Valume Nob

The Gauntlet: Rumor has it you boys have been known to party a little bit. Tell us what it takes to hang with you when you're getting a buzz on.

Frey: Coming from New Orleans, you GOD DAMN right we know how to drink....... It all depends on what kind of mood we're in. If we are really looking to tear it up, you better come prepared because there, isn't anything that's going to stop not one of us from killing the bottle. You better have eaten a good meal and taking what ever meds. you need too, to try and make yourself not throwing your guts up, or having a hangover the next morning. Regardless, you can bet your ass that it will take you a couple of days to recover from it.

Marshall: I'm still trying to convince Frey that Jack Daniels is better whiskey than Crown Royal, ha-ha-ha. We'll let our fans be the judge!

The Gauntlet: What is The Lair Of The Most High like? Can you get in if you're not wasted?

Frey: The Lair is like our second home. It is where we do everything for Valume Nob. Anything and everything that has been written, talked about or done regarding this band is done in that room. Well there has been some other stuff done in that room but we won't go there right now. Ha-ha-hah....The room is like a blessed shrine to us. It has like its own persona about it. It is very comfortable, and relaxing to write in it, and it is very sacred to Sid. We open the doors to anyone, at any time. Valume Nob is very impressive to see what we are doing close up, meaning there is so much movement in this band that people freak the fuck out when they see what is happening at a very close environment. So we like anyone to see what we are doing who wants to come in.

Marshall: This room is where we will probably be living if Valume Nob doesn't hit it big.

The Gauntlet: Is there any end to the amount of whiskey that you can drink?

Frey: Personally I can drink a lot; there is always an end to everything, so I would have to say yes. As of today I can't say that I have reached the end yet, because last night I did a good number on another bottle of CROWN....(Marshall) I usually find the end, after I have drunk every one under the goddamn table and I fine my self the next day with my "Boots" still on when I wake. Then I know I reached my end at some point. Just don't remember!

The Gauntlet: Sid has got some massive guns on him. How much working out does it take to maintain those things? In general, you get the impression that the band could really kick some ass just from looking at you, musically and otherwise. Ever get into any scrumps down there in the swamp?

Marshall: Shit man I have been street fighting ever since I can remember. Many run-ins with the law and many nights in the slammer. Thank God for the guy who started me in music and made me stay focused long enough to grow up some. His name was Scott Williams most would know him as the bassist of Soilent Green for ten plus years. May he R.I.P. As for Kirk well he is no one to piss off either! Frey and Sid can hold their own and will back Kirk and I at any time. But we try to keep it strictly to music. Unless someone needs to taste that old "BOOT."

The Gauntlet: Tell us about how the band became to be known as "The Lords Of Loud"

Frey: Our music speaks for that, when you catch a show you will see why we put that title on ourselves. This shit is fast, powerful, heavy, and to say the least, loud as fuck!!!!!!! When we first started this project Sid and I wanted to be the fastest, loudest, heaviest Hardcore/Thrash-Punk band that ever was, and I think we did a pretty damn good job at hitting the nail on the head. So far we have no complaints. Hence, the nickname "THE LORDS OF LOUD."

The Gauntlet: Tell us a little bit about how the band got together. Did you guys meet in a roadhouse in Hell or what?

Marshall: Ha-ha-ha, man that's going to be the next song. No, we've all known each other for years, right. Just we're busy doing other projects. Then one day I came home from being off shore where I work on oil rigs and had a message on the answering machine. It was my old friend Sid (The Mars Man). He said him and Frey and two other guys had a project brewing and wanted to know if I was interested in fronting it. After hearing the shit and being a bit confused at it. I decided to give it a shot. Man, am I ever glad I did. After getting rid of the ones that wasn't working Kirk approached me one night in a bar while we were getting bombed (of course). He said that he had caught a few shows and heard we were looking for a bass player. Man we just laughed and told the bartender we needed more drinks. Then Kirk looked at me real serious and said he wanted the spot. I told him I would call him the next day and if he still wanted the spot he could have it. I called the next morning and he was at the music store buying a bass. So there it was Valume Nob completed. And it couldn't be any heavier!

The Gauntlet: The band has a more hard-core, crossover sound than many artists emerging from the NOLA scene. Are you deliberately trying to distinguish yourselves from the other bands that have emerged from the Deep South, or is this just a reflection of your particular taste in music?

