Full Blown Chaos Interview

Interview
Ray Mazzolla
Full Blown Chaos

Lineup:
Ray Mazzolla - Vocals
Ed Conroy - Bass
Mike Facci - Guitar
Jeff Facci - Drums

7/23/05
Email Interview
Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale

New York's princes of hardcore, Full Blown Chaos have joined the ranks of their hxc contemporaries sharing the title of most hardworking band in show business with Madball, Throwdown, Bury Your Dead, The Red Chord, Terror...the list goes on. Not only is this band getting their name out there but they are so dedicated, I doubt this band or the aforementioned can recognize their own homes any longer. On June 25, 2005, the band made history carrying the distinction of being the first to perform on the inaugural Sounds of the Underground Tour. Join me in this email interview with FBC's frontman, Ray Mazzolla.

Q: Thanks a lot for doing the interview.

A: It is our pleasure!

Q: Must have been sweet to get a deal from Stillborn being on tour with Hatebreed and to have Jamey feel your project as strongly as he did. Can you elaborate on this?

A: Stillborn is hardworking label. We are a hardworking band. It was generally inevitable. We had mutual friends in bands and in the scene that were on stillborn and friends with Jamey so we were in the radar. Everything basically fell into its rightful place thanks to these friends passing our music along and a good word.

Q: As far as being a part of the Sounds of the Underground Tour, I love your quote, it’s a very powerful statement: “For us in FULL BLOWN CHAOS, to be the very first band on the very first day ever of the SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND tour was an absolute honor. To be the band to set the bar and be the catalyst for this explosive event was truly a dream come true. Here and only here, on SOTU were we able to have a massive "WALL of DEATH" 4 songs into our set at 12:15 pm. SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND means a lot of things to a lot of people. For those of us in the bands who are involved with this tour, SOTU is a true testament of the strength, perseverance, and ascension of hardcore, metal and all genres of heavy music. Saturday, June 25th at 12 o'clock noon in Lowell Mass., HISTORY WAS MADE. " That’s pretty cool to make history of this magnitude.

A: I felt it had to grasp the correct vibe that was created that day. It was a very exciting time for all of us. It is not to be taken lightly. Something as profound as the Sounds Tour was a historically huge event in our genre of music, just as Woodstock was in '69 for its genre of rock.

Q: Since you are big fans of Strapping Young Lad, it must be a treat to have played with them briefly on SOTU tour (two shows).

A: We had the opportunity to tour with them a while back. SYL had done a leg of the tour we were on with Super Joint Ritual. We were huge fans before and being able to tour and hang with them was amazing! We hit it off right away too. Whenever we have a chance, we go and see them play and party with em. The two days on the SOTU, tour was a great time for us to catch up with them. Gene Hoglan videotaped both of our sets for us. Thanks Daddy-O!

Q: Speaking of touring, you guys do an amazing amount of it. How is the Dirty Black Summer Tour going?

A: This tour is great! We are having a blast, being a fan of Himsa's music was a plus. Great guys, great shows, great times. Being able to play with such talented musicians is an honor. The Agony Scene and The Esoteric are great bands and the dudes are awesome. WE all had an awesome time. One last statement.... HIMSA OWNS!

Q: After the DBS Tour you are going out with Sworn Enemy, what are your plans past that?

A: We have a few options, but we will tour some more. In September, we will be hitting the road again with Walls of Jericho and Madball. Europe is in the mix later this year as well and some time off to write our next record.

Q: With touring as much as you have, when are you guys planning on taking time off to write for a new album in the near future?

A: Like we were saying before, later this year possibly around October after the Madball tour. We are always writing though. Its like we never stop. Any free time we have, we are writing music. During sound checks, long drives between shows, in hotel rooms, well hotel rooms until they throw us out for jamming at 4 am.

Q: What has been the most valuable lesson you have learned from being on the road as much as you have?

A: Take care of your feet! Ha ha ha seriously, keeping up on personal hygiene is a must. It will keep you healthy and happy and your band mates from throwing you out the van while doing 75 on a 115° day in Phoenix!

Q: Speaking of albums, for your latest release, are you guys satisfied with the way Wake The Demons turned out?

A: We are very satisfied! It is everything we wanted it to be and more. Amazing music. Great engineering and production thanks to Zeuss at Planet Z. we love everything about it! The fans love it and it is selling well so who can argue with that?

Q: What were some motivating factors behind the creation of this album? I read that Ray writes according to what he’s feeling at that time.

