Interview with...
Lead Vocalist of Sunflower Dead!
Michael
When and why did you learn to play the accordion?
Well, when I was younger, I played the piano. One day I said to Jaboo that I really wanted to play a different and original instrument and I chose the accordion. It felt perfect from the moment I picked it up.
What other bands have you played in?
I used to play in Two Hit Creeper, an LA band.
What are the bands most influential to your music?
Journey, Black Sabbath, ACDC, Guns 'N' Roses, Death.
What music do you like to listen to?
I'll listen to pretty much everything. I like to focus on singing, like Steve Perry (from Journey), Michael Buble, and even some really good female singers.
As a teenager, what music did you listen to?
Metal, deathmetal, hardcore, and anything else like that.
Do you have an idol?
Steve Perry from Journey because he is the best.
What inspires you to write music?
Me.
When you have writer's block, how do you find ways to snap out of it?
I don't ever get writer's block. The music is in me and I always have to let it out.
Do you often write about personal experiences and feelings?
That is all I write about! Nothing but that, actually.
What are the best and worst parts about being a musician?
Well, for me I didn't choose to be a musician; I have to be a musician because it is inside me. It feels so good to play music. The worst part is the driving.
Is it difficult to keep a band together?
Yes. That's all I really want to say. So far so good, though.
What is it like to be on tour?
Incredibly intense, ridiculously tiring; it's a blender of every emotion you can go through. It's really hard to get up after a day of eating crappy food and getting no sleep and dragging yourself out to go perform.
Do you like sunflowers?
Yes, actually I do. I live on Sunflower Avenue. I was driving down the street one time and I saw the street sign and thought of a short story called Sunflower Dead based on it. When our band was trying to figure out the name, we decided we wanted the name to be both ugly and beautiful. We knew that there HAD to be a flower in the name. I told them, hey I'm writing this short story called Sunflower Dead, and everyone said, YES that's the perfect name!
If you weren't a musician, what would you be doing with your life?
I would be homeless.
What do you hope for the future of Sunflower Dead?
To take over the universe. I'm not kidding, I want Sunflower Dead to take over the universe.
What is your favourite song to perform?
I don't know, really... I love everything on the album. I'd have to say "Every Breath You Take." That song I am really proud of.
What has been your most rewarding experience in being in the music industry?
It's not very rewarding. The industry is really the worst part because it's not about emotion. But the best part of the music industry comes from the people.
Well, when I was younger, I played the piano. One day I said to Jaboo that I really wanted to play a different and original instrument and I chose the accordion. It felt perfect from the moment I picked it up.
What other bands have you played in?
I used to play in Two Hit Creeper, an LA band.
What are the bands most influential to your music?
Journey, Black Sabbath, ACDC, Guns 'N' Roses, Death.
What music do you like to listen to?
I'll listen to pretty much everything. I like to focus on singing, like Steve Perry (from Journey), Michael Buble, and even some really good female singers.
As a teenager, what music did you listen to?
Metal, deathmetal, hardcore, and anything else like that.
Do you have an idol?
Steve Perry from Journey because he is the best.
What inspires you to write music?
Me.
When you have writer's block, how do you find ways to snap out of it?
I don't ever get writer's block. The music is in me and I always have to let it out.
Do you often write about personal experiences and feelings?
That is all I write about! Nothing but that, actually.
What are the best and worst parts about being a musician?
Well, for me I didn't choose to be a musician; I have to be a musician because it is inside me. It feels so good to play music. The worst part is the driving.
Is it difficult to keep a band together?
Yes. That's all I really want to say. So far so good, though.
What is it like to be on tour?
Incredibly intense, ridiculously tiring; it's a blender of every emotion you can go through. It's really hard to get up after a day of eating crappy food and getting no sleep and dragging yourself out to go perform.
Do you like sunflowers?
Yes, actually I do. I live on Sunflower Avenue. I was driving down the street one time and I saw the street sign and thought of a short story called Sunflower Dead based on it. When our band was trying to figure out the name, we decided we wanted the name to be both ugly and beautiful. We knew that there HAD to be a flower in the name. I told them, hey I'm writing this short story called Sunflower Dead, and everyone said, YES that's the perfect name!
If you weren't a musician, what would you be doing with your life?
I would be homeless.
What do you hope for the future of Sunflower Dead?
To take over the universe. I'm not kidding, I want Sunflower Dead to take over the universe.
What is your favourite song to perform?
I don't know, really... I love everything on the album. I'd have to say "Every Breath You Take." That song I am really proud of.
What has been your most rewarding experience in being in the music industry?
It's not very rewarding. The industry is really the worst part because it's not about emotion. But the best part of the music industry comes from the people.
It was an awesome experience to interview Michael. Despite his disturbing outward appearance when in makeup, he is actually incredibly kind and funny. It
was admittedly very difficult to look him in the eyes, since he was wearing the all black contacts.
Watching him perform afterward was different from the last time I saw him because this time I could see the pure ecstasy in his face. The joy he feels when playing music is so clear when he performs. He is having the time of his life.
was admittedly very difficult to look him in the eyes, since he was wearing the all black contacts.
Watching him perform afterward was different from the last time I saw him because this time I could see the pure ecstasy in his face. The joy he feels when playing music is so clear when he performs. He is having the time of his life.
Thank you Michael!
