"I really love Good Charlotte. They are a great band and truly good human
souls, they radiate positive vibes & golden light. I begged to do
the interview with them at Edgefest and it was so great to sit down to
chat and find out where they have been and where they are headed."
Showing posts with label Interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interview. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Interview by The Hofstra Chronicle
Fan: What’s your favorite song off the new album?
Joel Madden: That’s a really good question. There’s a song that we did with our really good buddy Kellin Quin from Sleeping with Sirens and I really like it. It’s definitely my favorite song off the album.
Benji Madden: I like the song called “Life Changes” and a song called “War.”
Paul Thomas: Uh, favorite song? “Makeshift Love.”
Billy Martin: “Keep Swingin’” and “War.”
Dean Butterworth: I like “40 oz. Dream” and “War.”
Fan: Are you guys going to put out more new songs before the album is released?
Joel Madden: Every couple of weeks I think we’re going to release a couple more, so look for that.
Fan: Joel, I know you work as a Goodwill Ambassador, what is it like and how have you been fulfilling that?
Joel Madden: With UNICEF, all of that work is really important to me and I think it’s probably one of the best organizations in the world. You know the best thing for me, besides going places and actually seeing kids, is actually staying informed on what is really going on in the world. The best thing we can do is spread information about what’s going on, so that’s what I really always try to do. I also like going places and seeing new people, but yeah it’s an honor to be a part of. It’s definitely something I really love doing.
Fan: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get into the music business?
Joel Madden: Yes. Make sure it’s what you really want to do. I would say to anyone who wants to be in the music business to ask themselves, can I live without it? If you can live without it then don’t do it. If you can’t live without it, do it. It’s the only way to make it, is if you can’t live without it in your life. It’s a very tough business. It’s a business of heartbreak. It’s a business of always being criticized, rejection and more failure than wins but the wins feel so good because you worked so hard for them. So my only advice for any artist is ask yourself and really search your soul. If you can live without it then don’t do it. But if you can’t live without it, do it, if that makes sense.
Hofstra Chronicle: What was the biggest influence behind the new album?
Benji Madden: [The] biggest influence behind the new album was really just, I think having time off and getting to know ourselves a lot better. We missed each other a little bit. Really just wanting to make a record for the simple joy of making a record and not really worrying about where it will lead or who will embrace it. Just making a record. Kind of like we did the first time around. Just making a record because we love it.
Joel Madden: And having to win fans again. Having to win people over again. Having something to say that we couldn’t. We were working on so many other records that we couldn’t say all we wanted at the time.
Billy Martin: We had some things to say so this one’s full of it.
Fan: I know Billy did the artwork on your album, “Chronicles,” what was the influence on the artwork on this album?
Billy Martin: Before there was downloading and streaming, our album art was still so important because you held it in your hands and we were like, “We hope the world never really loses that.” So all the album artwork was made out of the box.
Joel Madden: There’s actually a photograph of an entire wall. We took old flyers, things that we made and he recreated a bunch of things from our past and the present and he made this kind of wall that you would see backstage at CBGB, when we played there. All these clubs, as you tour around the world and the country. You also think back to your bedroom when you were a kid where you would hang posters up, so a lot of these venues are closed now.
Benji Madden: Yeah, so we did this. We thought that maybe our album artwork could still be important and if anything, it’s important for us so we spent a lot of time; Brian definitely spent a lot of time making it.
Joel Madden: Hopefully it’ll be really special, I think it came out really special. It’s really, once you actually get the album artwork it’s really cool. A lot of time went into it.
Joel Madden: That’s a really good question. There’s a song that we did with our really good buddy Kellin Quin from Sleeping with Sirens and I really like it. It’s definitely my favorite song off the album.
Benji Madden: I like the song called “Life Changes” and a song called “War.”
Paul Thomas: Uh, favorite song? “Makeshift Love.”
Billy Martin: “Keep Swingin’” and “War.”
Dean Butterworth: I like “40 oz. Dream” and “War.”
Fan: Are you guys going to put out more new songs before the album is released?
Joel Madden: Every couple of weeks I think we’re going to release a couple more, so look for that.
Fan: Joel, I know you work as a Goodwill Ambassador, what is it like and how have you been fulfilling that?
Joel Madden: With UNICEF, all of that work is really important to me and I think it’s probably one of the best organizations in the world. You know the best thing for me, besides going places and actually seeing kids, is actually staying informed on what is really going on in the world. The best thing we can do is spread information about what’s going on, so that’s what I really always try to do. I also like going places and seeing new people, but yeah it’s an honor to be a part of. It’s definitely something I really love doing.
Fan: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get into the music business?
Joel Madden: Yes. Make sure it’s what you really want to do. I would say to anyone who wants to be in the music business to ask themselves, can I live without it? If you can live without it then don’t do it. If you can’t live without it, do it. It’s the only way to make it, is if you can’t live without it in your life. It’s a very tough business. It’s a business of heartbreak. It’s a business of always being criticized, rejection and more failure than wins but the wins feel so good because you worked so hard for them. So my only advice for any artist is ask yourself and really search your soul. If you can live without it then don’t do it. But if you can’t live without it, do it, if that makes sense.
Hofstra Chronicle: What was the biggest influence behind the new album?
Benji Madden: [The] biggest influence behind the new album was really just, I think having time off and getting to know ourselves a lot better. We missed each other a little bit. Really just wanting to make a record for the simple joy of making a record and not really worrying about where it will lead or who will embrace it. Just making a record. Kind of like we did the first time around. Just making a record because we love it.
Joel Madden: And having to win fans again. Having to win people over again. Having something to say that we couldn’t. We were working on so many other records that we couldn’t say all we wanted at the time.
Billy Martin: We had some things to say so this one’s full of it.
Fan: I know Billy did the artwork on your album, “Chronicles,” what was the influence on the artwork on this album?
Billy Martin: Before there was downloading and streaming, our album art was still so important because you held it in your hands and we were like, “We hope the world never really loses that.” So all the album artwork was made out of the box.
Joel Madden: There’s actually a photograph of an entire wall. We took old flyers, things that we made and he recreated a bunch of things from our past and the present and he made this kind of wall that you would see backstage at CBGB, when we played there. All these clubs, as you tour around the world and the country. You also think back to your bedroom when you were a kid where you would hang posters up, so a lot of these venues are closed now.
Benji Madden: Yeah, so we did this. We thought that maybe our album artwork could still be important and if anything, it’s important for us so we spent a lot of time; Brian definitely spent a lot of time making it.
Joel Madden: Hopefully it’ll be really special, I think it came out really special. It’s really, once you actually get the album artwork it’s really cool. A lot of time went into it.
Monday, November 9, 2015
alt press interview
Why now? What makes this the right moment to fire up Good Charlotte again?
