In This Moment Rocks Warped Tour

The Vans Warped Tour celebrated its 15th anniversary this summer. Southern California’s In This Moment decided to help celebrate by taking parting the annual summer ritual. The band was kind of out of their element, but they soon found out how well they fit in. "These kids are very receptive to music, it’s like they are hungry for something new," said guitarist Chris Howorth.


The band took part in the entire nine week tour and could not be happier with the outcome. "The crowds have been great and we have made so many new fans. We’ve also got to meet so many great bands. It’s been very a lot of fun and a lot of partying," said lead singer Maria Brink.


The band reissued their CD "The Dream" before the tour. How did that come about? "We wanted to do something special for our fans to coincide with the tour. We decided to re-release ‘The Dream’ and put some unreleased tracks on it and some video footage. Our manager also suggested that we do a cover song to include on it. We had done some in the past, but we wanted to do something a little different this time. So, we chose to do ‘Call Me’ by Blondie. The response has been amazing and we’re getting a ton of airplay with it also," commented Maria.


The band’s set that night that I saw them in Charlotte, NC was only 5 songs long, but they drew a big crowd on the Ernie Ball stage. That show was their first attempt at "the pit" during "Daddy’s Falling Angel" and it was a special moment. Chris, Jesse and Blake went out into the crowd at the beginning of the song and Maria and Jeff stayed onstage. The song began and the crowd swarmed around Chris and Jesse and Blake went back to play on the stage. Maria ventured out to the guys and made the crowd form a mosh pit circle around them and run. It was pretty intense to say the least!! Footage posted on You Tube the next morning and pictures were posted online and the buzz was overwhelming. The band continued it each night of the rest of the tour.


Chris and Maria told me that day on their bus that they would be taking two months off to write material for their next CD to hopefully be out in early 2010. There was going to be a major announcement for the fans in the near future. It ended up being posted on their My Space that in November, the band would venture out on their first headlining tour until before Christmas. The set list will be much longer with several surprises thrown in for the fans. Revolver magazine has jumped on board as a sponsor for the tour, which is major news. The band will take Christmas off and then head into the studio for about two months and record.

The band that I met on Ozzfest back in 2007 just keeps continuing to grow. I was in Walmart a month or so ago and up on the Walmart network in the electronics department was, you guessed it, In This Moment. It was part of their Warped Tour Sound check and they talked to the band about the tour. It was kinda surreal for me to look up and see the band.

This band is going to just blow up big really soon. Their headlining tour should prove interesting to the fans that have been along for the entire ride plus their newly found fans from Warped. It should be very interesting next year to see what happens after they release their new CD next year. The road ahead for In This Moment is one full of promise and opportunity.

American Sixgun (Formerly Switchblade Killers): The New Rock and Roll Militia

American Sixgun were out of their element this summer. Instead of being in a smoke filled bar, they decided to take part in the Vans Warped Tour. "We definitely do not fit in here! The crowds have been great, they’ve been very receptive; actually a lot better than we expected," said lead singer Zach Neil.


I saw the band play in Charlotte, NC on the Warped Tour and spoke to them shortly after their rain filled set. "Yeah, this is our fifth show as a band. We seem to play right about the time a rain shower is coming along. We’re kind of like the underdog on this tour. It’s like us and Shooter (Jennings), the great American musicians who are not being produced right now. We want to work with Shooter and maybe go out on the road. We’re working on him about that. Each night we end up smoking his pot and he drinks our whiskey!" said Zach.

The band plays a style of rock that is sorely missing in music today. " We’re going back to the rock that we grew up with. We’re influenced by Zepplin ,Sabbath, Guns and Roses, Motley Crue and pretty much all rock between 1968 and 1989. The rock show seems to be missing these days. There are a lot of sissy bands on this tour and a lot of bs going on. We’re the rock and roll militia and we’re here to show this kids how to rock," responded drummer Mike Lucchetti and Bassist Tim O’Grady.

