COUNTDOWN TO THE METAL SUCKFEST: TODAY IS THE DAY’S CURRAN REYNOLDS
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 drummer Curran Reynolds of Today is the Day (and Wetnurse, who, alas, are not playing the fest). TITD’s new album, Pain is a Warning, was released earlier this year on Black Market Activities.
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?
With Today Is The Day, I’ve played Roadburn (Holland), Inferno (Norway), SWR Barroselas (Portugal), and the AmRep 25th Anniversary Bash. With Wetnurse, I’ve played CMJ, New England Doom and Grind Fest, and some others.
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.
Best: The European festivals have all been awesome, but the AmRep Bash takes the cake because it was one of the first shows I played with Today Is The Day. I drove us overnight from Iowa to Minneapolis, blasting Rihanna to stay awake — next thing I know, I’m on this outdoor stage playing “Willpower” in front of Tom Hazelmeyer, Buzz Osborne, and a horde of old-school fans. What a thrill.
Worst: There’s no worsts but here’s a funny story: at SWR in Portugal, some chain of events led me to throw an old banana at this guy backstage. It was done in good fun, but it hit the man square in the face and exploded. Like, real bad. An hour later I’m onstage about to rock one thousand Portuguese metal maniacs and I see that the banana man is the stagehand who’s assigned to keep an eye on my drums during our set. I played that whole set expecting retaliation but it never came.
Any tips to fans for having the best possible festival experience?
Alcohol and some place to retreat to — hotel room, tent, foxhole…
For people who are too stupid to read the poster, which day is your band playing Suckfest?
Friday, November 4.
Can you tell us anything about the set your band is planning for Suckfest?
This will be our first time onstage together since our European tour with Soilent Green this spring. We are going to give it all we’ve got. I can’t wait. It will be the real deal. The edge of the abyss.
Which band or bands (besides your own, duh) are you most stoked are gonna be at Suckfest?
The Red Chord and A Life Once Lost.
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?
We’re open-minded.
Is it awesome or weird that Axl Rosenberg’s parents are coming to Suckfest?
Awesome. My mom’s seen Today Is The Day on our last two tours.
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?
11.
Finally, how bad is Suckfest gonna suck?
Badder than a Portuguese banana man.
Read other entries in the Countdown to The Metal Suckfest series here.
