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Interview with Laz of Ill Niņo
HOB - Las Vegas - November 11, 2005
Phil: All right how's everybody doing out there? It's closedcoffin.com doing an interview with Ill Nino, and we're sitting here with Laz. How are you doing?
Laz: What's happenin', man, it's good to be on here once again. It's a pleasure, thanks for having me on, man.
Phil: It's been over a year since we had our last interview, since then you've got a new album out, One Nation Underground. I was going to ask you about how long it took you to record the whole thing?
Laz: Um, wow man, I'm terrible with times! It took maybe about a couple of months, see the thing is, the way the dynamics of this band is...we get off a tour and we start writing a record, right into pre-production, right into recording...all at once! Maybe the whole process took about, maybe 5 or 6 months to do. To write, pre-production and to record the new record. Yea, about that. The actual recording of the record took maybe, 2 months. Less than a month of tracking, then between mixing and recalls, you know, going back and saying "hey man, I want this thing louder!", the mastering....the actual recording process took two months, I'd say.
Phil: That's not bad!
Laz: Yea.
Phil: Where you guys writing a lot of stuff on the road?
Laz: We didn't write anything on the road! We've never written on the road, you get so preoccupied with other shit that goes on, on the road. You know, between the parties and you start hooking up with friends that you haven't seen, family members/ relatives. It's really hard to write on the bus, especially when there's so many of us. There's always 12 people on this bus, living on this bus. So, it's hard to write. But, you know what, when we go into the studio, it always feels like you had all this music bottling up and it just pours out when you start writing. It's like, wow! I was a little nervous, I didn't know if there was going to be inspiration! But, we all knew what we wanted and we went after it!
Phil: Ok, cool! I wanting to ask you if there was any specific meaning behind the name, One Nation Underground?
Laz: Cris has a meaning to it, it's suppose to take on different meanings. Underground, representing, the musical scene underground. Also, representing the behind the scenes of the underground. And, also representing underground, meaning under ground. You know, when you close the coffin and they put your ass under ground. So, it takes on all these symbolic meanings, on this record.
Phil: Like closedcoffin.com! laughs
Laz: Very closely! Very closed, closed nice and tight! I mean on this record, we also wanted to pay tribute to all our musical bands, that we grew up listening to. The different styles of music, you know doing it Ill Nino style! We wanted to incorporate New York City hardcore, in there. We wanted to incorporate some of the thrash music, that later on that bands like, after Maiden and Sabbath and Zeppelin....you start discovering other bands that start coming out. Like Anthrax, Metallica, which at the time was considered thrash metal. So this album, I think we wanted to mesh a lot of those traditional styles and forms of music with our style. Some of that Latin feel to it, that New York Latin Jazz feel to it.
Phil: Ok. So this tour with Static X, just started a couple of days ago. How's that going so far?
Laz: Yea, fucking amazing, amazing! I didn't realize how similar our fans are to each other. A lot of people that are into Static X are into our band and vice versa. We're the type, you know what, we were just on the Disturbed tour, as well, prior to being on this tour. I think we're the type of band that, we entertain the crowd, no matter who we're playing with. But, these guys are fucking wonderful! Static X has been terrific, we got off to a great start, they treat us with a lot of respect and we're actual friends. So it's kind of cool to be out with them. It's a wonderful build and a great rock show! We're having a blast and it's just getting started, we're just getting warmed up.
Phil: I noticed it starts in like New Mexico and then ends up, like 2 dates in LA. It kind of goes around and comes back to LA. Are you guys from around there, or are you from New York. Where are you guys from?
Laz: We're from New York, New Jersey area. Which, this tour ends in LA, which I don't know if we're going to be able to make the 2 last shows in LA. Due to, we have to fly out our crew guys, to get everybody home in time for Christmas, it's going to be difficult. We don't want to do that to ourselves and we don't want to do that to our guys that work with us.
Phil: So, there might be some rescheduling?
