Andy Deane of Bella Morte's first interview since the announcement of his debut novel, THE STICKS (by Fangoria Magazine, 2009) What happens when you get two assholes -both with a reputation for running off at the mouth --together and tell them to talk? The result is a four-thousand word interview, such as the one below. Although I take the heavy-weight belt for being an asshole, Andy Deane -author and lead singer of BELLA MORTE --can out class me on talking any day. Even when you’re putting him in the trunk he talks, and talks, and talks. It’s a good thing this was an interview, otherwise I’d have to stick a dirty sock in his mouth again. Andy, amongst the merits I listed above, is a hell of an interesting cat. He is the founder of BELLA MORTE, the author of THE STICKS -a new supernatural thriller about hairy, bestial… Andy, did you write it about me? Oh, um, anyway… just read the damned thing. BENNY HELL (FANGORIA): I’ve read a lot about your new book, ‘THE STICKS.’ It just came out in a digital format through Delirium Books, and the trade paperback is due on the 28th of April. What inspired you to make the jump from music to fiction? Andy Deane: I’ve always been a writer. From the time I was a kid I was making up scary stories, telling them to my friends. Getting swept up in music so hardcore in high school took all my focus, every ounce of dedication. I’d still write stories on occasion, though I wasn’t thinking of it in terms of a career. I got to pour some of that energy into my lyrics, which are one of the elements that have drawn so many fans to the band over the years. I started writing “The Sticks” under the working title “The Party Crasher” on the living room floor at a friend’s house out in Salt Lake City of all places. Bella was out on tour, and these folks were kind enough to let the whole bunch of us crash at their pad. Beat the living hell out of hitting up another Motel 6! “The Party Crasher” was just going to be a short story, nothing more. And I sure as sh*t hadn’t planned on trying to get it published! But the tour rolled on and I found myself with a laptop and a lot of spare time in the van… one day I looked at the word count and was surprised to see over 10,000 words. So I said f**k it, I’m going to keep going, see where this thing goes. And so it evolved over time into “The Sticks”, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Bh: Right on, man! That’s the way I’ve heard Stephen King describe it too -basically he just writes it out, keeps going until he feels like its complete. Last summer you released your 8th studio album, BEAUTIFUL DEATH. How does writing a book compare to composing an album? Andy: Well, there’s a whole lot less collaboration. A buddy of mine, Steven from Ego Likeness, told me recently that Bella Morte is the only band he’s ever known that acts as a true democracy and works. And we are a true democracy. Every member has a say in the final product of a song, the make-up of a tour. Up until I sent the novel in to Delirium Books I was going at it solo. I had a few friends read the rough copies to get some feedback, but for the most part it was all me. After the book reached Delirium and they gave it the green light I got to work with an editor, a tremendous author named Greg Gifune. It was one hell of a learning experience, and I came out the other side of it a much improved writer. I guess what I’m getting at is that the band is the band. The book is ninety five percent me. I don’t prefer one to the other, but they are two very different beasts. Bh: That make sense. I can see the valid aspects of a strong dichotomy between the two creative organs. Heh, I said organs! One thing I can definitely say about you is that you maintain a very digital presence to match the viscera of your live shows. I’ve seen a few comments about ’THE STICKS’ on your various profiles, all positive. What kind of things are people saying about it, and what has the critical response been like so far? Andy: I’m right at the beginning right now. The book was announced less than four days ago, and the response has been fucking amazing! It’s a relief to hear so much positive feedback right off the bat, because you just never know how a piece of art is going to be received by the public. People that know me personally have mentioned seeing quite a few traits of mine in Brian, the novel’s main character. I’ve had a couple authors I truly respect write with their support as well. Bh: That’s gotta be flattering. How about a little more while we’re at it? Here’s your chance to plug your a** off, Andy. Would you mind talking a little about the book, it’s plot and so