High Intensity! In your face! Rock! Example: An out of control freight train coming at you a million miles an hour. They will play anywhere from a Bar to a Church. They have never shoved God down anyone's throat. They just offer hope to a hurting world in the form of face melting Rock 'n Roll and let the chips fall where they may. They were here in Vegas recently and we had a chance to sit down with them and Oz Fox of Stryper who produced their album "Get The Hell Out". Great group of guys and we are excited to see what the future holds for this amazing band!
Jamie Paullus
Jamie Paullus continues to WOW our readers with the BEST Spokane has to offer - He brings us Rhandy Rhoads Remembered from NAMM
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Sherry Keith
Mystic Photography continues her up close and personal view into the Vegas music scene with Y&T...
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8
Stupidly easy things you can do to keep your camera working into the next half-century.
Do you clean your lens with your shirt? Major Fail. Whether it’s a sub-$200 compact or a DSLR and a set of lenses that cost more than $10,000, digital cameras are pricey investments regardless of your income, yet many of us treat them like the disposable plastic shooters you buy at Walgreens. With proper care and following common-sense tips, your camera and lenses could last for a long time. The next time you shoot, keep the following in mind.
Your shirt is not a suitable cleaning cloth
The clothes you wear soak up dirt and sweat, so why would you want to transfer that gunk onto your lens? Yes, it’s convenient when you’re in a jiff, but it’s a surefire way to damage the glass. The fabric can also scratch the lens – same rea-
son why your eye doctor tells you not to clean your glasses with your shirt. Besides shirts, this also applies to Kleenex or paper towels. The above image demonstrates what you should NOT do. The best way to remove dust or prints is to use a lens tissue, microfiber cloth, a specialty brush made for cleaning lenses, or an air blower – NOT compressed air.
Strap it on
Chances are that you’ve had a lot of things slip out of your hands (there’s probably a joke in there somewhere, but you get the picture). We can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen people drop their point-and-shoots or smartphones while taking a shot. What surprises us is the number of people who use DSLRs without a strap – and those things are expensive. Use the strap that comes with your camera – whether it’s a budget compact or a pricey DSLR. If you don’t having a noose around your neck, try a gadget like the Capture
Camera Clip v2, which tethers your camera to a belt or backpack strap.
Cap it shut
As you know, your camera loves photographing Mother Nature, but it hates the crap she throws at it: dirt, humidity, liquid, etc. When not in use, cap the front of the lens, as well as the back of the lens and the front of the camera if you have the lens removed. This should be common sense, but we’ve seen this infraction way too often. Lenses are your most valuable assets, so be sure to treat them with just as much care as your would with the camera body. Check out these lens care tips from Canon. (Image via Visionstyler Press/Flickr)
Don’t overexpose the sensor
If you’re using an interchangeable lens camera, you’ll inevitably have to expose the sensor whenever you switch glass (you can rely on an “all-inone” lens that covers wide-angle and telephoto, but what’s the fun in that). The problem is that the sensor is like a magnet for dust, made worse if you’re outdoors. The key is to minimize the amount of time the sensor is exposed to the elements – do it quickly, don’t go ordering a coffee while you’re swapping lenses. Also, face the camera downward as you take off/put on lenses. Since the sensor is the heart of your camera, take extra care when you clean it. There are tools made especially for cleaning sensors, like the SensorKlear Loupe Kit from Lenspen.
Memory is precious
Memory-is-preciousIt goes without saying that you should never remove a memory card while the camera is on, especially if it’s writing to the card. If you see a rapidly blinking light after you’ve shot an image, it means it’s transferring data to the card. Ejecting the card while the camera is on could damage it, wiping out all the beautiful food porn you shot at the Caesars Palace buffet (or was that just us?).
Never hurts to charge it
Canon-powershot-n-batteryEven if you aren’t using your camera extensively on any given day, batteries can still lose their charge, even lithium-ion variants. A drained battery won’t ruin your camera, although you’re more likely to miss some important Kodak moments. However, if you leave an alkaline battery in a camera for a long period of time, corrosion could occur. Also, make sure the battery is actually inside before you take your camera out (we’ll admit it, it’s happened to us before).
Hold it like you mean it
holding-cameraWe’re guilty of one-handed shooting due to years of holding a compact point-andshoot. Break this habit by always gripping the camera with both hands, as it’ll minimize shaking that cause images to be blurry. If you’re using an interchangeable lens camera, grip the right side with your right hand and support the lens from the underneath by holding it on top of your left palm. You should be able to easily adjust the lens while keeping it secured and steady. Use a tripod for even more support.