A: The music is a combination of our influences. We write what we love to hear. I write a lot about personal experiences, trials and tribulations. WTD is not about raising Satan from hell but more of unlocking your personal demons inside. Everyone has a hidden potential and ability that they can harness if they look deep within themselves. My life has its ups and down and you can see it when you read into the lyrics. most of my songs have a level of perseverance to them.

Q: What’s your favorite song off Wake The Demons?

A: I have a few, "Wake the Demons", "So Cold", "Undying" and "Sentenced" are my favorites. They have the more personal lyrics than the other songs, but every song is amazing!

Q: Who came up with the concept of the album cover and who drew it?

A: The cover art was a general idea from the band that Jake Bannon took and manifested into this titan-like image. It sums up Wake the Demons very well.

Q: What message do you want the buyer to walk away with from viewing the cover?

A: We want them to be compelled by it. Like what is the meaning of it and will I get the answers from the CD and its music.

Q: Since the person is in Zen mode, is that the way the inner demon is awakened? What is the real story behind it?

A: Basically, it is one of the ways to unlock the inner abilities in us all. The imagery is exactly what you see the man searching inside and unlocking his demons, allowing him to harness its power.

Q: What’s your thoughts on NYHC, is the movement getting stronger and better?

A: NYHC is always in flux. It gets stronger then it sits back and lets the world catch up a bit. Then it hits hard again. It waxes and wanes, the movement will always be strong.

Q: Who are some of your favorite bands in the scene right now?

A: Well you have the staples. Agnostic Front, Madball, Sick Of It All, Biohazard. They will always be dominant figures in the scene and some of our favorites. Others include Sworn Enemy, Billy Club Sandwich, and Irate. Great great bands!

Q: If you could collaborate with anyone going forward, whom would you like to work with?

A: That's hard. We have so many influences. We would love to collaborate with Crowbar or Soilwork.

Q: What legacy would you like to leave behind to let the world know Full Blown Chaos was here?

A: Growing up, we had our outlets. Bands that we listened to vent our emotions. Testament, Sick of it All, Slayer, Agnostic Front, Metallica, Pantera. We want to be one of those bands that kids can vent to and use as an influence in their music if that is the path they take.

Speed Round of Questions

Evolution or creation? Both. Evolution is inevitable and creation is a gift.

First thing you do when you get home from tour. Play with the puppies!

If not music then what? Is there anything else? Just kidding. Probably some form of art.

What would your bandmates do if it weren’t for Full Blown Chaos? Be very angry individuals.

Favorite song lyric. "When I wake up, the real nightmare begins" Hatebreed.

If Full Blown Chaos were a cocktail, what kind of cocktail would you be? A Chaos Bomb: Jäger, Captain Morgan's, Jack Daniels, and Red Bull. Brutal to the last drop.

Favorite sports team? New York Yankees

What draws you to new music? Its gotta flow, if we hear something that hits the flow we listen to it.

What is one thing you are grateful for today? We are grateful for the opportunity to play and do what we love everyday most people can't say that and most likely never will.

If you could be a cartoon character, which one would you be? Patrick Star, from Sponge Bob.

If you could possess a super, power which one would you choose and why? It would have to be mind control or cosmic awareness...to be able to control everything around you would be intoxicating and to know everything all at once would be interesting.

Which Full Blown Chaos song would sum up your life in a nutshell and why? "Strength within".... because I have had my downs and worked through them.

Guilty pleasure song/CD/artist. Anything Johnny Cash, I love Elvis too. Richard Cheese is one of my favorites.

Things I cannot live without. Music, hands down.

If you could commission a band to cover a Full Blown Chaos song, which song would you chose and who would cover it? That's easy, Richard Cheese and the Lounge Against the Machine. I would want them to cover "Wake the Demons" they can swankify anything! They covered slayer! It was great!

What's underneath your bed? My bass and probably a lot of dirty socks.

If you could dine with any celebrity past or present, time and age with whom would you chose and where would you go? I would love to have dinner with Tom Jones, at Ihop.

Whom would you ask these Speed Round Questions of? Someone that you would love to know more about. Roger Miret from Agnostic Front, that would be interesting!

Any last comments? Thank you to everyone who supports Full Blown Chaos! Keep coming out to the shows and have a great time!

Again, thanks for doing the interview!

I'd like to thank Ray for taking the time out to answer my questions and to Royce over at Stone City Music for making this interview a possibility!

Click here for new interview with Mike Facci