Bullet Treatment (Punk/Rock)

Bullet Treatment
Posted Dec 26, 2006.


Matt - vox
Vince - bass
Dave - drums
I'm Chuck - Guitar. It'd be too hard to list all the members overall.

What is your website? www.bullettreatment.com

What is your MySpace? www.myspace.com/bullettreatment

What genre is your music? Punk Rock of the old school flavor.

Who got you interested in playing this kind of music? The greatest punk rock band of all time the RAMONES !

What is music to you? Music is life! it helps me breathe or in some cases helps me get up in the morning. Just imagine what life would be without music. BORING !

How did you come up with your band name? Well the first couple songs we did for a comp. we ended up covering two songs by the Misfits & Ramones. We used the names of those two songs and came up with Bullet Treatment. I'll let you try to figure out which two songs we covered. And by the way don't ask what they're released on cause it's out of print.

What other bands have your guys been in, why did they end or how are they going?
Well we've had members of the VOIDS, BRONX, GRAVE FOR THE FIREFLIES, CIVET, ROCK KILLS KID, RF7, SUICDIAL TENDENCIES, JEFFRIES FAN CLUB, DRIPS, etc. I forget there's been so many. They come as I ask and go as I tell. haha

What venue has been the best to play at? Probably the House of Blues cause we get free food and beverages. Any place that we can get drunk for free and fill up with food is always good. The HOB is used to spoiling "rock stars" so when we get in there we take full advantage of it. If I remember right, I think my wife emptied out some of the other dressing rooms and hi-jacked drinks out to the audience.

When, Where and How was your first show? Our first show was actually at the Anaheim House of Blues. It was great what I remember of it. I think the highlight was a guy smashing his face into the security barrier and needing to be carried out of the place. Turned out he actually worked there and was off that night having fun. I think we went out and did about 15 songs in 20 minutes and walked off. Good show.

How have you seen yourselves get better since then? I don't think we've gotten better it just depends on what line-up Im using at that time. You can't take what we do and compare it to a normal band, that would be so crazy !

Where was your best show? If we actually play a show at that time it's the best one.

What makes a show the best? Not knowing what'll happen, half the time we end up learning the songs at the venue. I can remember Richie sitting in his car outside the Anarchy Library learning the lyrics to a song he sang on then walking in the club a half hour later and knocking the song out like he'd been playing it on tour for months.

Who do you one day want to play a show with or open for? I've always wanted to open for Bad Religion but other then them there's not a whole lot out there that interests me.

Why do you play music? Because I want to. We do things for ourselves, it makes us happy. If I wanted it to be something "special" I'd be a label STICK and write hit singles that sound like Disco re-vised with a Cure-esque feel.

What inspires most of your lyrics? You'd have to ask the guys and gals who write the lyrics, but when I do write something lyrically it usually has something to do with everyday life be it fantasy or fictional.

Why would anyone want to hear your music? I don't know, maybe cause we don't sound like the "typical" punk band in this day and age.

How many people in the band right now are the original band members?
Just me, I'm the sole creator of this project. I decided it would be easier to just rotate members on different released instead of trying to keep a regular line-up together. I guess It goes back to doing what I want not what I should be doing. I think people need to learn how to do what feels right for them. And just playing with buddies when we feel like it is fun for me.

Where do you wish for your band to be in 5 years? I don't know I've got all kinds of crazy ideas. Ideally I'd like to have a regular touring band maybe even a couple would be cool. You know have Bullet Treatment go out on tour and have Bullet Treatment open the show as well. That'd totally confuse people.

What is the best thing about being your band? Just the fact I do what I want, when I want, with who I want. Total freedom. I only answer to myself which at times can be a pain.

Do you have any advice to starting bands? Yeah do exactly what you want and what will make you happy. If you just want to be a puppet then you might as well get a 9 to 5 job. Be creative and don't listen to the "man".

What other instruments can (each person) play (other than the ones they
currently play in the band)? I think we can pretty much anything we want. I originally played drums on the first few recordings then moved to guitar and most recently of the "Dead Are Walking" 7" played bass. I guess it depends on what the release calls for.