forth? Andy: I’ve already heard people referring to the novel as “southern gothic”, even heard myself referred to as the new leader of said genre. That’s pretty damn flattering! THE STICKS is about a southern guy named Brian with a heap of bad luck that follows him everywhere he goes. After Brian’s gal goes missing under very suspicious circumstances life goes from bad to worse to just plain terrifying. Seems there’s a monster lurking around Jefferson, Virginia, and that monster has a grudge against him. I don’t want to give too much away here, because that’s a pet peeve of mine. You ever go to a movie and realize with fifteen minutes left that they showed the ending in the trailer? Drives me absolutely nuts! I want my readers to go in as blind as possible and let things unfold without too many hints. Let’s just say that if you’re a fan of werewolves you’ll dig THE STICKS. Bh: Aren’t you an evil f**ker? How did you get involved with Delirium and what is the experience like versus working with a record label? Andy: I’m new to being a published author, but I gotta say that so far the indie horror industry is a whole lot less cut-throat than the record industry. I mean, you have to move your product to be successful, but it seems like everyone involved is there to help you along instead of trying to get ahead of you. I could just be naïve, and I have a reputation for being a head in the clouds optimist, but so far everyone I’ve dealt with has been nothing but cool. As for Delirium, I was interested in working with them because they have such a great reputation. People trust them not to publish rotten books. I’ve enjoyed working with Shane (the man behind Delirium) quite a lot. Bh: I’m glad that you’ve found somewhere that feels safe, man. The record industry is just a series of murders, cut-throat like you said. It’s hard to find a safe place to share your work because when you do, you’re sharing yourself. I know that with your work in Bella Morte you guys tour your a** off. You’re about to go on another tour with EGO LIKENESS in just a few weeks. Do you have any plans to tour for the book at all and do signings or are you going to put it on your merch table? Andy: Both. It’s going to be weird cutting a path across the country by myself. I’m so accustomed to having all the guys around… it’s going to be fucking quiet! But I like being out on the road, find that not touring is like having an itch I can’t scratch. So yeah, I’ll be posting more info on book signings soon. Bh: I’ll go with ya and cover it ala Hunter S. I’ll do dual work, play Thompson and Raoul Duke at the same time. It’ll be insane! On the subject of touring, you guys put on a hell of a live show! I’ve seen you twice now and dug the f**k out of it. You’re a very personable band. When you do a series of shows, what do you look forward to the most? Andy: I look forward to those nights where no matter how many people are there, every one of them is going ape-sh*t, singing along and bouncing all over the place! Music is about expression, and there’s something so personal about doing it in front of an audience… to see them all as swept up in it as we are on stage is an incredible rush. Doesn’t matter if there are twenty people or a thousand, it’s all about the energy. Actually, I take that back, a thousand is definitely better… but you get my point. Bh: Yeah, I totally understand. I’d rather have my work appear before like-minded freaks, err… people, such as those here at FANGORIA than some dorks that read SPIN compulsively. Speaking of people, I also read that Gopal (Metro, ex-bassist and co-founding member of BELLA MORTE) left the band in 2007, and was replaced by Tony Pugh. What led him to leave the band, and how has the process of being BELLA MORTE changed without him? Andy: Gopal and I started this band as a labor of love. Just the two of us and some of the shittiest equipment you’ve ever laid your eyes on. The guitar amp we were using needed to be kicked several times during a show just to keep it on. Luckily we had on heavy boots. As time moved on the band’s style shifted one way and the next over and over. Hell, no two Bella Morte albums sound the same. And I’m proud of that. Over time Gopal felt like he wanted to try something else, and there was tension between us on the road. He told me of his intention to leave long before we said anything to the public, and in retrospect it was the right move. We’re still great friends, and the tension is gone. Could be we make some music together again down the road. As for the process, it hasn’t changed much at all. We’re still Bella Morte, and go at it as we always have. Bh: What