saw Metallica. Watching James Hetfield play made me realize it’s all about the rhythm guitar and how heavy it could be.

How did THROE VEIN come into being?

STATIC: I just ended up saying “fuck it, I’m a guitarist, but why not do the Trent Reznor thing?” So I bought a keyboard and started sequencing things. So that’s pretty much how it started. I started sequencing and programming back in ’97. I always wanted a live Industrial band like ‘Nails. I could never see two or three people up there. I wanted a full band. I hooked up with Kilo and Jorge in the summer of ’99. Sketch came aboard in 2001.

There’s some interesting story about Sketch getting the job by saying he could do a back flip, or something like that.

STATIC: Well Jorge was the one who placed the ad that we were looking for a singer. He placed it on the web. We were very impressed by this guy who said he could back flip like a Jedi. (Laughs) So we definitely had to interview this guy. We are still waiting for that back flip, Sketch (Laughs).

SKETCH: The earliest memory I have of wanting to be a singer was when I picked up the second Faith No More album. It was the coolest thing I ever fuckin’ heard.

Is Colorado receptive to Industrial music?

STATIC: We are one of only two possible Industrial bands that have a full line up. Denver seems to be somewhat receptive. It’s hard to tell right now. We haven’t played a whole lot of shows. We are definitely trying to get our name out there. We are definitely about getting our stuff to labels. We want to get signed and make this our full time job.

Is your music received more by Goths or Metal heads?

JORGE: I think initially, when we first started playing out, we played more to the Goth crowd. As we progressed musically, we seem to be playing more and more to the Metal crowd. We’re hanging out more with the Metal bands. They are a lot more honest and a lot more real. We want everyone to enjoy our music though, be it Metal, Goth or Industrial. That’s one of the great things about our band and our musical style. It has a wide appeal.

A lot of your influences, such as Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails, don’t hold the same importance in the current pop consciousness they once did. Therefore do you fear Industrial might be passé?

STATIC: I think everything cycles around. Metal was really big in the ’80s. Then Grunge took its place. But then Grunge was taken over by the Nu-Metal. I think a lot of really good Metal was underground waiting for the right time to surface. I think our music is the same way. I think it will come out of nowhere suddenly, and someone will think it’s cool. Maybe what we do isn’t necessarily new, but every music has its time and place to be important. Every music has a time when it’s needed.

Would there be a better market for your music in Europe?

JORGE: The one thing about Europe, that I see a lot of and read a lot about, is that they love their Metal. I think they’re still listening to Manowar and Iron Maiden over there (laughs). There’s nothing wrong with that, but they love it. I’m sure we would do quite well over there, but getting over there is another thing altogether. It’s really hard in America because everything is so fabricated, but we really love it here. If you can make it here you can make it anywhere.

How do THROE VEIN songs come together?

JORGE: We’ve been writing the same way for awhile. Static will have something sequenced and we will just build off of it. Most bands build their songs around the guitar, we build it around the keyboard. We are starting to break out of that though. There really is no rule on how a song comes about. We like to stay open to different possibilities.

STATIC: I don’t want to get blocked in a corner creatively. I’m really happy with our song “Lifeless_ Life.” It’s a very heavy song. It’s not as sequenced. Some of our new songs are much more guitar-driven. I would like to see the guys come up with something and have me add something sequenced afterwards.

Who comes up with the lyrics?

STATIC: Mostly Sketch.

What are your songs about, Sketch?

SKETCH: I really don’t know (laughs). I guess they’re pretty much about personal experiences. “Lifeless_ Life” is about living in the time and state the world is in now. I don’t think there’s much value placed on life. Everything seems to be out of control right now. “Stoopid” is about anger. It’s about taking aggression out on someone, telling them they are stupid and what they’re doing is wrong. It’s partially about some of my previous experiences. I had some bad experiences with drugs. I had a lot of friends that were junkies. There’s the line ” The truth will surface any day, you’re wasting space in skin.” I felt that way about a lot of the people I knew at that time.

What lyric are you proudest of?

SKETCH: “Give.” I used a lot of words I wanted to use. It’s about wanting affection and sympathy. It’s about wanting something you’re not getting from someone. Trying to struggle through even though you’re not receiving what you want and need.

