Front man.Guitarist.Actor.Producer.Former label owner/operator.Dad.Bullfighter!?Otto Kinzel IV is a man of many talents and
the guitarist for New Hampshire’s
Dust Prophet.
What is your full name?
It’s Otto Kinzel IV. But don’t let the suffix at the end fool you. I’m not royalty, unfortunately.
Do you have any aliases?
No, I never really got into using aliases or anything. I’ve typically also used my real name. Accept one time when I tried to get “Lil’ Ottz” going. But no one took me seriously.
What bands are you actively involved with?
Currently Dust Prophet is my main band, although I will be releasing some solo and/or quasi-solo material in the early part of 2020. It’ll still be Riff/Doom orientated, but it’ll have a more Cinematic/Horror film score element to it. I really want to use orchestral and atmospheric parts to build tension within the music, to accompany the heavy, down tuned riffs. So that’s what the “Otto Kinzel” material will be.
What was the first instrument that you played?
It was guitar. I started when I was around 12 years old or so. It was Nirvana’s Nevermind that inspired me to pick it up and try to learn the instrument.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories.
My uncle, who was (and still is) a long time folk musician, taught me Bob Dylan’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door. As a total novice musician, it introduced me to chord structure and how to formulate different parts to a song. It’s an easy song for a beginner to learn, but very helpful in showing song structure. I also learned a bunch of Nirvana songs which also were hugely helpful in learning bar/power chords and the subtleties of strumming.
What was the name of the first band that you were in?
I think it was called Orthodox hahaha. It was just me and a few fellow friends from middle school. I think this was around 7th grade. We thought “Orthodox” would be a cool name because we liked how it sounded. And we thought having a religious name for a hard rock band made us “cool” lol. There was no real plan or reason behind picking that as a name.
How did Dust Prophet materialize?
Sarah Wappler (Bass/Organ) and I had played in a previous band together. It was an industrial-rock band called Fiends of a New Republic. Heather Lynn, the vocalist of Dust Prophet, was also in that band.
After Fiends… dissolved, Sarah and I decided we wanted to start a band that was more Riff orientated. We both love Stoner Rock and wanted to pursue that style. It took a LONG time to find Heather and Marc (Brennan, drums). Sarah and I auditioned a ton of different people over the course of a couple of years and none of them worked out. We were actually on the verge of giving up when Marc, who is an old friend of mine, and I reconnected. I was telling him about what Sarah and I were trying to do and he was interested. After a couple of jam sessions it was obvious he was perfect. So then it was a matter of finding the singer. Heather had decided she wanted to get back into music. So we talked, we jammed, and that basically was it.
What inspired the name Dust Prophet?
Good question! To be honest I’m not really sure ha-ha. We had been kicking around a variety of names and eventually settled on Dust Prophet. I knew I wanted it to be something that had strong visual potential. And Heather has always had hugely apocalyptic imagery in her lyrics. So we started to brainstorm these two things and Dust Prophet is eventually where we settled.
What is your favorite thing about touring?
Being on stage, and getting to share in the live experience with new people, and new friends from other bands I get to interact with. I enjoy it very much.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
The travel, the vagabond type lifestyle. I really enjoyed it when I was in my early 20’s. But it's easy to get burned out by it.
What’s the weirdest experience you have had on the road?
I wouldn’t say there’s been anything weird as far as experiences go. More just random acts like getting stoned with complete strangers after a set, or the time there was a homeless junkie shooting up in the corner of the venue, all while “cheering” us on ha-ha. But as far as “crazy road stories” I really don’t have any. None that are actually worth sharing. I’m very boring like that.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
Yeah, trying not to throw up from being nervous ha-ha. I actually am much better than I used to be. I used to always puke before every show because my nerves would get the best of me. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve been able to deal with it better. Nowadays I just try to be calm, breathe & enjoy the moment.
Did you or do you have that same sensation playing open mic with your daughter?
Oh yeah I was really nervous! Because I knew how nervous she was. I had to play it cool because I was trying to help her stay calm and reiterate that we’re doing this just for fun.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
I love playing in Manchester, my home town. I love playing The Shaskeen, and I also really love Jewel. Outside of that, there’s The 13th Floor Music Lounge in Florence, MA, Koto in Salem, MA and Dusk in Providence RI. I always have such a great at all of those venues.
