"I grew up listening to punk rock like Exploited, Fear, newer bands like Rancid. I also listened to Sepultura and Slayer we’re the biggest metal influences. [However], the Misfits are my favorite band of all time. The Misfits are awesome!"

Steven Kaye, the guitarist for Agony Scene, was a fan of the band before joining a short time ago.  In that time frame, he has seen them get signed with Roadrunner, play with bands like Avenged Sevenfold, and record a new album called The Darkest Red. In this interview, Steven talks about joining the band, some of his favorite bands and the scene in Oklahoma. Towards the end, we discover his obvious favorite color, as well as his guilty pleasure CDs. We also find out we have a common taste in a certain band from Birmingham that's making a comeback! Read on to find out!

Sharita:  So, the Agony Scene is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, what is the scene like in that city?

Steven: Well, when I was growin’ up, the hardcore scene was actually pretty cool there was a lot of good bands to come out of there. Then it slowed down a bit, but know it seemed to have picked back up and the kids are into it.

Sharita: Great, so the new album The Darkest Red is set to come out soon, but for those who don’t know about the Agony Scene, can you tell us a little history on the band?

Steven: Well actually, I wouldn’t be the person to do that because I actually joined after the first record of done which was October of 2003. I took over Matt Shannon’s place as bass player. The band has been together about 5 years now; I was at their very first show. I been friends with everyone in the band for a long time, we grew up together. Nobody had heard any of their [music] but I was amazed by it and when I got a chance to join the band I was really excited. In the beginning, they got signed to Solid State records, had lots of member changes like their former singer was named Rod, Mike played bass when they first started out, then he switched to vocals and they picked up Matt Shannon for bass. They recorded a record, toured on it for I dunno how long. Then, Matt decided he wanted to do other things and I took his place. Then we broke up for a bit, Chris went back to school, and then Johnny decided to leave too so I took over Johnny’s spot at guitar and then Brian took over bass and we got signed to Roadrunner. It was really cool to be in the studio with these guys, I enjoyed every bit of it.

Sharita: I read on the Roadrunner site that you just finished filming a video for the song “Prey”, it said that this video is dark, intense and moody.  Is there a story behind this video?

Steven: I’m sure there is but I dunno’ it. (Laughs) I dunno the lyrics, I just play guitar! (Laughs)

Sharita: (laughs)

Steven: Well I can tell you scenes in it. We were in a room and they painted all the walls like a brownish gray color where it looked like it was cracking and it had dirt everywhere. It’s like a very eerie setting, why would anybody want to be in this place and Russell got a person named Jarboe, who used to be in the Swans, and she did some cool stuff. She’s just amazing and a really cool person. Her performance in the video…(pauses), I don’t even know how to explain it. (Chuckles)

Sharita: When will it be on Headbangers Ball?

Steven: Um, we don’t know. We haven’t looked at the finished product yet.

Sharita: Even though you said you’re just the guitarist and not a lyricist, to the best of your ability, explain the song writing process for Agony Scene?

Steven: Basically, the whole band gets together in a room and just jam. Whenever we hear something cool, we’ll just build on it and if we can’t figure out something else to go with that we put it to the side. I mean we have like 20 parts of songs that we’ve wanted to work on that are hangin’ around. Yeah, but all we really do is jam together and Mike will just sit there and write his lyrics out.

Sharita: I read that the band is heavily influenced by Swedish death metal, what about you personally?

Steven: Well, I grew up listening to punk rock like Exploited, Fear, newer bands like Rancid. I also listened to Sepultura and Slayer we’re the biggest metal influences. [However], the Misfits are my favorite band of all time. The Misfits are awesome. (Points to the button on his jacket) 

Sharita: Is there any band that is the main influence or the band that you guys want to be like?