Don’t be left without your bag
Poler-Camera-CoolerIt may be cumbersome to haul around a bag or case while you’re out shooting, but it’s the simplest way to care for your equipment. But don’t just throw it into any backpack – get something that offers cushioned support for your camera body and lenses, if you’re carrying several (make sure each lens has its own compartment).
Camera Care
<CV> I understand that Chaotic Resemblance was started in 2006 by Travis when you were a freshman in High School. Tell us a little about that.
<TRAVIS> Yep, Yes Ma’am. I always felt like I was supposed to play music and stuff, I felt called by the Lord to do it. To go out into a hurting world and spread hope through the music and through the rock n roll and the songs he has given me. In 2006 I started Chaotic and kind of been going from there. We didn’t start full time until about 4 years ago.
<CV> So you went full time with Chaotic 4 years ago?
<Travis> Yes
<CV> *laughing* So, I don’t know how to pronounce the city so I am just going to say.. Oklahoma, is that correct?
< Travis> Let’s see how you do it.
<L.A.> *laughing* What do you got, what do you got?
<CV> *laughing* Nope, not gonna do it. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Oh no, you got to give it a shot, give it a chance
<CV> I think I’m going to pass *laughing*
<TRAVIS & L.A.> *laughing* No passing!
<CV> Ok fine, you are from.. *laughing*
<L.A.> Ok, it starts with a P! *laughing*
<CV> I know it starts with a P, ok fine you are from Poteau, Ok *of course I mess the pronuncia-
tion
tion all up to make it sound like “potato almost*
<TRAVIS> Poteau. See, the story goes that an Indian was walking and he stubbed his toe and he said “oh, my po toe”
<CV> Really? That’s how that went? *laughing*
<L.A.> He wasn’t good at English so he said *my poe toe*
<OZ FOX> He wasn’t good at English *laughing*
<Travis> Yea, so that’s it. No, actually it’s French I think.
<L.A.> It means post, I think. *laughing*
<CV> I hate trying to say things I can’t pronounce because then I feel stupid. *laughing*
<L.A.> I do it all the time, every day!
<CV> Tell us how you came up with the name for the band?
<TRAVIS> We actually got it out of scripture. Isaiah 40:19
<L.A.> 18
<TRAVIS> 40:18 God I gotta get that right.
<L.A.> It’s ok, it was in the ball park. *everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> Hey wait a minute. Stryper did Isaiah 53:5?
<TRAVIS> You better get it right because I didn’t get mine right. *Everyone laughing* Isaiah is a good band name maker right?
<OZ FOX> Yea, I guess so.
<CV> I was gonna say, you all better know. *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> Chaotic Resemblance, we are striving to be a mirror resemblance of Christ but nobody’s perfect. So we are “Chaotic Resemblance” striving every day to be more like him.
<L.A.> One day we will be.
<CV> Absolutely. So there are only two of you, give me a little background on you guys.
<L.A.> Well, one stormy night back in 1855 *laughter from everyone* A man named Richard Edwards created a little known invention that he patented through the federal government. Then in 1992 I was born. *everyone laughing* Then we fast forward to now.
<CV> WOW I now feel old! *laughing*
<L.A.> *laughing* Then we fast forward to now I joined Chaotic in 2012 and been in it ever since. I guess you could say we are going steady! *everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> Oh man, I wasn’t expecting that. Wow *laughing*
<CV> The things we learn. *laughing*
<OZ FOX> Yea *laughing*
<L.A.> In 1855 was when it all started, crazy!
<TRAVIS> Yea we picked him up about 4 years ago
<L.A.> On the side of the road
<TRAVIS> *laughing* That was when we started touring full time. I used to play guitar and we used to be just a three piece, and I was like man, I gotta get somebody good. So I found L.A.
<CV> Well, I have to give it you, you are good! I was watching you and I was like omg I need to get that energy, I’m tired! *laughing*
<L.A.> I was tired the entire time!
<CV> Well you did not show it!
<L.A.> Well I was *laughing*
<CV> Wait till you see the pictures
<L.A.> I’m going to look tired in the face! *laughing*
<CV> That is what photoshop is for. *laughing*
<L.A.> Thank-goodness! *laughing*
<CV> What brought you all together and how did you know this was a perfect fit?
< TRAVIS> We went to high school together, he was a grade below me but we knew each other. At the time the bass player that I had in the band was in L.A.’s old band, I stole him out of that band and then I stole L.A. out of that band. So I knew already that he was good because I had seen him with another band so I was like hey man you wanna play? He went out and bought a new guitar and new amp.
<L.A.> Yea, even before I got the official <CV> It was meant to be.
<L.A.> Oh yea, go big or go home.
<CV> Very nice!
<CV> What got each of you into music and at what age did you know this is what you wanted to do?
