Page 34 - Black Velvet Issue 91

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tape and were blown away. “Wow, this is great. for granted. You miss your home, you miss your the audience – and walking on the audience’s
This could be the girl. But can we live with her? own bed, you miss your own food or your own hands. They put on a show without flashy effects
How are we going to live with a girl and all these systems, your own little things that get you by though, keeping their set just to being about the
dudes?” when you live on a bus for 300 days of the year. band and their music.
With Chachi sticking around until a new It’s like, how do you make things work when “The songs are standing out in a totally dif-
drummer was cemented in place, there was time you’re in a new environment, a new place every ferent way,” Leigh says. “We’re just being us.
for the band to see how they got on with Hayley time that you don’t know? But it’s a lifestyle. We don’t have to wear any crazy stuff. We don’t
before committing. There’s no hidden recipe. It’s just about hard use special effects. Black and white backdrop,
“We brought her over on tour and let her live work, getting out there, it’s just a repetition. we just try to strip it down. If we can entertain
with us for two weeks before she really ever You’ve got to get out there and slay the show you raw, as the band gets bigger it should be
played the drums and she was just unbeliev- every time you can. There’s always somebody even better. Any great band when you start out
able. Super-quiet, did her thing and just vibed that’s excited to see it and you want to see a should be able to play and you should be, “Wow,
with all of us. Took the time to get to know and good show, you don’t want to see a show where they’re good.” I saw a guy on the street corner
learn our culture, which we’re ex- here freezing cold in London two days
cited to do that and give that back “It’s a lifestyle. There’s no hidden ago and I was blown away by the guy.
now in the UK. But when it works, it He had nothing and I think he was shiv-
works. It doesn’t matter. It’s not a girl recipe. It’s just about hard work, getting ering, but his voice was pure. It was a
thing or guy thing but when you click great melody. I had to capture a video
with someone, you click with them. out there, it’s just a repetition. You’ve and give the guy some change. I was
Looking back, it’s like, wow, I can’t like, “Wow.” So you don’t need all the
believe it worked how we wanted it got to get out there and slay the show fire and the pyro. If you’re an enter-
to with it, because there are so many tainer, you’re an entertainer. If you’re
things that could have gone wrong – every time you can,” - Leigh Kakaty two years old and can entertain some-
Hayley’s not comfortable, we’re not body then you do it. We should be able
comfortable, but right now it just to do that as a band and if we can’t then
works. She’s kinda like the little sister I never I’m hungover or tired. Fans don’t care about we’ve got to find something else to do, but
knew I wanted but I’m glad I have.” that. They want you to perform. So we’ve had to again, when in doubt, you always go back to the
Leigh gushes, “She’s wonderful and she again be more positive emotionally but make roots, strip it down and lay the groundwork dif-
slays. It’s just amazing to play with her on stage sure physically we’re in the zone to be able to ferently. I think this new album, ‘Up’, definitely
and have her be as good as she is this early on. bring our best forward, and that’s trying to eat a checked us and reminded us what we need to
She hasn’t even played a record with the band little healthier and putting the bottle down a little be doing and have fun again and send as posi-
yet. I think, as she starts to play more with the more than normal and this album was all about tive a message as we can.”
