Interview With Slayer Tribute Band, Dead Skin Mask Guitarists
Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005
by METAL HEAD
Here
is a SLAYER tribute band that is a cut above the rest. Tribute bands
get a bad rap due to all the people out there that can not actually
play that artists music properly. I have been a fan of Slayer for many
years. I have never seen a tribute, with exception to THE ATOMIC PUNKS,
get this close to a bands music, especially Slayer's. Dead Skin Mask is
not a look a like band. They are a tribute band. You will not see
SLAYER, but you will hear them!
Hey guys. Saw you Friday at Bonds 007. Nice job! (4/29/2005)
DannyM
Cool! I'm glad you liked the show.
Javier
Do you play 10 times faster than Slayer all the time, or just Friday? Wow!!
DannyM
No,
not all the time. When I practice at home I play along with the CD at
Slayer speed. When we get together as a band, yes.... we always play
the music faster. I doubt that we play it 10X faster, LOL!
Javier
I
did not think "Sex, Murder, Art" or "War Ensemble" could EVER be played
faster than when Paul(Bostaph) was in Slayer. Well, you guys showed me
it IS possible!!
Danny
Slayer music is a beautiful thing. I
love the energy, speed, aggression and chaos that I feel coming out the
speakers at a Slayer concert. Hell, I can even feel it when I have any
Slayer CD in my stereo. Playing Slayers music at the speeds we play at
is very satisfying and addictive.
Javier
Joey, you are the youngest in Dead Skin Mask. Have you been a Slayer fan all your life, or at least a good part of it?
Joey
Well
yeah, most of my life. When I was in Jr. High, my friend let me borrow
Diabolus in Musica and I just thought it was and still is the greatest
music I've ever heard. They had a sound like no other band had that was
so dark.
Javier
Have trouble getting into the clubs you play at?
Joey
No, We haven't had any trouble YET with my age getting in the way of a gig.
Javier
What "gear" are you using?
DannyM
My
main guitar is a ESP Custom Shop Jeff Hanneman. Its the old style
guitar with the a Kahler trem, SLAYER inlay at the 12th fret. Its
loaded with EMG 85's and has an EMG SPC installed. Its tuned to E flat
and stringed with 10's. Yes, in my opinion, it is better than any
Standard Series ESP guitar. It is better than any other guitar that I
have ever owned or played! My back up guitar is an ESP/LTD Jeff
Hanneman JH-600. Its the one that was banned and has the 'S & Key'
inlays. There are only 48 of these guitars in the world. I went thru
many amps looking for my tone. Being in this band I also needed an amp
that could nail Slayers tone and vibe. I use a Marshall JCM 800 2203X.
It has SED Winged C EL34 power tubes and I put GT-12AX7-C pre amp tubes
in V1 and V2. I put a Mesa SPAX7-A in the V3 position. I push the amp
with a stock SD-1. My cab, as you already know, is a ENGL Vintage Pro
4x12. That gear is the core of my sound. I get an amazingly authentic
Slayer sound and vibe with that set up. I do not use any FX for my main
Slayer tone. It’s all in the amp, guitar and my fingers. I do use a POD
XT LIVE to add a bit of effects (delay + reverb) and a slight volume
boost for leads. My signal chain looks like this: Guitar -> SD-1
-> Marshall 2203X -> Pod XT Live in FX loop for Lead guitar
effects -> ENGL Pro 4x12.
For back up I have a Marshall DSL 50.
Joey
I play through an Ibanez half stack and on a B.C. Rich Kerry King Signature guitar.
Javier
Dead Skin Mask seems like it has been together for years. Did all of you grow up together in high school bands?
DannyM
No
we didn’t. I have known Mykill for less than a year. I answered and ad
in a local magazine that said "SLAYER SLAYER SLAYER !!! Can you play
their music? Prove it. No age, race or gender restrictions. If you have
the skill, you have the job". I contacted him, sent him some home made
Slayer recordings that I had made and set up a time to go and meet and
jam with him. That laid the foundation for Dead Skin Mask.
Joey
answered an ad on a flyer that I hung at a music store when we were
looking for a guitarist. Mykill already knew Romeo. I think they were
in a previous band together.
Javier
How long have you been with dsm?
Joey
For about 5 months.
Javier
You
really do a good job, it seems your heart is in it. Keep playing and
keep bringing fans an excellent tribute. There are too many bad bands
giving tributes a bad rap. Slayer tributes are popping up fast,
hopefully they(all the poor tributes) won't sway people from going to
see you guys.
Thanks for your time!
Joey
Thanks for showing up at the show and thanks for taking the time to chat.
DannyM
No, Thank you Javier.
I really enjoyed the questions. I love talking about amps, guitars, tone, and Slayer music.
Best Regards,
DannyM
Check out Dead Skin Mask. They ARE the Ultimate Slayer tribute band, with out a doubt!
http://www.deadskinmask.com
At the time of this post, Dead Skin Mask is:
Romeo - vocals
DannyM - guitar
Joey - guitar
Mykill - drums
Javier Escandoza
nice to see a band that can really play the music they state they can. cheers!
SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ace job!
I don't see mention of mykill here, but yeah, great player.
slayer guitar riffs are not impressive
slayer sucks. always have
Are they still in Japan?
I believe dead skin mask will be playing again really soon. Says so on their messageboard.
tributes are really lame. especially the look alike idiots. this group is good musicians. wish they would do original songs. would be really grate music IMO.
Eendracht maakt macht
dead skin mask is dead?
maybe dead skin mask will play my town?
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