<TRAVIS> Oh lord, as long as I can remember I have been screaming out songs. *laughing* When I was younger like we would be driving down the road listening to Southern Gospel in my Grandparents car, I guess that is why I sing the way I do. I would just be screaming ,I guess I was always meant to do rock n roll. They would be like shut up back there! Quiet down! *everyone laughing* I always felt like I was supposed to do music, felt called to do it. I started playing guitar when I was ten; well the first guitar I got was when I was ten. When I was eleven I started playing bass and twelve when I started playing guitar. I always kind of sang and wrote.
<CV> L.A. How about for you?
<L.A.> My mother’s side of the family is very musical and my grandfather used to be on the radio singing gospel songs.
<TRAVIS> His Great Grandfather is actually Beethoven
<L.A.> Yea my Great Grandfather was actually Beethoven the 5th. He made Great movies!
<OZ FOX> And his Great Aunt is Barbara Streisand. *laughter from everyone*
<L.A.> seriously look it up, do a side by side and you will see it. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> True story, so we are at I-hop right? Oz Fox, he’s looking at his phone, looking at me, looked over at Travis, looked back at his phone, flipped his arm and looked at me and said he looks like Barbara Streisand, and low and behold I do! *everyone is in hysterics*
<L.A.> So anyways, when I was 14 I finally gave the guitar one last try, I was like I am going to do it this time because when I was 13 I gave it up because I did not sound crazy good ,so I gave up. When I was 14 I kept going and it felt like I had a job to do. That was using music and to tell people about the Lord.
<CV> Very Nice
<CV> Tell us about your very first show together, how did it go and how were you received?
<TRAVIS> The very first show together or Chaotic in general?
<CV> How bout both?
<L.A.> Yea, both is a good one.
<TRAVIS> The first show ever, we played in some churches but our first real show was in a coffee place in Poteau, but it was where all the bands would go, so we played there and we actually packed it out. There were people even standing outside, we had a lot of friends , yea we didn’t have that many people the next time we came. *laughing* It went alright.
Then with L.A. the first time we played it was great! I didn’t have to play the guitar and I was free and was jumping around like David Lee Roth or something, at least I thought I was. *laughing*
<CV> You have an album that came out in October of 2014 called “Get The Hell out” that happened to be produced by this man standing next to me, Oz Fox of Stryper
<L.A.> The one and only <CV> Which is very cool!
< OZ FOX> I try to be cool, I’m not as cool as these guys. *laughter from everyone* <TRAVIS> you’re doing pretty good!
<CV> Give me some insight on how that happened with Oz coming in, how has it been received? I think it’s an amazing album!
<OZ FOX> Well I got a phone call from, well actually it was a text message from Aaron McCastle who is the keyboardist and guitar player for Phoenix here in town. His brother’s name is Sam and Sam worked with these guys. Apparently they wanted to find somebody to produce their album, and since they had a connection from Sam on to Aaron, Aaron got a hold of me and connected me with them. I think I made a phone call and say hey what’s going on, you guys were in town. I think your manager Rocky basically said hey you gotta hear these guys, we would love to have you work on their album, they need a producer to make them sound like rock. They had already had a lot of producers and engineers in the past that wasn’t quite what they wanted. I really wasn’t looking to produce anybody, in fact in the back of my head I was thinking I don’t know if I can do this. I had a lot of stuff going on, I was really busy that year in 2014 and Stryper was really touring a lot. So I said ok, book some time over at a rehearsal place and I will come and watch you guys play. I thought I would at least go and hear them. I went in and here they come and their hair is like this. *holding his hands far from his head*
<L.A.> His hands are very far from his head. *everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> I was going ok, and there they were and they started playing and every one of their songs was just amazing! The energy was there, the song content was happening, I started shaking. When something is going on my body starts quivering. That’s happened to many times when something great is going to happen. Like when “To Hell With The Devil” album was coming out I started quivering. I thought about it and I was like you know what? These guys need to get a great album and I want to see what I can do to help them make it. At that point we started making plans to do an album. So that’s how it all came together.
<TRAVIS & L.A.> Awwww Oz, you are to cool! We are starting to quiver. *laughter*
<OZ FOX> It’s also like 30 degrees out here. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Something greats about to happen! *everyone laughing*
<CV> I think that’s a GREAT story! I was given their cd, I think I was at The Hard Rock and
I met you guys through David Jones.
< TRAVIS & L.A.> Yep, that’s where we met.
<CV> I got in the car and I popped it in and I instantly loved it and was like wow!
<OZ FOX> Yep!
<CV> How did you guys like working together with Oz, I can imagine it was quite an honor for you guys.
< TRAVIS> It was a total honor!
