Garza Podcast - 203 - PRONG | Tommy Victor: Glenn Danzig, Schecter Guitars & Pioneering Groove Metal

Episode Date: October 20, 2025

Garza sits down in-person with Tommy Victor. Vocalist, guitar player & founder of New York, NY heavy metal band PRONG. Also currently the guitar player for DANZIG. https://prongmusic.comSPONSORS: Sweetwater - https://imp.i114863.net/rnrmVB00:00 - Black Sabbath & Heavy Music Influence04:05 - Nearly 40 Years of Prong05:27 - Catholic School07:50 - Nearly Becoming an Accountant12:23 - Working in Radio14:58 - Driving Cabs & Bike Messenger16:50 - Working at CBGBs21:49 - Mean Streets of New York27:44 - 80s Post Punk/Goth29:55 - Getting Into Bass35:57 - Ramones & Downpicking45:39 - Prong Early Days53:25 - Pioneering Groove Metal // Bad Brains56:38 - Riff: Prove Me Wrong58:02 - Experimenting on Albums59:49 - Rude Awakening1:03:37 - Favorite Prong Riffs1:08:26 - Cleansing vs The Cleansing1:11:23 - Hooks & Songwriting1:13:11 - No Lyrics in CD Booklets1:15:10 - Working w/ Glenn Danzig1:25:50 - Dealing w/ Business1:34:31 - Almost Quitting Music1:56:45 - Staying on Top & Inspiration2:04:28 - Tommy’s Parents’ Feelings on Prong2:07:48 - Running & Exercise2:10:18 - Guitar rundown: Schecter Devil-FR2:14:03 - Guitar Swap2:17:55 - Floyd Rose Tremolo2:20:03 - New Rush Drummer

Tell me a picture. Hi. You were just playing me a Black Sabbath rift. It was dope. Yeah. Let me get back into tune. It worked. It worked.

It worked. It worked. It was just a random thing because I was going through reels and I had this old video of them. What was it? 75 when sabotage came out. So, yeah. Then I was like looking at where he was playing it in that third position. It was just like

I think they were just fucked up And he was like Let's do a faster version of Black Sabbath So So this I bet Right This ran out of time

And then wind up like writing that in two minutes And Yeah, I riff I got You know what it is? I got to learn that riff No, I don't Yeah really

That's that With big deeds It just goes Woo! Boom boom. Bum. Yeah, there it is. Look at this.

There it is. It's just the actual show you thing? The are real. Boy, this guy's a genius. It's kind of hard to tell what... Oh, that's... They're down and stuff. I could go down to C.

I could play that. That's killing yourself to live, which goes... So that was killing yourself to live on Rock Hudson. I don't know if they did symptom on this one. They did... I hate to go into the whole Sabbath thing, because the whole Ozzy and that whole ending thing

it's sort of like, it gave me a bad taste in my mouth. Did it really? Yeah, it seemed like a big. I don't want to start bad. I mean, you get me going with stuff like. Don't tease me because I will get you going. Really? There's just people that were involved in that whole thing

that I didn't think that, like, not to kiss your ass, but I mean, like somebody like you guys should have been playing on that rather than some of the other. You know what I mean? like the heavy bands that made a difference you guys dang Tommy thank you know what I mean like holy crap I don't consider rage against the machine

part of that whole thing I'm sorry dude like sure whatever but anyway but it is kind of tough though Tommy because I mean so I'm 39 now and Black Savage just influenced so many bands but I guess maybe only bands that made a difference or something

like a, because back then, they were heavy as fuck. Yeah, that was the heaviest shit that was out there. So, so who's the heaviest thing? Now? No, no, I mean, I'm guessing not each area, right? Suicide silence, too, mid, okay, who, okay, what, so what they should have done? Okay, what's like the mid-2000 band now we're just like the black Sabbath

fucking heavy as fuck? They-sugar. Yeah. I just got fucked. I mean, there's no other than sugar. I mean, why? That's true. Yeah, it's true. You're right. I mean, uh, yeah. I mean,

there's a lot of bands from your genre that are heavy as all hell and like now there's like this other generation with,

you know, Kubla Khan and those, like, you know. It never ends, dude. Yeah.

It just keeps going, man. And Tommy, I mean, you've, I mean, you've seen, I don't, I can't even imagine

how many eras you've seen because Prong has been a band since, uh, 86. Right. So, sorry to date it,

but, uh, 39 years going on 40. Yeah. 26 would be 40 years your prong, dude. I know. Holy crap. And now you're actually celebrating in 31 years of cleansing. Right. Of the cleansing record. Congrats, man. Not the cleansing. Like your record, it's just cleansing. Anyways, so, yeah, we were out on tour. We did Europe, like a full tour with the festivals

this summer. It went over amazing. It was fantastic. Nice. And we actually recorded all the shows, and we're putting out a live record from all the songs from the cleansing record. Really? We're going to be on a live record. It's coming out in February. Oh, great. It's our last with Steamhammer and then we just signed a record deal with Napalm and the studio will be out in next year. Now if you would have told me in my age I'd be still be making records I would have said you're out of your effin minds because I can't believe like I'm still like signing record deals and keep doing it because you know after we got dropped from Epic I was like ah it's over man like I'm going to call play with Glenn and Danzig and then just keep prong you know I get more offers

and I keep doing it, so it keeps going. But anyhow, yeah, so we're celebrating 31 years of the cleansing record. Congratulations, man. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah. So is this true, Tommy? You went to a Catholic school, correct?

Yes. Okay. Oh, wow, dude. Okay, so you were a, I guess you would say you were a Catholic boy, right? Yes. This is pre-eighth grade, right? And then at eighth grade, like nuns had homework or a assignment, correct, to bring in a record to review. It was a little early.

I think that was like it's sixth grade. Okay, six. Yeah, around the end. I came in with Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath. First. Yeah. But they said no to that one. Oh, then I know.

At first I came in with burn. Okay. And deep purple burn. Yeah. Okay. And they're like, what is this? Because it says something about the devil's sperm. in the

What song is that? It's burn The song burn Oh it's It's Yeah there's a line You know like You know

This one with the devil's sperm Oh my love it again And then so then I brought in Saba Body Sabba's and like Get down to the principal Like You know Yeah what does it say

I didn't believe she was devil's sperm So I brought that then that Like my mother had to come up They said I was against the religion Yeah So And they said I never understood

Like, you know, like, I live sort of a spiritual life now, but back then, I didn't understand what the hell they were talking about a Catholic school forever. Like, I didn't understand any of it. How old are you when you went into Catholic school? It was first grade. First grade, okay. Yeah. So first to six? You're in Catholic. Eight.

And then I went to one year of Catholic high school. I couldn't take I went to. Oh, he went to Catholic high school? Yeah. I went to the law. I was in all boys Catholic high school. Oh, you were there. Yeah. And I couldn't take.

That was all brothers. Like, I don't mean, you know, African American. I mean, it was priors who taught you. Yeah. So it was, it was friars or brothers, you know, like monks at Malloy High School. And I could take it after a while. I was just like, well, man, I did really well there. And I just was in Malloy High School.

It's in Queens and Flushing in New York City. So I... Because you grew up in Flushing, correct? Yeah. Okay. Is this it here? Yeah, it's it. It's still there.

Oh, yeah. No, it's a hard school to get into. And it's a good school. I probably should have stayed there, but if I would stay there, I probably, this would, I would not be talking to you. Exactly. I was like, even in high school, my, I said, what did I want to be in my high school year? And I graduated earlier, I said I wanted to be an accountant. You want to be an accountant?

Yeah. What, what may you, what, what makes someone want to be a accountant? I guess family pressure. Oh, you had a real job. You have family pressure. like both my parents hated rock music

like my father despised it oh my father with a passion hated it but I have brothers and sisters I'm the youngest of five and so it was a lot

my brother was always like playing getting me into like Iron Butterfly and Cream and Jimmy Hendrix's experience my sisters were into mellow soft rock

like Gordon Lightfoot and the association and then my oldest sister was big to Motown and like Motown? So I had a lot of influence. My father was like,

he used to call it jungle music. He said rock is jungle music. It's terrible. It's a repetitive. Like he used it to like the crooners like Andy Williams and Perry Coma and stuff. So. But anyhow, they were always like hardcore.

Like my brother went through straight route. He, he majored in accounting. So I was like to initially and then he went on Wall Street and he he did it oh he did really well too like he went down there even in high school he was working doing internship down on wall street and uh eventually you know he figured out a program uh i don't know the complexities of it but he he worked on a program that uh just kept kept the look on what was going on and uh it was able to sell it and he did unbelievably well my brother my oldest brother

Oh, that's sick, dude. Yeah, yeah. He didn't know anything about computers, but he hooked up with people that knew about computers earlier on, and he wound up like having a subscription to this, this. I don't know if it's in finance and Wall Street, and it's like sort of a tip sheet versus on that end, and he did really well with it.

So I should have went that route. No, no. And then it was funny, too, like, when I went, after I got out of high school, like I have like my brother-in-law, one of my brother-in-law is just like, hey, you know, I've got to play this music stuff. and this is back in way back in like 86 maybe right when prong started and he worked over at kennedy airport

and he was working the the maintenance over there and he was he was a boss already it was he's like third generation union and he's like yeah he just go and I remember it was this is back in 86 he's going the starting hourly wage was 18 an hour back then back then yeah and then after you're You would six months, you'd be $33 an hour. So he, and he wound up, he wound up, eventually retiring at 55 and like, he did it. Yeah. Because the thing is, like, you got to retire right at 55.

And he did it. Yeah, he did it. And he got, has unbelievable pension and all that. Unbelievable. Like, I'm kind of an idiot for keep doing this and like, you know, living in vans and traveling around and bandwax. and trying to like pinch pennies all these years. But there was another route I could have taken that I could have been at the golf course right now and like whatever, you know.

Well, that's like impossible to tell me. Who knows? Maybe it's a personality like yours, Tommy could have been like if you had money, you might have done something stupid. Yeah, that's possible. You might even be dead. Yeah. You never know. That's true.

Wall Street? I mean, from the outside, this looks so, like, insane. Yeah, I did, did, uh... Did he tell you any stories from, like, Wash Street? They did, they used to do, well, back in those days, it was sort of like the Wolf of Wash Street where they would party a lot. Yeah, what did he do? Yeah, he would have like the, the martini lunches,

they do a lot of blow and that whole thing, you know. Do you blow it up, dude? Yeah. Blow it up. And that was back in the 80s, man, you know, like in the Reagan era, and all that, there was, all that stuff was true, you know, like that went down, a lot of excess. Of course.

And that's about as much as, you know, I sort of, like, you know, I didn't really, I wasn't really interested. Like back then, now I'm more interested in what he was doing, you know, I should actually get on the phone with him and ask him more about it. You should. Yeah. Yeah. So, so when he's, so you get out of Catholic school, what are you interested in then? I was interested, like, well, like I said, I said I was going to major in that, but I got into an internship program at a radio station at called W.Y. Because I was thinking maybe I should go into radio and it was really actually horrible

Like it wasn't like the music side. It was sort of like a news side of it. Okay And um is this it? I wind up stealing a whole bunch of records. Yeah W Y and Y Bito Beatles to Billy Joel. Yeah. FM radio. Yeah. Okay. Right, but it was like news and A little bit of buildings. Like crappy. I mean, that crappy. I mean, the Beatles are crappy. No, no. The Beatles Quote it. No, sorry. There's a clip. J. It wasn't what I was doing. A little bit to back then. But they had, he had the record library.

I'm trying to think of this V to DJ that was there. And he said, like, go in there and take whatever you want. Like, I went in and I scored a whole shitload of records.

What did you get? His name was Steve, like, a lot of prog rock. Like, they had like gentle giant and Genesis. This is almost pre-Rod.

Rush was sort of a metal band back then. What the, what? Oh, really? Well, the first three records, Like, I got the first rush record when it came out. Okay.

I thought it was cool. And that record is badass. Anyhow, then I was really into fly by night. And then Koresa Steele, like, I liked it. A lot of people put that down. 21 tall was great. Then they started for being known as when Neil Perk came in. It was more of a progressive rock band.

But I didn't get any rush records from them. I bought my rush records. So the Farewell to Kings was the last one I bought. And I was just like, I can't deal. Or maybe Hemispheres was the last one. That had the bass like that, was it? That's something I must tell you that I played bass throughout high school and everything. I didn't play guitar.

So eventually... Oh, it makes sense. Yeah, I mean, it was like all rhythm-wise. And now I learned to play solo later on. Okay. But, you know, back then I was just playing bass. So I mean, like, that baseline was... Gady Lee was a killer bass player.

I mean, that was like... It was one of the guys, right? Chris Squire. Anyway, more records I got out of there. I was talking to him about, you know, Genesis, tall. I scored a whole bunch of records from there. So I was into Prague and punk a lot.

Like I had the Stooges, Ramones' records, all that stuff back then. So then, like, eventually when I, you know, I got a job working in a bookstore, and then eventually I was like, you know what, screw Queens. I'm going to move out. And I got an apartment on the Lower East Side.

