Driving Force: Travis Fry (inFEST Tucson, Freedom Assault, Resisting Arrest AZ)

In this edition of Driving Force, we tracked down the illustrious and mysterious Travis Fry, main man behind Resisting Arrest AZ, Freedom Assault and the annual spectacle of punk that is inFEST Tucson. In between being in a band and running the Resisting Arrest empire, Travis still finds time to put together inFEST each year, which focuses the spotlight directly on Arizona's amazing punk scene for one weekend every year. Travis is also a long time collector of Russian nesting dolls, and continues to write his first Broadway musical in his spare time. He's also been known to count the grains of sand on random beaches across the country. Essentially, Travis is a punk rock Rain Man, and is ultimately cooler than you will ever hope to be. We cornered him outside the local 7/11 where he was trading inFEST tickets to kids for their free Slushees and asked him a few pertinent questions.

Driving Force: Wayne Rudell (Powered Wig Machine)

By: Salvia Hex

In this edition of Driving Force, we journey south to Americas' borderlands to track down the mysterious leader of Powered Wig Machine, the infamous Dr. Wayne Van Halen Rudell Esq. Our good friend Wayne is not only the driving force behind heavy Western rockers Powered Wig Machine, but he has also recently started to establish Sierra Vista as a regular tour stop for traveling bands by reaching out to a local bar named JR's Pub and enticing them to open the doors to bearded, vest wearing rockers from across this continent. We tracked Wayne down as he was attempting to sell some nu-metal kids a BOSS Metal Zone pedal (no mods) outside the local Hastings and forced him at donut-point to answer some questions for us.

Driving Force: Brett Thomas (Ladybird/Metal Night)

By: Salvia Hex

In this edition of Driving Force, we reached out to the barren, desert wastelands of Phoenix to track down the illustrious Brett Thomas of Ladybird. Aside from being in a stupid heavy sludge band, he's also the main man behind the Metal Nights at the Time Out Lounge, where once a week he infiltrates the world of Bud Lime and Kenny Chesney to drop a heaping slab of heavy wax all over unsuspecting ears. We cornered him outside the local methadone clinic and forced him to either answer these ten questions or we would report him to Sheriff Joe Arpiao's racist posse.

Driving Force: Dave Carroll (Southwest Terror Fest, Diseased Reason)

By: Salvia Hex

We had a chance to sit down with Dave Carroll, guitar wizard of Diseased Reason and Inoculara and one of the driving forces behind the Southwest Terror Fest, a fully DIY undertaking, booked by musicians, for musicians. Keep reading for some insight into the fest, it's origins and Dave's issues with Danish midgets...

Driving Force: Craig Artz (Gridlokt, A Fall To Break, Xenocode Studio)

By: Salvia Hex

In this installment of Driving Force, we sit down and talk with Craig Artz, the main man and driving force behind numerous Tucson bands like Gridlokt, A Fall To Break, Answer To None and Xenocide Digital Recordings.

Craig has been ensconced in the Tucson music scene for the better part of 15 years now. He spent many of these years as the creative and motivational force behind Gridlokt, a band that toured extensively throughout the western states and opened shows for some heavy hitters in the industry like Superjoint Rutual and Devildriver. Gridlokt recently got back together for a reunion show this January, proving once again that they can sell out any venue they're booked, and that they haven't lost a beat in their time off.

Driving Force: David Rodgers (Godhunter)

by: Walter Kovacs

For this installment of Driving Force, I present an interview with David Rodgers.

David is a guitarist and vocalist for the band Godhunter. Godhunter has been a seminal force in the Tucson metal scene for a few years now. Despite some line-up changes, this last year has seen a lot of action for the band. Within this last year they have released their first record, a split 10” with Tucson’s own Methra, as well as the new devastatingly heavy recording “Wolves." Godhunter is a band that is not afraid to piss people off and push the boundaries of heavy music.

Driving Force: Carlos Arzate (American Android)

By: Walter Kovacs

American Android is a very powerful hard rock band from Tucson, Arizona. They are a no-frills band that has deep commitments towards social change and self-empowerment.  They have self-released two great albums Silent Partner in 2008 & Reconciliation in 2010.

