When I was 10 I started getting into my own music. Bands like Green Day and My Chemical Romance opening floodgates, being gateways, and falling down rabbit holes into subgenres, sub-subgenres, and worship bands. If my @ on social media didn’t give it away, a big musician for me from the age of 10 and even now was and is Glenn Danzig. As a 6’4 guy built like a Frank Miller drawing, looking up to a tiny Italian man with a desire to fuck demons and collect skulls, what could be cooler? Type O Negative’s Peter Steele. A 6’7 guy built like a vampiric Frank Miller drawing who desired to fuck goth girls and make everyone mad. Lots of bands have done Misfits/Danzig worship, including my own. Lots of bands have sucked ass for trying to do Misfits/Danzig worship, including my own. Type O worship is more rare, and harder to achieve. Neon Nightmare is the first band to do it well, and not include a member of Type O. Songs of longing for a life of love, or a swift death, Faded Dream really captures the vibe of the Drab Four and their brand.
How did you come together with 20 Buck Spin?
We met on Grindr years ago and have maintained a beautiful personal and professional relationship ever since.
What made you want to work with David Seidman? How did you two get along on the imagery?
I saw the artwork he did for Ingested and it stood out from the sea of monotonous metal album art. He’s on a totally different level than the rest of these fools, he’s honestly too good to even be doing art for a project like this. But fortunately he’s a really nice guy and loves the music.
In a modern world where people go as far as ASCAP to ruin things for themselves, how has it been overall with the mystery band member thing?
I’m a BMI guy so I’m not sure how ASCAP would be snitching me out. Again, that whole thing was an attempt to break through the sea of bullshit by taking things to an even MORE absurd level of bullshit. And it worked. It’s way too easy to fuck with people and manipulate the collective consciousness on the internet. I see why our reptilian overlords love doing it, it’s a lot of fun.
And how have the other interviews gone? I can’t see every person appreciating the specific sense of humor that comes with your band’s presence
People either get it or they don’t, I don’t care either way. I’m trying to give people solid clickbait so we can all succeed together. The Europeans in particular take everything literally. I had this bit I was doing that went something like “I had 5 choices… suicide, homicide, rehab, psych ward, or make this album. I think I made the best choice but not everybody will agree.” It got zero laughs. Like all effective jokes, there’s an element of truth at its core. But none of this shit is that serious. Bullshit answers are way more fun than real answers, the only goal here is to draw attention to the record I made. Which is the only thing that actually means anything. The music.
What’s the perfect situation to get your band to play live?
Neon Nightmare will only play live if I can find a really good keyboard player who looks like Elvira Mistress of the Dark. She has to be a mad scientist of keyboard/synth, there’s a lot going on. That started as a joke but the more I said it, the more I realized it’s true. That’s the only way I’ll do it. I would tour as support for Danzig, Smashing Pumpkins, or Queens of the Stone Age. Maybe a couple others. But beyond that, I don’t see it happening.
Been a while since they did any work, how did you get in touch with the Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir, and how did their involvement go over?
They couldn’t afford rent prices in Brooklyn anymore. Like so many others, their solution was to invade the Austin, TX area. We’re being overtaken by sociopathic tech bros, Rogan-worshipping pseudo libertarian morons, woke California vegans, and lesbian choirs from New York. I’m about to get the fuck out of here.
What’s next for the band?
Reconnecting with my Pagan DNA by celebrating Halloween, the only holiday that means anything. Jeff Henson, who recorded the album, has invited me to the gun range to celebrate the album release. More riffs. Unfortunately, there will be more Neon Nightmare music in the future. If we survive the looming civil war and/or thermonuclear global annihilation.
Are there any other bands you’d like to shout out? Any last words?
Everybody check out the Spiritbox / Megan Thee Stallion collab. Nothing cooler than corporate forces co opting “outsider art” to pick at rotting scraps of a dead industry.
Neon Nightmare’s debut album Faded Dream is available 11/1, just in time for the fall weather experience. Please buy their product
