Touchin' Bases with Nathan Day, Writer/Director of Bulletsong

Nathan Day is a renaissance-type talent, an actor, writer, director, musician, and composer.

He decided to hurl himself with all of his multi-faceted abilities into his first feature film project, "Bulletsong", serving as Writer/Director/Producer/Lead Actor/Composer/Musician/Editor, in addition to wearing many, many more hats in the process.

Siryn Song Entertainment is the vehicle by which "Bulletsong" will be delivered in the near future, hopefully before the end of the summer as things currently stand. This project has been a labor of love, goodwill, and a whole lot of painstaking, hard work. Nathan is the right kind of guy to tackle this kind of odyssey.

That Nathan thinks through his film projects is an understatement. As one who has stood in a movie parking lot and listened to him describe shot by shot in detail one of his film ideas for more than an hour, I can vouch for the reflection that Nathan gives to his projects.

An abundance of heart and determination has been shown by Nathan as he has worked diligently on this film over the past couple of years. Not independently wealthy, and devoid of millionaire uncles or cousins, Nathan has had to pull all of this off on a shoe-string of resources. Having seen what Nathan has done under such difficult limitations exemplifies his talent all the more.

So let's visit now with the man of the hour, Nathan Day...

-Stephen Zimmer

SZ: Where do things stand right now with post-production on Bulletsong? Do you have any pick-up shots still left to get?

ND: As of this response, we are about at the half-way mark of the rough cut. With the beginnings of the audio work, color correction, musical scoring, CG effects and such on the horizon.

I have very recently decided to add a few currently unfilmed shots to the schedule. This late in the game I know that can sound like a bad idea and that perhaps I should let what is simply be, but I am not under a strict studio-imposed deadline and that gives me the freedom to do what I feel is in the best interest of the film. I want this movie to be everything it can be, to touch the audience much deeper than they ever anticipated. I would never forgive myself if I did not do what I knew needed to be done to make Bulletsong reach its potential. I’m very lucky in that the cast and crew support me 100% in this decision.

SZ: When did you first get underway on Bulletsong’s production?

ND: Lol, is it too late to plead the fifth or am I too deep into this interview already and am now forced to incriminate myself? Production of Bulletsong begin in October 2005, nearly four years ago. We began by filming simple “home video” styled scenes that I felt would ease us into the project (especially since this is my freshman foray into directing).

SZ: How did the idea for Bulletsong come to you, and when was the initialscript finished?

ND: Bulletsong was actually originally intended to be just a simple nothing-but-action short film about a hitman trying to rescue his daughter from a mob boss (much in the vein of Stacey Gillespi’s recent short “Takeback”). I had worked on many independent films at this point (almost exclusively as an actor) and got admittedly cocky, telling myself, “Hey, I think I can do that!”. I had some ideas for a few shots (a sped up bullet POV shot and a stunt over a stair rail) and then more and more ideas started flooding in. The pivotal moment, however, was after watching a film (I’m knocking around the cobwebs in my head trying to remember what movie it was) and asking myself what would truly send a man over the edge for revenge. What would make a NORMAL person cast aside everything else about his/her life to murder (righteously so in their mind) another human being. The answer was the death of a loved one, more specifically a child.

I wrote the initial 87 page script over the course of 2004. I went back and rewrote and added based on what holes I felt the plot contained, mainly in terms of character relation and development (many of these additional scenes are now my favorite scenes). I wanted to see more interaction between a father and son. I wanted to see what happened when a grieving mother finally faces her loss. I wanted to see just why all of these horrible things happened in the first place. By the time I finished my rewrites, the script had blossomed into 128 pages.

SZ: What big changes to the storyline, if any, did you make as you workedyour way through the full treatment and script? Did any major charactersemerge during the process or were they all conceived of at the beginning?

ND: When I write I tend to begin with two things, the characters and the catalyst. Above all, the characters are the key to my stories (as I hope Bulletsong and future projects will show). I want the audience to be able to connect with the characters, both victim and villain, on a level that they do not expect from an independent film. With that philosophy in mind, I take time to develop their back-stories and personalities as much as I can. Once I feel I “know” these “people”, I introduce the catalyst. I try my best to realistically unfold how these people would react in the real world to the turn of events that is suddenly thrust upon them. I believe the characters themselves write the story from that point, so I honestly just try to keep the tone right through dialogue and direction.

