Apehanger - If it's heavy as hell i don't care what the genre is

Apehanger from Kansas City know what it takes to make some cool ass music.Check out their Myspace page for evidence of that.Blending Doom,Stoner Metal with their own unique take on things they have constructed some killer tunes.Here is a interview with Jay the drummer,by the way they are true supporters of the underground scene which is a bonus in my book.

1.Give us a bit about the background behind the band members,previous bands etc ?

-Will plays guitar and backup vox, he's been playing bass in the band The Burning Fifteen for years.
Ricky sings and plays the guitar, previous to this he was in the band Scarfinger.
Adam on bass, formerly of Devil Rides Out
Me (Jay) drums, been in lots of bands, most recently Another Broken Vehicle.

2.What was it like getting "Apehanger" together ? Did you have many dude's come and go before settling on the current line-up ?


-Will and I had been friends years ago in Warrensburg so when I came back to Missouri his name came up right away. We just jammed and drank beer with whoever came by for months and months. We had all kinds of characters come jam. Ricky and Adam just were the ones who got the idea we were going for and kept showing up.


3.How important is friendship within the band ? Do you think you could play with anyone if you had to ?

-I think it's mega important personally. I've definitely been in some bands that I could have gone without certain members. It is never a very fun experience. Thankfully with us this isn't the case. As with any relationship, ease of communication is the key in my opinion.

4.Playing live seems to be important to the band.How much emphasis do you put on live performance ?

-Playing out is actually something we just kind of got pulled into. We had some songs but really hadn't even solidified the line up yet, and we just kept getting offered shows. Most of the time we justified it as well we can play in the basement Saturday or we can play at the bar with some kick ass bands. The later often wins. We all love to play live, it's just hard to juggle setting aside time to rehearse/write new songs ect.


5.Tell us about some of your favorite shows you have played ?

-The last show we played was pretty sweet. It was in Warrensburg MO at Bottomfeeder Bay opening for Joe Buck. Pretty awesome vibe, 3 out of 4 of us have some roots in Warrensburg so playing down there is all about old friends and good times. We had their attention for sure.

6.What has been happening with recordings ? What is the plans for the band and CD releases ?

-We've got a 5 song basement Demo available via myspace/facebook and such, or pick it up at a show. I'd predict later summer or early fall we might record something more seriously.

7.Influences ! A boring question i know but is there bands that have influence Apehanger that people may not be aware of ?

-We draw our influences from all kind of stuff. Music that at first listen you wouldn't really think. The list is countless.

8.What is your opinion on your local Doom scene compared with the rest of the country ?
-We don't have a doom scene. In KC all of the metal bands support each other and mix it up regardless of sub-genre. which is really cool cause when you go to a show it's all still metal but every band is something different. We are just the guys that do it low and slow.

9.How do you feel about the current state of Doom/Stoner music ?

-Personally i think it's all so hard to categorize. If it's heavy as hell i don't care what the genre is, it kicks ass. I'm happy to see so many bands out there i feel fall into that category.


10.A weird question but is there a song you have always wanted to cover that is non-metal related ?

-With every band I've ever been in. Fat Bottomed Girls.

11.Have you got a favorite track from "Apehanger". One that you are really proud of ?

-Giant Eye Rising From the Deep is pretty much our theme song.

12.Lyrics - who is the main writer in this department and what are some of the subjects that the songs are about ?

-Ricky, Will and I all share this duty to some extent. I've probably wrote the lyrics to 70% of our stuff to date. So far all our songs are about things that are epic fictional mythology. Sea Beasts, creatures of all sorts, meteorites, zombies, atrocities, gore, and end of the world type stuff.

13.Getting your tunes heard is always a struggle for a band playing a underground genre of music.Has there been any one thing that has help the band? Internet maybe ?

-The Internet is the obvious way to find music these days, it will be interesting to see how bands adapt. It's bands on our level that are the most innovative about how to sell the product. Indies label and below are really embracing the digital download which I think is the way to go.

14.Plans for the rest of the year,shows etc etc ?

-We've got a bunch of new shit we are working on so the rest of the year will be spent writing recording and playing a few regional shows I'd bet.

15.Thanks for allowing me to do this interview.Any messages for anyone out there whether it be positive or negative !!!

-Thank you! I'd just say thanks to everyone for showing so much interest in our music. We really started playing together for fun and music. It's awesome to receive all the support!

http://www.myspace.com/minotaurdomain