Interview With the Members of ScreamKing






By Mick Michaels


COSMICK VIEW: Hello fellas! Welcome to the Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it is greatly appreciated.

CV: What drives you to continue to create?
Joe Lawson: My band members, my family and our fans.

John Michael Seyring: Life experiences for lyrics…music come naturally and sometimes the lyrics will inspire the music and vice versa.

CV: Was music your first love?
JL: Yes

JMS: Absolutely, I have a picture of me at age two of me playing a bath brush shaped like a guitar.

CV: Would you say music has made you the person you are today?
JL: To some degree yes for sure.
JMS: Definitely 

CV: Could you see yourself doing something completely different other than music? If so, what would that be?
JL: I could not imagine not having music in my life but I also love martial arts.

JMS: Yes a Mercenary 

CV: Which artist has inspired you the most?
JL: Rob Halford
JMS: To a name a few: Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Pat Travers band, Michael Schenker and Uli John Roth.

CV: Non artist…who has been your biggest influence?
JL: My brother Josh Lawson

JMS: Wong Jack Man


CV: Was/Is your family supportive with your musical pursuits?
JL: Thankfully yes

JMS: Yes on the surface.

CV: What do you find inspires your music the most as a songwriter?
JL: Real life and history

JMS: Life experiences and musicians with virtuosity.

CV: What's your go to album for motivation? Why that album?
JL: Too many to list but a few would be: Judas Priest “Painkiller”, King Diamond “Conspiracy”, Dio “Holy Diver”, Iron Maiden “Somewhere in Time”. The vocals and music really captured my attention, lit a fire in my heart and inspired me for many years.

JMS: Judas Priest: Unleashed in the East. Makes me feel good!

CV: Some of your favorite artists... past and present, who are they?
JL: Charred Walls of the Damned, Death Angel, Testament, Helstar, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, King Diamond, Metal Church, Accept, Wolf, Nevermore.

JMS: Rush, ZZ Top, UFO, Scorpions, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Kiss, Manowar, The Dictators.

CV: The one album you feel every Metalhead should own and why?
JL: Judas Priest: "Painkiller" because it is the Holy Grail of Metal!

JMS:  Black Sabbath: Heaven and Hell. Best musicianship and song writing I am aware of in the Metal Genre.

CV: What do you consider is a defining moment in Heavy Metal history and why is it significant… how did it impact the genre?
JL: Bands like Megadeth, Metallica and Testament when they first appeared on the scene in the early 80's they developed what we know now as the thrash scene and it impacted thousands of people and musicians to thrash!

JMS:  The decline of the old music industry and the rise of the new internet industry. Negatively it hurt album sales; positively you reach a wider fan base.


CV: Who would you like to work with if given the opportunity?
JL: Rusty Cooley 

JMS:  Tom Allom 

CV: What do you feel are the top three things it takes to make it in the music business as an artist?
JL: Money, Money and more money sadly.

JMS:  Marketing, Distribution, Branding

CV: There has been a lot of remarks among established rockers these days regarding young, up and coming bands, that they don't stand a chance at making a career with music into today's industry... what do you think? 
JL: A lot of things have changed as far as making music your living, that being said I think it is more important for an artist to focus on developing their own sound, maturing and growing into the best potential artist that they can become, worry about money and fame secondary if at all.

JMS:  There is a way to do it, they just have to learn it and do it correctly. It's just like the stock market; no one is going to teach you how to do it. You must learn it on your own.

CV: As an artist, what do you feel are your strengths?
JL: My range, my spirit and my creativity.

JMS:  Never giving up. 

CV: What do you think separates bands of today from bands of the past?
JL: Bands of today face many challenges but also have many tools at their side that bands of old did not have, like modern technology in recording, social media, etc...

JMS:  Bands of the past were better-rounded musically and tended to have a higher level of musical training.

CV: With so many iconic women eligible for induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of fame, such as Cher, Stevie Nicks and Carly Simon many among others, why do you think they are being overlooked?
JL: The Rock N Roll hall of fame is sadly a joke and a community of snobs who have no clue on what real Rock N Roll is!

JMS: You would have to ask the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.


CV: We hear so much negative commentary regarding today's overall music industry. What's your take on it? Is Rock really dead?
JL: My take on it is the reality of today’s music industry is a constant uphill climb filled with a lot of pitfalls and tribulations, myself personally I just focus on the music and let the rest fall into place. You, your readers and I are still alive so that means Rock is most definitely not dead!

JMS: No, but it is very unpopular in the US. I was having a discussion with Ross Friedman aka Ross the Boss and he said that countries with strong warrior culture histories have larger rock and metal fan bases.

CV: What’s next for you?
JL: THEE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT!!!!!!!

JMS: ScreamKing: Thee Indomitable Spirit

CV: Thank you again guys for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success with all your projects.

JL: Thanks for the great interview!




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