SplatterTribe: Introduce Yourself, your band and compare each member to something setting in the room you are currently setting in.
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Jeff:
My name is Jeff Cerzosie. I play guitar and occasionally sing for The Infinite Staircase. I also work as a body double for Jorge Garcia on the set of ABC’s Lost in my spare time.
Lenny (Vox/Guitar) is a coaster…Always has an empty beer bottle on him.
Paris (Drums, Percussion) is the Lamp-post in front of our house…Tall, extremely skinny, easy to turn on but the light is always off
Jared (Bass) is a piece of studio foam: Sparkly, off the wall, and helps make |
Jeff (Guitar/Vox) / The Infinate Staircase |
things sound good.
Me? I’m my Crate Tube Amp…Short and Fat. Lol
Lenny:
Lenny- vocals and some guitar…. Hmmm, well, sometimes I’m kinda like this desk here. Pretty sturdy when you look at it. Dusty, but cleans up well. Supports a lot of weight, yet is held together by just a few screws… some tighter then others!!
Jeff- main axe and backing vocals… he’s the fucken Mac computer… you don’t know exactly how his programs work, but the jobs get done. You don’t quite understand how he connects to the internet of industry contacts, yet we’re downloading with BLS and Sevendust!!
Paris- thundergod and band entertainment- lemme look around for a sec… ok, Paris is like the mouse for the computer. As long as I guide him in the right direction, he accomplishes exactly what I need him to with just a gentle click of a button.
Last and certainly not least:
Jared- bass sodomizer- in no way do I mean this as an insult, but my dog, Nikki, is sitting with me right now and I gotta say that’s my comparison to Jared. One, they’re both scruffy and will lye, sit, and beg for beer. Second, like my mutt, Jared thinks he can throw down with me and keep up with the boozing! In reality though, I’m just gonna end up cleaning up his vomit from the floor and cleaning his piss-soaked, hairy crotch.
SplatterTribe: For anyone who has no idea who you are or what style you may be, how would you best describe your band?
Jeff:
I never know quite how to answer this. You don’t want to get people’s hopes up or steer anyone in the wrong direction. But I will say, for better or for worse; whether I like the bands or not; since our formation as an acoustic duo some 6 or 7 years ago, to date – we have been compared to everything from Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens to Guns N’ Roses, Creed, Alice In Chains, and Metallica…How true any of those comparisons are…lol you be the judge! But we are definitely Melodic Hard Rock. We keep our acoustic foundation present throughout our album and live performances but aren’t afraid to get in your face with loud guitars and double bass out the ass! Lol
Lenny:
Ah, I always hate this one. If we say hard rock, it sounds weak and outdated. If we say metal we’re automatically classified as the whole “nu-metal” thing. Alternative is just so obscure that I don’t even know what that implies anymore. Maybe its my age starting to show, but I hate describing our sound in terms of genre at all and instead regurgitate descriptions from our fans, critics, friends, and fellow musicians. We’ve been described as things from Days of the New meets Black Label Society to Creed meets Metallica. I don’t see any of it. I say we sound like The Infinite Staircase. We pride ourselves on not being generic but still being catchy; not being bubblegum but not sending people over the suicidal edge. We write true to what we live and feel, so our debut album will have songs ranging from “Whats the Point,” which is just me and my acoustic crying about the sad truths of life; to “Guns and Bibles,” which is a heavy, bass slapping, ass-kicking, metal satire of our fucked up world.
SplatterTribe: You've landed some pretty big names to record on your upcoming full length album, how did that come about and are there any possibilities of others showing up?
Jeff:
Well, Blues Saraceno actually recorded on our song “Happy Fields” several years ago. The song, though has been released on several compilation albums over the years (Including the March 2008 Issue of Metal Edge Magazine’s Compilation Disc and the 2005 Montel Williams MS Foundation Compilation CD) has yet to truly meet it’s final capacity in the recording studio. We’re currently working on that. How did we get Mr. Saraceno? Well, as simple as it sounds, we took a chance and contacted Blues’ Management, who happened to really like what we were doing. We then actually sent the tracks to the song via mail and Internet to Blues’ Studio out in California. And a few days later he sent the song back to us with his phenomenal playing on it. He even recorded extra parts so we had a lot to choose from when doing the final mix. It’s still so sick to have him on the album. The guy is truly just an out of this world musician.
