Evolvor Interviews Black Market Radio!

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I have had the honor of working with BMR in promoting their new album “Better Than A Killer“, and also got the chance to do a little interview with the band as well. If you don’t know who Black Market Radio is, then you haven’t frequented my site and have been living under a rock!

Listen to the single “Big Stones”

Here’s the interview:

Peter Cornell, Vocals/Guitar

Were you pursuing a music career before or during the same time Chris was? Were you inspired by what he was doing, or was it the other way around?

No. I was inspired by the enormous quantity of songwriting that was taking place in Seattle in the late, late 80’s early 90’s. Obviously my brother was in the thick of this creative whirl wind which afforded me a front row seat to the incredible phenomenon. This is what spoke to me. How to create songs from a few riffs, or a lyric or an emotional dump taking place in your life. My experience was just beginning as Nirvana, Sound Garden, PJ etc. were already into their second or third albums.

Have you guys ever thought of collaborating?

We have talked about it. It will happen eventually.

How about tour together (either in the past or future?)

That would be great. We can contribute to that by the success of BMR. I think the business of music is a what-have-you-done lately sort of affair. What I mean is, we have to prove we are worthy to soar in the thin air of rock success with the big boys.

I heard about your success with Grace - why did you leave that band?

The band was designed in every way, to exploit every angle possible and get a major label deal. To capitalize on the climate of music in Seattle, the deep and generous pockets of the industry (specifically Sony Records) and land a multi record deal with a lot of commas and zeros. It seemed a good idea at the time.

So we set out to write radio friendly hits and I guess we were doing it. We were getting real air play in several major U.S. cities. But the whole thing lacked a heart and soul and contrite and/or arrogant as it may sound I wanted a different feeling from the whole experience of writing, recording, touring etc. I wanted to believe in it the way I did when I started playing in the early 90’s.

How do you see yourselves fitting into the music scene today? Do you want to be heard on the radio, or do you want that underground, grassroots kind of following?

I think the world is ripe for a style of rock vanished from recent history. We can help. All of the above.

If you were to some up your experience so far with BMR in one word:

Perseverance.

Keith Mannino, Bass

I’ve read about a band you played with back in the day, Shadowbox. Please enlighten us with your duties with that band ( i.e. instruments played, albums released, etc.)

Shadowbox had a deal with Epic. We started out here in NY and played all over this area. We got a deal with Epic and moved out to San Francisco and started playing out there. We recorded at A&M in LA with record producer Ed Stasium. Epic then went a different direction and didn’t release the record. I played bass and was one of the songwriters.

You toured with Lenny Kravitz, correct? Gimme some dirt - what was the craziest thing that ever happened to you guys while on tour?

No I never toured with him I worked in his studio. I worked on 2 records with him, Circus and 5. He and I became friends and hung out all the time when making those 2 records. One really cool thing we did one night was go to Sean Lennon’s apartment (which used to be his dad’s) and jammed all night. That was a lot of fun.

How did you come about meeting up with Peter? Was there an immediate connection or did it develop over time?

I immediately knew I liked Peter’s vocal tone and style. When I first heard him sing I was blown away. I knew we needed to work together. When the record he was recoding in my studio was finished, I asked him to check out some tunes I had; the first one we worked on was Better Than A Killer. We knocked it out together in about 20 minutes. SURVEY SAYS: clicked immediately.

If you were to some up your experience so far with BMR in one word:

UNWAVERING

John Hummel, Drums

How did you hook up with Peter and Keith?

I was playing at a street fair in NYC. After the show Keith introduced himself and took my number.

I’ve read that you’ve toured with some other bands; care to share them with us?

I’ve toured a lot in Europe with Neal Casal (Ryan Adams) and Hazeldine. In the US with John Ginty (Citizen Cope) and Shannon McNally.

If you were to some up your experience so far with BMR in one word:

ROCKING!

Kevin Hummel, Guitar

Did you have to beat up your brother in order to get in the band? Have you guys ever played together in the past?

No I never had to beat up my brother to get into a band , but to get out of one well …

Speaking of the past, any other bands we might know you from?

We’ve been playing in bands together since i was 16 and he was 19 . Dementia , Jerico , Dead Poets , Pagan Sun , Gary Dillon Band , Neal Casal Band , Amfibian , Cooper Boone , Sherman , …

If you were to some up your experience so far with BMR in one word:

Fucktacular !!!!!!!

So there you have it - straight from the horses mouth!

If you want to learn more about Black Market Radio, here’s 11 reasons why you should be listening!