By James Wright

The words "Think" and "Focus" are both tattooed on Videodrone vocalist Ty's eyebrows. Not even Ty himself could have said it better as that's exactly what Videodrone's debut album for Elementree records is... A well thought out and musically focused work of art. Now after a long stint on the road as supporting acts for Orgy, Korn and Rob Zombie, Videodrone is preparing to head back into the studio to work on their sophomore release. We had the pleasure of catching up with Videodrone drummer Kris at his home just before the band headed into the studio to begin work on what will undoubtedly become on the best releases of the new year.

Shoutweb: We might as well start with what's next for Videodrone? Do you guys have any summer tour plans?

Kris: Actually we're going into the studio on Monday June 12th to start writing songs for the new record. We're not cutting the new record yet but we are demoing new songs. We've been writing and we've got like eight new songs but we wanna get about twenty and we head into the studio Monday to see how they sound then we'll give them to the label and see what they think. We are just trying to move forward on a new record.

Shoutweb: New album? Ideas? Guests?

Kris: I say it's gonna be a bit heavier but the new songs we're writing still sound like Videodrone. I think they're heavier and they've grown since we were on tour. It's kinda of like you learn things on the road like if a part in a song works stay on that part a little longer and stuff like that.

Shoutweb: There were rumors of you guys doing the "Tattoo The Earth" tour... Did that just not pan out?

Kris: No... It just didn't work. Right now we're not going to be doing any touring until we do a new record. We may pop up on a show here or there but nothing as far as heavy touring. We're concentrating on making a new record.

Shoutweb: You were originally going to be touring with Filter a little while back but that got scrapped. Why was this the case?

Kris: There was some internal conflict between us and them where they heard some rumors about us that weren't true. I don't how deep I should go! (Laughs) It was a pretty serious thing that we could have gotten together a lawsuit on them but we didn't... I don't know I'm trying to beat around the bush here! (Laughs) They basically kicked us off about two days before because of rumors that were untrue.

Shoutweb: If you could destroy one rumor or myth about Videodrone what would it be?

Kris: Just that we've gotten a reputation that we are this outta control party band and the music doesn't come first which is totally not true. It's all about the music and when we're on the road we have fun, but I think we got a bad reputation cause last year when we were playing arenas with Korn and we went on tour with our best friends Orgy and we had no inhibitions and just let go. I think from the business side I think we have the reputation of a party band, but we're just normal guys like everybody else.

Shoutweb: Are you happy with what the label has done for you guys so far?

Kris: Umm... I think they could have done more. I think they could have done a lot more actually but a lot of bands tend to think that so it's a common thing. We did a video for "Ty Jonathan Down" and it debuted on TRL and it was getting a lot of play and the label just didn't do anything with it. They didn't promote it or push the video, they didn't go to radio with the single. They didn't do any of the things labels were supposed to do, but hopefully with the next record we'll get a little bit more push and a little bit more attention.

Shoutweb: The video for Ty Jonathan Down is really cool... I like the whole "Reservoir Dogs" things happening. Who's idea was that? It turned out really good.

Kris: Originally Ty and Rowan were working on the concept but a lot of the idea was Ty's. We then gave it to Nathan Cox, who also did Coal Chamber and System of A Down's videos, and he kinda elaborated on it and it just flowed.

Shoutweb: Your website is one of the best one's on the net, what part do you guys play in it's creation?

Kris: Me personally I don't have too much involvement in it but our bass player Mavis is the Internet guy and he's always in collaboration with our webmaster and we all kinda have input and help out.

Shoutweb: On your webpage you're doing a contest that fans can send in a tattoo design and Ty will ink himself with it...

Kris: It's funny you should mention that 'cause it just wrapped up. We got all the submission's and Ty picked a winner but I'm actually gonna get the runner up tattoo. Ty called me last night and it's being set up right now. I think within the next week or so we're going to be getting tattooed and the website or streetteam or something is coming down to film it so it can be up on the net. It's really cool! We got a lot of really cool artwork and designs from kids.

Shoutweb: How many submissions did you guys get?

Kris: I'm not sure but I think it was around fifty or sixty something like that. I'm not sure if they gave us them all or not. I looked at about fifty of 'em but Ty had the whole thing so there might have been more, I'm not really sure.

Shoutweb: Can you give us an idea of what the winners designs looked like?

Kris: Ty picked this real mechanical looking monster and I'm getting this little devil girl. It's this really raggedy Anne looking girl with horns and a halo hanging off of one horn. It's really hard to explain so...

Shoutweb: What do you think of the whole MP3/Naspter thing that's going on right now? If you go on the net your songs are pretty well traded...

Kris: To be honest I don't really know too much about it! (Laughs) I don't really have an opinion right now. I think if it's getting our music out to more kids so they can hear it then that's cool but if it's hindering record sales or making it so kids don't go out and buy the record then that's not cool so... I don't know, what do you think about it?

Shoutweb: Well personally I think it can be used as a tool like radio or better where I can go check out a band whose record I can't find, but at the same time there are people who log on just for the purpose of downloading songs to burn onto CD. So with the good comes the bad I guess, but I dislike it more and more now because so many people are burning CD's and it doesn't have the artwork and things that the artist intended to be included with it, and the artist gets no kind of compensation.

Kris: I guess you're right in that it is good and bad but maybe this can be a tool for them to go out and buy the record. Like they could hear it and say "Wow I gotta buy the record!" so...

Shoutweb: A lot of people wanna know why you guys decided to change your name to Videodrone?

Kris: During the period where we signed the deal with Elementree and were working on the record with Fieldy, he would hang up Cradle Of Filth posters in the room to make fun of us! (Laughs) It just sounded a little to heavy metal for us and we had the name for ten years. I still miss the name but we said if we can all come up with something that we all agree upon and like then we'll do it. We went through about two hundred names and Rowan came in with Videodrone and it just kinda clicked. It's just something that happened, but Cradle Of Thorns will always be a big part of our lives. It's the same band and to me it still is Cradle Of Thorns.

Shoutweb: Where can fans find older Cradle Of Thorns material?

Kris: There were two records released on Triple XXX Records out of LA which is like Jane's Addiction and Social Distortion's first label. They are hard to find but you can order them through mail-order or what not. There is two records, one called "Fetus" and one called "Download This".

Shoutweb: In a day and age where bands come and go in seconds how have you guys managed to stay around as long as you have?

Kris: We're determined. This is all we know and this is all we do. We're not gonna go away or break up because we been through so much. There is nothing that could make us break up at this point cause we do it for ourselves and if anyone else likes it's just a plus so we're just gonna tread in the waters and hope people like us.

Shoutweb: Anything to say to your fans reading this?

Kris: Thanks for all the support and coming to the shows and buying the record! Hopefully we'll see you out on the road soon.