What is your full name?
Timothy Andrew Kenefic
Do you have any aliases?
I do not.
If you had an alias what might it be?
I was known as BTK when I played rugby in NZ and as a kid some people said terrific Kenefic so there’s that I guess?
What bands are you actively involved with?
Currently only Death on Fire. I did have a grindcore thing I did with some friends called AlphaOMaga but that was put to bed in November thankfully.
What was the first instrument that you played?
First lessons I had were piano. My mom had me and my brothers take lessons. They were much better than I was. I remember staring out the window wishing I could play outside because I was just not keen on it.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
Sneaking downstairs at my dad's house to play my stepmom's nylon string acoustic. I was fascinated with it and after months of goofing around on it my folks surprised me with a metallic blue Ibanez RG. It was an awful entry level guitar but I loved it. That and a crate amp.
What was the name of the first band you were in?
My first band was a bedroom project making tape demos with a drum sequencer. I remember sending them out to every label with an address. I think it was something dark and unoriginal like “Angel of Disease” I was huge into Morbid Angel at the time so….
Tell me about the genesis of Death On Fire.
Not too dissimilar from my first efforts. We started as a bedroom project and I wanted to play out again so got together with friends and started rehearsals. Originally started things in Chicago but I didn’t know anyone there to jam with. Moved back to Fort Wayne for work and family and reconnected with friends, made new friends, and hit the road. Now we are more collaborative in our writing approach and I am really enjoying the new dynamic. We love exploring new musical ideas but it always returns to the extreme metal sub genres.
What inspired the name Death On Fire?
Necessity. We went with a name that was already being used by another band. After speaking with them and working through options we landed on Death on Fire. It seems pretty metal and sounds good in my head when I imagine a crowd chanting it. Friends said it was cool so it is what we ran with.
How long did it take you to write and record Six Foot Box?
This EP was quick to write and record. We did it alongside another album we hope to release with a label next year. All in the three tracks are maybe a few weeks of writing and recording. The title song itself was super quick. It was written and recorded in a few hours. It was one of those that just flowed out and felt good.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band would it be and why?
Probably Death during their symbolic era because it’s the best period and my favorite album. If it’s a current band I dig Gojira and have a friend's band “Brave the Cold” that I would play for at the drop of a hat if ever needed or asked. Mostly I want to play with bands I respect and people I like or that seem like minded.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so… What was the song and artist?
So many songs like this. “Sworn to a Great Divide” from Soilwork is a big one. That opening riff is so damn good. I always loved “Where the Slime Live” from Morbid Angel. I have more than these for sure. Lots of inspiration and tunes for me to dig into and understand what I like about it and why so I can write epic stuff too. Nods to greatness without copying I suppose.
Anything 80s, lots of Nick Cave, some classical guitar stuff. We have tons of inspiration. Kyle loves singer-songwriters and the other guys do a lot with classic rock and grunge. We are fortunate to have a lot of musical diversity to keep what we write fresh and new. We always try to incorporate our non metal music in a metal context.
What is a non-metal song that you'd like to do a cover of?
We actually did a cover of INXS that was a lot of fun. We put it out on a split with some friends a few years back. Lately we have been talking about doing a “Birthday Party” cover. Maybe the song Death by Drowning .
What band have you played with that has really impressed you with their live show?
Aside from the bigger national bands we have opened for there are a ton of local bands. Pain Divine and Withhold the Blood are two bands from MI that are amazing live. Intense, energetic, and just really damn fun. We are all huge fans of our friends band Severed Headshop too for the same reasons. Any band that is having fun and being engaging while having something to say is great but those three really stand out from the rest that we have played with.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
Black Circle’s outdoor stage is awesome. They are a brewery on the north side of Indy with this really cool outdoor stage they built due to Covid-19. The staff there is great, the fans always show up and represent, and it is an easy drive for us so we have plenty of time to relax versus some of the great venues we play in other states. If you haven’t been to Black Circle go! They are great.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
Trying to sleep when possible. Aside from that, not really. Some stretching and light guitar warm ups. We are usually manning merch and other areas so we don’t have a ton of pep talk time. I actually prefer it because I love the fan interaction.
What is your favorite thing about touring?
