Rob Milley: Following Summer Slaughter, we will head to the States for an extensive tour throughout October and November. Bands and dates for this should be announced soon. We are looking into some possibilities to head to Europe, and more US tours will follow for early 2009.
Do you have any pre concert rituals?
Alex Leblanc: I do vocal warm-ups and stretch. I also try to just relax before going on stage so I can explode as soon as it starts.
Rob: I always find at least 10 minutes to do stretching exercises to get all the muscles and tendons warmed up. We try and put on the most energetic performance as possible so the body really takes a beating if you don’t stretch properly.
What are your van essentials?
Rob: As of lately, everyone seems to bring a laptop and a PSP in the van. It helps kill the time while we are on long drives from city to city, or when we have nothing to do at the venue before the show starts. To save on always going to restaurants we bring a cooler in the van and do some groceries.
What are the largest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?
Rob: The largest crowd was a hometown show in Montreal with Anonymus and Quo Vadis. The venue sold out at 2,300 people! We played a show in upstate New York a few years back and there were only three people at the show. It was fun, though, because we just decided to go absolutely crazy and play like maniacs in front of those three persons. After the show, they couldn’t believe how energetic we were and said it was one of the best shows they ever saw…. So for us, it was worth it to have played for them.
What was the first concert you attended as a fan?
Alex: The first metal concert I ever attended was a Metallica show. I was 15 years old and there was like 30,000 people. Suicidal Tendencies and Danzig were opening. I had the time of my life and couldn’t wait for my next concert.
Rob: First metal concert I ever saw was Anthrax with White Zombie and Voivod in 1993. I think this forever changed my life!
Any tour horror stories?
Rob: Once we were driving from Las Vegas to Wyoming in the month of February and in the middle of the night, like 3am and our van broke down in the desert. We were stuck there with no heat with freezing temperatures. It took the AAA tow truck three hours to reach us. Just before he arrived we were at the point of getting frostbite in the van. Another time we were driving in northern British Columbia in the mountains and we hit a deer. The deer was killed and our engine was scrapped! That split second before hitting it, I had the biggest jolt of fear in my life! We found a house way out in the middle of nowhere and luckily, they let us use their telephone to call a tow truck…it was weird though, kind of like a scene in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie.
Do you remember the first show your band played?
Rob: I remember my first show with Neuraxis; it was with Dying Fetus in Quebec City in front of 400 people. I was nervous as hell. My first ever show with my first ever band was called Cursed, and I was 15 years old playing in a bar.
What band did you have the best time touring with?
Alex: Well, I have fun with every band I’ve toured with. Last year, we toured Canada with Martyr, which are personal friends of ours. It was a blast. Also, we toured with Blinded by Faith and I never laughed so much in my life. I guess every band is different and have something nice to offer.
Rob: We’ve toured with a lot of bands that have had some really nice people. Some of my favorites: Misery Index, Martyr, Cephalic Carnage, Decapitated, Necrophagist, Alarum, Arsis, Harm, Blinded By Faith, Gross Misconduct, F%$k The Facts.
How did you get started in music?
Rob: At around 8-9 years old I wanted to play guitar but nothing happened…then around 12 years old I first picked up the violin in high school. It helped train my finger coordination. Then I sold my hockey equipment and bought a BC Rich Warlock. I took a few lessons to get started but after that I learned everything on my own. Around 15, I formed my first metal band called Cursed, then played in a death metal band called Utopic Sufferance and then I joined Neuraxis in 1996 at age 17.
Was there a song or album that inspired you to want to perform music?
Alex: I remember seeing Suffocation in ‘95. I was 16 at the time. Their show was so powerful that on that day I decided that I wanted to be a metal singer in my life...It’s as simple as that.
Rob: AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” inspired me to start playing the guitar. Then I heard Megadeth’s “Hangar 18” and this really sparked the flame inside to play metal.
Who are some fellow guitarists you admire?
Rob: Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman of Megadeth, Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson of Testament, Chuck Schuldiner of Death, Bill Steer and Mike Amott of Carcass, Jon Levasseur of Cryptopsy, Isahn of Emperor.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Rob: Neuraxis will be filming our first video for the track “Darkness Prevails” and it should be available in September or October. Pick up the new album and come out and see us when we play in your city. Cheers!