<OZ FOX> I slapped them around a little bit. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> It was ok *laughing*
<OZ FOZ> Especially when it came to the vocals right? *laughing*
<TRAVIS> You know, I had his poster on my wall, Stryper’s poster, on my wall and when we got back from the studio I tore that crap down. Nah I’m just kidding! *everyone in hysterics* No we had a blast! We would go grab coffee in the morning and go over what we were going to do that day.
<CV> And you still did not have Oz’s famous pancakes?
<TRAVIS> No, no we didn’t. *laughing*
<OZ FOX> But we had a lot of GREAT donuts!
<TRAVIS> We had some amazing donuts! We walked like 2 miles for them!
<OZ FOX> *laughing*
<L.A.> Then they blamed me for eating them all, which I might have done!
<OZ FOZ> Ok, alright *laughing*
<CV> I saw the van!
<TRAVIS> You’ve seen the van? *laughing*
<OZ FOX> You can’t miss the van *laughing*
<CV> I’ve seen the van now. I was telling Oz I saw that video and then when I saw it I was like they were not kidding! *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> It’s real, it’s real. We can’t help it and it gets worse and worse. *everyone laughing*
<CV> It gets worse and worse? Oh lord! *everyone laughing*
<CV> Oz, I hear you also played on a couple of tracks?
<OZ FOX> Uh, I played cow bell.
<TRAVIS>*laughing* He did, he played cow bell. *laughter from everyone*
<OZ FOX> I played cow bell on a song, it was Son Of Man. So there was a cool break and I get to hit the cow bell right as it was coming back into the chorus. It was really great. *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> He was the only man for the job.
<CV> Did anybody yell more cow bell? *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> Oh yea, we made all kinds of cow bell jokes. *laughing*
<L.A.> I honestly still have a fever! *Travis and Oz laughing*
<L.A.> I do, and the only prescription is Oz’s cow bell. *everyone laughing*
<CV> I’m going to remember that one forever… *everyone laughing*
<CV> Give us some insight on the song and music writing process; is it a joined effort or does one person do all the writing?
<TRAVIS> You know honestly, we steal all our
stuff. No just kidding. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Yea, then we mix it all together so no one knows. *laughing*
<TRAVIS> Honestly it will usually start with either a riff or an idea of a melody or with a scripture we have been reading, something like that. Then we will sit down or if we are not with each other, I mean it’s me and L.A. that write all the songs. He will send me a riff and I will write to it or I will send him a chorus or a verse and he will write some riffs or solos and send me back some more ideas like we could do this cooler here, so we just write it out like that. The one we are working on right now we actually wrote on a napkin the other day because we had this idea and we just grabbed a napkin.
<CV> That’s cool though!
<TRAVIS> Yea we had this idea so we just found a napkin and just try to make some points and go from there.
<L.A.> Napkins
<CV> That’s ok, I’m the Queen of sticky notes. You go into my office and they are everywhere, then they will get moved around and I get all confused. *everyone laughing*
<CV> Tell us about the recording process, anything you like or dislike?
<TRAVIS> I loved it all it was a blast.
<L.A.> I loved it, it was challenging
<CV> Really? That’s not something I hear very often. *laughing*
<
TRAVIS> No really, it was great. I really enjoyed it. We got it done quicker than we thought we would. We were ready to get in there and we did it.
<L.A.> It was great, we got along good.
<TRAVIS> We did a lot of practicing. There wasn’t too much grueling stuff, I mean there was some grueling stuff but it was more like new ideas. It wasn’t like oh my gosh you didn’t learn your part. *laughing* So it was good. We had a blast.
<OZ FOX> Didn’t we kind of literally check
mixes blasting through my car?
<TRAVIS> Yup yup we did
<OZ FOX> I mean, you gotta blast this music through a mustang stereo system, that will be the best. *everyone laughing* You will hear the best mix ever! *laughing*
<TRAVIS> That’s how we mixed the album, so if you are not in a Mustang blasting it, it’s not going to sound right! *everyone laughing*
<CV> *laughing* Oh great, I drive a Kia so what does that mean? *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> You need a Mustang!
<OZ FOX> I’m sorry. It needs to be a Cobra SVT Mustang, black.
<L.A.> Write it down. *everyone laughing*
<CV> What is the motivation behind the songs your write? Do any of them speak to you on a personal level and if so why?
<TRAVIS> Yea, all of them. We try to make every song have some kind of meaning because we only have such a small window because when someone is listening they are only going to listen for so long. So if you have a bunch of meaningless songs then all they are going to listen to is a meaningless song. We like to spread hope, we feel like Jesus is awesome so that’s what we try to get across in our songs and stuff. To tell people that there is a God out there that loves you regardless of what you have done, that is pretty much what most of our songs are about. We have other songs, we have some love songs. We have songs like that.
