Even though the Rock it Out! Blog is brand new to the Consequence of Sound family, it’s been around for four years this October. In that time I’ve been fortunate enough to sit down and a chat with quite a few musicians; everyone from up-and-coming bands to artists you’ve followed for decades. As a way to properly introduce myself to the new audience, I was asked to list some of my favorite interviews that I’ve done. Hopefully this gives a glance at my past and an idea of what to look forward to in the future.
- Sami Jarroush
Rock It Out! Blog Founder
Jesse Hughes – Eagles Of Death Metal
This was the first major interview that I scored on the Rock it Out! Blog — as you can probably tell from the quality of the webcam, the dim lighting, and my incredibly speedy delivery of words (which I still do occasionally). But when Jesse Hughes told me, on camera, that I “was made for this,” that pretty much cemented what I wanted to do with my life: make internet videos about rock and roll for pre-teens. Livin’ the dream!
Dave Mustaine – Megadeth
I know, I know. Dave Mustaine is a crazy birther who thinks mass shootings were orchestrated by the government. But I spoke to him before all that bullshit, plus he was the first “mega” rock star that I was able to interview on camera. He was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes and offered me a beer before we began the interview. You can’t be mad at that.
Oderus Urungus – GWAR
It’s not everyday you interview a metal master from outer space. As soon as Dave Brockie aka Oderus Urungus, frontman of GWAR, began speaking, all order was thrown out the window and I ended up getting though three questions during the ten-minute sit down. The result was one of my most favorite, and more memorable, interviews.
Chad Smith – Red Hot Chili Peppers
As someone who’s been a lifelong Chili Peppers fan, getting to speak to anyone from the band was a treat. The fact that this interview was the one that broke the news about the release date of the band’s newest album, I’m With You, made it even more special. It’s one thing to talk to someone from your favorite band but it’s another when they give you some breaking news to share with the world.
Corey Taylor – Slipknot
Since the RiO!B was created on YouTube, it’s always been about fan interaction. Getting the thoughts and opinions of the viewers is important to maintaining a relationship with people taking the time to watch the videos. It’s safe to say that this interview happened because of comments left by viewers. A lot of people asked for an interview with the frontman of Slipknot and Stone Sour and I was lucky enough to grant them their wish. It turned out to be one of the most viewed interviews I’ve ever done.
Troy Sanders – Mastodon
This was the first interview I did exclusively for CoS back when we had something called Cluster 1. This was also when I knew I wanted to get more involved with the site because I had been trying to get an interview with Mastodon for a while on my own but my requests were denied. I guess Mastodon wouldn’t talk to a YouTuber. But with the website’s pull, I apparently passed as a legit journalist and was granted access to the frontman of the band.
Andrew WK
Memorable interviews are the ones that either leave you smiling once you’ve finished or scratching your head in complete confusion. My talk with Andrew WK had both of those elements. While speaking to the king of party rock, I learned that he was a supporter of Herman Cain during the Republican presidential primaries and had a problem with “Papa” John. But we also got a pretty sweet party tip to make your life that much better.
Matt Shultz – Cage The Elephant
Every interviewer, before speaking to an artist, does research so they have talking points to discuss. But, sometimes, the better interviews are done on the fly. No prep. No questions. Just a genuine conversation. That happened to me when I was offered the chance to speak with Cage The Elephant frontman Matt Shultz at the Orion Music + More Festival this past summer.
Alison Mosshart – The Kills
The first time I saw Alison Mosshart perform on stage, it was during a Dead Weather show. And I, like all red-blooded American males, fell in love. I swore that one day I would interview her and get, at the very least, a hug. My dream came true this past August at the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco. We sat, we talked, we hugged. It doesn’t matter if she remembers the encounter because I will never forget.
deadmau5
Just because I cover rock music doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of other genres. So when the opportunity to interview Joel Zimmerman aka Deadmau5 came along, it would have been insane to turn it down. Who knows? Maybe this interview will lead to speaking opportunities with other artists. I could see myself talking to Taylor Swift or Kanye West or…Michael McDonald? The possibilities are endless.
