Interview: Dying Scene Exclusive with Frank Casillas (Voodoo Glow Skulls)

This Saturday, San Francisco played host to many live shows, however the most festive was that of the annual Vandals‘ Winter Formal with Voodoo Glow Skulls and Knock-Out. Dying Scene was fortunate enough to talk with Frank Casillas (singer of the Voodoo Glow Skulls) about what’s new with the Riverside rockers. Check out the full EXCLUSIVE  interview here.

The Winter Formal still has dates scheduled. Find out when the holiday cheer will be spread over your town on the band’s Dying Scene Shows page.

First off, great set, it’s always awesome to see you guys play. And thank you for taking the time out to sit down with me and chat.

DS: You played the Rebellion Fest in England this year for the second time. What interested you about this festival originally, and what brought you back for a second year?

FC: Well we’re always in Europe touring it seems like, and we’ve been asked to play the festival in the past. This will be the second year, and it’s just good to be asked to play a festival like that. There’s just so many punk bands new, old, you know all kinds of different styles of music. I think it is the ultimate punk rock festival. You go there and you really feel the lifestyle, not just the music. It’s awesome, you get skinheads, rude boys, straight up punks, all there for the same goal. And nobody starts any shit. I don’t think we could pull something like that off here in the states, to be honest. It was fun the first year, and I guess we did good enough to where the promoter took notice and asked us to come back. We’re going again this year [summer 2010].

DS: Where is your favorite place to play?

FC: Mexico is our favorite cuz it’s just a different vibe down there. People don’t get to see the music as much so when you’re there the people really take it to heart.

DS: Do you have a favorite city in Mexico?

FC: Guadelajara is good. Mexico City is awesome. Both of those cities are close. Huge punk scene there, people really embrace the music. It’s their life there man. I mean, here we have a lot of people that are the same way, but there it’s a little bit more realistic because people aren’t as fortunate as they are here. They don’t take stuff for granted as much there.

DS: What is your favorite song to sing?

FC: El Coo Coi is always fun. It’s a spanish song, and any country, anywhere we go it comes across the same. It’s kind of cool to have a song that’s in a different language, and it doesn’t matter where we go we get into it just as much, so it’s pretty fun.

DS: Do you believe in El Coo Coi?

FC: Uh…hahaha. I still do kind of.

DS: Were you raised to be afraid of El Coo Coi?

FC: Always man. Mexican families, that’s the way it is. They scare you into being good.

DS: You’re known for coming on stage with a Mexican wrestling mask. How did that get started?

FC: We just started doing it one day. It’s part of Mexican pop culture, and it’s kind of become a part of us. Ya, it’s just something that we started doing, we just started collecting them and putting them on. People kind of expect it from us now.

DS: It definitely adds a different touch, especially because you’re that anonymous punk, and you might take it off after one song, you might keep it on for several songs, I love it.

FC: Ya it kind of trips people out, especially those that are seeing us for the first time and don’t know what to expect.

[at this point in the interview brother/guitarist Eddie walks past with a delicious smelling pizza]
DS: Eddie do you have anything to add?

EC: Pizza.

DS: Do you ever have trouble singing songs with the mask on?

FC: I try to get ones that I can actually sing through, you know. I mean some of them you can’t, ya it’s fun man, it’s cool doing that shit.

DS: Do you ever run into sibling problems while on the road? How do you deal with them?

FC: Ya, we have those moments. When you’re together on the road especially when you’re three brothers. It’s not so hard for us, but harder for the other dudes in the band. They gotta be subjected to silly sibling rivalry bullshit. I mean, we don’t fight all the time or nothing, but when we do, you know, it sucks. But I mean, the cool thing about it is that we can get over it real quick, and the next day everything’s fine. That’s how a lot of bands break up; dudes get into fights on tour, hold a grudge, and the next thing you know people are going home.
We are fortunate, but to answer your question, yea it happens.

DS: Over the years, you guys have produced albums for bands, created a record label, toured the world, and released hit after hit of great music; what’s next for the boys of VGS?

FC: Just to maintain man. It seems like things are kind of…even though there’s the whole Digital Age and download era that’s happening, we’re kind of like below the radar when it comes to that stuff. I mean, to me, we don’t make any money off our records anyways; record labels don’t really pay us. We make our money on tour, so if someone goes out there that’s into the music so much to where they’re gonna just download it or whatever, and as they’re listening to it and coming to the show, that’s where it starts. I think it’s kind of going back full circle in a way to where now the live show is starting to become more important and I think people are coming to that awareness.

DS: Have you ever thought of bringing other instruments in to add to the Voodoo sound?

FC: We think about it all the time. We always try and incorporate new stuff, but right now the way we travel with just the six guys on the bus. We’ve tried to figure out a way to keep it as minimal as possible without compromising the sound, and just basic for all of us so we can have a good time on tour. And also, more people on the road is more money spent. But we’re fine right now. If anything, on records we’ll definitely bring in different instruments and add stuff.

DS: You have a new album coming out spring 2010, what can fans expect?

FC: Progression for sure. Just a little bit more, I guess you could say, well we’ve taken our time with this album, a little bit more well thought out. We’re trying to make it one of the best records we’ve ever made ‘cuz I mean, we’re at the point now to where music’s kind of up in the air and stuff. We’re just trying to keep it going and hopefully the fans will embrace it and like it. We’re trying to be diverse and progress without compromising our signature sound. But we’re happy with the new shit so far man. We released two songs on a Japanese split with a band called Redemption 97. It’s only available in Japan but the songs are basically the first two songs we finished, they’re not even our favorites. They asked us for a couple songs and we happened to have those and we’re like hey, let’s just put them out there and see what people think. But so far it’s been really good, that’s a good sign. People have responded pretty good to them.

DS: Pepsi or Coke?

FC: Coca-Cola for me.

Thanks again Frank for taking the time out to give us a little more insight into the life of Voodoo Glow Skulls. Until next time….Who Do Voodoo? We Do!

—-Milhouse—-