CIRCUS DIABLO Frontman Hates The Term 'Supergroup'

Blasting-Zone.com recently conducted an in-depth interview with CIRCUS DIABLO frontman Billy Morrison (CAMP FREDDY, ex-THE CULT). Several excerpts follow:

Blasting-Zone.com: What inspired the name CIRCUS DIABLO?

Billy: "I could spout some shit to you for an answer, but the real honest truth is that there is no story (laughs). I thought the two words went well together and the imagery it conjured up was quite good. And then we went through a whole three month cycle of thinking of all the other crap names that you think about when you're trying to name a band. We came full circle and realized that CIRCUS DIABLO…the devil's circus…a freakshow was perfect. I don't know about you, but I relate to that. If it conjures up freakshow, then fuckin' a, ya know? I have many pierced holes in my body, I'm covered in tattoos and I've always been the outsider, so welcome to my freakshow."

Blasting-Zone.com: Do you consider CIRCUS DIABLO a supergroup?

Billy: "I didn't even think about it when we decided to do this as a band. My reaction to the word supergroup is…I really hate that name. It puts so much expectation on the product and the band. And at the same time, it kinda dooms it to failure because there are so many bands that come out of the ashes of other bands and people are so quick to label them as supergroups. And lot of them don't ever do anything. All that I'll say it that it is rather super to be able to play with these guys and it is a group. Take that as you will, ya know? Is VELVET REVOLVER a supergroup? No. I hate that term, but people are gonna use it so, whatever."

Blasting-Zone.com: Realistically, at this point, what are your expectations for the group?

Billy: "This is really honest. I have learned through the course of my career to not have any expectations. Right now, the music business is completely in the shitter. For me personally, my expectation is July the 3rd. On July the 3rd, the album we didn't even know we were making gets released. We saw something through to completion on our own dime, we paid for it ourselves, we wrote it and we played on it. There's no auto tune. We didn't fake this shit and we wrote some great rock songs. My expectations for it are that it actually gets released. Everything after that, for me personally, is a bonus. The fact that we might sell a few is fantastic. The fact that were gonna go on tour is amazing, ya know? I count my blessings every day that I don't have to get up and go work down a coal mine or something…ya know? Any day that I get to pick up a guitar is a fantastic day to me. If you're out there thinking you're going to get a million dollar record contract… The only way to be in the music business these days is to be passionate about making music, not about being famous. All of that shit is a bonus and sometime is comes and sometimes it doesn't. This business is really hard and unforgiving. You've got to love making music."

Blasting-Zone.com: Once it became apparent that you would need to find a touring substitute for (drummer) Matt (Sorum),did you find it difficult to choose someone?

Billy: "Yeah, we did (laughs). As much as I love Charles Ruggiero, who is now our drummer… Matt Sorum is, in my opinion, one of the best drummers in the world. In the last seven years, he's been in the bands that I've been in, ya know? He was in THE CULT when I was in THE CULT and he's been in CAMP FREDDY with me for five years. The dude is incredible. But you have to adapt and change. Having said that, we had a kid named Jeremy… play the gig last year, but he's out with Steve Vai this year. Everyone needs to pay the bills, so he's out with Steve Vai, which is fantastic. We found Charles, he played in a New York band called SLUNT. Basically, Charles came in and smacked the shit out of the drums, much like what Matt does. Matt plays just really hard and tight. Charles play exactly the same way and it was pretty obvious that he was the guy. He also has a great sense of humor, plays like a motherfucker and wants to be on tour and that's what we need because this is a rock 'n' roll band."

Blasting-Zone.com: What is the current status of CAMP FREDDY?

Billy: "CAMP FREDDY goes from strength to strength and considering four years ago, we were gonna do one gig and call it a day, I think we're doing pretty well. I think we've turned into possibly the biggest cover band in the world. We recently played a twelve thousand seat arena in Miami as part of the Bacardi Live series of gigs, so it was a completely full and amazing gig. Obviously with VELVET REVOLVER and CIRCUS DIABLO on tour, it's a little hard to get together right now. CAMP FREDDY is pursuing other things that we can do without having to get together. I think by the end of the year, once all of the touring has subsided, we'll get together and do a couple of shows. Luckily, CAMP FREDDY live in the background like a fuckin' Rottweiler tied to a chain that every now and again we take the collar off of and let it run around."

Read the entire interview at Blasting-Zone.com.