And I was like driving a cab, did a bike messengering. Drove a cab? Yeah. I'm sure you have some crazy cab stories. Yeah, I mean, just on the weekends, I did it. Like, I did it and you made good money. Like, so I worked on like Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday during the day.

Oh, prime hours, I assume. Yeah. So, you know, I did enough to survive. But I got burnt out with it. I got into an accident. And then I was like, screw this. And then I'd say anything happened with bike messaging, which was a crazy job. I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I was in the hospital.

twice from it. Like I got sideswiped and then I got a big score on my head. I got a car cab pulled in front of me and I went flying over and I smashed my face into the exhaust pipe of a cab in front of me. And they took off, I mean you talk about New Yorker what a bunch of

freaking assholes in New Yorker. It's like I was, when I got off the bike and notoriously people hated bike messages when I got off the bike I was like blood all over my face. No one helped me. It was just like a sort of like a homeless guy go. Walking off kid. Yeah, the homeless guy came. He goes, you better get to the hospital, man.

Like, you are just covered in blood. And I walk. Homeless guy? Yeah. Homeless guy is looking at me. Like, oh, my God, I'm not going to get involved with this. And like, a homeless dude, came out and it's like, you get into the hospital, man. You are fucked up.

Were you doing stuff like this? Yeah, that's what I did. I was a bike messenger. Exactly. But I was yellow. I was called Cycle Service was the company I was involved in. And we had yellow bags. And we actually, like, a uniform.

We had a yellow jacket. And then I, one day I went in there. It was a great. It was a great job. I had a couple other bands I was playing with. And I was doing that and getting the bands together. Nothing was happening. Eventually, I went to Institute of Audio Research.

Yeah, I found out that you went to audio school for like... Like eight months or something. I stopped going because you had to do an internship there. And I knew people at CB's. I knew Carol who worked there. She was like the booking agent. I was hanging out there for a lot during my year, those years.

So I eventually, they said, I need an internship and they said, sure. And I, Steve McAllister was doing a house sound there.

He was like, yeah, I don't want to do these audition nights. I'm trying to get out of doing the hardcore matinees too because I can't stand doing them. So I did the,

the, he put me right in. He's like, here you go. I had no idea what I was doing. And he showed me a couple of things and he's like,

go for it. So I was like this, I went in there and just tried to figure it out. like just figuring out how to do house sound at CBGB is just like. So that's how you actually got the CBGB gig? Yes. Oh, wow.

And then they said, you got to do the door too. We need somebody at the door. So I was doing, I was doing hard. I was doing matinees, audition nights, and I was working the door, too. I was there all the time. And then we had the band. I met Mike Kirkland, who was working the door there, and that's how Prong started. So, food there.

So, and yeah, there we go. that looks like it was gutted out before they it's like a john vorvado store and looks like that's what one of the early stages to legendary venue man yeah it was it was great years there yeah it was really cool and i started doing a lot of other things like i was working at this club called nirvana on thursday nights which was like a metal place it was up on time square and like they had like david cover there were coming there and sing and rick derringer was playing so i was like doing these had these like rock stars i was well working this other thing too was like more of a hair metal joint yeah and um because if people aren't

aware uh with new york i mean meant what i mean in like the 80s 90s and manhattan alone had 25 exactly yeah i'm glad you know about that no it was like it was like oh my god no from oh since i was a kid there was so many clubs and no one carded like i was telling these guys like it even when i that's why i said i've been going to cb's at years i was going to cb's since i was 15 like i know one ever carded me and I would I would drink too so when was your first drink because I know there's a rum and coke there I was

there was a I mean what I mean you're your history Tom and what you're you're like 11 years old going to a deep purple show already smoking and drinking with it with the abuse right? Yeah, a deep purple no a Sabbath Oh Sabbath show yeah yeah so you did your homework you know like so it was the Sabbath party Sabbath tour and the guy they dude was I in

eighth grade. You went by yourself, right? I wound up having to because the, the chaperone was supposed to be my buddy's uncle and he, my buddy, we got on the subway, went in the city, he was meeting his uncle there and he's like, okay Mike, give me the tickets.

I have my ticket. Yeah. And he's like, oh, fuck, I lost him, man. He lost him. He had like a bomber jacket. He just fell out. He had it like in that crappy in pocket here. I'll never forget and he's like, oh my God, I'm like, I'm going in man Like I went in and I was like you know

Yo I was way up top It was like oh little dude What are you doing here by yourself It's like I'm up there like they're handing me joints People like I had bottles like little like these Wilson whiskey You used to Wilson whiskey Yeah see if you could find

Oh yeah dude It was like this like it's a yeah there it is like What the fuck? I never heard of Wilson whiskey Yeah that's it It's that's all Wilson that's all that No it's the other white one that below that yeah it came in a little

oh yeah the other ones yeah yeah little bit half pint there it is that's it and people used to stick it in their jacket and you walk into the anywhere you went with it people handed me that shit and like I'm drinking that and I was like I didn't I don't know how I made it home

like and I didn't tell my mother at all like that you know the guy lost the tickets I didn't tell it I didn't make it you know I somehow got home again that night got on the subway and got You know. So you're, so you're 11 years old

leaving a show high and drunk. Yes. On the subway. Yes. New York. New York. Yeah. Normal.

Yep. Oh my goodness. Sweet water. When the band needs anything for a tour or we need something here for the podcast, Sweetwater is where we go. You have the number one online retailer for pro audio

and music instruments. So if you need any music gear fast, Click the link in the description below so they know you came from this podcast. That's Sweetwater, your number one place for pro audio instruments. What a life. I mean, it sounds like from my outsider because I was born raised here, Tommy. So what, I mean, weren't you 13 and you got a gun pulled on you? Yeah, I mean, I got a couple of, I got a good couple pulled on me in flushing.

Great, great hometown. Yeah, it was like, I was on this place called, It's like the hill, and there was a stretch of Main Street flushing that, to get to downtown flushing, you'd have to walk through. That's what it looks like now. When I was a kid, it was an Asian like that. Okay. Yeah, that's actually Main Street in Roosevelt and Flushing.

So you'd have to walk, maybe about four or five blocks from there, You'd have to walk through this stretch. And like these kids, we were walking down there through Main Street. These kids were like, what are you doing around here? Get the hell out of here. Go back up to the hill. And they just, they weren't going to do anything. Later on, I got it.

When I was living in the low resort, I got a gun pulled on and held up. And I just, I said, oh, I'm not going to. They wanted to go back to this ATM. I got like $20 out of this ATM. And these kids pulled a gun on me. And I just ran. what do you do i just i just like okay and i just turned around and just took like you know i just ran like you know and they didn't do anything so gave him 20 bucks like i'm fucking out i didn't even

give them any money they said let's go we're going back to the ATM they wanted to go back it was actually it was on i was on 13th street and first avenue and on the lowry side so that's what i was the only time but yeah i'm flushing i got a gun pulled on me i think the guys father, look, like, he was a white kid, like, with blonde hair, actually, like, you know, and he had a couple of, like, Puerto Rican kids with him, but I think he was, I could, I know the type because I had another friend that had, um, that I think his father was a cop. And he probably, like, stole his father's gun. Oh, shit.

Yeah. I mean, that's, I know another guy whose father, he was like the worst kid in my neighborhood. And he was, actually, I know his name was there's Charlie Hines. and his father was a cop and he would steal his father's gun Oh my Like his like his like cop gun Yeah

Oh no He had because he had another one He had another piece laying around And he would just like And he'd be welcome Look good I got man I'm like He's gonna pieced up

Like Well so So this is your childhood Yeah it was This is your teen years I hated live I did not like Where I was growing up

There's a movie There's a movie Called the Summer of Sam And It's like Heard of it Yeah Summar as Sam

Yeah And that really If anybody Was a Spike Lee movie Is anybody wants to really see what it was like back then That was it Because it was like punk rockers and like rockers Then there was what we call

Like the Guido disco dudes That So it was like a big problem Yeah With the With the Guido Guido dudes in Queens And the

Like these guys And then like punk rockers. He really kind of nailed it a little bit on that, on the two groups of people there and like the friction between that. So it's like, I got to get the hell out. I was always like, I swear to God, like, so I lived on this corner and I could see down the block. And there was always a bunch of kids like by, like the guido kids hanging out by

this like pizzeria down by the, and when I started playing bass and bands, I'd have to take the bus to go to rehearsal and stuff and I would see with anybody was down there and I wasn't going to walk into that so I'd walk all the way around the other way to catch the bus because I was like afraid of these guys I don't think they would have done anything

I was just kind of like a nervous kid and like I didn't want to get like I hate to getting hassled all the time Oh look at this weird out here you know what is what are you going to do you know it's like this whole thing Yeah And so I was like I got to get the hallier That's why I moved out really young I met a dude like at the bookstore.

I was working at Queens College bookstore in Flushing and then I moved into the city. We got a, dude, it was so cheap back then. That's what the low recited. So all the artists, all the musicians moved down and low recite because you get an apartment down there. We had a two, we had a duplex apartment. It was an absolute dump.

It was a duplex apartment. And it was 350 a month on, it was 45 First Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Street on 1st Avenue. 350 a month, dude. 3.50 a month. And you have, it was 35 a month. York. Yeah.

Wow. Unheard of. Right around the corner street, right around the corner from the Hells Angels's headquarters, right around the corner. It's right there. Third Street was where the head, yeah. They all got thrown. Back then it was before they all got thrown in jail from RICO charges.

But that's where Hilly Crystal lived, who was the owner of CBGBs. He lived with the Angels. And that's why the CVGBs was originally an Angels bar. I didn't know that. Yes. And he was, believe, he was. believe it or not Hilly was

Sunny Barger's drill sergeant in the Marines so that's how he was all all hooked up yeah now it's there's nothing there I think the headquarters is gone and maybe still there

I don't know I'm not sure if it's I haven't been in the city now I live on the island I was living out in L.A. for a long time and I moved back into New York but I don't go into Manhattan that much but I don't see any signs of it there now

That's Fort Street. So third street is where they're around the corner from there. That says Fort Street. We ever scared because, hey, I was afraid of them. Like, I didn't like, I, like, now that you see that people have this things on, like, low reside living down there, like, oh, they were so stabilizing that the angels around back then. But I think they were, but I was always afraid of them.

Because I would look weird back. I had like, like, what should look like? I had, for a while. I had like bleached blonde hair, spiked out, and then I had, it was blue for a while. Oh,

yeah. Then I went, by the time, then I went like, I started looking, trying to look like I was in Joy Division for a while. I wore, like,

these gray outfits that I had, like, a short haircut, like, so I was always doing something weird. And then, um, you know,

I had like sort of a short, like, haircut, a little more shorter than that, like parted to the side. Of course. Almost like this now. But then,

uh, I, when, see when prong started I was like really into like killing jokes I was still in my favorite band so we're sort of like post punk like in the joy division killing jokes this is the mercy

I was a little bit goth too and then then when we're working at siebies we're exposed to all these like cross over and thrash and we're like and Mike the bass player in prong the original bass player was in this band called damage

and they were like an alternative hardcore band so like we sort of merged all that stuff together. Like so then eventually I was like, well man like thrash metal is what's cool and I grew my hair long and I prong sort of got marketed as a thrash metal band.

There's damage. Well he's good man. He's fast. But they were a cool band damage. Like they had two bass players. That's why when I started with prong he was like Steve McCalliser. He was the guy that hired me up on the top left there.

That base player, he was the guy that hired me at Cbe's. He was the house guy there. And he actually produced an engineer at our force-fed record, which is our first full-length. First record, right? Oh, wow. Great engineer, great guy. I haven't spoken to him in years.

But he was really cool. He was a good dude. Why'd you start playing bass? Because I know one of your favorite bands or your favorite band is killing joke, but I know you're a big fan of a Georgie. A who? Like the guitar player. A Jordi, yeah.

I mean, Jordanie, yeah. No, eventually, like I, when I started playing, guitar. But why did you start playing bass though? First? I played bass. Why? Well, that's a whole other story. I want to, and I tell people this, I don't know how true this is really,

but like, like, my brother was more of a jock, like, you know, and so I was playing, I was in, I was in Little League throughout from third grade on, and I wasn't really, I was okay, you know, and I played Pop Warner football a little bit. Like, and, like, like,

T-ball, or like? No, regular of little, it wasn't little, they didn't have Little League in New York. They had, it was, it was, it was, um, they had a YMCA League and CYO, which is Catholic youth organization. So they had like, um, you know, it was sort of like the Queens, there was a lot of kids there. They had the, Queensland Hill where I lived, they had their own league. And then when kids sort of dropped out, we had a, it was only one team from Queens boro Hill and then we were in the CYO League and YMCA League and Boys Club. So we'd play other teams. I was all right.

I mean, I sort of dropped out. I was like, when sort of edging into high school, I was like, like, where's my identity? Like, I'm not cool. Like, I can't be a job. Sorry, it wasn't really good, that great in football. So I was like, then I got the hook, like, playing, like, my brother's got me into music. So I was like, I want to play music. I want to play in a band.

