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Ever since Phil Caivano joined Monster
Magnet I've been in touch with the
guitarist on very regular bases. After six years of hanging out on
several occasions, numberous e-mails and many fine parties, we
decided it was about time to finally do an exlusive interview for
this site. Here's the result : an interview with a man obsessed by
rock, a very talented musician in heart and soul and a good friend
of mine ... enjoy ! |
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Serge
: Phil,
you joined Monster Magnet back in 1998 shortly after the Powertrip
release, most people know about how you and Dave both have been in
the band Schrapnel in the mid-eighties and you fronted Blitzspeer
later on but can you give us some more insight about what you have
done music wise in between the demise of Schrapnel and joining
Monster Magnet ?
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Phil :
I was in Blitzspeer for sometime. It was like rehab.
The guys were great. The whole thing got me back on my feet,
learned to function and play guitar all
over again this time. I also took a job driving a cab in
NYC so I could make my own work hours and concentrate on music. A
while after Blitzspeer fell apart I got a call from Jimmy and Todd
from Murphy's Law. They were looking for someone to play bass on a
European, US and Japanese
tour. I knew Jimmy and Todd Youth from my days hanging around the
NYC Hardcore scene, it was a great time. I started to get the
studio bug around that time also from making the records with
Blitzspeer. I also wrote with Todd and Jimmy while playing with
those guys. After that I moved to LA to start a band and look for
a gig working in production. Out there I tried to start a band
with my good friend Dan Druff, I couldn’t find studio work so I
took a job in a coffee shop. That lasted for about a year then
things started to change..
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Serge
: What’s
the story behind joining Magnet in ’98. Have you been in touch
with Dave and the band all that time or did you ran into an old
friend (Dave), heard about how he was looking for an additional
guitarist and decided to join forces ?
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Phil
: Dave
and I always kept in touch. I lent him a bunch of gear for the
Dopes record. The sunburst Les Paul I still play is one of the
main guitars on that record as well as some of my Marshalls. He
asked me to play bass on a track but I was off to Europe with
Murphy's. While working at the coffee shop I met a women who told
me her husband had a studio and might be looking for someone to
help out. His name is Matt Hyde.. A while after that I get a call
from Dave telling me he's coming to LA to record the next record
(Powertrip) with … you guessed it, Matt Hyde. It really is a
small world. I was around for a lot for the recording and mixing
of Powertrip. Dave and I hung out quite a bit in LA after the rest
of the band went home to Jersey. I went back to see my family for
the Holidays. That’s when Dave asked me to sit in and play
guitar on Spine of God for a New Years show in NYC so he
could set a guitar on fire!! It was great but I never thought I
would be in the band or anything. It just never entered my mind. I was
working with Matt at the time so I was set to go back to LA. The
night before I was going back to LA Dave and I got to one of our
favourite diners.. That’s when he asked me to join the band. I
was very surprised. I knew I was going to do it, I just had to get
to LA, finish up some work … the next thing I know I'm out
touring the Powertrip record and playing guitar in the band.
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Serge
: Were you a Monster Magnet
fan before you joined the band ?
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Phil
: I was a fan from the very beginning. I was at a
lot of the early show with Tim doing vocals. Those shows were
great. I can't believe it was that long ago. I’ve also always
loved Dave’s song writing. He just has a certain nack for great riffs and turning them into songs and let's not
forget about the lyrics, they're awesome …We also grew up on the
same stuff so I’ve always known where he was coming from. |
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Serge
:
Besides
being in Monster Magnet you are also active as a producer for
other bands. I heard about Heavy Liquid and Electric Frankenstein,
any more info on that ? Are there more bands you produced or
helped out in the studio ?
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Phil : I
did the Electric Frankenstein thing during a Magnet break. It was
supposed to be demos .The next thing I knew it was out
being advertised as produced
by Phil Caivano from Monster Magnet ... I was kinda pissed but
what the fuck. I worked with Heavy Liquid. They were old
friends of mine and they asked me to help them with a recording. I
did some other things here and there. One thing I did was produce
a track for a Motörhead tribute for Chrome Locust. They did
Metropolis. Michael Wildwood and Todd Youth were in that band.
That was a fun one. I also helped Jon and Tim mix the Gallery Of
Mites record. I also did some guitar on that one.
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Serge :
You
are also mentioned as assistant producer on Monolithic Baby, have
you been involved in the entire recording / producing / mixing
process this time around ?
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Phil :
I was
involved with Monolithic Baby since day one doing everything it
took to get this record together. Dave would bring songs he did at
his house over and we would record them at my place, then bring it
to the band. I engineered the demos, played guitar, worked out
bass parts with Dave and Jim. I think spending the time on the
demo’s really took this record to the next level. We had a lot
of songs to choose from. So on the record I did more of the same.