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
Nashville. I’ve been there as a visitor before but I’d love to play a show there sometime. Specifically, a non-country show ☺
What band have you played with that has really impressed you with their live show?
Where to start! New England has a massive amount of talented artists. Bands I’ve recently played with that blew me away are Bone Church, Conduit, Turkey Vulture, Benthic Realm, Transdusk…I know I’m forgetting some. And then they’re touring bands like High Reeper, Witch King, & Thunderchief that I found really inspiring.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band
would it be and why?
Believe it or not, I'd like to try being in a boy band, like N’ Sync or Backstreet Boys. Just for a day so I can see what it’s like. That type of overproduced, manipulated music is such a foreign concept to me that I’m curious to see what it’s like. Unfortunately, I’m a terrible dancer so I’d need to be the member who is off to the side, possibly brooding.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so what is the song and artist?
It’s hard for me to think about things like that, because it’s saying “I think I’m as equally talented as the artist who created this piece of work”. I think that’s a very arrogant attitude. If that was the case then I would have been able to write that song.
What advice would you give young bands that are just starting out in the music business?
I’m probably the wrong person to ask because I’m not overly successful, and I’ve made some dumb mistakes. My only real advice would be to play what’s from your heart. Don’t focus on being famous or making tons of money…that’s the wrong reason to be doing this. You need to be fulfilled creatively and spiritually from your art. If you’re not getting that then you’re doing something wrong.
Success is whatever you determine it to be. I have several friends who were once brilliant musicians. But as they got older, had families, had career oriented jobs, they end up giving music up. I have a career outside of music, I’m married and have 2 little girls. And I’m still pushing forward 100% with my music because it gives me something that I can’t get anywhere else. To me, the fact that I didn’t give up is a success.
What is an absolute band killer?
Combination of egos, and people not fulfilling their end of an agreement. It builds huge resentment. Everyone in a band has a role to play, and you should take pride in doing it 100%. If you can’t do that then you’re just cheating all the other members. You included.
What is the key to longevity for a band?
I’m literally the wrong person to ask! If I had to guess, I’d say it’s having a genuine friendship and positive relationship with your bandmates. If I ever find out I’ll let you know ☺
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
I love motorsports. Especially Formula 1 and Indycar racing. I’m a huge gearhead and I love the technology involved in top level, international motorsport. Formula 1 specifically. I raced for a short period of time when I was younger, in Go-Karts, traveling around New England. If I had the money I would have absolutely pursued that over music, no doubt about it. But alas I didn’t have endless buckets of money to put towards continuing a proper program and advancing up the racing ladder. I really wanted to pursue a career in open wheel racing but it costs a lot of money…and I mean a LOT.
Is there a non-metal song that you’d like to do a cover of?
I’d love to cover Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode. I just think it’d be cool to do it but very stripped down. Just acoustic guitar and maybe some other analog instruments. I’ve always been a Depeche Mode fan.
Favorite band t-shirt that you own?
I have a Witch King shirt that has a woman eating the Devil’s ass. Also, I have a Ministry shirt from 1992 when they were on Lollapalooza, touring for Psalm 69.
Tell me about your involvement with the short film “A Dream of Distant Skies?”
Russell James, who is the head of the production company
Neptune/Teletron, and I have been working for years on a variety of small,
short film projects. His previous company was called Rockwater Pictures, and he
made several music videos for my past projects.
We have both been obsessed with the (still unsolved) murder of Karina Holmer aka the Swedish Au Pair murder, from Boston in the mid-90s. It’s such a strange, tragic and bizarre story. And yet it's barely known through the rest of the country. Many people in New England aren’t even aware of it. So about a year or so ago Russell put the plan in motion to make a short film about it, a sort of dramatization of the real events surrounding it. I’ve always been interested in acting. It’s something I’d love to pursue. So he gave me a shot to play the host father, who has always been one of the leading suspects in Karina’s murder. He and I also collaborated on the film’s score, although Russell really laid down the foundation for the film’s vibe. It’s very “Noire”-esq, which I personally love. I’m a huge David Lynch fan so anything weird and genre bending is, to me, pretty awesome.
You are writing a book about your life thus far. What is the title of that book?
“Don’t listen to this dummy…he’s just the guitar player.
You are driving cross country and you can only listen to one album. What album will it be?