Laz: There might be some rescheduling, just for those 2 last shows. That's still a maybe, we're not quite sure but, in between we're taking some time out to do some shows in Mexico, as well.
Phil: Oh yea, because the fans have been asking in Mexico.
Laz: Yea we're going to be doing Mexico, as well. Doing 2 shows in Mexico City, Guadalajara or Monterey. I'm not quite sure which one, but we do Mexico and we have a blast out there too!
Phil: How about Australia? You heading down there? They're still asking for Ill Nino down there!
Laz: Yes, they are! We get a lot of fan mail from Australia. We're playing Australia in 2006. Hopefully by, May or April. We are definitely going to Australia! Australia and New Zealand.
Phil: Nice!
Laz: That's already in the works! This time around we're going to make it there, and we've got an European tour coming around too. In January!
Phil: Awesome, awesome! Because there was a gig in Holland that was canceled because of some scheduling conflicts?
Laz: Yea, we were going to start Europe a little bit earlier and go this year, but there was some scheduling conflicts with starting this tour, the album just came out, we felt we needed to spend a little bit more time here. So, we just postponed everything and we'll be out there in January! We'll be out there for 45 shows for Germany, Scandinavia, UK, Spain, it's going to be hot!
Phil: There's a lot of talk on the websites, both illnino.com, your website and illninoworld, the fan site. A lot of talk about when are you coming back to various areas, Germany and so forth.
Laz: Yea, this is the time. January we'll be out there! I know we've been kind of making them wait a little while. I don't like doing that, because our fans are so loyal to us up there. We like to get to them, like quick, we don't like to make them wait for anything! Unfortunately, due to scheduling, we had to postpone it a couple of months.
Phil: Has there been any other bands that have been thought for the tour? For either the European tour, or the Australian?
Laz: There's been different talks. You know, Static X is coming out, we might go out together. Also, Devil Driver was one of the bands that were up in the air. Right now those are the only 2 bands that we're trying to work out.
Phil: That could all change at any...
Laz: It could all change at any time, you know what, the way this business is, man, more than likely it will change. But, we'll be out there with some cool bands. We do plan on bringing some bands out with us. We're not going to go out there and just come us, we want to bring them a show with a package. Expose them to other bands, make it a little bit more fun! Give them more reason to be at the show!
Phil: Ok, that's cool! Any talk of any festivals over there, possibly? You know, like WACKEN those type of Open Air festivals?
Laz: Definitely! See that's why we're doing Europe now in January to February then we come back and I believe we're doing the headlining run, the Ill Nino headlining tour in the states, South America, that's when we begin with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and then go back during festival season and just do festivals. I'm pretty sure, there's so many of them, they're all amazing to play! The festivals in Europe, are probably my most favorite time to tour. You get to hang out and see some of your favorite bands, some of the bands you grew up with.
Phil: Yea, I notice a lot of the kick ass bands tour in Europe but never really come back to the states. It's just like, you know, because they have such a fan base back there. They come here and nobody comes to their shows.
Laz: Yea, you know we've been very fortunate. In Europe, we have a very solid fan base and what I love most about our fans in Europe is...the love you once, they love you forever. It's not like I used to love Ill Nino.
Phil: Yea, a year ago, now you're old news!
Laz: Exactly! I'm not into your genre of music, I'm not into the bands that you tour with and what not. European audience is a straight up fan, if they choose to love you they don't stop loving you. Which, you got to respect that! I guess I consider myself that way, if I love a band, I don't stop loving them. I don't say I used to listen to Maiden, I used to listen to Sabbath. No, I listen to those bands and I still do, I still enjoy their records, I still enjoy throwing on Judas Priest, British Steele. Unleashed in the East, or Number of the Beast. So many great records, The Clash, The Ramones, I'm a music lover. The records I once loved, I still love. I don't want to change that, it kind of sucks when you start noticing that fans begin to change their point of view. They say I used to love you guys. What's the matter? You don't love us no more? Are you fuckin...
