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The Y!X Interview: Escape The Fate
When your ex-vocalist has burnt bridges like only a 'Scene King' can and turns his attention towards threatening you from jail, it's time that the world remembered there's still a BAND underneath all the internet drama and cheap cracks. Any other band with less purpose, pertinacity and perseverance, would have long given up in the face of hustled fans, cancelled tours and being written off by critics as just another 'emo' fad. Escape The Fate have walked the other side of life and back, climbed countless complications and outgrown games of online hearsay. This isn't a band that requires your sympathy. This is merely a courtesy warning before Escape The Fate ignite global domination with the launch of their their second album in October. Following their very first international flight last month, New Zealand was visited by the gang operating under the aliases of Monte Money, The Ice Cold Ortizzle, Crazy Legs and Cold As *****...

Y!X: You've finally reached New Zealand!

Max (bass): We're so glad we finally got to come here. It's amazing, love it. It's our first time out of the country. Beautiful beaches.

Robert (drums): It made me realise that America has too much culture. There's too many people. There's too much going on. You can't just sit back and enjoy it. I love America, but New Zealand is pretty amazing. Very beautiful.

M: We've been here only two days and already we've seen so many monuments, signs and rad stuff about the country. I've learned more about New Zealand in two days than I have in my whole life. In America, there's nothing like that.

Bryan (guitar): Everybody's really friendly here too, super-friendly people.

Y!X: Why did Escape The Fate pull out of the international leg of the Taste of Chaos tour last year?

M: In the past, we had to cancel our international tours due to problems with ex-band members and their legal issues. We got permission to leave our country. But we couldn't get permission from your country to come in. The problems with the ex-band members were so great that they didn't want to bring a "bad" person into your country. Which is understandable, but sucks for us cuz we really wanted to come here.

R: It sucks for the fans. But your country denied us.

B: We were just talking about nice people and culture... So why did you guys cancel your tours? YOUR COUNTRY!

R: It's because they're nice and cultured! They don't want some loud-as Americans coming in...

Y!X: Tell me about your new album...

M: It's great! Just got done recording with and producing with John Feldman. So excited! We worked with a lot of amazing artists on this album. We did a song with a singer named Josh Todd from Buckcherry. This is our first album with the new line-up. We have one less guitar player. We have Craig Mabbit on vocals. It was awesome cuz we all really stepped up our game and really came together like a family. Like a tight-knit circle machine, just doing what we had to do. It came out amazing.

R: Huge learning experience definitely. We're all going to be much better musicians after this record. We've learnt a lot and are better for it.

Y!X: Any hints as to the album artwork?

R: It's in the works.

M: Definitely not anyone's face.

Y!X: What themes do you explore in the lyrics of the new album?

M: Craig and I, write a lot of the new lyrics together. In a couple of the songs, I wrote about a lot of the s**t that we went through with our old singer Ronnie. Him and I, we've been best friends since almost ten years. He put the band through a lot of s**t from the decisions he made and his selfishness. Some of the songs are about that. But overall, it's about a lot of different things.

B: It's pretty much about everything that's been going on in everybody's lives in this past year, where the band has been pulling itself back together. Everything that's gone on in every single one of our lives and the band life. The CD explains everything that's happened in the past year. Where we are now and what we're going to be doing. It leads up to what the next record is gonna be and what's going to happen after all the drama.

R: Overall, the main theme is letting go of our past and moving on to the future.

Y!X: How did you cope with the situations that your ex-singer Ronnie Radke put you through?

B: It was hard. But we pulled through in the long run and now look at us! We're here in New Zealand, doing what we love to do.

R: It was hard, not only because of the changes that had to be made. But losing your dream? You work SO hard at something for SO long and you know you have a genuine shot at doing something amazing. When you watch that get washed up in front of you and it's not your fault at all and it's because of somebody else... Damn. I didn't know what to do with myself. I was depressed. We all went through a lot of stuff. But at the end of the day you gotta say to yourself; I could sit here and do nothing about it. Or I'm going to step it up and i'm going to do something great. We pulled through and we all love each other still. We welcome Craig into this circle. We love him. After that, it becomes a life-changing thing. We learnt, we grew up a lot, we're stronger, we're better and we have a lot to prove. We're going to do it, we're going to show everybody that we're ******** gnarly.