I just want to be in a band. Like, you know, eventually I want to get laid. I want to be cool. So, uh, that's all our main goal. Yeah. Yeah. So I was pretty much it. Like, so I didn't even know.

So this kid was in this cover band around the corner, and he was like, a year older than me. Like, whoa. And I knew his neighbor, this other kid, and he goes, you know that this other kid's name was Tommy. So he says, you know, Tommy's selling his base. He doesn't want to do this stupid bit. This band, they're called Skylight Port Authority.

They were like a local cover band. Nice. And he's like, he's selling his base. He's quitting the band. I'll buy it. And I remember, this is a true story. And he goes, he goes, how much, I didn't even, I go, oh, I'm not going to talk to him. I'm like, I'm afraid of this guy.

So he was like just local legend playing in this band. So he was like, he said, he said it was $10 for it. I'm like, okay, whatever it is. Ten? Ten, ten dollars. That's. So like, I said, yeah, I'll buy it. And I remember Tom, he comes up.

This guy never really liked me. So he came around the corner. It's like around the corner in New York back in Queens It was like a whole That's like whoa So he came around and came to the door And he's just like And I go here's the 10 he goes

No 12 I was like fuck And I was like mom you got $2 And she's like for what I go don't even worry about it And I gave him $12 and he didn't even say that Nothing he just took to give me the base To go around and walked and left

It was like it was called a height deluxe And it was a small scale base. I think it was spelled H-I-T-E-E-I-T not height, like the height, but it was H-I-T-E.

They, I've looked it up, they, they're online, no, H-I-T-E, yes, height. And it was, I'm trying to see if you can see it up there. No, it was like, it was this short-scale... The short, short scale base, right? Yeah, like, that's it. It was sort of like that.

Oh, you found it? It looks like shit. Yeah. That was horrible. But, like, I was able to learn strutter. Somehow, I figured it out. And, uh, deuce. I went right in.

I was just like, you know, like, you know, put on the bass. That's how I used to play it. I don't think it's really, I think it's really, I think it's how I was like, I could do this. And that's how it started, really. It's just learning off a record.

man like i was like i could do this man that's it that's it that's it that's the one is this right here boom do you it's probably worth like do you still have it no dude like a lot that's another thing was 196 is probably actually worth some some cash dude it's probably worse some shit

that was it I can't believe you found a nice picture of it it's probably worth like 24 bucks now yeah exactly 12 it doubled in price doubled in price it doubled on value eventually because I got a Gibson grabber after that what Oh my God, it's sold.

Oh, wow. But I don't know if that's in yen, so it was, I don't know what 970 yen is. Yeah, what's that? I want to. That's funny. Yeah, I'm really, I'm really curious on the price to, to USD. I'm really curious. No.

Yeah. You said? I thought it was like, I think I was playing it Well now I'm in C So I mean indeed But I always thought I figured it out wrong So

I think it was like It's the bass line That's a sick riff That's a bass line It's a sick baseline It's a sick baseline I don't know how I figured it out But I mean

It's just like A sick baseline It's like yeah I could do this So that was like And then like Ramon songs Oh of course Three chords You're fucking in, dude.

That's it. Those were actually hard. I don't know if you know, but I just, last year I was playing with Markey Ramon, I did a couple of tours. You serious? Yeah, I played. How was that? Oh, is it. My chops went up like, I'm believe it was because I wanted to play everything downstroke properly.

You're fucking chopped up now, dude. Yeah, I was like, you know. You need the warm up for that. Yeah, right. What's the, what were the someone though for you? What were someone like the hardest, like, Ramon songs? That one, that she's the one. That's a really tough one.

She's the one, okay. I'm gonna I'm gonna learn that Yeah My favorite Yeah Well we did There's a lot of amazing ones

The arrangements are Unbelievable Did you? My favorite is a Surfing bird So So Why is this thing

On that song Rocking too hard Oh that's California's son Yeah Yeah Surfing bird What That

What's that Buba-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-h. Yeah, it's all, it's on that same note, dude. It's like eight times around. Yeah. We're fucking rocking, dude. And it's like, I was thinking, whatever. Watching you, Tommy, watching you, it's making me sweat.

I'm nervous right now. What's that way? It's hard, man. A lot of stuff is like all day. If you do it all down, strokes, it's all. Dude, that's my fucking warm up, dude. And then, it's a frame bear. Bam, bam, bam, ma.

And a, ma'am, bam, bam. And then, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am, you got to be. You got to walk to that. Yeah, I can't. Yeah, see? I'm fucking sweaty right now already. Fuck.

I know. It's like, so. I was like, no, dude. That needs a warm up, dude. So you know,

the funny thing is? So, like, I'm like, because I'm playing it all, I'm like, I want to do this right. Yeah,

you had to do it right, man. And I was like, you know, who was playing bass was Craig from, uh, sick of it all was doing it too.

Wow. And, um, he couldn't do it. He couldn't, he was cheating. Damn, calling him out.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'll call him out, man. And he had like two more weeks to me to figure out. because we got they couldn't his band is like a bunch of South American guys they couldn't get in

to the country so um I'm sweating dude you know it's like that's what I yeah one of the ones or maybe I'm on a couple of shows that's what the guitar player he cheats so he's going up and down oh that that's the band that's the singer that we had but they got this these guys are the band they couldn't get in the country so I I had a week to learn 40 songs and I did I go Woken up in the, and he's, the bass player, this guy's doing it fairly decently. Yeah, good job. Yeah. But the guitar player cheats.

Like, there's some, there's a couple of videos of me up there doing it. We did Aftershock last year with, with Markey. I was like, well, I was like, I wasn't planning to go on stage, like, for a while, because I don't know, because I have two little kids and stuff. So, um, that's it. That's the show. And, um, I'm on this one. Anyway, um. Sick.

that could be one of the songs I'm not going to say it there I am see that's me up there you can see me a little bit yeah oh yeah yeah yeah you're fucking horned up up there dude yeah it's like I mean and I'm fucking like

I'm doing all the downsets so like his wife is like this old like punk rock chick you know like I don't know I could just hear a saying like I don't know I don't like Tommy because he's making all these like metal faces, you know?

Oh, yeah. Because I was just like, ah, like that, like you're supposed to be, to play, B. Ramon's just supposed to be stoic and that like,

like, like, you know, Johnny was always like, oh, he would just like, he would, he would look bored sometimes. I'm like,

how do you playing it like that? The way his right hand, it's like, yeah, yeah, dude. Just Craig was sick of it all. Oh,

anyway, but my chops went up like, because I was, old eight hours, just doing, down, it's like all this stuff, you know. Yeah.

And then doing it standing up, too. Oh, yeah. So I was like, whoa. See, look. Look how fast they. Look how. It's a fucking machine gun. Yeah.

See, Craig's going up and down. You can see him. Oh. Look how he's cheating. Look how he's cheating. No cheating on Ramon's songs, man. If there is, if there's rules, that's, that's, that's on a list. You cannot play.

Down strokes. Down strokes. Down strokes. Up and down. Up and down. down, up and down, Craig, not happening. Shout out.

Cheating. Look at that up and down, man. Come on. Yeah, how do you warm up with that? You just don't warm up. You just do it, do it for eight hours? The songs are really hard, yeah, the songs that were, so even,

like that I had to do my own teching and everything. So I was like in the, you know, he was cool with like hotel rooms. So I'd be, he's like one of these, he's an old rock star. So he was like, yeah, we'll be at the hotel to, you know, We're going on at 8. Like, we'll leave the hotel at 7.30.

You know, it's like, well, yeah. So I'm like in the hotel room just like, you know, jamming this. Oh, course. Nothing just like this, you know, just so. Rocking. Look, there's Johnny. See, Johnny is great. Look at that.

Look how fast he was amazing. There's no right hand like Johnny's. No, he's amazing. There's just no one. Yeah, he was, he. So I follow, I watch a lot of these videos. Same dude. I watch these exact.

like how is his right hand doing what I see it doing? No, he's he was great. He was really great. So um, I referred to a lot of the old ones and like, like I was like dude like the guy in your, he doesn't care. The guy in his band, that dude

that was on there that's cheating too. And I was like, I was like, no I ain't, I'm not I'm not cheating dude. I'm not, I just for my own sake. It was cool that a couple of times were like like right early on like we played it was like flying, this guy's going,

whole, came by, he goes, dude, I'm like a huge Ramones fan. I've like, you know, like you're playing everything

exactly the way it's supposed to be. I'm like, thank you because Marky didn't say anything to me. The whole day says, I like, all right. Like, I was like,

he kissed me like on the, on the, on the, on the last show, he's just like, oh, that's, I love you.

He was like, that's good luck. Yeah, I would love you. And that was, and his wife, too, but like, we got the old guys back and some other dudes, but it was fun gig.

I bet, dude. You know what I wanted to do? What? Because I have, and I'm so busy the other time, but I wanted, in order to get my chops back up, I wanted to keep playing the set. Yeah. And then eventually, like, I was starting to, like,

learn how to, like, the vocals, too. So I was like, to do, like, a Ramon's cover band would be something that I wouldn't, like singing and playing. Oh, yeah. You know, I think I could do it. But I have to, if I get back into learning, shit. Look at that.

Look how fast it. But you can't make the metal face. They don't like this. Look at Marky how he's just chewing gum. I should have just done that. Get a bunch of gum on my mouth and just did that way. I didn't realize their aesthetic until you point out. They are a very stoic

band. They were. Yeah. Yeah. I never realized that that look. I don't think punk rocky wasn't supposed to show that much emotion, you know? Yeah, I'm fucking up here, chilling, dude. This is... Yeah. And never really had the faces, you know?

Yeah, what was it like for... Tommy, what was it like for you? At what point, like, what does a timeline look like with you doing sound at CBGBs to prong doing force fed? What's that timeline? Because I... It was in the same time. like at 80 we it was all the prong was while i was working at seeby so the first record was 86 that's 87 it says 88 well i guess i was i was one year old i guess it was 88 so um uh we're actually

playing a couple of songs off that force fed record now that's the demo uh that's where i live that was my 11 stanton street that's where i used to live and and and uh and the and the new york scene was so thriving is that you were able to sell 5,000 copies at Blegar Bob's. Right? We couldn't keep them in like the first, like the first EP and that's why

which was what we did, we cheated. I figured my cheating again. We did, we had the demo and I was like really into the whole back then we had fanzines and you'd be able to trade demos and you had cassettes, a whole demo cassette scene was huge.

So it was that was the first one. That's the one that the friend of ours put it out. It's called Mr. Bear Records and it was like, we knew Craig over Oblika Bob's. Like, could you get me more records? I'm like, yeah, if you get me more records. So we sold out the first 3,000

and then we were just bringing boxes over there, like trying to get them pressed up. Yeah, so, you know. Were you just playing around the area? Yeah, we didn't do anything. outside. Like, maybe Albany. I don't even think we did Albany yet. Like, it was all

Lowery side, Lamores. I don't even think we got to Lamores yet. It was like, it was just hardcore matinees. We did, we did, we, we did, by the time Forestsade came out, we were doing more shows. We went to Europe.

We were doing more. and the record did really well in low resides so in Manhattan and that's why Spigot, that's why this guy John Loder who put out all the discord records which were all you know

a minor threat primarily and then he put out the first Beastie Boys record too made a fortune on that he caught out that John Loder he's passed away he put out he wanted to put out the prong record

so that's why we got over to Europe blah blah blah and um you know he put out that record over there um so we were definitely more popular in europe to start out with england just england so um now we can't get bought we can't buy our way into england these days so every territory is so different man all they're so yeah we were like a flash in the pan over there and once they once they dispose of you in the uk you're sort of done like you know We were really popular briefly And then

Yeah, I heard There's Stevie McAllister I heard England said that Your down picking is too Too fast I'm like no no he's out Yeah

Yeah so Anyway so the timeline Yeah was like I was working at CB's And I don't know how we fit it We didn't we rehearsed At this place called West Beth basement And

we shared with a couple other bands and then we just I don't know we just like wrote stuff and fast and went in and jammed it out like and you know I wrote the lyrics and you know and vocals in rehearsal you know we just while I was singing you know Mike too we would

Mike sang a lot of the songs initially as well and we didn't know we would get together when he said this like in his apartment and we just jamming out that's cool we're going to use that going with the drummer boom you know like you know write the lyric to sing it that was it. The first record was recorded

with Wharton Tears, that demo which we remixed and I put solos on it. That's why we cheated to make it more like crossover. I put solos on the stuff. Oh my goodness. The first record, the demo doesn't have solos on it. Then like I was like, I was because I didn't know how to play solo.

