Speed Round Kylesa

Speed Round with Kylesa, the entire band Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale Photos: Erika Kristen Watt

DECIBEL 2005 TOUR: High on Fire Planes Mistaken for Stars KYLESA TwiROpa New Orleans, LA 2/10/05

Click here for part I of Kylesa's interview

Karma: What’s your mantra?

Corey Barhorst: [looks puzzled and starts to laugh] I don’t even know what a mantra is!

Laura Pleasants: Oh no! [laughter ensues from all]

Brandon Baltzley: I don’t know what a mantra is either.

Phillip Cope: At least you’re honest!

Karma: It’s like a phrase or a statement that sums up how you live your life.

Brandon: You know I have no shame!

Corey: We’re from the South!

Brandon: That’s true! [hysterical laughter ensues]

Corey: Isn’t Georgia like 50^th in education or something like that?

Karma & Erika: Oh no! [band laughs hysterically at our reaction]

Brandon: Oh shit!

Corey: I have no idea because I never thought about it or anything like that at all. I mean I could say something but everybody would start laughing so I’d probably be lying! [laughs]

Karma: Well we don’t want you to do that, let’s skip you then… [smiles]

Laura: I’ve always felt that I should just do things my way in a way or do things I want to do. There’s always pressure when you’re growing up to be a certain way or to do a certain thing whether it be your parents or your friends, society…I’ve always felt like you should just be true to yourself and do what you want to do and do the be you can.

Phillip: I have to go with Corey on this, the older I get the more I have to reshape my life I haven’t really found one way that works for me every year. I just kind of deal with each consequence or action and consequence. I just try to reshape as I go along and try to be a humble and nice person. You know and try to enjoy life and make the most out of it. Even what she said, just follow my heart and do what feels right.

Brandon: I just like to have a good time. [everyone laughs] I just like to party and have a good time!

Karma: Spiritual or religious?

Corey: No

Laura: No…maybe a little bit spiritual but not really. I guess it would all depend on how you would define that term.

Phillip: I’m still figuring that out, but right now no.

Laura: Yeah, yeah!!

Brandon: Absolutely not

Karma: If not music, then what?

Corey: Painting

Karma: Oh what kind of painting/medium?

Corey: [smiles] oils and texture stuff

Laura: I would say some sort of design or photography. I went to…there’s an art school in Savannah and I went to school there. I mainly studied photography/graphic design. I would gravitate towards one of those.

Phillip: Writing for me.

Karma: Novels or…

Phillip: … [laughs] I’ve got a lot of…

Laura: He’s a poet!

Phillip: [smiling] I’m gonna write it all down…

Laura: He’s got to write a book because he has the most insane experiences and it’ll come out and you’re like, “What?” And then were like, “He never told us that one before!” It’s like we’re all in awe of him.

Phillip: I want to write it all down when I’m done with this.

Karma: We’ll look forward to that!

Phillip: [laughs]

Brandon: Oh, I’ll probably be fucked if this doesn’t work out! [laughter fills the area] I’ll be back in the kitchen! I’ve worked in the kitchen for the past 9 years so…

Karma: Live or dead if you could meet anyone who would it be?

Corey: Uhmm…

Laura: That’s tough.

Corey: I’d have to say Anselm Kiefer!

Laura: I knew you were going to say him!

Corey: [beams] I think he’s the greatest painter in the world.

Laura: Man, I don’t know! I don’t think there’s one ultimate person that I’d want to meet. There are several people… [smiles]

Karma: Go ‘head, name some of them then.

Laura: I know there are plenty but because I’m on the spot… [laughs] I know Jimi Hendrix would be one of them. He’d be pretty cool to meet and every member of Black Sabbath circa 1972. I know there are others but I can’t think of any.

Phillip: For me it would be Charles Bukowski!

Karma: You’re the second person to have mentioned his name. [1^st was Brian Fair]

Laura: He loves him!

Phillip: [laughs] I’d love to have a beer with him, either him or Hunter S. Thompson.

Brandon: [spaces out for a second and laughs] I’d like to meet Chuck [inaudible, sorry guys!]

Phillip: He writes some fucked up shit!

Brandon: [laughs] Yeah!! [said with extreme enthusiasm]

Karma: First album ever purchased?

Corey: Now is this an album I purchased or that was bought for me because you know there’s a difference!

Karma: No, first album YOU ever purchased.

Corey: Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction but I had to throw away the cover so that my mom wouldn’t see it.

Laura: [look of amazement crosses her countenance] That was the same album for me too!

Brandon: Which one was it?

Laura: Appetite For Destruction! That was the raunchiest thing, most rock and roll to a 4^th grader or however old we were!

Karma: But the question is did you keep your cover?

Laura: [laughs] Yeah, but my parents were like, “What is this? This is awful!”

Corey: See, that’s why I got rid of mine!

