Late Night At The Melrose:
An Interview with
TāR
and
Jack Daniel Skully
of
SHADED REALITY
Shaded Reality (Damnit and TāR)
live at The Dome Room
Conducted by Michael C. Lund
on Friday the 13th of February, 1998
Last summer I saw Shaded
Reality perform live at the Dome Room. It was an extravaganza of
racing guitars, throbbing keyboards, stagediving band members, fire, blood and lingerie.
In the meantime Shaded Reality's reputation has grown. Rumors have it
that shows are being shut down, band members are being escorted out of venues in chains,
members of the audience are being poisoned during shows and violent fights break out
between audience and band members. So infamous and notorious an atmosphere has developed
around this band that I contacted them on a recent visit to Chicago for an interview. A
date was settled upon, and a place -- The Melrose.
I walked into this diner -- where
sleaze and scum is at the top of the menu -- shortly before midnight, and found TāR and
Jack Daniel Skully waiting for me at a greasy table in the back, with a failing neon bulb
buzzing over their heads. Mr. Skully sat closest to the wall staring menacingly at me from
beneath a pair of heavy dark eyebrows, an ever so slight Irish accent lingering in his
deep voice. TāR, sitting next to him, seemed more inviting and friendly, a wide smile
playing on his lean face, the flickering light reflecting on the dome of his clean shaven
head.
Pulling my tape recorder out of my
coat pocket, TāR commented on the lack of an exterior microphone, and in an attempt to
alleviate some of the tension at the table, I eased into the interview with a little humor
on Shaded Reality's part.
TāR: You're not gonna hook up a mike?
Michael: No...isn't that the way Shaded Reality operates?
TāR: No microphones...? (laughs)
Skully: No, we just break microphones!
TāR: Set them on fire...
The waitress arrived as Skully
and TāR sat laughing in their seats, and after quickly ordering the typical sandwiches
and fries, we resumed the interview in a more 'businesslike' manner...
Michael: Maybe you should present yourselves before we begin...
Skully: Well...present myself...in what way?
Michael: You know...your name, and your role in Shaded Reality...
Skully: Oh, I'm...
Michael: Your social security number, your shoe size...
TāR: Visa, MasterCard expiration dates...(laughs)
Skully: Ah...I'm Jack Daniel Skully...I am the bassist and the
...uhm...Christian Coalition advocate in the band...
TāR: That you are...and I'm TāR, and I'm primarily the
keyboardist and songwriter, and I also do a lot of the engineering and mixing, and all
that crap...
Michael: I thought, first of all, since Shaded Reality is
a relatively new outfit on the scene, we should get a little back history on the band,
like how you got together, and what you have been up to so far...
TāR: Well, I met our singer and lyricist Damnit at the Dome
Room in Chicago about thirteen months ago, and I was giving out these little
tapes I had made for my friends, and he came up to me and said: "Hey, you wanna play
keyboards in my band?" And, I said: "Ehh, well, you know, I usually work alone,
but I'll give it a shot, played 'em my demo tape, and they liked it a lot. At that time it
was him and this other guitarist...I don't even know what the guy's name is...like, some
stupid gothic name...
Skully: Fuckface!
TāR: Fuckface...no, that wasn't it...I don't remember, but anyway...within two
weeks, we had recorded our first three songs, just in my home studio, and the guitarist
had never shown up for any of them, so we said: "Fuck 'im!" And kicked him out,
and it was me and Damnit for a while. Then we were able to book a show at the Dome
Room without even giving them a demo tape or anything, and we pulled our first
live band together. Jack was not in that...we had Scott Godd with two
ds, and Brad McCarthy playing drums...and Scott was playing bass...
Skully: There is no reason to mention past members of the band...
TāR: Ahh well...I'm giving him a history...and then our guitarist has been
with us the whole time, that's Matt...
Skully: Matt "I Need A Drug" Evans...
TāR: And boy does he...so, anyway, our first Dome show
went over really well. We were the opening act of three bands, and we pulled in 200 people
by ourselves for that one. And then from there, we've just been playing shows and making
an album.