BENJI: We started a company last year, and it’s a management/artist development/publishing thing—what I think is now the future. We do a little bit of everything. We became self-managed almost three years ago, and in the midst of that we thought we could take on more if we hired a few people. It’s called MDDN—we couldn’t think of anything better. [Laughs.] Now we not only manage Good Charlotte and the Madden Brothers, but we manage Jessie J and a band called Waterparks on Equal Vision. We’re working with Equal Vision and Fueled By Ramen. We’re developing a band from Australia called Chase Atlantic who have some buzz there and we manage John Feldmann. It’s just been really transformative. It’s been awesome to see the next phase of this career. It’s all stuff we’ve been doing for years, but the 5 Seconds of Summer project—between Joel, John and myself—was a real verification moment, watching that grow. We made the 5 Seconds Of Summer record [Sounds Good Feels Good], and we were really feeling the pop-punk vibe again. It was like, “Should we call the guys up again? It’s been so long.” And everybody was like, “Fuck yeah, let’s do it.”
JOEL: We have a lot to say. It’s been a while since we’ve put the Good Charlotte hat on. We were kind of waiting for the moment when we had to say some stuff that we’d mean. We weren’t just trying to write songs. We actually have some shit to say, and I personally wasn’t interested in [doing Good Charlotte again] until I felt that. I think we started writing the 5 Seconds Of Summer record, which is a pop-punk record, and me and Benj had some things we wanted to say that you can’t really say on someone else’s record. You can’t say how you feel on someone else’s record, so it sparked a need in us.
BENJI: Even musically, there are things you can’t do on someone else’s record. We couldn’t do [“Makeshift Love”] on anyone else’s record. It’s 2000-2002 pop-punk.
JOEL: It’s Good Charlotte. It’s so specific to Good Charlotte.
Your fingerprints are all over the 5 Seconds Of Summer record, but even when you’re in the room with other writers on a project like that, there are external forces. Bringing it back into the Good Charlotte camp is a pure thing.
BENJI: The beauty of Good Charlotte now is we’re completely independent. We’re our own everything. We shut it down for five years; we took it back and made it special to us, and now it’s really genuine. It’s really us and really special. That was the whole point of Good Charlotte.
JOEL: We all love each other. We’ve been in this band for 20 years next year. It’s the same guys, and Dean [Butterworth, drummer] has been in the band for over 10 years now. I’m not doing this unless it’s special. Benj was like, “We’re only going to do the shit we really want to do; that’s going to be the MO: We’re not going to play a show unless we mean it. We’re not going to do an interview unless we mean it. We’re just going to do shit we care about.” He really convinced me to come in on that, and the rest of the guys felt the same way. Benj has been the architect of GC all along, and that’s the biggest thing. In my life right now, I’ve been finding a lot of happiness in doing things I care about. I obviously care a lot about Good Charlotte; my youth was spent in that band. I gave my entire youth to that band. Anything else we do has got to be as fulfilling as raising kids, you know? Good Charlotte is everything to us; it was our lives for so many years. People can count on us that we mean this and we’re genuine in our efforts.
BENJI: We’re saying no to a lot of stuff, but we feel good about the stuff we’re saying yes to. This is a boutique thing for us now; it’s our baby. Good Charlotte was the baby that we started in 1996, Joel and I in our bedroom, and then brought in the other guys. It took us around the world, it took us to great heights, and then we decided to take it back and give it a rest.
JOEL: In the beginning, we were the only ones who believed in it, and that’s kind of how we feel now. It’s a really good feeling to be in control of it.
You two did an album, Greetings From California, under the Madden Brothers name. What did recording that new music allow you to do that Good Charlotte didn’t?
BENJI: Greetings From California released us. We made that record just as an art project, just for ourselves. It was a passion project, and there was something that I don’t know if there was ever a point, from the first Good Charlotte record through The Young And The Hopeless, where there wasn’t a total desire to make everyone happy. That’s just our nature; we like to please people. Greetings From California was getting to step away from Good Charlotte and be artists, and it really gave us something to bring back. It was a really corrective experience for us as far as being artists.
JOEL: As writers, producers—everything—that record was a huge step for us creatively. Forget about commercial success; I think that record was very special and allowed us to really grow. We couldn’t put a value on it, the experience as writers and producers and guys in music. It was a challenge. We put ourselves to a task, and I’m really proud of that music.
Are you able to bring some of that expanded musical worldview back to Good Charlotte, or are the two projects too disparate?
JOEL: I think the two definitely go hand in hand, because it’s all us. They definitely influence each other. There’s no question our musicality has grown, but there’s no question [we’re still Good Charlotte]. It’s like anyone: If you can lift more weight, you can lift more weight. When you go and hit the gym, you see the results. That Madden Brothers record was artistically challenging. It definitely made [this next era of Good Charlotte] sharper. We’ve always had the hunger, and I don’t know if that will ever really die. You can never really get rid of those expanded horizons.
Joel, you said you didn’t want to come back until you had something to say. What do you have to say now that you haven’t for the previous few years?
BENJI: It’s almost like you’re speaking from a different side of your brain in Good Charlotte, Joel. To me, Good Charlotte the brand represents a mindset of trying to kick down doors and do things that were positive and lead the way for some people. We still have that same spirit. [We’re coming back] in a time when I think everyone’s afraid to go to a certain point. Everyone’s afraid to lose radio, especially when bands are having a hard time surviving. You’ve got bands out there who have the biggest platforms available to them, and they’re afraid to make certain records. We feel the freedom to lead the way and have people go, “Oh, fuck. I have the freedom to not have to chase this or that.” We have this feeling of freedom now that we want to share with other bands. We want other bands to be empowered to have the same freedom, to make a record that’s genuinely what they want to make. There’s so much fear in the business, but the voice we’re using now is telling people to take more chances.
JOEL: We want to share all our experiences with younger bands. That fact that we’re doing this independently is very inspiring to us, and we’re just really happy with where we’re at. We still believe in music and creativity.
That’s what so commendable about the new 5 Seconds Of Summer album, songs like “Broken Home” and “Hey Everybody!” that are empowerment anthems. It reminds me a lot of the messages of your early music.
BENJI: Yeah, man, and that was something we shared with 5 Seconds Of Summer. They were a big part of us and the inception of this [new era of] Good Charlotte. Those guys are such an inspiration. They gave us the freedom “Broken Home” was the biggest win on that entire record because it had that message. That’s why pop-punk bands are making records. Pop-punk bands need to make records for the handful of fans out there that need that one song. We can do a few things: We can give people an escape just through the pure energy of the music. We can give kids music to turn up really loud as a way to hit back at society—it’s a positive place for kids to go. Music can be such a combatant to all the negative things in the world, and that’s what pop punk is. But then we can go and do songs like “Broken Home” and connect with kids that feel like there’s no one else who understands them. 5 Seconds Of Summer invited us into their circle and let us bring that message, which they delivered to the world. We thought that message was so important. “Broken Home” is one of the most important songs we’ve done in years, since “Hold On.” It’s a message that some kid out there needs—that’s what pop punk is, and that’s what Good Charlotte has always been about.
