Interview With Ron From Curse The Son

Here is a great interview with Ron from Curse The Son who tells us their history,Sufferghost and a personal hatred of mine illegal downloading.They have a recording in the works that will be a brutal dose of doom so you should get into supporting this band.

1.First lets go into the history of the band.There is a pretty tragic story behind how the band got together.Would you care to tell us about that ?

Me and Cheech(bass) were in the band Sufferghost, along with guitarist Tony Buhagiar.We had just recently completed what was to be our CD "Thaw", when I got a call telling me that Tony had suffered some type of heart failure, and had actually died and was brought back. He had an aortic dissection, and an artery in his heart had burst!Due to further complications he was left parapelegic, and obviously unable to play guitar at that point. So after many months of not even wanting to look at my guitar or go to the jam room, I finally decided I wanted to start playing again. Tony and I talked about it extensively, and with his blessing I got going again.
2.You brand of Doom is everything i love about Doom to be honest.Slow grinding riffs and all. Is there one band that stands out above all others as a influence ?

Black Sabbath- Master Of Reality or Sabotage

3.You have a couple of recordings up for download,can you fill us in on those ?

"Hemicrania Continua" and "Annullus Of Zin" were the first songs that I wrote with this new band in mind. I have always been into the slower,heavier shit and I knew this is what I should be doing.As far as downloading the songs, I think the new myspace music player isn't allowing for downloads right now? Not sure whats up with it.

4.You also have a full length CD coming out,whats the latest news on that one ?

Our first release will be the 4 song EP "Globus Hystericus", and it should be available by mid April. It is full of slow ass, fuzzed out sludgey riffs.I deliberately went for a more low-tech production, as I am more interested in the vibe for the listener than I am in making sure everything sounds "perfect". Everything that comes out now, sounds the same...perfect kicks, perfect vocals, perfect everything...there is no human element left in the sound. No trendy shit from us....big, fat, and doomy.

5.When did you first became interested in the Doom genre ?

The very first time I heard Black Sabbath. I was probably 10 or 11, and my older cousin was all into Sabbath, Ozzy...total metal. She used to play those albums all the time. Being a kid it freaked me out a bit at first, but that is also what drew me to it. I still remember how creeped out I felt when I first heard the opening to War Pigs with the siren and all that!

6.What inspires the lyrics and what do you write about ?

Inspiration for the lyrics right now is coming from internal strife. I suffer from severe anxiety disorder, and a way for me to deal with it, is to get it out on paper. It is a great form of therapy. But I also like to write more imaginary/fantasy based lyrics as well...it just really depends on where my head is at when I am writing.

7.There is more Doom acts around now than ever before. Do you think is a problem for you trying to get your music heard or is it a case of more Doom the better ?

I think it is tough to get your music heard no matter what style you play.There are just SO many bands out there now! Myspace is a great tool for promotion and getting your name out there, but the problem is that there is such a flood of bands now, people are less likely to give you the time. It is a lot to expect for someone to wade through the endless amount of friend requests they get from bands, when some of these bands aren't really ready to be heard yet, or you have these "1 man band" things.I come from the old school, where you actually wait to release music until it is ready. Bands now.....they just put a mic up in their basement...make some bad recordings, and pretend that they are rock stars. I say take your time, hone your craft....the market is just flooded and it is hard to get through.Thankfully within the stoner/doom genre it is a bit easier to find your target audience, because it is a smaller more specific genre.

8.What is the local scene like where you live ?

The local scene in New Haven,CT is horrible. It has been horrible for almost 20 years. Nobody around here cares about original music. As far as Doom, the scene is non-existent. People around here don't get it like they do in Cali or Oregon, Texas, Ohio. Even when it comes to a band like Sabbath, folks around here who think they are huge Sabbath fans...they have no idea that songs like "Lord Of This World" or "Under The Sun" even exist....it's all "N.I.B". and "Paranoid" ya know?

9.Lets talk a little about Sufferghost.You planned of getting it happening again soon.Any news on that ?

The original plan was once Tony was ready to pick up the guitar again, we would give it a go. Unfortunately he has since returned to his hometown in Hayward,CA. It was a great move for him, he has re-connected with old friends and musicians, and is currently working on some new material as we speak....I wish him nothing but the best, I love him like a brother and I want nothing but success for him.As far as the CD "Thaw" goes, we still plan on releasing it at some point, not sure when, but it will come out. Sufferghost really caught fire quickly when we first came out....a lot of great responses, and a lot of interest.It is certainly a band that could have blown up big time, but life is a constant state of uncertainty and we have no choice but to keep going.

10.What is opinion of the internet and in particular the downloading of music. It has pretty much killed the recording industry. Personally I hate downloading illegally.

If a band offers if for free...awesome, but you know somewhere along the lines things got really screwed up. People just assume that they are entitled to music for free? How is that?It has ruined the labels, which in turn has ruined most of the music that we are hearing. There will be no more "artist development", odds are we will never again, have a Black Sabbath, or a Led Zeppelin...those are scary thoughts. I believe if you like a band, you have to do everything you can to support them, and that means actually paying for a CD!I refuse to steal music from others, and am constantly battling with friends and family who do download....they don't see it as stealing. I mean I would love to just walk into a Guitar Center and grab an SG and walk out with it...but guess what, I can't....somebody made that guitar, somebody has to get paid! And it is not about greed, it is about survival.

11.The new album,is that going to be available on Vinyl.I love vinyl more than anything!

I wish it would be on vinyl. I never got rid of my turntable, even though everyone was "albums suck, CD's are where it's at". I do like the clarity, and impact of a nice sound disc, but nothing can compare to the warmth of actual vinyl. Believe me, if I could partner up with someone to cut some vinyl, I would in a heartbeat...but for now it's a CD.

12.What would be the ultimate Doom gig line-up for you guys ?

I would love to see the original Black Sabbath(in this fantasy-Ozzy can still sing), with Sleep, Electric Wizard, a reunited Witchfinder General(with Zeeb), and us opening the show! Wow, that woud be a dream.

13.What is the future for Doom Metal in your opinion,will it go forward or do you think its gone as far as it can go ?

I think that doom will continue on and on. People that play this type of music are not in it for the fame or the money...it is not there. The folks who play stoner/doom do it because they love it, it is in them. It is almost like you are answering a calling.....metal has been in my blood for as long as I can remember....I do it for the rush I get when I crank out some new kick-ass riff, and the amp is sooooo loud that the fuzz is just vibrating your very soul. Fucking awesome feeling!

14.Any final words for the Doomheads out there ?

Be on the lookout for our 4 song CD "Globus Hystericus", we will be selling it off our myspace page. Right now we are writing new material, to be recorded in July, and plan on releasing a full length CD sometime later in the year.Hopefully some touring will be happening, so please give the tunes a listen, and spread the word to the other doom freaks that you know.Also thanks to you Ed, and Earthdog Promotions.

http://www.myspace.com/cursetheson