Page 12 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 110

BV110 pg 10-13 Nothing More Interview.qxp_BV110 pg 13 15/06/2024 23:29 Page 3

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we also are guilty and, unfortunately, also par- Mark confirms that he inspires him with his want to elaborate, when you said alcohol, and
ticipate in those thoughts a lot of the times. I gymnastics. “I can’t do any of that stuff. His ded- the lyric being a little bit heavenly and a little bit
have dark thoughts. And I have so much to live ication to those things and his need and persist- sick in the song ‘Spirits’, and in the album, and
for. I continually, when I wake up, do my grati- ence to get better and keep working on his form it’s comical almost, it comes from the idea that
tude list and I really think of what I have to be and learning these new, very scary, skills, they alcohol is the solution and the… what’s the big
thankful for. All these positive words that I wear require so much strength, it’s definitely some- phrase? It’s the cause and the solution to all the
on these shirts are not just a message to others, thing I’m super proud of and is very inspiring in world’s problems. That’s what they say alcohol
but to myself, really just reminding me of how ways I look at the guitar or songwriting, and I’m is, because it does give you that life, that energy,
important life is.” persistent to keep getting better, and keep hon- that bond, when you have a drinking buddy or
He confirms that writing a gratitude list really ing my skills, as well as he’s just a ray of hope. whatever. But, then, it goes too far and, yeah, it
helps him every morning, and makes you feel A ray of sunshine. He has this level of innocence causes problems. It causes people to do things
better. This is something that you may have and empathy that, even at 11 years old, he is that they would not normally do. It’s kind of why
seen others do online. One musician who we’ve just a very good listener and he feels with every- they call it spirits. You’re almost possessed by
seen writing a gratitude list is Jacoby Shaddix of thing in his body. I’m so proud of him and can’t another spirit. I think the word comes from alco-
Papa Roach, who Nothing More have been out wait to, day by day, watch him grow up, and see hol, I can’t remember the origin of it, it means
on tour with. the man he becomes and how he will affect the spirit. It kind of overtakes you. It’s interesting.”
Mark says, “And that is more, that’s some- world.” We tell Mark that we’ve never drank,
thing that comes from being in the program, smoked or taken any drugs in our life. We’d like
from AA or SLAA, or SAA, or anything like that. rior to new album, ‘Carnal’, Nothing people to know that they can be unique, and
A lot of those twelve-step programs, there are a PMore released ‘Spirits’ in October 2022. don’t need to do anything to fit in like drinking or
lot of great things and great habits to put out The band spoke about the title of that album, taking drugs. And, thinking about it, we do think
there. Even if you’re not in a twelve-step pro- and its title track, commenting on how we give it’s quite a shame that it’s not more popular for
gram, we absolutely should be grateful and just the same name to something holy as well as music venues to sell healthier drinks – maybe
remember that we have so much to be thankful something wholly intoxicating. smoothies, iced coffee, green juices (don’t
to be alive for.” Spirits is a term for liquor, which contains laugh) and maybe an all-round healthier range
We definitely love the idea of gratitude and more alcohol than other alcoholic drinks. Exam- of drinks. The World Health Organization esti-
believe that the more gratitude you put out into ples of spirits include vodka, rum, gin and mates that alcohol kills three million people
the world, the more good things will come back tequila. Spirits, and alcohol in general, are obvi- throughout the world every year. We think ven-
to you. The law of attraction talks about how we ously something that a lot of people drink. It ues could be doing more to inspire people to try
manifest what we think in our life. When we think seems to be synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll, with healthy alternatives when they’re enjoying them-
positive, we are more likely to manifest positive venues selling a lot of alcohol and spirits at their selves at a show. We think people can still enjoy
things. Some of us focus on negativity, but, by bars. Rock music seems infused with alcohol, themselves without needing to drink. You don’t
trying to be grateful for the good things in our as various festivals are sponsored by brands need to have a drink to have a good time. One
life, we can attract more good things. Journaling such as Jagermeister although too much of a of the tricks is to not feel like you need to do the
helps to reinforce the positivity. good thing is not always a good thing, after all. same as everyone else, and just be you, be
Mark agrees, “I think going through the mo- Various musicians have revealed their addic- unique, and not cave into what everyone else is
tions a lot of the times gets you into that gear tions to alcohol, some being able to beat their doing.
