ROCK N ROLL FOREVER
SPADE
Well fans we are into week 3 of our interviews with the AMAZING 3D IN YOUR FACE and this week we are talking with SNIPER. I’ve had some great chats with this Awesome Guitar Player, and every conversation has been funnier than the last. I’m excited for everyone to learn more about Sniper, The Man Behind The Six String. So once again lets Diver Down into this interview!! Sniper, first off let me say, you are one amazing guitar player and I know it didn’t come over night. Take us back to the beginning of your career and give us some of your past history. Thank you Jim. I started playing air guitar to Elvis and Chuck Berry songs. Then I heard “The Who” and everything changed. Pete Townsend's power chords spoke to me like nothing I had ever heard before. My older brother had a Harmony Strat copy guitar I wasn't supposed to touch, but when he was gone I would try to play Who songs on it. Then came Kiss. What can I say? Fire, smoke, explosions and cool songs with loud guitar!!!!!! I got a job after school sweeping out a machine shop so I could buy a guitar and amp. It sucked big time!!! But I made enough to get my own guitar and amp which I still have today. My first band was called Middle Earth and we played parties and a couple of school dances. Me and the drummer Vince used to skip school and go to his house and jam to VH and Black Sabbath songs. It was a great learning experience!!! After that band I was in band called Factor. We played covers and originals. We went through our "trying to be like Rush phase" where our originals were odd time signatures and hard as possible riffs. We played bars around Omaha and Council Bluffs. The next Band I was in was called Justin Morgan around 1985 with 3D In Your Face's very own Hot Rod. We played around the USA and played covers and originals. It was an awesome time to be on the road in a band!!!!!! Starting in 1987 I bounced around from band to band as a hired gun-slinger - Sheer Threat, Witch Way, L A Trace and a few more I can’t remember. In 1990 I started a band called October and played songs I wanted to play. That band Morphed into ShitHouse Johnny out of Kansas City. We played on the Road all over the US until 1993. After that Broke up I joined Monster Zero from Omaha and recorded a CD with them and played on the road with them until 2001. Then on Sep. 11, 2001, I decided to serve my Country and go to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne. When I got back to the USA, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I came back to Omaha and joined a band called Pranxter with an old friend of mine Pat Allgire. I played with them until the phone rang and it was 3D In Your Face asking me if I could fill in for a show that night (March 4. 2011) I said, “Yeah” and drove to Wayne, NE to help them out. I made it with about 10 minutes to spare!!! I looked over the list and said yep I can play most of these and did the gig. They asked me to join right when we were done playing. I've been there ever since. I want to take a moment here and thank you for your service in the United States Armed Forces!!! I applaud you for stepping up and serving, because of people like you we American’s have many Freedom’s and one of those Freedoms is to ROCK!!!!
Well I was 8 years old and the first instrument I picked up was a plastic acoustic guitar called a Stella. I used to windmill like Townsend and copy Elvis on it.
Tell us the different types of instruments that you can play. I can play guitar ,drums, bass, keys and the trumpet. Who is your greatest musical influence?
My biggest influences in music would be Elvis and for guitar it’s Pete Townsend, Ace Frehley and obviously Eddie Van Halen. What is the Greatest Album of all time and why? The greatest album of all time for me is either Who's “Next” or “Tommy” by “The Who”. Why? Townsends song writing. You feel all his pain and sorrow and happiness as well. What are some of your fondest 3D In Your Face moments and/or in any part of your music career? My favorite moment so far is that I get to play every night with my best friends. Second favorite is last time we played Awesome Biker Nights. I play VERY LOUD onstage and when we started another song the crowd cheered so loud I couldn't hear my amp!!!!! Goosebumps!!!!! What's the most bizarre thing to happen while you were onstage? I've had so many weird things happen on stage it’s hard to pick one. The last one I remember was I had to pee so bad that I ran off of stage and into the bathroom. While I was peeing, all of these dudes were staring at me and shaking their heads , I was still playing guitar. It was a hands free operation if you know what I mean. Didn't miss a note though.
It’s hard sometimes because you really do give up a lot of personal time. That and also, Spade and I smell bad when we’re on the bus.
Being in a band I realize you have to make personal sacrifices, what are sacrifices that you have had to make to bring great music to the fans? The sacrifices are missed family functions, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, & concerts, you name it we miss it because we are recording, gigging, playing or traveling. We found out a couple of weeks ago that Spade doesn’t have a name for his three Bass Guitars, so I’m curious if you have names for your instruments (musical instruments now)? I do name my guitars!!!! I have over 250 guitars and all of them have a name. My main yellow star is called Ole Yeller My red and white Star is called blood Splatter My green Strat is called Oscar MY black flame Star is called Johnny Blaze my white flame Star is called white flame star what inspires the name is the color of the guitar and the design WOW, over 250 guitars that is amazing, I would have never guessed that you had a collection like that. So Sniper, If you could have any guitar what would it be? My choice in guitars is Wayne Guitars and Charvel Guitars The guitar I would want most is the Original Franken Strat of Eddies As I have mentioned in the previous interviews, your shows are high energy from start to finish so tell us how keep yourself in physical readiness for 3 to 4 hour show? I run almost every day to keep up my endurance and I drink Pepsi
Right now I would like to meet Joe Bonamassa What do the 80’s mean to you? The 80s Mean great times great music and debauchery Sniper name 3 things from the 80’s that you miss. 1. The Music 2. The prices of guitars 3. there wasn't AIDS yet How do you feel about today’s music? I like a lot of new music. It’s really a different environment now. No videos or radio stations play the music you want to hear. They won’t take chances on new music just the shit like Miley Cyrus and other shit. Youtube and the internet is the place to hear new and undiscovered bands. There are a lot of great bands out there not being played or heard on mainstream media Sniper what can you tell us about the making of “Midnight Devils”? What did you learn from making this new album, and how did you grow from making it?
Making the new CD was hard work but it was totally a blast as well!!!! Spade and I work together so well when we are writing songs. It was almost like we would finish each other’s sentences. We complement each other’s abilities and push each other to be better players and song writers. The whole band grew and it made us better friends and a tighter band. We all became better song writers and better players.
Well Rock N Roll Fans there you have it. As always, it was great chatting with you Sniper! If you haven't seen Sniper play in person all I can say is…..You have been missing out!!! Do yourself a favor and get to a 3D In Your Face Show (and it's a Show... from start to finish!!). \m/\m/
Thank you Jim!! it was awesome talking with you!!!!
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