Empire Extreme got to cross paths with Planet Venus legend Valient of Valient Thorr while they are still crashed on the planet earth and decided to tour with The Warped Tour. At first I wasn’t sure how this galactic spaceman was going to welcome me, but at the first moment of contact Valient was a gentle and Philosophical being with much enjoyment of music.

Before we started the interview Valient looked at my Recorder App on my phone and talked about the first thing he ever had to record on and play with looked just like the App.

Empire: Why did you travel from Venus to NC?
Valient: It’s just where we crashed landed, when your falling from space never know where you’re gonna land. It’s kind of like being born, you never know if you’re going to be in Kansas, or Florida.I always say it’s not where you’re from it’s where you’re at.

Empire: How long did it take to learn the language and you have the accent down really good.
Valient: The accent use to be way worse, I had to back off of it a bit. I just watched a movie last night in the specific region of where I was, it was in Kings Mountain and I was in Lincolnton, the movie was called Masterminds it’s a comedy with Owen Wilson and Kristen Wiig and Zach Galifianakas, they have the accent down.

Empire: I asked Gwar about running into you guys. Any stories of meeting them in space?
Valient: Not in space. But here on earth I have. I actually reside in Richmond Virginia now so I run into them quite often. Dave Brockie (Oderus) was the guy who got me to move there. We actually had our first interactions with them in Europe, Gwar was trying to enslave them. I don’t think I have ever told this story but Oderus wanted breakfast super early one morning in Germany, and we were doing a three day thing where we were going to play shows in Austria one night, then Germany the next day and then that same night in Denmark or somewhere. It was like 3 countries in 24 hours. We played the show the first night and we didn’t want to leave cause there was all these babes there, and we left driving through the crowd while they were rocking the vehicle like we were Ramones or The Beatles. So we get into Germany at like 5 am, and breakfast won’t be ready till 6. And Gwars human handlers were there, and we’re hanging out and Dave Brockie walks up and I don’t know who he is at the time, “yes we are going to need coffee and eggs for like 6-8 people, will take scrambled and over easy and do you have oatmeal?” And I was like sorry I’m playing I’m just here for coffee too and some guy said it be out in a minute and then he said “ You don’t understand we want coffee, we want eggs for 8 people” I’m like dude I’m in a band, I don’t have that. He then said “ you don’t understand we want coffee, we have been up all night we want coffee and we want eggs and hot sauce and creamer for the coffee and I want it NOW” and I’m Like man I don’t have any coffee, he was like “ I’m just kidding my name is Dave, want to smoke some weed on the bus?”

Empire: What Earth bands inspired you?
Valient: I would say Bon Scott for presence, Jim Morrison for writing and poetry and Philosophy of Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo. I think the world has reached its peak and it’s devolving.

Empire: I know you guys did Tours with MotorHead and stories about Lemmy you like to share?
Valient: I have a lot of stories that I use to tell, but since he passed away they have become more personal, but I will say everyday something comes from that. Yesterday we were in Jersey and trying to get the kids to see us, walking the line they say. I got tired of saying the same old shit. I got in front of all the people and said “ excuse me, all these people behind me are going to take your joints, so you might as well just give them to me” everybody was laughing and this female cop started walking up to me and I was like is she going to be pissed about that. She comes up to me and asks if I was a singer in a band and I said yes and she was like I thought so I seen you open up for MotorHead at Asbury Park in 2011 with Clutch. Lemmy taught me a lot through song writing and not just his. Here’s a story this is a quick one. He would ask people if they like Valient Thorr and they say no and he make them listen to our music. He asked me one time if I like Tom Petty and I didn’t and he made me listen to 2 ½ albums and pause it and talk about song writing. Years later I sometimes sing with this band from college called The Avett Brothers and we did a cover of Tom Petty’s “ Don’t do me like that” and I realized he might have been talking about that because I can sing that very well and in that key, and he’s such a smart guy.

I made way over to the HardRock stage to check out Valient Thorr’s set. This was my first time seeing them and was blown away. Just the energy that everyone in the band omits is infectious. Such a killer show I’m glad that the crashed landed on earth because they kick soo much ass, and with most bands being pretentious, Valient is above all that and is better at being a humble human than anyone else.

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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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