What thing do you think mortals do that fucks relationships up the most?

STATIC: Giving into a relationship but not receiving anything in return. If one person is more interested in receiving than giving, the relationship is doomed. It takes both people giving equally into the relationship for it to succeed.

A lot of male mortals around town think you are a babe. You seem hesitant to be seen in that manner.

STATIC: I think one of the reasons I play music is because, like all people, I’m insecure in one way or another. I channel a lot of my insecurities into my music. One of the reasons I started playing guitar was that I didn’t see a lot of other women doing it. I see a lot of women stripping and posing for Playboy. That’s fine for them, it’s just not for me. I’d much rather present myself as an equal.

You were once a stripper though weren’t you?

STATIC: Yeah, I once was a stripper. I had lost my job and was broke. I had a friend that was a stripper. She made a lot of money. I came across as too aggressive looking so I didn’t make good money. Other girls would walk out with $500.00. So maybe that was another factor in how I see the whole topic now. I’m flattered that so many men find me attractive but I don’t really take it to heart. I still clean my toilet. I still do things that basically ground me and I never want to come across as cocky or self-absorbed. I’d rather have people recognize me as smart or talented as opposed to liking the way I look.

Female mortals are so predictable, much unlike the superior male mortal. Jorge, could you see yourself stripping?

JORGE: (Laughs) Um…no. I’m pretty hairy.

All the better! To gay mortals, you would be celebrated for your hair. You would be classified as a “Bear.” Would you be a “Bear” stripper if there was money in it?

JORGE: Wow. I’ve never been asked a question like that before (Laughs). Maybe…I’ve got my price. Maybe not. It would take a lot of money. I don’t look in the mirror every day and say, “that’s some nice hair on your chest.” (Laughs).

What about you, mortal Sketch?

SKETCH: If there was a lot of money, I might.

STATIC: You know the thing about that time in my life was my parents knew I worked in a strip club, but I didn’t have the heart to tell them I was stripping. I told them I was a cocktail waitress.

Can I print this?

STATIC: You can go ahead and print it. I’m getting to the point in my life where I’m almost 30. My life is my life and my mother’s is her own. Stripping wasn’t one of the happiest things I’ve ever done in my life but in terms of doing it, the best part is it helped me learn how to perform in front of people. Just like in music, when you strip you are either performing for hundreds of people or no one at all. There were plenty of times when I was dancing for no one. I learned to deal with it. It taught me a lot.

Something a lot of my readers will want to know about is if you’ve ever had a lesbian experience.

STATIC: Honestly, I think most women are bi-sexual. Someone once told me that when a beautiful woman walks into a restaurant, it’s not just the men that turn around and say “damn, she looks good.” Both men and women do that. For awhile, as I was growing up, I thought I might be lesbian or bi-sexual. As it turns out, I’m completely heterosexual, but I think it’s perfectly normal to look at a woman and say “she looks good.”

Have you ever had sex with another woman?

STATIC: No, I’ve never been with another woman. That’s not something I probably would ever do.

You should bring another girl on stage and have a lesbian part of the show.

SKETCH: Yeah! Like Nashville Pussy!

Or how about you (Sketch) and Jorge do the Nashville Pussy thing on stage with each other?

SKETCH: We already do sometimes (much laughter).

JORGE: I think I tongued Kilo once (laughs). I also bit his nuts once

Yikes!

JORGE: I bit right under his nut sac (laughs). Kilo and I have been good friends and playing music with each other since ’95, when we were in the Air Force together. We’re really close. With him it doesn’t matter. I’ve grabbed his ass so many times I can’t even tell you. It’s all just a bunch of silliness.

What keeps THROE VEIN together?

SKETCH: We’re all pretty much focused on the same goal. We’re all business orientated. We take what we do seriously. I know a lot of bands that practice a lot more than we do, but we play perfect every fucking time we practice. It’s important to us. Another thing that keeps us together is we all put up with Static’s shit (Everybody Laughs).

STATIC: Fuck you! (Laughs) For me, it’s difficult because I take things so seriously. I get so stressed out. But I can honestly say I’ve never worked with anyone that has made me laugh as much as these guys have. So, I think a sense of humor is what keeps the band together. Plus, we all have a common goal that we’re focused on.

