CACTUS BASTARD INTERVIEW #1
"CACTUS BASTARD: UP AND COMIN'"
By Jon Kenzi, Kick Ass Music
August 12, 1988
Recently, Kick Ass Music's Jon Kenzi met with the two of the members of the popular new band Cactus Bastard for an exclusive inteview. Now you can hear what frontman Dave Thorngage and lead guitarist Tony "Scythe" Lear have to say about the band's newfound fame.
KAM: So, Dave, your first album is out and it's shot right up to the top of the charts. What do you have to say about this?
DT: Well, Jon, I think that we've really earned that reputation. That album was a doozy, I mean practically a masterpiece, so it's no surprise that people are flocking to buy it. I mean, what else could it be? As soon as I joined this band, I said to myself, "these guys, they're going somewhere." And you know what? I was right.
KAM: So you would attribute the album's success to the band's raw talent?
DT: Not really the band's raw talent, per se. I mean, everybody put something into this album, but we all know who the real brains behind the project was. It's no secret that I really put my heart and soul into this album.
KAM: Fascinating. Tony, what do you have to say about this?
TL: Scythe. It's Scythe.
KAM: Excuse me?
TL: Call me Scythe.
DT: He likes us to call him "Scythe" for some reason. I think he wants to be like Slash from Guns n' Roses. We usually do it to humor him.
KAM: All right, then, Scythe. What's your position on this album? What do you think made this album great?
TL: Well, I think it was really teamwork, the whole group working together. I mean, you've got the writing, courtesy of Lothar and myself, and you've got the instrumentals, and Dave's vocals... it's really a group effort.
KAM: Tell me this, then. Do you think that this group would be what it is without Dave Thorngage?
S: Well, I mean, I don't know exactly what the "magic formula" consisted of that led us to the top. But really, what does Dave contribute to the group? He does vocals, but we have to coach him on that. He plays keyboards, but these days a blind monkey could do keyboards better than Dave... you have no idea how much editing goes into making his keyboard tracks sound good. So yes, I think that we could be great with another frontman.
DT: Why you disrespectful sack of horse shi...
KAM: Dave, Dave, why don't you sit down and calm yourself. I'm sure Tony... er, Scythe's statements weren't directed at you personally... more or less. Scythe says that Cactus Bastard could be great without Dave Thorngage... how about a rebuttal, Dave?
DT: I'll give you a rebuttal. I'll give you such a rebuttal...
KAM: Dave, calm down! I meant respond to Scythe's statement.
S: Uh, Jon, you didn't... er... record what I said, did you? I mean, it's not going into the article?
KAM: Actually, everything you guys say is going into the article. You people are really interesting.
DT: Okay, I've got a rebuttal.
KAM: Excuse me?
DT: My rebuttal. I figured out what I'm going to say.
KAM: All right then, fire away Dave.
DT: I'd just like to say that what Tony, I mean Scythe, just said is a total sack of sh*t! He's so full of it... I mean, when I think about what I've sacrificed for this band, it just makes me want to puke when I hear you say that! You piece of sh*t! I'll kick your f*cking ass, you pansy!
KAM: Okay, that's enough of that. On to a different subject. Uh, Scythe, tell us about the other members of your band. What about, uh, Chris, or Lothar as you like to call him?
S: Oh, yeah, Lothar's great. Really great guy to work with, really nice, very personable. Absolutely never runs out of energy. I mean, I've been in the rock business for a while, and I've never met anyone who could push himself as hard as Lothar. Come to think of it, I wonder where all that energy comes from...
DT: Yeah, Lothar's great. A real humanitarian. You know, he donated all his money from the album to worthy causes?
S: That's true. The guy's living in a shack in the middle of town right now, 'cause he gave all his money away. Strange, though, he never told us which charities he gave his money to...
KAM: What about John "Grim" Evenwood? What can you tell us about him?
DT: What's to tell? I don't know anything about the guy.
KAM: Nothing? Nothing at all?
S: Nope. He just showed up to auditions one day, never told us anything about himself. I think he's one of those really private people.
KAM: Well, what can you tell his fans about him?
DT: Grim has fans? When did this happen? I'm the only one in this band who's allowed to have fans.
KAM: Uh-huh. Anyway, what about Art Mourn? He seems to get less press than the rest of you guys.
DT: Oh, don't even bring up that psycho!
S: That guy's got some problems, there's no denying it. At our first concert, he came up to us and suggested that we trash the stage afterwards. I said, 'are you crazy? We can't do that! We're paying for this gig!'
DT: Yeah, and he's always trashing his hotel rooms and stuff. You should see the bill! Plus, he tried to kill me.
KAM: He tried to kill you?
S: Yeah, Dave and Art had some serious personality problems. And by that I mean he can't stand Dave's personality.
DT: He lunged at me with a knife after a rehearsal when I came down pretty hard on him. Scythe convinced me not to press charges.
S: But the strangest thing is his obsession with nicknames.
KAM: Nicknames?
S: Yeah, like how I'm called Scythe, we call John "Grim," and Chris "Lothar"... he wanted a nickname too, and was complaining about how he was the only one who didn't have one.
DT: Except for me.
S: That's right, except for Dave, but he said Dave didn't count. Anyway, he wouldn't let up about it, but when I asked him to make one up for himself, he called me a "big meanie" and ran off crying.
DT: I'm pretty sure he's on drugs or something.
KAM: Okay, our time's almost up, but before we leave, I'd like to ask you guys one thing: your album name, "Great One." Where'd you get it?
DT: Well, that obviously refers to the heart and soul of this band, me.
S: Actually, we just thought it sounded cool.
KAM: How true. Well, that's all the time we have. Thanks a lot, guys.
S: No problem.
DT: Hey, anything for my image.
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