Interview with Guitarist and Vocalist Chuck Lazaras
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Chuck! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it is greatly appreciated.
Chuck Lazaras: Thanks for having me! I’m happy to be here.
CV: What do you feel sets the band apart from other bands,
especially those of similar sound and style? What specific allure does
your sound and style have that has people taking notice?
CL: In many ways this album is a departure from my regular
sound and style – so I began by setting myself apart from me. I really wanted
to capture a period in time. So the band, Jon (drums), Brad (bass), and myself
(guitar and vocals), took a step back and really focused on capturing an early
seventies vibe. We wanted to pay tribute to one of our favorite bands, Black
Sabbath, but we also wanted to be true to ourselves. We ended up with a fun,
unique album.
CV: For any band, dynamics is key to grabbing an audience's
attention. What do you feel is the main ingredient to having such a captivating
dynamic and being able to bring something more to the music?
CL: You have to mean it. You have to
believe in the music and in yourself. You want to bring the audience into your
world while they are listening to your songs…and, of course, playing really
loud helps.
CV: How would you describe the ultimate musical
experience for your fans? And how does the band go about
creating that musical vision, while generating the impact the band
wants to have on its audience?
CL: Sit back, spark it up, and ride along
with our musical time machine. We try to embrace the seventies vibe and
incorporate that into the show. But it’s more than just wearing cool bellbottom
jeans and leather jackets with fringe. We try to capture the sound from the
era. I’m playing SG guitars (including a couple of Iommi SGs) and Laney amps.
The band has embraced the experience – and we bring that to the audience.
CV: The music business has always been one that regardless
of who you are, where you came from or where you've been, you can either sink
or swim. Does this type of realism have any effect on how the band drives
itself to succeed?
CL: I’ve been doing this for a long time
– I must be a pretty good swimmer. The important thing is to love what you do.
I make music that I want to make. I enjoy every aspect of it, and I think it
shows.
CV: In your opinion, is there any middle ground for a band or is
it a do or die climate in today's music industry?
CL: I suppose there’s always some middle
ground. I think a lot of bands exist there and are comfortable. That’s not for
me. I have to love what I do. I put 100% percent into my music. I don’t know if
that makes it do-or-die. But it definitely keeps it from being boring.
CV: How would you describe the band's internal energy? Does the
band’s outward appearance align with its true inward nature from your
perspective?
CL: The energy is great. I’ve known Jon
for closer to twenty years than either of us would care to admit. Brad has been
playing with us for over a year and has a long history of making music. It
feels like this team has been together forever. Each of us brings something
special to the mix.
CV: What's at the core of the band's songwriting
approach? Are there certain elements that are considered when a song begins to
take form and evolves?
CL: We were all over the place with this
album. Some songs were born nearly fully written; others formed from loose
jams. In many ways, the music creates itself.
CV: Do you allow things to just happen when writing; seeing
where a song goes, or is there a certain course of action and structure you
keep a song on, thus, essentially making it destined to achieve its overall
potential?
CL: Sure, sometimes things just happen.
Songs grow and expand over time. Every song is different. Some songs come
together very quickly; others must age for a bit. When it comes to songwriting,
I’m not sure there’s a perfect formula. But there always seems to be a moment
when the band looks at each other and says, “Yeah! That’s it!”
CV: Do you feel how the fans and critics describe the band’s
music accurately reflects how you would describe the band’s music?
CL: Yeah, I think so. I don’t think
there’s any mystery about what we’re doing. We’re pretty straight forward. With
that said, I don’t think there’s a wrong way to interpret the music. We all
hear and interpret songs in our own way.
CV: Walk us through a typical show for the band...what can
fans who have never seen you perform expect?
CL: The sound is big – we’re a
three-piece band, but don’t let that mislead you. We generate a lot of noise.
The three of us are great musicians and we play well together. We know our
space and each of us takes full advantage of what our instrument offers. We
just played a great show on Friday the 13th. This was the fist show
since the album was released and we incorporated the entire album into the set.
We played a couple of our older tracks that flowed well with the new songs and
created a live experience that fully embraced the heavy doom elements while
throwing in just a bit of punk sensibility.
CV: What more can fans look forward to seeing coming from the
band?
CL: This was originally meant as a
one-off project. It was something I wanted to do for years. The reaction has
been tremendous. I am honored and humbled by the love that this album has
received. Maybe there’s a Volume 2 at some point in the future….
CV: Thank you again Chuck
for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. I wish you all the
best and continued success.
CL: Thanks so much! I’ve enjoyed our
conversation.
Check out
Chuck at:
www.chucklazaras.hearnow.com
https://www.facebook.com/chucklazarasofficial
https://www.instagram.com/chucklazaras/
https://chucklazaras.bandcamp.com/
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