We also have Earl Slick who recorded on a song called “Lately” (an early version of this can be found on iTunes and other digital media outlets). Now for anyone who’s been living under a rock, Mr. Slick’s resume includes but is certainly not limited to playing guitar for DAVID BOWIE, JOHN LENNON, YOKO ONO, IAN HUNTER, THE STRAY CATS, SLINKY VAGABOND, etc, etc, etc… This was a surreal experience to say the least. Luckily for us Earl lives not too far from us, so we had the extreme pleasure of recording face to face in the studio with him. But to this day I cannot tell you what the most insane part was…Him recording on our song…Him jamming on my guitar…or sitting around, eating pizza with him while he told stories of touring with Bowie. Just an amazing day. And the guy is cool as hell.
Is there a chance of any other guest appearances?? Well, we sure hope so! Lol Just Kidding. I mean, nothing is out of the question and we’re always working on stuff like that. But at the moment there is nothing concrete. Do you know anyone? Lol
 Lenny (Vox/Guitar) The Infinite Staircase |
Lenny:
Being alive for 28 years and in this band for 7 or so, has taught me that there is ALWAYS a possibility of others showing up. We do, also, have some prospects in the work. Fact of the matter is, as long as Jeff keeps harassing managers to pay us a glance or two, we’ll continue to pick up some rogues on the side of the road.
SplatterTribe: If you were to write a song entitled SplatterTribe, What do you think it would be about?
Jeff:
Hmm…That’s an interesting one…I honestly am drawing a blank right now…I suck. Maybe Lenny will have
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better luck….WAIT – A Killer art group who uses blood of their victims to paint with?? Ahh, like I said…maybe Lenny will have better luck. lol
Lenny:
That’s an odd one… I think it would be about a cult of modern people who gather ritualistically to shed their worldly restraints and indulge in psychotropics while painting each other’s bodies with paint and mud.
(Tribe Note: Ahhh, two perfect answers and not very far removed from our origins....Way to go gentlemen, way to go...)
SplatterTribe: What is your definitions for the following words?
Jeff:
Music:
Life
Entertainment:
I guess anything that makes the time go in a positive way for you personally…anything that takes your mind off of your problems for even a minute. Or is that the definition of Good Entertainment?
Art:
Anything one finds beautiful. Art is the majesty of life. It encompasses all things life, love, art, and music.
Life:
Music
Lenny:
Music: calms the beast
Entertainment: distracts the beast
Art: defines the beast
Life: is the beast.
(Tribe Note: When speaking of this Beast, You're not talking about Hip Hop'r Delivery The Beast are you? Cause that would be really strange.....)
SplatterTribe:
Story time, funny shit happens all the time, tell us a story about something funny that has happened recently.
Jeff:
Well, I laugh any time Paris tries to convince us to let him sing back up vocals. LOL (Oh man, he’s gonna kill me) There are tons of funny things that happen though. Ask Lenny how he feels about the keyboard player from White Lion…lol
Lenny:
Never forget trying to get Paris up one morning after a gig in Ct. We had to check out by 11 and were pushing it to the limit cuz we couldn’t get his pretty ass out of bed. After begging us to get an extension that was denied by the front desk, Paris cries “But my DAD never had a problem getting an extension!” If you know who Paris’ dad is you’ll understand why that’s so fuckin’ funny…
(Tribe Note: For those who do not know, Paris' dad is the one and only Rock/Metal/Country/Actor/RealityStar/Broadway performer Sebastian Bach and BTW, Lenny, what is the story about the keyboard player for White Lion?)
SplatterTribe:
Can you make a sentence using the following words or phrases (2 sentence max!)
skull cap:
Jeff:
Hmm…I will wear a Skull Cap with your logo on it during the BLS Bash Tour for financial sponsorship. (lol)
garbage:
Jeff: Shirley Manson from Garbage has finally done something worthwhile by starring in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (lol Ouch, too harsh?)
mouse trap:
Jeff: Mouse Trap is one of the greatest Board Games of life!...EVER!
fountain:
Jeff: If I found the Fountain of youth I would give it to Ozzy. That man should never age or retire. Oh, and this kid Steve we used to know used to steal change out of the fountains at the Staten Island Mall…Just thought I’d share. Lol
splatter: (Tribe Note: No Answer, but I'm sure he meant to write the sentence. SplatterTribe is frickin AWESOME!)
