Nefarious Realm: So, you guys classify yourselves as ‘dance metal’, quite the unique classification I must say, but do you feel it may be hard for some people to take you seriously with such a humorous genre?
Adam Cutler: [haha] Well it’s something we’ve never been really worried about, it did start as a joke in the first place within the band. It was sort of a mockery of the whole over gentrification these days within heavy music and so we just started branding ourselves as that. But we’re not super worried about being taken seriously to a degree just because it crosses a lot over into our live shows that we’re not
super serious, and being all tough and scary. So it goes hand and hand and it’s all about whether you’re into it or not. But we’re going to just be honest with ourselves and going to do what we do, and we’re not out to be tough guys or scare your parents or anything like that. Some people identify with it, others think its ridiculous and don’t get into it, but hey we’re into it so that’s all that matters over all.
Nefarious Realm: So Widow Sunday along with a few other bands in the scene like Acaro pretty much dominate the local scene, and being around for the past 4 years, you guys have yet to tour. Why is that?
Adam Cutler: Well, a lot of it is the backing we’ve had, and we’re hoping that with our next abum release, having some serious PR behind it, to get some media attention and get us the kind of resources to get out a little further because everyone who we’ve worked with so far has been awesome to us but it’s one of those things where everyone’s resources can only go so far. Especially us, ya know we’re all dudes in our mid 20’s we can’t really just up and bail on a lot of things. So, our focus has mainly been regional and try to build ourselves up as regionally that we can and then once it makes the most sense is when we’ll spread out a little bit further, we’re actually hoping to start doing that this summer actually.
Nefarious Realm: When you guys do play locally do you often have good turnouts, even if it was a crappy Tuesday night show?
Adam Cutler: Yea, yea absolutely I mean for the first couple of years, since we are only 4 years old, we definitely had that new band mentality and would take every opportunity we could get. And having been in the scene for awhile now and building up a reputation where we try to book smarter, ya know don’t play 5 times in the same city in a two month period. So since we’ve taken in that mindset every show has gone much much better as far as turnouts and just the whole vibe of things. And we try to find different angles to promote ourselves so it’s not just the same show, or same collection of bands playing. Like when we played at the Palladium in Worcester for the Dimebag tribute show we played a few Pantera covers, and when we debuted our music video in Boston, something to just make the night special because while I view musical performances as something special it’s different then if you went to see a movie or something. When you go see a band play, yea they play songs you might know but it’s always a unique experience. I realize that’s not the most popular mentality as the value of music kind of decreased by the general population as people don’t but that much into it from the fans standpoint, so we kind of went the extra mile to make each event more special and more unique.
Nefarious Realm: Have you noticed any difference in regards to the continuous economic downfall and rising gas prices in regards to turnouts at your shows?
Adam Cutler: Definitely to a degree, and especially again if it’s a local act, people aren’t going to spend a lot if it’s bands from the area, but, I think the people that are passionate about it are still into it. You see those kids who will come out to shows, buy merch, me personally I try to buy merch at every show I go to just for the principle of it, especially if it’s touring acts you really want to help these guys get to where they are going next. I’ve definitely noticed though, that even in the tougher times people seemed to be willing to spend a little more, whether you are a bigger band or a small traveling one, we’re not huge by any means, but for traveling shows that we do play we drive six to eight hours to go somewhere and we notice the heavier turnout and people pay much more attention I think because it’s a chance to see something that they can’t see everyday. Which is the beautiful of touring music anyways, you have these guys traveling around the world who aren’t in your area or scene, but its refreshing seeing what they can bring to you, despite the monetary troubles some people are having a lot of people still appreciate that and I can see it around Boston too, when bands come around to the area and play here.
Nefarious Realm: So are there any younger bands rising up in the scene that you’ve been sort of keeping your eye on and paying close attention to?
Adam Cutler: Um, there are a group of younger guys called Suffer The Destroyer that I’ve seen a couple of times that are pretty good. There’s another band, where they aren’t exactly younger guys, but they are young as a band starting fresh again called Give Zombies The Vote. Who are really good friends of ours.