I just watched them perform at Plush, at a packed show they did with The Life and the Times and The Vases. Not only is their music infectious, I seriously believe that they have one of the best rhythm sections in the southwest, between Oscar Acedo (ex-Gat-Rot) and Matthew Shepard. Their music is very powerful and dynamic. Sort of like if you strapped a Harley-Davidson engine on an Incubus chassis, while driving down Soundgarden Boulevard, listening to Bulls On Parade by Rage Against The Machine. Their lyrical approach is so beautifully harmonized that sometimes it feels as if their songs of protest and resistance are more like ballads then anthems of discontent. 
  
I asked lead vocalist/guitarist Carlos Arzate to answer a few questions about his music and songwriting.

What would you say gives/gave you inspiration when you are/were writing music?

I feel like inspiration will spasm out of you involuntarily.  It's beyond your control and you essentially become a vessel for the transmission of what becomes the song and message. More generally a broad worldview also plays a role in some of our socio-political themed music. “Make Him Speak” was written about torture (water-boarding specifically) and the music is designed to paint the picture of such a brutal act.  The lyrics are the voices of justification. For example: "get that man off of his feet the doctor says he's good for more, the water's gonna make him speak."  In the end inspiration is unsustainable so making the most of it when she comes is crucial to the life of a project.

Driving Force: Kevin Ryan & Phillip Holman (Lariats)

By: Walter Kovacs

In this edition of Driving Force we have a double shot of rock for you. Representing the Tucson band Lariats we have Kevin Ryan and Phil Holman.

LARIATS consists of an indestructible line-up of rock and roll veterans. They are not afraid of defying odds and fighting the good fight, all in the name of kicking ass, breaking hearts and drinking beer. They have a great sound that I think is somewhere in-between Defeater and AC-DC. It is fun, passionate and sincere. I had to steal the following description directly from them to accurately describe them, because it is so great:

“LARIATS is comprised of rock and roll's redshirts. They've taken bumps and bruises in pursuit of their passion. Constantly coming back for more. In previous lives, the members of LARIATS have cut their teeth playing everything from house party's and basements to warped tour and world tours. They've seen trends and band-mates come and go. They've been stabbed in the back, heckled, weathered the storm of bad press and even worse reviews. In spite of time and distance, obligation and responsibility, the LARIATS boys have come together to write heartfelt, earnest rock and roll. They have stuck it out to write their swansong. The band is forged by fire and friendship. LARIATS are unstoppable. They are carefree and in love. LARIATS is made up of Kevin, Cody, Steve, William, and Philip Patrick. They've been in other bands. They've probably played with your band at some point in the past 15 years. LARIATS will soon be your favorite band.” 

Check out the two songs they just finished recording at: http://lariats.bandcamp.com/

Driving Force: Zack Hansen (North)

by Walter Kovacs


In this installment of Driving Force, we talk with Zack Hansen.

Zack is the drummer for the band North. North is a band who has a sound that is difficult to categorize. It might be said that the roots of their music lays somewhere in-between the atmospheric heaviness of bands like Explosions In The Sky and the metallic discord of A Storm of Light. They are a devastatingly brilliant band that has released three albums since their inception in 2005.

Their last recording, 2008’s What You Were was met with great acclaim. It was even included in Decibel Magazine's top 40 albums of the year for 2008.

Driving Force: Jeremy Talley (The Bled)

By: Walter Kovacs

The roots of inspiration manifest themselves in so many different ways. And when it comes to songwriting that spark can ignite at just about anytime.

In order to better understand the mindset and background of a band, what better way to gain insight into that process then to ask those band members about what they find influential? I asked several members of bands with ties to Arizona about what inspires them to write music, and to share some insight into their creative process.

Over the next few weeks we will post a different interview featuring some of Arizona’s most outstanding musicians.

The first posting in this segment will be from Jeremy Tally. Jeremy has been in several amazing bands with ties to Tucson. Over the years he has been the driving force behind several amazing bands, including Scathe and Bury Me Standing. Most notably he has been the guitarist for The Bled. Over the course of a decade, they released four full-length albums, two split releases, and two EP's, and changed the face of hardcore.