Interview w/ David Alvarez of Shaolin Temple of BooM

So I recently sat down for a chat with David Alvarez of Shaolin Temple of BooM to get some insight into his world, talk about the new album 'The Equinox' and to see what its like for an independent artist breaking into the music industry.  

Hey David, thanks for taking the time to sit down and have a chat.  

David: Thanks for having me Chad, glad to be here.

You've just released a new album, how's the response been from your fans?  

David: Great, even though most of the world's economies are in severe recessions. But overall longtime fan reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and new fans are coming on board in rates I haven't seen before.

The sound of The Equinox is quite heavier than some of your older work. Was this the plan for Shaolin Temple of BooM from the beginning? Or was it just the way you've progressed over the last few years?  

David: I think the heaviness is a result of production and gear, when SToB won the 15K from the Wonka Battle of the Bands contest I finally had the capitol to take a full hands on role as producer and get exactly what I wanted from a studio.

Prior to "The Equinox" what you were hearing was mostly music recorded at home so it doesn't quite have the depth of recording the guitar from a real amp, like my Engl Powerball (www.engl-amps.com) for example. Most of the songs on "The Equinox" were recorded at this cool little studio called Eagle Rock Studios and the mixing was done by David Spreng and Chris Vrenna who are absolutely amazing.

As far as composition, I was also very free in terms of mindset. When I wrote "Deus Ex Machina", I was bound to a concept album story. With "The Equinox" I liberated my mind to just write songs without an overall story line or concept so what came out of me was what I was feeling at the moment.

ENGL Amplification Website www.engl-amps.com

You've come up with a very unique idea for the release of the new album. Care to tell us a bit about it?  

David: We all know ad nauseam on how the industry is in turmoil and CD sales are tanking and almost non existent. CDs as manfuctured items are as good as gone. That being said there are still many people that want something tangible from a band and it's music and I do receive emails daily from people wanting these albums on disc. So when it came time to release this album I didn't want to give people a cold, sterile, and completely manufactured disc. I wanted to give them something that would make it personal and also give a little bit of myself with each disc by drawing something original on a panel of the CD booklet.

Each artwork will be entirely handmade and custom created, reflecting whatever I am feeling at the time of creating it. While people that bought the album wait to receive their personalized CD they can download the album in pretty much any format they desire along with a video for "I Would Destroy" immediately.

You've posted quite a few paintings and various artworks online. Is your art something which you plan to use in association with your music?  

David: Yes, very much so, in fact in the coming weeks I will be selling original paintings and drawings coupled with my music and videos in some way through the www.facebook.com/shaolintempleofboom site.

For example I just sold a first sketch of a self portrait called "Angry Day", it was bought within the first 5 minutes of being available for purchase online and now this person will receive the new EP called "Duel" and the "After the Fall" video 5 days before it's officially released.

The first Shaolin Temple of BooM video was of course for 'I Would Destroy...', and you're currently in the process of filming another video; I understand this one is for 'After The Fall'. What can we expect from the new clip?  

David: Something completely different for a rock band. "After the Fall" is a very unique song. It starts out as this electronic dance track that moves into funk/rock then into rock then finally into double kick heavy rock. I don't think I have ever heard a song like it. Since it incorporates all these different genres into one song to do the typical rock band video for it would be a crime. So I looked at different genres of music videos for inspiration but also mixed it with a horror movie story line. Tim Thompson is a very talented director and will be incorporating some cutting-edge editing and even special effects that will be a step up for an independent band.

Some of your fans are pushing for a third video, this time for 'The Last Day of the Sun'. Is this something you'll look in to in the future or are you just concentrating on the current video at the moment?

David: Yes, I have heard of this....it is a possibility but at this moment I am fully concentrating on releasing the "After the Fall" video and at the same time releasing a three song EP which includes a full studio version of "Into Nothing" 2010 and two brand new tracks. There may be another video from "The Equinox" album but first SToB will be doing a short run tour on the West Coast of the United States with other independent bands on the bill.

Shaolin Temple of BooM has been around for 5 years now and is still very much an independent band. Do you think you'll stay an independent artist, or are you on the look out for a label?  