The band’s name definitely does not in any way resemble a sissy band. "We wanted something badass, an American badass name. Switchblades were associated with gangs in the fifties. It just paints a picture of who were are about," said guitarist Josh Bodwell. Shortly after this interview, the band was forced to change their name to American Sixgun.

Their debut CD is entitled "The Devil In Your Bones" and it is pure testosterone driven rock and roll. "Let It Ride" is one of my favorite tracks and it has a sort of sixties feel to it. "Friends And Lovers" has a Guns and Roses meets Buckcherry groove. "All For Lovin’ You" is a tongue in cheek song with very insightful lyrics. The entire CD is showcase for this up and coming band.

If you are hungry for some "ballsy" rock and roll that has more substance than style, then these are your guys. They put their main focus on writing great songs and performing them live. These guys are putting the swagger back in rock and roll. Go to their My Space and check them out and relive your glory days when rock and roll actually did rock.

Aroarah: Taking The Testosterone Out Of Rock

Aroarah, the all female rock band from Sacramento, California, is out to prove to the industry and to the narrow minded world that testicles are not needed to play great rock and roll. The group consists of Lydia Gavin on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Chelsea Baker on bass and backup vocals and sisters Mackenzie and Morgan Knoester on percussion and lead guitar. The release of their first full length CD "The Big Package" will help their stance of female driven rock. I recently spoke to the girls about this and much more.


Aroarah- "Well, it’s been four years since we released our EP and we are very excited about our new CD. The preorders from places like Switzerland and Germany were great."


Johnny- "Let me make sure that I have the history of the band correct. You ladies got together during high school for a talent show and non of you had ever played an instrument?"

Aroarah- "Yeah, that’s true! We were determined to prove that we could do this. We tied for second place and at that point, we knew that this was what we wanted to do."

Johnny- "Your live show has really turned a lot of nonbelievers into fans. I am sure that you must have some great road stories."

Aroarah- "One of the funniest was in Boise, Idaho and it was Mack’s birthday. We went downtown to a party and afterwards we were walking back and literally "bumped" into a cab. The driver got pissed at us and got out and came after us with mace. Also, once in Billing, Montana the roof literally came crashing down on us!"

Johnny- "Here’s a little different type of question for you. I met a deaf person at a club a while back and had no idea that they were deaf. With help from a friend , I spoke to him afterwards and he told me that he could hear the rhythm and the beats, just not exactly like you and I hear them. So, if I was deaf and you had a blank canvas in front of me, how would you paint a picture for me to describe your sound?"

Aroarah- "Very cool question……hmmmm, well, it’s bright, upfront and in your face, hard and moving, lots of grooves, great beats, colorful yet contradicting and a drum snare that you can feel. How’s that?"

Johnny- "I would say that is very interesting! Speaking of interesting, I am sure this answer will be. Do you feel there is a double standard in the industry for women?"

Aroarah- "Oh hell yeah!! Some people see us as a novelty act and they don’t take us seriously. Then, when they do see us perform live we suddenly become an anomally and they don’t know what to do with us. We do get a lot of negative attention but we’re not a bubblegum act. We play real rock and it really takes people by surprise."

Johnny- "So, who are some of your musical influences?"

Chelsea- "Mine range from old school to new school. I love Zepplin, the Beatles, Creem and CCR and then newer stuff like Incubus, Chili Peppers and the Smashing Pumpkins."

Morgan- "Everyone is my influence! The Deftones, Ani DiFranco, Mike from Incubus, it’s a long list."

Mackenzie- ""Everything but classical music influences me."

Lydia- ""Mine would be the Foofighters, Chris Cornell and Soundgarden."

Johnny- "I always like to ask this question in all of my interviews because it’s fun to get inside of the mind of a musician. If you were trapped on a desert island and could only have one "store bought" CD, what would
you want there?"

Lydia- "Mine would be Journey ‘Greatest Hits’."

Mackenzie- "That’s easy, Led Zepplin 2."

Chelsea- "Classic choice…Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side of the Moon’."

Morgan- "Tool ‘Undertow’."