Laura: “This reminds me of stuff that came out in the 70’s! I hated it then!” I was like, “Awesome!” [we all laugh]

Phillip: Is it on me? It was the first Run DMC [Run-D.M.C.] record! [the band turns their attention towards him] It was!

Laura: Man, you were breaking back in the day! [we all laugh]

Phillip: [laughing] I am a little older than the rest of these guys! [attention then turns to Brandon]

Laura: Nirvana?

Brandon: Worse! It's a band called Mineral! [hisses fill the room]

Laura: [shaking head] He's the youngn'!

Brandon: That was in '95! [as he proves her point and as we all laugh]

Erika: Where's the band from?

Brandon: They're from Austin.

Karma: Guilty pleasure artist/CD/song? [band howls]

Laura: Oh, we have a LOT!

Corey: I like…[laughs] a lot of shitty stuff. I don't know, I guess the worst would be… That's a rotten question [laughs hysterically and cheeks begin to flush] …okay, I have to say I like Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. [everyone falls over with laughter]

Phillip: That is so bad!

Laura: Oh man!

Karma: Well thanks for sharing that Corey!

Phillip: Don't worry, it's just gonna get worse!

Karma: How bout you Laura?

Laura: I don't know.

Phillip: I don't think you listen to anything that could be considered guilty; you're the toughest one in the group.

Laura: I don't know, Danzig is pretty cheesy! [laughter ensues]

Erika: Hey! [laughs]

Phillip: That's still not as bad as Elton John!

Laura: I know, but I love it, but the first 3 albums were great! You know what I'm really getting into is some jazz fusion stuff that I like!

Brandon: I like that shit!

Phillip: I like it.

Corey: You know which one I like? That Orchestra, what's the name of it? [band begins to mumble briefly]

Laura: [inaudible] New Orchestra

Corey: That shit's cool!

Phillip: Yeah, I really like that!

Laura: It's so good! That and maybe some New Wave.

Karma: Like whom?

Laura: Magazine! They almost threw the tape out of the window. They were like, "What is this crap!"

Corey: Yeah!

Laura: "I can't believe you guys have this!"

Phillip: I always have lots of them but my current one is definitely Lil John! I listen to it so much and I know it drives them crazy!

Brandon: I won't even say the worst one because it's bad! [laughs]

Laura: He told us, like Elton John!

Brandon: I fucking love Coheed & Cambria! [everyone expresses disgust and laughs hysterically]

Laura: Oh come on! [look of amazement fills her face] UHHH! Man, that is bad!

Brandon: I got ya beat, Corey!!

Corey: [shakes head in disbelief] He really does! Oh man!!

Karma: Unreal! Do you listen to a CD in its entirety or skip from track to track?

Corey: It really depends on what CD or band it is like if it's an album that flow well all the way through then I'll listen to it but it also depends on what I'm doing. Sometimes I'll skip around a lot but then sometimes I'll listen to the whole CD.

Laura: Yeah, I'll say the same! It depends on what I'm doing. You know if I'm milling around the house, if I'm on my computer, or if I'm driving. I'll usually listen to an album all the way through. Unless it sucks…

Phillip: Oh me? [laughter ensues] I'm a mixed tape person!

Laura: Yeah!

Phillip: I have hundreds of records and I pick the perfect song off each one.

Brandon: I listen to them all the way through.

Karma: Okay, croutons or bacon bits?

Corey: Croutons!

Laura: Croutons!!

Phillip: Croutons.

Brandon: Bacon! [we all laugh]

Karma: You would have to be the odd one!

Laura: He eats some nasty, nasty stuff!

Brandon: I was eating [inaudible] and they freaked out!

Laura: Man that thing looked so gross! That thing, in the tube?! [her face scrunches up in revulsion] Ughhhh!

Brandon: It's just rice, and crawfish!

Karma: Introvert or Extrovert?

Corey: [pauses] I don't know, both!

Laura: Yeah, I don't know, both but I’ll probably say introvert. There's a bit of both because it's not black and white.

Phillip: Depends on the seasons for me I’m sure. If it's nice out I'm all about it but if it's nasty, I'll just keep to myself.

Brandon: Extrovert, I guess!

Laura: Yeah! [as the rest agree] Man you're running for office every night!

Karma: Favorite movie quote?

Corey: [laughs]

Phillip: Oh man! Just say the one we've been saying all tour!

Corey: What's that?

Phillip: “Abazaba”

Corey: OH! Not that one…

Phillip: That’s okay, I’ll do that one!

Corey: that changes but… it’s a quote from Napoleon Dynamite, it’s the funniest movie in the world, “Three!”

Laura: It would definitely be something from the Star Wars Trilogy!

Phillip: Oh no!

Laura: Those movies rule! Some of the stuff Darth Vader says…but I can’t think of an exact quote right now. [she then breaths heavily, Darth Vader style] [everyone loses it at this point]

Phillip: I can’t think of any right now…

Brandon: “Abazaba...you my only friend” Half Baked.

