{"id":8785,"date":"2012-01-25T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2012-01-25T11:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southeastofheaven.com\/?p=8785"},"modified":"2012-04-28T10:50:00","modified_gmt":"2012-04-28T14:50:00","slug":"blowin-wind-with-bob-pantella-of-riotgodmonster-magnet-i-cant-even-imagine-being-in-just-one-band-i-think-id-be-bored-to-tears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=8785","title":{"rendered":"Blowin’ Wind with Bob Pantella of Riotgod\/Monster Magnet: “I can\u2019t even imagine being in just one band. I think I\u2019d be bored to tears.”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Next to Warren Haynes, Bob Pantella has to be one of the busiest guys in Rock N’ Roll. In addition to playing drums in Monster Magnet, Atomic Bitchwax and Cycle of Pain, Bob also is one of the creative forces and the drummer for New Jersey’s own Riotgod. Riotgod has just released their latest album “Invisible Empire” and has been getting some really positive reviews. I managed to catch Bob on a rare day when he wasn’t running around doing a million things and caught up with him. It was great catching up with him as we talked about everything from touring in a van to his thoughts on the Black Sabbath reunion. Hope y’all enjoy this one!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Happy New Year Bob! \u00a0It\u2019s been a while!<\/strong><\/p>\n

You too man. \u00a0Yeah, I know. \u00a0It\u2019s been like a year right? \u00a0How have ya been?<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been great man. \u00a0It\u2019s great to finally catch up with you again. \u00a0So you just got done with European run with Monster Magnet. \u00a0Are you pretty much done with winters in Europe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laugh]. \u00a0Man, I\u2019m pretty done with Winter everywhere. \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Bob,I have to start off by saying congrats on a killer new album with \u201cInvisible Empire.\u201d \u00a0What an awesome release. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks man. \u00a0I appreciate that.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

So the album has already been released in Europe. \u00a0How has it been received over there?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Man, really well. \u00a0The reviews have been great and people are loving it. \u00a0So far so good. \u00a0It\u2019s going a lot better than I ever expected.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

The last time we talked the debut album was just coming out but you guys didn\u2019t tour much in the states for that one.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, we did just a few shows in the mid-west and then we did Europe. \u00a0We didn\u2019t really tour a whole lot for that one but we\u2019ll be touring a lot more for this album this year. \u00a0We\u2019ll do a run in the states starting in February. \u00a0Unfortunately we\u2019re not playing Atlanta. \u00a0I wish we were [laughs]. \u00a0The closest is Pensacola.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

You\u2019re killing me man.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] \u00a0Man, I love Atlanta and I\u2019m not sure why we\u2019re not playing there but we\u2019re going to start here in the states and then wer\u2019e going to go over to Europe for a bit. \u00a0We\u2019re going to do another another run in the states during the summer but we\u2019re going to play the Wacken festival in Germany which is huge.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

What an amazing festival for you guys to be a part of.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s going to be insane. \u00a0I\u2019m already psyched for that more than anything!<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

You\u2019re a busy dude Bob. \u00a0Between all they constant touring with Monster Magnet and your other bands Atomic Bitchwax and Cycle of Pain, where did you find time to write and record a new Riotgod album?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, we did a tour last summer from June until middle of July, we came home and I slept for about two weeks [laughs]. \u00a0At the beginning of August I started working on the Riotgod stuff. \u00a0We had a few things written here and there but the album had to be done by the end of August [laughs]. \u00a0It took about five weeks to do the whole thing so that was my summer. \u00a0I spent it all in the studio.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

How did the creative process for \u201cInvisible Empire\u201d differ from the debut? \u00a0I remember you telling me that a lot of the songs from the debut were written a while before it was recorded. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah. \u00a0The difference was that it was a lot more focused. \u00a0The process was pretty much the same except that it was all done at once as opposed to little pieces here and there. \u00a0That makes a big difference because you focus on the album as a whole instead of two or three songs at a time. \u00a0The writing process was just more focused. \u00a0It wasn\u2019t as scattered as the first record. \u00a0We really didn\u2019t know who we were as a band on that first record and now that\u2019s changed so it was a lot easier.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

