Tension Head are an awesome metal band from Michigan, US. I found them randomly on MySpace and I’ve been hooked ever since. Feel like starting a new obsession? Here’s an interview to get you started… then head over to their MySpace for more TH goodies!

Tension Head

Chuck – not bad at all Lou, I do believe things will be very busy for us this year, many tours are being planned as we speak!

Lou – How long has the band been together?

Chuck – 7 years now…

Lou – Where does the name Tension Head come from?

Chuck – Tony/Bass is a huge Fan of Queens of the Stone Age and got the idea from a title of one of their songs, “TENSION HEAD!”

Lou – When I listen to your tracks on MySpace I’m reminded of Pantera and Motorhead (especially in “Brawler”). Would you say those bands have influenced you? Which other bands have influenced you?

Chuck – me for sure, Pantera is a big influence in my life, but I think many people would be very surprised to hear the other members influences, we like all like different music, but that’s why this shit is working!

Lou – Other than music, what else inspires you?

Chuck – Movies, I’m a huge movie buff, take both of these things away from me and you mind as well just bury me now, lol!

Lou – You’ve shared the stage with some pretty big names. Which band was your favourite to play alongside?

Chuck – by far HELLYEAH! (next would be DAMAGEPLAN and ANTHRAX!)

Lou – Are there any bands that you would like to gig with, but haven’t yet?

Chuck – Static-X and Mudvayne…

Lou – How would you describe a TH show?

Chuck – Full on Hard Rock Energy right in your face, you won’t forget it, I promise!

Lou – Which TH song really gets the crowd going at gigs?

Chuck – Well, to be honest, theres a couple that the crowds usually “Freak Out” on, “The Bear” and “Never Enough”, but for the most part, everybody is at least eyes forward and heads bobbin like a bobble head, lol, that was once my nickname, it slowly went away…

Lou – Do you have any plans to play some shows in Europe? A couple of shows in England would go down a treat!

Chuck – nothing in England just yet (we do have a shitload of Fans just from online from England and can’t wait to visit) but we are supposed to come and tour Italy/Switzerland this March, this info has not Officially been released and or confirmed, but the deal is very close to being locked in, so stay tuned!

Lou – What’s the funniest / most embarrassing thing to happen to you onstage?

Chuck – Well by far, is falling on or off the stage…it has happened to me at least twice, lol, once I put my boot up on a monitor and it gave way leaving me dashing forward right off the stage…the other one I just happened to trip of Sean’s guitar cable.

Lou – Which TH song is your favourite and why?

Chuck – I think “Brawler” is, Live anyway (I can’t stand listening to our music on any kind of playback, cd, live recording, videos, etc…) Ii’s just one of them songs that gets me moving, heart a pumpin, plus it’s about fighting for sport, which I a Huge Fan of, so is JoJo/drums!

Lou – The vocals in “Don’t Worry” are awesome. Do you have any tips for people wanting to sing in this style?

Chuck – Wow, thank you, it’s also one of my best friend’s Steve favorite T.H. tunes, we don’t add it to our normal set list very often, but whenever he’s around, he’ll bust my balls allnight I we don’t play it! As far as tips on how to sing like I do, it’s pretty simple, but I’d be lying to you if I told you that it comes with a price, the price being that since I sing from my throat and not my diaphragm, it can be very painful sometimes, and always irritating, like a constant sore throat, but if you do it all the time like I do, ya just get used to it…but heres the kicker, most people who try to sing like I do from the throat, normally you can’t make out a word their sayin, It took me at least 5 years to figure out how to mix clearity with grasp, but I got it down now, I think, lol!

Lou – And, on a similar subject… Do you have any tabs available so that we can attempt to play along to your stuff from the comfort of our own homes?

Chuck – Unfortunately not yet, but we have seen some young musicans on youtube figuring the tunes out on their own, soon, very soon!

Lou – I’ve noticed that your 2006 album “Fire in the Hole” is now sold out on your MySpace, is there anywhere else that fans can buy this from?

Chuck – just go to http://www.myspace.com/therevolutionmusicllc and ask our label, maybe they will release it if enough T.H. Fans really want it!

Lou – “Do Or Die” was released year (I think!) – what has the reaction for it been like from the press and your fans?

Chuck – Well, we know that everyone that has it, is enjoying the hell out of it, most tell me that they never take it out of their cd player and or it’s the main thing that they listen to on their i-pods, plus, I just hear a rumor the other day, that Japan thinks we’re the next PANTERA after listening to it, no bullshit! I think our time is coming, the time to move forward is soon, to play for a much wider audience, it is time! It’s TENSION HEAD time…

Lou – What has the highlight of 2009 been for TH?

Chuck – …going out on our 1st National Tour on our own!

Lou – What are your top 5 albums from 2009?

Chuck – Rammstein, Lamb of God, Devildriver, Mastodon, and TENSION HEAD of course, lol!

Lou – What’s in store for Tension Head in 2010?

Chuck – like I said, there are some pretty big tour being planned right now, 1 I can’t say anything about, but if it happens, you’ll all know what I was referring to if and when it drops, it’s fuckin huge!

Lou – The last words are yours! Feel free to promote any merchandise, CDs, gigs, etc Thanks again!

Chuck – I (we) can’t wait to see you all! Oh Yeah!!!