<CV> There is a ballad on this album, what is that song?
<TRAVIS> Star
<CV> Yes, I totally fell in love with that song.
<TRAVIS> You can thank Oz, he made me. *laughing*
<OZ FOX> See, I told you
<CV> Oz, you made him? *laughing*
<L.A.> He twisted our arm
<OZ FOX> Part of the process for a producer is to pick songs. So it was one of those things where that was one of the songs they sent me, they sent me a group of songs actually. That one I thought, that has to be on the album. It’s different but it works. It really does.
<CV> It totally took me by surprise.
<OZ FOX> Yea
<CV> It was like we were rockin out and all of a sudden BAM!
<OZ FOX> Bam! It’s an epic song to so that is the great thing about it.
<CV> Yes, and Travis it showcases you have a wide range and that’s what else I liked as well. I was like wow.
<TRAVIS> Yea it’s actually all auto tune! *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> No No, I’m kidding there is NO auto tune! *everyone laughing*
< OZ FOX> We had the best technology we could have
<TRAVIS> Oz, you got me, you knew it.
<OZ FOX> I knew it, I knew it was going to do something to the ladies *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> How you doin *in a Joey voice* *everyone laughing*
*laughing* You cannot use the story I told you about lip syncing
<L.A.> uh –huh *laughing* No, I’m talking about main stream music awards you know with Justin Bieber on their singing in a waterfall with the mic five feet away from his face, it doesn’t matter. We are very raw, we don’t do tracks.
<TRAVIS> We would love to bring back the rock n roll
<CV> Thank-you!
<L.A.> I think it’s coming around. I mean you see little boy bands now with leather jackets and spikey hair so it’s starting .
<CV> *laughing* I know right? *laughing*
< TRAVIS> It is starting slowly but surely.
<CV> Tell us about the music industry today and where you think "Chaotic Resemblance" fits in?
< L.A.> It’s a very pop filled, track filled, lip synced filled
<CV> I am one of those where I like a little bit of everything. I mean people see me with tattoos, wild hair and then they will hear Bocelli coming out of my office. *everyone laughing*
<CV> It’s so funny because they will ask me are you ok, have you been drinking? *laughing* I’m like no, I like everything! I like Blues, I like Jazz
<TRAVIS> YES!!!
<CV> Frank Sinatra, don’t even get me going.
<L.A.> Frankie!!!!
<TRAVIS> Now see, there is only one Frankie in my heart, know who he is?
<OZ FOX> No, I don’t know what you’re talking about .
<TRAVIS> Frankie Vallie
<CV> Oh yes, very nice!
<
TRAVIS> Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, all Four Seasons. I listen to that stuff!
<L.A.> Four Seasons, His favorite hotel to stay at is the Fifth Season * everyone laughing*
<CV> The reason that I bring that up is because a lot of the music I hear these days, I don’t really care for. It all sounds so redundant, it all the sounds the same. You can’t tell anything apart.
<TRAVIS> Right
<CV> That’s why I was really excited when I heard you guys. I was like YES! Finally!
<TRAVIS> *laughing* It’s something different
<CV> Exactly!
<TRAVIS> Everyone might not like us but they can definitely say this is different. *everyone laughing*
<CV> Yes, but it’s amazingly different so you are doing a good thing.
they buy way more of our stuff than people here in the U.S. We are very blessed to have that avenue to show off our music.
<CV> I would love to go overseas, everything is so different over there.
CV> Oz, this may be a question you would like to answer. How do you feel about music download sales, would you prefer a return to CD's and Vinyl?
<CV> What are your thoughts on the use and necessity of Social Media?
< TRAVIS> Honestly if you want to get anywhere and you want people to see you, you have to use Social Media.
<L.A.> Everyone is on it.
<TRAVIS> It has its pros and cons obviously, but it’s cool that you can connect with people from all over the world. We have tons and tons of fan’s and supporters from overseas that we have never even met and
<OZ FOX> Well, I love vinyl. Vinyl is fun, you had something you held in your hand and you put a needle on it and it plays this great sound. I mean I grew up with it, I love it and I miss it, but conveniently, it’s very convenient to download. I download albums all the time. I buy full albums off of I-tunes all the time.
<CV> Yea, I buy a lot of albums off I-tunes as well.
<OZ FOX> It’s great because the whole catalog is there. I can find anything I want. That really is a neat thing to have. Then I can burn it and play it in my car. I have the best of both worlds really .So for me yea, I’m into it. Has it hurt the industry? I
don’t know if you want to say “it” hurt the industry as much as they put it together that way. They created it and didn’t realize what it would do to the industry, but it happened and here we are. We have to make the best of it. On the other side of it, I think for the sake of musicians that can’t get on a record label, that is a great platform to be able to put your music out and sell it online and have people download it. I think that’s kind of a plus too.