Very few things changed from my original outline (I cannot preach enough about the advantages of doing a thorough event outline before writing the rough draft of a screenplay), but many things were added along the way, as I felt many of the characters needed more screen time to flesh out their motives and back-stories; mainly the two antagonists at the onset of the film, Cesario “Czar” Mendez (played by newcomer Michael Gonzalez - lead singer of the metal madmen “Spent) and James “Lyric” Worthy (played by Brett Higgins - vocalist of the versatile and skillful band “The Slagsmiths”…I am never above a shameless plug. Lol). In real life the reasons people commit some of the most horrible things are almost NEVER as simple as black and white…and I really wanted that message to come through in Bulletsong, and that had to happen through character development and flashbacks. This philosophy did influence the creation of the drug lord know as Da’Ron (deftly portrayed by Just Us League Film’s Casey Miracle) who is the match that, in many ways, ignites the inferno.

Another major addition was an extended ending, while watching Spent rock out at an all-ages concert in Woodford County Park, I turned and saw one of the coolest set pieces in all of Kentucky, the Bluegrass Railroad Museum…it was love at first sight. I knew Bulletsong HAD to reach its peak right there on that train.

SZ: Did you intend to direct Bulletsong from the beginning?

ND: I did. Maybe deep down I’m a raging egotist (or maybe not so deep down lol), but one of my life’s goals has been to write, direct, star in and compose the musical score for a feature film (originally intended to be an adaptation of my upcoming graphic novel, Orphan). Bulletsong IS the realization of that goal.

SZ: On that note, did you intend to be one of the leads in the cast from the beginning?

ND: I did. I wrote many characters based on specific actors/actresses that I already knew I wanted for the film. Other actors were later found to play characters I had already fleshed out and the matched turned out to be even better than I could have hoped.

My character, John Keys, however, I wrote for me. That is not to say I wrote him for what I wanted him to be, as I said before. These characters are their own people to me. They have lives they’ve lead up to the point we meet them onscreen. It’s just that this is the kind of character I’ve been wanting to sink my teeth into for a long time.

SZ: Tell us a little about assembling the cast? Who came out of auditionsand who did you target for roles from the beginning?

ND: In many ways I feel like a bit of an ass for this, but there were no auditions for Bulletsong. That means that there are many talented individuals out there who simply never had a chance to be part of this project. I’ve been involved in the Kentucky film scene for around ten years now, been fortunate enough to work with some incredible casts and crew and that is where I pulled talent from. I’m a networker and a scouter. Any time I’m on a set, I’m always keeping an eye out for people I want to work with in the future.



Michael Gonzalez, Karen Boles and Katie Granlund were top of my MUST HAVE list and their characters were written based on what I felt were some of their own character traits. Other actors I knew I wanted (Stacey Gillespi, Freddi Goforth, Casey Miracle, Vince Bingham, Matt Perry for example) I just had yet to determine where they fit in. Some (like Brett Higgins, Ashley Glass and Cynthia Allen) were blessings I found through other projects (Greg Brock’s “Redneck Fury” and Stephen Zimmer’s “Shadows Light“) and knew I HAD to have them involved. There were even a few key cast members I wanted that unfortunately were not able to be a part…but I’m determined to work with them soon on other films.

SZ: Who has really impressed you as a director, or grown a lot on theBulletsong cast while working on this project for a longer period.

ND: Is it too easy to say “everyone”? lol. Actually, it’s very easy to say everyone, and it’s very accurate. I have to talk about Mike…this is Michael Gonzalez’s first film. Up to this point his acting career is summed up in school plays. Going in I was 100% committed to the fact that he was, without question, one of my leading men. I also knew that it was a risky decision, not because I lacked faith as to whether or not the talent was there, but because having talent and being able to harness on set, in front of a group of people staring at you, expecting you to completely envelope yourself in this character, in this moment, can be incredibly intimidating, especially your first go-round. Not only that, this isn’t stage, it’s screen. On stage you walk in front of the audience and for the duration, you are your character, no break, no back to reality, you hit it running and ride it through ‘til the end. Film is an entirely different beast…it’s very “hurry up and wait”, very start and stop. And that can easily kill any connection that even an experienced actor can have with their character. There are so many more outside distractions and influences and I just didn’t know how Michael would handle those things…the answer: beautifully.

