TORMENTING JOEY Z AND SAL ABRUSCATO FROM LIFE OF AGONY

Now here’s a cool interview, kids. Hats off to our own FoundryMusicHammer for lining this badass interview with Joey Z and Sal Abruscato up. I first experienced LIFE OF AGONY when I was working security in Boston, and these guys opened up for ANTHRAX. I had seen what I thought were insane crowds and intense pits. Man, was I wrong. Life of Agony attracts the most explosive bunch of loyal lunatics I have ever witnessed. LOA could have been far more successful if not for numerous instances of internal conflict which ripped the band apart. The band lost drummer Sal Abruscato in 1995 and Keith Caputo left in 1997 shortly after the band released Soul Searching Sun (which was arguably some of the most commercially acceptable music they ever created). After a short stint with UGLY KID JOE frontman Whitfeild Crane fronting the band, LOA split up into various side projects. Keith Caputo went in a completely opposite direction and released Died Laughing, and met with substantial success overseas. Joey Z joined up with STEREOMUD and release two discs before the demise of the band earlier this year. Bassist Alan Robert went on to work with AMONG THIEVES, and Sal Abruscato put together SUPERMASSIV, but none of the side/solo projects ever captured the magic that the four guys had with Life Of Agony.

In late 2002, the band announced that they were putting together a reunion show. After seeing the massive turnout, the crowd response (and the evaporation of tickets in ten minutes), the band decided that they had something special, and that they shouldn’t let it go). Fast-forward to October 2003. The band has performed numerous reunion shows, released a live CD and DVD of their historic reunion, and has now embarked on a full-blown tour. Life of Agony has returned, and fortunately for us, they have a sense of humor. FoundryMusicHammer and I sent off some dopey questions to guitarist Joey Z and drummer Sal Abruscato a few weeks ago. The answers looked something like this:

SteveC: After working security at a number of Life Of Agony concerts, it was obvious you guys were really popular with young, white, heavily-tattooed gang members (i.e.; guys who weren't afraid to beat the stuffing out of some poor schmuck in a mosh pit). What's the NASTIEST fight you guys ever witnessed while playing a show?

Joey Z: It was a fight that we were actually involved in back stage at a German venue! Our tour manager was being robbed and beat up in the dressing room by three big guys. When we heard all the commotion we ran in and had a full blown brawl with them that lead us through the venue and all the way to the front doors !! It was a mess, blood and teeth everywhere. Needless to say they left with none of our money and probably ended up with some serious hospital bills. (That is pretty nasty, but I still maintain that I’ve seen worse)

Sal Abruscato: I don't see much because I'm behind my drum kit.

SC: Given the current state of the music industry (Record company consolidation, internet piracy, mainstream radio ignoring many rock acts), if you had to start from scratch with a brand new band, would you do it...or would you be going for that spot-welding degree?

JZ: I really love playing music and hope that LOA will stay together for a while. If I had to, I would start another band, but probably would have to work at the same time to pay the bills.

SA: yeah that’s a tough one it's hard as hell to start from scratch but I am interested in welding...

SC: Have all other projects (Among Thieves, StereoMud, Supermassiv, etc) been put indefinitely on hold, or are there plans to get back together with the other groups in the foreseeable future?

SA: I think we all put the side projects to bed and are full time with LOA.

JZ: Those bands have all been dissolved and there are no plans to continue them in the future. (There you go, folks. Honesty. Side Projects = No money. Life of Agony = Rent can get paid. We looove honesty ‘round here)

SC: Hypothetical situation: You're walking down a busy New York City street near the financial district one day, and a twenty-something year-old guy in a suit rolls up to you in his new BMW and says "Dude! I just downloaded the new LIFE OF AGONY disc. You guys ROCK!"... What's your reaction to this guy (someone who can obviously afford to buy a CD downloading the music you worked hard to create)?

SA: Download his BMW with a hammer.

JZ: I’d say, “ That’s cool man, why don’t you come out to one of our shows so we can turn you into a true believer? After that I’m sure you may want to own the real thing “. (Sal’s answer = more gooder… OK, let’s hand the steering wheel over to our own FoundryMusicHammer for the rest of this masterpiece)

FoundryMusicHammer: Why did you decide to record at Irving Plaza?