I love that on \u201cInvisible Empire\u201d each song seems to wear a different hat and there are so many different influences from song to song. \u00a0I feel like you guys put a lot of thought in emphasis on each song individually. \u00a0Is that a far assumption?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah. \u00a0I can totally be looked at that way. \u00a0Especially with the acoustic stuff, there was really no plan for that. \u00a0There was one acoustic song that I had written the music for like 20 years ago and I had been wanting to something with that song forever but there was no vocals. \u00a0I gave it Mark (Sunshine; vocalist) and asked him to do something with it and I just wanted to get that out of my system.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Which song is that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the song \u201cGas Station Roses.\u201d \u00a0The other one was a kind of Tony Iommi \u201cLaguna Sunrise\u201d type of thing. \u00a0Now if you you listen to that one and then listen to \u201cLaguna Sunrise\u201d you\u2019ll know where that was coming from [laughs]. \u00a0It was perfect because Mark was kind of depressed at the time over splitting up with his girlfriend so he wrote the lyrics to that one in like 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Another thing I loved about this album was that I never knew what to expect from song to song. \u00a0With the debut, three songs in I kind of felt like I knew what to expect vibe wise but with \u201cInvisible Empire\u201d, just when I thought I had it figured out a song would come on and go completely opposite of where I thought it was going to go. \u00a0I love that it\u2019s such an unpredictable album.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks. \u00a0That\u2019s really cool. \u00a0I like that personally in an album. \u00a0I like unpredictable stuff.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Is there some significance to the title \u201cInvisible Empire\u201d? \u00a0What\u2019s the story behind it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You know what? \u00a0The music and the title are not related at all [laughs]. \u00a0There\u2019s really nothing to read into to be honest. \u00a0We just thought it sounded like a cool title and it\u2019s as simple as that [laughs]. \u00a0If you get stoned enough, I\u2019m sure it will relate to the music [laughs].<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Dude, if you get stoned enough, everything relates to everything.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] \u00a0Then it will all make sense! \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Riotgod has been a band a bit longer at this point than you were when you made that first album. \u00a0Did you feel like the songs came to you a bit easier and quicker being that you all know each other a lot better?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh yeah. \u00a0It made it a lot easier and it went a lot faster because you know how everybody operates musically in the studio. \u00a0It made a huge difference and it saved a lot of time too. \u00a0We didn\u2019t have a lot of time to sit around and experiment for months and months. \u00a0We had a deadline and we had to get it done before the tour but playing together and touring together made it much easier this time.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

You\u2019re a busy dude Bob. \u00a0You\u2019ve got Riotgod, Monster Magnet, Atomic Bitchwax and Cycle of Pain. \u00a0Do you ever look at what you\u2019re doing and say, \u201cI think I want to focus on just one project with all my energy\u201d or do you enjoy being spread thin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, I do enjoy it and I\u2019m able to spread myself out like that. \u00a0I don\u2019t think I could do one more band. \u00a0I\u2019m definitely at the max. \u00a0Well, if the money was right then I could one more [laughs]. \u00a0I\u2019m maxed out but I love it. \u00a0I mean, what else am I going to do? \u00a0Everything is different. \u00a0With Atomic Bitchwax, Chris (Kosnik; bass\/vocals) runs that and he deals with all the business side. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t do the business side of all four bands so Riotgod is my thing. \u00a0I take care of all that but in Monster Magnet and Cycle of Pain, I just play the drums. \u00a0I still have to tour with all these bands and that\u2019s consuming but whatever band I\u2019m touring with at that time, that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing and I\u2019m 100% in it.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

How do you keep it together? \u00a0Do you ever just forget where you\u2019re at and go, \u201cWhat fucking band am in right now?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

All the time [laughs]. \u00a0What country are we in? \u00a0What day is it? \u00a0Is it 5am or 5pm? \u00a0[laughs] \u00a0I like being busy. \u00a0I mean, I can\u2019t even imagine being in just one band. \u00a0I think I\u2019d be bored to tears. \u00a0I would want to be on the road constantly. \u00a0We\u2019d probably make 3 albums a year. \u00a0I\u2019m just used to being in that pace. \u00a0I like having a different head for ever band. \u00a0It\u2019s a whole group of different personalities and it\u2019s a different way of playing. \u00a0It\u2019s great because musically I get to stretch out.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

This upcoming Riotgod tour is going to be the most extensive US run you guys have yet to do. \u00a0What can people expect from a Riotgod live show?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, \u00a0if we\u2019re opening up for somebody and we\u2019re only playing 45 minutes or so, it\u2019ll just be balls to the floor because you don\u2019t have much time. If we\u2019re doing a headline show we\u2019ll play a longer set and it will be a lot more dynamic. \u00a0It\u2019s pretty much balls out rock. \u00a0We\u2019ll maybe do the acoustic stuff mid-set and kind to give it some dynamics so it\u2019s not just on \u201c11\u201d the whole time. \u00a0We\u2019ll have some projections and a light show going on.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

So you guys will have like ramps, stairs and pyrotechnics and shit like that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] \u00a0Man, I wish. \u00a0That would be great. \u00a0I would love to have that.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Man, I miss seeing bands with big ass productions like that. \u00a0Even arena bands these days don\u2019t do it up like they used to back in the day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, I miss that shit. \u00a0I\u2019m a Kiss fan. \u00a0I grew up on old Kiss and I love that stuff. \u00a0For some bands, it would be weird if they did that stuff. \u00a0Like Aerosmith, they\u2019re just a straight ahead rock band but if you go see Kiss or a band like that, you wanna see a spectacle. \u00a0I love that stuff. \u00a0I want to see Appocolypse Now! \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

