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Friday, February 15, 2008
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Current mood:  ninja Category: Music
FEATURED BAND OF THE WEEK:XUBERX
Founded in early 2007, XUBERX was originally intended to be a harsh electro/powernoise project for Baltimore/Washington industrial DJ Cheetahdave. Early in the project, however, those parameters became limiting, both in the need for additional influences in the direction of the project and in the sonic direction it would take. Within a few weeks, Zomboy and Liebchen were added as full members of the band. XUBERX began live shows in June 2007. Well received in those opening performances, XUBERX has continued with additional live dates in an increasing number of locations.The first XUBERX CD, an 8 track EP called "Rogue State," was completed in the summer of 2007 and released in August of that year by Radio-Active-Music (www.radio-active-music.com). Featuring remixes of the title track by Galvanax and Dharmata 101, and the production and mastering skills of Jsun Bruner of the latter band, the EP captures the range and potential of the band.A full length CD with new material is expected in early 2008.XUBERX finds influences in a broad spectrum of music and bands, but a consensus seems to be that Stromkern and Angelspit have been among the strongest musical influences.To describe XUBERX's sound, however, is more difficult. The broad genre of "industrial" music fits well, but no one subgenre truly encapsulates the band. In performances, the band complements its use of synthesizers with live guitar. Zomboy – vocals and lyrics Liebchen – additional vocals, lyrics, additional programming, live synth. Cheetahdave – programming, guitar, additional lyrics.
XUBERX's Liebchen has been a resident DJ at Syndrome (DC), Schadenfreude (DC), Midnight (DC), and Ascension (Baltimore, MD), she appears with regular frequency at Chronos (DC), and has also DJed for Midian (DC), The Dawning (Charlottesville, VA), and several events at the increasingly legendary industrial music store Strangeland Records. She was featured at R-A-M's Nuclearfest 2007 near Washington, DC as a DJ. Liebchen secured a collegiate degree in music.
 XUBERX's Cheetahdave has been a resident DJ for the DC retro-punk night "Skortch." Recent DJ engagements have included Ascension (Baltimore), Midnight (DC), Syndrome (DC), Schadenfreude (DC), and Strangeland Records (VA). He, too, appeared as a DJ at Nuclearfest 2007. He has traded his duties as a former frontman in prior bands, and is the principal composer, programmer, and guitarist. Zomboy brings to the table an explosive cocktail of visceral energy and rage filled lyrics. Taking inspiration from his love of both Death/Black/Thrash metal and the blood pumping sonic vibrations of Industrial/Harsh EBM, his presence on stage can only be stopped by removing the head or destroying the brain... XUBERX uses Nord synthesizers and Schecter guitars.Our first CD, the Rogue State EP, is available for purchase through Radio-Active-Music.com, CDBaby.com, and is also on iTunes and several other legitimate digital distribution sites.
INTERVIEW:
C = Cheetahdave
L = Liebchen
Z = Zomboy
Did you grow up in Virginia? If so, what cities?
Z- Yes, Born in Fairfax raised in Manassas
C- Yes, Born in Texas, grew up in Falls Church
L – Nope, I am from New York.
Describe your music to someone who has never heard it.
L – If Stromkern and Angelspit put out a CD together, it would be close. But there is also punk element to it.
What is your most crazy show story? (Any naked women running around? Drunk bar fights?)
C – Without a doubt, it would be the July Ascension show. The venue already had an 80s night planned, and while we're a lot of things, an 80's cover band isn't one of them. Nevertheless, in our most 80s attire, we played half a set of our own music, then knocked out four 80s covers, "Voices Carry," "Cars," "Kids in America," and "Monkey Gone to Heaven." It was fun, and we'll never, ever do it again.
How would you like to see the local music scene change? (venues, fans, other bands)How do you think we can solve the problems we are having with venues doing little to NO promoting of shows, not paying the bands much, lack of good sound systems, and other issues?
L – It all boils down to support from the patrons. Clubs can't do those things without money, and the money comes from people coming out. So the trick has to be to get more people in the clubs. Promotion is part of that, but offering them something worth seeing is more important. No club is going to buy a top notch sound system it can't afford, and that's just a reality.
What's up for the band in 2008? ( a tour, album?)
Z – A CD should be done early in the year, and then we have a lot of live dates up in the air. We need them to land.
What local bands and artists do you recommend?
L – Ego Likeness, of course.
C – Yeah, Ego Likeness, of course.
C and L – but if we get to name two, we'd also include Red This Ever.
What are your favorite venues to play at? How would you like to see the available venues to change when booking shows?
Z – Midnight, and to stop booking bands that aren't going to work out. It's not hard to tell sometimes.
C – I really liked playing at Club Five.
Who primarily writes the songs? Is there a certain process or does it come out during practice?
Z- Dave does music, Leibchen and I do lyrics.
How do you market your music to the public? What seems to work best for you for letting people know about your shows?
Z - Myspace
L – Yeah, Myspace has been good, but we also have some local buzz, and you'd be surprised at how much attention our buttons and t shirts get us.
Finish these statements with what ever comes to your mind:
"You know you've made it when..."
L – "you're playing European festivals."
"It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."
C – It's been ten years, and you're still playing the same songs. That's stagnation, and nobody will want to see that.
"I'll never forget the first time I..."
C – found our music on an illegal file sharing site, with the CD artwork. I couldn't decide if I was angry or flattered. Like, "Yay, our music is worth stealing!"
Let's have some fun with word association. Give me your immediate feelings on the following:
--We're turning this over to Zomboy. I'm not sure he avoided embarrassment, but he certainly did give his immediate responses.--
Washington DC – Z: Rush Hour
The National Museums- Z: Dinosaurs
Richmond- Z: Race Cars
Independent Music Stores / Businesses / Restaurants – Z: Huh?
Rush Traffic - Z: Lots of Music
Best Venue – Z: Jaxx! Springfield, VA Represent!
Worst Venue- Z: hahahahah, no way.
Best Kept Secret- Z: Bush's Baked Beans
The DC Goth Scene- Z: Is full of people who don't dance.
Favorite Dive Bar- Z: The Depot in Baltimore
What's the most played song on your iPod (or an equivalent music playing device) in the past week?
Z: Pendulum – Granite,
L: Rasputina – In Old Yellowcake
C – In the past week, it's US! We're learning a new song. But excluding that, it's probably Steinkind, "Ich Muss."
Who would be in your ultimate music supergroup, your all-star Olympic team of rock?
C and L: This is impossible because we're going to end up naming all front men, in the sense that they don't always front bands but over are composing too. But let's put in this band:
Ned Kirby – Stromkern
Clint Carney – System Syn and Imperative Reaction
Dan Clark – Stromkern and a whole lot of other bands
Mark Jackson – VNV Nation
Jennifer Parkin – Ayria
And then they can all fight over who does what.
What came first, the music or the misery? Explain.
Z: The Music, but I am not a very miserable person so I guess this question does not apply to me too much.
LINKS:
Dot ComVampirefreaks.comXuberX Myspace
9:46 PM
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