Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: September 20, 2007
Brian Rademacher: Oh man, we finally get around to one of the best musicians and one of our finest writers on Rockeyez.com Toe Knee. Welcome all Toe Knee of WILLOW WISP. - Brian Rademacher
Brian Rademacher: Way back when, you mentioned one of your earliest influences in music was early KISS, was it because of the dark stage presences or the simplistic music?
Toe Knee: My earliest recollection of the mighty KISS is seeing a kid at my school in late 1977 wearing a 'KISS Alive 2' shirt. I was fascinated and perplexed. I had my mother buy me 'KISS Alive 2' on double cassette and spent the entire summer memorizing every minute detail of that album. That started my downward spiral ha ha!!
Brian Rademacher: You must have gone to church when you were a young kid. What turned the tide for you from Christianity to the dark side? Or is all that just a gimmick for attention.
Toe Knee: I attribute it to reading way too many psychology books intermingled with the Occult, Horror Movies, History, Metal and studying humans and how they interact with one another in various circumstances. The dark side of humanity is just more logical and exciting.
Brian Rademacher: When you started playing drums and singing what artist(s) did you admire?
Toe Knee: My early inspirations were Lars Ulrich, Dave Lombardo, Peter Criss, Nicko Mcbrain, Reed St. Mark, ect I also adored Jazz and theatrical drummers like Tommy Lee, Keith Moon, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Rikki Rockett I am a hodgepodge of all of them.
Brian Rademacher: I saw SLAYER way back in the 80's, this is a band that really writes the truth in their lyrics yet people misunderstand the band because they slap a pentagram on their album? Do you feel SLAYER is one of the pioneers in say dark metal?
Toe Knee: It is human nature. If you really want to trace the history of 'Dark' Metal then investigate it's lineage from SCREAMING JAY HAWKINS, THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN, BLACK WIDOW and COVEN to the current practitioners of musical hellfire.
Brian Rademacher: Is one of the reasons why WILLOW WISP started using make-up because of the KISS influence?
Toe Knee: That was its decrepit birth, yes.
Brian Rademacher: You came along way in your make-up design; it must cost a lot of money to put on a WILLOW WISP show. Is a show financially gratifying for your pocket?
Toe Knee: WILLOW WISP are masters of innovation and technique. We can take a dime store presentation and make it appear to be a million dollar stage production.
Brian Rademacher: Your first full-length recording was 'The Building Up and Breaking Down of Matter' in 1997, that is ten years since your new EP 'Enmity' which received 4 Stars on our site. http://www.rockeyez.com/reviews/demo/willowwisp/demo-willowwisp-enmity.html by myself. Now you have the full-length coming for 'Enmity'. Do you feel from the first CD to now the music of WILLOW WISP has gotten more melodic then hardcore?
Toe Knee: Part of the reason we have survived and evolved is because we are always progressing and improving as musicians. It has kept us vital. Like musical Vampires feeding on the lost dreams of all others who rot in time.
Brian Rademacher: What is the song on the new CD that you are the most proud of?
Toe Knee: I am partial to 'The Anatomist' which I composed the music and lyrics for. It tells of the infancy of medical science and how dead bodies were dissected and studied in private to learn of their inner workings which in time led to current medicine and cures.
Brian Rademacher: Seems like you don't come to the East Coast, will WW make their way east eventually?
Toe Knee: Our label Quadrivium is preparing a full promotional blitz once 'Enmity' rears its hideous head. Hammer up your crosses, hang the garlic and lock away your daughters!!
Brian Rademacher: Tell us a bit about your live show?
<Toe Knee: It's a confounding experience that subdues all of your human senses. Trash Cans shall be sacrificed, Backwards drums shall ensue, real blood shall be shed, blasphemous incantations will be shared by band and audience alike and YOU WILL LIKE IT!!
Brian Rademacher: After the show, has the complete band ever had the pleasure of sharing one woman?
Toe Knee: Not only shared but consumed. It took us nine days to eat her entire body. How she did bite, kick and scratch&
Brian Rademacher: What is a great meal for Toe Knee beside raw liver and cow blood?
