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Where are you /your band from?
Graham Czach (songwriter, vocals, bass) – I’m from Chicago, IL, grew up in the Northwest Suburbs and lived in the city after college until I moved to LA about 2 years ago. The guitarist, Dylan McGee Jones, is from Milwaukee, WI and lived in Chicago for years which is where we met in the music scene. He made the move to LA a couple years before me and we re-connected in LA. The drummer, PunKy Balfour, is from Palmdale, CA and moved around a lot when he was younger, then ended up in LA as well.
What type of music did you hear the most growing up?
Classic Rock. I was raised on Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, CSNY, The Moody Blues, ELP, Jackson Browne, and on and on. My parent’s were huge music appreciators and hippies back in the 60’s/70’s that still go to almost more concerts than I play a year as a professional musician doing almost 200 gigs per year with various bands. I started playing upright and electric bass when I was about 7 or 8 and continued in school orchestras and bands which eventually led to attending Illinois Wesleyan University where I received my Bachelor’s in Music for performance and composition as well as a minor in business. I was also always very much into heavy metal and bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera and others that had a huge influence on me and still do. On the other hand, I got really into jazz and fusion in high school and college as well as playing in a ska/funk/punk/rock band, the Skalawags, in high school with my good friend Kris Myers, drummer of Umphrey’s McGee, who also recorded on my first solo album, ‘Lucid’. R&B, soul and Motown also had a massive influence on my playing with James Jamerson as a main influence on my electric bass playing. Funny enough, I run two jazz trio businesses for special events called the Chicago Diamond Trio and the LA Diamond Trio where I mainly play upright jazz bass. I always tried to be as versatile as possible and humble myself to the music and the belief that I will never know enough about music or learn enough or think I’m good enough until the day I die.
What made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in music?
When I was a junior in high school I was deciding on what colleges/universities I wanted to apply to and what my major was going to be, as well as all the intense debating and thinking everyone has at this age as to what they want to pursue for a career and what dreams to follow. My passion and my inner purpose that was calling to me was music and I knew I had to go for it, so I did. It’s been a long hard road but very rewarding in many ways. I’m now a full-time professional musician making a good living doing what I love, living my dream, whether it’s songwriting, session work, touring in various bands, or running my jazz trio businesses and doing those gigs. It’s all rewarding in different ways and keeps things fresh. I’ve met and worked with some of my heroes and inspirations including Angelo Moore (Fishbone), who guests on “Red Star” off the new Rebel Rampage album and many others. Do what you love and love what you do. It always keeps you young, but the music business can be really brutal sometimes and it takes a shield of titanium confidence and resolve to deal with it and push forward on a near daily basis sometimes. Props to all the musicians and artists out there following their dreams and persevering. It’s honorable.
What sets you apart from other bands/artists today?
We are a real no bullshit bass/lead vocal fronted power trio armed with words and music to resist oppression from the government and inspire change for equality and justice. There’s no one doing what we are doing like we are doing it. The raw power combined with messages this political and activist combined with the heavy riffs, melodic vocal shredding, and a super group of pro session musicians performing every note like it’s their last, expending every ounce of energy to connect these much needed messages with music for the people is unmatched. Fuck all this party lines bullshit and democrat or republican, it’s way past that, it’s about basic human rights and decency. Fuck Trump and everything he stands for, as well as all the spineless cowards in Congress and others that continue to support him, and his un-American hateful divisive deceitful lies filled rhetoric. We stand with the people fighting the good fight to rid of this cancer that occupies the highest office in the country. We are currently in a Constitutional crisis that needs to be fixed. I can go on for days about all of this and the issues but back to the question. We don’t care what is trendy or how we need to fit in. We don’t fit in because we are doing us, original hardcore rock with music and messages that will rip your face off and make you think. You may hear our influences in the music, but we aren’t trying to be anyone but ourselves in an honest no frills truthful and blatant way.
For those who have never seen or heard your music before, how would you describe your music for the public audience?
Get ready to rock super hard and take a stand for what’s right. Powerful meaningful rock songs with musicians who can really play their instruments and put on an incredibly intense energetic and moving show. A powerhouse trio delivering heavy and unrelenting riffs anchored by bombastic ‘machine gun’ drumming delivering messages through lyrical originality and prowess, with high soaring melodic vocals reminiscent of the great sing-screamers Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) and Layne Staley (Alice In Chains). The ever-expanding list of topical issues addressed range from immigration and women rights to free press and the failings of the U.S. health care system. We feel that rock music recalling the likes of Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, and Rage Against the Machine in a current sound and format provides the best framework for this kind of content. Now go rock the album on 11 and come to a show near you.
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If you had to categorize your music, what genre would it best fit?
Protest Rock Power Trio
Are there any stories surrounding your songs that you’d care to share?
Sure. There’s pretty much a story surrounding every song on the album because they are all addressing one issue or another and the inspiration comes from all sorts of events that have happened over the last couple years and have been ongoing for decades. “Not the Enemy” was born from the attack on the Free Press and the term “fake news”. “Red Star” was the second single we put out with a video featuring Angelo Moore of Fishbone. The song is about Russian Collusion and our return to authoritarian dictator-like regimes around the world including at home. It was great to work with Angelo and his creative genius; we’ve become close friends and are working on some more new music coming your way soon. I encourage everyone to read the lyrics to every song to really understand what we are saying and the deeper meanings and messages.
What do you do with your time away from music?
I’m a huge movie buff and love watching great movies, always keeping up to date with the latest movies and revisiting the old classics. I also love reading books and getting in some good workouts at the gym to stay in shape and be healthy. These Rebel Rampage shows are no joke, I must cross train just to keep up with these physically challenging performances. I’m always working or gigging or recording etc., so it’s nice to just chill and spend some quality time with my wife and family & friends on breaks.
Any upcoming shows/tours/news?
Yes, we are about to release a music video for “Scorched Earth”, about climate change, off our recently released debut album, ‘Divided We Fall’ as well as embark on a national tour in the late Spring TBA. So, stay tuned and follow us on the socials below:
Website: https://www.rebelrampage.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RebelRampageOfficial
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RebelRampage33
Instagram: http://instagram.com/RebelRampageOfficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLlybS7dhD0dDd6GJEjffmQ
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