June 21st
RamsHead Baltimore MD

BEARDS, TATTOOS, TRUE CRIME AND EVIL MICKEY MOUSE

North Carolina’s He is Legend came into Baltimore on the first day of the 20th Anniversary of Sevendust Tour. Empire Extreme got to talk one on one with singer Schuylar Croom before they took the stage.

Empire: Tonight the first night of the tour, how’s that feel?

SC: We are stoked we haven’t been out with Sevendust in a long time, just working all the kinks out getting ready.

Empire: You guys just released a new album “few” and did a fan kickstarter campaign?

SC: Ya we did an IdieGoGo crowdfunding thing, it went really well, we kinda didn’t know what to expect. We did a lot of research on what to do and what not to do. We were weary at first thinking of what our fans wanted and if it was a good idea or should we go to a record label and when we made the decision it was based on the fans.

Empire: I heard that you guys reached your goal pretty fast?

SC: ya we set it up we chose the month long campaign, have it be all or nothing if we reach our goal we get it if we don’t we don’t. It was nerve-racking for a minute but ended up how we wanted.

Empire: So how’s the metal scene around your area of North Carolina?

SC: In Wilmington we are at the end of the road, end of I40, so we don’t get as many shows as other cities. The Metal/Rock scene is kinda big, Weedeater is from there, Valiant Thor is close to there, ASG is from there. It’s a tight necked community for sure a lot of good music from our city just like anywhere else.

Empire: What about the state of NC in general?

SC: Ya, NC breeds some good rockers, and great musicians in general. Up in the mountains you got Bluegrass scene, Charlie Daniels is from there. We got great talent in this state for sure.

Empire: I seen you did a tour with Chimaira, how was that?

SC: That was awesome, was a while back. Those dudes shred, I think it was with Killswitch Engage.Its cool when you get a bunch of dudes we grew up listening to, it’s pieces of dreams playing with bands like that.

Empire: I can see that you have a lot of tattoos and I’ve seen you wearing Disney stuff and having a Disney related tattoo, is there a love for that?

SC: Mickey Mouse is the most satanic character ever created in capitalistic form I guess. I never been to Disneyland, I just have been linked to it because I have worn Mickey shirts before. And I have a Baphomet with Ursula on it. The Little Mermaid was the fist time I was like attracted to that just some odd darkness.
Empire: Ya I remember that movie being of  the more darker Disney films at the time.

SC: Ya the eels man

Empire: And Ursula was such a major evil bad guy.

SC: They based her off John Waters character Divine.

Empire: That’s this area, John Waters is Baltimore.

SC: Ya I forgot John Waters is from Baltimore, that’s killer.

Empire: I seen a Promo photo with you guys with Bunnies, what’s the story on that?

SC: We got a phone call that morning and it was around Easter time, our record label was asking for new promo photos. So we stopped at a mall while on tour and we went to a family photo, yearbook type of place. They were doing an Easter promo where kids can take pictures with bunnies, and we all held the bunnies.

Empire: It was just funny and odd to see these bearded metal guys holding bunnies.

SC: Ya that was kind of the idea, the nonsense of it all.

Empire: What band would you like to have seen that’s no longer around?

SC: I would say seeing Bonham with Led Zepplin would be up there with me. Maybe seeing the Misfits in the early days just to be a fly on the wall for that.It depends on era and genre, seeing Tupac and Biggie would have been dope. I grew up a drummer so seeing a Zepplin show back then would have been insane for me.

Empire: With that question I usually ask what musician would you bring back from the dead?

SC: That’s a tough question, I think maybe John Lennon, I know that a cliché rock star to talk about but his energy and what he was doing. Some one like Kurt Cobain who had something to say, maybe Brad from Sublime.

Empire: How do you get your inspirations for lyrics?

SC: I read, that’s kind of a loaded questions because I’m not sure where it comes from. It’s not a thing you say I’m pulling from this or that, it’s like a spark, I remember Tom Waits saying “ it coming from one window and out the other, floating over his piano and you got to reach out and grab it or it’s gone out the other window.” I relate to that a lot. We have been doing this for so long it’s not that hard to write, sometimes it is. One song may take 5 minutes and another may take a couple of days. I always looked up to people like Tom Waits or Nick Cave people who write stories with there music, a more theatrical side. Write about love, hate or death or something like true crime that can inspire stories(as we sat there on the tv was a true crime program).

He is Legend came out on stage and just rocked the house. Schuylar wearing a Misfits shirt looked like a combination of Charles Manson and Otis from The Devils Rejects mixed in with a little Duck Dynasty. He demanded the stage with his vocals and non stop energy on stage. This was my first time seeing the band and I was blown away, it’s hard to describe the music but I would say old school southern rock and roll mixed in with some pure heart stopping metal. During the set the band played a little of “Spoonman” from the late Chris Cornell. He is Legend is on the list of bands that everyone needs to see live, such a great band entertaining to watch.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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