137 SHADES OF BLACK

137

137 IT'S NOT A BAD THAT HURRIES TO RELEASE ONE DEMO AFTER ANOTHER. THEY PREFER TO IMPROVE AS MUSICIANS BY PLAYING AS MANY LIVE GIGS AS THEY CAN AND PRACTICE A LOT WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS, NOW ARE READY TO RELEASE THEIR NEW EP AND CONQUER THE WORLD WITH THEIR MUSIC. ANYWAY CHECK OUT THIS INTERVIEW, BECAUSE YOU WILL FIND SOME VERY INTERESTING AND SINCERE ANSWERS.

1.FIRST OF ALL MAKE A SHORT BAND PRESENTATION AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO THE READERS.

Hi, we're an American Sludge/Death/Doom metal band out of Rochester New York. We started out in Michigan and relocated to New York in 1997. On Bass/Vocals: Keith Baughman, Guitar: Denise Baughman and Drums: John Paradiso.

2.WHAT DOES 137 STAND FOR? IS IT A SPECIFIC NUMBER? HOW HAVE YOU DECIDED TO NAME THE BAND NOT WITH A NAME BUT WITH A NUMBER?

137 is kind of a numeric Yin Yang. The number 13 usually being associated with bad luck and 7 for good. Not much else behind it. The main idea behind using a number instead of a word for the band is so people don't get any preconcieved ideas on what the band is about. It makes you have to come and see the band to find out what we're about. If we were called something like "Rotting Skull Lust" it would probably attract a certain crowd, but at the same time turn off another. I think it's more important to let the music do the talking rather than just having a clever name. Since we named the band, the number 137 pops up everywhere in my daily life now. I look at the clock and it's 1:37 or I get change back from a cashier and it's $1.37. I think it's safe to say we get plenty of free advertising.

3.CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MUSIC! IT'S GREAT AND IT'S LIKE MIXING IN A WAY THE BLACK SABBATH SOUND WITH EXTREME VOCALS. DO YOU AGREE? COULD YOU NAME SOME OF THE OTHER BAND INFLUENCES?

Yeah, Sabbath with extreme vocals is a good way to put it. As for influences, my favorite band is Type O Negative which I've heard comparisons. But I grew up listening to pretty commercial stuff like Motorhead, Helmet, Pantera and believe it or not....I was a huge Kiss fan! I think each of these bands has found it's way into our music. John's influenced by bands like Iron Monkey, Karma to Burn, Portishead, Meshuggah, Candiria and Burnt by the Sun. Denise likes most of the same stuff as well as King Diamond.

4.HOW MANY RELEASES DO YOU HAVE THIS FAR? ARE YOU AT THE POINT OF SAYING THAT YOU HAVE PROGRESSED AS A BAND? IN WHICH FIELDS?

We have only the one self released demo so far. We've been busy developing our style and live performance. I think the course is now charted and it's about time to take it to the next level by submitting to the lables and expanding beyond our immediate area. We've developed a lot as a band, especially in the live performance department in my opinion, and ready to move to the next phase.

5.WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THIS DEMO CD YOU SENT TO ME? ARE THESE 5 SONGS NEW? WILL IT BE USED AS A DEMO FOR THE LABELS OR CAN THE FANS ORDER IT AS WELL?

I hope the demo I sent you is to be 1/2 of a completed project. We're going to do another EP this summer which will be the 2nd part of a final full length. We'll probably throw another song or two on the final project when it comes time to complete it. We've been selling Product of the Environment at shows and on our website (http://www.onetirtyseven.net ). It will be submitted to lables along with the songs from the upcoming EP.

6.WHAT ARE YOU SEARCHING IN A LABEL? I MEAN WITH WHAT CRITERIA WILL YOU SELECT A LABEL?

Since exposure is the key I'd hope we could get involved with a lable that does great distribution. Obviously, tour support would be the dream. Give me either and I'd be a happy boy.

7.WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT? CAN YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS FOR EACH SONG OF YOURS? WHAT GIVES YOU INSPIRATION?