Toe Knee: Good old fashioned& PUSSY!!! I like to taste what I came out of and will come in as well.
Brian Rademacher: Last year you sent in a DVD of like the making of WILLOW WISP which looked like so much fun, what happened to that DVD?
Toe Knee: It was issued domestically in a initial run of 500 copies all autographed in every band members blood!! Needless to say many succumbed to viral diseases after consuming the crimson offering!!
Brian Rademacher: Has the band ever been asked to take part in a movie?
Toe Knee: We are featured in a recent Paul Naschy film entitled 'Countess Dracula's Orgy Of Blood' which features many of our songs on the soundtrack. Paul Naschy is Spain's leading Horror Legend (A Lon Chaney of sorts) so we were honored to take part in it. We are also in Canada's leading Gore film 'Urban Flesh' directed by infamous ghoul Alexandre Michaud as well as a comedy entitled 'Coog' in which I play a Black Metal cashier at a comic book shop which was written and directed by Hollywood's legendary Crazy Jason Elkins.
Brian Rademacher: What is your favorite movie?
Toe Knee: Amongst the thousands I have amassed (I am a MAJOR Horror/Sci Fi/Documentary/Music/ junkie) currently it is 'The Blind Dead' Collection which features the complete series and was written, produced and directed by Infamous Spanish auteur Amando De Ossorio.
Brian Rademacher: Getting back to 'Enmity', how does the band come up with their cover art?
Toe Knee: A concurring theme in our art is Birth and Death, life obviously in the middle. 'Enmity' features Planet earth floating in a coffin filled with blood and on fire suspended in space. A picture frame completes the nihilistic image to great effect. That image alone will be a source of debate for ages to come.
Brian Rademacher: So far what is the highest point being in WILLOW WISP?
Toe Knee: That point can only be truly realized upon entering the throes of death. Immortality in one form or another and leaving a legacy are what we will be remembered for.
Brian Rademacher: After the make-up comes off and you go home, what is a typical day for Toe Knee?
Toe Knee: Rehearsing music on guitar, keyboards, and drums. writing for various online and street publications, promoting, watching movies, cranking Metal, collecting occult items, metal collecting, writing poetry, reading, exercising, masturbating, sex, attending shows, ect.
Brian Rademacher: Tell us your feelings towards each member of the band?
Toe Knee: lifelong cohorts in compositional conductions. A true marriage made in hell.
Brian Rademacher: Let's get in the mind of Toe Knee and tell us your feelings of some of these subjects. This should be fun!!!
Organized Religion - Differing sects with a 'leader' and various names to distinguish themselves from each other. Basically a trap set by those who can command the minds of the easily manipulated. I like comic books too& .the bible is a personal favorite.
Evil - Live spelled backwards minus the d. A name given by humans to other humans to describe part of our nature we have somehow grown ashamed of.
Education - A much needed necessity. Kids put down the guns and leave the gangs behind.
Parents - I had two. I hate adults, why did I grow into one?
Willow Wisp music - Eccentric/Experimental/Avant Garde Theatrical Metal!!
Friendship - You can count your true friends on one hand. But wait, what if both of them were amputated?
First sexual experience - Playing 'Doctor' with 2 cute little girls behind my house when I was 7.Tasty little morsels if I remember correctly.
Down time - Sleep
Children - Two. Both aborted. I wanted to collect the jars of left over human but the doctor insisted otherwise.
Future - My future extends as far as deterioration permits. Unless of course an accident, suicide or premature murder takes me first.
Politics ' BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anton LaVey - A master of the obscure. An innovator and con artist of the highest order. Talented and fearsome. I learned much about humanity from the man and I am forever indebted to his majesty.
Brian Rademacher: Well Toe Knee do you dare to reveal your real name, it's was fun doing this interview make sure everyone goes out and picks up 'Enmity' on Quadrivium Records. Would you like to say anything in conclusion?
Toe Knee: Thank you Brian and Rockeyez for this opportunity. I support you in all of your endeavors. Future success to you and yours.
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