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Interview
with Dave Leyva
By Jon “K” Konjoyan
Northern California is infamous for its thrash scene heyday and that influence
is still apparent in outfits like Sacramento’s SHRINE OF SCARS. Front man Dave
Leyva (also of VULGAR PIGEONS) explains how S.O.S morphed from a cartoonish
horror metal band into the extreme metal juggernaut it is today, and why
“throwing horns” is gay.
METAL EXILES: You seem to have perfected a seamless yet powerful blend of death
and thrash metal. In other words, fans of either genre should dig SHRINE.
What’s your inspiration for the music?
Dave Leyva: The writing is an unforced process. Our biggest push is to deliver a
sound that's fresh and stands apart from the typical band that is safe,
predictable, and often boring. Although we listen to black metal, punk,
grindcore and every style in between, we can play those styles without the
pigeonhole effect.
ME: Back when you were known as “THIRSTY FOR BLOOD,” is it true that your
shows featured fire and blood and guts?
Dave: Fire yes…blood, yes…guts? Yes! I mean it takes some guts to pull off
the cheesy gimmicks we used to do in the old days. I remember taking a dull
razor blade and connecting a tube to a squirt device. We would come out on
stage, slit our wrists and our throats and throw a bucket of blood on the crowd
and then kick off the set!
ME: What are your shows like to watch now?
Dave: Now what you get is a few guys enjoying themselves, rocking out and being
up there to deliver a solid performance. We dropped the clown act and now focus
on bringing the music to life. Lots of bands have the gore thing but it has
become stock. To be extreme now, you better gravity blast and blow fire while
doing a back flip or write something pissed off. Say it clear and have a
message. Do your homework and grab people.
ME: You list some of your influences as DEATH, DARK ANGEL, GORGUTS and BATHORY.
What was your earliest memory of extreme metal or thrash?
Dave: Old SEPULTURA, MDC, DEAD KENNEDYS, MINOR THREAT, and then we heard Gene
Hoagland and it was all over. Also MERCIFUL FATE, DEATH, POSSESSED, NAPALM and
SLAYER.
ME: How did your awesome new CD “The Knife” evolve? Will it be part of a
future full-length release?
Dave: No. This recording was never meant to go full length. More or less it's a
metal band paying homage to punk (with added elements of grind and thrash). The
idea was to have short songs with high energy and some raw power. Simply put…
to be the middle finger of metal.
ME: The lyrics are interesting.
Dave: The lyrics are fierce and pull absolutely no punches. From politics to the
wrongful exploitation of women and even historic torture devices… it's all
there.
ME: You’re no stranger to controversial reactions to your music, right?
Dave: When “Violence Is The Answer” was released we got hate mail from a
right wing women's group. I guess they thought we were pro-abortion and all
that. They sent pamphlets and all this other conservative propaganda. They hated
us and they hated the name of the record. Then there was this Nazi group that
loved the name of the record and thought it would be swell to send us a catalog
of all the skinhead bands and boots with swastikas...weird shit. Not our bag at
all.
ME: You’re part of the storied Northern California music scene, which has
produced everything from METALLICA and JEFFERSON AIRPLANE to PAPA ROACH, VILE
and SEVERED SAVIOR. Yet I hear that The Pound, a famous venue there is now
closed. What’s your take on what’s going on?
Dave: Although we are not the most active band in the scene, S.O.S. have been at
for a while and continue to aid in keeping the thrash torch lit. Although the
shows, the scene and venues often change, it will always be there--alive and
promising. From backyard parties to larger clubs, people do show support. You
have Paul Wilbur and Rob at KDVS in Davis doing metal radio shows, Grant at the
Y, Jim at the Distillery and Chris at the Dungeon keeping the bands booked.
Those guys help the scene out a ton! I think it boils down to this question: can
a band add to the scene and churn out good product or will they be altered by
current or passing trends in that very scene? Fuck sounding like Sweden and fuck
cloning CARCASS.
ME: Set our readers straight on your current contributions to your other band,
the grinding VULGAR PIGEONS?
Dave: Ah yes, VP. Well I have done two recordings with them,
"Imperialism" and "Burning Episode". Those guys are the
kings of San Francisco grindcore. It's hard not to be when you have half of
BENUMB aboard rocking the boat. Right now I would say we are on a break. I
needed some time to collect myself and put things into perspective. We’ve done
the Los Angeles Murderfest and other shows but really, that band loves writing
and making records. So look for some new material later this year.
ME: Any other killer local NorCal bands you’d care to tip our readers off to?
Dave: NorCal shout outs include: THE NEW PLAGUE, FORKTUNG, TIMES OF DESPERATION,
KURU, MUCUS MEMBRANE, KOLOSSON, and DEVASTATOR…check ‘em out kids!
ME: Tell us about your “Horns Are Gay” campaign.
Dave: I got pissed off after seeing the movie NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, where they were
misusing the throwing of the horns. And I’ve seen sports players do it,
rappers do it, everyone who isn’t necessarily metal doing it…and that’s
gay. The horns are a metal thing—period. So I started this campaign to educate
people, “Horns Are Gay,” complete with T-shirts and stickers. It’s really
catching on.
SHRINE IN THE STUDIO: out now is a limited split with SKITZO on Buried in Hell
Records. SHRINE returns to the studio this summer to record a new full-length,
“Funeral Man,” and an EP this fall called “Show Me Your Horns.”
http://www.myspace.com/shrineof
scars
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