Original Link - http://www.deadtoselfradio.com/interview12.php
Basic Group Info
GENRE: Christian Rock/Horror & Shock PunkLOCATION: Fort Wayne, IN
MEMBERS:
Wretched - Vokills
Lamentor - Guitar, Doom Tubs
Grim - Guitar
Carcass - Bass
LINKS: Official Site | Facebook | Request Songs
By Rick "The Screamer" Lindner 06/10/2012
Rick/D2S: Thank you for chillin’ with us here at Dead-to-Self Radio! It is great to hang with you!
Wretched/GR: Greetings. I am honored to be here.
Rick/D2S: Grave Robber should be this station’s official “house band” when you think about it. With a station where the slogan “Dead Never Sounded So Good” resides, Grave Robber is just a natural fit to exemplify that slogan if you ask me (laughs).
Wretched/GR: There’s a line from Pet Semetary that says “Sometimes dead is better.” I find that to be dead to you is ALWAYS better!!
Rick/D2S: Staying in that “dead” theme; one of your newest songs played here frequently; “You’re All Gonna Die” from your latest effort of the same title is a song that really digs into that theme. Talk about that song in particular and what you hope fans take away from it.
Wretched/GR: Some people think they are 10 feet tall and bullet proof. Some people think they can do as they please and live anyway they choose and they are to be rewarded for their disobedient, arrogant lifestyles. Even demonic forces operate as if they won’t ultimately be destroyed. The reality is if you don’t “DIE” while you are living, you will die forever. By that we mean reckon yourselves Dead to sin and find real, true life! Because the reality of universal law is no one gets out alive. YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!
Rick/D2S: For the fans that might not be familiar with Grave Robber; give them a little background on what they can expect from the band in general and with the newest release in particular.
Wretched/GR: More punk, more metal, more controversy, and more truth!!
Rick/D2S: With your visual image, I have to admit I was pretty much instantly drawn to your band because of that. As a young kid that got into rock music pretty much because of KISS and to a lesser extent Alice Cooper.
Rick/D2S: Grave Robber should be this station’s official “house band” when you think about it. With a station where the slogan “Dead Never Sounded So Good” resides, Grave Robber is just a natural fit to exemplify that slogan if you ask me (laughs).
Wretched/GR: There’s a line from Pet Semetary that says “Sometimes dead is better.” I find that to be dead to you is ALWAYS better!!
Rick/D2S: Staying in that “dead” theme; one of your newest songs played here frequently; “You’re All Gonna Die” from your latest effort of the same title is a song that really digs into that theme. Talk about that song in particular and what you hope fans take away from it.
Wretched/GR: Some people think they are 10 feet tall and bullet proof. Some people think they can do as they please and live anyway they choose and they are to be rewarded for their disobedient, arrogant lifestyles. Even demonic forces operate as if they won’t ultimately be destroyed. The reality is if you don’t “DIE” while you are living, you will die forever. By that we mean reckon yourselves Dead to sin and find real, true life! Because the reality of universal law is no one gets out alive. YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!
Rick/D2S: For the fans that might not be familiar with Grave Robber; give them a little background on what they can expect from the band in general and with the newest release in particular.
Wretched/GR: More punk, more metal, more controversy, and more truth!!
Rick/D2S: With your visual image, I have to admit I was pretty much instantly drawn to your band because of that. As a young kid that got into rock music pretty much because of KISS and to a lesser extent Alice Cooper.
Wretched/GR: Alice Cooper is a huge influence on us as performers, obviously, as well as The Misfits musically. As for KISS, they are certainly an influence in the visual aspect. We all love a band that can perform, not just play music. Give the audience something to see.
Rick/D2S: How much did those bands’ emphasis on the visual aspect of a performance play into what comes through with Grave Robber today?
Wretched/GR: Approximately 100%.
Rick/D2S: What are some of the best or maybe even the oddest questions or observations you’ve had from fans after seeing you live for the first time?
Wretched/GR: They want to know how it’s possible for us to perform in masks. I tell them almost every band wears a mask; you just gotta pay closer attention to THEIR masks. At least we are honest about it!
Rick/D2S: What has been some of your fondest live show memories to date as a band?
Wretched/GR: Playing shows with our heroes is always good. Cornerstone is always a highlight of the year for us. Hearing everyone sing the songs back is amazing. We usually spray blood on the audience and have chainsaws. There’s usually some surprise we bring out. Last year we beat up Santa Claus. We are always trying to top the year before and get everyone involved in a bloody, messy good time! Everything does have a message and symbolism as well, so it’s just not shock, but a visual to go along with a scriptural meaning.
Rick/D2S: Has there been one song that has really resonated with the fans more than the others and maybe become your “un-official” have to play every show song?
Wretched/GR: Yes, “Army Of The Dead”. It’s a song to our fans, welcoming new fans, and most importantly inviting those outside of the family to “Come Join” the ARMY OF THE DEAD!!!
Rick/D2S: With what you do, do you find it challenging at times to get gigs or even cold shoulder at times from fans/promoters that just don’t seem to get it? If so, what do you say or do to get them to come around?
Wretched/GR: Certainly. We don’t say anything. We kick the dust off of our boots.
Rick/D2S: Away from the shock and awe of your visual image as well as your live show, what I really appreciate about your band is the sheer catchiness and energetic tempo of the music. I think it really makes your band stand out with the merging of a dark visual and a feel sound.
