American Anymen is an industrial band with metal influences from Usa, one of the more interesting in that sound, their new album is coming out on june, we’ve reviewed it here , and this is some words with the very kind and gentle Brett Sullivan that plays guitar and sings in the band.
Many thanks to Brett and to Chris Poland of Eclipse Records.
1. – Hello, what is your feelings about yout last work “ Cities Changing Names “ ? –
– I have a good feeling about the new album, “Cities Changing Names.” For years I have been trying to make a really heavy album. In 2004 I made an EP called “Anxiety,” it featured double kick drum and syncopated rhythms prominently, but it was made with an acoustic guitar. In 2017 I made an EP entitled “Flag Burner” and that album had really heavy lyrical content, but again was made with acoustic instruments. So this album is the first album where I have totally transitioned to electric guitars and it made it sound more like a traditional industrial metal album. –
2. – What’s the project behind “ Cities changing names “ ? –
The project behind “Cities Changing Names” is the band American Anymen. I have been the main organizer for this musical project for the past 22 years. The band has spent most of its time in the NYC Antifolk scene. Now we are in the process of transitioning into the heavy metal scene.
3. – This album is awesome, got a special sound, what’s your way of composing ? –
Thanks for that compliment. I wrote the songs on the electric guitar. I used mostly traditional song writing patterns to make up the songs. When music has lyrical content that has a specific meaning, I think it’s generally a good idea that the song be able to be played by a solo performer or any kind of genre type band. I came from a scene where songwriting was valued very highly, and the importance of message and meaning comes before the musicianship. If the music is played and recorded well, that is just a bonus.
4. – What’s your view of the future, not just about music… –
My view of the future is a world with bigger walls being built around the more successful capitalist imperialist nations. With the climate crisis becoming more severe, food instability and a lack of work will force more and more people to migrate in search of stability. I believe that the countries who have more, will write off entire continents and the peoples living on them. The future will be a competition of each against all. If we don’t change the system of capitalism imperialism then more acute struggles for the resources needed for people to survive will get worse and worse. We have to change the political and economic system.
5. – You are in the industrial music scene form a long time ago, how are the changes in this ambient ? –
In fact, I have no connection to the Industrial music scene. When I was very young, probably starting in 1992, I began attending Ministry concerts. That was my first exposure to other people who like heavy, repetitive music. I go and see that band whenever they came around. But as far as a local scene, I was never exposed to any Industrial scene. In NYC there was a pretty good goth and synth scene, and a solid metal scene, but not much crossover into Industrial metal unless it was a touring band. I would love to be involved in starting an Industrial scene here and being part of organizing shows around that genre. If anyone is reading this, let’s do it.
6. – Have you ever played in Italy ?
I have never played or visited Italy. I have played in Scandinavia and parts of Western Europe but never Italy. I recently discovered an Italian metal band called Fulci, and they have an amazing sound and visual component going on. It would be sick to come to Italy and play a show with them.
7. – How the web has changed the game ?
The web has changed music a-lot. For me it has changed listening to music the most. You can find a band and over the course of a few days go through their entire catalogue for very cheap. So that is amazing. On the other hand, it is almost impossible to make money in music anymore unless you are playing live and selling merch. There is no going back, so I try and adapt to social media and the new ways of doing things rather than focus on the negatives.
8. – American Anymen in the future … –
American Anymen is looking for opportunities to play in front of more people. We are 100 per cent a live band. Our message is meant to be heard and interacted with. Our music is set up so that we don’t play the songs exactly the same way every night, and for me that is what makes a live performance interesting. We want to tour Europe and the States and hopefully that can happen again.
THANKS SO MUCH for the interest. –
Thanks to you Brett.