Johnny- "Another fun questions for your fans. Do you girls have any guilty pleasures that are printable?"
Aroarah- "Ha ha! Partying and drinking alcohol!! I’m just not sure if we feel guilty about it!!"

We ended the interview as I was slowly drowned out by the wave of laughter that followed their response. Let me tell you, these girls may like to party and have a good time, but they take their music very seriously. To hear the progression from their EP to newer songs such as "Hey", which has a great riff from Morgan that grabs you by the throat at the beginning and won’t let go. Then their is "Unfold" on which Lydia shows that behind that gorgeous face is a talented woman with some amazing vocals that have great range to them. The rhythm section of Mackenzie and Chelsea are not to be overlooked either as they pull this group together making it a very tight sounded band.

Their new CD can be purchased off their official website
www.aroarah.com, I-tunes and DF Jams. If you get a chance, go check out their EPK (Electronic Press Kit) that was put together after their EP came out in 2005 by none other than Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down. It is pretty amazing! These ladies are proof that the preconceived notion of balls to the wall rock and roll is just an outdated cliche. These ladies rock harder than alot of the male bands out there and definitely have more substance behind them.

Redshift: Bursting With Rock

You ever go to a club to see a band perform and you have to sit through several "lame" bands to get to the one you wanted to see in the first place? Well, I had that mindset a while back when I went to one of my favorite clubs, the Somewhere Else Tavern (SWET) in Greensboro,NC. I went to see some friends of mine play and I didn't know most of the other bands on the bill. I missed the first band and was waiting for band number two to finish setting up.

Well, the next forty five minutes proved to be a very rewarding experience to me. The second band was Redshift out of Washington,DC. From their opening song, you could tell that there was something a little different about these guys. They were serious and they meant business. The band was very tight and cranked through song after song. Songs such as "Bleed Me Dry" and "Satellite" showed that the band combined the best of driving rock and roll, catchy hooks and a sound that demands your attention.
I spoke with the band after their show and lined up the following interview that was very revealing.

JP: Let me start off by telling the readers that the band consists of Jake Mimikos on vocals and guitar, Pete Torres on bass, Shawn Battle on drums and vocals and Ron Cruz on guitar. So, where did the name Redshift originate from?

Redshift: We were looking for a name that would sum up our music, energy and what we were trying to portray as a band. Redshift first caught our attention as a good sounding word. The meaning of Redshift hit everything that we felt we were trying to convey. It means a large burst of energy that shifts the light spectrum to red, one example was the birth of a star.

JP: So how long have you guys been together?

Redshift: Originally, we started about three years ago. Over that time, we got Paulo playing bass about a year and a half ago and then Ron about five months ago. So honestly, we feel like we have a new beginning, the lineup was finalized when Ron joined the band. We feel like we are one cohesive unit now. We just recently had Pete Torres take over duty on bass.

JP: Funny you should say that. I was going to comment on the fact Ron joined the band after you recorded your EP "Into The Oblivion". Do you think that he has changed your sound any?

Redshift: Yes, we feel he has changed the sound slightly. he comes with more of a classic rock feel, so his sound will put more of that element in our songs. I don't think it will change the sound drastically, but it will fill in alot of space in songs. Sometimes music can be too precise, Ron brings that almost psychotic, unorthodox attitude to the band. It gives it an edge that is missing in today's rock. More importantly, Ron brings an energy that is unmatched and has brought our live performance to a new level.

JP: I do have to admit that after seeing you guy splay live at the SWET, Ron is alot of fun to watch onstage. In between songs, he is constantly riffing bits and pieces of songs. I kept hearing Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" that night when I saw you.

JP: Who do you guys sight as your musical influences?

Redshift: We all take influences from different rock eras. mainly heavy, driven rock and roll. Jake's influence came from 90s grunge and new metal era bands like Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Muse and Coheed and Cambria to name a few. You can see a heavy influence of Van Halen, Led Zepplin and late 70s early 80s rock in Ron's style. Shawn grew up on Motley Crue and played in hardcore bands. He loved the straight forward pounding style of Tommy Lee, which gives Redshift its hard rock groove. JP: At your shows, you mention the Jagermeister is a sponsor and you give out freebies from them. That's a pretty major score for a new band. How did you hook up with them?

