Interviewee: Brian Hamrick
Year: 2009
Website: aroadeternal.com
MySpace: myspace.com/aroadeternal
Label: None... yet...
Featured on: Loucifer Speaks Exclusive... So far!
I interviewed ARE last year, but a lot can happen in a year, so it was definitely time to catch up with the band again...
Lou: Hi! Thanks for agreeing to another interview with Loucifer Speaks. It's been awhile since the last time! I understand there's been a bit of a line-up change since the last interview. Who is the new addition to the band and how did you find him?
Brian: Yeah, we finally got that one element we were always missing, Tony Rohrbough (former guitarist of byzantine). It was kinda weird, cause hit us up on myspace looking for a band and Eric Hamrick (former bass A.R.E) had just quit the band, so we looked his myspace up and we were like "Damn this guy is good, he'll never put up with our shit!". Lol, but he liked what was going on and now we are writing some of the best music of our lives!
Lou: I recently had the pleasure of checking out a new track of yours, "In The Most Conservative Way", on MySpace. What was the inspiration behind that track?
Brian: Basically, Tony wrote the entire song and demoed it, put it on a c.d and said learn this! I was blown away with the level of professionalism he brought, so I didn't want him to think I was a slacker, so I put the cd in my Tascam and recorded the vocals!The song is about truth and how it never fades, no matter what you do the truth is there staring you in the face!
Lou: A little birdie tells me that there may be an album on the way from you guys soon. Is this true and, if so, does it have a title yet? Also, would you mind telling the readers of Loucifer Speaks a little bit about it?
Brian: Yes, we will be laying the tracks down next week for the new album entitled, "When Words Fail". Personally it reflects the trials of my life, my most recent custody battle (which I won) for my daughter Hailee and this bastard of a scene we have here!
Lou: What sort of lyrical themes have you tackled in your most recent songs?
Brian: Mostly day to day bullshit, scene kids vs. metalheads ("The Best and Worst of Calls") and anybody else I want to slap the shit out of!! Last but not least our government!
Lou: I play bass (not very well, but I have fun! haha) and I was wondering if there were any tabs available for any of your songs? I'd especially love to play "The Meanest Two Inches".
Brian: Well, that's what it is all about! I will have to yank Wes up and get him to put out some tabs!
Lou: As you've probably guessed, I love the track "The Meanest Two Inches"... It's just got such a fantastic energy! What is the song about?
Brian: This song is about the greatest mother fucker that ever lived, William Paul Ackly (most of our amp heads and our trailer have his name on them!) Paul was my best friend, he and I went through some really rough shit together. He was like the band roadie and there was never a dull moment with this fucker! He always said he had "The meanest two inches on the east coast!" he travelled everywhere with us. He had a very mouthy girlfriend that never knew when to shut the fuck up! They got into alot of trouble, one night she couldn't leave things alone and keep her mouth shut, aul kicked in her door and shot her in the head and then turned the gun on himself, she lived and he didn't! We're not uplifting what he had done, but we are saying don't get caught up in the moment, think about what you are doing!
Lou: What is your favourite A Road Eternal song and why?
Brian: Every song, because I have lived all of them!
Lou: Do you have any gigs coming up?
Brian: We are usually playing every weekend! Check out our calendar on myspace!
Lou: You mentioned in your last interview with Loucifer Speaks that you'd like to play Europe if you had the chance... Are we likely to see you over here any time soon? (I've recently teamed up with Toxic Trash Management and have started work on our first all day festival... Maybe once we've gained more experience and it's got a little bigger we could invite you guys over!)
Brian: Tony is always talkin about going back over there and touring and how cool it is there, so I wouldn't be scared to say that we will be there in a year or so!
Lou: Which bands would play at your ideal gig/festival and where would it be?
Brian: Europe, it would have to be Europe!! The Faceless, King Crimson,Faith No More,Gojira, Dimmu Borgir, Diavolo (803), Zeus, The Dirty South Revolutionaries and EmoTron!! Now that's a fuckin' line up!!
Lou: What is the funniest/most embarrassing thing to happen to you onstage? You can tell us... we won't tell anyone...
Brian: Well... I don't rightly remember it all, but in dec. I got super drunk at our christmas show and kicked over chairs, people and tables and made fun of the prep guys, who walked in and then back out! I was a fucked up mess and it kinda sucks for me, to hear everybody's verison of the night.
Lou: I still wear my ARE shirt with pride and I was wondering if you have any other designs available?
Brian: Yes we do!! I just got in a couple more designs in, we have four different ones! I think it is time to upgrade you girl!
Lou: Do you have any other merchandise (such as CDs, etc) available and can we buy it online? I think an ARE bandana would be rather awesome...
Brian: We do have the 5 song demo for sale, I am currently working on the i-tunes thing. I think the bandana is a great idea, I'll get my boy right on that and you'll get the first one!
Lou: What do you think, if anything, is missing from the Metal scene at the moment?
Brian: The people!!! The metal heads, They are all sittin around at home tellin dick and fart jokes and playin video games, instead of supportin there scene! What the fuck!! Get out there and punch somebody!!! Do something punch me or buy me a beer, don't be an asshole support your scene!!!
Lou: And, what do you think is the best thing about the Metal scene at the moment?
Brian: There is alot of bad mother fuckin bands out right now!! Chances are you can see a bad ass band tonight!!
Lou: We have a special ARE message board on the Loucifer Speaks forum. Do you have any messages for those that may want to post on that board?
Brian: Get out, where ever you are and support your scene!!!!!
Lou: What else have you been up to since the last interview?
Brian: Writing music and drinking beer!!
Lou: What does 2009 have in store for A Road Eternal?
Brian: World domination!!