do you think Tony has brought to the band in the last two years? Andy: Tony’s been great. Tony and I played together in a metal band called Nerve No Pain years ago, and we’ve been buds since I was in elementary school. So bringing him in was a no brainer. Bh: Andy Deane in a metal band? OK, too weird to touch on. Um… I’ve been following the Gothsicles/Caustic/Pr0Burn tour on Twitter. When they stayed at your house, did they touch you in weird places? If so, can you point to them on the doll? Andy: I didn’t give ‘em the chance… saw how they were lookin’ at me and bolt-locked the door to my room, pushed a dresser up against it. It was like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, in a way. Bh: What, was Matt (Fanale of Caustic) drinking toliet cleaner again? He did that once at this show in Chicago at the Abbey… it was brutal. Back to touring, ya know… EGO LIKENESS puts on a great show too. Steven Archer and Donna Lynch are pretty fucking talented. I saw them play with the CRUXSHADOWS and they blew them away. Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and worry that they’ll steal your fans and healthy soy drinks? Andy: It certainly keeps me up at night, but I keep a shotgun nearby in case things get too out of hand with those guys. And I stay away from the soy drinks… use ‘em as bait to draw in the Steves and Donnas of the world. Seriously though, this tour is gonna rock! Bh: I believe it bro, and I’m going to try to make the St. Louis show, time permitting. I’ve noticed that Bella Morte is working on new material. Is this for another album, and if so, what are you calling it? Andy: We do have some fresh material coming together for the next release right now, but we’re also putting the wrap on a song called Flatlined for an upcoming Metropolis Records CD compilation. Having a home studio has made writing music so much more fun. We haven’t even started thinking up a title for the next release… haven’t even written all the songs yet! But yeah, the new stuff’s pretty exciting; dark and dynamic. Bh: I’m not surprised Andy, all your music falls into that territory. How many songs do you have so far, and when do you think you’ll have it together for release? Andy: I’d like to see a single out in the fall and a full-length on shelves by next spring. I think those are pretty realistic expectations. Bh: With how hard you go at it? Definitely. In the past you’ve talked about so many topics -love, loss, suffering, perseverance in the face of opposition --what kind of ground will the new album cover? Andy: One subject I can never seem to stray from is how fucking depressing the passage of time can be. No matter how good things are or how much you love someone, all of it’s going to end eventually. And I can’t stop writing about it. You might even say I’m somewhat obsessed with the topic. The trick is to find new ways to express my feelings, new angles to write from that keep things fresh and interesting for me and everyone listening. There will be other topics on the album, of course, but it all comes back to time for me. Bh: You fill the grey areas of life well, man. You’re like me -you work ALL the time. Are you planning on test-driving any of the new material on the road? Andy: Yeah. Hoping to have Flatlined ready for the spring tour with Ego. That song’s got such a killer beat, it’s gonna blow the fans away. Actually, Scotty just laid down the drum tracks in the studio yesterday. Killed it! Bh: That’s pretty rad, man. I look forward to hearing more. I want to change gears and go in a different direction. There is a lot of information available on the public Andy Deane, the guy that sings these songs and has a good Mohawk. What about the private Andy? What do you do on an average day when you don’t have to work, aside from obsess over the MARTYRS trailer? Andy: I’m somewhat of a workaholic. Love writing stories and songs. Love that feeling I get when I write a great vocal melody or a particularly chilling scene in a story. And yeah, I’m definitely a horror fanatic! If it turned out there was a God and I could make a few requests of it I’d want three extra hours every day to watch a horror film. Seems to me that would improve the world as a whole. I’m also a sports fan… love the Steelers and have for a long a** time. I’m not one of the new bandwagon fans. Watch boxing all the time too, and wish the heavyweight division was as cool now as it was in the seventies. I have two cats, Mr. Stinker and Miss Peepers, who I made a deal with not to die until after I do, because it would tear me apart to lose either of ‘em. Bh: I have two as well, Hades and Dust Bunny (don’t