JOEL: With Good Charlotte and a song like “Hold On,” we said that even if it stopped one kid from doing something they couldn’t change, it was worth it. The movement of the idea is that every single person matters—this thing that gets lost when people get caught up in sales and charts—and the idea that 5 Seconds Of Summer are no different than Good Charlotte and care about every single one of those kids listening. “Broken Home” was a little uncomfortable territory for them because their families are still together, but they knew that if even one kid out there was going through a hard time, it’s worth it to put it on the record.
BENJI: You see the power of it when the record comes out and “Broken Home” is trending online. You see the power of the positive message. People need it, and it’s our job to look a little deeper every time we make a record. As artists, we need to look deeper about what kind of message we can give the world. That’s something we’ve been able to figure out with Good Charlotte.
So, after all these moves and changes, how does it feel to also be playing acomeback show?
BENJI: It feels good to be back, making music with some of our oldest friends and in love with GC all over again. It's really going to great to be onstage with the boys again.
What about being at the Troubadour specifically?
BENJI: While promoting our self-titled (2000) we played the Troubadour and Eric Valentine came out to see us in front of our fans. That night, we decided we would go into the studio together and make the next record, which would become [The Young and the Hopeless].
Any nerves at all?
BENJI: No nerves, but we will definitely hit a few rehearsals to shake the rust off! We’re looking forward to seeing some old and new faces.
What would make the next era of Good Charlotte a success?
JOEL: To be honest, I’d love for [this new era] to be what it’s always been: a place for kids to put on their headphones and get away from the world for 45 minutes or an hour.
BENJI: For us, it was all about making it special again. It’s already a success; it’s already a win.
ALT - Evan Lucy
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Madden Brothers talk about baseball team
The Madden Brothers have been a part of the music
industry for nearly 20 years and largely identify themselves these days
as Californians, but that doesn't mean they've forgotten where they
started. For that, we'd have to go all the way to the other coast.
Born less than an hour from Baltimore in Waldorf, Md., identical twins Joel and Benji Madden grew up as pretty intense baseball fans, rooting solely for the Baltimore Orioles. Now 34, the brothers' fandom for their hometown team is as strong as ever and takes precedent over that more geographically-convenient other team that they've grown to have an affinity for, as well: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During their recent foray into the MLB.com suite to chat with MLB.com's Jeremy Brisiel and partake in the Klondike-sponsored "Express Written Consent," the Madden Brothers displayed no outward favoritism -- Joel wore a Dodgers jersey, Benji an Orioles -- but after, it was obvious where their deep-down loyalties started.
In Baltimore.
"I'm so happy with everything the team's done," Joel said of the Orioles. "Having Buck [Showalter] there has been so great for the team. For die-hard Orioles fans, we've been with that team for the last 15 years. The last 10 years were tough. There wasn't a lot to celebrate."
Adding that he and Benji flew to Arlington for the American League Wild Card Game against the Rangers last October, Joel called it a "glorious moment."
"That made our season last year," he said. "This year, we want to go even farther."
For now, however, they're happy to take in ballgames at Dodger Stadium, a venue they appreciate for its tradition, beauty and enticing baseball team. They are undoubtedly enjoying what has been a nearly unprecedented Dodgers run that has catapulted Los Angeles -- preseason favorites who struggled mightily until early June -- to the top of the National League West standings.
As they celebrate their first album under the name the Madden Brothers (they're taking a brief hiatus from identifying themselves with their original band, Good Charlotte), Benji and Joel also offered insight as to what life is like away from the stage for two brothers who are clearly close friends and baseball nuts.
Benji, for example, recalled when Joel brought his son, Sparrow, home from the hospital after he was born three years ago.
"We put a baseball in his crib," Uncle Benji said. "He's always been around baseball, and he loves to watch the Orioles. He can already hit a ball. We're not going to force it on him, but we're forcing it on him."
Joel: "I've already committed him to play at [Indiana University]."
Then there are the tattoos. Benji has two Orioles logos permanently etched on his upper body, while Joel has one Orioles tat and one Dodgers.
Advantage: Orioles.
Modern technology, of course, helps the Cali-bound Marylanders remain loyal to their roots. Joel has the MLB At Bat app that lets him watch Orioles games no matter where he is.
"That's basically how I discovered MLB.com," he said.
Benji gets his baseball fill with the help of MLB.TV: "I live in L.A. now, but every day when I'm at the studio, I have the game on. And it's the Baltimore broadcasters, so I feel like I'm home in Maryland. It's great."
The conversation later shifted to the topic of walkup music. If given the privilege of picking anyone they wanted to not only compose their walkup song, but to also sing it, who would they choose?
Joel: "My first initial reaction would be [German film composer and music producer] Hans Zimmer. Something epic."
Giving it a little more thought, Joel switched to something a little more mainstream.
"I would go with an all-American classic," he said. "I'd have Green Day do it. Rock, kind of powerful, Green Day-esque."
Benji went even more classic than that.
"I'm going with Bruce Springsteen," he said. "If you're telling me I can have anyone? I'm talking about The Boss. 'Born in the U.S.A.'"
As has been the case with nearly every "Express Written Consent" "webisode" this year, the conversation between the guests and the host took a goofy turn, with the host, typically, being the butt of the joke.
Sizing up Brisiel, Benji blurted out, "You know with the boy bands there's always the big brother type? That's you. You'll talk to all the moms out there."
"So I'm the Joey Fatone role," J.B. responded.
Pointing to his brother, Benji added with a laugh, "And he's the cute young one. I'll end up the one going to rehab."
No time for that. There's an Orioles game to watch.
Born less than an hour from Baltimore in Waldorf, Md., identical twins Joel and Benji Madden grew up as pretty intense baseball fans, rooting solely for the Baltimore Orioles. Now 34, the brothers' fandom for their hometown team is as strong as ever and takes precedent over that more geographically-convenient other team that they've grown to have an affinity for, as well: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During their recent foray into the MLB.com suite to chat with MLB.com's Jeremy Brisiel and partake in the Klondike-sponsored "Express Written Consent," the Madden Brothers displayed no outward favoritism -- Joel wore a Dodgers jersey, Benji an Orioles -- but after, it was obvious where their deep-down loyalties started.
In Baltimore.
"I'm so happy with everything the team's done," Joel said of the Orioles. "Having Buck [Showalter] there has been so great for the team. For die-hard Orioles fans, we've been with that team for the last 15 years. The last 10 years were tough. There wasn't a lot to celebrate."
Adding that he and Benji flew to Arlington for the American League Wild Card Game against the Rangers last October, Joel called it a "glorious moment."
"That made our season last year," he said. "This year, we want to go even farther."
For now, however, they're happy to take in ballgames at Dodger Stadium, a venue they appreciate for its tradition, beauty and enticing baseball team. They are undoubtedly enjoying what has been a nearly unprecedented Dodgers run that has catapulted Los Angeles -- preseason favorites who struggled mightily until early June -- to the top of the National League West standings.
As they celebrate their first album under the name the Madden Brothers (they're taking a brief hiatus from identifying themselves with their original band, Good Charlotte), Benji and Joel also offered insight as to what life is like away from the stage for two brothers who are clearly close friends and baseball nuts.
