CONDITIONED
RESPONSE
Welcome dear
readers to what is perhaps one of the hottest new hard rock
sensations, and my last interview of the 20th Century. Condioned
Response are a very powerful act that combine the passion of
TYKETTO the power of DOKKEN , and QUEENSRYCHE and the tounge n'
cheek humour of WARRANT. This band have what it takes, with a
clear world class production and amazing songs, don't be too
suprised if you see one of the big four labels picking these guys
up in 2000.The band have already released two albums
"Pavlov's Dog" and their new disc "In Flagrante
Delecto" an awesome album....I am totally biased with this
album, so naturally I had to catch the guys with a little
interview at their home in Mineapolis USA....So get ready to rock
and check into this band now!!! As bassist Michael Simonds
reveals all.....
Nicky:- Good morning Michael, your album
is kick arse can you tell me about the band and how you got
together?
Michael:- Rick Forsgren (vocals) and Kent Stevenson (guitars)
started the band back in '92. Rick and Kent worked with PC at a
music store in the area, and started jamming with them. Over
time, I ended up with the guys from playing in other bands
around town and doing showcases with them. Paul the original
bassist left the same time I left the band I was in,and the rest
is pretty obvious.
Nicky:- What are your influences as I hear a very strong mix of TYKETTO , QUEENSRYCHE and DOKKEN?
Michael :- You pretty much named three
bands that could qualify as some influences for some of the guys.
Actually, there are
to many of influences to name.There is a general 80's influence
throughout the band, since we were in a point in time where music
was most influential to us. I tend to lean more toward the modern
rock and british rock flavor. Kent is really into PINK FLOYD and
AOR rock, and Rick is into bands like QUEENSRYCHE and TNT.
Nicky:- In your press flyer it states
that you have played with bands like
NIGHTRANGER , GREAT WHITE and SAMMY HAGAR , what was this like
and what was your fave bash?
Michael :- We would all agree that the Hennepin Ave. Block party
with SAMMY HAGAR and THE MARVELOUS THREE was by far the best show
we ever played. 80,000 people, outside in the sun, downtown
Mineapolis, our home town.
Nicky:- How will the band be spending the millenium?
Michael :- Hiding in our basements with
dried goods and shotguns. (LAUGHS)
Nicky:-Tell me about the "In Flagrante Delecto"?
Michael:- The new CD is basically a
modern day version of Shakespeare's Mac Beth. Read the lyrics
from beginning to end and you will see. The Cd did not become he
big concept album that we wanted to make. Being the indie band
that we are, time and money reared it's ugly head once again. We
are still overall very pleased with the turnout. We purposley
went for the "natural" sounding mix versus the polished
gloss you typically hear from bands like us. We wanted the CD to
represent each members musicianship, and a chance to let each guy
shine as best they can.
Nicky:- What inspires you to write rock music?
Michael:- After time, it becomes an
addiction. You do it for so long, eventually you enter a state
where it is to hard to go on in life without creating music.Sure,
you could sit in your basement for the rest of you life and be
mad at the world. But a song is not complete unless it has an
audience to hear it. We know there are people that think we suck,
and we know there are peole out there that think we rule. As
crazy as it may sound, people that do not like what we are doing
actually inspire us. I personally like to know that the balance
exists. If you dislike us so much to talk about it, we still
managed to do something right. The true inspiration, is our local
following. They are amazing people. You trhink seeing the same
band over and over would get boring, but these people get totally
involved with our effort, and we like them to feel that way. We
like to tell people that this is their band. We like to be very
interactive.
Nicky:- I really like the guitar work
and I would like to know what equipment Kent uses?
Kent :- I use PRS and Marshall, and PC uses Les Paul's and
Soldano.
Nicky:-Have you shot any videos?
Michael:- No. No budjet to do it, and nobody to play it. (LAUGHS)
Nicky:- How has the reaction been to
the band in general?
Michael :- Like I said earlier, the
local following is our fuel. We have come close so many times to
ending the band, but these people keep us moving on. We do not
get much support from press in the area just because this is not
a great market for metal, but we have a awesome cult following,
and we still manage to pack 'em in at every local gig.
Nicky:- If you could play with band on new years eve who would it be?
Michael:- No one. Y2K is coming. We
bought dried goods and canned fruit and are going to go hide in
the woods (LAUGHS). I'm gonna bum because all these people tell
me that the world is coming to an end, and on 1/1 I am not going
to
be able to log onto the web and get my daily porn fix! Whatever!
(LAUGHS)
Nicky:- And finally any message for
the people in Europe and the UK curious about your music?
Michael:- Conditioned Response is a band
that is about making kick-ass rock-n-roll and nothing else. We
have no message to give and no political movement to shove down
your throught. We want to be the band you crank up when you are
happy, or sad, or just need to let out some seriuos agressions.
Get our CD's at any major online music retailer, or many of the
"mom and pop" record companies. So no mercy.
Rock-n-roll is alive and well!
You can contact the band at http://www.conditionedresponse.com you won't regret it!!