<CV> I would have to agree with that.
<CV> Ok, so you are obviously here in Vegas at Vamp’d tonight, I’m sure you already knew that. *laughing*
<TRAVIS> Correct
<L.A.> What?
<CV> You didn’t know you were here? *laughing*
<L.A.> No one told me! *everyone laughing*
<CV> You opened for Y&T, you have to be pretty excited about that. You have opened for them a few times from what I understand?
<TRAVIS> Yes, we are excited, we love Y&T. We opened for them a couple years ago in Oklahoma City and it was awesome!
<L.A.> They are currently playing one of our favorite songs right now! This is a good time to talk about Y&T.
<CV> You have played Vamp’d a few times now as well
<TRAVIS> This is our tenth time playing Vamp’d.
<CV> Is it really?
<TRAVIS> Yes, within a year and a half.
<CV> This is my first time seeing you live
<TRAVIS> Within a year and a half *laughing* So that is pretty cool, we love Vamp’d!
<CV> Tell us about some of the other shows you
have played so far, I see you have played Rocklahoma and a few other festivals.
<TRAVIS> We have played everywhere from LA to New York, we have played a lot of places!
<CV> You have played with some of the greats, Y&T, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt, L.A. Guns, Enuff Z'nuff, P.O.D., Devil City Angels, Faster Pussycat, Oz Fox of Stryper and many more. Tell us how that came to be and how it felt to play with them. I can imagine how honored and excited you all were!
< TRAVIS> We did not play with Stryper, but we did pull Oz up on stage with us once!
<L.A.> Is that the first record of you playing bassoon stage Oz?
<OZ FOX> Probably ,I had never played bass before.
< TRAVIS> We are gonna take that. *laughing*
< TRAVIS> Where was that, at Toadz?
< OZ FOX> Yea, it was Toadz in Cedar City *laughing*
<L.A.> He played bass for us that night at Toadz in Cedar City He did great!
<CV> At a place called Toadz? *laughing*
<TRAVIS> Yea, I told him Oz, if you are going to play with us, you have to let your hair down and you have to sling it! *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Oh he did
<CV> Did he sling it?
<TRAVIS> Oh yes, he kept up!
<CV> Nice! *laughing*
<L.A.> He put me through my paces! *everyone laughing*
<CV> You learned a lot didn’t ya? *laughing*
<L.A.> I did, he taught me everything I know. *everyone laughing*
<CV> With all of the festivals you have played and all the amazing artists that you have played with, what did you take away from that?
<TRAVIS> We are just thankful, very thankful and blessed that we even get to do this at all.
<L.A.> Yea, that these two crazy red necked kids from Oklahoma can come out and play
<CV> From a city this girl could not pronounce *laughing*
<L.A.> Yea, exactly *laughing* Where did these guys come from? I can’t tell you. *laughing*
<TRAVIS> You aren’t stupid enough to pronounce it right *everyone laughing*
he wouldn’t do it. So I was like yea, I’m the new kid and I want to show them up. I want to earn my spot, earn some dues.
<CV> Oh no, so you took your pants off and threw them? *laughing*
<CV> I like to ask this and I get some interesting stories at times. Any funny stories to tell from tour life?
< L.A.> Oh man, that we want to share? *laughing*
<TRAVIS> We have many funny stories but *laughing*
<L.A.> It’s not to say we don’t have any appropriate ones because we do.
<TRAVIS> Oh wow, what’s a recent one?
<L.A.> How about the hwy one?
<TRAVIS> Yea, that’s a good one *laughing*
<L.A.> Ok, so my first funny tour experience, we are almost home. Travis dares me to take off my pants and throw them at his dad who is driving. Me and the old bass player from back in the day,
<L.A.> Yep, I took my pants off and threw them at his dad. Next thing I knew my pants were out the window and on the hwy. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Wait, no, I said, I want my pants back. So his dad says ok, I’m pulling over. You run around the van three times and I will give them back to you. So I got around one time and they took off. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> So I’m running down the hwy and my pants end up in the grass median between the hwy’s. So I run across the road, and they swing around, I get my pants and get back in the van. It was very close to our home town so I am sure everyone saw it.
<CV> I wonder if it’s on YouTube! *laughing*
<L.A.> No, that one isn’t.
<TRAVIS> We’ve looked! *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> We have blocked and flagged them all. That is the only one I can think of right now. *everyone laughing*
<CV> Oh, that is good enough! *laughing*
<CV> What can fans expect to see at a "Chaotic Resemblance" show?
< TRAVIS> Hair slinging around
<L.A.> Sweaty dudes, fast music.