Benji, for example, recalled when Joel brought his son, Sparrow, home from the hospital after he was born three years ago.
"We put a baseball in his crib," Uncle Benji said. "He's always been around baseball, and he loves to watch the Orioles. He can already hit a ball. We're not going to force it on him, but we're forcing it on him."
Joel: "I've already committed him to play at [Indiana University]."
Then there are the tattoos. Benji has two Orioles logos permanently etched on his upper body, while Joel has one Orioles tat and one Dodgers.
Advantage: Orioles.
Modern technology, of course, helps the Cali-bound Marylanders remain loyal to their roots. Joel has the MLB At Bat app that lets him watch Orioles games no matter where he is.
"That's basically how I discovered MLB.com," he said.
Benji gets his baseball fill with the help of MLB.TV: "I live in L.A. now, but every day when I'm at the studio, I have the game on. And it's the Baltimore broadcasters, so I feel like I'm home in Maryland. It's great."
The conversation later shifted to the topic of walkup music. If given the privilege of picking anyone they wanted to not only compose their walkup song, but to also sing it, who would they choose?
Joel: "My first initial reaction would be [German film composer and music producer] Hans Zimmer. Something epic."
Giving it a little more thought, Joel switched to something a little more mainstream.
"I would go with an all-American classic," he said. "I'd have Green Day do it. Rock, kind of powerful, Green Day-esque."
Benji went even more classic than that.
"I'm going with Bruce Springsteen," he said. "If you're telling me I can have anyone? I'm talking about The Boss. 'Born in the U.S.A.'"
As has been the case with nearly every "Express Written Consent" "webisode" this year, the conversation between the guests and the host took a goofy turn, with the host, typically, being the butt of the joke.
Sizing up Brisiel, Benji blurted out, "You know with the boy bands there's always the big brother type? That's you. You'll talk to all the moms out there."
"So I'm the Joey Fatone role," J.B. responded.
Pointing to his brother, Benji added with a laugh, "And he's the cute young one. I'll end up the one going to rehab."
No time for that. There's an Orioles game to watch.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Interview : When Joel Madden talks about Nicole Richie
“Nicole has given me a family, happy home and unconditional love. She’s a special woman. She takes care of all of us, and still finds the time for a career and all her friends. I really don’t know how she does it.”
What do you love seeing Nicole wear?
“I love seeing her in everything she wears. She always just throws things on and looks like she just walked off a photoshoot. I’m her biggest fan.”
What’s the one thing about Nicole that drives you nuts? Any annoying habits?
“The only thing that drives me nuts is that she leaves shoes and bags all over the house and I somehow find a way to step on her high heels and hurt myself. It’s such a weird thing that only happens to me.”
What’s something most people would be surprised to know about Nicole?
“She makes great chilli and amazing chicken parma. She’s also really good at making hors d’oeuvres. She cooks for me any time I ask. She’s kind of awesome at being a homemaker.”
Does Nicole ever give you fashion advice?
“Nicole always just wants me to be comfortable and happy with myself.”
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Qu'est-ce que tu aime le plus à propos de Nicole ?
" Nicole m'a donné une famille, une maison agréable et un amour inconditionnel. C'est une femme spéciale. Elle prend soin de nous tous, et elle trouve toujours du temps pour sa carrière et pour tous ses amis. Je ne sais vraiment pas comment elle fait."
Qu'aimes-tu voir Nicole porter ?
"J'aime tout ce qu'elle peut porter. Elle va toujours mettre quelque chose et on dirait qu'elle va faire une séance photo. Je suis son plus grand fan."
Quelles sont les choses qui t'ennuient le plus à propos de Nicole ? Des habitudes un peu gênantes ?
"La seule chose qui peut m'ennuyer c'est qu'elle laisse ses chaussures et ses sacs partout dans la maison et je trouve toujours le moyen de marcher sur ses talons et de me faire mal. C'est un truc dingue qui n'arrive qu'Ã moi."
Qu'est-ce que tu peux nous dire sur Nicole qui nous surprendrait ?
"Elle fait un incroyable chili et un chicken parma ***poulet avec sauce tomate et mozarella entre autre **. Elle cuisine aussi de très bon hors-d'oeuvre. Elle cuisine pour moi dès que je lui demande. Elle est impressionnante dans le rôle de femme d'intérieur."
Est-ce que Nicole t'a déjà donné des conseils en mode ?
"Nicole veut toujours que je sois à l'aise et moi-même."
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
How Joel (and Benji) met Ben Lee
- The Voice: Joel and Ben we’d love to hear how you became friends.
Joel: When Ben & I met for the first time, I kind of forced myself on him.
Ben: It was non consensual (laughs). It was the tenacity of his will, when your starting out as a musician you’ve got to have that.
Joel: It was in DC in 1998 or 1999 and Benji (Madden) and I were just so hungry to be heard. It was when Ben Lee had released his third album so we were huge fans by then. We went to his concert and snuck backstage and were like “Ben we love you, we had a band can we play you a song?” and Ben said “Yeah come on in!” He had an acoustic guitar so we played him a song. He said it was great and wished us luck.
The Voice: What were you thinking when you met Joel and Benji?
Ben: I just thought, “What nice kids I’ll never see them again”.
- The Voice: Were you big fans of Ben Lee back then?
Joel: It was so cool for us because we were huge fans; I’m still a fan. I try and see Ben Lee whenever I get a chance.
.The Voice: What did you think you could do for Joel and Benji in that moment?
Ben: They were trying to push their career. I don’t know what they thought I could do though. When you’re a musician you’ve got so many big dreams in your head.
. The Voice: Did you only approach Ben Lee to help you?
Joel: We did that to a few people. We were knocking on every door that we could. We were fans of Artists like Ben, great songwriters. Back then you literally had to knock on doors. Ben got to see us in the true state of who we are.
- The Voice: Ben how did you become reconnected with Joel and Benji as Good Charlotte?
Ben: I was watching MTV and ‘The Little Things’ video came on and there was one moment in the song where I realised ‘that’s those guys!’. It’s so exciting to see someone’s dream and then see the dream manifested.
Joel: That’s what The Voice is all about. Its funny we (Ben and I) get to share this experience. We kind of shared this experience back then in the 90’s. It’s a full cycle that we are here now.
Ben: Joel said yesterday we are working (coaching and mentoring) from is the same place our songs come from. It’s just a different expression of creativity. Whether you are a musician or whatever you are a creative spirit, and right now this is just a different channel of that creative energy.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Horror News Network interviews Billy Martin & Brent Allen
Horror News Network: How did you come up with the concept for this title?
Billy Martin: I started writing ideas down for a video game concept. I knew I wanted it to involved supernatural creatures like vampires and there would be some type of a vigilante. I drew some concept ideas and thought about weapons and how the game would play. There wasn't a lot of story at first just drawings and scenarios. Brent and I had written a few script ideas before I pitched the idea of doing it as a comic book and from there we really dove in to developing the story.
Horror News Network: Have you guys always been into comics?