Phil: Kind of like Kiss, when they started doin'...put on spandex and what not, did that whole thing.
Laz: laughs Well that's a little different, because I mean, you did something that they're against. But I think we've been pretty straight up with our fans and we've always delivered the type of records that we wanted to write and the type of records they want to listen to.
Phil: Cool, so back to the websites and stuff. Your illnino.com and illninoworld.com, are you guys actively involved in the message boards? Do you go on there, do you stay in touch with the fans? Post messages?
Laz: Oh absolutely! We have actually, just recently discussed to make it a point to be a little bit more updated. From here on end, every week one of us will be posting a tour diary. Give you a little report of where we're at and what we're doing, what we've been doing, and what we're gonna do. We haven't been the greatest in staying in touch, some have, I always look at the fan E-mails and I'll try to respond personally. When someone is really seeking out of importance that they can't get anywhere else. If you're E-mailing me and asking me, how many records I've recorded in Ill Nino. You can get that information on the website. But if you're asking me personal questions or you're trying to figure out this song and you want to know what key it's in, where's the progression change or something personal in my life, something that you're probably not going to know...whatever it is. They ask "what's your nationality?", those things I don't mind answering. I'll answer to all of them. You know, if it's personal and it's information you can't get from anyone, but me, I will take the time to write back.
Phil: Are you or any of the guys in the band involved with any of the design or upkeep of the website? Or does somebody else do that?
Laz: No, we are involved in everything that has the name Ill Nino on it.
Phil: So you guys do your website? Updates, news and everything else?
Laz: Absolutely! We try to keep as much control as possible, we don't want someone expressing us in a way that, we don't want the expression to be missed. We're always going to deliver it the way we want to, so if someone wants to decide they're going to do it a little different, we have to approve it.
Phil: Such as illninoworld (.com)?
Laz: Well with the exception of illninoworld, illninoworld (.com) is more of a fan site and I'm very grateful to them, I think they do a terrific job! I'll tell you something, the illninoworld is so on point that when I'm trying to get tour dates, sometimes, there has been occasions where I went to illninoworld (.com) because I couldn't get them any where else! They're so on top of it, man, I just don't know how they do it! Like my thought is, there's got to be at least 25 kids that are online 24-7, just waiting for the next story to break. Because they are so on top of it, they do a terrific job! We always try to, they can contact us at anytime. Yoni, who runs the site, put it together, we have become friends and he can reach us at anytime. Anytime that we're in Holland or Belgium, we hang out together.
Phil: Nice! That's cool!
Laz: Sure, we always like to do something special for the site too. Give them a special interview.
Phil: One of the questions on or a request rather, from the fans, on both the message boards...were asking for more music tabs, not just guitar tabs but, you know, other various...
Laz: Yea, you know that is something we should do, there are people, fans, that have transcribed it and posted on certain songs. Sometimes I look through it and say, "oh man, that's fucking wrong!" laughs It's their interpretation of it, " wow, it's wrong or wow they got that part right, I'm impressed!" You know what? That is something to keep in mind. Maybe we should start thinking about putting accurate tabs of the songs up, so people don't have to. But part of the fun is to sit down and figure it out! Then when you get lost, then look at the tabs. The tabs are cool though, I'd love to do it though. I should, that's something I should look into doing in the future. I should take some time and I'll do some bass tabs. I get questions for that, also, all the time, when I get fan mail. So, I should have all my songs on tab, so when they ask me, I'll just give it to them! Yes I do, do you have them, yes I do, what songs do you need?!
Phil: That would be good! So, you got your new video out, What You Deserve, off the new record. Directed by Dale Resteghini he's worked with like Mudvayne, Fear Factory, Shadows Fall, all the big guys. I just wanted to ask where they shot that at?
