Lupara Interview

Interview
Jeremy Wagner
Lupara

Lupara

Lineup:
Craig Gross - Vocals
Tom Brandner - Guitars
Jeremy Wagner - Guitars
Mark Page - Bass
Scott Creekmore - Drums

9/27/05

Email Interview
Interviewer: Maggie Solum

First off, thanks for doing the interview. Please introduce yourself.
I’m Jeremy Wagner…one of 2 guitarists in LUPARA.

How did Lupara form and what's the origin of your name?
I formed LUPARA in 2003 officially. Before that, the band had no name when I first started this project. The origin of the name comes from Mario Puzo, he is the author of The Godfather (which is one of my favorite novels and movies). A "lupara" is a sawed-off, Sicilian shotgun that the Mafia soldiers used in the old days. Reportedly, one shotgun blast from a lupara could blow a man in half…

How would you describe the music you play?
Aggressive, relentless metal…we’re influenced by death-metal, punk, and hardcore, so there’s a nice melting pot of styles going into our music. Some say it’s like "Chaos-A.D.-era" Sepultura meets Pantera meets Napalm Death…I don’t know about all that, but I do know that LUPARA is FUCKING HEAVY AS HELL!!!!!!

Who are your musical influences, as a band and an individual?
Hmmm…we all like Carcass, Agnostic Front, Morbid Angel, old Slayer, Hatebreed, Slipknot, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Full Blown Chaos…those are all just a fraction of what has influenced and inspired us as a band (and me personally).

What are your current releases?
We have a 2004 promo-CD (which had an older and weaker line-up—that’s my opinion), and we have the new, 2005 promo-CD/EP which has the solid, killer line-up. The 2005 CD truly represents the direction LUPARA wants to go in, and what we were meant to do.

Do you have any plans to put out a full-length?
We totally want to do a full-length album. We already have around 20 songs or so. However, we won’t put out a full-length unless we get a record deal…

You guys are from Gurnee, which is practically in the middle of Milwaukee and Chicago. In your opinion and from your experiences, which has the better local scene?
Wow, it’s hard to say. Both cities have killer shows. I can tell you this, we just play the Metro in Chicago and the Rave in Milwaukee, and the crowd in Milwaukee was much more intense and crazy for LUPARA than the Metro. But that can always change from show to show and whatever package we’re on at the venue at the time…

You had a midwest tour this month with Obituary and Napalm Death. How did that come together and how'd it go?
It came together when I talked to my old friend, Frank Watkins, from Obituary an asked him if he’s consider putting LUPARA on any of their tour dates. Frank secured us a string of dates and we hit the road with them (and Napalm Death & Dead to Fall). It was a great fucking run! Some of the best shows we played and great exposure! Frank and Obituary were very good to us, and we can’t thank them enough.

What plans do you have for fall and winter?
We plan to keep active by doing as many shows as possible, but more importantly, we really want to concentrate on writing another 6 or more new songs!!! That’s the priority for the rest of the year.

What would be Lupara's dream tour?
Opening for Slayer, Slipknot, and Metallica. Oh, and Ozzfest (co-headlining the side-stage).

If the band could have or do anything in the world right now, what would it be?
A major-label deal with a giant advance and a fully-booked 24 month-plus tour already booked…(too much for an indie metal band to ask for????)

To wrap it up, what would you like to say to the fans?
Thanks for all those who have totally gotten into LUPARA and have supported us, and a big thanks to all the Broken Hope fans who have given LUPARA a chance and have embraced my new band with open arms and an open mind. It means a lot to me and the band!!!