Y!X: Is it true that Ronnie asked fans for money to buy drugs with?

M: Yes. Absolutely true. This is coming from someone that's lived with him for ******** ten years. It pissed us all off. It made us so angry. We played a show in Vegas at Extreme Thing, we had fans coming up to us saying; hey we just saw Ronnie he looks all messed up. He's charging for a picture or an autograph. Kids were writing to me on Mypace saying; hey I just sent Ronnie five hundred dollars. He said he's going to be in my band! I'd ask them what their Mypace is and listen to it. Ronnie's not going to be in your band, bro I'm sorry. You just got hustled. It was heart-breaking to have to say that to people. It was ******** up.

Y!X: Because of your close relationship with fans, did this put you in an extremely awkward position?

M: If it wasn't for the fans, none of us would have this opportunity. We wouldn't be here right now. The fans are EVERYTHING. They buy our records, they support us through thick and thin. They love us. They feed us. They do everything.

R: For our band, it's an even closer experience. For so long, we were unhappy with the way our band was going. The only thing pushing us forward, was the fans. They wanted it more than we did. They kept us going when we were on the verge of falling apart. People were saying, oh I want to go home. But then a kid comes up to you and says, I love you. You inspired me, I started playing guitar because of you, I started playing drums because of you. Then you gotta say, damn dude. I have something bigger to achieve than just myself. So when Ronnie did something like that, it really pissed us off. Dude, these people care about you. They love your talent and your using them in the worst way. It sucked it really did and yes he did do it.

Y!X: At the same time though, do you think fans sometimes get obsessed with internet drama?

M: Some fans will be your best friend one day and then talk s**t about you the next day for a response. They want to know what's going on. I understand. I was in their shoes before I was in this band, or any band. I did the same thing. I understand, but sometimes it's a big headache.

Y!X: The UK media attacked My Chemical Romance as the cause of a young fan committing suicide. What are your thoughts on how Escape The Fate's music affects fans?

M: I've gotten a lot of letters and messages from people. I'm sure we all have. "Hey I was going through this and your music helped me out." Through this or that, parents, boyfriend, whatever the case may be. "I listened to these lyrics and it made me think of this and it helped me come through it". We're not necessarily always trying to put a positive message through every song, but at the end of the day we just want people to be happy and be stoked.

R: With someone like that who commits suicide, people blame the band but it's not the band's fault. All the band did was give them a connection. It explained what that person was going through in their life through a song. With us, we're real. We say what's in our hearts and what we're into and what's going on. Sometimes yeah it is negative, but people have negative stuff in their lives.

Craig (vocals): Marilyn Manson had the same thing happen to him years ago. The whole Columbine shooting was based on Marilyn Manson's music. But kids just interpret the music wrong. You could have an artist write a song talking about killing themselves. But that's just a way for the artist to get his feelings out through music. Maybe he is killing himself, but it's through a SONG. Through art. Everybody can do that. Kill yourself through a picture, so you feel better and can get through it. Write a song. Write a book. Write a letter. Write in your journal. Just do whatever you can. Kids just don't realise that it's just a song and the person singing the song is obviously saying it, so they're still living. So they're singing about getting through that time in their lives and it's sad that sometimes people interpret that as the band being to blame. It's not an artist's fault. It's nobody's fault. But the people around that person, maybe they just don't have enough support and the only support they have is the music they listen to. People frown down upon that and try to blame the artist, when really that girl that committed suicide really needed somebody in her life to just help her through stuff more and they weren't there. All she had was the music and it gets blamed on the artist. I think it's sad. People always just turn the other cheek and try to put blame on somebody else instead of looking at themselves.

Y!X: You seem to have a no regrets attitude towards life, any advice for teenage fans?

M: I always tell kids and in every interview, live in the moment dude. Today, might never ever come. You reap what you sow. Believe in karma. Dream until your dreams come true, always! You never know what tomorrow might bring. Straight up.