What religion are you? Lutheran

Does your religion effect your music? Nope, Lutherans are way kick back. I remember taking a Circus Magazine and a Playboy Magazine on a Church function.

Any funny or interesting stories? Yeah a funny story would be when we were recording the "What More do You Want?" cd the bass player Jojo was a little drunk, he tends to take to that fellow Jack Daniels, anywho I could tell he was getting frustrated cause I told him he wasn't playing a certain part fast enough. Well once he did do it right we decided to just mess with him and had him re-record it about another 20 times. I remember telling the engineer that I can get him to get so pissed he'll walk out...low and behold a few minutes later we were without a bass player. hahahaha

What do you think about UFOs? Totally believe in them, I was driving one night home with my mother in the car and we saw one. It was kind of a green glowing thing that moved faster then anything you could imagine. Freaky.

What do you guys do for work right now, other than playing music? I run Basement Records and occasionally produce and master cds'. So it's all music all the time, except when I take time to go to San Diego to catch a Padres game.

Did your parents like you playing when you were younger? Not really, the stereo-typical I'm wasting my time.

Do your parents like you playing music today? Nope

Do your parents like the person you are today? You'd have to ask them. Am I getting graded on this ? YES

What were some of your favorite bands growing up? I like all kinds of stuff, I think my first favorite bands were like Genesis, Van Halen, Ramones, Kiss, mostly 70's stuff, then as I got older moved more into the punk and hardcore stuff like 7 Seconds, DK, Bad Religion, Anthrax, Slayer, Testament, Death Angel, Misfits, X, Angry Samoans, Descendents, Circle Jerks, stuff like that, the usual stuff that pisses off the neighbors.

What would you say to a kid who has no faith in himself? I actually know a few and I try to make them feel good about themselves one way or another. Everyone has something good in them you just have to find it.

How old were each of you when starting to play instruments? I fisrt played the piano a little and clarinet in 5th grade.

Have you lost any fans for doing something drastic? (like moving to a bigger
label, changing your sound, ect) I think it's been the exact opposite, I think we've gained fans because we do what we want. I always say you get what you expect with us. I doubt a bigger label would be intersted in us cause we have suc a f* you approach.

Every bands music changes over the years, but do you like playing and the
style of the old stuff? Yeah, I understand people want to branch out a try different things, that is natural but this is something more then just a older style, it's a older way of thinking. That's why we continue to release 7"'s and the new record is on 12" clear vinyl. It's more a mindset then anything else. You know the term "Respect Your Elders" well I think people today lack respect for those who came before us.

Anything you would like to say to your fans reading this interview? I can't thank all of you enough. If you've talked to us through myspace or at a show or somewhere, you know we truly appreciate you. Our fans are truly punk rock to the core !!!!!!!!!!

What's your latest cd? The new release is called "The Mistake" it's released through Think Fast! Records. The vinyl version is released through my label Basement Records. This is the first time I've had a returning member on vocals. Since Matt's been so busy it'll probably be the last time he's involved.

How did you come up with the title? Because people kept buying the wrong release from us. And by that I mean someone thought they were getting a record with Richie singing and it ended up being Liza or Icky. Just the overall confusion of the releases was kinda funny hence the Mistake.

How long did you wait from start to finish making the CD and how did it
feel? (did it take to long, or go by fast) It took about a year but it was because everyone else was busy, Matt spent most of the year working on the Bronx record so when he had time we'd try something but then something else would come up. We actually spent very little actual time recording. Vinnie was on tour with Los Lobos as he roadies for them so I could never get him in when the studio was open then we'd have to wait like 6 weeks to try it again and so on.

What do you guys think about it? I think it's the best release we've done. It's total energy. I read a review where someone said it sounds like a live show cause it's just so non-stop and I'd tend to agree with that.

Where can we get it? Interpunk and most fine punk rock anti-establishments.

What did your fans say about it? So far the response has been tremendous, I think each record we out-do ourselves no matter who plays on it. I just wish we could give it a little more time to really breathe. I'd be willing to bet if you played it for 100 people about 90% would have them torn a new...

Any advice for anyone thinking about making a CD? Just do it, don't wait for a label, to do it for you do it yourself. Be a leader not a follower.
Thanks Johnny !
-Chuck