Michael: Okay, but you have new members in the band now.
TāR: Yes...
Michael: Or, not new, they've actually been along for quite a while now...
TāR: Yeah...we picked up Jack after that first show...Scott
and Brad ejected on us, 'cause they were too busy with their band Faker,
which was busy playing in the Beat Kitchen. And, (Chuckles)....so, we had
another show booked, and we started rehearsing for it, but we had no drummer and no
bassplayer, and...I came up to Jack at some dive-bar on the South Side, and asked
him if he wanted to play bass for the band, and he said: "Sure, what the
Fuck..."
Michael: You knew Jack from the past?
TāR: Yeah...
Michael: Is he a character with some notoriety that we should know about?
TāR: Well, I don't know...Are you?
Michael: What would you say prompted your entrance into this outfit?
Skully: Uhm...I seem to remember it as I was the only person that TāR
knew who owned a bass, so...
TāR: (laughs)
Skully: "You own a bass guitar? You wanna play for my band?"
"Oh, sure."
TāR: And, yeah, so, Jack came onboard, and about a month before the show
we were in desperation for a drummer...we couldn't find one, we tried one guy out,
and...for every song he played the same rock-beat -- boom-chik-boom boom-chik-boom-chik --
and, you know, it just doesn't go with this band at all, and he sucked on top of that, his
gear was crap, I don't even remember his name...
Skully: (laughs)...You're really being nasty...
TāR: Yeah, well...
Michael: Maybe this is a good point to ask, how you would describe your
music...do you feet that you fit into any specific genre, or, if not, could you give some
description...
Skully: ROCK!
Michael: What sorts of elements does your music incorporate?
TāR: Uhm...typically pretty fast, driving, heavy beats. Heavy guitars, and, some
people have described it as 80s style keyboards...I don't know...Jack, you gotta
have something to say about that...
Skully: Well, it's just as simple as the fact that we are trying to avoid
classifications, and, earlier on -- which I think we've already been slipping out of --
people were trying to slam us into the goth/industrial category...but, I mean, as I can go
on record right here: "Industrial is Dead." Completely fuckin' stabbed through
the heart, and we don't see any reason to associate ourselves with it, it's the same old
lame thing being recycled over and over again on the goddamn scene...it's a bunch of old
fourth-year-old hacks that have nothing new to say, so we don't wanna associate ourselves
with that kind of music...
Michael: So, would you still consider yourselves as electronically based,
though?
TāR: Yeah, slightly though, but...
Skully: Albums, but not concerts!
TāR: Yeah...concerts are all live, we don't play the tape or
anything...which is a big thing for me, you know...I figure out ways to pull off the three
or four keyboard parts at once...on stage...
Skully: No tapes, no sequencers, no DATs!
Michael: No overdubs (chuckles)...
TāR: Yeah...No...Wait that's studio...(laughs)
Michael: So, what influenced you to work this way? You know, what
influenced you to create this particular kind of music, and play live the way you do,
without any kind of pre-recorded material or sequencing?
TāR: I think a live show should be a live show...you know, these days
people will go to live shows expecting to hear the CD...and to me that's...if I wanna
listen to a CD, I'll go home and put on my fuckin' CD-player. But, I can see no reason,
why, if you write it, you shouldn't be able to play it.
Michael: This departure from more conventional categorizations, does that
stem from the very different people that you have in the band, and where they come from
musically?
TāR: Definitely...the live band also lends itself to playing live, leans
ourselves more towards being -- you know -- rock, and just get getting out there and
playing all this stuff, and making mistakes, and being dirty...
Michael: With a very punk attitude...
TāR: Oh definitely, punk attitude across the board, we all have punk-rock
backgrounds.
A waitress, who looked like she
had been attending Shaded Reality live shows every night for the past 35
years, arrived with TāR and Jack's sandwiches -- the look of which alone would
have been enough to satisfy the appetite of half a dozen hyenas for at least a week.