Laz: We shot it in New York. Brooklyn, we shot it in some go-go bar in Jersey. Mainly all of it was shot in New York City, Brooklyn. Dale has been a friend of ours, because he's also from the area, he's been talking about doing music videos with us for a long time. We finally just said, all right, we're doing a music video with you, whether our record company likes it or not! He's very stereotyped for doing all the metal and hardcore bands. We're like, that's cool by us, he does a lot of the bands we like and he does a terrific job! He did a great job with us and we also shot another video with him, for This Is War. Which will be coming out I believe in like January.
Phil: Ok, will that be the second single?
Laz: I'm not sure if it will be the second single, but it will be the second video, for sure.
Phil: Because your first single off the new record is also, What You Deserve. Right?
Laz: The first single is What You Deserve.
Phil: Ok, just like the video.
Laz: Just like the video! This Is War, it's kind of like an underground single. It's a little bit heavier, it's not going to get main stream radio. But it will be out there, it will get some of the metal specialty shows over on the video, college radio. The kids are really feeling that song, so it's kind of hot! Give them a little performance, I dig that video, that video came out pretty hot!
Phil: Yea it did, it was awesome! It was weird, that guy was laying there at the end with the money and you guys walked on by. I was like "oh, they did not just walk on by." Then you turned around and grabbed the money, ahhh that's what I thought. It was pretty funny! So that was cool.
Laz: laughs Yea!
Phil: I like that! So, let's see...that's pretty much all we had there. We asked about that second single that was going to be coming out?
Laz: Yea, January, which will be This is War. You know, don't expect it to be a radio hit but it will be a, it wasn't intended to be a radio hit. Nothing is ever really intended to be a radio hit, for us, as far as we go. But, record companies look at it a little different.
Phil: Right, so you're still with Roadrunner.
Laz: We're still with Roadrunner, yea.
Phil: Ok, so thing going ok?
Laz: Things are going, alright. I personally feel that they could have been a little more on top of their shit on this new record. But, I can't complain, they've done the right thing by us throughout the years. We've been very fortunate to get up to this point.
Phil: Are you on a several album contract with them?
Laz: Yes, we are.
Phil: Ok, where does that stand? Where are you at?
Laz: We're at album number 3, I think we're contractually bound to them for five. This business is so weird, you know, you never know. It's all a crap shoot, you can get dropped...
Phil: Yea, that whole five album deal, I understand.
Laz: Or a lot of band will pursue to try to get off the label. You never know, you end up at another label. I mean, regardless of what happens, Ill Nino, will always be around! Ill Nino, ain't going no where! Regardless of what label we're on, who we're working with. Our fans have been good to us, they stick with us, and we've been very fortunate to have that type of fan that sticks with us, throughout. Since record number 1, throughout the entire history of this band, what more can you ask for?
Phil: That's right, and you're on tour with Static X right now! Which is awesome, it's going good! Shit, I've been seeing you guys all over the place!
Laz: Fucking great! Yea, you know this is the type of band, we just don't stop! It's like going to war, we go out there and fight everyday! I guess it's something we love to do! Fight, meaning, I mean it in a profound way. Fight, meaning we love to strap our instruments on, and just tear shit up! It's just the thing that this band does. We're constantly working, we don't have any time down. We go from tours, right to the studio, right to writing records and recording. We just don't stop!
Phil: Well cool! It's been good talking to you again.
Laz: Thank you very much, man!
Phil: What do you have to say, final words for your fans?
Laz: I just want to thank all of our fans, that have stuck with us and been loyal to us throughout the years. It's an honor to have that special feelings from them. So I just want to thank you! Stay with us and we'll continue doing right by you!
Phil: Awesome man! Thanks for taking the time out with us, here in Las Vegas, with closedcoffin.com.
Laz: Thank you for having me!
Phil: We'll catch you later buddy!
Laz: Alright brother, take it easy!
For more information on Ill Niņo visit them online at...
http://www.illnino.com/
or at their label...
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com