<TRAVIS> Chaotic
<L.A.> Chaos in motion
<TRAVIS> You are going to see a rock show. When you go to a rock show, you don’t want to just hear it, you want to see it. Like when you go to a movie, you don’t pay to hear the movie, you pay to watch it. I think that is what a lot of bands are missing these days.
<CV> You are right. I will go to shows sometimes and I am shooting and there is a lot of times that one guy that is kind of like in the corner and just playing like he is not really into it, just standing there. So I’m like, ok I am going to take his picture but there won’t be many because they are all going to look the same. I like action and you guys are definitely that. I was kind of feeling bad for you a little bit, I was like I wish that drum set was not there because you guys would have been all over the place!
<L.A.> I almost tripped on my water bottle. *laughing*
<CV> I saw that actually *laughing*
< TRAVIS> It was like a five foot radius
<L.A.> You had to own it baby
<TRAVIS> Yea, you have to own your radius *laughing*
<L.A.> Here is your allotted spot, own it.
<CV> Do not cross this line *laughing*
<CV> You are right though, people like to “see” a show not just hear it. So you guys are like the full package.
<TRAVIS> Thank-you!
<CV> Your welcome!
<CV> Do you have a favorite place to play and why?
< TRAVIS> Really it’s here at Vamp’d.
<L.A.> Oh yea, this is my favorite place
<CV> I feel really bad knowing now knowing that you guys have played here ten times now and this is my first time seeing you play!
< TRAVIS> I know!
<L.A.> Where have you been? *laughing*
< TRAVIS> The people and the way they treat us.
<L.A.> Yea, we really love Vegas, it’s a home away from home for us. They treat us so awesome, when we get here finally we are like oh we found our people and they found us.
<CV> Korie and Danny are really good people.
<TRAVIS> Oh yes, they are wonderful, thankyou for having us so much! We appreciate it!
<CV> To Date, is there any one show that is memorable for you and stands out and why?
<TRAVIS> Oh man, there are so many memorable shows. Let’s see, the last Rocklahoma was really cool! We were supposed to play Saturday night at Midnight but we got rained out and it was all stormy with tornadoes and floods. Two kids died. So we didn’t think we were going to play, but we ended up playing the next Sunday at 5. We didn’t know if we were going to have a crowd really because we told everyone we would be playing the night before. It ended up being so packed when we were playing and it was raining and stuff, so we were splashing around and rocking out in the water, it was rad!
<CV> Was that the video I saw and you were crowd surfing?
<TRAVIS> Probably
<CV> I actually posted it and I was like that is really cool!
<TRAVIS> I do it quite often but it was probably that one. It’s my favorite kind of surfing. *laughing*
<CV> I don’t know how you do that, I would be afraid somebody would drop me. I mean, what if you jump out there and someone drops you?
<TRAVIS> Well that one was scary, because I promise, you can see in the video that I’m gone for a minute.
<CV> Yea, I was where did he go?
<TRAVIS> I went down to the ground and then I went back up. I saw the ground and my face was like right there. I was like well, I shouldn’t have went face first.
<L.A.> Travis is a man of faith, he took many leaps of faith, you can tell he is so faithful. *everyone laughing*
<CV> Well that was a big leap of faith because I would not trust anyone to do that.
the journey of "Chaotic Resemblance"
<TRAVIS & L.A.> *at same time* Las Vegas.*
<CV> Smarties *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> I think we are right where God wants us. I think great things are yet to come, we are writing and setting up our next tour and stuff and we just want to go through the right doors and not the wrong ones.
<CV> You have to be careful, that is what Oz is for.
<L.A.> Exactly, he’s a great Uncle.
<TRAVIS> He’s our Uncle Oz. He is our Mentor.
<OZ FOX> I am Uncle Oz
<TRAVIS> He has taught us a lot of what not to do.
<OZ FOX> I have an open door with these boys. They have my number, they have not called me at three in the morning yet.
<TRAVIS> Yet! *laughing*
<TRAVIS> Wait, we have talked at three in the morning.
<OZ FOX> We have?
<TRAVIS> We’ve sent some stupid videos back and forth. *everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> Sometimes the older guys like us have to be there for these guys.
<CV> A mentor
<OZ FOX> The worst thing would be for them to
<CV> Where do you think you are right now in
meet the wrong kind of people and then kind of screwed over. That’s something I would not want. If I knew they were going to hook up with somebody who was not good for them I would let them know right away. I wouldn’t hold back.
<TRAVIS> That is exactly what we need.
<CV> There are so many people out there just dangling carrots so you have to be careful.
<OZ FOX> Yea
<L.A.> No carrots, because I don’t even like carrots.
<CV> What do you like to do in your down time? Who do you like to listen to? Stryper of course.