Michael: So, I think this would be an appropriate time to ask how long you two
have been involved in music, and to what extent you have formal training...how about you Jack?
Skully: Uhm...I've been studying classical guitar, since I was in
kindergarten, so...
Michael: No kidding! But you double on the bass when needed?
Skully: Yeah...I was too good to play guitar, so they stuck me on bass.
Michael: And, Mr. TāR?
TāR: Uhm...let's see...I've been playing keyboards since, I mean taking
lessons since, kindergarten...and in junior high I started playing in the band...I played
trumpet, and then I got braces, so I started playing drums, and then the braces came off,
and I switched to mallet percussion, and since high school, I've picked up flute, guitar,
bass and...I think that's everything...
Michael: So...two very well-rounded musicians. What influences do you have
as musicians, and how do you see these influences as reflecting in the music you play?
TāR: Mr. punk background...
Skully: Uhm...my role in writing music for Shaded Reality
has been limited so far, so...which is changing, but...I've tried to bring a little bit of
my punk-rock edge into it, but, as of yet, it's not so apparent...
TāR: This first album is me and...I wrote all the music for it, and Damnit
wrote all the lyrics, just because we couldn't get a consistent band behind us...you know,
noone had the dedication that we needed, but in the future, the whole band is gonna be in
on the fun. As far as my influences go, they are quite diverse...classical music over all,
some of the prog. rock like King Crimson especially...also, I am a large Dead
Kennedys fan, and Jack has recently turned me on to some Skin
Graft bands like U.S. Maple, which I think is just great.
Michael: How about the other members of the band? Are they from equally
diverse musical backgrounds?
TāR: Damnit's background is mostly mental institutions, so I don't know if
that counts as musical background or not, and we are currently in drummer flux,
again...uhm, so I can't really say...
Skully: Yeah...Welcome to Spinal Tap.
TāR: (laughs)...Yeah, welcome to Spinal Tap. Our
guitarist played in lots of death metal bands in high school, and that's...you know, the
speed and precision pickin' is something some of our songs require, and he's right on the
money there...
Michael: I know you have been working on an album for some time, can we
have a progress report? How that is going? And, when and how it is going to be released?
Or do you not know yet?
TāR: We're at the halfway mark right now, we've got half the songs mixed
and mastered, and release date...probably a couple of months from now...Uhm, and we are
putting it out ourselves, you know, we'll be selling discs at concerts, and at some local
record stores, and what not...
Skully: It will be self-released...
Michael: You also just self-released a VERY limited edition EP...What kind
of reactions did that bring you?
TāR: I haven't talked to a lot of people...but those I have, thought the
two album tracks were real cool, and the two remixes people were quite impressed with...
Michael: Actually, it's a nice EP, and it's an EP that is a lot more
versatile than when I saw you live about six months ago now, I think...Is that a direction
that you expect to take in the future, of incorporating many different sounding types of
music into your albums and live performances?
TāR: Yeah, I think that's definitely gonna happen, just because of our
diverse musical backgrounds...You know, our influences are just so broad, and we've got
some songs that are "bang your head," heavy metal almost, and then others that
are almost disco songs, so...
Michael: Right, but the EP that you just put out also had a couple of more
experimental tracks. Is that something that will be strictly related to recorded material,
or is that something you are going to incorporate in your live shows in the future?
TāR: We may use some of those in our live shows...we are not sure how we
would execute them, but, you know, it depends on the song. We do have a couple of
ambientesque, slower songs that we are gonna probably work into our set...
Skully: The only thing that would be really difficult...about working that
music into our set is that we then would have to find a way to play it, which is probably
not possible...It would defeat our entire "No tapes, No DATs, No sequencers."
Michael: I see...so, maybe I could ask, what are the advantages or
disadvantages for you in playing live as opposed to being in the studio? Is there a
preference, or are those two distinct outlets for your musical creativity?