ask). They’re family members… so I can relate. In the last question I referred to the approaching release of MARTYRS. You’ve said it yourself, you’re obviously a horror fan, so what are your top ten Horror films of all time and why? Take your time, we’re all in a fucking hurry after all. Andy: This is so damned hard! Alright, you have to know that these are not necessarily in order, aside from the top two belonging right at the top. HALLOWEEN (1978) – This film made a huge impression on me as a kid. I loved the white mask. It seemed to float around in the grainy background like a ghost’s head. Michael was just an incredible character. Iconic. He had so much presence without saying a single word. And I loved that Michael didn’t come from a troubled home. He just snapped, out of nowhere for no reason, and became the embodiment of all the evil in world. Michael was vicious and unstoppable, almost supernatural. No slasher film has come close to capturing the intensity of that film, and I doubt one ever will. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974) – This movie is so stark… so real. And once again, patient. The 2003 remake doesn’t even come close. I mean, take the meat hook scenes from each film… in the original, Leatherface tosses Pam on a meat hook like it’s nothing, like she’s no better than a piece of meat and goes about his business. In the remake, when Leatherface hangs the guy up there’s a bunch of atmospheric backlighting and his toes are touching the keys of a piano, playing a few discordant notes. The problem is the remake tried too hard, and that made it less real. Also, the soundtrack to the original (or lack thereof) was perfect. Another comparison between the two involves Leatherface’s mask. In the original, it’s just what it is, a someone’s face turned into a mask… expressionless and empty. The remake made the mask look angry, which ended up making it much less horrifying. Once again, trying too damn hard. GINGER SNAPS – Hell yes to this Canadian gem! I think it’s a damned sin that a film like this didn’t get an enormous US theatrical run while turds like I Know What You Did Last Summer make millions. Am I the stupid one here or what? Anyway, one of the four best werewolf films ever made in my opinion with An American Werewolf in London, The Howling, and Dog Soldiers. MAY – Beautifully surreal. And I can’t imagine an actress more appropriate for a role than Angela Bettis as May. She nailed that sh*t! Made the character so real it took me a while to watch her in anything else! NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD – It’s just a classic. Gave us the “shoot ‘em in the head” aspect of zombies which has become a standard in modern zombie films. And what a finale! Go Romero! SUSPIRIA – Wow. Some of the best cinematography of all time. The colors in this one… the soundtrack… everything is dead on. Argento at his very best, and that’s saying a mouthful! Eric Thomas Craven used this film as an inspiration when shooting our video for “Find Forever Gone”. THE CHANGELING (1980)- Not to be confused with Clint Eastwood’s CHANGELING! This is the perfect example of a ghost story done right. Others I’d include in that category include THE OTHERS and the hard to find THE HAUNTING OF JULIA (I got my used VHS copy off Ebay from a video store that was going out of business). This movie is plain old creepy! And it stars George C. Scott! What more could you ask for? HOSTEL – I plan on working with Eli Roth in one form or another in the future, maybe doing soundtrack work. Someone better go warn him. HOSTEL rocks. The film is just so damn fun to watch! I was confused when SAW outsold it. Baffled. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – Possibly the best vampire film ever made. Beautiful. A shame that someone feels it’s necessary to remake it in the US. I bet they do an awful, awful job. CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954) – My favorite of the Universal Monsters series. Got to meet Ben Chapman, the guy who played Gill-man at a horror con a few years back and he was cool as hell. Really nice guy. Plus, this movie has a cameo by a very young Clint Eastwood! That’s worth points in my book. Sh*t, I forgot to mention THE EXORCIST and THE BEYOND. I feel like an asshole. Bh: You are an asshole, Andy. That’s one of the things I love about ya. The love of horror films, the dark aspects of your work and the gentle, outgoing disposition you have are such a stark contrast to one another. Where do you think you went wrong? Was it eating worms in elementary school, or did you see the face of Jesus in a gourd too? Andy: I think it was eating the