C: The best way to defeat your demons and the best weapon you can use is success and positiveness. The best way that you can overcome everything is to just be successful, happy and just work hard at something. When you finally get to that point, you'll feel so much better and everything will just mean so much more to you because you got through it. What you've got to realise is that there's people out in this world who are celebrating their hundred and fifth birthday today. Somebody today, is probably celebrating their hundred and fifth birthday and your a teenager from thirteen to twenty. It lasts you seven or eight years. You don't want to do anything completely bad and you don't want to end your life when you have another eighty years to live. There's just so much more out there, so much more in life. Everything happens for a reason, you just gotta keep on trucking. Don't sweat the small things.

B: Use us as an example. We went through from nothing and now we've got...

C: We're here in New Zealand! What if the band broke up tomorrow? We can't just be depressed and kill ourselves or go downhill. No regrets! We're here NOW and that's all that matters. You just always gotta be positive.

Y!X: How did Craig come about joining the band?

M: He was supposed to try out for another band but then got our manager's number on accident. He called Joey, our manager. It was right when had lost Ronnie, coincidentally at the time Craig had just left his band (Blessthefall). We'd just got off tour together. So he flew out to Vegas and tried out. It was like yes no, yes no, yes no, YES! LET'S DO IT!

R: I think we still had a lot of stuff to get over when he first joined. On top, we were all like YES! But then you start to think about what is really happening here.

M: The thing is, when Craig first came out we were all stoked. Then we were like, what's going on? For the longest time, Robert and I have been in bands. I met Robert when he was a freshman in high school and I was a sophomore or a junior.

R: I was fourteen years old.

M: We've only been in bands with Ronnie as our singer. We were in one other band where Ronnie wasn't in the band, that was it. For the last six years, we had Ronnie in our band or different bands. So getting a new singer is like, what! There's actually someone else who wants to sing for our band? We're going to play with someone else? This is weird. Then it was like, you know what? I like it though. Its different, but I like it. We took that chance and I couldn't be happier.

Y!X: What does Craig bring to Escape The Fate?

M: Craig brings another element to this band that we've never had before. The difference between Ronnie and Craig is, Ronnie wasn't the best singer. But what he lacked for in vocals, he made up for in going nuts. Craig is equally ******** crazy onstage but Craig can actually sing. Being in the studio doing the last album and then doing this album, you really can tell the difference between someone who is the singer of a band or someone that is an actual vocalist. Somebody that can actually sing, not someone that just grabs the microphone and yells through it.

R: I think that's musically what he brings. But what he brings as a person is, he shows up and brings it a hundred and ninety thousand every ******** time. He doesn't take any bullshit. That's what I love about him. He could have been the worst singer, but I love how he was just like, I was in a band where I mostly screamed. But I don't give a ********. I'm going to figure YOU guys out and I'm going to be a way better singer than Ronnie. I'm going to be a way better performer. He always has something to prove to himself. I love that. He doesn't let anything hold him back. That's what really captivated me about him. Like I said, he could have been the worst singer. But he just steps it up every time. That's what that fool brings.

Y!X: Craig, what happened to your leg?

C: I broke it.

R: I punched him.

C: I was swinging from some rafters. I'm known for jumping off high things sometimes and I did that same thing and landed on my foot wrong. But no regrets! I'm still happy playing these shows right now. Perfect example.

R: As long as you learn a lesson dude I think that's all that matters.

B: It's like, if you touch the stove and it's hot, then you learn a lesson. You could be all depressed about having a blister on your finger, but the only mistake you could make is touching that stove again. You know it's hot, don't touch it anymore. Just learn from your mistakes.

Y!X: We're now going to play a little game... Ask the person sitting on your right, a question that you've always wanted to ask but never have. Starting with Max, go!

M: This is a question For Bryan. I actually don't know how long you've been playing guitar for?

B: I gotta remember myself. I've been playing since I was fifteen. I got switched to a different school, had no friends. I just picked up a guitar and started playing away and became a guitar player. I was really quiet. I picked the guitar because it was one of the ways I could express myself through my instrument. And that is why. Craig. Why do you drink so much? Seriously.