Billy Martin: Absolutely! I have a huge collection that I started when I was around 9 or 10. I got into comics when the Image boom happened, so Spawn was my favorite then. I used to buy books based purely on the art, because I knew I wanted to draw comics. Once I got older and started appreciating the stories and I already had a ton of books to go back and read.
Brent Allen: I was into comics when I was younger and then took some time off. Talking to Billy about comics got be back into the swing of things and then co-writing Vitriol really got me into them again.
Horror News Network: Vitriol seems like a cross between Blade and Judge Dredd. How would you describe the main character in this book?
Billy Martin: Obviously Blade was an influence, I'm familiar with the Judge Dredd character but can say I've ever read any books. Guess I need to! In my mind Vitriol was more of a cross between Eric Draven from The Crow and Hellboy. I wanted that sarcastic, dark, loner vibe with him. He struggles with his past and lets it cloud his future. He feels the pressure of being the city's hero and doesn't want to share his burden with anyone.
Brent Allen: He’s a character that is flawed on many levels which makes him human and not an all-powerful superhero. He has physical and emotional stress that is weighing down on him. He is scared to get close to people and he is also addicted to pain killers. All isn’t against Vitriol, though; he is also numb to pain to a certain extent. So there is some good to go with the bad.
Horror News Network: There seems to be no shortage of things that go “bump” in the night from this title. What can we expect in terms of blood and guts?
Billy Martin: Both Brent and I fans of over the top gore in horror movies. I have a very animated style of drawing which doesn't usually lend itself to a dark story like this. I just really wanted to be myself and draw what I wanted how I imagined it. I think the blend of art style with all the blood splattering and chopped off heads makes for a nice fresh look to the book. In issue one alone there are multiple limps being shot and hacked off as well as some intestinal spillage, so there certainly is no lack of blood and guts!
Brent Allen: Yeah, Billy and I both love bloody monster movies and comics. When writing this book we both knew that we wanted a pretty bloody book but still keeping it interesting story wise as well.
Horror News Network: Billy, you handle both the co-writing and art chores on this book. Which of the two do you find more enjoyable?
Billy Martin: Definitely the art. I love creating characters and worlds and concepts, but sometimes I'm too excited to start drawing to really focus the ideas into a story. Luckily Brent and I work really well together in that sense. He writes fast, so after we have a brain storming session I know I don't have to wait long to see a script to start drawing from.
Horror News Network: Your artwork definitely has a unique look to it. Did you take art classes or did you teach yourself how to draw?
Billy Martin: All self taught. I've been a student my whole life honestly. I'm always trying to get better and teach myself knew techniques. I spent my youth copying images off of saturday morning cartoons, and my teenage years trying to imitate my favorite comic book artists. As I got older I started reading anatomy books and learning more complex perspective stuff. Developing a style is the hardest part, you will always draw like the people you look up to at first. I'm still finding my own style in that sense, I try to draw from the gut as much as possible nowadays and make sure it's my image on the paper versus how I've seen someone else draw it.
Horror News Network: This title seems to lend itself pretty well to other media (movies or cartoons). Do you have any plans to move it toward that direction?
Billy Martin: Of course, that would be awesome! No immediate plans for that, but I would love to see something happen in the near future.
Billy Martin: I started writing ideas down for a video game concept. I knew I wanted it to involved supernatural creatures like vampires and there would be some type of a vigilante. I drew some concept ideas and thought about weapons and how the game would play. There wasn't a lot of story at first just drawings and scenarios. Brent and I had written a few script ideas before I pitched the idea of doing it as a comic book and from there we really dove in to developing the story.
Horror News Network: Have you guys always been into comics?
Billy Martin: Absolutely! I have a huge collection that I started when I was around 9 or 10. I got into comics when the Image boom happened, so Spawn was my favorite then. I used to buy books based purely on the art, because I knew I wanted to draw comics. Once I got older and started appreciating the stories and I already had a ton of books to go back and read.
Brent Allen: I was into comics when I was younger and then took some time off. Talking to Billy about comics got be back into the swing of things and then co-writing Vitriol really got me into them again.
Horror News Network: Vitriol seems like a cross between Blade and Judge Dredd. How would you describe the main character in this book?
Billy Martin: Obviously Blade was an influence, I'm familiar with the Judge Dredd character but can say I've ever read any books. Guess I need to! In my mind Vitriol was more of a cross between Eric Draven from The Crow and Hellboy. I wanted that sarcastic, dark, loner vibe with him. He struggles with his past and lets it cloud his future. He feels the pressure of being the city's hero and doesn't want to share his burden with anyone.
Brent Allen: He’s a character that is flawed on many levels which makes him human and not an all-powerful superhero. He has physical and emotional stress that is weighing down on him. He is scared to get close to people and he is also addicted to pain killers. All isn’t against Vitriol, though; he is also numb to pain to a certain extent. So there is some good to go with the bad.
Horror News Network: There seems to be no shortage of things that go “bump” in the night from this title. What can we expect in terms of blood and guts?
Billy Martin: Both Brent and I fans of over the top gore in horror movies. I have a very animated style of drawing which doesn't usually lend itself to a dark story like this. I just really wanted to be myself and draw what I wanted how I imagined it. I think the blend of art style with all the blood splattering and chopped off heads makes for a nice fresh look to the book. In issue one alone there are multiple limps being shot and hacked off as well as some intestinal spillage, so there certainly is no lack of blood and guts!
Brent Allen: Yeah, Billy and I both love bloody monster movies and comics. When writing this book we both knew that we wanted a pretty bloody book but still keeping it interesting story wise as well.
Horror News Network: Billy, you handle both the co-writing and art chores on this book. Which of the two do you find more enjoyable?
Billy Martin: Definitely the art. I love creating characters and worlds and concepts, but sometimes I'm too excited to start drawing to really focus the ideas into a story. Luckily Brent and I work really well together in that sense. He writes fast, so after we have a brain storming session I know I don't have to wait long to see a script to start drawing from.
Horror News Network: Your artwork definitely has a unique look to it. Did you take art classes or did you teach yourself how to draw?
Billy Martin: All self taught. I've been a student my whole life honestly. I'm always trying to get better and teach myself knew techniques. I spent my youth copying images off of saturday morning cartoons, and my teenage years trying to imitate my favorite comic book artists. As I got older I started reading anatomy books and learning more complex perspective stuff. Developing a style is the hardest part, you will always draw like the people you look up to at first. I'm still finding my own style in that sense, I try to draw from the gut as much as possible nowadays and make sure it's my image on the paper versus how I've seen someone else draw it.
Horror News Network: This title seems to lend itself pretty well to other media (movies or cartoons). Do you have any plans to move it toward that direction?
Billy Martin: Of course, that would be awesome! No immediate plans for that, but I would love to see something happen in the near future.
Brent Allen: I think we both would love to see Vitriol in a movie/cartoon/video game platform. Billy and I actually wrote a cartoon script together around 7-8 years ago so it’s definitely something we would be really interested in doing.
