Hi, Jeff. Greetings from Germany (one more time😉)! What are you up to these days?
Right now I’ve been working on my practice routine and writing material for the next Doubting Thompson EP.
Let’s refresh a bit. Would you please introduce your band to our readers who are not aware of your music?
Currently Doubting Thompson is a one-man recording project. I’m responsible for all the guitar and bass parts, vocals, and I program and arrange all of the drums.
Could you give us a little insight into the formation of the band? When and how did it happen?
From 2013-3014 I was working on a recording project called Banshee Swans (Bandcamp). It was fairly eclectic musically. I ended up doing a couple of heavier songs for it with me doing vocals. I had so much fun doing it, I continued in that vein with the first Doubting Thompson EP in 2016 (Satanica Records, Bandcamp).
At what age did you start playing instruments, and since when have you been into metal music?
I started messing around with power chords and riffs when I was 14. I was a fan of classic rock and metal at that time and that’s why I wanted to play.
DOUBTING THOMPSON is about to release Lizard Brain Directives soon. Could you tell us something about it and walk us through all the track's lyrics and meanings?
With Lizard Brain Directives I wanted the songs to have a common thread running through them. It’s not a concept album or anything like that but the songs are all about aggressive human behavior related to the amygdala. In the past this part of the brain was referred to as the “lizard brain.” It’s a primary processing center for emotions like fear, anxiety and rage. So if it’s not functioning properly or gets overstimulated bad things can happen!
1. MY LAI MASSACRE - is about infamous war crimes committed by American soldiers during the Vietnam war. The incident was initially covered up but later came out and was revealed to the public by the press.
2. BLOOD DIAMOND - is about human exploitation for profit in the diamond trade. It’s basically another story about the cruelty human beings are capable of.
3. LEAD THE CHARGE - is an instrumental with no lyrics.
4. TERRIBLE TED - is about serial killer Ted Bundy. I think his case is particularly disturbing. He was a sociopath/psychopath who committed horrible acts of violence but he was very good at wearing his “human” mask and presenting himself as a decent, upstanding, trustworthy individual.
When and where did you play your first gig? How was the experience of going live for the first time?
To be honest I haven’t played out live as much as I would have liked to over the years. My first gig with a band was a battle of the bands. Someone loaned me a Les Paul for the show and it kept going out of tune. Still, it was a great experience I’ll always remember for getting up there in front of people on a stage as opposed to playing at a party.
If asked to differentiate DOUBTING THOMPSON from other bands in the US, how would you respond?
There’s so many genres and subgenres these days it’s hard for me to keep up! I think DT stands out for being more old school thrash. I don’t play grindcore, deathcore or djent. I guess I’m old fashioned because I only play 6 strings! Seriously though, I would hope that DT would stand out for having a unique take on the genre.
Which bands/artists do you draw your influences from, and which are your favorite local bands?
The big 3 of 70s hard rock being Zeppelin, Sabbath, and Purple will always be an influence. Van Halen. The Big 4 of course, plus Exodus. I listen to a lot of guitarists for inspiration from David Gimour to Yngwie, jazz fusion, you name it. Sometimes I listen to techno, classical, or ambient music. It’s all music and it’s all good.
DOUBTING THOMPSON is a very promising formation. Looking at your future, where do you see yourselves in 3 years?
What I would like to see is more exposure and a larger fan base for sure. In three years it would be nice to have musicians to play with so it’s no longer a one-man project. Playing shows would be great!
Well, that’s it. Thanks a lot for your time. Could you speak out to all your fans and supporters?
Thank you for listening and all of your support! I hope you enjoy Lizard Brain Directives. I promise to continue to push myself to continuously improve and put out the best music I can!
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