With label mates including the likes of Emperor, Zyklon, and Dismember, Dead Man In Reno is absolutely nothing like the aforementioned acts. More on the metalcore side of things, Dead Man In Reno’s self-titled debut is being released in September on Candlelight Records. One of the most exciting and resourceful bands in their genre, these Tuscaloosa, AL based guys are about to embark on a three week European tour. Here is a recent interview we conducted with a few of the Dead Men. Let the investigation begin…
Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Dead Man In Reno.
This is Chris (lead guitar) and George (drums).
What is the current music scene like in Tuscaloosa, AL and how does Dead Man In Reno fit into the scheme of things?
There isn’t much of a music scene here in Tuscaloosa, it’s a college town (University of Alabama) so most people that are in bands want to be in bullshit cover bands or play Top 40 stuff in the bars. So, needless to say we don’t fit in with the majority of what’s going on here, it’s not much of a breeding ground for extreme music.
Being from the States, how did you wind up being signed to European based Candlelight Records, home to bands such as Emperor and Zyklon?
We just sent in a demo, and thankfully Darren Toms (A&R for them, also ex-The Hurt Process drummer) heard us and wanted to take a chance on us. It’s been great getting to work with the label and become a part of what they’re doing.
Where did you get the name of the band Dead Man In Reno, and why not call the band Dead Man From Tuscaloosa?
This is a good question, and we actually get this a lot. Since Johnny Cash is the supreme badass we took the line from his song “Folsom Prison Blues” where he says, “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die” and decided to call ourselves Dead Man In Reno.
Where do you get the ideas for some of the lyrics you write, and please cite a few song examples?
Our lyrics are usually very abstract but come from stuff that happens in life.
For example:
“Forever penned in blood an incision, carved across my back with ink driven through skin by needles designed all for you” in She’s Tugging On My Heartstrings is about a tattoo a guy we know got on his back to start a mural for his girlfriend and he for when they got married.
“What good is a voice if you can't speak for yourself” in From Here I Can See The Shore is obviously about people who cant think on their own and how pathetic that is.
What is a live Dead Man In Reno show like for those of us who have yet to see you play?
It’s energetic, loud, and sweaty. Playing live is what we love to do and we love every chance we have to play and enjoy ourselves and see the people that came out getting to enjoy themselves and have a good time as well.
What do you think has set Dead Man In Reno apart from other hardcore/metalcore bands?
I guess you’d have to ask the people that like us and support us that. We just play and write what we feel and hope that it’s something people can enjoy and connect with.
Have you ever played here in the Los Angeles/OC area or do you plan to do so in the future?
We’ve never played in the Los Angeles are as of yet, but we are looking very forward to having the opportunity to. We know how incredible the music scene is there and we look forward to being able to experience it.
What was it like working with producer Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, Through The Eyes Of The Dead) and what did he contribute to your overall sound?
Jamie King is such a cool guy; it was great working with him. He contributed to the overall sound of the album as far as the tones, and the mix and EQ of everything. We were very clear when we came in that we didn’t want our songs being re-written or tampered with, we wrote them how we wanted them, and he was totally cool with that. His role was in making sure we got the best sound as possible and achieved the sound we wanted for the album. He did a great job on that, and he’s such a perfectionist that he’d have us play something a thousand times to get it absolutely perfect, and I think that definitely made the album better too.
Is Myspace the great Satan of the 21st Century?
Myspace is a unique thing. It’s all a matter of how you use it as to whether it’s a good or bad thing I think. It’s a great promotional tool for bands and it allows a new level of exposure to bands who otherwise would be lost in the mix. But, it can be a bad thing too in some ways. I think some bands get lost in Myspace and think that the success of their band rides on how many “friends” they can add and how many plays they can get. Being in a band is not about that; it’s about playing live and connecting with people on a personal level through that. It’s about making good music that you’re proud of and that others can enjoy with you, I think a lot of people lose site of that through Myspace.
Have any Dead Man In Reno members been in any other bands prior to this one?
No, not serious bands, we’ve all played around in other local bands before this one, but not anything that went anywhere.
Have you guys ever been to or played Furnacefest in Birmingham when it was still around? If so, what did you think of it?
Yeah, a few of us went to it back in the day. It was totally badass, I wish it was still around. It was cool to have that many bands out, especially bands of that caliber.
Which member of Dead Man In Reno is most likely to leave the band and join up as the newest member of the Backstreet Boys?
Well, to be quite honest, we’re more of an N’Sync kind of band, no love for the Backstreet Boys. But with the level of dance moves we’ve got, coupled with the gauges and tattoos, I’d say we’re all pretty damn good candidates.
Dead Man In Reno is invited to participate on a Metal tribute to Madonna. What song would you record by the Material Girl and why?
We’d definitely have to get dibs on Like A Virgin, simply because of the title. With a song name like that, I can only imagine what we could do with the music video.
What's up next for you guys after the CD comes out?
We’ll be heading to Europe as main support to Sikth for their UK album tour from Sept. 28th – Oct. 19th. We’re hoping to begin touring across the US when we return from that.
Any final words of wisdom?
Yes, the CD comes out Sept. 5th so be sure to go pick up a copy of it, and we hope to see you all when we come to a city nearby.
The members of Dead Man In Reno are Justin Sansom – Vocals, Chris Penuel – Guitar, George Edmondson- Drums/Vocals, Drew Shellnutt – Bass, and Stuart Ogran – Guitar. Be sure to check out their new self-titled CD, out in September from Candlelight Records!