I also have to mention Matt Perry as the priest, Father Daniels. I would love to talk about how amazing the entire cast was, and they genuinely were exceptional from the loftiest role on down, but Matt kind of got shuffled around the cast. I got to see Matt’s acting prowess as Adam in the Zombie Planet saga. I was impressed by what I saw, but was convinced that there was even more untapped potential in him as an actor (he’s also one of the most talented directors I have ever seen on an independent level…Hollywood, you better wise up and grab him now!). I first approached him to play the role of Lyric (taken on later by Brett Higgins) as I had envisioned Lyric as a white “wannabe” who’s idol was rapper, Eminem. Matt laughed, but agreed. I let Matt borrow a few films to research the role (“8 Mile” among them) and started purchasing his baggy wardrobe. Soon, however, Matt came to me and said that it just wasn’t the right fit for him…and knowing Matt, in his mind he was thinking of what was best for the film, not himself. The role was offered up to Vince Bingham, but the same events occurred before I found Brett. I knew, though, that Matt was meant to be a piece of this puzzle and one day it just struck me how perfect he was for the role of Father Daniels. Matt’s an often soft spoken and gentle soul, but there is such a quiet strength there. In the end, it was just simply a perfect fit (as you will soon see).

Additionally, Vince was cast in the role of Rob Thornton, the stepfather of my character’s daughter. There was such skilled subtly behind Vince’s performance that editing his scenes have been a source of great enthusiasm for me.

SZ: All indie films are filled with frustrations and challenges, whichgets magnified a lot when you are doing a feature. Talk about some of thebigger hurdles that you faced in making Bulletsong? What were the biggestfrustrations?

ND: Scheduling….oh man, when you are working with a cast and crew this big for this long, especially when they are donating their time for free (on the front end)…Many times during production I repeated one sentence time and again, “Life happens.” At times it was like a curse, especially when first trying to “turn the ignition” on production. It felt like anything and everything that could happen to slow the process DID happen. My life was very traumatic at the time; I hit the lowest point I think I will ever know. But despite the turmoil, people genuinely believed in the project and never gave up on seeing it through. So, production was a slow and grinding process. Many shoots had to go forward without a real crew (many times Assistant Director/Producer Jason Scolf of Wishnwel Films was the only non-cast member on set, or the entire crew consisted of Jason, Producer/Actor Michael Gonzalez and myself), but the cast was always more than willing to help in a production capacity. It was a blessing.

We were very fortunate to have minimal difficulty securing most of the locations for the film; the gas station and cemetery being by far the biggest hurdles.

SZ: What kind of tools have you been working with to create Bulletsong? (From both a production and a post-production standpoint)

ND: Walking into this, I had virtually nothing. I asked for a LOT of favors and begged like a crying grade school child when needed. Lol. Indie Movie Masters founders Ever After Media and Cineline Productions were GODSENDS. Whatever their reasons were, they put themselves out there for me, a first time director, a complete novice. When they could not be onset they granted me access to equipment that at the time I could not afford. Stephen Zimmer of Ever After Media allowed me use of his Canon XL1S digital camera and video monitor, Cineline provided custom built dollies and steady-cam rigs as well as a jib (it was very important to me that many of the shots in Bulletsong have very specific movement to them I could not have otherwise achieved). I purchased various work lights from home improvement stores and the like, but mostly captured audio on camera as opposed to a boom mic (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS!!!!!!!!!!).

In post-production we had used Pinnacle Studio software for PCs to create the original Bulletsong teaser trailer (titled “If I Lost You”), but the editing and correction is being done on Final Cut using Magic Bullet filters. Musical scoring and original soundtrack songs are being done using a combination of Reason and Audition audio software.

SZ: What are your plans for Bulletsong once it is completed?

ND: World domination of course!!! Or as a gift of peace to North Korea…haven’t decided. Lol. The public kick-off will be a premier at the Kentucky Theatre (who are incredibly supportive of Kentucky independent film…thank you thank you thank you!!!). After that the plan is to bastardize it as much as possibly through any and all film festivals I can, not just in Kentucky, but worldwide (watch out Sundance, I‘m gunning for you!!!). I’m also really hoping to work with Indie Movie Masters to help the film reach an expansive audience through their network.

SZ: You are definitely a masochist, doing so many roles while tackling an indie feature film. Has wearing so many different hats, as Director,Writer, a Lead Actor, Composer, Producer, Editor etc. been particularlydifficult? Or has it been like you expected?

ND: NEVER AGAIN!!! Lol. Does that answer your question? Haha. I had no misconceptions that it would be a very difficult juggling act…and it was even moreso than I had anticipated, but along with being a masochist, I’m also a control freak when it comes to my art. I have a very specific vision for all aspects of the film. This, however, caused a lot of issues. Initially my biggest hurdle as a director was to learn to let go and trust in the people who were helping me with the film. This was never because I did not believe in their abilities (if that was the case then why even bring them on board, right?). It was because I was afraid that I wasn’t able to translate what was in my head well enough, ESPECIALLY when I was acting at the same time.

