'Battle For Ozzfest' Finalists CYNDER Talk About Being On The Show

Vocalist Ryan Camp of Asheboro, North Carolina's CYNDER (now CYN, short for CURSE YOUR NAME) — one of the two final competitors on the MTV reality show "Battle for Ozzfest" — recently spoke to goTriad.com about his experience and what lies ahead. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

goTriad.com: What kind of effect has the show had on the band so far?

Ryan Camp: "We've gotten a much bigger turnout at some of our shows, and life's gotten a lot busier. I'm constantly doing something — answering e-mails and fan mail."

goTriad.com: What was your experience meeting Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne?

Ryan Camp: "It was unreal. I was shaking. I was the first one in the house. A limo picked me up at the hotel. They didn't tell me anything, just 'A limo is gonna pick you up at 12.' I got in, and the driver didn't speak much English so I couldn't get any information out of him. He drove me around for five hours. When I got out, I was at the Osbournes' house. They sat me in a room with a camera — threw me right into the mix."

goTriad.com: Did a lot go on that they didn't show? Or did you have a lot of time off?

Ryan Camp: "During the day, they'd take us to watch a movie or take us to breakfast or let us hang around a hotel to shower. Most of the time you were wondering — they'd stick you in a room for an hour and you'd know that something's about to happen. They'd make you be quiet and not talk to each other."

goTriad.com: Was there anything they didn't show that you wish they had?

Ryan Camp: "One day we got to set up the second stage (for Ozzfest). I don't think they showed enough of the hard work aspect. We had to work a lot. They woke us up one day and made us jog to the second stage with no breakfast in 100-degree weather and set up the second stage."

goTriad.com: Are you satisfied with the way you were portrayed on the show?

Ryan Camp: "Yeah, they used what I gave them. I think they made me seem more quiet than I really was. I didn't get in the middle of the drama because I didn't care."

goTriad.com: What about seeing yourself get drunk in episode 8?

Ryan Camp: "I was worried about it. I thought it was going to get me kicked off. What they didn't show is that it saved me. Sharon told me the week before that I was too quiet and that if I didn't start talking more, they'd get rid of me. Before, we were told not to party. That night, she said, 'Have a good time. You're going to be hanging out with (Norwegian metal band) DIMMU BORGIR, so act like a rock star.' So, I went out and had a good time. The next meeting, she said, ‘You finally showed us your rock 'n' roll spirit. You can stay on the show." '

goTriad.com: As far as portrayal of the other contestants, do you think the show was pretty accurate?

Ryan Camp: "Kelly, they kind of gave it to him a little rough. He's not as bad as they made him out to be — he's really nice and smart. Brittney — everyone was disappointed that she got kicked off because we didn't see her troubled emotionally. I don't know if they saw video that we didn't see, but we never saw that part of it."

goTriad.com: It seemed like no one liked Ahmad. Was he as bad as they made him appear?

Ryan Camp: "Ahmad is very hard to get along with. Everything they showed of Ahmad was pretty much dead-on. He was the one that was interesting to watch because he was causing conflict."

goTriad.com: What was the most memorable moment for you?

Ryan Camp: "It would have to be playing on the main stage (of Ozzfest in Tampa) with my band. Words can't describe that. The adrenaline rush was insane. I mean, I've surpassed my dream. I can always say that we played the main stage at Ozzfest and opened up for SLAYER and BLACK SABBATH and JUDAS PRIEST. That's things that even bands on the second stage never get to do."

goTriad.com: What will you get if you win?

Ryan Camp: "$60,000, possibly a recording contract, new equipment and you get to play on the second stage (of Ozzfest) for the whole tour — it's worldwide this year. I don't know how it will unfold. If we don't win, I'm sure something else will come up. Hopefully, someone will want to sign us, or we'll go on tour with another band. I don't know what Sharon (Osbourne) wants to do. Right now, we're at the whim of Sharon and MTV."

Read the rest of the interview at this location.