INTERVIEW: SUICIDAL TENDENCIES IN CONVERSATION WITH MIKE MUIR
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
“Everything is x 3” as No Barriers caught up with the California crossover thrash and hardcore punk legends SUICIDAL TENDENCIES main man Mike Muir as he and the band take off around Australia and New Zealand to tour with Metallica on their M72 tour, headline their own SUICIDAL TENDENCIES shows, and then tour as Cyco Miko. They are also celebrating the release of their fantastic new single, ‘Adrenaline Addict’ featuring Nisha Star and they hope fans like the new music.
It has been two years since SUICIDAL TENDENCIES’ last visit to Australia. The band, founding member, vocalist Mike Muir alongside guitarists Ben Weinman (The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Dean Pleasants, bassist Tye Trujillo (son of Metallica’s Robert Trujillo) and drummer Jay Weinberg (ex-Slipknot) have hit the road. First, they are touring with Metallica and will travel with them across Australia and New Zealand. “It’s been awesome so far, and a great experience, and a lot of fun,” stated Mike Muir. “I meet a guy – crew – at the Toronto, Canada gig. He said, ‘I helped put on your first gig on here all those years ago. It’s amazing that you guys are here with Metallica’. And, I said I would never have dreamed of this. If you had told me, it was going to happen – I would have said – now put the drugs down. I never thought touring with Metallica like this would have ever happened. I really appreciate it and don’t take it lightly. Australia will be awesome.”
But there is more, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES are also doing a range of their own side shows. So, if you missed out on the $1000 tickets to the big gig, the better gigs are heading out to other venues. “We can’t wait to connect with our fans in those smaller venues,” said Mike Muir. “Those venues are more fun. We also have new music to share with our fans.” SUICIDAL TENDENCIES have released new music with the song ‘Adrenaline Addict’ featuring Australian singer Nisha Star, and it’s the recorded debut with Jay Weinberg. “Yeah,” said Mike Muir. “I have been writing music for another project, but it didn’t fit. The song has that ‘devil/angel’ thing going on. It was the right song for SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, and we all thought we should get it out for fans to hear.”
The other touring project is Cyco Miko. “I will be going around playing either solo or with a small band to play songs connected to me,” stated Mike Muir. “There is new music, a new album, to be released early next year. And I want to test them out. I hope fans will like the new stuff, and I am going to play SUICIDAL songs as well. I am really looking forward to my time in Australia. I really love it down there, and the longer I can stay the better – I am even planning the next trip down there.”
“It is also a new line-up for the tour,” stated Mike Muir. “One of the first things Jay did after we did a couple of shows, he's just, like, ‘Dude, I wanna make a record’. And the way he and Ben, said it, they go, ‘When I was 12 years old and I heard SUICIDAL, it spoke to me’. He said, ‘I wanna do a record like that’. Jay said the same thing. Obviously, having Tye, Robert's son in there, Robert's, like, ‘Dude, you guys need to make a record. Do that thing!’. So, we did”. And the song ‘Adrenaline Addict’ featuring Nisha Star was made.”
Mike Muir has always seen the reality of life clearly. It is in his songs and his view of the world. His new song is even more honest about the world we face. “It’s a song about facing life. Life isn’t fair, but you can control how you approach it,” said Mike Muir. “You need to be a good person, and you can control that part. Life just keeps on coming. Music helps you stay motivated to make changes to keep going – especially when you engage with live music – its in your heart. Life is really about luck – good luck and bad luck – there is no rhyme or reason. But making the right choices as a person is the key. Spread goodness.”
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES are going to spread the goodness by playing in Perth and Auckland for the first time in seven years, and this will surely excite fans. “We want to get around. Some of the band have never been to Australia, and I want to show them the place. It’s such a great country. I like to see their faces as they see the beaches, cities, and countryside,” exclaimed Mike Muir. “I have lived here. My children were born here. And touring is a great way to see the place.”
So, fans, make the right choice and get along to these SUICIDAL TENDENCIES headline gigs and don’t forget about the Cyco Miko shows – they look like they will be sweet. If you got a ticket to the Metallica tour – enjoy!