This is going to sound really lame but I primarily listen to NPR. IF I had to choose and album, it would probably be Dark Side of the Moon.
What is the longest you’ve gone without bathing?
Actually not very long. Maybe 2-3 days tops. I’m a bit of an OCD freak when it comes to personal hygiene and cleanliness.
Can you think of a song that is not a Christmas song, but reminds you of Christmas anyway? What song and why?
Ha-ha no, nothing off the top of my head ☺ Do unicorns sleep standing up?
Oh standing up, most definitely.
How many times have you watched When Harry Met Sally?
Oh man, I can’t count. A bunch. I’m a sucker for a great Rob Reiner film. And regardless of the style or genre of film you enjoy, if you look at When Harry Met Sally objectively you have to admit, it’s a damn good film! I love watching characters evolve with a specific arc, and the narrative allows us to see how each character grows but still has elements of fault. I like that, even at the end when they are together, Sally still has some of her neuroses and Harry has the sarcastic, almost pathos type of humor to balance her character out.
The year is 1995. Where are you at and what are you listening to?
I’m a high school sophomore living in Vermont and going to high school in South Burlington. I was probably really deep into the grunge scene. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney…but also just starting to get into Industrial-Metal. Stuff like Ministry, KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails…I really started getting into that stuff around that time.
How did you end up with seven screws and a titanium plate in your arm?
I was an aspiring bullfighter. It was another hobby I picked up after visiting a local bullfighting club here in NH. We never hurt the bulls; never stabbed them or anything. It was just electronic touch scoring with a non-point sword, similar to how fencing scoring works. There’s a sensor on the end so you just need to make contact and you get a point.
Anyways, I got flattened by this bull named Prometheus one day. I stared him down too late, and couldn’t parry quick enough after making my feint move. I got plowed into head on, getting sent head over heels. I got up and was in shock. After I made it to the sidelines I noticed how badly my right arm hurt. Turns out I broke my right elbow. BUT I also had a skull fracture and a hairline fracture in my left wrist. Needless to say I realized bull fighting was not in my skill set after that.
How old were you whenever this happened?
It was about 5 years ago so I was 35.
Tell me two things that people should absolutely know about New Hampshire.
It’s a great place to raise a family. There’s a lot of charm here in New Hampshire. It’s felt like home to me ever since I first moved here.
Favorite book?
House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski. And Bram Stoker’s original Dracula.
Favorite movie?
That’s a very difficult question to answer. I can share some of my favorite films; The Godfather parts 1 and 2; Return of the Jedi; Interview with the Vampire; The Usual Suspects; and Reservoir Dogs, to name just a few.
I love The Godfather part 1 & 2 as well. How is it that part three turned out to be such a fucking turd?
Good question! I think that it just became a cash grab at the end of it all. I’ve read that the original concept was the Tom Hagen character to rival Michael Corleone for control of the family, but the producers weren’t willing to pay Robert Duvall as equal to Al Pacino. I think the Tom vs Michael concept is fascinating, so not being able to fulfill that (especially if that was the initial plan being developed) being cut off at the knees can be a critical impact.
Favorite album?
Again, very difficult to answer but some of my favorite albums are: Psalm 69 (Ministry); Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd); Master of Puppets (Metallica); We’re Only in It for the Money (Frank Zappa); Dirt (Alice in Chains); Welcome to Sky Valley (Kyuss); The Downward Spiral (Nine Inch Nails); and California by Mr. Bungle.
Favorite meal?
Chicken and Waffles (authentic Southern style). Or Rack of Lamb. I could eat either of those every day for the rest of my life.
Massive thanks to Otto for taking the time to answer my queries.I appreciate it.If you have yet to wrap your ears around Dust Prophet then I D-E-M-A-N-D that you do so immediately if not sooner.There are three singles available over on Bandcamp for your listening pleasure.I would also suggest that you lay ears to Otto’s solo/quasi solo material.Evil Sex Party would be a great place to start.Finally, check out the short film “A Dream of Distant Skies.”It is mesmerizing.
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of DOOM show)
Ps- Be sure to check out the Fistful of DOOM show airing on Fuzz Heavy Radio every Sunday at 6 p.m. c.s.t./ 7 p.m. e.s.t.
https://dustprophet.bandcamp.com/
https://dustprophet.com/home A Dream of Distant Skies (short film)
