COUNTDOWN TO THE METAL SUCKFEST: 3’s BILLY RIKER
The Inaugural Metal Suckfest is almost here!!!! Twenty bands will DESTROY The Gramercy Theatre on November 4 and 5, PLUS there’s an awesome, five-band pre-party at the venue the night before, making this THE can’t-miss hang of the year.
Tickets are on sale now right here, and you can hit up the fest’s official website for more info on the shows, including the complete line-up. In the meantime, we’re counting down to this weekend of chaos and debauchery by speaking to one member from each band on the bill. We continue today with legendary guitarist Billy Riker of 3, whose new album, The Ghost You Gave Me, was released on Metal Blade last week.
Read our chat after the jump. And don’t forget to check back in the coming days and weeks for interviews with more of the musicians participating in this awesome event!!!
What other festivals have you played before, if any?
We have played lots of different festival in the U.S., Japan, Europe, skateparks, and community centers. Usually they SUCK. Its only good it you get a good time slot AND are on “the cool” stage. Otherwise you are doomed to boil in the sun eating sand and playing to no one…
What was your best and worst festival experience (as a performer, not as a fan)? You don’t have to name the specific fest if you don’t want, we’re not trying to get you to burn bridges.
We recently played the best festival we ever played, in Quebec City — Festival D’ete. We got to play in front of 50k people and we went on right before Voivod. It was amazing!
The worst festival we ever played… I can’t remember where it was, but we played at 1pm and there was only 10 people there. SUCK.
Any tips to fans for having the best possible festival experience?
To have the best possible festival experience: Get your tickets in advance, arrive early, dress in layers, keep a bottle of water and a piece of fruit on you at all times.
For people who are too stupid to read the poster, which day is your band playing Suckfest?
Our band, 3, will be playing SUCKFEST on Nov. 5th…
Can you tell us anything about the set your band is planning for Suckfest?
For our set we will come out of the gate with full energy. At a festival there’s lots of quick sets so you have to bring it, bitch!
Which band or bands (besides your own, duh) are you most stoked are gonna be at Suckfest?
I know Cynic and Scale the Summit are gonna be at Suckfest, I’m very excited to share the bill with those guys… we are going to continue out on tour together from Suckfest to the west coast.
When you were first contacted about appearing at something called “Suckfest,” were you at all concerned that you were being propositioned to appear in a porno movie?
Of course not… any festival with metal bands is pretty much a sausage fest.
Is it awesome or weird that Axl Rosenberg’s parents are coming to Suckfest?
Awesome! I’m just glad someone is named Axl Rosenberg.
On a scale of one to ten, one being a freshly douched vagina and ten being your balls at the end of a performance, how badly will the Gramercy Theater reek of B.O. by the end Suckfest?
Oh there will be a chem trail… the Gramercy will forever be stained.
Finally, on how bad is Suckfest gonna suck?
It better suck, or I want my money back.
Read other entries in the Countdown to The Metal Suckfest series here.