David: I honestly don't know. I enjoy the control I have over everything that I would not have if SToB were signed. But of course a label has the power and money to bring this music to a much wider audience. My favorite philosophy is "Be like water" so I guess it depends on any situations that arise that can help fulfill the potential of Shaolin Temple of BooM at the same time satisfying me as an artist.

SToB has undergone a few lineup changes since 2005, are you happy with the current lineup or can we expect more changes over the next few months?  

David: Yea Borja has been with me now for two years and he's been very patient, I would consider him one of my true friends in this life and he is a mega talented guitarist. He and June are the only two official members of this band in a huge cast of tryouts and failures. Borja also got to see all the stuff I have to deal with in regards to musicians and how difficult it really is to put a band together especially after the band has gained a good deal of success beforehand.

But just like times have changed with the music industry, I think bands are more and more becoming record labels of their own, so the very concept of "band" isn't what it used to mean.

For example there is a track on "The Equinox" that was entirely performed by me called "Always, Everything" or one where it's just me and Borja called "A Dark Star". The way I see this band is in a very fluid situation where all the parameters of what a band used to be do not apply, I sincerely think this is the future.

Do any of the other band members contribute to the writing process? Or are you still taking full responsibility for all of Shaolin Temple of BooM's music?

David: I write the chord progressions, guitar riffs, electronics, melodies, and lyrics. This is how it goes... Basically, I give the band a scratch recording of the song already finished and we take it on from there.

You've received a lot of publicity online over the last few years, but have only recently played a string of live shows? Why such a delay in getting this band on stage?

David: This has been the greatest torment of my life. The biggest obstacle to playing live for SToB was always a certain member in the band not wanting to do it or not working out. For example the last drummer didn't want to do a tour that SToB was offered to play even though the band is being paid for it. Or the drummer previous to that not wanting to rehearse more that 1 time a month, it was impossible to develop the live show as a band with that little rehearsal. Also I had to deal with musicians not learning their parts or the songs.

Believe me if it were up to me I would be playing a show every night. But SToB is still a slave to finances if I can make enough money to hire the drummer for every show, I would in a heartbeat and do shows all the time, anywhere and everywhere. But finding musicians with the same kind of drive and attitude as me is extremely hard. Most musicians I have come across, with the exception of Borja and June, are just lazy parasites that complain about paying for gas to get to a rehearsal - it's miserable to hear that especially when there are shows coming in the near future in which the band will be paid, and possibly bigger ones on the horizon.

Believe me as I say this; my heart falls deep into my stomach because it has literally been a nightmare. Shaolin Temple of BooM makes enough money to re-invest in new recordings and videos and merch, but to get on tour is quite expensive when it is independent. I am responsible for the costs of the van, gas, lodging (if needed), so that takes a lot of money in addition to costs SToB incurs on a daily basis.

It's not only independent bands. I have actually had conversations with musicians that were signed to independent labels and them telling me the band had to pay for everything when they went on tour even though they were signed to a label. In fact I spoke to a bassist from a rather large independent band that is well known in Los Angeles and he told me his label didn't pay for anything and the guys at the end of the tour were broke. This bassist actually left that band and auditioned for SToB (before I met June) but I wasn't feeling his particular style of bass playing so it didn't work out, but the point is to get on tour without a sponsorship is extremely difficult.

Do you plan on touring more for this album?  

David: Definitely, if the finances are there that's why it's important to purchase music from independent bands and musicians.

Would you consider touring overseas if the opportunity arose?  

David: That would be a dream come true.

What can we expect from Shaolin Temple of BooM in the future?

David: The next EP is going to be of a more experimental nature. Expect more of the same but BIGGER, STRONGER, BETTER and MORE POWERFUL on some songs and perhaps more electronic on others and more delicate and ambient yet on others. More diversity all around.

Thanks for taking the time to sit down and have a chat. Is there anything else you'd like to say before I let you go?

David: Thanks Chad for having me... I just want to say this is the year I shock popular culture into submission.... but most importantly thanks to all the fans.