INTERVIEW: Red Fang's Bryan Giles with podcast

My first exposure to Red Fang was on a Relapse Records sampler. The song was "Number 13" from their album Murder the Mountains. As someone who listens to a lot of death and black metal, Red Fang's massive, swinging sound stood out to me as somehow "Southern." It wasn't what I usually listened to but, hey, I really liked what I heard. I can listen to both kinds of music, HEAVY and METAL, can't I? And Red Fang was definitely heavy.

Only later did I learn this stoner metal group hails from Portland, Oregon. I put them on my list of bands I needed to see live. And I hate myself for missing their sold out show at the 9:30 Club in the fall of 2011 when they toured with Mastodon. What did it matter that I had a final paper to write?

I can nearly forgive myself now, as Red Fang embarks on a short tour with another heavy stoner metal band, The Sword, form Austin, Texas. The combination of Red Fang with The Sword should bring out an interesting crowd of PBR-drinking, long-haired biker types. 

Red Fang starts off June with a short headlining tour before meeting up with The Sword on their home turf. The duo plays Baltimore on June 21 at Sonar, which is where I will see them,. For this show, and a couple others, they will be joined by Liquid Metal favorites, Kyng from Los Angeles.

Again, these three bands sharing one stage is almost too much to comprehend. The evening will be ruled by beer bellies, big beards, heavy guitar riffs and clean melodic masculine vocals. If this show only had a BBQ going in the alley and a burnout contest in the parking lot, my sweaty, rocking' redneck-y evening would be complete. 

I had the chance to speak with Red Fang's guitarist Bryan Giles recently, and he told some interesting stories about their recent European tour with Black Tusk (another band I need to see live). The conversation ranged from the importance of funding art in public schools to wardrobe and hygiene while on tour. Thanks for the chat, Bryan.

You can listen to the entire conversation at this the link below. 







Red Fang headling dates include:
June 1: Seattle, WA @ Highline

June 12: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
June 13: Salt Lake City, UT @ Bar Deluxe
June 14: Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
June 16: Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves

Red Fang mini-tour supporting The Sword dates include:

June 17: Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds (feat. Honky)

June 18: New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues Parish (feat. Honky)
June 19: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (feat. Kyng)
June 20: Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade (feat. Kyng)
June 21: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar (feat. Kyng)
June 22: Westchester, PA @The Note (feat. Kyng)