SEVENTH VOID: HEAVEN IS GONE
April 4th, 2009 by Dean Mason
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I SAID I WAS NO LONGER GOING TO BE DOING INTERVIEWS WITH ROCK AND ROLLERS OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS BIZ-A-NESS. WELL…THAT IS STILL TRUE. I AM IN FACT DONE. FINISHED. AFTER THE DEATH OF "EROTIC FUNERAL" (A BOOK THAT I WAS WRITING AND CANNED–A BOOK ON TYPE O NEGATIVE) I SOON LOST INTEREST IN WRITING ANYTHING TO DO WITH MUSIC AND CHOSE TO MOVE ON–AND AWAY.
HOWEVER, (YES…THERE IS A "HOWEVER") IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTE FOOLISHNESS FOR ME TO PASS UP THE OPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW JOHNNY KELLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE "SEVENTH VOID" IS FINALLY COMING OUT WITH THEIR DEBUT ALBUM…AND I FOR ONE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME!!! I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW CD, "HEAVEN IS GONE" AVAILABLE IN STORES ON APRIL 21-2009!!! WHY? I AM CONVINCED FROM WHAT I’VE HEARD THUS FAR THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE CLASSIC STUFF!!! I AM NOT GOING OUT OF MY WAY HERE TO SAY ‘NICE’ THINGS ABOUT THIS BAND BECAUSE I AM A SYCOPHANT OF SORTS–I AM VERY SERIOUS HERE: THE MUSIC SAYS IT ALL FOLKS!
I LOVE CLASSIC ROCK AND SEVENTH VOID IS CLASSIC ROCK! PERIOD.
SO WHEN "HEAVEN IS GONE" COMES OUT IN APRIL, FOR THE LOVE OF…WELL…HEAVEN…PICK IT UP!
I HAVE BEEN A FAN OF TYPE O NEGATIVE FOR YEARS NOW. THERE IS NO DENYING THAT TON IS A GREAT BAND! BUT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO COMPARE 7TH VOID WITH TON. IT’S NOT THE SAME THING AT ALL. TYPE O NEGATIVE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE BANDS TODAY. THAT HAS TO BE SAID. NOTHING CAN BE COMPARED TO TYPE O. BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT TYPE O NEGATIVE.
JOHNNY KELLY AND KENNY HICKEY OF TON HAVE COME TOGETHER WITH HANK HELL AND MATT BROWN TO BRING YOU SOME MUCH NEEDED CLASSIC HARD ROCK! I KNOW I AM GOING OUT ON A LIMB HERE, AND YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRUST ME…BUT "HEAVEN IS GONE" WILL CHANGE THINGS. (NO, NOT TRYING TO GET ON THE ‘OBAMA’ BEAM) I’M CONVINCED, FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, THAT THIS NEW CD WILL CHANGE THINGS…BUT THAT CHANGE ISN’T GOING TO BE ABOUT CREATING A NEW ‘GENRE’. THAT’S NOT WHAT SEVENTH VOID IS. NO…I THINK THAT THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO PROVE THAT IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO CREATE A CLASSIC ROCK ALBUM. I WOULD BET ON IT. (BUT I CAN’T BET ON IT BECAUSE MY A.A. SPONSOR WON’T LET ME…)
ANYWAY. I DON’T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE ME. I WANT YOU TO BUY THE NEW CD AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF.
MEANWHILE, THE VERY, VERY LAST LGP INTERVIEW WITH JOHNNY KELLY! (OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER)
Dean Mason: First off, congrats on finally getting your debut album "Heaven is Gone" released for the 21st of April: allot of people are really looking forward to the new album–you must feel great about this?
Johnny Kelly: I’m really excited about the record finally being released. We’ve been done a bunch of press the past couple of weeks and the response has been very positive. It’s still shocking that the record is finally being released after all the ups and downs of trying to get it finished.
The title track, "Heaven is Gone" is available in two versions–radio edit and original–are both versions on the new CD or is the radio version going to be available separately as a single CD type deal?
The radio edit isn’t going to be on the release. It’s just an edited version of the original song formatted for radio.
Can you talk a bit about some of the other songs on the album? You had other tracks online for a while, but now these have been removed from your website–are they all on the new CD as well?