Jason Scolf and Michael Gonzalez (hereto after referred to simply as Jason and Mike), often had to make me cut the umbilical chord I had attached to the monitor…lol. I kept trying to look over to see how the shots looked, to compare how they were in my head and storyboards. It was really hurting my performance onscreen and thereby affecting the cast as a whole. Distraction is like a virus to a cast. When it hits one person, others take notice and it distracts them, it breaks characters.

Cineline’s Sven Granlund also kept reminding that I had to just trust and let go. He saw that what I was doing was stifling the talents of the people around me. Anyone who knows me on a personal level knows that, for me, letting go of anything is still the greatest hurdle I have to conquer. But once I began to ease back, more and more amazing things happened and the people around me really let their talents shine and proved why I never should have held them back in the first place. Going forward, this lesson has been learned and it will greatly benefit future endeavors.

SZ: Rumor has it that the Lexington Police Department found one of your night shoots to be very genuine-looking…so much so that your actors foundthemselves ambushed by cops! Tell us about the famous (infamous) nightthat made the evening news.

ND: Haha, there’s just no escaping this question, is there? First and foremost let me say this, ALWAYS NOTIFY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES BEFORE YOU EVEN ARRIVE ON LOCATION!!!

What happened is this: We had scheduled a four night shoot at the Midway Market to capture the pivotal robbery scene near the beginning of the film. (This story is another example of why wearing too many hats can be disastrous…and near fatal…seriously.) I had been working on storyboards, scheduling, rehearsals, costuming, prop wrangling, equipment wrangling, etc etc…the one thing I forgot to do is the one thing I should have done.

A key word to me through this whole production has been “realism”. This isn’t a sci-fi or horror film, there is no monster or zombie or supernatural killer who can’t be killed. These are real world people in real world (albeit extreme) situations. Over the top costuming or theatrics would take away from what we had hoped to achieve.

Our robbers, Mike and Brett, were dressed as I’ve seen many robbers do via crime scene videos, etc through actual media services; black hoodies, bandannas as facemasks, etc. People don’t often commit robberies using just their angry demeanors as weapons so they were armed with pistols. At the time (in the film) the robbery occurs, the gas station is occupied by its night clerk (played by Freddi Goforth), a father and daughter (Katie Granlund and myself) and an off-duty police officer (played by Stacey Gillespi).

My shotlist dictated that we capture the nearly 30 interior shots first, then move outside for the final 3 set-ups of this, our first night on-location. The cast and crew busted ass and we bulled through the interior shots in good time. Some people stepped outside for a quick smoke break or just to stretch their legs or cool off as others began moving equipment outside.

Suddenly a set of headlights pulled in at breakneck speed. Those outside were blinded and those inside were unaware until a figure stepped out and yelled, “Police. Everyone hit the ground NOW!” or something to that effect (you’ll pardon me if I can’t recall the exact words lol). Initially I think most of us, if not all of us, had the same reaction…we thought someone was pulling off an incredibly elaborate prank. The officer called out again and most everyone outside complied (one individual hit a state of shock and was frozen). More headlights sped in, twelve more pair to be exact (and soon after a police helicopter!!!)

Everyone inside dropped to the ground and put our hands behind our backs, as instructed. Almost instantly police officers were everywhere. It was surreal. They had control of the situation with incredible speed and precision. I won’t go into many of the details from this point.

What’s important is that through my carelessness, members of the cast (especially Mike and Brett still dressed in robber attire and holding pistols) came very close to being shot. These police officers are very good at what they do, and their training and patience kept things from getting horrifically worse than they did.

What had happened was that an off-duty police officer was driving to visit her family and her route took her past the gas station. She just happened to look over and see what she justifiably believed to be a robbery/hostage situation in progress, so of course she called it in. Had I called dispatch earlier that day the whole incident could have been avoided.

SZ: I want preface this question by saying that Mike Gonzalez looks reallygood in the scenes and shots that I have been able to see. From what Ihave seen, casting him looks to be an outstanding call. Yet it iscertainly a bit of a risk to place a leading role into the hands of arelatively new actor, especially one that has never done a leading filmrole before. What went into your thinking regarding casting Mike Gonzalezas Cesario? What did you see in him to convince you that he would rise tothe occasion?

ND: Mike “looks really good” huh? Lol…well, he is a good looking man. I know I’ve largely answered this in a previous question, but you bring up a few good points I haven’t addressed and one is that, yes, Mike is a good looking man. Lol. Now before the rumors start circulating and I’m super-imposed on a tabloid cover holding hands with Perez Hilton, let me say that what I mean is this: this is the film business…like the music business…”BUSINESS” is the key word. It’s about money, it’s about sales, it’s about marketing. That’s the reality. I try to be an artist, to me I put the art above all…but in this case, the cake and the eating came hand in hand. Hollywood stars are obviously often unrealistic examples of humankind. Looks often sell more than talent (isn’t that right Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and so many others of you out there?), though every once in a while you luck into an Angelina Jolie or Gerard Butler who has the best of both worlds.

