What is your full name and role in the band?
Daniel Anderson- Guitars Ryan James- Bass Colin Drake- Drums Richard Loew- Vocals
Do you have any aliases?
Daniel- Nope. Ryan- None I care to share Colin- That British Guy Richard- Jasenko
If you had an alias what would it be?
Daniel- Budda Colin- Drake, Colin Drake, Licensed to Bill...
What bands are you actively involved with?
Daniel- Buzzürd Ryan- Buzzürd Colin- Buzzürd; I’m a One Band Man... Richard- Crambone, Rise to Die
What’s the name of the first band that you were in?
Daniel- I don’t remember Ryan- Prodigy was the name of the high school talent show band I played bass in. We covered Down Boys by Warrant and Seek and Destroy by Metallica. Colin- 27; I played guitar in that band. Buzzürd is the first band I’ve played drums in. Richard- Yours Truly in high school.
You were formerly called Justinian, correct? Yes
What inspired the name change?
Ryan- Justinian was a decent name but didn’t fit old dudes playing doom like Buzzürd did. Colin- Lot’s of people kept asking us ‘So…., what’s Justinian?’
Where did the name Justinian originate from?
Ryan- We threw random names in a hat and that one got pulled. I suppose it refers to the Roman emperor.
Ryan- Trying to describe ourselves with a proper name “old buzzards” I guess. The name Buzzard was taken so we got creative with bad spelling. Colin- Thanks! Punctuation was really important to us as well; hence Buzzürd. The u felt awkward… Richard- I resemble a buzzard as well.
Tell me about the formation of Buzzürd?
Ryan-Me and Daniel met back in 2015 playing with a guy named Ron. After a month we decided to try and do something ourselves and found some guitar player from London named Colin who absolutely insisted on playing drums. We saw Richard play in a band we really dug called Plough and thru mutual acquaintances asked him to sing for us. Colin-We start each gig in the I formation and usually move to a gullwing inverse V by the 3rd song… I’d played guitar in bands back in the UK and in a band in Texas, and wanted to try a new challenge. I’d always dabbled with drums and liked the idea of sitting down all the way through a gig… Richard-I was real impressed with these guys every time we played with them on a bill.It’s been a great evolution since I joined.A real collaborative effort here.
What instruments do you play?
Daniel- Guitar. Bass. A little drums. Ryan- Bass and Guitar Colin- Drums, Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo, Bass, Keyboards. Richard- Throat
What musician or musicians have most influenced your approach to music and or the way you play?
Ryan- Hendrix is my favorite musician of all but I’m a rhythm player never really got into soloing. Steve Harris is a huge influence as far as songwriting approach but I’m nowhere near the player he is. I’m a huge Kiss fan and IMO Gene Simmons is one of the most underrated bass players ever and that’s kinda the main influence. Daniel- Billy Gibbons, chet atkins, chuck berry. My dad worked at DBU as head librarian I would go all summer and Listen to every record I could. Then I came across a Queen album Colin- On Drums; Jean Paul Gaster, Chuck Biscuits, Joey Castillo, Buddy Rich, Brann Dailor. On Guitar; Yngwie J(!) Malmsteen, Duane Allman, Brian May, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen Richard- Bruce Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio, James Labrie, Russell Allen, Freddie Mercury
What was the first instrument that you played?
Daniel- Clarinet Ryan- Well I used to beat on Kleenex boxes as my friends would strum the guitar. As far as trying to actually learn a song, it was bass in 9th grade. Colin- I started classical guitar lessons aged 7. Richard: I waited on recorder back in the day...played a mean triangle too
Tell me about one of your first musical memories.
Daniel- Jamming with my dad Ryan- Seeing Motley Crue in 1985. It was my first concert and I was blown away by the energy of that band back then. About 6 years later I saw Kyuss open for Faith No More and as good as FNM was, Kyuss took the show. They became a top five band for me. Colin- Growing up in the UK, we lived near a football (soccer!) ground. I’d hear the fans singing their songs and chants for the local home team and then copy them on the ride to daycare. I always sang and played guitar in church but didn’t really get the goosebumps for music until age 11 when I heard the album ‘Marching Out’ by Yngwie J(!) Malmsteen. I’ve been hopelessly addicted to metal ever since. Richard- My first concert was Kiss on the Love gun tour...still remember how awesome they were.
