Flatline Interview - July 2009 - By Metalman44 Metalman44: What or who inspired you to become musicians?

Flatline: Kiss, Bon Jovi, Travis’ Brother, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Lars Ulrich, Vinny Paul, Tim’s Uncle Steve, Metallica, Green Day, Bush, Gwar, and George Carland.

Metalman44: I do not think most people realize how hard it is to live the musicians life. What sacrifices have you made to get where you are today?

Randy Weitzel: Oodles of noodles…Period.

Metalman44: With so many metal bands out there today, how difficult is it to write music that sounds original?

Flatline: It’s not real hard when you’re doing what we’re doing. We’re just playing what feels natural to us. We have no intention of being any specific genre, therefore there are no limits when it comes to our song writing.

Metalmann44: I see band members coming and going all the time in bands. Why do you think it is so hard for bands to stay together?

Tim Hassemer: I think its just really hard to find the right combination of people that not only kick major ass at the instrument that they play, pull they’re own weight in all of the band affairs, but also get along with each other. If you don’t get along with each other, its never going to work.

Metalman44: Before you were signed by Stand and Deliver Records, was there a moment where you wondered if you would ever get signed by a label?

Tim Hassemer: There were times that we would second guess the whole thing, but it is always important to stay in a positive frame of mind no matter how shitty things look. I think all of us kind of knew that eventually it would happen.

Metalman44: I know you play music, so what are some of your other interest or hobbies?

Tim Hassemer: I'm not sure about the rest of the guys, but I am totally into wood working. I love to build shit. It's just another way to bring out my artistic side.

Metalmann44: Travis, your vocals have alot of power, energy and emotion. Where does that come from? And when was the first time you took the microphone?

Travis Johnson : The emotion in my lyrics and live performance comes from my own life experiences. I’ve been through so much in my life, and I’ve found that incorporating some of these experiences into my lyrics is a huge personal release. First time I took the mic, was in 2003 when I started singing with FLATLINE. I played bass for 11 years before that, but I always wanted to grab a mic, so that I could voice my life experiences.

Metalman44: Randy, your myspace is full of 80's metal bands. How much do they influence you?

Randy: When I got into music that’s what the metal scene was all about. I have learned a lot from the guitarists in the 80s “hair bands.” I still listen to all of those bands today, that’s where my roots are and I’m not at all ashamed to admit that.

Metalman44: Tim, how physically demanding is it to play the drums? And what do you do to keep up your stamina?

Tim Hassemer: The kind of music we play is a bit hard for me to keep up with if I don’t practice on a regular basis. If I go without practicing for more than like 5 or 6 days I start to feel it.

Metalmann44 : Randy and Paulo,when people ask me about great guitar tandems, the first ones that come to mind are Glenn Tipton and K.K Downing from Judas Priest. Do you think the two of you have reached or will reach their level of chemistry?

Paulo: The generation gap between Randy & myself renders a timeless sound, which helps keep the band from being pigeonholed under any specific sub-genre.

Randy: Well, guys like Glenn Tipton and K.K Downing are legends and have definitely influence me but Paulo and I come from different generations in music. We’ve definitely found that chemistry between two guitar players, and the music we have been working on for the next album will absolutely show a new level of maturity from Pave The Way.

Metalman44: Hector, being the newest member of Flatline was it a easy transition to make from Cheva and how long did it take you to learn the music?

Hector: I was actually a fan of Flatline’s music before they asked me to play with them. As far as the musical transition, the two styles were a little different. To go from songs played at 80 bpm to songs that are 190 bpm on average was a bit of a challenge, but I pulled it off in a matter of a few days.

Metalman44: What are some of the most memorable moments you had from your tours?

Flatline: There have been so many awesome memories its hard to pick which one to talk about. There are a lot of good ones, but there are also some really bad ones. Some of the best memories we have, have to do with the people we met, and the things that we’ve learned from those people. From 36 crazyfists and Walls Of Jericho, to Straight Line Stitch, Threat Signal and Thy Will Be Done. We have learned some very valuable things from these bands and take every chance we can to thank them for that.

Metalman44: Like sports you have people trying to live the dream of being a musician. Do you have any advice for the young musicians out there?

Flatline: Just be yourself. Play the style of music you love to play, and don’t ever give up.

Metalman44: What should your fans be expecting from Flatline in the future?

Hector Gonzales: More metal thrashing maddness!

Metalman44: I wanted to thank Flatline and Matt from Stand and Deliver Records for this opportunity to do this interview. I also wanted to thank Flatline for all their hard work to give me, and all their fans, awesome music for our listening pleasure.

Steve Claypoole aka Metalman44

Posted 8th August 2009 by Metalman44
Updated Sunday, 13 June, 2010 0:32 AM