Redshift: We first contacted them and told them that we loved Jagermeister and of course we pestered them for a while and sent them our music. They finally responded saying that they liked our music and that they would put us on a trial period where they send us Jager merch and we had to prove we were worthy. We ended up putting together videos and slideshows of our performances showing us promoting the product on stage and at shows and sent them to our rep. He ended up loving them and we were sponsored within two weeks.

JP: You guys seem to love to play live. What are you best and worst road stories?

Redshift: Well, we love being on the road and checking out new places. Anytime we drive hours away and find ourselves in good company and playing in front of a large crowd, it's always a positive experience. We especially love being able to stop at a Waffle House on the way from a show. Our worst experience was finding out our show was cancelled after we had promoted it and driven half way there. Of course, it never helps driving long distances when Ron has to take a leak every five minutes!

JP: What's it like trying to get this dream going when the music industry is in such a time of turmoil?

Redshift: It certainly makes it more of a challenge and that's how we look at it. It pushes us even harder though. The industry is going through some changes now and that's fine with us. We are going to make music regardless of the status of the industry, even if we have to do all the work ourselves. This is the path we've chosen!

JP: So, tell me ...do you guys have any printable guilty pleasures for your fans?

Redshift: Ha ha! Well, Shawn loves 80s hair bands and spandex and rocks out with them all the time. Ron sings Michael Jackson songs really well without warning and Jake used to love Madonna...and still rocks out to her!!

JP: You guys probably don't get alot of down time. In that rare chance that it does happen, how do you like to spend it?

Redshift: Shawn hits the river by his house and goes fishing on his canoe all by his lonesome self. Ron sleeps because if its a day that ends with Y, he probably hasn't slept at all. Jake usually hits the gym or cries himself to sleep.

JP: Quick, one word to describe each other...what would it be?

Redshift: Jake: zany, Shawn: idiotic, Ron: screw loose!

JP: I like to ask this of all my bands that I interview. If you were trapped on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want to have there with you?

Redshift: Jake would want Guns and Roses "Use Your Illusion 1", Shawn would want CCR "Greatest Hits", Ron would want Van Halen's first CD.

I have to add that the interview was done before Pete Torres took over on bass and i apologize to pete for not having his input on the answers. The band is currently burning up the road and playing every place that will let them plug up an amp. You most definitely want to catch these boys live. Anyone can record a CD, but the real proof is in their live show and these guys do not disappoint. The mixture of Jake's commanding vocals and Ron's intricate guitar guitar work along with the back beat of Shawn on drums and Pete on bass, this band is one strong cohesive unit. You mix in some catchy tunes that have you rocking along within minutes and you have a deadly combination. The band has opened for bands such as Def Leppard, Thriving Ivory,Candlebox, Lifehouse and Poison. You can catch them now or read about them later when they're in the big time!

Elliott Yamin Wows Roanoke,Virginia

“Play That Funky Music White boy” was a huge hit for Wild Cherry back in the seventies and still gets major airplay today. Little did we know how appropriate of a song it would turn out to be for Richmond’s Elliott Yamin. Most of you know Elliott from American Idol Season Five where he came in third place. He recently released his sophomore CD, not counting his holiday CDs, entitled “Fight For Love”.

Elliott was in Roanoke,VA on July 17 to perform a special concert at the opening ceremonies for the Coventry Commonwealth Games of Virginia. The games are for male and female athletes of all ages and is similar to an Olympics type competition. I was fortunate to sit down with Elliott backstage before the show to ask him a few questions.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far. I love coming back to Virginia to perform. I have met a lot of great kids here too. I’m a diabetic and I met several kids who are also. It was great to share stories with them since we have that in common. Exercise definitely helps out with your diabetes. I love playing basketball myself,” said Elliott.

I asked him how the reaction has been to his new CD “Fight For Love”? “We’ve been very happy so far, given the landscape of the whole industry and the economy itself from the release of my first CD, we have been very pleased. It’s harder in the market being an independent artist, but I’m very satisfied with the response from radio and the fans.”