Tom Cruise:
Jeff: Tom Cruise should go jump on a couch…Oh, and he was NOT funny in Tropic Thunder but Robert Downey Jr. Deserves an Oscar for his role.
Lenny: Uh, no.
SplatterTribe: If you were going to start your own Musicians Hall of Fame, who would be your first 5 nominees (Musicians or Artists, not bands and for fun you can include drummers if you would like:)
Jeff:
lol Nice. I always like a good drummer comment. Lol But, umm, off the top of my head – and there are so many great choices, but I would definitely have to go: Randy Rhoads, Ozzy, Zakk Wylde (And No I’m not just saying that ‘cause we’re on tour with the guy. Lol Anyone can tell you I’ve been an obsessed schoolgirl for years lol) Dimebag Darrell (God Bless Ya Dime!), and Axl Rose (Sorry to all the haters out there but Chinese Democracy is a masterpiece and he proves he doesn’t need Slash and Duff –as much as I love them). Close Call Nominations would be Blues Saraceno, Ritchie Kotzen, and Kevin Martin. 3 of the most talented people on the face of this planet that sadly it seems will never get the recognition they deserve.
(Tribe Note: Ritchie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno, that's like 2/4 of every guitar player Poison has ever had, that's an Unskinny Bop if I ever saw one!)
Lenny:
Randy Rhoads… Dimebag Darrell… Zakk Wylde… Axl Rose… Ozzy Osbourne.
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SplatterTribe: You guys will be touring with Black Label Society, Sevendust and Dope on the Black Label Bash Tour in March and April of 09, how did that come about and what's goin through your mind about the tour?
Jeff:
Well, again, here’s some very simple advice out there. I know it might sound lame or stupid, but trust me, it has made a lot happen for us…Never be afraid to ask…With the right timing and the right attitude (and some good tunes to back it up) anything really is possible. With the Black Label Bash Tour, we still can’t wrap our heads around it. Lol I had heard a |
Paris (Drums) The Infinite Staircase |
rumor that BLS was gonna tour with Sevendust next year so I contacted Zakk’s management. Just so happens that he has some of the coolest people on earth working for him who were willing to give an up and coming band the chance of a lifetime. I mean seriously, we got the gig over bands with managers and labels, you name it; It’s still mind-numbing. I’m pretty sure I can speak for the whole band when I say that EVERYTHING is going through our minds right now. Lol I mean this can make or break us. But we’re going to give it everything we’ve got and hope that we make a few friends and fans along the way.
Lenny:
We got it cuz Jeff asked for it.
I wake up every morning and check our web page to make sure the last few months of setting up this tour wasn’t a friggin dream…
And we’d LOVE to do tour diaries with anyone interested.
SplatterTribe:
Ok tell us about the band name.
Lenny:
This one’s always a doozy and it depends on my mood when I’m asked… First, we needed a name that was OURS, ya know? Something that wasn’t necessarily catchy or trendy, but had our personal signature in it. The Infinite Staircase (btw the “THE” IS PART OF OUR NAME!! Were they called The Doors or just Doors?!! But I digress…) T.I.S., or Tis, however you wanna call it, all represent the endless journeys that change direction with every day that turns and every lesson learned. It’s a staircase because its up and down; your perspective defines the direction. You can look up and see it as ascending or look down the spiral toward ultimate dissention. Similarly, you can stop at a landing at any point and step through a door thus leaving the staircase. So the Staircase can be said to be our lives while its infinite nature is our endless world of possibilities, choices, disappointments, regrets, and experiences. That’s one of my schpeals… The other one I can only talk about with certain types of people, otherwise I get that look like I’m high or something (shut up Jeff!, hehe). Well, the idea of this “Infinite Staircase” came from a fantasy roleplaying game. It is a dimension in between dimensions that links every point in the universe. In other geeky words, wherever there is a doorway, an archway, or a portal of any sort anywhere in the entire universe, you can- with the right key- enter the staircase and head toward any other door on any one of the endless landings that will ultimately lead you to any destination you desire to reach. Some roam the staircase endlessly never finding their way. Some roam endlessly because it IS their way.