Horror News Network: Billy, how do you balance working on the comic and being in a band?
Billy Martin: It has been quite a challenge but a welcome one. I really love making music and drawing. I'm very passionate about both and would hate to ever have to choose just one. It took me 4 years to complete the pencils for all 6 issues. Sometimes I'd go weeks where I couldnt work on Vitriol. I'd set up my make shift art studio in hotel rooms, tour buses, backstage, anywhere I could. This year the band is taking some time off, so hopefully people like Vitriol and want more so I can actually work on it and get it out quickly.
Horror News Network: Where can our readers find out more about you and this comic?
Billy Martin: I'm very active on Twitter, @TheBillyMartin. I'm always posting work in progress shots and making sure everyone knows when and where to get Vitriol. My website is Bloodzilla.com, plenty of info there as well!
Horror News Network: In closing, what would you guys like to say to our readers about Vitriol the Hunter?
Billy Martin: This book has been a long time in the making and I think readers will see the passion we put into it. It's meant to be a fun book reminiscent of those 90's era Image books where things were over the top because comics are supposed to be! I hope they enjoy it and want more so we can share all the more adventures we have written for Vitriol.
Brent Allen: Vitriol the Hunter seems like a simple story about a guy running around hunting vampires. There is a lot more to it and the future of the book goes to some fun and pretty odd places.
Horror News Network: Billy, how do you balance working on the comic and being in a band?
Billy Martin: It has been quite a challenge but a welcome one. I really love making music and drawing. I'm very passionate about both and would hate to ever have to choose just one. It took me 4 years to complete the pencils for all 6 issues. Sometimes I'd go weeks where I couldnt work on Vitriol. I'd set up my make shift art studio in hotel rooms, tour buses, backstage, anywhere I could. This year the band is taking some time off, so hopefully people like Vitriol and want more so I can actually work on it and get it out quickly.
Horror News Network: Where can our readers find out more about you and this comic?
Billy Martin: I'm very active on Twitter, @TheBillyMartin. I'm always posting work in progress shots and making sure everyone knows when and where to get Vitriol. My website is Bloodzilla.com, plenty of info there as well!
Horror News Network: In closing, what would you guys like to say to our readers about Vitriol the Hunter?
Billy Martin: This book has been a long time in the making and I think readers will see the passion we put into it. It's meant to be a fun book reminiscent of those 90's era Image books where things were over the top because comics are supposed to be! I hope they enjoy it and want more so we can share all the more adventures we have written for Vitriol.
Brent Allen: Vitriol the Hunter seems like a simple story about a guy running around hunting vampires. There is a lot more to it and the future of the book goes to some fun and pretty odd places.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
PreviewsWorld interview Billy Martin
PREVIEWSworld: Billy, as you’re the artist for Vitriol The Hunter,
can you tell us what illustrators have impressed you the most as a fan?
Is there any particular artist(s) you would cite as a reference for
your own craft, and what was it about his/her style that made you stand
up and pay attention?
Billy Martin: The first artist that blew my mind as a kid was Todd McFarlane. I went in to the shop looking for Punisher or Batman stuff and saw Spawn #1, and the art was like nothing I'd ever seen before. That was when I became obsessed with wanting to draw comics. Before that I was a Disney freak. Still am! Spent a lot of time learning to draw by copying "art of" Disney books. So naturally I was drawn to comic artists who had an animated quality to them. Skottie Young is amazing, and Humberto Ramos is probably my favorite. I love Francisco Herrera's work, Ryan Ottley, and Sean "Cheeks" Galloway. Sean has been a mentor to me throughout the process of the book. Many times I hit a brick wall, and he was always there with something to spark my ideas.
PREVIEWSworld: Billy and Brent: What are the most frustrating things for you as writers? The conflict of your schedule with Good Charlotte getting in the way of deadlines? Or are you your own worst critics?
Billy Martin:
Balancing the band and the book has been a real challenge for us for
sure. Deadlines were almost impossible, but IDW figured that out right
away and were cool about it. We realized it would make more sense to
finish all six issues before releasing issue 1. I brought art supplies
with me everywhere, I drew Vitriol in hotel rooms, tour busses, back
stages, on planes, really anywhere I could. Writing wise, Brent and I
wrote this story fairly easily. We had what we thought was six issues,
but when IDW
set us up with Denton, our editor, he told us we had more like 60
issues, haha! So we had to narrow down some ideas and tighten up this
specific story arc. Yes we are our own worst critic, I think you have to
be! I look at issue one and I cringe at some of the art. By the time I
drew book six, I had learned so much about drawing comics I looked like a
different artist. I'm always striving to better my skills.
Brent Allen: I seem to always be my own worst critic whenever I do something creative. I have an idea in my head and if I can’t get to that resolution in an interesting way it can lead to frustration. A fun aspect of co-writing with Billy is that he and I can be completely honest with each other. There were hundreds of ideas that we both thought of that the other person would say didn’t fit correctly into the story. The key is to be honest with yourself, and know that what you are discussing is for the betterment of the story.
PREVIEWSworld: What do you two want people to take away from Vitriol The Hunter? How would you like this comic to be received?
Billy Martin: Anytime someone from another area of entertainment (i.e. acting, music) gets into comics, readers are always skeptical. I certainly didn’t just slap my name on a book, this project means a lot to both Brent and I. I dreamed of making comics before I ever picked up a guitar. I want people to pick up Vitriol and read it and have fun. Hopefully readers will give it a chance with an open mind and enjoy it as much as we do!
Brent Allen:
I think there are different morals and stories in Vitriol that
different readers can take away from the book. For instance, what these
people are going through as a society and community seems to be the same
stuff that we are going through now. Their world has been plagued by
global recession in the past, pinning them to feel like they should be
further evolved technologically and as a society than what they are.
They are also constantly being attacked by an outside “terrorist”
source. The citizens of Basilika are scared to leave their homes and
have reshaped their social patterns to blend them into a world that
holds daily violent threats.
PREVIEWSworld: Once the 6-issue series is done, do you have any tentative plans for what comes next for this project?
Billy Martin: Well as I mentioned before, we have a ton of more stories to tell. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Vitriol and the world he lives in. We would love to keep the series going, so hopefully people will like it and make that possible for us.
Brent Allen: When Billy was moving from LA to the east coast I flew out to Oklahoma City to meet up with him. We drove in a car filled with cats from OKC to Nashville. We talked about Vitriol the entire 10 hour trip. There is a series epic ending already created, and we have enough material for quite a few arcs. I truly hope to be able to tell the whole story because it really goes to some fascinating places.
PREVIEWSworld: In this day and age of “do it yourself” over the web, do you both think that you’ll attempt more comic projects self-publishing for the web? Or do you think it’s best to stick with someone like IDW for your comic work? And if so, why?
Billy Martin: I think both options are great. This being our first fully-published book, it was nice to have IDW show us the ropes. I've learned a lot about the comics world that I didn't know before and could easily use that knowledge to self-publish something in the future. I'd love to draw a book for some of the characters I grew up drawing and reading about. Whether it’s with a publisher or self-published, I just hope Vitriol opens the doors for me to do more art in the comic book world.