So it was like, I figured out a couple of ones and I still do the one from Disbelievers. It was basically based on so yeah. What did you go? Yeah. then he goes yeah so that section in the middle and then it goes fast

so now I said I'm just gonna put the solo on there I went in there and I was to play terribly right then but it's like but that that's I just did that went in back in and did that and then we released the the EP on it but that was recorded

by Wharton Tears who's unbelievably famous he did the first two unbelievable fantastic helmet records and then he also did Sonic Youth too so he was he had a studio like on 15th Street oh was it the 20s or something 19th maybe 20 second street and he relocated it's a fun city it was like in I don't know where the hell it was it was that it was on it was either 22nd Street or 15th Street somewhere over there on like 2nd Avenue

and then he did a lot of stuff he was he was a good dude and then and then he was a good dude and but the helmet records he did. Was this also around the same time? 86. Okay. We ran in and did that, cut that, made the record. Then we did the second one in a

rented storefront on the Lower East Side. Stevie had his own recording stuff, but we just did it with the Callister and like a storefront on the Lower East Side. Was there any difference between Force Fed and beg to differ because of the major or at all? Not really.

Like we had written and have been performing those songs, a lot of them, before we got signed. So, I mean, that was a whole weird period. Like, we had wrote all those songs. Already. A lot of them. Okay. Yeah. Like, I don't even know.

Let's put it this way, by the time, believe it or not, by the time ForrestFed was done, like, a lot of labels wanted to sign prong. like all the Roadrunner and all those wanted to sign us like there was you know combat they want all those and then we said epic one

we played a show with the Chromeags at the Ritz and this guy Finagle from Epic Records he came backstage because I want to sign you guys so

but I'm not really sure I think like something like beg to differ may have been written afterwards we wanted to change it up a little bit so we wanted to be like that's where this groove metal thing started where yeah so you know I really wanted to bring this up because you guys you can't really put anything to prong you know any kind of name but I guess okay I was curious what people were saying back then because that's also because that's one like the subgenre of groove metal was kind of bubbling and your this record beg to differ actually predates

Pantera. Yes, it does. I was kind of wondering what you were jamming, why. I was always, I mean, since like 83 really into the bad brain. So that's where the, like that... Oh, that's where it came from.

So bad brains. You know, that's so... You know, that, that's, so that was, the staccato, you know, so all that was this came from them. I wish I knew how to play some of this barbrain, so as I did, and I don't, I haven't really played on that. But yeah, its quickness was out of on that side, though. I don't even have,

a lot of those things like that. Like a lot, a lot of that shit. Yeah. And then, like, frost to early, like, Central Lelsook frost. to like you know when um like to megatherian the lot of that like i i was more exposed to that like during in that between force fed and beg to differ it was like bad brains meets celtic frost you know where where uh i think um the first record was more like discharge and you know

that it really comes from that more more of discharge was our big thing back then you know and then yeah I mean there's another song on on a break the difference that just goes that's like

that's like a re-ignition type of thing so yeah the brains are with a big influence and that's

and then you know we went in and you know okay sorry but yeah so that's that has it there

and then I mean we signed the record contract and we went in writing the next day and

started recording the album with Mark Dodson like the next day it was the weirdest thing in the world so yeah and then the rest is history then you know

by the time you know we got cleansing out and then a rude awakening and just prove you wrong we did four studios with epic

to prove yeah prove prove you wrong that intro I'm like what the fuck is Tommy doing there oh that's that's a ripple

off of whatever it was influenced by Celebration Day by By uh That's the one riff I heard was like what is he doing there It's like a Jimmy Page thing or something Okay yeah it's like celebration day like Okay Okay yeah okay

A little bit A little bit I hear it I'm like what the heck is he doing there Like that whole thing is sort of pagey And there's like a harmonic riff like right after or something. It's like, what the heck? Yeah, like that.

You know, it's like I used to let out of the thumb. It's like a Hendrix, you know, playing ballboards like that. The cage did that too a lot, you know? Interesting. You've always like experimental with almost every single record, it seems like. Yeah, we want to take, I think we took too many chances, and that's a problem why, you know, we never really hit, like, a big popularity because it was like, I don't know, we were just too egotistical.

Like, we just didn't want to do anything anybody else who was. doing we tried back then was just like oh they're doing that we can't do that oh what this is you know what I mean like we just didn't want to fall into anything which was stupid financially and like you know so um you know cleansing was like that we wanted to be completely different than anything on that record too such was you know we abandoned what we were doing previously a lot and and I know you guys did the same thing you know it's it causes a lot of problems There's a there's a fine line because you get success with experimenting So you keep doing what you did but there is there is a line that you cross yes especially with with the with with your record cleansing it seems like you experiment experiment experiment to all you fucking hit

But you're just doing what you used to doing and then the record after and so on you you you keep repeating at when you probably made maybe it sounds like you wanted to hone in the thing is just like again like when you know when you have a do as a producer the second time you know that that always it seems like you always have the sophomore jinks with that like we had Terry day was great on that record uh mark dotson was great on beg to differ and then like prove you wrong was like and then the same thing happened with cleansing and then Terry day with rude awakening was just like I listen to it now I'm like why did we do that like like I didn't like the mix yeah it was like i i feel uncomfortable with a lot of things that we did on rude awakening i thought there was some good songs uh but uh for the most part uh it fell short of a lot of what we

wanted to do what's your favorite song of this record then my favorite song yeah uh i like unfortunately a lot on that one i think that's the strongest song uh and then uh Proud Division's cool. I think a lot of bands took from the vibe on that and like the vocal range on that I don't really like. It hits like, I'm in a weird key on it. So it's like, what is that? But unfortunately, it's a good rock and roll song.

I like that one a lot. So, yeah. I'll go into the other tuning. What's the other guitar? It's so basic. It's nothing to it. Yeah, then I started. I had Riggs, who plays with Rob Zombie.

He played with Prong. We did a tour and the manager was like, you know, this trio thing isn't working out. You got to sing and we need to get another guitar player. And I tried doing that and it failed miserably. Oh, goodness. It's the basic. So yeah, we had sort of that song going. That's sort of like an older, a couple of songs on Rudevicking were older ones.

And it was like, it's almost like a helmet thing. Like they sort of took that. But so we sort of like, I was going to bring that one. back, you know. So I still like that one a lot, you know, so, you know, then there's a classic, like, you know, we had, like, The Ballad, the Rood Awakening, the Ballad, which we still play. It's like, one of a, sort of a gothic kind of by his own. This is the Mercy.

The video, that's by Rob Zombie, produced that, directed that's his first video thing he's ever done. Oh, wow. That was his first, his, his, really? Yeah. The first thing he ever did when he's, I'm going to go into movies, I'm like, all right, you want to do the video? And he did it.

He did a ridiculously weird job on it. I want you guys to dress up in these weird costumes and stuff. I'm like, all right, whatever, you know. And the metal fans are just like, this is horrible. We hate this. This is terrible. At the time, huh? Maybe it was a little bit ahead of his time?

It was. The whole record, the whole thing we were doing was totally ahead of its time. This is before a new metal, before, you know, it's around the same time. Grunge started coming out. You know, we suffered from other things getting more popular or whatever. What are some of your favorite, like, like, prong wrists? Given all of the history, or do you have, like, a favorite one? I don't know if I have a favorite one.

I mean, like, it's, it's hard to say. Like, you know, I like the simplicity of obviously, like, you know, snap your finger, snap your neck, which is, again, the whole thing where it's just like these changes up a little bit that's a riff that's a riff then the other part of it's fish yeah the most popular song would probably be your favorite riff because if it wasn't for that song i don't think we'd have a career at all because it's like if you look at you know like that gets way more plays than anything it's on a lot of it still gets playlists a lot of people covered it.

So how did you, how did that rip come about? How did you write, write those rips? I don't really remember. Like, I think that, uh,

like, there was, like, like, during that whole time to, like, it was, like,

to figure out, like, industrial was, like, a thing that was starting out. So that's why they have, like, like,

so, like, stuff like that was sort of, like, like, you know, where are we going now? So it was,

there were a lot of, like, like, there's, um, thing of the song, and out of this misery. I think I got a lot of it from some, like,

techno music or something. Like, you know what? And like, you know, that's almost like a sequence slider. Maybe I heard like a, like, it was almost like a sequencer or like a, like something techno that I got it from, you know? You know, it didn't really come from like,

you know, like a lot of metal comes from like priest or whatever, you know, this stuff came from, I think, a lot more, like, listening. to industrial music or, you know, like, chem lab and front line assembly and stuff like that, you know, I was getting into, but sort of like put that, it's like, let's do a dance metal song, you know?

So, you know, it's pretty much. A dance metal song, again, ahead of its time. Yeah. Now, everyone said that, that's like, you know, I get pissed off at like, you know, I went to, um, uh, I was like, when Wayne was alive, I was like,

dude, this whole, like, You know, like evil disco thing. Like, you know, you got that from Prong, why he's like, absolutely. You know, like that whole thing? Oh, yeah. He was just like, yeah, yeah, man. Like, they were, they were hugely into that whole thing where like, you know,

high hat, like it. There is a similarity with those. Yeah, right. The same thing with Rob Zombie, too, is like, you know. There is a big similarity to that. Yeah. You know, a lot of Prong stuff is in that mode. This is the drop C stuff.

So it's a. You know, so like, when we did the cleansing record, believe it or not, like, I came in with a drop C tuning and Terry's like, you got to be kidding. I can't record anything that low. Like Terry who did, you know, like, he was like, that's ridiculous. I can't make this work. I'm like, you're going to have to make it work. And the only thing I heard that was that low, like a drop C was maybe, was I think Fudge Tunnel maybe or something. Fudge Tunnel.

Yeah. It was like the only thing. that was... That sounds like a fucking sexual move. I know, right, but it was a band. Yeah, like, I think it was the only ones that I knew that were that low at that time, you know?

That's a fucking name. Fudge tunnel. They actually were pretty popular for a while. Did I see? Dude, let me see your Fush Tunnel. They weren't quite there. I think it said C, drop C.

This is heavy. I mean, drop me drop D. See, we started out doing drop D and then I was like, let's go lower and then like that's what stop you think you stop you that that one now yeah and that's the classic right there classic dude now it's a now did you I have a question for you did you know that there was a record called cleansing out before you guys did your

record you had no idea wrong real quick let's get it it's out of the way under six seconds so we we did not know yeah I didn't think you did and then and then once it came out people were saying oh they're just ripping our prong I mean there is similarity to riffs now that I No I don't think you guys knew Who prong was but I mean I didn't know

Your riffs are like a whole other Stratosphere or just They're so brutal and like This record is going You know I revisited it Because um you know I knew I was doing this And like I really like this record Because it's fucking raw

And it's just like It's just an attack on your senses Yeah You know black crown is more like you guys created your own genre of music that like a million bands have stolen from. Mm-hmm. You know, everybody. Yeah, it's great.

It's pretty crazy. And it's still going on because, you know, like I mentioned, you know, Kubla Khan and then you have Knocked Loose and these bands. I think they all come from this. So, kudos. Yeah. Thank you, man. Well, you're playing is unbelievable.

Yeah, but you got the sweeps and, you know, like some of the stuff that stuff is just like, I don't even know what you guys, you guys are technically more proficient than most bands still of that genre, you know what I mean? I don't know, did you go to less take a lot of lessons?

No. No? No. I don't know how you learn that shit. No. Well, people talk show on us because we just chug on like a, on the first two strings.

All they do is this. But I think, I think once you cross over to anything, I think that's, when people start saying, all they do is this, all they are is this, I think that's when you cross over. You know, all they do is chug.

All Tommy does is this. It's kind of when you know you've crossed over to something. Yeah, no, exactly, yeah. I mean, getting that critique, yeah, but whatever it is, it's great his work for you. Yeah, and we were ripping off records from your era. Yeah. Either consciously or some consciously, both, you know?

Yeah, we started doing it, like I said, like on cleansing, or we ripped off killing, and that ripped up. We took from killing joke a lot. People don't recognize that. Now I'm always like, to this day, like, there's two songs that we're playing live. Like, at one, it's called Not of This Earth.

And that's sort of like, I see that as very killing joke. Home Rule to Sublime. Those last ones on the record that were, we played on the tour. And I was like, we haven't really done them live that much. So, you know. Do broken pieces. Tyler was like, oh, he's broken pieces of killer.

And that we still, we'll play that tonight. We're playing with Fear Factory and KSAD tonight, so we'll be doing that one. I thought it was a crowd pleaser because people can sing along with it. So that's something that we like. We have some of these hooks that people could sing. And, you know, I mean, to your generation, it's probably corny, but we still do it. No, no, hooks never die. Hooks always come back around.

I remember, yeah, because I remember when I was out with these kids, like Davier, who's the drummer from, he's in Devil Driver now when he was doing like role managing drum teching doing everything on one of our tours and he was just like oh man no one you know our generation is not

into like all these songs like you know like your generation are like influenced by kiss and like you know punk rock and stuff we don't like that anymore he goes we like like silent planet like with his it's just a narrative I'm like okay dude like I was listening

I'm like yeah the riffs are cool but you know he was like no you're your generation Like, it's no more songs. We don't want that anymore. I'm like, I remember him telling me that. Oh, wow. Dude, I don't think, I don't think anyone knows what anyone wants.

