The Sex Tape Scandal Interview
The Sex Tape Scandal is doing everything they can to resurrect the spirit of 80’s glam metal. Their innovative style meshes old school influences with modern metalcore producing a truly unique sound. By the Barricade talked with members of The Sex Tape Scandal at So Cal Summer Noise to find out exactly what it takes to keep the spirit of the 80’s alive.
Corey Creeps: Vocals
Benji Lixx: Guitar
Jimmy Lee: Bass
Ronnie Fallout: Drums
By the Barricade: I heard from Clearview that they are headed out on tour with Firing All Cylinders and yourselves. Can you tell the readers of By the Barricade anything about that?
Corey Creeps: We decided to bring Clearview and Firing All Cylinders because they have been our friends. It’s hard enough alone, and a lot more fun when you tour with friends.
Benji Lixx: Clearview and Firing All Cylinders are both in different sub genres compared to us, but we have all become really good friends
Jimmy Lee: It gets complicated when you bring four, five, or six bands. You start running into who likes who? Who didn’t get along with who? Who’s girlfriend? Yada, yada.
By the Barricade: Can you describe The Sex Tape Scandal in five words or less?
Corey Creeps: Bad ass rock and roll!
By the Barricade: What was the insertion to pursue a path around glam metal?
Ronnie Fallout: It was a lot of Motley Crue, Ratt, and the glam metal scene.
Corey Creeps: We try and bring the energy of the 80’s. Shows used to be about having fun, now it’s mostly serious so we try and bring the fun back to it.
Benji Lixx: There was a time when rock and roll used to be loud and dangerous. It was when you wanted to take your new cassette, put it into your car, and drive 150 miles an hour. In recent years the concept of rock music has changed. Music is always changing, but now it’s nice guy rock like guys in cardigans. We have a song called “Maybe I’m a Monster.”It’s about coming to terms with the fact that I may be an asshole sometimes. It puts us in a bit of a different category.
Jimmy Lee: We’re trying to bring back the fantasy. We act like we’re larger than life. We are everyday guys, but if you go out to see a rock and roll band you don’t want to see some guy play his CD and stand still.
By the Barricade: What convinced you to bring in hardcore influences?
Corey Creeps: We grew up listening to hardcore and rediscovered older music with classic rock. We like what our parents introduced us to and it comes full circle, but we also can’t let go of your influences like Escape the Fate. We wanted to take a big leap from the hair metal days. There are a lot of bands who sound dated when they try to recapture that.
Benji Lixx: Sometimes it sounds like they belong in 1983.
Jimmy Lee: When you introduce an element of craziness and dirtiness into modern metal it separates it from modern metal. We wanted something ear catching and something that people would remember. It’s easy for a rock band to fall into the trend, but we try to defy that.
By the Barricade: What goes into getting ready for one of these larger than life shows?
Corey Creeps: You have to fit into your pants somehow…
Ronnie Fallout: If you’re not covered in tattoos you have to be covered in something.
Benji Lixx: You roll out of bed in the morning and wipe the crust from your eyes…
Jimmy Lee: Drink the remaining beer.
Benji Lixx: Because you know, breakfast is very important.
Ronnie Fallout: We like to have a good time, and a lot of people we run into, musicians or not, take themselves so seriously. They need to just lighten up!
By the Barricade: What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you at a show?
Jimmy Lee: I passed out at Benji’s place the other week. I woke that morning and made the “walk of glory” in boxers, suspenders, and makeup all the way to my car which was two blocks away. You should have seen the look the girl gave me at Starbucks!
*Laughs
Jimmy Lee: in the early days when we had no respect for authority we did some serious damage to a venue that will go unnamed after they pushed (our set) back about 3 hours. While we were waiting we stopped by the liquor store and played our show horribly. They pulled the plug on us so we destroyed their bathroom.
Corry Creeps: We took the painting off the wall and shoved it down the toilet!
Benji Lixx: It was a really bad day for the cleaning crew.
Jimmy Lee: And the scandal wagon has had its glory days.
By the Barricade: Well it seems like your parents were a big influence on your music. What was growing up in that sort of household like?
Benji Lixx: I’ve always been indecisive so when I said I wanted to sing they said, “Ok”. When I said I wanted to play guitar they said, “Ok”. When I said I wanted to be president they said, “Ok” but obviously the I’m not perusing the ladder.
Jimmy Lee: My dad always played bass. He used to always drag me to music stores and I grew up in a musical household so that really helped.
By the Barricade: What is the writing process like for The Sex Tape Scandal?
Corry Creeps: Benji usually comes up with the skeleton and brings it to us so we can add our ideas and it changes from there.
Jimmy Lee: We never come to blows but we do a lot of arguing. That’s when we do our best because it’s raw emotion.
Benji Lixx: We bounce ideas off of each other. When we all come together it brings us out of our comfort zone and try new things.
Corry Creeps: We put our blood sweat and tears into each and every song on our album so sometimes our scratches and screams come though material.
By the Barricade: Do you currently have any plans for new music?
Jimmy Lee: We’re actually working on a new album right now. It’ll have the five songs on the EP and two new tracks.
Ronnie Fallout: Our new EP Pretty UGLY just came out and we will be riding that until early spring until our full length album.
By the Barricade: While I was doing my research I ran into another band called Sex Tape Scandal. If you guys fought to the death who do you think would win and why?
Ronnie Fallout: Us, because we fight prison rules!
Benji Lixx: I think they’re defunct nowadays…
Jimmy Lee: Ya, I sent my guy up there to take care of them.
*Laughs
By the Barricade: Is there anything else you want to say to the readers of By the Barricade?
Corry Creeps: We work hard and play harder.
Benji Lixx: Check out our new EP Pretty UGLY.
Ronne Fallout: Check out The Sex Tape Scandal on YouTube because we have a lot of videos coming.
Jimmy Lee: And I like carrot cake with lots of maple syrup.
Keep it on Bythebarricade.com for more metal, rock and punk interviews, reviews, articles, and photos! Also, “Like” By the Barricade on Facebook to never miss a post. If you liked this article check out:
Firing All Cylinders Interview
