If you have not heard of Tony Reed he is the guitarist and vocalist
for the
Mos Generator, Stone Axe, Heavy Pink, Hot Spring Water and Twelve Thirty
Dreamtime, he has played in more bands then I can list and runs his own
studio in Port Orchard Wa called
Heavy Head Recording. The man is a master of his craft and tone, and has received
many accolades for his ear and musicality from respected piers. The list of bands and labels
he has recorded/mixed
and mastered range from Saint Vitus, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth,
Gojira and many many more, he has also done work for STB,
Ripple Music etc..
Tony is endorsed by Hiwatt, Laney and Lace pickups.
In the summer of 1990 when I first met Tony, A group of us went out to Lake Crescent (about 16 miles west of Port Angeles Wa) for some beers and fun in the sun. I had heard of Tony through friends in our small scene and he was already a bit of a local legend in regards to his music skills. I had just started playing guitar and was finding bands that would forever help shape the person who've I become today, one of those bands I had listened to and enjoyed was the Treepeople and it just so happened that Tony was wearing a Something Viscous for Tomorrow shirt (treepeople) and I commented "nice shirt", he laughed and said "thanks..". I would be informed on the ride home that Tony was the drummer for the Treepeople and little did I know then that our paths would cross many more times over the next 26 years evolving into a great friendship. I have been lucky enough to torture this man with recording my projects over the last couple decades and have learned a great great deal from him about what it is to be in a band and play music.
Jon- From my perspective 2017 seemed like a great year for Mos Gen, touring as support for Saint Vitus through Europe and the west coast run with Fu Manchu.
What would you like to achieve in 2018 that you haven’t already?
Tony-
We didn't do anything for the first half of 2017. I don't think we played any shows until June. We went to Europe with Saint Vitus in October and did three weeks with them and then two weeks as a headlining band. We came home and did some West Coast shows with Fu Manchu into about mid November.
Our goals for 2018 have already started to come together. We are going to be doing an extensive US tour with most of that again being with Fu Manchu and we are in the negotiations for a really nice run of Europe in the summer. In early fall we are playing a few festivals in the states including Descendants of Crom and Doomed and Stoned over in the Midwest. We will most likely tour around that. We are also in the middle of working on the next record “Shadowlands“. That's coming together nicely.. we decided to kind of bring back the sound of the earlier albums keep it more simple and direct although there are a few Prog explorations on it.
I was thinking yesterday about when in my life the musical “awakening” happened for me.
What would be the biggest factor that drew you into this life that’s so encapsulated with music?
Tony- I think the biggest factor for me is just the need to do it. There's always been a drive ever since I can really remember. I didn't get to play music until I was 12 or 13 years old but ever since then I've just given everything to making music, whether it's successful or not is another thing. I give 100% of myself to that and I always have so I really it's I guess it's just ingrained in my DNA. Like most musicians, I literally have to do it to feel fulfilled.
In the early 90’s you were in Treepeople with Doug Martsch (Built to Spill) and later with Goodbye Harry you recorded with Greg Ginn at SST, what other notable things have you done in you musical career and what do you hope people remember you for musically?
Tony-Although those were highlights in my youth I was also making really interesting, intricate and diverse music of my own during those years. I would really want to be remembered for my work with Twelve Thirty Dreamtime, Mos Generator, Stone Axe and whatever else I have to offer through the rest of these years I have left. I have no idea what's going to happen, you know I have the HeavyPink and Hot Spring Water side projects so you never know what that could bring as well.
Both you and I have seen many changes in the musical landscape over the last 20 to 30 years, where do you think the genre’s Mos is associated with is heading, has it peaked or is it just getting started?
Tony- Well I've been playing this heavy rock music for and with Mos for 18 years and I've seen a lot of ups and downs in the scene and a lotta changes and fluctuations. Now it's possibly at its zenith and I would say that it probably has peaked which is good in some ways because people will figure out different interpretations of the style we are working in and add new flavors to it. I’m excited to see that happening and enjoy growing with the changes.
You are probably the most driven person I know as far as living and breathing music, not only are you in more then one band but you also mix and record everyday and are constantly learning the art of song craft..where does this constant drive come from and is their a final goal?
Tony- There's no real final goal with all of this and I really just want respect as a musician. Obviously there's no money in it, but being well respected and remembered would be great. Everybody wants to leave a legacy and that is something that that I'm interested in. I want to be known as a musician, music lover and a songwriter.
If you could've been in any band past or present, who and what instrument?
And what riff or song do you wish you’d written?
Tony- When I think about that question I think about the artists or bands that have been the most influential on me and then I also think I could never do what they do. That's my ultimate goal anyway and I don't feel like I've even reached that kind of level in my writing. I would love to be Tony Iommi or Alex lifeson but I really don't think that I could ever see myself in their position, I can only use their writing as influence on me so that's a really difficult question. That being said I wish I had written “Killing Yourself To Live”. I’ve spent most of my life trying to come close.
So their you have it, do yourself a favor and catch Mos Generator live and this spring with Fu Manchu.
Keep your eyes out for the new album "Shadowlands" on Listenable Records in May.
-Jon-
1/19 - Port Orchard WA - The Bethel Tavern
1/20 - Port Angeles WA - Cherry Bomb
1/26 - Portland OR - High Water Mark
1/27 - Anchorage AK - Chilkoot Charlie’s
4/20 - Couer d’Alene ID - Hogfish
4/21 - Kalispell MT - Rocky Mountain Riff Fest
4/26 - Grants Pass OR -
4/27 - San Francisco CA -
4/28 - Las Vegas NV - Dive Bar
4/29 - Long Beach CA -
On Tour with FU MANCHU*
5/01 - Phoenix AZ - Rebel Lounge*
5/02 - Albuquerque - NM
5/03 - Dallas TX - Curtain Club*
5/04 - Austin TX - Barracuda*
5/05 - Houston TX - White Oak Music Hall*
5/07 - Atlanta GA - Vinyl*
5/08 - Raleigh NC - Kings*
5/09 - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel*
5/10 - Pittsburgh PA - Brillobox
5/11 - Philadelphia PA - Underground Arts*
5/12 - New York - Bowery Ballroom*
5/13 - Boston MA - Brighton Music Hall*
5/14 - Buffalo NY - Mohawk Place
5/15 - Cleveland OH - Grog Shop*
5/16 - Columbus OH - Ace of Cups*
5/17 - Detroit MI - El Club*
5/18 - Toronto ON -
5/19 - Chicago IL - Bottom Lounge*
5/20 - Sioux Falls SD - Total Drag Records
5/22 - Denver CO - Streets of London Pub*
5/23 - Denver CO - Streets of London Pub*
5/25 - Seattle WA -
5/26 - Bremerton WA - The Manette
https://youtu.be/QC41MAjplRg
#roadrats #portland #portangeles #portangeles #anchorage #chilkootcharlies #kentonclub #heavyrock #heavyboogie
https://www.facebook.com/MosGenerator/
http://heavyheadsuperstore.storenvy.com/
