When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
You need to have great songs, but looks and style definitely mean something in the music business. Depeche Mode is still my favorite band and I remember seeing their video for "I Feel You" on MTV in the ‘90s. David Gahan (singer) had grown his hair super long and was covered in tattoos and Alan Wilder (the keyboard player) was playing drums! It blew my mind; they had become a full rock band! I was familiar with them as a 3-keyboard band with short hair. It was crazy! Same when Metallica cut their hair in the mid ‘90s.When the video “Until It Sleeps" came out I was blown away by the style. It was such a departure from all of their previous work. Both of these bands had reoriented their constitution. I learned more about how artists could change their style later in their careers. The Beatles had already done it: having short hair and pop songs and transforming to modified hippie rockers with these incredible thought-provoking tunes. Bob Dylan, Satyricon, and PJ Harvey all did the same thing. I know PJ is in the studio now, not sure at all what her new album will sound like. David Bowie, the ultimate musical shapeshifter continued his progressions up until his death. Some of my favorite bands Oasis, The Mars Volta and the Drive-By Truckers have stayed in the same aesthetic and genre and that's what makes them amazing. But when I saw the keyboard version of Depeche Mode transform into a rock band, it was a massive epiphany. You don't have to stay the same.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
In my pursuit of songwriting, I write down words and phrases I hear in movies, in public or whatever. But I very rarely use them. I like having lists of song names and album titles, though. What really happens is I strum my acoustic guitar and if something interesting comes out, I'll sing to it. What I sing is spontaneous so it's usually a totally new phrase. If it's cool to me, I'll keep fiddling with it. I have a million and a half songs – none of them worth recording. If they were good enough I would absolutely put the time in to tighten them up.
Who has influenced you the most?
Bands/artists like Dio, PJ Harvey, Slayer, and Morrissey made me want to play air guitar or air lead singer in my bedroom. I love music, so any band's album I've owned I sort of tip my hat to. I had the Def Leppard CD Adrenalized. I still think “Let's Get Rocked”
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
Continuing to stay motivated for me is still digging playing guitar in my living room – it all comes down to that. It's before live shows, before recording, before playing with other musicians, before going on the road. For me, I need to enjoy playing music with nothing attached to it. I'm easily motivated if I start small and think of fantastic possibilities from there.
I'm born and raised in the Bay Area, California, home of En Vogue, Primus, Death Angel, and Counting Crows. Many diverse bands that hit it big in the Bay. When I was growing up, I saw Los Angeles as the ‘80s hard rock mecca, Seattle as grunge central, maybe Florida had a big death metal scene. I felt that here in the Bay Area you could play anything you wanted. Bands very dissimilar from each other seemed to do very well: Faith No More, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Pansy Division, and The Grateful Dead. I'm allowed as an artist to do what I want because of the uniqueness of the artists that thrived in Northern California.
Where'd the band name come from?
My personal name is also my professional name. I used to call myself Thadeus Duke (Duke being a stage name) but when I started putting music out professionally, I went with my own last name: Gonzalez.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
I would absolutely score Dario Argento's Inferno. A year or so ago I discovered his movies. All of them are works of incredible madness. They have a sort of early music video vibe to all of them. Inferno was scored by Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. He did a killer job but I would have loved a shot at it.
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
A song that always gets me going and could be written about is “Space Truckin’” by Deep Purple. This tune has so much power, relentless drums, and tough rhythm guitars It’s a mean tune. The B3 Hammond organ in the chorus adds hella muscle. The screams by Ian Gillan are so pissed off – a song about space travel sounds like a fist fight in the street. Ritchie Blackmore's solo is killer, as is most of his work. Most people I know when this song comes on, you turn it up. I’ve heard people cover it; I always think “good choice.”
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
I was on tour in the UK and playing a club called Trillions in Newcastle Upon Tyne and there was something like army mesh on the ceiling. It was very decorative. But I swung my guitar up and the neck of my guitar got caught in it. I couldn't get it out. The guitar hung from the ceiling for the rest of the song and I just sang. The sound guy had to really work to detangle it out of the mesh after the song was over. That was damn funny. On the Surgeons tour in Denver at a club called Herman's Hideaway, my guitar player broke a string. He was taking a bit of time changing it so I brought the whole audience onto the stage and had them dancing to the bass and drums of a song of mine called “Bat Snake Tiger” for about 10 minutes. I went and sat down at the bar and just watched. That was cool.
When I think about playing live, nowadays, I think of my first show in high school as a freshman. My band performed at lunch and someone threw an apple at us as we were playing and I picked it up off the stage and took a bite of it. I love playing live and especially love the spontaneous events that happen during shows. The experience of TG shows is usually pretty exciting, dangerous and harmful; I've taken some spills and have had to go to the hospital. That chaos is what makes a live show a rock show and not a classical music show. I also have learned to keep my fans and the live music very quiet and calm for moments during the set which is magical. Fans of myself expect a solid all-around rock show. I give that to them.
What makes a great song?
What makes a great song…well there are a few that get through to everyone. Those great songs jump genres and can be played in any style. The melody and words are just as strong if played as a punk song or a classical song. But, I think it really comes down to the listener. What songs moved you as a kid growing up and does that same vibe still hit you with newer songs. I like it when an artist’s character comes out in a song. Melodies move me but anyone can sing a melody. The songwriter usually has a more distinct way to sing a song. And it's more interesting to me. I have plenty of favorite songs that do not have strong choruses or ripping guitar licks. My connection to the character who sings the song originally can make a great song to me.
Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?
One of the first songs I ever wrote was called "The Fooling House." I can still play it minus some of the lyrics. Not sure what it was about; like other amazing, great songs they are up for interpretation hahaha. I was probably 12 years old.
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
The song "Getting In the Wrong Fight" on my new album Opposite Faces is a very different song for me. It has very sparse moments but a strong chorus. There is a song called “Is This Desire?” by PJ Harvey that inspired me musically for this tune. I included a lot more instrumentation on this song. It has a sort of feeling of adventure in it. Lyrically it's about making bad decisions.
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
Very rare to find unique voices in songwriters these days – sometimes 5-10 people with songwriting credits on one song. It really waters down the character of a songwriter or band. That being said, I have to say PJ Harvey. Polly keeps every album different so it's always inspiring. Jason Isbell's solo work is incredible. Dax Riggs is a killer singer/songwriter, total badass. I think I have an easier time finding singer/songwriters I don't like than ones I like.
There is nothing like that feeling I had when I was a kid when a new CD came out and I bought it at the record store. Slowly I'm making my way to having vinyl be that same feeling/situation. I also appreciate listening to digital full albums of bands I'm not familiar with. I’ve enjoyed YouTube with full concerts on my television for music this last year. Being at home I've caught up on so many great concerts from past decades.
Whiskey or Beer? And defend your choice
I've been sober for a bunch of years now, but I never drank much whiskey. Whiskey was hard for me to drink while on cocaine. It was usually just beer and Jagermeister.
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
Here In the Bay Area,California the best spots for new music would be the massive Rasputin in Berkeley and Amoeba store in San Francisco. The smaller shops like Stranded SF, or Rooky Ricardo's records are fantastic spots in San Francisco to check out. 1-2-3 Go is a cool little shop in Oakland; to find some rare stuff.
What's next for the band?
What's coming up for me is the release of my album Opposite Faces on July 16th and a few singles and music videos coming out this year. And I’m finishing up music for a new album for release next year. Hopefully a short run of dates this year and really hit the road next year.
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
Thanks all you who read this interview this far! I appreciate it- hopefully we can meet on the road in the future!
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