It has to be tough figuring out what songs to release to radio. How do you determine which ones? “We do a lot of testing at radio and we also listen to what the fans have to say on the websites. In Japan we released “You Say” as the first single because it tested so well, where here in the states we released “Fight for Love” as the first. I think we’re going to release “Can’t Keep on Loving You” as the next single here. We’ll send it to AC (adult contemporary) radio and see how it does,” responded Elliott.

Speaking of singles, I asked Elliott what happened to a song that I viewed on YouTube of he and Jermaine Dupree called “When I’m Gone”? “That is actually on the Japanese version of my new CD as a bonus track. I loved working with Jermaine. We got along great and the chemistry was awesome. To me, it’s an honor to be able to say that I actually got to work with him.
You know, Jermaine and I actually started working on a second song together but we never finished it. So, I can’t wait to get be able to work with him again.”

Elliott is a very busy man these days promoting his new CD. He had a gig in Modesto, California the day after his appearance in Virginia. He will be singing the national anthem at the WNBA All Star game. He also told me that he will be heading out on tour the day after Labor Day for six weeks with the band Thriving Ivory. “Their lead singer Clayton has the most amazing voice. It’s so unique. I’m looking forward to going out on the road with them,” said Elliott.

I always like to ask two questions of all artists that I interview to give a little insight to their fans. I asked Elliott if he had any “guilty pleasures”, if printable, that would surprise his fans? “Well, I don’t get a lot of down time, but when I do I just like to lay around and do nothing. I have a Shitzu named Buster and I like to spoon with him on the couch.” My other question was if you were trapped on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want to have there with you? “Only one? Oh, without a doubt, it would have to be “These Songs For You Live” by Donnie Hathaway. I have worn that one out so many times. I love it!”

Elliott’s show that night was an acoustic set with his keyboardist Joonie and Russell Ali on guitar. He played a mixture off of his two CDs. Newer songs such as Can’t Keep on Loving You” and “You” and “You Say” translated so well acoustically. Elliott also mentioned that that show was the first time that they had performed “You Say” here. The stripped down arrangement combined with Elliott’s emotional vocals actually gave me goose bumps several times. An artist who is willing to play acoustically is very brave for it exposing one’s vulnerability. Elliott pulled it off flawlessly in Roanoke that night.

For those wanting to know, the set list consisted of : “Free”, “Know Better”, “Find a Way”, “One Word”, “Can’t Keep on Loving You”, “You”, “You Say”, “Fight for Love”, “Wait For You” and “Movin’ On”.

Elliott hung around after the show and signed autographs and posed for pictures with his fans. Being accessible like this really has a big impact on his fans. He’s such an amazing performer and human being. He listens to his fans and loves communicating with them. He is genuine and sincere and it shows. Elliott may play the N Club in Greensboro, NC on his tour. He is definitely worth the short drive down to check out. My thanks go out to all of his people who were so nice to me and the people involved with the games. A special thanks to all of the Etrain members that have contacted me and shown so much love and support. Thank you for welcoming me to you family. Thanks Covie for the amazing clip that I included on here from Roanoke.

Rachelle Ramm: Rock's Sexy New Vixen

One part sex, one part attitude, one part determination and one part talent. If you put all of those together and blend carefully you come up with one delicious combination. That would be one way to describe Rachelle Ramm: delicious. She is a treat to all of the senses. First off, it would be hard to look at her and not notice that she looks like a model. She definitely knows how to milk sexuality out of the most uncommon elements. Secondly, there is her voice. It's a mix of the rock attitude of Pat Benatar and the emotion of the Wilson sisters of Heart.

I spoke with Rachelle recently after discovering her on MySpace. Her first Cd “City Of Sin“ has been out for a while and Rachelle has been gaining a building a following with her aggressive take no prisoners attitude and amazing vocals. I asked her how long she had been performing. “Well, when I was very young, I had a small tape recorder. All of my neighbors knew that I loved the movie Grease. I think I was like 3 or 4 years old and I was so into Olivia Newton John. I would sing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' for them over and over. My poor neighbors! I really loved to perform for anyone who would listen. My family was also very into music. My mom was into the Doors and Hendrix and my dad loved Stevie Wonder,“ said Rachelle.