Wretched/GR: Well, ultimately we are using The Misfits as the blueprint for our style of punk/metal/thrash musical hybrid. They were basing a lot of their songs on 50’s rock and roll, so what we do is admittedly stripped down rock music played with a lot of aggression, passion, and velocity. Some songs are “feel good” songs. Some songs are to make you think. Some of the songs are there to make you feel a bit angry and motivated!
Rick/D2S: Has this combination allowed you to talk about your faith or talk with kids that might not otherwise be open to hearing about the good news of Jesus?
Rick/D2S: How much did those bands’ emphasis on the visual aspect of a performance play into what comes through with Grave Robber today?
Wretched/GR: Approximately 100%.
Rick/D2S: What are some of the best or maybe even the oddest questions or observations you’ve had from fans after seeing you live for the first time?
Wretched/GR: They want to know how it’s possible for us to perform in masks. I tell them almost every band wears a mask; you just gotta pay closer attention to THEIR masks. At least we are honest about it!
Rick/D2S: What has been some of your fondest live show memories to date as a band?
Wretched/GR: Playing shows with our heroes is always good. Cornerstone is always a highlight of the year for us. Hearing everyone sing the songs back is amazing. We usually spray blood on the audience and have chainsaws. There’s usually some surprise we bring out. Last year we beat up Santa Claus. We are always trying to top the year before and get everyone involved in a bloody, messy good time! Everything does have a message and symbolism as well, so it’s just not shock, but a visual to go along with a scriptural meaning.
Rick/D2S: Has there been one song that has really resonated with the fans more than the others and maybe become your “un-official” have to play every show song?
Wretched/GR: Yes, “Army Of The Dead”. It’s a song to our fans, welcoming new fans, and most importantly inviting those outside of the family to “Come Join” the ARMY OF THE DEAD!!!
Rick/D2S: With what you do, do you find it challenging at times to get gigs or even cold shoulder at times from fans/promoters that just don’t seem to get it? If so, what do you say or do to get them to come around?
Wretched/GR: Certainly. We don’t say anything. We kick the dust off of our boots.
Rick/D2S: Away from the shock and awe of your visual image as well as your live show, what I really appreciate about your band is the sheer catchiness and energetic tempo of the music. I think it really makes your band stand out with the merging of a dark visual and a feel sound.
Wretched/GR: Well, ultimately we are using The Misfits as the blueprint for our style of punk/metal/thrash musical hybrid. They were basing a lot of their songs on 50’s rock and roll, so what we do is admittedly stripped down rock music played with a lot of aggression, passion, and velocity. Some songs are “feel good” songs. Some songs are to make you think. Some of the songs are there to make you feel a bit angry and motivated!
Rick/D2S: Has this combination allowed you to talk about your faith or talk with kids that might not otherwise be open to hearing about the good news of Jesus?
Wretched/GR: Without a doubt. We’ve had a myriad of pastors over the past seven years thank us for reaching into a subculture that they can’t even approach. The gospel doesn’t need Grave Robber. However, lost kids in a very violent, angry world do need the gospel. They WILL NOT listen to it as presented in the traditional way.
Rick/D2S: Many kids into the heavy and alternative music scene are hurting inside for a number of reasons. Has this been some of your experience when you’ve been out on the road? If so, what do you say to them to encourage them?
Wretched/GR: Absolutely, we tell them our stories. Some of those stories are much more heinous than what they are personally dealing with. We tell them there is hope in “The Reanimator”. We listen to them and hang out with them. We let them see us as real people who are followers of “The Reanimator”. We don’t get churchy or speak “Christianese” to them. We talk to them like they talk and let them see the real us. Just being transparent goes a loooooong way when telling someone the truth.
Rick/D2S: This is one of the reasons I believe that what bands like Grave Robber do is so important on many levels.
Wretched/GR: We are only doing our best to be obedient to our calling.
Rick/D2S: Outside of your past influences, what current bands do the guys in the group enjoy listening to?
Wretched/GR: Not too many (laughs)! We are all way more into older bands than newer ones. I mean, we are friends with bands we really like, but about 99% of our influence has zero to do with current music.
Rick/D2S: Many kids into the heavy and alternative music scene are hurting inside for a number of reasons. Has this been some of your experience when you’ve been out on the road? If so, what do you say to them to encourage them?
Wretched/GR: Absolutely, we tell them our stories. Some of those stories are much more heinous than what they are personally dealing with. We tell them there is hope in “The Reanimator”. We listen to them and hang out with them. We let them see us as real people who are followers of “The Reanimator”. We don’t get churchy or speak “Christianese” to them. We talk to them like they talk and let them see the real us. Just being transparent goes a loooooong way when telling someone the truth.
Rick/D2S: This is one of the reasons I believe that what bands like Grave Robber do is so important on many levels.
Wretched/GR: We are only doing our best to be obedient to our calling.
Rick/D2S: Outside of your past influences, what current bands do the guys in the group enjoy listening to?
Wretched/GR: Not too many (laughs)! We are all way more into older bands than newer ones. I mean, we are friends with bands we really like, but about 99% of our influence has zero to do with current music.
Rick/D2S: Where is the best place(s) for fans to pick up your music?
Wretched/GR: From Rottweiler Records. We are also on iTunes, Zune, CDBaby and all that rot.
Rick/D2S: Thank you so much for your time and providing our fans with a little love from Grave Robber! God Bless.
Wretched/GR: Thank you and stay in His grip!! Be afraid, be very afraid!!!
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