SplatterTribe: I ask those I interview for a question to ask the next person I interview, the last interview I did was with Outlaw Country Rock N Roll Bad Ass Tonya Watts and her question was this.
T. Watts: How do you feel about all of the vets on the street?
Jeff:
It’s funny how our government can even consider giving billions of dollars to the auto industry when such travesties as U.S. Veterans living and dying on the streets exist. Our father is a Vietnam Veteran and to think that that easily could have been him is disheartening to say the least. And look, I’m not trying to shove politics down anyone’s throat, but there are a lot of things that don’t make sense in the world and personally, Veterans living on the streets of our country is one of the many. I might not have all of the answers but there have to be something more that can be done than nothing. More than nothing is something.
Lenny:
Fact of the matter, is I don’t like to see any human being living on the streets or begging for money, food, or shelter. However, I also don’t think our government should allow men and women who gave years of their life in service to end up homeless because of their inability to reabsorb civilian life.
SplatterTribe: Do you have a question I can ask the next person I interview?
Jeff:
I know as much as anyone just how depressing, stressful, and disheartening the Music Industry can be…How do you keep or get yourself out of a rut when the music industry gets the best of you?
Lenny:
“Where does the majority of inspiration for your writing come from?”
SplatterTribe: If it was time for your last meal, what would it be?
Jeff:
Well, I’m the token fat guy, so there’s a million ways I can answer this. Lol But I would probably say Cheese Wontons from Red Apple Chinese Restaurant on Hylan BLVD in Staten Island, New York with a Cherry Icee/Slurpee. That, for me, would be heaven. Lol
Lenny:
I know what you’re all expecting to hear!! So I’ll say it: PUSSY!!!
(Tribe Note: I was actually waiting to hear like, uhm I don't know, Value Meal # 2 or something, but sure....we'll go with that.)
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Jared (Bass) The Infinate Staircase |
SplatterTribe: Songwriting time. I wrote 2 lines 2 a verse and then when I interviewed SplatterTribe's own Grimlock1, he added 2 more, what I need for you is to write 2 more lines.
I wrote:
Although it was oh so quiet
My ears were on the verge of burst
Grimlock1:
but the flames overtook the darkness
and I was the one burned first
Lenny:
Then with the blink of an eye
It happened so fast
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SplatterTribe: Any closing comments concerning anything you want.
Jeff:
Well, I just would like to say to anyone interested in contacting us, booking us, or working with us in the slightest way…We are currently unsigned and self-managed. We are weighing options for management and representation but in the meantime all inquiries can be sent to HAIRPICK@aol.com or to our myspace page at: www.myspace.com/theinfinitestaircase And come to the Black Label Bash early and check us out and don’t be afraid to say hello if you see us wandering about before or after the shows. We will be on the tour from March 22, 2009 until April 18, 2009 (This Excludes the Canadian Shows – Sorry Canada) but will be booking
some independent shows before, during, and after the tour as well so please keep an eye out for that as well as our album tentatively titled “The Road Less Taken” Due February 2009.
Also…
I hope you don’t mind, but I added a question…
Lenny:
Obviously, be at the bash.
Look for our debut early ’09.
Thanks for the exposure.
Rock n fucken roll………
SplatterJeffTribe: Are there any major rip-offs in the industry that up and coming bands should be aware of?
Jeff:
Well, yes. It’s funny you should mention that. BAND BOOT CAMP, which is run by supposed industry legend LOREN ISRAEL, is a SCAM and RIPOFF. The guy is full of shit and only cares about money. So, bands please do yourselves a favor and skip out on this “opportunity.” The asshole still owes us $350. Thank you.
I also just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone at SPLATTERTRIBE for taking the time to actually give a damn about us. We really appreciate that and wish you guys all the best. Please keep in touch and we hope to see you and everyone else on the road! Happy New Year!
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