We enjoy finding new local spots to eat. Those places that have something unique and not chain about them. Personal favorites are anything Mediterranean really. Aside from food hunting we always like visiting local record shops and meeting new people. I really like talking to people about music and learning what they like so it’s all fun. Touring is so ingrained in what we like to do that we almost feel out of place at times if we aren’t on the road.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
Late night drives are always annoying. Sometimes when everyone is sleeping and I am driving it’s a struggle. That and finding clean bathrooms. We live and die by flying J and Pilot stations. They tend to be the best options. Those are little things though in the grand scheme of things.
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
Grand Rapids MI is awesome. Milwaukee WI and Pittsburgh PA are great too. They all have a good amount to do and are just small enough that people are still excited to see smaller bands and discover new music.
What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had on the road?
There are a ton. We actually are talking about doing a YouTube series on this because we have so many ridiculous stories from the road. My favorite was a show we did in Indy at a bar downtown near Lucas Oil. We got there for load in through the front and down stairs into the basement. Car was parked on the street and we were good to go. Or so we thought. We were the opener and two songs into our set the sound guy asks who has the car and trailer out front because IPD was going to ticket and tow it since they wanted to park there for the night. Apparently they always park there to run security at the nightclub on the main floor but there were no signs. My cousin was in town so I threw him the keys and he had to circle the city until we were done. It was infuriating at the time but looking back it’s funny.
The year is 1993. Where are you at and what are you listening to?
Probably listening to Nirvana and playing Super Nintendo with my younger brother.
Get reliable gear. Not expensive gear but reliable gear. Master your craft. If you want to write music, write lots of music. If you want to play shows or do session stuff “train” for it. It’s a hard thing to do getting people to pay for your art so you have to want it. The other key thing is to invest in yourself. Skip the coffee or beer or carry out and put it towards marketing. Those little things all add up and are what make people “successful”
What is an absolute band killer?
Ego. There is just no room for it.
If you were to start your own music festival what would be the name of that festival and who would be the three headlining bands?
Well we live in Fort Wayne so probably something like “Summit City Slaughter” or “Fort Pain”. If I could do it just for me I would have Megadeth, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation headline. That would cover the sub genres I love so.
What’s the longest time you’ve gone without bathing?
Three days and it was funky.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I’m not sure. With the internet nothing is a secret anymore. From a metal scene perspective, most people don’t know I spent a lot of time playing Rugby at a pretty good level here and for a short time in NZ. I am really proud of that because it required a lot of sacrifice and I achieved some cool stuff like going to NZ.
Is the Fistful of DOOM show in the top 10 of your favorite music podcasts?
I will say yes because I don’t listen to many podcasts at all. I think I listen to one or two so easily third.
Do unicorns sleep standing up?
Maybe.
You’re driving cross-country and you can only listen to one album the whole time. What album will it be?
Probably “Appetite for Destruction” it is one of the best front to back rock albums of all time. Probably the only album I don’t skip a track on.
You are writing a book about your life thus far. What is the title of that book?
What’s The Worst That Can Happen? A case study
What is your favorite song by Madonna?
Vogue
Megadeth for the music but Metallica for the hangs.
Doobies or Boobies (if you had to pick one)?
Boobies. I don’t actually partake in many mood altering things.
Waffles or Pancakes (if you had to pick one)?
Waffles
Star Wars or Star Trek (if you had to choose)?
Star Trek. I used to watch TNG with my dad every weekend. Picard is the best captain and the new movies are awesome.
Favorite band t-shirt you own?
Severed Headshop. I know them and they are all nice and fun and cool af and their band rips.
Favorite meal?
Chicken Shawarma plate
Favorite book?
The Kite Runner. It is the only book that ever caused an emotional response from me.
Favorite movie?
I really enjoy the John Wick stuff at the moment.
Favorite album?
Depends. “Symbolic” by Death is my all time favorite but Domination by MA and Heartwork by Carcass define so much of what I love too. Can I pick all three?
Mucho thanks to Tim for taking the time to answer my questions. I appreciate it. Do yourself a huge (with a y sound) favor and cram Death On Fire’s single Begging For Air into your ear holes! You can thank me by pre-ordering the ep.
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of DOOM show)
https://deathonfire.bandcamp.com/album/six-foot-box
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