interview with White Knuckle Black Out
What´s the name of your band? White Knuckle Black Out
How was the band formed? Talent and attitudes collided
Can you tell about your band? We are a southern power/groove metal band. Formed from the ashes of local greatness in Winston Salem, NC
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? Franz Schroering Hails from Evansville, Indiana. He writes, does vocals, lead and rhythm guitar. Mitch Walker’s stomping ground is down around Baltimore Maryland, he slappa da Bass Guitar. Neal Ward is from Thomasville North Carolina. He’s been Beating the drums since he was 10 yrs old.
What was the ambitions of the band when you started? We wanted to leave a legacy, we wanted to join the ranks of heavy metal greatness. We had something to say to the world.
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? Pantera, Metallica, Snot and Machine Head had a baby and named it White Knuckle Black Out.
Where was your first gig? We rocked our homie’s kitchen in 2011.
Where was the latest gig? We slayed it at a two day Music Festival in Independence, Virginia.
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? It’s a collective effort of WKBO.
Who has the best since of humor in the band? Neal Ward is funny like clown.
Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? It’s what we feel, it’s what we live. It’s just an emotion to music. Our songs are about life.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? It’s all original.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Yes, Commitment … back in the studio in May 2015 to throw down some more
Do you have any clips on YouTube? Yes, we have several …. We just released an official music video of Gravel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACUioLUpXk
How old are you?/What got you started in music? We’re only three years old..Music got us started in music, it’s something you feel.
At what age did you start playing? Between the ages of 12 and 16
How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? Between 14 and 102
What year was the band started? 2010
Best/worst gig you've played? We opened for Primar 55 and the sound man was a fuckmook….best was opening for Kill Devil Hill at Ziggys
What places will you be playing in in the imidate future? Eastern US…..26 date tour this summer
Where have you played from then till now? Too long of a list
Witch band is the best you´ve seen? Pantera
Is it always the same songs live? NO
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? Every gig is a building block
Have you had any bigger tours from start to now? We’re rising and having a blast doing it.
How big crowds do you usually play for? Bob
What are the plans for the rest of the year? Kick ass and take names………..chew bubble gum
Where do you usually play? NC. SC. VA
How do you get psyched up for a gig? Every member has their own ritual.
What are your goals with your music? To move from fry cook to manager…hahaha
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? Older
What are your sources of inspiration? Fuckin Life….heartbreak and anger……that groove, that soul
What's the first step when making a new song? Having some banging ass riffs or lyrics and then it goes from there.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? To each his own as long as we’re heard……we want the music out there
What would be your dreams for the band? To be remembered long after we’re gone……and to make our mark
Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? Our tastes vary across the board, music is like candy always throw away the rappers
What do you hold most dear? Our music, our message
What would be your greatest fears for the future? The only thing we have to fear is fear itself
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? A bad sound guy and shitty monitors etc…
What songs and what years were they released? In 2010 we released our debut album Commitment, consisting of ten songs recorded on a shoe string budget and a prayer. The songs are, Demons, Unstable, Another Dead Voice, Lunatic, In Vain, The End Of Me, Divided We Stand, Boneyard, Relapse. We released a single Gravel in 2014, followed shortly by a music video that was debuted live in 70 countries by John Locket of http://crimradio.rocks/ . He flew out of Denver, Co to help kick this mother off
Have you been part of any other projects? No, this is our only love…………..One love
Have you been in any other bands? Yes
What do you work with outside of the band and the music? The Biz consumes us 24/8……free time, whats that
What would you do if there was no music? Hang myself with a guitar string
How important are your fans? They are the life blood of White Knuckle Black Out, without them there is no band
What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? From getting flashed on stage, to our Nurse Wendy who is always surprising us with something, to a White Knuckle Black Out cake.
How often do you rehearse? 4 days a week, 4 hours of practice sometimes longer
Where do you rehearse? The Knuckle Bunker
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Unreleased songs Honestly and Warhorse
What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? Pantera, Machine Head, Iron Maiden
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? It’s the dream … you have to belong to music, it does not belong to you
Do you have any webpages?
http://www.reverbnation.com/whiteknuckleblackout
https://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Knuckle-Black-Out/263291250363026?ref=br_tf
https://twitter.com/whiteknucklebl1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACUioLUpXk http://www.jango.com/music/White+Knuckle+Black+Out?l=0
https://whiteknuckleblackout.bandcamp.com/releases
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Stay strong, stay determined and never give up
Describe your show, visually and musically A White Knuckle Black Out Show is a full contact sport
How do you view the musicindurty of today? It’s not geared so much to music as it is commercialism. Thank God independent musicians have so many tools at their disposal to get the music out there.
What advice would you like to give other bands? Keep keeping on
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? Women, mortgages and egos
What is best/worst with playing the clubs? The best are the fans the worse is a bad sound guy and monitors
Tell us about upcomming gigs and why we should be at them? Our shows are a full scale sonic assault and an eye opening experience for everyone. We do not dissapoint
How would you describe your sound in one sentence Powerful with smooth melodies and hooks
What is your favorite crappy instrument? We don’t do crappy
Whats your Pre-show ritual? Practice
Do you have anything to add? Get some