THROW UP YOUR HORNS INTERVIEW

By: Michael Salemi

*Original interview published online @ Throw Up Your Horns (Oct 26th 2012)

Michael Salemi:
The new album contains one new track, “Jesus Stain”, which is excellent pitch black metal. I have heard there are more new songs awaiting release in the near future. Is that true?

VENIEN:
There are over 70 songs in the mix and the first 2 VON albums are mastered. Satanic Blood is coming, and very soon you will see the the first part of the Dark Gods Trilogy of albums.

Michael Salemi:
The new recording is released at the end of the month, which is to be followed by a series of shows. Where and when will these take place?

VENIEN:
For the remaining months of 2012 if you want to come and see us, we have show in LA, SF, and NY. You can go to RISEOFVON.com to find all information, dates, ticket links, event pages, so on. **edit: SF was cancelled due to shady promoter and a bad deal

Michael Salemi:
VON were San Francisco’s first black metal band. As I understand it, the band has moved operations out of the Bay Area. Where does VON call home now?

VENIEN:
Litchfield Park, Arizona

Michael Salemi:
After the demise of the original band in 1992, the name and legend of VON grew over the years. What were the circumstances that brought the band back together?

VENIEN:
I always wanted to finish what I started and actually finish a VON album, but life did not allow it, but as I got older and recording here and there and as of now, it would seem to be the right time. After 2006, as I started to get this DIY record label (Von Records) of 4 people off the ground, after a London show in 2010 (that did not goes as expected), and tons of encouragement from metal bands, musicians, many fans and people in the scene, again it seems fitting. But bottom line, all that aside, I was always going to finish this album and the other records when the time was right for me.

Michael Salemi:
There is some fresh blood in the lineup, who is in the band at this time?

VENIEN:
Lord Giblete, Dirty FvKn! Pistols, Hammer of Dread (live), Xaphan (live), and myself VENIEN **edit: Hammer of Dread and Xaphan were only live musicians for LA and NY shows, Lord Giblete was replaced by Hangman (CG) as guitarist in 2013

Michael Salemi:
When VON reformed, original member Goat was involved but now he is gone. What exactly happened to Goat?

VENIEN:
FUCK goat! I respected that guy all my life until he called me said NWN and Joey Allen came to LA and handed over a box of bootleg records and shut up money for back pay for all those bootlegs from those bootlegging motherfuckers NWN, that along with him signing his ass off for a solo album, all a bunch a punk bitches! That whole situation is a can of worms and I hope I never cross those assholes either!!! Plus after he fucked up London, he called me to cancel a gig I booked at Hole In The Sky with Venom and he quit the band and he was going to do von goat and said good luck with VON and whatever I was going to do, that was the last we spoke. That’s what happened to goat! You quit this band twice in 20 years, fuck that punk and NWN! Those are the facts, and those cheetos out there online can spin that shit, let the dance begin…next question

Michael Salemi:
The music of VON has influenced numerous bands over the years. Who has influenced VON?

VENIEN:
Everything that is out there, it’s honestly too big of a question to thoroughly answer. But to give you look in, I get down with movie and tv scores and things that put me in a trance state and keep me warm from the darkness of the world, since I seem to be filled with rage all the time, that right there is exhausting, and music that makes you think helps…sorry man there is just too much to process and give you a band name or genre or something more specific, I generally listen to 60s/70s type stuff all across the board

Michael Salemi:
The band has been around for a long stretch of time. How has the black metal scene or extreme metal scene in general changed between the early days and now?

VENIEN:
I never had a scene truthfully, there was nothing but Metallica knockoffs, killer thrash, death, speed metal bands around in the bay area. All I can remember was being into punk bands and punk shows, I just liked that attitude, since I was punk as well at the time. That was as extreme as it got, some Slayer, Gwar, and a slew of shows at the local spots. I listen to Septic Death and Sodom daily and at night Diamanda Galas and Skinny Puppy, then just old 60, 70s, old Scorpions, also some bay area stuff like Doobie Bros and Santana, so the scene I was not aware of really, or I just can’t remember. I didn’t even know there was such a thing called Black Metal!

Michael Salemi:
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with “And Metal For All!” We really appreciate it!

VENIEN:
It’s been good to talk to all of you guys out there that have been showing your support for VON…there is much more to come stick around it’s about to go down

(Source: throwupyourhorns.com) *site defunct