First and foremost, we want to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Let's get the big one out of the way. Where did the name Gorgantherron originate, and what made it the obvious choice for your band name?
Toby:
it was originally a gamertag i googled it... & it was un-used... gorgantherron has killed many skelletons.
Your bio is another story entirely. Literally. How did the three of you decide that that was the best way to introduce the masses to the story of the band, and your music?
Clint:
That came about because we had started a facebook page, to invite our friends to shows and send to clubs to get gigs locally. People that book kind of expect a bio, but most bio's are kind of dry and boring. We had finished the song “Gorgantherron” recently. So, I just kind of fleshed that story line out. I showed it to the guys at the next practice, they said they liked it, so that's what we went with. We didn't really give it a lot of thought. We plan on continuing the story, just to see where it goes.
I want to take a quick detour and talk about the album artwork. First off, what is going on on the album cover? And who created the image?
Chris:
The artwork, entitled "Leonid Meteor Shower", was painted by E. Weib in 1833 for an astronomy guide. We're inspired by science fiction and actual science, so what better way to mix science and doom than a portrayal of nature's fiery death in all directions? The Gorgantherron creature artwork on the disc itself was created by Keith Seifert of forbiddenzombie.com.
The new EP shows off a lot of different styles throughout, from blues and doom, which go hand in hand, to more punk based passages. Who were some of your biggest influences in creating your signature sound, and how did this evolve into what we know as Gorgantherron today?
Chris:
I grew up in the 90s, so most of my influences came from those days. There's some Jimmy Chamberlain, Dave Grohl, Matt Cameron, etc. I've also always been in love with Led Zeppelin, so that can't help but peek through. Joining Gorgantherron has actually opened me up to a whole world of music I didn't know about. I can't get enough doom!
Clint:
Jimi Hendrix Experience(the whole band, I love Mitch as much as Jimi), Dead Kennedys, Melvins, 50's chicago blues, 60's psych, 70's blues-rock and prog, 80's hardcore punk. Toby: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Sleep.
"Cemetary Shoes" quickly became our favorite track on EP. Clint's guitar work on this track is the best on the album. What do you think separates your playing from your peers, and how does that come out in this song in particular?
Clint:
That's a tough question, because I'm my own worst critic. I can't shred, so I feel like I have to focus on melody and phrasing. I don't know if that sets me apart because there are so many players out there that blow me away. It's interesting that your favorite is Cemetery Shoes, because there are several spots in that song where I didn't quite get what I was reaching for.
There seems to be this misconception that to play heavy music, specifically anything doom inspired, your tracks have to be ten minutes long. Your track times vary, from three minutes up to six or so. How do you know that a track is enough, and have you ever felt that something could ever been "too short"? Do you even look at the track times when you write or record?
Toby:
As much as i love the drone... i like songs that can be a little more to the point... most of ours are 4 or under on purpose... but we may have some longer songs on the horizon...
As best we can tell, Evansville, Indiana is home to lot of up and coming, or dreaming, metal bands. What is the overall music scene like in your home town, and where does metal fit in?
Chris:
Evansville is definitely friendlier to cover bands than to originals. If you can get enough people to go wild when you play "Crazy Bitch" you'll be invited back. There is, however, a strong presence of passionate original bands and quite a few venues that are willing to let us play. There are a lot of mind-blowing metal bands in Evansville who really put a lot of time into their songs and it shows. At any given metal show there will be a crowd made up of mostly people from other metal bands, so we're a very supportive lot.
You are active on Facebook, obviously, but how has the social media world affected you guys, as a band? Do you think your shows lead to a better online presence, or does your online presence bring more people to the shows?
Toby:
Facebook gets a few more people in.. I'm pretty happy it's around.
Along that same line, Bandcamp has become the primary method of up and coming bands to promote and distribute their music. How do you feel about the way that portion of the music industry is functioning, and what has your experience been in selling your merchandise through Bandcamp?
Chris:
I'm thrilled to be playing and recording in a time when distribution is possible without the aid of a record company. We're able to reach fans in Sweden, Australia, or wherever we happen to get noticed. The minor downside is that it's just as easy for every other band, so sites like Bandcamp and Reverbnation are very crowded, making it difficult to stand out. Bandcamp has overall been a very good experience. It leaves the control in the hands of the artists, which is never a bad thing.
It is hard to avoid the topic at this point, so I will ask. The Randy Blythe story has gotten some major lip service throughout the metal world. So, if/when a fan comes at you on stage, what do YOU do?
Clint:
I played in a band where shows would regularly get out of hand. Our singer, on many occasions, shoved people off stage. I've pushed people out of my way, but I don't think they ever hit the ground. My thoughts are, if you're going to get in my way while I'm trying to play for people that paid to get in, you should expect a negative reaction. There's a difference between stage diving and interfering.
So, the new EP is out and ready for purchase over at your Bandcamp site, along with two T-shirt designs. You have shows booked, including Indiana's Kaos Fest next month. The question is... what's next?
Clint:
We're working on getting out of town more. Playing for new people. We're always working on new material. This whole thing has just kind of happened, we're really just making it up as we go along. Toby and I started playing together, just to play. And we still are, but now Chris is on board and people are responding to what we're doing. It's very gratifying, but mostly it's just fun. So that is our plan: Have More Fun.
Thanks again for giving us some of your time. We are looking forward to the next album, and the next part of the story.
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