Interview: Blackfire Revelation

Blackfire Revelation Interview

Interviewer : Phill Bruce

It’s not often that I find an indie band that hits me so much as Blackfire Revelation.  The band come from New Orleans a legendary place for music and this shows through in their music.  I got a chance to catch up with Blackfire Revelation and here is how it went.

Phill – Can you tell us a little bit of a background about yourself and where in this beautiful world you are from?

Blackfire Revelation – I was born in Jackson, Mississppi in 1979 the second son of a Nabisco cookie salesmen and a public school teacher. My grandparents are farmers that double as Baptist clergy. I lived in Jackson, Memphis and Tokyo before settling in New Orleans where I've been making music,babies, and a life since 1998.

Phill – At what point in your life did you decide to form your band and why?

Blackfire Revelation – In my early twenties because I was sick of college and I wanted to do crazy shit, drugs and travel.  Mission accomplished.

Phill – Who besides yourself is in the band and what background are they from?

Blackfire Revelation – A divine providence saw fit to create out of the unity of a Gypsy mother and a Hungarian cattle baron a human instrument of greatness.  That human, a man by the name of R.K. "Hank" Haney, was my main collaborator for many years and has thus far played percussion on all
of my recordings. He now resides in Virginia. As of the present, I make music with a revolving gang of friends here in New Orleans.

Phill – What are your musical influences? Why did you start your band

Blackfire Revelation – I started playing electric guitar because of two songs: Hendrix's cover of "Born Under A Bad Sign" on the Jimi Blues record and Sonic Youth's "The Diamond Sea" off of Washing Machine. I started making recordings and playing live because of the MC5's album Kick Out The Jams. I continue to make music because of that record. That one and Slayer's South of Heaven. But I can't leave out Blue Cheer's Vincebus Ereptum and most of the Black Sabbath catalog.  To pigeonhole myself I'd say I'm just a 70's blues rocker with southern, metal, and noise rock tendencies.

Phill – Where do you see your band in five years and what are your hopes for the future?

Blackfire Revelation – Hopefully in the same place I am now. Able to create and perform music
whenever I want to. That's about all I've ever hoped for it anyway.

Phill – Is there any place or venue you would like to play at and why?

Blackfire Revelation - I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist anymore and may have been bulldozed but I've always wanted to play the Grande Ballroom in Detroit. Where the MC5 was the house band and recorded Kick Out The Jams. There and the Budokan. Because ITS THE FUCKING BUDOKAN!

Phill - Without giving too much away is there any instrument or program you wouldn’t be without and why

Blackstar Revelation – My '84 Gibson Flying V.  It's been strapped around my neck during some the best and worst times of my life. It's like family. Actually its more like that one crazy bastard friend we all have. The kind of friend that you know if you hang out with him long enough then some crazy shit is going to happen. If you don't have a friend like that then you need to get one. At least one. If not several. They are invaluable in the fight against monotony, boredom, and all around staleness.

Blackstar Revelation’s self titled debut EP is available now through iTunes, Amazon MP3, eMusic, MySpace Music, Napster and the Zune Market Place.

https://www.myspace.com/theblackfirerevelation

https://www.facebook.com/blackfirerevelation

https://www.last.fm/music/The+Blackfire+Revelation