Brent Allen: I think both methods work depending on the project that you are creating. Larger companies like IDW have a team of editors that really work hand-in-hand with your work. Most people think that a larger publisher would change the story in subtle or even larger ways to make it more to their terms, however, our editor Denton Tipton worked fantastic with us. He really let us go out and create the story we wanted and never put us on any kind of leash. In saying that, self-publishing is a fantastic way for artists and writers to tell the stories they want with zero rules. You have no deadlines and you call all the shots. However, it’s harder to get the book in a reader’s hands with a more DIY approach.
Billy Martin: The first artist that blew my mind as a kid was Todd McFarlane. I went in to the shop looking for Punisher or Batman stuff and saw Spawn #1, and the art was like nothing I'd ever seen before. That was when I became obsessed with wanting to draw comics. Before that I was a Disney freak. Still am! Spent a lot of time learning to draw by copying "art of" Disney books. So naturally I was drawn to comic artists who had an animated quality to them. Skottie Young is amazing, and Humberto Ramos is probably my favorite. I love Francisco Herrera's work, Ryan Ottley, and Sean "Cheeks" Galloway. Sean has been a mentor to me throughout the process of the book. Many times I hit a brick wall, and he was always there with something to spark my ideas.
PREVIEWSworld: Billy and Brent: What are the most frustrating things for you as writers? The conflict of your schedule with Good Charlotte getting in the way of deadlines? Or are you your own worst critics?
Billy Martin:
Balancing the band and the book has been a real challenge for us for
sure. Deadlines were almost impossible, but IDW figured that out right
away and were cool about it. We realized it would make more sense to
finish all six issues before releasing issue 1. I brought art supplies
with me everywhere, I drew Vitriol in hotel rooms, tour busses, back
stages, on planes, really anywhere I could. Writing wise, Brent and I
wrote this story fairly easily. We had what we thought was six issues,
but when IDW
set us up with Denton, our editor, he told us we had more like 60
issues, haha! So we had to narrow down some ideas and tighten up this
specific story arc. Yes we are our own worst critic, I think you have to
be! I look at issue one and I cringe at some of the art. By the time I
drew book six, I had learned so much about drawing comics I looked like a
different artist. I'm always striving to better my skills.Brent Allen: I seem to always be my own worst critic whenever I do something creative. I have an idea in my head and if I can’t get to that resolution in an interesting way it can lead to frustration. A fun aspect of co-writing with Billy is that he and I can be completely honest with each other. There were hundreds of ideas that we both thought of that the other person would say didn’t fit correctly into the story. The key is to be honest with yourself, and know that what you are discussing is for the betterment of the story.
PREVIEWSworld: What do you two want people to take away from Vitriol The Hunter? How would you like this comic to be received?
Billy Martin: Anytime someone from another area of entertainment (i.e. acting, music) gets into comics, readers are always skeptical. I certainly didn’t just slap my name on a book, this project means a lot to both Brent and I. I dreamed of making comics before I ever picked up a guitar. I want people to pick up Vitriol and read it and have fun. Hopefully readers will give it a chance with an open mind and enjoy it as much as we do!
Brent Allen:
I think there are different morals and stories in Vitriol that
different readers can take away from the book. For instance, what these
people are going through as a society and community seems to be the same
stuff that we are going through now. Their world has been plagued by
global recession in the past, pinning them to feel like they should be
further evolved technologically and as a society than what they are.
They are also constantly being attacked by an outside “terrorist”
source. The citizens of Basilika are scared to leave their homes and
have reshaped their social patterns to blend them into a world that
holds daily violent threats.PREVIEWSworld: Once the 6-issue series is done, do you have any tentative plans for what comes next for this project?
Billy Martin: Well as I mentioned before, we have a ton of more stories to tell. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Vitriol and the world he lives in. We would love to keep the series going, so hopefully people will like it and make that possible for us.
Brent Allen: When Billy was moving from LA to the east coast I flew out to Oklahoma City to meet up with him. We drove in a car filled with cats from OKC to Nashville. We talked about Vitriol the entire 10 hour trip. There is a series epic ending already created, and we have enough material for quite a few arcs. I truly hope to be able to tell the whole story because it really goes to some fascinating places.
PREVIEWSworld: In this day and age of “do it yourself” over the web, do you both think that you’ll attempt more comic projects self-publishing for the web? Or do you think it’s best to stick with someone like IDW for your comic work? And if so, why?
Billy Martin: I think both options are great. This being our first fully-published book, it was nice to have IDW show us the ropes. I've learned a lot about the comics world that I didn't know before and could easily use that knowledge to self-publish something in the future. I'd love to draw a book for some of the characters I grew up drawing and reading about. Whether it’s with a publisher or self-published, I just hope Vitriol opens the doors for me to do more art in the comic book world.
Brent Allen: I think both methods work depending on the project that you are creating. Larger companies like IDW have a team of editors that really work hand-in-hand with your work. Most people think that a larger publisher would change the story in subtle or even larger ways to make it more to their terms, however, our editor Denton Tipton worked fantastic with us. He really let us go out and create the story we wanted and never put us on any kind of leash. In saying that, self-publishing is a fantastic way for artists and writers to tell the stories they want with zero rules. You have no deadlines and you call all the shots. However, it’s harder to get the book in a reader’s hands with a more DIY approach.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Billy's Interview tfaw + 5 pages of The Hunter
Billy Martin: Sure, Vitriol is the unfortunate victim of his father’s bad choices. The city Vitriol lives in has fallen victim to supernatural beings that were released from a government experiment led by his father. He loses his family and is badly injured due to his father’s negligence, and now at an older age, he is set on clearing his family’s name.
TFAW: The premise is really interesting: a gothic horror sci-fi adventure–set in the future! How did it start?
BM: I just was thinking from a fan or a reader’s perspective. I love superhero comics, but I also love horror themes in general. Vampires, zombies, etc. I can’t get enough of that stuff. I also love stories that are set in a post-apocalyptic setting in the future, where things seem hopeless and some of the technology is just rehashed concoctions made of old and new objects. So I really just mixed all the stuff up, and Vitriol was born!
TFAW: What were some of your inspirations?
BM: The movie The Crow was a big influence on me in general. I love James O’Barr’s books as well, but the dark grittiness of the movie has always stuck with me. Batman, of course, because he has that mysterious brooding superhero vibe without having super powers. Crimson is a favorite of mine as well, and Humberto Ramos is hands down my favorite artist drawing comics right now.
TFAW: How did you connect with Brent Allen, and what’s your collaborative process like?
BM: Well Brent is my brother-in-law, and we have been writing stuff together for years. We wrote and produced a cheap zombie film together a few years ago and that really kicked it off. We started writing scripts together and even developed an animated series pitch. I had the idea for Vitriol on tour and started jotting ideas down as a proposed video game.