Beyond all of the qualities I credited Mike with in the prior question, Mike has that look. He’s what the public expects to see in the leading man on the posters. He has that commanding presence that you need to legitimize the project in the eyes of people who may want to invest in these kinds of projects or invest in your next film. That all ties into why many independent films receive a cosmetic upgrade to their cover art (often with models who are in no way related to the project) when distributed by larger companies. To them it’s ALL ABOUT THE BUCK, which means to you, the small time filmmaker, you HAVE to make it all about THEIR buck.

Art for art sake is fine…it’s DAMN HONORABLE. But like many others, I have bigger goals than to spend thousands of my own hard-earned dollars every few years to make a film just to say I did. Hell, I owe it to the cast and crews I work with not to have that kind of attitude.

One other key factor to casting Mike is his role as the front man of the metal band, Spent (www.myspace.com/spent…shameless plugs abound). In concert Mike is, again, so commanding and dominating a presence that you’re drawn in. He exhibits such a charismatic aggression that I simply knew I could not have pulled off this film without tapping into and exploiting that.

SZ: Tell us a little about the musical development you are doing for the film?

ND: This may disappoint some, but I do not plan to spend a few thousand bucks to mass produce an official Bulletsong Soundtrack on CD. I would love to, but this again, is where I feel you have to be a realist in terms of how the business works. People rarely will seek out and spend money to purchase the soundtrack for an independent film instead of something with a bigger, established name. I think we have an incredible soundtrack lined up for you, but I don’t think it’s going to compete with the new Green Day CD or the upcoming Transformers sequel soundtrack. We wouldn’t even be a blip on their radar screen and unfortunately, that’s just fact.

That rationalization, however, is also incredibly freeing. It means that we can craft and draw upon the music that is right FOR THE FILM itself. I don’t have to worry about what would help sell a CD, and I can focus on what is going to hit the heart of the emotion of what’s happening onscreen.

Our pre-emptive strike has been with Spent’s first single, “Breaking Down”, off of their amazing new album entitled “Scars”. To help fuel the hype for both projects Jason and I shot footage for a music video tie-in. The great thing is that we had so much footage that we were able to craft not just one but two great videos for the song. Jason’s edit is viewable online on www.myspace.com/spent as well as on the Indie Movie Masters interview of Mike. My own edit features footage from the film as well as additional footage that you will not see in the final edit of Bulletsong as it was shot exclusively for the video, yet expands upon its characters.

I, myself have written two songs exclusively for the film that will be performed by cast members (“Higher Ground” performed by Brett Higgins and “Struggle” performed by Katie Granlund). I’m really happy to be able to showcase the many talents of our cast this way. Another song, “Then I Know” was written by Crystal Burton, a member of our production staff. It’s such an innocent and wounded love song; the moment I heard it I knew it had to be part of the film and I’m honored that Crystal is allowing me to compose the music for it and produce it. She herself will be providing vocals. Partial lyrics to these songs are viewable on both my personal and the Bulletsong myspace pages (www.myspace.com/akanathan and www.myspace.com/bulletsongmovie respectively). “Higher Ground” is also featured in the official Bulletsong movie trailer. Bulletsong Producer Sven Granlund of Cineline Productions and Indie Movie Masters will be engineering the recording of these tracks. I’m very excited about working with him in this regard given his talent and previous experience.

For the musical scoring of the film I have recruited Spent guitarist Ken Mars to collaborate with me. Ken has a great appreciation for classical music and film scores (often citing his love of the Godfather score) and a deep understanding of music composition regardless of genre. He puts these talents to work in composing new songs for Spent.

SZ: I am aware that the heavy metal band Spent has a song or possibly morein the soundtrack. Since this movie is in a contemporary setting, arethere other contemporary songs/artists projected for inclusion?

ND: I plan to milk Spent’s new CD release for at least one more track. I’m currently negotiating to use their hidden track, “Feel”, a powerful acoustic piece. The other tracks will essentially be contemporary pieces, however, it’s very important to me that they not sound “locked in time”. Many of the great films of the 80’s, and I apologize but I have to cite Scarface in particular, I feel are hindered by having a soundtrack or score that is very dated and to some people that can detract from the film experience. Now, a million film purists are going to lynch me for saying that, ESPECIALLY about Scarface…and I’m not saying they’d be wrong to do so. But it’s a matter of opinion and I personally prefer scoring that is just as effective fifty years ago as it will be fifty years from now (think Jaws, Lord of the Rings or the Holy Grail of film scoring….Star Wars…what if it had a cheesy electronic 80’s “space” sound like a Devo inspired soundtrack???).

