SILENT CIVILIAN Interview

The Gauntlet: How's the weather on your tour?

Jonny: Please tell me there's fucking 15 inches of snow and it's disgustingly cold maybe also if you have the flu too.

The Gauntlet: Actually San Gabriel Valley has 80 degree weather. I'm doing this interview sitting by the pool with a nice vodka lemonade.

Jonny: Oh my God! Fuck yeah dude. There is a reason I live there.

The Gauntlet: What else is going on?

Jonny: We have been touring man, doing this Nothingface tour. Outside of the weather, this entire tour has been so fun. It's fucking incredible. Those guys are back now and they are selling out a lot of the dates. We are playing totally packed houses. It's kinda weird because some people know what I'm playing in now and others look at me like they know me from somewhere. We have been getting super good reception from the crowd.

The Gauntlet: Is this the maiden tour for Silent Civilian?

Jonny: Yes, this is our first time out of LA.

The Gauntlet: Is it difficult touring with a new band, working out the kinks and everyone's personal quirks?

Jonny: No, these guys have it easy. We have a RV. My first two years in Spineshank, we lived in a van. We are fortunate enough to have an RV for this tour. Right now everyone is just adjusting to the privacy and personal space issues. The weather isn't permitting us to go outside a lot. Being so confined to such a small space can be nerve racking at times. On our off days we try to get a hotel.

The Gauntlet: What about touring without an album out? Most people at the shows probably don't know the songs.

Jonny: As far as that, I think it's really important to get out there and tour in support of the record. It's not coming out til May now. We need to just build that buzz and keep going around. We need to hit every possible city we can and build that buzz so sales are high the first week.

The Gauntlet: Are the shows peoples first experience? Or do you get a lot of kids who goto your site and listen to the 4 songs you've posted?

Jonny: There is a handful of kids at every show that know the songs we posted. The rest of them, we are just blowing away left and right. I'm not just saying that to blow sunshine up my ass. But halfway through the first song, the place is in shambles. Every night we have had a super violent pit. There are a lot of people who just stand to the sides as they have never seen us before. They still through their hands in the air. I never thought we'd get this positive of a response coming from a band no one has heard yet.

The Gauntlet: How did the band form?

Jonny: I left Spineshank and took close to a year off. I went back to playing guitar again. I had played guitar for 13 years before I sang a note. The guys in Spineshank wanted me to be a frontman. I was jamming with some friends of mine, just fucking around. It was probably January 2005 when I decided I wanted to do this for real again. I found the drummer on MySpace, actually he found me. I picked up Henno. I met him after I left Spineshank. I auditioned for a band he was in. I didn't dig the band but I liked the bass player. So I called him up and asked if he wanted to join a band I was starting. I was in a band with the guitar player before Spineshank. I got a hold of him, asked what he was doing, he said 'playing guitar'. He came down, loved the music and he was in. From that point on we wrote the album. We got into the studio with Logan in October. We went out, shot the video, did a few live shows and here we are.

The Gauntlet: After you left Spineshank, did you have a sound in mind?

Jonny: There were a few factors. I had to do something different than Spineshank; to do that again would have killed me. As a kid, I was in thrash bands. By the time I was coming of age and able to be successful, thrash had died out. I basically started the band I always wanted to be in. A good handful of riffs on this record I wrote when I was 15 years old. They are just old, re-hashed version I wrote when I was a kid. They just work great now. It was definitely a conscious decision. I felt I had to reinvent myself as an artist in metal.

The Gauntlet: The new album is coming out in May now?

Jonny: It got pushed back to May 2nd. It is mainly due to the label and distribution company. They want it to have more time at radio and video. Everything just kind of got pushed back. It started out February, then March, then April, now May. I have been assured by the label it is definitely coming out in May. The single isn't coming out til April. They wanted to give the single and video at least a month before the album came out. Whatever's best for the band and the release of the record is obviously what I want.

The Gauntlet: How was working with Logan on the album?

Jonny: He has found his true calling. He is absolutely amazing at what he does. I see why Logan doesn't really want to be in a band anymore. He has found his niche. Not only does he bring a lot to the table, but he's very easy to work with. He's not a hardnosed producer that degrades his artists. I have worked with producers that that were just relentless. I never experienced that with Logan. Between him and the label, we had complete control over the album. If something wasn't working, Logan would have us think about it for a while, maybe consider re-writing it. I'd come back the next day with that part re-written and we'd change this part a little bit and it was perfect. It wasn't a painstaking process. Logan is an awesome guy. He had his partner Lucas Banker who co-produced. Both of them as a team were absolutely amazing. We will have them do the next album as well.

The Gauntlet: I used to love Spineshank from the early demo days. Then when you guys made your first album for Roadrunner Records, it was a totally different band.

Jonny: Everything we do on this record, we do live. Right now, if you go to the Myspace page, the tracks up there are the actual album tracks. There will be no surprises like that. We aren't players.

The Gauntlet: Was the album written before you entered the studio?

Jonny: Yeah, it was pretty much written. We did some arrangement changes. We had like 30 songs written and narrowed it down to 13.

