Turn You On To... The Black Angels

I Wanna Turn You On To...

The Black Angels

Interview with Alex Maas

Words: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Photos: Ashley Marie Sansotta

Who they are...

Stephanie Bailey - drums & percussion

Christian Bland - guitar

Kyle Hunt - keyboards, percussion, bass, guitar

Alex Maas - vocals

Jennifer Raines - the drone machine/organ

Nate Ryan - bass, guitar

What’s their story...

Think long and hard about where your musical roots came from... Dust off your parent’s record player you have connected into the back of your mind... Then, listen to The Black Angels... Turn on, tune in, and then drone out...

The Black Angels emerged from Austin, Texas in 2004 with a hypnotic, psychedelic sound reincarnated from the 1970’s. Taking their name from a Velvet Underground classic, “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” these old souls have taken the world of indie-rock to another level. My friend, frontman Alex Maas knows that his voice is like sweet nectar to these ears of mine. He had me at, “You're a storm, so emotional...”

Sounds like...

The Velvet Underground of our time.

Why I want to turn you onto it...

Stealing the stage, festival by festival, show by show, the angels have been very busy. Despite all of this, Maas found the time for me (and REAX) to talk about the band, their personal lives, and their current projects. Once again, my addiction has completely paid off.

REAX: What's the significance of your slogan, "Turn on, Tune in, Drone out?"

Maas: It is a spin off of Timothy Leary's turn on, tune in, drop out.

REAX: Who do you think is the most hard-core Velvet Underground fan out of the band and why?

Maas: Me. My tattoo of Nico and John Cale in the bed of my back.

REAX: For my own personal satisfaction, one of my favorite songs from Syd's solo career was the “Bob Dylan Blues…” who's idea was the “Syd Barrett Blues?”

Maas: Christian wrote that song. He is a madd capp.

REAX: What's something most of your fans don't know about The Black Angels?

Maas: Three of us are actually half african american.

REAX: Who's your favorite band of the moment?

Maas: The Gris Gris and Spin Drift.

REAX: What kind of things charge you guys politically lately?

Maas: Apathy. Lack of information. WW IV. Billions spent on lies. The fact that Americans are modern day vikings.

REAX: What does your song writing process look like?

Maas: It looks like an upanishad dancing in a technicolor waterfall.

REAX: I think I remember reading that you guys all live together in a haunted house. How is it like living with the same people you are on tour with non-stop?

Maas: I think living with each other is actually an amazing thing. We are all very close. After spending every hour with each other, our minds are that much more connected. We finish each others sentences and leftovers. Outside of playing music we all still hang out.

REAX: What is life like at the house?

Maas: Have you seen The Real World? Its not like that. It more like Threes Company times two.

REAX: What's your personal most exciting moment that you guys have had so far?

Maas: I think Playing in Europe with The Black Keys and BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club). The Smashing Pumpkins at the Fillmore was exciting too.

REAX: What's a goal that you want to accomplish as a band in the next decade?

Maas: Flip mainstream music on its ass and encourage people to think for themselves. Most music on the radio isn't believable to us. People should seek out world truth and music on the internet. Instead, they deep-throat what they hear on the radio and tv.

REAX: Besides playing shows, what kinds of things are you guys working on lately?

Maas: Reading. Gathering of info. Coming up with ways to give back to society. Evolving.

REAX: What's next for you guys?

Maas: We want to put out a new record with people who believe in us.