New L.A. GUNS Singer Talks About Upcoming Album

After the departure of Paul Black, L.A. GUNS was left voiceless and found themselves about to enter the studio and embark on a tour with a frontman. Luckily for them, the band had already been working closely with singer/songwriter Marty Casey on their new project. In June the band announced that Casey would usher in the new chapter of the L.A. GUNS story. Jason Price of Live-Metal.net recently spoke to Marty Casey about his past, his departure from LOVEHAMMERS, the upcoming album from L.A. GUNS and what we can expect from this new era of L.A. GUNS. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Live-Metal.net: Without getting to deeply into the personal side of the split, I think the main thing that many of your fans are interested in is whether or not the door is closed for good on THE LOVEHAMMERS.

Marty: It's difficult. THE LOVEHAMMERS, we were at the point where it was slowing down a bit. A bunch of the guys have kids and jumping into getting full-time jobs, so my outlook on where we were was like, "Wow, what's going to happen?" and I didn't know. Getting this opportunity is an amazing opportunity for me just like "Rock Star: INXS". You don't get a lot of support because you are doing something that might be in the best interest of yourself and not the band. Where the band was, it felt like this was the only choice I had if I wanted to continue with music being my profession. They are angry at this point, ya know. They're mad that they are not a part of it and they would have loved to have been, but I wouldn't say that the door is closed. The cool thing about Tracii is that he is like, "That will always be your band and it will always be a part of you. It's not like you have to cut off a limb and join L.A. GUNS. L.A. GUNS is your focus now and it has a lot going on but when we take a break from touring, you have LOVEHAMMERS. You can support that as well." So that is the cool thing, if I can keep the LOVEHAMMERS and we do what we need to do. I don't know what the outcome of that will be. I would appreciate if they would support me in this and when I get back and there is time I would love to do some stuff with LOVEHAMMERS. It is based on where they are at in their lives as well and if they are still interested in making music.

Live-Metal.net: What was the writing process like for the record like?

Marty: For a long time I had just been the guy sitting around and writing songs by myself. I have had the advantage working with co-writers in the past where I was trying to learn and develop the songwriting as a craft and get better and better. What is crazy about jumping in with L.A. GUNS and Tracii is that they just jam at volume eleven at all times! It is really just about jumping into the fire and going with the flow. They are just jamming, soloing and drums are wailing and you just have to jump on top of it and find yourself a place in it. It was intense and I was playing guitar as well. It was intense and it felt like being a kid again. There is so much energy and flying by the seat of your pants. That is what was created and I think that is why it has turned out so well.

Live-Metal.net: What is the status of the [new L.A. GUNS] album?

Marty: The record is completed. Alexis Records has heard it and are absolutely loving it. Steve Thompson, who is an unbelievable producer and a multi-Grammy-award-winning guy, is mixing it. So we are in really good hands. He is doing the mixing and then it will be mastered and it comes out in March of 2009. In November we are cutting the video. Alexis is great. They really believe in it and they are really doing what they can to support it and thinking of new and inventive ways to do so. Bands just don't throw a song on the radio and tour anymore, it is a whole different market. They are really on top of the new school of how to promote a record. I think it is perfect timing for L.A. GUNS too. So many people have renewed interest for L.A. GUNS and for this genre of music as opposed to something just shoegazer and depressive. This is very upbeat and full of energy and they crave it. It feels like L.A. GUNS is in the right place at the right time.

Live-Metal.net: Does the band have a title or release date established for the record?

Marty: No, we have already been through two! [laughs] We had one and thought that was definitely it but Tracii brought one up yesterday and again we think that is definitely it. So, no but we definitely have a couple high up on the list. As you hear the record, as it is mixed and the songs come to life and the album takes shape the more we are really excited about it. You are really trying to define the energy that is on the record. It is going to take a lot of picking through to find the best one that we can.

Read the entire interview at Live-Metal.net.

Fan-filmed video footage of the July 3, 2008 concert by the Tracii Guns-led version of L.A. GUNS at the Hard Rock Live in San Juan, Puerto Rico can be viewed below (clip uploaded by YouTube user "janisantiago").