Metal band plays at disgraced author’s book signing!
By Jeremy Azevedo
Do you remember the author, James Frey, who wrote “A Million Little Pieces”, a memoir that became an Oprah book club selection? And then it turns out that a lot of the stuff in the book was made up? Well it turns out that Frey is still working, despite being shamed on live television, has a new book out, and loves metal!
But this isn’t really about James Frey, really, although it was maybe supposed to be. See, Frey had it in his mind that having a rock band play at his book reading would make the whole show more entertaining, and perhaps even endear him to a younger crowd. As such, he hired heavy metal band “Black Tide” to play at his show, which was a free, all ages event… at Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood of all places.
Now I’m not trying to make broad generalizations here, but in my own personal experience, metal heads are not known to be the most literate of people. Especially teenage metal heads that live in or near Hollywood. It became apparent fairly early on that the majority of the “guests” in attendance were only there for a free metal show. Words cannot describe how awkward the question and answer period after Frey’s reading was, but I can tell you that his frustration with the crowd was clearly obvious. And the guy that went before him? He looked like he was going to jump out of the window, if there even was one.
Anyway, the moral of the story was that I had an interview with the band afterward, the results of which I have taken some minor liberties with in order to punch things up (In the style of James Frey, of course). Following is my account of that interview with Black Tide bassist Zakk Sandler, and guitarist Lexx Nunez.
“Black Tide” is a group of old school metal heads, most of which are still in school, as their ages range from as old as 19 to as young as 15. Despite their age, these kid shred like the swarthiest, beardiest, 40 year old Dio cover band you’ve ever seen.
This is because the band was grown in test tubes by Interscope scientists, using the combined DNA of a tour bus full of Iron Maiden fans that crashed in 1983. The genetic protoplasm that would eventually become Black Tide was continually exposed to the 2CD “Monsters of Rock” collection (as seen on TV!) every waking moment of their incubation process (and also in the sleeping moments, too).
Black Tide kickin’ it in Hell, being all like “whatever!”
Behind the scenes of their totally metal new video
By Jeremy Azevedo
Despite the lot of them being under 20 years of age, Black Tide shreds like the 80s metal bands of yesteryear that many of us fondly remember headbanging to back in the day.
While most kids their age are playing guitar hero like a bunch of pansy ass nerds, these dudes are playing rapid-fire salvos of face melting thrash like it’s as easy as turning on a goddamn light switch. Although none of these kids are officially related, it is theorized that they were all secretly fathered by the soul and messenger of the Other Gods from Outside, the crawling chaos, Nyarlathotep. Who is also the half-brother of King Diamond, coincidently!
Anyway, we’ve got an exclusive behind the scenes clip from Black Tide’s video shoot for their first single, “Shockwave”. It reminds me a little of a mix between Twisted Sister’s video for “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, the Beastie Boys video for “Fight For Your Right To Party” and a little bit of “House Party” thrown in for good measure. Check it out!
