Exclusive Interview

Justin St. Vincent from Xtreme Music interviewed Nick Oliveri of Mondo Generator on June 5, 2004 Aptos (CA), Aptos Club.

Xtreme Music: I’m here with Nick from Mondo Generator at the Aptos Club in Aptos, California. I’d like to start the interview by asking, how would you say Mondo Generator’s sound compares to the other works that you’ve done in Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age?

Nick Oliveri: I don’t know if it compares, or if it’s different or what. I actually do think it’s more different you-know, maybe it impacts harder. All my stuff from those past bands also attacked harder. I guess the difference is that it’s not just the hard stuff in the set now, but mostly it is hard.. (laughter)

Xtreme Music: So Nick tell me where abouts do you find your inspiration lyrically and musically?

Nick Oliveri: I love a lot of the Volume 4 Black Sabbath, I love the heaviness of that! And I love Black Flag, Man-O-War.. stuff like that. There’s so many different things that I like man, you-know, so it’s kinda hard to say. It’s all over the board man, so it’s not into one thing. I feel like there’s so many thinks I’m open too man.

Xtreme Music: For your latest release on the Ipecac Record label there’s some really amazing rock music. Is there innovative production techniques which you incorporate into your music?

Nick Oliveri: Not really.. the bass tracks were done on an off-day from “Songs For The Deaf”.. I forget how many weeks into it, but I had a day off and I saw my opportunities, the drums were still set up, hooked up a couple of mics to the drum set and record ten songs with Brant. It’s like “You’re taking Sunday off are you Josh, ok cool, I’m gonna do something in studio then..” (laughs). So we did ten songs with the drums, and then I did the bass after and I did guitar on a couple of tracks. It was like 7 in the morning, and I have to be back in at 9am so I was like “I’m leaving now” (laughter).. So that shit was so awesome, recording in between tours with Queens you-know. I had the time and there were these songs that I wasn’t using for the Queens record so I’m gonna record.

Xtreme Music: Mondo Generator you’ve been recorded as a side-project while it’s been off and on your other projects, for example, Queens Of The Stone Age and those tours that have been happening. I’m interested to know about the Tomahawk music video that you featured in. You play the bartender in the music video for “Rape This Day”. Could you talk a little bit about that music video that you were involved with?

Nick Oliveri: Oh man, I love the song, I love the band! Obviously, Denison and Patton, I mean all those guys. I love The Cows too! Everything those guys have done man, in the past and the present is like an inspiration to me. So I was very willing in doing it (laughter). When asked, I was like “Yeah, I’ll be there” you-know. The thing was, it took a day, like a couple of hours of a day really to go down there to be part of it.. I don’t even know if it ever came out to be honest. I don’t really know what happened with it.. so I never saw the final thing! (laughs).

Xtreme Music: So it was a good time doing it..

Nick Oliveri: Yeah, I did it because I love the band..

Xtreme Music: Would you say that you’ve been inspired by some of Mike Patton’s work in Faith No More and other projects that he’s been in?

Nick Oliveri: Sure! Absolutely! I don’t think anybody else could do what he has!

Xtreme Music: He’s certainly one of the greatest vocalist in the world. How did you hook up the record deal with Ipecac Recordings then, because you’re first debut release from Mondo Generator was on another indepedent label. But in terms of Ipecac, how did that come about?

Nick Oliveri: Well, Mike Lanegan.. is really good friends with Mike’s partner Greg Werkmann, smart enough guy.. very, very cool. He was listening to some recordings, and I didn’t know what I was going to do with it. So he sent to it to my friend.. and it kinda started that way you-know. Fortunately, Mike said “Yes, Wow!” and it was very cool. We just did a new EP, and I’d like to do a full-length with Ipecac.. but I don’t know what’s really gonna happen.

Xtreme Music: Are there any future collaborations in the works that you’d like to mention?

Nick Oliveri: We’re pretty much a band you-know. Hopefully, I’ll be playing with somebody’s music that I dig, but there’s nothing in the works right now. I got a new solo record coming out on Duna Records and a new Mondo EP..

Xtreme Music: So plenty to look forward to. You’ve recently played some killer shows in San Francisco and tonight in Aptos, California. How has the live tour been going and what has the crowd reaction been like?

Nick Oliveri: It’s been cool man, you-know we’ll been having fun tonight and it’s our own show finally and we’re really syked about it. The crowd has been great to us. But as far as us playing, it’s hard to do a half-hour to forty minute set and be realized, like “This is what we can do, and this is what we are capable of!”, in that amount of time – it’s sometimes not possible for some bands. So I think tonight will be fun!

Xtreme Music: Excellent! We’re really looking forward to the show this evening. For my final question, could you just mention some future works that are going to be happening for Mondo Generator in the near future? Like are there any music videos in the works or you mentioned an EP..

Nick Oliveri: Well, Brant has a few outputs with his label Duna, he wants to do a video for a song called “All That I’ve Got”. That’s on a record I’m doing with him and hopefully I’ll do a Mondo one as well soon. I don’t really know, there’s nothing in the works for that but hopefully somebody will want to do something. I don’t really see things from the other side, I don’t do that you-know like “How do I see the band?” (laughter), It’s not how I work, but maybe if somebody comes up with something cool – I’d be into it.

Xtreme Music: Sounds great! I’m really looking forward to the show tonight, it’s been fantastic meeting you Nick.