New interview with Death By Stereo's Efrem...and his mullet

Before a recent show with Strung Out and Guttermouth we got a chance to sit down with Efrem the lead singer for Death By Stereo and ask some questions about the new album and just find out a little bit more about what Death By Stereo has been up to and where they're going.

DM: Tell Us Who You Are and What you Do?

E: Hey my name is Efrem, I sing in Death by Stereo

DM: Where are you From?

E: LA, Orange County

DM: What genre of music would you classify yourself?

E: Umm.. punk influenced metal, metal influenced punk...with hardcore influence as well.

DM: How have things changed from the last album to the new album that comes out April 22nd?

E: Umm.. I think production wise its a lot better, and also we took a lot more time song writing, nitpicking at it. I think its a lot cleaner, a lot smoother, the songs are way more focused. Lot Heavier.

DM: And your bassist produced it again?

E: Yeah, a lot heavier, way more pissed.

DM: So your more pissed in your lyrics too, and the music?

E: Yeah, yeah.. I think its a lot crazier.

DM: Whats the fire behind your lyrics?

E: Umm.. The last year, not only the events in the last year, but our personal lives. Everyone has gone through a shit load. Its real reflective of the last year of our lives.

DM: How do you think, from when you guys started, to now the music has changed?

E: Its got a lot more, I feel like its got worse. A lot more clicky, and punk too, more clicky. Fashion oriented. Kids spend more money on their fucking hair cuts then they do on their record collections.

DM: Do you feel like kids are receiving your music more now?

E: Definately a lot, because some of the bands are getting so big, more kids are being open to hear it. So thats cool

DM: What happened with your old guitarist, and why did he leave the band?

E: Jim, he umm.. He's a tatooer, and if you goto inflictions.com you can see his work. He's a really good tattooer and painter and all around artist. Every time we went on tour he would fall out of practice. He had two bitching things going on his life, we were getting busier, and he was getting busier, and he had to choose. He's tattooing, going to be getting married. So like you can tattoo and still be an artist and he settled down.

DM: I'm going to give you a couple words or names, and you give me the first thing that comes to your mind?

: Oh all right
DM: Andrew W.K.
E: Fucking Rock
DM: Joe Strummer
E: Fucking incredible, phat
DM: Britney Spears
E: Fucking awesome
DM: Pop Music
E: Journey is really good (laughs)
DM: Beer
E: Fucking Beer
DM: Marijuana
E: Great
DM: Homer Simpson
E: Amazing, Genius
DM: Napster
E: Never went on it, never used it don't know

DM: How do you feel about music on the internet in general

E: I think its good in some aspects, cause it lets a lot of people hear it that never would. But I think there could be better ways to go about it, cause people really have no idea how much it affects a little band like us.

DM: Yeah it hurts the band?

E: Not Metallica, they can afford it.. but like every ten bucks is like fucking Del Taco the next day

DM: Do you feel like it helps promote you?

E: It does, and there is a lot of cool people that do go download songs to check us out, and then go buy the album

DM: I think thats how most of it is

E: It's getting harder and harder to sell a CD, it really is

DM: When you guys write songs, is it a collaboration of everybody?

E: I think so, everybody brings an idea to the table, and play with it. Thats when I come in and write the lyrics.

DM: Whats your favorite metal band of the 80's

E: Slayer

DM: Do you have a favorite CD that you are listening to right now?

E: Right now? I've been listening to a whole bunch of crazy stuff right now. There is this band called Souless, a heavy metal band that my friends told me about the other day and i really like it a lot

DM: Do you have an release that you are anticipating, that you can't wait to hear?

E: I really want to hear the new Alkaline Trio, I like them a lot.

DM: Where do you guys see Death By Stereo in the next five years.

E: Hopefully still on tour, hopefully not all bald and fat and bad backs.

---Aaron Troy

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