I hate to admit but I also do not plan to tap into the independent music scene to find other songs for the film. This isn’t because the talent isn’t out there, it really really is. It’s just that if I were to do this, I would be forced to wedge songs into the film in a way that would take away from what I’m trying to achieve. In the end, it’s all about what’s right for Bulletsong.

SZ: What’s the scoop on the premiere? Any thoughts on month, location, orvenue?
ND: Like I said, without a doubt I plan to approach Fred at the Kentucky Theatre. They have been a shining beacon to the Kentucky film scene. They treat independent filmmakers with great respect and I have attended several great premiers there (such as the Indie Movie Masters recent premier of The Sirens and Murderer) and it’s been a humble ambition of mine to experience that for myself.

As for month…haha…isn’t that what we all want to know? Even I do. I will say that my goal is for a fall 2009 premier.

SZ: Have you begun to think beyond Bulletsong towards your next major project as either a writer or director, or both?

ND: I have. Often times too far ahead. Lol. I can tell you with near certainty what my two next film projects will be. Later this year (AFTER I FINISH BULLETSONG lol) I hope to team up with Jason’s Wishnwel Films as well as Cineline Productions and Ever After Media to film a disturbing horror short (my first attempt in that genre) entitled, “Emily’s Closet” about a young girl troubled by the not-so proverbial monster in her closet. I have nearly finished the rough draft of the screenplay.

My next feature project is, without question, “Messiah”. A very realistic yet incredibly disturbing tale of an abandoned child raised by a roving serial killer and the darkly Darwin-esque crusade he leads when he comes into his own. Though I have not begun the script, I have a very lengthy and detailed outline (remember my previous advice?) that encompasses nearly the entire film.

I have ideas and notes for various other projects (a WWII flick about a Hitler’s youth entitled “A Thicker Water”, a western called “The Bitter Ends“, a zombie spoof entitled “Carole of the Dead”, etc.) but many are beyond my budget and others will simply just have to wait.

SZ: Thank you for taking a few moments out for the IMM Blog. This hasbeen a great pleasure to interview you. In fact, you are our firstfilmmaker interview on the new blog! You have worked very hard and I hope that you see a lot of rewards out of this project.



ND: The very first? Wow, guess hypnotizing people and slipping them a $20 bill can go a long way!!! Haha. Seriously, though I cannot thank the founders of IMM enough for the continued faith and support they have shown me. I’m not exaggerating in the least when I say what an honor it has been to be assisted in such a way and to work with them throughout the years. As a first time writer/director one of my biggest initial fears was that despite all my ideas and efforts, I would never garner the support I needed to make Bulletsong a reality. It has truly been a blessing.

To anyone reading I want to encourage you to keep showing love and support of independent artists regardless of their medium or genre. There are so many talented musicians, writers and filmmakers out there who will never receive the shot they deserve because they go overlooked and unrecognized. Thank you so much for what you do!!!

I also have to thank my Producer David Workman for the masterful work and assistance he gave during production. I will never make a film without him.




View the Trailer for Bulletsong!

Bulletsong Trailer

An Interview with Mike "Gonzo" Gonzalez, lead singer of Spent. A few words about the band, the new CD, and independent film...

In many ways, good rock bands are often alot like a quality wine. Given appropriate time, they begin to reach their full potential. The unfortunate thing is that alot of talented bands don't let themselves go through the full process, imploding or self-destructing before ever hitting their stride.

Time allows band members to develop a good chemistry amongst themselves. It also allows members to better know each other's tendencies as musicians and songwriters. A period of development can also result in the right lineup settling into place, as well as the improvement of the band's live act.

Spent is one such act that I have had the great privilege to watch develop in such a way over the past few years. Having always exhibited talent, the band is really coming into its own. They are about to take things up yet another notch with the release of their brand new CD, "Scars".

On the verge of their CD release party in Lexington on Friday, May 22nd, I was able to interview Spent frontman Mike "Gonzo" Gonzalez, regarding the band, the new CD, and even his forays into independent film acting.

I have to say that some of the answers were surprising, but then again Gonzo is a very multi-faceted individual, and certainly not predictable!

