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Interview with Automag
By: J Sherrod
 I must begin by saying what an
honor it was for me to interview such a hardworking man
and good friend of mine, the vocalist/guitarist/founder of
Automag - who simply goes by "Mighty Quinn."
My history with the band started back in 1996 - as a fan -
after seeing a video of their performance at the North
Carolina Metalfest. Sadly, I could not attend, but a video
compilation had been made and by viewing that alone I
knew there was somethin' about Automag that would make
the state of North Carolina proud.
I had no idea that over the
next ten-plus years my former band would share venues
with Automag, party like there was no tomorrow and even
sit in from time-to-time for a song with them. I'm so proud
that the band has become what it is today and there's no
doubt in my mind this is just the beginning.
NowOnTour: Congrats on last year's re-issue of
Hellbound via Rockadrome Records. The band
is currently in the studio now recording fresh new material
for its upcoming release. What can you tell me about the
new songs and when the album might become available to
share with the world?
Mighty Quinn: As far as when the album will become
available we're not really sure yet. We had some songs in
the bag that we weren't ready to go in the studio with. We
just picked up our newest member, Steve Blasko on bass,
and it kinda lit the fire under us and all of a sudden the
writing process just took off. We went in and "demoed" up
twelve songs, we've got four that are ready to be recorded
and two more that are in the writing process right now. The
new material is comin' out very well and we're gonna finish
them and then start the actual recording of the record in
April and then send [the songs] to the label.
Make no bones about the fact the band has been
around for many years and several line-up changes. You're
the only member left of the original trio and you've managed
to keep the train rollin' through thick and thin over more
than a decade of struggles. How's the revamped Automag
working and what flavors do the new guys bring to the table?
Well with the new guys...the biggest thing is...in the past I
wanted only the best guys for the music and the music
alone. That always led to a lot of conflicts. I never actually
looked into the personal aspect of people being in this band
and that's somethin' I've learned to take into
consideration.
This time around, I really just wanted guys I could be friends
and hang out with. Ya know, spend a lot of time with. What
that's brought to the table is a whole, fresh new attitude
which has made my job as the main songwriter of the band
that much easier. It's kinda given me...I don't know how to
say it...it's given me a clean slate to work with. Any direction
I go in, these guys just seem willing to go there or at least
try it; and the communication is so much better.
Ok, since I know so much about the band I can ask
question's no other interviewer would know - or even dare to
ask. I'll leave the standardized questions to be asked by
other interviews in the future.
That's true.
Are you ready for some hard hittin' in-depth shit?
Let's do it.
Ok, you've always referred to the band as being
the "New Southern Outlaws" and lord knows we've had some
rowdy parties together back in the day, but you're a
dedicated husband and father of two now and I know you've
slowed up a little over the last few years. What's ironic is
how the new Automag materiel I've heard thus far seems to
be twice as gritty and rebellious as anything the band has
ever done. How much of your past do you put into your
songs, and unlike most bands, how does Automag manage
to become both musically and verbally more aggressive with
age?
As far as why do [our] songs come out how they do, they're
just everyday life. Life has its way of always tryin' to pin ya
down, forcing you to do the things that normal society
expects of you, and I'm not real good at that. So even
though I do have a wife and kids and your normal
responsibilities, and even though I love all those parts of my
life, there's another part of me [inhales deeply] that feels
the weight of that. That's the part of me that writes all these
rebellious songs.
It's more of a focused hate, I used to be mad at everything
and I found out that I didn't have the energy to be that mad
all the time. Now, I've kinda found a real direction and focus
I can put that energy towards, so now instead of being so
generally aggressive I'm more specifically aggressive on
what I sing about in my songs.
One of my all time favorite songs of yours "High
Octane"[a song about whiskey and cocaine] dates back to
the band's very first self-released EP
Bulletproof. The song has disappeared from
your set list over the years but do you think with this
newfound attitude and outlook the band has that it may ever
see the light of day again?
That's very possible. We have been touching base with that
song recently and it is very possible it could make a
comeback. I was always on the fence with the song when we
were a trio but with the twin guitar attack happenin' with Paul
[McDermott] - our other guitar player - the song takes on a
new life.
The original line-up had some major-label interest
(the parties involved shall remain nameless), and I
remember goin' to your showcase. Tell me a little more
about why that didn't go through, and do you feel the band is
better off on an indie label?
