Acey Slade
Words by Kay Weston
On the unwritten checklist of things needed to do to qualify as a rock star, there’s not much left for Acey Slade to tick off. He’s been a member of some of the biggest bands in rock- namely Dope, Murderdolls and Trashlight Vision- and has also played with Wednesday 13, Amen and Imperative Reaction, with total record sales topping a million. He’s also dabbled in producing for Scottish band Billy Liar and also turned his hand to DJing. Now the New York rocker is going it alone with his first solo album “The Dark Party”.
Fans of Acey’s previous bands might well be disappointed by his solo offering. Having made his name as a metal guitarist, it may come as a surprise to find that he brands his music as “dark pop/electronic rock” or more precisely, according to his Vampire Freaks profile: “Gwen Stefani meets Slayer...a big shot of black tar in the bloodstream while running though the streets of Tokyo at night. It’s a world full of fallen angels who have sneaked out of heaven’s backdoor and gone to a night club where Depeche Mode and Johnny Thunders showed up on the guest list.” And who could possibly turn that down?
“Arguably, both Gwen and Slayer are music icons. I love both and thought, “What a great way to have some fun. Can you imagine telling Kerry King, ‘Dude- you and Gwen are my two idols!’” he laughs. While it may seem an unlikely combination, Acey somehow pulls it off. The guitar is still as present as ever, but it’s mixed with electronic elements to create infectiously catchy pop with a rockier edge that just won’t stop playing on your mental jukebox, no matter how hard you try. It’s just different, but you can’t quite put your finger on why. This may be due in part to Acey’s unusual decision to work with renowned drum and bass producer Shaun Morris. “Shaun is a legend. To have someone of his calibre want to collaborate with you is an honour. No way could I turn that down. Plus, it was fun for two people who have huge palates of music to pick each other’s brains. He turned me onto dub step, I turned him onto J-Rock,” Acey explains.
When it came to the songs themselves, Acey certainly didn’t have a lack of inspiration when it came to the lyrics. It’s not hard to realise they come from the heart. “My personal experiences influence the songs a lot. Almost all of my lyrics are all based on what’s about to happen in my life. It’s like doing a tea reading or something. Not that I can see the future, but I will say this: a few months after I write a song, it comes true.” He has enough material to work with, as this year he celebrates eleven years of being completely sober. “When my family thought I was dead, that was my turning point. That being said, I still believe in decadence and the rock and roll lifestyle. I still live that way minus the drugs and booze. I’ve gotten almost all my tattoos and gold albums in sobriety.”
Two EPs have already been released. The first, ‘Sex,Murder,Art,Baby!’ was a limited release of 200 via MySpace and sold out pretty much immediately. This was followed by the “She Brings Down the Moon” EP and a tour of America supporting Combichrist. The album, “The Dark Party” is expected to be released later in the year. Why the name? “Because that’s the vibe I wanted to create. A place where dark souls can cut loose and have fun.” Fair enough. Luckily we’ll be getting the chance to experience a dark party of our own when Acey hits the road with his band in May and brings his rather impressive UK show to an unsuspecting city near you. I’m not going to ruin the surprise, but it could get...sparkly.
So what’s next for the man who seems to have been everywhere, done everything and has the tattoos and piercings to prove it? “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll quit, move to Japan and be an English teacher while studying to be a monk. Who knows? I’ve had weirder ideas!”
http://www.myspace.com/aceyslademusic
Posted Tue, March 17, 2009