< TRAVIS> Stryper of course!
<OZ FOX> Don’t lie, they’re lying. *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Anything with Oz in it. That was my road trip music when I went out of state.
<TRAVIS> We only listen to SinDizzy.
<OZ FOX> Oh yea sure. *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> 24/7
<L.A.> 25/8 actually we added a day.
<OZ FOX> I don’t think she knows who SinDizzy is.
<CV> I actually don’t.
<TRAVIS> Well, Oz and Tim Gains had a band and Oz was the singer
<OZ FOX> In the 90’s , it was a project. There is an album out.
<TRAVIS> It was great!
<OZ FOX> It isn’t a band anymore
<TRAVIS> Go look it up, it’s amazing!
<CV> Now I am going to go home and look it up.
< TRAVIS> You will love it!
< OZ FOX> I was the lead singer of the band
<TRAVIS> It’s very very good!
<CV> Nice!
<TRAVIS> I love Frankie Vallie, I love the Beatles, Paul McCartney and The Wings, then you know Bon Jovi ,Metallica, pretty much anything rock.
<CV> Are your families supportive of your career?
<TRAVIS> Oh yes, 100%
<CV> Now Travis I know you are married, I saw you at NAMM and you introduced me to your lovely wife.
<TRAVIS> Yes, five years now.
<CV> Five years, wow
<TRAVIS> Right out of High School.
<CV> Awwwww
<TRAVIS> I snatched her up so nobody else could.
<L.A.> Wonderful people! They let me eat all
their food at their house. *everyone laughing* They have not kicked me out yet. *everyone laughing*
<CV> What advice would you give a band just starting out?
<TRAVIS> Practice, Practice, Practice!
<L.A.> Don’t give up, if people quit just keep going.
<TRAVIS> Yea, some people do quit.
<L.A.> If you are not good get better.
<CV> Call Oz to help you. *laughing*
<L.A.> Call Oz Fox
<TRAVIS> Oh yea, Sir Oz Academy!
<L.A.> That’s right, SirOzAcademy.com He will give you the keys to the kingdom! He will open up your mind. It takes a lot to blow my mind, but the stuff Oz showed me did.
<OZ FOX> Oh good!
<L.A.> My mind is still not together yet.
<OZ FOX> There is more stuff coming up so you can catch that on SirOzAcadamy.com
<L.A.> Go to it!
<CV> What is your favorite thing about being on stage? What motivates you to do what you do?
<TRAVIS> Oh yea, the people for sure! Getting to do what we do.
<L.A.> Getting to do what you are made to do and we were made to do music and we love it, and we love people.
<TRAVIS> That is how we talk to people, that’s the reason we do it.
<CV> What does "Chaotic Resemblance" have planned for the rest of 2016? Any tours or projects in the works?
<TRAVIS> Yea, right now we are booking. As far as the dates go our tour starts in May and we will be out for about a month.
<L.A.> Hopefully more
<TRAVIS> Yes hopefully more will be booked
<L.A.> Hoping to pop out a single
<TRAVIS> Yea, we would love to get a single out this year. Then we have a new music video we are working on right now for “Invade.”
<CV> What would you like to say to your fans and our readers?
<TRAVIS> God loves you regardless of who you are and what you have done, there’s hope. Thankyou so much for supporting us and listening to our music and watching our videos of our craziness and our dirty van. *laughing*
<CV> I am not going to get over the dirty van. *laughing*
< TRAVIS> It’s really bad, really bad. *everyone laughing* Our shuttle bus is even worse!
<L.A.> Yea, it’s bad! Just wait till you see that one!
<OZ FOX> I have not seen that one.
<TRAVIS> We have bunks and a T.V. in there so it’s all good.
<L.A.> We don’t keep the T.V. covered, we keep the pile of stuff below that. Everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> Oh, well that’s just great.
<CV> So inquiring minds behind me want to know if you guys drive with Febreze *laughing*
< L.A.> Hey, Febreze is our friend! *everyone laughing*
<L.A.> Honestly, I fart a lot and my farts smell
so good, we don’t need febreze. It’s it’s own air freshener. *everyone laughing*
<OZ FOX> It’s a febreze suppository.
<L.A.> Exactly! Hey, that’s not a bad idea. *everyone laughing*
<TRAVIS> We sell them at our merch table, $5.00 *everyone laughing*
<CV> Oz, is there any final words you would like to say?
<OZ FOX> Make sure you use Krusteaz pancake mix every time you make pancakes
<TRAVIS> Absolutely! It matters!
<OZ FOX> Add a little more water to it because you like them thin. Make sure you butter every one when they come off the griddle. There you go, oh and 100% pure maple syrup. That is all I have to say, thank-you.
