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The Rock and Roll Report Band of The Week is Blacklist Union

November 3, 2008 by Mark

This week's Band of the Week is Hollywood, California's Blacklist Union. I had a brief chat with vocalist Tony West  about the band, their motivation and living in Hollywood.

Rock and Roll Report: I like to use the term Rock and Roll instead of just plain rock since I find it to be more inclusive. I think it is cool that you literally shuffled from the East coast New York punk scene to the West Coast hard rock/metal scene in your formative years. What is your definition of rock and roll?

Tony West: Rock N Roll is sticking to your own vision NO MATTER WHAT. Not selling out your art and music to some corporate giant that doesn't give a fuck about art in the first place….

RRR: I think it is safe to say that you are a Hollywood band through and through. I mean the personal drama combined with the shit you have gone through as a band up to know sounds like the clichéd Hollywood experience. Now I know you are a very outspoken musician in a town that loves to praise you on the one hand and stab you in the back on the other. How do you deal with it all?

TW: I don't involve myself with drama especially Hollywood drama. It means nothing. I just want to make music and hang out with my 2 year old son and my girl Amber. I run from drama.


RRR: It is obvious from listening to a song like Sixty Five Steps Away that music for you is very cathartic and allows you to deal with some pretty heavy emotions. I still believe in the redemptive powers of great music but in this day and age of the disposable pop song you sometimes have to wonder. What do you think music brings to our experience? Why is music necessary?

TW: Music heals. It heals my pain and it gives others hope and the kind of relatedness one might need when they cant relate to anyone at all.


RRR: Tell us a bit about the band, how you got started and who the members are now.

TW: I started Blacklist Union in 2004. Having a band in Hollywood is a lot like having a wife in Hollywood….It takes a few times to get it right. We got Tony West on Vocals (that's me).. Johnny Harley and Ashes on the Guitars, Ryan Collier on bass and the almighty Moon Hills on the drums.

RRR: You have self-released 'Breakin' Bread with the Devil' after some not so great experiences with Wright Records. This is the kind of shit that happens every day. What do you tell a band faced with the same sort of situation today?

TW: Record companies need you a hell of a lot more than you need them. Don't be desperate. If they aren't giving you what you want walk away.


RRR: Some people will argue 'till the cows come home that rock and roll is dead or on its death bed. What do you think?

TW: Rock n Roll aint noise pollution. Rock 'n Roll will never die, never has, never will. Plus there are a whole new generation of kids that want the rock star back. Well, here we are!

RRR: How has your reception been since 'Breaking Bread with the Devil' has been released? Do you feel that it is an authentic statement of where Blacklist Union is today?

TW: Breakin' Bread With The Devil is about a road traveled. Exorcising and casting out demons and getting up after being thrown on the floor over and over. Getting up and dusting yourself off to continue walking again. It was where we were before, we are up to new things now. 65 Steps Away was a very profound song for me and I get to let go of a pain that almost killed me.

RRR: What are your plans for the remainder of the year and going into 2009?

TW: We are gonna be touring throughout 2009. We will be going to Europe, Japan and South America as well.

RRR: How do you feel about the new world of MySpace, podcasting, iPods and Web 2.0? Have you been using any of this stuff to spread the Blacklist Union sound?

TW: I love MySpace and all the Internet tools of networking available today.

RRR: Tony, you state 'Somewhere out there is a kid, like me, who has a fucked-up family and doesn't know how to escape except through music. If our music brings hope to that one kid, I've done my job – I swear to God.' Pretty powerful stuff. Is this still the overriding reason why you are a musician?

TW: That's why I got into music and it aint gonna change now. I was that kid that got fire and hope from music and somewhere, some place there is a kid that I am reaching, probably at this very moment….

RRR: Anything you want to add?


!!LONG LIVE ROCK N ROLL!!

http://www.blacklistunion.com/
http://www.myspace.com/blacklistunion