C: Just been through so much s**t. There's so much crap still going on for myself that when you drink, you get that buzz feeling. You don't care as much about everything that's going on. That's why I do it. I just don't want to care as much. I don't want to feel the feelings I'm feeling as much as I would, if I was just sitting there sober. Plus it gets me really tired so I can always pass out early and just sleep. Not have to live and feel those feelings anymore either. That's why I drink so much. Plus I have a daughter and I love seeing her. Everytime I'm with her, I don't need anything else. Everytime I'm away from the people I really love being around, it just sucks so I get into that feeling.

Y!X: What's her name?

C: Leila. She's going to be two in October. For the record; I will not be drinking at her birthday party. Robert, why do you wear Aviators ALL the time?

R: I know it's so stupid and 'deep' but honestly, it's because I wanted to create a persona for myself. I wanted to have a 'me' onstage different from the 'me' when I'm alone or I'm at home. That became part of it. I wanted people to recognise that as being part of who I am. Wearing those glasses and the curly hair. It kind of hides my face, so you don't really see what's back there. So it doesn't let people all the way in. They only get the show.That's the real reason. The Aviators specifically? Because they're classic dude. Slash, ******** everybody wears Aviators dude. I love them. I've been wearing them since high school. I'm used to them now.

M: How many pairs do you own? I've know you a long time and I've seen you in a lot of them.

R: To this day, the best pair I've ever had were my first pair. I broke them. I do have it on video and I've looked over the tape. Four hundred and.... nah just playing. Seriously, between twenty and thirty pairs. On Warped Tour, there were Jamaican guys and I'd buy them in bulk. I'd buy ten pairs of Aviators to last me the whole year. Max, I'll ask you a question I KNOW you know the answer to. But if you don't, I'll ask you another one. What really happened to my laptop?

M: Honestly I swear to God dude, the last time i saw it was in the front of the RV in Philly. I swear, that's the last time I saw it. I promise you. I really don't know. I'm assuming that someone walked in the RV and took it.

R: I feel like I know so much but then I don't. Max, why do you smoke and why do you still smoke?

M: I used to smoke Hookah occasionally. And ******** Shisha. I had my first cigarette when I was with Ronnie and our old friend Jeff Dickson. I was with him and I just tried a cigarette cuz of everyone. He had a big party over at his house and people were doing stupid s**t. There were a lot of people smoking cigarettes and we brought Hookah over and it broke. Someone gave me a cigarette and I was like, yeah I'll try hitting it. I hit it once and I wasn't really into smoking then. But then when Omar (ex-guitarist) came into the band, I was smoking occasionally. I'd bum a cigarette off someone every now and then but it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't even consider myself a smoker, like a tote wasn't addictive. But then when Omar came into the band, I thought he was really cool and he smoked. So I would bum a cigarette every time he'd go out. It was a way to talk to him, to converse. Talking over a cigarette. Then I just started doing it. Now I still smoke. I should stop, I really should.

Y!X: Future plans for Escape The Fate?

M: Taking over the ******** world.

R: We are on Phase Two. Taking over the rest of the world. So, that's what we're gonna do. We're going to go take over Australia after this, then we're going to take over the UK. After some time off where we get to actually learn our new songs that we worked on in the studio, cuz we don't know them right now.

M: Then we're going to tour the States again so they STILL know we ******** took them over. A little reminder.

R: That would be from October. And then from there, it's going to be everywhere.

B: From there, we've inventing robot versions of ourselves with satellites and then we're going to send them up into space and they're going to orbit the planets and take over the Milky Way. And then once technology advances, we're going to go from there. But we just gotta wait on the world for that to happen. Once we're Kings of the Universe, we're just going to hang out with our super-powers. Burn s**t. Look through the burnt walls and jump through them. And then make everyone who's in that room fall in love with us.

M: You know, with the advances in modern medicine... it's not absurd to think that I might even get to live until one hundred or two hundred years old!

Escape The Fate's debut album 'Dying Is Your Latest Fashion' is in-stores. Expect their follow-up release in New Zealand this November.

_________________________________________________________


hey guys heres Ronnies address
write 2 him


Ronald J. Radke
I.N. 1023230
p.o. box 650
Indian Springs, NV 89707


he needs ur support
c'mon help a guy out =]



love ya peeps 4laugh

~ xxxVampirexGeexxx ~





 
 
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