Nefarious Realm: Oh yea with Matt Jennison.
Adam Cutler: Yup Matt’s in that band as well as my business partner Shaun is in there as well, but that band has been inactive for awhile but they just started up again, and they are really really good. There’s another new-er band called Murdoc that some of the guys used to be in Acaro and they’re really really good too, we’ve become really good friends with those guys as well. But there’s always new people to top it off and whether it’s guys who are involved in other bands or kids just starting trying to get out there and it’s always good to see the scene as a whole from a veteran player to seeing a kid buy his first guitar over at Guitar Center two weeks ago, so we always love to see that range. I always try to watch the different bands we play with, around here we’re sort of a click of bands, but whenever we see new people it’s exciting to see what they bring and to see others who still have that dream and passion and really love doing what they’re doing.
Nefarious Realm: Cool, so you guys are signed to Rat Pak Records, how’s that going?
Adam Cutler: Good, actually those guys have always been super good to us, I’ve known the owner Joe personally for quite awhile and they’re an Indie label, but they do really well, I mean they are putting out the new George Lynch record so they’re starting to really step up in the world. They’ve always been really helpful for us and they are being super helpful with the new EP that we’re trying to get out, so hopefully that’ll be out this summer and they are hoping to get us a new music video out of that to coincide with the release, so we hope we can get some good press behind it and start getting on the road this summer. We have a really good relationship with them it’s cool to have that sort of personal relationship with the label that is still building their career helping out a relatively new band, it’s nice to have the sort of individual attention and to have someone who is genuinely interested and engaged in what we are doing so we’ve been very fortunate to have that.
Nefarious Realm: Your recent music video for “Blood Money,” is fucking awesome, I recognize everyone that was in it, and it looks like you guy had a blast making it, how long did it take to shoot the video?
Adam Cutler: It was actually a little bit of work we had to do all the prep work of casting, making sure we had all that done and story boarding everything and getting a shot list, and making sure the director had everything he needed to get it done. And of course renting all the equipment and making sure we had all the fake spray painted guns we needed [haha], ya know making sure we had all the sets how we needed them. We borrored our friend John’s van for the day to drive up to the location and look like bawlers. But it took 3 days shooting, probably about 20 hours total. The first day was all performance stuff and then the next day we did all the outdoor fight scenes and a couple of small things and that third day we just wrapped up everything the interior stuff, and the fight scene at the end of the video, but it was definitely tough but it was so much fun because, like you said, it’s full of so many people that we’re friends with and other members of the scene so it was basically just a big group of us hanging out and having fun and really getting to know each other for a weekend.
Nefarious Realm: That’s really cool, did Rat Pak help fund that production?
Adam Cutler: Yup Rat Pak has helped us with all the music videos.
Nefarious Realm: That’s great, so let’s talk merch and what you guys are doing with that, you have your awesome booty shorts, which I am currently wearing, do you have any other novelty type merch?
Adam Cutler: [haha] Yea we definitely went a lot on that underwear route, but I don’t know it’s kind of tacky, and again we like doing our own thing and doing what we think is cool, and of course we stick to t-shirts and hoodies and stuff like that, but we try separate it a little bit and have fun merch and stuff that will catch people’s eye that is more tied into what we’re about of just loving what we’re doing and having fun. So we kind of go with that vibe and a lot of people are into it, which is awesome. And I think the majority of our fan base dig it, and we recently just hooked up with Third Degree Merch out in California, and they handle our online merch right now so that’s pretty awesome to be working with them and have a stronger support rather than us just pushing it at shows.
Nefarious Realm: Well, Adam that about wraps it up for me, sorry it’s been a lazy Sunday for myself and I didn’t ask more awesome questions, but is there anything else you’d like to add?
Adam Cutler: Yea, all I can really say to the people reading this, because obviously they are passionate and supportive of the scene so I guess just go out and support the bands you like. But if you appreciate an artist and for what that artist does go out and support them. And if you’re ever at a show where the band is from out of town support them and buy some merch, that’s always helpful. Even if you think they’re awful just buy something form them.
Interview conducted by Stacey Heath