Rachelle does have a wide array of musical tastes and influences. I asked her who her influences were and what I would find in her ipod. “I have so many influences, where do I start? I absolutely love Heart! I also like alot of rock such as Metallica, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Guns And Roses, Hendrix, I could go on and on. Now, when I chill out I like to listen to Cat Power or Sting. I like to mix it up. As far as what's in my ipod? I have a wide mix in it now. I have some Cat Powers, Kings Of Leon, early Chris Cornell, some classic Janis Joplin, Zepplin and alot of others.“

Rachelle aggressive attitude and determination may be traced back to her love of extreme sports. “I am a very active person and I am very hyper. If you give me coffee late in the day or at night, you better look out! I have swam competitively since I was six years old and continued through college. After that, I got into wake boarding. My true passion is snowboarding. I also enjoy mountain climbing, anything that pushes myself.“

Given the fact that this woman is in excellent shape, I had to ask her if she thinks that there is a double standard in the industry as far as women are concerned? “Well, I think there is, but I don't work out and eat right because of the media. I do this because it's a healthy lifestyle that I choose. I mean, I do want to look my best but I like to push myself and challenge myself. The whole double standard thing, yeah, it's sick and twisted I guess. I call myself healthfully insane because of the challenges I like to take on.

Let me tell you people, after five minutes with this woman, you can see that she is on full throttle. Most people would kill just for an ounce of her energy. She is truly a dynamo!

So, with all this passion and energy, how does she channel that into songwriting? Is there a method to the madness for this energetic lady? “Most of my lyrics come off the top of my head unless I am playing around with the guitar. Then again, maybe something is inspiring to me and I run with that. I ask myself 'how it can relate to people?'. Sometimes, Hank Shermann will give me a riff and I will play with it. It strikes me sometimes late at night, there may be a situation that I am going through in life and I will write about it. I have so many little scraps of paper and napkins and anything that I could find to write on when an idea came to me.“

So let's talk a little bit about your CD “City Of Sin“, can we? “You better believe we can! I had so many ideas that I wanted to try on this CD that we could have done two full CD releases. It was a “DIY”, do it yourself CD. Next time, maybe it would be wise to get with a label so that they could help with advertising. I would love to be in the situation to have financial backing for another CD. It's on its way though, don't worry. We did record a new single not too long ago called 'Asphalt Lucky Lust'. It was quick and easy. Hank and I created the idea in one day!“

Her CD “City Of Sin“ is a great tool for her to showcase her amazing voice. It also has a bit of a mix of styles on it also to show her versatility. “Not Ordinary“ has a punk/pop kind of feel to it while “Animal Attraction“ is a slower tempo song yet not quite a ballad. I told her that I would love to hear her slow it down and sing a real ballad on the next CD. “It's funny that you say that because I have been feeling that too lately. I want to record a very sultry, powerful and emotional ballad soon, “ said Rachelle.

So, for a woman who cannot stand to sit still for a long period of time, what are her long term goals for her career? “First and foremost, I want to be happy and share my passion for music. You should never start in this business to become rich or to just do it for the money because it will make you miserable. I think my biggest goal right now would be to tour around the world. I want to perform live for as many people as possible and inspire happiness. What a feeling to look out and see that you're making people smile and feel it with you.“

My last two questions were more about what makes her tick. One was what is your guilty pleasure, if printable and the other was if you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one store bought CD, what would it be? “My guilty pleasure? Well, I guess it would have to be Absinthe alcohol. As far as the CD goes, that's difficult. In this moment, I'd say Guns And Roses 'Appetite For Destruction', I have extreme fond memories during the time it was released.“

I have to tell you that my interview with Rachelle was so refreshing and entertaining. She is like a whirlwind spinning in every direction! You should check her out at www.myspace.com/rachelleramm or at her official website, www.rachelleramm.com. She has a powerful voice that will reaches out and grabs you be your neck and demands your attention. Check her out and see what all the fuss is about.