No. But now it seems like that sleep token. It's like, I don't even, like, there's people who are singing along with it at some of the festivals. I'm like, how do they little lyrics? How do they figuring this out? I mean, to me, it's, is it, is it, is it, is it melody or is it what? I don't know what it is. So it is a different generation of kids that are, you know, have started a whole different

mentality, I think, about those things. But yes, my generation do come from the Rolling Stones and Cream and, you know, where there was Kiss and it was Sabbath. Well, Sabbath was weird because they didn't really have

they had weird arrangements based on jams, you know? Yeah. But, you know, Deep Purple, they had songs. Yeah. So. Well, I think the song will come back.

Yes. So people knew, like, sleep token lyrics. Do you regret not putting not putting lyrics in the booklet. Yeah, like in that one I do regret in cleansing since it was the most popular record. I do regret that.

We wanted it to be cool. Like we didn't have the band members' names on it. We were trying to be like... You were that crazy with it? Yeah. Oh, dude, you fucking cross the line. I know. Oh, man.

Didn't even put the band members on their record. No. Well, Ted Parsons and I are not on there. I think John, who did samples, is on there. And maybe Raven, because Raven was sort of not in the band yet. Yeah. And, uh, because we, you know, um, Troy quit. Mm.

So we had Raven come in and Raven did a killer job with everything on here. Also on it's been by prong. Everything's prong. Prong. Prong, not, no individuals. You know, that's about all. I gotta take a piss. Can I do that?

Sure. Where can we go? Where do I go? Break time. Break. We'll be right back. And we are back. Hi.

Are you more clearheaded? Ha ha ha ha. Dude. I mean, do, do not. Do you not mess with me if I got to take a piss or if I just picked up my pizza from Domino's and I'm driving home and eat it, I'll drive a little bit reckless. I hear you. I'm like, yeah. I mean, that's the one thing about traveling in a van.

Like we did a van tour and we do a lot of van tours. Well, we did a van tour. I don't drink any coffee in the morning when we wake up. Oh, you're a freak. I can't because we're going to stop all the time. I got to fucking take a piss like all the time, like going, you know, from in Germany like you know so I don't even bother I don't want to embarrass myself having to take a fist every 40 minutes or whatever oh it's fine yeah no I I used to I I used to touch you

on people that they can't hold their piss but then I'm 39 I'm gonna be 40 in uh two months and I find myself like I'm I'm in the bathroom like half a day peeing yeah you know absolutely it's like it's like it's like your bladder just freaking goes well um Tommy I don't I don't I don't want to waste time how How's your time with Glenn dancing? I mean, it's a great gig. I mean, I've always had been in the, I mean, I forgot to mention, like, earlier on being into the Misfits, too. This is starting in like about 82, I started getting into them.

Walk Among Us, that's, was a big record for me. Ted and Mike. and it weren't really into them that much. And I got it, I was born into, then I got into Sam Hane too. And oddly enough, so Gugie, the drummer in the Misfits, we had a band together called Antidote.

And I was one of the original members. They wanted to be one of the first hardcore bands in New York. I quit really early. I couldn't get along with Nunzio, the guitar play. Who was my roommate? Oh, yeah. Yeah, and I was playing bass.

So I was really into the Misfits. And then Gugge is like, you know, later on, where Prong was just starting, he said, you know, Glenn's forming a band, and it's going to be called Danzig,

and, like, they're auditioning guitar players. I'm like, I don't want to go down, dude, like I got Prong going. So it was pretty funny, like,

I could have auditioned for him back in the day. You said no. Yeah, I said no. I mean, Prong was going. So, like,

you know, and then we did a lot of shows with Danzig early on. That's what you said about, I forgot about that. When we were early on, we were doing local, shows we did shows with Danzig.

Like at Sundance out on the island. There was a couple other ones. There was more metal venues all over the place. We're in New York area. Studio one, blah, blah, blah. So yeah, we did a lot of local, like regional things.

We started doing more and more regional things. And we went out and did a van tour to like Cleveland and Kent and Pittsburgh. We were going out of Pittsburgh. This place called the electric banana. It was a famous club in Pittsburgh

that we played a lot at. We would go out there. We probably went to Pittsburgh more than Philly. There wasn't really anything going on in Philly. It was a weird place. And then Anyway, back to Glenn. Is this right here? That's it, studio.

That's actually Adriana's club and the Sopranos where they turned it. That's what they used. Oh, shit. Studio one, yeah. is in Newark It was in the worst neighborhood That you could possibly imagine

Probably get robbed there too It was terrible But they had a lot of shows there That's the electric banana in Pittsburgh Yeah it's great place And you get paid like You get paid in food Like he was like $50 and as many meatballs

As you want to eat That was with Johnny Banana That was what his big thing was That's about the time we were playing there like 1988. Oh my goodness, dude. It was like... Dude, that backdrop is...

I don't know what the hell that is. That's a backdrop. It was a great place. It was great. And then, yeah, it was like... There was a place on the lower recycle, the Lismore Lounge. And G.G. Allen made it famous.

Like, he'd go play there. It was in the basement underneath this... this Puerto Rican bar. And that's where he, like, just went crazy and, like, split somebody's head open with a mic stand. Oh, shit. Oh, yeah. Like, it was horrible.

Anyway, but playing with Glenn, like, after prong got dropped, like, I sort of mentioned that earlier. It was like, you know, I was like, F this. Like, as soon as we got dropped, we were supposed to be on a tour. with Danzig and Ozzy. The first prong, Danzig and Ozzie. And we got dropped and lost our tour support.

So Glenn found out. And I never knew Glenn that much. I met him. I wasn't like friends. I mean, we were acquaintances. I was more friends with Doyle. And then, so Glenn called me and said,

this is, this was on a, I got dropped from the label. We did a European tour. I was dead. I was like prongs over, done. I was living with my ex-mother-in-law in Indianapolis. I had like no money. And I went out there and she goes, well, I guess you can have to find a regular job now. And I'm like, yeah, I guess so.

And I moved out. I went in with her. The story behind that, I don't want to get in it. But it's like I was living with her. And it was like a Thursday. I got back home from Europe. And then Friday I get a call from, actually from Joey C. He's like, Glenn wants you to play guitar with Danzig.

I'm like, okay. He goes, I heard you, you're not doing the tour. He wants you. He hates the guy he had. And he was already, John Christ said quit. They found a replacement. Glenn was unhappy with them. Without even auditioning, he hired me.

And he goes, here's a set list. I go, I'm in. I'm doing it. And my mother-in-law was like, it was like, like, so I guess you're going out and I go, can I borrow a bicycle? and I went and went to a, wrote a bicycle to the mall and came back

and I had one guitar with me that was laying there and I learned all the songs. Like it acoustically with a boombox and then they had me out Sunday and our first Ozfest tour started Wednesday. Oh my goodness. So I learned all the songs, did one rehearsal with them

and then I was out on the tour with the first Oz Fest with opening up for Ozzy with Danzig. on Wednesday. That was the first Oz Fest. Yeah. Wow. What year was this?

94 was it? 95. Even I forget, like, I forget how long Ospeth has been around. Well, first it was an, it was Ozzie and Danzig tour. And they also had an Ozzy Oz Fest too.

The two big Ozfest shows were between where bookmarked. the tour. So it was an actual Danzig Ozzy tour and then they had two Ozfest

shows as well I believe you know and this is when Glenn was in his industrial stage show it was like all the it was just industrial like the the Danzig black acid devil record

which is probably the worst Danzig record of a mall and we all got to put up one one or two stinkers Prong has had more than one or two stickers But it's like This one is this I'm sorry Glenn

It's if you hear me It's my least favorite Danzig record And we don't play anything anymore from it So as you see it's Joey There's no guitar player on this Joey C lazy and Glenn So they didn't have a guitar

By the time the record came out And then I did the videos for this Like Sacrifice is a song's Sacrifice on it And I'm on that video for that. So he was like, so after this duration of touring with Glenn, I quit because,

yeah, I'm in this one, wearing a rubber shirt. A rubber shirt? Yeah, looking like a complete asshole in this one. They have rubber shirts? Yeah.

It was like this whole bondage, stash, there it is, see? Oh, where's that shirt now? Oh, God, it ripped. Oh, yeah, that's a, you were wearing a rubber shirt, dude, let's go.

Oh, wow. Anyway, so, like, I quit after this. And then, God, I don't even, what happened to that Fernandez guitar, Jesus. I had no idea what happened to it. Because he, I wanted to, I was going to do something different. And, like, I don't know what, I wanted to do something different.

And then he kept, like, saying, well, we're going to South America. And I'm like, when are we going to South America? When are we going to South America? He goes, oh, no, like, be like we're not going and then it's like oh then when's the next tour I'd be like and then he like I would take

all these this time out and then he decided at the last minute he didn't want to do it so I forget I can't live like this so that was the main reason like every like so eventually I got called back to do the gig though

so he went through a bunch of other guitar players that failed see I'm trying to be like modern and industrial and anyway yeah it's a moment time dude that that is a moment in time right there yeah right

and uh so I got eventually I did three stints with Danzig now it's still playing with them and this one's going on forever man I've been playing consistently with them since I think 2011 maybe now or something so I don't know I go

I get Sometimes he gets pissed off At me And fires me And then Like 14 years man Yeah In a row

But like I did In row Yeah you did It was like It was like a On and off thing Yeah Like

Now he's like I mean I love you Tommy I hate you Yeah Yeah yeah Yeah I still love you though

I I see Kain We played the whiskey The other day And he came down And we hung out a lot So That's great man

Yeah he's cool we get along really well nowadays in our old age oh totally you know he's very misunderstood because like I like you know he's old school

like his whole mentality like I have an older brother and they're so similar like he like just the way they think of things it's like you know um

you know they're very he's very strict with shit like it's like you do your job you keep your mouth shut like I don't want to hear this I don't want to hear that

and I get it You're like, you have your own band and stuff. You know, some of these guys, you know, it's like, you'd, please, dude, like, you know, he likes when people know their place. Yeah. That sounds horrible. Yeah, it's just like, dude, come on, man. Like, you know, like, you know, like techs or whatever, they, they're working for the band in two weeks and then they think they're in the, they're like a tech and then they think they're in the band. Yeah.

Yeah. Like they're like, you know, like, you know, like certainly hanging out backstage. Like, what are you doing here? Yeah. Go out there and watch the guitars or something, you know, like, or, you know, stay with the rig. Well, you know, now they don't want to hang out and they want to, you know, pick up chicks and they want to get fucked up and, you know, that whole thing. Like, he does not like that. Do you, do you, how do you handle that?

Because I go back and a fork. I want to be stern, like, I look like, like, I guess a Glenn would be a good example. How do, I just can't put myself, I want to, like, to be an asshole. But how do you balance that? with like prong i used to be really bad like abusive and like just an asshole and that didn't work uh and now uh i just i don't do anything pretentiously purposeful like i don't read like prince the maccabella the prince and try to figure out like methods it's just like like i i'm trying to i try to be helpful like you know

um like prong has been a catalyst for a lot of guys like i guess you know we had art Cruz in the band for a long time. Yeah. And it's like, you know, like, with him, we just told him how, I told him how it was. Like, you know, it was like, you know, like, when Art came around, he didn't know how to jam. Like, we had, we came out with a No Absolutes record that initially I wanted to go in in rehearsal. And like, dude, here's the riff. Like, and he'd be like on his phone like, oh, oh, oh, oh, like, we're supposed to jam these songs. I fucking hate that. Yeah. drummers on their phone

you're trying to like talk to them I've held back like swings for sure and they'll tell you how I were how I dealt with this so I'm like dude I don't even and he's just like

oh yeah oh you know how it is anyhow he's just all like oh yeah and like a play like you know show on this you go

not feeling that one yeah I'm like I do you know what I'm going in with Chris Collier and I say you had your shot We're here for an hour.

I want to jam this one's in the room with you. And I'm like, I'm going to go in with Chris and he's going to program all the drums for the record. It's like, fine. You could come down and make your agenda just like, I don't have any time to waste with this shit. Yeah. So it's like, and then I really, then we're like,

we're doing a live in the studio. No, no, we're doing a covers record and I want you to play drums on the songs. So we're going in and we're jamming the shit. And he's just like, you know. But you know what we're doing? It's going to be in the studio. We're figuring everything out in the studio.

So the time is ticking. And I got two days to do the whole thing. You want to be on the record or not? So it's like, yeah, like, and he actually, because they never did that. When's the plague? They never went into a room and jammed. Like, everything was like programmed.

It's all computer music. So he didn't have any experience. So that was the, it's songs from the Black Hole by Prong. That's the first record art actually. plays drums on. Shout out the art. Yeah. He'll probably say, no, Tommy's full of shit. Hell yeah. You know, but that's what he plays drums on. And he did a killer job.