Skully: Well, what you get on the album is a damn good album, but it is
produced well, and is mixed well...and, I think our big thing is not so much not playing
the tape or sequencer, it's when we play live, we give you a good show, I mean we want
people to come and see a show, we want to entertain you, we want to have a good time...I
mean everybody that I know -- I mean even people that have had negative things to say
about the band -- they never say a negative thing about our stage presence or show...I
mean there might be people that weren't into our particular type of music, but they sure
as hell appreciated the fact that we were actually moving around on stage and giving them
something to watch, as opposed to the numerous, various, boring, alternative, indie-rock
bands that sit there with their thumbs up their asses, and the other hand pickin' the
guitar, and they think they are entertaining...it's just, you know, we wanna give you
something to look at. If you're gonna pay, you know, whatever...$5 to $10 to come into our
show to see a show...we want you to walk away thinking you had your money's worth...we
wanna give you a good show.
Michael: So there's a great performance element in your stage show.
Skully: Definitely!
Michael: Could you describe that a little more for those who have not yet
seen a Shaded Reality show...what can they expect?
Skully: Fire and brimstone...yup!
TāR: There's definitely fire involved...
Michael: Do you care to comment further on that?
Skully: Uhm...At our last show, supposedly we were asphyxiating people in
the second and third balconies off of the stuff that we use to set our fires, and they
were running down to the first floor, puking...which I thought was quite humorous and a
really good thing...There's blood...Uhm...(taking a bite of his sandwich, causing a
couple of beads of tomato ketchup to run down his large knuckles)...Our lead singer
performs self-mutilation on stage as a form of artistic expression...he cuts himself with
razor blades while he's singing, and...
TāR: And, it's real!
Skully: It's real, yeah, it's not fake in any way, shape or form...he
is usually incapacitated for the next couple of weeks after we play for a weekend.
Michael: Actually...in relation to the blood, the fire and the brimstone,
and the violence that's involved in these shows, you're getting quite a notorious
reputation for creating a certain amount of furore and violence during these shows...How
do you feel about that?
TāR: Well, we are not creating the violence. I am sure you are referring
to our show last Saturday at Lounge Ax. What happened there is some audience members
didn't like us for whatever reason, and decided to throw a pint glass at the singer, and
he doesn't take that shit. And he just went after them...
Skully: Yeah...I mean...
Michael: Well, there are also reports of certain members of the band being
carried off in handcuffs after shows, and shows being shut down...
Skully: Yeah...that happened before the Lounge Ax show...We played a show
at Dome, where for some unknown reason...some imbecile saw it proper to pull the plug on
us...while we were playing...and, needless to say, after a lot of yelling and screaming,
and ranting and raving, our lead singer was in handcuffs at some point in time, and almost
got arrested...
Michael: So, certainly a lot of notoriety...but, does that work in you
favor...is that an element of your success as a live band, 'cause you're shows are very
well visited...
Skully: We don't seek it out, I mean, if it comes it comes.
TāR: Yeah, people come to our shows, I think, primarily because we put on
a good show, and we've developed a reputation for putting on a very entertaining evening,
and the screwed-up thing at the Dome Room is that we've done this same show before, with
everything the same, and they decided to shut us down for some reason, and we just don't
know why...
Michael: So, in that sense...even if you don't bring the violence to the
shows...you're performance and your music seems to induce these situations...
Skully: CHAOS!
Michael: Is that part of the message that you are trying to get out there
as a band, is that part of your motivation for performing live, or what are you trying to
accomplish?
Skully: I think pure and utter chaos is definitely integral...
Michael: You're basically trying to rock the boat...
Skully: No, no, I think, we will continuously get up on stage and do what
we do...if the audience is sparked to start fights, or if managers of clubs are sparked to
pull plugs on us, then...it's their call, not ours...They know what to expect, and when
people come to see us, they know what to expect...
Michael: And, I mean, after all, I guess you could view it, as you just
following the tradition of rock 'n roll, I mean these reactions are not new...
Skully: Absolutely...absolutely...
Michael: Let's change pace here for a minute, and let me ask you, as a band
trying to release your first album...how do you feel the musical climate is at the
present, how friendly is it to what you are trying to do?