worm after seeing the face of Jesus in it that did me in. What a day. But yeah, I try and funnel all the dark sh*t in my head into my art instead of onto the people I meet. I feel pretty lucky to be doing what I’m doing, and that keeps a smile on my face most of the time. Fans often tell me they thought I’d be different before meeting me. Bh: I thought so too, especially when I found out you don’t drink or use drugs… which is good because it means more for me. But in the entertainment industry they’re both a lot like a handshake: if you don’t reciprocate there is something wrong. What is your personal philosophy on sobriety and what has gone into forming it? Andy: I’ve never had alcohol or drugs in my life, not even a beer or a cigarette. Well, there was an accidental mouthful once out on tour, but that’s a long story! It’s just not for me. I find that my life is good the way it is, and that’s not an element I want to toss into the equation. However, I’m not against it for everyone. I’m actually pro-legalization on pot, and can’t understand why in the world anyone would ever be sent to jail for smoking a joint. Something needs to be done there… there are tax dollars to be made Washington! Oh, and if I did start drinking, who the hell would drive you home? Bh: The police usually do… Your music is often classified as Darkwave or Goth-rock. You guys also use a lot of dark images in your lyrics and approach to the sound of BELLA MORTE. Do you think Horror films have effected your approach to creating music? If so, how? Andy: We get so many different classifications tossed at us that I can’t keep up anymore. And in the end, I don’t care what box people try and fit us in. Attaching a genre to every artist makes people closed minded about music, turns them away from something they might otherwise love were it labeled differently. And that’s just not how art works for me. My music comes from my heart. Bh: Excellent answers! It’s not at all often that I have people be so honest when they reply to things like that. A lot of artists, too many, cling to those labels because they seem to lack internal identity. *points to CombiChrist* “You are the Weakest Link. Goodbye.” Since so much of your career has been spent on the road, I’d like to return to that aspect of your work again. With how approachable you guys are, I have to wonder what your strangest fan experience has been like. What’s the weirdest thing anyone has done at or after one of your shows? Andy: I mean, there’s the obligatory crotch grab or the flashing of the tits… sometimes there’s the girl who jumps on stage and dances like a stripper… sometimes she is a stripper. I don’t even know where to start with this one… my definition of weird is off the charts after all these years of touring. Bh: Speaking of strippers, of all the bands you’ve toured with -and there are A LOT of them -who is your favorite so far and why? Andy: That’s such a tough one. I don’t have a favorite. We’ve had so many great experiences, made so many amazing friends. A few tours really stick with me… our tour with Hanzel Und Gretyl where we all shared a tour bus was just amazing. I can’t even describe the debauchery that went on there. So much unnecessary nudity! Also, we toured with The Cruxshadows in 2001 and have played together numerous times since then. We’re tight with those guys, and Rogue and I were actually born in the same hospital here in Charlottesville… must be something in the water. We’ve toured Europe with our bros in The Last Dance and had them save our shows by loaning us their gear several times as our own crapped out! Plus, we had an ongoing war of stage pranks with those guys that they eventually won. Bastards. Voltaire’s like a brother to me. And I’ve seen him with his pants down too many times to feel good about it. I swear that guy loses an article of clothing with every beer he drinks. There are just too many to list here, and they’re all like a big family to me. Bh: Coming from Virginia, I worry about your definition of family… So I think I’ve covered all things Andy Deane pretty well thus far. Anything I’ve missed? What else do you have coming up this year? Andy: Hmmm… I’ve already wrapped up work on a second novel, and of course Bella Morte has some new tunes on the way. Aside from that I plan on touring like a mofo and keeping busy. I have a lot of ideas in me that want out, and there’s no time like the present! Bh: Alright, one more question and I’ll get off of you… Who’s your favorite source for Horror and MUSICK (aside from the US Government)? Andy: The Way International. Wait, is this a loaded question? Alright… FANGORIA! ROCK!