Iron lung are one of those bands few others can match nor get close to.they label themselves powerviolence while their sound has very little characteristics in common with first wave powerviolence other than speed and frantic start/stop nuances.this interview made me extremely nervous to send in based on i've never seen or read an interview with the men behind the chaos.when i sent these questions to iron lung records,i was surprised by how friendly and open their drummer,Jensen Ward,was to questions and such.what you are about to read was our conversations of life,iron lung and death.
-how long have you been playing drums for?when did you first start playing?
I bought a pair of drumsticks in 1996 and beat the fuck out of my steering wheel trying to learn every fill and nuance of Rudimentary Peni's "Death Church". I used to drive my mom to school in the mountains and I'd have to wait for hours. It snowed a lot up there so skateboarding was out. Gotta do something, man.
-how did you and Jon Kortland meet?
He worked as a paralegal at the lawyer's office I was using for my trial defence. I thought he looked like an interesting person and he was always listening to Steely Dan very quietly so I knew he liked to rock. We talked a lot while I was in the waiting room and got to be really good friends. Then he told me he played guitar in a punk band.
-how did Iron Lung come to form?
Jon's band Gob was looking for a fill in drummer so I joined up for a couple shows. We really clicked. The bass player in Gob was a real nut so we cut her loose and started up a Dune tribute band for fun. The singer of that band was a real nut so we cut him loose too. Then there was only two...
-where did the name originate from?
We both like antique medical practices and gear so what better poster child for that interest is there besides an IRON LUNG? That's a trick question, there isn't.
-what influences,as a lyricist,do you draw from?
I listen to a lot of Weird Al.
-you guys have been alot of different places,where are some of your favorite places to play throughout the world?
In alphabetical order by continent: Asia, Australia, Europe, North America.
-how did you contact Nick Blinko for the artwork on the cover of sexless/no sex?
I will not tell anyone that secret. He is a sensitive man and doesn't like to be bothered. I'm glad he is feeling better.
-i love your many different collaborations with bands like Hatred Surge,David Bailey,Pig Heart Transplant and your other band Walls.Is it hard to collaborate with other bands?what is your process of writing when with other bands?
All of the people we pick to play with are the best at what they do so writing and arranging is easy. We all show up to the sessions with ideas. We try a few different combinations of ideas and see what we can do. It usually works out nicely.
-how did Iron Lung Records come about?
Lords Of Light were one of the best live bands we have ever had the pleasure to play with. They did their 2nd recording session and ended up with the song "Dividing Up" left over. It was way too good to just let go so we had them go into the studio again and record a b-side and made a great (and completely misunderstood) single out of it. To this day that is one of my favorite releases.
-what are some of your favorite groups on the label?
All of them. We only put out stuff we like.
-what are your plans for the future as a band?
Eventually, probably on the "White Glove Test" world tour, we will hit some black ice in Sweden and decapitate ourselves. Then the understudies will continue on in our place for at least another 25 years. It never ends...
-finally,what are some unsigned groups in the powerviolence circuit that have caught your attention?
Porch Trash, Pillcrusher, The Death, Sarin Gas X and Human Meat are just a couple of the bands we are looking at right now. We don't want to give away too much more than that right now for fear that they will get scooped up before we can afford their demands. Damn you Relapse Records!!!
-thank you for the interview and all the sweet recordings,mr.ward.
You're welcome. Stop by any time.
http://lifeironlungdeath.blogspot.com/
Iron Lung Records Bandcamp
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