A talk with SILVERTONGUEDEVIL ,Craig Meinhart speaks

 

 

1.Introduce yourself and your band and tell us why we should listen to you.

My name is Craig Meinhart and I’m the vocalist for SILVERTONGUEDEVIL & ACOUSTIC DEVIL. You’re going to love what we do if you love metal and have an open mind. No one else sounds like we do and we love playing live. It’s as simple as that.

2.What do you classify your sound as, Who do you tell people you sound like?

We’re METAL, there’s no need to classify it beyond that. Our sound is a mix of thrash, death, and old school heavy metal with a dash of punk. Ask six people what we sound like and they’ll give you six different answers.

3.With digital music in today's world would you vote to keep or eliminate physical media?

    Physical media is critical to the survival of underground bands. We just put our fourth album out on vinyl and only put a single on streaming services. Digital is great to help get the word out, but one bought album is worth a few thousand streams. We’ve seen bands put out albums on cd, cassette, you name it. And they sell. It’s important to have something you can put in someone’s hands.

4.What is the reason you decided to be a musician and has that reason paid off?

We do what we do because we love it, that’s all the reason anyone needs. Has it paid off? Monetarily no. Life is hard as a band in the digital age, but it’s always been hard. The true payoff is playing our music in front of people that appreciate it. Sometimes the crowds are small, sometimes they’re big. Either way it’s worth it. Doing music shouldn’t be a career decision, and if it is do something else.

5.How do you feel about females in metal getting special attention? Do you feel it is fair?

Nothing in life is fair. Who cares what someone else is doing? Do your own thing and if you’re lucky people will dig it.

6.In the world climate with hatred being at an all time high and metal being an “ angry” music

Do you think your music contributes to anger and hatred?

I’m not sure we’re at an all time high of hate, we’re not exactly fighting through the trenches of World War 1 or burning witches at the stake anymore. But the world is a dark and scary place for sure, and music is one of the bright lights of existence. Even the darkest most morbid music is a wonderful thing. Talk of music contributing to hate or the decline of values is just thinly veiled censorship.

7.Are you opposed to religious beliefs or politics being used in music?

Everybody can write about whatever the hell they want. No one is owed an audience, so run it up a flagpole and see who salutes it.

  8.We have dive into some pretty deep issues here do you think your music sends a message and if so what is it?

I don’t put much into music with a message, I prefer to let the tunes speak for themselves. We’re much more into storytelling as an art form than personal polemics. A lot of thought and effort is put into the lyrics and arrangements so it’s always great when people get something extra out of the songs, but it’s also fine if someone just likes the riffs or drums or whatever.

9.The market has changed and many bands believe that record labels are a thing of the past, with many labels now charging bands to “sign” how do you think a band can make it in todays scene?

That’s a tough one and I don’t know if there’s one right answer. What is gone are the days where labels will put money into a band. It’s up to the individuals involved to do the hustling and take control of what happens to their band. The internet is a great distribution tool, and the costs of recording are getting cheaper by the day, but the trick is how to get noticed in a sea of bands. I don’t think there’s a magic formula for that. Part of that is skill, and part is luck. You have to have both to keep going. 

10.Why with the thousands of options including netflix , sporting events everything on demand

Why do you think people should take the time to listen to what you have to say in your music?

Live music is a unique experience that can’t be duplicated on a tv or a phone or anything else. It’s one of the best ways you can possibly spend your time. You’ll hear some shit you love, some you hate, and you’ll meet a wide variety of interesting people. Get out and go to shows and you will not regret it. You’re going to have a good time at one of our shows because we play hard and we want everyone to enjoy it.

11.How do you feel about pay to play? Do you think it is fair for a band to have to pay money to play?

Pay to play is bullshit, pure and simple. There’s no other art form that requires the artist to provide the entertainment AND the audience. Comics don’t sell tickets to their shows. Dancers aren’t asked how big their draw is. For some reason this nonsense is common in the music scene. If someone wants you to pay to play tell them to fuck off. Play a house show or a basement party or anything else instead. Build your crowd the old fashioned way by networking and kicking ass.    

12.It is fact that you are the talent and the entertainment explain what you think is the most important key to success?

I’m not qualified to say to success means to someone else. Is it money? If so stay away from music. Is it the feeling of accomplishing something uniquely you? If so keep going.

13.In country music and even in some cases rock music is written and performed by different people would your band perform a song written by someone else?

We sometimes put a cover in our set to show our influence, but other than that no. We play our own music.

14.If you are pro female in music are you pro using sex to sell your music?

There’s nothing wrong with using sex to sell music or anything else, but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is the music itself. Just write good shit and play the hell out of it.

15.What is your view on the lawsuits against people saying lewd or unprofessional things to women or men and how does that affect an art described as sex drugs and rock n roll ?

We’re in a time of heightened calls for censorship, and that’s the death of freedom. On a personal level its important to not be a cunt to others, but on an artistic level its very important to protect everyone’s ability to express themselves. It’s best summed up by the quote: “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”

16. Ok lets lighten up a bit. What is your favorite band of all time and why?

That’s too tough to list, there are many great bands I love for different reasons. But I’ll list BLACK SABBATH as the most important since they invented heavy metal. Their stuff is just timeless.

17.What would you be doing if you were not in a band?

Writing, reading, watching movies, playing games, working. Basically all the things I do now while in a band.

18. Do you have a favorite sports team?

Nope, not into sports.

19.If you could get on stage with anyone dead or alive who would it be?

I’d love to SEE a million dead artists like Mozart and Beethoven all the way down to guys like Hendrix, but as far as actually performing onstage with someone it’d probably be Toni Iommi from SABBATH. The guy came up with the most crushing riffs of all time.

20.This is your shot to let loose, Throw down your biggest complaint about the music biz.

No point in complaining. Everyone knows its a cesspool of thieves and liars, but the opportunity to do your own thing is worth the struggle. 

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