and into that headspace, or heart space, if you addiction and becoming sober. Musicians such Mark replies, “I think that’s awesome. I’m all
will, and it does kind of charge you, even if you as Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx and Justin Hawkins about you being you and having that individual-
don’t feel like doing it. Once you start, a lot of of The Darkness are just two musicians who ity. I know I didn’t start drinking until I was 26/27
the times, it’s like ‘OK, yeah, I’m really glad I did have been sober for a very long time, with Justin or so, and the drinking age in America is 21 still.
that.” So, yeah, lots of my friends and
“We tend to have that be a practice in our song- even the other guys in the band
hile frontman Jonny were all participating and it was
Wis probably more writing and ask ourselves, ‘Is this doing it for us really important to me, and part
often in the spotlight, Mark, too, yet? Is this giving me chills? Is this making the of my identity, that I was
deserves some attention. He straight edge. I really do think
posted last August that he hairs stand up on the back of my neck? Can I lose that that shaped a lot of who I
knows he has ‘a voice in this myself in the music and really feel every lyric? Is am in a lot of ways. And there
loud toxic world… and it’s a are other scientific reasons of
voice that longs to be a light of it as good as it can get?’ And I think it’s pretty how alcohol affects the brain
hope for those that need it damn good. I’m excited for everyone to hear and and your fight-or-flight decision
through my music with my and whatnot in men up until
brothers.’ He said he wants to feel all of it.” - Mark Vollelunga they’re 26 or something like
remind people to smile and that. That’s not why I started
snarf drink out of their nose because of hilarity, talking in depth, fairly recently, on his ‘Justin drinking at 26!” he laughs. “I decided to, actually,
but also to have meaningful, life-changing con- Hawkins Rides Again’ podcast about his alco- because of the connection. After being around
versations. So, has he had any life-changing holism. it, seeing lots of people do very stupid things,
conversations? Mark thinks that people in general like to let there was also this very synergistic thing that I
“Oh, of course, absolutely,” he replies. their hair down by drinking. “Yes, historically, you was missing out on. And other people are so im-
“Every time I’m out here on the road. Every time, can look at plenty of musicians that struggle with portant to me, just through empathy, through
honestly, wherever I am, I tend to seek out those these problems. That’s mainly because our time going through stuff together, so that’s why I
things. Almost like you’re saying the law of at- to work is everyone else’s time to party. We have chose to.”
traction, it’s through those conversations and to put on a mask, put on a face, get ready for But going back to the question, Mark contin-
that bonding that you kind of connect to another what we do, put on a uniform, if you will, like ues, “I do think that it’s possible that people can
soul, and you really get to know somebody, anybody does for another job, and go to work. choose to be different and not participate in
whether it’s through an experience or through a You do what you need to do to get into that something like that, like yourself. That’s awe-
conversation, and, I guess, to me, music has headspace, that heart space, and you do it, and some, and it should be something that we ap-
changed me, it’s changed my life. There are sometimes a little liquid courage can help. It’s plaud, for sure.”
songs that have helped me through dark times, hard, you’ve got to ride that line, and some peo-
those bands who have been a light of hope, and, ple do have that chemical imbalance or just can’t ew album, ‘Carnal’, saw the band enter
if anything, it’s me wanting to give back in grati- just have one, and I can empathize completely. Nthe studio with Grammy-nominated pro-
tude and being thankful to those bands, to those I know there have been times, definitely, when I ducer WZRD BLD (AKA Drew Fulk), based in
songwriters who’ve helped me, if I can give have overdone it and participated too heavily in Los Angeles, who has worked with Disturbed,
somebody else that help then I’m set. That’s something, and made mistakes. Fortunately, I’m Motionless In White, Ice Nine Kills and A Day To
what I want.” not an alcoholic, and I do not struggle with those Remember, to name just four, with mixing and
One of those that inspires him – and whose things, but I am able to be a believer in moder- mastering completed by Zakk Cervini (Limp
polaroid he has in his bunk – is his son, Fenix. ation, but I know a lot of people can’t say that. Bizkit, MGK, Bring Me The Horizon). Jonny
Mark is very proud of him and has posted videos That’s a very difficult to talk about too, it’s not wrote about working on the intro to the album
of Fenix in action, doing gymnastics. something you can talk about quickly. I do also and how it gave him chills. We ask Mark if he
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