Phillip: That’s a good one!

Karma: What movie is that from again?

Brandon: Half Baked, from when he was mopping the floor. “You my only friend” and he stretches it out…

Karma: Oh yeah!

Laura: That movie was hilarious.

Karma: Yes it was! Now how about your Top 5 favorite movies?

Corey: I liked the Road Warrior, I don’t know this one’s tough…Ummm… All of Tom Hank’s movies, Tom Cruise especially Risky Business.

Laura: I thought you like Top Gun the best?

Corey: Top Gun, fucking Maverick

Laura: [whispers] Ice Man! That’s a hard one. In no order, I don’t know…Empire Strikes Back [band laughs] Why are you making fun of me, man? Those movies rule! Bladerunner, The Shining, any science fiction movie from the 70’s. That’s a hard one!

Phillip: I’m sure if I had time to think about I could come up with some

Laura: Yeah

Philip: I know that I love Ralph Bashki movies like Heavy Traffic, I really liked Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, I thought that movie was great. Umm, David Cronenberg movies…

Laura: ohhh!

Phillip: I LOVE his movies! I’ll just say that he takes my Top 5!

Laura: Yeah, he’s awesome!

Phillip: …Shivers … I’ll leave it at that.

Brandon: I don’t really watch much movies…Mullholland Drive, Half Baked, Joe Dirt

Corey: That movie was horrible!

Brandon: [shrugs shoulders] It was awesome, that’s pretty much it.

Karma: Food?

Group: [everyone starts to whisper suggestions] Twinkies, pizza!

Corey: Twinkies? No!

Laura: French fries! You’re a French fry man.

Corey: I love French fries! I love potatoes…ketchup! Ketchup is my favorite.

Laura: Thai food is my favorite.

Phillip: Indian food

Brandon: I’m hooked on those gas station tornadoes… [everyone laughs] and steak!

Karma: Favorite drink?

Corey: I love, uhm alcohol or anything?

Karma: Both

Corey: Well non-alcohol drink is called Ale-8-One, it’s a Kentucky only soda.

Karma: Oh!

Corey: It’s kinda like a ginger ale and I like Fosters Beer a lot too but it’s rather expensive so I can’t drink it. We’re all poor! To say Foster’s is expensive is pretty bad.

Laura: I don’t really have a favorite drink but if I could have any alcoholic drink it would be a mint julep. Those things are so good. I never have them because they’re expensive and they are a pain to make. It’s luscious.

Phillip: I don’t have a favorite drink outside of alcohol but my favorite, favorite is Red Stripe and it’s the same thing, I can’t afford it. It’s usually just PBR.

Brandon: I like Jim Beam and Guinness but normally it’s PBR or well whiskey.

Karma: First job?

Corey: My first job was working with my dad in an auto body shop sweeping and cleaning up.

Laura: I think mine was, I babysat this 5-yr old kid one Summer and it was hell! That was my first job.

Phillip: I worked in phone supply

Brandon: Washing dishes

Karma: Favorite sound?

Corey: I really like the sound the fade shifter makes, like waves [he mimics sound]

Laura: Definitely a guitar…especially the shredding kind!

Karma: YEAH!

Laura: The shred your face off kind!

Phillip: I’m gonna catch so much crap for this, I love the 808 machine. BOOM!!! I love it! I love it!!

Brandon: [inaudible]

Karma: Pick a monster - Frankenstein, Werewolf, or Dracula?

Corey: Dracula

Laura: Dracula

Phillip: Dracula

Brandon: Dracula

Karma: Best advice ever received?

Corey: [laughs]

Laura: I don’t think I ever got any!

Corey: Yeah!

Laura: I don’t think I ever got advice that was that enlightening

Phillip: If you hang out with losers you’re going to be a loser! [laughs]

Laura: Did your mom say that?

Phillip: No, my dad said that!

Laura: Damn!

Phillip: No, I’m just kidding!

Brandon: Don’t look back!

Karma: Do you speak another language? And if not what language would you like to speak?

Corey: No, but I’d like to speak French

Laura: No, but Swedish is pretty cool!

Phillip: I actually just picked up some tapes for this trip, I want to learn to speak Spanish.

Karma: And it’s a good way to spend some time

Phillip: Lot of hours on the road, you know!

Brandon: I want to learn to speak Japanese that would be awesome!

Phillip: That is never going to happen!

Laura: Japanese, that would be a really hard language to learn.

Karma: If you could ask these Speed Round Questions of anyone, whom would you like to see answer them?

Corey: Uhmm…

Laura: My dad!

Corey: Yeah, I’d be really interested to see my dad answer these questions.

Laura: Yes!

Brandon: [pauses] Skynard!

Laura: That’s your answer for everything!!

Phillip: I was going to say David Cronenburg…

END