JZ: We knew that getting back together after six years apart, and playing for two sold out hometown NYC shows, was going to be monumental and very special. If it wasn’t documented it would have been a huge mistake !

SA: It’s a classic venue and great atmosphere.

FMH: Any reason why so many songs were from the first record on this live record?

SA: That’s what the kids wanted.

JZ: We know what our audience wants to hear, and we know the songs that stick out a little bit more over the rest on all the records. River Runs Red was a classic album that many of our fans hold as there favorite. It’s only right to see to it that they are satisfied with the sets we choose to play. As a band we love to play songs off all the records and feel we do a good job of mixing it up.

FMH: Is a studio record coming? Any working titles, new song titles… Will they be making it to the set when you take off on tour?

JZ: There are a lot of ideas floating about, but no new complete songs yet. We are going to start writing as a band when we hit the European tour in October. We hope to be in the studio Summer/Fall 2004

SA: We definitely want to do a new album.

FMH: After coming back after five years, how did you score a deal with a live DVD and Live CD?

SA: We have great management.

JZ: That was the easy part. When SPV heard of the idea, they jumped all over it and contacted us!

FMH: Do you find NY is a harder place to play these days (Jersey sux too!) with all these venues dropping off the map?

JZ: NY still has some cool venues to play, but I agree that Jersey needs to open something new and refreshing for the scene.

SA: The whole scene is harder, it’s a shame.

FMH: Any favorite clubs that you remember now opened or closed that you guys liked playing? You can also include other countries or states.

SA: The Ritz NYC, Studio One NJ

JZ: The Wave in Staten Island was cool. The Ritz in NYC was one of my favorites. The old set up at L’Amour was awesome. The Limelight was the shit as well as the Marquee!

FMH: How do you feel about the true faith your fans have? It must be awesome hearing them singing all of your songs back at you. You could have also drawn 100 people for these live shows but the rabid population is coming out.

SA: I think without them we are nothing it means the world to us.

JZ: We have true, dedicated fans and we have always been close with them through our music and in person. When we perform, it’s not just “a show “ it’s an event where we all share the spotlight together, the crowd and the band. In short we owe it all to them.

FMH: Why the fuck did you guys end LOA when you did? It seemed you had one more step before it was going to be bigger than it ever was.

JZ: It was something that needed to happen then, for the present to be so right. We weren’t a team then; we were just four individuals, all with different perceptions on how things should be. We needed time away from it all to make us realize exactly what we really had and how special it really was. I think that when we write and release this next record it will all speak for itself and the timing will be perfect, especially with all this garbage that’s out these days.

SA: Shit happens for a reason, Besides Alan and Joey were the only two original members left that wasn't LOA anymore.

FMH: Is this live record only out on SPV in the states, any other deals or distro for it? How did the SPV deal come about?

SA: SPV world wide I believe.

JZ: The live record and DVD are going to be available world wide through SPV. Like I said earlier, SPV were really excited when the heard about us getting back together.

FMH: Here is a bitch of a question (without naming names). Way back when you guys started and were promoting your first record there was a bashing campaign to bring you guys down. Some people were bad mouthing the band saying that it wasn’t true hard-core and even these people went as far to call you guys Lap Of Luxury or Life Of Luxury. Was it jealousy? How would you answer the basics of that question today?

SA: I would say Jealousy, envy and fear.

JZ: I guess it was hard for the ignorant people or parties back then to accept that we were different than the norm and good at what we did. We never paid any mind to that stuff and never let it effect us. We always did what we wanted to do and I believe that is why we stuck out a little above the rest.

You know, in retrospect, there weren’t really enough questions involving sex with livestock, excrement, or gay sex. We slacked off, I guess. Dammit. Joey and Sal answered what we DID throw at them well, and that’s all that matters.

CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL LIFE OF AGONY WEBSITE

CLICK HERE FOR LOA TOUR DATES

CHECK OUT FOUNDRYMUSICHAMMER’s review of River Runs Red Again: 2003