Monday, October 27, 2008

Tad Doyle Reverbfest video Interview on Brothers of the Sonic Cloth

Video interview with myself about our music from our show at the Seattle Weekly's Reverb Fest.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Why Mike S. is is the Clint Eastwood of Doom Metal....


Spaghetti Westerns, Clint Eastwood and Mike Scheidt

I recently watched The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and was thinking about the first time I saw this masterpiece of a movie. I was very young and my older brother Buz took me to a theatre in Boise where I grew up. The film had just come out and Buz was on a date with his girlfriend Cheryl who later became his life long wife and friend. I was very excited that I was going to a movie with my brother whom I had a profound respect and love for.

Many years later I was able to see The Good, The Ugly and many other spaghetti westerns and a plethora of Clint Eastwood movies as well. Each time I would see these films I would notice things that I hadn't seen or heard before. In the last viewing of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly there was a scene where I noticed a sign that was outside of the hospital that read, "If you are trying to make a living, why do you work yourself to death?" Good question; especially in light of the fact that for me, and I am willing to bet that for most people as well; money has lacked the ability to bring any long lasting happiness in to my life or the lives of others. Likewise, in respect to seeing and hearing something new everytime I listen to any of Mike Sheidt's music I get the same effect of hearing something that I hadn't heard before. To me this is one of the marks of music genius and makes for great listening as well.


Back to the original thought I had.... I submit to you that Mike Scheidt is the Clint Eastwood of Doom Metal and here is why: Both Mike and Clint are men of few words but they are action men. Less talk and more rock. However, when they do speak it is compelling and usually something worth listening to. Both Mike and Clint have an intensity to them backed with incredible talent and accuracy in their trades. Clint's character portrail of "Blondie" in the The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is really what I am making the association with to Mike. The tones and timbre of Scheidt's guitar sound are immense and full, dark and chock full of overtones that makes him stand alone as one of the best heavy guitar tones I have heard. Mike's playing is equally incredible in that he plays with rythmic intensity and throws in some chords that are very unusual sounding. Literally, every time I have heard Mike play it has brought tears of joy to my eyes and the sounds have awakened a profound sense of infinity and a feeling as if I am moving freely through the universe. So, it is with much due respect to both Mike and Clint that I make this association. Take it or leave it.

YOB has returned. Welcome back.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly