Spotlight: Nightbitch / His Emissary
Josh and Rick recently sent a barrage of questions to the veritable Ryan Adams (Thee Trve Ryan Adams). Ryan currently plays guitar in the traditional black metal band Ipsissimus and the sleaze rock worshiping Nightbitch (the main focus of this particular spotlight). A man of refreshing undeviating honesty, Ryan answered the questions without pulling any punches. The result is a fun read deserving of an NC-17.
[All questions by Josh and Rick in italics and all other words straight from His Emissary, Ryan.]
1. Nightbitch has now been around about 2 years, right? How have things generally developed and how has it been with adjusting the line-up? Phil is a well respected presence in the left of center metal world. So, losing him as a pitch man and writer must have been a little daunting. Expand on that. How has the audience (at shows and just generally with feedback online or however you read or hear it) reacted?
Nightbitch has been playing out for about a year and a half now and things just kind of happen on their own with the band. We are like the planchette on the Ouija board, guided by Satan’s fingerless-leather-gloved hand.
We have a great chemistry between the three of us where band practice basically boils down to an hour and a half of fucking off- drinking beers, listening to Deep Purple or watching shitty old exploitation movies about nuns, satan or women in prison, next we’ll write and record a song in an hour to an hour and a half, and then we’ll hang out for another hour or so before calling it a night. When we’re getting ready for a show, it’s the same routine – just replace the writing/recording bit with running through the set and tightening up the new stuff and the covers.
With regards to Phil, he is an awesome guy, one Hell of a singer and still a good friend to all of us in the band. He’s actually the one who hooked us up with Psychedoomelic for the “Sex and Magic” CD and that was after he was out of the band. Chris and I have guest appearances on the Vestal Claret “Bloodbath” LP that Cyclopean is putting out in October, which is KILLER!
After Phil left, we contemplated auditioning someone but the vibe between Chris, Mark and myself was so much killer that we decided against bringing anyone else in. At first we were a little worried, Phil not only being such a celebrated vocalist but also possessing a voice so distinct… but Chris really hits it out of the park. Any doubts we may have had went out the window after his first show on vocals. Phil was there and he was the first one to compliment Chris on what a great job he’d done. We’re really lucky to have someone at versatile as Chris on board. But all feedback that I’ve come across has been extremely positive. All sensual menace retained!
2. The record came out on Cyclopean (Texas, US) and sold out pretty fast and then the CD finally got a release on Psychedoomelic out of Austria. Explain the circumstances behind both of those.
As I said above, Phil was the one who hooked us up with Psychedoomelic. They’re a great label and the fact that Nightbitch are labelmates with Reverend Bizarre blows my mind. Phil had also arranged the Cyclopean deal and it was an absolute pleasure to work with Jason, as I’m a big fan of his old band, Iron Age, and he’s an awesome dude in general. I don’t think any of us expected it to sell out so fast.
3. You’ve played a bunch in the local area, but you also have played a few pretty auspicious shows out and about including one at that Irish Festival (Dublin Doom Day). Talk about that and being the Hour of 13 band too.
We were extremely fortunate to serve as the backing band for Phil’s also-former band, Hour of 13. Chad Davis, the mastermind and metal brother behind Hour of 13 lives in North Carolina and played all the instruments on both records himself. They had been getting all these offers for gigs but had no band to play out with. Chad heard and liked what we were doing with Phil in Nightbitch and we graciously accepted the offer to join Hour of 13 for their first gig – playing under the godly Pagan Altar at Dublin Doom Day in Ireland last September. It was a lot of work getting the 10 song, hour-long set down. Working on one or two songs a week probably helped instill the new-song-a-practice un-work ethic Nightbitch has come to practice. But I can confidently say that we killed it. There’s a live version of “Call to Satan” on a bonus 7″ that Earache included with the first pressing of “The Ritualist” LP and it rules. Without a doubt, Dublin was the most amazing show experience of my life. The crowd, the fans, the vibe… all matchless. We have every intention of returning to sleaze and shitwolf with our brothers in Ireland again!
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| http://www.metalireland.com |
Outside of the Hour of 13 experience, Nightbitch has been blessed to play with the recently-departed Black Pyramid, Midnight, Earthride and to open for Pentagram on only our third show. I suppose it works in our favor playing a style that is not saturated with sound-alike bands vying for opening spots. Not that I’d mind a handful more bands like Elder, Stone Titan, Lord Fowl (RIP) or the Stoned Ambassadors (RIP) around here. Unfortunately, you cannot force kids to listen to Sir Lord Baltimore and watch Jean Rollin movies 🙁
4. For a long time CT didn’t have a real metal scene. Groups of people played metal to their friends, sure. There have been small pockets of metal here and there, but not a larger scene with shows pulling in larger touring acts. You’ve been doing a pretty great job of pulling bands in the area and even in the larger area around CT – RI, MA, NY). Has there been significant recognition for this and has it been rewarding enough to keep you going with it in the future?
Thank you. I’m not really sure about recognition; it’s not something I’m looking for. Same with you guys directing people to the hottest DIY shows in town, y’know? But anything I do that is show-related is fairly selfish. I book shows that I want to see and usually involving one of my bands. Which is probably why I have a lot of repeat-bookings – there is no greater sin than encouraging mediocrity and I’d rather keep booking the same ten to fifteen bands than allow poop to infiltrate. If other people dig it, cool. If not, fuck it – I’m enjoying myself.
It’s still a very small market for metal here in CT. For example, 40 Watt Sun played last Sunday to no more than 30 people (we counted at one point) which is fucking abysmal. But those who came out are the true, you know? As for the rest… people love the taste of shit.
5. Hovv do yov feel abovt cvrrent trends in cvlty mettle? What are some current artists people should look out for (bigger and smaller)?
I wish it were 1991 and bands like Liturgy would be fucking smashed and sent packing. But everyone is either a pussy or on probation these days. Happy to say I couldn’t tell you what’s trendy right now, though some people seem to think that bands like The Devil’s Blood, Ghost and Jex Thoth are. But that’s the rambling of basement-dwelling career virgin buttdarts with an aversion to riffs, sigils, tits and David Coverdale.
Some bands I’d recommend are Saturnalia Temple, Omega Massif, Xibalba, Ilsa, Dispirit, Hooded Menace, Dodsengel, Inquisition, Necros Christos, Negative Plane, Sargeist, Grave Miasma, Impetuous Ritual, Craft, Disma, Acephalix, Antediluvian, Vastum, Excoriate, Miasmal and Mitochondrion.
There are also some exceptional bands in New England that everyone should get familiar with: Nachzehrer (who are playing the Black Twilight gig @ Cherry St on September 30th), Morne, Darkwor, Cold Northern Vengeance, Witch Tomb, Blessed Offal, Lustrum, Katahdin, Stone Titan, Iron Hand, Cold Snap, Heavy Breath… just to name a few.
[This tour needs a place to crash tonight in CT and a driver for 10 days if you have no responsibilities and want an adventure: http://crepusculonegro.blogspot.com/]
6. You also helm Ipsissimus as His Emissary which is currently in a holding pattern since your drummer, Haimatohkharmes, has left for a couple years of work in Belgium unearthing the mysteries of the past. Any status updates?
Haimatokharmes recently left us for a post-doctorate research gig in Copenhagen, but we will continue to write for Ipsissimus via skynet. He’s such a fucking Euro. Have you ever seen him headbang? He was (no doubt drunkenly) emailing me from the Revenge / Inquisition show in the Netherlands and his English has already gone to shit. We support him 100% and he is still very much a part of the band. If all goes according to plan, we will be joining him before long for Ipsissimus’ first shows on the Continent. We will show them how to do the Red Satan. WE WILL SHOW THEM WHO ARE THE REAL SAPPERLOTTERZ!!!
Our brother Chris Warhead from Abazagorath will be handling live drums for Ipsissimus from this point. However, nothing is booked at present and we will be extremely selective, bordering on fascist, with the shows we decide to play.
7. Satanic Biskmaster? What’s that mean to you? Top 3 Bisque spots in CT?
Satanic Biskmaster is a tyrannical despot. His manifold luxuries ensure the perpetual subjugation of thousands… the principle of mystical substitution reversed!
1. Sam the Clam’s when Wally is in the kitchen
2. Sam the Clam’s when Wally is not in the kitchen
3. Little Italy in Wallingford, CT. Mike the Guinea is the fucking best. If you’re in the Wallingford area and you crave some boss take-out/eat-in Gindaloon and don’t want to pay a fortune, Little Italy is your spot. (If you do not mind dropping some loot on a truly lavish sitdown, it’s Michael’s Trattoria all the way. Best eggplant parm I’ve ever had and the banana cream pie could get you laid.)
2. Sam the Clam’s when Wally is not in the kitchen
3. Little Italy in Wallingford, CT. Mike the Guinea is the fucking best. If you’re in the Wallingford area and you crave some boss take-out/eat-in Gindaloon and don’t want to pay a fortune, Little Italy is your spot. (If you do not mind dropping some loot on a truly lavish sitdown, it’s Michael’s Trattoria all the way. Best eggplant parm I’ve ever had and the banana cream pie could get you laid.)
8. Sleazy dark things. Movies. Flyers. GO!
“The Sins of Sister Lucia” just blew my fucking mind last weekend. Had NO idea what we were getting into with Japanese nunsploitation but BLESS MY FUCK!!! Advanced sensual maneuvers are deployed by and upon the most sumptuous nubile nuns in an uber-blasphemous – and aesthetically triumphant – convent setting… And with JUST the right consensual:nonconsensual ratio. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. A Nightbitch ode to “the correction room” wouldn’t be out of place.
“School of the Holy Beast” and “Wet Rope Confession” are lined up for Friday night’s sleazings where Dogfish and Shipyard’s seasonal offerings will be paired with Crispin Artisanal Reserves, all of these mingling with the bad kid… Cryptic, metaphysical sodomies rendered upon the Paraclete. Spiritual cuckold on the astral plane.
9. Beyond metal, what’s really piquing your ear budz? Umberto? Tegan & Sara?
When Ladytron’s new album leaked, so did my peepee.
New Balam Acab is pretty awesome and I’m really digging Seefeel. Gotta say I’m not feeling the new Umberto 7″ nearly as much as the “Prophecy…” LP, though.
10. Nightbitch! Is this now your main focus and do you have any new recordings coming? Touring?
Nightbitch and Ipsissimus are my focus. Nightbitch will be entering Sonic Environments in Bloomfield with my friend and producer, Jeff Weed, next month to record the “Chainmaker” 7″. Before Haimatokharmes left, Ipsissimus spent some time at Sonic Environments writing and recording two new songs and a special cover song with Jeff. Goat-willing, the fruit of this session will be made available soon. As mentioned above, Dylan and I will continue writing together. Touring is a possibility for both bands but it will have to be the right bands and circumstances.
This year’s PRIME SLEAZING!!!
Ruby’s II Halloween party on Sat Oct 29th. All nude. BYOB.
11. Other projects in the works currently? Do tell.
Word on the street is that legendary Italian menswear potentate and tailor to the sultans, Nino Cerruttti, has reconciled his love of late 70’s/early 80’s afro-Cosmic Italian disco with the soundtracks of his beloved gialli.
Think Daniele Baldelli hosting a joyous powder orgy at Baia Degli Angeli with Soledad Miranda, Asia Argento, Grace Jones and a teenage Rocco Siffredi being the guests of honor, Dario Argento behind the lens and Tinto Brass calling the shots when he’s not shooting dice or drinking highballs, the old whore. That’s the vibe…
“If you didn’t hear it, you couldn’t afford it.”