band, the sky’s the limit for what she’ll do. And that.” Leigh is naturally a very confident person –
the way that she’ll be able to inspire little girls Bassist Matt DiRito recently posted about but now seemingly more than ever. “Any popu-
and inspire even little guys to come in and know, his 3-year sober anniversary on Oct 30th. Leigh larity we have, we’re known because of our live
“Hey, you don’t have to look like industry stan- also cut down on alcohol. Leigh tells us, “I try to shows. Anything else is just extra to us. Obvi-
dard. You can be you and make it work, as long be sober on the tours. It wasn’t so much about ously the music and stuff we do on CD is its own
as you’re passionate and can do it. She’s going not drinking for me as much as it’s trying to be thing. When we’re live there’s a different energy
to inspire a lot of people and hopefully, as a more health-aware. I just feel like, for me, if I try there that just comes out – obviously with the
band, we can do the same by challenging peo- and tell myself I can’t do it I want to do it more, person I am as a frontman, and the band just
ple the Pop Evil way, to think outside the box. so I just try to learn how to do it naturally and try kind of follows your frontperson. My energy
That’s what the band name means, right? Pop to be there to pamper my voice. If I feel like I had you’ll see tonight. It’s exciting, I think I was say-
– whatever pop and mainstream was we were a good show and there’s a good moment, the ing to managers and friends back home, for the
always evil to that. Starting with me, I never re- Cubs won the World Series, I want to have a first time in Europe, it feels like it can happen
ally looked like the typical lead singer anyway, toast, I’m going to have a toast, therefore it’s now. You can feel that our set’s locked in, we’ve
so it was kinda like, “Well if that’s pop, I don’t something to look forward to, that special occa- come off the biggest tours of our career with Rob
want to do that. Let’s do it this way,” and evil was sion. It’s not only a drink, but a nice cake I want Zombie and Disturbed, and now with 3 Doors
always the direction we were going, so Pop Evil to eat. If you do it in excess it can all be harmful Down, there’s not many bands that can tour with
started.” to you. Staying healthy and trying to eat clean Rob Zombie and Disturbed and then 3 Doors
and of course when you’re a frontman, at least Down. We’re a very unique band that is able to
he band first came to the UK with Five with me, with all the vigorous press that comes have the melodic sounds that a ballad requires
TFinger Death Punch a couple of years in, trying to just be there for your family and but can also rap and weave in and out of the
ago. Then being added to the bill for Download friends, it’s hard to juggle all that, so this past pocket and be heavier and come to different
Festival helped kick off the ‘Up’ touring cycle. record has been about learning to be, one step shapes and forms and I think that’s just the in-
“The album was finished and boom, we at a time, one day at a time, more focused, not fluence of hip hop and rock ‘n’ roll that is Michi-
went right to Europe for the festivals so we didn’t try to put any no’s in front of me again, like the gan and where I come from. And being a little bit
even play it for our American fans first. We made no’s to yes. Yes, but it’s got to be reasonable of a mixed guy, I never was white enough for
them wait and we went right to Europe and that and it’s got to make sense. It can’t jeopardize rock, I was never black enough for rap so I just
was exciting, to be able to know that we’ve gotta the show tonight, it can’t disrespect the fans to- said, “Well, fuck it, I’m just going to do whatever
look out for our European fans now.” morrow as well. You have to always be thinking I do and let people decide. I just make music
Leigh has a lot of respect for UK and Euro- about that person tomorrow that’s saving his that I like and that gets me motivated and as
pean rock fans. “It’s refreshing to be out here in money that’s been waiting for that show here, long as it’s coming from a pure and natural
Europe, to play for people that are open to new that’s been waiting for months. It’s not fair to place, the rest will take care of itself, and if not,
bands, to watch support bands. Before you can them if I come here and I’m wasted or hungover family’s still going to love you. I don’t stress that
be a headline band you have to support. And because I was bored yesterday and I just stuff anymore. It’s like, “You know what we do,
that’s the thing; back home we support but for wanted to do something for the now. When you either like it or you don’t”. Not everyone’s
the most part we’re a headline band, we play our you’re selfish no-one wins. So it’s important to going to like your music, not everyone’s going to
own shows a lot of times during the album cy- try to just “Hey, if something comes up and I like me or the music, but people ARE going to
cles, and packed shows, but here it’s nice to be want a drink or to eat that extra chocolate ‘cause like it and you have to play it for those people
back and starting over in a way and to remind I’m in Europe, and want to have that extra Cad- and be open-minded to the people that don’t
us about what hard work is about. It doesn’t mat- bury’s Caramel,” which I did do last night. So know they’re going to love you, but might one
ter how big you are or not, there’s always some- yes, you try to, again, make a lifestyle change. day. So you have to be prepared for them.”
one that hasn’t heard you, and there’s always Not trying to do something temporary but trying Leigh is not afraid to roll his sleeves up and
someone new that doesn’t know how much they to just make a better choice about living and do a lot of hard work. “If you just work hard and
might love your band. You have to play and you being a better touring musician. But I do crave you get out there and play, you can start to cre-
have to bring it every night. It’s kind of a different a nice ice cold Jager Bomb every now and then, ate a buzz and that’s what we’re doing. We’re
energy we have now. It started with this album I’m not gonna lie!” basically in the trenches, no pun intended, and
– just being more positive about the way we look we’re trying to claw our way out, one fan at a
at things, about the touring process, which can he band put everything into their live time, one show at a time… Birmingham tonight,
be very grueling and can be very easy to take Tshow. This includes Leigh going out into I’m excited.”
POP EVIL