TāR: I think, because we have such a different sound, and, yet, at the
same time...I don't know if I wanna use the word catchy...uhm, people are gonna gravitate
towards it, you know. It is a well-produced album, and the songs are well-executed and
well-written, so...
Skully: Yeah...I mean, it's definitely in a sense pop music, but...'cause
it's standard, I mean it's kind of in a sense standard rock, and there are elements of
other things thrown in there, but, yeah, I think they'll be receptive to it, I mean as far
as music industry right now, and how it is, I don't think anybody knows, I think even
industry moguls are grasping at straws right now... I mean, obviously they are signing
people like the Spice Girls and Hansons, so they don't
have any fucking clue where music is going...
Michael: They make a lot of money, though...
Skully: Sure...but that could also have backfired on them, too...you know,
when its come to a point where the music industry has to create bands in order to make
money, I think even they are getting frightened...at least I hope so.
Michael: So, are there any labels that you feel you would be particularly
well suited for, or any labels you would really like to see your material released on?
Skully: All the majors.
Michael: You're definitely shopping for the major labels...
TāR: Yeah...independents are nice, but...
Skully: They can't really do much for us. They might be able to distribute
us on a certain level, but that's not enough, we need publicity, promo...We know far too
many bands that have been heavily, heavily fucked over by indie labels that promise a lot
but never back up. Indie labels are too touchy, they say they can do things for you , and
then when they can't, all they can do is apologize, so, we don't need that...
Michael: So you definitely seek big exposure, and a major label backing
you...and, yet, just a couple of weeks ago you did a split show with Flying
Luttenbachers of the Skin Graft label...Uhm, how do you explain
that? And, is that something you wanna pursue in the future? How did you experience that
whole thing? How was that for Shaded Reality to play to a crowd that I
assume was a lot different from what you are used to?
TāR: It was actually a lot of fun...and the crowd seemed to like us quite
a bit...with the one exception of the fight (laughs)...
Skully: But it went over very well...I mean, the people definitely... the Now
Wave crowd -- the avant-garde crowd -- are, you know...uhm, a bit pretentious...and
they definitely like what they like, but I think they respected the fact that we went up
there and did something a little bit different, and we gave them a good show...uhm, and I
think we definitely...I mean, I considered it an honor to play with Luttenbachers...OK,
let me put it this way, they weren't pretentious, but we feared that they would be...We
really feared that that show was gonna be quite nasty for us, and the crowd would not be
receptive, and they were very receptive...and we were very happy to find out that the
pretense that seems to associate itself with the avant-garde seems to be more on the level
of not respecting people who aren't doing something...
Michael: So, having performed alongside an outfit like The Flying
Luttenbachers...The Legendary Flying Luttenbachers, I should
say...what would be three bands that you'd like to perform with? Are there any sort of
bands you think you'd be particularly suited to open up for, or go on tour with?
Skully: Guns And Roses!
TāR: Yeah (laughs)...Spice Girls...Spice Girls
all the way...
Michael: OK...on that note, what are your plans for the near future as a
band?
Skully: World Domination!
TāR: Yup...
Michael: No less, huh...
TāR: No less...
Skully: World Domination...It's the goal.
Michael: Are there any certain steps in this process?
TāR: No...we're just gonna take over the world.
Skully: Yeah...take over the world, billions of dollars, loose cars, fast
women...(laughs)...Definitely world domination.
Michael: Well, that's a very conclusive statement, I don't have much else
to ask after that one...
Skully: Yeah, I mean, I'll sum it up very easily...one day, a couple of
weeks ago, somebody posed the question to me of, "what do you want?" And, it's
easy, I want it all...and, I think that's where the band stands too.
TāR: Absolutely.
Michael: Alright... Thanks very much for the interview, and good luck with
the album...
With no further formalities I
threw a couple of coins on the table, and hurried out into the cold, but strangely
inviting, Chicago night
Shaded Reality (Jack Daniel Skully and Damnit)
live at The Dome Room
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