I love creating characters and worlds and stories, but I’m too impatient and I really wanna just start drawing. Luckily Brent and I work really well together in that sense. We can sit and brainstorm ideas or bounce emails back and forth. He literally can understand all my ramblings and turn it around into a great script the next day. Brent likes more slasher-horror and futuristic sci-fi, whereas I like the more supernatural monster horror and creature-based fantasy stories.
TFAW: What’s the most interesting thing about Vitriol, your hero?
BM: As a writer, Brent is really into giving every character a very believable story. We gave Vitriol some personal demons to battle along with the vampires he’s fighting. He can’t fly, he can’t crawl on walls, and he’s not rich, so he has to rely on his strength and his passion to pull off being a “superhero.”
TFAW: What motivates the villainous Lord Barthus?
BM: Barthus was basically a lab rat for the government. So as much as he is the villain of the series, it’s fairly justified. In this story arc Barthus realizes that the only reason the city is still intact is because he only rules the night. If the vampires could rule the daylight hours, he could achieve his world domination goal.
TFAW: What do you think is going to surprise readers the most about this comic?
BM: I grew up drawing Disney characters, so naturally I have an animated quality to my drawing. Usually, horror-themed books are very serious looking and gritty and realistic, whereas this book has a serious tone in the story, but a very stylized look to it. Storywise, Brent is always looking to add the “twist,” so we have a lot of cool and unexpected turns in the story that will keep the readers excited about what’s next!
TFAW: You’ve jumped into the role of comics creator with both feet–co-writing and drawing the comic on top of touring with Good Charlotte. What’s been your favorite part of the process?
BM: The best part has been watching myself grow as an artist. I’ve had to really learn new techniques and draw things I never imagined drawing before. When you draw for fun, you draw what comes easy and you never think about drawing a character in a boring pose. So often a story calls for two people to be talking and one of them has it’s back to you and I had think how do you draw a back? Haha. Looking through the books I really think you will see the art gradually taking a step up from book to book.
TFAW: What’s been the biggest challenge?
BM: The biggest challenge has been time! I started this project four years ago. Since then I’ve released an album, toured across the world, had two sons, and completed six issues of a comic book! I am very grateful that I can do music and art, because I love both so much. Very quickly IDW realized that I could not make a monthly book deadline. I brought my art supplies with me and I was working every minute I could, backstage, in hotel rooms, on airplanes.
On top of that I wanted to combine my art and my music, and I created a six song instrumental soundtrack to accompany the book. I’ve been remixing and producing for other artists under the name Villain, and this will be my first official release of original music as Villain. The best part is it will be a free download! Luckily my wife has been very patient with me, getting to be a dad and have your dream job is not something everyone gets to do!
TFAW: What comics are you reading right now?
BM: My favorite ongoing series is Invincible. Ryan Ottley is so good and Kirkman is unstoppable right now. I love the Amazing Spider-Man stuff that Ramos was drawing. Chew is really good, Skottie Young’s Wizard of Oz books are great, too!
TFAW: You’ve drawn a lot of cool sketch cards of DC’s New 52 and the Walking Dead–do you have any interest in drawing for other books?
BM: Absolutely! Even before I picked up a guitar I dreamed of drawing comic books. I’m so thankful that IDW gave me this opportunity, I hope it opens other doors for me in the comic industry to draw more books.
TFAW: What are your post-Vitriol comics plans? What else are you excited about?
BM: I just can’t wait to get it into the reader’s hands. I know anytime someone from another entertainment genre, like acting or music does a book most people will be skeptical. I hope comic fans will give this book a shot and see how passionate Brent and I are about this story. I am excited for people to hear the soundtrack as well, it’s really a big moment for me all around. Hopefully people like it and support it because we have a lot more stories ready to go for Vitriol.
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CONTEST! Enter to win one of five copies of Vitriol: The Hunter #1 signed by Billy Martin.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Twins Madden interview and photos
Joel is pious and prays frequently with his children before meals and at bedtime.
Should Harlow and Sparrow choose not to adopt Joel's religion when they grow older, the star wouldn't mind.
"I've gotten a lot of strength out of my faith, it's given me strength in times when I needed it. So my own kind of wants for my kids is to have that foundation if that was where she wanted to go," he explained.
“My kids are so cute when they pray. I pray over the food, and I pray before bed, and they’re at the age now where I tell Harlow ’do you say your prayers?’, and she’s like, ‘yeah’, and I’m like, ‘what’d you pray for?’, and sometimes she’ll say ‘nothing’ or ”I told God thank you for my teacher today." That’s what she wanted to pray for. I’m not going to tell her what to pray for and by the way, if she said, “No, I don’t want to”, I would say alright. What am I gonna do?” If she wanted to be an atheist I don’t think I’d have a problem. I feel like we love people the way we want to be loved, right? So that’s like our way of communicating with each other. And I’ve gotten a lot of strength out of my faith, it’s given me strength in times when I needed it. So my own kind of wants for my kids is to have that foundation if that was where she wanted to go. I love my daughter more than I love myself, and that would be a selfish decision to punish her for not believing in something that I believe."
“The way that you parent, you ease into every stage. So I can’t think about the things that I’m gonna have to tackle in ten years, because I’m tackling these things on a daily basis, when, you know, my son goes, ”Daddy, when we pray, before bed, where’s G-d at when he is listening to us? Is he outside?” And I said, “You know what Sparrow, that’s a good question. You know what son, let me figure this one out. I have to think about this one. I don’t know all the answers, but I’ll get them for you.” I don’t want to make up an answer. I don’t know that my idea is the right idea to teach them, I want to talk to my wife and go, “What do we say? He’s asking where G-d is when we pray, do we just tell him in heaven? When he asks, where is heaven, what do we tell him?” Whatever we’re gonna teach him, I want her to be a part of that.”
“Girls do something special though, man. They melt you in a way that I can’t explain unless you have a daughter. There’s nothing like it.
“It’s the one weird thing about me, is that [Lionel] puts you at ease. He is very comfortable, but I’m more the kind of guy that just wants to stay out of everyone’s way, I want to make it easy for everyone. As far as being my father- in- law, I always want to be a good son- in- law. I want to make sure that I do everything that a son -in- law is supposed to do. I have [Lionel’s] back. He knows that his daughter is going to be okay forever no matter what. I’ll get a job selling cars if I had to, I would do whatever it takes. He doesn’t have to worry about her.”
“I’m kind of crazy with karma. I really believe that everything you do revisits you, so, I’m really adamant about the kids seeing the grandparents, so like, I can see my grandkids, you know what I mean? And like, the same thing with being a good son-in-law, or a good husband, because I want my daughter to have a good husband, and I feel like if I’m a bad husband, my daughter won’t [have a good husband].”
“I have a zombie apocalypse kit at my house. I’ve got freeze dried food, I’ve got a real deal medical kit, like, a doctor could perform a surgery with this medical kit. I got all kinds of everything. Imagine if something really went down here. I’m not talking about just zombies. I have a pretty sound compound that I could fortify and make it really good.”
(to listen to the full interview : http://hahajk.com/category/podcasts/pop-goes-culture/
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