Life's the inspiration as far as songwriting goes. Since life really is a bitch there's an endless supply of material out there. Getting it out in a song is better than any therapy money can buy. Performing it live is even better. In the beginning I was only supposed to handle the instrumental aspect of songwriting so my friend and former bandmate Matt Fry wrote the lyrics for "Slug." So I won't speak for him when you're asking what the song is about. It's a great opener song so we play it all the time and I have my interpretation of what it's about. I think it's about things you can't change. The next song on the CD is called "13 Shades of Black" and that's about a rage-a-holic blackout. Kind of like if you drink too much and don't remember what you did the next day. It's about being so angry the same happens. "Parting Sabbath" is the anti-anniversary song. Instead of the song celebrating "the day we met and fell in love" it's about the day the relationship ended and the celebration of that day. "Savior" is about a guy that wants to save the world by ending it. Basically a mercy-killing. Believe it or not, "One too Many" is NOT about alcohol. It's about my belief that if you need a license to drive, get married, etc. you should also need a license to bear children. It's a far more important responsibility yet anyone with a half a brain and a set of genitals can create a life that can very easily be displaced in this world while the rest of us has the burden of paying for that bad descision.

8.YOU SAY IN YOUR BAND BIO THAT YOU ARE IN THE FINE LINE BETWEEN NON - COMMERCIALISM AND MARKETABILITY. CAN YOU BECOME MORE SPECIFIC? HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO DO THAT?

Growing up I listened to a lot of catchy commercial music. I loved that, but later fell in love with more underground stuff. I really don't like most music you hear on the radio these days. It's marketable, which is why you're hearing it, but lacks substance in my opinion. The underground has that substance, but the nature of the beast is that it will never be widely available. I'd love to be the band that bridges that gap. If not us then someone else. The scene really needs that. I think Pantera did a great job as far as this goes....a metal band that broke into the charts. That was cool.

9.I SEE IN YOUR BIO THAT YOU HAVE PLANNED AND ORGANIZED EVERYTHING CAREFULLY. I MEAN YOU HAE THOUGHT ON WHAT AUDIENCE YOU CAN ATTRACT AND YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS OF BROADENING YOUR FAN BASE, AS FOR A EXAMPLE THE FEMALE GUITARIST. IS IT JUST A TRICK FOR YOU TO HAVE A FEMALE BEHIND THE GUITAR? IS IT JUST STRATEGY?

No, it's really just dumb luck. Denise is actually my sister. What better chemistry and level of devotion can you find out there if not in family? I was just lucky enough to be born with a sibling that wants to do the same thing I want to do.

10.HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS TILL NOW? HOW IS IT PERFORMING LIVE?

I think we're a live band. Recording isn't my favorite thing by far. Since emotion plays a big part in the delivery I think you have to be there to "get" it. Hearing recorded notes is one thing, but being part of it and experiencing that is quite another.

11.WHICH IS THE WILDEST DREAM YOU WANT TO MAKE TRUE THROUGH YOUR MUSIC?

To pay the bills by playing this music. I'd love to devote all my time to this. I would also love to get over to Europe.

12.HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR A METAL BAND TO SURVIVE OVER THERE? DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANCES? ARE THINGS BETTER NOWADAYS OR NOT?

Metal bands drop dead on a daily basis. It sucks, but you can't blame it all on the bands. Metalheads either don't seem as common or as devoted as in the past. There's a domino effect from there....people don't show then clubs don't book. It goes from there. I've heard things run in cycles and hope that's true because now it's no good. I see a possibility for improvement so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

13.IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Is "genuine" an emotion? I don't want to say angry or something like that even though that plays a part in the music. Heartfelt? Can I say that?

14.YOU ARE GRANTED ONE WISH. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE IN THE WORLD?

Greed - more gets done if we work together. Strength in numbers....that kind of thing. Greed underminds that concept.

15.WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

One Hundred Thirty Seven Shades of Black

16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

You're very welcome. We thank you as well. I think you asked very good questions. We have CD's and other merchandise available at: http://www.onethirtyseven.net . With any luck someday soon we'll be in your area to promote the band further.

Christine Parastatidou

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