Steven: Not really, we just want to be ourselves. Chris and Brian are into Neurosis and King Diamond. Nowadays, I like a lot of underground bands like Cursive and Postal Service. Everybody in the band has all these different tastes but we all decided to get together and do this. If you listen to the differences between the last record and the new one, you can tell the band has progressed a lot. It’s like a child and we’re raising it, it’s growing up fast.

Sharita: Ok cool, what about the best tour that the band has been on so far?

Steven: For me, it was the Zao tour. When I joined the band, we had some shows that didn’t go too well and the crowd didn’t accept us. [However], the Zao dates that we dear with Fear Before the March of Flames and If Hope Dies, those were some really good shows and they were lots of fun.

Sharita: I’m sure the band is ecstatic about the direction that you guys are going in considering you signed with Roadrunner and that’s every bands dream.

Steven: Yeah, it’s the biggest metal label. Growing up, bands on Roadrunner are real metal bands! So being on the label, it just blows your mind!

Sharita: As far as the future of The Agony Scene, where would you like to see it go?

Steven: Well we just want to mature, become more of what we are and hopefully the public will embrace it, all we can do is do our best. When we write our music its what we want to write and what we want to play. I dunno in 5 years, put out some more great records, tour our asses off, build a good fan base, and be able to take care of my family, I dunno! (laughs)

Sharita: Ok, here are Fourteen G’s famous Speed Round Questions, you seem like a fun guy so I am sure you will entertain our readers!

Steven: (pumps fists) Well thank you, awesome!

Sharita: If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you, take with you?

Steven: My girlfriend.

Sharita: Good answer. What CD’s would you take?

Steven: Oh my gosh, Rancid In Outcome of The Wolves, oh my God this is such a hard question. Slayer Reign In Blood, The First Agony Scene record, it’s awesome!

Sharita: What would you change about the Industry?

Steven: I dunno, Roadrunner has done a really good job! (smiles) I mean they have lived up to all my expectations that I thought a major label was supposed to do. I been really satisfied with what their doing; I mean, I’ve heard a lot of stories of the industry shitting on bands but Roadrunner has done a really good job and helped us out a whole lot.

Sharita: What’s your favorite color?

Steven: Black. (Smiles)

Sharita: Do you have any guilty pleasure CD’s? (I’m having a hard time hearing because Shadows Fall is blasting in the back)

Steven: Um, not really. I don’t care what anyone thinks about the music I listen to. I mean I guess people would say, why Cursive, you play in a metal band! (Laughs)

Sharita: Well I’ve heard some really weird stuff like The Cardigans, some other things that made me just go, what are you thinking?

Steven: Oh yeah?  Well if you are going to interview anyone else in the band, you should ask him ‘cause he has got some guilty pleasures like pop music; Jessica Simpson…

Sharita: Oh wow! So are there any specific things that the band does while waiting to play beside listen to music like video games?

Steven: Yeah, we play video games, watch TV, sleep, a lot of sleep! (Laughs)

Sharita: Since Ozzfest is coming up, give me a good 5 bands that you would like to see on your own fest, beside you band of course.

Steven: Ok, Slayer, Ozzy, Black Label Society, Pantera. That’s such a shame about Dime; they were one of my favorite bands of all time! Then, Coal Chamber, from the old days! Rockin some Coal Chamber!

Sharita: Oh wow, I didn’t expect that. What’s your favorite comic book?

Steven: Spawn.

Sharita: What would you classify as your fan base?

Steven: Probably from the hardcore, metal core scene. Well, when kids come out to see our shows they see that we play our own styles of songs and we do wear makeup so, that’s pretty much how it goes.

Sharita: That’s ok. I don’t mind that a band wears makeup because I’m a fan of Duran Duran so…

Steven: That’s because Duran Duran is Awesome!!!!!

Sharita: You got that right! (Steven and I slap hands)

Steven: They are awesome, I’m glad they’re back.

Sharita: I am too! Thank you so much Steven for a great interview.

Steven: You are very welcome. It was fun!

Thanks to Miranda at Roadrunner and Steven for making this interview possible.

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