Play guitar, bass on some tracks, did some engineering, editing
,even some background vocals ... It really was a great time. |
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Serge :
The guys in Heavy Liquid
told me you build yourself a home studio in NJ a couple of years
ago, any interesting stories about that ?
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Phil : The only interesting story is
that I was working on music 24/7 for the last two years getting
this record together. I have demos of songs that are on the record
that date back to right after the God Says No tour. It’s really
just a home studio we use a lot for pre-production. I got way into
working with Pro Tools. It was frustrating in the beginning but
once I got over the hump it was great
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Serge : You’ve been in the band
for nearly six years now and experienced some of the most radical
events ever happened within’ the Monster Magnet camp, like the
mega success of the Powertrip album, the departure from A&M /
Interscope, signing with independent label SPV, new rhythm
section. etc. how was it so far and what’s your point of view on
all the recent changes ?
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Phil : I
totally except the changes ... I knew and understood why it had to
happen. I really enjoy playing with Jim and Bob and I liked
working with Michael on the record. I became friends with Jon and
Joe so I do miss them around but I’m still friends with them I
just don’t play in a band with them now... Jon and I are better
friends now then when we played together. We alway talk about
recording music. Before we went on this tour I lend him some mics
for the Rib Eye Brothers record. I think the changes freaked out other
people more then us. I don’t pay a lot of attention to the label
stuff. I don’t like it. I never did ...
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Serge :
I
always wondered what you do during periods where Monster Magnet is
kinda put-on-hold … like in between the God Says No tour and the
release of Monolithic Baby. I can imagine if you do something 24/7
for a long time and you finally get home after a tour your going
for something completely different … or am I wrong ? I mean,
Ed’s always busy with side projects and stuff, Dave writes songs
for the next Magnet album or works on a soundtrack but in between
Magnet releases we hardly ever hear anything about you … are you
happy to focus on something else or still busy making music /
producing etc. ?
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Phil : Well
the God Says No tour was cut short by Dave needing an operation on
his knee. That’s when I went full on with the studio stuff. I
worked with Hatebreed on both their records, I took time for
myself .Then got right to work. I also did some work on the
“Torque” soundtrack. I explore new areas of recording, write
and enjoy my personal life.
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Serge
:
What’s
your point of view on today’s music scene. Can you still be
excited about a new band’s release or are you sticking to the
old school stuff. Do you check out bands live, hang out at local
clubs, listening to new releases ?
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Phil : I
don’t go out much. It’s hard for me to get excited about new
music. Most of it
sucks so I do stick with what I know. There are some things out
there I get surprised where I hear them and get really into it
when I like it.
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Serge :
Is there something like a NJ scene out there? From here it
looks like there’s really a productive thing going on there, I
mean, bands like Solace, Atomic Bitchwax, Core, Lord Sterling,
Black Nasa, Halfway To Gone, Solarized etc. etc. all work on each
others records, team up for the Gallery Of Mites and Scene Killer
projects. Nearly everybody in Monster Magnet seems to work with
everybody else out there, is there a special vibe going on amongst
all the Jersey rock bands?
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Phil : I
really don’t know but I guess there’s a scene. Where we're
from its a small town so every one knows each other and helps each
other out. Most of them all rehearse at Jim’s place so you
can’t get away from it.
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Serge : How is it to be part of a
hard touring band like Monster Magnet. Even after all these years
you guys always seem to enjoy yourselves on the road. A lot of
bands who are around as long as Monster Magnet kinda have the
“been there, done that” attitude and think about touring as a
necessary evil. How is touring for you personally?
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Phil : Touring has always been fun for me. I wouldn’t
do it if I didn’t like it ... I feel lucky to still be able to
do it. If it ended tomorrow I can at least say I played with some
great guys and played in a great band. When you get this
opportunity you better enjoy it because it may never happen again. |
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Serge : How
important is it for you to keep in touch with the fans? You’ve
always been great to me and often during long periods of
in-activity of the band you dropped me a note to give me the scoop
about what was going on in Monster Magnet land, which is awesome.
I think it’s pretty important to you to keep the fans informed.
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Phil
: I
try to stay grounded. Some of the fans are nuts but as a musician
I realize we have nothing if we don’t have fans. I’ve always
have felt a contact with you since I got turned on to your site
from a friend when I joined the band. I always felt like I should
check in with you. You and Natacha also were good at keeping in
touch with me. So I knew if I keep you posted you would get it out
there...
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Serge
:
Well,
it’s been a hell of a ride so far, do you see yourself and the
rest of the band doin’ the same thing in let’s say ten years
from here? Unfortunately we live in a fast changing world but some
bands like Motörhead seem to get away with it. How about Monster
Magnet?
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Phil :
That’s a hard one
because you never know what is going to happen. That’s one off
the reasons I like it so much. I know we have it in us !
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So here's to another decade of Monster
Magnet, thanks a lot Phil for taking the time to do this interview.
[Serge] |