Agonist Singer Stands For Her Beliefs

Mama always told me never to judge a book by it's cover and man is that so true. I first saw pictures of Alissa White-Gluz in Revolver's Hottest Chicks In Metal. I have to admit that she is a very striking woman. A pure natural beauty, whose hair is a wild combo of purple and blue. So, I decided to check them out. I picked up their first Cd entitled "Only Once Imagined" and popped it in my player and was shocked. I knew they were a metal core band but it was Alissa's vocals that caught me by surprise. She has the amazing ability to go from a growling type of screaming to singing in this very melodic tone.

I saw them a while back at Volume 11 in Raleigh,NC and shortly after go ta chance to talk with Alissa.

JP- "Hi Alissa, let me start by thanking you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me."

Alissa- "No problem! We have been very busy on the road touring to promote our latest CD 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind'."

JP- "I'm curious as to when you first decided that this was what you wanted to do with your life, take off on the rock and roll journey?"

Alissa- "In 2003 I was in my first band called Dream Theater. We were a progressive metal band. I always performed in school programs and plays."

JP- "Now, I saw where the band was first called Tempest and then changed its name to The Agonist. How did that come about?"

Alissa- "We were called Tempest until Simon joined. That's when we found out that there was another band with the same name. There were some legal problems, so we decided to change our name to The Agonist. I really didn't think the old name fit us very well. This one is more appropriate."

JP- "Your vocal styling is very amazing. I was blown away when I saw all that power and emotion coming out of such a small person. I can't get over how you go from growling to singing very melodically. How do you accomplish such a feat?"

Alissa- "Well, thank you. I have to take care of my voice to make sure that I don't strain it. I have to watch how much I use it before a show and I even have to watch what I eat."

JP- "You are such a creative person that I am sure you must have a wide range of influences?"

Alissa- I am actually inspired for songs from painting. I love Salvador Dali. I am also inspired by Gwen Stafani, Poe, Freddie Mercury and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I also love Angela Gossow, who I know, of Arch Enemy. I think she is just amazing."

JP- "The lyrics that you write are not typical in this day and age. Your lyrics do have somewhat of a serious tone to them. You have very strong beliefs that you express through them."

Alissa- "That's true, my lyrics are a mixture of things, but mostly I write about what I believe in. This is entertainment and it's art. I know that people who listen to our songs may not share my beliefs but I would still want them to listen to what I have to say. If they don't share my beliefs they can still enjoy our music. I don't try to shove it down their throats or anything. I just want to share a different look on things."

JP- "So, what are your best and worst road stories?"

Alissa- "I have so many great road stories, not many bad ones. We just get to meet so many amazing people out on the road. we crash at alot of peoples houses while we are touring. We actually got to crash at Bam Margera's house not too long ago. We found out that he is a huge fan of the band. That was very cool."

JP- "Do you have any guilty pleasures , if printable, that may surprise your fans?"

Alissa- "I love Vegan ice cream, I could eat a whole tub of it. There is this cappuccino flavor that I just love"

JP- "On your new CD, at the beginning of '....And Their Eulogies Sang Me To Sleep', it sounds like a vocal slip. Was that a blooper or what?"

Alissa- "That is so funny, you are actually the first person who has asked me about that. Our producer Christian Donaldson likes to keep all of the tape of my exercising my vocals and all the bloopers that may come along. When he's mixing the finished product, he likes to sneak those slip-ups in and see if anyone catches them. I actually liked that one and we left it in."

JP- "One last question, if you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one store bought CD, what would you want there with you?"

Alissa- "Wow, I would probably want to have something by Arch Enemy or 'The End Is Begun" by 3."

The Agonist is definitely a standout in the growing genre of metal core. Musically, they are a tight unit. Lyrically, I challenge you to find a band who has more to say in their lyrics. You can check them out at www.myspace.com/theagonist.