Bellfuries Chat Mike (RGR), highgeared@hotmail.com - Posted Wed, 3 Dec 2003            Here is an interview I still had on my puter. Its a very informal interview with the now extinct Bellfuries from an extinct RAB zine I once did called Real Gone Racket. Some people may find it offensive ... but you gotta remember ... They're musicians. Wait a second ... so am I. (but that is open to debate) any way here is the interview and a pic. Take it for what its worth or not worth. RGR: Tell me about the Bellfuries or tell anyone. There's a lot of people who don't know about them. For anybody who does not know who the Bellfuries are, give a brief history on how you came about.            JOEYSIMEONE: Well, I'm from Cleveland I moved to Austin. I was there for about a year before I started doing anything musically. I played with this guy named Steven. And we knew Josh. So Josh was playing bass I was playing lead guitar and was singing. And after one show, I was like "I don't want to play lead guitar, I want to sing". Josh is the first up-right bass player I've ever played with. As soon as we started playing I was grinning from ear to ear! He's the best bass player. He's my favorite bass player, even though he's gay. So anyway, after that show we started playing and we had a drummer.            JOSH WILLIAMS: Frank            JOEY SIMEONE: Named Frank, God Bless him, a pretty little boy he is. Josh was playing with Marti and a couple of other bands for a little while and then we finally got serious and started the Bellfuries.            RGR: So how many weeks, years, months has the name "The Bellfuries" stuck to you guys then?            JOSH: Two? Three? - ..Two and a half years now going on three.            RGR: So you did it right then. You developed your sound first then put out material, rather than a band that get s a name and then puts out a cd before they even develop a sound.            JOSH: Yeah we practiced for like 8 months before we did anything - .            JOEY: We practiced for a while and I was working so music was kind of on the back burner. Even though I didn't want it to be. I think it just kind of took a while to build up confidence and figure out what I really wanted to do. We were a lot heavier actually, when we first started out. I played electric hollow body he played bass, and we had a drummer. It wasn't like Reverend Horton Heat or anything. I brought an acoustic guitar to practice one time cause something was wrong with my guitar. And that was it you know! After that happened we didn't even want a drummer anymore. I love the sound. I love three piece bands. If you have a good bass player.I like small room music. I love that - that - .just throwin' your shit in a corner and playing.            RGR: Speaking to Nick Curran: Are you gay too?            NICK: Well, not truly. Just when I'm with these guys.            JOSH: Just when were alone and kinda get confused!!!!            RGR: (lots of horsin' around and wise cracks start flying)            RGR: So what are the influences from the Bellfuries? I know we were talkin' about heavy metal S.O.D. and MegaDeath.            NICK: Guns N Roses!            RGR: Which particular Guns N Roses? It's gotta be Appetite for Destruction. When you first started playing music as a kid, what was the first guitar riff you learned to play? Was it Stair Way To Heaven? Or was it blues? Or was it just metal?            JOEY: Mine was Metal. I think I started playing around - I think 1985 - yeah 1985. It was MegaDeaths first record. The first riff I learned was a song called "Rattle Head" - and um - no, I never learned Stairway to Heaven. I'm proud to say that I never learned that ****** song and I never was a Led Zeppelin fan either. Some of the music I can stand for about - 10 or 15 seconds. The singing gets on my nerves.            RGR: What about you Nick?            NICK: Well - (chuckles) - I was pretty much the opposite. I did learn Stairway To Heaven. And I was a huge Zeppelin fan. Also my favorite when I first started playing guitar was G&R. ( Guns N Roses) Appetite For Destruction was the first stuff that I actually really learned on guitar.            RGR: So Slash is the man!            NICK: Slash, yeah, I was totally into that. And I also liked old Aerosmith - and OZZY I liked OZZY and Black Sabbath. My stepfather and my mom had all those records. Twisted Sister I really liked, and my favorite was AC/DC. AC/DC was it. Angus and Malcolm, The Young Brothers.            RGR: What about you Mr Josh?            JOSH: OH - I thing the first thing I played was, I wanna hold your hand. It was really easy. I know it's a NO NO, to like the Beatles.            NICK: Yeah!!!! There you go!            JOSH: Don't tell anybody though. Don't tell anybody that I think that they are better than over all anything. Better than any rockabilly band ever.            NICK: ohhh - now you're getting a little cocky.            RGR: What put you onto the path of playing Hillbilly/Rockabilly music?            JOSH: Actually the Misfits. I really got into Danzigs voice. And some how, I dunno - thought Elvis was a good singer. I started putting Vaseline into my hair and doing a Devil Lock.            NICK : And Vaseline on your palms too?!            JOSH: On my palms and on my Head! It was Great! It was so great.            RGR: What about you Nick?            NICK: I was playing in this band when I was 14. I was drumming in this band, and we did everything like, Zeppelin, G&R, Metallica, Skid Row, Ozzy, AC/DC. My dad was a blues player and when I was 15 my dad asked me if I wanted to play in a band with him. I ended up playing rhythm guitar in this blues band. So I was playing blues when I 15. When I was 17 I started getting into rockabilly a lot. I was kind of into a before, a little bit. Had my own band for a couple of years. Then I started playing with Ronnie Dawson. That's when you first saw me.            RGR: At the Zephyr.            NICK: Yeah, opening up for Chris Duartee. (Just hint of sarcasm on that one)            RGR: How many years ago was that?            NICK: I was 19. So that was like 4 years ago.            RGR: So are you a regular guitar player on the road with these knuckle draggers?            NICK: I guess for now. I mean if I can do any stuff in the future. When I'm not doing my own stuff.            RGR: So what about this Album you guys finally recorded?            JOEY: Ok what do you want to know?            RGR: How long did it take? Are you proud of it?            JOEY: I wish we would have had more time, but everybody always says that I'm sure. I think it came out good. It's pretty Lo-Fi. We kinda had to nickel and dime it somewhat. How long do you think we were actually in the studio?            JOSH: - a week?            JOEY: Yeah about a week. But yeah I like it. I'm excited about it.            RGR: I've noticed you've slowed it down a bit. Since that Demo you gave me a year ago.            JOEY: Yeah, we went through this period were I think we were playing everything to fast. People would show up to the shows ready to dance. And a couple of times they would say its just to fast, we can't even dance. And there's my speed metal influence. I tend to speed up everything. Josh tries to slow it down. I like everything fast and when I listen to it later its to fast. Plus, Anthony played on that and now we have Bobby.            Well folks that's all there is there ain't no more! The guys had to get up on stage. They had finished their pasta and beer and it was time to play. Besides, I don't know if ywall wanna read more conversation about metal bands.! MIke - highgeared@hotmail.com Back to the "Take Note" Main Page HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: CHECK ON THIS FINE PRINTING COMPANY: Promotional Products, Discount Labels, Post-it Notes, Rubber Stamps, etc.