Everything that was on the website will be on the release. I think that the record is a good listen. It’s something that I would pick up if I heard it on the radio. It has a lot of the elements that appeal to me. It’s pretty heavy and I like the feel of it.
Lyrically, is "Heaven is Gone" a concept album at all? Is it mostly about personal realities or is it more philosophical? Did Kenny write most of the lyrics?
It’s mostly based on life experiences. Kenny wrote all of the lyrics. He’s a pretty animated person and his lyrics reflect that.
Who produced the new album?
Kenny and Matt Brown produced it along with a lot of help from Vinnie Paul and Sterling Winfield.
Can you give me a short "history" of Big Vin records? Have you always been good friends with Vinnie Paul, who owns Big Vin?
Big Vin Records is a small record company that’s owned by legendary drummer, Vinnie Paul. We’ve been good friends with Vinnie since Type O toured with Pantera in 1995. Vinnie started BVR to release Rebel Meets Rebel which was a collaboration of Pantera with country singer, David Allen Coe. He’s also released some Dimevision dvd’s on it. BVR is a good home for Seventh Void. It’s not often that you have the head of your record company working so closely with one of their bands.
From what I have heard thus far, Seventh Void really has a "classic hard rock" feel in my opinion. Emphasis on "classic". I’m not trying to exaggerate here or blow sunshine up your high hat…but what I hear in this music reminds me of those many classic hard rock songs from the 70’s that are timeless. I feel you owe more to an older era than to more recent manifestations of rock and roll. For me, that’s positive. I know that’s a loaded question, but, what do you think?
I don’t have any problems with that comparison. That is the music that had the most impact on us and it’s showing in the songwriting. Kenny and I wanted to do something that was different than what we do with Type O. Otherwise, there really wouldn’t have been any point in doing something else. We wanted it to have more of a classic rock feel to it.
How long did it take to complete this project?
Kenny and I initially started working on Seventh Void in 2003.
Do you see being on the road a long time with Seventh Void? Any double gigs–that is–Seventh Void and Type O Negative on the same bill?
We’re hoping that Seventh Void could help fill in the down time that there had been with Type O. I’m the kind of person that goes nuts when I’m not doing something. I love keeping busy. We’re trying to line up as much touring as possible to help support the record right now. Logistically Seventh Void supporting Type O could be a mess. But I think that it would make a good support band for Type O.
Are there any offers yet to use any of your new songs for soundtracks of video games?
Nothing has happened yet but we would be open to it depending on what it was.
When is the official website going to be up and running?
Good question for which I do not have an answer for. With the release around the corner I’m hoping that the site will be up and running again shortly. For the time being, we’ve been using www.myspace.com/seventhvoid for everything.
When do you anticipate going on the road? Is this going to be international? Supporting a major band? Details…details..details.
We just announced tour dates last week. The first tour we’re doing is supporting Static X in May. We’re going to be adding dates that sandwich the Static X tour. We’ll announce those once it’s all confirmed. The dates are posted on the band’s myspace page.
Any future gigs with Danzig?
I did a few shows with Danzig in February. I also did some tracks for the next record while I was in CA for the shows. I’m sure there will be future dates but that stuff is constantly changing and usually right up until the last minute but there’s been talk of doing some later this year.
How have you enjoyed the hockey season this year?
I’m waiting for the Rangers – Bruins game to start as I’m writing. It’s been a turbulent season for the Rangers. They started the season great and then fell apart. I like the way the team looks with Tortorella coaching them but their power play is still horrendous! I’ve been able to go to a few games and that’s always a good time.
Listen, Johnny, I want to thank you for taking time out once again. I was not going to do anymore interviews as "The Lonely Ghost Project" is going to be terminated soon, but I really felt it was appropriate to do one more–and last interview with one of the nicest rockers on this planet! I sincerely mean that Johnny and I really wish you all the best with Seventh Void and of course with Type O! Cheers!
Thanks for the support and good luck on whatever it is you decide to take on next!
Thanks to Johnny Kelly once again for doing an interview here with The Lonely Ghost Project!
I wish the band the best, and now….I can retire! Maybe I’ll join a monastery!
Peace to all–and good bye!
Dean Mason
5 Responses to “SEVENTH VOID: HEAVEN IS GONE”
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