Blasko

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Interview

Blasko is the bass player for Ozzy Osbourne – Interview by Clint (with help from Mark & Jack)

blasko CM: When I met you, you were playing guitar in Drown. After you left the band you switched back to bass – did you do that because you don’t like playing chords?
Blasko: In hindsight, I had no clue what the fuck I was doing. I should have never stepped away from the bass, and I definitely should have never got in front of the mic!

CM: Speaking of Drown, would you ever consider doing a reunion show? Please?
Blasko: Being in high school was cool because you live at home and you don’t have any real life responsibilities and I just fucked off with my friends, listened to metal, went to band rehearsal and skated around town… however I had zits, my step dad was a jerk off and girls thought I was icky… Thank God those days are over.

CM: It’s a little known fact that you played guitar on a track called “Icon” by my old band For Love Not Lisa. Now that you’re famous should we re-release that track under the name “Blasko & friends” to see if we could sell some copies?
Blasko: Wow, I totally forgot that happened. I remember playing a lot of basketball at the studio. Wasn’t Snoop Dog recording at the same time down the hall or some shit?

CM: Other than Rudy Sarzo, because he’s the obvious answer, who is the coolest bass player to ever play rock?
Blasko: Not only is he the coolest, but I am proud to say he is my neighbor. It was actually one of the selling points of the house… the other was that Dirk Digler’s house in Boogie Nights was also filmed next door. Not the one where he lived with his Mom, the other one when he starts getting all famous and shit. He takes Amber Waves for a ride in his Camero and backs out of his garage into my driveway!

CM: Your first band “Cryptic Slaughter” was signed to Metal Blade after you guys sent them a demo cassette. That shit just doesn’t happen these days, do you think it’s because A&R guys don’t have tape players anymore?
Blasko: Or because they don’t have ears anymore… no, no, I kid… That was actually amazing. We sent them a demo, and they sent us a contract in the mail like a week later. I am sure we got totally ripped off, but who cares… we were in high school putting out records and going on tour, and totally not getting laid!

CM: What’s your musical guilty pleasure (mine is Journey!)?
Blasko: The F to the E, R, G, the I, the E!

CM: Sometimes I go to Crazy Girls and act like I’m your bass tech to get some extra time with the girlies…(nothing works better with strippers than name dropping rock stars.) Are you OK with that?
Blasko: Confucius in his infinite wisdom once was quoted as saying: “Whersoever you go, go with all your heart”

blasko 3 CM: I’m assuming the Ozzy gig is the greatest thing ever, but let’s put it in perspective. Let’s say you were asked to join his band during the “Ultimate Sin” years and had to dress like Phil Soussan did in the “Shot in the Dark” video…is it such an awesome gig you’d even do that?
Blasko: To be honest, YES, it is that awesome! Dude, I was watching some of that era on YouTube the other day and WOW! Those outfits were outta control. I am glad I got in when I did!

CM: You’ve played in some pretty dark bands (Danzig, Zombie, Ozzy, etc.) and you manage even darker (GoatWhore, Nekromantix, In This Moment, etc.) Have you ever met the devil?
Blasko: My good pal Jason Ellis calls me the “Fuck You Finger of Satan”. I think that is a pretty good summary of my musical career. I am proud to wear that badge.

CM: I know you have your hands in a lot of stuff (management, clothing lines, consultant, etc.) anything you want to promote?
Blasko: In a feeble effort to streamline my life, I recently deleted all my personal social networking sites. All I kept was my blog at www.blasko.me

CM: What 5 obscure or under appreciated bands would you recommend people check out?
Blasko: Wow, that is a tough one because how does one define under appreciated ya know? Well here it goes at risk of being verbally burned at the stake by some holier than thou hipster know it all…

Calabrese
Coliseum
Dax Riggs
Hour of the Wolf
Intronaut