Fans of metal and heavy music should give the new CD a listen, and those in range of Lexington can take advantage of a great metal show this coming Friday night! Now, let's get to the interview!
-Stephen Zimmer

(Cover art for the new Spent CD, "Scars")

SZ: Tell us how Spent originated, and a little about the band’s history.

MG: Testing my memory so early...geez. Well, it was SEVERAL years ago during our college years at UK. Myself and two friends(Phelps and Chad, our original drummer) had been talking about starting a band for months. Our dilemma was Chad didn't have his drumset in town. So, one day after visiting his family for the weekend Chad came home with his set. We started jamming out as a 3 piece. I then asked a mutual friend, Ken to come in for a little bit on guitar until we found a permanent guitar player. Ken still hasn't left. We played with this original lineup for several years and released one CD in 2003. Late 2005 we all decided Spent had run it course and walked away from the band. Early 2007 we decided to get back together but Chad said he wasn't ready to get back into the music world. So, with his blessing, we moved on and decided to add a second guitar player to come to the 5 piece band we are now.

SZ: What is the current lineup of Spent?

MG: Current lineup consists of 3 of the 4 original members:
Mike Phelps-Bass
Ken Mars-Guitar
Mike Gonzalez-Vocals

We've added a second guitar player, Brian Stinnett and he's been with the band for over 2 years now.

The newest member is Chris Morgan on drums. He's been with us for about 5 months now.

SZ: What other releases have been issued by Spent to date, in terms of both CDs and videos?

MG: In 2003 we released our first CD, an 11 song full length CD called "American Pasttime"(yes, it's still available).

In 2008 we released a DVD that included 3 live songs, 2 videos and a trailer for a film that our current single, "Breaking Down", will be featured on.

SZ: Tell us a little about the recording sessions for the new CD, in terms of the length of time that you spent in the studio, the individuals responsible for engineering and producing these sessions, etc.

MG: We started recording this CD over a year ago, if you can believe that, with Phil Weisenberger. The initial recording session was to get "Breaking Down" recorded for a film it's going to be featured on, "Bulletsong". We recorded that song over the period of a weekend. From there we spent a couple of months in pre-production and then got our drummer at the time to record all of the drum tracks in a weekend. Luke Stevenson, the drummer on the CD, was getting ready to move to Nebraska with his wife so we wanted to make sure we got the foundation down before he left. After that we periodically went into the studio and recorded one instrument at a time for the album as a whole. By the time we finished recording the tracks we had difficulty finding the right drummer to fit in with the band so that added some needless delay in getting this to you. We wanted to make sure that we could do a CD release and have the right guy playing with us so that we can really push the album. I think we've found that in Chris.

Just to get back to Phil for a second, what an absolute pleasure working with him. The guy knows his stuff for sure but I think he was able to take our vision and really make it happen. It was a great give and take relationship and he really improved many of the songs. He recorded, mixed and mastered all the songs and I hope you think he did as great a job as we do. I can guarantee we'll be recording the next album with him.

SZ: Describe the songwriting process for Spent. Are there any principle songwriters in the group? Or does the full band write the material together?

MG: I'd say the principal songwriter in Spent would be Ken. Ken, or Brian, will usually come in with a song idea and then the band normally adds/expands so that we've all contributed in some way. That being said, Ken is usually the one that tries to put the musical theory behind the songs and keeps them somewhat structured. He add the Spent touch that makes Spent sound like Spent.

Lyrically, to this point, I'm the only one who writes lyrics. Phelps has contributed on some of our older songs.

SZ: What are your goals for Spent in the upcoming year, following the release of the new CD?

MG: That's easy...write and record a third CD. Never wanted to stay complacent, we really want to get back into the studio ASAP. To be honest, most of the songs on "Scars" have been kicked around for a bit so we're ready to start writing and getting back in the studio. It won't be 5 years until the next disc, that's for sure.

SZ: As an up and coming band, you sometimes get opportunities to open for well-established, major label level artists. Have you had any acts that you have really gotten a thrill out of opening for or playing with?

MG: To date, the show that's given me the biggest thrill has to be when we opened for 36 Crazyfists. One of my favorite bands and to be able to open up in our hometown as direct support was awesome. Straight Line Stitch was also on that bill and I became a huge fan of theirs from that show. Really cool bunch of people and just a thrill to play with.

Still waiting for the call to open for Sevendust or Killswitch Engage.lol

SZ: As a lead singer, who are your influences musically?