You give him an opportunity to do something right. And he came through. I mean, art's excellent. And, you know, I'm very happy for him. He's an unbelievable drummer. But he, you know, now he's playing, like, you know, Lamb of God, have him in the studio. They're drumming. Like, he's actually, I go, did you actually play on these? He's like, yeah. I went in and do it. It's like, he actually told like a couple of guys

he goes, you know, he's good to play with Tommy because, you know, Tommy's old school and like, who'll want to go in

and actually jam shit, you know? So it's just like with text and these guys, I'm like, dude, like figure out, focus on two things

you got to do to make the show work. Like, what's the biggest thing you got to do as a guitar tech? Some of these guys, and I've trained some of the guys, guitar in tune.

What do you think of that one? You know, like, oh, You know what I mean? Like they go, they're trying to do all this other shit. Like,

you know, worried about like, you know, getting the manual for the wireless or something, you know, what, you know, and I'm like,

don't even, I'm told, this is get this fucking thing running, you know, the first thing and get my guitars into it. How about that? Yeah. You know,

and get a cable ready. Yeah. So, you know, so that's the thing, you know, that's what I do. Just try to instruct them.

Don't get all pissed off immediately. Yeah. And like, give them, You know, I'm not like, you know, like, fuck you, man, you don't know what you're doing. Fuck, you know, get the fuck out of here. Like, I'm like, here, here's a method to make this work. Let's see what happens.

So that's what I do. Do you have a, do you first have a emotion and then you shove that down? Don't, you can react like this and then you consciously say something. I don't get as, the hostility doesn't get as bad as it used to. Because I've been through it so many times, man. Like I, you know, like I did six years playing guitar with ministry. So I've been a side guy. I've been a hired gun.

You know, I played, I've been around the block with a lot of stuff. So it's like I have a callous on some stuff. Like I know, you know, I don't have it all figured out because if I had it figured out, I'd be like, you know, like James Headfield or something. But, you know, there's a lot of luck in this business, too. It's a lot. true I mean my father used to say that oh you're gonna play rock music it's all like you gotta beat the right place at the right time I'd be like huh what does that mean and uh he's right he was right he was like you know you got to be prong was at the right place at the right time initially and then we're at the wrong place at the right time you know it's like it's sometimes things get together sometimes they don't you know it's like it's um I've got to this point which I think everything's like God's will like it's like you know what it is what it is what it is

That doesn't mean I cop out and I don't make an attempt to make things right. But it's like sometimes you just, you can't control everything, you know? Yeah. It's impossible. So I get to that point. I was like, I can't control things, especially with finances. I know you got your own band. Like that whole side of things is, it's insane.

Yeah. You know, it's like. Yeah, I had something happen. It never ends either. I had something happened yesterday. I literally, I literally had this. This is the patio, actually, outside. I didn't reply to an email.

I was like, I just went outside and smoked the cigar five 30 minutes. I'm like, this chill out. That's cool. It's like, 39. Like, man, I'm like, I was, I was totally asking God for help. Like, God, what is, what is like the opportunity that you're trying to, what are you trying to tell me right now? With the band, there's always something. Like, you're always, like, if something great happens, you're going to get a curveball.

You're like, I just sat there and talked to God for like 30 minutes. Yeah. I appreciate that because I do that a lot. Like, pretty pretty much daily. Like, I mean, it's, it's, you have to have something to go to. Like, you know, like, I don't know if you're married, but like, you know, like, I go to hoe with stuff and she's like, you know what? I'm sick of hearing this shit.

You know, it's like, I can't, I got my own problems. I got my own job. You know, like, you're not very supportive with my stuff. So, you know, F off. I'm like, you're right. You know, so it's like, you know, it's, I go like, God. And it usually smooths things out and eventually it's. just for your headspace.

Like, you know, somebody's going to... The world somehow balance itself out where your sense is like, oh, even driving, you know, like you're driving the car, it's like, what? It's amazing. All these people not paying attention, everyone sort of still stays in their lane and it's like... Yeah, it's like automatic, like a weird way. Yeah.

Like, otherwise, I mean, if there wasn't any controlling force beyond human, like, everyone would be just driving into one another. Because that's just the way humans are. Like, I can't believe some of the shit that, how things work out in the end somehow. Like air travel and all this stuff that goes on. It's like, man, there's a lot of potential for things to go wrong on that. Oh, totally.

You know, right? From getting on the plane to landing, I'm like, okay. I landed. I made it. Yeah, I made it. Because it's like, I'm not a very nervous. I know other guys are very nervous on the plane, but like when you really come to think of it, it's, it's Jesus.

It's pretty scary. Yeah. But do you, uh, I've heard you talk, Tommy about, uh, you would have periods, uh, I mean, especially when we're talking like 39 years. I mean, you, you've had periods where you sat back and asked yourself, do what, do I even want to keep going? Oh my God. I mean, that, I mean, I'm kind of a pessimistic.

I don't know what is. It's genetic. Like I, like, like, my, like, I joke with my old. the sister, I go, no, it's not, you know, because we have now, like, a lot of nephews and new, I have two new kids and, you know, I have three kids. And it's like, you know, like, it's negative. It's like, it's like, we're, we're pessimistic, negative people for some reason. We don't expect things to go right a lot of times. So like, I'm like, you know, this is bullshit. Like, I, like, instinctually, I'm like, you know, I got to find

the light in a situation. So that's just the way it is, you know, like I have to, I have to rebound all the time. I mean, you know, it's like, especially you. I mean, you've been through like tragedies. People have died. Oh, a lot. People have disappeared.

People either quit or you kicked them out. You've been, you run through even, you run through a lot of scenarios, man. A lot of guys. You know, it's like, I got really annoyed. Like, I had. after Art left and joined one of the biggest bands in the world from being a band that's barely making

joining a big huge band. So then I got Aaron back who was on a Power of the Damager record and he just died recently. Oh, I did? Yeah, he's a young dude like, you know, and we had him back, we did a black, I will. Okay, this leads it to this. So when COVID came around,

my wife was like music is like everyone was like especially in California it was like this is done like what are we going to do we couldn't talk to anybody we could go outside everyone was paranoid so I was just like you know I was fine I had like my son was really young at that time

and she's like you just stay home with the kid for now figure out like okay cool I'll just be staying home dad like everything's cool like just jam music with him all day like I was like taking care of my kid listening to like volume four and stuff. There's the late great Aaron Rossi.

So we're like, what are you going to do? I don't know. I don't know what the hell is going to happen. So then I get a call from Blasco and he's like, you want to do a black label society tour? I'm like, I got to ask my wife. And she's like, you have to do it. I'm like, really?

And she's like, yeah, I mean, because I love Zach Wilde. and I, you know, I'm a, you know, I like it as a person. And I, like, playing, I think prong and black label is a great combination. And it was, like, as it turned out, it was like we did. It was a two months when she's like, I'm like, can you handle this? And she's like, yeah, we'll find a babysitter. We'll get a nanny. Just go out and do it.

And I didn't have a drummer, so I got Aaron back. And Aaron was, for a half hour set, he was good. but anything more than that like he gained too much weight he was smoking too much weed he was eating too much and he was like he was like when did after half an hour

so it's like when it came to uh like do it the tour went amazing like we sold a shitload of merch it was every night was great attendance it was fantastic so um had a great time so when I came back

I was like oh well we're gonna have to do like a half hour I mean a 45 minute set I don't think I don't think I don't know he was gonna be able to do it man and so I got this kid and out in New York we didn't move back to New York already when we moved back I hired him and he was this killer killer drummer

named Griffin McCarthy is like unbelievable drummer and worked hard with them like I was like he's the main this kid's fucking gray, put him on the state of emergency record, which is our last, we did with Evitz and a killer drummer.

And in the meantime, he was in this thing called AMH, that's him. He plays with this thing called AMH and whatever. It's a TikTok band. And it's, yeah, Adam and the Metalhawks. And he

quit prong to do this. Wow. That really bummed me out, big time. And I was like, you know what, Megan? I was like, I don't even want to do this shit anymore. I'm like, I'm tired of these guys quitting and leaving. And, you know, like, this is just too much, especially for something like this, you know, like this is retarded.

So, but as it turns out, we did a couple of shows, and his buddy was doing, he had his buddy, who's now playing with. with prong, Tyler was his drum, doing the drum tech and he was like, he didn't even say like, when he found that Griff was gone, like, you know, I can do it.

And he didn't even like, he said I could do it. And then he wound up getting the gig. And he's probably better than Griff now. Like we did a lot of, he's amazing. So it's like, how did that happen? The same thing happened with Jason Christopher, who was playing baseball, for prom,

for a real long time and he moved blah blah blah and then dean was was the tech for prong and now he's he's playing in the band so it's always there's always something that happens that that keeps this ridiculous band going so it's like it just like it could feel it's always been on the brink of completely falling on its face and like you know you're talking about god or a higher price something comes around it's like you're not done yet here I'll give you this and I'll see what happens you know it's like this weird thing so it's just like even with with our record deal with steamhammer it's like uh like i wasn't you know uh i wasn't planning on really making another studio record after state of emergency um it's just like it's a lot of work yeah and you know what do you you know there's a real a lot of work

and like i said i could have other kids now and it's like a lot of work went into doing this thing And it was supposed to be on napalm in America, and it wound up coming over on import on SPV Steam, and it's like, you know, it's just like, the distribution wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I was like, I'm tired of this whole drama, too. Like, so when they said, like, you're supposed to do another album,

and I'm like, I don't want to do it. I was like, I'm sorry. You know, I'm going to still do prong, but it's going to be completely legacy. I'm not going to do any more studio records. That's it. You know, why? So they came back,

going to like, all right, you could get out of the deal, just do a live album, and then you could sign with Napalm. So I was like, okay, I'll do that. So we did a live album that was coming out in February. It's why you're doing these. Yeah, like, you know, just, and that sort of came together because I wasn't really planning, like, my booking agent in Europe was like, why do you want to do a 31 years of cleansing tour? I'm like, because that's what bands are doing now. Like, life agony, we were on, we did two tours with them on their, 30 years of River Runs Red, and every show was sold out,

like, life agony is huge in Europe, but it's like, you know, it's like, well, we'll do that. And he's like, I don't even think you should do that. I'm like, all right, but we're doing it. And it turned out to be really good. Like, you know, so we recorded all the shows

and now, like, you know, all the live cleansing versions are there. And like, Tyler does the samples. Like, so there's some industrial shit going on. So it worked out pretty good, you know? Nice. You know, we got the backdrop of the cleansing album. So as you see,

attendance was great. like we did really well with it That's rad. Yeah. So it sounds like there's always when you don't want to do it if there's something something will bring you back.

Yeah, that's what's going on for like all these things. Like I was like, especially during that COVID time that period, these are the recent ones. Like there's ones before that were like, like I told you when we got dropped by the label and that was in 94

I was like, forget it. Like I'm done. I don't even care about prong anymore. I was like, I'm going to do something different. I wanted to do this as like another project was my thing like whole new project something completely different blah blah blah and then like you know Glenn came around and then I tried to do that other project and no one was interested like it was like and I was like completely broke again I've been in these periods where I was completely unbelievably broke

and you know like this is this is funny too because I was living out here I was living in the valley in Tarzana is like in a I was like, my business manager, she's like, you know, you're really running out of money. Like, what are you going to do? I was like, you know, I don't even care anymore. I just put an application. I went over to In-N-Out Burger and I put an application in. When?

This is like 1998, maybe. Wow. I was like, I don't even give a shit, you know, like, I'll fucking work that, you know, like, and maybe I'll try to get this other project going. I don't even care anymore. You know, like, I was sort of like that. like and um i was really i was like i pumped myself up i'm like in and out it's cool like the money was good my my rent was really cheap

where i was living in the valley but now it's who knows who it was there's another situation it was like three hundred dollars a month this apartment and uh like when i got it so um i'm like fuck i'm waiting she the chick that i talked to it this internet was like you got the job like like i had i was like clean cut like i looked and uh she's like you got it. Don't worry about it. I'm like, cool, man. I was like, I can't wait to start working. Like getting some more money and it would be fun. Like, working in and out, whatever,

you know. And I heard nothing. I was like, two weeks in, somebody calls me on the phone. This guy called Paul Spriggs. He's like, Tommy Victor? I'm like, just ambit searching you down. Like, I'm a manager. There's a new

label coming out, Locomotive Records. They want to sign you. They want you to do a new album. I'm like, with Prong, I'm like, he's like, you got the band together? I'm like, yeah. And I,

I said, sure. And he said, like, and he told me how much money the advanced those that I was like, yeah, I got the band together. This is fucking unbelievable.

I was like, what the fuck? And they're like, swear to God, maybe a half hour later, in and out call me up. And they're like, you could start Monday.

And I'm like, Like, no, I'm not going to take the job. Like, I was like, I went right into, I was like, I got to write some songs and put a band together now. So, like, I didn't have any idea what was going on out there. Like, it was like when Static was starting out and, like, I had this drummer that, like, this guy, Dan, I knew. And I was friends with Monty Pittman, was playing guitar from Madonna. And he was like a big prong fan. he hit me up and I was like, uh,

you want to do work on a prong album? He's like, yeah, man. He plays with ministry now. It's like, he's took also in my place. And it's like, yeah, I'll do it. And like, I got Dan together. And like, I didn't even know, I had no idea who the fuck static X was. And like, you know this is being static X and like limp biscuit and it's sort of like, some of the riffs are sort of based on your stuff. I'm like, I don't care. I don't know. So I, I just had some riffs and I put this, this terrible prong record called Scorpio Rising Out, which is fucking...

