Trainwreck has earned its following the old-fashioned way — with constant touring, impressive chops and a dedication to the fans. In fact, the band has already played over 40 shows this year, with a few more remaining on its schedule. Fronted by Kyle Gass and Jason Reed, Trainwreck's brand of "wreck and roll" combines a distillation of southern-influenced styles with campy humor and stage banter to create a unique live experience. The band's full-length debut album, "The Wreckoning," was released last December. Daily Staff Writer Ryan Zuckman caught up with Gass to talk about his experience thus far.
Ryan Zuckman: Let's start off with a bit of history. How did Trainwreck get started?
Kyle Gass: I think it was back in 2002 ... JR [Reed] and I started jamming and decided to make some music together to have some fun. So we gathered up a couple of other guys, wrote some music and took it on the road.
RZ: The band performs in character, stage names and costumes included. Where did the idea come from?
KG: It was born of a desire to really put more into the show. JR had a lot to do with it. He's sort of a natural focal point, really integral to what we do, so when he brought this idea, it sort of grew and we ran with it and have been doing it ever since.
RZ: Trainwreck has been on the road for years but has only released its first full-length studio album this year. Any particular reason [for the delay]?
KG: We have plenty of songs and have recorded a bit in the past, put out an EP. We do a little bit here, a little bit there, and it just wasn't really getting done. It's hard to get the momentum going. John Spiker, our bassist, is a talented, budding producer, so last year we just decided to do it ourselves. Also, we recorded a live album early on and it didn't really come out too well. We needed a redemption.
RZ: Why does the world need Trainwreck? What is the band's mission statement?
KG: Why does the world need Trainwreck? Why doesn't the world want Trainwreck? [laughs] Why does anyone need entertainment? I think the mission is really to provide good rock and a really good, entertaining live show that doesn't depend on a lot of shenanigans. We don't put it behind anything; we give it to you straight ahead. Drums, bass and guitar, and a lot of excellent band sync. It's an entertainment burrito. More bang for your entertainment dollar. We also have awesome [merchandise]. We've got belt buckles, we've got hot sauce. Trainwreck hot sauce.
RZ: What do you love about music?
KG: Being able to make a living, actually. Not actually having to do anything. What is it about music? I'm not even sure what it is — sound and pause? But I'm glad we invented it.
RZ: You're no stranger to the acting world. Do you consider yourself more of an actor or a musician?
KG: It's funny you should ask that, because I always considered myself an actor first, but it seems as if music organically has taken over.
RZ: Do you think that one day, if the music dies down, you'll go back to acting — make it more of a career?
KG: [laughs] Yeah, I might have to do that. Acting's a tough biz, though. You gotta audition; they don't just give you the job. And it's a challenge, for sure.
RZ: If you weren't an entertainer of any kind, what would you be doing?
KG: I'd be in serious trouble. Serious trouble, my friend. Trust me, I've thought of that often. And it's just ... nothing. I could be a barista at the Starbucks. Although I think I could be a psychologist because I'm crazy and so I've done a lot of studying on it.
RZ: You've got to be crazy to know crazies, right?
KG: Never met a shrink who wasn't. We might all be insane. But yeah, I don't really know.
RZ: You're most known for your role in Tenacious D, but the band's been pretty quiet since "The Pick of Destiny" (2006). Any plans for the future?
KG: I liken The D to a slow-moving dinosaur. We may not move that fast, but when we do ... it's huge. We're actually recording a new album. And if there was a Grammy for half an album, we would be winning. Right now.
