Chunks World Local Band
Interviews
06/23/2005 Midshift and Mike
By Micheal Hakathel
Midshift
Midshift Official web site
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Midshift
Thursday, June 23rd '05
This past weekend my band and I took
a trip to Springfield IL. and played and hung out with
these guys. We already knew them from playing gigs with
them in St.Louis and were also already huge fans of
their music. We partied for 3 days straight and got to
know Midshift well. They are one of the most supportive
Chunks of Meat bands out there and are very loyal to
their fans, friends, and family. They are very goal
oriented as far as their band goes and are a very well
oiled machine on the stage. They again blew us away with
their music and intensity. Their stage show is near
flawless, high energy, and way beyond most bands that
have only been together as long as they have. They play
as much as possible and said that they do not know what
to do on the weekend if they do not have a show to play.
Off the stage they are a blast to party with and
seemingly exist only to get back on the stage.
They are:
Mike Rabbe - vocals
Nick Beal - bass
Sean Welker - guitar
Paul Lockwood - bass
Where are you guys all from?
We are all basically from Springfield
IL. accept for Mike who is from Mason City. Mike further
says that he guesses that he'll claim that for home. But
we rehearse in Springfield.
Where did the name Midshift come
from?
We used to have this old Peavy amp
that had a mid knob and a shift knob. Sean was always f-ing
with those knobs. He just wouldn't leave them alone. So
when we were deciding on a name we just kinda combined
those two together and got Midshift.
How long have you guys been
together?
About 2 years. Sean and another
guitar player were jamming together. Next Nick was
added on bass and Paul on drums. Our first singer was
Big John. Mike was singing in another band at that
time. His cousin was friends with us and we went to see
the band that Mike was playing in. We all liked the way
he sang and started trying to get him in with us.
Finally Mike saw and heard what we were up to and made
the change.
What genre would you put your
music in?
Well we wouldn't want to be strapped
to one genre. Realistically we probably fall between
hard rock and metal. Real hard rock though. But we put
no boundaries on what we do musically. We don't want to
be limited at all. No limits, but on the hard or heavy
side of that all. We are basically high energy. Any show
that we play, big or small, is a good one as long as the
energy is high. That's what we get off on, it's pure
adrenaline.
What's the metal scene like in
Springfield?
It's actually kinda week. We do well
but we work hard and promote our asses off. There are a
lot of good bands up here but also a lot of lazy bands.
But it's like anywhere else, you have to work hard to
get noticed.
What do you think of the St.Louis
scene?
From what we've seen we all like it.
The fans seem to get into it more. And it seems like
there are more opportunities for bands in St.Louis, with
the bigger clubs anyway.
Why did you guys come all the way
to St.Louis to join Chunks?
Because of the scene and the whole
Chunks family. There isn't anything like it in
Springfield. There is a music community but Chunks is a
family. We are also looking to go above and beyond our
local scene, get as much exposure as far around the
midwest as possible, and make as many fans and friends
as possible. Then head out on tour. We are planning a
three week tour out west this fall or winter.
Who are some of your influences?
Wow, tough question. We are
influenced by all kinds of music and stuff. From old
school metal and stuff to modern music and especially
modern metal. With our style and sound there is no
denying that. But even a little rap and mainstream music
influences us. Underground stuff too. We all have our
own backgrounds and stuff that we were raised on and
that is in there too.
You guys were in like the final 30
bands in the Battle for Ozzfest last year, what was that
like and how was that trip to New York?
The trip out east was really cool. We
really got a lot closer as a band, the whole experience
made us a lot tighter. We met so many cool people and
bands. It also made us realize our goals and how serious
we are with this band. It was crazy but we would do it
again in a second.
So what are your ambitions as a
band?
Our main focus is to get as well
known here and get as many fans as possible and then try
to take it to the next level with the touring and all.
Our main goal is to make a living from this band. When
we don't have a gig we are looking for a gig. Right now
that is not a problem though.
What do you think of the current
state of our society?
A lot of what we believe in is
that people focus too hard on other people and what they
believe is right and wrong for them. That's all just a
personal opinion you know. We are not pissed at society
or our government in particular though. Sean always says
that he hates everybody equally. Just kidding, but
that's a lot of the focus of our lyrics. Life lessons,
every day is a lesson.
What do you guys do when you are
not playing music?
Drink, smoke, hang out with friends,
practice, and talk a lot about playing music. You know,
video games and the usual stuff. But we are mostly just
killing time until the next time we play and having a
good time.
What kind of practice schedule to
you guys keep?
We practice every Tuesday and
Thursday no matter what and if we don't play on Saturday
then we practice on Sunday too. We spend about 2 hours
practicing, an hour or so concentrating on writing, and
the rest of the time just hanging out and messing
around. That's where a lot of good ideas come from.
Who is your favorite Chunks band?
Cleevage and Baine, it's a toss up.
Lee is a really cool guy also. We really dig what he has
and is doing for all the bands. We like a lot of the
Chunks bands though.
What is next for Midshift?
We are opening up for Static X in
Milwaukee Wis. with Bloodsimple and 10 years on July
19th and the summer is booked solid. Then we are
heading out!
Any last words?
We would just like to thank all of
our friends and families for all of the support. And Lee
and the Chunks scene also for accepting us. We
appreciate it all. Peace.
I can't speak highly enough of these
guys. They are true to what they do and are really
talented musicians. They deliver every time they play
with all the energy they have. They really care and are
serious about their goals. If there is a band from
Springfield IL. that gets signed, their name will be
Midshift!!!
Mike,
Chunks of Meat Local
Band Interviews
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