Interviews

Interview w/ Shotgun Opera

Shotgun Opera is a relatively new band that defies easy description. With songs titles like “Suffering” and “Razorblade” it would be easy to imagine a gang of tortured souls but in all reality Shotgun Opera is made up of six fun-loving guys who look to each other as much as family as a band. Although bassist Turbo was M.I.A. for this interview, co-lead vocalists Grizzly and Samoa J, Drummer Cappy, guitarist SamRock and DJ/Keyboard Player Guapo took a few fun minutes to talk to Lokal Loudness. What you are about to read may not be for the faint of heart but we encourage you to take a risk and read on. We even left in the names to protect innocent readers from massive confusion.

LL - First off let me just compliment you guys on an incredible set at the Choice Awards as well as being nominated in the fave new band category. Are you guys surprised that Augusta music fans have taken to Shotgun Opera so quick?

Cappy - From the first practice that we had I knew that we had something different, but I wasn’t sure how people would react to it. So yes you could say that I’m very surprised and flattered by the following that we’ve gained in such a short period of time.

LL - So for all the attention you have gotten through your live shows, after being blown away by your performance at the awards show many were still asking “who are these guys?” and “where’d these guys come from?”. Will you clue those still wondering in on the history of Shotgun Opera?

Cappy - Ironically, it all started on the back stage of 1102 last spring when Samrock and I were playing with our previous band. I looked to my right and saw this huge tattooed bald guy watching intently as we went through our set, and to be quite honest with you, I was pretty scared. After the set was over, we were sitting at the bar and he (Grizzly) approached me and said, “I’m gonna steal you.” This made me REALLY scared but it turns out that he had been looking to start a new metal band and needed a drummer. Not being a metal drummer, I was kind of skeptical of the proposition. About a month later, that band folded leaving Samrock and I to go to karaoke nights at the Playground where it just so happened that Grizzly, Guapo, and Samoa J were hanging out. Grizzly approached us and again asked if we would be interested in starting a new band. Again I was skeptical until I heard Samoa sing Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”. At that moment, I knew that we could bring something different to the scene. The problem was, as it always is…..scheduling. It took us three months to actually practice for the first time, but when we did the thoughts that had been brewing for the past months all came out, and by the end of the first practice we had written three entire songs in under four hours! We still didn’t have a bassist though, which usually helps a little, until Grizzly, who also played with the Dirty Sons of Ireland, invited their mandolin player (Turbo) to our third practice and just threw a bass in his hands. From that day on we just keep pouring out new songs at a scary rate and keep evolving as a group. It’s surreal.

LL - While Shotgun Opera is new in name, Augustans have seen many of the members in previous bands but I gotta ask. Where’d you dig up Samoa J? What was he doing before roaming the front of the stage during Shotgun Opera shows?

Guapo - Well, we had originally had our eyes on Samoa to be our manager, since he was a friend of Grizzly’s, and had a good business sense about him (Unlike a lot of us…). Then one night at Karaoke (before the full band was even formed at this point), he got on the mic and we were simply floored! Grizzly looked at me and said “The hell with a manager… He’s singing!!”

Samoa J - I knew by looking at these guys I could sense they had something special, I just wanted to be apart of it. After me and Grizzly did Chop Suey at the playground, I was officially welcomed as the new co-vocalist.

LL - Shotgun Opera has a different sort of lineup. Multiple vocalists, sampling, etc. Was this done intentionally or did the band have to grow into this sort of setup?

Guapo - It was very intentional. When Grizzly (John) set out to form this band, he had a clear idea of what he wanted. He recruited each member for what they could bring to the group, and we created our “sound” the first day of practice! We wrote three songs that first day.

Grizzly - All the brain child of a madman…

LL - What is really interesting is that the band plays very aggressive music but onstage presents it in a very energized yet fun way. Trouble frowning just have too much fun?

Guapo - We are just thrilled to be able to do this! We have so much fun up there it shows through in our stage presence a lot.

Cappy - Most of our songs (with the exception of Righteous Man) are based on, or are our life experiences. We’re a group of fun-loving guys and just like to tell the stories of the bad times in a fun way. We’ve all had our rough times, but we like to laugh at them a little bit.