Frey: No we did not deliberately try to separate ourselves from the others. I think it is more along the lines of this. When you stick four guys that have four different taste of music that you're into you get Valume Nob. 1) Marshall who comes from more of the Punk background with major influences such as The Exploited, Sex Pistols, and probably the strongest of all the Ramones. 2) Kirk who covers all the bass shit, but I think he adds the Metal to the band. 3) Then there's myself, the youngest in the band, I add more of the Hard-core and Thrash sound then anything. I grew up on, and was always into this style of music with the likes of S.O.D, Sheer Terror, Carnivore, and D.R.I. 4) Sid, who knows, that dude just blows me and everyone away with the things he does...

The Gauntlet: Are you guys really into the voodoo scene? Do you keep voodoo dolls around to punish your enemies?

Frey: Nah!!!!!! We are not really into that shit. At least I'm not.

Marshall: If you're in NOLA and you get drunk, I can steal your drawers and bury them in the yard with a chicken foot and a few herbs and you can never leave NOLA. Ha-ha-ha-ha. So watch getting drunk with the old West Banker. Frey and the other guys don't know every thing we know on my side of the river.

The Gauntlet: Is the new album fully written? What can we expect from the full length release? Do you have any song titles or a title for the record as of yet? Can we expect the new record to be more of the same crossover type of material that you did on the EP?

Frey: Most of the record has been written for a while. We could have released a full length when we put out "The Most High," but instead of wasting a full record while people caught onto the band, we decided to just put our the EP The new record I would have to say covers a wide variety of styles, but most of all yes, it is going to be more along the lines of the EP. All of the songs have titles to them except one. Yes, we do have some album titles but as of right now we are not releasing that info. And for all the fans out there, we have some surprises for the listener, but as for that you will just have to wait.....

The Gauntlet: Tell us about the personalities of the band members. Who is the wildest MF in the band? Who is the guy that can drink the rest under the table? Who gets the most ladies? Which of you has the most balls? Which of you knows the most about music? Which member of the band performs the best wasted off his ass?

Marshall: Well they say I'm the wildest? But I think Kirk is and Kirk and I think Frey has problems. Sid is the ladies man. He is the sweet talker of the gang. He hangs out and tries to get us calmed down enough so girls will even come around us. But I guess it depends on the night. At any given time any of us can get off the hook, if you know what I mean.

The Gauntlet: Valume Nob has a reputation for really blowing things out in a live situation. How do you describe the intensity of the groups live performances?

Marshall: Man I don't even know where it comes from? I mean one minute we're in the dressing room just hanging with our friends and the next minute we are balls to the wall. Ten thousand fucking miles per hour. We just flip that switch ya know. All the bad ass bands have it.... that switch. There's party time and then there is kick your fucking ass time. We do both really well!

The Gauntlet: If you could nail any chick that you wanted to, who would it be and why?

Marshall: I guess I get this question so my chick can kick my ass. Thanks guys. I would like to nail Jennifer Aniston. I doubt it would ever happen. I don't think she would even listen to the Nob much less come around us maniacs. But I can certainly dream can't I!

The Gauntlet: Describe the type of character that is an a typical a fan of the band.

Marshall: Well that's a little strange. Man we have all sorts of fans. People that are real hard core under ground people and then we get fans in to sports. They say they listen to the Nob to get pumped up before they play. That's fucking awesome....... Man I used to listen to shit growing up when I was wrestling to get fired up for the mat. So I'm glad that we're good enough to appeal to a broad audience. And we appreciate every one who is in to what we are doing. And I don't talk shit it's not my personality. I mean every fucking word!

The Gauntlet: What is the main thing that never gets old about being a musician?

Frey: For me I would have to say I can't begin to tell you how great of a feeling I get when I play in front of people. Especially this style of music. Second I would have to say the traveling is awesome. (Marshall) To me it's the greatest thing in the world. I mean first you sit down and collaborate with your buds on these ideas. Then you put it all together as music and then you perform it in front of people. Man to see people loving it and going nuts right in front of you to your shit. It's indescribable, the best feeling in the world!

The Gauntlet: Tell us what the party is gonna be like after you get this record done. Are you looking forward to tearing up LA?

Marshall: Man we plan on turning LA up side fucking down. We have some fans out that way now but we plan on leaving with a hell of a lot more! We are really pumped for the record and the energy levels will be at deadly limits while we are there. So it should be a show that if you miss it you'll kick your self in the ass. We're not sure when we'll be back that way. We plan on hitting the over seas area pretty hard!