MG: Wow, that's a really tough call. My musical interest really runs the gambit. As part of my top 5 all-time favorite musicians I have Prince and John Mellencamp. I listen to some salsa and spanish music, I listen to rap, R&B, pop, mainstream rock, metal, pretty much everything. I like to think that I try to stay as true to who I am as I can be. All this great music has influenced me in different ways so it's tough to nail it to just one or two influences. I know that's kind of a cop out but it's the best answer I can give you.

SZ: Anyone that has seen Spent knows that you are anything but shy on stage. You exhibit a great energy and presence, which adds a lot to a live show. In terms of being a front-man and stage performer, do you have any influences in this specific area?

MG: I've seen so many great frontmen but no one has controlled an audience like Prince. I wouldn't say he's influenced anything directly but I don't think there's anything worse than going to a live show and watching 4 or 5 guys stand around. Especially at a smaller level when you're really trying to win fans over and make your band stand out over the other bands on the scene I think having that stage energy/persona is what sets someone apart.

Some other bands I think put on a GREAT live show, Sevendust and Nonpoint. Helps that they have really rabid/loyal fans. I strive to acheive a fanbase that feels as passionately about our music as I do about theirs.

SZ: You are also a film actor, with a starring role in the upcoming independent crime-drama from writer/director Nathan Day called "Bulletsong". Tell us about your role, any other acting roles you have had, and a little about your experience starring in an independent feature.

MG: I really don't have much experience in acting. Other than being Birdie in "Bye Bye Birdie" in a school play "Bulletsong" is my first real shot at acting. I've had a couple of extra roles(Murderer and Sirens) but other than that, nothing.

I play the role of Cesario Mendez in "Bulletsong". Basic gist, I'm a father/husband who used to do some bad stuff but is trying to get my life right for my family. My best friend keeps bringing me back into things as he's a perpetual f-up and he comes to me to help him out. After agreeing to help him one last time we rob a gas station. After that, things go sour and a little girl is killed. Without giving anymore away, the girl's father comes after us for revenge. It's a story about revenge/redemption but I think the depth of the characters is something you don't see a lot in indie films. The director, Nathan Day, put a lot of trust in me with giving me this role. I certainly hope I've lived up to my end of the bargain.

SZ: On the subject of independent film, Spent has music in "Bulletsong" (and did a music video for “Breaking Down” that included footage from the movie), as well as the short horror film "The Sirens" (Released on the Indie Movie Masters Festival of Horrors Vol. 1 DVD). Does having your music in independent movies help to raise awareness of the band and your music? Do you recommend these kinds of opportunities to other bands?

MG: I'd recommend any band getting their music in as many different arenas as possible. You never know who may be watching that might never have the chance to hear you before. We had a few sales the night of the Indie Movie Master Festival of Horrors screening just because our music was featured on it. Our motto has always been one fan at a time. So, if putting our music in a movie opens up one more person then it was certainly worthwhile. We take great pride and responsibility in knowing that someone is choosing to either watch or listen to us. It's our obligation to make sure that person is entertained. You've spent your hard earned money to see us or buy a CD so you should feel like you're getting your money's worth.

SZ: Give us some more information on the CD release party. Time, date, set-length, and opening acts (if any).

MG: Gladly...never shy about promotion.lol May 22nd, 9pm at the Skylight Lounge in Lexington, KY. Our friends in Falling to Rise are playing with us. This will be our first show together but we've seen them several times and I think this might be the best combo, style wise, we've ever played with. Each other's fans should enjoy the entire night of music. We're looking at playing a little longer than usual but it will be a full on show for the entire night. So come out and be prepared to be rowdy. We hope that people walk away blown away by what they saw at the Skylight Lounge.

SZ: Where will the CD be available following the release party? How can fans get it?

MG: As of right now, it'll be available via our myspace page (www.myspace.com/spent) and at all shows. We're planning to get the album added to iTunes as well.

SZ: Is there anything else that you would like to share with your fans, and heavy music fans in general?

MG: I wish there was a way that I could honestly let each and everyone of them know how truly they are appreciated by every last one of us. We continue to do this because people continue to come to our shows and continue to show their love for the band. In every sense of the words, we could not do this without each of you. We've put a lot of hard work into this CD and are so very proud of the final product. We hope that you enjoy the CD as much as we do. Please continue to support and spread the word. Word of mouth is the best promotion in the world. Thank you for the loyalty and patience you've had with Spent throughout the years. The best is yet to come. Can't wait to get this CD into your hands. See you Friday night, May 22nd at the Skylight Lounge.

Peace and horns up.

(Below is the music video for "Breaking Down", which is on the new CD "Scars", and is also featured in the upcoming feature film "Bulletsong". The video was shot and produced by Jason Scolf of Wish'n Wel Films)
"Breaking Down"