SamRock - We play how we feel. We feed off of the songs and each other

Grizzly - No life still sucks and I am full of hate.

Samoa J - Me personally I’m just having fun, seriously why be serious all the time. Granted sometimes the mood hits and people fear for their lives but it’s good to let them breathe sometimes. It makes for a more memorable show

LL - A lot of bands that put a lot of sounds and shades into their music have a hard time pulling it off on stage but Shotgun Opera does it handily. Did you have to work to recreate your CD live or was there a conscious effort to make sure anything you recorded would be possible to do live in the first place?

Guapo - Honestly, we just went in the studio and played the songs exactly the way we do in practice and on stage. We’re not the kind of band that wants to add in all kind of post-production extras that you’ll only hear on a CD. What you see (or hear) is what you get.

Samoa J - All I’m saying is that one of my biggest pet peeves is buying a CD then hearing the band live and the two sounding NOTHING alike.

LL - The CD is great. Very energetic, interesting, and captivating. What were your goals going into recording it and do you feel you achieved them?

Guapo - Goals?? What goals? We just got tired of people asking us for CD’s after our shows! Plus, we needed a good recording to send out to venues for booking and for marketing ourselves to promoters and record labels.

LL - What track do you feel best typifies the sound of Shotgun Opera?

Cappy - Wow, that’s tough. I don’t think a single track does, but if I’m being held at gunpoint to answer with one track I’d have to say “Suffering”. It shows off our ability to transition from really heavy to next to nothing in a single beat which I believe has been lost in the past few years by most bands. It’s either a hard or soft song. Not both.

SamRock - I would honestly say the one that hasn’t been written yet. We change and grow every practice and every show. We are still defining who we are and who we want to be in our music.

LL - OK, since you guys are a fun loving group of guys let’s have some fun. Besides your gear, what is the number one “must-have” to bring to a show?

Guapo - Um. Vodka. Lots of Vodka.

Cappy - A spare, dry shirt.

SamRock - Chords and power strips

Grizzly - BEER

Samoa J - A good Lawyer…..and Rum.

Guapo - If Turbo were here, I’m sure he would say “Tits and Ice Cream”. The boy is obsessed…

LL - If a female fan wanted to present someone in the band with a birthday gift, what would be the best thing to give?

Guapo - Um. Knowing this band, that’s maybe not the right question to ask….

Cappy - Well so far we’ve gotten shots, and sweet tarts…

Samoa J - Chicken wings and pie, take it how you want it.

LL - OK, describe what the perfect “groupie” for Shotgun Opera would be like.

Cappy - Just someone who prefers us to entertain them. I don’t like the term “groupie” though. I prefer friends.

Guapo - Whichever one likes Mexican…

Samoa J - Sadly I cannot answer this question.

LL - What do the guys in Shotgun Opera do when they’re not mowing down unsuspecting audiences?

SamRock - We do like to hang out as a group and just goof off. We like to think of each other as a really messed up family that has fun whether we are playing or not.

Grizzly - Mowing down other unsuspecting people.

Samoa J - Lol some of us have jobs, we ain’t signed yet my man.

LL - What’s next for the band?

Guapo - Well, you hear only five tracks on the EP, but we’re gearing up for a thirteen track album now. We’re working on getting some out of town gigs, and really just continuing to play music.

Grizzly - Next? The world. And then back to your mom’s house.

LL - Thanks guys for cluing us in on Shotgun Opera. Any final words for our readers before closing out?

Samoa J - Yeah just one…Moose!!!! Jk. thanks for you support we love all of you guys, we couldn’t do it without you

SamRock - Thanks to the entire local music scene that has helped us along the way. Thanks to Chairleg, Edison Project, Electric VooDoo, L.i.E?, Uncle Keys and many other bands that we have played with. Without those bands unwavering support we wouldn’t even be playing at all. You guys rock! Thank you to the people who come out to every show and stand right in front…we appreciate every one of you.

Shotgun Opera hits the Playground march 7th with Signal 18 and The Red Lion Pub on March 14th with Sterling Y. For other upcoming shows hit the band up at www.myspace.com/shotgunopera1.

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