It didn't go through because the people at the major label
immediately started trying to categorize who and what we
were. They asked us if we would meet with image
consultants - and we agreed too - but we found out that they
had the wrong idea of what Automag was. Their idea was for
us to be like Cowboys-and-Indians-type outlaws and they
wanted to dress us up like that...and kept making references
to us being the "new ZZ Top."
We told them, flat out, we were just not that band, and there
was no way it was gonna happen. So yes, we're much
happier doin' the indie label thing because we basically
record the songs the way we want them, do the artwork the
way we want it, turn it over to them and they put out a REAL
Automag record. It's not somebody else's idea of what an
Automag record should be.
A classic case of bigger not always being
better.
That's right.
What is your theory about the "one percentile," and
what makes Automag a part of it?
The way I feel is you have the outlaw biker "one
per-centers" who are the baddest of the bad. [Automag]
takes the "one per-centers" [theme] as being the one
percent of the population who are musicians - so that makes
us a part of a very elite group of Americans. And I like to
talk about being a part of that.
Since the beginning, Automag has covered the
song "Black Betty" made famous by Ram Jam. Don't hold
me to this but I don't think they penned the song
themselves. I'm saying this not just as a friend and fan of
the band but as a music lover in general - your version is
probably the best I've ever heard, and over time you've
kind of made the song your own. Does it bother you at times
to have people call for it at your shows more than some of
your originals, or are you flattered they think so much of
your rendition of it?
No, I'm flattered by it because I basically liked the lyrics but
wasn't all that hot on the music of Ram Jam's version
from the 70's. Most people are fond of the music and lyrics
as a package but I only liked the lyrics, so I re-wrote the
music to better suit my interpretation of the song, which is
kind of an Automag standard. Anytime we cover a song, we
treat it as what the song would sound like if Automag had
written it. So we take great liberties with other people's
material - which can be dangerous - and that's why we do
it.
I've talked on and off about the numerous line-up
changes the band has endured, yet your following continues
to not only grow with new listeners, but the old have never
seemed to leave your side. How does it feel to have such
overwhelming loyalty from your fans and how do the new
guys take to the fact people are so accepting of
them?
It's very nice and something I'm very proud of and humbled
by. The fact that the people have stayed with Automag the
whole time we've been doing this. I think the new guys are
sometimes a little surprised by it, but I think they're very
grateful to know they can be accepted as part of a big
family. We treat our fans like a family, so when new guys
come into the fold they are taken in as part of that family.
Kinda like the new kid who moves onto the block and the
other kids take him in and say, ok you're part of our gang
now.
What's the deal with you and this "needing to wear
a helmet" rumor I keep hearin' about?
Oh, that's just a joke! [Laughs and pauses for a minute] I
don't know exactly where it came from but somebody posted
a picture on a local music Web site of me with a big smile on
my face and superimposed one of those old leather football
helmets on my head. It was so funny that it just took on a
life of it's own and everybody just talks about the helmet
now.
Have you ever seen the movie Old
Yeller, and honestly, did it make you
cry?
I did see it when I was a kid, and I think I did
cry.
Finish this famous rock lyric: "Don't worry 'bout
tomorrow, we'll take it today, forget about the
tip..."
"We'll get Hell to pay."
You got it! Finally comes the lightening round. I'm
gonna ask you some questions I want you to answer in three
words or less. Think you can handle it?
I think so.
Did your momma really drink it straight from the
bottle?
Yes she did.
The answer I was lookin' for was "yeah" since
that's the next lyric in the song, but your answer is close
enough.
[Pauses as if to remember his own lyrics, then laughs] Oh
yeah! Oops!
Do you really have a thing for watchin' midget
porn?
[Chuckles] No.
You've been known to get about as fucked up as a
"blank in a blank" when you get drunk.
Cricket in a hubcap.
That's correct! Are you drinking right
now?
No.
Who's the black private dick that gets all the
chicks?
The Mighty Quinn! [Laughs]
No! The answer is Shaft! And I would have said,
"Damn right," like Isaac Hayes does in the movie's opening
theme song.
Oh, I thought you were talkin' about that old movie
The Mighty Quinn with Denzel
Washington.
Oh shit! I never thought of that! Even though you
answered wrong I will now accept your answer for being
more creative than my question was.
[Both laugh hysterically]
Favorite: Hank: Sr., Jr. or III?
Uh.
Junior.
And last, but damn sure not least, are you a bad
motherfucker?
Fo' Sho'!
That's the answer I was lookin' for.
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