The Gauntlet: I understand the band recently recorded 'War Ensemble' for a Slayer tribute album.

Jonny: Yes we did 'War Ensemble' and Andreas from Sepultura guest spotted and for Hannemans solo. It was really cool to have Andreas come in to play on that song. We wanted to get somebody to play on that song. Andreas was in the studio and we thought it would be great. It was just awesome.

The Gauntlet: What was the reason for your departure from Spineshank?

Jonny: I left, there is no mistaking that. I knew on the last tour I was done with it. There were a lot of factors involved. Obviously personal reasons as well as creative differences. We didn't really get along anymore. I wasn't having fun. Why should anybody play music if you aren't having fun and having a great time. That wasn't happening anymore. Making the last record was a very difficult time for us. And that vibe carried onto the road. The band had run its course and that was it. We came home and the record was only two months old. We had just been nominated for a Grammy. I wanted to go out on a high note and get off a ship that was gonna sink. I wish those guys the best in whatever they do.

The Gauntlet: They have since picked up a new singer. I have heard talk of them changing the name of the band, and other rumors of them keeping the Spineshank name. Do you care which way they go?

Jonny: Whatever they do is fine with me. That's the first I have heard they might use the same name. I really have no problem with it. If they are going to continue on with the name, good luck. I don't really think that it is Spineshank anymore.
The Gauntlet: I agree. They seem to have a emo sound to them now.

Jonny: Yeah, exactly. They are dragging the Spineshank name through the mud. To be completely honest with you, I am so much happier with what I am doing right now. I am being totally honest. I wish them the best of luck. I hope they found the singer they have always been looking for. I have a great new band, I have a record coming out, I'm on the road. I haven't been this happy in a band in 15 years.

The Gauntlet: No matter what you do, you'll be compared to Spineshank. I don't see much of a comparison. My views have always been, Spineshank sucked. I do like Silent Civilian though. You now sound like you.

Jonny: If you listen to the old Spineshank demos, we sounded like Sepultura. All the sudden, we got hit with this barrage that it wasn't cool to do. That's why with this band I went back to this music. It's what makes me happy. I never understood. Spineshank got signed for playing the heavy shit. The band hit the studio and flipped out and made music completely different. When I started Silent Civilian I wanted it to be our way. I want to get my hands on those early Spineshank demos and release them. I want people to know what the band sounded like before they were signed.

The Gauntlet: Silent Civilian is so much more organic and raw. No electronic loops.

Jonny: None of that. It was a very conscious decision to not do that. What I tried to do with this record to separate us from the pack by putting a lot of thrash influence with the punk beats. Like what Sepultura did with 'Beneath the Remains' and 'Arise'. I was heavily influenced by 'Arise' and it is one of my top 5 records of all times. I really wanted to do that with this band. I wanted to embrace the shit that made me want to be a musician and made me want to play. I just through my twist on yesterdays influences. I wanted the record to sound dirty and raw. I wanted the guitar tones to sound like they were going to bite you.

The Gauntlet: Do you think the old Spineshank fans will embrace this sound?

Jonny: Every single show we play, I have Spineshank fans coming up to me in droves. These kids come up to me saying they were huge Spineshank fans and that this shit blows it away. They are totally respectful to Spineshank too. It makes me feel really good. I feel like I am successfully moving forward. I didn't want to make Spineshank 2.

The Gauntlet: Are you a lot happier being on a indie label with the control?

Jonny: I am very happy with Mediaskare and with the deal they have given us. They gave us a deal most bands only dream about. It's a new label so obviously it's kind of a partnership. We have great support, great marketing, great publicity, great distribution, tour support to stay out at least a fucking year. We have service to radio and video. I haven't had to fight for anything. I told them this is what I wanted, they said fine. It's unheard of in this business.

The Gauntlet: Do you think you'd have the same album to put out if you were on a major label?

Jonny: I think if we went to a major, because of the Grammy nomination and the success of the radio with Spineshank, they would have wanted to take it further. Having full creative control over this project was a huge factor and it sealed the deal. Labels don't want to do that. I think signing with a indie was a smart idea. The band needs to be on an indie to build that street credibility. I really can't complain. I have a record coming out in May, a single going to radio, and I'm on tour. That's ultimately what every band wants. I didn't have to compromise any of the bands integrity to get this. If there is one thing I learned from Spineshank, it's what not to do.

The Gauntlet: What is the first video?

Jonny: We shot a video for 'Rebirth of the Temple' with Scott Culver. He did Yellowcard and Hit the Lights. He's a really enthusiastic guy and an awesome director. We actually did the video at the house I grew up in. We put a bulletin up for fans to come out a couple hours before the shoot and about 80 people showed up and we shot an awesome video. It's an old-school late 80's backyard video. It was cool.

The Gauntlet: Anything else?

Jonny: I would like to thank all the fans who have stuck around and supported the project. I would also like to thank The Gauntlet for taking the time and interest in the band. Come see us on tour. Come hang out with us and have a beer.


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Tags:  Silent Civilian  , Jonny Santos, interviews

Jason Fisher    February 23, 2006