A lot of people like it, but it's pretty terrible. Really? My opinion. So I did it. We should have just done like a Static X style record. It probably would have been huge, but it's sort of like I don't know what

it is, this record. I have no idea what genre it is. It's just it's just weird. It's weird. Okay. Yeah, so like... And then I went, I had like, everything's on a baritone guitar.

Everything's like really low tuning. But at least it brought you back, man. Yeah, it brought me back a little bit. It didn't really do that well. I mean, it got you out of a in and out. Exactly. But then I went back then. It didn't really do that well.

So I sort of went back into another quitting stage. Like, I think I went to, it did another Danzig run. And then I was like, fuck all this. Again, I went into like a really dark hole after this. and then yeah then eventually we got back and I was playing with ministry

Glenn fired me over something silly and an Al called me and then I started working with him and then I was like let's get prom back together and yeah it sort of took it from there you know it's like

probably 2012 is when I started doing prong seriously again with others like when we did like the carved into stone record so with evidence

which when I started getting strong serious again seemed like you just get these phone calls just bring you back I know it was so weird I mean that that one was the classic

one was like Tommy Victor like yeah it's like I'm Paul Spreeks I can manage you guys and I got a record deal for you what do you think I'm like

well how much I mean you know it could be anything from you know three grand to you know with the amount of money that it was, which we went through,

we hired this, oh, what the hell is this guy's name? I can't remember this producer. We hired the wrong producer, and it's probably a blessing that I don't mention his name because I hate, if anybody I can't stand in the whole music business, is this guy,

this guy completely ripped me off. This guy was like, we started a record, the Scorpio Rising record, the guy was coked out of his mind, Oh, yeah. And he just wasted so much time. And then he wanted to get paid.

So the record, we wind up finishing it with Steve Bruno, who wound up, he was okay. And not really. Produced that mixed. Yeah, he's, yeah, he, yeah, he was friends with the Motley crew guys and blah, blah, blah. But he had a studio over in Santa Monica. It was like, it was more of a rehearsal studio than anything.

but he wound up working with five-finger death punch, I think. But how did you feel like walking into... Danny Sabre, that's the guy. Nice. Terrible human being. Absolute piece of human garbage. Should have been called Scorpion Cook Rising. I've seen him out a couple of times,

and I was like, you talk about restraint, and I was... How to restrain myself. Man, maybe, uh, my, no, uh, no amends, possible amends, maybe? Uh, older age, like, I can't. Maybe, I don't know. It's, it doesn't bother me that much. The guy's an asshole.

That's all I can tell you. It's tough, huh? Yeah. How did you feel walking into, uh, in and out? Like, just that acceptance. Like, all right, you know, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm a job, man. I had, I had, I had, previous to that, I was going through a really dark period. I was running out of money and I was just fucking around.

I had like this, this crappy girlfriend that was just like bringing me down. And it was just, you know, finally she split. And I was like alone and I was like, I, going back into regular life was exciting to me. And to this day, like I laugh at my ex, my wife, my ex, my ex, I went to my wife. I'm like, you know, I've never, I've all, I've done a lot of jobs. Like, I was doing like little bit like fire restoration. I did, you know, obviously, I told you cab driving, bike messenger.

I worked retail. I've done, you know, other little weird things here and there when I had to, you know, work with loading trucks or whatever the hell I had to do. Like, even when we were signed to a major label, I had to do some stuff like here and there. But I never worked a fast food restaurant. So that was like one of the things I was like, you know, flipping burgers doesn't sound to be that bad. let me see how bad it can possibly be. Because I remember when I was a kid,

there was this guy that hung out when one of the cover bands I was playing as a kid, and he was like, I work at White Castle, and I'm like, really, dude? Like, how was that?

And he's like, I love it. Yeah, he was like, he goes, I just get into a whole thing, like, and I'm just into it, man. I'm like, all right. You know, I can eat as much as I want. It's like, cool, man.

Like, you know, so I would never forget that. He goes, and he was never really that opposed to it. So I was like, maybe it's good. I don't know. Maybe I'll get into this whole thing. I want to be working fast food. So, you know, something I never did and I wasn't, I wasn't negative about that. Sometimes doing the tours that we have to do and some of the things I got to do with prong now, they bum me out, probably more than walking into in and out. You know what I mean?

Like some of the things are just like, eh, like it's like managing your own band and some of the stuff you got to do and, you know, budgeting tours and realizing you're not going to make any money and that whole kind of thing. Oh, yeah. It's really, is this really how much, like, like, we were doing over to Europe, and I had this road manager that, and I didn't want to do the European tour unless this guy was doing the road managing and doing our sound. And I even told my agent over there, I'm like, I'm not going to do it unless this guy,

Dieter does it. And it's like, oh, Dieter's in, of course. because he handled everything like he'd be like I got the budget I got the transportation I didn't have to do that much I hire road manager to set up this tour to all the stuff and bales on me

got a other gig so I was scrambling and that's when I'm like you know this is I had a scramble find crew find everybody deal with these guys are more expensive now try to find the whole thing and I'm like and then I'm like looking at the budget and it's just

like, wow, like, I'm not going to make any money on this whole thing. So it's like, you know, I made, if God willing, I'll break even. And I did wind up breaking even on it. So, yeah. You know, it was like, you know, I didn't want to can. I asked, I was like, why have I for a couple of times? I'm like, this is getting, should I cancel? And she's like, I don't think you can now.

It's too close, you know, like, because this is looking bad. If you can deal with it financially with me being gone. And we wind up losing money because I got to spend so much money on, on, on nannies and, you know, daycare and all this other shit. So, you know, that's where the expenses come in when I'm not around. Dang, at home expenses. So even when you leave, you got to think about the at-home expenses.

Yes. You're leaving. Yeah. Oh, my goodness. Oh, yeah. I got a mortgage, too. So it's like, you know, like luckily my wife, it does pretty well. So, and she didn't always.

Like when we first started dating, she was, had this crappy. job and you know it's like it sounds like I'm saying that because people say oh you know Tommy married you married a lawyer

and like you know blah blah blah but it's like it still wasn't like that because she wasn't really doing she's an entertainment lawyer and she's you know they the same things don't apply so it she eventually got a really good gig but you know she hates it too then anyhow but no she doesn't

hate it but it's like it's like it's stressful you know it really is hard she has had a good high position it's just very stressful so it's like you know we figuring these things out so a lot of times like you know with the band it is like you know it's you put back to your early question like it's almost weekly or almost daily where I'm like is this freaking worth it man and it's always like something like we did aftershock the other day and it was a cluster fuck like the whole thing like you know dean I didn't really hire like a real role manager Dean

or bass player he's done a killer job sort of filling in as a road manager and there was a lot of things like they changed the time we were going on I didn't even know you know like blah blah blah there's a whole bunch of shit going on sure you know and it was just like but we went up there

and everything was fine and we did the show and I thought it sounded great and I thought the response was killer so it's like okay this is worth it you know like I call so I call Megan the essential reason why we came out and did this was because I was doing uh because we were doing aftershock.

So, you know, my wife was like, you know, it was worth it to do it because it sounds like, you know, it went over well and you had a good time.

So that's, like I said, it's balance. It's never like, it's never like, you're never on this peak and you're, that's why he peaked,

a mountain peak is a very short little thing there. And it's like the, the trek up there is like, is a long way. And then you're up there for a little bit and then you got to get down. It's like,

it's like those little moments where you're like, Okay, this is cool. And then it's just like, here we go down again, into the valley, and trying to climb you way back up again. That's what,

that's what it's all about, you know? It is, man. The fucking climbing up is this, it'll fucking drive you insane. Yeah. Well, it kills people. Look at the,

look at the casualties we have. Like, you know, not only Kurt Cobain, but, you know, it's just amazing. You know,

Chester, like, like, one of the biggest bands ever in our, lifetime the guy's miserable like why why would you be yeah like I don't understand why these guys are so damn miserable you know like it's it's unbelievable it's like every band that you listen to Otain they sound like like like fucking Olympus I mean like like Lincoln Park on

it's like they've I know it's crazy it's all Lincoln Park Lincoln Park Lincoln Park like everybody you know it's like down tune link Lincoln Park yeah exactly you know like oh shit right so impact yeah everybody has demons man. Yeah. I guess I don't know what, uh, what was going on in his mind. Only he knew. Well, you want to stay on that, you know, uh, you want to stay up on, on top too long.

You know, Chris Cornell, too, like, you want to stay there and they don't understand that you can't stay there that long. So that's the thing, you know. But there, I mean, you're talking about guys that are like a huge major success, you know, Right. You know, like, I get, like, I'm, I'm in a great mood if we get, like, 300 people at a, at a, at a show nowadays, you know, it's like, then I'm like, wow, this is. Big fucking turnout. I know, exactly. You know, these guys, you know, like, oh, shit, there was only 15,000 people saw us today, you know, like, so it's, it's just weird. Like, I went to Metallica. Like, we, we, they were nice. They had us do this parking lot show out at the, at MetLife Stadium with the, just, it's just, it's just, you know, it's just, it's. and Giants play.

So we did this parking lot outside the Metallica concert. Nice. Like last year, like they picked us and Overkill. So Overkill did one day and we did the other day on the parking lot show.

And it was like, it was a trip, man. Like they are so huge. It's fucking unbelievable, man. Like, it's like, I can't. Because I saw them when they were playing like the felt forum in New York, which was like 3,000 people.

And I thought that was huge. Now like 80,000 people two nights sold out? Unbelievable, man. It's like... It just keeps going too. There's MetLife Stadium in the back. Oh, my goodness. So there's like 80,000 people a night at like what?

Was the low ticket price? It was like $2.50 or something. My goodness, dude. But... It's only one. Only one Metallica? Yeah. I bet.

I bet even they're fucking bummed out sometimes. Everybody gets bummed out. I guess. Yeah. I have a theory why why certain bands, not necessarily get big, but I guess like the Chester's

are a good example, or Chris. It's like what, but what makes that music? No matter how much money, you're so going to be that fucking. Well, you know,

it's like you get, like your guitar is beautiful. Like it really blows this one away. It was like, I was playing that. I'm like, that's inspirational. Like,

and I play something like that. So I got like an SG recently, and I was like, this is cool. Sometimes I got to get like a different guitar or something, you know, like, or like I like I like talking, you know, we have a smartphone.

So like something happens. I come up with the thing. Oh, that could be a lyric. So that's what keeps me going now, like with songs like, you know, I, your lyrical ideas, like talking to somebody like you.

And like now, you know, I listen to, we'll go back and I haven't listened to suicide silence. or maybe like three years or whatever and you go back and listen and I was like holy shit this is fucking killer you know like you know real bands

like you know and then like I got a new car right it's actually like my father was helping us pay for the lease but it's like so I got a good car and it's got it's got um uh serious in there I started talking to Jose the other day I was like you know I haven't listened to liquid metal and octane

for a while and now I got a new car and I was able to listen because I got serious on there and like I was like that's in You know, these things make me like want to like make records again or whatever. Just little things. Yeah, you're just fucking searching sometimes for like that inspiration. Yes. Searching.

And then when we were not searching, yeah, that's kind of when you're bummed out. There was a, I ever told this story before. It was like, it's funny, you were talking about going to end and out. I've worked in the food industry. Oh, okay, cool. Pre-band. Right. And a year and a half ago, I was in a really low.

I didn't tell anyone, but I went back to my, uh, I'm gonna fuck us I'm fucking over you know you know you're like mental like dialogue it's over I'm done right I fucking drove back to my first job and try to get my job back as a dishwasher

and uh they were full like uh like the manager he's he's still there he's like what are you doing here it's like you want a job I was like yeah I need he's like well we're at we're at capacity I mean he's used to me going there all the time and eating and I asking about

about the band and now and now this And so luckily it was full But I I could tell by his face It's like, why? Like are you doing? Are you okay? I left there. I went to Chili's

Try to try to get the same job. I was uh And luckily again, they were at capacity to like, no, we're not hiring. And then I went home and I was like, what the fuck are you doing? Stop stop being a bitch. Yeah. Yeah. It's like it's just.

outwork this thing outwork and then and you get you get out of that not saying there's anything wrong with getting a job there's not but but when you but it was why why am I doing this because because you're giving up

you're giving up and I know if you if you do give up you'll never you'll never you'll you'll you will regret this moment for the rest of your life that's tough you ended up because you know like suicide

side of this is such an iconic brand and name and band. And it's like, I know living in SoCal, it's just like, you don't really come across kids that don't have like metalheads that don't have suicide silence t-shirts.

