THE LAST VEGAS (Eng.)

– Hi, thanks for your time. What’s currently going on with THE LAST VEGAS?

DS: Hey Tania! My pleasure! Right now the band is in the middle of a month long tour heading out to California, Texas, and many places in between. We just released our new album “Bad Decisions” on August 28th here in North America (European release is November 19th) and our single “Evil Eyes” is being pushed to radio. So at the moment we’ve been really busy.

– You are a relatively young band so, first off, (and despite you are getting more known with each new album) could you please share some history of the band for all those who may don’t know about you yet?

DS: We were born under a bad sign, raised by wolves, and spanked by our parents. That’s all I remember.

– In fact it seems your fame is also increasing at our country, last February you played none less than 14 dates in Spain. What are your memories of those shows? Is there a big difference between the American and the European crowds?

DS: Yeah, Spain treats us really well. It is definitely one of our favorite places to play. The tour in February was really great. We got to see a huge portion of the country. I also met my dream girl in Basque Country on that tour, haha unfortunately, she doesn’t know it yet. Europeans seem to have a better appreciation for rock music and a better grasp of whats cool, than Americans do. They seem to look beyond the superficialities and dig into whats really beneath the music. Many Americans are uninformed when it comes to knowing what rock music is about and where it comes from. Our country is in a bad place right now when it comes to pop culture and entertainment. Just turn on MTV here and you’ll see!

– Anyway your tour in 2009 with MÖTLEY CRUE brought you to fame. What did the opportunity mean for you and how do you remember that experience?

DS: I used to lay in bed as a kid and stare at the Shout at the Devil album and dream about being in a band like Motley Crue. So the experience was very surreal and very spectacular. To have one of your idols (Nikki Sixx) be your boss, and to have him co-write and produce your music was hard to wrap my mind around at times. Touring with them on the Saints of Los Angeles tour was definitely a boost to our careers as well as a dream come true.

– «Bad Decisions» is your latest opus and has just came out so, how its its feedback being so far?

DS: Its been good! My mom even bought it, and she hates rock music . We have a new label and manager who are really busting their asses for us, so its more reassuring that it will have a better chance of being successful.

– All your albums, special «Whatever Gets you off» got really good reviews. Due to this expectations were high so, was it any pressure in order tu replicate it? Or all the warm response means just bonus motivation?

DS: Yeah there was probably a little pressure. I think most bands set out to try and top their previous album, so it is usually self induced pressure. We don’t feel pressure from the outside world. Of course good reviews from our peers and the press are nice, but we usually do what we want and if someone doesn’t like it, too bad! The fans are the most important critics for us to impress.

– «Bad Decisions» was recorded at a different studio and with a different producer so, how did this affect the sound on the album?

DS: We recorded Bad Decisions in our home town of Chicago with producer Johnny K. Johnny wasn’t breathing down our backs, he was more of a guidance counselor and less of a parent. This led to us having a little more freedom in the studio to do what we wanted, which was something more real and tradiciónal. We didn’t want computers and special effects creating the sound.

– I personally think this time the record has a rougher sound so, was this what you looking for? Did you decide to go for a different producer to get a different kind of sound?

DS: Yeah, it is definitely a little rougher around the edges. We decided to go with Johnny K not necessarily for the sound but because of his background, track record, and the fact that he was a Chicago guy. It was really convenient having the studio only 10 minutes away. He’s one of the top producers in hard rock and metal right now, so I think that helped solidify our choice. The sounds came more from us and our engineer, Tony McQuaid.

– I also believe this is a more dynamic record, it seems to have more influences. Have you opened to new ones or are you just still shaping your very own sound?

DS: The new album definitely has a wide variety of styles. Its probably the farthest thing from a concept album you’ll ever find. We have four song writers and a lot of opinions so there’s a wide range of ideas being thrown around. I think its natural for a band to keep evolving and to wear their influences on their sleeve.

– Talking about influences; what are the main musical ones? I noticed certain elements from CHEAP TRICK or AC/DC.

DS: We have a lot of influences, and Cheap Trick and AC/DC really mean a lot to The Last Vegas. We listen to everything from the blues to metal. Personally I like bands that are real rock ‘n roll. Bands that have attitude like The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, New York Dolls, AC/DC, Guns ‘N Roses, Buckcherry, The Runaways, and Motley Crue.

– Due to this versatilty I would like to know how was the songwriting process for this new CD. Was it different this time around?

DS: The writing process has always kind of been the same. Someone introduces an idea or a riff and then the rest of the band attacks it like a bunch of sharks to some chum. Whatever’s left after the feeding frenzy becomes the song. This was the first time that my ideas and opinions were tossed into the mix. I joined the band slighty after most of the last album was already written, so it was nice to be there from the inception of this project. The other real difference was that we had a lot more time to write, demo, and to record this record.

– You have already done a video for «The Other Side” with Sybil Danning. How did the experience go?

DS: Shooting the video was a cool experience. Sybil was an absolute sweetheart and was very professional. She exceeded all expectations. It was such an honor to work with such a legend. Lots of beer, wine, and blood were spilled that night! I’ve never had so much fun getting killed in all my life.

– All this about «Bad Decisions» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?