Bite Me! Life of Agony Interview

E-mail interview with Sal Abruscato of LIFE OF AGONY -By Nikki Neil

As I sit here listening to Life Of Agony’s Ugly I’m reminded of all the reasons why I feel in love with this band. Ugly was my first introduction to the Brooklyn based unit and from there I never looked back. Life Of Agony’s songs held a special place in my heart. I connected with the music, and I connected with Keith Caputo’s lyrics. When the band split up in 1999 I felt like something special had been taken from me. I wasn’t the only one that felt this way - every LOA fan did. Life of Agony was a band that always bared their darkest emotions—emotions that we’ve all felt at one point and time in our lives. It was this honesty that the fans connected with and it was the straight up energy and aggression, as well as the individuality of the music, that made the band—Keith Caputo (vocals), Joey Z. (guitars), Alan Roberts (Bass), and Sal Abruscato—stand apart from the rest.

Luckily, this story has a happy ending—as the end wasn’t the end and a new era is just beginning. With the release of River Runs Again: Live 2003 (SPV Records), Life of Agony celebrates their triumphant return. And the fans are very happy.

When I listened to River Runs Again it brought back a lot of fond memories. How does it feel to be playing together again?

It is absolutely wonderful to be working together again.

Is Life of Agony back for good, or is this a mini reunion to support the live album and DVD?
We are back for good for sure.

Is there any new material in the works? If so, how does it differ from past works?
We have dabbled with some stuff and it’s really wicked. It is heavy and well written.

What about Among Thieves, Supermassive, and Freax? Will they become side projects or are they on hold?
We all pretty much left those bands for LOA. Everything happens for a reason.

What prompted the band's return?
Well it all started with a phone call from Alan asking if I would be into doing a reunion show for Metal Edge Magazine on New Years Eve 2003. My jaw dropped and I said, “Yes, absolutely”. Nonetheless, we decided to do our own show at Irving Plaza, NYC, and to our amazement it sold out in 20 min. We added a second show and that sold out in 15 min. We were shocked and we knew it was special. After performing those shows we knew we couldn’t just walk away from the magic, and we missed playing with each other so much that we realized we wanted to be together all the time. The future of LOA looks bright and I foresee great albums in the works again. We can’t ignore the sheer magic and chemistry between each other and the fans. We just love playing together.

Does it feel awkward to be playing together again or was it more awkward being apart?
It was more awkward being apart. When we did our first rehearsal it was like we never stopped playing together. We were so tight as a band. We play better than ever now.

Will a U.S. tour follow the European tour?
Yes I believe so.

How has Life of Agony, as a unit, changed since the early days?
We have grown as people and musicians and we have more respect, compassion, and patience for each other.

What was the most important lesson learned from being away from the band?
You just don't come across chemistry like that everyday, and we needed each other a lot more than we thought back then.

On the band's Website, I noticed that you guys actively participate on the message boards. Do you feel it's important to keep open lines of communication with your fans?
Absolutely, without our fans we are nothing.

Do you take into consideration their feedback or constructive criticism?
Sure to an extent.

I remember the crazy stories about how you guys used to abuse cantaloupe while on the road. Any other wild tour stories from the past that you can share?
I was too stoned back then to remember, but I'm drug free now. Wait, there was this time in France where Keith and I bombarded these French girls with large fruit to get them out of our dressing room. Do you know what it's like getting beamed with a grapefruit at full velocity!

I’m grateful that I don’t. If you were to join the Jim Rose Side Show Circus, what would your shtick be?
The Butcher of Brooklyn

What do you hope LOA will be remembered for?
The honesty and purity of our hearts in addition to our innovative style and strong connection with the fans.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I love every fan that’s been there for us and I love my band mates, my family, and my fiancée Diana for all her support in the past years of me struggling.

Thanks Sal! It’s great to have you back. I was really bummed when the band broke up.
There is a rhyme to the reason and I doubt you'll ever get bummed again. Peace...
Nikki

For more info on Life Of Agony visit www.lifeofagony.com