Do you have any upcoming shows (when/where)?
Ryan- Division Brewing, November 16th with From the Grave and Caballo Obscuro.
Yes
What were some of your favorite performances at Heavy Mash 2018?
Ryan-I was so glad to have seen Witchcryer.I had heard so much about them. Orthodox Fuzz is a dfw band I’ve just missed several times but they were great. Daniel-Witchcryer, the great electric quest. Orthodox Fuzz. Hell I liked them all! Colin-Had to work, bummed… Richard-Had to work as well.
You guys have a new shirt on the horizon. When should we expect that to be available?
Ryan- We are hoping to have that by the 16th.its a cool design David Paul Seymour did for us. Colin- Just waiting on the 4xl’s
What band or bands have you played with that have really impressed you with their live show?
Daniel- Doomstress. Wooden earth. WoFat. There’s a lot to name. Ryan- Doomstress, Space Ape, Caballo Obscuro, Stone Machine, always impressed by regional dooms acts out here. Colin- I’d say all the above and add Turbid North, Iron Jaw, Rabid Flesh Eaters. Sometimes it’s great to have a half Doom, half Thrash bill as long as the crowds hang about. Richard- Wo fat, Doomstress, Caballo Obscuro, Rabid Flesh Eaters, Of Dieties and Dust.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
Daniel-Two beers and shot of tequila. Ryan-I tend to drive there. Colin-I can’t talk about that here… Richard-Tequila shot and a Shiner
If you could insert yourself into any band what band would it be and why?
Ryan- I always feel like I could of stopped the black album from happening, maybe get it back to the nwobhm days of Kill’em All. Or perhaps insist on actual bass tracks on And Justice. Richard- Dream Theater needs me ...still waiting on their call.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so… what was the song and artist?
Daniel- No not really. Colin- Iron Tusk by Mastodon. Ryan- Just about every song on Sky Valley Richard- Lady of the Snow from Symphony X...what a epic song
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
Daniel- GOD. Colin- Bach (JS, not CPE), Vivaldi, Stan Kenton, Amon Tobin, Underworld, Aphex Twin, Skrillex. Ryan- Big fan of Hüsker Dü and Bob Moulds stuff. Jesus Lizard, Ministry, Godflesh and my favorite late 80’s/90’s band is Fugazi. Richard: Huge fan of the Moody Blues ...the poetry is amazing
The year is 1986…. Where are you at and what are you listening to?
Daniel- In Arlington listening to Metallica. Suicidal tendencies. Motörhead. Black Sabbath. Colin- Palmers Green, North London, UK, Cassette copy of Malmsteen’s Marching Out on Side A and Queen’s It’s a Kind of Magic on Side B. Ryan- I didn’t get into thrash till the next year (9th grade) so it was hair metal and Hendrix,Stones, Beatles, plus Sabbath before high school. Richard- Pretty sure I had Master of Puppets on repeat for that whole year.
Daniel- Rolling Stones paint it black. Colin- Prokofiev’s ‘Montagues and Capulets’ - down tuned and slow as f… Ryan- Off the cuff I’d say Seasons of Wither by Aerosmith Richard- Melancholy man
What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without bathing?
Daniel- Two days Colin- 4 Days, camping out… Ryan- Never more than a day Richard- I don’t understand the question
What is an absolute band killer?
Colin- Serial Murder Ryan- Having someone insist on being the “band leader” without having the chops or any idea what that entails. Richard- Egos
Does a band need a “band leader?”
Nope.
Pantera or Down, if you had to choose?
Daniel- Pantera. Colin- Pantera. Ryan- ok Pantera Richard- Pantera
Favorite book?
Daniel- No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs by John Lydon Colin- Berlin Noir Trilogy; Philip Kerr. Ryan- Big fan of the Dark Tower series Richard- Asimov, Foundation Trilogy
Favorite movie?
Daniel: Brawl in cell block 99. Colin: Pi Ryan: Goodfellas Richard: Fifth Element
Favorite Album?
Daniel-Twisted Sister Under The Blade. Colin-Songs for the Deaf - QOTSA Ryan-Master of Reality (Black Sabbath) Richard-Rust in Peace (Megadeth)
https://buzzurd.bandcamp.com/album/uncreation-ep