So when Riotgod headlines arenas, we\u2019re gonna get that show right?<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] \u00a0I would love to just blow stuff up and maybe play some music in there somewhere. \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Bands just don\u2019t seem to reach that status anymore. \u00a0Last time we talked we touched on the fact that people just don\u2019t go to shows anymore. \u00a0They don\u2019t go for the experience like they used to.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh yeah. \u00a0I think a lot of that has to do with the entertainment you can have at home. \u00a0You don\u2019t need to go anywhere but you\u2019re missing out something. \u00a0It\u2019s like watching a concert on TV and being there is a completely different thing.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Exactly. \u00a0I mean, I don\u2019t wanna watch shit on YouTube. \u00a0I want to go to a show and I want to get sweaty and maybe even knocked around a little bit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] I wanna get banged up, drunk and the \u201cwhere\u2019s my car\u201d bit.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Are you guys touring in a van or do you guys get a tour bus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the states,since it\u2019s just us, we\u2019re doing the van thing which is always hilarious. \u00a0In Europe we\u2019re actually splitting a bus with another band so at least on that tour we\u2019ll be comfortable.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

I remember talking to Tom Hunting of Exodus once and he said that he has to tour in a bus because at his age he needs to sleep vertically at all times.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] \u00a0I\u2019m short so in the van I\u2019ll wind up curled up in a ball in the front seat upside down. \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s on an off night.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Man, that\u2019s every night [laughs]. \u00a0Sometimes we\u2019ll just go punk rock and once we get to the gig we\u2019ll go \u201cWe have to find a place to stay tonight [laughs]. \u00a0We don\u2019t want to spend money on a hotel so we\u2019ll just find somebodies house to stay at and just pull up some floor.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

I just think it\u2019s sad that the states can\u2019t even come close to being as responsive to live music as Europeans are.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh man, you go over there and the people are hardcore about going to see live music especially with the summer festivals. \u00a0It\u2019s great. \u00a0I wish it was like that here.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve got all these great festivals in Europe like Download and Wacken. \u00a0Why can\u2019t we get that shit here? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

[laughs] Yeah. \u00a0I think a lot of it has to do with regulations and laws and money. \u00a0I see stuff over there at these festivals that they would never do here. \u00a0At this one festival, they had this big crane and a Jagermeister bar tent that holds about 25 people with a hook on the top. \u00a0The crane then hoists the bar up about 10 stories and you just drink Jagermeister sitting a bar 10 stories in the air for 30 minutes. \u00a0They would never do that shit here [laughs].<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Being that you\u2019re a big fan, what are your thoughts on Black Sabbath getting back together?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh I think it\u2019s great. \u00a0I love it. \u00a0They\u2019re all still alive so why not? \u00a0[laughs] \u00a0I mean, it\u2019s really all about Ozzy at this point. \u00a0If he\u2019s in good enough shape and he\u2019s sober now, why not? \u00a0It all comes down to him.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Do you think that there is some point where a band should just call it a day?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You know, that\u2019s just up to the band. \u00a0The Rolling Stones. \u00a0\u00a0They\u2019re still good ya know? \u00a0I mean, maybe if someone dies? \u00a0I mean, bands like The Who, they should just stop. \u00a0Zeppelin did the right thing with Bonham died. \u00a0Van Halen still sounds great. \u00a0They\u2019re killing it. \u00a0I never expected that but wow.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Man, I\u2019m just real picky about these bands that I loved as kid coming back. \u00a0I just fear that they won\u2019t live up to my expectations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, don\u2019t ruin the idea I had of you as a kid.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

What have you been listening to these days that you\u2019d like to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lately I\u2019ve been listening to this band called Black Mountain from Vancouver. \u00a0I really dig them. \u00a0They\u2019re just a great rock band. \u00a0I\u2019ve been listening to The Black Angels a lot as well. \u00a0Those two bands I really like a lot.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

If you could put three albums in time capsule to try and explain to future generations what rock n\u2019 roll was all about what would they be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think one would be \u201cBack In Black.\u201d \u00a0Black Sabbath\u2019s first album and just to throw them off I\u2019d have to say Lynyrd Skynyrd\u2019s \u201cNothing Fancy.\u201d \u00a0[laughs]<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Is there a particular artist or musician that you\u2019d love to work with that you haven\u2019t done so already?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh yeah. \u00a0I\u2019d love to work with Jimmy Page. \u00a0He\u2019s just a studio genius and I would love to work with him. \u00a0I\u2019d just love to meet him [laughs]. \u00a0I would just love to pick his brain for an hour.<\/p>\n

=======================================<\/p>\n

Bob, thanks again for doing this….<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks so much Don. \u00a0I really appreciate it and I hope to see you this year in Atlanta. \u00a0We\u2019ll see what happens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thanks to Bob for yet another really fun interview.\u00a0 For more on Riotgod, head over to: <\/em>http:\/\/www.riotgod.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Next to Warren Haynes, Bob Pantella has to be one of the busiest guys in Rock N’ Roll. In addition to playing drums in Monster Magnet, Atomic Bitchwax and Cycle of Pain, Bob also is one of the creative forces and the drummer for New Jersey’s own Riotgod. Riotgod has just released their latest album “Invisible Empire” and has been getting some really positive reviews. I managed to catch Bob on a rare day when he wasn’t running around doing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[194],"tags":[587,586,527],"class_list":["post-8785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interviews","tag-bob-pantella","tag-monster-magnet","tag-riotgod"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8785"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8785\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}