JORGE: We keep things pretty business. We’re not really a party band. We don’t have anyone at the practices. For the most part we also keep drugs and alcohol away from the band practices. Don’t get us wrong, we do like to drink and stuff. But when it comes to the band, there isn’t a lot of room for that kind of stuff.

SKETCH: We’ve never experienced an un-sober performance…well Static has (Everybody laughs)

STATIC: The first and last time I will ever get drunk for a show was the first show that Sketch sang at. It was May 26th, 2001 at Sportsfield Roxxx. The only reason I remember the date was because it was my 27th birthday. What really stressed me out was that we were playing with Filth Industry. I used to date the bassist of that group. Also our ex-singer and an ex-boyfriend of mine were in the audience. So what ended up happening was I had six beers and one shot. I’m a lightweight, so I blacked out. It looked like I was moving around on stage quite a bit, but it was only because I was stumbling over my cords (Laughs). After the show, I blacked out. I remember talking to people, but don’t remember seeing anything. It was black. I drove home. When I finally came to, I was driving next to a cop on Colfax. I did make it home, but when I woke up the next morning, I promised myself I’d never ever do that again. The band was angry at me. They had every right.

SKETCH: I was only pissed off because you didn’t carry any of the gear! (Laughs).

STATIC: I promised Jorge I wouldn’t ever do that again. Since that day, I may have one beer at most before I go on stage.

What is Static like when she’s having her period?

SKETCH: I don’t know, but she’s late all the time.

With her period?

SKETCH: (Laughs) No, not with her period, with everything else!

STATIC: Did anyone know I had angry kitty today?

What’s that?

STATIC: That’s what I call my period. I call it angry kitty (Laughs). That’s one of the reasons I’m on birth control pills. It wasn’t because of the sex, it was because of the hormones. These guys put up with a lot of shit from me. Sometimes it’s hard to put up with myself.

What zodiac sign are you angry-kitty-mortal female?

STATIC: I’m Gemini like Sketch is. We both have split personalities. He and I are very similar in the way we think. I totally know where he’s coming from when he gets angry at me.

SKETCH: We send hate mail back and forth (laughs).

STATIC: Yeah, a lot of hate mail flies back and forth between him and I. I think you called me a sick fuck once. (More laughter)

SKETCH: I did! (Laughter).

JORGE: Keeping Static and Sketch in check is like Kilo and my job (laughter). We are kind of the mellow ones of the group. One of my good traits is keeping a sense of humor.

If you were to travel in a time machine, where would you go?

SKETCH: I’d go back and see a ‘Doors show. I think that would be fun.

JORGE: There are probably two places I’d like to go. The first one would be to England in the late ’70s. I’d try and start a band called Black Sabbath. (Everyone laughs). The second thing I’d do is get to Logan Airport in Boston on September 10th and stop the next day from happening.

How did September 11th affect you?

JORGE: It was traumatic for me. I thought I’d never see anything like it. I love this country so much. I don’t understand why some people hate it so much. I see the shit that’s going on in this world and I get sick. I get ill to my stomach. As much as religion was a part of my life growing up, I now see all these religions that are causing nothing but hate and despair. It makes me ill because I know it wasn’t what they were originally intended for.

STATIC: When I was a kid, I thought it would be cool to go back in time before Christ and live in Egypt. I always thought that would be cool. I’ve always been a real big fan of Egyptian culture. Second, I’d like to go to the future to see what it’s like. But based on what’s been happening lately, I don’t know if the world would even exist 1000 years from now. Third, I’d like to go back in time right before my Mom got breast cancer. That was such a difficult time in my life. There’s nothing I could have done to prevent it.

Did she die?

STATIC: No, she’s still alive. She had a radical mastectomy. My Aunt went through the same thing. As a result of her going though that, I’m definitely a lot closer to her now. I still wish I could have somehow prevented her going though it.

What would you like my readers to know?

STATIC: Guys you need to feel your women’s breasts!

JORGE: And women, don’t forget to feel your man’s balls (Laughs).

What about prostate?

JORGE: If you’re into that (Laughs) A finger up the ass never hurts either I guess, I don’t know, (Laughs) as long as it’s a pinky!