Interviewing Chris cannon from Vertigo Venus
By Griffin Swartzell
There are few experiences as rewarding for a fan as live music, but tickets for big name artists tend to be very expensive. Local bands, however, tend to charge far less for tickets, and are certainly excellent. One of the most notorious bands in the Albuquerque music scene is the synth-punk outfit Vertigo Venus, and they’re certainly no slouches in concert. Recently, they released an EP titled Success or Suicide, and have planned a free show at the Coronado mall in Albuquerque on Saturday, August 21 to promote it. Paydirt caught up with Vertigo Venus’s guitarist and one of the founding members, Chris Cannon.
Paydirt: How did Vertigo Venus start/how did you end up with your current lineup?
Vertigo Venus: Vertigo Venus started in 2003, at first Jeff (Cannon, vocals/keyboards) and I had no intention on being a two piece band. Let alone the singers. Growing up in Detroit, we were always in four or six piece bands. We held auditions for singers, drummers, and bass players. No one worked out or never made it to their audition. We had two shows booked in the summer of 2003, with no band.
So, instead of canceling the shows we did the singing and played what we had. We made a record shortly after that, called Sing Pretty. In 2006 we started to write our 2nd record, Run For Your Lives. This time we wanted to record bass and extra keyboards. So Jeff and I chose to hold auditions again (for “Live Guys”). Only two people tried out, Kenny (Cornell) and Buddy. Kenny originally tried out for Keyboards but the first song into his try out, he flat out said “I wanna play Bass.” I said “Okay, there is a bass, pick it up and play this…”
He did just fine. Buddy, we met through our sister Debbie. We did not know buddy played, he never mentioned it until I asked him if he knew any keyboard players. So Buddy tried out and was hired. Now at first Kenny and Buddy were not official members. Jeff and I wanted the band to still be all ours. Things were on a roll and in late 2007, we had the honor of opening up for ChemLab. They had a live drummer that also played to a backing track. Jeff and I thought “Let’s give that a try”.
We were going to try out two drummers, one drummer was too busy in another band. So we tried out Brian Botkiller, whom we already knew from Diverje and Brian Botkiller (solo artist). It worked. In February of 2009 Jeff and I asked the “live guys” to become full-fledged.
Kenny and Brian stepped up, buddy stayed as a “Live Guy”.We had to let Buddy go on May 3, 2010. One month later, Jess (Crockett, keyboards) joined. It’s kind of funny how she got hired on. She got wind that a calendar called New Mexico Pin up rocks! was having a casting call if you will. She told us “I know I am not in the band, but I got in the calendar”. The four of us said “you’re hired” (not in that lame Donald Trump kind of way).
Note: Chris later mentioned that Brian has fully replaced their drum machine as of their new EP, SOS, and that all of their drums from now on will be live.
P: Who are some of your biggest influences, musically speaking?
VV: A lot of bands, Slayer, Samael, MSI, KMFDM, Twisted Sister, The Darkness, and so on. We all listen to different styles so it’s kinda hard to say.
P:Your song “Punk Rock Cheerleaders” seems to crack wise about emo kids and aesthetic punks who “don’t know what it means.” What is your opinion on the state of punk music today?
VV:Punk is whatever it wants to be. Some of it sucks and some of it doesn’t. That’s the great thing about it.
P: Speaking of Punk Rock Cheerleaders, you recently recorded a new, different version for your EP Success or Suicide (SOS). Any reasons behind that you could share?
VV: Oh god yes! The Sing Pretty version was simply out dated. With the new line up it made since to re-record it and make the song kick ass even more.
P: What’s up with your show on the 21st? What’s the goal behind it?
VV:The show on the 21st will be held in Coronado mall in Albuquerque NM for the “Shop ’til you rock” show. Hot Topic has a hand in it. We just played one in Farmington NM and it went great. The goal behind this for us is, have Hot topic put our new record in stores all across the state and then some. This gig could seal the deal. It’s really important that people come to the show and BUY THE NEW RECORD and other merch. Even if fans and friends already have it hahahaha.
P: What’s down the road for Vertigo Venus?
VV: We need a van, BADLY! We have already toured before and played Phoenix enough to get people to come see us. So we really need to sell our new record, then buy a van of some sort so we can tour again. We hope Hot Topic works out, that could be our tour. Going from store to store playing live and selling the new album to people.
P: And, last one for the fans at NMT, is there any chance we’ll see you in Socorro any time soon?
VV: If you book us, we will come. Just don’t feed us Blake’s Lotta Burger, long story.