Like, you know, they're everywhere. Like, you guys are like heroes for like, I guess, like inland empire, local heroes. So that is interesting hearing something like that. Of course. It's like, you know, my wife sometimes,

you know, I keep saying, you know, like, you know, like, you did prong, man, you got to wake up

and smell of coffee. Like, you know, it's like, you know, like, you got to like realize,

you know, like what you've done. You know, you got to sit back and somehow, somehow get grateful if that, you know? So like,

I'm like, after a while, I'm like, yeah, man, like, I have a bathroom, like,

downstairs and, and I put, yeah, I don't have all the covers, but I got, like, most of my album covers are on there. I'm like, I have to go in that bath, I'm like, wow, that's pretty freaking cool. I got, you know, like 14 records out, you know,

like 15, maybe even more. So, you know, did he bring my phone back? Yeah. Oh, you got all the case. Yeah, thank you. Shut up for you start. We got it. So, I'm like, what the fuck is going on?

That was my, I was talking about my oldest sister a lot, and that was hard. She's like my mother, you know? That's cool. It's like, how can you're not calling me back? She's lives in Brooklyn still. She's just like, you know,

how come you're not calling me back? And your mom, uh, your mom has since passed away, correct? Yeah, a long time ago. Both of my parents.

I was like the last of five. That's my daughter up there. That's like my, oh. So, yeah, so, first your parents didn't like the music,

but I'm sure in time, they, they, I assume they, they've seen what you've done and be like, oh, no, like, uh,

the, this is, that's pretty funny. Like my father never, he never, he, he, he,

he, he finally told me, he goes, yeah, I, because I gave him the first record, primitive origins and way later, before he died,

like, he goes, yeah, oh, because he remarried and one of, uh, my stepmother's, grandchildren,

so once you play this prong record, that thing, and he's like, yeah, finally listen to it. Oh, yeah, it's pretty,

crazy stuff. I'm like, what's, you know, I even forget what the kid's name was, but they played it.

And they were like, whoa, what the, that was like way later. And then, I was like, really? Okay.

And then my mother worked at, and, she moved down to Florida in Tampa, and she was working in, at the, at the cafeteria of a high school in Tampa

being, where death metal started. And then somebody says, you're, Mrs. Victor, are you, are you, any relation to Tommy Victor?

And she's like, yeah, that's my son. I'm like, so they called her the prong mother. So, so that made, she was just like,

they call me the prong mother down there. They know who you are. And I'm like, yeah, I have records out. Yeah. And she's like, oh my God.

You know, it's like, so that was like her big thing. And then, um, When I was playing with ministry, we got nominated for two Grammys. I heard she found out about that, and that's what made her really proud. Yeah, she was like, oh, my God, you're going to the Grammys.

I can't believe this. So that was a big deal for everybody in my family. They finally, like, because even one of my other sisters just like, no one's into the hard rock anymore, you know, like she's like, you know, no one's listening to that, you know? And then finally, when Carverton-Dissone came out, she was like, you know, oh, I got the record and I really like it. I'm like, where did this come from?

You know, now her daughter is one of my closest nieces. She's a huge problem for her. Like we did the cleansing record out in Long Island. She flew out just to flew out from Portland just to see it just to come out and hang out with me. And so, yeah, I mean, it's a family affair now. It's like everyone's into it. My oldest sister comes. She's 80.

and she comes to all the gigs. Whoa. Yeah, so it's crazy. I mean, talk about taking time. There's another guy, Larry Foreman, he's dead. He's in this band Jack Pipe, and we did a lot of bunch of local shows with him, and he's dead.

Like, guys are like dying, man. I'm like, that's why he's like, just heart problems and shit. It's unbelievable. Are you still running? Yeah. Nice. Yeah, I do it.

I haven't, I lost some, like, muscle mass with it because I was just trying to, like, lose some weight or whatever, you know? But it's like I lost a bunch of, you know, muscle because I'm running too much. Oh, so you're running a lot. Yeah, I was running. I was doing it. Every once in a while. Then I go back into mode where it's, I'm at home.

And now I live on Long Island. And I don't know if anybody's been in the Long Island. And it's a completely different diet than it is in Southern California. It's like Italian food and maybe Chinese food. And then like, that's it. And diners. So it's like, and then I go to a lot of. because my son's like in kindergarten house.

It's like birthday parties and like, you know, I'm with my family who all to live out there. So it's just like there's always something going on. So I'm like stuffing my face half the time with like Italian food and crap, you know, stuff that's like, you know, getting like just unbelievably. So I was like, I got to watch out. I got to like do cut some calories every day. So it's like, you know, I'm like, you know, dropping my kid off.

and then I'm doing running, like, you know, that's what I got to do. So, you know, but I haven't been lifting because I decided, like, you know, I was lifting and then I sort of like pull, I got a torn rate rotator cop, so I had to stop. So whatever. Oh, no, dude. Yeah. I try to keep my, like now, I'm like, you know, like these guys, I'm with these kids and they eat like maniacs.

Like it's like, it's 2 o'clock in the morning and it's like, yeah, let's get some Taco Bell, you know, like, I'm like, dude, I can't, man. And like, I was out in Europe and we were doing shit. shit like that. I'm like, I'm too old man, I can't do that shit, you know. Yeah. Well, you look fine. Yeah. We're always trying to keep our our stomach down. Yeah.

That's all we're trying to do. Exactly. That's all I'm trying to do. Trying to keep it down. I get the side. I call it side bloob. It's like the this the oblique fat that I get. You don't want that. I know. That's what I get though. That's the first thing that's going on. My brother's

like, hey, you're getting a little, you know, the side bloob going. Oh, no. He's trying to stay fucking. It's hard. Side blue. There you go. So, see, when you wear the, you know, you're wearing the tight pants.

Yeah, that thing hangs off. See that? Yeah. Yeah, it comes out. Yeah. I don't know how to get rid of that shit. Well, do you be, before you take off, man, you got to talk about your Schechter, man. Oh, yeah, man.

I haven't used it. Originally, it was called the Devil Custom Model. Yeah So it's like Yeah So it's like So it's like Um

Uh You got the classic EMG The Zach thing going So Um Sometimes I do use the front Like sometimes I'll bust it to it

I'll do the I'll use the front pickup Oh nice So especially with Danzig like you know you know it's a lot of the

just the blues you know you know you know that sounds good yeah so a lot of that so I use the front pickup

for soul like John Christ did that a lot you know so that's dope that kind of shit you know so I have to have to have the front pickup

because I use it for Danzig and prong and then yeah man it's just like I mean you get this model I had another signature model

that I didn't like the way it came out so I said They had a devil custom and they stopped making them. I go, just make those and put Tommy Victor on it. Yeah. It looks mean. It's just like it's just, it just.

Yeah, it looks. But I was like to stretch, I mean, I prefer, started prefering the double cutaway I owe me thing a little bit, you know, and that's what they had. So, I mean, check there always been good. Like we got all our guitars stolen. We're playing in Dallas and they broke into the, they just, Diles again. Is that where you guys got? No, no, we literally just had a band in here. The last band we had in here had shit stolen from Dallas twice.

Oh my God. We played trees. And then instead of like, they don't even bother, like, we had a trailer, like a you all, they didn't even bother, like, trying to break the, the door out, the back of the trailer, or the lock and everything. What they did, they just cut through the side and just cut a hole through that, that stuff you could cut through that shit. Oh, they just cut a hole.

They just cut a hole. Oh, my goodness. I don't want to, I don't want to instruct thieves on how to break the U-Hauls, but it's, it's, it's probably like a 15 minute. It's just, it's happening, you guys. There's a big, fucking hole on the side of the trailer. We had, yeah, well, ours was a shitty little U-Haul, and they were able to, they just ripped the thing down and then took everything out of there.

And then, Shector, I'll never, I'll never be disloyal to them because they just FedEx, the whole shitload of it gets. Tars out the next day. Are you serious? Yeah. That's dope. Yeah. Shout out the Schechter.

Badass. Yeah. It's cool. I mean, the thing I like it, but a lot of people don't use that model and their devil custom model. So they just put Tommy Victor on. It's the same model that they hang. Can I jam it?

Yeah, go ahead, man. You want to drop C or the standard tuning? I want, is that, is that drop C? I'll take. I'll take, drop C. Is it a drop C? Trade, trade. Yeah, I will, your guitar is so fucking cool.

It's great, dude. Yeah, dude. Yeah, dude. It sounds killer. Great sounding guitar. Cool. Woo, it sounds fucking dope. Dude.

Yeah, dude. Fuck yeah, Tommy. Gorgeous. Absolutely great. Go for it. It sounds heavy, dude. That sounds cool. Chabelle.

I love it. Yeah. Oh, my God. Damn. How do you? I think we just sport a riff. You get that nice that. Yeah.

The U and B on here. Fucking. Very good. Oh, you got the fun pickup going, yeah. That's cool, man. Sounds awesome. Yeah, man. What's the, uh, it's a neck through, right?

Yes. Awesome. Pretty sick, man. Neck through. I got to use the Floyd. I mean, I would have. if it wasn't playing with Danzig, I wouldn't be using the Floyd that much

because, I mean, although big to differ in the early prime one because I used the Floyd, sometimes through bending the neck I could get away with it, but like there's too much of John Christ stuff he's got too much Floyd on it. Like, I have to use it.

That's dope, man. Holy crap. Yeah, I gotta get a guitar with a Floyd. I don't have one. They're a pain in the ass, bro. Oh. Oh, no, no, no, no. I need a Floyd now.

Shit. You know that, the way you know how to work it, so. Wow. Oh, shit. You got to go for it. You got to do it. That's a new song right there.

Yeah, there it is. All right, Tommy, I don't want to take too much of your time. We got to rush you over to a house of blues working. Where can people find you? What do you want people to go? You could try to just message me, Tommy Victor, on Facebook. Facebook. And if you're.

If you're cool enough, I'll answer you back. I don't only go with that Tommy Victor 23 that much on Instagram and that you can try to... Maybe I'll start using that again. And then there's prong the band on Instagram. Okay. And then prongmusic.com. And then prong is just on general...

There you go. Oh, that's right. We do it. This is another one. Promusic.com? Yeah. You guys did a cover. Oh, well, it's by a year old now, a rush cover?

What's that? You did last year you did a rush cover. Yes, it's, yeah. That was the working man, yeah. Most, what are the, about their drummer? Oh my God, I don't know. I think it came out like yesterday, dude. Right, it did.

Yeah. Yeah, I think, I mean, I don't know much about drummers. Like, I don't on that up on him. Tyler said she's rad, so, I mean, I trust Tyler. Okay. I don't know anything. I'm not like one of these people that watches drummers all the time on YouTube. Oh, yeah.

well it's cool that i got a question for you yeah if you had somebody to produce the next prong record who you think you should do it produce next prong record we don't have to answer it what do you trying to go with uh modern modern i don't want to sound like we're doing retro you know like there's so there's two there's two ideas that pop up in my brain. One, some bands are putting out records that are, they're producing it themselves. A lot of people are now. Yeah. We just had Chavelle in here. Their, their bass player did it. And top five record. Wow. So that's like, so that stuff like that is happening. Yeah. So, and then internally,

people are getting really sick. It's not like, you know, something like, like, like, like, back in a day, we're producing our own. But it's, but it's, but it's like, people are learning how to, like, track records and it's popping. Uh, fuck. I'm a name. I don't have the home studio like that. It's just for demos, my studios. Like, I can't. I'm really liking Dan Bronstein. I didn't have heard that name.

Yeah, he's done on Spirit Box stuff. Day Seeker. I'm liking what? Oh, that's a huge band. I like that, though. Dan Bronstein. He kind of mixes both. As far as heavy stuff, this guy,

Hunter from a band called Psycho Frame, he's been putting out some pretty cool. shit. I think he's either I'm blanking either Georgia or Florida. Be a Hunter from a psycho frame he's

yeah Hunter Young he's been recording some hot heat nice all right I know we got two guys we got two guys or one off the wall idea I like it dude if Hunter does a fucking prong

record that might be sick because he's doing... Hunter Young, huh? Yeah. He's doing some really cool, like, heavy shit. And it sounds awesome. Cool. Yeah.

He said she's very jazzy. Oh, we're getting jazzed up. We've got freaking two snares, so that fits in the rush... Rush Rome, right? Is it? I guess so. Yeah. Yeah, Rips.

It's rush. It's gonna sound sick. Well, I guess I'm going to see a rush now. Yeah, man. That's it. That's it. She looks cool. Well, Tommy, have a good show. Yeah, thanks for that.

Show tonight you have any music to push? Oh, it's just, well, the stadium emergency record push came out two years ago. That's still the current record. It came out pretty good. Evitz did it. I know you guys work with him. Then we have a live record coming out in February. It was mixed by...

Joe Sincada, who's done all the suffocation records. Sick. So that's coming out in February. And it's called Live and Uncleansed. And it's all the songs from the 31 years of cleansing, plus some added songs, some of the more pop ones. And then with studio records coming out in October, like I got to write it.

and I'm going to go in and do it and we're going to knock it out. So, you know, we just, like I said, we got signed a napalm records and we're doing another record. Awesome. Tommy, thank you for your time, man. This is wonderful. I had a blast. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, man. Thank you. All right, one. That's it. Later. Later.