Davy Flatliner - vocals, guitar, bass
Billy Flatliner - drums, guitar, bass
MM
- Where do the band call home?
B - Scranton, Pennsylvania
D - Ass Backwards, PA
MM
-
When was the band formed and how did you first meet?
D - We're cousins, so the two of us have been involved in music for as
long as I can remember.
MM - For anyone who hasn't already heard your music, how would you
best describe it?
B - If you are talking about our first cd I would say rock n roll with a
little glam and punk thrown in, if you are talking about our newer stuff
it has more rock n roll with an industrial flavour like The Newlydeads,
Vampire Love Dolls stuff. If you get right down to it, we are a rock n
roll band!
D - I like to think of us as an eclectic ensemble.
MM
- Tell us about the new CD.
D - Our new cd we are currently working on has an industrial edge without
losing our rock punk roots.
MM
- Are you signed/unsigned at present?
B - Unsigned at the moment
MM - How has the music media in general taken to your music? The
French seem to have positively embraced your songs.
D - Music media? I don't know them.
B - I think people in the US are too into what MTV and the big record
companies tell them they like, where people in other countries seem to
have a more open mind when it comes to music, I think that explains the
"French Connection".
We have a decent following in the US but when it comes time to talk to
club owners and mainstream magazines there first question is "do you have
a video on MTV?"
MM - Where did the name 'The Flatliners' come
from, was it the film, and if so why that particular film?
B - We wanted a name that was dark as well as being stylish. We didn't
want a name that would instantly categorize us. I honestly forgot about
the movie until someone brought it up after we named the band.
I liked the idea of a "flatliner" being someone who is dead and buried and
rises back up. They are dirty, decomposed, not in that great of shape but
they always seem to have their best outfit on.
D - Well said Billy, nicely spoken.
B - Thanks.
MM
- Your music is quite heavily influenced by the 80's glam era, which
band/artist is your all time favourite?
B - Hanoi Rocks, highly under rated band. I highly recommend giving them a
listen.
D - I equally enjoy Hanoi Rocks. I was also influenced by the typical 80's
hair bands, and obscure ones. Witch comes to mind.
B - "Cinderella In Black Leather" by Witch is a classic!
MM
- Do you have any plans for a European tour?
B - We would love to tour Europe but unfortunately, due to the financial
part, I don't think it will happen anytime soon, unless we could hook up
with a band on that side of the ocean that would let us tag along with
them.
MM
- What was the last band you went to see in concert?
B - Dope
D - Megadeth/Motley Crue but I was thrown out before the show started.
B - It was a good show.
MM
- As well as the new CD, what other goodies do you have available for us
to ask Santa for?
B - We have a lot of stuff for all of you. T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts,
sweatshirts, Babydoll T's, coffee mugs, and mouse pads available at
http://mp3.cafepress.com/flatstuff
MM -
Do you think the rock world will ever recover fully from the Seattle
invasion that killed most of the lighter rock bands off in the early 90's?
B - I think it was needed. For as much as I love 80's type music, in your
face rock n roll, it was becoming watered down.
The same thing is happening today with the so-called Rap-Rock. Once the
record companies see that a couple of bands in a certain music genre are
making money, selling albums, packing concert halls, they will sign any
band under the sun in the same genre, be it good or bad. That usually
makes the scene very stale.
D - As long as you can feel the power of music it doesn't matter which
genre is in power.
MM
- One of your flyers recently won a rock competition, tell us about that
and who designs your promo stuff?
D - That contest was for Sound420.com. Great website, check it out if you
get a chance. We upped the flyer one-day for the contest and by the next
day we had almost 100 votes for it already.
B - I initially design the promo stuff along with the CD covers. Then I
show them to Davy and get his input on everything. I must have over 100
flyers designed that we didn't use for one reason or another. We had
a great Xmas flyer that we never used, maybe this year. MM - Do you think the internet has influenced the way the band
present themselves and their music?
B - Definitely.
D - We are at a time where you can here music from around the world, not
just what the music industry thinks we should.
B - We can write a song today, record it tomorrow, and by the next day a
kid in Japan can already listen to it, fascinating.
D - Along with the music, I think the Internet makes the total band
package, music ... attitude ... look, more important. Back before the web was
readily available, the only exposure was through your album/cd booklet and
a few magazines, now with one click a person could check you out online,
if you have a website. "shameless plug"
http://creeper68.tripod.com
MM - Lastly, if your music could be used as part of a soundtrack for
any TV programme or film, which one would you choose?
B - X-Files, Southpark, maybe the next Matrix movie.
